Favorite Winter Foods

Hi Everyone!

I am so sorry I haven't posted in so long. I have been very busy with school and art and college applications (yikes!).  Over my yearlong break of blogging, I still took photos and cooked food for you guys. Now that I have more free time, I am excited to finally upload some new recipes! For easier access to new posts, I will be making a Twitter and Instagram soon. Stay tuned!

For now, here are some of my favorite foods that I ate over my yearlong break from blogging...


1. Blue Barn's Winter Salad

I am obsessed with this hearty salad from Blue Barn, a charming cafe in Corte Madera's Towncenter Mall.  According to the restaurant's website, the salad is comprised of "mixed greens, arugula, dino kale, toasted brussels sprouts, blanched broccolis, roasted winter squash, pomegranate seeds, pine nuts, parmesan reggiano & meyer lemon- balsamic vinaigrette". All of the produce is fresh, the cheese is perfectly salty, and the brussel sprouts are actually appetizing. The dressing pulls all of the sweet, salty, crunchy, crispy, and chewy components of the salad together with just the right dose of lemon and vinegar flavor. Even better, its filling enough to be a complete meal; this is a first, because I usually can never just eat a salad as my main course. 

I usually like to make fun of "organic" and "sustainable" movement, not because it is a bad shift in healthy eating, but because the movement is touted and marketed towards those who can afford it. Every person should have the option to eat good food like this, not just the "food elite" like those in the Bay Area (yes, I am also referring to myself..). I also find it ironic that society pushed for technological innovations in the food industry, and are now abhorring it. 

I could go on and on about this topic, but basically I really wish everyone could try this salad. It is quite expensive at $11.75, so I don't get it very often, especially now that I am a soon-to-be college student. However, the salad is very big and easy to split with another person (except that meager piece of rosemary ciabatta bread, which is always delicious and never large enough ugh). I would even recommend going to the nearest farmer's market and just try to recreate it at home. If not, you can check out Blue Barn's complete menu. 

2. Whole Foods' Apple Pie

I know, I know, I am a hypocrite. Whole Food's and Blue Barn are "Marin Mom" food staples. But this is a shout out to any of my followers' moms who are not in the mood to make a pie and can afford not to. Pies are actually easier to make that one would think (and surprisingly fun), but I really did enjoy this pie when my mom brought it home. The pie is spot-on: the crust is the right thickness and coated in sparkling sugar, the apples maintain their bite without tasting undercooked or worse-mushy, and the whole shah-bang doesn't fall apart when sliced. Overall, it's a nice alternative to homemade pie during the holidays.

3. Now for the Real Good, Random Stuff: Chocolate-Caramel Matzo 

Looks nasty, but tastes magnificent! I made this last June, but I still have food nostalgia after eating this crunchy "cookie-candy". A holiday favorite, Chocolate-Caramel Matzo Crunch is easy to make. All you need is a couple of pieces of matzo, brown sugar, butter and chocolate chips. My recipe is adapted from Marcy Goldman's Caramel Matzo Crunch recipe on Epicurious.com. I was a bit lazy and didn't use a candy thermometer to measure the caramel; as long as it doesn't burn or look too scary as the brown sugar and butter boils, the caramel still turns out delicious! I topped mine with white chocolate chips and walnuts, but you can use whatever toppings you would like, just quickly sprinkle them on before the chocolate cools! Ms. Goldman's recipe.

4. Doctor Who Cake! Perfect for the upcoming Christmas Special!

 Shout-out to all of my Whovian fans? I made this cake a while ago, but I still love it.  I put two different blue food coloring dyes into the cake batter to get a "galaxy" effect. You can use cake mix or bake your own cake. I made a quick batch of buttercream frosting, frosted the cake, and then gently patted glittery blue sprinkles along the sides of the cake. For more drama, you can even carve the cake into a rectangle and create a Tardis! Perfect for your next Doctor Who party!





5. If you are ever in a Hangzhou, China train station...

After traveling to China for the first time this summer, I couldn't help but notice how many bakery shops were in the cities of Shanghai, Beijing, and Hangzhou. At the train station in Hangzhou, a beautiful city near Shanghai, I found these adorable panda buns in a bakery on the second floor of the train station. Look chocolate-y and sweet, right? Turns out they contain squid-ink, not dark chocolate. Bummers. The bakery's sponge cake wrapped in paper was fantastic though!

I hope you all liked this slightly arbitrary post! I am so glad to be back to Young Seasonings. :)