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C is for...cooking
Thursday, 30 June 2005
tuk tuk thai & le cheval
haha not as fancy as it sounds...

soo tuk tuk thai we went to cuz it was late-ish & it's open til 1 am...

we ordered green curry w/ chicken & some basil-y beef dish & bbq pork

the green curry was not reccommended
all the ingredients were cooked & then stuck in a sauce of curry..none of the flavors were in the veggies or chicken & pierre said the chicken was "rubbery"

the basil beef thing was pretty yummy but it was pretty regular too...it could've been gotten anywhere

the bbq pork was really good...a bit fatty but it was worth it...i tasted cumin...it was good & it almost redeemed the meal...

but of course eating pierre is always fun so i wasn't too picky about the food at the time


yesterday we went to le cheval...i love going there...everytime i go i'm reminded..they're so nice & it's so reasonably priced...


at night we went to tgi's sushi for aiball's bday for sake bombing..it was fun...the girl next to me ordered food food & it looked yum...the portion was huge...maybe i'll go back for food...but pierre says he needs to take me to this other place for sushi first...i also never realized that ryowa ramen was right there!...it was right across the street...i've heard some good things about them...maybe that will go on my list too...we'll see

Posted by blog/c_is_for at 9:33 PM EDT
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random
hmm no work today so i spent most of the day running random errands...

i was nice & i took pierre's guitar that i'm supposed to be practicing on & got the strings changed...i felt like the only girl in an adult video store or something...everyone was ranting about who was a shitty guitar player & who was hot & a slight hush as the girl trespassed into their territory...it was kinda amusing & i definitely got random comments while walking there...i guess it would've been flattering if i actually played :P

then..while waiting i got bored so i went to my secret kitchen supply source (teehee) don't worry it's not in an alleyway...pierre "complained" that i didn't have a normal pot & i guess i've always wanted one i just didn't want to buy a crappy one...so i finally splurged on a calphalon one...it's weird how i have a few hundred dollars worth of nice knives & not a single good pot or pan...soooo yea...& then as i was about the check out i saw on the top shelf a bunch of pepper mills...while in line for giada i tried out just about the whole shelf of mills & i found my favorites & that brand was there it was the only one! i was so excited i had to have it....(my old one broke..cuz i bought a cheap one)...so i splurged more but it was so worth it...it works soo well it's incredible...love it...

as i walked home i saw an asian couple in front of me speaking i think korean...they were holding hands & swinging it between them...the girl was a thin thin stick & she was pretty trendy...i didn't see their faces at all i was too busy working my biceps with all the things i was carrying

& i was thinking (cuz i'll admit it i am somewhat intimidated by though thin asian girls i will never be nor want to be) if pierre had to choose between a girl like that or a girl chugging along w/ a guitar in one hand & a 8 qt stock pot & pepper mill in the other he had better choose the latter haha

it was a truly dorky internal conversation:P

but what can i say...i'm a dork

Posted by blog/c_is_for at 9:09 PM EDT
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Wednesday, 29 June 2005
giada & brownie perfection
went w/ chanda today to meet giada de laurentiis at sur la table...

she was probably the most down to earth of all the food network people i've met (jamie oliver & rachael ray)...she was so genuinely nice & happy that we were her fans...

i really like her now...

then we went to bread workshop to get sandwiches & after figuring out what we wanted (w/ the cashier staring) he told us sandwiches were only til 3pm what a butt chanda even said "why didn't you tell us" haha...they have pretty gourmety sandwiches & of course they make their own bread...we both bought a sweet baguette & chanda bought a cheese twist & i a valhorna brownie...all the desserts looks fab...peach tart & even the vanilla cupcake was decorated w/ fresh berries & such...

the cheese twist was addictive...i tried the baguette at home..it was almost sourdough-y..but it's also no acme...or semifreddi's for that matter...but i guess i will have to try the others to fully say that..they had an olive one & gruyere one etc...

but gawd the brownie...
i mainly bought it cuz it was made with valhorna chocolate

but it was possibly the best brownie i've had in my life...

it was topped w/ walnuts & i think butterscotch chips? very sparingly which added just the needed diversion from chocolate cuz it was a deep deep chocolate but it wasn't dense like you'd imagine...it was incredibly soft & moist & light...

