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I was invited to a barbeque on Thursday. Well, not really. I just sort of showed up and helped set up the place for the party. And then just stayed through. I knew a lot of the people who were attending, so I think people were more pleased to see me than upset that I had never been invited. If they even knew.
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Here's a good summery pudding that I served at last night's dinner party. Yes, I know it isn't summer yet, but one can't always be patient.
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I was being stubborn today and wanted to make 芝麻糊 by hand. So I pounded away at the black sesame seeds over and over again until they were worn into a fine paste. Unfortunately, it was too much strain for the poor marble pestle I was holding. It broke in two.

I was defeated, so we dug out the old family blender and an AC transformer. Although ( Read more... )

At a booksale of remaindered books, I picked up a copy of Sybil Kapoor's Taste: a new way to cook. This is a brilliant book that explores how different combinations of tastes excites our mouths.

We now know that there are five different receptors of taste: sour, salty, bitter, sweet, and umami. The last one may be unfamiliar because it's only ( Read more... )

Julie and I used to love cooking together, so here is one of her recipes. These are some of the best fish cakes I have ever tasted and they are still my favourite trashy food. Here is my interpretation of her most excellent dish.

Since it takes about ten minutes to make these things, they’re really good as a quick midnight snack. Even now, I can ( Read more... )

I've fallen head over heels with Nigella Lawson's fairy cake recipe. Peter Zion once brought them to a dinner party and they were absolutely fabulous. What I didn't know was how beautiful they were fresh out of the oven.

They are soft, light, and buttery. Interestingly enough, although the recipe originally calls for self-rising flour, using ( Read more... )