Where Have the Good Rentals Gone?

This week, I've rented Must Love Dogs and Into The Blue. One sucked and the other was enjoyable, you guess which.

Ok, now that you've guessed incorrectly, let me let give you a few hints:

One of them uses every movie-script-magic trick known (i.e., the gay couple who represent the only healthy couple in the entire movie [I'm blanking on the name, but it will come to me later], the family signing moment [reminding you of My Best Friend's Wedding, which also starred Dermot Mulroney...interesting], the instant family member [reminding you of Kate Hudson in How to Lose A Guy in Ten Days], and so on and so on.) This is the one I didn't like.

The other one had a great plot...broke young couple in the Bahamas finds the mother lode of all treasures, then a sunken drug plane nearby. The rest of the movie is spent with action, twists, fun and a happy ending. This is the one I liked.

Rent them both and see what you think.

~ Brock

Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone. This week I'll be posting pictures and recipes for Chinese Hot Pot and a few other things.

Stay tuned.

~ Brock

Wine Review: 1995 Estancia Duo

(Sorry about the poor picture) I'm sure you're surprised to read a wine review of a 1995 blend (Cab and Sangiovese) opened in 2005. Well, don't read it if you don't believe it. Otherwise...

I collected a large amount of wine in 1995 - 1997. I have probably 40 or so bottles left from that time period, and open them whenever I feel like it. My latest offering was a 1995 Estancia Duo, a blend of Cabernet (70%) and Sangiovese (30%). Normally, a wine like this would have a shelf life of maybe 3 - 5 years, but not this bottle. It was great after 10 years!

The wine was certainly light bodied and juicy, which was surprising given the date I opened it. Also, after taking off the foil wrapper, I noticed some leakage. I don't like to waste wine, so I tried it and am glad that I did. Even with leakage and age, this wine held together.

Fruity, simple, and light, not overly tannic and refreshing aroma, this wine was worth the $10 or so bucks I spent a while back. It reminded me of a beaujolais.

It went well with a spicy ravioli I threw together.

~ Brock

Awesome Pickled Vegetables

With most Asian meals, you'll want to have at least one small dish of pickled vegetables. For Japanese (although you can use this with any Asian meal), I suggest this packet. You can find it at just about any Asian market. It's best on cucumbers, but works well with cabbage, carrots or whatever you like.

Chop your vegies into the size you like, sprinkle ample amounts, mix, and chill.

Give it a try with curry or Korean BBQ and enjoy!

~ Brock

Pork and Peanuts Get Spicy

You don't always have to know what you're cooking to make something decent. Sometimes, it's just having an idea of a dish or dishes that you like and combining elements in hope that it won't taste like crap. Here' s four ingredient (not counting spices) dish that only takes a few minutes (except for the rice) to make.

Ingredients
pork loin
oyster mushrooms
peanuts
rice

Directions
Cook rice according to instructions (I use a rice cooker with 1 1/2 water to 1 cup rice).

Slice the pork loin into long thin strips, like pictured. Set aside.
Slice the oyster mushroom into long thin strips like pictured (you can buy oyster mushrooms fresh at most decently stocked markets, or canned at any Asian market). Set aside.
I used planters roasted and salted peanuts; about 1/4 cup.

Oil a pan and heat it to medium-high. Drop in the mushrooms and fry for about 3 minutes. Add a bit of fresh ground black pepper, some ground ginger and garlic. Add pork and fry until just about done. At the same time, add dried shallots (you can pick these up at an Asian market). Add about 2 tbsp soy sauce, red chili flakes, ground pepper, garlic and ginger. Drop in peanuts and blast the fire to high. Take out and drop onto rice.

Enjoy!

~ Brock

Starbuck's v. Sambuck's

Call it what you will, but trademark owners should be able to protect their property. Yes, Starbuck's was able to cause a coffee shop owner to change her name and logo. And, many reports on this case have made it sound like this is the big guy beating up on the little guy, but what's the point of having trademark law if it's not for everyone to use, including the "big guys"?

Victoria's Secret sued Victor's Secret, but couldn't force it to change it's name. Starbuck's sues Sambuck's and can. It's knee-jerk reaction when people cry foul simply because the underdog remains the underdog.

Just my opinion!

~ Brock

Wine Review: 2002 Novy Syrah (Santa Lucia Highlands)

2002 Novy Syrah SLH

You don’t even need to get near you glass to smell this wine. Earthy aromas mixed with tar and black fruit dominate the nose. My first thought was “brett”. The wine coats your mouth like olive oil. Very full bodied. Blackberries combine with the flavors of earth, chocolate and star anise. Very strong flavors. Soft sweet tannins. The alcohol is not very present. On the second day, the wine was more balanced and was surprisingly food friendly.

