Keep on Truckin'

It seems as if I've spent the last five months lazing around (well, technically I have been... if you compare it to what I could have been doing :) but as I sit and ponder what all I have (and have not) done this year, I'm still pleased to say, Michael and I have had quite an eventful year (it's really easy for me to forget all the negatives because when I blog, I'm usually in a happy mood :)

We moved to London, became colleagues, worked our @sses off, fought, laughed, cried - a lot (I visibly aged during my stay there), enjoyed some world reknowned chefs, (but on the same breath) ate more bad food than I ever had in my entire life, delt with the horrid customer service, explored the neighborhoods, roamed the street markets, sun bathed in one of the world's most famous park, met some wonderfully diverse people, traveled to five other countries, did our first family trip (with my parents), saw STONEHENGE!!!... and still had five months left of the year to spend an action-packed summer and autumn here in our hometown Portland!

My biggest personal feat this year was taking that much, much needed hiatus from work. Seems pretty insignificant I know, but after more than four years in an oftentimes volatile (but opportunistic) work situation, I finally found it in me to leave. Really leave (after threatening to leave so many other times). It was the best thing I could have done for myself and the most liberating thing I did all year.

Meanwhile, Michael (who suffered sympathy pains from my unhappiness at work - I love that guy :) applied and got accepted into school and had just finished his first term at grad school <--- so proud of him! Btw, he got straight A's this past term ;) Woohoooo!

It can be easy to forget what fortunes this last year has brought us... for all of us. Have you thought about what you've done this last year or what it has taught you? Life oftentimes seem routine, uneventful and nothing short of ordinary. But never disregard the miniscule or mundane... to forget to reflect or appreciate the events of your life, significant or not, happy or sad, would be a disjustice to your vitality! Guddha (my version of God & Buddha) knows I've had my share of grief this year, but if I've learned anything at all, it's to not dwell on the bad, but focus on the good. Everything happens for a reason (my mantra for the year) because sure enough, if I look back at everything that has happened to me (even/especially) if I focused on the bad things, I now totally see why it happened. You should try it!

In hindsight (isn't hindsight a beautiful thing ?) ...

I have really enjoyed this past year, particularly my time in Europe (even though there were moments I couldn't wait to get the hell out of there) and these last few months of my "sabbatical" where I found the time to dabble in things I never thought I'd like (baking, hiking, hosting, sewing); explore things I've always wanted to do more of or get better at (blogging, photographing, volunteering); and spend time with my family and friends the way I've been wanting to the last six years.

This year has been about realization, strength, love and learning. I've (with all this free time) learned so much about myself. I've realized I am so lucky to love and have people who love me back. They give me the strength and support to keep learning about myself. I've realized, the grass is not greener on the other side (although I'll keep having to remind myself through the years) but even so, it doesn't matter, my grass is green enough! There are so many bigger problems in this world than the ones I face on a day-to-day basis. There's always someone out there who has it worse than me, but they have the strength to keep on truckin'. Hopefully, by this time next year, I can look back, remember more good things and learn from the bad... and through all the hard times, say that I too, kept on truckin'.

Torta Sbrisolona

Before you draw conclusions, I just want say, I have not forgotten the pledge I've made in baking once per week. Although wouldn't you say the ridiculous amount of baking I did in previous weeks (particularly the six dozen - edible or not, that's besides the point - cookies I made for my Cookie Swap) excuse my absence in baking for like four weeks? Plus, I've baked this Okinawan Sweet Potato Haupia Pie recipe twice since (I don't like to eat it myself, but it's so much fun to make :) and I'll be doing it again for my grandma's birthday this Friday (I just never got any good pictures to blog about it), which should further excuse me another three weeks. But who's counting?! :D

Earlier tonight, in a mad dash to provide dessert for our friends who came over for dinner, I made a Torta Sbrisolona (basically a giant cookie from Mantua, Italy) made of finely ground almonds and topped with large clumps of streusel. It was all going well until it refused to brown properly, so I decided to try my hand at broiling (never have before) and ended up burning half the cookie! LOL On the bright side of things, the half that didn't burn actually looked like what it was suppose to and tasted good with coffee ice cream (everything tastes better with ice cream doesn't it) although Martha (yes, I went back to her) does recommend it a good cookie for dinner parties if complimented with a bunch of grapes.

P.S. Michael made the most amazing miso steak and crab fried rice for dinner! I know it's so wrong to brag about your own man's cooking, but I don't care. I'd rather deal with your eye-rolling than him asking me why I never talk about his cooking!

