Closing the Boston Chapter - Part 3: Jewish/Israeli food binging in Brookline

My last week in Brookline meant having a little bit of something from the neighborhood every day.

My typical stop was a breakfast of hazelnut coffee and a bagel sandwich from Kupel's. The bagel sandwiches on the menu come with a free bottled water which I always forgot to pick up. The lox spread was really creamy and hit the spot when I wanted to save $$ and skip the real lox. Moreover, my most favorite item at Kupel's had to have been the fresh challah. They had a really sweet dough that resembled (no joke) Chinese BBQ Pork Buns (the baked kind not the steamed kind). I could eat a loaf of that in one sitting if I allowed myself to do so.

Something indulgent but frequent were my stops for lunch with friends or evening to-go orders at Zaftigs, my beloved modern Jewish deli. Cold fish plates, cold cuts by the pound, perfect house coffee, banana stuffed french toast, knish, bagel chips and herbed cream cheese, or even the occasional chocolate chip cookie made me smile. Perhaps I'll spend money one day on a kitschy t-shirt from the counter. Examples: "Knish me" "Almost Jewish" "Got Challah?"

From Exploding taste buds lead to exploding waistlines

A rarer stop was going to the "real deal" places like Rubin's Kosher Deli or The Butcherie, a small grocery store. At Rubin's I'd go in off-peak so I could order from the counter by myself, without fear of being perceived as "the other." Shmaltzy kasha varnishkes, pastrami, knish.... I loved taking it all home. The Butcherie had the most Israeli products I've ever seen. I felt it was my little secret that I could read all the packages in Hebrew... but I never dared speak or thank anyone in Ivrit.

From Exploding taste buds lead to exploding waistlines

I squeezed in a couple stops into Ruth's Kitchen and Cafe Eilat before I left. I had my first kugel from Ruth's -- mm, it's probably not Ruth's fault, but I don't think I like kugel. I went into Cafe Eilat because the name seemed like something straight out of my Modern Hebrew textbooks. I tried some imported Israeli panna cotta. While I usually LOVE panna cotta, the trip around the world (or the likely freeze and defrosting) killed the texture of my dessert. The place also seemed pretty overpriced without any apparent differences in quality or kosherness.

Good or bad, I'll forever look to Brookline's Jewish and Israeli food stops for great food memories. Life will never be the same without having a fresh, immediate supply of challah.

From Exploding taste buds lead to exploding waistlines

Closing the Boston Chapter - Part 2: Chung Shin Yuan

I made a half-hearted entry a while back lamenting my lust for Taiwanese brunch in Newton. Before I left for California, I finally upped the whining and wrangled up a few church buddies of Taiwanese heritage to take me to this mythical, best-of-the-best, hidden food stop.

I had to overcome a few other hurdles to make this food voyage. First, the restaurant name is unapologetically Chinese which on the surface intimidates me - as a part Chinese-American, by way of a couple generations of family that kept British English as their home language, I've played deaf and dumb to any Mandarin, Cantonese, Taiwanese, etc... I've encountered. I usually assume that any Chinese restaurant with a real Chinese name at least has a second English name for me to use so I won't embarrass myself by butchering some poor transliteration of the original.

Second, the restaurant's Newton-Watertown border location is just plain F-A-R to most lay carless Bostonians. This truth had been a put-off to my usual food-hopping pals. Chung Shin Yuan could've been in Timbuktu for all some people cared.

Third, the restaurant exterior is almost scary. The sign is so faded and the exterior is so nondescript, that my Boston-hardened heart would've immediately rejected this place on it's lack of curb appeal alone. Apparently, my time on the East Coast clouded one of my life experience personal truths that many a good ethnic restaurant can (and sometimes must) be found in unlikely places, such as a strip mall or gas station.

Fourth, rumors I heard about the weekend brunch line were legendary - most folks recommended at least a half-hour wait. One couple I knew said that being in line didn't even guarantee you'd make it for one of the brunch seatings.

Waiting line at 11:05 AM from Exploding taste buds lead to exploding waistlines

The restaurant opens at 11:30, so my pals and I arrived at 10:55. We were the first in line, and a dozen more people lined up behind us in no time. The smells of slow cooking meat and spices were wafting in the air as the crowd waited -- a heart-warming aroma for many that was only slightly interrupted by the cups of coffee that some folks brought in line from the MickeyD's next door. The restaurant opened it's doors a bit early at 11:20. The dining room (which was decorated quite tastefully as compared to the lame exterior) was completely seated within a couple minutes with the second-wave diners already in line out front. We ordered quickly and had food brought to us with great speed.

I'm pretty sure my favorite menu item was the simplest: the sweetened soy milk. Our bowl was steamy, sweet, and only slightly creamy. I think American soy drinks miss the boat completely when it comes to the Chinese soy milk experience. The consistency of soy milk is delicate and silky... with more of a mouthfeel that resembles fat-free or 1% milk rather than chalky, thickened-up whole milk.

