eG Foodblog: hillvalley - Back to normal eating.....

[hillvalley]

Kris, I forgot to ask before, how is Julia feeling?

Dinner was take out. Tom Yum soup from a restaurant that specializes in Asian noodle dishes (Oodles of Noodles).

I've also had a couple of Hoho's.

Edited January 8, 2004 by hillvalley (log)

[helenjp]

$40 worth of gift certificates to Starbucks. I don't know what to spend it on[/quote

Regift, yep, that's the Japanese approach. I often wonder if that's why some things come so sturdily packaged!

My sons' local (ordinary Japanese public) school houses the region's special-ed classroom. There are possibly more staff than students, but not many of either. It seems that special-ed is very narrowly defined -- some potential to learn, but not capable of learning at all in a regular classroom, because the relevant laws are interpreted to mean that everybody must receive "the same" education if at all possible.

I did some translation for one of the special-ed students, and found that they don't get the living skills help (at least, not officially) that the "ineducable retarded" kids get, (at separate facilities) even though most of them don't have good motor coordination. But the staff ratio is high, and they are very motivated, so they try to give their students what they need. Because of living conditions in Japan, (and because most of the kids have poor health) they try to get the kids outside and moving at school, and leave "indoor living" skills more to the parents.

Elementary teachers here eat in the classroom with their classes, the same cooked lunch that is served to the kids...they just get bigger servings!

[hillvalley]

I did some translation for one of the special-ed students, and found that they don't get the living skills help (at least, not officially) that the "ineducable retarded" kids get, (at separate facilities) even though most of them don't have good motor coordination.

Elementary teachers here eat in the classroom with their classes, the same cooked lunch that is served to the kids...they just get bigger servings!

For the sake of Japanese teachers, I hope your schools are better than my elementary school's. How are the lunches?

I (and a number of people I work with) have this fantasy of quitting our jobs and opening a catering company that specialized in bringing in lunch to teachers.

Do they really use the term "uneducable retardeds"?

[torakris]

Julia is doing fine, she had a very mild case of the mumps and was able to go back to school when it started up today.

Is eating popular in the regular schools (non special educatio) in the US?

I spent 12 years in private schools and we never ate outside of lunch but of course that was many years ago.......

Japanese school lunches are actually quite good, they usually have a day once or twice a year when the parents can go and taste them.

[torakris]

to get an idea about school lunches in Japan take a look at this thread:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showto...429&hl=kyushoku

[hillvalley]

Julia is doing fine, she had a very mild case of the mumps and was able to go back to school when it started up today.

Is eating popular in the regular schools (non special educatio) in the US?

I spent 12 years in private schools and we never ate outside of lunch but of course that was many years ago.......

Japanese school lunches are actually quite good, they usually have a day once or twice a year when the parents can go and taste them.

Congrats on getting the kids back in school!

I don't know what public elementary schools are like, but I can't imagine that they allowed eating whenever they wanted. I went to private school too, but in high school we were allowed to eat in class.

I figured the Japanese fed their children well. That's not a surprise. The teachers there must save a good amount of money if they have their lunch paid for. What about the administration and support staff? Do they get lunch too?

[hillvalley]

It is soooo cold out side. Unless it is snowing, and I'm talking school's closed and the world is stopping for a day or two (or nine like last year ), I hate the cold. Can't sleep so I made some chamomile tea. I am so sick of chamomile but it is all I seem to have. Must get new tea. Must get new tea. Must get new tea.

Forgot to mention, thanks to the Field Trip Gods, my Japanese feast has been moved up to tomorrow. I am very excited and spent the day teasing Eric that his snack was going to be seaweed. Eric would respond by pretending to gag and throw up all over my desk with a huge grin on his face. The kids are all bragging to the rest of our hallway that they like seaweed and sushi. They feel very grown up right now. It's an absolute riot! (Did I mention that I have a classroom full of drama kings and queens!)

The Japanese feast will include:

Seaweed

Rice Crackers with seaweed around them

Three types of oshinko (Japanese Pickles)

Gari (pickled ginger)

Tofu

Nori furikake (rice topping made of seaweed)

Soy sauce

Hard candy that tastes like cola and looks like a thin long cigarette (Don't think I'll mention that during my lesson)

Decided not to do raw fish. Some of the kids have delicate systems and it isn't worth the risk. I wanted to do udon (noodles) so they could slurp them, but I don't have the time to cook them.

