My Love Affair with All Things Asian

My Painting By Veronica Whann

(Can you find the mistake she made when painting it?) 🙂

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Huanying and Yokoso

Which means “Welcome” in both Chinese and Japanese

I wanted to start a new blog post to showcase more of my love of all things Asian.

I probably won’t be posting many recipes here, if any, but what I do want to post is anything and everything that I deem beautiful about the Asian cultures. I do have a few Asian blog posts on this website that I will link to this one.

In addition to my believing that everything Asian is beautiful, I am also a huge fan of all the foods.

Eating at Chinese and Japanese restaurants, or even getting Take Out from the local Asian Fast Food scenes is something that we love to do and that we do often.

It is normal to us to run by 3 different Asian Take Out restaurants on our way home for dinner.

We don’t just go to one! Too many good ones out there to pass by.

Sometimes it’s fun eating out of the cute little Asian Take Out containers, and other times I like to get out our Asianware and set the table. Here is one of those times.

The pretty fans I found at my favorite thrift store.

My pretty Asian set here I purchased from a restaurant that was going out of business in San Francisco.

Plums at the Center of Attention

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Always Kimchi

Kimchi is a Korean Cabbage loaded with healthy bacteria.

This was a beautiful and Delicious Dinner.

I hope you’ll join me and stop by in to see what new things I’ve posted.

Zaijian and Sayonara

Julie

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New Blog Posts Will Begin Below…..

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Sushi, Always a Favorite

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My Asian Kitchen

To me a kitchen isn’t just a place that has a toaster, coffee pot, tea kettle, and various appliances, it is also a place that I can showcase a collection of mine. Perhaps my collection is a bit much, but it’s my kitchen and I love it all!

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Our Peanuku

Cute Little Potsticker Booties in a Felt Bamboo Steamer

Her Plush Potsticker, w/ Fortune Cookie Rattles and Dipping Sauce w/Dumpling Rattles

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March 15, 2025

Red Lacquer Salad Bowl Set

I may have written about this in the past. If I have, then I apologize for bringing it back up again. But, this Red Lacquer Salad Bowl Set belonged to my Great Aunt Margie. You see, her son Joe was stationed in Vietnam during that war and he brought back some things as gifts. This salad bowl set was one of them. After Aunt Margie died I was going through her house with my mother and we were picking out a few things that we would like in order to remember her by. I chose this set. I love it! It’s beautiful! And when I use it I not only think of her, but of her son Joe and his wife Susan.

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December, 2024

Sometimes Santa Likes to go Asian in his Treats:

He Also Like Some Matcha Tea

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April 15, 2024

Seaweed Snack

I’m putting together a care package to send to Gordon who is working overseas and this is the main thing we wants!

Seaweed Snacks!

They taste much better than you are probably imagining. We like to crumple them up in popcorn when we make our Hawaiian/Asian popcorn snacks. They are also great in foods like Ramen, or you can just snack on them as is.

Give them a try!

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March 29, 2024

Asian Updates

A fun thing for us to do when we visit the Asian Supermarket is to buy a food product that we have never tried before. I loved the look of these crackers when I saw them! I also loved that they were ‘shallot flavored.’ I did however, dread opening them up as it is a big package and I didn’t want them to go to waste before I could eat them all. Luckily, when I opened the package they come individually wrapped in 3’s. That way, you are only eating 3 at a time. Perfect! No waste!

Although they don’t come with the lovely green flecks on top of them. They are a sturdy and delicious cracker that could really hold up well with a good strong dip or spread. I enjoyed just snacking on them plain. These are a keeper!

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The Year of the Dragon

Every Lunar New Year we love to honor that animal’s year. This 2024 was The Year of the Dragon. Gordon is a dragon. Yes, Gordon is an awesome Dragon while I am a Rat. Yeah, a Rat. The good news is that the Rat won the race so I am Number 1!!! 🙂 I’m just not that awesome Dragon that Gordon is. 🙁

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Headed Out The Door

(Grabbed Lunch and a Snack)

Lotus Bean Cake

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Kimchi

We LOVE Kimchi!

