I loooove fried foods.  One of my favorite deep fried meals is from Wang’s in Somerville.  I like to order some fried rice, fried squid with salt and pepper, and crab rangoons.  Unlike many inferior Chinese spots, Wang’s crab rangoons are made of a really tastey filling that’s light on the cream cheese.  Also, their squid is always tender and fresh.  Then I love to wash it all down with ice cold Coca Cola.  Yum.

I went to Yi Soon Bakery in Allston for the first time the other day.  I was totally overwhelmed at all of the tastey treats that surrounded me.  After careful consideration, I finally decided on trying a slice of this delicous blueberry and taro cake.  Oh my goodness, it was yummy.  It was impossibley light, yet dense at the same time and I was in love.

After the total failure that was Giada’a citrus and herb game hens, I was thrilled when my Sinagang came out delicious on my first try.  Sinagang is a Filipino tamarind meat soup that is one of my absolute favorite dishes.  I ate it all the time as a child and sometimes, hundreds of miles away from my childhood home, I get intense cravings for it.  The version I made last night, Sinagang na baboy, is made with pork.  I used pork spareribs, some gorgeous radishes and broad leaf spinach from the Union Square farmer’s market, and a small amount of tomatoes and green onions.  Since tamarind is not the easiest fruit to buy in the States and it’s a bit of a pain to make soup out of anyway, I bought a mix from Super 88 that had taro in it.

After numberous phone calls to my grandmother asking her questions about the process, I succeeded in recreating the dish that, I would say, defined my childhood.  Even more gratifying was hearing Ray tell me it was awesome as he ate a big plateful.

Ray’s favorite breakfast at home is a ham, egg, and cheese sandwich on freshly baked baguette with a little something sweet on the side.  This day, he had an apple cinnamon scone from Sherman Cafe.  It was so yummy.

The other night I tried my hand at a couple of Giada de Laurentiis recipes.  I love her.  I love watching her show.  I always find the simplicity of her preparation and the love she has for food really inspiring.  So tonight, I decided to cook Giada’s roasted citrus-herb game hens with a crouton salad and to finish, her angel food cake with espresso mascarpone cream.

Everything looked really great, but the chicken recipe needs tweaking.  I made a wet rub with orange and lemon zest, olive oil, and fresh herbs.  Giada suggests rubbing the exterior of the game hens with the mixture, stuffing the cavity, and also putting some of the rub underneath the skin.  The last suggestion is problematic because I don’t think it’s pleasant to eat a bunch of fruit rinds.  Also, the wet rub kept the skin from getting nice and crispy.

Thank god the salad and dessert ended up okay, or Ray and I would’ve had to get take out!  Before roasting the game hens, I put them in a cassarole dish with chicken stock, a little marsala wine, some dried cranberries, and fresh orange and lemon juice.  When the chicken was done, I used the excess liquid to make a nice roux.  Then I poured a little over homemade croutons, toasted pine nuts, and some super fresh romaine I got at the farmers market that morning.  At least that was yum.  And the desert was pretty decent because really, how can you go wrong with mascarpone cheese?

Today I stopped by the farmer’s market in Copley Square.  I was worried there wouldn’t be any fruits yets, but I was able to grab these gorgeous strawberries.  I couldn’t stop smelling them on the way home.  Yum.

I added some fresh basil, mint, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and homemade granola to my haul.  Everything was $36–not cheap, but everything smelled so delicious! So, I didn’t mind . . .

I also got some good tips about storing my mozzarella.  Apparently, I don’t need to refridgerate it if I’m going to eat it tonight.  However, if I do refridgerate it, I should take it out of the fridge at least an hour before I use it.  Otherwise, the flavors in the mozzarella won’t be properly released.  Good to know!

Ray and I were lucky enough to try two of Portland’s finest restaurants, Fore Street and it’s sister restaurant, Street and Co.  At home, we normally make our dinner reservations for 9ish.  In Portland, this seemed to be a bit late and we were among the last patrons closing down the restaurants.  Despite this, the food never suffered and the service remained friendly and attentive.

On our first night in Portland, we checked out Fore Street, a restaurant committed to revealing the quality of local Maine food through simple preparation.  After browsing the menu, which is updated and printed daily, Ray chose the pork tenderloin and loved it.  I ordered a raw seafood plate that included scallops with an amazing creamy texture (my first time eating raw scallops).  It actually paled in comparison to my other dish . . . pan-fried sweetbreads (also a first).  Oh.  My.  God.  So so good.  A friend of mine had complained about the softness of sweetbreads, but pan frying them creates an awesome, just slightly crunchy exterior.  Heaven.

The next night, Ray and I had dinner at Street and Co.  The interior has a rustic, country look with copper table tops.  We were seated in the center dining room with a fantastic view of the open kitchen.  After looking over the menu printed that morning, we started with cocktails from their classic bar.  My lemon drop was really great and made with their house limoncello.  Next, I had mussels that arrived at the table in a large pan with a nice broth.  Ray ordered the seemingly incongruous swordfish empanada and loved the taste and concept.  For our main courses, I ordered scallops in a pan and Ray got the blackened halibut.  Yum, yum, yummy.  Finally we ended the meal with a light sponge cake layered with lemon mouse.  Heaven . . .

I love picnics and eating al fresco. While Ray doesn’t necessarily share my love, even he couldn’t resist Lobster Shack’s seaside patio. Located on Cape Elizabeth, Lobster Shack has been serving some of the freshest seafood in Maine since the 1920′s. Ray and I tried the fish & chips, fried shrimp, and no trip to Maine would be complete without a lobster roll and homemade blueberry pie. The highlight for me was definitely the lobster roll. Rather than drenched in mayo, this version showcased the sweet flavor of the lobster meat instead. I could have eaten dozens!

After eating, Ray and I explored Cape Elizabeth’s rocky shore.  It was covered in what looked like slabs of petrified wood making it quite easy to walk around.  While I would recommend Lobster Shack as a great tourist spot, it’s plain to see that it’s a local favorite as well.  I know I wish we had something similar close by–Ray and I had such a beautiful afternoon!

Every Wednesday and Saturday, the Portland Farmer’s Market sets up shop in Monument Square.  While it was too early in the season to see much of a variety in the fruits department, I did find these tomatoes and eagerly brought them home.  I immediately began searching for an easy recipe, but then I realized, what’s easier than a Caprese salad?

I didn’t have any fresh basil or balsamic vinegar, but my salad was still super yummy because the tomatoes were so fresh and sweet and flavorful.  I just added some fresh mozzarella, fine sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and olive oil.  mmmmmm . . .