Simple home-baked bread

Home-made Bread

I’m still getting my feet wet with home-made bread making, but am quickly falling in love. After experimenting with a couple ways of preparation, I think I’ve gotten down the method I like the most. Due to my affinity to a lot of Jamie Oliver’s cooking methods/recipes, it may be no surprise that it’s from …

Home-made Bagels

I recently bought an oven. It’s not my first in China, but the first since moving to Haikou and first since I began delving deeper into cookery as a hobby. Despite it essentially being an over-confident toaster, the oven has allowed me to expand what I can make here at home considerably. Home-cooking and baking …

Haikou, Hainan Style…

The other night I came into the living room, and the wife was watching the evening news. The segment ended, and what proceeded was proof that the whole Gangnam Style meme had most definitely jumped the shark. In an attempt to cash in on what is quickly becoming this decade’s “Macarena”, the broadcaster somehow managed …

Things Done Well: On The Anatomy Of Thrift

The following three videos are a series put together by Farmrun, a creative studio that is working to capture the “burgeoning agrarian renaissance by producing beautiful media for agricultural enterprises and organizations.” Teamed up with Farmstead Meatsmith, a traditional animal processor, they’ve produced On the Anatomy of Thrift.

If you are squeamish about an animal being butchered for food, you may not want to watch. If you eat meat and are not able to watch (let alone do) this, it may be worth considering the more philosophical side of the modern disconnect between our food and the place it comes from. Not judging, just saying. The videos are fun, informative and done well.

On The Anatomy Of Thrift: Side Butchery

(more vids after the jump)

Home-made sausage

Two and a half months since updating my blog, it’s fair to say I’m in a bit of a blogging drought. It’s not that lots hasn’t happened since mid-April (there was a trip home to Canada, Casey’s 2nd birthday, and a few other things), I’ve just been in a bit of a funk to sit …

Overnight Zucchini Pickles

Much like my prior post on preparing home-made sauerkraut, this is another “I can’t believe how simple it is” recipe. It’s also another no-cooking recipe for the Home Cooked category. Chinese supermarkets are no stranger to pickles. In fact, it was only after moving to China that I really examined the term “pickle” and realized …

Chinese cover of Radiohead’s Creep

Few things stir up high school nostalgia for me quicker than Thom Yorke going on about how un-special he is. Even now, Pablo Honey is a regular shuffle on my iPod (and still my favourite Radiohead album). Throw in the fact that I’ve been trying to re-dedicate myself to learning Chinese lately, and I was …

Home Cooked – Sauerkraut

I’m not sure the wisdom of starting a new category on the blog with a misnomer in the title, but, well, here we are. For years I’ve enjoyed cooking, but it’s really only been the last few months that I’ve started developing it from an abstract interest into a full-on hobby. As I’ve really only …