Bad Research, CPAP, Bowling and Brie.

I have just returned a book to the library unfinished. The story wasn’t too bad, but the telling was long winded and it was full of inaccuracies. The tale was set in England during World War II (well a lot of it was) and I think the author should have done much better research than she obviously did. What made it worse was it was set, for the most part, in the county of Kent which is where I used to live and the setting was supposed to be by the English Channel but she mentioned a town as a close location, which is many miles from the Channel. A lot of the story was to do with evacuees – children who were sent to what was thought to be safe areas. Kent county was NOT one of those areas, they were shipped up north. Kent was much too close to London and suffered a lot of bombing. Then there were several children of one family who were generally not split up between homes. So to all my author friends, please do your research if you are using genuine backgrounds. That is one of the advantages of creating your own world I suppose, but then you have to be consistent.

I am sorry to say my CPAP mask was no better when I got to bed on Tuesday night so Thursday I am going back to get it checked out. I don’t understand, for the best part of a year I had no problems then the mask started leaking. Now it seems to continue leaking no matter what. Very frustrating.

Wednesday bowling  wasn’t much good again. I was doing so well earlier this year, now neither of us are bowling well, nor are the other two members of our team. All of us are experienced bowlers and capable of turning in better performances that we are giving at present. Oh well, it’s fun and the exercise isn’t bad. The worse you bowl the more exercise you get.

I bought a piece of Brie de Meaux the other day at Vincenzo’s, my favourite store. Unfortunately it doesn’t last long. We are going up that way again today so maybe we’ll get some more especially as it is on special this week. Well I hope it still is anyway. This one was so soft and creamy it was absolutely delicious. I discovered they now have an Indian food counter with a guy cooking the food right there. That’s a new one. I didn’t stop to examine what he had but I would like to check it out. I could mortgage the farm in that store, there is so much I would like to buy.

Here’s a very simple asparagus recipe. I must try this tomorrow.

Asparagus with Curry Butter

2 tsp butter, melted
1 tsp curry powder (see Tip)
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, finely diced
1 bunch asparagus (about 1 pound), trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

1. Combine butter, curry powder, lemon juice and salt in a small bowl.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add asparagus and cook, stirring, until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir the curry butter into the asparagus; toss to coat.

Servings: 4
Yield: 1/2 cup each
 
Tip: Check the ingredient label on your brand of curry powder: if it has added salt (as some do), you may omit the salt in the recipe or salt to taste.

Source: Eating Well

Have a great day

Medical, Creams and Cheeses

Well we wasted another hour waiting to see the doc this afternoon for my diabetic clinic. I don’t know why this always is, do they overbook, or do they not make sufficient allowance for how long they plan to spend with each patient? I realise doctor’s offices are very busy, but it is very frustrating for we patients to have to sit around waiting to see them. If you go into Emergency it is even worse, we have waited 8-10 hours on several occasions. I suppose this is the advantage of having medical services such as in the States. I don’t remember ever having to go to Emerg in the States so don’t know what the waiting times are but there is no waiting for surgeons like there is here.

Afterwards we went to Barrie’s Asparagus and stocked up, I used the last in the Quiche on Tuesday. I also bought some strawberries, two punnets, luverly. On Tuesday we had called in at Vincenzo’s – our favourite deli store – and stocked up on English cream. They had two kinds, one I hadn’t seen before, so I got one of each. We ate the different one last night, it said it was clotted cream from The Devon Cream Company, the flavour was much better than the one we usually buy, so I will be looking out for it in future. We both thought it tastier than the Double Devon cream we have been buying for years. Maybe I should make some scones when we get the next lot and have a traditional cream tea. I haven’t made scones in a very long time.

Talking of Vincenzo’s we were a tad disappointed because we went in for Borganzola cheese which is one of our favourites, it is a bit like Gorgonzola but creamier. It is the Canadian version of Cambazola which, funnily enough, we don’t like. They didn’t have it in stock and promised they would be getting some shortly. They didn’t have the Brie de Meaux that we enjoy either. Then I went to look for the real Italian Mascarpone, guess what, they didn’t have that either. They have promised them for next Tuesday (we only go past the area on Tuesdays after bowling) although we don’t need brie and Borganzola. When I say real Marscapone, I mean the stuff which does NOT have things like guar gum or other preservatives which end up sweetening the cheese. OK if you are making Tiramisu I guess, but to eat as cheese, no way. Actually when Matt went grocery shopping yesterday morning, he picked up some Brie from Zehrs which is a pretty good cheese so we will be chomping into that instead. He also bought me some peach jam which I then split into two pots and doctored up with jalapeño jelly which now gives me a nice spicy jam to dab on when I have Havarti at lunchtimes. Sounds like we live on cheese, we don’t really.

