Progression, Regeneration.

One more week!

2008-10-04T11:26:00.000-07:00

Well, technically, one more week and two days.
And then I'll be in sunnier, warmer weather. I can't wait.
Might meet up with HK for a photo op (before she flies back home) and then we'll probably just shop and veg and relax. I'm just looking forward to the relax part.

Oh. And sun doesn't hurt either.

I'm off to the gym this "morning". Hopefully I get back before TM wakes up / is functional for the day. He sleeps in and is very good at doing so!

Have a good weekend guys!

Life is Good my Friends!

2008-09-29T16:01:00.000-07:00

Life is just Good.

Yes. Capital G.

As a matter of fact, I believe that September has been great. And that this year, although similarly full of ups and downs, has truely been great.

I have a new job. I have a new home. I have a new life!

Who wouldn't want a new life?!

Not that the last one was bad.

I saw my parents, brother and an aunt for lunch today. Dim sum, in the capital of Chinese restaurants in BC, Richmond. I do have to say that Richmond is really the mecca of Chinese food and Chinese products. I was thinking about getting cheap Horlicks or Ovaltine or even specialty pocky (Almond Crush pocky, Green Tea pocky, Creme pocky anyone?) in my neck of the woods, and I had to come up empty. It is surprising how that area of Burnaby is devoid of a good local Chinese place. :( I mean sure, there's the whole slew of Chinese markets along Hastings (Triple A Market, Donalds Market, Red Apple Market) but they're almost more old style and don't have the fancy new city-folk Amenities like the Lee Kum Kee Hainanese Chicken mixes, or the Horlicks Malted candies, or even the Okinomiyaki-flavoured potato chips.

I kind of miss that stuff.

But for the meanwhile, life is good. Really good.

Have a good Monday, and a great week!

10 Reasons Why I Gain Weight.

2008-09-26T14:15:00.000-07:00

Kris at Cheap Healthy Good just posted a list of why she gained / gains weight. I've been following her blog for a while - she has a posting schedule of recipes interspersed with foodie-licious articles and links.

While the recipes usually make me stop by her blog for a gander, her list / posting above is probably one of the first times I've commented on her site.

You see, I am an average sized girl. But I've always been made fun of for my weight. As an Asian, I was always taller and bigger (boned?) than my counterparts. Yes, by North American specs, I'm probably average sized, but I've always felt bigger than most as my relatives would poke at my flesh and make me feel ashamed of my body. It doesn't do good either, when, as a developing adolescent, my mother would tell me that she was "never as big as" me when she was younger.

As an adult, I've come to terms with my body, but at the same time I am still guilty of neglecting my health and weight. It is said that the average weight gain for North Americans is 1-3 pounds a year. I can say that much is true; I've gradually gained weight as an adult.

Why? Here we go:

I gain weight because:

1) I live with a man who *needs* to have meat with every meal, or at least, every day. And none of that "white meat" either. He means business, meaning bbq ribs. Steak. Brisket. Bacon. Sausages. The only substitution for any "meat" is with cheese.

2) Cheese? Did you say Cheese? As a child, I *hated* cheese. It felt heavy, was plastic-y, and turned crispy black when my mother or brother made "grilled" cheese sandwiches. As an adult though, I've grown to love cheese. Real cheese. Give me gouda. Gruyere. Brie. Cheddar with ale. Cranberry camembert. Cream cheese with mixed herbs. Goat cheese with poppy seed or nuts. When I was living in Victoria, my roomate introduced me to pate. We would literally survive for days on nothing but cheese, crackers, and pate. Oh, and the odd grape thrown in for good measure. I kind of miss those days.

3) I feel that I deserve it. I've commuted a lot in my adult life. At the end of the drive, what's fast and easy and portable is an ice cream cone. Or a container of fries. And Bob as my witness, after that hellish traffic jam, I deserve it!

4) I believe that I can lose it later. I took up running three years ago. I loved what it did to my body, but more what it did to my eating habits. I could eat whatever I wanted, and I would just burn it off!! What's bad is when I take a break after the marathons or 10k races and kept on eating the same. I can honestly say that for the past three years, I spent the first half of summer feeling and looking great, then the remainder feeling bloated and sad because my body morphed back into its former self.

