loaded with fresh vegetables

11-30-2013 Sat. warm, sunny.  


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | Shan-dong style pancake from street vendor | shanghai style vegetable soup wonton 
LUNCH ---  soup noodles with crab meat 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea
DINNER --- stir-fried rome beans | stir-fried peas and mushrooms | sauteed eggplant with fermented black bean source | sauteed carrots and Chinese asparagus | steamed fish | rice 

 

 

• terrific market, terrible kitchen

through the clouds

11-29-2013 cold, sunny. 


BREAKFAST --- ( on plane) coffee
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- (on plane)  tea | airline food
DINNER --- wonton soup 

• landed

in the air

11-28-2013 Thu. cold, sunny.  


BREAKFAST --- ( on plane)  coffee  
LUNCH --- ( at SF airport) ramen noodles 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tangerine | homemade onion bread
DINNER --- airline food 

 

• test of endurance and tolerance

whatever leftover

11-27-2013 Wed. cold, cloudy.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with mustard  greens 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- stir-fried spicy cabbage |  pan-fried baby finger potato with cilantro | cucumber and wood-ear | wine 

 

• using up the last bits of food in the fridge

chinese flat-leaf chives

11-26-2013 Tue.cold, rain.  


 BREAKFAST --- coffee
 LUNCH --- potato stew 
 AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
 DINNER --- sauteed mustard greens | stir-fried Chinese flat leaf chives with smoked tofu and shiitake mushrooms | rice |wine

 

• easy going 

chorizo and potato stew

11-25-2013 Mon. cold, cloudy.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- leftovers 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- potato and Spanish chorizo stew | sauteed eggplant | Brussels sprouts | wine

 

• winding down

keep the oven busy in a cold day

11-24-2013 Sun. cold, cloudy.  


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- shrimp wonton soup 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- coffee
DINNER --- ( for Oreste and Francesca )  baked Japanese sweet potato fries | green tomato chutney with crackers || butternut squash and apple soup | roasted potato and carrot pie | cauliflower "couscous" with lemon zest, shallots, Brussels sprouts and broiled Chanterelle  mushrooms |  cabbage rolls with soy "duck" and chili sauce | wine || homemade eclairs 

 

• keep the oven busy in a very cold day. eclairs puff up in the second try. 

Shanghai-style braised pork and chestnuts

11-23-2013 Sat. chilly, windy.  


 WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | croissant | scallion pancake | apple | grapes
 AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea
 DINNER --- shanghai style braised short ribs with chestnuts and quail eggs | stir-fried green beans | rice | wine 

•  go easy and  homey 

go there when you can

11-22-2013 Fri. mild, damp.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- pasta 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- ( at Faryab ) aushak | bulanee | pakowray kachalu | cuabili pallow | kabu | sabsi | wine 

• so much comfort

pasta

11-21-2013 Thu. mild, cloudy.  

 
 BREAKFAST --- coffee
 LUNCH --- rice with cauliflowers 
 AFTERNOON-TEATIME ---apple
 DINNER --- pasta with homemade tomato sauce | sauteed sliced Brussels sprouts | wine

• sadness sinks in

Goodness and Mercy

11-20-2013 Wed. chilly, sunny.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with napa cabbages and smoked tofu
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tangerine
DINNER --- sauteed eggplant with fermented fava bean sauce | sauteed cauliflowers with tomato | twice-cooked pork | rice | wine

 ________________________________________________________

 移舟泊烟渚，日暮客愁新

• Tonight's reading is  "Goodness and Mercy" by Alice Munro

vegetable leading characters

11-19-2013 Tue. chilly, windy. 


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with vegetables 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tangerine 
DINNER ---caramelized carrots and onion with bacon and cilantro | stir-fried Chinese greens | sitr-fried smoked tofu and napa cabbage, sunchoke, wood-ear | rice | wine 

 

• vegetarian night

cod fritters

11-18-2013 Mon. mild, sunny.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice and vegetables 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tangerine 
DINNER --- cod fritters |  Chinese greens with tomato | rice | vegetable pickles | wine 

 

• did not have time to make aioli and romesco dipping for code fritters

duck two ways

11-17-2013 Sun. mild, damp.  


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | limpa bread | apple | tangerine 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea | green tomato chutney and crackers 
DINNER ---  twice cooked duck served in Peking duck style with scallions, thin pancake and homemade hoisin sauce | clay pot of noodle with wine simmered duck | wine

 

•   clay pot of simmered noodles with duck and broth, the layering sequence and timing  need more experiments

Chiense yellow chives

11-16-2013 Sat. mild, clouds and rain. 



WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | limpa bread | scallion pancake | apple | tangerine 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea 
DINNER ---  green tomato chutney on crackers | pan-fried cod with yellow pepper | sauteed baby spinach | Chinese yellow chives with scrambled eggs | rice | wine 

 

• yellow chive is  a special treat, sweet tender and pungent

three pots

11-15-2013 Fri. cool, cloudy.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- cauliflower couscous
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER ---  stew of potato with chorizo and rosemary | chive flowers with smoked tofu | sauteed eggplant with fermented fava bean sauce | rice | wine 

 

• surprisingly hearty

cauliflower couscous

11-14-2013 Thu. chilly, sunny. 


 BREAKFAST --- coffee
 LUNCH --- steamed dumplings 
 AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
 DINNER --- cauliflower couscous | Chinese taco bun with BBQ pork shoulder and caramelized onion | wine 

 

• an interesting way to cook cauliflower as couscous, very similar texture, but 100% vegetables

between Shanghai and Tokyo

11-13-2013 Wed. chilly, sunny. 



BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with cauliflower
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER ---  tong-hao porridge | tea quail egg | steamed dumplings | baked Japanese sweet potato fries | sake 

 

 

• a mixture of Japanese and Chinese homey food

pretty and crunchy

11-12-2013 Tue. chilly, sunny.  

 BREAKFAST --- coffee
 LUNCH --- rice with kao-fu
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- sauteed cauliflowers with tomato | sauteed bitter melon with fermented black beans | rice | wine 

 

• seems to be unusual to have  dishes with one ingredient only.

songs of the earth, in a simmering pot

11-12-2013 Mon. chilly,  sun to clouds.


 BREAKFAST --- coffee | limpa bread 
 LUNCH --- shrimp wonton soup 
 AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea 
 DINNER --- simmered pot of wheat gluten with sunchoke, wood-ear, carrots, and shiitake mushroom | tong-hao porridge with crushed spicy peanuts | rice | wine 

 

• a melting pot of roots and mushrooms with wheat gluten.

Limpa bread and Norwegian goat cheese

11-10-2013 Sun. chilly sunny.  


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | homemade limpa bread with Norwegian goat cheese | apple | grapes 
AFTERNOON-CONCERT-DRINK  --- ( at R. B.) beer | fried squid and jalapeno 
DINNER --- ( at H. M. Korean )  Galbi  beef and chicken | kimchi pancake 

 

• Mahler No. 4, a good concert and nice hangout afterwards

tender green baby artichokes and burning red maple leaves

11-09-2013 Sat. chilly, sunny.



WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | croissant | scallion pancake | grapes | apple  AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | tea-soy-spice braised quail eggs
DINNER --- pan-fried baby artichokes with leek and lemon sauce | sauteed Japanese mustard greens | quinoa with roasted walnuts and dill | wine 

 Jerusalem artichoke and baby globe artichoke

 

• it is a surprise  to find tender green baby artichokes at the market in the time of  brilliant red foliage .