Sunday, May 16, 2010

It's a Dumpling Day.

Every so often we have a "down week" at work.  It doesn't mean that we have any less work to do, but instead that we get to go out to lunch with out worrying about the students we train. Usually we decide weeks before hand where we are going to go....and usually it is the Din Tai Fung dumpling house in Arcadia, CA.

In the time spent waiting around for Dumpling Day to arrive we will sit and talk about how yummy everything is and what we are going to eat. This, despite the fact that we always get the same thing: Shrimp Fried Rice, Juicy Pork Dumpings, and Shrimp and Pork Shaomai.
The dumplings are steamed, don't think bao, don't think ravioli, don't think about anything you've ever had before. Don't think, just eat.

Here are some tips on how to eat dumplings:

After you order and are waiting for the dumplings to arrive, make the dipping sauce. You are given a little condiments tray of ginger, chili oil, soy sauce, and vinegar. I usually mix it all together on my little dipping plate and mash the ginger with the ends of my chopsticks.

When the dumplings arrive clap very loudly.... Okay, I'm just kidding. It is however, very exciting when the little containers start to arrive.  Just an FYI, there is an art to eating dumplings, instructions are actually printed on the chopstick wrappers. You have to hold the dumpling with chopsticks and nibble off a little piece of the dumpling to let the very, VERY hot liquid pour out onto your spoon. I usually sip the liquid while the dumpling cools off a little. Then dip it in the sauce, and stuff it into your mouth. Usually one of us will get overly anxious and can't wait until it's cool enough thus resulting in a burnt tongue.

Oh and the Shrimp fried rice? AAAAMMMAAAZZZIIING! Again, whatever ideas have about shrimp fried rice, throw them out the window. This fried rice is tasty, fresh, and not greasy at all. Seriously, I may be addicted. I have to make sure that I don't eat it too often so I won't ever, ever get tired of it.

A few other pointers:
Eat, and eat a lot.
You are going to make a mess so get over it. (See third picture below)
Fight over who is going to eat the last dumpling. "I couldn't possibly, you take it." "No, you eat it." etc.
Spend the rest of the day in your cubicle fighting off the ensuing food-coma.

Before
During

After
Juicy Pork Dumplings

Shrimp and Pork Shaomai



Thursday, April 1, 2010

Yellow Watermelon!!

This is no April Fools joke. In honor of spring, and all the awesome produce that will be coming along very soon I wanted to share a picture of yellow watermelon. No color correction here folks. It's for real.  I couldn't figure out why it was cheaper than the other bin of watermelon. There are several different kinds of yellow watermelon, this one was called Tendergold. From the name you think I would have caught on, but boy was I surprised when I cut this one open. I does have a slightly different taste, I read its supposed to be more of a "honey" flavor.  It still hits the spot. If I can find it again, I'm going to cut it open at a BBQ and freak some people out. Heehee.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Recent Projects

I've put the knitting aside for a little awhile and turned to sewing. I'm getting ready to open my own Etsy shop, and am trying to find things I can make that can be made within a reasonable amount of time. Here are some project I've been testing out:

by the way, don't cut a pattern out with a cat around....they like to try and "help". This is one of my nephew cats "helping".


Pink wood grain bag with beaded birdy and leaves fabric lining.
Front, (back is just plain)
Bird detail
Lining
Tree fabric bag with beading and purple lining.
Front
Back
Detail
Lining
Grocery bag with needle felting detail and birdy lining.
Front

Back

Detail
Birdy Lining

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Superbowl

The Superbowl was well over 6 weeks ago and I've been a food coma ever since. As you all know my team the Colts made it this year, so this was no normal superbowl party. (yes, I know we lost...moving on.) My friend Cindy and I did some major planning. Before I share the menu, let me clarify that Cindy is a recently graduated Food Wizard (aka: pastry chef). So most of the amazing things listed below are due to her magic and everything was made from scratch.
Menu:
Pulled pork sandwiches w/ homemade brioche Colts buns (see photo below)
Nachos and Queso dip
Buffalo wing dip
Blue doughnuts (see photo below)
Football Oreo truffles
Blue Macaroons w/ chocolate filling (see photo below)
White Macaroons w/ peanut butter filling (see photo below)
Blue and White Macaroons w/ vanilla filling (see photo below)
Peanut butter popcorn (see photo below)
Blue Kool-Aid w/ Blue vodka (yuck) (see photo below)

Cindy and I made the truffles the night before, and I have to say that dipping things in chocolate is very relaxing. Piping football laces however, is not. The pulled pork was cooked overnight in root beer, evidentially the carbonation breaks down the meat faster. Who knew? Cindy hates dyeing food blue because it doesn't occur in nature. "There is no blue food!" I agree with her, but because she loves her boyfriend soooo much she promised that she would make blue doughnuts if the Colts made it to the Superbowl. FYI:  blue food dyed dough smells like fish and turns brown when fried. Eww. The men folk ate it anyways.



Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Needle Felting

As if I needed a new craft. I've been hooked on needle felting for the last few months. (pun intended.) Needle felting is best described as sculpting with wool. You use roving which is the term for wool before it's spun into yarn, and then you use a special needle that has teeny-tiny barbs on the end to poke and sculpt the wool into shapes. Wool on a microscopic level also has barbs, so the more you poke the wool the tighter the wool inter-locks together. Cool huh? :)
- Check out this youtube videos to see this how this is done: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8JYOhxHLXI&feature=related
- For those of you in the Los Angeles area. The Urban Craft Center offers a fabulous needle felting class for $25. (The also have sewing and yarn spinning classes. I heart this store.) http://www.theurbancraftcenter.com/

Here are a few of my recent projects:
Mini-Lex


Mom's Christmas Bunny

project from The Urban Craft Center class


Sunday, January 17, 2010

Favorite Food #1: J-Dubs Chilli

First up in the Favorite Foods series: J-Dubs Chili. I know everyone has their own special chili recipe. I've been tweaking mine over the last few years and it's just right for me. I use a bottle of beer and a few cubes of sharp cheddar to some depth of flavor and to cut down the spicy a bit.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 lrg onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 ½ lbs ground chuck or lean ground beef
salt to taste
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp ground cumin
1 ½ - 2 tbsp chili powder
2 (10oz) cans Rotel Tomatoes
1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
2 (16oz) cans red kidney beans, undrained
½ to 1 beer (optional, I like to use an amber ale or lager)
1-2 oz shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions:
In large pot heat oil, med high heat.
Add onion and garlic, sauté until they just beginning to turn brown.
Add meat stirring to break up lumps, cook until brown
Drain off fat and put back in pot
Add salt and next 4 ingredients, stir
Add tomatoes, sauce, beans, and beer
Stir well and bring to a simmer
Add cheese and stir
Simmer for ½ hour uncovered and 1 ½ hour covered, stir occasionally
(if becomes too thick, add tomato juice)