Kenny's Noodle House

Heard about it... read about it... heard about it some more... finally tried it. It only took us this long because every time Michael and I were in the mood for noodley soups, we couldn't stray away from our beloved bowls of pho!
What do we have to say about it? Kenny's Noodle House has a very clean (for Chinese standards) taste and decor. Not as salty as the restaurant Good Taste (which I've been a devoted customer since my early college days) so it looks like without intending to, I may have found a replacement. I got the wonton noodle soup (of course - I couldn't have fairly judged it otherwise :) and Michael got the "special" fish balls, a high recommendation from friends who don't even eat fish. That must say something!

Inside a "special" fish ball.

Christmas in a Blur

Christmas this year went by in a blur. No seriously. I always thought Christmas always flew by, but this year literally zipped right past me. I think in the past, the anticipation of coming home for Christmas (from wherever I was) usually starts a month or two before I get to fly home and when I finally get home, I really work at savoring each moment. This year, with so many gatherings and celebrations starting immediately after Thanksgiving, I didn't get to sit back and enjoy the lights and scenery as much as I would have liked. It just came and went, almost like any other day :( but pictures here remind me of how much (more festive and) fun it was nonetheless!

As an only child with usually quieter Christmases, it's really fun to experience present-opening-mayhem at Michael's family's party. Sooo many presents! So many kids! It's a wonderful vibe.

We even attempted (as an unwilling team :) to make gingerbread men for the kids, although I don't think they got to participate or taste any (since Chu Hung, Chi Quan & I took over) but that might have been a blessing for them in disguise :)


Then Christmas morning at my house... "not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings were hung, by the chimney with care, in hope that St. Nicholas soon would be there..." except St. Nick didn't come and my mom made sure Michael was the only one that got anything in his stocking!!! Wth? I didn't even get coal!



I tried my hand at sewing (for the first time in my life) a pal (gray monster on the left) for Pookie (brown monster on the right), a gift Michael had given me 3 years ago.



P.S. Our blog turned 1 year old this week too!

Ken's Artisan Bakery

In the midst of the holiday craze and frantic last minute shoppers on Christmas Eve, Michael and I went looking for a temporary refuge, where we could enjoy some down time and people watch before heading over to his family's house to celebrate Christmas.

We found ourselves at Ken's Artisan Bakery (Ken's Artisan Pizza's big sister) on NW 21st.

We each got a coffee and shared a roasted turkey sandwich and tomato basil soup. They hand-make their bread and house-roast their turkey breast. It was by far, the best turkey sammy EVER!!! Besides the fact that they take their bread baking super seriously to produce an appetizingly crunchy baguette, everything else about it was delectable! Every time I took a bite, I would wrinkle my forehead in awe and confusion (seriously, Michael had to tell me to cut it out) because I was amazed at how good this seemingly simple sandwich tasted. For a minute, I thought there was something special about their lettuce, like maybe they infused it with crack, but Michael pointed out, it was actually the crack-infused garlic aoli that made it so delicious. Perfectly hand-made bread, lettuce, cheese, and garlic aoli has change my outlook on turkey sandwiches forever.

Disclaimer: This is saying a lot because after London, I swore off sandwiches. They have countless chains dedicated to selling just sandwiches (ugh) and unfortunately, I did not share their love of bland sammys.

Delivery

Post Cookie Swap, Lydia, Tram, Vi and I got to enjoy the best part of the event - we delivered over 20 dozen cookies to Loaves & Fishes and the Portland Rescue Mission yesterday, along with nearly 20 pounds of coats from Tram's coat drive! We met some of the people who would be receiving our donations and they thoroughly expressed their gratitude (not that we needed it but of course we appreciated it) and it was very heart warming!

We also volunteered at the MacDonald Center that day, acting as Santa's helpers, delivering requested gifts to less fortunate residents of the Old Town area.


My friend Vi (2nd from left above) is actually the one who motivated me to start volunteering! She works full-time, enjoys fine wine, wears Louboutin shoes, but yet she still finds time to regularly contribute and volunteer at the Oregon Food Bank, Habitat for Humanity and Kiva - a micro lending program which helps people in third world countries start small businesses!

With the current economic climate, it's understandable that we hesitate to give monetary donations when we feel "in need" ourselves, but you would be surprised at how such little can affect a lot! Kiva has loan options that start as low as $25. You choose the person / country you want to loan your money to and they pay you back within six to 12 months (with interest)! $25!!! Five venti Starbucks can help a person work towards gaining more economic independence and improve their lives!

Now if you really feel like you can't spare the extra cash or would rather contribute locally, you can still volunteer your time. Don't know how that will add up? According to the Portland Monthly, even though total cash donations in Oregon shrank by 23 percent over 2009, the number of individual contributions grew by nearly 18 percent. Volunteer hours rose to 93,000 - the equivalent of 45 full-time employees and $1.5 million in salaries!

