Me & Beer Hubby

Sunshine! in a big bowl of "pudding"!

2010-04-07T11:03:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the soon to be Mr. & Mrs. Penguin-Duck, I was blessed with a butt-load of Kalamansi. (no... it is not some disease) For those who are not in the know, Kalamansi is a lime that has orange and kumquat flavors. This remarkable little fruit is literally BURSTING with its tart juice and is commonly enjoyed in South East Asia as a refreshing drink. Nothing makes us happier than enjoying a steaming pot of fish head curry and hot rice on a banana leaf, in 99% humidity and washing it all down with an iced cold kalamansi drink. aaahhhhh.......

The pretty little citrus orbs all washed and ready to get juiced

Cut and looking like happy little sunshine

Kalamansi Lime Curd (adaptable to lemons, limes and Meyer lemons)

Ingredients:
1 cup of Kalamansi juice
2 TBS of Kalamansi zest
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1.5 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Preparation:
1) Whisk together zest, kalamansi juice, sugar, and eggs in a heavy saucepan.
2) Set saucepan over moderately low heat. As the mixture gets a little warmer, add butter few pieces at a time while whisking constantly.
3) Keep incorporating butter and continue whisking until curd is thick enough to hold marks of whisk and first bubbles appear on surface, about 10 minutes.
4) Immediately pour curd into a bowl, place a piece of plastic wrap onto the top of the curd chill. The curd will thicken up as it cools.

(Store in the refrigerator with the plastic wrap always touching the curd to prevent forming a skin. Consume within a week)

Final product looking considerably lighter in color.

Don't hate me cuz my friends love me....

2010-04-06T09:55:00.000-07:00

When called upon to do the honorable and dedicated thing, I step up to the plate. In this case, I stepped up to the trays! My buddy's bakery needed some help with a tasting of new pastries to be introduced to the company line of baked goods. Needless to say, he thought of me FIRST!! So, I took on the challenge to be as honest as possible to critique the baked goodness his chef was going to present to me.

BEHOLD... THE SPREAD OF JOY & INSANITY!

The tray of danishes in the forefront are from various bakeries in San Francisco that were used as the standard for what is out there. The rest of the trays were what the chef decided to make in ONE NIGHT!!! The man is an evil genius who literally did not sleep!

Before you start hating me more than you do, the taste testing involved having slivers of the breads/pastries and analyzing it for smell, texture, taste, mouthfeel, crunch, sweet or saltiness, and overall appearance. It was all bidness and science and stuff, people! It's a tough job but I did my part!

Looking at the cross-section for distribution of filling and bread textures.... This is not all fun, you know! It IS a science! Just ask the people at America's Test Kitchen and Christopher Kimball!

We finished off the afternoon with a tasting of some cupcakes I bought for the chef which has inspired him to start creating a new line of cupcakes for the bakery. My evil plan worked and he's planning a cupcake tasting session next! WOOO HOOO! And because it was Easter, I bought a beautiful lemon filled cupcake from Noe Bakery decorated with tweety birds.

Little blue birdies in a coconut nest! aaaawww... cute.

It was a happy happy day spent at the bakery and with lovely parting gifts of boxes of breads to bring home.

[This next section has nothing to do with bread but merely a dedication to Gluttony and Mel - who are not-so-strangely joined at the hip and stomach]

After weighing down my car and myself with carbs, I made a pit stop at another stop before making it home to Beer Hubby.... Originally, the idea was to stop by Chipotle for some gringo-mexican health food BUT!!! who da thunk it that they got all religious on me and was CLOSED for Easter!! BLASTED!! BUT... all was not lost and in honor of The Mel - I simply dropped in on Wing Stop for some of their bomb-ass Garlic Parmesan wangs and spiced fries. This made for a great day... perfect!

This is for you my little crazy catholic Beyonce lookalike one from the ravenous pack of she-wolves. Happy Easter MBP!

She's BACK!!

2010-04-02T13:18:00.000-07:00

Hi to my many many fans (all 2 of you!)... I am finally inspired to write again.

Beer Hubby and I had a great great time at the Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary/Anchor Steam beer dinner last night. The beers and food kicked my inspirational ass and the juices are flowing!
So, in honor of Sierra Nevada's 30th year, they collaborated with Anchor Steam brewery to create a Fritz and Ken's Ale (which was a stout). What better way to celebrate beers than to have a party for them!

Held at Anchor brewery - 60 lucky guests were treated to classic and vintage beers from both breweries, exceptionally paired food, and the Fritz and Ken "show". Fritz Maytag is like one of those Uncles you love to have tell you stories of their past... he should really have his own story time on The Beer Network! But... on to the food (and beer)!

Menu for the evening

An inventive play of a breaded fried POACHED egg - crispy on the outside, pillowy eggwhite and yolky oozy on the inside! OMG! Heaven! Paired with a meyer lemon aioli, salmon bacon, rye croutons, it was a sensation of creamy, crunchy, chewy, salty goodness.

Nutty, chewy, cheesey and TASTAY!!!

That beef short rib was braised till it was like BUTTAH! soft and delicate, you can cut into with a fork tender. The smoked potato puree was a fabulous "sauce" accompaniment.

How's this for a different take on a classic - Maytag Blue (courtesy of Mr. Fritz Maytag's cheese company) panna cotta with a salty buttery cornmeal madeleine and candied kumquats. Talk about making the senses go into overdrive!!!!

Eeerrr... how many glasses are we up to now? By the way, the little flute glass on the left was a 10 year old Anchor's Christmas Ale from 2000. It was SPECTACULAR... smooth, a little spicey, caramelly, and just pure heaven to drink.

People know I am not a huge chocolate fan but when they make a chocolate cake with TCHO chocolate AND Old Foghorn barleywine.... it is ALL GOOOOOD! :)

To Sierra Nevada and Anchor Brewing... I can't wait for the next dinner and next collaboration. Cheers to all!

Who do the Voodoo (doughnut, that is)?

2009-10-26T16:14:00.000-07:00

Any fan of Man V. Food will try to go to wherever Adam goes. So... as a fan, I went to the infamous Voodoo Doughnut. Famous even before MVF, this place has some great tasting doughnuts and some madcap combination.

What the heck is a Cock N Balls? There was a line, I did not dare to ask...

Because we had to get in a long line to place our order, we could not justify it by ordering just ONE doughnut. So... half a dozen it was! We HAD to get the Voodoo Doughnut (raspberry jam filled doughnut in a shape of a person with a pretzel "needle" stabbed in); the famous Bacon Maple Bar (nuff said - some are disgusted by it, others are drooling); a classic glazed, an Oreo (what is not better with an Oreo?), a Frootloop doughnut for the hell of it; and a Portland Cream.

Make a face if you want but if you've ever liked bacon with a little maple syrup, you'll like this!

He kindda looks a little ghostly eh? Guess you would too if you were stabbed in the chest. (Is he a Star Trek Ensign?)

Everything is better with Oreos (courtesy of Smelph 2)

Don't they look like eyes?

I think my favorites were the Bacon Maple and the Oreo. They win! But, I am sure anyone will find their own favorite here.... just get in line and wait for that voodoo magic!

Street Food - Portland

2009-10-26T16:06:00.000-07:00

Came back from Portland OR a little while back. I noticed that it is a street food haven. Unfortunately, I did not get to sample the dozens of street food vendors but I will make it a point to do it next time I am there.

Here's a sampling of the cool street food vendors. You will find them mostly in the open spaced parking lots. Really cool! You have to love a town that loves it cheap and good eats!

The Baking Gods were against me... Kaya Macarons

2009-09-21T09:15:00.000-07:00

I had high hopes for this weekend... I was going to bake up some yummies. Either I was too lazy to do something or the darn humidity was affecting my almond flour or I was just off on my game... I wanted to make some kick ass macarons again but sadly, they fell a little flat!

Here's what I did this weekend....
1) Pandan Kaya Macarons - This is such a great idea I don't know why I did not come up with it earlier! A macaron is the second (first being charcoal toasted white bread) most perfect vehicle for Kaya*.

* Kaya is a South East Asian jam made of copious amounts of egg, coconut, and pandan (or screwpine leaves). It is rich, it is creamy, it is OMG!!! smack'yo butt good and leads to a coronary breakfast condiment!

Even the pictures are against me... sorry for the blur green blobs!

2) Chocolate lemon Macarons - this turned out more like a Whoopie pie with lemon filling! I was horribly disappointed. So disappointed, can't be bothered to post a picture of my disaster! It tastes okay... but alas.... it was a FAIL!!! BUT! If I market them as a whoopie pie... I might just get away with it!

Oh well... on to the next project.... Let's hope it will be better next time!

Mission Burger Me!

2009-09-16T13:53:00.001-07:00

So...it's a lovely day in the City and Mr. Penguin-Duck had a great idea to go wander into the MEE-SHON (The Mission District for those of you uninformed). He had gone to Mission Burger last week and was waxing lyrical about the amazing quality and texture of the Mission Burger. Never one to turn down a burger offer... I go "why the hell not?!"

