Food Maker, Chef, and Traveling Diner
When I think back on all of the many caterings throughout my time as a chef, this particular one is probably the most significant catering that I have ever done. In fact, I get emotional just thinking about how much my Bachan has impacted my …
My sister, Kristen, just turned forty on March 12th. My sister-in-law, Linh’s, birthday is just one day before on March 11th a couple years before, so each year we get to celebrate these two lovely ladies and everything they do for our family on a daily …
Another Osechi Ryori has come and gone, but this year is also a special one because Bachan will turn 100 on July 21, 2023, so this is her 100th Oshogatsu and I am so grateful that I was able to prepare and host this year’s party!
2022 was hard —lots of pain and lots of transition—but with the help of our family and friends and the deep trust and love we have for one another, we made it into the new year!
I have been making Osechi dishes and celebrating Japanese New Year most of my life. You can search other years on this blog and though many of the items we enjoy on New Year’s Day are Japanese American, they still have great significance to our family and our evolving traditions.
This year we got to share the day with our nieces, Maleeya, Amaya, Adelyn, and Quinn, and our new nephew, Keston, born July 30, 2022! We also hosted my uncle and cousins to share this special day with Bachan. Even with challenges, there is always so much goodness and joy!
I had some really good lighting this year and I’m grateful to share this menu and these dishes with you all. Also, some very awesome kamaboko art that Brandon took time to do this year. We are always looking for new ways to elevate and share delicious food.
Menu
Osechi Ryori
Tazukuri (Candied Sardines)
Symbolizes a bountiful harvest
Kamaboko (Fish Cake)
Symbolizes celebratory colors
Gobo (Kinpira Gobo and Sesame Gobo)Symbolizes strength and stability
Ebi (Shrimp)
Symbolizes longevity
Konbu (Seaweed)
Symbolizes joy and good omens
Namasu (Pickled Daikon and Carrot)
Symbolizes peace and happiness
Renkon (Lotus Root)
Symbolizes luck in future prospects
Takenoko (Bamboo Shoots)
Symbolizes advancing in life
Satoimo (Japanese Taro)
Symbolizes lasting prosperity
Konnyaku (Yam cakes)
Symbolizes bonds and relationships
Five-Sided Carrot and Daikon
Shiitake Mushroom
Blistered Shisito Pepper
Umeboshi
Tsukemono
Sushi
Ahi Sashimi
Korokke (Potato & Meat Croquette)
Chicken Katsu
Teriyaki Chicken
Spicy Chicken Skewer
Grilled Sake Trout
Rice
Grilled Shrimp
Fresh Fruit
Mochi
Spam Musubi
Wonton
Chashu
Ozoni
Japanese New Year Mochi Soup
Kagami mochi “mirror rice cake” represents harmony in the family and mochi’s stretchy texture symbolizes hopes for longevity
I hope you enjoyed this year’s dishes!
Happy New Year Everyone. May 2023 bring you lots of love and peace!
-Kimberly
Unrivaledkitch
Late Late Late Better Late than Never. I love Easter! Easter is one of my favorite holidays, especially since we have little ones to have fun with now. This year, I took the day off and cooked for the whole family. We had a delicious …
It’s been a whirlwind of a summer, and though, by kids’ yoga standards, we are referring to the season as fall already, it won’t be fall until 9/22, so I’m sticking with summer for the moment. I had to write about my beautiful birthday …
A couple of weeks ago, Brandon and I cooked for his dad’s going away party. He’ll be out of state for work for some time so we decided it would be nice to get his friends together and enjoy company while he was still in town. Being in the military is a difficult profession and I can’t imagine what our country would be without the help of so many men and women all over the world who sacrifice so much for our safety.
So for this event we had two chefs and one kitchen. Brandon and I have worked together in some kitchen during various times for the last 7 years professionally, at home, or at someone else’s home/event. You can currently visit Brandon at Blush Restaurant and/or Blind Tiger in Santa Barbara, where he is the Executive Chef.
