… and these Thy gifts …

Only Pinoys would get THIS passionate about food. Yup, believe it or not — this song is about a guy walking into a restaurant and not getting any of the things he wants from the menu. It’s the nearest thing to “hard rock” you’ll ever see on this blog. And talk about uninhibited. Hee!

Here are the lyrics for your edification (as an old boss of mine loved to say) LOL. (Warning: Depending on who you ask — there is one word there that could be heard either as a cuss word, or not.)

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1 16-oz package firm or extra-firm tofu, drained, cut into 1-inch cubes and patted dry with paper towels
oil for pan-frying or deep-frying
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon chili paste (sambal oelek), or to taste
1/2 cup chopped green onions/scallions
1/4 cup soy sauce (if using Kikkoman, undiluted is fine; if using a Chinese brand dilute with a couple of tablespoons of water to tone down the saltiness if desired)
2 tablespoons sugar, or to taste

In a wok or large skillet, pan- or deep-fry tofu cubes in oil (preheated for a few minutes) — in batches to avoid crowding — over medium-high heat until golden, 7-10 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Discard oil except for one tablespoon. Return to heat. Add garlic and chili paste, stirring, about 10 seconds. Add green onions/scallions and tofu cubes. Stir briefly, about 1 minute, then add soy sauce and sugar. Stir another minute or two to coat tofu cubes with the sauce. Serve hot over rice. Serves 3-4.

a repost of a recipe I wrote at aboutweblogs.com/asianfood now aka noodlesandrice.com

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I’m not too fond of most Asian-style salads, because I find some things are usually “off” or the combination of tastes just screams WRONG! This is one exception to the rule.

1 package baby spinach, washed and spun dry
2 cups large shrimp, steamed, peeled and deveined
1 large ripe mango (Champagne mango if you can find it is best), peeled, de-seeded and cut into 1/3-inch slices
1/4 cup red onion, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon grated zest and 3 tablespoons juice from 1 orage
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup canola oil, expeller-pressed preferred
1 tablespoon sesame oil

Place spinach, shrimp, and mango slices in a large bowl. Set aside.
In a small non-reactive bowl, macerate onion slices in 1 tablesoon rice wine vinegar for 5 minutes.
Whisk orange zest, orange juice, ginger and remaining vinegar, as well as salt and pepper to taste, in a small bowl. Whisk oils in until emulsified.
Add onion slices to salad bowl. Pour dressing over salad; toss and serve immediately.

a repost of a recipe I wrote for aboutweblogs.com/asianfood, aka noodlesandrice.com

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My uncle’s wife who’s from Pangasinan, Philippines, makes a similar dish, except that hers is more a veggie dish, with the emphasis on the snow peas. She also adds shelled peas and cashews to hers, a nice variation to this dish.

Shrimp and Snow Pea Stir-Fry (Cha How Lang Tao Nung B’kong)

adapted from a recipe in The Elephant Walk Cookbook

For 4-6 servings

2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 pound medium shrimp, shelled, deveined and butterflied
1 pound snow peas, topped, tailed and de-stringed
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add garlic and stir-fry until just beginning to turn color, about 15 seconds. Add shrimp, snow peas, fish sauce and sugar. Continue stir-frying until shrimp are just cooked through and snow peas are crisp-tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Season with the freshly ground black pepper. Serve hot.

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1/4 cup coconut cream
2 tablespoons red curry paste (I’ll have a recipe up sometime)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon palm sugar
1 cup coconut milk
1 1/2 cups pineapple wedges (fresh preferred, but canned is acceptable)
lobster tail meat from a 1 1/2-2 lb. lobster, sliced into 1/2 inch medallions (you may used precooked)
3 makrut/kaffir lime leaves, 2 torn apart and 1 shredded
1 tablespoon tamarind puree
1 cup Thai sweet basil leaves
1 large red hot pepper, sliced finely

Simmer coconut cream in large skillet or saucepan, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until oil separates. Add curry paste and stir well; cook for 2-3 minutes. Add fish sauce and sugar and mix well, cooking another 4-5 minutes. The mixture should be darker in color now; if not, keep cooking a few more minutes until color has turned. Add coconut milk and pineapple. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until pineapple has softened. Add lobster tail meat, lime leaves, tamarind puree and basil leaves. Cook 5-6 more minutes or until lobster is just cooked through. Garnish with basil leaves and hot pepper slices, and serve hot over rice.

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Two of my favorite writers — Rod Dreher and Michael Pollan — talk food. Must read!

Some helpful resources:

Slow Food USA
Local Harvest
Eat Wild

And information:

a YouTube Playlist: Torn From the Land: The story of the take over of American farmers’ land by financial manipulation of world grain, interest, prices. The end result was the acquisition of family farms by corporations for 5 cents on the dollar.

