Hong Kong Style Chee Cheong Fun, really really fresh
A clean kitchen towel is placed on the steamer. A thin rice batter is poured on the towel and ingredients laid on top. In this case, shrimp. A cover is placed and the noodle sheet is steamed for a minute or so.
On a different station, oil is first applied on the pan. The kitchen towel is laid rice noodle sheet side down and a spatula is used to loosen the towel. The towel is then picked up by hand. leaving the noodle on the pan. The noodle is rolled up and cut up.
Busy duo from Chee Cheong Fun noodle stall at Pek Kio Market
Plain noodles with sprinkled sesame seeds, a rich broth with five spice flavor, a tea spoon of red pepper the side.
Minced pork noodles.
Carrot Cake at Pek Kio Market
There is no carrot in this carrot cake (Chai tao kway). No sweet either. Daikon radish cakes (Luo Bo Gao) are chopped up and fried with “Good Spice” flavors, eggs, scallion and soy sauce. The fried cakes get chewy and the eggs are soft. Perfect anytime food.
Good Spice Carrot Cake Shop
Chef and co-owner. During the total of 30 minutes I saw him on three different mornings, he never stopped moving his spatula.
Thick Indonesian style soy sauce is added at the end to lend sweetness and umami flavor.
Homemade pomegranate seeds
Dried pomegranate seeds are excellent in salads or in soups or savory pancakes where the crunch from the seed or the sourness can be pleasing. The seeds can also be crushed and added to dishes to lend sourness.
On the right, in the picture above, are store bought seeds. They are sour but don’t have a whole lot of taste. The one on the left of the picture are dried at home in a food dryer per recommendation. It took what seemed like forever but the result is gorgeous. The seeds retain the lovely pomegranate color and are intensely flavorful. The seeds are crunchier as well and perhaps not as sour as the store bought variety.
I think I am going to additionally try my seeds as toppings on ice cream and homemade bars.
Mamey, another tropical fruit
Pouteria sapota, mamey sapote, is native to Central America, naturally ranging from southern Mexico to southern Costa Rica.
Wait for the fruit to get slightly soft to touch. Cut open, get rid of the fat black seed, scoop the flesh out an eat. In taste, this is like the chikoo fruit in India, but somewhat fibrous. These fruits are very expensive in Bay Area but if I get it again, I will try milkshake, which is apparently a Cuban favorite.
Prickly Pear jelly
These are from Mexico, and pretty expensive at the local market. On the plus side, they are cleaned of the larger prickly thorns.
To eat, cut open and scoop out the flesh and eat. The color can vary, deep orange, purple or watermelon and matches the color of the fruit on the outside. Flesh is not too sweet, is subtly flavored and juicy. There are lots of small seeds that make for a nice texture – mouthfeel is like eating raspberries.
A dear neighbor recently gave us a large pail of prickly pear. He has the deep orange variety. These of course had the thorns unlike the ones from the store. I held each fruit using a tong, gave it a quick rinse in the kitchen basin to get rid of cobwebs and spiders, cut the fruit in half with a sharp knife on a cutting board, scooped the flesh out with a butter spoon and dumped the rest in my compost bin – assembly line style. I got about 6 cups from ~20 fruits.
I cooked the resulting flesh for about 45 minutes to release the juices, added a cinnamon stick at the end and let cool. Strained the resulting mass through a steel strainer to get rid of the seeds – if you just let the liquid drip, you will get a clearer jel but I let the pulp through. Finally, followed a low sugar jelly following instructions on Pomona pectin package for strawberries.
Made exactly 3 mason jars worth of jelly. Two of these will go to my neighbor who has a lot of grandchildren to share fruits of his labor with.
Enjoy with some plain yogurt.
Pineapple guava, a tropical fruit
Pineapple guava at my local market, Sigona.
Small fruits, smaller than your typical guava.
These are pineapple guavas from my tree. To eat, wait until they are a little soft to touch. They will continue to look green.
