California Cuisine

What is it and why do people love it? We’ll find out. Plus, there’s a recipe to try.

Today's guest post is …

California Cuisine

by Betty Williams

Hello, fellow readers of FoodStack Library! It’s great to be part of our delicious food writer community, and many thanks to Lynn Hill for putting together this wonderful corner of Substack for us. 

Korean Bulgogi Street Tacos. Image credit Betty Williams

Today, let’s have some fun chatting about California Cuisine. What is it, and why do we love it? We’ll find out. Plus, there’s a recipe for Korean Bulgogi Street Tacos to try.

I'm

Betty Williams

of the Betty Eatz Newsletter on Substack. As you might have guessed, I specialize in California Cuisine. After living all over the U.S., Asia, and Europe, I’ve come to call Southern California home for 30-ish years now. I love the food culture here.

What is California Cuisine?

It’s bright, fresh, and delicious, with lots of local in-season produce and flavor combinations that reflect the state’s diverse ethnic population. 

Fresh Local Produce

One of the pioneers of this style of cooking is Alice Waters. Her Northern California restaurant, Chez Panisse, opened in 1971 and focused on organic, locally-grown food sourced from area dairies and farmers. It was innovative and a big step away from the pre-packaged and frozen convenience foods that were in vogue at the time. 

This farm-to-table cooking style started a revolution of sorts. It influenced other chefs, restaurants, and home cooks to seek local farmers’ markets for in-season fruits and vegetables, sustainably raised meats, and locally produced dairy products. Because the ingredients were at their peak, cooks found that they didn’t need heavy sauces and fussy preparation to make something delicious. The ingredients shone all on their own in simply prepared dishes.

There is a long growing season here and a climate that is similar to the Mediterranean. A sampling of the fresh fruits, nuts, and vegetables grown in the state include almonds, artichokes, avocados, cucumbers, dates, eggplants, figs, grapes, grapefruits, herbs, lemons, limes, olives, oranges, peppers, squash, strawberries, tomatoes, and zucchini. Some sort of fresh produce is always in season and farmers’ markets operate year-round.

Examples of dishes that reflect the agricultural bounty include:

• California-style pizza. A thin crust pizza with non-traditional toppings that an Italian nonna might not have included, such as arugula, avocado, barbecued chicken, cilantro, and goat cheese.

• Cobb salad. Originally born in Los Angeles, this salad starts with a mix of lettuces (including iceberg, endive, romaine, and watercress) and adds bite-sized pieces of avocado, bacon, blue cheese, chicken, hardboiled egg, and tomato. Mustardy vinaigrette is drizzled on top.

• Green Goddess dressing. A California classic from San Francisco! Handfuls of fresh herbs are combined with garlic, lemon, mayonnaise, and tinned anchovies. Blended together, the ingredients yield a bright green dressing for salads, chopped veggies, and grilled meats. 

Diverse Flavors

California is the most culturally diverse state in the United States, with no one race or ethnic group making up a majority. The population hails from all over the world but especially from countries in East Asia (such as China, Japan, Korea, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam) and parts of Central and South America (like Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Mexico, and Peru). Not only does the state but also its cuisine reflect these cultures. 

People often incorporate their taste memories and foods they grew up with into things they eat now. My friend Juanita grew up in a Latino home and is a great cook. Recently, she’s learned how to make San Francisco-style sourdough bread. She adds her own twist to it by folding in sliced jalapenos and handfuls of cheese. It’s so delicious.

It makes sense that as people live, work, and eat amongst each other, a beautiful mash-up of flavors happens. We see this in dishes like:

• California roll. Japan meets the West Coast in this popular sushi roll. It’s an inside-out roll, meaning the rice is on the outside, and the seaweed is on the inside. Avocado, crab, and cucumber form the middle for a fresh rendition of the uramaki roll.

• Carne asada fries. Popularized in San Diego, this dish features French fries topped with carne asada (Mexican grilled beef), melty cheese, guacamole, salsa, and sour cream. If you think this would be delicious with a cold beer, you’re right.

• Korean bulgogi tacos. Korean plus Mexican equals delicious! Another L.A. creation, Korean beef bulgogi gets folded into tortillas and topped with kimchi, cilantro-onion relish, and a spicy crema for an Asian take on soft tacos.  

