29 November 2013
28 November 2013
A big culinary Archive
http://mirlyn.lib.umich.edu/Search/Home?filter[]=location%3ASPEC%20CUL&page=1&sort=yearup
Something you're used to
When my dad went to India to study, the locals put it upon themselves to make the American feel at home. So they made him a pizza- peas, carrots and goat cheese.
Stuffed Litchi
I come from at least three foreign service officers; both my grandpa's and my dad. My maternal grandfather was posted to my Asian countries including Korea and Japan and My dad developed a taste for South East Asia.
He was studying India at Berkley and thought a year-long course on South East Asia looked interesting. Also when he was offered a choice of position between Delhi and KL, he took Malaysia because he would get to learn a new language and have more influence.
Needless to say, we have a wide selection of artifacts from all over Asia and a pull to the food. So when Matt and I were going to make a Indonesian dish and my mom needed some other supplies, we went to a Asian supermarket out in Virginia.
It was about lunch time, so we had lunch at the restaurant baring the same name as the market. We were browsing the menu when a litchi appetizer caught our collective eye. They were stuffed with pork in sweet chili sauce and the combination of flavors was so refreshing, we thought we'd make our own for Thanksgiving.
He was studying India at Berkley and thought a year-long course on South East Asia looked interesting. Also when he was offered a choice of position between Delhi and KL, he took Malaysia because he would get to learn a new language and have more influence.
Needless to say, we have a wide selection of artifacts from all over Asia and a pull to the food. So when Matt and I were going to make a Indonesian dish and my mom needed some other supplies, we went to a Asian supermarket out in Virginia.
It was about lunch time, so we had lunch at the restaurant baring the same name as the market. We were browsing the menu when a litchi appetizer caught our collective eye. They were stuffed with pork in sweet chili sauce and the combination of flavors was so refreshing, we thought we'd make our own for Thanksgiving.
Sweet chili pork stuffed litchi:
1. Cook the pork on stove until mostly done and add cilantro, salt, black pepper and sweet chili sauce.
2. Stuff in drained litchi.
27 November 2013
'Nawlins
In August, I went down to 'Nawlins for the SAA Conference and had a blast. It was my first time there and I had things to do! One being take a steamboat ride and ghost tour.
First thing I noticed is the lack of spunk of my flight attendant. When asked what I wanted to drink, I answered, "Coke." I didn't realize until moments later that I wanted her to ask me what kind of coke I wanted. Because, in linguistic anthropology, I learned that in the American South, soda is referred to as coke. All soda.I mean, is it to much to ask for a flight attendant to get into the spirt of wherever were going?
Unfortunately, I was only there for a few days and cannot say much about the food. Especially because most of it was my hotel food. I did have a Po-Boy and (don't kill me) did not think it anything special. It was just some spiced shrimp on bread with salad. didn't hold together.
But, the Hurricane was good. Good? Ha. Excellent. And you can drink it on the street.
Adulting
ERGGGGH! WHY do I still have this struggle with planning and time management! Well.. I'm pretty stubborn because I have been told on countless occasions that I NEED to put things in my calendar because if I don't, I'll forget. And I say that I won't, and most of the time I don't. But, when I do forget there's a big fire lit under me and I keep a calendar for about two weeks. And then I go back to not keeping track again.There have also been many times when there is no crisis and I vow to plan, still doesn't work.
However, we have spent all day cooking and right now I feel inspired to just learn planning and time management though the things I love. I wrote about this once before and was not sure whether to go back and fix that post or do a new post. Anyway, you know when you cook, when professionals cook, especially a complicated recipe, you need to have everything in place? You should have all the ingredients out, measured and ready-to-go. This step, like all planning in life, (at least to me), almost always feels like a waste of time. BUT ITS NOT.
I was just making a very complicated cake. Even though I think everything turned out fine, it was stressful to always have to leave the food to go look at the recipe for measurements and to make sure I didn't forget anything.I also had to have a pen to cross off ingredients. So, read the recipe beforehand, measure out all ingredients in order and have fun cooking
.
