Garlic-peanut coleslaw

Yesterday was slow-roasted Texas-style brisket day.  While it was slowly (very, very slowly) cooking, I prepared a few side dishes. One of those was my signature garlic-peanut coleslaw.

Garlic-peanut coleslaw

Coleslaw is remarkably simple, so I had to complicate things.  I started by preparing a home-made aioli.  It's like a mayonaise, but with taste and texture that puts it in a different class altogether.

Aioli requires you to be meticulous in two areas.

First - food safety is paramount.  Raw eggs are involved, which raises the possibility of salmonella.  Pasteurized-in-the-shell eggs are the safest.  I use locally grown organic eggs (safer than the big factories) and avoid contact between the yolk/white and the outside of the shell.

Second - the blending process is delicate.  I put two eggs, tons of crushed garlic, chopped parsely, a pinch of salt and a tablespoon of lemon juice in the food processor.  I set it blending for a few minutes, then very slowly drizzle in olive oil until the mixture starts to firm up to the consistency of a thick pudding.

Then I prepared the other ingredients - finely grated carrot, chopped peanuts and lots of shredded fresh savoy cabbage.

Cabbage, carrot, peanuts and garlic-parsley aoli

Mix, chill, serve and enjoy!

Next - the brisket emerges.

Stinging Nettles

Yesterday we went for a short walk at the Shipley Nature Center - an urban oasis packed with native vegetation and wildlife.

Early signs of spring

Crazy Girl spotted a rare insect.  She was very, very excited.  After much studying, I identified it as ladybugus onleafus.

The elusive ladybugus onleafus

Being a guy, I wanted to pick it up and show it to her up close.  I failed to identify the leaf it was on as belonging to the stinging nettle plant, known in the scientific community as ohmygod thathurtsthathurtsthathurts.

Ouch - The stinging nettle

One millisecond, and the lightest of brushes against the back of my hand was all it took.  I felt like I had stuck my hand into a roaring fire.  Large welts immediately raised, and it burned and itched all afternoon.

While researching possible treatments to ease the discomfort, I learned that in England, there is an annual stinging nettle eating contest.  Yes, eating.  I can't even fathom the idea.

The San Diego Wild Animal Park

Now known as the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, this is what a trip to the zoo should be like.  It's uncrowded, truly educational, well staffed and (most importantly) the animals are unstressed, comfortable and fun to watch.

Unlike traditional zoos, the animals are in large enclosures that replicate their natural habitats such as savanna, desert and woodlands.  The only exceptions are the primates and many of the birds, which are in more zoo-like enclosures.

A rather agile red-cheeked gibbon

A rather grumpy-looking lowland gorilla

The highlight of the visit is a half-hour tram tour around the perimeter of the huge open area that is landscaped to closely resemble several different areas in Africa.  Here, rhinoceroses, gazelles, zebras, water buffalo, giraffes and many more species live together in an environment just like home.

Unlikely neighbors - a white rhino and a herd of antelope

One of many gemsbok

Thompson's gazelles stand watch

Of course, the carnivores are kept separately.

A male lion presides over his pride

A large cheetah - the most magnificent animal in the park

All in all, the Wild Animal Park is a must-see during any visit to the San Diego area.  It's less than half the price of a trip to Sea World, and far more enjoyable.  The staff is friendly and informative - you'll learn quite a bit from the employees that loiter around the exhibits, eager to share their knowledge.

It is a bit of a drive though - about an hour from downtown San Diego.

Dog eats dog

I miss our dogs.  They have great homes and we know they're happy, but I selfishly miss the warm fuzzy feeling they gave me.  You know how it is if you have had pets that were more than just pets... they were friends.

Some of the most fun times we had were watching them play with each other.  They were not just from different families, but from vastly different breeds, yet they were best of friends.  Too bad us people can't learn a bit.

Black Lab wins over King Charles

Our big trip

In May we're going to St. Petersburg because I'd like to meet Crazy Girl's family.  No, not St. Petersburg, Florida.  This is in Russia.

I've traveled a bit, but Russia will be a new destination for me.  We're planning a several day trip to Moscow.  I know we're missing some great places to visit that might lie between the two.  We don't have time or money to leave Russia on this visit so we want to see the best the Motherland has to offer.  We will (if I have my way) make some side journeys to see some of this:

We of course will see Peterhof:

But as the trip gets closer we will pick some roads that are less well travelled.

Venice Beach

Los Angeles / Southnern California is a popular tourist destination.  But most visitors see little besides Disneyland and maybe Universal Studios.  It's too bad -- there are so many other worthy sights to see and things to do.

Venice Beach is one of them.  It's just a few miles north of LAX airport and is at the south end of Santa Monica, about a mile from the Santa Monica Pier (another worthy destination).

Venice Beach is famous for its Muscle Beach outdoor body-building gym, where Arnold Schwarzenegger trained in his early body-building days.  Onlookers once gathered to gawk at the heavily muscled (and doped-up) strongmen.

