Hello Saigon!

The heat will not deter my foraging for food! That's not to say that I won't be found lazing away wherever there is air conditioning.

My plane landed around 10 pm last night. By the time I got home, it was close to 11 pm. The streets were mostly empty except for those selling the last of their pushcart food. No worries! My cousins took me for banh bot chien (fried rice cakes) in an alleyway. They cut it up for you in bite-sized pieces here and it's actually crispy (who would've thunk!). Back in the states, no matter how many times I reiterate the fact that I want my rice cakes to be crispy, they always come out as if they never even touched a frying pan.

My cousin Ky and I stopped by her cousin Kim's place for ice cream. Kim needed an electronic whisk but we only brought over tongs for kneading dough. Suffice to say, that wasn't of much use. It also turns out that she was trying to make more of a mousse than ice cream, since she was planning on whipping up some cream and adding coffee and sugar...unless that's what people consider to be ice cream over here? I'm confused. Will have to find out later.
Anyway, we sat in the kitchen for about an hour trying to whip the cream until its peaks were stiff but that was to no avail. Once again, I blame the heat! Heat = no peaks!
Kim likes to try out new recipes and her parents left her and her brother to live by themselves in a pretty big house. Something tells me I'll be over there pretty darn often.

I apologize for the lack of pictures. It's been less than a day and I'm still a paranoid newbie. Using an iPhone on the streets is just asking for trouble over here.

Will be meeting up with my aunt and cousins for more rice cakes and whatnot later for dinner today! Hopefully pictures come up soon?

FOOD-LA.

Planned on FOOD for breakfast today, but it somehow came to be lunch (as usual). 

Chai Latte. See what I mean here? Food's officially serves the best chai in my book! The spices are so flavorful and there's just the right amount of sweetness. 

Of course, brie! Smoked ham and brie panini. It was an overload on the ham, but the pears were godly! It's not even pear season until June! 

Smoked Ham and Brie Panini - with asian pear, wild arugula and whole grain mustard.

Morning FOOD Sandwich - with organic eggs, Vermont cheddar, applewood smoked bacon, English muffin, food's potatoes with marinara and aioli. 

Such tasty sausage and turkey maple to boot! Who would've thought the day would come...

FOOD is part cafe, part neighborhood market. They carry all the essentials of a truly great homemade meal. I noticed an awesome selection of honey and jams on the wall, as well as Dr. Bob's homemade ice cream in the fridge. It's too bad I can't buy any for home. Oh firstworldproblems...

Mashti Malone

In a strip mall down La Brea Avenue is the famous yet unassuming ice cream parlor that is Mashti Malone. I've never been to Iran, but I've had a little taste thanks to the medley of Middle East flavors.

Rosewater is an essential ingredient in Iranian desserts, which is evident by how many different kinds of rosewater ice cream Mashti has created. Among the selection is a couple that you don't see in a typical ice cream shop: Rosewater Saffron with Pistachios, Ginger Rosewater, Rose Sorbet with Sour Cherry, etc. Heavennn!

The Orange Blossom with Pistachios lived up to its name quite well. It reminded me of Jo Malone's Orange Blossom Cologne. What a coincidence that I love both! 

As for the Peanut Butter Cup - I wanted to inhale it! Creamy with swirls of fresh peanut butter and huge chunks of peanut butter cups throughout. Gyahhh! 

History

Mashti (Shirvani) and his brother Medhi bought the ice cream establishment, then known as Mugsy Malone, in 1980. At the time, Mashti could only afford to replace half of the old sign, which is how the name Mashti Malone came to be. 

Mashti, the mastermind behind all of Mashti Malone's spectacular flavors, found inspiration in his longing for authentic Iranian desserts, thus explaining the use of distinctive Middle Eastern ingredients such as rosewater, saffron, cardamom,  orange blossom, mango, pistachio nut, pomegranate, Arabian gum, rice starch, and sahlab.