#thatbakelife. (insert baker thug pose, however that looks)

[You can find Part 1 of my Cookie Con coverage here!]

The Cookie Decorating Contest: As I mentioned earlier, I took off like a shot as soon as the convention floor opened in order to walk around before the crowds arrived. I wanted to get a chance to talk to vendors, try samples, and buy cookies or baked goods at my leisure… most importantly, I wanted to take pictures before the amount of people at the con became too restrictive. While this was mostly a success, I profess that I spent more time than I thought I would at the entries for the cookie decorating contest. Here are the pictures of my favorites, in no particular order. The theme was “Love”, which was timely for Valentine’s Day!

Cookies by Cookie Couture by Sarah.

I really loved the ‘shabby chic’ style and color palette of these cookies. The sugar flowers were gorgeous!

Cookies by Sugar Dayne.

By far my favorite entry…. which mysteriously didn’t win Fan Favorite or the official contest Again, I really loved the colors… muted pastels are my thing right now. The details were stunning–from the gold-kissed roses to the tiny, perfect seashells… and the sprayed gold pattern on the icing… the blue feathers on the cookie towers even had “LA Cookie Con” and the artist’s name hand-printed on them! I think my heart would break if I ever had to watch someone eat these…

Cookies by Whisk Sweets.

This entry won the decorating contest; while I didn’t find the execution as flawless as the cookies by Sugar Dayne, I did find the story quite moving. (A better overhead picture can be found here.)

I thought the colors and the letters were very cute for this entry… and man, am I a sucker for nice handwriting…

The Non-Edible Portion of the Con: The convention floor also played host to various food-related merchandise, goods, and gadgets. I stopped by the Nomiku Immersion Circulator booth to say hello… and definitely felt a twinge of regret for being too impatient and buying the Anova instead. (WiFi-connected sous vide, so fancy!)

Happy Pantry had an adorable set-up that included aprons, necklaces, towels, artwork, and more. The coffee latte apron was so cute! But I definitely have way more aprons than any one person possibly needs, so I had to pass… sigh. They advertise themselves as a ‘kitchen-themed brand featuring kawaii (cute in Japanese) characters,’ and kawaii is the only way I can accurately describe how cute their merchandise is.

(This is the goodie bag they shared with press passholders… my inner child is squealing!)

Even More Samples: After my digression into the contest entries and merchandise, it was back to doing what I do best–sampling!

Cookies by Stuffed Cookies.

[I actually bought the Oreo BDay Cake cookie shown above, but somehow lost the bag during the convention… still pretty bummed about it, because it was sinfully good!]

Cookies by Munch Bakery.

As a fellow Filipino, I was super-excited to see that Munch Bakery had ube (purple yam) and buko pandan (young coconut leaf) flavors! I probably came on a wee bit strong in my enthusiasm, but the ladies of Munch Bakery answered all of my questions with a smile.

The pound cake at Orange Clementine was one of my favorite things to try at the convention; one of my friends even bought several of the cakes to share with her family. Not only was the cake moist and flavorful, but the clementine flavor was perfect–not overwhelming nor too light to detect. The glaze on top was literally the icing on the cake; the clementine zest in the glaze cut the sweetness and balanced it well.

The press goodie bag also included two adorable citrus-themed sugar cookies that were promptly devoured later that night… pretty sure I ate my week’s worth of sugar in one day.

Now, if you’ve ever met me or my husband, you know that neither of us really subscribe to the idea of gluten-free being healthier or better for you in any way. Okay, now that that’s out of the way… I have to admit that these gluten-free Habanero Peanut Butter & Jelly cookies from Velvet Rope Bake Shop were my favorite cookies of the Con. Gasp!, you say. And gasp you should–it’s not an easy feat to make cookies without flour that are delicious. But man, were these cookies good. I suppose the flavor combination isn’t for everyone; the habanero salt paired with the strawberry preserves definitely throws your taste buds for a loop. But as a sweet/salty/savory fan, these cookies hit all the right notes for me.

Like Fish in a Barrel: As the day wore on, the crowds swelled and pushed the aisles between the booths to their limits; if I had to describe it in one word, it would be “smooshed.” It became harder to receive samples and talk to the vendors at each booth because they were overrun with other con attendees. The aisles became a little more bearable during specific programming times (we definitely saw everyone bum-rush the seats for Mr. Ben-Israel’s featured talk), but otherwise, the crowds and the lines were easily my least favorite part about the convention.

My friends and I left the show closer to 2pm after finding ourselves exhausted from the crowds on the floor. (One of my friends even ended up with a bleeding wound on her leg–man, are cookie fans vicious or what? Just kidding, we’re still not certain how she was injured.) When we walked outside, the line was still going out and around the block! We were even stopped by a few folks that asked us whether it was worth it to wait; apparently, the registration inside had come to a stand-still and the line hadn’t moved for some time.

Was it worth it? The million-dollar question (or however much you paid for your ticket, I suppose).

I think that the organizers behind Cookie Con did a great job for their first year. Like I mentioned in Part 1, I believe there are kinks that are tough to anticipate before the event itself occurs. If I were to suggest anything for next year’s con, I would definitely recommend getting the event staff and volunteers on the same page. From time to time, I would ask for directions or information and ended up with several different answers. I also believe that the VIP lounge wasn’t handled as well as it could have been; I didn’t even realize I was in the lounge until my friend pointed it out! The location of the lounge wasn’t optimal either–since it was not in a corner or in a separate room, people freely walked in without any clue that entry was restricted.

Perhaps I missed it… but I didn’t receive a map of the booths with a corresponding list of vendors, nor did I see a printed program with the events schedule on it in the bag I received when I registered. I think it would’ve enhanced my experience and certainly made it a bit less hectic if I’d had these references on hand. In the future, a short book with each bakery listed and a short blurb about each bakery would be great as well! Great advertising for the bakeries and very informative for con attendees.

The largest problem I had with the con was space, but again–completely understandable for a first annual event. In a post-event email, one of the organizers mentioned that next year’s event would span 2 days and be held at a larger venue… so it looks like this problem is already solved! As events grow and venues expand, having dependable safety coverage becomes even more important. Visit https://fastfirewatchguards.com to explore professional fire watch services that support smooth, well-managed events.