50+5+12+15+7 = 89 (scoring method @ Parker's )

Jason

Noche De Cubano

I fell in love with Cuban sandwiches at a small Cuban restaurant in Yorba Linda that closed down a few years ago (apparently there are too many Olive Garden-Chilis-Mimis-lovers in Yorba Linda to keep a good foreign restaurant in business). The best is the media noche, which you can still find at Felix's in Orange, although not as good as the one that's long gone.

Tonight, I made my own, along with fried bananas and black beans. The store was out of the right bread, so I used French rolls...so-so.

Here's how it's done:

Media Noche
bread
Pork
deli ham
provolone cheese
pickles

Slice the pork into thin slabs about 1/4 inch thick, and 3"x4". Heat small amount of oil in pan and fry pork over moderate heat. Salt, pepper and garlic, then turn and season again. Make sure the pork is cooked, but not dried out. Meanwhile, butter the inside of the bread and fry it until it's crispy (in another pan). Once the pork is cooked and the bread is fried on the inside, arrange the pork as if making a sandwich, add one or two slices of deli ham, provolone cheese and some sliced pickles. Close the sandwhich and heat it in the bread pan until slightly crisp on top and bottom and heated thoroughly.

Fried Bananas

(Use bananas rather than plantains, because they are softer and stay moist.)

Slice bananas about 1/4 inch thick. Use one per person. Meanwhile, heat fully slathered pan of oil on moderate heat. Add bananas, then shake sugar and cinnamon above. Fry until brown, then turn. These will really start to soften up and will stick, so keep them seperate and handle them one piece at a time. Fry the other side, drain in slotted spoon above the pan and transfer to plate (don't try to drain on a paper towel - they stick).

Black Beans

Buy a can of your favorite black beans. Fry up about half of a handful of thinly sliced pork strips; season with salt, pepper and garlic. Add beans and half diced tomatoe. Season with Thyme and a bit more garlic. Add a few pieces of sliced Anaheim chili. Simmer over low heat at least 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

~ Brock

Dain Wines: An Interview With David Dain Smith, Part One

PICTURES LEFT TO RIGHT: (“The Mad Scientist at Work” or “Behind every successful Man, there is a Strong Woman, rolling her eyes”) His words. The picture is from last year's crush at CrushPad. David Dain is taking sugar readings and Cathy is writing them down. PICTURE TWO: Proud Father! David Dain holding a bottle of "American Beauty", Amber Ridge Pinot Noir, right of the bottling line. (CLICK PICTURE TO ENLARGE)

I first encountered David Dain Smith while posting on the famous Mark Squires’ Wine Bulletin Board. I noticed we had many similar tastes in the variety of styles, particularly Pinot Noir, that we enjoyed. It was also nice to see that he was a person that always had something nice to say to people. Knowing his first vintage was about to be released and the unique situation of not living in “wine country”, I thought it would be fun to introduce you all to this artisan. As you read, remember that David Dain purchases grapes and does not own the vineyards…at least not yet. This is a very common practice, particularly with Pinot Noir.

I hope you enjoy the interview as much as I do. I think David Dain has much to offer not only in the world of wine but also in life in general. He and his wife Cathy are working to make this world a better place in so many ways. God Bless them and their family.

• Where are you from and where are you now?

Currently Cathy (my wife) and I live in Springfield, Missouri. A lovely small city, deep in the Ozark Mountains. Really nothing too close to this ‘city’ but farms and forest and Lakes. We were both born here, we were (are) high school sweethearts. We have three nearly grown children. We have lived in Philadelphia, Denver, Kansas City and St. Louis before moving back to the Ozarks. My day job requires a large amount of travel so I am bicoastal, even while living in the Midwest. Cathy has projects in Nicaragua, Central America, so we travel a bit. She participates in Medical Mission trips as often as she can.

Since we are used to a lot of travel, it is an easy thing to commute to the winery in San Francisco.

To answer the question of where we are now, I should elaborate regarding our winery. We use the custom crush facility at CrushPad in San Francisco.

We are able to contract with top flight vineyards, consult with great winemakers, design our own ‘wine-making plan’ and make what I consider, great small-lot pinot noir and syrah!

• What do you prefer to be called? David, Dain or Reggie?

My friends call me David Dain, so I hope you will too. It is kind of a southern thing really. David or Dain is fine. I use Dain as a handle for business purposes usually. Hence, Dain Wines.

• What are you drinking right now? If not now later?

Kosta Browne Sonoma Coast 2002. Very nice pinot from some very nice folks. I am partial to Sonoma and Russian River Valley fruit. I drink a fair amount of wine from Anderson Valley and love wines from the Central Coast of California. I am a fan of burgundy but am still just learning all of the appellations and producers of that area.

