Being Sentimental: I always thought we had the most beautiful cherry blossom tree at work; this is the last Hanami photo taken from my old office window….This April has been a very busy month filled with long working hours, farewell gatherings and birthday celebrations..
I am simply overwhelmed with gratitude and joy..
A big thank you to my ex-colleagues and friends for all your well wishes and support…I am at loss for words..
This month’s posting is short and
For now I will let my pictures do most of the “talking”…
As I prepare to enter another phase in my life…look forward to sharing more with all of you…
and you can catch me on Ms. Deborah Moore’s show on April 26 AM 1470 1030am sharp (OO) Something New : Pre-opening dinner at Botanist restaurant, Fairmont Pacific Hotel
I knew I was in for a special treat when my dear foodie friend Ms. Moto invited us to a sneak preview dinner and to celebrate my birthday, at the Botanist, one of the most highly anticipated restaurant opening in 2017. Thank you so much for the special invitation and birthday celebration! Here’s a snapshot of our dinner, detailed post coming later.
My first course: Asparagus Cauliflower Kohlrabi Chorizo charred OctopusMy hubby couldn’t stop raving about this dish: zucchini radish grilled apple escabeche honey glazed pork belly.
Masayoshi Revisited : One year Later…Memorable Omakase Birthday Dinner
One year ago I celebrated my birthday at Masayoshi; I have chosen to return this year…To sum up the experience…
Dear Chef Masayoshi and crew at Masayoshi: the experience is more than words can described; I am so glad I have chosen to return to your restaurant to celebrate my birthday and the beginning of another chapter of my life. Thank you very much for another truly memorable experience; this made my day extra special!
It’s almost the end of April and we are trying a New hotpot place: Hot pot Palace in Richmond (168-7911 Alderbridge Way, Richmond, BC)
Ending a busy work week with a nicely paced Friday night almost 3 hour hotspot experience..I really enjoyed the zousui in the end.
Two different types of soup: Pork Bone and Szechuan spicy pot, There was 4 of us and we ordered 4 different set menu to share: (Matsusaka Pork Cheek + Belly, House Special Seafood Platter, Wagyu Chuck and Angus BeefZousui: Rice Porridge cooked by our server, using the remaining soup, added egg and green onion : this was my favourite and soup was packed with lots of flavour
System reboot, old hangs and new experience: Garden City Hotpot,and Juicery & Co…and WHITE CAPS!
Local Rose: Grapefruit, Rosemary, Apple and Burdock – great for digestion!Do you know Garden City Hotpot (McKim Way, Richmond, BC) serve some very tasty Cantonese dim sum at lunch? They change their menu quite often and this “Fish noodle” was one fine noodle dish!Exploring something new: First time to a soccer game in my life – Whistecaps and it was on the Loud and Crazy southside! Thank you VG for the wonderful birthday present
A special message to my ex-colleagues: Truly grateful for your friendship and memories; keep in touch on Facebook and my blog!
Udon in Tomato Nduja Miso Broth with pea shoots, napa cabbage, spinach and pickled Shallots Homemade!Deconstructed Afternoon Tea at Wild Sweets: “an affair to remember”
I revisited Wild Sweets with my dear foodie friends one Sunday afternoon for their “Cocoa Bean to Chocolate Afternoon Tea”, their 13-course afternoon tea is a very unique and “hands on” affair. All courses came “deconstructed” with detailed explanation presented by Mr. Dominique, each item includes a cocoa bean to chocolate element, all served with a chocolate tea infusion. Their take on this old tradition is very refreshing and modern filled with wonderful surprises, I felt I was taken “back in time” to secondary school days experimenting in the science lab. We had the most wonderful 2 hours assembling and styling the delicate treats, it is definitely an “affair” to remember.
Thank you very much to Dominique and Cindy and their staff for this wonderful learning experience!
Booking for this event is available online through their website:
My dear friend James now resides in Casperia, Italy and comes back to Canada to visit his family twice a year. Whenever he is in town, we always get together to cook an Epic Italian Dinner at my home. We always have the best time preparing all the dishes together for our friends, I hope in the near future someday I will be cooking with James, a truly wonderful teacher, in Italy..
James always introduce a tasty and authentic Italian element to our dinners: I rarely use already processed sauce or paste, however I am willing to make an exception for James! And here comes “Nduja”: a spicy cured pork salumi spread originally from Calabria, Italy.
This is the bottled version found at Bianca Maria on East Hastings…You can purchase the sausage form from Oyama Sausage at Granville IslandWhen using nduja, a little goes a long way, the smell and taste reminded me a little of chorizo sausage (without the distinctive smell). We used it as the base for the sauce, cooked together with a little olive oil, white wine and minced garlic; then we steamed the clams in the sauce, finished off with grated lemon zest. Toss in “al dente” spaghetti (nduja is already salty so be light handed with salt when boiling pasta) and Voila! The flavors melted together and lifted the pasta dish to a different level, and the sauce tasted even better on the next day.
James was such a sweetie and got rid of all the clam shells!
The bottled version is available at Bianca Maria, a quaint Italian food store on East Hastings; the sausage version is available at Oyama Sausage in Granville Island; give it a try and tell me which version do you like better?
