Cheap Eats in Waikiki

There are lots of wonderful places to eat on Oahu but finding reasonably priced places right in the tourist zone of Waikiki is a challenge. In fact, finding a really tasty meal for under $10 is almost impossible. Here are a few of spots that not only fit the bill but are worth seeking out.

Gyoza No Ohsho

This tiny restaurant in the King's Village Shopping Center serves gyoza, ramen and some rice bowls. But the thing to order, not surprisingly, is the gyoza. Japanese gyoza are like a smaller, thinner more delicate version of Chinese potstickers. At Gyoza No Ohsho there are 6 to an order for $3.95, served in a cast iron skillet. The dumplings are available in the traditional style, fried and steamed, and there are also boiled and cheese varieties. They are juicy and flavorful with a pork and ginger filling and have a very thin and delicate wrapper. Dip them in a combination of soy sauce, vinegar and chili oil, if you like. The ramen is ok, but I think you're better off with the gyoza, either as a snack or a light meal depending upon how many you order.

Fatty's Chinese Fast Food

The fast food in the name really just means the food is cooked quickly. This little hole-in-the-wall can be a bit hard to find because it doesn't face the street; it's in the alley next to the Miramar Hotel. It looks and feels like a real dive, but sitting at the counter you can see all the dishes, mostly stir fries, being cooked to order. I had a very large portion of beef and choi sum chow fun which was plenty for two people. Although not on the menu, you can order a side dish of choi sum, which is a bit like a cross between bok choi and broccoli. It would go well with the "three meats on rice" which is three neat lines of sliced char siu pork, chicken with a minced ginger cilantro sauce and roast duck on top of a bowl of rice. Whatever you do, avoid the already cooked options and order from the menu.

Me's BBQ

This little Korean takeaway counter offers a lot of options including some really delicious vegetable side dishes and kimchi. You can make a meal of vegetarian sides, or pair them with barbecue chicken, "kal-bi" short ribs or order other classic Korean dishes such as Bi Bim Bap or fried "Man-Doo" dumplings. Almost everything is between $7 and $10 and everything I've had here has been fresh and tasty. Whatever you end up ordering, keep in mind the portions are huge. They also offer very cheap sandwiches and breakfasts at certain ours of the day, though I've never tried them. Eat outside at one of the picnic tables or take your feast to the beach just a couple blocks away.

Teddy's Bigger Burgers

If you're in the mood for burgers, this retro burger spot is the place to go. It's really just a fast food outlet, but the burgers are cooked to order and quite tasty. So are the onion rings. Order the small size which is 5 ounces, anything else is obscenely large. Burgers come with "secret sauce" if you don't like that kind of thing, ask them to hold it. I also recommend the chocolate shake which is very intensely flavored, thick and creamy, almost like a soft serve ice cream. I had no problem getting a burger rare though I've been told when it gets very busy the wait may be long and the chances of getting your order done the way you like may decrease.

If you have any other cheap finds in this area, please feel free to share them in the comments section.

Gyoza No Ohsho
131 Kaiulani Ave
Honolulu, Hawaii
808-922-2161

Fatty's Chinese Fast Food
2345 Kuhio Ave
Honolulu, Hawaii
808-922-9600

Me's BBQ
151 Uluniu Ave
Honolulu, Hawaii
808-926-9717

Teddy's Bigger Burgers
134 Kapahulu Avenue
Honolulu, Hawaii
808-926-3444

Zakka Designer : Shinzi Katoh

What is "zakka"? You hear the word everywhere, especially when you buy a DIY Japan books in sewing adn crafting. Why do they call it Zakka style? Zakka design? What is zakka?



Wikipedia describe "zakka" as a fashion and design phenomenon that has spread from Japan throughout Asia. The term refers to everything and anything that improves your home, life and outlook. It is often based on household items from the West that are regarded as kitsch in their countries of origin. Kitsch, eh? You know what kitsch mean, right?



I like the version of Shinzi Katoh's description in his website, though; "It's the things that make people happy and exist like a comfortable air. That is why we always keep in our heart when we create new design." Oh, how lovely! Don't you think? Now you know what zakka means, who is Sinzi Katoh?





