Christmas Eve 2010

YUMM. I'm so, so thankful for my family, my boyfriend (who couldn't make it to this event), my friends, and the wonderful food I've been eating lately. Here's a peek at my Christmas Eve dinner (at Uncle C and Auntie J's place for the first time):

Uncle Jerry & his fire torch...thing. You'd think I'd know the proper name for this, but I don't. I want one! :P Anyway, Uncle Jerry and Auntie Joanne always make delicious food. Even dishes I don't usually like are good when they make them (See the cioppino below for an example). I'm not a huge fan of creme brulee, but these were good and so fun to help make (we just helped caramelize the sugary tops). Fun!!! My cousin, Ashley, was even more excited than I was.


Beautiful. Even if you don't like creme brulee, you have to admit that the caramelized layer is pretty awesome.



Here's the savory food, excluding the bread roll, gravy, and au jus. Below = brussel sprouts, which were actually pretty tasty, especially considering the idea that it's often portrayed as the least favorite veggie of all time in the media; a green salad with blackberry balsamic vinaigrette + olive oil; mashed potatoes; pilaf; steak; and seared ahi in the back as an appetizer:


Baklava that my dad's Armenian friend's mom (?) made (not to sweet or soggy like a lot of baklava tend to be!):


I usually hate cioppino, but this broth was so good that I went back for seconds. Oh the magic of Uncle Jerry and Auntie Joanne. The sausage and potatoes were yummy too, and I'm sure that if I liked crab and shrimp (I think crab was in it), I'd like them too in this dish:


Auntie Nana/Laurie made these cute hot cocoa cupcakes:

A Homemade Dulce de Leche Cookie

I visited the preschool at which I used to work to watch their Christmas program and ate one of these when a parent of one of my former students (well, I was an aide--not an actual teacher teacher) made these from scratch. She said that the grandma made the dulce de leche part. Mmmm. The family owns Limón, by the way. I'm gonna try eating there soon. My parents ate there and said it was really good. :D

Limón
7735 N Blackstone Ave # 112
Fresno, CA 93720-4314
Website here

Bread Bowl @ Splash Cafe

Splash Cafe
197 Pomeroy Avenue
Pismo Beach, CA 93449

12/13/10

When I think of Pismo, I think of Splash Cafe, where they sell clam chowder in bread bowls and typically have a line out the door. This time they didn't have a line, but we ate during the morning at around 9:30am, so I'm assuming that had something to do with it. Anyway, I went here many years ago with my family, and this time I ate with Blake and his family. I'm not a fan of clammy clam chowder, but this one wasn't too clammy, although there were big chunks of clam in it. The Pismo's (restaurant) in Fresno has clam chowder that's too clammy for me, if any Fresnans care to know about that. Bread bowls are awesome!

Homemade Dinner With Blake & His Family

Consumed 12/11/10

My boyfriend's family makes delicious, delicious food. I ate this steak, garlic bread, salad, rice, baked potato, and Japanese pickled thing (haha I forgot the name on the can) with Blake and his family last weekend during their trip to the beach. I also took a picture of my clam chowder from Splash Cafe in Pismo (See that here). I'm so grateful to have shared so many wonderful meals with such great people (See this post about brunch with Steve and his family and girlfriend).

OH! Mo's Smokehouse BBQ in Pismo is also really good. I didn't take any pictures because I was afraid of people thinking I was weird, but their fries--plain and garlic--are awesome! They were piping hot, fresh, and tasty. The seasoning on both types of fries was delicious. I usually try to avoid fries, but these I'd actually order myself. Their shredded turkey and shredded chicken sandwiches were good too.