New Year Eve

12-31-2012 Mon. chilly, cloudy.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee | Norwegian pancake with apples 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea 
DINNER --- ( at Sonia's New Year Eve dinner party ) orange liquor | champagne | wine | dessert wine | espresso | cheese and bread | chips and salsa | persimmon and cucumber salad | winter bamboo shoot and mushroom salad | pita bread with pulled roasted pork , lettuce,  yogurt sauce and Harissa sauce | roasted root vegetables and sweet pepper | orange cake | holiday cookies 

 

• a new year has began

Homemade chocolate cake

12-30-2012 Sun. cold, windy. 



WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | orange bread | apple | scallion pancake 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea | pomegranate 
DINNER --- Champagne | baked Japanese sweet potato fries || fresh persimmon and grated cucumber salad |  simmered tofu duck with roasted red pepper | stir-fried eggplant and green chili with miso | sauteed lotus root |chive flower and chickpea flour pancake |  Shanghai-style fried rice with winter bamboo shoots, winter mushroom and young mustard green | steamed Japanese winter squash with seasoned crushed rice | sauteed spinach with spices | shochu|| homemade nutty chocolate cake | homemade orange ice cream | rum

 

• 8-dish dinner, the highlight is the nutty chocolate cake with orange ice cream, d.d.'s work.

garlic scape

12-29-2012 Sat. cold, snowy.  


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee with Baileys | apple | homemade orange bread  AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea | tangerine 
DINNER --- butternut squash and apple soup | sauteed french green beans | twice-cooked pork and garlic scape | braised and marinated duck breast | rice 

 

• fresh garlic scape in winter, sweet and garlicky

re-interpretated Thai

12-28-2012 Fri. cold, sunny.  


BREAKFAST --- ( at Kos Kaffe)  coffee | croissant 
LUNCH --- ( at Kinshop, NYC)Miang Of Montauk Fluke lychees, betel, chili jam & fried garlic | Red Leaf & Blood Orange brazil nuts, rice pearl & coconut vinaigrette |  Coconut Milk Soup roasted chestnuts, kaffir lime, pomegranate & chili oil | Massaman: Braised Goat Stew fried shallots, purple yams, mustard greens & toasted coconut | Jungle braised skate & calamari bok choy, pickled green peppercorns & crab paste | Black rice noodles  choy sum, hon-shimeji, pattypan sqush & fermented plum sauce | Crispy Roti | Jasmine rice
AFTERNOON-TEATIME ---  candied ginger

DINNER --- apple | tea 

 

• soak in Thai flavor

sushi and tapas in Boorklyn

12-27-2012 Thu. cold, windy.  


BREAKFAST --- (at Kos Kaffe, Brooklyn) cappuccino | croissant  
LUNCH --- ( at Mitoushi, Brooklyn)  sushi: yellow tail, Spanish mackerel, saba, eel
DINNER --- ( at La Vara, Brooklyn) cocktails | sherry | Anchoas En Aceite imported anchovies with sesame and hazelnuts | Alcachofa fried artichokes, anchovy alioli | Berenjena Con Miel crispy eggplant with honey, melted cheese, nigella seed | Croquetas Del Jamon ham croquettes | Coca De Cebes mallorcan flatbread, roasted onions, blue cheese | Escalivada charred peppers, leeks and okra, romesco | Cordero Al Ajo Cabañil cumin roasted lamb breast, scallion, preserved lemon-date condiment | Gurullos handmade murcian pasta, goat butter, ground goat, sumac | Garbanzo Rinconcillo chickpea and spinach stew  | Salted cod stuffed peppers | fried bread with chorizo and concord grapes | Torta Santiago galician almond cake | Egipcio orange blossom scented date walnut tart, lemon curd, sweet cream | Quesos imported spanish goats milk cheeses, candied squash | wine

 Brooklyn Heights 

 Dumbo

 Brooklyn downtown

• on-site survey of Brooklyn, landscape and food

Brooklyn Italian

12-26-2012 Wed. chilly, rain.  


 BREAKFAST --- coffee 
 LUNCH --- ( at La Villa, Brooklyn)  pizza ( prosciutto, arugula )
 AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- ( at Japanese bookstore , NYC)  cappuccino 
 DINNER --- ( at Convivium Osteria, Brooklyn)  poached quail with fig and port  |  simmered artichoke | grilled baby octopus with white giant beans and celery | pasta with house-made fennel sausage sauce | apple ravioli with duck ragu |  dark chocolate fig hazelnut torte | wine 

 "The clock" video installation at MOMA

 "Shadow Monsters" interactive piece at MOMA

• in miserable weather, going around the city for Brooklyn pizza, excellent Italian food and interesting art shows.

Miso-yuzu cake

12-25-2012 Tue. cold, cloudy.  


