almond thumbprint jam cookies

thumbprint cookies is one of my favorite cookies to make and not only do they look cute but they are delicious too. filling in the indentation of these thumbprints with jams is the best part. cookies are based from this recipe.  xxx happy baking xxx

o-mochi

happy new year, everyone! best wishes for a brand new 2013! during the holiday, i had a chance to try an o-mochi, a product from japan, but first of all, i was attracted by its cute packaging and after having a taste of this o-mochi, i was amazed of how yummy it was that i wish i could have a second or third. besides, its adorable packaging, the packaging design was very thoughtful and made the process of eating the product indeed fun. 

kit kat

in bold green tea (matcha) flavor. absolutely a big fan of any snack/food flavored with matcha powder.

cupcakes

classic red velvet + espresso from moustache baked goods at healdsburg, ca. perfectly sweet and delish moist cakes. : )

chinese tamales

also called joong or zongzi in chinese are eaten in celebration of the chinese dragon boat festival. they are usually wrapped in a pyramid-shaped glutinous rice using bamboo leaves and come in various fillings and different shapes. during this time of the year, many families make their own chinese tamales and my friend's aunt is one of them. so yesterday my friend came by and gave me a dozen of homemade chinese tamales freshly made the night before by her aunt. they were nicely wrapped in triangular shapes and the bamboo leaves smell wonderful. i had one today and it was a deliciously made zongzi filled with chinese sausage, duck yolk, roasted chestnut, peanuts, marinated pork belly, and dried shrimps. i must say it tasted way better than the ones i ate from store-bought.  

cookie break

semi-sweet chocolate chip cookie from specialty's who are famous for their cookies. y-u-m!

sweet friday

enjoying a slice of cappuccino mousse cake for dessert on a happy friday. the weather is nice and warm today and will remain the same for the entire weekend. happy weekend all!

eggettes

hong kong style egg-shaped sweet waffle also known as egg puffs. their smell and taste reminds me of a fortune cookie but with a soft and chewy interior and a crispy shell. i like tearing out the little egg puffs from the whole waffle sheet and munch on them as i go.

dinner & dessert

*// from yesterday // cold somen noodles with cherry tomatoes, avocado, cucumber and some store-bought curry chicken // drizzled with kochujang sauce aka bibimbap sauce // coca-cola with lemon slices = refreshing // red velvet cupcake from whole foods //* 

fancy chocolates

for my holiday purchase this year, i ordered an assorted box of chocolate from socola chocolatier which i read and heard about on foodgal a few years ago and it arrived shortly in the mail today. i unwrapped the lovely package and saw miniature truffles that are too pretty to eat but couldn't resist and later try one or two pieces. :) i ate the jasmine tea and vietnamese coffee flavors and they were so yummy. my plan is to  purchase a chocolate box from a different chocolate maker  every holiday season, a gift to myself and a chance to sample new chocolates.

mochi on a stick

three color mochi with red bean filling on a stick. yum! :)

chocolate covered gummy bears

i hardly see chocolate covered gummy bears sold in store and when i do see them in candy shop such as sweet factory, i buy lots of them. they are one of my favorite candies.

sweet treat

pink champagne cupcake from sift cupcakes. yummy!

kinako mochi

japanese glutinous rice cake with red bean paste filling and coated with kinako (soybean flour). yum!

candy sushi

aren't they adorable and too darn pretty to be eaten? i didn't make them; the sushi candy was a treat from mrs.h. merci! they are made out of rice krispie treats and decorated with candy, gummy, and chocolate.

{sushi a la carte}:

.: california roll

.: futomaki

.: nigiri sushi

.: tamago

best cookies

i ever ate. yesterday i stopped by a local food market and picked up some cookies (ginger chews & chocolate chip) made by a local bakery by the name of applebaum. they were insanely good, soft and chewy on the inside and crumbly on the outside, made with natural organic ingredients. oh i so wish, i can find cookie recipes like these.

pineapple shortcake

i received a box of pineapple cakes from my co-worker who just returned from her taiwan trip. the pineapple shortcake is from hsin tung yang, a well-known company in taiwan. they are delicious and come nicely packaged as well. 

flavored marshmallows

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available in original, chocolate, strawberry, green tea cream, mango, pineapple, calpis, and more are created by eiwa, the marshmallow maker. my favorite flavor is the green tea cream, also known as matcha. these marshmallows are so soft, fluffy, & yummy and they come with a surprise filling in the center which makes them fun to eat.