in the spirit of Pho

2-28-2011 Mon. mild, rain


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with sauteed asparagus
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- spicy beef soup with tofu skin, tofu,mushroom,onion,cilantro and Thai basil | baked Japanese sweet potato fries | sauteed young mustard greens | rice | wine

• beef broth from long simmering of oxtail, fresh Thai basil adds a Pho accent.
  

experiment on vegetable sushi

2-27-2011 Sun. warm, sunny.


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | scallion pancake | apple | Chinese sweet rice dumpling soup
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | lemon plum
DINNER --- vegetable sushi: pickled skinny eggplant | dashi-poached asparagus | wine-poached beech mushroom | lemon-scented avocado | pickled young mustard green | radish sprouts | shiso leaves | fried egg | wine

• experiment of making sushi without seafood, using vegetables with various flavors and textures, with different preparation techniques: pickling, poaching, marinating ,frying or just raw as is.
  

citrus fruits

2-26-2011 Sat. chilly, sunny.


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | baguette | truffle sheep cheese | apple | pumelo
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea
AFTER-CONCERT-DINNER --- sauteed Swiss chard | baked whole rainbow trout with lemon and fresh rosemary | lightly pickled red leaf cabbage | baguette | white wine

pumelo at breakfast

rainbow trout with lemon

• baked rainbow trout wrapped in foil keeps moisture and flavors scented by fresh lemon and rosemary
  

a Chinese food education

2-25-2011 Fri. very high wind, sunny.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with sauteed asparagus
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- ( at A.J.) chicken and cucumber salad in peanut and mustard sauce | Sichuan pickled cabbage | Dan Dan noodles | pot stickers | sauteed young mustard greens and fresh soy beans | napa cabbage and mung bean noodle soup

• a shopping tour and a meal together with the cooking club buddies
  

in the mood for fried noodles

2-24-2011 Thu. not as cold, cloudy.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with chicken curry ( leftovers )
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- pan-fried egg noodles with red pepper and scallion | sauteed asparagus | broiled cod fillet with mustard and soy sauce | puffy bread | wine

• fresh thin egg noodles suitable for crispy fried noodle dish in Cantonese style
  

naan puffy, chicken curry

2-23-2011 Wed. cold, sunny.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with short ribs and cabbage
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- Japanese green tea | apple
DINNER --- homemade puffy bread | pan-fried Brussels sprouts | chicken curry with greens and Garam Masala | saffron rice | wine

puffy naan

curry chicken

• made curry sauce from scratch, made puffy naan from scratch as well.
  

Pilgrimage to Sullivan st bakery

2-22-2011 Tue. cold, snow


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- pane pugliese from Sullivan st Bakery | apple
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- Wulong tea
DINNER --- stir-fried threaded cabbage and red pepper with fermented black beans | Shanghai style wine-braised short ribs | rice | wine

• Jim Lahey's Sullivan st Bakery is filled with many kinds of fresh wholesome Italian breads. Considering that he only has one shop and that is in NYC, rest of us have to rely on his no-knead bread recipe for homemade bread.
  

Le Bernardin, French with Japanese accent

2-21-2011 Mon. cold, light snow



BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- ( at le Bernardin ) Kumamoto Progressive Tasting of Kumamoto Oyster “en gelée”; From Light and Refreshing to Complex and Spicy | Hamachi Marinated Hamachi Vietnamese Style; Nuoc Mam Vinaigrette | Octopus Charred Octopus; Fermented Black Bean - Pear Sauce Vierge; Ink - Miso Vinaigrette; Purple Basil | Black Bass Crispy Black Bass; Lup Cheong and Beansprout "Risotto", Mini Steamed Buns, Hoisin-Plum Jus | Codfish Sautéed Codfish; Leek and Grape Parfait, Caramelized Endives, Green Peppercorn Marinière | Monkfish Pan Roasted Monkfish; Hon Shimeji Mushrooms; Turnip-Ginger Emulsion; Sake Broth | Chocolate Chicory Dark Chocolate Cremeux, Cocoa Pain de Genes, "Burnt Orange Meringue", Chicory Ice Cream | Sesame Panna Cotta Black Sesame Panna Cotta and Pain de Genes, Sour Cherry Sphere, Shiso, Mandarin Sorbet | Hazelnuts Gianduja Cream, Oregon Hazelnuts, Honey, Banana, Brown Butter Ice Cream | French white wine
DINNER --- bread | tea | sweet rice dumpling soup

