Welcome Back to LaLaLand

J flexed his culinary muscles for the first time in awhile, all to welcome to road-weary travellers back from our (fantastic) trip to SF.
Mussles the size of my palm, cooked in ginger, garlic, and rice wine.

Manila clams in soup with winter melon, cucumbers, and lima beans.

Pressed tofu with green onion slivers, tiny dried shrimp, salt, and sesame oil. This is a cold Shanghainese side dish that J introduced me to. Simple and delicious, and a great side dish that keeps well in the fridge.

Tofu and thousand year egg mash, with green onions, soy sauce, and sesame oil. This is one of my favorite comfort foods.

Garlic stir fried broccoli. It's simple enough, but J always does it just right. He has a gift with broccoli, probably because it's one of his favorite vegetables. It's one of the things I've never worried about perfecting because I can just make him do it.

Dumplings from the freezer, just to get some meat on the table. A six course feast for the eyes left four hungry eaters very very happy. Nothing says I missed you like gifts for the stomach!