Edible Obsession

More Good Eats at Fork In The Road

2012-02-06T22:24:00.000-05:00

Another visit to Fork In The Road...
Sunday brunch with great company is the best!

Weekday Lunch at Fleetwood Diner

2012-01-27T22:46:00.000-05:00

Greek Salad with Grilled Strip Steak

Chili Cheese Fries

Stuffed French Toast

**********

Fleetwood Diner
2211 S Cedar St.
Lanisng, MI 48910
(517) 882-1777

Weeknight Dinner

2012-01-26T23:46:00.001-05:00

Miso Marinated Pork
Recipe, here.

Stir-fried Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce
Recipe of similar dish, here.

First Visit to Fork In The Road

2012-01-21T11:20:00.002-05:00

Text messaging from my friend, Jill, ..... "Best new restaurant; Fork in the Road in Lansing, where Oakland and Saginaw meet. It is a total hipster artisan diner. All fresh seasonal food. Send out the Edible Obsession team to check it out!" ... No doubt it has to be one of the best places in town to eat. Jill and her husband exchange cooking tips and eatery info with me from time to time, their recommendation has never failed me. I finally made it there with my food buddy - my partner in crime, Lynne, last Saturday. Here's what we had:

I had Grower's Choice, and loved every bits of it!

Grower's Choice: Pork Belly, Fried Egg, Smoked Potato, Percorino, Chive

Vegetarian dish for Lynne was Parpardelle. Nothing was left in her plate, I believe she loved it! I took a bite and it was very good, so delicious!

House-made parpardell with an assortment of delicious root vegetables.

I can't wait to go back for more great food. Kudos to chef Jesse Hahn, sous chef Ben Ackerman, and their staff - for their passion to serve excellent food and support locals. Lansing area needs a unique eatery like this. Keep your playful and exciting menu coming, we love it!

"Fork in the Road Local Artisan Diner is a Westside neighborhood restaurant focused on utilizing locally sourced ingredients, prepared simply with passion and integrity."

Fork In The Road:
2010 West Saginaw St.
Lansing, MI 48915
(517) 5803556

NYE Dinner at Gracie's Place

2012-01-02T21:09:00.006-05:00

Happy New Year! I hope you had a nice celebration, and great times bringing in 2012. All it takes to have a great New Year's Eve is good friends, the right attitude, great meal, and fabulous ambiance. I was spending the evening with my dear friends, Beth & Joe, altogether with their friends. We all love Gracie's Place, in Williamston, MI. So when we had found out they offered a 4-course New Year's Eve dinner, we knew we had a great plan for the the night.

1st Course
Lavender Quail Sumac-quail confit, Arborio rice pudding, vintage bandage wrapped cheddar, black tea-honey reduction.
"La Spinetta, Bricco Quagliai, Moscato"

(Option)
Butternut Squash Carpaccio Toasted pumpkin seed oil, maple-lemon poached pear, coconut-lemongrass creme, pistachio.
"L. Mawby Blanc de Blanc Brut"

2nd Course
Maine Lobster Bisque Lobster, potato gnocchi, yuzu creme fraiche, white sturgeon caviar. [Great flavor and every component came together wonderfully, I really enjoy it!]
"Villa Rubini, Pinot Grigio"

(Option)
Juniper-Turnip Bisque Garlic roasted potatoes, kimchee apple, fennel, red wine reduction, kaffir lime leaves.
"Anakena, Estate Bottled Carmenere"

3rd Course
Mangalitsa and Venison Slow roasted Mangalitsa pork belly, barley risotto, rum-raisin braised venison osso buco, curried cauliflower, candied olives, and carrot-jicama salad.
"Las Perdices, Malbec Reserve"

(Option)
Plantain Ravioli Cured shitake mushroom, caramelized onions, toasted butter, sweet potato treads, cardamom yogurt.
"Folesana Gariete, Emila Albana"

4th Course
Tres Leche Cake Lemon-poppy tres leche cake, vanilla bean-orange creme anglaise, mango sorbet, huckleberry jam, marcona almond.
"Blue Fire Hot Chocolate"

(Option)
Banana and Chocolate Banana creme brulee, malted chocolate bread pudding, bourbon smoked sugar, banana-date flambe, saffron-balsamic syrup.
"Fenn Valley, 42, Vidal Blanc Iced Wine"

After dinner, Beth & Joe ordered our table a bottle of Malbec to share. We do love Malbec! By then, the band started playing beautiful jazz. Absolutely great atmosphere to ring in the new year.

Hope 2012 is good to you.
Eat, Drink, & Be Merry!

The Camelot Dinner - Southern Exposure Herb Farm

2011-12-11T23:37:00.004-05:00

It's been a while since we last made our trip to Southern Exposure Herb Farm. Last Fall, I visited this unique destination in the beautiful countryside of Calhoun County, Michigan, with my friends, Lynne, Jill, and Al - for an evening of "A Taste of Tuscany" specialty dining. We definitely fell in love with everything there. This past weekend, I joined Lynne and her girlhood friends for another wonderful dining experience by Southern Exposure Herb Farm, "The Camelot".

Here's what we had...
~~~~~~~~~~

Black Bean Soup with Sour Cream and Cilantro

Romaine and Endive Salad with Tangy Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

Roast Prime Rib au Poivre
Orange-dilled Carrots
Mashed Potatoes with Herbs and Parmesan

Optional Vegetarian Entree

Chocolate Pecan Supreme Pie with Caramel Sauce
~~~~~~~~~

The setting was magical and inspiring. Dinner preparation was done with love and care. Food was delicious. And lastly, excellent service by great staff members really impressed me.

Thanksgiving Dinner

2011-11-26T23:03:00.000-05:00

Being so far away from home and from my family in Thailand, I am so fortunate to be able to spend holidays with good friends, who are like a family to my son and I here in the US. Everyday, I am so thankful for those special friends of mine - for having them in my life, and for the time we spend together.

We has such a great time! Turkey was perfect, all the dishes were delicious, and desserts were wonderful. It was so much fun playing all those games after the meal, we had lots of good laugh. we definitely enjoyed spending time with good friends, and also getting to know new ones. Thanks Beth and Joe for opening your lovely home to us.

Bacon-Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Ricotta Cheese

2011-11-24T23:32:00.001-05:00

This is very delicious and easy to make appetizer for a party. You can use variety of cheese instead of ricotta per your preference -- blue cheese, goat cheese, or cream cheese -- all work well. I love the combination of the sweet date and salty bacon, it's quite addictive! I made this recipe for our Thanksgiving dinner, and everyone loved it.

What you need:

- 24 Medjool dates, pitted
- 12 slices bacon, cut in half crosswise
- 1/3 cup ricotta cheese
- 24 Wooden picks

Directions:

- Preheat oven to 400 degree F.
- Fill each date with ricotta cheese.
- Wrap stuffed dates with bacon slice, and secure with the wooden picks.
- Place all prepared dates on a rack within a sheet pan.
- Bake until bacon is crisp, about 15-20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Beggar's Banquet

2011-10-22T20:03:00.000-04:00

We had a belated birthday celebration for Lynne, my die-hard foodie friend, last Sunday at one of our favorite eateries - Beggar's banquet, in East Lansing. Catching up with girlfriends and having spicy Bloody Mary was absolutely fun!

Fish Tacos Two soft tortillas stuffed with cajun dusted grilled tilapia, pico de gallo, and avocado lime aioli. Served on a bed of mixed green.

Seafood Linguine Jumbo tiger shrimp, scallop, baby spinach, pico de gallo and cream tossed with linguine and finished with Asiago cheese. (half order)

Gnocchi Potato gnocchi, sun-dried tomato, baby spinach, and mushrooms tossed in a sage brown butter cream sauce. (half order)

Beggar's Baquet:
218 Abbott Rd
East Lansing, MI 48823
(517) 351-4540

TGIF at Maru

2011-10-15T22:51:00.001-04:00

Blushing Geisha

Land and Sea Tempura
Zucchini, sweet potato, mushroom, asparagus, onion, shrimp,
served with Maru dressing
Archer
Asparagus, mango, organic tofu, roasted red pepper, avocado,
served with Maru green goddess dressing

Green Turtle
Sprout, cucumber, avocado, tomato, organic spring mix, asparagus,
pickle gourd, in soy paper, served with Maru dressing
Diva
Eel, salmon skin, egg custard, avocado, cucumber, masago,
topped with baked spicy conch salad,
served with seaweed salad and eel sauce

Spent Friday evening with best friends enjoying delicious sushi creations and lovely cocktails at Maru Sushi & Grill. That's a way to get a great weekend started! Eat, Drink, and Be Merry!

Western Ave. Bar & Grill

2011-10-07T23:31:00.001-04:00

I went to this casual fine dining, located in scenic downtown Glen Arbor, MI, during our Sleeping Bear Dunes trip. Lynne, Beth, and I enjoyed our cocktails and light lunches on the outdoor patio -- while the guys finishing climbing the dune. It was delightful, and we had a nice meal.

Extra Spicy Bloody Mary - bloody mary with a kick!

Dirty Martini with Extra Olives

Warm Goat Cheese Salad
Lightly breaded montrachet cheese over a bed of spring and baby spinach, with crushed pecans and granny smith apples

Cold Platter Starter
Smoked salmon, jumbo shrimp, and whitefish pate

Western Ave. Bar & Grill:
Downtown Glen Arbor
6410 Western Ave.
Glen Arbor, MI 49636
(231) 334-3362

Sleeping Bear Dunes Trip

2011-09-30T23:20:00.000-04:00

Here's my long overdue post. A Labor Day weekend recap of our getaway at the majestic Sleeping Bear Dunes on Lake Michigan.

We stayed in Empire, home to the Headquarters of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. We were pretty much right next to the beautiful beach.

After settling in the first night, we were off to climb the dune the next morning.

After that we went to Glen Arbor for lunch and shopping. Then, we visited Historical Fishtown in Leland.

The next day, it was a gorgeous sunny morning so we went kayaking for a couple of hours along Crystal River, in Glen Arbor. Then, after the storm passed, we visited the Dune Overlook.

We also visited Lake Michigan Overlook. It was stunning!

Absolutely, one of my most favorite vacation spots -- right here in #PureMichigan. We'll be back!

