all wrapped up (in yarn and fur)

hiya! i had a weird summer vacation from blogging, how about you? sorry i've stayed away, but real life keeps getting in the way. i hope to blog regularly again soon. i don't think you care about what i've been up to, but the main thing that has kept me from blogging here is that i'm on a diet. whoo! and a boring (but sensible) one at that. it's actually quite simple: avoid processed foods, and do any sort of exercise. i promise to blog any interesting and non-processy recipes, but right now i'm happy with not thinking about food prep. i've replaced baking with knitting, so if you are on ravelry, look me up!

in other news, smoo, the family dog for the past 11 years (see above in her coconut murderous mode or see her here in cute mode) is at the vet's for the second time in as many weeks. she has a malignant tumour and they are checking to see if it has spread. if you are so inclined, send a good thought or two her way towards a successful recovery.

ps--i've had to turn on comment moderation for a little while because the spammers had invaded good and proper. i'm trying to clear up the garbage, so bear with me for awhile until the situation has gotten under control. thank you, salamat, dangkulo y si yu'os ma'ase!

noodleknit.

yes, i know you are meant to learn more about san francisco, but truthfully, this is much, much more interesting.

also? have brought chopsticks on plane to knit when knitting needles were banned. you get some odd stares but it works.

i left my blog in san francisco.

hello poppets! i havena forgotten you, but i have forgotten to blog. i am, alas, no longer in san francisco, but i probably have a few words to say about it. stay tuned for the inevitable ferry building marketplace post, and maybe another one, too....

lax to sfo.

**just a note: i would have normally have put this on my los angeles blog, but a lot of you are world travellers, so you might be interested in this post. i do talk about food eventually :)

i haven't been to san francisco in eons, so i thought it was about time. the last few times i did go, i drove, but with gas prices being what they are--along with the fact that i was going alone--made me decide to fly instead. also, virgin america airlines was offering a promo rate of $39 each way. sold! i later found i could pay $15 extra for a bulkhead or for an exit row seat; then when i got to the airport, they asked if i'd like to upgrade to a first class seat for $50. i would like, thankyewverramuch, but because i had paid for the legroom upgrade, my first class seat only cost another $35. whoo! $89 each way still ended up cheaper than what i would have spent on gas, so i was happy.

the flight was delayed for a sucktastic three hours; in the time i spent travelling to the airport, checking in and waiting i could already have been in sf had i driven. no matter--any irritations were melted away when i got on board: mood lighting! chillout music! happy flight attendants! apologetic captain dressed all in black! also, comfy leather seats with power outlets so i could charge my phone in flight (not just in first class, too).

and the best part? a coolicious touch screen at every seat with on demand movies, videos, live satellite television, 3000+ mp3s, games, chat rooms, and seat-to-seat chat.

how crazy awesome is that?! although, on a 50-minute flight, not many people are interested in chatting. emailing, texting, and books/articles to read are forthcoming.

if you are hungry or thirsty, you can use the touch screen to order food and drink, then pay using a credit/debit card (no cash is accepted). i forgot to check that category, but i know archer farms snacks are available. in first class, there was a little lunchbox on offer, which held three little containers and a whole lotta cutlery.

there was a soba salad with a sesame dressing, panna cotta with a pecan praline sauce, and balsamico-braised shiitake mushrooms. it may not look exciting, but all three were very good, the soba salad in particular (actually, it might be the best soba salad i've had, not that i've had many). small, but filling.

i've read a few reviews about virgin, none of them particularly good, but i had a great time, and thought it was definitely worth the price. i'm fairly certain the $39 was a temporary promotion, but as long as the prices remain competitive, i will definitely consider taking virgin again. i would, however, like to try a longer flight next time.

sfo

watermelon coolers

sometimes there's a truck selling watermelon out by the post office in barrigada (look for the corn truck); if you should see it, definitely stop by. lately the watermelons have been extra juicy and sugary sweet.

i had some feta cheese left from my grilled corn bonanza this weekend, so i used it to top a favourite salad of arugula, thinly sliced ribbons of red onion, watermelon balls, and a raspberry balsamic vinaigrette. the watermelon cools the bolder flavours and adds a nice touch of sweetness.

