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Welcome to the C.I.A. – no, not THAT C.I.A.

30 Mar

CIA’s main building – The Roth Hall

In case anyone is wondering what I’ve been up to all this time while I disappeared, I moved up to Hyde Park, NY to begin my culinary education at the famed C.I.A. Hyde Park is right above Poughkeepsie on Route 9, which is about 1.5 hours from the City by train. Its location is actually very beneficial to anyone who is interested in a culinary profession because a) it’s close to the global capital of gastronomy A.K.A. New York City, and b) it’s in the heart of the Hudson valley where fresh produce and ethically raised meats are readily available.

At the C.I.A.,  food really is life.

The Colavita center of Italian food studies

Vintage clock on a sunny day

I came up to school without knowing what to expect. But may I say that I was pleasantly surprised to find it very resourceful and well-structured? The school was bigger than I had imagined – there are +2,000 students, with the facilities such as the big main building “Roth hall”, 4 restaurants and 1 bakery café, the “Conrad Hilton” library, the recreational center, and the dorms. Unlike most other culinary schools, the C.I.A. offers a full college experience – though the academic courses are structured a little differently. Each semester here is divided into blocks of 6 weeks, and the blocks are designed to maximize the flow of learning. Since most of the academic courses last for 6 weeks, the pace of it all is quite intense. Moreover, the classes here could start at any hour. For instance, when the culinary students have a breakfast class, they ought to wake up at 2:30 AM. That’s right, AM. But as intense as it is, the school is dedicated to preparing the young professionals to lead the culinary industry. The school is designed not only to teach students skills, but the in’s and out’s of the industry, so they can apply the knowledge out in the reality. I like that part a lot.

View from my dorm

Geese hang out in and around the pond

View of the Hudson river

Aside from its superb academic program, the campus is very pretty. There are trees all around, birds chirping, geese playing around the pond, and you can even see stars at night. There is a pond right by the Rosenthal hall (which is where I am staying at), where pairs of geese swim and walk around all day long. I was surprised at how they don’t fear us human beings. They walk across the road to the grass field every afternoon and eat, regardless of the passers-by. Co-existing with the nature reminds me of the ecological and the ethical part of our food sources – it reminds me that the meats and vegetables that I eat everyday don’t just appear on the table. Whether it be for an educational purpose or for an aesthetic purpose, being surrounded by the beautiful nature is inspiring indeed. I can’t wait till spring when produces start to grow in the gardens here.


Ferran Adrià

Ferran Adrià panel discussion

Another perk of being here is being exposed to accomplished chefs of the world. I got lucky in that I chose to start in March, because we had a number of important figures at the school. To begin with, we had chef Ferran Adrià of the infamous el Bulli where one could secure a reservation only years in advance if he or she gets lucky. Often called to be Salvador Dali of the culinary industry, his creations are really out of this world. Adam from A Life Worth Eating explains well of his dining experience at el Bulli. Having a real visionary in front of your eyes is pretty exciting – kind of like how a 15-year old girl would feel if she saw Justin Bieber, or any straight male would feel about Angelina Jolie. You get the picture.

5 Volumes of food sorcery – Modernist Cuisine

Volume N.1

Next, we had an honor of seeing Nathan Myhrvold, who has been the right arm of Bill Gates at the Microsoft before he left. The billionaire loves food so much that he built a kitchen lab for the chefs to experiment and come up with answers to questions such as how to make a consistent omelet for 10,000 guests and so on. The collaboration has fruited in 5 volumes of cookbook, Modernist Cuisine, which has been praised by David Chang as the cookbook that will end all cookbooks. It’s a series of cookbooks that will change the way we look at food. And I’ll be honest here – I had no knowledge of who Nathan Myhrvold was until I was exposed to him here at the C.I.A. It was just another reminder to myself that I have much more to see and to learn.

The third visitor will be the legendary Paul Bocuse – one of the founding fathers of the Nouvelle Cuisine. I can’t even imagine what it would be like to see a textbook figure in person. This will truly be a once in a life time experience. This will be like meeting Elvis Presley in person if he was still alive.

Smoked salmon salad at the Apple Pie Bakery Café in Roth Hall

Overall, I’m very excited about the school. Its resources and the environment are perfect for growing chefs of the future. I can’t wait for my life to unfurl herein the next 21 months. Check back soon for more!



Stepping with the right food forward

2 Jan

Espresso gelato with hazelnut wafers – Happy 2011!

I started this blog a year ago after a cozy dinner in Gramercy with my friend Nathalie on a cold night. Knowing me very well, she suggested that I start a blog that will further help me explore my true passion. And lucky me, after a year of baking, cooking, and writing, I am now reborn – I’m walking on the path of a pastry chef! 2010 was a real adventure for me in that sense – I chose to leave behind the job that I didn’t feel passionate enough about, and got on the sweet ladder. Writing this blog has enabled me to convince myself, and my family that being in the pastry kitchen is what makes me happy.

Now that I have found my path, I only have to walk on the path this year. I promised myself that I will never give up on this new found path of mine, that I will always find my way back somehow if I ever got lost. I will be starting at the CIA at the end of May, and I can’t wait. It’ll be the beginning of a great journey (don’t worry, it’s only 1.5 hrs away from the city. I am not going away to another planet!!). It’ll be intense though when the school starts, but I know that it’ll only make me stronger!!! Apart from starting a school, my goal this year is to get healthier, and to stay active. Working at the kitchen on 12-14 hr shifts, I have neglected my own well-being these past few months. I made another promise to myself that I will find the healthy, happy medium where I feel balanced.

What were some of your highlights in 2010, and what do you want in the new year? Whatever it may be, I wish you all a great start to another year, another decade. May your life (and tummy) be filled with sweetness!

