life is one big meal

Kimbap!

2010-10-28T08:50:00.000-05:00

It has certainly been a while. While Hanna is holding down the fort in Austin, I've been galavanting around Korea. There are definitely several foodie posts in the works. However, today's foodie post is about about my favorite Korean snack: kimbap.

Kimbap is the Korean version of Japanese maki. It is usually larger and always has cooked ingredients. It usually has some sort of cooked meat (ham, Spam, tuna, ground beef), sauteed or blanched vegetables (zucchini, carrots), and many other ingredients. Restaurants all over Korea put dozens of different ingredients in them. For those people who cringe at the thought of eating Japanese nigiri sushi (raw fish), kimbap is the ideal alternative. I prefer kimbap over its Japanese cousin anyway.

Tonight was potluck night with some friends and I decided to throw together some simple kimbap. Here's my own recipe:

Ingredients:

3-4 cups of cooked rice
Dried sheets of seaweed/laver (1-2 per person)
Sliced sticks of yellow pickled radish
1/3 zucchini, julienned
Fried egg, sliced into thin strips
1 can of tuna
2 sticks of artificial crab meat
Soy sauce, minced garlic, sesame oil, 1 finely chopped green onion

It is best to arrange all of your fillings for the kimbap on a large plate.

Directions:

Mix rice with a solution of mixed 1/2 tbs of sugar, 1teaspoon of salt, and 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Set aside.
Drain tuna and cook in heated pan for 3 minutes. While cooking, add some sesame oil, a small splash of soy sauce, one clove of minced garlic, and chopped onion for flavor. Remove from heat once every has cooked together.
Place a sheet of dried seaweed on a dry, flat surface and evenly spread rice mixture across the center of it.
Add 3 spoonfuls of cooked tuna mixture even across the center. Add one stick of crab, radish, fried egg, and even distributed amount of zucchini.
Gently roll into a log shape.
With a clean knife, evenly slice roll into finger width pieces.

Fried egg strips, green onion, zucchini, crab, cured ham sticks, pickled radish sticks.

Tuna, green onion, minced garlic mixture.

Even distribute filling across the middle section of the seaweed.

I made some with ham and some with the tuna mixture.

superwok

2010-10-22T00:59:00.002-05:00

http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/cookware-tools/the-boomerang-wok-magically-easier-stirfrying-130037

WANT!

Sassy Sauces: Plum

2010-10-19T22:21:00.000-05:00

I realized that I love grocery shopping way too much. This also came along with the realization that I spend too much money on food. Hence, this next week or two, I'm making a very conscious effort to clear out the fridge and pantry instead of being lazy and succumbing to the oh-so-easy (but bank account depleting) eating out routine.

It's not a hard task for me. I love cooking! The key is to make things in batches or enough to last for leftovers, so when the lazy bug does hit, all it takes is pulling something out of the fridge and popping it into the microwave.

Tonight's dinner was water spinach, fried gluten and pickled cucumber, korean spiced soybeans and spicy dried squid, and my main entree: eggplant w/ ground turkey in a plum sauce stew!

Plum sauce is one of the things I always keep around my sauce and spices cabinet of the kitchen. I just can't get enough of that tangy, sweet and savory taste. It's a

"viscous, light brown sweet and sour condiment. It is used in Chinese cuisine as a dip for deep-fried dishes, such as spring rolls, egg rolls, noodles, and deep-fried chicken balls as well as for roast duck. It is made from sweet plums or other fruit such as peach or apricot, along with sugar, vinegar, ginger and chiles."

(yes i did just take that from wikipedia!)

If you haven't tried cooking with plum sauce before, I really recommend it. Although a lot of people use it for dipping, it's a great keynote to stews with ground meat and veggies. If you pair it along with some Mirin (sweet rice wine), light soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and korean hot pepper paste (it's actually not that hot, you can buy mild versions), it is AMAZING.

Also...always go for LKK! Lee Kum Kee brand of sauces like plum and hoisin are always my goto. The other brands are just not up to par.

people always ask me what's in my basic spices and sauces bunch...maybe one day i will have the time to go through and catalog it all for you!

Oatmeal Cookies w/ Dark Choc Chips & Walnuts

2010-10-19T04:01:00.000-05:00

I'm back! Here's a treat too...a RECIPE!

