Monthly Archives: July 2013

Jul 05 2013
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A Big Bowl of Spicy Tofu Soup

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Recently in San Francisco, California, I ate my first bowl of fluffy soft tofu soup at My Tofu House  (Geary near 10th Ave. and might i add that there’s a wonderful Korean grocery next door with a selection of kimchee, homemade take-out fried chicken (sweetly glazed), uber-savoury green vegetable pancakes, and more…..)

Anyhow, flash-back to me in a booth sitting at the table, faced with warm spicy aromas and a bowlful of fluffy tofu.  I lifted my spoon.  It was one of those transcendental moments when you discover a new love; one mouthful was all it took to fall  deeply under its spell.

Though I had lived in the area for years long ago, and though I had always noticed the restaurant with the rather cozy name (I do love tofu),  I had never been there.  And then I moved away.

But on a recent visit, romping through the Russian shops and bakeries in the Richmond area of The City with food blogger Amy Sherman, we passed by My Tofu House.  Amy was running a delicious commentary of places along our way: what was not to be missed, what was best to avoid, places she hadn’t been but always meant to, new places to discover. We had spent the morning in Russian, on Geary, with a group of food bloggers including the inimitable Faith Kramer of The Jewish Chronicle, eating poppyseed babka; now were now headed to Berkeley for Indian spice shopping. As we passed My Tofu House,  Amy said: “I love this place; go when you have a chance. Get the soft tofu soup, and get it spicy”.

So a few weeks later, back in the neighbourhood, I did. The menu is divided simply, savoury vegetable pancakes and bulgogi are there, but basically its about the soft tofu soup–a good third of the menu is devoted to it. Choose your variation: with meat, fish, chicken, vegetable, or dumplings, then specify your chosen heat level.

A parade of banchan appeared included several types of kimchee, pickled cucumbers,  bean sprouts, a lovely grilled chewy fish, and the server did a sort of ballet scooping out the rice from its stoneware cooking pot. And its all great. But when you come to the soup:  I think you’ll agree: the GREATEST.

A sizzling hot stone bowl of deeply spicy broth/consommee, thick with broken up soft tofu, and studded with tiny bits of meat, as well as rice cakes and a few meat-filled dumplings. Its like a treasure trove of goodies in an ocean of spice-hot and temperature-hot chile broth.

Back home in a Korean-restaurant-desert in UK, I have been longing for that soup. So when I got home from water aerobics, and yoga, and a long long walk, feeling righteously hungry, I whipped up the following soup with what I had on hand. Its not the same as My Tofu House, but its MY tofu soup, in my house, and its delicious. It doesn’t taste Korean, it tastes Marlena!

A Big Bowl of Spicy Tofu Soup

Serves 1 very hungry Marlena; can be multiplied as desired

2-3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped or thinly sliced

1-2 teaspoons sesame oil

About 1 teaspoon paprika (not the spicy kind, but a bit smoky is okay, is in fact, good)

about 2-3 baby bak choy’s, cut into bite sized pieces

1 1/2-2 cups chicken broth

1 heaping tablespoon hot bean sauce

1 green onion, thinly sliced

3 dumplings, such as won tons, cut into halves, or small handful (about 7) soaked rice cakes

About 6 oz/ 200g tofu (soft, or firm, as you like), broken into various sizes and shapes, from small to big-bite

About 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Drop of vinegar

In a saucepan warm the garlic in a teaspoon of the sesame oil until softened, then add the paprika, stir around, and the bok choy pieces, and stir around until the greens wilt; do not let the paprika scorch or burn; add the chicken broth/stock.

Cook a few minutes, then add the hot bean sauce, green onion, dumplings and tofu; cook a minute or two over medium high heat, to warm through (and to cook the dumplings) then remove from heat, sprinkle with the cilantro and a drop or two of vinegar, a drizzle of a little of the leftover sesame oil

Ladle into a big bowl and enjoy.

Jul 04 2013
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Jake steals the cake…..

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Jake is very fast at grabbing the cake when my face is turned…..

Its been lovely warm days, sort of tea party in the garden days, and the thing about a tea party in the garden is that you need cake. Simple cake. But a luscious cake. A cake that is delicately scented with almonds, and studded with bits of bright berries or cherries. Preferably a whip-it-together sturdy little cake that you can keep on hand, for a number of days, for when that moment presents itself and you find yourself saying: please come to tea this afternoon!

So I decided to whip up this cake, based on almonds and dried fruit (I used cranberries but would have used cherries if I had had any on hand; fresh berries such as raspberries would probably be exquisite–and in addition to, or instead of, almond essence, i might put a splash of rose water, then decorate the plate with rose petals, the roses that look beautiful and smell sweet this time of year) which I thought would be tasty for a garden afternoon, or if it rained, delicious indoors, too. And as it happened, as soon as the cake was baked, I found myself issuing invitations, and piling a plate with slabs of this almondy fruity deliciousness, and then…..when my back was turned……all i can say is that Jake was so quick! whoosh, up onto the table, little snout into the cakes, dragging moist chunks away and munching them down to crumbs. It all took place in a flash–but at least I was able to save enough for our tea, and grab my camera to get a shot of Jake in action…..

But I’ll make the cake again: it was delicious. And also Jake has made me promise.

