A Broad Reference

This week WonderCon happens in San Francisco. Do I reveal my true geek self by telling you I'm prolly going tomorrow? Since I'm on a budget, I'll volunteer in exchange for a pass. It's the second largest comics convention on the West Coast (after Comic-Con International which happens in San Diego), I've been going for a several years, but can't claim the same pertinacity that long-time attendees avow. Ever the purview of adolescent boys and geeks, comics are going mainstream, and gaining acceptance as a valid art form the same way pulp fiction and noir fiction (hard boiled detective novels) are recognized as genres. Using terms like graphic novels and manga, comics are appreciated for their intersection of visual and literary art, often including multiple arcs in a lengthy and complex storyline.
I was lucky enough to catch the Coraline exhibit at the Cartoon Museum before it ended as well as the sneak preview of the Watchmen exhibit which will be premiering at WonderCon. For something interesting to do this weekend, I recommend both the Cartoon Museum and a trip into the world of comics WonderCon.

Posted by Misty at 08:21 AM | Permalink

Growing up in the Caribbean, the start of Lent (a christian forty-day-long liturgical period of abstemiousness and prayer before Easter, that represents the time Jesus spent in the desert) was a big deal. And because you're supposed to be giving up all things decadent (ie fasting and abstinence for more than a month!), the pancakes and partying were all out. Interestingly, online sources say that Carnival started in JA in 1990 (but since I left before then, my memories dispute that claim...) I just love a food festival, especially one that commemorates carousing and eating. So in honour of Carnival (Mardi Gras here in the USA) we celebrated Shrove Tuesday (aka Fat Tuesday) with pancakes and friends. Several people have asked "Why pancakes?" As near as I can make out, all animal products were proscribed during Lent, so it was a good way of using up all the eggs, milk and butter on hand (since they don't have as long a shelf life as say- cured meat)

The plan was to have a multi cultural mix of pancakes.

buckwheat blinis- tobiko & crème fraîche/mushroom & bacon duxelles

socca's (chick pea flour) kind of like pizza- with cheese and toppings

dessert crepes w/ fruit & chocolate and home made ice cream

I used a variation on Daniel Boloud's buckwheat blinis, and other online recipes so altering it that it is a vague approximation.

Buckwheat Blini with Tobiko roe and Crème Fraîche

Makes approximately 40 canapés

For the buckwheat blini:

* 2 large egg yolks
* 1 1/2 cups buckwheat flour
* 2 cups buttermilk
* 1/4 cup milk
* 2 large egg whites
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

extra-virgin olive oil

1) In a large bowl beat the yolk and milk, combine with buttermilk, whisk in dry ingredients but take care not to over beat (lumps are ok).

2) Beat egg whites with an electric mixer (start slowly) until the whites hold medium peaks. Fold into the buckwheat batter. Allow to rest 30-60 minutes. Any longer and batter will start to lose its volume...

3) Fill a plastic squeeze bottle with a ¼" opening with the batter.

4) Heat olive oil in a non-stick sauté pan over high heat. When very hot (the oil should smoke lightly), use the squeeze bottle to make as many 1½" circles of batter as possible in the pan. When the tops of the blini start to bubble and pop, (approx 2 mins) flip the pancakes over. They should be nicely browned. Cook for a minute on the second side just to brown lightly.

5) Stack in oven safe dish, till all the batter is cooked. When ready to serve, rewarm in the oven for 3 minutes.

To serve: 12 ounces tobiko & crème fraîche

Place a dollop of roe on a warm blini and garnish with a touch of crème fraîche and chives. Serve immediately.

**********************************
Socca pancakes- pizza style

* 2 cups chickpea (garbanzo bean) flour (about 8 ounces)
* 2 cups cold water
* 1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra for cooking
* 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
* 1 tsp oregano/thyme
* 1/2 tsp kosher salt
* 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Pre-heat oven to 375oF.

1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk until large lumps of flour are incorporated and mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes; do not overmix. Cover and rest in the refrigerator at least 1 hour.

