Don't Burn Down the Kitchen!

2009-01-01T20:39:00.000-08:00

Hello!

If anyone is still following the blog, I apologize for my super-long hiatus. One of my goals for 2009 is to resume posting on Don't Burn Down the Kitchen! :)

What can you expect? Well...

From March through July, I'll be in Germany. So there will be plenty of Euro-fare and Kartoffel-y goodness. Until then, I'm still at college and eating crazy cafeteria concoctions. There are plenty of foodie opportunities on the horizon!

I hope everyone ate their health, wealth, and happpiness for dinner. ;)

Cheers to 2009!

2008-01-16T20:12:00.000-08:00

Cafeteria time! Break it down!

2008-01-15T20:57:00.000-08:00

Tonight, my roommate, suitemate, and I made dinner down in the kitchenette. It was great to actually cook. I've been eating such crappy food since I've come back to school; I really miss my dad's "clean" cooking. (Apparently, they ate gingered salmon tonight. So jealous!)

Basically, our dinner was a hodgepodge of noodles, alfredo, peppered chicken, and Cajun spices. The end result was delicious. Unfortunately, I ate waaaay too much and now my stomach hurts.

Woe.

2008-01-13T20:58:00.000-08:00

Honey and chocolate, while good together in theory, aren't as good together in practice. The end result is too cloying and sweet, even for me.

2008-01-12T20:56:00.000-08:00

I'm doing BBM (Blogging By Mail) again.

YES. I am so ready for another food-tastic shopping/shipping/snacking adventure.

2008-01-11T20:33:00.000-08:00

This summer, after discovering that coriander, cilantro, and strawberries taste fabulous together, I had to immediately create a fruit salsa. The end result was both spicy and sweet.

Of all my salsa adventures this summer, I can't remember a single recipe. It's a shame: some of my salsa batches were delicious. My problem is that I like to sit on the floor in front of the TV and throw tomatoes, pepper, and salt into a bowl until it tastes good. By the time the mix is perfect, my salsa has been through oodles of revisions.

Someday, I'll record a salsa. Until then, photos will have to suffice!

2008-01-10T18:50:00.000-08:00

I'm dreading my return to school--not just because of the classes, but because of the drastic decline of dining delight.

I'm not looking forward to cafeteria food. The exceptions: creamy, buttery mashed potatoes; cheesy-beyond-belief broccoli-cheddar deliciousness; and a full-size well-stocked salad bar available at my beck and call.

I better get my kitchen!love on before the metaphorical clock strikes twelve.

2008-01-09T19:57:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited that a new season of No Reservations is starting to air. Tony rocks my socks; he's unafraid of new flavors and has enough moxie to carry him through the toughest of joints. Tonight's episode was excellent--I want some bone marrow soup!--and I'm really happy to see New Orleans and Berlin on the list of upcoming episodes. I wonder whether Tony will visit any of the places I ate at on my conference trip?

In my fangirl dreams, I want Anthony Bourdain and Alton Brown to be best of friends. :)

2008-01-08T20:16:00.000-08:00

Earth Fare's salad bar really is quite amazing.

It even has natural lighting! ;)

2008-01-06T19:09:00.000-08:00

Do you like Korean food?

I like Korean food.

2008-01-05T18:41:00.000-08:00

Although I "touched" upon this topic a few posts back, here's a close up of the "wealth" (greens) and "happiness" (black-eyed peas) from my New Year's meal.

The "happiness" was interesting because the recipe involved tasty things like sriracha hot sauce and butternut squash. It wasn't our usual Southern-style Hoppin' John. Rather, it was flavorful and new--hopefully an auspicious start to the year ahead! :)

Also, yes! That is lemon zest on the steamed spinach. Yum.

2008-01-04T20:45:00.000-08:00

This just in:

Bison is robust beef.

That is all.

2008-01-03T20:01:00.000-08:00

Food is fun. Inappropriately large items are fun.

Together? High-larity. :)

The blackberry was delicious, by the way.

2008-01-02T20:09:00.000-08:00

Today was an apple-esque sort of day. I experimented with apple soup and created apple snacks and probably would have drank some apple juice had we had some stashed in the pantry. (I think I have some apple cider squirreled away somewhere...)

This particular snack was created because apple corers are just so darn awesome. I cored an apple and sliced it in half. Then, using red pepper hummus as a "glue," I stuck a piece of string cheese into the groove. Doesn't the cheese fit perfectly into the apple's contours? Luckily, the mix was fantastic: sweet pepper melding with tart apple and bland, milky cheese.

The kitchen got some use today. :)

2008-01-01T21:55:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! I hope you have plenty of health, wealth, and happiness in the year to come. :)

2008-01-01T20:22:00.000-08:00

As one of my "resolutions," I intend to post in this blog more often. Yay!

Expect a post soon. Let's just say that I've had some delicious food as of late.

2007-08-17T10:16:00.000-07:00

Just when I am struck by a desire to update my food blog, I get all four of wisdom teeth cut out. Alas! Fortune smiles not upon me! (Nor do I smile without pain.)

To be honest, this food blog was under some sort of hiatus for quite some time. (Dear Lord, I haven't posted since February!) It wasn't really intentional--life can be a kick sometimes!--but I just wanted to apologize to my few readers. I'm going to try to start blogging again. College is starting back up, and my foodie friends are sure to help me find some awesome restaurants.

So, in this interlude before my pain medicine forces me horizontal, I want to talk about my super-awesome food swap I received from Quellia for the Blogging By Mail food event.

After work one day, I came home to find a postal slip in my mailbox. The next morning, I ran to the post office and emerged with a package covered in customs slips. An international parcel! How exciting!

Quellia's package was filled with all sorts of goodies: a recyclable grocery bag, mango-curry dip, a spice grinder filled a salt-and-pepper mix, Skor chocolates (slightly melted ;), spices from a local Canadian grocery, blue and green dish towels, and nifty chopping block with a built-in knife.

The tote itself is very attractive. Being a bit of a design fanatic, I've taken to using this bag as an all-purpose carryall. I have a feeling that one of my Canadian-loving college mates is going to gaga over this bag. But it's mine, all mine!

