Category: food

food · international

Review: Miyasaka Miso Soup

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Happy Sunday, loves! I hope you enjoyed a satisfying weekend, and are feeling prepared for the week ahead!

Earlier this year, I found myself craving miso soup. But, since most commercially available miso soup mixes contain fish, I decided to hunt down a vegetarian version. Enter Amazon. After a little hunting, I found a miso soup mix that seemed like a pretty good bet.

I was excited to find a vegetarian miso soup mix, because I really wanted to continue eliminating animal product from my diet. This soup mix by Miyasaka was reasonably priced ($14 for 12 packets) and available via Amazon Prime.

So I ordered. And here’s what I have to say about it.

This soup is a pretty good substitute for traditional miso soup. However, the flavor is not nearly as full-bodied as traditional miso soup. The traditional base – dashi – is made with kelp and bonito flakes. This soup mix doesn’t have dashi, because bonito flakes are actually fish, and that would, by definition, make the mix non-vegetarian.

So, I learned that no bonito means less robust flavoring. But that’s okay: after all, I regularly alter my recipes and omit meat/animal based ingredients when I am looking to minimize my meat intake. And truthfully, the soup is still tasty, just not quite like the traditional version.

I did learn a little trick for making the flavor more intense: use less water. I did that a few times and I enjoyed the more concentrated version. So if you try this soup and find yourself missing the flavor of dashi, try adding a little less water.

Any other fans of Japanese food out there? Let me know in the comments below

food · relaxation

Vegan Pea Soup Recipe

Mstldelano2 Comments

As the seasons change, I find myself reaching for more comfort: less light and airy experiences, more warm, full-bodied pleasures. This desire for comfort comes in all forms, from clothing I wear, to conversations with friends, to foods I choose to eat.

It occurred to me that I was reaching my “comfort” period when I stumbled across a bag of frozen peas and decided to whip up a batch of pea soup. I love how light yet filling this soup is: it really is a perfect meal for the fall. I ate it with garlic knots and a small glass of white wine on the side. To me, the lightness of peas – a summer vegetable – contrasts well with the heartier feel of this soup. Some people add mint to their version but I choose to omit mint: that herb feels very “summery” to me, and that wasn’t the feel I was going for.

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I don’t frequently post recipes, but I think this one is worth the share. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Pea Soup Recipe

  • 1 bag of frozen peas
  • Top of one leek, washed and chopped
  • 1/2 cup yellow onions, chopped
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable spread (I use Earth Balance)
  • 1 cup water
  • Salt, pepper and dried chives to taste
  • Vegan sour cream (as garnish)

Melt vegetable spread in a medium pot, then add leek tops and onions. Saute for five minutes until translucent and fragrant. Add vegetable broth and water, and bring to a boil. Add bag of peas, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Turn off heat and allow soup to cool for at least 15 – 20 minutes.

Pour cooked peas and broth into a blender, and blend on low until smooth. If the soup has cooled down too much, return to pot and reheat over low heat. Pour soup into serving bowls and sprinkle black pepper, salt and dried chives onto each serving. If desired, put a dollop of vegan sour cream on top of each bowl.

Serves 4

food · luxury

A Chocolate Treat

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Sometimes, you just have to treat yourself …

A few weeks ago, I got an online coupon code from Chocolate Chocolate, one of DC’s finest chocolate shops. This boutique offers exquisite international and hard-to-find chocolates. I used the code to order a box of Laderach chocolates, my favorite chocolate brand.

IMG_1810Laderach chocolates in Chocolate Chocolate’s trademark velvet box

I first tried Laderach two years ago, when I was gifted a box from an attorney at my previous job. I fell in love with the velvety textures, intense flavors, and perfect presentation of the little bit sized pieces of heaven. The day after I finished eating every treat in my little box, I looked for a local retailer that offered the Laderach brand. After much searching over many months, I found out that Chocolate Chocolate was the closest shop that offered the brand.

IMG_1811The liner indicating that this box contained luxurious Swiss chocolates

So when I saw the coupon code, I couldn’t resist. I purchased my chocolates and quickly got a call from the shop, confirming that the chocolates were in stock and were immediately available. I picked them up the following week.

IMG_1812The chocolates! So perfect and delicious!

