Food Salon

Tube Tues: Celeb cookbooks

2011-05-24T18:20:00.000-04:00

It seems like every celebrity is coming out with a cookbook now - Gwyneth Paltrow, Eva Longoria, Alicia Silverstone, etc. I liked Paltrow's food travelling show with Mario Batali, but I wonder how much of an expert that makes her on the subject, let alone the others. Ellen makes the same, but much better presented, point here:

Food find Friday: Duff's fondant

2011-04-29T20:24:00.000-04:00

Again, I find interesting food items at Winners. I didn't, and wouldn't necessarily, buy this, but it looks pretty cool, and I'm wondering how this would be different from other ready-made fondant. That's right, my favourite cake maker Duff has a line of cake decorating products and I found fondant today.

Has anyone tried it?

Tube Tues: Green papaya salad

2011-04-26T14:35:00.000-04:00

I have a confession to make: I call myself adventurous when it comes to food, but I have a pretty traditional Chinese palate when it comes to a liking to drinking warm water and preference for hot foods over cold. However, now that the weather is getting warmer, I do crave a nice savoury salad now and then.

I like my salads pretty hearty, with meat and/or savoury sauces, like the flavours of Cobb salad, Caesar salad, Nicoise salad, or something with smoked meats. Lately, I've been craving Thai green papaya salad, after watching Triple D and seeing it made at Pok Pok in Portland. I took to the Internets to find a bunch of videos to compare, and I found this to be the most entertaining and impressive, although you need to have watched others to get a sense of what the heck the lady is putting into the salad (limes, garlic, chili, palm sugar, fish sauce, dried shrimps and/or dried crab, shredded green papaya, tomatoes, and peanuts -- I think that's it).

Nothing beats a video of food made in the most raw and authentic surroundings.

Not to insult your intelligence (I didn't know this beforehand, so I thought I'd share), but green papaya is just an unripe papaya, not a different variety.

Food find Friday: Razor clams

2011-04-15T13:06:00.000-04:00

Most supermarkets carry the usual seafood selection, but I was able to find razor clams at Foody Mart in Markham. You have NO idea how happy I was to see them. I'll admit it, I couldn't resist touching them because they look so bizarre. For those of you who've never had razor clams, they're sweet and tender, and not as fishy as regular clams. I've always wanted to make the Spanish razor clam dish on a flat griddle. I'm hoping to achieve the same result with a wide bottomed non stick pan. I think that the best way to prepare them is just to steam them open quickly, sear them, and serve them in a sauce of garlic, paprika, and wine.

How do you like razor clams prepared?

Tube Tues: Top Chef Canada

2011-04-12T20:18:00.000-04:00

The big news yesterday was the first episode of Top Chef Canada. It still boggles my mind that we are finally on the Top Chef bandwagon years behind the U.S.

Well, I'm hoping it'll be an exciting show. For those of you who missed the first episode that aired last night, here's a recap.

Top Chef Canada episode 1

I always feel bad for the first one to go, but from the weird 'sauce' that he made, I guess it was deserved. My fave so far is Francois Gagnon. Let's see how far he goes in this competition.

Who's your fave of the bunch?

Food find Friday: Squid ink

2011-04-08T16:05:00.000-04:00

There has been so many times when I have to go to several grocery stores and markets looking for one specific item. Squid ink is not exactly the most common product, so I was thrilled to learn that it's sold at Diana's Seafood in Scarborough. I've been there a few times before, mostly to buy fresh raw oysters, but they didn't come to mind for other seafood items or dishes.

I can't wait to try my hand at squid ink paella, perhaps with some of the spicy smoked paprika I bought?

Tube Tues: April Fool's prank on Fox News

2011-04-05T12:22:00.000-04:00

It's always fun to prank people on April Fool's Day, provided that it's harmless, especially if it's on TV. Fox News anchor pranks co-anchor with an app that lets you taste and smell things on an iPhone or iPad. Had I known about this fake app, I would have "share" it with my friends to see how many of them would fall for it.

