Soy Sauce Salsa #KikkomanSabor

I can only speak for my state but California is big on salsa.  We love our salsas.  You see them everywhere.  Salsa should be the official condiment of the state.  There are hundreds of variations of salsa - spicy, sweet, traditional and new.  The most common are pico de gallo (my favorite!), salsa verde and salsa rojo.  But have you ever heard of salsa made with Kikkoman Soy Sauce?  Of course there was a reason why I'm giving a little history lesson on salsa!

The first time my Mexican husband Chris tried fina'dene he called it "Islander Salsa".  My Islander side of the family makes a version of salsa with Kikkoman Soy Sauce.  My Papa calls it "the sauce" or "da sauce".  The smell of finadene will make your mouth water and eventually pucker when you taste it - it has the right touch of POW!  Just like everyone has their own version of salsa - finadene is made different too.  Most of the recipes call for calamansi juice (or lemon juice) with white onions and sometimes cherry tomatoes.  My version is super simple, fresh and HOT.  Enjoy!  


Fina'dene Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Kikkoman Soy Sauce
• 1 cup White Vinegar
• 2 Roma Tomatoes 
• 4 Green Onions 
• 4-6 Asian Chili Peppers 

Fina'dene Directions

• Mix Kikkoman Soy Sauce and white vinegar, set aside
• Chop or crush chili peppers (Crushing the chili peppers will make it really hot)
• Add chili peppers to soy sauce and vinegar mix, let it sit for 30 minutes 
• Chop tomatoes and green onions - Add to mix just before serving 

It is perfect on tacos, bbq meat, chicken, fish, rice, etc.  You can even use it as a base for ceviche.  

The "Asian chili pepper" that is supposed to be used in finadene is called donne' or Guam boonie pepper.  It has an unofficial Scoville rating of 140,000 placing it in one of the top five hottest pepper categories (more than 20x hotter than a jalapeno pepper).  A few years ago, our neighbor had a donne' tree - I would sneak over to pick a few.  The tree eventually died so I started looking everywhere from ethnic markets to farmers markets.  I now get a small bag of Asian chili peppers (aka Japones or Thai chili peppers - they are tiny and red) from 99 Ranch Market.  

Disclosure:  This is a compensated post in collaboration with Kikkoman and Latina Bloggers Connect.  All opinions are my own.

.60 Tacos Wednesday

Tacos are serious business.  I don't know one person that doesn't like tacos.  Not one person.  In Southern California, we have all kinds of tacos.  You think of it and we have probably put it in in a tortilla.  There are blogs just about tacos.  And blogs about tacos in LA, blogs about taco trucks and even blogs just about carne asada.  There is never a shortage of taco talk.

I've been known to pay overpay ($4 cough, cough) for a taco but sometimes you just crave a good, cheap one or even one from Taco Bell.  Tacos Mexico in Buena Park has .60 Tacos Wednesday from 8am-8pm, you can get Asada, Cabeza Al Pastor, Pollo, Carnitas, Tripas y Lengua!  (I could have sworn Buche was on the menu too)

The rice and beans is good stuff too - see that plate? Only $2!  They keep a condiment bar open with limes, chiles and carrots.  Lunch for 3 of us was under $10!  

Tacos Mexico

7695 Knott Ave.
Buena Park, CA 90620
(714) 690-1257

10th Annual Noche de Altares in Santa Ana, CA

This will be our 3rd year attending Noche de Altares in Santa Ana.  It's an amazing Dia de los Muertos / Day of the Dead celebration in Orange County.  Santa Ana Art Walk happens to fall on the same night as Noche de Altares.  There is so much to see and do so we make a family day/night out of it.  I always encourage friends and family to check it out.  My friend Ariana came to visit last year specifically for California Halloween / Dia de los Muertos fun!

Here are my tips for Noche de Altares:

• Get there early!  Especially if you want to find good parking.  Noche de Altares starts at 1pm and it gets BUSY!
• Bring cash!  Almost all the street vendors only take cash.  
• Wear comfy shoes and bring a jacket/hoodie/coat.  Southern California weather has been weird, it does get cooler at night.
• Bring your camera!  
• La Catrina starts her procession at 4:30pm.  You do not want to miss the lighting of the candles.
• Bathrooms - GCAC, OCCCA and Santora Arts Building are your best bet.  
• I suggest checking out the altars in the day and again at night.  Trust me, there is a difference!  

