When Other People Cook

From counter clockwise: lu dan, pan fried daikon cake, five spice beef shank, and tofu.

I was a bit upset this morning when I couldn't order the havana sandwich from La Cubano in Laurel Village. Yes, it was only 10:30 am -- hey, I was up since 5:30 am and my stomach was telling me it was lunch time. I was going to settle for the empanadas, but was disappointed again when the cashier said that I would have to wait an hour when lunch time officially commenced.

Well... screw that.

I drove home, opened the frig, and breathed a sign of relief when I found the ziplock bag with the block of creamy white radish cake from John's mom. Next to that was my mother-in-law's a neatly packed box of home made cold appetizers that included five spice marinated eggs, thinly sliced beef shank, and porous tofu. Plus, I still had a bowl of mom's lotus root and black bean soup. Sorry, no veggies. Consolation , an orange plucked from a friend's backyard in Fresno.