Hoophouse Gala 2011

2011-09-22T23:00:00.002-04:00

This year, at MSU's third annual Hoophouse Gala, about 250 guests came together to enjoy the harvest dinner and also raise money to create scholarships to support the training and education of the next generation of Michigan's organic farmers.

The gala was held on the ground of the MSU Student Organic Farm, last Sunday, September 18. Dining al fresco under the beautiful sky, guests were served Michigan beers and wines, and seven-course meal prepared by the Spartan chefs. The day was gorgeous, and the dinner was amazing!

A hoophouse is an unheated passive solar greenhouse used to help farmers extend their growing seasons and increase, vegetable, fruit, flower and herb production.

Upon arrival, guests enjoyed their beverages and appetizers, including beet shooters.

Receptions appetizers (above and more) by chef Brad Curlee, chef Jeff Fisher, and chef Rob Trufant.

While enjoying the reception, guests got to bid at the featured silent auction, as well as had a farm walk at our leisure. Then, we sat down for a Michigan sustainably-produced harvest dinner.

Here's what we had:

Appetizer by chef Eric Batten:
Herb-seared Beef Carpaccio pea shoot salad & Michigan grape vinaigrette

Soup by chef Michael Clyne:
Michigan Sweet Corn Soup tiny dumplings with pork belly, chili oil, ginger & cilantro.

[Vegetarion option for appetizer and soup]

Salad by chef Kurt Kwiatkowski:
Michigan Caprese Salad MSU Student Organic Farm heirloom tomatoes, basil, & micro-greens

Fish by chef Eric Batten:
Fire-grilled Okemos Shrimp diablo oil with stone circle dipping bread & cilantro

Intermezzo by chef Gerhard Steiner:
Michigan Blueberry Sorbet St. Julian Winery vodka, Michigan blueberries & essence of lemons

Entree by chef Matthew Wilson:
Pasture-raised Organic Pork forest mushroom. rutabaga duchess, baby zucchini & huckleberry jus

Optional vegetarian entree:
Sweet Potato Gnocchi with brown butter and sage

Dessert by chef Michael Clyne:
Cornmeal Brown Butter Cake MSU Student Organic Farm blueberries, sweet & salty popcorn, and strawberry rose geranium ice cream

Lynne & I before dinner started

Some of guests at our table: Nori, Emma, and Libby are Student Organic farm crews. We had a good time, and I've learned a lot more about the program and what they do at the farm.

MSU Student Organic Farm crews

An Evening in Lansing

2011-09-11T22:04:00.003-04:00

One beautiful evening a few weeks ago, I visited Mill Supplies Corp. building on Michigan Avenue, Lansing. My friends, Camron and Lisa were there greeting their guests, giving a tour and telling stories about this historic and iconic building.

Originally built in 1910 by the Rikerd Lumber Co., its most recent owner was Mill Supplies Corporation. Now that the third owner with amazing vision has set his foot in it, I am excited and can't wait to find out the upcoming plans for the use of this cool building.

What a neat old freight elevator!

Welcoming guests who wanted to have a ride.

Right across the street is Lansing Center.

Then, I took a walk along Michigan Avenue and got to really enjoy Lansing scene.

My walk ended at Lansing City Market.

At Waterfront Bar & Grill, my friend, Lynne and I enjoyed drinks and appetizers while appreciating Lansing's beautiful evening...

*****

Yogurt Parfait

2011-09-01T23:03:00.000-04:00

What's your favorite breakfast?
Here's mine!

Greek yogurt, strawberries, blueberries, maple syrup, and granola

Gracie's Place

2011-08-26T23:25:00.000-04:00

Another visit to Gracie's Place with my friends last weekend. This newly renovated and expanded restaurant is one of the finest eating establishments in downtown Williamston. A lot of reviews mention that it's a bit pricey, but with the great atmosphere, hip & chic vibe, fine wines, and good food & service - I think it's pretty reasonable.

Full Bar

A chef bar where you can sit and watch the cooking scene.

A brick wall displays artwork by local artists. Beautiful tin ceiling.
Here's a sneak peak into what Gracie's Place offering up these days:

Gracie's Place:
151 South Putnum St
Williamston, MI 48895
(517) 655-1100

Taste of Traditions

2011-08-20T23:56:00.005-04:00

Besides great music, at the recent Great Lakes Folk Festival, this annual event also featured an array of delicious traditional and non-traditional food. "Taste of Traditions" food court offered traditional food closely linked to their ethnicity and region. In addition to that, the Grassroots Green Program - which featured an array of ways in which people are choosing the green life - offered "Local and Sustainable" food area. Here are some of the treats available at this year's festival.

Trenton Concession - Philly cheesesteaks and deep fried onions

Anishnabe Meejim - Native American food

Greekland Food - Offering Mediterranean cuisine

Mumbi - Offering Indian cuisine

Chicken fajita and more

Grand Grillin' Capital City Concessions - Offering gourmet chicken, and healthy snacks

Shucks Enterprises - Roasted corn

I loved that roasted corn!

The Purple Carrot Food Truck - A farm to truck mobile dining destination specializing in locally grown fare

I had the Purple Carrot's Tofu Banh Mi Taco, which was wonderful! Great balance of flavors and textures.

Sun Tea with Basil. Amazingly refreshing.

Lansing area very own food truck offering unique, seasonal, and delicious eats.

Thai Food From Lamai's Kitchen - tasty home-cooked Thai food

Zemer's Homemade Rootbeer

Flaky Layers

2011-08-18T23:17:00.006-04:00

Crisp on the outside with a flaky and layered soft buttery center
Mont Blanc Danish Pastry
One of my favorites from Chapelure :)

Great Lakes Folk Festival 2011

2011-08-14T23:48:00.003-04:00

It was quite a rainy weekend for this year's Great Lake Folk Festival. Though it was showering and sprinkling on and off both Sat. and Sun., festival attendees were still adventurous coming out and having a good time. The unique fusion of arts fair, music festival, county fair, multi-ethnic festival, hands-on activity workshops, and celebration of cultural heritage was held Aug. 12-14, in downtown East Lansing.

I was out there early on Friday evening. The weather couldn't have been any better, it was gorgeous! Tents were set up for vendors, artists, and creators.

M.A.C stage was up and ready for a great performance lineup.

Feufollet warming up before their first performance of the weekend on Friday. Group members share common interests in French language, music, and Louisiana heritage. They have been recognized as one of the best and most accomplished young Cajun bands to emerge in Louisiana in recent years.

Great turnout for Feufollet's performance. The crowd loved them, and so did I!

News 10's reporter, Liam Martin, and camera crew were also there.

It was a beautiful Friday evening to start off the festival. I was enjoying great music, while drinking Michigan beer, and having a nice time with my good friends.

Green Kitchen Stage has always been my favorite spot at this festival. It was a great fun for me to attend those well-put-together sessions by MSU Museum -- including food demos, bee keeping, soap making, canning, fermentation, kitchen cosmetics, and much more. I've learned a lot every year.

Raw food demonstration at Green Kitchen stage, by Kritina Zwick, featured raw recipes including cashew cheese, taco mixture, and raw smoothies. The demo is a part of the Grassroots Green Program featuring an array of ways in which people are choosing the green life in several area throughout the festival grounds.

Green Arts Marketplace featuring creators and vendors of products that reuse and recycle.

Dance Stage

Another performance by Feufollet. They were quite a crowd's favorite!

A performance by Teada, at the M.A.C. stage. Love their Irish tunes!

Chinese Pipa soloist, Gao Hong, performing amazingly beautiful music at City Hall stage.

Once again, a great festival produced by the Michigan Traditional Arts Program at the Michigan State University Museum!

Until next year...

Summer Treats

2011-08-13T23:19:00.000-04:00

It's a Party!

2011-08-04T18:22:00.014-04:00

Last weekend, we celebrated a very special occasion. All of the guests were invited to gather at Jon's lovely home for one reason - to celebrate the birthday of their good friend.

You could tell that the party was very well planned and organized. And I know that it took a lot of time and effort putting into that. Jon's wife and their son did such an amazing job.

Cocktails and appetizers greeting guests upon their arrivals.

Some of the appetizers - Vegetarian egg rolls, edamame, chicken satay with peanut sauce, fresh summer rolls, ginger & garlic shrimps.

After we enjoyed variety of finger foods while catching up with old friends, as well as making new ones, it was then time for dinner.

Maru Sushi & Grill catered dinner for the evening. There's something for everyone: steak, chicken, shrimp, fresh salad, stir-fried mixed vegetables, fried rice, and dumpling. Food was delicious and everyone absolutely enjoyed it.

After dinner, the party was moved to the next venue - where guests enjoyed desserts, drinks, and dancing. Through the night, we were entertained by the beautiful live music performed by Jon and his band mates. The atmosphere of the evening was all about families, friendships, joy, and celebration - I am fortunate to be a part of the moment. It was a wonderful party!

Happy Birthday, Jon!

Sunday Brunch in Kerrytown

2011-07-25T00:48:00.002-04:00

On the way home from the boys' soccer tournament weekend in Canton, MI, we and 3 other soccer families who are also dear friends made a visit to Kerrytown in Ann Arbor - for a Sunday brunch. It was a beautiful day, and a great time to wrap up our soccer-filled weekend. We had delicious food and drink - from Monahan's Seafood Market, Kosmo Lunch Counter, and Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea.

The best in town clam chowder @ Monahan's

Shrimp gazpacho @ Monahan's

Wonderful bagel and lox, also @ Monahan's

Breakfast burger @ Kosmo

Beautiful outdoor seating area

Hope your weekend was great as well!

Almond Tofu Dessert

2011-07-21T23:51:00.005-04:00

What a hot day we have! I can't believe the temperature reached 101 degrees. The sun was just scorching hot. I was in need of a light and refreshing treat to cool down after such a day. Though called tofu dessert, or tofu pudding, this chilled dessert has nothing to do with tofu at all - except for the tofu-like silky texture. It is quite a popular summer treat in Asia.

What you need:

1 pack Knox gelatin
3 Tbsp water
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 1/4 cup water
6 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp almond extract

Directions:

1. Dissolve gelatin in 3 Tbsp water.

2. In a saucepan, mix 1 1/4 cup water with sugar, then add the dissolved gelatin. Stir to mix well, then bring to a boil. Continue to stir.

