October 11, 2012
The other day, Washi and I went to Uniqlo thinking we could just casually stroll in two days after its opening. First reality check: there was a line winding two blocks down the building. So we went to some other shops. Second reality check for Washi: he couldn’t fit comfortably into a size M anymore. […]
October 9, 2012
Izakaya MOTO is an invite-only, very exclusive izakaya, located in the heart of Financial District in Manhattan (aka my apartment). I had my friends over one night, and decided to host an izakaya-style evening. I have a large counter in my kitchen where guests can sit (well not so comfortabely yet, since I don’t have […]
October 5, 2012
If there’s one drink on the menu that PDT is perhaps most famous for, it is the Benton’s Old-Fashioned. Although PDT’s menu is ever-changing and some would say hyper-seasonal, there are a few drinks that are mainstays. The Benton’s Old-Fashioned is one of those drinks, and to my knowledge it has not come off the […]
October 2, 2012
This is my second write-up in a series about summer vegetables. Instead of enjoying them now, I am packing them for the upcoming seasons. I love shiso. You often find them sadly sitting underneath your sashimi at Japanese restaurants. These green herbs are similar to basil, but milder, and goes very well with fish, meat, […]
September 28, 2012
Infusions are pretty common at PDT, since they’re a great way to add a particular flavor to a cocktail without having to add more volume to a drink, which is what would happen if you added the flavor by way of say, a flavored syrup. This is because the particular flavor that you’re trying to […]
September 27, 2012
Whenever I go see my 92 year-old grandma and have a conversation over tea, she drops all kinds of wisdom bombs on me. And she does it so casually, I never really notice the impact her words have on me until I am on the freeway, driving back to Berkeley. Last week, she said “I […]
September 26, 2012
Brazil has a serious love for condensed milk in their desserts and brigadeiro is the #1 most commonly made of them all. It is the holy grail of condensed milk, butter, and cocoa powdered chocolate. They make for a seriously awesome ball of thick chocolate, covered in sprinkles. The chocolate sweet is named after the […]
September 25, 2012
Summer is over, but I like the beginning of the autumn. I can finally wear layers, and the chill in the morning and evening is comforting. And knitting season starts just about now! Although the food supply has lost seasonality in many ways and we can basically find almost any ingredient, any day of the […]
September 24, 2012
Zatar (sometimes za’atar) is a Middle Eastern spice made up (usually) of a blend of salt, sumac (a tart red dried fruit powder), sesame seeds and thyme. I roll out some store bought pizza dough (from Trader Joe’s) and drizzle it with lots of olive oil. Then sprinkle with a good amount of zatar and a […]
September 21, 2012
About a century ago, to call something “the bee’s knees” meant you considered it to be of top notch quality. It’s an apt name for this week’s cocktail, a simple combination of gin, honey, and lemon juice that proves sophistication doesn’t demand complexity. The historic origins of the Bee’s Knees are murky, although the consensus […]