would have a better picture to put in it if the photographer weren't so darn slow ... frickin' garry =)

i've long been a fan of the combination of fennel and pork (think sweet italian sausage). i've only recently discovered that salt, pepper, and only one or two additional seasonings can bring fantastic results. at least in terms of flavoring roasted meats, simplicity is often a good thing.

here we have pork loin rubbed with salt, black pepper, and fennel--pan seared, then finished in the oven. i was too hungry to wait for rice to cook and didn't have anything else to eat with it, so i've made it into a sandwich.

sidenote: as much as i like mustard as a condiment and seasoning, it doesn't go well with fennel at all. (i say this because the sauce in the picture is some of my favorite spicy mustard =P)

been awhile since i've cooked anything. motivation just isn't there when you don't have a critical audience.

but i got hungry enough yesterday to cook up some bean curd, which is probably one of my favorite foods both at (chinese) restaurants and at home. put in a little sliced up pork loin for flavor and some celery for fragrance, cheap filler, and fiber =P

mmmm... with a bowl of hot rice, don't think anything can beat that. (low calorie and high protein too!)

well, whadaya know ... stavanger made it onto the map too!

after a week laden with good eats all around, i got to thinking about where my favorite place to eat is. i think i've figured it out. best meal(s) i've ever had bar none were at my house on the holidays when my mom's sisters are over and cooking up a storm. the truly incredible thing about the experience is how ad lib the whole thing is. what gets made is basically just whatever is on sale or looks particularly fresh at the chinese grocery. in fact, just today, my aunt was complaining while she was cooking that we have no good spices/seasonings in our kitchen. they make do (kinda like the pepper tequila beef pasta with mushrooms in tahoe =P).

the pictures are actually from thanksgiving and not this july 4th, but you get the idea.

fat babies are awesome!!

haven't really had a chance to watch him play, but if these highlights are any indication--hot damn!

then again, if the sixers could find a way to land sasha vujacic with that $66 million, i'd be all sorts of happy ...

jump shot could be better. guess you can't have everything.