The Kitchen Chronicles: Happy Birthday, Mommy!

My mommy :)

Today is a very special day: 52 years ago, my beautiful, wonderful, talented mommy made her grand debut into the world, and I swear she must have been born with a spatula in one hand and a whisk in the other because she is one of the best cooks I know (okay, so maybe it was more like chopsticks in one hand and a mortar/pestle in the other, but you get the idea).  Am I biased?  Of course.  But that doesn't make me wrong (just ask my friends and extended family).  I was so lucky to grow up not really knowing what a bad or mediocre meal was unless I ventured out of the home, and I'm so grateful that my mom's love of cooking was passed on to me.  


I'm so sad to not be celebrating with my mommy today, and that this post isn't about a beautiful meal or cake I made her on her special day.  But in her honor, I thought I'd share with you some of the sweet treats that have special meaning to the two of us.  


Happy birthday, Mommy! <3




Che Chuoi (Banana Coconut Tapioca 'Soup')


"Che" is a category of Vietnamese desserts that typically consist of a coconut milk or flavored simple syrup base mixed with tapioca, fruit, gelatin, beans, seaweed, taro, and corn, just to name a few.  The concept seems odd to Western palates that typically associate liquids with savory soups rather than desserts, but these types of desserts are popular all across Asia, with many countries boasting their own versions.  This dish is quintessentially Vietnamese, so if you like these flavors and can set aside dessert prejudices to give this a try, I really think you'll be surprised how good this is.  I grew up eating all kinds of che my mom made, and normally she makes this che and a few others when I come home as a treat.  But as I'm living in Oz this year, I got sufficiently desperate a few weeks ago to attempt this on my own.  I'd like to think my mom would have been happy with the results, and I love the idea that, next time I'm home, I can now make this for her.

Banana Coconut Tapioca 'Soup' (aka: Vietnamese Che Chuoi)

Light yet satisfying and very versatile, Che Chuoi can be served hot, room temp, or chilled.

Ingredients:


1 cup water
1 cup coconut milk (I prefer full fat, but you can use light)
1/4 - 1/3 cup sugar (start with 1/4 and add more as desired; it should be sweet, but not cloying, so I don't recommend going over 1/3 cup)
1/4 cup tapioca pearls (the recipe pictured here consisted of 1/4 cup; if you like a LOT of tapioca, you can increase to 1/3 cup)
1/4 tsp salt
1-2 bananas, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
* toasted sesame seeds (optional garnish)


Directions:


1.  Bring water and coconut milk to a boil in a large saucepan.
2.  Add tapioca, sugar, and salt and cook over medium-low heat until tapioca is cooked through and translucent, about 30 min.  Be sure to stir the pot occasionally to prevent the tapioca from clumping.
3.  Add bananas and cook for an additional 5-10 min.  
4.  Serve hot, room temp, or chilled.  Garnish with toasted sesame seeds if using.






Blueberry Muffins


Without question, the number one thing my mom always asks me to make her when I'm home is blueberry muffins.  Our love affair with this ubiquitous but often mediocre muffin started when I was in the second grade.  My mom had a coworker who made the most amazing blueberry muffins, and every Friday, my mom would buy a big bag from her to bring home as a treat.  I vividly recall coming come home from school and heading straight to the bag of muffins, from which I'd extract TWO, just for myself.  I'd split them in half, toast briefly in the toaster oven, and slather butter all over it (well, at the time, it was Country Crock spread, but I've since changed my ways).  The muffins were rich and buttery without being overly so or greasy, had just the right amount of sweetness, perfect crumb texture, and fantastic blueberry flavor.  To this day, neither my mom nor I have tasted a muffin that comes close, and I've long been on the search for the perfect blueberry muffin.  This recipe from America Test Kitchen was my most recent attempt, and I'm sad to say that my search continues: while these muffins were quite good, the texture was a bit too dense/stiff and the blueberry flavor just didn't bowl us over despite the extra step of making blueberry jam and swirling it in.  Perhaps I failed where others have succeeded?  If you've made this recipe to rave reviews, please let me know.  In the meantime, until I find a better recipe, these are the ones my mom gets when I'm home.  If anyone out there has a recipe that I MUST try, please post a link to it here!

Muffin, anyone??

