Honey Walnut Shrimp (and pet barnacles...)

I’ve recently acquired a new and very unusual pet – a barnacle – in my collection of weird STUFF, and I would like to say that it is a surprisingly good companion to have around. I wanted to advocate buying one to keep with you, as there are many advantages to it. Most people looking for a pet usually want something flashy, like a killer whale or a dolphin, but once you look past the excitement of the big animals, there are a lot of things lacking that you can more easily find in a small creature like the barnacle. Here are just a few of the many perks:

Vietnamese Spring Rolls

It's been incredibly muggy in Philly lately, and I really can't get myself to eat much in the heat. However, in times like these, there is always one meal that I know I can always fall back on - Vietnamese spring rolls! Whoever thought of the concept of rice paper rolls is seriously a genius. These things are so convenient; they last forever dried in your cupboard, and the moment you want to eat them, you just dip them in water and turn them into a clear, versatile Asian tortilla. Props to you, ancient smart Vietnamese entrepreneur!

So back to my epic supermarket adventures. This past Sunday, I got my friend to drive me once again to the local H-mart Korean grocery store. It was a monstrosity of a place (as are most Korean supermarkets), and I almost couldn't control myself as I wandered in awe around the aisles. I don't think I've seen anything so grand in the way of supermarkets since I left the H-mart in San Diego more than a year ago. As you may have guessed, I had a lot of fun in there.

I've made Viet spring rolls for this blog before, but that was a while ago, and I think my photography has improved a bit since then. It's interesting to compare old blog posts with new ones and see the differences that have accumulated over time.

BLOG PUBLICATION

OMG MY FOOD BLOG GOT FEATURED!!!!

So a few days ago I decided to check the status of my blog, and was blown away by a sudden ONSLAUGHT of views. What had happened?? Apparently, this:



I can't believe it! My blog got hosted on a site!! It's been about one and a half years since it was born, and I can't believe how far it has come. Through the fails and successes, the stresses of medical school, the long lapses where I all but gave up on cooking...it's finally being published! Oh nomz...

It's been truly touching to have my blog written about, and I really want to thank my readers for the support they gave me. In case you ever read this, Kate Statton, you are the best! Thanks for finding my blog and posting about it; it shows that the hard work I've put into it has actually had some effect in the world wide web.

I've got a few new recipes to put up, but I'll post that in my next entry now...Oh, and in case anyone is interested, here is the link to my blog's moment of fame!