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$12,690 vs. $0

January 26, 2015January 26, 2015by have you eaten?2 Comments

Luxury. What does that mean to me, I wondered when I saw this quote Sunday morning.

“Luxury to me is not about buying expensive things; It’s about living in a way where you appreciate things”

We have been lucky to have a warm winter in Seattle this year. It was sunny and spring like yesterday.

When I took my slightly overweight Chihuahua, Ginger to do her business early in the morning, I noticed it was such a gratifying morning. Air was clean and slightly wet from last night’s rain and ocean nearby. I inhaled big this air as if I was filling my whole body with freshness of winter morning. Then all of a sudden, I heard something humming. I thought it was a bee at first but it sounded a little louder than a bee.

I realized that was a humming bird hovering and humming away right in front of me for good 5 seconds. I was not moving and probably I was not breathing because I didn’t want this pretty bird to go away. She (the bird looked like she) was holding one bright pink petal of winter camellia, which is one of my favorite flower. It felt like she was trying to tell me to take a moment once in a while and just BE.

This is exactly what luxury is all about to me. The beautiful humming bird brought such a quiet yet strong message yesterday. By the way, above quote is by Oscar De La Renta, high-end couture fashion designer. The most expensive dress of his you can buy online is $12,690. However, like he said, you can find your own luxury, whatever that may be, when you choose, you don’t even have to pay a penny.

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food

Sunday Happiness = Winter Vegetables in Staub 24cm

January 25, 2015by have you eaten?Leave a Comment

I used to dislike Sundays. Lots of people don’t like Mondays but Sundays were loneliest and longest of the week to me. However, since 2010, that has changed drastically.

I am cooking cauliflower today for lunch. A whole cauliflower plus some other winter vegetables (more like left over veggies in the fridge), lotus root, Japanese sweet potatoes, carrots, carrots, brussels sprouts. Here is what I did.

1. Place all vegetables in cast iron pot

2. Add white wine vinegar, water (50ml-ish? maybe), olive oil, sea salt, thyme, ground cumin seed

3. Put the lid on and cook about 25 minutes over low-medium heat.

4. Bon appetit!

Accompaniments are La Parisienne’s demi-baguette www.laparisienneseattle.com/gallery.html and Loki Fish Co.’s smoked salmon spread http://www.lokifish.com/

I get to do this kind of stuff every weekend. Not only that, I get to share these dishes, joy, love and passion for food and cooking with my best friend. Lonely Sundays? I am so over it.

cooking, food

Color of Saffron: STAUB 22cm

January 24, 2015by have you eaten?Leave a Comment

I don’t like shopping really. No, let me rephrase that. I do not like shopping except for books, grocery and kitchen tools.

Yesterday, this little but heavy box arrived at my cube at work. I tried so hard not to show my excitement. But it was really hard, Oh My God. It was my Staub pot! When I decided I was going to get rid of all tools, pots and pans that I was not in love with last year, I especially started to invest in pots and pans. I contemplated for a LONG time, like 8 months. Which one was better for me to get, Staub or Le Creuset (I am a thinker, what can I say)? Finally I decided to get Staub and my first pot was Grenadine Round Cocotte 28cm. It was a significant decision and I enjoy cooking even more because of Staub. It is cast iron pot and it is heavy but what I love about this pot is the lid. The lid closes very tightly and steams inside really well with small amount of water. Let’s say you are cooking winter vegetables, it usually takes a long time to cook them because they tend to be dense. Because of the tight lid closure, it cooks with small amount of water, which means that it cooks with water that vegetables contain, therefore it has a stronger flavor. Also these dimples in the lid. Whoever thought about these is genius. My hat’s off to that genius. Here is why. Those dimples circulates water inside of pot and has a basting effect.

I do have an emotional connection to this series. This my 3rd Staub and this is just gorgeous. There are so many things I want to cook. This a damn good problem to have.

books, coffee, movies

Liberal Arts: Worth Every Penny

January 23, 2015by have you eaten?4 Comments

If you are a book nerd, this is a great place to fall in love with another book nerd. http://acornbookshop.com/Acorn_LibartsMovie.html

Below is my favorite movie dialogue from “Liberal Arts” I thought that creators of this movie examined inside my head. This movie is full of stuff that I love about life such as coffee, books, travel, and music.

Ana: I love books. I do, in like, the dorkiest way possible.

Jesse Fisher: Oh, me too. It’s a problem.

Ana: Like, I love trees cause they give us books.

Jesse Fisher: super cool of the trees to do that, Right?

Ana: I’m actually… this is weird. I’m actually trying to read less.

Jesse Fisher: Why?

Ana: I felt like I wasn’t watching enough television. No, l just started to feel like reading about life was taking time away from actually living life, so I’m trying to, like, accept invitations to things, say “hi” to the world a little more.

Jesse Fisher: That sounds scary. It’s going well?

