I go to the grocery store almost every day, looking for something to cook for dinner. 
Sometimes inspiration strikes – top sirloin on sale, a strange new vegetable to try, et cetera, but then there are the rare moments when an item just LEAPS! off the shelf, demanding purchase. So it was today, when I stumbled across Nestlé’s Yorkie bars.
As you might guess, I had to buy one. I mean, really, sexist candy? I checked the ingredients for some hint as to this bar’s manliness, and found the following: milk chocolate, raisins, flour, and sugar. That’s it: milk chocolate with raisins and cookie crumbs.
Besides white chocolate, which doesn’t even count, milk chocolate is the un-manliest kind out there, and I just don’t see how dry, shriveled grapes could possibly suggest anything complimentary to anyone’s machismo.
As for the taste, Yorkie is nothing special. The chocolate is better quality than you’d find in a Hershey’s bar, and I have nothing bad to say about adding raisins and cookie to it, but the result is just … fine. Not something I need to spend $2 for over a $0.55 pack of Raisinettes and maybe a $0.45 cookie. And definitely not something that makes me feel all manly and ready for a fight. A beer, perhaps, but girls drink that too.
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06Sep
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03Sep
Upon noting that the farmers market was charging a mere $0.49 per pound for baby bok choi, I decided that it was time to attempt a recreation of a dish I had a few years ago. The dish was roasted duck breast with baby bok choi in a vodka-hoisin sauce. Being a grad student, I can’t afford duck, especially for a first try of a new dish, so I figured I’d just do the bok choi.
A second catch: upon arriving home, I realized that the only vodka I have is of the flavored variety….ew. I figured, “I’m making this up anyways, why not make it up some more?” and I did. The results were quite tasty, and the sauce is one that I plan on keeping around for a number of dishes in the future.
Steam about 2 pounds of baby bok choi, rinse with cold water (and ice, if possible) and set aside.
In a mixing cup, mix 2 parts hoisin sauce (I used Lee Kum Kee), one part shochu (good luck finding this in the US – substitute vodka or sake if needed), and one part vegetable stock. Heat the mixture and stir until fully blended. Adjust proportions until it tastes good.
To serve, you can do what I did, or what I would rather have done.
What I did:
Cut bok choi in half, put in a large bowl, and toss with the sauce.
What I would rather have done:
Arrange bok choi on a serving dish, and drizzle sauce over them.
Enjoy!