Although edible, the outside part is too tart to be fun. Inside is soft and sweet and a blast of flavor. When ripe, the inside portion starts to look translucent. I scoop the insides out using a spoon. Right now, the fruits are ripening and they fall from the tree making a nice “tup” sound on the patio wood.
These are the flowers of pineapple guava tree. Now that I am catching the tree in spring bloom, I see the squirrels wreak a havoc on these flowers. Hopefully the tree will end up with sufficient fruits this summer.
Same to same?
Several meat and lentil dishes served together on an injira, a fermented and steamed crepe. Fundamental flavors are surprisingly similar to Indian food – just imagine this served thali style. Overall tastes were sufficiently different to make it interesting.
Also served with injira on the side. Injira can potentially be made with teff alone but these at Asmara had wheat (gluten) in them. Sigh! Taste and texture wise, these are perfect to mop up curries. I like the fact that they hold up well at room temperature. I am on a quest to replicate these …
If you are going towards Asmara in Temescal, consider checking out Doughnut Dolly nearby. They do run out of doughtnuts and close shop – so adjust your expectations accordingly.
Richmond night market, taste of Asia in the middle of Vancouver
I thought I had stepped into one of the markets of Hong Kong. But it was the Richmond Night Market of Vancouver. A garish night market selling cheap trinkets. Skill-free Karaoke accompanied skillful food making displays.
Once you are out of the Bridgeport train station, the urban scene changed rapidly. We walked through dirt roads, guided by city traffic police and bright night lights to get to waterside barren ground where the market was setup. The long queue moved fast, tickets were cheap and then we were surrounded with deluge of trinkets – electronic junk, cute socks, Japanese swords, lenses to change your eye color… At bazaars like these, food is always the most fascinating part. Most of the food was some form of grilled or fried food – fried stinky tofu, fried calamari, grilled chicken, grilled shrimps, fried noodles… There were some curious food making on display like bubble waffles and fish shaped waffles. And then there were some fairly complex food being made like meat balls being formed with chopsticks.
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Lemonade, Vancouver’s gluten free bakery
Chocolate and cherry brioche from Lemonade.
On our recent trip to Vancouver, we happened to book an AirBnB home within a few blocks of Lemonade. Not only did this result in devouring of these gluten free chocolate and cherry brioches, we also had our only real tasting sandwich in over an year. Their gluten free bread comes close to real white bread in texture.
Saltwater and champagne by the bay
Saltwater happened to be located right opposite our cottage. We started our outdoor dinner with the raw deal where we were served the same variety of oysters raised in different waters – indeed they tasted different.
Salmon tartare
Smoked tuna with a celery, pine nut, berries and tangy creamy sauce
Back at our cottage to share a bottle of champagne.
Marin and its happy cows
Cowgirl is a great place to pick up local cheeses – some of them are such limited production and they don’t even make it to their Ferry Building location in San Francisco.
Their cheeses are made with milk from happy Jersey organic cows from John Taverna’s dairy, located in Chileno Valley in Marin County. On this trip, we tried a couple new ones:
- Inverness: Cowgirl describes this as full flavored, tangy lactic curd with a dense, creamy mouth feel. This is aged for two weeks to create a delicate version of St Marcellin style cheese.
- St Pat: This is cowgirl’s spring seasonal cheese. This creamy semi-firm cheese is wrapped with nettle leaves that grow wild in Marin. Cowgirl describes this as mellow, soft, and full of smoky artichoke flavor.
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Meandering about Abbotts Lagoon trail
This photo is from the Point Reyes lighthouse and if one kept walking on this beach in a straight line, one would reach Abbotts Lagoon. Attempt this crazy route only if you are equipped with heavy woolens on a summer afternoon.
Some kids were being kids while their parents had beached themselves nearby.
