I Heart Food

I like to experiment with different flavors and to try to create my own recipes when I cook. Usually it doesn't turn out to be anything special...just average. Not super delicous, but not terrible or inedible.

But every now and then, something turns out so good that I'm just totally blown away!

First there was Peppered Chicken Sauteed in a Peach and White Wine Reduction.

Then, there was Chris' Famous Butter and Garlic Stuffed Steak: a cardiologist's dream! (I'm anxious to try this out with truffle butter...if someone buys me some, I'll cook it for them =p)

Most recently, there was Prawns Sauteed in Homemade Ginger Plum Sauce. Mmmmmm!

But tonight... Best of all! Chris' Chiang Mai Masterpiece - a fairly simple hot pot type dish inspired from the memory of something I ate a few times while in Thailand. Basically, it's just a hodge podge of different flavors: leeks, rice noodles, chicken, trout, homemade fish balls, bean sprouts, cabbage, shitake mushrooms, and a beaten egg, all cooked in a pot of chicken stock, then drained, and covered in my special spicy sauce. OMG!! Best thing ever!!!

I just love food so much :)

Top Chef Update

Whoa! Tonight's episode was so good! And 15 minutes longer than usual!!

Sounds of a Sunday

Here's some chill music that's perfect for a lazy rainy day like today. Give it a listen...

Track 6: featuring Micro of Def Tech!
Track 8: Japanese J-Lo?
Track 12: Cookie Monster? (listen and you'll understand)

Micro of Def Tech - Aug. 8!!

I want this CD! It's by Micro, one of the two singers from Def Tech. Def Tech is this really great Jawaiin reggae (Japanese Hawaiin reggae) band that I love. Micro has a great voice and I love the melodies of all of their songs...very chill and laid back (as the title implies). Here's the video from the first single (which comes out on Aug. 8th):

hung up on Hung

Realtity TV shows on Bravo...Mmmmm!

I'm totally addicted to them all, especially Top Chef.

Well, I woke up this morning and was watching this week's episode on TV and reading through a few Top Chef blogs (I told you I'm addicted), when I stumbled across Hung's MySpace page.

(Hung is the medium-attractive bisexual Vietnamese-American contestant that I predict will win this season)

Now, I know that most people think he's a bit of a jerk. And he definately is cocky. BUT, he's also a chef at one of my favorite Vegas restaurants, so I decided to send him a quick message to tell him that I like his food and to say "good luck."

Well...guess what! He actually wrote me back! Just a short message saying "thanks for the support" and offering some restaurant recommendations in my area, but still...how cool is that.

Big sigh...

July 19, 2007

Dear Mr. Thomas,

Thank you very much for your interest in the 2008 Monbukagakusho Research Student Scholarship. Unfortunately, I must inform you that we cannot recommend you for a scholarship this year. I hope you understand that the competition for this program is exceptionally keen, and we are unable to recommend as many applicants as we would wish.

I hope that you will not be discouraged and that you will continue to pursue your interest in Japan. I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors.

Sincerely yours,

...

Consulate General of Japan

Sweden!

Yesterday, I grabbed a bottle of water, some sunscreen, and my passport and headed to Sweden, aka Ikea.

For those of you that have never been to Ikea and don’t know what it is: it’s basically the greatest store ever. Here’s why:

• It has a restaurant and snack bar! With $.50 hot dogs!! And the best cinnamon buns ever!! (Why does my whole life revolve around food???)


• The workers sometimes wear name tags with fake Swedish names like Lars and Thor. Come on…we all know that makes shopping more fun!


• You can buy a 10 pack of batteries for only $.99!!


• It’s a gay, family, and environmentally friendly company. (you have to pay $.05 for plastic bags now, but all proceeds go to replant trees!)


• They have cool furniture and stuff for your house at super low prices.


• It’s a great place to meet single people. (except the one near Boston seems to be a couples only kinda joint…not sure what’s up with that.)

I bought some furniture to finish my sunroom and to almost finish guest room #1. (I’ll post pictures later) But by far, the best part of the whole day was when Amy and I sat down in one of the living rooms in the showroom and had a serious conversation for 30 minutes as if it were a coffee shop or my apartment. Reclining, feet up on the chair, and everything! People kept walking by and browsing, so we moved to another living room, and then to a bedroom. But the other customers kept following us. Finally, with Amy sitting on a bed and me on a chair across from it, the ridiculousness of the situation hit me and I just started laughing. And laughed so hard that I actually started to cry! It’s definitely one of those things that you had to be there to understand, but it was definitely one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever done.