The reason this might be to rationalizing that gets these habits to stick? ITS SHORT-TERM. I, and my fellow ADDers, have problems with long-term goals. So try this. Hopefully it'll spill over to other facets of life. Habitually reading recipes before doing anything might help get you into the habit of reading directions in a manual before you do anything, reading through anything before you sign, give an opinion or ask questions. Don't look foolish when you go into a job interview and ask a question that's answered on the About page of their company. And putting out and measuring ingredients beforehand can lead to both laying your clothes out the night before or writing down your resources for a problem you're having. Crossing off ingredients gets you to cross off items on your list that you've already done. Cooking has been a great help in many parts of my daily life. Hope it inspires you too.
However, we have spent all day cooking and right now I feel inspired to just learn planning and time management though the things I love. I wrote about this once before and was not sure whether to go back and fix that post or do a new post. Anyway, you know when you cook, when professionals cook, especially a complicated recipe, you need to have everything in place? You should have all the ingredients out, measured and ready-to-go. This step, like all planning in life, (at least to me), almost always feels like a waste of time. BUT ITS NOT.
I was just making a very complicated cake. Even though I think everything turned out fine, it was stressful to always have to leave the food to go look at the recipe for measurements and to make sure I didn't forget anything.I also had to have a pen to cross off ingredients. So, read the recipe beforehand, measure out all ingredients in order and have fun cooking
.
The reason this might be to rationalizing that gets these habits to stick? ITS SHORT-TERM. I, and my fellow ADDers, have problems with long-term goals. So try this. Hopefully it'll spill over to other facets of life. Habitually reading recipes before doing anything might help get you into the habit of reading directions in a manual before you do anything, reading through anything before you sign, give an opinion or ask questions. Don't look foolish when you go into a job interview and ask a question that's answered on the About page of their company. And putting out and measuring ingredients beforehand can lead to both laying your clothes out the night before or writing down your resources for a problem you're having. Crossing off ingredients gets you to cross off items on your list that you've already done. Cooking has been a great help in many parts of my daily life. Hope it inspires you too.
26 November 2013
The Netherlands
Since some of my formative years were in Holland, I am very nostalgic about it. Plus, my "brother", best friend, and man of honor is there. Therefore, I was pretty ecstatic when I went to Holland about a month ago. Now, I love stroopwaffel, especially when they're hand-made, hot and fresh. But, I want to talk more about Pannekoek. Pannekoeok is a wonderfully adaptable Dutch pancake. Made of wheat flour and milk, its suitable for any topping. Like crepes, you can get breakfast, lunch or dinner Pannekoek. This versatile canvas is seen in a few countries, but not America. Our version of the pancake is only a breakfast item. Is it actually more of a cake than a blank canvas for sweet or savory. This interesting concept also speaks to the tendency of Americans to always have sweet things for breakfast, whereas the Dutch have meat and cheese. hm... How did that come about?
Also, I can find crepes here, but I cant find a pannekoek restaurant, I do have a feeling that Metin (my best friend) told me that pannekoek is tourist food. But, I want my pannekoek!
More importantly in a sense, is a whole cuisine. There are many Indonesian restaurants in Holland, but none here. We must correct this grievous error. And we must call it what it is, and not lump it in with Asian Food. In one of my earlier tweets, I mentioned that we usually don't say "European Food", but tell the exact country. However, we say "Asian Food" all the time. When I tweeted that we need to call Lao food Laotian, I got followed by a couple politically correct groups.
Also, I can find crepes here, but I cant find a pannekoek restaurant, I do have a feeling that Metin (my best friend) told me that pannekoek is tourist food. But, I want my pannekoek!
More importantly in a sense, is a whole cuisine. There are many Indonesian restaurants in Holland, but none here. We must correct this grievous error. And we must call it what it is, and not lump it in with Asian Food. In one of my earlier tweets, I mentioned that we usually don't say "European Food", but tell the exact country. However, we say "Asian Food" all the time. When I tweeted that we need to call Lao food Laotian, I got followed by a couple politically correct groups.
The Chef and the Alzhemier's
On tonight's news there was a story about this long-time chef. She's 75 now and beginning Alzheimer's. One day she forgot home to make an omelet. She has turned to food for a cure. She has a shake every morning that she believes is warding off symptoms.
