ratatouille and purple potato bread

9-19-2018 Wed. 


DINNER ---  homemade purple Japanese potato bread |  ratatouille | baked delicata squash with quinoa, minced lamb, and mushroom | 

• ratatouille is a good way to assemble many kinds of fresh vegetables 

green quinoa

5-17-2017 Wed.  


DINNER --- salad | pan-fried lamb sausage | quinoa with green chili, leek, green peas, onion and herbs | wine

•  pretty good finishing notes, the fridge is completely cleared out 

quinoa

5-26-2016 Thu. hot, sunny.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- steamed dumplings 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- sauteed mustard green | simmered eggplant  |  shrimp | quinoa |salad | wine

 

• gather food from different sources

light meal before the big dinner day

11-25-2015 Wed. mild, cloudy.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- soup noodles 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tangerine 
DINNER --- baked Japanese sweet potato fries | seasoned quinoa | stir-fried green beans | wine 

 

• light and nice

quick meal

9-15-2015 Thu. hot, sunny.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- leftovers 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- peach
DINNER --- pan-fried pork chop | stir-fried cabbage | quinoa | salad | wine

 

• there are ballet and orchestra waiting

squash blossoms and a farm to table fantasy

8-23-2015 Sun, hot, sunny.  


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | bread and cheese | watermelon
AFTERNOON-TEATIME ---( at coffee shop in Shepherdstown ) cold brewed coffee
DINNER --- pan-fried stuffed squash blossom ( goat cheese, herbs and shallots) |steamed Chinese eggplant with garlic and rice vinegar sauce|  pan-fried butterfly-cut prawns | quinoa with parsley and shallots | fennel salad | wine 

**

• window-shopping for a land of farm to table fantasy.
•  Hypnocoffee Roastery in Shepherstown is gone, a new coffee house took the place
• squash blossom from farmer's market.

chanterelle mushrooms and quinoa

7-25-2015 Sat. hot, sunny.  


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | croissant | bread and cheese | honeydew 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- watermelon 
DINNER --- grilled fresh chanterelle mushrooms | grilled salmon | pan-fried shishito peppers | herb quinoa 

 

• luxury item, from farmer's market

Christmas preview

12-20-2014 Sat. chilly, rain.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
BIG-FAMILY-LUNCH --- ceviche in endives | roasted golden beets and pear salad with goat cheese | butternut squash and apple soup | roasted delicata squash stuffed with seasoned quinoa and mushroom | wine | apple pie
AFTERNOON-TEATIME ---  tea
DINNER --- leftovers 

 

• all look like Christmas

tender green baby artichokes and burning red maple leaves

11-09-2013 Sat. chilly, sunny.



WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | croissant | scallion pancake | grapes | apple  AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | tea-soy-spice braised quail eggs
DINNER --- pan-fried baby artichokes with leek and lemon sauce | sauteed Japanese mustard greens | quinoa with roasted walnuts and dill | wine 

 Jerusalem artichoke and baby globe artichoke

 

• it is a surprise  to find tender green baby artichokes at the market in the time of  brilliant red foliage . 

dove sole, blue crab and manila clams

9-14-2013 Sat. mild, sunny.  


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | croissant | bread and jam | concord grapes | apple
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- steamed crab with ginger vinegar dipping sauce 
DINNER --- steamed manila clams with lemon |  pan-fried dove sole filet | sauteed okra | sauteed sweet corn with onion  jalapeno | quinoa | salad | wine 

 

• seafood day.  dove sole is too fragile to move or turn over in the pan, and its texture is too soft.  crabs are not good this time.

stay cool with ceviche and quinoa

7-19-2013 Fri. hot, sunny.  



BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- steamed dumplings 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- peach
DINNER --- quinoa | fish ceviche with lightly pickled cucumbers and chili | smoked tofu, cilantro and roasted spicy peanuts | fennel and cherry tomato salad | wine 

• all can be in  the salad category. heat weave persists

Chinese taco buns

9-20-2011 Tue. cool, rain.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with sauteed eggplants
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- Chinese taco buns with BBQ pork, shiso leaves and tomato | stir-fried green beans with Sichuan spices | black quinoa with Marcona almonds, green olives, dried cherries and cilantro | fennel and lettuce salad | wine

"lotus leaf" bun


black quinoa, Marcona almonds

• lotus-leaf buns are soft and airy, go well with BBQ pork and juicy tomato.
  
• black quinoa has rich color and more flavor than the plain kind.
  

Butternut and apple soup

1-15-2010 Sat. less cold, cloudy.


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | coconut cream bread | Norwegian pancake with apple AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea
DINNER --- manila clams poached in white wine | baked Japanese sweet potato | butternut and apple cream soup | boiled quinoa with fennel, roasted piquillo pepper, and tamotillo green sauce | sauteed Swiss chard | Lagunitas Brown Shugga beer

squash soup

quinoa

• nutty, tart, sweet and creamy, a hearty soup to warm up in the deep winter
  

Braising, in olive oil or wine and soy

1-09-2011 Sun. cold wind, sunny.


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | egg and milk | apple | scallion pancake
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | sweet lotus seeds
DINNER --- chapatti bread with California goat cheese | olive-oil-braised and broiled fennel bulb | quinoa with confit beech mushroom and cauliflower ( braised in olive oil) | baby octopus braised in rice wine and sweet soy with fresh ginger and green onion | sparkling wine with pomegranate juice

fennel bulb

quinoa and confit mushroom ,cauliflower

• thin sliced fennel bulb is braised over low heat in olive oil, then broiled over high heat. an experiment to get a texture toothsome and smooth with a crispy edge.