Edibilities

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Fri, 20 Jul 2012 14:03:00 -0400

the first of many belgian waffles

Banana bread

Broccoli and caramelized onion quiche

Tomates Farcies (stuffed tomatoes)

Guava cookies!

Brazilian-style pizzas

Everyone loves a potluck!

And of course, tiramisu

Profiteroles

Second semester: improved yet still in progress

Fri, 20 Jul 2012 13:47:18 -0400

Getting all four wisdom teeth removed has proven beneficial in three major ways: I get to sleep as much as I please on the side of the couch that my siblings and I kill each other for, I get to eat pints of coconut sorbet and I get time to write another post!

Food became my entertainment only a few years ago. By entertainment, I mean, TV’s replacement. Some people sit on their couch and watch TV for hours. I stand in the kitchen, maybe with some coffee, and think about what things I could possibly make while chatting up whoever might be nearby. This process can takes hours, and usually ends with me making something relatively easy and enjoying it with my mom or brother.

School has a whole other set of ground rules. Anyone in or graduated can attest to this. If possible, I sleep in and then hesitantly begin working either at home or at the library. Either way it usually fails. Weekends are funny. Many times though, boyfriend and I will just have the urge to make something, maybe even close to midnight on a weekday, doesn’t really matter.

Boyfriend and I tried some new recipes which spiced up some meals. We make several versions of Belgian waffles with the waffle iron I got for my sixteenth birthday, Brazilian style pizza, guava cookies, caipirinhas (thanks to boyfriend) to name a few. Embarrassingly, we never seemed fully equipped and many times borrowed flour or milk from roommates’ stashes. But we did try to replenish their stock as much as possible.

It was an odd semester because everyone was up to his/her necks in work and stress, we all really were-can’t say it was my favorite of times up at Cornell- but we still took time to do other things, see friends and family, make something yummy to nibble on, have a drink with roommates. It was a huge mixed salad of activities.

I think one of my favorite things we made were the guava cookies. Boyfriend’s mother gave him a bunch of her recipes and this was one of those that I had bugged him for quite some time to make with me. They are buttery cookies folded over guava puree essentially. Simple as can be, but it takes patience to assemble. You’ll see what I mean from the pictures. I like to think that times like those, with buttery guava cookies, are evenly spread out so I have time in between to be healthier. Moderation, right?

One of the big achievements of one of my roommates was making a dulce de leche cheesecake from scratch for the first time. It was delicious and sweet, and she was very proud of it. One of the comments she did have for all those aspiring bakers out there was to make the dulce de leche the long way, in the oven. According to her, the mess in the microwave just isn’t worth the time supposedly saved.

I have not yet tried making a cheesecake, though on my list of things to make is a light pumpkin cheesecake like that ones from Lady M. I wish I knew how they made theirs so light and flavorful. When I take a bite it’s like a gentle wave on the shore. If I could recreate it!

Photo

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 22:43:30 -0400

Miso soup, teriyaki chicken, veggies

Somen noodles with sauteed broccoli

Apple cake with local green apples

Veggie soup and pasta

Spinach linguini with olive oil&tomatoes

My favorite! Tiramisu

So delicious

Failed crepe looks like a whale!

Roasted carrot soup

Okinawan donuts

A few lessons for a college girl

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 22:32:00 -0400

My first semester living off campus was a transition I had to make; dare I say, maybe one of the reasons we go to college? Among many acquired responsibilities, my roommate and I spent three entire days scrubbing surfaces and inhaling clorox before moving in. That was a new experience. That was a satisfying yet an unwelcomed experience. Every new move better not include those three days of scrubbing. Anyways.

Nearly every grocery list included the following: semi-firm tofu, pasta, frozen broccoli, french string beans or spinach, tomato sauce, onions, chocolate chips, annie’s macaroni and cheese, and applesauce. Oh and coconut water. I’m pretty certain the only addition second semester were barbeque pop chips. To spice things up, we made many nommiful things such as tiramisu, vegetable soup, crepes and donuts.

