Thoughtful Recipe Coconut Ice Cream: Personal Summers, a Tribute to Women

I first heard of personal summer in a play called, "Menopause: The Musical". While it was a hilarious play, it brought some realities that women had to deal with, "personal summers".  This significant events in women's lives are very personal and varies in its manifestation. For some, there is a lot of physical challenge, the personal summer occuring in the dead of winter. The imbalance being more pronounced in others than the rest.

There is also that psychological challenge of being incomplete, that something very important is missing that their essence as a woman, effectively changing their beings, making them feel less of a woman.  What they are forgetting that what comes with that phase is that maturity, that wisdom of knowing that only a woman has.

It is really no big deal for a personal summer to arrive. It is great that there is no more of those pesky monthly visits of mother nature, women have to deal with personal summers instead.

Then, there is this thing called pica. It is an extraordinary craving mostly by women, unusual because sometimes it is a craving for non food items. Soap, cigarette ash, my mom when she was conceiving me had a craving for young mango leaf from a specific tree. The tree that is perched  near a river that can be reached from a bridge, ha ha and my dad had to be the one to get it.  It is indeed a psychological phenomenon, which the enterprising ones are capitalizing on by providing food items that comes in different forms, i.e. rock, etc.

That makes us special, eh! As a special treat, how about some coconut ice cream. I followed this recipe  from whole foods, it was perfect. The churning took longer than if I was using dairy, which made me wonder if it was going to work, ha ha...

egg is an important ingredient to ice cream making,

Equipment:

Ice Cream Maker
heavy bottom pot

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 can coconut milk
1 can cream of coconut
1 cup sugar or less
vanilla
coconut flakes


In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, cream and the cream of coconut once the sugar is sufficiently melted, put in a heavy bottom pot. In slow fire heat the mixture without boiling or the eggs will cook and curdle. So as soon as the mixture will stick to the ladle (the test of consistency) transfer to the mixing bowl and cool.

Once cooled, put in the ice cream maker and following the directions of the equipment churn until the desired consistency is achieved. Add remaining ingredients gradually.  If a harder ice cream is desired, put in freezer before enjoying.

 To combat personal summers, ice cream is the best, but you want to make your own so that the sugar is controlled, creaming ingredients can also be substituted, like cassava or tapioca flour instead of cream. The tapioca and flour ideas are from my mom, she used to make ice cream using cassava flour without the ice cream machine.  I can't remember if we enjoyed it, but she is one to experiment.  She became a wife and mother without knowing how to cook, became a grandmother and a great-grandmother cooking up a storm.

Enjoy!

Gadget: Vacuum Cleaner - Sebo

Do you ever feel like you are in a vacuum sometimes, where everything is contained without any outlet or means of relief? It can be excruciating.

Two vacuum cleaners ago, I got tired and purchased this Sebo brand. I would have gotten the Dyson because of this British guy's ad. But I was railroaded by the sales person.  True, I was in hurry, another thing that you shouldn't do while shopping. Marketing and Sales technics really makes you change your decision, another reason why I like shopping online.

The Sebo has its pluses, it cleans really good, but it's not a roomba where it will work on its own, you still have to move your furnitures and do the actual moving of the vacuum to clean the surface.

For some reason I associated it with doing penance, in the Catholic Traditions it is also called confession. Where you actually go to a priest and bring my sins to be cleansed.

How is that for an analogy? :)

Thoughtful Recipe - Forgiveness: Bean soup or casserole

When a blog idea comes to me I put it on a draft and update it when the occurence comes. In this case, I had a draft dated August 2005, a long way but I am sure you will find it interesting enough. 

Forgiveness is such a big word, but what is it really? When do we actually say, we forgive? Then, I had all the ideas about forgiveness. There is forgiveness, when we are able to think of a person whom we feel have offended us without culling any negative emotions. When the feeling of resentment of anger leave our hearts and the need to extract punishment, recrimination, or restitution for a perceived wrong or offense.

A lot of things are riding in this forgiveness.  There has to be anger, pride, jealousy, and other negative feelings that can weigh us down.  Therfore, I will classify it under the darkenss category.  I am now reminded of "the Lord's Prayer", forgive us of our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespas against us, and lead us not into temptation xxx.

The sad thing is, sometimes we harbor anger and demand restittution, when the offender does not even know that they have offended us.  Just imagine that burden that the offendee is carrying, for nothing, you know that to carry such a load is destructing and makes us lose our perspective of being with Lordy.

Think about it, I propose that we get rid of all this feelings and open our arms to prepare for advent, embrace the birth of our Lord Jesus.

What a comfortable feeling to be rid of that heavy load and live life in a fully present manner. As a start, I would like to offer a recipe, comfortable for this season, this weather, and just filling in an inexepensive way.

