Text 22946, 85 rader
Skriven 2012-03-27 05:44:00 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av NANCY BACKUS
Ärende: flights of fancy 422
============================
 ML> One can deceive oneself and think that if one cup of tempeh is
 ML> good two cups is twice as good. I'm that way with beef.
 NB> Exactly... One just has to balance it all out... (G)

I had a $56 dinner yesterday, at Zu Zu, 4 courses - first 2 Tb
of saffron risotto, four thread-thin asparagus the second. The
main course was three little gems of duck, half an ounce or so
each. This made everyone really appreciate dessert, a homemade
peanut butter cup, maybe 3 oz, the biggest course. Alex said
that usually the portions were much more generous at this place.
I'm glad it was his turn to pay.

 NB> Richard and I don't do all that much traveling, especially other than
 NB> by car, but we've long been those who travel light, so as not to need
 NB> to lug lots or have to check baggage.  His pocketknife is generally
 NB> what requires checking nowadays... 

I used to have a Swiss army knife, but I think it got purged or
given away because of its relative lack of usefulness given my
lifestyle.

 ML> In ten days or so I'll be gone for a week and anticipate a huge
 ML> qwk packet after I return to the states: both looking forward to
 ML> the delights inside and dreading having to respond to all the
 ML> messages.
 NB> I see that my next spate is about lining up with your return,

I did pick up a couple packets (had to buy Internet a time or two
to clear up plane reservations and stuff) while abroad; I'm in
Arizona for my last two days away - then back to Washington for a
few, which I'm not really looking forward to.
 
 ML> Speaking of flights of fancy, have you heard that Airbus
 ML> just unveiled the concept of a transparent airplane, planned
 ML> to be put in production around 2050?
 NB> Yes, someone in Memories mentioned that, I think... a propos of a
 NB> conversation about fear of heights...  ;)  Interesting concept... not
 NB> exactly what I think I'd like to ride in, for multiple reasons!

My sentiments also.

Bumbu pecel
Cat: Javanese, sauce
yield: 1 1/2 c

1 1/2 c raw peanuts
10 sm red chilis
2 lg red chilis
2 ts asem tua [mature tamarind]
6 lime leaves
2 cloves garlic
2 thumb-sized pieces of kencur (lesser galangal)
2 ts salt
1/4 c gula jawa [palm sugar]

The classic Javanese spicy peanut sauce.

Make it up in large batches because it will stay fresh
in or out of the refrigerator for weeks. Then mix a few
Tb with warm water whenever you want some gado-gado or
nasi pecel.

Fry peanuts in oil for about 3 min; crush peanuts to a
fine powdery paste in a lemper. Remove peanut mixture to
a separate container. Crush remaining ingredients in a
lemper. Add peanuts and mix well.

American notes: There are a number of shorts cuts to
this recipe. Published cookbooks often use peanut butter,
which simply doesn't work very well, although if you use
African peanut butter (from a west-African store), the
result is somewhat better, maybe because of the variety
of peanuts. There are also packaged gado-gado or bumbu
pecel mixes which you just add a little boiling water
to. These tend to be very hot and sweet, since chilis
and sugar can be used to bulk out an otherwise
undistinguished mixture. I don't recommend any of
the powders, but some of the small compressed cakes
aren't hopeless, although the homemade is easy enough
and very much better.

Bp. Wakidi Dwijamartono and K. Emerson, Solo, Java, 1999
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