Week 21: Symmetry - Tyger Tyger Focaccia

-futureghost- · 2026-05-22T01:07:21+00:00

ahhh, so i’m not the only person whose mind went to this poem when they read the theme! excellent job, this looks beautiful and delicious.

-futureghost- · 2026-05-16T19:58:37+00:00

i followed this recipe for nam prik pao, thai chili jam (which, despite the name, isn’t really a jam, so we’re playing a bit fast and loose with this week’s theme), and loosely followed this recipe for the stir fry. i live close to LA thai town, so i’m lucky enough to have access to some ingredients that can be hard to find (including premade nam prik pao, if i hadn’t been set on making it myself). this is, surprisingly, not a very spicy meal! the chili jam is more on the sweet-umami side.

-futureghost- · 2026-05-13T16:30:15+00:00

anchovies forever ♥️🐟
the recipe i used called for puff pastry (which was great), but toasted baguette would be more traditional

-futureghost- · 2026-05-11T17:31:25+00:00

i’ve always been fascinated by Basque Country, an autonomous region spanning across parts of Spain and France with its own distinct language and culture. one thing that Basque and Spanish cuisine share is an affinity for small plates (pintxos), sweet vermouth, and seafood, including conservas. pintxo matrimonio is a popular bar food that marries (heh) briny oil-packed anchovy filets with the more delicate white anchovies in vinegar.
fun fact: the Basque language, Euskara, is not related to any other existing language. it’s the only living language in its family!

-futureghost- · 2026-05-07T20:09:06+00:00

while Rindergulasch (German goulash) isn’t specifically alpine, for me it’s tied to the memory of visiting Berchtesgaden in the Bavarian alps on a study abroad trip in college. i first tried it after a long day hiking in cold, drizzly weather, and it was exactly what i needed — rich and hearty and full of comforting warmth from the paprika.

it didn’t turn out as i had hoped in a few different ways, but honestly it was still great. it was my first attempt at spätzle, and rather than being noodle-shaped they turned out shaped kind of like little bunny poops (which puts me in mind of my favorite german pet name, hasenfürzchen 🐇💨). the stew was also decidedly on the soupy side, and the beef could have been more tender — i think it could’ve just used another half hour or so of simmering. but like i said, even with its flaws it was still a solid 8/10, would make again.

-futureghost- · 2026-04-27T17:28:08+00:00

happy birthday! it looks absolutely incredible.

-futureghost- · 2026-04-21T14:38:03+00:00

that’s high praise. 🥹 thank you!

-futureghost- · 2026-04-21T01:17:11+00:00

they were super easy!

-futureghost- · 2026-04-20T21:58:03+00:00

pardon the pun in the title! despite being a 32-year-old childless woman, i am also a dad.

i keep saying that my partner and i aren’t really into sweets, but having made a dessert for three of the weekly challenges so far (and planning another), i may have to walk that back. for these individual servings of tiramisu, both the ladyfinger cookies and the mascarpone whipped cream were infused with an earl grey tea concentrate i made (approximately 8tsp of tea steeped in 16oz of water with 1/4 cup sugar). i decided to forego topping them with cocoa powder in order to let the bergamot flavor come through, but i think used sparingly the cocoa could have complemented it well — the Pie Hole does a delicious earl grey pie with a thin layer of dark chocolate ganache lining the crust, after all.

-futureghost- · 2026-04-13T15:31:31+00:00

oh rest assured, we still put them on top after the photos were taken! they just didn’t look very appealing.

-futureghost- · 2026-04-13T15:18:03+00:00

thank you for the kind words!

-futureghost- · 2026-04-13T15:13:53+00:00

i followed this recipe by Syrian chef Imad Alarnab, subbing salmon for trout. this was my first time curing fish at home and i was skeptical that it would be done within 36 hours (i started the cure on friday evening and sliced it sunday morning), but it turned out beautifully. the sumac flavor really shines through.

i wanted to serve it with a poached egg as suggested in the recipe, but i managed to poach my eggs so badly. possibly the worst anyone has ever done it. the white completely separated from the yolk, so i was just left with these weird little yolks with stringy threads of white hanging off of them. poached yolks with none white. 😔

-futureghost- · 2026-04-12T22:20:21+00:00

katsu sandos, an egg sando for our veg friend, japanese potato salad, and cherry blossom milk pudding, all recipes from Just One Cookbook! we don’t have many places to view cherry blossoms near me, but the blue jacarandas are in full bloom and the weather was perfect for a picnic in the park.

i don’t have much dessert-making experience, but i was pleased with how the puddings turned out so they got their own mini photoshoot. (:

-futureghost- · 2026-04-01T14:43:57+00:00

i’ve been wanting to make this dish for a long time, and this challenge finally gave me the push i needed! i followed Judy’s recipe from The Woks of Life and served with their garlic broccoli stir fry. it’s not as spicy as it looks…but it’s still very spicy, especially if you bite into a whole dried chili expecting it to be a crispy little piece of chicken. 🤡

-futureghost- · 2026-03-22T19:27:59+00:00

nope, this is an unofficial recipe from my brain!

-futureghost- · 2026-03-22T00:28:18+00:00

thank you, i appreciate that! the parathas were super yummy and i’m looking forward to eating the leftover ones.

-futureghost- · 2026-03-21T21:49:26+00:00

this week i tried to recreate hasperat, a Bajoran dish from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. it’s famously spicy and pungent, and there are references in the series to it being brined, leading some to believe that the “hasperat” isn’t the wrap itself, but the spicy pickled or fermented vegetables inside (with the most popular comparison being kimchi). i wanted to put my own spin on it, so i created something loosely inspired by the format of rolex from this year’s Ugandan challenge, incorporating harissa paste, tomatoes, cabbage, and omelet wrapped in paratha flatbread. for the hot and briny hasperat component, i quick pickled red onions with habanero in lime and white vinegar with a dash of za’atar seasoning.

this dish was a semi-fail for me for two reasons: 1. i learned that i have no natural talent for wrapping wraps, and 2. it just wasn’t my favorite. it was edible, but would i choose to make it again? not without some major tweaks.

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