Hi everyone! We are one week away from spring break, let’s hang in there!

Today’s recommendation is somewhere I would hide and guard from others to avoid crowded seating, but if you promise to keep it a secret, get ready for the best dining experience ever in State College – Webster! As a book cafe, it owns shocking delicious entrees and all flavors of coffee that deserve its title of a cafe.

As you are going down the stairs, a refreshing book smell (I am addicted to this) welcomes you to this inconspicuous corner of State College. Boxes of vinyl records sit quietly by the entrance, recreating an evocative memory from the 80s. A couple of chairs are situated in the middle surrounded by laughs, conversations, and stories companies by a sense of coffee smell.

Although they hold many items on the menu, forgive me for only introducing two that are strongly recommended by an absolute fan of Webster-Ella.

“Brown Cow” – As a huge caffeine-addicted patient, I couldn’t say more about this angelic drink. First sip, the flavor of freshly baked coffee beans quickly expands softly, gently carrying all senses of yours away. But the magic has not been revealed! After a few sips, a sudden sweetness shifts over, covering the bitterness. Soon enough, you can taste the thickness of sweetness carried out by a chocolate relish, as two flavors intermingle, more and more sweetness arises after taste. Approaching towards the end, chocolate leads the savor till you almost can’t detect any caffeine. (They offer single or double shots of caffeine, but I wouldn’t encourage you to risk double shots if you prefer a sweeter taste overall.)

“The Good Earth” – Like its name, every bite is full of freshness and naturalness! I have to be honest; I have not had such a fresh cucumber for years. The crispy, juicy sliced cucumber accompanied with slight sour/spicy sauce hooks up your appetite within seconds. This sauce differs from the majority of salad sauce with a light, but hefty sourness followed by an even lighter spiciness. I can’t believe I can enjoy eating raw broccoli ever, but this sauce accomplished it perfectly! Finally, the shiniest part is no one else but Tofu. It was compressed, so the text varied to a harder to even crispy taste, but once you bite in, the softness will respond immediately. Despite how Tofu has transformed, IT’S NOT DRY! You may still taste the beans rushing in your mouth in a different manner.

And this will finish today’s blogging! Big shout up to Ella Newhouse, who discovered this wonderful cafe with me!

 

 

Hello everyone! As you know, the Lunar New Year is happening this Saturday! This coming year is the year of Dragon, which usually represents it will be a year full of uplifting events and cheerful activities. For that, the blog for today will be about a classic dish at the New Year’s dinner table – Dumplings.

Although every family will prepare various dishes, Chinese parents can never approve of a night without dumplings. THAT IS HOW IMPORTANT IT IS! Many times, a plate of dumplings contains all the joy and happiness of gathering between close friends and family. But watch out, don’t bite down the dumplings yet! If you attend a traditional Chinese party, there will be a coin secretly hidden in a dumpling’s stomach, and whoever gets that coin will receive lots of luck in the upcoming year!

With all the different combinations of dumplings, I will guide you through two different fillings that will give you a sense of festive atmosphere. First is the classic pork and Chinese cabbage (recipe), this dumpling filling has fulfilled every Chinese childhood. The tip for this filling is the thickness of the dumpling skin, you want it to be a little thicker! As you bite down the bowling-hot dumpling, the warmth of the filling passes down to every nerve of yours. Soon enough, a light flavor of fragrance from cabbage bland in the taste of pork blooms inside your mouth. As your adventure goes down, the magic of thick skin is revealed. The chewy texture encounters the soft fillings, creating layers of conflict that level up the overall experience. But the soul of dumplings is the dipping sauce! A combination of soy sauce and vinegar added a perfect sourness the clutch the ending.

The second flavor is a revolutionary product in the dumpling field – the shrimp flavor. The reason shrimp can carry the dumplings to another level is its bouncy texture and freshness. If the pork filling has a sense of meaty smell, the filling of shrimp may solve that in any aspect possible. The bounciness will remind you ocean, the world under the sea. As the shrimp jump around and activate every one of your taste buds, a mix of mushrooms, Chinese chives, and flour follows up to finish the ride with you.

And that will be all for today’s blog! Hope all of you have a great weekend and a happy lunar new year!