I’ve been feeling a bit restless lately. I don’t know if its because we have been so busy every weekend for the last month or because I’ve been searching for a venue to host a dumpling making workshop but every place is so gosh darn expensive. Maybe it’s because the oolong cake that I’ve been recipe testing for the last month is not going great. I hate when a cake is not good and goes to waste! I don’t know… sometimes the whole internet and blogging thing gets a bit weird and I wonder if anyone is out there. Are you reading this? Do you care about lemonade? Do you wish I only made dumplings? I sort of wish I only made dumplings… I catch myself hitting a stride sometimes on Eat Cho Food, where the recipe developments are flowing smoothly. The blog posts seem to be writing themselves and sound less word vomit-y. The light in the apartment is shining just right. Then all of a sudden, things feel a bit sticky. Ok, now that I’m thinking about it, I think it’s the cake. That’s what’s putting me in this funk.

Sunny Cho: Snap out of it, CHO!

Angsty Cho: Ughhh, just let me wallow here and binge watch The Good Place for hours!

Sunny Cho: You’re going to get this cake right! Or maybe test hand pulled noodles next weekend. You love noodles!

Angsty Cho: Ooooh, I do love noodles…

Sorry, this got weird. Reuben has been gone literally all day skiing and I’ve been home alone with no one to talk to and just left to my thoughts.

I just need the Sun back! I’m a sun person (hi, Leos!), and feel so much more energized when the sun is shining and the air is warm. I don’t know how you’re feeling about this whole winter thing, but I certainly am feeling super antsy for the season to change. I had my one encounter with snow for the year a few weekends ago and I think that was enough. 7 feet of snow is enough. Did I also mention that it’s been raining like crazy? California has been in a drought for 3 years, but it’s definitely not a problem anymore! Ugh, there’s nothing I hate more than commuting to work in the rain. A wet steamy bus crammed full of people is like my own worst personal nightmare. The farmer’s market has been a little sad lately with all the rain too. Some of the stalls aren’t open and the produce has been pretty average. Correction, the product still looks great, but there just isn’t anything new or exciting to distract me from buying the cheese danish at the bread stall. Typically, I’m looking for lemon cucumbers, purple long beans, rainbow radishes, or some other goofy vegetable variety. Discovering all the new and unique produce out there is the funnest part of the Clement Street Farmer’s Market! To make up for the lack of excitement, I’ve just been buying blood oranges by the wheelbarrow-ful… I don’t actually have a wheelbarrow… yet. I’m thankful that during these colder and darker months we get the juiciest and brightest citrus fruit to cheer us up!

Lemonade might not seem like the most February appropriate recipe, but it’s almost March, which means it’s almost springtime! I’m going to blast our heat, not wear a sweater for once, and sip on this refreshing blood orange mint lemonade all while dreaming of sunnier days and bountiful produce! That will definitely get me out of this funk! Speaking of warmer days and bountiful markets, Reuben and I are going to Italy in less than 2 months! Wowza! Yet again, I have not planned anything and have left it up to Reuben to plan for the most part. BUT if you have any recommendations in Florence, Rome, or Bologna please let me know! What’s the best pizza? What’s the best gnocchi?! What’s the best to go pasta shop?! I hear to go pasta is thing and I CAN NOT WAIT. I love walking and eating so much.

Blood Orange Mint Lemonade

materials:

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup blood orange juice

1/2 cup chopped mint

1/3 cup white sugar

1/3 cup water - for simple syrup

4 cups water - for diluting

citrus slices - for garnish

additional mint - for garnish

steps:

1. In a small sauce pan, bring mint, white sugar, and 1/3 cup water to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove simple syrup from heat and allow mint to steep for 30 minutes. Strain mint leaves from simple syrup and set aside.

2. Cut lemons and blood oranges in half. Juice until you have 1/2 cup of lemon juice and 1/2 cup of blood orange juice. Set juice aside.

3. Combine citrus juice, mint simple syrup, and 4 cups of water in a pitcher. Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour. Pour over ice, garnish with a citrus slice and a sprig of mint and enjoy!