orange you glad i didn't say banana?

With winter comes bone-chilling temperatures, blizzards, short days and dark heavy clothing.

BUT it is also the time when citrus is at its peak! Oranges, tangerines, pomelos, grapefruit, kumquats, lemons, limes, etc. Although you can get most of these year round it tastes so much better in the winter. It is like a burst of sunshine on the dreariest of days. I get obsessed with them. In fact, I eat 2 or 3 a day. I like it ice cold and freshly cut. Sometimes if I feel refined and empowered I will supreme the fruit and put them over greens, goat cheese and some toasted pecans for a nice dinner salad. The combination is sooo excellent.

For the past few years, I've been really into cara cara oranges. It is a special cultivar of navel oranges distinguished by it's rosy flesh. Sometimes it is more pink, sometimes redder. Kinda like grapefruit but less acidic. It is sweet and has undertones of cranberry or even strawberry sometimes. They make an excellent juice or as an acid for a vinaigrette. I can't get enough of them. I find myself devouring it so fast because it just tastes so damn good... the juiciness, the sweetness, the clean bright flavor and the smell. Ahh the smell!

It literally is a piece of the sun. Pure perfection!

I also love blood oranges. I love the name and the dark, crimson, dried blood color of the flesh. Both seductive and exotic looking with such a beautiful deep-rich color. There also seems to be something sinful and mysterious about it. Kind of the difference between milk and dark chocolate. Vampires would like it.

I think there are three types: the moro, the tarocco and the sanguinelli. I've had them in Italy and it takes me back to Tuscany when I eat them every year.

At least once a year, I make a citrus fruit salad made from cara caras, blood and grapefuit. I also add in blackberries which brings out the berry-ness of the cara caras and the color of the blood oranges. A simple syrup infused with mint or ginger is drizzled over to deepen the flavors. But the best is to simply enjoy them peeled and eaten as is. The taste of sunshine.

i need my kinako mochi fix

It aint the prettiest thing to eat but I like it anyway. In fact it looks like sand-covered amorphous blobs of something. As long as I can remember, kinako (roasted soy bean flour) mochi (glutinous rice cakes) was eaten every year after the new year had been rung in. I distinctly remember mom making it after dinner when the weather was cool outside. Mom was usually in her light blue flannel nightgown and would serve me up a serving or two. It tasted so good and warmed me up as much as mom's flannel. Funny how certain foods can take you back to a specific time in your life. I guess taste buds have memories too.

I try to eat this every year. Partly for luck (as is Japanese custom), partly the earthiness of it's flavor and texture but I think most because it conjures up warm memories when I felt safe and secure. (Sorry for being so maudlin.) The other week, I bought packaged mochi from Sunrise Mart in the East Village and kinda forgot about it. Until last night. It still satisfied me but it wasn't as good as when Mom makes it. Thanks Mom.

I brown it in a pan to help soften it up a bit.

I mix super fine sugar with the kinako flour and a dash of salt.

Boil the mochi til it is soft and gooey.

Then you roll it in the kinako mixture.

Kinda weird looking but it's comforting to eat and has a mild nutty taste to it. A little sweetness makes it dessert-like and the gooey mochi is kinda fun to eat. A perfect winter after-dinner snack. Warms you up inside and it's good for you too.

"weeknight" bolognese on the weekend

Cook's Illustrated has a recipe called "weeknight" bolognese. If you look at the recipe and the number of steps it takes to create this dish you would have to take a "personal" day.

You can make this dish any weeknight if you:
- are independently wealthy or have a trust fund & don't need to work.
- have a sugar daddy/mommy that can support you.
- have been laid off.
- or like to eat like the Spaniards and eat dinner at 11pm.

Since I am neither I make this dish on the weekend.
And trust me it is well-worth the time and effort anyday of the week.

It doesn't cook for very long but requires many steps and interesting ingredients to gain the depth of flavor that a long-simmered bolognese requires. Oh yeah, you gotta have REAL parmiggiano reggiano. This is a must. If it comes from a green can you might as well open up jar sauce instead. Lidia would not be pleased.