Brown sugar lemon scone with apricot jam and sweetened whipped butter

So speaking of starting the year right, I decided to do so by cooking more at home. On the new year’s eve, I cooked up some penne alla vodka with sweet sausage, peas, and mint to celebrate the year’s end. And on the new year’s day, I made a herb-roasted poussin and steak salad to celebrate the year’s beginning. This morning, I baked some scones to keep the good momentum going. I didn’t have any orange or dried fruits on hand, so I decided to make plain scones with a twist. I used brown sugar instead of white sugar, and I added a spoonful of lemon oil to lighten up the flavors. It’s so easy to make, I made them in no time.

You will need…

…to preheat oven to 375F
2 cups flour
4 tbsp baking powder
A pinch salt
8 TBSP butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp lemon oil (optional)
3/2 cup milk
1 egg

Sift the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix in the sugar. Add the butter (cold cubes) into the dry, and cut into mealy consistency with fingers. Once all the butter is cut into the dry, add in the lemon oil, followed by the milk and egg mixture. Once it comes into a ball, roll it out to about an inch thickness and cut into triangles or circles, or any shape you want your scones to look like. Bake them in the oven for about 15 mins, or until they’re golden brown on top. It’s so easy!

It’s good with tea in the afternoon too!

Good thing about baking these scones is that not only you can eat them for breakfast, but you can save some for later and have it with tea in the afternoon. I took mine with apricot jam and some sweetened and whipped butter – man oh man, nothing beats the freshly baked flaky butter goods. I didn’t have it on hand, but lemon curd would go well with it  as well. I love how citrus not only brightens the palate, but my whole day as well. It made my day.

I’m getting slightly hungry again. I think I’m gonna go have some more of them scones with a cup of good earl grey. Well, happy eating and happy new year everyone!

 

Welcome to Bali part I

12 Jul

Leaving for Bali at the Incheon airport

Last week, my sister and I headed to Bali for some much deserved R&R. Since she lives in Boston, and I live in New York (well, I shall say I used to live), we never got to spend any quality time together. So we thought, why not go on a mini vacation together when we can? And if so, because of our hectic daily lives, we wanted to go somewhere relaxing, somewhere warm. Then the genius whiz my mom is, she suggested that we travel to Bali, Indonesia. She also suggested staying at the BVLGARI resort there, since she heard many good things about it. Apparently the resort is well-known to Korean people because a famous Korean celebrity couple (a Korean version of Brangelina) stayed there recently for their honeymoon. Well, to make long story short, we packed our bags and got on the direct flight from Seoul/Incheon to Denpasar, Bali via Garuda Indonesia. It was long 6.5 hrs.

Visa on arrival at Ngurah Rai (Denpasar) International airport

In Bali, there were many Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and Australian tourists. It’s unsurprising considering the distance – all of those countries are somewhat close to Bali. But regardless of where you come from, so long as you are a foreigner, you have to get a visa on arrival at the airport. That means having to pay $25/person, and to wait in an un-airconditioned room for roughly an hour. Once you get a visa, only 30 days are allowed for stay in Indonesia, no longer. Though in Elizabeth Gilbert’s “Eat Pray Love,” she talks about how she illegally extended her stay with a few hundred bucks handed off to an immigration officer (I haven’t experienced it personally so I wouldn’t recommend it!). Anyways, after we passed through the immigration process, we passed a line-up of money exchange agencies on our way out. I was turned off by their hustling so I didn’t exchange any of my money, but in retrospect it would have been a great idea to exchange U.S. dollars to the local Rupiah. In the city, you can exchange 1 dollar to 9,000 rupiah, but at the hotels or restaurants, the exchange rate is around 8500 rupiah per dollar. Since everywhere is priced in rupiah, you have a disadvantage paying with U.S. dollars. A good lesson learned for me, I’ll know what to do next time.

On the road

In Bali, there are many scooters. Most people ride them as they’re more affordable and faster to get around. In some cases, a whole family of four will travel on one scooter. I’ve even seen a woman carry eggs on an open tray as she rode her scooter. Because there are so many of them, all the street side groceries (bodegas, as we call them in NYC) sell benzene oil for the riders. In other words, bodegas can also be a gas station for the locals. They use a big Absolut vodka bottle (or a clear bottle that looks about the same) to store the oil, and stack them on the wooden shelves by the roadside. It looks like bottled tea water or something refreshing to drink, but it’s really not. So my advice would be don’t try drinking it. :)

Conrad resort

The first night, we stayed at the Conrad hotel (since we had a schedule conflict with the BVLGARI, we had to stay one extra night here). When we arrived at the lobby for check-in, we were given a small welcome drink, and a cold wet towel as a refreshment. It’s almost customary to welcome a guest this way at any given luxury hotels in Bali. The drink was sparkly, citrusy, and refreshing, and the cold wet towel was delicately perfumed with lime and coconut. It instantly reminded me that I am indeed in the paradise of the great nature.

Being hungry and tired, we headed to the restaurant to get some dinner before going to bed. Contrary to what I thought, everything was priced in Rupiah, not U.S. dollars. It is usually priced in thousands of Rupiah, meaning if something costs 200,000 Rupiah, it will be written as 200. It is equivalent to 23-25 dollars. Since I was not used to the conversion, I just ate thinking it won’t cost too much. I had to learn it the hard way when I got a bill equivalent to 70 dollars to my room the next morning at the check-out. I swear all I had was one small bottle of sparkling water, one salad, and one pasta. Unlike what I had imagined, the prices at the hotels and resorts were in fact not cheap at all. AT all.

