Dining date: 12/25/11 The Christmas setup has been the same as long as I’ve known, however the food has remained relatively consistent. Lunch is a buffet at my mom’s sister’s house, where they fully decorate the house in a warm Christmas decor. Technically it’s a potluck, though my aunt makes the majority of items. My…
Dining date: 11/24/11 I’m not sure how long we’ve been doing it, but Thanksgiving has traditionally been spent with a lunch on my mom’s side and a dinner on my dad’s side. That way, no one has to pick-and-choose/rotate where Thanksgiving is spent. With two large meals, I’ve learned pacing becomes key. Lunch is in…
Dining date: 10/23/11 I love a bowl of soup noodles. Whether a wonton noodle soup, ramen, or pho, its one of my favorite things to eat any time of the year. I will admit, I hadn’t had a “real” bowl of pho until I was in my late teens. Not sure why, but I just…
Dining date: 8/28/11 I don’t cook with mushrooms a whole lot. In fact, I grew up not liking them, always pushing them aside on my plate. Now, I’m far from a lover of mushrooms (unless they’re truffles?), but I’ll usually eat them if put in front of me. I stumbled upon some chanterelles at the…
Dining date: 8/27/11 A good steak. I can’t think of any other food that is so delicious, yet so simple to cook. In terms of ingredients, salt, pepper and a good piece of meat are all you need. That’s pretty much all I used here. I stumbled upon a steak that immediately caught my eye – a…
Dining date: 8/21/11 Risotto is one of my favorite dishes; there’s something very comforting about it. Creamy and rich, it’s shockingly simple with the most basic recipes only involving a few ingredients. I think it’s pretty easy to make an edible risotto, but making a great one is tough. Temperature too low? Then the rice…
Dining date: 7/30/11 I’ve been trying to cook more pork. It’s a pretty reasonably priced meat (able to be eaten on a regular basis) but I really don’t cook it too often. I grew up not really liking pork, especially the chops. My earliest memories are of thin, lean pork chops being cooked well-done, yielding…
Dining date: 6/5/11 I was recently inspired to braise some lamb shanks on a recent trip to my local Whole Foods. They had a spread of some pretty nice looking lamb shanks, and at $6.99/lb, I thought they were reasonably priced. I’d be able to braise a whole bunch and even bring some for lunch…