Food Truck Nerd

Happy Mother’s Day! To celebrate our favorite mom, C-Money and I gave Paulette the day off from asphalt dining and cooked her a lovely breakfast at home. The day is hers to enjoy but come tomorrow, we’re back to pounding quarter-pounders on pavement!

• Street food blogger Kathy Ferguson posted a picture of this hilarious sidewalk sandwich board. Their honesty is refreshing.
• The Vendy Awards are coming back to Los Angeles, June 24, 2012. If you have a favorite L.A. food truck, throw ‘em a nom…ination.
• Bloomberg Businessweek put up an interesting article surveying issues around food trucks and health inspectors around the country: “Gourmet Food Trucks Fight Inspectors’ Perceptions.” Safety first!
• Amazon.com has plans for a new office complex in Seattle and they are inviting generous public use, including possible space for food trucks. Now you know where your Prime subscription money is going. The headline made me think the food trucks would be inside the towers like the NY highrise I told you about last week, but that’s not the case.
• Hear the strange story of Cathy Scalia, the Long Island “Hot Dog Hooker,” in the Dori Monson podcast. Then be grateful you live in California.
• Now you’re able to buy fresh produce from Farmers’ Market Express at Moveable Feast Southside Monday nights. Think of it as dinner deconstructed.
• Moveable Feast announced a new market: Eastside San Jose. They’re movin’ on up! Conveniently located right off US-101 near the Church of the Five Wounds (not an appetizing name, unfortunately), it’ll start up the last Tuesday in May.
• Trucks new and new-to-me:
  • I got a chance to try a juicy Lamb Taco and spicy Samosa Cholle from Spice Hut. I met the owners and caught up with Chuck, who used to be at Tikka Bytes.
  • Technically they’re not new but I finally ate at 3-3-3 for the first time since their name change. The award-winning tacos are still amazing and they have a new virgin Mojito that’s perfect for the summertime.
• Recordings, all from our first visit to Off the Grid Fort Mason, on 4/13/2012:
  • A little taste of Cuba from the live band playing that night.
  • Dan Hugo accosts some folks standing in line for KoJa Kitchen.
  • William Pilz of Hapa SF talks about his Off the Grid cred, and his acquisition of Soda Craft organic sodas.
  • Some “Hippie” music sets the mood.
  • A chat with Alex and Izelle who were staffing the OtG information booth.

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Food Truck Nerd Podcast Episode 33

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Beware of a rash of Twitter hacking and spamming which has been going on the last few weeks among food truck accounts. If your favorite truck starts posting about miracle weight-loss secrets or direct-messaging you about malicious rumors, they’re not real. Ignore the messages and don’t click on any links they contain; they could be harmful.