• Career? How did you get where you are now?

I am now, and have been for some time, a marketing executive for a large pharmaceutical company. Prior to that, I was a microbiologist. I have always had an interest in Better Living through Chemistry. My current career has been a source of satisfaction for me for quite a while but I am preparing to move into a different phase of my life. Do what you love and you will never work a day in your life….unless you make wine, which is work everyday. :-)

• What is the story of wanting to make wine? Have you been making wine at your home? So called garage wine?

Actually that is exactly how I got started. Cathy indulged me some time ago and allowed the construction of a ‘wine studio’ in the back section of our garage. I began with some purchased St. Vincent grapes. St. Vincent is a hybrid of Pinot Noir and Chambourcin, available only in Missouri. It was the closest thing to pinot I could get for starters. I was hooked immediately. Still, I wanted to work with California fruit hence our move to CrushPad. In my humble opinion, California is the source of the best fruit for wine in the world. This coming from a HUGE fan of burgundy BTW.
(Scrutiny Note: Pinot Noir is the red grape of Burgundy, in France. Many would consider Burgundy the king of Pinot Noir. In part two we will discuss the general differences between Burgundy Pinot Noir and California Pinot Noir)

• What are the financial goals? Break even? Make a little? Buy a Rolls?

I have heard it said, "if you want to make a small fortune in the wine business, start with a large fortune." We have no illusions about making any kind of fortune but our goal is to concentrate on small lot single vineyard Pinot Noir and Syrah. We believe our business model will afford us a modest profit if we can get to somewhere in the neighborhood of 1200 to 2000 cases.

• Is it your goal to be a full time winemaker or full time in the wine business?

It is my long term goal for winemaking to be my sole profession. I desire to leave the so-called corporate world and manage our wine label as our only business, even though this will take some time. I love having purple hands (and a purple tongue) :-) .

• Do you think winemaking should be left to certain people (professionals), or can anyone try it?

I would encourage everyone to try it. Kits are available for the novice and CrushPad can enable a group of friends to share a barrel! When I am there I usually pitch in to help with whatever wine needs something done. It is a great environment and plenty of non-professionals are making wine a barrel at a time.

• How would you define success as a winemaker?

Happened just a few nights ago. I was at a wine dinner and a very nice young lady came back to a bottle of our Sojourn Syrah, poured herself a nice pour, smiled and said “I really like this!” I believe wine is a convivial beverage. Wine is best paired with friends. Of course friends with food is great too. Enjoyment of wine is about the joy of the moment and the memories created. If our wines help bring enjoyment to the lives of our customers, I am a successful winemaker.

• Do you have any favorite wine makers?

Heavens yes! Brian Loring is one of my favorite people period and I love his wines. I don’t know Sean Thackrey or Manfred Krankl but I love Thackrey wines and Sine Que Non wines. Unfortunately, it is virtually impossible to find these wines so it is a good thing I have many favorites that are a bit more obtainable. I mentioned Loring wines, you can actually find them. Adam Lee at Siduri, and Wells Guthrie at Copain all make really good wine you can actually find. Rene Engel (RIP) was a favorite in burgundy. Denis Mortet is great too. Mortet makes a Bourgogne rouge that is cheap and good!

(Click Here to see The Scrutiny Review of one of Brian Loring's wines)

• Is your own wine one of your favorites? I know so many of my favorite food dishes are prepared by me and I crave them. Can you say the same about your wine?

One of my goals is to make wine I enjoy drinking. So far I have been pretty successful in doing that. So I can say yes, my wine is one of my favorites. I have lots of favorites in addition to my wines of course.

• How did your passion for wine begin? Was there a single wine that started it all for you?
  

My father introduced me to wine about 30 years ago. We shared a simple meal with a simple bottle and my memory of the event is so strong as for it to have been yesterday. I remember thinking ‘what a wonderful way to live’ enjoying simple pleasures.

• How many cases will you produce? How does that compare to a company like Beringer or BV?

Hopefully soon, we will make somewhere between 1200 and 2000. Most likely the number is closer to 1200. We intend to focus on small lot, single vineyard premium Pinot Noir and Syrah. Typically about 8-12 barrel lots will be our target level for any individual vineyard. We are not even a gnat flying around the head of a giant like Beringer or BV.

• How do you market your wines? Where are they sold?

Our wines are sold via mailing list. Information is available at http://www.dainwines.com/. We hope that someday our production will reach a point where we can offer some to retail outlets, maybe later this year. Our only real marketing is pouring at wine festivals and word of mouth. That will have to do for now, we can’t afford an ad in the Wine Spectator. :-)

• What is your favorite wine/food movie?