Balinese funeral ceremony for cremation

The next day, my sister and I headed to the Ayung river for white water rafting. I’ve never gone on a rafting, so I thought I’d give it a shot here in Bali. We drove for about 2 hrs and a half into the island to the rafting house. On our way to the rafting house, we saw a funeral ceremony. Our driver told us that in Bali, rich people usually get cremated at death, and the rest of the public gets buried since cremation costs more. Also, the richer you are, the more elaborate the funeral ceremony is at any given day. As it is in numerous developing countries, there is a big gap between the social classes in Bali unsurprisingly.

The Ayung river

Balinese jungle

Balinese jungle

Once we got to the rafting house, we were given a life vest, a helmet, and a paddle. We walked down many, many stairs with our boat guide to get to the rafting boat dock. All my belongings were put into a plastic bag, then again put into the thick water-proof messenger bag our boat guide kept. I was excited but a little scared too.

Since it was my first time, I really didn’t know what to expect. Will it get rough and aggressive? Or is it a nice boat ride? Luckily, the water wasn’t too aggressive, but that is not to say that I didn’t get soaked in water. Since it was only me, my sister, and the boat guide on our rafting boat, I had to paddle like there was no tomorrow. In retrospect, I wonder it would have been better if we joined another group. I can confidently tell you that paddling is some work. Especially when you have to do it for hours without stopping.

Rock carvings in the middle of Ayung river

Beautifully carved rock

Beautifully mossed rock carving

Amazingly in harmony with the nature

In the middle of the river, there was a long stretch of beautifully carved rock wall. It is indeed based on the traditional Balinese religion,  hinduism, and it was originally carved there to ward off all evil spirits. Speaking of the traditional religion, Bali is the only island where people follow hinduism, unlike the rest of the Indonesia who are very muslim. But it is also not exactly like the Indian hinduism, even though that’s where it comes from. Instead of having many idols/gods like in India, the Balinese believe in one god called “widi” which means “the one” naturally. In fact, there are many more differences that I didn’t get to learn of.

In my opinion, the most impressive aspect of the carved rock wall was its perfect harmony with the jungle that surrounds it. It fits right in as if the jungle was formed that way. The carved wall was partially mossed in a very natural and chic way, and it was just plainly beautiful in the middle of a well-stretched jungle. I wish I could have studied it in further details, but I had to paddle away on schedule.

Beverage stand

Coconuts

On the middle of our route, we stopped for some refreshments at the small wooden stand on the side of the river. There were already a group of people (East Europeans, I suspect) who were taking a break. I wanted to drink coconut water, so I decided to share one with my sister at the cost of $3. Again, because I didn’t have the Indonesian Rupiah, I had to pay more in U.S. dollars. (In case you haven’t already noticed, I just can’t seem to stress it enough). The coconut water was indeed cool and thirst-quenching, but I can say that I’ve had better. It wasn’t nutty and sweet the way I like it. But it was big, and thirst-quenching, so I had no complaints drinking it. Also, interestingly while I was drinking the coconut juice on the corner, I managed to get hit on by a local Balinese guy. He told me in his broken English that he like girls like me, who are big and has white skin. I’m not sure what that exactly meant, but I decided to take it as a compliment. I’m telling you, certain Balinese guys are quite hustlers like the ones in NYC. I am pretty confident that they will fit right in, in that aspect, if they ever had to move to NYC. (Ha ha).

Actually, I remember hearing from someone else last time I visited Indonesia that Indonesian guys love girls who have light skin. Apparently, they’re worth a lot more cows than the one who have darker skin (Indonesian men have to gift cows to the parents of the girl he wants to marry as a dowry). I suppose it is the way it is based the theory of rarity. It is always something that’s rare that everyone wants even more of it.

Jimbaran beach

After being soaked in water for hours, we headed to one of the many spas in Bali for a well-deserved relaxation. We had a head-to-toe massage that undid all the paddling work we did earlier. It felt really relaxing – I was trying really hard not to doze off to sleep. I didn’t want to start snoring and make my Balinese masseuse laugh. I mean, I don’t snore normally, but I was once told that I do sometimes especially when I’m tired. So I didn’t want to take a chance. Luckily, I succeeded in not falling asleep while getting a delicious massage.

Then afterwards, we headed to the Jimbaran beach for some seafood barbecue before heading to Uluwatu where BVLGARI resort is located. We sat across from the ocean in the dusk, with a big basket of barbecued seafood. It was breezy, beautiful, and calming. Though I didn’t like the food at all, I managed to eat some rice and cooked vegetables. For some reason, I just didn’t like the barbecued seafood. I don’t think I would recommend it to friends, unless another restaurant could have done it much better.

The bathroom in our villa

After our quick disappointing dinner, we headed to check in at the BVLGARI, the real highlight of the trip to Bali. When we got to the gate, there was double security to make sure they don’t let in any terrorists or drug dealers into the resort. It was dark into the night, and all we could hear were the leaves dancing in the wind, and the night waves crashing into an ocean’s lullaby.

As we did at Conrad, we were given a cold, perfumed-wet towel and a refreshing welcome drink while we wait for our buggy ride. Since the resort is big, and all units are personal villas, a butler needs to accompany the guests wherever they may wish to go at any given point. I wasn’t comfortable with the idea of “butlers” at first, but I soon dropped all my questions in the beauty of the resort, and the hospitality of the Balinese there. The place was… how could I say… breathtaking.

After a check-in at our villa, our butler showed us around. The villa was a perfect combination of the traditional Balinese architecture, and the super modern and chic European architecture. It was a place where everything was built to the sheer perfection. I could see why there were so many newly weds in the resort. It was a piece of heaven on earth.

