February 2012 . Kara's Cupcake

“where’d you get that cupcake from?”

We had an impromptu party. The stage was set and the Creeps were in the middle of their first set. Friends were moshing. Others were eyeing the cupcake I was holding. “This? It was from a birthday celebration earlier today. I’m saving it for Mr. T.” Yes, it takes a lot of care for wanting to save something so delicious.

April 2012 . Tangerine Table Setting

Enjoy the weekend.

May 2012 . Nopalito

“What’s good here?”

Yesterday was an end of an era of sorts. I felt like it was an end to one of my many chapters that I call life. I am still not sure how to process it, but know that when one door closes, another opens. Also, you should celebrate these changes with you’re loved ones. Celebrate—I did—with a glass of white sangria at a local favorite, Nopalito. Have a good weekend!

February 2012 . Fire Truck Ride

“You’re still here, huh?”

It was a beautiful Sunday, when we decided to go for a bike ride in the Santa Cruz mountains. Mr. T wanted to take me to a biker cafe that he’d been to a while back. I donned my most fabulous biker-chic wear, threw on my helmet then headed off. It was beautiful cruising along the road. I saw fellow biker with a skull on his leather jacket and though to myself “Mr. T should have one of those, haha.” We got to a fork in the road and that’s where his trusty beater bike decided to putter out. He managed to kick start it, but rather than continue to go further into the mountains, we decided to head home. Down the mountain we went, all the while, trying to engage the starter. It was no use. Fortunately, a firetruck on it’s way back from a car accident, happened upon us and offered to help us down the mountain. I hopped off the bike and into the cabin of the truck. They followed behind Mr. T as he continued to putter down the road. He apologized for the unfortunate turn of events. I told him not to worry–we still had a nice adventure–and I got to ride inside a firetruck!

June 2011 . Campfire Cookery

“Leaving on a jet plane.”

Like clockwork, I’ve got travel on the brain. Every Spring, Summer and Fall, I start thinking about where I want to go. I’m seeing and hearing about so many friend’s travels, that I itch to get out and explore. One of the things I’ve been talking about lately is camping.

July 2011 . Campfire

I love camping. The smell of fresh air, dirt and foliage is such a wonderful feeling. The crackle of fire pit and roasting marshmallows–it’s something that I long for–something which helps me step away from the chaos of my urban lifestyle. I’ve got a new-ish cookbook dedicated to camping that I always take along for the journey. This year will be the year I break that book out and whip out something gourmet-like.

I love that spring is here and that the colorful chicken eggs are bountiful at the farmers market.

June 2011 . Tartine To-Go

“…and I hope you had a good Monday.”

March 2012 . The Creators Project

“I’ve been frustrated over my current creative canvases.”

On of the big reasons that I most recently abandoned my blog was because I felt a lack of creative inspiration and challenge. I was feeling slightly uninspired in all areas of my life–professionally and personally–and I needed to take some time to reanalyze my goals and desires. I live in such a creative city, one which oozes artistic innovation, and I struggled to feel excited about all of my projects. Then one day, something in my brain clicked, and I’m back. I began looking forward to going to art events, and looking at the ordinary in a new light. It was a feeling that I missed dearly, and was most happy to be feeling again.

March 2012 . The Creators Project

Back in March, I went to The Creators Project, a two-day showcase celebrating creativity, culture, and technology. I saw so many new media works of art and beautiful interactive art installations. My favorite was United Visual Artists’ 40-foot by 40-foot audiovisual installation, Origin, which was a huge cubic sculpture that you can walk into and activate musical and light elements. I do hope that The Creatiors Project comes back to San Francisco next year!

After going to The Creators Project, I started thinking and re-thinking about my canvas and decided instead of working within my current canvas, I would work beyond it.

December 2011 . Four Barrel Coffee

“I listen to whether or not you are aware.”

It’s a simple phrase. One that most don’t think of. An ability that I have come to realize of myself is that I’m very much aware of myself and of others. This sounds simple, but really, goes much deeper than a lot of people tend to acknowledge. I am aware of my short comings and my strengths. I act accordingly to enhance the parts of myself that are wonderful and great, and actively acknowledge and work on areas that need help. It’s a constant dialogue that I have with myself. Step away, evaluate, and commit to a course of action. Sometimes when the world feels like it’s whirling around at top speed, a trip to the neighborhood coffee shop helps bring clarity. ♥

April 2012 . Silkscreened Tupelo

“Will you go to the baby elephant orphanage?”

Mr. T takes off today for Africa. For the past few weeks, 90% of my interests have been around whether or not he would visit the The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, a baby elephant orphanage in Nairobi Kenya. What started with an animal video of Tupelo and Baylor, led me to discover this wonderful effort to help orphaned baby elephants return to the wild. Mr. T’s been pretty patient (or at least amused) with the amount of obsessing of these gentle giants that I’ve exhibited these past few weeks. But seriously–take a look at the website and tell me that these little elephants, their stories, and their photos/videos–they will warm their way into your hearts.”

April 2012 . Draped Vines

“This looks like it could be the cover of an indie album.”

I’ve been teaching Mr. T photography. We’ve trekked many hills and streets in San Francisco. Along the way, we would stop, I would help him with how to read the light meter and how to set the aperture and shutter speeds. I’d make him stop at random and point out something ordinary and say “that’s a cool subject.” He’s getting better at framing and composition.

November 2011 . Sutro Baths

“Let’s do an urban hike. I know a great place in the city that makes you forget you’re in an urban environment.”

I love San Francisco. One of the reasons is that within the 7×7 square miles of this city, lies pockets of natural beauty. In the northeastern corner, lies the Presidio and the Sutro Baths and the Lands End hiking trails. The Sutro Baths are ruins from a bye-gone era of a time when people would flock to this public bath house.

November 2011 . Sutro Baths

November 2011 . Sutro Baths

November 2011 . Sutro Baths

I took a hike around the Sutro Baths with my trusty Kodak Retina camera. It had been a while since I had used it and wasn’t sure what I would get. There’s something to be said about shooting digital; there is also something about shooting with film that digital just doesn’t seem to capture. I love and appreciate the non-instant gratification that film holds. The care devoted to each shot, and the emotion embedded within each image all make waiting for images so much more worth it. (Though, digital does have it’s place and can also capture wonders.)

November 2011 . Sutro Baths

Lands End is a beautiful hiking trail that lines the very northern edge of the city. There are stunning views of Marin, the Golden Gate Bridge and the Pacific Ocean. While hiking through, the sweet smell of fresh forestry is blend with the savory salty ocean air. It’s a peaceful place—the best of both worlds—where I like to go when I want to get away from the hustle and bustle without leaving the city.”

November 2011 . Sutro Baths

November 2011 . Sutro Baths

April 2012 . Roast Chicken

I’m cooking. Wanna come up for dinner?

Most nights it’s difficult for Mr. T and I to get together mid-week. When we are able see each other, I like to surprise him with something ‘gourmet’. One night I casually invited him over “because I was making roast chicken and would probably have too much leftover.”

April 2012 . Roast Chicken

April 2012 . Roast Chicken

He was prepared for roast chicken–of the de-boned chicken breast variety. When I pulled it out of the oven–a whole chicken roasted over sweet potatoes and onions–he gasped in awe. The visual was just as mouth-watering, as the chicken was perfectly juicy.

Of course my secret is the Internet. Because of the it, I was able to easily create such a lovely mid-week meal.

May 2011 . Cheesemonger

We all enjoyed a lovely description of Cutting for Stone by Cindy, and a brief summary of the first few pages of Stumbling on Happiness (which nobody ended of being able to finish!)

My first exposure to a book club was last year. The book Cheesemonger: A Life on the Wedge, enticed me to accept my friend’s invitation to join her book club. I scrambled to finish this book chronicling Gordon Edgar’s experience with cheese and Rainbow Grocery, a local San Francisco grocery co-op. I scrambled to finish the book in time for our meet up, but alas, I only made it three-fourths through. When I arrived to the gathering, I was greeted by a beautiful spread of cheese ranging from classic gouda to crumbly goat’s milk cheese. Needless to say, from that moment on, I found my new motivation to read.

May 2011 . Nook

January 2012 . Plow

So what’s new with you?

We get together every quarter for brunch. It’s the perfect interval to stay in touch with friends. This quarter we chose to eat at Plow, a charming restaurant in Portrero Hill. I was so busy chatting up a storm and gobbling down my meal, that I forgot to take a photo. None the less, the french toast was amazing and will be back for more.

January 2012 . Plow

January 2012 . Portrero Hill Mural

They don’t take reservations, but there is always plenty of eye candy in the neighborhood!

How do you say this, it sounds to me as if you are suffering from creative deficit disorder”

He is right. After all this time, his accuracy should not surprise me, but it does. I had so many plans and laid out so many tools to get  myself  blogging on a regular basis. For one reason or another–mostly reasons relating to various levels of laziness–I have not written on here. I have struggled, and still do. I will take this project one day at a time. As they say: slow and steady wins the race. (I hope

December 2011 . Apple Cider Donuts

“What do you think? Are they good?”

Over the winter holiday (yes, I am very much aware of how delayed this post is), I baked my friends and family apple cider donuts. These donuts were special for so many reasons, two of which were: 1. the first thing I’ve baked in a very long time, and 2. a recipe outside my own comfort zone. I had not Idea how they would turn out. Fortunately, I was not disappointed.

December 2012 . Apple Cider Donuts

April 2012 . Cherry Blossoms

“It looks like we got to the end of the festival.” “Yes, but there are still plenty of subjects to capture.”

Spring is here and Mr. T and I went out to the Cherry Blossom festival in Japantown two weeks ago. I had planned to teach him to take photos and when we got there everyone was starting to pack up for the night, but we still made good use of the lighting. He even took the above photo. Lovely!

April 2012 . Carmalized Banana M Ice Cream

Sunday was a special day. It was Mr. T’s birthday. I prepared for him a special surprise and made him homemade carmalized banana ice cream. Mr. T loves bananas and I had talked so much about how rich and creamy my ice creams were. I just had to make some for him.

April 2012 . Caramelized Banana M Ice Cream

I made him close his eyes and hold his hands out while I sang happy birthday to him and presented him with his own special tub of ice cream. I told him I chose this specific flavor because of his love of bananas and even named it after him: Caramelized Banana M. This was a very simple ice cream, which I made using Bi-Rite’s recipe in 7×7 Magazine.

Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you are all celebrating with your loved ones!

July 2011 . San Francisco

“I like San Francisco.”
After a day of rest in Sacramento, where the cousins stayed with family, and I in turn got much needed rest, we headed out to my home-away-from-home, San Francisco. It was foggy when we got there, which I hoped would eventually burn off. And it did.

July 2011 . San Francisco

We checked out the many San Francisco landmarks and the beautiful flower covered houses.

July 2011 . San Francisco

We did a little luxury shopping/art admiring in Union Square.

July 2011 . San Francisco

Had coffee and brunch at my favorite breakfast spot Tartine Bakery.

July 2011 . San Francisco

It’s hard to resist the lure of bread pudding (with summer fruit), chocolate tart, and a bowl of latte.

July 2011 . San Francisco

We then went high atop San Francisco to Twin Peaks and felt like we were on top of the world.

July 2011 . Twin Peaks, San Francisco

July 2011 . Pomponio State Beach

After a couple days in San Francisco, we packed our bags and continued our road trip south down Highway 1 to Pomponio State Beach, a lovely beach with crisp waves and warm gentle breezes.

July 2011 . Pomponio State Beach

July 2011 . Pomponio State Beach

It’s one of the few “untouched” California beaches. Just lovely.

