Sneak peek for the first post of the new year.

  4 months ago       30 notes
  food  whisk  chocolate  

When my dad first asked what branch of medicine I wanted to do (because apparently it’s customary to ask in my family), I replied with “Anything but dentistry.”

I love the human body. I love the physiological processes in effort to achieve homeostasis. I love studying what happens when said processes fail. I have embraced the familiarity of various secretions from organs through different orifices. Really, I have. But what I can’t seem to get over is being, indelicate as it may seem, “utterly grossed out” by almost everything that comes out of the mouth.

I remember as a child closing my eyes whenever someone in the vicinity decides to let their gastric content hit the floor. I can’t stand it. The color, the smell, the texture - they make my stomach turn. I once had a clinical skills lab examination where we had to culture a possibly TB-infected sputum. I was trying so hard not to gag at the sight that I lost focus and knocked over the pot of sputum with my inoculating needle. Horrible.

Something good comes out of my aversion, however. It made me diligent in keeping my dental hygiene. With every stroke of the toothbrush, I remind myself that not all dentists love what they do. And with my kind of luck, the first time I get a cavity may be the time I get a dentist who’s as grossed out with the mouth as I am. I also don’t eat sugar-laden dessert often. But when I do, I make sure there’s caramel.

BANANAS FOSTER (recipe from Pioneer Woman):

[ 1 stick salted butter + 1 cup packed dark brown sugar (I used regular sugar) + 1/2 cup (to 3/4 cup) heavy cream + 1/2 cup dark rum + 2 whole Bananas, sliced along the length into thick slices + a pinch of cinnamon + 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans ( I used almonds)]

In a heavy skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add brown sugar and stir together (I threw in a piece of cinnamon stick at this point).

Add cream and continue cooking, then stir in bananas. Mixture should be bubbly.

Pour in rum and stir to combine. Carefully tip the skillet slightly toward the open flame of the burner to ignite the alcohol in the pan. Let the mixture flame for 30 seconds. It should go out on its own.

Remove from heat and stir in cinnamon. Serve immediately with vanilla ice cream and topped with chopped nuts.

  4 months ago       95 notes
  food  bananas foster  dessert  banana  

peegaw:

Hangover Cure - Part.1 : Smoothoccino, Fried Egg & Cheese Sandwich and Herbed Fries

Part 2.

  4 months ago       1,544 notes
  food  hangover food  hangover cure  photographers on tumblr  

I can probably guess what’s on your mind right now: “Chili oil? Chili oil?!”

And the only answer I can give you is yes, chili oil. You see, this post is less about the recipe and more about the photographs. You may have noticed that there is an unusual abundance of light here. The reason for that is a few days ago my mother practically ordered me to buy a new bookcase to accommodate my growing piles of books. In order to make room for said bookcase, I had to get rid of a few things in my room.

Let’s just say my corner photography table is no more.

I couldn’t bear to part with it, however, and in my last attempt of keeping it I moved it to a space upstairs. The sun shines through every nooks and crannies here. Wonderful, right? At first I thought so too. But then came the realization that I have been so spoiled with my last lighting set-up (to an extent that taking photographs was almost as easy as blinking). Up here, where every surface is bathed in sunlight, it is an unknown territory, and I’m forced to adapt. It took me a few days to get the camera to a setting that I feel is right, and it took more shots than usual to getting the photographs I want. Fortunately, it was also less time spent for post-editing. I am still finding my way around, so I hope you’ll look forward to discovering more photography techniques as much as I am.

CHILI OIL:

[ 1/2 cup olive oil + 1/4 cup dried red chili flakes (from 6-7 dried red chili) + 1 tablespoon sesame oil ] OPTIONAL: 1-2 cloves of garlic.

If you’re using garlic, dice them and sautee in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until golden brown. Drain with paper towels and set aside.

If you’re using dried red chili, grind them coarsely. Set aside.

Heat the oil until it just starts to smoke. Turn the heat off and pour oil into a heatproof bowl. Add in the chili flakes, the crispy garlic and give it a good stir and add in the sesame oil.

Let cool, and scrape everything into a clean glass jar or into a clean bottle using a funnel. Store at room temperature in a cool, dark spot. The oil will keep for a few months. Give it a good shake before using.