Always cook with love and thoughtfulness, and eat with your love ones (quote Peter Ciuffa “pastaboy”)
Spaghetti with Fresh clams cooked in Nduja, white wine, lemon zest, and garlic ! Baked sea bass with romano beans cooked in San Marzano tomatoes and nduja; with pea sprouts salsa verde (modified recipe from Great British Chefs)Beautiful sea bass from Brian’s wonderful Seafood City at Granville Island, nduja sausage from Oyama Sauage and Co., romano beans from Granville Island Market.
I checked out the sweet and rustic Baker and Table bakery cafe at East 48th Avenue and Fraser, it was wonderful to meet the owner Ms. Hitomi who provided really wonderful and friendly service.
I really enjoyed the organic chicken with cashew pesto sandwich and the cheesecake for dessert; I also purchased the tasty white bread (whipping cream incorporated) which was “pillowy” soft, I used to make thick toast at home for breakfast. She does accept special cake orders, I returned the next day and purchased a delicious strawberry shortcake and enjoyed it with my friends on our Epic Italian Dinner Gathering. Follow them on Instagram and Facebook for menu information and updates.
Herbal tea and organic chicken cashew pesto sandwich; it was their one month anniversary and they were giving away thank you treats to customers (OO) Half Loaf from Baker and Table on Fraser: Thick Toast!! I can have this cheesecake anytimeBaci Baci Kissa Tanto in Chinatown: Memorable Dinner and Superb Service
One rainy Thursday night after a long and hectic day at work, we decided to head to Chinatown and got in to Kissa Tanto (it was around 8 pm) without any reservations!
The experience left us speechless: the dishes (our favorite was the lasagna of the day (picture shown) were filled with interesting elements of Japanese and Italian flavors, a combination which I personally enjoyed a lot.
The service (I believe our server’s name name is Celina) was very attentive and superb. Love their retro decor and ambiance: Kissa Tanto, thank you for a memorable dining experience.
Mocktail on a “school” night Lasagne del Giorno: Sake Kasu Pork Ragu….Packed with interesting layers of flavor, never had a light “sake-flavored” lasagna and it works..I actually created a similar sauce served with penne pasta at home…
Beta 5 chocolates for Valentine’s – Pop up on Cambie till Valentines day, it’s time to go back and pay a visit!How’s your New Year so far? After “MIA” for almost two months I finally have time to catch up a little…I have been busy at work and spent most of January fighting the flu bug…and I have spent some wonderful time with my lovely sister…
Catch me on Wednesday February 22nd, 2017 1030 am sharp, Ms. Deborah Moore’s show on AM 1470 (OO)
A different kind of cooking: My new favorite stores on Main (Soap Dispensary and Welk’s)
My lovely sister is a beauty guru; she lives for beauty products and fittingly she’s in the business. During her recent visit while “snowed in” and confined to home, she decided to try something new and turned my kitchen into an experimental beauty lab. Our DIY’s are based on recipes my sister found online through many sources, we whipped up different batches of creams and balms, giving them away as precious Valentine’s gifts.
I find the process much simpler than soap making; as there are no chemicals involved, so it is much easier to handle. There are lots of videos available on-line you can use as reference; the best part is spending quality time with my sis…
My latest favorite shops on Main: the wonderful Soap Dispensary (soap refills, “low impact” living and fine products) and Welk’s (General store where we purchased the mason jars, they have almost everything at reasonable prices).
Orange Chocolate Body Butter – my sister made this especially for me, my childhood favorite was the Jacob’s Orange Chocolate Biscuit… Different blends of Lip Blam – Bee Wax, Shea Butter, Coconut Oil all mixed up and “flavored” with different oils: orange, frankincense , lavender, rose hip….and honeySimple lip balm recipe:Sterilized the little containers. Melt 100 g mixture of different oils (50 g coconut oil and 50 g sweet almond oil) and 18 g of bee wax in a double boiler or small glass bowl over a small pot of boiling water, keep stirring until melted. Add 1 to 2 spoonful of honey, stir and mix well. Remove pan from heat but keep mixture over the still hot water to keep mixture melted. Add your favorite essential oils: we used orange and frankincense). Pour into container and let it set.
(Frankincense (sap burnt in incense) is a common essential oil use in aromatherapy, can help to reduce stress, pain and inflammation, boost immunity etc).
Van Koji Foods, Benkei Ramen and Japanese Crepe Sasuke at Nikkei Center Flea Market:
Two years ago I’ve talked about using shio koji (see old short blog post), a natural seasoning made with salt, water and rice koji (typical mold -Asperiguillus Oryzae used for fermentation) and I’ve read about making this natural seasoning (from Just One Cookbook) at home.
Recently when I checked out the Book and Flea Market at the Nikkei Center, I made a wonderful discovery: meeting Ms. Tonami who makes and sell koji products from her company, Van Koji Foods. I have used the shoyu koji as a marinade for a mushroom rice dish and it has a very nice subtle flavor. I had a lovely chat with her and later signed up to attend the miso making class in early March.