July 2011 . Pigeon Point Lighthouse

We continued even further south to Pigeon Point Lighthousel, which overlooks some very beautiful scenery.

July 2011 . Pigeon Point Lighthouse

July 2011 . Pigeon Point Lighthouse

July 2011 . Pigeon Point Lighthouse

July 2011 . Pigeon Point Lighthouse

July 2011 . Succulents

July 2011 . Pigeon Point Lighthouse

July 2011 . Pigeon Point Lighthouse

I don’t smoke, but I just wanted to take a picture of used cigarette butts.

July 2011 . Pigeon Point Lighthouse

July 2011 . Pigeon Point Lighthouse

July 2011 . Pigeon Point Lighthouse

July 2011 . Hanford Chinatown

“A large population of Chinese lived here during the construction of the railroad.”

We headed back from Yosemite tired and eager for a warm shower and comfortable bed.  After we had freshened up, we headed out to Hanford’s very own Chinatown and received a little lesson on our Chinese American heritage. Today, Chinatown consists of a one-block alley and was once home to Chinese immigrants in the late 19th century who came here to work on the railroad and on farms.

July 2011 . Hanford Chinatown

Once upon a time, this famed five-star Imperial Dynasty Restaurant served up Chinese-French cuisine.

July 2011 . Hanford Chinatown

July 2011 . Hanford Chinatown

July 2011 . Hanford Chinatown

July 2011 . Hanford Chinatown

And least I forget, a great big thank you to our hosts, who opened up their home (B&B-style) so that we could wash-up and rest up for the remainder of our travels.

2011 . Yosemite

“He copied my pronunciation. Yo-sem-i-t”

Remember a while back when I mentioned I had been away for 17 days? I’m finally getting around to sharing the incredible journey that we had. It was a gathering of the cousins. We came from all over–Sacramento, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Taiwan! It was wonderful connecting with family and helping to family. Our first stop was a camping/hiking trip to Yosemite.

July 2011 . Yosemite

After we set up our campsite, we started our fire and cooked the best hot dog dinner ever. Later that evening, we introduced the cousins to smores and how they can make it at home–without a bonfire.

July 2011 . Yosemite

In the morning, we decided to pass on hiking Half Dome and opted for the Four Mile Trail.

July 2011 . Yosemite

The views were amazing.

July 2011 . Yosemite

July 2011 . Yosemite

July 2011 . Yosemite

The shade provided us with much needed temperature relief.

July 2011 . Yosemite

July 2011 . Yosemite

July 2011 . Yosemite

About half-way through and after several hours of hiking, we decided that the switch-backs along the trail were a bit too much for us so we turned around. So that we could maximize our experience, we decided to head on over to Yosemite Falls, where we did some rock climbing at the foot of the falls. (Note: it is very slippery and there are no safety rails, so proceed at your own risk!) The waterfall’s splashes of droplets on our faces was incredibly refreshing on this 100+ degree day of hiking!

November 2011 . Healdsburg

“What was your favorite part?”

Is it overcast and rainy for you today? It is for me. San Francisco’s Autumn summer has come and gone and now it seems the wet rainy season is here for a spell. It’s pretty wet outside, much like how it was last weekend when I spent it up in Sonoma County for the 13th Annual A Wine & Food Affair. Even though we were all hoping for some beautiful wine country weather, we still had a grand time sipping wines and nibbling on succulent snacks–at one point we were in one of the winery’s trees harvesting our own collection of figs and guava (which was my favorite part of the weekend). Yes, it was that kind of wonderful weekend. Of course it also doesn’t hurt to stay in a rustic tree house-style cottage with a sky light window that looks out onto the above trees. What a sight to see in the morning. I hope that all of you had a great weekend and will have another. Happy Friday!

October 2011 . Dynamo Donuts

“What should I get?”

Once upon a time, I was introduced to the intriguing Dynamo Donuts.  Savory and Sweet–I salivated over each donut–packed with unusual flavor combinations. These donuts stayed on my brain for several months, until finally, I had a chance to reunite with them at their home camp in Portrero Hill.

October 2011 . Dynamo Donut

After raving about them for a good long while one morning, Mr. T and I headed out to the Dynamo Donuts cafe. There was a line at the outside cash register, so we decided to go on in. Inside was a bustling open kitchen and a much shorter line. The walls were lined with cafe tables and donut books.  We stared at the long list of donuts–Vanilla Bean, Lemon Pistachio, Chocolate Rose Geranium Hazelnut, Passion Fruit Milk Chocolate, Lemon Sichuan, Apricot Cardamom, Bacon Maple Apple, Chocolate Rose, Coconut, Ginger Orange, Lemon Thyme, and Saffron–we couldn’t decide on what to get so we got a baker’s dozen variety. And some coffee.

October 2011 . Coffee & Donuts

After a hearty helping of donuts, we left, bellies happy and ready for the rest of our weekend. We will be back for the other donuts!

Dynamo Donuts
2760 24th Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
http://www.dynamodonut.com

July 2011 . Blueberry Scones

“What are you doing for Thanksgiving?”

It’s November. The start of the holiday seasons. I love this time of year–the crisp cool weather that greets your skin, the warm color transformation of tree leaves, and most especially, the buttery-soft scents that weave in and out of my house. This is when my motivation kicks into full gear and my tinkering in the kitchen goes into over-drive. I’m still trying to figure out what to start with, and tops on my list are blueberry scones.

July 2011 . Vanilla Extract

I tried this recipe over the summer and found this recipe very easy!

Blueberry Scones
Makes: 16 scones

July 2011 . Blueberry scone mixture

I’ve also found that this recipe can be easily modified for other flavors. Instead of incorporating blueberries, try adding strawberries or peaches or cherries or persimmons!

October 2011 . San Francisco

“Holy Halloween, Batman!”

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! Mr. T and I spent it eating candy and watching Batman–but not just any Batman movie–the Batman movie from 1966. Chock full of comical cheese to satisfy our low-key Halloween weekend. Tonight, I’m looking forward to seeing all the little tykes dressed in their costumes for some tricks and treats. Will you be out celebrating?

October 2011 . Half Moon Bay

“You came into my life at a difficult time…”

I spent a beautiful 3-day trip to Half Moon Bay this past weekend for a dear friend’s wedding. As you can see by the picturesque scenery above of Venice Beach (no, not famous THE Venice Beach of Southern California ), the weather was perfect, the beach peaceful and perfect for enjoying fromage and a baguette, and the weekend–absolutely marvelous. I hope that you all had a wonderful weekend!

July 2011 . Weaving Loom

“Symptons…”

While in physical therapy this morning, I stared at this inspirational quote on the wall. It really resonated with my current situation and also past misfortunes–of which I don’t feel are misfortunes, but rather turning points in my life that helped me to reevaluate my lifestyle, habits, goals, and relationships. For that, those events have helped guide my life and my outlook for the better.  It dawned on me this morning while looking at that quote, that  I’ve been unintentionally restructuring my life in meaningful ways and have started to veer back on course to a healthier lifestyle, healthier goals, and my own creative energies are less of a struggle. When I go in next week, I will make a point to capture the quote to share. It was a really good one.

July 2011 . Tartine To-Go

“I hope you don’t mind that we’re eating so late.”

Of course we didn’t mind. This past weekend with the ladies was filled with food and trips down memory lane (and boutique shopping!) It started off with Cotogna, then pizza at Pizziaolo, then Tartine Bakery, then a home cooked meal, then Cafe Gratitude, then coffee at Remedy, then dinner at my favorite Oakland Chinatown hole-in-the-wall, and THEN ice cream from Bi-Rite Creamery. It was a weekend of pure heavenly goodness–and I hope ya’ll had a lovely one as well!

July 2011 . Mission Murals

“TGIF!”

Happy Friday! Today’s blog post almost got away from me, but in my dedication to staying on track and with the help of my cultivated editorial calender, I’m sharing a few of my favorite murals located in the Mission neighborhood of San Francisco.

A lot of times, I find my creative inspirations from odd places. Usually, I’m not looking for them when they sneak up on me. When they do, I try my hardest to contain them in my brain so that I can utilize them in my projects–anything from photography, to jewelry, to cooking and, of course, to baking.

July 2011 . Mission Murals

I love the vibrant splashes of color that make up the Mission alleys.

July 2011 . Mission Murals

The simplicity and playfulness are wonderful to see.

July 2011 . Mission Murals

The color parings really bring out the subject.

July 2011 . Mission Murals

Of course, you can’t have San Francisco Murals with out political messages.

July 2011 . Mission Murals

There’s something to be said about fantasy.

July 2011 . Mission Murals

And gorgeous patterns.

July 2011 . Mission Murals

But perhaps it’s the brilliant colors that make me feel a little blue.

July 2011 . Mission Murals

Or maybe it’s the subjects of an image which offer social commentary on society that make me feel grey.

July 2011 . Mission Murals

In any case, art is quite abundant in this city.  San Francisco is an ever changing canvas for artists and it’s wonderful to see the artistic messages transform neighborhoods.

July 2011 . Coffee & the Golden Gate Bridge

“Some days I have my coffee and eat my lunch at the beach overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge.”

My friend, a fellow food aficionado, will be in town this week and I’m looking forward to the many culinary adventures we’ll all have. We’ll be dining at some great restaurants, such as Cotogna–a restaurant where Chef Michael Tusk was recently received the 2011 Beard award for “Best Chef – Pacific!”;  foraging around new farmers markets: and possibly squeezing some neighborhood culture in between. I’m sure there will be plenty of story ideas to add to my editorial calendar. Happy Wednesday!

October 2011 . Umami Burger

“Have you ever eaten at a restaurant that served bad food?”

We were on a stroll to dinner. I thought about Mr. T’s question, and the answer is not in San Francisco. In this city, it’s tough for a restaurant to survive if they serve mediocre food. Which is why I’m pretty blessed to live in a city and neighborhood with so many excellent restaurants within walking distance. Tonight Mr. T and I were on our way to Umami Burger Union. We had been to the ones in Southern California (I went to Umami Los Feliz), and really enjoyed the burgers there, so we thought we’d do a little taste test comparison.

October 2011 . Umami Burger

When we entered Umami Burger we discovered that night was their very first day in operation! We were so excited to be one of the firsts to try the restaurant. We were greeted by our host who was very nice and told us that the wait was about 20 minutes. Not too bad given that so many people were out for Fleet Week weekend celebrations. We decided to go to the bar and have a beer while we waited. At the Union street location the decor seemed more sophisticated (a samurai sward greeted us, pictured left), while the Los Feliz location had a fun and industrial flare (with a chalkboard and dolls, pictured right). Both were beautifully decorated. Our host later that night said that of all the Umamis, that the Union restaurant was the most fancy.

October 2011 . Umami Burger

We were seated at the bar and had a nice view of the restaurant. To help keep the beer chilled, the taps were frozen and iced all over! I wanted to touch them. Mr. T jokingly suggested I lick it and see if my tongue would stick to it.

October 2011 . Umami Burger

I ordered a Port and Stilton burger, with caramelized onions and blue cheese. Mr. T ordered the Umami burger (pictured above: Umami burger–before and after). We both tried each other’s burgers and agreed that they were very good–flavorful, juicy and with buns so soft–very consistent with the burgers we had in Southern California. At the end of our meal, I happily remarked that my Port and Stilton burger satiated my craving for beef. We were both very happy with our burgers and the friendliness of the staff!

Umami Burger Union
2184 Union Street
San Francisco, CA 94123

Umami Burger Los Feliz
4655 Hollywood Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 669.3922
www.umamiburger.com

September 2011 . Candy Striped Figs

“Here, try it with basil.”

