Food Worth Waking Up For

How could I have not blogged about the most significant part of my diet? Farmer's Market! the source of my delicious vegetables, weekly indian food, and fresh kettle corn. I love everything about this place. The gorgeous colors that surround me as I stroll by each stand, the random aspiring musician trying to please the crowd, what's not to love? Now each farmer's market is different, as I have been to many. There is food vendors at some, entertainment at others, but most importantly- the fresh produce at each.

At the West Valley Farmer's Market every Saturday, let me open your eyes to the great wonders of this weekly ritual of mine. The hustle and bustle as you enter the market, located in the middle of the college's parking lot. Fresh cut daffodils greet you in overflowing numbers at the first stand while the nearby honey stand offers samples out to the little kids shopping with their mother. Try the tomato stand's salsa or purchase some sweets at the bakery. This morning adventure becomes its own little social event as I often crash into neighboring friends shopping for their groceries as well. Despite its many benefits, my favorite part of the grocery market is their Indian food.

the different curries and sauces they offer-along with the dough for the naan in the background!

dough in the super cool looking oven

delicious finished product; tadaa!

While they offer many other dishes, their naan is delicious, freshly made, and goes well with their chicken curry. They make their dough before the market but keep it moist and fresh until Saturday. Then, they make it made to order putting it in this very interesting oven. I have yet to really figure out how it's done. My mom always does the waiting while I carry her pounds of vegetables to the car. But, lunch is always delicious when I get to eat burning hot naan with curry, a side of fresh salad, and sweet strawberries for dessert! Who could ask for anything more? It's well worth the labor.

And the secret ingredient is...

(photocredit: shacknews & foodnetwork)

IRON CHEF AMERICA! the ultimate best cooking show. 60 minutes to create a five-course meal with a secret ingredient that must be included in each dish, racing against the clock and your competitor; what an adrenaline rush. It even makes my heart beat a little faster, especially in those last five minutes when the chefs are seen running around the kitchen in chaos to complete their dishes.

My favorite part is watching the dishes come together as they're plating in the end. They always look so neat and professional, as if it took them so much time to plate it. Yet, I see the chefs throw the dish together in a mere 30seconds. It's mind-boggling. They place those chives in the perfect spot or spoon their sauce elegantly around their entree effortlessly. Food really is an art in these circumstances.

Typically, I find the cooking section of the show more entertaining than the judges, but recently I was watching an episode, flay vs, Chef Kinch (a chef from a Los Gatos restaurant!), when I saw among the panel of judges, was a FARMER! It was rather exciting, a very unique and different choice for a judge on the show. So, this time when the 60 minutes had elapsed and it came time for the judges' tasting, I paid greater attention. The farmer, oddly, held very insightful commentary. I guess his knowledge about growing fruits and vegetables helped him better appreciate the food he was eating. Oh the many funny surprises on the food channel

Asian Flavors

I think my asian blood overwhelmed me a bit yesterday when I had a larger appetite for food.

Food intakes of the day:
- jok
(cantonese word for what's called rice soup in English..I think) Well, I just call it jok. I haven't had any in such a long time. It's kind of like the Asian version of oatmeal, except salty and you add in different types of meat and things. Despite their similar textures, I enjoyed both dishes the past few days. My favorite "jok" is when my mom or aunt makes it, when it's made with fresh ingredients and I get to eat it hot, spooned out right from the pot. I'm sure many of you Harker students have had this delicacy before. Wouldn't you agree it is delicious especially with a sore throat?

- wintermelon soup
Though I love the creamy and rich soups I often have in other cuisines like clam chowder or tomato basil soup, my parents love the very clear and refreshing taste of Chinese soup. Almost every Chinese soup I've had, it always begins with a clear broth and then some vegetables, nuts, or meat lying on the bottom to create its unique flavor. I feel that every night I have a different type of soup at my house. I wonder how my mom makes her soups, how she knows which ingredients are compatible with others. Most of the time, the soup doesn't taste too bad, so maybe her secrecy is the secret to her success.