There is another Asian Supermarket that we frequent where the Kimchi is made daily in their kitchen and sold fresh. I bought a nice tub of it and added it to my Kimchi Ramen Noodle Soup. Perfect!

Served With Some Leftover Fried Rice

Chopsticks, a Requirement 🙂

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Pocki Stix and Ice Cream

We love Pocki Stix! Eat them whenever you can! 🙂

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March 2, 2024

My Little Dumpling/Pot Sticker

Our Isabelle/My Peanuku

As an Amateur Photographer, She is my Favorite Subject

Cute Little Potsticker Booties in a Felt Bamboo Steamer

Her Plush Potsticker, w/ Fortune Cookie Rattles and Dipping Sauce w/Dumpling Rattles

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January, 2024

Italian Red Meat Flavoring

Who Knew?

Only From The Asian Store 🙂

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Nothing beats Take Out From The Asian Supermarket

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Filipino Breakfast Sandwiches

Although I do have these on other blog posts on my website, I had these great pictures so I thought I would go ahead and add them here.

This is considered Filipino Street Food

This Tocino Pork can be purchased at your local supermarkets in the Asian food section.

We placed it all on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and sprayed with a non-stick spray.

Bake in the oven about 350F for about 20 minutes to 25 minutes.

You want it to become all nice and done.

Removed From The Oven

Now, Placed Onto Hawaiian Sweet Bread, with Fried Eggs

Like So…..

Now Slice….

Delicious and Ready to EAT!

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November 12, 2023

Macha Oreo Cake

I went into the Asian Supermarket to look for unique mushrooms to use in a recipe I was working on, when I saw this glorious green slice of cake. Macha Oreo! Perfect! And look at all the layers. This is not something that I could ever create myself. But, I can enjoy all the wonderful artistry, talent and creativity that someone else did. Not to mention, it was delicious!

What I love about Asian sweets, is that they really aren’t that sweet. They look as if they are loaded with sugar so I will cautiously move in for that first bite ready to recoil in some sugar high…but then, no! Huh? It’s nice but not too sweet. Perfect!

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Wood Ear Mushrooms

They do resemble Ears, but to me they were more like bats in flight. 🙂

I did find some great mushrooms and my favorite, Flowering Chives.

They were excellent in the recipe I intended for them. 🙂

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March 27, 2023

The cutting board you see here, I purchased from a crafter online. I love it! A beautiful Japanese Carp. Someone just burned it onto the back of the cutting board. I bought it to show my daughter who is very good with a wood burning tool. She is an artist herself. She is always looking for ideas to present and sell her own artwork.

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Happy Birthday Gordon!

(Write up by Gordon)

Julie got me this great cutting board, which is done in the ancient Japanese technique of Yakisugi also known as Shou Sugi Ban.. This technique consists of charring the usually cedar board, then using sandpaper and a wire brush to remove some of the charring effects. Then they seal the cutting board with a natural oil. This technique will make the board very durable and water resistant. They even do this same technique on the boards of homes as it keeps away the termites making them last for hundreds of years. This is why this cutting board is going to be an heirloom as it will last generations. Thanks Julie!

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Sushi and Dipping Sauces on a Yakisugi Cutting Board

(The Japanese Carp at right is something I Julie, painted. I passed it on to my daughter the artist.)

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Just a Few Goodies With our Oriental Jezebel Sauce

Just a Few Delights From The Asian Supermarket

A Taro Stuffed Bun Just For ME! 🙂

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January 30, 2023

Saki and Soup

Best Lunch Ever!

I love these mini Ramen Noodle Soups that I buy at the Asian Supermarket. I tend to carry them around in my Mulan cosmetic bag. 🙂 They are different from the ones you buy at the local grocery stores. They not only have, in each packet, the noodle and spices mixture but, they also have a little teeny packet of “fat” that adds flavor and smells wonderful!

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The Gift of SPAM Musubi for our Daughter

The Ingredients Anyway 🙂

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January 29, 2023

From the Asian Supermarket

Literally the BEST frozen French Fries I have ever eaten!

Excellent with Ketchup and Wasabi

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Something Gordon Picked Out (Squid)

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Brodie’s 30th. Birthday November 29, 2022

Hot Pot

(Cannot Wait To Borrow This!)

