Ceviche boats

4-30-2010 Fri. warm, sunny


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- steamed dumplings
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea
DINNER --- cocktail shrimp | ceviche served in Belgian endive leaves | baguette and pate | brie | champagne || fennel salad | asparagus sauteed with garlic olive oil | caramelized onion and carrots | chicken and mushroom paella | white wine

• Belgian endive leaves serve as little "boats" with ceviche, it is the perfect finger food for a warm evening in the garden.
  

Brazilian dinner

4-29-2010 Thu. warm, sunny


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- green tea
LUNCH --- steamed dumplings
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | chocolate bread sticks
DINNER --- (at Solange's) creamy polenta with shrimps | plantain chips with dip | threaded chicken in a crepe bundle | cod and scallion | grilled brie wrapped in phyllo | banana bread and cinnamon ice cream | white wine

• A group of friends enjoyed a very nice Brazilian meal made by Solange. She flew back from Rio this morning.
  

Soup and dumplings

4-28-2010 Wed. mild, windy


BREAKFAST --- tea
LUNCH --- (at C.B.) Singapore noodles, chicken, string beans (work lunch)
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- egg drop and tomato soup | steamed dumplings | red wine

• never too busy to make dumplings

Vegetables and tofu

4-27-2010 Tue. mild, sunny


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with sauteed bean sprouts
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- stir-fried Chinese string beans and smoked tofu | sauteed taro roots | steamed fermented tofu with vegetable pickles | rice | red wine

• one can do a lot with vegetables and tofu.
  

Lebanese pita bread

4-26-2010 Mon. mild, rain


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with stir-fried Chinese string beans with chili sauce
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea
DINNER --- (at L. T. Lebanese restaurant) pita bread | baba ganoush ( eggplant dip) | humus | stuffed grape leaves | kibbeh ( meat balls) | Lebanese beer

• pita bread at L.T. is very good

Stormy sunday

4-25-2010 Sun. mild, rain


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | grape fruit
DINNER --- curried eggplant with cilantro | sauteed asparagus | braised whole fish in wine and soy sauce| rice | red wine

• a storm is showing up here with hail. fish is too salty.
  

Making pizza for Italian guests

4-24-2010 Sat. mild, cloudy

WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | coconut cream bread | apple
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea
DINNER --- fermented tofu tempura | tofu-skin rolls with taro root and mustard green | poached spring bamboo in white miso dressing | chilled sake | pizza with toppings of eggplant, onion, mushroom, hot chili and sheep cheese (caciocavallo) | rose wine

• the pizza crust got full praise from Italians, some reserve on the toppings.

• the stinky tofu tempura was a hit.

Fresh basil, fresh Pesto!

4-23-2010 Fri. warm, sunny

BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with chive flowers and smoked tofu (leftovers)
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- linguine fini with pesto sauce | chayote in citrus dressing | shanghai-style short ribs | white wine

• a bundle of fresh basil from the farmer's market perfumed the whole place. and Oreste's quote again: never ever heat or cook basil!
  

Marinate with patience

4-22-2010 Thu. warm, sunny

BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with curried potato threads
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | apple
DINNER --- fennel salad | sauteed canola leaves | broiled chicken wings | stir-fried chive flowers and smoked tofu | rice | red wine

• chicken wings have been marinated in soy-based spicy sauce for three days, the only way to get some flavor into rather flavorless factory chicken from our supermarkets
  

One big bowl of juicy wonton and noodles

4-21-2010 Wed. chilly, rain

BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with fish stew (leftovers)
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | apple
DINNER --- wonton noodle soup (wonton with minced chicken and greens filling, baked ramen noodles, daish broth, shiitake, radish sprouts, radish and pickled celtuce )

• this is a one-big-bowl dinner, great comfort food indeed

Vegetables and spices

4-20-2010 Tue. mild, cloudy

BREAKFAST --- coffee | Pocky thin bread sticks
LUNCH --- eggplant and goat cheese pizza
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | apple
DINNER --- fennel and avocado salad | five-spice stew of eggplant and tofu | curried angel hair potato | rice | red wine

