artichoke, fresh or marinated

4-30-2020 Thu. 


 DINNER ---  porridge with vegetable pickles | pasta with marinated artichoke hearts, radicchio, cherry tomato and smoked mussels | steamed fresh whole artichoke 

• symbol of spring 

workman's power lunch

4-29-2020 Wed. 


 DINNER --- pan-fried pork chop | stir-fried spicy cabbage 

• compact and high energy 

Japanese vegetables

4-28-2020 Tue. 


DINNER --- fried rice with onion, shiitake and roasted red pepper, egg | tofu soup  with beech mushroom and seaweed | parboiled Japanese green | baked Japanese sweet potato fries 

• all from local Japanese grocery. 

barley and kale

4-27-2020 Mon. 


DINNER ---  barley with tender kale and sweet pepper | scrambled eggs with tomato | pickled radish and cucumber 

• lean food 

would the pita be puffier?

4-26-2020 Sun. 


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | bread and cheese | fruit
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea
DINNER ---  cocktail | homemade baba ganoush | homemade pita bread |  parboiled baby spinach with pickled seaweed seasoning |  smoked salmon 

• wetter dough, higher temperature. puffiness did not increase. call for more experiments 

soba and duck from home kitchen

4-25-2020 Sat. 


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | fruit | scallion pancake 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- guacamole | port 
DINNER --- simmered  kabocha |  pickled radish and cucumber| chilled duck breasts | soba with dashi dipping broth 

towpath hike 

 a lock ruin along the towpath

 old oak tree a silence witness of towpath history 

 a still bird waiting for ? 

• hiking along towpath, so green there, spring marches on regardless what crisis humanity has. 
• visited local Japanese grocery shop, glad to see their business is going well in this difficult time, sushi sold out two hours before closing. 
• inspired by conversion with dd about soba in Japan,  the chilled duck is pared with soba today. 

four-step making chilled duck breast

4-24-2020 Fri. 


DINNER --- marinated and chilled duck breast | French green lentils with shallot, celery and carrot | sauteed cauliflower with bell pepper 

reduce marinade 

 sear the duck 

 after 10 minute hot water bath in sealed bag

 marinated and chilled overnight

• 30 minutes cooking,  overnight marinating and chilling. the texture and flavor settle in.

homemade puffy pita and baba ganoush

4-23-2020 Thu.


 DINNER --- homemade puffy pita bread | homemade baba ganoush | sauteed fresh peas with bean curd and roasted red pepper | pickled radish and cucumber 

• pita puffs like a pillow.  baba ganoush is creamy with earthy eggplant flavor.  

steamed egg custard

4-22-2020 Wed.


DINNER --- steamed egg custard | pickled greens and radish | pan-fried Brussels sprouts  rice 

• low stress cooking 

sweet potato sweet peas

4-21-2020 Tue. 


 DINNER --- baked Japanese sweet potato fries | sauteed sweet snap peas | cauliflower with curry leaves 

 everyday new growth of bigleaf magnolia 

• weekday vegetables 

bright spring time

4-20-2020 Mon. 


DINNER ---  berries, grapes and mango | guacamole | oats porridge with pickles 

new in garden: poppies  

the new bigleaf magnolia:  growing leaves 

• garden is in glorious light. 
• try to have one day a week limited diet