Inagural gathering of the Cookbook Club

Last night was the first meeting of our new Cookbook Club.
For Hannukah, my friend D got Jerusalem: A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi. She thought it would be fun for a group of food-loving people to get togethr and make dishes from a particular cookbook, or chef. The Jerusalem served as our first featured cookbook, and we added Ottolenghi's Plenty to offer more options.
The result was an amazing meal. Surprisingly, it was mostly vegetarian, but all the dishes were so flavorful, no one really missed anything.
Here's the recap - first, are the dishes made from the Jersusalem cookbook:
Our hostess D made my favorite dish of the evening, Pureed Beets with yogurt & za'atar (Pg 53)

D had found some amazing beets at the Marin farmer's market, and was inspired to make this dish Flavored with garlic, red chile, date syrup, and za'atar, the sweetness of the beets was still the star of this dish.
Jay and Stephanie, made a beautifully plated Swiss Chard with Tahini, Yogurt & Buttered Pine Nuts (pg 88-9)

Swiss chard and yogurt are very common ingredients in Ottelenghi's recipes (you'll see more....)
Ross made the only meat dish of the evening.  Lamb-Stuffed Quince with Pomegranate & Cilantro (pgs 154-155).  Ross has a quince tree, but sadly they were not in season, so he substituted pears instead. 

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There were two desserts made from this cookbook.
The first, our hostess D made a Semolina, Coconut & Marmalade cake (Pg 264)

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Another one of my favorites I packed a few leftover slices to bring home.  Bright and flavorful, the cake is soaked in orange blossom syrup after baking and served with Greek yogurt (again) flavored with a drop of orange blossom water.
Susie made molded filled cookies called ma'amul (pgs 288-289).  She is fortunate to own a "tabbeh", a wooden mold that are used to give Ma'amul cookies their shape and ornate design.  Each cookie is stuffed with dates and walnuts, baked and finsihed with a sprinkling of powdered sugar. 

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These next dishes come from Ottelenghi's earlier cookbook, Plenty.
Ali made Spicy Moroccan Carrot Salad (pg 14).  I happen to love the combination of carrots and cumin - these spicy carrots also had garllic, chiles, cloves, ginger, coriander, cinnamon, and a wonderful surprise with chopped preserved lemons.  Served with Greek yogurt.

D, our amazing hostess, made yet another dish, Burnt Eggplant with Tahini (pgs 122-123).  (I almost chose this dish too!)  D put the eggplant in the broiler and roasted it until the flesh was soft and smokey, and the skin was burnt all over.  What is interesting is that the eggplant is then hand chopped vs. pureed in a food processor.  I loved the addition of pomegranate seeds.

My dish was Chickpea Saute with Greek Yogurt (pgs 211 and 213).  This was my first time using caraway seeds - in a non-bread context.  This dish also included cooked cilantro and mint - ingredients I would never have thought to use together, but it was delicious!!  I served the yogurt on the side.

Carrie made a beautiful salad of Celeriac and Lentils with Hazelnut and Mint (pgs 216-217).  We marveled at her perfectly cooled lentils, and laughed about how the recipe called for the celeriac to be cut into 3/8" "chips".  She realized in the UK, "chips" are what Americans call "fries".  The instructions should have specified "batons". 

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Last but not least was Donna and Tom's Green Couscous (pg 255 & 257).  This was a very fresh tastiing dish that involved making an "herb paste" with parsley, cilantro, tarragon, dill, and mint.  She served it with arugula.  I had to get seconds on this dish as well.