They are just as delicious as I remember! I’m pleased with the product (of course) but I also loved the service: the shop attendants were friendly and warm. I can’t wait to return!

Do you all have any favorite chocolate brands? Let me know in the comments below!

food · travel

Flashback to Cruise 2016, Pt. 3

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Cheers to the end of the work week! Gorgeous Friday, we’ve been waiting for you LOL!

I’ve already talked about last year’s cruise in this post and in this one. This final post will discuss one of the most popular parts of cruising: the cuisine!

IMG_0382(Asian-inspired salmon entree)

One of the perks of cruise vacations is the extensive list of food options. Cruises offer both complimentary and fee-based dining options. Don’t let the word “complimentary” alarm you: there are many fine dining options included in this category. In fact, the default “dinner” offered with many cruise lines are set up in luxurious dining rooms with detail-oriented waitstaff. In addition to fine dining, there are also buffet options for those that want even more variety, as well as complimentary room service that offers a wide variety of delicious options delivered directly to your cabin.

 

(Standard appetizers: miso soup and spring rolls)

The Anthem of the Seas is a little different from traditional cruises. The Anthem didn’t set up travelers with a “default” dinner option. All of the fine restaurants on the ship required a reservation in advance. Guests could view and select reservation options from their cabin or on computer monitors located at the service desk and in front of each of the restaurants.

Each of the restaurants had themes, including upscale luxury, fine American, eclectic and elegant Asian. I enjoyed my time at each of them. For me, the emphasis on excellent service and pristine presentation are what made the dining memorable. It didn’t hurt that the food was delicious, as well.

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(My favorite themed restaurant was Silk. This one featured an Asian fusion menu)

Here are some photos of the dishes that I tried. I’ll add names for what I can remember, but forgive me for forgetting some of them: it’s been over a year.

 

(Left to right: Lobster, polenta, a lobster rolls and fries, and seafood bisque)

 

(an incredible seafood crostade, mixed green salad, peach bisque with strawberry garnish)

 

(Top row: Caramel pie, a puff pastry with mango coulis, green tea cheesecake. Bottom row: mochi and chocolate cake with chocolate ganache)

Thanks for checking out the Flashback to Cruise 2016 series! I can’t wait to share more of my adventures with you all 🙂

food · international

Review: People’s Bao Food Truck

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People’s Bao food truck has been on my “to try” list for a few months now. I’ve craved delicious Chinese style buns since my trip to China last year. I was blown away by the flavor of Momofuku’s mushroom buns (which I reviewed here). But I saw the rave reviews of People’s Bao on Yelp and I was eager to give it a whirl.

The truck finally arrived close to my building, and I seized the opportunity. I ordered the Portabella buns and Portabella rice bowl. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I figured that if the food was half as good as Momofuku, I would fare well.

Here’s the good, bad and otherwise:

The Portabella mushrooms were ample but not particularly flavorful. They would have benefited from marinating in a sauce that would infuse the mushrooms with flavor. Also, since these mushrooms are thicker than the shiitake ones used by Momofuku, they didn’t cook to the bacon-like crispiness of the last buns I tried.

The sauce added to the bun was spicy enough but fairly indescribable. I can’t name anything that it tasted like, other than “spice”. Also, this was another bun creation where the filling  was folded in the bun like a sandwich, instead of being fully encased in the bun bread (like the buns served during dim sum).

As far as the rice bowl? Meh. Lots of delicious, fresh veggies but, again, not a lot of flavor. I tried to like it, but I couldn’t. I eat primarily vegetarian meals but I still love flavor, and this dish came up lacking.

The best part of the meal was the watermelon garnish that I found in the bottom of my bag! I initially thought the ramekins contained a sauce to add to my entrees, and I was excited at the thought of something savory being in the bag. But, as it turns out, the ramekins contained small chunks of sweet, ripe watermelon instead. That was an unexpected treat, and a nice accent to an otherwise forgettable meal.

I’m adding some stock photos for context, but I didn’t photograph this meal, because it simply wasn’t worth it.

dcistbun

 

This photo from DCist looks exactly like the bun that I received.