I, uh, don't have a picture of the mango-curry dip. I whipped up a batch of it almost immediately--and ate it all mere hours later. I've actually had the dip before: I think my mom received it as part of a "gourmet" Christmas gift and passed it on to me. Needless to say, that was a most excellent surprise. I'm almost ashamed to admit that I didn't share. (Almost.)

(As for the taste: the dip is far more curry than mango. There's a little bit of sweetness, yes, but the dip strongly tastes of curry powder and sour cream. Maybe a hint of garlic.)

The salt-and-pepper mix was really neat. I've never seen the two packaged together before. In a letter Quellia enclosed with the package, she mentioned that the same company also makes a cinnamon-and-sugar mix. That sounds divine, doesn't it? Mmm.

I'll admit, I haven't tried the Skor chocolates yet. It's not an affront against the chocolate itself--goodness knows I'm not one to turn down a chance to try new sweets. Rather, it's something about Skor bars themselves. The first time I bought some Skor, I wrapped the bar in ice, trying to stave off a bit of melting. The ice water leaked inside the candy wrapper, ruining the chocolate. This time, I will try Skor--just as soon as my bleeding gums allow me the opportunity.

I haven't seen spices sold in little plastic bags before. It's pretty neat. I can't wait to use the cumin.

Aren't the towels pretty? I really like the blue one. The decorative embroidery really makes them pop. I'll pack them away for my college cookery.

God, this chopping block is awesome. Anything that affords me more handspace--my dorm's kitchen is downstairs, so my hands are always full--is fine by me. The design is really clever.

What an awesome swap! Thanks, Quellia!

And, loyal readers, I have more images and stories to blog. I just, uh, have to lie down. I'm starting to get a bit zonked. Maybe I should do a "Wisdom Teeth Menu" post... hm. Time shall tell.

2007-02-20T11:02:00.000-08:00

This is an entry for February's "Soup's On!" food event. What a great excuse to make soup!

I'm very proud of my tortellini soup. The recipe never stays the same. In fact, each time I make it, it's a bit more complicated than the last. It's fabulous because anyone can make it. Not only that, but it's crazy-delicious.

Basically, tortellini soup is tortellini cooked with spinach in chicken broth. But that's never all the ingredients. Like the big rock in stone soup, the tortellini is a base. It's an exercise in creativity and foodie adventurism. And because it uses up lots of leftovers, it's a great way to clean out the fridge.

-----

TORTELLINI SOUP (A.K.A. SOPHOMORE STEW)

[SERVES APPROXIMATELY 6]

two boxes of chicken broth
a zippy bag bursting with tortellini
one box of frozen spinach
garlic (to taste)
Parmesan cheese (for on top)

These are the additional ingredients I threw in this go-round:

a half-palm of chopped ginger
half a can of water chestnuts (chopped)
half of a small turnip (chopped)
half of a white onion (chopped)

two bunches of green onions (chopped)
one can of sweet corn
one can of diced tomatoes
one medium bell pepper
one jar of roasted red pepper
three packs of Easy Mac noodles
several handfuls of Goldfish crackers, whole and crushed

(As you can see, the recipe is pretty flexible. Substitute, subtract, and add to your greatest pleasure. With this batch, I would have loved some spicier peppers. But my friends don't like onions and peppers, so I had to keep them on the down-low.)

1) Pour a bit of olive oil on the bottom of a huge pot. Throw in your veggies (except for the spinach). Throw in the garlic.

2) After letting them sizzle for a bit, pour in the chicken broth. Crank the burner up on high heat.
3) Wait for the broth to boil. This takes a while, because you should be using a huge pot.
4) Let it boil for about 10 minutes or so.
5) Throw in the pasta.
6) Let the soup boil again for about 12 minutes.
6a) Throw in the spinach around the 7-minute mark.
6b) Start tossing in Goldfish crackers and Parmesan cheese.
7) After the soup's done boiling, check for taste. If it's missing something, chuck it in.
8) Enjoy!

The soup is incredibly thick. The next day's left-overs will be stew, as all the moisture will be sucked up by the ingredients.

Got any other ideas for crazy ingredients I should throw in? Let me know!

2007-02-20T11:01:00.001-08:00

I ate at an amazing Indian restaurant a few weeks back.

I think the picture speaks for itself.

2007-02-20T10:58:00.000-08:00

Recently, my college buddies and I went downstairs to the kitchen and rustled us up a crazy feast.

My suitemate created some amazing "bruschetta." They were cheesy, salty, light--everything you could ask for. The tomatoes were delicious, even in the winter; the mozzarella melted to a perfect consistency. And of course the herbs were a perfect foil to the food itself.

She made the bruschetta assembly-line style, enlisting her roommate for help.

The bruschetta quickly disappeared.

2007-02-20T10:56:00.000-08:00

Does anyone else in the food blogosphere hate mayo as much as I do?

If so, beware of Atlanta Bread Company. The last time I went there to buy a pesto chicken sandwich, the pesto sauce was mixed in with mayo! I was horrified.

I just wanted to warn my fellow mayo-haters.

2007-02-20T10:55:00.000-08:00

Go to Fatz, if only for the poppyseed rolls. The rolls are small and light, and servers provide cinnamon butter for dipping.

I inhaled these.

2007-02-20T10:39:00.000-08:00

For an adventurous foodie, my school's cafeteria can be a bit of a bore. But occasionally, the food can be pretty good.

Every Wednesday is "Fried Chicken Day." As you can imagine, I now have a burning apathy towards fried chicken. Generally, I'd avoid the cafeteria on Wednesdays and eat in my room. But there are a few choice goodies that appear on Wednesday that I can't seem to resist.

Take the potatoes, for example. For instant mashed potatoes, they are fantastic! I think the gravy is what really makes it worth the while. I don't know the gravy's ingredients--for all I know, it could be an industrial size pack of those little seasoning packets you can buy at Food Lion. But who cares? The potatoes are awesome.

They also serve collards on Wednesday--and collards are really good with a little hot sauce.

My complaint about the cafeteria stems from the fact that there's hardly any variety. Students clamor about what they like, and we end up eating fried chicken or omelettes every few days.

