Asian Convenience Foods

Despite the fact that I am Asian and live in the SF Bay Area, I am not always up on the latest greatest Asian convenience foods. That said, it is always great entertainment for me to go to the local asian markets to see what they have on the shelves, in the freezers, refridgerators, etc...Being that I love food, it is really almost as fun for me as going over to Ichiban Kan to see what nick-nack goodies they have in stock.

So the other day, a co-worker friend of mine went with me to stalk the nearby Korean Plaza store. I found some noodles in the refridgerator section and can't help but notice how there is quite a large selection of refridgerated convenience noodles now available! This pack looked interesting to me, but at over $7, it wasn't a cheap proposition. However, I was hungry when I was shopping (yeah, always a no-no for food shopping...) and it ended up in my basket (along with many other goodies...)
But look at the contents-I got two servings and each serving was individually packaged out. But more amazing to me is how the veggies are being put into these little freeze-dried cakes, now. (New to me, maybe it's been going on for a while...)It actually ended up looking pretty good, too. Right down to the re-constituted dried shrimp!
Asian foods can require an acquired taste for many of the seasonings, and as I've gotten older, I've acquired quite the love of spicy foods. These are spicy noodles and they are yummy!

And check this out! My friend turned me on to this stuff! It's Angelo Pietro Miso Sesame Dressing! YUMMY! And a very quick fix for asian-style salads. I just chopped a bunch of cabbage and threw some on for a quick salad. But you could always add: pineapple, chopped green onion, almonds, chicken...you get the idea! HAD to share!

And before I move on to the yarny/knitting content, let me elaborate on LE's coveted birthday gift: the Nintendo DS handheld gaming system! He chose the "Crimsom" color and has quickly acquired all the Pokemon games he had been wanting between birthday money gifts and his "Ti-Ti" (aunt) bringing him out to get him his gifts from her.

Notice the "Brain Age" cover...no, that's not his game pick--it's MINE! ;) Yeah, me and my aging brain decided that this would be a good idea and that I could steal playing time on LE's DS to do some 'brain training' daily. He wasn't pleased about this proposition, but he's an only child, so I'm giving him the experience of being force to share!-lol!

And guess what? I WON a contest! I'm not going to say 'I've never won a contest', but it's not like it is a regular occurance for me to win knitting-related contests! I think all of you who read this blog are familiar with Jen of WoolGirl-one of the best indie yarn sources on-line! Anyways, she regularly holds contests on her blog which I usually will enter and occasionally don't get to, but I have to say that this was a pretty awesome prize!

Jen had blogged about this book of animals made from socks and gloves and shown her first attempt: Max, the dog. So out of all the correct guesses of what she was to make next, I was chosen! I got a copy of the same book AND a Little Can of Paint (Lorna's Laces), in my choice of color!

I will post a pic of my colorway choice later, since I didn't open the can yet (need to figure than one out!) and take a pic! And I'll let you in on my other activity of the day (other than photographing, preparing and eating spicy noodles, that is!)