5) Eating is a social thing. Birthday party = dinner. Mothers / Fathers day = dim sum and / or dinner. Hockey game? We'd watch it over greasy pub food. UFC Fight Nights = fattening potluck food. Happy hour? Sure. Oh, and when me and my friends decide to celebrate something by going dancing? We end up drinking. A lot. And girly cocktails are empty calories. Might explain the most recent weight gain.

6) I love cooking. I love cooking for other people, I love cooking for myself. That, combined with the fact that I was raised and trained not to waste food, causes me to overeat a lot of the times.

7) I have a fear of going hungry. I think in every stage of my life - high school, college, office life - I had this fear of my stomache growling and that being rude. Subsequently, I'd "over pack" my lunches and snacks. Where it allowed, I'd even keep extra food in my locker / backpack / cublicle / drawer to snack on so that I wouldn't go hungry. That access has probably provided me with extra calories that I could do without.

8) I try to eat like the boys. I was a real tomboy growing up. I hated being ridiculed for being inferior - so I'd try to eat like a boy. I've gotten a little better as I've grown up, but I notice that I do try to match portions with M, who is 6' and ~200lbs. I am 5'5" and about 75% of his weight, and he has more muscle mass than me. I`ve also tried going beer for beer (or drink for drink) with the boys, which had bad results. Again - empty calories.

9) I've worked in the food industry for my entire adult life. This means free food, free samples, trade shows with free food and free samples, and a some of taste panelling. Not good.

10) My mothers' love of deep-frying as a form of food preparation has somewhat been genetically passed on to me. Not only was this bad when I was younger (sometimes we'd eat nothing BUT fried food for dinner...eww.), but now that I'm older, I fall into the same trap as I like the texture and convenience of fried food.

Where does this leave me? At least now I can identify why I gain weight. Now to correct some of my bad habits.

- drink less
- portion control
- be conscious of what I eat
- stop the lose / gain cycle
- keep healthy snacks in the car and at work
- freeze leftovers!
and
- stop when I'm full.

Let's see where this gets me.

Dude.

2008-09-23T16:16:00.000-07:00

Dude, I like working here. It brings me back to the more mellow days of Maple Ridge, without the crazy bs that happened there.

Stress? There is none here, unless you count commute, which, frankly isn't that bad either.

I am meeting MB for happy hour today. We'll probably be noshing on pub grub and talking about his love life or something, while doing bad things to our health (pub + drinking + too much bad food + inhaling second hand smoke).

M is away for the week. He's on the island doing some networking and attending a trade show.

It'll be quiet in the condo that I have ALL TO MYSELF! and the bed, which I have ALL TO MYSELF!!! haha.

Have a good week babes.

Life = Good.

2008-09-19T10:00:00.000-07:00

End of the week at the new job. Feeling fantastic.

Saw some old friends last night for some sushi & karoake. It was great how people revert (somewhat) but grow up too. HVA brought her baby girl and EVA brought her baby boy. They were so cute! We had a couple drinks and lots of sushi, teriyaki, tempuras & sashimi. God. I was stuffed. And both Ms had bountiful lunches for today. :)

I have a love / hate thing with my commute right now. It is about 15 kms and can vary from 30-60 minutes, depending on traffic and how many schools I pass with patrol / crossing guards. Yesterday the bridge had one lane closed for seismic upgrades, so I just took another bridge. It was on the way to MBs house anyways.

So. I believe I have been spending a little too much as of late as I had a week off and an "extra" pay check. I think I've been reasonable, considering I haven't spending too much on clothing or little knick knacks here and there.

Life is good. There is much potential on the horizon.

Want to hear what happened?

2008-09-16T16:41:00.000-07:00

About two weeks ago (Ok, so its closer to one and a half), I resigned from my old job. On a Thursday. Because Monday was a holiday and the bossman was away from work until Thursday.

I saw him that morning, I said I'd like to talk to him, and instead of meeting with me, he went out of the office for about four hours.

