tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45093942083518290342024-03-12T22:20:48.392-07:00Delight your 3-S Appetite: sweet, savory, spicyJoin Chili on her yummy food adventures, around the world and back at home!Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12349712907950930834noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509394208351829034.post-74921538118418059882011-11-20T15:02:00.000-08:002012-01-12T20:38:20.661-08:00Off the Grid 11/11Hope everyone enjoyed 11/11! Did you make a wish at 11/11/11 11:11 am or pm? ^_^<br />
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As the chill starts to settle in the Bay Area, comfort foods and the holiday spirit make me all the more merrier! Last Friday, the Embarcadero Center in San Francisco hosted a winter fireworks show and a "Disney on Ice: Toy Story 3" performance! Unfortunately, we missed both events when we arrived at the scene (heard the fireworks while trying to find parking), but we were able to catch a glimpse of the Toy Story characters and take a good look around the Embarcadero Center's Christmas decor. The neighbor Hyatt Regency hosted a Christmas music celebration as well!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Embarcadero Center buildings light up for the winter holidays 2011!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhnDj5nzQxu8b4pgmrC1N6G_baVacMaeRPlCxuuVpmfhK7_oIqteQm5t4htj6lkOAlvHV_1R2io2FOKha5IvyITFKKHvX_U8JPNMnAcBrBW31ycLUsOeiWZbTJrEsr7eRmabsN_gweHLoV/s1600/DSC02271.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhnDj5nzQxu8b4pgmrC1N6G_baVacMaeRPlCxuuVpmfhK7_oIqteQm5t4htj6lkOAlvHV_1R2io2FOKha5IvyITFKKHvX_U8JPNMnAcBrBW31ycLUsOeiWZbTJrEsr7eRmabsN_gweHLoV/s320/DSC02271.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Disney on Ice Toy Story 3 cast posing for the cameras... wish they were posing for me! =p</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crowded in Hyatt. One of the perks of being petite is not being able to see over everyone's heads =p</td></tr>
</tbody></table>After leaving Embarcadero, we headed to Fort Mason for the final 2011 Off the Grid food truck party! :) I was so excited to finally attend this event, because I usually have to work during fun events like this! With 20 or so food trucks/vendors, there were so many different yummy foods to try!!<br />
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<b><u>1st stop: Sataysified</u></b><br />
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And were we sataysified! They displayed their combo specialties on their front table, which looked very appetizing! We ordered the pork combo plate, which is two pork satay skewers drizzled with peanut sauce, salad and jasmine rice. The satay was very savory, juicy, meaty and tender! The grilled crust with the complementary robust peanut sauce was the icing on the cake; we couldn't help but savor the combination of sweet and savory tastes as we bit off the skewers! The salad dressing was also very earthy and tasted similar to tamarind sauce, which tasted great while eating the satay. And of course, jasmine rice was provided to bland out your tastebuds from the savory items! I was only disappointed in the rice, but that's because I'm a picky rice eater =p!<br />
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<b><u>2nd stop: Creme Brulee Cart</u></b><br />
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When we saw the Creme Brulee Cart, we quickly got in line while eating our satay to order creme brulee to go! Creme brulee is by far my absolutely favoritest dessert (notice the "test" in favoritest? I've tested many! haha), so I was excited to try their traditional vanilla bean and their "yes please," which is nutella and strawberries creme brulee. We brought them home to try, and they maintained their shape and freshness pretty well! I enjoy cracking the caramelized sugar layer, and its crispy sugar and creamy custard combination is very palatable and delicious! I was surprised to taste the mildly sweet taste of the "yes please," because I was afraid that it might be overly sugary in taste. I was very wrong; it tasted just like what Nutella should taste like with small bits of strawberries! A great sweet and tart combination!<br />
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<b><u>3rd stop: KoJa Kitchen</u></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPHgiXpjS7dxpXew3DA9uNaV47sbClPBUdWQdeZ06-wNX2OYKOyn8Bt0yir1-2v_vpQDjO4_Hewuic7d4qeYIj_aZGzwH41z7SV2puPfpu1GsTAbzR6504wZD5NMwoXgHccsjy19QoIQox/s1600/DSC02299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPHgiXpjS7dxpXew3DA9uNaV47sbClPBUdWQdeZ06-wNX2OYKOyn8Bt0yir1-2v_vpQDjO4_Hewuic7d4qeYIj_aZGzwH41z7SV2puPfpu1GsTAbzR6504wZD5NMwoXgHccsjy19QoIQox/s320/DSC02299.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beauty of the KoJa we ate :) in all its digital picture glory!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOVfHYPnduz2r4WKtFbWtPsVxMOdMK04Y7Mranei7eaJ6_IGwIlXW9KMZOBlxt-2jFB9LQgOI2sHUo1qbfzXDvQLguUBGrcBR-a9DLLFsWw6YPUKul1Y3YxB1waXrzzWIS-XjV1YB1K4ic/s1600/DSC02303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOVfHYPnduz2r4WKtFbWtPsVxMOdMK04Y7Mranei7eaJ6_IGwIlXW9KMZOBlxt-2jFB9LQgOI2sHUo1qbfzXDvQLguUBGrcBR-a9DLLFsWw6YPUKul1Y3YxB1waXrzzWIS-XjV1YB1K4ic/s320/DSC02303.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love the wrapping, ready to chomp down! :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This food truck was love at first sight. Their menu featured 3 different types of Koja (bbq beef w/ grilled onions, bbq chicken with grilled pineapple, and vegan patty w/ pineapple), which are gourmet bbq sliders with rice cakes, lettuce, sriracha and bbq sauces and topped with sesame seeds! This was a 3-S item for sure, and I could not finish this by myself; it was definitely very tasty and filling!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-fQPZbbUqtXevWeMTfauno_GNZiWILe6WN0quw74KZ1bftbn5IobsVwJv9jLWpNeSh2FhJQDnKbv2tpLxLMPJO39cxw_EVECWWw4O9q9qkTLc18UHV20250KeUTTSYG62JPijL-5EvwmE/s1600/DSC02300.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-fQPZbbUqtXevWeMTfauno_GNZiWILe6WN0quw74KZ1bftbn5IobsVwJv9jLWpNeSh2FhJQDnKbv2tpLxLMPJO39cxw_EVECWWw4O9q9qkTLc18UHV20250KeUTTSYG62JPijL-5EvwmE/s320/DSC02300.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful display of Kamikaze Fries; looks like a perfect appetizer</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihu0fOccLh3kKxa-bt4mg9lOOyudRWDQNzTsd_NypKpuBub9FgDA6-CiJ4o0cRcXh-gdg4V7YDEUILa71LE1zDjls74yQwHpc_zA4kTln-PidxcJ7CHkZ01tGYIR02ilnCC434G51K1znV/s1600/DSC02301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihu0fOccLh3kKxa-bt4mg9lOOyudRWDQNzTsd_NypKpuBub9FgDA6-CiJ4o0cRcXh-gdg4V7YDEUILa71LE1zDjls74yQwHpc_zA4kTln-PidxcJ7CHkZ01tGYIR02ilnCC434G51K1znV/s320/DSC02301.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clearly this picture doesn't do this food justice... you're just going to have to imagine how good it tastes!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Of course, you can't step away from KoJa Kitchen without trying their famed Kamikaze fries! Criss-cut fries have been my favorite fries since primary school, so I was excited to see this menu item! They're topped with Korean bbq beef, green onion and kimchi, their signature sauce and Japanese mayo! They were another 3-S item, and probably our most favorite item from the food truck party!<br />
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Warning: Eating both KoJa and Kamikaze fries is very very filling, so I recommend sharing or choosing one to eat instead! =p<br />
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<b><u>4th stop: Senor Sisig</u></b><br />
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Lumpia makes me nostalgic of post-cross country race eating! After one of our Saturday invitationals, a couple friends and I would buy lumpia from a food stand. :) This lumpia tastes just like how it used to taste! Small crispy rolls with savory pork and cabbage filling inside, with a sweet chili sauce for dipping!<br />
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Thank you OTG for putting up a great food truck party! I look forward to future food truck parties in 2012!!!Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12349712907950930834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509394208351829034.post-63807706726877805952011-11-18T00:31:00.000-08:002011-11-20T16:17:53.636-08:00Game Review: Restaurant City<div>For active Facebook users, you're probably invited to play or have played this game. If not, you're just not very popular.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSAnI92-L7k_C28kZVWkIGdyxHhaLaLoMaGwflE3NJk5-KEQRgjr8hSsP43vc8uYgkHVaQl63fZ3GoHpFoTpS6WA4G9K3hL-nRLrOqajmZ1zmpv53D76itnNYJK85nE_TWCoby4fRRzg34/s1600/RC.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSAnI92-L7k_C28kZVWkIGdyxHhaLaLoMaGwflE3NJk5-KEQRgjr8hSsP43vc8uYgkHVaQl63fZ3GoHpFoTpS6WA4G9K3hL-nRLrOqajmZ1zmpv53D76itnNYJK85nE_TWCoby4fRRzg34/s320/RC.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Screenshot from the Restaurant City Facebook app</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div></div>Kidding.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHvDkjwesnKQeUpIjGu91swQ-rBh93Iv1gJID1du94RVEqJEvTPay3TAetGSqBVX8GgICjEB1WjZx82wsiXcFPNuA02uKrTVD7L4-CpKz7SiIL6DWzRTM3zkGkRT0LVjFXKccdOTawLETJ/s1600/RC2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHvDkjwesnKQeUpIjGu91swQ-rBh93Iv1gJID1du94RVEqJEvTPay3TAetGSqBVX8GgICjEB1WjZx82wsiXcFPNuA02uKrTVD7L4-CpKz7SiIL6DWzRTM3zkGkRT0LVjFXKccdOTawLETJ/s320/RC2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My restaurant's colorful storefront. How often can you find the Eiffel Tower, Cupid, kissing fish, Ariel, a baby chick, and a gingerbread man all welcoming you from one place? Exactly...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>I was invited to add this app quite a couple times during my last quarter in college, but I refused to join until after I graduate. Why? Because I know I would love to play it every chance I got to be in front of the computer, and I procrastinate enough already. I saw my boyfriend play, and it was hard to tear myself off the screen. Instantly hooked.</div><br />
<div>If you ever wanted to design your very own restaurant, learn and level up recipes for your menu, and manage your cooks and waitstaff, look no further than Restaurant City. The perks of playing include being able to hire any of your Facebook friends as a cook, waiter, or janitor (optional bartender if applicable), designing your own restaurant, and choosing what recipes you would like to learn and level up. For Facebook apps like this, it's very easy to play when you have other Facebook friends who are playing with you, so you can help gift each other items (you can gift items and request items from your friends), visit each other's restaurants to give a friendly hand and possibly unlock a crate in which you share items (examples include getting rid of a sleeping bear, penguins, and skunks in the restaurant), and trade items. By having Facebook friends who also play Restaurant City, it makes it easier to learn recipes and complete the game's challenges.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEQNibk2fHlhIAXE_IVO-2c_0F1PsQp0BLYhdLM4YdIIYlO_NhpVhoDDD_XBQdWZIq7d1Z7dH3x3p7NAYBrcyEjqrxcKNGERaJ-1k38lFjJdPpHMgwLOsW0pNKWB_JYQIzvEOXTgOa5pTw/s1600/rc6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEQNibk2fHlhIAXE_IVO-2c_0F1PsQp0BLYhdLM4YdIIYlO_NhpVhoDDD_XBQdWZIq7d1Z7dH3x3p7NAYBrcyEjqrxcKNGERaJ-1k38lFjJdPpHMgwLOsW0pNKWB_JYQIzvEOXTgOa5pTw/s320/rc6.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Current restaurant set-up :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The unique quality about Restaurant City is that unlike other restaurant games, you can "set it and forget it" (do you know where that comes from? lol)! Once you open the restaurant for customers, your employees do everything automatically, just like Sims! The restaurant can essentially be open for 24/7, the longer you set it to be opened, the higher your spending cost. So opening your restaurant for 1 hr is not as costly as opening your restaurant for 6 hrs, for example. After your restaurant completes the time, the exact same time also counts down for you to collect your 2000 gourmet points bonus (so if you open your restaurant for 1/2 hr, you also have a 1/2 hr time window after it ends to collect the bonus). Earning as many gourmet points as possible helps your restaurant level up! The current highest level a restaurant can be is 90.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTcQDG4NK4JVpto4p3pTDnN1vMJQeg-EzjCFlggYxFfCAZPUczFPEozGhHM8L6ycac3msE-J0StBPgXxC4wFAjsChYWNy3mdLr_tDEgaTZ7nGmFVks3jEYN4AbrILVNT6DduTakYD3D86d/s1600/rc3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTcQDG4NK4JVpto4p3pTDnN1vMJQeg-EzjCFlggYxFfCAZPUczFPEozGhHM8L6ycac3msE-J0StBPgXxC4wFAjsChYWNy3mdLr_tDEgaTZ7nGmFVks3jEYN4AbrILVNT6DduTakYD3D86d/s320/rc3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCfWdbPDLu-QQpKVJTxts-SkhYkLV__cmCW1Cc46FRa9Y2WVuZe1YZeDNROrfQy1fL1CihvXLVZ6JBvyd5hL4ipDRdiJughgJZ2bCCoIIOm5E8edM4MT7T_EZoezZWrpJSnNfgU2xAaEB/s1600/rc4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCfWdbPDLu-QQpKVJTxts-SkhYkLV__cmCW1Cc46FRa9Y2WVuZe1YZeDNROrfQy1fL1CihvXLVZ6JBvyd5hL4ipDRdiJughgJZ2bCCoIIOm5E8edM4MT7T_EZoezZWrpJSnNfgU2xAaEB/s320/rc4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</div><div></div>There are many special stations that you can earn while playing Restaurant City. I currently use the Coffee Bar, Lounge Bar, Karaoke Bar, Gourmet BBQ Grill, and Sushi Bar! Other stations you can earn are their Smoothie Station, Pizzeria, and Bowling Alley. Their current newest station is their Candy Shop. Playing these stations require unlocking special recipes that help develop different parts of the station and/or include perks, like upgrading your popularity level or letting you hire another employee. There are also activity arcades you can buy for customers' self-use. I am currently using the cupcake icing arcade, cookie making arcade, golden harp, magic raincloud, solid gold wishing well, and the Independence picnic arcade. Both of these add more coins for your spending pleasure.<br />
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Another final tip: If you want to ensure that you have the highest popularity for your restaurant (the higher the popularity, the more customers will go into your restaurant, the more sales you'll gain), decrease the distance the waiters need to travel between the cooks/drinks stations and the customer! This works very well especially when you're just starting out the game, because you don't have that many employees you can hire (it adds on as you level up). I used to do island stations where my waiters would only need to move 1-4 spaces to serve the customers. Waiters need to not only serve the dishes to the customers, but they also need to clean up after them quickly for new customers!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqduWXfuTIkStQex5kXbSa6jSsSfxuQYTof8Sif7_0rwx8JBuNK5sVUKzFxm5nd4gDZ4dDCuG6z33UK6XlcRyqnu8Z-43Rz_hyhXJBF6EVJLiQqDSf4YhV63Nny52la6g6_ogHYpahWj5i/s1600/n3217902_43713295_4835547.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqduWXfuTIkStQex5kXbSa6jSsSfxuQYTof8Sif7_0rwx8JBuNK5sVUKzFxm5nd4gDZ4dDCuG6z33UK6XlcRyqnu8Z-43Rz_hyhXJBF6EVJLiQqDSf4YhV63Nny52la6g6_ogHYpahWj5i/s320/n3217902_43713295_4835547.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was so long ago, I can't believe it! This was before my restaurant needed to serve drinks :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Have you tried playing RC before? What do you think of the game; any improvements do you think should be made? Personally, I wish that with their multi layout capability, they allow you to use your entire inventory (instead of needing to take stuff out of your first layout for your second layout). I also wish you could get rid of a tile (like how you press Crtl in Sims) instead of needing to replace the tile with another tile (it doesn't work out well, especially in the al fresco area).<br />
<br />
Also, have you tried the <a href="http://forum.playfish.com/showthread.php?t=2586419" target="_blank">illusion or stacking tips to make your restaurant more 3d</a>? I haven't tried this myself, but I would love to try the gondola ride with the bridge!<br />
<br />
All in all, I really enjoy playing this fun community game and I hope you get to experience its fun as well!<br />
<br />
