BREAKFAST --- coffee LUNCH --- rice with ratatouille ( leftovers ) AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple | green tea DINNER --- black corn chips with guacamole | parboiled Chinese spinach | stir-fried snow peas | clay pot of wheat gluten, wood-ear, shiitake with tomato and onion sauce| rice | red wine
BREAKFAST --- coffee LUNCH --- apple | rice with braised short ribs ( leftovers ) AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- cocktail drink | crackers DINNER --- ( at Vapiano )carpaccio ( thinly sliced raw beef filet, arugula, mushrooms, aged Parmesan, cipriani sauce ) | pizza cipolle ( thin crust, olive oil, mozzarella, red onions, grilled cherry tomatoes ) | Italian beer || ( at Cacao ) hot chocolate | mango creme cake |
Vapiano makes Italian food with German efficiency. customers put in requests directly to cook stations, pizza and pasta are made-to-order. dinning hall seating is around long commune tables. a bit chaotic ( both in the dinning hall and at cook stations ), but a fun and chic place. Carpaccio is outstanding, meat almost sweet and buttery, arugula fresh and spicy. the pizza is decent, at least not a gooey and soggy fare usually seen in lots of pizza places here.
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.
BREAKFAST --- coffee LUNCH --- rice with curried chicken AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple DINNER --- sauteed shrimp with soft tofu and minced tofu skin | sauteed snap peas | rice | fennel and avocado salad | red wine
the variety of tofu comes endless, sort of like cheese. besides of flavors ( sweet, salty, smoky, tart, or stinky ), the textures can be silky soft, smooth firm, creamy, crispy, or chewy. the combination of minced tofu skin ( chewy like meat) and really soft Korean silky tofu works very well in the shrimp dish
WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- ( in the garden ) coffee | Norwegian pancake with apple | middle eastern yogurt drink | concord grapes | sugar nut melon | bartlett pear AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- ( in the tea house ) green tea | roasted moss crackers DINNER --- ( in the garden )tempura of fermented tofu, shiitake with daikon dipping sauce | pan-roasted shishito green pepper | curried taro roots with green onion | sauteed green beans in garlic tomato sauce | red wine | moon cake
sunshine at breakfasttable
tempura
under the autumn moon
a beautiful day, read Sunday paper in the garden after breakfast, read "Pale Horse, Pale Rider" in the tea house during the afternoon tea time, the autumn moon arises during the garden dinner
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.
BREAKFAST --- coffee LUNCH --- pasta with hot pepper and mushroom sauce ( leftovers ) AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple DINNER --- sauteed cauliflower and bitter melon with tomato and green onion | chicken curry with garam marsala | basmati rice | fennel salad | mojito
an adventure into Indian spices, the curry dish uses about fifteen spices ( including three forms of coriander) and they turn an ordinary onion into a magic curry sauce.
BREAKFAST --- coffee LUNCH --- steamed dumplings AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple DINNER --- ( at Oreste and Francseca's )North Indian kofta with sweet peppers chutney | Pinot Grigio | Rigatoni ai funghi e salsiccia ( Apulian pasta with porcini and white mushrooms, tomato, and hot peppers ) | Primitivo del Salento ( Apulian Red ) | Selection of Mediterranean Sheep Cheeses | Nero d'Avola ( Sicilian Red )
hearty food from Auplian home cooking by Oreste. porcini and Italian hot pepper made strong and complex flavor. the dried porcini is slow cooked in water over very low heat, then sauteed and incorporated in the pasta, the strained porcini broth has strong scent and is placed at the table to be drizzled over the pasta plate.
BREAKFAST --- coffee LUNCH --- rice with stew of wheat gluten and mushrooms ( leftovers ) AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea | sesame cookie roll DINNER --- gazpacho with croutons and pickled diced cucumber | smoked salmon | toasted garlic bread | stir-fried bitter melon, red pepper and mushroom | rice | fennel salad | red wine
Tichi's gazpacho is from " Tapas a taste of Spain in America " by Jose Andres, recipe-tested and recommended by DD. comparing with countless watery versions of the soup, this one has more intense flavor, and the garnishes add layered textures.
many kinds and many names in the family of Mexican sauces, adobo is a complex red chile-based sauce with onion, garlic, corn meal, almonds, lime and other spices
BREAKFAST --- coffee LUNCH --- saffron rice with Spanish sweet peppers and green beans AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple DINNER --- sauteed shrimp with white mushrooms and black wood-ear |curried angel hair potatoes| rice | fennel salad | red wine
BREAKFAST --- coffee LUNCH --- rice with stir-fried chive flowers and smoked tofu (leftovers) AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea | apple DINNER --- Korean noddles with hot chili paste, zucchini, and wood-ear |pan-roasted stuffed jalapeno| sake
Korean hot chili paste made jalapeno taste rather mild.
WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | blackberry pancake | fruit salad LATE LUNCH --- ( a family gathering at P.'s ) simmered green beans with onion and tomatoes | baked salmon with mustard sauce | saffron risotto | cole slaw | white wine DINNER --- ( at P.'s ) angel hair pasta with sofrito sauce and green olives
tried out P's new kitchen, risotto turned out delicious, creamy with golden color from saffron infused broth
WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | croissant LUNCH --- ( at A. & W.'s ) frittata AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- ( at S. & E's ) beer | chips and cheese DINNER --- ( at Fin Bistro ) ceviche | pan-fried sole fillet with rice
horsetail and sea-washed drift wood
kelp with very long root
salmon at the salmon hatchery
the salmon hatching season has just started. the hatchery is upstream about thirty miles from the sound.
BREAKFAST --- coffee | blue berries | croissant LUNCH --- (on the beach) turkey and lettuce sandwich | fruit salad DINNER --- ( at A. & W.'s, on the deck) roasted red pepper and potato | avocado, olive and cheese salad | yellow cherry tomato | baked salmon topped with cilantro | white wine
a million dollar view from the window
lunch on the beach
afternoon tide
dinner on the deck
a beautiful day to hang out on the beach, see the tide raising and falling. the pale blue tint of the light reminds me of Norway
BREAKFAST --- coffee LUNCH --- parboiled pea leaves | steamed dumplings AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- (at airport) grilled portobello mushroom sandwich DINNER --- (on V.Island) celery and fennel soup | bread | black tea
V. Island Lighthouse
across the sound
dashing across the Continent to an island with a lighthouse."The great revelation perhaps never did come. Instead there were little daily miracles, illuminations, matches struck unexpectedly in the dark." --- To the Lighthouse, Virginia Woolf
