Summer Cooking Classes in New York

By on June 16, 2013 in Blog

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Announcing this summer’s cooking classes in New York! Whether you live in the city or are just visiting, here are a few that are coming up:

Wednesday, June 19, 2013 – Dumplings and Wontons at West Elm Market, DUMBO

  • Love dumplings and eager to make them at home? Join us in this 2-hour dumpling extravaganza, now at West Elm Market in DUMBO! We’ll learn the basics of wrapping both Chinese dumplings and wontons. Even if you’ve never cooked Chinese food, you can easily learn how to make scores of dumplings with these simple techniques. After hands-on practice in wrapping, we will move on to the cooking process. You’ll learn a sure-fire method for pan-frying dumplings to crispy perfection. And you’ll also learn how to prepare the wontons as a deliciously spicy Sichuan appetizer, and get tips on other ways to prepare them at home. And vegetarians are welcome! Both meat and vegetarian fillings will be available to work with. Sign up here!

Wednesday, August 21, 2013 – Hong Kong-Style Dim Sum at The Institute of Culinary Education

  • In Hong Kong, dim sum is as much an art form as it is a meal. Restaurants in the former British colony pride themselves on constantly refining traditional Cantonese dim sum and creating new dishes for the modern palate. You’ll learn the secrets of baking, steaming, and stir-frying these dim sum favorites, including Cantonese roast pork, Pork and Shrimp Shu Mai, Turnip Cake, Egg Custard Tarts; Coconut Buns, and more. (more…)
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Malibu Spiced Rum Cocktails + Giveaway

By on June 13, 2013 in Blog

malibu-rum

As a food writer and cooking teacher, I spend a lot of solo time in the kitchen testing recipes and solo time at my desk researching and writing. So recently, when I got asked by BlogHer and Malibu to go out for a night on the town with friends to sample cocktails, I was more than happy to deviate from the routine.

My friends Barb and Colleen joined in on this girls’ night out to try out cocktails at Prohibition on the Upper West Side, one of the places in New York that serves the new Malibu Island Spiced rum. Sweetened with Truvia®, a natural sweetener, Malibu Island Spiced is infused with coconut, vanilla, and cinnamon flavors. The weather in New York was finally starting to warm up, so it was the perfect time to try out these cocktails made with Caribbean rum.

We tried three cocktails: Malibu Spiced and Diet Cola, Spiced on Ice (Malibu Island Spiced with crushed ice and an orange twist), and Sparkling Spiced (Malibu Island Spiced with soda water).  They all went well with our food, including steak quesadillas, tuna tacos, mini cheese burgers, and chips and guacamole. However, during dinner, we got to thinking which Asian dishes the cocktails would go well with, since Asian cooking is the theme of this blog. (It was difficult to get good photos in the dark restaurant, but somehow we managed!) malibu-rum-2 copy

A couple years ago, while researching the history of Chinese food in America for my cookbook, I found out that in the 1950s through the 1970s, Chinese restaurants and tiki bars alike often served rum cocktails like Mai Tais and Scorpions alongside dishes such as sweet and sour chicken and fried rice. With light tropical flavors and sweetness, rum cocktails are a natural pairing for Asian food.

Here’s what we came up with as good pairings:

Malibu Spiced and Diet Cola — The cola and lime flavors remind me of a Cuba Libre. Thai and Vietnamese dishes with bold flavors would definitely be great with this sweet drink, including pad Thai, Thai red curry mussels, Vietnamese grilled pork, and clay pot chicken. Filipino coconut chicken adobo would also be a tasty dish with this cocktail.

Spiced on Ice — This drink is strong! With just spiced rum over ice and a hint of orange, the smoky drink needs foods that aren’t too heavy and have a tinge of sweetness or spiciness. I’d go with cold sesame noodles, kung pao chicken, or steak teriyaki.

Sparkling Spiced — This drink was very light, so I would go with summery foods with mild flavors. Vietnamese summer rolls, vegetable dumplings, cold soba noodles, and sushi would be great to have with this cocktail, preferably outdoors in a backyard or on a deck. All in all, it was a great evening catching up with my friends over good food and good drinks. And thinking up these cocktail and food pairings definitely flexes the mental muscles more than the usual Friday night out! 