2. Heat a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add about 1 teaspoon olive oil and swirl it around to coat the pan. Add 1/4 cup batter and quickly rotate the pan to spread evenly (so it’s thin like a crepe).

3. Cook about 3 minutes, or until socca is slightly brown on the edges. Run a spatula underneath to loosen socca from the pan, and remove from heat. Stack on parchment paper or on baking stray. Repeat with remaining batter.

4. Season with freshly ground black pepper cover with sauce, cheese and toppings, pop into oven for 10 minutes. slice and serve.

**********************************
Basic Crêpe Recipe

* 2 large eggs
* 1 cup flour
* 2 cups milk
* 1/8 teaspoon salt

1) In a large bowl beat the yolk and milk, whisk in dry ingredients until batter is smooth. Allow to rest at least 60 minutes (overnite is fine). Mix again before using as flour will settle.

2) Ladle 1/3 cup onto well buttered pan. Spread batter thinly and evenly in a round. Allow to cook till edges are crisp and bubbles are popping (approx 3 minutes) flip crepe over. It should be nicely browned yet delicate. Cook for a minute on the second side till just to lightly brown.

3) Fold in half and melt chocolate. Fold into quarters and serve with a dusting of powdered sugar or fruit and home made vanilla ice cream

Posted by Misty at 07:39 PM | Permalink

Today is Thinking Day, where all across the world girl scouts and guides remember each other. Most troops have something elaborate, but for retired/former members it's just a chance to reflect on an organization that provides so much. Participation builds character, independence, and allows girls to learn practical skills, engenders mutual respect for all, & civic responsibility. The social network is international and friendships are enduring. Sadly in the USA, I feel it has been co-opted by the religious conservatives twisting the precepts of scouting to reflect their bigoted views. I believe in the universal sisterhood of Girl Guides, and reject any idea of exclusion (be it religion, sexual orientation or any other reason for that matter). I was an enthusiastic member of Brownies, Girl Guides (=Scouts), and Rangers (=Eagle Scout), completing my Duke of Edinburgh award while I was at school in Cambridge.

I was fortunate to participate in the 5th Pan-American Jamboree hosted in Kingston, Jamaica in the summer of 1985, as the youngest Ranger to attend. Totally fun but exhausting. When I got home I slept 32 hours straight. Haha.

But thinking about the guy who started it all Baden-Powell, I conclude that the organization was encouraged because the British government wanted a quasi military trained pool of candidates that were inculcated early in their youth to the arts of camping, tracking, hunting and (ahem) spying; thus preparing the next generation of leaders, fighters and spooks.

I'm ambivalent about the idea of being part of a paramilitary organization (however remotely); I don't think I would choose it for my kids if I had any, since there are so many other (less controversial) options available now but I remember my time with fondness. Happy Thinking Day to all Girl Guides & Girl Scouts

Posted by Misty at 11:05 AM | Permalink

In the interest of saving money we are shopping at the local Asian supermarket- 99 Ranch in El Cerrito. It gets crowded there during the weekends and parking is fraught with danger (both unintentional bad driving plus tempers frayed over disputed territory). Still for the variety, and some of the best deals in town on Asian groceries, this is a surefire destination. Crowded aisles aside, the other advantage is the type/cuts of meats readily available at rock bottom prices. Here it is assumed that you want the gnarly bits like ears, tongue, tripe, feet, knuckles etc that make one's meals more interesting... When I saw the knuckles and shanks in the pork section, I was inspired to attempt my own version of roasted pork crackling in an homage to the RoliRoti knuckle I devoured at the SF Ferry Building Farmers market the other day.

The criteria were as follows- juicy and succulent meat, all connective tissue rendered into delicate filaments and surrounded by a layer of crunchy crackling with only a thin layer of fat to remind you of the happy pig. The meat should be flavorful and tender, loosely connected to the bone yet hold enough for slicing and chew to be satisfying (ie not pull apart pork).