• Truckista reports in her blog that food trucks are featured in two more current movies: Think Like a Man and The Five-Year Engagement. So far the chick flicks are winning for food truck cameos. Quick, get me Michael Bay’s phone number; I have the perfect plot for the next Transformers movie…
• According to the New York Times there’s a high-rise in West Chelsea that brings food trucks up in the freight elevator to serve their tenants indoors. I think we can beat that here in Silicon Valley. Does anybody know if cubicle aisles are wide enough for food trucks to cruise down?
• Eat St. is coming to San Francisco this week to film local trucks for upcoming episodes. They’re visiting Chowdermobile Monday, 5/7/2012 from 11:30 AM – 2:00 PM at 888 Brannan. On Tuesday they’ll be at 1975 Bryant St. from 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM to tape Bacon Bacon. Go on over and join the fun; you might end up on tee vee!
• TGI Friday’s is offering Korean Tacos. Roy Choi apparently is not taking the news well. [Seriously Roy: peace, love, and our everlasting gratitude, no matter where life takes you next.]
• KCRA in Sacramento aired a report alleging that the County Health Department is not policing food trucks properly, and furthermore that trucks are failing inspections at a higher rate than fixed-address restaurants. The tone of the report is provocative but if the data is accurate, it’s troubling. I have never had reason to doubt the safety of the food trucks I frequent, staffed as they are by conscientious and competent professionals, but clearly it’s in everyone’s best interest to be sure trucks meet and exceed all applicable standards so the movement can thrive with the public’s full faith and trust.
• The Livermore Wine Country Festival just happened, featuring a handful of food trucks. This is a vending trend for my beloved chicken-on-a-stick summer festivals I’ll be watching closely.
• Taco Conf is coming to Oakland and San Francisco, May 12-13, 2012. Bring your bike and cycle around the city from taco truck to taqueria. There will be talks too. Sounds bizarre and totally fun.
• I heard from @poutababy on Twitter about an event called Truckstock which is happening in Dallas this month. Food trucks, live music, and an outdoor movie. Yes please! I think some Bay Area cities did something similar here last year; we should do it again.
• Check the Food Truck Nerd Calendar for details about the Monterey Street Food Fest. Hint: it’s 5/12/2012.
• Bacon Bacon launched a Kickstarter campaign to expand into a new truck. They say they want to take it to Austin…seems like Austin should give them the money, but that’s just me.
• Trucks new and new-to-me:
  • I spotted one in-the-wild fully-wrapped that said “Freshly made soft ice cream” on the side, but I didn’t catch the name. If you know anything about it, give a holler.
  • I had a good time at Tacomania on Star Wars Day. Tasty tacos, though the trailer smelled oddly like cheese and my tacos did too though there was no cheese on them. I think they have some items on the menu that are quite heavy on the queso so the truck is infused with the stuff.
• Recordings:
  • Hear from Jason Johnson of Curbside Cuisine way up in Suisun City. Be impressed I knew how to pronounce “Suisun City.” Recorded 4/10/2012.
  • Listen to one last man-on-the-street recording by Dan Hugo at the San Jose Taco Festival of Innovation. Recorded 4/14/2012.
  • Learn from Christina, a scholar and a diner. She was at the Meals ‘n’ Wheels event in Milpitas, researching a paper for her Human Diet class at U.C. Berkeley. I think her primary conclusion will be to beware of nerds with microphones. Recorded 4/15/2012.

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Food Truck Nerd Podcast Episode 32

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Photo by Kyle Wilson

The theme this week is “delegate.” Not even a food truck nerd can be everywhere at once, but I get by with a little help from my friends.

• More food trucks on TV! Catch one briefly on House during  episode “We Need the Eggs,” airdate April 15, 2012. Then there was a passing punchline in “Saturday Glee-ver” on Glee, which aired April 15, 2012. What’s with all these food truck references on FOX in the same week? Things that make you go hmmm…
• There are food trucks in the upcoming movie, What to Expect When You’re Expecting. See the commercial I saw…on FOX. I wonder if one of those trucks serves pickle-flavored ice cream.
• Discovery Network is coming to San Francisco Monday, April 30, 2012 to film Bacon Bacon for something called United States of Bacon. (Three pigs just got their wings.) Then on May 7, 2012 Eat St. returns to San Francisco to film Sam’s Chowdermobile. Show up and join the fun!
• Congratulations to The Truck Formerly Known as The Bomb Truck on the new look, new pops, and new name: Octopops! Now say “popsicle octopus” eight times fast.
• Trucks new and new-to-me:
  • Angelica’s Taqueria. I tried their chicken and carnitas tacos. Nothing to rave about, but perfectly enjoyable.
  • Ben & Jerry’s. A bit pricey but they know their stuff.
  • Saruno Burger. I forgot to mention the food in the podcast but I tried their Menchi Burger, a Japanese-style deep-fried burger, and it was amazing. The owner told me it’s a homestyle treat she grew up with. I also liked their little Okinawan Donut hole, though it could have used some jam.
  • Dough Truck. What can I say. Pure insanity. Savory sandwiches (burgers, pulled pork, etc.) served on a glazed donut instead of a bun. Sounds crazy on paper but in execution it’s delicious, though I felt the need to detox for 24 hours afterwards.
• Recordings, all done by Dan Hugo at the San Jose Taco Festival of Innovationat History Park April 14, 2012. Thanks a million Dan for taking the time to collect these great interviews!
  • A snippet from the US Air Accordion Championship
  • A conversation with customer Scott MacDonald and Veggie Truckin’ Laura and Kyle about being vegetarians in a food truck world. See Kyle’s photos of the event on Flickr.
  • A little old-fashioned bootleg of the Tumbleweed Wanderers.
  • A recap of the day from Ryan and Christine Sebastian, who put on the event.

