Book Bucket List | Reading is Sooo Delicious!

This last Saturday marked the beginning of the 2013 Summer Reading Program! Have you signed up yet?  The library branches will be featuring a number of food related programs through July 31.  You might want to check out:

•  Summer Reading Kick Off at the Troke Library Thursday June 6 at 6:00 p.m.
• SSJCPL Cooks will be at the Manteca Branch Library on June 11 at 2:00 p.m, at the Maya Angelou library on June 18 at 5:00 p.m, and at the Ripon Branch Library on June 20 at 2:00 p.m.
• Pasta Making Workshop at the Tracy Branch Library on June 11 at 4:00 p.m.
• Cake Decorating Demonstration at the Tracy Branch Library on June 25 at 4:00 p.m.

Here at the Manteca Branch Library, we just got in some pretty delicious looking cookbooks.  So in honor of Summer Reading, I'll feature a few of them today.

Eat St. Recipes from the Tastiest, Messiest, and Most Irresistible Food Trucks by James Cunningham features two of my favorite things: food trucks and easy recipes.  The recipes in this book are from food trucks all around the country like Le Truc and Roli Roti from San Francisco and Skillet Street Food from Seattle.  This book has recipes from Maple-Bacon Cupcakes to Kimchi Quesadillas and everything in between.

Curtis Stone, host of Top Chef Masters, has a new cookbook out too.  Curtis Stone's What's for Dinner? features a lot of meals that look like they took a lot of time, but are pretty realistic for the average home

cook.  The wine-braised short ribs and spiced apple pie look particularly appetizing.

Sandra Lee's Every Dish Delivers features a whole year of recipes.  What I like about Sandra Lee is that her recipes feature ingredients that you can easily find at your local supermarket.  She has recipes for New York Grilled Strip, Breakfast for Dinner Cakes, and even Fortune Cookies.

The Wanderlust Librarian | Off The Grid and in my belly

Remember a few weeks ago when I posted about food trucks? I've come back to report on Off the Grid. This is the weekly food truck gathering at Fort Mason. My friend and I got there early so we could scope out what was available. It's always nice to do a lap before committing to a location (if you can name the movie, I will squeal with glee!). While there were at least a dozen or more food trucks, there were an equal amount of food stalls. Some of the gems we saw were: a popsicle stand that sold some fun and unusual flavors, horchata kettle corn,       and made to order dumplings.

The night was made sweeter by a non-food truck...the AT&T truck. There were charging stations for telephones and a huge television that showed the San Francisco Giants game. Food AND a ball game for mere duckets? Bonus!

My friend, Lizzie, and I  were dismayed that a majority of the trucks there did "Asian Fusion". To be frank, it's taking Asian food and putting it into a burrito or a taco. Korean food? In a taco with kim-chee. Indian food? Tikka masala in a burrito. Want to make it nachos? Put it on top of french fries. I admit.... the french fry idea makes life worthwhile. I love carbs.

Unbeknownst to me until the night we were there, the huge truck gathering at Fort Mason only goes on until mid-October. Not to worry, there are still smaller pods that meet weekly at places around the City! When the weather gets better next year, check the Off the Grid site to visit the huge food pod!

Useful tips:

• Come early to get some free parking outside of Fort Mason. (To their credit, the parking fees are reasonable if you have to park inside.)
• Come early to visit the Friends of the San Francisco Library book sale located inside the Fort Mason complex.
• Come early to see what food is available and how much things are. 
• Come early to get a place to sit and to save spots while your friend gets food.
• Get an adventurous food friend that is willing to share food. It's a great way to try different food and talk about it! 

While the weather is cold and you're inside, try and make your own "fusions" by trying out recipes from the following books and putting them in a tortilla!

50 Great Curries of India would help set a great base for any type of meat / veggie

The One Dish Chicken Cookbook - getting a tasty chicken dish made would set you up for delicious leftovers, right?

Salad as a Meal  - Salads make great wrap stuffing!

Until next time: explore, explore, explore!

Adventure is out there!

Enjoy these pictures from Off the Grid! 

Fat Face Popsicle stand from Davis! 

I was waiting for dessert... they ran out. I heard it was delicious

Amazing garlic noodles from the An the Go truck.

An the Go has my heart! 

BLT Taco from the Taco Guys

Don't take my seat! 

The fresh choices from The Taco Guys

Wanderlust Librarian | Food Trucks

Travel is always a destination (well....almost). Sometimes it's fun to go to a new place just to find new food!

Back when I was younger, there was the taco truck: a big metal box that sold tacos and burritos. More often than not, the best tacos and burritos came out of those trucks at cheap prices. For a high school / college student, they were a sight for sore eyes.

Over the past few years, the big metal boxes have risen to cult status as Food Trucks: big metal boxes that sell all sorts of delicious food at reasonable prices. It's a great way to try a different cuisine without buying a huge meal. In fact, it's a great way to get a lot of different kinds of food for the price of dinner and dessert at a regular restaurant. One of the first food trucks I went to was the Kogi Truck in Southern California. They sold amazing things like Kimchee Dogs and Korean BBQ Beef Tacos.

Food truck gathering at San Diego Comic Con 2011

Food Trucks: Dispatches and Recipes from the Best Kitchens on Wheels is a great book that goes over the short history of food trucks and covers some delicious recipes from iconic food trucks around the country!

There are some great food trucks in the area that you can try:

A Moveable Feast in Lodi

The Cupcake Lady in Turlock
Off the Grid in San Francisco is a weekly gathering of food trucks. The biggest gathering is on Friday nights at the Presidio. 

Sometimes the food IS the destination. Follow your taste buds to your next adventure! 

Bon appétit !! 

Rena