Banh Mi Baby

I really, really, really want to try the banh mi sandwich, but I don't eat meat, and it has pork in it (here, at Hoa-Lan market). Are there any places at all that can make a vegetarian version?

Futomaki fantasies

It's edible works of art. This baby was photographed (and consumed) at Hook's.

In cupcake limbo

While cruising flickr recently, I came across someone's photo of a box of Stouffer's cupcakes from the 1970s, and I instantly had a flashback to those days: those cupcakes were one of the few concessions to sweets that my mom would allow. And darnit, they were good cuppies: not-too-cloyingly-sweet frosting, a tender middle. Three bites and you're done. Stouffer's stopped manufacturing them somewhere between the 1st and 2nd Reagan administrations, I'm not really sure when.

Now, I'm even less of a dessert-eater these days, but I'd love to see those cupcakes make a stunning comeback. I imagine myself sitting down with a cup of hot chai and the deep, lascivious darkness of the chocolate-chocolate flavor. As I fantasized about the different ways I could re-love Stouffer's cupcakes, I decided to pop an e-mail over to the fine folks who banished the treat sometime during my middle school days. The fine folks being, of course, Nestle, who own Stouffer's.

Monday, 11/16/09
To: NestleFrozenFood@casupport.com
Dear Nestle,
I've lately become nostalgic for the wonderful Stouffer's cupcakes that I used to enjoy in the 1970s. They came six to a box and were frozen, so you could thaw them out as needed. My favorite was the coconut. Just a suggestion: I'd love to see Nestle/Stouffer's bring them back!
Sincerely,
Kristi

A day later, I got a response from 'Danielle' at Nestle Customer Support. I was certain they would thank me for being such a hip consumer and so fondly remembering a product from days of yore. Instead, I received this:

November 17, 2009

Dear Kristi,
Thank you for contacting us.
Please be advised, Nestlé is not the manufacturer of the product you mentioned in your letter. You may be referring to Stauffer’s Biscuit Company. If you would like to contact them you can access them directly by clicking here, or via phone at 800-673-2473.

Once again, we thank you for thinking of us and look forward to serving you in the future.
Sincerely,
Danielle O'Day
Consumer Response Representative

Ref: N17116686





Whoa, time out Danielle. I'm NOT confusing the two companies. While I also like Stauffer's Animal Crackers, I DO know there's a difference. So, me being me (one who likes to win a fight), I replied back:

Danielle,
Thank you for your reply. Stouffers/Nestle did indeed make cupcakes back in the 1970s. I have attached a photo of the box for you to see...There was also a great crumb cake made as well. Thanks for listening!

No response back.

I wonder if I should ask them to revive their crumb cake?

Scramble on

Oh tofu scramble, how I love thee.
I had my first tofu scramble from the health food store last year. I was just a wee bit skeptical, but was also trying to find the path to healthful eating, so...I'd already given in to the tofu love, but had never had it...scrambled before. It was flavorful, filling, interesting. And simple. I thought, I can make this at home! And so my girlcrush on homemade tofu scramble has continued into the new decade.
The beauty of it is, there is no one recipe that is correct. You can pretty much improvise. My basic recipe is more like a Denver Omelet - I like throwing in mushrooms, bell peppers, onion. Sometimes I'll get silly and throw in baby spinach or mung bean sprouts or cilantro, but it's conducive to whatever you have on hand. Always sprinkle in turmeric (which is GREAT for your health) to give it that "eggy" color (and it's so pretty!). Other ingredients are garlic, nutritional yeast, and I like to add mustard seeds for a little crunch.
Here I have it served with pita bread which I've brushed with olive oil and toasted in the oven with rosemary and sea salt. So, tuck in and scramble on, my friends.

Pickles on the cheap

Why settle for soggy, oversugared, unflavorful store-bought pickles, when you can easily and more cheaply make your own?

If it's quick refrigerator pickles you want, then it's quick refrigerator pickles you shall make. Cukes are cheap (I got mine for a quarter) and the pickling ingredients are nominal as well. I packed my jar with dill, turmeric, 2 cloves of garlic, a pinch of sea salt, black pepper, mustard seeds. Plain white vinegar and a dash of water took care of the rest. I usually wait about 4 days until digging in - and boy, they are good! Try to use them within the week. Discard the old solution, clean your jar in the dishwasher, and try pickling other things, too!

Chili willy!

If there's one thing I love, it's making chili. Veggie chili is the best but sometimes I have to concede and make beef-laden chili for the carnivores. Anyway, this last batch of veggie chili rocked my socks. Why? I threw in unexpected items (i.e., stuff I had on hand). Oh, sure, I had beans and tomatoes in there, but also chopped cilantro, green onions, zucchini, and a little bit of freshly chopped cayenne pepper. Whoa, mama.

Holy crap, I made cheese

Ricotta cheese. And not a lot of it. Turns out 1 gallon of milk does not produce a gallon of cheese. But this ricotta was earthy, light, fluffy, and ...cheesy. Would I make it again? Probably not. It did not yield much, yet I had an adequate amount for my stuffed pasta shell dinner. I rarely consume ricotta, but when I do, I'll likely go back to just buying Polly-O.
It was a fun experiment, with successful results, and was not difficult - but it just takes SO much milk!

Here's a pic of the cheese in curdling action, before it was separated from the whey and cooled.