i don't think there's really any reason to do anything but chill and slice up these bewdies, but if you feel a little creative and have some time, a melon baller and a little mint makes for a lovely presentation.

in case you have an overripe/underripe one or are looking for a change, you can make a simple, refreshing granita. just make a simple syrup, flavour it any way you wish or leave it as is (i like to add lime zest and finely chopped fresh and candied ginger). add as much as you wish to some cut up fruit, then freeze up the lot in a zippered freezer bag. bash it about a bit every 20 minutes or so, and you'll have a light and icy summertime treat.

if you can't stand the heat...

get out of the kitchen and fire up the barbecue grill.

my cousin passed by mr. wusstig's corn truck this weekend, and brought over some ears. the weather was far too oppressive for me to think in any way beyond breathe.move.maybe.breathesomemore. so it was a miracle the corn got cooked at all, never mind something schmantzy. i simply chucked the ears onto a grill, then served them with a little basting of butter, a crumble of feta cheese, a shake of chipotle chili powder, and a squeeze of lime. generally, i prefer to eat freshly cooked corn as is, without any garnishing, but the spare addition of the salty cheese, fresh citrus, and zing of the chili complimented the sweetness of the kernels very well. i suppose one could pile it on, but a little goes a long way.

beat the heat.

gaaaah. it's 86˚F here on island, but the 68% humidity is making it feel like 93˚F. i am leth. ar. gic. with a capital arrrrrrrrrrg, so i'm probably going to head out to one of my two favourite refuges from this icky weather.

my mom 'n' pops choice would be mt. lam lam sno n ice cream shop. it's along a main highway, but it is a village stand (albeit indoors) with just a few benches to sit upon, manned by teenagers whose tips go towards their college fund. love that. this is very much a family and village affair, where the kids in the neighbourhood go to pick up a shave ice to eat on the way home, or a softball team will celebrate with sundaes eaten outside on the stoop or sitting in the back of pickup truck in the parking lot.

the menu is small; besides the shave ice/snow cone offerings, you can get your choice of (foremost brand?) ice cream in cone, cup or aga sundae (their version of a banana split), a couple of drink options, and a decent, slightly-above-basic halo-halo, the filipino confection of shaved ice, preserved fruits, and milk.

my other favourite is the shave ice surprise, which you can get in any flavour of the rainbow (except li hing mui, the preserved plum flavouring from hawaii. it's just not a guam thing, drats.). what makes it a surprise? well, if i told you then it wouldn't be a surprise then, would it?

ironically, mt. lam lam is nowhere near the actual mount lamlam, the tallest mountain on island, and purported to be one of the tallest mountains in the world, as its base is somewhere deep in the marianas trench. no, this mt. lamlam is easier to get to in barrigada, and a much less daunting place.

mt. lamlam sno n ice cream
route 8, near the other house of liberty
barrigada
671.734.4765.

**

a little closer to home is dolce frutti, a six-month old gelateria in the turista zone of tumon. the housemade gelati and sorbets are made on the premise using as fresh as possible ingredients, without emusifiers or preservatives. although the prices are high, the portions are large, the ingredients are good. and while it's not the best gelato i've had, it's nowhere near the worst. my only gripe is that don't particularly care for dolce frutti's version of my favourites--pistachio, vanilla, and fig--but it does pretty good versions of everything else, in particular, anything with a chocolate involved. i recommend stracciatella, its version of mint chocolate chip, or mecroche, which is hazelnut, milk chocolate and crispy bits, like this particular product.

the gelati and sorbets flavours change frequently, but the most popular flavours are almost always available. dolce frutti also does the full complement of coffee drinks, and boasts a decent amount of indoor and outdoor seating. be prepared for a wait, however; it's a perfect spot for people watching, and within walking distance of at least 30 restaurants. also, sometimes it just takes a girl a little while to pick exactly what she wants. :)

dolce frutti

the plaza, on the end closest to sandcastle,
tumon.
671.649.9886.

doughnut muffins.

i'm inclined to call these a really good nutmeg muffin, but if you are the type who likes cake doughnuts, you'll like these. here's the recipe.

manila: sale! at cardinal ceramics.

portia left a comment on a previous post about a sale at one of my favourite places to shop, the cardinal ceramics outlet:

Hi! We're happy to announce that there will be another Cardinal Ceramics outlet sale at the Market! Market! activity center from June 30 to July 6. We hope to see you there.

for those of you who may not know, cardinal ceramics has been producing porcelain and ceramic wares in the philippines for over 30 years. it began as a vocational project for a "leprosarium", and grew into an international venture in the ensuing years, producing not only the dinnerware for local hotels and restaurants but for brands like dansk and anthropologie. in fact the last time i was in town, i bought pieces from both brands at the outlet shop, at a significant discount (and with no seeming loss of quality).

for the record, i am not paid for any endorsements, i just really like this place :) if you're in town, and in the mood to shop, this might be a great time for a bargain.

a little more on macopa.

remember the macopa/wax jambu i wrote of in a previous post? i passed by a macopa tree a bit back, and thought you might like to see what the fruit look like in the wild. or behind a chinese restaurant in tumon. ha!

the flower of the Syzygium samarangense.

it takes about two months for the fruit to go from bud stage to ripened fruit, although

it seems to stay at this stage for a very, very long time.

the ones on island aren't as big and juicy as this, but are a pretty shade of cherry pink.

termites love the trees, so look out for nests. not that you could miss this one.

and now for a different kind of fish food.

kenko fish spa therapy, my new favourite place in the whole hyoooniverse. here you sit in relaxed, simple splendour--all sunny and calm in the day, all moody and calm at night--with your legs immersed in warm waters up to your knees, like summertime on a dock of a country pond.

only you are in the middle of a kicka** shopping mall, in the heart of the golden triangle tourist and entertainment center of kuala lumpur.

and there are hundreds of tiny fish eating off the worst of your dead skin and callouses. wha-!!!

yeeeheeee! once you realize they are not there to eat you alive (although, seriously, at first you have to wonder, as they can be quite voracious), it is a very pleasant (dare i say mirthful?) experience. ticklish, tickly, nibbly, fish-lippy kisses. there are two sides to choose from--one has smaller fish, the other has much larger ones. however, the little fish can be more aggressive than the big ones, but um, you might just want to start with the smaller mouths just the same.

the fish--garra ruffa, more commonly known as doctor fish, more comically known as reddish log suckers--are native to the central and middle eastern parts of europe and western asia, and have long been bred and used in turkish spas as therapy for psoriasis sufferers as the fish eat the affected or dead skin, leaving new, healthier skin to grow. it isn't considered treatment, but i have to say as someone with mild psoriasis, my feet and skin have never felt better. true, a really good scrubdown is all that is really necessary, but a half hour as feeding fodder for the fishies is a far more entertaining option.

i recommend going in the morning, as there can be quite a crowd in the afternoon and nighttime. the water is changed out and ionized at night, so i figure the pools must be cleaner at in the a.m. (although you are required to clean and scrub your feet before entering the spa area--still), and the fish are definitely hungrier. you have been advised.

kenko reflexology and fish spa
pavilion,
168 jalan bukit bintang, lot 5.01.09 (5th floor, near gsc cinemas)
kl(039802) malaysia
tel: 603.2141.6651.

open 10am to 10pm, daily

getting a little fruity in kl.

i had some fun correspondence with the housekeeping staff at my hotel; i would leave them one of the bento boxes from the conference (not bad but i'm in kl--sooo many more possibilities) during the lunch break, then return to find more than my fair share of whatever fruit was on offer from the housekeeping cart. whoo! unnamed housekeepers, you rock! of course, no one left me any durian (shucks), but i saw it quite a bit in the produce stalls around the city; no one wanted to split one, so i didn't try the local version (for the record--yes, i've tried it before, and like it okay. the smell doesn't bother me, but whilst the flavour is complex on the sweet end of the spectrum, it lacks an acidity i look for in most fruit). the mighty mangosteen and prickly rambutan, on the other hand, were bought at any given opportunity, and eaten just as quickly--hence, the woeful lack of photos.

