Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Tuesday, Hostess Gifts, Vultures,

Weather permitting we should be having lunch at the Mandarin today with a friend.

Couple of things I saw on TV which I found incredible - there was a report in the Daily Mail, I believe, about dinner parties. When I hold one or other people invite us, we usually take a bottle of wine or receive one. According to the article people are being requested to take all kinds of things to a dinner. Someone offered to bring 40 bruschetta and the host said, not enough, bring 100. Another host requested the guests to bring plates. Yet another asked the guests to do the washing up after and whilst they were doing it, the host was drinking up the champagne the guests had brought as well!! Unbelievable.

The second thing, in a National Geographic programme they were saying that in India dead cows
were dragged out into the desert where the vultures cleaned up. However, cows are treated with a drug called aceclofenac which the cows metabolise into diclofenac which is killing off the vultures. This has been causing a major crisis because the cows are rotting and being eaten by feral dogs which are increasing in large numbers and the dogs have rabies. I immediately pricked up my ears because I have a diclofenac cream which I apply to my bursitis as it is an anti-inflammatory. I then read that cows are doing well on Meloxicam instead which does not poison the vultures. Hmm, I take Meloxicam too so I figure from that I must be an arthritic old cow!!!!! Matt doesn't think this is interesting, I find it absolutely fascinating. I was telling this to people in the bowling alley and one friend said she had been given diclofenac pills and they had made her ill. She and the vultures but their illness was fatal.

Regrettably Monday bowling was pretty lousy all round although finally in the last game we won some points. However, we were up against the top team. One of our team did bowl above his average in every game and one had a 200 game in the last game. Matt and I were along for the ride I think.

I love dishes like this although I would have to buy a lot of the ingredients. Funnily enough I was trying to remember the name of the seaweed we used when we made sticky rice for sushi, it was Kombu and tasted absolutely delicious. I have the soba noodles which is a start but definitely not the dashi or Kombu.

Soba Noodles with Dashi, Poached Egg and Scallions

Chef Douglas Keane of Cyrus restaurant in Healdsburg, California, and an F&W Best New Chef 2006 creates a quick but flavorful broth using kombu (a type of seaweed) and dashi powder (an instant Japanese stock made from shaved bonito--tuna flakes). He poaches eggs in the broth and
serves them for a protein-rich lunch or even breakfast.

1 1-ounce piece of kombu
4 cups water
2 Tbs dashi powder (see Note)
4 oz dried soba noodles
1 Tbs toasted sesame oil
2 heads of baby bok choy, halved lengthwise
2 large eggs
2 Tbs thinly sliced scallions
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1. In a medium saucepan, cover the kombu with the water and simmer gently until the kombu rises to the surface, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the dashi powder and let steep for 20 minutes. Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer.

2. Return the broth to the saucepan and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Add the soba noodles and the sesame oil and cook for 3 minutes. Add the bok choy and submerge them in the broth with a spoon. Crack one of the eggs at a time into a small bowl and gently tip it into the warm broth. Poach the eggs until the whites are just set and the yolk are still runny, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.

3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the eggs to bowls. Stir the scallions, soy sauce, lime juice and crushed red pepper into the broth. Transfer the soba noodles and bok choy to the bowls, pour the broth on top and serve immediately.

Servings: 2

Source: Food and Wine

Author Notes
Dashi powder is available at many health food stores and at Asian markets.


Have a great day

18 comments:

  1. How extraordinary that someone would make those sorts of demands on dinner guests. When I invite people I want them to enjoy themselves not do the work.

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    1. Me too Helen. Why would anyone invite someone to dinner to do the work?

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  2. I like to enjoy with the guest well than making them to work:)

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  3. A good friend of mine was a grad student at UofM. A friend there asked her to be a bridesmaid at her outdoor wedding in Philadelphia. When my friend arrived a few days early, as requested, she was told to put on her grubbies and start weeding the garden. Bringing dishes sounds a whole lot easier. When folks ask me what they can bring I say 'themselves and an appetite.' I don't like having to buy lots of special ingredients just to make one dish - which is another reason I like Blue Apron. I've been watching the Nature re-runs of birds called EarthFlight. Birds are quite the nasty predators. I had no idea.

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    1. That would be the limit - weeding the garden Denise. I say the same to people - nothing but yourselves and an appetite. I do understand what you mean about lots of ingredients but I do find it somewhat pricey here. Not seen that series, I would like to.

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  4. I found it fascinating, though I'd never call you an arthritic cow.

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    1. Thanks Liz. I thought it was fascinating too.

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  5. I would offer to help clean up, but I can't imagine being told to.
    Matt needs a new sense of humor if the arthritic cow bit didn't make him chuckle.

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    1. He just thought the bit about cows and vultures was boring, he did think the arthritic cow was funny Alex.

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  6. When one is invited to a dinner party and if it is potluck, OK, I bring what they say they need but usually they have made a ton of food and just need a little extra help. I have also offered to help clean up the dishes but never told to or be considered it a given. I would clean up by throwing all the plates outside:) As for the meds given...that is horrible about the vultures dying. I hope things have changed and that they all use something else so no animals is killed.

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    1. I think we are basically talking about a proper dinner party where the hosts cook and provide the food - or not by the sound of some of it Birgit.

      Yes, they have changed the meds for the cows and it doesn't harm the vultures. They are already making a comeback apparently.

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  7. In Australia, we're often asked to 'bring a plate'. We always joke, do you want anything on it? Wine, flowers or chocolates are all acceptable as an appreciation of the hosts. I offer to help with the dishes sometimes, but thankfully, the hosts usually refuse, or I help load the dishwasher. All in appreciation of the hard work the hosts have gone to to make it a great night for all.

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    1. I have given many dinner parties in my time but I have rarely, if ever, asked anyone to bring anything except for a friend with a gluten intolerant son - asked her to bring dessert for him. Most people bring wine and or chocolates which is great.

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  8. That's amazing that the cows metabolise into a medication that I know I've heard of. But too bad about the vultures. That's not good. As for the dinner parties, pot luck is very popular out west. I've never heard of a guest being assigned dish duty though. I never went to a party or gathering w/o bringing some kind of food.

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    1. Isn't it JoJo. Diclofenac is used quite a lot for arthritis and I am using it as an anti-inflammatory cream on my bursitis. I understand the vultures are now beginning to recover once they found out what the problem was. Used to have pot lucks in the States, but not much here. I always take wine.

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  9. Both of the stories were interesting. I cannot even imagine, not enough, bring 100. Although, I would not have enough plates for a dinner party So I would either ask a friend for a loan of her plates, or go get some of those plastic paper ones,

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  10. Better to get a loan I think Ivy, depending on what you are cooking of course.

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