Category Archives: Recipes

Barbecue, Pork

Evolution of Dinner: Grilled Pork Tenderloin

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pork tenderloin sliced

When it comes to menu planning, Annie and I are from different schools of thought. Annie first builds a menu, then decides which ingredients she needs, and plans everything out before the actual execution of dinner. I start out first with the ingredients that I have on hand, then maybe come up with a menu, and start cooking before I completely figure out the order of execution. It frustrates Annie to no end when I am cooking, as the timing and rhythm are thrown off while I am still working out what I need to do next.

It’s insane, I know. Most times, she needs to step in and take the reins. But sometimes, SOMETIMES, the food I cook actually turns out better than expected.

This is the story of the evolution of my grilled pork tenderloin and halibut dinner.

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Spanish, Vegetables

Pimientos de Padron: How to Escape the Heat

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A Bag of Happy Quail Farms’ Pimientos de Padron Peppers

 

Happy Quail Farms' Pimientos de Padron

These little peppers may look sweet, but eat the wrong one, and you might be grasping for a glass of beer or a chunk of bread, your mouth on fire. Allegedly, one in ten of these peppers a tongue-scorcher. Chez Pim calls eating a mess of Pimientos de Padron “Culinary Russian Roulette”.

I’ve had these before, and my taste memory of them didn’t include searing pain and vigorous fanning of air onto my extended tongue. Of course, I only had a couple of them at the time. So when I read on Foodista and on We Heart Food that Pimientos de Padron were on sale again, I knew I had to get some. I convinced Annie to go to the Palo Alto Farmer’s Market and pick some up

Happy Quail Farms Pimientos de Padron Peppers on Sale

 

happy quail farms pimiento de padron peppers on sale

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Egg, Malaysian, Pork

7 Tips for Making Mouth-Watering Char Koay Teow

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char koay teow plated

Even though I’m from Kuala Lumpur and lived there most of my life, I very seldom ate Char Koay Teow there. I’m pretty picky about my CKT. There is a simple reason for that: my dad hails from Penang. ‘Nuff said!

Ok, I’ll elaborate for those not in the know.

I’m sure there will be some who will challenge my opinion, but I really think that, outside of Penang, there are very few good Char Koay Teows to be had. When I was living in KL, it didn’t matter that I went many months without eating CKT because I knew that a trip to visit relatives in Penang was always on the horizon. I would soon be able to get my fix.
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Tomatoes

FREE Northern California Tomato Tasting Event

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Tomato Tasting at Wild Boar Farms

assorted heirloom tomatoes

“Berkeley Tie Dye”. “Beauty King”. “Pork Chop”. “Furry Red Boar”.

Not many of you would know that these are actual names of tomatoes that Brad (the owner of Wild Boar Farms) has developed and is growing on his farm in Suisun Valley, Solano County. They are the most amazing looking and tasting tomatoes you’ll ever encounter. If you’ve ever eaten at Chez Panisse during the summer and fall months, some of the tomatoes you enjoyed came from Brad’s farm. Wild Boar Farms also supplies many other restaurants around the North SF Bay / Napa area.

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