Here's a epicourious article on Alzheimer's prevention: http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/healthy/news/alzheimers-prevention
Here's a epicourious article on Alzheimer's prevention: http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/healthy/news/alzheimers-prevention
Salt
I was watching "Mankind: The History of All of Us" the other day when Anthony came on. I was very excited. He was just explaining how cooking separates us from other animals. I was waiting five episodes, when he shows up to explain salt collection. Apparently, salt was collected in the Sahara by Africans and traded for gold. They only mentioned spices. But, spices, like the silk and other objects they did mention, were very important in trade.This is all explained very well in The Edible History of Humanity by Tom Standage.
So there's that food. Here's another thing. I had two years of US history in HS and only one of world. I do remember learning about the Slik Road in 7th grade.But, as I was watching this documentary series, I was shocked at some of the things I did not know. Did you know that during the Dark Ages, Muslims kept math alive in Spain? China invented interchangeable parts? Russia was named after the Vikings called RUSS?
And a couple weeks ago, we went to Medieval Times restaurant, a place where Americans seem to glorify the middle ages. The Swiss thought differently. He knew what the medieval times were. So what if there were princes and princess? That was the one percent and most knowlegde from Rome and Greece had been lost because of the invasion of barbarian tribes.
This isn't just a problem with learning history, but also with learning history that is being made right now. Our news programs seem not only to be a vehicle to scare Americans shitless (Bowling for Columbine) but to hide us from many things happening elsewhere. It is strangely like we're still as isolated as we were 250 years ago.
And I didn't know about salt.
So there's that food. Here's another thing. I had two years of US history in HS and only one of world. I do remember learning about the Slik Road in 7th grade.But, as I was watching this documentary series, I was shocked at some of the things I did not know. Did you know that during the Dark Ages, Muslims kept math alive in Spain? China invented interchangeable parts? Russia was named after the Vikings called RUSS?
And a couple weeks ago, we went to Medieval Times restaurant, a place where Americans seem to glorify the middle ages. The Swiss thought differently. He knew what the medieval times were. So what if there were princes and princess? That was the one percent and most knowlegde from Rome and Greece had been lost because of the invasion of barbarian tribes.
This isn't just a problem with learning history, but also with learning history that is being made right now. Our news programs seem not only to be a vehicle to scare Americans shitless (Bowling for Columbine) but to hide us from many things happening elsewhere. It is strangely like we're still as isolated as we were 250 years ago.
And I didn't know about salt.
Rachelete
Matt's from Switzerland, so for his birthday we had rachelete. I was incredibly awesome to have a cultural meal of cheese with sweet chilled wine wine. I love melting the cheese just the right way and having it slide from the melting palette onto your food. Its also great to be around a meal, which you have to partially prepare at the table, where you converse with your guests while the cheese melts.
I must admit that, very shocking to me, I actually had trouble with the concept of eating just cheese! So I had mine on new potatoes and spicy lamb sausage. This was all done on a special electric griddle bought on amazon. But, in Switzerland, it is a tradition of males' proving themselves by serving a meal of fire- melted cheese sliced with extreme knife skills.
I must admit that, very shocking to me, I actually had trouble with the concept of eating just cheese! So I had mine on new potatoes and spicy lamb sausage. This was all done on a special electric griddle bought on amazon. But, in Switzerland, it is a tradition of males' proving themselves by serving a meal of fire- melted cheese sliced with extreme knife skills.
25 November 2013
19 November 2013
A Medicinal Recipe
When I was volunteering at the Oberlin Heritage Center checking inventory, one of my favorite items was a leather doctor's case of vials from the 1800's with medicinal recipes. The recipes usually included cocaine and either gin or whiskey.
The History of the cookbook
Huh. ok. hopefully I can find a book on this somewhere. It seems to me like cookbooks of the past are not really what we think of cookbooks today. Or at least some of them aren't because they include many home remedies and other stuff like info on merchandising or learning a trade. Cookbooks now seem to be pretty focused right? Are home remedies now for the "frugal," the "environmentalists" and people who like "alternative medicine, thus making home remedies seem inferior to some Americans?
What about home economics? Didn't mom take that and she had to learn to sow? Do some places still do that? What about these books on domesticity? Have they disappeared because of woman's right's issues?
What about home economics? Didn't mom take that and she had to learn to sow? Do some places still do that? What about these books on domesticity? Have they disappeared because of woman's right's issues?
