giving Thanks.. .

I started work at a place where we sell everything you need to cook with. so of course an ideal place for a foodie/chef like myself. I am able to help so many people with their thanksgiving meal planning. thanksgiving is a very interesting day. historically it has been associated with an American tradition in which we give thanks to the Native Americans who helped the first settlers survive their winters in the new land. as a history major, I know the background and think its all nice. but the day has warped into a monster. families overeat and watch sports and shop. children cringe at the idea of what their parents do on this week, for some lucky kids they actually get to enjoy the day with their family and good food. I think that we should somehow turn this day more into a family day more than about the food or the sports or the shopping that we can done on black friday. the family unit has changed so much over the years that its been diminishing in the values that people hold. i think food traditions are a great way in which families can build memories as well as spend quality time together. people need to get the whole family involved with cooking and the food the consume and pay attention to give thanks to the little luxuries that everyone has in their lives. 

This week, women and some brave men take on the challenge of preparing a turkey for the feast. there are so many things that need to be thought out when taking on the task of preparing the historic and tradition filled meal. there are so many things that could also go wrong. I love making thanksgiving meal. i think the fact that there are SO many required traditional tastes involve i get to make a ton of different dishes for a lot of people. sadly this year i will not be preparing a turkey. but i am okay with that.. working I've been smelling and selling the flavor of thanksgiving that i'm a bit burnt out on turkey day. 

my first real thanksgiving... well the one were i made food... i had asked my father if we could do an American style thanksgiving and he said yes. i went on ordering food ( i was in high school at this time, i only knew to order food so that i wouldn't mess up.) but my father took the American thanksgiving to anther level and perhaps sparked my cooking passion. he came home with a freshly killed *the bird was still warm* 13 lbs. turkey. it was the scariest thing my father has ever made me touch/cook. i panicked. the next day i went to school and gathered as much turkey advice as i possibly could. i ended up recruiting my best friend to help me with the meal. we went on to making everything, garlic mashed potatoes, rice pilaf, steamed green beans, crescent rolls, steak, salad and probably some more stuff that i cannot remember. we made so much food. i couldn't taste anything either... the stress of cooking got me sick so she had to taste everything we made. but it came out perfect. without the ability to taste, i was still able to pull off a tender turkey. i was amazed at myself. i guess that was when i realized i had some type of skill or talent in cooking. 

since that thanksgiving in high school, i've been able to make about three more turkeys for friends and family. it has been great. i've tried many ways and of course had many other thanksgiving turkeys that was so dried that all the sauce in the world would not save it's flavor. since i wont be making turkey this year. i wanted to at least go ahead and give my thanks. 

i am thankful: for the fact that i am able to eat the foods that i do, that i have a full stomach, that i have a family that is healthy, that i have friends that are funny and kind, for a boyfriend who loves food as much as i do, for life and to be alive despite the hard times, organic foods, farms/farmers, traditional ways of prep for food, cook books.. so much to be thankful for. 

eat extraordinary everyday! 

trust me. .

'trust me'
that's what omakase means in Japanese. its when the chef is trusted by the diner to be fed nothing but the best. or perhaps you've heard 'its up to you' all in the same... trusting someone to feed you without you ever knowing what comes next. 

well i've always thought highly of my palate and my judgement of a great dining establishment. i've always recommended people to places to eat and tell them truthful about the experience. if i love a place you'll know. if i hate a place, you'll know for sure. so for the summer i worked at a place that i loved eating at. that was a complete fluke. i didnt think they were hiring or even needed anyone, but after dinner i was asked if i was interested and ended up joining the team within 24 hours. it felt right. and when i was able to eat more and see more of the food being done and served out i really wanted all my friends to come and experience the food as i had. sushi that isn't pretentious but is actually mind blowing. but no one ever came. maybe a few friends. i had a couple come in and said it was on the top with the best sushi places in Hollywood. i said it was better. but recently i guess I've been given satisfaction. 

