犇年 Matador

Although I am not a cynic, I am skeptical by nature and holiday greetings irk me with superfluous sentimentality.  Converted in year 2020, carpe diem.  Let your family and friends know how much you care.  My fondest Lunar New Year memories were delicious foods my grandma prepared and ink paintings of the zodiac, the art that my grandpa inspired in me.  Happy New Year of the Golden Ox!

虛妄的2020, 多變庚子鼠年疫病瘋魔, 能撐至辛丑牛年, 感慨外是感懷生命種種溫情.  WFH免卻通勤, 日日節省下來寸寸光陰豈可浪費, 無事忙LK農曆春節前兩星期家廚密集實驗, 自製蜜餞菓粿糕點, 居然有模有樣.  天天傳給團隊們共賞, 人人讚美:  LK果然學究精神, 米其林私房菜了這都?!  放下菜刀回書房(有Dr. Lecter架勢), 大筆揮毫水墨牛ㄧ幅賀歲!  牛這生肖, 不若馬駿逸, 龍神威, 西遊記的牛魔王是位不稱職的父親還懼內; 希臘神話克里特島迷宮住著噬人牛頭怪獸… 我畫來倒像淘氣的初生之犢, 看著總覺眼神似足愛貓Sapphire靈動任性, 老貓上天堂已十多年, 深深思念, 我的確癡心長情.

Oranges and kumquats, the golden brilliance symbolizes good fortune and therefore both auspicious decor and delectable treat in the new year.  I coined my version of candied orange peels the 'heartsbane' :)  The concept started as an attempt to create edible firecrackers.  Instead of adding more sugar, I rolled the candied peels in crushed freeze dried raspberry, enhancing depth of the flavor.  Hey, Dr. Lecter…  I am a better sport than you.  You bared your broken heart to Will with the human origami of the ill-fated in the chapel.  I too wanted to run daggers through those who betrayed me but let bygones be bygones.  Distill the bitterness and allow feelings to metamorphose, shall we?  Happy Quaran-tine!

論年節蜜餞, 上海冷菜有道糯米紅棗'心太軟', LK獨行俠也, 難容婆婆媽媽的心軟, 我的版本題名'碎心劍', 本來天馬行空, 構思能吃的鞭炮, 順便消耗冬天佳菓金橘, 切片, 糖漬, 風乾橘皮ㄧ步步來, 可我有自體免疫宿疾, 能少糖便少糖, 裹糖霜的步驟偷天換日成碾碎的覆盆子, 鑲苦巧克力, 味道更具層次感!  大夥笑, 這麼細緻的甜食, 唯有黑色幽默的LK弄得如斯血淋淋… 是的, 情人節快樂!!! 

The turnip cake is… fifty shades of white, from the shredded daikon to long grain rice batter.  When serving this savory dish steamed, the creaminess comes through yet it is the pan frying that creates the irresistible contrast between the crispy exterior and the silky interior.  Great for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea… never grow tired of it.

上了幾堂Thomas Keller主講Master Class, 即領悟, 菜燒的好不好, 在於手藝經驗心思, 廚具多寡繁簡非要點.  近年早戒絕多添雜物機俬, ㄧ刀ㄧ鍋ㄧ砧板, 囊括天地玄黃.  最愛蘿蔔糕, 去年照食譜差強人意, 今年索性憑感覺來… 磨米漿, 刨蘿蔔, 口味鮮腴不少.  前後蒸就三小盆解饞, 複加價值是: 純手工燴料攪糊十分耗臂力, LK肩線和兩頭肌直追運動健將 :P

I stopped buying kitchen gadgets as most of them just ended up collecting dust.  Vitamix however has proven to be a worthy investment over the years.  It makes grinding flours and mixing batters efficient for snacks savory and sweet.  The simple steamed rice custard is versatile with a variety of toppings.  Almond cookies only require 3 ingredients and I like piping them for the dress-up look.   

都說ㄧ種米養百樣人, 米的用途才真正千變萬化!  曾旅居新加坡數年, 街邊有款南洋小食, 類似臺灣碗粿, 香港缽仔糕, 和越南Banh Duc Tom Chay, 多半佐極鹹的蘿蔔乾.  我喜原味, 調稀米漿清蒸, 澆麻油辣椒撒青蔥, 魚米水鄉的清雅.  鹹點用完吃甜點, 烤椰香杏仁酥, 為我碗底流金歲月, 花樣年華.    

Necessity is the mother of invention.  Trying to recreate one of my favorite dim sums, the steamed rice tuile at home requires Heath Robinson imagination when stock pot… is the steamer.  After all I do have a master's degree in product design and can't let silly obstacles stand in the way between me and culinary heaven.  My makeshift steam assembly was ME101 in action and the operation of cover-steam-peel-roll-repeat rather meditative.   

