Texas Pecan Bars

This pecan bars recipe was tested in our American Regional Cooking class, and they are so amazingly delicious.  I thought there is another layer of batter mixture of some sort on the top, but to my surprise, it's the same ingredients as the rest that turned out crisp.

Polly's Crepes and Crepe Tool Making Adventures

 

 Test #1 using the flat electric griddle.

So, what can I say - I am interested in technologies and kitchen 'make your cooking life enjoyable' tools, and curious to find out if I make one myself.   After studying several photos online, I decided to make one myself out of cedar. 
The crepe recipe is from Jacques Pepin's.

 

  **The first few crepes are like mangled doughs until I got the hand of the crepe stick.  I also cheated and used the backside of this small ladle by running it over the batter in a circular motion, and it worked out just fine, too.  So,.... what's the big idea about the Crepe Stick?  I need to do some research and find out who even invented it.

 The Jacque Pepin's Crepe recipe is simple and turns out great.

Well, it was challenging the first few times to get the hang of spinning the crepe tool in a smooth circular motion.  I think I need to sand and smooth out with ultrafine sandpaper.  But the crepe recipe turned out a great tasting crepe.

 

Test #2 using the round Tortilla pan.

 I need more practice.  I watched some YouTube Crepe making video, and I am very impressed with their crepe cones. 

Will try to make the Crepe Cones, the next time.

MITARASHI DANGO Party Style

For my potluck dish in a hurry, I made this plateful of MITARASHI DANGO to go.  Hmmm... It tasted great, but I like them on the sticks better.   Everyone liked it.

Gorgeous Fresh Water Chestnuts

This is fresh water chestnuts.  They look like a hard shelled flower tuber of some sort.  The first time I encountered it was back in South Viet-Nam.  The street Fruit vendor was selling an interesting strands of white round objects on a bamboo sticks.  Since I missed Japanese MITARASHI YAKI DANGO so much, I thought that was it!   Surprise! it was a crispy, sweet, fresh water chestnuts.  Yes, the good fresh water chestnuts, when peeled should be white, firm, and when bitten into, it is crispy and with some sandy texture like body.   Eat them fresh or chop them up and mix with ground pork to make sweet and sour meat balls or Lion Head meat balls, for example.  They will add a different dimension to the meat balls.  When you are peeling them with a pairing knife - in a round circular motion as though peeling apple, if there are any sign of 'yellow', cut that section off and discard.  After peeling them, chill them.  Eat them! 
So, Enjoy some chilled fresh water chestnuts during the summer. 

Fresh Strawberries with Chantilly served with Buttermilk Biscuits

It's Strawberry season, and I find the fluffy buttermilk biscuits perfect for serving with it.
Buttermilk biscuit recipes: http://rockdavinci.blogspot.com/2013/03/buttermilk-biscuit-testing-butter-or.html
or
http://rockdavinci.blogspot.com/2013/04/chef-kadens-buttermilk-biscuits-and.html