Speaking of over-the-top, how about that Bellagio buffet? I'm not a buffet type person in general, but the Bellagio was exceptional.
Back on track: I'm making Asian style wraps and I bought some egg rolls to cook, but not really celebrating.
Chinese New Year, February 17, 2026...
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Back on track: I'm making Asian style wraps and I bought some egg rolls to cook, but not really celebrating.
I guess I celebrated Chinese NY by putting one of their made in China scopes on a new purchase of mine 
But for dinner, which I am going to start shortly, I'm going to heat up some Austrian Gulasch and a potato dumpling.
I do miss Mardi Gras though.
I knew some people that always had a party for Fat Tues and brought me some of the beignets and King Cake they ordered in. And some kind of soup if I remember. They probably made that themselves.
I got the baby one year
But for dinner, which I am going to start shortly, I'm going to heat up some Austrian Gulasch and a potato dumpling.
I do miss Mardi Gras though.
I knew some people that always had a party for Fat Tues and brought me some of the beignets and King Cake they ordered in. And some kind of soup if I remember. They probably made that themselves.
I got the baby one year
Kathleen
Cupcake
I have an appointment tonight at 6 PM, so am unsure when I will be out for dinner. No idea. Maybe Chinese carry-out. Some years, I get into celebrating any and all holidays whether mine, made-up, or not.
Or.....maybe pancakes.
Or.....maybe pancakes.
Last edited:
I knew some people that always had a party for Fat Tues and brought me some of the beignets and King Cake they ordered in.
I got the baby one year
Neither one is hard to make. Haven't made any in a while, but I've been known to make the beignet dough the night before, refrigerate, then fry up in the a.m.
In A Pickle
Head Chef
Could be, not sure, it started with a heading about it being chinese new year and a statement about celebrating Mardi Gras
Good a place as any though ay?!
Nice hear the dumplings are good on a reheat.
thymeless
Sous Chef
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2006
- Messages
- 906
A few thoughts on hotpot sauces
While it's easy find lists of ideas of what to cook in your hot pot and plenty of broths including mushroom, tomato, curry beyond the common sichuan/chengdu varieties, there's less info about mixing up sauces.
A hot pot restaurant usually has a section for customers to build their own sauce. So lets list some of the common items and some notes on their prep before building a sauce.
The two big pots are usually:
Sesame Sauce--this is thinned out sesame paste, normally with just water. And it is a bit of pain to mix sesame paste and water but patience is the key. Just keep stirring. Usually 1::1 to 1::2 ratio. You can use other liquids of course too.
Shacha Sauce is a fermented sea food in oil. Commonly Bullhead brand. Briny, complex and oily. Be sure to stir it up as the solids settle to the bottom.
Lesser players, not in flavor but usually a smaller container:
Leek Flower Sauce/Chive Sauce, I've seen recipes, but just buy it. I've only ever seen two brands, but usually it's just WangZhihe. This is salty, somewhat vegetal-onion and a hint of floralness.
Red Fermented Tofu/Fu Ru You might see this blended smooth- the tofu cubes and the liquid from the jar. Or cubes in red liquid. If you've got cubes, be sure to include a little liquid too. This is a sort of blue cheese like tofu flavor.
chopped garlic, usually in a liquid. Drain off the liquid if you can.
Soy Sauce, this is often the salty element of your sauce and you do need some saltiness.
Black Vinegar, flavor will vary with the region its from, but sort of balsamic vinegar with some vegetal/medicinal overtones. Kong Yen brand from Taiwan is mellow and vegetal.
Sesame Oil
Chili Oil and possibly some other chile sauces or even fresh chiles.
Chopped cilantro
Chopped green onion
salt
sugar
A classic sauce mix is three parts sesame and one part leek flower sauce. That's it. This is my wife's preferred sauce
I prefer a base of sesame sauce, say two parts. Then 1 part sha cha. 1/2 part fu ru. 1/2 part each soy and black vinegar. then garlic, cilantro and green onion according to my mood. Sometimes I add 1/2 part Leek Flower Sauce according to mood as well, but that's less common for me.
If you pick up any of the less common ingredients like Sha cha, you'll find recipes like Sha Cha beef, Sha Cha Chicken, Sha Cha noodles. Mostly from Taiwan and the Fujian region for recipes.
Sesame paste shows up here and there, but is quite good in cold applications as a sauce again on cucumbers and that sort of thing. Some people use tahini which is a little less intense flavor so they don't have multiple sesame sauces around.
Fu ru I see in marinades and finishing sauces. All of these keep well refrigerated.
While it's easy find lists of ideas of what to cook in your hot pot and plenty of broths including mushroom, tomato, curry beyond the common sichuan/chengdu varieties, there's less info about mixing up sauces.
A hot pot restaurant usually has a section for customers to build their own sauce. So lets list some of the common items and some notes on their prep before building a sauce.
The two big pots are usually:
Sesame Sauce--this is thinned out sesame paste, normally with just water. And it is a bit of pain to mix sesame paste and water but patience is the key. Just keep stirring. Usually 1::1 to 1::2 ratio. You can use other liquids of course too.