PAY ATTENTION
I will admit that I find dead food in my fridge all the time. Might even happen if I lived alone. So, please, be wary of what's in your fridge and eat up anything left-over at the end of the month. Yes, it's very hard to do this with the hustle and bustle of today. However, keep in mind the environment, your wallet and your noses.
I have also latley made a habit of plating everything in tea cups. It looks super pretty and gives to smaller portions.
I have also latley made a habit of plating everything in tea cups. It looks super pretty and gives to smaller portions.
18 November 2013
Georgian Vodka
This vodka actually came into being because I wanted to combine my Dad's favorite flavors. He was born in Germany and has neven been to Georgia. So why are his favorite flavors the pride of this state?
1 ball jar
1 peach, cut into cubes
5 pecans
1 cinnamon stick
Vodka
1. Put the ingredients in jar, top with vodka, close tightly.
2. Place in fridge, shake twice a day for as many days as you want depending on how intense you want the flavors.
3. Drink and by merry.
4. Make a Georgia crumble with about the same ingerdients.
11 November 2013
A trend
Yes, at the end of this gastrovist I would like to write a book or two. I have always wanted to write books- for the past few years it's been non-fiction, but I did take a writing workshop in 10th grade. My story was more of a soap opera than a novel- which should give you a sense of why I haven't written anything. I don't like having to fill in all the details, edit, proofread, make sure it makes sense. It's the reluctance of sticking with the long-term goal.
I think I touch on ADD in a post. And most stories.
I think I touch on ADD in a post. And most stories.
Skip here: I've been noticing many trends in turn-of-the-cenutry cookbooks, one of which is the inclusion of recipes for the sick. I have not taken any folklore classes, but I have taken anthropology ones and anyway friend who did told me what it was. Thus, a folkloric part of my brain wonders what happened. Am I missing current versions of this or, as I suspect, are we just too used to popping pills we don't notice or care?
There has been a backlash though, you can get a fair amount of literature on our dependency on pills. Some of my friends have tried to decrease their drug intake. Then there's Eastern/ Alternative medicine.
On Saturday, Matt made a home remedy for headaches. I was shocked and awed, I thought it was really cool. I can't remember the last time I used a home remedy. I have, however, been using a lot of alternative techniques. But, we're talking about American folk home remedies through, and the only one I can think of is honey and lemon for a sore throat..
My mom has several home remedy books that I keep meaning to read. The problem is that pills can be much quicker and, lets face it, never rely on a disgusting concoction.
Actually, using chemicals might be more effective, but at what cost? Yes, I do hear my environmentalist voice talking, but it applies to drugs in our bodies too. It takes time to mix up remedies of your house or your body, but its always time vs money..or health. Some home remedies cost more, some cost less. I also think that it says something about our society,like so many other things pushing us to go more and more a long the path of a individualistic society.
05 November 2013
An online farmer's market
I was a few steps away from the local farmers market in Silver Spring on Saturday morning, when I decided to stop for a promo girl waiving at me. She was from relayfoods.com, a site that sells local products that can be picked-up or delivered.
As a foodie, I was very excited about this, thinking I would find both local produce and awesome local spreads. I was right! The local produce is, as always, doubley special because it's local, but kinda triple-ly special because you can get local delivered to your door. You can get sufficient ingredients elsewhere, but I suggest buying one or two special ingredients from here. They also have bountyboxes and recipe kits.
I ordered Red Raspberry Jam, Regenald's Homemade Apple Cinnamon Peanut Butter,Bourbon Pecan Peanut Butter, local pears, Asian pears, asparagus and sweet potatoes. I have so excited when I went to pick them up in Tackoma Park because the whole downtown area, in addition to what I was doing felt very Obie. Even more nostalgic was the kind of people i encountered handing out the food, the glass milk cartons we always got at the co-op and the free veggies that they had.I got free ginger. I gotta do something with that. Maybe I can do a ginger cookbook so my slogan will be, and I can make-up T-shirts saying, FREE GINGER! Kinda already works. Promoting sharing recipes, spice use, medicinal uses, and the abundance thing.
