Cabbage, Bean Curd and Pork Ribs Casserole & The vegetable (Choi菜) family

Cruciferous are vegetables (choi 菜) of the family Brassicaceae (also called Cruciferae). They are said to contain a good amount of calcium and phosphorus as well as many other minerals and vitamins. They are our good friends and should be included in our daily meals.

Although most of the cruciferous are available all year round they are cool season crops.

Here are the most common cruciferous vegetables (in alphabetical order) found at Hong Kong markets (most of them are pictured on my Local Vegetables Page).

Lace pattern of superimposed cabbage leaf-layers

Teakha 茶-家

I finally went to t-e-a-k-h-a (chàh-gà – 茶家) a boutique bakery / tea room which has been mentioned numerous times by Hong Kong bloggers.

Teakha is located in Sheung Wan on Tai Ping Shan Street which is a 10-minute walk from Western Market. It was so hot on that day that I arrived at Teakha drenched in sweat.

Teakha, Shop B, 18 Tai Ping Shan Street

Wax Gourd 冬瓜, Straw Mushrooms & Pork Soup

Squashes are in season now. In my previous post on the members of the melon (gwâa - 瓜) family I said that I would write a post on wax gourd and would give the recipe of the soup I love to make with it.

Sliced wax gourd/winter melon

Chicken with Bitter Melon & The Gwâa (瓜) Family

Summer is the season of melon/gourd/squash or “gwâa” (瓜),in Cantonese.  I have taken a photo of most of the "gwâas" we can find in Hong Kong and you can view them on my Local Vegetables Page.

Those who are reading my post and live in Hong Kong should rejoice about the forthcoming opening of Island East Markets.  I am sure they (we) will find lots of locally grown gwâas there!  

Here is below a list of the most popular types of melon that you can find at Hong Kong markets right now. As you will notice each one of them has the Chinese character - 瓜 – gwâa - at the end of its name.

Virtus Foundation, Lamb Paomo, Sour Plum Soup & Xian

I recently tried a bowl of “Paomo” in Xian and found this soup worth mentioning here. Before telling you more I am going to explain why my husband and I went to Xian. Our first destination was Yinchuan, Ningxia. We went there with a group of volunteers who joined the Virtus Foundation to select students eligible for a scholarship. How does this foundation work? I am going to share it with you. It's so meaningful that I cannot but not mention it.

Summer Holiday & Chocolate Bar on Bread

Saturday afternoon I was thinking of the holiday I spent in a farm when I was small. I remember this vacation very well and most particularly how I first made my own tartine au chocolat.

Why not making one right now? I cut one slice of my homemade no-knead bread (I follow Paola’s recipe and add quinoa and flax seeds. @ paosinis - cannot find her blog "thekitchennomads" today...strange}, cut it in half, put a bar of dark chocolate on top of each part and toasted it in my small oven (no patience to wait for the chocolate to melt naturally). Nice & sweet souvenirs!

Fish Maw - Yùh-Tóuh - 魚肚

Last week I went to Tai O 大澳 (Daaih-ou – means big-cove) with a group of friends. We stayed one night at the Tai O Heritage Hotel (TOHH) a newly renovated old police station turned into a hotel. If you have read my previous post on Tai O you already know that I often go to this former fishermen village. It was the first time I stayed overnight and furthermore in this exceptional place. 

If you want to know more about the history and story of the hotel click here >>>.