the scent of green bananas

browned butter popcorn

2012-01-13T02:33:00.003+10:00

happy new year! how was yours? you guys, you have to try this sometime: brown some butter in a saucepan until nutty, add a handful of chopped (lemon) thyme, parsley and a squeeze of lemon, then drizzle it in some freshly popped popcorn. zomg, peeps, so good. so ono. probably not particularly healthy but it was time you broke that resolution this year anyway, right?

you can get the recipe right here. see you soon.

herby quinoa with mango and eggplant.

2011-10-30T19:00:00.001+10:00

hello, nenes! i just got back from manila, i might be able to eke a post outta that trip for you later this week. i just wanted to drop in, say hello (helloooo!) and give you a recipe that is waymazing, oh, you gotta try it.

i am perpetually trying to eat healthier foods, so i've been stuffin' myself with lovely leafy greens and wholesome grains. however, one grain i'm sloowwwwwly coming around to is quinoa, which wiki tells me is a pseudocereal rather than a real cereal. which probably explains why i only pseudo-like it as opposed to really like it. it is, says wiki and maybe more credible sources, related to beets, spinach, and tumbleweeds. ah. so you say. hm.

anyway, people (and maybe even wiki) say it's good for you, so i've been trying to eat it. it's just a little too seedy for me to treat it like a grain, so i can only eat so much of it. i recently started reading heidi swanson's blog again, and in her reinvention of pasta salad, she drastically reduces the amount of pasta in the salad, and makes the vegetables the star. i thought perhaps i would take this approach with quinoa; instead of making it the main ingredient, i'd delegate it to the background for now, at least until i get a better grasp of this tumbleweed relative.

one of my favourite recipes is from yotam ottolenghi's cookbook "plenty", which is exclusively vegetarian, but filled with recipes that are adaptable to any lifestyle or almost any environment. my guambat readers know how...quirky and erratic produce shopping can be here, so it's nice to know that there are tasty recipes out there that can accommodate our lack of variety that sometimes plagues us. the recipe i turn to often is one for soba noodles, aubergine (eggplant), and mango, which sounds funky--and it is! in an entirely good way--but gets its flavours from familiar southeast asian cuisines. you could wrap this up in lettuce or rice paper wrappers and be a happy island camper. i followed the recipe, with the only substitution being three cups of cooked red quinoa for the buckwheat soba noodles, to great success. the quinoa soaked up the vinegary dressing, and the slightly annoying texture was lost amongst all the crunchy herbiness and soft, fleshy aubergine and mango. good stuff, this. might even be good for you.

get the original recipe here! substitute with red quinoa, white quinoa or noodle of choice, should you desire.

old town at aurora resort.

2011-10-19T23:13:00.004+10:00

old town chinese restaurant moved into the space where my childhood favourite, toh-ka-lin, used to be in the old okura hotel (now the aurora resort). the hotel itself is almost completely abandoned, and the semi-hideous, totally ill-conceived renovation makes the place look like “the shining”.

oh but anyway. the dim sum limited, but pretty good. maybe the best on island, although not quite up to par with the best of SGV.

old town chinese restaurant at aurora resort

aurora resort (old okura hotel),

at the northern end of pale san vitores

647.8200.

weekend project: the PBLT.

2011-09-30T23:30:00.000+10:00

i have to admit that since i've come back from werope, i've been a little sluttish with my eating habits, and haven't been eating very healthily. so i thought i would clean out the fridge and freezer, stock up on some beautiful, locally grown hydroponic lettuces, various local and not-so-local organic veg, lots of fruit juices and herbal tisanes, and gain some smug satisfaction that not only had i cleaned out my totally disgusting kitchen, but maybe clean out my totally disgusting body.

...and then i found a ginormous slab of pork belly in the depths of the deep-freeze and i threw out the weekend's plans and had an all-out-no-holds-barred porkfestivus. yeeeeeeaaaaaaaah!!!!

well, no. not really. the slab was only 1.5 kilos; even though it was a major pork-out, i didn't have enough to feed the village and set atop a maypole, but did have enough for a few waymazing sammiches and then some.

the craving for the sandwiches came from not wanting to stand in line at san francisco's ferry building marketplace farmer's market for rolli roti's (in?)famous porchetta sandwich, and from local fave meskla dos's completely infamous PBLT (pork belly, lettuce, and tomato). i haven't had the SF sandwich, although i did overhear some visiting filipinos tell their friends they found it to be overrated in comparison to lechon throughout the philippines. i have had the meskla dos PBLT, which is made with thick, deep-fried strips of pork belly, lots of mayo, iceberg lettuce, and tomato on a slightly sweet hamburger bun. it was decadent and tasty, but i thought the bun, lettuce, and tomato were too soft to hold up against the robust meat strips, and there is an inherent chewiness to pork belly sliced and cooked this way, which is sometimes a little too much for me to appreciate. i enjoy it, but it's a workout to eat. of course, that didn't stop me from trying to cook it this way.

i watched the dudes at meskla dos make a PBLT, took notes on their method carefully: cut two inordinately thick slices off a massive slab of pork belly. chuck in deep-fryer until golden brown. slather an alarming amount of mayo on a soft white bun, top with slivers of tomato and half a leaf of lettuce, arrange deep-fried pork belly--which is twice the weight and over half the volume of everything else--on top, serve with a smile. i cut off two almost half-inch strips of pork belly from a partially frozen slab, sprinkled it with some sea salt and let it stand for about 10 minutes before frying it in an inch or so of oil, until golden brown (about 3-5 minutes). i left them on some paper towel to pointlessly drain off the excess fat as i assembled the rest of the sandwich: ciabatta bread was toasted, slathered on both sides with japanese kewpie mayonnaise, topped with a fistful of green oak and butter lettuces, and fat slabs of beautifully ripe tomato which i sprinkled with pink sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper. the ratio of veg to meat was about equal in this, and the ciabatta, while light, provided more body that the soft bun, and the open-crumbed yet firm texture would soak up the inevitable mayo-tomato juice-pork juice sluice that would come. it did, and provided another dimension of crunchiness to this already crunchy sandwich. unfortunately, the pork belly's almost jerky-like texture still fought it out with its 'wichmates and left me struggling with a sandwich that distintegrated as i ate. i know some people enjoy the interplay but i prefer a slightly more harmonious structure.

i toyed with the idea of makin' mah own bacon, but that didn't last. i went for my tried-and-true: the easiest of peasiest nigel slater recipes for crisp belly pork roast. it involves a little bit of marinating, which gives the pork more flavour, a high roasting temp, which gives the skin its gorgeous and glorious crackling skin, and beautifully tender meat. the only difference between my method and the recipe in the link is that i omitted the five-spice powder, and only did a rudimentary scoring of the skin because dang, where did all my sharp knives go?!

the scoring also helps with cutting the meat into perfect-if-generous sized portions. plenty of tender, garlicky, almost sweet meat, with just a sliver of the rich and decadent crackling. this time the sandwich set-up was perfect: the toasted crunch of the bread played well with the tender crunch of the lettuces and the occasional shardy crunch of the crackling, and the juicy tenderness of the roast pork married with the juicy tenderness of the perfectly ripe tomato. the ciabatta soaked up all of the juicy that went astray and yet kept its structure whilst keeping things tasty and tidy. result! i may never go back to a regular BLT again, let alone a "normal" PBLT.

***

a note: i've read a few posts on other guam blogs that declare "good" tomatoes simply cannot be found on island. not true. they are everywhere when in season, and not necessary in the traditional beefsteak tomato form. the variety that thrives on island is the cherry tomato, which are copious and abundant and as juicy and as acidic/sweet as one would imagine. the best ones that come stateside are also cherry tomatoes, but also super sweet grape tomatoes. if you absolutely must have a larger variety, check with the korean and japanese markets for the air-flown variety from their respective countries--just be prepared to pay a premium. if you need romas, well, you'd probably be SOL on those, but canned san marzanos can occasionally be found in the usually suspected markets.

gimme pancakes!

2011-09-29T02:27:00.000+10:00

roboppy knows. holy mabel syrup, batman! i waaaaaaaaaaaaant todd von bastiaan's pancake floor pillows with matching butter pat accent pillows. supposedly the set is "only" $600, but on unica home's site, it looks like they are $600 *each*. uh. maybe not. didn't need the carbs anyway....(via boing-boing)

lorwill!

2011-09-14T03:31:00.000+10:00

"if you see a faded sign at the side of the road...."

and it's in dededo? then it's probably not the love shack. if someone tells you it is, i'd stay well clear. however, if you see a bunch of cars parked on the side of the road, around a shack with smoke coming out of it, it might be a fire (call 9-11 already) or it might be lorwill bbq stand.

i haven't been there in the past six months because every time i've driven by, there hasn't been any sort of parking available; unless things have radically changed in those months, i'm pretty sure the place has remained mostly the same: nothing to look at on the outside, popular for filipino-style barbecue sticks, lots of brown food--medium chunks of various meats in various gravies--in the catering trays.

the most popular items on the menu are the barbecue sticks, which come in pork or chicken, and are marinated, filipino style, in a thin, sweet-salty-soy marinade. lorwill is mostly consistent with their sticks--a generous amount of lean but tender meat, well-seasoned, not too sweet, not too salty, not too knorr/maggi season-y/worcester-y, with possibly just a hint of citrus (:cough: lemon-lime soda :cough:). they do a good job--the meat is very well cooked, slightly charred on the outside, but still moist on the inside, with the marinade penetrating the meat, but not overpowering it. they sell them by the stick (the last time i checked, $1.75/chicken, $1.50/pork), or get a plate with two sticks along with either a scoop of white rice, pancit fried noodles, or filipino-style spaghetti. i think there must be some sort of antibacterial/antifungal/antibiotic property in filipino barbecue marinades*, because i tend to buy the cooked sticks in bulk (yeah, that's me cleaning out the supply), and they last forrrrrrever in the fridge, with little deterioration in reheating. well, maybe not forever. but still.

even though times are tough, the selection from the turo-turo line is seems to get bigger every time i go. generally everything i've gotten from there has been well-cooked, with good quality ingredients, and generous portions. turo-turo literally means "point-point", which is pretty much what you do: point at a dish (or two or three), and you'll get a heap of it served with either two scoops of steamed white rice or a mess of pancit fried noodles. i don't know if there's rhyme or reason behind what comes out every day--i'm guessing what's popular is what they cook, hence, as i mentioned before, lots of meaty and brown. however, there's some good stuff in there--adobo with lots of garlic and gravy, oxtail, bistec with lots of tender onions, a chunky, tomatoey beef stew called caldereta. however, i tend to look for anything with seafood, and if you are lucky you can pick from grilled or fried bangus (milkfish) or tilapia, or fat steaks of bangus in a sour sinigang soup, or maybe some of my favourites: a chinese stir-fry inspired dish of veggies, squid and mussels in a spicy sauce, tilapia halves cooked with lots of vinegar, garlic and onions--called paksiw, similar to escabeche in flavour, squid stewed in its own ink, or mongo (green mung beans) cooked down into a stew with dried shrimp, pork, and bitter melon (all pictured above).

even though i think lorwill does a surprisingly good job with their veggies (a chop suey of sorts is usually available, as is the pinoy version using native vegetables called pinakbet) some of my favourite things on the menu are dishes i rarely get because they are just so, so, sooooo freaking good whilst being so freaking bad for you: lechon kawali and sisig. these are people who know their way around a pig. lechon kawali is the pig of the people, something that appeals to almost everyone: tender pork belly with bits of skin and just enough fat to be sinful included with each chunk, deep-fried so there is shards of skin and a crackly crust that gives way to sweet, moist meat buried within, and served with a homemade lechon sauce that is sweet, slightly tangy and rich with liver, but you'd be hard pressed to ID it as such if i didn't just tell you (eh. no biggie. you need the iron.). sisig might be more of a challenge, if you haven't tried it, but dang, people! try it! sisig is a dish that, depending on how you look at these things, incorporates pig parts that you would rather not think about, or, is an ideal representation of the "nose-to-tail" eating philosophy. the lorwill version uses ears and snouts, which are meticulously cleaned and chopped enough to be indiscernibly anything squeamish (you will not be sniffing at a sniffer, or so you think), and then cooked--several times over, actually--laboriously with vinegar or lemon, ginger, garlic, onions and chili peppers until it all amalgamates into a melting, soft and fatty, cartilage-squeaky, pungent, vibrant, son-of-a-gun sexy pork dish. nibble on some ears, why dontcha.

i like the food here. i don't particularly hang around once i order, but the fact that it is pretty much just a corrugated tin and wood shack with a couple of funky ordering windows obvs doesn't put me off. you are definitely going to hate the parking as much as i do, and please be careful when parking there because there are some very stupid drivers doing some very stupid things at very stupid times right around there. they are open early enough for breakfast (try the tortang talong) and open quite late at night, so you have plenty of time to mosey on over.

lorwill bbq stand
28 (really??) n. marine corps drive, in front of guam home center, next to dededo retail store (whoo, guam! we don't mess around with the names of our businesses, do we?)
dededo.

*i don't really believe this. i think my fridge is just really freezer cold.

some quick but convoluted words about singapura.

2011-08-28T16:13:00.002+10:00

i love malaysian food, so i was excited that singapura, a restaurant that features the food of singapore, had opened. singaporean cuisine embraces the ethnic diversity of the country; the food is influenced by the native malay, chinese, indian, indonesian and even western traditions.

singapura is in the royal orchid hotel, in a space that used to hold tony roma's; some white paint, banquettes recovered in red vinyl, and a few well chosen accessories have brightened the room considerably, and created a welcoming atmosphere. it certainly doesn't look like a rib joint anymore.

now here is the explanation for the title of this post: the flavours on the menu were described to me by one of the managers as singaporean recipes as realized by a japanese chef, taught to a filipino (?) chef, and tweaked for local tastes. SO. um. yeah. YMMV when it comes to what you consider authentic. certainly there's a lot of fusion going on, with a mango fried chicken salad and five-spice fried shrimp appetizer, but there are traditional dishes as hainanese chicken, laksa and beef rendang.

my favourite of the traditional is bat kut teh, which translates to "meat bone tea". a typical version has pork ribs simmered in a broth of various herbs and spices including garlic, cinnamon, clove and star anise; singapura's version is subtle compared to some versions i've tried, but the spices are evident in the soup, and there is an ample amount of tender ribs and fat mushroom in a portion.

i haven't tried much on the menu, which is considerable--there are several curries, a few vegetable and grilled items and variety of seafood dishes presented as mix-and-match options: choose from crab, crab claws, prawns, scallops or lobster, and pair it with a chili sauce, or black pepper sauce, garlic butter, or coconut curry. all of them sound enticing. i quite like the crab beehon: rice noodles in an unctious sauce with a crab broth base, wok-fried with crab claws, sweet peppers, bean sprouts, and topped with fried onions. i am not a fan of beehon noodles, nor cooked peppers and bean sprouts, but i sort of love this--it's slightly sweet, savoury, slippery and slightly crunchy, and rich with the flavour of crab.

another current fave is the coffee-glazed ribs: braised pork ribs glazed in a mixture of oyster sauce, chinese rice wine, sweet soy sauce, and coffee, then dusted with a bit of cinnamon. the flavour is deep, slightly bitter, and only a little bit sweet, so it's not like drinking pork-flavoured starbucks. well. maybe unsweetened pork-flavoured starbucks. you can watch chef walter cook them here.

okay, this is probably the least "authentic" dish, but ooh, it's a good one: warm roti prata topped with two scoops of vanilla ice cream, warm coffee glaze and cinnamon. warm, cool, chewy, creamy, coffeeee-ey, and oh-so-tasty. simple and diiiivine.

you should check out their facebook page, because there are all sorts of discounts and coupons littering the wall. if you "Like" them right now, there is a coupon for $10 off a $30 bill, which is a GREAT bargain. go. get it, use it. you have a few days (until the end of august).

another bargain available is on wednesday nights, something called "tour of singapura" and seems to be an all-you-can-eat for $25 option. i haven't been, i can't quite figure it out, but i think the kitchen brings out a bunch of little dishes, and eat as many of them as you want, then hopefully stop. you can always come back.

singapura
royal orchid hotel
626 pale san vitores, across from PIC, up against the cliff,
tumon.
671.647.2088.

https://www.facebook.com/SingapuraGuam

quick bite at yardy's.

