Asian Wet Markets

I used to detest going to the market with my mother. Scenes like the one below...



...only made me uncomfortable as I stood far away, curbside, away from my shame of having to be there with my mother and the butcher in the dank, smelly labyrinth of an Asian wet market. Nowadays, I seek it out and revel in its delights, usually haggling with the butcher, making small talk and picking over beautiful pieces of meat and bones.

The horror! I'm turning into my mother.

Apple Season Is Here!

I think one of the best ways to enjoy sweet Fuji apples is to cut them into bite-sized pieces, throw in a tablespoon of rice wine vinegar and then sprinkle them with a little bit of kosher salt. Toss in a bowl, and serve.

I love the combination of super sweet Fujis with the tang of the rice wine vinegar. The salt balances the two strongest flavors.

More to come on apples as I figure out what I want to do with them....

What To Do With Too Much Fruit

Pickle and preserve them, of course!

Mom's Summer Garden

I have a love/hate relationship with my parents' home in Contra Costa County. On the one hand, they have some of the most blistering heat in the Bay Area, but on the other hand, the heat and clay-earth combo really produces some good stone fruit and Asian veggies.

Here are some photos of what my mother grew this past summer: