This award is courtesy of the wonderful Sweets and Sweats blog!  You seriously must check out her blog, if you haven't yet, it's one of my favorites!  Thank you Fitzalan for this fantastic honor :)  I was seriously so excited b/c I don't normally win anything - I seem to have a bit of bad luck in that area, but maybe my luck is changing!

The rules for this award are as follows:

1. Put the logo on your blog.
2. Add a link to the person who awarded you.
3. Nominate at least seven other blogs.
4. Add links to those blogs on your blog.
5. Leave a message for your nominee on their blogs.

However, since this award has already been awarded to most of my favorite bloggers, I'm at a loss to determine my top 7... so I must encourage you to check out my Blogs I Love page (although it needs to be updated since there are several new blogs I've been reading), since they are all super deserving of this award!

As I approach the start of my 6th month of blogging, I must seriously thank each and everyone one of my readers... without you, blogging would be NO fun, nor would there be a purpose, and I really enjoy reading your comments and chatting with new "foodies"!  I also love the support and encouragement that comes along with having this blog... Thank you all SO much :D

I have a done a few quick searches to check out the offerings there:

1. Sauerkraut
2. Chicken Vindaloo
3. Cold Noodles
   

Now, I am hungry. Awesome.

I love grub (and talking about it) so much, that I've started a social network all about, you guessed it, Philly Grub!  I hope, in time, the community of local foodies will grow and we share reviews of all things food-related.

I love this top as it comes all the way from Taiwan. No doubt that it is very cheap but it really very nice n sweet in real life.

This is the 1st time my dear choose and buy clothes for me without me around. I was very touched lor. =( He not only bought me Baby G that I wanted so much!

To some of you, it might not be something great but to me I appreciates it lots. =) Thanks Dear!

We had dinner @ Bukit Timah Hawker Centre

My Wanton Mee. Very nice and usually have to queue for it... but maybe today raining so no queue at all.

Dear having Hokkien Mee... so so only lor. We ordered Lala and Stingray - NOT NICE AT ALL!!!!

We went IMM for short walk. When we walked towards our car, this STUPID car blocking our way! We horn n horn and call the security but the DRIVER was nowhere to be seen! We waited for 15mins. I wanted to publish his plate no. but this time round I just let it go. Please be more considerate!

Dear & I. I not sure why Dear like to wear this GREEN TEE every Saturday. ><

footnote: I am SUAY to be molest by BLACK SKIN!... Sucks! I saw him molesting other girls too. =(

@ suntec. aunt B's treat! lucky mee. ^_^ it was my first time at tony roma's (yes me suaku), and from now on, i'll eat here instead of jack's place. atmosphere, service and food wins the latter hands down. sad thing is, it's pricier though. ):

i think tony's famous for their ribs, but since neither of us like them, we had the steak combo instead. i love that bbq chicken. there's this faint but nice sweet honey-ey taste. dory fillet and shrimps taste...normal. lolx. steak (yes i don't know which type) was very nice and tender. medium rare ftw! i like their baked potato too. it doesn't look appetizing, but it's really good. besides the normal sour cream and bacon bits, they added cheese, and i love cheese!

had initially planned to go pubbing after that, cos it's near harry's. i missed my long island. since there's this promotion ...

i had my long island after all!!

after my glass, i also drank half of aunt N's, as she complained it was too bitter for her. i dared aunt B to get bloody mary; she didn't dare to. she doesn't believe bloody mary has tabasco in it. =.=

went carrefour after that. i think we were all quite high (from alcohol+fun). we knew it closed at 11pm today, but my aunt still went to ask one of the young promoters. he was embarrassed when he didn't know. then my aunt said, "you don't know i tell you lor. it closes at 11." three of us started giggling. lol. poor him. i thought he looked quite cute though. tsk.

bought sushi but they were asleep when i reached home. bro ate everything. that pig. lol. another long day tml. tireds.

(p/s. i think i'm gonna get a dcam within the next few months. phone cam cmi sia. any recommendations? i want pink color de!)

When Harold and Kumar came out all those years ago, I had NO idea what White Castle was, or why they were going there, or why I should care. I never saw the movie, so I always imagined that it was some sort of amusement park. In my defense, they did make it out to be quite the destination. Then, last year, in Chelsea, I saw my very first White Castle. A fast-food chain?! weird but cool.

However, this drive-by spotting didn't put an end to my questions. Apparently, there are a lot of things I don't know about fast food-like the fact that there's no McDonald's Dollar Menu in Manhattan- but that's a rant for another post. One advertisement caught my eye at White Castle- the 'slider'. Being from California, I had no idea what this alleged 'slider' was. Was it the slider that you wore on your knee when playing softball? Was it an egregious typo? It was neither..

It was a very small burger!!

It follows that, because people like cute, small things (like tamagotchis and rat-sized dogs) they also prefer many three-bite sliders to one average hamburger.

