Kao-fu and glistening rice

3-31-2013 Sun. chilly, rain. 


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee |  scone | apple | sage bread | Norwegian goat cheese
AFTERNOON-TEATIME ---  tea
DINNER --- sauteed mustard green with minced garlic | simmered kao-fu with bamboo shoots, wood-ear and maitake mushroom | glistening rice | wine 

 

• take time to cook the rice properly in Japanese way: wash for 5 minutes, then souk for an hour. the actual cooking time on stove is shortened to 15 minutes, then rest for 10 minutes.  It makes huge improvement on texture and apperance.

bronzini and etc.

3-30-2013 Sat. mild, sunny.  


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | croissant | mango | scallion pancake | apple AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea 
DINNER --- baked Japanese sweet potato fries | Vietnamese style crispy shrimp patties with rice noodle salad | butternut squash and granny smith apple soup | baked whole bronzini with ginger and scallion | seasoned pilaf rice | sauteed asparagus with garlic | wine | ice cream with mango | green tea and tea sweets 

 

• dinner well received

stuffed gluten puff

3-29-2013 Fri. mild, sunny.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with sauteed mushroom and greens 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- simmered gluten puff stuffed with minced chicken with roasted red pepper| caramelized carrots and onion with bacon, parsley and cilantro | rice | wine 

• the end of a hard-working week

Ochazuke, yellow tail

3-28-2013 Thu. chilly, cloudy.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- pasta with sofrito sauce
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- Ochazuke, lightly marinated yellow tail, shrimp cake, king mushroom, pickles, rice with green tea | sauteed Chinese greens | wine 

 

• the fish is not marinated well enough.

Provencal garlic soup

3-27-2013 Wed. chilly, sunny.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with chive flowers and smoked tofu, Vietnamese-style fish cake AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER ---  Provencal garlic soup with poached egg and toast |  pasta with homemade sofrito sauce | sauteed radicchio | wine 

 

such a cold spring,still feeling to have winter food

Spanish mackeral going Japanese

3-26-2013 Tue. chilly, sunny. 


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- saffron rice with sauteed bitter melon 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- white miso marinated and broiled Spanish mackerel | stir-fried chive flowers with smoked tofu | hong-hao porridge | rice | wine 

 

• fish tasted very good,  with sweet flavor of white miso and firm texture.

lamb kabob with saffron rice

3-25-2013 Mon. chilly, snow to rain.



BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- pizza 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- broiled lamb kabob with spices | yu-xiang eggplant | sauteed bitter melon | saffron rice | wine 

• cut of lamb leg, marinated for two days. 
• belated snow in spring 

homemade pizza

3-24-2013 Sun. chilly, cloudy. 

  

WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee |  orange bread | mango | apple 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea
DINNER --- homemade pizza , topping: caramelized onion, eggplant and pepperoni | wine

 

• it is time to experiment different flour mix for pizza dough.

Spanish mackerel, Shanghai style

3-23-2013 Sat. chilly, sunny.  


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | homemade orange bread | apple | mango | orange juice
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea
DINNER ---  Spanish mackerel, pan-fried and marinated with sweet soy and spice broth | sauteed bitter melon | tong-hao porridge | wine 

 cooked marinade:  ginger, shallot, star anise, sweet soy, rice wine, sugar

 soaking after frying

 briefly broiled before serving

 

• frying is a bit messy, the resulted fish is satisfying. the marinade gives fish a smoked flavor.

Chinese taco buns

3-22-2013 Fri. cold, sunny.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with sauteed mustard green
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- steamed Chinese taco buns with braised beef, caramelized onion, radicchio and cilantro | napa cabbage and tofu soup | wine 

 

• back to normal routine.

leftover ingredients

3-22-2013 Thu. cold, windy.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- steamed dumplings 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea
DINNER --- stir-fried shiitake, purple Brussels sprouts and red pepper | simmered silken tofu and minced chicken | sauteed mustard green | rice | wine 

• using up odds and ends

cold spring

3-21-2013 Wed. chilly, sunny. 

BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- ( at A. Bookstore ) barley and mushroom soup 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME ---espresso
DINNER --- steamed dumplings | wine 

 

•   the barley soup at the bookstore is very good, and the book collection is interesting too.

Home kitchen Chinese

3-19-2013 Tue. mild, sunny. 

  

 BREAKFAST --- coffee
 LUNCH --- ( at F.H. Grill, Annap.)  vegetable wrap and cream crab soup 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- coffee
DINNER --- pan-fried pork chop | sauteed mustard green | stir-fried bamboo shoots, shiitake, and roasted red pepper | rice | wine 

 

• Andy cooks Chinese

chicken two ways, Thai

3-18-2013 Mon. chilly, rain.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- ( at lemongrass, Annap. ) satay | tom yum gai ( hot and sour chicken soup)
AFTERNOON-TEATIME ---  coffee
DINNER ---stir-fried Chinese eggplant with shallots | pan-fried Brussels sprouts | garlic bread | rice | wine 

• Thai chicken with American blandness

eat green

3-17-2013 Sun. cold, drizzle.  



WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- green tea | bread and cheese | grapefruit | strawberry AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea 
DINNER --- pan-fried lotus root chips | guacamole with toasted bread | sauteed Chinese greens | stir-fried bamboo shoots and lotus root | rice | wine 

 

• lots of green decoration and drinking out there, we eat green instead

waiting for spring in the tea house

3-16-2013 Sat. mild, cloudy.  


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | cranberry scone | bread and cheese | grapefruit
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- ( in the tea house with friends ) Longjing green tea | tea snacks  DINNER --- steamed shaomai | baked whole sea bream with ginger and scallion | sauteed asparagus | pan-fried baby potatoes with onion | wine 

 

• a good tea time

French style caramelized carrots

3-15-2013 Fri. chilly, cloudy.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH ---pasta with vegetable ragu sauce
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- caramelized carrots with smkoed bacon, onion and parsley | stir-fried chive flowers with fried tofu and king mushroom | lightly pickled cecumber and Belgian endive | rice | wine 

 

 

• first had this amazing carrot dish at a cozy garden meal in Paris many years ago

wine-braised short ribs

3-14-2013 Thu. cold, sunny.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with mustard greens
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- butternut squash and apple soup | wine and soy braised short ribs with star anise and ginger | sauteed mustard greens | lightly pickled cucumber and cherry tomato salad | rice | wine 

 

• pretty cold still, not quite the time for cool salad yet

cover the ground with vegetables

3-13-2013 Wed. chilly, cloudy.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple 
DINNER --- butternut squash and apple soup | pasta with vegetable ragu sauce and black olives | sauteed radicchio | wine 

 

• there are 8 kinds of vegetables in this meal

simple but still real food

3-12-2013 Tue. chilly rain.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- ( at roundtable ) salad | soup | bread 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- sauteed mustard greens | scrambled eggs with tomato | simmered fish with mushroom and gingko nuts  | rice | wine

 

• not much

stir-fry of vegetables

3-11-2013 Mon. mild, cloudy.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with sauteed eggplant and shrimp patty 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple 
DINNER --- stir-fried chive flowers, smoked tofu and needle mushroom | stir-fried lotus root and asparagus | rice | wine 

 

• satisfaction guaranteed

Otoshi buta the little pig drop-lid for simmering

3-10-2013 Sun. warm, sunny.  


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | Norwegian pancake with apple and Norwegian goat cheese | grapefruit 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea | little mountain nuts | Chinese preserved plums 
DINNER --- red snapper ceviche with Belgine endive | simmered mackerel and daikon in white miso dashi broth, with fried tofu and gingko nuts | sauteed Chinese greens | rice | wine

 the little pig  drop-lid for simmering( Otoshi buta ) from MOMA

 

• the snorting little pig drop-lid worked great for this simmering pot of mackerel, daikon, tofu and gingko nuts