now experiencing the fragrant aroma of saigon
Among the few positive aspects of summertime in Hong Kong are beautiful sunsets on clear evenings. Eric invited us up for dinner on the rooftop last night. Here’s a 360º panoramic view in hi-res Quicktime VR and low-res Flash formats.
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See if you can count the number of times Zoe appears in the picture.
Zoe demonstrates the power shovel technique of eating her yogurt. Music is Powerhouse by Raymond Scott.
I’ve never been much of a fan of fusion cuisine, but every once in a while I get the urge to use Asian ingredients in a Western-style preparation or vice-versa. The idea today was to make pasta with pork bellies, my current favorite part of the pig – basically a big hunk of bacon before being smoked and/or cured. All around Asia, pork bellies are usually braised in a flavorful broth for several hours until much of the fat is extracted and the meat is tender. I used a mixture of red wine and chicken stock, flavored with garam masala and orange marmalade, let it simmer for a couple of hours, then skimmed off the fat. Meanwhile, I caramelized a finely-diced onion with some of the drippings, then added a can of tomatoes along with the pork bellies and the braising liquid. This sauce went on top of the penne after simmering for another hour or two, then topped with a mixture of yogurt and Sriracha sauce. Success!