Shinzi Katoh is an artist, designer, and illustrator. He had 3 children books published in Japanese and 3 more to come. As a zakka designer, it's obvious that his mediums of artsitry are not far from everday life. His tote bags, stationary, and kitchen utensils are among the popular ones. He has now products for sale, to name at least one, at the MoMA shop in San Fransisco. Of course you can find his products in Zakka shop everywhere. He also has done oil paintings which are currently exhibited in New York City.



Now, here's to you art elite! When you think only gruesome, self torturing, undeniably pervert paintings and performances can make it to the art galleries and museums, what do you say about a "zakka" designer like Shinzi Katoh? Art and design should make you smile, even in the form of everyday life items. Heck, they work best in everyday life items, not untouchable expensive paintings!

Cookbooks and chocolate and spatulas!

The Menu for Hope campaign has been extended until December 31st, allowing you a little more time to give back and maybe win something wonderful. For every $10 donated, you earn one virtual raffle ticket to bid on a prize of your choice. At the end of the campaign, raffle tickets will be drawn and the results announced on Chez Pim.

If you got what you wanted this holiday season, think about the children of Lesotho, Africa, and help them get what they really need, healthy meals.

This year I am offering the Baker's Delight (prize code UW18) a fabulous baking kit designed for a home baker or professional pastry chef with brand new cookbooks, a selection of artisanal American chocolate and a set of silicone spatulas.

The package contains four of the years' best baking books:

* Chocolate Epiphany: Exceptional Cookies, Cakes, and Confections for Everyone by French pastry chef extraordinaire Francois Payard

* Baking for All Occasions by much loved author Flo Braker

* The Sweeter Side of Amy's Bread: Cakes, Cookies, Bars, Pastries and More from New York City's Favorite Bakery, your source for bakery treats like Amy's signature scones, White Chocolate Cherry Chunker Cookies, Definitely Devil's Food Cake, Soft Brioche Rolls with Melting Chocolate Centers, etc.

* The Pastry Chef's Companion: A Comprehensive Resource Guide for the Pastry Professional, an excellent reference guide for every kitchen cookbook shelf

It also includes four pounds of E. Guittard chocolate wafers, a top choice of professional bakers and chefs:

* One pound E.Guittard 72% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate, this super-dark chocolate has a smooth mouthfeel and provides intense chocolate flavor. It’s the perfect choice when a dessert is unequivocally about chocolate – flourless cakes, molten chocolate mini-cakes or an unforgettable chocolate fondue.

* One pound E.Guittard 61% Cacao Semisweet Chocolate, the super-rich chocolate flavors last and last, with a refreshing chocolate finish. This chocolate is extremely popular with pastry chefs, and makes a great eating chocolate as well.

* One pound E.Guittard 38% Cacao Milk Chocolate, enjoy bold, rich, milk chocolate flavors with caramel accents, fresh dairy notes and a signature hint of cinnamon that set this milk chocolate apart from all the others. It’s an extremely versatile blend that can be used in recipes ranging from crème brulée to ganache.

* One pound E.Guittard 31% Cacao White Chocolate, this French-style white chocolate has a sweet, fresh cream flavor with nutty undertones and lingering hints of citrus and vanilla. It adds a balanced dairy flavor to any recipe, and stands alone as an extraordinarily smooth white chocolate with rich cocoa butter taste.

To use with your next recipe:

* A set of four silicone spatulas, perfect for mixing, scraping and folding, they won’t chip or crack and can be used can be used to stir extremely hot mixtures

The Baker's Delight prize package is worth nearly $200! A big thanks to Guittard for the chocolate, and to Clarkson Potter, Chronicle Books, and Wiley for the books.

To win this or other fabulous prizes:
1. Choose a prize or prizes of your choice from our Menu for Hope at Pim's site, the Baker's Delight prize is UW18
2. Go to the donation site or click on the Menu for Hope logo below, to make a donation.
3. Each $10 you donate will give you one raffle ticket toward a prize of your choice. Please specify which prize you'd like in the 'Personal Message' section in the donation form when confirming your donation. You must write-in how many tickets per prize, and please use the prize code. For example, a donation of $50 can be 2 tickets for EU01 and 3 tickets for EU02. Please write 2xEU01, 3xEU02
4. If your company matches your charity donation, please check the box and fill in the information so we could claim the corporate match.
5. Please allow us to see your email address so that we could contact you in case you win. Your email address will not be shared with anyone and no one but us will be able to see it.