Plus, how timely is this? Archbishop Migliore: Investing in Sustainable Agriculture

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GRILLED CORN (Poat Dot)

For 6 ears of grilled or steamed corn:

In a saucepan, mix together 2 tablespoons oil, 3 tablespoons minced green onions, a tablespoon each of water, sugar and fish sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook over high heat until scallion starts to wilt. Brush or spoon sauce over hot corn and serve.

This is a simple dish, but truly delicious. In Cambodia this is sold by street vendors. A nice dairy-free alternative. You may use steamed corn, but I think the strong flavors of the sauce is better put to use as a counterpoint to the somewhat smoky sweetness of grilled corn. (I grilled mine indoors as the weather wasn’t cooperating today.) Putting fish sauce on corn may sound a bit unusual, but the combination works well. My family was pleased, and I bet yours will be too!

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Now that I’m starting to feel a bit more normal, I thought I’d pick up a project I started way back that I never got to finish. Last night I finished adding the links to recipes I posted at Like to Cook when I used to write there. The recipe links can now be found at the Recipe Index. Those, I cannot re-post here because they paid for all the rights. So I can only link. Today while I’m on reprieve from nausea I’m taking time to re-post recipes that I posted at Noodles and Rice. Enjoy!!

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Mama asks what we want for lunch. (Mama is visiting from St. Louis and helping out in the cooking department because I still can’t cook much.) She asks Tops (my brother who’s also visiting from Philly for the weekend). Tops wants corned beef.

We look for the tomato. Mama is convinced we had one more. Turns out Aisa chopped both tomatoes that Daddy bought, so we had already used them up. I said no worries. I have tomatoes somewhere, I know. But I can’t find the canned tomatoes that I transferred to the Prego jar…. hey wait, what about the freezer? Jar not here, but oh, here you go, Mama, here’s some red stuff.

Mama proceeds with the cooking. I’m in the next room, the study, trying to find our long lost lessons in two months’ worth of MESS.

Mama: Ikaw ba ang nag-puree nito? (Did you puree this yourself?)
Me: Hindi ko na maalala. (I can’t remember.)
Mama: Iba. (It’s different.)
Me: thinking… what would be different about it? Siguro nga po. (Maybe.)

5 minutes later.

Mama: May kulay. (There’s color.)
Me: thinking… why would there be color? I only buy natural stuff. Po? (Polite way of saying “really???”)

5 minutes later.

Mama: May, sigurado kang kamatis ito? (Are you sure these are tomatoes?)
Me: Bakit po? (Why?, politely)
Mama: Matamis! (It’s sweet!)

Me, finally going into the kitchen: Po??? (What?)

Finally seeing the way-different redness of the “frozen tomatoes” — Oh no!!!

It’s raspberry!! More accurately, raspberry sauce, for chocolate cake!

Me: Inilagay n’yo na po? (Have you used it yet?)
Mama: Kanina pa! (A while back!)
Me, looking at the purply corned beef in the skillet. thinking YUCCCCHHHHH….. : Baka po puedeng i-drain tapos lagyan na lang ng patis. (Maybe we could just drain it and add fish sauce.)
Mama: Nilagyan ko na ng asin. (I already put salt.) ‘Wag na lang nating sabihin. (Let’s just not tell them.)

Too late. Paco heard us talking and announced to everyone before lunch: Raspberry corned beef!!!

Needless to say, we were all laughing and joking all throughout lunch. Numerous references to the Friends episode where Rachel puts beef and peas in the trifle (warning: some material not suitable for kids). Mama says something about not trusting first-trimester pregnant women in the kitchen.

Good thing I have my own personal Joey (Dad).

What’s not to like? Potatoes? Good. Raspberry? Good. Corned beef? Goooooood!!!

Okay, he didn’t really say that, but he and Tops ate a lot. I love men with strong stomachs. Tops predicts we’ll be talking about this 5 years from now.

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This post is for our good friends D&L & their kids, on college tour right now….

They’ll be visiting Washington University tomorrow, dh’s and my alma mater and where our 17-yo went for preschool…

Here you go:

The Queeny Tower is actually located on the 17th floor of Barnes-Jewish Hospital, so it’s relatively unknown to foodies (or at least when we lived there) but they always had a great selection and service, and the fact that there’s rarely a crowd helps. And of course, sweeping views of the Forest Park area, esp. if you happen to get the corner table. The current menu can be found here. This is where my dh ordered his 16-oz. prime rib which, LOL, he had difficulty finishing — this was a year or so before we got married. I helped him a bit:). If you’re going to eat here you can find parking across Barnes-Jewish hospital either in the underground carpark just opposite the lobby/entrance. There’s always construction in this area though, so traffic may get annoying at times. However, if you’re already touring the medical school, it’s a good place to stop.

