The Full Kitchen

Culinary Adventures in a Tiny California Kitchen

Banh Mi Vietnamese Sandwich Adventure

March 25, 2021 by Alyssa D in main course

March was already awful, and that was before this week in Boulder. Earlier this month I experienced what felt like the worst pandemic burnout yet. To try and find a bit of joy, my mind turned to banh mi sandwiches.

They reminded me of summer, recalling food trucks, fresh air, sunshine, grilling, sharing meals with friends. I’d been wistful about these special Vietnamese sandwiches while weathering spring snowstorms and continued isolation, repeating to myself, “We have to hang on just a bit longer.”

Cheese Fondue Adventure

February 13, 2021 by Alyssa D in main course

Cheese fondue is ridiculous to think about right now. It’s a dish meant to share with a group, which still isn’t possible. Several ingredients are pricey, even on sale. Prep takes a while. Not the kind of thing that goes in a container to swap with friends in the parking lot. And, speaking from experience, fondue can break easily.

But here I am, going for a pot of the melty stuff.

Sichuan Dan Dan Noodles Adventure

November 12, 2020 by Alyssa D in main course

I put on sunglasses when the large buffet-style pans arrived at the table, not because of the light but the heat. This was my first experience going all-in on Sichuan cuisine. Two of the main courses swam in red oil piled high with vibrant chili peppers.

Protective eyewear was a must.

Our friends Dan and Carol had brought us to a Sichuan restaurant for lunch in the Portland area in the Before Times. Mostly I was excited, but honestly also slightly scared.

Savory Sweet Potato Cakes Adventure

October 16, 2020 by Alyssa D in appetizers, main course

This season seemed apocalyptic, and not just because of the pandemic. The sun shone orange through skies smoky from wildfires. So did the moon. Record heat. Snow. More heat. Illegal drag races tore around the neighborhood after midnight. Other nights, coyotes howled in the nearby open space.

I felt sapped and trapped, especially with all our windows closed tight against the unhealthy air.

During yet another suffocating week, I flipped through our “work in progress” recipes pile in a bid for mental escape. There were the sweet potato cakes from Yotam Ottolenghi’s vegetarian cookbook “Plenty.”

Greek Cheese Pie Adventure

August 17, 2020 by Alyssa D in appetizers, main course

At Artopolis, my favorite Greek pastry shop in Astoria, Queens, I made an impulse purchase. Normally the friendly workers would open the glowing display of honey-soaked melomakarona cookies or pull out a tray of pistachio baklava. But this little basket of cheese-filled goodies called to me.

I remember barely getting out the door before rewarding myself with the flaky moon-shaped pastry. The interior was slightly briny from feta blended with other cheeses. Herbs made it sing.

Patient Pastitio Adventure

June 25, 2020 by Alyssa D in baking, main course

On a winter hiking trip in high school, I struggled to ascend the steep trail, sweaty and red-faced with an overstuffed pack. An older student saw me falter. She positioned herself directly in front of me and set a slow, methodical pace. Step, breathe, step, breathe.

With everything happening now, that old impatience is resurfacing. I want us, as a people, to get there already — the virus vanquished, systemic racism and bigotry excised, good defeating evil, the environment restored. Our packs are so full.

I realize that this might feel a bit heavy for a fun little food blog. *Takes a deep breath.*

You know what else is heavy? Pastitio.

Grilled Cauliflower Steaks Adventure

May 28, 2020 by Alyssa D in main course

I know, I know. You might be wondering, “Where’s the adventure in cauliflower?” Indeed, pulling the giant white vegetable hunk out of a grocery bag made my heart sink slightly.

For weeks up until that moment, we’d been trying to make do with bags of frozen cauliflower. Those epithet-laden meals prompted Guillaume to grab the first fresh one he could lay his hands on at the store.

Anything I did to it would automatically be better than microwaving the frozen cauliflower.

Choose Your Own Grilled Pizza Adventure

May 14, 2020 by Alyssa D in main course

We got word that the replacement part for our broken oven was backordered for several more weeks. Admittedly, I did not take this news well.

Even though the weather here in Colorado has occasionally been unseasonably warm, I longed for us to be able to bake again: chocolate wacky cake, olive oil cake, berry cupcakes, pudding chômeur, spanakopita, roasted broccoli and tofu, cheese and leek pie, lemon potatoes.

Instead, we counted our blessings that we still had a functional stovetop and hail-battered outdoor grill.

My Big Fat Greek Bean Adventure

April 14, 2020 by Alyssa D in main course

Spring holidays are normally a time to get together. I wish so badly that you could be here, welcomed with a hug and your drink of choice. Imagine an appetizer spread fit for an army. Dave Brubeck on the speakers. Comforting food smells emanating from pots and pans. Flowers. Fancy cutlery. Cloth napkins.

Instead, I have to hold onto this precious dream for a time when it’s safe to come out. In the meantime, we’ve held onto each other in our tiny kitchen. And gotten creative with limited ingredients.

General Tso’s Tofu Adventure

January 31, 2020 by Alyssa D in main course

Hanging out with friends from around the world has taught me many things. One is that Americans sure do love foods that are intensely sweet and salty. Think chicken and waffles, fluffernutter sandwiches, and chocolate peanut butter cups.

So it’s no surprise that, as a nation, we can’t get enough of General Tso’s chicken. However you want to spell it in English and whatever its connection to the actual military man from Hunan province, this syrupy dish that combines fried chicken with blanched green broccoli florets is ridiculously American.