this is so wrong...

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

Zhongzi! Sticky rice goodness wrapped in bamboo leaves

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 ~~

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

http://restaurantweekaustin.com

!!!

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

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

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...

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

yay for cupcakes

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

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

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 //

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 :(

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 :)

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 ~~

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 ~~

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 =]

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!

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 :)