torakris

Monday dinner: asparagus rolled in thinly sliced pork slices and then coated in sesame seeds and baked, served with karashi and soy sauce Korean style squid sashimi "salad" -- the squid was tossed in a kojuchang-vinegar-sesame oil dressing and then was tossed with baby leaf mix broccoli and sugar snap peas stir fried with a black bean sauce Dessert: orange semolina cake

Thanks, torakris. Both cakes sound terrific, and the citrus flavors would be perfect in this hot weather. Would you recommend one over the other? I would have to say I prefer the orange semolina cake just a little tiny bit over the other, the lemon-almord cake sort of depends on the raspberry sauce and yogurt cream to pull it all together while the orange cake can stand alone. I am actually eating it for breakfast as I type! and I will let you in on a secret if you promise not to tell anybody................ I didn't use EVOO in my olive oil cake... I used canola oil! I was out of olive oil and didn't feel like going to the store, I can imagine it will only be pbetter with EVOO!

I like lard! In Japan they sell it in these neat squeeze bottles (looks just like Kewpie mayo--hope no one confuses them!) eeeww..........

It is 6:34 in the morning and I am still craving yuke!

word for 6/3: おすすめ osusume (oh-soo-soo-may) this means recommendation, you will often see a little sticker (or something to that sort) saying osusume on the menu next to the dishes that the chef (or restaurant ) recommends. You can also use this word to ask for a recommendation, to either the waitress or friends at the table. 今日のおすすめは何ですか？ kyou no osusume wa nan desu ka? what do you recommend today? if that is too long, try: おすすめは？ osusume wa? which basically just means "recommendations?" but is not an uncommon way to speak in Japan, this is what I would say to friends I was dining with if we were at a restaurant that they often frequent.

What was the first cake you made using olive oil, torakris? Goose-or-duck-fat roasted potatoes are the best! The first one was the lemon almond polenta torta, this was really incredible!

YES! and they are eating the zucchini and their flowers as well! EDIT just realized thatw as an "or" question! the leaves are turning brown and it looks like they are eating it.

Ive had it many many times. The first time was with tru's caviar staircase... http://www.trurestaurant.com/stuff.html Then I started buying it. I like to place a little on top of smoked salmon on top of a blini for guests. The bright green tobiko makes a striking color contrast with the vibrant red of the smoked salmon. Very pretty, very striking and very luxurious! how strong is the wasabi flavor?

I am pretty sure they are the same potato bugs that are all over my backyard, the ones that roll into a ball when you touch them......

has anyone ever tried wasabi caviar? I saw it in a cookbook but had never heard of it before, it looks like caviar only it is light green.

Is there a reason why this is in the Pennsylvania forum? Does the food have to be Penn related? If not I could really go for some yuke, even though it is 8am! or some sushi, GOOD sushi!

That is nothing! Check out Jackal's 5 acre garden on the gardening thread!

could be, I forgotten how to use feet! I am a metric person now!

Kristin finally went shopping! (I hate that week just before payday! , in Japan you get paid once a month) Sunday dinner: poached salmon with a tomato-horseradish-dill sauce/salsa (I couldn't decide whether to have a tomato based salas, a horseradish sauce, or a dill sauce, so i combined them all into a salsa like dish, it was quite good! ) caesar salad with lots of croutons and a heavy sprinkling of anchovies new potatoes roasted in goose fat dessert: orange semolina cake from the latest edition of Eating Well, the second cake I have made from their section on baking with olive oil and they were both fabulous!

actual standable space is 3 feet by 8 feet and this is actually quite a large kitchen in Japan! I jo = 33 inches by 66 inches My entire apartment (including the hall, bathrooms and every room in the place) is 67 square meters

I have just discovered potato bugs are eating my zucchini alive! how do you get rid of potato bugs? I also have aphids on my shishito (japanese pepper) and my sugar snap peas! aaarrgghhhh!!

Well I am making paneer for my saag paneer tomorrow night I will let you guys know how it goes!

Agreed. Mint is the kudzu of the herb world. speaking of kudzu.... I have a couple of kudzu plants that are trying to take over my house from the field behind us! Every morning I cut them off my back fence and the next day they come again growing 3 to 4 feet overnight!!!!

My kitchen is 3 jo 1 jo is equal to one tatami mat guess I have to figure out the Western sizes In other words it is tiny!

breakfast, iced coffee and orange semolina cake from last night.

here is a great use for wasabi: http://recipes.egullet.com/recipes/r336.html

word for 6/2: Today we are going to take a short break and learn a little history. On todays date 144 years ago the Port of Yokohama was opened (it is not a major holiday but all the kids in Yokohama are off from school ), it was through this port that a lot of new items were introduced to Japan. Important food items included ice cream and beer and Yokohama was the site of the first bakery in Japan as well as being famous for the creation of sukiyaki!

Saturday dinner: chicken parmagiano (lightly breaded and sesaoned BREASTS) topped with a sauce havy on the garlic and herbs (basil, oregano, bay) from the garden, topped with parmasean and baked. linguine with the extra sauce quick saute of cabbage, green peppers, and two chile peppers tossed in, with EVOO and a splash of sherry vinegar dessert: "quick" blueberry pie with frozen blueberries (simmered with lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon) and two sheets of frozen puff pastry.

nothing (nope not even an iced coffee) and boy am I starving.

I used a couple sprigs of fresh oregano (I have Italian and Greeek) along with a handful of basil and a couple fresh bay leaves in my pasta sauce last night.