From these two semesters, I learned how much I love making food with and for people. I also learned that the food I make isn’t actually that bad for a beginner, so hopefully it can only get better!

Including vegetables proved to be the greatest challenge, so much of our tomato sauces included sautéed broccoli and onions or the boyfriend made a lot of herbed string beans-a very commendable cook!

I have also gained a little more experience in prioritizing eating healthily and not spending too much money. Time is a whole other issue though. Hopefully in the future, it will be easier to make delicious, nutritious dishes in only half an hour-if anything, that would be a goal to work towards!

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Tue, 12 Jun 2012 00:52:26 -0400

The Celebration

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 00:50:00 -0400

There are times when the days lazily move from sunrise to sundown. The first half of this year was not one of those times. The mere thought that I am sitting in my kitchen in NYC, almost a third way finished with my summer and facing the last run of my education is laughable. Wen-You is just graduated from college, how did we grow up already?

Wen-You, even though we are, at this moment, on the same island, and we could talk like normal people, in person, I am going to launch my love for you into the world. Seeing where you are now, beginning something daring and exciting, but completely you is fulfilling in and of itself from an friend’s perspective. We have taken many journeys together and many others we have talked about to one another at length. Every time we meet, I am always warmed by the ease of being each other’s company, like a bowl of Shiseido curry.

While it pales in comparison to your ability to observe and capture the people around you, here are some photos I have collected. Cheers, my dear.

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Fri, 06 Jan 2012 02:11:02 -0500

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Fri, 06 Jan 2012 02:08:08 -0500

Shanghai Summer

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 02:04:43 -0500

After two seasons pass, summer has come again! Sort of. The grand trip with Wen-You to Shanghai for the month of July must be given some attention. This is afterall a blog about Wen-You and me. And the food we drool over. Lots of drooling.

So, even with the smothering heat, a temperamental shower, many hours at the office and the MSG plague, I think Wen-You would agree that we had an incredible experience living in Shangai. And thanks to Wen-You’s awesome and superior social skills, we even made some friends to mark this as a truly memorable trip.

The first picture (the string beans) was a part of my first meal in Shanghai, across the street from where Wen-You and I lived for that humid month in July. Nothing terribly special, but after half a day at high altitude, breathing in nothing but air with that nauseating recycled airplane smell and eating the microwave-prepared chicken and rice dish filled that tasted how the air smelled, it was welcomed. They are also MSG free guaranteed! Who could ask for more, Shanghai?

The second represents a few excursions to the Dolce Vita kitchen in the French Concession (who sent my family in NY a chocolate log for Christmas and it was droolisimo!). Family friends of ours know the owner well and after I was informed that the son of the family was being taught in that kitchen, I shamelessly requested lessons as well. It was probably a little out of bounds for me to ask, but how could I let such an opportunity slip through my fingers? The owner was taught in Italy where he lived for years, golden! This was one of the dishes Wen-You and I were taught, a squid ink risotto. The chef teaching assisted us quite a bit, but I am still very proud of how wonderfully it melted in our mouths. I would show the embarrassing photo of Wen-You and my blackened mouths… but… Anyways.

The following three were taken at a restaurant in the same neighborhood as Dolce Vita, called Pho Real, a Vietnamese pho place. I thought it was cute. One of the better play on English words that I have seen in China. Especially since it really is a play on words, not a misunderstanding/misspelling of a word… And despite the heat outside, the hot, slurpy noodles were certainly worth the wait (the lines outside this place!), Ending on the lime and mint sorbet really completed the meal though, it was so bright and weightless on my tongue, reminding me somewhat of the mint lemonades at Le Pain Quotidian.

