Wednesday, May 19, 2010

I've Been Misled

Last summer, Laura and I made a really delicious peach and crème fraiche pie. It was sooo good, but also the crème fraiche that we bought was really expensive, and we didn't even end up USING all of it. I'm pretty sure the rest went bad in my fridge which was really unfortunate. This memory has clearly stayed with me because when Laura suggested that I try out this pasta recipe my immediate response was "no way - do you REMEMBER how much crème fraiche costs in Canada?" I did recall reading somewhere that you can make your own, but this requires planning your meals out in advance which I rarely do during the week, being a cook entirely driven by cravings. (honestly, I have no idea how Adam is going to deal with me one day when I'm pregnant and having actual LEGITIMATE and ridiculous cravings)

Fortunately, there came a night when I was feeling too lazy to cook a long complicated meal and this seemed easy enough. I decided to go to the grocery store on my way home and consider it depending on how much the crème fraiche cost. Low and behold, I came to the realization that apparently Fortinos is unique in their selection of insanely expensive variety because the crème fraiche at Sobeys wasn't any more than a tub of sour cream. Damn you, Galen Weston!

Anyway, I'm glad I tried it because this meal is pretty quick and easy considering how good it is. The crème fraiche provides just the right amount of richness and makes the dish creamy but still somehow light. I would say it resembles a carbonara but won't sit as heavy in your stomach later that evening and it re-heats well too. I added some lemon juice as well since I had a lemon lying around and I have a tendency to put it in everything. It was a nice contrast to the creaminess so I would do it again, but if you don't like lemon so much feel free to leave it out. I assume it will be just as delicious!

Quick Pasta with Peas, Pork and Crème Fraîche
Adapted from Serious Eats

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more for salting the pasta water
8 oz pasta*
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup crème fraîche
6 slices bacon, cut into 2-inch pieces
Juice of 1/2 a lemon (optional)
Some basil leaves, roughly torn

*The recipe used oriecchiette which appear to be a fancy way to say large shells...I used some other pasta that I've never heard of called Malfada Corta....looks kind of like the noodles they use for Lasagna Hamburger Helper

1. Bring a large pot of salty water to boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, stirring occassionally to prevent sticking.

2. While the pasta is cooking, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until almost (but not quite) crispy - you want it slightly undercooked to how you actually like it as you will continue cooking for a few minutes. Add garlic. Cook for a couple minutes until fragrant but not browned, then reduce the heat to medium and add the peas, cooking for a few seconds, then add the crème fraîche, lemon juice and kosher salt. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, until warmed through.

3. Reserving 1/3 cup of the pasta water, drain the pasta and add it while still wet to the skillet. Toss well with the sauce and add the pasta water to create a loose sauce. Turn the heat to high and cook for 2 minutes as the sauce melds with the pasta.

4.Transfer to bowls and top with any sauce left in the skillet. Lay the basil leaves on top. Serve immediately.

Food and Wine: Making Choices with Ease

You may have noticed that I haven’t talked much about wine on this blog. Time to remedy that situation. I am not a wine expert, as will be abundantly clear. But I love to pick wines I think will go with the food I’ve fixed and I don’t break a sweat over it. Honestly. And, of course, I love to drink them.

I’m not strict about whites with this and reds with that. It’s more intuitive with me than scientific. I believe it all depends on the flavors of the food I’m preparing and my own personal preferences. So let me tell you how I go about it.

First, a nice label. You may think I’m kidding. But I believe that if a winery has a good aesthetic when it comes to designing a wine label, it is more likely to have a good aesthetic when it comes to the wine. Of course there are exceptions. French labels are some of the most confusing and least attractive of any around and yet the wine in the bottles can be spectacular. Living close to and in the wine country of California, I’m willing to stand by my attractive label theory.

Second, parity. I want the food and the wine to have a reciprocal relationship, with a nice balance and complementarity. Light with light, spicy hot with cooling, complex with complex. I usually start with the food. Let me give you a couple of examples.

