For those who were skeptical and doubted my ambitions!
I present to you “ice cream” made from SOLELY bananas and peanut butter.
Recipe source: http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-creamy-ice-cream-w-93414
Koshari.
Classic Egyptian street food that is also referred to as “Egyptian Lasagna.”
A bottom layer of cooked lentils, rice, onions, and spices, a layer of elbow pasta, a layer of special tomato sauce, all topped with caramelized onions (also called takleya).
There are many different variations of koshari. Here’s the recipe I used: http://shahiya.com/english/recipes/the-egyptian-koshari-275
20 grams of protein per serving! Needless to say that this dish is extremely filling. And delicious, too!
A Walk on the Fresh Side
As a first-year student in a once totally foreign area in the state I have always called my home, I am constantly discovering new places to go, things to see, and people to meet. A quaint and unique town like Amherst is extremely enticing to a college freshman who has never explored the area, containing museums, concert venues, and especially restaurants, of many kinds. I found myself overwhelmed at first by the wide, plentiful variety of ethnic cuisine offered in a rather small amount of space for a town center. But I got over that pretty quickly, for I delved into the restaurant culture upon my arrival in September, and have continued to explore, uncover, savor, and learn.
One Monday afternoon, I journeyed to The Fresh Side; a spot for Asian fusion cuisine with an emphasis on fresh and quality ingredients. With dining companion, Ian, by my side, we were excited to sample tasty edibles from an eating establishment that had been recommended to us. Ian had been once before and spoke volumes of it, while I, a first-timer, entered through the entrance curtain with an open mind and desire for asian flavor infusions. A craving for pad thai had been previously residing in the back of my mind for a couple of days.
Ian and I were seated by a friendly waiter in a spot close to a window which overlooked the Amherst Common. As we opened our menus, our eyes were instantly guided to the tea selection. Ian was intrigued by the iced tea with goji berries and hibiscus flower, while I opted for the jasmine green tea with coconut milk. This option was certainly a step up from my usual mug of green tea that I prepare for myself at the dining commons. Consisting of an almost syrupy consistency, my tea drink was refreshing, sweet, and satisfying. A light green tea essence laced itself through the sweet, dominant taste of the coconut milk, resting itself atop a mount of cubed ice.
Afterwards, we perused the rest of the menu to decide on an appetizer and entree. A long list of thai tea wraps was offered, each tea wrap item consisting of different contents, such as tofu, chicken, and even pad thai. Ian had previously heard that these tea wraps were essential to order upon a trip to The Fresh Side, so we ordered the sweet and spicy bean sauce tea wraps without hesitation. Once they arrived to our table, we devoured them, savoring the sweetness of the bean sauce as it was cradled by warm white rice and collectively enveloped by a soft, mild tea wrap. Chopped green onions topped each little wrap to add color, as well as a complimentary burst of flavor.
Finally, Ian and I excitedly browsed the entree options. The tea and thai tea wraps had made positive, lasting impressions on us and we had high hopes for our entree selections. Ian ordered the apple curry rice and I, eager to satisfy my craving, ordered the pad thai with bean curd. Served on a red plate and topped with colorful veggies, my pad thai was festively presented. Placed atop a heap of rice noodles laid carrots, green beans, peanuts, strips of egg and bean curd, scallions, and a lime wedge. I appreciated this twist on the classic pad thai, which usually contains just rice noodles, peanuts, shrimp, and chicken. The bean curd and egg absorbed the overall flavor, making them salty and very tasty. The peanuts were plentiful and the rice noodles were soft. Unfortunately, the contents of the dish were not mixed through, making the dish seem layered, rather than the “kitchen sink” style that allows the eater to taste a little bit of every flavor in each bite.
My experience at The Fresh Side was, overall, very positive. The service was good, décor was simple, and most importantly, the food was memorable. As soon as I got back to my dorm, I uploaded the pictures of the food that I snapped with my camera while I was at the restaurant and posted them to my food blog. News that I had added new pictures to my blog was automatically sent to my Twitter account, informing and allowing my friends to view the images of the mouth-watering aliment. From my friends, I received responses such as “oh my God” and “WHERE did you get that?!” It was evident they were enticed by such pictures of the appetizing dishes and drinks that I had previously enjoyed. I smiled to myself and simply told them to take a walk on The Fresh Side.
Lemon Rosemary Olive Oil Bundt Cake. With a candied rosemary garnish.
Celebrating being back in my kitchen after 6 weeks.
This cake is SUPER moist. And excellent with tea. Guaranteed to make you feel elegant.
Recipe source: http://carenblair.blogspot.com/2012/03/lemon-rosemary-olive-oil-bundts.html
thechickenparm asked: Have you had fatty tuna (=toro)? Just. Oh my.
I may have! But I cannot recall. Sounds pretty amazing though, I love a good tuna steak.
