Post Break, Paleozoic Revisited & Other Rainy Day Pursuits

What’s in a name? Strange title for this weekend’s post, wouldn’t you say? Well, it started late (after 6pm Physics Friday) but fortunately won’t end until Monday afternoon. And recently, my fingers have been itching for the feel of dough in my palms and sugar under my nails, the scent of fresh cookies assailing my olfactory organ. I’ve been looking up recipes all week, and I finally get to execute all of them. On this weekend’s menu, Gingerbread Dinosaurs, Animal Sugar Cookies, Vietnamese Coffee Cupcakes, and Thick Crispy Sugar Cookies, all new recipes, two from a new discovery – RecipeGirl.net. So why Paleozoic? Well, Piggy’s birthday is coming up (29th) and she got me a 100 piece cookie cutter set for Christmas, complete with dinosaur cookie cutters. So of course, put two and two together… Piggy loves animals, Piggy likes eating, therefore Piggy will (hopefully) enjoy eating animal cookies! So, zoo animal sugar cookies and gingerbread dinos, and her name spelled out… Lots of goodies for Piggy! The Vietnamese Coffee Cupcakes are from the Cupcake Bakeshop, an incredible blog for cupcakes. The only problem is, mine never turn out right. They never taste good or even remotely like normal cupcakes. I have the worst luck with cupcakes, but as always, I’ve never been one to give up, so I tried again… and still a disappoint. Just ask Cathy, or Tram, or Duy. They will tell you. They will also tell you about the extra crisp, over sweet sugar cookies that I made… yeah, late night baking attacks usually mean over baked cookies. Sorry everyone. But why other rainy day pursuits? Well, I had another Santana Row Farmer’s Market run, and that is always fun. Not so many vendors as it was pouring, but good company, good weather and I’m a happy camper. I also ended up at Century Theaters for (out of all movies and please don’t judge me) Meet the Spartans, possibly one of the most ridiculous movies I have ever seen. And as good fun as it was, I refuse to ever go see a comedy with someoneiknow ever again – excessive guffawing and chuckling, the exact audience member I would HATE sitting next to in the theater. It’s sorta like how I hate chatty servers, sorry. But a fabulous day, topped off with (1) a stop at the Falafel Drive-In (2) Daffodils! (3) and a trip to Target. So my weekend in a nutshell. Hope yours was equally great, if not better. The rain should never hinder the pursuit of fun. So go invest in a pair of rain galoshes and maybe a sturdy umbrella… oh, and a personal travel-size (meaning take anywhere with you) heater to keep you warm. That’s it for now. My goal is to write one entry a week, so check back weekly!

Vietnamese Coffee Cupcakes
originally from Chockylit’s Cupcake Bakeshop
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup strong brewed Vietnamese coffee
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon coffee grounds

Recipe Girl Sugar Cookies
originally from RecipeGirl

These make very cloyingly sweet cookies, and because I over baked, they turned out rock hard. Sugar cookies just never brown for me, so I always try to keep them in the oven longer than specified. Oops. But yes, very sweet. Trinda and Nhi refused to eat a whole cookie because they were soo sweet. But they remind me of the Otis-Spunkmeyer cookies, where the dough comes in a tub, and all you have to do is scoop and bake. Yes, that’s what they are. The industrial sugar cookies. Doesn’t sound too appealing, but they aren’t bad. Just go easy on the sugar I guess… And just fyi, I probably won’t use this recipe again, not without some adjustments anyway.

4 cups flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup powedered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
extra sugar to taste

Cinnamon Sugar Cookies
originally from RecipeGirl

This is a good substitute for ordinary shortbread or plain sugar cookies. The cinnamon gives the cookie flavor and prevents Olivia from tasting all the butter – which she often complains about actually. These are very soft, melt in your mouth sort of feeling. You can make your own colored sugars, like these leaves here. Or you can use store bought sprinkles, like how I did for Olivia’s name. To make them adhere a little better, brush the cut dough shapes with a little water and sprinkle on your sugar. Bake. And devour. Repeat as necessary.

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
extra sprinkles, colored sugars and candies for decoration

Joy of Baking Gingerbread
originally from Joy of Baking

These are perfect for a soft, dense gingerbread cookie. Don’t over bake, unless you like your cookies hard. However, let it be known that softer cookies always feel and taste more fresh. These are a bit delicate, especially when using such detailed cookie cutter shapes like the dinosaurs. The tails and arms never came out, so be gentle when handling the dough. Freeze unused portions of the dough (tightly wrapped in plastic) while you work, so it doesn’t fall a part come time for use.

3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1 large egg
2/3 cup unsulphured molasses

This concludes the weekend. I wish you happy baking in your kitchen. AND — HAPPY 21st BIRTHDAY OLIVIA! I hope you will enjoy the cookies, my Piggy/PlasticFroggie!!!!!