Grilled steak, I’d choose a merlot. I might mention at this point that I am not a big Cabernet Sauvignon fan—the so-called flavor bombs that are too high in alcohol for my taste and pretty much dominate any conversation.
Poached salmon, rosé. I think a really tasty pink wine is so pretty during the summer. It is the perfect brunch wine with eggs and cheese. A slow roasted salmon with a lot of flavor would work nicely with a light or medium red, as well as a good white.

If I’m cooking an Italian tomato sauce, even if it’s vegetarian, I’d choose a Sangiovese, the Italian Chianti grape. My rule of thumb: Whatever grape is grown on the land where the food originates is probably going to work with the food.

If my beef short ribs are perfumed with cinnamon and orange, I would choose a red wine that has some of the same spiciness, like a zinfandel or a syrah. For those who can’t drink red with this dish, an oaked chardonnay would work especially if it had some vanilla overtones.

If I’m cooking a spicy chicken curry or a bean thread noodles and pork with hot peppers, I might want to temper the heat with a nice riesling, the slight sweetness and the chill working well with the heat. A floral viognier is also lovely to balance heat.

Pork dishes can go either white or red or even pink depending on how it is prepared. Same with chicken. Tomatoes and mushrooms in the preparation almost always mean that a red might be drunk with the dish. I would choose a white if a cream sauce is involved.

















Third, personal preference. I consistently love to drink a couple of different wines and will choose them again and again, whether or not they are in fashion or necessarily “go” with the food. Then pretty regularly I give myself a little tasting adventure and try something new and exotic, just for the fun of it. I try to avoid ruts.

Katherine and I drank and still love to drink oaky, creamy, bake-house-scented chardonnays. They are just so yummy, even though they have fallen from grace. I also love the unoaked crisp stainless steel chardonnays but the oaky ones are my wine version of “comfort food.” A glass before dinner, catching up on each other’s day, couldn’t be better.

I love pinot noirs, not because of the movie Sideways, but because they are often such great food wines. I’m not talking about the wimpy pinots that can’t stand up to anything, but the rich juicy kind that taste like plush velvet.

I stay away from anything called grassy, like some sauvignon blancs. And I don’t go out of my way to drink whites described as flinty or high in minerals. I am occasionally rewarded by a wonderful wine that has been so described and hope this means my palate is expanding.

















Fourth, I try to trust myself, my taste, judgment, and intuition. I like to have a good time making the choices. I will ask a wine person for suggestions but it’s my money, my dinner, and my choice. The most expensive bottle isn’t necessarily the best.

How do you make your decisions?

Menu 16: A Lemon and Herb Extravaganza

If I were to choose a wine to go with the lemon and herbs in all three dishes, I might try a gewurztraminer or a riesling with a little residual sweetness to balance all the sour herbiness. What do you think would work nicely?

John’s Roasted Chicken with Herbs and Lemon

















1 (3½ pound) free-range chicken
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter, softened (in the microwave for 1 minute)
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat leaf parsley
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme or rosemary
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
Lemon wedges, for serving
Chopped parsley to garnish, optional

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400ºF. Line a low-sided roasting pan with parchment paper. If you are using a pottery dish, there is no need to line it with parchment.
2. Remove the giblets and the neck from inside the chicken.
3. Set the chicken on its tail with the backbone facing you. Cut down along one side of the backbone from the neck to the tail. Cut down along the other side.
4. Open the chicken and split the chicken between the breasts from neck to tail. You now have two halves of a chicken, without the backbone. Remove the center breastbone if you want.
5. In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, butter, parsley, salt, and thyme or rosemary. Massage the mixture all over the chicken halves, slipping some underneath the skin. Season with salt and pepper, especially the inside without the skin.
6. Set the chicken halves, skin side up, on the prepared pan and roast until the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pricked, about 40 minutes. (A 4-pound chicken will take 50-55 minutes; a 5-pound chicken will take 50-60 minutes.)
7. Serve hot or warm, with lemon wedges and the optional parsley.