Take a look:

Did you play a food-related joke on anyone?

Tube Tues: Dirty food

2011-03-28T22:37:00.000-04:00

It happens all the time: you are in 'disagreement' with your server and you're afraid to speak up because you're scared that he/she will spit in your food.

What about when your waiter accidentally drops food on the floor? Do you expect other people to say anything if they saw? Does it depend on the customer's attitude?

This is a pretty interesting vid from ABC News about how people react to food being dropped on the floor.

Food find Friday: El Avion hot smoked paprika at Winners

2011-03-25T09:34:00.000-04:00

I got into a discussion with a friend the other day, about buying food items at Winners, which has grown from being a clothing store to a department store. I go there mostly for their housewares, and I always find great baking pans and kitchen gadgets.

I always see food items like jelly beans, coffee beans, and sauces and condiments, and like many people, I have always been wary of them, and skeptical of their quality. But, I saw this tin of hot smoked paprika and I couldn't resist.


Photo: amazon.co.uk

The packaging look good -- it's unopened and there are no dents. There's an expiry date, 2013. Perfect. Product of Spain? Even better.

I'm not a fan of the Clubhouse or McCormick spices because you get so little of it, and they're SO expensive!!

This paprika is great! I have put it on roasted chicken and grilled shrimp so far, and I can't wait to make sausage with it.

Tube Tues: Pork kakuni on Cooking With Dog

2011-03-22T00:00:00.002-04:00

I'm not sure how many foodies already subscribe to the Cooking With Dog Youtube channel, but I feel compelled to tell the world. No, it's not a channel on animal cruelty. The videos feature a Japanese lady cooking different Japanese dishes in a tiny kitchen the size of a box that big screen TVs come in. She is accompanied by her dog, who is dubbed over by a voice that can only come from a droid, giving cooking instructions. I'm always amazed at what she can do with three feet or so of counter space and one stove top burner.

Her movements are so very delicate, but the food always looks good. She's one of those people that fascinate you with every move because it's just so...dainty, like how she holds a small ramekin with two hands, tilted toward the camera, when she pours a tablespoon of soy sauce out of it.

In this video, she's making pork kakuni, a simmered or braised pork belly dish. For those of you who are advocates of low-fat cooking, you probably won't be a fan of this particular vid. There is no substitute for pork belly, no matter what they say.

This lady always ends her videos by saying that her dishes are "oishi." I'll try this soon and be the judge of that.

On keeping up with my blog

2011-03-20T10:04:00.000-04:00

Keeping up, is the last thing I've been doing. I ask myself why it's so hard to keep up, when everyone else seems to have such an easy time with it. It should be fun, and it is, but trying to scrape ideas off my brain take a bit of that away. Then it dawned on me: my blog has no structure. Thoughts that I'd like to share become forgotten and thus whatever makes it onto the blog is only a fraction of the ideas and discoveries I have and made. I mean, I have a few categories under which I file the posts, but I need to organize my ideas so random food thoughts don't get lost in the sea of daydreaming -- I need to come up with more methods to my madness.

So why am I explaining my "blogging fail"? I have come up a plan, and I'd like to know what you think. And, if I declare my plan, I'll stick to it. Here's what's coming:

Tube Tues: a food related video, in light of Charlie Sheen's useful cooking tips, will be featured every Tuesday.
Food find Friday: I guess that's pretty self-explanatory

I'll blog on other days too, but hopefully, this will give my food-filled (bombarded actually) mind a bit of spring cleaning and organization.

Oh, I'll also be changing the look of the blog. Stay tuned...

Brunch at Boom Breakfast & Co.

