bourbons

In the rare occasions I do enjoy a shot or two of liquor. However bourbon is not something I would choose in the past. In my travels to the Asia I notice the ever increase ubiquity of bourbons in bars all over Asian countries. Whiskey and brandy have long history of popularity in the East. Bourbon is the more recent addition starting with the fall of the Soviet Union and later the economic opening of China. In China the most ubiquitous bourbon is the standard issued Jim Bean. It is very pricey due to heavy import duty. Many Kentucky bourbon makers now are enjoying the fruits of export windfalls.

lobster yellow rice - variations

I recently created the basic recipe of lobster yellow rice from scratch. It all started with the craving for a boldly flavored rice dish and some lobster meat on hand.

I have this 10 lb bag of Indian basmati rice (long grain aged) that has languished my pantry for 15 years. I had not even open it all this time and more than one occasion I nearly threw it into the trash thinking it must be no good or infested with insect. Recently I took a deep breath and open it. To my surprise the rice looks and smells just fine.

surf clam with chinese celery 蛤肉炒中芹

I typically only shop for grocery once a week. The reason for the infrequency is I have to go across town to be able to buy the ingredients I like. While if I look hard enough I can find some ingredients near where I live it is just too painful to having to go to many shops. By going across town I always go to a few Asian stores I frequented for decades and knowing I would not be disappointed. In fact it take me less time to shop across town not to mention the price is 20 - 30 % less.

more clam linguine

Strike the iron while it is red hot. It is a Chinese proverb as in the West. Very often after making a new dish I like I often would repeat it for a few meals in a short period of time to hone my skill. I would adjust the technique or ingredients. Some time for refinement and some time for the sake of diversity.

sweet egg rolls 蛋卷

I don't have sweet tooth. I eat very little sugar that my annual consumption of sugar is probably no more than a few pounds. I know this is quite accurate because I buy no processed food nor drink soda or fruit juice. In the rare occasions I eat sweets I am quite selective. Rarely when I am in the mood, the only chocolate I would eat is the Swiss. I like few British fruit candy called fruit drops that is quite tangy and less sweet. Long ago I leart to bake very good pound cake but I haven't make that for decades. It was a recipe taught to me by the father of my brother's classmate. He was the resident chef for the head of Jardines Matheson in Hong Kong during the colonial era.