Monte Cristo Sandwich Blue Bayou

Years ago I took a trip to El Paso, Texas to visit relatives. One of the most exciting things I talked about when I returned (other than the incredibly cheap happy hours) was the Monte Cristo Sandwich. The sandwich is stuffed with ham, turkey, and cheese, dipped in batter and deep fried. After given a dusting of powdered sugar the glorious concoction is then served with strawberry preserves. For years I had been trying to track down a Monte Cristo Sandwich as good as the one I had in El Paso. I located one at the Jolly Rogers Hotel in Anaheim and it was good, but not great. I tried to get one at The Tartan Room in Orange, only to discover that they only serve 'em up on the weekdays from 11:00-2:00 (which is when I'm usually at work). Imagine my surprise when someone told me that the best Monte Cristo Sandwich is served at The Blue Bayou restaurant in Disneyland......you know that restaurant you see when you board the Pirates of the Carribean ride. I had a hard time believing that, seeing as I've never had a good meal at Disneyland. I haven't had time to make it down to the theme park lately, but was pleased when I found a recipe in the Orange County Register last week! It's simple and delicious. Here's the recipe... Monte Cristo Sandwich Blue Bayou Batter 2/3 c. water 1 small egg 1/2 t. salt 1/8 t. white pepper few drops yellow food coloring 2/3 c. all-purpose flour 1 3/4 t. baking powder Place water, egg, salt, pepper and food coloring in a bowl and using an electric mixer, mix well at low speed. Add flour and baking powder and mix until batter is smooth. Chill. Makes enough for 4 sandwiches. Sandwiches 8 slices white bread 4 slices turkey (1 oz. each) 4 slices swiss cheese 4 slices Pullman ham Make 4 sandwiches, putting cheese between hand and turkey. Cut into fourths and put a toothpick through each quarter. Final Preparation: soybean or vegetable oil for frying Confectioners' sugar currant jelly or strawberry preserve Recipe Heat about 6-inches of oil to 340F in a fryer. Dip sandwiches in batter to cover all surfaces. Deep fry sandwiches until golden brown, turning as needed. Remove from oil, take out toothpicks, sprinkle sandwiches with confectioners' sugar. Serve with currant jelly or strawberry preserve and fries. Blue Bayou is located in New Orleans Square in Disneyland (the moonlit dining terrace that overlooks Laffite's Landing, entry to the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction)

Stephen Colbert's Americone Dream

My favorite political comedian and my favorite (store bought) ice cream come together at last. Last week Ben & Jerry announced a new ice cream flavor in honor of The Comedy Central comedian called Stephen Colbert's Americone Dream. It's vanilla ice cream with fudge-covered waffle cone pieces and caramel. Ben & Jerry jokingly refer to it as "The sweet taste of liberty in your mouth". Colbert, who spoofs flag-waving conservatives on his show, The Colbert Report, is donating his proceeds to charity through the new Stephen Colbert Americone Dream Fund, which will distribute the money to various causes. Being the type of individual who is easily fixated on things I began looking for the new flavor at grocery stores in the Orange County area. After being unable to find it, I only wanted it more! I've since visited the Ben & Jerry's shop at The Block in Orange and a couple more grocery stores and I am still unable to locate the new flavor. Any of you foodies out there seen it?

Bangkok Taste

This is qiuckly becoming my favorite place to eat. These days if I don't eat at Bangkok Taste at least once a week, then something seems amiss. Located in a strip mall in Santa Ana, Bangkok Taste has consistenly churned out fabulous Thai dishes such as Larb and Pad Thai. Their curries are also excellent, their Yellow Curry with Chicken and Potatoes is still my favorite. If you manage to save a little room for dessert I'd recommend the Sticky Rice with Mango, which is one of my favorite desserts and I'm not even particularly fond of mangos. When you pop in be sure to checkout what their daily specials are, as they are usually not on the menu. Also make sure to not order your dishes extra spicy unless you're positive you can handle it, otherwise you'll be drinking water by the gallon. Bangkok Taste is located at: 2737 N Grand Ave Santa Ana, CA 92705 (714) 532-2216

