New Coffee at Our House

"Sumatran Coffee" Cedar Park, 2019
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/4, 1/125 sec, ISO2500
“Sumatran Coffee” Cedar Park, 2019

こんばんは。How’s it going?

Mariko and I are both coffee drinkers (and Bay is turning into one as well) which means we need a steady supply of coffee beans for our morning drinks. The photo above is the latest coffee we are trying, and I have to say, it’s pretty good! I always drink my coffee black, so I can easily tell if it’s too bitter, and this one is very smooth – almost too smooth, but what’s nice is that Mariko buys lots of different coffees, so before long, we’re onto something new.

One thing that makes a big difference in the taste of the coffee is grinding whole beans rather than buying the coffee pre-ground. Even before drinking, that smell of the freshly ground beans is awesome! Another bonus is that if the coffee happens to be too bitter, you can create a coarser ground next time for a milder taste. Conversely, I’ve also used the grinder to “freshen up” pre-ground beans (which tend to be less flavorful) and give them a stronger flavor.

I’ve read that the Burr-type grinders are the best, but we’ve had our Braun electric blade-type grinder for over 15 years and it’s still going strong, so we’ll probably keep going with it until it dies (which might be never).

I hope you had a nicely-caffeinated day! ☕

またね~

Snapshots from Tonight’s Dinner

"Duck and Foie Gras Sushi" Austin, 2019
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/2, 1/50 sec, ISO6400
“Duck and Foie Gras Sushi” Austin, 2019
"Shishamo" Austin, 2019
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/2, 1/50 sec, ISO6400
“Shishamo” Austin, 2019
"Sushi Roll" Austin, 2019
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/2, 1/70 sec, ISO6400
“Sushi Roll” Austin, 2019
"Busy Restaurant" Austin, 2019
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/2, 1/125 sec, ISO4000
“Busy Restaurant” Austin, 2019
"Mini-Ramen" Austin, 2019
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/2, 1/60 sec, ISO6400
“Mini-Ramen” Austin, 2019

Fondue Dinner at Home

"Double Cheese" Cedar Park, 2019
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/3.2, 1/125 sec, ISO5000
“Double Cheese” Cedar Park, 2019

こんばんは。How’s it going?

Tonight we had a wonderful fondue dinner at home. We have a family Valentine’s tradition to eat fondue, but because of Mariko’s schedule yesterday, we had to delay it for a night. But we definitely can’t miss our annual fondue dinner!

As always, we have two pots of cheese, one with wine for Mariko and I, and the other with no alcohol for the kiddos. Every year they try the “adult” fondue, and scrunch up their faces at the taste. “Horrible” was heard this time around. But eventually, I think they will prefer the wine and cheese fondue. Until that day, it’s all for Mariko and me!

The ingredients for dipping were simple this year, with a yummy chicken/spinach sausage, potato, broccoli, carrots, and homemade baguette cubes. It was a yummy dinner!

"Bread and Broccoli" Cedar Park, 2019
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/3.2, 1/105 sec, ISO6400
“Bread and Broccoli” Cedar Park, 2019

I hope you had a nice Friday!

またね~

Snapshots from Our Lunar New Year Celebration

"Chinese New Years Toys" San Antonio, 2019
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/2.5, 1/125 sec, ISO5000
“Chinese New Years Toys” San Antonio, 2019

We visited my cousin’s house for their annual Lunar New Years celebration. Here are a few snapshots from the celebration. Gung Hay Fat Choy! 新年快乐!

"Wonton Plate" Cedar Park, 2019
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/3.6, 1/125 sec, ISO2000
“Wonton Plate” Cedar Park, 2019
"Red Envelopes" Cedar Park, 2019
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/2.8, 1/125 sec, ISO2000
“Red Envelopes” Cedar Park, 2019
"Chinese Costume" San Antonio, 2019
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/2.5, 1/80 sec, ISO6400
“Chinese Costume” San Antonio, 2019
"Money Time" San Antonio, 2019
Photo info: OLYMPUS E-PL9, 14mm, f/3.5, 1/60 sec, ISO6400
“Money Time” San Antonio, 2019
"Mahjong Time" San Antonio, 2019
Photo info: OLYMPUS E-PL9, 14mm, f/3.5, 1/160 sec, ISO6400
“Mahjong Time” San Antonio, 2019