Now that I'm not working at the cookie factory anymore, I actually enjoy baking cookies at home. Here's a good one I love:

Ingredients:
1 cup butter flavored shortening
2/3 cup white sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar (packed)
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup all purp flour
3/4 cup oatmeal
1 8oz bag of walnuts
1/2 bag of dark choc chips

Directions:
1. preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. mix sugar, eggs, shortening, extracts, salt and baking soda until the shortening has been incorporated evenly and the mixture starts to lighten and be kinda fluffy (no chunks of shortening left!)
3. add in the flour in 1/4 cup increments until mixed well (do not overmix!)
4. add in oatmeal and mix until evenly incorporated (do not overmix!)
5. add the chocolate chips and bag of walnuts and mix just enough to evenly distribute among the dough.
6. use a small cookie scoop and scoop balls of dough that mound over (just around 1 in diameter sized). place on cookie sheet (i highly recommend to use parchment paper on cookie sheets so the cookies are easy to slide off from the sheet onto a cooling rack). make sure to leave 1.5-2in of space around to around each ball of dough.
7. flatten dough 1/3 of in diameter before placing in oven.
8. depending on your oven, it should only take 8-10 minutes to bake. the trick to cookies that stay chewy and soft is to pull them out when the edges get a bit golden brown but the middles are still a little light and puffy (also fully cooked aka doesn't look liquid anymore). Make sure to keep an eye on the 1st batch because every oven is different!
9. when you take them out, simply slide the entire parchment paper sheet with the cookies on it onto a flat, heatproof surface to cool, or a cooling rack if you have one.
10. enjoy once they've cooled down! (around 5-10 min).

this is so wrong...

2009-09-30T10:18:00.001-05:00

http://www.seriouseats.com/2009/09/butt-shaped-mooncakes-for-the-mid-autumn-fest.html

Zhongzi! Sticky rice goodness wrapped in bamboo leaves

2009-09-25T04:14:00.000-05:00

Fun but reallyyy hard and time consuming to make

We put in ___ with the sticky rice:

Shiitake mushrooms
Ground pork w/ onions and dried shrimpies
Chinese sausage

prepped all the stuff and laid it out to assemble

wrapping is hard >_<

tying them up is hard too >_<

lol...the roomie is getting frustrated...she kept overstuffing so it would be extremely hard to wrap closed

steaming them, i actually overcooked the rice in the beginning so it was a bit harder to work with when stuffing, but takes shorter steam time

tada!...we did all the wrapping while watching the 2 hour season opening of Grey's =]

we definitely can improve on it but they still turned out pretty decent and they still taste yummy!

Austin Restaurant Week

2009-09-13T23:11:00.000-05:00

Almost every big city has one... but this is our week. Austin Restaurant Week is upon us. Enjoy!

http://restaurantweekaustin.com

!!!

2009-09-09T10:43:00.000-05:00

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2009/09/cakespy-chocolate-cakes-grilled-in-orange-shells-boy-scouts-recipe.html#continued

Jim Jim's vs. Sno Beach

2009-08-27T17:05:00.000-05:00

Although summer break has come and gone, the great debate still remains. UT students and Austinites alike can't seem to agree on whether Jim Jim's Water Ice or Sno Beach makes the better frozen treat. Well, the verdict is in...

Hanna and I give Jim Jim's our "Life is One Big Meal" seal of approval. Yeah, Sno Beach does conjure up some tasty shaved ice and certainly does attempt to hit the spot in the scorching heat. Yes, Sno Beach might be a little closer to campus. However, Jim Jim's Water Ice is just so ridiculously amazing. It really hits the spot on a hot summer day in Austin. The funny name aside, the product simply delivers the best bang for your buck. It also manages to last longer too... unless you eat it too quickly. Beware of brain freeze though! :)

To be honest, Sno Beach just didn't come close. Plus, they seemed to have a serious bee problem around their stand.

The next time you go to shell out money at Sno Beach, don't. Instead, go to Jim Jim's Water Ice on Sixth by the Texas Lottery Commission. Plus, they have like 4 other locations with varying flavors. If you go to the one on 6th, make sure to ring the bell next to the little window. The guy who works there is really nice.

The Sno Beach trailer/stand on 34th & Guadalupe.

Two different flavors from Sno Beach with cream (apparently the cream is a necessity... it was just alright.)

Jim Jim's is located on 6th Street just off of I-35.

The picture doesn't do this cup of magical deliciousness any justice. On this trip, I got black raspberry and lemon.