So instead of sitting around drinking, watching a movie or going to the the mall this weekend and getting drunk, fat or spending money you're not suppose to be spending, grab a few friends to donate a few hours at a cause you believe in! You can really spend quality time with them and afterwards, even grab a cup of coffee to talk about how warm and fuzzy you feel!

Cookie Credits

I really wanted to get a picture of each gal with their baked good but it was so hectic (and fun) that night, I barely got a chance to get pictures of just the cookies! It's not to say that anyone's cookie contribution was less important or delicious than the other. Everyone did a wonderful job! I have such amazingly (beautiful and) generous friends! We were able to donate over 20 dozen cookies (and that's after everyone got to take some home) - that's TWICE as many cookies as I was hoping for! Thank you SO much girls! It's really beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Cookie credits in order of arrival:

Allison didn't have time to bake, but that didn't stop her from contributing a beautiful array of cookies........... from Costco :)

I was beat from the previous day's catastrophe but in an effort to make something more edible, this is my rendition of oatmeal raisin cookies... not Martha's recipe though.


Tran's Rolo Surprise cookies. She never bakes, so she had to go buy new baking gear just for this ocassion!

I've never heard the other Yen lacking in energy or sound so tired, but after baking a "gazillion" Pumpkin Spiced Cupcakes, you can't blame her. It was really close to a gazillion because we initially lost count. She chipped a nail while baking too... let's hope no one found an acrylic in there :D

Annie Thao's peanut butter balls (not pictured) and beautiful coconut macaroons.

Lydia's strawberry and cream cookies! She donated all of her swapped cookies!

Ina's yogurt. Ina is a great baker (I've tried her cheesecake) but she did not have time to bake due to a hectic week at work, BUT she made it up with tubs of Skinni Dip yogurt.



Kim's super special Cherry Cheesecake muffins baked with love from her assistants Tylin & Tysa.



Thuy's chocolate dipped pretzles! This busy mom showed up unexpectedly with this yummy treat... sans kid!
I did not get a dedicated picture of Tram's "Surprise" Cookie (bottom left) and Marionberry Bonanza Bars on her lovely three-tiered presentation plate or Minh's chocolate chip cookie (top center), but Tram's Bonanza Bars were quite the hit and Minh's cookies were covered in chocolate chips (just the way we like them).

It Hurts So Good

Since we have a Cookie Swap Party to throw, Martha and I decided to make up this week. As a gesture of good faith, I decided to use her recipes - a Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti and Double Chocolate Brownie Cookies (I really wanted to make Christmas decorated sugar cookies, but after my rolling pin fiasco two weeks ago, I decided not to take the risk). And even though the party isn't until tomorrow, I decided to start baking today, just to make sure I had plenty of time (I hate stressing out or rushing through what is suppose to be enjoyable tasks).

So do you want the good news or the bad news?


Ok, the good news is that I'm glad I decided to bake today instead of tomorrow. I baked for FIVE hours straight! I didn't eat, use the bathroom, or sit down the entire time. And when I was done, I was knackered. All I wanted to do was nap. That would not have been a gracious thing for a hostess to do on the night of her party.

The bad news is that my cookies look and taste like $h*t.

Ok, so the biscotti turned out good, but I was disappointed that the recipe was suppose to make four dozen when it barely made three (and usually I can squeeze out more than the recipe intends). After baking it the first time, I was to let it cool for 20 minutes before cutting it and baking it again, but I didn't realize it was so fragile while cutting and ended up breaking a lot of it before baking it the 2nd time, which resulted in even less biscotti! Martha did not warn me of that.

After the biscotti, I moved onto the cookies. The first batch looked nothing like the pictures and tasted even worse. In fact, it looked like doo-doo crap and tasted like doo-doo crap! It was dry and cakey, not brownie-like at all! I started laughing to myself and crying at the same time. Usually, if I mess up on a recipe, it's the end of that. But I was convinced I followed the recipe to a T. Plus, I had already laid out the ingredients to bake a second batch (I was aiming to make five dozen), so I read, re-read, and re-read again the recipe about 27 times before baking the second batch. And again, just more doo-doo crap. Is it possible for me to suck that bad at baking?!

With the kitchen already turned upside down, I decided I might as well charge on with the creme brulee. My feet hurt, my back ached, but I was determined to get it all done. I must have been delirious at this point because I accidentally let the cream boil (instead of simmer) and I rushed through beating the eggs and cream, so when I was done, it was all foamy (instead of creamy). To make matters worse, I forgot to cover it in aluminum foil before baking it (although I'm not sure what the aluminum foil is suppose to do for it), but the creme brulee is now chilling in the fridge with a bunch of bubbles at the top.