At least they mix it up sometimes.

This is officially the best soup in the cafeteria. The days they serve it, there's always a long line at the ladle. It's cheddar broccoli--a thick, creamy soup filled with veggie bits and lots of cheese. It has a delicious warmth.

It's my goal to make this soup on my own.

These lemon bars are my favorite dessert, but they can be hit or miss. The first few I had were superb. (I ate more than one per visit, of course.) Lately, however, they've been overly gummy and taste somewhat of flour. For my last one, I ate the insides and left the shell.

The bar is filled with a thick lemon paste that's filled with granulated sugar. Outside of that is a thick shell. I always want to take a spoon and whack it a few times to break the crust--but generally I just devour it.

If anything, the cafeteria does have a soft-serve ice cream machine.

2007-02-20T10:34:00.000-08:00

I love peppers on everything. I love them on pizzas, in soups, by themselves. College taught me to love them in a new way: on my salads.

Of course, I knew that pepperocini taste fabulous in Greek salads. But jalapeños? I had no idea!

My cafeteria's salad bar helpfully provides a bucket of jalapeños. One day, I said, "What the heck!" and put some on my salad. It was amazing. Italian dressing melds so perfectly with the vinegared heat. (Even raspberry vinaigrette tastes nice when paired with the peppers.)

Now, a salad sans peppers is just too mild. I need the heat that only a pepper can give me.

2007-02-20T10:22:00.000-08:00

As promised, here's a quick peek at du Monde's goodies.

I really don't like coffee. It's too strong and earthy. I've tried it with cream, chocolate, flavored syrups... the coffee taste still remains.

That's why, instead of going with the traditional coffee and beinets at du Monde, I decided to get hot chocolate. It was really nice--very rich and creamy. The temperature was just right, too. It was a nice, warm retreat from the cold outside.

(I will say that, in the name of foodie exploration, I did try a sip of someone else's coffee. It wasn't great, but I didn't hate it. That's a testament to the power of du Monde's coffee!)

I've never had beinets before. They were fabulous! They reminded me of Chinese donuts--only lighter. My favorite part was the thick layer of powdered sugar. It was delicious, but dangerous! I had someone take a picture of me biting into the beinet in rapture. While the beinet was in my mouth, something made me laugh and powdered sugar flew everywhere. The sugar wouldn't come off of my coat--I looked like a druggie for the rest of the day! The picture, needless to say, didn't turn out.

We definitely popped by for beinets more than once.

2007-01-24T21:49:00.000-08:00

Guess where I went?

An exciting entry filled with beinets and covered in mounds of powdered sugar is in the works. I just have to fix the light levels on the photos--the Cafe du Monde is a dark and atmospheric eating establishment.

Here's a spoiler: the beinets were tasty!

2007-01-24T21:47:00.000-08:00

It's strange: the jambalaya at the New Orleans airport, though severely overpriced, was just as tasty as the jambalaya at Cafe Beinet. I couldn't believe it!

The airport jambalaya was actually a bit more flavorful than Cafe Beinet's. It was spicy and oily and so, so delicious. I didn't even need peanuts on my flight back.

2007-01-24T21:35:00.000-08:00

I had an authentic--that is, huge--muffaletta sandwich at Cafe Beinet.

It was a dreary morning: it had been raining, and a fine mist still hung shimmering in the air. My friends and I wandered over to the restaurant for a quick bite. The restaurant was decorated with statues of New Orleans music legends; a sign boasted live jazz every night from 6 PM 'til close.

The muffaletta was too big to tackle alone; I had to share with a friend. We split the sandwich (making the meal quite affordable!) and both ordered Earl Grey tea. I poured in some skim cream and stirred in brown sugar. The steam was nice and warm against my cold hands.

As we sat down, it was hard not to notice the birds.

The birds started out beside the trash can. During the meal, they started to inch their way over. At one point, several birds were perch on the table beside us within reaching distance. Birds scurried around underfoot for crumbs, not caring that in a single movement we could squash them flat.

Of course, they jumped in the trash when we threw our food away!

Back to the sandwich.

When I bit into the muffaletta, I first noticed the strong taste of olives. The meat, tomatoes, lettuce--that all came after. It was a nice, hearty meal. I enjoyed the tactile sensation of sitting on a wet chair in a New Orleans café with this huge sandwich in my hands.

(I gotta say, the Earl Grey tea was the greatest idea ever. I walked around with it after the meal, and each hot sip warmed my body for the briefest of moments. It was lovely.)

2007-01-24T21:19:00.000-08:00

Oh, how I wish I had better pictures of this meal!

We decided to eat at the Red Fish Grill on our first night at New Orleans. The atmosphere was crowded but cozy. The place was hoppin'--and, yet, they still managed to seat six people within ten minutes. It was definitely impressive.

In the booth, two servers came by to rattle off the specials. Well, let me amend that: the first server took our drink orders, while the second took our food orders. Both hinted at special menu items.

After a long bout of deliberation, I decided to order Redfish Bouillon, Southwest Salad, and Alligator Sausage. (A nice spread, don't you think?) I also had the opportunity to sample a ton of other dishes, including a seared tuna steak and some creamy chicken soup (with mushrooms, alas!).

The bouillon was surprisingly delicious. I'm not usually a fan of seafood, but I like mild fish. The redfish was perfect for me; it was light and flaky and lacked that annoying fishy taste I hate so much. The bouillon itself was thick and red. There was a definite tomato flavor; not only that, but I suspect some red peppers were thrown in for sweetness and color. Because of the bouillon's strong flavor, I couldn't easily pick out any distinctive "notes." As a gestalt, it was fabulous. It even had spice: by the end of the bowl, my nose was tingling.

The salad was fairly average, although there were jicama slices piled atop the lettuce. They were light and crunchy--quite nice! I think my problem with the salad was the sheer amount of dressing! The chef slathered the salad in it. While the vinegarette--house-made, sweet, and quite tasty--was good, I wish I could've enjoyed the crispness of the salad. By the time I finished my plate, the leaves were wilted with oil.

