Address: Shipley's Grant - 5780, Richards Valley Rd., Ellicott City, MD. 21043
Website: ShipleysGrantHoward.com Ph: 888-379-8147
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In the early 2000's, we were in the San Francisco Bay Area. It was the golden era of dot com’s, when young and aspiring professionals made millions overnight working in a dot com that went public on NASDAQ or New York Stock Exchange. I was one of the wannabe’s, working in a gaming dot.com pursuing the wild “make-me-a-millionaire” dream.
My office was in downtown San Francisco, in the SOMA (South of Market) area, where old buildings were converted into hip, loft-like dot com’s offices. Prior to San Francisco, we lived in Salt Lake City. San Francisco downtown—during that time—was a heaven on earth for us, so vibrant and cosmopolitan. We were charmed by the energy, lifestyle, food, and the notion that we could be rich carrying a dot com business card.
Office lunches were so much fun for me. I would always invite a few co-workers and we would walk a few blocks around the SOMA area and enjoy a great lunch meal of various ethnic and regional cuisines: Chinese, Cantonese, American, Thai, Fusion, Indian, French, Californian, and so much more. One of my favorite of them all is this humble Hunan restaurant just a couple of blocks away from my office.
My Asian co-workers and I loved the Hunan Chicken in that restaurant. So simple, yet utterly delicious and mouthwatering. Tender pieces of chicken breast, stir-fried with carrot, broccoli, black fungus, in a light brown sauce that tasted so wonderful. The owners were from Hunan, and the Hunan Chicken was their signature dish. I could go there every day for this dish…
Fast forward many years later, I constantly miss this dish, whenever I reminisce my dot com days. Dot com golden era didn’t make me a millionaire. My company went bust, just like every other dot com in the Bay Area. I kept the job for as long as I could, before the axe came down on me. I had to say that some of the happenings in that company left a pretty bad taste in my mouth, but the good taste of Hunan Chicken, my favorite Chinese lunch dish, lingers and remains flavorful in my memory.
Here is my Hunan Chicken recipe. One day, I will go find this restaurant again in the SOMA area of San Francisco and I hope it’s still around!
In the early 2000's, we were in the San Francisco Bay Area. It was the golden era of dot com’s, when young and aspiring professionals made millions overnight working in a dot com that went public on NASDAQ or New York Stock Exchange. I was one of the wannabe’s, working in a gaming dot.com pursuing the wild “make-me-a-millionaire” dream.
My office was in downtown San Francisco, in the SOMA (South of Market) area, where old buildings were converted into hip, loft-like dot com’s offices. Prior to San Francisco, we lived in Salt Lake City. San Francisco downtown—during that time—was a heaven on earth for us, so vibrant and cosmopolitan. We were charmed by the energy, lifestyle, food, and the notion that we could be rich carrying a dot com business card.
Office lunches were so much fun for me. I would always invite a few co-workers and we would walk a few blocks around the SOMA area and enjoy a great lunch meal of various ethnic and regional cuisines: Chinese, Cantonese, American, Thai, Fusion, Indian, French, Californian, and so much more. One of my favorite of them all is this humble Hunan restaurant just a couple of blocks away from my office.
My Asian co-workers and I loved the Hunan Chicken in that restaurant. So simple, yet utterly delicious and mouthwatering. Tender pieces of chicken breast, stir-fried with carrot, broccoli, black fungus, in a light brown sauce that tasted so wonderful. The owners were from Hunan, and the Hunan Chicken was their signature dish. I could go there every day for this dish…
Fast forward many years later, I constantly miss this dish, whenever I reminisce my dot com days. Dot com golden era didn’t make me a millionaire. My company went bust, just like every other dot com in the Bay Area. I kept the job for as long as I could, before the axe came down on me. I had to say that some of the happenings in that company left a pretty bad taste in my mouth, but the good taste of Hunan Chicken, my favorite Chinese lunch dish, lingers and remains flavorful in my memory.
