Archive for the ‘Food’ Category

Kiwi Berries

I was at my local korean supermarket today and found a fruit I’d never heard of! Growing up in South East Asia, we were lucky to have all sorts of fruit, both local to the tropics and imported from abroad. So today, I was rather stumped when I came across these tiny grape-like fruit called Kiwi Berries. I’d never heard of it! So i bought a small container, did a little research and discovered that they’re native to Japan, China, Korea and some parts of Russia. They resemble the kiwi fruit both on the inside and in taste too. Apart from the obvious size difference, the outer skin is edible on the kiwi berries, unlike the larger ones. I’m going to have to run out and get another pint! These were gone in a flash! (The bowl can be purchased here.)

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Weekend Dessert – Chocolate Framboise (Laura Calder Recipe)

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I decided to attempt this recipe this past weekend – Laura Calder’s Chocolate Framboise. It’s actually not that difficult to make. You’ll just have to make sure you buy at least 5 pints of raspberries (2 pints to puree, and 3 pints for the outside). I didn’t buy enough and ended up with a semi-decorated dessert. Still, the end result was incredible – incredibly indulgent and a little goes a long way!

 

Kimchi Tacos

Those of you who’ve been to NYC know all about the Kimchi Taco trucks. Well, thankfully Asbury Park, NJ has their own version of these delicious tacos for those of us who can’t get to the city each time they have a craving for these. We sampled their spicy pork and fish tacos and we weren’t disappointed!

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Destination: Istanbul Eats

From amazing street food to glorious Turkish brunches, here is a sampling of some of the foods we ate during our trip to Istanbul. fishsandwich

Balik Ekmek (fish sandwich) from the docks at the Galata Bridge

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Fresh squeezed orange and pomegranate juice on every corner

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The famous Turkish Breakfast/Brunch with an assortments of olives, cheeses and Sujuk (lamb sausage)

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Street vendors selling roasted chestnuts, Simit (a Turkish pretzel) and grilled corn

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Enjoying a tulip-shaped glass of tea at a roadside cafe on the Asian side of Istanbul

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Two varieties of Borek (stuffed pastry dough with meat and spinach)

 

Best Chocolates on the Planet – MAST BROTHERS, BROOKLYN.

Anybody who knows me, KNOWS that I just LOVE chocolate. I mean, good chocolate, with at least a 70% cocoa content. None of those sickeningly sweet candy bars, where all you want to do is pull your teeth out after one bite. On a recent trip to Williamsburg, I just had to stop at Mast Brothers, a “bean-to-bar” chocolate factory in Brooklyn, to sample their artisanal chocolates for myself.  As soon as you entered, you were literally hit in the face by the aromas of cocoa. And then, right before your eyes, was the sampling table with rows and rows of beautifully wrapped chocolate bars. My other favorite- fine papers. It was so tempting to buy the whole lot. They didn’t come cheap, with the average cost of each bar around the $12 mark. There were samples from Papua New Guinea, Costa Rica, Madagascar and some other far flung places. Still, the place is worth a visit, if you’re in the area, But if you’re unable to, hopefully these pictures will provide you with visions of chocolate heaven.

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The Factory

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The many beautiful fine papers used to wrap each bar

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The two flavors I ended up with were “Vanilla and Smoke” and yes, “Black Truffle”. Yum yum!

And finally, I left with my very own signed copy of the Mast Brothers’ Cookbook!

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