You are currently browsing the monthly archive for February, 2008.
Winners annouced here: http://sf.eater.com/archives/2008/02/22/sobewire_liveblogging_the_2008.php
I’m always open to trying new things. I think it’s a hazard of growing up and eating stuff like chicken feet, shredded cold jellyfish, Jello-like squares of pig’s blood, duck tounges, etc. Not that I ate stuff like that every day, but I’ve never found it unsual to try something and find out later what it really was.
So when I was offered some Grapple at a relative’s house, I was intrigued and happy to try a piece. At first I thought they were apples crossed with grapes, but from their website it seems that they’re actual Fuji apples with grape flavouring added to them. There’s a good pic here: http://www.coolest-gadgets.com/wp-content/uploads/grapple.jpg.
The flesh and skin looks like they come from a regular apple, but you get an immediate scent of grape as soon as you open the packaging. And the taste. Well. I have to say I didn’t enjoy them at all. They reminded me of grape flavoured cough medicine, just without the medicine taste. Grapples definitely reminds you of grapes, but they taste somewhat artifical to me even though their site says the taste comes from grape juice. Frankly, I’d rather just eat a regular apple and drink some grape juice, or eat grapes. Grapples aren’t worth the significantly higher price tag.
Michael Ruhlman and Tony Bourdain have created the snarky and fun Golden Clog Awards. With awards such as the Alton (for “being on Food Network and yet, somehow managing to Not Suck”), the Rocco (for “worst career move”), and the Cat Cora Award (for “most fame based on least actual culinary achievement”), I hope this isn’t just a one time thing. Nominees and a two-part interview with Bourdain can be found on Eater.
I’ve wanted to read Michael Ruhlman’s series of Chef books for a while now, and when I started reading his blog and seeing him on TV I decided that it was about time that I pick one up. The Making of a Chef is a book about what students experience as students at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA). It talks about Ruhlman’s personal experiences while taking classes and learning various techniques such as how to make a roux, bake sourdough bread, and work in a real restaurant kitchen. Peppered with some of the history of the CIA, the book also examines what being a chef really means to both students and teachers. I found this an interesting book to read. It gives you a good glimpse of what life is like for the future chefs. I also liked it because of how the author examined his own expanding view of food. It did lag a bit in the middle but the rest of the book made it worth reading. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
How can you not love a book about candy by a guy named Almond? When I first read this book I couldn’t believe how much fun it was. Part personal exploration, part U.S. candy history and part travel diary, Almond draws you in with his humourous take on what candy means to him. Candyfreak contains discussions about the candy he ate while growing up and his quests for great candy. This is not a serious study on the evolution of candy; it’s a love letter to it. Be warned, your sweet tooth will kick in while reading this book. In fact, I had a chocolate craving just from writing this review.
Gung Hay Fat Choy! Happy CNY!
(I know, I’m a day late, but hey New Year’s is supposed to be celebrated for 15 days so it’s all good.)
I am slowly learning how to cook Chinese food, and I’m not nearly as efficient at it because my parents and grandparents don’t have recipes. It’s hard to pick stuff up if it’s all in their heads and you have a really crappy memory. So for New Year’s my contribution is usually limited to picking up a few ingredients at the grocery store like dried fat choy (a.k.a. black hair moss) prior to the day or bringing candies as a “thank you for having me over for dinner and cooking me lots of yummy food” present.
I was also too busy eating to stop and take any pictures of the chicken, fish, mushrooms, pork, etc. So in lieu of that, I share with you these very yummy looking CNY blog posts from other bloggers:
Rasa Malaysia’s CNY
Steamy Kitchen’s CNY
I’ve been trying to be healthier, which is why this article caught my eye:
I figured that for my first post I should actually talk about myself and why I started this blog.
First of all, the name. I’ve always loved food, but I never really examined why I loved food until the first time I tried a crème brûlée. It happened about 7 or 8 years ago, on a sunny summer day. I was eagerly sampling the offerings at A Taste of Edmonton when I decided to try this dessert I had heard about but had never had the opportunity to try before. My first crème brûlée was a strawberry flavoured one that came with half of a strawberry on top. The crunchy top and the delicate, creamy flavour wowed me.
My food discovery would be followed by another crème brûlée – a lemongrass one bought at the Hyatt in Calgary. Then came the desire to seek out other unfamilar foods like raw oysters, bison and smelly cheeses.
In the past couple of years my food adventures have expanded to learning how to cook. I’ve always been fond of baking (probably because my mother didn’t bake often and I filled the gap), but I never really found a passion for cooking until recently. Now I want to talk about food all the time. I read cookbooks and cooking blogs. I’ve bought a slow cooker and a microplane zester. I’m a foodie, and this is my journey.
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