CHILI OIL:

[ 1/2 cup olive oil + 1/4 cup dried red chili flakes (from 6-7 dried red chili) + 1 tablespoon sesame oil ] OPTIONAL: 1-2 cloves of garlic.

If using garlic, dice them and sautee in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until golden brown. Drain with paper towels and set aside.

If using dried red chili instead of flakes, grind them coarsely. Set aside.

Heat the oil until it just starts to smoke. Turn the heat off and pour oil into a heatproof bowl. Add in the chili flakes, the crispy garlic and give it a good stir and add in the sesame oil.

Let cool, and scrape everything into a clean glass jar or into a clean bottle using a funnel. Store at room temperature in a cool, dark spot. The oil will keep for a few months. Give it a good shake before using.

Use it as a dipping sauce for dumplings, to flavor noodles and to add some spicy kick to a bowl of soup.

Enjoy!

  4 months ago       179 notes
  food  chili oil  condiment  recipe blog  

I had a dream waking up to find that someone has changed my blog layout/theme

and it upsets me more than it should.

  5 months ago       13 notes
  tumblr theme is srs bsns  oh the html that would've had to be redone  

Mary Ellen Johnson

  5 months ago       894 notes
  food  food painting  realist  maryellenjohnson  

Oreo melonpan (recipe)

  5 months ago       89 notes
  food  melonpan  melon bread  japanese  dessert  bread  

Thank you to all of you guys for the well-wishes. I’m so overwhelmed by the kind messages left by readers and friends, so to show my appreciation I went through my inbox in search for long-forgotten foodwishes and decided that for every time I steal a chance at cooking, it would be to make up for them, even the ones made by anons.

This particular opportunity came on a Sunday afternoon. Check out the date this foodwish was sent in. This post is a long time coming.

I must have read this message once because I already made the salt & pepper chicken wings.

I made a tiny adjustment to a traditional melonpan recipe (which involves adding the essence of melon or melon flavoring) by adding ground up Oreo bits into the cookie batter to achieve a marbled look. In any case, this goes out to the anon and any curious souls who wants to know how to make them.

MELONPAN

Bread dough:
[ 8 ounces (about 1 3/4 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra as needed + 1 tablespoon nonfat dried milk powder + 1 teaspoon instant yeast + 1/2 teaspoon salt + 1/3 cup warm water + 1 large egg, beaten + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar  + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature ]

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, yeast, milk powder and salt.

Whisk the egg together with the warm water.

Using a dough hook, mix the egg-water in with the flour until its all mixed in. The mixture might look quite dry, with not all the flour being mixed in, but this is okay. Mix at low speed until a rough dough forms.  Increase the speed, and mix at medium speed for about 4 minutes.  The dough should have a rather stiff consistency.

Decrease the speed to low, and slowly add the sugar.  Mix until the sugar is fully incorporated.  The dough should soften a little at this point.  Increase the speed to medium, and knead for about 10 minutes.

Again decrease the speed to low, and add the softened butter.  Knead until mixed in, 2 or 3 minutes.  You may need to add a little additional flour to help it fully incorporate; do so by spoonfuls. 

Remove the dough from the bowl and place in a lightly oiled container and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour at room temperature.

While the dough is rising, make the cookie crust.

Cookie crust:
[ 6 ounces (about 1 1/3 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour + 3/4 teaspoon baking powder + a pinch of salt + 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature + 1/3 cup sugar + 1 large egg + 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract ] OPTIONAL: 5-6 Oreos, frosting removed and ground pretty finely.

Place the butter and sugar in the KitchenAid fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix at high speed, scraping down the sides, until the butter and sugar are fully combined and turn to a pale yellow color.

Incorporate the egg at low speed. Add the flour and the baking powder and mix until just combined. If you’re using the Oreos, you can fold them into the mixture at this point to create a rippled/marbled effect.

Remove from the bowl, shape into a log, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate until firm.

ASSEMBLY:

Pre-heat oven to 350F.

Remove the dough from the bowl and cut into 8 equal pieces.

Roll each dough piece into a tight ball and set aside.

Remove cookie crust from refrigerator and cut into 8 equal pieces.

Roll each piece into a circle and, with the back of a knife, make a cross-hatch pattern in the dough, being very careful not to cut through the dough.

