The future of food

Just read about eating insects will be better for society because they are more nutritionally balanced and better for the environment. Growing them takes less food. They can eat our leftovers. And they can grow in a small space.

I wonder if due to global warming, depleting resources, and overpopulation the future sources of protein will be biomeat and insects. I can picture it now: in every home, the fridge contains mass-produced biomeat, rotating containers of insects grown for food (hmm...cockroaches and spiders), and a kitchen compost.

It'll be very hard for me to get used to the idea of eating insects. Hairy caterpillars. Hairy spiders. Crunchy spiders. Crunchy everything. And I think it is very much a socially-bred disgust towards them. With my kids, it might be fun to change that. Give them bugs to eat so they don't develop as strong of an aversion to them.

Saturday morning

Woke up to a beautiful foggy morning. Took Butters out to his morning ritual and found the swimming pool wrapped in fog. What is it about fog that makes it seem so mysterious? Perhaps it is the expanded personal space we feel since fog blocks and muffles our surroundings. It reminds me of walking to early morning classes at UCSD. I miss those days.

Rule 2 of 48

Currently reading The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene (tip of hat to Mr. Perkins).

In rule 2: Never put too Much Trust in Friends, Learn how to use Enemies, frankly, I just don't get it. If you are supposed to be using enemies, then doesn't that imply a degree of confidentiality and hence trust and friendship? So once they become friends to a certain degree, am I supposed to ditch them and treat them as enemies?? So my whole life will be a cycle of turning enemies to friends and friends to enemies? Am I not getting his point?

Dog day

Took Butters to the dog park today. We told him to sit and stay in the unleashing area which he managed to do with a little excited whining. We released him from the command once we were inside the park itself. A couple saw us and was very impressed with that considering he's four months old. Unfortunately, Butter's good day lasted about ten minutes as he angered a little black chihuahua dog and was chased. He then became very grumpy and vicious. His usual playmate the French bulldog repeatedly barked at him for no apparent reason. In his play with Achilles, the Pembroke corgi, he viciously growled while standing over him. I've never really seen him like that before. So I took him to the other side of the dog park and played chase with him for awhile, but he was just done with the dog park. Before I left, the lady whose 10-year old bichon died last June came over to me to give me the pictures that she took of Butters the other day. There was one picture of him standing while the French bulldog chomped down on his back leg. It was cute.

L and I went to watch 9 at the Edwards theatre. I thought the ending was going to be different from the way it came out. Also, I realized that from futuristic movies that deals with machines vs. humans, I am now very afraid of classic machine noises like their metallic clackings and creakings and wooshings as they move and slither about. Also, why do we use metal weapons against their metal bodies? It just doesn't seem evenly matched because knives and guns are supposed to be for the flesh. Since metal bodies are supposed to be more resistant to physical damage than naked flesh, I think we should have more advanced weaponry against that. Maybe something like targeted EMP that shoots like a laser.
Analogy:
guns: flesh:: EMP laser: machines

There! That looks better. =)

Bow and arrows

I loved archery when I was introduced it in PE class back in junior high. One of these days, I think I'm going to figure out a way to get a traditional looking bow (instead of the crazy stuff used in the Olympics) to practice shooting. That would be lots of fun I think. Maybe I'll make one myself.

Butter's 3rd vet visit

5 lbs and 12 oz. Jeez Butters. I would call you a fat ass, but I know you are not. Muscle developing properly, and the puppy teeth should come out any time now. Possible ear infection, got ear drops. Everything else checks out properly. I'm so happy that he's done with shots. Now we can take him to dog parks. Yay!

I must say that I really like our vets at the Rose Canyon Veterinary Hospital. They are fairly priced, awesome people, and are not pushy about anything. They are also extremely patient and has always answered all of our questions. The vets take the time to try to get the dog comfortable. Highly recommend them.

I'm thinking that the first time he goes to the dog park that we keep him on a leash and make him sit when meeting people/other dogs. I wonder if that's excessive?

The Great Honey Experiment

One of the very first lessons in immunology is the various types of immune systems. We don't understand any of them completely. One of them is the natural anti-bacterial properties of honey. We don't know what it is, but honey can keep for a long time even after the bottle is opened.