Mission Burger is located INSIDE the Duc Loi Supermarket on 18th St. and Mission. Taking up the corner of the meat counter, it has simple instructions, place your order, take your ticket to the supermarket checkout counter to pay, and come back for your burger. They have "seating" next to the counter of a "sofa" and a little coffee table. Limited dining real estate but who cares!

Here's MY beef burger and we shared perfectly crispy fries:

This is how the website describes their burger -

"Beef Burger: 1/3 lb of aged harris ranch brisket, short rib and chuck, granulated* and seared in beef fat. Served with monterey jack, caramelized onion and caper aioli on a griddled acme bun.

* granulation is our term for the process popularized by Heston Blumenthal, a michelin 3-star chef based in London. Blumenthal combines strands of ground meat to create a loosely grained "meat column" (not Blumenthal's phrase), then slices the column into patties. The result is, well, a delicacy."

The CARNAGE! It was an orgiastic event of perfectly seasoned sear to a beautiful medium meat, beef fat, cheese, caramelized onions, and aioli. Who knew what started and ended where....?? My mind and stomach are still in a tizzy. The "granulation" method produces a burger that is mind-blowingly "smooth yet chunky" (yeah... i know... try wrapping your mind on THAT concept!) Together with the crispy salted and peppered fries, I was in a beautiful place...

Mr. Penguin-Duck decided to go with their Vegan Burger which turned out to be my idea of a perfect vegan dish (and we all know my thing about veganism...) .

"Vegan Burger: maitake, shitake, roasted kale, edamame, scallion, sesame seed and fava-chickpea patty. Served with avocado and miso "mayo"** on a griddled acme bun"

Today, it was served with a crispy "salad" of shaved fennel and a dollop of hot sauce. Perfection!

As Mr. Penguin-Duck said, "I like the fact that they did not try to make this like meat!" The veggie "patty" was almost like tempura but so much better! Coupled with the creaminess of the avocado and vegan "mayo" and the crisp fennel... you're talking an explosion of textures!

Therefore, definitely a must try but warning to the weak of heart.... the richness of this burger will get to you. You can't stop eating it once you start but be prepared for the consequences!

Thank you Penguin-Duckie for bringing me here!

Mission Street Food Presents - Mission Burger
Duc Loi Market (18th and Mission)
Open all days except Thursdays from about Noon till they run out or 3pm'ish

Testing for GUBcakes!

2009-08-10T10:34:00.001-07:00

So... I am considering starting a side gig of selling tasty confections of a more grown up taste. My drunken cupcakes have been pretty popular and so, I think it might be the perfect springboard for me. Welcome to the beginnings of "The Grown Up Bakery" aka GUBcakes. :)

I've been testing out various flavor combinations and this weekend the latest was the Cosmo. According to a few of my taste testers, I've got the alcohol part DOWN! Or... to the perfect level of inebriation! With a LOT of vodka, cointreau and grand marnier... I think we have a winner!

Let's see if this will fly off the shelves!

A Meal to Reward Myself!

2009-07-29T10:15:00.000-07:00

Sunday was the SF Marathon. I completed the Progressive Marathon. Yes... ME! but before I can really toot my own horn. Let me explain what this really entailed - I was allowed to log in 23.1 miles PRIOR to the day of the actual SF Marathon. So... conceivably, all I had to do was to run/jog/walk/skip/boogie/crawl 23.1 miles prior to that day, finish a 5k run/jog/walk/skip/boogie and I get the distinct honor of getting the 26.2 mile SF marathon T-shirt AND a medal! Sounds like a great way of getting some bragging rights eh???!!

Anyways... post run/jog/walk/skip/boogie, I felt strongly compelled to reward myself - I think all you can eat fried chicken and pancakes from Farmer Brown's would do nicely!

Breakfast of the Champion (in my own Mind!)

The buffet was limited... but that's the beauty of it... it gets to the point! Farmer Brown is known for their chicken, so, they feature CHICKEN! And the most delectable biscuits that they HAD to name them Angel. Paired with either or both a Sausage and/or mushroom gravy. It made me a HAPPY HAPPY GIRL. Top it off with beautifully prepared (albeit under salted) grits. We know my thing for grits! (refer to my Ike's posting)

Farmer Browns
25 Mason at Market
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-409-FARM

Please keep this a secret...

2009-07-29T09:50:00.000-07:00

After working out and training for a run... one MIGHT consider going for a light meal of lean protein and complex carbs. You know... muscle building stuff.

NOT THIS GIRL!!! I'm on a training diet!! Baby Blues BBQ heard my call. A relatively new player to the SF BBQ scene (since december 2008 I think), they serve Memphis style BBQ. (Memphis Style is mostly recognizable by their distinct vinegar based sauces) Being more of a Kansas and Texas style BBQ girl, I was still game to try it.

I ordered the Ace in the Sleeve platter - Memphis ribs (delicious protein), blackened catfish (yummy lean protein) and BBQ shrimp (practically fat FREE protein). (you must be going huh? why not a full platter of red meat? hey! as I said before... I AM on a training diet!) All platters come with cornbread and 2 fixins - mine were Mac N Cheese (carbs!) and creamed spinach (veggies!!! important! and calcium!). I was disappointed with my Mac N Cheese though... it was not the ooey gooey creamy version that I was expecting... BOOOO... BUT!!! the creamed spinach TOTALLY made up for it! Fresh, hot, creamy and with a beautiful hint of nutmeg. I'll eat my veggies like this ANY day!

The ribs held their integrity till I put my fork in them and they gave up their bone! :) Of the three BBQ sauces they had, I liked the sweet and sour classic Memphis sauce the most. They had a beautifully made XXX sauce which is their spicy, smokey and fruity hot sauce but did not go as well with my combo platter. Buddy had the slow smoked chicken which also fell off the bone when it met a fork! His sides included sauteed okra which was sauteed with a LOAD of garlic and tomatoes; and the smoke chicken rice which was okay.

I WILL return shortly! Their menu also includes Texas Beef Ribs... oooooohhhh!!!! beer braised brisket, Po'boys and apparently, desserts that are killers!

There is parking around the restaurant (despite being in the bernal heights region) and the place seated us quickly. this is a goldmine! Let's just keep this our little secret!! ssshhhhh.... (oh yeah... they deliver too!! within a 15 minute drive radius!)

HEHEHE.....
Baby Blues BBQ
3149 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
415-894-4250

Drunken CupCakes 2 - May the Force be with You!

2009-07-20T09:44:00.001-07:00

I was asked by a friend of mine to make some of my drunken cupcakes for a birthday party with a Star Wars theme! My piping skills are not quite up to snuff... and I don't handle fondant well. So... I had to just get some help from some novelty stores!

This time, the flavors were: Mojito and Chocolate Kahlua.
I definitely added more alcohol to the cake and the frosting this time.... the mojito brought out the rum the best. With the chocolate one, the kahlua was masked by the dark chocolate cake. But all in all... I was happy!

Here are my pictures... drooling may commence!

All packed up and ready to go!

Ike's Quarter Cafe

2009-07-20T09:27:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted but wanted to share an absolute gem of a restaurant with you. BH and I made a trip up to Chico to visit some good friends and to celebrate a birthday AND to pay respects to Sierra Nevada (again!). BH wanted to make a side trip to Nevada City... yes... Nevada City. (better known as a quaint former mining town).

We stumbled upon Ike's Quarter Cafe. Unassuming and had a pretty tree-shaded outside dining area. Inside was an eclectic mix of cooking utensils and gadgets. But it was the menu that stood out. In a small former mining town, we found organic gourmet new orleans style food! Be still my heart!

A beautiful FULL menu of organic wines and exceptional beers. For a small place, they sure know how to make their beer geeks happy!

I am an absolute grits loving girl (go figure!). I HAD to order their Grits with Eggs and Debris! (doesn't that just SOUND great??!!). Debris is basically a hodgepodge of yumminess... Turkey, Ham, Sausage Meat, Andoille Sausage, BACON! fried up together with onions and peppers. All this was served with a side of your choice of organic breads - I chose Spelt Bread and homemade Jam. MMMMMMmmmmmmmmm...............

BH went with their blackened catfish po'boy! Large piece of fish (perfectly cooked) with a hefty (maybe a little too hefty) dollop of romoulade sauce. He opted for the housemade pasta salad of the day as the side. But in the battle of the better dish... I won! HAHAHA.

So, if you ever find yourself (for some strange reason), out in that corner of the sierra foothills, stop on by Ike's and have a wonderful meal. For a former mining town, they have a lot of organic food stores/restaurants and yoga centers! Om and Namaste babeees!

Have a shot or two or five......

2009-07-06T08:36:00.000-07:00

HAPPY 4th Everyone! (okay... belated but welcome Summer too!)