Knoll Farms is by far my favorite place to get figs. I had always thought that brown turkey figs were my go-to figs of choice, but one Saturday morning, I decided to try these little green ones and boy, oh boy! They were so sweet and juicy. I doubt I’ll be able to go back! Knoll Farms has opened my eyes with the many different varieties and simple ways to eat them. Besides eating them plain, I like to sprinkle shreds of basil on figs, cut in half. That was one of the best and most simple recommendations of food couplings I have had! Happy Friday!

July 2011 . Leopold's Gasthaus

“Those are bitters and they are great after eating a large, heavy meal.”

Happy oktoberfest! I wanted to celebrate this weekend, but things came up, and then tickets were sold out. So instead I headed over to my neighborhood German restaurant, Leopold’s Gasthaus where it was full of merriment. Upon entering, we were greeted warmly by the host and hostess–so warmly that it almost seemed that they actually knew me, which felt nice. The wait was about 20 minutes so we moseyed over to the bar where we both ordered Spaten’s Oktoberfest–0.3L for myself and 0.5L for M. I tried to convince M into getting das boot, but he didn’t and countered with a suggestion that I get one. But I was happy with my 0.3L “das baby boot.” We then were seated and ordered an starter dish of Crisp Flatbread (with caramelized onion, speck, Gruyère cheese and arugula) and rounded out our meal with Wiener Schnitzel (and warm potato-escarole salad and lingonberry sauce) for myself and Paprika Beef Goulash with butter spätzle and green salad for M. Everything was so delicious and so worthy of a repeat visit.

Leopold’s Gasthaus
2400 Polk Street
San Francisco, California 94109
www.leopoldssf.com

July 2011 . Chanchitos & Work

“I hate making promises that I can’t keep. That’s why I rarely make them in the first place.”

Pardon my extreme tardiness. My earnest attempt to maintain this blog over the summer got the best of me and I failed to keep it up. I’ve finally processed a whole slew of summertime photos to share with you.

July 2011 . Russian Hill

Back from my 17-day Cousins Vacation. I’m still settling back in to the rhythm of things and have made a point to dedicate a good portion of this weekend to blogging, responding to comments and catching up with all my favorite blog friends!

July 2011 . 10-Day Cousins Vacation

Cousins Vacation – 17 days of happiness

By day 5 we experienced Yosemite, visited with more family, played in the Exploratorium, snacked at Candybar, and dined at one of my favorite restaurants, NOPA. Links and additional details to come! Bon voyage

June 2011 . Pizza in the Park

On Sundays, I write a bunch of posts for the week.

A bit belated, but last month I held my 3rd annual Pizza in the Park. What is Pizza in the Park? It’s where I bring pizza(s) to the park for friends to enjoy. Simple concept and a wonderful way to spend time with old friends and make new ones. It was a beautiful day at Washington Square Park. The weather was perfect and the pizza from Tony’s Pizza Napoletana was delicious. Particularly the Pizza Margherita and the Straciatella Con Salsiccia (pictured above). I finally got the chance to meet a darling blogger friend, Brandi of Not Your Average Ordinary and Pizzelles. She’s every bit as wonderful as her blogs and in addition to bringing some of the best jam (which I will write about), she also had some great, simple pointers on how to maintain this blog. One of which is when pacing myself, to carve out some blogging time and write. And write. And write. I’ve scaled back (and somewhat ramped up) my posts and now have it at a manageable schedule. Once it’s got a good flow going, I hope to schedule posts more often!

July 2011 . Chanchitos

Go this way to the beach. Go that way to get lost.

The above photo is a Chanchitos, given to me by my sister. In a small village of Pomaire, Chile, it is believed that they bring good luck. Three-legged chanchitos are especially fortunate and are traditionally given to friends as a token of goodwill and love. Indeed, I am fortunate to share my life with wonderful people. Each person has contributed wonderful memories to my life and has given me (sometimes inadvertently) renewed strength, happiness, and peace; some of which I hope to share over the next few weeks. This first memory that I will share is of my sister. The year was 1985 and I, as the youngster who hadn’t yet grasped the concept of manners and etiquette, asked my mother at the dinner table, “how come you’re fat?” That was the night I learned I would become a big sister.

May 2011 . Heritage Tins

Do you know what these are?

Tart tins! My grandmother was famous in her community for making the best egg custards. Hands down, her’s had the creamiest yellow custard delicately cupped inside a flaky, golden brown shell. While I may be a bit biased, I have never had a restaurant, or bakery made version that compared. Oh how I miss them.

May 2011 . Tart Tin

When she passed, I had hoped to inherit them. They weren’t worth much–you can buy them for about $0.50 a piece. But, I have wonderful memories of watching my grandmother making them. They were special. Unfortunately, my grandfather, being non-sentimental around cooking tools, got rid of them. To hold on to that memory, I bought some from a tiny Chinatown shop. Now, all I have to do is locate her recipe, which may be harder to obtain since she never shared her recipe with me or had it in writing–yes, she was a baker without a cookbook!

June 2011 . Courgettes Sautees Maitre D'Hotel

“Punk rock made me a cheesemonger.”

It’s interesting the different paths that people take to get to where they are. Gordon Edger’s path as described in Cheesemonger: A Life on the Wedge has been a great read. It’s given me some words to ponder as I look back at the road I’ve traveled and the wonderful stories that unfolded. But that’s a topic for another day. Today is day 2 and in an attempt to break out of my comfortable cocoon, I decided to take a one of my favorite squash recipes, Courgettes Sautees, Maitre D’Hotel from Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking: Volume 2 and make it my own. After following the really simple recipe of sautéing sliced squash in two tablespoons of butter, I lightly pan fried coarsely cut tomatoes in the remaining melted butter and combined the two. The coloring was as beautiful as it was delicious. I love when an old favorite can be successfully transformed with my own personal touch.

May 2011 . The Lost Art of Real Cooking

“You are an extrovert trapped in the body of an introvert.”

His comment was accurate. That’s the side effect of a 16-year friendship. I’ve spent my days observing myself–inside and out–noticing the changes occurring all around and I feel so fortunate to have these actualizations. Today was the first day of my countdown. In less than a month, I’ll finish the last few pages of this last chapter and begin writing my next one. I’ve got plenty of zesty books to read and plenty of friends to share them with. Day 1 complete. Time to break out of my introvert-like shell.

May 2011 . La Boulange Chocolate Chunk

“You looked like you had something to say.”

First and foremost, I must thank my friends and family for lending their strength and well wishes to me during these past eight months. My days have been topsy-turvy; I’ve been so unwell and racked with fatigue–especially in April–that my baking, photography, and writing have been neglected. I’m hopeful–things are looking up–and hopefully my second round of treatment will yield long lasting results.** As a small celebration of things to come, I decided that I was long over due for baking. I still do not have quite the energy to bake from scratch (and all the food in my broken refrigerator has spoiled over the weekend), so I picked up a tub of La Boulange‘s take-n-bake cookie dough.

May 2011 . La Boulange Chocolate Chunk

La Boulange is one of my favorite bakeries in San Francisco. I’m fortunate to live just blocks from my neighborhood bakery and always enjoy a morning coffee with yogurt and granola, or an open-faced sandwich.

I figured that since I always enjoy La Boulange, that I should give their prepackaged cookie dough a try and picked up a tub of Chocolate Chunk to bake for tonight’s dessert. La Boulange packages the cookie dough into 16 circular discs. All I had to do was place them on a baking sheet and bake for 14 minutes. They’ve made it so easy!

May 2011 . La Boulange Chocolate Chunk

May 2011 . La Boulange Chocolate Chunk

How did they turn out? They were flat, crunchy, and tasty. But while I speak with bias, I think my own cookies are much softer and tastier. I probably won’t make a habit of buying premade cookie dough, but for prepared take-n-bake cookies, La Boulange’s Chocolate Chunk is great for quick, no-fuss homemade cookies. I bought mine from Real Food Company, and I’ve heard that they can also be found at Andronico’s.

Note to self #1: make sure repairman comes out to fix refrigerator ASAP!

Note to self #2: make sure to catch up on all of my friend’s blogs!!

** Edit: Thanks for sharing your concern! I’m reading this over again today, and I realize that I sound overly melodramatic (I’ll blame my extreme determination to crank out a blog post and the lack of sleep on this one). As much as I’ve been feeling unwell these past months, it’s not a serious life-and-death situation. I’ve been told that some of what I’m experiencing is common among people my age and other aspects are things that can be remedied through a lifestyle change. I’m choosing to look at this transition as a time to reacquaint myself with me again. I suspect that once I’m in the clear, things will be better than ever.

December 2010 . Guava

Most of us living today hardly know where our foods come from. At best, we are dimly aware of the geographic and cultural origins of the crop genetic resources that form the living foundations of our food supply. We seem to believe that as long as we wish to eat, those resources will be invariably provided to the seed curators, plant breeders, nurserymen, and farmers who make our agricultural supply-and-delivery chain function.

That phrase came from Gary Paul Nabhan’s Where Our Food Comes From, a wonderful book that recounts the tale of Nikolay Vavilov’s work. I’m only 40 percent through the book and it’s already got me thinking and rethinking the way I think of food. I love when books help foster constructive thinking.

December 2010 . Guava

I’ve been craving guava and figs lately and last week I almost gave in and went to the grocery store to buy some–knowing that the grocer probably had some imported from a faraway land. By happen chance, as I was flipping through Nabhan’s book to a page I’d previously earmarked, I remembered one of the many reasons I love the farmer’s market so dear: that produce sold at the farmer’s market is sold on a seasonal basis and the footprint from farm-to-table is much less significant than that of the big box grocery store. No worries–even though guava is slowly transitioning out of season, I get to look forward to plenty of sweet juicy figs!

As I continue to read Where Our Food Comes From, I will probably continue to earmark pages and rethink the origins of food–over and over again.

March 2011 . Farm Fresh Eggs

Local eggs from local hens for local people. At Judy’s family farm all of our hens roost in Western Sonoma County. we feed these girls a diet which includes 100% organic flax which we grind fresh. All of our hens have access to the outdoors and enjoy large communal areas with natural ventilation and sunlight. Each of our eggs contains 225 mg of omega-3 fatty acids. The hens are always treated with the utmost compassion. Please enjoy these eggs. Thanks, Judy

You can’t beat the taste and benefits of local farm eggs delivered from farm to table.

March 2011 . Strawberries

Let’s blow this joint. Where should we go?

It’s been an incredible roller-coaster these past few weeks. Things are looking up and if the  farmer’s market produce is any indicator, then this first crop of farm fresh strawberries is a sign of marvelous things to come. I’m excited that berry season is back!

March 2011 . Chocolate Truffles

Dream in Chocolate. Enjoy!

From left to right: lavender, salted caramel, winter dream. Every year in February, I look foward to a special care package from my cousin. She’s got a talent for making chocolate truffles and as part of her craft, she reaches out to her friends and family for flavor requests. There were a bunch of new ideas, including mine, which I suggested caramel and sea salt (the square truffle).

March 2011 . Chocolate Truffles

I like to hold on to these truffles for as long as possible so that I can savor and enjoy the flavors for at least a few months. I’ve been really good about not devouring the whole batch. Tonight I tried the bacon truffle. It had tiny bits of bacon embedded in a rich chocolate flavor. It was tasty and good, but not one of my favorites. I’ve yet to try the salted caramel–that one I’m saving for last.

March 2011 . Kombucha Brew

Oh~sahbu shabu is good. Maybe you can try spicy hot pot. We can take you to eat when you come to Taiwan.

I love our conversations, trading stories of happenings here and abroad with elements of food woven throughout our chats. Anyone who knows me, knows my love of food and my love for learning about food. My friend Jessica over at earthjustice.org often writes about sustainable practices and food. Last month she wrote about the sickeningly sweet side of soda and it got me thinking about kombucha and my path to accepting and loving it.

