Fresno Obon 2013

In a nutshell, obon or bon odori is a special annual Japanese American celebration of the lives of those who have passed away in the past year.  It's a very happy event with lots of food, simple choreographed dancing, and carnival games for little kids and sometimes adults (e.g., bake walk).  One thing I love about the Fresno Obon is that the food is delicious and they experiment with new things every year while keeping the favorites (e.g., somen, koroke, shave ice).  Last year they added grilled fried rice balls and continued that this year, and this year they added more options to the hot dog menu, Hawaiian sliders (they might have had that before), and furikake fries.  Each Japanese Buddhist (Jodo-Shinshu) temple typically has an obon each summer, so track down your nearest one!

See pictures from previous obons here:
Fresno Obon 2008
San Francisco Obon 2008
San Jose Obon 2010
Orange County Buddhist Church (OCBC) 2009
More OCBC Obon 2009
Parlier Obon 2009

Here is a list of this year's obons.

Koroke = Croquettes - basically a fried ball of meat & potatoes. One of my obon favorites.

 

Koroke, koroke sauce, & Fuji Apple sake (so good...)

Spam musubi

See pictures below for how you are apparently supposed to eat somen (dipping it into the juice/sauce instead)

 

I heard the furikake fries were good, but they ran out before I could get them!

I had the "R U Korean" and had the smelliest breath for awhile.

Enter the Fresno Fair Great Cake Contest! + Fudge-Glazed Creamy Peanut Butter Cake

Ooo I wish I were going to be here for this! Check it out!

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This Fresno Fair Great Cake Contest offers hobby bakers a chance to compete with other area kitchen warriors for bragging rights and cash prizes. Check out the details below!

Cake Makers Compete at the Big Fresno Fair: King Arthur Flour invites you to compete in their “Great Cake Contest.” Prizes valued at $450 are awarded to the top three winners, plus the first place winner has a shot at the grand prize valued at $500. Bake your cake using any type of King Arthur Flour, but no cake mixes please. Any theme, shape, size or flavor is welcome. Use any frosting, topping or delightful decoration you desire. Winners of the top three cakes receive gift cards for King Arthur Flour’s popular baking website and online catalog. First place gets $200 and runner-ups win $150 and $100 each. Cakes are judged on Taste, Presentation and Texture. All ages may enter; limit one entry per person.

Big Fresno Fair runs October 3 - 14, 2012

Pre-registration for the Cake Contest is required by September 8, 2012

Cake Contest Judging is on Saturday, October 13 at 1 pm

The contest is judged at the Fresno fairgrounds. Check out the contest section of www.fresnofair.com for details or call the fair’s entry office at 559-650-3213 with questions.     

Fudge-Glazed Creamy Peanut Butter Cake

(Sample recipe from King Arthur Flour) 

Cake
1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar
1 cup (4 1/4 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 tablespoon (1/4 ounce) Instant ClearJel® or cornstarch
1/3 cup (1 ounce) Double-Dutch Dark Cocoa, black cocoa, or Dutch-process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/3 cup (2 3/8 ounces) vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (5 ounces) water

Filling
3/4 cup (7 ounces) peanut butter, creamy or chunky
2 cups (8 ounces) confectioners' sugar or glazing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup (2 5/8 ounces) milk or cream

Icing
1 cup (6 ounces) chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) heavy or whipping cream
1/2 cup chopped salted peanuts, for garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease and flour (or grease, then line with parchment, then grease again) an 8-inch round cake pan. Note: This pan needs to be at least 2-inch tall; if you have a non-standard, shorter 8-inch pan, substitute a 9-inch round pan.

To make the cake: Whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the eggs, oil, and vanilla, beating until smooth. Gradually add the water, beating until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake the cake for 35 to 38 minutes (about 25 minutes if you're using a 9-inch pan), or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, and then turn it out of the pan to cool completely on a rack.

To make the filling: Beat together the peanut butter, sugar, and vanilla till crumbly, then add the milk or cream, beating till smooth. Add additional milk or cream, if necessary, to make a spreadable filling.

To make the icing: Combine the chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat until the cream is hot, and the chocolate soft. Stir to melt the chocolate completely, reheating very briefly if necessary. Allow the icing to rest for about 30 to 45 minutes, or until it's thickened enough to be spreadable.

To assemble the cake: Slice the cake in half horizontally, to make two layers. Place one piece, cut side up, on a serving plate. Spread with the filling. Top with the second piece, cut side down. Spread the top and sides of the cake with the icing. Garnish with chopped peanuts, if desired. Yield: one 8-inch cake, 8 to 10 servings.  

Superior Dairy - Hanford, CA

Superior Dairy Products Company

325 N. Douty Street

Hanford, CA 93230
(559) 582-0481

This is part of California history right here (open since 1929). Even Huell Howser visited it on TV! I knew about it because I went on a school field trip to Hanford in third grade with my mom on a train, but I went back with friends in middle school, and then more recently I had their ice cream at the Farmer's Market in River Park in Fresno, CA. Today (6/25) my aunt, uncle, cousin and I stopped by on the way home from a family reunion on the Central Coast (on the way down my fam and I stopped at Good Ol' Burger). Superior Dairy's ice cream is delicious, and the scoops are GENEROUS (I think that's an understatement). Note: The bowls below = 1 scoop each! I do have to say that I have never had their regular food. Also, whenever you go there there are usually people of every age in there enjoying humongous scoops, sundaes, and milkshakes.

Chocolate, Fresh Peach, and Chocolate Chip!