I gashed my finger pretty bad while bbq'ing over the Labor Day weekend, stripping off a slice of skin on my left index finger. Without the strip of skin to cover the exposed dermis underneath, it really hurt. I thought that healing will take awhile too since cells have to slowly close the gap as opposed to "glueing" the two sides together. I put a band-aid on to keep it from hurting, but I also needed something else to keep the moisture from providing a good place for the bacteria to grow. What to put? Neosporin? Honey? Am I certain enough about the anti-septic properties of honey that I will risk the possibility of my finger rotting and falling off? Yes, why not? No, in biology, in theory things should work, but in reality, they never do. After much mental debating, I decided yes. It's not as big as a cut to the bone, let's try it. The thick viscous liquid will seal the wound, preventing air and moisture in, and who knows? Maybe the famed anti-bacterial properties will kick in and actually help.

The first time I put it on, the finger throbbed for a good while. After that, whenever I replaced the band-aid as it got moist, it only tingled. After two days, I am without the band-aid and painfree. The wound it mostly closed and sealed except for the deepest part. There is not redness or puffiness or other signs of infection.

Of course, this is one data point. It could totally be my awesome kick-ass immune and repair system. Or it could be my sterile technique. Or it could be me really trying to rip it open whenever I put on or take off the band-aid. Or it could be honey. Either way, it certainly didn't do any harm. And I think in the future, I will try again.

Remember the band-aid commercials, or perhaps it's the Neosporin commercials where a kid falls and the mom rubs on the anti-septic or puts on the band-aid? I am going to be the crazy mom that puts honey on the wound and tells him to beware of ants.

Word & Books

Word of the Day: holt - a small woods

Finished A Zookeeper's Wife. Am currently preparing to read The Canterbury Tales. Also on the reading list (besides my current library books): The Elegant Universe and Metamorphoses

Also, the auto-didact's course catalogue from Johns Hopkins Magazine.
Of interest:
American Constitutional Law & the Supreme Court
Quantum Physics
Business management
International affairs
Biochemistry & human evolution
Classics
Social stratification
Everyday design
...among others that are maybes.

Apple sauce

I had some apples sitting around since beginning of August when L decided to get his wisdom teeth pulled (I thought I'd make smoothies). After realizing that there was an inverse relationship between the time the apples are in the fridge and the likelihood of them being eaten, I found a recipe for apple sauce written down on the back of an envelope in my cookbook. The results were great. Sitting around the fridge dehydrating actually concentrated the sweetness. It was so sweet that I had to add juice of half a lemon to it to give it a bit more tart flavor.

3-4 lb of various apples/qt of sauce (ex: red delicious, gala, fuji, rome)
water
sugar/lemon juice to taste

1. Peel, core, and slice the apples and put in a pan.
2. + 1 in of water on the bottom.
3. Heat on high with lid on till boiled.
4. Turn the heat down to simmer till apples are soft.
5. Mash w/ potato masher or food mill.

I processed it with a blender and I think the texture was a little too smooth. I'm thinking of getting a food mill sometimes.

After I made it, I also tried canning. I steamed the jars upside down with the lids for 20-30 mins. Removed the jars when ready to pour the sauce. Closed it right away. We'll see how long that keeps. I need something to grab the hot jars.

Dinner: Pork with cole slaw & cream of mushroom soup

Cream of mushroom soup
4 servings

1 lb of mushrooms, thinly sliced with stalks removed
1/4 cup margarine
3-4 green onions, thinly sliced
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1/3 c flour
4 cups of vegetable broth
1 cup of light cream
salt and pepper to taste

1. Melt half of the margarine and stir in green onions, garlic, and thyme. Cook until garlic is golden.
2. + mushrooms, a little bit of salt and pepper, cook till the mushroom flavor is brought out.
3. In a separate pot, using the rest of the butter, flour, and broth create a roux.
4. Add to the mushrooms and simmer for ~10 min.
5. Add cream and simmer for 2 minutes.
6. Finish with salt and pepper to taste.

Variations to try: tarragon instead of thyme. white mirepoix (1 stalk of celery, the whites of one leek, 1/2 of an onion) cooked in step 1, + lemon juice in the last step (~1 tsp)

Rice noodle with vegetables, pork and shrimp

First time cooking it. Didn't turn out the way I envisioned it, but good nonetheless. However, will be making changes next time.

Lesson learned: rice noodles WILL absorb liquid. All of it. And become very very mushy.

Solution: cook the noodles separately from the toppings.

