An Average Joe in San Antonio

I know that this has nothing to do with restaurants, however, along with many other bloggers and tech companies alike (Facebook, Twitter, eBay, Zynga, Rackspace, Mozilla, Tumblr and Pinterest), I am very passionate about ensuring that the SOPA bill does not pass. Don’t know what SOPA is? Check out my previous post on it, then be sure to call your congressman as soon as possible to voice your concerns.

I made the trip to Uvalde, TX the other night to see Congressman Francisco “Quico” Canseco (who represents my district, the 23rd District of Texas) speak at a Town Hall. The 23rd District of Texas is one of the larger congressional districts that stretches all the way from San Antonio to El Paso and includes that stretch along the US-Mexico border.

This is one of the largest congressional districts (by land mass) in the entire United States.

I didn’t quite know what to expect and was curious as to how many people would actually be in attendance at this event. This was one of my first times to see “democracy in action” and I wasn’t disappointed. There were about 30 people in the room and I was impressed at how informed they were on different political topics and how they affected their district. While some folks were a little rambunctious towards those with an opposing viewpoint, I found it an overall fairly welcoming environment.

I went to the Town Hall in particular to ask Congressman Canseco to strongly consider how the SOPA bill could affect the US Information Technology sector and the future of the Internet. According to Congressman Canseco’s website, he is “a staunch advocate of limited government and free markets.” This ethos was echoed loud and clearly as he pointed to many governmental regulations in both the banking and healthcare industries as being a weight on the economy.

As his presentation ended, I saw this as a moment to ask my question as I feel that SOPA could impose many regulations on the tech industry that could inhibit growth. Additionally, I wanted to voice my concern of having the government effectively add a layer to our internet that was similar to the “Great Firewall of China.”

Congressman Francisco Canseco talking SOPA at the Uvalde, TX Town Hall.

Congressman Canseco responded by saying that he did not necessarily like the regulations that were part of the SOPA bill as he thought they were similar to the government regulations on the Banking and Healthcare industries that he had complained about tonight. He also echoed a similar sentiment of mine of not wanting to live in a country like China, however, he did note that the bill was still in the steering committee. In summary, he had not quite made a definitive decision on his position on SOPA (you can read the transcript of his response and hear audio from the Town Hall below).

After I had spoke my piece, an older gentleman stopped by and showed me a card that he had typed up asking Congressman Canseco to say “No” to SOPA. There was a link to the Stanford Law Review post entitled Don’t Break the Internet and he gave it to the congressman at the conclusion of the Town Hall. I thought that this was a poignant moment because Congressman Canseco got to see that I was not just a young internet zealot, that there is a wide concern about SOPA in his district from all people – young, old, urban and rural.

There was also a couple that came to ask me further questions about SOPA and I explained it to them using the “phone” analogy on my previous post. They were unsettled to find that the government could potentially have a power similar to China to block citizens’ access to different websites.

I was extremely glad that I got to go to this Town Hall to meet and visit with my congressman face to face. Reflecting on the ride back, I was amazing that our forefathers could have developed a style of government so revolutionary and that has changed the world for the better. Hopefully we can continue to carry on their vision.

The following is a transcript of my question and Congressman Canseco’s answer. From the transcript, you will see that he has not made his mind up quite yet on SOPA, so I would encourage you to call his office at 202.225.4511, ask him to vote “No” to SOPA and mention you heard his Uvalde Town Hall response here on SanAntonioJoe.com.

*NOTE: I have also attached the video, but please understand that my voice is loud because the recorder is by me while his voice is softer because he is further away. Please take precaution if you listen with a headset!

SA Joe: Congressman I am on the far East part of your district in San Antonio and made the trek out here. I know that you have quite the amount of land that you have to cover. But one of the things that was coming up to vote very soon, and in my mind, is a job killing regulation is SOPA bill that is on the House floor.

SA Joe: I’m part of a company in San Antonio that is very high tech and this bill, and those similar regulations that you are talking about on banks [this evening] I think this [bill] does to technology. The technology field, I think, is a very economic growth driven field, and I think that this [SOPA] could have some very damaging effects on it. On top of the fact that it fundamentally changes the way the internet works.

