Chris Amirault

Asiana is really the only Korean market that I know of; until I found it, I was usually kimchi-deprived. (I remain soju-deprived, alas.... Anyone have ideas about that?) There's also the Chinese American market: Every time I look at that sign, I think to ask SobaAddict70 about a few good Phillipino dishes to try! So, there are some purveyors out there serving folks from across different parts of Asia. Having said that, Providence and the Twin Cities share a large southeast Asian population, focusing primarily on Cambodian, Hmong, Laotian, Vietnamese, and Thai folks. Indeed, my go-to market is New Battambang, named after the town in Cambodia. Here's a few photos from a sunny day last week, while I was scouting around for something: There are, easily, a dozen similar stores within two miles of my house. There are also a jillion "pan-Asian" restaurants, which basically means that you can get nime chow/goi cuon, pho, pad thai, mee grob, chicken with lemon grass, lort, larb... a smattering of "southeast Asian" dishes. Most are good enough, a few have excellent particular dishes, but we don't yet have a real break-through place that tries to take it a slight notch higher. One can dream....

One of the things that I thought I could do in this foodblog was offer up some information and/or advice about food and cooking to anyone out there with young children. Since our preschool focuses on children 3-6, I've done a good deal of research into young children and food, and it's pretty fascinating. As we like to say in early childhood education, you can't make 'em sleep, poop, pee, or eat; as a result, we have no rules about food consumption here (you don't have to eat "this much," for example) that aren't tied to children's choices. Instead, we facilitate their engagement with food by thinking carefully about when, what, and how much they are able to eat, and we help them think about the relationship between their choices and the consequences of those choices (putting only what you think you can eat onto your plate, for example -- that only for kids who can control serving utensils, of course!). As for cooking, well, it's very well established that cooking is a fantastically good way to learn a great many things. Some of them are pretty obvious -- measuring ingredients for cake batter teaches about collaboration, math, and science -- but some are less well known. For example, children really benefit from learning about weights, textures, temperatures, and other sensory components of cooking because their bodies are integrating all of their senses in this developmental stage. Squishing cookie dough between fingers, cracking an egg, or seeing if the water is "luke warm" are all very good things for little kids to do! I'd be happy to try to answer any questions you have about young children, food, and cooking -- and would be interested to know what sorts of things you've done with the young'uns!

Back from the errand (and a couple of meetings; I just learned the ASL sign for "sarcasm" from a parent, which I'm finding quite brilliant!). I went to Asiana Market on Warren Ave in East Providence: This place is Korean food heaven (with some Japanese stuff there, too). I just love well-stocked, wonderful stores like this, so I took lots of photos, including the extensive pickle selection: The wide array of soy and other sauces (among other things): The amazing selection of non-rice grains available, which frankly intimidate me: And, though I am sorely tempted, I did not buy one of these $300 rice machines: I did buy some Nishiki rice for the bibimbap tonight, as well as a few other items, including two dolsots. You'll see them a bit later on tonight. Asiana happens to be across the street from a fantastic Korean restaurant, Sun and Moon: It's a family-run business that was mentioned in the 2004 Gourmet restaurant guide; everything's cooked to order and fantastic. Didn't stop by because I had to rush back to work, but now I'm dreaming of their seafood pancake....

It's a Toastmaster -- and like most of my purchases, I found it at a garage sale. Or was it Salvation Army? Or perhaps Savers? Anyway, you get the idea! It's perfect, just perfect. Why anyone buys non-Korean ramen is beyond my ken....

Lunch, today, was in the office. I had my sourdough roll, a smoked makerel filet from Ducktrap Farms in Maine, a wild pear, and some Brown Cow maple yogurt. I gotta use that damned flash more often; there is NO ambient sun whatsoever. Fall in Providence.... While I was snapping my lunch, I thought I'd snap a few photos of my own little office area's food set up. Here's my wonderful teapot, which boils water in 60 seconds flat for tea: And here's my current selection of teas: I've really been enjoying that Tazo lemon maté tea; it's perfect for, well, afternoon tea! Finally, when I'm not coordinated enough to have a decent lunch, I have my Clif bar stash: Off to run an errand!

Yeah, I noticed that too! Big fridge, microwave, full kitchen downstairs, toaster, coffee machine, a few other things. I had hoped to do a photo shoot around the office but got caught up in something -- I'll do it before the week's out! And while on the subject of chorizo, another question (or 2). Is Portuguese chorice spicy, like an andouille? I would love to make caldo verde tonight but I probably will not be able to track down the authentic stuff today with limited time. I'll have to figure out something to substitute. I can get Spanish chorizo & andouille easily. Are either of those the best substitute in lieu of the Portuguese stuff? ← Again, I'm not too sure about Spanish chorizo, but Portuguese chorice is spicy and cured. (You can get mild, probably, too, though I wouldn't.) I think that linguica, andouille, and other spicy cured sausaged would work pretty well. It's gotta be the good stuff, though, since it is the principal flavoring besides the onions.