2011-08-11T22:43:00.007+10:00

i don't really like to post anything about a place i haven't frequented much, which probably account for the pitiful amount of content on this blog in the past few years. however, it's always good to change things up, so i'm just gonna experiment a bit and bang out a few "first impression" posts to see how it goes, zokay?

oh, the food truck thing! the first one i remember going to on island was in tumon, a brightly painted red catering truck which featured a yummy yakisoba that was basically fried in butter. i don't remember the name of it--max's?--but it was basically known as the yakiso-van :) when i moved to LA the food trucks i went to were known as roach coaches and didn't have all the gourmet la-la items that are popular now, but still had some tasty mexican food amongst the regular luncheon fare. now when i'm in LA, i tend to avoid the popular "gourmay" wagons--with the exception of lake street creamery and the ludo truck--and stick to the old school taco trucks in my neighbourhood. luckily, two great ones are just around the corner, so i can get my fix of LA street-style tacos in mere minutes.

not so much luck here on island, until i was driving around one night a few months ago and saw a couple of food trucks parked in tumon. a little googling led to the yardy's website, and, like any self-respecting, savvy, modern day food truck, a twitter account. from the url, www.yardydog.com, i mistook it for a hot dog truck, but the online menu features mostly hot and cold sandwiches, and a few specialty items. a check on twitter, and i found that yardy's would be at the commercial port in piti during lunch service, skinner plaza in agana in the afternoons, paul's plaza in tamuning in the evenings, and at the fountain plaza in tumon late night. they seem to be sticking to that schedule for now, which makes the truck (i think only one truck is in service at the moment) easy to find.

a couple of times i've been to yardy's at the fountain plaza space, near club denial, during their late night hours. for one reason or another, the menu was limited, so i tried three of their"LA street-style tacos" (one for $1.99, three for $4.99) which were made with soft flour tortillas, lettuce, and pico de gallo on top of your choice of marinated beef, chicken or pork. the beef was prepared differently on the occasions i tried it--the first time it was ground, the second time cut in little cubes--as was the chicken (cubed the first time, shredded the next). the meat was well-cooked each time, tender and moist; the first time around all three meats were too salty on their own, but combined with the warm tortilla, crispy lettuce and salsa, the seasonings mellowed out and worked well together. these were good tacos, made even better by being freshly cooked, warm and filling on a sloshy, rainy night. i imagine after a night of clubbing and drinking, they'd be a phenomenal way to soak up the liquor and fill up your belly.

the next time 'round, i wanted to check out the chicken and waffles. i have had a few very, very late night sessions at roscoe's house of chicken n waffles in LA, but frankly, i remember trying not to get stabbed in the parking lot (only once!) more than how the food tasted (although i remember it being pretty tasty).

at yardy's, you get three pieces of chicken and a whole belgian waffle per order ($7.50). they are cooked to order, but it didn't take long at all for them to come out. the aroma of the chicken and waffle plate is pretty fantastic--sweet and savoury, warm and slightly spicy, wafting through the air before you actually get your plate. the chicken pieces are a decent size, simply dredged in flour and deep-fried, slightly butterflied to take them off the bone for faster cooking--a smart idea that saves time and didn't seem to compromise the juiciness of the meat. the chicken is perfectly fried--a tender yet firm crunch on the outside, moist, piping hot meat on the inside. it could benefit from a little seasoning--i couldn't even discern any salt--but as far as cooking technique goes, it was great (i am a fan of cold fried chicken, and yardy's chicken holds up well even after a night in the fridge). i appreciate that they used belgian waffles instead of the standard breakfast waffle as the base, as i think the texture works better with the fried chicken. i would prefer to have a little crunch to the exterior of the waffle, but it was warm and tender, with an interesting spiciness i couldn't quite make out--cinnamon? nutmeg? mace?! was it even in the waffle? maybe it was in the light drizzle of sweet syrup on the warm waffle. i still haven't figured out what the enticing aroma was, but it really reminds me of sweet potato fries. (which are pretty great here, btw). just give me a little time, and a few more trips to yardy's.

yardy's
find 'em.
twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/yardydog
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Yardy-Dog/192824447432903
website: http://www.yardydog.com/

hello yogurt!

2011-08-08T18:48:00.004+10:00

it's hello kitty/sanrio month at yogurtland! sadly, there isn't any cat-flavoured frozen yogurt, nor even a dead-eyed giant hello kitty-garbed employee to loom over you. however, there are appropriately themed cups and four different spoons, and a smattering of merchandise that screams "MOOOOOMMMMMMMMY BUY MEEEEEEE BUY MEEEEEE NOW WHILE I AM ON THIS MASSIVE SUGAR HIGH". (because that's much more interesting than "miaow".) there are sanrio characters bedecking the walls, and helpful flavour-pairing suggestions (chococat swears she loves chocolate yogurt with peanuts, and keroppi likes ~~anchovy yogurt with dead flies~~ plain tart frozen yogurt with gummy worms. because he is a purist.) so for the next four weeks or so, be prepared to battle little and not-s0-little girls in already crowded lines for your next fix of dragonfruit or taro frozen yogurt.

not-so-secretly (because i am asian and i am a girl) i love it. i've drunk the kool-aid of the hello kitty pop cultural church.

but seriously, this is marketing genius, and yogurtland rocks for that. if they bring back a tokidoki partnership, or do a domo promo, i might have to pledge allegiance to the united state of yogurtland. and to the consumer republic for which it stands.

yogurtland
agaña shopping center, next to wendy's.
671.475.9595.

hot in barrigada

2011-08-07T19:59:00.006+10:00

hello nenes! i'm back, and trying to get some holiday posts up for you. in the meantime, i'm going to do some mini-local posts.

for those of you craving krispy kreme hot-glazed donuts, crown bakery in barrigada has fresh donuts out of the fryer at rush hour. they are not quite the same as the international chain variety, but they have the ooey, gooey, warm pillowy softness that-u-want, that-u-crave, i know u do. they are available in the morning (7-9 am?)--although the neverending road construction may have put the kibosh on that--but you can definitely get them from 5.30pm every evening. they are available with a plain sugar or chocolate glaze.

i think celebrity bakery in mangilao also has a hot donut hour, and possibly somewhere else. if you have the skinny on the fat, let me know!

crown bakery
121 Route 10 (next to shell gas station)
barrigada 96921.
734.4826

birthday in bavaria.

2011-07-19T22:56:00.001+10:00

cake gone, a photo by chotda on Flickr.

I spent my birthday in Munich! And had a proper boozy black forest gateau to celebrate. Which of course, was.demolished in minutes. Still sort of wandering this earth but will be back on our rock soon enough. Auf wiedersehen! Be blogging soon.

dinner at incanto, in which i finally meet....

2011-06-15T00:31:00.004+10:00

no, seriously, i really *am* blogging at my LA blog. no, really. go check, nen!

anyway, one of my favourite blogs is ono kine grindz, which is based out of honolulu, but its author, reid, is a globetrotting kind of guy. we had made plans throughout the years to meet up in various corners of the globe, but finally managed to meet up for dinner at incanto, during a quickie trip to san francisco that i took with lovely miss yoony from another great food blog, immaeatchu.

incanto is the sort of restaurant that i wish was in every town--smartly casual and inviting, intimate and serious about its food. the menu is a market-dependent, with a rustic italian flare, and changes every day. chef chris cosentino is partial to offal and cuts of meat that most people would discard, but he manages to make the most of some of the most unusual parts.

even though we had to cancel our reservations and suddenly re-make them (hello highway 101! you have a lot to answer for!), the staff was gracious and accommodating, and we were seated in a cosy back room with only six tables (of which four were filled with other parties taking photos of all their food as well. and everyone was eavesdropping but pretending to ignore each other. ha. love this town.).

some of the things we ate:

porchetta di testa, a pig's head salami made by marinating a de-boned head in rosemary in garlic, then braised for an eternity. if you really need to know, there's a video here, but it gets a little graphic.

boccalone iberico di bellota lardo, nakita pear & mint: boccalone is the salumeria run by incanto's chef chris cosentino, and this is his version of cured acorn-fed spanish backfat. yes, lard. delicate, flavour-flavy fat. the sweet asian pear and sharp, herby mint was a wonderful complement.

foie gras, trotters & citron marmellata: yeah, i'm not gonna lie. this was as rich--even richer, actually--than the backfat, as there was nothing that really cut through the sumptuousness of liver, and slowly braised pig's feet. i'm suddenly reminded of that soap opera "the bold and the beautiful". because it was.

pulpo inzimino, cavolo nero & aioli: baby squid cooked in its ink, with black kale and aioli. although more delicate than the pig's trotters, this one also had bold, pronounced flavours with the sweet, tender flesh of the squid playing nicely with the mild bitterness of the vegetable and the unctuous aioli.

beef heart, sweetbreads, spinach & potato: i don't think i've ever had beef heart intentionally, nor sweetbreads, but this was a wonderful introduction. honestly, though, i don't remember their flavour apart from the rich jus, but the beef heart was tender yet with a slight chewiness, and the sweetbreads--that's thymus or pancreas to you--were slightly springy and fork tender.

for dessert we had goat cheese stuffed figs, honey & almonds and a darned tasty sticky toffee pudding & spice ice cream.

i wish i had something profound to say about it, but i don't. it is, however, what i consider to be the epitome of a great restaurant. and the food, the company, the surroundings, our crazy neighbour tables and conversation made for a great night out. mahalo, reid and yoony! hope we can do this again.

incanto
1550 church street
san francisco ca 94131
415.641.4500 ‎

VEGAN! BLACK! METAL! CHEF!!

2011-05-12T16:15:00.000+10:00

meet me at the corner of third and fairfax.

2011-04-07T15:09:00.002+10:00

hey kids! i'm in LA at the moment, you can follow me at my LA blog, meet me at the corner of third and fairfax. i'll be here for couple more weeks.

get your mojo on!

2011-03-09T12:25:00.003+10:00

i've had this photo sitting in my flickr account for...years, nen. yeah. so long that the kitchn did a post about it in 2008. it's a little overexposed, but it shows the ingredients of one of my favourite marinades, a cuban mojo, which is garlicky, citrusy, herby, so of course, packed with flavour. it works on almost anything--chicken, pork, fish, shellfish, even beef and tofu if you are inclined.

if you click on the photo above, it will take you to its flickr page, where you'll find interactive notes over each ingredient, complete with measurements. just throw everything into a blender, food processor, or mortar and pestle, and go to town. if you are doing meat, i suggest keeping it in the marinade overnight, but for fish and other seafood, no more than one hour, as the citrus will start to cook it. if you are too lazy to click through, here's the recipe:

cuban mojo

1 1/2 cups orange juice

1 cup olive oil (cheap kind is great)

1 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup lemon juice (or any sour citrus equivalent)

2-3 bay leaves

garlic cloves (5 for meat, 3 for seafood)

2 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp black peppercorns

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp oregano

throw into blender/food processor. blitz.

delmonico kitchen+bar/dkb

2011-02-22T20:27:00.002+10:00

jalapeño corn soup

i'm a little burnt out on reviewing restaurants right now. i've been sitting on this post for thre months now, and ahhh, nothin'. have you been here? tell me what you think of it. in the meantime, here are some pretty photos of some of my favourite dishes at delmonico/dkb.

mac-n-cheese with crabmeat

boneless fried chicken w|creamy mash

kb ultimate steak burger

apple tartlette and chocolate triple crème

the breakfast menu appeals to me greatly, but i've yet to try it. here's the slightly quirky menu.

28 feb 2011: okay, let's try this one more time.....

blink and you might miss it, especially if you're hurtling down santos hill as you are wont to do. tucked into the ground floor corner of the bayview hotel--newbies, look for the mural--is delmonico kitchen+bar (dkb). with its walls clad in warm wood and bright colours, modern decor and casual air, it doesn't look nor feel like a hotel restaurant, but instead like a cool little neighbourhood café. the menu is quirky--a mix of italian, asian and american casual cuisine--but expertly prepared by a kitchen headed up by chefs eddie chien and raul cordero, of the late colors restaurant red. red never quite found its footing, but by keeping the menu relatively simple and consistent, hopefully dkb will stick around for awhile.

i've tried to keep dkb in my regular rotation of local restaurants, and for the most part, the food has been consistent and competently prepared. i tend to stick to the same entrees--the boneless fried chicken and steak burger with a flying saucer-like disc of griddled cheese are particular favourites--but i can't fault the lightly crispy battered basa fillet sandwich in a fluffy white bun, nor its more elegant sister, the seared spicy crème dory on a bed of rice with a garlic ginger butter sauce. both are tender and flaky, and the delicately-flavoured fish is somehow never overpowered by its more assertive accompaniments. they've got a temaki bento box of make-your-own sushi with white rice, sheets of nori, sashimi and tempura prawns that can be a substantial entree for one, or a fun appetizer for the table. the desserts are few and familiar, but exceptionally well-made. the crème brûlée is one of the better versions on the island, and if they've got the matcha green tea-flavoured one, it's one of the best desserts i've tried here in awhile.

the breakfast menu looks interesting; i think one of the things guam lacks is a casual brunch place for the weekends, and dkb's menu looks extensive and interesting enough that it may fit the bill. now if i could only get up in time to find out....

delmonico kitchen+bar/dkb
bayview hotel, ground floor
tumon (santos hill).
646.2300.

tv dinner.

2011-02-02T00:11:00.004+10:00

my addiction: AppleTV. i have season passes for "downton abbey," "top gear," and my new favourite cooking show, "dinner with the band" with chef sam mason.

i have to admit, i haven't really followed the career of chef mason because he looks like a relative of mine who i'd like to decapitate and stitch his head back on with an awl on a regular basis, so i've got irrational bias. i know i'm totally late to the party, but when i read about "dinner with the band" i knew it was worth checking out--indie music? good food? add a couple of fast cars in the mix and they woulda hit a trifecta, but two out of three is rarely ever bad, even if it is a meatloaf song.

if you haven't seen the show, the basic conceit is that a band shows up at chef mason's space, he cooks a meal and creates a cocktail that is somewhat tailored to the guests, and they play some music. zomg, the music! soooo good. great bands--most of whom i'd heard before, but i'm totally loving the ones i'd not known previously, in particular theophilus london and the devil makes three.

chef mason is a good host, really at ease in front of the camera. he's never at a loss for words, but still able to carry a conversation with the bands whilst prepping the meal. he's a bit no-nonsense, yeah, he's got that hipster thing going, but he's got a quick wit and easy going manner that appeals. and anyone who has a kick-ass waylon jennings tattoo is alright with me. then there's the food, which is far more interesting than i had anticipated, yet still executable by the average home cook. i watched six episodes in a row, and wanted to make everything.

luckily, i actually had most of the ingredients on hand to make the main part of meal from the murder city devils ep: midnight burritos at the mason kitchen.

chef mason said that this was his take on mission-style burritos. and then he said he'd never been to san francisco. um, it's kinda evident he's never had a mission burrito, which is a hulking, amalgamated behemoth. this is not. this is actually the antithesis of the mission burrito--healthier, lighter, of average proportion, and orderly.

chef mason lines up the ingredients in such a way that plucks at my OCD heartstrings, so of course i had to as well. the innards of the burrito contain chorizo, green cilantro rice, refried lentils, goat cheese, queso fresco, and watercress salsa verde. when i first heard the components, i was doubtful but damn if this isn't one fine burrito. (okay, if you call this a burrito in my 'hood, you'd get laughed out of town. so let's say this is one fine mexican-inspired wrap.)

the lentils are a particularly nice addition because they are so much lighter than the traditional refried beans. the goat cheese was an eye-opening, mouth-watering surprise--the sharpness and musty creaminess adds extra depth, and the watercress salsa verde is soooooo nice. the original recipe calls for fresh tomatillos, which unfortunately i didn't have, so i had to make do with some frozen roasted ones i chucked in the freezer mumblemumble months ago. still, the peppery spice of the watercress played well with the heated spice of the jalapeño, and the fresh herbiness works well with the roasted fruit (i'm guessing tomatillos are fruit). i look forward to whatever season brings in fresh tomatillos on island, because the original sauce is a beautiful, verdant, springy green, and i'm sure the salsa verde will just knock my socks off. if i wore socks.

here's the band:

who freakin' rock it out. and here's another link to the recipes. i wish i had enough tomatillos to make the agua verde cocktail, but there's time enough for that.

my notes:
--i used frozen pre-roasted tomatillos in the salsa.
--the chorizo is a local product, and pretty freaking awesome. i used the chicken chorizo, which didn't produce a lot of oil, so for the lentils, i drained off some of the 'rizo juice and added a small glug of olive oil.
--i used regular lentils and didn't mash them down that much as i was looking for more texture.
--even though there are a zillion components, it is actually not that complicated. from start to finish, i had all the components made and the burritos assembled in just about an hour.