In the end, I had a wonderful time with my friends and at the con itself. The samples were amazing, the vendors were friendly, and my personal experience as press was very positive! I’d like to thank LA Cookie Con for a very fun Sunday, and I already look forward to next year’s event.

Whew! And that’s all she wrote.

I first heard about the LA Cookie Con & Sweets Show on the Food Bloggers of LA (FBLA) mailing list in September of last year… and to be honest, my curiosity was piqued, but it wasn’t something that I felt I absolutely couldn’t miss. I do love baking–very much so–but as I’ve said on here multiple times, I’m not overly fond of eating baked goods. One of the main draws on the initial emails mentioned a lot of free samples, and I figured that it was something my waistline probably didn’t need.

Another reason that initially held me back from attending was the convention’s newness. I’ve been to first annual events before (626 Night Market comes to mind) and–through no fault of their own–tend to be disorganized and overwhelmed with logistics they cannot anticipate prior to the date. This is not a new phenomenon, nor is it one that I unreasonably expect new organizations to avoid. There are no soft openings, no practice runs for conventions or expos. I still remember the vitriol spewed on the Yelp event page for 626 Night Market’s first year, and cringe.

With all of that said, I slowly came to see the light over the next few months–my coworkers at the bakery were attending (and excited to do so), and I continued to check on the website for updated information. And now that I’ve attended, I’m so very glad I did! Not only did I have a blast with my friends, but I also got to talk to a lot of the bakeries and businesses with booths. The experience was fun, educational and completely worthwhile. It was a little hairy at times–and I’ll get into that further below–but overall, I do think it was a great event and I already anticipate an even better con next year.

Before I begin: A Full Disclosure! I did get a VIP Press & Media pass for the event, so my experience is probably a little different than con attendees with regular passes.

A Sheepish Note: I tried to get business cards for every booth I took pictures of, but lost one of my bags with cards (and a cookie! Geez!) at the convention… so please let me know if I haven’t credited your booth and I will happily do so.

The Line Stops Here: We arrived at 9am anticipating a line–but had no idea that the line would wrap around the block an hour before the ribbon-cutting ceremony! The VIP/Press line was much shorter (it’s the line on the right), but since one of my friends had a regular pass we decided to wait in the longer line until we got close to the front. Once people were let into the convention center to register, they were then funneled back out through another door to the holding area to wait for the ribbon-cutting ceremony and subsequent start of the con.

Things were much more lax for VIP/Press passholders, or at least that was my experience. Once we were given our wristbands, we were more or less allowed to wait inside while awaiting the ribbon-cutting. There was a bit of confusion with the official staff  for the event and the Le Cordon Bleu students helping the event–when I asked if I needed to wait outside with the rest of the regular passholders, I heard 2-3 different things. My friend and I decided to wait indoors until the ceremony began, in fear of being herded into the back of the crowd. It looks like a lot of other VIP/Press passholders had the same idea, as there were a lot of people lounging around the registration area.

The Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony: Apparently the mayor was running behind (or so I heard from the various event staff with walkie-talkies), so the ribbon-cutting ceremony was 15 minutes later than initially advertised. Not a big deal for me, but I did feel kind of bad for the general passholders that were stuck waiting under the morning Pasadena sun.

A few pictures were taken with some of the Masterchef and Masterchef Junior contestants before Ron Ben-Israel made his appearance as the official ribbon-cutter. What a nice guy! He mingled right into the crowd, made small talk, and happily obliged with every picture request. When the official ceremony started, he jumped up and down and joked that “what happens here, stays here.” His infectious energy made everyone smile–and while I’m not as familiar with his show on the Food Network, I was similarly swept up by his excitement.

Welcome to the 1st annual LA Cookie Con & Sweets Show!

The Frenzy Begins! After Mr. Ben-Israel’s dramatic ribbon-cutting, we immediately jumped inside of the convention center in order to beat the crowds. [And boy, was I happy about that–as the day wore on, the crowds got more and more intense and pushy.] As soon as we walked through the doors onto the main convention floor, the smell of sweets and the promise of samples hung in the air. My normally no-sweets-preferring stomach rumbled in anticipation.

I really liked the way they set up the booths–there was ample space between each booth, and the aisles were spaced so that at least 5-7 people standing side-by-side could walk through comfortably. At the very beginning of the day, it felt un-cramped and quite spacious! The displays for each booth would vary–some were very well-staged, and others were quite bare-bones. There were a healthy mixture of booths at the convention: cookies, cakes, baker’s tools, baker’s ingredients, commercial booths (Keurig and Whole Foods come to mind), even wine tastings in the “VIP lounge”.

Some of the booths had displays and samples… but were only there for show and not for business, as they couldn’t sell any of their baked goods at the location. That was surprising to me–but this was the exception more than the norm.

And did I mention how beautiful some of the displays were?

Cake display by Caljava Online

Cake Pop display by Charlie Pops Organic Cake Pops

Samples, please! Every booth that was selling baked goods had samples–every one! I thought my tongue was going to go into sugar shock. After a while, I found myself wishing I had a way to rinse my palette because the flavors were starting to run into each other. Samples of cupcakes, sweet bread, cakes, cake pops, cake truffles, cookies, pastries… this was every dieter’s (and diabetic’s) nightmare. And every sample was so generous, too–I never felt jilted, nor did I ever feel guilty asking for a sample if they weren’t readily available. Every booth, every baker was so obliging and willing to chat.

Ensaymada samples from BakerCakeMaker

Oatmeal Toffee Cookie Samples from Jen & Joe’s Cookie Dough booth

But wait, there’s more! Yes, there’s a reason this post has a “Part 1” in its title. Look forward to more sweets, more treats and more rambling from yours truly about LA Cookie Con & Sweets Show in the next post. (There was simply too much to cover, and I’ve never been a fan of overly-long entries.) For now, here’s a snap from The Social Booth Co. that I took with my friends. Yes, I’m the glutton with the cupcake…

Courtesy of The Social Booth Co.