Again, I just stood there, deliriously leaning against the counter, and laughed.

When my parent's came home and saw the "brownie cookies," my mom was like, "Did you burn them? Why are they all brown and black?" It's not black! It's suppose to be chocolate!!! Mind you, my folks have been really supportive about my adventures in baking, but it was so bad today that even my dad was like, "Did you forget to add butter?" Waaaaahhahaaaaaaaaaa!!! Did I forget to add butter?! I most certainly did not! If anything, Martha forgot to add butter when typing up her damn recipe!

I went online and Googled her recipe to ensure it wasn't a typo in the book. I found a commenter who took the words right out of my mouth:

Followed instructions exactly. Oven temperature is correct. Did NOT overbake. Cookies do not spread and flatten like the ones pictured and seem dry when cold and even dryer when frozen. Not recommended by this experienced baker.

Granted, I am by no means a baker, much less an "experienced" baker, but I am soooo not feeling Martha right now.

We had our differences, which I was happy to put aside. Surely her reputation in the kitchen and home should mean something right? NO. I feel like I've been in an abusive relationship, where she keeps beating me yet I keep finding excuses (like, it was my fault, not her's) and taking her back. I'd like to say I'm moving on from Martha for good, especially since she let me down before my party... but who knows, like with most malignant relationships, I'll probably end up coming back for more.


Postscript (11:52PM): On a happier note, I find it really endearing that all my girlfriends who are attending the party tomorrow are in their kitchen right at this exact moment, mixing, rolling, baking and packing up for tomorrow's Cookie Swap and helping me give back to our community!

Volunteering

Rather than exchange Christmas gifts this year, Allison, Tram, Lydia and I decided to volunteer during the holidays instead. For each person's gift we replaced, we would spend a day volunteering together.

It's not to say that I don't enjoy giving or receiving gifts! I most certainly do - especially when you've found the perfect gift and you know it's exactly what they want and the glee on their face when they open it makes it worth all the while. But more often than not, it's usually them pretending to like it and running out of words to express how much they "love" it. Don't deny it, you've been there! In fact, you were the one scrambling to say how much you loved that overwhelmingly potent Bath & Body Works loofah set!

So rather than spend hours shopping alone and stressing over each other's Christmas gifts (which we would most likely not need or want), we figured we'd rather spend that quality time together giving back to our community.

We wanted to deliver Meals on Wheels, but with such late notice, we could not pass the background checks required, so instead, we volunteered for six hours today in the kitchen at Loaves & Fishes (the people who do Meals on Wheels). Even though I organized the day (I don't know if I can speak for the girls), I was looking forward to it just as much as I was dreading it. I think we were all excited to do something good for the holidays, but it was the earliest any of us had woken up in...

:: crickets chirping ::




... none of us even remember the last time we woke up that early!!!

But the second we stepped our feet into the center, I knew it was going to be a good day. We donned on hair nets, aprons and rubber gloves and went to town. We prepared morning snacks, whisked gravy, counted ravioli, messed up, spilled sauce, scooped veggies, made salads, packed lunches, served lunches, attempted to wash dishes, (lovingly) dissed on each other, mopped, swept, laughed, mingled with the elderly folks who came to the center, got hit on, blamed each other and had one of the best times together in recent memory! It helped that everyone there welcomed us with open arms, especially the staff (David, Pam, Shawna, Nita, Bernard) although a few folks thought we were ex-convicts on probation :) Why else would us girls volunteer to work in a kitchen on a Monday, right? :)

The last time I volunteered was six to 10 years ago and that was only because I had to do it for a college project or it was a required initiative at work. Besides participating in March of Dimes, rarely did I make the time to volunteer on my own account. I'm not sure why... because the three of us practically skipped out of there in super high spirits after we were done. We never thought we'd have so much fun working in a kitchen for free! It was the most rewarding day I've had all year.

Bamboo Sushi

Our friend Charlie is on a mission to discover and try as many different restaurants in the shortest amount of time possible - measured by his own personal clock. We use to think he only did this while on vacation (he once tried 13 different establishments in a single day while visiting us in New York) but it's apparently the case here in Portland as well, as made obvious by the happy hour run we made on Wednesday evening.