Some more pics from our evening:
D welcomes everyone to the first meeting of the Cookbook Club

An impressive spread

Hibiscus tea

Special guest Kaia

enjoy

great talk on all things chinese food....and then some

Life is good!

a food fantasy scene - en chine

I am perched at the end of the stainless steel counter and wait with anticipation.
The young handsome chef looks over at me, and gives me a shy crooked smile.  He pushes back his sleeves and turns his attention back to the sizzing hot wok. 
His movements are confident, skillful and graceful.  His muscles flex as he effortlessly tosses the wok. I  am mesmorized by this vision.
One by one he tosses in the ingredients from the mise en place -  so carefully prepared.
From the below the range, a fiery flame shoots up.  My heart skips a beat.
The air is suddenly filled with a tantalizing, ambrosial aroma. I am yearning for a taste.
Finally, with a flourish, he slides the completed dish onto a waiting platter and presents it to me.
I carefully compose a bite. The flavors dance off my tongue and fill my mouth. I close my eyes as the pleasure of this dish transports me to a sublime state.
He is watching attentively.  Our eyes meet.  No words are exchanged. He smiles knowingly.  Another masterpiece has been created.

Yes, I'm watching too many daytime soaps........ heehee!  Okay, okay, I'll get to the food.

For today's lunch, Executive Chef of the award winning Shunde Sheraton, Chef Johnson He, has invited us into the intimate setting of the Sheraton Banquet Hall kitchen for a private cooking demonstration and lunch.  

This kitchen is where meals are prepared for thousands participating in events in the Hotel's Banquet Hall.  Fully stocked, and spacious enough to accomodate three large banquet tables for our group + one for a table of writers, photographers, and videographers from local media.

It really is quite a thrill to see a brigade of (young, handsome) chefs prepare an entire 12 course meal, up-close.  The first thing that hits your senses is the noise - the hum of the exhaust, clanging of woks, clatter of plates.  It sounds like chaos, but in reality, it is a well-oiled machine.  Mise en place ingredients are stacked neatly at each station.   Chefs gracefully move among each other preparing one dish after another.  Dishes are plated, garnished, and handed off to the servers.  As a guest, it almost looks easy - the completed dishes keep appearing like magic!

At our tables, the staff have washed and prepared some ingredients that Martin had picked up from the Wet Market - star fruit, water chestnuts, lotus root.  The chefs had also provided some freshly picked fruit from a nearby market - dragonfruit, logans, kumquats, apples, grapes and plums.

The first demo was for the famous Shunde Fish Chowder. It iw a milky white soup with minced fish, shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, black fungus, and water chestnuts.  It is warm and soothing, and eases our hunger for the next course. The next dish was the most delicious Char Shiu Pork I had ever tasted - not dry and chewy like the ones hanging in the windows of Chinatown, but juicy, tender and sweet pieces of fat-full pork.  I definitely indulged in many pieces of this!  The next dish was Scrambled Water Buffalo Milk with Seafood, served on top of pieces of deep fried bread.  Then members of our group were able to try their hand at making Sweet and Sour Pork.  Lynne, created a beautiful and delicious dish to share with the group!  The final dish was, Deep Fried Cantonese Wontons - shrimp and pork dumplings deep fried and served with dipping sauce.  Everything is better when it is deep fried!

I have recipes for all of these dishes, but frankly, I doubt I will be making these dishes at home, since ingredients like "fried terminalia" and "milk of water buffalo", are not likely to be readily available - even at The Berkeley Bowl.

The highlight of the lunch was the Peking Duck.  Before they were served, the ducks were first given a bath of hot oil. Then the crispy skin was delicately removed from the bird.  To eat, wrap the duck skin and garnishes - thinly sliced cucumber and scallions, a dab of hoisen sauce, all into a thin pancake.  And, if you are nice to the chef, he may give you the leftover duck legs for a snack - lucky Winnie!! 

Other items on the menu: Scrambled Eggs with Chinese Chives, Stemed Pork Dumplings, Emerald Stir-Fried Prawns over Noodle Pancake, Crystal Wrapped Duck (aka Lettuce Wraps), 5-Spice Spring Rolls, and finishing off with a delicious Sweet Creamy Grapefruit Soup.

A few weeks after we got back from China, my friend Peggy sent me an article written from one of the journalist who attended our lunch.  I'm not sure who wrote it, but it is someone from this group.......

it is called a "wet market" cuz you might get wet - but it could be worse....

(WARNING:  This post contains graphic images.)

