Christmas Eve

Having been away from my family in Thialnd and living in Michigan for many years, I have celebrated Christmas with a few different groups of friends each year. This year was one of my best Christmas Eve that I got to share with very good friends who're as close as family.

Bodega Norton Reserva Malbac 2006, drinking nicely with our appetizers and entree. We started with olive antipasto, assorted cheeses, and artisan Ciabatta bread.

Rosemary and garlic added great flavor to creamy fluffy mashed potato. Mixed baby green salad with Michigan dried cherry was served with balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

Here's the star of our dinner, Prime Rib Roast with Red-Wine Sauce. My friend, Beth, wonderfully executed this big and beefy cut of meat into a delicious roast. I had such a great time being her sous chef in the kitchen - cooking and drinking :) Ground Porcini mushrooms were rubbed on the roast, and also incorporated into the sauce - which tasted amazing with all the layer and depth of flavors. The dish was so perfect for this special occasion!

Finally, my Apple Crumb Pie finished up our meal. Oh! of course, we had to have vanilla bean ice cream with our pieces of warm pie :) And not to forget coffee. Perfect ending of great time..

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I am so lucky I have my loving family, and amazing friends...
I am so grateful for these wonderful people in my life...

Happy Holidays!

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Talk About Edible Obsession

It was such a great experience to be a part of a radio talk show. Thanks to my friend Lisa, who was guest hosting a 1320AM Lansing radio program a few days ago. I was very excited, and grateful for an opportunity to talk about my Edible Obsession blog, as well as to share about my passion for food and cooking.

I also got to meet with some of the other guests on the show in the studio, all talented and successful individuals who take part in community. Lisa did a wonderful job running the show and talking with all her guests. I was also fascinated by the production of the show - how radio talk was put together behind the scene.

Learning From Expert

I was invited over to a friend's home for dinner the other day. His mom is a wonderful cook and they are my great foodie friends. I have to say she makes the best homemade fruit pies -- her pie crust is perfectly light and flaky, and her fruit filling is so delicious! In the meantime, Japanese cooking is her expertise and that's what I've always wanted to learn from her. It was my lucky day.. we had Japanese meal that evening :)

She showed me how to roll basic sushi -- California Rolls. It's all about a little trick here and there that we wouldn't have thought it matters. But to me, food is the final product of an art of cooking. Every component matters, and it makes such a difference...

I've learned that to slice nice pieces of Maki (cut sushi roll), I do need a good sharp knife, and have to use a clean motion with little pressure. To achieve a clean cut, a knife blade needs a dip in a water to just barely wet. A dull blade will definitely crush the roll.

I love Masago! So, not only it's inside the roll, but also topped on each slice -- YUM! Masago has gorgeous bright color and mild flavor, great for presentation as well as adding texture and flavor. (Masago is a type of roe that comes from capelin fish, a member of salmon family.)

Then, there were varieties of vegetable tempura she made. Don't they look amazing? They're everything you look for in Japanese-style tempura: being coated with feathery light, golden, and crispy batter. Shredded carrot, green bean, and Italian parsley were among the variety.

Hand-picked blueberry pie finished our great dinner. It's comforting, scrumptious, and so delicious! It made me happy :)

I am so grateful..