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C is for...cooking
Saturday, 5 March 2005
souffles & bundts & turntables
ok so i'll go in the order they happened

thursday night after my 166 review steve came over & we ate at naan & curry & made chocolate souffles...it was the first time i've ever attempted cuz i don't have ramekins (& on a random sidenote it never occurred to me that creme brulee & souffle ramekins are different...i mean i understand why but i never really thought about it...(souffle ones are taller & creme brulee shorter & wider for more torching))

it was the second time i've even eaten souffle & i have to say i think i made steve nervous to be competing with chez panisse haha..but that's cool

we had to eat 2 each cuz we made 4...i have to say it was quite the chocolate overload so i don't reccommend it...but it really was delish...

steve brought over a whiskey cream sauce he had made on account of my 21st birthday & we dusted half w/ powdered sugar & the other half we broke & flooded with the sauce...it was delish i must say...i sauce was very whiskey-y....

thanks steve for making souffle with me


so i was excited cuz i got a brown slip in the mailbox & i went to pick it up friday between classes but i was sorta stupid & i sidetracked to ross when in reality i should've been in walgreens getting claritin beh...i'm still suffering...anyways i was tempted by many a things in ross & finally i moved on & went to the post office which was surprisingly crowded i got annoyed cuz i had to be at etcheverry at 11:15 sharp for nummi tour...so i finally got the package it was huuuge & i had no time to drop it off at home i HAD to go it was 10:52 so i took the bus & it was the most hectic thing ever hahha...but it was amusing cuz everyone was staring at me....anyways i got to etcheverry (mind you it was raining this whole time haha) & i ripped it open to find a much smaller box inside probably a 1/4 of the big box hahhahaha damn packaging...but good thing i checked cuz i also found a offset spatula yayyyyy!! i was looking into buying one recently too!....so i found out the smaller box was a cake turntable for decorating yay! so PLEASE GIVE ME ALL YOUR CAKES TO FROST...i have a huge desire to zest & frost...but i have no reason tooooooo....anyways...thank you CHRIS! that was the point of that part to thank you hahha....oh man i'm so disoriented

ok ok so i have to go study at 1 or 2 ish at doug's place so i finally decided to get my act together & finally make that apple bundt cake i've been meaning to make for like a month...cuz when else am i gonna be able to make a bunch of people eat my food hahah...they're lucky guninea pigs i tell you...well.....i was so disoriented i left out the vanilla...i'm such a dumbass i've never done that before! but it actually ended up being really good nonetheless cuz the cinnamon really got through...i poured some of that whiskey sauce over it to make up for it...but it actually doesn't need it...but i used diana's mini bundt cake pan! yayyyy! they ARE really cute....hahha

i want too many things..i've been really good about resisting recently cuz my kitchen is just chock full of stuff i dunno how i will fit anymore stuff...cuz i saw a pizza stone for really cheap..cake pans too! (though now i'm thinking i should get the cake pans cuz i have a turntable:P) & a instant read thermometer but really how often will i make like a roast! but i just want one hahaha i'm a greedy little child what can i say....& i'm still in search of a nice but not too expensive spoonula since i broke my other one:(:( i'm so sad about that still....it was new!!! :(

Posted by blog/c_is_for at 3:33 PM EST
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Monday, 28 February 2005
oh yea
so when i sit & think about it...i've cooked a lot of recipes & just in general A LOT hahah

but anyways...
i made champagne cake the other day..alcohol cooked out & there was no trace of it which i was sorta disappointed about but yea it was a good light white cake...& i made my first white frosting it was very very good....topped those cupcakes with blackberries kinda cute...they are holding up in the fridge very well too...it's funny how the thought of putting them int he fridge before was weird but i realized every cake i've ever bought for birthdays or whatever you always put it in the fridge! whatever i'm stupid but yea..

made cheddar champagne spread...it was ok...it started off very very alcoholy but after refrigeration it was sorta gone...

ummmm i wanted to make champagne jelly but no glass jars mayhaps will just do in plastic...dunno what to do with the now undrinkable champagne

let's see...i want to make bundt cakes w/ the pan diana bought meeeee....& i want to zest...gimme all your zesting jobs:P

soooo yea...

this week for decal we will be making rice krispy chicken or something & fruit crepes should be fun...

i'm finishing up my lecture...they better appreciate! i'm doing it on herbs/spices & maybe cooking techniques if it's not long enough..we'll see...that's it!