BH and I were invited to a friends' house for a lovely 4th of July dinner party. They were serving up some great comfort foods gourmet style!! Thank you my Geek friends who shall remain nameless! But great food! EXCELLENT alcohol and exceptional stories and lots of laughs!

Anyway.... The Geeks have been notorious in the past for their appreciation of the adult beverages of many varieties. Therefore, I had to create a dessert befitting their notoriety! Foodgawking through the pages led to a lovely perfect cupcake option - Margarita Cupcakes made with REAL tequila! WOOO HOOO!!! All thanks have to go to Recipe Girl. (although I did modify her frosting).

For the regular recipe, please check out http://www.recipegirl.com/2007/05/01/margarita-cupcakes/

You HAVE to start off with some adult beverage mixes.... We used Tequila, Grand Marnier and some Margarita Mix. (Modification from Recipe Girl's recipe - instead of 9oz of Margarita Mix, use 6; Up the Tequila to 5oz, and Up the Grand Marnier to 1.75oz!)

All lined up to go into the oven....

They're out of the oven!! At this time... while they are hot, you will still have some of the margarita mixture available, take a teaspoon and gently pour about a teaspoon of the margarita mix into the little "cracks" or on the top of the cake. Make sure you do it while it is HOT, this will ensure that you do not get a crummy cupcake but it will be lovely and moist!!! MMMMmmmmm........

Frosting modification: Add about 3-5 Tbs. of Tequila to the frosting and whip it up goood!!! :)

Your Presentation Options - I dusted it with green sugar and a little lime segment.
I had also put a little salt on the lime just for the hell of it!

A variation on my piping abilities....

Now I am just SHOWING OFF! ;-)

SPAM the glorious!

2009-06-23T16:59:00.001-07:00

My mini Spam Musubis... aaawww... all organized and cute!

I'm ready for my close-up!

So... I had another party.... So... I feature SPAM.... So.... I HAD to make Spam Musubis. I love how they are all pretty in rows and columns! I also love how easy they are to make (a little time consuming but nevertheless, easy)

Spam Musubi
Ingredients:
3 cups of cooked "sushi" rice
1 can of spam
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbs teriyaki sauce (if you have it)
3 Tbs water
2-4 Tbs. sugar (depending on your preference of sweetness)
Sheets of Nori (dried seaweed) cut into the width of the spam

Hardware: Either a bona fide Spam Musubi maker/mold.... or the ghettofied cut the bottom off the spam can (be careful!!! edges are very sharp!)

Method:
1) Slice the spam into 8-10 slices.
2) Mix the soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, water and sugar till sugar is dissolved.
3) Heat up pan - non-stick pans work very well and preferred. Place spam slices onto pan and brown both sides. When brown, pour some of the soy mixture into the pan. It should just coat the spam pieces with a light glaze and begin caramelizing. When all the liquid is reduced off, remove spam to a plate.
4) Repeat till you have fried up all the spam.
5) Using your bona fide OR ghetto mold.... spoon in your sushi rice to the create a base. Make sure you wet the spoon and your fingers with water or you will have sushi rice sticking to high heaven. Press down on rice to compact it down well.
6) Place a piece of your fried spam on top of rice. Remove from mold.
7) Wrap the cut nori around the rice. Use a little water to seal the nori.

Birthday weekend....

2009-05-26T08:15:00.001-07:00

First and foremost.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY, YIK!

So... a cold and foggy Memorial Day weekend just went by and we celebrated my sister's birthday. Everyone flew in from all parts of the world and we enjoyed three days of frenzied feeding. I will only document a few of them since there was so much food and I was too darn lazy to take pictures which would have interrupted my consumption of said food!

let me just share with you my drool worthy moment.

Sushi Sam's Edomata (http://www.sushisams.com/)
218 E. 3rd Avenue, San Mateo, CA
650.344.0888
Sam's is the best sushi around. He has been in the same location for more than 20 years and we've been going there ever since. He's never failed in providing the freshest, best, most creative and tasty sushi ever! Their Omakase option is probably the best.... let Sam do his magic to the freshest fish. Nobu has nothing on this man!

Oh yeah... my restaurant buddy, Kevin, got married this weekend as well. Congratulations!!!

Ubiquitous Spider Roll - but sooo good.

Copper River Salmon in the front (eeer.... can't remember what's in the back!)

White King Salmon with Green Onions and "Seared" Toro

The white king salmon had a topper of green onions and toasted sesame oil giving it both a oniony bite but with a nutty and slightly bitter taste of the oil to compliment the sweet fish. The toro was an exceptional piece of belly fat doused with a little yuzu and salt. OH! OH! OH!!!!!!

Unagi Don

Time for some biscotti??

2009-05-18T09:01:00.000-07:00

First... the beauty shot....

A good buddy of mine has been craving for my biscotti and after months (years??) of refusing to make it, I finally gave in. Since I am in a very bakey mood lately, I figured I would be nice and make it. AND!!!! I am sharing the recipe with all of you so you can make your friends all happy as well! This recipe has been pretty fool-proof and a trusty friend in time of baking need... Enjoy.

"CAP" (Cranberry-Almond-Pistachio) Biscotti
Ingredients:
1 and 3/4 cup unbleached flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 stick of unsalted butter (COLD and cut into little cubes)
1/2 cup chopped dry roasted unsalted almonds
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup dry roasted unsalted pistachios
1 tsp of vanilla
2 eggs

Method:
1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line baking pan with parchment.
2) Combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder in a large bowl and mix well. Cut in the butter cubes either with pastry cutter, "rub-in method" or just with a knife (your preference).
3) Throw in the nuts and cranberries and mix well.
4) Beat the vanilla with the eggs to combine.
5) Pour in about half of the egg vanilla mixture and start mixing. Pour in more of the mixture to combine the dough - the dough should form a ball that holds together. If the dough is too wet, it is okay to work in a little more flour.
6) Divide the dough into 2 "logs" with flattened tops and bottom.
7) Plonk tray into oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Rotate tray half way through baking.
8) Remove tray when the "logs" take on a golden color. Allow the logs to cool on cooling rack for about 20 minutes
9) Using a serrated knife (IMPORTANT!!!), cut the logs into 1/2 to 3/4 inch pieces. Place cut side down onto your baking tray.
10) Plonk tray back into the oven for another 12 to 18 minutes or till the biscotti are golden and "crispy" (you know... biscotti texture like.... )

Childhood treat... Kaya

2009-05-12T14:37:00.000-07:00

After a weekend of macaron making and having a number of egg yolks leftover, a home cook has to ponder.... "hhhmmm.... it'll be a waste to throw away all those yolks. It'll kill me and BH if I made a HUGE batch of Spaghetti Carbonara and tried to finish it. What tasty treat can I make that will make me a happy girl? " Memories of childhood breakfast treats came back.... KAYA!!!!

For those of you unfamiliar with this, Kaya is a coconut egg jam that is usually scented with Pandan (screwpine) leaves. It is floral and decadent and definitely a cholesterol and cardiac nightmare!!! Armed with coconut milk and a bunch of egg yolks I was ready to rock and roll! Scowering the web for recipes churned out so many and most of them really did require the pandan leaves (which I was sorely lacking in my home at this time). So, I managed to find a recipe that called for exactly what I had at hand.... lots of egg yolks, coconut milk and sugar! Thank you Nibbledish for your recipe.

I was a little worried when making it when my Kaya did not set up the way I was used to seeing it. It ended up looking very similar to a coconut scented dulce de leche. I figured, if all else failed, I will CALL it coconut dulce de leche! hahahah! SMART!

Creamy caramelly coconutty....MMMmmmmm

I stopped over at Acme Bread to get their wonderfully tasty Pain de Mie. (undoubtedly the perfect white bread). Toasted it up, spread the caramelly goodness over it, cut it into toast "soldiers" and served it up! Although I did not add the traditional pat of butter on top of the jam and hot toast, it still ROCKED!!! All I could humbly say was "DAMN I am good!!!"

I am liking this cooking thing.... :) Might stick with it for a while! haha.

Spring weekend cooking...

2009-05-11T09:27:00.000-07:00

Lazy weekend with gorgeous weather in SF. So, I was inspired to make some spring treats! My baking experiment du jour is macarons. Since BH is not a big chocolate fan, I decided on making a citrus macaron for spring. Orange with a lemon cream filling. (snuck in a few orange with nutella filling for my choco-phile friends out there)

Recipe is basically the same as before but with these few additions:
1) Orange zest with the almond flour and confectioner's sugar - pulse together before sifting.
2) An orange juice reduction (syrup) or you can probably use about 1 Tsp of orange extract to your eggwhites after it has formed soft peaks.
3) For the filling, I used some lemon curd and a little bit of cream cheese for some body and the creamy white color.

BH and I were chilling and watching America's Test Kitchen and a gorgeous piece of crispy oven "fried" cod filet was made. We both went "MMMmmmm...." and decided that is what Sunday Dinner should be. Spring is also when the best asparagus of the year arrive. My favorite preparation involves my asparagus, a little olive oil, some sea salt and a little sprinkle of garlic powder. Plunked into an oven at 375 degrees for about 5 to 8 minutes (depending on your preference of doneness). The spears come out super sweet and YUMMY!!!

