Thursday, December 13, 2012

Christmas!

I love Christmas!  My family celebrates Christmas, so that's the holiday season I love, but Happy Holidays, Kwanzaa, Chanukah, Solstice, etc. to you!

I love Christmas for so many reasons.  I like that it's cold outside and warm indoors - by a fire, in a sweater, in a chair, under a blanket, reading a book, drinking a warm mug of cider..... those are the images that come to mind.  I like that it's an occasion for many family get togethers.  Cousins you never see all gather in one place with aunts, uncles, and grandparents (if you're lucky!), catching up, eating delicious food, and spreading the good cheer.  I like giving presents!  I don't like the commercial side of Christmas for the most part, but I do like giving and receiving presents.  I like putting thought into it, wrapping it, writing cards.  I like bringing new things back to my apartment and thinking of the person who gave it to me every time I see it.  I like the food!  I like a meal where gravy can go on every item on the plate.  I like turkey and wine and all sorts of vegetables in their mashed/pureed form.  I like pies and Christmas baking! 

I like an opportunity that smacks me in the face and reminds me: you are so unbelievably fortunate.  It sounds cheesy, but I do have that moment at Christmastime.  How couldn't I?  Warmth, family, presents, food?  So many things that I am blessed, lucky, and fortunate to have, and that are not had by all.

That's why I was thrilled when my girlfriend suggested she and I find some opportunities to volunteer over the holidays.  Not only is it something special we can spend time doing together, but it's something we can do to show we are thankful for how blessed we are.  You can't control where you end up on the fortunate scale, but you can control how aware you are of your blessings.

Happy Holidays!!!

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Broth Talk

I wanna preface this post by saying that I in no way think of myself as some expert chef. However, I cook a lot, I love to cook, I'm getting pretty good at it, and I make a point of learning how to cook better. Some of my learning happens by reading recipes online, cookbooks, and finding tips on how to cook certain things (better). Some of my learning happens by watching the Food Network, or watching friends as they cook, trying to pick up tips in that way. However, my best learning happens through my own practice; good ol' trial and error.

My latest and favourite discovery involves oil. I love cooking with oil, and of course it's a crucial element to a great number of meals. However, the more vegetables (or whatever) you cook, sometimes the more oil you need. And that is an issue! For example, lately (probably once a week) I've been making my interpretation of Chinese food; a sort of improvised vegetarian chow mein dish. I don't know how authentic it is, but it's tasty and seems like Chinese food to me! At the very least it's Chinese-inspired. Anyway, I cook the vegetables in steps, and often have to add more oil with each addition. Then come the noodles which I boil, drain, mix in soy sauce and sesame oil, and then fry in oil for a few minutes. OIL, OIL, OIL!!! The dish ends up well-cooked and delicious, but very oily. Not good.

So yesterday evening as I cooked this dish I was determined to eliminate the oiliness factor. What did I need? Another cooking liquid. What did I use? Vegetable broth.  It keeps the wok moist and gives the vegetables the liquid they need, but doesn't oil them up and absorbs really quickly. It really seemed to solve my problem, and I'm using it in other dishes, too.

Now the question is, is it legit? For those of you out there who cook, is this effective in the real cooking world?


Currently reading... Quiet by Susan Cain
Posts to come... long overdue salute to John Lennon, my overview of all contestants on "RuPaul's Drag Race" to date, and a Christmas post

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