Food Maker, Chef, and Traveling Diner
One of the wonderful tourist attractions,causing people to flock to Santa Barbara is wine tasting. If you’ve never been, it’s definitely something that trains your taste buds to know more about the things you like and maybe things you aren’t so interested in wine tasting. Michelle …
On a street corner of Ventura Blvd. in Tarzana, lies a valley find unlike many others. As I approached Sol Y Luna on Saturday night, second thoughts were in order, a crowd of well to do ladies and gentlemen surfaced, even before we were inside, about 20 people …
Sometimes we just need something to eat on the go, but with our crazy lives it gets a little tough. I understand–it happens to me too–the days when I can’t get four hours in the kitchen for all the insane ideas I’d love to commit to, but just can’t. So this is something we can all enjoy, make ahead of time and devour in a moment’s notice. I love tuna; the kind that is humanely fished is best and tastes best. To me, knowing that these animals are being treated with respect as they live and die for consumption is very important. This is something that I’ve delved into more often. Being conscious about our food and the lives of the animals we consume is up to us. This is a subject I’ve learned a great deal about and try to practice in my own cooking. I know how animals go to slaughter and I respect each one as I consume them; this also goes for sea creatures. Check your west coast seafood charts here. Food has so many politics wrapped up in it. We have to consciously consume, otherwise we won’t have these luxuries for very long.
New Year’s day is one of my favorite days of the year because it’s time for family and friends, new beginnings, reflections and always tons of food. Last year I went over the traditions behind everything (if you want a bit more information, check out this post) and this …
On a weekend morning, with the sunshine in full effect, the girls and I decided that pancakes were in order. I’m not much of a breakfast person, but the ladies (Stephanie and Bryn) are and they’ve been raving to me about the delicious offerings of The Griddle …
On New Year’s Eve, as young girl I would sit in front of the T.V. and watch Japanese television. I didn’t know what the heck was going on, but every year since I can remember when I was little, we watched this same show. I was in a dark house with beige pull-up blinds, curtains much older than I and avocado-colored carpet. The house always smelled of something sweet and something salty, with the freshness of amazing produce from the hands of a woman who couldn’t pick a bad piece of fruit or vegetable from the market if she tried, my Bachan (Grandma in Japanese).
Bachan would prepare something very simple to bring in the New Year and I’d sit with a hot cup of green tea and a steaming bowl of Soba in a simply flavored broth with spinach and kamaboko (pressed fish cake) and slurp up the New Year in style. At midnight we would say, “Happy New Year!” and within minutes, the phone would ring and my parents would be on the other line saying, “Happy New Year!” and telling me that they would see me in the afternoon for Oshogatsu (the New Year’s Celebration) and Osechi-ryori, which are traditional Japanese dishes for good luck in the new year. We would finish our soup and then make our way to bed knowing this year was already starting off on the right foot.
Year end soba is almost written into the rest of my life. It’s something I must eat at 12:00 a.m. on New Year’s Day and something I just can’t miss out on and need to feel right (AKA I’m addicted). I love these traditions and I hope to keep them the rest of my life.
Toshikoshi Soba
1 package (House Brand) Oden Soup Mix to 5 cups water (easy)
OR
4 cups homemade dashi (made from Kombu and/or Bonito flakes)
If you want to make dashi this recipe is very helpful. I use the same technique in making my dashi at home.
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 ½ tablespoons mirin
1 teaspoon white sugar
8 slices red and white Kamaboko (Yamasa Brand)
1 cup spinach with stems, washed thoroughly
2 ½ bundles of Soba Noodles (Japanese Buckwheat noodles)
Green onion, minced
Place dashi in large pot.
Stir in soy sauce, mirin and white sugar bring to a simmer.
Add spinach to broth and stir until wilted.
Cook noodles according to the package directions, draining one minute earlier than stated on packaging.
When the broth comes to a boil, place cooked soba noodles in pot with broth, and finish cooking for 1 minute.
Ladle hot noodles and broth into bowls for serving and top with kamaboko and green onion. Enjoy!
Happy New Year!
Cheers
-Unrivaledkitch
2011 turned out to be a truly transformative year of living in the moment, with newly discovered and existing beauty in so many ways, and I feel so thankful and grateful for everything. Blogging has been a huge focus for me this year. It’s really …
For holiday presents this year, I decided to take on some jarring adventures. I made homemade tapenade with rosemary, tomatoes and black olives; marinara with mirepoix, fresh basil and parsley; spicy marinara with roasted garlic and red pepper flakes (Arrabbiata sauce); and balsamic barbecue sauce with …
I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted. This whole holiday season has been the most amazing, honest experience I’ve had in a long time. I love Christmas! It truly does bring out the best (and the worst) in people, but I think that it’s not necessarily Christmas that brings about the worst, it’s our misunderstanding of what is really important: togetherness, happiness, tenderness, contentment and compassion. I hope you carry these things with you always, through theses sometimes strenuous times, and into the new beautiful year of 2012.
Sunday afternoon…It calls to you, forcing you to get out of bed, even with the knowledge that you don’t really have anything to do. But you do have something to do: afternoon brunch. I love brunch, especially if it involves friends, food and chatter. This afternoon …