He then came back and asked me if I'd like to step into his office. He took it pretty well, I thought.

Or a little too well.

He called me into his office on Friday to fire me.

ha!

I was pretty choked. But whatever. I am now at a newer, better company with better management and great prospects.

booya to the sucky, unlucky old boss.

Non, je ne regrette rien

2008-09-04T09:16:00.000-07:00

Non, je ne regrette rien.

This is a French song made popular by Edith Piaf. It was also featured at the end of Babe: Pig in the City, where Flealick (I think?) sacrificed himself and "chased" after the truck carrying all his friends.

Me? It played this morning on my Jango, on an important day in my life. More on this later.

Sorry for the shrouded secrecy.

Great.

2008-09-02T16:40:00.001-07:00

Now I have to wait until Thursday. Sorry folks. Hope you weren't holding your collective breath.

Bear with me Friends.

2008-09-01T21:18:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is a significant day in the life of yours truly.

Will post more as hell / heaven unfolds.

Wow, that's different....

2008-08-27T18:08:00.001-07:00

Wow, that's different. I'm walking home through North Burnaby and I just saw an old man smoking outside his house with a hand made pipe. Made of BAMBOO.listen

Powered by Jott

Figures.

2008-08-27T11:48:00.001-07:00

The one morning that I decide to walk / skytrain because parking has been scarce at work, there are four (count them four!) parking spaces free as I walk up the hill to work.

Oh well. I'm getting exercise I guess.

Run my little Monkey friend, Run!!!

2008-08-25T12:15:00.000-07:00

This little guy, aka a Japanese Macaque, was doing the voyeur thing at the Shibuya station in Japan. Click play to see his grand escape!

Rice, Emails, and other Shenanigans.

2008-08-21T15:47:00.000-07:00

Whooo. Internet is finally up and running. Telus (internet provider) has been acting up and it has resulted in a couple hours of NO INTERNET. Imagine the agony!

For dinner tonight? Leftover Curry Beef Brisket from my amazing grandmother, served on brown rice (we are LOVING brown rice right now. The nuttiness makes it a perfect accompaniment to curries, soups, stews, and anything else with a slight anise / caramel / brown flavour. Mmmm! Also having leftover japchae, with delicious bulgolgi beef. Yum!

Every now and then I get an email in my gmail inbox that is addressed to "me". It's actually intended for some girl / lady / person who lives in Alberta (Calgary? Edmonton? I can't remember) who has the same name as I do, but she's obviously neglected to tell her family and friends the right email address. So far I believe I've emailed her father or mail cousin, and one of her friends about it. It's annoying but fascinating at the same time. Last time I had an email thread going on for a week with one of the guys about the price of real estate since they had emailed "the other Jessica" about condo and house listings in Edmonton. Ah, the days of our lives.

Hope this post goes through...as in, I hope the internet is working now.

woohoo!

2008-08-20T09:31:00.000-07:00

Didn't do any cardio yesterday after work.

Marks' car had troubles starting yesterday morning, so he took my car, which meant that I walked / public transported to and from work / the grocery store. To say the least, it was a nice walk, being that it cooled off a bit and there was a nice breeze. But I was tired nonetheless.

Jott is working! I can now "blog" from my phone. The service also allows you to send text messages via voice. Some words / directions / nouns don't translate well (for example, street names or theater names or whatever) but for the most part, it is a great service as it allows you to drive and "talk / text" at the same time. Check it out!

Checking test, test....

2008-08-20T09:30:00.001-07:00

Checking test, test. Checking text from Jott. listen

Powered by Jott

The Omnivore's Hundred

2008-08-19T09:48:00.000-07:00

(Stolen from Chocolate & Zucchini, who got it from Very Good Taste)
The Omnivore's Hundred is an eclectic and entirely subjective list of 100 items that Andrew Wheeler, co-author of the British food blog Very Good Taste, thinks every omnivore should try at least once in his life.

He offered this list as the starting point for a game, along the following rules:
1. Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2. Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3. Cross out any items that you would never consider eating (I've italicized items that I haven't eaten, but would consider...).
4. Optional extra: post a comment on Very Good Taste, linking to your results.

