To The Mom...

with Love,

Ku Cake

Au Naturel

The scene at the Union Square Greenmarket is getting robust each time I visit there. Ramps showed up a few weeks ago and they are still going strong. Asparagus made its comeback this week. Flowers & herbs are everywhere. I just saw rhubarb, too!

To welcome back these vegetables, today I prepared a dish that is uncomplicated, minimally seasoned. So ramps, whole carrots and a Yukon potato (both skins intact) are pan-roasted with little olive oil, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. I also sprinkled some dried thyme flowers I harvested from the yard last season. After 20 or so minutes of roasting, arrange the vegetables in the container. Add a splash of balsamic vinegar and about a tea spoon of Ronnybrook garlic butter into the pan, and continue cooking down until it thickens. Then drizzle the sauce over the vegetables.

That is it! How much simpler could it be?

Ku Cake

Red Velvet

There is definitely something very seductive about this cake... The color (=red), the aroma & flavor (=hint of cocoa), the texture (=moist and fluffy) all come together to usher a moment of such pleasure.


The basic cream cheese frosting compliments the cake perfectly... The color (=white), flavor (hint of sweet-tangy), and the texture (creamy) truly enhance your sensation.

Ku Cake

Mike & Son Sharpening Service

These knives are over 20 years old. It started as a very basic variety; a chef's knife, a boning knife, a carving knife and a paring knife. One by one, a Santoku knife, a bread knife, a cleaver and a small paring knife joined the line up that makes up the entire set today. Naturally, some of them are becoming dull, even though they went through professional sharpening numerous times. So, reluctantly I had to consider retiring these old ones.

A few weekends ago I noticed an old-fashioned truck parked across the street. As I am always curious about everything 'antique', I took a closer look of this vehicle. Turns out: it is a mobile knife sharpening service operating out of the truck that goes around all over Brooklyn. The truck is barely big enough for one person to move between work tables (equipped with several grinding machines and sanding tool). Its interior is lined with wooden panels that are covered with small tools, dusts and grease. The father operates the machines while the son deals with customers. I also counted three bull terriers keeping their company. Apparently they are the 5th generation in business since 1941.

I ran home, grabbed the knives and returned to the truck. "It'd be a few minutes wait" while they finish someone before me. Sure! I used to employ the sharpening service in the City that requires a week to complete. So I can definitely wait for "a few minutes", no problem! Mere 5 minutes and $12 later, my knives are all sharpened as good as new. The old man told me to be careful now that these are "very sharp". Well, the knives are more dangerous when they are NOT sharp!

I am very happy to report; Mike and his son saved my knives. And how would you find them? Call the number: 212-365-4903. I know I will.

Ku Cake

Bunnies! Carrots!

An untested carrot cake recipe turned out quite lovely...

Happy Easter!

Ku Cake

Gnarly Beets

Yo-y0 weather continues throughout the months of March and early April. One of those past weekends when we pulled the short end of the stick, I made beet soup. I'm not sure which came first - the sight of beets or the cold weather - for this sudden craving. Or perhaps I was yearning for the gorgeous ruby red color.

The beets I bought at the Union Square Greenmarket were large, and frankly even from the farmers market's standard, looking unruly. Far from the uniformly smooth and round ones you would normally see. They cried out "free-range", and I wanted to treat them with utmost respect. I could simply cooked the beets in the broth and puré them. But this time I decided to make clear soup instead.

First step is to make the beef stock. Sear the shanks in the big pot until they are brown all over, about 15 minutes. Then add water, throw in a few halved onions, bay leaves and peppercorn. Because it always produces multiple batches of stock, I would refrain from adding the salt. I prefer any stock to be flavor neutral for the later use. Cover the pot and just leave it on the gentle simmer for a few hours until the meat fall off the bone. While waiting for the stock, I steamed the beets. The end of Day 1.

So, dinnertime at the Day 2: this is the result. Add diced beets in the stock, salt & pepper to taste, a dollop of Crème fraiche adds a cool tang to the sweet & savory soup. You may ask, where's the meat? Well, the meat is in the freezer...waiting for the later reincarnation.

Ku Cake

Spring Comes Running!

What a difference one week makes! Last week, the Union Square was cold, wet, windy, and desolate. Only here and there stand the brave farmers tables, displaying the bounty of mostly brown colored produce & products... We could see our breaths. Our hands were stiff from cold. As we exchanged words, all were wishes for the warmer weather to arrive soon!

And the Daylight Saving Time began.

Suddenly, as if it were waiting for the sign, the clouds parted. The sunshine is strong. We shed our long boots and heavy winter coats! Will this be it? Will we be able to welcome the spring this weekend without further delay?

We'll see... The spring of New York City is notoriously capricious. We always get the one last hurrah of the winter storm in late March or early April - always after the early starter narcissus blooms - to remind us who's the boss. One day it's 70 degrees temperature, and the next day it's back to low 40's. It continues like this for a couple of months; this is the season when you have to keep both winter and summer clothes ready in our closet.

Just give us ramps! And all will be well...

Ku Cake

Heart & Chocolate

...the heart-shaped vanilla cake with chocolate frosting...




...the chocolate cupcakes with dark chocolate ganache...



The Valentine's Day without chocolate is a sacrilege!

Ku Cake

A Message in the Cup

Happy Valentine's Day...

Ku Cake

Ice Sculptures

The Wednesday's blizzard is already a distant memory in the heart of Manhattan. But, step out to the outer boroughs you'll encounter the snow country. Sun during the day melts away some of the ice, then it freezes over the chilly night. Look at these beautiful ice sculptures all over my yard! Let me enjoy them for a few days.

Ku Cake