Doodles, Dinners, and Delicious Memories

rlg448
Nov 10
3 min read

Hello again, friends 🌼

This past month, I’ve been pouring my time (and a lot of love) into a new piece that I’ll be submitting to Blick’s Fall Pen & Ink Challenge. I wanted to create something that felt like a scrapbook, a tender little archive of my year — so I drew all of my favorite meals from 2024 and 2025.

On a long 9.5 x 24.5 inch sheet of white paper, I arranged everything in a grid and used Sharpies, Micron pens, and Prismacolor markers to build my own illustrated version of a cookbook page. It’s meticulous, colorful, a little chaotic, and full of memory.

It took many hours and a lot of patience… but the process felt like reliving each meal. I found myself smiling remembering setting off the smoke detector multiple times, the laughter, and the little inventions along the way.

Some of the dishes included:banana cinnamon rolls · pesto pasta · lamb shakshuka · poke bowl · chicken noodle soup (with extra orange things when I was sick) · caprese · bibimbap · ratatouille · fondue · goat cheese alfredo with pear salad · salmon sashimi & avocado “cupcakes” · lox on sourdough · stir-fried chicken · banana crepes with bacon and peaches · black bean burgers with purple sweet potatoes · black bean tacos

It felt like honoring the year and who I shared it with through flavor. 💛

A favorite moment

My favorite dish of the year was easily the Salmon Sashimi & Avocado Sushi Cups.

Chandler and I buy sushi-grade salmon from the Venice Farmers Market, cook sushi rice, and shape seaweed into perfect little rounds that fit inside a cupcake tin. After a quick bake, we top them with salmon, avocado, furikake, and spicy mayo.

They are messy.They are delicious.They make you feel like life is good.

Little details in the artwork ✨

The top right corner of the piece is stamped with a tiny cat, a stamp Chandler gifted me which is a nod to Mooncake (月饼, Yue Bing), my constant studio companion and ever-present co-creator.

The bottom left corner holds a stamp carved in Chengdu, where I had my Chinese name seal made: 明丽 (Ming Li) — meaning “super bright.” I watched the seal being carved while eating hotpot and planning a visit to the pandas. It felt meaningful to include that memory here too.

I’m hoping to turn this drawing into a repeating wallpaper print soon. It will be something warm and whimsical to brighten any kitchen or dining nook. I’ll share updates when it’s ready 🌿

Recipe

Spicy Salmon & Avocado Sushi Cups 🍣🥑

Serves 2

Ingredients

1/3 lb sushi-grade salmon, cubed
1 1/2 sheets sushi nori
1/2 cup sushi rice
2 tbsp Kewpie mayo
2 tsp sriracha (more or less to taste)
1 avocado, cubed
Furikake (optional but recommended)
Avocado oil spray

Instructions

Cook the rice: Rinse and cook rice as usual. Let it rest 15 minutes to get sticky.
Shape the nori: Cut nori into 6 circles. Spray a cupcake tin and press a circle into each well.
Fill: Spoon warm rice on top and gently press to form little “cups.” Sprinkle furikake.
Bake: Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes to crisp.
Mix toppings: Cube salmon & avocado. Stir mayo + sriracha to make spicy mayo.
Assemble: Top each rice cup with avocado, salmon, and a drizzle of spicy mayo. Add more furikake if you’re feeling fancy ✨