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In a nutshell? I wouldn’t order again. It’s possible that this was just an “off” day, but I’d rather pay a few more dollars and have guaranteed tastiness at Momofuku. Maybe one day I’ll be adventurous enough to give it another go, but for now, I have to decline returning to People’s Bao.

food

Kitchen Secret: Dalmatinska (Dalmatian) Soup

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I’m still not 100% clear on how I came across this kitchen savior. I suspect this arrived in one of my Try the World boxes, but then again, I can’t remember.

dalmatiansouphistriamarkets

All I know is that I prepared the soup per the directions, and I instantly fell in love. This soup is the perfect basic vegetarian soup: just enough salt and just enough other flavors to make a well balanced base for any food, yet delicious enough to enjoy on its own. When added to boiling water, this dry mix turns into a reddish translucent broth with tiny balls of dough (similar in size and texture to large grain couscous).

The issue with most bouillon products is that they contain animal fat, which I avoid when I’m adhering to a vegetarian/vegan diet. So this vegetarian option is a great alternative to using standard bouillon cubes or packaged chicken or beef stock.

You can eat it prepared per the package, or you can do like I do: add a bag of frozen vegetables, or strain out the dough balls and use the broth as a base for sauces or to season other foods. What I really enjoy about Dalmatian soup is that it has lots of flavor but there isn’t one flavor that overwhelms the others. Also, the soup is generic enough where it could be used as a base for several ethnic dishes without overpowering signature ethnic seasonings and flavors, like curry, coconut or masala.

Dalmatian soup is a Croatian product, and since my hometown doesn’t have a large Eastern European presence, it’s difficult to find this in local stores. I order my Dalmatian soup from Parthenon Foods, which specializes in making European food products available stateside via online ordering.

Have any of you tried Dalmatian soup before? What did you think of it? Be sure to let me know in the comments!

food

Luscious Vegan Broccoli Soup

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I eat a primarily vegan diet (I only deviate when I’m trying international dishes, like the sumptuous nyama choma [Kenyan beef stew] I tried last week). But I enjoy creating delicious vegan dishes whenever the inspiration strikes.

This is a recipe I created a few months ago, when the weather was still chilly and I wanted a creamy, cheesy soup sans dairy. I wish I had taken a photo, since I won’t be making this tasty dish again until late fall/winter.

I hope you enjoy!

Vegan Broccoli & Cheese Soup

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1 medium Russet potato, peeled and chopped
2 cups of broccoli, washed and chopped
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons shredded vegan cheddar cheese (along with shreds for garnish)
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
salt, pepper and onion powder (to taste)
Chopped green onions (for garnish)

Rinse onion and potatoes well, then add to a medium sized pot, with enough water to cover. Cook over medium-high heat until boiling. Boil together until the onion and potatoes are soft. Reserve 1 cup of boiled water. Let onion and potatoes cool.

Once cool, add onion, potatoes, nutritional yeast, almond milk, and shredded vegan cheddar cheese to a blender. Blend until smooth.

Return blended vegetables to pot, along with reserved water. Stir together well, and add broccoli. Heat on low until just before reaching the boiling point. Check that the broccoli is soft before removing from heat. Add salt, pepper, and onion powder to taste. Garnish with chopped green onions and a few vegan cheese shreds.

food · international

The Great DC Bun Quest

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After trying delicious vegetable buns in Beijing and Hangzhou, China last year, I’ve been searching for a comparable replacement.

I tried to satisfy my craving with dumplings, but those always fall short.

I visited People’s Bao, but they were shutting down – in the middle of lunch rush – so that they could find a good parking space for the evening’s Truckaroo festivities.

Then, I finally came across Momofuku CCDC. Their menu lists shiitake buns as an option.

I was determined to try them for myself.

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I tried them, and they were delicious. These aren’t the filled buns that are typical of dim sum. These buns are like folded-over, open faced sandwiches filled with sauteed shiitake mushrooms. The mushrooms were cooked to perfection and took on a bacon-like texture and flavor.

I highly recommend this dish! I enjoyed it so much, I ordered it again the following day. If you’re vegetarian, don’t forget to tell your server to cook your mushrooms in vegetable oil – otherwise, they will be cooked in tare (which contains pork fat).

Now, finding this delicious dish doesn’t mean that my question for the perfect bun is over. I still have to try People’s Bao (here’s hoping they will be able to stay for the duration of the lunch period next time I visit). And there are other Chinese restaurants in DC that may offer tasty buns, too. If you have any recommendations, please leave them in the comments below!