Ingredients:

     1  bag of dried beans (soaked in water overnight)
     1  medium sized onions
     1 smoked ham hocks
     1 heart of celery (hh)
     1 carrots
     1/2 bag green peas
     1 can tomato sauce
     basil
     salt and pepper

Optional ingredients

   garlic powder
   shredded cheese
   creme fraiche or sour cream

Tools/Utensils

   slow cooker/crockpot
   Stainless Slotted Spoon 
   Mandoline Slicer

Directions

Wash the ham hocks and trim of impurities (left over hairs, etc) then place in crock pot covered with enough water. Leave on medium, the instructions will sometimes say for 3 hours, but I like to leave it on so that favors will be infused in the soup.  You can already add, some celery and carrots to add flavor.  When the ham hocks are tender and the bones can be separated from the meat, actually the meat should be almost part of the soup.  Scoop everything from the pot, remove bones from the hh and cut or shred the separated meat into bite size pieces.  If you put vegetables into the soup, you can run it through a sieve so that the juice is extracted, put the juice back in the pot.  You can also run the soup in the sieve so that you will get a clean soup. Put in onions, tomato sauce, garlic powder (optional), drained soaked-beans, start building your flavors, continue to cook until tender, put in other vegetables.

Season to taste. Serve topped with grated cheese, creme fraiche or sour cream. You can also add chopped green or regular onions. Toasted baguette or warm flour tortilla is a good accompaniment.

I'm imagining that because this is so rich, it will go well with a pino noir or a chianti.. alright it is also best enjoyed with a Diet Coke, you need to burp it out ha ha..

Notes: 

A package of ham hocks will yield more than what you need for the soup (too much, as anything else will remove the balance.) once you have boiled, deboned, and shredded the meat, you can freeze half for future use.

After adding all the ingredients you can determine if you need to add more water. The starch from the beans and other vegetables will add a thickening agent.

Thoughtful recipes: Saturday fritata and blueberry muffins

Saturday was the last day of our Bible Study for the year, it has evolved a great many times.  Now, people are moving on, a friend and I decided to stick to it, since we have declared every other Saturday, as time reserved for that purpose and to hang out, discover new restaurants, scour through repurpose items, look for interesting craft items, pray, and adore Him. It has bee 5 years for me, to others more. It has seen happier moments, of babies, marriages, of someone's passing, the breakdown of marriages, travels, life - trials and tribulations.

I was finishing making breakfast, in between talking about old age, personal summers, and the requirements for a successful aging, personality. Which I beg to differ, personality is the result of environment and its influences, even chemical imbalance in the brain, whereas character breeds from the soul.

A podcasted HBR interview on the Starbucks turnaround from the brink of destruction to a continuing growth, touched on social construction and social constructivism. If I remember correctly, this was a 1976 sociology theory. Social construction, it seems is a response to certain scenarios. Clearly, a response to external reaction,  or the general precepts, that unconsciously forms our opinions. Is it cultural? It is not too individualistic because it is being formed from what is obvious.  This is of course, different from the infantile attitude where one is bereft of rational or logical way of thinking. Rather. the thinking process is centered on emotions, which when examined closely is more of the id.  An unChristian way to do, or the Michavellian way where it is not just the attention that is sought but how they will benefit though fair means or foul. For some reason, CS Lewis"' Mere Christianity, came to mind. Where he said, if kindness is not inherent in you, that means you have have not earned the virtue, it is okay to preted to be kind, as it will grow into you, virtousness will come. Is it virtousness or virtousity?

Whooow, I am digressing, I was going to share with you, what I served during this breakfast. Honestly, I was going to suggest to just meet at a diner, but L was rather rushed during her turn, and I felt I need to return the compliment. :)

Cooking is such a joy for me, it is also while cooking that I formulate all this ideas, the beginning of a social construction :).

Anyway, the blueberry muffin was from James McNair's Breakfast, except that I thought I had maple syrup, alas! I threw it away, there was maple sugar which I can't find.  It turned out a little light, which is good. It didn't contribute to the grief of my arteries.

Here's the recipe:

Then I made fritata, like most of the items that I create is dependent on what is in the fridge, so for this:

Ingredients:

olive oil to saute

half a head of onion cubed

zuchini, cut in cubesbaby spinach (i like to cut the stems - this is an optional step)

4 eggs
milk or water as a softening agent for eggs
basil, optional
pepper and salt
cheese (can be cubed or grated) (I can't find my cheese grater so I used the
citrus zester, it worked.