3. Once the mixture is boiled, lower the heat and add evaporated milk and almond extract.

4. Stir to mix well, turn off the heat, then pour into a glass baking dish, or any container. Let cool, then chill in refrigerator to set.

5. Serve with tropical fruit cocktail.

Good Eats at Common Ground

2011-07-18T01:38:00.003-04:00

I made it to the last night of Lansing's Common Ground Music Festival. The finale performance of Melissa Etheridge definitely rocked the house, all attendees had an absolute blast til the end of the night. As I walked around the venue, I discovered the line-up of fair food and lots of good eats.

Thai Spicy Beef Salad - Yum Nua

2011-07-10T19:45:00.005-04:00

Flavor profile of this Yum Nue, or Thai Spicy Beef Salad is the balance of sour, salty, sweet, spicy, and umami flavors.

You will need:

- 1 lb. boneless chuckeye steak
- 1 tomato, sliced
- 1 cup sliced cucumber
- 1/4 cup shallots or red onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup Chinese celery, or celery heart, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped

- 3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
- 2 Tbsp. fish sauce
- 1 Tbsp. palm sugar, or brown sugar
- 1-2 Thai chili peppers, or 1/2 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped

Directions:

1. Combine lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and chili pepper in a small bowl. Stir until sugar dissolved and well-mixed. Adjust the taste to your preference. Set aside.

2. Season steak with salt and pepper. Then, grill or broil steak to your preferred doneness. Allow the cooked steak to rest 5 minutes, before you slice into bite-size strips.

3. In large bowl, add steak strips, cucumber, tomatoes, shallots, celery, cilantro, and the dressing. Toss gently to combine all ingredients.

4. Serve as a side salad, or a main dish if you like. You can also serve on a bed of lettuce, or salad greens.

4th of July Eats

2011-07-05T22:45:00.000-04:00

Happy 4th of July!

2011-07-04T23:54:00.001-04:00

Happy 4th of July!
I hope you had a nice celebration with families, friends, food, and fireworks :)

@ Meridian Township Fireworks

XOXOXO

Thai Red Chicken Curry

2011-07-03T22:55:00.002-04:00

You will need:

- 1 can (4 oz.) Red Curry paste
- 1 can (14 0z.) coconut milk
- 2 cups bite-size piece chicken thigh, or breast
- 2 cups bamboo shoot strips, soaked in hot water for 5 minutes and strained a few times, or until the water is no longer yellow.
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. palm sugar
- 2 Tbsp. Thai fish sauce (Nam Pla)
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup julienned red bell pepper
- 1 jalapeno pepper, julienned
- 1 cup loosely-packed fresh Thai basil leaves

Directions:

1. Pour 1/3 can of coconut milk in cooking pot over medium-high heat. Once heated, add Red Curry paste. Stir to mix together, then simmer until fragrant and oil breaking from the mixture, about 3 minutes.

2. Add chicken to the pot and stir to mix well with the curry sauce. When chicken is cooked, add bamboo shoot strips.

3. Then, add the rest of coconut milk (2/3 can), and add 1 cup of water to the pot as well. Bring it to a boil, and simmer for about 5 minute over medium-high heat.

4. Add palm sugar and fish sauce. Taste and adjust the flavor if needed. The curry sauce shouldn't be runny, nor too thick. Add a little more water if too thick.

5. Add red bell pepper and jalapeno pepper. Stir to mix into the curry. I like my pepper al dente, so I would turn off the heat at this point. If you like them cooked, leave the heat on for a couple more minutes.

6. Finally, add Thai basil leaves to the pot, after you turn off the heat. Mix well.

You can serve this curry with steamed rice, over rice noodle, or even over spaghetti noodle.

Thai cooking made easy! Enjoy :)

Stir-fried Chicken with Roasted Chili Paste

2011-06-27T23:21:00.003-04:00

Stir-fried Chicken with Roasted Chili Paste
(Gai Pad Nam Prik Pao)

You will need:

2 C bite-sized chicken slices (I use meat from 2 thighs)

1 C sliced onions

1 C cut green bean, or haricot vert

2 green onions, cut

6 cloves of garlic

6 fresh chili peppers (adjust to your preference)

3 TBsp vegetable oil

2 TBsp oyster sauce

1 TBsp light soy suace

1 TBsp roasted chili paste, or chili paste with soya bean oil ("Nam Prik Pao" in Thai)

1 tsp sugar

Directions:

Mash, or finely chop, garlic and chili pepper together. Set aside.

Mix oyster sauce, soy sauce, roasted chili paste, and sugar together. Set aside.

In a wok or sauteed pan over medium-high heat, add vegetable oil. Then, add prepared chili-garlic and saute until fragrant, but not yet brown.

Add chicken. Stir well for a few minutes or until half-way cooked.

Add green bean and white onion. Stir well to cook.

Add the chili paste mixture and green onion. Stir until everything mixed well altogether, and chicken & vegetable are cooked through.

Check seasoning, then adjust to your preference.

Serve with steamed rice.

Udon Sushi Restaurant

2011-06-25T23:29:00.001-04:00

East Lansing best-kept secret, but very popular among college students and Asian community. Udon Sushi offers very interesting atmosphere, including fun decors all over the place, lots of TVs showing Japanese or Korean programs, picture menu on the ceiling, extra friendly owner, and a huge selection of bubble tea flavors to choose from. They are open Mon-Sun, 5:00 pm - 3:00 am.

Kalbi (Korean BBQ Beef Short Ribs), served with rice and soup

Spicy Beef Tendon Soup, served with rice

************

Udon Sushi Restaurant:
134 N Harrison Rd.
Suite A
East Lansing, MI 48823
(517) 332-5995

This Past Weekend...

2011-06-21T21:20:00.000-04:00

... I visited Meridian Township Farmers' Market where I got some beautiful-looking Michigan strawberries. There are also many more fresh, local, and delicious goodies, as well as great food at the market. I think I am going back next Saturday!

... I fell deeply in love with a smoked fish platter consists of variety of smoked fish and mussels from Ann Arbor's most well-known Monahan's Seafood Market. Not only serving an assortment of flavorful appetizers, the elegant platter definitely gives a professional gourmet touch to the dining table.

... I shared with some of my friends a quick and easy appetizer that is always a party pleaser and has so much character. Frozen dumplings - come in different shapes and variety of flavors. Almost everyone knows pot-stickers, but these particular ones, called Shu Mai, are bundle of steamed pork and shrimp mixture wrapped, open-faced, in wonton wrappers. All pre-made dumplings are so handy. Oriental Mart is a local store you can find them in many different brands. And the inexpensive bamboo steamer is so great it serves as a tool to steam and also a bowl to serve those dumplings in. Talking about authentic presentation :)

... I celebrated darling little Patty's first birthday - with Patty and her family. Her turning one brought family members from near and far together for her big day. As a friend of the family, I am so glad to be included in such event full of joy.

The Purple Carrot

2011-06-12T11:03:00.001-04:00

Finally, I made it to visit The Purple Carrot Food Truck, and taste their food - after having been following them on Twitter and Facebook since they opened for business. The Purple Carrot is a Farm to Truck mobile dining destination specializing in locally grown fare. They believe the best food comes from their backyard when it is ripe and ready to eat. They promise to prepare everything from scratch to deliver the highest quality food.

Anthony Maiale and girlfriend, Nina Santucci, have brought a different eatery scene to the Lansing area - a mobile restaurant. I've seen and heard so much about the big city's cool food trucks here and there, I am so happy we now have one in town. The Purple Carrot's goal is to serve innovative, creative and fresh cuisine by utilizing the abundance of flavors Michigan has to offer.

Everything on the menu sounds great, wish I could try all of them :) The ingredients are so fresh and full of flavors. The food comes in good portion, with reasonable price. Here are some of what Lynne, Gary, and I had:

Stuffed Chicken Chicken galantine, Michigan cherries, pistachios, Ten Hen's radish top pesto, pea tendrils.

Chicken Bahn Mi Crostini Vietnamese spiced chicken, chicken pate, pickled carrots, daikon, & jalapeno, and fresh cilantro.

Beet MI Ten Hen's beet terrine, Dolce Vita maple goat cheese, puffed quinoa, and Blis maple vinaigrette.

Tofu Bahn Mi Crostini Vietnamese spiced tofu, lentil-walnut pate, pickled carrots, daikon, & jalapeno, and fresh cilantro.

Purple carrot cake pop I always love carrot cake, and this is definitely one of the best carrot cake I've ever had.

It is such a friendly scene where strangers share good food, and friends enjoy each other company. Life is good :)

We absolutely enjoy our meals. The quality and freshness of local ingredients, together with their passion to serve good food to customers really show in their menu and creations.

I can't wait to visit them again!

Pad Se-Ew Beef with Broccoli

2011-06-11T19:51:00.009-04:00

Pad See Ew is one of Thailand's most popular street foods. This recipe features beef and broccoli stir-fried noodle dish seasoned with soy sauce mixture.

You will need:

8 oz. dried flat rice noodle, or 1 lb. fresh flat rice noodle

3 cloves of garlic, chopped finely

1 cup thinly slice beef (other choices: pork, chicken, shrimp, or extra-firm tofu)

2 cup broccoli florets (unless you can find Chinese broccoli)

2 eggs

1 cup 1 1/2" cut green onion

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 Tbsp dark sweet soy sauce

2 Tbsp light soy sauce

2 Tbsp oyster sauce

1 Tbsp sugar

Ground white pepper (black pepper works as well)

Red chili pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:

Soak dried rice noodle in hot water, until soft. Drain and set aside.

Blanch broccoli florets in boiling water and shock with cold water. Set aside.

Mix together dark sweet soy sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, pepper, and red chili pepper flakes.

Heat wok on medium high heat and add vegetable oil.

Add chopped garlic, quickly stir, and add beef. Stir to cook.

Add noodle, and 1/4 cup of water to help cook the noodle. Once the noodle is cooked and soft (add more water if needed, little at a time), mix in the prepared soy sauce mixture, and broccoli florets.

Stir to mix together all ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning sauces if needed. Then push to side of wok to make room.

Crack the eggs into wok, and scramble until almost cooked. Then fold in the noodle, and add green onions and pepper.

Stir to mix well, and turn the heat off.

Keep in mind that you can always adjust the seasoning to your preference while cooking.

Enjoy!