Meatloaf mix is simmered with finely diced carrots, onion, pancetta and surprisingly porcini mushrooms (umami). This mixture cooks in whole milk until evaporated. Pureed whole tomatoes are added and a concentrated Riesling syrup is added at the end. Parmiggiano is served at the table.

I make it with rigatoni. Penne, fusilli, papparedelle or any thicker pasta that can hold up to the meaty sauce will do.

Of course we make Cook's Illustrated's garlic bread too. Garlic cloves are pan roasted for 10 minutes to mellow the flavor, then mixed with grated parm and spread over country bread and then broiled.

A simple green salad contrasts nicely with the hearty bolognese and starchy bread.

A perfect "weeknight" bolognese on Saturday night. Maybe Lidia or even Marcella would approve.

Tutti a tavola a mangiare!!!

pie pie love

I love pie. I love to make it. I love the smell of it. I love the idea of it. Of course, I love to eat it. For some reason it gives me a lot of satisfaction. I think maybe it has something to do with the process. By taking very humble ingredients (flour, fat, salt, fresh fruit) you can create something I would say makes most people's mouths water and ultimately bring them joy. Plus there is nothing more beautiful than a just-baked, mile-high pie cooling on a rack. There is something uniquely all-American about fruit pies and it is something that the common everyday person can make. You do not have to be a trained chef but you do need skill. Skill earned by failure, practice and much experience. I think most people keep making them because it is a labor of love that gives so much pleasure to so many people. Pies aren't fancy desserts. They don't pretend to be. I think that is part of it's appeal. They remind everyone of home and are the ultimate in comfort food. It just makes you feel good. I'm reminded of the movie Waitress, starring Keri Russell a few years back. Her character made pies as therapy... a way of dealing with her circumstances. She channeled all her frustrations, stress, anger and ultimately love and happiness into her pies. I too use it as a form of therapy. In fact all of cooking is therapeutic. Anyway, it's a great film and I highly recommend it. A great film to eat pie by too.

It's been awhile since I made a classic, double-crust apple pie. This weekend seemed like a good time as any. Plus there is never a bad time for pie. I've been thinking about apple pie for a few months now. Growing up, our family never made pies. We bought them from family-owned bakeries. One in particular was Paul's apple pie. It was very good. Nice flaky crust with shiny, crunchy sugar on top and glossy apple pie filling. I've also had the frozen Mrs. Smith's which I never loved. In fact, it was barely ok.

I realized at that point that I had to make my own from scratch. It seemed daunting and overwhelming but I had the desire to do it. I've tried a few recipes and found that the classic, apple pie recipe from Cook's Illustrated is the best. The pastry is always flaky and makes a beautiful crust. They recommend a mixture of butter and shortening. Shortening is a transfat and they have updated their recipe with an alternate all-butter crust. Note to self: must try the all-butter crust. The apple filling is a mixture of two types of apples. Granny Smith which holds it shape well when cooked and of course more on the tart side. MacIntosh because it cooks down and it is more of a traditional sweeter apple. The combination is fantastic when mixed with fresh lemon juice and zest (which adds a bright clean flavor), cinnamon, freshly ground nutmeg, allspice, sugar, salt and a scant amount of flour.

Cut the fat (butter & shortening) into the flour mixture. Pulse til mixture looks like coarse sand and chunks of butter are scattered throughout.

The bottom crust. See the butter chunks? That's a good thing

Then prepare the apples. I use 4 MacIntosh and 4 Granny Smiths. This is probably the most time consuming part of the recipe. Cherry Pie takes much longer with all the pitting.

Fresh lemon juice/zest, cinnamon, allspice, freshly ground nutmeg, some salt and flour to help thicken the juices. But no butter pieces. From what I've been told, butter can muddy the flavor.

Roll out the top crust. This is the part that requires lots of practice and can be the most frustrating part. Tempers can flare as hot as your preheating oven.

This is my favorite part because it really begins to look like a pie, plus the smell of the apples with the spices and lemon is well so apple pie-y.

Put the top crust on very carefully. This is a very satisfying part as well. It is like wrapping a gift. Carefully folding the crust under itself to seal everything in and then crimping the edges.