<div>See my entry for the RC's Menu Competition: <a href="http://forum.playfish.com/showthread.php?t=1219525">http://forum.playfish.com/showthread.php?t=1219525</a><br />
And entry for RC's Restaurant of the Year Competition: <a href="http://forum.playfish.com/showthread.php?t=2695421">http://forum.playfish.com/showthread.php?t=2695421</a></div>Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12349712907950930834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509394208351829034.post-14583306291638227492011-08-31T21:40:00.000-07:002011-08-31T21:44:38.975-07:00Save Your Appetite: Prevent Foodborne IllnessLast week, I experienced my worst kind of food poisoning in my life... and it was from a hospital cafeteria. Having volunteered for the hospital for over a year and working almost a year in this hospital, I have eaten many breakfasts, lunches and snacks from the cafeteria. Unfortunately, I had extreme headaches, nausea, abdominal pain and vomiting during work, while resting in my car and in my bathroom. All from eating an egg/mushroom/onion cheese quesadilla for breakfast.<br />
<br />
Foodborne illnesses occur so frequently (76 mil cases yearly!) either by poor hygiene, improper temperature/storage, cross-contamination, infected produce, undercooked poultry and meats, infected eggs and unpasteurized dairy products. If the bacteria overcomes your immune defense, the infection may potentially do more than just the common symptoms, even leading to death. Since I haven't heard of any cases from contaminated foods or foodborne illnesses from other cafeteria customers, the probability of poor hygiene as the reason for my illness is very high.<br />
<br />
Fortunately, these factors may be prevented in the following ways (adapted from <a href="http://www.foodsafety.org/">www.foodsafety.org</a>):<br />
<br />
<b>1) Wash your hands.</b><br />
<br />
Washing your hands is very important before handling foods, ready to eat or cook, and between dirty tasks (i.e. touching garbage, handling raw foods). Use hot, soapy water for 20 seconds (sing "Happy Birthday" or "Happy Unbirthday" twice), and be sure to wash thoroughly. If you're long-haired like me, I prefer tying my hair up so I don't find the need to brush my hair away from my face. Also, avoid touching your face, clothes or other items that are not clean cooking tools. Use clean towels to dry your hands, so be also sure to wash your towels often.<br />
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<b>2) Wash your cooking tools and cooking surfaces.</b><br />
<br />
Think of your cooking tools as your extra hands that handle foods, so they need to be pre-washed. If I haven't used the tools in awhile, it's always safe to wash them again just to make sure they're clean. Also, make sure that your pots, pans, cutting boards and counter-tops are clean. When your cooking environment and you are clean, the food will stay clean!<br />
<br />
<b>3) Use separate surfaces for produce and meats.</b><br />
<br />
To prevent cross-contamination, use separate cutting boards when chopping your produce and raw meats. Or if you only have one cutting board, be sure to wash it in hot soapy water in between the foods. Of course, also use separate tools when handling the raw products (i.e. knives, spatulas). Other surfaces may be bowls or plates.<br />
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<b>4) Cook food to appropriate temperatures.</b><br />
<br />
Potential harmful microbes in foods do not survive when foods are cooked to the proper temperatures. The internal temperature of cooked foods vary, but the general temperature should be 165 F. I learned this sadly by eating a defrosted, unheated Costco Chicken Bake during college... never again. My hot food needs to have steam rising from the surface for me to feel safe to eat it now. :)<br />
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<b>5) Refrigerate leftover food immediately to below 40 F.</b><br />
<br />
Refrigerate leftover food within 2 hours of being made in order to avoid the food "danger zone" of possible microbe infection, 1 hour during summer weather. I learned this one by eating a spam musubi lunch box multiple times throughout the day while on my high school senior trip to Hawaii, in hot weather and without any refrigeration whatsoever. Nausea and vomiting ensued, and I couldn't touch spam for quite several years afterwards.<br />
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<b>6) Pay attention to use-by dates.</b><br />
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Some foods have longer shelf life than others, so it's important to refer to the use-by dates to make sure that the foods are still safe to eat. It's an everyday challenge, but it's necessary to eat what you currently have, with shorter shelf life items being the higher priority in order to maximize your intake of foods you're buying, thus reducing food cost and waste.<br />
<br />
<br />
By preventing foodborne illnesses, we save our appetite and maintain a healthy future. :)<br />
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<br />
<br />
For helping spread the word about the importance of home food safety, I was entered into a drawing for a $15 Starbucks gift card and an iPad through Summertime Food Smarts, a contest run by the American Dietetic Association and ConAgra Foods' Home Food Safety program. Home Food Safety is dedicated to raising consumer awareness about the seriousness of foodborne illness and providing solutions for easily and safely handling foods. Learn more at <a href="http://www.homefoodsafety.org/">www.homefoodsafety.org</a>.Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12349712907950930834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509394208351829034.post-36983290664865897552011-02-01T10:35:00.000-08:002011-10-27T00:25:45.133-07:00Sweet Brown Sugar & Champagne Infused Whole Chicken w/ Soy Balsamic VinaigretteSounds complicated? Surprisingly, it has been the cheapest, least time consuming, easiest and most delicious (in the sweet and savory variety) meal to make!<br />
<br />
While strolling around a local Safeway to grocery shop (one of my favorite hobbies), my boyfriend and I found Foster Farms Whole Young Chicken on sale for $4. Yes, four dollars for a whole chicken; cheaper than my favorite Subway's Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki sub, cheaper than my favorite Rigatoni's Chicken Pesto & Pine Nuts Fettucine, ... you get the idea. The back of the package showcased their <a href="http://www.fosterfarms.com/recipes/details.asp?recipeid=86">Simmered Chinese Chicken</a> recipe, which inspired my personal take on this recipe:<br />
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<b><u>Ingredients:</u></b><br />
<br />
1 whole chicken<br />
Drizzle olive oil<br />
<br />
<i><b><u>Sauce:</u></b></i><br />
<i><b><u><br />
</u></b></i><br />
1/3 cup soy sauce<br />
1/3 cup brown sugar<br />
1/4 cup water<br />
1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette<br />
1/4 cup champagne<br />
1 tbsp Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute (Onion, Black Pepper, Celery Seed, Cayenne Pepper, Parsley, Basil, Marjoram, Bay Leaf, Oregano, Thyme, Savory, Rosemary, Cumin, Mustard, Coriander, Garlic, Carrot, Orange Peel, Tomato Granules, Lemon Juice Powder, Oil of Lemon, Citric Acid)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYb1URMdTYVJuOc80wAbmVDaXVKSjIxnt85OiLQ0nvJs4vBYIMQjkeA1hIku3odtV9uW34ECRUTSgzIbso9kxmYgJIqJTnmJyivwK4CFZBlo7cvkRDV1IND4yDIYbf27oKVHKlcmcYjhWD/s1600/DSC01150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYb1URMdTYVJuOc80wAbmVDaXVKSjIxnt85OiLQ0nvJs4vBYIMQjkeA1hIku3odtV9uW34ECRUTSgzIbso9kxmYgJIqJTnmJyivwK4CFZBlo7cvkRDV1IND4yDIYbf27oKVHKlcmcYjhWD/s320/DSC01150.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After braising in the sweet soy balsamic vinaigrette, the finished product, ta-da!~</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
1. Rinse chicken (remove giblets) & dry well.<br />
2. Heat oil in a large & deep saute pan or stock pot; brown chicken evenly on all sides and corners. Time to dance the chicken! :)<br />
3. Mix together the sauce ingredients to your tastebuds' liking. Pour the sauce over the chicken so that the sauce covers most of the chicken, about 3/4ths way. (I actually had to make double the sauce because we used a wok instead of a standard pot, so depending on what you use, you might need to make more sauce!)<br />
4. Adjust the dial of your stovetop so that the sauce is simmering, and turn over the chicken as needed to make sure it cooks even and thoroughly.<br />
5. After simmering for about 15-20 mins, test the doneness of the chicken (no translucent flesh, no leaky blood). When it has passed the test, the chicken is ready to be chopped and served! :)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj88mqsFiserDud_c7lXRZR_pFnR3PMyoERQZDNZRFLYfd-5mzcGqxhT3G9wL3GuX7veYmwaO1vZUvkLBOg5D03EY8HPeAQlzp08ZczhSa3LqcxStlt2hj_INtNjJRl5MrU8Tq-9OEme63U/s1600/DSC01159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj88mqsFiserDud_c7lXRZR_pFnR3PMyoERQZDNZRFLYfd-5mzcGqxhT3G9wL3GuX7veYmwaO1vZUvkLBOg5D03EY8HPeAQlzp08ZczhSa3LqcxStlt2hj_INtNjJRl5MrU8Tq-9OEme63U/s320/DSC01159.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Isn't my boyfriend a great butcher? :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The simmered sauce left in the wok was also a great accompaniment to the braised, oh so juicy and tender chicken! The variety of flavors from the sauce were amazing; there was the sweet brown sugar, crisp champagne flavor, savory soy sauce, tart balsamic vinaigrette and spice medley of the 21 Seasoning Salute that created this delicious meal.<br />
<br />
Give this dish a try and let me know what you think! Feel free to share your whole chicken recipes as well!Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12349712907950930834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509394208351829034.post-27504749233489149192010-03-05T15:52:00.001-08:002011-10-27T10:53:38.822-07:00RatatouilleIt's probably the only time you were amazed and not disgusted by a food enthusiast rat running the kitchen.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://collider.com/uploads/imageGallery/Ratatouille/disney_and_pixar_s_ratatouille_movie_image_s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="155" src="http://collider.com/uploads/imageGallery/Ratatouille/disney_and_pixar_s_ratatouille_movie_image_s.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Does Remy capture the essence of every tourist looking at the Eiffel Tower? (<a href="http://collider.com/uploads/imageGallery/Ratatouille/disney_and_pixar_s_ratatouille_movie_image_s.jpg">link</a>) </td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.lugaluda.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/ratatouille-movie.jpg?9d7bd4" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="199" src="http://www.lugaluda.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/ratatouille-movie.jpg?9d7bd4" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When Linguini discovers his fridge is stripped bare, Remy is preparing breakfast for two! (<a href="http://www.lugaluda.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/ratatouille-movie.jpg?9d7bd4">link</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://collider.com/uploads/imageGallery/Ratatouille/ratatouille_movie_image_pixar__1_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="190" src="http://collider.com/uploads/imageGallery/Ratatouille/ratatouille_movie_image_pixar__1_.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Linguini's new home after becoming the new chef owner at Gusteau's (<a href="http://collider.com/uploads/imageGallery/Ratatouille/ratatouille_movie_image_pixar__1_.jpg">link</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Of course, I'm referring to Remy, a young rat gifted by his highly sensitive senses of smell and taste. Inspired by his favorite idol, Chef Gusteau, he stumbles upon Paris to become Linguini's "little chef," making his famous Ratatouille dish that warmed even the coldest critic's heart in Anton. :)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://peanutbutterkrunch.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/ratatouille.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://peanutbutterkrunch.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/ratatouille.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ratatouille in its swirling glory (<a href="http://www.inuyaki.com/images/ratatouille.jpg">link</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3278/2789969746_934662619c_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3278/2789969746_934662619c_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Real life ratatouille in The French Laundry (<a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3278/2789969746_934662619c_o.jpg">link</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I have to admit, I haven't heard of ratatouille until watching this movie, but it definitely sparked my interest for it! According to <a href="http://www.blacknapkin.com/">Black Napkin</a>, Chef Thomas Keller from <a href="http://www.frenchlaundry.com/">The French Laundry</a> was a valuable consultant for the movie and helped design the finished ratatouille dish. The layering and roasting of the veggies make this dish look very appetizing, and I hope that I can make a similar ratatouille someday!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I found this inspiring <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/07/rat-a-too-ee-for-you-ee/">ratatouille recipe</a> through Smitten Kitchen. Ratatouille can be eaten in different ways as well, such as over risotto, over pasta (I recommend fusilli for the complementary swirly design), in a crepe, in a salad, or even over crusty French bread! :) There are so many possibilities with how you eat it and the ingredients you put in the ratatouille as well. For my ratatouille, I would love to put in tomato, zucchini, yellow onion, yam or sweet potato, and apple.<br />
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How would you create your ratatouille?Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12349712907950930834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509394208351829034.post-21760600206210913632009-12-01T17:47:00.000-08:002011-03-01T00:55:11.136-08:00The Guangzhou Series: Dim Sum and Snacks<u><b>Breakfast:</b></u><br />
<br />
I realized that milk was scarce in the area. On a random morning, I was craving for milk and a bun, which is normally what I eat for breakfast at home. My grandma bought me a small plastic pouch of milk that you poke a straw into to drink. (Milk carton vs. milk bag? I say carton for ease of carrying, bag for going green, tie for ease of opening.) My grandma says that it's common for Chinese to not drink milk due to lactose intolerance. Just a guess - maybe less milk drinking accounts for their smaller body frames? Milk is a staple that I cannot live without in my diet, so I missed drinking milk during my stay.<br />
<br />
Nonetheless, a congee (粥: "juk") and rice noodle roll (腸粉: "chern fun") stand along the main road outside my grandparents' apartment invited us with fresh, hot comfort food. I remember needing to wake up around 6 to 7 in the morning to get there in time (they open until they run out of food for the morning, which is typically by 9 am). I'm not usually a morning person, but it was worth every minute.<br />
<br />
