Jennifer J. Chow's Blog, page 58

NaNoWriMo

“You love challenge.”

Not really. Nerd alert: I was part of my high school’s Academic Decathlon team. On the practice test, I did really well on the Language & Literature portion, but during the real deal at regionals? I kept second-guessing my answers and ended up scoring pretty low. I can’t handle timed pressure. This is why I would be a bad contestant on any number of reality TV shows.

For writers, there’s the current NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) challenge. Kudos to those taking this on! Every year, I’m mildly tempted to participate. Then I calculate how much work it would take for me to complete 50,000 words in one month, and I back out.

I don’t know about other people, but I can’t write all day long. First, there’s the logistics, like picking up kids, cooking meals, etc.. Then there’s my temperament. I prefer shorter stretches at a time and breaking up my writing.

However, some lovely books have resulted from the NaNoWriMo challenge, including:

Night Circus (a magical tale featuring rival magicians). Morgenstern started with a different story during the challenge, but when she refocused her efforts on a new setting–a circus that comes to life at night, the premise for her bestselling novel began.
Water for Elephants (a story centered on a Depression-era circus, with a love story at its heart). After Gruen got laid off as a technical writer, she delved into fiction. Water for Elephants was on the bestseller lists for over a year.
Wool  (a breakout science fiction novella that turned into a series). Howey is a self-publishing star who sold tens of thousands of books to readers before getting an agent and securing a six-figure deal with a major publisher (finagling print rights only and keeping e-rights for himself).

Any experience with NaNoWriMo? Did you enjoy any of the above books?

Foodie Friday: Chili Dumplings

Chili dumplings: a cross between wonton and siu mai, doused in a chili oil-soy sauce mix

These were handmade.

Technically, this dish is called “meat dumpling in chili oil.” It’s a classic Szechuan dish (the Chinese region known for tongue-tingling delights). Now, I’ve had dumplings before (xiao long bao, wonton, and whatnot). I also have varieties of chili paste in my pantry (thanks to my spice-loving dad). But putting the two together? An amazing culinary experience.

The skin of these dumplings are wonton soft. They’re those wrappers (thin-sliced and found in the freezer aisle of grocery stores) that melt in your mouth. It’s also got a very round and structured shape à la siu mai on dim sum carts. Inside lies steamed pork (and sometimes shrimp). The winner of the dish is the chili oil sauce, though: a mouth-watering combination of fresh garlic, savory soy sauce, tangy vinegar, and spicy chili. You can find a great recipe for it here.

What’s one of your favorite spicy dishes?

Frugal Asians

“You have a good head for matters of money.”

I admit it, I’m frugal. There’s a certain stereotype that Asians are stingy with their finances. I’m not sure if that’s the most accurate descriptor, but we (at least I) do like deals.

There’s this great clip from the Fresh Off The Boat trailer where the mom of the family is shopping in the supermarket. She’s offered a free sample on a platter. When she finds out it’s free, she proceeds to take the whole tray.

As for me, I grew up with a family where we had a definite coupon drawer and an envelope with various compartments to separate them by category. Also, when my parents opened a savings account for me as a child, a bulk (and sometimes all) of my allowance went straight there. In addition to all of this, we were a family enamored with discounts (a big yes to child rates at amusement parks!).

Of course, the scrimping probably stems from the fact that my parents are immigrants. They value hard work and perseverance. They know about saving up (my dad worked all through college–and not just work study jobs) to pay for schooling.

So, as the end of this month approaches, I’m scurrying to save money on costumes. When did dressing up begin to cost so much? And there’s always some sort of costumed event for the kiddos to participate in (not including the school’s annual parade).

Thank goodness my older child is as frugal as me. Did she want a new costume? No. She’s going to use that cat one until it unravels. For my other child, she and every other little girl in the world (it seems) wants to be Elsa. Unlike one of my close and savvy friends, though, I can’t just sew up a dress (oh, Home Ec class, why didn’t I take you?). But you know what? I have an old Dora the Explorer Snow Fairy dress–take out the identifying Dora tag and presto!

Happy costume hunting (repurposing)!

Foodie Friday First: Dutch Baby

Dutch baby: a fluffy breakfast food, that’s served all puffed up

Nope, I’m not posting about a smiling infant today. Although I do know some sweet Dutch babies. Actually, this dish isn’t even Dutch. It’s a German pancake, but people misheard the word deutsch during its origins.

A unique breakfast item that you can make on your own, some of its traits are:

Boasts an amazing puffy structure
Consists of eggs, flour, sugar, and milk
Bakes in a cast iron skillet
Offers lemon, butter, and powdered sugar as toppings (although fresh fruit can be added, too)

When I ordered this, I expected more of a crepe experience. Instead, it’s got a soufflé texture. It’s that odd in-between phase between eggs and a pancake. I think next time, I’ll just go for the extremes–either egg or pancake all the way.

 

 

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner

“Luck will be yours when you least expect it.”

I had a tough time last week, so thanks for all the encouragement. You guys must have sent some good luck my way, too. Because what a difference a week makes! I’ve won not once, but twice over the past few days.