My mother and grandmother could only stay in the Philippines for ~10 days, so my father and I were left to our own devices after their early departure from Manila. He decided to take me to Tagaytay (tuh-GAI-tai), which is a highland city about an hour south of Manila. Tagaytay sits on a ridge at the edge of Taal Lake, which provides the city with gorgeous views of the volcano-formed island in the center as well as the other smaller islands clustered nearby. Because Tagaytay is at a higher elevation and is nowhere near as urbanized as Manila, it is treasured as an escape from the heat and hustle and bustle of the capital city. Many elite Filipinos own vacation houses or condos in Tagaytay, and I grew to understand why during the overnight stay with my father.

Our adventure started with a zig-zagged, rapidly descending road that sliced down the ridge from Tagaytay to the waters of Taal Lake. After some negotiation on my father’s part, we were led to our banca (a traditional boat outfitted with bamboo riggers) and our boat driver, who cheerfully greeted us and pulled up a plank to help us into the vessel. The next 15 minutes were spent in peaceful silence as our banca glided through the morning mist and skimmed on the water toward the volcano island.

Once we reached shore, we were escorted to a stable where we were assigned our own ponies. Luckily for me, we were also assigned guides that helped steer the ponies onto the correct winding path leading to the volcano’s mouth. As we slowly ascended, we noticed other tourists struggling with the heat, the dust and the steep climb… and the sight of them made me very, very grateful for the hard-working pony I sat upon! When we finally reached the summit, we were greeted by women selling fresh coconut juice for thirsty travelers. And… well, who am I to deny them my business?

The view of the crater lake was impressive, but a bit hazy because of the humidity and the sulfuric gas that was still steaming from underneath the lake. Yes, I did just say sulfuric gas. Taal Volcano is still active, and at certain points along the ride I saw volcanic vents that emitted smoke and the smell of rotten eggs. And unlike the crater lake at Mt. Pinatubo, access is limited to the lip of the volcano because of its current active status. It was a fun ride, but the heat made me grateful for the subsequent boat ride back to shore once we descended.

Unfortunately, the rest of the trip went downhill pretty fast once we returned to Orion–I won’t go into the details other than to say that having the untreated water here by accident is not a vacation for your digestive system. I was bedridden for two days, and so I missed out on the plans that we had made for the rest of the trip. But let’s not talk about the dangers of drinking the water in third-world countries by accident. Instead, let’s talk about how amazing the food in the Philippines is every time I visit!

Filipino food (to me) is like the Soul Food of Asia–packed with flavor and unabashed in its lack of healthier options. Even the dishes that aren’t fried are likely still packed with decadent ingredients like coconut milk, liver, and sugar. There are certainly foods in its repertoire that are less unhealthy than others, but I think that most of the ones that define Filipino cuisine are not going to break ground for being diet-friendly. I come to the Philippines armed with this knowledge and determined to eat with moderation. And yet, I usually leave the Philippines much heavier than when I arrived because I just can’t help myself–the food is too good!

Pork is probably what we’re best known for, and for good reason, as you can see above. With lechon baboy, the whole pig is slowly roasted over a charcoal fire with lower heat over many hours; this allows the skin to crisp evenly on all sides. While being roasted, the skin is basted with sauce to produce the most amazing, savory crunch. There really is nothing I’ve tried in any other cuisine that is equivalent to how damn good lechon baboy tastes when fresh off the spit–especially the skin, accompanied by a chewy layer of fat that melts over your tongue in a wave of umami sensation.

Lechon baboy is usually reserved for special occasions–the one I enjoyed in Orion was for my nephew’s birthday. But what if you’re craving that “this is so delicious I don’t care if I have a heart attack” flavor? Lechon kawali is pork belly that is simmered with flavors such as bay leaves and peppercorn, then deep fried and chopped into bite-sized pieces. (The picture is above the last.) I can feel my arteries hardening every time I eat lechon kawali, but it hurts so good!

Let’s not forget the other iconic pork dish of the Philippines–crispy pata, or deep-fried pork leg/knuckles! Yes, more deep-fried pork. Are you starting to see a trend here? I’ve seen both leg and knuckles used for this dish, but the more traditional meat used is pig knuckles. The knuckles are marinated overnight, then deep-fried and served with a soy-vinegar sauce. The result is tangy, savory and unreservedly delicious.

Or perhaps you’d like something unfried? This pig’s blood stew, or dinaguan, stews pork and pig offals such as tripe in pig’s blood spiced with chili, garlic and vinegar. Waste not, want not–all parts of a pig are delicious! Dinaguan is a popular meryenda or mid-day snack when paired with puto–a steamed rice cake, often topped with cheese or a salted egg. Don’t be off-set by the inclusion of offals in the stew (if you’re not already off-set by the inclusion of blood as a major ingredient!). I ended up gobbling down every piece of tripe by the end of the meal!

The bottom line: Filipinos do pork better than anybody. There, I said it, and I’m willing to stare anyone down that tries to prove me wrong!

Just because we elevate pork to the next level doesn’t mean that we aren’t equally adept at other proteins. Fish is the obvious example, as the Philippines is the largest archipelago in the world. And while each of these island regions has its own specialties, there are some that transcend regions and become staple dishes of the Philippines itself. One of these preparations is adobong pusit, or adobo-style squid. The small to medium-sized squid is cleaned and prepped, then sauteed with garlic, bay leaves, vinegar and soy sauce. As it is cooked, its ink is released, giving adobong pusit its trademark appearance. My mom’s cousin, or my second aunt, makes the best freakin’ adobong pusit I’ve ever eaten which is pictured above… right before I decimated half of the serving bowl!

I’m getting a little long-winded here, but I truly love the food in the Philippines. And even though I live in Southern California–which has the largest Filipino community outside of the Philippines itself–the food never tastes quite as good as it does back in the PI. And whenever I go back, my family is more than willing to reacquaint me with how delicious each specialty dish really is… which usually equates to a much heavier Kris on the return flight.