We started off at Tapalaya... but as I just discussed and agreed with a business owner friend of mine - if I don't have anything nice to say about an establishment, better to not say anything about it at all, so I guess we'll just leave this one at that :)

We then headed a few blocks down to Bamboo Sushi, the first certified, sustainable sushi restaurant in the world (they use 100% renewable resources for power, sustainable chopsticks, biodegradable to-go containers and even energy efficient toilets and hand dryers)! And with the growing demand of fish consumption in restaurants leading to over-fished waters, Bamboo Sushi has committed to serving the best and freshest fish while fostering partnerships with respected organizations to promote marine stewardship and oceanic sustainability. How cool is that?

Charlie and I were already full and intended to just swing by for drinks (their lychee martinis were made with muddled lychees - yum) but we ended up snacking on a spicy scallop handroll and grilled kobe flank with sweet potato,sauteed garlic greens with bacon, pickled mushrooms and herbed momiji sauce.

Both were on the happy hour menu (from 5pm to 6:30pm) and both were very well made buttery goodness. They have these specials called "Flights," which is their signature way of allowing diners to enjoy a specific variety of their in-season seafood. Currently, they have a crab flight consisting of six types of sustainable crabs ranging from king crab, snow crab, dungeness crab, all the way to stone crabs, all from Alaska, Canada, Oregon and Florida respectively. I am definitely heading back to Bamboo Sushi and dragging Michael with me since there were so many other things I wanted to try! Stay tuned for Michael and his experience with their uni flight!

Cookie Swap

I am hosting my very 1st Annual Holiday Cookie Swap!

No guarantees on the "annual" thing though, since it depends on how much success and fun we have at this one ;)

Please bring four to six dozen of your favorite cookies, plus copies of your recipe to share! If that scares you, just think of it as only two or three batches :) or even less if you decide to make more elaborate cookies. No need to stress out - it's suppose to be fun! And it's for a good cause, since a dozen of each contribution will be delivered to the Portland Rescue Mission the following day.

The rest of the cookies will be swapped amongst us (we'll eat a few here :) but you will have plenty and a variety of yummy cookies to share with your family and friends at home too! BRING TUBBERWARE for your take-home!

And don't stay home just because you think you can't bake! God knows I can't bake, but it's a good opportunity for us to get together for a good cause. Plus, it's something different! Think outside the box and bring cookies, cupcakes, tarts, macaroons, brownies, biscotti or anything you'd like! You can even reply with a suggestion for someone else to bake your favorite cookie!

I will provide milk, coffee, tea, apple cider and wine!

Please respond with the type of cookie you'd like to bring (as to avoid us all bringing the same kind) or if a few of you would rather keep it a surprise, that's perfectly OK too!

Look forward to seeing you gals next week!


xx, Yen


P.S. If time is of the essence, feel free to make them the weekend before (keep them in an air-tight container) or even bring refrigerator cookie dough that you've made in advance (wrapped well in plastic and parchement, which can be frozen for up to three weeks) with instructions on how we can bake them at home!

Nong's Khao Man Gai

A few weeks ago, Michael and I were flipping through the November issue of Portland Monthly, reading a feature on Portland's 10 Best Restaurants of 2009 when we noticed a picture of a girl we thought we recognized as "Michelle." Michelle was a friend of friend who stayed with us in New York a few years ago when they both came to visit. "That looks like Michelle huh?" Michael said as I nodded absentmindedly.

Fast forward a few weeks, "That was Michelle!" confirmed Michael after talking to his friend. WHAT?! Michelle works in a food cart?!

Not only does Michelle work in a food cart. She owns that food cart. And it just so happens, that food cart is listed as one of "Portland's 10 Best Restaurants," amongst nine other (more) high-profile restaurants. Nevermind that Portland's food cart scene has been recognized by the New York Times and various men's magazines like GQ and Details, Michelle or rather, Nong's food cart beat out hundreds of other other Portland food carts (not to mention traditional sit-down restaurants) for that rank, with her simple $6 entree of chicken & rice.

So today before Michael headed off to school, we headed to Nong's Khao Man Gai (SW Alder between 10th & 11th Ave) for lunch and I wondered to myself if she would remember us since it'd be over two years since we last met her. But I should not have even doubted her though. She nearly hopped out of her small booth's window when she saw us!

"Omigod!!! Omigod!!! How are you?! How are you?!! How did you find me?!!!!" she elatedly yelled as she grabbed both of our hands and held them close as if we were her long lost relatives from Thailand. How did we find her?! I wanted to yell back, "You're only featured on every single newspaper and magazine in Portland!!! Dontcha' know you're famous?!" but instead, we just laughed at her super contagious joyfulness. We'd only hung out with her for a few short days that summer in New York, but her emotional smile made us feel like we were family who lost touch and was soooo happy to see us. It was really endearing. I'm smiling just writing this entry. That's the thing I've learned about Thai people when I visited Thailand a few years ago - they are extremely hospitable and very warm hearted - possibly the softest and nicest of all Asian cultures.

