Falling Back on Island Time

[Anna N]

Here's a pic of a type of rice noodle that works well with a simple soak in hot/was-boiling water.  They're the same brand, really, just bought at different times and have slightly different packagings.

 

DSCN2837a_800.jpg

 

Again, they don't soften properly if not allowed to soak by themselves with sufficient hot water in a bowl.

 

Another brand which I like and which performs similarly is this one, which I do not have in my pantry at the moment.

 

 

 

Here's a pic of those very thin "rice vermicelli" noodles I thought might work in that one-small-pot composition:

 

DSCN2841a_800.jpg

 

 

Here's a pic of those very thin Fuzhou-type wheat noodles I talked about:

 

DSCN2844a_800.jpg

 

These are brittle.  They will break into pieces if one tried to bend them into a small bowl.  You could have them "in the same bag" as the rest of the stuff in a glass tub then fold them into the tub as you add the hot/boiling water.

Thank you very much indeed for this information on noodles to try. At the moment I am far, far away from any likelihood of finding them but when we return home I will make a point of seeking them out.

 

[Anna N]

They smell damn good too!

Yes I was tortured all evening by this enticing smell but thought better of tasting them while still paying for my night of one cocktail too many! Today I will be sampling them. They sparkle like Christmas.

[Kerry Beal]

http://www.thewasabistore.com/wasabi-plant-starts/

Taking it off the windowsill near the sink and moving it near the laundry sink where it's darker but still close to running water.  

[Kerry Beal]

While we were up here this summer I put together a jug of Vin de Noix.  It's had a couple of months to macerate - so today it's time to strain it and get it bottled for gifting purposes.

 

 

The first strain through a fine mesh strainer.  

 

 

Filtering through a couple of layers of coffee filters - note to self - liberate a couple of much bigger coffee filters from somewhere.  

 

Managed to get all the crap out of the macerating jug.  Bit of a challenge.  

 

 

[Anna N]

So I am back. Sort of. My cooking Mojo, however, seems to have gone the way of the dodo bird.

First, I did eat breakfast yesterday morning.

Fried Polish sausage, egg and toast.

I have been tending to my starter with the faithfulness of a mother hen. However, it seems only just this side of moribund:

We were given some more plums but upon arrival they had already become somewhat wrinkly. Kerry suggested we make plum sauce with them. I found this recipe

http://eatingrichly.com/09/traditional-chinese-plum-sauce-from-scratch/

It seemed much like most of the other recipes for plum sauce so I proceeded to take the stones out of one and a half pounds of tiny plums.I added all the other ingredients and followed the instructions except for the addition of the cornstarch. I cooked it down a little to thicken it up rather than dulling the flavour with cornstarch. It has nothing whatever to recommend it. Both Kerry and I suspect that the fault lies with the plums.

Mid morning I enjoyed one of Kerry's spice cookies and it was every bit as good as it smelled.

For lunch today I had a noodle bowl that had never been near a fish!

[Kerry Beal]

 

Noodles for lunch for me too - fishy version.

 

 

[Anna N]

Kerry was called into work a while back and it is impossible to say when she might get home. She had expressed a wish to sear the meat on the little green egg but I felt I had to choose a time when going outside to do that would be less than ideal. It will get cold and dark ultimately. So I picked my time and seared it stovetop.

So the beef Tataki is ready and waiting, The oven is preheated ready for the vegetable and while I wait for her to arrive I am enjoying this

A glass of inexpensive white wine treated to methode rotuts.

[Shelby]

Wine.  Now you're talking my kind of drink

[Kerry Beal]

No wine for me sadly!

 

 

Another of these this afternoon - that pot of gold was within reach!

 

 

Anna's Roasted Cauliflower with Kimchi Cream.

 

 

Dinner!

 

[heidih]

Like the sound of that kimchi cream with the nicely roasted cauliflower. How was it made?