One big fish stick! :)

Oven "fried" Fish
Ingredients:
2 pieces of 5 or 6 oz of any hearty white fish (Halibut, Cod, Seabass is possible but a little oily, catfish is possible but lessen cooking time)
2 Eggs
A splash of half and half
1/2 cup Bread crumbs
1 Tbsp Herb de Provence
1 tsp Dill
1 tsp Garlic Powder
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil

Method:
1) Preheat oven to 475 degrees
2) Combine breadcrumbs, herb de provence, dill, garlic powder, a little salt and pepper onto a plate.
3) Lightly beat 2 eggs with a splash of half and half. Season with a little pepper
4) Season the white fish pieces with salt and pepper.
5) Place fish into egg wash and coat liberally.
6) Place coated fish into breadcrumb mix.
7) Spread some olive oil on a baking pan and lay the fish on it. Sprinkle some olive oil on top of the fish.
8) Bake the for about 5-6 minutes. Gently turn fish over and add a little bit of oil onto the top of the fish. Return to oven for another 5-6 minutes. (the crumbs should be brown but not burnt)
9) Serve with your favorite tartar sauce or a honey mustard. YUM!!!

Cookin' at home again

2009-04-27T08:51:00.000-07:00

Back home after a lovely vacation.... *sigh*

- happy to be home in a mostly relaxed state - missed the cat a lot.
- sad to be away from the island paradise while dealing with the real world frustrations of inept people (many of you know who that is)
- having a "food YUCK!" moment where having ingested so much pork and so little veggies and fruit have resulted in a cry for veggies and lean protein. :)

We had Beer Hubby's Buddy (BHB??) over on Saturday. Since BH and I were craving veggies and something simple, we decided to have dinner at home. I made two different pasta dishes for us and for BHB. Not that BHB does not appreciate the veggies, but I know he definitely preferred his dish better. :)

Asparagus were looking gorgeous at the farmer's market this weekend. For BH and me, I made a whole wheat penne with asparagus, zucchini, tomatoes and lots of garlic. Oh yeah... i also threw in a little kielbasa for the smokey pork flavor which we did not really need but my carnivorous psyche always tells me to add. (pork = peace babee!!)

In essence, [(pan + olive oil + lots of garlic + all other ingredients + seasonings) X saute] + whole wheat penne = YUM!

BHB's dish was a penne with MEAT sauce! Not quite a traditional bolognese but close.

Simple Meat Sauce
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbs. olive oil
- 5 hot and spicy italian sausage links (remove casing) - [you can use regular italian sausage if you prefer it mild]
- 1 medium sized onion (chopped)
- 3 cloves of garlic (chopped)
- 1 28 oz can of tomatoes. (san marzanos preferred)
- 1 Tbs. italian seasoning.
- 5 large leaves of fresh basil - chiffonade
- 1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbs. sugar
- 4 Tbs. milk
- salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1) Heat up olive oil and brown sausage meat (make sure to break up the sausage meat well).
2) When meat is browned, add chopped onions, garlic and saute till softened and slightly translucent.
3) Add can of tomatoes, italian seasoning and fresh basil. Bring up to a boil and then lower to a simmer.
4) Add balsamic vinegar, sugar and milk. Cover pot and simmer for at LEAST 1.5 hours (stirring the pot periodically). This sauce does well with long slow cooking and flavor develops more overnight.
5) Serve with your favorite type of pasta - chiffonade a little more fresh basil and sprinkle over when serving.

"Now THAT'S a sexy Anniversary!" - quoting Smelph 1

2009-04-21T13:09:00.000-07:00

[Long post.... be forewarned. But it is gooooood!]

My dear dear friend, affectionately known as Smelph 1, was told about BH's and my final day in Hawaii which also happens to be our anniversary. Wooo hooo... And what BETTER way to celebrate? FOOD FOOD and MORE FOOD. Our plan will make most people shudder with fear but hey... I'm a girl from Asia and eating is our life. (poor BH... never really knew what he got into with the eating when he married me)

Here's the plan:

- Hit up Mark's Place for plate lunch heaven according to many. (FINALLY!!) we have not had a chance to hit this place since they are ALWAYS closed when we get there.

- Hit up Duke's for drinks, watch the waves, maybe some baseball and maybe order up some food.

- Hit up Scotty's BBQ for RACKS of ribs!! I intend to have that Puffasada tonight. (which may mean a take out box of their killer ribs for the plane tomorrow... sounds tough eh?)

IF I survive this day without a heart attack.... some Divine intervention happened. :)

Here's how it actually went:

Stop 1: Mark's Place - this was the one place that we have not had a chance to visit since we've been on the island. Guidebooks and yelpers alike have praised this place to high heaven and saying it is the best on the island, etc. Our reactions... "eeehhh.." It's not baaad... it isn't life changing... it's okay.... what were these people waxing lyrical about????!!! Dude! Tip Top cafe and KCL II were so much better! Not only did they mess up my order. I asked for combo Katsu AND Beef Stew and only got Katsu! Their plate lunches come with rice, mac salad (uummm... flavoring anyone??), some fried noodle stuff that is bland, and your meat item of choice. As you can tell, we were horribly disappointed. Did we hype it too much in our mind?? maybe... but C'mon!!!! I believe if you love loco mocos and plate lunches as much as BH and I do, you will agree. This place was not all that!

Anyway, we have some pretty shots of our food that belie the real taste. Since Mark's did not have seating, we drove to the lovely Nawilili Park where there were picnic tables and an incredible view of the water, the lighthouse and the Marriott resort and had some unexpected "guests" joining us for lunch.

BH's loco moco - hamburger patty good, egg done well... rest... "mehhhh"

My combo Katsu and Beef Stew... hhmm... sans Beef Stew on a bed of bland noodles

Our dining companions - "Kauai Vultures" They just hung out there waiting for anything!

Stop 2: Duke's. Located next to the Marriott Resort. Excellent views from the bar and this chain holds a special place in my heart. BH and I had our wedding ceremony and banquet at a sister location in Tahoe! aaawwww.... how fitting for this day.

What did we have? Kimo's famous Hula Pie babeeee!!! A HUNK of mac nut ice cream on a chocolate cookie crust with chocolate sauce. This bad boy totally got the taste of Mark's food out of our mouth. The Hula Pie never fails to satisfy (at all their locations)

Stop 3: Pau Hana's Bar. We were trying to kill some time and trying to catch a baseball game on some TV. Apparently all the recommended bar mysteriously CLOSED post reviews (and we mean signs are all down and the place is empty). Oh well.. we ventured to Pau Hana's after wandering the Safeway strip mall which had a great organic and wholefood market called Papaya. Their produce and inventory looked very good and we are definitely shopping here next time we are on the island. (too bad we found it on our last day here)

In order to not look like total alcoholics who wanted to just sit and watch the tv.... we ordered an appetizer. Lumpia was my choice. (mom and dad, yes... i will be detoxing and working out like a mad woman for the next few months! don't worry!)

Pork and Vegetable Lumpia fried crisp. Not bad.

Stop 4: Scotty's BBQ. We have finally reached the ultimate destination. If you have followed this blog, you will remember that BH and I went batty over the BBQ ribs. We said we HAD to come back and we did. This place did not disappoint. We really hope Scotty's survives the ravages of the tourist downturn in Kauai. This place is too good to let go. Please make it a destination if you are on the Island.

This second time round, we didn't waste time with anything other than ribs. Half rack for me and a full rack for BH. I went for the Mac salad instead of the fries - they do have the best mac salad in town. Slightly garlicky, well seasoned and creamy but not cloyingly so. PERFECTION.

BH's full rack of ribs! OOOOOOhhhhhh...... (droooool)

That is a beauty shot!! This pig had an honorable send off....

As much as we loved our dinner.... we just could not finish up everything and we did not even have room for the Puffasada. That we will leave for another trip!

So... to a wonderful day of debaucherous eating and another wonderful year with my dear Beer Hubby, we are now packed and not-so-ready to head on home to face reality again. :( (sigh).

To Kauai and all its splendor, we'll see you again soon. Mahalo for your hospitality and wonderful memories.

Island breakfast part 2

2009-04-20T11:39:00.000-07:00

So.... as mentioned in previous posts, I needed to eat something healthy. Thank goodness for Banana Joes fruitstand for providing me with some tasty sweet organic island fruit!

Kauai papaya is a new find for me. It has a yellow/red/pink hue to the flesh unlike the red fleshed papayas of S.E. Asia or the yellow flesh of other hawaiian island papayas. But, it was fragrant (like a floral perfume) and sweet. The fruit itself is a smaller but packs a great punch.

The other fruit I was really surprised to see was island grown Rambutans. Growing up in S.E. Asia, this was a staple but rarely seen in the US. It is the "hairy" looking red fruit with a translucent flesh interior that is sweet and a little firm. Sort of similar to lychee or longan but with a distinct taste by itself.

