Grapes and grape leaves

5-31-2010 Mon. hot, sunny


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | Norwegian lefse | Gouda cheese | honeydew | blackberries
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- grapes | mojito
DINNER --- mushroom stuffed grape leaves with herbs | Lebanese pita bread | simmered winter melon with shrimp | ceviche with chayote | white wine

• got grape leaves and grapes from a local middle east grocery store.
  

Winter melon for a summer day

5-30-2010 Sun. very warm, sunny.


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | Gouda cheese | scrambled eggs | pineapple | cherries AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea
DINNER --- winter melon with shrimp in vegetable confit sauce | tofu skin rolls with vegetable filling | asparagus with white miso dressing | taco buns with barbecued pork and chive flowers |stir-fried bitter melon and smoked tofu | basmati rice with sofrito sauce, asparagus, shiitake and smoked mussels | wine | raspberry sorbet seltzer | ice cream and cherries

• summer is here, we have winter melon in a light dinner with friends
  

Potato kibbeh

5-29-2010 Sat. warm, cloudy


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | coconut cream bread | apple | scallion pancake
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- pineapple | mojito | cured bison (from the farmer's market)
DINNER --- potato kibbeh (potato dumplings stuffed with spinach, mozzarella and pine nuts) | steamed rock fish with ginger and scallion | boiled spinach with citrus dressing

• these kibbeh are "glorified potato croquettes" according to Maloufs. the recipe is from their Lebanese and Syrian cook book Saha
  

Green and green

5-28-2010 Fri. warm, rain


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with stir-fried tofu and spring onion
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- boiled spinach with ponzu dressing | steamed fermented tofu with shrimp and chili sauce | pan-fried green pepper stuffed with minced chicken and onion | rice | red wine

• very fresh green spinach and green pepper
  

All from soy bean

5-27-2010 Thu. warm, storm


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- steamed dumplings
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea | apple
DINNER --- tempura of fermented tofu | sauteed bean sprouts | stir-fried mushroom, cured tofu and spring onion | rice | beer

• endless variety of tofu, plus sprouts from soy beans
  

dumplings save the day

5-26-2010 Wed. warm, sunny


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- apple | seaweed crackers
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea | pocky
DINNER --- steamed dumplings | fennel salad

• running out of time for lots of things, not for making dumplings though
  

Korean soft tofu joined by Italian asparagus mousse

5-25-2010 Tue. warm, some clouds


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- cold soba noodles with grated daikon dipping sauce | soft tofu with asparagus mousse
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea
DINNER --- boiled greens | confit leeks, mushrooms and tomatoes (leftovers) | steamed pork ribs (leftovers) | rice | red wine

• a cool lunch, a nice change to have it at home with friends.
  

Toasted rice powder does the trick

5-24-2010 Mon. warm, cloudy


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- steamed vegetable buns
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | apple
DINNER --- steamed pork short ribs with toasted rice powder (fen-zheng rou) | steamed fermented tofu with shiitake, shrimp and vegetable pickles | manoushe bread | fennel salad | rice | white wine

• toasted rice powder absorbs flavor from spices and meat, keeps moisture to make the steamed pork tender, and adds nice texture.
  

Mediterranean dinner with vegetables and fruits

5-23-2010 Sun. mild, drizzle

WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | scallion pancake | red bean pancake | apple
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea
DINNER --- mojito | homemade pizza ( asiago cheese, shiitake, asparagus sauce and asparagus tips) | confit leeks, shallots, tomatoes and mushrooms with arak and almonds | white wine | mini key lime meringue pie | raspberry chocolate mousse

beautiful vegetables for the confit

mini key lime pie and raspberry chocolate mousse from Cacao

• Italian pizza and Lebanese confit vegetables, 7 kinds of vegetables, 3 kinds of fruits.

Fish got a sumac massage

5-22-2010 Sat. mild, rain

WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | coconut cream bread | apple | Kavli crispy thin with blue cheese
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | muscat gummy
DINNER --- pan-fried whole fish rubbed with sumac,sea salt,and ginger | stir-fried Chinese broccoli | rice | fennel salad

• ground sumac goes on the whole fish, a touch of Mediterranean tradition.
  

Americana and iceberg lettuce

5-21-2010 Fri. warm, cloudy


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- apple | jarlsberg
DINNER --- (at Drew's) southern pickled shrimp in endive | radish with butter & salt | cold asparagus soup | wedge salad of iceberg salad w. tomato and blue cheese | poached salmon | steamed potatoes | sauteed snap peas | angel food cake with raspberry puree, berries and whipped cream| white wine

• a mild evening, spent sitting outside snacking and sipping wine. Drew made an Americana dinner served on Wedgewood dinnerware.
  

