Swai

 Travelin' Thru Time

     Here it is, another weekend gone by. Just imagine, in 4 years, 7 months and 2 days I will finally be in the non-workforce of individuals who call themselves retired. Hurry up time, I am chomping at the bit to be there! When it finally arrives, I can begin to really focus on my cooking and exercise regimen. Plus all that spare time to travel more. Lots of places to see, yet so little time right now. Oh well, at least there is a plan in place to get me there.

Happy Birthday to the Light of my Life

     We did a small getaway last weekend in Pasadena. It was Katrina's birthday so we met some friends at The Langham Hotel on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday's dinner at The Langham's premier restaurant, The Royce, was superb. Several bottles of Domaine Canero`s Pinot Noir helped to elevate the mood and went rather well with all of the courses. We didn't even attempt to do a wine pairing meal because we all knew we would never succeed due to the variety of things we ordered.
     It isn't often that we get to dine in a place that brings you a pre appetizer and after the entree also servers up a pre dessert! I can seriously tell you that I would never want to be on that level of Chef-Dom. Wayyyyy too much work. I love to create dishes, some are good, some are spectacular, others not so much. But I like doing things in my own sweet time, not under pressure. Don't get me wrong, I can deliver tasty and eye pleasing meals in a timely fashion when I need to. Like a Thanksgiving Feast or a dinner party for friends, yet to do that on an everyday basis would take all the pleasure out of it for me.
So with that said, I can truly respect the level of creativity and dedication to fabulous dining that the chefs at The Royce displayed last Saturday evening. The presentation and taste was superb on all the dishes brought to our table.
     After dinner we got to go hang out at the Tap House Bar in the hotel and listen to some great live Jazz, imbibe a bit more on a Carol Shelton wine and down some tasty appetizers like Kobe Beef Sliders.  By just past midnight, the band was finishing up and Katrina was in jeopardy of turning into a pumpkin, so we stumbled our way back to the room for a restful sleep.

Tea Time

     Sunday was sleeping in, checking out just in time, enjoying a rejuvenating brunch at the Terrace restaurant and then heading over to Huntington Library and Gardens to wander the grounds and have tea in the Tea House adjacent to the Rose Garden. This was not like High Tea at The Empress in Victoria, but more on the line of a nice little tasty treat while perusing the gardens. The buffet table has all the requisite finger sandwiches, cheeses, fruits, berries and small sweets, plus some other treats to help fill you. Scones and tea cookies are also in abundance. I will warn you though. If you go on a weekend, be prepared to wait a bit. Even with a specific reservation time we still had to cool our heels for about 25 minutes before being seated.
     Rose and flower gardens are always among my favorite places to stroll and I will show you why with these pics:

     The recently re-opened Japanese Gardens are very serene and I would love to go back on a day that was less crowded to enjoy them a bit more. Perhaps after the newness has diminished it will be better. There are many features to that area that intrigue me. Not the least of them being the Bonsai exhibit. It appears they have more renovation within this garden to accomplish as some portions are fenced off or blocked from entry. I think by next year it will be just splendid.

     Now for the newest dish.

Simply Fish

I have recently been buying something new to come to our local fish market called Swai. It is mostly presented as a fillet and has approximately the same texture as Tilapia. While Tilapia can and often does taste a bit muddy, this flavor is just a little sweet.

The Recipe

1 clove thin sliced garlic
Pinch of Paprika or Cajun Spice
1 jumbo egg
1 tsp whole milk
1/3 cup sifted flour
3 tablespoons Canola oil
2 Swai fillets


     This is a simple egg dredge, flour and fry pan process. In a small bowl, whip one jumbo egg with a teaspoon of whole milk and pour the mixture into a shallow pan or dish. Sift the flour into another shallow pan or dish and place them assembly line fashion next to a 12 inch fry pan. Add the oil and sliced garlic to the fry pan and bring to a medium high heat. I think Canola oil is better to use as it doesn't tend to burn as easily as olive oil or other vegetable oils.
     Rinse and pat dry the fillets then lightly dredge them one at a time on both sides through the egg wash then the flour. Try not to overdo the flouring of them. Just a little dusting will do nicely. Place them side by side in the pan, sprinkle with paprika or cajun spice then cover and cook for approximately 6 minutes per side. They may burn slightly and that's OK, but if they burn too much then the heat is too high.
     The egg and flour dredge will help seal in the moisture of the fillets while the garlic will add a pleasant Twyst  to the paprika. When done, remove them from the pan, place on a paper towel to drain the excess oil, then plate them and serve with a vegetable of your choice.

This dish is light, not too fattening, low in cholesterol and tasty. Hope you all enjoy it.

WyckedPete