SPAM is Delicious

I don't care what any of you say. I love Spam. Always have...and it's making a comeback.

According to a recent New York Times article, sales of this canned food is rising. Hormel won't disclose by how much but they did indicate it's by double digits. Factory employees are working double shifts and are only getting Thanksgiving and Christmas off in order to keep up with the demand.

Because it is vacuum-sealed in the can and does not require refrigeration, Spam can last for years. That's its appeal during "hard times". It's relatively cheap meat that lasts forever. We used to eat it a lot, scrambled in eggs for breakfast. It was satisfyingly salty.

Hawaiians love it so much they have an annual festival dedicated to it, Spam Jam. C'mon, I hear they even make sculptures out of this potted pork product. I know, it's a bit unbelievable that I've never gone before. It's even on Oahu, where I often go when vacationing in Hawaii. But alas, not yet...possibly someday.

So it seems that Hawaiians aren't the only Americans packing this long-lasting treasure in their pantries. Sales of other processed items like macaroni and cheese, Jell-o, and Velveeta are also rising steadily. It is a sign of the times...tough economic times.

I will however, leave you with this, my favorite way to eat Spam:

Spam musubi (or as one of my mainland friends called it when he had some at my birthday party many moons ago--"Spam-shi", as in Spam sushi). It's really not sushi since the rice isn't vinegared.

Basically it's salted rice with a slice of Spam (fried or not fried--fried is better) wrapped in seaweed (to hold it together). You can get fancier and add teriyaki sauce, egg, and/or furikake seasoning.

Anyway you make it, I love it. Spam forever! Literally.

Circle of Life

It's been a tough week. Last week Dan's Grandmother Florence died and today my Uncle Ted passed away. I don't know what this has to do with food but life and death have been on my mind lately...maybe it's always on my mind. For both Florence and Ted their bodies gave out or gave in, depending on how you look at it. I never met Dan's grandmother. She wasn't able to come out for the wedding but she sent a nice card.

As for Uncle Ted, well, he didn't talk much and he had a special talent for leaving a house without notice. He was a diabetic who loved dessert and a seafood lover allergic to shrimp. As a kid, I remember him always coming by to drop off a whole fish, usually a bass or catfish--like every week or so. It would usually still be flapping around when he handed it to my mom. That man really loved to fish.

He always drove a truck too. I remember hopping into the back with a bunch of my cousins on one of those Sunday afternoons and driving around town. This was before seat belt laws. Yeah, it's amazing what we used to do in the 70's. I think we'd go on the freeway that way, too.

Somehow at every family function, one of us would always ask, "Hey, did Uncle Ted leave already?" Some of us would look around and one person would always know, "Yeah, he left a couple hours ago."

Uncle Ted, you didn't say much but you always let me tease you. And even in your final departure, you leave us quietly and without fuss. I will miss you.

The Minute You Settle...

Dan and I went to Gold Garden Seafood Restaurant on 82nd Ave (just north of Powell) the other day. It's been snowing so we rode the bus to a tire shop to get the "required" chains for our Prius whose front end slides around when braking in snow. It was mere blocks from one our fave Chinese restaurants.

There are two places "in town" that are well known to serve tasty Chinese food. One is Wongs King which I've already written about and the other is Gold Garden. Both get high marks for deliciousness. GG is more affordable and reminds me of some of those places I used to go in downtown Stockton when I was a kid.

There's always this hint of cigarette smoke from the attached bar, I think. The food is always served promptly and we always have a good time. GG seems like it's seen it's hey-day a decade or so before. It's dining room is large and it's menu is substantial.

This time D and I munched down on "Triple Delight in Tangy Sauce" and "Pork Mustard Green with Salted Egg Soup". Yeah, you won't find that at Panda Express. The delightful pork, beef, and shrimp were smothered in a spicy, sweet, sour sauce that blended well with the rice. The soup, well, reminded me of home. My mom used to salt her own eggs back in the day.

What does that mean, you ask? Well, she'd mix a salt water brine, place a bunch of eggs in a large jar, then pour in the brine until full and cap. Anyway, it would sit for months and the yolk would firm and darken. It was delicious then as was that soup.

What I love best is they always have roast duck and a side of roast pork hanging in the case for take out. Memories...

At the end of the meal, we get our fortune cookies, of course. Mine reads:

"The minute you settle for less than you deserve, you get less than you settled for."

This stupid fortune almost made me cry in the restaurant. Well, I guess it wasn't so stupid. So, don't settle, people. Live it.

If you get a chance and you like authentic Chinese food try:

Gold Garden Seafood Restaurant
3016 SE 82nd Ave
Portland, OR 97266
(503) 777-3399

They have $6.50 weekday specials and they give large portions. A good place to dine out during a recession.

Melamine Milk, Not Just in Asia

"The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Thursday ordered spot checks on baby food with meat and poultry, and such perennial kid favorites as breaded chicken nuggets, hot dogs and sausages, packaged meatballs and pizza snacks. The foods were singled out for limited, random tests because they may contain milk-based ingredients that have been linked to contamination in foods and candies manufactured with milk from China." Seattle Times
article by Susan Kelleher.

Apparently the melamine in dairy scare isn't just on the other side of the Pacific.

"Recently, the agency acknowledged that trace amounts of melamine and related chemicals were found in two infant formulas manufactured in the United States. It could not explain how the contamination occurred, but insisted the formulas are safe.

Melamine is a nitrogen-based chemical widely used in plastics manufacturing. It entered the milk supply in China earlier this year when some dairy manufacturers added it to diluted milk to artificially inflate protein levels for testing. The chemical and its analogs also turned up in animal feed.

Consumed in sufficient quantities, melamine can lead to kidney failure or even death. The FDA has established what it says are safe levels of the chemical."

I'll keep you posted with updates. But I'm thinking that fresh and local is looking more and more appetizing. Bye, bye, Dino Nuggets.

Vanessa Loves Love

Ok, so yesterday was a tough day for me...a lingering 14-day cold, a hacking cough that disturbed my sleep, and a frustrating job hunt during one of the toughest economic times of my life.

But then I talked with Rose, my east coast sister. If food is love then she and I have certainly shared a lot of love. We used to live across the street from each other in West Hollywood. It seems like a lifetime ago when we used to cook together in my kitchen. This is a pic of us with her (then fiance) now husband, Patrick at my wedding.

Life is constantly changing. But love never waivers.

During this Thanksgiving, love is what I'm thankful for. Thanks to all my loved ones for feeding me. I'm sorry I forget sometimes but they say memory is the first to go.

Food Is Love

I've been saying that for years. I've lived it my whole life. My family, huge eaters and feeders. You really can't have one without the other I suppose. But if you can't say it (and even if you can), you can show it, and boy, can you eat it.

Thanksgiving is coming up. I don't like Thanksgiving. I used to love it. C'mon, so much food how could I not. But one year, a long time ago I wasn't very thankful. There wasn't much T-day-esque food and I wasn't very happy.