I also had some delicious foods at the market: Japanese Crepe Sasuke (Richmond Market – currently no permanent physical location): nice thin crepe with strawberries and matcha ice-cream, check out their page on Facebook.
Japanese Crepe Sasuke : Strawberry and Matcha Icecream Crepe: – perfect dessert for me! Strawberries and crepe has always been my favorite…all ties back to childhood memories.And a mini bowl of shio ramen from Benkei Ramen: remember Taka-san, Japanese sushi chef who teaches sushi making class at the Nikkei Center during the winter season? He is also the creator behind Benkei Ramen. I stopped by the stall to make the purchase and he remembered me! Taka-san, great seeing you! Check out his Facebook page (Taka’s Sushi Class) and look for updates for his classes.
Mini Shio Ramen hit the spot on cold rainy day
Interesting Read: The Ultimate Grocery Storage Guide from food connections (Thanks to fellow Dinner Party YVR hobby chef Ms. Elaine Cheng for sharing on the homepage)
Vietnamese Food: Au Petit Cafe (4851 Main Street, Little Mountain – Vancouver), Mr. Red Cafe (2680 West Broadway in Kitslano) and Banh Mi Tres Bon (Smart Centre – Richmond)
Old Favorite Au Petit Cafe – My sister ordered the chicken pho for the first time, tender chicken, clear broth and green vegetables,; I stick with my all time favorite: pork meatball with French bread.
Checked out the Mr. Red Cafe in Kitslano finally! – Love the Vietnamese Crepe – prawn, egg, bean sprouts, mint, lettuce and fish sauce for dipping sauce Banh Mi Tres Bon – new Vietnamese/French cafe style eatery in Richmond – Enjoyed their vegetarian banh mi; first timers may check out their trio (meatball/chicken and house special) to try their flavors; Vietnamese French Coffee and TWG teas available. It gets very busy quickly, take out available.
From my heart to yours…..Thank you (OO)Reflections in Deep Frosty December… Words to Live By: Heart, Passion, Patience and Gratitude….
Wish you all a wonderful, healthy and prosperous 2017!
Catch me on December 28th Wednesday morning 1030 am Sharp on Fairchild Radio 1470 Deborah Moore’s program; we will be chatting about food and much more!
It’s all about Heart…..
From Instagram to Kitslano : MaknMing (1629 Yew Street, Vancouver, BC )
This is perhaps one of the highly anticipated restaurant openings in 2016: Chefs Makoto Ono and Amanda Cheng (previously from Gastown’s Pidgin) has opened their new restaurant “MaknMing”, a Japanese French fusion restaurant earlier this month. I must admit I was a fan already (because of a creative kohlrabi dan dan noodle dish at Pidgin), and I had the pleasure to meet them earlier because of Instagram and Seafood City (that is another lovely story)! We dined at their cosy eatery two weeks ago, enjoyed some delicious foods which they have cooked their hearts out and their crew provided us with impeccable service. I simply love their tagline “#smallteambighearts! Congratulations again Chefs for your opening, look forward to my next visit!
Check out their restaurant (open for dinner only, reservations accepted, check their website and follow their Instagram account (same name) for updates..
My favourite dish: Dungeness Crab Miso NoodleThe Non-drinker enjoying this Gin & Tonic: this drink is easily my 2016 favourite cocktailFirst Bite teaser: Carrot “tartare” with house made rice cracker
And Passion…..
Last Saturday I literally had chocolate for breakfast when I visited Dominique and Cindy Duby’s Wild Sweets Atelier Store in Richmond (by Steveston Hwy)! The chocolates were so delicious and Mr. Duby was providing us with information on their products, I was blown away by their professional knowledge and certainly can feel their passion…We bought their “tea cake’ (a modern version of a fruit cake) for Christmas Dinner Dessert and everyone enjoyed it so much! I was thrilled to know they also have tastings and afternoon events available for booking online and I am already coordinating with my food pals to pay a visit in the New Year. Great to meet you both Dominique and Cindy, look forward to learning much more about chocolates and cocoa!
Crispy Orange Cherry Tea Cake – taste like a traditional fruit cake with a crunchy texturea sneak peek…before we devoured this delicious dessert..
And a little Patience goes a long way in anything we do….and always cook with Love
Last month (See my November posting) I made a very traditional Japanese dish “Tai meshi (snapper rice); earlier this month I decided to tackle ramen and a different fish dish..Another challenge working on my focus and dedication to my craft, honing skills and building my patience..