4-5 servings
Adapted from Carrie Brown’s The Jimtown Store Cookbook

Lemon Barley Pilaf

















2¾ cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup uncooked quick-cooking pearl barley
OR
1 cup de-hulled barley
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried sage
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
Grated zest from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring water and salt to a boil and stir in the barley. When the water returns to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes for the quick-cooking and 25 for the de-hulled. Drain if necessary.
2. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet and sauté the onion until transparent and golden, about 10 minutes. Add the drained barley, herbs, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, and toss together. Serve warm or hot.

Note: You can make the whole dish ahead of time. When it is time to serve, reheat it in the skillet and taste for seasonings, especially salt.

4 servings
Adapted from Linda Gassenheimer’s Dinner in Minutes

Indian-Style Broccoli with Spiced Yogurt

















2 large heads of broccoli, broken into florets
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
5 cardamom pods, seeds removed and pods discarded
¼ teaspoon sweet smoky paprika
1 cup natural plain yogurt, medium consistency (not too thick or too thin)
Zest from 1 large lemon
Juice from 1 large lemon or less if your yogurt is pretty thin
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Blanch the broccoli in boiling salted water for 4 minutes or less, until bright green.
OR
Steam the broccoli over boiling water until tender and bright green.
Drain in a colander.
2. Toast all the spices (except the paprika) in a hot pan for 2 minutes or until they become fragrant. Let them cool slightly. Grind them in a spice or converted coffee mill. Add the paprika to the mixture. Store any leftover spice mixture in a labeled jar to use the next time you make the dish.
3. Stir about half of the spices into the yogurt. Taste the result, adding more of the spice mixture to your taste, along with the lemon zest, juice, salt and pepper. Save a bit of the spice mixture for the garnish. The yogurt mixture improves if allowed to sit for an hour or more.
4. Place the broccoli in a serving bowl. Just before serving, pour out any accumulated water from the bottom of the bowl and then spoon part of the yogurt mixture over the top. Sprinkle with some of the reserved spice mix. Serve warm or at room temperature with the remaining yogurt mixture in a small bowl on the side.

4-5 servings
Adapted from Jamie Oliver’s Cook with Jamie: My Guide to Making You a Better Cook

Happy Mother's Day, Mom.. I will always love you..

Flashback 15 years ago..
I still remember when mommy in 7th month pregnancy of my little brother, and Daddy passed away because of the failed surgery.
He is smoked too much till his lung and pancreas damaged.
Oh God, that is just so hurt.. :'(
How come she lost her loved one in her pregnancy?
When mostly every woman needs her husband beside her when she is pregnant
She must be very happy waiting to give birth instead of losing her husband.
I can't even imagine when i'm on her position. Maybe I will kill myself. :'(
That age I'm still so young and doesnt understand everything.
I only saw my mum, a 7th month pregnant woman with her pale face almost faint hugging my daddy's corpse while crying.
God, when I reminds of thats all, I'm crying.
She should taking care of three childs where she is all alone and weak.
The burden are just too heavy.. :'(


So, if some of you wonder why I really prioritise my mother, I think you will be know the answer after you read the flashback.

One day, someone asked me "why you're like lost yourself in deciding something and under control of your mom. Everything always depends on your mom?"
*oh shit you biatch, shut your fuckin mouth off*
I feel like slapping his face. As you know, you compare to my mom, YOU ARE NOTHING.
I really love my mom more than everything. I guess you guys know the reasons already.

I'm proud of her.
Why?
Without being too arrogant, I could feel the happiness more than those who have their both parents.
My mom works really hard in her business and thankfully gains wealth so she able to funding me and my brother. 
Furthermore, I'm really lucky because I could feel studying abroad that costly enough.
I'm lucky, without even have father like others, I could feel the happiness, even more than those who have father. 
Not sure for those who have father could feel what I feel.
I'm lucky is it? That is because Mom at the backstage. She is everything.
Thanks a lot, God..
Thanks God for the wealthiness you gave to my family..
Thanks for the strength that you gave to my Mom..

