Begin what you want to do now. We are not living in eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand and melting like a snowflake. – Sir Francis Bacon With sheltering-at-home and circuit breaker measures in place these past weeks, we got creative with using up every last bit of […]
Appetizers
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Crispy Okra
It is our hope that this crisis that the whole world is facing together will unite us – that we forget our differences and stand together; that we be grateful for what we have and lend a hand to those who are wanting; that we never forget that we are one people, one world, one […]
St. Patrick’s Deviled Salmon Cucumber Rounds
May your troubles be less and your blessings be more and nothing but happiness come through the door. ~ Irish blessing I have always thought of St. Patrick as a ‘fun’ sort of saint. His namesake day March 17 tends to be associated with pageantry and revelry. Lenten restrictions are often lifted on this feast day of the […]
Turnip Cake ‘Loh Bok Gau‘ 萝卜糕
A love for tradition has never weakened a nation, indeed it has strengthened nations in their hour of peril. – Winston S. Churchill ~ DIM SUM SERIES ~ A week ago, people of Chinese descent all over the world celebrated the Lunar New Year, welcoming the Year of the Rooster. Following tradition, where Lunar New Year is celebrated […]
Crystal Skin Shrimp Dumplings
“Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside.” ~ Mark Twain ~ DIM SUM SERIES ~ Twain was a man after my own heart. I love dim sum. The tapas-style dining means lots of varieties of food to try in one sitting, from […]
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Siu Mai Dumplings
“Never judge a Siu Mai by its wrapper.” ~ DIM SUM SERIES ~ Dim Sum (think ‘Chinese tapas’) restaurants are easy to find here in the Bay Area. However, good ones are another thing. They are but a handful, their credibility constantly reinforced by the ever-growing lines and wait times every weekend. True to Hong Kong dim […]
Taiwanese Gua Bao 刮包 (Braised Pork Belly)
“Sweet and salty, creamy and bouncy, tart and sour, sweet and salty again.” ~ TAIWAN STREET FOOD SERIES – Part 3 ~ Few things beat waking up to the warming, intoxicating scent of braised pork belly cooking on the stove. The dish was often made the day before it was meant to be eaten, usually a […]
Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken
In order to have good fried chicken, you should wash and season the bird the morning you’re preparing it for dinner. Don’t wait and do it right before you start cooking. Throw it in the refrigerator, seasoned, that morning, and give it a chance to soak up all the salt and pepper and goodness. ~ Paula […]
Pan-Fried Tofu with Egg
“Silky golden nuggets with a spicy surprise!” Don’t you just love it when a wrong turn ends up being right, when a mistake turns into an unexpected success, when a kitchen misadventure cooks up a new favorite? That’s what happened the other night – an attempt to save a blooper turned up a surprising appetizer that barely made it […]
- Appetizers
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Vegetable Fritters
Cook up a batch of these vegetable fritters for a fun way to eat more veggies! Deep-frying is not my thing. It (feels) unhealthy, uses (usually) more oil than surely is necessary, and is always a bother to wash. I handwash my utensils – my dishwasher is really a glorified dish drying tray disguised in […]