I didn't think much about the slider again until I was out for dinner a few weeks back at The Stanton Social. I was shocked by the reasonable prices at S.S. until my food came-I'd forgotten that it was a small plates menu. They had a number of slider variations, priced $6-$9, from which I picked the 'Kobe Philly-truffle and goat cheese fondue'. To round out the meal, I picked the side Baby Spinach with Toasted Garlic($5) and a Stella ($6). FYI, the aforementioned meal is not enough food for one person.

The spinach was well flavored, and the slider was perfectly cooked-medium well-and too delicious to smother in ketchup or mustard. I cleared my plate in approximately 90 seconds, and promptly started in on a friend's Wok Charred Edamame ($6). The last dish I highly recommend, partly because it's more than three bites worth of food. We finished off the meal with a mascarpone 'Twinky' and Milkshake Shots- both of which were unbelievable.

My review of the restaurant is as follows- great snacks, great for chic-people watching, too loud for intimate conversation, ideal resto if you're in the mood for a 'hip'(ster) night out on the LES. For once, I was able to finish a meal without feeling uncomfortably full-which was ideal, as I followed it up with a serious night of boozin' and dancin'. As we all know, food babies are NOT hot.

This episode went down a few weeks ago, and I was surprised this morning to see Stanton's very mini burger was on the front page of Dining & Wine!! My experience with the morsel had been so fleeting that I'd forgotten all about it. It turns out that sliders are having an identity crisis! Apparently, they're trying to ditch their working-class routes and are all up in every gourmet restaurant in the city.

Florence Fabricant reviewed The Stanton as follows-'Mr. Santos and his chefs at the Stanton Social are miniaturists par excellence, layering little melted Cheddar cheese sandwiches with bacon that is cured with a jalapeño rub, tomatillos fried tempura style, sliced pickled peppers, a slather of lemon aioli and exactly two cilantro leaves'. This is all well and good, but the dish is so tiny that there's hardly time for your taste buds to identify such intricacies. I'm having trouble understanding why they're being marketed as entrees at all. Manhattan may  be home to the thinnest women in the country, but this is not cause for all restaurants to go tapas style (leave that to the Spanish, plz). The burger has always been a hearty, All-American ENTREE, and for the sake of my appetite I hope that it remains so.

Vainpot

Yummy Yummy

I had an accident while making pancakes as a kid. My mom gave it to me as a memento when I became a cook.

Hey foodies, what is your favorite cookbook and why?

The joy of cooking is right up there for me. The recipes are tryed, tested and true and run the gamut from sweetbreads to croquembouche. I've used it since I was a kid and will continue to use it until something better comes along. Actually I'll probably still use it even if someting better comes along, because I'm a sentimental bastard.

Woke up early to go my School to pay for Term 1 payment and made my Student Access Pass >.<

Heehee..camwhoring before heading out =) I am very very FAT now lor.. so sad. :(

Damn expensive!

Camwhoring again in the car while waiting for Mum & Sis to Godmum's place.

Visits  my godmum. Glad that she recovering well.

Camwhoring with sis in car. On the way to our crabs feast! lolz

Yummy crabs costs us $63

Dear wanted to eat durians... at geylang lor... ...

Bought Arm Roller from Bugis Village $9.90.

Sis's fren - Carol working in Fancl @ Bugis. She given us alot of samples to try. So sweet of her. Thanks gal!

This week I choose to go to Let's Bab. We had set an eye for this place for quite some time and since I am pretty sick of bread or any western food and really, I think, this is the first time I have a craving for rice!

As you may have guessed, I picked Hot Pot Bibimbab. It was really nice and definitely a winner for other bibimbab that I have tried. The cracking and the sizzling were just right. Furthermore, I think, without having the heater on (or the heater was actually on but well say, the room was still freezing) made the warm dish got much more delicious.

The Vegetable Bibimbab looked not much different with mine but unfortunately, without any side dishes, which is a shame. Another $1.5 more, you can have a nice tofu and a dash of sardines (which both were nice but kinda weird to have sardines in there? Maybe kimchi would be a little bit appropriate for the side dish. What do you think?).

The Spicy Chicken Sizzling Plate looked quite nice as well. I did not try it because it looked really spicey and I really enjoyed my dish a lot, so I declined my friend's offer to try the dish (which now to think about it, I regret my decision...oh well, maybe some other time..).

Yummy..Domino's pizza better though..But this one worth a try..

Cheers,

Tom

First, here's the background on how this 'shout out' innocently began...

[wp_caption id="attachment_14" align="alignright" width="162" caption="Chef Randall"][/wp_caption]

Please...Write in and share with us your family's favorite recipe; it's origin; the author; what culture is represented; what town you live in; the story, etal.  If your cooking story is selected, we will come a knocking on your door to videotape the culinary experience and air your piece!

In return for your generousity, you will receive a DVD of the experience and continue to add to your family history library! 