Traditionally most recipes cook at 475oF/240oC to start and then finished at 375oF/190oC in around 2 hours (allowing about 35 minutes per pound/50 minutes per kg). Others were frustratingly vague "cook it at a moderate heat, loooooong and sloooooooow!" Still more required boiling water poured over to open the skin (Chinese roast duck is prepped this way), a few wanted oil rubbed into the skin, or both. This seemed a little fiddly to me (I mean pigs already have enough fat! Why add more?) and who wants to mess with vats of boiling water (I'd be sure to pour it on myself!). I'd also experienced some of those cardboard roasts and I knew I wanted a surefire recipe to a more succulent and tender meat. I turned again to online resources and found some BBQ sites devoted to getting the meat tender without losing flavor, they also agreed with long and slow. One common recommendation- wrapping the meat in foil to get the connective tissue to cook out. The suggested cooking temps ranged from 185-275 for 6-12 hours. I also found a site for Chinese style roast pork which included basting with lime/lemon juice or vinegar. Hmmm what does the acid do?

My first attempt was with the the knuckle sections which RoliRoti used (however mine were dressed for a long braise with deep slices all the way thru the meat and bone which may have affected the result). I salted the meat, rubbed some minced garlic and pepper all over, encased it in foil as instructed and cooked them at 275oF for about 3 hours. When I peeled back the foil, the pale grey meat was sitting in a generous pool of liquid- almost a good cup of stock & fat (which I saved). The connective tissue was limp, the meat juicy (if somewhat bland) and the skin limp and gelatinous. I parked the meat on a rack and tried raising the temp of the oven to 425oF to crisp the skin, but it became a hard shellacked layer akin to football leather with none of the requisite snap and was pronounced a failure :'^( More salt redeemed the meat, and I then removed the skin and popped it into toaster oven where it gained a little lift but was still densely chewy.

The tragedy of it all aside, many questions were raised that hinted towards an improvement in the methodology. What went wrong? The trapped steam produced from the meat had obviously affected the skin's ability to crisp. (How is that different from pouring boiling water over the skin? Maybe the length of time or the degree of saturation?) The fat rendered and the meat was the right texture, could I save the flavour? Maybe the sectional cuts prevented the meat from trapping the juices, allowing flavor to escape. The garlic was good but a little one dimensional. How could I get the salt inside the roast without turning it into a salt lick?

What can I say, it's not an easy thing to get both the meat and the crackling perfect. All hubris aside and future experiments still pending- I HAVE found the secret to the ethereal crunch of truly great crackling encasing moist and tender savory goodness.

Supplicants may apply for enlightenment:

On my second attempt I started with a section of shank from just below the shoulder (intact ie NOT cut for braising), scored the rind down thru the layer of fat almost to the meat; rubbed it all over with a mixture of ground spices and salt. I let the meat sit overnite (uncovered in the fridge), then allowed it to come to room temp. I pressed a few cloves into several corners of the scoring and lightly salted the 2 ends again before laying the meat side down on a lattice of rosemary. I pre-heated the oven to 475oF and cooked it for 30 minutes. Then I rotated the pan 180o and dropped the temp to 250oF and cooked it for another 2 1/2 hours, checking every so often and rotating the pan (@ 2 hours total cooking time the juices were still pooling red and the meat around the bone pink). At 3 hours the meat was starting to pull away from the bone, and the fat was rendering but the crackling was not puffing. I raised the temp back to 475oF and continued to cook for another 20 minutes (keep an eye out here you don't want it to burn). After which I removed the roast from the oven and allowed it to rest for an agonizing 20 minutes before carving. First batch was served in chunks with crackling attached. The meat was heavenly, and spices lifted the flavors to transcendental, the skin crispy, shattering with lightest pressure. YUM! Second batch was sliced thinly with crackling served on the side. Delicious. Of course at that point I was too busy eating to take more pics, so you have my apologies for the lack of photo documentation. I am content but not resting on my laurels. I will report other experiments as they progress.