"Two chicken & rice please!!" we ordered. Not like there was much anything else to order. Michelle's cart serves just this one dish - khao man gai - and this dish alone. Why give people the option to choose? It just confuses them :) I don't mind not being able to choose (in this instance) one bit. Sometimes, you just want the decision to be made for you. Especially when the decision is made by someone who knows better.

"O.K! AWESOME! Two chicken and rice! AWESOME!" exclaimed Michelle eagerly, inviting us to take a seat in front of her cart. Michael and I look at each other - why did we choose to eat lunch at an outdoor food cart on the coldest day of the year?! As hateful of small talk as I am, I would have loved to sit at one of Michelle's tables and chit chat with her. Just being around her enthusiastic bubble was fun, but we politely declined due to the brisk weather and Michelle then offered us some free chicken skin (think popcorn chicken, but with a Thai twist).

When our order came, we saw that our meal, slices of simply boiled chicken placed on top a pile of seasoned rice, complimented with a ginger soybean chili sauce was wrapped in butcher paper, tied with a simple rubber band and accompanied by a small cup of winter squash soup - what a lovely little lunch package!

We talked a little more, but all I can remember is her saying, "AWESOME!!! OK! AWESOME!!! OK!!!" :: thumbs up :: Not wanting to hold up the line, we finally said our goodbyes, promised we'd be back again soon and noticed the guys behind us despite the wait, were smiling appreciatively as well. The food is simple and good enough to bring people back, but I'm sure Michelle's earnest candor and bouncy sparkle help out a bit too.

Crème Brûlée

After not seeing eye to eye last week, Martha and I decided to take a break :)

But that doesn't mean I've taken a break on baking... yet. I'm keeping my word on baking at least once a week and today, ventured out of Martha's book and made one of my favorite desserts - crème brûlée - did you know that's French for "burnt cream?" I didn't :P I use to almost always order it at restaurants if I saw it on a menu, no matter how full I was from dinner and other times, would roam the streets looking for a bakery or dessert shop that would sell it to satisfy my craving. I never realized how easy it was to make at home! If you invest in a small kitchen torch and some ramekins, you're good to go and can make it just the way you like. Personally, I like it in a shallow ramekin with an extra thick crispy layer. Yummmm! The torch is fun to use too. I could definitely get use to "no-flour" baking... this is definitely something I would be more comfortable making for you all, so long as you're ok with eating just egg yolks and heavy cream!

Pine State Biscuits

Just when I thought I couldn't look at one more biscuit this year, Charlie and I swung by Pine State Biscuits (since it was just down the street from Happy Sparrow) to try our luck, since our individual attempts in the past to eat at Pine State Biscuit had been unsuccessful (the lines are usually out the door). But today proved to be a fruitful one as we not only scored a coveted seat in this eatery, we also got our hands on some of Portland's most famous biscuits!

"The Reggie" - fried chicken, bacon & cheese topped with gravy. This was Charlie's dish.

Biscuits with sausage gravy. This was also Charlie's dish :)

Pine State was originally a food stall at a local Farmer's Market back in 2006 and while it's still there, they've opened up shop on SE Belmont just early last year and already, have earned kudos from SeriousEats.com, Esquire and Oprah's website along with numerous local press coverage. The next time you're up earlier than usual and want a fairly fast, no nonsense bite to eat in a cool neighborhood, be sure to check out Pine State. But be warned, the place is small and the lines can make it feel even more cramped, so this isn't a joint where you can leisurely sip your coffee and read the paper. However, there are a ton of awesome coffee shops nearby that you can head to after you've filled your tummy... like Happy Sparrow (see previous post) and oh, I saw this place called Opposable Thumb Gallery + Cafe and it looks like a cool spot if you want to get some work done but need a new environment for some inspiration (everyone seemed to have a laptop though so bring yours if you don't want to feel left out :)

Happy Sparrow

Happy Sparrow on S.E. Belmont is indeed a happy place, with happy people, serving happy snacks! I'm quite happy myself, since I discovered kolaches today!

What are koh-la-cheeeees, you ask? They're bun-like pastries filled with various fruits, meats and/or cheeses (think Eastern European hot pocket)! The Czechs and Slovaks invented them, but Texans (arguably) have made them famous in the U.S. (due to the large Czech population there) and more recently, right here in Portland!

Natives of Houston & Austin Texas, owners Danny & Mary Quach fell in love with Portland (no big surprise there - GO Ptown!!!) and moved here just a few months ago to set up shop, quickly and successfully making Happy Sparrow the warmest, most welcoming coffee shop on the Eastside, specializing in none other than kolaches!