Our son Brodie appreciates anything and everything from the Asian Supermarkets.

It stems back from our life living in Hawaii. The Asian cultures are very influential in every way, especially in the foods. And Brodie sure does love FOOD! That’s the Whann in him. 🙂

Gag Gift of an Ear Pick 🙂

Just a few special Asian things for Brodie.

As for the Elf Gift Wrap Paper?

Well, with his birthday around Thanksgiving, and with Christmas coming up, it just depends on how I feel as to what wrappings he receives. I saw the Elf paper and knew he would love it. He loved the movie Elf when it first came out so that was my thinking when I bought it from The Dollar Tree. 🙂

Hank and Buddy

Brodie and Mackenzie with Hank and Buddy

Happy Birthday Brodie! 30 looks good on you!

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August 1, 2022

Pocky Sticks, Matcha Sticks

Great Poked in Ice Cream

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Taking It Back To 2017

Gordon and Monk

Yum, Yum, Stix

I believe these have been discontinued, but boy were they good!

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July 12, 2022

My Little Snack/Lunch on the Go

The can has a pull tab opening and even comes with it’s own spoon! It’s just a cute little sweet snack that I purchased from The Asian Supermarket.

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Gifts For Brodie

We lived in Hawaii for 13 years and our children, Veronica and Brodie, were exposed to many of the Polynesian and Asian Cultures. Veronica is more into the Polynesian and Brodie is into more of the Asian.

I decided to start giving away some of my collectibles to my children so that they can enjoy them, and so that I can tell the story of how I acquired them. Usually at Thrift Stores, or Craft Fairs. Finds, that I was quite proud of.

In addition to something “old,” I always like to give something “new.”

I bought Brodie the cute kitchen towels to go along with his “new” little tea set.

Brodie loves to burn incense so I am passing along mine.

I also stocked Brodie up with a few teas, some in my old containers to pass on.

Some Dragon Tea in my Vintage Cups

My Chinese Balls

These are health balls and jingle and are used to treat arthritis.

Look to the Asians for these brilliant old treatments that seem to be centuries ahead of the rest of us.

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July 10, 2022

Fried Rice With Those Little Green Balls

Sweet Smoked Grilled Sausages w/ Seaweed on a Grilled Bun, Fried Rice, Fried Cabbage, and SPAM Musubi

When we were living in Hawaii when our children were little, I would take my daughter, Veronica, to Ala Moana Mall. We would always grab lunch at the food court. Veronica would always request, Fried Rice with those little green balls. (Peas.) 🙂

So, I decided for us to make some Fried Rice with those Little Green Balls.

Also, Fried Cabbage. Green and Red.

The Fried Cabbage was an Excellent Accompaniment

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Gordon Grilling our Asian Hot Dogs, and a Sweet Smokey Variety Links

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Fried Rice w/ those Little Green Balls

(We had so many leftover ingredients from a previous Asian inspired dinner, that we decided to put them all towards this meal. It was delicious and we wanted to share it with you. We also took some of this excellent dinner over to our daughter’s house for her birthday so that she could have her ‘fried rice with those little green balls.’) 🙂

Ingredients:

2 Packages Fried Rice Seasoning

1 Medium Onion – chopped

4 Garlic Cloves – chopped into small pieces

Peanut Oil – 1/4 Cup or as needed

1 Cup Carrot Sticks

1/2 Cup White Chives

~5 Cups White Rice – 1 day old

~1/2 Cup Soy Sauce – (Aloha Brand)

2 Tbsp. Water

1/2 Cup Frozen Peas

2 Large Eggs

3 Green Onions – sliced

~15 Snow Peas

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Fried Rice Seasoning Mixes

(These work just fine and make life a little bit easier on you.)

Sticky Rice

TIP: Always use day old rice when making Fried Rice as it has slightly less moisture, but provides more texture.

Here you can see the ingredients we use with the exception of the Young Corn. I thought we had enough other vegetables in the fried rice and didn’t use it. You could have also used Broccoli Florets, Mushrooms, Water Chestnuts, and Bean Sprouts.

