Quick update as Flat Reto has come to visit for a few days >

He has traveled around the world!!! He just happened to be here when the news came down, so a pic was taken so we'll not forget the occasion. I have a few plans for FR and will then send him on.....to a very secret person and location....I'll never tell. I'll post pics of FR and more cooking stuff in the next few days. Cheers and enjoy, greg
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plagues of black, dreams of green, and Flat Reto >>

Not much to tell of late. I've been sick lately, and Stacey has pneumonia, so little has been note worthy. The plague has been sated by a few shots from the doctor, and a good deal of NyQuil each night, and the green sleep that follows is a welcomed retreat from the pain. Flat Reto did arrive today, and I hope to take some entertaining pics over the next week to celebrate his stay with me.
Flat Reto is explained further here

http://flatretoproject.blogspot.com/
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I have so many projects on the table, that they have become almost a bore, or even worse, a job. I never intended to have a hobby become a chore, so I've stepped back and resumed another project. I designed (granted, a very basic design) several knives. I looked over the blanks I had cut, and chose to keep working on my pseudo-clever. I made it like this to mimic a cleaver, and also a Japanese Tosagata Santoku. It's a combination of shapes I liked in two knives, and I combined that in to one knife. I doubt I'll try and finish any of the others I have, or I'll have them re-cut in a softer steel. These are a 400 series stainless (if I recall, I'll have to ask Craig to clarify), and that is way too hard for me to sharpen here, and it's also 1/8 thick. That might not sound like much, till you go to trimming it down, you find out how thick it really is. I hope to try it again soon, and in a softer steel. I might even try some other styles. The handle is just rough cut pine with a brass ferrel for now.

Anyway, a pic to show some sort of activity.
Cheers and enjoy,
greg

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and, if all goes to plan....

I hope to shoot some bloody pics of an entire deer being butchered, if I have the room.....lets hope that works out.....if not, we'll have some nice venison loins and back straps to break down soon.

Cheers and enjoy :)greg

Pad Thai...with out the bean sprouts???.....yep.... >

I wanted to make this properly, and have tried it a few times, to get the rhythm down, and still be able to snap a pic or two, but I managed to leave the bean sprouts out. In my defense, I do have two refrigerators in my kitchen, and some times, things get left out....I hate it, but with new recipes, these things happen....so, on to the pseudo-demo of Pad Thai.

I also want to thank Reto for suggesting this, and in the spirit of the Chinese New Year I tried some different things. Bulgogi a few nights ago (korean) Steamed fish and pot stickers, but I wanted to get the Pad thai on the blog. Keep in mind, this is actually a very fast paced dish to cook. It is in reality street food in Singapore, but given the space and competition, the people cooking in the streets have developed this dish to perfection, and with amazing speed at that. I tried to take my time, and take a few pics along the way, just so you know, a novice can produce really flavorful food with some effort, but nothing that will kill you. :)
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We'll start here.
A cup of shrimp, 1/2 cup of pad thai sauce (I'll sort that out later...), prepared radish ( the original recipe called for turnip....I don't really like turnip, so, radish it is) I chose radish, and did pickle them myself. Half a shallot, Chinese chives, two cloves of garlic, and about a 1/4 cup of firm tofu (firm)....I should note now, there should be a 1/4 cup of bean sprouts on that board....sorry....I'll do better next time....so.

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I also have some Rice noodles soaking in some water......if in doubt...undersoak. You can always add watch later....it's harder to take it out.

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here is everything broken down and prepped...

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OK...here we go....and remember, I'm cooking and taking pics at the same time...so don't beef about either! :).......add the garlic and shallot...
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just let it take on a bit of color....nothing dark, it'll cook quick.....we're talking med-high heat here....if it were a good wok, and you knew how to operate it well, you'd be on some really high heat.
Add in the shrimp.....now, I did use more shrimp than most would...but I really like shrimp. I also rinsed the shrimp, so some extra water was on there....let that water steam off...or you'll have a rather mushy dish.
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Lets throw in the tofu....work that in a bit. Tofu will brown up and get nice and crispy if you let it, and it will basically take on any flavor you pair it with.

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Add the eggs.......I used two, personal tastes, but I'd recommend using just one. For the sake of visual effect....two does look better.
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Work those eggs around a bit, after they start to firm up some, then..we'll add the chives and the rice noodles, and top that off with the pad thai sauce...
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OK...work that all around till it's all nice and mixed. The noodles with take on a nice brownish color. It should not be red and oily, as most western versions of pad thai are......and, at this point, you would add the bean sprouts and the preserved turnips.

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I'm afraid since I used radish instead of turnips, and left the bean sprouts out, that will conclude this installment of my blog.

side note.....I discovered this by accident, but the pickled radish tastes a bit like gari (pickled ginger served with sushi), not as hot, but does cleanse the palate.