Click here to donate:

For the US West Coast prizes specifically, please visit Matt at Matt Bites, the West Coast host (and food photographer extraordinaire.)

Helena's Hawaiian Food: Restaurant Review

If you want to experience authentic native Hawaiian food, as opposed to the fusion of Hawaiian, Portuguese, Chinese and Japanese that is common today, you must eat at Helena's Hawaiian Food. I've been going to Helena's since 1977 and while Helena is sadly gone and the location has changed, the food is exactly the same as it ever was. Absolutely delicious. But don't just take my word for it, Helena's was actually recognized with a James Beard award for outstanding American regional cuisine in 2000.

To say Helena's is an unassuming little place would be an understatement. You eat here, you don't dine. It's the kind of restaurant where they don't clear the tables until customers come in the door. Despite the posters and photographs on the walls, it has zero ambiance with mismatched plastic plates and formica tables. It's all about the food which arrives on small plates that are intended to be shared.

While you may have had kahlua pork before, you need to try it at Helena's where it is cooked the traditional way in an underground oven called an imu. It's smoky and tender, mixed with cabbage and so much better than what you'll find at most places.

Another dish you have to order is lomi lomi salmon. I'm not sure how salmon arrived in Hawaii, because it is not local, but the dish of chopped tomatoes, chiles, onions and salted salmon is a standard Hawaiian dish these days. It's like a juicy salsa with salty bits of fish.

Pipi kaula ribs are another Hawaiian specialty, but one you don't see all that often. Pipi kaula is Hawaiian for "beef string" and it used to be two beef strips were tied together then hung to dry. While the beef is still hung to be dried, today it's also marinated in honey, garlic, soy and sometimes sherry. I don't know Helena's exact recipe, but the chewy ribs are succulent and have the right balance of intense salty and sweet flavors.

You may never have tried poi, but it was a staple of Hawaiian cuisine and it really does taste good with the mostly salty savory dishes. It's mashed and ground taro root, and has the consistency of pudding with a mildly sour taste. You really should try it.

Another dish not to be missed is the butterfish collar. This is similar in texture to hamachi kama you might order in a Japanese restaurant. It is a very rich and oily piece of fish that you really only find in Hawaii.

Other wonderful things to try include laulau, luau squid and chicken long rice (which is actually a kind of noodle not rice). Each order comes with some homemade haupia for the table a bit of onion and Hawaiian red salt. The haupia is a firm cold coconut pudding. It is cool and refreshing and not too sweet. If you end up eating it before the end of the meal, you may need to order more! A meal here will probably cost you under $10.

Helena's Hawaiian Food
1240 N. School St
Honolulu HI
808-845-8044

Other reviews of Helena's:

Ono Kine Grindz

Jay's Strange Blog

Honolulu Advertiser

Yelp

Town and Downtown@the HiSAM: Restaurant Reviews

I've had a lot of great meals in Honolulu, but if I had to pick my favorite dinner so far, it would be the one I had at Town. Town is in Kaimuki, a funky neighborhood packed with good restaurants. The bistro menu features mostly local and organic ingredients and the wait staff is knowledgeable about many of the purveyors. The space is cozy and contemporary though a bit noisy.

Aside from the Hawaiian ingredients used, it feels like a restaurant you would find in San Francisco with Mediterranean style selections such as hand cut pasta, risotto, slow-braised meats, a couple of fried appetizers, and cooked and raw preparations of fresh local seafood. But often the dishes have a twist, making them unique and fresh. I loved the mussels cooked with fennel and tomato. So what was the twist? A broth made with the white vermouth Cinzano and a bit of pastina in the bottom of the bowl.

The gnocchi was tender and gooey with cheese and chewy oyster mushrooms, but there are only 12 orders available a night so get your order in early!

Both the crispy fried appetizers were cooked perfectly and not at all greasy. We ordered the salted walu brandade fritters and a frito that had slices of local green Meyer lemon, okra, kampachi and meltingly luscious green onions.

Braised pork cheeks with creamy polenta and bitter greens was a great dish with lots of contrasting soft textures and rich flavors. Sorry for the blurry photo!

The only weak part of the meal might have been the desserts, but only because they didn't "wow" as much as the other courses. We had a panino with chocolate and apple bananas and a pineapple napoleon. Both were fine, but nothing I'd go out of my way to order again.