March 2011 . Kombucha SCOBY

A little over 15 years ago, I was first introduced to kombucha by way of a large jar with a slimy disc of solid yeast floating on top of fermented tea. I didn’t know what it was then, and the thought of a SCOBY or “mushroom” making a drink was disgusting. Every morning school, I’d stare at that jar believing that only crazy people would drink something like that–and like it.

13 years later, I’ve become that crazy person.

After reading up on it and finding antidotal reports of health benefits ranging from supporting the aid in digestion and promoting overall good health, I decided to give it a try. I purchased a bottle at a local grocery store–ginger flavored–and surprisingly, I liked it. I never cared for the artificial makeup of sodas, so I decided this naturally carbonated beverage would be a good substitute. I’d drink a glass almost every night and I felt good–though I can’t attribute it to kombucha, since it could be the power of the mind–all I knew was that I was less susceptible to the flu (excluding my recent bouts).

After a while, I realized at $4 per bottle, how much “feeling good” was costing me. I did some research and found that brewing it myself would cost a whole lot less. All I needed was to get my hands on a SCOBY to start my brew. I bought my last bottle of plain kombucha and poured half into a small mason jar and secured a coffee filter with a rubber band and left it in a dark cabinet for it to ferment. Two weeks later, a thin layer of SCOBY had formed in my starter tea!

Using my starter SCOBY, I looked up instructions on how to brew my first batch. Six months later, I’ve made adjustments and mastered the process. Now my fridge is stocked with enough for a glass or two whenever I’m in the mood.

March 2011 . Kombucha

Kombucha

* I personally like the flavor after 10 days of fermenting. Let it ferment for less time if you prefer something more sweet.

February 2011 . Terrarium

Squeeker, squeak, squeakin’ squeak squeaky squeak…In other words… I’m nutz about you!

Spring hasn’t yet arrived, but I’ve begun to make use of my green thumb. What started out with a tiny potted succulent, now includes two basil pots and several succulent gardens. I really love creating tiny worlds inside random glass containers.

February 2011 . Succulent and Baby

I learned from the local plant store that these little guys do well in cactus soil and in clusters. So I got a few to keep each other company.

February 2011 . Succulent Garden

February 2011 . Succulent Flowers

It’s been about a month, but this little succulent started blossoming some of the prettiest flowers I’ve ever seen.

February 2011 . Succulent Cuttings

A few of the leaves fell off the main plants. Instead of tossing them, I decided to set them aside for propagating babies.

February 2011 . Succulent Cutting

This tiny leaf is well on it’s way to sprouting a new succulent. Notice the tiny roots that have formed.

February 2011 . Succulent Cuttings

Once the leaves started showing tiny roots, I created my own little succulent nursery so that babies could develop. Once baby and roots were well formed, I transplanted them into their new home–sometimes with other grown-up succulents, and sometimes on it’s own. If you look closely at the first image, you’ll notice a baby succulent, propagated from one of the leaves growing splendidly in it’s new home.

March 2011 . Macaroons

We make some of the most beautiful things; and then there’s…this.

My first attempt at making macaroons, though beautiful, were way too crunchy and too sweet. This is attempt number two. As recommended, I let the dough sit on the baking sheet for two hours to form a skin. I think they formed too much of a skin, because they  wrinkled and did not rise as I hoped it would. One of these days–hopefully attempt number three–I’ll have it mastered.

March 2011 . Gold Nugget Mandarin Oranges

They should be called “蓮霧“….I can take a picture for you.

I’ve been battling the flu off-and-on these past few months (yes months, not weeks) and found myself bundled up in bed during some of the warmest and sunniest winter days. It also meant that I’ve been unable to do my weekly farmer’s market shopping. Fortunately, I live a few blocks from a small, family run version of Whole Foods. Real Food Company is a great little store  which stocks its shelves with local sourced meats and produce. Some of the local produce even comes from the same farmers who sell at the farmer’s market, including these wrinkly mandarin oranges, also know as organic gold nugget mandarins.

March 2011 . Gold Nugget Mandarin Orange

I came across these as I passed the bins of oranges and noticed that one group looked exceptionally dirty and nubby. Upon closer look, I discovered that this variety, the Gold Nugget Mandarins, were trucked in locally from Blossom Bluff Orchards in Parlier, California. This is one of my favorite farmer’s market stands! And with that (and the fact that it has such an unusual physique), I decided to try a few.

March 2011 . Gold Nugget Mandarin Orange

First developed in the 1950s at the University of California, Riverside’s citrus breading program, this fruit is a hybrid of Kincy and Wilking mandarins and tends to have a sweet rich flavor encased within a thick bumpy rind. For an unusual little orange, this sure packs a tasty punch.

February 2011 . Ebelskiver Pan

Okay…What…Is that?

We were dining at 1300 on Fillmore, a wonderful restaurant in San Francisco’s live music district that serves up ‘soulful american’ cuisine, when our waiter perplex-idly stared at the unusual looking pan. The pan, with seven small wells, was indeed funny shaped and not something you’d see a patron whip out while at a restaurant–heck, or any cooking gadget for that matter. To clear the confusion, my friends and I explained that this was part of a gift exchange. This pan, while not known widely here in the U.S., is used for making traditional Dutch snacks or desserts. Do you know what it is?

February 2011 . Ebelskiver Pan

It’s an ebelskiver pancake pan! Ebelskivers (pronounced “able-skeevers”) are Danish snacks or deserts traditionally served during holidays and special occasions. Ebelskivers are a blend of American pancakes and popovers–solid like a pancake but light and fluffy like a popover.

With seven spherical wells in the pan, ebelskivers are cooked on the stovetop. Traditional pans were once made of copper, but today they are usually made of cast iron for good heat conduction.

February 2011 . Ebelskivers by Kevin Crafts

In addition to the pan, I was gifted with a beautiful cookbook, Ebelskivers by Kevin Crafts, which contains over 40 mouthwatering recipes and gorgeously styled images. I couldn’t help but marvel at the beautiful pages and wanted to make every single recipe, all at once!

February 2011 . Ebelskivers by Kevin Crafts

February 2011 . Ebelskivers by Kevin Crafts

I decided that since this was my first attempt, I’d better master the basics before getting fancy.

February 2011 . Ebelskiver Mixture

I began with whipping up the basic batter. The recipe called for flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, eggs, milk, and butter, all ingredients I keep well stocked in the kitchen.

February 2011 . Ebelskiver Batter

I never thought of making pancake batter lighter by whipping egg whites stiff before folding it into the mixture. I enjoy light and fluffy pancakes and will make this a regular habit from now on.

February 2011 . Ebelskivers

February 2011 . Ebelskivers

Golden brown and ready to eat. I was so inspired by the photos Erin Kunkel shot for the book, that I decided to try my hand at styling these sweet bites. This is where I learned a couple of lessons: 1. Never be afraid to photograph food on different surfaces. I’d mainly taken photos of food in pots, pans, plates or cutting boards. This time around, I wanted a dark contrast and put them directly on my kitchen table. Okay, not really a breakthrough vision, but it’s a start. This leads to lesson 2. Know your surfaces. I’m quite pleased at how the photo turned out. Dark wood + ebelskivers + powdered sugar = delightful. However, upon moving them to a serving platter, I realized that the warm buttery moistness of these pancakes ate away the polish from my kitchen table! Now I’ve got seven small dull circles on my table surface. Fortunately, the table is real hardwood and one day I may decide to strip the whole table down and re-stain it. Until then, it’ll serve as a visual reminder that warm buttery foods should not be placed directly on my kitchen table–unless I’d like to build on my collection.

February 2011 . Ebelskivers

They turned out delicious, though they were a bit more dense than I’d prefer. It may be a result of not preparing the pan correctly–I started pouring the batter into the wells before realizing the pan needed to be heated on the stovetop first. Lesson 3. When trying recipes out for the first time, read and follow the recipes throughly; there’s a method to their madness. I also may not have whipped the egg whites as stiffly as directed, which may explain why they turned out so dense.

I found that the recipe stated it makes 21 pancakes, but I was only able to make 14 and it took 15 minutes verses 5 minutes for them to turn golden brown. Perhaps this is because I didn’t prepare the pan correctly or that the batter was not light and fluffy enough–though, I also found it confusing that the first step required preheating the oven to 200 degrees and then cooking the pancakes over medium fire. Overall Kevin Crafts notes that it may take one or two batches to get the hang of creating the perfect ebelskivers. I look forward to trying out another recipe of his–perhaps one with filling–and perfecting it.

Update: One week later, I tried a second batch. This time, I ignored preheating the oven, prepped the batter correctly and cooked the pancakes on the stove top. I was able to achieve golden brown orbs in 5 minutes! Success!

December 2010 . Lemons

“Think about the things you are thankful for.”

This weekend, I took a brief pause to think about and treasure the little things that make life special. It was dreary wet outside, but it didn’t stop me from trekking around town gathering supplies for my small weekend gardening project. As I walked through the city, I pondered some of the things I am grateful for: 1. My boots, waterproof and comfortable. My feet had plenty of support and stayed dry as I wandered through Russian Hill, Nob Hill and the Marina (about 4.5 miles round trip). Bonus points for me being able to pull together a stylish rainy-day outfit to match. 2. My jacket–warm, lightweight and trusty–at $75, that was my very first “big” purchase right out of high school. 11 years later, It’s still in great shape, lightweight, and warm. 3. San Francisco culture, a big motivator which helped inspire me to search out my culinary passion. My life in SF has brought me a greater sense of awareness of where food comes from, and what impact local, regional, organic, green-washed, and sustainable foods have on the community. I love being a lifelong culinary student. 4. My new oven thermometer, which has stopped my oven from burning food, setting off my smoke detecter, and has eased my annoyance and that of my neighbors. At first I thought my burnt meals were user error. It turns out my oven has an inconsistent tendency of running 25-100 degrees high–yikes! 5. Lemons. More specifically, my mother’s neighbor’s lemons. The bountiful tree branches into my mother’s backyard and during my last visit in December, she gifted me with a large grocery bag full of lemons. Amazingly they’re still good and this weekend I decided to put a couple to use–in my tea and in a batch of lemon bars.

February 2011 . Lemon

I was really suprised at how juicy and fresh the lemons were after all this time. Mind you, the above lemon is a bit wrinkled from sitting on my counter for a few hours before I decided to photograph it.

February 2011 . Lemon Zest

I love the smell of fresh lemon zest.

February 2011 . Lemon Bar Crust

I made the crust extra buttery. I haven’t yet met a recipe that couldn’t handle more butter than the instructions called for.

February 2011 . Lemon Bar

And the lemon bar, chock-full of lemony goodness. The simplicity of the recipe and buttery richness of the lemon bars were the perfect way to end my Sunday funday.

Lemon Bars
Makes 24 bars

P.S. I am also grateful for the visitors who frequent this blog and as a result, the friends I have made. ♥

January 2011 . Terrarium Love Birds

Wishing everyone a happy Lunar New Year and Valentine’s Day.

February 2004 . Sacramento Sunset

A random and non-food related thought:

On the approximate anniversary of her next stage of existence, I fondly remember her no-nonsense way of life and how I was one of the few exceptions to that mentality–though I always found myself humbled and full of respect for her. Also, everyone–including myself–agreed she made the best egg custards. (Okay, slight relation to food)

February 2011 . Bouchons Au Chocolate Recipe

“Sounds fancy… You’ve been on a chocolate tear lately.”