CityVu Bistro

2011-06-06T23:34:00.006-04:00

During our stay in Holland, Michigan, for the boys' soccer tournament on the Memorial Day weekend, I had a chance to re-visit CityFlats Hotel. This visit included a nice dining experience. My friend, Lynne, and I started out by grabbing some drinks at the bar downstairs in the lobby area with a couple of other soccer moms. Later on, Lynne's husband joined us for dinner while the rest had to leave.

Flatbreads are well-known items on their menu. We ordered a couple appetizers to go with our drinks at the bar. Chicago Flatbread (Above): Kalamata olives, artichokes, feta cheese, roasted tomatoes, and mixed green. Very fresh ingredients -- very delicious!

Mushroom Ragout: blend of sauteed forest mushrooms with fresh mozzarella and white truffle oil. Everyone absolutely loves it.

Located on the top of very cool "green" CityFlats Hotel in downtown Holland, CityVu Bistro offers a casual and elegant ambiance, with a big city feel. I love the modern look of the hotel and the restaurant. Food was great, our server was very attentive and friendly.

They have pretty nice wine list. Our server was very knowledgeable of the wines and food on their menu.

Cheese and Fruit: Artisan cheese selection served with fresh fruit and crackers.

Blackened Salmon: served over sauteed vegetables with cucumber-lime yogurt sauce.

Linguini Puttanesca: light and spicy with tomatoes, capers, Kalamata olives, garlic, and herbs. Very flavorful, just the way I like my puttanesca.

The rooftop dining area, overlooking Holland, is gorgeous. I am sure it's even better at night time! I would definitely go back to CityVu Bistro for more good food...

City Vu Bistro:
61 East 7th Street
Holland, MI 49423
(616) 796-2100

Citrus-glazed Salmon with Spinach

2011-06-03T19:41:00.000-04:00

Recipe Here

Wine & Stein at Potter Park Zoo

2011-05-23T23:28:00.002-04:00

Potter Park Zoo held their annual Wine & Stein last Thursday, May 19th, from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. The after-hours tasting event treated attendees to exclusive evening access to the zoo -- while enjoying a diverse selection of fine wines and beers, light music, a raffle, and delicious hors d'oeuvres.

Culinary sponsors included Bake N' Cakes, Bravo Cucina Italiana, Burgdorf's Winery, Don Henry Distributing Co., Enso, King of the Grill, M&M Distributors, Michigan Brewing Company, Mitchell's Fish Market, Paramount Coffee, Pizza House, Sultan's Middle Eastern Cuisine, and University Club/Mingle.

I had a great time. The food was fabulous, and there were many different kinds of beers and wines for everyone to enjoy tasting. The animals were all adorable. I even got my picture taken with the sharp-looking eagle owl.

Weekend Eats

2011-05-15T23:06:00.000-04:00

Sunday Dinner
Good times with great friends...

Mangoes with Sweet Sticky Rice
Classic Thai Dessert I love to make for my family and friends...
Recipe here

Gorgeous Looking Strawberries

Steak Dinner
Grilled Rib Eye Steak, served with haricot vert in garlic black bean sauce...

***********

I hope you had a nice weekend as well!

Breakfast at Philly Diner - Philly Eats

2011-05-14T18:13:00.004-04:00

Another good eat during our Spring break trip in Philadelphia.

********

Thank you for your hospitality, the Baglivos!

Philly Diner:
3901 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104

A Time to Celebrate

2011-05-13T21:55:00.000-04:00

Spring is here..

Attending a Commencement of my friend's son, class of 2011,
at Michigan state University.

Dads and sons making dinner for moms - a Mother's Day Celebration.

Good food and great company..

Life is good :)

Trattoria Giuseppe - Philly Eats

2011-05-10T23:07:00.006-04:00

I believe it's about time I blog about our Spring Break trip to Philadelphia back in the beginning of April. We stayed in Phoenixville, PA - thanks to the very generous hospitality of a lovely family of my friend, Lynne. Everyday, they introduced us to great dining spots to eat and interesting places to visit. Trattoria Giuseppe was the first restaurant Dom and Felice took us to, as soon as we arrived their home. It was definitely one of the best Italian place I've been to!

Their menu is so big that it took me a while to decide what to order. The price is reasonable and it's BYOB, with no corkage fee. Just remember to bring a bottle or two of your favorite wines, and big appetite since food portion is pretty generous.

We had quite a few of their salads for the table to share. They were all amazing! (Above) Special Salad: Arugula Salad with mixed fruits, fresh mozzarella cheese, and limoncello vinaigrette.

Brasaola con Arrugola Parmiggiano: thinly sliced cured beef topped with arugula and Parmesan cheese, dressed with oil and lemon juice. Awesomeness..

Roasted Artichokes: sliced prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, and green olives, drizzled with white truffle oil. Out of the world!

Calamari Fritti: fried squid, with spicy marinara sauce

Insalata al Prosciutto: mixed salad, tomatoes, olives, with house dressing and Parma ham.

Penne Puttanesca: penne with fresh chopped tomatoes, garlic, capers, olives, anchovies, and hot pepper. My favorite pasta dish.

Spaghetti Alle Vongole: Garlic, extra virgin olive oil, white wine, clams, and parsley.

Seafood Special

Spaghetti Carbonara: cream, bacon, egg, and parmesan cheese. Classically delicious..

Tiramisu: layers of expresso drenched sponge cake divided by mascapone cream, dusted with cocoa powder. Love it!

Chocolate Truffle: Zabaione cream center, surrounded by chocolate gelato and caramelized hazelnuts, topped with cocoa powder. Together with a cup of cappuccino - nice ending to the meal!

Trattoria Giuseppe:
4799 West Chester Pike
Edgemont, Pennsylvania 19073
(610) 353-4871

Tonight's Dinner

2011-05-10T21:19:00.000-04:00

Hot & Sour Soup

Steamed Fish with Garlic, Chili, and Lime Sauce

2011-04-30T23:38:00.000-04:00

This steamed fish is a light and healthy dish that is so easy to prepare. It is low in fat, but full of flavor! You can use whole fish or fish fillet, whatever you prefer. I happen to have whole tilapia handy, so it is going to be steamed tilapia for this post.

You will need:
- whole fish
- 2 stalks of lemongrass, cut into 2" pieces, and bruised
- 5 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 4 fresh green and red chilies, chopped
- 2 Tbsp fish sauce
- 5 Tbsp juice from fresh limes
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- chopped cilantro

Directions:
- Scale, gut, and clean whole fish. Rinse and pat dry. Stuffed the stomach with lemongrass pieces.
- Make a few slashes on both sides of fish.
- To the sauce, mix together garlic, chili, fish sauce, lime juice, and chicken stock. Adjust the taste to your preference.
- Set fish in a heat-proof dish, on the steamer.
- Pour the prepared sauce over fish.

- Cover the steamer, and steam for about 12-15 minutes, or until fish is thoroughly cooked.
- Garnish with cilantro and lime slices.
- Served with cooked rice, and enjoy!

Easter Brunch

2011-04-24T23:28:00.001-04:00

A lovely Sunday brunch with my son, and our dear friends at The State Room, Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center. (above) Lobster Shiitake Frittata: Maine lobster, Shiitake mushroom, leek open-face omelet, served with fingerling potato home fries, and spring asparagus spears. Very nice and loaded with lots of lobster meat.

Steak Benedict: Twin beef tenderloin medallions, soft poached eggs, and sauce foyot, served with leek potato pancakes, and pan-fried tomato medley.

Black Angus Roasted Prime Rib: served with herb-crusted fingerling potatoes, spring asparagus spears, and rosemary demi glace.

All the entrees included the appetizers & salad buffet, house-made desserts, coffee and juice. We had a really nice time enjoying good food and great company. Many items to choose from at the buffet station, and all main courses come in a very generous portion. Our teenage boys, who are always hungry and can always eat, even thought they ate too much :)

xoxoxo

I hope you had a nice Easter Sunday as well!

Miso Marinated Pork

2011-04-23T13:00:00.001-04:00

One of my son's all-time favorite meaty dishes is this miso marinated pork. It is the combination of pork, as well as the sweet and salty flavors that makes it so delicious. There are so many different versions of how to make this dish, but I found this super easy recipe I learned from my friend's mother is what we love the most.

- I use bone-in pork shoulder since I love the fatty layers that keep the cooked meat so juicy and flavorful. To make the marinade: put equal part of miso paste, sugar, and soy sauce in a gallon-size ziplock plastic bag. Massage the bag with your hands to mix all the ingredients together. I use 2 TBsp of each, to make the marinade for 2 slices of the pork shown in above photo.
- Then, marinate pork in the mixture overnight, in refrigerator.

To cook: broil in the oven, or cook on the grill -- until done. I make this so often I've never timed, just going by the look of it while cooking.

And for the miso paste, I use either white and red, depend on what I have handy. It is so good with warm rice. So easy but so delicious!

Xiao China Grille & Lounge

2011-04-17T23:43:00.002-04:00

Last weekend I visited a new eatery in town, Xiao (pronounce "shee-ow") China Grille & Lounge. Located in Lansing Frandor Shopping Center, this American-inspired restaurant features Chinese food with a modern flare.

First walking in, I was very impressed with the overall atmosphere. The beautifully designed interior and the hip ambiance made me feel like I was in one of the big city's dining hotspots.

The entrance from the back parking lot display gorgeous artifacts, complimenting the contemporary concept that is rich in history and style.

Peppercorn Crusted Jumbo Prawns: Jumbo shrimps flash fried and dusted with peppercorn

Mongolian Beef: Wok-tossed beef with yellow onion and scallion in spicy teriyaki sauce

Xiao China Grille & Lounge 3415 East Saginaw Street Lansing, MI 48912 http://www.xiaochinagrille.com/

Taste of the Town 2011

2011-04-10T16:59:00.013-04:00

This Saturday, April 9, MSU Community Club hosted its annual gourmet dining benefit event - Taste of the Town - at the James B. Henry Center for Executive Development.

