Recipe: Six Ways Soy

INGREDIENTS:
1 Brick Tofu
1 Can Soy Beans
1 Box of Frozen Edamame
1 Can Coconut Milk
1 Package Tempeh (I used the marinated coconut curry tempeh strips)
1 bag Spinach
2 Garlic Scapes (or 1 clove of garlic if scapes aren't in season)
1 tsp Curry Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/4 tsp Coriander Powder
3 Cardamom Pods
Dash of your favourite curry spices (mace, masala, etc.)

Separate tofu like this:


Saute 1/2 or so of the bag of spinach with chopped garlic scapes or minced clove of garlic until spinach is reduced down. Stuff as much of the mixture in the tofu cavity as you can, putting the rest on top.

Set oven to 375F.

Mix 1/2 can of coconut milk with the spices. Put the stuffed tofu in a baking dish and the rest of the spinach on top. Pour a little of the coconut-spice mixture over top and stick it in the oven.

In a saucepan, heat 1/2 can of soy beans and the rest of the coconut milk mixture over medium hear, stirring occasionally.

On a BBQ or grill, grill the indicated piece of tofu to get that signature grill mark crossing (2-3 minutes each side then rotate 1/4 turn and do again). Meanwhile, fry the thin piece of tofu in some oil and then fry the tempeh in same oil. Right near the end, cook the edamame according to box directions. Stack up the pieces in this order: Fried piece on the bottom, grilled on a 1/4 angle, baked/stuffed on another 1/4 angle, tempeh pieces layed across top, then top with sauce and a few pieces of edamame!

Sunday Brunch: Tsamporado

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups Water
1 cup White Rice (Sticky gluten rice is best, any type that gets mushy is good)
1/2 cup Sugar
1-2 tbsp Coconut Milk
4 tbsp Cocoa
1 tsp Vanilla or 1/2 Vanilla Bean scraped out
1 tbsp Shredded Coconut, unsweetened

Put all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until mixture gets sticky, like a porridge (all uncovered). Add more water or some soy milk if the rice soaks up the liquid before releasing its gluten and binding the mixture.

Tsamporado (or Tsampurado, or Champorado depending who you ask) is a Filipino version of rice pudding that I stumbled across while seeking out methods of the North American version. Most versions I found did not have coconut milk or vanilla or coconut, but those are mostly ingredients that can be found in the Philippines, so I didn't feel like I was bastardizing it too much.

A Record a Week: Elvis Costello(The Costello Show) - King of America

SIDE 1.
BRILLIANT MISTAKE
LOVABLE
OUR LITTLE ANGEL
DON'T LET ME BE MISUNDERSTOOD
GLITTER GULCH
INDOOR FIREWORKS
LITTLE PALACES
I'LL WEAR IT PROUDLY

SIDE 2.
AMERICAN WITHOUT TEARS
EISENHOWER BLUES
POISONED ROSE
THE BIG LIGHT
JACK OF ALL PARADES
SUIT OF LIGHTS
SLEEP OF THE JUST

Before I jump back into the Elvis Costello pool, today is my wife's birthday, so happy birthday to her! My guess would be she couldn't care less about Elvis Costello or any selections from his discography. Luckily, he didn't have any part in her present.

This album was the only one released under the group name The Costello Show, though I don't think it matters what the group name is as long as Costello is in charge.

The sound on this album has the style of rock music that seems to stand up to time. No screechy singing, no stoner rock, no space rock, no extended guitar solos. It may not be flashy, but it is very solid. The most commercially successful song on this album is the catchy remake of The Animals song 'Don't Let me be Misunderstood'. However, it's not as if the rest of the album is in any way disappointing. There are the typical ballad-type songs on there to go along with the standard Costello rock.

Although he has swung his style a bit over the years, Elvis Costello has kept a standard Jazzy Rock style as a base and it has made for a long, wonderful career.

