Jennifer J. Chow's Blog, page 31

Foodie Friday: Huckleberry Shake

Huckleberry shake: a smoothie made with berries

You might not have seen me on my blog for a while because of a recent summer vacation. We went to Yellowstone! I’ll post more about my trip on Monday.

But for now, I’ll leave you with a taste from my break. Due to crazy traffic going into the national park, we made a pit stop at a local diner. Since they’re known for their huckleberry shakes, I decided to try one.

Now, I’m not a humongous berry fan. And beyond my appreciation of Twain, I wasn’t sure if I’d like it. However, this drink was super refreshing. It wasn’t very sweet, and I liked the creaminess mixed in with the huckleberry, which is similar to a blueberry. A big thumb’s up from me!

Fun fact: Little did I know then that everywhere in the area would be huckleberry treats, from sweets to drinks.

Fun fact 2: It’s the state fruit of Idaho!

Foodie Friday: Tebasaki

Tebasaki: crispy fried wings

These fried wings are known for their crispy skin. They’re also marinated in all sorts of spices. The ones I tried were from Sekai no Yamachan.

Their secret sauce combines soy sauce with other ingredients (perhaps garlic?) and a notable kick from pepper. The restaurant also uses special natural salt from Jiangsu Province, China to add flavor to their chicken.

Tebasaki is a nice snack or appetizer that is part of the izakaya (Japanese pub) style of food. I like how the chicken wings have tender meat on the inside covered by a crunchy, spicy layer on top.

Fun fact: Tebasaki wings originated in Nagoya, Japan (a major port).

Merlion

“Knowledge is power.”

My brother recently brought back a souvenir from Singapore which features the merlion. This mythical creature has the head of a lion and the body of a fish. It’s the icon of the country.

Designed in 1964, the fish symbolizes Singapore’s fishing origins, since it’s located on the water. The lion’s head, of course, resonates with power. The merlion name was actually trademarked by the Singapore Tourism Promotion Board in 1966.

There are several merlion statues around Singapore, one of the most famous located at Merlion Park. Its skin and eyes are actually made from porcelain.  The statue faces east for feng shui reasons, since orienting in that direction brings in good energy.

Fun fact: “Singapura” in Sanskrit means Lion City.

Foodie Friday: Mango Lychee Mousse

Foodie Friday: Mango Lychee Mousse

This is a really fun dessert! As you can see, there are yummy chunks of mango on top. There are even a few lychee bits buried like treasure on the bottom.

The whole thing is actually really light because of the mousse texture. Unfortunately, because of this, it feels insubstantial, like you can’t really taste the dessert part of it, just fruit. I’d have preferred maybe a bit of cake to ground the flavors.

Overall, a visually pleasing dessert.

#BookReview: The Sun is Also a Star

“Now is the time to go ahead and pursue that love interest!”

The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

5 stars

Pros:

Quick pace
Timely discussion (immigration issues, cross-cultural relationships)
Love story

Cons:

Different narrative formats (could be disorienting for some)
Belieavability about love at first sight (for those who don’t think it exists)

The Sun is Also a Star is an amazing book. I love how it deals with really sensitive issues like immigration and deportation in a caring and authentic way. Kudos to Yoon for bringing light to a sometimes hidden segment of the population!

I’m also a sucker for a good love story. Albeit, it is a love at first sight tale, so readers who are skeptics might balk at the notion of sparks flying at the touch of fingers. I really like the  two main diverse characters, Natasha and Daniel, and admire how Yoon portrayed them in three-dimensional, detailed ways.

The structure of the book is also interesting. This is a page-turner that explores different forms. Sometimes you’re in one of the main character’s heads, but other times, you follow a side character or even see from an omniscient perspective. I didn’t mind the quick shifting, and this moving around might actually appeal to those with short attention spans. The Sun is Also a Star also adds interesting science tidbits, which as a self-professed nerd, were extra goodies for me to discover.

Overall, a beautiful and immersive read.

Find more of my book ratings and reviews here.

 

Foodie Friday: Chocolate-Covered Fortune Cookies

Chocolate-covered fortune cookies: sweeter fortunes!