If that's what you expect to see, you'll be disappointed.  On our recent visit, the only participant was a flabby man in his sixties.

However, the anything-goes carnival / freakshow experience lives on.  There are regulars that you can expect to see on any given weekend:

The Venice Beach Gold Robot Man 

Harry Perry - Rollerblading Musical Genius

And some guys just come and go:

Bongo Drummer on Venice Beach Boardwalk

"Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells... Help me get drunk tonight"

Yet another street musician on the Venice Boardwalk

I love the guy with his own little soap opera:

An ambulance comes for one of his characters

A happy ending to his story

The street gymnasts are incredible.

Street gymnast jumps over one kid

But wait... here's ten, including two adults!

He literally flies over all ten of them!

There is plenty more to see and wonder at:

The variety of artwork is amazing

Don't be too shocked though, Venice can be dirty, smelly (incense and pot), lawless and kind of sad:

They don't show this part in the travel ads

Yes, it is legal (kind of)

Making his living as an "artist" ...

... He is very specific about his needs...

Venice is worth seeing -- it is not an experience easily forgotten.

Spicy shredded chicken burritos

Shredded chicken burritos with toppings

These are so easy to make and so delicious. The leftover meat can be used in sandwiches, soups or even as a main dish. I always make far more than needed so I can have easy meals for several days.

It's simple. Sautee some garlic and onions in a tablespoon of oil over medium heat until soft.

Add several boneless skinless chicken breasts and water to cover.  It's OK if they're flozen.  Adjust the heat to maintain a low rolling boil.

Add enough water to fully cover the uncooked chicken

Add seasonings. I used some adobo paste, cayenne pepper and a little chicken bouillon. The adobo turned mine a beautiful rusty red color that serves as a warning to the weak-tongued:  Spicy!!

The chicken is starting to fall apart

Watch the water.  You'll probably need to add some as it evaporates.

When the chicken starts to fall apart when poked with a large spoon, lower the heat and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated.  That's all there is to it!  Serve with flour tortillas, salsa, onions, cheese, tomatoes, sour cream... whatever you desire.

Finished!  Succulent, juicy and flavorful

Home made tortilla strips with roasted salsa and smoky bean dip

One of the kitchen tools I simply can't do without is my Cuisinart food processor.  It's solidly built and reliable.  I have the 14-cup model.  Somehow I've lost several of the cutting blades, but I still have the critical chopping/mixing blade.

I probably use the Cuisinart at least five times a week.  It's simply irreplaceable when it comes to pureeing and mixing smooth sauces.

My Cuisinart - I couldn't imagine life without her

Today I saw it sitting in the corner of the kitchen, silently pleading for attention.  I had a fridge full of fresh produce from Jon's so I decided to make some simple baked tortilla strips, roasted salsa and a smoky & spicy black bean dip.

Mmm... fresh, healthy and bursting with flavor

As always, I started with the freshest ingredients possible:

Fresh onions, tomatoes and garlic, black beans and adobo paste

My list includes:

2 pounds roma tomatoes
2 bunches green onions
4 yellow or white onions
1-2 red onions
1-2 bulbs garlic

The first step is the most tedious - quarter the tomatoes and remove the seeds and white core.  Arrange them in cooking pans (coated with Pam cooking spray to make clean-up easier):

Tomatoes ready for roasting

Pop them in an oven.  Temperature is not critical, but the hotter you make it the more closely you have to watch them.  I chose 350 degrees.

While the tomatoes are roasting, start work on the onions.  Slice them thickly (1/4") and lay them in a medium-hot skillet to dry-fry.  Add a touch of oil if you want, but my sweetie likes it when I eliminate oils and salt from any recipe.  You want to see them get blackened on each side, and become a little soft throughout.  Use tongs to flip them - don't worry if they begin to fall apart or cook unevenly.  We're not trying to win a beauty contest.

Dry frying the onions

You can add some serrano peppers to the pan as well.  After they blister a bit, let them cool and remove the stems and seeds.  I don't put peppers in my salsa any more because my sweetie won't touch it if I do.

When the tomatoes start to brown on the edges it's time to remove them.

The smell of fresh roasted tomatoes is fantastic!

All this roasting will bring out the flavor in the onions and tomatoes.  Now we add some fresh stuff as we run it all through the food processor to finely puree.  A whole lot of cilantro and green onions (chopped first) for starters, then (optionally) a little lemon or lime juice, salt, fresh black pepper and olive oil to taste.

Set the salsa aside (if possible, let it rest in the fridge overnight before serving) and get to work on your smoky & spicy black bean dip!

Peel two full bulbs of garlic, remove the brown woody stem part and crush the heck out of them!  No need to chop them as they'll be visiting our friend the Cuisinart later.  Put them in a wok / skillet over low heat with about a tablespoon of oil (I used sunflower).