The next five photos can be categorized under the special meals had with the family that generously took care of me as if I was their daughter. This family, so energetic and grateful for all that life gives them, made sure I was laughing and relaxed whenever with them. This also includes wine-induced giggling. There was a lot of that. And the obnoxious wine-induced laugh. My friends know what I’m talking about. Embarrassing. With the mother, who trained at Le Cordon Bleu (twice!), I practiced some dishes and tasted wine that was above and beyond when I could ever understand, but appreciated all I had none the less. They took me to THE Peking Duck restaurant, where everything they cook with was brought over from Beijing, even the little ducks (daily). We also ate what’s called the beggar’s chicken. It is just so moist my chopsticks never stopped moving until the meat, mushrooms and tree ears were all gone. It was also a ton of macho fun because Wen-You and I got to use a hammer and break the mud-crusted sucker open! On top of these restaurant adventures with this family, I was able to have some of their fresh and mouthwateringly delicious home cooked dishes, the aerial view picture. These were some of the best meals, talking with the family and teasing the children (who were way too smart to take any of it… I got a lot of dry stares).

The next place I want to direct everyone’s attention to is the scene of two lovely cocktails. Wen-You’s favorite spot perhaps, and a dear friend of mine by the end of our Shanghai excursion, El Cóctel is a very serious bar with very serious drinks. I believe Wen-You would happily go into further detail of the many subtly complex and layered drinks we tried at the bar. By far my not so subtly favorite item was the Black Manhattan that had soaked, blackened cherries that exploded with a splash of alcohol and sweet syrup when you guiltlessly pop one in your mouth. The decorations of the club were also something to admire, cozy with plush cushioning everywhere and dim lighting, but with a mysterious feel to it especially given the prestige one of its bartenders help, a man called Tree. I raised a mental delicate eyebrow to that, but apparently it’s true. Cheers to that.

I concluded that while there is Chinese food to be had in Shanghai, I was astounded by the foreigner’s dining I was happily experiencing. Take El Willy for example, if I remember correctly related very closely with El Cóctel. The black ink paella was something I’ve shoot a few people for and their salad, for the life of me I can’t remember what went in it, but it was so juicy! I never thought I’d say “juicy” for a salad. But there you go, and I willy mean it!

The curry can be found at the Okura Garden Hotel’s Rose Café. The curry and I go way back, to the time when I made faces at it while eating my delicious, but mundane croque monsieur with ketchup. Yes. I was THAT child. We all have skeletons in our closet. Mine is my diet up until about the age of 16.

Xiao Long Bao, juicy/soupy dumplings and I also go way back. Well, not really, but far enough so that I wrote my essay for Cornell on it, and it did the trick! Who ever thought Cornell would fancy being compared to some hole-in-the-wall xiao long bao place in Shanghai. Anyways, these aren’t the same ones, but heck, they were so good, who cares? Wen-You caught me in the act of worshiping the red bean paste dumplings gods on tape at this restaurant. Forever shamed.

So if you should take anything away from this, it’s that I write incredibly long, but hopefully worthwhile posts, but more importantly, that food should always be explored and enjoyed in every journey you make. It just might make you fall in love with the place.

wenyoucai: Crime Scene, Exhibit A

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 23:42:13 -0500

wenyoucai:

Crime Scene, Exhibit A

wenyoucai: Crime Scene, Exhibit B

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 23:42:05 -0500

wenyoucai:

Crime Scene, Exhibit B

Negative Space at Brushstrokes

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 20:01:00 -0500

Negative Space at Brushstrokes

Photo

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 14:28:00 -0500

One of Cha-an's iced teas

Cha-an goma ice cream, too delicious

Infamously juicy pork buns, má pêche

Kabocha dish at Chiyono

Chikalicious' classic chocolate tart

Chiyono's imported umeboshi rice

Japanese style fish, can't get enough

@ home chocolate and pistachio biscotti

After the storm (of finals)...

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 14:17:00 -0500

Fall semester is typically the worst of the two in my opinion. Into my third year, I guess it would be silly to change that (even, if I tried?). So, finally at home and relaxed (and possibly already a little wider) after a semester of chaotic, though sometimes very enjoyable weeks, I can bombard Edibilities with stories and photos of food eaten and made (and bombard I will!).

BUT, before I even begin describing anything from the fall, the lovely season before it must get some attention! Over the first half of the summer, when I was not working, Wen-You and I were able to get together and explore some eateries around the city and at last cook a little pasta dish together! Here are some photos from a very colorful June 2011

My solution to a gluten free pumpkin pie.