It was my first experience seeing front-of-house cooking, literally. There were two cooking stations outside of the restaurant: 1) stoves for congee and stir fry; 2) rice noodle tray steamer. The back-of-house was the general seating area similar to a "dai pai dong" (open air food stall well known in Hong Kong) with foldable tables and plastic stools.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1QojoJS9RKcokqu4AvNXgx00Awuwe_0QMm7uQbeyEIoWNV_8JdYC2LXADI_048Ekw8CtJMXQrYN5jO-50hyphenhyphenr-LfWtq6l6dX9ySmTMT8eAdKIKBL4zw6LLAs4X7-YViD3ub9KErtvHxxXv/s1600/DSC00550.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1QojoJS9RKcokqu4AvNXgx00Awuwe_0QMm7uQbeyEIoWNV_8JdYC2LXADI_048Ekw8CtJMXQrYN5jO-50hyphenhyphenr-LfWtq6l6dX9ySmTMT8eAdKIKBL4zw6LLAs4X7-YViD3ub9KErtvHxxXv/s400/DSC00550.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yummy congee making with fresh ingredients on the side!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivt4QXblmqZDzc1_UPzv02DNbjaJfQvLXrmPGsrCT8Mdg5duDTjjIHjmV312g1lxoyXYq5zk_L8Yl7Fj1vrR_wJl7ZBRrI5b9jNdDd9Ziqh3JOrVJtC4iq2PJD3YRuLEK7ndtCAuUfbKXc/s1600/DSC00556.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivt4QXblmqZDzc1_UPzv02DNbjaJfQvLXrmPGsrCT8Mdg5duDTjjIHjmV312g1lxoyXYq5zk_L8Yl7Fj1vrR_wJl7ZBRrI5b9jNdDd9Ziqh3JOrVJtC4iq2PJD3YRuLEK7ndtCAuUfbKXc/s400/DSC00556.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A really cool foodservice equip I haven't seen before. Each "drawer" is a sheet that steams a rice noodle sheet. As soon as the chef takes it out when it's ready, she sprinkles the ingredients on top and scrapes the noodle sheet to form the rice noodle rolls! Fresh and ready to eat!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYnI9-d_mk7Q0eUbVrBAeMJiivDTi8Wuo63clRJnAKxoLuXPGMufhQ2jwRB33GHVMavQ8fr2yo6WiEYbnc2U0fAXN3dbAAy_-t506AbvQpMTgkAuFybhiPurkMigV1Q0Zzr8DVoPsryt0G/s1600/DSC00553.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYnI9-d_mk7Q0eUbVrBAeMJiivDTi8Wuo63clRJnAKxoLuXPGMufhQ2jwRB33GHVMavQ8fr2yo6WiEYbnc2U0fAXN3dbAAy_-t506AbvQpMTgkAuFybhiPurkMigV1Q0Zzr8DVoPsryt0G/s400/DSC00553.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beef congee with crullers ("you tiu"), deep fried dough that you dip into congee. Similar concept to biscotti & coffee?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz91Y7yagp3fLWo0EZKBHav1ZP0jnbU-lUNbKZRW9C0KQ-AP0RKXhYZwVmxCsaQqgXxCDJAj5X3UgoZGTH3EdqEJOecFHDGdKw6pniCAu2r4_4d5OozVBHF-slDHsOYEjutnmcpnq9CeMK/s1600/DSC00554.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz91Y7yagp3fLWo0EZKBHav1ZP0jnbU-lUNbKZRW9C0KQ-AP0RKXhYZwVmxCsaQqgXxCDJAj5X3UgoZGTH3EdqEJOecFHDGdKw6pniCAu2r4_4d5OozVBHF-slDHsOYEjutnmcpnq9CeMK/s400/DSC00554.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beef & lettuce cherng fun (牛肉腸 "au yuk cherng") over sweetened soy sauce. Absolutely the thinnest rice noodle, freshest, & tastiest I ever had!</td></tr>
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<u><b>Dim sum (</b><b><span style="font-size: small;">点心</span></b></u><u><b>):</b></u><br />
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Restaurant tables are reserved as early as 6:00 in the morning. Frequent dim sum-goers are retired elderly who enjoy mingling with family and friends and reading the newspaper. My grandparents like to say that they'd like to return to Guangzhou permanently to do the same. Personally, I enjoy dim sum no matter where I go :)!<br />
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For the dim sum restaurants here, you are given a weak tea called clear tea (清茶: "cing cha" in Cantonese) as soon as you are seated to wash your tableware. Also, you serve your own tea. A waiter will ask you which tea you would like, and then provide you with a small plastic bag of loose leaf tea per person and a tea pot of boiling hot water over a candle. You pour your desired tea (mine is jasmine) into another tea pot to customize your own tea.<br />
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Ordering dim sum is through a menu checklist, where items are arranged by different price categories (small, med, lg, special). After checking off items on the list, the waiter collects the list and the checked items are delivered to your table. Moreover, dim sum carts are pushed around the tables to offer other menu selections you may be interested in. There was one dim sum restaurant where customers go directly to the dim sum preparation area to pick up items to bring back to the table. Some of my favorite dim sum include dumplings (ie. 蝦餃 "haa gow", <span lang="zh-Hant">小籠包 "</span>siu lung bao"), rice noodles, black bean spareribs (排骨 "pai gwaat"), chicken feet (鳳爪 "fung zao"), turnip cakes (蘿蔔糕 "lo baat gou"), mango pudding (芒果布甸 "mong guo bou din"), and silky tofu dessert (豆腐花 "dou fu fa").<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTz2G4N27ZSJoaDEx5jUvTw30CQoaeTpAF6I4Ung2V6r1-KP7NdvdItElxGKWP0ktM9KMnZ8xmc2JsVJRgtuiteJe8hAMgngfII73Fd_uTx47Xe2dRBeahKPqfG22M28e8Lk5IdLZA0E-K/s1600/DSC00426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTz2G4N27ZSJoaDEx5jUvTw30CQoaeTpAF6I4Ung2V6r1-KP7NdvdItElxGKWP0ktM9KMnZ8xmc2JsVJRgtuiteJe8hAMgngfII73Fd_uTx47Xe2dRBeahKPqfG22M28e8Lk5IdLZA0E-K/s320/DSC00426.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dim sum table setting at the famous White Swan Hotel's Banquet Hall International</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqOac6pKXGU33CZXFGwpiufDEDrRy1Doe_JMQw9lzk9rgw-7BgKLp37OuFrx-CeEl9oZZbUp5LB1sHLnlSJxi8gSAhEfSyAEa5T5IcnGcJa_kdkVM2zXsUK0Z_a24uxazjEy1JwOPmpqa1/s1600/DSC00430.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqOac6pKXGU33CZXFGwpiufDEDrRy1Doe_JMQw9lzk9rgw-7BgKLp37OuFrx-CeEl9oZZbUp5LB1sHLnlSJxi8gSAhEfSyAEa5T5IcnGcJa_kdkVM2zXsUK0Z_a24uxazjEy1JwOPmpqa1/s320/DSC00430.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steamed jumbo shrimp dumpling (蝦餃 "haa gow")</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuozY5u2EiNZKhSAZcoFRkgIr2ChhsyZOYPmGhS80sAoGctY90fRKPwBtMZQ2VLCxWbrwYXH-Trp-5NHDuUmHfUBI_isw9ZVCSzM0fEtqZL90lJmrisCt4ABdARsLt8FEkoqrTACCruqQz/s1600/DSC00434.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuozY5u2EiNZKhSAZcoFRkgIr2ChhsyZOYPmGhS80sAoGctY90fRKPwBtMZQ2VLCxWbrwYXH-Trp-5NHDuUmHfUBI_isw9ZVCSzM0fEtqZL90lJmrisCt4ABdARsLt8FEkoqrTACCruqQz/s320/DSC00434.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These shrimp & yellow chives rice noodle rolls were light, delicate noodles enveloping crisp & succulent shrimp!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><u><b>Snacks:</b></u><br />
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Snacks, sweet, savory, spicy, hot and cold are plentiful, and many Chinese like to eat afternoon and late night snacks from food vendors in busy shopping districts. I wish these snacks are available at home too..<br />
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Spicy squid on a stick was the most appealing and appetizing 3-S snack! The smell and sound of crackling squidded kebobs on a teppan averted my attention from shopping. My grandma caught me eyeing them, and offered to share them with me. Three sticks for 10 yuan, what a great deal! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAU6_eGtqcY23wjau91HPfyEP0VQ0J4izh50iSanXAKRmIIL3NoWZ-WVG-67Sv82ab_ft6Kl0l6i5tvuXb-BA64xBTXWRlzAtf8nubUdWG402s4B8tAcTP4zIe3Y0I2qK1e1fH3w8eMyvG/s1600/DSC00166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAU6_eGtqcY23wjau91HPfyEP0VQ0J4izh50iSanXAKRmIIL3NoWZ-WVG-67Sv82ab_ft6Kl0l6i5tvuXb-BA64xBTXWRlzAtf8nubUdWG402s4B8tAcTP4zIe3Y0I2qK1e1fH3w8eMyvG/s320/DSC00166.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even after the squids are done sizzling with the spices, you are still given the option to roll them over add'l chili powder. Did I do it? Why of course!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Black sesame tong yun is one of my favorite hot dessert soups! Tong yun (<span lang="zh-Hant">湯圓)</span> are glutinous rice balls that can be filled with sweet or savory fillings, like red bean paste, peanut paste and minced pork. I enjoy black sesame tong yun the most, because of its delicately sweet sesame taste. Plus, who doesn't like a black and white dessert?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgajGtQvYBYGf8ql1-8Ek4Lf1xrh7TxYitwfkhhs3h1jvRaR83Hk3Bssae2YZlmgWyY3_iBRmnLDMMnzUa2wmn5lWTMjnYoEEP2V9-70eID-INQnEtJAZMABu-CvkIIY0Smp8H8JB3j9HWb/s1600/DSC00168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgajGtQvYBYGf8ql1-8Ek4Lf1xrh7TxYitwfkhhs3h1jvRaR83Hk3Bssae2YZlmgWyY3_iBRmnLDMMnzUa2wmn5lWTMjnYoEEP2V9-70eID-INQnEtJAZMABu-CvkIIY0Smp8H8JB3j9HWb/s320/DSC00168.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black sesame tong yun soup at one of my grandpa's favorite snack shops. The shop plays <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BirNV2gNa2I">"Mai Tang Yuan" song</a> non-stop at the storefront to lure customers in. It got us in :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Shrimp & garlic chives dumplings ("gau choy gao") were pan fried to my grandpa's delight at another outdoor food stand, despite the pan oil popping in our faces. He told me that he enjoyed eating them freshly made for years. They were greasy, but they tasted very fresh and savory!<br />
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While I was in Hainan for about a week, my grandma ordered roasted little bird on a stick. The story is that the little birds are still in their nest homes while their mothers fly away to get food. They still don't know how to fly yet, but hunters climb trees to pick them up to be eaten. =( I was hesitant to try it, but I tried one taste. I was pleasantly surprised; it tasted like a cross between chicken and quail.<br />
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When I wanted a light lunch or dinner, I would head on to a noodle soup shop to eat wonton noodle soup (雲吞麵: "wen tun mein"). The wonton were delicately wrapped pork and shrimp medley, and the thin egg noodles were cooked al dente, soft yet chewy... I felt like Naruto slurping up ramen. It was my best comfort food during the cold and rainy days.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ6ZUxmuoLYAZLwmX2IafUjXFrtV3sePvfpNhjdw5cDuzfq5l9Z3EgDElrANxkRmY6n-hGLtnkZW8tkaW3F9b3M5ssQEdDGo9BPIsFXFEgiJ1AwJuoQMZgVTz919OFecBUc1uzukTCnDE-/s1600/DSC00502.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ6ZUxmuoLYAZLwmX2IafUjXFrtV3sePvfpNhjdw5cDuzfq5l9Z3EgDElrANxkRmY6n-hGLtnkZW8tkaW3F9b3M5ssQEdDGo9BPIsFXFEgiJ1AwJuoQMZgVTz919OFecBUc1uzukTCnDE-/s320/DSC00502.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shrimp & pork wonton noodle soup, best served with red vinegar & white pepper!</td></tr>
</tbody></table> And that wraps up the final chapter of the Guangzhou series! :) Who wants to go to China now?Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12349712907950930834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509394208351829034.post-63882838168416858952009-11-27T23:59:00.000-08:002010-07-26T14:43:10.030-07:00The Guangzhou Series: MealsCompared to the standard 3 meals for Americans, Chinese have 5 meals per day, including breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and late night snacks. My grandma likes to say that they like to enjoy by eating small frequent meals. It definitely takes awhile to get used to though, because I felt like we were eating all the time…not like that is a bad thing. My justification is that I walk off most of the calories I eat, or at least I hope I did!<br />
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Guangzhou's trading port draws in a diverse array of imported foods and other fresh ingredients. Cantonese cuisine focuses on enhancing the natural sweetness of the main ingredient, be it a starch, meat or vegetable, not overpowering it. Thus, spices used are limited and herbs are often used as garnishes for fresh foods (and the reason for overpowering seafood with spices could be to recycle stale inventory...but that's a different story). Steaming and stir frying are the most common cooking methods, but braising and frying are also used.<br />
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The economy in Guangzhou thrives on small individual businesses, and restaurants are closing down and opening up everywhere. My grandparents travel to Guangzhou yearly, and they notice big changes every year. Their favorite restaurants may or may not be there anymore, and they get to experience new ones. My mother requested my grandparents to take me to a noodle shop that sells multicolored noodles that I enjoyed very much during my first trip, but the shop closed down years ago.<br />
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I posted up a cooking video in my previous post. CY got it correct, it's a noodle making video! A Northern Chinese style restaurant called Noodle King features a partial open kitchen for making dumplings and pulled noodles from scratch. Seeing the soft wheat noodles dance up and down into the huge boiling pot was simply magical flexibility. End result: fresh, bouncy, chewy, twist your fork-able (if you could, we were only provided chopsticks) noodles!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlWSyXhYN1Nb_9WpeZq-Dy92WlEUTNBOgHwPJvu2o1yMCGeyP9YAzJDtcm8LZ14UI29gFMROscZuiMjKe7yrflCAkY8XLS3_eEsqCw74sNKX-VPFvwgugGewFy30CmbXZUrSzZD5mxjvgW/s1600/DSC00187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlWSyXhYN1Nb_9WpeZq-Dy92WlEUTNBOgHwPJvu2o1yMCGeyP9YAzJDtcm8LZ14UI29gFMROscZuiMjKe7yrflCAkY8XLS3_eEsqCw74sNKX-VPFvwgugGewFy30CmbXZUrSzZD5mxjvgW/s320/DSC00187.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Noodle King ("lo mein deem" in Cantonese)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUl3GFqsVB70F9aCKsBhATSZz-wH10Vs9XkxL8b9y3syGcpliZcmXA2IW6w9fi9qQEBYFJchZ2SOPmwhYVdH3Qe3gqJKuwGBh9ipMEUKdnr0OkXquhswMUjcd5QmZoyk3ylQb0aPt8Iv6b/s1600/DSC00183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUl3GFqsVB70F9aCKsBhATSZz-wH10Vs9XkxL8b9y3syGcpliZcmXA2IW6w9fi9qQEBYFJchZ2SOPmwhYVdH3Qe3gqJKuwGBh9ipMEUKdnr0OkXquhswMUjcd5QmZoyk3ylQb0aPt8Iv6b/s320/DSC00183.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">炸酱面 ("za jerng mein" in Cantonese): "fried sauce noodles" with stir fried ground pork, fermented soybean paste and spices</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNYp6VdgJvl4mVMqSLO6grG9Fldb_BHHkYPuDStEZISSCDG2HdB3H_s8VNXIliV5d-GcLPBasUyEm2-x4xN9QWv7sLtXTMSSGBaEQmc6JsJphQKEl2v1FcJv59Jg7pvxI00Cw0zJmqcy0n/s320/DSC00186.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steamed pork dumplings with black rice vinegar</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My grandparents' apartment is along a busy road of small shops, supermarkets and restaurants. We went to this restaurant after I finished getting my hair straightened at a nearby barber shop (which I experienced the most relaxing scalp massage ever, and my cousin likes to call it "taan gan sai gai" (lit. meaning relaxing on earth)) for choy, steamed fish and rice.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs_YryDCGCCuA-Y__GUzx8qolu8tEZFN_wsOTDmM9ejTBpJbhn8d1WBfGbpD5EaBSMZ7v4nwkqDSV_Z5Y4DjW0m-QMs3XCsDYJz7y9dHvEQ_6p9WYC5nac_1_09PdoG5ii2tYra1cVFvWb/s320/DSC00164.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chinese mustard greens ("gai choy" in Cantonese), garlic braised and tender</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNx4E5S79hrf7jxshOhR9EZ4SIZ9SybhI27kxNDA85xenNxV8NqlrEwmGCgD1byf66BYbX-SFRb-Jjl5EXln-HfM7Wt08h1C1pRHKoAfDDT9CLQW14uNBnH1qc24CI-K1F2tND2CnOKDes/s320/DSC00165.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freshly steamed grass carp ("wan yu" in Cantonese) with filleted delicate fish slices and diced green onion</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span lang="zh" xml:lang="zh"></span>After paying respects to my great grandparents, we arrived to a hot pot (<span lang="zh" xml:lang="zh">火鍋</span>: "foh woh") restaurant for lunch. A large communal metal pot was placed in the middle of our table over firewood for simmering goose stew with purple taro root and garlic chives. Everyone stuck their chopsticks and spoons into the pot to pick up the sweet and savory hearty stew. While I was slowly savoring the stew, my grandma's younger sister sitting right next to me commented that I shouldn't eat "tai see man" (mannerly) and I need to eat faster. She has such a lively personality.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHUwebvfQcvDxypx_MbngU3cSZMGv5kNE_Tuvqh_2G-0CoOcm8yEGrt2EPVj5Q2XKXhxLMyijdIMVsxJq4oVwtq5YRFXzDS6ba0txQHqS1ABsIWZuJhHrun5_wJnDg0OGNFwmQi-Br-xY5/s320/DSC00739.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hot pot style braised goose (鵝: "ngo") stew with purple taro root and sprinkling of garlic chives</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Since goose isn't served in Chinese restaurants in my area, my grandma especially likes eating goose, roasted or stewed. It's similar to the taste of duck, but it has a greater gaming taste and tougher texture (which imo, may be due to less fat, less tenderizer). Even braised in stew, I still felt that it could be more tender (stews tend to taste better after several days anyway). My grandma argued that goose is a Chinese delicacy and duck is beggar's food, and thought I was crazy for my duck preference. I rather listen to my taste buds.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA5WTT97SxaqJ9LSSjXRVcD08Lg0PCtNIR4zicpcc3hedm-4IeMnvB7lNmASDWvb9mpveGJlZfjAE1bZGWQzKg_DDJCeM01j7QYNUE68cNQFjWLpuVQNhfI1K0uECEgCPs7-6UF8esUnOo/s320/DSC00669.