My goodness! Well, since folks asked, when I read that, I was surprised and happy! My goodness! Well, this kind of deception I can take! What a sweetie! In case people don't know, Studio Kitchen is the restaurant of Shola Olunloyo, located in Philadelphia, in which eight guests arrive with wine in tow and enjoy outstanding food. Some eGullet people dream of El Bulli, Alinea, Fat Duck, or Per Se, but I've been dreaming of Studio Kitchen! I'm so psyched! I suppose I'll find out more details later. Thanks, Andrea! (And, because I can guess at least some components of this plan, thank you Southwest Airlines!) You are the bomb!

Well, we get our food from Sodexho, and sometimes it's mediocre, sometimes pretty good. They make a decent meatball and marinara, of all things! I'll only eat the stuff that I think is good; for that reason, we don't expect teachers to eat what the kids are having, but they can. I should also say that we have kids who eat vegetarian, halal, and kosher food brought from home, and of course there are the kids with various likes, dislikes, and allergies.

I'm telling you, it's like grappa! I love it. I only drink a thimbleful of it; 1 cc is enough to fill the mouth....

Good morning! Well, I'm having a good morning, but there are other adjectives to describe the morning.... I remember seeing one foodblogger's commute through rolling forests. I get to drive by oil tanks and strip joints! I decided that, this morning, I deserved a treat, so I drove over to the east side to Seven Stars Bakery (Hope and 4th). Seven Stars is an artisanal bakery that has been in business for almost four years, and, along with Olga's, comprises the best bread baking in Providence by far. Lynn Williams, the owner, was kind enough to allow me to take photos of their shop and oven: The star of the shop is this titanic brick oven from Spain: The oven holds a giant lazy susan, turned by the round wheel on the left; the bread goes into the oven through the slot in the front. If you look in the upper right of the frame, you'll see a few bread peels -- and those babies are hanging from the ceiling because they're six or eight feet long! You can see them head-on at the top of this photo: While I really love their bread -- I got a sourdough roll to have for lunch -- here's the reason I drive cross town: These cinnamon pulls are extraordinary; there are at least four or five different textures in this one item. Marvelous! Today I'm hoping to devote some time to my office food life. I feel like many foodblogs don't mention food at work, but I eat at least one third of my meals here during the week and rarely take lunches out of the office. More on that soon! Meanwhile, any questions about work food?

Sounds lovely -- a recipe? Do you first braise the kohlrabi (in milk? stock? water?)? Do tell, Klary! Actually, the pie is now sitting here at work for teacher consumption; it'll be gone in an hour or two. This is how Andrea and I maintain our commitment to good cooking and fitting into our jeans!

The caldo verde is in the freezer, the bibimbap beef is in the fridge, and there's a lot of dishes to do. But, first, Andrea (the house baker) made this: She had been hoping that the last of the nectarines would be in the CSA fruit share, but, alas. So she defrosted some Maine blueberries and, viola! Very tasty indeed. Winding down for the night: I love Wray & Nephew overproof rum. A lot of people think it tastes like jet fuel, but I feel like it's like a tropical grappa. Ok, I know that that would taste like jet fuel to a lot of people, too.... And with that, good night!

Thanks, Linda! It sounds like you have Spanish chorizo, which is quite a bit different from the Portuguese kind. I'm not familiar with that at all -- sorry! As for Providence info, click here for a listing of food shops, and this thread has some ideas for restaurants. If you give me a sense of what you like to eat, I can make some suggestions. If I had to pick one restaurant that's a must-visit in Providence, it'd be Lucky Garden in North Providence. Excellent Hong Kong Chinese restaurant, with better dim sum than I've had in Boston, hands down. We're also regulars at the Red Fez (eclectic, inexpensive, great), Kabob n Curry (Indian), Sun and Moon (Korean), and Haruki (Japanese -- Cranston is better than Providence). When we're on Aquidneck Island, we go to Flo's Clam Shack; we love Champe Speidel's new place in Bristol, Persimmon; if we're nursing drinks and checking out the crowd, we'll hit the bar at Capriccio; we just had a great couple of meals at Pane e Vino on Federal Hill; and when we're treating ourselves to a romantic meal, we... well, you'll learn a bit more about that soon!

Miracle Whip? By itself?

Thanks, Susan! No bread tonight with it. I really think it's a one-dish meal -- and Bebe has been eating most of that loaf that Andrea made! As for the leftovers, this stuff freezes well in a ziplock bag. (I have a feeling I'm going to be writing that sentence a few more times this week....)

suzilightning, I don't think I know what Portuguese toast is. French toast with sweet bread? Wouldn't need any syrup on that, nossir....