Though most of my time is spent cooking for my family and teaching yoga, it’s nice to prepare a large meal for wonderful people. We decided to have a massive taco fiesta. Our first go with the barbeque ended up not too successful because the grill wasn’t in working order, so we went for the simple charcoal grill that I’m used to and I grilled the food while Brandon cooked inside. I think overall it was a great team effort. Safe travels, Andy!
Menu
Carne Asada
Grilled Chicken
Chopped Seasoned Pork
Grilled Portobello Mushrooms and Zucchini
Spanish Bay Shrimp
Mixed Vegetable Sofritas
Chorizo Bean Dip
Guacamole
Salsa with Green Chiles and Garlic
Tortillas and Toppings
Dessert
Coconut Cream Pie with Bananas and Fresh Peaches
Grilled Cinnamon Peaches and Pineapple
Rocky Road Pudding Pie
Rocky Road Pudding Pie Recipe
Layered dark chocolate and white chocolate pudding in Oreo crust with marshmallows and chocolate dusted roasted almonds
1 Oreo Crust
½ cup cocoa dusted roasted almonds
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Place cold heavy whipping cream in a small bowl. Whip with a hand mixer till thick whipped cream forms, no powdered sugar necessary. About 3-5 minutes on medium speed.
1 small box Hersheys white chocolate pudding
1 ¾ cup whole milk
Make pudding according to the box directions for pie.
1 small box Hersheys dark chocolate pudding
1 ¾ cup whole milk
Make pudding according to the box directions for pie.
Pour 1/2 of the white chocolate pudding into the bottom of the Oreo crust. Top with ½ cup of marshmallows and pour ½ the dark chocolate pudding on top. Mix the remaining pudding together and fold in the whipped cream till smooth. Top pie with the mixture and smooth into a mound. Top with the remaining marshmallows and cocoa dusted almonds. Refrigerate for one hour or more.
Unrivaledkitch
Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you enjoyed some time for reflection, tradition, family and friends during the holidays and carry that hopeful good cheer throughout the year. The first of the year is a special time for my family. We share in the traditions …
This blog was to memorable not to post but it is a month late. Oh well better late than never! We’ve celebrated birthdays all month long and just about everywhere this summer, which always keeps me busy and on my toes thinking of new ideas …
In a very commercial shopping center in Burbank is this little burger joint: Hook Burger. I haven’t had a hamburger in a long time and something seemed to be calling me to have one at this particular time. Hook Burger, whether they like to admit it or not, is part of the whole gourmet burger places popping up all over the place but they say they’ve been in the burger scene for 35 years on their website, claiming to have the best burger. I don’t necessarily think they have the best burger, but it’s pretty good.
The style of service is order at the counter casual, which is nice for a quick bite to eat at lunchtime. I had a salad there before, which was pretty delicious, but I decided that today I’d have the burger and see what it was all about. I chose the hickory bacon burger, which was topped with bbq sauce, crispy fried onions and bacon on a very fluffy, yet still crusty white bun with shredded lettuce, tomato and mayo with a couple of pickles on the side. Visually, the burger was beautiful and it tasted pretty great as well. I think it had just the right sauce to bun ratio, which is something that I look for in a burger, so it’s neither too dry nor too wet. The beef patty was very juicy and cooked well, but the beef wasn’t extremely flavorful. I had a side salad to accompany my burger. It had balsamic dressing and was extremely simple with just cubed cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and a few slices of raw red onion served over mixed greens.
The service was very friendly, both at the counter and when they bring you your food. For $6.25, the burger is a good value for the money and a deliciously heavy lunch that I’m glad I had the rest of the day to burn off.
cheers
-Unrivaledkitch
Early this month, I had the pleasure of eating at Fogo de Chão with Brandon for his birthday. Fogo de Chão is a Brazilian steakhouse known as churrascaria in Portuguese. Churrasco is roughly translated into barbeque in Portuguese and comes from the South American traditions …