Phillip *papa san boss man. was challenged to a throw down with bobby flay. wow.

i was SO excited when it was confirmed that it was a throw down, Phillip said he wanted a chance in kitchen stadium to prove himself against the iron chef on a bigger arena. wow. if the food network showcasing your favorite place on a episode of throw down isn't proof that you have good taste i don't know what is. I'm just waiting until the magazines start up on it. 

hell I'm starting to think i should write an article for them and submit. who knows. they might like it. speaking of which i'm trying to up my writing portfolio of food things. so we'll see what happens. i know that my blog isnt the biggest or the most popular, but for now i'm writing for my friends to read. and just to get my thoughts out there. where this passion of food will take me, time can only tell. 

i cant wait for the show to air. i'll let everyone know. until then.. 

eat extraordinary everyday! 

**the photos are of the fish TAI, American name SEA BREAM. 

udon...

well like most people when i don't have time or company to go out to grab some food, i tend to attack the kitchen on a mission to make something to eat. when you're bit of a foodie/cook, you tend to make things a bit more extreme then the normal person.. not just a simple grilled cheese sandwich. for one thing i always have stocked in the house is udon noodles. 

udon noodles are one of my favorite types of noodles. its big and white, soft and filling and just happy. they remind you of just the simplicity of good slurping times. when i'm sad, there is nothing as delightful then a big bowl of noodles just waiting for you to slowly or quickly enjoy. on a cold day a bowl of udon noodle soup is just great. although i am not of japanese background, i adore these noodles. they are happy. having them in stock is amazing, stir fry or just in soup base, its just delicious treat.  

when i started this blog i did not think of putting my recipes, and i'm still having to deal with giving recipes out or sharing them. so with the indecision, i will not yet or for now put my recipes up. but i made some great noodles last night. simple, fresh ingredients are the key. hot wok, onions, mushrooms, garlic, beef slices, black bean sauce, sesame oil and of course udon. and you get something amazing. this is one of my favorite after school snack when i was younger, when i didnt have anything to make anything else. but now i realize that what i eat at home is never on the menu of some places so its a special treat. of course i'm one of those odd people who have home made kimchi stocked at all times and i love my sister for that. and serve a little spicy kimchi with your beef stir fry udon noodles and you have a delicious treat. 

i think everyone has a favorite type of noodle. i mean the Italians have pasta and the Chinese with noodles.. so many forms but all the same comforting feeling. 

eat extraordinary everyday. 

we're cookin!

when you're a foodie., you become very particular in how your food is prepared. and in my case both myself and my significant other of a dining partner are very big on food. so when it comes time to decide what to eat and where,  we both need plenty of time to pick a place. but the other day i decided to go to a new place. the idea is Japanese BBQ. kinda very similar to Korean BBQ.. 

its a little place off of Sawtelle- now if you know this street you know that all the good Asian foods are here. well specifically Japanese food. and great karaoke there too! its a great hang out if you don't want to drive down to the San Gabriel valley.. or Korean town or Japanese town...

 so this is a great place to go if you live on the west side and hate traffic... 

so we order a little of everything.. beef tongue, prime steak, squid, veggies and two bowls of rice for the entree. then we have a nice seaweed salad and ox tail soup to start.. and of course a side of mixed kimchi veggies to go along with the food. and yes.. i always eat this much, perhaps its training for the food critic in me. anyhow.. like I've sad many times, you must try a bit of everything to get the full experience of the food.

one of the great things about cooking your own food is that its quick! The waiter turns on the fire as soon as the order is taken and the food comes out in minutes from the kitchen. so the hole in the middle is hot and you get excited.  so the soup is great and the salad is so simple i have to adore it even more with every bite. there isn't a lot of prep work done in the kitchen except for making sure its sliced thinly for quick cooking. so the excitement comes out faster as you finish the appetizer. its so great.. i love seeing raw food ready to be cooked. and when it comes to beef you get to control how well cooked the food is... total control freak i know.. but its the sure shot way to love the food that is placed into your mouth.

the food itself is not mind blowing, it is what it is, a good meal. the wait staff is amazing and the head chef/owner is walking around making sure everyone is happy. that always gives you a good feeling about the place. no crazy or shady things happening if the boss is there checking up on the guests and the food. its actually reassuring. its a very cute and quaint place to have a quick meal with a little fun. you do leave smelling like food but if anything that's a really good smell to have, who doesnt love food smell? but overall i think this is a great place to eat. and that everyone should go and try it out. and one of the best things is the gum they give you for dessert. and yes its telling you exactly what to do with that piece of gum! 