• there is endless combination of vegetables and spices
  

Fish stew and bitter melon

4-19-2010 Mon. mild, sunny

BREAKFAST --- coffee | Pocky thin bread sticks
LUNCH --- rice with sauteed Chinese eggplant
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | apple
DINNER --- fermented tofu tempura with dashi dip and grated daikon | sauteed bitter melon with fermented black beans | fish stew of cod and baby Yukon potatoes in red pepper cream sauce | rice | red wine

• on the dinner plate: fish stew is creamy red, bitter melon is bright green, and steamed rice is soft white
  

Homemade pizza

4-18-2010 Sun. chilly, sunny

WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | scallion pancake | apple | bread sticks
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea
DINNER --- homemade pizza with topping of shiitake, onion, eggplant, asiago and goat cheese | fennel salad | white wine

• the pizza crust edge is puffy and toothsome, thanks to over-night fermenting
  

lesson to avoid prepared food

4-17-2010 Sat. chilly, sunny

WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | coconut cream bread | apple | pancake with filling
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | nuts
DINNER --- cucumber soup | stir-fired pork and bitter melon | braised portobello and tofu skin | rice | white wine

• gave the pancake with filling and the tofu skin dish ( from K.S. store) a try, they were not good. the bitter melon is refreshing.
  

Sushi, soba and tofu tempura

4-16-2010 Fri. warm, storm

BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with chive flowers and smoked tofu (leftovers)
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | apple
DINNER --- fermented tofu tempura with spicy dipping sauce | sushi : salmon, sweet shrimp, mackerel, fatty tuna | soba with fermented soy bean, grated daikon, pickled stem lettuce and boiled daikon leaves | fennel salad | chilled sake

• we are lucky to have fresh supply of sushi-grade seafood from a neighborhood Japanese grocery store.
  

Orange cherry tomatoes

4-15-2010 Thu. warm, sunny

BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- steamed dumplings
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | apple
DINNER --- salad of avocado, fennel and orange cherry tomatoes | napa cabbage soup with minced chicken meat balls | stir-fried chive flowers, king mushroom and smoked tofu | rice

• those very flavorful orange cherry tomatoes showed up at the farmer's market first time this year.
  

Spaghetti with divine tomato sauce

4-14-2010 Wed. mild, sunny

BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with spicy napa cabbage and canola leaves
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | apple | dried fruit
DINNER --- (at Oreste's) Indian chickpea chips | squash Bhajias with red chili chutney | white wine || Spaghetti with garlic tomato sauce, fresh basil, olives, and sheep cheese cubes | hot chili sauce | red wine || crepe with filling of ricotta cheese and rose syrup | meade wine |

• Oreste's pasta is divine, simple tomato sauce tasted so rich. The tomato sauce was cooked a day ahead, then reheated just before serving, added olives and basil at last (Oreste's quote: never ever cook basil !). The dessert crepe was creative, and paired well with the honey wine meade.
  

Korean hot pot

4-13-2010 Tue. chilly, rain

BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- steamed dumplings
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | apple
DINNER --- hot pot of napa cabbage, shittake, and bamboo shoots with Korean red chili paste | boiled canola leaves with citron sauce | rice | red wine |

• good to have a hot pot in a chilly rainy evening.
  

Fennel salad

4-12-2010 Mon. warm, sunny

BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with spicy stew of fermented tofu ( leftovers)
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | apple
DINNER --- fennel salad | steamed dumplings with minced chicken, shiitake and bok choy | white wine | strawberry cream cake

• fennel is a fresh beginning of the salad season
  

Dinner in the garden

4-11-2010 Sun. warm, sunny

WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | Norwegian pancake | apple
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea (new April Long-jing) | strawberry | dried fruit
DINNER --- salad of fennel, lettuce, and cherry tomato | pan-fried whole fish | steamed fermented tofu with spicy pickles | steamed taco-shaped buns with barbecued pork | white wine | hazelnut cream cake

• beautiful day, the dinner was in the garden. got precious green tea of Long-jing harvested this April.
  

Shanghai dim sum all day long

4-10-2010 Sat. mild, sunny

WEEKEND BRUNCH --- (at A. J.) fried twist | rice porridge | Shanghai style soup dumplings | pan-fried flat bread with vegetable fillings | dim sum dishes of cucumber, soy bean, tofu skin and mong bean noodle with threaded chicken
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | strawberries
BEFORE-CONCERT DINNER --- sauteed Swiss chard | steamed taco-shaped buns with Cha-shao barbecued pork and hot chili sauce | red wine

• very fresh, popping hot fried twist at A. J., goes so well with the creamy rice porridge.
  

a Volcano in the pot!

