Breaking My Silence: Monumental Changes on the Gulf Coast and In Our World

When I lived in New Orleans, I ate seafood at least every other day. The oysters from the Gulf Coast were the best I had ever had in my life. The shrimp was succulent to every bite. Today, I just read an article about how Drago's has stopped selling its chargrilled oysters and seafood restaurateurs are now being forced to completely overhaul their menus because of the now toxic, oil-polluted, and contaminated Gulf waters. I simply cannot imagine what it would be like to have gumbo without curly Louisiana shrimp or po' boys without golden deep-fried oysters. Everyday, my heart breaks more and more when I see what is going on (or what is NOT going on in the Gulf). BP's oil spill is affecting the livelihoods, culture, health, and welfare of everyone in the Gulf Coast communities and in all of the world.

The Food Blogger's Dilemma: Ugly Spaghetti

As a food blogger, sometimes, you go through "moments."

One of those "moments," is realizing that the food pictures that you took are hideously unappetizing.

After this past Easter week/weekend and all of the activities with the church, friends, and family, I finally sat down at my computer, ready to begin posting again. As I uploaded the pictures from my camera to my computer, I realized to my chagrin that I have a lot of ugly food pictures. And when I say "ugly," I really mean "fugly." Ahem, like that below.


Can the world of food blogging be more like the cute fantasy world of Ugly Betty? Can good content (what is on the inside) redeem really disastrous food pictures (what is on the outside)? Should you still post on a meal or a restaurant, even though your pictures came out looking like a bad nightmare? That is the food blogger's dilemma.

Admittedly, sometimes I am too lazy to garnish a plate with grated cheese and chiffonaded basil. And most of the time, the lighting in my windowless kitchen sucks the big one. I wish all pictures automatically came out perfectly, with gorgeous lighting and cute props.

Thanks for listening to my blathering, and staying with me despite the oftentimes poor quality of my pictures and posts. I will crank out a substantively decent food post soon, I promise.

Annatto / Achiote Seeds

Have you ever heard of annatto seeds from the achiote plant? If not, I would love to make an introduction. These seeds are one of nature's most vivid forms of food coloring and are commonly used to color cheddar cheeses, butters, and margarines. Therefore, if you have ever eaten cheese, butter, or margarine, you should not be afraid of cooking with these seeds.

I know you are thinking, "What in the hay-hole are these seeds, and how do they taste?" The seeds themselves are mild in flavor. If you pop a crunchy one in your mouth, it will taste similar to a bland peppercorn, leeched of any spiciness, with an almost indiscernable aftertaste of saffron or clay. (How do I know what clay tastes like? Okay, I did try clay when I was a kid, but I thought it was chocolate pudding!) However, these seeds are not used for flavor, but more for the stunning rust-colored hue. Grown and harvested in South and Central America, you simply heat these seeds in oil to release the dark and potent jasper coloring. These seeds lend their vibrantly rich, Sedona red color to the Vietnamese soups of bun bo hue and bun rieu. Latin American cuisines also often employ achiote paste (a flavorful paste made of a panapoly of spices and annatto coloring) in their cuisine to deepen the color of mole sauces and even enrich the visual colors in tamales.

Check out your local Asian or Latin American market for packs of these seeds, and start experimenting!

Longans / Dragon Eyes

Don't let the frightening name intimidate you from sampling longans, an exotic and succulent fruit, which translates as "dragon eyes" in Chinese and other various Asian languages. These juicy orbs are widely available in Asian markets during the harvest season, and almost always available canned (similar to peaches, pineapple, fruit cocktail, and mandarin oranges), but be forewarned, these "dragon eyes" are mighty expensive.

Dragon eyes, are so named because of their unique appearance, for they look as though they are large optical organs taken from a fire-breathing reptile that existed in the Medieval times. A longan is rotund with milky flesh and a shiny black stone pit within. The fruit flesh is thus analogous to the whites of a dragon's eye and fruit pit is a parallel to the dark irises centered on the eye. Additionally, in Vietnam, the dust-colored rind is compared to the skin of a toad.

Odd appearance aside, just as lychee fruits, the texture of the longan mirrors that of a firm peeled grape. However, dissimilar from lychee fruits, longans possess less of a coconut aroma. Instead, it has more of a deep, nutty flavor with undertones of an aged cognac or the peppery fragrance of nutmeg. Furthermore, lychees are far more white and fleshy and not as translucent and delicate as longans.