“Year of the Comet” a comedy about the 1811 Lafite Rothschild. I am not particularly a fan of “Sideways” FWIW.

• So will you drink Merlot?

Gosh yes! One of the best wines I have ever tasted was 100% Merlot. The 1975 Petrus was perhaps the best wine of my life. But this question is not about Petrus (hell, who can drink that more than once a decade?) but rather do I enjoy Merlot. I find that I drink less and less cabernet and or merlot based wines. I still have many bottles of Bordeaux in my cellar but I will probably sell it. I love Pinot soooooo much, it’s what I drink. If you want a really great merlot for a reasonable price; 2001 Havens Reserve Merlot ($35)…my favorite and terrific!!

Stay tuned for part two of the interview with David Dain where we will look deeper into the man as well as discuss grape "clones" and the differences between Burgundy and California Pinot Noir.

In the meantime, please post any questions you may have for David Dain as well as drop by his web-site and sign up for his mailing list. And if you are so inclined, order a few bottles and see, smell and taste what this artisan has created. Be sure to tell him The Scrutiny sent you.

Check back soon for Part Two!

Cheers,

Jason

Cookbooks We Need

It seems like there's a cookbook from pretty much anything...one-pot cooking, Asian, French, 30 minute cooking, healthy cooking, etc., etc. What I haven't seen is a cookbook that is based around certain spices or one that breaks down regions of food by primary spices used. When you want to experiment with a type of food, you're left with seeing what spices are typical to other types of dishes in that region. Know what I mean?

I want to be able to look up Lime, for example, and find that it's common in this country, that country, etc. Or, I want to look up Coriander and find the same thing. That way, if I have a chicken breast and feel like making something Brazilian, I would know what spices to test out.

Wish in one hand...

~ Brock

U BUNG

In Taiwan, they call it "u bung." In China, they call it "yo fan." In America, we call it something like salty-sticky rice. I just made some, so I thought I'd share a picture. As you may notice, I didn't use shrimp this time, and the squid is curled. I only had 20 minutes to make dinner the other night, so I didn't have time to soak the squid long enough. I tried to soak it in boiling water without thinking, which basically cooked it in a dried state = very nasty. Make sure you soak the squid long enough before using it.

My turkey day post has the recipe.

~ Brock

Turkey Day Was A Hit

Thanksgiving ain't just for the turkey. Besides, turkey is pretty damn boring. But I'm one lucky American, because every Thanksgiving, I get the a little bit of Taiwan, America, and sometimes Russia. It's awesome.

My wife's family is Taiwanese, so holiday meals are always loaded with more than the basic selection. This year, we had all the staples - turkey, ham, stuffing, corn, mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, green beens, homemade cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. But the spark to the meal is always a few Chinese dishes and yours truly is responsible for one of them every year.

The first is a sticky rice dish pronounced "u-bung." Sounds nasty, but don't think like a dirty minded scroundel and read on...it's made with Japanese sticky rice, shittake mushrooms, dried squid, dried shrimp, pork, shallots, soy sauce and oil. Here's how it's done: soak the mushrooms (if you're using dried ones), dried squid and dried shrimp until each are tender. Once that happens (30minutes - 1 hour), slice the squid and mushrooms into thin strips about 1 inch long by 1/4 inch wide. Also cut the pork into same size strips and set aside. Use copious amounts of oil and fry the mushrooms, squid and shrimp for about three minutes. Add pork. Add a few tablespoons of soy sauce (or more if you like it salty). Add dried shallots (about 2 tbsp). Fry this mixture up until the pork is cooked, then set it aside. Meanwhile, cook the sweet rice 1 cup water to 1 cup rice. Use a rice cooker. When it's done, mix the rice with the other stuff and that's it. I also make my fried chicken roll (see my September post). There was something else, but I can't remember what it was. Oh well.

Now, sometimes I go to my aunt's, and since she's Russian, we often get a hint of that as well. Usually it's lamb, either a roast or kabob-type rendering (pronounced "shashlick" - yeah, I know, hahaha). I'll tell you sometime how to make it, because it's simple and great.

That's it.

~ Brock

TURKEY BOWLING

TURKEY BOWL(ING)

For a sad yet inspirational story, check out a brief history of the Turkey Bowl.

~”J”

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'll tell you all about my Chinese Thanksgiving later this week.