All proceeds support scholarships for MSU students through the Endowed Scholarship Fund of the MSU Community Club. Students in the Broad College of Business with financial need will be the recipients of 2011 scholarships.In addition to a cash bar, the event featured a sampling of appetizres, breads, entrees, specialty dishes, desserts, and beverages provided by Lansing-area establishments.Delicious cup cakes and desserts from Chapelure

Chapelure's executive pastry chef & c0-owner, Tae, his wife, Soogee, and their culinary staffs

SanSu Sushi and Cocktails Executive chef Scott Poff of the Country Club of Lansing and his wonderful crab cakes. The State Room Chapelure Morton's Fine Catering Wrought Iron Grill Abu's Sahara Dusty's Cellar Beggar's Banquet How Sweet It Is Special A'Fare Catering Breadsmith University Club of MSU Stillwater Grill

With Rebecca Jeon, from Sansu, and Soogee Ahn, from Chapelure.

MSU Museum Wine Tasting Benefit 2011

2011-03-27T22:57:00.005-04:00

The 16th annual wine tasting fund raiser benefiting MSU Museum was held this past Friday, March 25th, at Kellogg Center. It was another successful event with a great turnout. My friends and I had a very nice time exploring and discovering new wines to add to our favorite lists.

The evening featured an amazing selection of wines - over 20 tables offering close to 200 wines from more than 20 producers!

There was live music performance to entertain attendees while sampling their wines and also enjoying a selection of appetizers.

Also, at the venue, MSU Museum featured some of the masks from their new special exhibition, "MASK: Secrets and Revelations" - opening since last month, and will run through January 2012.

I have been attending this annual fund raiser for the past few years. It's just wonderful to always see a big turnout. People enjoy getting to experience a wide variety of wines and discover what they like without having to buy the whole bottle. It is also a great learning experience since vendors and representatives from the various wine companies are there to answer questions about the wine varieties. And on top of those, attendees can feel good leaving an event knowing that the fund that are raised that evening go to a whole range of MSU Museum programs.

St. Patrick's Day Eats

2011-03-17T23:16:00.000-04:00

St. George Island (2)

2011-03-11T23:42:00.004-05:00

Continued from St. George Island (1),
our mid-winter break trip to Florida

Breakfast on the deck overlooking the beautiful beach,
with a cute friend.

Out and about shopping in Apalachicola :)

Going to the beach!

The boys making hobo dinner.

The next day, we went to Wakulla Springs State Park.

Revisiting Cafe' con Leche for the fantastic Spicy Kumquat Marmalade.
It was a hit during our happy hour later that evening...

What we found walking along the beach...

They are very cool and adorable!

It was a great trip, we love every second of it!

That Place Off 98 - Apalachicola

2011-03-05T10:20:00.001-05:00

I went to this seafood restaurant in downtown Apalachicola during our St. George Island Vacation -- and Love It! The place is well known and liked by locals and tourists, for their great food - especially oysters and seafood dishes.

Cozy and very welcoming place with good service and excellent food.

Have to have oysters when in Apalachicola! Great Fried Oysters.

My Soft-shell Crab Platter. Delicious. And they have the best fries ever!

Oyster Po Boy. Very nice. My son absolutely loves it!

That Place Off 98:
17 Avenue East
Apalachicola, FL 32320
(850) 653-9898
www.thatplaceoff98.com

MSU Museum Chocolate Party Benefit 2011

2011-03-01T23:04:00.002-05:00

Once a year, chocolate lovers gather at MSU's Kellogg hotel & Conference Center for MSU Museum annual Chocolate Party Benefit. This year, the event marked its 22nd on Sunday, Febuary 27th. I had such a great time once again. This tasty event has been a part of my mid-winter tradition for many years. There was quite a chocolate feast for my eyes -- and taste buds. My Sunday afternoon couldn't have been better!

Elaborate and edible chocolate masterpieces created by the area's finest chefs along with samples to savor from local bakeries and shops, all benefiting care and preservation of the MSU Museum's natural history and culture collections.

This year's participating chocolatiers include Acclaim Catering, Aggie Mae's Bakery, Awesome Chocolate, Bake N' Cakes, Kirabo, How Sweet It Is, Patricia's Chocolate, Sweetie-licious Bakery Cafe, The Sweet Cake Company, and Wright Endings.

The Competition: Participants were required to create a completely edible showpiece and provide chocolate dessert samples, that tie in with the theme. The chosen theme for this year was Masks through time from around the globe -- serving as a prelude to the MASK Exhibit displayed at the MSU Museum.

2011 Professional Culinary Competition Results:

Masterpiece Category:
1st Place - Shelli Halman/Laura Alvarez, Culinary Institute of Michigan
2nd Place - Greg Stoker, Detroit area pastry chef
3rd Place - Joseph Gonzalez/Chad Starr, Culinary Institute of Michigan

Premier Chocolatier Choice:
Ashleigh Hile/Elizabeth Adamson, Culinary Institute of America

(Left) 1st Place -- Serpent sculpture by Laura Alverez and Shellie Hallman, students at the Culinary Institute of Michigan.

All chocolate sculptures were completely edible. Showpieces were composed of only chocolate, or a combination of chocolate and decorative sugar. Any decorative sugar technique was allowed.

(Above) Museum Director, Gary Morgan, thanked attendees, participants, sponsors, and staffs, in closing of the event.

(Above) People's Choice Award, based on attendee votes: Chocolatier vendor - The Wright Endings, Lansing, MI

Participants in the competition and exhibition -- from the Culinary Institute of Michigan.

The event is unique in that it's one of the few professional culinary industry competitions open to the general public, with area chefs and culinary students competing to create inspired, edible masterpieces featuring the key ingredient: chocolate! Meanwhile, attendees also have an opportunity to view part of the museum's current exhibit during the event.

(Above) Laura Abraczinskas - Collections Manager for Vertebrate Natural Science Collections, and Lynne Swanson - Collections Manager for Cultural Collections

A new special exhibition, "MASK: Secrets and Revelations", which opened in Feb. 13 and continues to Jauary 22, 2012 -- in the Main Gallery of the museum, showcases many of its global collections on public display for the first time.

The art of mask making and wearing is timeless. It has been practiced from our ancient ancestors through modern day cultures, performance, and cinema. According to the director of MSU Museum, Gary Morgan, "Masks are both works of art and powerful statements about cultures and human behaviors."

*********

The MSU Museum is located on West Circle Drive next to Beaumont Tower on the MSU campus. It is open seven days a week free of charge (donations are encouraged).

[Source of information: Michigan State University Museum]

Chocolate & Masks

2011-02-28T22:42:00.000-05:00

Stay tuned...

Cafe' con Leche - Apalachicola

2011-02-27T22:14:00.001-05:00

Cafe' con Leche:
234 Water Street
Apalachicola, FL 32320
(850) 653-2233

St. George Island (1)

2011-02-26T14:14:00.006-05:00

It was so nice to get away from the very cold weather and snowy roads for a little while! The weekend and school's mid-winter break gave us 5 days to enjoy a mini vacation on the barrier island of Florida, in the Gulf of Mexico.

St. George Island is known as the heart of Florida's Forgotten Coast. Located just off the coast of Apalachicola, the island's surrounding habitat is rich in preserved public lands. Its 22 miles of white sand beaches are some of the most serene and beautiful on the Gulf Coast!

My friend, Lynne, and I, with 4 boys stayed with Lynne's parents at this beautiful beach house. There’s a small commercial area in the center of the island with restaurants, shops and stores.

View from the deck off the bedroom

Lounging, swimming, hot tubbing, and roasting marshmallows for S'Mores,
all happening here!

The boys enjoy going around on the island, where there're miles of bike path.

We visited this local business, Somtimes It's Hotter, a few times during our stay - to get fresh-baked breads, wines, hot sauces, cheese, and Jambalaya Seasonings. Great store!

A little wine tasting, before buying - every time :)

We picked up fresh seafood from 13 Mile Seafood Market, a local seafood retail in Apalachicola Bay. Fresh off-the-boat shrimps -- what could be better than this?

A heaven for seafood lovers!

A five-mile bridge connecting St. George Island to the mainland, crossing over Apalachicola Bay.

At the end of our first day on the island, we had a nice home-cooked meal, and a little birthday celebration for my son :)

Back from vacation!

2011-02-22T23:17:00.003-05:00

I am back. And I can't wait to share with you my fabulous vacation!

RiverHouse Inn

2011-02-12T18:16:00.001-05:00

I had a little birthday celebration with my besties on Friday. Lynne, Beth, and Kathy took me out to a nice dinner at the RiverHouse Inn. It was my first time there, but I had heard so much about it before. The restaurant is in a beautiful historic house on the river in downtown Williamston. Our table was by the fireplace in the bar area, overlooking the Red Cedar River. A great atmosphere, cozy with rich wood and high ceilings. Our dinner was delicious, everyone loves their dishes. Service was excellent - our server was very attentive and knowledgeable about food and wine on the menu.

Our wine: 2009 Bodega Enrique Foster IQUE Malbec.
Characteristics: "Fresh picked wild strawberries, some Ceylon Cinnamon and a bit of strawberry hard candy on the nose. Really fresh and lively on the palate with the Strawberry party meeting the baking spice party. Good fresh acidity and mild tannic structure balance out the friendly clean finish." - wine tasting note by PC

Calamari Fries Appetizer - served with chipotle-lime-cilantro aioli.

Seafood Linguine
Shrimp, mussels, and scallops in spicy vodka sauce served over garlic and herbed linguine.

Lobster and Clam Risotto

Creamy risotto with lobster, clams, bacon, shallots, and peas.

We shared a creme brulee and a (very big) slice of carrot cake for dessert. Both are wonderful. Food portion is very generous, each entree comes with a salad. Our meal ended with nice cups of coffee, a good conversation, and a great dining experience. We're planning on going back to enjoy their outdoor patio seatings by the river when it's warm out - hopefully soon.

Dinner at Sansu

2011-02-11T23:54:00.002-05:00

Hwe-dup-bab
Assorted sashimi and fresh vegetables over bed of rice,
served with side of spicy pepper sauce

Fried oyster appetizer

Beef Katsu
Crispy battered beef served with a side of katsu sauce

Always a great time dinning at Sansu :)

Tonight's Dinner

2011-02-08T22:25:00.002-05:00

Broiled Mackerel, and Miso Soup with Wakame & Fried Tofu

Agedashi Tofu

2011-02-02T22:13:00.002-05:00

Agedashi Tofu is Japanese fried tofu with a dashi-stock based sauce.

Dredge tofu piece lightly with corn starch. Then pan-fry in about 1/4" oil until golden brown. I don't deep-fry tofu cube as most recipes suggest, but it is cooked nicely brown and crispy on both sides.