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 11:54:05 -0400

My solution to a gluten free pumpkin pie.

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Wed, 15 Jun 2011 19:45:08 -0400

My father at the Lourve

Vins et Terroir, restaurant in Latin Qu.

My wonderful tarte tatin!

My father's scrumptious salmon

Holding my treats from Pierre Hermé <3

Those wondrous macarons

My prize of the day

And how delicious it was!!

Collections of the first day in Paris

The Sainte Chapelle was spellbounding!

Sweet musings of Paris

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 19:27:06 -0400

Paris is THE charming city, there is no doubt about it. The food is carefully prepared and properly doted on, and for the most part my father and I didn’t run into many cases of the rumored snobbery of the Parisians. We did, though, get shooed away from a fully-booked clearly high-end restaurant by the maitre d’, which was enough experience for me! It was clear that we were not welcomed there if the sharp click of the door slamming shut behind us was any indicator. Well hmph to her! We did find a small, cozy place nearby for lunch that ended up having one of my favorite dishes of the entire trip. It was a small cake shape, I believe they wrote tarte tatin on the menu, composed of three layers, the bottom being brilliantly colored beets, the middle creamy avocados for a change in texture, and topped with cool and refreshing salmon with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar along the rim of the plate. It really was such a delectable dish that was not at all heavy, but completely satisfying. I was so impressed with this simple, but awe-inspiring meal.

Another lovely experience in Paris was the walk around the Latin Quarter. It was in this area that I found Sadaharu Aoki. I have always had an affinity for sweets and it’s only over the past few years that my sweet tooth has shifted in preference, much like the rest of my taste buds. My goal, then, was to find the artful cakes and elegant macarons as opposed to the crepes and the ice cream (not that I didn’t enjoy some infamous Bethillon ice cream while there!).

One particular item was (and continues to be) at the top of my list of experiences to have (again…and again and again). The matcha ‘Bamboo’ opera cake. Years ago, I found this crowned pastry while researching green tea treats for fun. A blog that I had been following religiously, Dessert First introduced me to this mystical, sophisticated world of dainty Parisian treats as opposed to the simple (but yummy!) pies and cakes I had been focusing on before. The extremely talented pastry chef of this blog mentioned a green tea opera cake which spiked my interest immediately. Looking a little further into this cake, I came across an image that left a gaping hole in my heart for what I felt I was missing: Sadaharu Aoki’s stunning creation. It was decorated simply with brilliant dashes of dark green and white powder that contrasted with a few clean lines of a dark forest green, what I later understood as a bamboo forest. It was such striking cake, I just knew I would not come across another like this and had to find it.

It wasn’t until I finally walked down rue de Vaugirard, fives years after reading the blog post, did the exhaustive rants about green tea and Sadaharu Aoki’s inventive fusion of Japanese and French flavors and techniques found resolution. After chatting cheerfully with the Japanese lady working in the hideaway boutique, my father graciously offered to pay for my selected treats. He commented how amused he was by my imaginary puppy’s tail energetically swishing back and forth and my occasional excited and jerky bowing as I watched the storekeeper’s gloved hands carry the pastries to the cashier.

The opera cake was everything I had imagined and then refined into blissful perfection, the textures were wonderful to test and explore with my dad and the matcha taste was satisfyingly strong. With each bite, all I could think of was how lucky I was to have this, sitting in Paris with my father, with the Eiffel Tower in my peripheral vision and my beloved camera there to capture every moment. No question, Sadaharu Aoki had won my heart in terms of pastries. It was a little troubling though the absence of dark chocolate (my chocolate of choice) and matcha combination, only white and milk chocolate, but the hojicha, goma, ume, yuzu, pistachio and sencha macarons made up for that, prolonging my state of gastronomic victory.