The morning of our second day, Chef Martin Yan takes our group to a local wet market in Shunde, China.  If you want to get a sense of local culture, and local food - the wet market is where you can get an up close and personal view.  In my case, my experience might have been a little TOO close, I emerged with stains on my clothes and smelling like fish - but happy, that all of my appendages (including head) are intact......

The market is located in a two-story building.  As we enter, it is crowded with customers.  We immediately see stalls and stalls of cut-up poultry, and people yelling.  They are yelling at customers, yelling at their co-workers, yelling at each other, yelling at ME. Yup, somehow, I had already doing something wrong, because there is a man waving a large cleaver and yelling in my direction.  What/Why???  Since the crazy yelling man is down the aisle from me, and too far to inflict harm to me, I shrug him off, and continue to browse the stalls displaying a variety of poultry, including black chickens, geese, and birds that were cut open with eggs still inside!!   

Second warning!! There may be pictures and descriptions of events posted here that might make the reader uncomfortable.  I wish there was a more delicate way to portray all of the sights, sounds and smells at the Wet Market.  But while I am here, I am simultaneously, feeling amazed, disgusted, horrified, scared and incredibly intrigued.  With a sense of morbid curiosity, I cannot tear my eyes away from all of the things happening around me.  In lieu of standing there looking dumbstruck with my mouth agape, I start taking pictures.

Behind poultry, is the livestock section - with rows of cages containing several species of live birds.  When a customer makes a purchase, the vendor will slit the throat, drain the blood, and de-feather the bird - all in a matter of minutes! 

Beyond the caged birds, there are baskets of live frogs, snakes and turtles.  Those vendors, are also gutting and cleaning, leaving the still-twitching frogs on the floor.  I carefully navigate my way around the flying cleavers, and piles of guts on the wet and slippery floor.  At the other end of the building, there is a set of stairs.  Needing to escape the slaughter all around me, I head upstairs.

Whereas the first floor was dark, wet and bloody, the second floor is brightly lit with windows on all four walls.  This floor is where they sell vegetables, flowers, eggs, fresh noodles and tofu products, dried seafood, and handmade dumplings.  The hazards of this floor come from the motorcycles, bikes and large carts that barrel down the narrow and crowded aisles.  I am almost run over by a scooter, then a cart carrying a load of freshly picked vegetables pushes past me and smears wet mud on the back of my legs, and then I almost trip over the legs of a customer sorting through heads of cabbage on the ground. Aack!!

Half the floor is occupied with butchers selling beef, pork, lamb, and other meat products.  If you are a fan of "nose to tail" eating, you should come here!! There are animal parts, I never knew animals had, being sold!  Truth be told, after spending so much time among all of these animal innards, I start thinking about becoming vegetarian......

I notice that it is almost time to meet the group back at the bus.  Reluctantly, I make my way back downstairs. 

On the other side of the first floor is the fresh fish section.   I am back in the wettest section of the Wet Market!  As I head towards my bus, I push my way through the many fish customers and vendors. I am getting splashed by water from tanks overflowing with large live fish, that angrily flip their tails as they attempt to find some personal space. I marvel at the speed that the vendors are able to catch, gut, scale, and filet a fish - all with one BIG knife.  Fish scales and guts are flying everywhere. 

I emerge from the entrance of the market, feeling exhilarated by what I have just experienced, but also so happy to be away from the crowds, the smell and the blood.  I am muddy, wet, and smell fishy, and there is still the strong smell of the market lingering in my nose. 

As the other members of the tour arrive at the bus, everyone had some crazy story to share about the wet market.  Martin has also bought several of the exotic local items to share with the group during lunch.

Back to the Shunde Sheraton for a special lunch!

 

 

people who eat together are....happy together!

After our garden visit, the group boards the bus and we go check in to our hotel, the Sheraton Shunde.  The first five star hotel in Shunde, is luxurious and modern.  We have about two hours before have to meet in the lobby to ..... eat again!

I'm finally able to shower, and wash away all the grime and exhaustion from travel.  I am soooooo happy!!!  Lucky for us, the Sheraton has spacious bathrooms with great water pressure.  I want to stay in the shower forever.  But I need to be considerate to my roommate, and we have more eating to do!