Well, more details are to follow in the next entry, “Welcome to Bali II,” since it’s late into my bed time. But stay tuned for more fun stories at the B. I will be right back!

Surviving my first week on the other side of the globe

21 Jun

Wall deco at W Walkerhill (Seoul)

It’s been almost a week since I arrived here in Korea. I’m getting used to the different environment here, slowly but surely. Now wherever I go, or wherever I look, there are only Asian people around – like me – with the black hair, black eyes and all. It’s not like NYC where all sorts of people coexist. I definitely miss it, but change of scene is a good thing, I tell myself. In any case, that’s what I had wanted originally. It finally hits me that I have begun the life I have imagined.

Korean Chicken Soup (Baek Sook)

By the time I finally arrived home the first day, I was so exhausted that I pretty much passed out as soon as I got in. Then the next morning when I woke up, my mom warmed me up a hot bowl of Korean chicken soup called “Baek Sook.” It’s made with an organic chick, stuffed with sticky rice, ginseng, and medicinal herbs. The result is a soup that is deep in its flavor without any unpleasant gamey flavors and/or smell. When I eat it, I take out the bones first then season the soup with sea salt and pepper. It’s so hearty and healthy, it’s totally soul-warming. When it’s made well, it’s truly a therapy in a bowl.

KFC (Korean Fried Chicken)

So after the great chicken soup breakfast, due to the 13 hour difference, I fell back asleep. I think I slept until about dinner time. Since we were going to watch the World Cup game (which Korea lost to Argentina in a surreal way), mom brought some fried chicken from the local place that has been around for at least 20 yrs or so. Korean fried chicken comes in two kinds usually – plain and spicy. This one was plain, but it came with the spicy sauce and the pickled radish (it’s called “moo”). The meat is tender, and the skin is crispy. But since skin contains a lot of fat, I can’t overindulge myself and eat all of it. Well but even then, so long as I have a glass of cold beer to wash it down with, all is good.

The Aftermath of skin and bones

Besides from the two forms of Korean chicken I had, nothing really exciting has happened as such. Probably because I spent most of my time just recovering from the jet lag and whatnot. Though this weekend, the family decided to stay at the W hotel Walkerhill, just to chill and relax. But by the time we got to the hotel, we were all so tired that I only got to take a few shots of the room before I fell asleep. The room was modern with bright red and white. I could see why young people would like staying here.

W Hotel Walkerhill in Seoul

The checker board red + white decorative pillow

The bathroom shelf

The reflection

Sweeeeeeet!

Unfortunately, my camera ran out of battery so I couldn’t take more photos. I would say that the week has been pretty sweet. But hold your disappointments, I promise I will have more interesting things to write about in the coming weeks. As a matter of fact, I am leaving for Bali, Indonesia, tomorrow morning. So I will have some interesting things to say when I get back for sure.

Well, on that note, have a fabulous week. Until the Bali edition!

Temporarily out of New York

12 Jun

New York, New York

I can’t believe I’ve neglected my blog for nearly two months. That’s just so unacceptable… BUT I have an excuse or two (really!).

Well, (drum roll please), I finally decided to take some time off to travel and do the things I never got to do due to not having enough time. AND, (a bigger drum roll please and hold your breath), I also decided to attend Le Cordon Bleu in Paris next January for a pastry course!!! So consequentially I’ve been busy preparing for it (A.K.A. quitting my job, packing, etc.). I’m sad to be leaving NYC, but at the same time I’m glad I get to go on a journey for 1 1/2 yr. Speaking of going on a journey, I recently finished reading Eat, Pray, Love where the writer Elizabeth Gilbert leaves for Italy, India, and Indonesia for a year in total to find herself. I think my journey would be something similar of sort – it’ll be a time for me where I can explore, learn, and discover the new sides of me. I know it sounds a bit cheesy, but what do I care? I get to travel in Asia and Paris!!!!

Since I will surely miss the city and everything in it, I decided to dedicate this entry to recognize a few of them.

N.1 ♥ Being able to get good coffee on-the-go

I love getting latte/cappuccino/coffee from either FIKA or Joe the Art of Coffee. Being able to get the European style coffee on the go is just great. Asia has many coffee places that offer coffee drinks to-go, that taste not quite authentic. Then in Europe, the coffee tastes amazing, but not a lot of places offer it to-go. So the fact that I can pick up a great cup of coffee, on my way to work, on any lazy weekend, or just about any occasion is something I will dearly miss. (And how about all the yummy coffee snacks they sell with!)

N.2 ♥ Being able to go out to eat amazing Pakistani/Indian food at 3AM

When I used to live in Boston, I was never really exposed to good Indian or Pakistani food. I used to go eat Indian food around Harvard Square, but in retrospect, it was very very Americanized Indian food. Here in NYC, I can go out to eat great chicken biryani and the yummy Kulfi (Indian ice cream. The one I like tastes like condensed milk.) at 3AM after a night of dancing or a friendly bar hopping. Being able to eat decently authentic Indian/Pakistani food is one thing, but where else can you get this food at 3AM? The dish I am talking about is the ultimate comfort food that has just enough grease and the spices. Of course, Kulfi has just enough sweetness to balance out the spices. I will surely get a craving for this food in the near future. I wish they would deliver to Korea or Paris. Maybe in my dreams they will…

N.3 ♥ Being able to roam around the chic streets of Soho and the Village

I used to live on the corner of Mulberry and Prince before I moved to Gramercy. I used to love the fact that I could take a walk around the Soho neighborhood into the chic streets that had many boutiques and shops. I used to walk on those streets when I felt down and needed to feel “fabulous” again. Sometimes, I will be pleasantly surprised at finding a cute dress shop or a cute dessert cafe. It’s a walk therapy wrapped around in NYC chic. I will miss those feel-good strolls on the streets of Soho on a sunny weekend, and also the occasional fashion/food finds.