Posted by blog/c_is_for at 1:28 AM EST
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taste of the town
sooo...today from 1:30-5:00 i was fattening myself up at taste of the town in burlingame with mark

it was a fundraiser for burlingame high school & mark was nice enough to let me tag along:)

so we spent some time filming the event & then we dug in...

we started w/ some pasta i think i got gnocchi but i'm unsure...it was nice & chewy...there was also a tuna slice on crostini w/ some sort of olive salad what was really good...never realized i DID like ahi tuna
umm gawd there was so much food i can barely remember the order but i will try...
then i had some basmati rice with chicken curry & mango lassi...
& then i got a piece of salmon that was very very flakey & tender...perfect i wanted polenta but i didn't feel like being assertive...
hmm we went to the huuuuuge tower of seafood...there was lobster salad, fresh oysters on the half shell, i missed out on the shot glasses w/ oyster & i think tomato juice? or tabasco?, pate, pancetta w/ cantalope, & some sort of beef roast that was absolutely delish it was juicy & melt in your mouth....i never knew pancetta was so good too...especially with fruit i mean i've seen it before but never tried it...hmm & i still have to get used to oyster on the half shell....
half of a huge meatball in marinara sauce
i think we sat at a table for our first round...
then round 2
veggie burger that was finished off in a panini press
eggplant sandwich
calamari braised in i think red wine?
sushi with eel & really unique things i can't even put my finger on it...there was something sweet in there & some sort of seed? i can't even explain i was too busy eating to examine but it was really good
then it was margarita (not the drink but the basil tomato combo i know i spelled it wrong but i don't care haha) flat bread...it was surprisingly sweet & very fresh...two grilled shrimp skewered on an asparagus with i think cilantro sauce (imagine spearing those all day oy...i think they have to pre-pierce it too cuz no way is asparagus stiff enough to go through shrimp)..there was also seared ahi w/ mango salsa at this booth but i didn't want to be assertive again so i never got it mark said it was really good...i can imagine though so that's fine
got some mac & cheese w/ sausage & a teriyaki ish chicken skewer
then there was smoke salmon & creme fraiche & dill on a crostini topped with caviar & ahi on top of a cucumber slice i think w/ a spring of something & a caviar that was a clearish green that one was helllla good...first time having caviar reminded me of the orange roe on sushi...guess it is the same thing.. caviar has less of a strong after taste though needless to say i could definitely eat a lot of caviar...mmm...
oh & i got some steelhead beer...it was ok...oh yea had some red wine at some pt...wine is WAY better than beer...sorry but it just is...not that it has more depth but i just don't really like the wheaty barleyish whatever taste..i only had like two sips of each...mainly drank water...
then for round 3...YES i can eat with the best of them hahha...but also remember these were like mainly bites...& it was just so good you felt bad if you didn't try everything
so i think we had some either thai or vietnamese style fried rice..it had a peanuty flavor very good...cilantro & snow peas
potato & clam? chowder that was really really good
grilled chicken with some spices..regular ish
honey walnut chicken & singapore noodles at like the only chinese restaurant there haha
creamed spinach that was a bit bitter, very sweet creamed corn & very rare beef that was sliced right there...it was super good
i think that was it...i really can't remember
then! dessssssert hahaha
there was a chocolate fountain they ran out of strawberries which i was sad about but the rice krispies were still really good in it...there was one confection place that was absolutely incredible...the taste & the detail each one had like 5 layers...there was a tiny one that was layered with marzipan & fruity fillings & another that was a layer tiny cake with jams & dipped in chocolate & another that was a cookie & chocolate cream covered in chocolate...omg it was mmmmm & there were cheesecake bites & chunky brownies & very rich cake bites w/ lemon & raspberry fillings & there was a chocolate company with fudge & choc covered marshmallows with caramel....

oh yea & at some pt i tried the korbel rose champagne which i felt like tasted the same as the natural i bought on my bday...:P i feel like each person that poured me alchol gave me a weird look cuz i didn't look 21 but whatever...

anyways i wanted to throw up cuz i ate so much

but it was soo satisfying...& free! hahha...thanks to mark

oh yea & i stole 3 of the plates they gave out cuz i thought they were super cool...it was a plastic plate with a little holder for the mini plastic wine cup...it's just cute...

i wanted to take pics but i felt like that'd be tacky so i didn't...but there were even ice sculptures & mini fountains & pineapples formed into a centerpiece tree etc etc etc...it was very ritzy...tickets were $60 at the door...

but yea...it was very fun

i feel like i can't eat for days now...