Served in a hot broth made of soy sauce, mirin, and dashi broth (I use boiled water + dashi powder). Topped with finely chopped green onions and grated fresh ginger. You can also sprinkle on top with some bonito (dried fish) flakes.

Thai Spicy Basil Shrimp

2011-01-25T22:02:00.000-05:00

I love fresh Thai basil. Its unique flavor gives any dish such a wonderful freshness. Unlike Italian basil, Thai basil has stronger aroma and sweeter peppery flavor. The most commonly used of Thai basil is Sweet Basil ("Bai Ho Ra Pa") which has a strong exotic scent. It is used in all kinds of curry and stir-fried dishes.

In this recipe, besides fresh shrimps, you can also use any other kind of meats. And you can adjust the heat to your preference by cutting or adding the red chili peppers.

You will need:

1 lb. fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
7-8 garlic cloves
7-8 Thai red chili pepper (or adjust to your preference)
1 cup yellow onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup carrot, cut in matchstick pieces
1/2 cup green/red/yellow bell pepper, julienned
2 cups basil leaves, loosely packed
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp oyster sauce
2 tsp light soy sauce (or fish sauce)
2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup water
grounded white (or black) pepper

Directions:

Pound garlic cloves and chili peppers together using mortar and pestle. Or you can mince them together using a knife.
Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chili garlic mixture and stir until lightly browned and fragrant.
Add prepared shrimps and stir well to evenly mix everything together. Once the shrimps start to turn pink - but still translucent in the middle !! (pictured above), add onions, carrots, and bell peppers. Stir to get vegetables cooked real quick, you want them to be a bit crisp, not all soft.
Then, add oyster sauce, light soy sauce, sugar, and grounded white/black pepper.
Stir quickly to mix the seasonings into ingredients. Then add water, and stir to get everything coated with sauce.
Turn off the heat, add the basil leaves and give it a good stir. Transfer to serving dish. Great over rice!

Gracie's Place

2011-01-23T14:47:00.001-05:00

I couldn't believe I had never been to Gracie's Place! It is right here in the charming downtown Williamston. I fell in love with the restaurant as soon as I stepped in. My girlfriends and I had a wonderful time, enjoying outstanding food, and great service!

Gracie's Place offers fine dining and a classy atmosphere. I love their beautiful wood floors, tin ceilings, surrounded by white walls and big glass windows. A brick wall displays artwork by local artists. Staffs are friendly and attentive. Our server is very knowledgeable about wines and food on the menu. Overall, absolutely fantastic experience!

I wish I had taken more photos of our food to share. Everything is so delicious and beautifully presented! I am planning to go back soon, and hoping to sit at the chef bar where I can watch the cooking in action.

Gracie's Place:
151 South Putnum St.
Williamston, MI 48895
(517) 655-1100
http://www.graciesplacebistro.com/

Mango with Sticky Rice

2011-01-15T17:50:00.004-05:00

Mango with Sticky Rice
Recipe here

Enjoy!

Spicy Salt and Pepper Shrimp

2011-01-02T21:11:00.002-05:00

This is an amazing shrimp dish I always order from my favorite Chinese restaurant in town, Golden Wok. The shrimp are lightly coated and fried with the shells on. They are then tossed in the spicy salt and pepper mix until the outer shells are thoroughly coated. They are delicious eaten the whole thing. The crispy, well-seasoned shells give these shrimp a great flavor and texture. YUM!

Golden Wok
2755 E Grand River Ave.
East Lansing, MI 48823
(517) 333-8322

Still Celebrating Holidays

2010-12-30T23:00:00.000-05:00

There is aways a reason to celebrate!
And for us, it's after Christmas, and before the New Year.
We love to get together, to cook, then, to wine and dine.

Cheers!

Beth's salad: spring mix with tomatoes, pine nuts and hearts of palm.

Lynne's very yummy Swiss chard tart.

Lynne's shrimp, chickpeas, and spinach, with ginger & cumin.

My blueberry cream cheese pie

Christmas Eve

2010-12-28T21:41:00.000-05:00

Cozy Christmas Eve filled with the joy of cooking and togetherness.

The star of our Christmas Eve dinner: Standing Rib Roast.

Mise en Place

Spring Mix salad with pears, pomegranate, and blue cheese.

Porcini, button mushroom, bacon, and red wine sauce.

Scalloped potatoes with goat cheese and Herbs de Provence.

Started off with salad

Ended the meal with Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie

We had a great time and a wonderful meal.

*******

Holiday Treats

2010-12-25T21:59:00.000-05:00

Christmas Shopping in Chicago

2010-12-24T11:46:00.001-05:00

We stayed at Hyatt Regency Chicago again. Great location - just steps from Michigan Avenue, also has easy access to any transportation to get around Chicago. It's perfect for a shopping trip.

Holiday decoration along the Magnificent Mile

It was a pretty nice day to walk around - cold but not windy or freezing at all :)

We do love Chicago!

The boys' favorite spots - Apple Store and Niketown

Blue Man Group is fantastic! We had a great time.

*******

Hope to see you again soon, Windy City!

Thai Princess

2010-12-23T23:37:00.000-05:00

Located in Okemos, Thai Princess is a new eatery in Lansing area. The restaurant offers on their menu a wide variety of Thai dishes, in an elegant but cozy atmosphere and decor. I happened to eat there 3 times in one week, after they had been opened for almost a month. So far, I love everything I tried. Certain dishes even remind me of my mom's cooking, or my favorites in Thailand.

I am so happy to see more options for Thai food lovers to go enjoy great food and nice dining experience. Service was warm and friendly. Big portion of food, at a pretty reasonable price. Here's some of the dishes I had:

Of course, Pad Thai - I have to say it's very close to what you would get in Thailand, and delicious!

Papaya Salad - my favorite dish of all time. They do such a great job that I will probably order it every visit :)

Thai Princess:
1754 Central Park Dr
Okemos, MI 48864
(517) 381-1558

Thanksgiving

2010-11-27T13:09:00.003-05:00

I hope you a had a good one as well!
******

Silver Bells in the City 2010

2010-11-20T20:03:00.002-05:00

Crowd packed downtown Lansing to start off Holiday season at the 26th annual Silver Bell in the City last night. An Electric Light Parade followed by the lighting of Michigan’s official Christmas tree and a fireworks show over the State Capitol -- great traditional event.

We enjoyed watching everything from a reserved patio at Troppo restaurant. The appetizers for the party included coconut chicken, egg roll, portabella mushroom tempura, meatball, spinach dip & chips, and lots of cookies. Great food, and attentive services.

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Weekend Eats

2010-11-14T22:43:00.004-05:00

My Sunday night cooking of stir-fried ziti with pork, eggs, onions, and tomatoes. The seasoning sauce is a mixture of oyster sauce, light soy sauce, chili sauce, and ketchup. A delicious one-dish meal I've had since I was a child.

Mise en Place before the cooking started.

Shandong-style dumpling making for Saturday night dinner. My good friend's brother just arrived from China, with his family. Instead of being exhausted and jet lagged, his wife made us homemade dumplings, from scratch!

It was a great learning experience, and we had so much fun!

Weekend Eats

2010-11-07T19:17:00.003-05:00

Fall Fun

2010-10-27T22:09:00.004-04:00

Fall is my favorite season, and it would not be complete without a trip to the cider mill. The best part is the homemade donuts and cider. We went to Uncle John's Cider Mill last weekend. It was a surprisingly nice day - sunny and warm.. There are so many fun things to do for all age. Definitely a great place to enjoy fall experience!

Buttermilk, cinnamon sugar, pumpkin, and cider donuts...
And the best apple cider they have!

Tasting Room

Selection of wines from Uncle John's Fruit House Winery

The wine tasting was great!

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Michigan Fall Colors

2010-10-16T13:11:00.005-04:00

ArtPrize

2010-10-12T18:33:00.003-04:00

I finally made it to ArtPrize in Grand Rapids -- the last day.
For more information of this event, please click here.

"Svelata" by Mia Tavonatti
Stained glass mosaic, all hand-cut
Won 2nd Place

"Helping Mom One Penny at a Time" by Wander Martich
A giant penny constructed from layers of actual pennies
Won 6th Place

Beautiful Fall Day in Grand Rapids

Southern Exposure Herb Farm

2010-10-09T21:49:00.000-04:00

A trip to Southern Exposure Herb Farm
Battle Creek, Michigan.
Definitely a unique destination in the beautiful countryside.

A Taste of Tuscany

2010-10-03T21:04:00.000-04:00

I had been looking forward to an evening at Southern Exposure Herb Farm since we made a reservation a couple of months ago. Finally, it was here! Four of us -- Lynne, Jill, Al, and I -- attended a specialty dining, A Taste of Tuscany, one of their many Fall unique dining experience. The weather was so perfect that we spent plenty of time walking around the property with glasses of wine, and enjoying the beautiful garden surrounded by lush grapevine arbors, colorful flowers and foliage, and relaxing water features.

We fell in love with the charming setting of our dining room, named Hog House.

All their staffs are very friendly and passionate about what they do. We had a nice time talking with some of them, and learning about the place. Our dinner was excellent! Everything was delicious, and we agreed we then had the best herb tomato bisque ever. We had to have the recipe - which they loved to share.

Bread and Herb Butter

Herb Tomato Bisque

Tuscan Salad with Olives, Green and Cannellini Beans

Medallions of Pork with Pasta and Marinara Sauce
Grilled Tomato with Pesto

Chocolate Mousse Pie with Raspberry Sauce

*********

Southern Exposure Herb Farm:
11269 N Drive North
Battle Creek, MI 49014
(269) 962-1255

www.southernmoon.com

Hoophouse Gala 2010

2010-09-18T21:28:00.007-04:00

The 2nd annual Hoophouse Gala was held last Sunday, September 12th. It was a gorgeous day! My friend - Lynne, her husband - Gary, and I -- along with over 200 attendees were dining al fresco under a harvest sky on the grounds of the MSU Student Organic Farm. The proceeds from this harvest dinner fund scholarships that support the training and education of Michigan's future organic farmers.

Venue: The MSU Student Organic Farm. At the Horticulture Teaching & Research Center. Michigan State University. Beautiful and amazing!