Soy milk from Exploding taste buds lead to exploding waistlines

Youtiao from Exploding taste buds lead to exploding waistlines

The Chinese doughnuts (youtiao) were hot 'n crispy, and, yes, oily. Don't let the doughnut grease scare you, only a minimal residual amount clings to the crispy/doughy sticks. You won't even notice it after you've dunked your youtiao in your bowl of sweet soy milk, anyway.

The shoabing was also really tasty. The flaky golden pastry that sandwiched perfectly seasoned cold beef cuts was delicious and only had that nice suggestion of sweetness after you gobbled the whole thing up. I would've ordered a whole one for myself if I didn't care to look like a bigger pig than usual.

Shoabing from Exploding taste buds lead to exploding waistlines

The pan fried steam buns were doughy and full of juicy meatball goodness. But, compared to everything else, they seemed like filler. The Chinese leek pie and scallion pancake were also good in their fried glory, but their lack of animal meat or sugary goodness put them in the back of my mind. The salty soy milk was also good, but as a newbie I had no other experiences with which to compare it. If you think of salty soy milk as less like milk and more like a miso soup experience, you'll enjoy it. They add soy sauce and vinegar to the milk which helps curdle up the soy proteins into little silken tofu-like curds.

From Exploding taste buds lead to exploding waistlines

So if you want to ditch the dim sum carts of Chinatown, line up early for a Taiwanese brunch at Chung Shin Yuan instead.

Closing the Boston Chapter - Part 1: Color Korean Cuisine

My favorite Boston Korean place in Boston is in Allston Village. It's not a far walk from Coolidge Corner and a quick 66 bus ride from Harvard Square. The eats are on the cheaper side and are still made the with the love of ten grandmothers. You won't be asked to grill your own food or cook your own soup - these folks prepare everything in back.

Two things bring me back: the sweet and spicy goodness of the best fried chicken in Boston (Color Chicken - small or large order) and the roasted corn tea (served hot in winter and iced in the summer). Sure the service is always nice and there are many other dishes worth eating (tteokbokki, various jigaes, and free side dishes in tasting portions), but in the end all I really want to do is scarf down plenty of fried chicken and wash it down with a delicious beverage - the oksusu cha is as good as anything else since this no-alcohol establishment doesn't serve any ice cold brewskis.

Color Korean Cuisine always hits the spot. It's small, so don't bring only your closest friends. It still seems to be a Korean insider spot, but be not alarmed. Don't be afraid if you call the restaurant and someone answers in Korean... don't even worry if they continue to speak Korean after you've exchanged a few sentences in English, eventually they'll get the idea and speak to you in English. Also remember that these restaurant folks observe the "Lord's Day," so make sure to stop by from Monday through Saturday only.

Bi Bim Bap from Exploding taste buds lead to exploding waistlines

Amazing "Color Chicken" from Exploding taste buds lead to exploding waistlines

Seafood Pancake from Exploding taste buds lead to exploding waistlines

Lois taking food pics from Exploding taste buds lead to exploding waistlines

Myers + Chang

My good-bye lunch could not have gone any better. Great friends, great conversation, and exceptional food made the day one to remember. We even had a nice first snow of the season fall the morning of my lunch.

Recalling the Tasty Menu

a: passed/starters

coconut kuri squash soup - this soup was rich and creamy - and much better than I remembered. the drizzle of hot chili oil spiced up everyone's appetites. I don't think all left an empty bowl. I recreated it for dinner the other night and was pleased with my results.

tea-smoked pork spare ribs - as awesome as I remembered. The pork pieces were rich, fatty, and fall-apart tender.

crispy spring rolls - i didn't think i'd enjoy a spring roll with that many vegetables inside - but true to the menu, each roll was crispy =)

* b: salads/sides

tiger's tears - every single element of this dish was fresh and outstanding! I know there's a recipe for this dish in my new Malaysian cookbook - I'll have to post a bit once my books arrive.

edamame and celery slaw - i don't even like celery, but this salad changed my mind. i think the sweetness of the candied lemons did the trick -- and whatever other acid they used in the dressing. this was definitely another table favorite.

* c: mains

wok-roasted mussels - the best mussels I've had EVER. The bowls were piled high with tender, succulent, sweet, lemon-grassy mollusks. I kept finding reasons to sop up more liquid from the mussel bowl.

chicken and rapini stir fry - tender and tasty meat and veggies. mmm...

beef and broccoli chow fun - i think we were too full to enjoy this dish by the time it arrived at our table.

* d: drink

fountain drink, tea, or coffee - the hot teas came in individual tea pots which was really charming. other late risers had plenty of coffee to start. note - cream served out of a clay vessel that you'd normally associate with a soy sauce server is pretty freaky to look at.