The alligator sausage was my adventurous dish. When I found out that I was coming to New Orleans, I knew that I had to try alligator. It was just one of those things.

The sausage was, surprisingly, anticlimactic. I was expecting some big, meaty difference between alligator sausage and ordinary pork (or even turkey!) sausage. But, honestly? It tasted the same. The alligator sausage had a slight smoky aftertaste, but that was it.

After I ate my meal, I poked around other people's plates. The tuna steak was a bit too rare for my liking--sushi anyone?--and the creamy soup was good despite the liberal sprinkling of button mushrooms throughout the bowl. All and all, I loved the Red Fish Grill. If price weren't an issue, I'd love to eat there again!

If you're willing to spend a bit, I'd recommend it wholeheartedly.

2007-01-24T21:08:00.000-08:00

After arriving in New Orleans and settling down at the hotel, my group and I set out for a quick bite at a local eatery.

The appetizer, a spinach and artichoke andouille, was delicious. Although I shared it with a friend, I have to admit that I ate quite a bit of it. The chips were a bit stale, but they still packed a nice corn taste. The small meat chunks mixed throughout the dip imparted a slightly salty flavor. The overall texture was both chunky and creamy.

Before we knew it, the dip was gone.

I ordered red beans and rice for a little authentic New Orleans flavor. Unfortunately, they were completely bland! To salvage the meal, I tried dumping in tons of salt. It didn't really work. The ham added a salty flavor, but it was too sparse on the plate. I couldn't bring myself to slice of a bit of meat for every bite!

It was a bit of a bad run for New Orleans food during my first meal. Luckily, the winds of change were on my side: the food only got better.

2007-01-24T21:00:00.000-08:00

To bring in the new semester, I snapped a shot of my first cafeteria meal.

It was a pretty decent menu. We had stuffed shells, carrots, potatoes, and an optional salad bar. Our school offers multiple lines, so there were a few more choices than that. What I ate, however, was the main spread.

The shells were a bit hard. I don't know if it's a matter of the pasta being overcooked or what, but the crunchy bits are a bit disconcerting. Luckily, the ricotta inside the shell was smooth and creamy, with a mild herb taste. The marinara sauce--made with sweet, sweet tomato--paired nicely with the creamy ricotta.

The carrots were nice and firm. They were cooked to perfection, slicing off cleanly at the bite. The potatoes were a great surprise. I couldn't believe it! Normally, the cafeteria cuts costs by serving up bland, warehouse-stock potatoes. This meal, they decided to spice things up with russet potatoes smothered in herbs. (Whew!)

Overall, the meal was pleasant. My cohorts--that is, the rest of the college people--were a bit put-off when I whipped out my camera, but hey! I have a food blog to update!

Coming up: posts on my trip to New Orleans. Oh, yes!

2007-01-24T20:53:00.000-08:00

To celebrate the new semester, the suite traveled to a nearby Italian restaurant.

I wanted Olive Garden. I was craving their spicy Zuppa Tuscana. But the drive was too far, and I couldn't convince my roommate to drive us there. So we ended up at a little Italian eatery with a supposedly fabulous reputation.

The food was alright. It certainly wasn't worth the hype. Comparatively, the meal cost more than Olive Garden. I had to buy the soup and salad separately--and there were no refills. This would have been forgiven had the food been excellent. Unfortunately, the soup was bland and the salad was piled high with odd, bologna-like meat. Even the peppercinis were overly salty. To the restaurant's credit, their homemade dressing was nice and piquant.

All and all, it was a pretty ho-hum meal. The only plus side was the great company I kept. It was great seeing everyone again. We got to catch up on our Christmas adventures and talk about the year ahead. That was nice.

I wish this blog could be positive all the time, but sometimes a bad meal has to be called out.

2007-01-24T16:57:00.000-08:00

2007-01-15T21:16:00.000-08:00

Grocery stores can be great fun. You can find all sorts of weird foods if you poke around hard enough.

This cheap meat--probably a close relative to SPAM and Vienna Sausages--caught my attention with its blocky, graphic look. I tried to imagine what was inside the can. Visions of entrails filled my mind. (Not a pleasant image!)

Of course, that was nothing compared to the pork brains in milk gravy.

The tiny can had a disturbing nutritional label. Though the tin was no more than a few ounces, the brains' cholesterol levels were off the charts. I wondered: would you have a heart attack right after eating the brains? Would your arteries seize from the first bite?

This adorable cupcake made me feel a little better. I was amused by the hamburger decoration. I suppose this is the type of desert a meat-starved vegetarian would eat? ;) Jokes aside, it was well-decorated.

As for weird items, these tomatoes looked pretty ordinary. The only difference was the price: nearly six bucks a pound! I couldn't believe it! At least the padded protection makes sense--such grand tomatoes shouldn't be bruised.

When you have a camera and a bit of curiosity, it's easy to be amused in the grocery store.

2007-01-11T22:05:00.000-08:00

This

became this

and resulted in this:

The last photo, by the way, is a result of getting pepper oil all in my eye. The right side of my face was throbbing; I couldn't even open my eye. Even now, there are traces of residue under my fingernails. I try to bite my nails--yes, a bad habit--and there the pepper is, ready to kick me the face.

I like pepper pain, but only when it's from ingestion!

The soup, by the way, is tom kha kai. I tried to lower the heat for my mom, but it didn't work. The soup was sour and fiery--just as it's supposed to be. Unfortunately, my table guests were not impressed. Mom opted for canned salmon; Dad ate the soup, but commented that he "wouldn't eat it again." Both were encouraging but unhappy.

Sigh. Not all homecooked meals are sweetness and light, I suppose.

For the record, I didn't have a proper recipe for the soup. I kind of took a mean of all the ingredient lists and just chucked things in. After all was said and done, I thought it turned out OK. I get the leftovers.

2007-01-11T21:58:00.002-08:00

There is a Korean-Mexican fusion restaurant that, oddly enough, is best known for its amazing ice cream. For just a little over two dollars, you can get three flavors of ice cream heaped into a big styrofoam bowl. Not only that, but you're allowed to get big, spoon-sized samples before you order.