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White cut chicken with diced garlic and onion on top of soy sauce</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">A food I frequently ate with my grandparents was white cut yellow feathered chicken (<span lang="zh-Hant" xml:lang="zh-Hant">白切</span>黃毛<span lang="zh-Hant" xml:lang="zh-Hant">雞</span>: "bak cherk wong mou gei"). "White cut" means that it is salt marinated and soaked in ginger chicken broth during cooking. Crispy skin chicken (炸子雞: "za zee gei") is also popular, due to the tender and juicy meat with its crisp, garlic skin. It's traditionally served with prawn crackers, but on the many occasions I've tried it, prawn crackers weren't given. Salt and pepper weren't given either. The replacement was sweet chili sauce, which pairs excellently!</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Overall, my most memorable meal was homemade at my grandma's sister's house. Her husband is a great cook! He bought yellow feathered chicken and roasted goose from the market, and he prepared goose stew, fish balls and freshly steamed garlic infused prawns! He split the prawns halfway lengthwise and stuffed minced garlic to enhance their delicate and fragrant taste. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJnsScncGLM1zpeRGBSW74tqzZKodFLaaStZbPvf1rOCD2UJpEZR9hh5FBNHc9mpiIFH0dvL6oX5US3VoD1vwD0Gy_oBiuEu5fAdJGqUmHV4UieXETBZdgd5qZx7VIRDCTKt8R-4JONyQd/s1600/DSC00533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJnsScncGLM1zpeRGBSW74tqzZKodFLaaStZbPvf1rOCD2UJpEZR9hh5FBNHc9mpiIFH0dvL6oX5US3VoD1vwD0Gy_oBiuEu5fAdJGqUmHV4UieXETBZdgd5qZx7VIRDCTKt8R-4JONyQd/s320/DSC00533.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freshly steamed garlic infused prawns</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsSq8qKKc1BVYFr5Q3xhvcXFYsC1HxmQEiU7MQHywiopyvwwJfumFthB5iv2AD9dr5PM-Gpp3CktzVYGlZ3V5SNg-F6huR117jyFDnUPx1l42k8DOw5jMLSizgeT4sV58jZBVwHM5ewYjy/s1600/DSC00657.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsSq8qKKc1BVYFr5Q3xhvcXFYsC1HxmQEiU7MQHywiopyvwwJfumFthB5iv2AD9dr5PM-Gpp3CktzVYGlZ3V5SNg-F6huR117jyFDnUPx1l42k8DOw5jMLSizgeT4sV58jZBVwHM5ewYjy/s320/DSC00657.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rainbow colorful light up bridge on Pearl River</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Their apartment was right next to Pearl River, so we got to see the colorful lights and tourist popular night cruises. The blue dotted line lights below the bridge actually move in one direction to depict water movement. It's peaceful to walk beside it with family, friends or a significant other, considering that the majority of rest of the city is very crowded and noisy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Some interesting things to note:</b></div><meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CYINGYI%7E1%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CYINGYI%7E1%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CYINGYI%7E1%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link><style>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div>- Be prepared to squat! Squat toilets are most commonly used everywhere, including restaurants. Bring your own tissue and hand sanitizer.<br />
<div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">- Of course if you're expected to bring your own tissue, it's no surprise that you should bring your own napkins to the table when you eat. Some restaurants offer complimentary toilet paper in tissue holders.</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">- There is no complimentary water when you eat at restaurants. There is tea, which is complimentary or charged per person at your table.</div><div style="text-align: left;">- <meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Originator"></meta><style>
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</style>Your rice bowl is your "plate." It is held close to your face while you eat with chopsticks. My relatives thought I was weird for using a plate as my dining dish. </div>- If you have a small party, be prepared to possibly share a large table with another group if a small table is unavailable.<br />
- For large parties, restaurants have private rooms available for reservation. Typically, there is one host treating the entire party. The host is in charge of choosing the menu, and makes a toast before everyone starts eating.<br />
- <meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CYINGYI%7E1%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CYINGYI%7E1%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CYINGYI%7E1%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link><style>
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</style>When there is not a designated host, be prepared to witness a fight for who gets to pay for the bill. Many sayings of "you'll pay next time" or "you are being unfair" are exchanged back and forth while they both snatch for the bill from the waiter and quickly pay before the other party can say another word. <br />
- Restaurants are not "no smoking" areas. I've experienced many times where I start to enjoy the whiff of my food, then the cigarette smoke tainted its smell.<br />
- Cooked rice at restaurants were sub-par to home cooked rice, which was disappointing.<br />
- Waiters in Guangzhou are predominantly Mandarin-speaking. As Guangzhou is a Cantonese city, my grandpa was frustrated that he couldn't communicate clearly with the waitstaff.<br />
- Other specialty foods not mentioned: fresh lotus root, quail, pomelo and other fruits<br />
<br />
Stay in touch for the third and last post: dim sum and snacks! I save the best for last. :)Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12349712907950930834noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509394208351829034.post-63336259727483675082009-11-26T07:23:00.000-08:002010-07-25T20:52:10.273-07:00The Guangzhou Series: IntroFor my long-awaited post-grad trip, I spent about a month in Guangzhou, China with my grandparents to visit long time no see relatives, go shopping for my family and most importantly, eat yummy authentic foods! Previously, I traveled to Guangzhou once with my family when I was eight turning nine. My memories included piggybacking on my grandpa while touring sights, steering a motorcycle with my uncle, taking studio pictures, and singing karaoke while eating a private room dinner for my birthday.<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLCzxQ3p190U5Hn7gYMghrgbiam2Lt3R7ofNu7bbS_McZ4AJr2m2UpRJHhbuRywMKw2ybp0xMlzPcwkKAae9UJfwdW7q9VMgNuBwdY5xuSJM5I0k2hizzrH4f9jXQUoquvm-k9PUO5Rr4N/s1600/DSC00069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLCzxQ3p190U5Hn7gYMghrgbiam2Lt3R7ofNu7bbS_McZ4AJr2m2UpRJHhbuRywMKw2ybp0xMlzPcwkKAae9UJfwdW7q9VMgNuBwdY5xuSJM5I0k2hizzrH4f9jXQUoquvm-k9PUO5Rr4N/s320/DSC00069.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">上下九路 ("serng ha gau lo" in Cantonese): Popular shopping district along a pedestrian-only street</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijRzX1P4p66fqPPh9KBvxyn0Em_N1InW3_VAUwTQ4GnjatzG4DM6kDc5G2w84A1CF9kLJu6p02Tk4jlMNEEiik5pPCZT2neSEKkLoxu5I98pxsiBQ9y_t9pje7eNovNIg9X6m5-efNLQGX/s1600/DSC00101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijRzX1P4p66fqPPh9KBvxyn0Em_N1InW3_VAUwTQ4GnjatzG4DM6kDc5G2w84A1CF9kLJu6p02Tk4jlMNEEiik5pPCZT2neSEKkLoxu5I98pxsiBQ9y_t9pje7eNovNIg9X6m5-efNLQGX/s320/DSC00101.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colorful display of lights outside McDonald's</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Highlights of the trip were seeing beautiful sights, bargain shopping for good deals (which my grandma is a master of), and eating fresh and authentic Cantonese cuisine.<br />
<br />
Since fast food is heavily commercialized as American food, my relatives automatically assumed that I only knew how to eat fast food. They would jokingly ask, "So all you eat is hamburgers and hot dogs?" and comment that my curvy figure is too big for their standards. When we eat out at a Chinese restaurant, I am amused when they ask to see if I am accustomed to eating their food. I smile knowing that I am fortunate to live in such a diverse community where food choices are unlimited in flavor and variety. Not that I'm ashamed of my own culture, but it's sad to learn that those relatives only eat their own food and choose not to try others. It's easy for them to judge Americans by what they see through media, but I hope they choose to visit the US someday and experience it for themselves.<br />
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I had to admit though, I was tempted to try the fast food menu items that catered to Chinese, like KFC chicken porridge and McDonald's taro pies. My grandparents aren't fans of fast food though - so maybe on a trip next time.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia5AsiZumINrIINaKwoURdKsWRyRYTXnAAQbH_ubX3il4-Qvt0WtXK2aATUo4JWxUEmCsMIMw7AO86yE3bADAa-1VUG48Z4Z5x8vn8NJhyphenhyphen1_Ye7qLhxesLBbalF221WqspLbDlCm5G2PBK/s1600/DSC00771.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia5AsiZumINrIINaKwoURdKsWRyRYTXnAAQbH_ubX3il4-Qvt0WtXK2aATUo4JWxUEmCsMIMw7AO86yE3bADAa-1VUG48Z4Z5x8vn8NJhyphenhyphen1_Ye7qLhxesLBbalF221WqspLbDlCm5G2PBK/s320/DSC00771.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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Advertisements are everywhere. I rode on buses with my grandparents a lot, and the buses were literally moving advertisements! There were small tvs inside the bus that play short movie clips, shows and ads as well. Here's an Ariel Lin ad posing with a tea drink (any Ariel Lin fans?). Bottled tea drinks are popular in Guangzhou, especially when the dry weather makes your throat itch. My solution? Refresh yourself with a cold honey tea.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzx379t_ijgi_Jsn8INHXOlbvFlROne4iHw27Bej6lKDimYr29gcb4T1sAq_MRDAu9YJsEvmFBVj378McwzuA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
Last but not least, here's a video teaser. Guess what food this is?<br />
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Find out the answer in the next post ;) so stay tuned!Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12349712907950930834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509394208351829034.post-112688242348436662009-10-30T20:20:00.000-07:002009-10-30T22:31:36.354-07:00Happy Chipotle Halloween!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqXdZDX50aHLuBczFy5BH3GLKyISWNJ7E4NrPKzZoH756msj8e8ICiY1mdItb7VHo4aQrdZrmOBg0LM6xYsYhCA85Mw2GsBnRCzB_bPyg4V4_f6f-2EoKIimzCPsIeNEGlZL-176PF-keb/s1600-h/chipotle.bmp"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 369px; height: 421px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqXdZDX50aHLuBczFy5BH3GLKyISWNJ7E4NrPKzZoH756msj8e8ICiY1mdItb7VHo4aQrdZrmOBg0LM6xYsYhCA85Mw2GsBnRCzB_bPyg4V4_f6f-2EoKIimzCPsIeNEGlZL-176PF-keb/s400/chipotle.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398601845589550962" border="0" /></a>Before you go trick-or-treating or crash into halloween parties, fuel yourself at Chipotle for free. No, it's not a trick but a treat! All Chipotle asks is that you blend in with them.<br /><br />What's my favorite burrito? A chicken fajita burrito with lemony parsley white rice, onion/bellpeppers, pinto beans, grilled chicken, medium green salsa verde, pico de gallo, sour cream, corn and lettuce! It is so comforting to hold the warm burrito in your hands, bite into the soft tortilla and medley of rice, beans, chicken and veggies inside! Squeeze some lemon for that extra citrusy kick, and you end with a perfect 3-s burrito.<br /><br />Have a safe Halloween tomorrow everyone! As for me, I'll be flying for my China trip tomorrow morning. I wonder if they'll decorate the plane to be a haunted plane, the dishes served will be spookified and the flight attendants to be dressed in costumes? I'll find out, and I'll be sure to record my China trip adventure when I return.Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12349712907950930834noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509394208351829034.post-44547419767572545222009-10-27T11:01:00.000-07:002011-10-27T13:16:56.901-07:00Slurping 小籠包Unlike other dumplings, this is a dumpling look alike. 小籠包 ("siu lung bao" in Cantonese) are made from thin, partially leavened dough for the skin. You can tell that it is a bun because the dough is pinched at the top crown, whereas dumplings are pinched on the side. You can put a variety of meat, seafood, and/or vegetable fillings inside the 小籠包, but pork filling is traditionally used.<br />
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小籠包 are referred as soup dumplings in English, because aspic is also included in the filling. Aspic is a gelatin made from stock or naturally found in the meat. When the 小籠包 are steamed atop napa cabbage in the bamboo basket, the aspic melts into soup! This is where the dough is important, because a good dough will not break apart, keeping the juicy goodness retained inside the buns.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQFvxt9wIFXRGBUqmOJ6lfoBdLmWEfoonswyIGmqEb1pl9dEPQpInUfyNXHbNGCkIV0T4CNqyY-QvLsTh2oBcLeT_Rm75fTwgcSbloZQx5NnrExXY7H9Z_uG_lzucMfEH85xVVqn4cD-G_/s1600/DSC00022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQFvxt9wIFXRGBUqmOJ6lfoBdLmWEfoonswyIGmqEb1pl9dEPQpInUfyNXHbNGCkIV0T4CNqyY-QvLsTh2oBcLeT_Rm75fTwgcSbloZQx5NnrExXY7H9Z_uG_lzucMfEH85xVVqn4cD-G_/s320/DSC00022.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freshly steamed 小籠包 at home <3/ See the pool of soup on the bottom? It means one of the buns popped :(</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Because 小籠包 is so popular, it is mass produced and available in Asian supermarkets. Sometimes for a quick fix lunch or dinner, my dad would steam several batches of 小籠包 to treat us! :)<br />
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My favorite 小籠包 I've eaten at restaurants is pork w/ minced crab meat. At Koi Palace, they serve a <a href="http://www.koipalace.com/menu/dimsum.html?displayhtml=undefined">whole dungeness crab with the 小籠包</a> (see 2nd page on the menu). You delicately dip the buns in the Chinkiang vinegar or red rice vinegar with ginger slivers, and slurp the entire thing in your mouth! It's so satisfying to taste the sweet and savory flavors from the soup and meat filling burst into your mouth! :) Personally, I prefer eating this rather than a dumpling soup; it's a dumpling soup in every bite!<br />