I love how rustic it looks. It doesn't have to be perfect. The irregular shapes add to the "homeyness" of it. Cut steam vents, brush with egg white and sprinkle sugar on top.

TA-DA! Initially it bakes at a higher temperature and then a lower one to ensure your apples cook and your bottom crust is brown. No one wants a raw bottom crust. As tempting as it is, you cannot for any reason cut into the pie until 4 hours have elapsed or longer. If you don't your pie will be watery and your filling will not have set. Trust me you will not be happy. If you have never made a fresh apple pie I highly recommend it. It will give you much satisfaction.... and many people will want to be your friend.

Here is the recipe. Let me know how it goes (the good and the bad) and if you like this recipe.

CLASSIC APPLE PIE (Cook's Illustrated)
Serves 8.


If you are making this pie during the fall apple season, when many local varieties may be available, follow the recipe below using Macoun, Royal Gala, Empire, Winesap, Rhode Island Greening or Cortland apples. These are well-balanced apples, unlike Granny Smith, and work well on their own without thickeners or the addition of McIntosh. Placing the pie on a baking sheet in the oven inhibits cooking, so cover the bottom of the oven with a sheet of aluminum foil to catch a dripping juices. The pie is best eaten when cooled almost to room temperature, or even the next day. See the last procedural step for do-ahead instructions.

Pie Dough
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
8 tablespoons vegetable shortening (chilled)
6 - 8 tablespoons ice water


Apple Filling
2 pounds Granny Smith apples (4 medium)
2 pounds McIntosh apples (4 medium)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest from 1 medium lemon
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1 egg white, beaten lightly
1 tablespoon granulated sugar, for topping

Instructions:
1. Pulse flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor workbowl fitted with the steel blade. Add butter and pulse to mix in five 1-second bursts. Add shortening and continue pulsing until flour is pale yellow and resembles coarse cornmeal, four or five more 1-second pulses. Turn mixture into medium bowl. (To do this by hand, freeze the butter and shortening, grate it into the flour using the large holes of a box grater, and rub the flour-coated pieces between your fingers for a minute until the flour turns pale yellow and coarse.)

2. Sprinkle 6 tablespoons ice water over mixture. With blade of rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix. Press down on dough with broad side of spatula until dough sticks together, adding up to 2 tablespoons more ice water if dough will not hold together. Squeeze dough gently until cohesive and divide into two equal balls. Flatten each into a 4-inch-wide disk. Dust lightly with flour, wrap separately in plastic, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days, before rolling.

3. Remove dough from refrigerator. If stiff and very cold, let stand until dough is cool but malleable. Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 425 degrees.

4. Roll one dough disk on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle. Fold dough in quarters, then place dough point in center of 9-inch Pyrex regular or deep dish pie pan. Unfold dough.

5. Gently press dough into sides of pan leaving portion that overhangs lip of pie plate in place. Refrigerate while preparing fruit.

6. Peel, core, and cut apples into 1/2-to-3/4-inch slices and toss with 3/4 cup sugar and lemon juice and zest through allspice. Turn fruit mixture, including juices, into chilled pie shell and mound slightly in center. Roll out other dough round and place over filling. Trim top and bottom edges to 1/2 inch beyond pan lip. Tuck this rim of dough underneath itself so that folded edge is flush with pan lip. Flute edging or press with fork tines to seal. Cut four slits at right angles on dough top. Brush egg white onto top of crust and sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, (omit if freezing unbaked pie, see below).

7. Bake until top crust is golden, about 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees; continue baking until juices bubble and crust is deep golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes longer. Transfer pie to wire rack; cool to almost room temperature, at least 4 hours.

my 2010 food-related resolutions

Ok, here it is. My declaration of what I would like to achieve this year in the food realm. They say if you put it out in the universe it will happen. I did this once as a business declaration and it totally came true.

