Kinkan no Kanroni: Candied Kumquats
Kumquats, sour citrus the size of a grape, are candied in a simple syrup to create dark orange jewels.
Profile
missmochi
I write about my cooking adventures in my blog, Miss Mochi's Adventures. I am a part Japanese, part American Indian, part white girl who loves to cook and use her heritage and upbringing to inspire her. I love canning, baking, and Japanese cooking.
- Website
- Location: Yorba Linda, CA
- Favorite foods: mochi, margherita pizza, ranch dressing, pickled garlic
- Last bite on earth: I'm a weird snacker, so my luck it would be something embarrassing like peanut butter and dried apricots washed down with some pickles. But if I could chose, a mind blowingly crisp thin crust pizza with lots of basil, followed by kare-don or mabo tofu
Ask The Food Lab: Is It OK To Probe My Meat?
A wonderful person got me a thermapen as a gift, and it is amazing. I was in charge of way too many dishes for Thanksgiving, my oven nearly died, and it saved my hide from the wrath of my mother if I brought over dishes still cool in the middle.
Got Extra Popeye's Biscuits? Save'em For Breakfast Sandwiches
@monopod I find it funny that here in So Cal, barbecue usually means grilling burgers and hot dogs. To my family, barbecue usually means slow smoking just about every choice meat they can get their hands on. You have no clue how cheated my brother felt being invited to a barbecue and asked if he wanted a hot dog or burger (he was expecting ribs, tri tip, brisket...)
My manager (not native to So Cal) got mad at her roommate once, telling her to stop inviting people over for a barbecue, because they weren't serving barbecue, they were grilling burgers! We all laughed at her and explained the regional quirks.
Actually on topic: I love biscuits.
What dish best represents the food of your region?
@Bezerkeley That made me burst out laughing. As a Cali native, I'm sure I've seen that exact dish on a menu somewhere, verbatim probably.
I'm from Southern Cali, so I'd probably say the California burrito. Only we would take a carne asada burrito, make it weigh several pounds and stuff fresh avocado and french fries in it.
Tipping from a server's point of view.
@tea-and-syncope: That set up would be very confusing to me as a customer, since you take orders from the table as well as refill drinks for people, yet we originally place our orders at a counter and seat ourselves.
Kinda like how Carl's Jr. here in California brings your food to you, even though it's fastfood, you order at the counter and they give you a table marker. I wouldn't consider tipping them like I would a server. So if I didn't get a refill or want dessert, it would almost be the same set-up as Carl's Jr. But I'd feel horrible if you made less than minimum because of ignorance!
Favorite Japanese Food?
I obviously love mochi. A little too much. I also crave a fresh okaka onigiri with a nice tidy pile of tsukemono. Sashimi and shabu shabu always seem like celebration foods, but a big fat rice ball and some pickles is something grandma would give me for a snack after school, and whenever I'm down in the dumps or feeling nostalgic it's my go-to pick me up.
This Week at Serious Eats World Headquarters
Kenji's face in the picture captioned "Everybody, dig in" looks like he's about to rape and pillage that spread, or maybe attack it. I can't blame him, just looking at it makes me hungry.
In Our Community Corner: Meet Devany Lister Aley (aka: MissMochi)
You guys are so sweet!
@omnomnom I know there's tons of suggestions on where to go on SE. I'm horrible about eating out on vacation, especially when there's snorkeling to be done. I ate mostly inarizushi, musubis, and mochi from the beach side stands and the grocery stores. Nonetheless, I would urge you to go outside the luaus and get a spam and eggs breakfast plate.
And @Justin H, I love the gaslamp district and SD in general, but I live actually in North OC, so SD is much much more of a drive than up to LA. Plus since I went to UCLA, it's a second home. I don't make it down to SD as much as I'd like, and would be a horrible tour guide.
Food Ignorance Frustration
Gotta say I went to a university with some reputation (according to the Times World University Ranking it's in the top ten) and the closest we got to Pho would be Top Ramen in our door rooms. I remember people raved about sushi night at the cafeteria and it was definitely about par with the grocery store's offerings, with tons of mayo on it.
Cafeterias have about 3 requirements: A) Cheap B) Easy to make in large batches C) Tasty enough no one riots. We could debate what authenticity means in cuisine to the end of time, but cafeteria food is not the place I would start.
growing herbs... I'm torn!?!
My dog once ate about 15 shiso seedlings when she had an upset stomach. I wandered over to water them, and it was like the scene in Alice in Wonderland with the Walrus and the Carpenter, when the carpenter goes looking for the oysters:
"Little Shiso? Little Shiso?"
She had eaten them, every one.
This Week at Serious Eats World Headquarters
The last part of the first caption is GOLD.
Your Experience of Time While Cooking
I think it depends on the recipe. I am horrible about doing dishes... so often I procrastinate staring at a pile of dishes for hours. I guess you can say then that time drags in the kitchen.
Check Out the Winners of Our 2013 Pi Day Baking Contest!
Lol mgnnn I was wondering the same thing, I thought perhaps the black forest cake was connected to some wrongdoing or notorious event (did Hitler crave them?) but couldn't find anything particularly evil about them.
'Sides they are freakin' delish and the amount of calories ingested.
Lunch in the Loop: Osaka Express
"I had to warn her about my strange habit of buying a sh*tload of lunch, sitting in the corner with my camera, and taking pictures of the food while telling it to look sexy."
Made my day
Cook the Book: 'The Chinese Takeout Cookbook'
Honey Walnut Shrimp
More Spam (not the edible kind)
I got so excited until you said "not the edible kind"
Staff Picks: Our Best Cheap Eats in New York
Yay for the 50/50 Arnold Palmer love!
No More Posts (again)
All of a sudden it works again (for me anyways). Perhaps they are fixing it, and just not responding to this thread?
Want Real Eggs at McDonald's? Just Ask!
The only thing I could think of is why anyone would order breakfast with a coke, as shown on the receipt.
Snapshots from Hong Kong: Breakfast at Hokkaido Dairy Farm Milk Restaurant
"ME WANTY...TO GIVE YOU THE JOY OF THE DRIZZLE!"
Please someone dub this over cheesy 70's porn.
On a serious note, I love condensed milk, and I must make the peanut butter french toast, like now.
No More Posts (again)
This just happened to me. Oh Noes!
Secret Menu's
Mr. Nick, I texted her to ask since I forgot, and it's called a Cap'n Crunch Frapp.
http://starbuckssecretmenu.net/starbucks-secret-menu-pick-2-captain-crunch-frappuccino/
What was the first dish you called your own?
The mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving. I was in charge of the giant pot of boiling potatoes, peeling them, mashing them, and grabbing my mother's worn tome Joy of Cooking to see how much butter and dairy to add to them. Even when I needed a step stool to see over the pot and my dad had to drain the potatoes for me because the pot was too heavy, that was my job for Thanksgiving. I had complete creative control, fluffy vs chunky, skin on or off, garlic or no.
In retrospect, I think I got the job more so my mother could focus on other more important things, and I've always been really into potatoes.
Beer: Is Bigger Always Better?
@darklighter My issue is more with those giant ones, the 750ml or larger. The 22ounce ones aren't bad because I can leave most of them out of the fridge and bring them in to chill individually. It's like those 2 liter cola bottles, I don't see how anyone finishes them before they go flat or you get tired of them rolling around your fridge because your fridge is too short to let them stand up.
Beer: Is Bigger Always Better?
@Lorenzo "I don't see why people who think nothing of chilling a bottle of wine and sharing it with a dinner companion are chiming in here about the difficulties of larger beer bottles"
If you read my comment, I also lament the size of wine bottles and how I wish they were smaller.
Sake Ochazuke
Homemade ochazuke cannot be beat for simplicity and comfort. Leftover rice gets topped with salmon, rice crackers, and nori before green tea is poured over everything for a fast treat.
Kinako Mochi: Cook and Tell
Squares of mochi are grilled and then coated in a mixture of sugar and kinako. Kinako is nutty and delicious powder made from roasted soybeans.