Today, I ordered ginger, banana pudding, and peanut butter chocolate ice cream. My favorite flavor, bar none, is the ginger. It has little hairy ginger bits mixed into the ice cream itself. The flavor is strong--you can definitely taste the spiciness. Banana pudding was a new flavor. Much like the real thing, crumbled vanilla wafers were mixed into the batch. The crunchiness of the cookies and the smoothness of the banana made for a delicious combination. The peanut butter chocolate, though good, was far too strong. There were curls of peanut butter throughout the ice cream. While this tasted great at first, the peanut butter got to be overkill halfway through. To make matters worse, the chocolate was dark and clingy--you couldn't escape the overwhelming flavor.

At the very bottom, the ice cream blended together to form a chocolately, gingery banana ice cream with a hint of peanut butter. It was a great fusion. (The ginger and banana helped to balance out the sheer might of the chocolate.)

2007-01-11T21:58:00.001-08:00

I never had a chance to upload my favorite blood orange photo.

2007-01-09T23:21:00.000-08:00

I love it when blood oranges are in season.

Like pomegranates, blood oranges are not only tart and tasty--they're gorgeous! Look at the red streaks running through the orange pump; see how the red seems to creep through the fruit, giving a measure of truth to the fruit's name.

Be still my heart!

2007-01-09T22:39:00.000-08:00

I know, I know. I just cooked curry on Christmas Eve. But in my opinion, you can never have enough curry!

Besides, this was Thai curry, with creamy coconut milk, stalks of lemongrass, ginger, and chiles. I didn't have a proper recipe, so I used a basic recipe for spice measurements (read: how much turmeric, etc.) and then decided to wing it. I threw in a pinch of spice here, a healthy dose of salt there... To be honest, I don't know what all was in this curry.

But it was delicious! It had a fire--small, but present. It would have been hotter if I'd been able to dump in some red curry paste. I had a jar, but it had been in an unrefrigerated area for quite some time; in the concern of safety, I had to toss it. Too bad!

I also didn't have time to cook up any Basmati rice. Instead, I used the boil-a-bag kind. :) For shame, for shame! At least it tasted yummy--it soaked up the curry sauce beautifully. The green side in the picture is a German slaw. I soaked broccoli overnight in a German vinegar called Salata. Salata is amazing in that it transforms any veggie into a superb slaw. The sweetness of the vinegar actually paired quite well with the fire of the curry.

I have a feeling that I'm going to become quite adept at making curry.

2007-01-09T22:38:00.001-08:00

The salad was tasty, yes, but I'm more amused that the salad matches the napkins.

2007-01-09T22:25:00.000-08:00

Every New Year's, we celebrate by eating a particular meal for dinner. Informally, we dub it "health, wealth, and happiness." But in reality, it's simply Hoppin' John, green veggies, and ham. The cornbread was there for, uh, taste enhancement. ;)

I regret that my picture isn't as awesome as the meal itself.

This year, our green vegetable was broccoli. Though I usually vouch for collards as a New Year's dish, my dad cooked the broccoli so well, I'm positive that we're going to be wealthy in 2007! ;) It was smothered with (good!) cheese--heady and strong--and freshly ground pepper. I couldn't resist stacking up the stalks for a photo shoot.

The ham and Hoppin' John were delicious as well. The ham was plain, but juicy; the Hoppin' John was as good as it always is (I only eat it on New Year's day!). The best way to eat it all was mixed together: the flavors meld so well, and the textures are varied. Mm, New Year's.

For those who aren't aware, the New Year's food breakdown is as follows:

-HEALTH is Hoppin' John, for reasons unknown to me.
-WEALTH is the green vegetables, as both cash and collards are green. :)
-HAPPINESS is ham, which is generally associated with prosperity ("bringing home the bacon," anyone?). It also makes me think of fat, happy pigs.

Happy belated 2007, everyone!

2007-01-09T22:19:00.000-08:00

Believe it or not, this is a Wal-Mart donut.

Shock! Horror!

Despite it's ignoble origins, however, this little doughy delight was absolutely delicious. The glaze was sugary--a perfect complement to the mild dough--and fat, blue patches of berry were scattered throughout the donut itself.

(Not only that, but it looked so pretty.)

Wal-Mart, I'm impressed!

2007-01-09T21:55:00.000-08:00

For New Year's, the 'rents and I drove to a resort hotel on the beach. We only stayed one night--just enough for a little relaxation. The only positive thing about car trips is the crazy junk food. For some reason, I always lean towards crazy, unhealthy goodies when I'm on the road.

We stopped at a typical gas station to refuel. Inside, there was a huge display of snack foods--cakes with sugary, crumbly frosting; various pickled meats in vacuum-sealed plastic; bags upon bags chips with two parts air to every part deliciousness. I was about to get a bag of "Beach BBQ" chips--it seemed fitting--when my mom spotted the boiled peanuts.

Now, I like boiled peanuts. They make me think of flea markets and hot summer afternoons. However, I didn't intend to part with my chips. I got to the front of the line, my intent clear. I was ready to pay. That is, until I saw... the Cajun-style peanuts!

Heck yeah!

The peanuts' brine was filled with pepper flakes and pungent spices. Normally, I bite my nuts open with my teeth, sucking in the salty liquid inside the shell. But the Cajun nuts? I broke them open with my fingernails. The brine was fairly too salty to handle--although the spiciness added a certain excitement to the mix.

The nuts themselves were soft and lovely. They were also quite large--a pleasant surprise!

In the end, my nose was running; I was sniffling ever so slightly. That's my seal of approval for any spicy dish: if I can get a visceral reason from the food, then it's certainly worth the effort of eating.

2007-01-09T21:50:00.000-08:00

Well, instead of posting in a normal and timely fashion, I've built up a veritable stockhold of photos. I've finally gotten around to uploading them onto Flickr; now I can post my entries! I almost want to cheat and backdate everything, but... nah. What would be the point in that?

Be prepared for some serious blogging, folks. I think you'll find many delicious things in store for you--even if the photography's not all crisp and pretty.