Here is my Hunan Chicken recipe. One day, I will go find this restaurant again in the SOMA area of San Francisco and I hope it’s still around!
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Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Did you know that the Huy Fong company that makes the beloved “rooster sauce” sells 20 million bottles of its sriracha sauce a year without spending a single dime on advertising? I find the story about David Tran’s success so amazing and can’t even think of another company that can thrive like this without a PR or marketing strategy.
While I’ve made many versions of sriracha and hot sauces before, this recipe is the closest homemade version I’ve ever tasted. The secret is a simple fermentation that I learned from Karen Solomon’s brand new book, Asian Pickles.
The book is a tribute to “sweet, sour, salty, cured and fermented preserves from Japan, Korea, China, India.” Here’s a sampling of recipes:
Japan
pickled ginger, preserved seaweed, pickled asian pear with lemon, miso pickles
Korea
kimchi, radish kimchi, squid kimchi, water kimchi, gochujang
China
radish in chile oil, pickled shallots, Tianjin perserved vegetable, five-spice pickled carrots, XO sauce, chile-black bean oil
India
South Indian coconut & cilantro chutney, peach, coconut and ginger chutney, sweet mango pickle, pickled chickpeas
SE Asia
daikon & carrot pickle, pickled chiles with lime, thai pickled cabbage, banana ketchup, Malaysian pickled vegetables
Well, there are many more, but this gives you an idea of what type of concoctions to expect. I highly recommend this book, almost all of the recipes are simple and Karen’s directions are crystal clear. If you’re a lover of the sour and spicy condiments, you’ll find Asian Pickles right up your alley.
I followed the “Fermented Cock Sauce” recipe with great success. I had never fermented hot sauce before, but really, it was as easy as opening a dark cupboard and leaving it there for a week undisturbed. In fact, I had almost forgotten about all about it!
My version is much thicker, chunkier than the Huy Fong Sriracha sauce, but that was on purpose. One of the last steps in the recipe is to strain the vinegar (similar to Tabasco) from the chunkier sauce. If I wasn’t so forceful in my straining (you’ll see in the video), the consistency of my sriracha sauce would be smoother, less chunky. I would also run the sauce through a blender one more time at the end.
The resulting flavor is brighter, fresher and more “fruity” than the bottled version. I’m not sure if fermenting longer would provide a more deeper earthy flavor that I love about the bottled version.
What type of peppers to use? Any that you would like! I use red jalapeño peppers, which is what Huy Fong uses.
Yes, there are red jalepeño peppers! But they are difficult to find. Karen Solomon recommends looking for Red Fresno peppers, which have a similar taste and heat index as red jalapeño.
I found red jalapeños at Super Target as well as Publix. You can also ask the the produce manager to stock them in for you.
The only rule is red peppers = red sauce. Since I like my hot chile sauce…..not so hot….I added baby red bell peppers, which gave the sauce a sweeter, more mellow taste.
The recipe from Asian Pickles will give you a 2-for-1: you’ll get the sriracha-like sauce on the left and a thinner, vinegary hot sauce that’s similar to Tabasco to the right.
-In the video, I only made half of the recipe (to yield 1 cup).
-Vary the spiciness with the type of chilies you use. Use red chilies to keep the sauce red.
-For a thinner sauce, similar to Huy Fong Sriracha sauce, only strain lightly (in the video, you’ll see me using a spoon to press down on the hot sauce to extract as much liquid as possible….I ended up with a chunkier sauce!)
