Freddy's Harajuku

うつろい(utsuroi): a plated dessert

I really wanted this dessert to be the sister counterpart to “kakawari”, as it is based on yet another song by TrySail, and almost a given here, another theme song from Magia Record. The name roughly translates from Japanese to English as “waning” or “fading”, or an unfortunate kind of change. Since my other dessert…

かかわり(kakawari): a petit gateau

I have been re-watching a ton of the Madoka Magica franchise, including the new Magia Record series(oh god, I’m such a weeb), and a part of that includes listening to the tracks in the show/game, including ones sung by a girls group called TrySail. One of their songs, which is one of the theme songs…

Endless: a chocoholic’s chocolate tart

So continuing with my inspiration drawn from Carole and Tuesday, I wanted to do a dessert inspired by the rather depressing song, Endless, which addresses a lifetime of abuse, only to be followed with the abrupt death of the abuser. While that theme was dark, I decided to go literal with some of the lyrics here, going…

Let this feeling go: a plated dessert

So continuing with my Valentine’s/Singles Awareness Day desserts, I wanted to make something with berries, cream, champagne, and chocolate. But I didn’t want to do just the obvious strawberries with champagne and white chocolate combination. I wanted to be a little different, so I opted for ruby chocolate and raspberries, and for my cream component,…

In my dreams: a plated dessert

So this dessert, as cheesy as it sounds, actually came to me in a dream. Specifically, I had drempt I was a dessert menu consultant for restaurants, and that I was served this exact dessert. I was in the middle of tasting it when my alarm went off, but I distinctly remember this rich, creamy…

Breathe again: a plated dish

So this dish was obviously inspired by the song “Breathe again” from season 2 of Carole and Tuesday. The song itself talks about reaching new heights, and being able to take a sigh of relief now that you have succeeded in making something of yourself. For me, a component that perfectly embodies all of that is…

Lamb potstickers with mala-pepper broth and whipped yogurt

Now it’s no secret that I love Halal-styled Chinese food. The spices, the flavors, it’s really a warming, comforting cuisine. In the spirit of Chinese New Years, I definitely wanted to do something festive, comforting, and family-friendly, so my mind immediately went to dumplings. Specifically, potstickers. I feel like any and every Chinese family has…

Want to: a plated dish

I really love to take classic and rustic dishes and breathing new life into them. For some odd season, I have always been attracted to Southern food, despite never really visiting the South. There’s just something about biscuits, barbecue, buttermilk, and corn that just really, really appeals to me. So I wanted to do a…

Fantome: a plated dish

So this was a concept I had in my back pocket since the summer, but just never got around to making until recently. I love blood orange and I love scallop, and I wanted to do an Asian fusion take on it with elements of French, Chinese, and Japanese cuisines. The one issue I always…

After the fire: a petit gateau

So I really wanted to make a dessert using these new wooden sake cups I bought, since I don’t exactly drink, and I really have been enjoying seeing these wooden box tiramisus on my Instagram feed lately. I did want to do a take on a tiramisu, but I didn’t exactly want to do a…

STEP: a plated dessert

I have been listening to a ton of ClariS again recently. ClariS is a Japanese pop group consisting of two girls who sing extremely girly songs that make me question my own gender identity. That being said, I do appreciate how dessert-friendly their songs and aesthetic are, and it makes it a lot easier for…

Chestnut-chocolate mille crepe

When I was thinking of what kinds of desserts to make for the holidays, I was split between doing a chestnut dessert or a chocolate dessert. I was a bit apprehensive to make a chestnut dessert because of how many I had made recently, and how many I will be making now that I found…

“Day by Day”: a layer cake

So Carole and Tuesday season 2 just came out on Netflix, and with that, the soundtrack also dropped, so I was able to start listening to and get inspired by all of the new tracks on that album. One in particular that I liked was “Day by Day”, which was this quaint song that reminded…

Tofu steak: a childhood favorite

One of the best things I ever ate growing up was the tofu steak at Kappo Seafood in Torrance. It was this crunchy, creamy, deep fried block of tofu with mushrooms that were stewed in a sukiyaki-type of sauce, served with bonito flakes and scallions. I still remember ordering it as a kid, just out…

Diamond dust: a petit gateau

When I was thinking of different, winter-themed desserts, I knew I had to do something with a reference to diamond dust. What diamond dust is, for those of you who aren’t familiar with it, is very light snowflakes that form and fall during clear skies. It’s very beautiful, and something I remember seeing on occasion…

Heirloom apple, almond, and rose tarts

I really wanted to make a delicate little tart using these heirloom apples I found at WholeFoods one day, and that’s where these tarts came about. Well, that, and I was loosely inspired by Momo from Shokugeki no Soma. What? I’m allowed to take inspiration from anime and videos. I’m a weeb at my core….

Dou Jiang inspired dumplings

I literally came up with this dumpling while I was driving to Milkbar one Saturday morning. I was craving Chinese brunch, and I remember eating dou jiang, or warm sweetened soy bean milk, with youtiao, or kruellers. For those of you who aren’t familiar with soy bean milk, it’s Chinese soy milk. Unlike the Silk…

Voices of the forest: a layer cake

I really wanted to make another Opera cake, but I didn’t want to be too repetitive or just fall back on the same flavors. So I changed it up…slightly. Instead of coffee, I went with barley tea instead. I love barley tea. It’s something I grew up drinking in Taiwan during the summers! It’s refreshing,…

Knafeh with kataifi pastry

Now I have done knafeh in the past. But I have never had a chance to work with kataifi(shredded phyllo) due to never being able to find it. That is, until my coworker, Desiree, told me about a middle eastern market that was actually really close to where I live! Super special thank you to…

Good as Hell: a carrot cake

When it comes to carrot cake, I really love making them with a TON of grated carrots in them. While the concept of putting a root vegetable into a cake sounds a bit weird, that’s what the sugar and spices are for. It hides any savory notes of the vegetable and results in a cake…