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Drakes Bay Oyster Shack
In Bay Area, oyster on the half shell is usually $3 per piece. I am convinced that Oysters are calorie free food particularly when not accompanied by champagne. Hence, if it weren’t for the price, I think I would eat them by the dozens every day. Drakes Bay Oyster Shack is where you can get your oyster fix for half the price. They have been farming 4 generations at Point Reyes but we don’t know how long they will be allowed to continue. While they are, one hopes will continue to serve big fat plump oysters by the dozen. We landed up here towards the end of the day so all they had left were oysters doused in Bloody Mary mix – what a lovely start to the evening!
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Marin Sun Farms
One can presumably spot myriad wild life at Point Reyes National Seashore but what we saw most were happy cows. I can only assume they are happy – rolling grasslands and other fellow cows as far as eyes can see. Occasional hikers and cold breeze can perhaps be considered the only hardship they endure.
Marin sun farms in a family owned pasture to fork farm with the restaurant right on Highway 1 at Point Reyes Station. Sea air and good hikes can easily prepare you for their fat and juicy steaks. Be prepared to wait an hour for your food, even if you are ordering just a burger, but the wait is well worth it.
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A brief sojourn at Inverness
 Cottage on the beach. Skylights and large windows dissolve the barrier between inside and outside. |
 If we had a kayak, we could launch from our doorstep. Blue Waters Kayaking were a mile away. |
 Put your feet up and stare the flecks of gold blow across the blue sky. |
 Watching the changes in sun, breeze, tide and sounds, you really feel moored like this old boat. |
 Early in the morning, sitting on the patio, drinking tea and looking out at the sun sparkling on the Bay. |
 Lazing out on the deck, body and soul disappears into the surrounding. |
Gluten free puri-aloo
Buckwheat puri with aloo and yogurt raita
This dish is a different spin on peethi-ki-puri but is equally delicious and completely gluten free.
To make buckwheat puri, combine 1 cup of buckwhat flour with 1 tsp salt and 1 Tbsp mango powder. Add enough water and knead lightly until dough forms. Buckwheat doesn’t have gluten, so the dough will not have much elasticity. Divide into 10-12 dough balls, roll them flat gently with a little rice or buckwheat flour and deep fry one at a time in 350 degree oil.
Enjoy with your favorite potato (aloo) curry and salted yogurt or raita. And follow it up with a nice long hike to work off all those delicious carbs. Here are some photos from top of windy hill summit this weekend.
 Skyline Blvd, facing south-west ward and looking down. |
 Looking east, you can see the salt ponds and Bay. |
 Looking north-west. |
 Facing south-west. |
Here is to mother’s day!
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Above is post-lunch drink. Chill the fluids – Blanton’s bourbon and Fever tree ginger ale. Combine half a bottle of ginger ale, gingerly, with an ounce of chilled bourbon. Sit back and enjoy this slightly sweet, slightly gingery, slightly heady cocktail.
Lunch was a gluten free but otherwise a very Indian meal, something any mom would be proud to serve to her brood – buckwheat fritters with potato curry and raita. Sorry no photos – food disappeared before I had a chance to wipe oil off my fingers!
Make a potato curry. If you have a pet recipe, go with it. What you are looking for are curried potatoes with lots of light gravy, not the dry kind. Make a raita – for this meal, plain yogurt with a good dose of black salt is perfect.
To make the buckwheat batter, to 1 cup of buckwheat flour, add a teaspoon of salt, tablespoon of mango powder and 1 tsp of dried pomegranate seeds. Mix, add one cup water and stir until smooth batter forms. Buckwheat and sour flavor are brilliant together, so don’t skimp on the mango powder. This can be made up to a few days ahead. Preferably let the batter sit overnight.
Bring 2 or more cups of oil to about 350F in your favorite deep frying vessel. I am loving rice bran oil. Any high temperature oil is fine. Keep a paper towel lined cookie sheet in 250 degree oven. This is to keep the fritters warm while they are made in batches. Drop a tablespoon of batter at time in the hot oil. Fry unti the bubbles minimize. Transfer to cookie sheet. Depending on the size of your frying vessel, you may be able to make up to 6 fritters per batch.
