Fête des mères

Yesterday was Mother's Day in France. My four host sisters spent a whole morning preparing this Mother's Day Gala. I was impressed by these girls because those food are not only good-looking but also super delicious! Why would any mother prefer to celebrate her festival in a Michelin restaurant when she has such wonderful daughters?

The menu is as followed (from left to right):
salmon roll with cow cheese
strawberry smoothie
fresh orange juice
homemade pancake
"Maman" shape pancake
green lemon stuffed with some mysterious white sauce (made from at least four different things) (it was soooo good that I did not hear a word when my host mom told me what was in it.. pardon me!)
roast bacon with egg salad (on the right)
and...
rose shape pastry (full of love! )

Oh we also had some champagne :)

C'était un déjeuner INCROYABLE!

Bonne fête à toutes les mamans :)

Food in NYC

1. Lady M 
41 East 78th street

This is a cake boutique that makes the taste-delicious and look-gorgeous cakes. The signature Green Tea Mille Crêpes give you a vibrant tea flavour and rich texture of lacy thin crêpes mixed with light pastry cream. Not too sweet, not too much, just a little slice and your life is spiced up. Oh by the way, their mozzarella sandwich is also pretty good. Do not forget to ask them to toast your sandwich!

2. Franchia Vegan Café
12 Park Ave, between 34 and 35th st
You cannot tell from the name that this is a japanese restaurant! The decoration and the whole atmosphere will bring you to another world. My phone was not functioning when I entered this restaurant so I sketched the mug.

3. Totto Ramen
366w 52nd st

I have to admit that this is the first time in my life that I take a train across 50 streets and wait for an hour and a half to get a bowl of ramen. Yes I am a gourmand.
Definitly try the cha siu pork bun and whatever ramen on the menu. Get ready to wait for at least an hour for the ultimate ramen; a novel and an ipad with TV shows or a companian is highly recommended! (Did a sketch while waiting in line. The calligraphy means "bird man")
Totto never disappoints you!

飲食男女 Eat Drink Man Woman

 

看完电影之后找到法国版海报，两张都很喜欢，一同放在这儿。原版封面不知为何让我想起老舍，有那么点《骆驼祥子》和《茶馆》的感觉。另一点让我费解的是字体，好奇“男女”为何要用类似篆书的字体，弄得跟鼎似的，兴许是为了和饮食呼应？再说法语版海报。标题大改动，salé sucré意味咸甜，既代表了食物的味道，又暗示了生活的现实－有咸有甜，有滋有味。不知道这部电影在以本国饮食文化为傲的法国反响如何。不同于法式大餐的精致，中式大餐，特别是中式家庭大餐，似乎更有人情味儿。

这部电影故事紧凑，情节跌宕，加之国色天香的美食制作／陈列画面，颇居观赏性。（下面讲的内容涉及剧透，图片为分割线）

片头是大厨展示眼花缭乱的技艺，精准快速的刀法，恰到好处的火候，让人以为这是一部寻常的美食AV。可是随着情节发展，这部片子越来越有人情味。父亲希望女儿们守在自己身边，于是用每周固定的家宴把大家召集在一起。丰盛的菜肴变成一种负担，女儿们面对一桌的菜怎么也提不起胃口，让屏幕前的我好生着急。大家心里装着各自的心事，情情爱爱惹人烦。

之后家里发生一些列变故：小女儿出嫁搬走，大女儿终于有了爱人，二女儿即将飞去阿姆斯特丹工作，最要命的是大厨失去了味觉。虽然大厨凭借一身的本领已经不需要味觉来判断菜的好坏，这件事对他打击依旧很大。家家有本难念的经，很多事情就是这样一股脑发生，把一个勉强平衡的家弄得支离破碎。二女儿得知父亲得了心脏病以后终究留了下来。故事以大厨喝了女儿做的汤之后恢复味觉为结局，说不上大团圆，却也暖人心。他恢复的不仅仅是味觉，更是对浓浓人情味的感知力。

很喜欢大厨为小姑娘做午餐便当的桥段。他这么积极得为她做便当，除却对她的疼爱之外，也是因为他能感到被人需要。对一个厨师来说，还有什么比食客的肯定更开心的呢。他在女儿们那儿丢掉的亲情在小女孩这儿得到一点儿补偿，所以才这么坚持。

除却精神内涵，这部电影在选角色和造型上也下足了功夫。时隔多年再看吴倩莲还是觉得美如仙，至少我是这么觉得的。二十年前的简单清爽妆容把她的精致的五官衬托得恰到好处，和菜肴一样越看越有味。

是一部值得看第二三四遍的电影。

Food in Chicago

Speaking of food in Chicago, the first three that a tourist like me could name are: deep dish pizza, hot dogs and steak. Apparently it's more than these!!

My friend took me to a famous brunch place called Yolk. I was almost scared away by the crowd, and we were told to wait twenty five minutes! Thanks to my friend's insistence that I did not miss the visually appealing and gustatively pleasant brunch! I ordered "tour de france", a collection of three signature french toasts topped with blueberry, banana and strawberry. C'est magnifique!!! ( I forgot to take a picture :( )

The next day I went to a small Vietnamese restaurant in Belmont called Nhu Lan. I was told that their sandwich was really good. Since I was on a vegetarian diet this week, I got a vegetarian classic sandwich. It looked no different from a subway sandwhich, except thicker and less oily. They have great non-veggy sandwiches too, such as chinese port, beef ball, turkey... Prices range from $4.5 - $9.0.

Alright, last but not least, the Garrett Popcorn! The one on the left is the famous chicago mix (caramel and cheese popcorn, together give you a balance of sweetness and saltiness), and the other is their new product chocolate coated popcorn. I could not help to have more once I started. So they end up being my dinner..

An unrelevant picture. I just love the way the pigeon strolling on the street.