Cheri and our server were fantastic -- especially since I forgot that one of the guests had a food allergy. Thankfully, she could eat all of the items without any adjustments. Cheri even boxed up one of Joanne Chang's famous throw-down winning Sticky-Sticky Buns for my plane trip home! How nice was that!

I'd recommend the place for future events and I hope my party guests will continue to explore what the restaurant and bakery have to offer =)

Good-bye and Birthday Lunch Menu

I'm so crazy busy I could scream/spit/cry... etc.

Rather than do any of those things I'm going to take Sara's lead and write a "five minute post."

I'm moving back to California on Sunday, which is also my birthday. I decided to take matters into my own hands and throw myself a Bye-Bye and Birthday Lunch at Myers + Chang.

I know I haven't blogged about my visits there nearly enough. I've gone pretty regularly (once every three months) for the past year, and the food has ranged from AMAZING to too-salty-to eat.

Some might shy away from throwing my last bash at a place that's been so inconsistent. Let's just say that I live dangerously and since I love Flour so much, I'm really rooting for Joanne Cheng's pan Asian restaurant to really soar.

The Tasty Menu

* a: passed/starters
* tea-smoked pork spare ribs *AWESOME*
* crispy spring rolls - garlic chives, bamboo, shiitake mushroom
* veggie-friendly soup - coconut kuri squash?

* b: mains
* wok-roasted mussels - black pepper, lemongrass
* chicken and rapini stirfry * - toasted garlic, chili peppers
* beef and broccoli chow fun - seared flank steak, wide rice noodles, onions

* c: salads/sides
* tiger's tears *AWESOME* - grilled skirt steak, thai basil, lime, khao koor
* edamame and celery slaw - sesame oil, candied lemon

* d: drink
* fountain drink, tea, or coffee

Filipino Pantry Leche Flan

I can never really guarantee I can cook much if company stops, but there are a few pantry baking items I keep to ensure I could whip out a nice dessert or two. Marie Ange's almost flourless chocolate cake, chocolate chip oatmeal cookies or Stephen's blondies... but my favorite decadent pantry staple is a nice leche flan.

1/3 c sugar
1/4 c water
2/3 can sweetened condensed milk (non-fat okay)
6 egg yolks
1 can evaporated milk (non-fat okay)
1 t vanilla extract

Prep.

1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. In a small saucepan, caramelize the sugar till golden brown. Pour sugary syrup mixture into the bottom of a small baking dish
3. Whisk the custard in this order: condensed milk, yolks, evaporated milk, vanilla
4. Pour the custard into the baking dish, passing through a strainer to collect any solids
5. Place small custard dish into 9 x 13 baking tray to prepare the water bath for the flan. Fill water bath with hot water to surround the custard half-way the height of the flan.
6. Bake for 1 hour. It'll be jiggly when removed. Remove the flan baking dish from the water bath. Cool on counter for an hour. Then chill the dessert in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight.
7. To serve, run a knife around the edges of the flan and turn over the flan onto a serving plate. Garnish with berries serve it plain. I love serving it as a base for shaved-ice desserts or spreading flan cubes on challah/brioche toast.

Notes: Eerik and Kristin held a baking olympiad recently and I had to withdraw my flan entry. I tried to improvise and replace two yolks with an egg white... not changing temp and baking time too much, it totally turned the flan into scrambled eggs.

Vinum Cellars "Financial Solidarity Sale"

Richard Bruno and Chris Condos have the right idea. You should definitely think about taking advantage of their 40% off any 12-bottle case of wine "Financial Solidarity Sale."


It's the perfect time to try the mixed case sampler ($138) or a case of my favorite "budget" red, the PETs '06 - Petite Sirah ($100.80) [the best table red for my money - it tastes as good to me as anything pricier].

Even with the deep discount, I don't think I'd be able to bite the bullet for a case of my other Vinum favorites.

White Elephant '07 ($122.40) - one of the most delectable white wines ever - my workmates find the perfect blend of 58% Chenin Blanc, 30% Roussanne and 12% Viognier irresistible.

The Scrapper '05 ($216) In your face, Sideways. This Cab Franc is AWESOME.

Red Dirt Red '05 ($216) The 2007 Stanford Wine Selection that started my love affair with Vinum Cellars.

NapaCab '06 ($273.60) This wine is delicious. I use delicious in the way that an entire meal should be delicious, not just a nice drink. I've served this wine to people with pricey palettes and non-wine drinkers, alike. It's hands down decadent.

Roasted Pumpkin Pancetta Fried Brown Rice

From Exploding taste buds lead to exploding waistlines

Lois was at my house a month ago to make French Onion Soup. In order to feed our selves during the long wait of caramelized onions, I used some leftovers to make a quick autumn fried rice as a first course.