4-09-2010 Fri. chilly, windy

BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- Indian seasoned rice (leftovers)
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | apple
DINNER --- stir-fried Chinese broad leave chives | Korean hot and spicy soft tofu stew (soon dubu jigae) | rice | red wine

• this Korean spicy hot pot of tofu is a pretty exciting clay-pot dish, the recipe is from a funny Korean girl on youtube, she says something like " a volcano in the pot! " or "deeelicious!".
  

Carbonara, no raw eggs

4-09-2010 Thu. warm, storm

BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with Tong-ho puree
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | apple
DINNER --- (at Francesca & Oreste's ) Indian flat bread | curried okra | eggplant | mustard seed seasoned rice | spicy mango chutney | white wine || pasta (carbonara) | sheep cheese | red wine

• Oreste's carbonara tasted flat after an array of strong-flavored Indian dishes by Francesca.
  

Soba and dumpling soup

4-07-2010 Wed. unseasonably warm, sunny

BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- apple
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- dried fruit
DINNER --- soba with dashi dipping sauce and fermented soy beans| shrimp dumpling soup | steamed fermented tofu with spicy pickles | wine

• It feels like mid-summer. the soba cools, the dumpling soup soothes. can they also heal?
  

simply Tuesday

4-06-2010 Tue. very warm, a little cloud

BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with tofu and ham (leftovers)
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | apple
DINNER --- Tong-ho leaves puree with crushed peanuts | barbecue chicken wings | rice | white wine

• a simple dinner in 30 minutes
  

Things from sea

4-05-2010 Mon. warm, sunny

BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- steamed dumplings
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | dried fruit | apple
DINNER -- seaweed salad with bean sprouts and radish sprouts| halibut stew with tofu and pickled vegetables | sauteed asparagus | rice | red wine

• leftovers of halibut and seaweed from the weekend are main ingredients for the Monday dinner
  

a perfect day and a perfect dinner

4-04-2010 Sun. warm, sunny

WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | apple | scallion pancake
AFTERNOON DINNER --- (at Sharon's) honey glazed Ham | baked halibut | scalloped potatoes | asparagus | sweet peas | mango salad | dinner rolls | red wine | white wine | chocolate nut cake
SUPPER --- sauteed Swiss chard | chayote and avocado salad | white wine

• a beautiful day, we gathered with friends at Sharon's Easter dinner.
  

Celtuce = asperagus x lettuce

4-03-2010 Sat. warm, sunny

WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | coconut cream bread | scallion pancake | apple
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- (at R. B. Brewery) beer
DINNER --- yellow chive and scrambled eggs | sauteed celtuce ( Chinese stem lettuce) with smoked tofu and pickled radish | roasted Yukon potatoes | boiled pea leaves and wood-ear fungi with ponzu sauce |

• celtuce and yellow chive are unique vegetables from China, a real treat when we can have them both in one meal here.
  

All noodles considered

4-2-2010 Fri. warm, sunny

BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- (at R.P. Vietnamese Deli) beef pho
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | apple
DINNER --- gyoza (Japanese pan-fried dumplings) | edamame (boiled fresh soybean in the pot) | chilled sake || steamed Nanjing fermented tofu with pickled vegetables | stir-fried potato angel-hair threads with five spices | soba (Japanese buckwheat noodles with daikon and fermented soy dipping sauce) | Matsuzaka noodle soup with shiitake, sprouts, seaweed and pea leaves | stir-fried cured tofu threads with chive flowers, mushrooms, and eggs | Riesling |

• a vegetarian dinner specially about noodles ( made from wheat, potato, or tofu) with guests from the spaghetti nation
  

Rice in three ways

4-01-2010 Thu. warm, sunny

BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- steamed dumplings
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | dried fruit
DINNER --- sweet rice cake tempura | seasoned rice dumplings (shao-mai)| steamed rice | caramelized onion and carrots | boiled snow pea leaves with ponzu sauce | red wine

• a gorgeous spring day, flowering trees everywhere.