Ingredients
Rice noodles
Broccoli
Carrot
Bok-choy
(or whatever vegetables that are available in the fridge or about to go bad)
Pork
Shrimp
(or whatever other protein that's in the freezer or about to go bad...j/k)
Chicken broth

1. Stir fry the noodles and set aside.
2. In a separate pot, cook the vegetables in the broth till ready. Add starch.
3. Stir fry the proteins.
4. Combine.

Yay food!

My rant for the day: healthcare

I hate Republicans for their craptacular fearmongering, blatant dishonesty, and sycophantic obedience to the corporations and industries.

I hate Democrats for their spinelessness, inability to adapt and confront Republican tactics and do the job that we elected them to do.

I hate the two-party system because the third party will never be able to really effect any change that changes people's lives for the better.

I should have voted for Dennis Kucinich.

Green onion pancake, grilled king mackerel, and cole slaw

I've been craving green onion pancakes for awhile now. I miss the delicious aroma of fried green onions when they are hot. Today I decided to make some. So I googled and found this recipe from Nook & Pantry and prepared it with some minor adjustments.

Green Onion Pancake (葱油饼)
8 4-in servings

2 1/2 cup AP flour
3/4 cup boiling water
1/4 cup cold water
1/2 tsp salt +more for mixing with green onions later
~4 green onions
oil for frying and mixing with green onions

1. Combine flour and salt, add hot water, stir to combine. (The mixture will be crumbly.)
2. Let the dough cool a bit then +cold water. Knead till smooth, ~3-4 min. (The dough is pretty wet.)
3. Let the dough rest for ~1 hr in an oiled bowl, covered. (This allows the flour to really soak in the water. Did not see any significant rising.)
4. Green onion mixture: thinly cut the green onions. Add a little salt ~1/4 tsp and mix in with hand. Crush the green onion a bit while mixing. Add enough oil to coat the green onions and mix again.
5. Roll the dough into a log and divide into 8 pieces. Take one and leave the rest covered.
6. Roll the piece out to desired thickness. (The thinner it is, the more layers the final pancake will have.) Spread 1 tsp of green onion mixture on top.
7. Roll up the dough tightly and coil it. Seal the end by tucking it underneath the coil.
8. Hand press the coil to flatten it and use a rolling pin to finish rolling it to desired thickness. (The dough will stretch and break. It's ok.)
9. Repeat with the rest of the pieces.
*At this point, you can freeze the pancakes by putting them in between layers of plastic.
10. Heat the pan to medium to medium hot. Add a bit of oil in the pan and fry the dough till golden brown on both sides.

Notes: Next time I think I will probably triple or quadruple the recipe. 1 of this is enough for 2 people. However, it'll be nice to have some frozen for use during the rest of the week or have something bigger than coaster sized pancakes.

For dinner: King mackerel and cole slaw
Sprite made cole slaw last night with the goal of replicating the delicious KFC cole slaw. The vegetables soaked overnight to absorb the flavors. Turned out pretty damn close.

As for the mackerel, I was shopping at 99 Ranch when I decided why not try some fish? I'm usually not a fish person, but grilling can't be too bad. Plus, a fillet of it was only $2.50 or so. Lets try it.

I found a recipe on google. Super easy and really delicious.
Clean and season fish with salt, black pepper and garlic. While grilling, place lemon slices on top. When serving, garnish with lemon slices as well. It's good.

A note on cooking mackerel in my cast iron pan: Cook on medium. Place skin side down to cook till opaque ~60-75% through on the thickest part. Flip and cook for 2/3 the amount of time used to cook the first side. Fish, unlike terrestral meat, is ready when there's a little bounce in the flesh when pressed. This worked out well for now. Will do more fiddling with cooking time.

(I really need to take some pictures of these food.)

In Butters News: On food and nutrition for dogs

Right now there's a can of Iams wet dog food that I'm trying to get rid of because Butters is certainly NOT eating that crap. However, it is hard to give it away because I can't tell people the reason I'm giving it away is that it's not good enough for my dog. I DO hate to see it go to waste though.

Yesterday, Sprite and I went to Pet People to find treats for Butters. He is definitely more interested in obeying us if we have tantalizing treats. I'm not a fan of dog biscuits because I read that carbohydrates are not part of a dog's natural diet. It defeats the whole purpose of buying awesome dog food that doesn't contain wheat and corn only to have them pop up in doggy biscuits. So in the end, I settled on Real Meat Beef Jerky Treats and Fruitables Pumpkin & Blueberry Mix. The latter serves in place of biscuit treats because the main ingredient is pumpkin instead of some type of flour.

