Happiness and Bolo Bao with Pineapple Filling 菠蘿菠蘿包

Happiness.

Lately, I haven't been feeling too much of it. This month has been giving me a lot of heartache (literally). I just had a lot on my plate in the past few months: Applications, interviews, my grandfather's passing and flying to and from China in less than 1.5 weeks, writing a thesis, my first ER trip after falling down and almost losing consciousness from landing on my spine, then really lost consciousness for a few minutes after my heart rate dropped before a concert and took my second trip to the ER, sick for a week after the second trip to the ER and pushed through that to write my thesis, and now I'm going to a bunch of doctors appointments next week for my heart. I just felt like I wasn't good enough and that I failed myself and everyone else. It was not a happy time. 

I'm very grateful for my friends and family. Thanks for helping me get through these tough times. 

So here is my gift to you. I am going to post my recipe for Pineapple filled Bolo Bao. 

My Experience with Bolo Bao

If you've ever bought Bolo Baos in Chinatown, you'd notice that there is nothing in them. Sometimes there is red bean filling or custard filling but most times, Bolo Bao is just bread with a yellowish crusty top. Bolo in Chinese means Pineapple and Bao means bread. So why is it called Pineapple Bread if there is no pineapple inside? The answer lies in the way it looks on the outside. The outer crusty layer looks like pineapple after it is baked and therefore it is called pineapple bread even though there is no pineapple inside.

I got this idea from tasting mini pineapple filled Bolo Bao in Xiaolan, China at the Tien Tien Yu Chun (天天魚村) restaurant that my mother's side of the family frequents. It was served as a desert. This is the only place that has actual pineapple in their Bolo Baos that I know of at least. I fell in love with it immediately and vowed to remake this in America for my belly.

Fast forward 3.5 years and I'm about to come home from my emergency trip to China. My last day was spent in Hong Kong. I spent some time at a local bookstore and bought a lot of cookbooks. 

Everything is in grams because that's what people use over there. There are no tsp, tbsp, etc... so I had to weigh everything out on an old-school scale that measures only in lbs and then convert everything to grams and then to tsp, etc. This is why it took me 7 hours.. I did lots of math.

I also spent a day thinking about how to make the pineapple filling.. what kind of pineapple, the ingredients, and then the method. So this is my creation based of what I ate in China :)

RECIPE for BOLO BAO with PINEAPPLE FILLING 

菠蘿菠蘿包 

Pineapple Filling:

Ingredients:

1/4 cup white sugar

4 Tbsp all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 cup canned pineapple (no sugar added, crushed pinapple)

3/4 cup of pineapple juice from can.

1 Tbsp butter

This is going to make more than enough of pineapple filling. I'm sure there will be left overs for other things like pineapple pie... mmm... drool..

Directions:

1. Use a double boiler*

2. In the top of the double boiler over boiling water, add the sugar, salt, and flour and mix.

3. Stir in the egg, pineapple, and pineapple juice

4. Stir until mixture is thick

5. Stir in butter

6. Remove from heat

7. Taste test: At this point before it cools completely, you may stir in a bit more of sugar if you want it sweeter. Some recipes call for 1/2 cup of sugar but I think 1/4 is enough.

8. Allow the filling to cool and set aside.

* If you don't have a double boiler like me, then use 2 pots of different size. The first pot should be slightly larger than the second. Fill this 1/3 of this first pot with water and boil over stove. Then put the second pot in the boiling water and follow instructions above. 

** The double boiler allows the ingredients (like the sugar/flour) to cook without burning and sticking to the pot.  

BOLO BAO (makes 16)

Sweet Dough 

Ingredients: 

3 cups and 2 Tbsp of Bread Flour 

3/4 cup of warm water

1/2 cup of white sugar

1 egg

1 packet or 2-1/4 tsp of yeast

1/4 cup of milk

3 Tbsp of butter

a few drops of yellow food coloring (at your discretion) 

Directions:

1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. 

