easternsun
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Posts posted by easternsun
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I like the fact that CI has no paid advertising. I was going through the April Gourmet yesterday and the thing that stuck me the most was the adverts. I love that CI has none. I make something from CI at least twice a month. Current faves are the Soups & Stews Winter 2008 and the Best Recipes and Reviews 2008.
I love the Cream of Tomato soup recipe and the Chocolate Lava Cake recipe. Sorry no pics but I will try to capture some of my future CI experiments on film:)
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I have just returned from a weekend of gardening (and I have the blisters to prove it!) I am starting fresh on land that hasn't seen a rake or a hoe ...well, maybe ever! It is the Sunshine Coast so the land consists of rocks and blackberry bushes....and cedar trees and rocks and more blackberry....
I had a dump truck load of top soil delivered last week and now I dont know if I can afford to buy any plants!
I haven't actually planted anything yet.
I am still trying to figure out what to do with the blackberry bushes that are choking the life out of everything on the property. (They've already killed one rather tall alder 
) I am dead against the use of chemicals but every single person I talk to says the same thing - kill it with the strong stuff!I am looking for alternatives - anything! I will try it.
Is it odd that I am looking for ways to get rid of this mess when there is a big piece of blackberry pie sitting on my kitchen counter right now!
The other day I was at Home Depot and they were selling blackberry bushes......is this some kind of sick joke? Come on over! I will give you all you want for free~!
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Thanks! I will report back if we make it there.
I dont think I will be splurging for the private room!
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I am thinking of making reservations for a birthday dinner at Yew. I was wondering if anyone had been lately and what you thought of the place.
I tried to search the forums for Yew but didnt come up with anything. I am curious if it is "all that and a bag of chips" as some friends have mentioned.
Thanks.
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Wow. Thanks run2eat!
Brilliant links - I totally appreciate it!
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Thanks Karole!
So many wines so little time....we will probably still be in Naramata on the 1st - any suggestions for the weekend in Kelowna area?
Where does one look for all the info on the tastings and dinners like the above-mentioned Cedar Creek event?
Thanks again for the advice.
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Hi,
I am looking for advice on what to do during the wine festival. We already have accommodations but other than that - it is all up in the air.
I am meeting friends and would like to plan one decadent dinner - any suggestions? We will be based in Kelowna. Am I too late to book something spectacular?
I am really looking forward to it as I have spent the past year drinking BC wines...last summer a friend in Nelson asked me to find him a case of Dirty Laundry riesling. I did find it, and drink it and the rest is history!
I am learning a lot - slowly. My current faves are the Dirty Laundry, the Joie Noble Blend and Burrowing Owl's Pinot Gris.
Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
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Toast is a subject close to my heart.
Faves include:
Sourdough toast soliders with runny egg yolk
Pumpkin & rice loaf- double toasted, smeared with avocado and tahini
Whole wheat toast with melted sharp cheddar and a dash of L & P's W sauce...sometimes this one gets a tomato
Fluffy shoku pan (Japanese wonder bread) toasted with the butter on the toast in the oven toaster and thin layer of strawberry jam
Toast with kaya
Toast with half kaya and half nutella
But the winner is fresh baguettes lightly toasted with lots of butter and vegemite.
Guily admission: in uni, I ate toasted pumperknickel with cheese whiz almost every day for a year.
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Thanks for all the replies. I havent been able to post due to p/c problems.
I have become accumstomed to having guests in the kitchen when I cook.....all sorts of creatures including bats that swoop in from the open living space and garden. My husband hates bats because when he was 12 years old a bat flew in his mouth. How is that for an egullet story? I think they are kind of cute but then again I never had one in my mouth.
I bought a few cookbooks and have been experimenting a lot with Malaysian, Indian, Vietnamese and Indonesian cooking. The ingredients are available and cheap - it has been a great learning opportunity. I have mastered pho and think it makes a wonderful meal at anytime of the day. I have done quite a bit of Thai cooking as well.