Their kolaches range from $1.75 to $2.50 - cheap and cheerful enough for you to try all their flavors (I hear they're always experimenting with new fillings) but hurry, word is spreading fast so don't be surprised if they run out of your favorite kind (they also close by 2pm). I tried their Tillamook cheddar & sausage kolache, but I'm not going to post a picture of it in this entry since I didn't get a good shot, but I will be back soon to try their nutella filled kolache and rasberry & cream cheese kolache (they ran out when I went because another customer went in just before me and bought a few dozen)!

Danny and Mary are the sweetest, friendliest and most enthusiastic people in the entire world (ok, S.E. PDX world)! Still, I felt like I was visiting their home and had known them for years! They make an effort to get to know all their customers, so go visit them and support our small and local businesses (you'll rarely find me blogging about chains - not that I have anything against them but they don't need the publicity)! The only thing they might be missing is a couch :) but they make up for it with a huge bay window (great for people watching), board games, wi-fi, a nook-and-cranny back room, a sparrow mural (painted by Mary herself) and of course, their one and only, kolaches!!! <--- I feel like doing a song and dance when I say that word :)

Baking Is TOO a Science

Disclaimer: I did not successfully make this. Picture courtesy of Martha Stewart & Team.

"Baking is an art, not a science," a friend said to me the other day when I refused to stray away from a recipe.

Well then how come the one time I slightly modify a recipe, it turns into a catastrophe?!

I was telling Michael the just other day that even though I was really into baking these days, it would probably take just one disaster to turn me off of the whole darn thing. I think today was the day.

In an effort to finish off the buttermilk, I attempted to make these Cream Cheese & Chive Biscuits. Yup, more damn biscuits. Some of Martha's biscuit recipes called for biscuit cutters (to shape them), while "dropped biscuits" (similar the ones at Red Lobster) are shaped using two spoons to drop them on a pan, which is what I did for the Spicy Cheese Biscuits. These CCC biscuits however, required rolling out the dough into 11x8, folding it twice like a business letter, then rolling and folding it again, before cutting it so they appear more squarish (see above picture).

I was really excited to use my new French rolling pin and pastry blender and even agreed when Tram suggested I add more zing to it by doubling up on the chives and the cream cheese.

Mishap #1 : Pastry blenders suck!!! It's suppose to help you loosely blend flour and butter with less effort, but it was exhausting to use and harder on the dough then it would have been to use my fingers, which also would have been way more efficient!

Mishap #2: : Doubling up on cream cheese is not a good idea. Who knew a few extra ounces would make such a difference! It made the dough extra sticky and rendered it un-rollable. It ended up looking like that (see picture below) when it was suppose to look like this (see right picture). Yes, I floured my work surface. And yes, I floured my rolling pin :(

Mishap #3 : Instead of adding more flour (I thought it would make the dough too heavy and thus not rise), I abandoned the rolling pin and decided to make drop biscuits instead! I later realize, I should have just went with sprinkling more flour because it wouldn't have mattered - it didn't rise anyway!

Man, today was a bad baking day. I was bummed all afternoon. I think Martha and I need a break from each other (that was fast huh). Poor Charlie came over and left all chivey-smelling but with nothing to eat. Ah well. At least I got to practice my still photography!

Nanana But

In case you're wondering, I am still excited about baking this week, just as much as I was last week (much to even my own surprise - judging from my previous track record of hobbies)!

In the oven right at this moment is Martha Stewart's former brand manager, Deanna Caceres Cahn's Banana Nut Bread... 30 minutes left to go and it smells wonderful! Now if only I can make it taste wonderful.

I was in the process of using this recipe, when Tran emailed me her co-worker's banana nut bread recipe which called for butter (instead of vegetable oil) and three times more buttermilk. Does anyone know the advantages or disadvantages of the three ingredients? And if I have a convection oven, when should I use that function versus just regular "bake?" HELP.

To ease myself into the art of baking, I've been choosing the most simple recipes from Martha's book, based on ingredients I already have in the *kitchen i.e. a half gallon carton of buttermilk, leftover from the last batch of biscuits I made for Thanksgiving. My plan is to experiment with all the recipes that call for buttermilk as much as I can, so I never have to buy buttermilk ever again! lol Hence, this banana nut bread.

OK. Fiiine.

