Sal Thai or Sad Thai

There will be several postings of the Food Adventure trips in the next few posts.   I like to take pictures of the food that I ordered and admire how well some of the dishes have been prepared and presented to me.    After all - food is sight, aroma, touch, and taste.   It's almost like doing YOGA - the food experience gives us the exhilaration and appreciation in every bites you take.  But it's always an ordeal when I go out to dine, even to the ones that your friend recommended.    At least anyways, it is a big deal for me because I only have one stomach and once it is filled with that "something" - good or bad, it is in my system.     I was quite brave and explored a few restaurants that I have never been to this month.     Of course, there is the "Yelp" site that I could go do the postings, but my objective is to learn 'hospitality' management and of personal interest in the culinary adventure.
Here is one - a disappointment at one of the restaurant that I have visited twice before with a good experience with my friends.   I was very delighted to meet up with my friends after work one evening at the Sal Thai.   Ordered one of my favorite - stir fried eggplants with basil and shrimps.   We also order a fish dish.    But to our surprise, the eggplants dish is prepared totally different from the usual with all the ingredients that were in the fish dish.     What's with that!   If I can say, "I can do better than that!" then, this place no longer has anything 'special' to offer to the customer.... maybe I am judging harshly....  but I was disappointed.

Bake Along Challenge - Chocolate Shortbreads

Finally, I managed to bake this wonderful Chocolate Shortbreads for the Bake Along Challenge.  http://divyasculinaryjourney.blogspot.com/2012/05/chocolate-shortbread.html http://bestofmykitchen.blogspot.in/2012/04/bake-along-challenge-my-cook-book.html       It was an interesting recipe.    It turned out to be a moist chocolaty treat enjoyed by my 'testers' at my office this morning.    I imagined that shortbread would have a texture of dry cookie, on the contrary, the amount of butter and egg gave it the soft cake like texture.   I put 2 tablespoons more of the nuts on the top to give it a fuller, richer appearance.     And I am happy to have found another use for this bottomless fluted tart pan.    It was fun making it.
(Double click on the image to view in larger size and notes/comments.)

 

 Shifted flour and cocoa powder thoroughly 5 times over two sheets of parchment paper, alternately.

 

 I love mixing butter and sugar, but I have to watch myself because I sometimes over beat it.

 Hand mix in the cocoa powder with spatula until incorporated or you will be smoking the powder in the air.

 I cut out a parchment paper and placed beneath it.    It's a bit tricky to spread the batter, but I held the parchment down with a tip of one finger.    I released my finger from holding onto the paper and continue spreading with the the small offset spatula once the batter has clung onto the side of the pan.

 

 

 The bottom of the pan is still at the bottom of the shortbread until it is completely cooled.

Looks like there are  two slices missing.... well, I ate them right after I took the pictures.    They were delicious.   I think the bitter chocolate glaze on the top rounded the flavor of the shortbreads and intensified the chocolate flavor in the shortbread; and the nuts and chocolates complimented each other well.     Maybe for the next time, I am thinking to slip in a layer of raspberry 'jam' or something raspberry right under the chocolate glaze.... maybe dehydrated raspberry or top with fresh raspberry... hmmmm.... I have to think about that.

Japanese Style Loaf Bread with Golden Raisins and Almond Paste

I have been baking bread for home so long that the only bread you see in my house is the ones that I bake.... well... you would think, after a couple of years refining the skills and techniques of baking bread.    What is important at the end is all the same, wonderful delicious bread with all the goodies you like.       This is another recipe that I have been testing and testing for the last two years after learning from the other blogger.      I even went to the Asian market to compare the crumb texture -- just to be satisfied for the effort.   

 

 

 Golden raisins and homemade Almond Paste fillings.

 I use two Square Brownie pans to bake this bread since I don't have a Pullman's bread pan with lid.

 Cover the top with the other brownie pan to let the dough rise.

 When ready, bake covered with the brownie pan on top.   Remove the pan the last 5 minutes or so just to get a bit more browning.     *This depends on the dough amount and oven temp because I change the batch size or double the recipe.