Kumamoto

Octopus

codfish

chocolate chicory

• did not stop on the 5th ave to have breakfast at Tiffany's, so much better to go over to the 51st to have lunch at Le Bernardin.
  

from Tea House to Opera House

2-20-2011 Sun. cold, sunny.


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | apple
LUNCH --- ( at Radiance Tea House in NYC ) steamed dumpling box ( chicken and wood-ear, teriyake chicken with 7-grain wrap, edmame, lettuce with citrus and carrot puree ) | threaded chicken and cucumber noodles with spicy sesame sauce| Unagi rice box ( broiled ell, pickled radish, eel sauce, rice) || Chinese black tea Lapsang Souchong | Japanese green tea Sencha
AFTER-CONCERT-DRINK --- wine | sake | walnut bread | roasted watermelon seeds
DINNER --- sauteed snow peas | meshed potatoes | pan-fried fillet of flounder

tea food


Bartered Bride at Juilliad
James Levine taking bows

• drank tea and had tea food at Radiance Tea House. then went over to Juilliard to watch James Levine conducting a Met+Juilliard production Bartered Bride.
  

Chinese food in Chinatown NYC

2-19-2011 Sat. cold wind, cloudy.


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea | apple | walnut bread
BEFORE-CONCERT DINNER ---( at X.O. Chinese restaurant, NYC) fried bread twist | congee | sauteed razor clams in scallion and ginger sauce | pan-fried daikon cake | Cantonese egg noddle and shrimp wonton soup | pork dumplings | winter greens in oyster sauce
AFTER-CONCERT DRINK --- warm sake | pan-fried pressed tofu | pan-fried vegetable spring rolls

razor clams with ginger and scallion sauce

dim sum at X.O. in Chinatown


Alexander Wang new store in SoHo

Zankel Hall beneath Carnegie Hall

• X.O. in NYC Chinatown never fails to deliver excellent Cantonese dim sum style food, consistently, efficiently. Wonton noodle soup is outstanding particular in texture, razor clams are delicate and sweet.
  
• the concert of Anne-Sofie von Otter recitals at Zankel Hall underground beneath Carnegie Hall. when subway trains roam nearby, some sound vibration adds to the music.
  

empty fridge by Friday

2-18-2011 Fri. very warm, cloudy.



BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- ( at K. deli ) Korean rice bowl with vegetables and grilled squid
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | apple
DINNER --- stir-fried chive flowers and smoked tofu | Shanghai salsa ( smoked tofu, cilantro and roasted peanuts) | leftovers gnocchi with ragu sauce | wine

• clear out food in the frig by the end of the week, and ready to travel
  

homemade magic

2-17-2011 Thu. mild, sunny.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- steamed vegetable buns | kumquats
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- homemade gnocchi with lamb ragu bolognese | toasted homemade rye bread | Lebanese green olive and egg salad | sauteed winter greens and button mushrooms | wine

• homemade cooking transforms foods in their original forms : one potato, flour, water, three eggs, handful green olives, mushrooms, a bunch of green leaves, vegetables.
  

What did jellyfish say to chayote?