A different/unique kind of chocolate. Very cocoa-y, according to my uncle & aunt. I agree!

With chunks of peach! My uncle loves this flavor.

Yummy and interesting in that it has tiny bits of chocolate.

A huuuuuuge sundae!

Lolo - Hawaiian Shave Ice - Fresno, CA

Updated (2014) pic!

Lolo (Food Truck) - Fresno, CA
"Lolo" means "crazy" ... In this case, it's crazy good, like their sign says.
They sell at school events, private parties, festivals, & fundraisers
Contact: (559) 299-9190 (They'll answer as "Farm Fresh Advertising")

Updated flavors (2014)!

Strawberry & Lime. Mmm.

I finally found a Hawaiian/finely shaved ice (aka "SHAVE ICE" -- not "SHAVED ICE") in the Fresno area! I can't tell you how happy I am. Just ask Grace how many times I've talked about shave ice (not snow cones--there's a huge difference). I've tried shave ice all over the place and only a few have the soft SHAVE ice (the rest have ice that breaks your teeth). The syrups from Lolo are delicious and not too sweet or fake-tasting, and they come from Hawaii, which is the place that inspired the owners to start up this shave ice business. My dad, brother, and I were at a basketball tournament and bought several cups of shave ice on both a Saturday and Sunday last month. Soo goooood. As a bonus, the people working inside were really friendly and helpful, and the interior looked clean. I might have to track down Lolo wherever they go. I ate more from them another day at a car show. I'll mix the pictures together here from different visits.

Root Beer! So good! Perfect. Not too sweet and it tastes just like root beer.

Green tea (good but couldn't taste too much 'cause I was distracted by the Dreamsicle) & Dreamsicle (like a 50/50 bar)

Banana & Pineapple (really good together and alone!)

Strawberry & Grape - Both perfectly sweet

Lime & Melon (Honeydew)

Lime & Grape - YUM

Ling Hing Mui (kinda like watermelon or strawberry Jolly Rancher)

Cinnamon (Red Hots) & Lemon

Vanilla + Dreamsicle. Goood combination.

Vanilla + Dreamsicle from the Vanilla side.

Guava. I usually HATE guava-flavored things, so I didn't think I'd like this, but I did! For some reason it reminded me of Pixie Sticks.

Red hots + apple! Tasty!

Sour Apple - In my opinion perfectly sour vs. sweet.

Fresno Greek Fest 2011

Fresno's Greek Fest 2011
Greek Fest 2010 post here.
Website here.
St. George Greek Orthodox Church
Southwest corner of First & Clinton

I have to really highlight this cheese. My parents, Blake, Mr. & Mrs. I, and I all said that the cheese was really good. I must find it! It's listed in the Greek Fest 2011 program as "Haloumi - $4.00: Cypriot 'Grilled' Cheese - a true treat!" Seriously. This and the loukomades are my favorites here now, along with the spanakopita, the greek salad, ad the moussaka. Anyway, "Cypriot" refers to "Something of, from, or related to the country of Cyprus," an island country in the Eastern Mediterranean. Haloumi is made from a mixture of goat & sheep, although some can contain cow's milk. It's kinda similar to mozzarella in that it's white and mild. Sooo good.

Fried calamari. Good stuff.

Greek fries ("Potatoes with Feta, Special Herbs & Lemon"),
--> good but nothing too memorable
Souvlaki ("A stick of bbq Chicken or Pork with Lemon"),
--> a bit too burnt for me
Gyro (The program makes it clear that it's pronounced "YEE-ro,"
--> yummy - minus the raw onions, but that's just me
and Dolmades ("vegetarian stuffed grape leaves")
--> good, but their grape leaves are so tough (like last year's). I know it can be softened because I have these yalanchi at Marat's every single time, which are very similar to these dolmades. For pictures of the insides of these dolmades, see last year's post or
click here for a single picture of the inside.

This salad wasn't described in the program, so I'll just call it a fresh Greek salad. I was afraid to try this last year and again this year, and both times I remembered being surprised because it's not as sour as many Mediterranean salads can be. It's perfect...except I am still not a big fan of salty olives. I love the less salty olives, but these guys are just too much. haha That fresh feta (? I'm guessing) is AWESOME though.

FINALLY...the loukomades. I've posted about these beauties here, but I love them so much (especially with hot coffee!) that I have to share them with you again. This time I have behind-the-scenes pictures of how they make them.





I truly didn't take this picture because the guy looks like he's posing, although it is pretty awesome. Thanks to my friend, Cheri, for pointing that out.



Loukomades with two types of coffee drinks (described below):



The cold one on the left ("Coffee frappe") = "A refreshing foam-covered iced coffee drink, made from spray-dried [?] instant NESCAFE coffee"



The hot one on the right (next to Blake's hand) = "Finely ground 4oz Coffee brewed to order." It pretty thick and VERY grainy--especially at the bottom, which not everyone would like, but my dad and I love that grainy texture!!

 

As you can see, this is a pretty big event, and I didn't take pictures of the kiddo area, which might have looked a bit creepy anyway. They have a few booths at which you can buy artwork, tupperware, clothes, jewelry, etc. I bought my cousin a image-changing Cinderella sandwich container, which I almost kept for myself. Who'd have thought you could get that at Greek Fest?

 

    

 

Here's the "TAVERNA," where you can get your alcohol (Greek beers, mixed drinks, shots, Bud Light, Stella, Heineken, Newcastle, Greek cocktails like ouzo) and water: