Happy (belated) Cinco de Mayo!
Cinco de Mayo, which means “sink full of mayonnaise” in Spanish, is the day of the year Mexicans take a few minutes to go through their fridges and throw away any jars of mayonnaise they find that are past their Best Before dates. Think of it as the alimentary equivalent of checking smoke detectors on Fall Back Day. Continue reading
It takes something really special to get me excited about a cup of coffee.
I’ve been loitering on this planet for over five decades and I’ve become a bit jaded. A lot of things that apparently impress a lot of people underwhelm me and what’s worse is that the situation has gone well beyond my being blasé, I’m beginning to get downright irritated at some modern trends.
It’s so frustrating to see people buying into stupid crazes like sheep. Because of this I sometimes find myself cranky and can imagine myself twenty years down the road as being one of those old guys who scream at the pigeons in the park —some might argue that’s pretty much where I am right now. So let’s take a look at some recent things that really get my goat and, if you’re lucky, I might even mention some solution you can personally implement or point you in the direction of some bastion where scum-sucking “progress” has not eroded a once good thing. Continue reading
Ah, the promise of a great meal!
Before anyone calls me on this, I want to make something perfectly clear — I, myself, am not an authentic Bangladeshi but I was taught this recipe by a friend who is.
Monsoor Dahl is an adjustably-spicy South Asian lentil dish that is light, flavourful, and meat-free. It’s delicious as a side to other South Asian dishes but also can be paired with Western main courses — I suggest that you first serve it along with a curry, such as Super Bowl Curry (a recipe I posted previously that can be eaten independently of sporting events), and then figure out after tasting it what other continents’ dishes it would go well with. It also is great to keep in your fridge so you can spoon a little over rice for a quick and nourishing snack.
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This being such a quick recipe, I just took a quick snap-flash picture... so quick in fact, it looks like I didn't take the time to change the colour space from my default printing colour space so it looks kind of muddy. It looks (and smells and tastes) much better in real life!
Sadly, Poppin' Fresh will rise no more.
Poppin’ Fresh, the Pillsbury Dough Boy, was found dead today in his stately loft upstairs from a bakery today after having endured a lengthy illness.
Beef, sweet potato, and pea curry.
So today is Super Bowl Sunday — the dread of many a wife to football fiends. This post is dedicated to you poor damsels who must endure hour upon hour of testosterone-fuelled chants at an unhearing television. The only way to muffle the orders to professional athletes being barked by your husbands is to fill their mouths with food and drink. And believe you me, you will be called upon to serve vast quantities of heavily-spiced food.
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The season's holidays are especially special for our "little angels".
The very best thing about Christmas in North America is that it is trans-faith celebration. It’s more than just a celebration of Christ’s birth, it’s a celebration of life, family, friends, and the fellowship of Man.
A traditional treat done in a not so traditional way!
When I was a preschooler, my dad was a busy guy. He travelled a lot on business and even when in town, he worked long hours and even some Saturdays. So when Sundays rolled around, he was usually in a pretty good mood and we would eat lunch while watching old movies. I guess that one reason why I’m such a fan of The Marx Brothers today.
Ramyun: Simple, Quick, Inexpensive, Nutritious, and Delicious when done right. Please note: This is not what ramyun looks like... I snapped this photo while waiting for the water to boil.
Ramyun, which you may know by its Japanese name “ramen”, is a noodle soup from The Orient. Those of us who are not Asian by origin or ancestry probably think of ramyun as a cheap instant noodle soup, but in Korea and Japan it is an actual food with restaurants devoted to its preparation and everything! The dehydrated product we find on store shelves bears as much resemblance to “real” ramyun as a dry packaged chicken noodle soup does to homemade. The packaged variety is a favourite among Asian students because it costs next to nothing, can be made in just a few minutes, and keeps on the shelf almost forever.
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I hope I never have to endure life without the comfort of curry!
I just don’t know how it all started.
Perhaps it was that time when my parents took me and my four siblings away for a weekend in the country. It was a place called Kerr’s Farm in Morin Heights, Quebec. The place had guest rooms in the main building and a couple of cabins. Being a fairly large group, we stayed in one of the cabins. There were barnyard animals to pet, a small shack with a pool table, a couple of pinball machines, and a candy counter.
In the main building was the dining room where they would serve meals. In a spirit that seemed to mirror the norm for meals in the context of family life in the early ’60s, they had a “take it or leave it” menu plan — they served something and you had no choice… you ate it or starved. The only problem was that if my father was around, you were not given the choice of “leaving it”.
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I no longer nominate others for awards. Sorry.
HoaiPhai 