Ana: It’s… okay. I keep thinking I’d be so much happier in bed with a book, and that makes me feel not super cool. I still read tons. I just feel like I’m more aware of a book’s limitations. Does that make sense?

Jesse Fisher: Yeah, totally.

P.S. This is me as well, especially #11. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/beth-bartlett/youre-a-book-nerd-if_b_5374605.html

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coffee, starbucks

Coffee Fixes Everything?: Starbucks Reserve® Sumatra Peaberry Lake Toba does

January 22, 2015January 22, 2015by have you eaten?Leave a Comment

My morning was interesting. Well, it was not interesting, it was actually bitter start.

Coffee. Yes, coffee is needed for this kind or morning or any kind of morning. Our office building has a few Clover® machines. The very first thing I do every morning is to go to 9^th floor and make myself a delightful cup of coffee. No sugar or milk is added in order to taste pure whole beans. One of perks of working on a coffee team for a coffee company is the opportunity to taste millions of different coffees. My favorite is Starbucks Reserve® Ethiopia Sun-Dried Yirgacheffe™ because this coffee gives you BAM!! blueberry smell when you open the bag and nice semi-sweet chocolate flavor. What a romantic combination.

Anyway, Starbucks Reserve® Sumatra Peaberry Lake Toba, I detected light acidity in the back of my tongue and very mild and smooth bitterness spread in my mouth slowly. This coffee also has a bright fruity note and some sort of herbal note. I was trying to think of a good description and finally figured it out. It is green apple (!) for fruity flavor and cedar wood for herbal note. This is such a charming combination of note and flavor. Sumatra Peaberry Lake Toba has juicy entry and silky/smooth finish even though beans from Sumatra are very bold, almost chewy. Because of the chewiness and density, I usually do not like Asian coffee, however, Sumatra Peaberry Lake Toba is the very first Asian coffee that I ever liked. When enjoying this coffee, I was picturing myself sitting on swing in lightly humid but comfortable morning in early summer and enjoying sunrise. I almost could see the moon fading and the sky turning from purple to deep pink to orange.

How can I carry on with the bitter morning start all day after this lovely cup of coffee. You simply don’t.

I am a firm believer of this. Coffee fixes everything.

personal view

Food for My Soul

January 21, 2015January 21, 2015by have you eaten?2 Comments

“If you strip everything away that person has, including clothes, shoes, hat, job he/she has, what kind of car, titles so forth. Family, friends, obligations, tasks, home, money, experience, past, future, I mean everything. Now take a look at person again. If you are still in love with that person, that’s the one” – unknown

I am leading a fortunate life because I do have that person.

cooking

Transformation of Two Beloved Birds: Road to Pho Ga from Free-Range Farm

January 20, 2015January 20, 2015by have you eaten?2 Comments

So, there were two chickens, running around a field. Being outside, eating healthy food and getting exercise builds nice muscles, especially on their thighs. Also, with them running around freely, it makes them stress-free. Well, maybe not completely “free” from stress but they have way less stress than caged ones.

Those 2 birds ended up at my house and my dear friends and I enjoyed tasting them so much. I oven-roasted them with winter vegetables (blogged on 1/17) and also consumed 4.5 bottles of red wine as well. Next morning, as you can guess, we were not as happy as the night before due to dehydration and headache. What does Asian mother say when you have hangover? “Eat your noodle soup!” or “Eat your miso soup!” or “What an idiot!” I decided to follow my mom’s voice. Noodle soup!

Let’s use those birds then. Carcasses into pot and shimmer for an hour, then add Royal Boat brand fish sauce and fresh squeezed lime juice. There soup is ready. Then cook rice noodle and add to the soup. Garnish with cilantro and grated yuzu (glorious Japanese citrus: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuzu) on top. After this, my hangover is magically gone because of togetherness of umami from chicken, tanginess of lime, saltiness of fish sauce, freshness of cilantro, then with delightful, sweet and tender aroma of yuzu. Flat rice noodle is well coated with this simple yet magnificent soup. Nothing was left in my bowl, not even a drop of the soup.

Thank you, healthy chickens. Because of you, I am getting right amount of protein, ready to build nice muscles and I feel “cage-free” from the crappy headache.

personal view

2014 – 1955 = 59

January 19, 2015January 19, 2015by have you eaten?2 Comments

39 years. I have been carrying something I should have dealt with and worked through about 20 years ago. Though I still carry it around and it is quite heavy.

“Have you ever been hurt and the place tries to heal a bit , and you just pull the scar off of it over and over again” Rosa Parks said, and yes, I have. The place tries to heal a bit, is still raw but I am used the pain so I don’t feel it any more. Once in a while, the place reminds me that it is still there and I remember how the pain feels like. I don’t have any intention to associate my own personal experience which I haven’t done shit about to make it better to Rosa’s courageous action. However, it is comforting to know Rosa felt the same way that I do.