A long time ago an old Japanese friend taught me how to make the Japanese braised chashu (pork) using pork shoulder butt (less fattening), ginger, leek, green onion, soy, mirin and sake. I marinade (soy/ginger/leek/green onion/sake) the pork shoulder over night; next day sauteed more leeks and ginger, add marinade to katsuobushi dashi (bonito flakes/kombu) to create the braising liquid, seared the pork shoulder and slowly “braised” (lading braising liquid over meat and flipping sides)
Homemade Shoyu Ramen: I made the Ramen Eggs, Japanese braised Chashu (pork), bone broth and shoyu tare (for seasoning); I used Chinese thin noodles (Shanghai style from T & T Supermarket)Clean bones in the pot with daikon, leek, carrot and pork shank ; cleaning, brushing, plus 3 hours of simmering and skimming: Patience is virtueCooking up a storm through the snow storm – you can see the milky clean soup!Panko crusted sea bream fillet with spinach and cauliflower, asparagus and shiitake fried “rice” with ginger soy sauce (which I created also for my hubby’s lamb chop dishAnd for Christmas…I made a sockeye salmon pate (steamed salmon in lemon and a little sake, flaked and mixed with combination of Greek yogurt and Ojai lemonaise (1:1), grated lemon zest, chopped dill (don’t over do it as it can be overpowering), lemon juice, season to taste with black pepper and orange and lime sea salt as seasoning (Vancouver Island Salt Co – non-flavoured sea salt works also, I just happened to have this in my pantry!). I also made fresh cranberry sauce (fresh cranberries (1 bag) with blood orange juice and zest (1 big or 3 small blood orange), Cointreau (orange liquer) and brandy, lemon juice and zest, cinnamon stick, maple syrup, balsamic vinegar (a drizzle) and sea salt (I also used the orange and lime flavoured salt, regular works) – remember to fold in the zest almost towards the end of cooking process, and always adjust the seasoning accordingly.
Santa is Drooling!
And Gratitude Always ….Thank you to everyone… from my heart to yours..
That’s a wrap for 2016 – see you in the New Year (OO)
Whether it’s sharing fun times and wonderful food….
Or Keeping me in your thoughts – a date, a phone call, message or thoughtful gifts (Picture: the fabulous macarons from Indulge With Mimi – thanks Deb M)…
Or sharing a new experience together….(picture at Cirque Du Soleil’s Toruk )Or working together and give back to the community… (Thanks UGM and the other wonderful volunteers and my regular team mates)
And Thank you to Ms. Deborah Moore for having me on your program …3 years and counting.. ..
As the holiday season is quickly approaching, we all tend to shift our already busy schedules into complete overdrive.
I yearn for slower pace to rest, and crave comfort foods and quiet times to reflect.
This November I stay put at home in Vancouver, taking my time to try new recipes, going around my favourite city to see what it has to offer.
Follow me on Instagram (@mygoldenapron) for updates (OO) ; tune in on November 30th 1030am sharp on Fairchild 1470 Ms. Deborah Moore’s program, we will be chatting about food and much more…
Official store opening: Ai and Om: Thank you very much!
At the end of October I was invited to the official grand opening of “Ai and Om”, the amazing artisan knife store located in Vancouver Chinatown, a big thank you to Chef and owner Douglas Chan and Ms. Katharine Manson for the invite! After I talked about my “beloved” nakiri knife on the radio show, I have received emails inquiring about their products and sharpening services/classes, please contact them directly at info@aiandomknives.com, or better yet, pay them a visit (129 East Pender Street, Vancouver, BC).
Chef Sato’s humble restaurant has been operating in Richmond for 5 years, hidden at the corner of Sexmith Road and Bridgeport (very close to Costco). It is a very small operation (limited seating and the two times I went he’s the only one working) so the wait could be long but worthwhile to try this delicate, clean and flavorful broth, which is very different from all other choices available in Vancouver. I had the spicy clam ramen (he calls it “larmen”) which came in the right hot temperature, perfect for a cold winter day. There is also a limited supply: 20 bowls for lunch and dinner every day. Save room for the gyoza; my hubby had the katsu curry (fried pork chop with Japanese curry) and it was very tasty also. Chef Sato is very serious about his craft, he talked about it so passionately and it clearly shows in his food. Bravo for his dedication, as a home cook, I am inspired to work harder to hone my skills.
Shibuyatei: 2971 Sexsmith Road, Richmond, BC (corner of Sexsmith and Bridgeport Road, parking on the street).
Spicy Clam Ramen (Larmen – Chef Sato calls it on menu) – Clean tasting shoyu based broth, no msg…perfect “hot” temperature…perfect for a cold winter day
Japanese inspired Vegetarian cafe: Workshop Vegetarian
Pictures of this quaint cafe are popping up on Instagram constantly, I had to drive out to North Vancouver (296 Pemberton Avenue (at Marine Drive) to see what it is all about ! Their motto is serving healthy vegetarian dishes, with vegan options available. We shared three things from their menu: the smashed avocado toast on their house baked organic natural yeast bread, organic “nama” shoyu ramen and the Kyoto style udon: My favourite is the toast, the noodle soups are very clean tasting and flavorful, I didn’t have room to try their baked goods so we will go back for another visit sometime!
Smashed Avocado on organic natural yeast bread: the texture of the bread reminded me of foccacia, the smash has a hint of tartness which I enjoyed a lot!Nama Ramen: Mushroom broth with hint of truffle shallot oilKyoto style udon with tofu, mushroom and egg – light and clean tasting broth
Pizzette Lunch at Famoso Neopolitan Pizzeria on Commercial Drive
Once in a while I do love to have pizza our favourite is Zachary’s at Oak and 16th); we have walked by Famoso (1380 Commercial Drive (at Kitchener))many times and it is always very busy! Finally last Saturday we got in for lunch. I had absolutely no idea this is actually a chain across Canada (I always root for the independents) and I was pleasantly surprised! My hubby and I both ordered our own pizzette (7 inch small pizza) lunch which comes with either soup or salad, and I added a tomato bisque, cold rainy day calls for soup! I love thin crusted pizzas which is not too heavily loaded, theirs is just perfect to my liking; and the tomato soup, served with a spoonful of ricotta cheese was rustic and hearty. Service was upbeat and friendly, we now know another good place in one of our favourite neighbourhoods.