Dinner is at Happy Together Restaurant.  It is more like a small village dedicated to eating vs. "just a restaurant."  The entire Happy Together compound stretches over several acres - there are several restaurants, a few banquet halls, and private dining rooms.  There is so much area to cover, that the wait staff actually wears rollerblades to deliver meals from the kitchen to the various private dining rooms.

There is a large fountain and large tanks near the entry full of live seafood - several types of fish (big ones!), lobsters, crabs, snakes, shrimp.....  This is food at its freshest!!  When an order comes through, the chef would grab a live snake, or any type of fish, and proceed to kill and prep it - with the same knife.  For Chinese chefs - one knife fits all!

Dinner on our first day in China is VIP all the way.  In our private dining room, we have the executive chef and the restaurant manager demonstrating and preparing several of our courses right in front of us.  The Executive Chef is still on duty.  He is wearing an earpiece, and is giving instructions to the kitchen staff preparing food for a 2000-person banquet, as well as several other private parties.  Voices buzz over the intercom, and we can see him mumble orders.  (Check out video below!)

Dinner, has 16 courses: Shunde's Own Fish Chowder, Jiang Jiang Vinegar Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs, Steamed Fish with Pomelo Peel, Fragrant Lemongrass Prawns, Wok-Sauteed Pumpkin, Bitter Melon and Wood Ear, Pan-Fried Lotus Cake

Salt and Pepper Fresh Water Fish, Shunde-Style Creamy Seafood Stir-fry, Golden Crispy Scallops, Braised Fisherman's Farm-Raised Fish, Steamed Beef Shank with Bitter Squash, Stir-Fried Chinese Greens of the Day, Baked White Mountain Almond Buns, Crispy Purple Sweet Potato Rolls, BBQ Pork Puffs

For dinner, a very famous Shunde specialty - Special Ginger Milk Custard.  This is made of a sweet syrup of old starchy ginger - ginger that has been harvested after many of the sugars have already turned to starch, with the milk of water buffalo that has been heated to about 95 C degrees.  The process startes with the ginger syrup in a bowl, then ladle in warm water buffalo milk by starting close to the bowl, and slowly elevating the ladle up above the bowl to agitate and combine the mixture.  Wait about 60 seconds, and the mixture will harden into custard that will float a ceramic soup spoon.  Martin explained what is happening is a similar process to adding cornstarch to thicken sauces.  I love this dessert -sweet, creamy and gingery spicy.  I was almost going to lick my bowl, when Martin offered me his portion -Lucky me!!  We also had plates of local fruits that Martin and his Staff had purchased from street vendors we saw during the day.

The evening ended with a fiery wok show in the kitchen for the VIP audience.

Our group left the restaurant, feeling very "Happy Together" - Happy to be eating such delicious, unique food together with wonderful new friends!!

 

 

 

i've a feeling we're not in kansas anymore......

After spending hours in the re-circulated air of a pressurized cabin, I love the moment you step out of the airplane, onto the jetway and breath in your first lung-full of air at your new destination.  

That first breath of air contains so many clues to what awaits you outside the airport. 

My first breath in Hong Kong (after the fuel smell) was warm and muggy.  I immediately felt too warm with my sweatshirt and boots.  I could smell the faint aroma of Asian food coming from the clothing of the ground crew.  As you enter the arrival gate, the airconditioned environment removes these clues, and you are back in a generic airport air.

As I dodged and passed through other travelers on my way to immigration I felt a rush of adrenaline.  After sitting for 15 hours, it felt so good to move my legs!  I was so excited to be starting my adventure in China, I almost start skipping!! 

At the immigration counter, the agent checks my documents and stamps my passport.  As he hands it back to me, I smile broadly and say, "this is the first stamp in my new passport!!!"  I doubt he understood, but smiled back at me.   (Yup, I'm such a dork!)