2010-10-26T20:07:00.000-04:00

The best thing about not working is the freedom to do brunch on weekdays and avoid the crowd. My friend Skye and I went to Boom Breakfast & Co. today for a proper brunch with eggs, guac, potatoes, etc. It's great to feel so leisurely. The only minor imperfection is that the location at Yonge and Eglinton doesn't have a liquor license, and I couldn't order a mimosa with the food.

I have a bit of bed head going on.

I don't know what it is, but brunch seems to be everyone's favorite meal, and I really wouldn't mind having the same menu for dinner. The only problem is, there is absolutely ZERO good brunch spots in Markham. There are a few in Richmond Hill, but I can only think of Grains Eatery off the top of my head. "But there's Cora's", you say. Nay, Cora's is absolutely terrible. Their pancakes are dense and rubbery, and the potatoes are soggy. If anyone out there knows of any good brunch spots in Markham, PLEASE, let me know!

KFC Double Down -- Have you done it yet?

2010-10-21T17:09:00.000-04:00

It's been days since KFC introduced the Double Down in Canada and I can't help but think how brilliant they are. I was among those who turned their noses up and looked at the photos in disgust when it first appeared, buying into its image of 'notoriety' and joining the discussion -- "Eww...Who'd want to eat that?!" and "Oh God, there goes all the efforts from heart health awareness groups." When I keep seeing it on MSN, Facebook statuses, and Twitter updates, I realized that we've all been punked as consumers.

There's nothing really horrible about this. True, the sodium in it is enough to preserve your insides for a few years and all that, but in the end, it's two pieces of chicken with bacon and cheese. How many dishes can we think of that incorporates all those things?

For such a plain idea, they've got us all duped into thinking that we've somehow conquered something 'bad' once we've had it, like we've just been on an insane roller-coaster without puking afterward.

I have no idea how much money KFC has made from this already, but to play up the crappiness of it as a "risky behaviour" is a pretty good tactic. Well played, KFC, well played.

Turkey stock

2010-10-14T13:21:00.002-04:00

I guess it's no surprise that I made a turkey stock out of the carcass, after we picked at it til there was hardly any meat left on it (it's been three meals of stir-fried noodles with turkey). What's funny is that I almost lost my eyebrows making this stock. FAIL!

It started out like any other stock -- bones, onions, carrots, bay leaves, peppercorns, etc. I added enough cold water to cover all the ingredients, which meant that the water level was almost to the top of the pot.

I was careful and watched the mixture come to a boil, then quickly turned the heat down to a low simmer. Here's where I made a mistake. I walked away from the stove for 2 mins (literally!) to finish my lunch at the table 7 ft away, and made the mistake of having the lid on. For those of you who have not made stock before, a lot of fat is actually inside or between bones, so it doesn't take long before the fat floats to the top and forms a layer. What happens when the stock boils over with a layer of fat on the top? It catches on fire! Thankfully, it was brief, and I took the lid off immediately, but had I completely walked off, I wouldn't have my laptop to type this post with.

Yes, even experienced cooks do dumb sh!t once in a while.

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-10-13T15:21:00.000-04:00

Man, that was some turkey coma! When I was a kid in Hong Kong, we didn't celebrate Thanksgiving; it wasn't a popular occasion back then. But now, having been in Canada for over 20 years, I can't imagine Thanksgiving without turkey, potatoes, a hearty soup, and reflection on the things I have.

I won't bore you with my reflections and epiphanies, but I am so excited to be sharing my humble menu. I made:

Roasted turkey (duh!)
Sweet potato soup
Mash potatoes with onions and pancetta
Maple cornbread with jalapeno
Maple glazed carrots

Like I said, it is a humble menu -- no stuffing, or pie (as I've baked one every year for the past 10 years, and my family isn't big on sweets).

The roasted turkey was simple -- brined, and roasted with onions, garlic, sage, thyme, rosemary, and lemon zest.

