i’m done with my quest… for now
Honestly, truly and deeply done. Unhappily done. For real, for real. For now.
I’ve had this beef patty pang that I haven’t quite been able to satisfy for ages. Really, since moving here. It’s been in the back of my mind. Calling me upon occasion. Begging me to get my Island on.
You know when you’re so used to being able to get something that it doesn’t cross your mind that you can’t or have to, like, look? Yeah. Beef Patties. Growing up in DC and living in New York , I could get them at pretty much any corner store. Sitting there drying out under that heat bulb, all normal, like withering hot dogs rotating on greasy convenience store roller grills. Well, that’s not normal here. At least not in my Korean/Latino/Multi-Culti neighborhood.
I tried to make them last year. Really. I wanted a beef patty and I wasn’t ready for my big LA adventure. How’d they turn out? Um, that was the first in the growing list of “Les Petites Catastrophes.” I thought since I’ve been in need of a particular brand of curry powder and hot sauce from the Caribbean that I would combine pursuits and explore more of LA.
It seems this endeavor has only been a kinda successful. Blue Mountain Curry Powder! Matouk’s! Yes and Yessss. Beef Patty goodness? OH.NO.
Ma PC – Pale pastry aka phyllo. Filling color off. Flavor so not right, but on its way. Texture off, more sloppy-joe like than patty filling. A lot of work something for that is really a pocket full of spicy meat.
Jamaican Grocery/Restaurant – Pastry looked good, but was a little sweet. {♥:Um, no.} Filling texture was alright. Color, I guess, okay. Taste, nope. Veg patty. {♥:Why?} It was like greens in wheat bread. Beef only, pls. Thx.
Jamaican Restaurant #2 – Just no. I think I’ve forgotten everything about it on purpose. Pastry was fine, filling not.
Frozen from African/Asian/Caribbean Grocery – Brand I know from NYC. Filling spilled out looking like newborn poo. For REAL. Beef patty filling shouldn’t look runny babypoo brown. It just shouldn’t. I was actually excited that the store carried a brand that I could put a taste to the name. For the not so low price of 8 dollars, I got 3 frozen beef patties and a broken heart.
Honestly, I think I want a generic beef patty, all yellow flaky pastry and annatto stained super spiced beef filling. No one’s special homemade gourmet patty made by the cook in the back of the kitchen from someone’s grandmother’s recipe is cutting it with me. I want what I want. With some ginger beer or Ting.
I going to try to make it once more before I give up, before I leave all my beef patty wants and dreams to a trip to Jamaica or DC or NYC or Toronto. Or anywhere else where there is a large population of West Indians demanding the ultimate in average, ordinary snack food.
Nikki♥