Posted by blog/c_is_for at 1:20 AM EST
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Sunday, 13 February 2005
ok update for real
alrighty so i am REALLY updating my food blog...

healthy cooking decal has been good thus far..my "students" are really nice & seem to genuinely interested in learning...

we've cooked portabella mushroom sandwiches & stir fry so far...

good stuff

hmm i've been cooking more in general...& eating out a lot less...granted i have that craving sometimes but then i think about the money & health reasons & in a weird way laziness of actually going to get it...leads me to cooking

not anything fancy...noodle soups, seafood, salmon sandwiches, fried rice, etc

hmm...

oh & my first bread attempt happened on friday

it sorta reminds me of willow street wheat bread but not as good...

i made a whole wheat herb loaf...

i didn't like the herbs so much cuz they weren't fresh..i used to dried kind & i dunno that stuff makes me cringe after a while...

cuz of the herbs i didn't like it so much alone...w/ the idea from anthony i dipped it in balsamic vinegar & olive oil & it was super delish & addictive...

sooo the actual process...

so the recipe said two packages of yeast & i used the one di gave me which is not in packages...so i looked online for conversions & it said 2 tsp for either dry active or fast rise or something & 2 1/4 tsp for the other is in a package...so i went on the conservative side & put only a total of 4 tsp...& i think that's where i slightly went wrong...i gave it more time to rise than necessary & it still wasn't that big...weirdly as it baked it got bigger & bigger...so it ended up being ok but probably deser than the recipe meant for it to be...*shrug* it was still decent...

the kneading was very relaxing...but my wobbly table prevently be from getting the full relaxation ugh...hmm oh yea i had just set it over my burners cuz there is always sort of some heat (from the pilot light) to induce the rising of the dough..nothing...so i ended up sticking it in the oven of course on off mode...& that was a lot better...maybe there was still a mini draft from the closed window...dunno

soooo i think that's it...

& i think it was last week...i finally found a decent brownie recipe...i thought i found the perfect but now i'm not entirely sure..i'm sure there are better but this was pretty darn easy...chanda was over watching manchurian candidate & we made a batch in between & there just wasn't enough to eat & give so i made another batch that finished up as she left...good stuff

today i wanted to use the lemons my mom gave me...so i made cook's illustrated's lemon pound cake...i added poppy seeds...it was a batter that started in the food processer (i tried but the cuisinart wasn't working so i moved to the blender) & the "gently stirring in" of the flour took a while...it cake baked for what seemed an eternity...then i made the glaze which i felt was sort of unnecessary..maybe it was cover mistakes...but the dripping & cleanup after the sugary-ness was just not worth it...i sprinkled powdered sugar on top & cut it up & wrapped it to give to ppl tomorrow...i ate the ends...it was pretty good & moist....oh yea i had used a blend of margarine & butter because i didn't have enough butter & it seemed like it turned out ok..not sure if that was the reason for the long baking time...

hmmm....as for eating out though i barely have....chanda & i have grown to be addicted to monte cristo & acme bread....gooood stuff...i ahve yet to find a mexican place better than monte cristo...let's see...speaking of mexican..i've grown more & more fond of it methinks...cuz i also went to la fiesta when ranwei was here & frausto's by myself cuz i was bored & craving mexican....la fiesta is cute but it's not THAT great..only nice touch was the warm chips...oh & i had the grilled chicken burrito? i think...it was decent i'd go back but not seek it out...frausto's was very disappointing..i thought it was going to good cuz it was by reccommendation but it just wasn't...it was worse than regular...only thing was the chips were cute & small haha...i seem to only be commenting on the chips but anyways...i had the lite combo w/ chicken burrito so it came with a salad & either rice or beans...i chose beans...i regretted that:P cuz all taht was inside the burrito was beans & chicken...it just basically tasted like a whole plate of mushy beans & oh yea some chicken...& you couldn't choose the type of beans either...soooo yea


oh i finally went to bear ramen house or whatever it's called in asian ghetto...the ramen is the packaged ramen as this is korean ramen & not japanese....but i had the chicken gooksu (i think that's what it's called) which had homemade noodles..they actually put fresh dough through a machine..the noodles were yum & chewy but there weren't that many things int he actual soup & such...dunno if it's worth it..but it's worth a try just for the noodles...

hmmmmm....oh yea crepes a go go finally ventured out of turkey & got the chicken..it was mexican flavored chicken..sorta weird...the juices squirted all over me & my sweatshirt i wasn't a happy child...i think i'll stick with turkey..but they DO give a lot of chicken...if what you're looking for is protein:)

oh chanda & i have gone to vik's for chaat & indian food a lot lately...or once a week...which is more than none a week:P hmm...i had the masala dosa the last time it's a crepe like thing filled w/ potatoes & served with a coconut currylike thing & lentil soup it was delish but i don't think i'd get it again it's way too big...papri chaat is always good & we got paneer fritter like things one time..they were ok...oh yea had sweets...good stuff well some of them...i realized i'm not into the whole breadish thing soaked in sugar water...there were a few of those kind

hmmm....oh yea chanda made an indian dish yesterday i'm not sure what it was but it was similar to chicken tikka masala..good stuff:) shan's mix is amazing...i am in awe....good job chanda

made choc chip cookies to go with her meal cuz that's what she craved...

ok i think that's all for now...long enough for you guys?