Preheaat oven in 250 or don't turn off your oven after you have removed your muffins, in a medium-sized pan, heat olive oil, then caramelized the onions, followed by the zuchini, sprinkle a little salt (not sure it if changes the water content of the zuchini, once it is wilted, add the spinach. While this is cooking, in a mixing bowl beat the eggs with the milk, add a little salt and pepper. Once the spinach is wilted, but not totally cooked, pour in the egg, fold a little so that the egg mixture will sit at the bottom of the pan. At this time, you want the fire to be on low or medium, once the egg has settled or firmed a little, top with cheese, finish  cooking in the oven, broiled but very slow and should be in the middle position. You are only cooking the top and melting the cheese without burning. Serve on pan, can be served with creme fraiche or sour cream. Side of bacon, fresh fruit for dessert, which I forgot to serve.

I like to make meals where there is versatility and flexibiity of ingredients, that I am not tied to one method and limited to certain ingredients.  There is no creation in the process but rather the implementation or the execution of someone else's creation.

Wait, that is just 3 hours or so of my Saturday, there is more gastronomic activities done during the weekend.

Enjoy!



Pinoy Recipe: Chicken Afritada

The following is an exchange of email from a friend about chicken afritada.

De:  So, R is planning to invite his co-workers over for dinner and he commented how much he liked your simple dish of chicken stew from the last time you had us over. I'd like to try to make that for this dinner...the dish with chicken, tomato paste, potatoes, and veggies...I hope you recognize which one I'm talking about. So when you have a chance, can you email me the recipe?

Me:  So, because I don't follow a recipe I am giving you a recipe, with tips on how I make it.
I don't particularly like to see the shape of a leg, it does not absorb the flavor in cooking process, it is not too economical, and if you are serving more than 1 viand, as Pinoys are wont to do then there will be a lot of left overs of the guests' plates.

Afritada Recipe from a Filipino Cookboosk

The image of afritada from the cookbook

So, I cut the chicken into 1 inch bits the rest of the ingredients are cut in the same size (this is so that it is convenient to eat, nothing falling off the flatware)

If you want it to be a little sweet, add raisins, or a little sour add pickle relish, and olives for a little saltiness. You can add all of these too ..

 Ingredients:

     Olive Oil
     chicken thighs
     2 pcs good sized potatoes
     2 pcs potatoes (red skin)
     1 pc carrot
     bell pepper
     fish sauce
     ground pepper
     raisins
     olives
     onions
     garlic

What I do is in a heavy bottom pot, i saute the diced onions, tomatoes in olive oil, then the chicken until a liltle brown, add tomatoes, add the potatoes and carrots, enough water to cover the chicken, let simmer for hours, halfway through you can add pickles, olives, and raisins (optional)..the water would have evaporated leaving a thicker, flavorful sauce.  season to taste. This is best when the potatoes are really cooked that it renders as a thickening agent.  When it is almost done, add the bell pepper.



My version

As a variation (because of the versatility of the ingredients). If you add basil and other herbs it will have italian flavors cumin will be mexican. etc.

De: Thank you so much for taking the time to send this. I love how you write...even with a simple message as below, you have a way with words. I had to look up the definition of viand (an item of food)!

Spears of Pears

Do you sometimes feel that your heart is being pierced by spears of words that you don't even deserve? Yeah, I notice that the world is turning into an arrogant dwellers. They feel that they are the only children of God, there is no more compassion, no love for others, I can only feel for those who have no capability of taking care of themselves.

It is rather crass, to just address a person so bluntly just to prove that they are better individuals. But the truth of the matter is they are proving themselves to be uncouth and therefore lower than the stature that they are trying to put themselves into. Ah life..

And so to protect myself from such piercings I feel I don't have to protect myself and rather allow them, spears to shame themselves, what I do is enjoy some spears of pears as pictured below. Ha ha was that trying too hard to connect the pears from the difficulty of one's existence? I hope not distastefully, but I know you see what I mean.

I like pears when they are chilled and crunchy, a healthy way to chase the blues away. The sweetness of this one at least, certainly changes one's disposition.

One further trick to enjoyment is to present it on a better plate, make it like you are presenting it for someone else. Not just much it with big bites knowing noone's looking.

Of Grief and Lamentations

Saturday, I was catching up with movies from Netflix, a lot of soppy romance movies, I'm telling you. A good excuse not to do laundry. It was almost mid-day when I woke up, so I tossed the idea of running errands, and a walk around the lake to burn off the gained calories during the week.

In the middle of the Dear John movie, a friend called, asking me to accompany her to purchase an iphone 4. So off we went, me wanting to trade my old iphone, there was a deal going on at AT&T buy two accessories, get one free.

We left the store happy, then off to dinner, I sugested Long Life in Piedmont, an inexpensive Japanese restaurant, but alas, it has closed. I didn't even notice, it was Miechelle's find, it has been a favorite, which turned out to be our once a month place, until she passed.