2006-12-25T21:13:00.000-08:00

I got a digital camera for Christmas! Now I can resume blogging. :)

I made potato curry on Christmas Eve. It was delicious, though it needed a generous pinch of salt to bring out the flavor. It was full of cauliflower and potato and crazy helpings of spices.

The finely-ground pepper is the product of my dad's new pepper grinder. It has a nice weight to it, a bit of heft. I can't wait to try his new rainbow peppercorns.

2006-10-17T10:52:00.000-07:00

I ate my first passion fruit today. It was... a unique experience. I wish I had pictures right now! I took some photos with a disposable camera, but I won't have them developed for a while. When I get them, I'll upload them and whip up a post.

From my limited knowledge, I knew that passion fruit has to be cut in half. So I grabbed a plastic butter knife and started sawing away, expecting the flesh to give. But no! The fruit was hard and tough. As I pulled the knife away, I saw a shallow groove of purple running across the fruit's circumference like a girly belt.

With lack of other options, I stabbed it. Juice dribbled out from the stab wound and pooled on my roomie's dresser. In haste, I ran to grab a napkin and wiped up the mess. I pulled it open to reveal a bizarre sight: green seeds covered in sacs of yellow pulp, piled up inside the thick purple rind like a mound of frog's eggs. It certainly is the freakiest fruit I've ever seen!

The smell hit me at once. Passion fruit doesn't have a fruity aroma. Instead, it reminds me of pine sap! It's a strong scent that makes me strongly think of Christmas.

As for the taste: it's interesting. The fruit itself is semi-sweet and mostly pleasant. The oddness comes from the texture. I suppose the best comparison is crunchy caviar. There's no other way to describe it! While the seeds are hard and make loud crunching noises when eaten, the sacs around the seeds feel slimy. They're almost gelatin-like, but at least Jello has firmness(!).

Right now, I'm waiting for the roomie to come back so that I can show off my latest Weird Fruit Acquistion. She's going to freak.

2006-10-03T13:26:00.000-07:00

I'm going to assume that all good little food bloggers know about FoodieView. But to those who don't: for shame!

FoodieView is an awesome recipe search engine. While some of the interface is a bit iffy, it's far better than trying to wade through Google's search results. FoodieView tends to link to major recipe sites; as a result, it acts as a far-reaching search for all of your recipe needs.

Now, it's not perfect. But it's pretty awesome. I found my Buck-eyes recipe from that site; I found plenty of fun ice cream recipes there, too. (My boss made light raspberry ice cream with a recipe found on FoodieView. Unfortunately, he neglected to give me any!)

FoodieView also has a "browse" function. So, if you're feeling up for Indian food, you can poke around in the Indian category and see if anyting strikes your fancy. My only gripe with FoodieView browsing is that it's somewhat disorganized. You're also likely to see the same recipe multiple times--with or without slight variations.

Nonetheless, I thought I'd share the love. I hope someone finds it useful.

2006-10-03T13:19:00.000-07:00

My digital camera died. Woe!

My posting might be even more erratic than it is now; my lack of camera is really distressing. I want to take pictures of food!

Luckily, I got a picture of my Blogging By Mail package before my camera went kaput. Thanks to Tac-Tac-Tac! I'll post about it soon, I promise! It was lovely!

2006-10-03T12:45:00.002-07:00

My roommate decided that ramen was not enough for her--she wanted a real pasta dinner. So, using available resources, she cobbled together a "chicken parmesan" facsimile.

I was both amused and hungered by her creation. She gave me a bite; it was surprisingly delicious.

-----

1 pack of ramen (the cheapest brand possible)
1 jar of tomato-based pasta sauce
1 hunk of cheese, grated
1 can of chicken (alternately, use leftover chicken strips from recent family dinner)

1) Remove ramen from package. Set noodle block in medium-sized bowl.
2) "Borrow" suitemate's hot-pot. Fill with water, then pour boiling water into bowl with the noodle block.
3) Let set for several minutes (approximately 5-7). The noodles should be al dente.
4) Spoon desired amount of pasta sauce over noodles.
5) Listen to your roommate laugh at you. Watch as she grabs her digital camera.
6) Stir in can of chicken, allowing sauce to completely cover the poultry bits.
7) Sprinkle grated cheese over the dish.
8) Enjoy!
9) Remember to return hot-pot.

2006-10-03T12:45:00.000-07:00

My mom and I spent a Sunday afternoon creating mini Buck-eyes as thank you gifts for the people at her work. In return, I got to eat lots of doughy peanut butter and returned to college with dozens upon dozens of chocolate-covered morsels. Mmm!

There were hundreds of peanut butter balls that had to be rolled, frozen, and dipped. After rolling the first hundred balls, my hands smelled nutty and felt oily.

It was worth it in the end, though. All of my college buddies loved them--as did I. While they tasted kind of waxy the first day due to my heavy consumption of raw material (i.e., peanut butter and powdered sugar), they tasted fabulous the next day.

And the next. They disappeared not too long after that.

2006-09-21T21:06:00.000-07:00

Wow! College is crazy. Food's definitely on my mind, but posting isn't. Sorry, gentle readers! I'll try to make it up to you.

OK, first of all: I joined the Blogging By Mail craziness that just recently ended. How fun! It was my first food blogging event, but hopefully it won't be my last. I sent off a package to a certain food blogger in Singapore. It hasn't arrived yet, but I remain hopeful. I still haven't gotten a package yet; I'm so impatient! I can't wait to receive it!

I learned from first-hand experience that shipping to Singapore is really, really expensive. I had an awesome four-pound package all ready to be shipped out two weeks ago; unfortunately, the tiny box would have cost me almost $40 to ship. So not affordable! I had to trim down the package to its bare minimum--how sad! Two pounds lighter, the package cost half as much.

I won't reveal all the goodies inside; I want it to remain a surprise. That said, I'll mention my favorite treat from the pack: a chocolate Moonpie! I was so excited to send that.

OK, here's another thing: cotton candy. Mm, mm. If that isn't typical southern fair food, I don't know what is! Speaking of fairs, our state fair is coming up soon. I'm hoping to get some fun pictures from that--deep-friend Oreos, anyone?

