Harvest moon

9-29-2012 Sat. warm, sunny.  


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | bread | brie | German cured ham | apple 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- proscuitto wrapped figs w. balsamic glaze| grilled tsukune (chicken meat balls) with black sesame & shichimi spice | tamago yaki (Japanese rolled omelet) with sausage and scallion  | smoked mussels crostini with fasolia gigantes (giant white beans), pickled pearl onions, and mint |  sweet potato fries w. herb salt |tea 
DINNER --- pilaf with yam orzo | wheat berry salad | sauteed snap peas w. fermented beans | ginger-mustard crusted grilled salmon |  confit biyaldi (variation on ratatouille) w. herb vinaigrette | wine || moon cake | grapes

 

 

• a whole day gathering for the harvest moon festival

stuffed, dumplings, squid and moon cake

9-12-2011 Mon. warm, sunny. full moon


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with chicken and vegetables
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- plums
DINNER --squash and apple soup | stuffed baby squid simmered in rice wine sauce | steamed dumplings with filling of shiitake, young green mustard and minced chicken | fennel and lettuce salad| wine || Chinese moon cake | green tea

Chinese moon cakes for Autumn Moon Festival
with fillings of red bean paste, pine nut and lotus seed, dates

• baby squid is in the similar size as steamed dumpling, one with filling of seasoned sweet rice and mushrooms and simmered in wine sauce, the other with minced greens and chicken, steamed in bamboo steamer, served with garlic soy dipping sauce.
• it is Chinese Autumn Moon Festival today, beautiful deep sky with bright full moon.
  

Harvest moon

9-22-2010 Wed. warm, thunder storm.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with stir-fried cabbage (leftovers)
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- parboiled fresh soy bean in pot | pasta with hot red pepper sauce | sauteed king mushroom in rice wine | fennel and bartlett pear salad
MOONLIGHT-TIME --- Chinese moon cake | green tea | Turkish delight

• Fresh soy beans and taro roots, wine and moon cakes are among the special food for Chinese harvest moon festival

• official beginning of autumn at 11:08pm. the storm moved away, sky was clear deep blue and the harvest moon with bright Jupiter nearby shined upon us, view from the tea house.
• 《把酒问月》 李白 （701－762 A.D.)
  青天有月来几时 我今停杯一问之
  人攀明月不可得 月行却与人相随
  皎如飞镜临丹阙 绿烟灭尽清辉发
  但见宵从海上来 宁知晓向云间没
  白兔捣药秋复春 嫦娥孤栖与谁邻
  今人不见古时月 今月曾经照古人
  古人今人若流水 共看明月皆如此
  唯愿当歌对酒时 月光长照金樽里

a Perfect day for figs

9-18-2010 Sat. warm, sunny and clear


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- ( in the garden ) coffee | middle eastern yogurt drink | Concord grapes | fresh figs | sugar nut melon | Asian brown pear | coconut cream bread | scallion pancake
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- ( in the garden ) green tea | fresh figs | steamed taro roots with honey sauce | moon cake
DINNER --- ( in the garden ) grilled fresh figs with rosemary and olive oil | steamed manila clams with lemon juice | fresh corn sauteed with onion and sweet pepper | pan-fried taro roots with Japanese green onion and Chinese five-spices | steamed fermented tofu with pickled vegetables and sesame oil | Chilean white wine

breakfast in the garden

afternoon tea time, moon cake and taro root


giant green onion from the Japanese store


fresh figs from the Iranian store

grilled figs for appetizer at dinner

• perfect early fall weather, too nice to be inside. the sun is warm and bright, the moon is cool and near full. Fresh figs are beautiful to look at and interesting to eat as fruit or as an appetizer.