Christmas Day Bagels

"Bagels" Torrance, 2018
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/2.8, 1/125 sec, ISO400
“Bagels” Torrance, 2018

こんばんは。How’s it going?

So last night we had our Jamaican feast, and today for breakfast we ate another traditional meal in our family: bagels, lox, cream cheese, pastrami, corned beef, roast beef, and pesto. Basically, it’s a build-your-own-bagel situation, with rye bread also thrown in the mix.

The photo above is a half-bagel, which has lox on one side, pastrami and pesto on the other. And the whole thing has cream cheese, red onion, and provolone on top. I was trying to taste everything, but not eat too much, so just half. 😄

"Peeking" Torrance, 2018
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/2.8, 1/125 sec, ISO640
“Peeking” Torrance, 2018

After breakfast, we opened gifts, played new video games, a little mahjong, and finished a puzzle. Very relaxing!

"Cousins" Torrance, 2018
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/2.8, 1/125 sec, ISO3200
“Cousins” Torrance, 2018
"Puzzler" Torrance, 2018
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/2.8, 1/125 sec, ISO2000
“Puzzler” Torrance, 2018

Christmas Eve Eve

"Jamaican Food" Torrance, 2018
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/3.6, 1/125 sec, ISO5000
“Jamaican Food” Torrance, 2018

こんばんは。How’s it going?

One of our Christmas traditions is having nice big Jamaican food feast. Sometimes we enjoy it on Christmas Day, but this year it was Christmas Eve. Either way, it’s always delicious, with the main dish everyone is looking forward to being the curry crab. The sauce is my mom’s variant of Jamaican Run-down, with coconut milk, curry, and other magical spices and the crab legs go perfectly with it.

"Curry Crab Legs" Torrance, 2018
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/3.6, 1/40 sec, ISO6400
“Curry Crab Legs” Torrance, 2018

Besides the crab, we also had stew peas, rice and peas, jerk-chicken, jerk pork, callaloo greens, macaroni/potato salad, and plantain. In addition, my mom prepared a dish we don’t often have: Escovitch fish. Super yummy!

"Escovich Fish" Torrance, 2018
Photo info: OLYMPUS E-PL9, 27mm, f/4.8, 1/100 sec, ISO6400
“Escovich Fish” Torrance, 2018

After dinner, we played Mahjong, which is another family tradition of ours. Of course, we play anytime we can, not just Christmas Eve. 😊

"Mahjong" Torrance, 2018
Photo info: OLYMPUS E-PL9, 14mm, f/3.5, 1/80 sec, ISO6400
“Mahjong” Torrance, 2018
"Mahjong" Torrance, 2018
Photo info: OLYMPUS E-PL9, 17mm, f/4, 1/250 sec, ISO6400
“Mahjong” Torrance, 2018

I hope you had a nice day!

またね~

Snapshots from Today

こんばんは。How’s it going? Today’s post is simply a few photos from the day.

This morning started out with a neighborhood cat coming over to say hi to Yuzu.

"Inside vs Outside" Cedar Park, 2018
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/5.6, 1/9 sec, ISO3200
“Inside vs Outside” Cedar Park, 2018

When I arrived at work, the light looked beautiful shining through the leaves in the tree.

"Morning Light" Austin, 2018
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/5.6, 1/220 sec, ISO200
“Morning Light” Austin, 2018
"Morning Light" Austin, 2018
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/5.6, 1/100 sec, ISO320
“Morning Light” Austin, 2018

Tonight we had shredded beef and cole-slaw sliders for dinner. I took the standard food photo, but also a “behind the scenes” shot.

"Behind the Scenes" Cedar Park, 2018
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/5.6, 1/18 sec, ISO3200
“Behind the Scenes” Cedar Park, 2018
"Shredded Beef and Cole Slaw" Cedar Park, 2018
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/5.6, 1/50 sec, ISO3200
“Shredded Beef and Cole Slaw” Cedar Park, 2018

I hope you had a nice day!

またね~

Omaha Steaks Bacon-wrapped Filet Mignon

"Filet Mignon Dinner" Cedar Park, 2018
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/5.6, 1/40 sec, ISO3200
“Filet Mignon Dinner” Cedar Park, 2018

こなばんは。

The other night for dinner we ate our bacon-wrapped filet mignon steaks which we bought from Omaha Steaks. I cooked them on a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, for about 6 minutes on one side, then 5 minutes on the other, and finishing up with a couple minutes on the edges to make sure the bacon was cooked. The internal temperature (checked with an instant-read meat thermometer) read about 130 when I took them off the heat, and they were a nice medium rare when we cut into them.

"Filet Mignon" Cedar Park, 2018
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/4, 1/40 sec, ISO3200
“Filet Mignon” Cedar Park, 2018

Being filet-mignon meant the steaks were very tender and anything wrapped with bacon is going to be extra-special. We added a pat of butter on each filet (because why not?) and the juicy steaks did not disappoint – we were all satisfied!

"Steak Frites" Cedar Park, 2018
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/4, 1/60 sec, ISO3200
“Steak Frites” Cedar Park, 2018

We rounded out the meal with a spinach salad and homemade fries, which were great compliments to the steaks. Steak Frites – so good!

This was the last meal that we cooked from the special order we received from Omaha Steaks. I have to say, these were the best of the bunch, without a doubt.

Click the image below if you’d like to order some bacon-wrapped filet mignon from Omaha Steaks for yourself: