martes, octubre 25, 2005

Tarte Bourdalou from Provence, France













I decided it's been too long since I last posted anything. So while waiting for my next inkling, here's a picture of a dessert presented to me as a surprise in July when I was in Marseille. This wonderful cream-mousse tart is completely heavenly. The outer layer has a nice elasticity with a caramel and almond flavor. And when you bite into the center, it's a fluffy and light texture with a contrast to the bottom crust. A specialty from the Provence region in southern France.

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viernes, octubre 07, 2005

Tea, glorious tea



My recent fascination with tea brought me a few discoveries in Hong Kong. In search for the perfect tea, I went from tea shops to tea shops, trying to find a few favorites that I could bring back to Barcelona. A few sessions of tea sampling and having the courteous assistants explaining each tea type and its health benefits, I narrowed down to the two that I really like: -- Pi Lo Chun and Dragon Phoenix Pearl tea.

Pi Lo Chun (or biluochun) translates as "green snail spring" in reference to this tea's distinctive spiral-shaped leaves. This green tea hails from the Fujian province of China and is produced in the short span of time between the Spring Equinox (end of March) and Clear Brightness (early April).

Dragon Phoenix Pearl are jasmine-infused "pearls" that are intricately made up of two delicate leaves and an unopened bud. This Oolong tea is also from the Fujian province (my maternal grandparents' homeland). Infused with the night-blooming jasmine flowers, these pearls majestically unfurl when hot water is added, slowly releasing their delicate scent and flavor. They're really pretty to look at too!

Chinese teas are best taken after lunch as it has digestive and grease-busting effects. Check out these teas if you're a tea lover or just for curiosity's sake. These are a little pricey but for the quality and taste, it's well worth the while.

*Information on tea adapted from Adagio Tea.

miércoles, octubre 05, 2005

Homemade Gazpacho Andaluz

[Healthy Liquid Salad of Southern Spain]

I just translated this recipe for my mum and here´s sharing with you. This was the first thing that Flavia, my friend Elsa's mum, taught me in her tiny kitchen of her ubran apartment right in the heart of Barcelona the first time I visited the city. It's the first spanish thing I learned to whip up. A great way to add up your veggie portions of the day and it's really easy to make.

Gazpacho Andaluz

5 medium cucumbers. Peel skin and remove seeds
8 red tomatoes medium. Do not remove skin.
0.5 red pepper (capcicum) skin removed.
1 clove of garlic. center core removed.
0.5 medium onion
0.5 tiny slice of bread to thicken soup
a little less than 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 o 2 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup of water
salt to taste

Blend everything and chill well before serving. Stays good for 2 or 3 days in the fridge.

To serve: garnish with tiny bits of cucumber, tomatoes, onions, red pepper and cuotons if you like. You can present them on a plate. it looks pretty with all the different colors and texture and let your guests do the garnishing themselves.

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sábado, octubre 01, 2005

Lost in Hong Kong

Here's an email I sent to my friends in Barcelona while vacationing in Hong Kong this July:

Hola a todas!! Ahorita estoy en un horno grande aqui en el centro de Hong Kong. La temperatura ha sido 34c, con humididad super alta. Todo el mundo le encanta estar en los edificios con aire condiciona. Menos mal vivo en un piso con aire condiciona 24h, si no sera insorpotable. Aqui es "shop, shop, shop till you drop." Realmente hay un monton de tiendas de moda. De hecho milliones y no sera posible acabarlas. Aunque los precios no son tan bajos que imaginaba, la variedad que ofrece es increible. (Think Japanese and Korean fashion...colorful, wild, and everything...not the typical zara mango stuff). A partir de la temperatura, tampoco puedo soporta la existencia de tanta gente aqui en la ciudad. It's jam packed. SERIOUSLY. A big sea of people. it's PEOPLE EVERYWHERE and i feel super SUFFOCATED.

No he hecho realmente actividades turistas pero cuando llegue mi hermano phil proximo miercoles, podremos hacerlas juntos. Tengo 2 amigas cercas de aqui que las conoci en la universidad. Hemos tenido "tiempo de calidad" conjuntos(quality time?). Fuimos a cenar, salir de noche, terapia de masaje, etc. Con mi "childhood friend" Darren que ha traslado a HK de Singapur para su trabajo, tuvemos "fiesta de pijama".... hablamos hasta la madrugada recordamos de las cosas de nuestra tierra y ninez. It was so funny and fun!

Manana (jueves) me voy a Seoul, Korea del Sur para la boda de mi amigo Justin. Volvere domingo por la tarde y pienso que mis pilas habran cargado para mas "caza de gangas" (bargain-hunting??). Hasta pronto