If you Change your Mind...

So I have a standing date with my mom to watch "Mamma Mia" when it comes out in theatres.

I had dinner with my family yesterday as I had to renew my passport in Richmond. It was a low-key dinner at Hoi Tong on Westminster Highway. Here's a great mom & pop restaurant, with Mrs. Leung on quality control and Mr. Leung overseeing the line. We missed them when they "semi retired" from their No3 road location and moved to Hong Kong for a couple years. But now they're back, in a smallish restaurant space, open only from 5pm - 10 pm.

We had a refreshing house soup (pork & coconut), braised squab, blanched geoduck atop sweet chinese greens, deep fried shrimp balls, braised fish with mushrooms and tofu (soooo good), sauteed fish fillets with straw mushrooms and choy sum, and deliciously moist roast chicken.

As I was telling TM afterwards, it was serious comfort food. TM likes a lot of meat and gravy and sauces with his food. Eating with my parents at places like Hoi Tong is just so satisfying. It can even be deep fried, but it just feels good.

And, of cours,e it had a lot to do with having dinner with my parents, siblings, and grandparents.

Growing up, it was almost taboo (still is) to miss dinner with the family. Suppertime conversation was usually sparse and brief, but as we grow older, the conversation and catching up over dinner and just enjoying each others company is fuel for the soul.

I slept well last night.

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My life in photos.

Originally, I was going to have a separate post for the past couple days. There were posts with recipes, photos with days and strolls in Stanley park, downtown, and days of food and beverage, car selling, and a haunting walk through TMs old building.

Life has been...interesting. There have been ups: we take possession this weekend, TMs apartment was, for the most part, spared. Jerry Graduated! I am so proud of my friends and family for all they are doing and achieving. But there are the bads too: Ewas mother passed away on Monday, finally succumbing to breast cancer complications. G, one of the most vibrant and brilliant people ever, didn't get into med school. I haven't seen some of my friends in the longest time, due to time and money constraints.

It's been a little overwhelming. The posts will come later, I swear.

For now, here's the past couple of days:

We went back to the apartment on Monday. The damage to the upper levels was pretty scary and horrific. The fixtures were melted, the carpets had been removed in the entire building, there was a lot of smoke, fire, and water damage.

The makings of Banh Mi - that delectable, addictive Vietnamese sandwich. Mmmm.

Strawberry Kuchen - my first try at a strawberry tart. Originally, I had visions of incorporating mango into this, but ran out of time...and mangoes. ;)

Finally, after all that cooking, I enjoyed it at the beach! We relaly needed that day of relaxing and just forgeting about everything house & apartment related.

There's something to be said about having a meal that was made by your grandmother.

Everyone at lunch looks on in envy, for they all know the kind of loving care that went into making the delicious entree.

That, or the fact that you're eating a bottomless pit of spaghettini, that you never quite finish, and end up packing for tomorrows lunch...

I am so full right now.

Foodie Blogger Meme

It's May!!! Time for a foodie Meme.

What is your favorite meal to prepare?

Depends on the mood, really. I made a really great anchovy-garlic-balsamic dressing at M's house a couple days ago. Last night I attempted to make pisalladerie last night, but all I had were sweet and red onions (and not enough, at that). I'll probably make it sometime this weekend in an attempt to carb up for the Marathon. I guess right now I like fresh, simple things?

Is there a food that you indulge in when you know you shouldn't?

Cheese. I buy cheese when I know I shouldn't - be it too rich, be it that I have some at home already (but not this particular type!), be it that I am training for an event and need to cut down on the fat. I always end up eating it in limited amounts, until it molds. Then I cut off the mold and snack a little. Then it molds again and I process continues until I splurge on another hunk of delicious, exotic cheese.

What food always reminds you home?

I suppose I should answer this in a couple months. But my mother actually doesn't cook as much. She buys a lot of "butchers goodies", which includes roast pork, bbq pork, roast duck, and vegetarian / gluten food. I suppose that steamed eggs with duck or salted yolks in it, or vermicelli with gingered baby choys (bok choy or gai choy) reminds me of something so simple, so real as home.

What's the perfect snack?

Fresh veg or lightly blanched vegetables - where you can *taste* the essence of the food, without the adulteration of sauces, dips, or other masking agents. Mmmm. I have cherry tomatoes in the fridge for my morning break today.

What was your most memorable meal?

There are so many. I had a really romantic meal with M earlier this year, at Chambar. I can still remember what the perfectly seared sablefish tasted like when M fed me over the table, and the playful flavours of the passionfruit sundae, especially when I mixed it with the (REAL!) chocolate from M's apple dessert. *insert Homer Simpson drool here* Another memorable meal, was Christmas dinner from three years ago. Everyone put aside their differences, and the food was plentiful and delicious. All the cousins were together, we all joked around, and people enjoyed themselves. Mains were prime rib and ham. Someone brought a whole suckling pig. And of course, I made lots of appetizers, sides and hor d'oevres. Loved it.

When you are out at a restaurant or bar, what's your drink of choice?

At a restaurant, a nice glass of wine to go with my meal. At a bar, I just have to start off on jager-bombs. When I feel buzzed enough from that, then its on to long island iced teas.

What's your favorite restaurant and what do you order there?

I have to pick one??! The world is so boring when you only have one.

What three things are always in your refrigerator?

Milk, butter, eggs.

Do you have a comfort food?

Pasta. Pasta with ham in soup, pasta with pesto. Pasta with tomato rose sauce, pasta with meatballs in tomato sauce.

What are you having for dinner tonight?

We're going to the Gastown Mavi launch party tonight. Later we'll be going down the street to Guu Otokomae for some ebi mayo, salmon and seven friends, black cod steak, kimchi rice bowl, and other delicious, mouth watering appys. Can`t wait!!!