It happened decades ago and every year since I think about it. It's almost like a broken record to my faithful readers who have been with me since (oh my goodness!) 2005. My dad died when I was a wee 10 year old the Sunday before Thanksgiving. It was confusing and devastating and I ate a lot (people bring a bereaved family loads of food). I still miss him. He was a man of very few words but he always knew what to say to me.

Every year, around this time I always wish he was around to tell me what I need to hear. For some reason I always get my worst colds of the year right before/around Thanksgiving so I'm never feeling at my best and I wonder what the hell there is to be thankful for.

I know, it's been a beautiful year of love for me (getting married and all). It's been a great food year for me too (working at Lucques, teaching families how to cook). But it seems like so long ago. I'm in a new town, building everything up from scratch.

I have to say, I really miss my L.A. friends for whom to cook a nice meal. Boy, could they eat...and a lot of them could cook too. What I wouldn't do for a little food-love exchange right now...or just a little GNO (Girls Night Out) exchange.

It's really difficult to start in a brand new place.

The New White House...

"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer...

This victory alone is not the change we seek -- it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you."

--Barack Obama, Nov. 4, 2008

I am inspired by the election turnout (the number of people who voted, the presidential win). I am hopeful that America will ban together to move this country forward.

Barack Obama has made huge promises for change. I hope he can deliver some. Y'know, four years isn't really that much time. Everything, whether it's finishing a work project or renovating your home or packing for a trip, takes longer than you think it might. The more people who are involved, the more setbacks or confusion can happen. So, to our soon-to-be White House Chief, I recommend this new White House Chef:

Change starts at home. That's what I say. So bring Suzanne Goin (Lucques, AOC, and Hungry Cat) into your kitchen. She buys directly from farmers and cooks seasonally. I don't see how you could go wrong. I'd want Suzanne to cook for me. Who wouldn't want Sunday Supper everyday?

I learned a lot from Suzanne Goin when I worked in her kitchen. She always looked like this--hair tied back, wearing a black long-sleeve t-shirt, white apron around her waist.

Once I burned my arms (yeah, both of them because they stored the sheet pans above it, stacked tall and I'm short) on edges of the deck oven (commonly known as pizza oven) that was usually set at 450*F or more.

At that point she came by to help me take down the sheet pan I needed. (Something not many Executive Chefs would do for an intern.) Then Suzanne told me the reason she wears the long sleeves is to prevent such burns. Knowledge is experience...or maybe, experience is knowledge.

It is a time for change after all. We will have our first African American president, why not our first female White House Executive Chef?

There was one article that I had read years ago where the interviewer asked if Suzanne would take that job if offered. Her response was only if she had complete control over her purveyors and if she could buy directly from farmers?

I knew there was a reason I liked her.

Oh Sushi, My Sushi

My husband tells me I have no patience. He's right. But when it comes to salami and sushi, I can overcome...if it is indeed, worth waiting for.

Saburo's is just down the street from the cheese steak place. However, even though the pieces of sushi are about the size of the sandwiches and hoagies, the similarities stop there. Just check out that piece of eel. That's not an optical illusion, it is more than half the length of the chopsticks.

They don't take reservations so people wait up to 90 minutes to taste these morsels of goodness. There is no to-go or take-out. But you can take it with you. I have seen many customers order so much that a table of two walk out with two to-go boxes! It isn't full of teriyaki chicken and rice either.

I am always tempted to do that as well but with raw fish, you gotta eat it right away. I just don't know if I would be up to such a decadent breakfast. I don't usually need a midnight snack after Saburo's, if y'know what I mean.

The fish is fresh. One of my favorite rolls there is the Grand Roll. It's a deep fried, of course--no rice, bunch of spicy tuna around a krab core, wrapped in seaweed and lightly battered. Yum.

Our bill is always around 40 bucks for the two of us. I can't wait to bring my cousins here. (Lisa, you would totally love this!) The sashimi plate always comes with octopus and sweet shrimp. I don't know how they do it for $15.

My favorite sushi places, hands down, are still Matsuhisa Restaurant (Beverly Hills, Calif.) and Sushi Nozawa (Studio City, Calif.). They aren't quite as affordable but everything really melts in your mouth like butter. I've never known raw fish to melt in one's mouth until Matsuhisa and Nozawa.

But I gotta give props to Saburo. Tasty and affordable. I guess that's why we all wait in line for it.

Saburo's
1667 SE Bybee Blvd
Portland, OR 97202
Open for Dinner only.

We All Scream for Ice Cream!

I had heard and seen that Starbucks would be doling out the free cup to those who voted but now I think they may have changed their minds since it's not up on the website, but if you need a joe, might as well just ask.

However, Ben & Jerry's, our cool and smooth dudes, are serving up the freeze cream to our nation's active voters.

So head out to the polls, everyone! (You should vote with or without the temptation of ice cream delight afterward anyway.) You get to where that stylish "I Voted" sticker, too (in most states).

Then top it off with some dessert at your local B&J's between 5-8pm tonight to celebrate our new president. If you're standing in one line, why not stand in another. You have the folding chair in your trunk anyway.

Over the Kitchen Table with (the next) Mr. President

Last month, Michael Pollan, a contributing writer to the New York Times Magazine and a Knight Professor of Journalism at UC Berkeley, and author of books including, The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals, and more recently, In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto...wrote an article or more of a letter.

On Oct. 9, 2008, Farmer in Chief was published in the Food Issue of The New York Times Magazine. It was pages long. Here's an excerpt:

"In drafting these proposals, I’ve adhered to a few simple principles of what a 21st-century food system needs to do. First, your administration’s food policy must strive to provide a healthful diet for all our people; this means focusing on the quality and diversity (and not merely the quantity) of the calories that American agriculture produces and American eaters consume. Second, your policies should aim to improve the resilience, safety and security of our food supply. Among other things, this means promoting regional food economies both in America and around the world. And lastly, your policies need to reconceive agriculture as part of the solution to environmental problems like climate change."

He talks about how our food system focuses on quantity rather than quality, how cheap fuel prices sends California produce all over the nation that neighboring (east coast) states can provide, and promotes the "sun-food agenda."

Check it out when you get the chance. It will probably affect the way you look at your food and shop at the grocery store. And that's a start.

A Philly for the Phils

Congratulations to the 2008 World Series Champions, Philadelphia Phillies! In honor of your win, I ate a cheesesteak.

I went to this place called Philadelphia's Steak and Hoagies. Y'know, I've never been to Philly, where I'm told by those who have lived in and around the city (shout out to Tory, Holly, and Philo!) that you haven't tasted a cheesesteak or hoagie if you haven't had one in Philadelphia.

Well, I didn't get a chance to hit Philly the last (and first) time I was in Pennsylvania, so I guess I still don't. But this one didn't seem half bad. I ordered a cheese steak, which according to the board is "melted American cheese on top of our thin sliced steak, grilled onions, on a hoagie roll with your choice of sauce or self serve condiment bar."

First of all, I'm told it's supposed to be Cheez Whiz or some kind of soft cheese-like product. I'm not opposed to quality but I think we're getting a little West Coast crazy using real cheese. Secondly, I found a few slices of mushrooms in the sandwich. Not unusual if I had ordered the Mushroom Cheese Steak. But I didn't. Let's just say it was a nice surprise for me.

