back to humble home cooking

5-31-2011 Tue. hot, sunny.

BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- pasta with mushroom sauce (leftovers)
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea
DINNER --- spicy stir-fried cabbage with fermented fava bean paste | sauteed asparagus | scrambled eggs with chorizo sausage and crab meat | fennel and cherry tomato salad | rice | wine

• quick meal, no compromise on cooking from fresh ingredients
  

a real summer day

5-30-2011 Mon. hot, thunder storm.

WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- cappuccino | croissant
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- cherries | lychee
DINNER --- pasta with creamy mushroom sauce and crab meat | sauteed Swiss chard | salad of fennel, radish, cherry tomato and lettuce | wine

High Line Park, Piet Oudolf's planting

• long weekend is over, real summer starts
  

Shojin cuisine at Kajitsu

5-29-2011 Sun. hot, sunny.

WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- ( at local cafe in W. Village) cappuccino | croissant
LUNCH --- ( at A.O.C., French) bloody marry | grilled baguette with lamb sausage and roasted red pepper | green salad
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- (at West Eleventh living room) green tea
DINNER --- ( at Kajitsu )

Hana ( 花）：

Salad of Cucumber, Rikyu-Fu and Fiddlehead Fern
Grated Cucumber, Celery, Dark Night Carrot, Pearl Onion, Glass Noodles, Wasabi, Soy Yuzu Vinaigrette
鬼おろし胡瓜と利休麩
Clear Soup with Grilled Cabbage Ball, Leeks and Mitsuba
焼キャベツの薄葛澄まし椀
Sushi with Green Tea Leaves and Pickled Green Plum
Baby Artichoke Agebitashi
Grated Fuji Apple and Onion, Purple Potato
Chilled English Pea Soup
Freeze Dried English Pea, Grated Ginger
新緑茶の粽寿司
ベイビーアーティーチョークの揚げ浸し
えんどう豆の一口ポタージュ
House-Made Soba with Warm Dipping Sauce
Sansho Flowers, Wasabi, Scallions
花山椒の温製つけ蕎麦
White Asparagus Tempura with Irakusa Sauce
Shiso Leaf
Grilled Nama-Fu with Soy Morel Mushroom Sauce
Market Vegetables
Grilled Garbanzo Beans
極太白アスパラの一本揚
焼生麩 編笠茸のソース掛け
Steamed Rice with Diced Sunchokes and Fennel Puree
Crispy Arugula and Fennel Leaves

House-Made Pickles
菊芋の炊き込みご飯
自家製漬物
Yatsuhashi
Azuki Bean Paste, Cardamom,
薫風生八ツ橋
Matcha Tea with Candies by Kyoto Shioyoshiken
抹茶と干菓子～京都塩芳軒より～



Fern and Rikyu-Fu

soup and cha

green tea leaf sushi, artichoke, pea soup, and saki

soba, rice, tempura and pickles

• unique experience of Japanese Buddhist vegetarian cooking.
• Rikyu-fu is wheat gluten (Chinese name Kao-fu) often used in Buddhist diet. they are handmade from a shop in Nara Japan ( shown in the drawing in the last picture) served at Kajitsu.
  

in the Village

5-28-2011 Sat. hot, sunny.


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- (at a local cafe in W. Village) cappuccino
LUNCH --- (at Kin Shop , a modern Thai) spicy duck laab salad | grilled eggplant with rice pearls, fish sauce & mint | Preserved Siamese Watercress & Mustard Greens | Jungle: braised bamboo shoots, bitter melon, and greens in red broth | Massaman: braised goat with fried shallots, purple yams, ,mustard greens and toasted coconut
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- (at a local bar in E. Village) mojito |Brooklyn beer
DINNER --- ( at a local soba shop in Lower East Side ) fried chicken meat balls | grilled daikon and sticky rice | buckwheat soba with hot dipping sauce, with grated daikon and ginger

hang-out in West Village

Three Lives & West Eleventh

Savage Beauty: Alexander McQueen at Met

Richard Serra Drawing: a retrospective at Met

Modern Thai food at Kin Shop

at a Soba joint

• a day of sampling different drink and food in the village.
  
• a visual feast at Metropolitan Art Museum.
  

Italian and French in NY

5-27-2011 Fri. hot, sunny.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- (at del Posto) Raw VEAL & TUNA Cubetti with Mustard & Fennel Hearts | Young LAMB alla Romana, Garlic Yogurt with Ceci & Swiss Chard Ragu | SFERA di Caprino with Celery & Fig Agrodolce & Celery Sorbetto | Italian wine
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- (at Brasserie ) Pacific and Atlantic oysters | White Asparagus Crêpe with Nova Scotia Lobster, Chervi | wine

celery sorbet at del Posto

• a nice lunch at del Posto with friends. celery sorbet will be the next experiment in home kitchen.
  
• a nice dinner at Brasserie with families.

buckwheat soba

5-26-2011. hot, hazy


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with sauteed bean sprouts and pea leaves
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- salad of fennel, endive,radish and tomato | soba noodle with parboiled spinach and dashi | sauteed Chinese gourd with tomato and mushroom | wine

• cool soba noodle marks the beginning of summer fare, first day reaching 90 degrees
  

thin and lean

5-25-2011 Wed. warm, sunny.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with sauteed cauliflowers and tomato
AFTERNOON-TEATIME ---apple
DINNER --- salad of threaded chayote and jellyfish | stir-fried chive flowers and threaded smoked tofu | par-boiled snow pea leaves and bean sprouts | silky tofu with ma-po sauce | rice | wine

bamboo shoots in the garden

• almost all the ingredients are either in lean shape or cut into thin threads, a typical way of southeast Chinese cooking
  

Mango salad

5-24-2011 Tue. warm, cloudy.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- steamed dumplings
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- sauteed shiitake and seasoned soy duck | stir-fried cauliflowers and tomato | salad of fennel, endive, radish and mango | rice | wine

• a quick meal of vegetables and rice. Mexican mango gave the summer staple ( fennel salad ) a nice twist.
  

dumplings with a wrinkle of thyme

5-23-2011 Mon. warm, cloudy.

WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- baby potatoes with sauteed vegetables and quinoa
AFTERNOON-TEATIME ---apple
DINNER --- steamed dumplings wth fillings of minced chicken, bok choy, shiitake and fresh thyme | salad of orange cherry tomatoes, lettuce, fennel, radish and cucumber | wine

• bok choy in spring is not as good as in winter, fresh thyme adds a new flavor to the dumplings.
  

pan-fried tofu

5-22-2011 Sun. warm, cloudy.

WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- Chai | apple | mango | scallion pancake
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea
DINNER --- sauteed snow pea leaves and snow peas with green tomato and spicy sausage | pan-fried tofu with dashi and chive flowers | boiled and fried baby potato with caramelized onion | fennel, orange cherry tomato and lettuce salad | wine

• pan-fried tofu has a pleasant contrast of a crispy out layer and a tender soft core
  

at end of the day

5-21-2011 Sat. warm, sunny.


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | coconut cream bread | apple | mango
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea
DINNER --- ( at Freya and Paul's ) Spanish rose | endive boat with cheese and cherry tomatoes | toast with preserved fig and cream cheese || carrot salad | chickpeas with tomatoes | wild rice | salmon mousse | flat bread | white wine || chocolate cake | espresso

• a beautiful evening at F&P's beautiful 19th century house, we could have had the delicious food and fun conversation all night
• Freya's tip where to order good spices online: penzeys.com
  

a garden plate

5-20-2011 Fri. mild, cloudy.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- pasta with vegetable ragu sauce
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- pan-roasted shallot, crispy Chinese sausage chips with roasted green tomato sauce and herbs flowers from the garden | jellyfish and chayote with chili and citrus dressing | quinoa with green tomato sauce | sauteed cauliflowers with tomato and wood-ear | wine

spring garden

tender is the spring green

assembly of spring beauties

• a plate with herbs and flowers gathered from the garden, inspired by the growing and blooming plants , and photos from NOMA
  

springtime pasta (encore): leek & egg

5-19-2011 Thu. mild, rain.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- steamed vegetable buns
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- orange cherry tomato and fennel salad | linguine fini with leek, beech mushroom, browned chorizo and egg | wine

• the encore of spring pasta sonata, teaming-up leeks, bacon-like browned chorizo and barely fried eggs, with runny yoke mixed in like creamy pasta sauce
  

springtime pasta (4): carrot & celery

5-18-2011 Wed. mild, rain.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- pasta with smoked mussels and squid
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- orange cherry tomato and fennel salad | homemade gnocchi with carrot and celery ragu sauce | smoked mussels | wine

• the 4th movement of spring pasta sonata, carrot and celery canon
  

springtime pasta (3): spring onion

5-17-2011 Tue. mild, clouds.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- pasta with kale and squid (leftovers)
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | apple
DINNER --- orange cherry tomato and fennel salad | pan-fried Brussels sprouts | angel hair with spring onion, mushroom, Thai basil, tarragon and brown butter | wine

• the 3rd movement of spring pasta sonata, highlighting sweet spring onion and scented brown butter.
  

springtime pasta (2): red stem chard

5-16-2011 Mon. warm, sun to rain.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- pasta with sauteed vegetables ( leftovers)
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- orange cherry tomatoes and fennel salad | twice-cooked squid stew | Penne rigate with red-stem chard, shallot, leek and fried Spanish chorizo bits | wine

• the 2nd movement of our springtime pasta sonata, featuring red-stem chard from farmer's market.
  

squid and springtime pasta (1): fresh peas

5-15-2011 Sun. warm, sun to storm.

WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | scallion pancake | olive bread | apple
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- oyster | mojito
DINNER --- baked baby potato chips with fresh rosemary | salad of orange cherry tomatoes, fennel, radish, lettuce and fresh mozzarella | tagliatelle with fresh peas, hot chili, mint and grated cheese | Spanish-style pan-fried squid stuffed with caramelized onion, Spanish pine nuts, fresh thyme and rice | wine

oyster

first cherry tomato salad in the year

first pack of fresh peas

pasta of springtime

stuffing
stuffed squid

poppies and sweat peas from Sunday market

• a treat of spring time, the 1sr movement of springtime pasta sonata, staring fresh peas
  
• the pasta recipe is from Bittman's Pasta Primavera: the Remix : " ... I'm all in favor of pasta with vegetables, but I want to be able to taste them. And I want them to be prepared thoughtfully. "
  
• the squid recipe is from Jose Andres' Made in Spain .
  

Olive bread for Wagner

5-14-2011 Sat. mild, rain.


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- no time for breakfast today
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- ( at Theater, intermission ) homemade olive bread | apple
AFTER-THEATER-DINNER --- spicy cabbage with fermented fava bean sauce | stir-fried chive flowers with smoked tofu | rice | wine

olive bread

Wagner's Die Walküre ( MET )

• spent intensive 5 hours in theater. James Levine conducted the 2nd opera of the Ring Cycle.