2. Knead on a table until it is elastic, smooth, and not sticky. (lol I have never kneaded bread in my life so I learned by watching a video on YouTube while making this: Kneading Bread Techniques)

3. Put the dough in a bowl and cover with cling wrap. Allow it to just sit and ferment for about 30 minutes. 

4. Take out dough and gently press several times and then put it back in the bowl for another 30 minutes.

Pineapple Crust

Ingredients:

1.5 cups of soft flour (you can find this in a Chinese market)

2 Tbsp and 1 tsp of dry milk powder

~1-2 Tbsp of condensed milk

1/2 cup of white sugar

1 egg yolk

2 Tbsp of evaporated milk

1 Tbsp of butter

78ml of olive oil 

pinch of baking soda (1g)

Yellow food coloring (Add more drops than the dough)

Egg Washing

Ingredients:

Beaten Egg

Directions:

1. Mix all of the ingredients and then flatten on table.

2. Cut into 16 portions.

Putting Everything Together

1. Divide the dough into 16 portions.

2. Roll into 16 balls and let sit on greased baking tray for 30 minutes.

3. Open up the dough balls and then spoon in the pineapple filling.

4. Roll the dough containing the filling back into buns.

5. Put a piece of pineapple crust on the top of each bun.

6. Brush on the beaten egg

7. Bake at 392 degrees F for about 8-10 minutes*

8. Allow to cool before serving

* this may take longer depending on your oven. Mine takes longer than 10 minutes. Make sure your bread is golden brown before taking out. Check periodically. 

 And there you have it. Bolo Bao with Pineapple Filling.

Enjoy!!

Simple Health Prevention = Saving Lots of Money.

I haven't really made much these past couple of weeks as I am in the middle of brainstorming and writing essays about myself. Those are the worst because it requires a lot of introspection which is starting to make me doubt myself and think that I'm not good enough for this or anything really...

Maybe that's the point... to wear you down a little bit... D: WHY DO THEY DO THAT! They already take my $$$ that I can't afford.

Mom has made a few dinners over the weekend so all I have to do is heat it up and make the rice and veggies. She made Minced Beef with Peas (meen jee gnow yuk fan - in Cantonese) actually I know how to make that... I learned last summer before I started school. She also made Chicken Curry (yum) that is not spicy... I think we all know how well I handle spicy foods = tears. I'm heating that up tonight and cooking Shanghai Bak Choy for a side dish.

I was thinking about preventative care today because I've been money conscious lately, as some of you can tell. (Hole in shirt? Buy a new one? Nope: learn to sew)

This year, I lost my excellent dental insurance after I quit my job and went back to school and got school dental insurance which covers almost nothing.

During school, a filling fell out and I needed to get it replaced ASAP. Without good insurance, it cost me $$$ to get it fixed.

I learned something important in one of my classes last semester. I would like to bestow this knowledge on you now.

Teeth are important to overall health and nutrition.

• Tooth pain can cause malnutrition b/c people tend to eat softer foods which tend to be less nutritious (fresh apple vs. pie).
• Tooth loss in old age is not inevitable with good dental hygiene. Dentures are not a cure-all. In fact, people with dentures are more prone to choking b/c normal sensation that tells you when you have chewed food well enough to swallow is diminished.

CAVITIES

Cavities are not caused by sweets alone as some cartoons in dentists offices may tell you. The bacteria living in your mouth likes to eat carbohydrates. It does not discriminate between candy, soda, juice, or bread. After "eating" the carbs, the bacteria release acid. Meanwhile, teeth are demineralized and remineralized by saliva constantly. Teeth are pH sensitive, meaning that below pH 5.5 (greater acidity), demineralization occurs faster than remineralization can occur. THIS IS BAD. Demineralization of teeth leads to cavities.

