Thursday, November 12, 2009

Jamie's American Road Trip


Hey Mates! Shake your booty! =)

Last night I really waited for the premiere episode of Jamie's American Road Trip TV series on Discovery Travel & Living. Well I made it and was able to watch it from the very start 'til the end. Although last night I fell asleep on my couch because I was so tired lately. I am doing Muay Thai 2x a week and I am more on techniques now compared to my cardio and technique classes before. Well I was able to see Jamie says goodbye Fish and Chips and hello to Mac and Cheese. From the Big Ben to Big apple--First destination, New York!

I was surprised about the things that he featured about New York. It's not the typical thing that I would see a celebrity chef would visit. The episode pinched my heart. The main reason is because he featured different immigrants in New York. It started from the Egyptian guy who shared him the Egyptian spice called Dukkau to the guy from Columbia who crossed the border from Mexico to big apple. He is George, devoted in feeding the homeless immigrants every night. Jamie helped him cooked and witnessed the cold night where in they fed numbers of immigrants in Jackson Heights, NY. Another thing that surprised me was the illegal Peruvian restaurant that Jamie visited somewhere in Jackson Heights too. I think he was really amazed with the food and the set up. The first floor is the restaurant and the owner's house upstairs. He helped the owner's aunt do the Ceviche. The area is kinda hidden and Jamie was flabbergasted, he even commented that the place even looks like Lousisiana after typhoon Katrina. But he said what matters is what you put on the plate, and he's right! Another interesting people that he visited were Zorah and Tamara who convene people inside their little New York Apartment whom they called, SUPPER CLUB. Then he also went to a Chinese resto and did some Schezwan noodles. Later on he tasted what he cooked and all he said was "Hohohohoho." Too spicy I guess. To wrap his New York trip he prepared a dinner and invited some NY bloggers and had a dinner menu for them. Then he placed a donation box at the door of his NY apartment to collect some money and give to George the guy who feeds the homeless immigrant every night.

Jamie will also visit Los Angeles, Wyoming, Louisian, Georgia and Arizona. Well I have to see those episodes on the coming Thursdays! It's another sure rock, I bet! Here are some photos from Jamie's American Adventure.

The vintage car, the flag & grocery bag

The Navy guy? or Sailor Man?

The Indian

Fifth little Indian Boy

The Hard Hat Man, Oh yeah!

The FIXER!

The COWBOY stare...

The Marlboro classic

The POLICE - NYPD!


Jamie's first episode of American Road Trip was really amazing! He's really an amazing person. I could imagine how lucky those people he met along the way. Too bad not everyone knows Jamie. And for us who know him well, lets be happy with the stamina of this person in cooking and helping other people. Now I am torn if I will pursue my US trip or my Australian trip on Christmas 2010. My mind isn't there yet. But I am looking on both options. My mind is still up high with my London trip on my birthday!

Hadrian Wall or Stonehenge? =)

hugs,
joanie xxx

Cast no shadow...


I found this week this toy about politics on the street...

Hello everyone! How are you spending your week? Mine is still complete with job search and some friends from Granada who are visiting me. On Monday I had a job interview, and yesterday another, I hope they call me from somewhere ...

I'm a little sad, because you may know that the brand Luella maybe is ending their activities... I find it very sad, is one of my favorite brands ... I hope they find a sponsor soon that kick this problem ... Finally, I don't want to get sad, so I better tell you what I did these days ...

Last night I was at a Japanese restaurant having dinner with my roommates, we ate delicious things and we had a great time!

Salmon Salad


Noodles and sushi...

My lovely roomate Martine with her ebi sushi on her bowl of soy!


Today I was lunching with Maca and Esther, I was in the area of Encants, who had never been, and then I went to the mall with Esther Glories, where later we would meet with Laia.




Laia and I have been shopping, we went to Primark, Fnac, White ... I did some shopping.



False eyelashes from H&M, red bow and socks from Primark, cds from Fnac (The Hives and Florence & The Machine) and two books; they're from the other day but I wanted to show them to you: Fashion Now 2 and Coolhunting!
And we took pictures of us.

 Laia, so lovely as always!


Me!


Our shoes!


Tomorrow come my friends in Granada, I'm eager to see them!



Sweater - Vintage (from Flea market)
Skirt - Syndrome Barcelona (bought at Flea too)
Tights - Primark
Shoes - Taobao

Before leaving, I want to show you a couple of photos ... the other day, reading Niotillfem, the blog of the lovely Sandra, she showed us photos of parents of some bloggers and their own ... Well, here's mine!


 
My mom and my uncle Diego... look to his trousers!!!


My dad at Amsterdan... he reminds me to David Bowie on this picture!

I hope everyone would have a lovely weekend!!