The sweet potato soup had rave reviews. I sweated onions and leeks together in a little butter until they were soft. Then, I added chicken stock and sweet potatoes, and simmered for about 20 - 30 mins, until the sweet potatoes were soft. I added a little bit of grated nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves (pretty much pumpkin pie spices), then went processor-happy. I used the hand processor, but a blender would give you a smoother texture, faster.

The mashed potatoes were simple: potatoes, cream, a little chicken stock, onions, and crispy pancetta.

For the cornbread, I added a chopped jalapeno for some zip, and some maple syrup and extract for an autumn flavour.

Finally, the 5-min-carrots -- baby carrots steamed and glazed with grated ginger and maple syrup.

A few glasses of red and a small sipping of Port after dinner put me in a coma!

Hope that everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving, and has even more to be thankful for next year!

Riverdale Farm

2010-09-01T13:28:00.000-04:00

There's nothing like going to a farmers' market in the day to feel connected to food and enjoy the sun. Now that my work contract is over, I have some time on my hands to visit Riverdale Farm during the week.

It was really inspiring to see all the fresh produce, baked goods, and people who are passionate about eating locally and fresh.

Unfortuntely, I had plans for the evening, so I couldn't buy any food (I didn't want all the greens to be wilted by the time I got home), but I did try a vegan and gluten-free cookie that was pretty good.

My friend Jackie and I stood by the mushroom guy for a pretty long time, talking about what we can do with morels, because we really don't want to mess them up, seeing that they aren't cheap! We'll probably stuff them with something and cook 'em in a light cream sauce. Any suggestions?

Check out the pics from the farmers' market.

I didn't know that swiss chard came in so many colours.

Concord grape juice, au naturale.

Beautiful purple basil.

Red and green okra.

All the things you can find in the woods - mushrooms, preserved fiddleheads, juniper berries, etc.

Dude who was providing awesome music

Really rich chocolate. Mmm...

Beets. Reminds me of a fantasic beet and potato salad I've had

Zucchini blossoms. My friend Jackie stuffed them with ricotta and friend them.

Zucchinis. They were huge!

How accurate are recipes?

2010-04-21T21:57:00.004-04:00

I recently got into a discussion with my friend about our passion for cooking, and which food mags/icons/websites/cookbooks inspires us. During our discussion, it made me realize how often I hear, "His/her ideas and pictures are great, but the recipes don't really work."

I'm not going to mention names, but many times, the more famous the icon is (as it relates to entertaining and lifestyle advice) and the more beautiful the pictures, the worse their recipes are. There's almost an inverse relationship between the amount of lifestyle that is sold, and the quality of the recipes.

I remember following a recipe for beignets -- excited as a kid on Boxing Day, getting up early on a Saturday morning to cook for my then-boyfriend, making a pot of rich coffee -- only to fry up a goopy mess that is obviously not "kneadable."

This begs the question: How accurate are recipes? Ideally, they are tested, and re-tested, until the results can be replicated at home with almost 100% certainty that they will turn out the same as intended. Some (the ones that are developed and verified in test kitchens) are wonderful, but others seem like they are just slightly better than guesses. I know this because I've done recipe testing with very meticulous and professional groups, and those are the wonderful ones. I'm always disappointed when they don't turn out, because they deflate your morale, your self-esteem ("I thought I know how to cook"), your wallet ("I spent $50 on this?"), and your time away from other fun things ("Man, I could have been the first one to line up for that mega sale if I wasn't busy with this crap!"

Do you think that there are more bad recipes out there than good? Which sources are your favorite? Which ones will you never try again?

Quickest meal ever

2010-04-12T00:13:00.003-04:00

I think that I may have made the quickest dish ever tonight -- Kimchi fried rice.

It only took me a little more than 10 mins from start to finish, and I was done by 11:30pm. Yes, that's right, I made 'dinner' past 11pm. Why? We had such nice weather in TO this afternoon that I went out for a long walk, and had gelato, pastries, and coffee around dinner time. So, I wasn't hungry until around 11pm.

