I just finished writing Year of the Dog ! It had a massive plot hole that I had to fix which turned out to be more work than I expected. Here’s a snippet: “Hey, Auntie Nell.” He wrapped his arms around her, bussing her on the cheek and breathing in pikake flowers and shortbread cookies. And suddenly he was nine years old again, and her solid presence had made his chaotic world stable once more. “What are you doing here?” He usually took her to dinner on Wednesday nights, but today was Tuesday. The edges of her smile faltered a little before brightening right back up again. “What, I can’t visit my nephew?” She angled around him to enter his home. “Is this your new house? Looks lovely.” Which was a blatant lie, because the fixer-upper was barely livable, much less acceptable to a neat-freak like his aunt. She also left four matching pink and purple floral suitcases on the stoop behind her. Only then did Ashwin notice the cab driver standing slightly to the side of the walkway. “Can ...
Captain’s Log, Supplemental
So, I’m back from visiting my family in Hawaii. I was a very relaxing trip—I didn’t do much of anything, to be honest.
Saturday was Girls’ Day, a Japanese festival celebrating being a girl. :)
When I was a baby, Mom dressed me up in a special kimono for Girls’ Day. My grandmother also made chi chi dango, which is soft pink mochi dusted with cornstarch. Here’s a recipe.
This year, we invited my mom’s side of the family for dinner. Dad made huli-huli chicken—rotisserie cooked over an open fire of mesquite wood. It’s to die for—smoky, crispy, juicy. We tear off the wings and eat them as soon as Dad takes the chicken off the fire.
My grandma made shrimp tempura. Very yummy—her batter uses panko crumbs so it’s light and crispy
We also had sashimi—raw fish, usually tuna. It’s become kind of traditional to have sashimi at parties, at least in Hawaii.
Mom also made her famous Chinese chicken salad—lettuce, shredded boiled chicken, fried wonton strips, and her salad dressing. She also adds cilantro on top, which not everyone likes, but I think it’s fabulous.
Camy’s Mom’s Chinese Chicken Salad Dressing
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup salad oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Whisk together and toss with salad.
For dessert, Mom made crème brulee, and we also bought chocolate cream pie and apple pie from Sunnyside, a bakery/diner in my hometown.
Sum up: I at a LOT. But it was great food!
So, I’m back from visiting my family in Hawaii. I was a very relaxing trip—I didn’t do much of anything, to be honest.
Saturday was Girls’ Day, a Japanese festival celebrating being a girl. :)
When I was a baby, Mom dressed me up in a special kimono for Girls’ Day. My grandmother also made chi chi dango, which is soft pink mochi dusted with cornstarch. Here’s a recipe.
This year, we invited my mom’s side of the family for dinner. Dad made huli-huli chicken—rotisserie cooked over an open fire of mesquite wood. It’s to die for—smoky, crispy, juicy. We tear off the wings and eat them as soon as Dad takes the chicken off the fire.
My grandma made shrimp tempura. Very yummy—her batter uses panko crumbs so it’s light and crispy
We also had sashimi—raw fish, usually tuna. It’s become kind of traditional to have sashimi at parties, at least in Hawaii.
Mom also made her famous Chinese chicken salad—lettuce, shredded boiled chicken, fried wonton strips, and her salad dressing. She also adds cilantro on top, which not everyone likes, but I think it’s fabulous.
Camy’s Mom’s Chinese Chicken Salad Dressing
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup salad oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Whisk together and toss with salad.
For dessert, Mom made crème brulee, and we also bought chocolate cream pie and apple pie from Sunnyside, a bakery/diner in my hometown.
Sum up: I at a LOT. But it was great food!
Comments
I also had the creme brulee the next morning for breakfast. Oh and the mochi is gone. Camy, thanks for inviting me! The food was onolicious.