Southwest of Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University Medical Center (where dh and I met, at the Dental School which no longer exists!), and southeast of the Washington University main campus on Skinker is the Hill — the Italian-populated area dotted with restaurants all over.

Here’s a listing. Our old faves include:

• Amighetti’s for their sandwiches (mine was a salami and red onion on a crisp Italian bun)
• Rigazzi’s where there was always a loud crowd, so our rowdy gang of mostly Asian studes never felt out of place — this is the place for beer in a giant “fish bowl”, although our friends probably won’t go for that
• Gian-Tony’s
• Favazza’s, and
• Cunetto’s

Again, haven’t eaten there in years so I wouldn’t know which ones are the “best” now, but I’m sure you’ll find a place with great toasted ravioli, a St. Louis tradition!!

Just in case there are readers wanting some food shopping recommendations, there’s also Volpi’s — which offers delicious sausages made just like they do in Italy, and Viviano and Sons where you can find De Cecco pasta, Parmigiano Reggiano cut to order from a giant wheel, also Locatelli Romano, and if I remember correctly, salt-packed anchovies.

Just north of Barnes-Jewish hospital (where my mom has worked for 22 years now), is Central West End, which is (was?) the hip and happening place to be (if you’re that kind of person anyway:)). So many restaurants here, and again, I’m not really the best authority anymore — but if it’s warm enough you might have fun eating at one of the European-style bistros with outdoor seating. There are only a few familiar names now:

• Llywelyn’s (now a Celtic pub — used to be billed as “traditional English”; I see they still have my fave fish and chips on the menu)
• Sansui on West Pine — a little quieter since it’s at the corner of Pine and Kingshighway, and farther away from the other restaurants
• Silk Road, which I loved for their hot and sour soup — I don’t remember how the rest of their food was though; there’s a vague memory of green peppers that were too raw for my taste

Further north is Delmar Loop, which is more cosmopolitan, and more youthful I suppose. Central West End is frequented by doctors working at BJC, and med students; Delmar Loop plays host to more of the Wash U undergrad population. A restaurant listing can be found here. Note: parking can be difficult esp. around lunch time and after work hours.

• Blueberry Hill has always been known for their burgers.
• Cicero’s was the first restaurant dh invited me to — and pardon me squeezing in a funny story here: my mom promptly looked it up in the yellow pages, found that it was advertised as a “bar and lounge” and didn’t give permission for me to go. In reality it was more like a pizza bar, with dancing downstairs. I think these days they feature bands and singers — alternative music? don’t ask me, I have no idea plus I’m old — the pizza menu is here (they do offer other things, also linked); note the “music calendar” link on the top navigation menu. Hmmm…. would Gabe enjoy this place?
• Market on the Loop has several small places where you can order and sit in the communal sitting area; last time we were there there was pizza, Indian food, Chinese and St. Louis Bread Company (the ancestor of Panera Bread)
• Riddle’s Penultimate is another St. Lou classic
• Seki’s for Japanese
• There are also several excellent Thai restaurants, but can’t remember now which one we tried most recently. It may have been Gai Yang.

If you’re in the mood for pizza by the way, a must try is Imo’s Pizza — multiple locations. Nearest to Washington U main campus is on Forsyth, but parking may be tricky.

I am including the following other options because they’re also well-known areas in St. Louis in terms of food, however they are farther west of Wash. U.

• Clayton, for classier fare, better parking, and wider streets
• a short listing of Asian restaurants along Olive Boulevard — not mentioned is Won Ton King which has better dim sum than Cincinnati’s restaurants save for the old Pacific Moon on Montgomery, now closed. Royal Chinese Barbecue was one of the first restaurants to offer authentic Chinese roast duck and pork, etc. We frequented this place as newlyweds. Lulu’s is known for its faithful Chinese clientele. And a little hole in the wall in the strip mall where Nobu’s is (really pricey Japanese by the way!) is Pho Long, where you can get exceptional Vietnamese Pho and other soups. The deep fried spring rolls are wonderful here.

Finally, in case one is headed west of WU — our most recent find and already a favorite: a still largely unknown Korean restaurant on Olive Boulevard in the Creve Coeur area, about half an hour from WashU: Hangook Kwan — there’s a review here. The service is friendly; and the atmosphere is definitely family-oriented. I felt really out of place when I first walked in here as the clients were *all* Korean and of course were talking in their native tongue… if I’m not in the mood to try anything new I always order the Dol Sot Bi Bim Bop. It’s nearer the residential areas so quieter and no trouble parking.

Just a few paces away is the Olive Blvd. branch of St. Louis Bubble Tea. I’m a Taro bubble tea fanatic:), or maybe it’s just because they don’t offer my best-loved flavor: avocado.