"dinner with the band" is on IFC, or by download on itunes.

cheesy poofs.

2011-01-31T00:25:00.007+10:00

you guys. do you know when i started watching football? saturday, october 23, 2010, stanford v washington state. i had just finished reading "the big short: inside the doomsday machine" by michael lewis (recommended) and had just cracked open "the blind side: evolution of a game"--not because of the movie, not because i even like football, but because i like lewis (i also highly recommend "moneyball: the art of winning an unfair game." i don't like baseball, but i've read this book twice.) i wasn't particularly interested in reading "the blind side" because i knew next to nothing about football, and didn't really spend the time to figure out why i disliked it. but as i got into the book, i read something that made me believe that the defense is always out to kill the quarterback. is that true? because in the NFL, it really seems true. where is the sport in that??

ANYWAY. back to the stanford game in october. i had the game on because i lost the remote and just needed background noise. and then the announcer said something i had never heard in a game before. he gave the grade point average of the player. andrew luck--team quarterback, majoring in architecture, with a 3.5 grade point average. i looked up. is this normal? or is it just because it's stanford that you get the GPA? anyway, i thought "golly, i hope they don't kill the qb with the good grades." and the more i watched the game, the more i realized that college ball was far more interesting to me than pro ball--i could follow the game, understand the plays, and there was the sense of sportsmanship i had previously found missing, even if yeah, they sometimes want to maim the quarterback a little.

so now i watch football. but only collegiate, mind. i still don't know when the super bowl is, but apparently it's soon. and there are a bunch of recipes online for people getting ready for superbowl parties. chef ludo lefebvre (you know, this guy) offered up a "cheese puffs" recipe on daily candy. these cheese puffs are actually gruyère gougères, a sort of cream puff shell loaded with gruyére cheese. they are light, puffy and hollow--slighty crispy, slightly eggy, and nicely flavoured by the nutty sharpness of the cheese. you could probably eat a whole batch of these on their own, straight out of the oven. or even split and fill them--if you want to go a classic '70s cocktail route, try crab or tuna salad, or, if you want to do elevated comfort food, maybe a little prosciutto and strawberry preserves for an upscale take on a monte cristo sandwich.

if you are going to get your su'bowl party on, what are you going to serve? where does cheese puff fall in the realm of football party food?

once again, a link to the recipe.

my notes:

--used the second set of ingredients given in weighed amounts, instead of volume.
--didn't use an electric mixer at any point, just a wooden spoon.
--used 1/8th of a teaspoonful of kosher salt instead of a pinch (technically, 1/8th is two pinches).
--follow the times carefully--you really do need to mix and dry the dough for up to ten minutes.
--if you drop the dough by spoonfuls, a heaping teaspoonful will yield about 3 dozen, and take 20 minutes in the oven. if using heaping tablespoonful, you'll get approximately 1 1/2 dozen and it will take approximately 30 minutes to bake (check five minutes prior).
--try to drop the dough on the sheet in tall mounds--the dough will spread a bit, you don't want flat puffs :)

statement of facts.

2011-01-08T14:58:00.005+10:00

1. food. i have a love/hate, love/indifference relationship with it.
2. blogging. see above.
3. i like you. i really do. which is why i am going to try to shift the current hate/indifference mode to L-O-V-E, and embrace the foodie and blogger within.
4. there are too many food franchises coming to the island, i hope all the new folk on island will not stick to the frozen, salinated mass-marketed option. so this year i will try to blog about more local restaurants and what can be offered on a non-microwaved basis.
5. i might actually cook this year.
6. i like guys in suits. especially if they are adroit and adept at what they do.

just sayin'.

these are the contents of my fridge, so as you can see, there might be an easing-in period. see you soon.

"a fish needs a bicycle."

2010-09-07T02:23:00.009+10:00

(please excuse the poor quality of the photos!)

we were in the province a couple of weeks ago, and just as the sun had set, we heard a bell tinkling at the gate. it was a man on a bicycle, with bamboo baskets piled behind his seat. it was a traveling vendor from a neighbouring village, selling tinapa, or smoked fish. he and his wife work at home, preparing various fish that they procure from the wet market in the morning, or sometimes from their own nets. they work hard at this backyard tinapahan--the catch they get in the morning is more often than not smoked and sold by sundown.

making tinapa is slightly different from the traditional western style of smoking fish. the local method involves the fish being boiled in a brine first, then arranged on a bistay, or woven bamboo tray that is a signature of trade. they are dried in the sun before going through the smoking process; hardwood and sawdust is often used, and the smoking time usually around four to six hours.

the fish were still warm by the time the vendor reached our house. he pulled out his inventory, carefully setting the bistays on newspaper he laid out on the ground before him. (unless there are some curious puppies, in which case, on a nearby table.) my aunt inspected them thoroughly, amiably chatting with the vendor, but also asking many questions about the provenance of the fish. he only had galunggong or mackerel scad left; it is a common fish, quite oily but tasty. it was once known as "the poor man's fish" in the philippines, but has gained quite a bit of popularity in the past decade and purportedly it now has to be imported from china to keep up with the demand. however, today's catch, he assured, came from local waters. my aunt remained a bit skeptical, but the fish were firm of flesh, plump, and the smoky aroma was irresistible. we bought out the rest of his supply, which he carefully wrapped in bundles of six, in half sheets of newspaper. amusingly, my little bundle was decorated with news of lindsay lohan. a little entertainment for the evening.

although tinapa are thoroughly cooked, most people fry the fish before serving. we don't; just a little time in the oven or microwave heats them through, without drying them out or diminishing the lush smokiness. served with a simple vinegar mixed with sliced shallots and a pile of rice suffices. nothin' poor about that.

wow, can't think of a title for this.

2010-09-04T02:23:00.004+10:00

do you remember the days before the internezz when most information was word-of-mouth and you never bothered to check the facts? wait. sounds like the internet age anyway!

**

a cousin told me about gelatissimo; said something about this new gelato shop in greenbelt 5 in makati that was really, really good, and had all sorts of amazing flavours. and! the kicker was that it originated in cebu, which is like, a sort of beachy, sleepy town in the visayas, and how it was like, the best thing to ever come out of there since like, kenneth cobonpue ("who?", you say? well, g'wan, click on the link!) . i was all, "right on!" i could get behind a new filipino company especially if it was good. we decided to check it out after dinner.

when we got to the shop, i admit i was expecting something nice, but it was more posh than i had imagined. schmantzy sign, lots of product attractively displayed in refrigerated cases, intimate but adequate seating area. wow, sooo not beachy, baby.

and then i went to peruse the flavour selection and was really surprised--not only were there the standard flavours but semi-wacky ones like honey, toffee and malt, black sesame, cinnamon donut, teddy graham cracker biscuits, profiterole. which, you know, sound super sexy and less fattening in italian: miele, caramello e malto, sesamo nero, ciambellina di cannella...uh, teddy cracker di farina di frumento and erm, profiterole. i went with the cinnamon donut gelato which kinda blew me away--it actually tasted like a cinnamon donut, not just cinnamon, but also baked and cakey, too. but all in a spoonful of creamy, cool, smooth milky confection. bella scoperta! who whudda thunkit? not i said the fly.

i was really impressed with the product--not only was it some of the best gelato i'd had in the city, but anywhere outside of italy. i was told that it was so good that they had they opened up a shop in florence, italy. pardon my sopranos' italian but oogatz, they got some stugats to breeng this stuff to eeataly, youknowwhaimsayin'? but from what i sampled, i thought "yeah, okay! awesome. meravigliosa."

in the next few days i tried a few more flavours--the green apple sorbet, dark chocolate sorbet (pictured at the top of the post), pineapple, and rum raisin--all of them very, very good. the chocolate sorbet was actually quite welcome on a hot, humid and oppressive day--it was rich and dark like black coffee without the acidic bite, a little bit fruity and very, very light in texture, despite the strong flavour. the "weirdest" flavour i tried was a buttered caramel popcorn, which i don't know if i could recommend. it tasted exactly like lightly buttered, lightly caramelized popcorn, like something you'd get in a movie theatre. it also tasted sort of stale. like something you'd get in a movie theatre. at least it was authentic.

**

so. i was excited by this new discovery of mine, i was all blah blah blah love it! gotta try it! gotta tell everyone about it! so i thought i'd email a friend. while i was writing the email, i thought i'd check online if they had a website. and duh--i mean sí, certamente of course there is a website. which of course tells the REAL story, which is that it's a big ole australian chain and it's everywhere, and of course it's awesome, fool. i smacked my head, thought of some nasty things in italian to call my cousin the next time i saw him. then i thought "hm, i wonder what new flavour is out today?"

gelatissimo,
worldwide. but also
greenbelt 5, space 2-045, second floor
ayala center, makati.

waving, not drowning.

2010-08-02T07:55:00.001+10:00

hallo! yes, you! i'm blogging at my LA blog for the moment, see you there!

cool you

2010-07-20T10:03:00.003+10:00

i've blogged about it before but i love this stuff. guinomis, a tasty (vegan!) treat of tapioca pearls, agar gelatin, palm sugar syrup, coconut milk, toasted pinipig rice flakes, and lots of shaved ice. just a little something to cool you down and fill you up. deliciously.

breakfast at noon.

2010-07-04T23:15:00.000+10:00

which of course, is nothing more than brunch, but i'm going for a continuity thing here. indulge me, people!

kinda like what we did here: challah french toast, slathered with nutella and drizzled with raspberry preserves, topped with caramelized bananas, crispy bacon, and powdered sugar. served with maple syrup, whipped cream and whipped butter. AS IF. surprisingly not as sweet as you'd think, plenty savoury without the bacon, which in fact was just another example of how bacon does NOT make everything better.

and then we tried to be a little healthy with the salmon mousse plate: marinated salmon, salmon mousse, poppy seed onion bagel crisps, caper berries, sweet fig marmalade and fresh dill.

guess which one got demolished.

gratuitous shot of good-looking waitstaff. why not.

mr. jones
greenbelt 5, garden level
legaspi st, legaspi village
makati, philippines
501.3682/83

breakfast at midnight.

2010-07-03T13:32:00.006+10:00

it seemed like a good idea at the time. the pancakes themselves were heaven--lemon ricotta blueberry pancakes that were light and fluffy, tender, and only a little bit sweet, studded with fat, fragrant blueberries, dusted with powdered sugar and topped with candied lemon zest. phew! AND there was whipped cream, whipped butter, and a maple-y syrup on the side. not that they needed any of that.

but i did need a wheelbarrow to be rolled outta there afterwards.

brought to me by this guy, at mr. jones. (more on this place later)

mr. jones
greenbelt 5, garden level
legaspi st, legaspi village
makati, philippines
501.3682/83

2010-06-29T02:59:00.002+10:00

breakfast at bizu.

2010-06-06T02:25:00.007+10:00

you know i heart bizu, but we were both getting a little old, tired, and frayed around the edges. so i stepped away for awhile, and we got our acts together. or at least, bizu greenbelt did, moved into a new house, with a new attitude. gone are the garish, wonka-ish walls, dusty and fusty florals, replaced with a new coat of white paint, light and glass, for a more refined, calm and mature space.

it's a good mix of old and new, european and native, modern and classic. much like the menu. clever boots, those bizu folk.

even the servers no-longer-so-fresh funky bunch uniforms have changed to a sort of casual continental concierge look.

you can still find the lovely rainbow of macarons

and the french-inspired confections with local flair. or local confections with french-inspired flair. whaaa

even though they are known for their free-range egg specialties--their wild mushroom omelet is a particular favourite of mine--and you gotta try the pancakes with fresh mangoes and chantilly cream!, i opted for something lighter and healthier after all the too-typical culinary indulgences in all that manila has to offer.

bizu is one of the few places that regularly offers ~~freshly mown grass clippings~~ fresh wheatgrass shots.

and they transform cut up fruit and fermented milk products to new heights. instead of boring old yogurt they take ~~boring old~~ kefir and freeze it into little balls of tasty lacto-bacterial and fermented goodness.

which is what i have for breakfast there most days. don't ask me how i can pass up their savoury crepes, boneless bangus and garlic rice, or eggs florentine. really. because i will make you drink wheatgrass shots with me, i really will.

bizu patisserie and bistro,

greenbelt 2

makati.

757.BIZU (2498)

bakery bench

2010-05-31T00:56:00.004+10:00

did you know that the house that fried chicken built has a bakery? it's a pretty good one, too. it's called max's corner bakery and you can find it...in the corner of max's restaurants. HA. some of them anyway.

i was walking by the one near my flat early one morning, and came across this lovely tableau of assorted pastries, waiting to be arranged on their tidy shelves. i rather like where they are.

because you had a hot day.

2010-05-29T23:54:00.005+10:00

taotaomona sundae: three scoops of ice cream, bananas, brownie chunks, nuts, strawberry sauce, and a cherry on top. at mount lam lam sno' n' ice cream.

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

men and their meats! lunch at churrasco.

2010-05-25T00:43:00.011+10:00

whoo, carne! although i had not been a previous fan of brazilian barbecue-style restaurants, i gotta say, the owners of churrasco brazilian bbq and salad bar in tumon are totally canny for bringing the rodízio-style all-you-can-eat meat festival to guam. and even more genius for keeping the prices relatively reasonable, and hopefully keeping the quality high.

churrasco opened last month in the former mac and marti's space in pacific bay hotel. it is a light-filled dining room with a glass-enclosed wine room at the entrance, a sleek bar behind it, outdoor seating in the hotel's courtyard, and a glass-enclosed grilling area at the back.

the restaurant does not take reservations, but the dining room is large, and despite the enormous salad bar off to one side, they manage to create walkable aisles so you don't go bumping into everyone on your way to and fro.

the basic set up: you get your salads from the nicely varied salad bar at your leisure. at lunchtime, there is a hot food station with various starches--rice, red rice, and mashed potato, along with black beans and steamed or sauteed vegetables. at dinnertime, this is replaced with a cheese and bread board, along with smoked salmon and typical accoutrements, with the starches, beans, and veggies served at your table. at your table, you'll find a little plastic chip that says "yes" on one side, "no" on the other. flip to "yes", it means the roaming gaucho-esque servers with swords of grilled meats will stop at your table, then carve and/or serve whatever they have on offer; "no" technically means you're not ready for more, but the genial servers will sometimes stop anyway (just in case you don't really mean it). brazilian barbecue is usually just salt rubbed cuts of beef or pork, grilled on an open fire--the flavour comes from the cut of meat and can be enhanced with various sauces.

at lunch we were offered mostly beef cuts--i don't remember them all but do recall picanha, or rump cover steak (part of the top sirloin cut), brisket, and tenderloin. the picanha has a strong, marked flavour--think less beef, more cow. the salt coating was quite noticeable and none of the cuts were particularly tender; however, when we returned for dinner a few weeks' later, the salt coating was more moderate and the meat noticeably tender. i appreciated the fact that most of the cuts were medium rare to rare once carved; however, if you prefer well-done meat, they will bring well-done carvings from the kitchen. we were also offered pork ribs (meaty, tender but still resilient), two types of pork sausage--one smoked, one cured--and two types of pork loin--one that may have been basted in barbecue sauce, and the other encrusted in parmesan cheese. the sausages were lovely, rustic and juicy, but both pork loins were tough and stringy each time we dined there. the surprise hits for us were the chicken offerings--marinated bone-in chicken thighs with crispy skin, and bacon-wrapped boneless pieces. both were moist, tender, and actually tasted of chicken. unfortunately, churrasco does not have any regular seafood offerings (although i heard there were lobster tails on mother's day), but we had a surprisingly tasty grilled pineapple at dinner.

churrasco has five sauces: a thin vinegar based barbecue sauce, two kinds of finadene (regular and a reduction), red wine vinegar, and a chimichurri-type sauce. the chimichurri here is different from the one i am normally accustomed, which is a green sauce made with garlic, parsley, vinegar and olive oil. this one is red, possibly from finely minced red bell peppers, along with garlic, vinegar and olive oil. none of the sauces are particularly spicy, but they do pack quite a bit of flavour nonetheless. the serving containers are cute as all get out, but the ultra-stylish spoons are a little unwieldy; it's easier just to take them out and pour it directly from the palm-sized flask. i personally did not find a need for the sauces, but i appreciated that they enhanced the flavour of the meat instead of masking it.

the starches available were somewhat disappointing; although the red rice was good, the white rice was surprisingly overcooked and mushy. i like the mash potato, which seems to be nothing more than potato, mashed--i didn't detect much seasoning. the fried yucca offered at dinner weren't particularly crispy and i suspect weren't actually yucca, but sweet potato (these were too orange and mushy). the nicest carb on offer are the small pao de queijo, or gougères. think cheese-topped cream puffs without a filling.

i do want to note that one of the things i dislike about most brazilian barbecue places is the saltiness of the food--not just the grilled meats but also all the sides. luckily at churrasco, they have a light hand with the seasoning of all the side dishes, and the barbecues are the least salty of any i've tried.

we capped our lunch with a small pudim de leite condensado, or brazilian-style flan. it was firm and very, very rich--muy condensado, lol--so much so that the whipped cream, caramel, and white chocolate chips actually cut through the milky fattiness. eep.

i like this place. the prices are reasonable--$19.99 for lunch, $33.75 for dinner--and the quality of food and service are high. it's a good place for a celebration, or to take out-of-town guests, but probably not so good for vegetarians or pescatarians. (however, the salad bar is fresh and abundant, and there is a bar tapas menu that has a couple seafood offerings.) i've only dined there twice, but there was marked improvement between visits. i will definitely return to see how they continue to fare.

churrasco brazilian bbq and salad bar
in pacific bay hotel,
that white bldg with the flower shop and chinese restaurant.
1000 san vitores road, tumon.
671.649.2727.

coconut, sashimi-style.