 eat extraordinary everyday!

a romantic dinner for two..

one of my favorite places to go dine at in Los Angeles is a little place not known to many. its called the little door. its gained much popularity due to the opening of 'the little next door', right next door that sells lunch things during the day, since the little door is closed during the day. its really great. the little door that is. the service is amazing. very helpful and the food of course is just darling. the food itself is something worth investing some time into learning and experiencing more. I've been to this place countless times and tried many of the different staples of the menu. the dessert there is also just spectacular. everything that you put in your mouth has color and visions when you close your eyes, as the flavors sing you a song and paint you a painting. Needless to say that this place is not just for a dinner for any occasion. its best experienced with a loved one, a good friend and or anyone who appreciates fresh flavor and great atmosphere. this place has the perfect combination to make a dinner into an adventure into a new world. 

as you walk in, you see a green background of plants and flickers of soft candle light, i recommend a dinner near the time of sunset.  you notice the lush foliage in the whole space. you see that there are candles starting to be lit and the white table cloths give you a sense of fine dining. you are greeting with a smiling face. sitting outside is a different experience than that of the inside. but for the romantic dinner outside on a summer night, i really do suggest the outside. during the colder nights i would say the blue room where they have a beautiful fire place and a whole new decor that makes you just feel comfy. back to the outdoors, you'll start to notice that everything is a bit slower in pace, the feel of everyone is very relax and enjoyable, setting a nice tone for how you should take the little door in. order some wine, they have a great selection to choose from and if you like beer they have a smaller choice of beer but

 nonetheless have a cocktail, even if you do not drink, it does add a bit of an element to the whole meal. trust me. 

i always do a three course meal. always. i like to think that having a bit of everything is really getting the true experience and taste of what each restaurant has to offer and as a foodie, i like to taste as much as possible. appetizers are a great way to see how concisely creative the chef can be. its like the opening pages of a book, can the chef take the simplest and freshest ingredients from the season and show you how well the farmers have grown the food?

 can you taste the earth? can you really taste whatever that ingredient is? i find myself often

 disappointed when all my senses are not evoked in the appetizer. you'll get there, the first flavors should make you excited for what you really ordered. at the little door they keep it simple. they use the best produce and amazing cheese. so fear not. 

during my romantic dinner we ordered two very different things, my boyfriend ordered the duck duo. and it was simply amazing. my boyfriend, i must admit is not one to suggest any cuisine outside of the Asian continent, but he trusts me. and thus finds himself amazed as he smells the different sections of the plate blending harmoniously together. he was doubtful when there was prunes and star anise in the description of the duck, but i assured that this place was really good. and indeed it was perfection. 

as for myself, i ordered the scallops. i enjoy my seafood raw on the regular basis but when I'm out at place where I've eating all the protein, i try to venture into the seafood world to make sure the whole menu is great. there is a fine line between which seafood like scallops may be cooked before they are ruined, i am always in awe when a place can actually deliver a solidly cooked seafood entree to the public time and time again. our entrees were just spectacular, every thing just enhanced each ingredient's individual flavors. it was wonderful, so good that there was not much conversation at the table but just sounds of utter enjoyment of food, as all dinners should be like. we shared a few forkfuls of the entrees and with trying the other's plate you just realize how much fun you're having just simply eating. not being gluttonous but truly appreciating life. of course there is always the problem after you finish your entree. it comes in the form of dessert. 

thankfully i did not have to make that horrible decision of what to pick for dessert, as our server who happen to be a favorite customer of the sushi restaurant, he had selected a dessert trio for us to enjoy. and boy oh boy was it just magical. chocolate, creme brulee and cheesecake. life could not get any better than the sight that was in front of us in the form of confectionery

 delights. i love chocolate and as with all true chocolate lovers, we like dark and bitter sweet and at the little door, the chocolate is always just right. not so sweet that you cannot taste the true cocoa flavor and just rich enough to make your tongue twirl around a bit. and next the classic. the creme brulee. nothing in this world is so simple and so special at the same time as this dessert. there are only what? five ingredients that go into making this, and of course the sugar crackle on top just makes it so simply amazing to bite into. the contrast of the soft custard and the hard sugar top is just so much fun to eat. i have never met anyone who didn't like it, its so comforting. and the cheesecake. . . it was coconut with a passion fruit sauce. o my.. it was just brilliant in the tropical flavors. i happen to be a fan of passion fruit and the combination of the coconut and the cheese i was just a happy girl. the flavors reminded me of sunsets and beaches. i never thought that i was able to finish the desserts but with hard work and careful breathing, we were able to finish most of the trio placed in front of us. 