It’s true. I’m going through a major chocolate phase and not much has satiated this craving. Fortunately, this week’s recipe quenched the thirst. I purposefully saved this one for last as the author, Brandi, is not only the driving force behind my participation in this recipe exchange (and resurgence in weekly baking projects), but is also the other half of the co-collaborator of the winter recipe exchange. Brandi chose to share with me one of her favorite recipes: bouchons au chocolat. It was simple and quick to whip up–though as her recipe did warn–I had to show much restraint to keep from eating the batter!

February 2011 . Bouchons Au Chocolat Ingredients

As I gathered my ingredients, I realized two things: 1. I have a penchant for storing ingredients in glass jars; and 2. I keep a variety of chocolates: dark, semi-sweek, unsweetened, and bitter.

February 2011 . Melted Chocolate

I really enjoy using my double broiler to melt the bittersweet and unsweetened chocolates. It’s a great way to slow-cook things–and also a great way to make sure sauces don’t burn.

February 2011 . Bouchons Au Chocolat Mixture

February 2011 . Bouchons Au Chocolat Mixture

The batter became increasingly stiff as I folded in the flour. This was a great workout for my arms!

February 2011 . Bouchons Au Chocolat

My oven is guilty of running 25-75 degrees on the high side–which became such a tiring problem, that I decided to buy an oven thermometer. It’s helped me control the oven temperature with better accuracy and now I don’t burn things! (Side note: my smoke detector and neighbors both thank me for this)

February 2011 . Bouchons Au Chocolat

Though mine did not resemble champaign corks, these decadent cups of chocolate came out of the oven soft and moist. The perfect Sunday evening dessert.

February 2011 . Bouchons Au Chocolat

The recipe for bouchons au chocolat and many other tasty gems can be found on Pizzelles. Once you make it, be sure to enjoy it with a tall glass of milk or bowl of vanilla ice cream.

Thank you, Brandi for sharing this recipe!

January 2011 . Lemon Rosemary Butter Cookie Recipe Card

“Thanks for joining the recipe exchange! Looking forward to getting to know you via your blog. Hope you enjoy my favorite cookies!”

Enjoy, I did. The second installation of the winter recipe exchange comes from one of the co-collaborators, Allyn of all things ami. And before I start talking about the cookies itself, can I just take a moment to say that the ladies of this exchange have gorgeous handwriting? Mine usually looks like a cross between script, block print, and chicken scratch–though it usually resembles chicken scratch–I’m a bit smitten, but anyways; I’m getting off-track. Allyn’s recipe was not only a joy, but warmed up my chilly home this fine Sunday afternoon. I’d been without heater or hot water for the past three days, so this adventure dished up multiple benefits!

January 2011 . Lemon Rosemary Butter Cookie Recipe Card

The recipe called for 1/2 cup of turbinado–which I didn’t have–but did have a jar or rose petal sugar. I wasn’t sure how it would affect the cookies, but decided to give it a try since the weather looked overcast with a chance of rain and the three-block walk to the grocery store was not something I felt compelled take on. Normally, I wouldn’t mind a quick trip, but cold + wet = puttering around the home in bunny slippers.

January 2011 . Lemon Rosemary Butter Cookie Ingredients

Fortunately I had everything else, so I was read to bake. This recipe also gave me a chance to us some of the many lemons that my mother gave me a couple weeks back. I was beginning to exhaust my options since I was using them in everything: tea, lemonade, on chicken and salads, and sweets. I had also squeezed the juice from a few lemons to store for use at another time. I’ll probably use a few more for cleaning, but even so, I’ve still got about a dozen lemons left. Any suggestions are greatly welcome!

*Note that the recipe also called for eggs, which I forgot to include in the above shot.

January 2011 . Lemon Rosemary Butter Cookie Mix

It had been a while since I zested a lemon (or any citrus, for that matter) and found myself getting a little carried away–zesting is fun! I tried chopping dried rosemary, which I found difficult since each time the knife came down, the itty bitty bits scattered about. Note for next time: use food processor.

January 2011 . Lemon Rosemary Butter Cookies

Ta-dah! I didn’t have any wax paper on hand, and similar to turbinado sugar, decided to improvise. I let the dough chill for a couple hours and then formed small balls, which I flattened down to size. I garnished the cookies with the rose petal sugar, and lo and behold, tasty little cookies with a wonderful bouquet of buttery lemons, rosemary, and roses. The tint in the rose petal sugar complimented my purple serving platter!

Thank you, Allyn for sharing your lemon rosemary butter cookies–you’ve helped satisfy my lemon dilemma and warmed my home–in one tasty session!

Lemon Rosemary Butter Cookies from Allyn of all things ami
Makes 14 cookies

January 2011 . Chocolate Lava Cake Recipe

“What motivates you to do what you do?”

It was a very simple, open-ended question. At the time, it gave me pause. A week later, the question still lingers and I still haven’t found the answer. It’s been a long while since I’ve faced a simple question that’s left such an imprint in my mind. Different aspects of my life are motivated by a multitude of factors. For baking, it’s the sheer delight of using simple ingredients to create delectable morsels. This weekend, I donned my apron, gathered my ingredients, and set to task on my first baking project of 2011, Erin of Pughs’ News‘ recipe for Baby Chocolate Lava Cakes.

January 2011 . Chocolate Lava Cake Ingredients

This is the first recipe in my 3-part winter recipe exchange and I loved making it! I had so much fun melting chocolate and butter in the double broiler and slowly folding it into the flour and egg mixture. Flour dusted the table and the air smelled heavenly as the scent of buttery cacao found its way into every crevice of the kitchen. It’s moments like these that reinforce my love of baking.

January 2011 . Chocolate Lava Cake Batter

January 2011 . Chocolate Lava Cake

January 2011 . Chocolate Lava Cake & Milk

I didn’t have any whipped cream to serve it with, but did pour myself a tall glass of whole milk. The cake has an incredible burst of chocolate, which is nicely balanced with my milk. On my way home from work tomorrow, I’ll have to remember to stop off at the store for some whipped cream, as recommended. =)

Thank you, Erin, for sharing your gem of a recipe!

Baby Chocolate Lava Cakes from Erin of Pughs’ News
Serves 4-6

*Batter can be made ahead of the time (ie: prepare in the morning and bake in the evening); do not freeze.
**Instead of whipped cream, the baby chocolate lava cakes can be served warm with vanilla ice cream.

P.s. Thanks all for your kind well wishes as I was on bed rest. The flu took a huge toll on my usually energetic disposition, and left me couch-ridden for almost three weeks.

October 2007 . Kitchen Window

Wǒ gěi nǐ chéngsè. Nǐ gěi wǒ chéngsè. I give you orange. You give me orange.

That was meant as a question. My lack of Chinese grammar (and the language in general) really hinders my ability to articulate thoughts. His grasp of the English language is on par with my knowledge of Chinese. It’s an understanding we have of each other and have managed through the years. In the past I would visit with my parents, who would always translate. In recent years, I’ve taken it upon myself to visit on my own.

November 2008 . Grandfather

He’s a sprightly man, who’s heart and mind is much younger than his age (clocking in somewhere in the upper 90-100 range). I surprised my grandfather over Christmas weekend with a visit and brought him a bag of oranges. For some reason, he decided to give me the same. I asked him about this, unsure why he chose to give me what I’d given him. His response? A chuckle and a “yes.” Something was definitely lost in translation, but we were both happy to see each other and I decided it really wasn’t worth the trouble trying to sort it all out.

In hindsight, it was probably for the best that he gave me those oranges. A few days later I began to feel a bit ill, which 1. I hope I haven’t passed onto him, and 2. am thankful for that bag-o-vitamin-C he provided. Grandpa knows best!

So much for my holiday plans of getting elbow deep in baking. I’ve been couch-ridden since yesterday and hope it won’t last. I’ve got the kitchen itch to make something other than chicken soup! On the plus side, I’ve been able to take this downtime to catch up on reading blogs. =)

If I don’t have a chance to write again before Saturday, I hope everyone has a very happy New Year!

December 2010 . Cinnamon Roll Recipe

He said, “I wish I was a neighbor…” To his comment I remarked, “but I consider you a neighbor–even if there’s an ocean between us.”

I consider myself fortunate for the people who’ve come and gone in my life. I tend to think of them as ships, some which pass quietly through the night and others who dock for a while. Over the past 15-ish years, we’d find ourselves chatting up hour+ long storms consisting of filling each other in on the gaps between the last talk. They’re filled with jokes, heartfelt well wishes, and discussions on food, life, and relationships. I cherish these moments so much, that after one inspiring conversation, I baked and shipped him some cookies! Last month I participated in Brandi’s Winter Recipe Exchange and having mailed out my recipe, I’m now the happy recipient of three new recipes, of which I’m super eager to bake, photograph and share next week when I’m on holiday from work.

October 2008 . Holga

Your photos are gorgeous. What type of camera do you use?

It’s 6:38 p.m. on a rainy Friday night. I’m about to head out to a holiday/birthday shindig when I start to reflect back to Thanksgiving at Fox and Goose Pub, where I unintentionally started and ended my day. It began with a dear old family friend. Over a long breakfast of benedict arnold, corned beef hash and coffee, we filled in the gaps since we last saw each other. She’s a sweetheart. Always was and probably will be forever more. That evening, was essentially the same, except with high school friends. The spacemen, the actress, and the ballerina. Everyone was the same and yet so much more.

October 2007. Kodamatic

Over the course of the evening, I was complimented on my photography. I’m always thrilled to get such positive feedback, whether it’s photography or something else. Thank you!

P.S. For the record, I use several cameras: Canon 20D, Holga, Retina, and Nikon n4004.

December 2010 . Succulent

Step 1: Breathe. Step 2: Observe.

I’ve got one foot slipping deep inside a whirlpool of ever-changing moments. The other is striving to pull the first onto solid ground. I’m part way there, feeling immensely better than two weeks ago. It was one of those moments where I needed that gentle reminder to stop and refocus. I’m thankful for everyone’s support. It’s done a world of good for my spirits.

That said, in addition to everyone’s well wishes, I’ve found myself drawing positive energy from an unexpected source: my kitchen garden.

December 2010 . Succulent & Friend

I received the above succulent from the Wonderarium, during one of their Succulent Circus tours. Tending to this little guy has been easy: water once a week and let the soil dry out before watering again. With such low maintenance, I didn’t worry about leaving it while I was away on travel (unlike my newly potted basil plants). When I returned home, I noticed the above little sprout! Initially I thought that it was a baby succulent and proceeded to scour the Internet for information. I didn’t have much luck since none of the pictures I found looked remotely similar to what I had.

I decided to seek the advice of the very people who introduced this little plant into my life. I left a comment on their Website and included a picture. To my delight, I was told that it wasn’t a succulent baby. It was a little seed that had found its way into the soil!

December 2010 . Succulent & Friend

The succulent is quite happy, and I suppose it must be because its got a little friend to keep it company. Since these photos were taken, it’s grown an additional six inches and grown four sprightly branches with flat round leaves. I’m still not sure what this friend is (heck, I don’t even know the name of my succulent), but am sure happy that both are thriving peacefully together.

I can’t wait until Spring arrives when my home gets better sunlight and babies… succulent babies!

March 2009 . Hello Kitty Fork

Snap. “Ooh no!” I exclaimed in dismay. They craned their heads over the wall to take a look. The fork, which served me so well through junior high and high school was now out of commission. “Don’t worry, it’s now in utensil heaven, finally reunited with its spoon.”

That made me feel better.  I’m generally not one to grieve the loss of inanimate objects, but in that instance I made an exception. The fork was old and tired, much like I’m beginning to feel within myself–of course I use the term “old” loosely since I’m quite young. The much anticipated holiday weekend was relaxing, however I returned home still worn and aching from the demands of work and life. So, before I follow in the footsteps of my trusty Hello Kitty utensils, I must take a brief pause from blogging, but not too long–I’d just gotten into the groove of regularly posting and have many stories from my trip home to share. Until then!