Posted by Misty at 11:03 AM | Permalink

My friend Aaron emailed to say that "Beer Week is upon us!"
What he wanted me to know that is the Firestone Walker Brewery tasting dinner, was being cooked by a friend Sean Paxton... Eight beers 6 courses; Pricy, but promised to be very very good.

Sean's Site: http://homebrewchef.com/

A Night of Ales - SF Beer Week

The Twelfth Day of the Second Month, Two Thousand Nine

At The Peacock Lounge – Across the Street From Toronado

I met Aaron and Dana on the train, in that Mission Impossible clandestine trains passing in the night meeting (or is that trains colliding since I did connect?). We BART/MUNI'ed over, finally joining Mike in the lower Haight, just blocks from his place. We arrived so early that we were turned away to wait across the street at the Toronado, when we returned most of the tables had been filled and no complete six-tops were available. Luckily we managed to snag a couple of doubles at adjacent tables, but could not keep the whole party together- Arlyn and his wife joined another table across the room.
I tried using the flash, but it was blinding and felt intrusive since the lights were pretty low. So the pics are a little dark, my apologies.

Sean started off the evening by introducing the idea behind the meal- that all the flavors should somehow enhance or complement the beer being featured in each course. We started with an amuse bouche: some interesting "caviar"- essentially beer soaked tapioca pearls. Better on crackers with sour cream atop, but more hmmm than mmm. Good texture but lacking an intense flavor, altho there was a hint of beer.

First Course

Warm Prawn Salad

Pale 31 Marinated Prawns Mixed with Baby Arugula, Slow Roasted Roma Tomatoes, Hopped Quail Eggs,
Beer Soaked White Beans and Tossed in a Citrus Pale 31 Vinaigrette Made with Stonehouse Olio Nuovo Olive Oil

Pale 31 – American Style Pale Ale
Bronze Medal GABF 2008 – Gold Medal GABF 2007 - Silver Medal GABF 2003
Gold Medal WBC 2006 – Gold Medal WBC 2004 – Gold Medal RAF 2003

Just a fun way to start the dinner. The Pale 31 nose was perfumed elegantly bursting with sharp citrus and florally hop notes dancing across the palate. Each element of the salad changed the intensity of the beer on the tongue. The hopped quail eggs were so subtle that I had to cleanse my palate and try that seperately before I could appreciate the floral quality. The sharp baby arugula softened the hop bitterness and the malt rounded out the finish.

Second Course

Local Bits to Nosh On

Point Reyes - Reserve Blue Cheese, Rouge et Noir – Yellow Buck Camembert Cheese Cowgirl Creamery - Red Hawk,
Carbonated Grapefruit and Cara Cara Orange Segments Marinated in Union Jack
Malt and Hop Spiced Cashew Nuts roasted, drizzled w/ Union Jack Wort Honey
Homemade Malt Crackers

Union Jack - IPA
Gold Medal GABF 2008 - Gold Medal Beer Star 2008 - Silver Medal WBC 2008

I'm such a fan of our local cheeses. The blue was aged 18 months, to the point of that sharp bite yet retaining a creamy mouth feel. Red Hawk is possibly one of my favorites ever- a triple cream, washed rind, aged to perfection. A truly "stinky" cheese, just so tender and luscious. I've had the Camembert before and it is good but mine was slightly ammoniated. The nuts and crackers were little flavor bombs of hops and malt. I found the UJ wort infused honey drizzled everywhere a little too over the top. I would have preferred a small pool/streak to dip so I could taste the contrast; But the citrus was sparkling with effervescence and the acid added some clarity. The The hoppy IPA was intense separately but mellowed well against the cheeses.

Third Course

Union Barrel Smoked Sea Scallops

Unfortunately by this point I was so distracted by the dish that I neglected to snap a shot. You'll just have to picture 3 fat juicy crusted nuggets. Just amazing texture contraposed between inside and out. Complemented by the ambrosial Double Barrel Ale, which went down a treat. Interestingly it felt a little on the light side against the demi-glaze made from it, but was deep amber in colour with caramelly toasted notes. By this time I wasn't paying as much attention to the nuances of the beer, so I can only say wowow.