I packed the package up really nicely. I used paper ribbon and magazine ads and lots of fun stuff. I took some pictures of the first four-pound package. It's a nice spread. And even though my perfectly cropped and resized photos are in the My Documents folder at this very moment, I'm resisting the urge to post.

For now.

2006-08-23T17:28:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the late post. I have about a hundred excuses, but I think I'd best leave them at the door.

Tonight, I cooked a red lentil soup. I got the recipe out of a nutrition magazine. Unfortunately, I had forgotten about one key facet of "nutritious" cuisine--the lack of salt. This isn't always a bad thing. It was tonight. Apparently, in red lentil soup, a lack of salt leads to a bland, albeit nutty, flavor. Ugh.

I had to improvise. I asked my parents what was missing. My dad said potatoes while my mom said sausage. With the help of my mini food processor, I threw both into the mix. My first thought as to the missing ingredient: cheese. My second thought was corn. I decided not to add the latter, instead opting to add some white aged cheddar and garlic.

I threw in garam masala! I threw in salt! I threw in more onions than the recipe suggested!

When I began, the clock read 5:30. It now read 7:20. I stared at the soup long and hard. By this point, my tongue was burnt and my taste buds had lost any ability to discern subtle changes in the soup's flavor. It was time to let my baby go and to heck with the consequences.

"Soup's up!"

Thankfully, my toiling paid off. The soup was delicious. We paired it with some homemade bread--lightly sweet and fluffy--and ate it lukewarm. The broth had turned green from the spinach; the nutty flavor of the red lentils was still apparent, but less overbearing. I was amazed by the transformation of the lentils. In the beginning, they were little orange disks, tiny and beadlike. After a long simmer, they had broken into crystalline shards. It was culinary magic.

The kitchen still smells like curry powder.

2006-08-15T18:40:00.000-07:00

Summer is the best time of all to enjoy my favorite frozen treat.

Certainly, ice cream ranks up high on the list--as does every other country's form of ice cream, be it gelato or kulfi or shaved ice. But the sugars make me thirsty; the sticky clean-up is a chore. Let me tell you: for pure simple pleasure, nothing beats a Ziploc bag full of frozen grapes. No muss, no fuss, but totally delicious.

The grapes have a firm, solid texture that slow melts away to reveal soft, frigid fruit. The grapes' skin collects a layer of frost that sometimes grows to be inches thick. If you forget about the grapes and leave them in the freezer too long, the grapes turn into oddly-shaped, purple-or-green wads of ice.

The flavor is tart and sweet. At times, a frozen grape can be like an unripe persimmon in that the moisture is sucked from your mouth only to be replaced by the water from the melting ice. Other times, a frozen grape can alarm you with its sugary, granular texture.

Frozen grapes have no aroma; they burn your fingers with an icy touch if you hold them to long. But, man, are they good.

Other fruits that are good frozen include bananas (especially when coated in chocolate!) and most berries. Strawberries can turn out rather tart, so I tend to sprinkle them with a bit of Splenda before biting into them. I've tried to freeze oranges and apples--I love both--but neither turn out very well. How disappointing!

Freeze some grapes today! You'll be glad you did.

2006-08-13T18:57:00.000-07:00

I had a whirlwind adventure today at World Market. I'd never been before, which may come as a surprise to those who know me. I'm such a junkie when it comes to foreign junkfood--especially candy!

I got quite a haul.

The Bernie Bott's Every Flavor Beans were interesting, to say the least. I'm doing a full write-up on those later--a short blurb would not do the flavors justice. Here's a preview: the bacon is burnt, the vomit is fruity, and the grass is oddly refreshing. I can't say I enjoyed eating the jellybeans, but I'm glad that I tried them.

The Deluxe Flake candy was a huge surprise. I've had it once before. The kind I had, however, wasn't "Deluxe." To separate it from the "normal' Flake candy, Deluxe Flake is coated with a chocolate shell, making the inside the flakiest part of the bar.

Flake candy is a great example of truth in advertising--the bar crumbles with every bite, leaving chocolate shrapnel in its wake. Unfortunately, this resulted in a messy floor which I'm sure will only exacerbate our ant problem. (Sigh.)

The chocolate was light and cloyingly sweet. I broke the bar in half to reveal a network of tunnels tracing through the bar. Inside, thin chocolate sheets had folded and curling into themselves, forming what looked like chocolate ant tunnels. It added a noticeable texture to the candy bar--pleasant, but unusual to my American tongue. (Unsurprisingly, Flake is an Austrailian candy bar.) I didn't really like the aftertaste, but the lightness of the bar was enough to satisfy me. For a gimmick--"Flake bars actually flake!"--it works well.

I bought two candies from Germany--a bag of "soft liquorice candy" and a bag of gummies. Both are produced by Katzen, a candy company with an adorable logo featuring a cat. Oh, yeah. Being that I love German food, I had high hopes. Besides: liquorice? Gummies? I'm so there!

The liquorice was the salty-sweet kind. Although I enjoy this type--to a certain extent--it was a bit unusual at first taste. After sampling a few squishy treats, my taste buds adjusted and I could enjoy the ride. The liquorice candies came in two shapes: straight-fish and arched-fish. I love the speckled, crystallized look the sugar gives the soft black candy.

The gummies were good, although I think the Japanese company Kasugai makes better ones in a wider variety of flavors. As is, these gummies came in various geometric shapes--diamonds, rectangles, and the like--and in varying shades of red, yellow, and orange. Each gummy had the German adjective describing their flavor embossed on the top. There were some cognates, the most notable being "Kiwi."

Sadly, many of the flavors were very similar to one another. The entire bag had a pan-tropical-fruit flavor that, while not unpleasant, wasn't anywhere near as awesome as I was hoping it would be. Still, they were tasty; I'll give props for that. I'm not sure I'd necessarily buy them again, however.

If I had a photo of the gummies, I'd put it here. Alas, the batteries of my camera died and I have to go sell an organ to afford some new ones.

The last candy, Aero, has yet to be devoured. I have high hopes for this chocolate bar. Other candy blogs have raved over Aero bars, kvetching about their unavailability on American shores. Well--we'll see! I have a sneaky suspicion that it will end up being another candy in which texture takes precedence over flavor (a la Flake).