I liked the hoagie bread. It had a crispy, flaky crust. The steak was thin and tender. I didn't add any condiments but there was horseradish, mayo, mustard, some sort of hot sauce, and I think ketchup.

Anyway, I love meat, bread, and melted cheese. I think you'd have to do something awful to a Philly to make it taste terrible. But I'm not sure how authentic this one is. I'll have to go to Philly to make a sound judgement. I must do it...for all of you.

However, if any of you are interested in trying a PDX Philly, go on Mondays, 6-9pm. Steak sandwiches and hoagies are 1/2 off then.

Philadelphia's Steaks & Hoagies
6410 SE Milwaukie Avenue
Portland, OR 97202

Prop It Up with...Carrots?

You heard me...well, you read correctly. There are many ways to roast a chicken. I've used a roasting pan with a rack and a broiler pan under high heat. It's always propped up on something so that the juices flow down.

Lately I've been using baby carrots. It's great when roasting thighs or breasts because they are relatively even. You could use onions, celery, potatoes, or even parsnip. Just chunk them evenly and line the bottom of whatever pan you choose to roast with. Then place your chicken or parts on top.

For dinner we had thighs (D and I like dark meat). The carrots don't need any seasoning at all since they baste in chicken juices the entire time. Liberally salt and pepper thighs on all sides. In a hot oiled skillet sear chicken skin-side down first (about 2-3 minutes). When crisp, turn and sear other side. Place on top of carrots with skin-side up. Sprinkle thyme on top. Fresh is best but dried works, too.

Roast in preheated 350*F oven for 30 minutes. When done, juices will run clear. If juices are reddish or pink, put it back in. Check again in 5 minutes.

See, it's so easy. Start some brown rice in the cooker before working on the chicken and it turns out to be less than 10 minutes of prep for dinner, then sit back and watch The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on TiVo. Dinner should be done after the "Moment of Zen."

Scoop out some rice, have a side of carrots and take a little bit of thyme...chicken, that is. Dinner is served, the easy way! Enjoy.

Bacon on Pizza--Genius!

I've been having a lot of pizza with bacon on it in Portland. It must be the Portlander's love of smoked, cured meats. But Apizza Scholls at 4741 SE Hawthorne Blvd. is to cry for (just ask my brother-in-law).

Sadly, I have no pictures of my own so I've snagged a few from Apizza Scholls own website. I apologize but the pizza was so good, we ate it up. I know, that looks like a bunch of anchovies on that pizza but believe me, it's delicious slices of delicate bacon, baked on top of handmade dough that's fermented for 24 hours at room temperature. Oh, and it's worth waiting for. It's crispy outside (from the extremely high heat ovens, from 650*F to a whopping 900*F) and chewy inside.

This is also why the crust gets caramelized like so (see photo). It may look burnt but it's not. It's smoky goodness and evidence of their dedication to pizza perfection.

It's a family run joint so everyone works every day it's open (unless sick) or they are closed--like on such days as Halloween and Election Day. Gotta love it.

The Caesar salad was also amazing. They make the dressing fresh daily with raw eggs. Gasp! They are purists. The salad is divine. I can't say enough about this place except "don't go." Some days they run out of dough (remember, it has to ferment for 24 hours) and close early. I don't want that to happen when I go so just stay away.

Seriously, it's too good to eat.

JADE

In southeast Portland, there's a neighborhood called Sellwood. It's a couple miles from my place in Eastmoreland and the family lives there so we go pretty often.

It's famous for its Antique Row, antique shops galore. But I go there for the food. This time my sis-in-law, Liz, with her baby, Gabe, and I hit Jade for some Vietnamese sandwiches. The last time I remember having a good V-sammie was back in the Bay Area. There was a place just outside my old apartment on Clement St. in San Francisco. Tho', there was also a really fantastic place in the San Jose area that my friend, Bernadette, used to take me to. I don't remember where or what it was called.

Anyway, it's been ages since those tasty pickled veggies in a crusty French baguette have touched these chompers. I was very excited.

Liz and I split this BBQ pork sammie, a bowl of udon, and a pot of Feel Better tea.

Oh, did I mention that it's a tea house, too? The owner, April, blends her own teas. Her mother, Lucy, is the chef and bakes all the bread and pastries in the basement. Apparently she went to France for some time and learned the tricks of the trade there. The place is immaculate and recently opened.

They are very kid friendly. There's even a rocking chair in the back because the general manager's fiancee is pregnant. But hey, you don't have to be her or pregnant to sit in it.

Anyway, everything tasted great. It didn't taste like the $2 sammies I used to get at the bakery next to the bar in SF. But then again, this place is much more upper crust (excuse the pun) and the clientele is different. I would have preferred more pickled carrots and radish in my sandwich and a little bit more fish sauce (sorry, Alyssa) in my pork. The BBQ pork in the sandwich was more Chinese than Vietnamese. But then, with the udon, which was also good but not like the stuff I've had in Japan, there's a bit of Asian mingling in the menu anyway. The baguette was outstanding!

I need to try the French pastries. They were beautiful and the little girl at the table next to us couldn't get enough of them. Jade has very tasty food at reasonable prices.

The staff and owner are really friendly, too. Such a bonus. So check them out if you get the chance:

Jade
912 SE 13th Avenue
Portland, OR
Tel: 503.477.8985
Open for lunch and dinner. Closed on Sunday.

Farmer's Dozen

According to Food News from Environmental Working Group, a public health and environmental protection non-profit, some fruits and vegetables are "dirtier" that others.

They recommend buying organic when it comes to the dirty dozen because those items tend to be sprayed with the most pesticides otherwise. Sadly, peaches are the worst offenders.

Dirty Dozen
1. peaches
2. apples
3. sweet bell peppers
4. celery
5. nectarines
6. strawberries
7. cherries
8. lettuce
9. grapes (imported)
10. pears
11. spinach
12. potatoes

You can rest easy with these in your fridge...

Cleanest 12
1. onions
2. avocado
3. sweet corn (frozen)
4. pineapples
5. mango
6. sweet peas (frozen)
7. asparagus
8. kiwi
9. bananas
10. cabbage
11. broccoli
12. eggplant

Hmmm, the clean list is pretty tropical. That's not local. Well, to keep you on track at the grocery store, you can download a pocket guide or see the complete list at Food News.

Vegetarian Delight

This weekend I was at Uwajimaya, a local Asian grocery and gift store (leans toward Japanese) in Beaverton. "What does an Asian market have to do with an Italian casserole?" you ask. Well, it was overwhelmingly crowded there because of the 80th Anniversary sale that was going on--10% off everything in the store, even sale items. Craziness.

Anyway, as I zoomed through the mass of people trying to grab all the essentials (nori, low-sodium soy sauce, frozen smelt, fresh tofu, bread...) before I was late for dinner, I was stopped by the wealth of local wild mushrooms in the produce area. I knew then that I would love living in the Pacific Northwest--thanks to the crabbies, salmon, and wild mushrooms!

I decided to get chanterelles (front) because I love them, a huge lobster mushroom (back) for its firmness, and maitake (middle) for its earthiness. And what better way to celebrate my two pounds of mushrooms than to make a lasagna from scratch. I had been wanting to roll out my own pasta.

