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Hello loyal readers! Thank you for being patient with us as we traveled through East Asia and went through a major move from China back to the United States! We have been in a whirlwind of events in the last few weeks – spending two weeks in Japan, then a week in Hong Kong, and finally flying back to Southern California. We’re back here to stay, at least for the foreseeable future, so you can expect a lot more cooking in the future now that I’ll have access to a real kitchen.
A post detailing the highlights of our trip to Japan is coming soon. In the meantime, the apple tree at my parents-in-law’s house is bearing clusters of delicious, slightly tart fruit, and I had to make an apple pie to celebrate the season. Yes, apple trees do grow in Southern California, though only certain types are adapted to the warmer climate here.
I’m amazed by the sheer variety of fresh produce that is available in Southern California. I mean, not only is the food industry’s transportation system amazing, but there is just so much available locally and seasonally. My in-laws’ have grapefruit ripening slowly on the tree, loads of lemons, persimmons soon to be ripening, not to mention the large numbers of apples. Now THAT is local! Straight from your own backyard! That is something that as a Canadian living in a big city, I did not have the opportunity to enjoy, especially during the frigid winter months.
The crust was a tried-and-true recipe from this cherry pie that I made earlier this year, and the filling was somewhat adapted from this apple pie at SimplyRecipes, and turned out really well. It’s hard to go wrong with tart apples, a bit of cinnamon, sugar, and allspice, baked until bubbling and juicy.
Apple Pie
Crust
2 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, chilled and cubed
1/4 cup ice water (or more)
Pie
3 lbs apples (I used about 5 good sized ones)
3/4 cup white sugar (or a mixture of white and brown)
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp flour
Egg Wash
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp milk
Preheat oven to 375 F.
In a bowl place the flour and cubes of chilled butter. Rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips or a pastry cutter, until largest pieces are about pea-sized. Add ice water little by little while mixing dough. When dough holds together when you squeeze it, it’s ready. Gather into a ball. Divide into two equal balls, wrap in plastic, and chill in fridge while making filling.
Peel and cut apples into chunks (I cubed mine to see how it would turn out, which made my pie kind of lumpy looking, so you might want to just slice them about 1/3 inch thick). Toss with sugar, cinnamon, allspice, flour and vanilla. Let sit while you roll out dough.
Take out one ball of dough and roll out into a 12-inch circle. Fit into pie plate. Mound pie shell with filling. Take out the other ball of dough and roll into a slightly smaller circle. Place over pie. Fold edges over and crimp to seal. Make a few slits in the top crust to let steam out.
Mix egg yolk with milk and brush over top crust of pie, but not the crimped edges.
Bake at 375 F for 20 minutes. Then lower temperature to 350 F and bake for another 30-40 minutes. Pie is done when juices are bubbling and crust is browned.
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We’re still in Japan, but we have a little free time in our hotel room tonight, so I’m trying to update the blog with some of our culinary experiences here in Japan. Going to the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo was one of the most memorable things we’ve done so far – not only is the market fascinating to walk around in, but we also had some of the best sushi I’ve ever had.
We got to the Tsukiji Fish Market at around 9 in the morning – rather late. Many of the deliveries were starting to wind down, and some stalls were already beginning to pack up. So if you want to catch all of the action, get there early in the morning. There is supposed to be a tuna auction at 5am, which is really interesting, but unfortunately we heard that it is now closed to the public.
Nevertheless, we were still able to witness lots of interesting scenes and tons of unique sea creatures – sea urchins, all sizes and colors of crabs, huge tunas, and more.
This picture doesn’t completely do justice to the sheer size of the tuna – my head could have literally fit in his mouth.
This guy is filleting fresh eels with astonishing ease. Everyone had these deadly looking knives which they wielded with amazing skill.
Afterwards, we went to one of the numerous sushi restaurants that fringe Tsukiji Fish Market itself. This is where you can get the freshest and best sushi in Tokyo at low low prices.
Our bowls of chirashi sushi cost only about $15 USD each, and the quality was such that we would have easily spent three times that much on similar-quality sushi elsewhere.
My bowl was a mixture of firm, muscular dark red tuna and lighter-colored, more buttery tuna. I hadn’t been a big fan of tuna sushi before, as the kind we get in the Western world is typically a little spongy and pre-frozen. I had never experienced real tuna sushi before having it at the Tsukiji fish market. Fresh, springy, and completely, completely delicious.
There is also a large food market surrounding the fish market where you can get all sorts of delicious high-quality food and snacks, from shaved katsuobushi (shaved dried tuna flakes, also known as bonito), pickled vegetables, murderous-looking knives, deep-fried fish bones (a popular bar snack), and more.
So next time you’re in Tokyo, make sure you make time for a trip to Tsukiji fish market. It’s just a short walk from the Tsukiji subway station and it is well worth getting up early for. I would say that the fish market, plus the extensive food market and sushi restaurants surrounding it, make the Tsukiji Fish Market one of the best food experiences in Tokyo.