CRUNCH....preserved goodies

2009-08-27T10:20:00.000-05:00

pear preserves

pear preserves & pickled veggies

pickled veggies closeup: cucumbers, cabbage, tomatoes, jalapenos, carrots added in later

sweet pico de gallo

my ingredients list...unfortunately i don't have proper recipes for each because i just kinda toss things together =]

pear preserves

fruit list: diced pears
spice/flavoring list: brown and white sugar, almond extract, vanilla extract, cornstarch, water

pickled veggies:

veggie list: BEAUtiful sliced japanese cucumbers, shredded cabbage, sliced tomato strips, sliced japapeno rings, garlic
spice/flavoring list: vinegar, white sugar, water, fish sauce, rice wine, chili garlic sauce, sriracha, white pepper, salt, sesame oil

hanna's sweet pico:

veggie list: diced tomatoes, diced red onion, chopped cilantro, diced jalapenos with the pithy white stuff and seeds removed...leave seeds in for HOT pico
spice/flavoring list: lime juice, salt, white sugar, white pepper, black pepper, chili garlic sauce and/or sriracha, some fajita seasoning, hot pepper powder

have fun...i kinda just taste test and adjust the flavors to suit me as i go =]

WOW...just wow...

2009-08-02T03:00:00.001-05:00

http://www.seriouseats.com/2009/07/pie-lollipops-baking-recipe.html

yay for cupcakes

2009-07-30T02:35:00.001-05:00

Cinnamon Caramel Pear Cupcakes!

ingredients:

1 box white cake mix (also whatever it requires. ie: eggs, oil, water)

1.5 tbs cinnamon spice

1 chopped (small pieces) pear

1/2 bag caramel or toffee baking bits

1 thinly sliced pear

cinnamon sugar (1 part to 3 parts)

directions:

Cupcakes

preheat oven to whatever the box mix says
mix the cake mix as per directions and add in cinnamon + pear
use a spoon or spatula to stir in the caramel bits
bake as directed for cupcakes

Cinnamon Pear chips

place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (make sure each chip is separated)
sprinkle cinnamon sugar mix liberally/as desired onto all the slices as evenly as possible
place in oven
once they start to crinkle in oven, remove
***for thicker/softer pears, slice thicker.
place chips on top of cupcakes sans frosting

Enjoy~

* sorry about the bad qual pic, but i was being lazy and just snapped one on my phone

HOTPOT! A-Kuan Taiwanese Hotpot Chain

2009-07-23T05:49:00.001-05:00

Yummy goodness =]

Hot pot (Chinese: 火锅; pinyin: huǒ guō), or less commonly Chinese fondue, refers to several Chinese varieties of steamboat stew. It consists of a simmering metal pot of stock at the center of the dining table. While the hot pot is kept simmering, ingredients are placed into the pot and are cooked at the table. Typical hot pot dishes include thinly sliced meat, leafy vegetables, mushrooms, wontons, eggdumplings, and seafood. The cooked food is usually eaten with a dipping sauce. (Wikipedia)

1 2 3

4 5

although it's sometimes a hassle to eat hotpot if you're looking for a quick meal, there is definitely little else is as satisfying.

1&2 sauce station! make your own sauce using the different things like chili peppers, green onions, soy sauce, other sauces i have no idea what they are but are yummy, lol.

3&4&5 you can order the meat you want (i got pork).

everyone has their own pot.
you get one side of regular broth. the other side you can chose a special broth (ie: kimchee flavor, tomato, etc)
cook your veggies and fish cakes!
when the broths are boiling you can put the meat in to cook (it only takes like 30sec-45sec depending on how high the heat is on your pot).
ladle the stuff out, dip in sauce, EAT!
repeat the ladle, dip, and eat =]

unfortunately there aren't any places in austin for hotpot, but i hope to hit up some places in houston in the future!

back in the states

2009-07-05T12:57:00.000-05:00

hey all,

i'm finally back from taiwan! i'll be posting up my culinary adventures soon.

in the meantime, i came across this tasty link on my friend's facebook and couldn't wait to share it with everyone~

http://www.sushi-a-go-go-austin.com/

toodles~ Hanna

\\ SPUD RANCH //

2009-07-03T23:09:00.000-05:00

I wish San Marcos was just a few minutes closer just so Spud Ranch would be closer (also so Hanna and I could see our friend Chelsea more often)!! It is a tiny little place, but well worth the drive from Austin.