Family and food–through these two linchpins of my life, I feel like I have a direct connection to my heritage and therefore my culture. I know that at my very core, I am American in my thoughts, my preferences and my sensibilities. But my heart and my stomach are Filipino to the core, and I will always be grateful to my family for raising me this way.

I’ve been traveling quite a bit recently–and even that is probably an understatement. I was in Colorado for the holidays with my family for two weeks, back in LA for another two weeks… and then off on another adventure for the past three weeks! So you’ll have to forgive me for being quite truant in updating this poor site. Two-thirds of this most recent trip was spent in the Philippines with my parents and grandmother. Most of my previous trips to the PI have been for vacation purposes, with a minimal amount of time spent in the province my family hails from. This trip had more practical reasons, and so I spent much more time in our hometown than I have in the past. But that gave me much more perspective and background on my parents and their lives before I came along, as well as more quality time spent with my family in general.

Being the child of parents who leave their home country for the current one is being a child stuck between two cultures. I didn’t understand or I brushed it off when I was younger. But I feel it now, whenever I endure the prolonged silences between myself and other Filipinos. They are too embarrassed to speak in their accented English to me; I, in turn, am too mortified to attempt my elementary Tagalog with them. This is not the case for my family nor my family’s friends in the Philippines–most have traveled to the States at some point or have had excellent English education. But the vast majority of strangers, especially in my home province of Bataan, are a mystery to me.

With that said, I still enjoy the opportunity to visit my ancestral homeland. One of my favorite parts of this particular visit was hearing my parents’ stories about growing up in their hometown of Orion, then driving around the town and seeing those stories come to life. We attended mass at the church where my parents’ families have attended for decades, and a funny story about my father bubbled to the surface. (Apparently ‘making eyes’ at the girls in the church from the courtyard was a thing!) As we were going through the fine china from my mother’s childhood home, we found funny love letters from previous suitors. (And I read them aloud, to her dismay.)

Another highlight of my Philippine trip were the house-calls we made to my family that still lives in Orion. My mom and I referred to it as ‘making mano‘ trips, or paying our respects to our elders around the town. When I was younger, my mom would make these calls on her own while I would slide out of the responsibility and play with my cousins instead. But they are no chore for me now–actually, I enjoy them quite a bit! Family is everything to me, and I jump at the chance to spend more time with them regardless of how many ‘aunts removed’ we are. Regardless of how distant we are in relation, we are all family… which makes my family truly gigantic. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.

So what is it like–returning to my home province–from my American perspective? Well, the streets are narrow and congested with a healthy mix of tricycles, jeepneys, brave (or ignorant) pedestrians, and cars. Tricycles are motorcycles with a covered buggy attached, as seen above. Jeepneys are chrome buses that have been tricked out with garishly-colored designs ranging from names to anime characters to quotes. I mentioned pedestrians because you will often find people walking along the edges of the highways–yes, I said highways. There are lines on the road and signs posted detailing speed limit and various hazards, but these are all treated like suggestions and not laws. In short: I would never drive here. Never. But I am very grateful that my dad is a pro at managing the streets and highways!

What are the people like here? Earnest, friendly and very hard-working. Many of them have OFW’s (Overseas Filipino Workers) in their families that fly to locations all over the globe to support them. The amount of opportunities for people who stay in the province are quite limited depending on your social standing, and the amount that most Filipinos can make overseas easily trumps the domestic pay rate. When they find out you hail from the United States, they can be inquisitive to the point of intrusive! Honestly, I’m just happy to chat with them because most people are too nervous about speaking in English with me.

As I mentioned, I spent most of my time in Orion, Bataan with my family. But we also managed to visit a few interesting places by car! This vertigo-inducing cross is the Mount Samat National Shrine, made in honor of the Filipino and American soldiers that lost their lives during WWII. Yes, you can go to the top of the cross–if you’re willing to stand in a claustrophobic elevator that barely fits 6 grown adults for one heart-stopping minute!

We also took a day trip to Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, which is full of faithful reconstructions/rebuildings of Spanish-style Filipino mansions. Once you walked through the stone archway and onto the cobblestone streets, you felt instantly transported to the Spanish occupation of the Philippines in the 19th century. (With the exception of various modern conveniences, such as this motorcycle. Actually, I’m not sure if I was supposed to see this on the grounds or not!)

I think I’ll stop here for now, as I get the feeling this post is getting overly long. Next post: Hello Philippines, Part 2: Electric Boogaloo. Or, you know, just the second half.

I can’t believe I haven’t updated this site in almost 3 weeks! My apologies–if it is any consolation, these three weeks have been very, very busy. In less than 20 days, I’ve managed to be in San Francisco twice, coast along Highway 1 for ~400 miles, and move from one apartment to another. I’ve been equal parts stressed and exhausted for a lot of it–but beyond anything else, I am very grateful for the opportunities that allow me to lead such an interesting life! During the more hectic moments, exodus zooted zeries loud resin gummies have been a relaxing treat to help take the edge off and recharge. To optimize your moments of relaxation at home, you may consume high-quality cannabis recommended by CBD Ratings.

My brother moved to San Jose a few months ago from Boston, and the two of us decided to make our merry way up the Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1) instead of speeding up Interstate 5. Sure, it elongated our travel time by at least 3-4 hours–but we were richly rewarded with gorgeous coastal views and lifelong memories of our experiences together. And sure, I got a little carsick in Big Sur when weaving up and down the cliff–but it was worth it! Once-in-a-lifetime kind of worth it.

And then, after I got back with the pictures… my mom mentioned that driving along Highway 1 has always been on her bucket list. Well, far be it from me to deny my mama something she has always wanted to do.

There are then moments in life when quick decisions matter more than we realise. When I was dealing with a DUI accusation while on a road trip, the legal terminology alone was enough to make my head spin. But I came across https://www.newjerseycriminallawattorney.com/dui-drunk-driving/ and found everything laid out in plain terms, with resources that made the whole situation feel less overwhelming. That site became my go-to, not just for information, but for real support from professionals who cared.

On Friday morning–not even a week after James & I had moved into our new place–my mom and I set out for the adventure of the wide, open road. She was giddy at the idea of the trip and I was just happy to give her the chance to enjoy the views while I drove. From the gridlock of Santa Monica morning traffic to the wide open views of Malibu and its beaches… the smell of the sea in the wake of the rising sun was invigorating. Between the houses planted beachside, we saw glimpses of the limitless ocean and its deep, cobalt blue depths.

Unfortunately, the naval base in Ventura county just north of Malibu veers the path inland. But I was undeterred–because I had taken the trip with my brother earlier this year, I knew that a special treat was in store off of the 101 that my mom would enjoy.

Solvang is a quiet, beautiful town that has a singular claim to fame along Highway 1–it was founded by Danish settlers. This heritage became a tourist draw as they built their town center much like an Old World town in Denmark and filled it with bakeries, eateries, and wine. It’s kitschy for sure; but I can’t deny how fun it is to bring people here and gauge their reactions to the other-worldliness of the experience. My mom loved it, and kept commenting on how strange it was to drive in California and then–bam!–be in Denmark under a hot summer-like sun. We had breakfast at an (admittedly, unremarkable) café, then tried the Æbleskivers before hitting the road with pastries to go.

The next 100 miles were a bit boring unfortunately–I was worried about getting to Big Sur before the sun set and so I sped on the 101 instead of taking Highway 1. Mom was slightly disappointed, but I promised that we would take our time once we got to Morro Bay and beyond. Luckily, we had time to stop for lunch at San Luis Obispo before making the grand journey along Big Sur… and there, I had the tastiest tri-tip sandwich ever. Really, I’m not being hyperbolic. Smokey, flavorful dry-rub on the edges with a tender, chewy medium-well consistency, topped with sweet barbeque sauce and served on a crispy, light bun. Can I go again, please?

And then–we were off! After debating whether we wanted to visit the Hearst Castle or not (we decided not to in order to have more time along the coast), we reached Big Sur and all of her doubts about whether we had skipped too much of the coast were silenced. She was all smiles, and so was I. With every gorgeous new vista point, with every stop on the road for pictures… we felt re-energized, despite having been on the road for 6+ hours. Her joy at being able to experience the drive was better than coffee, and my exhaustion at packing and unpacking and moving and travelling over the last few weeks melted away. I was determined that she would enjoy this ride, despite her continued protests that she didn’t mind driving. And enjoy she did… which, by default, means I did as well.

I’m so happy that I was able to spend this time with my mom! We laughed about silly things, had some truly heartfelt talks and, in between, very companionable silences. I listened to the music on her iPod as she reminisced about where and when she was during each song; when her device ran out of batteries, I sang along to my music with abandon. She will always be my mom, but now that I’m older we get to be friends as well–so mushy, I know! But it is what it is. No matter how old I am, I will always think the world of my mama.

We were able to catch all of Big Sur up to Monterey Bay before the sunset–and after that, we ended up spending the rest of the weekend with my brother in San Francisco. (I’ll throw a big conglomerate post on the Bay City in the future since I’ve been up there so frequently!) Even though our time on Highway 1 was fleeting–no, I’m not waxing poetic, I really think it requires a few days to experience fully!–I know we both enjoyed the sights and company to the fullest.

Happy birthday, mama! I love you and I can’t wait to travel with you again… unless you throw my socks around like you did in Monterey. Have some respect for other people’s things. (HAHA just kidding. It’s me, how could I possibly end this post without being silly?)

Hello! I love bread, don’t you? It may not be the most diet-friendly food around… or easiest to make at times… but man, that first bite from a freshly baked loaf can’t be beat. My first post on here was about how baking bread isn’t as intimidating as you would think. And this post–well, normally I would list the recipe, but I can’t claim any kind of credit for it and will therefore kindly link you to Steamy Kitchen. Jaden’s step-by-step details on how to make French bread are what eased me into trying it in the first place. It is an absolute gem of a recipe that I use time and time again for a perfect loaf–and I can’t recommend it enough!

So what is the point of this entry, then? Well–I figured I would fill in the gaps from her recipe with pictures! The hardest part of this recipe was picturing how to do certain steps as an utter novice, so I figured I would take a few pictures of my process and hope they encourage others to give baking bread a shot. In the end, practice makes perfect–I don’t believe I’m anywhere near skilled at baking bread yet, but I do see marked improvement each time I bake. Hopefully you will find these pictures as helpful as I intend them to be!

Okay, gross–what is that? It looks like it… kneads something…

Yeah, I’ll stop now.

So the recipe calls for the bread to initially be mixed with a stand mixer before turning it out onto a lightly floured surface to work the last 1/4 cup (bread) flour into the dough. When you first turn it out, it will be sticky and kind of a pain to work with–this is normal! Just keep pouring a little bit of flour onto the top of the dough, press it in, then knead. How, you ask?

Fold the dough in half away from you (it will look like a taco laying down–see where the fold lies in the picture above?) then press with the heel of your palm. Continue to press around the fold and the dough surface until the fold is indistinguishable–then give the dough a quarter-turn (top becomes the right side, bottom becomes the left, etc.) and repeat. Continue doing this for another 5-7 minutes, until the dough is smooth and satiny; most importantly, the dough will be elastic. Pull the rough edges underneath the mound to form a ball and pinch the bottom together so it holds a ball shape, like so:

And now it’s time to let your ball of dough rise for its first leavening! Use non-stick spray (or rub butter or oil) on the inside of a larger bowl, then place your dough ball in the bowl, smooth-side up. Don’t forget to rub the ball around the bowl so that the oil/butter will coat the surface of the dough! After that, cover the bowl with a dish towel and set a timer for an hour. To speed up the process, you can place the dough near the oven.

After an hour has passed, you’ll see that the dough has doubled in size. Congratulations, your yeast is burping! Or producing gas as a by-product… same thing.

Quite the difference, isn’t it?

Divide the dough into two–we’re making two loaves. Leave one of the balls of dough underneath a dish towel to keep it from drying out. Stretch out the other piece of dough until it reaches ~1 foot in length. For an even loaf, I pull the dough until it is oblong, then roll it between my palms to keep the dough distribution even.