2010-03-03T01:31:00.004+10:00

it's coconut harvesting time in the homestead again, so expect a few coconut-based recipes here. although, i have to say, i prefer coconut mostly unadorned, and as fresh as possible--adding ice to cool coconut water and scraping meat straight from the nut is as much as work as i usually do, and is pretty much all that is necessary. however, it doesn't make for much of a post.

something so simple and something so lovely and unusual is to serve the coconut sashimi-style, cut into bite-sized strips, accompanied with a sushi-grade soy sauce and wasabi. the condiments transform the flavour of the meat into something akin to ika, or raw squid. no, it's not fishy, but it seems more savoury, milky, and slightly sweet. it makes a good palate cleanser if you are serving several types of sashimi, or a nice alternative for a vegan or non-fish eating member of your party.

top tip: use the youngest coconut you can find. the sweeter and softer the flesh, the better!

fat tuesday.

2010-02-17T01:27:00.003+10:00

this is why tuesday's fat. momofuku's crack pie. half a pound of butter, half a pound of sugar, not to mention eggs yolks and heavy cream. the recipe would like you to dust the top with more sugar, but that's not gilding the lily, that's...aahh, uh. i don't know i'm falling into a sugar coma neerggh

hey brownies

2010-02-11T22:26:00.003+10:00

hey brownies! you are filled with nuts and chocolate, slightly cakey but mostly fudgey and chewy, and have almost 500 calories per serving. you're awesome! here's the recipe. (the photo on the recipe page? imposter! ignore it)

sausage rolls

2010-01-26T16:32:00.014+10:00

i was talking about vultures on twitter which led to an australian sausage roll challenge. why? because that's twitter for you. australian sausage rolls are coarse ground sausage meat wrapped in puff pastry; i have never actually eaten one previous to this, but i like a challenge, and frankly mister shankly, these did not seem like they'd be challenging to eat.

timing was great, too, as it is was australia day; coincidentally, also robbie burns night, so there was a chance i would have made y'all a haggis sausage roll. unfortunately, i did not have sheep heart, liver, tongue, and stomach on hand. so sorry. i remembered that susan at immaeatchu made homemade merguez sausage corndogs because she is just so awesome like that. i am not, but the idea was enough to get me to try making merguez--a spicy lamb or beef sausage from northern africa--at home. the sausage was easy enough with the aid of a food processor; i'm sure someone will considered it heretical as it probably tears up the meat as opposed to lovingly grinding it into fluffy clouds of fat and protein, but for this recipe, i think it worked out fine. i used this nytimes.com recipe as a guide, but as i was missing a couple of the spices, i compensated with a couple tablespoonfuls of harissa, a hot pepper paste that also incorporates roasted red sweet peppers, a little tomato, coriander, cumin and paprika.

for the puff pastry, i used chef ludo lefebvre's recipe. it's worth the price of his cookbook, but you can use the frozen stuff or any recipe you prefer.

so, here's the deal: preheat oven to 400°F. roll out some puff pastry dough (10 oz if you are making it at home. may i just note that if you are making it at home, wth are you doing wasting it on this recipe??) into a 12"x15" sheet, or something like it, then cut it in three even pieces. take your favourite sausage recipe, or just squoosh your fave pre-made stuff out of that crazy casing, roll it into 1 to 1 1/2" thick logs and center onto puff pastry. roll pastry around sausage, cut into manageable-sized chunks, put seam side down on parchment lined pan. brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. bake for 25 minutes or until golden.

i think they taste better cold, the next day.

street, cleaner

2010-01-16T20:10:00.007+10:00

a version of the many-versioned dan dan mian, or sichuan spicy noodles. wiki says this about it. fuchsia dunlop has lots to say about sichuan cuisine, including the dan dan mian in the city chengdu. i have nothing but this blog entry.

i honestly don't know what the traditional recipe is. the only versions i have eaten have all used wheat noodles with some sort of ground meat (pork or beef), bathed in an oily red broth that includes sesame oil, red chili peppers, and if i'm lucky, sichuan peppers. most are soupy and/or oily, for which i confess, i have no predilection as it seems to simultaneously dilute and muddy the spice in the dish. i have tried both of ms. dunlop's recipes and i prefer one to the other, but still felt the need to tweak it by incorporating chubby hubby's japanese version. there's still some of the funk you expect, yet it's brightened up with the addition of fresh chilis, which also adds a lot of heat. (you can dial that down if you want.)

dan dan mian, or something like it adapted from fuchsia dunlop's recipe and chubby hubby's as well

1 glug cooking oil
1-2 dried chili peppers (w or w/o seeds)
1 teaspoonful sichuan pepper, lightly cracked/roughly chopped
1-2 tablespoonfuls preserved mustard greens, chopped finely (optional, but it actually provides most of the saltiness in this version. if you omit it, add soy sauce or tamari)
1/2 lb ground turkey or ground chicken or finely minced shiitake mushrooms or any combination you want

1-2 tablespoonfuls sesame paste or tahini

1 tablespoonful mirin

1 tablespoonful toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoonful of black vinegar

1-2 green onions, chopped

1 red jalapeño, sliced

heat cooking oil in medium hot pan. when oil is hot but not smoking, add dried chili peppers and sichuan pepper, sautée until fragrant but be careful to not burn. add preserved mustard greens, then protein of choice. sautée until lightly browned. add sesame paste, mirin, sesame oil, black vinegar. the mixture should be wet; keep soupy or cook down to desired dryness. add half the green onions and jalapeño to mixture, leave until just wilted. serve over noodles of choice and garnish with rest of green onions and jalapeño.

toast of christmas past.

2010-01-15T13:50:00.002+10:00

someone gave me one of those electric sandwich makers as a gift--not a panini grill but one of those dorm room appliances that is subject to a pretty awesome informercial or two (albeit this one is from a relatively respected company). i could've returned it at the shops for something more useful but it's shiny, and i started thinking of all the inappropriate things i could shove in between two slices of bread then call it a "meal"--condiments? a whole frozen dinner? a can of soup? o, the non-possibilities.

my folks get a lot of food gifts. i generally do not. don't ask me why, you'd think people would know i would appreciate them. although, admittedly, i get a lot of cash. people know i REALLY appreciate cash. however, my parents get pretty nice coffee, chocolates, fruit baskets and even a ham or two. and panettone, an italian sweet bread, rich with eggs and butter, and usually flavoured with orange and dried fruit. they get lots of panettone. one of the family faves is one from williams-sonoma, which is studded throughout with whole glazed chestnuts.

so, i've been playin' around with the bread and the machine, making some fabulous if stupefyingly rich sandwiches of thin slices of panettone with a schmear of mascarpone cheese and a little orange marmalade, or sometimes chestnut cream. or try a thin bar of dark chocolate pressed in there. i have yet to try something more savoury, although i imagine a little parma or prosciutto and a good cheese would produce some mighty tasty results.

the only other thing has been french toast. which you know how to make, but you guys, here's something different!

fiori di sicilia, a baking flavouring that tastes a little orange blossom-y, with orange oil and vanilla essence. a couple drops of this and it enhances the existing citrus notes in the bread, and the very light vanilla touch complements the buttery sweetness. just don't overdo it or you'll have something like a cleaning product.

panettone french toast

2 thick slices of panettone

1 egg

1/2 c milk (scant cup)

pinch of salt

a couple drops of fiori di sicilia (this is optional, or you can use a drop of vanilla extract and/or a drop of orange extract) or a 1/2 tsp of orange zest

beat egg, combine well with milk, add salt and extracts. soak panettone slices in egg mixture. fry in pan or use cheap christmas present sandwich maker thing, in a tablespoon or so of melted butter, until golden.

do it clean

2010-01-01T17:37:00.003+10:00

new year's food: hoppin' john, a traditional southern united states rice and beans dish, often eaten on new year's day, as it is thought to bring good luck and prosperity. now who wouldn't want a little of that? there are two main ingredients: black eyed peas (or field peas) and rice, often cooked together, but sometimes just mixed together or served side by side. also served alongside are cooked greens--generally collard or turnip greens, but also kale and chard (i used swiss red chard), because the greens supposedly add wealth as they are the colour of money. ah, if only that were true. many recipes call for bacon, ham, or fatback, but after all the excess of holiday eating, i just wanted to do it clean, with all the components cooked separately, and assembled on the plate. i soaked the bean overnight and cooked them according to the package, along with some onion, garlic and bay leaf. the rice was steamed and the chard sautéed with more onion, garlic, and a little bit of chili pepper. well, maybe a little more than that.

good luck, prosperity, and a numb tongue. it should be a good year.

WIP: duck fat fried chicken

2009-08-13T20:06:00.006+10:00

the title of this post doesn't exactly trip off the tongue, nor does one's mind immediately latch on to the meaning. it wants to rearrange: fat duck fried chicken? fried duck chicken fat? fried fat chicken duck? nay. i found a bunch of duck fat (yes, i believe that is the collective term) that was slated for something else, but somehow ended up in a cast iron pan, heated on a medium high flame until rippling. i don't know how much. maybe a pound and a half? inch and a half wet? ANYWAY, the chicken: small plump thighs, organic ok, wash, patted dry, seasoned with a bit of kosher salt and white pepper, that's it. 10 to 15 minutes on each side in an uncrowded pan, don't fuss, don't poke. read a magazine article, the newspaper, or tweet. drain on paper towel. serve.

with

a schmantzy condiment, a grilled tomato ketchup. you could pour a bottle of ketchup onto a grill but that would be messy. tomato halves and onions went in a grill pan with a smidge of olive oil, until a nice bit of char was achieved. they then went into this epicurious recipe, replacing the canned ones on the ingredient list. doubled the amount of tomato paste instructed for good measure, too. worked a charm.

and the chicken? crispy, shardy skin, juicy meat that seems saturated in duck fat. i called this a work in progress because although this was decadent and delicious and oh-so-delightful, i might try marinating the meat next time, or perhaps use an herby confit fat. can't see how it can hurt.

name that fruit!: lanzones.

2009-08-12T15:41:00.006+10:00

one of my family's most favourite fruits is lanzones, or Lansium domesticum, from the family Meliaceae. this tropical fruit is thought to have originated from malaysian peninsula, and is found in great abundance in the southern provinces of the philippines, including sulu and camiguin; it is also found in the laguna province of luzon. camiguin is known for having particularly sweet and desirable fruit, and has a festival in the fruit's honour in early october. however, now is the (short) season for laguna's bounty.

this ovoid-to-round fruit is about the size of the a large concord grape, the skin is yellowy beige, which covers the opaque, segmented flesh that is mostly seedless; there can be, however, one large seed, bitter with tannins, hidden in one of the segments. the flesh itself is sweet and juicy, with a texture similar to lychees and a flavour similar, but without the florally finish. the fruit grow in grape-like bunches off of tall and lanky trees, which give off a sticky resin when the fruit is picked; the resin is thought to protect the stomach from alcohol, but is bitter and difficult to actually imbibe. the bark of the tree contains anti-inflammatory properties and thought to be an anti-spasmodic--traditional medicines made from it are used against everything from dysentery to scorpion bites. which, i don't know, could be handy where you live.

sigur raw

2009-07-31T01:50:00.000+10:00

saturday market finds at salcedo.

2009-07-20T00:30:00.003+10:00

the saturday market at salcedo is one of the nicest markets i've attended; it's not just that there is a nice array of produce and handicrafts available, nor is it just that there is a staggering assortment of prepared foods, but it's also in really lovely park with shady trees filled with fairy lights and plexi-shapes that dance in the wind. it doesn't matter how warm it is or if it's raining, the trees and canopies shelter the shoppers and the lively and easygoing atmosphere keep you from caring anyway.

giant jackfruit

mounds of mangosteens

lovely lychees

beautiful birds of paradise

piles of peanuts

squash blossoms, okra, and cilantro for home

bounty of fruit for immediate and ecstatic consumption

these little piggies went to market

golden bounty

2009-06-14T01:53:00.004+10:00

it's the first time that the decade(s?) old mango tree has given out a worthy crop--pure gold, really, it has earned its keep as the giving tree. we still don't know exactly what variety it is, but i can say that the fruit are very large (some are more than a pound each), fibrous, but very, very sweet and juicy. i'm not sure i care, really. and i was thinking of posting some recipes, but for now we are just eating them out of hand, sometimes straight off the tree--warm and fragrant, juices dripping down our forearms, sticky and sweet.

lost restaurants

2009-06-07T19:35:00.005+10:00

when i was a kid, on special weekends we used to go to the cliff hotel in agaña heights to eat at the red carpet restaurant. i honestly don't remember much about it except that the hotel was indeed on a cliff so it had a spectacular island and ocean view, and living up to its name, it did have red carpet. i also remember two specific items from the menu. one was a clubhouse sandwich, which, as a kid, i thought was the deeeluxe-superduper-bee's-knees with its triple stack of toasted bread and fillings, cut into quarters and skewered with a frilly toothpick; running a very close second in superduperness was their french dip/steak sandwich that was little more than juicy slices of beef piled on top of a garlic-butter-slathered-and-toasted bun.

red carpet restaurant is gone; i can recreate the sandwiches, but without the restaurant experience, they just aren't the same, no matter how delicious. holland bakery had the best italian herbed hamburger you'd ever have in a warehouse, house of wong had the kind of filipino-ized americanized chinese food i adored--lurid orange sweet and sour pork, eggy fried rice, shrimp camarones wrapped in bacon, hototai soup, all served on melamine platters with stamped tin utensils. m's steak house in dededo had those red glowing heat lamps keeping warm loaves of homemade pumpernickel bread wrapped in a starched white fabric napkin, and pats of butter in a stone urn topped with ice chips to keep them cool. salzburg chalet would have lovely little thin squares of chocolate, wrapped in postcard scenes of europe, at the end of every meal. there was a smorgasbord/buffet in sinajana called the crow's nest (and at some point, the captain's table) that had a penchant for molded gelatins and aspic--lime gelatin and salmon mousse shaped like a leaping fish, lemon gelatin with ham salad loaves, red gelatin and fruit cocktail rings with a cottage cheese center. okay, maybe that wasn't so delicious, but the memories are still as evocative.

there are so many restaurants that have come and gone--some missed, some completely forgotten. guam diner found an old glimpses of guam article about restaurant options on guam in 1973 that's worth looking at if you are are old as methuselah (or, rather, as old as i am), and don't get me started on all the places in los angeles i miss.

so what about you? is there some place that no longer exists except in the fondness of your heart?

bistek

2009-06-02T13:16:00.005+10:00

although the philippines and guam are generally considered asian or pacific/asian countries, you could definitely argue that with the acapulco-manila galleon trade of the 16th-19th centuries and early spanish rule, much of our respective cultures are more in keeping with latin america than most of southeast asia.

bistek--which means "beef steak"--is the filipino/chamoru equivalent of a beef dish called bistec commonly found throughout hispanic and latino countries. it is, in fact, the pacific cousin to bistec encebollado, or steak with onions. it is quite literally just that: grilled or pan-fried beef fillets marinated in a soy sauce and citrus marinade with just a hint of garlic, with rings of sautéed onions.

i'm not sure what the actual difference between the filipino and chamoru versions is, if there is one at all. the recipe i grew up with uses calamansi (or kalamansi if you like) juice as the souring agent. it also acts as a meat tenderizer, so it is not necessary to use the best cuts of beef for this--although i have generally seen sirloin and tenderloin (eye steak) used, this is a good way to use tougher cuts like flank and round. however, should you find yourself with a dozen defrosted rib eyes and new york strips because someone inadvertently unplugged the fridge overnight, don't hesitate to use them. in fact, don't hesitate to use them.

this is a fairly easy recipe, but it does require that you generally know how to cook a piece of meat. i can cook a tender cut of steak, but i'm flummoxed with a flank. my mother, however, can make the leanest cuts as soft as butter, so adapt this recipe accordingly. ideally you should end up with tender meat and meltingly soft onions in not-too-salty-not-too-sour meaty gravy. but you know what? if you eff it up, it's still going to be pretty good, so don't worry about it and try it again another time.

bistek

2-lbs of beef steaks of your choice, whatever you're comfortable with using
1 cup of soy sauce (important note: if all you have is kikkoman original brand or something as strong, use less--anywhere from 1/4th to 1/2 cup less because it is a little harsh for this recipe. i use aloha shoyu, which i find is sweeter and milder, but try a lower sodium brand or even tamari if you can't find an equivalent)
1/2-3/4th cup of calamansi juice, or any sour citrus juice--use more or less to your taste
2 large onions, cut into rings
2 cloves of garlic, minced finely
olive oil

marinate the meat in the soy sauce and calamansi juice for a minimum of four hours--overnight is better. depending on your cut of beef, two nights might be best, but that's sort of pushing it. fry or grill in a large, smokin' hot pan or skillet on high heat until medium rare to medium (it will continue to cook for a few minutes after taken from heat). remove from pan, set aside. lower the heat to medium high, add a couple tablespoonfuls of olive oil to the pan, then the garlic and onions. sautée until at least translucent--my family prefers them to be caramelized, which takes much longer but has a sweeter result. add beef and any meat juices back into pan; if it's relatively dry, add some of the marinade and/or water, turn heat down, simmer for a few minutes. serve with a bucket of rice or potatoes.

eating at benii.

