Kim-Chi Hot Pot

What a way to warm up after the dreadful Black Friday shopping craze.   This is something new to our family - Kim-Chi Hot Pot.  As hesitant and doubtful we were and dreaded the 'red' sea soup - thinking that it may be terribly 'spicy hot' as 3/4 jar of the Kim-Chi were added to the hot pot - Interestingly the hot pot was not "spicy hot" as we thought.    It was a great treat.  Kim-Chi did not drown out the flavor of other ingredients.  Amazingly it brought out the flavor of each ingredients we added - various mushrooms, tofu, napa, pork, scallions, even UDON at the end.  The vinegar from the Kim-Chi has worked a wonderful magic in this hot pot.
Hot Pot - Japanese style SUKIYAKI / SHABUSHABU hot pot with lid.

Chili-Lime Eggplants with Garlic and Pearl Onions over Thick Spaghetti

In practicing to refine my plating skill, I prepared the last of the summer's eggplants sauted with garlic and pearl onions, soy sauce, sugar, salt, lime juice (limes from my garden, too), and sprinkles of chili pepper over Thick Spaghetti.

Squeeze the lemon juice or lime juice over the thick spaghetti before serving.
I find the "individual" portion size - about half cup quite appealing.

Thanksgiving Day Dinner

Although late to end the month of November with the following two posts, but better late than never.  It was a wonderful and thankful evening with families.

Pacific Blues Cafe - my Food Adventure

It's one of those day that you are too excited about visiting a new restaurant and forget the restaurant's operation hours and after driving miles to get there only to find it closed (Ad Hoc restaurant, Yountville, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays ).   It was close to 6 pm, and I was very hungry.  Luckily the neighbor restaurant Pacific Blues Cafe was open.  The restaurant's kitchen area is viewable from the seating area.  A couple of  customers were dining at the time.  Two chefs are busy waiting for the new orders.   The servers are friendly and it's a cozy place inside.  Within an hour, the inside seatings are filled with customers.  Looking at their attire and greetings of each customers to each other, they are returning local residents and know each other.   I ordered one of the specials of the evening - Sauted Halibut with dilled caper cream sauce, garlic mashed potatoes, and buttered vegetables.  I also requested my Halibut to be cooked well as I like mine with crispy crust. 

When my order arrived, I was very pleased with its presentation and nice aroma.  I am glad to see my halibut with crispy crust.  The halibut is still moist and I love that dilled caper cream sauce on Halibut.  It is a great combination.  It brought out the halibut flavor.  The tangy sour flavor of caper burst in the mouth as you bite into the halibut and creamy sauce mellows it out.  Buttered broccoli is well prepared.  Cut in uniform size.  Fresh taste.  Garlic mashed potatoes gave another dimension of soft and creaminess to the dish.  It really made my trip well worth the while.  Truthfully, when I returned to the Yountville two days later and found out that Ad Hoc was engaged in private party, I wanted to go to Pacific Blues Cafe, again.  That is a good sign of a good restaurant, I thought.   I am pleased with the last dining experience and I remembered the wonderful taste of the sauted halibut.   I think this has been quite a month for the food adventure for my study.  It's time to enact it in my kitchen.  I am hoping to incorporate some of this food adventure experiences and turn out variety of tasty dishes.

Selland's Market Cafe - my Food Adventure

I made a special trip to the Selland's Market Cafe in mid-town Sacramento.  It has been opened for about 10 years is what I heard.  I did not know that.  As our instructor encouraged us, "Go out and eat and find out" as part of the "Becoming a Chef" learning experience.  So, I have been, and it was a good trip.  It is a busy cafe at noon.  The interior is cozy with some tables for two's and four's and large long family style bench table.  There are some outside seating as well.  Just like a market, you order the food you see in the display cases - a-la-cart.  You can see all the hot food, cold salad/pasta, desserts in the display cases.  You can order hot and cold sandwiches, pizza, too.  Servers are friendly and will bring food that you ordered to your table.  Customers seem to be enjoying the atmosphere and not minding sharing the large dining table when the cafe got full.  I ordered Chicken Breast roasted with mushrooms, sherry and cream; mac-cheese; fruit salad, and banana cream tart.
While I was enjoying my lunch, the order line wrapped around me.  It kind of reminded me of the eating experience at a popular mom and pop street vendor where the line starts to form around you, and they are practically standing right over you as you eat.  But, that's when I heard not one, but several customers asking their accompanying 'friend' how to order the food.  That means they are first-timer like me.  That's a good sign.  Previous visitors returning with new customers.
I really liked the roasted chicken breast.  I usually like the 'dry' chicken meat, but this was very good.  It is tasty all the way and the mushroom cream sauce did not overwhelm the chicken, but together they were like a team in the mouth to make my lunch all so much better.  Mac-cheese tasted creamy and satisfying.  I like the combination of in-season fruits - persimmons and pomegranate and apples, etc. in the fruits salad.  Banana cream tart - I don't know why I ordered it.  The banana tart is not in my favorite pie list.  May be that's the reason why.  I wanted to see if it would change my mind.  There were so many other pastries to choose from, but I ordered the banana cream tart.  I didn't think the pastry cream complemented the banana.  I ate the whole thing though.  Something was missing ... I wanted to say, "I am eating a tart with Banana covered with cream."  But I did not connect to it.  But it is okay.  The main course was great.