SobaAddict70

ok, Jin. Soba

My current fascination: red onion marmalade. Sliced red onions (or a mix of different onions -- red onions, Vidalias, Bermuda, Spanish, cipolini), EVOO, vinegar (either cider or distilled vinegar is good), sweetener (I prefer brown sugar to regular sugar), citrus zest and juice, and seasonings -- salt, cracked black pepper or peppercorns, star anise, cloves or five-spice powder. Especially amazing with grilled pork chops or broiled chicken breasts. Soba edit: try this as an accompaniment to crostini or bruschetta with chicken livers: saute chicken livers in butter and EVOO until cooked through. Deglaze with white wine or marsala, cook until liquid has mostly evaporated, cool. Puree in a food processor, adjust seasoning.

when I was a kid, I loved flavored farina and oatmeal -- now I can't stand the artificial stuff. In a moment of inspiration -- or was it desparation? -- I topped farina with sliced pineapple and milk, a mistake to say the least. (If I have oatmeal, I'll take it with a pat of butter, milk and a little sugar.) Breakfast is usually pretty standard for me, probably because of our corporate cafeteria (see my foodblog for details). For example, today was a breakfast burrito with scrambled eggs, home fries, cheddar, red bell peppers and jalapeno chiles; Canadian bacon; orange juice and a banana. Usually it's either a breakfast burrito, some form of sausage, bacon or other meat (corned beef hash for example), fresh fruit -- either whole fruit or fruit from the fruit bar, and juice or tea. Never milk because I'm mildly lactose intolerant. Sometimes plain Dannon yogurt, sometimes cottage cheese (plain or with fruit; if plain, usually topped with LOTS of cracked black pepper, a dash of red pepper flakes, and dried oregano); sometimes a toasted onion bagel or a couple of English muffins. If I'm eating it at home, that's another story. Things get more adventurous, anywhere from leftover pizza, to steak and home fries, to stuffed omelettes and pan-glazed bananas or sauteed apples, to congee (either plain with sesame oil, white pepper and minced scallions -- or other toppings), to French toast with Calvados butter sauce, to turnip kimchi on toast. Soba

with or without beets? both versions are equally tasty. the one without beets, I've had a version with black bread and sour cream as accompaniaments. Soba

Speaking of taco trucks, there is a nightly fixture taco truck in my old neighborhood in Jackson Heights, Queens. There's one on Roosevelt Avenue (72nd Street) that serves fried pork tacos, along with the requisite pollo and carne. There's a great mom-and-pop taqueria on Roosevelt Avenue and 73rd Street -- on the same side of the street as the Flushing-bound tracks -- wonderful crispy fried tripe tacos, and a nice chili-spiked guacamole. Order a couple of tacos and they'll give you some chips gratis. Very addictive eaten plain. Killer mini-flans. Soba

Two blocks from my apartment is Zarela's (Second Avenue at 49th Street). And then, there's Veracruz. Haven't been to Zarela's in a while, but I can recommend it. Mex-Alert: This is not Tex-Mex Mexican, but true Mexican. Huitlacoche, anyone? Soba

About as much dexterity needed as eating with chopsticks? I think I need to run for the hills while I can. Soba

Chicken Skin Stir-Fry (from today's DIGEST) Apparently, this is one of the specialties at the Grand Sichuan in Midtown East (NYC). Sounds intriguing to say the least. My question is, how much chicken skin (from how many chickens) would be necessary to make this dish? And could you say, substitute pork cracklings for some of it? Yum. Soba

NYTimes Dining In/Dining Out Section Wednesday, 3 September 2003 From Wall Street to Line Cook -- Culinary Students and the Changing Economy (Florence Fabricant) Provence in Greenwich Village (Mark Bittman) But No Mention of French Candid Camera!?! Hmmm. (Elaine Sciolino) Nigella Does Indian (Nigella Lawson) The "New AZ" re-emerges as Sage (William Grimes) Sushi Fusion In Ways Unexpected (Eric Asimov) Beach Plums -- Like Wild Mushrooms, Only They're Fruit (David Karp) Bits and Pieces: Vanderbilt Punch, Iroquois Corn, Yuzu Rice Vinegar, "Caramel" the cookbook, and Openings/Closings (Florence Fabricant) Oyster Farms in Martha's Vineyard (Joan Nathan) The Minimalist: Szechuan Stir-Fried Chicken Skin (Mark Bittman) Pairings (Amanda Hesser) Recipe: Smoked Trout with Celery Salad Son of Malawry's Blog (Tania Ralli) Letters Recipes in today's section: 1. Chicken Tikka 2. Spicy Onion Relish 3. Coconut Marzipan Cake 4. Zucchini Flan with Tomato Coulis 5. Cherry Clafoutis 6. Tomato Tart 7. Soupe Au Pistou 8. Migas (Chorizo and Bread) 9. Sichuan Chicken with Chiles Have a good week folks, Soba

