Parasite's World has moved to https://parasiteworld.wordpress.com/

I've noticed that people are still looking at my blog despite no recent updates. I'm very honoured!!!

Please visit me as I move to WordPress. Here is the link:https://parasiteworld.wordpress.com/

Now that I am on WordPress and found a mobile app, I'll be blogging again. Recently I've just been putting posts on my Facebook. I know it's not the best way to blog but I take pictures on my cell and so it's much easier to upload via my cell than by my laptop.

I hope you will continue to follow me on my adventures. See you soon!

Pizza - No Knead Pizza

I just ate the best pizza crust that I've ever made. I used Jim Lahey's recipe from his book called My Pizza.

Jim Lahey is well known in the bread making world for his adaptation of no knead bread at his bakery in New York, Sullivan Street Bakery.

I made his recipe though I didn't document it because of the blog app that I'm using which only allows pictures at the end of the blog and not at each step.

Anyways it's a very easy recipe!! It's just flour, salt, yeast and water. Let it sit for 18 hours and voilà!!

It's so good!!! It tastes very similar to Grimaldi Pizzeria in Brooklyn. Of course it's not 100% the same but it's close enough north of the border. Trust me, after the pizza in Brooklyn, I can't stop obsessing finding the ultimate homemade pizza crust that tastes similar to that. This dough by Jim Lahey is very close plus it so easy to make.

Here is my pizza with Jim's tomato sauce. I fresh mozzarella, prosciutto and spinach.

Banana Bread

There's really nothing to post on a banana bread since it's just banana bread which is a common baking. But I'm showing this since it's a bit different since I have a strudel topping and bananas. I think it looks very nice. What do you think???

Donut ...mmmmm

I'm not a Canucks fan, I'm an Oilers fan to the end. Yes, they didn't make it to the playoffs but when they do, the cup is ours!!!! For my international followers, I'm talking about hockey, the NHL (National Hockey League).

Anyways, as I was walking home, I saw some Canuck fans eating something blue and green outside of Timmies (Tim Horton is a donut/coffee place that is close to Canadians hearts...kinda like hockey). Well, that piqued my interest.

I looked into Timmies and saw these donuts. I literally made a 360 and purchased the. They are called Canuck donuts.

This does NOT make me a Canuck fan, rather, I'm gonna your win away. Ok that's pretty lame but can't think of a witty comment to jinx the Canucks.

How's it taste? Sweet!!! Too sweet for me. I don't like sparkle donuts so too crunchy!! It does have custard in the middle though.

Wonder if Ottawa have them too for their Senators? If an reader from Ottawa see them at Timmies, can you send me a pic?

If you are in Canada and Vancouver, get them while you can at Tim Hortons. They won't last long cos the Canucks won't last long in the playoffs!!! Very limited time. Hehehe. Don't get angry at me on these comments, I'm just joking with my crazy Canuck coworker who might be at Rogers Arena watching the game.

Beijing Restaurant

Sorry dear readers....I'm quite upset that I cannot blog on my phone and have to use a laptop. I really dislike this inconvenience of having to use a laptop and transfer the pictures from my phone. I'm in between deciding what to purchase next... an ipad, a new smart phone, a laptop or a puppy. I'll eventually get them all but just figuring out the timing.

Anyways, you're here to read about yummy food. During the long weekend, I went to Beijing Restaurant with my family for Alaskan King Crab. It is starting to be the season so it's a good chance to eat this type of crab. To fish this, it's actually very hard and potentially dangerous for the fisherman. "Alaskan crab fishing is very dangerous, and the fatality rate among the fishermen is about 80 times the fatality rate of the average worker. It is suggested that, on average, one crab fisherman dies weekly during the seasons," as mentioned in Wikipedia. Click here if you want more info. 


If you have not had Alaskan King crab, read this article from the Globe and Mail. It talks more in detail about this: Alaskan King Crab is all it's cracked up to be.


So here is a picture of our 13lb King Crab that my family ate. In Chinese restaurants, they like to show you the fresh seafood so that you know what you are getting. Truth is, I only believe this at reputable restaurants. With other places, I always worry that they will show the seafood to you then in then kitchen, change to something that is less fresh. I don't think that this place would do such a thing. 

Test

I haven't blogged in a while because Blog Press stopped working. All my pics are on my iPhone and needed to be transferred but I hate using iTunes. Anyways, downloaded a new app. Let's see if it works!!!

Oh this only allows pic on the bottom?!?? That sucks!!!

"Bow Ties" (蛋散)

Sorry for not posting anything but Christmas was too busy. Here's the first post of 2012!!!

I'm guessing South African Chinese decided to translate "dan san" (蛋散) to "bow ties" because they look like bow ties. They are amazingly good, at least the ones my mom and grandmother made. The ones at bakeries are greasy or the dough is too thick so I no longer buy even if I'm craving them.

Anyways let me introduce you to my family's bow ties. They are light pastries that are deep fried and covered with a syrup coating. They are shaped into bow ties, hence the name bow ties.

The dough is simple to make. It's just sifted flour and baking powder. You can use vegetable oil but my mom said lard makes the dough more crispy and flaky.




Then four eggs are added.

Candy Cane Sweet Bread Braid

I borrowed Debbie Macomber's Christmas Cookbook from the library because it was a new cookbook. I don't know who she is but as I was looking for a picture of the cookbook cover to put on this blog, I realized that she is an author.





I decided to try two of the recipes in the book and this is one of them.

Cake Pops 2

I decided to make more cake pops since I had some store bought icing left from last time. I thought it was suppose to last 3 months but read the label again and it said 30 days. Darn! Had to throw it out.

Luckily the cake was kinda moist that it held together as a ball so I didn't use any icing. I didn't go out to buy because the icing would be wasted since I'd use less than 1/3 of the icing.

I crumbled a cake that I froze previously and made into balls. I put them in the freezer to firm up.

Roasted Squash Soup with Apple and Brie

I love soup...doesn't matter from where or what country. Give me a bowl of steaming hot soup and I'm happy!! I think it's because I grew up having soup after supper every night and if there wasn't homemade soup, well, instant was better than nothing. I don't have soup after supper all the time now and miss that so soup is a big treat!!

I'm not so into creamy soups because they are too rich. The only creamy soup I like are New England Clam Chowder and Mushroom soup. Unfortunately I don't know how to appreciate rich soups.

Recently I noticed in the last 5+ years, butternut squash soup and roasted red pepper soup are really popular. I've been wanting to make this type a soup for a long time.

What stopped me was when I looked at the recipes, many asked for cream or sour cream to be added to the soup. I know that adding the dairy product will make the soup silkier and smooth but also more calories. One big pot of this would be too much for me to enjoy.

As well most soups are pureed. I didn't own a blender until recently and Magic Bullet for a big pot of soup would take forever. So that was a major deterrent.

So when I discovered this recipe called "Roasted Squash Soup with Apple and Brie" in my The Rest of the Best and more, I was excited.



Even better was that it required ingredients I already had at home. To make it rich and creamy, the recipe asks for Brie, which seemed optional to me.