Posted by blog/c_is_for at 9:37 PM EST
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Saturday, 29 January 2005
hamburger patties & vintage champagne
so yea i know i haven't updated this for real in a while but i'm sure i will once i start cooking more exotic things

oh yea i made spaghetti sauce from scratch the other day it wasn't hard at all...made it vegetarian w/ eggplant, zucchini, and mushrooms

but yea i was going to refer you all to my other blog cuz i have this random comparison to myself to both a hamburger patty & vintage champagne in one entry:P (it's the "i love berkeley" entry)

enjoy

my other blog

Posted by blog/c_is_for at 10:08 PM EST
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Wednesday, 5 January 2005
best thai thus far
i once saw this guy put his favorite places to eat according to cuisine & such on his face book profile & i longed to do the same

i remember the days when i would've put something like hua hin on my fave thai place...but no longer haha i'm so overly dramatic gotta love it

drumroll please

while hua hin has great grilled plates...ok ok i'll cut to the chase

ruen pair

soo delish well it was not to die for but as chris had put it "i never realized thai food could be this good until now"

we ordered the green mussels for the appetizer they were fried w/ green onions & served w/ a sweet & sour dipping sauce & bean sprouts lining the plate as garnish...we ate the whole thing...chris said "i never used to like bean sprouts but these i like" they had a smoky wok flavor..i was impressed...

then we got our rice (both sticky & regular) & our fried morning glory, roasted duck curry, and bbq ribs...

so we ordered the morning glory out of novelty & we were very surprised..not only was it not fried it wasn't actual morning glory flowers but the shoots/leaves...but omg it was possibly the most delish vegetable i've ever ordered....& of course the duck curry was delish there were countless things in it...even pineapple & some brownish clearish fruitlike thing that we thought was a mushroom....& the bbq ribs as chris put it "didn't lie" it was just that..yum but not the best we've had...

i had never been so stuffed on thai!

& then...i had never been so stuffed two days in a row!

cuz the next day chris took me back to saratoga & we went to maggiano's

oh man the portions i can't even describe how big..ok maybe i can...they were GINORMOUS!

the zuchinni frittes were amazing...crisp soft:) (like chocolate covered marshmallows (cuz otherwise chris wouldn't understand hahha)..cept not)

& my salmon (salmon organata) was ginormous too & it was a half order if you didn't see the fork marks you'd swear i didn't even touch it...chris' pot roast w/ roasted vegetables was huge too! (we wonder if printing "limited quantity" next to this entree up its sales)

the service was lacking but whatever...

i'm still paying chris back for chez panisse through credit form our future food outings & we commented on how sad it was that we could go to so many places to eat (nice places too!) & still have it not add up to how much we spent on that one chez panisse meal...ah well it was a one time experience unless someone wants to treat me! hahah...tough luck connie

oh yes & i must not forget the first time i've ever made ice cream...it was a success we just made simple vanilla & later made banana's foster to top it off (it was my lunch that day:))...i noted the fact that banana's foster was one of the first things we made together & he said "it's made a full circle!"

hopefully it's just been the first rotation!

Posted by blog/c_is_for at 2:56 AM EST
Updated: Wednesday, 5 January 2005 2:59 AM EST
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Wednesday, 22 December 2004
the BIG night
so it was all so surreal..in fact it still is...

& here is the documentation(on the girl's side):

first, the hair straightening




the makeup applying










dressing up




our killer (lookwise & on-our-feet-wise) shoes!







me & chanda right after getting ready




moi




*muah!*




chris & me! i'm so darn short boo!




**************************************************

chez panisse menu for the night:

cardoon and artichoke salad with capers, arugula, and olio nuovo

dungeness crab ravioli with spinach and Meyer lemon

grilled Wolfe Farm quail with chanterelle stuffing vin santo sauce, roasted winter squash, buttered leeks, and crispy potatoes

souffle rothschild

*************************************************

it was the most incredible food...

i cannot put it into words really...

just that it was heavenly

even the bread was delish & the butter was soo fresh i could eat that for the rest of my life & be satisfied

after the meal (after i was fattened up!)










it was one of those memories i will never forget & i'm so glad i got to share it with my two best friends...