2-16-2011 Wed. chilly, sunny.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with pork chop and cabbage
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple | kumquats
DINNER --- salad of threaded jelly fish and chayote with yuzu ( Japanese citrus ) dressing | sauteed baby bok choy and shiitake | pan-fried baby potatoes | broiled chicken drumettes with Korean B.B.Q. sauce | wine

meet you in the salad bowl!


baby bok choy

• the combination of jelly fish and chayote works very well, delicate and refreshing
  

dinner ready in 30 minutes

2-15-2011 Tue. cold, sunny.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice | clay pot dish of wheat gluten and vegetables ( leftovers)
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple | kumquats
DINNER --- stir-fried cabbage with chili sauce | sauteed bean sprouts with minced chicken | pan-fried pork chop | rice | wine

• chop, fry and boil, a dinner in 30 minutes with rice, fresh vegetables and meat.
  

clay pot of eight delicacies

2-14-2011 Mon. mild, windy, sunny.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- sauteed shrimp and vegetables with egg noodles | clementine
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple | kumquats
DINNER --- clay pot dish ( wheat gluten, shiitake, winter bamboo shoots, wood-ear, carrots, fresh peanuts, dried citron day lily and shallots ) | sauteed young kale with garlic sauce | rice | wine

• winter is still here for another while. the clay pot dish serves as "winter's delight".
  

tea and food of South China

2-13-2011 Sun. mild, cloudy.


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | toasted Russian black bread | apple | scrambled eggs with cilantro
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- Fujian red tea | smoked fish jerk snack | kumquats
DINNER --- salad of threaded jelly fish and chayote (with wine vinegar and ginger sauce) | pan-fried egg noodles ( with shrimp, winter bamboo shoots, red chili, bean sprouts and cilantro ) | boiled Chinese winter greens | white wine

Fujian red tea

pan-fried egg noodles

• Fujianese red tea, exported to Europe to become black tea . Cantonese pan-fried noodles, exported to America to become chow mein
  

go fish

2-12-2011 Sat. cold wind, sunny.



WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | toasted Russian black bread | coconut cream bread | apple
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | kumquats
DINNER --- whole fish (with a sauce of ginger, scallion ,fermented black bean and chili )| sauteed spinach | pasta with lamb ragu sauce | wine

• one more Chinese new year ritual : a whole fish, wish for a plentiful year.
  

Sichuan ma-la hot pot

2-11-2011 Fri. cold, sunny.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- steamed dumplings | clementine
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- Sichuan style ma-la hot pot ( napa cabbage, spinach, mung bean noodles, thin sliced lamb, tofu skin, fried tofu cubes, with Sha-cha dipping sauce ) | baked Japanese sweet potato fries | wine

• Sichuan red popcorn has the special spiciness of "ma (麻）", kind of tinkling sensation instead of burning hot （ "la" 辣 ).
  

cozy dumpling night

2-10-2011 Thu. very cold, sunny.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- Mexican rice and sauteed snap peas | clementine
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple | kumquats
DINNER --- vegetable soup ( winter bamboo shoots, napa cabbage, wood-ear, beet ) | steamed dumplings ( fillings of minced chicken, shiitake, bok choy, with spicy soy dipping sauce ) | wine

• a comfort food of all times
  

Mexcian refried beans and rice

2-09-2011 Wed. cold, cloudy.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- Russian black bread | clementine | tea
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- refried black beans | sauteed snap peas with pork | Mexican rice | steamed bread rolls | wine

• with ingredients and spices often used in Mexican cooking, no particular recipes are followed today
  

homemade Russian black bread

2-08-2011 Tue. cold wind, sunny.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with sauteed bitter melon | shrimp shao-mai
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- Russian red soup ( Borscht : red cabbage, red beets, black mushrooms, green onion ,with Chinese variation: + fried tofu cubes, winter bamboo shoots, napa cabbage ) | homemade Russian black bread ( Rye, burnt-sugar syrup, coco powder, caraway seeds ) | red wine

• a Russian dinner, hearty and warm. the black bread tasted very good with subtle sweetness and soft moist texture.
  

ensemble of leftovers

2-07-2011 Mon. mild, cloudy.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with drunken chicken and vegetables
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- Japanese green tea | apple
DINNER --- spring rolls with dark rice vinegar dip | salad of shanghai salsa and Belgium endive | soft tofu with shiitake and winter bamboo shoots | sauteed bitter melon with fermented black beans and wood-ear | rice | wine

• mixing and re-assembling leftovers from the New Year cooking weekend
  

a Wabbit party

2-06-2011 Sun. mild, sunny.