Our friends showed up for a couple weeks and took turns being quite ill. They were just going for it and eating everything they saw. I nursed them both back to health with probiotic drinks and grapefruit seed. I swear by grapefruit seed extract as both were well within a day of taking three doses. Great stuff for killing stomach bugs. I gave it to heaps of people in India who were suffering with Dehli belly. If you dont know what I am talking about click here. Tastes horrid but it works.
I returned to Japan a few days ago to "open the new year" and see the rellies. We will head back to Bali mid-Jan. I am taking a full suitcase of food with me.
Just the basics: miso, shoyu, mirin, sake, nori, a 20 kg bag of rice........ -
Nakji
, What? You didnt try to fix his broken foot with a little tiny splint?? 
I bought a special sponge for the surfaces and wiped up leaving a bit of a soap film over everything and the ants do not like it. I watched them as they came up to the soapy areas and spun around like little bumper cars when they got too close. This is my new best defense.
I didnt have any lizard issues yesterday but I did get a big flying insect up the nose as I spun around from the sink to check the pasta in its last minutes on the stove. All I could think was - flying thing in nose but hey! the pasta will be overcooked if I dont drain it this instant! True dedication to al dente I tell you!
Arent used yughurt tubs the best? Mine are quickly becoming storage containers for just about everything. Would that be water buffalo yoghurt, btw? It says 100% bovine on the label. As opposed to what
?Peter
I think I will have to pass on the bleach . I just couldnt do it. I have decided that only lettuce needs to be washed in bottled water and the other veggies can be washed in regular water as long as I dry them off afterwards. Doubt there is any logic in that but we arent sick yet and I have been eating salads almost everyday.The idea that someone is spraying the chicken is, to me, disgusting and more ammunition in my arsenal against eating meat. Ahem...Not that there is anything wrong with it - says the girl who is up at 5 this morning because she had to play catch and release with a transyvannian mosquito who had infliltrated her mesh fortress and left welts over 40% of her body.
When I was in India there were some kind of tablets or something that you could soak the veggies in that would render all the bugs harmless and some of the backpacker places would advertise that they used this method to ensure safe salads and such...does anyone know what I am talking about?
Kira
This morning: a gecko in the coffee pot.Unfortunately, some dregs of coffee were still in there as well. I didn't see him until I dumped the pot out. His foot was broken or something, and is now dying a slow death in my sink as I try not to think about it too much.
Washed the coffee pot out and carried on, though. Nothing keeps me from my coffee!
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Great story! I am just keeping everything (except the garlic) in the fridge but I wont be surprised one day if I find someone/thing in there too. We arent out to eat bugs but these days when we find one in or near our food we just yell "protein!"
When I lived in India I devised this method of keeping food in my room - sealed things that hadnt been opened only, wrapped in cling wrap, in a plastic bag, in a plastic jar with a seal. It worked but what a lot of effort just so that I could have munchies in my room!
I think your point is so valid. Nothing can be done so just live with the critters in harmony as best I can. Great advice.
Pan, I dont suppose you have a good laksa recipe you can share with me do you?
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Hi Nakji
It is nice to know I am not the only one playing "keep the ants out"! I love the geckos although at least once a day I am startled by a little green lurker who darts out from behind the fridge, under the toaster, etc. I talk to them too
Today it was "Now I am just going to get some milk from the fridge so dont poo in the coffee!"I never used to like muesli but it is great for filling up our tummies when it is too hot to move, let alone make an omelette.
Expat prices *do* suck but there are so many self-catering tourists here willing to pay.....the shops are making a fortune I reckon. We have a supermarket that has what looks to be ok poultry and seafood but the beef scares me and I dont recognize any of the cuts.
Like you I am trying to learn the language as fast as possible. I already know how to say chicken breasts and chicken thighs! Today I had my first telephone conversation in Indonesian so I am quite proud of myself. I dont think it was grammatically correct but the other party seemed to understand what I was trying to say so I am looking at it as a success.
I do need to get on the front of a bike one of these days. I am terrified but I agree that it will make life a lot easier. I heard they are building a Carrefour close to where we live but who knows how long that will take. I like the idea of being able to shop in the local markets but sometimes a little recognition adds a whole lot of comfort doesnt it?
Good luck to you in Vietnam!
Kira
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Bless! Thanks so much for the reply.