So first I made a mushroom stock, then Parmesan pudding, then the pasta, and then the actual mushrooms. Piece of cake. Well, four hours later, Danno and I dove into this vegetarian's delight.

Mushroom Stock:
2 c. onion, chopped
1 c. celery, chopped
3/4 lb. button mushrooms, quartered
2 TB. olive oil
1 oz. white wine
4 qts. water
2 oz. dried mushrooms
5 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Pour oil in large saute pan over medium heat. Add onions, celery, button mushrooms to pan and caramelize slowly for flavor.
2. In the meantime, boil the water.
3. When veggies are well caramelized, add white wine to deglaze (remove the bits of flavor from the bottom of pan). When wine has cooked off, add mixture to boiling water along with the dried mushrooms, thyme, and bay leaves. Simmer until liquid reduces about halfway. Taste to make sure mushroom flavor is strong enough.
4. Strain stock. Return to heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Parmesan Pudding (a la Lucques):
2-1/2 c. milk
3/4 c. cream
4 oz. butter
1/2 c. flour
1 egg
1 yolk
1-1/2 c. grated Parmesan
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 250*F.
2. Make a blonde roux. Melt butter in saucepan and sprinkle in flour. Stir with wooden spoon until incorporated.
3. Whisk in milk and cream until smooth.
4. Beat egg and yolk in a bowl. Temper eggs by pouring about a cup of the milk mixture into the eggs while whisking.
5. With everything off the heat, pour egg mixture into milk mixture while whisking.
6. Salt and pepper to taste.
7. Pour pudding/custard into crock and place in a water bath. Cover completely with foil.
8. Bake in oven for 90 minutes or until custard sets.

Hey, you still there? Cuz we're not done yet...

Pasta Dough:
6 oz. flour
7 oz. semolina
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 eggs
2 fl. oz. water

1. In medium bowl, combine flour, semolina, and salt. Make a well in middle.
2. In separate bowl, beat eggs. Pour eggs and water into well.
3. Mix together with hands until all ingredients are moistened.
4. Knead dough on floured surface until dough becomes smooth.
5. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in fridge for at least 30 minutes in order for gluten to relax.
6. When ready, take dough out of fridge and let reach room temperature (15 mins.).
7. Roll with pin to 1/4". Run through pasta machine until correct thickness reached. To check, place hand underneath dough, can you see the pink of your hand through the pasta? If not, keep going.
8. Cut to size of pan.
9. Heat 2-3 qts of water with salt. When boiling, add pasta. When it floats (1-3 mins), it's done. Rinse under cold water. Set aside.

Mushrooms with Leeks:
2 lbs. wild mushrooms, roughly chopped
3 c. leeks, sliced thin
3 oz. white wine
olive oil

1. Cook mushrooms in batches in order to saute mushrooms, otherwise they may steam instead. That's less flavorful.
2. Pour oil in large saute pan over medium heat. Add leeks and cook for 3 minutes. Add batch of mushrooms. When leeks and mushrooms caramelized, add 1 oz. wine to deglaze.
3. When wine has cooked off, set aside in bowl.
4. Repeat with another batch of mushrooms. Continue until all are done.
5. Mushrooms should be dry. Add fresh mushroom stock sparingly to moisten.

Wild Mushroom Lasagna:
4 fl. oz. mushroom stock
Parmesan pudding
fresh pasta
mushrooms & leeks
1 c. Parmesan cheese, grated

1. Preheat oven to 375*F.
2. Add enough stock to moisten bottom of pan.
3. Place a layer of pasta to cover.
4. Dollop Parmesan pudding over noodles.
5. Spread a thick layer of mushrooms over pudding.
6. Splash 1 oz. mushroom stock over entire layer.
7. Repeat steps 2-5 for two more layers.
8. Place top layer of pasta and sprinkle with cheese.
9. Bake in oven for 30 minutes or until cheese is golden and lasagna is heated through.

Danno gave it a rating of 9.2 out of 10, so I guess the hard work paid off. I'm going to figure out how to make this a lot simpler. I can't see myself or any of you spending this much time on one entree. Sigh. It was good though...maybe I'll make it for special occasions.

Quick Potsticker Dinner

I made this meal one weekend and froze all the extras for an easy addition to dinner during the week.

I love potstickers because they are good when cooked fresh or straight from the freezer. You can fry them in a pan or just drop them in soup as a dumpling. I prefer them crunchy but now that it's getting colder out, dumpling soup is definitely a quick dinner option.

For that just boil some chicken broth from a can or box, add dumplings from the freezer and a handful or two of sliced bok choy, Napa cabbage, and/or Chinese broccoli. Simmer for 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with slices of scallions.

What I made here were quick-pickled lemon cucumbers from the farmer's market. Slice the cucumbers thinly and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for at least 5 minutes to draw out moisture. Mix 1-1/2 cups of rice vinegar with 1 TBL of sugar and 1 tsp salt (or just use "seasoned rice wine vinegar"). Put cucumbers in a container; pour enough seasoned vinegar to cover cucumbers. Cover and refrigerate. Let sit for at least 30 minute. Eat within 24 hours.

The potstickers will take about 30 minutes to prepare. Faster if you recruit friends or a significant other to help assemble.

Filling:
8 oz., firm or extra firm tofu
3 TBL soy sauce
10 oz. kimchi, roughly chopped
12 oz extra ground chicken/turkey or lean ground beef
4 scallions, sliced thinly
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 TBL cornstarch
1 TBL sesame seeds, toasted
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp black pepper, ground
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 TBL sesame oil

1 package round egg roll wrappers (gyoza)

Dipping Sauce:
3 TBL soy sauce
2 TBL rice vinegar or lemon juice
1 tsp sesame oil
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, chopped

Filling Preparation:
1. Wrap tofu in piece of cheesecloth and squeeze out the excess water--the drier the better. Crumble into a mixing bowl and mix in soy sauce.

2. Take handfuls of kimchi and gently squeeze to remove excess moisture. Be sure not to over squeeze here because the juices hold a lot of flavor. Add chopped kimchi to the bowl.

3. Add rest of filling ingredients to the bowl and mix thoroughly. At this point, the filling mixture may be covered and refrigerated until ready to assemble. It will keep as long as one day.

Assembly:
1. Set out a small dish of water.

2. Fill each wrapper with about 1 teaspoon of filling. Dip your finger in the water and run it over the edge of the wrapper. Fold the top over and press to seal, removing as much air as possible.

3. Set on dry plate or baking dish while you stuff the remaining wrappers. (To freeze: freeze flat on plate or tray. Keep potstickers from touching each other. Place in freezer. When frozen--about an hour or so--put in labeled zip top bag until ready for use. Good for 3 months, if they lasts that long.)

Cooking:
1. Add 3 TBL water and 2 TBL vegetable oil to non-stick skillet and swirl. Place over medium high heat.

2. Put a layer of potstickers in skillet, being careful not to overlap them. Cover to steam. When water has steamed away and bottoms are golden brown. Place potstickers on a serving dish with dipping sauce.