N.4 ♥ The Oysters and a glass of wine on a Saturday evening (even better with a date!)

Speaking of chic, there are few fancy things I like to indulge myself with. I absolutely love going out for fresh oysters with a glass of wine on a weekend evening. I like to mix the west coast and the east coast varieties, then pair with dry and crisp white wine (like Chablis, Pouilly-Fuissé or Sauvignon Blanc) or a well-chilled glass of dry champagne. This winning combo is truly a natural anti-depressant, it instantly gets me into a happy mode. So if anyone wants to bribe me, this would be it. Anyways, I will surely miss being able to go out with S on a Saturday evening for a chic pick-me-up.

N.5 ♥ U.S. Open Baby!!!!

Around late August and early September, U.S. Open Tennis takes place in the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens. I like watching tennis games live, because it’s like going to a baseball stadium but more civilized. Sometimes when you get lucky, they move a game to another stadium due to a schedule conflict then reassign the seats on a first come first serve basis. I got lucky and saw Jelena Jankovic up-close and personal last year. I just wished it was Federer (or even Djokovic!!), but I guess that would have to be for the next time…

N.6 ♥ The Chrysler

Looking up at the Chrysler building never fails to remind me that I live in the great and fabulous New York City. Not only it’s classy, sophisticated and beautiful to look at, but it’s just utterly so New York. I will miss being able to walk on the streets of New York, looking far at the brightly-lit building top of the Chrysler, feeling proud and fabulous.

N.7 ♥ The Central Park

I took this picture a few years back when I used to live by the Lincoln Center. I don’t realize how beautiful it is, but just looking again at this picture, I keep thinking how picturesque the park really is. I used to come to this pond area to walk or to ponder (no pun intended!). It always used to pick me right up and put a smile on my face. And of course, how will I not miss the sunbathing in the sheep meadow and jogging around the Jackie-O reservoir?

There are so many things I will miss from the city, and the list could go on. But I must say that what I would miss the most will be my dear friends whom I’ve gotten to know through various occasions. I’m sad to leave the beloveds, but I know I’ll be back in some time. So Au Revoir NYC, and be good until then!


Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again

8 Mar

*If you want to listen to music while you read this, please click here. It will play in a different tab/window (Diana Krall/ “Pick yourself up”)

A pretty Lily I got for my Birthday, resting in a blue bottle (that used to be a Sake bottle). The exotic colors inspire me.

First of all, I owe an apology for going AWOL for a while. In fact, I came down with a flu 10 days ago, and I got completely knocked out. I think that was the first time being so sick from getting a cold. I mean, I had no appetite. Anyone who knows me will know that that is not a normal phenomenon in Julia’s history. I never lose appetite for anything, period. But this time around, I was so sick that I didn’t want to eat. I felt defeated. I felt down.

But on the upside, I had an epiphany while being sick. Being sick and this epiphany are not necessarily related, but since I was down and depressed, it lead me to think about the times I felt depressed, lonely, and defeated. There were times when I wanted to be comfortably me, and to pursue things I feel right about. Then some people will always shoot me down, like I can’t do it, and I don’t do it right. Every time, I would feel down, and I would feel bad about myself. Why can’t I be perfect? Why couldn’t I have done that? Then while I was thinking, it just hit me that nothing is actually wrong with me. Nor there was anything wrong with the things I believed in. They were just different. That’s when I had a moment of epiphany – I was feeling down and defeated because I let myself feel that way. What separates the easily defeated and the undefeated is not that the undefeated has less negative forces in life, but that they do not let themselves be affected by those negative forces. So instead of blaming the people who tried to bring me down, I simply shouldn’t have absorbed their negativity. I had a choice: to be defeated or to be undefeated. And I chose to be defeated, but not anymore. I will choose to be undefeated, choose to stick to my beliefs no matter what anyone will say. I realize I am the only one who holds the key to the change. I will let no one bring me down anymore. You should remember that no one (not even your family members) has the right to bring you down. Not even your mom, not even your dad, and not even your best friend.

So in the spirit of picking myself right up, I wanted to dedicate the lyrics of “Pick yourself up.” Every line is inspirational.

Now nothing’s impossible, I’ve found for when my chin is on the ground, I pick myself up, dust myself off, and start all over again. Don’t lose your confidence if you slip, be grateful for a pleasant trip, and pick yourself up, dust off, start over again. Work like a soul inspired until the battle of the day is won. You may be sick and tired, but you be a man, my son. Will you remember the famous men who have to fall to rise again, so take a deep breath, pick yourself up, and start all over again.

For those of you who are afraid, tired and depressed, don’t listen to those negative nasty little voices. You have a choice to be undefeated. Only you have the key to picking yourself right up. As they say, when you fall, keep your chin up, dust yourself off, start all over again, and stay undefeated. Because no one has the right to treat you less than you deserve.

Wishin’ and hopin’ and thinkin’ and dreamin’ of la Méditerranée

23 Feb

*If you want to listen to music while you read this, please click here. It will open on a different window/tab (Paulihno Moska “Falsa Baiana”).