[Anna N]

Like the sound of that kimchi cream with the nicely roasted cauliflower. How was it made?

1/2 cup mayonnaise and 1/4 cup undrained kimchi whirled together in a food processor (I used the Thermomix because I could!) 10 times better than the sum of its parts.

Edited to say not mine but adapted from the book Vedge which calls for vegan mayo and vegan kimchi.

Edited October 11, 2014 by Anna N (log)

[chefmd]

Anna, thanks for Kimchi cream idea.  I have a little bit of kimchi stinking up refrigerator.  Will serve with leftover chicken tomorrow.  Following your adventures with healthy dose of jealousy.  

[FauxPas]

Have I missed the reason for the purchase of the Fuji apples? 

Edited October 11, 2014 by FauxPas (log)

[Kerry Beal]

Fuji apples went into the sofrito for the manufacture of the Ivan Ramen Ramen.  

[FauxPas]

Are you planning anything special for Cdn Thanksgiving? 

[Kerry Beal]

Are you planning anything special for Cdn Thanksgiving? 

We are going to a stranger's house to press cider - does that count?

[Deryn]

Yes, Kerry .. it DOES count. We can all be thankful that you finally found a cider press to use, and because the results of your efforts will no doubt be delicious. Sounds like a great way to spend any fall day - why not Thanksgiving? Have fun!

[FauxPas]

We are going to a stranger's house to press cider - does that count?

Definitely! It sounds like a most excellent plan and I look forward to photos and stories!   

 

Edited to add:  I really hope your weather is decent. The forecast I see for your area looks cool, but at least sunny for tomorrow. Here in southwestern BC, our forecast is basically:  Rain. More some days than others. 

Edited October 11, 2014 by FauxPas (log)

[Kerry Beal]

Headed off to Sudbury fairly early this morning - my call overnight was not too onerous so I had the energy.

 

Stopped at the Nairn Center truck stop "Jeremy's" to grab a few of their potato pancakes for the road.

 

[Kerry Beal]

Stops in Sudbury included LCBO (x2), Paris Natural Foods, Cas's Brewhouse, Homesense, a hydroponics store, Stop Restaurant Supply, My Thai Palace for lunch, Value Village and a couple of other thrift stores, followed by the Independent Grocer.  

 

A glance at the Costco parking lot this holiday weekend convinced us that we would be happy to spend more for less cheese at a regular grocery store to avoid the sheer number of people in there.  

 

Lunch -

 

 

Beer for Anna

 

 

My usual ginger tea 

 

 

Sticky rice with peanut sauce

 

 

Calamari of course

 

 

Beef Pad See Ew

 

 

Panang chicken curry

 

Our server was a young man who's vocabulary seemed to consist of 'awesome' as a response to anything we said.  

Edited October 11, 2014 by Kerry Beal (log)

[Shelby]

I don't get out much.  I've never seen a dish like that sticky rice.  It doesn't fall apart when you dip it or do you place it on your plate and use a fork pouring the sauce over it?

[Kerry Beal]

 

 

 

Tri2cook - you will be pleased to know that the little bottles of Carpano antica appear to be back in the LCBO! 

 

 

 

 

[Kerry Beal]

I don't get out much.  I've never seen a dish like that sticky rice.  It doesn't fall apart when you dip it or do you place it on your plate and use a fork pouring the sauce over it?

Nope - doesn't fall apart at all.  You can squish it into little balls and dip it in the peanut sauce.  

[Kerry Beal]

 

And now we are at home enjoying a Brother's Perryman with our new bottle of St Germain - in our new glasses.  

[FauxPas]

Wow, did you get those cookbooks at the Thrift Stores? The two I can see (Pastry and Vegetable of the Day) are recent publications and have very good reviews. 

 

I like the look of that Ontario heirloom garlic. And the Apple Chips made me laugh, not sure why. 

 

How long does it take to get from Little Current to Sudbury?