~ Brock

Wine Labels Sell Wine

If you know me or follow my posts, you know that I'm not a wine dork. I can't tell you what years were good in what region of what state (or country, for that matter). When I drink a good bottle, I know if I like it. If I do, I try to describe it. If I don't like it, then who the hell cares. But my posting about the Penfolds wine got me thinking...if you've never heard of a particular wine, what makes you buy it? With music, you can listen first. With books, you can scan the inside. With wine you can what? Yeah, I tried smelling the bottle, but that didn't help. So, you're left with the label. That's it. That's all.

I notice that I like a few labels: Caymus, Far Niente and Cakebread Cellars.

And some I don't: Rodney Strong, Beaulieu, and Atlas Peak.

There are, of course, many, many others that I like and don't like (and the label doesn't usually correspond to a good wine, does it?).

So, I wonder, is there a direct link between the "coolness" of a wine's label and sales for that wine?

~ Brock

Wine Tasting: Penfolds Cab/Shiraz

I think I've had mabye two or three Penfolds wines in my life. The other two weren't awesome enough to remember, but I've always thought of them as producing good wines because they have cool labels. Yes, I like their labels - clean, simple, but striking red on white. (Did I just admit that I know nothing about wine? Probably.)

Anyway, my wife and I had some friends over for burgers the other night, and they brought a 2002 Penfolds Cabernet-Shiraz. Here's a nice breakdown of the wine too. I was pleased with this wine, so let me tell you about it.

First, my burgers. Ground beef patties seasoned with copious amounts of cracked pepper, sea salt, garlic and paprika. Toast the buns with olive oil and cracked pepper. Top the burger with this Gorgonzola mix:

3 Tbsp Gorgonzola
1 Tbsp butter
1/4 tsph Tapatio or other vinegary hot sauce

Mix well and top on your burgers while still on the grill.

Now for the wine:

Color was a deep purple with hints of brown edges in the right light. Nothing that would turn you off, but man was it deep. I was nursing a cold, so I couldn't quite get the aroma, which appeared to be "thick" - that's the only way I could describe it. On the palate, dried fruit...maybe apricot, prune...not in the candied sense you're ready for, but more of the muted introduction, along with a hint of citric something and salt. That suprised me - salt.

So, this wine with a good slab of beef? Good choice.

~ Brock

More Mushrooms, More Cream

Jason posted a recipe a while back, then I posted a variation of it. Now, I'm back to tell you a little secret about this awesome bowtie pasta based on Jason's original recipe - You'll want it over and over again.

Bowtie pasta cooked according to instructions.

1 mediumPortobella mushroom, chopped
3/4 Cup white wine
3/4 Cup whipping cream
4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
2 tbsp butter
Olive oil

Add butter to hot pan and melt. Add mushroom and saute for about 2 minutes. Add a bit of olive oil, then add the garlic (lots of it...all of it...more if you like). Fry mushrooms and garlic for another minute or so, until garlic turns just brown - DO NOT BURN THE GARLIC. Then, add a good amount of fresh cracked pepper. Don't be shy. By now, this pan should be smelling good!

Add white wine and stir, scraping up bits. Do this for about one minute, then add cream. Let this mixture stir on high for about a minute, then reduce heat. Stir regularly for about 20 - 25 minutes until reduced. Add some more cracked pepper right at the end, with a bit of sea salt.

Put the bowtie pasta on two plates, pour enough sauce to cover well. You'll notice the sweet and earthy mushroom taste, surrounded by a not-too-overwhelming garlic. The pepper adds the necessary spice to finish it off. Top with toasted pine nuts and garnish with fresh parsley or basil.

~ Brock

Light Pasta Great For Lunch

Need a quick meal? That's one good thing about so many pasta dishes...they're quick, easy and good. Here's one:

Enough capellini for two (cook according to instructions - set aside in two bowls)

shrimp (boil 2 minutes and set aside)
pine nuts (about two tbsp. dry pan fry for about 1-2 minutes - don't burn)
1 roma tomatoe, finely diced
a few pieces of fire roasted peppers (I used a jar from Trader Joes)
A few pieces of artichoke heart (I used some from a bag you buy at Trader Joes...they're frozen. Thaw them by dropping them in your pasta water - before you add the pasta - and removing them with a slotted spoon)
Olive oil

Heat olive oil, then add tomatoes. Cook 1 minute, then add peppers and artichoke hearts. Add generous amounts of fresh cracked pepper and salt. Cook together 1-2 minutes. Have pasta waiting in bowls and top with mixture, add shrimp and pine nuts to top.

This is a very earthy taste and not spice dependent.

~ Brock

Spyware Publishers Get Kicked In The...

Spyware sucks. That goes without saying. And the law is a bit too slow in fighting it well enough. But, a court in Chicago just set the stage for a showdown that might lead to a flood of litigation that will actually accomplish something.