Cold Smoked Jumbo Sea Scallops, Seared and Served on a Roasted Fennel-Celery Root Purée with a DBA Demi-Glaze

100% Unfiltered Double Barrel Ale - English Style Pale Ale
Barrel Fermented &Served from Cask
Silver Medal GABF 2007 – Silver Medal WBC 2004 – Gold Medal WBC 2002
Gold Medal RAF 2003 (Champion English Style Cask Ale)

We were starting to feel very happy.

Fourth Course

Duck “Pastrami”

Beer and Spice Brined Petaluma Duck Breasts Cooked Sous Vide with DBA2 Spiked Coleslaw,
2000 Island Gastrique (duck tongue) and Artisanal Rye Crostini

Double-Double Barrel Ale – English Style Barley Wine
(First Public Release)

What an tremendous sleight of hand. It tasted just like a corned beef Reuben on rye with sauerkraut and mustard. Yet each component transcended the mundane to play together as an amazing symphony of characters. I was starting lose ground against the constant flow of nectar, and thus had the opportunity to taste the DBA against the Double DBA. I definitely felt the flavors were more forward in the Double Double (sounds like In-n-Out) but I liked the clarity and hops of the DBA rather than the more malty DDBA (too sweet for me). Plus the fact that it's so strong they have to call is a barley 'wine'.

Here's Dana demonstrating the magic. I'm happy too.

Intermezzo

So much fun to watch the steaming nitrogen as Sean stirred furiously. A sublime spoonful to clear the palate.

Fifth Course
Reserve Braised Veal Cheeks


Robust Porter Braised Veal Cheeks with Baby Fennel, Organic Maroon Carrots, Leeks,
Thyme and Bay Leaves, Served Over a Wort Polenta

Walker’s Reserve – Robust Porter

At this point in the meal, I was a little whelmed. Too much too much and yet so good, an exercise in pacing. Could I make it to the end? Sean is a huge fan of molecular gastronomy and cooked the veal sous vide style. So the cheeks were so meltingly tender as to be soft pillowy clouds with succulent morsels of veg over a nutty polenta. Ack the wort was a little strong for me and so I chose to skip the polenta in the interest of saving space for dessert. The porter was dark toffee, some chocolate spice and a bit of vanilla maltiness.

Sixth Course
Dessert Tasting

Velvet Merkin (very naughty) Chocolate Cake with Saucer full of Secrets Infused Ice Cream

& Chocolate Truffles Filled with XII Caramel and infused Cherries

Saucerful of Secrets – Belgian Strong Ale
Velvet Merkin – Oatmeal Stout
Gold Medal & 1st Place California State Fair 2008
Silver Medal GABF 2008
Bronze Medal WBC 2008

XII – Barrel Aged Strong Ale

The desserts were scrumdeliumptious and disappeared in about 3 seconds flat. The beers while all very good were the high gravity sweeter style. I find that I'm satisfied with just a little of each. The sweeter they were the less I could drink. Which was an unexpected surprise, although who knows what the outcome would be without the previous 5 courses and accompanying beers.

Altogether an exceptional evening of truly incredible beer and stupendous food. Thanks to Aaron and Dana for including me, and to Mike for a generous evening of fun and fine dining.

Cheers!

Posted by Misty at 01:48 PM | Permalink

In Taiwan the ubiquitous convenience stores on every corner all carry a black vat of Tea Leaf Eggs (cha ye dan). As I entered the small shop, the smell of these cooking away in the crockpot would hit like a wall, redolent of spices and soy sauce. I got in the habit of picking up a couple for breakfast or a snack on the way to school.