Make the dipping sauce:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and serve.

Penn State Creamery...Mmmmmooooo

It would be blasphemy not to talk about the Penn State Creamery since I was in State College, Penn. (which is where Penn State University's main campus is) and I had superb ice cream.

This is where Ben & Jerry came to learn how to make ice cream, like so many before them and since.

This was my first time. Check out that new facility. It's just down the block from the stadium so it gets jam packed by tens of thousands of avid football fans and alumni some weekends.

For $2.50, you get one scoop. My friend, Rose, warned me that the scoops were as big as a baby's head. I didn't believe her. How can you fit that on top of a cone?

Well, they did...and then some. Take a look at that scoop. It's definitely larger than my two fists combined. You can only get one scoop per cone or cup. They don't let you "mix" flavors which I thought was ridiculous since you can do that e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e.

But really, you can't eat that much ice cream in one sitting. I really had trouble getting through my cone. But I did it. Peanut Butter Swirl. Rich pieces of peanut butter mingling with the velvety goodness of vanilla ice cream. And it hardly melted. When I finally got down to my cone, there was no pool of melted ice cream waiting at the tip of the cone. There was barely a trickle. I don't want to know how much fat is in that ice cream.

For three days, I tried to figure out how to carry some half gallons with me on the plane. They will pack it on dry ice for you, y'know. But it would have been heavy and we were traveling for a whole day. They even ship them but it turns out to be $20 (give or take, depending on number of) half gallon that way. It was tough to say "no" to even that. I think that ice cream has crack or a heroin derivative in it. I had it every day that whole week I was there. Chocolate, dark chocolate mint, strawberry, vanilla, coffee mocha fudge...

What is it they say...oh yeah: 4 days from cow to cone. What a glorious four days it is!

Only in Pittsburgh...

Oh, wait, I was in State College...but I got a Pittsburgh. It's a sandwich made (famous) by Primanti Bros. in, you guessed it, Pittsburgh, Penn.

I don't know what the original tastes like but the one I got at the Corner Room Restaurant at the corner (they are so literal in Penn.) of College Ave. and Allen St. was a little bland. Apparently the signature of a Pittsburgh is the enormous amounts of coleslaw, tomatoes, and fries piled in the actual sandwich. This excited me but I think I may have to head half a state east toward Ohio in order to get my P-burgh on.

If you look at the pic, it's a manageable size and you can barely see any fries or 'slaw. I know, it sounds like a heart attack ready to happen, especially when the server asked if I wanted fries on the side. At the time, I thought a side of fries would have been a little, well, overkill, but had I known, maybe it wouldn't have been such a bad idea. I could have added them to the sandwich. As it turned out, it was tastier when I added mustard.

The reuben that Brian got was much better though. He was kind enough to share a taste...I must admit, I almost didn't give his sandwich back but thought that that would set a bad tone for our friend's wedding weekend--our reason for traveling to Penn State-land.

The meal ended with a "grilled sticky" knock-off. Rose, my food-loving friend, (at the time) bride-to-be, and who grew up in State College, says the original at Ye Olde College Diner (or just "The Diner") is best.

Here at CRR, the sticky (aka sticky bun or cinnamon roll without any frosting by Ye Olde College Diner) is butterflied, then grilled in butter and topped with locally made vanilla ice cream. This version is crispier than the original which is not butterflied, therefore it's chewier and meltier on the inside. Not a low-calorie dining experience, I know. But it was definite a Pennsylvania meal. I suppose all that was missing was a full day of work at the dairy farm to work off all those calories. Anyway you grill it, I love the sticky!

My Comfort Food

Everyone has a comfort food. It's a sense memory thing, I think. For some it's pizza. Others it could be mashed potatoes or chicken soup. For me, it's my mom's cooking, or anything that gets darn near close to it.

Mmmm. Clams in black bean sauce with sweet peppers and onions. I love fresh black bean sauce. It's so savory and pungent. My mom used to cook with it all the time...and I'm not talking about the stuff that comes mashed up in the jar. In my opinion, that lacks the vitality and freshness (if one can use that word with a fermented food) of the whole fermented bean.

She would take some fermented black beans from a jar put them in a rice bowl, fill the bowl halfway with water, pick up and drop the beans a number of times then remove them (into her palm) and pour out the water. Once I asked her why she didn't just leave the beans in the bowl and pour out the water. It's because some of the pebbles (there are sometimes little stones masquerading as beans in the mix) and grit would get held back by all the beans and it wouldn't be clean. Ok. Gotcha. So she'd rinse them a couple more times in that same manner until the water was pretty clear except for the bean skins floating around. Using the back of a Chinese soup spoon, she'd s/mash the beans into a paste. Tah dah, fresh black bean paste--must be cooked with fresh garlic (and sometime ginger) for the right flavor.

Anyway, this is not my recipe for clams so I won't go into that right now. Stay tuned though because I may include that in the future...and it's good.

Instead, Danno and I scouted out this place in "outer" Portland called Wong's King on SE Division St just east of 82nd St. It's fabulously big and located next to some sort of fur revitalizing store (I didn't know the fur business was still so big).

Chef Fu Lai Wong has won a prestigious cooking award in China (there are plaques everywhere) and the restaurant was rated in the top 100 Chinese restaurants in the country according to Chinese Restaurant News (which is written in Chinese so I'll have to wait for my mother to translate before letting you guys in on the other 99).

We also got this steaming plate of King mushrooms with sauteed greens. The King mushroom is a large oyster (or trumpet) mushroom that is tender and also meaty. The green was spinach and the sauce was light and savory.

We went on a week night so the place was pretty empty but the service was excellent. After we paid the bill, our server came by to give us dessert, because we are super nice. Actually, I don't know why they did it but it was a nice touch.

Tapioca soup with taro and coconut milk. It was also piping hot and delicious. That hint of coconut milk really put it over the top. Oh, Wong's King, we'll be back for more...maybe dim sum. And at some point Mama Lee will be the judge of that.

Duckie Love

A few weeks back, my nephew celebrated his 2nd birthday. He loves ducks. So his mom, Gillian, made these awesome cupcakes.

See, don't they look delicious? There were two cupcake flavors (chocolate chip--which I had--and coconut, I think. Can you believe I only had one?). They were topped with chocolate ganache (not frosting) and hand-piped buttercream ducks. Happy Birthday, Sam-o.

You have to check out these beauties. Like I've said in the past, I'm not good with baking. I'm not terrible either. I can bake a cake most days. But this, I've never seen a flock of ducks look so sweet...except maybe the roast ducks hanging in the Chinese markets. But then again, those would be savory ducks.

Mmmm, I'm getting hungry.

Wow, Let's Go to Yucatan!

First of all, my apologies (especially Lisa who has shamed me into this ;-/) to all my readers for being such a delinquent blogger. My excuse is moving out-of-state and not having internet at "home" for weeks, busy unpacking, preoccupied by the (I'm told) fleeting good weather of Portland, and Scramble on Facebook...