We collected our luggage and met the group in the arrivals lounge where Chef Martin Yan is waiting for us.  He welcomes us to Hong Kong, and also tells us some interesting facts about the airport, Hong Kong, and about the adventure that is ahead of us.  We all board a bus that will take us to the border where we will cross from Hong Kong, into Shen Zhen.  More lines, more stamps in my passport - Hong Kong "departure" and China "entry."  Since the handover in 1997, Hong Kong is technically China, but the "one country, two systems" is still a reality. HK residents have no issue going in and out of China, but residents of China have restrictions on entering Hong Kong. In fact, HK and the rest of China use different currency and censorship guidelines are also different. Facebook and my e-eats blog were available in HK, but blocked in China.

From Shen Zhen, we are on a bus for about 2 hours to Shunde. Alongside the highway, we see rows and rows of factories as well as large dormitory and luxury highrise complexes.  There is so much money is being spent on construction and revitalization! With all of the construction and manufacturing the sky around Shen Zhen has a yellow-ish grey haze of smog.  Martin points out that Mao's lasting influence is apparent in the beautifully landscaped areas along highways in newly developed areas. This only possible in China where the low labor costs of maintaining the landscaping is affordable (for now...) Among the factories, we also see evidence past industries. We pass duck farms, fish farms, fields of black sugar cane, and lychee trees. One of the "fun facts" that Martin gives us, is that the total annual US production of ducks is appox equal to the avg duck consumption in a top Peking duck restaurant in Beijing for one three week period. According to Martin, the Chinese love their duck!

Our bus pulls into Shunde, the streets are bustling.  There are large department stores and western retail and food chains.   There are scooters everywhere!  Entire "families" riding on one scooter! It is Sunday so the streets are less congested.   Shunde, located in the Pearl River Delta in Guangdong province, is what Martin calls a "fourth tier" city in China. It has a population of a little over 1 million people.  It is well know for its consumer electronics industry, as well as for being the source of some of the best Cantonese chefs in Southern China.

Our first meal is at ArYiLiangTong - which roughly translates to "second wife's soup."  Martin explained that in agricultural areas, it was common for men to have more than one wife (more wives = more children = more hands to work in the field.)  Often, the best way for a woman to catch the heart of a married man, was to be a better cook - in other words, "winning a man's heart through his stomach!"

This is our first meal, and the first thing we eat since our arrival in China - the anticipation!!  The ladies wheel out a cart of little ceramic crocks.  What tasty delights wait inside???

Inside the crocks was our first dish, Herbal Fish and Quail Soup.  Hmmmmm....... whole little birds in soup.
I made a promise to myself that on this trip I would try EVERYTHING.  This very first dish was already presenting a challenge.  I looked down at the little bird head looking at me, and sipped the soup around it.  Yum!  The warm broth warmed and comforted my tired body, and the broth was flavorful yet subtle, with many unfamiliar but delicious ingredients.  Soon, more dishes followed:

Happy Day Cold Platter - roasted duck, crispy chicken, and chicken rolls, Steamed Farm-raised freshwater fish from the Pearl River Delta, Red-cooked Pork with Long Beans, Fish Balls with Mustard Greens, Miniature Fish Dumplings in Broth, Salted Plum-flavored Pork,

Clay Pot Rice with Chinese Preserved Meat, Chen's Village Rice Noodles, Special Steamed Rice Cake, and Seasonal Fruit (watermelon).  Looking over my pictures, I think they added some of the dishes on the original menu.  We also had a very interesting dish that looked like a bird's next with the stir-fried milk of water buffalo.  A sweetened version of the water buffalo milk was also what was inside the "chicken roll" of the Happy Day Cold Platter.

Over lunch, we had a chance to meet some of the other members of the tour.  Martin gave us a tutorial on how to use a Chinese "squat toilet" - thank goodness, because we encountered many of those (maybe too many!), We laughed and ate til our bellies were full. 

After lunch Martin arranged for us to visit a nearby garden - formerly owned by a very wealthy man - beautifully landscaped with rocks, stained glass, and small ponds. We had an opportunity to walk off our lunch and take tons of pictures. 

Our first group pictures - which includes some random local girls who were fans of the Willis, our resident "handsome, tall, Caucasian man" in the back.