Posted by blog/c_is_for at 4:33 AM EST
Updated: Wednesday, 22 December 2004 4:42 AM EST
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Tuesday, 21 December 2004
ode to chris & my new wusthof:)
santa aka chris gave me a wusthof for christmas & none of you can understand my excitement well cept maybe chris...
i had nothing to chop though:(
so i chopped a grape:P


tomorrow is the BIG day aka chez panisse

i will now type up my ode to chris because i'm proud of it & i want to always remember all the fun we had (so far) in the past 3/4 year about...

oy i'm more tired than i realized i will fill this in later:)

Posted by blog/c_is_for at 3:57 AM EST
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Friday, 17 December 2004
rachael ray & venezia














now that you've had your fill of rachael ray...

hmm

oh i tried pepsi holiday spice it's good i guess i'm still not a huge soda fan but it has a light cinnamony taste...pretty good

chris & i went to venezia spur of the moment esque he had the spaghetti carbonara & i had grilled pork loin w/ apple basil salsa & sweet potato mash-ish thing...it was good but i'm not sure it was worth it...it is super cute inside though & the people were very friendly even though we weren't dressed appropriately for the place at all...

venezia

let's see....

went to cheeseboard pizza tonight w/ chanda aged gruyere & potato & onion & the such..i was delish..potato was surprisingly yummers...

oh & on a slight adventure i saw a cote & citron & girabaldi's for the first time today...they were further down college...i felt like i was in a diff world as we went farther into the unknown...

that's it

Posted by blog/c_is_for at 12:53 AM EST
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Friday, 10 December 2004
mm ketchupy
so i made oven fries today..i've been meaning to since i got the issue of cooks illustrated w/ the recipe for the "ultimate oven fries" gawd if place made fries like this i would never want those fried ones ever again....aka it was a success...& incredibly simple

i've been working on my typical holiday cooking things...i've been pretty secretive about the things i'm making...i guess it jsut adds to the element of surprise & most ppl don't expect anything from me...hell most ppl probably don't even know my addiction to food/cooking...so it's always fun to see their happy faces...

all i have to say about holiday things is that i want to re-thank my cousin for the thermometer...it's been a blessing! i dunno how else i'd get to try the things i have been...AAAANNNDDD....for the first time in my life i fully appreciate every single piece of candy that enters my mouth...because it is such a freaking pain in the ass to make....all the stirring & it always takes longer than you expect it to cuz you can't rush it you just have to slowly & patiently watch the temp rise....it's like an hr process almost....for each batch...& i realize how insufficient my kitchen things are...i only have one bigger pot & technically it's my rice cooker pot! i've been scrubbing it down like no other...gawd...i'm seriously getting more muscles from all the scrubbing & stirring than i did in a semester's worth of weight lifting haha...ok no...but still it sucks...

hmm...i guess that's it cept my damn box crisis...the crisis in getting boxes for my holiday treats have been hellish...first, the boxes were already expensive...& then! the shipping wasn't included so it'll cost even more & i dunno how much &&&& they shipped it out so freaking late & only after i called them that i'll receive them my last day of classes which is fucking useless...but yea...

literally ppl have been giving me such a hard time everywhere & they all want my money but that should be left for my other blog:P

anyways...

oh yea...

i spent over $100 on groceries for my holiday treats so you all better darn appreciate haha....it's ironic that i want a wustof knife so darn bad yet in one grocery trip i spent enough to buy a wustof & more...my darn holiday spirit hahah jk but i do this all the time though...i pine & obsess about certain things i want but the second someone wants it's i'll buy it for them...annnnyyywayyysss topics for my other blog...

ooh yea...i saw rachel ray & i think she's prettier in real life but maybe that's just cuz i tend to like ppl more in real life cuz she's not all that amazing in the pics i will post them when i get the chance...

next big occurrence: chez panisse 12/21 night

oh don't you worry kiddos i will be documenting the whole process minus taking pics of the meal & such cuz that's just corny...
chanda & i plan to go dress shopping & we will get all dolled up after her last final....

ooh & chris invited me to join him for a nice graduation dinner at oliveto & i'm very very excited for that too...so much good food so little time....

& chris will be headed to florida 1/21

i will be food buddy deprived!!!!!!
then what will i do...

guilt trip guilt trip guilt trip

Posted by blog/c_is_for at 3:41 AM EST
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