Review: The Falafel Drive-In

The Falafel Drive-In
2301 Stevens Creek Blvd.
San Jose, CA 95128
(408) 294-7886

One of my favorite places to visit during the Lenten season and before Santa Row Farmers’ Market trips. Featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, this little falafel shack (said in the most loving way) serves up the best falafel sandwiches and banana shakes. Anyone confused? Never heard of a falafel? Well, you clearly haven’t lived, and should soon. A falafel usually refers to those dark fried lumps you see at the top right picture. They are fried balls of spiced beans (what kind? I know not…), typically happiest between a pita pocket, smothered in tahini sauce and drowned in lettuce and tomatoes. No animals were hurt in the making of this sandwich – perfect for Ash Wednesday (which is coming up soon) and those Lenten Fridays. Anyway, college student budget friendly, excellent outdoor seating that is well shielded from the rain, large portions for hungry appetites, and a change from the typical American affair. And no, this is not a paid advertisement. For about $7, you get a huuge falafel sandwich and shake. What a deal! And fresh pita chips on the side are only $1.75 or so. Need more falafel balls? You’re in luck, because its like $0.25 for a couple. Amazing, no?
The only downside to this place is that the lines usually wrap around the sidewalk if you go during peak lunch hours. It is THAT good, and the crazy thing is, people will actually WAIT for it too. Oh, and for falafel newbies – be warned! Do not wear your Sunday best because falafel sandwiches are messy, but I guarantee that you will master the technique required to eat a falafel after the second or third time, so fear not. Always ask for extra hot sauce – it is the equivalent of La Vic’s Orange Sauce (review coming soon), except for a falafel not a burrito. It’s THAT infamous and THAT worth it. To further prove my point – I hate spicy foods. I hate Sriracha in my pho, I hate Tapatio in my taco. But this hot sauce, I will close to drink out of my falafel sandwich. I exaggerate, but you get my mean.

In addition, they also serve gyros (although I do recommend another place that’s even better), hummus, salads, trademark diner plates (burgers and the like), and baklava! Check the place out for yourself – it is a must stop-by in San Jose… especially if you happen to be conveniently visiting Valley Fair or Santana Row. So try the Falafel Drive-In and see for yourself. Then come back and let me know so I can be jealous.

Raindrops and Reminiscing

“Let’s go back, back to the beginning. Back to when the earth, the sun, and stars all aligned…”

And you know the rest. I think it goes well with today’s post. Rain and reminiscing… this will be the last post for a while, as school has started and will soon start to kick my tush. And as I am in Berkeley, cooking has been limited, so I thought I would give you a cursory intro to Vietnamese food, all from my trip last summer. The weather (cold and wet is my favorite) is nostalgia inducing I think. I won’t be too ambitious though, so for today, just Northern Vietnam (mien Bac). If you happen to be stuck indoors, I hope you enjoy the pictures and blurbs as much as I enjoyed living them. For those who were fortunate enough to be on this trip, thanks for these memories. You made them extraordinary.

Northern Vietnam

Frere Phong gives a lot of advice. I listen to about 20% of it (recalcitrant teen – what can I say?), but before heading off to the motherland, Frere gave us one sound bit of fab advice: “For the first few days or so before your body acclimates, try not to drink water or any iced beverages. Stick to hot tea and beer.” Did Frere just give me license to drink? Oh yes he did! Joyous, right? Wrong. Because sadly Viet Nam is dominated by things like Bia HaNoi or 333 or Tiger Beer. And believe me, I’ve had my share of gross beer, but this has got to be the worst. For a girl who likes her hefeweizen and pale ales, Vietnamese beer is not the most pleasant experience. But as a wee child, Frere also taught me,” Ta về ta tắm ao ta; Dù trong dù đục, ao nhà vẫn hơn.” I took that to heart and kept an open mind throughout the trip, which led to a rather adventurous culinary expedition. I mean why not, right? It is que huong afterall!

Ha Noi, Viet Nam.

Viet Nam is the mecca for exotic fruit lovers! What place in the States can boast pitaya (thanh long) or year-round longans (nhan) and starfruit (khe)? Other fruits like lychee (vai) are best spring and early summer. Jackfruit (mit) is very bland by late summer and are not readily available. My personal favorite is rambutan (chomchom), which fortunately is in season summer to late fall. Encapsulated within the hairy red skin is a white, succulent, fleshy fruit chillin’ in its own sweet juice. Yuum. If you buy the pricier species, the flesh comes right off the seed, no problem. And you can be like the multitude of other Vietnamese folk who simply spit the seeds and drop the skins right onto the streets. (Ahem, this is why I study public health btw, details later). Where to find these fruits? At the local markets, on trolley carts, the back of bikes, and ladies ganh hang rong. Another part of the Vietnamese fruit tradition is the ever popular sugar cane – specifically sugar cane juice! It is the most satisfying drink your American-jaded tongue will ever lay its taste buds upon, I promise! Nothing is more satiating! For under $0.25 USD per bag of juice, it cools you and your temperament (hot&humid = moody). You can find it on practically any street corner, and it is made to order! Usually squeezed by machine and only flavored with freshly squeezed kumquat (tac) or other citrus, the sweet juice is heaven on earth!