2009-05-04T21:19:00.009+10:00

benii, a smallish japanese restaurant in upper tumon in the star building. tucked in the corner. near the paint store. you know it? apparently i have over 60 photos of food from there, a sign that i might like it? a lot? maybe it's safe for me to a review. maybe. i've just sort of forgotten how.

the restaurant has been open since around october of 2007. it's a bright, clean, yet cozy space, with a contemporary vibe. there's nothing intimidating about the space except for the almost constant crowds. neighbourhoody. laid back but not slack. very little has changed since my first meal there, besides the modest expansion (which added only about 4 or 5 tables, but still 25% bigger than it once was). there is nothing intimidating about the menu, either. there's not a whole heck of a lot of fusion going on here. it offers a little bit of everything: set menus, bento boxes, noodles, izakaya-style small plates, sushi. food has always been prepared by chef shibata-san's kitchen; it is consistently fresh, done well, with generous portions at a more than reasonable price. it is a local favourite, and i'm pretty sure it's because shibata-san and co. are like, the Fry King Masters of the Island Universe. i am so not kidding about this. i'm pretty sure that's why it's always packed with locals. and why i'm there at least once a month.

behold, a sample of the hotty hot deep-fried love: tonkatsu, panko-breaded pork loin, juicy within and crispy all around, served with a wedge of lemon to cut through the milky sweetness of the pork and sweet salty tonkatsu sauce; panko-breaded prawns in a traditional (albeit spicy) japanese curry with pickled ginger and rice; chicken karaage , the best chicken nuggets you'll ever have; lightly fried tofu steak on a bed of sizzling onions and topped with dancing bonito flakes and nori. not oily! not heavy! never dry nor goopy! needs nothing more than a bowl of rice and a utensil.

the sushi rolls are the least traditional things on the menu: dynamite egg rolls of tamago omelette and flying fish roe with wasabi mayo; surf and turf rolls with korean style beef and broiled unagi eel; dragon rolls of broiled unagi eel and tempura shrimp. there's even a SPAM roll, which is probably a lot like one of their best sellers (yes, also fried): the bacon roll made from a thick slice of smoked bacon tempura battered and fried then rolled in sushi rice and nori. omgwtfbbq if you are a bacon lover this is bacon love.

of course, not everything is fried. you can get the traditional nigiri sushi, along with sashimi and hawaiian-style poki. my regular favourites are the tuna sashimi with natto or the negitoro bowl with chopped fatty tuna belly, a little flying fish roe and tamago omelette on a bed of hot white rice. the tuna poki comes with crispy prawn crackers, and you can get two different sized platters of fresh sashimi.

there are a vegetarian options, including a very nice fried eggplant curry, and an intriguing sounding avocado-tempura curry, and salads. the green salad and tofu salad are popular due in part to benii's soy sauce-based salad dressing (you can buy small bottles for home at the register), but honestly, some of the other "salads" are salads in name only, and probably not the healthiest choices on the menu.

the spicy chicken salad is karaage chicken doused in a korean kimchi-spice based sauce, then generously zig-zagged with kewpie japanese mayonnaise. there's some green salad leaves underneath, crushed under the weight of the generous portion of meat. the teriyaki chicken salad is similarly doused, but the korean-style bbq beef salad is spared the kewpie (but is still all about the beef, not the greens). they are all quite tasty, despite the heavy hand with the sauce (you may want to ask them to go easy on it).

if you can't decide what you want, there is a bento box special which includes salad, rice, miso soup, an appetizer and a bit of fruit along with the rotating special dishes.

i'm told there's also dessert available, which is amusingly, also fried. a tempura-battered ice cream sundae. eek! maybe one day. for now i'm content with everything else.

okay there is always a bad, which for benii is that the wait at weekend dinner service can be loooonnnnnnnnnnnng. they don't take reservations. the kitchen closes at 9.30pm and it's closed on sundays. the service is generally good, except when it's packed (which is often). the space is not that big, so when there are crowds, it's a bit hard to maneuver, and the din can be quite loud. be prepared to wait. it's usually worth it.

update 7 april 09: benii has expanded into the space next door so it has almost doubled in size; there's more seating for larger groups and also much more counter space seating. the lunch and dinner menus have merged and there are more salad and seafood options. oh! and way more fried food. gaaah!

benii
in the star building, next to the paint store.
888 n. marine corps drive, upper tumon.
tel: 647.1090.

what's in your freezer?

2009-04-29T12:46:00.001+10:00

mine's a little full at the moment.

noooo!

2009-04-22T23:33:00.003+10:00

CLOSED 30 april 2009

after 11 years, chef veronica calvo-perez will be closing firefly bistro in agaña at the end of the month. i'll be sad to see it go; it is a comfortable, cozy space and the quality of food and service is consistently top notched. however, times change, so chef ronnie will be concentrating on her excellent bakery, cup and saucer, which will see an expanded menu soon, including some of the crepe rolls and salads from firefly. however, this may be the last week you'll be able to order any of the soon-to-be-missed entrees including the roast chicken, soft shell crab, pastas and burgers, so get thee to agaña soon!

firefly bistro,
next to cup and saucer.
agaña.
477.2565.

first look: meskla bistro.

2009-04-16T00:20:00.005+10:00

not a review, just a quick look at meskla bistro in agaña, chef peter dueñas's new venture. he used to be the chef at sam choy, and was responsible for creating the local portion of the menu, the backyard kitchen. he's also the outdoor chef, lol. meskla, i think, means "mix" in chamoru; the cuisine is described as chamoru fusion. there are two menus--one for lunch, another for dinner, with a few items duplicated. we had lunch there today, but i look forward to checking out the dinner menu, which has more seafood and vegetarian options.

lunchtime kelaguen--the guam version of ceviche--changes, so ask your server. today was uhang (shrimp/prawn), served with fried titiyas (the local flatbread). light, fresh, lots of flavour, with a good onion, citrus, pepper ratio. excellent titiyas.

local-style crab cakes. i'm not a crab cake fan, so i only found these acceptable. crab is canned, finely shred, so the seasonings and (albeit modest) filler overpowered any flavour of seafood. i will say they taste like something aunty would have made.

caesar salad with fried eggplant. (this is the third menu on which i've seen this item, is this the new chicken caesar??) i was curious. good romaine, lightly dressed (kudos for that, i hate too much dressing). a dusting of parmesan cheese. the dressing is very good--light, distinct flavour of anchovy. fried eggplant was good, but doesn't contribute much to the overall salad.

grilled pork chops topped with a hot pepper paste, served on a bed of the local red rice, sautéed veggies, and a mushroom cream sauce. expertly grilled meat, all the flavours came out well. one look in the open kitchen and you see a bunch of big guys who look like they all know their way around a grill and a carcass. you probably can't go wrong with a meat entree here.

**

the menu is familiar but there are a lot of unexpected touches to keep it exciting. the entrées seem hearty and filling, but there are a few salads and a surprisingly light touch to the appetizers for those looking for a less heavy meal. prices are reasonable for guam, which means it's a little pricy, but you are paying for quality, nen. the interior is inviting, and the service was brisk but very congenial. despite being completely slammed, everything came out in a timely manner. a promising start.

meskla bistro
j+g building, kitty corner from the paseo
agaña.
479.BOKA (2652)

hot day.

2009-04-15T19:22:00.002+10:00

tax day, taxing day, had to take a little respite from the heat and chaos at mt. lam lam sno n ice cream shop. hope you managed to eke out a treat for yourself today!

happy eater

2009-04-11T23:57:00.004+10:00

inspiration, thy name is alan wong.

take some salmon belly, cut it into bite-sized strips. season with sea or kosher salt. heat up a couple tablespoons of vegetable oil in a pan, place salmon belly skin side down. fry until crispy, possibly up to 15 minutes because that's how long it sometimes takes. if your salmon strips are thin enough, you won't have to turn it over, but a little pinky rawness would never be unwelcome.

meanwhile back at the ranch dressing, finely dice up a ripe tomato, some scallion, and capers if you have them. no worries if you don't. if you don't have tomato, i can't help you, but you will find a way, because you are a smart cookie. oh! ORANGE. that would work. really. dress with a little ponzu (or lemon juice), some soy sauce and/or sea salt, and a bit of anchovy or fish sauce.

place a slice of your salmon belly chicharon on a shiso/perilla leaf (butter lettuce will work just fine). top with the tomato-scallion mix, a drizz of crème fraîche or sour cream thinned out with a bit of lemon juice, and a shake of shichimi tōgarashi. wrap. eat.

happy eater!

triumph of the ill (the aspic of evil)

2009-03-16T15:52:00.004+10:00

don't ask. just a reworking of a recipe that should probably not have been reworked. thank bunchofpants for the delightful transcription which includes almost three pounds of frozen brussel sprouts, two cups of lima beans and a cuppa bleu cheese. what was i thinking?

these congealed salads of yore were probably based on dishes of weropean origin involving aspic--basically a savoury meat jelly, yom---holding together scraps of ingredients that were too tasty or too pricy to throw away but not enough to make a complete meal. i doubt these cold molded terrines were ever meant to be eaten in great quantity, a fact lost on the creators of this so-called danish garden salad and the classic ring-around-the-tuna. i understand that again, economy is at play but can you really be saving pennies when the result is really unappealing?

in an attempt to de-evolve (i don't think 'devolve' actually works in this case) the dish, i encased lima beans slipped out of their skin, finely diced zucchini, carrot and prosciutto, in a chicken broth-based aspic with just a tiny bit of gelatin, mixed in with a v. small amount of bleu cheese. however, there isn't an amount small enough that would make the bleu cheese work in this, it's a bad match with the spring-ish veggies and it even overwhelms the pork. the three tons of brussel sprouts are also a bad idea. however, even if neither were added, it would still be sort of blandular--a bland so bland that it actually hits a profound depth of nothingness. pretty, though.

these are our salad days.

2009-02-05T16:23:00.003+10:00

My salad days,
When I was green in judgment: cold in blood,
To say as I said then! But, come, away;
Get me ink and paper:
He shall have every day a several greeting,
Or I'll unpeople Egypt.

--thus spake Cleopatra in Shakespeare's Anthony and Cleopatra

i would love to tell you this is where i first came across the term "salad days" but unfortunately, it was here:

ah, green bananas probably learned more from the kemp brothers than ol' billy shakes, but whatever the etymology of the phrase, it's still just a little bit odd. i imagine being in the first flush of youth, wading in a tub of rocket and romaine, innocently and non-freudianly nibbling on a carrot.

oh hai. did someone say something about focus?

**

my metaphoric salad days have become that slimy iceberg lettuce trail in the bottom of the bin, but my literal salad days have only just begun. i am trying to eat healthily, consume more green, less red and white, and i am tired of lettuce. i am always looking for clean, fresh flavours and easy recipes. my favourite cookbook these days is the ottolenghi cookbook, from the café chain in london. (i am not the only one. everyone loves a little ottolenghi.) i have never been to any of the restaurants, but photos on flickr are v. much of the gastropornographic ilk. that's my kinda spread, honey. so i bought the book, which did not disappoint. great photography, a modicum of well-written text, and recipes, recipes, recipes. the focus of flavours is mediterranean, but the recipes themselves are simple in technique and the ingredients are such that i feel comfortable in adapting the recipes to what is available in my tropical marketplace.

'course, i haven't really ventured past the veggie section, but i'll get there.

***

guam fiestas are not known for showcasing produce, but if you are going to find a salad it most likely will be one of cucumbers marinated in vinegar and a little sugar, or maybe jumped up with some finadene. it is still my favourite cucu prep, but should you care to dress it up a bit, the ottolenghi approach is not dissimilar; in fact, it is pretty much the same, only with added depth of flavour: add a splash of oil, some fresh herbs, a little crushed garlic, and maybe a seed or two. the cookbook went for olive oil and poppy seeds for their occidental approach; i went with a little toasted sesame oil and charnushka for a more oriental one. a lot of chopped cilantro and some mild chilis completed the salad. it was just that easy and still managed to transform the local staple significantly.

also just that easy is a grilled broccoli salad which just calls for some broccoli florets placed directly on a hot grill until blackened, then tossed into warm oil in which thinly sliced garlic and chili peppers have been sauteed until fragrant. some slivered almonds add depth, or you can add paper thin lemon slices to lift it.

beets are rarely anyone's favourite root crop, which is a shame. however, you should just boil one up sometime. then slice it up, toss it in some arugula. make a dressing of olive oil, red wine vinegar, crushed garlic and a little maple syrup, sprinkle in some sunflower seeds. you know, how ottolenghi does. if you do not like beets, you might actually enjoy this. if you love beets, you will enjoy this.

my current favourite--photo posted at the beginning of this post--is based on a broad bean sand radish alad which abby from eat the right stuff has so kindly posted the recipe. as broad beans are uncommon here, i used boiled, shelled edamame soy beans, mixed them with red radish wedges, some lemon zest in lieu of preserved lemon, lots of chopped mint, parsley, cilantro and green onion, and dressed with olive oil, lemon juice, and a touch of cumin. a tahini sauce bumped up with crushed garlic, cilantro and parsley is served on the side. or on top. or all over.

**

of course, there are other chapters in the book to get through. i'm not eating much animal protein these days, but i can highly recommend the turkey meatballs with sweet corn, served with a roasted red pepper sauce (recipe graciously posted by oh my apple pie!)

outside of the veggie section, i am drawn to the desserts (derrr). i have an apple and olive oil cake in the oven right now (thank appetite for cake for posting the recipe), and all week long i have been craving the blueberry crumble muffins i baked last week.

these muffins are a lesson in happy contradictions: heaving with fresh blueberries and granny smith apples, they are light and fluffy in texture. covered in a sugary, buttery crumble, they are fresh with the abundance of fruit and lemon zest. my only adaptation was the use of white whole wheat flour instead of AP flour, which made it almost healthy. but we won't tell. no reason to shatter that youthful naiveté.

**

maybe if i keep up with the healthy eating i can have a second shot at those salad days. hopefully they won't go something like this:

ottolenghi--the cookbook. buy it!

fresh start.