Just to catch up a little bit, before leaving Pasadena, home of the Tournament of Roses, to move to Portland, the "City of Roses," (Yeah, can you believe it? I'm not even a fan of roses, or maybe I will be.) Danno and I take my sister, Valerie, and her husband, Braulio, to El Portal Yucatan/Mexican Cuisine.

We had just spend the entire morning and part of the afternoon at our beloved garage sale spot on Vermont Ave. in Los Feliz getting rid of some jun...I mean, good stuff. Actually, we did sell an A/C unit, some bookshelves, and jewelry. Anyway...

I've never been to Yucatan but the food at El Portal Yucatan Restaurant sure makes me want to go. Val and Braulio got the specials (above is the delicious paella. I sometimes forget how much I love mussels...when I was in Belgium and France back in 2004, I think I o.d.-ed a little since they were good, everywhere, and friggin cheap)

This scrumptiousness on the left is the special grilled steak (I believe it's a skirt steak but maybe my sis or our cousin, the butcher, can clarify). Danno had the fish tacos and I got the chicken mole enchiladas. All were exceptional. I've never experienced a miss there. Except now I miss it.

Sigh, go east a little from Old Town on Colorado Blvd. It's just across the street from Vromann's Bookstore. And if you go, send me pictures.

So Much for Eating in...

I couldn't help myself. I was on Hwy 134 going west and passing Fish King anyway. So I stopped by my favorite fish monger (Glendale Ave exit off the 134, head north. It's on the right just after the gas station). Along with selling fresh fish, seafood, and some poultry, they have a "galley" where they sell hot and cold prepared foods. Usually I get a regular salad and fried oysters. I passed on the salad this time cuz I never finish it and had an appointment right afterward.

Y'know, if you can't go fishing yourself, this is the next best thing. I have made some pretty tasty salmon nigiri, poke, and spicy tuna rolls from their sashimi-grade stuff. And if you're lazy, like I was on Thursday, then the galley is awesome. 

They must have some really hot oil back there because the fried stuff is always tender and moist on the inside and then crispy and golden on the outside.

If you like deep fat fried things, they have plenty. They have many salads as well, but that's not as fun. Besides, I can make a salad anytime. I don't really have a deep fryer to make the golden panko crust just perfect.

If only I could have saved an order to bring home, but y'know how that goes...to soggy-ville. Instead, it's more miso soup and, uh, peanut butter toast for dinner. What can I say, my fridge and pantry have never been so bare. Either that or I'm regressing to my college days.

Sushi Ya?

The other day I was craving sushi. Yeah, what a surprise. So I went out to get some at Sushi Ya at the corner of Foothill Blvd and Altadena Dr in Pasadena. This place is usually my go-to place because they're fast when you're at the bar and it's pretty inexpensive. Jason is the owner and head chef. He's always very nice. The only server (every time I go...) is Suni, which is ironic because sometimes when she's overwhelmed, she's not so sunny. But she grows on you. This place is pretty small. There are four square tables and the bar seats about 10. You usually have to wait if you get there after 7:30p.

I was a little disappointed this time. I was served just as quickly and friendly as always but the fish wasn't so good. I ordered miso soup (pictured, left) that was a too sweet but did have plenty of seaweed, spicy tuna roll which I feel is their most consistent roll (and was yummy), and sashimi salad (pictured, below). Now, I'm not sure why I keep ordering it because the amount of dressing is so inconsistent. This one is swimming in it. Most of the time it's like that. Twice I asked for "light on the dressing," and once it was perfect and the other time I asked for more dressing on the side. I suppose I could be a little less high-maintenance and just order dressing on the side but I like salads tossed. It comes with plenty of sashimi too.

But this time, it was weird. I've never gotten a fishy piece of fish from this place before but I got two in that sashimi salad. I don't know what's going on there. Maybe the hike in food prices is hitting them harder than they are letting on. I still like the guys...or maybe it's because I'm chewing more so I'm really tasting things, uh, for a long time. (High priority macrobiotic principle is "chew well"--150x's per bite if you can! I get to about 30. I sure am tasting the food though.)

Sushi Ya (which literally means "sushi restaurant") also has an all-you-can-eat menu, too, with some killer rolls like the Grand Roll and the Bacardi Roll (which they light on fire!). If you're a big eater, it might be worth your while. It's just under $20 for lunch; dinner is 20-something, either $25 or $28. I never get it so I don't remember.

Anyway, if your budget is tight, you want to eat some sushi, and you're in the Pasadena area, you might want to check it out. They are usually very consistent.

Cooking Without a Stove

It's been an interesting few days, cooking for myself and not having a stove in the kitchen. Danno and I sold our stove before I flew east. I think he ate out with his friends a lot before he left town. Now I'm here with the dog and cats (who eat kibble) wondering why all my friends have to work during the week.

Anyway, I've been eating in a lot because I'm trying to finish off the food in the fridge before we leave and I feel the need to save money because canceling services is costing us an arm and a leg. Don't get me started about Earthlink. (Oh goodness, sorry folks, I can't help myself...) Danno has been a customer of theirs for more than 7 1/2 years but since there are 100 days left on this specific 1-yr contract, they are charging us a $149 cancellation fee, regardless of the fact that we cannot transfer the service to our new home because there is no DSL service available at all in the neighborhood (I know, boonie-ville). 

I spent an hour and was (ironically) late for my massage appointment (thanks, SEE-LA gang for that terrific bridal shower gift BTW) trying to reason with these money-grubbers. The response was always, "Sorry, ma'am, but you agreed to these terms." First of all, I can't take them with me because DSL is unavailable so you're punishing us for something totally out of our control. Second, 7 1/2 years! Loyalty apparently means nothing to Earthlink. It's too bad because D and I weren't planning on staying at the new place that long (who lives without DSL nowadays?). 

Instead of having good customer service and waiving the fee or reducing it so that it wouldn't cost more than $1/day, they've lost out on the thousands they would have made from us when we came back to DSL for years, even decades. Customer service is the reason I stay with DirecTV. I know cable sometimes costs less but whenever there's a problem, DTV addresses it right away and they give me discounts for any inconvenience I may have experienced.

In the end,  I suppose it's just money. The important thing is really the connections we make with other living beings--family, friends, pets, and other animals. That's why we're moving and why I enjoyed myself so much at the conference. (I don't remember ever laughing so hard or so often. Thanks, ladies. You know who you are.)

Anyway, this is what I've been cooking with...

It's like camping except I have running water, a flushing toilet and am not being bitten by mosquitoes. Oh, and speaking of relations, the other day, I was scrambling some eggs and I heard someone, uh, having fun in the morning. Sometimes I forget how close we are to our neighbors, y'know, with all the walls and things between us normally. And I guess, so do they ;-P

I'm so glad there's a burner on grill otherwise I don't know how I'd fry up my facon in the morning.

Easy As Tofu

I never realized how easy it was to make fresh tofu. All you need are some soybeans, water, and a sea water mineral. Oh, a food processor, pot, thermometer, heating device, cheesecloth, and spoon would help, too. One last recipe from the conference. 