There isn't much prep, with the exception that the rice should be leftover rice, so that it's not too moist. I cut up the kimchi when the oil is heating up, which saved time. Unfortunately, I don't have any photos, but here's a loose recipe.

3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
4 tbsp kimchi, chopped
3 cups cooked rice
1 egg
1 tbsp soy sauce
Hot sauce, to taste

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil until hot, and add garlic and kimchi. Stir mixture around until heated through and slightly golden, but not burnt, about 4 mins. Add rice, stir to break up clumps, and cook for 3 mins, or until garlic and kimchi are well incorporated throughout the rice. Add egg, and stir mixture around quickly, so that rice is evenly coated with egg and there are no large pieces of egg (the mixture will look very wet at this stage, but it will dry as it cooks). Continue to cook over medium-high heat until egg is absorbed into rice and mixure is no longer wet. Sprinkle in soy sauce and toss to coat. Season with more hot sauce if preferred.

This is a very basic recipe, but please go ahead and make different variations by adding meat, seafood, or veggies.

Noodle with abalone and duck wings

2010-02-13T17:14:00.003-05:00

It's the last day of the current lunar year, before the year of the Tiger begins tomorrow, and it's typical to end the year with a good dinner with family. I took it one step further and began the day with a great lunch. Abalone is a prized ingredient in Chinese cooking, and its dried form is usually reserved for important meals like those served at wedding banquets. The fresh abalone is much cheaper. Although it lacks that salty, umami flavour of dried seafood, its meaty texture and fresh taste still makes it a great choice.

The abalone was scrubbed clean, removed from it's shelled, and steamed for around 7 mins with some chopped garlic, salt, and white pepper.

The marinated duck wings were cooked with a soy marinade with spices like star anise and cinnamon.

Pantry raid

2010-01-17T17:31:00.004-05:00

Getting up at 6:20am, Mon-Fri, means that I take every opportunity to sleep in on weekends. In addition to sleeping in, I cook the simplest meals for lunch if I'm not going out. I realize that many people equate simple to crappy, especially if you tell them that you look within your pantry and fridge for inspiration.

This is what I made from what I had on hand; the only "fresh" item I had were avocados and eggs, but that didn't stop me from making something that's quite healthful and damn tasty.

Mediterranean inspired pantry-pasta

The tuna that I used was packaged in olive oil, which cannot even be compared to tuna packed in water. With a meal like this, just be mindful of the salt you add since there are many salty components already.

Gilead Cafe

2009-10-25T21:45:00.003-04:00

My friends, Stephanie and Fred, and I spent the sunny and unusually warm afternoon at the ROM today, checking out the exhibit on Dead Sea Scrolls. We were famished after walking around for three hours, so we headed to Jamie Kennedy's Gilead Cafe for brunch. I am a big fan of Jamie Kennedy's wine bar, and I enjoyed Gilead Cafe as well. The quaint, cafeteria-style space has a very organic and natural feel it.

My order: Smoked fish plate with salad.

The smoked trout was salty, but the saltiness balanced the simple and refreshing salad of lettuce and haricot vert perfectly. The creamy dressing and hard-boiled egg gave the dish a bit of richness. It's amazing how good, but simple this plate is. I can probably put something like this together for lunch.

Steph's order: Poutine with braised beef.

The fries were very crispy, despite the saucy beef piled on top. The beef was tender, zesty, and a little smokey. I was surprised that the dish wasn't made with cheese curds, but rather, a crumbly cheese that was similar to feta.

Fred ordered a burger, which I realized after he started eating that I didn't take a picture of, and a bottle of birch beer. I've never had, or even heard, of birch beer. It's basically a sweetened soda made with birch sap.