PREVENTION #1: BRUSHING

Plaque, as everyone knows, is also BAD. Plaque is a sticky biofilm made by bacteria to let it stick to your teeth instead of getting swished around in your saliva. It allows it to feed on the carbohydrates that you ate. It takes about 48 hours for this bacteria on your teeth to begin to harden and then you need your dentist to scrape it off. So brush well at an angle (if you really want to be accurate --> 45 degree angle) at your gum line where the bacteria tend to hide.

I recently invested in a Sonicare toothbrush... it's so worth it, although it is expensive :(

TIMING IS IMPORTANT
How long carbohydrates stay on your teeth with the growing bacterial plaque is key. Drinking juice or soda in one sitting is BETTER than sipping on it all day b/c you are constantly exposing your teeth to sugar.

Since I had cavities when I was a kid, I am prone to get more cavities. In the past few years, I have quit drinking sodas and juice in favor of tea and water.

I personally like my water at slightly warmer than room temp - about 15 degrees below boiling. Yes, I've been told that I was weird... wahhh.

The problem with sugary drinks is that sugar gets in between your teeth more easily.

PREVENTION #2: Flossing is important...so floss all the time.

Has anyone heard of this? MOUNTAIN DEW MOUTH

Check it out... I used to drink Mtn Dew mainly for the caffeine after I did a chemistry experiment in school and found out that Mountain Dew had a high amt of caffeine in it. I don't drink this anymore... thank goodness.

PREVENTION #3: RINSE YOUR MOUTH WITH FLUORIDE

EVERY DAY.

Teeth is made up of a hard material called hydroxyapatite made of calcium phosphate. When you rinse with fluoride, the fluoride will be incorporated in the apatite crystal of your teeth making the tooth more resistant to demineralization (i.e. it makes your teeth stronger).

Fluoride also increases remineralization and may prevent bacteria from releasing acid.

I didn't start to rinse with fluoride regularly until a few years ago. Since then, I can tell that my teeth are now less sensitive and I haven't had the cavities.

COST

CVS is selling fluoride rinse for $4.99. The bottle will last more than a month... let's say you buy a new bottle every other month... $5 x 6 months = $30.

THIS WILL SAVE YOU more than $200 dollars for 1 filling or root canal and pain associated with it, both physical and wallet pain.

PREVENTION #4?

Since acid is the main cause of pain, raising the pH could prevent decay.

Certain foods can help.

Some examples:

• Cheese is one of the foods that will raise pH above 5.5. Also contains calcium and phosphate to remineralize teeth.
• Sugar-free Gum makes you produce more saliva which may neutralize the bacteria and also gum sweetened with Xylitol may prevent the growth of bacteria that contributes most to tooth decay.

And this is what I know... and hopefully, now you know too. Excellent. :)

OJ Beef/Veggies and Nutrition Thoughts

I am poor. Let me repeat that. I am poor from applications (**WEEPS** > $2000 just for apps) and grad school. I don't even want to look at how much I owe.

So my wallet now has $7 dollars and I can't find my car keys so I decided to work with what I have at home.

I have orange juice. I have ketchup. I have salt, pepper, and other condiments. Some veggies.

I also have beef in the fridge already thawed.

Excellent.

I found this recipe using orange juice to marinate beef. Let's try this!

Beef in Orange Juice

serves 4

Ingredients:

Beef - I had 2 pieces of sirloin

- I washed and then cut the beef into slices.

Marinade:

- 6 Tbsp orange iuice

- 10 Tbsp ketchup

- 1 Tbsp vinegar

- 2 tsp honey (again I was generous with honey)

- 2 tsp black vinegar (老陳醋)

- 2 Tbsp minced garlic

- 4 Tbsp minced onions

- Salt and pepper as desired

The hardest part was cutting up the onions. I just stood there and wept for a good 5 minutes. In retrospect, I forgot to do something to avoid that.

NO CRYING!!! D: D: D:

- Take onion and put in the freezer for about 10 minutes before chopping.