March 2008 . Pumpkin Soup

“It’s a cousins Thanksgiving, this year.”

Perhaps I should try making pumpkin soup with my farmers market pumpkin. Now, to track down the recipe for this soup, which I savored while meandering through Amsterdam. Happy Thanksgiving!

November 2008 . Wok

“Do you cook with your family during the holidays?”

He was curious to know how deep my feelings for food ran. I suppose that my love of food runs deep throughout my veins. My parents and grandparents always did cook amazing dishes, most of which was cooked in the above (partially) pictured wok on my grandparent’s back porch.

November 2008 . Oven Mitt

When I was young, I always thought my grandparents were silly with their laundry hung on lines to air dry and baby chicks-turned-chickens running in and out of their coop through the vegetable garden.* I use to visit and spend my summers in the back yard chasing after them. It wasn’t until I was much older when I realized that the cuddly chicks I chased grew up to become dinner. I suppose my own impression of my grandparents was “silly” based on growing up very americanized within an immigrant household. Silly or not, my grandparent’s lifestyle of growing their own produce and raising livestock profoundly shaped the way I look at food. By no means am I a vegetarian, but spending time with the chickens and watching my grandparents grow crops in a sustainable manner taught me to respect food and appreciate it’s origins.

So as I make preparations for the Thanksgiving holiday, I dedicate this post to my wonderful grandparents, who unintentionally shaped my views and taught me to love and respect food.

* Contrary to the backyard description, my grandparents lived in a Northern California suburban neighborhood, not a rural town. I often wondered what the neighbors thought of their farming ways.

November 2010 . Layer Cake Shiraz

“Just pretend it’s happening and do it.”

While on my way to dinner one night, I decided to pick up a bottle of wine. As I gazed blankly upon bottles of wine, I  wondered which I should pick. I was feeling quite nutty at the moment when I noticed a bottle of wine smiling at me. For a split second, I thought I the was going crazy before realizing they were bottles of Project Happiness Syrah. I was tempted–I mean, who can say no to a bottle of happiness? But sitting right next to it was something even more luring–Layer Cake Shiraz–and in my brain, anything related to cake has to be a good thing. So I purchased it and fortunately it didn’t disappoint. Let me preface that by no means am I a wine expert–after all I almost bought a bottle of wine because it smiled at me–but Layer Cake had wonderful fruity flavors and a lingering aroma that intertwined like a graceful dance. This is the perfect way to end the week and start the weekend.

November 2010 . Rouge vif D'Etampes Pumpkin

“You’re dedicated. Those who brave the rain to shop at the farmers market are loyal customers.”

A couple weekends ago, while drizzly and wet, I found myself in rare form to don my elephant galoshes and walked to the market. I sloshed my way through puddles to the Fort Mason farmers market and found a relatively empty marketplace. Farmers were cheerful and more chatty than normal–perhaps due to the lack of activity taking place. It was there that a farmer introduced me to rouge vif d’etampes, a cinderella pumpkin great for baking sweets. So while I’ve got thoughts of pumpkin risotto lingering in the back of my mind, a pumpkin dessert will be created first!

June 2008 . Cream Puffs

“I can see within you–you’re at a major turning point. Big things are going to happen.”

He’s good. Almost too good, and spending time with him has been incredibly uplifting and amazing. On his advice, I decided to keep a look out for ways to step out of my own comfort. Lo and behold, the darling Brandi of Pizzelles sent me an invitation to join her for a winter recipe exchange!

June 2008 . Convection Oven

So of course, how could I turn down an invitation like that?! I’ve got the perfect recipe in mind. A classic family recipe, passed down from mother to daughter. I’m so excited.

It sounds like a great way to swap recipes, meet other like-minded food enthusiasts, and make friends. Details can be found on Pizzelles’, but you’ve got to sign up by November 14! I can’t wait to see who I’m paired with and what recipes I’ll receive, which, of course I’ll post about. =)

November 2010 . Roasted Cauliflower

Delfina is one of my favorite pizza restaurants in San Francisco. Their standard pizzas never disapoint and their nightly specials have always made my taste buds delight. I always have a dilemma deciding what pizza to order–so I end up ordering multiples! But as divine as their pizzas are, I’m not here to write about that. No, tonight I’m writing about their appetizer special–roasted red pepper cauliflower.

November 2010 . Pepper Roasted Cauliflower

Delfina’s roasted cauliflower had the perfect buttery, salted, and roasted red pepper balance. Every visit since, I’ve always scanned their chalk board  menu in hopes of seeing it in their specials section. It must have been a fleeting offer, because I’ve yet to see it make a second appearance.

Then one day, I found a recipe for pepper-roasted cauliflower in Chow, one of the many food newsletters I subscribe to. I decided to give it a shot and found that it was such a quick and easy recipe; now I can make it at home and won’t have to rely on the possibility of seeing it at Delfina–instead I’ll count on them for their fabulous pizzas!

November 2010 . Pomegranates

“How do I say this correctly–It sounds like the barn doors have opened, and the horses are free. Let’s explore and see where you take us.”

The barn doors have opened and the horses are free–I like that expression. That would certainly describe the way my creativity is morphing. I’ve taken some time to explore resources, of which there is no shortfall in this crazy world, known as the Internet. One particularly striking image, Pomegranate, Lavender, and Cream, has inspired me to create a fall pomegranate recipe.

November 2010 . Pomegranates

November 2010 . Pomegranates

I love the juicy tartness of pomegranates. When I was young, I would spend afternoons digging into the crevices trying with earnest to pluck each seed out whole. Most of the time the juices would burst and I’d end up staining my clothing, much to my mother’s dismay.

November 2010 . Pomegranates Seeds & Almond Slivers

Now that I’m older, I prefer to keep the juices contained within the seedling. After doing a little research, I found that there is such a way to easily pit seeds and keep stains to a minimum! Who knew that scoring the skin and a bowl of cold water would do the trick.

November 2010 . Pomegranate Almond Bread

After marveling the beautiful ruby gems for a moment, I set to work creating a recipe for pomegranate almond bread.

November 2010 . Pomegranate Almond Bread

Instead of sugar, I added honey to give it a tinge of sweetness, a couple tablespoons of lemon juice to help bring out the tartness of pomegranate, and a cup of butter to give it that extra crumbly richness. It was marvelous.

November 2010 . Pomegranate Almond Bread

Pomegranate Almond Bread
Makes one loaf

*12-cup muffin pan can be used in lieu of a bread pan. Fill each cup to the rim, and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

February 2009 . Anatomy of a Sugar Pumpkin

He rounded out our conversation with a suggestion. “Keep percolating those thoughts.”

Rarely do I ever mention my professional life, but at the end of certain days, I’m left feeling as if every single thought has been scooped out of my head–kinda like what I was about to do with the above sugar pumpkin. Don’t get me wrong–I love my work and what I do–but let’s just say what I do during the day is a major force behind my appreciation for life all around. Now that Fall is here–or late Summer turning into Winter–this kooky San Francisco weather has got me a tad confused… I digress, in any case I spy autumn colors, perfect pumpkins, and lush pomegranates that beg to be taken home and made into a tasty treat. My thoughts rev up with ideas of what to bake (and photograph!). I can’t wait to unveil this weekends farmers market bounty–and the resulting sweets!

Aside from the traditional pumpkin pie/bread, any ideas?

October 2010 . Farm Fresh Eggs

“As you step off the mat and back into the world, always remember to breathe.”

This weekend is the annual Harvest Festival at the Ferry Building and with an event lineup of food tastings, farm to table talks, and live music, it’s worthy of donning rain boots for a day (or two) of celebration!

October 2010 . Brioche Preferment Ingredients

He wanted me to tell him about my dreams–without thoughts of reality meddling in the way of my fantasy–but only if I wanted to to share.

Yesterday, while watching a classic, The Maltese Falcon, I set to work on baking brioche. It was a long process, one which was perfect for the rainy day. I had anticipated baking brioche the week prior and purchased all the necessary ingredients and reserved the whole day for bread baking. Part one: make the preferment.

October 2010 . Brioche Ingredients

It seemed easy enough. After I mixed the preferment, I set it aside for an hour in a cool draft-less place, and then three hours in the refrigerator to chill. While I waited, I decided to do a little container gardening. I collected my jars of basil clippings and began potting and pruning. With their heavy roots, I snugly bundled the soil around each rooted stem and placed the pots next to my garden window just in time to begin part 2: transforming the preferment into dough.

October 2010 . Brioche Mixture

Something wasn’t right. The dough was dense and hard. As I tried to incorporate the yeast into the preferment, I began to smell my hand mixer’s motor burn. Perhaps I chilled the preferment too long and it had hardened too much. I set it aside for an hour in hopes that it would soften and rise. It did–slightly–but not enough to appease my mixer as it whined and pleaded with me to accept that the batter was too much for it’s rotating blades. Perhaps it needs some moisture, I thought as I moved onto the next step and added five eggs. Alas, it didn’t help and my trusty mixer begged once more as it tried with its might to churn the dough. Setting the mixer aside, I tried folding the dough with a wooden spoon, but it was rock-hard. I despise defeat, but by 10 p.m., I knew that my goose was cooked and with a longing sigh, I dumped the batter into my compost bin and put the remainder of the ingredients back where they belonged.

I’m not one to give up after a failed attempt. On the contrary, it’s given me a chance to think about what went right, what went wrong, and what I can do next time to move the preferment from a gooey dense form to a warm baked bread.

So, does anyone have any advice on how to make brioche? Any suggestions?

October 2010 . Coffee & Book

“Make a list, and we’ll chew on it for a bit,” he suggested.

It’s been dreadful wet this weekend, but from my favorite spot in the kitchen, I always enjoy fresh hot coffee and a good book–right next to my budding container garden and an open window. I was fortunate that the wind choose to blow the rain away from my window because there’s something calming about the raindrops that come tapping down on my fire escape–and not in my home!

October 2010 . Tartine Brioche Recipe

In fact, it was so calming that I decided to get started on baking brioche, my first Tartine recipe. It’s been an all-day project, so I’ll share the results tomorrow. ♥

May 2008 . Rooftop Wineglass

“Oh, I never have trouble with that,” she mused. “It’s as if we balance each other out. You’re the yin to my yang,” I responded.

As we weaved through the farmers market picking out figs and rough-skinned apples, she agreed. We have many shared traits, but our differences compliment each other in such a way that they feel more like similarities. She’s my best friend–no–she’s family, and two years ago I wouldn’t have ever seen this relationship develop into what it’s become.  Starting out as co-workers, we’d spent the first few months unintentionally distant from each other. Then, one wintery evening over a couple bottles of tempranillo, we took a leap of faith and realized just how awesome and inspiring we are to each other. Her fabulous taste in music has reinvigorated my appetite for new tunes (which is fitting, given that the last album her husband’s band produced is reminiscent of the Beetles); I in turn, share my love of food with her. Sometimes, we combine the two for stylish beats over scrumptious meals.

Also, I think it’s pretty cool that her husband is up for eating Costco polish dogs with me, and that I’m able to spoil Kidd-dog with farm-fresh organic carrots (yes, she eats very well).

July 2009 . Wine & Comics

“We’ll work on indulging,” he said. It was comforting to know that statement was without pretension or judgement–one of the qualities I liked about him.