I'm sorry I don't have pictures of my lunch at Ed Kenney and and David Caldiero's other restaurant, Downtown at HiSAM (Hawaii State Art Museum). The museum is free, so splurge on a weekday lunch, just be sure to make reservations since it is very popular. The menu has many similar dishes to what you find at Town. I was very happy with the tender homemade pasta in the duck confit canneloni, which was served on a bed of bitter greens and topped with a kumquat sauce. Service was a bit rushed and I didn't get a chance to try the churros and chocolate, but I will next time!


Town
3435 Waialae Avenue #103
Honolulu, HI
808-735-5900

Downtown @ the HiSAM
Hawaii State Art Museum
250 S. Hotel St.
Honolulu HI
808-536-5900

My Other Sketchbook

Introducing: my mini sketchbook! The one I am used to bring along in my bag. The "big" sketchbook's purpose is for serious sketching, i.e. when I sketch for works to be or when I need to scan my sketches. This mini one is more for a field trip. Well, not that I go to some forest and sketch some trees or leaves in it, I live in a city, anyway. The mini sketchbook accompany me when I wait for someone in public spaces. I hate looking unoccupied, alone, in a coffee shop, even in a dentist's waiting room. That's when this book come in handy. I doodle and sketch whatever comes in my mind.

I have longed for a moleskine for a mini skecth book. But this one, purchased in Italy (in a tourist's street stall) is good enough for me. It has thick off-white papers inside, about 80-100 gsm, maybe, thread binding, and...wait....I am a freak when it comes to stationary, I could go on an on talking about a notebook. ( I even like to talk about the smell of papers!) I guess I should stop now.

Paper Craft Calendar!

I have always been a huge admirer of Canon Creative Park. It's a site mentioned in every design, paper craft and, craft blog, and so, I wasn't so thrilled to write about it since looks like everyone has talked about it.

But then I came across this lovely 2009 calendar you can assembly yourself on daily visit to the park. It's very simple you won't even need to sign up to the site. Just click download, print, and snap snap, you're done!

Wow. Isn't it? Wait. There's more. If you're a keen photographer you can even take a picture of a town from the calendar. Just level your camera to the houses, click, and you get a town view. Great for blog's title image, I guess.

And don't forget to browse the whole site. Lots of cool stuff not to be missed.

Favorite Things 2008

Here is a mishmosh shopping round up, just in case not everyone on your list is covered. I'm including a couple of things I've already reviewed this year, and a of couple new ones.

FYI, if you're the "stay-at-home-and-shop" type, today is the last day for 2-day shipping on Amazon.




Months after writing about it, I am still in love with my Zojirushi 1lb mini loaf breadmaker! It's so easy even my very first loaf was stellar. I'm having fun experimenting with different kinds of flour, gluten, nuts and seeds. Smaller loaves mean fresher bread, everyday. For someone with a small household or not much counter space, this is the ideal bread machine!


I received a Kuhn Rikon Noir Forged 6-inch Santoku Knife in the mail to try out and I adore it. I even brought it on vacation with me! It has a slightly non-stick surface, a very sharp blade and is not too heavy. The Santoko is a great option instead of a chef's knife. This knife, plus a bread knife and a paring knife are all almost anyone really needs. Right now on Amazon there is a special deal, buy this knife and get one of 6 magazines free, including a year of Gourmet or Bon Appetit.


I have tried giving up non-stick pans, but I can't do it, so I have resorted to using various "green" pans. The German-made Fissler Protect Steelux Premium 11.0 Inch Frypan is replacing all of them. I have used it for months without the slightest scratching, flaking or difficulty cleaning. Best of all, the proprietary Protectal Plus nonstick sealing is the first coating to be 100% PFOA-free even in production. It is a very heavy pan and comes with a 5-year warranty. Would I spend over $150 for a pan? I'm not sure, but I am completely happy with this one.




I reviewed this CD earlier this year, and ok I admit it's a bit of a stretch for a food blog, but Putumayo Presents:Acoustic France CD actually comes with a recipe in the liner notes from French chef, Michel Troisgros. It's just happy, fun music that will put you in a good mood and make you wistful about France, if you're not already...

