READS - Coming to My Senses - The Making of a Counter Culture Cook - By Alice Waters

Appropriately I took the photo of this book on the table I bought to be able to do more cooking at home.  For those of you unfamiliar with Alice Waters she launched Chez Panisse and started the slow food movement.  What was most interesting is that she was never classically trained as a chef.  She was raised by a mother who believed in fresh organically grown food and the health benefits that came from eating that way.  

This is Alice's story, in her own words, and stuffed with fun and funny anecdotes about things that happened in life along the way. Like many famous people, she didn't plan to be famous, she did what she enjoyed with people she liked and then built a movement.

It is a great walk through her formative years and the events that shaped the woman she would become.  Timing and location of course has a lot to do with how things and both the 1960's and all of the various locations she was in, especially Berkeley, CA play their own role in both the book and her evolution as a person.

Travel: Japan: Hiroshima, Miyajima, Osaka, Kyoto

My blog has been painfully neglected.

This is a shame because I have traveled some pretty fine places which should be shared.  So jumping back into the game.

Japan

It was as magical as expected.  Of course arriving during peak cherry blossom season was a big help, but if ever having the time and the means it is a definite revisit.  

Language

Everyone's first question is "how did you get along with the language.  Well, not badly at all.  English is taught in schools and although most older people may not want to speak to you in English, everyone I encountered tried to help me when I needed help.  The iPhone had a handy translator app (went unused) and I packed some cards with important phrases in Japanese that I could use in an emergency (which I recommend if you have a food allergy or any other medical condition) Most signs that you needed to get around were in Japanese and English.

Food

Japan is a culinary treasure.

Now, that is a bit more challenging with food allergies, especially shellfish, which may be hidden in food in some common cooking ingredients such as shrimp paste and oyster sauce.  That said, the Japanese understand food allergies so having a pre-printed card in Japanese explaining your life threatening (or not) allergy allows the restaurant staff to prepare your food so that you can eat it safely.

From food truck vendors at the hanami festival in Gion to Hanakamidori - nothing but chicken restaurant in Osaka to the Cafe Du Monde the only time I have had beignets outside of New Orleans - it was a food treat.  Of course you can't go to Japan and not eat fish - I had some lovely raw fish as well as some tiny "eat the whole thing" fish - both were spectacular.  Freshness is the key to wonderful offerings they have all over Japan.

Katsu

The fish is so delicate and fresh it melts in your mouth

My friend and I were traveling together and we ordered one American Style and one Japanese breakfast.  They wheeled in this table with a toaster which they plugged in so that you made fresh toast.  

Travel

Pack light and use the hotels laundry service if you are going to be on the move.  Japan has one of the best rail systems in the world and you can get many places by Shinkashen - but be warned, the train stations can be mazes, especially in Tokyo. Carrying heavy luggage up and down stairs in a train station is not fun.  That being said, if traveling all over Japan is the goal, the rail pass is an excellent investment and worth the cost.  In Tokyo, get a Pasmo for the subway; the Japanese equivalent of the metro or Oyster card it makes getting through the stations easier (sometimes just to get get from one side to the other).

Hanami

Flower Blooming viewing is taken quite seriously in Japan during the season and with good reason - it is spectacular.  If you have only seen pictures, they do not do it justice.  Blossoms are everywhere; there are canopies on streets to walk under, rivers are lined, parks are all a-glory.  If you want a premium spot under a tree, get out early, good spots go fast.  On the weekends, the parks take on a festival environment with food stalls and vendors of all sorts.

Hiroshima

Sad, powerful and important visit.

A reminder of how terrible people can be to each other 

and how people, no matter how utterly destroyed, can rebuild, restart and triumph.

Take the time to go to the Hiroshima Peace museum as it is hard to envision the absolute destruction when walking around the now vibrant city.

Miyajima
Oh what a beautiful island. Officially named Itsukushima, it is best know for its bright orange "floating" torii gates that were the official entrance to the shrine.  The shrine is built over water and depending on the tide, visitors can walk out to the torii gate. Beware the not so wild deer, they like to nibble on anything not nailed down and that may include your clothing or your guide book.

Osaka

Food lovers paradise; hip and more laid-back than Tokyo, Osaka has all of the benefits of a major city without feeling 'uptight".  There is Osaka Castle, torn down and rebuilt numerous times that reflects the  historic architecture of the city.  

Shitennoji Temple, one of the oldest temples in Japan, juxtaposed with the modern city as evidenced by Umeda Sky Building and Hep Five shopping center - don't miss the Ferris wheel on the seventh floor - great views of the city at sunset.

Kyoto

City of a thousand shrines.
The bamboo forest was spectacular, and soothing all at once.  The sound is different then fir trees or deciduous tress, but had a similar effect.  It is a well known tourist site, but on the recommended list from me.

Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) - Originally a shoguns retirement home, this building originally on this site became a Zen Temple in 1408.  The structure has burned down several times.  Overlooking the pond, the current structure was rebuilt in 1955.

Two unusual experiences in Kyoto.  The first was at an aforementioned shrine, where a trio of teens wanted a picture.  At first I thought they wanted me to take a picture of them, it shortly became clear they wanted a picture of ME with them.  Having had a similar experience in China, I obliged.  Why might you ask would someone want to take a picture with the American woman wandering alone through the neighborhoods of Kyoto (or on the Great Wall for that matter), because it is unusual there.
Later, when I was wandering through the streets of a neighborhood looking at houses and trying to get to the river (I had a vague knowledge it was that way), I distinctly heard a "Good morning" from across the road.
It seems an elderly Japanese woman with a prize winning rose garden saw this woman wandering through her neighborhood and asked the gardener to find out why I was there.  I admired her roses and was provided directions to the "best" cherry blooms to see in the area.  About two blocks down the road, I heard the gardener calling me in English again.  The elderly woman, sent him to give me two postcards featuring her award winning roses.  People might have said I was lost in that neighborhood, but really I was just finding.

READS: All Over The Place: Adventures in Travel, True Love and Petty Theft - Geraldine DeRuiter

In general I am a big fan of travel memoirs, particularly anything that has to do with foreign locations, food and new cultures.  This wonderful read is not exactly a travel memoir AND I LOVED it.  She is very clear from the beginning that if you are looking for a travel memoir where a broken hearted gal decides to go on a trip and then meets the love of her life in some foreign land - this is not it.  Which means it will probably never be made into a move, but I can dream.  What really spoke to me is Geraldine's ability to see the amusement in the ordinary, and to be well, not ordinary. 

Over a 5 year span, the reader follows a funny, heartfelt tale of the ups and downs in life. She followed my philosophy of "well you are laid off and have time on your hands, might as well travel" theory of the universe.  Like many of us Geraldine has parents she can't understand (pickax) , has been drastically unemployed and survived a brain tumor (insert your personal tragic life changing event).  In a world where lost luggage and foreign locations feel well, foreign, she speaks to how having the right person with you can soothe nerves and itineraries.  OK, yes I mostly travel alone, but I have a bevy of friends who talk me off the ledge when my flight is delayed, and rejoice when it is not.  (Are they ever NOT delayed?)

In short, I want to be her friend, I definitely could be her friend, except I don't know her.  My friends will instantly understand what I mean when they read this book.  In the meantime, please note Geraldine, I am not a stalker I am however a fan-gal safely located on the other coast.

In addition to reading this amazing book, I suggest following her blog:
https://www.everywhereist.com/  and following Geraldine on Social Media :Twitter, Facebook

EATS - Pandebono (Colombian Cheesy bread)

Pandebono is a Colombian gluten free cheese bread. I was introduced to these wonderful treats by my friend Robert who first sent me to a shop in Colombia to get them, and later made them for me at his home.  Rob used feta both because he likes it and because he could not get the traditional Colombian cheese where he lives.This is good for Rob and his family, unfortunately feta is not my friend.

Fortunately I live where all of the ingredients are readily available.  This is my version of a combination of two different recipes that Rob suggested plus mine own tweaking.  Most of make the pandebonos using a food processor, but I do not have a full sized food processor, so this is my version.  This is also a double batch (it make 24 rather than 12) so feel free to halve the recipe as needed.  You can make this by hand, but I use my trusty stand mixer.

This whole process takes about 40 minutes - depending on your oven and how fast you can process the cheese.  If you decide to grate the cheese by hand, it will take longer.

Ingredients
Yuca Harina (Tapioca Starch - you can also use cassava flour)  1 &1/3 C
Masarepa (Pre-cooked white corn meal)  1/2 Cup
Baking Powder 1 tsp (optional - or sub Baking soda)
Salt 1 tsp
Queso De Freir 16 oz - grated (see below)
Queso Fresco 6 oz - grated (see below)
3-4 large eggs

Preheat oven to 400 F

In a large mixing bowl, or the bowl for your standing mixer add all the dry ingredients and whisk to -combine.  Tilt the bowl so the most of the flour mixture sits to one side.

Cut the cheese into cubes, add in sections to food processor with 1-2 spoonfuls of the flour mixture, run food processor until grated thoroughly.

Add to empty side of mixing bowl and repeat until all the cheese has been processed. 

 Whisk to combine cheese and any remaining flour in the bowl.

Hook bowl up to stand mixer, add eggs one at a time.  after each egg looks to be combined, stop the mixer and with a spoon or rubber spatula, make sure that the flours on the bottom of the bowl are being combined in.

After all the eggs are thoroughly combined, again check that all of the flour has been incorporated, if not you can do this by hand kneading it in.