Spud Ranch is a great concept, fast food restaurant. Picture this: specialty baked potatoes. They have 27 different varieties with different toppings, but you can also choose your own custom toppings. You can get a Cajun Spud, Chicken Enchilada Spud, Philly Cheesesteak Spud, Hot Wing Spud (#1 most popular), Chicken Brocolli Spud, or even Teriyaki Spud. The list keeps going. Each one sounds absolutely mouthwatering too. They also have burgers, sandwiches, fried brocolli, fried okra, fried pickles, jalapeno poppers, fried mushrooms, etc...

I had the Cajun Spud on my first visit. It has andouille sausage, bell peppers, sauteed onions, cheese, and lots of Louisiana hot sauce. Oh my gosh! That thing was of the charts. It was sooooo good. The flavors all blend together to satisfy that cajun craving combined with a desire for a baked potato.

Since it is semi-fast food, you pretty much know the service will be hands-off after paying at the register. However, the lady at the register was really nice while we were there. The atmosphere seemed pretty laid back, but all of the workers made it appear like they were doing their jobs. The decor was a combination of interesting and Texas-quaint. Simple and nothing terribly fancy.

Prices: You definitely seem to get your money's worth.

Would you recommend this place to others? Absolutely! Go, go, go!

Thomas' Ranking: 10 out of 10 -- great fast food, great price, great flavor, great idea!

Thai (Lack of) Passion :(

2009-07-02T22:00:00.000-05:00

Don't eat at Thai Passion. Here's why:

I actually went here a few weeks ago after a couple year boycott. I couldn't remember why I was boycotting them, but was certainly reminded.

Dinner time. Typical day. Nothing special. Just hungry after shopping at the San Marcos outlets with a friend.

Notice I said nothing special? Thai Passion is certainly NOTHING special. We went to the location in the South Park Meadows shopping center off of I35. Want to know what was wrong?

Bad service (Maybe an understatement. There was barely any service at all.)
Slow service (I refer you to the above statement.)
Dirty cups
Dirty utensils
Poor lighting

Don't get me wrong now. The food was just alright. It wasn't anything special either. I've just had MUCH better Thai food... I could probably make much better Thai food myself.

I ordered tom kha soup and chicken pad thai. The soup was the best part. It was sour & spicy and made from coconut milk, lemon grass, and chicken. The pad thai was bland and boring. There was no disguising it. Plus, the lime was not squeezable!! That irked me the most!

I also noticed that they proudly displayed an Austin Chronicle that rated them as the best Thai food at some point. This has to be a hilarious joke. Even Madam Mam's Thai food and service is a million times better (that is saying a lot considering my bad experience at MM's).

Thomas' Ranking: 4.5 out of 10.

Pretty picture, but there was something floating in the water...

(LOOK! You can't even squeeze the lime!)

Serranos Tex-Mex :)

2009-07-01T21:36:00.000-05:00

Serranos is actually a pretty decent Austin area Tex-Mex chain. There are six locations around Austin. My friend and I ate at the Arboretum location for lunch. It definitely has the established chain restaurant feeling to it (it has a To-Go door...). You'll definitely think to yourself, "This is probably not your mom & pop Mexican food." However, the prices were cheaper than Pappasito's and the flavor & serving size were comparable.

My friend had the burrito con queso... without the queso. She swears it tastes different than just the regular burrito. The waiter seemed confused at first too. She seemed content when she got it. The portion size was gargantuan.

I had one of the lunch specials: choose 2 sides and 2 entrees for $7.99. For my selections, I chose the beef enchilada with chili con carne, tortilla soup, frijoles a la charra, and stuffed jalapenos. Everything was nicely presented (except the soup... it looked like it was tossed into the bowl) and tasted even better. Although the soup's presentation was not the best, it definitely tasted pretty good - much better than most restaurant's tortilla soup. The stuffed jalapenos were great too. Instead of gross cream cheese or processed cheese, they had melted, grated cheese inside - definitely a nice change after fast food jalapeno poppers.

For those 21+, there were was an extensive list of colorful looking mixed drinks. They all looked quite refreshing.

The service was great. However, it was just after lunchtime. So, this could vary from location to location and time to time.

Would I recommend this place? Sure. Pappacito's would still be recommended first though for Tex-Mex.

Thomas' Ranking: 7.9 out of 10 --- not the best, but still good.

The Steeping Room

2009-06-14T00:57:00.000-05:00

Today's foodie adventure took place at The Steeping Room @ the Domain. This place is incredibly cute and seemed somewhat out of place. It reminded me of a upscale, yet cozy little tea shop that should have been on South Congress. However, it's current location is ideal due to the steady flow of wealthier customers. They have an extensive tea list and a relatively decent menu.