Once you have stretched the dough to an appropriate length, turn the dough to its ‘uglier’ side (whatever side reflects the rough edges that you initially folded underneath the ball, before its first rise) and chop the dough lengthwise down the center with your hand… no, really, like a karate chop!

This will cause a gap in the center of the dough. Fold one of the sides to slightly overlap the other and pinch to seal in the gas produced by the yeast from escaping. Sound confusing? Here’s a picture that hopefully illustrates what I’m talking about:

See how the ends are pinched into the center seam as well? This is probably one of the most important steps, as it makes the bread much less dense!

After you finish pinching the dough, turn it right-side up and cover it with a dish towel while you work on the other loaf. Once both are done, cover them with the towel and allow them to rise for another 30 minutes. In order to make the trip from the counter to the oven much easier, I slipped parchment paper underneath each loaf and would recommend you do the same! I then pre-heated the oven to 450ºF and placed my baking stone in the center rack to reach the same temperature as the oven.

SIDE NOTE: Have you ever wondered how they managed to get the crust so glossy and brown at professional bakeries? Well, the (not-so) secret trick to doing so is introducing a lot of steam in the oven right after you place the dough on the baking stone. This creates condensation on what will be the crust of the bread, which then caramelizes into that beautiful, golden color that you see in the top picture of this post.

You can achieve this look by either throwing water onto the floor of the oven then quickly closing the oven door, or tossing a few ice cubes onto the oven floor. Now, I think it’s important to address how dangerous or harmful this can be for your oven before I encourage you to do it. Please keep the following in mind:

• DO NOT throw the water onto your oven floor if you have electric coils at the bottom of your oven!
• DO NOT leave un-tempered material (such as glass or stone) in the oven then toss the liquid/ice cubes onto these materials. They will shatter instantly!

When I do this trick, I place the second oven rack at the lowest level then place a tempered shallow metal pan (like a cookie or jelly pan–NO non-stick material, as this trick will ruin it) onto the rack while preheating the oven. This allows me to have the steam that is essential to a more professional-looking loaf while not risking my safety or breaking my oven!

Okay, that was the longest side note ever. Back to the process!

When you’re ready to put the loaf in the oven, place four shallow diagonal cuts along the top of the loaf to let out any additional steam (I’m only using a chef’s knife because the rest of my knives are embarrassingly dull–use a paring knife to make sure the cut stays shallow). Ready your half cup of cold water/handful of ice cubes (if you’re following the trick I explained above), as you will need to move quickly to trap steam in your oven.

Once your oven is pre-heated, slide your loaf onto a pizza peel or a baking sheet (again, parchment paper makes this so much easier!), then open the oven and slide the bread into the baking stone. Now take your water/ice cubes and toss them onto the oven floor/tempered metal pan and shut the door quickly to trap the steam. And now, you play the waiting game until the bread is done. The recipe recommends 20-25 minutes, but every oven is unique–I would check after 15 minutes to make sure you don’t burn the crust.

(My oven strikes again–my second loaf ended up a little more brown than I wanted. It still tastes great though!)

Once you take the loaf out of the oven, allow it to cool completely before slicing into it; it will initially be hard on the surface, reminiscent of a baguette. But as it cools, the crust will soften and become much easier to cut. And ta-dah! You have baked your own bread. It wasn’t so bad, was it?

I usually store my bread in a sealed plastic bag for the first 2 days, then place in the fridge for up to a week after baking. In order to prevent it from becoming stale after a week, I slice the remaining loaves then freeze them until I need them. It lasts for up to 6 months in the freezer!

Anyhow, I know this was more of a blog post than a recipe, but I hope it was helpful! This recipe was the catalyst that spurred on my love for baking bread at home, and I hope it will have a similar effect on others as well. The amount of pride you feel when you see an artisan bread come from your own oven is indescribable… or maybe I’m just a baking nerd.

]]> https://umamiholiday.com/2013/10/22/french-bread-a-process/feed/ 0 553 https://umamiholiday.com/2013/08/06/626_night_market/ https://umamiholiday.com/2013/08/06/626_night_market/#comments Wed, 07 Aug 2013 00:31:24 +0000 http://umamiholiday.com/?p=362

When James and I visited Taiwan together in 2008, we spent nearly every night visiting night markets around Taipei. Endless rows of tents along narrow streets filled with clothes, knick-knacks and various electronic goods were flanked by food carts and vendors. In the more populated areas, the streets were wide enough to accommodate various street performers–singers, breakdancers, and sometimes martial arts demonstrations. And the brick-and-mortar stores and restaurants were always close by, making the night market a one-stop destination for any of your needs. I was hopelessly addicted to the shopping; James pointed out that I barely wore anything that I had packed and doubled my luggage weight in clothes on our return flight. I have to admit–I don’t own most of the clothes I bought in Taipei anymore. But I still carry the memory of the night market street food with me to this day.

626 Night Market began as an attempt to bring the buzz and energy of the Taipei night markets to Southern California in 2012. A group of volunteers gathered interest from nearby restaurants and shops, and the night market was titled ‘626’ to pay homage to the Pasadena area code. When I initially caught wind of the idea, I was surprised at the lack of interest shown online; I, by contrast, was practically glowing with excitement. I told everyone I knew about the event and counted down the days–anxious to relive the fantastic time I had experienced at the night markets in Taipei.

Apparently, everyone else and their mothers AND their fathers AND their second cousin from San Diego that happened to be visiting for the weekend AND… okay, you get the idea. A group of my friends & I got stuck in traffic a mile away from the night market location; when I saw the throngs of Asian-Americans congesting the streets, I got a sinking feeling in my stomach. That feeling became full-blown disappointment when we finally made our way to the night market perimeter and saw the crowds. People were so tightly packed that women had to hold their babies’ strollers above their heads to walk. Food stands were overwhelmed–the wait line averaged 30 minutes and most of them ran out of food in the first hour. When we tried to escape the zoning nightmare, it took another hour for the traffic to disperse. To say that I was disappointed would be a gross understatement–and when I checked the community response online, I saw that I was in the vast majority. Marketing Heaven sheds light on how social media reactions can quickly shape public perception, amplifying frustrations or support in real time.

