Mon. 05/31/2010 - Happy Memorial Day!

The pool in my apartment finally opened, and I went out there to enjoy the sun and summer reading. I am reading Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín now. It's a story about an Irish girl ventured to America in the 50's. I just started now, so I will have more story about it later.

  

Today was Memorial Day. Since Memorial Day is only American thing, I want to introduce about it a little bit here. Memorial Day is a US holiday observed on the last Monday of May (This year it was Today, May 31) commemorating U.S. soldiers who died while in the military service. It also symbolizes the kick off of summer activities, like picnic, outdoor barbecuing & grilling and beach going. All these summer activities normally ends by Labor Day, which is the first Monday of September. Days at beach or by the pool side will be the biggest activity in summer, but outdoor grilling is another activity American love. If anyone who has pool or deck at home can enjoy both water and grilling activities at once. (My pool doesn't allow grilling) Here I have some of the most popular outdoor menu...all from the courtesy of my favorite Food Network Channel.

 

{All Time Favorite 1: Fried Chicken Wings}

CREDIT: FOODNETWORK.COM

{All Time Favorite 2: Mini Cheese Burger}

CREDIT: FOODNETWORK.COM

{Potato Salad}

CREDIT: FOODNETWORK.COM

{Peach-Mustard Pork Chops}

CREDIT: FOODNETWORK.COM

RECIPIE: Peach-Mustard Pork Chops

INGREDIENTS: 4 (1 1/2-inch thick) pork chops, Safflower or corn oil for brushing, Freshly ground black pepper, Kosher salt

DIRECTIONS:

Peach-Mustard BBQ Sauce, recipe follows

Prepare an outdoor grill with a high heat for both direct and indirect grilling. Position a drip pan under the grate on the cooler side of the grill.

Brush the pork chops on both sides with oil and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Set aside for 15 minutes.

Grill the chops over the heat until brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Move them to the cool side of the grill and brush with some of the Peach-Mustard BBQ Sauce. Cook the chops, covered, turning and basting with sauce every 5 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted crosswise into the chops registers 140 degrees F, about 15 minutes more. Let rest for 10 minutes.

To serve: Drizzle the chops with more sauce and serve.

Peach-Mustard BBQ Sauce

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons minced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

1/2 cup whole-grain mustard

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

3/4 cup peach jam or preserves

1 tablespoon bourbon

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the vinegar and boil until almost completely reduced and the mixture looks like wet sand, about 4 minutes. Whisk in both mustards and the jam or preserves. Simmer, whisking, until jam melts, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the bourbon and salt.

Cook's Note: The bourbon is stirred in at the end--uncooked--to give a genuine jolt to the sauce. This Southern blend goes great with pork but is also a good finisher for chicken, duck, or veal.

Yield: about 1 1/4 cups

Sun. 05/30/2001

I am just really enjoying this new freedom. The freedom that I can control my own time. The freedom I haven't had last 10 years since I started to work.  As part of it, I bought the peonies. I couldn't keep the flowers at home, because the hours I was home were too short to enjoy flowers at home. But now, I can stay home a lot and enjoy flowers at home. I bought the ones that were not open yet hoping they would open very soon in my warm (almost hot) apartment. But they were not opening for two days yet.

This is an extra. I found this old photo. There is OEE behind Tulips.

{Oee Passing by Tulips}

Fri. 05/28/2010

{Boqueria}

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 {Pimientos de Padrón and Dátiles con Beicon}

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{Dátiles con Beicon and Conjonudo}
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 It was my last day of work at Newport News. Since it was the Memorial Day weekend, I could get out around 1pm. Gabi and I went out to celebrate. For late lunch we went to 'Boqueria' on 19th Street, between 5th & 6th Avenue. It is a small Bar/Restaurant offering Spanish Food by Chef Seamus Mullen. We started with Sangria (foreseeing it will be a long day of non-stop drinking), and had Tapas. Gabi recommended her favorites, Conjonudo; Fried quail eggs and chorizo on toasto, Dátiles con Beicon; Dates stuffed with almonds and Valdeón, wrapped in bacon and Pimientos de Padrón; Blistered Shishito peppers, coarse sea salt. The Dátiles con Beicon was excellent, sweetness wrapped in bacon was just beyond imagination. I ordered Mushroom as well, but I think Gabi's choices were much better. Sangria was the best Sangria I ever had. I really loved the food there. These days, any food didn't impress me so much, but Boqueria did.

After, we went to Apple Store to check some machines and looked around stores on 14th Street, like Jeffrey, where I haven't been for ages. The picture is actually Stella McCartney window. OK, next time, I will visit every single store and try to take as many photos as I can. Also, the railroad park, and that restaurant beneath that Hotel. (All of them, they are NEW to me and I don't even know their names)

{Stella McCartney}

For dinner, we settled down at Pastis. Last time when we went the area (I meant by Meatpacking), we drank, $15 per glass sparkling wine at Paradou, so, even though the terrace next to Paradou, was too cute, we decide to avoid there this time. I like Pastis, just because of their decoration,not so much of its food or fame. Those tiles, vintage chairs, tables, and linen. When it's less crowded, like maybe weekday breakfast, I will try to take my own pictures. We really behaved, not ordering the whole bottle, but just carafe this time. I had Moules, with Frites (Mussel with Fries) and Gabi had Steak with fries. I had so much fries and bread....ahhhhhh.

BTW, I realized that Mussels were served in Staub Pot that Sun was highly recommend to buy and bring it to Korea. One Kings Lane had it this week and I got it. The blue one. Like Sun was saying, I will make Galbi-zim or Mussel like Pastis.

{Pastis}