Hello. It's me again.
By Naomi October 17, 2021I haven't forgotten about this blog though. I've just been so busy with everything else in life and I guess also grown up where the things I used to blog about seem entirely irrelevant these days. I struggled with that loss of branding and loss of consistency with what felt like was an abrupt change between what my life was then and what it is now, so much so that I've hesitated to start blogging again.
Looking back, this probably all started after I was accepted into medical school when I took down at least 10 years worth of blog posts for fear of professionalism concerns, although really, all I wrote about was "what's in my bag", and "study with me for my grade 12 finals". You can apparently still read about all the things I used to keep in my bag, but I've definitely removed the one where I take you on an angsty week of studying for finals. Very glad we are done with that.
There's been a few updates I guess since then. I've finished medical school. Started residency. Made it through an entire pandemic (almost) without too many tears. I've also gotten really into cooking and embarrassingly tik tok, which I swore I would never download. I post a little too much on instagram in my spare time. Oh, and my entire family has upped and permanently moved to Toronto, leaving me completely nomadic between Winnipeg and Toronto.
That pretty much sums it all up.
I think now that I've taken a break for two years, it's appropriate time to restart. I was pleasantly surprised when I checked my site stats today to find out that this blog still got upwards of a thousand views a day. Wow. And that's with zero content in the last two years. Not sure who all of you are who still read this lonely neglected blog, but it's nice to know there's a few of you out there who enjoy the content written by 26 year old me.
I'm going to start doing this again. I don't know what it will look like or what I will post. It'll be less polished like an influencer blogs and much closer to a written stream of consciousness of things that are happening in my life. I've always thought of this blog as a journal, so even if no one reads this, at the very least, it'll be a documentation for me to look back on in 10 years.
Come join me if you'd like?
Naomi.
It's Bao Time
By Naomi February 23, 2019 bao, cooking, entree, food, friends, meanbao, momofuku, pork belly, restaurantYou start with fresh flour and knead in a sprinkle of sugar, a splash of cream and a light dusting of baking soda.
Once you've prodded and poked these pillowy delights into their final bun form, you allow them to sit and double in size before gently placing them into a steamer.
(you'll see I expertly fashioned a makeshift one here using a pizza pan and my trusty le Creuset wok)
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Recipe for the momofuku bao can be found HERE
Kinka itself doesn't need much introduction, it's been endlessly blogged about here since I first went in second year of undergrad. That's right, undergrad. I am now much closer to being 30 than the first time I stepped into this Izakaya, yet it remains one of my top choices for a quick and fun dinner.
Things you should get if you've never been there; kinako bibimbap, chicken kaarage, and the kakimayo. Pictured here are two of those things, along with a side of sauteed garlic greens and salmon natto yukke.
I'll be honest, I still haven't developed a taste for the latter. Despite having what I consider to be a varied palette, there is something about the slime that I can't get past. It's perhaps a more advanced traditional dish that I'll have to build up to.
If you're feeling adventurous, try that.
If not, stick to my recommendations.
Naomi
Sangria and Paella
By Naomi May 26, 2018 canada, culinary, entree, food, friends, review, toronto, travelDuring the week, Natasia is a graphic artist who is responsible for some of the cool artwork you see around you. On the weekend, she hosts these fantastic brunches where she invites some close friends and a few plus ones to her gorgeous apartment and sits us down in front of her beautifully decorated table and lays plates and plates of food in front of us. All freshly prepared in her kitchen just moments before, the dishes arrive steaming and still slightly bubbling at the surface.
On today's menu; fresh bread with an assortment of dips, cheese and crackers, a light massaged kale salad, a hearty shakshuka, roasted vegetables, banana loaf, and a selection of sweets to end the meal.
One of the best Sunday's I've had in a while.
ps. did I mention she has a cat that you can pet while you eat?
naomi.