Mushroom pizzette!Tomato bisque – Hearty and Satisfying!
Comfort Foods at Home: Old recipes and new experiment (recipes coming soon: vegetarian friendly)
Cooking and Resting Lots at home…
My sources in Vancouver: Seafood City (Granville Island), Artisan Sake Maker at Granville Island (Osake), Vancouver Farmers Market (now Winter Market at Nat bailey is on), Fujiya Japanese food store (Clark Drive), Vancouver Island Salt Company (sea salt available at various locations), Bread Affair (bakery at Granville Island, also available at grocery stores).
Japanese Corn Potage: this no dairy recipe is still one of my favourites (recipe published March 2014 – check the archives) to make once in a while.
Roasted Butternut squash red miso shimeji napa cabbage udon – a keeper for winter!
New experiment: Roasted Butternut squash miso soup with shimeji mushroom and napa cabbage udon (new recipe coming) – it takes a little time but worthwhile! I used the turkey carcass to make the base stock (bonito flake/kombu dashi or just kombu dashi (for vegetarians) work just as well), roasted the butternut squash, sauteed the onions, added to stock and pureed to make the soup. Add little olive oil and the red miso paste to soup pot, add and sauteed shimeji mushrooms and cabbage, then add soup to pot. Udon cooked separately and put in bowls, ladle soup to serve, garnish with green onions.
When Japanese meets Italian: Roasted asparagus soup with homemade anchovy croutons and there is no dairy? A couple spoonful of Japanese rice (other than potato) will do the trick and give the creaminess which we all love. Inspiration came from recipe by Joy Manning on Food and Wine and Basho Cafe (another of my favourite in Vancouver); I made this vegetarian (kombu based dashi) except the croutons which I used anchovies as flavouring (sourdough bread seasoned with seasalt, olive oil), this pureed soup is creamy in texture yet light, perfect for light supper or lunch.
Last but not least…..Snapper Hot Pot Rice: snapper bones used to make stock (roasted bones, daikon, green onion, sake kasu, bonito flake/kombu dashi, small pork shank – at least 1 1/2 hours) then strained set aside, fish filet (by the fishmonger, my favourite Seafood City) and pin bones removed (I did myself at home), Japanese Haiga rice used for this dish, cleaned and soaked for 30 minutes prior to cooking. Seasoning (shiro shoyu/mirin/sake 3/2/1 ratio) added to rice in nabe and stir evenly, I added enoki mushroom (one thin layer) then the kombu (from stock making), slices of lemon), medium heat to cook rice stove top. Around the 9 minute mark, check the liquid (make sure it’s not all dried out) and add the fish filet on top, and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes until it’s done, the fish will remain very moist and tender. Remove from heat, remove kombu, lemon slices, flake the fish and serve with mitsuba (Japanese parsley), grated lemon zest and a touch of sansho (Japanese ground pepper), and a drizzle of homemade ponzu (dashi/soy/sake/mirin and lemon juice).
Voila! Snapper Nabe RiceFish flaked and served with chopped Japanese parsley, grated lemon zest and sansho ground pepper
Fall is always my favourite season; I am always excited and grateful to welcome the harvest season and get busy in my kitchen!
This September is all about Italian food at our household:
Italian Home cooking with my friends James (househistorian) and Peter (Pastaboy), sharing the joys and love for Italian cuisine: Whenever my friend James return to Vancouver, we always have a standing appointment to cook together for our good friends.
Here is the composite photo showing our dinner. Top row left; deep-fried cauliflower, fresh, handmade orecchiette pasta, bruschetta with Sabina DOP extra virgin olive oil from Casperia.
Second row left to right: Insalata caprese with local heirloom tomatoes and bufala mozzarella. Orecchiette (handmade small ear pasta) with fava beans, peas, Gorgonzola (sweet) and half and half cream pureed and topped with crispy guanciale (smoked pork cheek), baked sockeye salmon (local!) with lemon and capers.
Bottom row Left to Right: An amazing bottle of Spanish wine, Spaghetti all’Amatriciana (remembering the earthquake in Amatrice), getting ready to make pasta dough with flour and water!
My trusting go to places for my supplies in Vancouver: Cioffis 4142 East Hastings, Bianca Maria 2469 East Hastings, Gourmet Warehouse 1340 East Hastings)
Caprese Insalata: Buffala di mozzarella (a must), fresh basil, cherry tomatoes, sea salt and nice olive oil. We toasted some baguette (rustic Italian better), rubbed with garlic and drizzle with olive oil..Bruschetta!The most thoughtful gift from my pal James: Sabina DOP Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Casperia from olives grown and harvested from trees James can see from his home in Italy. Thank you again James!