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Have you tried 小籠包; what do you think of this unique bun? What are your most favorite dumplings?Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12349712907950930834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509394208351829034.post-9727868675150194102009-10-24T17:09:00.002-07:002011-10-27T09:48:42.557-07:00A Day Trip to Napa<div>Going to school in Davis, I always wanted to visit Napa for their high quality restaurant food and wine tasting. I was delightfully surprised to arrive at <a href="http://www.bistrodongiovanni.com/">Bistro Don Giovanni</a>, just moments off of their Howard Lane exit on Hwy 29. Their lush, green garden, inviting outdoor terrace and vineyards made me feel very relaxed and "away from it all," and their decor and alfresco dining truly embodied the Napa wine country feel.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1q93iNtDArQKuzEFI0pjM_EKpgpaQnaqaL51SOVU_rxOBXT5kfbwP92f364yEGrqiue2CxbbFFWNdJFHIwOWyX7-mHL4N0A1zraEh1lflc6j6XXMKPBwyxbdbCo9QS7Tb5nWPjcpxJNYs/s1600/DSC00004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1q93iNtDArQKuzEFI0pjM_EKpgpaQnaqaL51SOVU_rxOBXT5kfbwP92f364yEGrqiue2CxbbFFWNdJFHIwOWyX7-mHL4N0A1zraEh1lflc6j6XXMKPBwyxbdbCo9QS7Tb5nWPjcpxJNYs/s320/DSC00004.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Restaurant front entrance. The greenery just pulls you right in :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Arriving at the restaurant early for lunch (literally the first customers for the day), we were served promptly with our beverages and freshly baked focaccia bread. The fresca strawberry lemonade was a great balance of sweet and tart, but I especially enjoyed their sport iced tea. The tea was a refreshing medley of sweet and herbal notes, and it tasted very crisp. It definitely prepared our palates for the delicious foods to come.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAn7E3K-eVjgD61NQ2GSzCKDpt9rlHHMSNQe6C0OLpOWrBzoTXPo6sQYp388uG-e2iawytJZO5f_fUyUC1dJQ8GS9yGLjZo4OHOOVyTMujcDUU-fZ-01rgsrA8Y72kByDUFQyMvqLGD26b/s1600/DSC09996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAn7E3K-eVjgD61NQ2GSzCKDpt9rlHHMSNQe6C0OLpOWrBzoTXPo6sQYp388uG-e2iawytJZO5f_fUyUC1dJQ8GS9yGLjZo4OHOOVyTMujcDUU-fZ-01rgsrA8Y72kByDUFQyMvqLGD26b/s320/DSC09996.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From left to right: Fresca strawberry lemonade, fresh focaccia, sport iced tea</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I have never tasted as fresh of a foccacia bread until this day. The bread was very warm with a spongey texture and seasoned savory spices; I never knew that foccacia would ever taste this great. We dipped the bread in olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette while admiring their garden and fountain from our table. We ordered at least two extra plates during the meal, because it was that great! I felt like I could just snack on focaccia and drink the iced tea all day, so next time, I should just ask for three orders of focaccia and iced tea to go, to take on a picnic. ;)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtDlKm8T1eUUW_c2y0BYc2S-5XEzfGYSk8_bIr2rJD3B9RIuQxn0EEQATN08DxomR321pREgQtapcMi_xHzcORgw0vt-lX2al-D2Wt0MCHM3RctgFMRL2a5yUw5r-Bw_wZ4r1xUClvSI0N/s1600/DSC09992.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtDlKm8T1eUUW_c2y0BYc2S-5XEzfGYSk8_bIr2rJD3B9RIuQxn0EEQATN08DxomR321pREgQtapcMi_xHzcORgw0vt-lX2al-D2Wt0MCHM3RctgFMRL2a5yUw5r-Bw_wZ4r1xUClvSI0N/s320/DSC09992.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The waiter offered to de-bone my fish; that's great service! :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I ordered out of their seasonal menu specials, which was a Montery Bay sanddab in a lemon-caper sauce, and sauteed broccolini on the side.The fish flaked very easily and easily absorbed the citrus flavors, so its moist texture melted in my mouth at every bite. The crisp and savory broccolini were delicious to nibble on, so this dish was an overall good dish. I am surprised to not see this item on the current online menu for the restaurant, but we'll try something else next time. :) I heard through Yelp that they serve really great olives, so I'm looking forward to trying that!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWuNEIrKcW_ryzDKxaSLmgjsemW-cOE76g52fOXw5AL3myv2hKryOLhx15dICVb1sb-UExGpW7OVCSHoinrJD7rHXhs5mC_8Lk6m3EPHNXnaL2Z9Nd-ntgbQ3J7lP6yqpX6H2xafc1g-yb/s1600/DSC00005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWuNEIrKcW_ryzDKxaSLmgjsemW-cOE76g52fOXw5AL3myv2hKryOLhx15dICVb1sb-UExGpW7OVCSHoinrJD7rHXhs5mC_8Lk6m3EPHNXnaL2Z9Nd-ntgbQ3J7lP6yqpX6H2xafc1g-yb/s320/DSC00005.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Front entrance on the far left revealed a quaint wine shop</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>After leaving the restaurant, we commenced to do our wine tastings at <a href="http://www.hagafen.com/">Hagafen Cellars</a>, where they offered free tastings for two through their website. As a white wine fan, I purchased the <a href="http://www.kosherwine.com/cgi-bin/productInfo.asp?WineID=9028255552">2008 Napa Valley White Riesling</a>. I loved the wine for its light-bodied texture and sweet fruity tastes from litchi, cherries and peaches. It would be great to serve this sweet wine to offset the flavors of pungent and spicy foods in a homemade meal, or to serve with chocolate, cheese and crackers and/or complementary fresh fruit.<br />
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<div>After wine tasting, we strolled around Napa Premium Outlets to window shop. Having been to the outlets at Gilroy and Vacaville, the Napa outlet lot is much smaller in comparison. It was fun to window shop around the U shaped outlets, especially stores like Coach, The Cosmetics Company Store (love love discounted, clearance makeup/skincare items), CK, and Banana Republic, just to name a few.<br />
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Have you driven to Napa recently? What are your recommended restaurants and wine tasting cellars? :)</div>Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12349712907950930834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509394208351829034.post-71550554522645095522009-10-20T00:31:00.000-07:002009-10-26T03:12:21.574-07:00RR: Sushi House (Alameda, CA)If you asked me to eat sushi 10 years ago, I would have flat out said no. "Raw fish? I like my fish fully cooked" would be things I have said. My mom took me to a sushi boat in San Francisco anyway, introducing me to unagi nigiri and reassuring me that not all sushi have raw fish. With slight hesitation, I bit into the freshwater eel and was pleasantly surprised by its tenderness and sweet and savory taste. I must have eaten at least 4 more plates.<br /><br />Fast forward 5 years later, and Sushi House comes into the picture. Right next to Alameda Beach on Shoreline Drive, this restaurant used to be nestled in a shopping center before it moved to its stand-alone restaurant. With good quality food (note that I didn't say high, but good) at relatively low prices, this restaurant is pretty popular amongst locals. If you don't believe me, you can try waiting for a dinner table during the weekend. Let me know how long it takes to be seated (if you get seated before an hour, you're lucky!). To avoid the crowd, try dining during lunchtime, when service is more friendlier and the atmosphere is more peaceful than during dinnertime. The lunch menu has lunch specials, for those who want to save some mula in their wallet.<br /><br />I haven't had Sushi House for several months, so I was psyched to eat there again! Here are the highlights from the lunch:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVAXVtBWjf0JOhuRyJVwBHqxFGgKAGQZnVl0Orlm_rIJp3o_LzU4FttwBoYm-cD_9pdO3dXBI07wLvXM6_MZPfS7JQe1eeSKYRA8TiORBVdKaOkNU0etBTmCX0g0xX7Uo-RalXNjsS2TLU/s1600-h/DSC09984.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVAXVtBWjf0JOhuRyJVwBHqxFGgKAGQZnVl0Orlm_rIJp3o_LzU4FttwBoYm-cD_9pdO3dXBI07wLvXM6_MZPfS7JQe1eeSKYRA8TiORBVdKaOkNU0etBTmCX0g0xX7Uo-RalXNjsS2TLU/s400/DSC09984.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396733829134615474" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Four fresh oysters</span> in their half shells, served with lemon slices and a tangy "vinegar cocktail" (tastes like a mix between vinegar and cocktail sauce). My first raw oyster was eaten at this restaurant, as their oysters are fresh and clean and served with a tangy sauce! Don't you hate it when you eat fresh seafood, but you suddenly feel yourself crunch (I'm not talking about shells)? It has never happened with these oysters, so they do a great job in cleaning them up!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl-M_rm0cJXTrCqD30zY5yvynT5nAYCgwp7fhTG-9WFH4ZXlkimIvBTxkZ3E15gadyR_0x3MB0qbUWgxjpHG5R6yxSEjZsokXzVOF6OCzFu_b3HW-uiN6oi9FNRyD-1ZZWlrWVWB7jPLjz/s1600-h/DSC09979.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl-M_rm0cJXTrCqD30zY5yvynT5nAYCgwp7fhTG-9WFH4ZXlkimIvBTxkZ3E15gadyR_0x3MB0qbUWgxjpHG5R6yxSEjZsokXzVOF6OCzFu_b3HW-uiN6oi9FNRyD-1ZZWlrWVWB7jPLjz/s400/DSC09979.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396848505606458242" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />Fresh salmon sashimi</span> appetizer atop shredded daikon with wasabi, ginger and small heart-shaped leaves (forgot what they're called!). Their salmon is very fresh and tender, and pairs well with the wasabi. My mom believes that wasabi fights off any leftover bacteria on the sashimi, so she insists that I use a big dollop of it. I do, but the strong sensation I feel in my nose is overwhelming at times. Got a stuffy nose to heal?<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7-h3sQrtdqt3R3w-tSubr5UTUfwClCsTag4pCMB5Qf6FcPe3AHcfs5CJ0E4IKBtxhAa6pCST7RdbA5Vr9XdTkqtn9209qmZBCipS-d1qvp7GyviUe5rAC116HO_z_FrDnxz7zHGOre37_/s1600-h/DSC09980.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7-h3sQrtdqt3R3w-tSubr5UTUfwClCsTag4pCMB5Qf6FcPe3AHcfs5CJ0E4IKBtxhAa6pCST7RdbA5Vr9XdTkqtn9209qmZBCipS-d1qvp7GyviUe5rAC116HO_z_FrDnxz7zHGOre37_/s400/DSC09980.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396732425962637698" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;" ><br />The front sushi roll is called </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;" >Hella Hot</span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;" >: </span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" >fresh salmon, white tuna wasabi mayo, spicy sauce, cucumber, avocado and chopped jalapeño peppers rolled in soybean wrapper, topped with spicy tuna, unagi sauce, mango sauce, tobiko and green onions</span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;" >. The back sushi roll is called </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;" >Island Roll</span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;" >:</span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" >prawn tempura, crab, salmon, tobiko, cucumber, avocado topped with house sauce</span><span style="font-family:georgia;">. As you read, you can tell that my love for salmon doesn't end with sashimi. I prefer the Island Roll for its sweet and savory taste, as I felt the Hella Hot roll was just plain spicy. A medley of flavors suit my palate better.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFFP6nIBsZhxVrweIAXThytCMI3XzsDDshLwD-m3o7wDEsQhXx-GQm38wo5M0dOG_lM_38-GWJqJWkEVkxeHdnZKxKA1nKVLi73hPeiJJGU8pluQPl_NdB9lctjPk4dAoLFjd9WIZZIDD6/s1600-h/DSC09986.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFFP6nIBsZhxVrweIAXThytCMI3XzsDDshLwD-m3o7wDEsQhXx-GQm38wo5M0dOG_lM_38-GWJqJWkEVkxeHdnZKxKA1nKVLi73hPeiJJGU8pluQPl_NdB9lctjPk4dAoLFjd9WIZZIDD6/s400/DSC09986.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396732101375712914" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Deep fried appetizer: Soft Shell Crab</span> served with a spicy, sweet & tangy vinegar. Doesn't the crab look pretty to eat? It's lightly breaded outside and juicy inside, and pairs well with the sweet vinegar that's spiced with Japanese spice mixture. It's called shichimi tōgarashi ("seven flavor chili pepper") due to 7 ingredients, which includes mandarin orange peel, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, hemp seeds, nori (seaweed) and ground sansho pepper. Crunch away to soft shell crab heaven!<br /><br />Two more highlighted dishes that I enjoy are bay scallop roll and green tea icecream desserts. Sushi House serves two special rolls that are baked, including <span style="font-weight: bold;">bay scallop roll</span> and <span style="font-weight: bold;">lion king roll</span>. Lion king roll has baked salmon over CA roll, whereas bay scallop roll features baked bay scallops over crab meat and avocado, topped with tobiko (mini orange beads). The bay scallop roll just melts in your mouth with every bite of its sweet and savory taste! Not every sushi restaurant has bay scallop roll, so it is a must try for this restaurant.<br /><br />If you still have room for dessert, there are two green tea icecream desserts that I recommend. The first is <span style="font-weight: bold;">Green Tea Ice Cream Tempura</span>, which is a fried green tea icecream ball (with tempura batter) atop raspberry sauce. Back then, the size used to be the size of your hands meshed together. Now, the size is roughly the size of your fist. I used to have to share it with someone, but now I feel like I can eat the whole thing by myself, <span style="font-style: italic;">almost</span>. Anyway, it's a great dessert to share with a friend or relative, and I love to enjoy it for my birthday. The second option is <span style="font-weight: bold;">Mochi Green Tea Icecream</span>, served in a set of 2. The mochi will satisfy your tastebuds with its powdered, soft and gooey outer layer enclosing cold green tea icecream. Of course, there are other icecream flavors for these options, but I'm sticking to green tea because it's my favorite icecream flavor.<br /><br />Overall, the restaurant strives to deliver a variety of sushi rolls, appetizers and other dishes. I challenge you to check out the restaurant yourself to sample good quality sushi at below average prices. To learn more about Sushi House, visit http://www.e-sushihouse.com/.Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12349712907950930834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509394208351829034.post-84313112536369842102009-10-03T01:19:00.000-07:002010-02-15T23:51:27.193-08:00Happy Mid-Autumn FestivalOn every August 15th of the Lunar calendar, it's the Mid-autumn Festival (中秋節, "zhong chau zeet" in Cantonese) celebrated by Chinese (of course, there are variations celebrated by Japanese, Koreans and Vietnamese). It usually takes place during the end of September or early October, and this year, it's on October 3rd. It's also called the Moon Festival, because the moon is at its brightest, fullest and roundest. Guess what the traditional food is?<br />
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No doubt, it's the mooncake! Considered a delicacy, the traditional round or square-shaped Chinese lotus seed paste filled pastry is found in Asian markets and bakeries. Plus, some of these chewy mooncakes contain 1-2 salted egg yolks to symbolize the full moon. Another traditional food is pomelo, a light green to yellow citrus fruit that tastes like a mild grapefruit.<br />
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My favorite mooncake brand is the popular Hong Kong Wing Wah Mooncake (香港<span lang="zh">榮華</span>月饼). Their mooncakes have a chewy thin crust and white lotus seed paste (the blue box for no yolk, the golden box for 1 yolk, and the pink box for 2 yolks). Typically, a box of 4 mooncakes costs around $20-40. The mooncake box comes with a plastic knife for you to cut the mooncakes into eighths, so be sure to not take these pastries lightly. According to the golden box, 1/8 of a mooncake is already 100 cals with 5g of fat. Multiply those numbers by 8... I don't need to go further. My boyfriend says that eating 1/4 of a mooncake is like eating 4 bowls of rice. To that I say, we only celebrate this holiday once per year, so indulge lightly and drink some tea!<br />
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Nonetheless, it's the yearly mooncake exchanging, house visiting, Chinese storytelling, traditional Chinese meal holiday! For my family, we visit our grandparents to pay our respects to the elders. Sometimes my maternal grandmother invites us over to her apartment for a traditional Chinese meal! This year though, we opted to dine in a Chinese restaurant in Oakland called Chopstick Chinese Restaurant (328 14th Street).<br />
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Now some of you may look up this restaurant on Yelp, but hold your horses. I already checked; it's a measly 8 reviews with an overall thumbs down. I beg to differ. The service is good and timely even with just 2 waiters, and the taste of the food overall is pretty decent. The reviewers just haven't chosen their specialty dishes, which I give kudos to their curry crab and lion's head meatballs. However, I do admit that their portion sizes are small for large parties (we were a party of 7 adults and 4 kids), so you might want to eat with a party of 4. We compensated by ordering many dishes, as they had a special of buying 3+ dishes for $5 each!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwdToDneU9weT_9Ul6yKo-275Wrt0E8OW30It7Vkdl0PsmAiPkxX7OzTFqEc7qax1I3OMsG-1UKEe5qnsuUMTaIxxRVol5iRwARaSZAkgzW7VBJay7AUbMb24Z_641OGhaTfsavq3eL_UW/s1600-h/DSC09644.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388273059136156994" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwdToDneU9weT_9Ul6yKo-275Wrt0E8OW30It7Vkdl0PsmAiPkxX7OzTFqEc7qax1I3OMsG-1UKEe5qnsuUMTaIxxRVol5iRwARaSZAkgzW7VBJay7AUbMb24Z_641OGhaTfsavq3eL_UW/s400/DSC09644.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 300px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 400px;" /></a>Lion's head meatball is one of my top 2 favorites. I heard of this traditional Chinese dish but haven't gotten to taste it until dining in this restaurant! The oversized pork meatballs represent the lion's head, and the bok choy represent the mane. Served in a set of four, they're also called "Four Happy Balls" (四喜丸子, "sei hei yuen zi" in Cantonese). This is the red variety, braised in soy sauce! The minced meat is made with fatty pork, mixed with chopped water chesnuts for the crunch. Once you bite into it, it just falls apart in your mouth in sweet and savory goodness! Not your average meatball you find in pastas and pizzas. It's a definite must try for this restaurant!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGB0Tc6Qy-tj7mjVZ6HlSKn3gak-biI4Rhwqw4LgGJb1PnQrmQyth74hOAY3JN1frerCyqHKGICTdhIxPsCrzMiY182rXrPDNV1OC0ed1bZTKxfSOTzRupgxZttSvKV9UUvQ-dIVb5ojJh/s1600-h/DSC09645.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388273065939580866" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGB0Tc6Qy-tj7mjVZ6HlSKn3gak-biI4Rhwqw4LgGJb1PnQrmQyth74hOAY3JN1frerCyqHKGICTdhIxPsCrzMiY182rXrPDNV1OC0ed1bZTKxfSOTzRupgxZttSvKV9UUvQ-dIVb5ojJh/s400/DSC09645.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 300px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 400px;" /></a>Not a fan of green leafy veggies? This dish might change your mind. It's snow pea shoots of the big leaf variety, called "dai dau miu" in Cantonese. According to Epicurious.com, it's a cross between spinach and peas. I highly promote eating spinach for being a superfood, but if you dislike the taste of spinach, snow pea shoots can ease your way into eating your greens. In Chinese restaurants, dau miu is usually stir fried with whole garlic cloves, so they have a tender pea taste.<br />
