You can still see all past stories on my portfolio where I store clips.
https://eatgordaeat.blogspot.com/
If you want to contribute to mami’s f’ing expensive ass burgers.
We’ve got ourselves a book deal, y’all!
Diasporican: A Puerto Rican Cookbook. Tentatively scheduled for Autumn 2022.
I say WE because so many of you helped me get the damn deal. Between you sharing, retweeting, promoting, Venmo’ing, Paypal’ing, sending me to New York for the Puerto Rican James Beard Dinner and the IFBC in New Orleans. Y’all did so much shit for me to ensure that I could focus on writing and fighting. Because what no one tells BIPOC’s about how to become visible in the food world is, we need people who look like us in gatekeeper positions (#FUBU forever), but you also NEED MONEY! You need chavo to build a platform, to buy ingredients to cook, to make your feed beautiful, conferences, workshops, networking events, website, the list goes on.
Ten Speed Press reached out to me in June and inquired about my book proposal. I received three offers, but Ten Speed’s was the best fit for me. Also, Ten Speed was my very first choice back in 2015 when I started peddling the proposal around.
Those are the only specifics I have at the moment. For those who have asked: I don’t know anything about pre-order dates. I literally just announced it. So, please be patient. I have! Not only did this take six-years to even make it passed the entryway, I’ve been sitting on this secret since June! And anyone that knows me in IRL, I love to bochinche! I come from a long line of unapologetic bochincheras.
Disclaimer: remember to tell me, “Don’t tell anyone,” otherwise I will tell everyone.
Where Did Mami Eat This Week?
If you’ve followed along on instagram, then you already know mami did not like the burger she had last week: East Main Drive-In.
Mami and I have never been a huge fan of eating inside restaurants. We much prefer to find a shady spot and tear into our food while listening to the sound of the wind tickling the leaves. And as the pandemic and its anti-masker disciples roll on into another month, soon another season, these type of drive-in-walk-up-window relics just make more sense. We’ve solidified something in the last five months that we had already assumed; there ain’t many of these places left.
Just as I have always wondered why there aren’t any seafood shacks along Highway One, I have always wondered why there weren’t more places with drive-thrus serving healthier options. Turns out the answer to both might be: code and zoning enforcement. Before you tell me about Barbara’s Fish Trap, Phil’s, Sam’s, Spud Point, Fisherman’s Cove…I said shack. And before you mention Dad’s, I said seafood. A microscopic blink that only has outdoor seating, a walk-up window, weather-worn picnic tables and killer seafood served to you in a plastic diner basket or paper boat. The kind that I hear exists in New England. With fried clams. I love fried clams.
Above Image: The “Texas” burger at East Main Drive-In
I'd like to think, through my research, I've tracked down the last remaining drive-ins/walk-up window burger joints in Northern California. Out of the seven we've visited, mami finally met one she didn't like.
East Main Drive-In stands on a busy street in a busy and tiny parking lot. Park wisely. And even when I got there at 10:30AM, there were already seven other people parked in a lot with 12 slots. It has a walk-up window and tables on the outside. I couldn't find the date of the building’s resurection for the life of me! Although there is a sales history, which tells us the business was sold in 2011, 1999 and 1989. Maureen G. says she remembers when this location was either a Sno-White or Foster Freeze in the 50s/60s. A quick visit to the Wright Realtors’ Historic Restaurants website made it clear that this location was never a Foster Freeze. The only Foster Freeze that existed on East Main Street was demolished to make way for the freeway. However! The site did confirm that this location was a Sno-White! “The Sno-White Drive-in chain was founded in Stockton, Ca in the 1950s. By the mid-1960s, there were about 200 locations in California and two in Guam. The last Sno-White was built in 1965.”
I ordered the fried chicken, which turned out to be Banquet brand. "Why did you order fried chicken, illyanna?" Because how many of these places lists fried chicken on their menu?! Doy. Mami ordered the Texas burger basket. Two thin beef patties on a bun with American cheese, a puffy battered onion ring, bacon and SLATHERED in barbecue sauce. On mami's first bite, she thought it was delicious. And hot. We like our food hot, people! What’s with this room temperature bullshit? Second bite: "These patties are hard as a rock." Third bite (and final bite), "There's a sort of…off taste about it. An old and rancid taste. Like, they put everything they serve here on the same placa (plate/flat top) and they've never cleaned it. Ever."
She did not finish that burger. She gave the rest to the cats.
Mami’s Rating: “No bueno.”
You can still see all past stories on my portfolio where I store clips.
https://eatgordaeat.blogspot.com/
Wanna contribute to mami’s burger and weekly mental health rides? Venmo: @illya-maiso