And of course, if you take part in this, do leave a comment linking to your list. Here goes!

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare (yum.)
5. Crocodile (yum.)
6. ~~Black pudding~~
7. Cheese fondue Oh my goodness. If I could (like if I was training for a triathalon, I would eat this every day. Mmmmm.)
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Phở
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart I have yet to indulge in one of the japa-dogs from that cart on Smithe & Burrard though. I think hot dogs from carts are made better by the personality of the vendor too. One of the best ones was outside the HIVE showcase this year at the media arts center on Great Northern Way.
16. Epoisses I had to look this up. I would definately give any cheese a try.
17. Black truffle Anyone want to spot me? I can't say that I've tried black truffle itself. Perhaps the oil one time, on pasta or an appy or something.
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes I had a local blueberry wine at an event some time ago.
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes The best kind of tomato, if you ask me.
22. Fresh wild berries Nothing beats fresh berries period. This is where I learnt to truely love raspberries and blackberries!
23. Foie gras So good, but so bad.
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese Need to try it.
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters Let me count thy ways...
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda Never heard of it before, but now, with that recipe, I`ll make it and try it. Real anchovies though, and not the paste. I have a tube of anchovy paste in the fridge which tastes gross.
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl Ivar`s in the states. Not quite for me, but their clam chowder is delicious.
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar I've had them separately; something tells me that I need to revisit this.
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo (eaten in New Orleans)
40. Oxtail In soup or stew form. My mom makes the best star anise & tomato oxtail. Oh, comfort foods.
41. Curried goat Once with a flatbread, another time in a jamaican patty. Would try it again.
42. ~~Whole insects~~ There's this candy store downtown (on Robson, down the street from Winners / Future Shop) that sells chocolate covered grashoppers, caramel covered ants and the like. I think that if someone I knew bought some of those, and had one that they didn't want, and I was possibly being dared to do it, I'd try one of those. But in any other instance, I don't think I could / would eat a dead insect. I can't imagine there would be any gastronomic benefit to it!
43. Phaal Mmmm. I was just talking about Indian food with my boss yesterday. I'm getting hungry now.
44. Goat’s milk Not by itself, but I've had goat milk cheeses.
45. ~~Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/€80/$120 or more~~ (Does Crown count? I have bad associations with that...ugggh. I don't think I'd drink any more on account of that.)
46. Fugu ...When in Rome, or Japan.
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin Mmm. When my parents used to go to Las Vegas, we`d go into the Japanese restaurants at the Mirage or Bellagio and pig out on a box of sea urchin. *That* is where I learnt to love sea urchin. It is just so rich!
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer Remember that directed studies project in Food Tech? I think I had my fill of paneer there.
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal The sandwich itself, yes. The meal? No. One day when I haven't eaten all day, or after a marathon or other event, I might possibly have one. One day.
56. Spaetzle We made them in culinary school, both poached and fried. I'll introduce TM to them soon enough.
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV I don't think so...but we did make beer in Food Tech..
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads I'm Chinese. We also prepared it in culinary school. Not my favourite thing in the world, but I'm sure if I was starving and it was there, I'd hoover it up.
63. ~~Kaolin~~ What, clay?
64. Currywurst Sounds interesting. Curry & sausages? Why not.
65. Durian Yes, but I wouldn`t have it again.
66. Frogs’ legs Yum.
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake Yum! We have to go to the fair this weekend for some.
68. ~~Haggis~~
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette One day.
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost Now that I know that it is a caramelized cheese, I want to try it!
75. ~~Roadkill~~ Are you CRAZY??!
76. Baijiu I'm Chinese and I have never had this. But one day. When I want to pass out.
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky Oh, the varieties of pocky. :)
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant One day.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare In a country terrine / pate.
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano I`ve made it once, but I`d like to try it at a restaurant.
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake (Tastes like chicken.)

2008-08-18T15:25:00.000-07:00

I had a good weekend. Not enough sleep, not enough money, but great nonetheless.

