Posts By: Xin Xu

Cassandra Wang

Cassandra Wang hails from Edmonton, Alberta. But before settling in, she lived in Shanghai for the first 7 years of her life. That’s where she grew up and got her taste of the vibrant food culture. Since moving to Edmonton, she has fallen in love with international cuisine. If there’s a new restaurant in town, she would be the first to line up outside the door. At home, you can find her experimenting with recipes around the world. She hopes to share these experiences with all who care to listen.

In her spare time, Xin cares for 6 rescue budgies. Many of which she found stranded in parks or her backyard. On weekends, she drives out to Banff or Jasper where she can be found hiking new trails. She’s thankful Athabasca University has allowed her to work full-time as a researcher while taking courses that interest her such as abnormal psychology.

All I Ate During My Layover at Incheon Airport

One of my favorite parts of any destination I visit is the food.  Although I have traveled to South Korea in the past, since the pandemic I have not returned (especially since airfare has nearly doubled since pre-pandemic era).  However, whenever I get the opportunity to visit Asia, I never skimp out on the opportunity… Read more »

Everything I Ate on my Vancouver Trip 2024

Recently I had the chance to eat my way through Richmond, Vancouver, and it was one of the best foodie experiences I’ve had to date.  Here’s everything I ate on this trip. Tendon Kohaku: this is a chain that is based out of Japan and has locations in six countries. They specialize in tempura that… Read more »

DIY Korean BBQ at Home

Korean BBQ has always been one of my favorite dining experiences.  It’s perfect for family gatherings, dinner with friends and includes an activity as well as a meal.  The process of grilling meats custom to your liking is one of the reasons why it’s as much of an experience as it is a meal.  For… Read more »

Why Cats Make the Perfect Student Pet

1.  Low Maintenance Cats are relatively independent animals compared to other pets like dogs.  They don’t require daily walks or constant attention, which is ideal for a student with a busy schedule of classes, studying, and social activities.  So long as they have their litter box, and their feed, cats are generally lower maintenance than… Read more »

DIY Peking Duck Recipe

Peking duck has its roots in Imperial Chinese cuisine.  For myself, I grew up eating this only on special occasions with family and friends of family at renowned restaurants.  Typically, the dish is known for its crispy, lacquered duck skin and tender duck breast meat.  It is served with pancakes, sweet hoisin sauce, and fresh… Read more »

End of Summer Cherry Pickings

Recently I had the opportunity to go cherry picking in British Columbia.  It was a phenomenal experience with family and experiencing the climate and landscape of the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia.  In the Kelowna region, the growing season is longer compared to other areas and is well known for the longest cherry season due… Read more »

Grandma’s Tea Eggs Recipe

Growing up, hard boiled eggs were never my favorite.  In fact, I either had to dip them in sauce or eat them while drinking a glass of milk.  They were bland and flavorless.  However, tea eggs were an entirely different beast.  I enjoyed the aroma of tea eggs, the flavor profile that is infused into… Read more »

Chinese Crepe Recipe

Growing up with some non-traditional brunch and breakfast options means that when you’re an adult, you still miss the taste of childhood.  One of my childhood favorites are Chinese crepes, which resemble a green onion cake and are easy to make as well as nutritionally rich and delicious.  Chinese crepes, also known as “jianbing”, are… Read more »

Hong Kong Pork Floss Buns Recipe

Among some of my favorite breakfast items from Chinese bakeries include these pork floss buns.  You might be wondering, “what the heck is pork floss?”  Pork floss, also known as “rousong” in Chinese, is a dried, fluffy, and flavorful shredded pork product that is commonly used in East Asian cuisine.  It is made by stewing… Read more »

DIY Caramelized Onion & Roasted Garlic Flatbread

Recently a lot of family members had the chance to visit me from overseas and I was looking for easy recipes as appetizers for my guests.  I wanted appetizers that would be unique, not store-bought.  Then after asking around my auntie, a kitchen snob, she recommended that I start with caramelized onion and garlic flatbread. … Read more »