Sweets etc.

I was told Harrods makes the best cheesecake in London.  So I tried it.   The cake was alright, like normal good New York cheesecake, but the crust was...... super!!!!

It was not a soggy crust made with digestive biscuits.  It was crispy, like crushed cornflakes , soaked in espresso without taking away the crispy crunchy texture of course.  It goes exceptionally well with the heavy new york cheesecake.

Best with a pot of Moroccan mint and gunpowder tea.  (Nope they don't have it there.)  It was a huge slice and the tea could serve well as a digestif.

Oh, the whole "cake eating and looking at fancy sundaes other people ordered  in an art deco setting" experience actually reminded me of Klavon's Ice Cream in Strip District, Pittsburgh.  A nice place we archis of 2003 used to hang out during the summer, the good old days!

All I'm missing is a fortune cookie!!

Watched the TED video of Jennifer 8. Lee via plasticity on American Chinese, I got a sudden craving for some "Real American Chinese" food.  (Hmm... but how can something so fake be so real!?)

Above is my attempt of "Chicken Broccoli", I think it was a very  popular Pittsburgh Moonlight(food truck on campus) dish, but what I'm really missing is the Sweet and Sour Shrimp (though chicken was a more popular choice) and the Vegetable Chow Fun (the "fun" was more like a big sheet of starch, which was kind of nice) from Royal Panda, Greenfield, Massachusetts.  I would like to have it with virgin Pina Colada, please.

And unlimited fortune cookies.  Yes I really like the cookies, not just the fortune.

hmm... I wonder if it is even possible to find an American Chinese Restaurant in London...

   

Fermented goodies

Ham & sausages are definitely something new to me.  Went to this nice neighborhood food and wine bar Fernandez & Wells over the weekend, had a glass of wine, some raclette, sausages and nice conversations.  The whole experience of sitting under gigantic hams and watching people walking under the rain was actually quite lovely.  The place reminded me of  a very cosy Bar Jamon in Irving Place, New York I always passed by but never got a chance to try out (or no point trying back then...)  

call it...

hot pot / steam boat / chinese fondue / beano ... I call it - the best way to eat!

Here's my favourite formula:

2 x soupbase* + 3 x (dipping ingredients - egg) + (2 x greens + 1 x seafood + 2 x mushrooms + 1 x noodle)

*Ideally a clear soup base + a full flavor

CRASH!

Millions of possibilities could happen when one crashes at a friend's place for an extended period of time, food jamming is one of them.

I always like to garnish my cooking with things like fresh herbs, pepper, rucola... etc.  Living with a friend of mine for the past few weeks has enabled me to over-explore a forgotten but  flavorful garnish - sesame!

Patray:

Thanks a lot.

With Sesame,

W. K. Y. (to your own interpretation apparently)

rice'n cheese

my comfort food...

luncheon @ rubensstraat 3

Spaghetti with porcini mushroom and Parmigiano Reggiano. 

*courtesy of davide dulcetti the chef.

Rebel with a cause: hunger!

It was about a month ago when I was told about my way of making risotto was not authentic. Of course the information has been bothering me. Since then I have been waiting for the chance to make the "right" risotto.

So tonight my desire once again ruled over, I have made myself some unauthentic risotto (due to insufficient ingredients to make an authentic one).

The result was inspirational: just like design, there is no right or wrong, only good or bad.

I'm not sure about design, but my risotto was definitely good!

Insalata Caprese? ... look closer

Insalata Caprese??

Look closer...

and you probably won't see much... yes it looks exactly like insalata caprese, except that the white slice on top of the tomato is not mozarella, but tofu!
It is surprisingly good and all the more refreshing to make caprese with japanese tofu! Worth a try! Oh maybe it should be called insalata giopponese.

(found it a japanese tofu recipe book)

They call it Spaghetti del Marinaio

The first time I had this dish, "homemade" black spaghetti with shrimps in spicy tomato sauce was at Max Restaurant, a very cozy little italian eatery in the alphabet city, NYC. It was delicious. And if I remember it correctly, the dish was served in a bowl, not as visually attractive, but definitely keeps the heat in better and in a very generous portion. A good dish to order when meeting friends with a lot to catch up on.

The photo above is a replica of it, "homemade" in Eindhoven except that the pasta is indeed "dutchmade" inkvis tagliatelle.

If I were to call risotto differently...

I think I will call it gabellino.

It was definitely during the gabellini days (nights indeed) while the whole office loved to order from Risotteria, NYC (bleecker, I think) except for myself did I trained myself from hating it to being ok with it and eventually loving it now.

But yeah, this one is 100% homemade - Mushroom Gabellino.

A magical combination

I was never a big fan of ika (raw squid), I find the stickiness that lingers in your mouth a little awkward.

I like uni (sea urchin), but I am certainly not a uni regular. I am a social uni-eater I would say.

However, when they are served together, with leaves of shiso (japanese perilla) rolled in the shape of maki, it becomes unbelievably delicious!

I don't think it's possible for me to tell you how good it is here, as it has been too long since I even had good sushi, so let alone this particular favorite I encountered in restaurant Typhoon in St. Marks NYC, but it really is nothing new for the Japanese to make ika-uni dishes.

However I would like to mention the key element of this whole bonding here - Shiso. This tiny leave has brought out the true flavor of the whole dish, its texture and taste is completely refreshing and its pressence brings the combination of the heavy texture and taste of ika and uni back to balance. So make sure the leave of shiso is there the next time you order this dish!