experiment of making sushi without seafood, using vegetables with various flavors and textures, with different preparation techniques: pickling, poaching, marinating ,frying or just raw as is.
BREAKFAST --- coffee LUNCH --- rice with sauteed asparagus AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple DINNER --- ( at A.J.) chicken and cucumber salad in peanut and mustard sauce | Sichuan pickled cabbage | Dan Dan noodles | pot stickers | sauteed young mustard greens and fresh soy beans | napa cabbage and mung bean noodle soup
a shopping tour and a meal together with the cooking club buddies
BREAKFAST --- coffee LUNCH --- rice with short ribs and cabbage AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- Japanese green tea | apple DINNER --- homemade puffy bread | pan-fried Brussels sprouts | chicken curry with greens and Garam Masala| saffron rice | wine
puffy naan
curry chicken
made curry sauce from scratch, made puffy naan from scratch as well.
BREAKFAST --- coffee LUNCH --- pane pugliese from Sullivan st Bakery | apple AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- Wulong tea DINNER --- stir-fried threaded cabbage and red pepper with fermented black beans |Shanghai style wine-braised short ribs | rice | wine
Jim Lahey's Sullivan st Bakery is filled with many kinds of fresh wholesome Italian breads. Considering that he only has one shop and that is in NYC, rest of us have to rely on his no-knead bread recipe for homemade bread.
WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee| apple LUNCH --- ( at Radiance Tea House in NYC ) steamed dumpling box ( chicken and wood-ear, teriyake chicken with 7-grain wrap, edmame, lettuce with citrus and carrot puree ) | threaded chicken and cucumber noodles with spicy sesame sauce| Unagi rice box ( broiled ell, pickled radish, eel sauce, rice) || Chinese black tea Lapsang Souchong | Japanese green tea Sencha AFTER-CONCERT-DRINK --- wine | sake | walnut bread | roasted watermelon seeds DINNER --- sauteed snow peas | meshed potatoes | pan-fried fillet of flounder
tea food
Bartered Bride at Juilliad James Levine taking bows
drank tea and had tea food at Radiance Tea House. then went over to Juilliard to watch James Levine conducting a Met+Juilliard production Bartered Bride.
WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea | apple | walnut bread BEFORE-CONCERT DINNER ---( at X.O. Chinese restaurant, NYC) fried bread twist | congee | sauteed razor clams in scallion and ginger sauce | pan-fried daikon cake | Cantonese egg noddle and shrimp wonton soup | pork dumplings | winter greens in oyster sauce AFTER-CONCERT DRINK --- warm sake | pan-fried pressed tofu | pan-fried vegetable spring rolls
razor clams with ginger and scallion sauce
dim sum at X.O. in Chinatown
Alexander Wang new store in SoHo
Zankel Hall beneath Carnegie Hall
X.O. in NYC Chinatown never fails to deliver excellent Cantonese dim sum style food, consistently, efficiently. Wonton noodle soup is outstanding particular in texture, razor clams are delicate and sweet.
the concert of Anne-Sofie von Otter recitals at Zankel Hall underground beneath Carnegie Hall. when subway trains roam nearby, some sound vibration adds to the music.
BREAKFAST --- coffee LUNCH --- ( at K. deli ) Korean rice bowl with vegetables and grilled squid AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | apple DINNER --- stir-fried chive flowers and smoked tofu | Shanghai salsa( smoked tofu, cilantro and roasted peanuts) | leftovers gnocchi with ragu sauce | wine
clear out food in the frig by the end of the week, and ready to travel
homemade cooking transforms foods in their original forms : one potato, flour, water, three eggs, handful green olives, mushrooms, a bunch of green leaves, vegetables.
BREAKFAST --- coffee LUNCH --- rice with pork chop and cabbage AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple | kumquats DINNER --- salad of threaded jelly fish and chayote with yuzu ( Japanese citrus ) dressing | sauteed baby bok choy and shiitake | pan-fried baby potatoes | broiled chicken drumettes with Korean B.B.Q. sauce | wine
meet you in the salad bowl!
baby bok choy
the combination of jelly fish and chayote works very well, delicate and refreshing
WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | toasted Russian black bread | apple | scrambled eggs with cilantro AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- Fujian red tea | smoked fish jerk snack | kumquats DINNER --- salad of threaded jelly fish and chayote (with wine vinegar and ginger sauce) | pan-fried egg noodles ( with shrimp, winter bamboo shoots, red chili, bean sprouts and cilantro ) | boiled Chinese winter greens | white wine
Fujian red tea
pan-fried egg noodles
Fujianese red tea, exported to Europe to become black tea . Cantonese pan-fried noodles, exported to America to become chow mein
WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | toasted Russian black bread | coconut cream bread | apple AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | kumquats DINNER --- whole fish (with a sauce of ginger, scallion ,fermented black bean and chili )| sauteed spinach | pasta with lamb ragu sauce | wine
one more Chinese new year ritual : a whole fish, wish for a plentiful year.
