eGfoodblog: markemorse

[markemorse]

Must....back...away...from the...kaya....

Man, addictive stuff.

We're thinking about hiding it (you know, I mean, from ourselves)....

Edited August 2, 2007 by markemorse (log)

[markemorse]

So, good morning again. I'll explain why there haven't been many breakfast photos in a moment...

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This morning when I re-woke up, I had to dash to the post office. This is a pretty daily occurrence for me b/c of our business (which I'll eventually describe). It's normally no trouble at all b/c there's a post office on the next block, but they're closed for renovations this summer. Boo. So I had to bike over to the Haarlemmerstraat again...I snapped some fotos during the ride:

The canal at the end of our block, the Singelgracht:

The canal behind the Haarlemmerplein:

Then back down the Marnixstraat:

ETA: Note the conspicuous lack of people in these photographs. Summer vacation, I tell you.

Edited August 1, 2007 by markemorse (log)

[Ktepi]

Kaya sounds a lot like this coconut jam I bought at a Filipino market -- it doesn't have eggs, though, and seems to be just coconut milk and sugar cooked down until thick and caramel-like. It doesn't spread well unless warmed, so I tend to add it to coffee and tea -- it thickens them the same way cream does.

[Shelby]

Mark, your fish looks so good. I'm absolutely starving to death. When are they going to invent "reach through your computer" dining?

[markemorse]

Also, the rind on the sugar might be dried palm or banana leaves. It's not wood, I don't think.

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This is what Mara thought too (banana leaves), so I'm guessing that's the case.

[markemorse]

Kaya sounds a lot like this coconut jam I bought at a Filipino market -- it doesn't have eggs, though, and seems to be just coconut milk and sugar cooked down until thick and caramel-like.  It doesn't spread well unless warmed, so I tend to add it to coffee and tea -- it thickens them the same way cream does.

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The kaya does spread really well, here's some texture shots:

Yes, that is a fingerswirlprint in the top photo.

[markemorse]

I keep forgetting to post a picture of last night's dessert. Does anyone (or everyone) know what this is? I know there was a big eG post about it somewhere but I can't find it at the moment....

Edited August 1, 2007 by markemorse (log)

[markemorse]

So, today's eating. Something I've realized as a result of this blog is that...I don't eat normal breakfasts much anymore. Sometimes on weekends, but mostly I end up standing around (I know, bad habit) either eating last night's leftovers (because they're good), or some kind of grain like quinoa or bulgur or oatmeal if it's going to be a long day and I need some stamina to go with my caffeine.

This morning, up for no reason at 6am, breakfast was me standing contemplatively at the island, eating leftover fried catfish without the butter sauce, cold, Heinz ketchup was the condiment. I really prefer most leftovers cold, I have no idea what the science or psychology behind this is. It could be that it's almost like a completely different version of the same dish, and my restless tastebuds are relentlessly craving as much diversity as they can find. It could be that we don't have a microwave. I just don't know. No, it's not the microwave thing...I ate like this back when we had a microwave.

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My second breakfast at around 11am was a couple of fingerswirls of kaya and two cups of coffee, but it happened to overlap with Mara's lunch so I had a taste of that as well...

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ETA: breakfast chronology adjusted.

Edited August 1, 2007 by markemorse (log)

[Abra]

Spekkoek, yum! Several of us have made it at home, but mine sure wasn't as beautiful as the one you had.

[markemorse]

These are mandu, Korean dumplings. We used to eat these...not constantly, but far too often when we lived near Chinatown...and consequently we burned ourselves out on them a little bit. These are our first ones in probably 3 months.

They're vegetarian, the ingredients are wheat flour, tofu, vermicelli, leek, cabbage, soy protein, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, salt, ginger, and pepper. They're really delicious, and you'd never in a million years think they were vegetarian (if you've got friends or relatives who are suspicious of this kind of thing).

We steam them and serve them in what might be a pretty un-Korean style I think, more like Japanese gyoza, with furikake and togarashi sprinkled on top and soy sauce for dipping:

Edited August 1, 2007 by markemorse (log)

[Margo]

Jo3n:

Such pensive fuzz bombs. We'll check out their grownup pictures after lunch.

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The "3" is silent, right?

So cute.

Mark, this blog is fantastic. I had Chufi's just before my first trip to A'dam in June, and now yours right after. So much I missed, so many reasons to return!

[Chufi]

I keep forgetting to post a picture of last night's dessert. Does anyone (or everyone) know what this is? I know there was a big eG post about it somewhere but I can't find it at the moment....