Hi Folks! Don’t worry, we haven’t dropped off the face of the earth. We’re in Japan for two weeks, and I can’t wait to share all the amazing culinary experiences we’ve had here. Stay tuned for a gargantuan post when we get back detailing all the delicious things we’ve eaten. In the meantime, here’s a few pictures of us climbing Mount Fuji to hold you over until we get back. Love you all!
 up by the crater of Fuji-san
 the shadow of Fuji-san over the valley
This is a deliciously simple preparation of fresh clams, stir-fried in a deep brown sauce of soy sauce and rice wine. The wine steams the clams open while the soy sauce bubbles, thickening and coating the clams with its savory goodness. Some thinly sliced shallots and garlic add another dimension to the flavor, and some chopped fresh red chilies add a bit of a kick.
I learned how to cook this dish from my friend Jane, who has all the credentials of authenticity, having been born in China and cooking for her family since a young age. She has also had the benefit of being well traveled and a great communicator, and studied for her Master’s in Dunedin, New Zealand. I think that she truly has an inventive and open mind when it comes to cooking, reflected in her Chinese food, which draws from Sichuan and Cantonese cuisine as well as her native Fujianese style (and her own imagination!).
I have had the privilege of watching Jane cook several times, and I’ve learned a lot of helpful tips from her – how to cook bitter melon so it’s not too bitter, how to cook Japanese tofu, how to marinate cucumbers to make quick pickles, etc…
I bought these clams at the neighborhood wet market, where they were kept in trays of seawater to keep them alive. I have no idea what kind of clams they are…anyone care to venture a guess?
Serve these little clams as part of a Chinese meal with several other contrasting dishes and steamed white rice.
Jane’s Soy Sauce Clams
Note: When clams are open, they’re done. Don’t overcook or they may turn rubbery.
1 pound small fresh clams, scrubbed
2 shallots, sliced thinly
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce (or 1 1/2 tbsp normal – you can always add more later)
3 tbsp rice wine
¼ tsp granulated chicken powder (optional)
1 red chili pepper, chopped
1 scallion (spring onion), chopped
cooking oil
1. In a wok, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic, and stir-fry until aromatic, being careful not to burn.
2. Add soy sauce – it should start to bubble immediately. Add the clams. Stir around to coat with soy sauce, and then add rice wine and granulated chicken powder (optional). Allow the wine to steam the clams, stirring occasionally, until clams open. Don’t cover the wok – you want most of the liquid to evaporate.
3. Add chopped red chilies. Toss everything together vigorously for 30 seconds to coat clams with sauce. Remove clams to a plate, discarding any that have not opened. Sprinkle with chopped scallions and serve immediately, with steamed white rice.
I like to always have a cake around.
It’s so nice to have a not-too-sweet, everyday cake stashed in the pantry, perfect for afternoon cake and coffee, or for breakfast, or for a not-too-decadent dessert. And a slice or two is great for feeding a couple of friends who happen to drop by. I love how you can mix up the batter for one of these simple cakes in just a few minutes, slide it into the oven, and tadaa! Magic happens. On a lazy Saturday afternoon, I love to bake a cake.
Stone fruits are coming into season, and when baked into a humble everyday cake, their sugars caramelize, their juices make them deliciously soft and (for lack of a better word) plummy, their acidity mellows and melts on your tongue, and they are just…mmm!
This cake takes nectarines, smoothing out their slightly sharp sweetness, and turning them into a treat the sorts of which you can rarely find in a commercial bakery. It’s just too humble, too uncomplicated, too special to come out of anywhere but your own kitchen. It evokes sunny afternoons on the patio sipping ice tea and talking about nothing in particular. It is truly, a golden cake.
You can make this entire cake by hand, with a good whisk, if your butter is adequately softened. No need to get out an electric mixer – do it the old-fashioned way. It’s more satisfying that way.
Nectarine Golden Cake
Gourmet Sept 2009
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
generous 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 almond extract
2 nectarines, pitted and sliced into wedges
Confectioner’s sugar (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a separate bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar by mixing vigorously with a whisk, until pale yellow and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla and almond extracts. Gently mix in the flour mixture to form a stiff yellow batter.
Spread the batter into a buttered cake pan (I used an 8-inch). Scatter the nectarine wedges over top. Bake for 40-50 minutes until top is golden brown and a knife inserted into cake comes out pretty much clean.
Let cool for 10 minutes, run a knife around edges, then invert and re-invert onto a plate. Dust with confectioner’s sugar if desired, cut into wedges and serve.
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About Us
We are a Canamerican (Canadian-American) couple living in China. Join us on our culinary adventures both in the kitchen and in the fascinating country where we live.
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