work with vegetables

9-30-2012 Sun. cool, sunny, then rain

 WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | baguette | pate | cured ham | apple 
 AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- fried rice with fresh lima beans and shrimp | zucchini fritters | scallion pancake | beer
  DINNER --- beignets de cèpes  (mushroom fritters w. chickpea beer batter)
| Afghan-style  simmered spinach with cumin seeds | rice | wine

 

• tempura-like, but with seriously beat eggs and beer in the batter.

Harvest moon

9-29-2012 Sat. warm, sunny.  


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | bread | brie | German cured ham | apple 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- proscuitto wrapped figs w. balsamic glaze| grilled tsukune (chicken meat balls) with black sesame & shichimi spice | tamago yaki (Japanese rolled omelet) with sausage and scallion  | smoked mussels crostini with fasolia gigantes (giant white beans), pickled pearl onions, and mint |  sweet potato fries w. herb salt |tea 
DINNER --- pilaf with yam orzo | wheat berry salad | sauteed snap peas w. fermented beans | ginger-mustard crusted grilled salmon |  confit biyaldi (variation on ratatouille) w. herb vinaigrette | wine || moon cake | grapes

 

 

• a whole day gathering for the harvest moon festival

Empanadas with secret codes

9-28-2012 Fri. warm, sunny.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH ---rice with sauteed okra
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- ( from P.G.) empanadas (beef, chicken, spinach, eggplant) with dipping sauces 

 

• take-out, and baked at home. impressed by P.G.'s business model.

roasted broccoli

9-27-2012. warm, clouds.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- baguette
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- pasta with shrimp, roasted broccoli and red pepper | fennel salad | wine 

 

• good broccoli from farmer's market

stir-fry

9-26-2012 Wed. warm, rain and clouds. 


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- steamed dumplings 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- grapes 
DINNER --- stir-fried spicy chicken with onion and peanuts | stir-fried okra and zucchini with fermented black beans | fennel and cherry tomato salad | garlic bread | rice |wine



 

• ad hoc

Spanish Chorizo

9-25-2012 Tue. cool, sunny.  



BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- grapes 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea 
DINNER --- potato and Spanish chorizo stew | sauteed bitter melon with fermented black beans | fennel and radish salad | wine 

 

• a good pair

steamed dumplings

9-24-2012 cool, sunny. 


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- ( at C.B.)  stir-fried chicken and sauteed green beans
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple 
DINNER --- steamed dumplings | egg drop soup with tomato and okra | fennel salad | wine 

•  weekday fare

Champagne with strawberries

9-23-2012 Sun. cool, sunny. 


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | bread | cured ham | aged Gouda | grapes 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME ---Champagne with strawberries | lachsschinken with fresh figs
DINNER --- baguette with smoked trout pate and cherry tomato | sauteed snap peas |  gnocchi parisienne with zucchini and bacon | hot and sour seafood stew ( squid, shrimp, clam, mushroom, shallot, cilantro, okra, lime juice, ginger and sage) | rice | wine 

 

•   sunny and cool, a  beautiful fall settles in. Betsy joined us to have an afternoon champagne and homey dinner  
•  gnocchi parisienne had the ingredient proportion wrong, came out like scrambled eggs, tasted good though.
  

mustard greens

9-22-2012 Sat. warm, sun to rain.


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | scallion pancake | apple 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea 
DINNER --- sweet and sour twice-cooked short ribs | sauteed mustard greens | stir-fried chive flowers with smoked tofu | rice | lettuce and fennel salad |  wine 

 

• mustard greens look very humble, but taste great with unique flavor and crunchy texture

Squash and apple soup

9-21-2012 Fri. warm, clouds. 


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- Mexican rice and re-fried black beans 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple 
DINNER --- butternut squash and green apple soup | garlic bread | sauteed mustard green | German cured ham | pan-fried potatoes with rosemary | wine 

 

• the best soup for fall

Mexican for a change

9-20-2012 Thu. warm, sunny.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- ( at H.G. ) Kung-pao chicken | Singapore rice noodles 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple 
DINNER --- re-fried black beans | Mexican seasoned rice | salsa | sauteed sweet corn | twice-cooked pulled pork shoulder | homemade tortilla | wine 

• huevos rancheros  without egg and not a breakfast either

more vegetables

9-19-2012 Wed. cool, sunny.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with sauteed okra 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME ---apple 
DINNER --- sauteed shrimp with silken tofu and okra | pan-fried potatoes with rosemary | steamed Brussels sprouts with lemon juice | steamed eggplant with pickled chili and garlic sauce | fennel and cherry tomato salad | wine 

 

• scrambled to get dinner out on the table on time

one plate for all

9-18-2012 Tue. warm, stormy.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH ---apple
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea
DINNER --- pan-fried dumplings |  pasta with okra and radicchio  | twice-cooked pork shoulder and shiitake mushroom| fennel and lettuce salad | wine 

 

• on the edge to lose power

colorful vegetables

9-17-2012 Mon. warm, clouds and rain 


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with sauteed bitter melon 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple 
DINNER --- scrambled eggs with tomato and okra | simmered Chinese eggplant with roasted red pepper | garlic bread | borscht ( leftover) | fennel and cherry tomato salad | rice | wine 

 

•  leftover borscht tasted even better, with deeper red color.