Thanksgiving '09 with all the fixings

2009-10-14T15:00:00.001-04:00

Sure, I could have made a deconstructed Thanksgiving meal with chicken breast, roasted potatoes, some roasted veggies, etc. Heck, I wasn't even planning on cooking a Thanksgiving meal. I was feeling festive, though. And since I haven't cooked much in the past few months, I was determined to make a traditional meal with all the bells and whistles. The menu: Roasted butternut squash soup, Apple and pancetta stuffing, garlic mash potatoes with pancetta, roasted turkey, and pumpkin pie.

Each dish was made a little differently than before -- the soup was deglazed with white balsamic vinegar before adding the stock, and marjoram was added; the stuffing was made with a dense sour dough bread, apples, onions, pancetta, and raisins soaked in rum; crispy pancetta bits were added to the potatoes and the cream for the mash potatoes was heated with crushed garlic, the turkey was brined overnight in a mixture that included garlic, onions, soy sauce, bay leaves, and cracked peppercorns; and finally, the pie filling was made with caramel instead of adding milk and sugar separately. All that, and pie dough made from scratch, using all butter.

The meal was indulgent, but that's the point of Thanksgiving.

Coconut French Toast

2009-10-13T22:08:00.004-04:00

I made this over the weekend, and I was pleasantly surprised. Frankly, I wasn't being creative or adventurous; I was being frugal and stubborn. I woke up with a massive craving for French toast, but realized I had no milk in the fridge. I saw half a can of coconut milk leftover from making curry, so I thought I'd use that instead. I beat a few tablespoons of the coconut milk with an egg and some sugar, and dipped raisin bread in. The result was pretty good. Go ahead. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Back from long hiatus

2009-10-04T15:56:00.021-04:00

I'm finally back to cooking! It's been a loooong time since I updated my blog. The summer has been pretty crazy with travels, job search, and starting a new job. To prove that my time off from sharing my food experiences was productive, I'm posting a whole whack of pictures that should send food pornographers over the edge.

Boston

Barbecued eel over rice

Photo credits: Jimmy Wu
Seafood ramen

Photo credits: Jimmy Wu
Ramen in pork bone soup
Photo credits: Jimmy Wu
Seafood platter: lobster, scallop ceviche, oysters, crab legs
Photo credits: Jimmy Wu
Frisee salad with sweet breads and hazelnut, topped with quail egg

Photo credits: Jimmy Wu
Salad of greens, duck meat, and sour cherries

Photo credits: Jimmy Wu
Beignets and coffee pot de creme
Photo credits: Jimmy Wu
Platter of mixed oysters
Photo credits: Jimmy Wu

Seafood Feast

I made a clam chowder with pancetta, celery, onions, potatoes, white wine, cream, clam juice, and clams.

For the main, it was purely oysters.

Spain

From center right: Tapas of chorizo sausage, fried seafood platter, serrano ham, and sauteed mushrooms

Argentinean-style steak

Photo credit: Corinne Wong
Steak with foie gras

Photo credit: Corinne Wong
Albondigas

Photo credit: Corinne Wong
Seafood paella
Photo credit: Corinne Wong
Pan-seared foie gras
Photo credit: Corinne Wong
Smoked salmon with avocados and fried grated potatoes dressed with pink peppercorns
Photo credit: Ryan Chan
Seafood linguini
Photo credit: Ryan Chan
Mussels with peppers and capers
Photo credit: Ryan Chan
Beef Carpaccio wrapped rocket greens
Photo credit: Ryan Chan

Sunday afternoon

2009-10-04T15:42:00.004-04:00

Went to Nuit Blanche last night (briefly), so I woke up late this afternoon. After a long night, all I wanted was a comforting bowl of hot soup noodles. I didn't make the dumplings from scratch, but I did fry them up, until they're nice and crispy on the bottom. For the noodles, I made dashi from scratch -- a soup base made of sea kelp and dried bonito flakes. Turns out I threw the miso paste out some time ago, so I made do with adding a little soy sauce to the broth. To top off the noodles, I added a sprinkling of togarashi chili powder.

What do you crave when you pull an all-nighter?