-wonton soup with noodles
Maybe my mother felt sorry for me because my food choices were so limited but for some reason last night, my mother made home-made won tons for dinner. I sat on the couch watching as she made the stuffing with ground pork, water chestnut, and bokchoy, and a variety of sauces. They were delicious though :). It was funny watching my father attempt to wrap them..my mom had to step in and take over the task.


photocredit: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chinese_rice_porridge_with_toppings_by_iandeth.jpg


This was right before my mom put the won tons in the water.


It looks a tad odd but it's because the soup was boiling while I was taking the picture.

Quakers Deliciousness

hey fellow bloggers,

Unfortunately I've been sick with all these nasty symptoms for the past few days and haven't been able to blog. but have no fear! I shall make it up. Anywho, I've found during my weak and sick hours, I found certain foods comforting that I'd like to share about.

Monday Food Item:

-oatmeal

My favorite is the cinnamon and apples mix from Trader Joe's. Now typically, I would rather make it the old fashioned way with real oats, adding in my own spices and fruit. However, due to the fact that I was half conscious with my raging fever, I had no other choice but to settle for pre-made. I found eating hot oatmeal in the morning helped warm my tummy and soothe my scratchy throat. I know when people normally get sick, everyone always gives the advice to drink lots of liqud, have soup, and make oatmeal, but I never realized how true it was until this week. Oatmeal really is a great comfort when you're sick. yum

Angry? Keep the Distance

(photo credit: profalbrecht.wordpress.com)

Angry: Don't you always just want to kick or punch at something when you're mad? I know I do. But what happens when you get hungry and you're still frustrated. I can't settle for a simple sandwich or salad; my aggressive eating may lead to me accidentally biting myself instead of my sandwich or breaking my fork while stabbing at my salad in anger. So in this case, maybe foods involving a fork and knife are more appropriate for you. Something you can really saw at without the negative consequences. Steak! The perfect dish, it's hard to cut so you can put your effort and thoughts into the work during your meal. But, in my case, make sure to cut off all that excess fat!

Thoughtful...?

(photo credit: sodahead.com)

I often find myself afterschool wandering campus with only my ipod and phone. Lying under the sun with a light breeze blowing, I often space out just thinking about school, friends, and life in general. But then my tummy begins to grumble and I ponder what food would best satisfy my mood. Because of the beautiful yet semi-warm weather today, I chose a popsicle for my afterschool snack. So, for my "thoughtful" blog today, I've discovered that food,s which take longer to consume go hand in hand with this mood. This way, you can think long and hard but still fill your hunger without worrying about too much about the eating motion. I thought about this a tad longer and came up with a list that also fit this category:

-popsicles
-hard candies (lollipops, jolly ranchers
-interesting drinks (smoothies, starbucks, ice tea)
-berries (with big bowls, you can just keep eating and eating)

Happy? Try It Out

(photo credit:washingtonwatch.com)

I always feel more adventurous when I'm more optimistic. I'm excited and ready to try new foods/cuisines; my creatives juices are really flowing at this point. There are so many different cuisines out there: Japanese, Thai, Mexican, Italian, Chinese, American, Meditteranean, and the list goes on. The best restaurants to try out for fun are normally the fusions because that means even more variety to choose from. The most recent fusion restaurant I've been to lately is Arya, an Italian and PERSIAN mix.

It's not in an ideal location (by a gas station) but it is along Stevens Creek. My dad and I decided to try it out one day in the summer I think. We had driven past multiple times but never got the chance to eat there. It looked appealing to me but my father thought it looked a bit "sketchy". Anywho, I convinced him to eat there and we began to drive in. Parking wasn't too difficult, directing us to the back of the restaurant off the busy road. We walked inside and the large dining room was dimly lit with curtains draping the windows and around pillars. The lights and decorations made for a romantic ambiance but I was just excited to try this place out! Our waiter seated us, and even introduced us to the popular dishes on the menu.

Because it was our first time eating Persian food, my dad and I spent about 10minutes reading the menu but finally settled on kabobs and another meat dish. My dinner turned out okay, I can't say it was exceptional. However, the fact I was so excited already about going to a new restaurant and trying a different cuisine made my dinner that much more entertaining. So, whenever your day has alright but you're feeling great, make it last longer and go eat at a brand new restaurant to add that extra umph!