Those Little Green Balls, A.K.A. Peas

Slice your onion’s root and stem off then slice it in half. Now, make some thin slices to the left and right of the root, then slice in the opposite direction making small pieces discarding the root end.

Slice the Garlic thinly, then slice it into thin pieces.

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Fried Cabbage

Slice the Cabbage in half, then into thin slices as seen above.

Our Beautiful Wok we Bought at the Asian Supermarket

(Love the writing on the side.)

Ready to Fry the Cabbage

Place a few Tbsp. of Peanut oil into your Wok and heat to Medium temperature. When at temp. add your Cabbage to the Wok.

Stir the Cabbage as it cooks, turning as needed.

Brown the cabbage which should take about 10 min. until fully browned.

Place onto a paper towel to absorb the oil.

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Complete the same steps for the Red Cabbage.

Add a few Tbsp. Peanut Oil to the Wok as needed.

When fully browned, remove from the oil and place on a few paper towels. The fried Cabbage is a great garnish for many Asian dishes. You could use it to top the fried rice!

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For the Fried Rice, start by cooking the item which needs the most cooking time. In our list of ingredients it is the Carrot Sticks. Add a Tbsp. or so of Peanut Oil and heat to medium high. When at temp. add your Carrots and stir.

After a min. or so, add your onions to the Wok.

While you wait, you can slice your other ingredients… I am slicing the White Chives.

After a few more min. add your Seasoning.

Here I need a little more oil to moisten the dry seasoning, then mix all the ingredients together.

Time to add your rice! Break up any large clumps as it will be very sticky.

Add your Soy sauce and a little water to let the steam help cook the ingredients.

Stir the ingredients well.

I felt I needed a touch more Soy Sauce so I added more.

Then add your Frozen Peas.

Stir the ingredients well.

Move the rice up the sides of your Wok making a hole in the center for your eggs. Add a touch of oil to the center area then add your eggs.

Scramble them with your spatula or you can do this prior to adding them to the Wok.

Let the eggs sit and cook, just like cooking your morning eggs.

Move them around with your spatula when ready then mix them into all the other ingredients as seen.

Slice your Green Onions…

Finally, add your Snow Peas and Green Onions to the Wok and serve. You could also add some sesame seeds and sesame oil to this recipe for even more authentic flavor.

Gordon and Julie in the Kitchen

Here I used some Seaweed with a touch of Roasted Sesame Seeds along with some Asian Mustard for a great Hotdog.

Delicious!

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January 8, 2022

Thai For Gordon’s 57th. Birthday

I Adore The Flowers They Add To The Food

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April 30, 2021

Chinese Take Out to me is so Beautiful! 🙂

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April 30, 2021

We finished an excellent post:

Our Purple Sweet Potato and Taro Stuffed Steamed Buns and Asian/Pacific Sliders

Take a look and cook!

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April 29, 2021

Japanese Boy’s Day is May 5th.

Brodie Receiving His Early Boy’s Day Gifts

When we lived in Hawaii one of the islands special days was Japanese Boy’s Day. Hawaii has a very large Japanese population as well as the other Asian cultures that live there as well. Brodie and Veronica always loved the Japanese holidays and we even celebrate them to this day. Here Brodie is receiving his gifts from us.

This beautiful WOK we found at the Asian Supermarket and we knew that Brodie would love to have one to cook all those great meals in his new apartment.

The Year of the Monkey

Brodie was born in the Year of the Monkey. I found these and thought he would like his old rookie chopsticks. I realize they are Chinese, but I thought they went very well here.

The Sumo Wrestler was actually a Boy’s Day gift many years ago that I found and decided to give to Brodie. The black chopsticks I thought he might like for when he cooks his Asian dishes. The Sake Sumo Wrestler cups I also found and thought that Brodie might like. And we threw in a small bottle of Sake. Oh, and a wooden spoon for his new wok.

I Love The Writing on The Side

Everything Tucked Neatly Inside

Happy Boy’s Day Brodie

Love,

Mom and Dad

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March 3, 2021

Japanese Girl’s Day

Just wanted to post something cute and Asian for the day that honor’s the girl. In Japan they have since combined Girl’s Day and Boy’s Day and they just call it Children’s Day, but Hawaii still keeps the holidays separate. We like them separate.