The stuff

4 oz pancetta, fine dice (Trader Joe sells a Citterio pack)
1 cup cooked cold pumpkin, diced
1 1/2 cups cooked cold brown rice
4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
salt
pepper

The order

1. Start with cold pan. Cook pancetta till crispy, set aside after cooked and reserve remaining fat for cooking.

2. Heat the pumpkin through in pancetta renderings.

3. Toss in thyme leaves and rice. Heat through and season with salt and pepper.

Almost Instant Trader Joe's White Chicken Chile Enchilada Casserole

[I'm still out of commission, but, with a touch of Advil, I'm finally posting a whole mess of entries that have been in "draft" status...]

Michelle, another roommate, has mentioned on occasion her mom's white chicken enchilada casserole that is made of a shredded rotisserie chicken, cheese, tortillas, and condensed cream of mushroom soup. Not only are the ingredients simple, it's prepared in a lasagna-like fashion and baked 'till bubbly.

When a coworker told me she'd be in the neighborhood to shop at the Trader Joe's I had no need to shop, but I thought I'd use the occasion to try to create my own white enchilada casserole.

From Exploding taste buds lead to exploding waistlines

I found all but one of my main ingredients at TJ's: the mushroom soup. Trader Joe's tries to carry holiday seasonal items (box stuffing, fried onion, etc), they do not carry anything close to cream of condensed anything. I took it upon myself to create a bechamel sauce with green chiles instead. Since the chiles at TJ's are extremely mild, I used garlic salt as my instant flavor booster.

Layering Ingredients

1 pack fresh corn tortillas
1 pack grilled chicken strips
1/2 bag fancy shredded Mexican (cheese) blend

White Chile Sauce Ingredients [Substitution: Can of condensed soup (mushroom or cheese) & 1-2 cans milk]

2/3 stick of butter
4 T of flour
3 cups of milk (I go for whole milk for bechamel - add 1 more cup of milk and another can of chiles if you want a lot of gravy in the casserole)
garlic salt
ground black/white pepper
1 can fire roasted diced green chile

How-To

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F

1. Sauce: Melt butter, slowly whisk in flour on med-low heat until everything is incorporated, whisk in milk slowly to maintain a lump-free consistency, add in chiles, and season with garlic salt and pepper. Set aside.

2. Shred or pulse the cooked chicken in a food processor (yields two cups of chicken in a processor)

3. Assemble sauce, tortilla, cheese, and chicken casserole layers in a 9" x 9" or 9" x 13" baking dish. I recommend a smaller dish and going for more layers - the bigger dish really stretches the recipe.

4. Layering tips: Start with a little sauce in the bottom of the pan. The final, top layer should consist of sauce and shredded cheese. The rest of the order is just up to you.

4. Bake in 350-degree F oven for at least 30 minutes or when the dish is heated through.

From Exploding taste buds lead to exploding waistlines

From Exploding taste buds lead to exploding waistlines

Boy Bawang: Better than CornNuts

I totally have a wicked migraine, but I came across an unposted picture that made me smile, so I had to write up my thoughts quickly.

From Exploding tastebuds lead to exploding waistlines

I'd say Corn Nuts have always been a well-loved snack in my family. However, it wasn't until earlier this year that I discovered Boy Bawang, a Filipino product that's much tastier, crispier, and easier to eat. Easier to eat? Am I crazy? Corn Nuts can feel like work because the over-sized kernels are so dense. Boy Bawang (or literally, "garlic boy") kernels are made of smaller corn kernels, that when fried, create a thin-shelled, hollow mini kernel. My love of the garlic flavor is just a tad bit extreme. As a garlic lover, it's a fantastic to actually buy a garlic-flavored treat that also contains real deep-fried garlic chips (or bits) in the bag.

It was especially disappointing when I realized that I've had access to this snack almost my whole life (you can find them in pan-Asian or Filipino grocery stores and online), but it took my secret blogging obsession (Filipino wedding videographers and photographers) to finally inspire me to try a bag. I found mine in Quincy at Sure Pinoy Food Mart.

Spicy Slow-Cooker Sloppy Joes

A few years ago, I was really into making spicy Sloppy Joes with turkey. I liked to play up a "Southwestern" twist on my Sloppy Joe dinners by serving them with jalapeno cheddar or hot sauce/Tabasco. I even have the mint green cafeteria-style serving trays that I used for my dinner parties to prove it. After recently remaking the recipe I discovered how delightful eating a Sloppy Joe becomes after the filling starts to melt away the integrity of the bun.

From Boston

I adapted my recipe from the PBS Everyday Food series.

