Jennifer J. Chow's Blog, page 44
March 7, 2016
Serendipity
“Consider your impressions; follow them once in a while.”
Sometimes you can’t plan for things. On the way back from a road trip this weekend, I stumbled upon Ding Tea. (They had me at the words: Taiwanese tea house.)
Apparently, their tea leaves come from the central mountains of Taiwan, so you can expect a high quality drink. I also love that you can customize the sweetness level and the amount of ice in your tea. Plus, they offer golden boba. These tapioca are lighter in color than usual boba and have a less dense texture. I ordered the matcha milk tea (which was superb), and I’m definitely giving this place a thumb’s up!
p.s. Other serendipity things I’ve enjoyed over the years: the imaginative kids’ book and the romantic comedy.
March 4, 2016
Foodie Friday: Char Siu Sou
Char siu sou: BBQ pork pastry
Need an alternate to chicken pot pie? Try char siu sou! It’s a savory meat pie with flaky crust. Also, I love the juxtaposition of barbecued pork in it, which adds a slight sweetness to the mix. You can find these delicacies on your local dim sum cart!
Try a cheater’s version (her words, not mine) of the recipe here.
February 29, 2016
Neverending Revisions
“You will obtain your goal if you maintain your course.”
Remember when I had my New Year goals? Well, I’m a bit behind schedule. The only thing I’ve gotten done is getting the research books for my next Taiwanese YA novel (not reading them, mind you, just having them sit prettily on the bookshelf).
They say half of writing (if not more!) is revising. It’s funny how I’ve gone through my manuscript so many times, gotten other eyes on it, and I still manage to constantly tweak words and sentences. My projected finish date was February to edit it all, but it’s now the end of the month, so I’m definitely going past that self-imposed deadline.
At the same time, I’m also slowly polishing a novella with my local writers’ group. I’ve also submitted a Winston Wong short story to a few magazines, but no word so far….
I’m not creating any new content, though, and that always makes me feel unwriterly. Unless…would you count rewriting as writing?
Hope you all are pursuing your goals with much diligence!
February 26, 2016
Foodie Friday First: Freshwater Eel
Ate some freshwater eel in Taiwan.
Freshwater eel: elongated fish that live in shallow waters
I admit it, I’ve had eel before. Usually, though, they’re the giant kind. This time around I tried out these little guys. Really, though, they taste like typical seafood to me, fish-like but with a thicker consistency.
What’s really neat about this dish, though, is the story we heard right before we left for Taiwan. My father-in-law talked about how he’d catch these eels with his bare hands. Growing up, they owned a rice paddy. After they harvested the grain, they’d find these sea creatures underneath. The family would make a sport of catching them and got to cook a fresh dinner each night.
Any fishing/childhood stories you remember?
February 22, 2016
Lifelong Dreams
“Your dearest wish will come true.”
It’s amazing when we’re able to fulfill a lifelong dream. For me, it’s writing and being published. I’m so grateful to do what I love every day.
Others have different dreams….Virginia McLaurin wanted to go to the White House and meet President Obama. At 106, she finally got her wish. When she went there for Black History Month, she was so excited that she started dancing with joy. Which makes sense, because she’s lived through 18 presidents just for this moment in time!
What’s your lifelong dream?
February 19, 2016
Foodie Friday: Mantou
Mantou: steamed bun
This is a simple staple dish, often served for breakfast. In its purest form, it’s a sweet hollowed bread made with wheat flour, water, and leavening agents. You can find recipes for homemade versions, or you can buy prepackaged ones in the grocery stores. (I’ve tried microwaving those, but I find that actually using a steamer works the best to get the right amount of fluffiness.) The traditional version of the mantou is a pure white bun, but fancier kinds have fruits or seeds embedded in them (see above picture).
February 15, 2016
Belated Chinese New Year
“A thrilling time is in your immediate future.”
With all the craziness of this new year, I haven’t done a proper Chinese New Year post. So Happy New Year and gung hay fat choy!
Monkey years are generally positive and optimistic, so I hope it’s a joyous one for you all. It’s a fire monkey year; fire monkeys tend to be ambitious and adventurous, but also irritable.
My celebration was pretty low-key this time around. Sure, we met up with family and had some delicious food, but we’re probably still recovering from our trip to Taiwan (does that count as pre-celebrating?)
But here’s a virtual lion dance to enjoy!
February 12, 2016
Foodie Friday: Sesame Sticks
Sesame sticks: rectangular sesame treats
If you haven’t already heard, Monday marked the beginning of Chinese New Year. It’s the Year of the Monkey in 2016 (the fire monkey, to be exact). Overseas, people get seven days off to celebrate the holidays.
When we were visiting Taiwan, people looked at us funny because kids don’t get winter break there–their time off is consolidated around the lunar new year. Besides meeting up with family, New Year is a great time to eat tried-and-true treats. One common and yummy snack is the sesame stick.
Did you/are you celebrating Chinese New Year?
February 8, 2016
Freebies
“A friend asks only for your time and not money.”
Who doesn’t love free? This is a quick post to let you know that Dragonfly Dreams is free on iTunes (my Apple friends) and only 99 cents on Amazon for a short time. Enjoy!
What other nice freebies have I scored before?
Free museum days
Free birthday treats (usually a dessert of some kind)
Free goldfish (see my 626 fairy tale)
What’s your favorite freebie?
February 5, 2016
Foodie Friday First: Saucisson au Poivre
In Taiwan, I enjoyed my first French saucisson.
Saucisson au Poivre: peppercorn sausage
My cousin treated us to his spoils from France: fancy cheeses and saucisson. It’s very similar to salami you get from the deli–not the packaged kind, but the sort they need to slice up. I love cured meats, and on my trip to Spain I ate a lot of jamón ibérico. This French sausage is quite tasty, and although I was skeptical about the black pepper, I came to love that slight kick on the tongue.