perfection

Posted by blog/c_is_for at 12:20 AM EDT
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Monday, 27 June 2005
eating out
ok...i haven't been cooking so much recently but i guess i have to update you on my eating out...

let's see

thursday ellen came up to visit & there were a lot of pasta shows in food network heehee so i dragged her & chanda to pheonix next door

it was really really good...i would definitely go back...especially for the price..i'd rather spend a few extra dollars for that organic & fresh & gourmet quality over gyspy's

chanda got what i was gonna get originally...

duck confit w/ porcini pasta & broccoli rabe

ellen got a lemon meyer pasta w/ peppers..i can't remember the details for most of them haha

& i know i got a lamb but i can't even remember the pasta...i think it was some herb...& it was a bolongese style sauce...

everything was super tasty

they had cheeseboard baguette as the bread

(keep in mind pheonix pasifisco makes fresh pasta & they are used by most of the top restaurants in the area including rivoli & i think citron?..the owner is also the founder of semifreddi's..)

& then we bought chocolate chip cookies, almond macaroons, & chocolate pecan chewies at pheonix pasifisco

tried more olive oil at stonehouse:)
cept they have gift boxes now! chanda & i were kinda mad but it's ok i guess overall we got a better deal...& i'm sure i will be able to use it up...

later in the day ellen wanted to go to gelateria naia it took forever to choose flavors as usual i got canary melon & peanut..good stuff

hmm what else..

only thing i can remember at the moment is chanda, aaron, pierre, & my trip to farmer's market sat for lunch

pierre said he was hungry so we got an excessively large amount of food haha

satay from the thai stand & 2 taquitos & a tamale plate from the vegan mexican stand & a masala dosa from the indian stand...the one w/ plantains wasn't ehre this sat i was sad for like a millisec

everything was yummy...i think i agree with pierre though i'm a big fan of that mexican place

when we walked about...got a stewart's key lime soda from andronico's it's yum

& i bought a raspberry scone from cheeseboard...

i like cheeseboard scones cuz they're more cakey than crumbly which i don't like....

plus they have special weekend ones so yea

oh yea quote from chanda:

"pb & j & beer is like your guys' comfort food now"

Posted by blog/c_is_for at 3:40 PM EDT
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Monday, 20 June 2005
satay, appleslaw, & overeating!
korean bbq(koryo on telegraph)

we ordered a lot of stuff...bi bim bob (this rice & vegetable & meat or seafood mixture topped with an egg in a stone pot) & gal bee(?) short ribs & pan fried mackeral...

the mackeral was a tab bit too salty but it was still yum & i always love those many many little dishes that come along with the meal (different kinds of kim chee & such) the short ribs were a bit tough for my tastes but still good & the bi bim bob was excellent...i love those crunchies that form against the stone pot:) it was my first time having it...good stuff


bbq

there was so much food
pierre & i made appleslaw & chicken satay w/ peanut sauce...i think the peanut sauce was a bit hit (pierre was right) people were spooning it onto everything...the chili paste was a bit overpowering making it not what i'm used to peanut sauce wise but it was good esp w/ the satay...the slaw was not as good as i remembered but maybe cuz i used yogurt instead of mayo so it was basically fat free...karen's slaw was better...

there was everything...peach crumbles & blueberry tarts & salmon & oysters & steak & fatty burgers & sausages & roasted corn & orzo & beets & chicken mango salad & kabobs & tofu etc etc etc...

& of course the smores...yum! i was stuffed

it was all so good

it made me REALLLY want a charcoal grill or at least that stovetop one i've wanted forever:P ah well

afterwards we went to mitchell's (pierre used to work there haha) so i got what he got cuz i figure he knows where it's at...we both got cookie sandwiches w/ strawberries & cream ice cream...it was pretty darn good...

i had a huge belly at the end of the night...







karen's slaw




satay

dim sum

we went to dynasty this newish place in vallco...it's pretty nice & gawd they must make so much money..it was crowded & huge & the wait was carry like a good 6 inches worth of checks at one point...

the food was really nice & clean...clean place & flavors...

we had things like scallop "siu mai" & mango shrmip rolls & this dumpling in soup w/ shark fin...it was all pretty luxurious....