Tools to keep your prep to a minimum:

Food processor
Crock-pot

The stuff for a group of four:

1 medium onion, finely chopped/pulsed
½ green bell pepper, finely chopped/pulsed
1 jalapeno or serrano chili pepper, finely chopped/pulsed
1 stalk celery, finely chopped/pulsed
2 garlic cloves, minced/pulsed
1/2 teaspoon red chili flake
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more)
1/2 teaspoon, cumin
1 pound ground turkey
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
Coarse salt and black ground pepper to taste
8 hamburger buns, split and toasted

Steps to make:

1. pulse the veggies in smaller batches
2. add veggies, meat, seasoning, tomato sauce and ketchup to crock-pot
3. run the crock-pot High a minimum of 3 hours or run it on low for 5 hours to overnight. The longer the crock-pot runs, the more the veggies seem to disappear and cook into the sauce.
4. add salt and pepper to taste
5. Serve on buns for a delicious experience.


Variations: This makes an equally nice taco filling or nacho topper. Or add beans for a chili con carne dinner. Replace the meat completely since the magic is in the tomato sauce/ketchup/onion/garlic/pepper base anyway.

For a crowd: To feed a group of 20, I increased this recipe six times over. I saved some cash by using 80/20 ground beef and eliminated the spices. The batch fit into two large Crock-Pots.

Foul Moudammas

My roomie, Bursha, made a big pot of foul (pronounced 'fool') moudammas (fava beans) tonight. She explained some finer points of preparing her dish... while foul moudammas can be served hot or cold, stew-like or hummus-like, Busha took the warmed, stewed pita filling route. Bushra says she likes this dish because it's one of her home comfort foods, and it's a dish that's eaten by the rich and the poor alike.

There are many ways to season the beans as well, but she recreated her mom's familiar Sudanese seasoning (which I think mimics the Egyptian canned version).

I can sorta guess her recipe...

1/2 t cumin (the apparent Egyptian or Sudanese twist?)
1 medium onion
1 T minced garlic
1 T olive oil
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 can of fava beans/foul moudammas from the Middle Eastern grocer near you
4 oz of feta cheese
salt to taste
Serve with pita and plain egg omelette.
Feeds 2-3 as a meal. Or makes a nice party nosh recipe for 8-12.

Toast the ground cumin in a dry pot/pan... brown onions and garlic in the cumin and olive oil. Add in fava beans, tomatoes, and feta. Heat high then simmer for 20 min. Mash up the beans and feta chunks in the pot with a jam jar or potato masher till chunky, not smooth. Serve in a wide-mouthed bowl to dip with Arabic bread (we used a little pita but I'd even satisfy my love of rice with this one). We used a little egg omelette to lighten the bean stew and fill us up for a late night power snack. But Bushra promises that reheated, day-old foul moudammas is even tastier!

 

 

p.s. i did cheat and repost this from my personal blog.

out in the burbs

After church, a carload of some of us young ladies headed out to dinner and dessert...

The first stop was Big Fresh Cafe in Framingham. It's an organic place that focuses on local products - for eating organic and fresh, the menu is priced pretty reasonably. I had the Stir Fry Big Fresh Special, "Organic tofu in a delicious satay sauce, served on brown rice with teriyaki vegetables & collard greens." The presentation was pretty and I added a bit of Bragg Liquid Aminos as a seemingly lower-sodium soy sauce alternative. (I don't know the specs for sure, yet.)



But apparently I didn't get the memo that dinner was really supposed to be a snack, since everyone was saving room for ice cream at North End Treats.

We were surprised to find out that the store had much more than ice cream. Frozen yogurt with mix-ins, Richardson's ice cream, and gelati made up the frozen treat section. Sandwiches, pizzas, and pastries using recipes from Bova's 24-hour Bakery in the North End are sold here, too. Lois had an amazing hazelnut gelato, Evelyn had her first cannoli with chocolate chip-dipped ends, and Pam and I shared an amazing peanut butter cup bar.

Jo-Jo Tai Pei

Do four Taiwanese eateries within a half-mile radius make a neighborhood a Taiwan-town?

The original two Taiwanese store fronts in Allston Village were Infusions Tea Spa (tapioca pearl tea and tea-time snack haven) and its next door neighbor - Yi Soon Bakery. Then Super 88 welcomed a Wisteria in the food court after the Newbury Street location split into two (the Super 88 in Allston and the East Cambridge sit-down). More recently Jo-Jo Tai Pei moved across the street from the bakery.

I've been there twice and both times have been quite tasty. The first time Sandra and Jack brought me there for the "special pork chop over rice" ($6.99), Taiwanese stir-fried noodles ($6.99), "famous spicy beef noodle soup" ($8.99), and "bow bin" shaved ice (small $4.99).

The pork chop plate really felt like a good value. The chop was season, fried, and enormous. Sides included a tea egg, Chinese broccoli, and some pickled turnip (?) - I never touch it, so I'm never sure. I love the "garnish" of stewed fatty pork belly pieces.





The stir fried noodles were simple, not overly oily, and perfectly seasoned with just enough garlic and onion flavor.