Pierre Herme’s macarons certainly proved worthy in the technicalities and taste of a macaron. I believe I had a l’asperge verte et vanile and huile d’olive et miel macarons which were both delicious, if not somewhat a little off white in flavor. L’asperge verte I learned from my French-speaking boyfriend means green asparagus. I was trying to push Pierre Herme’s talent since it’s so famed and didn’t realize by how much I was! I keep wondering if I’m just remembering the flavors all wrong since there was no English translation which would render the flavors forever a mystery.

Traveling with my father around my father was relaxing, especially given the stroll-pace of our explorations. I really couldn’t have asked for a lovelier introduction to this unrivaled country of food and leisure. I hope to return soon and become more intimate with France, but for now, I am happy to share the little experiences I had for that one week. I hope you all enjoy the photos!

Last Sunday’s Supper

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 19:36:51 -0400

Some kind of summer soup

Bacon Risotto with Poached Egg

Rhubarb Bread Pudding

the inevitable end

Last Sunday’s Supper

Photo

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 22:19:00 -0400

What gorgeous structures

I couldn't get enough of it at all

One of the perched villages

I just love their choice of colors!

Gordes, the ancient village

My delectable little snack

mountain of tomatoes!! drool

The famed store in Aix, it was cute!

First sighting of macarons, exciting

French food philosophy, supreme

More of France for those who wait

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 21:55:00 -0400

Bonjour! I’m sorry for the wait, work has finally started for the summer only a day after being home. Anywho! Onwards!

My father and I spent a whole week in France, and Nice was only the beginning, really. The next day, we drove westward to Aix en Provence, which has a very walkable and lovely cobblestone area. We spontaneously decided to explore the surrounding countryside before dinner. Oh, it was absolutely breathtaking scenery all around us. How could anyone live elsewhere after seeing such landscape? The sky was a cloudless, vivid purply blue and the fields shone with a healthy green, making the mountains way in the distance look like very dramatic and severe in comparison. We drove on winding roads through claustrophobic villages with their little brilliantly-colored, often a deep crimson, or light blue shutters and sun-bleached roofs. Our destination was a soon-to-be-realized touristy hilltop town called Gordes. Wonderfully preserved; from afar, the medieval town looked as if it were ready for its neighboring enemies to attack. Before leaving, I snatched a terrific little snack from a small little shop, a lightly cheese-crusted bread filled with a tomato something which was the specialité of the day, smack-lips delicious!

We drove back to our hotel, which is just out of the main city area of Aix en Provence, a little before night fell and sat down to a dinner in their garden restaurant. It was quite a scrumptious decision. Grilled vegetables marinated in pesto sauce, duck pate and crispy ham prepared bruschetta style atop a toasted slice of bread, and then a delicious fish dish that I have trouble remembering the name of now, possibly a sea bass, that perched on a pillow of orzo; it was tender, fell apart with ease and was so full of wonderful flavors. Another filled day, not a minute wasted.

The next morning we walked into town, rented our space at a café for a little before exploring. I came across the famed Provence candy shop, Roy René and found a tin box with my beloved sunflowers! It was my only purchase the entire trip that was entirely divorced of food. I tried a calisson, their famed treat, for the first time, so sweet and light.

Lyon was our next stop, a little ways up north. There was a notable difference in the cuisine that I quickly picked up at our next meal. We ate at a traditional place where when we asked if there were vegetables with our dish, the waitress replied gruffly “Don’t worry, there are plenty, there’s no need to order a plate of vegetables.” But when my steak (so much meat in this trip! My goodness!) and my dad’s chicken arrived, all we saw were potatoes, mushrooms and onions. Oh boy, we both thought, we’ve left the South of France diet zone. Everything was so rich and creamy I could hardly finish a meal the rest of our time in France despite how delicious it all was. It would have made it a lot more enjoyable, though, if I wasn’t so overwhelmed by the cream and unable to even think about food for hours after. I think the Mediterranean diet is the one to live by, personally.

Anyways, after strolling around darling Vieux Lyon’s cobblestone streets, I bought a small cup of fresh apricot sorbet and then jumped on the TGV train with my Dad to Paris.

Like last time, I’ll post the photos from this portion of the trip on the next post!