The first time I ever saw a taro plant was in Hawaii. I think I re-read the sign twice to check the name placard. I didn’t realize that the plant had such huge, broad leaves! I guess I mainly thought of taro as that nutty but sweet root vegetable. In my life, I’ve heard ube and taro get swapped around a lot. But they’re different root vegetables. Ube is much sweeter and richer. While they both have dull brown exteriors, ube often has purple flesh. This vibrant color adds much pizzazz to … [Read more...]
Foodie Friday: Bò né
February 3, 2023 Leave a Comment
I'm a breakfast gal. Sometimes I'll even swap another meal with breakfast. I mean, there's brunch...and then there's brinner, right? I like a good fan tuan rice roll for breakfast, but recently I also tried Vietnamese Bò né. I didn't know what the dish was, but it sounded cool. Apparently, it's steak and eggs done Vietnamese-style. Bò né means "dodging beef" because the steak comes out on a piping hot skillet--and you'd need to dodge the butter or oil. Of course, it's been tastily … [Read more...]
Mustache Pretzels
July 22, 2022 2 Comments
I’m a fan of the soft pretzel. Sure, I like crunchy pretzels to munch on for snacking, but I have the fondest memories of soft pretzels. I think it all stems from a school trip I took to the Exploratorium in San Francisco. Using some spending money, I bought and devoured my very first soft pretzel—it was fabulous. I’m still hard-pressed to beat that initial savory taste. Growing up, I sometimes went to the local mall and browsed. The alluring scent from Auntie Anne’s would often follow me … [Read more...]
Foodie Friday: Kok Chai
February 11, 2022 Leave a Comment
Kok chai: golden fried puffs filled with sweet peanut bits Yes, the Lunar New Year feasting is still continuing in my household. I got a batch of homemade kok chai delivered to me (thanks, fam!). These golden pastries are also known as mini peanut puffs. If you’re a peanut lover, these are an excellent snack! They’re like fried dumplings but instead of being filled with meat and vegetables, they have sweetened peanut bits. The ones I ate also had yummy coconut pieces mixed … [Read more...]
Third Time’s the Bubble Waffle Charm
October 22, 2021 Leave a Comment
The first time I saw a bubble waffle was in a Hong Kong-style café. My brother and I were eating together, gorging on delicious Chinese food and sipping addictive iced lemon tea. I noticed other patrons ordering a special dessert which looked kinda like a breakfast item. They were getting odd puffy-shaped waffles. Could those really be that different than the regular ol’ type? The second time around, I ate a bubble waffle. I think it was at a night market in Taiwan. When the delicious pastry … [Read more...]
Foodie Friday: Eggplant with Basil
June 25, 2021 2 Comments
Eggplant with basil: fried eggplant with aromatic spices I can't believe I haven't blogged about this before, but one of my favorite vegetable dishes involves eggplant. The heady mixture of sweet (brown sugar?) and savory (ginger) always delights me. Although this is often served spicy, I like it only mildly hot and more garlicky. It's usually a beautifully presented dish because of the vivid purple of the eggplant against the earthier tone of the brown sauce. I've tried multiple times to get … [Read more...]
Foodie Friday: Boba Cake
March 5, 2021 Leave a Comment
Boba cake: vanilla cake roll with embedded boba I did a double-take when I first saw this cake. Could boba actually be placed inside a baked dessert (and survive)? This was a really great vanilla cake that had cream inside it flavored with a hint of milk tea. The tapioca balls inside were also quite tender, although not as springy as those in a boba drink. I would give this a thumbs-up as a unique dessert, but for the most part, I still prefer drinking pearl milk tea. … [Read more...]
Authors Make Me Hungry
February 19, 2021 Leave a Comment
Who's making me hungry? That's right--authors! Check out my newest post on Chicks on the Case: https://chicksonthecase.com/2021/02/19/your-book-is-making-me-hungry/ … [Read more...]
Foodie Friday: Hummus
September 4, 2020 Leave a Comment
One of the favorite things that I whipped up during lockdown was hummus. I usually purchase a tub of it from the grocery store. There's something artistic about creating customized spices for the dip, though. I also like to add in special garnishes like toasted sesame seeds, parsley, or even green onions. Here's a quick recipe: 1 can chickpeas (drained and rinsed) 1/4 c olive oil 1/4 c cold water 2 garlic cloves 2 lemons, juiced 1/2 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp … [Read more...]
Foodie Friday: Boba milk tea ice cream bar
July 31, 2020 2 Comments
Boba milk tea ice cream bar: boba—but as a popsicle! My brother kept telling me about these, but whenever I popped by the grocery store, I couldn’t find them in the freezer aisle. I finally located a box the other week. Hurrah!They actually really taste like milk tea, with that decadent flavor combo of rich black tea and sweetened milk. (Perhaps a little too sweet.) The tapioca balls are frozen, so they’re not quite the same chewy texture. If you lick the ice cream bar, though, it … [Read more...]