REASON: when the onion is cut, it releases volatile sulfur compounds into the air and comes in contact with the moisture of the eyes, where it forms a little bit of sulfuric acid irritating the nerve endings of the eye = PAIN... crying well help dilute the acid. Apparently, the drop in temperature will help to slow down the conversion of the compounds in the onion to volatile sulfur compounds.

Anyway, mix all those ingredients for the marinade and then marinate the beef for at least 3 hours OR overnight. I started in the morning and then stuck this in the fridge until I was ready to cook.

PREHEAT Oven to 425 degrees F.

ROAST beef for 10 -15 minutes. I would go for 10 minutes first and check it out. Serve.

WHY I AM AVOIDING THE GRILL:

My brother asks me why I've only been using the oven to prepare the meat instead of grilling.

My answer is this:

Although grilling is seemingly healthier than frying (less fat), there is potential of increased risk of cancer. I will always remember my nutrition professor from undergrad telling us to avoid eating charred meat because of the increased risk for cancer. A study in 2009 at U. Minnesota, led by Dr. Kristen Anderson, found that there is a 60% increased risk of pancreatic cancer by eating charred meat. Pancreatic cancer, not to scare anyone, is a death sentence (Steve Jobs, Patrick Swayze). There is no cure and it's difficult to detect b/c at first there aren't any outward symptoms. By the time pancreatic cancer is detected, it is already at an advanced stage.

Heterocyclic amines (HA) are formed from burning amino acids (building blocks of protein) in the meat. HAs are thought to increase the risk of cancer. These are found in high concentration in the charred parts of meat.

Grilling can be healthy though as long as you watch out for how hot the meat gets and avoid the smoke from bbq grilling. See link for tips.

Also note that the increase in risk is due to eating this over a long period of time.

BACK TO MY COOKING:

I decided to throw in bell peppers as well because something was missing and bell peppers provide great nutritional benefit.

BELL PEPPERS

- I remember reading in TIME or Newsweek a few years back that bell peppers protected against the flu or cold. It has vitamin C in it, a natural anti-histamine.

- I also read somewhere that it protected against cancer. The red bell peppers are full of lycopene, a red pigmented carotenoid, that might serve to have some protective effects against cancer as an anti-oxidant, although right now, the studies are inconclusive.

They look nice anyway :D

MORE VEGGIES: Shanghai Bok Choy -- yum.. :D

- Cooked in boiling water and olive oil with a little salt.

- This week in TIME: People who have genes that put them at risk for cardiovascular disease (aka heart attack), those who ate more fruits and veggies were 50% less likely to have a heart attack over a 4 year period than those who didn't eat much produce.

OLIVE OIL BENEFITS

- I only use olive oil because I think it tastes better and the health benefits are greater. Olive oil is naturally higher in monounsaturated fat which lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol and may possibly raise HDL (good) cholesterol so it may have some benefit for cardiovascular health. There might be a link with olive oil consumption and colon cancer prevention... studies have been done in rats which found that it reduced colon cancer when compared to rats ingesting safflower oil rich diets.

GREAT BACKGROUND MUSIC

- The whole time I was cooking, I was listening to the Red Hot Chili Peppers full concert at Rock in Rio on YouTube. So good... so good because it kept me going and in a great mood.

RESULT

- I thought the food tonight was okay. My family said they enjoyed it. I thought I could have done better. I'm not sure if I really enjoy the taste of OJ in the beef... it made it kind of like a sweet and sour dish... I should have added more honey...

Dinner and Immunology Thoughts

Mom works late now so Dad does much of the cooking. Mom complained a lot... and concluded that I should do something and hands me pork ribs from the freezer and a squash.

"Sooo, Mom, how do you want me to cook this? I've never made ribs or squash before"

Mom: "You figure it out or call your sister"

Both were seemingly non-plausible options... so I looked at my poor graduate student wallet (yay $25 dollars) and poured through some old cook books of my mother's and found a really yummy looking recipes called "Squash Apple Bake" and "Roast Pork Ribs." I had the main ingredients but had to buy the rest of the ingredients, marinade, soup, etc. with the money I had to feed 4 people. I think I spent about $12.50 out of my own pocket to make dinner.