[Pan]

Hillvalley, have you tried drinking peppermint tea when you can't sleep? Coincidentally, I just drank some chamomile tea, but I drink it to calm the stomach, whereas I drink peppermint tea for various reasons, including sometimes just for pleasure. It does help me when I'm overtired and want to either get up or mellow off and go to sleep.

[hillvalley]

Hillvalley, have you tried drinking peppermint tea when you can't sleep? Coincidentally, I just drank some chamomile tea, but I drink it to calm the stomach, whereas I drink peppermint tea for various reasons, including sometimes just for pleasure. It does help me when I'm overtired and want to either get up or mellow off and go to sleep.

I have all the chamomile around because of my stomach troubles, so I am trying to use it up. It's one of those things I buy because I think I am out of it, but when I get home I really have two boxes already!

Peppermint is one of my favorites. I drink it when I need a boost or to get myself going in the morning. My favorite tea is a rosehips blend I got at Takashamiya in NY a year ago that somehow I made last for 8 months! It was soft and delicate. Just a hint of sweet. The clincher though what the great pink color that appeared when you brewed it.

[Pan]

I drink a red tea every day: Hibiscus.

I happen to hate rose hips and find that they hurt my throat. Chacun a son gout.

Stay warm tonight!

[bloviatrix]

Since you stay away from caffeine, try the Celestial Seasoning Bengal Spice. It has black pepper in it which will make you warm, plus cinnamon, cardamon, and vanilla. It's a very good winter tea.

[curlywurlyfi]

Hi Hillvalley - weighing in with another tea suggestion - if you like the flavour, fennel tea is very soothing for tummies - drink warm not hot though (easier on the system).

Fi

[hillvalley]

Hi Hillvalley - weighing in with another tea suggestion - if you like the flavour, fennel tea is very soothing for tummies - drink warm not hot though (easier on the system).

Fi

Fennel tea? How interesting. Do you make it or is it something that you can buy?

[hillvalley]

Thanks to "No child left behind" paperwork I missed snack this morning so lunch was my first meal of the day. I had pork tamales from Whole Foods. Considering where they came from they weren't too bad.

While spending the morning at the computer I drank Swiss Miss French Vanilla hot chocolate with a little coffee in it. Yes, it was as bad as it sounds, but I haven't found a good instant hot chocolate mix that uses water. Does it even exist?

We ended the day a little early and gave the kids hot chocolate and animal cookies. Fabulous combination, especially when it is this cold outside.

We are getting a little snow tonight. Keep your fingers crossed for a two hour delay!

Edited January 8, 2004 by hillvalley (log)

[hillvalley]

Dinner tonight is one of my favorites. I stopped by a local Japanese market (Hinata) and picked up some sushi rice and ikura (salmon roe). I already had the nori (seaweed) and natto (fermented soy beans). I also am having a bowl of miso soup. Washing it all down will be a bottle of POM Wonderful, which I am trying after reading about here. (Yeah me, that was my first link on egullet!)

Here are two views of dinner

and

Counter clockwise, starting with the sushi rice, miso, instant dashi, ikura (salmon roe), nori(seaweed), natto (fermented soybeans), POM

Missing from the picture is the tube of wasabi I just realized I forgot to include, soy sauce and ponzu sauce I would have used if I wasn't out.

I use the nori to eat the rice, natto and ikura. Yummmm

Edited January 9, 2004 by hillvalley (log)

[suzilightning]

I have all the chamomile around because of my stomach troubles, so I am trying to use it up. It's one of those things I buy because I think I am out of it, but when I get home I really have two boxes already!

Peppermint is one of my favorites. I drink it when I need a boost or to get myself going in the morning. My favorite tea is a rosehips blend I got at Takashamiya in NY a year ago that somehow I made last for 8 months! It was soft and delicate. Just a hint of sweet. The clincher though what the great pink color that appeared when you brewed it.

hillvalley-

have you tried a basil infusion for your stomach? john's grandma always gave him this. she would rip up 4 or 5 basil leaves, put them in a cup, pour very hot not quite boiling water over them and steep for about 5 minutes. strain into another cup and add a bit of honey. it seems to work fairly well for him.

[hillvalley]

This is a little wierd. I started craving fresh basil last weekend. By Monday, the craving was strong enough to make me check out the fresh basil at Whole Foods.

