food-fantasies...

labour day in the US is adamantly not on the 1st of May... and since i couldn't get away from my work-misery and the twin-cities over the long weekend (my escape plan to NY didn't materialise... maybe next time!) ... i decided to bring the party into my wee apartment instead... well, it's just a wee little dinner get-together with a few of my colleague-friends. but it meant i could kinda say 'thank-you' to one of them who's been very kind with letting me use his car to practice driving... and also an excuse to watch "The Fiddler On The Roof" with some company... and it gave them the opportunity to taste some asian-homecooking... well, almost!

those who have actually seen me messing about in a/the kitchen will realise how dyslexic i am in following recipes... whether it is pure dyslexia or pure obstination in following 'orders' or that i don't always have everything i need... i tend to exercise quite a lot of creative license in my cooking... just because. well, call it a genetic disposition! but i quite like this rather non-conformist drive in me, particularly in the kitchen... =C) ...

"cooking without a recipe

While some people like the 'certainty' that comes from following an exact recipe, others rarely bother with them. [...] This does not always mean that [those latter people] are particularly experienced cooks -- it may be that they have an instinct for what might go with what. A feeling for their food. They may also have read or heard that x is good with y, or vaguely remember something they once ate and enjoyed. Whatever sort of cook you are -- or want to be -- there is nothing quite so rewarding as following your instincts and finding that they pay off." (Nigel Slater, APPETITE, pg 34-35)

i often browse through recipe books to find inspiration, or gain them through my mummy's cooking, or by learning from what other people do, or quite simply from trial-and-error... and from really screwing things up! but hey.... it's really not a big deal. at least i don't think so... some people get really stressed out about screwing up... and in some ways, jeopardise the enjoyment that goes with the whole affair...

i think it is fun to have people helping you with your messing-about-in-the-kitchen; especially those who have a penchant for all things foodie... this hands-on activity is also a good way to prepare your 'guests' for what they will be eating! haha...

apart from the braised pork and tofu stew which i served with steamed rice (cooked on top of the gas-stove) and garlic-stir-fried broccoli, i thought it would be fun to include a version of vietnamese spring-rolls as appetiser which i got the guys interested into making two rolls for everyone... while i made the whipped-mascarpone-cream for the layered fruit-compote and amaretti-mascarpone dessert (shown in the top left picture)... and tried to fit all the goodness into a red-wine glass for each of us! we all had a lot of fun... so much so that we didn't really snap any pictures; busy preparing, busy keeping everyone occupied with something (so much to the extend of handing one of them my english-chinese/chinese-english dictionary so that he could try to say something in mandarin! it was hilarious...) busy eating, busy enjoying the silly but otherwise 'intellectually-stimulating' exchanges of food-talk.. and i am glad they found the food edible!

i so much enjoyed cooking for/with my friends that i got even more inspired to try new 'recipes'... and subconsciously, i picked out 2 cookbooks (pictured left) from Barnes&Nobles on tuesday... and i am so chuffed with my purchase! i've always wanted a book that would tell me about different herbs and spices and how they have been traditionally used, prepared, combined, and also what they are good with... and i've always loved a good hearty soup! particularly ruth's soups... and so any inspiring ideas for soup-brewing and herby or spicey endeavours are indeed gems to be sought!

in fact, i was so excited by the many different things i could do with my favourite cilantro/corriander herb, which i make a point to get regularly... that i tried the corriander chutney recipe, modifying it only ever so slightly by adding a touch of sweet japanese mirin... and i am guessing that this would be splendid with seafood, and grilled meats... complementing the meat or grains with a subtly spiced but sweet experience and something i could bring along to the bbq-party this coming sunday!

oh... i can't wait to try other herb-spice concoctions... and make me a warm soup real soon!

posted by ~overacuppa~ on Thursday, 7 September, 2006 at 15:16 hrs