-If you find the sauce still too chunky, run it through a blender before bottling
-Both sauces will keep for months (yay for fermentation!) in the refrigerator
Recipe from: Asian Pickles by Karen Solomon. Wash the chiles and chop off their stems. If you like your sauce less hot, remove the seeds and membranes and discard. Work the next step in 2 batches so you don't overload the food processor. Add the chiles, garlic and salt to the food processor. Process for 2 minutes until very liquid. The mixture should have consistency of a smoothie and appear a bit foamy on top. Scrape the sauce into a very clean 1-quart (or larger) glass jar. Don't use plastic. Cover the top of jar with paper towel and secure with rubber band. This prevents bugs from entering and allows sauce to breathe. Place jar in cool, dark place for 2-4 days. The liquid will settle at bottom, and the thicker sauce will rise to top. The top should be bubbly - which is a sign of fermentation. Taste, and let sit for a few more days if desired. I prefer 7 days of fermentation. If mold grows, remove the mold with a small spoon - and then proceed to the next step (basically, don't eat the mold directly, but the sauce should be okay). Pour the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve. Now you'll have the thinner "Tabasco" like vinegary hot sauce and the thicker hot chile sauce. To each, add 3 tablespoons of vinegar and stir well. You may like to run the thicker sauce through the blender for a finer, thinner consistency. Store each tightly sealed in refrigerator. The thicker hot sriracha sauce will keep for up to 4 months. The thinner vinegar hot sauce will keep indefinitely. Ingredients:
Directions:
I’m partnering with Four Cow Farm to giveaway a The Four Cow Farm Baby Kit. There will be one (1) winner whom will receive one (1) The Four Cow Farm Baby Kit. The suggested retail price of the The Four Cow Farm Baby Kit is US$59.90. There is a special coupon code ready for Rasa Malaysia readers: rasamalaysia20off. Enter the code to get 20% off all purchases.
A selection of our staple baby skincare products in one perfect package. The perfect gift for parents who want only the best natural skincare for their baby or if you’re new to Four Cow Farm, a great way to get introduced to our favorite products. All items come packed in our special Baby Kit cardboard pack which is recyclable and sturdy.
The Four Cow Farm Baby Kit contains:
All oils used by Four Cow Farm are premium extra-virgin cold-pressed quality.
About Four Cow Farm
Set in the lush Blackall Range Mountains of South East Queensland, Australia, surrounded by beautiful fields with resident koalas and wallabies, Four Cow Farm is a family business begun by a grandmother and former midwife passionate about creating the best and safest natural and organic products for her own grandchildren. Our products are known for their hand-crafted and time-tested recipes, with our creams, balms and washes still made on the family farm, named after our four cows. No harmful chemicals, no unnecessary fragrances, and never any fillers or colors, every product is premium food-grade and made to be the simplest and most natural skincare for baby and adult skins. Made with 100% renewable energy and delivered in 100% recyclable containers, every ingredient matters, and every product is carefully made to live up to the Four Cow Farm promise of ‘nothing but the best’ from Nanna’s kitchen.
Eligibility: United States only. No purchase necessary and subject to this official giveaway rules. Closing Date: June 8, 2014, 11:59 pm PST. Winner will be randomly selected and contacted via email on June 9, 2014. The prize is proudly sponsored by Four Cow Farm. To enter, please follow the steps below.
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Happy Mother’s Day!
It’s our annual vacation here in Malaysia (and Asia) when Rasa Malaysia kitchen is closed. The vacation is coming to an end and in a week’s time I will be back to normal posting schedule where more delicious and easy recipes will be posted on Rasa Malaysia. For right now, let’s celebrate my contributor’s baking recipes. Recently she shared with us the meyer lemon pound cake, and today, she has these sinfully decadent Nutella Cheesecake Bar.
Just a couple of days ago, I read it that New York gets its first Nutella bar. In the Nutella bar, you will get Nutella smeared on various baked goods, from brioche to crepes to Nutella sandwiches. This is a grand idea, especially for people who love Nutella.
For us non-New Yorker, thank goodness that there are endless Nutella recipes online and Rasa Malaysia has quite many popular Nutella recipes (click the link to get your favorite Nutella recipes.) My contributor CP Choong loves Nutella, and she made these Nutella Cheesecake Bars a couple of weeks ago.