i must recommend that everyone at one point should visit the little door and do the whole dinner experience that i have described. i have gone to a lot of restaurants but there are only a few that i continue to go to. i make it a point to go once a year, if i am lucky more but i find it that its special enough to look forward to once a year. it is definitely a place that is worth every penny and worth the special place in my list of places to dine. going with friends, family and loved ones just keeps the little door a special place in my heart of sure shot great dinner experience. 

eat extraordinary everyday

Ribfest...

So i went to a football game the other night, without any knowledge of the Rib festival that was there.! 

Anyhow..since we're doing the low carb or no carb * thats the one she's doing. I'm doing the as limited amount of carbs for an Asian noodle head.. carb cautious eating.. life is interesting. I haven't had noodles in a while maybe since I've left Los Angeles. I try to eat only salads  that is loaded with everything. although i enjoy a simple salad with few ingredients, i LOVE salads that are filled with a bit of everything-because the right variety of flavors in the salad makes it -sans dressing healthy. so now everything goes on it-sunflower seeds, tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, edamame, olives, avocados, almond slices, hard boiled egg, chicken, ham... just about everything goes on it and good amount of salt and pepper. then eat away... its great and no dressing with old is needed and all the salad is raw so every vitamin goes into your body... 

so now that i have demonstrated my appreciation for things green and healthy i will go into my deep admiration for ribs and b.b.q. A few days ago, i was invited for a kick off game for the steelers. as we approach the field from our far parking spot, i started to see smoke... good smoke- the smoke that has flavor in it. I saw the sign "Rib Festival 2008" and my eyes were filled with a gaze that could not be unlocked from the smoke. but my healthy minded roommate said "no" and that it would ruin our healthy day of working out and eating light. I was heart broken. just sad. but after the game i convinced myself that ribs were good since they were not carbs and if i didnt lick the sauce i should be okay. but of course its a Rib festival who am i kidding, there were award winning teams with their stands there waiting for me to love my life even more. so i get in line and get the teaser. so g

ood. so good. life was great. i love festivals and vendors who can actually deliver the flavors and food they claim. 

no carb, low carb.. wtf

upon coming back to Pittsburgh.... I had planned to try to trim down and lit a bit more lean for a wedding that I am attending in September back in Los Angeles. So it wasn't a big deal to know that I would have to cut down on my junk food (everything) consumption and focus my sustenance on healthy things... I wasn't sure how I was going to do it, since I had spent my whole summer eating everything I desired. And now I have to be very careful of everything that I am putting into my mouth. It is Very Very Hard. but I think I can get through it. 

My roommate does this NO Carb thing and she eats like one meal a day... which to me both are crazy... first of all.. I LOVE NOODLES. ask anyone.. my family, my friends, my boyfriend... its one of the only things I could eat everyday. And of course its not allowed in the house.. so now I have to think of more clever ways to fulfill my stomach and my mental well being for food while keeping a good caloric count. Of course I'm going to try to work out way more (which is a first) since my school schedule is so lax this semester.. I'll be trying to work out most of the days.. like  5 and my roommate is ready to do the same with me.. so now on top of working out i have to think of new ways to eat and get my taste buds happy with the new diet. 

So now the snacks are Edamame. I like them salted and cold. its a great snack to have while playing video games or watching television. hopefully i keep them stocked so that I don't go for bad things. healthy eating is tricky if its not on the books already in your mind. but i think i can do this.. I'm sure I'll find really cool things I can eat without become a bear getting ready for hibernation... 

lets hope for the best healthy eating for this year.. but of course I'll be doing carb..after all i am Asian.. i need my rice and noodles... I'll keep it light of course.. 

eat extraordinary everyday.