Porcini Consommé

Porcini is famous for its complicated meaty fragrance and the smooth texture. Some people call it as 'the meat of mushrooms'. It is one of the most expensive mushrooms because of its superior taste. I cooked this porcini consommé with Italian porcini as the smell is stronger than the produce from Yunnan.

The ingredients are just simple:
1. Dried Italian porcini
2. White peppercorns from Thailand
3. Fleur de sel (sea salt)

Dried Italian porcini
White peppercorns from Thailand

Like all other mushrooms, the mud and sand must be carefully removed when you process the the porcini.
Soak the porcini in hot water, and use the remained liquid at a later stage. The white peppercorns are used to spice up the consommé slightly.

As the creamy texture of porcini makes the soup spills out very easily, it is suggested to look at the stockpot from time to time to see how things are going. And since consommé should look crystal clear and light in texture, the soup needs to be filtered (I did it twice).
Lastly, sprinkle fleur de sel, and add a couple of large porcini slices.

I think it's nice to have a porcini consommé in cold days - the consommé is strong but nice to smell, the texture is slightly thick and the peppercorns give you some hotness. It's easy to make some.

Caprice

This is a lunch to celebrate that I'm making money again and so will have cash inflow to support my eating habits. Eat great is important!

The elegant interior.
Duck leg confit and foie gras terrine with remoulade vegetables in hazelnut dressing.
Crispy pork belly with vegetables and green curry in natural jus.
The pork was very juicy and tender; the skin was crispy, at the same time the thin layer of gelatinous fat beneath was well preserved. However, the choice of vegetables did not match the pork well - the taste was not refreshing enough to balance the fatness of the pork.
Blueberry Napoleon (left) and vanilla custard pudding (right)
I knew how crispy was the pastry of the Napoleon when my fork touched its first layer. Though there was loads of blueberry cream inside, the feeling was very light.

Will share more pictures later.

Caprice, Four Seasons Hotel, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong

Scrambled egg with wild nameko mushrooms

Used 3 large free-range eggs and wild nameko mushrooms (滑子) in this dish. I prefer using free-range eggs as they taste better and their colour is more appealling when cooked. The gelatinous feel of nameko mushrooms made a good match with the texture of semi-cooked eggs.

Scrambled egg with wild nameko mushrooms

Same ingredients, but taste varies - mushrooms with adjusted egg

服部珈琲舎

大正二年 (1913) 創業之老舗喫茶店。

名物1: 野菜カリーライス
名物2: 珈琲

服部珈琲舎 , 東京都豊島区南池袋1-27-5

彩食酒宴

縞鯵（しまあじ）刺身

彩食酒宴, 2/F, Plaza 2000, 2 Russell Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

居酒屋 元気一杯

A rejuvenating, re-energizing dinner at 居酒屋 with Alli.
What can be better than enjoying great food with your good friends?

前菜
烏龍焼酎 & 桃サワー
パイクー味噌煮
稲庭うどん
牛鍋
焼き鳥: ネギみそ焼, 手羽先, とり皮

居酒屋 元気一杯, 4/F, Miramar Shopping Centre, 132-134 Nathan Road, Tsimshatsui, Hong Kong

Via Quadronno

Another lunch at Via Quadronno on a bright and sunny day. I started with a refreshing tomato soup.

For having Italian food, this restaurant is always a play-safe choice. I like Via Quadronno much more than Cova Caffè Ristorante.
Tomato soup
Mushroom and parmesan cheese risotto

Via Quadronno, Level One, IFC Mall, 1 Harbour View Street, Central, Hong Kong

宮島牡蠣

浜焼牡蠣
焼牡蠣おかか

広島県廿日市市宮島町, 表参道沿路

Fresco

Hokkaido. To name their best food, the first one that most people think of is seafood, and the next is milk products. And people do not normally think of having french cuisine in Hokkaido - but I did! This french restaurant, Fresco, uses only local produce in their dishes, so I thought it would be an interesting new experience to taste Hokkaido from a view of french cuisine.

For starter (clockwise): duck liver toast, pickles and steamed haricot vert, home-made cold cut of pork, preserved eggplant and red pepper, salmon with dill sauce.
Vegetable soup.
Grill rib eye steak, fried mushrooms, baked potato and pumpkin.
Mini cream puff, panna cotta, meringue and chocolate dipped candied orange peel.

Fresco フレスコ, 北海道余市郡赤井川村