SA Joe: It ‘s going to add a layer to the internet, much like what China has, where it censors, the government could potentially, or in China’s case the government does censor its citizens by what is called “The Great Firewall of China.” I just would like to ask you, I know that this is coming up, it has been very much in the press, and just for your consideration on this bill, to really look at it, because it, it has some far reaching implications into how the internet works. I don’t want to live in a place similar to like China where…

Congressman Canseco: Nor do I.

SA Joe: … where the government…

Congressman Canseco: Nor do I.

SA Joe: …would be censoring its citizens.

Congressman Canseco: I will tell you this, I have read what is coming and it hasn’t cleared committee yet, and it hasn’t cleared committee it still needs to go through markup by committee.] There are provisions in SOPA, which would, stop internet piracy act, well good, you know we need to stop internet piracy…

SA Joe: And I completely agree with that.

Congressman Canseco: And I agree with that, with that aspect of it. But the way that it is going about doing it, what it does is the same thing that I have been complaining about, what the EPA does, what the Department of Energy does, what Dodd-Frank law does and what the Healthcare law does. I’m with you on that.

Congressman Canseco: I’ve read the SOPA bill as it is moving through committee, I’m not on that committee. I’m very concerned about it and fortunately I’m very close friends with Lamar Smith [the sponsor of the bill] and we can sit down and talk. But it is for his committee to resolve it and there many good people on that committee that agree with you on that both sides of the aisle.

SA Joe: Yeah, and I know it is very much a bipartisan support, when anytime Ron Paul and Nancy Pelosi can agree [to oppose] something, I think that, *laughter in the crow* I think that in general that’s a pretty good bill to make sure it doesn’t get through.

While this blog primarily deals with restaurants in the Alamo City and is reserved primarily for food and fun, there is something serious that I want to talk about today.  There is a bill before the US House of Representatives called SOPA that sponsored by Congressman Lamar Smith (who represents the 21st District in Texas that goes from Alamo Heights, into the Hill Country and up to Austin).  SOPA isn’t talking about soup, but rather stands for Stop Online Piracy Act.

The purpose of this bill is to stop people for ripping off proprietary material, and while admirable with intent, the bill proposes many things that could fundamentally change how the Internet works.  In particular, the bill proposes a layer to the Internet that is eerily similar to “The Great Firewall of China.”

There are many bad things that SOPA does, but consider this analogy to better understand one thing in particular that could affect you.  When you type in a URL into your address bar, such as http://sanantoniojoe.com, your browser will look up what is called an IP, a series of numbers that correspond to a server where the data of the website is located.  This is similar to you going to a phone book and looking up “Steve Smith” and getting Steve’s phone number.  The “phone book” for the Internet is what is called the Domain Name System (DNS).

One of the things that SOPA plans to do is put a government “middleman” between the website’s URL and IP address.  Using our analogy above, if you wanted to call Steve Smith you would first have to call Government Agent Jones and request to get Steve’s phone number.  Government Agent Smith would then check his records, determine if Steve is a good guy or not and then transfer you to Steve if he was deemed OK.  But what happens if Government Agent Jone’s phone is busy? Or if he gets sick for the day?  Or if he thinks Steve is a bad guy, but in reality Steve is a good guy?  You wouldn’t be able to connect with Steve.

These same checks would hold true for going to websites; all of them would have to be approved by the government.  I don’t know the last time you have spent in line at the DMV, but that sort of “efficiency” is not very encouraging for me to trust the government with executing my requests in a timely manner.

Furthermore, the government then has the possibility of controlling what its citizens can access on the web.  I am not saying that the current incarnation of our government would do this, but they would have the same power that China has over its citizens.  If all the sudden Government Agent Jones dislikes the name “Steve,” he could block calls to Steve Smith, Steve Salsbury, Steve Swanson, etc.  That is unsettling to me because I thought we lived in a country quite different than China.