We love pies: Gabi and Jules Handmade pies and baked goods in Port Moody
The newest artisan baked shop and cafe opened weeks ago in Port Moody; we were crazy and drove Port Moody one rainy Saturday morning, and the verdict? It was well worth the long drive from Vancouver! We had the apple blueberry pie: flaky buttery crust with generous fillings, the sweetness was perfect! I had the scrumptious cheese scone and my crazy husband had the peach cobbler muffin,
Their website is still under construction, they have great pictures on Instagram (@gabiandjules).
Delectable Apple and blueberry pie from Gabi and Jules: We took it home and enjoyed with our friends.
Tasting and Book Signing event at Gourmet Warehouse: Lidia Bastianich
The great Italian born American chef, Ms. Lidia Bastianich visited Vancouver this month… I was absolutely thrilled to meet her in person, she is absolutely lovely…completely starstruck..
I got her autographed cookbook (included in ticket purchase), a picture taken and spoke with her for a few minutes about Italian cooking. Tremendous thank you to staff and event crew at Gourmet Warehouse for hosting the wonderful event.
I will be very occupied this winter and I look forward to sharing all new cooking tips, techniques and recipes with everyone.
A one stop gourmet store located on East Hastings, filled with great selection of cookware, bakeware, ingredients and sauces from around the world.
Check their calendar for cooking classes and special events
And the Italian theme continues: Ask for Luigi revisited…first time for dinner
Finally made it to Ask for Luigi for dinner! It was an impromptu decision, we got there early on a Wednesday night (5:45 pm) and got it right away. It was meant to be (OO)
Ask for Luigi: 2015 Best Restaurant in Vancouver, located at 305 Alexander Street (Railtown), no reservations so get there early!
Cauliflower polpettes: with romesco sauce and hazelnuts: a very tasty vegetarian “meatball”…Radiatore – chilli, anchovy and broccoli….I love their pastas!
Easy Pasta Suppers:
We all love having pastas for dinner, the sauces are usually easy to make, the ingredients are simple and easy to purchase, my focus is always on using fresh in season and local ingredients.
Broccoli pine nut pesto with gluten-free fusilli (Gogo Quinoa), Spaghetti and Zoodles (Zucchini noodles) all’amatriciana (San Marzano Canned tomatoes, guanciale (smoked pork cheek), garlic and Pecorino romano). I substituted the half the spaghetti with zoodles (love my spiralizer).
Easy Sunday supper: Broccoli, pine nuts, dried chilli pepper pesto with gluten-free (GoGo Quinoa) fusilli and parmesan reggianoSpaghetti and Zoodles (courgetti/zucchini noodles) all’amatriciana – It’s not entirely vegetarian as the sauce is made of guanciale (smoked Italian pork cheek) and San Marzano tomatoes (variety of plum tomatoes (sweeter, stronger taste and less acidic – available Canned in Italian food stores Cioffis (East Hastings). I’ve used heirloom tomatoes (in season now) and it was so delicious.Good reads: The Italian Pasta cookbook is actually an old publication, the Chinese book is translated from a Japanese cookbook written by a popular and famous chef in Tokyo. I’ve been reading a lot more in Chinese lately, trying to learn the terms and cross reference.
Some upcoming Events in Vancouver:
September 29th – Sake Festival (consumer tasting in the evening), check website for information.
Remember I took some sushi making classes earlier this year? Taka-san is back and he will be teaching on October 15th Saturday, please call 778-788-3574 for reservations.
Want to know what have I been up to in August? On Wednesday August 31st, 2016 I will be on Ms. Deborah Moore’s radio show on Fairchild Radio 1470 at 10:30am sharp!
If you have any feedback or recommendations, I would love to hear from you! Drop me a line anytime at goldenapron@gmail.com
“Ai and Om Knives” in Vancouver Chinatown
Having the right and suitable kitchen wares certainly makes doing the job better; and a good knife takes you a long way…
I really don’t know much about knives, my limited knowledge came from tips I’ve picked up at cooking classes, or friends’ recommendations and through reading I don’t really like to get too technical with almost everything, I just know what “feels” right and what works for me personally. The last purchase for the “Santoku” was more than 10 years ago (I’m still loving my Wusthof Santoku. Since April I have been on the search for the “right” nakiri ((菜切り包丁) a great vegetable knife). There were a couple of choices but somehow it didn’t feel quite right; I kept thinking I might as well wait and pick up one when I travel to Japan….Until last Saturday…
My hubby always say I like to “tuck” information away and somehow I can miraculously pull it out when timing is right. I came across the posting about ‘Ai and Om”‘s opening on Instagram (through another instagrammer MaknMing) around three months ago; and finally it opened on August 21st.
Last weekend I decided to check things out; I was standing outside their door; just one glance at the display window and there it was….I summoned the courage and went in…
The picture below says it all….and I was happily chopping and dicing away on Sunday..
Thank you for your help, Yvonne and Douglas (and thanks for answering my message!), I will introduce myself properly next time and will be in touch soon!
Check out their store and ask for recommendations: 129 East Pender Street, Vancouver Chinatown.
