Eggspectation..

Kudos to the eggspectation restaurant, not sure if that is a chain but I was working in the Chantilly, Va office that I had their omelette.  Their eggs are just the usual ones, it would have been nice if they have eggs prepared in every way imaginable.  Remember that commercial? I love eggs, ta na na na.. I do, tamago, omelette, torta, quiche, casserole, egg salad, or fritata.

I also love eggplants, espcially with eggs. What to do then is make eggplant omelet. I didn't want to take out the tabletop grill or the foreman, nor do I want to use the oven, the effect is just different. I like to grill the old way, hot almost touching the embers, so there you are there is CO2 in this process because it does not use charcoal. It may have emitted some in the frying process. What was I trying to make here? Eggplant omelette if it has no filling embotido if it is filled.

So I first grilled the eggplant to a bit of overdone such that the skin is almost charred. Once it is done, on running water I removed the skin, which is fairly easy since it is burnt therefore almost crumbly.  Pat dry and dip in a beaten egg, add salt and pepper, you can add curry or italian seasoning, if you so prefer.  In a frying pan, heat vegetable oil--olive oil tends to heat faster, an olive canola or olive butter can be used too. Once the oil is hot enough pour the egg-eggplant combination, push the egg into the eggplant so that it does not spread throughout the pan. Turn the eggplant for an equal doneness, remember the eggplant is already cooked. We want the egg cooked, not runny or crunchy.

I had some shrimps and mushrooms crying for attention, I gave in, shelled and deveined the shimp, sliced the mushroom.  On the same pan, I caramelized some onions, put a little garlic and added the mushroom, then the shrimps last. A little salt and dinner is ready.

Did that gross you out? I assure you those coils are clean after all it is hot. Anyway it is good eating. :)

 

More on being green..

Further to my Green post not too long ago.

I am a member of the Green Team at work-work is involve in climate change, greenhouse gas, sustainability and LEED buildings, so I have this awareness about sustainability. I also grew up in a traditional household, we reused and recycled more out of economics than the environment. So, when I attended a get together where my friend used disposable utencils, I asked for stemware, not being rude but trying to espouse that idea of reusing.

Wholefoods uses compostable utencils, which I commend them for trying, but if the consumer will dispose of this items in the regular trash bins then the purpose is defeated. Oakland has banned the use of styrofoam in restaurants another good effort.

Last week I bought a couple of turners/spatula made of bamboo for less than a dollar, I walked away feeling good about myself, that was a good buy.  But walking out of the store, I recalled that cutting down of bamboo trees were banned in the Philippines because such denudation will result in flooding, an imbalance in the ecosystem.  Therefore, somewhere in the Pacific bamboos are being cutdown irresponsibly to feed the growing demand of "green" products, and if we are paying so measly for those products then the cost of production must be so low that it could be to a sweatshop level.

During martial law in the Philippines, there is this program called, "the Green Revolution." Buy locally, backyard farming, and other sustainable efforts. To a certain degree it was successful, if only dynamites were not used to catch fish in some areas or that pesticides were used more too often before the harsh effects were noted.

Responsible greening is the key.

There is a new resto in my neck of the woods..

Some weeks ago, I met a friend at the Sidebar on Grand Avenue, we didn't have reservations, so we sat at the bar--who did we see, people from church, ha ha you can't have an affair in this neighborhood, you just might bump into your confessor. The food was good, we had crostini topped with duck liver, deviled egges, frites, beans with trout, and something else that I can't remember.  For a new place, the place is abuzz, price is good, the ambiance is good, service is surprisingly outstanding. I said surprisingly because it doesn't seem to be a priority anymore.

This first outing -life, projects, faith filled the conversation. On a second outing last week, I was starving and had a bowl of mussels over shoestring potatoes in cream sauce, it's different but I liked it and I had the crostini with duck liver, what can I say, I love foie gras, and there is a new drink that I discover called Zamboanga, which is an island in the Philippines. I have always been a red drinker aside from a rare ameretto, but this is the bomb, ha ha, not because of the name but it is a good cocktail drink, very light with a slow kick.

Single women, that we are conversation of course led to dating and all that.  So, as we were seated at the bar, my friend told me to scope the room and see if the one I would be attracted to was in the room, I said, no. Well, because my type is an average Joe, a boring looking caucasian man, sorry I have the Kingkong mentality ha ha. She talked about a blind date who was all that when they were talking on the phone, a Catholic, prays the rosary regularly, hmmm possible. Who turned out to be a middle-aged Berkely man, long hair, fit, seemed like, he just stopped what he was doing to meet her. Liked beer but didn't check if the Trappist is open on Mondays, wanted to see a movie (on a first date?) can't decide what he wanted to see, went instead for ice cream but he didn't have cash on him. Whoops that's too many whammies! Next, she said.

But going back to the food, it is good, the noise level of the restaurant is a bit high but tolerable.

      542 Grand Ave
      Oakland, CA 94610-3515
      (510) 452-9500
     Get directions

Now, I am going back to bed :) Good morning!

The Saturday that was a while ago..

Yesterday morning, I attended a mass officiated by the Bishop of Oakland in the Cathedral, it was a mass for the youth of Oakland--not to say I am one. It turned out to be a celebration for St. John, one of the first priests, it is the year of the priests, after all, didn't know that. The Bishop was wearing his hat, as an inspiration to the youths in their vocation, to answer God's calling. He said vocation is not a career is not something that you have to be good at, often mistaken for as ways to be famous, make money, an oxymoron if you would look at it. The former being selfless, a response to a deeper call, giving of oneself without any expectation of a reward. Whereas the latter is so full of self, popularity, wealth, and success. Wow!

