five-course dinner in the garden

5-31-2014 Sat. warm, sunny.  


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | croissant | baguette  | French cheese | raspberries | strawberries | mango 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea
DINNER ---  chips and avocado dip | burrata with olives and basil | Japanese cured fish roe | pasta with king mushroom and manila clams | salad | wine | French chocolate and rum

 

• a perfect day to hang out in the garden

goyza and herb soup

5-30--2014 Fri. warm, cloudy.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- steamed ji-cai buns 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- herb soup with poached egg and tomato | pan-fried goyza | salad | wine 

 

• simple and satisfying

Thai-themed semi-fast-food

5-29-2014 Thu. cool, rain.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee  
LUNCH --- steamed dumplings 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- ( at Shophouse ) rice noodle bowl with green curry | Lao beer 

they are one hundred year apart

 

• tried out ShopHouse, it is kind of oxymoron,  Asian makeshift shopfront food stuffed in clean-cut corporation-run hiphouse.

steamed lamb dumplings

5-28-2014 Wed.  cool, cloudy.

  
BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- lamb stew 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- steamed dumplings with lamb. fresh dill and mustard green filling | salad | wine 

 

• mustard green no longer fresh somehow.

spicy cabbage

5-27-2014 Tue. mild, rain.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- zong-zi 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- nectarine 
DINNER --- stew of lamb,potato and fava beans | spicy cabbage | salad | wine 

 

• as casual as it can be on Tuesdays

 

unformed terrine and formed burrata

5-26-2014 Mon. warm, sunny.


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | scallion pancake |  bread and cheese | raspberries | apple 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea 
DINNER --- burrata cheese with beefsteak tomato |  unformed terrine of braised lamb shank |Shanghai salsa | steamed zong-zi ( seasoned rice bundle with braised pork) | stir-fried spring bamboo shoots, mustard green and tofu skin | salad | wine || cognac and French chocolate  

 

• the end note of the holiday: Port and Cognac. a food and drink tour started in Portugal, then to Italy, jumped to Shanghai, looped back to France.

simply delightful

5-25-2014 Sun. warm, sunny. 


 WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | baguette | French cheese | apple | raspberries 
 AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea | French nougat 
 gin and tonic | cheese twist |
 DINNER --- gin and tonic | beefsteak tomato and watercress | raspberries | oysters || steamed artichoke with citrous butter | grilled chanterelle mushroom with live oil and sea salt | poached white fish with white miso and citrous custard | grilled fresh lamb sausage | sauteed spring bamboo shoots and tofu skin | fingerling potatoes | wine 

mushroom stands at farmer's market 

Chinese dumplings at farmer's market 

 

• no complains,  beautiful day, lively market,  delightful flowers , delicious food and drink

quenelle reshaped

5-24-2014 Sat. warm, sunny.  


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | baguette | French cheese | raspberries |  apple AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- Gin and tonic | cheese twist | toasted bread | fois gras | French cheese | olives
DINNER --- steamed potatoes with parsley | French lentils | quenelle (remake) | salad | wine

 walking through IRS

 

• quenelle went through a remake, this time with a dumpling shape, but texture too dense.

French twist

5-23-2014 Fri. warm, sunny.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- baguette and French cheese | nectarine
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea 
DINNER --- ( for Inger and Jan)  homemade baked cheese twist |  foie gras | salami | baguette | wine || Burrata cheese with slightly pickled cucumber and beech mushroom | fish quenelle with cream sauce and black truffle | lamb stuffed Holland eggplant | French green lentils with vegetables and mustard vinegar dressing || French artisan chocolate | tea 

 

• first try on fish quenelle from scratch. no recipe talked about dumplings could disintegrate during poaching even at below-boiling temperatures.