 

Leave me a comment telling me what dishes you like to enjoy with rum cocktails for your chance to win a $100 Visa Gift Card! 

 

Sweepstakes Rules:
No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winner  will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

 

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 6/13/13 – 6/30/13.

 

Visit Malibu Island Spiced Rum on Facebook to get more drink recipes and join the brighter side of spiced rum!

And be sure to visit the Malibu Island Spiced brand page on BlogHer.com to read other bloggers’ posts!

 

SIP EASY. ENJOY MALIBU RESPONSIBLY.

MALIBU ® Caribbean Rum with Coconut Liqueur & Natural Spices, with Truvia® Sweetener. 30% Alc./Vol. (60 Proof) ©2013 Imported by Pernod Ricard USA, Purchase, NY

Truvia® and the Truvia®  logo are registered trademarks of the Truvia Company LLC.

PER 1.5 FL. OZ. SERVING. AVERAGE ANALYSIS: CALORIES 70; CARBOHYDRATES less than 1 gram; PROTEIN 0 grams; FAT 0 grams.

*when mixed with your favorite zero calorie mixer. Limes and other garnishes may add calories

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Cooking and Food Blogging on TV

By on June 12, 2013 in Blog

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A couple of weeks ago, I was contacted by reporter Christie Clements from SinoVision, the NY-based TV station promoting Chinese culture in the U.S.  The station wanted to tape a short segment about the day-to-day work life of a food blogger and cookbook author. I been on TV few times before before (most memorable being this CBS Early Show segment about strange Beijing street food). But this was the first time a small crew would film in my apartment. Cue the frantic cleaning!

After an afternoon of cooking and filming, this is the finished segment that just aired this week. All in all, a fun experience!

 

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Sichuan Dry-Fried Green Beans

By on June 10, 2013 in Recipes

Sichuan Dry-Fried Green Beans | Appetite for China

I first attempted making Sichuan dry-fried green beans 5 years ago while living in Beijing. Night after night I would have these delicious crispy green beans at Sichuan restaurants alongside dishes like mapo tofu and kung pao chicken, and finally decided I needed to try making them on my own. The results of my first experiments were less than impressive, to put it mildly. Then help came from a fellow blogger back home in NY.

Years later, I still make dry-fried green beans with the same time-tested method, varying the ingredients ever so slightly. Here is a revised all-vegetarian recipe featured in my new cookbook.

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Dried-fried green beans is one of my favorite side dishes to order in Sichuan restaurants. In contrast to crisp haricot verts or mushy microwaved diner-style beans, Sichuan-style green beans are blistered and well-cooked without being bland. With Sichuan peppercorns and dried chillis adding spice and smokiness to the flavor profile, this dish becomes positively addictive. (more…)

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Stir-fried Sugar Snap Peas and Radishes

Stir-fried Sugar Snap Peas and Radishes

By on June 6, 2013 in Partnerships, Recipes

One of my favorite things about spring is that sugar snap peas are everywhere right now. If I go to a farmer’s market, there will be bins full of sugar snap peas piled high. And inevitably someone offering a sample using the peas, like a salad with a lemony dressing. My favorite way to cook [...]

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Garlic Edamame with Sichuan Pepper

By on June 2, 2013 in Recipes

For years I made edamame, one of my favorite snacks, by just boiling the frozen pods and then sprinkling sea salt on top. It was easy, and if you’re using good salt, one of the tastiest things to snack on. Then one night, while having drinks at my friend Barb‘s apartment, she whipped up a [...]

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Sriracha Hummus

By on May 29, 2013 in Recipes

The last two weeks have been a whirlwind. Between going to conferences, tours, teaching, planning more classes, and blogging both here and on Brooklyn Atlas, having a quiet night at home just to relax had been put on the backburner. So this past weekend, when the weather went a little berserk and the temps dipped down [...]

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Teriyaki Turkey Burgers

By on May 24, 2013 in Partnerships, Recipes

Here in New York, having outdoor space is seen as the ultimate luxury. Whenever you meet someone who has a backyard, front yard, roof deck, terrace, balcony, heck, even a fire escape, it’s hard not to feel very, very jealous. You imagine all the grilling they get to do in warm weather. And all the [...]

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