Oh--I suppose you want to know how the Thai soup is? I haven't eaten it yet! I've always enjoyed Thai Spicy-Sour soup, though, so it's probably delicious. That's going to be my breakfast/lunch tomorrow--along with a delicious chicken sandwich. While making the sandwich, I got to break in my new mini food processor--hooray! It's both adorable and functional.

I have plenty of blog post ideas, so here's hoping to a long run for DBDtK!

2006-08-12T22:54:00.000-07:00

If you are either:

a) a salsa lover, drawn to the fiery mix of flavors that enhances any meal
or
b) a chilehead, who savors that delicious visceral reaction that comes from eating something spicy

then you owe it to yourself to visit Salsa de Rosa. They make some truly delicious homemade salsa. The mildest salsas are far too bland for me, but the hot salsas--oh yeah! They're fantastic, blending just the right amount of heat and flavor.

(I like Hot more than Extreme Heat because Extreme Heat had a bit of a sour tartness that I didn't like. The temperature was nice, though. I could tell because my nose started to run. My scale for spicy food is tissue-based.)

The best part: they offer a $4 sampler pack, filled with their most popular flavors. I've had the sampler, and it was wildly awesome. It was packed with a gel-based (I think!) ice pack, so the box stayed cool. The salsa has to be refridgerated. Honestly, though, it never made it to the fridge. I gobbled it up upon arrival. The portions are small, but for a sampler that's to be expected. I was satisfied with my purchase.

My only concern is that, like most "good" food products, they're expensive. Alas, as a poor college student, I can't really afford to keep up my gourmet salsa habit. At least I can recommend them with a clear conscience.

2006-08-10T21:16:00.000-07:00

After work, I decided to embark on an adventure to every foodie's Garden of Earthly Delights: the grocery store.

Of course, it was all good fun. I poked at the produce and tried to find some Bernie Bott's Every Flavor Beans which, alas, were nowhere to be found. I found a new brand of Pringles--spicy!--and a can of Vienna Sausages spiked with essence of jalapeño. (As long as I can try new spicy junk food, I'm a happy girl.)

Here was the best part of the entire trip: the Giant Pickle of Doom.

Our local grocery store has one of those awesome vats where you can fish out your own pickle for 99 cents. I, being a devout follower of the Cult of the (Dill) Pickle, love this vat. The pickles are huge, sour, and utterly delicious. So, it was an awesome surprise to find a pickle today that surpassed my own high expectations.

Behold!

Oh, yes. This pickle was amazing. As soon as I laid eyes on it, I knew it was worth my $1.05, tax included.

I'm ammending this photo with a girlish giggle.

For a reference in size--especially since I have tiny hands--here is the pickle sitting beside a normal-sized, albeit overripe, banana. I'm telling you, this pickle was a doozy.

For the sake of science, I measured the pickle with my trusty measuring tape. The final result: the pickle is six inches, with a 7-inch circumference. That's as big around as my wrist!

Of course, that begs to question: how did the Giant Pickle taste? Well, my friends, it tasted of Heaven soaked in a splash of mild vinegar, with a tart yet buttery aftertaste. The first bite, oddly enough, had such a buttery taste that I felt like I was eating a German cucumber salad made from Salata dressing. The further down I got, the more the tartness came through. The seeds inside the pickle were huge and slippery--as I swallowed, I could feel them sliding down the back of my throat. I'm still eating it now, and the buttery taste is starting to return as I near the bottom tip. The skin is surprisingly soft; biting through it feels like nibbling a steamed carrot--firm yet yielding. I'm still in shock as to how little sourness the pickle has! I can hardly taste the vinegar.

Oh, Bi-Lo, thank you for delivering unto me this Pickle. It's awesome.

2006-08-08T23:48:00.000-07:00

Tonight's dinner as a no-cook affair. Despite that, it was still very, very delicious.

Dinner was a smorgasbord of hummus, grapes, grape tomatoes, cheese, olives, salmon, and Melba toast. The flavors played off one another well--the tartness of the olives paired with the sweetness of the grapes; the soft cheese melted into the hard Melba toast; the salty salmon offset the sadly bland tomatoes.

The hummus, admittedly, went well with everything. I stuffed it in pitted olives! I slathered it on the Melba toast! I dipped both grapes and grape tomatoes in it!

My least favorite part of the meal was the salmon--it was simply too salty for my taste! I had to pair it with the tomatoes, which were strangely bland. I suppose this heat wave is killing off our tomato plants--or, at least, sapping them of all flavor. Alas! I guess salsa's out of the question.

2006-08-08T13:33:00.000-07:00

I never liked cooking all that much. Even now, I'm not sure that I really enjoy it.

When I read food blogs, I sometimes start to feel like a bit of a foodie imposter. All those food bloggers, man--they really dig hunkering down by the stove and whipping out the kitchenware. They seem to revel in creating new dishes and tweaking recipes from dusty old tomes. The posts tend to follow a dramatic build-up: first the creation, then the cooking, then the consumption. Sometimes there's even a big, extreme-macro photo at the end.

Me? I just like food.

I'm a bit impatient with cooking, though I've done in on the occasion that I've craved something specific. As is, I can't seem to budget my time and energy well--and cooking is something I've never quite been able to conquer. I think it'd be fun to whip up delicious dishes at a moment's notice. But I find it difficult to inspire myself to cook.

Food is an inspiration. I love food and it's thick, layered flavors and textures. I love trying new things. Every country has delicious junk food if you look hard enough.

One of my resolutions for this year was to cook. And, honestly, I think I've managed to actually keep my goal. I've cooked many a delicious meal: hearty bowls of red chicken curry, filled with bamboo shoots that have soaked up the spicy broth; cheese-encrusted chicken with burnt, crispy edges; little bento boxes filled with tiny foodstuffs arranged in silly ways.

But, hey--I want to cook more. I want to create sumptious college feasts and goofy dorm food. I figured, what better way to force myself to both write and cook than keep a food blog?

Let's do this thing!