My main criteria when selecting food for Butters is that it has to be as close to natural as possible. Neither one of the treats has artificial preservatives and the Beef Jerky Treats, after I cut it up to little pieces, will last us a long time.

On dog food, currently Butters is on Blue Buffalo's puppy formula. I will discontinue that as soon as he's done because it contains tomato pomace (pomace is the leftover pulp, skin and seeds) which can stain bichon, maltese and poodle's hair since these breeds typically have tear staining problems. Otherwise, I think Blue Buffalo's a pretty good brand. I have a $5 coupon that expires at the end of this year if anyone wants it.

On switching dog foods: there's a lot of debate on the level of sensitivity of dogs' digestive tracts and the ensuing debate revolves around whether they should be fed table scraps and whether they should always eat one type of kibble. In my opinion, I don't think table scraps encourage begging or upset their digestive tracts, too much. Begging is a behavior that can be corrected with discipline and upset digestive tracts...well, how much human food is the dog really ingesting each time? Moderation is key. Plus, my experience in China showed me that dogs that eat table scraps have gorgeous gorgeous shiny coats that amazed even me. Subjectively, sharing food is a chance to bond with them and train them.

As for eating one type of kibble, I just don't buy it. Are modern dogs really so pathetic as being able to handle only one type of food all their lives? I read somewhere that it's a good idea to switch kibble and rotate the main type of protein in the listed ingredients to prevent dogs from developing an allergy to it. I don't know how much eating one thing really contributes to future allergies, but on getting more nutrients out of food, it certainly makes sense to rotate different types of food. I don't like it when half of the ingredient list is made up of added vitamins and minerals. If the food is well rounded, then vitamins and minerals should be part of the food already without being additional ingredients.

All this to say that for Butters, I think I'm going to rotate through Orijen and Innova. The presence of tomato pomace in many dog foods helps me narrow things down quite a bit. I am such a huge fan of Orijen food. Price-wise, it is comparable to a lot of the higher-end dog food. OTOH, one can actually read/pronounce most of the ingredients on the list. According to the company, the ingredients are fresh and never preserved. Other than the puppy and senior formula, the company also produces an Adult formula, which is like a different formulation of the puppy formula based mainly on chicken, Regional Red with a focus on red meats, and 6Fish which is self-explanatory. Orijen also has the advantage of containing higher calories/kg than most dog food, so dogs can eat less and feel more full. And Innova is a decent substitute.

As for real food, we found that Butters is not a fan of carrots, but definitely likes cabbage, mangoes, avocado, shrimp, and pork. In moderation, of course.

Trouble with me as a cook

I don't think I have a very good imagination when it comes to putting ingredients and spices together for food. I know what dishes I like, but then I quickly forget them. So in addition to my goal of buying whatever is on sale for the week and putting them together in new dishes, I am going to try to log my weekly menus so I can refer to them later by ingredients.

Tonight's dinner: Shandong ramen with bok-choy, shrimp and marinated pork slices in chicken broth.

1. Prepare the pork by slicing and marinating in soy sauce, starch and sugar to taste. May add garlic and ginger if available.
2. Defrost shrimp.
3. Clean the bok-choy. Tear in half the bigger leaves.
4. Get the chicken broth boiling.
5. Cook noodle according to instruction. Rinse with cold water and set aside.
6. Add green onion to saute pan and saute the shrimp till cooked about half way on one side, then flip. After it is opaque through half way, take it out and let the heat to finish cooking it.
7. Saute the pork slices. Cook until 3/4 done. Flip and finish when cooked on the other side. Take out and set aside to finish cooking off-heat.
8. Add a bit of oil to the chicken broth and drop in the bok-choy. Cook for a few minutes and turn off heat.
9. Putting all ingredients together and voila! Deliciousness.

I hate tough to chew meat or shrimp and am trying to figure out ways to cook them so they are still juicy and tender. I think I've succeeded this round. It's always a balance between tenderness and possible e. coli poisoning. =)

I still haven't quite figured out the correct salinity of the soy sauce I have, so it still tastes a little salty when I cook or marinate with it.

Reviews from both: it was pretty good and worthy of serving to guests.