So, Happy Girl’s Day Veronica.

Love,

Mom

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November 2020

Chinese Take Out and Mulan

At this writing we are going through kitchen renovations and cooking isn’t the most pleasant thing to be doing.

So, Delicious Chinese Take Out it is!

And the New Mulan Movie

We’re sequestered to our bedroom so eating on trays is a necessity.

But lots of fun too. Oh, and be sure to watch Mulan.

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October 2020

Mirrored Sushi and Sake

We do love a good sushi dinner.

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August 2020

Plums Wrapped in Sticky Rice

Sadly, our grocery shopping needs are in the hands of our Instacart shoppers. Usually a different person every time. And when it comes to anything exotic….well…they do their best.

We had requested some pickled plums so that I could make these, a food memory from Hawaii. My friend Cathy introduced me to them one day. She had made them and brought them to our Girl Scout meeting. Not sure if the girls liked them but they were very good. Cathy, is what is known on the Hawaiian Islands as a Hapa-Haole. Half Japanese and Half Caucasian. It is not a racist term at all. Just in case you were wondering. It’s just how the islanders describe people. They would refer to me as a Haole, meaning white woman.

What you see in the photos are something between a cherry and a plum with LOTS of PITS! I wanted pickled plums. Regardless, they were nice, just way too many pits.

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July 2020

Sushi, Always a Favorite

The Beautiful Picture Says It All

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Manapua, and a Candle that just Won’t Light

Click Here For: Asian Steamed Buns

If you would like the recipe for our Manapua.

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Noodle Bowls

Hawaiian Fried Noodles

From our many years of living in Hawaii, Fried Noodles are a staple at every get-together on the island. Whether it be an office party, a child’s birthday party, a luau, a wedding, a beach party….

You will always find them!

I believe that everyone’s does vary with ingredients, but you can always spot the dish and it does go very fast! We recently made yet another batch. Although every time we make them we do it a bit differently.

A Cascade of Noodles

If you would like the recipe we do have it listed here on this post:

Whann Way Aloha

Just scroll down the post until you come to it.

Aloha,

Kulii (Julie)

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The Year of the RAT

Saturday, January 25, 2020

It was right before Chinese New Year that I found out that I am a RAT. I had always thought I was an OX because when we would eat at Chinese Restaurants and they would place that paper place mat in front of you with all the Chinese Zodiac signs and symbols and years, 1961=The OX.

What they don’t tell you on those paper place mats are the exact days of the Lunar New Year and when the year of The Ox actually began in 1961. Hint: February 15th. I was born on February 13, 1961. That makes me a RAT. Not an OX.

At first I was a little bit upset by it. I mean, a RAT? Rat’s aren’t good. Rat’s aren’t honorable. Why am I a rat? However, when I read the profile of a rat it fit me. I am an Aquarius in the “other” Zodiac. And it fits me to a T. However, I always wondered why the OX never fit me? Well, now it makes sense. Because I never was an OX, I was always a RAT.

Gordon, whose birthday is January 8, 1965 always thought that he was a snake because that is what the paper menu said about people born in 1965. However, because of the Lunar Year Gordon is actually a DRAGON! A DRAGON! A fickin’ awesome DRAGON! While I am a RAT. (He got an upgrade. I’m still not sure about me.)

Our Homemade Chinese New Year Dinner

Every Chinese New Year we always hit about 3 different Chinese Restaurants, including the Asian Supermarket, picking up all sorts of goodies for our celebration. However, this year because of the Coronavirus Pandemic I told Gordon to skip the Asian shopping and just come home and we will just make something here. Oh, not to be racist at all! But, the virus did originate from there and I would think that the Asian Restaurants and Supermarkets would be where it was. Not necessarily because of it’s workers, but because of it’s customers. So very sadly, we stayed away.

Gordon ended up making Fried Rice and Potstickers.

Our very meager meal. It was delicious!

But, we do miss the grandeur of the Asian food that we would purchase.

