I have been delaying my posting so that I have got more to share this week. Or have I run out of ideas of what to write lately? It could be any of the reasons mentioned.

I had a busy start of another new week. I wouldn’t want to give too much details as it’s work related and I don’t want to bore my readers. As I want to maintain the objectives of this blog of mine: food & travel - how they relate to me.

Last weekend was just another great weekend. However, it’s just too short as usual. I think a 4-day week is a better idea, don’t you agree? I made more than just the salmon and pasta dishes mentioned in the earlier posting. So, I think it is definitely a good time to talk about another 2 ’stuff’ that I made.

Do you like duck? I love duck, not the fatty part though. Chinese usually cook the whole duck and I am sure everyone knows Peking duck and Crispy duck. I didn’t cook either of these. I made Canard à l’orange version chinois!! So, what makes it different from the traditional French Canard à l’orange? I added some spices - Star Anise, Cloves and Cinnamon. And the marinate? Chinese style: soya sauce & dark soya sauce. These are more for the colour and taste. Not to forget honey and sugar - once these are added with soya sauce mixture, the process of caramelisation is what we are after!

I used duck breast. You really need a good quality of duck breast that you don’t loose its taste with this strong marinate. I served the duck with simply chinese stir-fry of Pak Choi & Bean Sprouts and a bit of boiled rice.

So, the outcome? What do you think?

At last, it’s Friday! I have been waiting for the weekend and here it is. The only thing I look forward to every week is to finish my week and have a relaxing weekend: to do what I want and enjoy.

As usual, a nice & simple home-cooked food is better than anything else: to wrap up a week’s of hard work and to pamper ourselves with good food.

I did something quick and easy today - Saumon fumé avec des algues; Haddock cooked in vin blanc served with Tagliatelle in leeks, mushroom and pine nuts sauce. The reason for the smoked salmon as entrée is to use it up, thus this petite entrée! Tagliatelle c’est magnifique!! J’adore les Tagliatelle! Arnaud aussi!

Bon Appetit!

I just did a bit of a tasting session for the food that I am gonna cook tomorrow. It’s good that there were no surprises for what I wanted to do. So, the menu will be as planned. I have designed and printed out the Chinese New Year menu for tomorrow. A friend of mine will join us. Hope that it’s gonna be a nice one!

This year is the year of the pig - this is the 12th animal in the Chinese Zodiac. Wikipedia: In China, the Pig ( 亥 ) (a more correct form would be the Boar) is associated with fertility and virility. To bear children in the year of the pig is considered very fortunate, for they will be happy and honest.

Based on the Chinese Lunar calendar, the 18th February is the first day of the first lunar month. This is a festival that lasted for 15 days. However, the ‘eve’, the first 2 days and the 15th day denote the most significant days.

When I was a kid, I loved it when the new year was approaching as it meant to me - new clothes, new shoes, and food. As I grow older, it has become more meaningful as it’s the time to get together with family members and to have reunion dinner. On the eve of every Chinese New Year, mom was the busiest person to prepare the ‘big feast’ for the family. I really miss this now.

Now that I am miles away, I will make a CNY feast at home. I was just thinking whether to do this on Friday evening or Sunday. Have to think about this. Since it is the Chinese New Year celebration, I will make some very typical chinese dishes (with a little of changes) that my mom used to make at home. To prepare for the feast, I have drafted the menu as follow:

Entrée:
1. Fresh vegetable rolls

Main: (served with boiled rice)
2. Pan seared tiger prawns served in sweet chilies & rice wine sauce
3. Steamed fillet of haddock with ginger, spring onion and crispy garlic. (I changed my mind!)
==> Stir fried petit haddock filet with leeks and tofu
4. ‘Lor bak’ (bean-curd wrapped pork sausages)

Dessert:
1. Tako