We got this one from one of the most genuine people that I have ever met, Mie Naka. She's the one on the left, in the traditional Japanese garb. She and her husband, Hiroyuki Naka, operate a macrobiotic cooking school in Osaka, Japan. Hiroyuki started a macrobiotic restaurant with help from his chef (pictured in toque). This chef, who will remain nameless because I've totally forgotten his name, is the one who demonstrated the tofu making.

He has an interesting story as well. He has a son with rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disorder that attacks the joints. They discovered it when the boy was two-years-old. He always had a swollen face and didn't want to eat food. So his father quit his job and began to cook macrobiotically for his son. The son is now six, no longer swollen, and continues to eat macrobiotically. He's really cute and looks younger than he is. It's good to see a tight-knit family.

Anyway, back to tofu.

Tofu
3 c soybeans
nigari (magnesium chloride)

Soak soybeans in 2 qt water overnight. Grind the soaked soybeans in a blender or food processor for 3-5 minutes. Add  2/3 c of water to the soybeans in the blender. This is called "kure-jiru." Boil  2 3/4 c of water and then add the kure-jiru. Stir with wooden spatula at medium heat. When it boils, scoop off foam and simmer at low heat for 5-10 minutes. When it starts to smell and taste good, turn off heat and strain through cheesecloth.

Now you have soy milk and okara (textured soy protein). Heat soy milk at low heat to 160*F, then add nigari (mix with water before incorporating, also, more nigari and more time in the tofu mould means firmer tofu). Stir immediately until it curdles. Put the tofu in a bamboo tofu tray to form. For firm tofu, put cotton cheese cloth inside the tofu tray and pour in curdled soy milk. Press with a stone or weight to press and drain water. For soft "tofu flower" like the dessert at dim sum restaurants, it's ready to serve.

Granted, this is not the most specific recipe I've ever shared. I'll experiment with the amount of nigari after getting unpacked and settled in the new place and keep you posted. Fresh tofu is amazing. It has a lighter flavor. You can also be assured that it is of the highest quality and chemical free, if you use organic soybeans, filtered water and natural nigari (derived from sea water).

Mie made other tofu dishes. Tofu-gurt (pictured, far back) with sweet miso and blueberries; fried tofu with onions, peas, and turmeric to give it an eggier, yellow color; and tofu salad with strawberries, steamed broccoli and dressing of sweet miso, mustard, and lemon juice.

Mie believes that everyone should sing a song at least once a day, to lift spirits and bring joy. So at the end of the cooking class, she began to play the Carpenters version of the song "Sing" and asked everyone to sing along. I was the assistant for the class so I had to participate. I felt very silly at first buy y'know, she was totally right. By the end of it we all got so into it we started waving our hands in the air. 

It's really incredible. It's not often I run into such a genuinely good natured/hearted person. I'm so glad I went to the conference for so many reasons, one being because I met and got to work with Mie Naka.

Pho the Love of...

My first meal back in Los Angeles. Of course, I had to call Tory for Pho 97 in Chinatown. And it's on the way home. I love the part where I roll my bag the mile and a half from Union Station (thanks to FlyAway bus's $4 one-way to/from LAX) to Chinatown.

Anyway, we love that Pho 97. It used to be owned by Tommy's parents (then called Pho 79). They sold the business to him and his wife and to get a "fresh" start but not freak people out with the change, he switch the 7 and 9 around.

It's still the same great place. But now, I've changed a bit. The portions have always been rather big, whether I ordered pho, bun, or a rice plate. So after the smaller portions of macrobiotics, I opted for two spring rolls and a bowl of soup.

The service is always friendly and drinks are served so quickly that I barely finish squeaking out "cafe sua da" (iced espresso with condensed milk) before it's placed on the table. This place is a little more authentic than some of the other pho places that I've been to on the westside and in Pasadena which is why I like it and travel for it. Yum, maybe I'll go again before we're out of here...

More Sushi?

If I never make another sushi roll, it will be too soon. Everyday someone demonstrated one roll or another at the macrobiotic conference. Granted, they were all different but sheesh, I'm still terrible at it and I kept having to do it. It was torturous...except for today when I got to eat it without having to make it. 

It was fabulous, too. Check out the Flower Roll. This is a roll courtesy of Deco Nakajima of Brown's Field (there's not much English on this site but you'll get the jist). She's a very "crunchy" Japanese woman who started Brown's Field in the Japanese countryside. They grown there own food there. The rice is amazing. Totally organic, sustainable. She teaches about cooking with the seasons and natural building techniques.

This roll is apparently adapted from one that she learned from an older woman in a nearby village. If I heard correctly, it's only made during Obon or for celebrations. It requires a lot of work. Follow along and you'll see. In the original roll, the yellow outside was tamago (sweet omelette) but eggs are out in macrobiotics so she bakes a pumpkin cake and cuts that to size for her recipe. 

Pumpkin Cake

dry ingredients

1 c unbleached wheat flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

wet ingredients

3/4 c mashed pumpkin (steamed, peeled, mashed)

2 TBL maple syrup (optional for add'l sweetness)

2/3 c apple juice

Bake thin pumpkin cake. Sift dry ingredients into a bowl. Stir wet ingredients together well in another bowl. Mix the dry and wet ingredients lightly. Add a little more apple juice if necessary. Spread mixture about 1 cm thick on baking sheet w/parchment paper. Bake for 15 minutes at 350*F. Allow to cool and cut into 8 in x 8 in squares.

other ingredients

7/8 oz carrots, julienne

salt

1 3/4 oz leafy green vegetables (e.g., kale or other bright green color, soft texture and light taste)

11 3/4 oz brown sushi rice (recipe below)

6 1/3 oz half-polished sushi rice (recipe below)

2 sheets nori

brown sushi rice

2 1/2 c brown rice (washed)

3 1/3 c water

salt, to taste

2 TBL ume plum vinegar

2 TBL apple juice

half-polished sushi rice

2 1/2 c brown rice (washed)

2 TBL half-polished black rice (washed)

2 c water

salt, to taste

4 tsp ume plum vinegar

4 tsp apple juice

Cook brown rice (for 25 mins) and half-polished rice (10 mins) separately in pressure cooker. Place each in separate bowls and toss lightly with appropriate amounts of vinegar and apple juice.

Sprinkle carrots with pinch of salt and rub, then blanch. Blanch greens in same water. Cut nori into quarters, enough to make five strips (use 2 sheets)--reserve the other 3/4 sheet. Place 1/4 sheets nori on sushi mat, add 1/6 of half-polished sushi rice and roll. Make 5 thin rolls. Place 3 thin rolls on sushi mat, set carrot in middle, then two thin rolls over, and roll. Squeeze together lightly to set.

Place pumpkin cake on another sushi mat, spread brown sushi rice thinly over entire cake. Shape 3 ridges on the 1st on third and place 3/4 sheet nori sheet over the ridges (see photo). Put 1/6 of half-polished rice (or substitute gourd like Deco did here) in the 1st valley, then greens on both sides of the rice. Put flower on other side of far ridge. Press together and roll with mat. 

Slice into 8 pieces.

I don't know if I would make this thing. It's so involved but pretty cool.

The Yin and Yang of Food

So this macrobiotic conference is almost over and I have worked with some interesting chefs/cooks. Some are wacky. Some are gracious. Some, well, some are who they are. I suppose it's no different than any other conference or work environment. But this wouldn't have come together without the man himself.