This is a recipe I have been using for a long time, think I have shared it before, but a long while ago. Actually what I often do for a quick side dish is get a bag of prepared coleslaw, add some onion and then use the dressing from this recipe.

Coleslaw in Triple Hot Dressing

The Ultimate Hot and Spicy Cookbook

Serves 6

Ingredients

1/2 white cabbage, cored and shredded

2 celery sticks, finely sliced

1 green pepper, seeded and finely sliced

4 spring (green) onions, shredded

2 Tbs. chopped fresh dill

cayenne pepper

For the dressing

1 Tbs. Dijon mustard

2 tsp. creamed horseradish

1 tsp. Tabasco sauce

2 Tbs. red wine vinegar (or white)

5 Tbs. olive oil

salt and ground black pepper.

Mix the salad ingredients minus the dill and pepper. Mix all the dressing ingredients in separate bowl and then add to the vegetable and toss. Allow the salad to stand for at least an hour if possible, turning once or twice.

Immediately before serving season if necessary, toss again and sprinkle with dill and cayenne. In the book it says it improves overnight, I find that is true.

Have a great day

FAS, Job Clubs, Food and Drink, Shrimp

I just wanted a picture up here so I put the Indigo Bunting in first place. This morning on GMA, they talked about a rare disease called, Foreign Accent Syndrome. There are dozens of cases even though it is rare, where because of some injury to the brain a person has started to talk as though they were from another country, with a foreign accent. Weird I'll tell you. On the show they interviewed one woman who sounded French, another British and a third Russian or possibly Scandinavian. GMA had recordings of the voices of all three prior to this happening, usually voice messages on phones etc. and they all had normal American voices prior to this happening. A lot of people say they are faking it, but they aren't. One woman (who sounds Russian) can no longer pronounce her daughter's name and had a hell of a job saying the name Phyllis. If you would like to read more click here to read what Wikipedia has to say about it. One of the topics this morning was The Great American Job Fair where they are helping people who have been laid off find jobs. GMA has formed a Job Club and are telling you how to start your own. The link can be found here for today at least. The theory is that it is very difficult to "go it alone" and a job club will help give all its members the support they need including maybe turning your hobby into something profitable. The more I hear about the current job situation, the more I am glad to be retired. Wot no pictures this morning, not really possible is it? Yesterday we went out to lunch. As I mentioned, the fire bells were being tested and were driving me mad, so we went down the road, I had an excellent pepper soup and Caesar salad, Matt had a half Reuben sandwich and Caesar salad. I had never had a Reuben til we came here, but I assume they are now available elsewhere. Because of the bells we went shopping, first to Vincenzo's which is a local delicatessen store where they have everything from everywhere. We bought some Brie de Meaux which I have raved about before, a huge jar of capers, (our local store only had tiny jars of tiny capers) some real Mascarpone (i.e. with no bean gum in it which sweetens it) and some grape (vine leaves) to make dolmas with for our Christmas party. We then went to the local LCBO (liquor store) and stocked up on wines as we had been getting pretty low. We also picked up the Food and Drink magazine that they issue several times a year and there are some excellent recipes in it, as usual, some of which we may be able to use for our Christmas party. Its going to be all nibbles and finger foods etc. as in Spanish tapas and Greek mezzes. One recipe I really liked the look of was Spiced Shrimp with Cool Citrus-Yogurt Dip. I think it was kind of meant as a midnight feast item after everyone has gone to bed except you and your spouse. You pop open a bottle of bubbly and eat these shrimp. Spiced Shrimp with Cool Citrus-Yogurt Dip This low effort dish is spicy-hot and sweetly cool like spending a winter's eve by a roaring fire. To get out of the kitchen faster, buy peeled and deveined shrimp and choose tail on for elegant gripping and dipping. Frozen shrimp are fine, thaw overnight in the fridge. 3 Tbs 2% yogurt 1 tsp sweet paprika 1 tsp ground coriander seeds 1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper 1/4 tsp ground green cardamom seeds 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper 1/2 tsp lemon zest 1/2 tsp finely chopped ginger (don't use powdered, its not the same) 1/4 tsp finely chopped garlic 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tail on, approx. 20 - 25 pieces Kosher salt Preheat oven to 450°F. Combine yogurt, paprika, coriander, black pepper, cardamom, cayenne, lemon zest, ginger and garlic in a large mixing bowl and stir until well combined. Add shrimp to yogurt mixture and marinate for 30 minutes in the fridge. Remove shrimp from fridge 10 minutes before cooking. Lay the shrimp out in a single layer on a lightly oiled baking sheet and season with salt. Bake in preheated oven for 6 to 7 minutes or until the shrimp turn pink and are just cooked through. Serve shrimp warm with Cool Citrus Yogurt (recipe follows) for dipping. Cool Citrus Yoghurt Dip Super simple and cooling, this pretty sauce can be made even prettier by using blood oranges, in season now (in Canada anyway my comment). 1/2 cup ful fat Balkan or Mediterranian style thick yogurt 2 tbs freshly squeezed orange juice 1 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tsp orange zest 1/4 tsp ground fennel seeds 1/8 tsp chili flakes Kosher salt Combine all the ingredients except salt. Stir well with a whisk. Season with salt to taste. Transfer to a serving dish and keep chilled until ready to serve. Makes just over 1/2 cup. Have a great day.