everything tasted yum

we had lee's for dinner & a coconuty drink thing from tung kee...lee's is pretty good but still not as good as this other place my mom & her friend obsess about..plus it's more expensive than that place...but still cheap for food so yea...i like how they're longer in shape...it's cute...

oh yea the plums from the yard i picked were heavenly...as usual...i used to say they were like drops of honey wrapped in a shiny skin

anywoo that is all

Posted by blog/c_is_for at 2:33 PM EDT
Updated: Tuesday, 21 June 2005 2:17 AM EDT
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Thursday, 16 June 2005
Foods To Do List
this is another list i wanted to make...

i just read my old list from 6/9/04 & i have done some of those already w/out realizing which is nice (pizza from scratch & spaghetti sauce) but i also don't care to make some of those things anymore...so we'll start over...

1. mole sauce
2. jalapeno poppers
3. pecan/macadamia nut pie
4. chicken satay w/ peanut sauce (made 6/18/05)
5. mexican rice (made 7/05)
6. fresh pasta
7. roasted chicken
8. chicken stock
9. bbq ribs
10. lemon meringue pie
11. baked alaskan
12. macaroons
13. chocolate lava cake
14. fried risotto balls stuffed w/ mozzarella (forget their name)
15. orange chicken (from cook's illustrated)
16. stuffed pork chops (from cook's)
17. oatmeal cookies (made 7/05)
18. green salsa/tomatillo sauce
19. a really GOOD chicken tikka masala...(indian restaurant style)
20. apple crostada
21. eggplant parmesan
22. chili
23. really good cornbread
24. stuffed shells (made 8/05 stuffed w/ spinach & tofu)
25. tiramisu
26. fondue
27. something with fresh artichokes

that's it for now (wow so many of them are mexican related:P)

Posted by blog/c_is_for at 2:41 PM EDT
Updated: Monday, 5 September 2005 11:30 PM EDT
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Wednesday, 15 June 2005
italian night
before i go into dinner last night i have to announce that i'm incredibly sad at this moment in time

i wanted to buy this le creuset set it was hella cheap

i saw it last night & i debated & then i decided to get it but i have work today..i checked on it & it was there but literally just a few minutes ago it was gone...i'm guessing sold out & now i'm super sad

i told diana i haven't wanted something so badly since my knife...:(

now i want to cry


anyways...onto reality

i made chicken parmesan w/ roasted eggplant & spaghetti w/ roasted red & yellow bell pepper marinara & garlic bread

the spaghetti was half of the box leftover from the last time we had pasta & the sauce too...

just coated chicken w/ egg whites & seasoned breadcrumbs..pan-fried & then baked off in the oven w/ mozzarella...normally you spoon on the sauce when you bake it off but ididn't want it to get soggy during the wait soo i spooned it on afterwards

eggplants i just drizzled w/ olive oil & seasonings & baked in a 425 degree oven...

the eggplants were sort of bitter..i know it was cuz of the seeds but i couldn't really do anything about it...felt kinda bad but yea

the chicken was good & the spaghetti too

oh & the garlic bread...softened butter...fresh thyme & garlic & seasonings & parmesan cheese & smeared it on sliced ciabatta baked it off

it was a pretty simple meal...

chicken parmesan is one of the simplest chicken dishes to make believe it or not...

last time my students & i made it in under 30 minutes
(that meal was with roasted asparagus, angel hair w/ marinara & chicken parmesan)

technically you should be adding parmesan cheese into the breadcrumbs to coat the chicken but we didn't do that to cut down the fat..plus the mozzarella is plenty of flavor...but parmesan is a hard cheese so it's not taht much fat for the amount of flavor it gives...so it's up to you...

anyways i'm kinda rambling because i'm sad about my le crueset

how come i always miss out!! :( my kitchen aid mixer too....

ANYWAYS

we finished off the meal with trader joe's charlotte berry torte which pierre had brought over before

good stuff

oh yea & we had the meal w/ ligonberry apple "sparkling juice beverage" aka cider over which pierre & i pondered why it even had the word beverage at the end cuz isn't juice a beverage?

ah well

Posted by blog/c_is_for at 4:05 PM EDT
Updated: Wednesday, 15 June 2005 4:14 PM EDT
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Thursday, 9 June 2005
fourth street
chanda & i went to find stonehouse oil today...after 3 times of the railroad thing coming down for no reason we found out it moved to fourth street:P

sooo we went to fourth street & i bought a persian lime & a blood orange olive oil & white balsamic vinegar...they were all so good...chanda got garlic, blood orange, & 2 white balsamics...

i've never splurged so much on just olive oil! haha

their silver medal blend (aka regular..it's a blend of 5 olives) was really really good...i kinda wanted that but i guess it's not necessary to cook w/ oil THAT nice...

