use real butter

I’m in a cushy bougie hotel tonight sharing a room with my aunt (courtesy of said aunt). I took the train early this morning from SF to San Jose where my aunt and grandma picked me up. In step with the conference activity level, we went straight to the library to help teach grandma how to use the internet and the library computer facilities. Then to a cafe for their caffeine fixes, then to dim sum, then chinese grocery shopping.

jeremy loves the live seafood aisle in chinese grocery stores

elena and grandma pick out fresh bamboo shoots

Oh how I love…

fresh asparagus

I stir-fried chicken and asparagus tonight and added it to my photo recipes on my web site here.



My parents called today (again). When they travel, they want to let me know where they are at every waypoint and give me the play by play. They were in the parking lot of Trader Joes at Tyson’s Station in Falls Church, Virginia and wanted to know if I wanted anything. Oh boy, did I… but half of the goodness of Trader Joes is their fresh stuff. I thought I’d toss them a bone because they sounded so happy that they were at MY FAVORITE grocery store and could actually get something that they knew I liked.

dad: Do you like saffron? I like their saffron, I’m going to buy some for myself.
me: Well, how about some… chocolate?
dad: Chocolate? Are you going to eat it? It makes you fat.
me: It’s for Jeremy, he likes their dark chocolate.
dad: Sure, we can get you chocolate. Dark?! We will mail it to you.
mom: (shouting in background) It’s too hot! It will melt in the mail!
dad: Oh – this chocolate is a problem. Mommy says it will melt. Saffron will not melt. Do you want saffron?
me: I have a lot of saffron already, thanks. How about buying the chocolate and then waiting until October to send it?
dad: Ah – good idea, kid. Anything else you want? Just chocolate and saffron?

My parents have a habit of buying a lot of things when they visit us. They have a habit of buying things in general as an activity. My dad gets excited about visiting the Costco (all three of the nearest ones to Pasadena: Alhambra, Burbank, and Azusa) in So Cal because they are “different” from the ones at home. I’ve had to give away random stuff they leave behind (and they always leave something behind). They treat our house as a repository. Dad wants me to live my life the way he wants me to. I cannot count how many times I’ve caught him lugging a giant TV to the Costco cart only to march him straight back to the TV aisle. While packing the kitchen last night, I found this in the freezer:

You got it. Frozen fish head (and tail). My parents also cook when they are here. They are great cooks! But it’s a little odd to have them leave fish parts in my freezer. I know my father’s intention was to come back and make fish stock with the head and tail for his famous (and delicious) bouillabaisse. Well, he’s not going to visit before we move and I’m not transporting Mr. Red Snapper in our cooler to the new house…