Normally I would never think of looking for fresh basil in the middle of winter, but I also believe in feeding your body when it craves natural foods. (Anything you can cook without chemicals is a natural food. Spaghetti with a fresh tomato basil sauce is natural. Hoho's , sweet and sour gummy worms, cool ranch Doritos are not natural.)

Whole Food's basil had brown spots on it. I was going to check again on Saturday. Now I definately am. That sounds really good, even if it doesn't do my stomach any good.

Edited January 9, 2004 by hillvalley (log)

[JennyUptown]

I too have looked for basil lately (wanted to make pesto in my new Cuisanart). No luck.

I'm with you, hoping for snow. DC tends to shut down for anything more than an inch. As a Northerner, I think it's crazy, but as soon as I get done making fun of all of the wimps in DC, I begin enjoying the time indoors.

My dinner can't compete with yours. Chipotle.

Edited January 9, 2004 by JennyUptown (log)

[hillvalley]

I too have looked for basil lately (wanted to make pesto in my new Cuisanart). No luck.

I'm with you, hoping for snow. DC tends to shut down for anything more than an inch. As a Northerner, I think it's crazy, but as soon as I get done making fun of all of the wimps in DC, I begin enjoying the time indoors.

My dinner can't compete with yours. Chipotle.

I work at a local organic farmer's market and they would disown me if they knew I was even thinking about buying basil this time of year,

For those of you who do not know your nation's capitol that well, we are notorious for freaking out about snow. Schools have closed with just a threat of snow. It's great!

No Matchbox cheeseburgers? I am dying to try them.

[Pan]

Hi Hillvalley - weighing in with another tea suggestion - if you like the flavour, fennel tea is very soothing for tummies - drink warm not hot though (easier on the system).

Fi

Fennel tea? How interesting. Do you make it or is it something that you can buy?

Just boil some water with fennel seeds in it. You have to buy the fennel seeds if you don't have some around the house, but that's it.

[hillvalley]

Here's dinner!

[hillvalley]

No delay this morning. My drive took 5 times longer than it usually does, so I stopped at Starbucks and got a tall Vanilla Creme. Thought about getting a new tumbler, not that I need one, but they all have metal on them. How are you suppose to reheat your drink if there is metal on the container?

Snack today was popcorn again and goldfish. For those of you who haven't eaten goldfish in a while, they now come in colors. Everything is colored these days.

Lunch was a special treat. There was a cafe at the theater so I split a cheeseburger and a tandori chicken panini with my friend. I am not a big fan of Indian, so I wasn't thrilled with the pannini but the cheeseburger was great. Melted cheddar cheese, lettuce and onions.

[hillvalley]

Hi Hillvalley - weighing in with another tea suggestion - if you like the flavour, fennel tea is very soothing for tummies - drink warm not hot though (easier on the system).

Fi

Fennel tea? How interesting. Do you make it or is it something that you can buy?

Just boil some water with fennel seeds in it. You have to buy the fennel seeds if you don't have some around the house, but that's it.

I'll have to pick up some seeds this weekend.

Still no luck in the hunt for basil. I want to try it before the end of the blog, but it doesn't look like that will happen. This afternoon I tried the Eastern Market, but my produce guy, Mr. P, was out. I got a chicken from Mel, the chicken man to make soup with this weekend. Growing up my family did most of their shopping there. Mel, Mr. P and the woman who ran the bakery (I can't think of ther name) were regular parts of my life.

If you ever come to DC, visit on a weekend morning. It is the best way I know to spend a Saturday morning. Buy vegetables from the people who grew them, taste a piece of cheese at the cheese stand, find out how the Skins are doing from Mel. In the shadow of the country's Capitol is this amazing market that is the centerpiece of a neighborhod tourists never see. Rereading that I realize I have watched too many The Best Of on FTV (nothing else on now that A Cook's Tour is gone).

We now return you to your regularly scheduled blog.

[ronnie_suburban]

Yum! Last night's dinner looks great

Hmmm....I wonder what Mel thinks about the Joe Gibbs redux--betting he's thrilled.

=R=

[hillvalley]

I forgot to talk about the Pom.

Last night I had about 1/4 of the bottled. It tasted like very intense pure cranberry juice. It was fine, but not worth the money. I was dissappointed.

Tonight, it's a whole new story. Combine with some Vanilla Stoli and Sprite. The vanilla compliments the pomergranate beautifully. It would look great in a martini glass, if I had one.