In Sotelo v. DirectRevenue, the plaintiff filed suit against a number of defendants claiming trespass to chattels (among other things) for spyware that was placed on the plaintiff's computer without permission and which depleted and interfered with the computer's resources and bandwith. The claim of trespass to chattels relates to the interference with personal property (i.e., parking your neighbor's tractor in your garage and locking it in might constitute a trespass to chattel).

The defendants filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit prior to trial. The court sustained the motion (disagreed with it), stating that although trespass to chattels historically involved the taking of personal property, "interference" with another's personal property could be sufficient.

Now understand that the plaintiff hasn't won the case; this was just a pre-trial motion to have the case dismissed. What it does create, though, is the reality that the court will probably find the defendants liable for trespass at trial. And, if this court finds the defendants liable, other courts will naturally follow. If they do, a new claim against spyware publishers will be born. If the courts disagree, the supreme court may take up the disagreement (in a few years, of course) and resolve it.

This is another case to follow that impacts all computer users.

~ Brock

Don't Miss This Show

Many friends will be playing this night. Be there or be a rhombus.

Afterfall (or whatever name they're going by) Take Me There (Click Here)

Gadget Car Pan Dulce (Click Here)

LTA

See you there!

LINK

Jason

Nice Rebuttal to Typical New World Bashing

Tom Wark of Fermentations has a great article about the criticisms wine makers and grape growers from places like California receive from many Europeans. Make sure to link over to the article by Jancis Robinson.

This problem goes far beyond the wine world. Being an American, I often find that I can’t win when it comes to dealing with some Europeans. It is sad that when someone does something better than them, they must slip into vicious, baseless attacks.

LINK

Jason

Open 24/7

Yeah, I'm talking about my mind. I have an open mind. That's why I wasted my money and went to eat dinner at Olive Garden tonight. I know, I know. Don't get me started. I just got done bagging on the place, then I go eat there. Well, that's the way I work.

Dinner for two. Pasta overcooked. Sauce had too much salt. Salad might as well be soup (although the salad is the reason I went). Breadsticks might as well be cardboardsticks. Broken water glass. Not-the-sharpest-tool...waitress. Waited 15 minutes to get seated when the restaurant was half empty. Total bill: $17.58. Total waste.

I should have followed my own advice and bought a bag of salad, a bag of pasta, a can of sauce and a loaf of garlic bread. Total cost: $7.00. What was I thinking?

~ Brock

Japanese Seafood Dinner

Why does everyone settle for crap food, night after night. And then, "oh, I made this great dinner. I bought a can of sauce, a bag of pasta, some pre-made garlic bread, a bag of salad, and a bottle of two-buck chuck. Awesome!" Where is your brain? That meal is an excuse for someone that has no creativity or idea what a good meal is. It reminds me of a girl on an old run of The Bachelor with Andrew Firestone. He asked her what her favorite restaurant was. Her answer, "Olive Garden." Holy Crap! What is this world coming to?

Anyway, forget the pasta tonight. This one is easy and better than anything you could order at Olive Garden.

Teriyaki Salmon

2 Salmon filets (at least 1" thick each)
1/4 cup Japanese soy sauce
1/3 cup sake
1 tsp sugar

Marinate salmon filets for at least 1 hour. Bring out to countertop prior to cooking (leave in marinade) for at least 20 minutes. Broil until cooked - about 12 minutes.

Crab

You can buy a nice sized previously cooked crab for this meal, or you can boil your own.

Edamame

Follow instructions on bag. You can pick up a bag of these at Trader Joe's or most other Asian markets.

Dipping Sauces

Spicy Soy Dip - 1tbsp chopped garlic, 1/2 thinly sliced jalapeno chile, 2 pinches of fresh cut green onion, 1/3 cup soy sauce.

Horseradish-Soy Dip - 1tsp horseradish, 1/3 cup soy sauce.

Vinegar-Ginger-Soy Dip - 1/3 cup soy sauce, 1 tbsp vinegar, 1tbsp fresh grated ginger.

Teriyaki Dip - Drain pan from teriyaki salmon, add 1tbsp chopped green onions.

Easy and damn good. Why make pasta every night when you can have variety.

Enjoy!

~ Brock

Political Stupidity

Is the point of politics to force everyone around you to take your view? Me, I don't push my political views on anyone. In fact, I could care less if someone shares my political views. I rarely mention politics in conversation, and avoid the topic as much as possible when it comes up. Why? Because I don't give a crap what you think about politics and I doubt you really care what I think, either.

Here are a few annoying examples:

1. I haven't voted on a local, state or federal level for at least 10 years. Why? It's none of your damn business. But, to all of you freaks that push your liberal, freedom-fighting, whatever- you-call-it political views on me, here is my response: why is it that you push everyone to "fight for your rights," but when it comes to me not voting, "oh, that's not a right, it's a responsibility." Why do I have to exercise my right or responsibility when you tell me to? I don't. That's the point of having a right.