I know that Friday’s are reserved for Quick Bites, but I wanted to forgo writing small snippets about food and restaurants to call your attention to this serious matter.  The IT sector of the United States is one of the fastest growing segments in our economy, employing many Americans in a time when jobs are truly necessary.  SOPA is bad for business and I would encourage you to call your Congressman (or Congresswoman) to let your voice be heard.  Here are some of the numbers of the San Antonio metro area US Representatives:

• Congressman Charlie Gonzalez, 202-225-3236, represents the 20th District of Texas
• Congressman Lamar Smith, 202-225-4236, represents the 21st District of Texas
• Congressman Francisco “Quico” Canseco, 202-225-4511, represents the 23rd District of Texas
• Congressman Henry Cuellar, 202-225-1640, represents the 28th District of Texas

The district lines are kind of crazy in San Antonio, so this interactive US Congressional Map might help you find who you are looking for.  Thank you for your time and for hearing me out.  I promise to return to the regularly scheduled program this next week!

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because it is a great time to be with family and friends, eat good food, watch football and reflect on what you’re thankful about. This past year has flown by here are 25 things in no particular order that I am thankful for:

1.   My Family – I am blessed to have a loud, fun loving family and a great new sister-in-law who has been a nice addition to it.

2.   The Pacific Coast Highway – Getting to travel from San Diego up to Portland along the Pacific Coast Highway with my girlfriend showcased breathtaking views and fun roadside stops; this was one of the greatest trips I have ever been on.

3.   My Girlfriend – She is a great woman who always makes my day.

4.   Automatic Transmission – I have recently acquired a little pickup with a manual transmission which has been a lot of fun to learn to drive; it also taught me that automatic transmission is magic.

5.   College Basketball – With the NBA season on indefinite hold, it’s great to see the college guys play ball.

6.   Pomegranates – One of the best fruits in the world and I recently planted a pomegranate tree this year that I hope fruits real soon.

7.   Rain – After one of the most devastating droughts that Texas has ever seen, I think we are all thankful for when it rains.

8.   My Friends – I get by with a little help from my friends; they have a knack for being there when I need them.

9.   Texas Rangers – Once again, they gave us a thrilling season; while I wish Game 6 would have gone the other way, I was so happy for them to be in a exciting world series.

10.   Team at Work – Both computer engineers that I support and the project managers/analysts that are my peers, I work with some of the smartest people.

11.   Kidd Kraddick in the Morning – This morning radio show actually makes me laugh out loud on my commute into work; I love how they are a positive morning show that is genuinely funny.

12.   My Health – I only had to worry about my first cavity this past year and am very thankful to be in good health.

13.   Foodspotting App – This app has been my favorite one of the year and I have discovered many different restaurants and dishes.

14.   English Teachers – Special shout out to Mr. Reeves, Dr. Whittington and Ms. Duncan for being persistent with a math/science student; it’s because of you that I enjoy reading today.

15.   Mountain Air – This pure, cold air will refresh and rejuvenate you.

16.   Barbacoa After a Night of Partying – One sure fire way to cure a hangover.

17.   Neighbors – I really could have clumped Neighbors together with Friends and am so thankful that I have been this fortunate; vaya con dios to my next door neighbors who will be moving to Silicon Valley, you will be missed.

18.   Homemade Tortillas – While this is something that native San Antonians might take for granted, it is still a thrill for this West Texas boy to get fresh tortillas any time I go to a Mexican restaurant.

19.   Spotify – I’ve enjoyed this app to listen to both new music and old favorites.

20.   Free Airfare – Thanks to Southwest Airlines who makes it so easy to get and redeem free flights.

21.   Readers – I really am thankful that you guys stop by and read what I write in my little corner of the internet.

22.   Our Military – Special thanks to all our men and women who are serving our country and can’t be home with their families over this holiday.

23.   Geocaching – Definitely thankful to all the folks who have hidden and maintained caches around the world so that I can seek them out.

24.   Blizzards – Is there anything better than Dairy Queen’s frozen concoction chocked full of candy?

25.   Museums – I love having the ability to get into these wide open spaces and see good art; special thanks to SAMA who trusted my company to build them a mobile guided tour of their Missing Peace Exhibit earlier this year.