Some of my favorite memories are sunny days in the park enjoying bottles of wine (served in plastic sippy cups), snacks, and a good food book. We’d sit for hours, talking about personal happenings, books, and people watching–marveling at the antics of other park dwellers. Many inside jokes were born from those afternoons. It’s been far too long since I’ve spent a leisurely afternoon at the park, one which will probably have to wait until next summer. Fortunately, the last visit was sweet–in terms of the company I kept–and the truly decadent cake a dear friend made. ♥

March 2008 . Fresh Baked Bread

“Will you do this before I see you next?” “Yes, I promise.” I replied. I hate making promises I can’t keep; this is why I rarely make them in the first place.

Our conversations are always thoughtful and simple, yet filled with layers of depth to horizons unknown. I’m grateful for this in ways I never imagined. This particular conversation reminded me of last fall, where I took my first culinary course–food writing!

July 2010 . Mastering the Art of French Cooking

Tante Marie is a fabulous little culinary school located in North Beach and has an excellent reputation for training food enthusiasts and aspiring professionals in the fine art of cooking. I was fortunate to enroll myself in a five-week food writing course, led by Tori Richie, a talented and incredibly inspiring food writer. During the course, my heart found it’s way back to food. Sitting in an impressive kitchen (quite frankly, the kitchen of my dreams) surrounded by a variety of food aficionados–including like-minded food enthusiasts, a bread baker, a celebrated food blogger, and a food editor for 7×7 Magazine–was truly an amazing experience. It was an intimate course and one that has helped reshape my enthusiasm, goals, and attitude towards food.

Since taking the course, ideas swirl in my brain. Dreams brew. The writing class was my first step towards my ultimate fantasy of working with food. It’s opened doors to possibilities I wouldn’t have ever dreamed of and I encourage everyone who has a chance, to take a class at Tante Marie.

Tante Marie’s Cooking School
271 Francisco Street
San Francisco, CA 94133
www.tantemarie.com

October 2010 . Sugar Cookies

One more gratuitous cookie shot. Get the recipe here.

October 2010 . Snowflake Sugar Cookie

It took less than an hour, but he knew me instantly and said with a laugh, “You should bake more; it makes you happy.”

I pondered this a bit, shrugged my shoulders and said, “Okay.” He’s right. Baking makes me happy. I craved creativity, something that’s been lacking in my baked goods lately. I had no idea what I would do. Normally when I have a baker’s road-block, I turn to my tried and true  chocolate chip cookies for a quick sugar fix. Not this time–no, I thought a bit more about this, and decided to let my thoughts drift. My brain flittered around tarts, puddings and pies before it settled on a snowflake. Sure, it’s October, but who says I can’t have snowflakes and shamrocks in the fall? Tonight would be a year of sugar cookies.

October 2010 . A Year of Cookie Cutters

October 2010 . Sugar Cookies

October 2010 . Umbrella Sugar Cookie

Some turned out burnt, but in the right place to add to the decoration!

October 2010 . Sugar Cookies

Others turned out beautiful, with the right amount of golden brown edges and jewel-tone sprinkles.

October 2010 . Sugar Cookies

Some, I couldn’t resist taking a quick bite! ♥

Sugar Cookies
Makes two dozen

September 2010 . Mission Black Figs

Mission Black Figs are so deliciously sweet. I recently bought a carton from the farmers market and proceeded to eat devour each and every piece.

September 2010 . Mission Black Figs

September 2010 . Mission Black Figs

One of my favorite pairings is to slice figs in half and sprinkle shredded basil. It’s a tasty combination that dances beautifully in your mouth!

September 2010 . Cinnamon Basil

P.S. I bought the above cinnamon basil two weeks ago, and to my delight, it’s now sprouting roots! Once it develops enough roots, I’ll pot them in some soil and add it to my little window garden.

January 2009 . San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf

This is from a roll of film I’d taken over a year ago. I’d forgotten what I had on it and now find myself pleasantly surprised!

January 2009 . San Francisco Bay

January 2009 . San Francisco Wharf

January 2009 . Please No Litter - $250 Fine

January 2009 . Boats

January 2009 . Bicycle Wheel

March 2009 . Love

April 2006 . Miosa Couture

Ten years. My, the time has gone by fast. It seems just like yesterday I met 9 wonderful ladies during my early years of college, whom I would later refer to as my core group of college friends. Once graduations began, we began peeling away from the pack, off to experience the world around us. We’ve maintained contact with each other through emails, random text messages, the occasional video chat, and individual visits, but we’ve never been able to get all ten of us together under one roof. Until yesterday.

April 2006 . Miosa Couture

Ten years. One weekend. Hundreds of new stories. *

• JA, soon-to-be Dr. JA, PhD. Mind-blowingly brilliant with words.
• TC, the lawyer, possibly Judge TC?
• JS, the social worker, who I hope will make her way out to the SF Bay Area.
• DM, fellow marketeer working the globe in pursuit of books.
• LK, scientific researcher and lover of Randall.
• CC, braved Honduras, now off to conquer the world of fashion/retail.
• LP, future lawyer and fiercely dedicated to family.
• SL, living the fabulous NYC life and jet-setting across the globe.
• JL (or JT?), the gorgeous bride. The reason for our convergence.

…and myself. It was wonderful to see everyone and create many new memories. Trading stories of where we’ve been, what we’re doing, and where we’re going is a treasure trove of happiness packaged into a wonderful memory that I cherish. Oh, that and the *ahem, more grown up,* antics that we seem to always experience. To sum up this amazing group is a wonderful little gem our friend used to describe us (and yes, he has a knack for words):

“Everyone looks the same. No one got fat.” –SCC

Which gets me thinking: do you have a core group of friends?

* Note: our history is just shy of ten years…it’s just a nice number to round up.

April 2010 . Industrial Sink

I’ve made some changes to the setup of this blog. Please be aware that I’ve removed the splash page and content can be viewed directly on the homepage, http://www.bakerydays.com. Though, if you should still prefer to visit http://blog.bakerydays.com, by all means, be my guest! =)

If you don’t know (or are just tuning in), I began blogging over 10 years ago. At that time, blogging was relatively new and I didn’t know what I wanted of myself or this blog. I’ve carved and re-carved out this little space numerous times. It began with numerous iterations of daily ramblings of little substance to personal works with little explanation. Over time, both this space and I have grown to encompass what I hope is my personal spirit, and while I may not blog as frequently as years past, I hope that the content has evolved and matured into something more substantial.

This is a labor of love. Thank you.

July 2010 . Basil Garden: Month 1

Living in a dense urban city has made me really appreciate the little things that small towns/suburbs have to offer. Some days I crave the peace and quiet or slower pace of life. Other days, I want to gaze out into my own beautiful garden. And though I love living in the city and have no plans to leave anytime soon, the inspiration from the beautiful blog by Rachel of My Balcony Garden and the nudging of some very dear friends has got me taking the first steps in having my own itty-bitty garden.

August 2010 . Basil Garden: Month 2

So I’ve begun chronicling the growth of my teeny-tiny plant. From seedling to sprouts, It’s part of the urban oasis that I’m cultivating in my own little home. This morning I woke up and could smell the faint wispy aroma of fresh basil. Even though the little bootie that it’s planted in is pint-sized, I’m hoping that the basil will grow up big enough so that I can add it into my weekly meals. Nothing like fresh basil in pasta or soup or salads to make a meal complete.

Not pictured here is the recent addition of two new pots–one an orange pot nursing a baby succulent–and another, my airplane seedlings. (The description comes from a friend who gave it to me who works in the aerospace industry.) As those develop, I plan to chronicle their growth as well!

January 2010 . Rolling Pin

How unfitting that in August, when I should be frolicking around under the warm summer sun, I’m bundled up indoors with the heater cranked up. Yup, it looks like this year summer decided to take a sabbatical. So in honor of this cold, drizzly summer weather, I’ve pulled from my photo collection a winter treat–cinnamon rolls!

January 2010 . Cinnamon Rolls

This is my mother’s signature recipe. I remember my younger years, when I would sit in the kitchen and watch her nimble hands knead and punch down the soft dough before rolling it out over the floured cutting board. She’d always let me help–I took pride mixing the filling–half-cup white sugar, half-cup brown sugar and a smattering of shredded coconut. Using a pastry brush, I’d paint the flattened dough with melted butter and then blanket the greased dough with my sugar concoction. Then I’d watch as my mother would roll the dough and expertly slice each piece before placing it on the baking sheet. I was always impatient by this time… 10 minutes of baking in the oven always felt like hours stretched into days. But when the timer chimed and the cinnamon rolls came out, they were always the perfect shade of golden brown and light and fluffy to touch.

January 2010 . Cinnamon Rolls

Now that I’m older, it’s my turn to kneed and punch down bread. I have yet to perfect my cinnamon rolls to a level that compares with hers, but I’m getting close!

July 2010 . Sweetness & Light: The Mysterious History of the Honeybee

“…eating is an intimate activity. The desire for knowledge is behind the success of farmers’ markets, where you can meet producers face-to-face, ask questions, and get a sense of who they are, in the process of discovering what is on your doorstep.”

Some of my favorite passages comes from this book, Sweetness and Light: The Mysterious History of the Honeybee by Hattie Ellis.

“For life is all one: as big as the world and as small as the honeybee.”

From traditional apiary on small farms to modern skeps on urban rooftops, Hattie Ellis did a wonderful job chronicling our love for honey. She details the daily order of bee life and the variety of fascination for honey found among different cultures so wonderfully, that it’s hard not to see why great bee intellects such as Lorenzo Langstroth were so taken with the honeybee and how they were able to study and invent new technologies that greatly impact modern day honey production.

June 2010 . Mint

Another farmers’ market treasure: fresh mint. Not only beautiful, bouquets of fragrant mint leaves dress-up my kitchen so delicately with it’s beautiful aroma–and I love that it’s scent can waft throughout my home so lovingly.

March 2010 . Mint Tea

Of course, after it’s filled my home with it’s scent, I boil it down in a pot of water into mint tea. Rather than buying tea bags or ready-made tea, I like being able to dictate my beverages’ sweetness. I’ve got a stash of glass milk bottles (I refuse to part with them–perhaps a story I’ll save for another day) that works so well for storing my home brews. Plus, it’s so simple and quick to make!

June 2010 . Pimentos de Padrón

One of my favorite stalls at the farmers’ market is East Palo Alto’s Happy Quail Farms. They have the best looking, best tasting peppers that my eyes and mouth have ever feasted on. During the winter months, they take a break from the farmers’ market circuit (at least at the Ferry Building, which makes me a bit sad), but they come back every summer with beautiful bright peppers. Normally, I buy a few sweet bell peppers to stuff, sauté or add to a salad, but last week I asked about these little pimientos de padrón and learned quite a bit!

June 2010 . Pimientos de Padrón

These peppers are a little sweet, a little spicy, but pack a whole lotta punch in flavor. They are great as tapas and are quick to whip up. All that you need to do is heat a frying pan with olive oil (enough to cover the bottom of the pan) and throw the peppers in whole. When white blisters appear on the pepper skins, then they are ready to eat.

Serve on a plate with coarse salt (I added ground black pepper–I do like my foods to have that extra kick) and enjoy with a side of cheese, a frosty beer, or a glass of red wine.

Normally something like this is great as an appetizer with friends, but I’m not going to lie–I ate all these peppers in one sitting! These little guys are now part of my ‘usual’ market list!

June 2010 . Farmer's Market Produce

My love for farmers’ markets knows no bounds. Anyone who knows me, knows that food has a special place in my heart. Fortunately, I live in a great city that offers a wealth of food outlets–restaurants, shops, markets, festivals, and organizations. I’ve been on a road to discovery lately–checking out various local farmers’ markets. Each holds unique treasures that the other doesn’t offer, but all are equally special. I love surrounding myself around so much fresh produce, artisan breads, cheeses, and yogurts. And the people. It’s their knowledge and genuine friendly spirit that adds to the overall ambiance and leaves me wishing that I could spend everyday at the market.