Blue shrimps poached in olive oil, garlic, crushed dried red peppers, and lemon

This Sunday was a lovely sunny day, the kind of day that gives you a glimpse of spring. To take advantage of the great weather (if you live in or have lived in NYC, you know very well that you ought to enjoy it before the mother nature decides to change her mind, very quickly at that too), I decided to take a stroll to the Chelsea neighborhood. After having a good  brunch at Café Le Grainne, I needed to undo what I ate by taking a walk on the High Line. Le Grainne is probably one of the most Frenchy cafés around town. They have an extensive list of sweet and salty crêpes, and many more things french. I have always enjoyed having brunch there so I would recommend it. Plus it’s close to the High Line park where you can take a cool walk after the meal. The High Line was originally constructed in the 1930s to lift dangerous freight trains off Manhattan’s streets. But now it has been renovated into a public park by City of New York (in fact, only the section 1 of the whole park is open to pubic. The rest is still in construction). It is very modern in design, and just very feel-good altogether. And of course while I was there, I could not bypass the Chelsea market, which is just right by. Chelsea market is my all-time favorite playground. I am always happy like the kid in a candy store when I’m there.

Blue Shrimp

Crushed dried red chili peppers from Sicily

The downside of going to the Chelsea market is that I always end up buying more stuff than I had planned. This time around, I bought some dried pasta, dried red chili peppers, blue shrimps, manila clams, parsley, some good crusty bread, and a bottle of dry Italian white. Drifting from thinking about Italian to seafood, I started thinking about la Méditeranée, A.K.A. the Mediterranean. I adore the mediterranean food. It’s fresh, flavorful, seafoody, and oh so healthy. Just thinking about the fresh flavors of extra virgin olive oil, lemon, garlic, seafood, white wine together made my heart beat faster as I walked out of the market. I couldn’t wait to get home.

Close-up

When I got home, I started out by putting the clams in a bowl of cold salted water and by preparing the shrimps. After setting the oven at 425F, I peeled and de-veined the shrimps and pat dry. Then I arranged them in a small ceramic baking dish and sprinkled sea salt and pepper. On to the shrimps, I put lots of chopped garlic (I love garlic, and I wouldn’t give up just so I could be a lady), one whole dried red chili pepper crushed, squeezed lemon juice, and a generous pour of fresh extra virgin olive oil to cover the shrimps. It’s important to use the fresh olive oil here, because oxidized olive oil (yes, the one that’s been around in your kitchen forever) tastes greasy rather than light and flavorful. I put a foil on top of the dish and let it marinate in the cool corner until it’s ready to go into the oven. Because they cook up rather quickly, I wanted to put them in about 10 – 15 mins before the pasta will be done so I can serve both of them hot.

Spaghetti alle Vongole

Close-up

Traditionally, vongole pasta asks for clams, white wine, garlic, red chili pepper flakes, and parsley. But to the recipe, I added some smoked thick slab bacon. The bacon fat adds the sweet and smokey savoriness to the dish, and it enriches the structure of the pasta. The smell of the smoked bacon is truly out of this world. It’s one of those that makes me go Mmmm instantly. Well, back to cooking the pasta, I started out by boiling some water for the pasta, cutting the slab bacon into small cubes, then frying them in a pan with olive oil at medium-low heat. While they were cooking, I salted the boiling water and put dry pasta into the pot. When the bacon bits were slightly crispy, I ladled in some pasta water (make sure the temperature of the oil is not too hot at this point. If it’s hot, the oil will splatter everywhere. It can be dangerous), brought up the temperature slightly, and put all the clams into the pan. I shook the pan to coat the oil over all clams (pretending that I am Mario Batali), then when it’s hot, I added a round of dry white wine, chopped garlic, crushed dried red pepper flakes, chopped parsley, and covered to cook so the clams can open up and release their juice. Since the pasta was closed to being done, I put the shrimp dish into the oven. After a few minutes, I uncovered to see if there is any clam that did not open. I picked out a couple of unopened clams because that means they were dead before being cooked. I brought down the heat again, added another ladle of pasta water (pasta water is what binds the sauce and the noodles together. That’s the key to a good pasta), then added the cooked pasta noodles into the pan. Again here I pretended to be Mario Batali and shook the pan to coat all the noodles in the sauce so it adheres to the noodles. Also note that the sauce shouldn’t be too thick, because it thickens when the pasta cools down. When the pasta was done, I rolled the noodles with a big fork (or grab with tongs) and placed on a big plate. Then placed the clams on top of the noodles,  spooned some pasta sauce on top, and sprinkled chopped flat leaf parsley, fresh cracked pepper, and lots of love. There, plate of pure love. I must warn you now though, this dish comes with a disclaimer that anyone who tastes it will dangerously fall in love with you. So be ready for it.

With crusty bread and a glass of white

Around the same time, the shrimp dish was done as well. After plating the pasta, I placed the shrimp dish on a wooden board and placed some good bread to eat with. The best part of eating the olive oil poached shrimps is not the shrimp itself, but the garlicky and spicy olive oil that’s amazing dipped in. I guarantee you, if you could only eat a few grams of carbs and fat, this is the time to spend them on. The olive oil doesn’t taste greasy at all but orgasmically fresh and flavorful. For those ultra-conscious ones, I suggest not counting the calories when eating this. Just eat slowly and savor the flavors.

The Aftermath

Along with the sunny feel-good weather, I felt as if I were on the coast of Amalfi eating the food I made and sipping on the crisp white wine. It was in fact one of the most amazing meals I have ever made. The fresh flavors were bursting in the mouth which then lead to the Mmm’s and Aaaah’s. The smokiness of the bacon marries so well with the clams and creates this light savoriness that is clean but well structured. Also there is an added benefit to these dishes. I’m sure many of you already know that the shrimp and clam are both naturally aphrodisiac. Now there is one more reason to try making these dishes. Let there be love to those who share good food.


