Fight 4 Taste

For five years I have been making Chinese dumplings that most restaurants could never duplicate, but I have been using store bought dumpling wrappers. The natural evolution of cooking demanded that I  make the wrappers from scratch.  My experience with dough is like years ago when I really wanted to cook, but had no idea how things fit together in the food world. It seems weird to be there again with dough. It’s so picky but precise. Today was the 2nd time in a week we used homemade wrappers. So another happy mistake happened. Market basket was out of ground pork so I had them bring up southern style pork ribs. This yielded some serious flavor on top of what was already happening.

I always have this time issue in the morning. I want to eat a healthy breakfast, but I don't have time to produce one. I was watching a couple on YouTube the other day cook Korean steamed eggs in the microwave. And wouldn't you know it, our very own Maangchi has a recipe posted for those eggs... So I had to try. This recipe was simple enough to put together. Two eggs, toasted sesame seeds, hot pepper flakes, third of a cup of water, tablespoon of soy sauce, into green onions chopped. Mix well and cook in the microwave for 5 minutes. I really enjoyed this, and it was easy to make. I do believe for my microwave the next time I do this recipe I might try 4 minutes, pull the dish out of the microwave, and see how the eggs are. By the texture of them on the top, I actually think that they were probably cooked a minute earlier and could have stopped right there.

Still really bombing on this blogging thing, and why? I kinda sort used to write, to quote Todd Rundgren, “so like the Naz used to do like heavy rock, then suddenly a light pretty ballad.” Yeah, so me and everyone else. Big deal right? So, yes, suffering complications, by which I mean I suck. Ok so getting over it here. Let’s use the blog for practical reasons, and then maybe, just maybe something really amazing might just happen. So, what’s practical? How about the fact that I have now cooked so many spectacular dishes but have failed to properly catalogue them. After a while I forget that I did try something or maybe I remember  that I cooked it, but cannot remember how. It is time to show, explain and tell it’s story.  January charging at me with ferocious speed and power. Staring down the barrel of another  winter, what else should I do, but make it memorable.

Still really bombing on this blogging thing, and why? I kinda sort used to write, to quote Todd Rundgren, “so like the Naz used to do like heavy rock, then suddenly a light pretty ballad.” Yeah, so me and everyone else. Big deal right? So, yes, suffering complications, by which I mean I suck. Ok so getting over it here. Let’s use the blog for practical reasons, and then maybe, just maybe something really amazing might just happen. So, what’s practical? How about the fact that I have now cooked so many spectacular dishes but have failed to properly catalogue them. After a while I forget that I did try something or maybe I remember  that I cooked it, but cannot remember how. It is time to show, explain and tell it’s story.  January charging at me with ferocious speed and power. Staring down the barrel of another  winter, what else should I do, but make it memorable.

Alison Steele the nightbird Alison I have made many friends in life. In fact a drill Sargent once told me that there is a lot of love in the world if you just st look for it. In the faces of people not yet met, sometimes there is a depth. I have always known that I see this depth. It's like being from a far away land and hearing someone speak your native language in a crowd. It stands out. I am pulled toward those that have struggled. Those to whom nothing has ever come easy. I see the struggle as a trophy. Owning this trophy myself, I feel I have license to say this. I never analyzed why I have the respect and admiration for those who have worked so much harder than the average person, but the poem that Alison reads here sheds some light on it. If only by their faces to me would equate to the person who has a normal life; in bed at 9, 8 hours of sleep, dinner at 5:30, bills paid, everything works, predictability, trivial focus...bleeeehhcckk! My crazed existence always finding me ...

Fragmentation of my existence continues. I feel that some of us are more fortunate than others. We are staggering around through life and we get our foot stuck in a crack in the trail. This happens because we are either nice people or we are inducted into some sort of servitude temporarily. Others made an unpredictable course change equivalent to suddenly jerking the steering wheel rail-ward on a long bridge. No matter what they did, when everything settles, somehow the pieces of who they are, are found to be more assembled than ever before. It was certainly this way for Julie Powel, the author of Julie and Julia. BTW. I have never seen a movie that was so NOT the book ever before like this, meaning, if you saw the movie, you have no clue. Read the book. Julie clearly hated her life. She worked in the wake of one of the biggest tragedies there ever was. Even worse she worked for the bureaucratic remediation of said tragedy. Her personal life was empty or at least she perceived it was. ...

Bulgogi with Rice Cakes Bulgogi, Korean beef Barbeque, is very versitile. Traditionally I have served it with Rice and lettuce wraps. This time I am trying Korean rice cakes. They are made from tubes of compressed rice, sliced on the axis. They soaked all those flavors. 3 Tbsp chopped garlic 3 Tbsp soy sauce 1 Tbsp sesame oil 2 Tbsp sugar 1 Tbsp honey 1  Asian pear  (I was out of them so I used a juicy Gala Apple) 1 Tbsp mirin 3 chopped green onions 1 tsp pepper