If you love Nutella Cheesecake, you will love Nutella Cheesecake Bars because they are made with Oreo crumbs (as the base), cream cheese, and Nutella. For sure, I know many kids will love this, and this can be their favorite dessert other than brownies. Look at the photos, can you resist these square bars of Nutella, Cheesecake, and Oreo deliciousness? I know I can’t, and I hope you will love them, too.
Have a wonderful Mother’s Day!
photo by Jody Horton
yield
Serves 2
active time
25 minutes
total time
30 minutes
The beauty of a frittata is that it can be filled with just about anything, but the wild mushrooms in this one are especially delicious when combined with fluffy eggs and Cheddar cheese. To fill up the middle, I added green onions, peas, potatoes, and fresh thyme. It's actually easier to make this frittata than to go out to eat. Such a beautiful thing.
1. Preheat the broiler with the rack in the second position from the top.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, 1/2 tsp salt, a few grinds of pepper, the nutmeg, and cayenne.
3. In a 12-in/30.5-cm ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. When the butter is melted and hot, add the potatoes and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Cook the potatoes, stirring every now and then, until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the green onions, mushrooms, garlic, thyme, and another sprinkle of salt and pepper and continue to cook and stir until the mushrooms have given off their liquid and are dry, about 4 minutes. Add the peas and cook until all of the veggies are tender and the peas are warmed through, another minute or two. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Spread the filling evenly over the bottom of the pan and sprinkle the cheese over the top.
4. Pour the eggs evenly over the vegetables in the pan and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan and cook for 2 minutes, then remove the lid and transfer the pan to the broiler. Broil the frittata until the top is lightly browned and the eggs have firmed up in the center, about 4 minutes. To test, press the center of the frittata lightly with your finger. If it feels firm, it's done.
5. Remove the frittata from the oven and let it rest for 3 minutes on a wire rack on the countertop to continue to firm up before cutting it into wedges. It will be puffy when it comes out of the oven but will deflate and become firmer as it cools. Serve the frittata hot or at room temperature.
It's that easy: This makes an über-savory dinner for two... especially if you use wild mushrooms, which are more flavorful. No need to break the bank on chanterelles here; just use whatever looks good at the grocery. I avoid the mushrooms packaged in plastic, as they have a tendency to become slimy. Buy them from the open bins where you can pick and choose the best ones.
Extra hungry? How about a mug of that old standby Campbell's Tomato Soup? Umm, umm good.
In the glass: The earthy nature of the mushrooms will make a Beaujolais a nice partner to this dish. The easiest-to-find Beaujolais seems to come from Duboeuf and Jadot. Lucky for us, they are tasty bottles for the price.
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Gourmet | January 2009
photo by Romulo Yanes
yield
Makes 6 servings
active time
35 min
total time
1 3/4 hr (includes rising time)
The secret to a great pizza Margherita is to use the best ingredients you can find—and to approach them with restraint. (Just because a little cheese is good doesn't mean a lot will be better!) We always start with our all-time favorite pizza dough, adapted from chef Chris Bianco, of Pizzeria Bianco, in Phoenix. This slightly wet dough, in conjunction with a hot pizza stone, produces a crisp yet chewy crust, the perfect canvas for bright homemade tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and verdant basil leaves.
Make dough:
Stir together yeast, 1 tablespoon flour, and 1/4 cup warm water in a large bowl and let stand until surface appears creamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn’t appear creamy, discard and start over with new yeast.)
Add 1 1/4 cups flour, remaining 1/2 cup water, salt, and oil and stir until smooth. Stir in enough flour (1/4 to 1/3 cup) for dough to begin to pull away from side of bowl. (Dough will be slightly wet.)
Knead on a floured surface, lightly reflouring when dough becomes too sticky, until smooth, soft, and elastic, about 8 minutes. Form into a ball, put in a bowl, and dust with flour. Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and let rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled, about 1 1/4 hours.
