Friday, September 30, 2011

Trois Fruits Tatin - A.P.P.


I love making Tatin. I find it easier than making the regular pies. To make the best use of the final summer fruit crops from the garden --plum, Asian pears, and Fuji apple . All from my mother's garden that my brother tended. He loves to grow all sorts of fruits and vegetables and share with the family. I decided to combine all three into one tatin. I call it A.P.P. Tatin (Apple, Pear, and Plum) or Trois Fruits Tatin. It turned out that they complimented each other in the flavors and textures, and it was aromatically magical. To make this wonderful tatin, you need your homemade Puff Pastry dough, of course.





Monday, September 19, 2011

Buttery Croissant My Way


We all love to eat the buttery croissants.  Another perfect warm kitchen and cheaper gas price during the summer beckoned me to try baking the croissants.  Although heat is the enemy of butter in preparing croissant, after timing the proofing time, and using different techniques I learned, my croissant turned out all right.
I made some filled with almond paste, and others with mixtures of raisins and nuts.  Enjoy!














Home Grown Vegetable - Acceptance & Appreciation for the Imperfection

What is it about growing your own vegetables and fruits, then, no matter how distorted they turned out to be, we end up still eating them gratefully by cutting around the blemish, etc. ... Yet, when we go to the grocery store, I will try to look for the perfect ears of corn, unbruised peaches, etc.  My garden veges and fruits this year grew enough to keep me with fresh vegetables and fruits.  And I find myself more forgiving of their imperfection then for the ones we buy from the store. I cut around the bug eaten portion and enjoy the other halves with full appreciation.  










How to make Zong-Tze, Part 3 of 3 CHUKA CHIMAKI NO TSUKURIKATA

Thursday, September 01, 2011

Zong-Tze - Summer Memory

My family enjoy some of the traditional Chinese festival meals and snacks  - New Year dinner, Hot-Pots, and in lunar month of July - the  Zong-Tze.   I am not 100% of the correct spelling in English, but it's one of our favorites.   Every country has its own version of this Zong-Tze.  Mexican, Viet-Namese, Hawaiian, etc, they got their special rice dish wrapped in corn husks or banana leaves, bamboo leaves enclosing flavorfully marinated pork, chicken, beef, peanuts, etc, etc,  and steamed or boiled or BBQ'd.   However the cooking methods maybe, it is always fun making them together with family  and passing on the tradition.















Catch the video How To at this blog or visit YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DeGPrfiP4A
and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3Zm1jhyd9c

Making Family Zong-Tze (Part I)


How to Make Zong-Tze