Michio Kushi (pictured) is the one they talk about when macrobiotics is mentioned. He's the teacher of the teachers now. He, not surprisingly, showed up to talk with us at his institute's conference.

I'm not going to say much about macrobiotic principles now. It's like feng shui. I kinda get it when it's mentioned and my mom's kinda talked about it but if you asked me to feng shui your house, I couldn't do it.

I'm just about as deep and knowledgeable about the ying and yang of food. Health is the key to our future, though.  Without health, what have we got?

Over the last few days, I've met some people with health issues and you wouldn't even know it...and some who you would. It's interesting how passionate people get about their health or the health of others. (As a side note: my cousin is going in for surgery next week to remove some tumors. I believe that positive energy really helps too so if you wouldn't mind, please do your spiritual thing on his behalf. Thanks.)

So if you are afflicted with a health issue, you want to "eat healthier," or are curious, pick up a macrobiotic book at the library, bookstore, or internet bookseller. Kushi's books are, of course, good. I also hear Denny Wexman's, The Great Life Diet, is a great starter book. It couldn't hurt. Macrobiotic food is surprisingly tasty. 

Just take a look at this vegetable roll that only has vegetables in it. Remember, Ming's roll with the soba noodles at Blue Ginger? This one doesn't have rice in it either. It's basically a carrot roll wrapped in a kale/bok choy/scallion mix and seaweed. They don't last very long because water and nori don't play well together for long, and the veggies are wet. But it's tasty. It is seasoned with umeboshi plum vinegar (it's very strong so you don't need much) and lemon juice. All the veggies were blanched. These rolls are courtesy of Jane Stanchich.

Emerald Nori Rolls

1 bunch kale, chopped fine

1 bunch bok choy, chopped fine

2 scallions, thinly sliced

2 tsp umeboshi vinegar

2 TBL brown rice vinegar

1 TBL lemon juice

1 carrot, long strips

3 sheets, pre-toasted nori

1/8 c sesame seeds, toasted

Wash kale and bok choy well. Blanch separately: carrots, kale, bok choy. Squeeze out excess water from greens. Mix blanched kale and bok choy with scallions, vinegars, lemon juice.

Assemble: Place sheet of nori (shiny side down) on sushi mat. Take a handful of greens mixture, squeeze out excess water and spread on nori leaving an inch clear at top and bottom. Put strip of carrots across middle of greens then lightly dampen top and bottom edge of nori with marinade. Using sushi mat, roll up the greens firmly in the nori. Encase the roll with the mat. upturn and squeeze out excess water gently while retaining shape. Remove sushi mat. Let sit for 10 minutes before cutting with sharp, slightly moistened knife. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

Bon Appetit.

The Fish Sauce Adventure

We should have known that the evening was going to be interesting when the sirens came up from behind us as we approached Blue Ginger, Ming Tsai's restaurant in Wellesley, Mass. Don't worry, it wasn't for us. They drove right passed us and stopped 20 feet ahead. We sat in the middle, ok side of the street waiting for traffic to start moving again as our reservation time came and went.

Alyssa, who was driving all seven of us in her minivan, kept telling us to hop out and walk to the restaurant (it was literally half a block away). But none of us was going to abandon her. It cleared up pretty quickly, though I became rather impatient. We got seated so fast that I was barely able to get the line cook's recommendation (they have an open kitchen) before everyone was seated--fyi, he says the black pepper lobster is their most consistent dish.

Cousin Ming (not really but he's Chinese-American, I'm Chinese-American...) runs a smooth operation. And, you know it's a clean restaurant when the bathroom is so nice that I would eat in it. Most of us got appetizers since we'd actually already had dinner at the conference. I'd show you pictures but it looks like last night's dinner but with broccoli instead of kale.

So back to our story...Alyssa gets the Lime-Leaf Crusted Colossal Shrimp with Galangal-Green Mango Salad & Vietnamese Sauce (pictured). She was surprised that it was only one shrimp and that it was deep-fried. It was colossal...and very tasty. I've always loved the texture of deep-fried shrimp--tender meat with a crispy, salty crust. Mmmm...

Leslie and Dawn shared an entree: Sake-Miso Marinated Alaskan Butterfish, also known as sablefish or black cod (pictured). It has a similar texture to it cousin, Chilean Sea Bass, but is not illegally or over-fished (as of yet). The dish came with a vegetable sushi roll that used soba noodles instead of rice. The fish was tender and a nice kick from the wasabi sauce but I have to say that my all-time favorite miso-fish dish is still Nobu Matsuhisa's Black Cod in Miso.

Steph and I shared two appetizers: Ming's Tea-Smoked Salmon & Beef Carpaccio with Fresh Wasabi Emulsion (pictured & my choice) and Crispy Fried Calamari with Thai Dipping Sauce (not pictured & her choice). Both were good. I figure that if you mess up fried calamari, you really shouldn't be in business. The sauce for the calamari was the impetus for this posts title. 

So we're sharing food. How often are we going to go to Blue Ginger? So I tasted a little of everything and so did Alyssa...except she opted out of the salmon-carpaccio dish because she has an allergic reaction to fish which registered but didn't click. So she's tasting the calamari which she liked and then asks what's in the sauce because it's so different. I responded, "Lime juice and fish sauce." What? Uh-oh. She asked me if I was sure. I was pretty sure. I mean, fish sauce has a distinct and potent flavor but I was hoping I was wrong. When I went to talk with our server, she confirmed it and then she got a little anxious. No one likes when their customer goes into anaphylactic shock, I guess. 

But apparently Ming is very active with Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), working to further education and research on food allergies. Who knew? Needless to say, his restaurant is very careful about food allergies and really accommodates for it . Long story shorter, Alyssa's Vietnamese sauce also had fish sauce in it but I made her eat a lot of bread in hopes that it would soak up everything. She seemed fine when we got back. We'll see if I get a call in the morning...

As for our other app, it was heavenly. It's because of this carpaccio that Steph is glad that we are friends. She said as much.

Is that not the look of pure joy? The carpaccio just melted in our mouths. The salmon only had a hint of smokey-ness. Both were well complemented by the avocado salad and wasabi "emulsion."

And after the cupcake headache from Monday, I decided that ordering a dessert would not be worth my while. It was a surprise to all at the table. But I couldn't resist taking a little nibble of what Leslie and Dawn ordered.

The Dark Chocolate Cake was fantastic. It came with cardamon ice cream (yum) and a dollop of whipped cream that was covered in dark chocolate syrup. Talk about decadent. I'm really glad I didn't order it and even happier to have gotten to taste a bit.

All in all it was a good time. And I learned a lot about everyone around the table, as well as about Chef Ming Tsai, who unfortunately was not there other wise I would have taken a picture with him and sent it to my cousin, Loreen. I'm not sure if she would have been glad to receive it or angry that she wasn't in it. 

Leslie, Alyssa, Sue, Tamiyo, Steph, me, and Dawn after polishing off the dessert. Thanks, ladies, for a very fun "great life" adventure.