People love California Cuisine. How can you not? But I have a special affinity for it. During my childhood, there were a variety of foods and food combinations I ate that my friends thought were just weird. Plain spaghetti topped with soy sauce and grated Parmesan. Jars of homemade kimchi in the fridge. Dried squid and a glass of Coca-Cola as an after-school snack. 

My mom, who lived half her childhood in North Korea and the other half in South Korea, immigrated to the U.S. as an adult in the 1960s. She combined her taste memories and traditional foods with the ingredients that were available here at that time. Fresh fruits and veggies, lean meats, and spicy condiments were always at the forefront of her cooking. 

When I moved to Southern California a few decades ago, I immediately connected with the interweaving of cultures, foods, and flavors. It was interesting to discover that I had been eating a version of California Cuisine all my life. 

You are invited to hang out with me and the world of California Cuisine in my weekly newsletter, delivered every Friday. Please come visit! Betty Eatz Newsletter.

Thanks, and see you around on Substack.

And now, a recipe for you to try.

Korean Bulgogi Street Tacos Image credit Betty Williams

Recipe - Korean Bulgogi Street Tacos

• Serves 4

• Time needed: 60 minutes plus marinating time

Korean Bulgogi consists of thin slices of steak that are marinated for a few hours or overnight, and then grilled. It is fabulous tucked into tortillas and topped with kimchi. Cilantro-onion relish is a traditional garnish in Mexican street tacos and adds a nice fresh crunch. Mexican crema is similar to sour cream, but thinner and pourable. Here, the Asian Latino crema combines gochujang (Korean red pepper paste), mayo, and lime juice to make a drizzly sauce for the tacos.

What makes these street tacos? Their size. Street tacos are smaller than regular tacos, with the tortillas just four inches in diameter. This makes them easy to eat standing at a food vendor on the street or at home on your back patio. Usually, street tacos are wrapped with corn tortillas. But I’ve had my tacos, and my heart, broken too many times by corn tortillas, so I use flour ones.

Ingredients

Marinade:

• 3 Tbsp soy sauce

• 3 Tbsp grated red-skinned apple

• 2 Tbsp grated white onion

• 1 ½ Tbsp brown sugar

• 1 Tbsp mirin

• 1 Tbsp minced garlic

• 1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger

• ½ Tbsp sesame oil

• 1 tsp ground black pepper

Tacos:

• 1.5 to 2 lbs sirloin, ribeye, or T-bone steak

• ½ cup diced white onion

• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

• Prepared or homemade kimchi

• Corn or flour tortillas, 4 or 6-inch size

Spicy Crema:

• ½ cup mayonnaise

• 2 tsp fresh lime juice

• 1 tsp gochujang paste (can substitute Sriracha)

Directions:

Step 1: This is an optional step, but it makes slicing easier. Place the beef in the freezer for about 15 minutes. The partially frozen meat can be sliced thinner and more uniformly.

Image credit Betty Williams

Step 2: Combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl or plastic Ziploc bag. 

Image Credit Betty Williams

Step 3: Slice the beef, crosswise against the grain about ¼-inch thick. Look for the striations in the meat and slice across it to ensure tender slices. Add the slices to the marinade. Cover and marinate for 30 minutes to one hour. This can also marinate overnight if you are prepping a day ahead.

Image credit Betty Williams

Step 4: While the meat marinates, make the relish by combining the onion and cilantro in a small bowl. Make the spicy crema by stirring together its ingredients in a small bowl. Cover each bowl and place in the fridge.

Step 5: Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat (a non-stick skillet or wok is fine, too). You will cook the beef in two batches to prevent overcrowding. Like teenagers, the meat needs its space or it will get steamed. 

Step 6: Once the pan is hot, add half the meat in a single layer. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the meat is seared and develops some char. Use a wide spatula or tongs to flip the meat over and cook for another minute or two. Remove to a serving dish. Repeat with the second batch of meat.

Korean Bulgogi Street Tacos. Image Credit Betty Williams.

Step 7: Heat the tortillas in either the microwave or quickly turn them over in a hot, dry skillet until warm. Wrap in aluminum foil to keep warm.

Step 8: Time to assemble the tacos! Lay a tortilla flat and place beef down the middle. Top with kimchi, cilantro-onion relish, and a drizzle of spicy crema. Fold and eat. 

Many thanks to

Betty Williams

for this insight into California Cuisine. Don’t forget to subscribe to her publication over at

Betty Eatz Newsletter

Please note all copyrights and images are with Betty Williams and cannot be used without permission.