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If you celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival at a Chinese restaurant tonight, make reservations. Arrive early. Luckily for us, we just decided to celebrate about a week in advance. Happy mooncake eating, and remember to check out the full moon!</div>Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12349712907950930834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509394208351829034.post-89251106684167638402009-10-01T11:45:00.000-07:002009-10-05T19:52:23.110-07:00Women of TasteOn Sept. 26th, I volunteered at the Girls Inc. 18th annual Women of Taste Event held at the Oakland Museum (http://www.girlsinc-alameda.org/women-of-taste). Being claimed as one of the largest food & wine events in the East Bay, I couldn't resist. And I brought a friend along with me, because my stomach can only hold so much...<br /><br />At our arrival, we were assigned to volunteer in the silent auction. The silent auction consisted of many things from gift baskets to nutrition consultations (Did you know that they're worth $250? Amazing! I should be doing 'em for some extra cash...) to game tickets to vacation getaways. We ended up helping out in labeling compost and recycle bins on-site, as this was a waste-free event! But of course, we nibbled on some amazing foods, from sweet crab chowder in a mini bread bowl to tiramisu.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY9FiKcTAKULZun7-w1j9NRx4pU6i-EEW8kM3cHPxWfcXBEeAFRV1LXG8nW3EbxUBgyFZYrGYpj41wE2L5g9hyOI08iOnUF_FgoxjxarWgj4yKvogR-NcsCUz_aHoEtTG-hmVS0tVkWO1j/s1600-h/DSC09684.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY9FiKcTAKULZun7-w1j9NRx4pU6i-EEW8kM3cHPxWfcXBEeAFRV1LXG8nW3EbxUBgyFZYrGYpj41wE2L5g9hyOI08iOnUF_FgoxjxarWgj4yKvogR-NcsCUz_aHoEtTG-hmVS0tVkWO1j/s400/DSC09684.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388289486201671522" border="0" /></a>Chocolate covered raspberries in a chocolate platter. These were as yum as chocolate covered strawberries. Kudos for dipping raspberries in chocolate though, as they are very delicate and can easily break. This booth also served lavender & mint lemonade, which was very refreshing! It was our favorite drink of the evening, as it just clears your palate.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCPbjfDjiFcTU0yW0beAiM9ToSOeXDhSveLCYJ7I_uKETTV-kv4RlXiekCe9Qhi7-qV8S84JPDO50pSuJO75xAmh8u7I4HL3qJDludN8UjwUoUJrBxtU5FpUY8kXXv3jRWvwkDZsou52L-/s1600-h/DSC09686.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCPbjfDjiFcTU0yW0beAiM9ToSOeXDhSveLCYJ7I_uKETTV-kv4RlXiekCe9Qhi7-qV8S84JPDO50pSuJO75xAmh8u7I4HL3qJDludN8UjwUoUJrBxtU5FpUY8kXXv3jRWvwkDZsou52L-/s400/DSC09686.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388289477459144882" border="0" /></a>Tri-tip steak with mild to spicy barbecue sauces at the T-Rex Barbecue booth. Behind the serving table, they were cooking whole steaks in two small grills. Smelled phenomenal! There was a long line waiting for this tri-tip. Besides letting you choose your sauce, they also let you choose how well done you wanted your steak. Me? Medium rare.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gE-23tQJAtDRZOtJ0twONwq2yQ3IlFveV0EfMg7xrmDTkxlPaV1dzDxKdgfNpVy5ccqHmRRvt-V0C0-VfGtNOpvbtX3acBw0d91uScUmx10rnD6xRZWzfHM1Htycxt3BW4dLKp0_7EqX/s1600-h/DSC09688.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gE-23tQJAtDRZOtJ0twONwq2yQ3IlFveV0EfMg7xrmDTkxlPaV1dzDxKdgfNpVy5ccqHmRRvt-V0C0-VfGtNOpvbtX3acBw0d91uScUmx10rnD6xRZWzfHM1Htycxt3BW4dLKp0_7EqX/s400/DSC09688.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388289472240516882" border="0" /></a>On the left is vanilla bean custard topped with a raspberry sauce and grapes. This custard is unique in that it uses milk in place of eggs, so it has a velvety taste. On the right are two types of thin crust pizzas. The above is a pesto, tomato and feta cheese pizza. The bottom is prosciutto and artichoke heart pizza. I was excited to try out prosciutto for the first time, because it's frequently used in Giada Laurentiis's "Everyday Italian." Prosciutto is thinly sliced dry-cured ham unique to Italian dishes. It tastes like a cross between ham and bacon!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz8Jn9NDB4Ai_G4GdVJKBki8979QIf5Bv8n8d4yDzXadPq6_Py7mQkwe67RJSnWcPAjuEXxtOwlyOWKCifVKHdxEgpxMUbvyaEbJ7-ITjVwzzrhCcfjDU1xoFZZjVhIIaefab5OInbEPO4/s1600-h/DSC09689.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz8Jn9NDB4Ai_G4GdVJKBki8979QIf5Bv8n8d4yDzXadPq6_Py7mQkwe67RJSnWcPAjuEXxtOwlyOWKCifVKHdxEgpxMUbvyaEbJ7-ITjVwzzrhCcfjDU1xoFZZjVhIIaefab5OInbEPO4/s400/DSC09689.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388289466972910866" border="0" /></a>Two types of bruschetta: enoki mushroom with goat cheese and ahi tuna with orange zest. What surprised me was that the bread wasn't fully crisp; it was crisp on the outside and doughy inside. I thought that was an interesting texture. I especially loved ahi tuna with orange zest!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho9s5lxNyxxA9lXfjhAGdN35STlYTDozzsvMsnCzyNjVlkvQmbkkyOsej48seAYG2njWD-gg1t7Tamq7RlyZcyaHWbzhI-ycnZA5I8vYOffBSfkgzrQIr0AW9QqWH5-fT1t8NOnYXyEABK/s1600-h/DSC09678.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho9s5lxNyxxA9lXfjhAGdN35STlYTDozzsvMsnCzyNjVlkvQmbkkyOsej48seAYG2njWD-gg1t7Tamq7RlyZcyaHWbzhI-ycnZA5I8vYOffBSfkgzrQIr0AW9QqWH5-fT1t8NOnYXyEABK/s400/DSC09678.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388289455949015250" border="0" /></a>Last but not least, my favorite is Zinfandel icecream from Tucker's Icecream. The flavor of the red wine was strong, but not overempowering. It was my first time trying wine-flavored icecream! We had to get seconds of this - it was a sweet frozen treat that made us blush. Just a bit of Asian glow.<br /><br />This event proved to me that women really do have good taste, as I saw mostly females attended and volunteered. Just kidding! Or am I?Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12349712907950930834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509394208351829034.post-18144674460510666102009-09-13T19:39:00.001-07:002009-09-23T11:04:39.827-07:00Chocolate Galore<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBQXFaxDsyGQDpihbvCxMBMeOqLCjGgeyvczWI3FHGI9nXuqPKtKAX2qZwtypF34YLGh7NrZrekCbGvaAHGRtwdc1vPmtcD7aB-5UWtxX3dsBR99semea5CA4bAnyObg8RtNRkA_YTOcBA/s1600-h/DSC09598.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383860349418349266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBQXFaxDsyGQDpihbvCxMBMeOqLCjGgeyvczWI3FHGI9nXuqPKtKAX2qZwtypF34YLGh7NrZrekCbGvaAHGRtwdc1vPmtcD7aB-5UWtxX3dsBR99semea5CA4bAnyObg8RtNRkA_YTOcBA/s400/DSC09598.JPG" /></a>Another post about chocolate proves how much I love this food.<br /><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div>I was thrilled to attend Ghirardelli Square's 14th annual chocolate festival yesterday! I invited quite many friends that shared my chocolate obsession along with me, and we were completely satisfied. Overwhelmed even.</div><br /><div>The festival gathered 40 chocolate-related vendors together to benefit Project Open Hand. It's free to attend, but it costs $20 for 15 tastings you could use at the vendors. Fortunately for my friends and I, we received free tasting tickets, courtesy of Cadillac Ride & Drive. Thank you Cadillac!</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>The following pictures reflect my highlights of the festival:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLJWgFRbl-pkvBBY2TqHnONyBvagHMRxr2W4mSZ7pwD-nMwRzcsr5NC6Fm1njaQNmFb85EkY26eRyOph8qcenMItySXyeWxlLtyuboWQ_lcziScSSOg66ew-S5LPkUW4bq-egeoxN3Oe_a/s1600-h/DSC09577.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383860087455603202" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLJWgFRbl-pkvBBY2TqHnONyBvagHMRxr2W4mSZ7pwD-nMwRzcsr5NC6Fm1njaQNmFb85EkY26eRyOph8qcenMItySXyeWxlLtyuboWQ_lcziScSSOg66ew-S5LPkUW4bq-egeoxN3Oe_a/s400/DSC09577.JPG" /></a> At the <strong>Main Stage: Icecream Sundae Eating Contest for Kids</strong>! I believe there were six contestants, and they weren't allowed to use their hands. The sundae was eight scoops of icecream with whipped cream, nuts..basically all the works! Those kids probably walked off with brain freeze and sugar high afterwards. This was so fun to watch! The winner won a Ghirardelli chocolate gift basket (as he/she doesn't have enough sweets already...). By the picture above, guess who the winner was?<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLCvGR92xQW0cK3TTTRHk3TJhgb-BlAKwen6sMDtX_mX7hAbmF-s6TbHCt_ApB55CEn-u_6jIlxYszHoWRwyceZ8qaafSUBczBXtxSDsYoYuBJjVoWmxMlRurmZAVuLFOJXKT1dMGidCOa/s1600-h/DSC09569.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383859364526471698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLCvGR92xQW0cK3TTTRHk3TJhgb-BlAKwen6sMDtX_mX7hAbmF-s6TbHCt_ApB55CEn-u_6jIlxYszHoWRwyceZ8qaafSUBczBXtxSDsYoYuBJjVoWmxMlRurmZAVuLFOJXKT1dMGidCOa/s400/DSC09569.JPG" /></a> At the <strong>Cadillac Ride & Drive tent: make your own Ghirardelli sundaes</strong>! Start off with traditional vanilla icecream, choose a drizzling topping and top it off with whipped cream, nuts and a maraschino cherry! I chose Ghirardelli's famous specialty: hot fudge. It was a small simple treat to start off our day!<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHv1KpFaFwk2oeaGuFQ4_kE2lfshxGg_r-byhI3nk1PuGoX6-fPEGIVdBQwHxYEh2fs8ZLWIb6ckgUb7MZWDoP5dsKOyzEJccCoCbCr5C0gx5E3N99Qws8xH0ADPCLm0UYJiqCsI4flwWg/s1600-h/DSC09558.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383858466900682082" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHv1KpFaFwk2oeaGuFQ4_kE2lfshxGg_r-byhI3nk1PuGoX6-fPEGIVdBQwHxYEh2fs8ZLWIb6ckgUb7MZWDoP5dsKOyzEJccCoCbCr5C0gx5E3N99Qws8xH0ADPCLm0UYJiqCsI4flwWg/s400/DSC09558.JPG" /></a></div><div>At the <strong>Cost Plus World Market's Wine & Chocolate Lounge</strong>: 72% cacao dark chocolate square, spicy tortilla chips and chocolate covered peanut butter-filled pretzel bites. The bitter dark chocolate (at only 4.25 gm fat & 55 cals) was perfect to pair with red wine (a wine glass costs $5, so we didn't go for it), and the chips and pretzel bites were a 3-S (sweet, savory and spicy) combo! And I'm not usually a fan of peanut butter outside of PB sandwiches. I had to get a second serving.</div><br /><div>Plus, Cost Plus World Market gave us free $5 coupons! I'll be shopping there soon.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho9E14_fPTS-VziT_zbfWSSzmUA7MZWpaImlm9K7OygjqbYHYjAf6_DmdTH40UByIhqXnoVFjXcMG7ThqRL1qQ7Oe07iHbusr_5nueUu-nJzDDfkPnBWuklyyGBi35U8kEbw5W7ls0kjLC/s1600-h/DSC09559.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383858915635343506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho9E14_fPTS-VziT_zbfWSSzmUA7MZWpaImlm9K7OygjqbYHYjAf6_DmdTH40UByIhqXnoVFjXcMG7ThqRL1qQ7Oe07iHbusr_5nueUu-nJzDDfkPnBWuklyyGBi35U8kEbw5W7ls0kjLC/s400/DSC09559.JPG" /></a>At the <strong>Boomerang Australian Vodka tent: Chocolate Martinis</strong>! Yummy chocolate concoctions. The vodka rolls down smoothly with a sweet chocolate finish. Boomerang Vodka is 5x distilled - very pure, ultra-smooth and elegant. Definitely a good cocktail to include in your chocolate & wine parties.</div><br /><div>Side note: One of my friends noticed someone using all of his tastings at this tent!</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZESnafJpwcH0mjwU641eFQ7T7E8Cprbxy-yMTHQW25ulqlVvOsTq8l_x5m0MrPzsQ4Mx938cGtEKEMWYzSUebJYcPyLDNCEwPrEujmW7u-85zE5tNjN1SiXrldg6gptNhgOMPYzEtEfyY/s1600-h/DSC09557.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383858134057461858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZESnafJpwcH0mjwU641eFQ7T7E8Cprbxy-yMTHQW25ulqlVvOsTq8l_x5m0MrPzsQ4Mx938cGtEKEMWYzSUebJYcPyLDNCEwPrEujmW7u-85zE5tNjN1SiXrldg6gptNhgOMPYzEtEfyY/s400/DSC09557.JPG" /></a>At the <strong>Rustic Bakery</strong>: The title says it all. This looked absolutely delicious! I didn't get a chance to try it, but one of my friends liked it! It looks like a fresh donut hole drizzled in cream and chocolate. It's comfort food for the sweet tooth.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div></div><div>According to Epicurious.com, crème anglaise is made by whipping egg yolks and sugar together until it turns white, then slowly adding hot milk and cooking until thick. It's usually flavored with vanilla. It's used as a dessert sauce and a base for crème brûlée! Yum!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj42-50WCVIavfeYk7a_9xQ81K6pL24NpZ8P_K0jsfGNZ2t0VY-Z3RWFmn49QfQGGAFxrKv5TpSMMTYej4HnNUK4h2N_8fk7zr6c0kSo4blnT7c90t1ddiO6qBritLwoDWw9BDtY7qL-RLH/s1600-h/DSC09583.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383857785500874514" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj42-50WCVIavfeYk7a_9xQ81K6pL24NpZ8P_K0jsfGNZ2t0VY-Z3RWFmn49QfQGGAFxrKv5TpSMMTYej4HnNUK4h2N_8fk7zr6c0kSo4blnT7c90t1ddiO6qBritLwoDWw9BDtY7qL-RLH/s400/DSC09583.JPG" /></a></div><div>At the <strong>Sterling Confections tent: Sterling Truffle Bars</strong>! They served long decorated Toblerone-like bars. They were confectionary chocolate bars. I bet they make a popular gift during Christmas!</div><div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM3zHp65-SKuvD33RHUI7gWqL-svxAcgeXyF6eoK7fG0WM9q-DnwDZKX3xFIqe2ydJQMgSqTc7xUGS46Lve6JJQmN6gmM7v5iH7qVjTkBOSiE6sbI0pP78xe3vXYaSPFdyEJs9A-qoKqee/s1600-h/DSC09584.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384461248619387922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM3zHp65-SKuvD33RHUI7gWqL-svxAcgeXyF6eoK7fG0WM9q-DnwDZKX3xFIqe2ydJQMgSqTc7xUGS46Lve6JJQmN6gmM7v5iH7qVjTkBOSiE6sbI0pP78xe3vXYaSPFdyEJs9A-qoKqee/s400/DSC09584.JPG" /></a>At the <strong>Island Breeze Macaroon & More tent: Chocolate Drizzled Coconut Macaroons</strong>! I chose the white chocolate & cranberry combo. It was sweet, tart and coconutty. A good treat to eat for a tea party!<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiYB6HmMNfxTzt2nxAhBA03RaJP0RqnLSf1rMuZBrgUuBti6IluUpKJJ6Yehh4ouM8pHVAR4P91Vmj_aVQVJLyRDj3QWojIZQ9iu6EP7MU_fYhK3UZegb4yCzzRnnfoJkhgdJ93mUc_c5p/s1600-h/DSC09587.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383857254815285762" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiYB6HmMNfxTzt2nxAhBA03RaJP0RqnLSf1rMuZBrgUuBti6IluUpKJJ6Yehh4ouM8pHVAR4P91Vmj_aVQVJLyRDj3QWojIZQ9iu6EP7MU_fYhK3UZegb4yCzzRnnfoJkhgdJ93mUc_c5p/s400/DSC09587.JPG" /></a>At the <strong>Mary Louise Butters Brownies tent: Assorted Brownies</strong>! They were generous, because they gave us 2 brownies per tasting. The selections were orange, rose, ginger and chipotle. I chose the last two (ginger on left, chipotle on right). I liked that the brownies had chunks of ginger and chipotle; I could taste the strong flavors really well. My favorite was the chipotle, as the chipotle spice went really well with chocolate. Care to have a spicy dessert?<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi4OWwLD4S4diqORs-H6zI9l5ag1KfpoFMKSbU2df1KntbPIJ4HHtbYTZHWBAuoKR5rE20bfacHPMpKxnWLVlNzZ77ejgnROd74SR2v4f2BVP8ATSsCsSkGDbddl9QzkP6KPHh9ciWb_qR/s1600-h/DSC09591.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383856955448344978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi4OWwLD4S4diqORs-H6zI9l5ag1KfpoFMKSbU2df1KntbPIJ4HHtbYTZHWBAuoKR5rE20bfacHPMpKxnWLVlNzZ77ejgnROd74SR2v4f2BVP8ATSsCsSkGDbddl9QzkP6KPHh9ciWb_qR/s400/DSC09591.JPG" /></a> At one of the <strong>Ghirardelli tents: Decadent Drinking Chocolate</strong>! This is no ordinary hot chocolate. It was literally chocolate liquor! My friends and I couldn't finish our small 4 oz. cups; it was too decadent for us. I tried dipping a chocolate covered almond biscotti to finish it... but it didn't help much. I had to throw it away, which saddens me because I hate wasting food.