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Food Truck Nerd Podcast Episode 31

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Food trucks and truck events are popping up all over like marigolds in May. (I just made that up. Don’t go planting marigolds. I have no idea what I’m talking about.) Keep an eye on the Food Truck Nerd Calendar to keep track of the major happenings.  Wednesdays are particularly popular. Who knew?

• It’s been a fun week for food trucks on TV. Bob’s Burgers on FOX had a well-written if poorly-drawn episode called “Food Trucks.” The Finder also briefly featured a food truck in an episode called “The Last Meal.” (That was a spoiler…sorry.) Watch them online for a limited time.
• Eat St. season 3 is airing soon, May 15, 2012 on the Cooking Channel. I don’t recognize any of the trucks but it’ll be fun to see what the rest of the world is eating.
• Dan Hugo snapped this photo of adorable bucket cozies and table dressings that a family brought to Moveable Feast. How cute? Too cute.
• I heard about several new trucks recently. I haven’t tried any of them yet.
  • Conklin’s Catering. The East Bay’s Indonesian truck with a very un-Indonesian name.
  • Dead Dogs Bite Me Ltd. sells hot dogs from a coffin in a hearse. Why has no one thought of this before? Read the whole story in the Mercury News.
  • Curry ‘n’ Wraps specializes in wraps and curry. (Betcha didn’t see that coming.) They’re affiliated with Tiranga Cafe in Fremont.
  • Honey’s Mobile Sweets serves a tempting Mad Libs menu of delectable desserts with unrelenting names like Caramel Pecan Chocolate Chip and White Chocolate Cranberry Macadamia. Yes, please.
• Cyrus Farivar of the California Taco Trucks blog gave me a shout-out on Twitter. I look forward to talking to him soon because he’s all about the taco trucks. They are not my bailiwick but I recognize their seminal role in the modern food truck movement.
• Recordings
  • Erin from Twister Truck adhered to the letter of Murphy’s Law when she was starting out. Recorded 3/29/2012.
  • Cary and Royce from Scoops talk about cars and Mobile Midday Meals. Recorded 4/5/2012.
  • From July 7-8, 2012 Manisha of MiniYums is participating in the 39-mile Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in San Francisco. Please go to her donation page and help her reach her fundraising goal. Recorded 4/6/2012.

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Food Truck Nerd Podcast Episode 30

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I’m all tan, rested, and hungry after a casual Spring Break staycation. That’s a lie, I’m not hungry at all because I pretty much ate my way through the whole week. On a tech note I spent some time trying to find some sweeter EQ settings for the podcast. Let me know what you think.