Sunday Brunch: Fruit Leather

INGREDIENTS:
1+ pint of Apricots (or other stone fruit), washed, pitted and chopped
1 pint of Strawberries, greens removed
or any other fruits you see fit

I asked my aunt for this recipe thinking it would be some great secret or process. She used to make it for my sister and I when we were young and I would eat it up until my stomach was achy. Turns out it is really easy.

In a large bowl, use a potato masher to mash up the fruit until it is very pulpy. Spread out 1/4" thick over lightly oiled saran wrap on a cookie sheet. Set outside in the mid-morning on a hot, sunny day and allow to sun dry for the day, flipping over to make sure both sides are equal. Roll up to preserve!

I have to be honest, it wasn't sunny enough to fully dry mine so I had to use the convection setting on my oven at 170F for about 4 more hours.

A Record a Week: Elvis Costello - The Best of Elvis Costello and the Attractions

SIDE 1.
ALISON
WATCHING THE DETECTIVES
(WHAT'S SO FUNNY 'BOUT) PEACE, LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING?
OLIVER'S ARMY
PUMP IT UP
ACCIDENTS WILL HAPPEN
RADIO, RADIO
I CAN'T STAND UP FOR FALLING DOWN
ALMOST BLUE

SIDE 2.
BEYOND BELIEF
CLUBLAND
WATCH YOUR STEP
SHIPBUILDING
I WANNA BE LOVED
EVERYDAY I WRITE THE BOOK
THE ONLY FLAME IN TOWN

This is the Best of Elvis Costello and The Attractions version from 1985, not the 1990 version or either of the 'very' best of ones, just to be clear.

Elvis Costello is one of those artists that I think I got into because a girl I had a crush on in high school was really into him. Furthermore, he was one of the few artists in that category that were actually any good (oh, the terrible music people listen to in high school).

This album came out before my favourite of his albums, Blood and Chocolate, but does include two of my favourite Costello tracks, 'Pump it Up' and 'Radio, Radio'.

A constant re-inventor and mixer of styles, Costello is a reminder to me of what could've been a better era of music in the 1980's. Costello creates music from a blend of rock, country, folk, jazz, swing and many more, including a clear homage to the 1950's. Layered over top of that is his very distinct voice, including a British accent that doesn't entirely shine through while singing.

This album is as advertised, the best that Costello had to offer up to the time of release. A great mix of post-punk and slower jazz-influenced love songs, this includes all of the raw ingredients that formed a long, successful career.

Sunday Brunch: Apple-Raspberry Fritter Drops

Every week I pick my wife up some apple fritters from the farmer's market at the fairgrounds. This weekend I decided I'd had enough of being left out of the tastiness and that I would set out to make my own. I am going to attempt to make the pocket pie-style type that I buy her, but I first want to spend a weekend searching out the perfect pie pastry and then begin experimenting.



INGREDIENTS:
2 Apples, peeled and cored (I used Mac, but any crisp tart apple would work)
1/2 Pint Raspberries, chopped
1 tbsp Margarine, melted
2/3 cup Soy Milk
2 Egg Replacers
1 cup Flour
1/4 tsp Salt
1 heaping tsp Cinnamon
1 heaping tbsp Sugar

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add melted margarine, soy milk and egg replacers, stir until mixed and store in fridge, covered (for about 1/2 hour).

Cut up peeled apples into small pieces (1/4" or so) and raspberries, too. Stir into batter until a good balance is reached.

Heat about an inch of oil over medium-high (375F) in a large bottomed pan. Drop tablespoon-sized amounts of batter into the oil and fry until golden, flipping to get both sides (about 5 minutes total) and set on a plate with paper towel to soak excess oil. Enjoy while hot!

A Record a Week: Concerto Under the Stars by 101 Strings

SIDE 1.
THEME FROM CORNISH RHAPSODY
CLAIRE DE LUNE
CHOPIN'S STUDY IN E MAJOR
CHOPIN'S NOCTURNE

SIDE 2.
MEDITATION FROM THAIS
THEME FROM SWEDISH RHAPSODY
LIEBESTRAUM

I'm not quite sure what made me file this record where I did alphabetically, but I guess I thought the title was more of a collection than an album name by a band.