So we landed at Holly's Mandarin Kitchen, the food was great, service was perfect and the food presentation was wonderful. There's nothing to elaborate on the food, these are comfort foods, familiar, flavors that does not surprise or assault the senses, perfect for a cool evening to update with friends.



Seafood combo, steamed and dipped in soy sauce with lemon



Mongolian beef, not spicy

For dessert, it was fried banana with coconut ice cream with a side of grapes

Drink of choice: Diet Coke

Holly's Mandarin
(510) 652-9678
4080 Piedmont Ave

Oakland, CA 94611

While she was happy with her accomplishments, she was able to buy a brand new car with a five thousand dollar deposit, got her new iphone, and was able to purchase land, vehicles for the business, and is building a house in the Philippines, she is almost giddy that she felt like she has arrived. Of course she credits Lordy for all this, but why are some people not happy with what she has. There is an apparent jealosy, of envy.. hmmmm I griped that if only there is no jealosy, the world will be happy place to live in.  To which she readily responded, öf course, or Satan will have nothing else to do".

True, life is indeed a plate of Chinese noodles, too plain without the sauce, the sauce provides the flavors, melded otherwise it will not be palatable.

Philippine Products Sold at the Whole Foods Market

I know, I know, that are trade agreements, export deals, so it is really nothing especial but a business deal, but it still makes me proud that I am using Philippine products, manufactured ahe nd all in the Philippines. I take a bow, h aha..

 

The fruit looks like key lime but has a distinct sourness to it, we are a culture that uses a lot of dips and calamansi is always mixed with soy sauce or fish sauce.



There is also the muscovado sugar one of the largest items exported from the Philippines. This is sugar from the sugar cane, I remember when my vegetarian friend T was looking for veg sugar and I said how could sugar go wrong, I didn't know then that there is a multitude of varieties. Sugar from palm tree, from beets, from maple, and sugar cane.

So, I take a bow for the Philippines for the travels that its sugar has done. 

Sweet dreams.

Today's Special: The Movie

I saw this at the Albany theater a week or so ago, I totally enjoyed it.  I am not one to look at the personalities in the movie, like who directed, etc. but the lines are fresh.  There was a scene when the main was arguing with his dad and he muttered, "Jesus", this was a scene where he was being thought how to pray, and the Dad character said,"not that".  Or the cab driver who gave his business card with just his name on it.

The story line is good, acting could have been better. But the display of colors of food, even the bazaars, it was amazing.

It was Friday, a while ago

 It was just Friday, what happened to it.. I drafted this early Saturday morning and now it's afternoon and it is still not finished. Anyway, Friday was a wet-morning rush. Cabbie was short-tempered, easily upset, I sensed a hint of African heritage, as I alit from his cab, I told him, "take it eay, it is not worth the effort to be upset", he smiled and made some excuse, I think, he will be okay and will have a wonderful day haha.

The reason for this mad-dash to work, is because I had a 10:00 meeting with my boss about my performance review, not that there is much to go on,I was only halft time billable, it was a bad year. (that's why you gotta get a-clickin'my dear, I have to have options ha ha). He said he is happy with my work and that I am on top of the list, not sure how I am rated with my peers because I am the only one who has flexibility.

All these made me look at what I really want to do with the rest of my life.  Well, I went as far  as what I will do for lunch, which was a chinese pork with spinach with a side of rice fare at the Bay Fung Tong Restaurant near my work place.


A little salty, otherwise good, completes the food pyramid requirement

 

Of course, there has to be diet coke in the mix

1916 Franklin St
(between 19th St & 20th St)
Oakland, CA 94612

Obviously, not my first visit, but this place is efficient, cleaner than most Chinese restaurants. There are more choices too.

I am guessing that to make this, use the following ingredients:

     garlic (minced)
     spinach
     pork cut into thin strips
     corn starch
     black beans (salted)

Boil the pork in a small pan, water just enough to cover the pork, slow fire so that the pork is cooked without drying the water too soon. Set aside in the corner of the pan, heat a little oil (olive or vegetable) once heated, put the pork back, black beans, a little water, and the minced garlic.  Notice that the garlic was not sauteed, it is to avoid that bitterness caused by over frying. The spinach goes in last. It is cooked, when the spinach is wilted. Mix a tablespoon of cornstarch in water add a little soy sauce then put in the mixture in the pan.

Enjoy!

Friday, is also the last day of one of our GIS experts, he is moving to another consulting company, one that we also use to comply with the MBE/WBE requirements. Anyway, we were suppose to meet at this new bar on Grand Avenue, called Era, I said I will go, but decided at the last minute not to..

Friday evening on the next post...

Word of the wise, don't worry about the small stuff, you are responsible for your actions, your words as they are with theirs. Let your actions and your words bother you, not theirs.