Russian soup and bread

9-16-2012 Sun. warm, clouds.  


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | bread and jam | Gouda cheese | grapes 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME ---  simmered fresh peanuts in shell with Chinese spiced rice wine DINNER --- borscht ( beef, beets, tomato, potatoes, cabbage, onion, carrots, and herbs) | Russian black bread | stir-fried bitter melon | rice | fennel and cherry tomato salad | wine 

fresh peanuts

 Borscht and black bread

in garden today

 

• several hours spent on the bloody Russian stew soup, which turned out pretty well. 
• fresh peanuts in shell are rare find. slow-simmered peanuts in spiced wine is a Shanghai style snack food for drinking.
• some  garden work, see the fall coming

scalloped potatoes

9-15-2012 Sat. warm, sunny.  


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | coconut cream bread | honeydew and apple | scallion pancake 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea 
DINNER --- pan-roasted scalloped potato with tomato and rosemary | sauteed asparagus | sauteed snap peas | broiled salmon with ginger and scallion sauce | avocado and lettuce salad | mojito 

 

• scalloped potato turns out pretty well recently, in oven or on stove top. 
• too much liquid sauce for salmon this time changed the texture.

confit de canard

9-14-2012 Fri. warm, sunny.  

BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- ( at G.Joe's )  pastrami sandwich | twist fries 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple 
DINNER ---  saffron rice pilaf |  confit duck leg | sauteed wax beans | tomato and yam noodle soup | fennel and radish salad | wine 

•  not effortless

red stem chard and red bell paper

9-13-2012 warm, sunny.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee 
LUNCH --- rice with simmered tofu and chive flowers
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple  
DINNER --- pan-roasted bell peppers stuffed with minced chicken and onion | sauteed  red stem chard with garlic | sauteed sweet corn with roasted red pepper |  rice | fennel and cherry tomato salad | wine 

  southern France, last year this time

• need a break 

double tofu

9-12-2012 Wed. warm, sunny.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- chicken and boy choy dumplings 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- nectarine
DINNER --- simmered silken tofu with cured fish and beech mushroom | stir-fried chive flowers, smoked tofu and cured pork | steamed eggplant with pickled chili sauce | rice | fennel and radish salad | wine 

 

 

• cured pork and fish , soft tofu and smoked tofu. 

dumplings in bamboo steamer

9-11-2012 Tue. warm, sunny.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with kao-fu stew 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- nectarine 
DINNER --- steamed dumplings | zong-zi ( rice bundle in reed leaf wrap ) |  tomato and egg drop soup | fennel and radish salad | wine

 

• another shanghai food night

Kao-fu, Shanghai style

9-10-2012 Mon. warm, sunny.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with salmon and sauteed string beans 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple 
DINNER --- Shanghai-style stew of kao-fu ( wheat gluten tofu ), wood-ear, lily buds with peanuts |  parboiled baby spinach | stir-fried bitter melon | rice | fennel and cherry tomato salad | wine 


 

• used a little bacon in the kao-fu stew.

shishito peppers and purple beans

9-09-2012 Sun. warm, sunny. 


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | scallion pancake | grapes | Gouda cheese
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea 
DINNER --- foie gras with crackers | Spanish roasted almonds | shishito pepper tempura with dashi dipping sauce | steamed Brussels sprouts | sauteed string beans, green and purple | broiled salmon with scallion and ginger sauce | rice pilaf | fennel and cherry tomato salad | wine

 

• autumn is around the corner.  garden and tea house cleaning. shishito pepper plants are flowering and making three peppers so far.

Bocuse in your kitchen

9-08-2012 Sat. warm, storm.  


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | croissant | bread | Gouda cheese | grapes | lychee 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea 
DINNER ---  foie gras | bread | Moules mariniere ( fisherman's mussels ) | Pommes boulangeres ( baked scalloped potatoes with tomatoes and bacon )  | sauteed summer silk squash with yam noodles | fennel and tomato salad | wine 

 

• simple French, all goes well.