Today is Easter

I am exhausted already, I have just washed up enough dishes to stun a restaurant. Well that's what it seems like. Unfortunately, much as I love our apartment, one thing we do not have is a dishwasher and there is no room for one either. No it wasn't really as bad as the picture, just felt like it.

However, dinner went well, the Arugula Salad with Beans and Shrimp was good although I was disappointed in the arugula. I thought it was supposed to have a distinctive taste, but all three of us decided it didn't taste of much at all. Funnily enough not one of us had tried it before. In case you are wondering, it is known as rocket in the UK. The recipe does suggest other types of salad greens including Romaine, so if I make this salad again, that is what I shall be using. The lamb turned out beautifully and so did Matt's roast potatoes. As for the Brie de Meaux, it was just right and delicious. Matt picked up a French batard in the morning and we ate just the bread and cheese which was delicious, we accompanied it with a glass of port although Matt preferred his Shiraz with the cheese.

We have quite a few leftovers so we will be having those for supper tonight. I think there is enough lamb left for a couple of suppers unless I turn it into a shepherd's pie. Talking of which, our visitor last night, who was born and bred in the UK didn't know that a Shepherd's Pie must have lamb, otherwise it is a Cottage Pie. This is a common mistake in North America where lamb is not a favourite meat anyway. Having said all that, this is a recipe we have used a few times and thoroughly enjoyed, even if, technically, it is mis-named.

Texas Shepherd's Pie
Serves: 4

Source: Cooking Light, June 1997

1-1/2 lbs peeled potatoes, cut small
1/3 Cup low fat buttermilk
1 oz butter
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1/2 tsp pepper, divided
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 Cup chopped onion
1/2 Cup chopped celery
1/4 Cup finely chopped carrot
1/2 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
1 tsp instant minced garlic
1-1/2 cups salsa
cooking spray
1/2 cup or 2 oz reduced fat sharp cheddar

Preheat oven to 375 F. Cook potato and drain. Add buttermilk, butter and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper. Beat until creamed.

Cook meat in a large nonstick skillet over med heat until browned, stirring to crumble; drain. Return to pan. Add remaining condiments, onion, celery, fennel and garlic. Cook over med heat 5 mins or until veg are crisp tender, stirring frequently. Add salsa; simmer over med low for 10 mins. Spoon into 8 " square baking dish, coated with spray. Spread potato over meat. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered for 20 mins or until thoroughly heated.

One thing I forgot to mention, I got my Lindt gold bunny from Matt. Have a great day.

Cheese, Alcohol, Italian Desserts

Yesterday we bought a largish piece of Brie de Meaux - I wrote about this a week or so ago. It should be at just the correct ripeness by Saturday. It really is the most delicious cheese if somewhat expensive. On Saturday we will purchase some French bread to eat with our cheese. I also bought myself a pot of Mascarpone. The genuine Italian stuff, not the cheese you can buy most any place which has some kind of bean gum in it. The bean gum is not only a preservative but acts as a sweetener. I like to eat Mascarpone on bread for lunch so do not want it sweet. Even if I were making a Tiramisu, I still would prefer to do my own sweetening. That applies to anything with pre-added flavours. I prefer to add my own seasonings whatever they may be rather than, for instance, buying a can of seasoned tomatoes or something similar. So if you want to avoid added flavour to your Mascarpone, make sure it doesn't contain any kind of bean gum preservative. It usually means you need to buy the cheese made in Italy, not that made in North America and of course you may have to pay more for it, but it's worth it. Whilst writing about things not to buy, never buy the stuff in supermarkets labelled cooking wine. It is apparently loaded with salt and tastes terrible. If you want to use wine, use something you would and can drink, not, I repeat not, cooking wine. If you don't want alcohol but would like the taste there are non alcoholic wines about these days which can be substituted. They used to say all the alcohol disappears during cooking, but I have recently heard that isn't exactly true. Here is an interesting article on cooking off alcohol.