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spekkoek indeed... the thread about the mysterious origins of spekkoek is here

Edited August 1, 2007 by Chufi (log)

[markemorse]

spekkoek indeed... the thread about the mysetrious origins of spekkoek is here

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Thanks a bunch, Chufi...in fact, that thread is so thorough that I'm going to let it do the explaining for me.

[markemorse]

The "3" is silent, right? 

So cute.

The "3" is indeed silent, unless she's been a bad kitty and you're looking for her so she can explain her actions...as in, "J-o-3-n? Where are you, bad kitty?"

Sorry about the post-visit blog timing...at least you'll have a to-do list for next time!

Edited August 1, 2007 by markemorse (log)

[Domestic Goddess]

Here's what I brought back from Tampopo...this stuff was not expensive at all, I was out of there for less than 5 bucks I think...

Coconut vinegar:

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Hey, that's Filipino vinegar!!! Cool. It basically says coconut vinegar in Tagalog.

I didn't know that korean "mandu" (dumplings) reach that far. I really like the fried ones with the mushrooms.

Edited August 1, 2007 by Domestic Goddess (log)

[markemorse]

Hey, that's Filipino vinegar!!! Cool. It basically says coconut vinegar in Tagalog.

I didn't know that korean "mandu" (dumplings) reach that far. I really like the fried ones with the mushrooms.

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Hey Doddie, the vinegar was outrageously great with the shrimp last night. But what do you normally do with it?

[MarketStEl]

I'm trying to get off my BBQ soapbox from last week, but let me know if you want me to send you something better from Kansas City.

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Thanks for the sweet offer...I'll be talking about BBQ eventually/hopefully this week, at which point we can dust off our soapboxes and determine exactly what should be in my (and my mom's) refrigerators...cool?

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Here's my soapbox:

If Coke can sue Coke Zero for "taste infringement," can we sue Rich Davis for "defamation of character"?

[markemorse]

Speaking of last night's shrimpies, I used one other top secret killer ingredient in there:

Anyone know what this is? You could sprinkle this over rocks and people would ask for seconds, it's that good.

Hint: it's got an Indonesian name and you can find it in 98% of regular old grocery stores here in Amsterdam.

Edited August 1, 2007 by markemorse (log)

[Kent Wang]

I'm still interested in what it is that brings you to Amsterdam. I spent ten days in The Netherlands a few years ago and would love to live there just for a few years.

One of the most memorable shops for me was a patisserie in Den Haag called Jarreau. They have some terrific marzipan treats.

Are there any very traditional Chinese restaurants in The Netherlands? Can one find dim sum?

[markemorse]

I'm still interested in what it is that brings you to Amsterdam. I spent ten days in The Netherlands a few years ago and would love to live there just for a few years.

One of the most memorable shops for me was a patisserie in Den Haag called Jarreau. They have some terrific marzipan treats.

Are there any very traditional Chinese restaurants in The Netherlands? Can one find dim sum?

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Hey Kent, thanks for asking about our motivations for being here...if it's OK, I think I'll answer this tomorrow after Mara has her tooth root thingie (apicoectomy, but we're referring to it as "tooth root thingie" b/c it sounds less scary)...hopefully she'll be enjoying a drug-induced convalescent sleep and I"ll use that time to concentrate on some of the more explanatory pieces of this week's content.

About the traditional Chinese....I had so much planned for this week! As part of my "tracing the development of the Indische kitchen" I was going to start in Chinatown at the oldest Chinese restaurant in town, where the first Chinese immigrants set up shop....

...but pesky ol' reality has intervened in a couple different ways, and fkn ImageGullet, man...it's just wicked cumbersome. So, I've scaled back my plans a bit. I will try very hard to get over to Chinatown and the Zeedijk and get some grub on. Yes, you can find dim sum quite easily, don't know if I'll have time for that though...

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So, right. Tonight is Mara's last night of solid food for a week or so, so we're trying to make sure she gets to eat something niiiice. It's SUCH bad timing for prescribed bed rest, though, because all manner of unique and fun things are going on this weekend and the weather is supposed to be gorgeous. Let's hope that the aftermath is not totally debilitating...it would really suck to be inside all weekend. For her, I mean. I'll be out doing fun and unique things, enjoying the blazing summer sun...

...unless of course Nurse Morse is needed at home.