THIS is what breakfast should be like daily! I can get used to this.

My heart will not be able to take this much longer!

2009-04-18T23:42:00.000-07:00

I am loving this vacation but I think my arteries and my heart are about to go on strike! I REALLY must treat myself better soon.... maybe throw in a little veggies somewhere.... I bought fresh island organic fruit, that MUST be worth something right???

Today's activities:

BH and I went on an amazing helicopter ride around the island. If you can, it is so absolutely worth it. We chose the Blue Hawaiian company and they have really plush helicopters and a great crew. Rotating 360 in a canyon with a tribal warcry soundtrack playing in your ears is pretty damn cool! A definite must for all vacationers.

(above pic: Aerial view of the "tunnels" - that's where we went later in the afternoon!)

Because this is more of a foodblog than a travel blog, I bring you another happy find of Kauai. I present - The dubious looking (closes early) and highly recommended by yelpers: Tip Top Motel Cafe and Bakery. All rolled into one! (3173 Akahi Street Lihue, HI 96766 (808) 245-2333)

We came upon this place because Mark's Place was once again CLOSED!! Anyway, we venture again (second time) to Tip Top and BH looks at me skeptically. The shutters are drawn and it just looks down right sketch! Upon entering, there is a cashier counter on the left, some baked goods and kids toys for sale on the right and a refrigerated case in the back. Walk a few steps and you get to the restaurant. Tables are in booth style (very diner like and kindda kitchy cool) and a sushi bar on the left..... HUH???!! yes... you read correctly.. sushi bar.

Anyway, the menu offers wonderful choices of breakfast items (served till 11:30) and lunch items AND a special sushi menu. Local favorites like loco moco are of course present as are all the wonderful choices of regular plate lunch places such as teriyaki chicken, saimin, burger, etc. Yelpers have waxed lyrical about their mac nut banana pancakes but alas, we were too late for brekkies. So... lunch options for us.

BH goes for his usual loco moco with scrambled egg this time and I venture with the "bento". OMG!!!! HAPPINESS came in the form of my bento plate. Two scoops of rice, one scoop of mac salad, slices of takuan (pickled radish), a pile of teriyaki style beef, a round of crispy "fried" corned beef hash, 2 wonderful crispy chicken drumettes, and 2 slices of sausage. Oh yeah... we also ordered a Spicy Ahi tuna roll (just because it was cheap as compared to the $19 roll another place was charging)

BH's Loco Moco - 2 patties, rice, scrambled egg, and gravy

Spicy Ahi Roll

A "simple" Bento.... NOT! Heart attack on a plate but what a way to go!

CLEAR!!!!! WHOOOOMPP! (defibulator charges up again!) CLEAR!!!!

This plate made me soooo giddy with joy. The crunch of the perfectly seasoned chicken drumette, the saltiness of the sausage and the sweetness of the beef. HOW CAN I GO BACK TO MY LITTLE BENTO BOXES???!!

After a happy satisfying lunch (we are determined to come back here before our flight next week... pack a number of things to-go for our trip home! infinitely better than airplane food!). As we get up to go pay.... the impulse shopping starts! Oh!! house made Mac Nut cookies! Oh! Palmiers! Oh! Rugelah???!!! Oh oh oh!! CREAM PUFFS! (see below)

Before leaving, BH and I paid the bill for lunch and added 1) 2 huge creams puffs [had it for tea-time], 2) Bag of Mac Nut Cookies [had it post snorkeling], 3) Bag of Kauai Breadsticks - maui onion and sea salt flavor [had it pre-dinner]. We are SOOOOO coming back!

Post stuffing ourselves silly... we took a drive around and then went back to "tunnels" for exceptionally AMAZING snorkeling (that counts as some exercise right??). conditions were great today and the fish were out in full force!

The Glorious Island of Kauai

2009-04-15T23:55:00.000-07:00

Taking a break from writing about food because I just want to share the majesty of Kauai and what nature can bring. I know I am exceptionally lucky to have a chance to see and experience all this. I cannot thank BH enough for bringing me here to this island paradise to celebrate an anniversary and opening up this part of the world to me.

I'll shut up now... enjoy some wonders of nature:

Waimea Canyon Lookout

Closer view of the waterfall from the Canyon Outlook

Na Pali Kona Forest Reserve

Grounds of the Plantation Cottages (also where Waimea Brewing Company is)

Scotty!! Bring me another slab!

2009-04-15T23:04:00.000-07:00

Beer Hubby and I have been having a wonderful time in Kauai and we've really been eating our way through the island. Savoring the local favorites and enjoying the local dives.

Tonight.... we reached BBQ heaven! Thy name is Scotty's Beachside BBQ (in Kapaa). (right) This is the view from the restaurant. Not slouchy at all!

Scotty's is the only real BBQ place (we're talking southern style here!) on the island and considered by many one of the best too. BH and I ordered the Sampler Platter for 2 to get a sense of what they had to offer.

Sampler platter (clockwise from the bottom) - Smoked chicken, pulled pork, BBQ PORK RIBS, smoked brisket, cornbread, baked beans

close up on the pulled pork

Let's wash this down with Maui Brewing's Bikini Blonde.

A yelper had stated that the pork ribs are better than Memphis Minnies in SF. Those are big fight'in words! BH and I were seriously skeptical at first because we love our Minnies. However, after taking our first bite, we weepingly agree wholeheartedly! (sorry Minnies!)

Everything was very good but!!!! words cannot describe the succulent, tender, porky, sweet spicy BBQ sauce goodness of the Pork Ribs. Just lifting up the pork rib from the main plate to our own plate resulted in parts of the meat literally falling off the bone. A delicate smoke ring kisses the edge surrounding a perfect ratio of fat to meat. This work of art GLISTENED! The meat was perfectly seasoned and expertly cooked. Let's just say we had a major "O" moment with a satisfying afterglow.

We are definitely coming back for more. This next time... just a slab (or two or three?) of the pork ribs will make BH and I find religion once again.

On a side note, the brisket is not the Texan style sliced slabs but a more pulled version which I enjoyed thoroughly as well. The baked beans were sweet with a slight hint of smoke and bacon. The cornbread was the sweet southern version and the slaw would make Ms. Paula Deen proud (sweet, crunchy, tangy and mayonaissey). Needless to say, there was absolutely no room for dessert.... but there will ALWAYS be a next time! (puffasadas... here I come!)

Island Porky Goodness

2009-04-14T11:10:00.000-07:00

Hawaii is truly the land for the pork lover. From your most commonly recognized Luau roasted pig to your lesser known lau-lau and everything in the middle. Hawaii is your happy destination if you love pork!

Hawaii is also the land where you can find many varieties of Spam. You would have read us exhaulting the hot & spicy version in my previous posting, the Hot & Spicy version rocks! BH and I also procured the Spam with Cheese. I think we are determined to try them all! (I can hear it now, "so? what exotic foods did you have in Hawaii? Spam, spam with cheese, spam with bacon, hot & spicy spam... :)

Anyway, our pork adventures led us to the latest find - "Microwave Pork Rinds!!" Think microwaveable pop-corn. yeah... similar packaging but oh... so much more!! I love the marketing of "ONLY 1 gram of CARB" Woo hooo! Actually, the entire bag has a total caloric count of 210 and 7 grams of fat. Hhhmm.... intriguing. Will report on taste and texture later!

How does it taste?? It started off with a smell that was very herby. But, it was actually quite tasty and addictive. :) Good crunch and a little spicy. It was warm which gave it a different dimension not found in regular bags of chicharonnes. Not bad for a microwave product.

Bar Acuda

2009-04-13T10:12:00.000-07:00

Most of you will know what to expect when dining in island paradises..... for the few who don't, it can get expensive. Sticker shock is what many people experience. (think of the transportation costs and it'll soften the blow a little)

So... BH and I read about a restaurant that served tapas. YUM!! we love our tapas! We also not want another meal of spam yet. We were warned it was pricey...to which we went "paashaa!! we're from SF! we're used to higher prices!"

So, we get to Bar Acuda (which is actually owned by former Slow Club chef/owner, Jim Moffat), it is a lovely intimate restaurant with an island feel - tiki torches, wrap-around outdoor seating with a view of the mountains....very nice! The menu comes and the prices are looking a little "San francisco/New York" . But what the hey! We're on vacation! The prices look like the small plate prices at Serpentine or Cortez. So, we expect slightly more substantial "tapas" plates.

They arrive.... "oh..." they're smaaaaallll. Think a bread plate with a wide border. They really DO mean tapas!!! I'm paying $14 for 3 little sticks of flank steak??!! whoa whoa whoa whoa! The food was very well prepared.... (much praise to Jim Moffat's culinary expertise) but a little extra food would be nice! Anyways, after the initial shock of the portion sizing, we settled in for a lovely meal. With extra bread to mop up the kick-ass harissa sauce. (the bread was REALLY good too) Great flavors melded together beautifully.