The beef noodles, while pricier than I'd like to pay for, were delicious. The spiciness level was decent and the texture of the noodles was dense enough to give a little chew.



The shaved ice was tasty. Of all the sweet toppings I love the tapioca pearls and boiled peanuts the best. While I do enjoy the sweet beans, my brain never gets used to eating sweetened boiled mung beans.



I followed Jerry and Scott there a second time for the "crispy smelly bean curd" ($5.99), oyster pancake ($5.99), cold dan-dan peanut noodles ($6.99), and large bow bin ($6.99).

It was my first stinky tofu experience. The whole restaurant could smell something was up once our order was fired up. A few Asian and non-Asian patrons asked each other "What is that smell?" For all it's pungency, the flavor and texture were pretty mellow. The pieces of tofu are bite-sized, so it's easy to throw a few down the gullet and act like a season stinky-tofu eater. The oyster pancake was good, but not as amazing as Myers+Chang's version. The dan-dan noodles were tasty - and easy enough to take out for a picnic dish. I enjoy them more than Thai Peanut noodle salad because they use a thicker (almost Soba-like) noodle.

I look forward to going back to search for one of my holy grail, childhood food memory dishes - the Jo-Jo Special Mini Steamed Bun. It's a thicker dough version of a soup-on-the-inside dumpling that's been pan seared. The ones I remember from my elementary school days in a South Bay Taiwanese noodle shop were pan fried on both sides, but the Jo-Jo version online appears to be close enough. I'll find out one of these days.

Summer Bounty

I just borrowed Lois's camera battery charger and rescued a few pictures that were trapped on my camera since June.

This picture was the first Stone Soup Farm delivery that included the flower share. L-R: cucumber, kale, Japanese eggplant, fennel, wild flowers, cilantro, onions, and sugar snap peas.



I also really enjoyed the few weeks we had fresh heirloom tomatoes and edamame pods. The tomatoes were so lovely and flavorful, and the edamame was nice after quickly boiling them and eating them with sea salt and fresh squeezed lime juice. Too bad I didn't have battery life to take those pics!

Vegan Coconut Gelatain

I needed something to do with my hands while listening/watching the vice presidential debate last night. What to do? Make Vegan Coconut Gelatin. What makes this gelatin vegan? Well, apparently the real jiggly-making substance is made from *******. My gelatin is made from seaweed - my family has always called it agar-agar (Malay word for jelly). It's not as "jiggly" as Jell-O, but it's still soft and is just slightly sweet. We'd eat it in multi-layered colors or piled high with canned fruit cocktail.

There are plenty of recipes online, but I took my inspiration by tweaking a recipe in my copy of The Spice Merchant's Daughter by Christina Arokiasamy.

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups boiling water
1/3 c agave syrup (Available at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods - or substitute 1/2 cup sugar)
1 can (14 oz) Light Coconut Milk (I used Trader Joe's)
1 ts vanilla extract
***
21 grams of powdered Agar-Agar (I used three 7 gram pouches - it's a scant 1/4 cup)
1/4 cups hot water
***
(Optional) food coloring

Assembly Required

Step 1. Bring water to a gentle boil, add in agave, coconut milk, and vanilla. Return to a boil and take off heat.

Step 2. Dissolve agar-agar in the 1/4 cup of hot water making a smooth paste.

Step 3. Slowly whisk your hot coconut milk mixture into the dissolved agar-agar paste.

Step 4. Pour into a large 13" x 9" Pyrex, bundt, or other molds you have on hand. Let the mixture cool on a counter. As it cools, it will start to set.

Step 5. Cover the cooled agar-agar in its mold and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

Cube them into little parallelepipeds(?). Serve with fresh fruit, canned fruit cocktail, or use it as a base in a shaved-ice dessert.

lomo'd farmers' market

I've been toting around a Lomo LC-A this summer and have had varying degrees of success with capturing analog photos. There's a nice rich, color saturation that comes with the camera that brings out the best in memories. These two photos are just from a stroll to the Government Center farmers' market.

Omnivore's Hundred

Sara posted her response to the VGT (Very Good Taste) Omnivore's Hundred list. I guess I've only eaten half of the things on the list, but I'd probably only be willing to eat 90% of the list anyway.

I felt pretty strongly about re-posting it for my loyal readers (all three of you) because I like the fact that the list spans all sorts of food groups, cultures, and price points. Who knows, I might obsess about this list as much as I did Stanford Magazine's list of 101 Things to Do Before You Graduate.

The Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari Tasty bites from the North End of course!
12. Pho Totally!
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail Filipino kare kare!!!
41. Curried goat Mommy influenced my opinion of goat - too stinky - I don't think I'll eat it.
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear I'm pretty sure prickly pear martinis don't count either
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian I assume Durian-flavored things don't count.
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie I don't enjoy these, but Sara totally does!
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong - maybe, I don't remember half the Chinese things I've consumed.
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict Reminds me of Stephen and my great brunch housewarming disaster.
83. Pocky AMAZING!
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash My Hungarian roommate Tomas was obsessed.
88. Flowers
89. Horse Yuck. I don't think I'll ever try this.
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab Mmmm. One of my favorite foods
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta And more of it thanks to the instant stuff at Trader Joe's
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

2008 Stanford Wine Program Selections

I used to think the Alumni office was all secret society-ish about their wine program offerings to SAA members-only. Apparently they've opened it up to the web-surfing public. Read about the selections here. The online prices are valid for CA, NM, and IA customers, but other out-of-state folks have different pricing and have to order through a special list of partner retailers - this list is not available online and is still secret society-ish.

Vinum Cellars Wine Club - '08 Part Two

What was delivered in my Vinum Cellars wine club shipment last month?

2006 PETS, Petite Sirah, Clarksburg - Amazing. I think it's a great value for an easy to drink, unboring table red. Work people as well as Christophe and Blandine's Francophile dinner guests could not say better things about this wine. Boston folks can find it at Blanchard's ($12.99/bottle).

2007 White Elephant, California White Table Wine - I'm sure it was amazing as in my last shipment, but Ellen and Mary Ann bought these back from me as almost soon as I opened the box. I'm so happy they did!!! I'm not a baller who can actually afford to drink all this wine by myself. This would normally be just out of my price range if I were walking through a store ($17/bottle).

2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley - I haven't tried it yet - as one of the pricier wines ($38/bottle) these puppies will keep until I have a nice excuse to open them.

2007 CNW, Chenin Blanc, Clarksburg - You know, as much as Vinum founders Chris Condos and Richard Bruno are famous for their love of Chenin Blanc, I can't say I share it. It makes me a little sad that I don't know how to appreciate this varietal. I've never had any other CBs, so I can't compare. That's probably my first step in learning what all the fuss is about (aww - I'm pulling the old "it's not you, it's me" excuse). But it's a very affordable, stand-up table white ($12/bottle).

Again, I'm really thankful to have stumbled upon Vinum through last year's Stanford Wine Program. I'm even more juiced that as a small boutique winery they can ship directly to folks in Massachusetts!

Dressed Strawberries

I brought some fresh sliced strawberries into the office. Rather than trying to sweeten them up with sugar, I dressed them lightly with a little special vinegar and olive oil from my trip to Round Pound Vineyard.

Red Wine Vinegar - Sangiovese, Nebbiolo & Petit Verdot. This vinegar is pretty exceptional and is made with wine grapes... not just left over wine =)

Olive Oil - Blood Orange Olive Oil. The mouth feel is light and a hint buttery, but the flavor and aroma is all orange.

Cute CSA Veggies!

the cutest little eggplant!

the tiniest, roundest watermelon!

the most adorable ear of corn!

Carrot Surprise!

This funny-looking veggie landed in our CSA share bag this week :)

How's it going? Stone Soup Farm CSA

The Stone Soup Farm CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) shares have been going strong for over a month now. The early part of the season included lettuces, greens (collards/kale), beets, and herbs. Now that the weather has warmed, we've seen lots more cucumbers, summer squash, purple cabbage and kohlrabi.

I've been pretty pleased with the quality and amount of food that's been allotted to our half share (5-8 lbs/week vs a 10-15 lbs/week full share). The collards, cucumbers, and summer squash have been particularly hearty specimens. Organic and pesticide-free, I was worried that the veggies would be really buggy - but that's not been the case. I'm particularly eager to see okra and tomatoes in the coming weeks: I'm already saving a pinakbet recipe or sinigang recipe for them. I'm also eagerly awaiting to see our first ears of yummy corn!!!

My only battle has been with the lettuces --- these are real vegetables grown in real dirt. Real dirt that is dirty, sandy, and self-multiplying. No matter how much I wash the lettuce, there's always more sand to be found. I'm a visually-picky eater - so any signs of dirt shuts off my desire to eat lettuce that's not cellophane-wrapped. I hope it's only a minor issue I grow out of, but should expect my experience to be any different?

On an extremely positive note, the customer service and education from the Stone Soup Staff has been EXCELLENT. Each week CSA members receive an email with a list of items of the week, some interesting anecdote about the growing season or the goings-on at the farm, and (usually) a suggested recipe. I haven't used any of their recipes yet, but two examples include Coconut Chutney Hor d'ourves with Zucchini and Beet Brownies. Customer education pieces include walking us through the farm decision to pilot biodegradable plastic tarps for young veggie beds... Or to tell us of the painstaking care our farmers have taken to control the troublesome pests like the Colorado Potato Beetles (and larvae) by removing them BY HAND!