I ordered Red Raspberry Jam, Regenald's Homemade Apple Cinnamon Peanut Butter,Bourbon Pecan Peanut Butter, local pears, Asian pears, asparagus and sweet potatoes. I have so excited when I went to pick them up in Tackoma Park because the whole downtown area, in addition to what I was doing felt very Obie. Even more nostalgic was the kind of people i encountered handing out the food, the glass milk cartons we always got at the co-op and the free veggies that they had.I got free ginger. I gotta do something with that. Maybe I can do a ginger cookbook so my slogan will be, and I can make-up T-shirts saying, FREE GINGER! Kinda already works. Promoting sharing recipes, spice use, medicinal uses, and the abundance thing.
04 November 2013
Bobby's Burger Palace
Bobby's burger Palace is a new establishment in Westfield Shopping Town- Montgomery. The first thing I noticed was the decor, which was kinda cool really. Long tables in the front and wavy ones in the back (if you walk in from outside.) I'm not sure what I think about the visible kitchen feature.
So, I got in line and no one was there because it was three. Still one of the cashiers seemed to be talking to her friend. The other one called me over, I ordered and sat down.
Pistachio milkshake: good. burger: good, very filling. I had Bobby's Blue, the Bacon and Blue cheese. Presented well, but I didn't like all the sesame seeds on the bun.
Here's the thing: didn't like the sweet potato fries. However, I didn't eat the dipping sauce. Sweet fries are hard to make because you really need to make them taste like sweet potato. I promote Kraze burger and a burger joint in Georgetown I forget the name of. But they have pink sauce.
Service was ok. If you want to go, it might actually be really worthwhile in a month when they get their liquor license. It is entirely possible that the alcoholic milkshakes could be to die for.
I'm a gastrovist
I recently got a job building digital anthologies for BiblioBoard. We're working on an Archives of the World project and I decided to create a culinary collection. It is still a work-in-progress of course, but I''m excited.
You really should've seen me nerd out the other night when I found cookbooks from the late 1800's and early 1900's. I was giddy about archaic spellings, hand painted covers and wondering how and when the format of cookbooks went from recipes in paragraphs to a scientific procedure. It seems the writers of turn of the century cookbooks expected you to know something, and figure it out if you didn't. Cookbooks today have lists of ingredients and step-by-step instructions hmmmmm.....
It is imperative to document how different cultures have interacted with food over the years. We must preserve, and we must teach our children to preserve, for there is no way to have a historical party without preparing the food they ate. Right? Right.
The best way to learn some of these traditions is through primary sources. For example, The New York Public Library has a digital database of its city's menus throughout the centuries. This effort parallels other efforts I have recently seen of community involvement in archives. These types of projects rely on volunteers to transcribe text from hand-written or typed recipes or menus into a more legible format.
You really should've seen me nerd out the other night when I found cookbooks from the late 1800's and early 1900's. I was giddy about archaic spellings, hand painted covers and wondering how and when the format of cookbooks went from recipes in paragraphs to a scientific procedure. It seems the writers of turn of the century cookbooks expected you to know something, and figure it out if you didn't. Cookbooks today have lists of ingredients and step-by-step instructions hmmmmm.....
There were also archaic measurements. About 10 minutes ago, my mom went silly about a archaic measurement in a New England cookbook: A Suggestion of white sugar.
So...I need to explore this further for I cannot believe the sheer amazingness of what is on my computer screen right now. If I believe what my eyes are perceiving, I am looking at a digitization project of mass extent. It is a digital archives of cookbooks- handwritten cookbooks- from 1760, the 1900, prob earlier. And this project-tagline"have you ever tried to read your great-grandmother's hand-written recipes'- is a project brought to you by the library of- no, not New York or Boston or Berkley- IOWA. IOWA. Well, there are geniuses all over! Hallelujah! Someone has their head on straight.
http://diyhistory.lib.uiowa.edu/transcribe/collections/show/7
Here are some old cocktail books:
http://goldenagebartending.com/library/
So...I need to explore this further for I cannot believe the sheer amazingness of what is on my computer screen right now. If I believe what my eyes are perceiving, I am looking at a digitization project of mass extent. It is a digital archives of cookbooks- handwritten cookbooks- from 1760, the 1900, prob earlier. And this project-tagline"have you ever tried to read your great-grandmother's hand-written recipes'- is a project brought to you by the library of- no, not New York or Boston or Berkley- IOWA. IOWA. Well, there are geniuses all over! Hallelujah! Someone has their head on straight.
http://diyhistory.lib.uiowa.edu/transcribe/collections/show/7
Here are some old cocktail books:
http://goldenagebartending.com/library/
It is imperative to document how different cultures have interacted with food over the years. We must preserve, and we must teach our children to preserve, for there is no way to have a historical party without preparing the food they ate. Right? Right.