Tea Leaf Egg (Chá Yè Dàn)
8 eggs
1/2 C soy sauce (dark soy sauce makes for darker eggs)
2 Tbs black tea leaves or 2 black tea bags (no need for expensive tea, but I use Pu er or smoky Lapsang Souchong)
4 C water
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 piece dried orange peel
1 tsp whole black or sichuan pepper corns
2 cloves
1 slice of ginger
1 tsp brown sugar

if you don't have the above listed spices
2 Tbs Chinese 5 spice powder optional (can be substituted for other spices)

Combine ingredients in a crockpot and bring to a boil. Add eggs and adjust volume if necessary so liquid completely covers the eggs. Allow to sit on low for 15 minutes. Using the back of a spoon crack the eggshells slightly but do not peel them. Simmer on low for 3 hours, turning the eggs every so often.
The cracks leave a delicate tracery of crackly crazy web-like lines on the surface of the egg, while the spices perfume the creamy interior. Strain out tea and spices to store eggs in the tea-soy brew. The cooling stage in the fridge allows the flavors to intensify and permeate the eggs. They can be served warm or room temperature.

Hen hao chi

Posted by Misty at 06:43 PM | Permalink

Jenny and Coco were visiting from out of town and as SoCal girls, one of their top requests was a pilgrimage to the West Coast's burger Mecca: In-n-Out. The basic menu is fairly limited- ie burger, cheeseburger, double double (2 hamburger patties and 2 slices of cheese) and fries. Burgers come sandwiched in a bun with "spread" (Idaho fry sauce- kind of like thousand island dressing), lettuce, 1 or 2 slices of tomato, and optional onions (raw-default, grilled, extra/lite). Fries are fresh cut in-house, but to my taste a bit anemic. Drinks are standard fountain, plus choc, vanil & strawb shakes. Please notice my abbreviation indicates these flavors as artificial syrup approximations, altho deemed acceptable in the context of "fast food".

As the host, my responsibility was to do some sleuthing, pick a location conducive to the rest of the day's activities and optimize our selection to make the most of eating at a(n albeit famous and popular) fast food joint. Central to my research was In-n-Out's- secret menu. Many bold and hearty eaters have tried to fully investigate the bounds and limits of the not so closely guarded yet mysterious information. I mean how classified can it be if they have a page devoted to some of the options on their website? I didn't try all the combinations myself, rather relying on others for the goods. Well, as any epicurean is aware, not all data are created equal and the official website is somewhat lacking in completeness. The "known" options are served with with all the fixin's- standard bun, veg & sauce, with changes listed below
Double Meat- two meat patties (no cheese)
Grilled Cheese- just cheese (no meat) ask your veggie friends if they like this version?
Protein Style- no bun, wrapped in lettuce (Atkin's Homage)
Animal Style- extra pickles, extra fry sauce and grilled onions (burger is cooked in mustard) but can order fries this way also
3x3 AND 4x4 refers to # meat patties by # cheese slices
And thus ends the official word.

BUT what you should know- it is possible to order any amount and combination of meat and cheese, for example 2x4 is 2 meat by 4 cheese slices and also kind of punny. However you may have better luck if you order your 100x100 late at nite when no one else is waiting for food. And yes people have ordered these before just google it.

3x meat- 3 meat patties (no cheese) here again the secret is #by meat
The Flying Dutchman- 2 beef patties, 2 slices of cheese-no bun, no fixin's (another loCarb option, kind of like that Jack in the Box ad- But you'll get it all over your hands!)

Extra Toast- toasted bun (apparently they already toast the bun, but I can't tell so I always ask)
Fries Lite (undercooked) as previously stated, I find their fries anemic so I don't know why someone would order raw fries but hey it's a free country and people get to eat how they like. I did read an article on how raw potato was an appetite suppressant but I think you have to ingest several tons (and who wouldn't feel full after that?!).
Fries Well done- I always get them done extra so that at least they've got a bit of snap and crunch to them and aren't soggy. This also helps if you get them animal style, coz the sauce may cause wilting.

Chiles- chopped jalapenos for heat
extra fixin's- you can always ask for more at no extra charge
no salt- at your peril but you can add your own to taste later if needed
Shakes can be swirled 2 at a time or Neapolitan style.