I went with my friend Kimee. This is good because that means there were two people, two different orders, and more info for me to share here.

Kimee ordered a hot black Indian tea with a hint of chocolate in it. Putting my aversion to chocolate aside, this tea was surprisingly delicious. The tea flavor balanced out quite well with a semisweet chocolate aftertaste. She also order a roast beef sandwich with a cup of soup. My beverage of choice was the Berry Freeze. It was this nice fruit smoothie blended with tea. It really is a nice and refreshing concept especially on a hot and sunny summer day. I ended up ordering the classic BLT with a side of soup too. This wasn't just any BLT though. The bacon was so crisp and extra bacon-y. It was probably the best BLT I've ever eaten. The soup I keep referencing was a freshly made cream of mushroom soup. The best part is that they use fresh mushrooms and cream to make the soup.

The food: Quite tasty. The sandwich portions are smaller than I hoped for. The cup of soup was average size but better than average flavor. However, the tea and smoothie definitely made up for it. Everything was delicious and delightful.

The service: Neutral. Nothing special about their service. Sometimes the waitresses seemed remotely interested and other times they seemed completely disinterested. In the end, we were taken care of in a prompt and timely manner. Supposedly, that is what matters most.

The price: Ouch! The prices are steep for a college student. This explains The Steeping Room's location. In the grand scheme of food and drink, the prices were definitely worth the quality of the meal. Everything we ate and drank was noticeably of a higher than usual quality.

Thomas' ranking: 9.5 out of 10

If you're in the area and willing to splurge, go here for a pleasantly surprising experience. This would be a nice place to relax with a book and freshly brewed cup of tea.

- Thomas :)

Korean Grill

2009-06-08T22:59:00.000-05:00

While Hanna is off galavanting around the globe (going to Taiwan to be specific), I am holding down the fort in the big ATX. Today's foodie selection was...**drumroll please**... Korea Grill located in Chinatown off Lamar (near the MT Supermarket). This is actually my 4th visit to this establishment. This time was great though because I was joined by a few friends from Korean class-- Kimee, Gia, and Gia's friend Tim. It was kind of funny since the females both owed the two of us guys a meal. We ordered soondubu jjigae (silky tofu stew or 순두부 찌개), kimchi pancake (김치전), galbi (marinated beef short ribs or 갈비), and spicy pork bulgogi (불고기). We also received lots of banchan (반찬 or side dishes) -- that included kimchi (김치 - spicy fermented cabbage), gamja (감자 조림 or a cooked sweet soy potato), kongnamul (콩나물 or seasoned bean sprouts), dubu chorim (두부조림 or fried tofu), rice and many others that I can't remember the names to.

Service: excellent! The owner was our waiter. He was incredibly nice and even helped my friend Gia with some Korean placement test questions. How awesome is that? He was giving us pointers on Korean dishes and what combinations of food were highly recommended while visiting the country.

Taste-o-meter: It was pretty good and tasty. However, some of the "spicy" dishes could have been spicier. The pork bulgogi was kind of shredded unlike other kinds that I've previously eaten. The kimchi pancake was very tasty too.

Overall ranking: 8.9 out of 10

The service was great. The atmosphere was light and comfortable. The place was clean and inviting. However, the food just wasn't as traditional tasting as I'd like it to be. Is that even possible in the middle of Texas though? I'll certainly be returning to this place.

**Hanna, I'm expecting foodie blogs from Taiwan!!**

- Thomas :)

the picnic post =]

2009-06-07T18:09:00.000-05:00

So Chelsea, Thomas and I went on a picnic in Butler Park in Austin last Monday. I posted on my blog about it. Here's a recipe for those delicious Cinnamon Carmel Pears that I made:

<----they're at the bottom

Cinnamon Carmel Pear Tarts

*adapted from http://www.puffpastry.com/recipedetail.aspx?recipeID=23986

Ingredients

1 package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Shells

5 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ground ginger

pinch of salt

3 pears, peeled, cored and thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
2/3 cup caramel topping, warmed (optional)
Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Directions

THAW pastry shells at room temperature 30 min. Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix sugar, cinnamon and ginger.

Cut circles out of the pastry sheets using a small bowl or glass on lightly floured surface. They should be about 4" to 5" circles. Place on 2 baking sheets. Divide oear slices among pastry circles, overlapping slices. Sprinkle each with 1 tbsp. sugar mixture. Make sure to put some between each layer. (2-3 layers of the fruit are ideal).