I hope that this interesting fruit has piqued has your interest for a taste! For more posts on exotic or interesting fruit, check out the following posts:

• Red Currants
• The Dragon Fruit
• The Mangosteen
• Oh, Those Summer Days! (Lychee and Yellow Watermelon)
  

An Everyday Pleasure #8: Loose Pork Jerky

One of my favorite rice porridge (congee or jook) toppings, is roe-tsong, or literally translated, "loose meat." It is also known as "pork floss" in some circles. I am sure you are asking about now, "What is 'loose meat?' Sounds naughty!"

See the mottled fibers in the lower right-hand corner of the image? Loose meat is essentially seasoned and dried pulled pork, and it is packed with barbecued flavors. Imagine taking a piece of regular dried jerky, and pulling the individual meat tendrils apart, one at a time, to yield a tuft of stringy dried meat fibers. That is what it is. Basically it is pulled pork jerky. Perhaps my description sounds unappetizing, but lemme tell ya', it is very tasty. The Chinese always know how to make the most out of a little protein by "extending" it, either by chopping it up into little bite-sized pieces for a stirfry, or by ripping apart pork jerky, to serve as a delicious snack or topping for an entrée. Sound interesting? You should try it! Loose meat is sold in Asian markets everywhere.

For more exotic and unconventional (but tasty) Chinese foods, check out my posts on century/thousand-year-old eggs and on five spice pressed tofu:

• Four Score and One Thousand Years Ago
• Pressed Five Spice Tofu

And for more of my posts on congee and porridge, check out these two (non-substantive, but food pornish--meaning, there are pictures) of my congee/porridge experiences:

• An Everyday Pleasure #5: Brown Rice Porridge
  
• A Breakfast Haiku About Brown Rice Congee
  

Red Currants

Since most of us are trying to follow through with the common New Year’s resolution of losing weight, I might as well post about a gorgeous fruit that I had an opportunity to sample in Switzerland—the red currant.


Though quite similar in taste and texture to a lightly sour raspberry, the glistening, shining surface of the tart orb is more comparable to the skin of a tender blueberry. Red currants are endowed with woody stems on their navels and their semi-translucent bodies are filled with a nucleus of tiny, hardened seeds that may lodge deep within the crevices of your molars. They come in grape-like clusters, dangling like heavy beads suspended on a wisteria branch. The tiny globe-shaped currants easily burst in your mouth and the sweet pulp will stain your eager lips. When red currants are deemed too sour for raw consumption, they are often used in fruit preserves, berry tarts, syrupy glazes, or even in yogurts or to be steeped in teas. I guarantee that one taste will have you requesting more!

The Dragon Fruit

Growing up in an Asian family, I was taught from an early age the importance of eating plenty of fruit, not just from a "health" vantage point, but from a "spiritual" one. During the Lunar New Year and birthday celebrations, fruit took on a deeper meaning, as certain types of fruits (such as peaches and oranges) signified prosperity and good fortune for our family. Because my father grew up in Vietnam, he made sure to introduce his children to fruits from his childhood, even though such fruits were very expensive and rarely available anywhere near where we lived in Arizona. Durian, starfruit, lychees, longans (dragon eyes), pitaya (dragon fruit), and mangosteens were his favorite tropical fruits. I have already posted before on lychees and mangosteens, and today, I would love to share with you about the dragon fruit.

The outside of the dragon fruit looks akin to a hot pink and underdeveloped artichoke, with flipper-esque growths emanating from the fruit's oblong body. With its audacious appearance, it is clear to see where the dragon fruit gets its name. You can easily imagine the tentacle-like dragon fruit stems to be the twirling, suspended whiskers of a dragon's mane. However, the inside of a dragonfruit is a monochromatic contradiction to the brazen colors of the outside rind. The fruit is just supple white flesh, simply flecked with a scattered design of black poppy-like seeds.

To eat a dragon fruit, cut it just like a melon, lengthwise, and then into wedges. Next, peel away the hardened rind to reveal a delicately soft and fleshy interior, which texturally feels identical to a kiwifruit. The subtle fruit flesh tastes both like a soft, ripened pear and a kiwifruit, but without any bite of tartness.

Check out your local speciality store or the ethnic area of your supermarket, to discover the dragon fruit. Happy holidays, and Merry Christmas everyone!

Missing Generic Californianess

When you live in California, you typically don't pay attention to the ubiquitous corporate chain stores that pepper the landscape and fill up California's quintessential strip malls. Therefore, Californians usually don't realize the value of these stores until they move to another state and become "ex-Californians."

Taste Memory reminded me a few days ago that one of these invaluable stores was Trader Joe's.

I reminded myself that another such store is Panera Bread.

Oh how I lust for Panera Bread's blistered artisan cheese bread (kneaded with and decoratively sprinkled with Parmesan, Romano, and Asiago cheese)! Also, I dream of their crisp, flaky, and golden brown pastries, as they grace my lips.