Many people don’t view San Antonio as a college town, but there are some fine institutions here in town.  Adding to the mix is the San Antonio campus of the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) which became an official branch of the institute in 2008 in the Historic Pearl Brewery.  This month saw the local branch offer an Associate Degree in Culinary Arts where students could transfer to the Hyde Park campus in New York to complete their Bachelor Degree.  I was asked to become a student for a day at the institute to get a glimpse of what the Associate Program was all about.

Sculpture outside the Culinary Institute of America

I was more than a little apprehensive about coming on campus and donning a chef’s coat and hat.  I am a far cry from being efficient in the kitchen and many of my adventures find a way of going awry.  After confirming with the CIA representative that it was OK for someone lacking culinary skills to become a student for a day, I made my way to the kitchen early one Tuesday morning.

Edna Arango greeted me at the door and I was to be in a class of journalists and media types which included a prominent former TV personality, a professional food writer, a radio personality, and two folks from the San Antonio Visitor’s Bureau.  If we were playing the Sesame Street game of “One of These Things is Not Like the Other Thing,” I would have stuck out due to my lack of journalism and food experience!

Chef Michael Katz giving the students a demo

We quickly got dressed and met Chef Michael Katz who was giving his students a live demonstration of how to prepare Mayonaise and Hollandaise sauce.  Chef told his students how both of these items were some of the most difficult sauces to prepare, and then looked over at us visitors to let us know that we would be preparing them later today.

Our group then took a tour of the facility where we got to see the outdoor kitchens, the different pits to prepare barbacoa and other dishes cooked in ground, the library where students study, the bakery/pastry kitchen and the different demonstration kitchens where visiting chefs could record programs for the students.  The institute wants to provide as much hands on education as possible so that student can actually work with food in different ways which is far superior to reading about it in a book or watching it on a video.

While there is a Latin American research center that focuses on how iconic Latin dishes are prepared by locals of that region, the Culinary Arts Program is committed to giving a broad education on all the different types of cuisines. Yes, San Antonio does have a strong Latin America influence, however, at the CIA students gain knowledge on how to prepare all types of cuisine from French to Asian and everything in between.

After the tour, I was paired up with Michael Urbana, a student who has had a passion for food his entire life and currently works at the Tower of the Americas as a server.  I wanted to make sure that I didn’t let him down and was prepared to do my best at making the Hollandaise sauce.

I started working on the double boiler by whisking the eggs, trying hard to get the “ribbons and trails” (you know you have the right thickness of the mixture when you whisk it and can see the bottom of the pan for a split second before the mixture falls back, “ribbons,” and when you drizzle some of the mixture on top of itself it sits for a split second before absorbing back in, trails).  We took the mixture off and began adding clarified butter, just a couple of drops at the start, to make the emulsion.  You do this just a little bit at a time to mix the fat in with the protein to get the creamy sauce.  Adding too much will cause the sauce to “break” where the fats (butter) clump together and separate from the protein (eggs).

I had a nice creamy Hollandaise sauce going...

I had a good sauce going, but my arm became tired.  At the end, I added the last bit of butter and realized that it was too much.  The sauce broke.

...and then it broke!

After all that work I was so distraught!  I had such a great sauce going and then in a blink of an eye it was done!  I think that part of the reason that this happened was that I had some egg mixture at the top of the bowl that was not getting mixed in so I had too much butter.  Another reason could have been that I added the butter too fast at the end.  Whatever the reason, the sauce was kaput.

I believe you learn more from your mistakes that your successes.  In a way, I am glad my sauce broke because I got to actually see what made it break instead of reading about it.  I’m confident that students of the CIA learn just as much from their failures as their successes and it appeared to me that the Chef instructors are there to help them through these mistakes, provide them explanations why it didn’t work and ultimately coach them how to do better.

This is what I loved about the CIA the most – the explanation of the cooking process.  I geek out on science and loved some of the more scientific explanations Chef Katz gave to his students to explain why something works instead of just having them parrot back a recipe.

Future Chef Michael Urbana on the left with me on the right

Many of you might wonder what it takes to become an actual student of the CIA.  Although not stated in the official application, I think first and foremost you have to have a passion for eating and preparing food.  If my experience from this day was any indication, I can tell you that you are not going to breeze through the program and will encounter adversity.  Without having that underlying passion, it will be difficult to overcome the difficulties you are sure to encounter.