We ordered a range of items, mixing/combining options to try and get a representative set. However we were limited more by our stomachs. I got Animal style double double burger, fries extra crispy & Neapolitan shake. Gwynie got protein style burger, animal style fries and soda (she said next time she'd get the burger Animal & Protein style with plain fries extra crispy). I forget exactly what Jenny and Coco got but all pronounced themselves stuffed and happy.

Then we went to Sports Basement to buy workout gear, which we needed after eating so much!

Posted by Misty at 03:24 PM | Permalink

I was at the SF Ferry building Farmers' Market several Saturdays ago, when I spotted to my great delite something which I would only expect to see in an Asian Nite Market context- Roasted Pork Knuckles with Perfect Crackling! There was a whole row of them slowly circling the RoliRoti Rack, calling my name. For a mere $7 you get a whole glistening and cracktastic knuckle. They very kindly packed it in a hot bag for me- as if I were going to travel great distances and perhaps share it? Where upon I whipped it out and proceeded to demolish it walking around the rest of the market.

I must have made it look so delicious, because I was stopped by no fewer than 7 people (mostly Asian) who wanted to know where I purchased it (non-Asians first wanted to know what it was- before determining source). One guy offered me $20 for it, I laughed and told him he could get 2 for $14 if he went to RoliRoti. Please note a true capitalist would have sold the one knuckle and gone back for more. But I couldn't risk going back and them being sold out, which is what happens frequently. As I passed by on my way out, there was a long line of people waiting paitiently- when Thomas announced that they were all out of knuckles.

They have a roast pork loin and their chicken is good too, but when given the crackling option you can guess which one I would choose. Here's a list of RoliRoti's catering line.

Posted by Misty at 04:46 PM | Permalink

Ok so the previous entry of 16 random things has quickly been superseded by 25 random things. Even if you come up with 45 more I'm stopping here. This exercise has been an interesting one. I was surprised at how much information people were willing to share. In that spirit, here are 9 more things you can add to my post.

1) One of the best things I ever did was take off the time to go learn Chinese in Taiwan, but I'm finding it hard to get a job now that I'm back. I hadn't realized how much of my sense of self is tied up in working. Maybe next adventure just a leave of absence!

2) I love my friends and family but seldom let those important people know it. I believe in created family and maintaining connections with people.

3) My Plan is to retire to Vancouver/Hong Kong/San Francisco depending on what my finances are like by then.

4) I love singing, but I wrestle with remembering lyrics and can only sing one or two words per line. I find karaoke tremendously fun even tho you'd prolly pay me to stop.

5) I hate that I'm extremely competitive and argumentative. It comes from having a brain that collects useless bits of trivia and a willingness to bet tacos against your factoids. I struggle with not having to be right, but am slowly learning that it's all relative anyway. Plus no one likes a "know-it -all" and I'd rather you were my friend.

6) I search for things to challenge myself and try not to let my fear hold me back from living life. What's wrong with me right now?

7) I have 11 categories for sorting laundry. When I go to laundromats the attendants always feel compelled to praise my technique. Apparently I'm one of the few who knows how to do laundry the "right way".

8) My twin sister is my best friend. But I consider other friends "best" as well. Is there a limit on how many best friends you can have? I don't think so.

9) I'm a dog person and I'm contemplating another dog. It has to be a rescued dog, 10-20 lbs, all black, no beard/shedding and very friendly. Maybe a Portuguese water dog or poodle/spaniel mix of some kind. I figure the more specific I am, the less likely I am to actually get the dog.

Posted by Misty at 01:47 PM | Permalink

Beer making was fun. Aaron and Dana came over with their entire beer making equipment/supplies and helped us start a batch. I learned a lot about the various components that go into a beer. It's pretty easy, I always thought it would be kinda difficult. Just a bunch of boil this, soak that, wait around, transfer it from this container to that container, add hops, boil it some more. Now I understand more why people call it a brew. It was very much a "Fire burn, cauldron bubble" day.