Oooh, and I almost forgot: east of Washington University, very near the St. Louis Arch, is the Top of the Riverfront Restaurant inside the Millennium Hotel. It’s a revolving restaurant so you get to see a bird’s eye view of St. Louis while you eat. Sunday brunch here, esp. on Mother’s Day, is phenomenal.

So there you have it, D, L, M, and G, enjoy your day in St. Lou!!

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Baby Poems over at Martha’s, Yes They’re All Ours!

The American Mathematics Competitions

MathCounts

Latin Spell Checker

Catholic Music Network

Spirit and Song

Why Eating a Big Mac is Cheaper than Eating a Salad

Latin Altar Card (pdf file)

Altar Cards in Word format

More Altar Cards

Blue Knights Lenten craft

CatholicPrayerCards.org

Kids need to watch their #&!@* mouths: Cussing commonplace — Really…? Kids need to watch THEIR mouth? What about US adults? If adults don’t cuss and don’t allow cussing to enter the household via the TV, ‘net or music, kids will not have to watch their mouths. As the
Spartans said, “IF.” This really shouldn’t be a NEWS article. Turn the TV on primetime, click through a few channels, and you’ll see exactly why.

And a recipe — which dh will use as a dip for his carrot sticks tomorrow:

Hot Artichoke and Spinach Dip

4 handfuls spinach, washed well to remove all grit
4 canned artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed and drained again
1/3 cup Vegenaise (vegan mayo)
1/3 cup water buffalo yogurt (or other safe non-dairy alternative if you like — or vegan cream cheese)
pinch hot red pepper flakes
freshly ground black pepper to taste
salt to taste
vegan parmesan if you like
enough rice milk or soy milk to get mixture creamy

Mix. Bake everything in dish at 350 degrees, 15 minutes. Transfer to food processor, process, cook 20 minutes more or until thick and bubbly.

Soooo good with potato chips or tortilla chips or other chippy substance you prefer. Or eat healthier and serve with vegetable crudites instead.

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1 lb. rice noodles (the dry, flat kind that’s about 1/4- to 1/3=inch thick)
1 1/2 cups large shrimp, peeled, deveined and butterflied
1/4 cup tamarind puree (If you don’t have access to tamarind puree, you can make it by dissolving a 4-inch square of tamarind block/paste in some hot water, then straining the seeds out through a sieve)
4 tablespoons Thai fish sauce, or to taste
3 tablespoons palm sugar (brown sugar is an acceptable substitute), or to taste
4 tablespoons canola oil or other vegetable oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
3 eggs, beaten well
1/4 cup chopped garlic chives, also known as Chinese leeks (the flat kind, with or without buds)
1/4 teaspoon chili powder, or to taste (a pinch or so of cayenne may be substituted)
3 tablespoons ground dried shrimp (or pounded to a coarse powder)
2 tablespoons minced preserved turnip
1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts
up to 3/4 cup water
2 cups mung bean sprouts, rinsed and spun dry
1/4 cup chopped green onions/scallions
Additional fish sauce and palm sugar, if needed
1 long hot red pepper, seeded if desired (to decrease heat) and sliced into thin slivers or 1/8-inch thick rounds
fresh cilantro/coriander leaves for topping
lime wedges for serving

Soak the noodles according to package directions (I’ve had best results with soaking the noodles for 10 minutes, draining, then soaking again for 10 minutes, at which time it should be drained and cooked).

In a bowl, combine tamarind puree, fish sauce and sugar.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat. Add garlic and stir for 5 seconds, then add shrimp, continuing to stir-fry, until shrimp is just barely cooked and has turned pink, about 2 minutes. Remove to a bowl and keep warm.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to wok/skillet, then the eggs, and cook, folding and stirring, to scramble, about 1 minute. Remove to a bowl or plate, chop roughly or slice into shreds and keep warm.

Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to wok/skillet, then the noodles and the garlic chives/Chinese leeks. Stir-fry for about 3 minutes. Add fish sauce mixture, the chili powder, dried shrimp, preserved turnip and half of the peanuts. Stir-fry another 3 minutes, then test for tenderness. If noodles are too dry, add water, 1/4 cup at a time, continuing to stir-fry for a few minutes, until noodles are almost done. Keep testing noodles before adding more water to prevent overcooking. When noodles are almost at the al dente stage, adjust seasonings to taste with fish sauce and palm sugar, then add half of the bean sprouts and half of the green onions/scallions. Return shrimp and eggs to the skillet and toss together with noodles for 3 minutes or so, until eggs and shrimp are heated and noodles are completely cooked.

Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with the remaining peanuts, bean sprouts, green onions and hot pepper shreds/slices. Serve hot with lime wedges on the side.

reposting from an old aboutweblogs.com/asianfood post of mine

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