Roast Chicken

   

       
A well-roasted chicken is the mark of a fine cook, according to Julia Childs. Lovers of cooking must also love Julia Childs, if for no other reason than to admire and respect her boundless enthusiasm and pioneering role in bringing fine cooking into American kitchens. I do not have Julia’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.” I prefer cookbooks in the modern style with lots of pretty pictures showing how the prepared recipe can look. I also don’t need multiple recipes for aspic. However, I do own and enjoy very much “Julia and Jacques: Cooking at Home.” In it, Julia Childs and Jacques Pepin provide their takes on basic french cooking. On a given dish, they each discuss their approaches to the dish and provide their own recipes. The subtle differences between their recipes show how even fine chefs can differ, and how you can and should influence your own dishes to meet your tastes.
Yesterday was a cold, rainy day, and so I decided to fill the house with the incomparable smells of roast chicken. Julia’s approach reminded me of her inimitable way when she noted, “I always give my bird a generous butter massage before I put it in the oven. Why? Because I think the chicken likes it - and, more important, I like to give it.” How can you not smile at that? I gave it a try and found that I may not be comfortable with my chicken sexuality, because I definitely did not enjoy giving the chicken a butter massage. As for the chicken, I did not ask its feelings or opinions of the matter. But in the oven it went after seasoning and stuffing with herbs and lemon slices. I have yet to make the perfect bird, but am getting closer and this recipe will help you too. I like to pair roast chicken with wild rice and broccoli, making a gravy from the pan drippings. The recipe for the latter is also below. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 3-4 lb chicken
salt/pepper
herbs such as thyme, rosemary and/or sage
1 lemon, sliced
3 tbs unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup white wine
1 tbsp flour
1 cup chicken stock
 
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450o F. Rinse the chicken thoroughly and dry with paper towels. Ensure that the giblets are removed from the inside cavity. Salt and pepper the inside cavity and stuff with sprigs of the herbs and the lemon. Brush the butter over the top of the chicken, especially the breasts and legs. Tie the legs together with string. Salt generously and place in the oven on a roasting pan. Roast for 30 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 350o F for an approximate total cooking time of 1 1/4 hours. The chicken is done when a thermometer inserted into the thy (without touching a bone) reads 175o F and juices from the chicken when pricked run clear.
When the chicken is done, remove from the roasting pan and allow to rest. In a small pan, add the remaining 1 tbsp butter and flour and mix together to form a roux. Allow the roux to cook for 1 minute to cook off the flour taste. Add the stock and stir, bringing to a simmer. Pour off the juice/fat mixture from the roasting pan into a fat separator. Put the roasting pan over a burner on medium heat and deglaze by adding the white wine. Scrape up the browned bits and whisk into the wine. Allow the wine to simmer down to a tablespoon. Pour the wine mixture into the simmering stock. Add the separated chicken juices to the stock and stir. After a few minutes of active simmering, the roux will thicken the stock into a gravy. By this time, the chicken will have rested sufficiently to serve.

Confessions of an Unliked Green Monster


There's a Green Monster Movement, did you know? Yesterday I decided it was time I finally give a green smoothie a shot...



Into the blender went 1 1/2 cups frozen spinach, 1 frozen banana, 4 frozen strawberries and...



 
...1 cup skim milk, agave nectar and honey. About 1 1/2 tsp of each.


  
 I got out my dizzy glass (that's what Crate and Barrel calls them anyways), and was pumped to enjoy my Green Monster!!


 
However, it tasted like spinach. And I love spinach, but not in liquid form.
So, Lily got the Green Monster....and loved it. Thank goodness husband doesn't read my blog, it'd be off with my head!!


I'm really disappointed I didn't love my first Green Monster. Especially after yesterday's post about increasing fruits and vegetables!!! I felt ashamed like I should've liked it. I went on to make a fruit smoothie (one of my claims to fame should there ever be one, haha) and had a spinach salad for diner.


Regretfully, I am not on board with the Green Monster Movement as of trial #1. But I'm willing to give it another go, most definitely! Does anyone have a Green Monster recipe they LOVE? Did anyone else not enjoy their first Green Monster?

'Easy As' Pie

There is something slightly decadent about a pie that belies their inherent simplicity.

Well, most pies.



I’ve had many a miserable midweek football match warmed by a steaming meat and potato number at halftime and to call these a luxury would be akin to describing X Factor as a singing competition.

But pastry can work wonders. It can turn a stew from sustenance into a centrepiece or even make the most cackhanded of bakers look like a master practitioner: Crème patissiere plus puff pastry equals ‘millefeuille’ – a dessert so impressive that it is near impossible to pronounce, let alone eat.



As a result I’ve taken to keeping a slab of ready made pastry in the freezer for those occasions when potatoes, rice or pasta just won’t cut it and my Northern roots are whispering that sweetest of words down my lughole: pie. Pie. Pie.

This little creation is light enough not to raise the blood pressure but also satisfying, cheap and downright delicious.

Cheese, onion and ham pie


Serves four, or two with enough left over for an enviable lunch the following day.

Half a slab of ready-made puff pastry (save the other half for Eccles cakes – coming soon)
6-8 white onions, depending on their size
3-4 slices cured ham (prosciutto, Serrano – anything of that ilk)
two or three handfuls of young leaf spinach
Pesto
Any cheese that melts and as much of it as you like
An egg, beaten

Chop/slice/dice the onions any which way you wish but be sure to leave them in fairly big pieces. Cook them slowly in olive oil until they begin to brown. This should take 20-30 minutes, don’t rush it or they will go from crunchy to burnt in a matter of minutes without passing through that delicious sweet stage. Stir them occasionally.



Whilst the onions are cooking, cut the pastry into two squares (so two quarters of the original block) and roll them out to two equal sized rectangles – about 8 x 12 inches. Put one on a suitably sized baking sheet and layer on the ham, making sure to leave a border of about a finger’s width round the outside. Top with a few dollops of pesto.



Once the onions are cooked, stir in the spinach to wilt it down and spoon the whole lot over the ham. Grate or slice the cheese and sprinkle over the onions. Brush the border with beaten egg, lay the second pastry sheet over the top and press it into place round the edges. Brush the top with more egg and cook for 25-30 minutes. Eat as soon as it comes out of the oven. Mouth burns are inevitable.



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