In no particular order

• Make a souffle.
• Learn all there is about bread-making. The starter, the yeast, temperatures, flours, heat, gluten, etc. I'd love to learn from Nancy Silverton, who started La Brea bakery in Los Angeles years ago and has brought artisanal bread into the mainstream. Too bad she sold it. Now you can get it in pretty much every supermarket across the U.S. Good for her on a business level though. Speaking of which, she, Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich started Pizzeria Mozza in L.A. and I must say the pizza is pretty darn fantastic and was named one of the most-anticipated new restaurants of 2008-09.
• Make that lemon layer cake from Cook's Illustrated (my bible) for my birthday. I've said this 3 years now and have yet to do it.
• Eating more consciously and (especially) focusing on when my body is satiated so I don't overeat. This is a real hard one for me. I'm a big-time emotional eater.
• Finally taking that knife skills class at ICE that John gave to me.
• Try to be more spontaneous when cooking. I tend to want to follow recipes exactly. Which is important because a recipe was written a certain way to achieve desired results so I am torn.
• Try to be more adventurous and try new foods. 
• Be open to trying new restaurants instead of going to the old tried and trues.
• Get back to growing a wide variety of herbs this summer. As well as tomatoes again.
• Drink more water.
• Drink less Coke Zero. I love it though.
• Take a serious class on French cuisine and cooking techniques. Not because of Julie & Julia but to understand the basis of well-balanced flavor as well as how excellent technique yields those results.
• Travel to new places and experience how food shapes cultures.
• Make homemade ice cream again. There is nothing like it.
• Read more biographies of chefs. Dead or alive.

season's eatings part VI: honolulu / new year's eve

It was my last full day in the islands, so I knew time was not on my side so I continued to go for it and eat my favorite things.

Breakfast started out at the famous Like Like Drive Inn (pronounced Lee-kay Lee-kay). Everyone (from Hawaii) at some point in their lives has eaten here. Known primarily as a family-style, 24-7 restaurant that features quick and hearty meals, Like Like suits all types—foodies to non-foodies alike. Occasionally famous local people can be seen. (Don't know if Obama has been here yet though. I'm sure he has.) Like Like is like a Greek diner in the Northeast but owned by Japanese Americans. The fare is local favorites (saimin, plate lunches, etc.) but they also have sandwiches. However, in my humble opinion their food doesn't live up to it's reputation. It's good but not fantastic.

They are kind of known for their fried rice so I figured I would get that. I only ordered a half order (figuring the day was still young and many more calories was still to come being New Year's Eve and all) and look at what came? That is a pretty generous portion I would say. Dr. Oz would not approve of this. Anyway, back to the fried rice. I also ordered a side of Spam to add more sodium to the meal.

Speaking of sodium, let's fast forward to dinner or shall I say the amazing spread at the Tsuda's New Year's Eve party.

Okay, now this is how you celebrate New Year's Eve people! None of this get dressed up and toast the New Year with champagne. I say toast the New Year with overflowing plates of food lovingly prepared by everyone who was invited. Everyone brings something to add to the buffet.

So here is my first pass. All the food groups were represented. Except vegetables. (Oh wait, there was a taco salad but why waste your time on salad right?... hehe). Boy was it onolicioso. Second and third helpings are based on what really floated your boat. I can taste that fried chicken now. How did they get that skin so crispy? Must try it again (and again).

Aside from the food, it was fun talking story with people while hearing (and smelling) firecrackers going off in the background. I couldn't think of a better way to ring in 2010 and saying goodbye to 2009.

Mixed poke sampler for pupus.

maze gohan

Last week I caught a stomach bug and couldn't stomach much, alone eat anything with flavor (meaning taste). Albeit I wasn't very hungry. 

The weekend came and I felt much better and wanted to eat something substantial that would give me sustenance but not anything heavy or rich to exacerbate my delicate little (not-so-little) tum-tums. It also has been so cold in NYC that I wanted something comforting. My tastebuds told me they wanted to eat maze (ma-zay) gohan or chirashi zushi or also mixed rice. It's sushi-flavored rice without the fish on top but braised vegetables mixed within. I call it Not-Fried Rice. A meal by itself.

My mom makes a mean maze gohan so I called her and got the gist of the recipe and made it myself. Winged it here and there but managed to not ruin it. Mom's was a bit better. The key is what you put into it. Typically it is a mixture of complementary colors, tastes, and textures. I put in shittake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, lotus root, and carrots. You then braise it in shoyu, sugar, mirin and dashi. Then add it to a hot rice mixture after it has been seasoned with su (rice wine vinegar/sugar syrup). I then added peas, thinly sliced omelette, shrimp flakes and nori as a garnish. Goes well with some nicely fried fish, chicken, tofu or just by itself. Thanks Mom.