Anyhow, no point in dwelling any further on that.

This record comprises the best classical musicians of Europe in the late 1950's coming together to play a group of classic songs meant to simulate an evening of music underneath the stars. 30 first chair violins, 26 second chair, 20 violas, 18 cellos and 7 stand up basses make up the 101 strings, who play alongside various instruments to make up a formidable group. The reason for the large group of strings is to be able to play many different melodies in each arrangement, while not sacrificing the fullness of multiple players in each part.

The full effect is not felt on record, but I can only imagine it was breathtaking in a live setting. They have created a nice flow between the songs, the song selection is good and the playing is terrific.

Claire de Lune is one of my favourite classical songs and I really also enjoy the two Chopin selections on the first side. I always hear classical music in movies or the mall and enjoy it, but when I seek it out it's hard to find some I like. I would put this in the 'enjoyable' category.

A Record a Week: Nat King Cole - You're My Everything

SIDE 1.
YOU'RE MY EVERYTHING
LITTLE COQUETTE
MAGIC MOMENTS
YOU'LL SEE
BEND A LITTLE MY WAY

SIDE 2.
THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA
BECAUSE YOU'RE MINE
BRUSH THOSE TEARS FROM YOUR EYES
POINCIANA

This album is a compilation of Nat King Cole songs and as far as I can tell, it was an unauthorized release. It's hard to find information on it other than that it was released by Pickwick Records in 1967 and it doesn't seem to appear on any of his 'official' discographies.

It contains a mixture of Jazz Piano, some more upbeat stuff and some crooning style. No matter what the style, Nat King Cole's wonderful voice floats above. The man fought adversity to become a pioneer in the formats of Jazz Piano, Jazz Trio and Male Vocal. Constantly up against the racism battle, he just kept on making music and ignoring the hatred. Sadly, he died in 1965 after a battle with lung cancer. No surprise, as he reportedly smoked up to three packs a day, something he apparently attributed his vocal sound to (if you trust Wikipedia).

This album is a nice mixture, but it leaves me wondering why, if you are going to make a (most likely) unauthorized collection, you wouldn't make one with a few more chart-hitting songs of his. Perhaps these were the songs that were public domain, or favourites of a label exec. Either way, with a voice like his, it's pretty hard to go wrong when picking songs.

100th Post! The Dexter Dog DNA Drama (a co-written venture)

For my 100th post, I will for the first time do a co-written post with my lovely wife Karen; detailing the story of how we got our dog DNA tested and how we each felt about that.

KAREN:

So, remember when you were a kid and it was coming up to Christmas time? Maybe you didn't know what you wanted at first, but then there were all these TV commercials on for really awesome toys and your friends started talking about what they wanted for Christmas, and you found yourself thinking "Hey! Suddenly I feel like I really need a Barbie!" Maybe before you didn't really care about Barbies, but after hearing your friends talk about what kind of Barbies they had and what kind they wanted, you felt like you should care too. Pretty soon you do care, you care a LOT, and that Barbie is all you can think about. You tell your parents a million times that you want a Barbie for Christmas. They're not that enthused about it, but you know deep down they're really listening and come Christmas morning, that Barbie is coming your way.

This story is kind of like that.

At first I really didn't care what sort of dog Dexter was. We assumed he was at least mostly Lab, but since he's a rescue there was no way to know for sure. I was fine with that. Fine, that was, until we started going to the dog park. Standard small talk at the dog park generally involves what sort of dog you have, what sorts of messes they make and what silly things they've done. We can certainly tell stories about Dexter's antics, but when it came to his breed we were stumped. This was not an acceptable answer for the other dog owners at this park, the majority of whom have dogs of a most definite breed. The answer "he's a mutt of some sort" was generally met with blank stares and vague disbelief (as though not knowing was not an option), followed by some well-meaning guesses as to what Dexter might be like they needed to solve the puzzle. I started to feel like I needed to solve it too. Then one day a nice man made an offhand comment about having had his mutts DNA tested and, well, I was immediately hooked on the idea. And by hooked, I mean obsessed.

