poached manila clams with Thai basil

10-10-2020 Sat. 

WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | toast | fruit

AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea

DINNER ---  table-top poached manila clams with Thai basil | baguette | stir-fried Chinese celery with bean curd 

latest cuttings from garden 

taro roots from Ecuador, red pepper from Canada 

• amazed by food from all over the map, in a local Chinese market. 

with all the pretty shells

7-01-2020 Wed. 


 DINNER ---  table steamed manila clams in ginger and thai basil broth |  burrata salad | French lentils || tea | home made  macaron with purple potato and black pepper accent , apricot filling 

• very fresh clams, very pretty macarons 

fish and clams

4-11-2020 Sat. 


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | croissant | bread and cheese | fruit 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea
DINNER --- gin and tonic |  tabletop poached manila clams | bread | pan-fried silver pomfret | parboiled canola greens 

bronzino is out of supply at the market for the first time.  

from the sea

12-08-2018 Sat. 


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | bread and cheese | fruit 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea
DINNER --- tofu soup with manila clam and wood ear | sauteed pea sprouts | parboiled beet greens | baked bronzino 

• fresh load from Chinese store 

marinated and chilled manila clams

9-25-2018 Tue. 


 DINNER --- eggplant with fermented fava bean sauce | simmered winter melon and weed ear | parboiled pea leaves | marinated and chilled manila clams  

• an experiment on saving clams for a couple of days, good results with a marinate of wine, clam juice, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, pepper. 

Pasta alle Vongole

5-21-2018 Mon. 


DINNER --- pasta with manila clams, sauce reduced from Japanese cooking wine, clam juice, lemon juice, garlic, leek, jalapeno and threaded salami| Shanghai salsa 

• the pasta turns out very nicely, one head of garlic 

Italian and French

9-23-2017 Sat. 


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | croissant | bread and cheese | fruit 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea
DINNER --- burrata salad |  sauteed dandelion | pasta with manila clams | wine | canele | mini cake  

• Lavande Patisserie got the young pastry master back! After a period of mediocrity, now those mini cakes are amazing again, with superb flavors and incredible precision. 

Seattle and Amazon

11-08-2015 Sun. cool, rain. 


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH ---  manila clam soup noddles 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea
DINNER --- baked Japanese sweet potato fries | baked cod with spices | eggplant stew with tomato and celery | caramelized carrots with herbs | stir-fried chive flowers with chanterelle mushroom | wine

 

• great seafood and vegetable selection in grocery stores,  poor book selection in Amazon's first real book store.

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

all with shells ad bones

4-19-2014 Sat. warm, sunny.  


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | croissant | grapes | strawberries | bread and cheese  AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea
DINNER --- pan-fried butterflied prawn with sea beans | par-boiled fresh garbanzo beans in shell with sea salt | steamed artichoke with lemon butter dipping | steamed manila calms with ginger rice vinegar dipping sauce | baked whole bronzini with sea beans, muscat grapes and dill | pan-fried baby potatoes |  avocado and fresh mozzarella salad | wine

•  a few nice finds at the WF market,  quite fresh sea beans still crunchy, and fresh garbanzo beans sweet like fresh pea.

Chinese taco buns

02-18-2012 Sat. mild, sunny.


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | homemade Swedish limpa bread | apple | Shanghai baked buns
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea
DINNER --- mushroom and manila clam soup | Chinese taco bun with BBQ pork shoulder and eggplant relish | wine

fillings for Chinese taco buns

clam soup

• a late dinner of steamed Chinese taco buns filled at table