Shacha Sauce is a fermented sea food in oil. Commonly Bullhead brand. Briny, complex and oily. Be sure to stir it up as the solids settle to the bottom.
Lesser players, not in flavor but usually a smaller container:
Leek Flower Sauce/Chive Sauce, I've seen recipes, but just buy it. I've only ever seen two brands, but usually it's just WangZhihe. This is salty, somewhat vegetal-onion and a hint of floralness.
Red Fermented Tofu/Fu Ru You might see this blended smooth- the tofu cubes and the liquid from the jar. Or cubes in red liquid. If you've got cubes, be sure to include a little liquid too. This is a sort of blue cheese like tofu flavor.
chopped garlic, usually in a liquid. Drain off the liquid if you can.
Soy Sauce, this is often the salty element of your sauce and you do need some saltiness.
Black Vinegar, flavor will vary with the region its from, but sort of balsamic vinegar with some vegetal/medicinal overtones. Kong Yen brand from Taiwan is mellow and vegetal.
Sesame Oil
Chili Oil and possibly some other chile sauces or even fresh chiles.
Chopped cilantro
Chopped green onion
salt
sugar
A classic sauce mix is three parts sesame and one part leek flower sauce. That's it. This is my wife's preferred sauce
I prefer a base of sesame sauce, say two parts. Then 1 part sha cha. 1/2 part fu ru. 1/2 part each soy and black vinegar. then garlic, cilantro and green onion according to my mood. Sometimes I add 1/2 part Leek Flower Sauce according to mood as well, but that's less common for me.
If you pick up any of the less common ingredients like Sha cha, you'll find recipes like Sha Cha beef, Sha Cha Chicken, Sha Cha noodles. Mostly from Taiwan and the Fujian region for recipes.
Sesame paste shows up here and there, but is quite good in cold applications as a sauce again on cucumbers and that sort of thing. Some people use tahini which is a little less intense flavor so they don't have multiple sesame sauces around.
Fu ru I see in marinades and finishing sauces. All of these keep well refrigerated.
LOL, never even heard of a Hotpot Restaurant! Much less some of the ingredients mentioned. LOL Gonna have to check those out!
My version of the restaurant dish fail mentioned above. Marinated some chicken in s&p, microplaned garlic, lemon juice and EVOO, then Craig grilled. Purchased fresh linguini. Sauce was some sweated onions and thinly sliced garlic, with some of our oven-dried tomatoes and homemade pesto, plus a few spoonfuls of pasta water. Ricotta salata for garnish. I think it was a resounding success and I guess Craig did too, since he ate a big bowl and then was standing and eating what was left out of the skillet.
thymeless
Sous Chef
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2006
- Messages
- 906
Needs a bit more organizing but here it is
blissful
Master Chef
Sauerkraut soup with fava beans.
Souper easy, ha ha. Throw it all in a pot on the stove and cook it until the carrots are done. Cut up 3 potatoes, 1 sweet potato, 1 carrot, 1 onion 3 cups of water, 3 cups sauerkraut and juice. Add in some marjoram, dill, pepper, salt (optional), tomato powder to taste. Serve over 1 cups of beans. We had fava beans. Serve with or without crackers.
Souper easy, ha ha. Throw it all in a pot on the stove and cook it until the carrots are done. Cut up 3 potatoes, 1 sweet potato, 1 carrot, 1 onion 3 cups of water, 3 cups sauerkraut and juice. Add in some marjoram, dill, pepper, salt (optional), tomato powder to taste. Serve over 1 cups of beans. We had fava beans. Serve with or without crackers.
That looks great. Similar to something I used to make a lot, but I also added artichoke hearts and their oil.
Grilling the chicken takes it to another level.
No celebration here. Just our usual grocery day. However, instead of pizza, I caramelized some onions with a little garlic, added a few thin beef slices, tossed in some Italian seasoning and let everyone get happy. We had seasoned green beans along with and the last of the mini drumstick ice cream treats for dessert. We called it "done."
Kathleen
Cupcake
I love hotpot places! One here has a rotating belt that weaves through the dining booths so people can help themselves to proteins and veggies for their hotpots.
We ended up having pancakes!
THE WAR IS OVER
The Rebel Alliance won the war with the Evil Taco Empire. When the armistice was signed the ETE officially withdrew all claims to Taco Tuesday. Henceforth Tuesdays shall be known as Tex-Mex Tuesday.
As a peace gesture we prepared soft tacos, cilantro rice, and a layered dip.
.40
The Rebel Alliance won the war with the Evil Taco Empire. When the armistice was signed the ETE officially withdrew all claims to Taco Tuesday. Henceforth Tuesdays shall be known as Tex-Mex Tuesday.
As a peace gesture we prepared soft tacos, cilantro rice, and a layered dip.
.40
With sausage patties.
I need some tacos on Tuesday soon.
She lets me win once in a while. It's pretty much a Charlie Brown/Lucy football situation.
.40
OP
OP
caseydog
Chef Extraordinaire
I had fried catfish and shrimp, with a side of boudin for Mardi Gras.
CD
CD
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