I love apples.

Unfortunately for me, I have tree nut and peanut allergies... and over the years, I developed Oral Allergy Syndrome... where I'm now have allergy symptoms to fresh apples, pears, cherries (I react to cherries like peanuts now T_T), kiwi, peaches, plums... gahhh...

Thankfully, even with these allergies, I can still eat some of these as long as they are cooked... minus peanuts and other tree nuts. The heat from cooking denatures (changes the shape of) the fruit antigens (some proteins) that may be triggering an allergic reaction. Antibodies in our bodies are created to be specific so that they attack only things that are considered foreign and bad. Antibodies can also cross-react (if you ever worked in a lab, you would know). This is the case for Oral Allergy Syndrome where immune system recognizes proteins in these fruits that are close enough to pollen so that you have symptoms. Sucks :(

What I find weird and fascinating is that although our bodies are very structured and everything is in check, the formation of antibodies is made randomly by a cut and paste method (fun stuff like V(D)J recombination, if you're really interested). Because it's made randomly, there are some that are made that attack ourselves, but those are usually destroyed by our bodies' surveillance system (if not, it leads to autoimmune diseases such as Diabetes Mellitus Type I, Lupus, Graves' disease, Myasthenia Gravis, etc). People with food allergies can blame overactive IgE antibodies and mast cells but you can ask me about that if you're really interested.

The heat from cooking/baking can destroy the structure of certain antigens rendering the person unharmed because the immune system can't recognized the changed shape, in other words, no allergic reaction. Unfortunately, this doesn't work for me for peanuts or tree nuts.

This is my train of thought when I'm doing things... I usually spend my time thinking.

Now for this recipe that I took out of Taste of Home magazine that my mom bought last year.

Squash-Apple Bake

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into slices

2 medium apples, peeled and cut

1/2 cup backed brown sugar

1 Tbsp flour

1/4 cup melted butter

1/2 tsp each of salt and mace**

**I don't know what mace is and couldn't find it in the market... I substituted by using cinnamon powder instead. Still tastes awesome.

The hardest part of this entire recipe is peeling and cutting the squash. I don't know if I need to work out a lot more but I had to watch a youtube video on how to peel and cut squash b/c I was having difficulty.

1. cut the squash and apples.

2. pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.

3. put the cut squash in a 2-qt baking dish and then put the apple slices on top.

4. Combine the rest of the ingredients and spoon over the apples.

5. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for about an hour or until the squash is tender.

You must try this recipe... the apples taste like apple pie and the squash was tender and amazing.

Roast Pork Ribs from Creative Chinese Oven Cooking

Ingredients

~Pork ribs ~1.3 lbs (I had about double this so I doubled everything for the marinade)

Marinade:

3 Tbsp black pepper sauce (I use the Chinese brand Lee Kum Kee)

5 Tbsp ketchup

1 Tbsp mustard sauce (Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard)

1 Tbsp vinegar

1 Tbsp honey (I was FAR more generous with this b/c I can't handle spicy)

1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce

1/2 tsp salt

2 Tbsp minced garlic

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp wine

1. Marinate the pork ribs for at least 2 hours OR overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

3. Roast ribs, thick meat side up for 45 minutes until golden brown.

*note you can use the marinade as sauce by putting the excess marinade in a pot, add a little water, and boil the marinade. I added more honey at this point because my mouth was on fire and I was starting to weep.

The soup you see in the top picture is from a kosher mix I got at the market with the remaining cash I had... It cost about a dollar something on sale and it fed a family of 4.

New Updates!

And I am back to cooking/baking good things. It's been a year since I last blogged and since then I've become more knowledgeable in biology and health b/c I've been taking medical school classes. Now I'm working (or supposed to be working) on applications and researching for my thesis, among other things like brushing up on my musical skills on dulcimer and guitar (my so-called skills right now make me weep).