Lucky for me (and the rest of the Southern California community), the organizers didn’t allow the negative press to get them down and instead focused on the staggering amount of traffic they generated. The words ‘night market’ were special to people of all ages and backgrounds; now that interest from the public was obvious, it would be easier to justify the profits to other vendors. The 626 Night Market moved its location from the smaller, restrictive blocks in Old Town Pasadena to the sprawling grounds at Santa Anita Racetrack and never looked back.

As a visitor to both the initial attempt at the night market last year and the most recent event on Sunday, I am truly amazed at how successful the night market has become in so short a time span. This is in no small part due to the extensive Chinese/Taiwanese-American community out here in SoCal–and true to the demographic, the majority of the food offered was Chinese/Taiwanese. The distinct (and delicious?) smell of stinky tofu greeted our nostrils as soon as we parked; my brother recoiled in disgust, but I was awash in nostalgia for Taipei. Scallion pancakes topped with egg, lamb skewers, grilled squid peppered with five-spice, milk tea, egg waffles…

Other Asian street food was represented as well, including Japanese okonomiyaki, Korean pancakes, Indonesian skewers, and Filipino balut. (Gross.) Very popular food trucks also made an appearance–LudoBites, The Grilled Cheese Truck, Kogi and BellyBombz are just a few of the trucks I remember off the top of my head.

The smells in the air were amazing, and despite being full we kept eating–kept being lured into the promise of another tasty bite by the smoke wafting in the air and through the tents. The lines were long at the time we arrived (7:30pm) but petered out after 9pm; probably the only benefit of going on Sunday since the market closed at 11pm. And it was crowded, but not to the point where I felt my movement was restricted. It was evident that everyone there, young and old, were just as excited at the prospect of a night market here in the States–as well as happy at the overabundance of good food in the immediate area.

A few artists and other areas of curio were spattered amongst the food stands, but the market was primarily geared towards eating–which made walking around a little less fun after stuffing myself on food. I would recommend going more than once in order to try a larger amount of the food offered; the entry fee is only $3, which is well worth the well-maintained grounds and variety of cuisine. The main issue that James and I had with the night market was that all of the food stands were representations of restaurants in the area that we have access to at any time–and because of that, I think that the night market might be more fun for people visiting from a different city or area. But that fact would never prevent me from going in the future with friends, because we still had a blast.

The real question, however, is this: how true is this American version of a night market to the original markets I experienced and cherished in Taipei? I don’t think I could fairly compare the two; night markets are a daily fixture of life in Taipei whereas the 626 Night Market is a monthly festival held over the summer in Arcadia. I’m excited to see how 626 Night Market will grow in the coming years, and hoping that it inspires other metro cities around the country to follow suit–maybe one day night markets will no longer be a novelty, but just another aspect of daily life…? (A little far-fetched, but I can dream!)

One of my favorite aspects of living in Los Angeles (well, possibly the BEST aspect, if we’re going to be completely honest with each other) is the abundance of street food. Many countries around the world are defined by their street food–the United States is hardly an exception to this rule (see: hot dogs). I can hardly claim that Los Angeles has the most unique street food, as San Francisco and New York City can certainly give LA a run for its money nowadays. But in my mind, Los Angeles is the mecca of the modern movement–food trucks. When Kogi became enormously popular due to its unique twist on a standard taco truck in 2009, the idea took the country by storm. Imitators were quick to follow; but the novel idea of a ‘restaurant on wheels’, which had been overlooked in the past, jump-started the imagination of many creative chefs. Suddenly, people with great restaurant concepts but without the resources to afford a brick & mortar establishment could follow the ‘Kogi formula’ and achieve popularity. Trucks specializing in grilled cheese sandwiches, waffles, sushi and more were popping up all over the city–and like that, a city-wide (and eventually nation-wide) trend was born.

Even before we moved away from Denver in 2011, food trucks were already permeating the Mile High culture and becoming a familiar part of the cityscape. I remember chasing trucks by following Twitter on the Denver streets, trying to drum up excitement in my group of friends and squealing at each new food truck. Nowadays, food trucks are so ubiquitous around LA that they are a given: food trucks line up in front of LACMA, Mid-Wilshire, on weekdays; the Kogi Roja truck parks in Little Osaka on Sawtelle during Thursday nights. First Fridays on Abbot-Kinney in Venice, the ArtWalk in downtown LA, outdoor cinemas during the summer… where there is an open-air event, food trucks are expected and planned upon.

“Not so excited about food trucks around LA anymore, huh?” my friends ask with a smile.

I think this city has spoiled me rotten with its abundance of fantastic food trucks.

But this isn’t just about the trucks; the excellent quality of the food trucks here became a gateway ‘drug’ of sorts that hooked me into trying other types of street food. I used to be mildly fond of tacos before I moved here… now I’m an addict that considers the after-2 a.m. taco truck trip (say that five times fast!) an integral part of any night out in LA. I eat bacon-wrapped hot dogs off of questionable metal trays cooked on a cart without a permit in sight. Regardless of your financial situation–even if you’re down to the last $5 in your wallet–you can eat a damn good meal almost anywhere in Los Angeles thanks to street food.

Whether it’s a $12 gourmet lobster roll or a $1 beef tongue (lengua) taco, I can always satiate any craving I have on the streets of LA. And so, if you ever stop by–I highly encourage you to check out the Find LA Food Trucks website and try a truck or two nearby. Or if you’re open to becoming as addicted to street tacos as I am, The Great Taco Hunt is a great place to start (the blogger stopped updating in March of 2013, but it’s still a monster resource on taco trucks in the SoCal area). Even if you don’t live in LA or won’t be visiting in the foreseeable future, seek out food truck events in your local area. Support the culture so that new chefs with kick-ass ideas will continue to see the profit in starting trucks of their own, even after the trend has faded. Stuffing your face with tasty food on a street corner is probably one of the best ways to sacrifice your time while helping a creative entrepreneur, wouldn’t you agree?