We are in Kerobokan just outside Seminyak. I guess part of my hygiene issues are due to the fear of "Bali belly" and me being the one to give it to people!
I will take some cooking courses later this month and do a tour of the fish market in Jimbaran and the vegetable markets as well. Everything is so new and I havent got the language skills yet to make a friend who will show me the ropes. All in good time I guess!
I am going back for OShogatsu and you better believe I am coming back with a suitcase full of pots, utensils and possibly my Le Creuset grill pan (it weighs a lot!). I am paranoid about packing my knives though. I guess if they are in a suitcase full of cooking implements it wont seem odd to customs.
We only have a bike and Mr Eastern isnt up to riding in Denpasar yet. Youve been here so I think you know what I mean! Crazy crazy drivers
I have to keep reminding myself to cover everything when doing food prep. I gave Mr Eastern a glass of juice yesterday and watch him drink, then spit it back in the glass - becauase a lizard had time to poo in it between me pouring and him drinking! Oh the glamour of it all
Tonight I made Chicken Tikka Masala with Gobi (Cauliflower) Fry. I think the boys (husband and Muslim housemate) are going to be sick of chicken pretty soon. Tomorrow I am planning to use tempeh to make greek pitas.....cant have chicken everyday now can they?!
Kira
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Hello and greetings from Bali,
My husband and I have gone out on the limb of a coconut palm and moved ourselves to Bali in Indonesia. So far, things have been great! We have been keeping track of all our favourite restaurants and eats and I hope (if the wireless network gods bless me) to be able to share our findings with you all really soon.
The figurative honeymoon is over and it is time for me to start cooking again. Eating out, although cheaper than cheap, will quickly put us in the poor house if we are not careful. I have attempted three meals so far. A Japanese chicken curry, a chicken in cream sauce pasta and a Thai green curry (no I didn’t use chicken!!
) I used prawns. Our housemate is Muslim so I am trying to cook things that he can eat as well as things that I can do easily and quickly when it is hotter than Hades.
The kitchen I am in currently has no sharp knives, plastic plates and lots of Bintang beer mugs in various sizes. There is a wok and a tiny fry pan but that is about it. I have already purchased one big stock pot (to cook the pasta in) and that in itself was a bit of a challenge. I didn’t want to buy aluminum and with the exception of the copper bottomed beauty that I spent way to many Rupiah on, there wasn’t much of a selection. My housemate never cooked so the dishes (not the exquisite Bintang collection
) is leftover from the previous tenants (who left years ago!)My biggest concern here is that I don’t make everyone sick. How do I go about being hygienic other than the obvious nail brush and bottled water techniques? How do I keep the ants out of the kitchen?
I was deathly ill here six years ago. I spent four or five days on the floor of the bathroom with my head beside the toilet. I know, it isn’t a pretty picture - but I will paint it , to show you how much I don’t want to repeat that experience.
My other problem is that I don’t really like Indonesian food. I have always found it cheaper and easier to eat whatever the locals eat but I will put on 10 kilos fast if my diet is goreng this and goreng that everyday. I like fresh foood and I dont eat meat. I am happy to cook meat for the boys but I find myself surviving on rocket salads and poached eggs with the occasional bowl of muesli.
So kind folks, help a sister out! What should I do to ensure the safety of my diners? How do I choose veg that looks good on the outside and isn’t rotting or full of worms on the inside? Any suggestions for things I can prepare using local ingredients? Any suggestions at all?
I look forward to your responses.
Kira
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I drank Vodka O in Australia.
I am not much of a spirits drinker (anymore
) but I thought it was nice and smooth. I didnt really care that it was organic rather that it tasted good.I think I remember someone trying to convince me that if I drank organic vodka, I wouldnt get a hangover. I wasnt falling for it. Drink enough of anything and you'll feel it the next day
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I received a Sharp model oven/microwave combo as a wedding present five years ago. I would love to tell you the model number but it is packed in a box as I am mid-move.
I regularly roasted chickens, lamb and even turkey at Christmas. I found the trick was to measure the space from the baking tray to the top of the oven. Take a tape measure to the butcher and measure the height of your meat! It works. Also, I order turkey and duck from this meaty guy andhe is more than happy to measure the birds to ensure they fit the dimension of my oven.