The smell of simmering garlic is close to heaven

Chop some onions and add them to the pan once the garlic begins to soften.  Keep it cooking low & slow, stirring often - we want them to soften and release their flavors - we don't want to brown them.

Add the fragrance of onions and I'm in a state of bliss

Once the onions are translucent, add spices to your taste.  Dried spices are best added at this point as the hot oil will draw the flavors out and infuse the dish with them.  But -- don't do this over high heat or for longer than five minutes or the dry spices will release bitter flavors.

I added cayenne pepper (dried in this case), cumin and a touch of sage.  You can always raise the heat level later.

Time to spice it up!

Then I added some adobo paste, which benefits from a brief bath in the hot oil.

Finally, I emptied a full can of black beans, with the liquid, into the pan.  Note that this adds some salt, so take that into account if you're adding salt later.

Simmer over very low heat for about 30 minutes.  Then remove to the food processor, add green onions, cliantro and raw red onion.  Run the food processor until it's a smooth paste.  During the processing, add salt and additional pepper to taste.

You're done.  Now we need something to dip in our wonderful fresh salsa and bean dip.  We prefer my home-made tortilla strips to store-bought any day.  For one, they're warm and fresh.  Two, we can cut down on the salt.  And three, I often use flour tortillas for a unique flavor.  They're very easy to make.

I often use home-made tortillas for these.  That will be the topic of a future post.

It's simple - take tortillas and cut them into strips.  For this I used my KitchenAid kitchen shears, another tool I couldn't live without.  Lay them on a cookie sheet that you've sprayed with Pam cooking spray.

Ready to make our chili-lime tortilla strips!

Spray lightly, then sprinkle with seasonings.  I wanted a chili-lime flavor, so I used cayenne pepper, sour salt and kosher salt.

(Sour salt is not salt at all.  It's citric acid -- the stuff that makes lemons and limes sour -- in a powdered form.)

Homemade is always better!

Bake for roughly 10 minutes at 300 degrees -- you will have to watch as cooking time varies depending on the type of tortillas you use.

Everything's best warm, so heat up the salsa and bean dip and serve the chips fresh from the oven!

Japan Diaries, Part 10: The trains

Back by popular demand - this is a re-post of the travel diary of our recent trip to Osaka, Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima and Nagano.

This was such a full trip that it's hard to show everything we did.  I've posted maybe ... just maybe ... 1% of our adventures.

Let's look at the train system.  It's amazing.  Japan is roughly the size of California, but more than four times as many people live there.  Most of them don't own cars.  They count on the trains ... subways, street cars, rail and the bullet trains (Shinkansen) to get them around.

The transit system is the best I've ever seen.  Trains go directly into the airports.  The subway system intersects with the Shinkansen line.  The subway stations exit directly into the bottom floor of the department stores (which is usually the grocery section).  It's efficient.  It's effective.  It's what I call efficacious.

The subway (in Tokyo it's called the Metro) can get you from one side of an LA sized city to the other in under 20 minutes.  Wow.  The only thing is that there are LOTS of stairs and few escalators to be found.  When you're going down 100 feet below street level carrying a bag or three, that's a big deal.  The accessibility hasn't improved since my last visit nearly 10 years ago.

Tokyo station during a quiet spell

Crowded?  Yes.  But nothing like the image you have in your mind of conductors pushing people into cars like sardines.  I've yet to see that scene play out.

The street cars.  Cool.  We never had need to take one.  Ours was a short visit so this little adventure went by the wayside.  Unlike San Francisco, these are serious transportation... not just a tourist attraction.  The one below is a new experimental model that runs on lithium batteries that recharge in one minute, hopefully one day removing the necessity of overhead power lines except at periodic intervals.

Toden Arakawa Line streetcar

Which brings us to regional trains.  Outside the major metro areas, these are the meat and potatoes of the rail system.  What's wild is that there are multiple companies (The big gorilla being JR) running these lines.  Osaka is served by at least seven different rail and subway companies.  All of them profitable without the government subsidizing them.  Hello, Amtrak?  Pay attention, you might learn something.

Boarding the local train in Osaka

Yet another rail line in Osaka

What does stink is that there is no one map or internet site that shows all of the systems together and gives you the best option to get from point A to point B.  You have to figure out transfers on your own.

And finally, the super-star of the rail system.  The Shinkansen.  That translates as "New Trunk Line," but has come to refer to the backbone of super-fast lines that run at nearly 200 mph.  We got from Osaka to Tokyo in 2 1/2 hours for $8 per person.  That's roughly the distance from LA to San Francisco.  And the train does not dump you in the middle of nowhere - rather, it's the center of town.

The Shinkansen passes Mt. Fuji between Osaka and Tokyo

There are six models of Shinkansen trains in active use.  I've counted four that I've ridden on.  The one below, the 500, is not on that list... it doesn't go much faster than the others, but gosh if it isn't pretty.

Shinkansen Type 500 at Shin-Osaka Station