<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrlstDfYgjXcjSUHMegFAKHe3cuo4CpZ4ZRiUYLDfKlN21jcThoqsdKpW062xI3xbkZ0nETkKfDiAQnc43fUPr_tEDwfnUs4KZpoJXoH3Bf3HhTGorcNWlDe7nYhsigQjq5Ix4PW4pT7ld/s1600-h/DSC09592.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383856556754257842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrlstDfYgjXcjSUHMegFAKHe3cuo4CpZ4ZRiUYLDfKlN21jcThoqsdKpW062xI3xbkZ0nETkKfDiAQnc43fUPr_tEDwfnUs4KZpoJXoH3Bf3HhTGorcNWlDe7nYhsigQjq5Ix4PW4pT7ld/s400/DSC09592.JPG" /></a></div><div>At the <strong>McCormick & Kuleto's tent: Mini Chocolate Truffle Cakes</strong>! They were assembled on-site for the whipped cream and assorted berries (blackberries, blueberries and raspberries) as toppings. I chose the raspberry truffle cake. The chocolate truffle was semisweet, the tart was flakey and the raspberry was a sweet "cherry on top"! This booth was very popular; there were 3 lines for it!</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>Last but not least, my favorite tasting was at <strong>Gelateria Naia's</strong> tent. They generously served fresh gelato waffle cones: <strong>Stracciatella</strong> (Italian's version of chocolate chip icecream) and <strong>Ferrero Rocher</strong>. Gelato is a healthier alternative to icecream, because it has a higher milk to cream ratio than icecream (less fat). Plus, gelato is churned more slowly than icecream, which makes it more dense to intensify its flavors (less air). Gelato is served fresh while icecream is served frozen. [Info from <a href="http://cookingequipment.about.com/od/icecreammachines/f/gelatovicecream.htm">http://cookingequipment.about.com/od/icecreammachines/f/gelatovicecream.htm</a>.]</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>Since FR is one of my favorite chocolates growing up, I had to choose it! It tasted exactly like FR in a frozen creamy treat. This completed my chocolate indulgence for the day. I chomped it up before I realized that I forgot to take a picture of it!</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>To learn more about the chocolate festival, visit <a href="http://www.ghirardellisq.com/ghirardellisq/events.php?id=2">http://www.ghirardellisq.com/ghirardellisq/events.php?id=2</a>.</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12349712907950930834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509394208351829034.post-77167882808141125082009-09-09T20:42:00.000-07:002009-09-21T02:49:31.781-07:00RR: Cheeseboard Pizza (Berkeley, CA)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw4ugx-ynhBXe2RW3usnxu8hMHqhSP2xS6pjYnTDO5Zr0EhgDqPnQZLV5WlW8KVr3xH7KKUResJcJKDEBe8ACY0htCz5WtnYq763FFWOg6T1W5S5tjhOEBlCpt5J-uEOYsAbtkRH2G6jgE/s1600-h/CheeseBoard.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378969090120178674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw4ugx-ynhBXe2RW3usnxu8hMHqhSP2xS6pjYnTDO5Zr0EhgDqPnQZLV5WlW8KVr3xH7KKUResJcJKDEBe8ACY0htCz5WtnYq763FFWOg6T1W5S5tjhOEBlCpt5J-uEOYsAbtkRH2G6jgE/s400/CheeseBoard.jpg" /></a>A friend who currently attends UC Berkeley introduced me to this popular pizza eatery. Now I'm not a huge fan of pizza, as my places to go for pizza have been limited to Costco ($10 for a large combo! what a great deal), Pizza Guys (there's a store really close to my previous apt) and California Pizza Kitchen aka CPK. My friend told me that I had to try out this place for my first restaurant in Berkeley, because it's pretty well-known amongst locals. Bring it on Cheeseboard, my palate is ready for ya.<br /><div><div><br /><div><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378937686688137874" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL8miDOmDz3qwunrHfBLQruVb8qoFDGWf81s-eVkWstUxsr7BQJkKHXIHpzxeE6H2GHg63-QOLsX9cy38cmBHt0LAE0MtKdmWUROODgb6UEunOh1BBKMozzd3N3D1CH4OY6_jBS0dagu2P/s400/DSC09529.JPG" /> Cheeseboard Pizza is a collective of twelve employees that make and sell a vegetarian pizza 5 days a week. Yes, just one pizza to choose from, called "Pizza of the Day." Despite the low selection, the restaurant has no problem in drawing in a large crowd. It doesn't need coupons in the newspaper to persuade you. Its pizza is an everchanging menu special by itself.<br /></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>After waiting a couple of minutes in line (we just beat the lunch rush), we ordered a whole pizza to split for $20 (a single slice goes for $2.50, and there's no extra charge for tax). They quickly assembled the pizza in a box and handed it to me by the time I finished paying. Wow, no wonder the line moves so quickly. They only have one pizza to make, so production time is very speedy! Plus, they added two half slices in as a bonus. Now that's good service.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpVNp17296CgFhTQVSlw83A9WVeo8hDO6n-_ULQhllqIF2oT8PkCZX5mjP39IHrsQu6wsxoyn5yNAe56I-gZtAkGC9fbL0ifhcgrZ0ufXzD_zRa7mmo1OWLL2GJ_YXxjGmI8KzH33akn3K/s1600-h/DSC09525.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378937441328089106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpVNp17296CgFhTQVSlw83A9WVeo8hDO6n-_ULQhllqIF2oT8PkCZX5mjP39IHrsQu6wsxoyn5yNAe56I-gZtAkGC9fbL0ifhcgrZ0ufXzD_zRa7mmo1OWLL2GJ_YXxjGmI8KzH33akn3K/s400/DSC09525.JPG" /></a> I was particularly excited to see pine nuts on the menu! They have a good mild nutty flavor, and contain antioxidants (particularly vitamin K for blood clotting and lutein for eye health), fiber and oleic acid (a monounsaturated fat that helps control cholesterol). All of the components of pesto (delicious on sandwiches and pasta) are there, plus tomatoes, onions and cheese, on a thin crispy crust (cut down on some carbs!).<br /></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>The pizza was still bubbling by the time we sat down at our table. I sampled the half slice first. The tomatoes and basil taste very fresh, the cheese and garlic olive oil melts in your mouth and the crust is crisp and doughy. I never knew that vegetarian pizza would taste so good! My only complaints are that the pizza was very oily (due to the olive oil - napkins to the rescue!), the garlic flavor was overempowering, and there weren't enough pine nuts! I only tasted about 3 pine nuts total while eating 2.5 slices. </div><div></div><div><br />I liked the openness of the restaurant; you can see the entire kitchen when you are ordering your pizza, so you get an idea of what they do. While we were nibbling on our pizza, a live local jazz band was playing in the dining area. Their music was awesome to hear, but since the dining area is small, it was pretty loud and I had trouble talking with my friends over the music. There were tables inside the restaurant and patio tables outside, but the seating is still not enough (see first picture). Some customers resort to sitting at the grassy center divide in the middle of the road.</div><div><br />A random note: Their restrooms are clean! Extra kudos!<br /></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>Overall, I have to give a thumbs up for making yummy vegetarian pizzas with fresh ingredients. I don't think I can look at other pizzas the same way again. We can really taste the difference. Heck, maybe I can be a temporary vegetarian with this!<br /></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>Check out their "Pizza of the Day" @ <a href="http://cheeseboardcollective.coop/index.html">http://cheeseboardcollective.coop/index.html</a>.</div></div></div>Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12349712907950930834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509394208351829034.post-35480752665807428982009-09-07T01:38:00.000-07:002009-09-07T20:38:29.241-07:00Eat REAL at Jack London Square<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9H-CPrtR1IRXxiXRC1IGcqpYvRwmXnOdaX3xSccrTM9VjR2Im9FXL4h_BZawDMIYK4wiERsu9vHgS9uwaMs1Gx2fyWKxU3qZKNB3DNmJDS6jYuMe-BjJeyWNNQTIvCJvVLZZjtV69i4Pt/s1600-h/DSC09502.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378934244969655010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9H-CPrtR1IRXxiXRC1IGcqpYvRwmXnOdaX3xSccrTM9VjR2Im9FXL4h_BZawDMIYK4wiERsu9vHgS9uwaMs1Gx2fyWKxU3qZKNB3DNmJDS6jYuMe-BjJeyWNNQTIvCJvVLZZjtV69i4Pt/s400/DSC09502.JPG" /></a>During the last weekend of August, I volunteered at the 2nd annual (or is it their 1st?) "Eat Real Festival" at Jack London Square (for details, check out eatrealfest.com). It was a very hot day (even though we were riight next to the water) with a huge turnout of people (70k+)! Under One Brick organization, I was assigned to work at the info/merchandise booth. I was a little bummed out because I signed up originally to help serve beer at the beer tasting truck area. The leaders e-mailed us last-minute saying that we'd be doing other things instead. Nonetheless, it turned out great! The booth I worked in had a canopy (cheers for shade), we got to choose 1 free "Eat Real Fest" t-shirt to advertise the $20 shirts, and I learned how to use a credit card machine! Plus, the volunteers I worked with were awesome people. We also sold picnic cloths with the state of California picture and plastic tote bags that twist into a small bag.<br /><br />At the fest, it was the first time I tried an iced coffee float. Now I've had root beer floats, 7up floats and coke floats... but this is an update. Almost like an upscale update for the grown-ups to enjoy.<br /><br />And I loved it! The coffee was very rich and unsweetened that rolls down in the right way with a bitter aftertaste, but then you taste the frothifying vanilla icecream that puts you afloat in sugarville. It made my day.<br /><br />The festival generated great business for vendors. The iced coffee float was in a small plastic cup and costed $4 (thank you my new friend who got it for me). But hey, it was so hot! Literally hot air was blowing in all directions, and the event was outside with barely any shade! So bring on the popsicles and icecream to semi-cool off!<br /><br />Moreover, there was a huge variety of street food available. It all smelled so wonderful! My friend and I got hooked up with free beer tickets to try out a beer (now I'm not a fan of beer, so I asked for a light beer), and I got one of the lagers. My only complaint is that it wasn't ice cold; ice cold beer would taste pretty sweet on a hot day. Many adults were holding these small beer glasses with the "Eat Real Fest" stamp on them (it costs $25 for 4 beer tickets and the complimentary glass).<br /><br />Of course, you can't drink beer without eating food (as alcohol tends to lower your blood sugar, even though it's 7 cal/gm...cruel isn't it?)! We walked around to check out the foods available, and I was pretty impressed with the variety available considering that none of the vendors cooked on-site. There were burgers, ribs, corn on the cob, pizza, hot links, Korean BBQ, falafels, cupcakes, goat icecream/froyo, creme brulee, gelato...and I'm sure a lot more than I can't name. And I don't forget Chipotle, as they gave us volunteers free burritos! They're awesome.<br /><br />If you live in the East Bay area and didn't get to check it out this year, be sure to check it out next year!Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12349712907950930834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509394208351829034.post-74195506505571839552009-08-15T17:57:00.000-07:002009-08-18T22:56:55.389-07:00Charlie & the Chocolate FactoryChocolate.<br /><br />Hershey's Kisses. M&M's. Ghiradelli. Godiva. Dove. Ferrero Rocher.<br /><br />Absolutely one of the yummiest candies in the world. Solid in room temperature, but melts into creamy goodness when tasted. Popular during holidays, especially Valentine's Day, when the boys give a heart shaped box of chocolates for the girls...at least for English-speaking countries. For some Asian countries (i.e. Japan, Korea), girls give chocolates to boys instead...and some girls even make their own chocolate to give! Last year on Valentine's Day, Cooking Club got together in an apartment lounge to make chocolate truffles, regular and oreo truffles. For my mother's birthday last year, I gave her white chocolate coated strawberries (our very favorite chocolate is white chocolate!). Chocolate is very delicate to deal with, because it's easy to burn! For an almost foolproof way to melt chocolate, I recommend using the double boiler method rather than the microwave.<br /><br />Unlike me, Willy Wonka is a genius when it comes to making chocolate. I watched the newest movie adpatation of "Charlie & the Chocolate Factory" starring Johnny Depp today. Now I've heard many friends say it's not as good as the original, and believe me, I read the book, but I really enjoyed this movie! It was a good modern take, and it made the plot more well-rounded by adding more background to Willy Wonka's personal life.<br /><br />One of my favorite parts in the movie was the chocolate river. As Willy Wonka claims, "There is no other factory in the world that mixes its chocolate by waterfall." The scenery in the Chocolate Room is very beautiful; I couldn't believe that everything in the room is edible! Willy Wonka was funny on this line (not the exact words): "Everything in this room is eatable. Even I am eatable, but that is called cannibalism, which is usually frowned upon in most customs." The ride on the pink seahorse boat seemed so fun! Who wouldn't want to splash around with chocolate, except for Mike Teavee who claims to hate it? Also, who wouldn't want to watch a Willy Wonka commercial on TV, and be able to physically take a chocolate bar out of the TV to taste it? And imagine the creative things that Willy Wonka came up with for candy, like endless gobbstoppers and a three course meal on a single gum piece. His passion for coming up with creative candies is truly expressed in this film.<br /><br />Apparently, a British theme park named Alton Towers opened a Willy Wonka boat attraction. As quoted from Wikipedia: "Guests travel around the chocolate factory in bright pink boats on a chocolate river. In the final stage of the ride, guests will enter one of two glass elevators where they will join Willy Wonka as they travel the factory, eventually shooting up and out through the glass roof." I would love to go on this ride! Here's the link: <a href="http://www.altontowers.com/theme-park/magic-young-fun/charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory/">http://www.altontowers.com/theme-park/magic-young-fun/charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory/</a><br /><br />Watching the movie made both my sister and I crave chocolate - we were eating and savoring it so much more than usual! Chocolate makes us happy. Go endorphins!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEM5gXZwO7IbXhb9SW8vhrm1OBpfayLZTJcjc-wwwerzZbCzxAK83gBVk4rwtC22oAoWUWXhaJWtlUbzA4Kj3bTe6rF2U4dcRXL6bJ2eSHFvOQ8BRBQrh02hKCGx3s0XzlrQZiuxFcc-WH/s1600-h/DSC09419.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371548310602814482" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEM5gXZwO7IbXhb9SW8vhrm1OBpfayLZTJcjc-wwwerzZbCzxAK83gBVk4rwtC22oAoWUWXhaJWtlUbzA4Kj3bTe6rF2U4dcRXL6bJ2eSHFvOQ8BRBQrh02hKCGx3s0XzlrQZiuxFcc-WH/s400/DSC09419.JPG" /></a>For a healthy chocolate snack, we decided to make chocolate dipped strawberries. I used two medium squares of Ghiradelli dark chocolate with 60% cacao for the dip. I microwaved them in a bowl for 1 minute on high, stopping halfway to stir. They turned out very delicious! Eating dark chocolate in moderation helps lower your "bad" LDL cholesterol to prevent heart disease, and eating strawberries, high in antioxidants and Vitamin C, fights cancer and boosts your immune system. What a sweet combination!</div><div><br />Wishing y<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7GNu-ZQMlCQgDJZoFf-0CgHyIyEaSqUrA5FL1a4LvauSQFKS3dWMvzZpXWhDi6Yq9TX5glzFlSppdp2QVOjLZRGFURcvwJUS3a0Gb8GUOsUIs1jVIPCPMZDIdcc7vpJ2O5Yci6NNaEc_n/s1600-h/DSC09423.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371548320941995874" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7GNu-ZQMlCQgDJZoFf-0CgHyIyEaSqUrA5FL1a4LvauSQFKS3dWMvzZpXWhDi6Yq9TX5glzFlSppdp2QVOjLZRGFURcvwJUS3a0Gb8GUOsUIs1jVIPCPMZDIdcc7vpJ2O5Yci6NNaEc_n/s400/DSC09423.JPG" /></a>ou happy chocolate days!</div>Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12349712907950930834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509394208351829034.post-15796468702301655232009-08-11T02:19:00.000-07:002010-02-14T09:51:27.128-08:00SF Chefs. Food. Wine. Urban BBQ<a href="http://www.sfchefsfoodwine.com/RockUnionSquare.aspx">http://www.sfchefsfoodwine.com/RockUnionSquare.aspx</a><br />
