New URL!

I've changed my Blogger URL to reflect my title-- please take note!

Apologies for any inconvenience this causes, I just thought it was about time to get rid of the confusing "groceryaddict" as my url while having The Grocery Fiend as my blog title.

The Asian Steamed Sticky Rice Burrito

Forgive the less-than-artful title; there just isn't a more illustrative and concise way of describing this Southeast Asian creation. It is almost like an overgrown sushi roll, but I think of it as burrito because of its size. They consist of strips of pork belly, mung bean, and glutinous rice wrapped tightly inside banana leaves and steamed. I've seen ones that are humongous and square-shaped, but most are around eight inches long and two or three inches in diameter, depending on who makes them. (That sounds... funny.)

These "nuhm nsahm" (a phonetic spelling completely of my own fabrication) are ubiquitous on special occasions such as Lunar New Year, weddings, or my aunt's whim.

I don't really like them very much. I find them a bit on the bland side and the sticky twice-cooked texture of the rice doesn't really do anything for me...

Except when the very dense item is sliced and fried on both sides, to be consumed with soy sauce and Sriracha. That, ohhh, that is a completely different animal. Er, food.

Here's how the magic happens:

10 Uses for Condensed Milk

It's no secret that I love condensed milk. I will find any excuse to ingest it on any given day (and do, daily).

Ten ways to incorporate condensed milk into your daily intake:

1. Vietnamese-style coffee, preferably using Cafe du Monde ground coffee with Chicory

2. Drizzled over "Shredded Bite-size Wheats" cereal

3. Mixed into morning tea instead of milk & honey

4. Drizzled over torn baguette (note the drizzling pattern)

5. Drizzled over fruit and shaved ice (generally found at boba/pearl tea establishments like Guppy's)

6. Macaroni & cheese (I haven't tried this one yet but it sounds magical!)

7. Dulce de leche (Simmer an unopened can for 3 hours) on toast

8. My Pauper's pumpkin soup

9. Condensed milk fudge

10. Consume directly from spoon. There's no shame in it, really. I do it all the time.

Ironically, there is no condensed milk in my apartment right now because I polished off the last of it yesterday. Time to go to the bodega downstairs.

Please Excuse Me

I have been absent from my dear blog for weeks because of a combination of birthday events, travel, and general life-insanity. I am working on getting back into the blogging groove. This note is just to let my readers (yes, all three of you) know that I am still alive.

Also, in the spirit of letting this blog become more personal than I've let it be thus far...

A conversation this morning over AIM:

Me: i add condensed milk to my tea
Thomas: haha yes you would
Thomas: i'm convinced you run entirely off of sweet things
Me: 'tisn't true!
Thomas: Which fits my longtime theory that you are actually some fairy or spirit

Question: Are fairies/spirits really said to live off of sweets?