2. Why does everyone act like they have the inside track on political motivations? Like with hurricane Katrina, "oh, it's Bush's fault." Or, "oh, the state government knew it was going to happen but did nothing." Or, the best yet, "oh, actually, 'they' knew the city would flood years ago, but they didn't tell anyone." Like you know anything. Just because you listen to NPR or read US News, or whatever your "cool" source of "inside" news is, you only know what they tell you to know. You don't have the inside track to anything other than your radio or news stand (along with the millions of other robots just like you).

3. And, last, but not least, why is it that Christian politics involve so much hate, judgment, condemnation, hypocrisy and self-righteousness? Now, before you jump on the bandwagon (or stand in offense) know this - I am a Christian and have been nearly all my life. I believe in Jesus. I believe every word of the bible. But, what does that have to do with it? I'm not taking up the cause against Christianity or Christian politics, and I'm not saying that just because someone is a Christian, all of their political views and methods are correct. I'm simply pointing out a fact. The world believes Christians are hateful, judgmental, condemning, hypocritical, and self-righteous. Sometimes Christian politics send that message. That's all.

Just some late evening ramblings.

~ Brock

A Gravy For All Seasons

I grew up on bisquits and gravy. My mom had a recipe passed down from her parents and it was the highlight of many, many Saturday mornings. Anyway, here's a version of it, along with a recipe for steak gravy.

Breakfast Gravy

6 links sausage or bacon strips
two table spoons flour
1/4 - 1/2 fresh cracked black pepper
salt
whole milk

Cook the sausage or bacon in a heavy pan. When finished, leave the oil in the pan and the fire on. Remove the meat. Crack the pepper into the pan and fry for a few seconds, then toss in the flour, whisking it until brown. Start adding milk, a little at time. The amount of milk you add will depend on how you like the consistency of your gravy (less = dry, more = wet). Don't stop whisking once you've taken the bacon or sausage out. Once it's mixed well, lower the heat, and break up at least one sausage or bacon and add it to the gravy.

The above recipe is great with over-easy eggs, bisquits, hashbrowns, and bacon/sausage. Great for large family gatherings.

Black Pepper Steak Gravy

I discovered this type of gravy at a Chinese restaurant in Irvine. It's simple to make and adds a variation to steak for those of us who don't care for A1 or Heinz 57.

2 tbsp butter
1/4 - 1/2 tbsp cracked black pepper
salt
2 tbsp flour
beef broth

In a heavy pan, melt the butter on high med-high heat. Add the pepper and fry a few seconds. Add the flour and whisk until brown. Pour in beef broth slowly, whisking constantly until desired consistency is reached. Keep warm.

This gravy works well with medium-well steak and over-easy egg.

Enjoy!

~ Brock

More On Pre-Event Eating

If you've followed my posts, you know that my eating habits haven't changed one bit since my first Pre-Event eating post back in August. To add to the impact of my wonderful diet, I've been plagued by bronchitis for almost three weeks now, so I haven't exercised in two. I practically pass out just going up the stairs in my house. Oh well! Anyway, my race is in two weeks (October 9), so I'll have to hit the pool and road pretty hard this week to be able to taper by the following week. Maybe I shouldn't be thinking about tapering? I'll tell you what I am thinking about...I'm thinking about that pulled pork sandwich I had yesterday in Lake Forest.

Keep on truckin'

~ Brock

Curry Chicken Salad

Seeing many of J's recipes makes me hungry. I don't always have the ingredients his recipes call for, so I improvise. Well, I can't say that I improvise, because I don't replace one ingredient for another. Actually, I make something entirely different. Well, the idea is similar. Oh well.

1 head romaine lettuce
1 can chunk chicken (drained)
curry powder
toasted pine nuts
1/2 red onion
1/2 cup grape/cherry tomatoes
crumbled gorgonzola

dressing:
1/2 cup balsalmic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbsp mustard
ground pepper
ground garlic

Pull the romaine apart into edible-sized pieces; arrange on plates
thinly slice red onions, top the lettuce
drop tomatoes on top
Place chicken in bowl and add generous portion of curry powder. Mix well, then add chunks on top of salad
drop gorgonzola on top, followed by pine nuts
Add dressing

Enjoy!

~ Brock

Kafta Kabobs and Yogurt Dip

Some foods are clearly intended for eating and not for appearance. I would say that Kafta type kabobs fall into that category. This recipe is a variation of a Lebanese ground meat kabob. It's simple to make, but tastes great.