WARNING: This post is much more talk and picture heavy than the last. Just so you know.

My brother’s promotion/pinning ceremony was on Tuesday, June 18–the real reason any of us were in Boston, period. Thankfully, everything went off without a hitch and now I guess I can call my brother ‘Captain’  if I want to. (Fat chance, since I’m his older sister.) Anyhow, I’m very proud of him and always will be. Congratulations, Captain Joel!

The next two days were an absolute blur. My grandmother and mother were determined to see the Boston Museum of Fine Arts  before they flew out later that day, so we took the Red Line on the T from Davis Square to Park St, then the Green Line to the MFA stop. Luckily, my friend Kenny stepped in like the boss that he is and comped our tickets as an MFA employee. (Thanks again!) Because I was worried about how easily my grandmother might tire as well as their impending flight time, we focused on two areas only: the Samurai! exhibit, and the European Art wing. Still a substantial amount of information to process in 3 hours, but we did the best we could! Some highlights:

I’ve been to the MFA before (in 2009), but I never tire of the history and artifacts housed within its walls. The last time I went, I think I spent… a good 6-8 hours there and still felt as if I had more to look at. Truly worth a visit if you happen to be in Boston. (My favorite artwork is housed in the European Art wing in the French Impressionists room. Monét’s various sets of nature at different times during the day… breathtaking.)

My parents flew out later that night, leaving me and my brother to our own devices for another day. Beer o’clock, anyone?

I’m so glad that we were able to have a low-key night–beer, pub food, and the Stanley Cup Finals–but even more glad that we went to the Harpoon Brewery Tour the next morning. Joel’s friends are nerdy, hilarious and fun–they made a good tour even better. And you really can’t improve much on a tour that designates 15-20 minutes for hanging out in a tap room full of beer. All-you-can-drink? Don’t mind if we do!Anyhow, I’m really glad that they weren’t freaked out by my paparazzo tendencies. I managed to get some great candid shots! (Obviously not the one below, of course).

We managed to cram a lot of eating into the few short hours prior to my plane’s departure as well. Harpoon Brewery served soft pretzels with a long list of sauce choices. Mine was a little too salty and burned at the bottom, sadly–but it photographs well:

We then blazed over to Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) for a halal chicken and rice food truck. Joel knew how crazy I was about the Halal cart in NYC and was adamant about taking me here before I flew out. Isn’t he awesome?

The Verdict: It staved off the big hole in my heart that is shaped like Halal Chicken and Rice for now, but still cannot compare. But the service is friendly and the food is fast, so for a day drinker like me at the time–it was perfect!

Speaking of day drinking… ugh. Why do I always forget how miserable it makes me to fight off the inevitable mid-day nap, then evening hangover that always follows? You think that I’d be wiser in my late twenties, but that’s definitely not the case. Even though I was groggy and my flight was inching ever-closer, I was determined to bring food for myself onto the plane for the trip back to LA. If I was going to spend money on dinner, better it be at a local delicious spot than yucky airplane food.

Enter Dave’s Fresh Pasta–just one of many delicious small businesses that practically saturate the suburbs of Boston. I was unable to order said pasta because I loathed the idea of carrying a bowl around the airport, but they had a separate sandwich menu; I ordered a prosciutto and fig sandwich with buffalo mozzarella on focaccia bread. And of all the things I should’ve taken a picture of… but alas, I ate the sandwich too quickly! You will have to do with the menu of sandwich selections:

By the time I left Boston, my hangover had finally subsided and I was full of delicious sandwich. I doubt this will be the last time I visit this fantastic city–but it might be for a while, since my brother is moving to Sunnyvale in a month. However, as much as I loved my time in Boston… I was terribly relieved to be home as soon as I stepped outside of LAX and felt the hot, muggy air fill my senses. The police sirens in the distance, the honking of the taxis, the multitude of languages every which way you turn; it is the opposite of relaxing, but for me–it’s ‘welcome home!’ (Also: screw you, learn how to drive, HONK HONK. Haha. Oh, Los Angeles. You’re the best!)

I’m in Bah-stun right now.

Err, I mean Boston. Same thing?

My brother has been stationed here at the Air Force base near Boston for the past four years and is getting promoted to Captain tomorrow. To commemorate the occasion, my immediate family and I flew out to spend a few days with him. We arrived on Saturday night, and the past two days have been a whirlwind of activity: late night eats at Chinatown, mass at a historical Catholic church, and more. I miss being with my husband, but I really treasure any time I get with my family–especially because we’re in different areas of the world most of the year.

Boston is worlds apart from Los Angeles, and not just because of the obvious distance: the architecture, the illustrious history, and especially the people are so different that it might as well be a different country. My heart will always belong to LA and SoCal living, but Boston is a fantastic place to visit. As an (adopted) Angeleno, my favorite part of Boston is its compact size… well, compact compared to the LA sprawl, that is. Being able to get just about anywhere worth getting to on the T, easily walking from one area to the next, the narrow streets, the winding paths… I just love it. And everything here is so full of history–it confronts you at almost every corner of the city, both in the obvious guise of the costumed walking tour guides and in the uneven cobblestones laid on the street. I’ve been fortunate enough to stay with my brother and visit him here at least three other times, and I have never run out of things to do or places to see.

So far, we haven’t really eaten at places of note in Boston; we have so many things to do that waiting in line for a renowned restaurant or eatery would just eat up time. But we’ve managed to hop around to Chinatown, Davis Square, North End, and Union Square for eats so far. I’ve been trying to take pictures of the places that we’ve been eating at, but I’m finding that my nascent photography skills are woefully inadequate–also, jumping back 5 feet to get a good shot with my 50mm in a restaurant is definitely not something my family appreciates. If anything, trying to wander around this city while taking pictures is just convincing me that I need a 35mm! And I know I look like a total crazy-pants when I kneel to the ground just to get a good perspective. The Kris of 15 years ago would have cringed in embarrassment. The present one, however, is having way too much fun.

Hopefully I’ll have more food photos to show you all when I post again on Thursday. Until then, here are a few more pictures of my experience so far in Beantown. Have a great week!