Oishii so! Hai, itadakimasu.

season's eatings part V: honolulu / we are family!

When I was young my family would host Christmas night dinner and all of my cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents would come over. Some years even my Grandpa Namaye would make the trip from Maui. Of course being Hawaii, it was potluck-style and we had alot of food. I remember Grandma Kiyosaki's teppo sushi. She'd wake up early and wash, soak and cook the rice, prepare the vinegar su, the daikon strips, the cucumber and cook the sato-shoyu tuna. I always loved the smell and the activity in the kitchen on Christmas Day but I was numb to it because I was enraptured with all of my newly opened, shiny toys. It's funny I only seem to remember the warm, homey feelings about the people and not THE gifts I got.

I don't know how mom did all she did at Christmastime—with getting the tree, shopping, decorating, grocery shopping, wrapping gifts, getting rooms ready for guests and of course working full-time and taking care of us kids—but she did. Mom was known for making her turkey and her stuffing (that I remember Gwen sooo loving) and her konbumaki. She made it once a year at Christmastime and everyone looked forward to it. Aunty Sarah would always show up with her super ono stuffed hasu (lotus root) and some incredible dessert. I remember once she made a very festive-looking red velvet cake. (Who knew it was a southern cake?) Dad would be on the lanai icing the beer and soda, unfolding the beach chairs and cooking something in the kamado. Was it ribs? Whatever it was, I'm sure it was ono. Aunty Ethel would bring her local-style kimchee. I remember she and Uncle Don would come early and have to leave early because of the long drive from-and-to Wahiawa. I could go on and on. All I know is everyone loved the food and being together.

After dinner and alot of talking story, we'd do the proverbial "white elephant" grab bag. One year we wrapped up a cymbal-crashing monkey that squaked. Man, everyone wanted that dang monkey. It went from person to person. All we knew was that we, the Namayes didn't want it. Alot of laughs ensued. With leftovers in everyone's hands, we hugged and said our "Merry Christmases" and went into the night.

When my parents moved to Hilo in 1994, our family get-togethers stopped.

Until this year.

On December 30th we all met up at Maple Garden for dinner. Although alot of people are no longer with us, and a bunch couldn't make it (Reyne and her family, Neil, Joey and Drew), we still had a good time. It was great to see each other again, to catchup and pickup where we left off. We've all aged and alot of us have children who are now in college and high school but we are still family. A family that has evolved, grown and changed. Instead of grab bag, we exchanged omiyage for the season. Once again we hugged and said our goodbyes and take cares and went into the night.

Until next time.

season's eatings part IV: honolulu / i love waiola!

There is Itsu's shave ice in Hilo, but when you go to Oahu the only place is Waiola Shave Ice. Not Matsumoto's. It's a free country and you can do what you want, however, be prepared to pay alot more for not-very-fine shave ice. I'm just saying.

Uhhhh... a large cup with ice cream, lilikoi and da blue flavor please? A bit manini on da syrup but the ice here is sooo fine da buggah is almost like slush. I kid you not.

See I am not the only one.

If you want to wash it down with a spam musubi, they got that too. Classy in the frappuccino box lined wit da duct tape.

season's eatings part III: back in hilo

My dad's and Shane's favorite fishing spot in Hilo... the Isles

Dad casting out. Shane said Dad is well-respected at the Isles by other fishermen.

The Yoshimoto's rejected Xmas card photo. I personally like this one better.

Shane and Dad.

Mom and Gayle at the Hilo Farmer's Market.

Taro.

Warabi (young fern shoots). Apparently hard to get and ono too.

Of course lunch was next. Today it was K's Drive Inn.

Eating again.

My plate: Kalua cabbage w/ Korean chix wings.

As always we bumped into one of our relatives. Patsy Adachi, known for her feather hatbands.

A few hours later, Aunty Patsy dropped by with her homemade andagi (Okinawan doughnuts). So ono!