• The San Jose Taco Festival was a huge hit with a sell-out crowd of thousands. As far as I can tell this is the biggest ever food truck event in Silicon Valley. Read all about it in the Spartan Daily and Metro. I would have loved to go but C-Money had two conflicting lacrosse games that day. But guess what; our team won both games, and C-Money bagged a hat trick in the second game including the winning goal with five seconds left on the clock. So…no regrets.
• Listen to this PSA for SactoMoFo 4. Cheeseburgers and fries, yup!
• Some big events coming up Saturday, April 21, 2012: SJ EATS x SJ MADE and SactoMoFo 4.
• Curry Up Now is opening a new brick & mortar in San Mateo called The Dosa Republic. They hint that it will be a truck soon.
• Catch a sneak peek at an upcoming truck Takoz Mod Mex (let the slideshow run).
• Over Spring Break we checked out a smorgasbord of new-to-me trucks:
  • Curbside Eats
  • Pizza Pimps
  • Fivetenburger
  • Truckin’ Sweet
  • Kung Fu Tacos
  • Fogcutter
  • Phat Thai
  • The Taco Guys
  • Señor Sisig
  • Cupkates
• Recordings
  • A chat with Nick Sharma from Willows Market in Menlo Park on the event of the first Gourmet Roach Coach Extravaganza. Followed by a fly-on-the wall confab of Hiyaaa!, Butterscotch on the Go, and Pollo Fritto. Recorded 2/9/2012.
  • Learn what sets Forbitten City apart from other trucks from owner Ken Chow. Recorded 2/15/2012.
  • Hear all about the Ho’oku’i Outrigger Canoe Club from V.P. Mike at their food truck fundraiser in San Jose. Recorded 3/18/2012.

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Food Truck Nerd Podcast Episode 29

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Happy Easter! I hope you enjoy the tasty treats of the season like jelly beans, Easter eggs, and marshmallow chickens. Take my advice though and leave the rabbit stew alone, just for today.

• AB 1678 is dead. Assemblymember Monning withdrew it on March 28, 2012. It’s not over yet as he says he intends to refine the bill and bring it up later. Check my AB 1678 page for the latest updates.
• Congratulations to MoGo, Bill’s Beer Steamed Hot Dogs, and Bigg Shrimp’n for being voted the Best Food Trucks in Metro’s Best of Silicon Valley 2012 edition.
• Keep an eye on MobileCafeteria.com, as Gourmet Rockstars develop it into an event planning service.
• Scoops has introduced Mobile Mid-day Meals, or MMM, pronounced, “Mmm…!” It’s a convenient way for businesses to invite a selection of trucks onsite for workday lunches to feed their employees and customers.
• Food Truck Mafia is looking for trucks to serve at the first ever Food Truck Food Court for the Fremont Festival of the Arts on August 4-5, 2012.
• There are some new trucks out now or coming soon:
  • Dough Truck, promising donuts. O yes!
  • My Shrimp Shack debuted April 4, 2012, serving shrimp with an Asian-Hawaiian fusion flair.
  • Spice Hut Indian fast food has evidently expanded their brick-and-mortar business to the streets.
  • Jennifer Lin has declared the name of her upcoming truck (still months away): My My Miss American Pie.
• I ate at two new-to-me trucks this past week on the road to 100 trucks:
  • Nick’s Wheely Good Breakfast. I had a wheely good lunch. #91
  • Porky’s, serving Asian flavored meat dishes, not Florida swamp ‘Q as I previously believed. #92
• Correction: in the podcast I gave the wrong name for Sanguchon‘s purple corn drink. The correct name is Chicha Morada.
• Recordings
  • I spoke with Robert from Eat On Monday about past and present holidays. Recorded January 23, 2012 at Lockheed Martin.
  • I spoke with Ryan and Christine from Moveable Feast about the San Jose Taco Festival of Innovation, but not at the same time or place. Ryan’s recording is from September 5, 2011 at Moveable Feast Los Gatos, back when the Taco Festival was originally scheduled for October. Christine’s recording is more recent—April 6, 2012 at Moveable Feast Willow Glen—and reflects the latest and greatest info as the Taco Festival is nigh, April 14, 2012

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Food Truck Nerd Podcast Episode 28

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[Update] April Fools!

SSSppiillllleedd   MMMMeeexxiiiccccaaannnnn   CCCookkkeee   oooonn   mmyyy   kkkeeyyybbooaaaarrrdd   ssoo   nnnoowwww  tthhhee  kkeeeyyss  aarreee   aalll sstttiiicckkyyy…  TTToo  hhhaaarrrdd   ttooo  ttyyppeee  ssooo  nnnoo   ssshhoowww    nnoootteeess   tthhhiiisss  wweeeeekkk…   JJuuussstt   lliissstteennn   ttooo   tthhheee  pppoodddccaaassttt   eepppiisssooddeee   wwwhhiiilleee   II   ggeeettt   tthhhiiiss   ccllleeaaanneeddd   uupp……..