Ozoni
A Japanese New Year celebration staple, Ozoni is a soup filled with toasted savory mochi. This simple recipe is easy to make all year round and is said to bring luck in the new year.
Ginger snap pork salad with grilled rice
Romaine lettuce tossed in a sesame miso dressing and topped with ginger snap pork, grilled rice balls, and fresh veggies.
What non-wheat flour should I use?
My mother loves Starbucks' Cranberry Bliss Bars, but she's developed a wheat sensitivity. For the holidays, I am attempting to use an alternative flour and make a wheat-free copy cat for her to enjoy.
Question is, what do you guys think would be the best alternative flour to use? I have no experience with other flours, so I was hoping for some input.
I was thinking maybe spelt flour, because I know that is an ancient relative of wheat and might be the closest in texture. Looking at the market, they have so many flours: amaranth, potato, rice, spelt, and more!
Microwave Jello Mochi: Cook and Tell
Super easy to make and gift, this mochi uses jello and the microwave.
Renkon Chips
A popular Japanese pub food, lotus root is sliced thin and fried like a potato chip.
Kaki Kohaku Namasu
A twist on the classic Japanese carrot and daikon salad, this is made with fresh crisp persimmons. Marinated in a rice vinegar mixture, this makes for a snappy side dish for celebrations. In Japanese culture, the two colors are considered lucky!
Mexican Candy
Inspired by Mexican chili-covered lollipops, these fruit flavored hard candies are either filled or covered with chili powder, lime and salt for a candy with zing.
Japanese Curry Turnovers
The traditional beef and potato hand pie gets a Japanese twist by adding in some curry! Ground beef, chunks of potato, and green peas are smothered in Japanese curry and spooned into puff pastry dough for a savory turnover.
Fuyu Kaki Bundt
Fuyu persimmons, the crisp fall fruit, are folded into a spice cake batter along with dried tart cherries and walnuts for a delicious fall bundt.
Ichigo Daifuku
Ichigo Daifuku is a traditional Japanese confection where a fresh strawberry is wrapped in sweet azuki bean paste and freshly steamed mochi.
Roasted Shiitake "Bacon"
Fresh shiitake gets sliced and tossed with olive oil and soy sauce and cooked until crispy, salty, and potato chip-like snack ability. A good vegan alternative to bacon.
Gyudon
Gyudon, a popular Japanese fast food, uses sliced onions and paper thin beef simmered in a dashi sauce to serve over rice. Simple, fast, and delicious!
Bubble Tea
Boba are giant tapioca pearls that are boiled until translucent and chewy and then poured into the bottom of a sweet drink for a popular Asian American drink, Bubble Tea!
What to do with fresh oyster mushrooms?
My mother went to the farmer's market and brought back ~1 cups worth of fresh oyster mushrooms. They are the flat broad type, not the more trumpet looking king oysters.
Any suggestions on what to do with them? I was playing around with the idea of mixing them in a pasta, or stir frying them perhaps, but honestly I'm lost and open to your ideas.
P.S. I don't trust my oven, I think it either died or went on temporary leave to an exotic locale.
L.A. Street Dog
The most infamous Los Angeles street food: hot dogs are wrapped in bacon, grilled to crispy juicy perfection, then topped with grilled onions, peppers and your choice of condiments, like mustard, mayo, ketchup, and hot sauce!
Lazy Spam Donburi
This easy rice bowl has all the elements of the hapa classic spam musubi: salty-sweet teriyaki spam, earthy nori and furikake, and beautiful hot white rice, all without the fuss of molding or wrapping.
Shoyu Tamago: Soy Sauce Egg
Perfect for bento and picnic lunches, shoyu tamago are hard boiled eggs infused with soy sauce for a delicious pre-seasoned take along snack.
Nasu Dengaku: Caramelized Miso Eggplant
Nasu Dengaku is a traditional pub food in Japan, where eggplants are split in half, grilled and then slathered with a sweet miso sauce that gets caramalized for a smooth sweet/salty/smokey snack that is delicious on its own or with rice.
