Hong Kong Style French Toast

My hands-down favorite dessert to order at Hong Kong cafes growing up was Hong Kong Style French Toast (西吐司). Unlike traditional French toast, this classic Western-inspired recipe is made with thick fluffy bread slides and peanut butter (or sweetened condensed milk) sandwiched in the middle!

You know how people say weird things like “I love you like a fat kid loves chocolate cake”? Don’t get me wrong: chocolate cake is pretty darn amazing. This year, though, I’m petitioning the Global Committee of Overused Catchphrases to update this (terribly outdated and somewhat unsavory) simile to something a little more fun. Something … Read more

Roasted Maple Brussel Sprouts

“I’ve never met a brussel sprout I didn’t like!”

…said nobody ever.

Roasted Maple Brussel Sprouts 1--011317

Roasted Maple Brussel Sprouts 3--011317

My first encounter with the infamous brussel sprout didn’t happen until grad school. While kids around the Western world were crinkling their noses at piles of mushy, oversteamed sprouts, I was gobbling up perfectly stir-fried bok choy and steamed gai lan at home. Naturally, I was curious about the villainized vegetable when my friend finally served it at a potluck, and I brought the fork to my lips with a hint of trepidation before taking a nibble. But surprise surprise: it was delicious!

Of course, I’ve had tons … Read more

Knickerbocker Glory

Harry had the best morning he’d had in a long time. He was careful to walk a little way apart from the Dursleys so that Dudley and Piers, who were starting to get bored with the animals by lunchtime, wouldn’t fall back on their favorite hobby of hitting him. They ate in the zoo restaurant, and when Dudley had a tantrum because his knickerbocker glory didn’t have enough ice cream on top, Uncle Vernon bought him another one and Harry was allowed to finish the first. 

Harry felt, afterward, that he should have known it was all too good to Read more