Pimped Out #congee () For Brunch. Savoury Rice Porridge, Youtiao/yauzhagwai (/) Croutons, Cilantro, Sesame,

Pimped out #congee (粥) for brunch. Savoury rice porridge, youtiao/yauzhagwai (油條/油炸鬼) croutons, cilantro, sesame, shrimp & uni (海膽). Fluffy, crispy, and umami at the same time. Missed the congee train today? It's back next Sunday @eatsofasia. Come get some, 'cause this ain't your mama's congee. #ChefApprenticeCooksLunch #ChefApprenticeLife #yyc #yycfood (at Eats of Asia - EoA)

Three years ago tonight, I made a proper fool of myself on @ctv_television as one of the first Canadians to join @MasterchefCDA's #WhiteApronClub. To have been part of a very elite group of cooks worldwide was a rush that years later I still remember like a first love, or a first kiss. But little did I know that moment was only a springboard to bigger, better and greater things. I didn't know that I would be one step closer to finding my life's purpose, which is probably a greater prize than winning the whole kit 'n caboodle. Having spent a lot of my life at that time not really knowing what I was going to do, it brought me a whole hell of a lot more clarity on my road map. And little did I know that I would meet some of the greatest people ever, some of whom I haven't seen since I was eliminated. (This I promise you, Toronto folks, I will come to see you soon.) So thank you, MasterChef, I may not have won you, but at least my life's purpose I know. Will Chopped Canada be in the cards for 2017, though? I certainly hope so, because I'm itching for that winning feeling again... #Throwback #Memories #ChefApprenticeLife #yycfood #yyc #masterchefcanada (at Toronto, Ontario)

The beginning of chenpi (陳皮). Ever since I started cooking I've worked at a number of farmers markets. And usually during the winter, citrus is plentiful & one day while working with @chefjdelcorro at @eatsofasia, I saw mandarins at the fruit stand. I scooped up about six, ate the fruit, but kept the skins as a bit of a lark. Three weekends later the skins were fully dried, and every summer I have been aging those skins (and more that I've added over the past few years) in the sun, just like they do in my ancestral home of Xinhui County 新會縣, which is known across the Sinosphere for its chenpi, some of which could be aged for as much a century & is literally worth its weight in gold (a kg of 10 year old Xinhui chenpi could set you back CAD$150. No joke.) Doing this brings me a little closer to my heritage and connects me to my late grandfather, who was a cook when he first arrived in Hong Kong. In a way, making chenpi is almost like a bridge across time that connects us. Think you haven't tasted chenpi? Probably not. But if you've had red bean soup for dessert at a Chinese restaurant, chenpi is sine qua non. Or perhaps you've had a Chinese lamb hot pot? Chances are chenpi is one of the herbs singing in harmony. Heck, I've even tasted chenpi beer. It's amazing the culinary magic one can work with a little piece of dried and aged mandarin rind! 家中做陳皮。 身為一個廣東新會縣祖籍嘅我，多時會見到有人用陳皮嚟煮餸。煲湯，煲糖水，炆羊腩煲，等。 三年前我剛開始做廚時嘅某個冬天星期日，我係農民街市見到有新鮮盧柑。 買咗幾個去，食咗啲柑之後，留咗啲皮囉去乾。轉眼過咗三年，今日終於有啲算係陳皮用。 不過點用呢？我連陳皮啤酒都喝過，我心入面知道一定有好多用途、咪係煲湯炆羊咁間單⋯ #ChefApprenticeLife #HomeMade #yycfood #yyc #mandarin #citrus #chenpi #陳皮

It's #citrus season, probably one of my favorite times of the year. This weekend after I finished lunch rush at @eatsofasia I made my usual wander over to @chongosmarketyyc. And to my surprise they had kumquats (金桔) at $1.99 a pound. I left the bag of Meyer Lemons I wanted to buy, and bought 1.3 pounds of the kumquats instead. Our family usually salt cure fresh kumquats 咸金桔 for a cough remedy, but since we are overstocked on the stuff, I had no idea. Jams and marmelades seem to be a good idea, but what about making it into a citrus kōshō, or more specifically a kinkan kosho (金柑胡椒)? A bit of lemon and grapefruit zest & juice, a heaping spoonful of @hatihatihotsauce (didn't have fresh chilies), salt and chopped up whole kumquats. And there it is; red kumquat kosho. Tested it out on some leftover Chinese roast duck and it was intense. I think I'm going to have fun with kumquats... #ChefApprenticesDayOff #ChefApprenticeLife #TestKitchen #yycfood #yyc #kumquat #kosho #lemon #grapefruit

Day 2 of my #Citrus fun time. Jalapenos, kumquats, lime, grapefruit & salt = green citrus kosho. Not as spicy as the red (since I removed the membranes from the jalapeños. Seriously regretting not leaving a little of it for more heat) but just as good. No need to wait for the cure; this one I have to say is even better than a salsa verde. And that's saying a lot by my standards. #chefapprenticelife