Amazing asparagus sauce

05-20-2010 Thur. clear day with a mild breeze

BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- apple
DINNER --- (Casa Oreste & Francesca) moong dal vada | pineapple chutney | tamarind eggplant | spicy cilantro sauce | German Riesling | penne agli asparagi (penne w. asparagus sauce) | Pinot Grigio | tacchino in umido (quorn-turkey in spicy tomato, olive and caper sauce) | Italian baked potatoes | Primitivo | goat cheese platter: halloum (Cyprus), kashkaval (Turkey), kefalograviera (Greece) | ma'amoul (Lebanese fig filled short bread cookies) | Barbancourt (Haitian rum)

• Every part of the asparagus is used in a different way in the penne agli asparagi, rich, crunchy, and comforting all in one.
  

Kalbi on a cast-iron skillet

5-19-2010 Wed. chilly, cloudy


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- pasta with sofrito (leftovers) | inari sushi
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea | apple
DINNER --- stir-fried king mushroom, wood-ear and smoked tofu | kalbi (Korean barbecued beef short ribs) | rice | fennel salad | beer

• Korean barbecued beef ribs (Kalbi) are broiled on a pre-heated cast-iron skillet.
  

Pasta with sofrito

5-18-2010 Tue. chilly, rain


BREAKFAST --- coffee | orange bread
LUNCH --- rice with eggplant (leftovers)
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea | apple
DINNER --- pickled daikon and seaweed salad | steamed fermented tofu with chili and vegetable pickles | pasta with sofrito, sauteed baby octopus and smoked mussel | beer

• a quick ensemble of the leftover ingredients mostly from last weekend's party.
  

Baby octopus

5-17-2010 Mon. chilly, rain


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- eggplant and gherkin | orange bread
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea | apple
DINNER --- sauteed shrimp and asparagus | curried Indian eggplant and flat-leaf chive | broiled baby octopus | avocado and Belgium endive salad | rice | beer

• baby octopus is not that much bigger than shrimp, unique texture and flavor.
  

Casual feasting

5-16-2010 Sun. mild, cloud to sun

WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | baguette | cheese | pâté | apple
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea | fried sweet rice cakes | tempura of fermented tofu | gyoza | eggplant tempura | cold soba noodles
DINNER --- Mediterranean rice bowl: sofrito, baby octopus & smoked mussels | garlic bread | avocado fennel tomato salad | almond brittle | wine | tea

• Baby octopus and small smoked mussels have become fast friends.
  

Crumbs and wine in the garden

5-15-2010 Sat. perfect, sunny with a touch of clouds

Afternoon party --- inari sushi | onigiri with pickled celtuce and nori | eel nigiri | spicy korean rice cake skewer | chicken satay | soba with veggies | celery tofu salad | chive & char siu pork buns | ceviche endive boats | Spanish flat bread | Iranian flat bread | gyoza | Vietnamese spring rolls | cocktail shrimp | Indian stir-fried eggplant, potato & gherkin (Marilu) | orange date bread | baguette | cheeses: aged gouda, French blue cheese, brie, jarlsberg | liver pâté | cream puffs | madeleines (Midori) | tiramisu (Sonia) | apple cake (Jing) | beer | ale | wine | sorbet seltzer | tea

• an afternoon of clear spring sun in contrast to yesterday's 30 second deluge of hail stones. grass feels good underfoot. many friends gathered at our tea-house garden, from 4 year old to age 86.
  

Steaming

5-14-2010 Fri. very warm, late afternoon thunder storm, hail

BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- steamed vegetable buns
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea
DINNER --- steamed dumplings with Chinese flat-leaf chives and minced chicken | fennel salad | sake

• spent lot of time on preparation of tomorrow's event, very little time on today's meals.
  

Dinner of leftovers

5-13-2010 mild, cloudy.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- soup dumplings | apple
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea
DINNER --- rice soup with bamboo shoot pickles and fermented tofu | fish stew (leftovers) | steamed mustard green buns | almond brittle | green tea

• take a break on cooking before preparing a big event
  

Fish stew

5-12-2010 Wed. warm, thunder storm


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- kimchi pancake | orange bread
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | apple
DINNER --- fish and potato stew in roasted pepper sauce | stir-fried mushrooms and okra | seasoned spinach | rice | white wine

• fish all disappeared in the sauce, haddock is too fragile.
  

