Adventures in Mika's Kitchen
One of my good friends has been bringing me Banh Da Lon (Vietnamese steamed layer cake) from her favorite bakery in Orange County for the past few months… since I was able to figure out Banh Bo Nuong (Vietnamese Honeycomb Cake), I know she really wants me to figure this one out too! I’ve tried… [...]
This is one of my favorite chocolate cake recipes! Interestingly, it calls for no eggs and no dairy for the cake portion – which makes it easy to make with basic pantry ingredients (in addition to being vegan). This cake recipe was very popular during the Great Depression (since it could be made without expensive [...]
Last week, I noticed a strange low buzzing sound in our yard coming from my lavender bushes. I walked a little bit closer to figure out where the noise was coming from… and realized, each lavender flower had it’s own individual bee! So many bees… so many flowers! When I planted these bushes last year, [...]
Mochi is one of my most favorite treats to eat… I LOVE mochi! It’s so hard to come by though… Where we live, the nearest Japanese market is (at least) a 30 minute drive, and we don’t go down that way very often. Also, I’ve noticed that Mitsuwa Market has reduced their “fresh food/bakery” section [...]
I’ve never been a fan of traditional British Style (bitter) marmalade made from Seville Oranges (Citrus aurantium). And here in California, very few people like bitter marmalade… so making a batch to give away as gifts is often met with an, “Um… no thanks.” In the last year, I’ve spent a lot of time trying [...]
Limoncello is an Italian Lemon Liqueur, made from grain alcohol infused with lemon peels, served (chilled) after dinner in tiny cordial glasses. Traditional Limoncello is produced in Southern Italy along the Amalfi Coast, from Sorrento Lemons (Limone di Sorrento). Here in Southern California, access to Sorrento Lemons is quite limited – but one of the [...]
So how can I live in San Diego (or Southern California for that matter) without learning how to make fresh corn tortillas? They are so EASY to make, and the taste of freshly made tortillas is to die for… perfect for soft tacos! (I’ve been making grilled shrimp tacos using lime-coconut marmalade as a marinade, [...]
(Original Post Date: November 02, 2010) Last year, our neighborhood didn’t do much for Halloween – with the exception of this one house down the street that went nuts with the lights and spooky decor. This year, (not to be outdone by that one house again) every house in the neighborhood stepped it up, and [...]
(Original Post Date: October 17, 2010) My favorite kind of mochi is plain, unsweetened, and fried with just a little bit of soy sauce. But I’m a big fan of sweet dessert mochi too… which I also enjoy plain, without any extra fillings. This sweet mochi recipe (with a subtle coconut flavor) is one of [...]
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