FoodVideo: Chinese cooking channel on YouTube, WeChat and Weibo:
This channel is so much fun to watch: the videos are short and stylish; cooking demonstrations and instructions are simple to understand; there was this particular video which showcases two simple family style dishes from Yunnan cuisine (something I am not familiar with also); it looked so delicious and simple to make, the names are interesting also, roughly translated to “Red Three Chop” and “Black Three Chop” .
I certainly put “Nakiri” into good use over the weekend. As I am unable to find some of the ingredients (the “black coloured” pickled Brassica juncea – mustard green), I sourced out local ingredients and came up with my versions; I wanted to find out what is the English name of the pickled vegetable used and I contacted the home cook on weibo; I was thrilled to hear from her!
“Triple Red Dice” and “Triple Green Dice” : Great with rice or noodle, suitable for entire family and it’s easy to make. Initially I “googled” the Chinese ingredient and the translation I got was ‘Kohlrabi”, big head vegetable (haha). Have you ever tried cooking with kohlrabi? The first time I had it was at Pidgin Restaurant (more than 4 years ago I still remember the Dan Dan Kohlrabi), and more recently I’ve used the raw kohlrabi for the Dan Dan Noodles (Thanks Nourish Vancouver); it’s the first time I try kohlrabi in its cooked form and it has a very nice sweet flavour.
Triple Green Dice: minced garlic and ginger, minced pork, kohlrabi, green pepper, Serrano chili pepper, shiitake mushroom, green onion, Tamari soy used as seasoning, and finish with Vancouver Island Fleur del Sel. (triple green: green pepper, kohlrabi, Serrano chili pepper)
Triple Red Dice: minced garlic and ginger, minced turkey (non-medicated and free range), heirloom tomatoes (they are in season!), red pepper, Thai chilli pepper, green pepper, Tamari soy used as seasoning, a drizzle of maple syrup and finished with Vancouver Island and Co. Fleur del Sel. (triple red: tomatoes, red pepper and Thai chili pepper).
This is what I truly believe in: Cook with love, always think of who you are cooking for, remember to season and adjust to personal tastes and dietary concerns!
Vancouver Island Salt Co : I met them at the Dinner Party YVR Event and I’ve been using their product ever since..(my personal favourite: smoked sea salt).
My take on Yunnan Chinese food using local ingredients: my friends call it Deb’s brand of fusion (I dislike this word but what can I call them?) – Triple Red Dice and Triple Green Dice
Fun on Fraser Take Two: Change is Constant
As our beloved city of Vancouver kept growing, the little hubs in our neighbourhood kept changing; old favourites might be gone, perhaps finding new love…
Opa! Nammos on Fraser:
I must confess I am not the biggest fan of Greek food but somehow having dined at Nammos twice (Brunch and dinner), I love their fresh and no fuss approach: Family style share plates with great vegetarian options, fresh and light tasting (try their crispy calamari with the beet dip), good size portion and reasonable pricing; the restaurant is spacious and airy, patio seating available…and it’s right next to Earnest Ice cream (OO).
Share plate at brunch: Calamari with beet dip; Nammos Salata: spinach, arugula and manouri with honey vinaigrette, a side order of swiss chard, grilled vegetarian sandwichTender grilled octopus: one of the shared plates we had for dinner
Penang Bistro on Fraser (Used to be Bodhi Choi Heung)
Celebrated a friend’s dinner last week at Penang Bistro (Back to Fraser Hood!); Three things which stand out: the fluffy roti and the pork chop (sweet and sour) with fried kabocha squash; and lastly I must commend our server for his food knowledge and superb service, he understands the menu and the components for each dish very well.
Sweet and Sour Fried Pork Chop with Fried KabochaFluffy Roti; my friends had the beef and chicken satay skewers
Summer Time: Chillin’ and Cooking….A snapshot of my July in Vancouver..
On Wednesday July 27 I will be on Ms. Deborah Moore’s radio show on Fairchild Radio 1470 at 10:30am sharp! ‘If you have any feedback or recommendations, I would love to hear from you! Drop me a line anytime at goldenapron@gmail.com
Keep Chilin’ and Cooking (OO)
Modern Chinese Cooking Class @ Nourish Cafe (3742 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, BC)
Last week my “cooking buddy” Jo and I took a ‘Modern Chinese Cooking Class” at the newly opened Nourish Cafe; owner and instructor Dan taught us how to make a simple version of “baos” (steamed buns) and “Dan Dan Noodles” – it was a fun and refreshing take on some old Chinese classics! I went with no expectation and left with great ideas; in fact Dan has solved one of my recent cooking dilemmas! Nourish’s food philosophy and practices are actually very close to what I’ve been learning over the past few years since we made some significant lifestyle changes; Thank you Dan and Lisa, it was great pleasure meeting you both and I shall return sometime! Check their website for class schedules.
Brunching at Nourish – Sriracha hummus and potato cakes and Eggs Benny; they offer delicious and nutritious options for Vegetarians and Vegans
Dan’s Dan Dan – here’s what we assembled and devoured in class ; the tahini and almond butter base “dan dan” sauce was absolutely delicious! Thanks Dan for the inspiration, you actually just solved one of my cooking dilemmas!Deb’s experimental Dan Dan – inspired by Dan’s recipe, I’ve changed things up a bit by adding sea kelp noodles (50% kelp/50% regular noodle), sesame tahini (omit sesame oil) and balsamic vinegar. Recipe coming soon.