大學好友N因父母日漸年邁, 毅然放下繁華紐約, 年後搬回香港.  與伊人互祝平安, 稱讚她總是大器理性懂事, N感嘆, 寧願自己能任性, 生命重擔換人扛.  然有才華的人永不寂寞, 讀業界公報, 跨國企業禮聘N為亞洲區總裁, 媒體上N的頭像美得像好萊塢明星, 兼具東西方審美優點!  她也邀約下回到香港來家住, 重溫學生時代同居趣事.  誒, 新冠疫情肆虐, 不知哪年哪月方能重遊東方明珠?  想念港式茶樓各樣點心, 手癢自製豬腸粉, 因家中蒸鍋不大, 異想天開以袖珍蛋糕模交替, 勺漿ㄧ蒸ㄧ捲, 儀具建構流程頗富Heath Robinson詼諧 :)  口感嫩滑不輸專業, 只是費功夫, 個多小時忙活, 端上桌十五分鐘內盤底朝天, 對點心師傅尊敬油然而生.

Huat Kueh, the rice flour muffin could be made as a yeasted cake or mixed with wheat flour using baking powder as the rising agent.  I have not had much luck with yeast lately possibly due to the cold weather.  Also need to keep up a gluten-free diet, I opt out of the wheat flour route altogether.  In the end, a pinch of baking soda and few drops of apple cider vinegar has done the trick.  My experimental huat kueh blossomed like a rose, was very tasty and the moist, chewy texture actually kept well until the next day.

小時候過年炊粿乃外婆重頭戲, 那代人多少迷信, 發糕代表來年運氣, 非發不可!  完全無麥麩的純米發糕要開花不容易, 研究多時摸出頭緒, 蓬萊米加再來米添木薯粉沖漿拌勻, 入蒸鍋前加小蘇打粉和蘋果醋, 隔著玻璃鍋蓋瞧黑糖玫瑰緩緩綻放, 十分欣慰, 天上的外婆是否對愛孫微笑著?

This is the first lunar new year ever that I cooked so much and so often - look what wonders a life without long daily commute can do!!!  Humble white rice really is the LBD of asian cuisine.  With chicken broth base, minced pork stew toppings(as fillings will work beautifully, too) and accompanied by a bowl of freshly brewed white tea, an ensemble fit for a character from Dream of The Red Chamber.

二月初老朋友S生日, 聊近況, 戲謔年歲愈長愈返老還童, 總想著童年好吃的好玩的.  給他看LK非常古早阿嬤味的午餐:  ㄧ壺金盞銀臺配肉燥碗粿.  他哈哈大笑說這個阿嬤美學真專業!  開玩笑, LK戎馬半生設計業, 將來小V若爭氣能讓LK抱孫子, 我當然是又酷又富設計感的阿嬤!!!

When the new year's eve came, we went for the antithesis of fatty cornucopia.  No waste feast though, the broth from slow brining the chicken breast for bang bang salad became the soup to stew the 'lion's head' and napa cabbages.  Proteins checked and veggies checked!  

零嘴點心吃個不停, 除夕年夜菜從簡, 雞胸肉熬清湯, 冷卻剝細條, 拌嫩羽衣甘藍成棒棒雞絲; 雞湯則清燉獅子頭, 半豬半牛穠纖合度.

However, it wouldn't be a proper lunar new year without duck on the menu.  Roasting a whole bird was a bit daunting at the moment so I air fried duck breasts and the entree turned out very scrumptious.  The marinade was infused with Earl Grey tea and the sauce, a blend of candied orange syrup and Manuka honey.

雖不嗜大魚大肉, 沒吃烤鴨彷彿不算過年, 要大卸全鴨LK尚未練就這身手, 煎鴨胸應景, 醃料加伯爵茶, 沾醬則再次利用週邊食材… '碎心劍'的糖漬橘皮調蜂蜜! 

The tail end of the lunar new year happened to be Valentine.  I thought of creating something sweet in celebration of the occasion(combating Monday blues as well).  Playing off the Pantone color of year 2021, the illuminating yellow, I made one of my favorite wagashi, the imoyokan.  

初二娘家日, 問候LK媽, 母親心心念念我還沒選生日禮物(我生日過大半年了), 直到現在母親仍沒搞懂, 敝人於珠寶名錶等等身外物毫無興趣, 不過有人掛念該感激, 撒嬌要多幾付烏魚子算數.  LK可是饕餮, 請吃飯送珍饈至得吾心.  鬧了一陣, 她和LK弟似乎和好了, 此乃最佳年禮, 記不得哪本書讀過, 父母是我們和死亡之間ㄧ道屏障… 時間如此不等人, 我們都老了.  年初三亦是情人節, 來場茶道冥思兼收心(Monday blues :P) 自體免疫病發前, 我耽迷老店虎屋黑砂糖羊羹若狂, 每赴東京運金磚似的搬回家, 現下唯自力救濟熬煮舟和風芋羊羹, 澄黃的美麗色澤配上胡麻煎茶, 在陰雨冬日午後, 替自己創造盤中的艷陽天.  

A decent ROI I must say.  In spite of the impeccable appearance, the imoyokan was actually quite easy to put together and mostly just let time do its magic.  Perhaps this is, what it means to BE PRESENT?!

想想去年返樸歸真, 疫情逼迫人看清生命孰輕孰重, 與患得患失的野心和慾望劃清界線, 淡定過眼前日子, 是活在當下的真諦吧.