I have had great successes with my oven except when it comes to baking....but that probably has more to do with my skills as a baker than the oven itself
If you have your heart set on a real oven - they do exist! I almost bought one last year but I couldnt figure out where I would put it! Join and keep your eyes peeled hereas ex-pats on their way out use this site quite a bit to unload their appliances before they head home.
The supermarket called Kohyo usually has roasting birds that fit nicely in ovens smaller than mine. Mind you, they cost about 2000 yen.
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my absolute summer fave...kakinoha-zushi is made with saba wrapped in persimmon leaves
there is a brief explanation here
every summer i go to yoshino in nara for the annual "boys suck" tour with my girlfriends...these pics are from last year! the green wrapped sushi in the top left corner are saba.
these babies are hand made by my best mates mom. they are so much better than store bought ones!
sorry this close up is a little blurry!
all the freshwater fish i can think of is either cooked or preserved - i cant remember ever seeing it eaten raw.
oh, btw, boys dont really suck, we just called it that
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I am a chiming in to say what a wonderful idea!
If I may add one suggestion: carry around cardamom pods in your pockets. I learned from an ayurvedic doc in India that they are great for quitting smoking. Just have a chew whenever you feel the urge to smoke.
Good luck!
Kira
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Hi folks,
Thanks for all the replies. Just for clarity, I live in Osaka and I am relocating to Cairns for six months and then joining my husband in Bali for a couple years...at least. Everything we own is going into storage - so all food must go!
I am donating the Japanesey food stuffs to the food bank but I am trying to use up the stuff that I think would be less appreciated/used.
I worked at a food bank every Christmas when I was growing up and I was always a little surprised at some of the tinned food that people would donate. I dont know if a bottle of fish sauce or six pack of non alcohol beer would go over so well. I am sticking to rice, etc.
Prasatrin,
Can I send you some sambar powder and mustard seed?
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Kaya? It's a sort of coconut jam that, on top of the coconut milk, requires quite a few eggs, sugar, and either pandan leaf juice/flavoring or caramelized sugar.
I have a huge jar of Kaya in the fridge....I am feeding my husband nutella and kaya on toast every morning until both are gone!
yum! I just love kaya...everyone needs to try it
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Savory risotto with coconut milk, crab, coriander and lime leaves.
This sounds lovely was kind of stock do you use? I just realized that I have a bunch of prawn shells in the freezer waiting to be made into stock. This could be a good way to use them up.
As for the quinoa - quinoa and mango salad with a curried yogurt dressing. This is one of Mr. gini's favorite dishes I make.I just found a recipe yesterday on Epicurious for this same thing! It sounds wonderful! I will let you know how it goes.
Can I have the olive oil? I'm running a little low.2005 was the year of food gifts and my MIL went to Italy two months after I had an Italian exchange student....my cup runneth over! I did a liver detox this week with grapefruit juice and olive oil. I drank that stuff down.
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Actually yellow curry (kaeng lueang) doesn't use coconut milk! Maybe you're thinking of kaeng karii, which also has a somewhat yellow color?
Go easy on the coconut milk though, have you ever read the nutritional information on the can? One serving (typically 1/3 of a can) has enough saturated fat for a week!
Austin
Austin, I make a prawn and green bean curry with yellow curry paste and coconut milk. I know it is not traditional but I really love the way it turns out. It is one of my favourite things to put in my mouth.
Thanks for thinking of my saturated fat intake levels....I am thinking that my husband and friends will be eating most of this stuff, so I will be ok
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I second tom kha gai, it will definitely make the coconut milk disappear fast.
This one goes on the list...I have enough "thai supplies" that I will be having a little dinner party. Anything I should keep in mind? Tips, tricks?
The Coastal Gardening Topic
in Western Canada: Cooking & Baking
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A goat you say? I'll do it! The bears eat the garbage and spread what they dont like across the yard
, the deer eat anything they like in the garden leaving it ravaged, the birds eat all my seeds - what is one more of nature's lovely creatures! 
I am in Secret Cove. Are you also somewhere on the 101?