Crispy Milk in Chinatown

Posted on March 9, 2010 by Juliet Tiu

Don’t know about you, but it seems the more we visit a restaurant, any restaurant, the more often we end up ordering the same dishes. This happens a lot when we go for dim sum in Chinatown. Our perennial favorite: Taro Puff, or deep fried taro dumpling (wu kok or o kok). It’s this amazing, little, frazzled-looking potato-esque croquette is on my daughter’s top ten. Maybe top five, she’s sometimes picky and still a kid after all. She likes to take her chopsticks and gives the puff “a hair cut” (her words). “Mom, I like shaving off the crispy.” Then she proceeds to inhale the dumpling and looks for more, sometimes taking her brother’s share.

Fukien fried rice is also very delicious especially on a chilly day. Gravy and rice is such comfort food; there’s a hint of seafood, and a smoky flavor, too. My husband and I just can’t seem to figure out where the char is coming from. We’ll order the popular dishes: siu mai (pork and mushroom dumplings), har gao (shrimp dumplings), steamed buns with barbeque pork and sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaf. I’m so happy my kids eat so well when we go.

It’s not a bad thing ordering what you know, but I think we end up missing out on very good or new dishes. On one of our recent trips, we decided to try a dessert that has been tempting us for a while. Written on an 8-1/2″ x 11″ poster hanging on the wall are Chinese characters and the words “Crispy Milk”. How does milk get crispy? Can you really deep fry any thing? Apparently, you can.

I couldn’t imagine what it might have tasted like, but it was warm, lightly sweet, and delicious. It reminded me of a dessert my late Aunt Tess used to make deep frying dough balls made with rice flour and brown sugar, but crispy milk was far more delicate and tender. Just enough texture with a bit of chewiness, and I mean that in a good way. I’d order it again.

Baking Blueberry, Cranberry, any-berry Scones

Posted on January 28, 2010 by Juliet Tiu

I was craving scones the other day, and usually, Ollie and I take a little trip to our favorite tea shop to have delicious raisin scones and tea. But we didn’t make time. (Sorry, Sheila.) After mentioning this to Eastman, he said, “Your scones are the best.” Aww, thanks, honey. Then I realized, I haven’t made scones at home in a long time. This recipe has been a staple in our home since we’ve been married. It’s easy to double, which you might want to do… easy to make with preparation time of 15 minutes (give or take some if you do or do not have everything on hand), and easy to wait for (15-20 minute bake time).

The lime and coconut flavors are so subtle, and really accompany the blueberries well. I have a friend who claims he hates coconut, and then proceeds to consume my coconutty-baked goods. Making this with dried cranberries works too, but I would suggest rehydrating the cranberries in warm water while you’re preparing the batter. Once in the oven, it’s magical to watch the scones puff up and get golden brown if you’re not doing anything else. Unfortunately, I wasn’t watching them closely and this batch browned a bit more than I would have wanted.

Julie’s Scones (Yield: 8 scones)

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
6 tbsp. butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1/2 cup skim milk (I bet it would taste great with whole milk)
1/4 tsp. grated lime peel (lemon works too)
1 cup fresh blueberries (if using frozen, thaw and drain)
Garnish: 2 tsp. granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 425 deg. F. Grease baking sheet or prep with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Mix flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Using a pastry blender (or 2 knives), cut butter into dry mixture until coarse crumbs form. Make well in center. In another bowl, mix egg, coconut, milk and lime peel. Pour egg mixture into flour mixture. Stir with fork until dry ingredients are just moistened. Gently fold in the berries. Spoon scones about 2 inches apart. Sprinkle tops with sugar. Bake until golden brown, approximately 15-20 min. Cool completely.

Better Homes and Gardens Entertaining Tips from 1960s

Posted on January 19, 2010 by Juliet Tiu

Look at this book I found at my mom’s house. First published in 1963, then again in 1972… The ideas and recipes may be sort of timeless, but the pictures, oh, the pictures are outstanding.

And just in time for getting birthday party ideas… my daughter turns 8 in just over a month. Will she cringe when she sees some of these? (Love her haircut.)

Could the frosting on these cakes look any more “nuclear”?

These kids are decorating their own cupcakes. Love the chef hat and aprons which are all paper.

What is she wearing on her head?

Doesn’t this look mint-a-licious?

I don’t know if there are any teenagers out there who would even THINK of having a “wingding” like this. Maybe if there was a “Nancy Drew” sort of person out there in a town-that-time-forgot.