Vaguely Indian, bitter melon and curry

5-11-2010 Tue. chilly, rain


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- orange bread
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea
DINNER --- sauteed Indian bitter melon and red pepper | curried rice with zucchini, mushroom and okra | fennel salad | white wine

• vegetarian food again. Indian bitter melon is smaller and has stronger bitter taste than the Chinese one.
  

a Korean cooking show

5-10-2010 Mon. chilly, cloudy


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with Tong-ho puree
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- (D.D.'s Korean dinner)
TteokGgoChi (떡꼬치) sticky rice cake skewers || BanChan (반찬) side dish spread: MuSaeng Chae (무생 채) spicy radish side dish | Mu NaMul (무 나물) stir-fried radish side dish | SukJun NaMul (숙주 나물) mung bean sprout side dish | GamJa Jorim (감자 조림) potato side dish | SiGeumChi Namul (시금치 나물) spinach side dish | KonJaBan (콩자반) sweet black bean side dish |KimChi (김치) || Jjol Myeon (쫄면) chewy cold noodles with veggies and hot pepper sauce || HoBak Jeon (애호박 전) zucchini pancake || KimChi Jeon (김치 전) kimchi pancake || SoonDuBu Jigae (순두부 찌개) extra soft tofu stew

• a very elaborated vegetarian dinner of Korean cooking, red hot chili was the star of the show.the backstage ( kitchen ) was a chaos.
  

Manoushi bread

5-09-2010 Sun.chilly, sunny, windy


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | scallion pancakes | grape fruit | apple
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea
DINNER --- pan-fried whole sea bass with ginger and scallion | Tong-ho puree with crushed peanuts | steamed fermented tofu with vegetable pickles | Manoushi bread with spinach and cheese | white wine

• "Manoushi bread is the number one snack food in Lebanon and Syria, kind of pizza but a little softer and more chewy." -- Saha, by G. & L. Malouf

What do you do with tomatillos

5-08-2010 Sat. mild, sunny, very windy


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | homemade orange bread | grape fruit | apple | pan-fried dumplings
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea in the tea-house
AFTER CONCERT DINNER --- basmati rice with tomatillo sauce | fried egg | avocado salsa | red wine

• happy to get fresh tomatillos at our local supermarket for the first time. someone behind us asked what do you do with tomatillos?
  

Lebanese-style dumplings

5-07-2010 Fri. warm, sunny


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- homemade orange bread | apple
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea
DINNER --- cocktail shrimp with lemon juice and capers | Lebanese-style dumplings in yogurt soup (Chiche barak) | fennel salad | white wine from Languedoc

• the first try on the recipe "dumplings in yogurt soup" from the cookbook: Saha (by G. and L. Malouf)
  

Pickled caper berries

5-06-2010 Thu. warm, sunny.


BREAKFAST --- (at Das Triest Wein) coffee | croissant | chocolate spread | bread | smoked salmon with lightly pickled caper berries | fruit | grapefruit juice
LUNCH --- ( airline meal) chicken | mashed potato | dinner roll
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea
DINNER --- sauteed shrimp with tomato and king mushroom | spinach with ponzu sauce and pickled capers | cherry tomato and roman lettuce salad | rice | red wine

• the lightly pickled caper berries are popular in Vienna, probably a Turkish food influence. have not seen them in the US.
  

Noodles invasion in Vienna

5-05-2010 Wed. chilly, rain


BREAKFAST --- cappuccino
LUNCH --- sandwich
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- espresso
DINNER --- (at Chang's Noodles Bar Wein) Korean Kimchi noodle pot with grilled beef | bitter lemon ice tea

• quite a few noodles bars have popped up on Vienna's elegant streets, serving a wide selection of noodles from Japan, China, Vietnam, Korea,Thailand, and Malaysia.
  

Sacher-Torte

5-04-2010 Tue. chilly, rain


BREAKFAST --- (at Das Triest) grapefruit juice | croissant | yogurt | fruit
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- cappuccino
DINNER --- (at Kervansarary, a Turkish restaurant) bread and pickles | spicy fish and vegetable soup | grilled sole with tomato sauced rice | white wine || (at Sacher Cafe in Sacher Hotel Wein) Sacher-Torte | Sacher liquor

• fish is always excellent in this Turkish restaurant in Vienna. The famous Sacher-torte is a bit too sweet for my taste

Babette's little shop and kitchen in Vienna

5-03-2010 Mon. chilly, rain


BREAKFAST --- (airline breakfast) tea | muffin | fruit
LUNCH --- Viennese coffee in real coffee shop with real coffee cup
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- (at Babette's Spice & Books for cooks, Wein) spice
DINNER --- (at Naschmarket,Wein) Vietnamese beef soup (pho)

• got a cook book and some Sumac from Babette's Spice and Books for Cooks in Vienna, about food and cooking from Lebanon and Syria. Babette the chef was not in, so her kitchen was closed in the late afternoon.
  

Meal in the air

5-02-2010 Sun. very warm, rain


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | scallion pancake | grape fruit | honeydew
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea
DINNER --- (airline meal) chicken and vegetables | dinner roll

• food on Austrian Airline is at the same level of that of US airlines
  

Chow mein for a lazy day

5-01-2010 Sat. unseasonably warm, sunny


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | baguette | brie
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea in the garden
DINNER --- chow mein (stir-fried noodles with green pepper, asparagus and carrots) | steamed fermented tofu with scallions, pickled vegetables in hot chili sauce | red wine

• chow mein is a spontaneous way to use leftovers