The best way to learn some of these traditions is through primary sources. For example, The New York Public Library has a digital database of its city's menus throughout the centuries. This effort parallels other efforts I have recently seen of community involvement in archives. These types of projects rely on volunteers to transcribe text from hand-written or typed recipes or menus into a more legible format.
Christmas presents!
I was seriously interested in canning for about a week. I still am somewhat, but I shouldn't start projects I don't finish. I still have a guitar I never played. Luckily my mom already had the SLR, but not the accessories. Through if it has to do with culinary, it might stick.
So, when I ordered my Ball jars, I'm sure my roommates rolled their eyes. BUT, never fear because I decided on a not-so daunting task. While talking about frugality with a friend, I decided I was just going to candy nuts for Christmas. That idea has been paired with something else:
A few days ago I went to buy some drinks. I got the stuff I wanted, but I thought I'd better use the vanilla vodka for more than one cocktail. I had apple schnapps at home, so...apple and vanilla..apple and..apple pie? But, I needed spice! I went to the local barkeep to learn how to infuse the vodka. He brought forth information that had been swimming in the further recesses of my brain and taught me some stuff I didn't know. So, I'm infusing vanilla vodka with cinnamon and nutmeg. It'll take two weeks, and then I'll mix with apple schnapps and apple cider.
The combo of these ideas lead to my resolve to candy nuts and infuse vodka for all my friends. I urge you to do the same.
Right now I am working from two candied nut recipes to candy walnuts, almonds and pecans. For almonds there's Cinnamon Roasted ones from Barbara Bakes (my original title of course) and of Pecans and walnuts Taste of Home. Now, the almonds are fine as is, but the pecans ans walnuts are going to be a bit sticky and if your gonna give them as presents, you should take them off the sheet, while their still hot, and toss them in some brown sugar. If you do wanna leave them alone on the first run, they're good for salads.
On the vodka front, I have made the nutmeg-cinnamon vodka and some Georgia vodka. Neither of these took two weeks.
(I've been reading Kitchen Confidential and thanks to watching No Reservation marathons, I hear Tony while I'm reading as well as while I'm writing this post.
So, when I ordered my Ball jars, I'm sure my roommates rolled their eyes. BUT, never fear because I decided on a not-so daunting task. While talking about frugality with a friend, I decided I was just going to candy nuts for Christmas. That idea has been paired with something else:
A few days ago I went to buy some drinks. I got the stuff I wanted, but I thought I'd better use the vanilla vodka for more than one cocktail. I had apple schnapps at home, so...apple and vanilla..apple and..apple pie? But, I needed spice! I went to the local barkeep to learn how to infuse the vodka. He brought forth information that had been swimming in the further recesses of my brain and taught me some stuff I didn't know. So, I'm infusing vanilla vodka with cinnamon and nutmeg. It'll take two weeks, and then I'll mix with apple schnapps and apple cider.
The combo of these ideas lead to my resolve to candy nuts and infuse vodka for all my friends. I urge you to do the same.
Right now I am working from two candied nut recipes to candy walnuts, almonds and pecans. For almonds there's Cinnamon Roasted ones from Barbara Bakes (my original title of course) and of Pecans and walnuts Taste of Home. Now, the almonds are fine as is, but the pecans ans walnuts are going to be a bit sticky and if your gonna give them as presents, you should take them off the sheet, while their still hot, and toss them in some brown sugar. If you do wanna leave them alone on the first run, they're good for salads.
On the vodka front, I have made the nutmeg-cinnamon vodka and some Georgia vodka. Neither of these took two weeks.
(I've been reading Kitchen Confidential and thanks to watching No Reservation marathons, I hear Tony while I'm reading as well as while I'm writing this post.
Ti amo tony, anch'io ho trovato che una vita felice รจ piena di manipolare carne, formaggi e alcolici. Manipolarla al massimo!)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)