While roaming the busy streets of Ha Noi, we stumbled upon an outdoor food court (Quan An Ngon), complete with misters and fans, and tons of potted banana plants and plenty of foliage to absorb the crazy tropic heat. And apparently, this is a place the locals frequent, so very good food at very cheap prices. Then again, you can’t honestly complain about a few cents here and there. We all ordered a round of Bun Thang, which literally means “ladder noodles.” This is the first lesson in Vietnamese cuisine. Vietnamese food is deceptively difficult to make – it is usually ingredient and effort intensive. The bun thang is a rice vermicelli noodle in a chicken based broth, adorned with tons of shredded chicken meat and God-knows-what-other-goodness. This broth probably has at least 20 ingredients, and not to mention all the sauces and veggies (basils, mints, scallions, etc) that are required to give your palate a complete flavorful phenomenon. And because this was a food court, we also ordered several rounds of banh tom chien, or tempura shrimp. Lesson #2 in Vietnamese cuisine. It wouldn’t be Vietnamese without nuoc mam, fish sauce, specifically nuoc mam dam, vinegared fish sauce, for this dish. And in this dipping sauce there is always minced garlic, slivered chillies, and I think this place even added green apple? I can’t remember… but other types of dipping sauces are nuoc mam gung (ginger), mam tom (fermented shrimp paste?), and nuoc tuong (vinegared soy sauce). And to eat this, you need all the lettuce leaves and veggies to make a proper wrap/roll. A very flavorful and interactive way of eating, wouldn’t you say? In addition, we ordered tons of other little dishes to accompany our meal and lots of che, a Vietnamese pudding/dessert/thing.

Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam.

This is one of those must-stop-by tourist places in Viet Nam – and for good reason too! Ha Long Bay is a chain of little islands that stud the emerald waters of the Tonkin Gulf like mounds of glitzy crystals. And on each island, there are beautiful stalactite caves, which over-imaginative tour guides have transformed into images of fallen fairies, praying Buddhas, crouching tigers and hidden dragons. I kid you not. “Ha Long” actually means descending dragon. Putting legends aside, this place is beautiful and a must-see.

Since these islands are only accessible by boat, we took an all inclusive dragon boat out to visit the many caves. We were served a surprisingly pleasant meal – the views of the sapphire sky and emerald water didn’t hurt either. But with more than 3000 km of Pacific coastline, of course they served us seafood! Vietnamese seafood is delicious, and the best fish, prawns and shellfish are already being exported to the US, so the stuff still left in the country is only second-rate. But even second-rate is delicious!

This is a plate of clams, cooked in a lemon grass and ginger broth, served piping hot. It was soo fresh that I could still taste the sea salt and SAND in these babies. I never said Vietnamese food was clean… but seriously. Next to fruits, Vietnamese seafood was the best part of this culinary adventure. I had so many bivalves on this trip, and I can’t properly name all of them. But perhaps those native speakers can help me out.. we had so huyet, ngheu, chem chep, oc dua, v.v. Soo good! Just wait until my Southern Vietnam entry, and boy, these things will be piled high. In addition, on this boat ride, we were also served tom rang muoi or salt crusted shrimp, a typical dish that can be found in most Chinese restaurants in the states. What makes this dish Vietnamese then? Why the nuoc mam of course, duh! So, these are full bodied shrimp that have been fried after being dipped in some sort of salty seasoned batter. Most people tear off the head and suck out the brains, and then eat the rest of the body whole. I can’t stand swallowing the shell, so I lick off all the flavor and tear off the shell before consuming the meat inside. Whatever floats your boat I guess…

This dish is a northern Vietnamese staple – bitter melon or kho qua or also also known as muop dang depending on what region of Viet Nam you are from. Not my favorite dish or vegetable, too bitter. Usually you will find bitter melon stuffed with a meat filling and made into a medicinal soup (Holy Basil Recipe). I avoided it whenever I could when my grandma or mom made it, even when they swear by its medicinal properties. I just don’t like it, but who could resist such a photogenic dish? Here, I believe it is sauteed with garlic, shallots and possibly dried shrimp (tom kho), though the mysterious bits in the picture allude me.

But that concludes the food highlights of Northern Vietnam. It only gets better the further south we go, so check back every so often. A site update: you can now get feeds from my blog, just use the Meta links to the right. Also, thanks to someoneiknow, I have a prettier banner to go with the newer and cleaner layout. Things to look forward to this weekend? Hhm, well, let me count the ways. (1) Make lots of cookies using my 100 piece cookie cutter set for Piggy because her birthday is coming up. (2) Selling banh chung in the rain. (3) Perhaps another Santana Row Farmer’s Market in the rain. (4) Potentially a movie, but I am a notorious flaker, sorry, so I won’t be sure until it actually happens. (5) Lots of family time, which translates to food time, which is a synonym for more pictures and entries!

So until next time food lovers! Stay warm, stay dry, and good luck to your future endeavors in the kitchen!