Fun party idea! I get together with a group of friends every month to cook  around a themed meal. Usually we pick a regional cuisine, but for our last get-together we decided to shake it up.

Everyone was assigned a color and told to get creative. And without coordinating who'd bring entrees, appetizers or desserts, we had an amazing feast that not only tasted great, but was food for the eyes!

I'm a citrus fanatic, so preserved lemons where an instant curiosity for me. I'd seek them out in specialty shops to make Moroccan dishes. Then I discovered how very easy they are to make at home. Now I make up a batch regularly to have  on hand. You too can make your own preserved lemons at home. They smell so fragrant and taste so much better than store bought. 

You will need:

• Organic Lemons (about 3 or 4, more if they are small)
• Salt
• Sharp knife and a clean, sterilized jar with a lid

Put a tablespoon of salt in the glass jar. Cut the lemons 3/4 of the way down vertically, from top to bottom. Turn 90 degrees, then make another cut to form a criss-cross. Open the lemon and put 1 tablespoon of salt inside. Then place into the jar. 

Squash the lemons with a wooden spoon. You want to extract enough juice to cover them in liquid. If there is not enough lemon juice, squeeze in juice from other lemons.

Try to keep the lemon submerged under the juice. You might want to use a ramekin. Put into you fridge and wait a month. Use the juice for salad dressings. The lemon rind is wonderful in Moroccan tagines and other dishes where lemon adds a nice flavor. Enjoy!

It's not like I was unfamiliar with Dim Sum. I'm a New Yorker who, like most, eat it regularly, especially for weekend brunch. Given it's popularity, I assumed New York had very good Dim Sum. And indeed it does. It's just that in Hong Kong it's extraordinary.

To be honest, Hong Kong was a lay-over stop of sorts. It was a direct flight en route to Cambodia, so I set aside a few days to take in the sights and, well, sample Dim Sum. And I knew it would be good. I just had no idea that I'd eat the best meal in years at a casual brunch. Yes, it was that good!

Hong Kong is bursting at the seams with Michelin Stars. Some earn them with flawless execution of classics, while others are innovating new favorites. When I made a reservation for Sunday brunch at the Mira Hong Kong, I was interested in the later. A black truffle dumpling to be exact. And it was delicious, but another dish stole the show.

It was the humble egg bun that won my heart. A basic steamed bun with a seemingly simple custard in the middle, but it was sublime. Warm, creamy, salty and sweet all at the same time. With a heady note of vanilla. It wasn't sweet enough to be a dessert, yet not quite savory either. Perhaps it was how it straddled both, but it was the best thing I ate on the entire trip. 

To be fair, we also had the most delicious char sui -- red barbecued pork -- I've ever eaten at that same place. Tender, sweet and slightly pungent with a huge punch of umami. It was absolutely delicious. And while a lowly bun usually wouldn't stand a chance up against a masterful pork dish, the egg bun took the day. In fact, it has me plotting new trips that will take me back through Hong Kong! Meanwhile, if anyone knows of a good egg bun in New York, I'm willing to give it a shot.