Cooking in SF

I have been on a rampage, cooking, cooking, at least once a week for friends or dinner parties, trying to be ‘green’ as possible, local, somewhat organic, simple, and delicious. I came up with an Egg Tostada highlighting the ‘whites’ and ‘yolks’, it’s about perspective in this dish. There’s no secret that I don’t like eggs so I have been trying to figure my way around it. I turned the egg whites into the ‘tostada’ and the yolks as the topping adding onions, olives, mushrooms and herbs. I actually enjoyed my little egg concoction!



I went up to SF last weekend and had a hoot at the farmer’s market. I am completely in love with Cowgirl Creamery’s, Mt Tam (fittingly) and Blue Bottle’s individual dripped coffee, all found at the Embarcardero! I bought goodies and whipped up dinner for a few friends. We kicked it back German style with a pan-fried Veal Weinersnitzel(and no, it's not a hot dog but breaded cutlets) accompanied by Wild Hedgehog Mushrooms and Cavolo nero in Pasta. A selection of Winter vegetables (Watermelon Radishes, Radicchio, Carrots, and Cauliflower) transformed into a Bagna cauda dish. Bagna cauda comes from Northern Italy typically made with salt cured anchovies and garlic. I found the rare to find anchovies to be unassuming yet making the sauce still feel special. Another key to was the toasted panko on top, crunchy and satisfying. Just another way to make those vegetables shine!

Bagna Cauda Dressing

2 T Butter
2 T Olive Oil
5 Garlic cloves
1 or 2 salt cured Anchovies
1 t Fresh thyme

Simmer butter and olive oil with garlic, thyme, and anchovies, warm for 15 minutes and let steep. Pour on blanched vegetables of choice!

The Year of Mickey Mouse a.k.a the Rat

Happy New Year…year of the glorious rat! And no, it is not true, we do NOT eat Rats…at least my family does not. Come on, please, that’s the poor folks of Vietnam, never mind those articles in the Wall Street Journal, delicacy, that’s disgraceful, at least in my opinion.

I went to temple twice this year, the Chinese temple in Hacienda Heights, beautifully decorated, educational and then to the Vietnamese temple down the street where they serve vegetarian food; tempeh galore, fake fish, quite interesting stuff. Next, we went to my aunt and uncle’s house for our yearly intake of salt and pork. (just kidding mom and aunties:). I used to love this stuff when I was a kid and still do to an extent, once a year is just fine now.

This year, I was able to sit at the ‘adult’ table since I am a cool-inarie and such. The adults always get dibs on the best of the best of the food, although conversation was in Vietnamese which turned into English real quick cause of me. The staples we ate were rice cakes or 'banh chung', cured mackerel, pork sausage 'gio', and pickled vegetables (shhh…to mellow out the salt of course). My other aunt, Thanh brought over Gingered Pork and Chicken Bamboo Shoot soup. My aunt, Lily, who is an avid French cook prepared other specialties like Chicken a la gelatin, Vegetable soup with tripe and shark stomach lining (I kid you not, dried and sold in a plastic bag), a typical French dish, Beef ragout and lastly sautéed pea shoots. The grand finale dessert, Beard Papa puffs, Vietnamese flan, chocolate cake (it was aunt Lily’s b-day) and fruit tarts. It was a festive night but I had to leave early for work and missed out on the gambling, another tradition we do with our new found money or red envelopes. As a kid I could care less but now it's just not the same anymore playing with my own money. So 2008 which is bound for changes, especially now that I am finally an ‘adult’!

Momentous Tuesday

Frick, 15 minutes until the polls open and I have to get to work on time. I am a good citizen; my grandfather would be proud, I roll out of bed and get dressed to the news, “California primaries are vital in ’08,” they are saying. I get the chills, not sure if it’s from my 30 degree apartment or the anticipation of my first voting experience. Yes, I have felt shame ever since ’04 when Al Gore lost, I lived in Pennsylvania at the time which was a swing state, and worse of all, was registered in Virginia.

I walk outside my door 50 feet to the polling place, South Pasadena Chambers of Commerce. To my surprise, I am the first one there and am awarded the 000001 ticket. It takes no time to ‘punch’ the vote but a few minutes to check over the ballot ensuring I chose the right candidate.

On the way to work, I listen to American the Beautiful; very fitting as the snow capped mountains are in plain sight. Darn it. I wish I had the song, “I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free” song on Tammy’s Jammies, shoot.

Even if my candidate doesn’t win, I can look back and say that I voted in the election where the first woman or black candidate ran for president, a defining moment in history indeed! Thus paving the way for Snoop to run for president one day….free chicken and waffles for everyone...a girl can dream can't she?!

Turkey Burgers

Everyone loves a good hamburger, but what about love for turkey burgers? I had a craving for burgers and invited myself over to a friend’s house to christen her new kitchen. Turkey burgers can be bland and dry, so in this version, I put a bunch of spices in and topped it with caramelized onions. The bun is always important, we used soft, pillow-esque, potato rolls. Nothing goes better with Turkey than sweet potato. I baked yams, parsnips, and sweet potatoes and cut them real thin, hence ‘fries’. Everyone still felt good afterwards, enough to enjoy a heavy dessert, Cinnamon spiced aborio rice pudding. Chalk up another fun night at Tu’s Blue Table!

Turkey Burgers

1.5 lbs Ground Turkey


1 t Coriander

1 t Mustard seed


1 t Paprika


1 t Green Peppercorn


1 t Black Pepper


2 T Garlic, fresh


2 T Parsley, fresh


1 T Sweet Tabasco


2 T Soy Sauce


Salt to taste

1. Mix all and 'massage' with ground turkey. You don't want to mess with the meat to much.

2. Sear on high heat in pan with oil, then add a little water, and cover.

3. Turn down heat to medium low and cook until done about 8-10 minutes.

Baked Sweet Potatoes, Yams, and Parnips

1. Cut all into 1/4" X 2" strips.

2. Salt, pepper, butter, and a touch of olive oil all fries.


3. Bake at 450 degrees until crispy but not burnt, about 10 minutes. Parnsips will take 5 minutes longer.