Musings

In honor of President’s Day (not really), we embarked on a multi-cultural experience (or merely a not-Western adventure). We met friends at a Korean BBQ, and learned how to order and enjoy tasty food cooked on an upside-down wok-like cooker in the middle of the table. That’s some kimchi on the left, a pancake, and some marinated soy sprouts on the cooker, and three condiments in the tray for our side of the table to share. This was the first food on the cooker.

For protein, we got pork and pork, beef, shrimp, and octopus, cooked in sequence. And got stuffed.

At the end of the meal, the server scraped the well-cooked bits left on the cooking surface into some white rice and chopped seaweed and lettuce, then tossed and shuffled them together until homogenous. Oh yum. Yes, we kept eating when we were already full. I especially enjoyed the thin slices of radish (I think—the white in the bowl left of the cooker), lightly pickled, and used to wrap bean paste (left, in trio-tray) and veg and protein, eaten like a taquito.

Soju is a clear Korean liquor, just the thing to make you poorly productive in the afternoon if you have it for a late lunch. As I can testify! Oh yum (I repeat myself).

Posted at 6:52 PM | 2 Comments »

So St. Val isn’t the saint anymore, and the Pope is a lame duck.

Good thing the prosecco’s holding up!

Posted at 7:55 PM | 1 Comment »

I think kitchen-oriented folk in this culture must be open to buying gizmos. We love Cooks Warehouse, but I remain amazed at what’s available on their shelves. I even saw a vertical stick with a base and clip on the top, for standing on your counter, with the clip holding a plastic bag open. I didn’t check the price.

The Smood is a version of a whisk; the tart tamper looked like a muddler.

Posted at 10:22 PM | 1 Comment »

We didn’t expect the scout-space to have a coffee maker, and brought our own. My fellow volunteers are a thoughtful bunch! And the food they brought—yum!

Cold (outdoors—we were plenty toasty indoors) overnight. I walked over frozen ground and found frost on the windshield when I went out early to de-sham-lock the gate for our morning arrival.

Good meeting, well organized and guided; thoughtful participation (super yea!); easy to stay alert, and not just from coffee rations.

Still, I was VERY happy to leave a bit earlier than my fellow attendees, since my role has shifted and I’m no longer on the Board, and am merely a Committee Chair. (Here.)

Posted at 10:22 PM | 1 Comment »

Surviving planter from Exposition days over a century ago (e.g., 1887 and 1895), now in Piedmont Park…. Replanted….

I made a huge pot of chili for the Friday night meal of the “retreat” I’m attending Fri/Sat. Not the way I usually make it because it needs “universal” appeal, and pretty darned tasty. Looking forward to it. More than I’m looking forward to bunking in small-dorm housing at a Girl Scout camp (a budget “retreat,” doncha know…).

Posted at 7:43 PM | Comments Off on High-altitude succulent?

Tonight’s bison meatloaf fresh out of the too-hot oven. I’m still tweaking the recipe, although you can check it out here.

Cold snap last night, and windy/cold today. What does it mean that I spotted a rare-in-ATL Alaska license plate early this afternoon? Additionally, does it mean anything that it was on a 4-door Audi? For extra credit, does it mean anything that this is AutoWeek* in Detroit?

* Okay, technically, it’s the North American International Auto Show….

Posted at 10:22 PM | 3 Comments »

We’re not sure what to do with this ugly, but he’s at his best in this winter sunlight….

My big project of the day…olive oil salt bread (quick-bread), riffing on a Mark Bittman recipe, which I’ve posted here. Most informative result: I need fresh baking powder.

Posted at 10:34 PM | Comments Off on Looking sharp(ish)

As I was dumping the coffee grounds this morning, I noticed that a carrot-top is forging ahead in the compost-pile.

Posted at 10:22 PM | Comments Off on Empowered veg

No reason for you to remember, but back in October, we cruised through The Real Cadillac, or the Old World version anyway, although we were focused on other than chateaux that day (we had MILES to cover—and the car worked only in kilometers…). Anyway, today’s shelf-check at the DFM reminded me of that day when we found this Chateau Cadillac Bordeaux. A quick google did not turn up info on the Chateau—I guess we’d have to go back to find out more…?? Oh, wait, hmm, there’s googlemaps—I realize we drove Right By the Chateau. The vines? Well, that’s mysterious.

Posted at 7:40 PM | Comments Off on Other worldly

Note: this was the yummiest, goopiest cheese I’ve had in quite a while.

Book club rocks!

Posted at 10:22 PM | 1 Comment »