I've met good people in my very intense academic year. We have had 2 baking get-togethers since getting out of class. I'm glad I met friends (J-Shwan, C-Sat, and V) that like to make food as much as I do!

PANDA COOKIES!!

We were originally going to make Panda Bread.. but it would require more time that we didn't have. We followed the same construction of the bread to make these cookies and they were delicious and super cute!! :D

Our panda cookie roll before cutting into slices and baking in the oven

Green tea powder for the outside and cocoa powder for the ears an eyes

(photos from stolen from C-Sat ;))

WATERMELON CAKE POPS!

(diabetes on a stick)

I think these came out too sweet... but they looked really cute: watermelon cake pops

We followed the recipe in the link... note: it was really hard to get the green food coloring to dye the white chocolate coating. Instead, we ended up dying the white frosting to make the outer layer. This took a lot more effort than we had planned and also turned out a lot sweeter than we had imagined. This is one recipe that we probably won't try again.

(photo from V)

I made brownies yesterday for my brother's birthday... those are definitely worth trying. They stay moist and awesome unlike the brownies made from a box. Just sayin'.

Update: I didn't make anything special but I spent a lot of eating.

Lately it's been hard to relax since my life will change.

I hate saying goodbyes b/c I get so emo and so sad T.T so I try to avoid talking about it as much as possible unless people ask. Therefore, I don't think many people know what's going on in my life except that I'm sorta kinda stressed... meh...oh well.

I ran away from the city a lot in the past few weeks, but the fresh air out of the city was helpful. This week was no exception. I spent time by the lake last Saturday, Sunday, and yesterday.

I go running around the lake in Wakefield on most early weekend mornings because it's nice to be out in the calm before the day starts up again.

I usually try to go before 8AM but there are already plenty of runners/walkers/bikers by the time I get there. There is a nice breeze on most days and perfect for running or just stopping to relax and think by the water.

On Saturdays there is a farmer's market near the lake where they sell fresh produce, baked goods, noodles, cheese, and flowers. Some items are expensive but I thought this cookie at the Swiss Bakers tent was really cute. I bought a moose cookie for my niece to eat after her swim lesson.

Sunday, after spending the morning at the lake: Chinatown August Moon Festival

I got free lobster after the August Moon festival in Chinatown that I performed at on Sunday.

Who knew China Pearl served non-Chinese food? Our dulcimer group got steak, corn on the cob, broccoli and a whole lobster for free. Sweet. I thought the meal was pretty good and very filling. The steak was done just right. My only complaints are that the corn was soggy and they didn't offer mini forks to help me devour the lobster.

Lab Outing 8/17/10: Kimball Farm

Yesterday my lab went to Hopkinton to kayak or canoe. Since I hurt myself in the shoulder, I opted for the paddle boat with a couple of my coworkers. So much fun :)

After we did our grilling and later on we went to Kimball Farm in Westford for mini golf and ice cream.

This was my small cup of mint chocolate chip ice cream:

It was pretty nice helping they gave me. I looked forward more to the ice cream than the actual golf to tell you the truth... and it sure hit the spot :)

So what new thing have I tried to make lately?

I've only made one thing for myself.. and it's so simple... yet satisfying, healthy, and food allergy friendly for me (a good thing since I've had like 2 allergic reactions in the past 3 days).

I'll post the pictures and recipe soon :)

I ran away to NYC

They say you can never run away from reality, but I say, you can always try.

Michelle Branch ft. Timberland "Getaway"

The lyrics seem to fit exactly what I've been feeling for the past few weeks... instead of going to the mountains like I did last weekend, I took a rather impulsive trip to New York City by bus instead.

I did a lot of finding good eats, eating, eating, and bargaining for super cute things when I could.