If you eat with your eyes, take a look at this gorgeous slideshow of some of the tastiest veggies around.

On the Road: Phoenix - Different Pointe of View

Work brought me to the Pointe Hilton resorts in Phoenix. One wonderful part of the visit was dinner at the Different Pointe of View restaurant at the Tapatio Cliffs Resort. Our server mentioned that Executive Chef Anthony DeMuro recently joined and revamped the menu recently. My pals and I were happy to sample the fare and enjoy the panoramic views from North Mountain were especially pretty beneath a setting sun and full moon.

We opened with drinks and appetizers from the patio. I only had a dying digital camera and my Diana, so I was unable to capture pictures of the entrees in their full glory (note to self: upgrade cell phone asap). The Saba Marinated Mission Figs, Mozzarella di Bufala, & Heirloom Tomatoes appetizer was served with Gorgonzola Creme Fraiche, EVOO and Baby Basil. The mozzarella was stunningly creamy and the tomatoes were perfectly hearty. I was happy to share the plate while sipping on my glass of Lagar de Cevara Albarino.

The rest of the night featured the following entrees. Each was carefully prepared and (thankfully) not over seasoned. The waitstaff was s. friendly and easily offered recommendations or sought answers when we had questions. One wonderful surprise was the loup de mer - while some might be scared to order something they could scarce pronounce, our waiter gladly explained the "wolf of the sea" first as "an ugly fish" and second as "French Sea Bass." The flesh was hearty and the smoked applewood flavor permeated the entire fillet.

Pan Seared Muscovy Duck Breast - Pecorino & Alba Truffle-Scented Soft Polenta with Braised Duck, Sauteed Spinach, Clementine Olive Oil Emulsion, Balsamic Drizzle


Pan Seared Coriander Crusted Organic Oregon Lamb Loin - Sweet Golden Corn Parmesan Risotto with Marcona Almonds, Swiss Chard, Dried Zante Currant Lamb Demi Glace

Applewood-smoked Loup de Mer - Piquant Fingerling Potato, Crisp Pancetta, Roasted Tomato & Crimini Mushroom Saute, Butter Braised Leeks, Cabrales Butter, Cabernet Fig Reduction

Chocolate Fire - Sweet Chile Spice Cocoa Cream

The Chocolate Fire was completely amazing - perhaps not on its own at first. We were told that the cold set dessert was prepared with five types of chocolate. That sounded southwestern to us. We each ate a small scoop, allowing the full amount to melt as the heat from our mouths allowed the chili oils to burst on our tongues. To our surprise the waiter brought us a glass of port to heighten our flavor experience. Taking a sip of the port after the chocolate allowed new spicy chili flavors to come through - exposing us all to the real depth of each chile.

Overall, the food, wine, service, and atmosphere of Different Pointe of View was spot on. My only bit of hesitation came to the printing of the menu - I am a grammarphobe, but even I had to look twice at the use of capitalization and hyphens. Perhaps it'd all be easier to do if the languages didn't straddle the French-Italian realm.

I'd be happy to return here someday. Preferably, I'd be back NOT during the s. hot off-season. But if you find yourself in the Valley of the Sun, treat yourself and maybe a friendly Phoenician to a darling view and tasty eats.

Vinum Cellars 2006 Rose It's Okay

So, I shared with you the story of Vinum Cellars and their 2007 Stanford Wine Program win. Vinum has a summer special that will blow your mind. Both their 2006 Chard No Way chenin blanc number and 2006 Rosé It's Okay! cab sauvignon cuveé are selling at half off each case!

Price? $66 for 12 bottles (all CNW, all Rosé, or half-and-half)

And for that unbelievable price, you're also getting real tastiness, too. The Wine Enthusiast gave the CNW 87 points and named it a best buy in October. In the 2008 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, Vinum's Rosé took home a gold medal in the Dry Rosé class.

I haven't opened the CNW yet, but I did twist-off (rather than uncork)the Rosé with the work folks. It's definitely not a sugary sweet. Rather, it's very dry and has a decent body. I'm keeping it as a summer table wine and keep a bottle at work for impromptu dinner party presents.

From my wineBeagles facebook application tasting notes...

"The candy apple red hue of this rosé immediately sets it apart from most blush wines. It's a medium-bodied, crisp number that really surprised me. I expected something sugary, but was welcomed by bright cherry flavors from a cab cuvee."

The best doughnuts EVER

Betty Ann Food Shop in East Boston.
565 Bennington St, Boston, MA 02128, USA
Tuesday - Sunday Mornings

Hebrew fun-break

I took a break from work to copy and translate (with lots of online help) the lyrics to Yael Naim's song "Yashanti."

Phantom Gourmet Beach BBQ

 

Ribs from Firefly's

 

Beef n Shrimp plate from Aussom Aussie

 

Chowin' Down