BAKE 25 min. or until pastry is golden and pears are tender. Drizzle caramel sauce over tarts. Serve with ice cream.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

notes:

* I only had 1 sheet of puff pastry leftover from a previous baking project and was able to squeeze 11 small 2.5 in diameter tarts out of it.

* I also added a little slice of butter on the pastry dough before putting down the pears, but I don't think this step was necessary. It did make the tart come out more moist.

* I definitely put A LOT MORE than a tablespoon of the cinnamon sugar on each. To each his own though.

* I wish we could've done the ice cream with it!

* I always use parchment paper when baking now. It just makes cleanup so much simpler.

~toodles, and let me know how your efforts come out if you try the recipe!

Latke Time!

2009-06-07T16:29:00.000-05:00

Although I have some restaurants to post about (I promise those posts soon!), I decided to take a short break and fry up some latkes. Latkes are these amazing little potato pancakes. The funny thing is that I should be writing a scholarship essay on the Arab-Israeli conflict. Instead... I decided to make some nice Jewish food. How convenient.

Want to know how to make them? Well, today is your lucky day.

You can make them from scratch (fresh potatoes, onions, etc...) or you can go to the international/ethnic aisle of your local grocery store to by a packaged mix. They'll probably be called potato pancake mix. I'm sure my grandmother probably would've looked down on the second option, but it is so much easier.

Ingredients:

1 package of latke mix (vegetable kind is my favorite)

1 large egg

1 cup of water

3/4 cup of vegetable oil

1. Mix the egg well in a medium bowl. Add 1 cup of water and mix thoroughly. Then add latke mix. Stir until mixed well. Allow to rest 5-10 minutes.

2. Heat a thin layer of oil in a large pan (I prefer using a nice wok due to the high sides. It reduces any oil splatter.) Once the oil is heated, drop a tablespoon of latke mix in the it.
3. Depending on the size of your pan, only cook 4-5 latkes at a time. Cook until golden brown on each side.

4. Once they're done, gently place them onto a paper towel lined plate to absorb any excess vegetable oil.

Now it is time to enjoy them! How should you eat them? You can use your fingers or a fork, I suppose. The key question is what condiment should be used. Some people prefer sweet and others prefer savory. Traditionally, people often eat latkes with applesauce. This does taste good, but I prefer using ketchup because it is nice balance of both savory and sweet.

Now it is time to get back to my essay writing along with my thematic food. Yum!

- Thomas :)

OMG! cookie + cake + pie = <3 aka heart attack

2009-05-30T06:10:00.000-05:00

just saw this featured over at Serious Eats and it deserves a post in its honor...i think i'll try it out sometime with a few alterations to make it not as heart attack inducing...hot damn tho, that's some serious sugar rush.

http://www.cakespy.com/2009/05/triple-threat-cookie-cake-pie.html

fast food dim sum?!?!

2009-05-30T05:38:00.000-05:00

http://www.yelp.com/biz/get-sum-dim-sum-austin

so they just opened last monday. when i first heard of this place i was baffled...dim sum, fast food style? something about that just sounds WRONG...

i'll give this place props though. it's a pretty ingenious idea, but to be honest, the crowd they'll be getting aren't going to be hardcore, must go every weekend, dimsumers. it's located at the old panda express location off of 45th and lamar, by the starbucks and chipotle. the decor inside is nice with plenty of seating.

pros: dim sum everyday from something like 11am-9pm, quality isn't too shabby, nice variety on menu

cons: when i went in i totally felt smothered by the employee and managers there (i guess as a regular dim sum enthusiast i didn't feel the need to have anything explained to me), pricier than i would have liked to pay, fast food dim sum experience is exactly how it sounds like it would be

food overview: i got some combo thing that you could choose 2 dim sum items, a cha shao or vege bun, and a sesame ball. the dim sum items i choose were har gao (3pcs) and fried chkn spring rolls (2 piece).

har gao skin was too thick, but not bad taste wise
fried chkn spring roll was a no go...for some reason the insides tasted more mushy than it should...usually you can taste the separate components of a fried spring roll, but not in this one.
cha shao bun, not bad...nice and savory with more than enough pork in it. juicier than i was used to with a lot of the chinese bbq sauce in there, but it was enjoyable
sesame ball...this was surprisingly my favorite...the ball was bigger than usual sesame balls and their was definitely substance to the sticky rice portion as well as the filling of red bean. i liked that it didn't have much of an empty air pocket when you bit in

so basically, i'd go back, but only if i was seriously craving dim sum during the week or to tide me over until i could actually go out and get some real dimsum at t&s or shanghai. $8 for all of that was a bit pricier than i expected. i'm fairly sure i'm going to go a la carte next time for my order.

i'm back!