Plate Lunch, Redux

When you come to Hawaii, you have to try a plate lunch. Plate lunches are the ubiquitous "blue plate special" in Hawaii. They consist of some kind of protein like breaded chicken or pork cutlet, beef teriyaki, fried mahi mahi, etc., two scoops of white rice and one scoop of Hawaiian style macaroni salad (which is about equal parts macaroni and mayonnaise!). While tasty, filling and relatively inexpensive, usually somewhere around $5, traditionally they are not very healthy and not very fancy. But that's not always the case. In fact, plate lunches can be healthy, and sometimes surprisingly sophisticated.

Many take out places and drive-ins are offering a choice of brown rice and green salad in addition to the standard white rice and mac salad. There are healthier choices of protein as well, even a fast food chain like L & L Drive Inn now offers "Healthy Plate Lunches" with garlic shrimp, garlic ahi or mahi, salmon patties and grilled chicken.

In Honolulu there are chefs with experience cooking at fancier restaurants who own more casual spots that specialize in plate lunches, offering amazingly fine food for the price, though don't expect table service and anything fancy in terms of presentation. Every time I come to Hawaii I seek out these hot spots. Here are three that that I recommend trying:


First off, Kahai Street Kitchen. Located in an industrial part of Kalihi right across the street from my beloved Ethel's Grill, this take out place has only 2 tables so like most customers you'll probably want to pick up your meal and enjoy it elsewhere. Check out the daily specials online. I had the Hong Kong Stuffed Chicken and it was filled with shiitake mushrooms, lup chong or Chinese sausage, dried shrimp, peanuts and sticky rice. It was outstanding, a perfectly balanced dish and a very large portion that I couldn't finnish in one sitting. I ordered it with salad, no rice and it cost $7.75. My only disappointment was in the salad dressing which didn't taste homemade.


Nico's at Pier 38 is located next to the Honolulu Fish Auction building and there is plenty of parking, though like Kahai Street Kitchen you'll need a car to get there. While there is no indoor seating, there are lots of outdoor picnic tables, some with a view of the harbor. My top pick is the Fried Tuna Belly which comes with two large pieces of ahi topped with a special lomi tomato salsa. This portion for $8.40 easily served 2 people. It was excellent and definitely worthy of a sit down restaurant.

Kaka'ako Kitchen also serves up gourmet lunch plates. Tucked away in the back of the Ward Center Shopping center you'll typically find a line of people waiting to order. I particularly like their salads, like the Ahi Chop Salad, with fresh Nalo greens, crunchy noodle strips and rare chunks of seared tuna, but the prices are a bit higher here and the salad is about $11. Baked goods are really good here though frankly portion sizes have drastically shrunk in the past year or so.

Three Cheers for Lotta Bruhn

I fell in love with Lotta! Her illustrations and design remind me of Dick Bruna's.
Just visit her on her blog and feast your senses. Make sure you grab her printable sticker too.
It's free download.

2009 Calendar under $10.00

Don't you just love calendars. They keep track of your daily life while looking good themselves. Thank God you don't have to spend a fortune to buy them these days. Here are my picks of amazingly cheap and chic ones to start a new year.
RedDoorStudio's 2009 Printable Vintage Calendar $5.oo each.
Two Years of the Youniverse from Little Otsu. $9.00.
Littlebownpen's Southern Hemisphere printable calendar for $5.00.

More Cookbooks for Giving or Keeping

There were a lot of important restaurant cookbooks that came out this year A Day at El Bulli, Alinea and Thomas Keller's Under Pressure: Cooking Sous Vide come to mind. I am not opposed to serious books, but the books I turn to again and again tend to not be the weighty ones. Just like cooking and eating, I like cookbooks to be fun. Today I am recommending two fun books, two thoroughly enjoyable non-cookbooks and two local San Francisco Bay Area cookbooks, one of which actually is a restaurant cookbook, but also much more than that. And by the way, I did not choose all these books because they have orange covers that complement my blog, really, it was pure coincidence!

You didn't think I wouldn't mention my own book, right? I am so proud of my first cookbook, New Flavors for Appetizers! The recipes are very much my style and by that I mean fairly healthy, easy to make, big on flavor, short on fuss. Since writing the book I have made recipes such as the crostini with white beans and kale, the chickpea dip with pomegranate and the spiced lamb meatballs with yogurt dipping sauce again and again to rave reviews. It's a perfect book for entertaining or gift giving, if I do say so myself.









I am an unabashed Ellie Krieger fan so of course, I appreciate her latest book, The Food You Crave. Her recipes are full of flavor and don't make you think "healthy" but rather "tasty." Kreiger uses real ingredients, nothing fake and doesn't shy away from flavor enhancers such as butter, olive oil, lots of herbs and spices and fresh ingredients to make really appealing food. Noodles with Lime-Peanut Sauce, Miso Glazed Cod, Fettuccine with Creamy Red Pepper Sauce, Snow Pea, Scallion and Radish Salad, and Chocolate Cherry Almond Biscotti are just some of the recipes that tempted me this year.











Like a dim sum parlor, Eat, Memory, a compilation of essays from the New York Times magazine is filled with unexpected delights. My only complaint is that the book was too short. I wanted to keep reading and reading because the stories are so well told. I've often felt food is just a lens through which we see the world and this book explores the emotions that accompany that which we eat. There are stories by lots of great contemporary writers, authors, screenwriters, etc. that just happen to be about food. Some of the stories and essays are punctuated with a recipe at the end, but not all of them. It's not a cookbook per se, but a book drawn from the memories associated with food or in some cases, the lack of food. It's just a wonderful read.









I raved about The Flavor Bible a few months ago. It's a book to go to for ideas, inspiration, and sometimes reassurance that yes, that seemingly crazy combination you came up with does in fact make perfectly good sense. Sneak a peek at some of the signature dishes of top chefs and find out what flavors pair well. I find this book helps me get out of the ruts I sometimes get into with a specific ingredient, always cooking it one way, forgetting to step out of my comfort zone and try something new. Since reviewing it, I have used this book many times in creating new recipes for my wine retailer client. This is hands down the best, and most useful culinary reference book of the year.









Everyone from Michael Pollan to Mark Bittman is saying the same thing, we need to eat less meat. I for one, am eating more beans, especially heirloom beans. While I love cooking beans, I still need ideas for how to make the most of all the wonderful heirloom beans on the market these days. Heirloom Beans: Great Recipes for Dips and Spreads, Soups and Stews, Salads and Salsas, and Much More from Rancho Gordo is just the ticket. I love the recipes and appreciate the substitution notes which make the recipes all the more versatile. The recipes go way beyond just chili, soup and dips, there are also appetizers, side dishes and even main dishes. Love beans? You will love this book!

While A16 is a tremendously popular restaurant in San Francisco, I suspect A16 Food + Wine
will have an even larger audience. It features the big, bold, rustic flavors of the South of Italy. The book helps you to recreate the recipes of the region reinterpreted for American kitchens. It's also a wonderful primer for the lesser known, unique and enjoyable wines of the South as well. This is a really handsome, large hard cover book. And yes, both the much loved pizza and Monday night meatballs are in there.

Sugary Sweet Eye Candy

I am proud to share the works of a friend, an artist from Indonesia, my hometown. I have adored pinkversusblack since we were in the same college, and now she has developed her style into something unbelievably more kawaii! And she doesn't seem like stopping

I just want stick my teeth into them. Here, vector, vector.. come to mama...

ABC and 123

Don't you miss the good old days when school is all about ABC and 123?
First grade the best and Binth's works are more than nostalgic. It's pretty too. Now, that wouldn't hurt.

My Poor Sketchbook

I need a new sketchbook. Seriously. The one I've been using is falling apart and all papers in it have been used, front and back. Even the covers of the book is filled with doodles. I'd like to have a nice clean sketchbook but I seem can't maintain the nice and clean look longer than a week.
I wonder how other artists can fill in their sketchbook with anything from watercolor, collage, and even pressed flowers without smearing the book with paint or glue or everyday grime and dust.



Or is it just me?

Paperpunch : The Truth

Ever wonder how does a paper punch work? Curious about the inside mechanic of a paper punch?
Fret no more, I have dissected a paper punch just for you!

Kidding. I was having fun with the paper punch when it exploded on my face. The huge spring really did jumped into my face.

Mental note: never push your paper punch into something so hard it can't ..err.. punch.

Alternate Covers: Little Red Riding Hood

I don't think all red riding hoods here are all females. Nevermind though. I love alternate cover. It shows you the power of perception. You can buy the books here. It's not too late for filling up Christmas stocking yet.