Cheers and enjoy, greg.

and p.s. ....send me a proof reader >

I just read what I posted.......damn....sorry for all the type-o's.......I'll take the "it's late and I'm tired" card....if that will serve as an excuse :) I'll slip in a crappy watch pic for fun...so you won't notice the spelling issues. :) :)
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and a random pic for fun......two things I can't, and one to tempt....
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Stay tuned...next week...or maybe tomorrow >

it's Pad Thai.......I had planned on doing it tonight, but the store plotted against me....so maybe tomorrow, and this recipe is one I've never cooked before and was suggested by a friend....he'll not be able to taste it for me, but I hope to do it justice either way.........cheers, greg

mid January and what to say?

I'm glad I posted some watch pix, and should post more. This is the fat guy spot, but I do need to bore people with other things as well. I find it amazing....if I stop buying watches....the prices drop. I honestly think I can control the $$ = whatever by my watch buying...just wait...I'll want to buy nothing overseas...Swiss, Asian, anywhere..the dollar will gain value...just wait and see.
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I can't say I've been really inventive in the kitchen lately either......I've been cooking, but I've been trying to trim down my cooking.....maybe it'l be the diary of a skinny guy :).......maybe... Our dryer did die recently....and I did get to see what an arc flash looks like in person...now I know why it makes the testes of electricians crawl up and out of sight.........it was impressive, if not right damn scary. There is another unwanted, yet necessary purchase....anyway...
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lets cut some poultry.....shall we?....I do love some chicken...or turkey, game hens.....hell, I'd eat a penguin if I had one.....let's keep it simple....start with a mortar and pestle and about two tb's of black pepper corns. Fresh pepper is always better in my opinion.
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now, well add some herbs...nice flavor...some rosemary, thyme and sage, give those a quick chop,
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and toss them in with the cracked pepper from before, add a bit of oil and a good bit of salt, and beat them till they look like lawn clippings....like so...
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Now...we'll deal with the chicken....I decided to butterfly this bird....why not? Ltes start with the backbone....it's easy to locate, and I usually run a knife down it, to give myself a good line to follwo..
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Following said line, remove the backbone of the bird....it's easy with shears...kinda noisy..but easy..like said..... >
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With the back out, we'll help with the cooking time. Make cuts into the thigh joints, and under the wings....this will help prevent that odd pink meat that nobody wants, and go ahead and trim off the ends of the legs, it makes for a better presentation, though I'm not one for presentation....
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OK...now, flip that bird....and give it a nice chop down the breat bone, that will seperate it and let the bird lay flat.....nice and flat.
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Now...take the lawn clippings from before and smear the bird, front and back......get it all in there..al the nooks and such.....
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and this is where I'll leave you.......create from here.......:)...no.......throw that bird in the oven at about 425 (skin up) for about 15 minutes, then drop the heat to 325 for another 20 minutes, then flip the bird, and put back into the oven for another 20 minutes...or till it hit an internal temp ot 160....take out and cover with foil, and it'll hit 170 in about 10 minutes......carve and enjoy, and adjust as necessary...please submit feedback......cheers and enjoy. greg

first post of the new year...2009 style,

like roy batty, minus the sheep, hitting the cat nip with the fish lips........well...in all honesty, I hope to make this year better than the last..although 08 was pretty good. I plan to focus more on working for others, but not for pay....in a way. I plan to not buy a single watch till today in 2009....yeah, that's right, it's a forum thing, but I want to be the guy that makes it....and whatever I tuck back for said watches over the year will, in the end become an insane watch purchase....can we say Blancpain...fifty fathoms???....lets keep those fingers crossed that I can save that kind of cash in the coming year, and it that doesn't work, I'll invest and if we're not displaced by then, I'm sure that cash will come in handy for a down payment on a house.
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So, the church across the street is likely to turn my crib into a parking deck....yep, rancho relaxo will be first floor of baptist car central.....I'm not pleased or impressed, but they bought the house next door for above market, and surveyed the block the day after closing...orange paint and stakes everywhere. They also offered several grand to get the people out of the house a little faster...so, all signs point to.."duck and cover greg"
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on the cooking front, I'm looking into two properties that would be usable as restaurants, well, one would be a better butcher shop. I'm really not looking to buy, I'm just feeling out the market.
I have a few new tricks and recipes to post, nothing really amazing, but here in the south, we do love some fried okra. I came up with a really great okra that tastes fried, but isn't....eat all you like and not worry, cause it's not fried, and barely enough oil to notice. I also have a chilled corn soup working (not sure about it though), and I found that parm works well with...squash?...yep, it does work...the crispy, salty flavor on the squash is great.
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That about covers it short term, and I hope you'll come back often and offer suggestions. I also set up mobile blogging, so I might clutter the pages with random daily pics and thoughts....who knows.

Cheers and enjoy....
a parting pic, of 3 straps made for me by Johnny T in cali, all from some Doc Martins boots I had....spend 5 years breaking in the leather, and the straps come out like butter. :)

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