Therefore, I am posting this open (and genuine) plea to Trader Joe's and Panera Bread: Please help Louisiana rebuild and open a store right next to my home!

Adopting Obama's Platform of Change

You are going to see some changes around here, starting today.

First, I am going to be doing more cooking posts. In fact, that is the reason that I started my blog in October 2005, though it hasn't been apparent from all the restaurant posts.

Second, I am going to start using larger images.


I hope you enjoy the changes! Oh, and the killer sushi spread is from Miyabi Sushi in SF.

New Goals for Life

#1 Get back into blogging.

#2 Blog much more about the amazing city that is New Orleans.

#3 Eat a lot of cheese bread now that the (quasi) diet is over. The goal is just geared towards cheese bread. Not wholegrain wheat, not rye, not pumpernickel, and even not potato bread. Just cheese bread, so astounding and simple. (I'm married now, I don't have to keep my body up anymore!)

#4 Make sure that the cheese bread has tremendous caverns (or at least, substantial pockets) filled with melty cheese. And note the distinction between "melted" and "melty." There is a huge difference.

#5 Put cheese on inappropriate items at each meal, like on clams cooked in wine sauce.

The Mangosteen

One touch of a mangosteen segment to your lips, and you will understand what manna tasted like.

After you carefully cut an opening into its thick, fibrous rind, you will find a supple treasure within this tropical fruit. A mangosteen is divided into segments, just like a tangerine, and has one (or two) medium-sized seeds inside each segment. The fruit flesh of a mangosteen will melt on your tongue, releasing its abundant, honeyed juices in a flood of deliciousness. The flavor of a mangosteen is subtle, and less concentrated than a dragon eye (longan fruit). I would say that its texture and taste is almost like a cross between a juice-filled loquat or lychee, and with the finish of a soft, ripe (but not overripe) banana or a very ripe and non-gritty pear.

Confusing enough?

If I had to compare a mangosteen to our everyday fruits as available in the local produce market, I would say, imagine a slickly lubricious, non-fibrous, and incredibly juicy citrus fruit with a soft, melt-in-your-mouth banana-like interior. But way, way better.

I hope that "the Mangosteen" has encouraged you to be more adventurous at your local farmers market or while inspecting the exotic area of your supermarket's produce section. You never know what treasure you will find there.

Why I Love Vietnamese Grandmothers

Because after a long day at work, you will "mysteriously" discover a tray full of crackly, golden, and freshly-fried cha gio sitting on the kitchen table. And what do you know? They are just waiting for you to eat them.

Hilarious Article About Food Translation In China

I have wedding on the brain and just had two (minor, but emergency) surgeries, so I really have been M.I.A. here on the blog. I will update soon after the impending nuptials. Just wanted to post the link and article for this hilarious news story I read today.

(I just added some leftover pictures of a Mainland China-inspired restaurant I ate at before I left the Bay Area, to give you an idea of the food-translation problems that we Chinese-Americans encounter on a daily basis. The pictures include "classic" mainland foods, including 1000-year-old egg, a.k.a. the century egg, with cold silken tofu; fermented vegetables in a hot chili soup; and delicious pig ear. If that didn't get your salivary glands running, then I don't know what will!)

Miss you and love you all!

'Kung pao chicken' on menus for Olympics

Appealing menus advised, not 'bean curd made by a pock-marked woman'

Reuters

updated 2:13 p.m. CT, Wed., June. 18, 2008

BEIJING - It's official. Hungry foreign hordes craving a fix of diced chicken fried with chili and peanuts during the Beijing Olympics will be able to shout "kung pao chicken!" and have some hope of getting just that.

As it readies for an influx of visitors for the August Games, the Chinese capital has offered restaurants an official English translation of local dishes whose exotic names and alarming translations can leave foreign visitors frustrated and famished.

If officials have their way, local newspapers reported on Wednesday, English-speaking visitors will be able to order "beef and ox tripe in chili sauce," an appetizer, rather than "husband and wife's lung slice."

Other favorites have also received a linguistic makeover.

"Bean curd made by a pock-marked woman," as the Beijing Youth Daily rendered the spicy Sichuanese dish, is now "Mapo tofu." And "chicken without sexual life" becomes mere "steamed pullet."

According to one widely repeated story, the Chinese name of "kung pao chicken" comes from the name of an imperial official who was fed the dish during an inspection tour.

With the Beijing Olympics just weeks away, a notice on the city tourism bureau Web site told restaurants to come and pick up a book with the suggested translations.

