prasantrin

Even if dim sum items are housemade, that doesn't preclude many of them from being frozen--especially the ones that can freeze quite well (a lot of the steamed items, for example). If a dim sum place is busy, there's no way they could make the quantities needed for the day in one morning. Unless they have a huge kitchen staff which is eating all the profits, that is.

What a pleasant surprise to see you blogging again! I'm even more pleased that you have a camera this time around! I've loved the feeling of spring your recent dinner pics have evoked. I can almost taste those fresh greens that you've been eating. I hope you'll demonstrate your egg poaching technique. No matter the method, my poached eggs always end up in disaster (which makes me thankful for readily available onsen tamago, but it's not the same!). In the last foodblog I remember you doing, you were seriously weight-training, but you mention that has fallen to the wayside recently. Have your eating habits changed, too? Or are you still eating hobbit-like? And was that particular focus on weight and muscle-mass gain spurred by your diagnosis? (I'm not sure why I would think it were, but no harm in asking!) Like mooshmouse did last time, I'm going to ask if you're going to show us any Filipino food. I can imagine some of those greens being used Filipino-style (and I don't just mean boiled to death!).

There are some recipes for Glacier's Macaron craquele, but they're in French, and they seem to be more along the line of savoury macarons (parmesan and goat cheese!). It will give you a start, though, if you don't have access to the book.

I wonder if using young coconut juice (not milk or cream, but the coconut "water") pureed with pieces of young coconut might help. I often get a slush-like drink that has young coconut juice, young coconut pieces, and a bit of half and half pureed together. It's quite delicious, and very rich.

He doesn't mention it in his blog, but he does mention a couple of specials and a "Travel with Tony" thing, so perhaps the shoot is part of one of those?

I hope he reports the incident to the management. Scams happen everywhere, but one would think a big luxury hotel would be more proactive about preventing incidents such as the one your husband had.

Things like that are happening more and more. I wouldn't say it's common, but depending on the type of bar you're at, it's not uncommon, either. (I think they generally target bars that are a little more high-end, or which businessmen frequent, because the "hosts" of the tables which they join are more likely to be able to pay. They also target larger groups because they're more likely to get lost amongst the crowd.)

Caraway. I love crackers with caraway.

andiesenji--are you using the Zoji IH or neuro fuzzy one? (I'e debating getting a Japanese model, but I can't read all the kanji on them, so I'm not sure it will be worth the hassle.)

The only thing I can get out of the that is 17% alcohol! And daiginjo, and something about Yamada. Where are rest of your pictures? Hint hint... Did you notice the flower arrangement when you entered the building? It was a takenoko "vase". Pretty cool, I thought.

10-15 years ago, golf balls and tees would have been appropriate, but I find more recently, far fewer people are playing golf. If the guy is staying with a Rotary Club-type family, they're still great, but for your average Japanese family, they may never get to use them (but they're highly re-giftable, so they won't go unappreciated). I'd never give jewelry to any Japanese person I didn't know (nor most Japanese I know--it's a very personal gift). I've found that Japanese people don't like towels designed for the Western market. They complain they're too thick. Most Japanese still hang their laundry out to dry, and especially during rainy season, the thicker the towel, the longer it takes to dry (and the greater the chance for becoming smelly). If towels are purchased, make sure they're pretty. If they're plain, they should have some embroidered insignia on them, or lace. Don't buy anything larger than hand-towels, as bath sheets or bath towels may not be used (see above paragraph).

Were the capers mixed with the ground beef when thee patties were made, or were they stuffed in the middle? I just bought some ground beef, so this would be a perfect start!

Oooh! Did you serve it with caper sauce? It's on my caper capers list!

When do the new shows air? I was reading his blog, and they sound fantastic! Laos, Tokyo/Kyoto, Spain, Egypt, et al. I can't imagine a bad episode. Except maybe the Papua New Guinea one (culturally very interesting, but foodwise?).

From Anthony Bourdain's blog.

I have a 6-year max contract, so 2010 is the longest I can stay (not that I would want to stay longer--I didn't really even want to stay this year, and only after great great deliberations decided to stay for a final 6th year). I'll probably be back in Canada for a few years, depending on the health of my mother, then off to the UAE or somewhere else. Possibly even Japan, again, but who knows! Ya, food is important. But the beauty of the UAE is the availability of pretty much everything you need to make your own good food, plus the ability to fly to Europe or Asia on a whim--and you can get all the good food you want there! That's pretty much the only reason (not including money) that I'd go to the UAE. Oh, the people. Locals (i.e. Emirati) are very warm and friendly if you ever get a chance to mix with them.