This picture below for Christmas is a little spooky to me. Dolls creep me out sometimes.

I think my parents have an indoor grill just like the one in the picture below.

Clearly, I missed the boat on having a 60s themed New Year’s party this past year. Maybe next year! I can’t get over their clothes.

But, there is Valentine’s Day coming up. I’m really tempted to try some of these throwback recipes (looks like some kind of mousse)… too bad I can’t bring “homemade” goods to my daughter’s school!

Celebrating with Fruit Cocktail Cake

Posted on January 4, 2010 by Juliet Tiu

A few ornaments to put away

“And now let us welcome the New Year
Full of things that have never been.” – Rainer Maria Rilke

What better way to start the new year than with family and friends? It’s a Filipino tradition to celebrate the life of a loved one on the 40th day after his or her passing. So, my dad’s youngest sister and her family hosted a memorial service and reception in honor of my aunt and uncle who recently passed away (They were my dad’s siblings. Big family, gets confusing, I know: my dad is 1 of 14). It was so heartwarming to have so many friends and extended family come out the day after the New Year; so many I haven’t seen in a long while, so many new babies. My Auntie Tess and Uncle Fred would’ve loved the party so much.

Auntie Con and Uncle Wilmer are fantastic hosts who had more than enough food to feed the 50-60 people who attended, but I like help out, so from our home we brought my husband’s signature crab dip and my fruit cocktail cake. Normally, I’d bake it in a 13×9 pan, but for Christmas, I got the “Big Top Cupcake” in our cousin gift exchange. Yeah, “As Seen on TV” bakeware!

We could not stop laughing, and yet, it’s proved to be useful. I’ve never baked with silicone molds before. It was so easy to get the cake out, and washing was a breeze. The only thing that didn’t work as well was the “insert mold”, that little bowl shape piece on the right in the picture. I placed it on the bottom mold, just like a lid and it snapped on just fine. Seemed secure, but in the middle of baking it came off as the cake rose. It wasn’t a big deal though. I just kept pushing it down when I checked on the cake. Baking time increased just a little bit, too. I was surprised when the “cupcake top” wasn’t done when the bottom part was – I just had to add a few more minutes. I didn’t get all crazy with decorating the cake. There was no time, and I had no butter left in my house. But, all is good with a little dusting of powdered sugar and a gumdrop.

Fruit Cocktail Cake with Vanilla Pudding

Cake
1 pkg. yellow or lemon cake mix (with pudding)
16 oz. can fruit cocktail including syrup
1 cup flaked coconut
4 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
Whipped topping (optional)

Butter Glaze:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1-1/3 c. flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Blend cake mix, fruit cocktail, coconut, eggs and oil in large bowl. Beat at medium speed until smooth. Pour into 13×9 pan. Sprinkle brown sugar (and nuts). Bake for 45 min. or until toothpick comes clean from center. Spoon glaze over warm cake, approx. 15 min. after removing from oven. Serve warm or cold with whipped topping.

Butter glaze: Heat butter, sugar and evaporated milk in a saucepan until it reaches a low boil. Cook for 2 min. Remove from heat and stir in coconut.

Cookie Exchange

Posted on December 22, 2009 by Juliet Tiu

Another year of over indulging. Another year of amazing cookies, and a little, just a little, unspoken competition. More cameraderie, I’d like to think. Another year of seeing our friend’s children grow a few more inches. Another year of welcoming new friends into our lives. Another year of opening our home to loved ones, another year of laughing and catching up on all that has happened.

We paid tribute to John Hughes, writer, director of movies that define moments of high school in the 80s: Ferris Buehler’s Day Off, The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles, Planes, Trains and Automobiles. He holds a special place with some of us because we graduated from the same high school he attended, Glenbrook North High School.

So, our friends brought their best cookies. We tried to name them accordingly, too, (i.e. Cookies-when-you’re-“Home Alone”, or “Ferris’s thumbprint cookies”, Sloane’s Sugar Cookies, Blaine’s Butterscotch shortbread, Abe Froman cookie) Still, it was a Christmas cookie swap, so if the creative mood didn’t strike them, it was okay.

After sharing two dozen to sample, we swapped six dozen (plus some leftovers) more. Seventeen households/families… it was quite a party! We recognized the best theme-related, best tasting, best decorated, best-in-show, and best haiku.

See some pictures here taken by my brother-in-law and my pictures below. If you roll your cursor over the pictures, you should be able to see their names. Want recipes? Let me know. Enjoy!