That’s right. Winner, winner, chicken dinner! This phrase originally comes from games of alley craps during the Great Depression. However, it’s also referenced in the movie 21 because legend goes that an average Las Vegas win ($2) could buy a chicken dinner ($1.79).  For a cultural parallel, when you win in mahjong, you can say, “Sik wu!” (lit. “Eat congee!”).

It looks like winners get all the yummy food. Here are my latest prizes:

2nd place in an anthology contest (more details later when the book comes out)
50-page critique from editor Jeni Chappelle (I almost never win raffles, but…)

Okay, I’m off to eat some chicken or congee. Scratch that. Let’s make it congee with chicken.

 

Foodie Friday: Pork Belly Bun

Pork belly bun: steamed bun with slices of pork belly

I’ve long been a fan of Peking duck–with the American version of wrappers. I don’t like those authentic thin crepes that come with the dish. Instead, I enjoy soft steamed buns for holding my fixings. And what’s not to love about a pork belly bun? I mean, the ingredients for an authentic Taiwanese bun are:

Steamed bun (moist bread–mantou, which you can buy frozen from the Asian market and steam at your own leisure)
Pork belly (gua bao, or essentially, bacon; stewed in soy sauce and rice wine with five spice)
Leaves (either mustard greens for a pickled taste, or some other lightly cooked vegetable to balance out the rich meat flavor)
Cilantro (a tangy condiment, which also provides more color to the dish)
Peanut powder (a bit of sweetness, since Taiwanese peanut powder is blended with rock sugar)

So, go ahead and make your own (here’s a  fusion style version). Or order it at a restaurant. Happy eating!

 

It’s My Party, and I’ll Cry if I Want To

“Seek out the significance of your problem at this time. Try to understand.”

Let me preface this by saying: It’s my birthday month. Growing up, my doting parents made sure I felt special on my birthday. Even if it was just a card, cake, and candles. To this day, I still have fond memories of pink champagne cake (do they still sell that anymore?).

So it was with great excitement and hope that I entered this month. Alas, I’ve already been slammed with three rejections. One of which was the PEN Emerging Voices Fellowship. I heard great things from a past alumna about the program, so I’m sad to not get selected.

On the bright side, they did send me an email to update me about my application. Which do you think is better? Cold silence, or a waiting email? I’m not sure. It’s hard not ever knowing, but it’s also difficult having the rise of anticipation turn into a drop-off-a-cliff letdown. At least, they wrote that there were “an overwhelming number of applicants, and unfortunately, a very limited number of spots.”

The fellowship is “intended for promising writers who lack access.” Does it mean that I didn’t lack enough access? That I was too promising–or not enough? Well, best of luck to the 2015 Fellows!

Will the beginning blues of this month evolve into exciting endings? I certainly hope so. There’s still a few more weeks before the month finishes after all.

 

Foodie Friday First: Crumpet

Crumpet: an English griddle cake, often served for breakfast 

“How would you like a nice spot of tea?” One of my favorite lines from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. It’s so very English. I actually had a college friend who adored tea parties. Every social gathering we had would turn into tea time. In fact, I ate my very first scone because of her influence.

Sadly, I’ve been late to the dining game with another traditional English treat: crumpets. When I visited Seattle over the summer, though, I made up for my lack of knowledge by going to The Crumpet Shop. It’s apparently been making these scrumptious delights for 36 years!

On first taste, I compared the crumpet to the waffle. It’s got a delightful crunch to the bottom layer. My husband soundly objected. He thought the crumpet (his first time as well) was more akin to the English muffin. Well, here’s a chart to compare all three:

Crumpet
English Muffin
Waffle


Recipe
Batter
Dough
Batter


Served
Whole
Split
Whole


Shape
Circle
Circle
Square


Surface
Holey
Flat
Grid


Texture
Spongy
Toasted
Crisp


Tool
Crumpet Ring
Oven
Griddle

 

What would you compare the classic crumpet to?

White Hair Is In!

“Try something new and different. You will like the results.”

Platinum is in, and I’m not talking about jewelry. I’ve seen several magazines cover the new white hair craze. Is it an Elsa fad or what? Bleaching your hair takes a lot of work, involving:

Heavy time investment (takes at least 8 hours to color)
Chemical toxins (breathing in noxious bleach fumes)
Frequent touch-ups (often taking four hours at a time)
High expenses (requires monthly maintenance)
Wardrobe change (necessitates different clothes & makeup to complement)

In high school, I had an Asian friend with grey in her hair (not entirely white like Soo Joo Park, but a small streak). She felt self-conscious at times, but I thought it had a nice flair. And this was before Rogue’s fame from the first X-men movie. I myself still have virgin hair, unless you count the one time I had highlights (a splurge, but hair salons are so much cheaper in Malaysia).

Do you or have you ever dyed your hair? What about going grey on purpose?

Foodie Friday: Wood Ear Fungus

Wood ear fungus: a twisty-shaped mushroom

Upon first hearing the words, “wood ear,” it sounds kinda gross. Actually, this mushroom is a delicacy. It has a heavy-sounding description, but the fungus really looks lacy and light. Although bland in flavor, it provides a chewy texture to add complexity to dishes. The mushroom grows on dead and live wood, particularly on elder trees. Here are three interesting facts about wood ear mushrooms:

Imported from Australia to China in the 19th century
Used in hot and sour soup
Boosts immune system and is prescribed for colds and fevers

Are you a fungi fan?