spaghetttti

Bump bump bump Have the festivities and merriment been had? So, how did it go? Where are the photos of cheongsams, kay po, etc etc etc? Gastro, where are you, girl?

Oh Percy, you genius you! I love that you've started this thread, I probably have some mysterious food riddles for you as well! I don't know what the heck that is upthread but it looks greasily delicious, something I'd like to top my hot steaming rice or roti with.

W i l d guess here: something from an Indian restaurant? Lassi and pan masala, you know those beetle nut palate cleaners? I'm so totally in love with your blog, therese. So informative, educational & engaging (and the riddles are so puzzling & too much fun! ).

This is an exquisite diary, you have transported me! Those zucchini blossoms are lovely, how will you prepare them?

Auntie spaghetttti? Auntie??? Did you see her picture? Maybe "sister" is more appropriate... ← Thank you kind kind hzrt - but Gastro knows I'm really old enough to be her mother, so "Auntie" will do just fine, thank you!

Hey, (G)astrogirl! The menu looks good to me, so pray tell does it embrace all of the important/significant/symbolic elements for a reasonably proper CNY banquet? Yin Yang Rice, I love how it sounds and just rolls off the tongue -- not! It's going to be branded on my brain forever! Thanks, I think I have a headache.

Loving this blog, therese! I'll play! ^ They look quite similar to this

Thanks, Suresh. Everything looks so good, how often does one eat a meal in this fashion, special occasions, and eaten with fingertips, yes?

Oh, how wonderful that all looks! What is the significance of the "lo hei"?

My current favorites are Ritter Sport Chocolates (all flavors ) and Almond Roca. I just had one of these: which was creamy, a little too sweet, but I like it.

Ling, tempe(h) is cultured, fermented soy beans, I hear they're good meat substitutes. Aren't some veggie burgers made with them (?), and TVP (Texturized Vegetable Protein) is probably composed from tempe. Anyhow, tempe fritters are thinly sliced tempe dipped in a savory batter then deep fried. I don't usually like tempe, but the fritters are really good.

It's not over yet! Unfortunately, my suprprise date tonight (that supposedly was going to last until tomorrow ) is cancelled because it turns out I have to work tomorrow Not cancelled really, just postponed, but because it will now take place outside the bloguniverse it will be of no interest to all of you.. To make up for it we decided to go out tonight anyway. So we'll venture into Amsterdam's red light district this evening, for some drinking and fine dining! Stay tuned! ← Chufi, I'm still interested . Staying tuned for this evening's adventure! Tot straks

Dean, pho crying' out loud! (fuh, right?).

After 3 months off (traveling and just having a good old time lazying around ), I went back to work today. When I got to my desk a plate of fried goodies - fresh, hot out of the wok appeared - it seems my co-workers saw me come through the gate and scrambled to surprise me. (There is a street vendor right out front.) There were fried: bananas, slices of sweet potatoes, little triangles of stuffed tofu, but these tempe fritters were the best, most delicious things I ate today. And those little birdseye chilli peppers were the hottest things I wrapped my lips around!

Gastro, today at the market I may have seen some cashew apples, wonder if that's what jambu mete is. They didn't look very appealing, so I passed them by and will keep looking around. Do you like them, what do they taste like? Here are some tangkil or melinjo nuts for you, soupsister. These are readily available here to me, but I'm not sure about Indiana. Have you checked your local Asian grocer? I don't even remember if I saw them while I was in NY/DC. We use melinjo nuts in sayur asem, a sweet and sour soup, otherwise the shelled nuts are pounded flat, dried and when fried they're called emping. Good accompaniments for meals or eaten as snacks, they have a slightly bitter aftertaste which I find pleasing. How do you like to use them? Michael, thanks -- but I just point and shoot, the camera seems to know what it's doing better than I do.

That is gorgeous, Yuki! Perfect midnight or anytime snack.

Suzi, get well soon! Susan, absolutely stunning! It's dreary & rainy here in Java, your dinner really brightened up my day! Thanks

Everyone had their own activities to tend to, so I enjoyed dinner alone. Tofu frittata with chopped cucumbers & bean sprouts dressed witha roasted peanut, shallot & garlic sauce topped with golden fried garlic flakes.

I didn't have very much to eat today, but this bao filled with spicy chicken was pretty delicious.

When it's rambutan season, dukuh is not far behind. This one was bright, sweet and juicy (I ate it after I took the photo ) Those segments look sorta creepy, no? I'm not sure, but in Malaysia I think they're called langsat.

Susan, I remember it! There was one near where I lived on Wisconsin Avenue in DC and the last one I ever ate in was at The Galleria in Houston, TX back in the '80s. They had an open kitchen where you could watch them make crepes on that big crepe wheel. My father used to get them with the ratatouille filling and I'd order the cheese fritters and the spinach crepes. (sigh) I wonder if anyone from the DC area remembers a crepe place in Georgetown, they had wonderful crepes - beef bourguignon, seafood and an amazing escargot crepe. They weren't rolled or folded, they were draped over the filling on the plate, oh it was a charming little cafe! We like to make crepes from time to time now. Sometimes with sweet or savory fillings, but every now and then just plain with butter and sugar is just fine.

Tonight I made a soup with tofu and long beans in coconut milk. I had mine just ladled over some rice, but my husband added some fresh bean sprouts to his. A squirt of kalamansi really brightened up the flavors.

Aah, would those be muisjes or hagelslag, Fritz Brenner? Chufi, do you like them? I do like the chocolate ones, but have a tin of orange/anise flavored ones that I have yet to open. Great blog!

Mooshmouse, that looks fabulous! Are those sesame seeds and almonds on the rice? I've gotta try that. Thanks for the inspiration.

^ That sounds delicious to me and something I will try very soon. My sister likes to marinate salmon fillets in lime juice and teriyaki sauce for grilling.