As far as official requirements, the CIA mandates that you must have at least six months of hands on food preparation in a professional kitchen or bakery working with fresh ingredients for at least 10-15 hours a week.  Believing that experience is the best teacher, the admissions office wants prospective students have the perspective from a real world kitchen to ensure that their image of a chef is grounded in reality instead of reality TV.  Additionally, students must complete an application and provide letters of reference to be admitted.

The cost for the two year program is roughly $14,000/semester, which includes ingredients and supplies.  There is a very generous scholarship called the El Sueño Scholarship which awards up to 50 percent of program tuition for students who qualify based on need.

Finally, I would be remiss to not discuss the best part of the day, family style lunch.  Food that the students have prepared is served to the students, teachers and staff and it is dang good.  Every day, the students get to sit down and eat well so keep keep in mind that you will not have to purchase lunch for the next two years while working on your associates degree.  Somehow, I will have to find a way to mistakenly wander into the CIA during lunch hours just so I can eat high on the hog again!

Family style lunch at the Culinary Institute of America

If you are looking for a career in the food industry, you should explore the Culinary Institute of America here in San Antonio.  You will learn from some of the finest instructors on how to prepare dishes from around the world at a world class facility.  The campus is available for tours and you can reach out to Shannon Gerome at 210-554-6400 or by email to schedule your tour today.

Website: http://www.ciachef.edu/
Twitter: Follow @CIACulinary

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One of the fun things about having a blog is getting to suggest some of your favorite places to the world.  Locals and tourists alike come to my site and get to find out what restaurants I think are a great representation of San Antonio.  I love sharing what makes this city unique.

It’s always a thrill when someone writes a positive comment on my blog or Facebook page about a review I wrote, so you can imagine how excited I was to be selected as a local food ambassador when Dish Trip came to town.  Dish Trip is the brainchild of Mary Bingham, a Philadelphia based food blogger, where she and her team travels to different cities, meets up with a local food blogger, and explores the culinary scene.

A representative from Dishtrip reached out to me via email with their itinerary and asked me for my suggestions.  After visiting with them, I was excited about their breakfast stop at Blanco Cafe and lunch stop at La Gloria Ice House.  I thought that these places would be a great way to show the traditional alongside the new.

Later, Mary gave me a call about her travel plans and I during the conversation I was so amped up that I was pacing along the front of my house telling her all the amazing places to eat in San Antonio.  There were so many more things to see and do than was listed on her itinerary.  Mary said they landed on Memorial Day Monday, and was curious if I would take her team out to some of my other favorite spots to which I replied, “Of course!”

Day 1

Mary, Amy (the social media guru), Jason (the techie genius), and Gary (the video expert) arrived to San Antonio late in the evening on Memorial Day.  Many of my friends were over at my house for a backyard cookout, so a bunch of us went out to give them a crash course in San Antonio.

After picking them up from the downtown Marriot, we headed for the Hofbrau Quarry, home of the Dosarita.  If you are not familiar, the Dosarita is a schooner of frozen margarita with a Dos XX flipped upside down in it.  While I don’t know if the Hofbrau was the first place to invent it, they were the folks who really popularized it here in town.

The Dosarita from the Quarry Hofbrau; I have to say that I am a fan of it made with Dos Equis Amber now!

Mary and her team were a little skeptical of how the drink would taste, but I assured her that it was going to be amazing.  When we all got our round of drinks, the group from Philly was not disappointed.  Not only were they impressed by the sheer size of the Dosarita, they couldn’t believe how smooth it was.

Mary with Amy at the Quarry Hofbrau drinking Dosaritas.

I actually tried a sip of the Dosarita made with the amber beer and enjoyed it far more than the Dos Equis lager that I typically order.  We had a couple of orders of the queso blanco, with a dollop of guacamole in the middle, which is a perfect sidekick to the Dosarita on the patio.

Since the crew was feeling good from the Dosaritas, I took them to Chachos so they could sample the King Kong Nachos.  There was no description that I could give that would prepare them for the mound of nachos that they were about to experience.