Jakes Buttery Almondy Tea Cake

Serves about 6-8, or 4 adults and 1 greedy Jack Russell

6 oz/175g softened butter (if hard, place it in a microwave for about 20 seconds)

4 oz 125 g soft golden brown sugar

4 oz/ 125g white sugar

3 eggs

7 oz/ 200g self rising flour

Pinch salt

1/4 cup sour cream, fromage frais, or Greek yogurt

3 oz/ 100g ground almonds

1/4 tsp or to taste (depending on its strength) almond essence/extract

3 oz/ 100g dried sweetened cranberries or sour cherries

Buttered and floured cake pan (about 10-12 inches in diameter)

Turn oven on to 350F.

Mix together, beating with a wooden spoon, the soft butter with the two sugars, then beat in the eggs, one at a time; when smooth-ish but looking a bit curdled, beat in the flour and salt, then the sour cream, ground almonds, and almond essence.

Pour into the prepared pan, then make a layer of the dried fruit, then pour in the rest of the batter.

Bake about 40 minutes or until the mixture seems firm and a skewer poked into it comes out clean.

Let sit a few minutes–lets say 10–then take a small knife and run it around the inside sides of the pan, then invert onto a rack. If it doesn’t want to unmold, and a bit stays behind in the pan, scrape it up and place it on top of the cake as if i belongs.

Sprinkle a generous amount of powdered/ icing sugar over the top, along with sprinkles of cinnamon. Serve warm or cool, preferably without a maurauding jack russell jumping up onto your table……

Jul 02 2013
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Pimms Cup, for when you’re in Blighty, its summer, and its actually not raining!

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Pimm’s Cup is one of the two iconic drinks at Wimbledon, Henley Regatta, and Glynebourne (the other being Champagne according to Wikipedia, though I would have ventured on Gin and Tonic, at least for Wimbledon).  If you’re invited to a polo match or garden party,  and wondering what you’ll be drinking, think Pimm’s. This high alcohol mixture (usually based on gin, though many of the different “cups” have been based on whisky, brandy, even absinthe) is poured into a glass with fresh things: cucumber and orange or lemon slices, strawberries, grapes, lots of fresh mint or borage, then the whole thing is topped up with lemon-lime soda or ginger ale. It is the essence of British summertime refreshment.

First of all, you’ll notice in the picture that its not Pimms at all, but another brand, an equally delicious and potent brand, a cheaper brand. So in reality this is an Austin’s cup cocktails (named after Austin Powers I wonder?) (always possible).

But a little history: mainly because I have  been curious about Pimm’s Cups since one fateful day in Athens at the British Embassy:  the temperature soared, and I was an honoured guest to the party. Pimms was being served from great vats–so cooling! I drank and drank, and drank some more. I still don’t know how I ended up in the Embassy fountain, but I can tell you that I was dancing! and really, thankful that I still had my clothes on. Let this be a lesson: Pimms is delicious and refreshing, but far more potent than you would think, as you swallow that cool, fruity, slightly bitter glass of refreshment.

So here is how the original, Pimm’s not Austin’s, got started: a farmers son, Master Pimm left the farm and became owner of an oyster restaurant in London, near the Bank of England so you get a picture of what his clientele were like. Veddy veddy. He offered a gin-based drink of bitter herbs and liqueurs as an aid to digestion, much like the digestives throughout the rest of Europe. The vat he served it from was known as “No. 1 cup” hence the name. He began producing the mixture commercially, the salesmen riding bicycles to deliver. Later he sold it to the Lord Mayor of London who opened a chain of Pimm’s Oyster Houses.  Are you still with me?

Over the years, Pimm’s added new “cups” using different alcohols and liquers. In 1851, Pimm’s No. 2 Cup and Pimm’s No. 3 Cup were introduced; after “The War” (number two) Pimm’s No. 4 Cup was invented, then No. 5 Cup and finally No.6 Cup arrived in the 1960s.

By the 1970s and 1980s, however, Pimm’s languished a bit in the stylishness factor. The Oyster House chain was sold, Pimm’s Cup Nos. 2 to 5 were phased out and to be honest, there were so many more, newer, and trendier drinks, especially since suddenly the EU was right on our doorstep and one could buy so many interesting alcholic drinks without paying duty/tax. Still, things percolated along for Pimm’s, and finally Guinness took control; Guiness already so famous for traditional deliciousness of alcohol that doesn’t go out of style.

In 2005, Pimm’s Winter Cup joined the drinks cabinet/bar, infusing its No. 3 Cup with spices and orange peel. But its not a warming winter drink that I think of when I think of Pimm’s Cup: its that glorious afternoon of cooling bitter-sweet refreshment on ice, a salad in a glass awash with so much alcohol that I ended up dancing in the Embassy fountain. Now THAT is what I call a summer drink.

Only no’s 1, 3, and 6 are available now, but bartenders have been putting artisanal spins on their own unique “Pimm’s Cups”  by mixing liquers and other alcohols such as tequila, whisky, etc.

Now back to our classic Pimm’s Cup, No. 1 Cup (see our Austin bottle above) is based on gin; it has an brown-red-purple colour and pleasingly bitter fruitiness. Its about 25 percent alcohol, and it therefore mixed thusly: fill your glasses (or vat) with sliced cucumbers, sliced oranges, grapes, mint, and other fruits of the season such as strawberries. Pour in about 1 measure of Pimms, then fill up the glass with sparkling lemon soda which the British call Lemonade and an American might call lemon-lime soda (or 7-up). Take a sip, now sit back and say: Aaaaaahhhhhhhh. You might not even intend to, the moan of refreshing pleasure will just escape from your lips! (Pimms and fresh-thing mixture could be mixed instead, with ginger ale or even with Champagne but personally: waste of good Champagne, and also: how strong would that be? I’d end up in the fountain even sooner!

Thanks to Wikipedia for Pimm’s info and history. And to Austin’s for “just being there for me”.