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One of my interests is attending free events for free stuff. I was privileged to volunteer for the Saturday evening event of the premier SF Chefs. Food. Wine. weekend that took place from Thursday, 8/6, to Sunday, 8/9, at Union Square of Downtown San Francisco. For $95, you get to sample urban/BBQ foods from over 25 chefs, as well as cocktails and wines. Hmm... yes, volunteering is a free ticket.<br />
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I chose to volunteer with the SF Bay Area chapter of OneBrick, a volunteer organization that lets you volunteer with no strings attached. I dressed business casual as they requested, but realized that I had to wear the event t-shirt over my top anyway. So much for business casual. I understand it though; they want to be able to differentiate the volunteers from attendees. I was intially assigned to the Guest Services booth, and I found two other volunteers at the booth when I showed up. Obviously, they had more than enough volunteers! Barely anyone stopped by for questions, except for "where is the bathroom?" I was switched over to passing out wine glasses at the entrance (the assigned volunteers were taking an hour break), so that was more productive. When the other volunteers came back, I decided to take my break! Since other volunteers were doing it, and only about 500 people attended the event (compared to the expected 800), I decided to sample some foods and cocktails myself!<br />
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<i>The following items are my favorites:</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9g-estEd5qZJmk6YZO5C12xOokPDz6y3mnowahbZ4T30rGLh9bA2Lb55UrTIiXMSmgSEi11bVXY_jnq3um65L4242DqErFQWIPBiCYH6rCTBlOzfg24JRpaSQnFnbLXX3rNpkEO0vp10L/s1600-h/DSC09388.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368889255889456210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9g-estEd5qZJmk6YZO5C12xOokPDz6y3mnowahbZ4T30rGLh9bA2Lb55UrTIiXMSmgSEi11bVXY_jnq3um65L4242DqErFQWIPBiCYH6rCTBlOzfg24JRpaSQnFnbLXX3rNpkEO0vp10L/s400/DSC09388.JPG" style="float: left; height: 300px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 400px;" /></a><b>"Pulled salmon" sandwiches with pico de gallo and spinach</b><br />
This booth served both pulled pork and pulled salmon sandwiches. The salmon sandwiches were awesome! It's easy to overcook salmon, but the salmon here wasn't dry or tough, but tender and juicy. It was served in some sort of mayonnaise, and the pico de gallo made it taste very fresh! This was my favorite sandwich.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1PfL-3gj2S1LvABKgt7W3jcenYKDIFy6UCPo9Nu3PnCeknbgmpmrjXR6Rh5kitiZ7u1BLL9sCaZnX3iNMJ0ur7-SVsO_l1sCpr0uwB1FYQhAEnEqV6y_RgxyhrD0glwuRBncI8npdmq0c/s1600-h/DSC09391.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368891396395865906" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1PfL-3gj2S1LvABKgt7W3jcenYKDIFy6UCPo9Nu3PnCeknbgmpmrjXR6Rh5kitiZ7u1BLL9sCaZnX3iNMJ0ur7-SVsO_l1sCpr0uwB1FYQhAEnEqV6y_RgxyhrD0glwuRBncI8npdmq0c/s400/DSC09391.JPG" style="float: right; height: 300px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 400px;" /></a><b>Sweet and tangy whipped cream dessert</b><br />
This was my favorite sweet dessert. It was a duo taste of sweet and tangy (maybe sour cream was used?) over a mini chocolate cake. It was sweet dessert heaven for me, because it was sweet enough but not too sweet (no instant cavities here)!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMYZucCvDrbCyvI81Iri9o7y8ELYP5rwQ0fV3VSlzJS7TslSxTrKOS0O_5Mlr_9upvAw7tG6Ph_DeJ2HlmPz0MNO4PbgbSVCMILrTbEo5h6jz8e4mqkSxfRtAOVhLaNp0-WKEzMByPK3Pl/s1600-h/DSC09395.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368892726664817378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMYZucCvDrbCyvI81Iri9o7y8ELYP5rwQ0fV3VSlzJS7TslSxTrKOS0O_5Mlr_9upvAw7tG6Ph_DeJ2HlmPz0MNO4PbgbSVCMILrTbEo5h6jz8e4mqkSxfRtAOVhLaNp0-WKEzMByPK3Pl/s400/DSC09395.JPG" style="float: left; height: 300px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 400px;" /></a><b>Sweet crab chowder with pesto oil</b><br />
This was my first time I tried crab chowder, and it was good. Unfortunately, the soup was a bit too salty for my taste (the flavors probably got stronger while sitting for awhile). Nonetheless, the crab was very tender and moist! The pesto oil added a touch of color to the usual frothy color of chowder. This was a good soup!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyjnsSFDQC-3j0_eqeDyjP1t6ay6tZvq2NnmcWpSrJqfM5pB17QspM4NO__FC45A7KhE_sEx9-7wpffn_iRr_OIhMJnNBZ5R_4OGa7qA6RmDqVdQFqW0g8PvGmCaA7eigVi9om8pH9HPGZ/s1600-h/DSC09398.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368894277787483122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyjnsSFDQC-3j0_eqeDyjP1t6ay6tZvq2NnmcWpSrJqfM5pB17QspM4NO__FC45A7KhE_sEx9-7wpffn_iRr_OIhMJnNBZ5R_4OGa7qA6RmDqVdQFqW0g8PvGmCaA7eigVi9om8pH9HPGZ/s400/DSC09398.JPG" style="float: right; height: 300px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 400px;" /></a><b>Pork ribs with a sweet honey-ginger sauce</b><br />
These were my favorite ribs, as they were literally fall-off-the-bone delectable goodness! Very moist, tender and juicy with a sweet and savory sauce. I'm glad that they served two ribs per plate, or else I would have went back to get another one.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyke1Tsbiy1CCM2XFy7tyUbmLUxfmtX8R9aLN_OxtREX6hCHoNlorjQUHMuJxab0Qd_9fOY9gOznU4uzy3NxhIU-ZdKZ1EvnkrSgqMmvc70_4XFcw5b_WawF680dIJVZ1XM7_gTunjgOUO/s1600-h/DSC09405.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368899884806191346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyke1Tsbiy1CCM2XFy7tyUbmLUxfmtX8R9aLN_OxtREX6hCHoNlorjQUHMuJxab0Qd_9fOY9gOznU4uzy3NxhIU-ZdKZ1EvnkrSgqMmvc70_4XFcw5b_WawF680dIJVZ1XM7_gTunjgOUO/s400/DSC09405.JPG" style="float: left; height: 300px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 400px;" /></a><b>Ahi tuna salad on fried wonton wrappers</b><br />
This was my favorite appetizer! I remember trying a layered ahi tuna salad on fried wanton wrappers as an appetizer at a restaurant in Honolulu called "Top of Waikiki." This reminded me of that. The ahi tuna was delicate, and instead of the wasabi taste I was expecting, it was sweet and savory! The tuna was mixed in with some Mexican ingredients, such as black beans and pico de gallo. Talk about Asian-Mexican fusion.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge-dOBmZMBGmK88VMnj_opklEZsbUcsgeyT04gjPnAAx5Fw8ICqI8wk_UvdnXFZlRsjoi6JFbwvncTm4198CvD7NGWKPJOdtrVJAbcnT2LFUNGiHGIrpegA0-0LXeNLF2j8ciXvn9gFVX3/s1600-h/DSC09399.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368902149624095682" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge-dOBmZMBGmK88VMnj_opklEZsbUcsgeyT04gjPnAAx5Fw8ICqI8wk_UvdnXFZlRsjoi6JFbwvncTm4198CvD7NGWKPJOdtrVJAbcnT2LFUNGiHGIrpegA0-0LXeNLF2j8ciXvn9gFVX3/s400/DSC09399.JPG" style="float: right; height: 300px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 400px;" /></a><b>Silver Moon Mojito Ice sorbet</b><br />
This tops everything I sampled. I have found a new reason to enjoy frozen desserts! This sorbet was minty and limey, and I loved how it just melts in your mouth! I savored every scoop of this dish, and I had to get seconds. I wonder what glaze they used above the sorbet; it was sweet like honey. Plus, the flower bowl is very cute!<br />
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And there you have it. I hope you enjoyed the pictures as much as I did taking them. I was so excited to try out so many yummy foods! My tastebuds are still tingling from the bold flavors!<br />
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Happy good eats to everyone during the summer!Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12349712907950930834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509394208351829034.post-20497376259034736272009-08-07T20:20:00.000-07:002010-03-05T15:50:34.368-08:00"Julie & Julia" in theatres today<a href="http://images.starpulse.com/Photos/Previews/Julie-Julia-movie-01.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://images.starpulse.com/Photos/Previews/Julie-Julia-movie-01.jpg" style="float: left; height: 313px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 470px;" /></a> I looked forward to watching "Julie & Julia" with my friends today at our movie theatre's first showtime at 10:40. While we were getting tickets, other people around us kept saying "ticket for 'Julie & Julia,'" so I rushed my friends in the room for fear that it might get full. Surprisingly, it was far from it, but maybe it's because it was early in the morning. We were surrounded mostly by older white ladies, har har.<br />
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<b>ATTN: Spoilers ahead! You have been warned.</b><br />
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Due to great expectations (don't we all have 'em when we're looking forward to a certain movie), I would have liked more cooking action and food, especially coming from Julia Child's side of the story, but I understand that the movie wanted to emphasize how their love for good food and cooking helped them start and carry through what they wanted to do in their lives. The first significant meal she eats in a French restaurant is Sole Meuniere<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span></span> - you could see the way the chef browned it in butter and how she ate it! She savored it immensely and made her husband, Paul, try it right away! My friend told me to eat before watching this movie, but my appetite couldn't help it! That was the best dish in the movie for me - it just sets the movie on how much Julia loves and appreciates food!<br />
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It was funny how when Paul asked Julia, "What is it that you really like to do?" and she proudly stated with no hesitation, "Eat!" And she laughed right afterwards. It was great to watch how she took the guts to attend Le Cordon Bleu advanced training with all men (the onion tower she made while practicing how to cut onions was so cute), and despite some trouble with getting started on her cookbook, finally got the interest of an American publisher in the end. Through it all, she held her head up high through the support of her husband and good friends, and she wasn't afraid to start all over again for the good number of times she had to rewrite the cookbook.<br />
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This movie is very inspirational to food enthusiasts and cooks. I hope to be able to try out some recipes from Julia sometime! I plan on reading Julie Powell's Julie/Julia Project book soon.<br />
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Bon appétit!<br />
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For anyone interested in checking out the blog that started Julie Powell's story, here's the link: <a href="http://blogs.salon.com/0001399/2002/08/25.html">http://blogs.salon.com/0001399/2002/08/25.html</a><br />
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See a recipe on Sole Meuniere: <a href="http://cookinginpajamas.onsugar.com/Sole-Meuniere-3706612">http://cookinginpajamas.onsugar.com/Sole-Meuniere-3706612 </a>Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12349712907950930834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509394208351829034.post-82390458576677851702009-08-05T14:57:00.000-07:002009-08-05T14:58:39.692-07:00Welcome<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz6Qcg98C-a7I8yiH9lycaWqNbAWhkuoH57S285KGo8ROfAnmc0kJlYHQLApmyYh3D2fDZocFkzV44Ut2_z7W-1xD9qYyuDs6Kh5EoRBmmRokhvdREOf_-KuqRyLgqun2a5WdTFxhgjR3f/s1600-h/christy.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331723435368018802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz6Qcg98C-a7I8yiH9lycaWqNbAWhkuoH57S285KGo8ROfAnmc0kJlYHQLApmyYh3D2fDZocFkzV44Ut2_z7W-1xD9qYyuDs6Kh5EoRBmmRokhvdREOf_-KuqRyLgqun2a5WdTFxhgjR3f/s320/christy.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Good day fellow bloggers and readers:</span><br /><br />Welcome to my foodie blog!<br /><br /><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic"></span><em>Ideas for blogging:</em><br />- recipe testing<br />- specialty dishes from home<br />- foodie movie reviews<br />- the best food of the 4 seasons<br />- holiday-themed meals<br />- restaurant reviews/happy hour specials<br />- foodie heaven vacation hot spots<br />- foodie game reviews<br /><br /><br />My mother have told me that I have developed a good sense of taste since I was 4, when she accidentally gave me spicy curry squid at a dim sum restaurant...and I liked it. While growing up, my parents took me and my sister to many Chinese restaurants for yum cha and dinners, whether it be for a family member's birthday or just because. My parents also took us to vacations where we got to enjoy the specialities of other places, such as fresh lobster in Boston and yummy buffets in Reno and Las Vegas. Moreover, my mother enjoys bringing me along to sample other ethnic cuisines at different restaurants, as she knows that I'm willing to try just about everything on my plate.<br /><br />For the majority of my childhood, my house was home to more than just my family - my grandma, then grandpa, then two aunts all on my mother's side. My grandma is a great cook, so none of the others needed to cook dinner. As my mother and her two sisters didn't need to learn how to cook while they were growing up, my sister and I didn't need to either. In fact, my parents strongly discouraged us from cooking, dishwashing, and other chores. They didn't want us to accidentally hurt ourselves in the kitchen, and like typical Asian parents, wanted us to focus in getting good grades at school.<br /><br />Unfortunately, my mother's family eventually left to their own homes in a nearby city. My parents were left alone to cook. The first couple years were definitely not easy, but my mother consulted with my grandma on how to make soups and certain dishes. It also helped that my mother developed a strong food background, as she learned how Chinese food was made by waitressing in many Chinese restaurants around the Bay Area and she learned how American food was made by working in a Safeway deli. Soon, both of my parents learned how to cook and came out with their own signature dishes.<br /><br />Soon enough, it was time for me to go to college at UC Davis. For the first time, I was away from the homemade meals and ate meals at the nearby dining commons. Moving into my apartment the following year, I realized that I didn't know how to cook to feed myself. Sure, I can make simple things - but could I cook well enough to survive? Thankfully, my mother helped me out by packing up some dishes for me to bring back to my apartment. However, I felt that there was a need for me to learn how to cook as a survival skill. At the end of my freshman year, I researched the student clubs and found my answer: Cooking Club. Perfect! I e-mailed the contactperson about the club details...only to learn that the past president and members already graduated and if I was interested, I could start it over. Me? I don't have any past presidential experience. I messaged everyone in the Facebook group to see if anyone was interested in reviving the club with me, and only received one enthusiastic response. With the encouragement of some friends, I was able to turn in the paperwork to start the club during my junior year.<br /><br />I really enjoyed the challenge of setting a new foundation for the club. The previous club members didn't leave any account or anything to help us, so it was starting a club from scratch. With our limited budget, we were able to pull off food demos, potlucks, recipe exchange, bbqs, a campfire, and an Iron Chef competition. One of my successes was bringing Martin Yan from "Yan Can Cook" to our bake sale table on Picnic Day 2008, where he wrote "Yan Can Cook, so can you" on our "Cooking Club" banner. We were part of a video he was filming for some future pilot. He gave more spirit to my club members, so I am very thankful for that.<br /><br />The club encouraged me to experiment in cooking, such as doing some pasta dishes for the club and some cakes for my family. I hope to continue my cooking and food experiences post-graduation, and this foodie blog will document my new food adventures.Chilihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12349712907950930834noreply@blogger.com1