BREAKFAST --- coffee LUNCH --- (at G.Joe's)pastrami sandwich with a little bit everything | twisty fries AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea DINNER --- fried rice with zucchini, red pepper, and eggs | fennel salad | wine
very best pastrami sandwich in town, time goes back at least sixty years in there.
BREAKFAST --- coffee LUNCH --- rice with boiled greens and red pepper AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- plums | tea DINNER --- Kung Pao chicken ( stir-fried diced chicken and roasted peanuts with caramelized onion and Sichuan hot chili and peppercorn) | sauteed bean sprouts and smoked tofu | rice | fennel and avocado salad | red wine
chicken cut to small pieces absorbs flavors from spices and other ingredients, homemade Kung Pao is much less "saucy" and much spicier than what is usually dished out at Americanized Chinese restaurants
BREAKFAST --- coffee LUNCH --- rice with Thai-style spicy cabbage and red pepper AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- plums DINNER --- stir-fried red pepper | parboiled spinach | tofu stew with mushroom and kimchi hot sauce | rice | fennel and avocado salad | red wine
this southeastern Asian spinach variety has big leaves and thick stem, but very tender and a little slippery when cooked.
BREAKFAST --- coffee LUNCH --- rice with sauteed vegetables AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | peach DINNER --- sauteed cabbage, red pepper and zucchini in Thai coconut milk curry sauce | pan-fried new potatoes | broiled Norwegian salmon with mustard, ginger and scallion sauce | fennel and avocado salad | mojito
Norwegian salmon has tender texture and more fat than those from Alaska. It is important not to overcook the fish, the ginger scallion sauce keeps the fish moist.
BREAKFAST --- coffee LUNCH --- pasta and sauteed green beans AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- peach DINNER --- fresh sweet corn fritters | pickled hot peppers | sauteed king mushroom, flat-leaf chives, and spicy tofu | ratatouille ( eggplant, zucchini and tomato ) | rice | salad of radish, sweet pepper and lettuce | wine
it is almost the end of the fresh sweet corn season at the farmer's market. corn kernels are scraped off from the cob, and mixed with egg yolk and seasoned flour. The egg white is beaten separately and fold everything together. the mixture is fried in a hot cast-iron pan till golden.
BREAKFAST --- coffee LUNCH --- pasta with roasted red pepper sauce AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | peach DINNER --- curried tiny eggplant, button zucchini, and okra | sauteed bean sprouts, wood-ear and bamboo shoots | rice | fennel salad | white wine
got a bunch of very cute summer vegetables from farmer's market and oriental market, thin purple eggplants about the same size of okra; green and yellow zucchini look like little buttons.
WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | watermelon | peaches | raspberries | scallion pancake AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea DINNER --- mojito | guacamole || mong bean noddle salad with Thai hot chili peppers, in lime and coconut milk sauce | steamed bun with fillings of mustard green and Sichuan chili sauce| pan-roasted jalapeno peppers stuffed with minced tofu skin and flat leave chives | hot and spicy stew of kaofu (wheat gluten), wood-ear, king mushroom, bamboo shoot and day lily buds | jasmine rice | sake || peaches, raspberries with Grand Marnier flavored whipped cream | green tea
Thai chili mong bean noddle salad
pan-roasted stuffed jalapeno
spicy stew Kaofu (wheat gluten)
a collection of chili peppers from Mexico, Thailand and China provides a variety of hotness and flavors for the Latin-Asian dinner with vegetarian friends.
WEEKEND BREAKFAST ---( at P.Q. Belgian brassiere) coffee | croissant with ham and cheese AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | peach DINNER --- ( at F. Afghan restaurant ) Aushak( scallion-filled dumplings topped with yogurt and meat sauce) | PakowrayKachalu(fried slices of sweet potatoes ) | Bulanee (turnovers stuffed with spiced scallions and herbs ) | BadenjanGoushti(braised lamb with eggplant, onions, and tomato) | basmati rice
a fashion photo crew worked in the garden, took most of the space including kitchen for wardrobe and makeup. no cooking possible the whole day. the Belgian breakfast at PQ was so-so and over-priced. the afghan dinner at F. was excellent as always.
BREAKFAST --- coffee LUNCH --- rice with stir-fried cabbage ( leftovers ) AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- water melon | mojito DINNER --- garlic bread | corn on the cob | pasta with roast red pepper sauce, cod, cucumber and mushroom | fennel salad | wine
not easy to make good seafood pasta here, fresh clams or sweet shrimp are hard to find. Alaska cod is pan-fried with bonito sauce and ginger flavored starch coating.
BREAKFAST --- coffee LUNCH --- rice and sauteed vegetables AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- raspberries DINNER --- parboiled spinach and needle mushroom with sesame dressing | cod and new potato stew with roasted red pepper cream sauce| fennel salad | white wine
the cod is from Alaska, not Atlantic, flaky and tender.
WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- ( at Peter's ) coffee| Mediterranean style omelet | Greek yogurt with black berries AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- cherries DINNER --- ( at A.J.) pickled cabbage | soy beans with mustard green and tofu skin | threaded chicken | Si-chuan spiced noddles | chili pickled cucumber | soup dumplings | pan-fried pancake with fillings of chives and mong bean noddles
small dishes at AJ
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Barnes Foundation in Lower Merion, Philadelphia
it is a visual feast at Barnes Foundation, hundreds of Renoir, Cézanne, Matisse and more cover the entire wall space all the way to the ceiling height. one experiences these incredible art works in a very different way from that in other art museums. It is said that the entire collection will be moved from this original site to a new downtown museum in 2012.
BREAKFAST --- coffee | Pocky LUNCH --- pasta with mushrooms AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- plums DINNER --- marinated chayote,white fish and jellyfish | toasted garlic bread | sauteed zucchini,okra,mushroom and tomato | stir-fried bean sprouts and Chinese flat-leaf chive | rice | fennel, cherry tomato, lettuce and radish salad | white wine
Jellyfish from Chinese food markets usually comes in salt-dried and sliced form and has to be revived by soaking. it has unique crunchy texture, absorbs the hot & sour marinade very well.
WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | French baguette | Dutch blue cheese | German cured ham ( lachsschinken) | strawberries | watermelon AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea DINNER --- Roma grape tomato confit | steamed and wine marinated Manila clams |ceviche and chayote with Spanish caper berries | fresh corn fritters | sauteed baby eggplant and okra | rice | Spanish white wine
ceviche with caper berries
Roma grape tomato confit and Manila clam
corn fritter, eggplant & okra
last Sunday we lost power when the long cooking process for tomato confit just started. By the time power came back two days later the tomatoes had gone bad. Today when the confit cooking process started, the sky went dark and rain was pouring down. not again! lucky enough the power stayed on, the tomato confit is done after six hour simmering in spiced olive oil.
late summer garden 
shiitake and wild berry tomatoes
long red pepper and skinny eggplant
to the tea house
Houjicha, Keemun, Bi Luo Chun
continental breakfast
blue crabs
manila clams
rock fish 
Thai chili mong bean noddle salad
pan-roasted stuffed jalapeno
spicy stew Kaofu (wheat gluten)
small dishes at AJ
Barnes Foundation in Lower Merion, Philadelphia
Luke's Maine Lobster Roll 
bibimbap, glass noddles, spinach 
Bruce Nauman: Days at MOMA
Mark Morris' at Lincoln Center
"Little Night Music" violin recital Isabelle Faust
vegetable soup with wood-ear mushrooms
ceviche with caper berries
Roma grape tomato confit and Manila clam
corn fritter, eggplant & okra