Late night dinner: corn chowder, LOTS of Poland Spring. Glass noodles, stir-fried brussel sprouts, snow peas and cauliflower with minced garlic, minced scallions, thinly sliced jalapeno peppers, oyster sauce, sesame oil and five-spice powder. A little pickled ginger mixed in. Oh, and I think I'm getting the hang of eating with chopsticks now....NOT. *sigh* Soba

Any resemblance to Duck Skin of the Gods? (from Peking duck, of course.) Soba

Whazza eryingi? And gojuchang sauce? And the recipe for chive kimchi? Pleaaaaaaaase? Arigato, Jin. Soba

I meant hidden away where the sun doesn't shine ... like in the back of my cabinets. Not what you might have been thinking. I think. Soba

If I'm cooking for myself, Mrs. Dash is de rigeur. If I'm cooking for others, MD gets stowed where the sun doesn't shine. Soba (I'm not kidding. )

My officemate, who is Japanese (born and raised in Japan, although she went to Wesleyan for college) says that there's a Japanese word that was recently coined, just for Japanese people who like mayonnaise (she hates the stuff): mayular. Torakris -- this is the closest phonetic spelling in English that I can come up with. Maybe you can help? Soba

My mother is an excellent cook and makes THE BEST Filipino food I have ever had anywhere. (The only person who tops her in that department is my grandmother. Her sinigang is amazing.) Pity that this is the only thing my mom and I have in common. We haven't spoken since January this year. Soba

NYTimes Weekend Report Friday, 29 August 2003 -- Sunday, 31 August 2003 From Portugal to Italy -- A Makeover Martha Would Be Proud Of (William Grimes) Restaurant Capsules: Heirloom Tomatoes A Taste of Summer's End (Jonathan Reynolds) Recipes in the Magazine's food section: 1. Buttermilk Soup With Cardamom Ice Cream 2. Tomato Tart 3. Haricots Verts Salad Soba

as long as no roast chickens are involved, I'm on whatever side happens to be winning at the moment. Soba

NYTimes Dining In/Dining Out Section Wednesday, 27 August 2003 The Chef: Rebecca Charles (Matt Lee and Ted Lee) Rising Culinary Dragon: Vietnam (R.W. Apple, Jr.) Pears, Glorious Pears (David Karp) A Bounty of Truffles (William Grimes) Shoeless Diners at Hurricane Hopeful (Sam Sifton) Blueberry Economics (Norman Vanamee) Wine Talk (Frank J. Prial) The Minimalist (Mark Bittman) Bits and Pieces: Kansas City-style BBQ, Brooklyn Figs, Mondo Openings, Tiger Shrimp and Flavored Soy (Florence Fabricant) Ice Pops at Paletería La Michoacána (Melissa Clark) Recipes in today's section: 1. Lobster Mixed Grill 2. Lemon-Chive Beurre Blanc 3. Scallop Chowder 4. Pizza Dough 5. White Pizza and Variations Sorry for the late report folks. Busy at work and all. Soba

Monica, when autumn/winter comes into play, consider doing roasted acorn squash, taleggio or shaved parmesan and rosemary, sea salt and cracked black pepper and topped with a light drizzle of white truffle oil. Soba

As a soup: Cream of Zucchini Soup unsalted butter diced onion diced carrot leeks, cleaned, trimmed and thinly sliced 1 potato, peeled and diced chicken stock roasted garlic (1 or 2 cloves) zucchini, trimmed (whether you peel it or not is up to you. I like to leave them unpeeled) salt cracked black pepper heavy cream nutmeg 1. Saute onion until translucent in unsalted butter. Add carrot. Add leeks and cook until leeks are softened slightly. Add potato and saute for one or two minutes. Add chicken stock. Stir in or add garlic. Add zucchini. Simmer for ten to fifteen minutes or until vegetables are tender and cooked through. Take off heat and cool. Adjust seasoning. 2. Working in batches, puree soup in a blender or food processor. Return to pot and simmer on low heat. Add heavy cream and nutmeg. Adjust seasoning. I like to garnish bowls of this with shredded, sauteed zucchini and chopped Italian parsley. (Sauteed in unsalted butter and a pinch of celery salt.) Soba

oh wow. you still have stuff from the potluck!??!? that was over a month ago... Soba

Next time, try stuffing the cavity of the chicken with a few sprigs of rosemary and some quartered or whole preserved lemons. good luck with the dinner. Soba

Um, how about frozen corn niblets on pepperoni pizza? I seem to recall something that Kristin mentioned about that somewhere on the Japan forum. As for me, I get cravings whenever I read about Jin's dinners. Soba

NYTimes Weekend Report Friday, 22 August 2003 -- Sunday, 24 August 2003 The Chinese Pret-A-Manger (Susan Saulny) Diner's Journal: Lever House Restaurant (William Grimes) When Conservatives Clash Over Wine (Eryn Brown) Restaurant Capsules: Mediterranean Manhattan Revenge of the Iceberg Lettuces (Julia Reed) Recipes: 1. Iceberg With Smoked-Bacon-and-Buttermilk Dressing (Adapted from Robert Carter, Peninsula Grill) 2. Buttermilk Herb Dressing 3. Thousand Island Dressing ------------- Have a good week, folks. Soba