Stonehouse Olive Oil

then we went to explore...first to the pasta shop...it's the coolest store!...i thought it was literally just pasta but there was sooo much stuff...there were pastries, yummy looking sandwiches, prosciutto di parma, marzipan, cheeses, salad bar w/ things from frittata to sushi to pasta salads, valrhona chocolate by the pound, etc...

we didn't buy anything though we were tempted...

we decided to go to cafe rouge for lunch because i had heard it was so good & lunch prices were reasonable...it's a very classy but casual restaurant...we took a while to figure out what to order & everyone around us were eating steak but we didn't feel like it...too early...though it was a reasonable price..it was a huge plate w/ steak & fries for $16...we finally decided on soft shell crab sandwich w/ coleslaw & spicy remoulade..& i forgot if they were known for thei chicken at the last minute so i got the spit roasted chicken w/ thyme & lemon & other herbs & roasted potatoes & artichokes....

both were SOOOO good

i thought it was pretty worth it...i wouldn't go often but it was really yum

then we went to sketch (the gelato place) & it was the cutest store EVER...i haven't seen a place that cute in a while...in the back was a huge wooden paddle (you know the kind those cheap sundaes come with to use as a spoon) w/ the name sketch engraved...there were just a bunch of cute things i can't even explain...they even make their own brioche! it's insane...there aren't many flavors & they have granita too...we got the burnt caramel cuz i've read that was really really good...& it was! but i dunno i think i might still like gelateria naia better...

it was fun today..i ate sooo much good food...unbelievable & i hadn't seen chanda in forever! so it was nice



Posted by blog/c_is_for at 11:06 PM EDT
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Wednesday, 8 June 2005
tex mex-ing it
yesterday i had the day off from work & i decided to do something cooking related...

went to safeway & yasai market...i love yasai market (yasai=vegetable in japanese)..it's a lot cheaper than safeway..i never realized...but every single produce item is cheaper & they have some random organic items & asian products...

anyways...i bought some groceries & headed home...

inspired by food network i decided to go tex mex

pierre loves lime so that too led me there

i made chili rubbed chicken with a lime cilantro honey pan sauce, fresh salsa, baked polenta with jalapenos & monterey jack cheese & fresh corn, corn on the cob, & ended the meal with key lime bars with streusel topping

it was really good

i love that pan sauce just as i suspected
i will definitely be making that again

i was gonna make quesadillas this morning to go with the salsa for lunch but i woke up too late for that

the key lime bars were awesome & they didn't stick to the pan which was nice for cleanup (i always imagined overly gooey lemon bars & the mess they'd make but it was good) & they were the perfect amount of sweetness

i had never made polenta before so it was kinda fun...it was SOO easy...a lot easier than i thought...the cheese was masked by the corn taste though soo yea...i refrigerated the rest in a flat pan so i can cut them out & pan fry them later for that crisp then gooey texture (i remember when chris got those fried polenta things w/ his pork chop at chow..they were so good)i'm guessing using a hard cheese for polenta would be a lot better cuz the taste would come out more..& add saltiness (cuz mine wasn't salty enough)

oh yea note to self...always use a glove or plastic bag or something over your hand before dealing with chile peppers...they ALWAYS get everywhere stinging no matter how careful i am...eg, while deseeding a seed hit my cheek & fell & my cheek burned afterwards it was insane...i can't believe those things are that strong

oh yea & for the salsa i did that thing w/ the garlic where you sprinkle it w/ salt & oil & smash it into a paste like consistency (so the garlic isn't in chunks & overpowering) for the first time..it was food-nerdily fun

i was gonna make some chips in the oven for the salsa but then i got "lazy"

in the end, it was a really nice dinner w/ even nicer company

Posted by blog/c_is_for at 1:21 PM EDT
Updated: Wednesday, 8 June 2005 1:28 PM EDT
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Monday, 6 June 2005
yumminess w/ pierre & a cook's tour
yesterday pierre & i went to the farmer's market that i haven't been to in 2 weeks so i was really excited...