I have yet to visit all of the farmers’ markets in San Francisco, but some of my favorite include:

Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market
One Ferry Building
San Francisco, California 94111
Open year round: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com

Fort Mason Center Farmers’ Market
Fort Mason Center
San Francisco, CA 94123
Open June through October: Sundays, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
www.fortmason.org/farmersmarket

Crocker Galleria Farmers’ Market
Crocker Galleria
50 Post Street
San Francisco, CA 94104
Open year round: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
www.cafarmersmkts.com

Alemany Farmers’ Market
100 Alemany Blvd
San Francisco, CA 94110
Open year round: Saturdays, 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
http://sfgsa.org/index.aspx?page=1058

June 2010 . Tartine Cookbook

Another day. Another month. Another year. It’s been full of unexpected surprises and changes. I recently received this lovely cookbook from a very dear friend of mine. The companion piece to the wonderfully delicious bakery, Tartine Bakery, located on the corner of 18th and Guerrero Street in the Mission, each recipe contains beautiful drool-worthy photos, stories and recipes.

June 2010 . Brioche Bread Pudding Recipe

Quite possibly the first recipe I’ll try out from the book, this treat is my all-time favorite. I can never visit the bakery without ordering a bowl. I only hope that I can achieve the goodness that they are able to dish out.

June 2010 . Croissants Recipe

Then quite possibly, I’d move on to croissants. I made them once last year based off a different recipe, but they didn’t turn out. Now I’ve got a new recipe and another chance.

June 2010 . Quiche Recipe

To round out the first batch of Tartine goodies, is a savory quiche recipe. I love a good quiche and this one looks absolutely tasty!

If you’re not inclined to do any baking and you’re in San Francisco, I highly recommend visiting the bakery for some coffee and treats. Most days, there’s a long line but the wait is completely worth it.

Tartine Bakery
600 Guerrero Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
www.tartinebakery.com

June 2010 . Zucchini

This weekend at the farmer’s market, I spied with my two little eyes, zucchini. With spring fruits here and the summer season just around the corner, I’ve got tons of sweets lined up to bake. Tarts and muffins and frozen treats galore! Today’s recipe is another experience in one-handed cookery—the thumb is still temporarily out of order, and like all things that life brings, I use them to make sweets.

June 2010 . Zucchini Bread Ingredients

June 2010 . Shredded Zucchini

June 2010 . Chocolate Chips

June 2010 . Zucchini Bread Batter

June 2010 . Zucchini Bread

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bead
Makes 1 loaf

I had a little extra batter, so I decided to make a few muffins!

June 2010 . Zucchini Muffins

June 2010 . Onion

Today’s meal is filed under: duh

THUMB DOWN! I know better than to let my mind wander when cooking. Unfortunately, tonight I received a painful (and ugly) lesson in chopping when my thoughts trailed. So while I bandaged my thumb, I debated on scrapping my meal and ordering take-out, but then realized that this is a good chance to chronicle my adventures in one-handed cooking. Fortunately I’d planned to whip-up a very easy dinner…

June 2010 . Chard

I’d already chopped and washed the chard, which was great for me!

June 2010 . Pinenuts

With my left hand now out of commission, I set about toasting pinenuts. This was easy since this step only required flipping the pan to evenly toast the nuts.

June 2010 . Onion&Chard

Sautéing onions, garlic and chard were pretty easy as well thanks to my spatula.

June 2010 . Sautéed Chard with Toasted Pinenuts

Ta-da! A simple, one-handed dinner to write home about. Now about washing those dishes…

March 2008 . Koln Chocolate Factory

I love chocolate. It’s sensual. It’s comforting. It’s happiness–packaged into itty-bitty mouth-watering pieces. Chocolate is a cherished sweet that I can never get tired of. Growing up, my family never had a lot of candy in the home and when I managed to get my little fingers wrapped around a piece of melted goodness, my parents–and grandparents–would always lecture  me, telling me that my teeth would fall out if I ate too many. Welp, fast forward to today, and I’ve still got my full set of teeth, so that little scare tactic didn’t work much… I still love chocolate, probably more so today than when I was a child. During a recent trip to Europe, my eyes (and taste buds) discovered chocolate unlike any before. It was magnificent. It also happened to be the trip that provided me with a new found respect for the unknown labors in the cacao fields. During my trip, I read Carol Off’s Bitter Chocolate and discovered a lot about the history of cacao beans, the people who work the farms, and the business of profiting off the people and these little beans. What I wasn’t prepared for was what I would learn about myself and how my views of chocolate would change.

June 2010 . Bitter Chocolate by Carol Off

This is a powerful book that dives into the gritty heart of the chocolate industries around the world and the corruption and racism that towers over the laborers who toil the fields–the back-breaking sweat, blood and tears of the local workers who produce joy for others–but will never themselves be able to taste.

Would this book stop me from loving and eating chocolate? No. Would it change my understanding of the cacao industry and in turn my appreciation of the unknown people who work so hard to produce it? Yes. Is there something that I can do to help change the way chocolate is made? Hopefully–I’m very disgusted by the greed and corruption. I’ve been researching and trying to figure out ways to help make a positive impact for these workers. Every single bite of smooth milk chocolate, rich dark chocolate, and sweet white chocolate has become more of a luxury, something that I am so blessed and fortunate to experience.

Moving from book to kitchen, I’ve squirreled away a couple pieces of chocolate. I had originally intended to save them for a special occasion. Special chocolate for a special time, but my will power isn’t so strong these days. Would it be wrong to call today–an ordinary Wednesday, hump day–special? Or perhaps I should continue to save it and whip up a red velvet cake? I’m pretty good at that too.

And with that, I present a few of my favorite chocolates from Europe.

March 2008 . French Chocolate Truffles

March 2008 . French Chocolate Truffles

March 2008 . Belgium Chocolate Truffles

June 2010 . Banana Bread

…and Tomorrow told me: “Go home. Visit friends and family, but don’t stay too long. There’s a lot more in store for you in San Francisco!”I decided to take a short trip home over the weekend. There’s nothing like the drive from San Francisco, over the Golden Gate Bridge and through Marin and Sonoma counties. The trip started with clouds smoging over the bay, but by the time I entered Sonoma, the sun had peaked through and the air warmed up. I’m so use to San Francisco weather, that I’d forgotten what seasons were like!

My sister came up with the great idea to bring ice cream to my grandfather. He’s a sucker for sweets, and given how hot the day was, it was the perfect treat. He was surprised to see us and immediately went get us a bowl of lotus soup (and a second bowl for ice cream). My sister choose strawberry flavor, which is a combination of my favorite berries and frozen treats. The three of us sat and enjoyed the ice cream, making sure to eat as fast as we could to keep it from dripping all over the place. This reminds me–it’s now ice cream making season!

See ya later (I refuse to say good byes), I’m sure I’ll make many more brief trips here and there and everywhere.

Of course, I wouldn’t be very true to myself if I didn’t bake something this weekend.  This week’s baked goodie is banana bread from the extra bananas I’d bought last week. Crunchy crust on the outside, soft and spongy on the inside.

October 2009 . Chicken Pot Pie

This month marks a small but personal milestone. I’ve spent the past months writing elusive and circular blog posts, things that don’t offer much substance aside from the inviting pictures and occasional recipe. My reasons vary from my desire to maintain privacy to my inability to translate random musings into concrete stories to sheer laziness. So in an attempt to step out of my comfort zone, here goes…

I’ve been thinking about where I started, the path I’ve taken, and the future unknown and find that at this moment, of all the chapters in my book of life, nothing quite compares to my time in San Francisco. I never expected my life to transform into what it is now. When I moved here, I didn’t have anything or know anyone. I wasn’t sure I would make it living out here, but each passing day proves to be another magical moment. I’ve experienced hard life-changing moments–moments that made me think about packing my bags, calling it quits, and going home. Then I think about the remarkable times I’ve had and couple it with the amazing lessons I’ve learned.

My most recent lesson learned–and also most difficult to articulate–quite appropriately relates to food. I was so consumed with bandaging my predicaments with superficial happiness that I failed to realize that it was only temporary and that I was heading down a chaotic road. I’ve since made choices (both hard and scary) to rectify the situation and now have a better outlook and quality of life. Though some of my friends don’t quite understand (partly because it’s hard for me to find the right words), they support me and are my personal cheerleaders. As circumstances should happen, I opened my Google Reader this morning and found two articles that I was able to relate to. Even though my situation doesn’t compare, former food critic, Ed Murrieta and food blogger Leslie Kelly share such inspiring stories of eating on a budget. (and they’ve both managed to explain the things that I’ve found so difficult to say)

Without getting into the details of how and why I chose to cut back, I must admit that it’s been uplifting. I look forward to simple pleasures such as early morning strolls to the farmer’s market and home cooked meals (though I still love the SF food scene). I enjoy giving back to my community by volunteering at many local non-profits and hope that I’m able to make a positively impact at any level. My motivations are altruistic and for that I’m deeply satisfied and fulfilled.

I still have the occasional notion that I’m a small fish in the big sea, but I’m content knowing that each moment in San Francisco was–and is worth it. Will I ever leave this city? At one point, I contemplated a life far, far away. If so, where would I end up?

The answer: that’s for tomorrow to tell.

July 2009 . Brentwood Apricot Farm

I love the photos taken from my Retina.

I can’t wait to take time off to visit farms, and learn about peaches and apricots (and bake!). Even though I love living in such a beautiful city, there’s something about being in the fields surrounded by luscious fruits. Somedays I dream of leaving the city life for a quieter, simpler lifestyle. Lately, life has been full of unexpected surprises–I wouldn’t be shocked if it takes me down surprising roads or whisks me to faraway lands.

Editors note: I believe that my photo is of an apricot tree… oops!

July 2009 . Cherry Farm

Cherries are back! Over the weekend I learned a little about varieties. I love the farmer’s market–I can’t wait to make pies!

April 2010 . Choco-Raspberry Tart (Photo courtesy of French Farmer)

What a difference 30 days makes…

Good-byes, hello’s, friendly new faces, stacked boxes, movie-like experiences, scooter excursions, quiet nights, sunny walks, Bug Day, pizza parties, and a no-bake tart. I’m content. <3

I thought I’d bake something for dessert, but realized mid-way that this was a no-bake recipe. Even though I made this two weeks ago, I still have vivid recollections of tart berries, subtle hint of almond, and rich smoothness of chocolate. It was the most delicious no-bake recipes I’ve ever done. Oh, and I also learned about currants!

And after a 2-week hiatus, I finally have Internet. brb–off to satisfy my techie cravings!

April 2010 . Onion & Leek

This week, I discovered that I went a little overboard with getting too early of a head start on boxes. Not to worry, it’s easy to unpack a camera cable and repack.

I am an avid subscriber of many many many food blogs. This is also true of email subscriptions. I’m constantly inundated with recipes, hot trends, and news around the globe (yet, I still thirst for more). Last week, while going through my inbox, I was delighted to find the recipe of the day was for a savory onion and leek tart. After reading the recipe, I decided that this would compliment my roast chicken perfectly. So off to the farmer’s market I went to gather my ingredients…

April 2010 . Leek, Finely Sliced

The original recipe was simple and straight forward. I couldn’t find crème fraîche, I decided to substitute it with heavy whipping cream and it turned out quite nice. The hot pastry dough was from a recipe in the Spice Bible (and has become my favorite pie pastry dough recipe).

Savory Onion and Leek Tart
Serves 8-10

April 2010 . Onion & Leek Tart Filling

April 2010 . Pastry Dough

April 2010 . Onion & Leek Tart