fast food from home cooking

9-30-2014 Tue.  mild, clouds.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- potato with Romesco sauce 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- concord grapes  | green tea
DINNER ---  pan-fried pork cutlet | stir-fried spicy Chinese cabbage | sauteed bitter melon | rice | salad | wine 

 

• the month is ending, rush rush

another batch from lobster shell

9-29-2014 Mon. mild, cloudy


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with chive flowers and smoked tofu 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER ---  lobster bisque | toasts | baby potatoes with Romesco sauce | sauteed mustard green | squash blossom salad | wine

•  continue the bisque practice. 

a sweet pair: shishito and piquillo

9-28-2014 Sun. warm, sunny.  


WEEKEND BRUNCH --- ( Arlington )  dim sum
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- coffee | figs
DINNER ---  pan-fried shishito peppers | sauteed pea shoots with Mao-tai liquor | stuffed piquillo peppers | rice | wine

 

• though evolved in opposite color and far apart, they are so cute together, sweet and petite

lobster bisque

9-27-2014 Sat. mild, sunny.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee | croissant | cheese and bread | figs | apple 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME ---( R.B. Brewery ) Oktoberfest
DINNER --- ( Marilu's )  lobster bisque  | Maine lobster | ginger and rice vinegar dipping sauce | salad | meshed potato | plum tart | beer and wine

 

• all come down to a sip from a small cup. intense flavor and very satisfying

hats off to matsutake mushroom

9-26-2014 Fri. mild, sunny.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- steamed dumplings and baked squash 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER ---  roasted matsutake mushroom brush with dashi, seven-spice and mustard oil  | scrambled eggs with tomato | stir-fried chive flowers with smoked tofu and braised beef  |  sauteed taro root with scallions | rice | wine 

 

• matsutake mushrooms are not pretty at all,  they carry intense truffle-like flavor and silky firm texture, therefore command impressive price

squash boat

9-25-2014 cool, rain.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- steamed dumplings 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- baked squash boat with seasoned cracked wheat filling | roasted new potatoes with rosemary | sauteed mustard greens | salad | wine 

 

• try another kind of fall squash, sweet and tender. covered with foil and baked at 425d for 40 minutes. the filling is pre-cooked cracked wheat, onion, celery, herbs, chorizo, spices and olive oil 

steamed dumplings

9-24-2014 Wed. cool, clouds.  



BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- steamed shao-mai
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple 
DINNER --- steamed dumplings with minced lamb and celery fillings | salad | wine

 

• middle week hump, keep the sunny side up

a big bowl of ramen noodle

9-23-2014 Tue. mild, clouds. 



BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- baked cracked wheat in squash 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- pear
DINNER --- ramen noodle bowl with braised beef, taro root, cilantro and smoked tofu and sake lees beef broth

 

• sake lees makes the beef broth rich and creamy

simply gathering

9-22-2014 Mon. mild, sunny.



BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- Turkish clam rice
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- pear 
DINNER --- parboiled water cress and smoked tofu salad | corn on the cub | baguette and truffle cheese | wine 

 

• parboiled water cress works very well with smoked tofu and mustard oil, a little subtle and fresh kick  

romescada

9-21-2014 Sun. warm, sunny.  


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee |  scallion pancake | grapes | apple 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME ---  Champagne | cheese | baguette 
DINNER --- Catalan stew with shrimp and squid in Romesco sauce | toasted bread | salad | wine 

 

•  real truffle embedded in this unusual Swiss soft cheese
• Catalan seafood stew , recipe from David Tanis's NYT column

creamy cheese and creamy taro root

9-20-2014 Sat. mild, sunny.  


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | croissant | cheese and bread | concord grapes | raspberries 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea | taro root
DINNER --- sauteed bitter melon | soy and rice wine braised short ribs | rice | salad | wine

 

• a good autumn afternoon snack : simmered taro roots with seven-spice and mustard seed oil

a step into early fall mediterranean

9-19-2014 Fri. mild, sunny.  


 BREAKFAST --- coffee
 LUNCH --- clam rice and cauliflower
 AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
 DINNER --- baked squash stuffed with olive oil seasoned cracked wheat, Spanish chorizo, onion and celery | cod and potato stew in pimento sauce | Burrata and tomato salad | wine

 

• the cute colorful squash is tender sweet socked with flavors from the stuffing.

blossoms, zucchini and saffron

9-18-2014 Thu. mild, clouds. 


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- potatoes and sauteed cauliflower
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple 
DINNER --- burrata cheese, tomato,  arugula and zucchini blossoms | smoked tofu and cilantro | curry cauliflower | clam rice with saffron | wine 

 

• blossoms are sweet, fresh or dried

BBQ buns at airport

9-17-2014  Wed. mild, sunny.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- ( at airport) steamed BBQ buns 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea | banana 
DINNER --- Shanghai ji-cai wonton soup 

 

• back to kitchen

margarita!

9-16-2014 Tue. mild, sunny. 



BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- homemade pita bread sandwich
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- coffee | apple
DINNER --- ( at Rio Grande ) margarita | shrimp ceviche | toasted quesadillas grilled steak 

 

• the good old Rio Grande in Rockies

pita bread sndwich and local beer

9-15-2014 Mon. mild, sunny.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- ( Z.Z.'s)  homemade pita bread pesto sandwich 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- coffee | wild crabapple
DINNER --- ( at a local brewery ) local beer | shepherd's pie 

• work day and beer evening

Balkan cheese at the foot of the Roky Mountains

9-14-2014 Sun. mild, sunny.  


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | bread and cheese | grapes | pan-fried goyza
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- ( on plane) tea 
DINNER --- ( at Z.Z.'s place) chicken noodle soup | Balkan Cheese Borek  | Bulgarian yogurt 

 

• see mountains and  friends

colorful squash

9-13-2014 Sat. mild, clouds.  


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | croissant | cheese and bread | grapes | apple 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea 
DINNER --- roasted squash with spice rub | pan-fried sea bream with ginger and scallion sauce | sauteed mustard green | rice | salad | wine

 

• pumpkins and colorful squash showing up at the market now.

end to end real vegetables

9-12-2014 Fri. mild, sunny.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with  vegetable ragu
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- pan-fried Japanese eggplant  | radicchio salad | caramelized onion and carrots | boiled new potatoes | wine

 

• a hint of fall season in the air

pixelsized

9-11-2014 Thu. warm, clouds and rain.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with cauliflowers 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- fried rice with egg, green onion, smoked tofu and Japanese cured tiny fish | eggplant relish | salad  | wine 

 

 

• fine chopping.

pasta save the day

9-10-2014 Wed. warm, cloudy.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- forgotten
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea  
DINNER --- sauteed shrimp with mushroom and radicchio  | sauteed baby spinach with garlic and mustard oil | pasta with homemade tomato sauce | salad | wine 

 

 

• almost running out of steam