TTThhaaannnkksss..

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Food Truck Nerd Podcast Episode 27

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Well that was a week.

• The Food Network is casting now for season 3 of The Great Food Truck Race. This time they’re looking for newbies: people who have never operated a food truck before. Read all about it here and sign up if you think you’ve got what it takes.
• Looking for upcoming food truck events? You found it! Announcing the Food Truck Nerd Calendar. It’s kind of awesome to see on one page how many great events we have going on in the Bay Area.
• Yocake! Yos gotta eat too!
• This article thinks it’s curious that we who speak out against AB 1678 use the same tactics as the soda industry. Yeah, whatever. Supervisor Wiener sets the record straight.
• Check out the South Bay’s latest food truck blog: Truckista.
• New trucks! (Both new new and new-to-me)
  • Cheese Gone Wild. All cheese all the time. I got to try their De Yum Philly cheesesteak sandwich, which was quite tasty and happily not too cheesy for me.
  • Chutney Mary’s, colorful Calcutta cuisine. (Not really from Calcutta, but I had the alliteration thing going.) They were my 90th truck! Next stop…100!
  • Got Italian Ice, East Coast-style frozen flavor bombs.
  • Porky’s SJ. Fire. Meat. Coming soon.
  • Hill Country BBQ. Texas-style barbecue, currently getting built. In Texas.
  • Pizza Pimps. Real soon now!
  • Sugar Tree, an old-fashioned self-serve candy shoppe packed inside a 20-foot trailer. Coming soon.
• Recordings
  • Jennifer Lin, an aspiring chef who hopes to launch her own truck later this year. Recorded 3/21/2012 at the Club Auto Sport Food Truck Open House.
  • Joanna Sun, Market Manager for Moveable Feast. (I keep saying “Marketing Manager” in the recording, which is incorrect.) Recorded 1/21/2012 at Moveable Feast Garden City.

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Food Truck Nerd Podcast Episode 26

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Slowly but surely I’m chipping away at my backlog of recordings. Hey, I’m up to 2012 now!

• Some  upcoming food events for your calendar:
  • Sunday, March 18, 2012, 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM,  Word on the StreEats: Ho’oku’i Outrigger Canoe Club Fundraiser, Stevens Creek Blvd across from BMW on autorow, 4030 Stevens Creek Blvd, San Jose, CA
  • Wednesday, March 21, 2012, 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM, Cruisin’ Gourmet Cuisines: Food Trucks of Today, Club Auto Sport, 521 Charcot Avenue, San Jose, CA
  • Friday, March 30, 2012, 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM, Word on the StreEats: Mount Pleasant High: Round 2, Mount Pleasant High School, San Jose, CA
  • Saturday, March 31, 2012, 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM, Food Trucks at the Alameda County Fairgrounds!, Alameda County Fair, 4501 Pleasanton Ave., Pleasanton, CA 94566
  • Saturday, April 21, 2012, 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM, Whole Foods Market presents SactoMoFo 4!, Sacramento Central Farmer’s Market, Sacramento, CA
  • Saturday, April 21, 2012, 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM, SJ EATS x SJ MADE, San Pedro Square Market, 87 N. San Pedro Street, San Jose, CA 95110
• Here’s the Moveable Feast Truck Tracker on Facebook. I’ll also plug my own Twitter List of Food Trucks.
• Read Stitches ‘n’ Dishes’ report: Does Your Street Food Event Make the Grade?
• PayPal is taking on Square with their new PayPal Here mobile payment device and app.
• Read up on the March 8 amendments to AB 1678.
• A big welcome to the Food Truck Mafia’s dessert addition: Truckin’ Sweet. With a name like that, it’s gotta roll with the mob.
• The Small Time Cooks are back with a new look and a new name: 3-3-3.
• Recordings
  • San Jose City Councilman Ash Kalra at the soft launch of Moveable Feast Blossom Hill discusses the excitement food trucks bring to his district, and his take on AB 1678 from a city government perspective. Recorded March 12, 2012.
  • Juan Hurtado, Director of Mobile Operations for Sam’s Chowdermobile explains how he finds new places to bring his chowdery goodness. Recorded January 11, 2012 in Milpitas.
  • Sarah & Prachan Mokaves of Blast Off! describe what inspires their menu. Recorded January 20, 2012 in Campbell.

