As we close out 2022 I am sharing an easy dip to put out on your New Year's buffet table. It's simple and very typical of the casual yet bountiful feasting you will find at local Hawaii homes. What is kamaboko? Kamaboko, or Japanese fishcake, is usually a white fish...
As days start to cool down, I start looking for warming and satisfying dishes, like this soup. Pork tofu and watercress is a fairly common stir-fry dish found in Hawaii. A simple and tasty dish, sometimes it includes other vegetables like onions and bean sprouts to...
Cold tofu makes a refreshing meal in the summer. In its most simple form, a dish of tofu only needs a drizzle of soy sauce and sesame oil. This recipe takes cold tofu to the next level, adding veggies and tuna for a satisfying summer salad. An unusual but popular...
I am known as a collector of cookbooks. While I try to resist and even glean my collection from time to time, I find myself constantly adding new volumes. On a visit, many years ago, my friends wanted to cook a meal as a thank you for hosting them in my home. They...
Wonton soup is Chinese comfort in a bowl featuring delicious wonton dumplings in a flavorful broth. It's not difficult to make and if you have a little foresight you can make enough for a future meal or two. Homemade is the best When I first moved to Boston I had a...
Easter is just around the corner and with the abundance of hard-boiled eggs that will be on hand, making deviled eggs is a no-brainer. There are many different variations of deviled eggs, so I took this opportunity to put an Asian spin on this classic. What are...
Crispy gau gee is a popular fried dumpling, similar in taste to a fried won ton but different in shape. It wasn't until I began writing this post that I realized that this is one of those Hawaii-only Chinese dishes (like cake noodles) that you rarely find outside of...
Chinese chicken salad was one of my mom's go-to family potluck recipes. She would often prepare it in one of those disposable aluminum trays, carefully layering the ingredients. Then when it was time to serve, she would shake-up the dressing, pour it over the salad,...
One of my all-time favorite Top Chef contestants is Sheldon Simeon. He is such a wonderful ambassador for local Hawaii cooking, bringing together his Filipino heritage and the multiple ethnic influences represented in our islands. I couldn't wait to get my hands on...
As we came out of our post-holiday food coma, we found ourselves assessing the leftovers. Ham bones and turkey carcasses were used for stock. Roast beef and potatoes were turned into shepherd's pie. Roast vegetables were used in a frittata. There is little in the...
A good friend, who shares an appreciation for spam, found a recipe on the Three Hungry Bellies blog for spam buns. In this evolution of the hot dog buns commonly found in Chinese and Japanese bakeries, a slice of spam is encased in a soft, fluffy bread. I...
We always have some form of cheese in our refrigerator - sliced cheese for sandwiches, string cheese and cheese wedges for snacking, and lots of other cheeses that sounded interesting and delicious. One of the ever-present cheeses you will find is feta. It is great...
For many, many years, when I lived in Boston, I spent my Thanksgiving holidays with my extended family in Seattle. It was an easier trip to make (half the time it took to fly from Boston to Hawaii) especially when I knew I would be in Hawaii a few weeks later. Among...
Happy National Dumpling Day! Although this is an artificial holiday created as a marketing campaign by a food company, I can't help but celebrate one of my favorite types of foods. From pierogi to empanadas to gyoza to madombi, most cuisines have some form of a...
or la tentation de Bramafam One thing I miss about my life in Boston is Moveable Feasts. I miss the meals that lasted for hours, my friends that made me laugh and cry and laugh until I cried, and the delicious food. Over the years, Julia Child's recipes featured...
When we were young, a cheap and easy snack was a package of dried ramen noodles, crushed into little bite-sized pieces, tossed with a little of the seasoning packet. Later when we got to college, packaged ramen was the go-to cheap meal that could be zhushed up...