also imbibed whenever possible: fresh coconut water, in the young coconut, served with a straw and also a spoon, to scoop out the tender, sweet flesh; coconut water contains a high amount of potassium (lots more than a banana), and helps a body rehydrate easier than just cold water. also sucked up: sugar cane juice, freshly expressed from the cane, diluted only with copious amounts of ice, and a touch of fresh lemon. cane juice is nowhere near as sweet as you would imagine, as it comes from the younger, greener cane, picked before the sugars develop.

probably my most favourite dessert in kl is the shave ice treats topped with fresh and preserved fruits, but unlike the filipino halo-halo, korean bingsu, or even its regional sister ais kacang, it does not have red beans or dairy added, so it is much lighter on the stomach. too many fruit concoctions and combinations were available; this one had fresh soursop pieces, preserved palm fruit, mochi balls, and nata de coco (fermented coconut water gel) covered in a guava syrup and basil seed syrup. fresh, fruity, sweet, yet sharp, icy and refreshing.

imho, the best fruit brought over by the housekeeping staff was the local wax jambu (if you want to get all latin fancy it's Syzygium samarangense.) it is known in the philippines as macopa, and on the island as simply "mountain apples." i never see fruit as big as this here on island, nor this colour--usually it's white or pinkish here, but in malaysia--where it is cultivated for harvest--it comes in a rainbow assortment from white to yellow to green to various shades of pink and red. the interior is snowy white, with a cellulosey texture and flavour similar to an asian pear but slightly spongy and lighter. as i can only get it on island in the wild or from other people's backyards, i took every opportunity to munch on this simple but satisfying gift.

quickie kuih mueh.

kuih (plural: kuih mueh): local, traditional-style cakes and morsels that use native ingredients and are generally sweet, occasionally savoury, and sometimes both. typical main ingredients are some form of glutinous rice, coconut, and gula melaka (palm sugar). you can find them anywhere there is food; in kl, there is food everywhere.

i had more than my share of different kuihs, not all of them photographed as they were more important as food than as models. here are some of the ones that didn't get gobbled down straightaway.

after our dinner, miss boo took me to a market area of kampung baru, where she bought me putu bambu, very similar to the filipino puto bumbong, which are also steamed in pieces of bamboo. small lengths of bamboo are cut down, and a dryish glutinous rice flour mixture is packed into them. they are placed upright onto a special steamer. once they are done, they are pushed out of the bamboo length, topped with fresh coconut and gula melaka, and the process is repeated endlessly into the night. these were lighter in flavour and texture than the filipino version (mainly because the pinoy version adds ube, or purple mountain yam), but just as delicious.

pulut inti is a cute little pyramid of steamed glutinous rice, topped with a mound of coconut and gula melaka. the thing that sets it apart from the rest is the unique shape, and the fairly equal ratio of coconut to sugar to rice.

pulut udang is similar to the pinoy suman, in that it is glutinous rice steamed in banana leaf, but it contains a sweet-savoury filling of chopped dried prawn or anchovy, mixed with a bit of sugar. a little odd, but tasty combination.

my favourite of all of them, however, would have to be the kuih ketayap--a small pandan flavoured crêpe wrapped around a gula melaka and coconut filling. there's something about the moist, spongy pancake in contrast with the nutty, sweet interior that i really enjoyed. if anyone has a recipe for this, send it my way!

i have more photos...somewhere....will have to add them on as i come across them....

marmite love.

i still have some kl-related posts to do, but i just wanted to thank miss judith for sending me a bottle of the limited-edition marmite with champagne. anthony says it's got a touch of that you've-got-chocolate-in-my-vodka gainsbourg/birkin pairing about it; i'm more than inclined to agree.

i have yet to taste it. my brain says this should be the best thing ever, but i wonder if the combination might be such a freakishly amazing idea that the actuality might'n't live up to my expectations.

kind of like baby charlotte here. love mom and dad, but the resulting offspring? an interesting combination to be sure, but it has taken some time to truly appreciate her. which i wholeheartedly do.

marmite with champagne, i am prepared!

a little pick(le)-me-up in kl.

