I tried some locally sourced grass fed beef recently. I grilled up two cuts of meat for my father and I to share along with a heaping helping of veggies. Here is the result:
Category Archives: Tasty Thursday
Crepe Burrito for Breakfast? Yes!
I recently enjoyed the locavore food at The Skinny Pancake in Burlington, VT. Everything was delicious, but what really blew my mind was a vegetarian breakfast burrito wrapped with an herbed crepe instead of a tortilla.
The atmosphere inside is relaxed and funky, with big reclaimed wooden booths, a bar, and a stage. The tea selection adventures beyond black/green, and the coffee is tasty. Need another reason to check this place out the next time you’re in Vermont? They serve breakfast all day.
Shaved Brown Sugar Ice Dessert
Walking through the night markets of Taipei, we craving something cool and sweet. We were not in the mood for a meal, but rather dessert. I was not in the mood for any dairy so ice cream and boba tea were out of the question. We knew what we had to get: Shaved Ice.
We happened upon a local shop selling the confection we desired. The shaved ice itself contained brown sugar and the toppings we chose were taro, sweet potato, red bean, and jellies. The perfect cool treat for a hot night.
Happy Holi!
Here’s wishing everyone a happy Holi!
We are eating gujiya, a sweet filled with khoya. It tastes like cardamom, rasins, coconut, and goodness 🙂
Traditional Singaporean Breakfast
It’s no surprise that there is some food that I want to bring home with me from every place we go. In Singapore, one of my favorite foods was Kaya Jam – a breakfast spread made of coconut milk or cream, eggs, and lots of sugar. It tastes almost like a crystalline version of a rich coconut custard! If you want to be traditional, eat it spread on toast with coffee. Surprisingly, the fat and sugar keep me fueled for a while (but it is probably good that I don’t know where to buy it, because the sugar isn’t that healthy!)
The version below was colored and flavored with pandan leaves, which is why it’s green. Mostly I just tasted coconut.
Gado-Gado, my new favorite Indonesian food!
While on our road trip around the island of Java, our guide Heri encouraged me to try Gado-Gado. I was able to try it twice, and I am addicted. If making it at home, you could easily make it for a number of different diets (gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, chicken-lovers, just to name a few).
The dish is served cold, and consists of coarsely diced pre-cooked foods topped with a peanut sauce like a dressing. Between the two versions I tried, there were potatoes, green beans, water spinach, tomatoes, carrots, tempeh, tofu, shredded chicken, mung bean sprouts, boiled eggs, and shredded cabbage. One version was also topped with pieces of crisp rice crackers, which soaked up the sauce really well.
The peanut sauce was simple yet delicious. It is made from roasted peanuts, palm sugar, chilis, and lemon leaf. (Some versions also contain tamarind) Then all the ingredients are ground together (mortar and pestle style) into a thick, paste-like sauce that is a slap of pure joy to the palate.
Ivy’s Kitchen (Taipei, Taiwan)
On January 8th, we had the opportunity to take a cooking class with Ivy Chen. She has been teaching cooking classes in Taipei for over 15 years. We met up with Ivy at Shidong market, where she gave us a fun and informative tour of what the local vendors had to offer. After the market tour, we walked to her home. We chose 3 dishes to cook ahead of time: steamed buns with red bean paste, eggplant with spicy sesame dressing, and vegetarian wontons in red oil sauce. We cooked, chatted, and ate well into the afternoon. The dishes were delicious and not too difficult to make. If you visit Taipei and have a day to spend, please contact Ivy.
http://kitchenivy.com
Best Potato Chip Flavor Ever (Happiness Butter)
Early on in our adventure to Japan, we encountered a mysterious yet enticing bag of potato chips.
Made by Calbee, the flavor is called “Happiness Butter.” It is a combination of sour cream, honey, butter, and parsley. “Happiness” is the best way to describe these chips. Sweet and crunchy – a snack food lover’s dream. We looked all over for another bag, but weeks later, were only able to find one – at a reduced price, because they were discontinuing the flavor. Cruel victims of a limited edition flavor? Or had that dastardly pigeon struck again.
The Donair Review
Part 1: The King
King of Donair introduced donairs to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada in 1973 and boy am I glad they did. I’ve been a big donair fan since high school and while attending University at Dalhousie they soon became my favorite food item. After a nearly decade long hiatus from the Great White North, I returned. The first food item I had to get was a donair.
We stopped at King of Donair on Quinpool Rd. and I ordered a regluar donair. I was in hog heaven. The meat was spiced perfectly, the tomatoes and onions were freshly cut, and the sauce was sweet and plentiful. I highly recommend King of Donair if you are in Halifax for any amount of time.
Part 2: Meatless Donair
Day 2 in Halifax we decided on going to the Wooden Monkey. To those of you who do not know me, I am quite fond of monkeys. This was a new age vegetarian friendly restaurant. I opted to try the seitan donair. This meatless incarnation looked the part. It was not as spicy as the standard donair and the sauce was not conventional. It tasted similar to donair sauce save for the fact that it was made with coconut milk. It was not a true donair, but the closest you can get as a vegetarian option.
Part 3: A Clear Winner
Next up: Sicilian. Sicilian used to be my go-to donair place, and for good reason. The donair meat is spicy and the sauce is creamy. Their product is everything one could want in a donair. While being almost identical to the King of Donair, these facts lead them to claiming my number 1 spot.
Part 4: Another in line
On our drive heading toward New Brunswick, we stopped to grab a bit at Killam’s Pizzeria and take-out. I saw donair on the menu and had to try it. Their version is more akin to the donair pizza than to the traditional donair.  The breading was a freshly baked pizza crust.  On the crust was the donair meat, onions, and tomatoes. The sauce was included on the side. The meat was spiced more like a traditional gyro than a traditional Halifax-style donair.
Chandra recommends having a breath mint after each and every donair.
Kimball Farm
I am a big fan of ice cream. I’ve been going to Kimball Farm in Westford since I was young. Â It is a favorite of many from all over central Massachusetts – for good reason. They have been making home made ice cream since 1939. Â With over 40 flavors that are ever-changing, it is the perfect treat for a hot day or even a rainy one! Our most recent trip to Kimball Farm was on the 4th of July. Â We wanted two flavors, so we had to get a large. Â The sizes are bigger than big. They are huge! I usually am full with a kiddie for small size if I am hungry. I highly recommend stopping by Kimball Farm. Â They have 4 locations: Westford, MA, Lancaster, MA, Carlisle, MA, and Jaffrey, NH.
Kimball Farm in Westford is not just about heaping amounts of delicious ice cream. They have many fun attractions on site. You could spend an entire day there. They have  a country store,  mini golf,  bumper boats, a driving range, pitch and putt, volleyball courts, lawn games, batting cages, animal adventures, an arcade,  and yummy grilled food/seafood. Pictured below is a peacock from the Westford Location.
the mint tea drinkers society 