Tiramisu is a favourite dessert of mine although I haven't made it for a while. You can buy a very good non alcoholic Tiramisu in the grocery stores here. There is a local restaurant which serves the forerunner of Tiramisu, Zuppa Inglese which is absolutely delicious and I think I prefer, although I do enjoy both desserts. They say that Zuppa Inglese was based on English Trifle and was invented by ex pats who were enjoying the Italian climate but missed the English dessert. I am not going to give you a recipe, there are many on the internet if you are interested, but it is somewhat complicated to make properly I think. However, I will give you my Tiramisu recipe

TIRAMISU - ITALIAN COFFEE TRIFLE
Sorry don't remember the source.
Serves: 12

Ingredient notes: Orange liqueur or extra strong coffee may be used in
place of Marsala wine. Cream cheese may be used in place of mascarpone cheese. Orange liqueur or orange juice may be used in place of brandy.
Ladyfingers should be approx 4x1-inch size. Plain cookies or cake may be used in place of ladyfingers.

2 Egg yolks
1/4 c Sugar
1/2 c Marsala wine
1/2 lb Mascarpone cheese
1 c 35% Real Whipping Cream
1/2 c Extra strong coffee, cold
2 tb Brandy
24 Dry Italian ladyfingers
6 oz Semisweet chocolate, finely - chopped (approx 1 cup)

1. Make the filling by beating egg yolks with sugar until light. Beat in Marsala. Cook gently in a double boiler or in a stainless steel or glass bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Cook gently, stirring constantly, until thickened. Cool.
2. Beat mascarpone cheese until smooth and then slowly beat in cooled custard.
3. Whip cream until light. Gently fold into cheese mixture. Reserve.
4. Combine coffee with brandy. Reserve.
5. Line an 8-inch baking dish or trifle bowl with ladyfingers. (Do not worry if ladyfingers do not fit exactly, break up extras and fit into spaces.) Drizzle with half of the coffee mixture. Spread half the filling over. Sprinkle with half the chocolate. Repeat layers starting with ladyfingers, drizzling with remaining coffee, spreading remaining filling over ladyfingers and topping with chocolate.
6. Refrigerate a few hours or overnight before serving. Tiramisu can be frozen for up to one month.

Ooooh, my mouth is watering.

Have a great day.

Wildlife, Cheese, Taxes and Salad

I have just been reading, on Glenda Larke's blog site (see link on this page) about the arrival of the raptors which migrate through Malaysia every year and which is happening right now. I mentioned it the other day. As she pointed out, this may be something Malaysian residents may not see in the future. Like so much wildlife which is being harmed by destruction of their habitats and the millions of earth residents who don't care. I agree it is difficult to care if your family is starving and you don't have a job, but for the rest of us!! Luckily zoos are doing a fantastic job, but there is only so much they can do. I heard this morning, by the way, that the Zoo in Baghdad is now up and running again which is a good sign. Did you realise it is 5 years since the invasion of Iraq?

On a total switch of topic, we had our tax refund the other day and thought that was it, lo and behold I received a refund cheque too yesterday. I did my taxes through an online site which I have used before. It is so easy to follow and so inexpensive to use. Its Ufile that I use and it cannot be easier.

As part of our Easter meal which I was telling you about, I think we will be serving Brie de Meaux which is the most delightful cheese I have tasted for a while. We bought some at a local deli and both loved it so I hope they will have it available next week. Talk about ripe and creamy, wonderful, makes me drool just to think about it. Traditionally the French always use a good bread never crackers when they serve cheese. I must admit a nice piece of crusty French bread will go down very well with it. Maybe a glass of port.

This is another of those recipes which I thought sounded good, but haven't yet made. However, re-reading it, I think I will very soon. I have a number of recipes like this which I see on TV or read about in ezines, but don't very quickly get round to making them.

Antipasto Steak Salad
Recipe du Jour

Servings: 4

Ingredients:
1 pound beef boneless top sirloin steak -- 1 inch thick
1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
1 bunch romaine lettuce torn into bite sized pieces
1 cup garlic-flavored croutons
1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Caesar salad dressing


Instructions:
Heat coals or gas grill. Sprinkle beef with pepper. Cover and grill beef 4 to 6 inches from medium heat 15 to 18 minutes for medium doneness, turning once. Cut beef across grain into thin slices.

Toss romaine, croutons, cheese and dressing. Top with beef slices. Serve with additional shredded Parmesan cheese if desired.

Have a great day.