simmering

7-31-2015 Fri. hot, sunny.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- pasta 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- nectarine 
DINNER --- simmered Japanese squash and mushroom | simmered eggplant with fermented fava bean sauce and garlic | rice | salad | wine 

 

• a break from humid weather

gazpacho and pesto

7-30-2015 Thu.hot, sunny.  


 BREAKFAST --- coffee
 LUNCH --- steamed dumplings 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- nectarine
DINNER --- gazpacho | pasta with pesto sauce |  stir-fried chive flowers and green chili | salad | wine 

 

• good  juicy tomato is essential for gazpacho, fresh basil is essential for pesto

steamed dumplings

7-29-2015 Wed. hot, sunny.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- leftovers 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- nectarine
DINNER --- steamed dumplings | salad | wine 

 

•   added some green beans in the filling

a day of melons

7-28-2015 Tue. hot, clouds. 


BREAKFAST --- ( at WF ) coffee | croissant 
LUNCH --- leftovers 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- watermelon | grapes 
DINNER --- sauteed bitter melon with egg | stir-fried chive flowers with smoked tofu | rice | salad | wine

 

• minimized washing, no running water still

out of norm

7-27-2015 Mon. hot, clouds.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- leftovers
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea
DINNER --- sauteed Chinese silk gourd and egg | steamed Chinese eggplant with garlic sauce | rice | salad | wine
( for  late-arrival guests : Chinese taco buns with BBQ pork and onion, pan-fried goyza ) 

 

• we gave up a car in the morning, we lost water in the evening, what a day

local crabs

7-26-2015 Sun.  hot, sunny.  


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | bread and cheese | watermelon 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- lychee 
DINNER ---  steamed blue crabs | new potato | sauteed green beans | pan-fried lamb sausage | salad | wine 

 

• one time deal

chanterelle mushrooms and quinoa

7-25-2015 Sat. hot, sunny.  


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | croissant | bread and cheese | honeydew 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- watermelon 
DINNER --- grilled fresh chanterelle mushrooms | grilled salmon | pan-fried shishito peppers | herb quinoa 

 

• luxury item, from farmer's market

art of cutting

7-24-2015 Fri. hot, sunny.

BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- pasta 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- nectarine 
DINNER --- baby eggplant tempura | stir-fried green beans |  threaded potato curry | pasta | wine 

 

• a fun thing to do

sweet corn and zucchini

7-23-2015 Thu. hot, some rain.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with vegetables 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- nectarine 
DINNER --- sauteed sweet corn and green chili | watercress salad  | pasta with zucchini and marinated mackerel | wine

 

• a mid-week visit to the farmer's market

fresh soy beans and pickled gourd

7-22-2015 Wed. hot, sunny.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with vegetables 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- nectarine 
DINNER --- Shanghai style ragu: fresh soy bean, pickled gourd, green chili and smoked tofu | stir-fried Chinese string beans | rice | Chinese taco buns with pork | salad | wine

 

• Shanghai style summer meal

more vegetables

7-21-2015 Tue. hot, clouds and rain. 


 BREAKFAST --- coffee
 LUNCH --- rice with fish 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- peach
DINNER --- simmered eggplant with roasted red pepper | sauteed bitter melon | scrambled eggs with tomato | rice | salad | wine 

 

• need to fix the camera setting

Si-chuan flavor

7-20-2015 Mon. hot, sunny.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee | watermelon | scallion pancake
LUNCH --- shao-mai 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- parboiled fresh soy beans
DINNER ---  white fish ceviche | Si-chuan style spicy tofu | Chinese taco with twice-cooked pork,  caramelized onion with Pixian femented fava bean sauce, and cilantro | salad | wine 

 

• ma-la

new potatoes and fresh chard

7-19-2015 Sun. very hot, sunny.  


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | bread and cheese | watermelon | plums 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea
DINNER --- cocktail shrimp | sauteed chard | new potatoes | wine braised lamb shank | salad | wine 

 

•  deep  in the summer

summer fruits

7-18-2015 Sat. hot, sunny.  


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | croissant | bread and cheese | watermelon | cherries AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- lychee 
DINNER --- shanghai-style smoked fish | stir-fried green beans | rice | salad | wine
 

 

• variety of summer fruits and vegetables at  a new local farmer's stand

one bowl meal

7-17-2015 Fri. hot, sunny.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- steamed dumplings
AFTERNOON-TEATIME ---water melon
DINNER --- ramen noodles with twice-cooked pork shoulder and spinach | salad | wine 

 

•   at home, totally

Italian snail ragout and Maryland crab cake

7-16-2015 Thu. warm, sunny.  


 BREAKFAST --- coffee
 LUNCH --- ( at Sotto Sopra, Baltimore ) Polenta Soffice con Ragu di Lumache ( soft polenta, snail ragout, garlic butter ) | Rigatoni alle Melanzane e Mozzarella ( rigatoni pasta, roasted eggplant, fresh mozzarella  ) 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- coffee
DINNER --- (at Gertrudes at the BMA, Baltimore)  cocktails and beer | oyster | Baltimore crab cake | fried catfish | Gumbo | goat cheese cake | sorbet | coffee

• terrific food at Sotta Sopra, with precision and balance at high professional level, wondered where they got those incredible fresh mozzarella
• Gertrudes at BMA has very pleasant outdoor seating and straight-forward  southern style cooking.

steamed dumplings

7-15-2015 Wed. warm, cloudy.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- sandwich 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- coffee
DINNER --- steamed dumplings | salad | wine

• yes we will have dumplings

Alma

7-14-2015 Tue. hot, sunny.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee  
LUNCH --- ( at TenTen Noodles, Baltimore) house made ramen noddles 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea
DINNER --- ( at Alma, Baltimore )  Asado Negro (Slow roasted beef in dark caramel sauce, plantains, cucumber pickles) | B-more Pepeada ( Crab meat, house Old Bay avocado mayo, cilantro mojo) |  Palitos de Yuca Frita (Golden yucca fries served with cilantro mojo) | Tiradito Mahi (House-cured mani-mahi with five sauces, crumbled cassava bread, microgreens) | Polvorosa de Pollo Caraqueña (Caracas style tender chicken and vegetable deconstructed pie, a drizzle of papelón) || La Sombra del Mezcal ( Suerte Blanco Tequila, La Sombra Mezcal, fresh squeezed lemon and lime juice, papelón syrup, cilantro mojo, jalapeño, mole bitters) | El Batín (Pierde Almas Jovan Mezcal, Black Barrel Single Grain Scotch, orange bitters, smoke) | Devotion to Peach (Poached peach, white chocolate mousse, peach compote reduction, peach vanilla gel, almond crumble)

• Alma is a new restaurant tagged as " Venezuelan inspired", threw in some Peruvian. amusing menu writing,  pretty decor, pleasant service.  the food is not as refined good as their names and pictures.