Dinner! Here's the cook's snack: Ok, caldo verde. I was going to write this up in RecipeGullet, but it's too easy, and I usually go by feel. Frankly, if you can get the quality of chorice I can get, you don't want to do too much to screw it up: Check out the chunks of pork in these links. I feel like using a knife takes away from the amazing texture of this meat, so I just halve them lengthwise, peel off the skin, and break the meat into chunks. Saute that in a dutch oven with a healthy splash of olive oil for five or ten, then remove the meat. Throw in, oh, say, 2 medium onions, chopped, and if you have a sweet new leek from your CSA, might as well chop that and throw it in, too, eh? After they wilt, toss in a couple of minced cloves of garlic, then when everything's soft and melded, throw in a couple of pounds of peeled red potatoes, sliced very thin, and cover them with chicken stock: Bring it to the boil and cook down those potatoes until they're crumbly. Mash 'em or immersion-blend 'em, then add the chopped leaves from a head of kale, some salt and pepper (I think white and black both), and the chorice. Simmer it for five or six minutes, until the kale is to your liking. That's what Andrea and I ate, and it hit the spot, particularly on this rainy, cold night. As for Bebe, well, a few weeks ago we spent a Saturday afternoon making baby food. I have to say, it's been a breeze and wonderful. Here's tonight's dinner: That bag has little frozen cubes of steamed pears in it; we also have squash, carrots, beans, and a few other things in the freezer. Pop a cube into the microwave for 30 seconds and... She actually likes 'em better than that -- the damned paparazzi, though, they ruin everything!

Thanks, Ellen! While I was making the caldo verde (pix to come) I was thinking, "Do they think I'm on the tip of the Cape?" Not this week, anyway. We're on that Rhode Island, you know, the one out in the middle of the Atlantic....

Just back from our CSA pickup. The CSA is run by the Southside Community Land Trust at the Urban Edge Farm, and we pick up our stuff in the SCLT City Farm on Providence Street: We've been getting great radishes all summer and into the fall, and every time I think of Lucy (bleudavergne)! Sorry the pictures are so dark. We've got a great head of cabbage, some fine leeks, great apples (not sure of the type), excellent Romaine, onions, garlic, oregano... ... and kohlrabi. Ideas, s'il vous plait!

Thanks, Jake! Andrea and I don't travel as much as we'd like, but between us we've been to all of the continents save Australia and Antarctica. She in particular has done a lot of travelling in Europe, mostly of the backpack and hostel variety. I've also been to all of the continental states save North Dakota. Interesting to try to figure out where my tastes came from, as I've really no idea. My meals at home were pretty unadventurous growing up, but I had an eclectic group of roommates when I lived off-campus: a Korean guy, an Irish-Jew-American vegetarian, a Swiss-American, and a US Foreign Service brat who had lived in France, Pakistan, India, and a few other places. Eating dinner with them every week was an enlightening experience! I probably should give them credit, because before that I was pretty unaware.

[raising hand] Me me me! Actually, I keep away from it most of the time, lest I should eat too much and regret it. But man, that stuff is good! ← He only had almond today, no pistachio, I'm afraid.... But it's still fantastic stuff....

Well, mizducky, you and I are on some interesting shared wavelengths! Argh! We were there yesterday! We drove all up and down the coast during a lot of rain. I didn't bring the camera, I'm afraid! Aunt Carrie's was closed -- Columbus Day -- so we went to Iggy's across the street, which was underwhelming. Too bad; their Oakland Beach location is pretty good. J&W is a strong presence throughout the food community, for pretty obvious reasons. Many of the chefs in restaurants are J&W vets. We also live three blocks from their harborside campus (where the culinary classes are). Funny you should ask if there's anything interesting over there I should check out.... Perhaps later in the week there might be something on the way, yes? Hmmm?? Oh, I remember what you experienced, Daniel: porn in the Escalades, if I'm not mistaken! I'm hoping to steer you clear from that, you'll be happy to know! You know, I used to travel to Saudi Arabia all the time in my previous job, and there were Dunkin Donuts there -- but none served iced coffee. Go figure!

Oh, you're too kind! Those "black granite countertops" are formica or something, and the cabinets are anything but new (save the knobs, which we replaced). Most of the design elements are not too great, save that tile and the flooring (see below), which are fantastic. Save some painting, we've done no renovation in the kitchen whatsoever, but instead have had to put in some furniture to address some serious counter and storage issues. To wit, this shelving system sits on the kitchen table: And this shelving system (thanks, dad!) rests against the wall across from the table: Finally, we found a 1930s cabinet unit taken from an apartment building in the lower east side of NYC, onto which I secured heavy-duty rubber casters. It's now the floating island in the room, storage for all my bowls, silver, utensils (some of 'em anyway), towels, and a few other things: Someday, we'll blow out the wall that the big shelving unit rests against, open the kitchen up to the dining room, and do it all up right. Or so we hope!

Like Jason said! Besides, not drinking Dunkin Donuts coffee will get you tossed out of the state. Just like trying to get sauerkraut on your weiner.

Spoken like someone who knows! Miss Silvia is a dream, tis true. I cannot say enough about that machine. As for the rest of Providence, there are a few great coffee shops in town, but it's not as caffeinated as other towns. My favorites are White Electric (they serve the best coffee in town consistently, I think), Reflections, and the Coffee Exchange, which is sort of the the granddaddy of them all here in town. But I must confess that I have another regular coffee source that is very Rhode Island, if not too eGullet: Large iced black no sugar. Yesss......