2009-02-03T16:54:00.004+10:00

mornings see a wodge of mint leaves in a bistro glass, bathed in hot water and sometimes sweetened with cane sugar or agave syrup, when the mood strikes.

i'm lacking focus at the moment, in more ways than one. i aim to change that.

i went to the ferry building marketplace

2009-01-30T01:54:00.003+10:00

i went to the ferry building because it seems like if you have a food blog and are visiting san francisco, it's the thing to do. i had a lovely conversation about lard with a nice man named neil

and i had a very tasty pistachio macaron from miette.

but the best thing was that it was such a lovely day that i couldn't stay inside. i ended up walking down the pier and saw a flock of tourists, a flock of pelicans, and a sea lion catching his lunch.

ferry building marketplace
one ferry building
san francisco ca 94111
415.983.8000.

where was i?

2009-01-23T13:13:00.007+10:00

san francisco? really? sooo long ago, but luckily still on the homepage of this blog. oh my god.

anyway, if you go, i highly recommend hotel tomo in japantown. be forewarned: it's quirky. japantown's quirky. but if you read this blog on a regular basis (ha!) you'll realize i embrace the quirky. it's a best western, but it's run by a pretty cool boutique hotel chain, joie de vivre. so expect a lot of nice upgrades to an older space.

the lobby. tiny, but functional, with free (?) computer/internet use in a small enclave, and a giant robot vending machine off to one side. the rooms are reasonably priced (for san francisco) , spacious, and the furnishings are simple but suprisingly high quality with good pedigrees (looks like ikea, is actually stuff ikea ~~rips off~~ is inspired by).

modern, with a j-pop/manga vibe. free internet access, mini-fridge, coffee/tea service, very comfortable bedding, free parking, and an igloo in your backyard.

the only down side would be the bathroom, which is very much a reminder that this is still a best western (that and the somewhat thin walls)--grey and utilitarian. but i'm not much of a spa/bath lounger, so functional is okay with me as long as the water pressure is high and the water is hot (yes and yes here). at least the complimentary toiletries smelled great (yuzu bergamot!).

if you have trouble sleeping, there's a sleep disorder center on the premises :)

another down side that is an upside, really: ask for a room above the first floor, because the smells from the kitchen restaurant drift into the adjacent rooms. which only kept me hungry all of the time because the odours were oh-so-delicious.

the restaurant, café mums, reminds me of one of my favourite long gone places, le creole in the dai-ichi hotel here on island. it was a late night café with a strong '70s moderne vibe with japanese touches, and the food was sort of a quasi-japanese/euro/american fusion that somehow manifested itself into contemporary comfort food: pilafs, cutlets, and curries. katsu pork cutlet sandwiches with the crusts cut off and kewpie mayonnaise, omurice rice-filled omelettes. you know. that kind of thing. a throwback to a time that never was, in a place that never was (although that probably = guam).

i can't even tell whether they kept the decor from its previous incarnation or if it has always looked like this (sans mural).

breakfasts are typical american standards--pancakes, waffles, typical omelettes--there are some japanese options: udon with egg and musubi, broiled salmon with fried egg, ikura salmon roe rice, miso soup, and pickles.

lunch and dinner specialty seems to be shabu shabu, which draws in a large local crowd.

there are sandwiches and japanese diner food like omurice omelette filled with rice and served with curry sauce and a choice of chicken, beef or fried prawns, and

dorias, which are sort of rice casseroles, filled with veggies or meat, covered in a white sauce and cheese, then baked. this one had a nice assortment of seafood include plump scallops and prawns.

**
totes my scene, quirkiness and all.

hotel tomo and café mums
1800 sutter street
san francisco ca 94115.
tel: 415.921.4000
fax: 415.563.1278

orange you glad...?

2009-01-22T13:23:00.001+10:00

all wrapped up (in yarn and fur)

2008-10-16T11:24:00.004+10:00

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.

2008-08-06T17:10:00.002+10:00

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.

2008-07-30T17:21:00.007+10:00

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.

2008-06-30T15:53:00.006+10:00

**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

2008-06-28T23:48:00.000+10:00

watermelon coolers

2008-06-26T15:55:00.006+10:00

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...

2008-06-23T17:08:00.003+10:00

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.

2008-06-21T15:21:00.003+10:00

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.

2008-06-20T20:47:00.002+10:00

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.

2008-06-20T18:28:00.005+10:00

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.

2008-06-20T17:18:00.003+10:00

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.

2008-06-17T11:42:00.008+10:00

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.

2008-05-25T16:48:00.005+10:00

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.

2008-05-18T12:55:00.001+10:00

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.

2008-04-29T02:28:00.003+10:00

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.

2008-04-20T01:09:00.004+10:00

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.

2008-04-11T16:29:00.002+10:00

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.

dinner in KL.

2008-03-31T06:10:00.004+10:00

i have just returned from a rather whirlwind trip to kuala lumpur; or, rather, have just almost recovered from return--spent all of saturday from dawn to pre-dawn sunday in transit. as i was there for a conference, i didn't really have time to explore KL properly, nor did i get to try all the food that i wanted, but not for lack of trying.

i did get to meet with the fabulous boo_licious and her equally fabulous boo_liciousman on my first proper night there, but unfortunately the trials of travel, weak appetite, and the suprisingly effective words of paul mckenna made me lackluster company. i hope to one day return in better form and as a better guest. miss boo so kindly took me out of the touristy pocket i was trapped in for most of my stay, and into kampung baru, the oldest residential area in kl, a historically preserved area where modern development is strictly regulated. we went to CT Garden (CT Roses) for my first taste of nasi lemak. nasi lemak translates to 'rice in cream': white long grained rice cooked with rich coconut milk, which is scooped out, topped with sambal and a quarter of a hard boiled egg, then wrapped in banana leaf. it is eaten as is, or with any number of side dishes. it is a cheap, filling breakfast staple--but can be found throughout the day and is especially popular as post-club grub--and is said to be the (unofficial) national dish of malaysia.

i let miss boo pick out the accompanying dishes, which were chicken livers and cow's lung (paru) marinated in soy sauce, lemongrass, and chilis then grilled, brown squid (dried cuttlefish which has been rehydrated) sautéed in a chili sauce, fried tempeh with ikan bilis and peanuts, fried chicken, and otak-otak, a blend of fish and chili paste grilled in a palm leaf. everything was very tasty and fresh, and i particularly enjoyed the otak-otak, which had the consistency of a firm mousse, and although made from mackerel and liberally spiced, was not overly assertive in any one flavour. also, the fried tempeh might be my favourite preparation of this soybean product, both complex in flavour and crunchiness.

but truly the standouts for me were the lovely company, and the view of the sultan sulaiman sports club, and the petronas towers beyond.

seriously, it's an advertiser's dream. nasi lemak: 60 sens, grilled cow's lung: RM 2, view from the outdoor dining area: priceless.

*

KL in reality sort of daft punk'd any idea i had of it, but i don't think i even barely scratched the surface. i've been gone for just over 24 hours and already itching to return. jumpa lagi, KL, next time i'll be better prepared for you....

**

special thanks to MamaBok for facilitating the boo_licious/banana meetup. terima kasi!

malaysia, truly asia.

2008-03-12T16:51:00.002+10:00

i'm going to kuala lumpur in a week or so; i've read dozens of malaysian food blogs, but pretty much nothing else. any suggestions? i'll be there for five days.

nutter

2008-03-07T16:08:00.006+10:00

weekend treats for you to try: maple-glazed pecans, adapted from a "tartine" recipe. very lightly sweet, and salty too, which makes them v. addictive. so easy, cheaper and fresher than the stuff you can buy prepackaged.

spiced herby almonds, also adapted from another "tartine" recipe. the ingredients are the more or less the same, the quantities just a suggestion, experimentation mandatory. the main diff in both these recipes is that i used a microwave for ease, convenience, and to appease said microwave of its reheating leftovers doldrums. the only problem in this is that i have no idea of how to tell you when the nuts are done. if you smell something burning, that's means they are really, really...done. times given in the recipes below are for a 1200w microwave, for nuts that are extra toasty, but not burnt. if you feel this is a far too foolish method (i don't blame you), roast them on a lined cookie sheet in a conventional oven at 400˚F for six to eight minutes, stirring occasionally.

*

vaguely related: friends from japan arrived, bearing large quantities of roasted chestnuts. usually a highlight on their own, but made more fun with a little plastic doohickey that scores the chestnuts for easy access. how fun is that? very, i say. :sigh:

maple glazed pecans adapted from a "tartine" cookbook recipe

2 tbsp corn syrup
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp white sugar
1 tsp sea salt
3-4 cups of raw, shelled pecans

mix all ingredients well. microwave in a glass or ceramic dish, one or two cups at a time, on "high" for one minute. stir well. return to microwave for one minute. stir again. return to microwave for another 30 seconds to a minute, keeping a close nose for signs of burning. cool completely, stirring occasionally to break up the sticking pieces. cool completely. if they aren't crunchy enough or are too sticky for you, return 'em to the microwave for another minute zap.

spiced almonds adapted from a "tartine" cookbook recipe

a couple sprigs of thyme
a small stalk of rosemary
1 tbsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp corn syrup
3-4 cups of raw almonds

strip the leaves off the rosemary stalk. finely mince the thyme and rosemary. in a large bowl, mix all ingredients well. microwave in a glass or ceramic dish, one or two cups at a time, on "high" for one minute. stir well. return to microwave for one minute. stir again. return to microwave for another 30 seconds to a minute, keeping a close nose for signs of burning. cool completely, stirring occasionally to break up the sticking pieces. cool completely. if they aren't crunchy enough for you, return 'em to the microwave for another minute zap.

bounty, cagey.

2008-02-26T14:55:00.005+10:00

deposited at my front doorstep the other day: a giant carton of cherry tomatoes and bittermelon. whooo! what to do, what to do.

also deposited: a bunch of eggs. i have to laugh whenever i buy those cage-free, free-range, battery-free, antibiotic-free, donovan-listening eggs at the market. i have a few friends with errant chickens, which are empirically without cage and battery, conforming to every stereotype about the bird you may have ever thought: they cross the road to get to the other side, they run around even with their heads cut off (srsly? so freakin' weird), and are as free as. no one is actually sure where they've come from--probably another yard in the neighbourhood--but no one comes around to claim them, and certainly none of my friends actually feed them. they know how to fend for themselves, surely.

i don't really know all that much about chickens, but i was under some assumption that eggs were usually dropped in a nest or at least in a sheltered area and roughly in the same area. however, the eggs pictured above are much like all the ones collected from various folk: randomly deposited on window sills, doorsteps, flowerpots, but mostly in driveways--coral rock, conrete, brick, dirt, clay....they seem to like the open expanse and playing chicken (! ha) with the cars coming in or out. the ones out of the way are mostly left alone, because of uncertainty of age, although some folk are partial to penoy, which are fertilized eggs which fail to hatch. personally, i think it's an open invitation for snakes (leaving eggs around the yard, not the penoy per se). the driveway ones are collected and distributed for consumption. i haven't really participated in the handouts because, well, i as a lifelong storebought egg consumer, am still a bit suspect of the driveway eggs. sure they are collected pretty quickly, but temperatures reach 80˚F or more by mid-morning regularly, and i'm not the one collecting the eggs. i know i should get over it, so i've started to get my share, but only for hard boiling purposes until i am more comfortable with the idea (i'm not worried about salmonella, but i figure a cracked/bad egg is easier to deal with once boiled).

i'm sure i wouldn't be so cagey if someone told me these had come from their lovely little farm with the red barn and the cow named bessie, i should be thrilled i'm getting fresh and free ones from the lovely little subdivision with the concrete house and the car named camry.

*

almost speaking of snakes, i came home from manila at 5am, opened up the bedroom door to find a snake slithering underneath the bed. after a little bit of a freak out, i went looking for it, to find...nothing. so after a few days of careful peering and not reaching into handbags too hastily, i was happy to find one of the dogs inadvertently stepping on what i originally thought was an electrical cord but turned out to be an irate and desperate snake. mostly dead (yay dog! although she is traumatized from the incident), so it was finished off with a whack of a nine iron. before animal rights folks get after me, i have to point out that the brown tree snake is non-native to the island, invasive, and has decimated the native bird population. "ecological disaster" is not too strong a phrase. so, although i find my golf club whacking ways troubling, i also think it's necessary. the thing is...the dead snake is not same one seen slithering under the bed. #$%^.

market macaron merienda.

2008-02-23T18:27:00.005+10:00

one of my favourite stalls in salcedo market is la cuisine francaise, which sells a very nice assortment of homemade french specialties like patés, quiches, apple tartine, pissaladiere, some lovely stews, ratatouille, and some kicking lasagne (not french, but darned good). i generally skip the majority of their baked goods because there are so many other bakeries around, but this time i picked up these absolutely ginormous macarons, one of the almond, and a chocolate one. i used to have a steady date with the macarons at bizu, but lately they haven't been up to par--always a little stale, a little sad, and the taste of some of the flavours seems to have changed. i had my doubts about the market macarons--at a little more than six inches in diameter, they are about 5 times the size of an average macaron, and maybe ten times the weight. whatwhatwhat?! robyn had a photo of maison du chocolat's version of a large macaron, which she called "the monster that eats babies" one; if that's the case, then these are the universe in which the monsters roam.

the flavour of both were excellent--not too sweet, real almond flavour coming through the almond one with a marzipan overtone, the chocolate one was a little malty, with not-overpowering ganache within. the outside had a much thicker crust than your average macaron, and the innard of the cookie was soft, almost bready. i've made macarons before, but i can't imagine that the batter i used for the small ones would turn out like these in larger scale. it seems like perhaps there is more flour or something stabilizing the meringue. if you look at the photo below, maybe you can see what i mean...?

does that look like an average macaron to you? it almost seems like a cross between a macaron and the savoiardi/ladyfingers i made for the strawberry charlotte. lighter, slightly spongy, but with that nice meringue crust and a bit of chew. if anyone has any pointers/suggestions on how to make the monster macarons, please let me know!

impromptu visit.

2008-02-20T23:46:00.004+10:00

when will this monsoon season ever end? i was about to go mad with the sound of horrid rain, day in, day out...so i hopped on a plane, bound for manila, just for the weekend. even though it was overcast there really wasn't any rain to speak of (stupid or otherwise), but there was a nice cooling breeze. perfect for a stroll through saturday's salcedo market, again. just some scenes from the village:

katuray and bagbagkong, edible flowers

caimito (star apple), lanzones, chico, sampalok (tamarind), and bananas

cotton candy floss vendor

"dirty" ice cream

barbecued pusit (squid), hito (catfish) and bangus (milkfish), pork

roasting chestnuts

guess we know what fidel's up to these days.

happy new year!

2008-02-08T19:30:00.000+10:00

hello! did you have a good new year? mine was sort of _____. it was actually quite a good day even though i had to go to work; but, i didn't get to celebrate, and my dinner sort of sucked. boo. i hope it's not a foreshadowing of the year to come. i wasn't able to cook anything special for the lunar new year, but did manage these tea eggs during the last half of a project runway mini-marathon. simple snack tastiness + high fashion drama = excellent evening in the banana household. :sigh:

tea eggs are a popular asian street food, prepared by simmering boiled eggs in a tea, soy sauce and spice mix. the marbling comes from a light cracking of the shell, and a long simmer time. surprisingly, even after a couple hours in the hot bath, the egg white does not become super-rubbery, and the yolk remains creamy. the flavour of the tea and spices permeates, but in a subtle way. i can't say i notice the spices all that much, but the smokiness of the tea and the light touch of salt enhance the flavour of the otherwise everyday egg. if this egg were a metaphor for how the rest of the year will be, i would say that it would be solid, sunny, with a touch of erratic glamour. i'll take it! and happy new year to you all.

tea eggs

6-8 eggs
water, enough to cover eggs

1 tsp salt
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 teabags (i used oolong)
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
black peppercorns
2 long strips of orange peel, with most (or all) of the white pith removed

place eggs in saucepan with water. bring to a boil. turn off heat, leave eggs in pan for 10 minutes. remove eggs from pan (save water), tap them with the back of a spoon to crack the shells, keeping the shells intact.

return eggs in water with tea, soy sauce, peel, and spices. add more water to just cover the eggs if necessary. bring back to a boil, then simmer for two hours. or, do this step in a rice cooker; after the boil, set the rice cooker to "warm" position, and leave the eggs for two hours. peel one egg as a test. if the colour isn't dark enough, leave the eggs in the simmering mix for longer, or store the (unshelled) eggs immersed in the liquid in the fridge overnight.

strawberry double cheesecake.