LUNCH: Joe's Ginger

I wandered along Mott St. until I came across Joe's Ginger on Pell St. (a side street towards the end of Mott St.). I have never eaten here but friends of my mom and my awesome friend Alyssa have raved about the steamed buns (小籠包 xiao long bao) and dumplings (鍋貼) here. For lunch I just ordered the appetizers: crab and pork steamed buns and pork dumplings.

I loved the crab and pork steamed buns... I think this is what this place is known for. There is a burst of flavor in each bite. Definitely try these if you go to NY.

Next order of business. Wandering back onto Mott Street, I made my way to Aji Ichiban, a Japanese/Chinese candy store that sells all sorts of dried fruits and candy... you can try each one before buying... omg so stuffed... I bought a few pounds worth of stuff here.

I basically wandered Mott Street for an hour buying cute bags. I got a super cute backpack and mini messenger bag for a grand total of $25.

It was really hot in New York and I wanted something to cool me down after walking outside for an hour.

SNACK: Fong Inn Too

I just discovered this place. They have the best soy/tofu foods. Inside looks kind of dark/dingy and there is nowhere to sit and eat. So, people just buy and stand around inside and eat.

I ordered a bowl of 豆腐花 (Dofu Fa, Chinese dessert) for $1.00

OMG... Best 豆腐花 I have ever had... it does not compare to any other ones I've tried. If you have a craving for something cool or... tofu... this is the place to be... and it's cheap!

I finally leave Mott Street and head to Canal Street to go check out Kanman Market. It has been renovated since the last time I've been there. Now there is a 3rd floor full of Hello Kitty and other Japanese cute things.

I spent a lot of time here b/c I fell in love with the kitchenware and tableware designs

This cute bean set is a set of chopstick holders

I love love love this soup and rice bowl set. The hair is the rice bowl while the face is the soup bowl.

I really love these tea sets. They are so cute and creative. The bumble bee and giraffe both come with two cups.

Aren't these two cups really cute? I love em.

These are actually erasers shaped as food in mini bento boxes.

This is for the hello kitty and pikachu pokemon lovers out there... so much stuff here.

Back on the street, I went in search of the place that sells really good Lo Paw Bang 老婆餅, a Chinese pastry.

I think this was towards the end of Mott St but I could be mistaken and unfortunately I don't have the English name of this place. But, they have the best pastries. They are not too dry and always come out perfect. I bought 18 老婆餅 to bring home.

*drools* It's sweet with winter melon (冬瓜) filling.

So back on Canal Street, I see all these street vendors. There are a bunch of little kids surrounding this one vendor, so I stop by to see what was the commotion...

Hand-made phone straps. So cute :D I got these 4 for $10.

Time for the best mini sponge cakes at Kam Hing Coffee Shop located on Baxter St. off of Canal St. It's a small bakery. They are best known for their sponge cakes. There is a latino guy there that speaks pretty good Cantonese. I was impressed.

These little cakes are so soft, they aren't too sweet but sweet enough, slightly moist, and are so good you can't eat just one. I bought 30 of these to bring home.

Back on Canal St., there are more food vendors and artists. The food vendors are mostly older folk who sell fresh fruit and veggies. Many were selling longans (龍眼), lychees (荔枝), and dragon fruit (火龍果).

The older gentleman that runs this stand was arguing with the other woman who also works here that after all these years he never got used to living here and that he'd like to go home. I found out they are from the same area in China as my mother, Zhong shan (中山) in Guangdong.

The longans were really sweet... they sold us 5 lbs worth x.x ... just because.

DINNER: Big Wong Restaurant back on Mott St.

The service is quick and it's a rather fast paced eating environment. Once you walk in the waiters/waitresses yell out to you: "How many!!! Come with me!" and they walk really fast to show you your table. The food is very good and on the cheap end. They always give huge helpings of food. For meat eaters I'd suggest the 3 combo rice plate (cha sew or pork, chicken, and a sunny side up egg that is excellent with the rice).

That's all I got from my escape from NYC! I just sped walked and ran 5 miles early this morning to get over this food day :)