Reception
Towering Pineapple fruit trees

Selection of Michigan cheeses and breads

Appetizer Stations
Shrimp and fresh herb summer rolls
Vegetable spring rolls
Okemos-raised shrimp station

Dinner time...

Music by the MSU Jazz Combo

Appetizer:
Wedge of Black Star Farms Raclette
Michigan apple chips and spiced walnuts

Salad:
Gathered MSU Student Organic Farm Greens
Michigan dried cherries, toasted almonds, farm-fresh raspberries
and honey-raspberry vinaigrette

Fish:
Tuscan-Poached Salmon
with heirloom bean and barley cake,
topped with tomato-basil salata and fried basil

Intermezzo:
Michigan Peach Sorbet

Entree:
MSU Student Organic Farm Pasture-raised Pork
roast center cut pork loin filled with Michigan dried fruit
Michigan apple cider-braised pork shoulder with caramelized onions
Sweet Potato Dauphinoise
Pan-roasted Seasonal Vegetables

Vegetarian Entree (option)

Dessert:
Michigan Blueberry Bread and Butter Pudding
MSU Student Organic Farm Honey Vanilla Ice Cream

*******

Our meal was prepared using local, seasonal and sustainable produce -- by MSU's award-winning Spartan chefs. The event also showcased products of Michigan farms and wineries. Kudo to sponsors, volunteers, donors, student farmers, chefs, and all who made this great event happened. I am actually looking forward to next year's dinner already...

Student Organic Farm

2010-09-16T23:10:00.006-04:00

A Farm Walk
The MSU Student Organic Farm
At the Horticulture Teaching & Research Center, Michigan State University

Woods Restaurant - Mackinac Island

2010-09-12T11:38:00.007-04:00

My most favorite eat during our trip on Mackinac Island is the dinner at Woods. The restaurant is located in the center of the Island, and operated by the Grand Hotel.

I think the atmosphere at Woods is absolutely amazing! The place is Bavarian themed, with a rustic ambiance - but elegant. The food was great, a little on a high side for price - but a lot less than Grand Hotel, and less formal.

Baked Ashley Farms Chicken Breast
with sweet corn and cheddar cheese bread pudding, and charred tomatillo sauce

Seared Tasmanian Salmon
with lobster mash, ham hock consumme', and fresh horseradish

Vanilla Panna Cotta
with blood orange sorbet

Our evening ended with a horse-drawn carriage ride through the beautiful Island woods, back to our hotel. The darkness, chilly night, and galloping sound in the deep woods somehow were pretty magical... especially, after a good meal with great friends. If you visit Mackinac Island, make sure to eat at Woods!

Woods Restaurant:
Stonecliff Rd
Mackinac Island, MI 49757
(906) 847-3699

Mackinac Island Fudge

2010-09-06T14:18:00.004-04:00

As soon as I stepped off the ferry and onto the dock, I could smell the aroma of the famous Mackinac Island fudge! There are many different fudge vendors on the Island -- so wherever we went, the scent of these rich, creamy, and delicious treat was always with us.

Beforing leaving the Island, I visited Joanne's Fudge to pick up some and bring back home to share. They have 30 flavors of authentic, made-daily fudge to choose from. Watching the fudge-making demo, sampling some fresh made ones, and making decision what to get were quite a lot of fun!

*******

Mackinac Island is just fantastic!

Last Night's Dinner

2010-08-21T15:23:00.005-04:00

Another gathering with good friends

Appetizer by Ken

My Beef Curry with Bamboo shoots and Thai Basils

Soy Sauce Chicken by Grandma W

Beautiful Fruit Tart by Parker

Enjoying my dessert with a cup of expresso

A delicious meal and a good time!

*****

Thank you for a lovely evening :)

Grassroots Green

2010-08-17T21:02:00.006-04:00

I spent most of my weekend at Great Lakes Folk Festival 2010 in downtown East Lansing. It was a lot of fun and a rich experience -- music, culture, food, art, and people -- all came together. The new addition to the festival this year was the Grassroots Green program. The program was meant to encourage people to think about sustainability.

The Green Arts Marketplace featured creators and vendors of products that reuse and recycle; such as aluminum can jewelry, T-shirt quilts, furniture, pop tab purses, metal sculpture, food packaging bags, and many more.

The festival also featured a local and sustainable foods area, books and presentations with themes of sustainability and children’s activities that incorporate recycled and natural materials.

Local and Sustainable

Green Kitchen Stage
Featuring food demonstration, canning, fermentation, vegan & raw food, beekeeping, green smoothies from the garden, and more.

Demo: Putting food up through canning

:)

Fermentation Demo - Sauerkraut

Beekeeping Presentation,
by members of the Center of Michigan Beekeepers (COMB)

It was quite fascinating!

Finally, we got the honey.

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For more information, please go to MSU Museum web page.

The Pertfect Pie

2010-08-13T22:44:00.002-04:00

Another nice evening with friends, and their families.
Great food and good company.

Dinner is served.

Caipirinha (Cachaca, sugar and lime)

Vegetable Tempura

Grandma W cooked the best tempura! Tasty, light, and crispy.
Fresh leaves from her garden,
basil, parsley, chrysanthemum, and shiso -- with perfect batter.
Not your regular tempura!

Braised beef cheek, with shiitake mushroom, gobo, carrot, and taro

Spinach, soy sauce mixture, and toasted sesame seeds

Malaysian chicken curry

Granma W's strawberry pie
Fresh, local, and organic strawberries.
With whip cream made from fresh organic milk.

Really really good!

My pie queen :)
Thanks to her delicious cooking, we had such a good time!

French press to go with a piece of pie

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The boys :)

Upcoming "Grassroots Green" at Great Lakes Folk Festival

2010-08-10T23:44:00.003-04:00

Annually, Great Lakes Folk Festival -- held by Michigan State University Museum -- showcases the traditional cultural treasures of the nation's Upper Midwest and a sampling of the best of traditional artists from around the country and the world. This year, the unique fusion of arts fair, music festival, county fair, multi-ethnic festival, hands-on activity workshops and celebration of cultural heritage will be held Aug 13-15, 2010 in downtown East Lansing.

As part of summer celebration, I always look forward to this event, and has a great time enjoying the richness of music, dance, arts and culture from across America and around the world. But I am excited to learn that there is a new addition to the existing programs and activities of the festival. This year, the Michigan State University Museum will host a variety of tradition-bearers who carry on traditions that help restore, conserve and revitalize the planet.

Presentations, demonstrations and activities that feature citizen groups and individuals who engage in green occupations, environmental activism, organic gardening, recycled arts and folk wisdom—will share information, ideas and activities that will help us consider the environment in the ways we live. The Grassroots Green Program will offer an array of ways in which people are choosing the green life in several areas throughout the Great Lakes Folk Festival grounds.

Among those is Green Arts Marketplace -- the venue where craftspeople making functional and beautiful art and objects from recycled materials will be featured, the first of its kind in the area! Here are a few examples of arts that will be shown and sold at the event:

Artists
- Blue Moon Soap, Michelle K. Corbeil
- Broom Winder, Henry Tschetter
- Brown Joey Designs, Cori Thackery
- Cangles, Shannon Rose, Jewelry made from aluminum cans
- Carla Iansiti, bags from recycled food packaging
- Clamored, Jaclyn Dreyer
- Empty Nest, Lisa Portenga, typewriter ewelry
- Forest Concepts, Sara Jo Cash
- Jay Prosch-Jensen, metal sculpture
- The Little Craft Closet, Nichole Drysdale
- Mecca, Marcy Gruzien
- Recyclica: repurpose driven design, furniture from skiis
- Rewoven Designs
- Rico Oeste, recycled furniture
- Runaway Creations
- recycled wine bottles
- Rocknrecycle Purses, recycled album covers
- Sarah Roemer- Hand Made, recycled pop tab purses
- Second Life Studio, Kate Hetzel
- Shrunk Woolery, Jessica
- Smittens, Susan Cappon
- Sweet Plum Vintage, Cara and Karen
- Tin Aviary, Zabby Cox
- Too Cool T-shirt Quilts, Andrea Funk
- Weird Sisters Fine Arts Studio , Robert Fitzke

Other Green Vendors
-Pisat Solar-Smart Car
-Solar Circle
-Solar Works, LLC

See you there!

NOTE: All the information, as well as the logo artwork courtesy of MSU Museum web site. Republished with permission.

1st Birthday

2010-08-09T00:03:00.001-04:00

It's a party to celebrate Kinley's 1st birthday!

Kinley loves Tinket Bell, so her parents - Carri & Ryan,
had a lovely Tinker Bell party for her.
Cakes are from Pirate and Princess Bakery.

Chocolate, and coconut cupcakes..
They are so cute and delicious.

And Kinley has her very own cake.

She definitely loves the cake!

Happy 1st Birthday Kinley.

Dinner and Jazz

2010-08-08T12:37:00.004-04:00

It's JazzFest weekend in Old Town Lansing. I got together with my friends, Lynne and Beth, having dinner, catching up, and enjoying the magic of Jazz. It's Lansing JazzFest's 16th year. This two-day FREE music festival brings national, regional, and local acts to an audience of roughly 15,000 people from across Michigan and nearby states.

We had a light dinner, Beth cooked up a nice pot of Zarzuela -- a Catalan stew-like seafood soup with fish and crustaceans, that resembles the French bouillabaisse and the Italian cioppino. The soup is light and delicious. we had ciabatta bread to go with the dish, along with olive antipasto.

And we really enjoyed Beth's roasted beet salad, with crumbled gorgonzola cheese, and pecans.

After dinner, we headed out for some Jazz music. It was a beautiful night in Lansing Old Town.

At the end of the night, we made a visit to our favorite Mama Bear's Cafe, for latte and sweet treats. So glad they're opened late for JazzFest goers.

Eclair, mini pacan tart, and keylime pie

Brownie and 7-layer bar

Taste of Thai

2010-08-01T01:05:00.005-04:00

I've known, and eaten at Taste of Thai Restaurant since before my son was born. He is now 14, and also has a craving for Pad Thai from the place quite often. Though I cook my own Thai food most of the time, there is time when I just want someone else to do the cooking for me :) Taste of Thai always does a great job making me, and my son, happy with delicious authentic Thai food.