Beni Imo Daifuku: Wagashi
Beni imo mochi surrounds sweet azuki beans for a delightfully purple daifuku that features the rustic taste of the sweet potato. This traditional Japanese sweet, called wagashi, is one of the easiest to make.
Pickled Beet Eggs
Pickled beet eggs, where pickled beets turn hard boiled eggs a beautiful fuchsia and impart a wonderful sour tang, are a common pub food that is super easy to make!
Hurricane Popcorn
This amazingly addicting hapa snack combines Japanese flavors with American popcorn. Furikake and kakimochi (rice crackers) are sprinkled over buttery popcorn for something that is simultaneously sweet and salty, rich and airy, with an umami punch.
Hot Hawaiian Burgers
The Burger Lab's recent recipe was too tasty sounding to resist! I tweaked the recipe by making everything stove-top. A turkey burger goes Polynesian with pineapple rings, SPAM, and sriracha mayonnaise. Long live the Burger Lab!
Henry's Cheese Spread from 'The Lee Bros. Charleston Kitchen'
The ingredient list for Matt and Ted Lee's cheese spread reads almost like a 2nd grader's cafeteria prank. Cheese, ketchup, worcestershire, horseradish, Tabasco, and beer—how could that taste good? Yet this recipe, from their new cookbook The Lee Bros. Charleston Kitchen, is one of those magical recipes that just works. The balance of tart, spicy, sweet, and malty is totally on point, making for a dip so multilayered that it's impossible to stop eating. More
Preserved: Raspberry Rhubarb Ginger Jam
Crystallized ginger melts into this tart raspberry-rhubarb jam, providing unexpected hints of heat and spice. More
Let Them Eat: Quick Ginger-Almond Cake
This almond cake is simple to throw together, involving very few dishes almost no elbow grease. It's a delightfully rich cake with a tender crumb, one that makes for an perfect breakfast or coffee break snack. More
From The Pastry Dungeon: Buttermilk Poppyseed Custard Cake with Roasted Strawberries
This tender buttermilk poppyseed cake topped with sweet roasted strawberries is a great way to use up your less than perfect fruit. More
S'mores Bundt Cake
Graham Cracker, chocolate chip bundt topped with chocolate ganache and a toasted marshmallow frosting... More
Tapioca Pearls with Coconut Milk and Mango (Tambo-Tambo) from 'The Adobo Road Cookbook'
As a kid, I turned my nose up at the mere mention of tapioca pudding, despite the fact that I had never even come close to trying the stuff. I'm sure I'm not alone here. But for Marvin Gapultos, a warm Filipino tapioca porridge called tambo-tambo remains a favorite dessert. And why not? The tapioca pearls glimmer in a rich coconut milk broth, studded with fat, chewy rice balls and small pieces of sweet fruit. His version in The Adobo Road Cookbook is easy and fun to make (rice balls dough = tasty playdough), and his use of mango as a topping guarantees sweet success. More
Pie of the Week: Black Bottom Chai Cream Pie
It is high time a pie exists that does justice to the subtle nuances of chai flavor. Enter: the black bottom chai cream pie. More
eggless chocolate vanilla zebra cake
Alternating stripes of chocolate and vanilla batter make this stunning cake a visual treat. Impressive, but very easy. Recipe and tons of tips for success.... More
Sweet Blackberry Asian Chicken Wings
These wings fun and easy to make. It takes 30 minutes to make and you can make the sweet and savory sauce while you are baking the chicken!!... More
Bake the Book: Prosecco and Elderflower Jelly with Melon
Jelly? For dessert? But of course. Forget boxed flavors; sparkling wine and elderflower syrup give this Home Made Summer dessert plenty of adult flavor. More
Ramp Week: Ramp Gravy
Cream gravy, made with a blond roux, onions, cream, and plenty of black pepper is a natural partner for buttery mashed potatoes, chicken-fried steak, or yes, biscuits. After all, what goes better with fatty starch than a bit of starchy fat? More
Dinner Tonight: Bacon and Kimchi Steamed Buns with Carrot and Cucumber Slaw
The cucumber and carrot salad provides a crisp and acidic counterpoint to the kimchi and bacon, and it's all housed in a steamy and super soft bun, which is "airy" in a way few foodstuffs can ever hope to be. More
