sanrensho

As PatrickS mentioned, I also like to see all ingredients in proportions and weights (specifically grams not ounces). I think it's fine to include hard-to-find ingredients as long as you list substitutions. Along with these substitutions, I'd like to see an explanation of how it impacts the recipe. "You can subsitute with x, but it will change the finished product in such and such way."

Then it sounds to me like Thai just isn't very popular with the Chinese community. Can anyone confirm this? Is it something that peaked at one point and just doesn't command much interest among Chinese diners these days?

Yes, but if you count the number of good Japanese restaurants then the ratio is much less striking. Sorry, I can't help you on the Thai restaurant front. I think we need to open up the visa channels to encourage a wave of Thai immigration. I agree, the choices we have are not great.

Are you referring to yokan? http://store.yahoo.co.jp/kasyuan/choju3.html I can't speak about every item, but I think you are pretty safe with the food items at Daiso. I have heard that a lot of the food items solid in Japanese 100 yen stores are simply repackaged name brand items. Regardless, even the imported items are subject to the same import standards (into Japan) as other food products. There shouldn't be anything that makes them inherently less safe than other processed foods.

I usually add strained raspberry puree to taste. Most jams or preserves would be too sweet, although it might be a nice idea to add a layer of strained jam/preserves between the cake and filling layers.

Which Cake Bible recipe would that be?

This brings up an interesting point. Are the high prices mostly to compensate for a higher percentage of non-sales? In other words, is most of the expensive and (relatively) obscure produce ending up in the dumpster? This is pure speculation of course. Do any insiders know the truth?

Thermos makes a bunch of these products, and in a Miffy version, too. http://www.thermos.jp/products/index.html

You know this could work. My girls love biking (taking after their dad), so it isn't hard to get them to wear helmets. The reason I ask is because there was a similar "scare" quite a few years back with the fruit-flavored konnyaku jelly cups sold in Japan (also HK, China, Taiwan). At least in Japan, there were a few reported incidents of kids choking on the jellies. Dragon Ball--love the name.

Has anyone ever choked to death on those things? I fear the day that one of my kids sucks up a tapioca pearl only to have it lodge in her windpipe. I feel like I should study up on the Heimlich maneuver before ordering one of those things. My only preference with bubble tea is that the fruit versions be made with actual ripe fruit. Fruit powders are a definite no-no. I'm not much for liquid calories so I don't drink bubble tea often enough to have a preference out of all the different varieties. Too many choices for me.

Is there any chance that someone could do a demo on tempering chocolate? I'd like to try my hand at this.

I find the title of that article grossly misleading ("Gourmet Takeout"). I'm sure some editor at the Vancouver Sun can be blamed for not reading the article before penning the headline. Basically, it's just a long list of takeout options other than pizza and fast food chains. I have no objection to the inclusion of more pedestrian options such as T&T and Fujiya, and in fact have purchased my share of take-out food from both vendors as well as the Yaohan food court. However, surely Vancouver must be more sophisticated than to consider take-out sushi or Chinese as "gourmet" food, as if it were something unusual and special. I mean, this isn't the 70's. A lot of the options given are common, everyday take-out options for typical Vancouverites. The article would have been more interesting if it had focused on upper scale take-out. Rant No. 2 over.

Love the last part of that sentence. For those with kids, I think it's fine in moderation. Taken to extremes, I think it's sad that some parents can't be bothered to place a priority on cooking quality food for their children. Furthermore, the opening paragraphs of the Sun article seem to reinforce the notion that cooking is a chore, rather than a pleasure. Which is just plain sad. The family meal (dinner) is not just another task to be scheduled, slotted away and quickly eaten. It is the highlight and central part of our day. That plus sleeping, of course. Rant over.

Weak or low protein flour. I'm not sure what the proteign content of Japanese flours is, but I can dig it up later.

You betcha. I stopped using condensed milk all the time because it leaves a bit of, er, fuzz on the mouth and tongue. Just using raw sugar gives a cleaner aftertaste. I almost always drink my Vietnamese coffee hot, probably due to our mild climate. OTOH, I always take my regular drip coffee (and tea) black. Not sure why I don't drink Vietnamese coffee black, except that I probably associate it with a certain sweetness.

Usually clear plastic containers. Shouldn't be any problem to transport that way.

A pasta salad with basil or sun-dried tomato pesto dressing would be easy to prepare the day before. Use tortellini or add protein if you are worried about having enough food.

We made the waffle recipe from Cake Bible for the first time on Sunday. Excellent crispy waffles and very easy to throw together the night before. We'll be making them again, although I really need a larger, more powerful waffle iron.

Lately, I've been enjoying hot Vietnamese coffee (Trung Nguyen brand) with just a teaspon or so of raw sugar. The few time that I've had to use refined sugar, I've definitely noticed a difference. I prefer the fuller flavor that the raw sugar imparts.

I'm way behind. The most notable things we had in the last couple of weeks were: -Flourless chocolate cake from the Saveur Italian book: Turned out great despite despite the poor recipe instructions. (The recipe lists 13 TBS butter but only 12 is actually needed for the cake. The remaining TBS is for greasing the pan.) I especially liked the lovely crust that forms on the top of this cake. My daughter's reaction when tasting this cake was, "Brownie!" She was right, too. The ultimate brownie. -CI's blueberry buckle recipe, frozen from a previous baking: A second tasting confirms my opinion that this recipe is way too sweet with the suggested amount of topping. -Birthday cake for my 7-year old daughter: Two layers each of choc. fudge cake and cocoa dacquoise discs filled white choc. mousse and raspberry BC. The single layer of raspberry BC was definitely the highlight of this cake. In the future, I'll up the raspberry quotient with a gelee layer or raspberry mousse.

Good call on the robatayaki. Something we do not have in our city at the moment. I also vote for the humble neighbourhood teishokuya as an alternative to family restaurants. A gruff, silent owner is a plus. I would also kill for a Cozy Corner cream puff right now. Mostly because I haven't had one in about 6 years.

Clearly, the solution is for Shelora to move to Vancouver and open up a Mexican restaurant. I guess we can dream... mtigges: I bought a small epazote plant from one of the ladies selling planted herbs at the Trout Lake Farmer's Market. If it self-seeds as she promised, I should have some to share next spring. If she doesn't have any epazote when you go, she can bring it in the next week. At least, that's what she told me when I inquired about a curry plant.

I would unequivocally say to throw out all the batter. And dock your assistant's pay. Okay, I'm joking about the last part, but how many test batches did he successfully make before putting together the bad batch? I agree completely with your assessment about putting out sub-standard product.

Based on what we can't get here (Vancouver, Canada), my top choices would be: 1. Good tonkotsu ramen 2. Tempura restaurant (just tempura), counter style and made to order 3. Unagi restaurant (again, just unagi) 4. Teuchi soba (preferably somewhere deep in the country in Nagano Pref.) 5. Houtou noodle soup/stew (a specialty of Yamanashi Pref.) 6. Mini croissants at your favorite depachika, hot out of the oven This is aside from the obvious ones like good sushi, sashimi and fresh fish. I've tried monja yaki several times and never found it appealing.

Any chance you could PM me some of that info? As I mentioned, I'm always on the lookout for Vietnamese grocers. TIA.