nothing in kl got the chamorros and guambats amongst us in a pickle as much as coming across this preserved fruit stall in one of the many (many) shopping centres, which had a glorious array of tropical and not-so-tropical fruit pickles and preserves. many of us have childhood memories of going to the local mom and pops stores or snack stands and instead of picking up penny candy or sodas, our money would go to plastic sandwich bags filled with sliced green or semi-ripe papaya, green mango, or daigo (daikon radish), in a sweet pickling vinegar liberally seasoned with chopped fierce and fiery boonie peppers (bird chiles). this would often be the second breakfast on the bus to school, the mid-morning merienda, or afternoon snack. the scent of vinegar and chile would linger on our fingers and breath, not to mention our lunchboxes and schoolbags because this was pre-ziplock days....

all it took was one whiff of that pungent vinegar scent to lure us in. it was difficult to decide what to pick, without getting overloaded: there was the familiar green mango, yellow mango, and papaya, the unfamiliar-as-a-pickled-substance green grapes, yellow peach and surinam cherries, and the purely unfamiliar salak (snake fruit) and asam kelubi. luckily, we could pick our mix at whim, and return the day.

also available were a variety of rojak sauces and salty, sweet, spicy, stinky concoctions to dip the fruit in: salt and sugar, salt and sugar and chili, salt and sugar and chili and shrimp paste. we didn't have these as kids, which is a shame. i didn't get a chance to sample anything too whiffy, but there's always hope for next time.

21 fruits store
sungei wang plaza
jalan bukit bintang
kl

market in kl.

well of course i had to go to a market. i went to imbi market, which i had read about on boo's blog, and in the inaugural issue of time out kl, in an article written by eating asia's scribe, robyn eckhardt. our hotel provided complimentary breakfasts (pretty good as far as hotel buffets go), so unfortunately, i didn't go to sample the famed hainan coffee and roti kahwin, just to poke around a bit to see what kinds of fruits and veg were on offer, maybe peek into the wet market (or maybe not), and check out the stalls.

1. imbi market melons, 2. imbi market starfruit, 3. imbi market herbs, 4. imbi market mangoes

1. imbi market steamed rice cakes, 2. imbi market snacks pushcart, 3. imbi market mutton man, 4. imbi market dried seafood

i was v. tempted to bring back some of the beautiful dried seafood on offer--cuttlefish, oysters, and scallops of every size--but knew that cute but pesky US customs dog would sniff it out. i think, though, with a little experimentation i might be able to recreate the bursting bulbs of smoked garlic, which were offered up in various stalls. don't know exactly what i'd do with it besides a smokin' (literally) pot of tau ew bak, a thick, soy sauce based stew like hawaiian shoyu chicken, only with giant, glistening chunks of pork. mmmmm. so not halal.

temptation gave in when i saw the sisters crispy popiah stall. popiah are the regional version of the filipino lumpia sariwa, a savoury rice or wheat flour crepe painted with a sweetish-soy and bean sauce, then filled with fresh vegetables, yam or turnip noodles, prawns, and whatever else to the maker's choosing. i'm not sure why the sisters' version is so lauded, but i wonder if it is the 'crispy' in the name that is unusual; their popiah had a generous amount of batter bits that were indeed very crispy and added lovely texture to the wrap. count me as one of the many fans.

i think my favourite vendor, though, was mr. wong, the owner of the chinese pastry stall (name temporarily escapes me, but i'll have a rummage for the card). an earnest and engaging young man, his father and uncle had popular shop in chinatown on petaling street, but he moved the four-generations-old business to the market when his uncle retired. when he saw me taking photos, he showed me his own digital camera, filled with photos of him making the pineapple jam that filled many of the flaky crusted pastries in his case. it takes him four to five hours just to peel the pineapples, never mind cutting and cooking them down in a giant cauldron. one jam making session makes just enough for four days' worth of sweets, so on top of his duties at the stall, he must go through the day-long process for the jam alone, at least twice a week. it is worth it--the fresh flavour of the pineapple still evident under the caramelization, just a tiny bit tart and not too sweet.

although all the pineapple jam filled pastries were lovely (the one with salted egg yolk and jam was especially interesting), i think his top creation would be the mini-egg custard tarts. the crust is impressively flaky, with a silky, light egginess within; you can easily eat one or two in seconds flat.

or three.