Rosa Parks did not give in. She said, “No, the only tired I was, I was tired of giving in.” I did. I gave in. I let them do whatever they want because it was easier for me. It must have been easier for Rosa to move to the back of the bus, but she didn’t because she was not giving in.

In 1955, Rosa Parks didn’t give up her seat on the bus. She may not have meant to do something extraordinary by that action but it brought significant impact to the United State and other countries 59 years ago. It has been 59 years. What’s astounding is that we still are not able to leave behind what Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., Ralph Abernathy, Malcolm X and most importantly, those who never gave in did back then. Heartbroken and angering incidents happen almost every single day.

In 1975, it started and lasted for 12 years. I was sitting the back of the bus. I gave in, have been scared and been running away from it. I have been letting it haunt me whenever it wants to. About 3 weeks ago, my mother called and let me know one of main people I have been running away from called her. I am 4,800 miles away from those people and I should be safe. But how did I react? I froze. Immediately I put my invisible shield on and tried to hide from it. What baffles me is that I am still doing the same shit since 1975.

I don’t think I can do this without my best friend. He never leaves my side and does nothing but comfort me and let me know it is going to be OK. With him and Rosa Parks, I will need to face it and forgive. It sure is scary but one day I must, as Rosa did not give up her right to sit wherever she wants to on the bus. I have the right to live sorrow-free life.

“Each person must live their life as a model for others” – Rosa Parks

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food

… (no words needed)

January 18, 2015January 18, 2015by have you eaten?Leave a Comment

I love taking a nap. Naps are magical. After taking a nap, all of my body parts and soul were revitalized. It is 3 pm and OK, I have 2 and half hours until two friends are coming to our place for dinner.

These pretty birds, 2 of them, have been taking a nap for quite a while. Not a typical nap, they have been bathing as well …with salt and lemon. It is time to wake them up. They are rested well and their body should be rejuvenated, and their soul, should be, uh well, good(?). Salt and lemon make their skin look gorgeous. Now, I even make them look prettier with quartered lemons, garlic and fresh thyme inside of their bellies. Then I coat their bodies with melted butter. Lots of butter.

Following this, they go to an even warmer place, the oven, with winter vegetables such as fingering potatoes, rutabaga, renkon (lotus root), parsnips, carrots, brussel sprouts, leeks and onions that Washington state small farmers grew with TLC. They get to enjoy the heat for about an hour and half.

Naps are magical, I said. Naps make (almost) everything better. I have proof here because these chickens tasted just delightful as the 4 of us got quiet for a while when we started eating them. Sometimes no words are needed to express how delicious the food is.

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coffee

Seattle Winter Blues: Convoy Coffee has a solution for you

January 17, 2015January 18, 2015by have you eaten?6 Comments

I do not want to see anyone, do not talk to anyone, do not want to do anything for anyone. I just want to eat, read, hang out with my dog and drink coffee. That’s it. That’s all I want to do, kind of like hibernating. Wait…coffee?

We are lucky, we really are. We have quite a few neighborhood farmers markets all through the year just within city of Seattle. I go to U-District Farmers Market near University of Washington every Saturday Morning. http://seattlefarmersmarkets.org/markets/u-district This farmers market has this Japanese farmer who grows and sells Japanese vegetables that you cannot buy at any other farmers markets or regular grocery stores. Also U-Dist farmers markets seems to have more vendors and variety. I love small vegetable farmers, butchers, fishermen, mushroomerries, bakers, beer brewers, tea makers, ginger-ale brewers, honey farmers, fermented food producers, poets with 1948 Royale typewriters are all together and showcasing their at-most quality produce (and poem) from all over Washington state. Most importantly they are sharing their passion.

About a month ago, my nose was detecting something splendid, it’s called coffee at the market. I approached them and started to talk about this coffee they were serving that day, “Ethiopian Wanago.”

It smelled just like strawberries! That means these beans make a cup of coffee that I would love. Lots of people tend not to like citrusy and fruity coffee but I do. I am in love with it. Their shop is called “Convoy Coffee,” they only offer pour over and aeropress. No lattes, no caramel macchiato, no damn pumpkin spice latte. Perfect.

When I woke up, I was feeling like I was a bear. I just wanted to hibernate but I forced myself to get out of the bed and I headed down to the market even thought it was (of course) raining and chilly. And these smiley people were making coffee by spreading their love and passion for coffee. He knows what kind of coffee that I like so he recommended “Guatemala Hanapu” roasted by Kuma (means bear in Japanese. Ha) Coffee in Seattle, WA. I ordered a cup of aeropress. The impressive acidity sits in the middle of tongue and spreads slowly. It was a quintessential combination of acidity, mild bitterness, kindness, tenderness and joy.

Thank you Convoy Coffee, you took my hibernation desire away. I will see you next Saturday.