Place cookie on top of roll, or roll on top of cookie and wrap the cookie crust around the roll. Repeat until all of the rolls are used up.

Sprinkle sugar over the cookie crust on each bun.

Bake in 350F oven for 20 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Cool on wire racks.

MELONPAN

Bread dough:
[ 8 ounces (about 1 3/4 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra as needed + 1 tablespoon nonfat dried milk powder + 1 teaspoon instant yeast + 1/2 teaspoon salt + 1/3 cup warm water + 1 large egg, beaten + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar  + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature ]

1. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, yeast, milk powder and salt.
2. Whisk the egg together with the warm water.
3. Using a dough hook, mix the egg-water in with the flour until its all mixed in. The mixture might look quite dry, with not all the flour being mixed in, but this is okay. Mix at low speed until a rough dough forms.  Increase the speed, and mix at medium speed for about 4 minutes.  The dough should have a rather stiff consistency.
4. Decrease the speed to low, and slowly add the sugar.  Mix until the sugar is fully incorporated.  The dough should soften a little at this point.  Increase the speed to medium, and knead for about 10 minutes.
5. Again decrease the speed to low, and add the softened butter.  Knead until mixed in, 2 or 3 minutes.  You may need to add a little additional flour to help it fully incorporate; do so by spoonfuls. 
6. Remove the dough from the bowl and place in a lightly oiled container and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour at room temperature.
7. While the dough is rising, make the cookie crust.

Cookie crust:
[ 6 ounces (about 1 1/3 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour + 3/4 teaspoon baking powder + a pinch of salt + 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature + 1/3 cup sugar + 1 large egg + 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract ] OPTIONAL: 5-6 Oreos, frosting removed and ground pretty finely.

1. Place the butter and sugar in the KitchenAid fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix at high speed, scraping down the sides, until the butter and sugar are fully combined and turn to a pale yellow color.
2. Incorporate the egg at low speed. Add the flour and the baking powder and mix until just combined. If you’re using the Oreos, you can fold them into the mixture at this point to create a rippled/marbled effect.
3. Remove from the bowl, shape into a log, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate until firm.

ASSEMBLY:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350F.
2. Remove the dough from the bowl and cut into 8 equal pieces.
3. Roll each dough piece into a tight ball and set aside.
4. Remove cookie crust from refrigerator and cut into 8 equal pieces.
5. Roll each piece into a circle and, with the back of a knife, make a cross-hatch pattern in the dough, being very careful not to cut through the dough.
6. Place cookie on top of roll, or roll on top of cookie and wrap the cookie crust around the roll. Repeat until all of the rolls are used up.
7. Sprinkle sugar over the cookie crust on each bun.
8. Bake in 350F oven for 20 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Cool on wire racks.

Enjoy!

  5 months ago       219 notes
  food  melonpan  dessert  japanese food  food photography  food blog  

1. Amber

  5 months ago       501 notes
  food  food photography  photographers on tumblr  

Why is it that some tumblogs with food or cooking related names have nothing to do with food or cooking whatsoever? And vice versa. And don’t even let me get started on thumbnail images. It all gets so very confusing and difficult, because I like going through my followers seeking for a fellow food appreciator.

Today I’d planned to make a post for jjeolmyun, or spicy Korean noodles with vegetables. But I only got as far as photographing the below steps:

before Mother came home from a wedding she attended and I had to abort the whole thing. The reason being is that she only allows a strict diet of rice porridge, clear soup and boiled eggs for me. And the reason for that is because a couple of days ago I had a bad case of abdominal pain - which I mistook for period cramps, and one thing led to another I was diagnosed with bilateral dermoid cysts. A tumor, essentially. Two of them. Benign, but tumors nonetheless.

Pics or it didn’t happen, right? Well have a glimpse of the scan instead.

I think it’s bittersweet that in a time like this, when my photography work is getting a bit more exposure that I may have to take time off from it. I tell you all this not because I’m fishing for sympathy, but just as a heads up for the decline in number of posts to come.

That, and to remind my lovely followers to go for a regular health check-up, you never know what’s creeping around and growing inside these temples of ours.

  5 months ago       35 notes
  medical anecdote of the month  sorta