*Who am I kidding? I've spent more time in a grocery store (buying ingredients) the past two weeks than I have in the last five years combined. Michael said to me last night as we were roaming the grocery store aisles, "Isn't it funny that you have to buy more ingredients just so that you can use your existing ingredients?" o_O

On top of that, I don't even eat the things I bake! Not because I'm afraid of food poisoning or anything like that :P but fruity bread and biscuits just don't do it for me. I'm more of a chocolate/cake/cupcake/ice cream kind of a gal. But I'm not sure I'm ready to venture into the realm of cakes. Even cupcakes. And 0h how I would looove to be able to whip up Italian Panettones (traditional Xmas bread cakes from Milan) for everyone for Christmas, but I am deathly afraid of yeast!!! Don't ask me why. I have no idea. I'm guessing I overheard a group of women complaining about yeast when I was a kid (maybe it was a different kind of yeast - haha juuuuust kidding :) and apparently, I was affected by it. Hopefully by Christmas 2010, I will have overcome my fear of yeast and start on those Panettones!

Oooh! The BNB is done now! Aha! Two slices for Michael, my unofficial taste tester! I can actually tell if something is good, by the amount of time he spends chewing on it and what his expression is like when he's swallowing it :)

Everett Street Bistro

After checking out the Monique Lhuillier Trunk Show today, which resulted us swaying our bride-to-be friend away from a dress that would have cost five times the amount of any average bride's gown, Allison, Lydia, Tram and I headed to Everett Street Bistro in the Pearl for some brunch.

Whether day or night, this European-style charcuterie always seems to have a nice comfy crowd of people who seem to really know how to enjoy their food.

Since Tram and I usually each order one sweet and one savory dish to share, we agreed on the Eggs Benedict and the Grand Marnier French Toast. But once we heard the Special of the Day - Danish Aebleskiver, we quickly reverted to these pancake balls from Denmark, topped with fresh fruit, powdered sugar and creme fraiche! The Grand Marnier French Toast will have to wait for another day :) Both Lydia and Allison ordered the breakfast panini, made up of fried eggs, Black Forest ham and Tillamook cheddar, served with a hashbrown casserole.

Everything was good except I thought the hollandaise sauce on the eggs benedict was a bit too salty, but it was nothing a nice, spicy bloody mary wouldn't have taken care of. I'll have to order one next time - I secretly believe you can judge the quality of most brunches based on its bloody marys and mimosas :) Allison, a frequent guest at Everett Street Bistro, recommends the Wild Mushroom Scramble, which features roasted wild mushrooms, leeks and goat cheese. I didn't realize until after we'd eaten there that, that particular dish has been highly rated on countless reviews and as one girl from California on Yelp.com commented, it sent her on a "humming/moaning chair dancing taste bud orgasm."

Wow. That just might be enough reason for me to start eating mushrooms!

Turkey Day

Growing up, my folks always made an effort to ensure I had the experience of a turkey on Thanksgiving and even at times, on Christmas as well. But something happened as the years went on (I think everyone in my family would fighting over the turkey legs) and so one year, my aunt decided to just make turkey legs! A whole platter of turkey legs! Something about that practice turned me off of turkey from that moment on. Yech.

But that was probably a relief for my parents since they never had to worry about making me turkey ever again. And once I moved away, turkey was last thing I wanted to eat when I came home to visit. I didn't care what holiday it was - all I wanted was Vietnamese food! Vietnamese food for dinner. Vietnamese food for lunch. Vietnamese for breakfast! I had resolved that I was simply not a fan of turkey, no matter the occasion, no matter the form - I didn't even care for turkey deli meat... until I met Michael. He waits all year to eat his uncle's turkey and thought it was pretty ludicrous that my family didn't have turkey at all on Thanksgiving.

This year, I finally had my first taste of his family's renowned turkey... and man, it was deeeee-lish!!! Now I know why he rants and raves about it all the time! Not surprisingly, there were no leftovers. The meal was accompanied with a honey baked ham (from Chi Chau), stuffing, scalloped potatoes (from Kathy), mash potatoes (from Kim), gravy and variety of other side dishes, topped off with a pumpkin creme brulee (from Anh Minh). I looooooooooooove creme brulee - it's my favorite dessert!

Per Michael's request, I made spicy cheddar biscuits (from Martha's book) and non-spicy for the kids, which sadly, were not that spicy or cheesy :/ Everyone was nice enough to extend their compliments though :) At least they looked ok! haha I think it's time I steadily move on from looks to taste!

Pre-baked kids' cheddar biscuits.

We also made Rice Krispy treat turkey legs for the kiddies! I'd been planning to make something a little bit more special for them from my cousin My's book of recipes, but after running around town, I could not find all the ingredients for the finishing touches, so unfortunately, they will have to wait till next year!

Already, I am looking forward to my next turkey!