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | scallion pancake | apple
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- ( a New Year Party for the Rabbit Year ) Chinese steamed bun taco with B.B.Q. pork | drunken chicken salad ( with bean sprouts, red pepper, and chive flowers )| teriyaki eel sushi | shao-mai ( sweet rice, shrimp, chicken ) | endive boat of Shanghai salsa | broiled bouncy chicken ball on skewers | fried spring rolls | lotus sandwich tempura |fried dough twist | mini cream puff | chocolate truffle || mini spring rolls | mini fruit pastries | fruit pie | curried lamb crescent || wine
DINNER --- green tea | fruit pie

poster by Jan

• a fun party, eat, drink, chat and be merry: " outstanding food, great wine, and the best company".

Bitter sweet

2-5-2011 Sat. cold, drizzle.


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | apple | coconut cream bread | scallion pancake
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | clementine
DINNER --- ( a vegetarian Chinese New Year dinner for friends ) plum wine | fried dough twist with sea-moss seasoning | wild mountain walnuts | baked Japanese sweet potato fries || warm Sake | bitter melon and sweet lily bulbs ( with sauce of marinated mushroom and yuzu juice )| lotus root sandwich tempura | Xiao-long-bao ( Shanghai soup dumplings ) | Shanghai fried spring rolls ( with filling of napa cabbage, smoked tofu, shiitake, winter bamboo shoots, green onion ) | chilled Sake | Si-Chuan style vegetable hot pot ( ma-la tang 麻辣烫) with Chinese steamed rolls | Shanghai rice melange ( with bamboo shoots, green peas, and king mushroom ) || Shanghai sweet rice dumpling with fermented rice broth

bitter melon and sweet lily bulb

ma-la hot pot

Chinese steamed roll

• the dinner started with a delicate bitter taste of bitter melon, went through a wild ride of spicy, hot, savory tastes, ended with soothing sweetness of sweet rice dumplings. wish the Rabbit year progress like this as well
  

Egyptian rice

2-04-2011 Fri. cold, sunny.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice cake stew with flat-leaf chives | stuffed red pepper
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- Japanese green tea | apple | clementine
DINNER --- baked Japanese sweet potato | Egyptian rice ( paella with smoked mussels, king mushrooms, shallots, parsley and kumquat zest )| pickled ginger | pickled greens with kumquat zest | wine

• Egyptian rice has the just right creaminess and firmness for paella-type of rice dish, cooked slowly open-top in a broth with seasoned olive oil and vegetables.
  

the Year of Rabbit

2-03-2011 Thu. clod, sunny.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- pasta with ragu sauce | kumquats
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- Japanese green tea | clementine
DINNER --- Shanghai new year stew: rice cake (年糕 nian-gao) with fried tofu, egg dumplings (蛋饺 dan-jiao) , shittake and vegetable sauce | pan-fried dumplings ( 饺子jaio-zi) | scrambled eggs with Chinese flat-leaf chives | wine

Chinese character Rabbit drawing by Paul


Chinese New Year special: rice cake, dumplings, firecrackers

• New Year Day of the year of Rabbit. though no big feast today, wish the rabbit will bring good luck 万事如意
  

ragu bolognese

2-02-2011 Wed. not as cold, fog and sun.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- ( at H. G. Chinese restaurant) Kungpao chicken | vegetable and shrimp noodle soup | rice
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- clementine
DINNER --- egg drop soup with needle mushroom and cilantro | linguine fini with homemade ragu bolognese | wine

• used minced chicken in today's ragu bolognese.
  

Firecracker red peppers

2-01-2011 Tue. cold, drizzle.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- soba noodles and fresh soy beans | clementine
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- Japanese green tea | kumquats
DINNER --- steamed fermented tofu with cilantro | sauteed young mustard green | pan-fried pointed red pepper ( stuffed with minced tofu skin and lotus root, in sweet and sour sauce ) | rice | wine

• not known the name of the variety, these small pointed red peppers are sweet and hot, the outer layer is kind of papery.