House smoked Chorizo and roasted green apple

Flank steak with a honey sauce

Bacalao stuffed squid with a spicy harissa (My favorite dish for the evening)

Roasted Hawaiian Mahi Mahi with a "chimichurri" of cornichons, capers, parsley

Breakfast in paradise...

2009-04-12T12:02:00.000-07:00

Some of the advantages of renting a house instead of staying in a hotel is that 1) I don't have to pay $25 for some waiter to give me my order of spam and eggs with a slice of pineapple and orange garnish; and 2) I can have as much spam and eggs as I want! MUAHAHAHA!

As I mentioned in my last post, buying Spam in Hawaii is wonderful.... the choices are plentiful depending on how cholesterolly you want to get. BH and I choose the Hot & Spicy version which we discovered is a wonderful creation by the proud makers of Spam. Behold my lovely breakfast this morning!

The Hot & Spicy Spam had a good kick to it with the wonderful porky (and other parts?) saltiness. When fried up crisp... nothing is better than Spam "chips!" It complimented my swiss and extra sharp cheddar scrambled eggs very well. Good start to the day! (certainly made up for the dog barking and rooster crowing wake up call at 6AM - so this is what semi-rural living is like). :)

Aloha! from Kauai with Loco Moco Love!

2009-04-12T11:41:00.000-07:00

So... BH and I are finally on vacation! We try to do a big trip every year and this year, Kauai gets to be the lucky host! This time, we've rented a lovely home on the North Shore of Kauai. Thanks to the wonderful VRBO folks and the home owners, we have a comfy home away from home.

After a long travel day... we set our sight on a typical heart clogging Hawaiian plate lunch meal at the highly recommended industrial park located Mark's Place for some local grub. We find the place - yes... it is in an industrial park... but guess what??! They are CLOSED! (yelpers.... please let us know if they have limited opening days/hours. Thanks). Defeated, hungry and tired, we drove a little bit further to L&L which is a usual favorite. (although yelpers had trashed this place - we now agree with you). Here's my first meal - Loco Moco Babeeee!

For the few of you who do not know what this is (get out from your rock!) It is a heaping pile of steamed white rice, topped off with a burger patty, topped off with an over easy fried egg, then smothered with brown gravy, served with a side scoop of sweet tasty mac salad. When you break into the egg yolk, ooey goooey yolk runs into the gravy and needless to say, a crazy mess of goodness is had by all. (NOT healthfood but hey! I just got off an 8 hour journey from home to my loco moco)

There was a method to choosing our not as preferred Hawaiian plate lunch place. It was next to Foodland supermarket where we had to stock on supplies for our stay here.... basics... milk, eggs, bread, bacon... SPAM!! They are certainly spoiled for choices here! Garlic Spam, Spam with Cheese, Lite Spam, Spam made with real hormel bacon (versus what??), Hot & Spicy Spam. BH chose the Hot & Spicy version. (See next post for tasting notes. Did I just say "tasting notes" for spam?? oh goodness!)

Anyway.... aloha to all of you! more hawaiian adventures will be coming your way! Mahalo!

Hey Macaron- ah!

2009-04-04T19:55:00.000-07:00

So I've been wanting to try something new to bake. I was at my local patisserie and saw pretty little macarons and thought... "why not!?" After doing some searches online, it seemed pretty straight forward. Although I know it will take some skill to get the light perfectly baked tasty treats, I'm game to try it!

I have to thank my source at Serious Eats (http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2007/10/how-to-make-macarons-recipe.html) for providing me with a working recipe and multiple links to other such as Chubby Hubby, David Lebovitz, Tartlette, et al.

I know it is a heresy to diverge from a baking recipe but I did and they still turned out pretty well. Because I did not want to deal with making ganache or a cream filling, I "cheated" by using jam and nutella spread. It worked very well.

Chocolate Macaron (with Nutella filling and Raspberry filling)

Ingredients:

225 grams powdered sugar

125 grams almond meal or flour

40 grams cocoa powder

110 grams egg whites (about 4), aged overnight at room temperature

30 grams granulated sugar

Pinch of salt

Filling Ingredients:

- Nutella

- Good quality raspberry jam

Method:

- On parchment, draw circles to guide you when piping and to ensure even circles. Make sure you flip each sheet over and place each sheet on a baking sheet.

- Combine the almond meal, powdered sugar and cocoa power in a food processor, pulse the mixture till you get a fine mixture. Double sift the dry mixture.

- Whip egg whites with salt until foamy and then gradually add granulated sugar when the eggwhites are at a very soft peak. Eggwhites will be ready when they hold stiff peaks and the whites are firm and shiny.

- Fold in icing sugar mixture into egg whites until completely incorporated. The mixture should flow like magma or be like a thicker cake batter.

- Using a piping bag and tip, pipe the batter onto the baking sheets. Tap the tray to remove air bubbles. Let dry at room temperature for 1+ hour to allow skins to form. [some chefs have used various timing - i think as long as there is a look of a skin on your circles, you're good to go!]

- Preheat over to 325F. Gently place the tray into the oven and with the help of a wooden spoon to keep the oven door slightly open, bake for 5 minutes, rotate the baking sheet, then continue for another 5-6 minutes.

- Transfer the entire parchment paper with the macarons to a cooling rack. Remove the macaron from parchment only when completely cool.

- Spread some raspberry jam or Nutella on one side of the macaron and then sandwich with the other side. Refrigerate for a few hours and bring to room temperature before enjoying them!

[once again, sorry for the low quality photos - will be getting a new camera soon!]

Batter Up!

They are baked up and they have "feet" (very exciting moment)

Plated - Nutella filled (left) and Raspberry filled (right)

In their boxes and ready to go!

Bento by me... Bento by Beer Hubby!

2009-03-16T10:19:00.001-07:00

So... i've been bento'ing for a while. You can check them all out here... http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrshk/sets/72157604463211150/

Anyway, we have a ton of leftovers from the party (see previous post), so, as I made my bento for work, Beer Hubby, decided he wanted to make one too! HHmmm..... maybe I am rubbing off on him in some way. Here are our bentos:

Mine: Roasted chicken, carrot sticks, cherry tomatoes and a bottom box of fried rice and broccoli.

B.H.'s: MAN sized bento! Base of fried rice, chicken katsu, baked shrimp and broccoli!

I am soooo proud! ;-) haha.

A warm house, filled bellies and a LOT of leftovers!

2009-03-16T08:32:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, Beer Hubby and I had our house-warming party... Proud to say, as usual, we had WAAAAAY too much food the number of people that came. But as my mama always taught me, "if you're making food for 20... might as well make it enough for 50". We had a total head count of about 36 that night. We're so happy our new home can accommodate everyone! :)

B.H debuted his new "Hunny Bunny Wit" which is a honey ladened belgian style wheat beer that also packed a punch with 9% alcohol! Wooo hooo! He also featured two of his previous beers: 1) Kona Coffee Ale (with 24 shots of kona espresso) and 2) "17" - which was a 17% alcohol beer aged with oak chips and flavored with Maple Syrup, Vanilla Bean, and Irish Whiskey! (It'll smack you till tomorrow but tastes like port and should be sipped like one too!)

On to the food!

All parties should have a Cheese Platter right?

"Cold" Station

To encourage more mingling, we had two food buffets. The "Cold" station had an assortment of items that I made as well as food brought by my friends (THANK YOU ALL!!). Sorry for the bad photo quality but I STILL can't find my camera.
Top right to left: Platter of Chinese BBQ meats - Char Siu and my Siew Yoke (Crispy roast pork - see previous post); Keylime and Honey Wings (see below for recipe); Sushi platter (courtesy of R.)
Big dish below the BBQ meats and above the dips - My Thai "Jungle" Salad (see below for recipe)
Chips, dips and crudite - 'nuff said!

"Hot" Station

Since I was freaked out and paranoid about not having enough food (yes... blame my mom for that insecurity!) I ordered some additional food as "bulk fillers" - a HUGE tray of Chicken Fried Rice and a HUGE tray of Chicken Katsu! (Thank you 77 Chinese food and Hawaiian BBQ!)

Top center: My chicken curry with yams in a "hotpot" to keep it warm all night. Accompanied by garlic bread.
Front center and right: House favorite - Tater tots (running joke and present at ALL our parties) and Beer "braised" pot stickers (see recipe below).

Yellow curry with Yams

Can't quite claim too much credit for this one. Used Mae Ploy Yellow Curry paste to help me out. Key to my success was using a LOT of coconut milk, fish sauce and lime juice to bring out the flavors. The addition of Yams and carrots made the curry look a little more colorful and sweetened it as well. Tossed in yukon gold potatoes in there to make it a hearty curry!