For this batch I used only 3 eggs, for more fool proof recipe use 4 eggs and the dough will be tighter.  In this case I noted that it came together enough for what I was trying to get.

Separate the dough in half (2 sections), then half again (4 sections) , and again (8 sections).
Take each section and make into 3 balls.

Ready for baking or the refrigerator

Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown on top.  Serve hot or warm.

You can make these ahead and store in the refrigerator for several days and bake off as needed for a quick and ready pandebono when you want one.

EATS: Crustless Veggies Quiche

Ingredients

• 1cup egg whites
• 2 large egg(s)
• 1⁄2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (divided)
• 1⁄2 cup cooked zucchini (abt 1 small zucchini)
• 1⁄2 cup yellow summer squash (art one small yellow squash)
• 1⁄2 cup cooked mushroom pieces (8oz mushrooms)
• 1⁄2 cup cooked onion(s)
• non-stick spray

  
  

  
  

  
  

  Dice onion and squashes into small dice.

  Chop mushrooms.

  Precook all veggies until tender in a frying pan with cooking spray - set aside.

  Mix together 1 cup of liquid egg whites, with two eggs and 1/4 C parmesan cheese.

  Spray a 10" pie plate with cooking spray, add the veggies and spread into an even layer, pour the egg mixture over the top. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup parmesan over the top.

  Bake at 350 degrees for about 30-35 minutes until the center is set.

TRAVELS: Staycations get an Undeserved bad rap

It is unfortunate, but staycations tend to get a bad rap.  Too often staycations turn in to an opportunity to get through a "honey-do" or plain old to-do list.  Paint the door, move the furniture, launder the drapes all important but not what you would be doing if you were on vacation somewhere else. The most important part of the staycation - is the vacation part.

Now sitting by the pool and swimming or sunning yourself is just fine - but you can do that any weekend.

Every village, town and city have something interesting to see or do.  When was the last time that you played tourist at home?  So many people who live in cities never do the tourist things that are there so here is my tip for a better staycation experience.

1 - Plan your staycation - as well as you would plan a vacation.  Have the places you want to go and see each day just as if you had a travel itinerary - but don't over schedule - they joy of vacations is the relaxation factor.

2 - Buy a guidebook - for anywhere nearby you can go and visit.  Many NYC residents only go to museums infrequently, and then it tends to be the Met, the MOMA or the Museum of Natural History or the Guggenheim.  They are all great museums, but there are so many others: American Folk Art, Merchant's House, Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum.

3 - Find Free things to do "in the Park" - Plays, Shakespeare, Movies and live music, many towns offer free things to do "in the park" so that your staycations does not have to cost a lot of money.  A simple internet search will give provide suggestions.

A few sample sites to get you started:

I Love NY - list of Free or almost Free things to do this summer.

Chicago Free things to do

Fun and Cheap San Francisco

Now go have a super staycation!

TRAVELS: Small Musuems

Small local museums are a great source of information about where you are staying.  Many are run by the local historical society and the people working there can answer lots of questions you may have about the area, including the best place to get lunch.

On my driving vacation “out west” I stopped in a few of these museums that I would recommend.

Mammoth Site,

Hot Springs, SD

http://www.mammothsite.com/

Admission

Ages 3 & Under     Free

Ages 4 to 12        $7.00

Ages 13 to 59      $9.00

Ages 60 and over  $8.00

Now this one is well known and publicized but in reality it is a small private museum.  It happens to have a fantastic collection of woolly mammoth skeletons that are being excavated by archaeologists and paleontologists.  You can actually see them working if you get there during the day in the summer. It is a powerful site to be in the room and see all of the bones there especially as the tusks are so identifiable.

Trails, Trains & Pioneers Museum

Edgemont, SD.

http://www.edgemontmuseum.com/

Admission Free

Quite honestly this started out as a bathroom stop.  On a very long stretch of highway I spotted a “free museum” sign on the highway and thought, they probably have a bathroom, I must stop.  The museum is a quaint small town historical society museum with an assortment of local history around (you guessed it) Trails, Trains and Pioneers.  There is a section dedicated to memories of the local high school and some fine antiques that you may not see any place else.  As they recommend, don’t miss the “rock room” to see some great geodes, petrified wood and other cool rocks.

Stagecoach Museum

Lusk, WY

http://www.wyomingtourism.org/thingstodo/detail/Stagecoach-Museum/4315

A wonderful surprise in Lusk was the Stagecoach Museum, which was recommended by the women at the Trails, Trains & Pioneer museum.  The Stagecoach museum is housed in the old armory building and as you may imagine, holds in its collection one of the last stagecoaches that made the 200 mile trek across country.  It has a great collection of costumes , including the town Madame’s dress with the fox collar, photos and memorabilia.  Be sure to pop out back and see the oldest building in Lusk as well as the patented snow plow.