I’m a sucker for sweet treats, such as homemade cakes, tarts, and pies. If I want to whip up something new, I practice until my brain surrenders. Lately, l have been on a mission to perfect my carrot cake and l finally succeeded. For years, carrot cake was not on my list of favorites. The […]
Wendy Chan
Posted inEat + Drink
Watercress Dumplings for Homesickness
I grew up in Southern China, where watercress was a familiar vegetable in my youth. My mom often used them when making soup with herbs. According to Chinese folk remedies, the soup helps cool one in the heat and detoxify. Watercress soup was a staple in many Cantonese households when the weather was hot and […]
Posted inEat + Drink
Grandpa’s Gifts
As the autumn wind quietly flies by and the leaves slowly drift down, the ground looks like a fall blanket. Fall is the season of nostalgia. It brings me back to my childhood in China. I can still see the endless golden rice fields and the sweat of hardworking villagers, and hear the laughter of […]
Posted inEat + Drink
Chocolate Tart Renovation
After 22 years, we finally renovated our kitchen. Refinishing our cabinets and removing the old countertops was a fun project for our family. During this process, our kitchen has been a semi-functioning mess: cabinets covered with plastic wrap, cookware on the dining table and a bare countertop. Luckily my sink and stove were still hooked […]
Posted inEat + Drink
Buddha’s Fists in Chicken Coops
Chayote, or Buddha’s fists squash as we call it in Chinese, is a thin-skinned squash. Some are smooth and others are prickly. I’m ecstatic to share some of my harvest this year and have given over a dozen of the sprouted squash for friends to plant next year. Chayote is a prolific producer in Humboldt. […]
Posted inEat + Drink
Young Pumpkin, Little Jewel of Fall
Fall, my favorite season of all — the abundance of fresh vegetables and fruits, the joy of celebrating the Harvest Moon, and the brilliant sunsets in the still warm evenings. This fall, I’m extra happy because my parents have come to visit. I have been busy in the kitchen with my mom experimenting with few […]
Posted inEat + Drink
Stuffed Wild Morels
Spring is here and seasonal mushrooms are popping up everywhere, including morels, some of my favorites. I first tried these tasty mushrooms not too long ago. Once I found out how pricey they could be, l knew why I had never heard of them before. I had to look up what they’re called in Chinese: […]
Posted inEat + Drink
Rice is Life
For many Asian people, rice is a staple in their diet. We often say, “Rice is life.” Many older Chinese still greet each other with, “Have you eaten rice yet?” I like my rice steamed, fried, braised, in soup or sweetened in a dessert. Lately, l have been trying to eat healthier by adding brown, […]
Posted inEat + Drink
Bacon in the Wind
With the chilly wind and soft sunlight spreading over the first week of March, l thought to myself, “What a good time to cure some lap yuk!” While lap yuk, or Chinese bacon, is made from pork belly, there are many types of cured meat from different regions in China, such as pork shoulder, chicken, […]
Posted inEat + Drink
Golden Almond Cookies
Chinese New Year is coming up Feb. 1. While we are busy getting the house cleaned up, buying ingredients to make traditional snacks and cooking a feast for family, making almond cookies as gifts is another way to celebrate. Classic almond cookies, round and golden like coins, symbolize good fortune. They are more popular during […]
Posted inEat + Drink
A Crab Feast, Lo Mein Style
Crab season has arrived as scheduled, and the catch is quite meaty this year. For some, having crab for Christmas is a wholesome tradition. For me, I can’t picture myself picking stray crab meat out of my Christmas table decorations after I spend so much time setting them up nicely, ha ha! However, I don’t […]
Posted inEat + Drink
Magnificent Matsutake Mushrooms
As soon as the wet late autumn steps in, my excitement for wild mushrooms grows. When I receive texts or calls from my mushroom foraging friends, I feel like a child on Christmas morning. I’m so grateful to live on the North Coast with its beautiful surroundings, great weather and so much food you can […]