BREAKFAST --- coffee LUNCH --- rice with drunken chicken and vegetables AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- Japanese green tea | apple DINNER --- spring rolls with dark rice vinegar dip | salad of shanghai salsa and Belgium endive | soft tofu with shiitake and winter bamboo shoots |sauteed bitter melon with fermented black beans and wood-ear | rice | wine
mixing and re-assembling leftovers from the New Year cooking weekend
WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee| scallion pancake | apple AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- ( a New Year Party for the Rabbit Year ) Chinese steamed bun taco with B.B.Q. pork | drunken chicken salad ( with bean sprouts, red pepper, and chive flowers )| teriyaki eel sushi | shao-mai ( sweet rice, shrimp, chicken ) | endive boat of Shanghai salsa | broiled bouncy chicken ball on skewers | fried spring rolls | lotus sandwich tempura |fried dough twist | mini cream puff | chocolate truffle || mini spring rolls | mini fruit pastries| fruit pie | curried lamb crescent || wine DINNER --- green tea | fruit pie
poster by Jan
a fun party, eat, drink, chat and be merry: " outstanding food, great wine, and the best company".
WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | apple | coconut cream bread | scallion pancake AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | clementine DINNER --- ( a vegetarian Chinese New Year dinner for friends ) plum wine | fried dough twist with sea-moss seasoning | wild mountain walnuts | baked Japanese sweet potato fries || warm Sake | bitter melon and sweet lily bulbs ( with sauce of marinated mushroom and yuzu juice )| lotus root sandwich tempura | Xiao-long-bao ( Shanghai soup dumplings ) | Shanghai fried spring rolls ( with filling of napa cabbage, smoked tofu, shiitake, winter bamboo shoots, green onion ) | chilled Sake | Si-Chuan style vegetable hot pot ( ma-la tang 麻辣烫) with Chinese steamed rolls | Shanghai rice melange ( with bamboo shoots, green peas, and king mushroom ) || Shanghai sweet rice dumpling with fermented rice broth
bitter melon and sweet lily bulb
ma-la hot pot
Chinese steamed roll
the dinner started with a delicate bitter taste of bitter melon, went through a wild ride of spicy, hot, savory tastes, ended with soothing sweetness of sweet rice dumplings. wish the Rabbit year progress like this as well
BREAKFAST --- coffee LUNCH --- rice cake stew with flat-leaf chives | stuffed red pepper AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- Japanese green tea | apple | clementine DINNER --- baked Japanese sweet potato | Egyptian rice ( paella with smoked mussels, king mushrooms, shallots, parsley and kumquat zest )| pickled ginger | pickled greens with kumquat zest | wine
Egyptian rice has the just right creaminess and firmness for paella-type of rice dish, cooked slowly open-top in a broth with seasoned olive oil and vegetables.
BREAKFAST --- coffee LUNCH --- ( at H. G. Chinese restaurant)Kungpao chicken | vegetable and shrimp noodle soup | rice AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- clementine DINNER --- egg drop soup with needle mushroom and cilantro | linguine fini withhomemade ragu bolognese | wine
pumelo at breakfast 
rainbow trout with lemon 
puffy naan 
curry chicken
Kumamoto
Octopus
codfish
chocolate chicory
tea food 
Bartered Bride at Juilliad 
James Levine taking bows 
razor clams with ginger and scallion sauce 
dim sum at X.O. in Chinatown
Alexander Wang new store in SoHo
Zankel Hall beneath Carnegie Hall 
meet you in the salad bowl!
baby bok choy 
Fujian red tea 
pan-fried egg noodles 
poster by Jan
bitter melon and sweet lily bulb
ma-la hot pot 
Chinese steamed roll
Chinese character Rabbit drawing by Paul
Chinese New Year special: rice cake, dumplings, firecrackers