Let Them Eat: Coconut Mango Upside Down Cake
Bake the mangos under the coconut batter, then flip it over to reveal one moist and juicy cake. More
Ramp Week: How To Make Bacon and Ramp Dumplings
Things that are good: [x] Ramps [x] Bacon [x] Dumplings [x] Ramp dumplings [x] Bacon dumplings [x] Ramps and bacon. There is only one logical conclusion to this series of statements. More
3 Delicious Aguas Frescas To Make At Home
Aguas Frescas, which translate literally as "fresh waters," are iced drinks made from infusions of water and herbs, grains, fruits, or vegetables. They're perfect for this time of year because they practically beg to be sipped outside and they're very easily scaled up to make a refreshing pitcher drink. More
Ramen Burgers Coming Soon to Lotteria in Japan
Fast food chain Lotteria in Japan is teaming up with famous ramen chain Menya Musashi to bring you the Menya Musashi Ramen Burger: a seasoned, lightly charred ramen patty, stewed barbecue pork (chashu), and mayo on a burger bun. More
British Bites: Coddled Eggs with Marmite Mushrooms
We're going to call the month of May Marmageddon—each week this month, British Bites will feature a recipe using one of the most polarizing ingredients in the British culinary arsenal: Marmite! If you're one of those poor souls who has yet to embrace Marmite, I'm sorry. I sincerely hope that Marmageddon inspires you to bring this brown paste home and give it a shot. First up: coddled eggs with mushrooms and Marmite. More
Preserved: Millionaire's Cherry Rhubarb Jam
Why Millionaire's? Because this jam includes pricy but oh-so-worth it vanilla beans and Grand Marnier. Rhubarb is only in season for a short while, so why not go for broke? More
Serious Entertaining: Kentucky Derby Party
I can't claim to be from Kentucky or any state south of the Mason-Dixon (southern California doesn't count right?) but I've been to a few Derby parties in my day. I've worn a few wide-brimmed hats. So let's waste no time and start with mint juleps, then move on to beer cheese, Kentucky Hot Browns, bourbon balls, and more for your Race Day spread. More
25 Cocktails Everyone Should Know
We who like to mix drinks at home do it for many reasons: First, it's cheaper than drinking out. Second, it's fun to mix your own drinks at home. Third, it's even more fun to mix drinks for other people at home. Any self-respecting home bartender should have a mental Rolodex Excel spreadsheet of favorite classic cocktail recipes. Today, I present the 25 essential drinks that I think everyone should be able to make. More
May Day Pie
In this traditional treat of the Kentucky Derby, chocolate and nuts are poured in a crisp pastry crust. A little bourbon helps things shine. More
The Pizza Lab: Why Don't We See More Kimchi on Pizza?
It doesn't necessarily sound like it's going to be great, but once you try it, the combination of spicy, garlicky, pickled kimchi and ooey, gooey cheese is tough to turn your back on. More
DIY vs. Buy: How to Infuse Spirits
Unless you were cooler than I was—which is a distinct possibility—your formative drinking years involved quite a few artificial ingredients and embarrassing choices. My early experiences with alcohol included a lot of fake fruit flavors and the occasional Zima. If peanut butter and jelly vodka had existed back then, I would have been all over it. 'm reminded of those days whenever I taste a mass-produced, flavored spirit. Even some of the high-end flavored liquors like candy and chemicals to me. If you want a flavored spirit that doesn't have a fake taste to it, you'll have a hard time finding it at the store. More
Seasonal Baking: 6 Recipes We Love With Rhubarb
Spring is finally here, as evidenced by the first rhubarb arriving in the market. See 6 of our favorite recipes for using this sweet-tart fruit! More
Beyond Curry: Kerala Style Egg Gravy
Curry leaves, fennel seeds, tomatoes and a few fragrant spices make this egg gravy a delicious, quick supper treat. More
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Genmaicha. I love the nutty aroma and velvety taste from the roasted rice.