"Your diamonds are not in far distant mountains or in yonder seas; they are in your own backyard, if you but dig for them."

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Market Spice Tea


This is one of my favorite teas of all time.  I first tried it when they served it in the lobby of a Gene Jaurez I was at, patiently waiting for a pedicure.  I was happy to discover that this tea comes from a tea/spice shop in Pike Place Market, called Market Spice.  It's their signature tea.  I love the cinnamon sweetness - iced is the best way to drink it and I don't need sweetener.  As Joe is trying to cut down on coffee, this is a happy caffeine delivery vehicle for him.

I have found other retailers that sell this tea occasionally, such as Bartell Drugs.  The best experience would be to take a trip to Pike Place Market and enjoy all the fun things at the market while picking up supply of this tea.

Link to Market Spice Tea

Saturday, October 22, 2011

French bakeries

Nothing gets me more excited than a french bakery.  I love the buttery smell that envelopes you as you walk in.  I love the colorful and pretty pastries that are on display.  You can't get too greedy with the selection - each item is bound to be enough to satisfy you.  Butter and sugar in its best form - the French really know how to do it.  Thank goodness there is no French Bakery that is conveniently located to me.  Otherwise, I would be done for.

Perfect breakfast at The French Bakery in Bellevue
Napoleon from La Panier at the Pike Place Market

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Pita Pizzas


This is one of the easiest dinners that I've ever made - total time - 15 minutes.  The pitas gets nice and crispy once you bake the pizzas for 10-12 minutes.  Throw on pasta or tomato sauce, cheese, and ham (or any meat lying around like sausage, chicken, etc).  I'm planning to do a turkey, artichoke, and olives one next week.  The possibilities are endless.  Joe is a huge fan!

My eater's list

 
Here's my list of how various people have qualified as "eaters".  I've used initials to protect the innocent, but you guys know who you are.  :)  And not a surprise, but most of the eaters on my list are girls!  For those who are not on the list yet, I look forward to getting to know you better!

A.K.  She has talked about food since she was in elementary school and hasn't stopped.
M.L.S.  She always sneaks the best things from my plate, despite my death threats.
S.O.S   This girl can cook.  And has impeccable taste.  When she finds something she likes, she sticks with it.
V.N.  She can pretty much eat as much as someone that is twice her size.  Seriously.
L.R.  She loves to eat and to eat well - she is willing to go the distance for quality.
M.L.  She's never said no to an eating outing and loves all types of foods.
S.G.  She is the pho queen and has done many things to qualify for this list, i.e. reviewing a menu as she is eating to order more.
M.K.  I've never seen anyone eat so many shrimp balls in one sitting.
R.S.  I've never seen anyone eat so many shui mai in one sitting.  He knows what good food is all about.
R.C., R.M.  Fun people to eat with and they know what's good.
A.W.  She has the best FB food pics and always has new places for me to visit.
P.H.  She is my food twin - we have very similar palettes and we love sharing plates.
V.F.  She is a healthy eater, but she can definitely carry her own when it comes to chowing down.
W.C.  She shares my love for cocktail buns and meat bones.
L.L.  She can write paragraphs recommending places from her hometown, and always has the best research when it comes to the best places for food.
V.W.  We both love roast duck, and can have long conversations about food.  He can kill down his share at a buffet.
S.M.B.  She has the most enthusiasm for good food and I love hearing her describe food.
S.L.  She is game for most foods and being Chinese, she loves some of the old school stuff too.
B.Y. & E.L. Both qualified for the list at the same time - we were at a baby shower, and instead of games, we wanted to stand around the table to eat.
E.W.  He's just warming up when most people are almost done eating.
E.S.  She's game for most things, and always has room to fit in a happy hour, meal, or snack.
B.C., A.Q., R.Q.  Meals are events for them and it's been fun to do japa dog and hot pot nights.

The Seattle Community Church family - have you seen the sunday lunches?  Yeah, the whole church is full of eaters...generous eaters...

The WONG family - put a plate of food in front of them and all bets are off.  They love food and lots of it.

The LEE family - ditto, and we (well, our parents) are pretty darn good cooks.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

"chocolate pudding"


Husband approved, this chocolate pudding recipe is healthy and easy to make.  I was reluctant to make this but it really tastes decent, considering it's tofu based. (just make sure you haven't eaten the real thing in a while :) The tofu taste gets hidden well by the cocoa powder.  This pudding stands up well for 1-2 days, so I usually half the recipe.


2 pkgs Silken Tofu-firm (light or regular)
3/4 cup Honey
3 tsp Vanilla
1/2 cup Cocoa Powder
In a food processor whip tofu until smooth. Heat honey 90 seconds in microwave on medium high. Pour honey over cocoa powder-stir until smooth. Add vanilla. Add chocolate mixture to tofu and continue blending for one minute. Pour into pre-made pie shell or custard cups and chill for 1 to 2 hours. Garnish with banana slices if desired.



Thursday, August 25, 2011

Tea for me


I love my tea and my favorite tea is Earl Grey.  I love it the British way - with cream and sugar- although my pinkie doesn't go up when I hold the cup.  This is at a cute cafe in downtown bellevue and I loved how cozy it felt.  


Red Mill Burgers

It's not often you watch a TV show, spot a restaurant you really want to go to and then go the next day.  Man Vs. Food did a segment on Seattle and Red Mill Burgers was featured.  Our cousin was visiting so it was the perfect place to take him.  We went there around lunchtime and there was a 10 person line that greeted us.  The line went along as we decided what we wanted to order and before long, we got our order. 

Man vs. Food.... Man won!  The burgers were delicious and the onion rings were extra crispy.  Compared to other burgers, the burgers here were super juicy and not greasy at all - that really makes the burger stand out for me.