Gary had a great idea to film the making of the nachos, and he got some great footage of how they are actually put together.  When the platter of food arrived at our table, the Dish Trip folks couldn’t believe how large the nachos were and were amazed that they got a bowl of queso as a side!  I loaded the table up with tons of different salsas to dip the nachos in and was excited to learn that they now come with a bowl of enchilada gravy to dip your chips in!

Gary manning the camera at Chacos; he can make anything look good on film, including yours truly.

The Dish Trip crew was a lot of fun, and Mary even went up on stage to sing “Sweet Home Alabama” with the band that was playing that evening.  She sang her little heart out and even changed the lyrics to “Sweet Home San Antonio!”  Such a fun night!

Day 2

The Dish Trip team began their official Dish Trip where they stopped at Blanco Cafe for breakfast, La Gloria Ice House for lunch, and Sazo’s Latin Grill for dinner.  Because I had to work that day, I wasn’t able to go out and about with them, however, check out their video if you want a recap of all the great things they ate.

After their early dinner, I suggested that they chill at Schilo’s and drink some of their world famous homemade Root Beer.  I left work and met them there and we planned out the rest of the evening.

The official Dish Trip was over and it was time to sit back, relax, and have some drinks.  Since I hadn’t eaten, I took them to Titos where I ordered the enchiladas Tejanas and a michelada made with a Victoria beer.  Titos enchiladas are the best in town and I have been a fan of the restaurant since moving here.  Not wanting to pass up an opportunity to try something new, the Dish Trip folks ordered some enchiladas and a puffy taco to try as well.

Michelada at Titos!

One of their sponsors is Victory beer, a popular craft beer in Philadelphia, and they brought down a few bottles of the seasonal Summer of Love.  Being inspired by the Dosarita the previous night, Mary wanted to create a “Victory-ita” and flipped it over in a margarita she ordered.  I was a little unsure of how it would be, but it made the margarita have an interesting grapefruit taste.  I guess it goes to show that we should experiment more with what we dump in margaritas!

After Titos, we walked up the street to the Friendly Spot where the team was excited to find that they served Victory beer!  Amy has recently become enamored with beer and has been devouring books on the subject.  She loves to try new brews (and has the perfect job to do so!), so she ordered a beer from the 512 Brewery from up in Austin along with Oatmeal Pale Ale from the Ranger Creek Brewery here in town.

After the whirlwind of the previous day and a half, the team was just glad to kick back, relax, and watch some basketball on the outdoor screen.  I really enjoyed getting to visit with them, talk about the differences between Philly and San Antone, and learn how Mary had started her blogging career.

Since Amy was such a beer aficionado, I knew that our next stop would have to be the Blue Star Brewing Company so she could try some of their microbrews.  We ordered a sampler and all got to try six different beers.  The bartender was friendly and told us a little about each brew as we drank it.  I believe that Amy favored the smoky mesquite flavored beer.

Amy enjoyed the beer sampler at the Blue Star Brewery.

After all this food, the only way to end the evening was to take the team to Lulu’s for a 3 pound cinnamon roll and a chicken fried steak as big as your head.  Gary was pretty impressed that the cinnamon roll was note only huge but also really tasty.  Even though we were all full, we put a large dent into the chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, and okra as well.

The gigantic cinnamon role at Lulu's! The night is finally over!

They came. They saw. They ate.  The Dish Trip had finally come to an end and all of us were stuffed.  I am so happy that the team reached out to me to show them San Antonio.  I had such a blast getting to meet Mary, Amy, Gary and Jason and learned a lot about professional blogging.  Be sure to check out the Dish Trip Site to see where the team winds up next.

These folks put in a lot of time and effort and it shows in their final product.  It was great for an Average Joe to become a food ambassador for a couple of days. Vaya con Dios Dish Trip team and safe travels on your next adventure!

Check out the Dish Trip article on their San Antonio Trip on Southwest Airlines blog.

Enjoy reading An Average Joe in San Antonio? Download the mobile app, Local Dish, today to read this and other local food blogs on your phone!