So after mass, I went next door to do a little bit of work until it is time to go to a celebration for a friend.  It was her birthday it is also a sort of celebration to her liberation from her aversion to anything techie, (oooh that's too may tion there) she just got an Iphone and is enjoying it.  What is it that they say, there is an app for that.  All in all it was a good gathering, easy and relaxing. Ohhh, the margarita was strong and I discovered a summer pie, a no bake lemonade pie.  Yummm.. no pix this time, in the next gathering perhaps.. hint hint.. 

One of the gifts that she received was a book on zodiac signs (Catholic readers, don't flinch it's just a game :)) where there is a category called luncheon meat, the Libran spam is corned beef. My friend's husband's spam is olive, he cringed saying it is something that he hated as a child, eliciting a question as to what would he prefer listening to Elvis or eating an olive spam, he said none of the above.

Anyway, as soon as I got home, I went to bed being tired from all that activity, I am getting old, one event is enough for me.. Well an early bed does not work for me, woke up from a NAP energized to update this blog.

Oh! some days you will read me weaving words around subjects that does not seem to matter or those that matter but would segue into something else, consider it as a practice in writing. An effort to rehearse the crafting of worthy prose, I have not given up on my desire to write when I grow up, he he.. Factoid or urban legend, did you know that these days part of one's portfolio includes Facebook, Twitter, and a blog, so if you are applying for a job that involves writing, you should have a blog to show proof , the others are I guess proof that you know and use the technology available. They do search for you online, word of the wise, go easy on what you say as it may haunt you when you don't expect it.

Saging na Saba (plantain to you)

It is rare that I find this type of banana in the local markets, I looked up the English translation and it says plantain.  But plantain looks different, this variety has corners sweet with a bit of a tang when ripe. It can be prepared in different ways, it is edible uncooked but we hardly eat it that way. It can be grilled skin off, baked, sweetened and eaten with crushed ice and milk, fried with batter, deep fried in sugar, wrapped in lumpia wrapper with jack fruit and fried, or boiled in this case.  Oh, there are also a hundred and one options for the green- not ripe ones. The easiest of which is to let it ripen to a soft state and put it in a pot of water let it boil to maybe 15 minutes and voila breakfast is ready.  I put a little butter and sugar for the kill, otherwise it can be eaten as is.

[caption id="attachment_662" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Yummy bananas prepared Filipino Style"][/caption]

Banana Factoids:

Here are some images from Google.  Did you know that banana is a member of the palm family, once it has bore fruit, at least this variety, then it has reached it's full lifecycle and it will dry and die. But before that happens it would have multiplied and created havoc on the area.  The leaves can be harvested to a degree even before it has reached it's full cycle and can be used for wrapped rice, another Asian delicacy, or fish, it enhances the flavor and allows tiny ingredients to be cooked together without crushing it. Oh, as the tree or the palm matures, the blossom where the fruits develop has the shape of a heart, literally called, heart of banana, duh, this is harvested once the fruits have developed.  It is said that if it is not removed, the banans will not grow fully. That heart is also edible and is cooked with either coconut milk or vinegar. The whole bunch of fruits is harvested green, letting it ripen on the tree will invite insects, birds, and other critters.  The stalk of the leaves can be used to as a base for cooking if you want to simmer fish and don't want it to stick on the pot. In some cultures it is also cooked in coconut milk. Nope, it's not over, once the fruit has been harvested, the trunk of the palm has a core that is soft and is also edible, as a salad, sauteed or cooked in coconut milk.  Wow, I just realized that having a banana tree must be good for this economy, it is not just decorative as I see around the neighborhood.

Other traditional uses of banana leaves, let it pass through heat on a stove cut it into circles and you have liners for your serving dishes or picnic plate holders, that's really being green. Before the advent of teflon on flat irons, they used the banana leaves a stand for flat irons that way it wouldn't stick.

This plant is good for those with a sore green thumb, as it does not need caring for, it is a survivor :), it does not even need watering. Dried leaves need to be removed periodically and the buds replanted for aesthetic reasons.

Have a banana, it will drive the zits away.

Yama Sushi Restaurant on Franklin St.

Beside the Bistro Manila Restaurant of the previous post is Yama Sushi. The first time I came in after a noon-time mass at the Cathedral, I was surprised-hmm this used to be a Vietnamese sandwich shop where I can get lunch for a measly 5 dollars. So I pulled a chair, can't say no to sushi or California roll with heaps of Japanese Mayonnaise (zero cholesterol.)This is a little different, most items are ordered by piece.

Three pieces of sushi or rolls for 99 cents after 1:30 pm.  who can't dig that.  1 order and a bowl of udon soup with a bottle of soda will certainly hit the spot. One of the servers used to work for the Chinese Restaurant on the other side of Grand Avenue, who remembers my preferred drink is diet coke on a glassful of ice. I can almost see my friend smirking, they don't put ice on their from their side of the world.

This place is a good find, fresh inexpensive, friendly staff, not crowded. You can people watch while eating or immerse on a good book. 

     Yama Sushi Restaurant
     1814 Franklin St. #2
     corner of 19th St.
     Oakland, Ca 94612
     510.986.1226 
     M-F: 11:00 am to 3:00 pm