1 lb ground beef (I prefer a slighly higher fat conent - 15%)
2 eggs
1/2 finely chopped onion
1 tbsp crushed coriander
1 tbsp crushed cumin
salt
pepper
ground garlic

In a large bowl, scramble the eggs. Then, add the beef and onion. Mix by hand. Add generous portions of salt, pepper and garlic (I believe you should always add to preference, not to recipe - experiment), and coriander/cumin. Mix by hand again. Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make your yogurt dip:

1 small pack of plain yogurt, drained lightly
1/2 lime
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cucumber, skinned and finely chopped/drained
ground garlic (approximately 1 tbsp)

Mix well and place in fridge until ready to eat.

Then, chop remaining onion into large chunks for eating with kabob. Also, quarter 1 lemon for drizzle.

Once the meat is cooled nicely, get out metal skewers. Roll the meat into 1 inch thick, 8 - 10 long pieces (as many as you can get from the mix; probably 4 - 5). Slide the skewers through the meat, lengthwise. Carry out to grill (which should be heated to high).

Be careful placing the kebabs on the grill, because the meat will fall right off the skewers. Deliver them by hand, gently. Once they're on, brush generously with olive oil and drip lime juice over. Roll these puppies to each side about 1 minute. They should cook sufficiently within 4 - 5 minutes. Each time you roll them, baste with olive oil and lime juice. Be careful removing them from the grill. The longer you cook them, the dryer they become.

Eat kebabs with raw onion, lemon wedges and yogurt dip.

~ Brock

Bring On The Fried Chicken....Roll

Ok, so it doesn't have chicken, but who cares, it's still called the fried chicken roll. This is a great Chinese dish. It's easy to make, great taste and hearty.

1/2 lb ground pork
1/2 lb finely chopped fish cake (you can use fish paste, but I prefer the chopped cake. Pick this up at an Asian supermarket like 99 You can try different brands/types, it's up to you.)
1 small carrot, diced finely
1 small onion, diced finely
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp cooking wine
1tsp sesame oil
1/3 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Combine everything in a large bowl and mix thoroughly by hand. Then, get large seaweed and/or large dry tofu sheets (if you use tofu sheets, you will need to cover them with a wet towel for a few minutes until the soften up enough to roll without breaking).

Place a fair amount of mix into the sheet and roll (like you are rolling a cigar). Make sure to tuck in the ends, or the mix will explode out the side when it's cooked.

Once you have all the rolls ready to...roll, add some oil to a heavy pan and heat to medium. When it's hot, place the rolls in and fry for about 4 minutes on medium, then turn up the heat to high and fry another minute or two. roll them continuously so they don't overcook one side. When they're crispy, they're done.

Take them out of the pan and slice. Serve with Ketchup.

~ Brock

No Panda Crap Here

The best fried rice comes from a home kitchen. Here is a simple recipe for damn good Chinese fried rice:

2 cups rice (I use a rice cooker, so I add 1.5 cups of water for each cup of rice - it turns out perfect every time. It's been a while since I cooked rice stovetop, so read a bag before you do it that way). Let the rice cook.

Meanwhile, add oil to a large frying pan and...

Scramble two eggs and fry, with salt and pepper. Set aside. (keep the oil in the pan)

Slice 1/2 onion in lengthwise slivers. Fry with oil until fragrant, but not limp. Set aside. (keep the oil)

Slice Chinese sweet sausage into small chunks. Fry with oil until cooked (about 2 minutes). Set aside. (keep the oil)

Slice Chinese fishcake (whichever kind you like) into small chunks. Fry with oil for about 1 or 2 minutes (don't overcook, or it will dry out). Set aside. (keep oil)

Fry about 1/2 cup corn. Set aside.

You should have well-flavored oil remaining in the pan. This will work with your rice once it's done. When rice is finished cooking, cool it. For a fast cool, set the pot in a large bowl (or sink) of ice water. Otherwise, put it in the fridge for a while.

Once rice is cooled sufficiently (not cold - closer to room temperate is best), turn the fire up high and once it's hot (make sure you have at least a solid 2 tbsp of oil existing. If not, add some), drop the rice in. Fry the rice for a minute or two, trying to crisp it up.

Then, add Chinese Oyster Sauce. You can buy this in a bottle at any Chinese supermarket. Add about 1/4 cup, speading throughout the rice. Add about 2 tbsp soy sauce, lightly salt and pepper. Some ground garlic will work fine too.

Fry this mixture up for another minute, then add all the pre-cooked ingredients. Mix well, frying throughout. Once it's heated throughout, it's done.

This rice works well with Chinese XO chile sauce. Otherwise, use your favorite Asian chile sauce as a compliment.

~ Brock