Edited August 2, 2007 by markemorse (log)

[Domestic Goddess]

Mark, that vinegar is an absolute essential ingredient for making Filipino adobo. You just have to use the 1:3 ratio ( 1 part soy sauce to 3 parts vinegar). Use this in conjuction with bay leaves, minced garlic and cracked black pepper on any meat (pork, chicken or beef). Marinate for at least an hour and then simmer in the marinade + 1 cup of water (more for tougher meat like pork or beef). Simmer until tender, drain, fry in some oil and then put back in the boiled marinade and simmer until sauce is reduced. Voila! You got adobo!

Another essential role of cane vinegar is for dips. Take 3 tablespoons of cane vinegar, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon of minced onion and some ground pepper. Wonderful dip for barbecued meats and veggies.

Oh, another great marinade for cane vinegar is for beef tapa. Marinate thin slices of beef in some cane vinegar, soy sauce, minced garlic overnight and next day drain and fry with onion slices. Heaven on fried rice!

Hope that helps.

Edited August 1, 2007 by Domestic Goddess (log)

[markemorse]

I'm trying to get off my BBQ soapbox from last week, but let me know if you want me to send you something better from Kansas City.

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Thanks for the sweet offer...I'll be talking about BBQ eventually/hopefully this week, at which point we can dust off our soapboxes and determine exactly what should be in my (and my mom's) refrigerators...cool?

←

Here's my soapbox:

If Coke can sue Coke Zero for "taste infringement," can we sue Rich Davis for "defamation of character"?

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Nice one Sandy...KC Masterpiece is truly barely even BBQ sauce at this point. Regarding HFCS: Taste issues aside, I am now an annoyingly unstoppable (as in, I wish I could just not do it) label reader since back in 2001 the historically perfectly healthy Mara had a couple of very unpleasant diseases in a row (both totally unrelated to current flukish tooth root trouble: Guillain-Barré and hypothyroidism) and we got very serious about our diets. That has thankfully passed, and last year finally marked a full return to an hypothetically unrestricted diet, but food and nutrition became so much of a necessary obsession that I think we'll never eat as carefree-ly as we used to again, as tragic as that is.

I had a Coke this year, my first in a long time. And I had a Pepsi last month because I didn't feel like spending 4 bucks on flat Heineken at the Slint reunion show. And sometimes we just have to taste the newest Pringle or Dorito flavor to see what the labs have come up with...I'd love to know how large the focus groups are that they test some of these ideas with...maybe we'll look at some European Doritos flavors tonight.

Edited August 2, 2007 by markemorse (log)

[markemorse]

Mark, that vinegar is an absolute essential ingredient for making Filipino adobo. You just have to use the 1:3 ratio ( 1 part soy sauce to 3 parts vinegar). Use this in conjuction with bay leaves, minced garlic and cracked black pepper on any meat (pork, chicken or beef). Marinate for at least an hour and then simmer in the marinade + 1 cup of water (more for tougher meat like pork or beef). Simmer until tender, drain, fry in some oil and then put back in the boiled marinade and simmer until sauce is reduced. Voila! You got adobo!

Another essential role of cane vinegar is for dips. Take 3 tablespoons of cane vinegar, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon of minced onion and some ground pepper. Wonderful dip for barbecued meats and veggies.

Oh, another great marinade for cane vinegar is for beef tapa. Marinate thin slices of beef in some cane vinegar, soy sauce, minced garlic overnight and next day drain and fry with onion slices. Heaven on fried rice!

Hope that helps.

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Goodness me, that all sounds great. I'm this close (finger and thumb pressed together) to making the chicken tonight with some boobs that need using (!), but I've also got these vegetables sitting around whose time is nigh...we just can't decide what we're doing tonight. Mara has requested "a dessert with bananas". That's all we have to go on.

Edited August 1, 2007 by markemorse (log)

[markemorse]

Speaking of last night's shrimpies, I used one other top secret killer ingredient in there:

Anyone know what this is? You could sprinkle this over rocks and people would ask for seconds, it's that good.

Hint: it's got an Indonesian name and you can find it in 98% of regular old grocery stores here in Amsterdam.

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Nobody knows the mystery ingredient? I would say that I'd send some to the first person who guessed it, but if you can guess it, you probably already have access to it and therefore wouldn't be too too excited about receiving some from me. It's a bit of a dilemma.

[Kouign Aman]

I'll take one for the team and start the guessing (wildly and randomly):

It looks kinda like ground dried shrimp and peanuts.

I have no idea if such a mix exists in reality.

G-B: yikes! Im glad to hear Mara is recovered.

I like baked flambeed bananas, from some carribean cookbook years ago.

Bake 'naners in their skins.

peel, serve with sauce of brown sugar, lime juice, butter and all-spice, with rum.