We attended a gallery opening downtown and saw some great jewellry and artwork on Friday. We've been sleeping late on weekends, and waking up later than usual. It makes for less productive weekends, and grumpier selves. Alas, we still made it to Walmart to pick up some home essentials, and out to my Aunts' in Coquitlam for a housewarming bbq.

There is something to be said about the healing power of being with family. Yes, it gives you a headache sometimes but in small, controlled doses, it is good for the soul. TM ate loads of meat, apparently, but I just nibbled here and there, while cleaning and 'queing and packing up things for people and petting the dogs and slipping them some "oops" tidbits.

TM went out for some drinks with the guys afterwards, while I stayed at home and was completely hopped up on caffiene (somehow we came by 2 quad-shot frappacinos, a solo espresso, and a custom smoothie from starbucks that day. Holy crap I will never do that again, irregardless of how delicious frappacinos are.).

When TM returned later that night (sometime in the morning of Sunday) I had rearranged the washroom, finally put in anti-slip vinyl in the kitchen drawers, made Paula Deen's Georgia Cookie Candies, fed the cat, and done several loads of laundry.

The next day, we set out for the Latin Summer Festival (at Trout Lake) and the beach, but only made it to the former and the outdoor public pool in lieu of the latter. At that too, it clouded over once we laid our towels out and proceeded to rain about an hour later. It was nice to get out though.

TM & I have some things to work out. It will be ok.

News, and cooking for a summer weekend.

2008-08-15T16:30:00.000-07:00

Work is crazy right now. My Italian boss is extremely passionate about his work and is really upset about the recent resignation of my immediate supervisor. I can understand why he feels betrayed, but at the same time there are some inconsistencies in his behaviour and actions.

You get to know your boss better after someone has quit, to say the least.

TM and I are working through our issues. Basically neither of us are perfect. We both have needs, and different ways of showing love. Perhaps, we aren't the same people we were before we moved in together.

All this goes to show is that my views of moving in before marriage differs from before this whole experience.

I think I'll encourage my kids to live together with their respective significant others before getting married. Not to downplay the importance of marriage, but to emphasize the importance of getting to know the person that they will potentially spend the rest of their life with.

It is HOT out there man! I'm sure that if the sun were out today, it'd be scorching. But the cloud cover is doing its job of keeping the humidity high. I kind of like it outside right now since the office is cold, thanks to the air conditioner.

The nice weather will continue onto the weekend, with highs of 26-34 degrees celsius. NICE! I'll be at the beach and the Latin Festival enjoying some sun and food.

Here's a nice summer recipe that we'll be enjoying at the beach:

Vietnamese Salad Rolls!

They're nice and cool, and pretty easy to make. All you have to do is cook the noodles, prep the vegetables, then assemble the rolls. It takes a little practice to wrap the rolls, but it is a pretty forgiving snack.

For my rolls, I used "U Brand" rice vermicelli, and "Six Fortune" rice paper wrap. I bought them at Save on Foods, a chain supermarket, but I've seen them in smaller mom n' pop grocery markets too.

For these rolls (I made these a couple weeks ago, during our last "heat wave"), I used shrimp, carrot, cucumber, and mango. The sweetness of the mango pairs really nicely with the saltiness of the shrimp. I've also tried using lychee instead of the mango, or kamaboko, crab, or lobster in place of the shrimp. Again, this is a really simple recipe, feel free to change it up!

The other ingredients you'll need are peanut butter, hoisin sauce, and rice vinegar. These are for the sauce that you dip the rolls in. I prepared mine in a small ramekin, by incorporating 2 parts hoisin sauce, 2 parts peanut butter, and 1 part rice vinegar. Mix them together (you will need to microwave it for about 30 seconds) until the mixture is uniform. Microwave for another 30 seconds if it doesn't come together the first time.

When you have all your ingredients cut up and prepared, you can start assembling the rolls. First, boil a big pot of water. When the water comes to a boil, dunk in the rice paper and quickly remove so that it doesn't wrinkle and stick to itself. Rotate the sheet around so that it is all hydrated.

