Daddy Donkey Guac Attack!!!!!

I'm having a night off from losing my memory in pub houses so obvs got restless and bored. So I decided to make GUACAMOLE. Daddy donkey, a great Burrito stall on Leather lane, recently posted their guacamole recipe on Das internet and I've been itching to try it since. Have just done this. It is fucking awesome! Even converted my girlfriend, who previously wouldn't go near the stuff. Weirdo..

Now just need to invent the Guac-pack (Guacamole dispensing backpacks) so I can squirt a hit out when I feel the craving.



So pretty and delicious. Try it yourself chaps and chapettes, here's the recipe via Daddy Donkey:

Ingredients:

400g of soft Hass avocadoes (approx. 4 x medium-sized avocadoes)*

*The real secret to creating your own Daddy Donkey “Ultimate Guacamole” is selecting the highest quality, fresh, soft Hass avocadoes. There really is no substitute when it comes to the colour, flavour & texture of this particular variety of avocado.

75g of red onion, diced finely

30g of pickled jalapeño chile, diced finely (approx. 1 x medium-size jalapeño)

Juice from 1 soft medium-sized lime

20g of fresh coriander, washed and chopped roughly

Salt to taste (approximately 1/2 tsp)

Directions:

Cut the avocadoes in half and deseed, leaving one of the seeds to one side. Placing a seed in your guacamole once finished will help to stop the avocado turning brown so quickly.

Scoop the avocado flesh out with a metal spoon into a mixing bowl.

Using a stick blender or rolling pin, crush the soft avocadoes into a sticky paste making sure to leave some tiny pieces of avocado for additional texture.

Stir in the red onion, pickled jalapeño chile, lime juice, fresh coriander and salt.

Cover and chill in the refrigerator for an hour before serving.

And Bob’s your Uncle…. HOLY GUACAMOLE!!

Poncho No. 8

Just got back from Ipswich as my band had a gig there. I feel sick from ale and sleeping on a sofa. I nearly drank a massive spider. FAIL. Staz (drummer) said well done to the headline band only for them to reply that they knew she didn't watch the show. FAIL. I am at home now, alive. WIN. Also, I had a Burrito yesterday from new-ish Burrito shack 'Poncho No. 8.' WIN.


We had to get the train to Ipswich so I realised this was the perfect time to check out the Burritos from the east part of London. I dragged my bass/pedals/drum crap round Spitalfields for a while, sweating like a man who hasn't been told how to dress when the sun arrives, before finding this Poncho place. It's a bright, healthy looking place, like a smoothie bar/health tonic establishment, which made me feel 100% guilt free about my second Burrito in as many days.




The staff were friendly types, which went a long way to smash my hangover paranoia to bits. I went for steak, Staz for chicken. The first bite was loaded with hot salsa. Incredible stuff, rich and with an instant fire kick. Pretty much the best hot salsa I've ever had in a Burrito. No prolonged, tear inducing, seizure burn either. The steak was cooked medium rare and cut into thin strips which means you get a good mix. You lose a bit of the charred taste but I still prefer this to the big chunks you get at Chilango. The meat distributes better. Burrito science right there.




Only problem = The tomatoes in the mild salsa (red onion/tomato/coriander) were way too big for my liking and there was a little too much rice. The rice thing wasn't much of a problem with my Burrito as I had the hot salsa to flavour it, but Staz's mild one was really bland. The big tomatoes meant that there wasn't enough salsa to go around. As a result the other stuff got lost. I couldn't taste any cheese/sour cream, just rice and chicken. I reckon finer salsa and coriander with the rice would sort it out right proper.

However, both the chicken and the steak were delicious, especially the chargrilled chicken, and the Salsa was off the hook. Poncho no. 8 is close to Burrito perfection, but not quite the King of the jungle at the moment, hence the slightly sad face score. Could easily be a solid 9 with a few tweaks. I'll definitely go back. Also need some of that insane salsa asap. Hell yes.

Address: 5 Steward Street, London E1 6AJ



good:

-HOT SALSA
-medium rare steak/great chargrilled chicken
-friendly, fun shop

bad:

-too much rice/rice a little bland
-cheese/sour cream/guac lost in the mix
-tomatoes in mild salsa are too big

6.75/10

(10/10 Salsa)

FREEBIRD @ EXMOUTH MARKET

I'm going to write about Burritos/work out the best Burritos in London ever ever ever. I like to eat them more than other foods, including pizza and foie gras. I am starting this adventure today with FREEBIRD @ Exmouth market!



Having just polished off a miniscule amount of work I realised I had room in my stomach for a celebration Burrito. Daddy Donkey rite? HELL NAW, NOT TODAY. My girlfriend reminded me how many Burritos I've eaten in the last two weeks, so I needed to make myself feel less guilty. Change of scenery: Freebird @ Exmouth Market, the other nearby Burrito stall.

I went here a few times last year and for some reason had them pegged as not great, so was eager to be proved wrong. I put on my new coat and blew my nose hard. I was singing 'Freefalling' by Tom Petty (in my head), probably because the title has the word free in it, and the burrito stall is called Freebird. A better choice might have been that Lynyrd Skynrd song right? No, It sucks.



The place does chicken, carnitas and steak, along with a choice of rice, refried beans or black beans and salsa/cheese/sour cream/guac. I went for carnitas, which was properly shredded, not in gross chunks and it all came to £5.50 inc. Guac. Cheap Win. I was a little worried by the wrapping. It felt like a panini/melted shoe in the foil. Slight concern as I hopped home.

NOT TO WORRY THOUGH. Total WIN. The carnitas was amazing, herby and a little sweet, with the perfect amount of of rice/beans. None of that overbearing rice and bean double carb attack that I've had at Tortilla/DD before. Salsa was hot and everything mixed well. Guac not quite as delicious as DD or Chilango, but still good and chunky.

Freebird has shot up out of the park in my brain stored burrito rankings. I didn't have to wait in line and the Burrito was awesome. Will definitely have a torturous mental battle now when trying to decide where to go for Lunch. It is a hard knock life.

good:

-great herby carnitas
-good hot, rich salsa
-decent chunky guac
-good balance of rice/meat

bad:

-slight sweetness from mild salsa
-rolled a little flat
-more coriander plz


8.5/10

Address: Freebird Burritos, Exmouth Market, Clerkenwell, London


P.S. TOTALLY FORGOT TO DO A PHOTO THIS TIME. Will get into the habit of holding off eating for a second and taking a picture of the burrito. I know people like to see photos and stuff. I'm sorry. I was really hungry.