Strawberry cupcakes

adapted from Martha Steward's site, Strawberry cupcakes was my baking project this weekend.


what you'll need:

200gr flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla powder

120gr fresh strawberries (or frozen if not in season)
55gr milk
1 teaspoon strawberry extract.

115gr unsalted butter
150gr sugar
1 egg
2 eggwhite

preheat oven at 350 F

mix first 4 ingredients.

wash and dry berries with paper towels.


puree berries, i used hand blender.


mix 90 gr of berry puree with milk and strawberry extract. save leftover puree for icing.


cream butter until fluffy


add sugar to butter and beat until fluffy.


add egg and whites


beat until just blend


add 1/2 flour


beat until just blend


add strawberry milk


beat until just blend


add remaining flour


beat until just blend


line muffin pan with paper cups


spoon batter in to cups, i prefer piping since batter is thick.


bake for 20 -25 minutes, inserted toothpick should come out clean.


let cool on rack completely before spreading icing.

Strawberry icing (just enough for 12 cupcake, double recipe if prefer extra icing)

115gr butter
pinch of salt
175gr powder sugar
1 and half table spoons strawberry puree
a few drops of strawberry extract

cream butter with salt and powder sugar until fluffy, i used hand blender for this but food processor or mixer will do.


add berry puree and extract, blend well.


spread icing on cake. i sprinkled the top with pink peppercorn skin flakes.

Bissap Baobab

a congratulation/going away party for another one who's moving on to happier things... we went to Bissap Baobab, an African/Senegalese restaurant in the mission. the restaurant was still empty when we got there since it was still early on a friday night. the staff were super friendly and laid back. the interior is colorful and relaxing, here's the pic...


most of us had the hibiscus margarita...


and i had the edibe which is mango rum and cranberry??? anyway it was delish...


we shared the appetizers, the beef empanadas (it tastes and looks like empanadas but i forgot the name), very good.



crab cakes, i like this ok.


potato croquette (i think) with avocado dipping, tasty.


for entree, i ordered the shrimps brochette with couscous and vegetable stew, it was good...


i like the place, the food was good/easy but not as different as i thought it would be... and the price was good... it was fun for me. the place was kind of hopping by the time we left...

http://www.bissapbaobab.com/main.html

Shanghai House

my friends from work reccommend this place for its famous dumplings and off we went on wednesday night for dinner. it's a small restaurant in the outer richmond. the interior is clean and stark and the restaurant was almost full this wednesday night. the service was timely and here's what we had...

the Korean style onion pancakes, i like this dish - very simple and pure.


next is the famous bouillon dumplings, very delicate, 1st time for me and i like the dumplings with just a drop of bouillon inside.


the stir fry rice cake, my friend told me that this is a traditional new year dish, i like it ok, a little bland for my taste...


stir fry pickled vegetable, i couldn't find/taste any pickled vegetable, it must be very delicate tasting! there was mostly edamame and tofu skin which i like. Again, it was bland tasting to me.


the deep fry spareribs, i like this dish. it was a bit more tasty that the previous 2 but a bit dry.


this is my first time having Shanghai food. when it comes to Chinese food, i have eaten mostly fast food and got used to the taste - lots of sweet in the savory, oil, garlic.... the food here at Shanghai House supposed to be very good but it was something i am not used to. i will go back and try other dishes, second time the charm??? oh, the price is very good, $11 each (4 of us) including tip.

Shanghai House
3641 Balboa
San Francisco 94121
415.831.9288

Dimsum at Koi Palace

I heard so much about Koi Palace in Daly city and here we were... we got there around noon on Saturday and it was so busy at the restaurant. Most of the people who come here are chinese from all over the bay area... this is my first time here so i was expecting exceptional dimsum. we got a number and were standing around waiting to be called... about one and half hrs later (around 1:30pm.) we got a table. i was famish!