Since these photos are from one of the first times I made these rolls, I flubbed up and put the fillings on *top* of the noodles instead of underneath. The result is that the bright colours and shrimp are obscured in the finished product by more of the rice paper. For a better looking roll, place the shrimp (coloured side down) onto the rice paper, followed by the mango, julienned cucumber and carrot, and some green onion. Top with some of the rice vermicelli.

Next, you fold over the short ends like a buritto, lift the long end over the fillings, and slowly roll the rice paper over the fillings. You need to slightly stretch the rice paper (practice makes perfect!) while you rotate, so that the roll is tight and compact, and will not fall apart while you are eating it.

Ta-da!

Serve with the hoisin-peanut sauce, some crushed roasted peanuts, and cilantro, as needed.

Tired

2008-08-13T10:37:00.000-07:00

We had a big fight last night which resulted in me staying up too late, getting 1/2 an hour of sleep, and waking up too early.

Summer (the cat) was confused about what we were doing. I ended up on the couch, since I couldn't sleep and started watching tv. I didn't go back to bed - instead, at 6:30am I went for a short jog to clear my head.

It is not easy being with TM.

I love him so much, and we have different ways of showing love. Why can't he understand that?

Why doesn't he realize that neither of us are perfect, and that we mirror each others actions and haughtiness? And that we are dancing on a thread-bare relationship?

From Computerworld

2008-08-12T14:41:00.000-07:00

Windows days may be numbered...

...Guess I may rethink about buying a pc. Maybe I'll get a Mac? Hell, by the time I'm able to afford either, Midori will probably be out. :p

Mmmm. Scallion Pancakes.

2008-08-12T12:51:00.001-07:00

I made Scallion Pancakes (Recipe: Basil & Ginger) this weekend, and although I *love* them, TM tends to be a neaderthal and likes a ~~little~~ ~~some~~ ~~more~~ a humugous slab of meat with his meals.

Me, I could live with eating meat only 2-3 times a week, but since I've moved in with him, I've kind of been forced to cook and eat meat more often than usual. Perhaps this is the reason behind my recent emotional state? Possibly.

Anyways I made some more scallion pancakes yesterday with the dough left over from the weekend. Let me say, the recipe is delicious as it is, and the simplicity of it allows lots of room for adjustments and additions of yummy ingredients. Last time I used a sweet Thai chili sauce & cream cheese in place of the butter, yesterday I added in some diced cooked Chinese sausage (lap cheong) into the mix and dipped the finished product in sambal oolek. Heavenly. Or, perhaps devilish if you consider the fiery sambal.

Chinese Sausage & Scallion Pancakes. Or in Chinese, Lap Cheong Chong Yau Bang. Deliciously simple, with three main ingredients: cooked finely diced Chinese sausage, sliced scallions / green onions, and the dough, comprised of 4 parts all purpose flour, 1 part warm water, salt to taste, and oil / lard for cooking.

First, you roll out the dough into thin discs, after letting them rest sufficiently. Last time I followed the recipe and rolled out the dough *right* at 30 minutes. This time, I waited an hour before I touched them again. It seemed to work, as the dough was more relaxed and allowed me to roll it out nice and thin. I then slathered (I mean that!) the dough with melted butter, and sprinkled liberally with the cooked sausage and green onion.

Starting from one side of the disc, roll the dough tightly around the filling, pressing lightly as you go, into a long cigar shape. This helps create the layers of the finished product.

Think of it as puff pastry, or pie crust. The layers of water and fat sandwiched between layers of thin pastry helps create the fluffy, flakey layers later.

I coiled the cigar shape into a spiral, and tucked the ends under. You want to keep in all the filling, and try to keep a uniform shape.

At this point, I wanted to cool down the coiled spiral as it was a warm day - if I rolled it out right after forming the coils, I would chance loosing the layers as the butter was still really soft. I refrigerated the covered coils for about half an hour.

After letting them cool down, I rolled those suckers flat! I took care not to exert too much pressure (and risk the dough breaking and all those precious goodies falling out!), and tried to keep a uniform circle shape.

After rolling, the pancakes went into a heated pan with a generous amount of oil to crisp up. Don't be stingey with the oil. It helps keep the browning as uniform as possible, and helps cook the pancake!