we decided to have lunch there & since we were being rather indecisive we got a bit of everything

we got taquitos & a tamale plate from this vegan mexican stand & the combo plate from the thai stand (satay, veggie curry, chicken curry)

pierre took pictures of the food & we ate everything hahah

the black beans were really good...the tamale & taquitos didn't taste vegan...it was yum...
as for the thai...the curry was good but i think we both decided the satay plate would probably be better....

sunday we got brunch before i went to campus market
since he wanted to help me with my list we went to la note:)
it's so adorable
it's like really simple yummy food kicked up a bit but it's still casual & they probably make so much
because they just had to perfect those few recipes

anyways...it was wonderful

pierre had the two egg breakfast & he smeared his toast w/ raspberry jam that was on the table that i'm guessing was freshly made...
i really wanted the pancakes which is kinda rare for me but they sounded so good! (i'm surprised i didn't get the french toast or an omelette) i got the lemon gingerbread pancakes w/ poached pears & a side of scrambled eggs

the eggs were perfectly scrambled...i don't think i've had eggs that yum before...& the gingerbread was so yum! though there was too much of it..it was like eating a huge cake haha...& it was topped w/ poached pears & a blueberry compote ish stuff...

haha i had to finish the pancakes cuz i always told pierre to not waste his food so i was sooo stuffed but it was really good...i want to try to make pancakes now! we'll see...i want those grill/griddle things first

thank you pierre for sharing in yumminess w/ me:)

at campus market i saw a few things i never even knew existed: reese's cookies, jolly rancher rocks (a container of little jolly ranchers about the size of a smint), green tea soymilk, cooked rice that you can just microwave straight, etc

at work i was reading a cook's tour...
i read half a long time ago & i decided to pick it up again & gawd i remember why it was so entertaining...he's an amazing writer..he describes things so well & he completely speaks his mind...here are a few random quotes i thought were great...(i was reading the tokyo chapter)


"Their streets may be noisy, riotous Mobius strips of flashing lights, screaming jumbotrons, rank after rank of tightly constrained, identically dressed humanity (this year, all young women will dye their hair red!), their TV variety shows insanely hyperactive hosts, cloyingly cute, fluffy, pyschedelic-hued animal characters and doll-eyed cartoon heroines, their porn some of the ugliest, most brutal, and most disturbing on earth, their popular sexual obsessions may even make the German look well adjusted, and they may indeed teach their school children that all that nasty World War II nonsense never really happened, but from a cook's perspective, who cares? I was there to eat."

"They played and sang. One danced. You've seen bits of this kind of traditional Japanese dance - on television or in movies - and you've heard that high-pitched warbling, and you've thought, Jesus! It sounds like someone's torturing a cat! You just hadn't had enough sake to appreciate it. You weren't sitting in that timeless dining room, after a long bath, reflecting on those mountains. You hadn't eaten the mean I'd just enjoyed. The music was lovely, the slow-motion dance mesmerizing to watch. I felt like a feudal lord. I no longer cared about the silly clothes I was wearing. In fact, I felt cool. It was good to be the king. I was ready to order out the cavalry, burn castles, strategize with my warloards in the rock garden, think deep thoughts while I watched the winter cherry blossoms bloom."

plus any guy that talks about blowfish(fugu) in japan & brings up the simpsons' episode regarding blowfish is by default awesome

"As I understood it - from careful study of barroom speculation and an episode of The Simpsons - fugu meal was a game of chicken with all those delicious..."

& when i read this i thought of what you told me once jon thysell haha...so this one is for you

"...I pondered my environment. I stared out the window, all thoughts of the outside world quickly banished. There is nothing in my room, just that single flower, the paper walls, the wide expanse of floor. In no time, I felt my metabolism shift, my whole system undergoing some kind of temporary metamorphosis from neurotic, hyperactive, short attention-spanned New Yorker to a character in a Kurosawa samurai flick. The surroundings were identical. I felt I could sit there forever in my yukata motionless, doing nothing more involved than contemplating an orange."

Posted by blog/c_is_for at 12:59 AM EDT
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