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Food Truck Nerd Podcast Episode 25

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Lots of news, rumors, and adventures to talk about this week. On a tech note I experimented with a different microphone, courtesy of Dan Hugo. Can you tell the difference?

• AB 1678has been amended! The sponsors have heard our concerns and have made some changes to the bill in response. The highlights in summary:
  • The no-truck-zone has been reduced from 1,500 feet to 500
  • The ban now applies only to public schools, not all schools
  • Exceptions are allowed for:
  • Trucks on private property with the permission of the property owner
  • Trucks adjacent to construction sites, provided the customers are over 18 years old
  • Trucks serving film production sites
  • Trucks with a formal agreement with the school district
  • Most interestingly, the amended bill allows for cities and counties to pass their own laws prior to January 1, 2013, and my understanding is that the local law will take precedence over the state law, even if the local law is less restrictive:
    This section shall not be construed to limit or otherwise prohibit the enforcement of a local ordinance adopted prior to January 1, 2013, by a city, county, city and county, or district, including a school district, that regulates the location of operations by a mobile food facility, regardless of whether the local restriction is more or less restrictive than subdivision (a).
    It’s not clear to me how that will work. It’s possible I’m reading it wrong.
• The CFPA is holding meetings about the amended bill with the food truck community, including myself. I’m looking forward to the discussion and I’ll let you know how it goes.
• Get ready, South San Jose, for the soft launch of Moveable Feast: Southside on Monday, March 12, 2012 from 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM at the Blossom Hill VTA Station. I don’t know how they’re going to fit seven trucks into light rail cars.
• There’s a Food Truck Fundraiser for and at Piedmont Hills High School on Friday, March 16, 2012 from 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM featuring 13 trucks. It’s a Saint Patrick’s Day Eve event, so wear some green, spend some green (it’s for a good cause), and eat some greens. They’re good for your colon.
• Moveable Feast is throwing an Evergreen Jamboree with eight trucks to benefit youth sports at Chaboya Middle School. That’s happening Sunday, March 18, 2012 from 11:30 AM – 3:00 PM.
• Club Auto Sport is hosting an event called Open Door Series: Food Trucks of Today on Wednesday, March 21, 2012 from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM at 521 Charcot Avenue, San Jose. Learn about starting a food truck business from Vince Guasch of No Way Jose and Louisiana Territory, Ryan Sebastian from Treatbot and Moveable Feast, and Adam Lee from Adam’s Grub Truck. Get your free ticket here.
• I got to try a couple new trucks this week. Baba Kabob serves Middle Eastern food with an appealing presentation and array of sides. I loved the Sharbat, a tart cherry-ade scented with rose water. Fairycakes serves itty bitty cupcakes, baked to moist perfection. Here’s the thing though: everyone knows you’re not supposed to eat or drink anything that fairies give you or you’ll be stuck in Fairyland forever, so exercise extreme caution. I happen to know the spell can be broken by bacon.
• Twisted Chill is back with an expanded menu that now includes ice cream and fresh baked cookies.
• Recording – This episode features an extended interview with Prashanthi and Rajesh Mehta on the occasion of the soft launch of Tikka Bytes Café, a brick-and-mortar expansion of their truck business. It was recorded in Milpitas on December 16, 2011.

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Food Truck Nerd Podcast Episode 24

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