2009-05-26T23:31:00.000-05:00

so, this blog had obviously been put on the back burner in my life, but now that it's summer, time to resurrect it! also, my good friend Thomas will be helping me out to ensure that it doesn't fall in the cracks once school starts up again.

newest cake venture was a success!!!

Banana Nutella Roll Cake

i used the recipe from Cafe Chocolada's blog, and it turned out amazing!

some things i did change:

i used nutella instead of jam for the roll cake
added some almond extract into the roll cake and vanilla cream filling
the vanilla cream for the inside filling came out with some lumps so i painstakingly used a strainer/sifter thing to remove them
melted some chocolate chips with a tad of shortening (to harden it when it dries) and used a ziplock to pipe it decoratively on top
for the cream on top (she didn't have a recipe for it) i just whipped heavy whipping cream with some powdered sugar and vanilla extract until it was firm enough to spoon onto the top of the cake

i really love the way the cake tastes and looks, and the recipe was relatively easy. great results from a first try. something i did notice was the substitution with nutella caused the rolls to be harder to slice...i basically had to wash the knife after every 2 slices or so...maybe a ganache would've worked out better? or spreading less nutella (but really, who wants that)?

the picture of the cake is also posted on FB and i got some great and positive feedback from ppl who saw that as well as ppl who were lucky enough to get a slice =]. definitely a keeper recipe.

more cakes...

2008-07-05T17:03:00.000-05:00

made an orange chiffon cake with candied lemon zest last week <3 extra proud of this creation although it was rich as heck with 7 eggs.

last night i made a white almond cake with a cream cheese and lingonberry jam filling...also frosted with cream cheese frosting and adorned with some pretty sugared edible flower petals.

sigh...i know i know...i've been lagging in posts lately...but sometimes life takes ahold and doesn't let you go. pics will be coming soon.

notable food experiences lately...

Mama Fu's @ the Triangle....YUCK...i got the sesame beef and it came with no sesame -_-...and tasted awful...totally not worth it...it's basically a failed pei wei to me.

Papasito's off of I-35...yummy yummy chicken enchiladas! too bad it's a lil on the pricey side...

holiday musings in June

2008-06-22T23:40:00.000-05:00

right now i'm sitting in La Tazza Fresca, on the corner of 37th and Guadalupe, this lil cozy place offers nice soothing music and a killer iced minty mocha latte with whole milk that reminds me of hiding in coffee shops when it's cold outside...make sure to check this place out sometime...parking is kinda limited but this place is open late and has a good cupa strong coffee to offer the late night crowds.

---------->>_<<-----_------>>_<<-----------

on a whole different note, i visited Crave, the new sushi/thai fusion place on 21st and guad and let's just say i had a not so satisfying experience. first of all...i get the feeling that the wait staff hasn't really been trained to know the menu or the foods they're serving very well. 2ndly, the spring rolls i ordered were CUT in half! it's not too bad when the rolls are wrapped nice and tight, but basically, the rolls fell apart when i tried to pick them up. Also, my spring rolls were served with the fish sauce usually served with eggrolls which kinda lowered my taste for them even more...basically the staff seems to late communication with each other and even tho the decor was lovely, I dunno if i'll be going back soon.

yummy pastries :D

2008-06-17T02:42:00.000-05:00

so i went to half-price today and bought a cool new pastry making book...the recipes were simple and straightfoward which i loved and i quickly tried out a couple tonight alone.

1st: cherry-almond windmills...yummy...i cheated a little and bought pre-made frozen pastry dough tho...you can get it at your local grocery store in the frozen deserts aisle.