That just means all the back-issues of number 75 are sold out. ← No, seriously, check this out: Where would #75 fit? Was there a special Christmas issue, maybe? Edited to answer my own question: at least in 2004 there was a special "Fine Cooking Annual Holiday Baking Issue 2004," which is not listed for 2005. So maybe the granola recipe was in the "Fine Cooking Annual Holiday Baking Issue 2005" that they don't have available right now. ← Yes, it was probably the Holiday Baking Issue (which they no longer do), but as I said earlier, that it's not on the back issues page means the issue is sold out. It will never be available again, not just "right now." (Unless they happen to find a box of them lingering around their warehouse.) Forgot to mention...Randi, over on the Fine Cooking boards they sometimes post recipes. That's how I was able to find my favourite florentine bar cookie recipe again (my poor magazine has been lost for years). It has a very annoying interface, but it's a useful tool.

That just means all the back-issues of number 75 are sold out.

Seriously? I love fried food ("Anything fried is good" is one of my mottos), but I'm having trouble imagining this. Do you just eat them as-is, or do you use them to garnish particular dishes? Perhaps that can be my caper caper for tomorrow. I need to make some chile oil, anyway, so I'll just toss in some capers, first. Mmmm....fried food...

So it seems simple is best with capers, which is perfect for my style of cooking. burdrichard--salt-cured capers are probably easier to find in Japan than in the US or Canada. I can get them at my local discount liquor store, though I've never even seen them in my hometown in Canada (city of about 700 000). I've always used brine-cured ones, so I'll have to pick up some of the salt-cured ones. SobaAddict70--is 1 tablespoon of capers (the little ones) for a 2.5oz piece of fish carried away? i might have gone a bit overboard last night, but I really like them! Potato salad, deviled eggs, piccata, puttanesca (I've been meaning to try making puttanesca, and didn't realize it had capers in it, too), compound butter (my mouth is watering--butter and capers!)...I've got a list started. I do love capers on pizza (my favourite Italian-style pizza place does a Pizza Napoletana which is anchovies, olives, and capers). Next time I get Italian pizza take-out, I'm adding my own capers! WandaSue--Could you tell me what kind of modifications you had to make for using boneless chicken in the chicken marbella? I've had that recipe in my "to make" folder for more than a year, but still haven't done it. I need to use boneless chicken, though, because chicken with bones is so difficult to buy in Japan (at least in my area). I'll start posting pics of my caper capers as I go along!

I watched part of the second episode, but had to quit before they made the miso. I'll have to get back to it later (before it disappears!). I really like the food, but I'm not sure I can sit through much of the acting. Like with many (most) Japanese dramas, I find the over-acting is difficult to watch for more than a few minutese at a time.

Is there a lot of parking (preferably free) around Hot Doug's?

Yay me! I'm expecting one of those loaves as my prize! And perhaps one of the chocolate apricot tarts, except could I special order one without apricot? I am the winner, doncha know! Whatever your bread was, it still looked good, and I'm sure it tastes amazing. I think you could probably get closer to $5 for it, but maybe that's because I've been in Japan for too long.

Really? I'd have asked, but I didn't think anyone would be interested in joining me on a Friday night (y'all have families, after all). I can't remember exactly how much it was, and it hasn't shown up, yet, in my online AMEX balance. It was less than Y40 000, though, for dinner and two glasses of wine (including tax and 10% service charge). The dinner course I chose was Y26 250 including tax, and I think my total was something like Y36 000. Which really isn't that bad, relatively speaking (relative to other high-end restaurants, I mean ) (I told my mother about my dinner, and then about the wedding I attended. I mentioned that I had been given some money to cover part of my transportation costs to Tokyo, and my mother said, "Well, at least that will pay for your expensive dinner." I replied, "But Mom, my dinner was more expensive than my transportation!" I thought it was funny.) If I go again next month, would you go with me? I might be going to Tokyo to attend a former student's exhibition (she's got a show in Ginza!). That's a big "if", though. I probably won't get to Tokyo again till the fall!

What's "poor-people food"? It sounds like something my mother would say!