Make tomato sauce while dough rises:
Pulse tomatoes with juice in a blender briefly to make a chunky purée.
Cook garlic in oil in a small heavy saucepan over medium-low heat until fragrant and pale golden, about 2 minutes. Add tomato purée, basil, sugar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 40 minutes. Season with salt and cool.
Heat pizza stone while dough rises:
At least 45 minutes before baking pizza, put stone on oven rack in lower third of electric oven (or on floor of gas oven) and preheat oven to 500°F.
Shape dough:
Do not punch down. Dust dough with flour, then transfer to a parchment-lined pizza peel or large baking sheet. Pat out dough evenly with your fingers and stretch into a 14-inch round, reflouring fingers if necessary.
Assemble pizza:
Spread sauce over dough, leaving a 1-inch border (there may be some sauce left over). Arrange cheese on top, leaving a 2- to 3-inch border.
Slide pizza on parchment onto pizza stone. Bake until dough is crisp and browned and cheese is golden and bubbling in spots, 13 to 16 minutes. Using peel or baking sheet, transfer pizza to a cutting board. Cool 5 minutes. Sprinkle with some basil leaves before slicing.
Cooks' notes: •Dough can be allowed to rise slowly in the refrigerator (instead of in a warm place) for 1 day. Bring to room temperature before shaping.
•Tomato sauce can be made 5 days ahead and chilled.
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Monday-Tuesday in A Nous Paris, Jerome Berger reviewed and gave 4/5 dots to the previously mentioned Le Servan, mentioning the pork belly, seiche and grapefruit tart; while his colleague Philippe Toinard gave 3/5 to L’Initial, in the Sofitel Arc de Triomphe, 2 Ave Bertie Albrecht in the 8th, 01.53.89.50.53, closed weekends, mentioning the minestrone, quasi de veau and seductive desserts on 39 E lunch and 45 E dinner menus.
Tuesday in Le Fooding there was a review of Les Deserteurs (in the old Rino space), 46 rue Trousseau in the 11th, 01.48.06.95.85, closed Sundays, Mondays and Tuesday at lunch, run by at least one refugee from Les Recruteurs, thus the name, has menus at 28, 35 and45-60 E for items such as asparagus, fera from Lake Geneva and cheesecake.
Wednesday, in Figaroscope, Emmanuel Rubin reviewed his usual 5 places giving 2 lips to the previously mentioned Le Servan in the 11th where he enjoyed the pork belly, lieu jaune and strawberry/rhubarb tart. One lip apiece to went to the Comptoir Urbain in the 10th, L’Ardoise du XV in the 15th and the Grilled Cheese Factory in the 4th. The first place, the Villa Sophia in the 16th, was described as “incompetante et piteuse.”
The Dossier this week was by Colette Monsat, Alice Bosio and Anne-Charlotte De Langhe was on pizza calzones, rating them from 1-10 as follows:
Bistrot Napolitain
Amici Miei
La Bricola
Maria Luisa & Trattoria Pulcinella
Il Brigante
Alfredo Positano, Chez Bartolo & I Cugini
Pizzeria di Rebellato
And Emmanuel Rubin in the Hache Menu went to Zarafa in the newly reopened Vincennes Zoo.
Also on Wednesday in Paris Update, Heidi Ellison wrote about the Greek L’Oliver in the 3rd and Cuissons, 65, rue de Saintonge, also in the 3rd, 01.44.78.96.9275003 Paris. Métro: Filles de Calvaire. Tel.: 01 44 78 96 92. Open Monday-Saturday, noon-10:30pm. A la carte: around €20.La Table de Eugenie.
Thursday, in l’Express, Marianne Payot celebrated Le Cigale Recamier’s 10th Anniversary and Francois-Regis Gaudry called Hi Kai in the 11th his Resto du Jour.