Fresh from the oven

Blueberry goodness

(Adapted from America's Test Kitchen's "Best Blueberry Muffins" recipe; online members can find the recipe at http://www.americastestkitchen.com/)


Ingredients:

• 2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
• 1 1/8 cups sugar plus 1 teaspoon 
• 2 1/2 cups  all-purpose flour 
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

• 1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees and place oven rack in upper-middle position.
  2.  Line muffin pan with liners or treat with nonstick cooking spray. 
  3.  Over medium heat, bring 1 cup blueberries and 1 teaspoon sugar to a simmer in a small saucepan.  Cook for 5-7 min, stirring and mashing berries frequently to help them break down and yield a thick mixture.  When the berries have properly reduced, you should have about 1/4 cup of 'jam.'  Pour jam into a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature, about 10-15 min.
• 4.  Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in large bowl.  
  5.  Whisk eggs and remaining 1 1/8 cups sugar in a separate bowl until thick and combined, about 45 seconds. Slowly whisk in butter and oil until combined, then whisk in buttermilk and vanilla until combined.
  6.  Fold egg mixture and remaining cup blueberries into flour mixture until just moistened.  The batter should be very lumpy with some spots of dry flour, so be careful not to overmix.
• 7.  Fill muffin cups completely full and spoon 1 teaspoon of the berry 'jam' into the center of each muffin.  Using a chopstick or skewer, gently swirl the jam into the batter. 
• 8.  Bake for 17-19 min until muffins are golden and just firm. Cool muffins in pan for 5 min, then transfer to a wire rack and cool 5 min before serving.

The Kitchen Chronicles - Spring!

March Madness.  Cherry blossoms in bloom.  Easter on the horizon.  Everywhere I turn, there are images that spring has arrived back home, and despite being on the other side of the planet (where fall is on our doorstep), I've decided to ring in spring nonetheless by sharing some of the light meals I turn to when the frost thaws and the flowers bloom. These aren't so much recipes as menu suggestions if you, like me, welcome the warmer temps with lighter fare.  Enjoy! 

A simple egg at its best: soft boiled.
It's amazing how a minor tweak in cooking gives you such a luscious result.

Oh yeaaahhh...

A little fresh ground salt and pepper is all the embellishment it needs.
And if you don't have a fancy egg cup, no worries, a shot glass works beautifully.

This is my little plate of perfection: prosciutto, sweet, ripe tomatoes,
 arugula, shaved parmesan, and a soft-boiled egg with the yolk magically still intact.

Poached egg on wheat toast with capers, red onion, and tomato.
I add smoked salmon to mine, but this is how my husband likes to eat it.

Pan-fried salmon belly.
Unbelievably rich and silky, salmon belly isn't just for sushi chefs.  Bought from a
fishmonger, it's an inexpensive but absolutely indulgent piece of the fish.  I season
mine with garlic salt and pepper and pan fry it on high heat in a non-stick skillet without
butter or oil in the pan.  The result is crackling crisp skin and juicy, fatty belly meat.
Serve with grape tomatoes and arugula.  Fantastic light lunch or dinner appetizer.

The Vault - Georgetown Cupcake

Photo courtesy of Georgetown Cupcake

I still remember the day I first lined up for a cupcake.  A $2.75 cupcake, to be exact.  Even now, I know it's indulgent, both in terms of calories gained and money spent (in high school, $2.75 was what I spent on my school lunch).  But there I was, with some of my co-workers, standing patiently in line alongside prepped-out college kids waiting to get their own prized pink boxes of cupcakes from the now-famous Georgetown Cupcake (see them in action on their show DC Cupcakes on TLC http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/tv/dc-cupcakes).  

When I finally made it inside their tiny (original) store, I thought to myself: "Okay, you have a very cute shop and a smart concept, but seriously, it's just a cupcake people."  But then I took my first bite of the Chocolate Ganache cupcake (winner of the 2008 Washington Post Food Section's "Cupcake Wars") and I was instantly caught between the urge to smack myself for being so naive, and surrendering completely to my ascension to nirvana.  Yes, people, it really was/is THAT good.  And that was before I even tried their Red Velvet Cake, which is my favorite among favorites, and has ruined me for all other red velvet cakes.   Moist yet light, dense yet fluffy, and with just the right amount of the most perfect cream cheese frosting: airy yet satisfying, and not overly sweet.  I could try to wax poetic about it all day, but the bottom line is these are Death Row meal-caliber cupcakes, and one should not wait til then to give them a try.  

And as if their coveted cupcakes weren't enough, the sisters who own the business are often sweating it out in the kitchen with their staff (in a packed store, I once had a five-minute conversation with Katherine about some difficulty I was having replicating their Chocolate Ganache frosting recipe, which had been published as part of the Cupcake Wars feature), and have spread their good fortune throughout the community (among their outreach efforts was Operation Cupcake, pictured below).  But be forewarned: what used to be a local institution is now a national destination for visitors to the nation's capital, so if you're not utilizing their mail-order service to the lower 48 states, avoid the massive, hours-long line at the DC location by pre-ordering the cupcakes online so you can skip the line and head straight to the counter for pick-up.  And if that wasn't sweet enough, Georgetown Cupcake now has a location in New York City's Soho District and will open a Boston branch this spring.  Now if only they'd launch one of their own cupcake ATMs here in Australia... ;-(

http://www.georgetowncupcake.com/index.html

SCORE!

Forget the little blue box from that jeweler; it's these pink boxes that are the prize.

