hawaii eats (not)

It is Day 2 of my stay and I have been...sick!

Don't want to share too much gloom (or info) but let's just say whatever I have eaten it hasn't stayed down for very long...sigh!

The weather isn't being nice either as it POURED, thundered and lightning-ed.

I am feeling a little better as I type but still nervous as to what will agree with my stomach and what won't.

Hoping to kick this fast so I can at least enjoy all the New Year foods.

Will keep you posted.

sour

I've been a little under the weather. Probably because of the change in the seasons, with the daytime being hot and the nights cool, it is hard for me to know what to wear.

Growing up in Hawaii we don't have seasons and you would think living here for 9 years that I would be able to gauge what to wear but I still can't, I'm either over layered or under layered and if it is in between of seasons, well...

Anyway, thank goodness my tastebuds are still intact, though they've been craving for things sour.

One night, I made a stir-fry of veggies and topped it with the sweet and sour sauce my mom uses for her pineapple shrimp.

Made me wish I had bought some shrimp.

Here is the recipe for the sauce if you'd like to try.
From "Wisteria Delights"
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup pineapple syrup
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2.5 tablespoons vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon catsup
2-3 drops Tabasco

Heat until the sauce thickens, stirring frequently so as not to get lumps.

NOTES: I used pineapple juice because the canned pineapple here is quite nasty. Also, I omitted the salt and added more drops of Tabasco.

The other night I threw together a hot-sour soup.

I am reading "How To Cook A Dragon" by Linda Furiya and one of her recipes that she introduces is for Hot and Sour Soup.

She says, "This is a nourishing and hydrating soup to eat when you come down with a cold."

I didn't follow her recipe just the part for the soup seasoning.

Hot & Sour Soup adapted from "How To Cook A Dragon" : Serves 2
400 ml chicken broth
2 cups water
1 chicken consomme cube
1/4 chinese cabbage, cleaned and sliced
1/2 carrot, sliced
2 packets instant kanten (agar-agar) soup with mushrooms and green onions
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 dashes of white pepper
1 teaspoon of chili oil
1 egg, beaten

Add ingredients except soup packet and seasonings to a pot.
When cabbage and carrots are soft, add seasonings and when soup comes back up to a bubble, stir in beaten egg.
Take off heat.
Put contents of one kanten soup packet into a bowl and ladle hot soup over.

NOTES: this hit the spot, soothing with a little kick.

I've given in and bought cold medicine, I usually don't take medicines but am finding that being sleep deprived due to coughing isn't fun.

great to be back...

For the past couple of days I have been battling a fever, chills and body ache...the kitchen and appetite was closed...and I became another year older in the whole process...
This was a gift from my host sister, Tomoko and her husband, Koji. Can you believe that these beauties are artificial? I plan to use this to hold fresh fruit.

My husband gave me these purple tulips. Tulips are one of my favorite flowers. I'm not quite sure when it became my favorite but it is. Maybe it's because they look like light bulbs all lit up in the sun...For part of our honeymoon we went to Amsterdam's Keukenhof Gardens. There were tulips everywhere! I only wish that the weather was a bit more sunny, but I guess in April, it gets a bit cloudy...I think I've influenced Satoshi because now he's into tulips and lavender too!

Thank you also to all my family and friends who sent wonderful e-cards. You really made me smile on a day when I was really feeling low. :)

Finally, I can get back into the kitchen and back to being a foodie...