I couldn’t pass these up. They taste like you would imagine; the chocolate enhances the natural sweetness of the fortune cookie. The ones I tried came in two flavors: milk chocolate and white chocolate. (I’m not really a fan of the latter, though.)

It’s a lovely dessert treat. You get the yumminess of chocolate and still get to read a fortune!

Fun fact: My preference for fortune cookies goes way back. See the bottom of the right-side panel on the symbolism of my “fortune cookie” life.

New audiobook

“You should be able to undertake and complete anything.”

Just in case you missed it…

Dragonfly Dreams now has an audiobook version! This is the second time around I’ve used Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX). ACX helps turn books into audio versions through two methods: a 50/50 royalty split with the narrator, or upfront costs paid to the narrator. Both times I’ve decided to split royalties.

What I like about ACX is that you can put your project (book) out there and have people audition for it. You can advertise the qualities you’re looking for (gender, age, accent, voice style). After combing through the auditions, you select the narrator you like best. Then it’s a pretty smooth ride to work with the narrator, approving chunks of material at a time until you’re happy with the whole product.

One caveat: The typical rectangular-shaped book cover needs to be transformed into a square image. You can use various drawing programs to resize the cover, but sometimes the resolution and quality can be lost. One workaround is to create a border, to blend out the edges as Dragonfly Dreams does (see below).

If you’re into listening to books or have an Audible account, please check out Dragonfly Dreams.

Foodie Friday: Matcha Crisps

Matcha crisps: green tea-flavored cookies

For regular followers of my blog, it’s no surprise that I’m a green tea lover. My wonderful dad (so sweet!) picked up a package of matcha crisps on his recent visit to Malaysia. If you look closely at the pic, you’ll see a “Penang” sticker.

These are not British crisps, which are akin to potato chips. I think they’re more like cookies. Here are my favorite attributes about them:

Not too sweet (it’s more of a snacking food)
Balanced between bitter and sweet (although it could stand to have more tea kicking power)
Great crunch (the wafer thin quality lends to satisfying munching)

Fun fact: I added matcha love to my recently modified “fun” or casual young adult author bio…

Jennifer J. Chow creates multicultural fiction with intergenerational drama. She enjoys writing in bespoke journals, kayaking near waterfalls, and inventing teen stories with fantastical elements. She lives in Los Angeles, where she hunts for all things matcha.

George F. Canyon Nature Trail

“Life always gets harder near the summit.”

I’ve been wanting to do a quick hike. It’s nice to find nature spots close to Los Angeles. The George F. Canyon Nature Trail is located in Rolling Hills Estates near Palos Verdes. Besides 36 acres of Preserve, it also has an educational nature center that’s open on the weekends.

Parking can be found in the nature center lot or on dirt areas near the trailhead. Near the center is also The Learning Tree, a shaded place where groups can sit and be educated. There are wooden stumps to sit on–even this cute painted one!

I suspect this is where the local Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts troops congregate; there are quite a few markers indicating previous troops that have enhanced the preserve area.

I like the educational focus of this hike. There are twelve markers along the trail that provide information on local birds, animals, and plants (even the native and common poison oak!). Although there’s a pit stop to see a stream, the harsh summer has dried up the water.

During my walk, I relaxed in nature. My favorite sighting? Wild bunnies hopping around! I even saw a few domesticated animals since the trail is open to dogs and horses (and their riders).

The hike is a relatively easy 1.8 mile (roundtrip) with a dash of steepness. At the end, a sweet view of the Los Angeles basin is the reward.

Happy hiking!

Foodie Friday: Eight Treasure Dessert

Eight treasure dessert: sticky rice decorated with 8 toppings

I admit it. This is a really pretty dish! I usually think of sticky rice as part of the main course, but I’ve found it in a dessert now.

The eight “treasures” are different fruits and nuts that go on top of the rice. Often, they serve some sort of symbolism (e.g. lotus seeds bring happy marriages). Inside the dessert is a sweet surprise of red bean paste.

Although I’m not a huge fan of red bean desserts, this does have a nice earthy sweetness to it. And I do like all the colors! Here’s a recipe if you want to try it on your own.

Fun fact: Eight treasure sticky rice is popular during Chinese New Year.