all the dimsum were very good... we had the steamed stuffed tofu skin, dry scallop dumplings, shrimps in steamed rice crepe, char siu (bbq pork) in steamed rice crepe, shrimp dumplings (ha cao), chinese crunchy donut in steamed rice crepe, shark fin dumpling soup, char siu steamed buns, soft tofu with ginger sugar syrup.... i think that's everything... oh, and 1 order of the chicken feet, i did not try. i didn't have my camera with me so no photos this time but everything was pretty and tasty. i have dimsum a few times in San Francisco but many dishes here were 1st time for me. and it was inexpensive too... i thought it was going to be at least $40 per person but it was $16 including 20% tip. i enjoyed the food but the wait was a bit gruesome for me...

http://www.koipalace.com/

Rose Macarons

Think pink! Using the same recipe as Lavender Macarons, i substitute the extract with rose extract, tint everything pink.... and voila....

My first dinner Party

for a friend from work who's relocating to the east coast, i did a small dinner to send her off properly... here's what we had

my mini bar


i decided to serve passion fruit cosmo... the recipe: 1 part vodka (i used Ciroc brand), 1/2 part triple sec, 1/2 part fresh lime juice, 1/2 part passion fruit nectar... Shake with ice, strain and voila...


first course, crab toast served with baby spring mix and orange. i made up the recipe: crab meat, parmesan, mozzerella, diced red bell, thinly slice chive, crushed pink peppercorns. mix and mount over butter/chive toast, pop in oven for 10-15 minutes at 375F. Mix green salad toss with orange segments and your favorite dressing. done!


second course, corn soup. cook sliced fresh corn in chicken broth (i prefer shrimp broth but since i made small quantity, i used store bought chicken broth to simplify). season with salt if need, puree with hand blender. bring to a boil and add cream when ready to serve. sprinkle with thinly sliced chive and crushed pink peppercorns.


third, beef stew. sprinkle beef with pepper and flour, brown in hot oil. sautee diced onion, carrot and celery until fragrant, add beef back in. add 1/2 part beef broth and 1/2 red wine, bunched thyme and rosemary, bring to a simmer and keep simmering at low for a few hrs until the beef is tender (depending on what cut of meat you use, cooking time will be different). brown 1/2" diagonal sliced carrot and pearl onion in hot oil (seperately). add to stew when beef is tender. add cream at butter (optional) when ready to serve. sprinkle with thinly sliced chive and crushed pink peppercorns.


dessert, summer berry crisp. i used blue, black and raspberries. serve with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.

use any of your favorite crisp recipe and any kind of seasonal fruits. i used flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and sliced almond for the crumb.


dinner table afterward

South Park Cafe

Lunch on friday with friends at South Park cafe, it was a beautiful sunny day, we decided to take an extra long break for lunch. South Park cafe is in South Park, a small park only 1 block long and 1/2 block wide but it is an oasis in this part of town.


the food ordering and payment take place at the front counter, the counter host will give out the ordered drinks, silverware and the number of the order for you to take back to your table. Food will be brought to your table shortly. it's very efficient and smoothly operated little cafe, sort of semi self-service. there was only 1 counter host who takes care of the ordering/drink/payment and the other person on the floor would bring the food to the tables and clean tables afterward - sort of a waiter/busboy combination.


i had the croque monsieur that came green salad and lentil. the salad here was special - there was some kind of wild baby spinach (green leaves with purplely veins) that was very tasty??? i also ordered fries and a glass of sancere. the sancere here is always excelent, not too dry with just a whisper of fruitiness... easily one of my favorite places for lunch.

coconut macaroons

looking for something easier to bake this week - coconut macaroons it is! this recipe was adapted from Nigella Lawson's book - Domestic Goddess.


400gr sweetened coconut flakes
80gr sugar
80gr ground almond
4 eggwhites
pinch of salt
pinch of cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

preheat oven at 325F

beat eggwhites with salt for 20 seconds. add cream of tartar, beat at medium speed for another 20 seconds. add sugar gradually, beat for 1 minute. increase speed to high and beat until stiff peaks - about 2 more minutes.


add coconut flakes, almond and vanilla to meringue at once, mix with a spoon until everything is combined.


scoop coconut mixture on to parchment lined cookie sheets - i used 2 inch diameter scoop.


bake for about 20 minutes or until the bottom edge of cookies start to turn golden.