Taste factory

If I was a flavor trendsetter I would set the following trends for the American palate:

Lúcuma: Tastes like caramel and chocolate together, but it comes from a fruit. Apparently it's quite healthy. Great flavor for ice cream, liqueurs, cakes, and candies. I discovered this flavor in Chile.

Ube/taro: This purple yam tastes like purple. The color is the best. I guess it tastes nutty/starchy/sweet. Can be used in savory dumplings, but it truly shines in ice cream, cakes, candies, and the like. I discovered this flavor from my Filipino roots.

Chirimoya: Yogurt in this flavor is the best. Makes good juices and popsicles too. It has kind of a citrusy-green apple taste. Some say it's pineapple/banana flavored. Hard to describe. I discovered this flavor in Chile.

Achiote: Very complex flavors of citrus, tequila, chile, zestiness. This is a poor man's saffron (for the color, not the flavor). I discovered this flavor from my Mexican roots. Good for marinating fish, any kind of meat, and seafood. I want to explore this with vegetarian dishes too. Also a great natural dye for foods and cosmetics.

Horchata: This is a Mexican rice drink flavored with sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Can also be made with other seeds and nuts like almonds, but the result is always delicious. 

Keep calm and carry on

Another year, another start at blogging. What have I been doing with my time? Of late, I have been listening to fun. They are a great group, and they make some pretty inspirational tunes. I just found out, just now, that fun. and panic at the disco, two of my fave bands, collaborated on a tune that has a youtube video that I love. When I was an angsty teen, I used to enjoy listening to introspective and melancholy songs by radiohead, the cure, and the like (the last is not a band name). Now, I like fun, upbeat, uplifting, interesting songs. Songs that have some theater to them, some cheekiness, and loads of creativity. Songs that have lyrics that are intelligent and make sense. And it also helps if the lead singer can belt it out like Freddie Mercury.

The like. That would make a good band name. Guess what, the band does exist - they're from L.A. and they're an all-female ensemble.