the jewelry of dessert

The Mitsuwa Marketplace in Edgewater, New Jersey is the place to go for hard to find Japanese ingredients. Occasionally you can find some sales like the big bag of bonito flakes I picked up for 4 bucks but typically the prices are hard to believe.



These apples sure came a long way to be here, and I guess we need to pay for their flights.



They have this display case showcasing what I call the 'jewelry of desserts' you have to know what they are for the most part and you have to be ready to pay.



These little desserts come packaged like they are fine gems.





If you are hungry you can see what you want before you order it. I have been going to this store for over twelve years now, the name has changed a couple of times in fact I still call it by the last name it used a few years ago 'yohan mall' but it is now the Mitsuwa Marketplace - one of my secrets.

tomatostravaganza

These guys are random plants that pop up in my window boxes from my living green'composting.'

Because tomatofest is already taken I will be having a tomatostravaganza instead. I ordered some seeds from these guys a couple weeks ago and forgot about it until they arrived. I only purchased what was in the sale area and I forgot for the most part.



Well my seeds arrived, all in the same kind of package save for their name typed on a label on the outside. I have a veritable hot bed of porn stars and gladiators that will be popping up in my garden. With names like Lerica Orange, Black Prince, Nyagous, Eva Purple Ball, Dr. Wyche’s Yellow, Cream Sausage, Early Wonder, Carbon, and last but not least - Black Cherry.



If you dont need a cold shower after reading those names then you need to get yourself checked. I cant wait till Fall to see if there will be any fruits from my labor.

lunch a bunch

When I have to make lunch for a bunch pasta always raises its hand first and gets picked everytime. You shout out "who wants to feed a crowd" and pasta is like jumping up and down doing the pee-pee dance shouting "me, me, me" as loud as it can. Hard to let that kind of motivation go to waste so pasta it is.



Spinach and ricotta ravioli with four cheese alfredo. The raviolis were simmered in the sauce to cook and absorb the cream and cheese then garnished lightly with spring onions and rose petals.



Not enough? How about a tzatziki pork chop with early peas?



Real good! Not that pretty but a great personality!

berry fine

Before I get started I need to mention the fantastic foodbuzz event I went to last night at David Burke Townhouse to celebrate the one millionth post on this rapidly rising site. The food was out of this world, both the savory and the sweet, and David Burke is such a nice guy. Let me say this 'lobster flan in an eggshell' does that paint enough of a picture? This wasnt it, but similar. My bouche was amused all night long. As I find posts I will link them - here is one by Dessert Buzz. Dessert Buzz has a one track mind and its all things sweet. She can review the reviewed and still review, Jessica at Harley Confections always finds her twist. When your name is initials then you know you are on to something and TW at Culinary Types is in on it.



Mushroom update: None, meaning there is no mushroom update. I am trying to concentrate the flavors and it is taking a while but as we wait for the results I have made pizza.



Violet jelly update: Minimal, meaning minimal. I have not done anything significant with the violet jelly yet. I cant think of anything besides a vanilla souffle and Ciao Chow Linda made a lemon souffle and I would feel like I didnt come up with an original idea. Plus my jelly came out more syrupy and purple not violet and silky.




I did drizzle some violet syrup around a pork chop and it was mighty tasty.



My kid wanted his with fries.



....and if this isnt enough - because of the jelly influences lately I made strawberry jam and syrup; more on that later.

huh?

Scored a book, but not just any book.




Life on rewind. Yesterdays news, today.