French cooking is always very close my heart; Jo and I attended two demo-cooking (French cooking and later Brioche) classes learning from the lovely Valentine at Uncommon Cafe, she definitely made everything so easy! Check her website for class schedule!
Below is the picture of the asparagus and cheese tart which I created at home, following her recipe (from her other french cooking class); I think I may have conquered my fear in working puff pastry…one step at a time!
Shrimp croquettes @ Raisu in Kitslano
The latest “sister” restaurant to Kingyo (Davie), Rajio (west 10th) and Suika (West Broadway); Raisu opened recently on West 4th Avenue (2340 West 4th Avenue,Vancouver, BC), a big thank you to Brian (Seafood City) who told me about this new venue! There’s no storefront on the street level, look for a small entrance which leads you to an open space with patio on the second floor!
The shrimp croquette was so delicious and resembled the fluffy crab claws at a Chinese banquet; the vegetarian udon was packed with flavor! A cool open space with good vibe, where else would you be listening to Billy Joel and watching old-time Bruce Lee’s movies while enjoying some delicious bites? Reservations recommended (by phone only).
We usually associate croquettes with potatoes; this is completely different and I think they have hit a home run with this dish! Now I’m curious and want to “dissect” this at home..We waited for 45 minutes for a table at another drinking place; so we didn’t try their Teishoku! Vegetarian udon was light and packed with flavor (miso)…Love it!
An old favorite revisited: Secret Garden Tea Company
My buddy DP and I paid a visit to this established and timeless favourite in Kerrisdale, they will be moving this summer! We had their High Tea set and I think their lemon tarts is still my favourite…They will be moving to a new location (on West 40th, still in the neighbourhood) sometime this summer.
It’s never too hot to cook: check out my noodle recipes (new and old postings)
I’m making more “mixed” noodle dishes this summer, experimenting with the spiralizer (yes finally new toy!) and new products (kelp noodle); meanwhile check out my old recipes (Type in the keywords in the “search” box (left column) above “RECENT POSTS”. My favourite recent posting is last month’s Sake Kasu sablefish (OO)
Sea Kelp “noodle” – available at Whole Foods – experimenting and recipe coming soon! Check out my instagram!
My Lazy Phnom Penh Noodle (July 2014) – it’s still one of my favourite things to make)
Mushroom Soba Salad (February 2014)
Vegetarian Soba with Lemon Vinaigrette (March 2016)
On Wednesday March 23rd I will be on Ms. Deborah Moore’s radio show on Fairchild Radio 1470 at 10:30am sharp! Here’s an outline for the program (subject to change and not in particular order)!
If you have any feedback or recommendations, I would love to hear from you! Drop me a line anytime at goldenapron@gmail.com (OO)
Bon Appetit and Saveur:
As a Vancouverite, I am so proud some of the best eats of our beloved city is featured in the March 2016 issue of Bon Appetit Magazine!
I adapted Ms. Sakai’s recipe and made my own version of soba salad, check my March 21st, 2016 recipe posting!
My first ever formal sushi making class: Taka’s Sushi Making class at Nikkei Heritage Centre (separate blog post coming soon)
Earlier this month I took a class with my food buddy Jo; it was a very humbling and wonderful learning experience. I’m registered to take another class on April 02! It’s all about technique and patience:
Taka-san’s wonderful sushi making class: temaki sushi, nigiri sushi, rainbow roll and kappa maki. He prepared the ingredients ahead of time and taught us the technique in assembling the different types of sushi.
Kombucha and Salad Lovers: Field and Social in Downtown Vancouver (separate blog post coming)
A tour for hobby chefs at sponsor Whole Foods on Cambie; and upcoming March 31 “huddle” – get together with other hobby chefs, sponsored by Cressey
It was fun to meet Annika, organizer of the event and a few other hobby chefs! Whole Foods Cambie’s concierge Ms. Lucia was absolutely personal and wonderful; she took us on a one hour tour and sample different citrus fruits, maple smoked salmon and cheese platter! Did you know there’s actually a cheese sommelier in the store?
Happy CNY! Chinese New Year’s Eve Dinner at home: Broiled Threadfin Bream from Seafood City, Japanese style braised mushrooms on pea sprouts, eight grain rice with cauliflower and garlic stems, Crispy Siu Yuk (Roast Pork), Soy Sauce Free Range Chicken and Duck
Happy CNY! How’s your 2016 so far?
On February 17th I will be on Ms. Deborah Moore’s radio show on Fairchild Radio 1470 at 10:30am sharp! Here’s an outline for the program (subject to change and not in particular order): Stay warm with “noodles” and stay cool with “ice-cream”.
The most talked about vegetarian ramen on instagram, it’s really delicious: Ramen Man 841 Bidwell Street, Vancouver, BC
Aosa “sea Lettuce” Ramen and it’s all about chicken broth: On the same street at a different block: Marutama Ramen 780 Bidwell Street, Vancouver, BC
My Golden Apron 