Keylime and Honey Wings

Ingredients:
1/2 cup keylime juice (I had to squeeze a bunch of them - not easy! find a better source!)
1 cup honey
1/2 cup DARK soy sauce (I used the mushroom flavor one this time)
1/2 cup Ponzu sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 cloves garlic - crushed or finely chopped
1 Tbs ginger powder - or you can crush fresh ginger
4.5lbs chicken wings (drumettes and wing) - it might yield between 30 to 40 wings depending on size.
Toasted sesame seeds and chopped up scallions for garnishing.

Method:
1) Combine first 7 ingredients into a bowl and mix well until honey dissolves.
2) Pour marinade into a ziplock bag with the chicken wing and marinade in the fridge for up to 6 hours OR overnight (my preference).
3) Take chicken out of fridge to get to room temperature. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
4) Line your pan with heavy duty foil or have a non-stick pan (the end product gets sticky!)
5) Place wings on one layer and pour the marinade over the chicken. I put enough marinade to cover the pan and not the entire bag of marinade.
6) Carefully put into the oven for 20 minutes..... remove to flip chickens over.
7) Return the chickens back into the oven for another 15 to 20 minutes and you should have a sticky sweet caramelled wing ready to burn your lips.
8) Transfer to your presentation plate and sprinkle toasted sesame seed and scallions.

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Yum Thai "Jungle" Salad
Ingredients:
3/4 package of Vermicelli (glass noodles) - usually they come in a pack with 8 "bundles" - use 6.
(toss prepared vermicelli with a little olive oil (about 2 Tbs) and fish sauce (2 Tbs) and lime juice(2 Tbs))
1 cup of fresh basil (julienned)
1/2 cup of fresh mint (julienned)
1 cup of fresh cilantro (chopped up)
3 cups of Napa or Savoy cabbage (shredded) - if using savoy cabbage, remove center "stalk"
1 cup of shredded carrots
1/2 cup toasted unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup toasted chopped macademia nuts
Dressing:
2 Tbs of honey mustard
4 Tbs of honey
1/2 cup chicken stock
3 Tbs of fishsauce
4 Tbs of lime juice
1/4 cup Ponzu
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
[As with all cooking - add or subtract items to suit YOUR taste... trust yourself. If you like it sweeter, add more honey, if you like it more tart, more lime.... you are the best judge of your food!]

Method:
1) Prepare vermicelli as directed on the package (usually just hot water and soak)
2) Toss vermicelli with a little olive oil, some fish sauce and lime juice.
3) Combine all ingredients for the dressing and set aside
4) Julienne all the vegetables and herbs
5) Combine vermicelli, vegetables and herbs into a platter
6) Dress the salad with enough to coat.
7) Sprinkle the toasted coconut and macademia nuts all over the top. Serve

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Beer "braised" Potstickers
Ingredients:
1 Package of frozen potstickers (your choice - try a bunch!)
1/4 cup of beer
1/4 cup of chicken stock
1 Tbs of oil

Method:
1) Heat a non-stick saute pan (with a lid) and add the oil.
2) Place potstickers on one layer in the pan (try to put the flat wider side down first)
3) Pour the beer and chicken stock into the pan to about 1/2 inch of the potsticker. Cover with lid. (this will steam your potstickers and cook the insides)
4) When there is a little liquid left in the pan (or when the potstickers get a little translucent), remove lid and let the rest of the liquid evaporate and let the sizzling begin!
5) The potstickers should start crisping up and brown. Flip them over (some of them might stick together, don't worry!) to brown the other side. Serve with a combination of soy sauce and rice vinegar!

House warming....

2009-03-08T20:44:00.000-07:00

Beer Hubby and I moved about a month ago. Our new home is about twice the size of the previous place and we LOVE IT! So...as promised to our friends, we will be having our house warming party soon. As per usual, B.H. will brew a beer and I will prepare some tasty treats to (hopefully) pair with the brew of the house. He's made a Honey Wheat (named "Hunny Bunny Wit" for me!) and I will be making slightly more Asian inspired foods with tart, sweet and spicy flavor combinations to compliment the honey in the beer.

Here's what I am thinking of serving:
- Key Lime and Honey Wings
- Beer "braised" potstickers
- Red curry with chicken and sweet potatoes - served with garlic bread
- Thai "yum" salad - with basil, cilantro, mac nuts and toasted coconut
- Mango shrimp
- Roasted pork (Siew Yoke for you Cantonese folks)
- Cheese platter
- Ubiquitous chips, crudite and dip
- Rice??

I made one dish in advance already - the Siew Yoke works amazingly well frozen, broiled crispy again and then served. I pre-boil(cook) the pork so that it makes for a MUCH easier poking of the skin. The more the skin is poked, the crispier the crackling will be!

Mom's Siew Yoke (Roasted Pork)
Ingredients:
- Pot of water (big and wide enough to lay pork belly piece flat and submerged - I like my wok)
- 2lbs of pork belly (try to find a piece that lies flat and evenly and not too fatty or skinny)
[Spice rub ingredients below - mix all together - you can make more if you want to!]
- 1 Tbs Salt (plus up to another Tbs for sprinkling on the skin)
- 2 Tbs Sugar
- 1/2 Tbsp Five Spice Powder
- 1/2 Tbsp Pepper

Method:
1) In a large pot/wok, bring enough water that can cover the pork slab to a boil.
2) Lower pork (skin side down - to prevent the skin from curling over) into water. Bring water up to a boil again, lower heat and simmer for about 20-25 minutes.
3) Place pork on a cooling rack (skin side up), with a fork or ice pick or knife, poke the entire skin of the pork belly (do not pierce through to the meat). (the more the skin is poked, the better).
4) Rub the Spice Rub all over the meat (try not to put any on the skin)
5) Sprinkle the extra salt on the skin portion.
6) Let the meat sit and rest for an hour to an hour half. (occasionally wipe down the skin as it will begin to "sweat")
7) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
8) Place pork belly into oven for 30 to 45 minutes - the meat should get a little brown and the skin should be rendering fat out.
9) Set oven to Broil and "blister" the heck out of the skin! (the more blistered, the more crunchy the skin will be.)

[As the picture shows, mine was not completely blistered. I am freezing this batch and will be finishing it off under the broiler on the day of the party]

Spicy Baked Chicken and Rice (casserole?)

2009-02-23T08:26:00.000-08:00

Hung out with my friends on Saturday and got inspired to cook for B.H. based on a dish my friend's Momma made for me. She made a chicken and rice bake (no... not one of those campbell's condense soup recipes although it seemed kindda close) and it was tasty! Since it was one of those comfort-foods-needed-because-it-is-raining-like-crazy-over-here-in-San-Francisco weekends, I wanted to make something spicy, baked and cheesey.

My Spicy Baked Chicken and Rice
(Caveat! I tend not to measure things, so I just put an estimate but trust your taste bud please!)
Rice Base:
- 2 cups uncooked rice - [Please pre-cook this and let it cool ahead of time]
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 3 cloves of garlic (chopped)
- Cumin, paprika, cayenne, pinch of salt, pepper...
- Cilantro (chopped)
Top:
- about 1/2 lb Tomatoes (chopped up)
- about 1/2 lb crimini mushrooms (sliced)
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 3 Serrano Chilies (chopped)
- 1 can of green chilies (chopped and please drain it well)
- Shredded chicken (I copped out and used a whole rotisserie chicken - save the bones to make a great chicken stock!)
- about 3 cups of My slightly modified Bechamel** (flavored with some parmesan and romano cheese - it's almost an Alfredo but not quite). Recipe below.
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Shredded sharp cheddar, pepper jack (put as much as to your preferred cheesiness level)

Method:
1) Sweat the onions in olive oil (or "grease" of choice - might use bacon fat next time) and subsequently add garlic (make sure the garlic does not burn).
2) Season the onions with cumin, paprika, cayenne, pepper, salt (i like how this brings out the flavors of the spices a little more)
3) Add cooked (and cooled) rice into the pan and fry up the rice to coat the rice and mix in the onions.
4) Add chopped cilantro at the end and put rice into your casserole dish.
5) Preheat oven to 350
6) In the same pan, add a little more oil and saute your sliced mushrooms - you should have a hot pan and the mushrooms should "brown" and caramelize. If your pan is not hot enough, you will have stewed mushrooms.
7) Add the chopped onions and chopped serrano chili. Saute till softened.
8) Add the chopped tomatoes and chopped green chilies.
9) Add the bechamel - incorporate all and season with salt and pepper to taste.
10) Spread the shredded chicken on top of the "fried rice" in the casserole dish.
11) Pour the mushroom/chillies/tomato bechamel over the chicken. Spread to cover entire dish. (I added a little more cayenne over the mixture since we LOVE our spices)
12) Indiscriminately spread your shredded cheese combo on top to cover.
13) Whap it into the oven and bake for about 30-45 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and a little brown.