Aaron and Dana arrived bright and squirrely. First we unloaded their car (hatchback Nissan Versa ~34 mpg), which was packed to the gills with equipment, and set up in our courtyard. Aaron has made gallons and gallons of beer over the years and made this part look super easy. The burner was a purchase from Costco right after Thanksgiving one year. It's heavy duty and looks way more stable than others I've seen for the same job. We open the bag and look at the malt and grains. Wow- they're dry and cool, with a dusty feeling but it smells just like chocolate. The initial batch of water heats to about 160+oF and is mixed in with the grains (malt barley etc) that will supply the sugars for our yeast to turn into alcohol. Then we waited around for 90 minutes for the mash to hydrate and the sugars/enzymes to release and activate.

Meanwhile we got a phone call from Jeanine. They were having a Superbowl party and did we want to head over and enjoy the sunshine on the dock? So we packed the whole operation including the hydrating mash into the car and headed over. This time we were able to set up the interestingly modified cooler on the wall, which gave us a good vantage point for transferring the liquids etc.

While we were waiting for enzymes to do their thing, Gwynie and Dana went canoeing down the channel, watching birds etc. Adam's latest experiment was creating his own version of tonic water. He was trying to approximate Schweppes but less sweet. There were 2 batches to try, each with various ingredients and amounts of cinchona bark (the precursor to quinine). It was very tasty, such that you didn't really need to add bitters to the mix- being plenty sour already. The bubbles come from a kitchen counter carbonator. You can use tap water or filtered water, then hey presto 3 squirts of a button later, you have sparkling water- mineral content based on Alameda EBMUD profile. After sampling the commercial version, the general consensus was that his second batch came very close.

Then we drain the mash into the kettle, which requires constant stirring to keep the filter from clogging. The floral smelling hops are added to the liquid heating in the kettle and then boiled to extract the flavors. We boil for about an hour, adding a second batch of hops- this time more grassy and vegetal.

Next while we wait for cooling, the hi-tek white plastic bucket fermenter is sterilized with a low pH solution. Aaron adds a seaweed extract- I think it's called an alginate; which is supposed to precipitate out the proteins in solution and help clarify the beer of sediment.

Transfer the liquid to the bucket. Securely fastening the lid, plugging in the 3 piece airlock stopper- unidirectional off gassing without allowing contaminants into the brew. We watched the super bowl and hung out with friends. It was fun, definitely a good way to pass the day. Aaron will add the yeast the next day. Then next week we transfer it to a keg, wait a few more weeks- the product of magic alchemy of fermentation will be ready to drink. I'm think BBQ ribs and roasted pork knuckles to celebrate.

*UPDATE*
Misty is pleased to announce the tremendously successful brewing of ~ 5 gallons of Amber Ale... Time for another party!

For those who want the details:
Recipe: Mike McDole's Amber Style: American Amber Ale
Brewer: Aaron, Astrid, Gwyneth & Dana Batch: 5.00 gal
All Grain

Recipe Characteristics
Recipe Gravity 1.068 OG Estimated FG 1.017 FG
Recipe Bitterness 39 IBU Alcohol by Volume 6.6%
Recipe Color 14° SRM Alcohol by Weight 5.2%

Ingredients
Quantity Grain Type Use
10.00 lb American two-row mashed
0.25 lb British chocolate malt mashed
1.25 lb CaraPils mashed
1.00 lb Crystal 40L mashed

Quantity Hop Type Time
1.00 oz Cascade Pellet 10 minutes
1.00 oz Cascade Pellet 0 minutes
1.00 oz Galena Pellet 15 minutes
1.00 oz Galena Pellet 70 minutes

Quantity Misc Notes
1.00 unit Irish Moss Fining
1.00 unit California Ale yeast Yeast

Recipe Notes Based on McDole's Gold Medal Recipie, substituting Galena for Northern Brewer as an act of desperation.

Batch Notes
Mashing: 155F, 80min
Saccharification Rest: 165F, 30min
Sparge: 170F

Posted by Misty at 07:25 PM | Permalink