I am just proud of my mommy.
She could be a father and mother in the same time.
However, I still miss Daddy.. :)

My Mom, she is a hardworking, mature, religious, pretty (of course), and smart to cook.
I miss her cooking..=)

That day I asked her..
Me : Mom, are you happy with our family?
Mom : Yes darling I am so happy to have you children.
Me : You don't want to marry again? I guess you're lonely.. :)
Mom : Darling, theres only one love in our life. We just do marriage once in our life. I love Daddy and there will be never could replace him in my heart. I dont want my children called "daddy" to another guy. Love will never divide. And this heart is owned by daddy already.

*Gosh, she really loves Papa.. =)
* I miss you Papa.. =(

I wish I could be like her someday.
The way she advice, the way she angry.
The she prays for me when the next day I got an exam.
The way she love me..

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Happy Mother's Day, Ibu..

I wish I could give you more happiness later.
Mom, I promise I wont make you dissapointed.
I will make you happy, more than ever.
Take my hand for a while, but surely hold my heart forever.
I will always love you mommy...
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

20th birthday's eve.. =)

☆✰☆✰☆✰☆✰☆✰☆✰
Happy Birthday Anty!! 
☆✰☆✰☆✰☆✰☆✰☆✰

Oh I turned TWENTY now! XD Though I still feel like a teenager! Oh My im 20!
1/5 century! :D
However, I still looks so young ;)

Beside went to Singapore with Indry, I got a lot of presents from my gang,
Feli, Trace, Leni, Indry, Tat Yang
I thought it passed already. So no more birthday.

But that day when we're all finish doing Principle and Practice of Management assignment, there's a surprise for me, and with Trace. :)
Trace's Birthday is earlier than me, 5th of May
But now, it is post-birthday celebration XD
Here is the pictures (FYI, these 3 pictures below I just 'cite' from Trace's blog :D)
the birthday cake..looks yummy :P

birthday girls.. :)
oh myy i looks so fat haha

this is me when I cutting the cake.
Nyam!

Okay finished with the cake...
Felly suddenly came from her room and brought pink thingy..
Wooosh thats so me!
guess what is thaat? XD

in the box...
oh its Hello Kitty mug!
so cuteee ♡♡♡

and the rolls thingy wrapped with pink ribbon is..
Hello Kitty Blanket!
Aw aw soo meee! and warm.. :)
tadaaaaaaa..
so cute right? :D

thanks the Hello Kitty Presents!
They're all cute.. :)

Take a looks to the wishes on gift-wrap paper..
Ameen!
*hopeful*

birthday card greeting
from ALL OF THEM =)

the wishes from ALL OF THEM =)

one more. Thanks! =)
kiss and hugs
xoxo
♡♥♡♥♡

bersiap umb *random*

hey fellas, how are you?
its been long time since my last post.
Im attending an intensive class for umb.
And this saaturday umb will be held.
Please pray for me :D


Well my day going okay.
But im a little crazy and hubbub *galau*.
Hadeeeeh. miss galau is in the air (again).
Do you miss me? *hueeeeks*


i will not write much in this post.
I need to complete my work. --___--"
but, i just want to say "I Love you all as always" *ngutip katanya pak Mario Teguh*


Well. tadi gue baca notes fb-ny pak Mario Teguh. Ada satu note yang menarik.
Candy class. character building for young people gitu deh.
Sepertinya menarik. Ada yang mau ikutan juga?
Masalahnya pendaftarannya itu loh jeng jeng jeng, sejutaseratus.
buseeet gue masih milih shopping deh. hehehe.


haha makanya gue membatalkan niat gue untuk mengajukan diri sebagai peserta.




and now, entah kenapa gue punya satu pertanyaan, "how to fix this broken mind who was raping my feeling?"
hahaha. *galau dance*

okay i will update again later. thank youuuuh!