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | homemade orange bread | apple  
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea 
DINNER --- ( at M.M.'s)  cheese and bread | marinated broiled pork shoulder | spiced braised beef | cocktail shrimp | butternut squash and apple soup | green salad | spicy tofu salad | mussels in white wine and shallot broth | spinach pasta with tomato sauce  |  homemade miso yuzu 4-layer cake ( miso sponge cake base, persimmon mousse, apple tea jelly, yozu mousse, topped with dark chocolate twig ) | chocolate mousse cake | champagne and wine 

 

• it is a 7-hour cake!  it went fast so fast there is no time for pictures.

kamo rosu: seared marianted duck

12-24-2012 Mon. chilly, snow and rain


BREAKFAST --- coffee with Baileys  | fresh orange juice | homemade orange bread | grapefruit 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea | tangerine 
DINNER --- five-spice simmered fresh peanuts | baked Japanese sweet potato fries | sauteed young mustard greens with pickled chili sauce | kamo rosu, Japanese style pan-seared marinated duck breast | wine 

 

• 1 piece of duck breast, pack with a little salt and white miso, cover and refrigerate overnight. 
• wipe clean, sear both sides  in no-oil pan 
• dump the fat in the pan,  put duck aside 
• reheat the pan, add  sweet soy, mirin, two tbls Shōchū, water, slices of fresh ginger and lemon peel, heat to boil, reduce the heat and maintain the liquid temperature around 160F
• add  duck to the pan, poach till core temperature around 138F
• remove the duck from liquid, set aside and cover, let it cool to room temperature
• strain the liquid into a container, let it cool to room temperature
• discard the fat layer from liquid, add duck to liquid, cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or more. 
• before serving, take out duck, slice thin
• take some liquid and reduce it on stove top, then drizzle on duck in the serving plate 

a hint of French accent

12-23-2012 Sun. chilly, sunny.  


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee with Baileys | bread | prosciutto | goat cheese | grapefruit | scallion pancake
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea | roasted hazelnut | tangerine 
DINNER --- broiled lamb chops with Dijon mustard sauce | sauteed French string beans | pan-fried potatoes | wine 

 

•   traditional cooking style with high quality ingredients

tong-hao leaves and sea bream

12-22-2012 Sat. cold, high wind.  


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee with Baileys | homemade eggnog | grapefruit | bread | prosciutto    
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea | tangerine 
DINNER --- baked whole sea bream with ginger and sliced lemon | tong-hao leaves porridge with rushed peanuts | rice | wine 

 

• in winter season here tong-hao leaves are very fresh with strong flavor, the porridge goes so well with rice.

homemade pizza

12-21-2012 Fri. cold wind, cloudy.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- leftovers 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea
DINNER --- homemade pizza: onion + mozzarella cheese, roasted red pepper + mushroom + goat cheese, pepperoni + homemade tomato sauce + goat cheese |  glass noodle and fried tofu soup | wine 

• a nice warm dinner.

Chinese-style taco buns with pork

12-20-2012 Thu. cold, clouds.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with chive flowers and smoked tofu 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- Chinese taco: steamed buns with twice-cooked pork shoulder and sauteed leek | butternut squash and apple soup | wine 

 

• the pork is cooked just right this time, firm texture but not dry.

roots, flowers and fruits

12-19-2012 Wed. chilly, clouds.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with kau-fu stew 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- pan fried lotus root chips | butternut squash and apple soup | stir-fried chive flowers with smoked tofu | stir-fried bitter melon with fermented black beans | rice | wine 

• delicious vegetables in interesting forms

winter bamboo shoots

12-18-2012 Tue. chilly, clouds. 



BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with Brussels sprouts 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple 
DINNER --- stew of kao-fu with winter bamboo shoot, wood-ear, lily buds, carrot, and shiitake | boiled pea shoots with garlic sauce | baked Japanese sweet potato fries | rice | wine 

 

• delight of winter season

lotus root

12-17-2012 Mon. mild, rain and fog.

  

BREAKFAST --- coffee  
LUNCH --- bread | apple 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tangerine 
DINNER --- sauteed tofu with minced chicken | pan-fried Brussels sprouts | sweet and sour lotus root | rice | wine 


 

• 30 minutes rush

hot pot with lamb

12-16-2012 Sun. chilly, rain.  


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | scallion pancake | apple | bread and cheese
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea | pomegranate 
DINNER ---  seared sea scallops with greens | hot pot : pea shoots, napa cabbage, fried tofu, shiitake, yam noodles and sliced lamb, with sha-cha dipping sauce | wine   

 

• hotpot fits the chilly damp day

Holiday party

12-15-2012 Sat. chilly, sunny.  


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee with Baileys | croissant | bread and jam | apple  AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea 
DINNER --- ( at Marilu's holiday party) cucumber with red pepper hummus | tuna and turnip | cheese puff | smoked tofu salad | pan-fried Brussels sprouts with almonds | vegetable salad | wild rice | baked chicken rolls with prosciutto wrap and pesto sauce | broiled lamb rib crown with aioli | yule log cake | wine | beer 

 

• lots of food, wine and songs

Kamameshi

12-14-2012 Fri. chilly, sunny.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee 
LUNCH --- steamed dumplings 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- ( at Kotobuki ) steamed monkfish liver and pickled cucumber | eel kamameshi | beer

• true neighborhood authentic food