Chicken Sate, served with Peanut Sauce and Cucumber Relish

Vegetable Egg Rolls, served with Sweet Chili Sauce

Tofu Tom Yum (Hot and Sour) Soup

Taste of Thai's Owner, Yao,
with my favorite Pork Drunken Noodle - extra extra spicy!

Taste of Thai's Chef,
with my son's favorite Beef Pad Thai -- medium spicy

Tasty Curry Sauce

Taste of Thai is located just across the street from MSU campus,
at 1105 E. Grand River Ave, East Lansing, MI 48823
(517) 324-0225

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Ruth (from St. Johns) and Karlena (from Williamston) enjoying their Thai dinner. It's their first visit at Taste of Thai, and they were happy with their experience. For sure, I know that food portion is generous, price is reasonable, and satisfaction is always delivered.

Daikon and Pork Belly Soup

2010-07-31T15:58:00.001-04:00

This is one of my favorite soups my mom has made us since I was a child. Just simmer daikon and pork belly in broth until soft and tender. Season with light soy sauce and ground white pepper. Add some green onion and cilantro before serving.

"To the Sea" with Jack Johnson

2010-07-31T14:40:00.003-04:00

Photos from Jack Johnson's "To the Sea" Concert
at DTE Energy Music Theatre, Clarkston, MI
Fantastic performance!

Good Eats: Vegetarian & Locally Sourced

2010-07-28T22:31:00.000-04:00

My friends, Lynne and Gary invited me to join them for a Sunday dinner. Lynne always goes to local Farmer's Markets on the weekend when she can, for fresh and beautiful produce. This time she got quite a few of great looking vegetables, and it was a nice relaxing day -- so they decided to spend quality time cooking together. Lucky me, I got to enjoy that lovely dinner with them!

Mediterranean Panzanella (bread) Salad

Lynne made this Martha Stewart's recipe using Zingerman's bread -- together with fennel, local green beans, fresh mozzarella, calamata olives, red onion, dressed with olive oil and red wine vinegar. This dish is a wonderful summer salad. Absolutely enjoyed it. It was fantastico!!

Three Beet Caviar with Endive and Goat Cheese

This is such a beautifully-presented dish. Lynne made the dish using Chioggia beets, red beets, and golden beets -- served with local goat cheese. The tri-color caviar of beets got mixed together with creamy goat cheese right before we ate them. Adapted from Deborah Madison cookbook, Lynne & Gary's vegetarian guru.

Risotto with Kale and Gremolata

This was made of kale, arborio rice, and Gremolata -- which is a mixture of lemon peel, garlic and parsley. Gary cooked them for only 5 min. in the pressure cooker, and it turned out just perfect! The best risotto I've had so far...

It was a really nice dinner with my besties.

Loving this cheese grater :)

We finished our meal with a Thai dessert I brought over. I quicky made this --Sticky Rice Pudding with longan & young coconut, and topted with coconut milk -- from what I had in my pantry. With a nice cup of coffee, it was a great ending.

********

Good time! We should do this more often :)

Spicy Basil Beef

2010-07-25T14:52:00.002-04:00

I made this dish quickly out of what I had in my refrigerator. The method of cooking is the same as how I make Thai Spicy Basil Shrimp, which you can find the recipe here. I just added sliced green beans to the dish instead of carrot matchsticks. Also, I added some dark soy sauce to give it a little color. We enjoyed it with steamed jasmine rice as usual, and it was wonderful.

From Garden to Kitchen

2010-07-25T13:58:00.001-04:00

These are some photos I took from my friend's, (Jill), garden when I was over for a grill out last weekend. Her flowers and vegetables in a nicely laid-out garden are just beautiful. It's so neat seeing those plants that giving the vegetables which go straight to the kitchen, and get cooked up into something nice. Love those tomatoes!

Lots of chili peppers to come

Egg plants

What a beautiful garden!

Weekend Brunch at Mama Bear's

2010-07-24T11:47:00.000-04:00

I knew I was missing out when I heard lots of people talked about great food at Mama Bear's Cafe. Finally, I made it there for a weekend brunch, with my friend, Lynne and her husband, Gary. We definitely enjoyed the food, and were glad there's place like this in town.

Mama Bear's is located on Turner Street in Old Town half a block off of Grand River Avenue, with many art galleries and specialty stores nearby. The place is a lovely relaxing and cozy cafe'. We went there quite late, so many items in their pastry cases were gone. We all started our meal with a nice cup of a latte'.

I had an omelette with tomatoes, spinach, roasted red peppers, havarti cheese, and sausage. The portion is very generous. All ingredients are fresh, and mostly local. It was delicious, I would order that again when going back.

Gary ordered an omelette as well. His had roasted red peppers and turkey bacon. Nothing was left on his plate, so I am pretty sure he loved his food. Our dishes came with buttered toasts.

Mama Bear's is also known as a vegan-friendly restaurant. They also have some gluten-free items. Lynne had tempeh sandwiches, and she loved it.

With their reputation of having the best homemade pastries and goodies in town, we just had to try some! The three of us shared an eclair and a cream puff. Those crispy light pastry shells, filled with light and fluffy cream were amazing! We were so full with our food, and didn't think we would have finished those goodies when we saw the size of them. But we did anyway...

Mama Bear's Cafe':
1224 Turner Street
Lansing, MI 48906
(517) 485-6262‎

With full stomach and happy heart, we left with the smiles on our face.

Saturday Grill Out

2010-07-20T00:35:00.000-04:00

Fajita dinner at my friends' house this past weekend.
Al and Jill share with me the passion of cooking and enjoying great food.
Last Saturday was an unplanned get-together that happened to perfectly work out.

Once the marinated chicken and steak cooked to the liking, Al removed them from the grilled, covered with foil, and let them rest for about 10 minutes.

Meat cut across the grain, into strips

Homemade guacamole, caramelized onion & pepper, bean, sour cream,
pico de gallo, cilantro, jalapeno, and flour tortillas.

Fresh fried tortilla chips

The fun part, -- roll them up!

Sweet & refreshing watermelon,
and Cheryl's delicious pasta salad complete the dinner.

After a short break, we had grilled peaches and vanilla ice cream for dessert.

******

Thanks Al & Jill for hosting and cooking up a great dinner.
It was lovely seeing some soccer families, and spending no-soccer time together!

Grilled Peaches

2010-07-18T16:29:00.006-04:00

Fruit on the grill?
You would definitely love it!

You will need:
Ripe but still firm peaches, halved and pit removed
Honey and Grand Manier, whisk together
*****
Brush peaches with honey mixture

On the hot grill, place peaches cut-side down.
Close the grill top, or cover with foil, for the best result.
Grill until caramelized and tender.

Serve warm, with ice cream.
Or with yogurt, creme fraiche, or more honey...
Use your imaginary and experiment what you like!

Roti & Curry Sauce

2010-07-14T18:16:00.001-04:00

One of the dishes I had for this past weekend's eats was this roti paratha, with curry sauce.

I actually made extra sauce when cooking Thai chicken curry for dinner the night before. The layered Indian flat bread comes handily from Oriental Market's freezer. I just had to cook each round piece of the dough in hot pan until flaky and brown, and warm up the sauce to serve with.

Serve this as either appetizer, snack, or main dish -- it's all good!

Fumi Japanese Restaurant

2010-07-10T18:29:00.005-04:00

Having a nice meal at a cute restaurant called Fumi, in Novi.
With the hand-written menu items on pieces of paper on all over the wall,
and only Japanese customers filled up the place,
I believe we were at the right eatery for an authentic Japanese meal.

Ice cold beer and edamame

Miso soup and mixed green salad with ginger dressing

Seaweed salad

Ten Zaru Zoba
Cold buckwheat noodle served with shoyu, and shrimp tempura

Katsu Ju
Pork cutlet cooked with egg and onion served over a bed of rice

**********

Every thing was very good. We had a nice experience and a great meal!

Fumi:
10 Mile & Novi Road
24271 Novi Road
Novi, MI
(248) 465-7100

Zingerman's Tour de Food

2010-07-05T19:22:00.006-04:00

I hope everyone had a good July 4th weekend. There're probably traveling, grilling, viewing parade and firework. I had no plan to travel, until I realized 3-day holiday weekend was too long to just stay put around town. I decided to go to Ann Arbor and visit my favorite Monahan's Seafood Market for a delicious lunch of fried calamari. Then, I got a chance to do what I had wanted to for a long time -- going on a mission Tour de Food to visit all Zingerman's locations within their community of businesses.

We picked up information, map, and passport at the first location of our tour -- Zingerman's Deli. Since we just had lunch at Monahan's, we skipped their famous made-to-order sandwiches (which I had in the past, and they're amazing!). We, however, had fun with variety of tasting of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and cheese -- with Zingerman's wonderful staffs.

Then, we walked over to Zingerman's Next Door -- which is literally next door to the Deli. It is home to coffee, tea, chocolate, pastries, cakes, pie, gelato, and togo sandwiches. You can pretty much sample anything, actually they even offer a sample before you ask for one.

They have amazing selection of treats here!

YUMMY strawberry gelato we had!
Freshly made, with traditional Sicilian technique.

Then we drove to the south side to visit Zingerman's Bakehouse,
where their breads and pastries are made traditional way by real artisan bakers.

Everything looks great. We had some samples of really nice pecan pie,
fresh sourdough round, and.. apple wood smoked bacon doughnut.

Also, on site there's Bake!, a hands-on teaching bakery
hosting bread and pastry baking classes.

Located "a scone's throw from a Bakehouse", is Zingerman's Creamery.

This cheese shop features live cheesemaking and their own cheeses and gelatos,
as well as great cheeses from around the world.

Great-looking cheeses

More gelato to enjoy while we're here.

Or take some home.

Our final stop was at Zingerman's Roadhouse.
I've there a few time and always left very happy with their fantastic food and services.
We were served samples of hand-pulled bbq pork,
and pit-smoked braised beef brisket. Very tender and fulled of flavors!

Their mojito looked so gorgeous that everyone in the dining area seemed to
order one after another. We also got our Tour de Food T-shirts for each of us
in finishing our tour.

********

I have no doubt Zingerman's makes and sells amazing food!
What impresses me beyond that -- is their passionate staffs
who are very well trained, and in love with what they do --
that.. it shows and makes customers feel quite special!

********

Happy 4th of July

2010-07-04T23:28:00.002-04:00

Did you have a good one? I did.