Hunters and gatherers unite!

The other day in my sociology class, we watched a clip of a documentary called People Like You and Me, and it started with the idea that essentially, those with lower incomes are forced to eat less healthy. 5 to 1 is the stat on white bread loaves consumed to wheat bread loaves, and the higher a person's income, the less white bread they purchase and consume. Seems to make sense, being that white bread is so cheap, but it also lacks a lot of nutrients. Don't get me wrong, I love me some Wonder Bread, but it is unfortunate that obesity strikes those that seem to be able to afford the care and prevention methods the least. Some of these people may never get to try a ciabatta roll sandwich with goat cheese and field greens dressed in a light vinaigrette. It shouldn't be like that- I think everyone, in this fairly prosperous country, should be able to enjoy good food- at the very least.

I don't cook everything in the healthiest of manners, but I do try to use natural and organic products when I can. However, I certainly understand that they are not all readily available or affordable. There was a time when my family couldn't afford anything beyond ramen noodles or oatmeal canisters, some bread and butter. So even in those instances, I am hoping to show folks how to dress up some of those ingredients and to think more resourcefully in the kitchen. My hope is that the folks reading this will see food as I see food- something that brings people together in conversation, something that nurtures a person's body and senses... something that can give a sense of accomplishment and be admired. Food should be enjoyed and savored whenever possible, and should be a treat for yourself and anyone else partaking.

So welcome- And I do hope that you enjoy any shared recipes, and feel inspired to begin making some of your own meals and getting adventurous in the kitchen. Because this is good food for the common person!

Cheese.  The perfect example of a diet staple which can be used as a convenient ingredient for sandwiches and crackers, or for gourment dishes in fondue and pastas.  Who would have known that the humble Canadian cheese has enough of a fan-base gather to be the star of its very own website All You Need is Cheese?!  Get great, easy-to-follow recipes with cheese as the "star of the show".
 
Hear interviews with artisans, experts and cheese lovers from across Canada;
Discover local artisanal cheeses and local culture;
Try new pairings and recipes;
Meet foodies from coast to coast;
Link to informative cheese websites;
Learn about unique promotions, events and more;
Download a new episode every month.

The All You Need Is Cheese Podcast is updated monthly and they already have quite a few archived episodes. Listen to interviews of cheese lovers, artisanal cheese makers, restaurant owners and visits epicurean events. Each show has it’s own archive page recipes, tourist info, blog links, etc. If you love good cheese, you have to check out the All You Need is Cheese Podcast !

**CONTEST: Listen to the Pursuit of Pleasure Podcast for your chance to win an iPod touch (until July 19th)!  Creative ad for the contest there on the right eh?

On a side note, if you're ever craving cheese fondue, you must visit Soma Cafe (151 East 8th Avenue) by Main Street in Vancouver.  Grapes, apples, bread and crackers drizzled with a soft caramel sauce with a melted cheese dip.  It's usually only on their dinner menu, but when we went last month they took our special request and served it to us as a lunchtime dish!  The portion is fairly big so be prepared to share!

CJ's so dreamy... and abnormally tall.

As soon as I found out that BlogHer 08 would be held at the Westin St. Franis in Union Square in SF, I knew I had to go. As soon as I registered, I began contemplating where I was going to eat. Because, hello! Eating first, blogging second. A girl's gotta have her standards.

I fly in on Thursday evening and leave Sunday afternoon. With the conference committments and a few social ones, it seems I have three meals in which I can choose where to eat:

Dinner, Thursday.

Dinner, Saturday.

Lunch, Sunday.

I have narrowed the following options:

Dinner on Thursday will be at Pot Sticker (the Waverly location). I have not tried Pot Sticker before, but I love spicy cold noodles. I did a search on FoodieBytes and found this location. Since I will be traveling with my daughter and I wanted to curl up in the hotel for the evening to let her get used to the place. Also, we arrive somewhat late-ish, so I needed to pick a place that does delivery.

Dinner on Saturday will be at Shalimar (Jones St. location), one of my very favorite Indian spots. The haleem is to die for and the nihari is to kill for. Talk about perfect harmony, no? I am attempting to get together a big group. Unfortunately, the location on Jones is fairly small, but I thought it would be fun to massive amounts of takeout and have a carpet picnic at the hotel.

Lunch on Sunday is still undecided. The last time in SF, we ate at a sweet little pastry place on Columbus St that I am tempted to try and scout again. In the meantime, I will use FoodieBytes to find some options and potentially, may just meander my way through the streets of SF letting my nose guide the way.

Or maybe not.

Oh, quoting from Di Mattina's website:

The DiMattina family have a strong tradition in hospitality and sport - DiMattina's the restaurant blends them both - with the backing of years of experience from our parent restaurant II Gambero, we have now become the place many sporting personalities choose to meet and dine.

Geez... Il Gambero? Again..hahaha.