El Centro Cultural de Mexico & Calacas Inc. proudly present
10th Annual Noche de Altares
Saturday, November 3rd, 2012
4th and Birch Streets,
Santa Ana, CA

Free/Gratis

Schedule of Events
1:00 pm – 1:20 pm              Santa Ana Youth Skit/Kids Cumbia Class
1:25 pm – 1:55 pm              Chinelos
2:00 pm – 2:40 pm              Centro Ballet Folclorico
2:45 pm – 3:25 pm              Mariachi de Santa Ana High School
3:35 pm – 4:20 pm              Son del Centro
4:30 pm – 5:10 pm              Olmeca

4:30 pm Sunset              
La Catrina begins Procession & Lighting Candles

5:20 pm – 6:10 pm              Santaneros
6:20 pm – 7:10 pm              Banda Estrella de Michoacan
7:25 pm – 8:20 pm              La Misa Negra http://www.lamisanegra.com
8:35 pm – 9:30 pm              La Santa Maria http://www.lsmmusic.com



Here is a compilation of art shows from galleries we love:  

Siempre Es Hoy at OCCCA
Curated by Sol Art Gallery
6-11pm

Bringing Out The Dead Group Show at GCS Santa Ana
7-11pm

Note*  GCS is located on street level at the Santora Arts Building.  There is a basement level that is home to The ARTbar and several other galleries.  Santora Arts Building is gorgeous, it is also home to Santa Ana College Arts Gallery on the 2nd Floor.  There are also other galleries on the 2nd Floor.    

Tony de los Reyes at Grand Central Art Center
Border Theory
www.tonydelosreyes.com
7-10pm



Shops: The ARTbar / Librería Martínez / The Road Less Traveled Store
Food: Memphis at the Santora / Lola Gaspar / Playground / Gypsy Den / Chapter One

Downtown Santa Ana

Here's a map I made of the areas for Noche de Altares and Santa Ana Art Walk.  Enjoy!

View Noche de Altares / Santa Ana Art Walk in a larger map

Disclosure:  This is not a sponsored post.  We love Santa Ana Art District and support Noche de Altares and Santa Ana Art Walk.

Macy's Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with Carlos Santana & Vanidades!

I remember the first time I heard Santana.  It was in the 90s, I was in high school and we still lived in a very culturally diverse Long Beach.  My Dad put on a Santana cd one afternoon and I was enchanted by the mix of sounds and captivating lyrics.  This was a pivotal point in my life - At the time, I wasn't close to my Dad but here we were, bonding over music.  My Dad spoke highly of Carlos Santana and I am now passing on his music to my children and teaching them about their Hispanic heritage.  We are proud that Macy's is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month and wanted to share these upcoming events with you!       

Macy's & Vanidades magazine salute our 2012 Icon of Style, Carlos Santana.

Join us as we explore Carlos Santana's influence in the music and fashion world with a panel of style makers and industry experts. Enjoy Latin music and refreshments.

Plus, with any Carlos by Carlos Santana purchase of $50 or more made during the event you'll receive a free gift.

Saturday 10/6 2:00pm

Macy's Plaza Bonita

3000 Plaza Bonita Road, National City, CA 91950

Saturday 10/6 2:00pm

Macy's Lenox Square

3393 Peachtree Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30326

Wednesday 10/10 5:30pm

Macy's State Street

111 North State Street, Chicago IL 60602

Saturday 10/13 1:00pm

Macy's Santa Ana

2850 N. Main St, Santa Ana CA 92705

Saturday 10/13 2:00pm 

Macy's Dadeland

7303 SW 88th St. Miami, FL 33156

Saturday 10/13 2:00pm

Macy's Valley Fair

2801 Stevens Creek Blvd, Santa Clara, CA 95050

More information: Macy's Hispanic Heritage Month

Take the Hispanic Heritage Month Quiz - Weekly Prize: $100 Macy's Gift Card!!! 

Disclosure:  This is a sponsored post.  All thoughts are my own.