Singapore and its Universal Studios

On 9th May 2010, of course on my birthday, I went to spore with Indryyy!
Bener2 gada modal dan persiapan.
Tiket flight kita jam 6.15 pagi and we still havent confirm the return back ticket because my credit card overlimit.
Huahaha. Finally all the ticket confirmed. I thought it will be tak jadi.

our return ticket
 
my passport stamps


Here we gooo!
Singapore!
XD

Walaupun bener2 kayak org bingung wkt tiba di changi airport.
Kita cuma ngandelin map doank. Haha bener2 nekat yeee. Super pede dan bandel..
Ini foto2 kitaa.. Sebagian ini.. Mau liat yg lebih banyak, ada kok di page FB guee.. :)


First Destination : Universal Studios Singapore (USS)
ini adalah salah satu dari 4 Universal Studios di dunia. Another is in Hollywood, Orlando(Florida), and Japan. And this one in spore is the new one!
Baru2 diresmikan 18 March 2010 and still Asia's best attraction.


foto2 didepan entrancenya Universal Studios
Asap2nya bikin keren haha..


inilah dia dua cewe nekat dan super pede
berdua doank ke spore :P
anty & indry
UNIVERSAL STUDIOS!
*here we areee XD*

entrancenyaa..


and to pay for ticket is really expensive >.<
the ticket+government tax is $72
1$ : RM2,5 : Rp 6800
$ 72 = around Rp 473000
geez!
But i never regret to pay that amount because I am so satisfy with the entertainment that day :)


Universal Singapore Studios Map
kayaknya kecil banget yaa?
Padahal gedenya minta ampun.. =_=
kaki pegel2..
mesti pake sport shoes/sendal jepit/crocs kalo mau kesana..

tapi sayangnya, Duel Roller Coaster Battlestar Galactica lagi maintenance, makanya unavailable :(
The only reason I come to USS is because I want try that 'crazy' roller coaster
liat aja railnya, pasti seru banget kan naik itu? :(
ada two sides, sesuai warna railnya

ini Human Side (red rail)
kursinya kayak roller coaster biasa

ini cylon side (blue rail)
kursinya model gantung! serem kelihatannya tapi seru jugaaa..
pengeen maiin..

tapi sayangnya waktu di entrancenya ada announcement kayak gini.. =(
oh so sad. *could u make it for my Bday present please?*

Little story about met Woody Woodpecker, Kungfu Panda, Madagascar creatures, and one more
that guy, I dont know how to call it XD
banyak yang ngantri pengen foto2 ma Woody :D


Kungfu Panda Nduut :D


I feel like so 5 years old kid when I am 20! XD

ehm2 in Hollywood?
*the guide*
nice scenery right? its sunday. A lot of people XD

the carrousel. no more horses. looks fun and innovative :D
and I ride this, hehehe...
cute, I am just love myself like this =)

this is Jurassic Park!
jurassic park! we took phot twice here
some more, when its rain..
me and my rain coat after rain.
ohh nooo my Hermes bag kena rain drops!! >.<

and..
this indria from the back
showing up! Universal Studios Singapores Raincoat costs $4. geez!


canopy flyer :D
i like this ride! I waaaaant *agaiin*

the darn expensive locker..
around Rp. 28000/jam?
Egypt park. reminds me of Sunway Pyramid :D

feel like somewhere in Turkey

Far Far Away
Shrek? ;)


fake fatty tree

popcorn stall
cute is it?

itu staffnya
lucu2 ya uniformnya?

Kayak di newYork :D
gak berasa singaporenya


ini di RWS hotel..shopping centre juga..

Okeeey done with Sentosa Island!

LOL I just realised that can pay Taxi by credit card..
haha..
*kemana aja siih*

Next Destination
Merlion Park
(katanya belum ke Singapore kalo belum kesini, hehe)
thanks buat cowok yang bantuin kita moto itu hari..hehe..fotonya berasa jadi turis banget.
playing water! :D
indry thirsty! XD

Jealous banget Singapore bener2 bersih.
Kapan ya Indonesia bisa maju kayak gini.
At least bersih kayak ini.. :(
gedung yang di belakang itu adalah tempat main kasino terbaru di Singapore
Lucu ya? kayak ada kapal nyangkut diatasnya :D

Finish with Merlion Park

Go Back! To Kuala Lumpur! :D
in flight..
LOL.. Air Asia's Marketing are just so creative :D

and...
You know Sunway always identic with "elite and expensive"
Sunway must be paid a lot amount of $$$ 
to advertise in Air Asia's Magazine.. =)
Haha I am just proud of my lovely University :P