chawanmushi and pea shoots

5-02-2013 Thu. mild, clouds.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with mustard green
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- chawanmushi (steamed egg custard)  | Shanghai salsa | sauteed pea shoots | rice | wine 

 

• more eggs this week

steamed dumplings with wild watercress filling

4-29-2013 Mon. cool, rain.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with carrots and string beans 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- mango
DINNER --- tomato, bok choy and watercress soup | steamed dumplings with fillings of watercress, bok choy , shiitake and chicken | wine

 

• hand-chop vegetable fillings

dumpling day

4-11-2012 Wed. chilly wind, sunny.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with sauteed taro roots
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- steamed dumplings | tomato and fennel soup | wine

• mustard greens as filling for dumplings
  

Japanese vegetables

5-02-2011 Mon. mild, cloudy.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- pan-fried egg noddles with flat-leaf chives and sausage
AFTERNOON-TEATIME ---apple
DINNER --- salad of daikon, shiso and cured ham | parboiled Japanese parsley with citrus dressing | stir-fried spicy cabbage | sauteed bitter melon with fermented black beans | rice | wine

Japanese long stem parsley

shiso, daikon, and bitter melon

• Japanese parsley or celery is slim and strong in flavor.
  

wild and not so wild

4-30-2011 Sat. mild, sunny.


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | coconut cream bread | apple | scallion pancake | bread | cheese | Lachsschinken
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- ( at the local Japanese food store) sushi ( mackerel , salmon)
AFTER-CONCERT-DINNER --- wild watercress and spring bamboo shoots salad | bread with roasted red pepper relish | tofu soup with spring bamboo shoots, maitake mushroom and mitsuba Japanese parsley | patato and chorizo stew | wine

wild watercress

wild Japanese parsley

chorizo and potato

• a few wild delicacies that spring brings us, and a few refined food such as silky tofu and rich chorizo sausages
  

completely Chinese

4-28-2011 Thu. warm, rain to sun.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- potato salad
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | apple
DINNER --- jellyfish salad with daikon, arugula and French radish | stir-fried spicy cabbage with fermented fava bean sauce | scrambled eggs with Chinese flat-leaf chives | sauteed shrimp with snow peas | rice | wine

• Chinese cooking treats vegetables with respect to their different forms and tastes.
  

as green as it gets

4-26-2011 Tue. warm, sunny.

BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- chao-mian with mushroom and chicken (leftovers)
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- salad of French baby radish, arugula, frisee and green olives | stir-fried green beans with fermented black bean sauce | sauteed snow pea leaves with spring onion | rice | wine

• the fresh spring color and taste of green vegetables.
  

much hype about ramps

4-25-2011 Mon. warm, sunny.


BREAKFAST --- Wulong tea
LUNCH --- pasta with ragu sauce
AFTERNOON-TEATIME ---Wulong tea | apple
DINNER --- salad of jellyfish, chayote, frisee and arugula with citrus dressing | chao-mian: stir-fired egg noodles with ramps, shiitake, snow peas, and smoked chicken | wine

wild ramps

arugula among jellyfish, chayote

chao-mian with ramps , etc.

• ramps grow wild and have short season in spring, unique garlic flavor in bulbs and leaves. currently there is much hype about them, and their price tag goes crazy high.
  

foraging for dinner

4-10-2011 Sun. mild, clouds and sun.


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | baguette | Lachsschinken | Norwegian goat cheese | yogurt drink
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- Chai
DINNER --- sauteed taro roots with Thai basil | stir-fried chive flowers and smoked tofu | sauteed soft tofu and shrimp with wild greens ( shepherd's pouch) | wine

shepherd's pouch in the garden

foraged tender micro greens

shrimp, tofu and greens

• wild shepherd's pouch shows up in garden before most of other plants in spring. gather their young leaves, not the stem or flower, they taste fresh and a little bit like arugula.