I Am... Cold Soba Summer Salad
I Am... Avocado Chicken Broccoli Rabe Summer Rolls
One of the things I love most about summer are the long evenings that stretch out from early afternoon all the way until the sun dips behind the horizon. Here, at the height of summer, the sun sets just after 10 o'clock. Dinner time happens a little later than usual and lasts a lot longer too. We linger at the table, chatting and eating, and taking everything slow and easy, the heavy heat of the day cooling off as we make roll after roll, satiating our hunger and filling our hearts.
Read More →
I Am... Classic Chocolate Birthday Cake
I made this cake for a self-proclaimed cake hater. But, first let me explain what this cake is supposed to look like. If you grew up in Canada in the late 80s, you'll remember McCain’s Deep ‘n Delicious chocolate cake. It's not particularly deep or delicious, but as a chocolate cake deprived little kid, DND (as the cake shall now be known) was the best thing I ever tasted. It's a basic chocolate cake, in a tinfoil tray, covered with star shaped piped chocolate frosting. The cake was (and still can be) found in the frozen section, you know, where they keep the Sara Lee Pound Cakes and such.
Read More →
I Am... Easy Sparkling Sangria
I'm not the biggest indulger of alcoholic drinks, but when summertime hits, all I want is to do sit on a sun-drenched patio with a deliciously iced boozy drink in hand. There are couple of go-tos I have: mojitos, chū-hais, and most definitely sangria. How can you go wrong with wine, fruit, a bit of sugar, and a touch of brandy or rum? I love a good classic sangria, but I love mixing it up even more.
Read More →
I Am... Mac and Cheese Waffles
I love waffling things. There's something about the crisp edges, the fluffy (or creamy) middles, and the square indentations. Waffles just work – especially mac and cheese waffles. They sound like a total gimmicky sort of dish, and I guess, in some ways they are, but they're really, really good. Imagine a lacy crispy cheese crust and creamy dreamy insides, all in a convenient handheld waffle shape. Perfect for dipping or having alongside another handheld type of meat like fried chicken or perhaps, ribs?
Read More →
I Am... Slow-Cooked Baby Back Ribs Dinner Party!
One of my dear friend's birthdays is coming up and since, on his actual birthday, he'll be up in the air, unable to make it to a celebratory dinner party, I decided to throw him one early. I take birthdays very seriously. I think it's because I like to make a big deal out of mine. I'll plan out the perfect day (I always try to take the day off work, if I can), focusing on the food of course, I'll even take a look at making sure that my dining table set is perfect for when it comes to serving a meal for him. Birthdays are the one day a year that you should throw all your inhibitions away and eat yourself into a happy (birthday) food coma.
Read More →
I Am... Friday Finds 6.12.15
Woah, how in the world did it end up being June: not just the beginning blush of June, but the full on heady dog days of June? It feels like summer even though summer is still a week and a half away. It's been plenty warm and sunny and I'm not complaining – I've been in maxi dresses and shorts (not at the same time), eating a lot of fruit, and drinking all the summertime drinks.
Read More →
I Am... Spicy Shrimp and Zucchini Noodles
Mike and I have been on a huge vegetable kick lately. We must be growing up or something because all of a sudden, we can't get enough vegetables. When I was a kid I don't remember eating vegetables at all; I think the only vegetables I ate were carrots and potatoes, which don't really count as leafy greens. I'm pretty sure a piece of lettuce never passed my lips until I was 10. It's funny because now I love snacking on vegetables – give me a bunch of greens and I'm a bunny.
Read More →
I Am... Four Cheese Pizza: Mozzarella, Parmesan, Brie and Ricotta
You know, I never really got the appeal of cheese pizza. Growing up, my pizza of choice was always ham and pineapple. I'm pretty sure that was due to the fact that when I was a kid, I didn't know what other kinds of pizzas were out there. Ham and pineapple happened to be my parents' favorite, so it was kind of mine too, by default. Fast forward many, many years and I've pretty much tried as many types of pizzas as possible. Even so, amidst my extensive pizza eating of porchetta pizzas, grilled cheese pizzas, and caramelized shrimp pizzas, I've been slow to answer the siren song of the classic, cheese-topped pizza.
Read More →
I Am... Banh Tieu Recipe: The Vietnamese Donuts You Never Knew You Loved
It's National Donut Day! Last year I waffled up some donuts for a delicious hybrid wonut (waffle-donut) and this year I decide to go with a donut that you've probably never seen before: banh tieu, a deliciously deep-fried Vietnamese donut. Banh tieu, for the uninitiated, are slightly sweet, puffy, hollow donuts that are sprinkled with a generous amount of nutty sesame seeds. Fresh out of the fryer, they just can't be beat.
Read More →
I Am... Tokyo Food Guide: Where and What to Eat in Tokyo
So, you're planning on going to Tokyo? First off, congrats! I'm so jealous. Tokyo is one of my all time favorite cities. There is so much to do, so much to see, and most importantly, so much to eat. Tokyo has it all, from hole in the wall gyoza places to high-end Michelin sushi bars.Warning: this is a LONG post!
Read More →
I Am... How to make: Buttermilk Fried Chicken Wings
Nothing makes me happier than a GIANT plate of fried chicken. Especially if there are fries on the side. I indulge in fried chicken probably way more than I should, but I cannot get over how delicious it is. I mean, there's a reason why every single culture out there has it's own version. I definitely wouldn't turn my nose up at Southern-style, Japanese (chicken katsu, toriten, karaage), Korean (triple-fried and either sweet or super spicy), Taiwanese (salt and pepper crispy popcorn bites)...I could go on, but I should probably stop before I get too hungry. But, now that I think about it, why are almost all the fried chickens I mentioned Asian? Do Asians just really really love fried chicken or is it just that I think of Asian chicken when I think of fried chicken?
Read More →