2008-02-05T14:00:00.000+10:00

mamabok's request was cheesecake, here is cheesecake. two, in fact: a "rare" japanese cheesecake with puréed strawberries sandwiched between two halves of a baked japanese cheesecake, inspired by lydia's beautiful double happiness cheesecake.

both varieties employed are more commonly found in japan than the heavy new york-style cake, hence the "japanese" moniker. "rare" is just an allusion to the fact that is uncooked (as in a rare steak), just yogurt, cream cheese, strawberries and sugar set with a little bit of gelatin. i adapted a recipe from about.com for this. the baked cheesecake contains less than half the cream cheese of your average american style cake, and has a soft, silky, fluffy texture from whipped egg whites. it is because of this that it is sometimes known as a cheesecake soufflé (or soufflé cheesecake). i modded betty shimabukuro's recipe, as i actually encountered the same problems she did when trying other recipes on the web. no matter, this one turned out fine.

strawberry double cheesecake

"rare" layer:

1 package/8oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup yogurt-plain, vanilla or strawberry-flavoured, your choice
1- 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen (thawed) strawberries, puréed
1/3 cup sugar, more if the strawberries aren't sweet
2 tbsps lemon juice
1 packet/1 tbsp powder gelatin
1/4 cup water

mix gelatin and water in a small container, set aside. put gelatin mixture into microwave and heat for about a minute. dump softened cream cheese, yogurt, fruit, sugar, lemon juice, and gelatin; mix well. pour the filling into an 8" cake pan lined with plastic wrap; spread evenly. refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours or overnight.

baked layer:

1 package/8oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs, separated
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoonfuls lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

preheat oven to 325˚F . place a parchment round on the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan or springform pan.

beat cream cheese and cream together. add egg yolks, cornstarch, lemon juice, and half the sugar until smooth. beat egg whites in a separate bowl until foamy with a hand mixer. add remaining sugar and cream of tartar, beating until soft peaks form. slowly fold beaten egg whites into cream-cheese mixture, until thoroughly combined. pour into cake pan and smooth the surface. place cake pan into a larger roasting pan and place in lower rack of oven. pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the side of the cake pan. bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until cake has pulled away from the pan, and a pick inserted into the center comes out clean.

cool in the pan on a rack (it will deflate), then unmold cheesecake. refrigerate for at least three hours. once cooled, carefully cut the cake in half horizontally so you have two layers. unmold the rare cheesecake and place it on top of one layer. spread a layer of strawberry jam or cut fruit, if you want. top with second baked cheesecake layer. since the baked cheesecake will have shrunk a bit, a little trimming of the middle layer will be necessary. you can serve it immediately, but i prefer to cover the cake with plastic wrap, and refrigerate so that the layers "settle"a bit.

rochers.

2008-02-04T16:07:00.000+10:00

rochers: meringue and toasted silvered almonds in big crispy-on-the-outside, fluffy-on-the-inside-mounds. a recipe from the tartine bakery cookbook, from the tartine bakery in san francisco, ca.

miss craftapalooza suggested meringues with cream for my strawberry glut, but there was something about these that beckoned. probably the toasty loveliness of slivered almonds that don't just dot the meringue, but create a virtual haystack within--no nibble shall be nutless, i tell you. the original recipe says it makes 30 small cookies, i managed to eke out a dozen of these giganto versions. piping is recommended, even though the almond pieces will clog the tip; also, results can be unbecoming. just stick to heaping teaspoonfuls (or tablespoonfuls) and you should get something similar to a favourite golden wrapped confection. eaten out of hand, or coarsely crushed over sliced strawberries and cream, these are big rock cookie mountains i'll take over the candy version, any day.

napoleon and charlotte.

2008-01-28T02:21:00.000+10:00

if i was a cartoon-drawing kind of gal, i would have a comic strip involving a couple named napoleon and charlotte....

per miss deborah's request: a strawberry napoleon, made with puff pastry, a grand marnier-laced vanilla bean pastry cream, and sliced fresh strawberry. adapted from yet another ludo lefebvre recipe. the most noteworthy thing about it was the absolute ease of making this, as almost everything must be done well in advance, and each component (while time consuming) is pretty easy to make. the second most noteworthy thing: it was the first time i had made puff pastry. huzzah! another thing to cross off my list! and--i am so not pulling your leg, your finger, your nothin' on this--it was insanely not difficult to do at all. i'm not saying i did a stellar job on the matter (will i ever get the hang of rolling dough out evenly? maybe there are speed bumps on my table), but even a 50% effort yields a pastry that is 150% better than your average supermarket puff pastry dough. i always thought the puff was difficult as when i'd use the frozen stuff, it would shrink too much, be too greasy, and brown unevenly; this worked like it should. anyway, i reckon that once i get the hang of it, it deserves a post of its own. the pastry cream was one of the easiest pastry cream recipes i've tried, and one of the tastiest. chef lefebvre's version included whole vanilla beans and a generous glug of bourbon--i doubled the vanilla and substituted orange-flavoured liqueur for the bourbon. this was a little runnier than i had hoped (i blame the booze), so i'll either cut down on the amount of booze, or cook the pastry cream a little longer for a firmer product.

napoleons have never been my favourite because usually the pastry is a little stale, or the pastry cream too sweet; also, arrgh, no matter how genteel you are, they are very messy to eat. this one was as fresh as it was going to get, with delicate, flaky pastry, a lightly sweetened, flavoured cream, and of course, the bounty of perfectly ripe strawberries. and yes, still a freakin' mess to eat.

and miss susan's suggestion: a strawberry charlotte, a delightful name for a cake if there ever was one. this one was made with a base and white picket fence of ladyfingers/savoiardi, filled with an amaretto-laced bavarian cream and topped with fruit. another first, making those ladyfingers, which are cookies made with a sponge cake batter, often in the shape of fat...fingers. ladyfingers! seriously, i'm built like a peasant, but even my manhands are more delicate than this. however, the cake seems not to be the least bit bothered, with billowy clouds of silky cream and vibrant berries all wrapped up in a fluffy pink-sashed party dress. again, the ladyfinger recipe from pierre herme was actually not difficult, and yes, my 50% maxim still applies. a little more practice, and maybe i can get those stubby fingers to look a lot more ladylike.

the bavarian cream was simply the ludo vanilla bean pastry cream--this time flavoured with amaretto liqueur--folded into copious amounts of whipped cream, and stabilized with a tiny bit of gelatin. plonked on top are endless amounts of sliced strawberries, but not so endless that i don't have more berry delights forthcoming....

falafel + hummus.

2008-01-25T14:33:00.000+10:00

if i was a cartoon-drawing kind of gal, i would have a comic strip involving a couple named falafel and hummus. i'm not sure what they'd be, or what they'd be doing, but one of them would certainly be ballsy and the other one kinda wet. anyway

i love the first photo in susan's post, it makes me hungry everytime i see it. falafel, a sort of middle eastern ground chickpea or fava bean non-meat meatball, is one of those things that is relatively easy to make, but something i don't think about doing. there seems to be endless variations on the basic recipe, but i tend to like ones that are a little crunchy on the outside, creamy and a little spicy on the inside. like susan, i used an epicurious recipe, but adapted it slightly so there would be a little more flavour and maybe cook up a little quicker, as i had intended on grilling them as small patties. you know, like healthy? harrrrgh. about two seconds after pulling the grill out, i changed my mind and decided to fry them after all. the result was a zingy little number that was lightly crunchy on the outside, creamy on the inside. they fried up super-fast, so they did not become oily or greasy, so i don't feel so bad about not grilling them. the extra spices and herbs meant that these falafel were actually quite tasty on their own--so much so they never made it to their pita sandwich destination.

the hummus (hummous, houmous, who? moose?) is another adaptation of a recipe from "a year in my kitchen" by skye gyngell (like the beetroot purée). in fact, the spices and herbs are almost identical to the beet recipe, but with chickpeas as a base, the texture and flavour are still quite different. my version also has almost the same ingredients as the falafel recipe, so frankly, they aren't really that much different from each other (hey, i see my cartoon's backstory shaping up!). they are okay paired together, but as they taste nearly the same, you'll probably want to add other contrasting and complementing flavours and textures to the plate. ms. gyngell does not like to refer to this as hummus as it has so much more flavour; i absolutely agree, but 'hummus' sounds sooo much better than 'chickpea paste', so perhaps i'll just leave it as that.

falafel adapted from "my favorite falafel" recipe on epicurious

3 cups cooked chickpeas, drained
1/2 bunch flat leafed parsley, finely chopped
1/2 bunch coriander/cilantro, finely chopped
4-5 green onions, finely chopped
1 teaspoonful salt
1 teaspoonful cayenne pepper
3-4 cloves of garlic, peeled

1 teaspoonful roasted spice mix (see beetroot purée recipe)

1 teaspoonful baking powder
4-6 tablespoons flour

vegetable oil for frying

dump all the ingredients except the baking powder and flour into a food processor. process until blended, but still somewhat chunky.

sprinkle in the baking powder and 4 tablespoons of flour then pulse. check to see if the mixture holds together but isn't too sticky--if it's still sticky, add more flour.

transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate overnight.

form the mixture into small semi-compact balls; i use a 2 oz. cookie scoop.

heat about 2-3 inches of oil to 375 degrees in a pot, fry a ball to test. add a little flour if the ball falls apart. fry 4-6 balls at once for a couple of minutes on each side, or until golden brown.

hummus adapted from "a year in my kitchen" by skye gyngell

3 cups cooked chick peas, drained
3-4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 large green or red chili pepper, depending on your preference (i like jalapeño in this)
1 bunch coriander/cilantro, chopped
1 bunch mint, leaves only
1/2 bunch flat leafed parsley, chopped
juice of 1 lemon
1 heaping tablespoonful of tahini

1 teaspoonful roasted spice mix (see beetroot purée recipe)
50 ml olive oil
salt and pepper* to taste

dump everything into a food processor or blender, process until relatively smooth (a few chunks are nice). adjust seasoning, add salt and pepper to taste.

spicy beetroot purée

2008-01-24T15:10:00.000+10:00

beetroot purée, adapted from one of my favourite cookbooks, "a year in my kitchen" by skye gyngell. i've been trying to eat a lot more veggies, and one of my favourites is roasted beets, which are sweet, somewhat corn-y tasting, and just a gorgeous violent deep shade of purply red. all you need to do to roast them is to scrub 'em down, chuck them into a pan, drizzle some olive oil on top, cover with foil and bake them in a preheated 400˚F for about 45 minutes to an hour, until they can be pierced with a knife. i usually just eat them peeled, with a little salt and pepper, but sometimes when i've got a few left over, i play around with gyngell's recipe for a puréed spread/dip, flavoured with garlic, olive oil, fragrant spices, and tons of green herbs. the effect is not unlike a über-hummus, all sweet, silky yet spicy and just a little rough--a nice addition to any mezze plate, a vivid side dish, or even just an eye-opening spread on toast. i don't know what it is that makes people dislike beets, but maybe this recipe will change some people's mind.

beetroot purée adapted from "a year in my kitchen" by skye gyngell

3 large beets, roasted, cooled and peeled (see above) note--you can do this with canned beets (drained thoroughly), but the colour will not be quite as nice
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 large bunch of coriander/cilantro, roughly chopped
1 large handful of mint leaves, roughly chopped
1 glug of olive oil
1 tablespoonful roasted spice mix* (see below; you can always use ground spices for this if you don't want to deal)
1/2-1 teaspoonful of cayenne pepper
balsamic vinegar to taste
1 small container of greek yogurt (optional)
salt

add the beets, garlic, herbs, spices, and olive oil in a food processor or blender. pulse/blend until a smoothly puréed. add greek yogurt if you want a super smoothy, then add balsamic vinegar and salt to taste.

*roasted spice mix

1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
25g coriander seeds
25g cumin seeds
25g fennel seeds
25g fenugreek seeds
2 cardamon pods
1-2 star anise

place a frying pan over low heat. once a clear smoke rises from the pan, add spices. stir frequently, being careful not to let them burn. when the seeds begin to pop, take them off the heat, and grind to a fine powder in a spice mill or mortar and pestle.

surprise delivery.

2008-01-22T16:45:00.000+10:00

s just brought over a case of super-sweet strawberries from korea, about 4 pounds' worth. any baking/dessert requests?

purple pretty

2008-01-21T14:55:00.000+10:00

purple cauliflower, which gets its lovely colour from the presence of anthocyanin, which is also responsible for the colour in red cabbage, red wine, apples, and the distinctive deep loveliness of blood oranges.

when deep-fried, the colour changes to a gorgeous bluey-purple, not unlike dame elizabeth taylor's eyes. the flavour of the cauliflower becomes quite sweet and nutty. also like i imagine the ex-mrs. fortensky to be. not to taste.

makes a great sandwich. i'm sure the ex-mrs. hilton wilding todd fisher burton burton warner has a cook or chef who does, too.

faux-lly

2008-01-15T16:50:00.000+10:00

even though i'm still writing out my list, i may have actually completed one of the 101 things i hope to have done in 1001 days. whoo!

one of my favourite cakes is a chocolate cake sold in a gas station in manila; those of you there surely know which one i mean, polly's chocolate cake, made by polly garilao. it is dark, supermoist, chocolatey, with a pudding-like just-on-the-edge-of-too-sweet chocolate frosting; it is not a fancy cake, it's quite homey and old-fashioned, and frighteningly easy to eat. i don't really seek it out when i'm in manila because although it is a substantial 8"x8" (or so) cake, it doesn't exactly feed eight, like it should--it's more like three to four people if you're lucky, or two people hovering over the plain brown box....cake crack, i tell you. also, finding somewhere that sells it can be a chore--the only regular source (besides ms. garilao herself, of course) seems to be the shell gas station in magallanes and it's not particularly easy to transport, especially via transpacific flights.

i have about three dress sizes' worth of reasons not to look for a similar recipe, but look i did, and it was surprisingly easy to find a pretty darned close equivalent to it. i wanted a recipe with ingredients that were easy enough to come by in the philippines, low on dairy products, and somewhat older (christine mentioned she grew up eating them). i looked for traditional, quick recipes that used vegetable oil or shortening, and cocoa instead of chocolate. i tried out a few, but surprisingly the recipe that got the right colour, texture, moistness and flavour was one that i found in regan daley's "in the sweet kitchen"--a bit of a fancy-schmantzy book, but the recipe itself was passed down from her mother, and there are many variations of it around the interwebs. i had my doubts at first because she described it as chewy, and someone else called it as dense; i don't know if those are two adjectives i would use for the polly cake. still, she said it was the one cake she really craved, the one she could polish off in one sitting. hm. i knew that feeling, so the recipe looked good enough to try.

oh weeee, the recipe looked good, but the results even better--supermoist, dark, springy, yeah yeah. the secrets of the cake universe unlocked, and whilst this may not be the exact polly garilao gas station chocolate cake, it's so darned good (and yes, so darned close), it doesna matter. and yayeah, so darned easy. here's the recipe, and step by step instructions:

1. sift 1 1/2 cups of AP flour into an ungreased, unfloured 8"x 8" pan.

2. in a separate bowl, mix 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 cup white granulated sugar, one teaspoonful of baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoonful of salt. add to pan, and mix carefully with flour.

3. make 3 indentations in the flour mixture--2 small and one large.

4. add one teaspoonful of vanilla extract to one of the small holes, one tablespoonful of white vinegar to the the other, and 6 tablespoonfuls of vegetable oil to the large one. pour one cup of cool water over everything and mix well, without beating it (a few lumps are okay).

5. bake in a preheated 350˚F oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out relatively clean. cool before frosting.

*
some notes: make sure to use natural cocoa, absolutely not dutch-processed if you want that deep, dark colour; hershey's or ghirardelli brand is what ms. daley recommends, but i've been using valrhona because...well, why not? (edit:as manggy points out in the comments valrhona cocoa is dutch processed, which i've neglected to mention. technically, a dutch-processed cocoa is milder flavourwise, but valrhona uses a superior bean than most brands. also, technically you should adjust the leavener because of the alkali content, but as i haven't tried this cake with natural process cocoa, i can't say if it's truly a detriment.) i also prefer to bake this cake at 335˚F for 35-40 minutes. this all-in-one recipe is for a cake that will be served in the pan; if you'd like a more elegant presentation, line the pan with parchment before adding all the ingredients. or, dare to mix the batter in a bowl first (whoo).