DNA testing a dog is stupid. I knew that. I still know it. There's no real reason to know your dog's breed, but I came up with some anyway. For example, I reasoned, if he is part Great Dane he will have a shortened life span as they do not live as long as some other breeds. We need (and I placed great emphasis on 'need') to know if he is even partially a Great Dane, because then we can care for him properly in his impending old age. Right? Sure.

The test was not as expensive as one might assume, which should have been my first clue that it was even more ridiculous than my husband claimed it probably was. I didn't care; I was cheek swabbing that dog, end of discussion. I checked the mail religiously for weeks afterward and nearly had an aneurysm when the results finally arrived. They were here! I opened the envelope with bated breath.

Remember that Barbie you wanted so much for Christmas? Imagine if, on Christmas morning, you ripped open the paper from the package you absolutely knew contained the thing you were longing for, only to discover that it was not a Barbie. It was some stupid knock-off version called Barbara. She was kind of like a Barbie (close enough, thought your parents), but her face was a little weird and her feet weren't shaped right so your other Barbie shoes wouldn't fit her, and her clothes were some 1976 polyester mess rather than Barbie's signature awesome styles. What is this crap? Who's Barbara?!









In other words, COLOSSAL DISAPPOINTMENT OF EPIC PROPORTIONS.

I hate when my husband is right.


ME:
A few years ago we adopted our dog, Dexter. He was a rescue from the Humane Society and as such, we were unsure of his exact lineage. It was quite obvious that he was mostly black lab. As he got older, though, he got bigger and bigger and it became evident that he may have some other breeds mixed in. He is taller than a standard lab and a bit faster running and sometimes barks sort of like a hound (Great Dane? Greyhound?)

At some point during the years of various people asking us what he was crossed with, my wife's curiosity piqued. I can't say that I wasn't interested, but it certainly never got to the same level. It started with the odd mention of 'I think it would be fun to have the dog DNA tested', which was met with little response from me. Then from time to time I would find her researching DNA test websites to compare the differences. At this point, the previous statement appeared in conversation more frequently. I then had to state my point of view, which was 'I think it's a waste of money. You're going to do it and then when the results are something ridiculous, you'll be disappointed and want to keep trying until you get the results you are happy with.'

She was on maternity leave at the time, so my go-to response was 'You can do it when you have a job.' I wasn't thinking very well, obviously, because of course, she would go back to work at some point. And of course, she wouldn't forget that I had said that.

So the time came when she was back at work and lo and behold, she ordered the kit and said 'you SAID I could when I was back at work.' Well, I couldn't argue with that logic.

The kit came and we did a cheek swab and sent it back. The hints that this might not be so accurate were right in the kit, which said things like 'what breed do you think your dog is' and 'would you like to include a picture of your dog for the certificate?'

2-4 weeks later we got it back, and as I had estimated it was a little bunk.
It said that Dexter was mostly Lab (as estimated), Australian Shepherd (okay I guess that's possible) and Maltese (wait, what?)

That can't be the case. Observe Dexter and the other breeds and their lack of similarities.

Here's Dexter (notice the fur and height, unlike labs):


This is an Australian Shepherd (some size and facial similarities, not at all the same fur and shorter in height):


This is a Maltese (wtf really?):


So naturally, as I so Nostradamically predicted, she was disappointed with the results and wanted to try more companies to see what he really is.

The moral of the story? You can't find out what your dog is by a DNA test and even if you can, it's more fun to come to your own conclusion anyways.

(KAREN:)

Okay, that is not the moral of the story. The ACTUAL moral is that expecting great science from a company you found on the internet is stupid, but it doesn't mean you shouldn't try again with a different company.