La Calle

I'm not sure where to begin. I had read good things about this restaurant tucked deep into a tiny strip mall years prior, but every time I happened to be in the area the place was closed. These days however, it is now my good fortune to live a hop, skip, and a jump away from what may be the best Mexican food I've ever had. The first thing I'd highly reccomend ordering is the Panbaso, which is a soft bollillo roll dipped in a mild red sauce, filled with chorizo and potatoes, and topped with lettuce, sour cream, and green salsa. This is quite simply delicious...and at only a few dollars a pop you can't afford not to try one. The Potato and Chorizo Tacos in a hard shell (also shown above) are also especially tasty. I'd also recommend you try the Chicarron (deep fried pork skin) Quesadilla. The crisp homemade dough is finished with lettuce, cotija cheese, green salsa, and sour cream and is light years away from any quesadilla I've ever eaten. The Carne Asada Tacos (shown above) are also great, as are the Mole Enchiladas. I'm slowly beganing to work my way through the entire menu and I have yet to try a dish I haven't thoroughly enjoyed. The place boasts a new name now (El Moctezuma #3), but the food (I'm told) is still the same muy excelente comida as always. La Calle (or El Moctezuma #3) is located at: 1740 W. Chapman Ave. Orange, 92868 Tel: (714) 456-0800

Jagerhaus

After a late night I tend to wake up craving hangover remedies like pho or pozole. The typical eggs and bacon just don't seem to cut it for me these days, but then again Jagerhaus doesn't serve your average breakfast. This past weekend I packed up the family and headed to Anaheim to partake in an authentic German breakfast. I started off with the German Apple Pancakes, a moist fluffy apple-stuffed pancake topped with powdered sugar is eons away from the sort of pancake you'd get at ihop. The pancake is accompanied by a delicous homemade apple jam that also goes great on toast. I also sampled some of the Fresh Corned Beef Hash and Eggs with Tomatoes plate and the Farmers Breakfast (Ham, Bacon, Onion, Potato, and Eggs). It's worth noting just how good and different from the norm the bacon (not greasy in the least) and the corned beef hash are. The last time I was here for breakfast I ordered the German Omelette (with Polish Sausage or Brautwurst) with Sauerkraut and Onions and it was as good as I imagined it would be. The Crailsheimer Potato Pancakes with Applesauce are also especially delicious. I can never manage to save room for dessert and if you're hoping to I'd suggest you bring your appitite. Jagerhaus is located at: 2525 East Ball Road at 57 Fwy Anaheim, CA 92806

Mattern's Deli

Hi, I'm new here and I just wanted to take a moment to say hello to all the other Orange County Food Bloggers (whose sites I frequent), as well as all you Orange County foodies out there. Now that we got that out of the way... This past saturday I set out to have the perfect sandwich. It's no surprise my stomach led me straight to Mattern's Deli in Orange, which serves up old fashioned no-frills sandwiches at an affordable price. The deli specializes in sandwiches, most notably the Poor Boy (on a roll) and the Rueben (heated). The Corned Beef, Black Forest Ham, or Liverwurst sandwiches are also pretty tasty. Mattern's is also known for their delicious Bratwursts (with mustard and saurkraut). Pair that with any number of the imported beers they have on hand and you've got yourself a damn near perfect lunch. Mattern's also carries a wide variety of meats, sausage, bread, beer, cheeses, and chocolates that you're not likey to find anywhere else. Note that there are only six small tables located inside and that the lines tend to get long on the weekends around lunch time, however I have no doubt you will find it worth the wait. Mattern's is located at 4327 E Chapman Ave in Orange. Mattern's Deli is located at: 4327 E Chapman Ave Orange, CA 92869 (714) 639-3550