Serve and enjoy! :)

** My slightly modified Bechamel:
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Up to 4.5 cups milk (Heated till hot) - (save about 1/2 cup in case you need to thin out the sauce a little)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup grated romano cheese

Method:
1) Melt butter gently then add the flour and stir until you get a roux.
2) Cook the roux till a light beige color.
3) Add the hot milk to the roux a little bit at a time and make sure you whisk constantly to prevent lumps. Keep adding milk till all incorporated.
4) Bring to a boil while stirring constantly. (Add salt and nutmeg to taste)
---> Up to this point is a standard Bechamel.
5) Stir in Parmesan and Romano Cheese. (if the mixture thickens too much... place pan back on low heat and add a little more milk to thin it out a little).

Me and my Bentos....

2009-02-17T09:23:00.000-08:00

I've decided to post my prettier bento pics to this blog because I figure someone else besides me has to look at it right? I was totally inspired by a fellow food blogger, Nilmandra, at Soy and Pepper. She inspired me to start creating my own bentos for lunch and I discovered an entire crazy WORLD of bento bloggers/creators/afficionados out there. http://www.flickr.com/groups/bentoboxes/ Some of the bento makers out there go all out wacky on their designs and mine are absolutely boring compared to them. To all of you who make your daily bentos, kudos to you!!

So what started off as a cutesy little experiment has turned into a "diet" and portion control plan. Because there is limited space in each bento box, one is forced to control the portion. (duuhhh simple logic right?) Great idea! (Do not worry... the gluttonous foodie is still very much in me.... this just helps keep me in check every now and then!)

Besides... what better way to train for motherhood? (hehehe... no worries... not knocked up yet!) I figure that if I can make good-for-me food look attractive, my future kid will want to eat his/her veggies ALL the time!

Anyway.... here's my bento for today (the cookies should look familiar)

(some fishcake from an Oden pack, some tossed cold ramen noodles with a rice vinegar, mustard and soy dressing, some semblance of fruits/veggies (ala asparagus and tomatoes) and my buttery cookies.)

Be My Valentine

2009-02-14T13:02:00.001-08:00

Valentine Bouquet from Beer Hubby! Aawww...

Happy Valentine's Day everyone... to all those in love, who are looking for love, those who have lost faith in love and those who are anti-love. Let's enjoy the weekend!

As a little Valentine's Day treat, I decided to bake for BH. He had to work today so, I figured I would present him with a sweetheart treat. Went through my epicurious selections and found a recipe that best suited what I had in my pantry. (BH and I just moved to a new house, so, things were a little limited and/or lacking) These turned out beautifully... light, crisp, buttery and vanilla-y.

Dutch Sugar Cookies (courtesy of Bon Appetit, December 1996)

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

1) Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until light. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Mix just to combine.

2) Divide dough in half. Gather each piece into ball; flatten into disks. Wrap in plastic and chill 1 hour.

3) Preheat oven to 325°F. Roll out 1 dough disk on floured work surface to 1/8-inch thickness.

4) Using assorted cookie cutters, cut out cookies. Transfer cookies to ungreased baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Gather dough scraps; re-roll to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out more cookies.

5) Bake cookies until pale golden, about 13 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks; cool. Repeat with remaining dough disk.

Have a great weekend everyone!

A little East, a little West... many bad jokes and a whole lotta alcohol!

2009-02-10T08:19:00.000-08:00

"Wanna Git my Eastern Peanut Butter in Yer Western Chocolate"

That was the title of our beer pairing dinner East versus West extravaganza at 21st Amendment on February 9, 2009. An amazing night of excellent beers (some unavailable in California at this time) and great food that highlighted, contrasted, and complimented the food. Their goal was to pair East Coast foods with West Coast beers and vice versa. It made for a great evening!

Let's get to the important stuff - the menu!

APPS:
California Dungeness Crab Cakes with Citrus and Green Garlic Aioli (mini bites)
with Dogfish's Pangaea
(a beer brewed with ingredients from every continent - yes... even Antarctica!)
AND
Mini Reuben with house-smoked brisket and Vermont white cheddar (OH YES OH!)
with 21st's Diesel Smoked Porter

FIRST:
Maryland surf clam and corn chowder with crispy fried clam strips
with 21st's Double Trippel (9.6%)
AND
Columbia River Sturgeon carpaccio with tiny radish salad, fried capers and ruby grapefruit
with Dogfish's Midas Touch (brewed with honey, saffron and grapes!)

SALAD:
Chino Farms Purple spinach salad with dried pears, raspberry vinaigrette and aged Vella Sonoma Jack Cheese.
with Dogfish's Chicory Stout and 21st Imperial Pilsner (8.6%)

ENTREE:

Niman Ranch Porter-Braised Short Rib with caramelized cipollini onions
with Dogfish's Palo Santo Marron

AND

Maine Monkfish Cheeks in Morel mushroom and sweet pea sauce
with 21st's Hop Crisis (11.8%)

DESSERT:

Peanut butter mouse layered with chocolate mousse with peanut brittle

with 21st's Chocolate Porter (8.9%), Dogfish's Raison d'Extra and 21st's Monk's Blood (11.2%)!

(sorry for the grainy pictures - iphone camera does not do well in low light levels)

I think the menu speaks VOLUMES! Everything was good but for me... the highlight of the evening was definitely the pairing of the Sturgeon Carpaccio with the Midas Touch. The clean flavor of the sturgeon with the sweet/bitter/tartness of the grapefruit brought out the honey and saffron of the Midas Touch even more. Talk about UMAMI baby!!! I was also blown away by the mini Reuben sandwich (which in itself I could have eaten an entire plate) and the Smoke Porter pairing. I am usually not a fan of the porter or smoked beers but the smoke from the brisket and the beer made for an outstanding combination with the salt of the cheese and brisket.

Of course the evening was made even more delightful by the presence of Dogfish Head's resident hottie brewer, Sam Calagione and our local favorite 21st Brew Master/Co-Founder, Shaun O'Sullivan! Those two spent the evening entertaining us with poems dissing each other, haikus (lame attempts), bad bad bad jokes, and great merriment. It was pretty much a dinner and a show! In the spirit of East and West camaraderie, Shaun presented Sam with a lovely parting gift --------->>>>

Thanks to the always great crew at 21st Amendment and to Dogfish Head. Had a great time and can't wait for the next dinner!

21st Amendment (www.21st-amendment.com)
563 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
(415)369-0900

Dogfish Head Brewery (www.dogfish.com)
320 Rehoboth Avenue, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971
(302)226-2739

Pliny the Younger! Not disappointing your Elder!

2009-02-09T09:32:00.000-08:00

Well... SF Beer Week kicked off with a BANG! The breweries and beers featured for this week are phenomenal! From the stars of the West like Russian River, Anchor, 21st Amendment, etc... to the heralded studs of the East like Dogfish Head, this week has been set up to shape and blow the minds of beer lovers and beer newbies alike! From beer pairing dinners to beer festivals, it is a yummy week for everyone!

Beer Hubby and I hit the first event on Friday (Feb. 6) at the City Beer Store. (http://www.citybeerstore.com/) City Beer Store is a haven for beer lovers and anyone who wants to just try out different beers... Craig and Beth know their inventory intimately and will steer you in the right direction if you need it!

At 3pm they tapped open the just released Pliny the Younger from Russian River Brewing (we showed up at about 6pm). This is a once a year released TRIPLE IPA! This means mega hops, mega florals, and mega IBUs! (International Bitter Units). I am personally NOT a huge IPA fan but I AM a major fan of Cascade Hops. (hell... I go a little batty like a cat on catnip when that stuff is around me!). So... once again, Vinny of Russian River produces an EXCELLENT floral scent bitter but balanced beer. BH loved it.. I enjoyed it thoroughly but I also went to the safer
bet of the Napa Smith New Albion Ale. A much lighter beer that was overpowered by Pliny the Younger... but strangely enough... it did cleanse my palate a little (post hopbomb)!

Sadly, Pliny the Younger is on a limited release and very few places carry it (if they do... it's probably gone as it is so very popular). If you are in Santa Rose, do stop by Russian River Brewing and check out their beers.

BH and I will be hitting the 21st Amendment/Dogfish Head dinner tonight and will give you all the details soon!. I will go hit on Sam (Dogfish Head Brewer Hottie!) when BH is not looking ;-) Hahaha!

February - the month of many Loves...

2009-02-04T12:45:00.000-08:00

For my first post (and in honor of Valentine's Day and the commercial hype around it), let's delve straight into things we love.

We're all reading these blogs, which means we truly love food and in San Francisco in February, we truly love our Beer as well. Now this lovely combination of food and beer makes for a very happy Me and the Beer Hubby (MY great love!). We will definitely be partaking of the joys of San Francisco's Beer Week. (February 6 to 15, 2009) http://www.sfbeerweek.org/ and will be sharing our moments with you.

We're lucky in the Bay Area to have a number of stellar breweries and they are featuring their best this month. Thanks to Beer Hubby, I've developed a growing appreciation of the brew. (Through this site... I hope to give you MY take on the brews and the food that go together during my travels with B.H.)

So... bear with me and my (potentially) sporadic updates... and welcome to my crazy food (sprinkled with some great beer and excellent wine) world!

MrsHK