(Post-holiday) weekend detox

11 Jan

Bird munching on the tofu, avocado, sporuts wrap

The month of December is always a little tough on my waist line. I am not a huge social butterfly, but even then there are a handful of holiday parties to attend every year. When you go to these parties, you get to enjoy good food and good drinks and of course, good set of friends and family to celebrate with. Truly, a wonderful time of the year. Anyways, at these parties, I always manage to meet at least one girl who doesn’t eat or drink at all, or counts a number of hors d’oeurvres she had (usually the limit is about one and a half) because they don’t want to ruin their diet. I’m sure different methods work for different people – some say eat them all, some say eat nothing, some say pre-game and show up to the party stuffed, and some say just count the calories – but personally, I believe in exercising moderation. What a wonderful word, moderation! I think it’s a pity if you can’t enjoy these parties with your beloved ones because you got to count calories. I eat and drink and enjoy myself, but at the same time not limitlessly. I try to listen to my inner system, so I don’t overstuff myself to a point where I feel bad and guilty. Naturally that still throws me off my eat-healthy track, so I pick one weekend in the new year to relax and restore my former body stats. A detox weekend.

Citrus AM detox

When I do one of these detox weekends, I don’t overly do it. I just make it a point to eat clean fresh non-processed foods, and drink lots of water. Usually in the morning I start out with a cup of hot water with lemon. I use bottled water for purity, but even filtered water would do (I know, I know.  The New York’s finest (In case you don’t know what it is, it is NYC tap water) isn’t too bad, but I just want to use the best quality everything I can find for my detox menu). For about one cup, I use freshly squeezed juice of half a lemon (Of course, use organic lemon when possible). It tastes a bit acidic, but it works wonders when taken the first thing in the morning. It feels like the hot water is sweeping everything in my stomach down. Lemon is known for many therapeutic values – it helps ease bloating or digestive problems, cleanses liver and kidneys, and even works as a natural skin cleanser. Contrary to the acidic taste, lemon has an alkaline reaction, so it alkalizes our body (this is a good news because most everything we eat produces acid as byproduct of digestion). After I am done drinking the lemon water, I wait until I feel hungry to eat a fresh bowl of grapefruit salad. It’s a staple in my detox menu. Grapefruit is known to reduce bad cholesterol (LDL) in our body. I usually use a pairing knife to peel, then cut the flesh out and squeeze the juice out from the leftover. Sometimes I add fresh herbs such as parsley, basil, or mint. It’s delicious and gives that wonderful oh-so-clean feeling.

Detox wrap close-up

After I down a few cups of mineral water, I treat myself with a detox wrap for late lunch. I use Ezekiel’s organic sprouted whole grains tortilla which has a high % of good protein and fiber. It brings out the nutty flavor if you warm it up a bit. On the tortilla, I put sunflower sprouts I get from the farmer’s market, cut up organic avocados, and cut up organic firm tofu. I roughly roll it up, and take a bite only to find myself in a total bliss. I initially made the wrap experimentally, but it turned out to have so much fresh flavors as well as balanced nutrients. Vitamins and mineral from the sprouts and the avocado, and good quality protein and fat from the tofu and the tortilla. It’s a fill-good, and a feel-good. Totally detoxgasmic.

Aside from these, I drink fresh squeezed vegetable and fruit juice when I felt hungry along with liberal drinking of mineral water (I prefer Volvic). The juice is from One Lucky Duck Takeaway on Irving Place and 17th St. It’s a bit pricey, but super awesome. Their juice never fails to make me feel refreshed and clean. I also make it a point to take bath with mineral bath salts (I like Molton Brown’s Unwind Atoll Crystal Bath Soak) and scrub my body with loofah brush. Sometimes when I feel like pampering myself, I put on a purifying clay mask Masque 103 from YonKa. It is yet the best mask I have used that draws all the impurities out and unclog pores.

All in all, it leads me to a conclusion that raw whole foods rock. Nature is the biggest and best cure of it all to let out all the chemicals and toxins from our body. After completing a whole day of detoxing inside and out, I feel fabulous. By the end of the routine, I feel cleaner, leaner, and more relaxed. I really feel it balancing me out. If anyone feels clogged and congested, I highly recommend trying the detox weekend. It really works wonders. Because trust me, you’ll be glowing before you know it.

Pick me up tonight

6 Jan

Petites tartines au fromage

Tonight was one of those nights when I feel like being comforted. One of those nights when you are in need of a serious pick-me-up. So on the way home from work, I stopped by at the Grand Central Market and decided to go on a grocery shopping spree. Well first, I picked up some french baguette, some Jamón serrano, emmental cheese, heirloom tomatoes and lettuce for tomorrow’s lunch – ham and cheese sandwich on baguette. Then I picked up some fresh roses from the florist next door. Finally, I headed over to Murray’s Cheese counter, my sanctuary and my favorite place in the market. I stopped in front of the display window in admiration, as always. Being at Murray’s cheese makes me feel like a kid in a candy store without fail.

Today, I asked the cheese monger for two kinds of french cheese. 1) sweet, nutty, semi hard and 2) creamy, velvety, and mild. I took his suggestions and got small portions of Pyrenées Brebis and Fromager d’Affinois. Pyrenées Brebis is from the Bearn region in the Pyrenées (Aquitaine) which is a range of mountains that act as a natural border between France and South in Southwest. Fromager d’Affinois is from Rhône-Alpes region in Southeast surrounded by the Rhône river and the Alps. The brebis is made with pasteurized sheep’s milk and aged for 4-6 months. It’s ivory, semi-firm, and has a grey moldy rind. It’s got a sweet, slightly caramely, nutty flavors with the undertones of grassy freshness. It’s mild yet strong enough to stand up to red wine.  Oh the other hand, d’Affinois is made with cow’s milk and can be achieved in as short time as two weeks due to ultrafiltration. Ultrafiltration of pasteurized milk separates water from the rest of the contents, resulting in high % fat content, silky texture, and acceleration of cheese making process. It looks like brie cheese – edible white mold and creamy, oozy center – but it’s not exactly the same. It’s milk-creamy, velvety, very mild and delicately flavored, and oh-so-luscious. The cheese monger gave me exactly what I have asked for. Folks at Murray’s really know their cheese par cœur. I just love it.

