Crispy Pork Cracklins Tacos (Chiccarones)

Before we flew the coop we had to have one last trip to the beloved taco truck on Rose Avenue. I went out on a limb this time and ordered the chiccarones taco....otherwise known as pork cracklins taco with white Peruvian beans, cilantro, diced white onion and salsa. Easy peasy Oaxacan style.

By itself I had no idea these lardons of crispy fried pork skin could be so tasty and so not.....gross. But in a taco I gotta say I prefer the standard filling of carne asada or carnitas pork meat. Something to do with texture. The cracklins did have more ummph and filling to them than pork rinds you get out of a bag but they didn't give as much resistance as a braised piece of juicy meat would. And something to do with richness. Popping bites of skin is one thing but taking a full mouthful along with the other accoutrements made me a little dizzy. Perhaps an acquired taste. 

Reporting from Hong Kong

 

I'm back on the blog after an unacceptably long break and Asia is why. The preparation for the move in the weeks prior kept me away and now that I've successfully crossed that mark, and the border, I'm back in business. We landed in Hong Kong this morning so I did the only thing I knew to do, eat dim sum and take pictures of food.....errrr, or animals that will soon be food. In order of appearance:

prawns

pork dumplings

chicken dumpling soup

steamed barbeque pork with mini buns

steamed barbeque pork bun (before)
peking duck (I think)

crispy pork belly

beef TONGUE

pig ear and snout

It's good to be here.