My favorite assortment: Chocolate Cubed, Red Velvet, and Chocolate Ganache <3

And now for the official portraits :)

OPERATION CUPCAKE--perhaps the world's most heavily armed cupcakes ;-)

3 dozen of the 10,000 cupcakes Georgetown Cupcake sent to Iraq and Afghanistan

Wanderlust - Japan

Japan recently marked its one year anniversary of the 9.0 earthquake and resulting tsunami that devastated coastal areas and took the lives of nearly 16,000 people.  The number injured was almost twice that, and concerns over the partial meltdown of the Fukushima nuclear plant persist in the mind of many Japanese.  But far from visions of doom and disaster, for me the Land of the Rising Sun continues to conjure up images of breathtaking beauty, and it remains for me one of the most magical and spectacular places in the world to satisfy all your senses while discovering new appetites.  Sounds hyperbolic and cheesy, I know, but I have yet to meet a single person who has been there and hasn't fallen--HARD--for Japan's enchantments.  No where else can you find ancient tradition so seamlessly juxtaposed with the modern and cutting edge.  No where else will you see women dressed in ornate traditional attire and see those same women rock the most fashion-forward trends (J. Crew recently sent a team there for inspiration).  And no where else are simple and affordable staple foods such as sushi, ramen, and bento eaten up alongside some of the best pastries, breads, pastas, charcuterie, produce, etc. in the world--and that's before taking into account Japan's many Michelin-starred restaurants, now outnumbering those held by historically-favored France.  


These contrasts and the spaces in between the ends of these spectrums is what makes Japan so beguiling and intoxicating.  And when you combine that with a (food) culture that prizes above all quality, aesthetics, and balance, well friends, you have the closest thing to perfection you will ever find.  But don't take my word for it:  Go.  See.  Eat.  Explore.   And if you want to get an idea of what you might find, read on.  Because there's so much good stuff to cover, this will be the first of several installments on Japan.




*Some of Japan's AMAZING picture-perfect produce, with the price tag to match...

Takano is one of the Japan's premier fruit retailers--$100 cantaloupe, anyone??

My husband loves mango, but $150 for one was a bit beyond our budget.

Japanese Mikan (Mandarin), still on the tree.

Japan is ALL about eating seasonally; during my visit these glorious Kyoho grapes were in abundance.

Gigantic radish, anyone??

Lovely cabbage-like plants used as flowers in a garden.

*Traditional Cuisine

Himachi (Yellowtail) sashimi, courtesy of my husband

Chu-toro (Fatty Tuna) sashimi

Sake (Salmon) sashimi

Akamaru Modern ramen at Ippudo

Karaka Men ramen at Ippudo

Even supermarket sushi is fabulous--a great budget-friendly meal when you're on the go.

The ubiquitous onigiri, (or rice ball), sold at every grocery and convenience store in dozens of flavors.

Traditional tempura and soba lunch set

Gyoza at Ippudo

*Sweet Treats

An organic donut from a tiny shop on the main drag of Kamakura, home to the  Big Buddha.

Close up of this uber light and flavorful 'cake' type donut.

Yeast donuts are my favorite, and here a fantastic U.S. export is pictured  in all its sugary glory.  They are served piping hot, alongside three coupons for a free donut.  Yes please!

A little treat for the little ones :)

A cream puff from 7-Eleven.  In Japan convenience stores carry lots of uber fresh prepared food , including pastries.  Monteur is one of my favorite brands.

The one I bought had both vanilla custard and whipped cream.

Why don't we have these in America??

I was ADDICTED to this Blueberry Swirl Bread, one of many seasonal items offered at a small bakery for a limited time.

A close-up of the most delectable donut.  Ever.  I think the key is the staff warms each one right before serving, so they come out piping hot and SUPER soft.

*Where to Eat

With at least 80,000 restaurants to choose from in Tokyo alone, I don't think there is any such thing as a comprehensive list of places to go, but here are some of the places I love:  

My new favorite sushi place, Sushi Midori, located in Tokyo's Akasaka neighborhood.  Absolute perfection without breaking the bank.  http://www.sushinomidori.co.jp/

For casual, everyday sushi, Sushi Zanmai is a reliable chain.  I always go to the one at 3-10-9 Roppongi Dori, Minato-ku, Tokyo.  03-5772-1005 

Ippudo ramen was so fantastic that we had it twice in two days.  http://www.ippudo.com/index.html  

For those who can't make it to Tokyo, hit up their NYC location the next time you're in the Big Apple. http://www.ippudony.com/

Dried ramen on the walls = a fitting decoration for this beloved ramen shop.

While there is a dining room in the back, my favorite place is at the bar.

Condiments, anyone?

If you want a break from Japanese food and are hankering for a burger, I'm loyal to The Pantry.  There are several locations, but I usually go to the one in Roppongi Hills.  http://www.thepantry.jp/roppongi/eat-in/

As with all food in Japan, my burger and fries comes perfectly packaged.

Cheese, bacon, avocado, lettuce, tomato, onion--YES PLEASE!