In China, where meetings are almost as popular as banquets, agreeing on the English-language menu has taken many rounds of discussions over previous drafts since last year.

Just as predictably in this country where nationalism and the Internet make a potent brew, controversy has already broken out over the blander new translations.

"I don't like this new naming method, it's abandoning Chinese tradition," one Internet comment declared. "There are many stories in the names of these dishes."

Copyright 2008 Reuters. Click for restrictions.

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25246774/

I Actually Do Want a Piece of Meat

This parody on Britney Spears's song, "Piece of Me" is quite amusing.

I Told You MSG Was the Sixth Food Group! Err, I Mean the Fifth Taste.

Happy New Year's everyone! The bad news is that I am way behind in my ever-increasing load of work and I completely blew my goal of finishing up my SF posts before 2007. . . But I have good news! MSG is healthy and good for you! Well, maybe not. Although I am sure you have heard already, but umami (also referred to as L-glutamate) has now been recognized by the mainstream media as the "fifth taste." In addition to sweet, sour, salty, and bitter, our taste buds can actually detect a meaty, hearty flavor. Still confused as to what umami is? MSG adds umami flavor, and parmesan cheese and plain beef stock contain a potent and almost unadulterated form of the umami flavor. Soy sauce is a combination of salty and umami tastes.

I actually first heard about umami on my way to work while listening to NPR. Soon afterwards, I read about it recently in the Wall Street Journal. Click on those links to check out their mouthwatering description of umami.

In celebration of the recognition of umami as the fifth taste, here is a post of some of my favorite umami-flavored foods: dim sum! Unfortunately, here in New Orleans, there aren't many dim sum places. Well, there is one in the West Bank, but it is both pricey and it sho' as heck ain't all that.

Bring on the umami please!

Is This Why I Am Broke?

According to this Wall Street Journal Article, Influential Food Bloggers Now Eat for Free.

Thus, the article further confirms my theory that I will always have to pay for my own meals.

Je Suis Arrivée

I arrived in New Orleans earlier this week, and I have already gorged myself on some of the best eats of the City, including warm Cafe Du Monde beignets generously dusted with powdered sugar, fried chicken fresh from the fryer at Willie Mae's Scotch House, huge sloppy oysters at Acme Oyster House, and a velvety and hearty gumbo at Emeril's NOLA. Pictures and reviews are coming soon--as soon as I move in my new place and get settled down. Thank you for your patience, I can't wait to share with you my stories of the Big Easy!

The Grass Is Greener on St. Patrick's Day

Deviating from those tasty food blogs that are featuring recipes on how to make steaming loaves of freshly-baked soda bread or hot corned beef brisket and cabbage, today, I am going to post up some "green" non-Irish foods to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day!

In school, I was one of those kids who always forgot to wear green and instead ended up wearing purplish, silver-dollar-sized bruises on my forearms from being pinched the entire day. I quickly learned to say, "I am wearing green underwear!"

Nowadays, I no longer say, "I am wearing green underwear!" Instead, I say, "I ate green today for lunch," and thus I successfully avoid the onslaught of stubby little pinching fingers. Today, I really did eat green today: green tortellini and lentils! . . . I guess you can say I have a thing for green food.

Happy St. Pattie's Day everyone!

A Breakfast Haiku About Brown Rice Congee

Simple and cleansing,
Warm, soothing, and refreshing.
Congee with fried egg.

I was inspired at breakfast this morning while surfing through scrumptious food blogs and the haikus on Craigslist.

An Everyday Pleasure #7: Girl Scout Cookies

Can you turn down a bespectacled and uniformed third grade Brownie with pleading puppy-dog eyes?
Well, my answer is no. Especially not if she armed with (and selling) colorful boxes of sugar-laden Girl Scout cookies. Like the rest of America, my favorites are Thin Mints and Samoas. Unlike the rest of America, I would knife a guy in the gut to get my yearly quota of Samoas.

If you've never sampled a Samoa, allow me explain the heavenly cookie ingredients that lead to my demented infatuation.

Samoas start with a buttery shortbread cookie with a hole stamped out the middle. Think of it as a sugary, oversized, and decadent Cherrio, if you will. Then, the cookie is blanketed in a generous carpeting of dessicated and toasted coconut flakes and enrobed with a gluey caramel adhesive. The cookie is then decorated with swirly chocolate stripes, which hypnotically beckon your lips and tongue for a sweet taste. The end result after this arduous cookie-making process is "the Samoa," the Girl Scout cookie of all cookies! And yes, I can polish off an entire box in one day!

If the Girl Scout cookie season was year-round, Samoas really would be my everyday pleasure!