Thursdays are my one guaranteed day off–the other one varies. Remember when days off used to be fun? Now it’s just chores, housework, and errands. Did have time to hit the Asian market though. My BF has been researching Asian cooking in depth and watching this Asian YouTube channel (“Cooking Bomb”) religiously and wanted to bolster our arsenal. I thought we already had a solid collection but it expanded today.
Tonight’s cocktail was my recent fave. You’re seriously missing out if you have not tried my combination of gin, fresh lime juice, and elderflower liqueur. It is basically a Gimlet served up with a hint of flowery sweetness. Elegant but refreshing, and very tart!
And last night’s cocktail was an actual Gimlet, the classic. I needed this as a vehicle to consume copious amounts of lime juice (in this case Rose’s).
As for tonight’s dinner: chicken cutlet, asparagus and mushrooms sautéed in butter and finished with dry vermouth, topped with a shredded Italian cheese blend, served over garlic mashed.
We wanted H-mart (45 minutes away, or more with traffic) but got lazy and went to the much smaller Asian market right down the road. I do enjoy the place but its not the same.
what’s the bottle on the far right, says Aged something? that’s the only thing I think I don’t have and now of course i want it!
i may copy your cocktail concoction tonight…
i love when meat and veg is piled on mashed potatoes! it’s so homey, and love all the textures. i don’t understand people who don’t like their food touching. seems so lonely…
I thought pork would be a good counterpoint, but I only had (sous vide cooked) porchetta-seasoned shoulder/belly at hand (I ordered shoulder, but I’m fairly certain what I got was half belly). So, I crisped it up, made a sauce with the drippings, and that’s what we had. Worked well in combination, as it turned out.
The bottle is Zhen Jiang Vinegar. It says aged three years. I’m not sure what he is going to do with it. Must have seen it on the YouTube Channel. She had a video where she explained some of the basics you should keep in your kitchen for Szechuan cooking. I have not seen it, but based on our receipt yesterday at the market, I’d say it was a lengthy video!
As for my meal last night, if I was not photographing it I might not have plated it that way. But as I explained in the PORTIONS THREAD (yeehaw!), that is what people come to expect for plating and portioning, at least in New Jersey where I am, and I imagine other areas. Very rarely, except maybe in diners, do we see the protein, carb, and veggie all separate on the plate.
Whether it be fine dining or your neighborhood red sauce joint, everything is likely to be piled on. Delicious either way!
ChristinaM
(Hungry in Asheville, NC (still plenty to offer tourists post Hurricane))
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I believe it’s also known as Chinkiang vinegar or black vinegar. It’s delicious in dumpling dipping sauce, smacked cucumber salad, and some versions of fish-fragrant eggplant and kung pao/gong bao chicken.
very much! i “accidentally” made 3! didn’t want to leave just half a shot of gin in the bottle. luckily, i have another bottle waiting. and i think i have two more limes for tonight…
Looks great @ChristinaM; also thanks for including what the little ate! I find it interesting, and realize I’m missing seeing young children at the grocery store, and other places due to QT. BUT, will be running amok soon enough - vaccine on Monday! Yay!
these are a few of my favorite things 
luckily, i have another bottle waiting. and i think i have two more limes for tonight…
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