Cheeses on an old french map

When I got home, I got busy with my “pick me up” project of the night. First thing first, I cut the roses and arranged them in small vases. Then lighted some candles, and put on a music. I felt like Cuban jazz. Rubén González it will be. Then I started preparing my pick me up plate. And of course, what pick me up would be complete without a glass of wine?

Blush roses with greens

I poured myself a glass of beaujolais nouveau that I opened last night. Then broke off the crispy tip of french baguette, cut a piece of both cheese, and put a couple spoonfuls of apricot jam I made in the summer onto a plate. On little torn off bread pieces, I spread the creamy d’Affinois, juicy apricot jam, and put a wee little piece of brebis. Just looking at them made me forget it all and melt in simple pleasure.

Apricot jam front

d’Affinois front

The taste of crispy baguette with luscious cheese and tangy apricot jam were just what the doctor had ordered for me. Along with the candles, pretty flowers, and music, I couldn’t have asked for a better evening to unwind the day. Now I know I am going to go to bed happy tonight. Well on that note, good night everyone. And I hope you remember that you can pick yourself right up when you feel blue and funky. It’s the little things in life that gives you pleasure. Don’t you think?

Try 3H = hors-d’œuvres for happy holidays

25 Dec

Smoked salmon with herb cream cheese on pumpernickel bread

I can’t believe it’s that time of the year again. How did the whole year go by so fast? I think it’s true what they say about getting older – time seems to pass by quicker and quicker. It reminded me how I should really enjoy every little moments life offers. At the end of the day, life is meaningless if you can’t enjoy. N’est-ce pas ?

Anyway, in my newly found “you gotta enjoy life” holiday spirit, I decided to share with my work colleagues at Hill Holliday where I work. At first, I thought about making sweets like cookies or truffles. But there were some other coworkers who were passing out cookies, plus I often bring in baked goods. So I thought, why not do the savory? I did have a big block of lox in my fridge. Then the idea of making  smoked salmon with herb cream cheese on pumpernickel popped up in my mind. I could do a mini finger food for everyone. Sweet!

Since I had the lox on hand, all I needed to get was cream cheese, some herbs (was thinking dill), and the bread. I confidently walked down the aisles of whole foods knowing exactly what to get. Organic cream cheese, check. Eli’s pumpernickel bread, check. Dill, dill, dill… Of course there had to be no dill on that very day I needed it. So I had to quickly think what other herbs would go with smoked salmon. I walked over to the herbs corner to look through. Chives would work. Perhaps tarragon too. And why not basil while I am at it? Also, some shallots instead of the regular red onion that goes with Smoked salmon. Perfect.

I was going to assemble the mini sandwiches in the kitchen at work the next day, so I just went on to prepare the herb cream cheese. First in a working bowl, I put two blocks of cream cheese and fluffed it with a fork for a bit. Then in a separate bowl, I put finely minced shallots and spooned in a little bit of sherry vinegar. Since I am not using pickled capers (it’s traditionally served with smoked salmon), I thought I would add some kick with the vinegar and shallots. I wanted shallots and vinegar to meld together before I add it into the cream cheese mixture. Back to the cream cheese working bowl, I put chopped basil, tarragon, and chives. Basil has the sweetness and the mild fragrance that no one can resist. Tarragon has this elegant licorice like taste to it. The French cuisine calls it “King of herbs” as it is used to flavor many of the classic sauces. Chives has a mild onion like taste. It also holds up very well as a garnish. You add chives to any dish and it looks pretty and sophisticated. The aroma of these herbs together was nearly orgasmic. There is nothing like the aroma of fresh herbs. Mmmmm. Ok ok, back to work. On top of the herbs, I added the vinegar marinated shallots mixture and some freshly ground pepper and mixed them all together. Mixing can be a little tough since cream cheese is a bit dense, but it’s important to mix well through. You want to make sure you can taste all the herbs and the shallot in every spoonful. I put the cream cheese mixture into an air tight container and let it rest in the fridge.

A platterful

The next day at work, I brought lox, herb cream cheese, and the bread in to the kitchen in the morning. First, I got the platter plates cleaned for use (I used 3 of them). Then cut the crusts off the pumpernickel bread and quartered each slice to make it a bite-size (I ended up with 4 X 22 = 88 pieces). On top of each bite-size bread, I smeared the cream cheese and put a piece of lox on top except for a few pieces that I had left for vegetarian folks. Quickly, I sprinkled chopped chives over the sandwich. And there, it took me 30 mins to assemble hors-d’oeuvres for my work colleagues!

“This cream cheese has some serious flavors going on” is what Kevin (he’s a copywriter) told me. To me, it tasted of mellow licorice, mellow onion, and the hint of sherry vinegar that makes your head turn and wonder. I liked that the flavors were melded in mellow, as strong licorice, strong onion, or strong vinegar can make someone gag. In one bite, I could get the smoky and salty flavor of the lox, creamy and freshness of herb cream cheese, and sour dough/anise like pumpernickel to support the flavors above. Delicious.

Well, I think for me, it was more delicious because I could share with my coworkers whom I spend so much time with every day. It is such a cliché, but it’s true what people say about sharing. On that note, I wish everyone warm and happy holidays and I hope you share it with the ones you care :)




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