Win the Baker's Delight/Menu for Hope

Once a year food and wine bloggers put together prizes for the Menu for Hope raffle, with the proceeds going to charity. For every $10 donated, you earn one virtual raffle ticket to bid on a prize of your choice. At the end of the two-week campaign, the raffle tickets are drawn and the results announced on Chez Pim. 

This year I am offering the Baker's Delight (prize code UW18) a fabulous baking kit designed for a home baker or professional pastry chef with brand new cookbooks, a selection of artisanal American chocolate and a set of silicone spatulas.

The package contains four of the years' best baking books:

* Chocolate Epiphany: Exceptional Cookies, Cakes, and Confections for Everyone by French pastry chef extraordinaire Francois Payard

* Baking for All Occasions by much loved author Flo Braker

* The Sweeter Side of Amy's Bread: Cakes, Cookies, Bars, Pastries and More from New York City's Favorite Bakery, your source for bakery treats like Amy's signature scones, White Chocolate Cherry Chunker Cookies, Definitely Devil's Food Cake, Soft Brioche Rolls with Melting Chocolate Centers, etc.

* The Pastry Chef's Companion: A Comprehensive Resource Guide for the Pastry Professional, an excellent reference guide for every kitchen cookbook shelf

It also includes four pounds of E. Guittard chocolate wafers, a top choice of professional bakers and chefs:

* One pound E.Guittard 72% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate, this super-dark chocolate has a smooth mouthfeel and provides intense chocolate flavor. It’s the perfect choice when a dessert is unequivocally about chocolate – flourless cakes, molten chocolate mini-cakes or an unforgettable chocolate fondue.

* One pound E.Guittard 61% Cacao Semisweet Chocolate, the super-rich chocolate flavors last and last, with a refreshing chocolate finish. This chocolate is extremely popular with pastry chefs, and makes a great eating chocolate as well.

* One pound E.Guittard 38% Cacao Milk Chocolate, enjoy bold, rich, milk chocolate flavors with caramel accents, fresh dairy notes and a signature hint of cinnamon that set this milk chocolate apart from all the others. It’s an extremely versatile blend that can be used in recipes ranging from crème brulée to ganache.

* One pound E.Guittard 31% Cacao White Chocolate, this French-style white chocolate has a sweet, fresh cream flavor with nutty undertones and lingering hints of citrus and vanilla. It adds a balanced dairy flavor to any recipe, and stands alone as an extraordinarily smooth white chocolate with rich cocoa butter taste.

To use with your next recipe:

* A set of four silicone spatulas, perfect for mixing, scraping and folding, they won’t chip or crack and can be used can be used to stir extremely hot mixtures

The Baker's Delight prize package is worth nearly $200! A big thanks to Guittard for the chocolate, and to Clarkson Potter, Chronicle Books, and Wiley for the books.

Where does the money go?
The funds raised by Menu for Hope this year will got to a school lunch program in Lesotho, Africa. Providing food for the children helps keeps them in school so that they learn the skills to feed themselves and their families in the future. The program in Lesotho is a model program in local procurement - buying food locally to support local farmers and the local economy. Instead of shipping surplus corn across the ocean, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is buying directly from local subsistent farmers who practice conservation farming methods in Lesotho to feed needy children.

To win this or other fabulous prizes:
1. Choose a prize or prizes of your choice from our Menu for Hope at Pim's site, the Baker's Delight prize is UW18
2. Go to the donation site or click on the Menu for Hope logo below, to make a donation.
3. Each $10 you donate will give you one raffle ticket toward a prize of your choice. Please specify which prize you'd like in the 'Personal Message' section in the donation form when confirming your donation. You must write-in how many tickets per prize, and please use the prize code. For example, a donation of $50 can be 2 tickets for EU01 and 3 tickets for EU02. Please write 2xEU01, 3xEU02
4. If your company matches your charity donation, please check the box and fill in the information so we could claim the corporate match.
5. Please allow us to see your email address so that we could contact you in case you win. Your email address will not be shared with anyone and no one but us will be able to see it.

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For the US West Coast prizes specifically, please visit Matt at Matt Bites, the West Coast host (and food photographer extraordinaire.)

This Little Birdie Sits on a Tree

I have a major weakness upon birds. Especially cute ones like these. Yumiyumi's style is overall simple, cute, but does not lack of interesting details and delicacy!

These are simply the things that you buy, wrap, and can't wait to hang on your wall. Adore, everyone.