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The Traits of the RAT

The RATS are clever, quick thinkers; successful, but content with living a quiet and peaceful life.

That would be ME! 🙂

The RAT is the first of the Zodiac animals. According to one myth, the Jade Emperor, said the order would be decided by the order in which they arrived to his party. The RAT tricked the OX into giving him a ride. Then, just as they arrived at the finish line, RAT jumped down and landed ahead of OX.

The RAT is also associated with the Earthly Branch, and the Midnight Hours. In the terms of Yin and Yang, the RAT is Yang and represents a New Day.

In Chinese Culture, RATS were seen as a sign of wealth and surplus. Because of their reproduction rate, married couples also prayed to them for children.

Although I am not going to list all the traits of the RAT. I really was amazed how well the profile fit me. I am a bit upset however, that the RAT did trick the OX into giving him a ride only to then outfox the OX when they arrived at their destination. So, the RAT finished the race first.

Long before I found out I was a RAT I always admired the small people that can outsmart the large people. I would always say that it doesn’t matter how big you are, just how smart you are. And low and behold I end up being this small being in the Chinese Zodiac.

So, do I believe in this stuff? Sure I do! Why? I have no idea! 🙂

P.S. Gordon the frickin’ awesome DRAGON comes in 5th. in the race! Just like I said, It doesn’t matter how big you are, just how smart you are! 🙂 And I will be rubbing that in his face!

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Potstickers

Served here with Aloha Shoyu.

We first learned of Potstickers from our 13 years of living in Hawaii. They have been a staple in our house ever since. Buy the bags in the grocery store with all the Asian writing on them and you will get the good stuff. Remember that. 🙂

Here is our favorite way we like to cook them. They are always frozen when we start. Just place as many as you like into a saucepan. But first, place into the pan about 1/4 cup of water and 3 T. of vegetable oil. The potstickers do have a flat side, place that side down into the pan. Have your heat on a medium-high. Place a lid on top of them. The lid doesn’t have to fit perfectly. Here Gordon is placing the lid down into the pan and on top of the potstickers. When the water starts to boil, let it boil for about 8 – 10 minutes. Then, remove the lid to allow the water to steam away, leaving just the oil in the pan. Now you are basically frying them. Continue to fry until the one side turns brown. And then they are done!

You can see the nice caramelization. You can taste it too! 🙂

Eat with your favorite dipping sauce.

Top with some spring onions.

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Asian Cocktail Sausages

I believe that we based this recipe on an old recipe of Nigella Lawson’s. I don’t even remember what she called them but they were so delicious! I remember that she used Black Soy Sauce and Clementine’s. We have made this quite a few times but we end up changing it around occasionally depending on what ingredients that we can acquire.

But, they are always Asian in nature.

Here we are using 2 packages of mini Cocktail Sausages, the juice of about 2-3 Naval Oranges, some Sweet Soy Sauce, some Chili Garlic Sauce, and some Sweet Chili Sauce. We don’t even really do measurements. We just place everything into a baggie and let it marinade overnight.

The next day we place them into a dish and bake on 350F for about 20 minutes or so until they are done. They will plump up nicely. Stab with a cocktail pick and enjoy!

Egg Rolls

Another favorite Asian food of ours that we have yet to make ourselves.

It is on our bucket list though.

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Happy Thanksgiving

Shiawasena Kansha-Sai

This was just my way of incorporating Asia into Thanksgiving.

The pumpkins, my orchids, and my salmon tablecloth.

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Hot Tea and Vietnamese Salmon

This was an excellent dinner that Brodie picked up for us at the Vietnamese Restaurant.

It WAS Delicious!

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If you would like to view our other Asian pages:

Click Here For: Whann Way Asian

AND,

Click Here For: Whann Way Asian, E Ho ‘Omau (Continues)

AND,

Click Here For: Julie Loves Asian

AND,

Click Here For: Asian Edible Gifts

AND,

Edible Gifts of the Asian Variety

(Note: Edible Gifts of the Asian Variety is the same post as Asian Edible Gifts. I have both listed here for accuracy, but one is a Page and the other is considered a Post. Confusing, I know.)

AND,

Click Here For: Our Asian Easter