Food stuff

I have had to go to San Diego a lot lately for medical tests. I try to stop for good asian food if I am driving past Convoy. 

After my cystoscopy I stopped at Shan Xi Magic Kitchen and had a bowl of my favorite beef brisket soup with hand made and hand ripped wide noodles.

So delicious!

Shan Xi is one of my absolute favorites.

I had to go to San Diego Monday to buy this from a client. Do you know what it is? I believe the elegantly carved hardwood sculptural form is actually an antique pillow or headrest from Africa.

Anyway, my wife accompanied me down and we stopped at her favorite Chinese restaurant, Spicy City, on the way down.

Our friend Steve bought a gorgeous and gigantic Rookwood Valentien vase from me and he met us at the restaurant to pick it up.

Beautiful iris glaze with a poppy.

Anyway he had never done Spicy City and we convinced him to order from the a la carte cold bar.

He followed our lead, ordered the homemade pickled cucumbers, bamboo shoots and smoked beef.

For our entrees we went with tea smoked duck and the shrimp in lobster sauce over the sizzling rice krispie squares.

Usually we get the cumin lamb but wanted something different this time.

Everything was excellent.

After the meal we stopped at the Chinese bakery Tastee, near Shan Xi, and had a slice of purple Taro cake.

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Not much more to report on the food front. I made scones last night.

My wife is rather proud of my confectionary efforts and was kvelling about my scones to a girlfriend. 

I am not sure what possessed her but she told her I would make her a batch. 

She said that this friend has been "so good" to her over the years.

Now it takes me a couple hours to whip out a batch and clean up so this was a big ask for me. I do not make batches for other people or at least I haven't yet. But she said this was a dear friend and that I would be making them for her so I did.

Basic cranberry, blueberry, walnut. Left out the candied ginger, which her friend was not particularly fond of. Topped it all off with a lemon icing. But this was supposed to be a quid pro quo sort of arrangement, we were getting matzoh ball soup in return and _____ was "such a good cook."

The deal was done today. I sadly relinquished possession of my fresh baked goods and received not matzoh ball, but curried lentil soup in return for some reason, a dish I pretty much loathe.

Oh well, happy wife, happy life. 

I won't eat the soup but hopefully someone will. I had a street person ask me for money because he was hungry and filched one of the scones before the handoff and gave it to him.

I do feel good about that.