I think I ate about one and a half of these while cooking. :p

TM liked this batch better than the previous meatless ones, and the sausage did provide more umami notes. I still like the simplicity of the green onion, but I'd like to try making some with dried pork floss, chili oils, or possibly even a sweet hoisin peanut one. Mmm. The possibilities are *endless*!

RIP Bernie Mac.

2008-08-11T16:20:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe, but true. Bernie Mac passed away this weekend.

While I wasn't a huge fan, chances are that if I was flipping through the channels on a Friday night, and came across Bernie Mac, I'd sit through and chuckle a bit while watching his show.

RIP Bernie.

Oh boy.*

2008-08-08T15:22:00.000-07:00

It looks to be another busy weekend, with another dentist appointment, dinner with the family, some jewelry shopping, and maybe some beachtime or prowling at the Ambleside festival. Oh, and dot the day with periodic feedings of Summer le Chat.

The good thing is that he's getting better. He is holding down food, he is more alert (before he was just zoning out), and he just looks happier. He's even pissed us off a couple times. :) (You know. clawing the not-so-new couch, clawing the carpet, squirming during feeding and *running* into the bed with his mouth covered with liquified food. Oh yeah. believe me, that PISSED me off.)

Anyways next week will be interesting as well and I want to book another day off! The weather is just so nice.

So. Have a good weekend, eat lots, drink plenty, and have fun!

TGIF!

2008-08-08T09:20:00.001-07:00

I spent last weekend at the Powell Street Festival. Yes, it's in a seedy part of town, but only because we let it get that way.

When I saw this sign, I turned to TM and said, "sumo wrestling! You should sign up for that!" He got a little pissed.

"Whaaaat," I said. "There are skinny sumos too!"

Plus one of the first time we ever talked, we were joking around and he started talking in his (pretend) Japanese gibberish.

I went both days, August 2 & 3, and enjoyed the sun, food, artists, and performers both days. On the second day, I learnt that the Buddhist Church was indeed open to the public (as I had surmised the day before, but had not explored) and ventured in to find a bonsai exhibit, and information on the history of Powell Street.

There were a lot of great ceramics, jewellery makers (including a stall where the artist made intricate blown and layered glass pendants, rings, and earrings. Beautiful!), information, arts and crafts vendors.

There were performances throughout the day. I loved the taiko drum groups. It is crazy how coordinated they are with all the arm movements, twirls, not to mention the percussion they were producing!

Next was the eating. And eat we did. Actually, we went back the second day for food because the first day we had a dinner to go to. Oh god there is nothing like street food! We went back *specifically* for these takoyaki balls. They are these tender little squid balls, topped with bonito, takoyaki bbq sauce, mayo, and seaweed. Typically, when you get them at other street festivals, the ball is undercooked, the squid piece inside is over cooked, and the overall result is mediocre. These takoyaki, however, were DELICIOUS. They were done *just right*, with the ball slightly crisp on the outside, but nicely done and tender on the inside. The big difference was the piece of squid. It was so TENDER! We were pigs on the second day and ordered three (yes, THREE!) orders.

This is the lineup when we went the 2nd day:

As you can see, there's a guy really close to the front of the lineup with his baskets of takoyaki, although he appears to be waiting for more. haha!

The "Japanese Yoyo" stand was a hit with the kids at the festival. What's cool is that a lot of the stands were manned by Japanese seniors with big smiles on their faces.

Another cool thing? The festival had an initiative to produce less waste, or use compostable materials. Instead of "trash" areas, they had recycling centers which separated all the recyclables, as well as compost materials. Very Green, Very Vancouver.

And a last photo, this was across the street. Snazzy!

More photos at flickr.

Juicy Foodie Gossip!

2008-08-07T09:30:00.000-07:00

Whooo, culinary catfight! Gordon Ramsey's right hand man, Marcus Wareing openly critisizes Ramsey. Man, to be a fly on the wall when Ramsey first hears of this.

Steve Dublanica? Who's that? What if I said that he is the brain behind Waiter Rant? Steve has gotten a book deal, and the New York Times has an interview with him.

Chow Vegan is having an 080808 lucky giveaway!