24 Wednesday Jul 2013
You can register for this event at the China Institute website. Non-member tickets are $16 online or $20 at the door. The ticket includes a cocktail and tea plus the dim sum you make!
21 Sunday Jul 2013
Chef Yuji has captured the flavors of Andalusian gazpacho and made them his own in this new mazemen, which will be available for only a limited time. I loved the chopped shiso on top!
03 Wednesday Jul 2013
Posted in allium, American, Asian, bucket list, celebrations, Filipino, herbs and spices, Malaysian, meat, New York, snacks, Williamsburg
The 2013 Balut Eating Contest will be held at the Hester Street Fair on August 3, 2013. The contest is run by the awesome people at Maharlika. I came in second place last year and I am so honored to have been invited back again this year!
Balut eggs are delicious fertilized duck eggs that are cooked and eaten with salt and vinegar. If you’re lucky sometimes you will find a bit of beak, bones, and feathers! This year I am going to bring a little garlic and chili, if they allow condiments again like they did last year.
(images via All That Shnazz and NYC loves NYC)
22 Saturday Jun 2013
Number 10: Stouffer’s French Bread Pizza The sharp, jagged edges of a Stouffer’s pizza will lacerate the soft palate of your mouth and the blisteringly hot cheese will cause second-degree burns.
Number 9: Nagaimo (Dioscorea opposita) Irritant oxalate crystals in the skin of this mountain yam can leave some people’s hands prickly and tingly. Soak the whole thing in a little bit of vinegar and water to reduce the irritation.
Number 8: Sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia The common name for sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia is brain freeze. It happens when the capillaries near the sinuses are rapidly cooled and then warmed.
Number 7: Chicharrones As we get older our teeth get more brittle. Be careful when you’re eating crunchy chicharrones because you might chip your teeth!
Number 6: Lemon juice in a hangnail Whatever you do, do not do a Google image search for “hangnail”.
Number 5: Putting in contacts after chopping jalapeño peppers One way to neutralize the stinging capsaicin from the peppers is to flush your eyes with milk.
Number 4: Triangular Flapjacks The “texture and shape” of triangular flapjacks are dangerous enough to warrant a ban at a school in England! A student was injured by one of the mucronate corners of the snack.
Number 3: Mochi Choking on these sticky rice cakes sends, on average, 100 people to the hospital every year in Tokyo alone. Some deaths have also been caused by elderly people choking on mochi served as part of zōni, a rice cake soup.
Number 2: Xiǎolóngbāo Soup dumplings are one my my favorite foods but I always get burned by the piping hot liquid inside. The dumplings are filled with meat or seafood along with a gelatine made from broth and aspic. When they are steamed, the gelatine melts and becomes a delicious soup. If you don’t let the broth spill out onto your spoon first to let it cool, prepare for third-degree burns on your tongue.
Number 1: Tortilla Chips The salty, rough edges of tortilla chips always slice open the corners of my mouth. Last night I accidentally swallowed a whole tortilla chip and it ripped open a giant gash in my esophagus!
What are some food that have been painful for you to eat?
18 Tuesday Jun 2013
Posted in American, Asian, bakeries, celebrations, chocolate, dairy, herbs and spices, Japanese, New Jersey, sweets, tea, wagashi
Mitsuwa in New Jersey is the largest Japanese grocery store in the United States. They have an amazing food court that includes ramen, tempura, soba, and gyoza shops. You can also find incredible wagashi at the Minamoto Kitchoan counter.
The summer Umaimono food festival vendors are starting to set up inside Mitsuwa and one of the first ones I saw was this matcha green tea frozen yogurt stand. There is one combo that includes a mini slice of matcha cheesecake!
If you walk down the candy aisle, you will find a giant wall of green tea Crunch bars and Kit Kats!
15 Saturday Jun 2013
Posted in Asian, BBQ, bucket list, celebrations, fish, halal, herbs and spices, Malaysian, meat, New York, Queens, seafood, snacks, spicy, urban
I had one of the top ten meals of my entire life last night at Mamak, a brand new Malaysian restaurant that serves authentic Penang style halal cuisine! It’s the only place in New York City that exclusively features this delectably complex culinary tradition on their menu.
Mamak is a colloquial term used in Malaysia to refer to Tamil Muslims who operate roadside food stalls, mamak stalls. Above is the udang nasi kandar, a generous portion of succulent shrimp with a spicy mamak style sauce.
Murtabak is a stuffed and folded savory crêpe. The name comes from the Arabic word “مطبق” (folded). At Mamak murtabak is stuffed with minced beef and egg, and served with pickled red onions. We were blown away by the subtly complex flavors of the beef inside. There was definitely a hint of cumin — and maybe aniseed, clove, coriander, and cinnamon?
You must try the lamb satay. The meat is so tender it melts in your mouth! Cubes of rice, cucumber, and red onion are served on the side, along with a bit of the most delicious peanut sauce I have ever tasted!
We got to meet the amazing owner and chef, Nani Yusof Hughie! Thank you, Nani, for such amazing meal! We will be back soon!
Mamak
35-20 Farrington
Flushing NY 11355
(718) 886-4828
10 Monday Jun 2013
Deji at Smorgasburg was serving little beignets filled with foie gras mousse and topped with powdered Nutella and bokbunjaju (복분자주 or mountain berry) sauce at Smorgasburg on Saturday. They were really delicious. Be careful though! There is so much foie gras inside that it explodes a little when you bite into them!
10 Monday Jun 2013
Posted in Asian, Brooklyn, bucket list, herbs and spices, Japanese, New York, ramen, seafood, snacks, urban, Williamsburg
The staff at Yuji recently returned from Japan and are now serving this brothless mazemen with chilled crab and a refreshing cucumber gelée.
10 Monday Jun 2013
Momofuku Milk Bar in Williamsburg turned 2 over the weekend and they were giving away free cookies!
Here is their yuzu cherrysicle softserve. It tasted just like a red Popsicle with yuzu.
02 Sunday Jun 2013
Pierre Hermé’s famous Ispahan dessert is not available in the United States. I did get to try one last year in Tokyo. Since then I often find myself daydreaming about the magical combination of rose, lychee, and raspberry.
Below is a recipe for Ispahan ice cream. I made it last weekend and it turned out great!
Prepare your ice cream maker (mine has a detachable bowl that has to freeze overnight).
Over low heat, stir 8 egg yolks and 3/4 cup sugar until the yolks coat the back of the spoon. Pour into a bowl and chill this in the fridge.
Warm 1 cup of raspberries in a sauce pan with 2 tablespoons of sugar until sugar dissolves. Pour into a bowl and chill in the fridge.
Chop up one cup of lychees and set aside.
When yolks and raspberries are no longer warm, pour 2 cups of heavy cream, 1 cup of whole milk, the yolk mixture, a pinch of salt, and 2 tablespoons of rose water into the ice cream maker and let it mix for at least 10 minutes.
When the ice cream is starting to set, mix in lychees. Stir in raspberries and sauce, making a swirl. Transfer to a tightly sealed container and freeze overnight before serving!
Enjoy! And please like me on Chinook Olive Facebook!
Chinook Olive 