**
also, if you want to go with a more polly-like frosting, don't do the cocoa buttercream in the link; instead, make a ganache with semi-sweet chocolate chips and heavy cream, then pour it over the cake. if you have access to it, buy semi-sweet chocolate (chips or by the block) made in the philippines by nova; it's only about 300p a kilo (about us$7), and spot on for the consistency of miss p's frosting.

***
so there, lil' keikis, i hope i have saved some of you some money, effort and grief. and no matter what your verdict may be, maybe this will become a staple of your sweet kitchen.

buta no kakuni, morimoto-style.

2008-01-07T01:44:00.000+10:00

probably not the most auspicious post to ring in the new year of food blogging, considering i'm trying to lose weight/eat healthier, but cheeeese, look at it. 'tis beaaaaauuuuutiful, no? buta no kakuni, pork belly braised in sake and a little bit of soy sauce, flavoured with just a tiny bit of sugar and star anise, served on brown rice congee infused with spring onion oil and flavoured with a bit of dried scallop. this was modified from a recipe by masaharu morimoto from his book, "morimoto: the new art of japanese cooking." someone rather kindly mailed a copy of the book to me and like, a whole lot of other bloggers. i generally say no to the freebies because i know i'll never review them, but i heart the morimoto-san, and at the time i was broke and thought i was saving up for something, so why not? but now i'm not saving, still broke, still no review. sorry dk books person! i officially cannot be trusted with your merchandise. however, the book is lovely and i've cooked a bunch of deelish things from it.

n. e. how.

this was actually one of the last recipes i thought i'd cook from the book, but when i saw maki's lovely more traditional version of the pork dish, i really wanted to try it. she and kirk both explain there are chinese cuisine connections to the dish, as does humba, the filipino version of this dish. i haven't had humba in awhile, but i always remembered my family's version to be flavoured with star anise and ginger; morimoto-san's recipe calls for neither, but the thing i love the most about the pork is that hint of spiciness, especially from the anise, so i added two whole star anise to the final braising liquid. also, i used brown rice in morimoto-san's congee recipe instead of the usual white; the result was more texture and flavour to play against the dried scallop and spring onion oil.

this recipe is not difficult at all, but some of the ingredients can be tricky to find, and it requires a good amount of time and patience. there is an initial eight hour simmer which renders out the majority of fat from the pork, then an overnight chilling before returning it to simmer in braising liquids for an additional 2 hours. if you do the first part in a slow cooker, then chuck it in the fridge whilst at work or asleep, it's actually quite uncomplicated. the melt-in-your mouth texture and exquisite flavours make it worth the work.

funnily enough, this was the first recipe that aun and s from the wonderful chubby hubby decided to try. they've already proclaimed the recipe a favourite, so maybe you will too.

new year, new kitchen.

2008-01-03T05:09:00.000+10:00

well, maybe not so much a new kitchen as *another* one. i've moved to a decidedly more urban dwelling when in manila, with a clean and cozy kitchen. does this mean i'll actually do some city cooking in 2008?! you and totoro will just have to stay tuned.

happy 008 everyone!

felis pasgua

2007-12-25T20:00:00.000+10:00

felis pasgua yan añu nuebo; may you have a warm, wonderful and blessed christmas season. i'm off to manila, so i'll see y'all in the new year!

holiday indulgence.

2007-12-22T14:23:00.000+10:00

i've been pretty good about staying away from the sweets and treats i've been baking and those that have been given as gifts, but all this running around has made me hungry! my big overindulgence this holiday has been eggs--poached, boiled, fried, scrambled, salted, you name it. it's sort of funny because during my college days i was not a fan of eggs at all, and recently i've had a bad case of mayonnaise aversion. but i've been having one a day for the past week, and i can feel the cholesterol sludging up my system, so i know i better cool it and soon. still, there's something about a warm runny yolk on a pile of hot rice, a soft-boiled egg smashed onto a chunk of buttered wholemeal toast, or egg whites with a bit of sea salt and fried minced garlic....mmmm.

so then two of my favourites: a chorizo hash with sweet potatoes and white potatoes, onion, celery and carrot, topped with a poached egg. simply chop everything up, crumble the chorizo, sautée and yr done. a little harissa adds a little complexity to the kick, but it's fine on its own.

and of course, the loco moco, made a little more luxurious with a grilled sirloin beef patty on steamed red-grained rice, topped with a fried egg and gravy made with oxtail and shank stock. after making a standard roux i whisked the hot beef stock into the mix until it became a thin gravy; i shredded some of the oxtail and shank meat, added it in and seasoned with salt and pepper. really, nothing to it workwise, but flavourwise, it's on a whole 'nother level of loconess.

gaah, where has the time gone? recipes in a bit (maybe after xmas if you'll forgive me--'tis that time of year after all)!

'tis the season.

2007-12-20T01:35:00.000+10:00

i don't think i've ever made a fruitcake before. i've never been a huge fan of it, but i've had some that have been very good, so i'm not of the type who chucks it out of windows when one crosses the threshold--mainly because most of them are so heavy, i'm sure to kill an unsuspecting passerby. i do, however, get the urge to bake them, even though i know they are a hard sell. i brought one to the guys at the bank today and they were all like, "so what goodies did you bring us today?" and i carefully said "oh. a cake." pause. "with fruit." dingdingding! oh, the disappointment and the accusation hanging in the air! "a fruitcake?!"

yeah, well, there's really no hiding it. i can't even claim it's not like a traditional cake made with all fresh or dried fruit, or some sort of pierre herme creation. it's not lightweight, it's not soaked in tequila--it's a number-one-bona-fide-brick of butter, sugar, eggs, and fruit. i adapted a recipe from jeffrey steingarten--the other one who ate everything--that was adapted by annie over at bon appegeek; she is a hardcore fruitcake fanatic, so if she liked the recipe, and if jeffrey steingarten liked the recipe, there's a pretty good chance that i...might not. hey! like i said, i'm not a big fruitcake fan. i don't know why i wanted to make it, maybe it's some sort of sick manifestation of holiday spirit or something. (you know what? it probably is. i mean, i've been watching straight-to-basic-cable holiday movies all week--diva whose ghost of present is the bass player for duran duran? seen it. sabrina the teenage witch kidnapping the cha cha king for a family dinner? seen it. also, who's been scanning the FM dial for a chance to hear mariah carey for the fifteenth time? that day? nyahh. say what you want, it's teh awesomeest.)

so anyway. i've never read steingarten's book, don't really know the exact mods that annie did to his cake, and there's talk of some sort of "fatal flaw" in the crust. i wasn't worried too much about it, though, because the ingredients list reads like a french pound cake recipe with the addition of a lot of stuff--i can do that. the french pound cake--quatre quarts, literally "four fourths"--is made with equal amounts of four ingredients: flour, eggs, butter, and sugar; only a little variation on that, and some advice taken from one of the dozens of googled fruitcake recipes i've looked at for weeks: the addition of 3.5 pounds of fruit. yeeeeeeahboyyyy. can't mistake that for anything else then. i used a mix of dried and candied fruits, chopped them up to 1/4-inch anonymity to protect the innocent, which made the cake more like a jammy poundcake than dough studded with sugary unidentifiable lumps. walnuts added some needed texture, and like annie and jeffrey, i didn't bother to liquor it up. didn't need it. also didn't get the hard crustiness as described by both, but i baked them in smaller loaves, so the cooking time was reduced significantly; what i got was a beautifully golden, sugary-coated shell that made the cake irresistible directly out of the oven. of course, all that fruit and sugar makes it molten-hot, so perhaps you'd like to wait for it to cool completely, or even refrigerate it for easier slicing.

i know you're sceptical, but i stand by it, like i stand by mariah carey's christmas song--it's sugary, it's sweet, it's definitely seasonal, but it also has substance, quality ingredients, and darn it if it doesn't make you want to dance around the christmas tree.

oh, you humbuggers you. here's some darlene love for you then.

fruitcake

3 1/2 lbs of any combination of dried fruit and candied fruit you like--i highly suggest using a lot of citrus peel in the mix (i used 8 oz each of candied orange peel, lemon peel, and pineapple, golden raisins, chopped dates, 4 oz of finely diced candied ginger in syrup, and made up the rest with a dried fruit blend, then chopped down to 1/8"-1/4" pieces)

1 lb of nuts, your choice (i used roughly chopped walnuts)

1 lb of flour, sifted

1 lb of unsalted butter, softened

1/2 lb of white sugar

6 eggs

2 teaspoonfuls of vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoonful of salt

preheat oven to 325˚F.

in a large bowl, combine all fruit and nuts, mixing well. set aside. cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. add vanilla and salt. fold in flour until completely incorporated. mix fruit/nut mix into batter. transfer batter into well greased pans. bake until golden, and toothpick inserted in center comes out relatively clean (roughly 35 minutes for small muffins, 1 hour for small loaves, and 2 hours for large ones).

the stress of the season...

2007-12-18T14:48:00.000+10:00

has caused my gingerbread cookies to break out in hideous, sugar-encrusted boils.

baking by the bushel.

2007-12-17T15:59:00.001+10:00

i am at the tail end of a cookie baking marathon--mexican wedding cookies, an odd hazelnut chocolate cookie with which i was experimenting, and chocolate chippies. new to this year's lineup: bill clinton's oatmeal cookies, from chef sherry yard's "desserts by the yard." i make a lot of oatmeal cookies, and even though they don't look like much (when do oatmeal cookies ever do?), they might be some of my favourite--possibly the only favourite anything i share with the former president. they are crispy on the outside, but chewy with oats, brown sugar, and wine-soaked golden raisins (i added some dried cranberries as well) on the inside. you can futz about with the temperature and time if you want a softer, chewier cookie, but imho, they don't turn out quite so well. stick to the plan, stan, and enjoy.

menu for hope IV

2007-12-12T15:21:00.001+10:00

three years of giving, almost $100k in total going to worthy charities. it's time for the fourth campaign, as spearheaded by the lovely miss pim. money this time goes to the UN world food programme, for the school lunch program in lesotho, africa. chez pim has all the details on who gets the money and how you can contribute. prizes galore for your generosity! you can also check out grab your fork for the asia pacific prize roundup and all the deets as well.

fa-la-la ludo's pain d'épices.

2007-12-11T15:12:00.003+10:00

yes, it's from heem again, what of it? with the way things are going this holiday season could be a ludo christmas or a ludacrismas --it could go either way.

*

it's (eeeep!) only tweeks away from the 25th, and i'm still trying to decide what my christmas cake gift will be. truth be told, i'm not entirely sure anyone around here appreciates gingerbread, spice cakes, or fruitcake, but i so want to do one. or all. or, in the case of this ludo recipe, a spice and fruitcake rolled into one.

pain d'épices--"bread of spices"--is a specialty of the bourgogne/burgundy region of france, possibly adapted from a chinese honey cake in the middle ages to satisfy marguerite de france's penchant for honey cake, depending on what you read. a combination of ideal geography and shrewd calculations gave the burgundian dukes control of the spice trade through europe, which accounts for the exotic, redolent spices found in pain d'epices: anise, cloves, cinnamon, sometimes ginger. since chef lefebvre is from burgundy, i thought, what better source is there? (of course it has nothing to do with the fact that the cookbook is at my bedside, no not at all.)

it is a simple recipe, despite the 20 item ingredient list; the majority of those are spices, and only in small quantities. rather surprising to me, though, is that ginger is not one of those ingredients, but with fresh orange and lemon peel, star anise and cloves among them, who needs it? also unnecessary are eggs and fat--this is a dairy-free dessert. unlike many of the other pain d'epices receipts i have found, this one has candied fruit in it, making it very much a fruitcake. i substituted traditional glacé fruits with a dried fruit blend to great effect--the candied texture is still there, but with much less sweetness. there is also a bounty of pistachios, hazelnuts, and almonds within. once all the ingredients have been assembled--dry items in one bowl, wet in another, nuts and bolts to the side--it really comes down to just mixing them all and baking, in the easiest possible way. whoo!

the cake is dark, dense, moist, intensely aromatic and flavoured; a thin slice is better than a thick one to savour all the flavours going on within it. i find it exotic and appealing, very we-three-kings frankincensey and jewellike. however, the gingerbread jury thought otherwise: "omg, is that a fruitcake?! bleurgh" or "blarrgh! wtf? is there cumin in this?!" pfftpfftpfft. why, ho ho ho, yes, there is cumin in there--a mere fraction of a teaspoonful--but apparently enough to make staunch cuminyfruitycake-haters fuel up on haterade (who knew there would be so many). *sigh* i could leave out the cumin. or, get new friends. but do i really want to do either?

back to the books.

bring me some figgysomething.

2007-12-09T00:01:00.000+10:00

okay, now that i've got the figs, what do i do with them? i've looked at a bunch of figgy pudding recipes but they all seem to call for dried figs. does anyone have a nice recipe for fresh ones (pudding or otherwise)?

name that fruit!: figs.

2007-12-08T20:12:00.000+10:00

about a year ago, i bought a little fig tree cutting from a local growers' market. i was surprised to see it there, because i didn't think figs grew in tropical places, mainly because i never saw fresh figs in the market, nor any recipes utilizing them. the grower really didn't know anything about it, except that he had always had trees on his family's land; however, he had never actually tried the fruit, and wasn't sure if it was the same as any of the varieties sold in mainland markets or if it was some sort of asian variation.

so, i took it to my parents' house and my dad planted it in the backyard. i didn't hold much hope for it, but it grew steadily, and even managed to produce a couple of fruit sporadically over the next couple of months. i didn't really think about it much, but lately i've realized that in the past year, the tree is now over ten feet tall, and is finally yielding enough fruit to actually use in a recipe. whee! i figured it was time to actually look up what kind of fig tree it is.

i still don't know, but found another surprise: fig trees--Ficus carica--are believed to be native to western asia, distantly related to breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis Fosb.); jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.); and chinese mulberry (Cudrania tricuspidata). it is a deciduous tree that is typically ten to 30 feet in height, but can grow up to 50 feet. the branches are soft, twisty and vine-like, spreading wide rather than tall. the leaves are bright green, fuzzy, have an easily recognizable shape and grow out to nearly a foot in length. the fruit has a thin peel of varying colours (from green to dark purple), with and interior white rind holding in a mass of gelatinous seeds. they must be left to ripen on the tree, but once picked they only last for a few days.

perhaps this fragility, along with the fact that there aren't many birds on island to spread the seed are the reason why i haven't seen them before, but i'm still surprised i haven't seen it as an ingredient in asian recipes. perhaps a little more research is in order.....

merry meringues.

2007-12-07T15:21:00.000+10:00

yes, i know it doesn't seem like i know any other holiday-esque adjective besides "merry" but yah maybe i don't. i saw big, beautiful raspberry meringues on doc18's flickr photostream, and found them very appealing. doc18's meringues were from ottolenghi in london; i've never been, but it looks very much like a place i'd like. however, it doesn't look like i'll be getting to the uk any time soon, so again, i must make do with make at home.

upon some reflection, i've realized i don't really like meringues all that much, but i do like aspects of them a lot--fat freedom and texture mainly; that they are overly sweet and not particularly flavoured with anything, not so much. also, i wasn't very good at making them. however, with a little patience, a vat of egg whites, and some help from baking 911, i've learned some tricks for success in a humid, tropical kitchen. the main thing, of course, is to try to keep the humidity at bay, but making a swiss meringue--which cooks the egg whites and sugar before beating--allows for the sugar to melt thoroughly (no graininess or weeping--on the meringue's nor cook's part), and stabilizes the mix more for a lighter, fluffier texture. also, in more humid climates, longer oven times are necessary, but at a lower temperature--lower, slower. whoo. barry white meringues!

still working on flavour. vanilla is nice, but want more variety. for these i simply whirred some freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor to make a ruby red dust for decoration and a bit of tartness. holiday gorgeous, certainly, but if anyone has any other flavouring suggestions, please let me know!

big baked meringues, humid weather formula (aka barry whites)

2 egg whites (from large eggs)
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoonful vanilla extract
pinch of salt

preheat oven to 300˚F. over a pot of simmering water, stir the egg whites and sugar together until the sugar melts and the mixture feels quite warm (but not hot!). add vanilla and salt. take the mixture off the heat, and whisk (or use a mixer) until thick, glossy and doubled in volume. plop big blobs of the stuff onto a parchment lined baking sheet, then bake in oven for 1-1 1/2 hours. drop the temperature to 250˚F, bake for another 1-2 hours, then turn off oven. leave the meringues in oven overnight to continue drying.

makes 4 to 6 big bazonking meringues.