Ideally you want to serve the fritters as soon as they are cooked. But you can indeed keep the fritters warm in the meantime. Serve fritters with potato curry and raita for a not run-of-the-mill meal.
San Diego Food Highlights
This warm winter in San Francisco Bay Area with its little to no rain is reminding me of San Diego. In particular, a crafts beer shop and a taco truck, both near my then home in San Diego. The beer shop is Bottlecraft beer, located in Little Italy neighborhood of San Diego downtown. They hold flights of beer and here is where I tasted my first sour beer. The taco truck is Mariscos Alex, a San Diego fixture.
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Soufflés at Cafe Jacqueline
Special of the day – Oyster and spinach soufflé with gruyère cheese. Fresh lemon slices were placed on our plate and the hot soufflé served on top. The heat released the lemon flavor which permeated each serving.
Strawberry soufflé… Last time we had strawberry soufflé this good was 10 years ago at Cafe Jacqueline. I wish they made small soufflés and then one could really try em’ all.
Cafe Jacqueline in San Francisco North Beach area is a romantic little restaurant. But ideally, you want to go with some friends so you can sample the best of the lot. If I could eat more, I would have loved to try her French onion soup as well as her Grand marnier soufflé.
A memory from the vault
Watched an episode of Portlandia yesterday. Missed our friend who now calls Portland his home. Browsed through some old photographs of a memorable trip to Portland, and found these …
…a cup of coffee at Stumptown.
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…a macaron at Pix.
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…a glass or was it two of delicious beer at old Lampoc.
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Remembering each day in Barcelona
A different way to celebrate food each day. Go on, click on the photos one by one and enjoy the vicarious ride.
 Day 1: Bait fry, first meal |
 Day 2: Found the perfect cocktail |
 Day 3: What a ham! |
 Day 4: A dessert that may well worth be dying for |
 Day 5: And the machu-picchu flight takes off… |
 Day 6: The famous Spanish tortilla |
 Day 7: Seafood paella by the sea |
 Day 8: A local pub |
 Day 9: An icecream in Girona |
 Day 10: A sweet eggplant |
 Day 11: Carme’s childhood memories |
 Day 12: A tale of two sticks |
 Day 13: Street food at farmer’s market |
Rattlesnake sausage, you say!
Rattlesnake+rabbit sausage and a cajun sausage, served with smoked beans and salad – Rosamunde Grill.
Really, rattlesnake and rabbit! Do rattlesnakes eat rabbit?
Gajalee, Indian coastal cuisine in San Francisco
 Machi fry – catch of the day, coated in semolina and deep fried. Served with sambaar, a south Indian daal and yogurt raita. The semolina has a coarse corn grit like texture and offers an additional layer of crunch. |
 Tisyra Masala – Half shell mussels cooked with spices, onion, and grated coconut. For those of you who can close your eyes and imagine a coastal Indian town, this dish can transport you there. Watch out for broken clam shells. |
A perfect dessert at Range
Hazelnut millet génoise with cardamom mousseline, huckleberry compote and popped millet brittle.
For dinner we had couple of fish dishes that were unapologetic in their subtle and non-fussy conception and closer to Catalan style cooking than Californian. One, an olive oil poached cod, was extraordinary. Cocktails were definitely designed for a younger audience in mind – smooth and sweet. L’Ascensor….sigh!
Our dinner at Commonwealth on the other hand was so disappointing that we came back to Range for a repeat of the hazelnut cardamom génoise.
Chocolate and Coffee at Dandelion
Absolutely the best chocolate I have had so far…
There is XoX for the times when you want something romantic and there is Valrhona when you want a bite of something perfect knowing that it won’t disappoint. But Dandelion’s chocolate is for the moments when you to mix the two. In taste, it is like an intense Tcho, in texture it is like Valrhona, and after a bite, it makes you feel pampered like XoX. In the past, irrespective of where I wandered in the chocolate land, I always came back to Valrhona but now I am not so sure. Coffee at D is Four Barrel but if you are bringing Maya Mountain home, then try with Chromatic’s keynote.
Locomotoring 