2nd: john came over and we tried the chocolate eclair recipe...yummy, i made him do all the hard whisking work...hehe...i did provide all the materials and equipment :P...we also substituted half of the vanilla in the creme for almond extract to give it a twist.

busy busy FAT bee

2008-06-11T21:40:00.000-05:00

yea lotsa fooding lately...working all the time and not getting enough sleep doesn't help...

anywayz...now that the last 5-6 crazy days are over, i have tons to share

hmm so being from the valley (RGV that is, NOT the california valley from clueless -_-) those taco cravings hit me pretty hard sometimes...mexican food just isn't the same in austin unfortunately. BUT, fortunately, my former roommate Ha and I stumbled upon El Tacolote on North Lamar one night our freshman year. To this day i still find that when i get the craving for authentic mex food, i make the drive there despite the distance from campus. it's located just north of Rundberg and Lamar, across from a HEB. chances are if you've been to chinatown center, you've passed by it. besides delicious plates, esp one called "El Tacolote," the chicken enchiladas, burritos, flan, and salsa are fantabulous.

oh yea and they're open LATE at night....on a weekday to about 2 or 3am and on weekends til 4am...the cantina attached to it definitely adds a more authentic air to it as well as livens up the experience.

**so The Best Wurst experience didn't go so well unfortunately -_- we didn't realize it was a sunday and apparently most food stands aren't open....buttttt a taco bell run was in order instead...and i ate those el tacolote enchiladas as the guys were wolfing soft tacos and fire sauces down.

Here's my food album for yall to browse, there's some stuff i've been bakin, places i've eaten at, things i've eaten etc...

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2467278&l=d9cc8&id=7958489

~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~~*~*~*~**~*~*
what i've made lately:

*carrot cakes with fresh cream and dark chocolate drizzle
*fettuccine with chicken, broccoli, mushrooms, sun dried tomato alfredo sauce
*kimchee with ground pork and zuccini
*fish shaped pancakes with red bean filling
*beef fajitas with chinese black pepper sauce
*yellow tofu curry with coconut milk, potatoes, carrots, mushrooms over steamed rice

***currently i'm baking up some heart shaped buttermilk taro cupcakes with a fresh red bean cream filling.

why am i still awake? oh yeaaa

2008-06-08T07:54:00.000-05:00

so, after all the food adventures miguel and i have embarked on just in the couple of weeks i've been back in austin thus far, i've decided it's a shame not to chronicle any of it!

yea so my crazy ass decided at 7 AM!!! to get to it and start this blog for all your viewing pleasure.

i plan on posting pics/reviews/recipes/etccccc...and just about anything foodie related that i come across.

so in post numero uno: EVERYONE WHO COMES TO AUSTIN HAS TO VISIT KEBABALICIOUS! it's only open past 9pm at night til the early morn so it's perfect for those of you craving a lateeeee night fooding or for you drunkies who have the munchies. it's on E. 7th street between trinity and neches so sometime during your busy longhorn lives, go! we both got the king (12in pita) beef/lamb kebabs and it was AMAZING...i really wish my car could smell like those all the time -_-...we also got a couple of dolmas (stuffed grape leaves) that weren't exactly what we were expecting...not great, not bad...but oh my that kebab...in the words of rachael ray --> YUM-O. definitely going back and taking pics for all of yall next time too!

~on a side note, the workers are friendly and the drunks with munchies are quite entertaining.

*just a random pic of the trailer i found online*

anywayz...i love yelp.com. i just found a list of top austin food stands...so hopefully this summer we'll be able to hit them all!

1. the best wurst (hopefully sunday night!)
2. kebabalicious (check!)
3. torchy's tacos
4. lulu b's
5. p. terry's
6. big daddy's
7. hot rock'n & pop'n kettle corn
8. taqueria la canaria
9. barbecuties
10. la guera taco truck

http://www.yelp.com/search?find_loc=Austin%2C+TX&cflt=foodstands

life is one big meal

Kimbap!

superwok

Sassy Sauces: Plum

Oatmeal Cookies w/ Dark Choc Chips & Walnuts

this is so wrong...

Zhongzi! Sticky rice goodness wrapped in bamboo leaves

~~ Austin Restaurant Week ~~

!!!

Jim Jim's vs. Sno Beach

CRUNCH....preserved goodies

WOW...just wow...

yay for cupcakes

HOTPOT! A-Kuan Taiwanese Hotpot Chain

back in the states

\\ SPUD RANCH //

Thai (Lack of) Passion :(

Serranos Tex-Mex :)

~~ The Steeping Room ~~

~~ Korean Grill ~~

the picnic post =]

Latke Time!

OMG! cookie + cake + pie = <3 aka heart attack

fast food dim sum?!?!

i'm back!

more cakes...

holiday musings in June

yummy pastries :D

busy busy FAT bee

why am i still awake? oh yeaaa

Austin Restaurant Week

The Steeping Room

Korean Grill