Thanksgiving Saturday: the Day After

Well actually 2 days after, because if I had been obligated to post on Sunday, you all might've been treated to another photo of the Krampus. Six hours ago I waved goodbye to the last of our visiting guests, and the big question of course, is how did our Thanksgiving go? It seems like the most commonplace, mundane thing to ask each other and we do so every year, but for us, or at least for me, it is a question where I can happily say that I was able to enjoy it with a whole bunch of people under one roof. The Thanksgivings that I remember in Hawaii were always outdoor affairs; buffet tables and makeshift seating set up in the garage or in the backyard patio; an uncle making pulehu (barbecuing) on the grill; coconut trees swaying in the breeze; CHOKE food (that means lots of food). It was an event where you could savor dishes from nearly every ethnic group in Hawaii as each family has their own "melting pot" of relatives: filipino, chinese, japanese, portuguese, puerto rican, korean, caucasian, hawaiian and italian! It was also an event that I had been too gutless to try to pull off until now.

Minus a couple of glitches in the kitchen, everyone got to eat the 14½-pound turkey and some laulau that I had made earlier in the week. I know it was insane to host 15 people at ours, but when it comes to parties I tend to lose count. In the end we were 13 in total. Sorta like the Last Supper? I made the usual mashed spuds, sweet potatoes, baked stuffing casserole and cranberry sauce. A couple of friends who stayed for the weekend contributed with a wonderful vegetarian lasagne. On the hawaiian end of the menu, I made lomi lomi salmon to go with the laulau, and served maki sushi and rainbow roll sushi for apps. The plan for fufu drinks went out the door as there simply wasn't enough space or time to be going tropical, yet with the amount of wine and alcohol that came presented to us upon each guest's arrival, we had more than enough to sing Tiny Bubbles if we had wanted to. Sorry, no hula! Not this time anyway.

So that leaves me with the photos, and perhaps you've already wondered where the heck are they, but now is the time where I'll admit to having dropped the ball BIG TIME because I really have none to share. I forgot to ask someone to photograph the event, and the only picture I managed to take was the sweet potato pie right after it came out of the oven. The turkey photo comes borrowed from last week's Thanksgiving hosted by Slippah Time authors. Just as well, because their turkey was much more beautiful than mine anyway!

Thanksgiving Saturday countdown: the Booze Essentials

Pele's Crater, originally uploaded by Subspace.

Lava Flows, Chi-Chis, wine for the winos and beer for the kamaainas. Coca-Cola for the designated drivers. Oh yes, and a little sake tasting thanks to Kat. The plan is to "loosen up" the guests so when it's time to do the hula, no one is going to complain of arthritis.

On a different subject, I came across a 2008 Hyatt Kauai dessert menu and... Holy Cannoli! Tiramisu, Amaretto Zabaglione, Panna Cotta di Cioccolata, Gelato del giorno, and Cannoli for 14 dollah$$$ a serving? I'll have to get a hold of one of my girlfriends who works there. It really should be Panna Cotta al Cioccolato.

Thanksgiving Saturday countdown: Laulau with banana leaves

In Obama's words, “yes you can!” But I am going to dispense with all of the detailed steps because there's a good chance that if you've arrived here via google web, the answer to your search has just been resolved. Anybody who's anybody knows that hawaiian laulau - bundles of meat, fish and lu'au or taro leaves - are wrapped and steamed within ti leaves to achieve the real thing. Unfortunately these particular leaves aren't readily available everywhere in the world, and sometimes you need to make do with what you have. In this case, banana leaves from Thailand, shipped in and sold at a filipino food market in Milan. What can I say? Don't carbon footprint me, these laulau are for a special occasion because I'm doing a little bit of both american and hawaiian-style for our Thanksgiving in Italy.

Pre-video prep

It goes without saying that if you're lucky enough to have banana trees in your yard, select the young leaves that aren't torn or overly rigid. Wash them well and split down the middle, removing the stiff central rib. Cut the whole leaves into sections approximately 13 inches wide and gently heat the undersides over a low flame to soften. The color of the leaves will turn a bright, glossy sheen. When ready to fill, place the banana leaf glossy side down. Here I've used fresh spinach as lu'au leaves are not only impossible to obtain, but I also have an allergic reaction to them. Chunks of pork lightly seasoned with red hawaiian sea salt and a piece of swordfish (typically butterfish or pesce burro if you can find it) goes on top. I've given two examples using just leaf and string, and using leaf with foil. Either way works well but I find that when using foil, packing them for the freezer is less of a mess, especially when you want to give some away as gifts. Cooking time: 3 hours steamed in a covered pot over low simmer. Serve with lomilomi salmon, rice and poi (if get).

Very cool post on how to wrap laulau in a more authentic way.
http://maona.net/archives/2005/12/laulau_wrapping.php

I'm feeling like Krampus this morning

Image source: Wikipedia. This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0.

We all have our weaknesses. Apparently the indulgence of a couple of small but very potent Mai Tais on an empty stomach was not the wisest idea, followed by two Budweisers. What a party last night! The last thing I remember was MotH saying it was time to go home, but in my mind, it sounded like the most absurd statement ever. Home? Whaddya mean home? Right now we're supposed to be taking a short break, or in true island-style, going moi moi (sleeping), then commence kau kau (eating) turkey and stuffing in another round of helpings. That was always standard procedure where I come from - stuff your face or die trying. Eerily apropos, given the chosen image...

Edited update: in case you thought I was hallucinating again...the proof is in da turkey.

It's Aloha Friday

Six more days until Tday (8 for us since we're celebrating on Saturday) and I was putting together a playlist for island tunes when I came across this. Book 'em Danno!

When the postman comes ringing

Because I like to keep score when it comes to snail mail...

That missing package in transit finally did make its way to our doorstep over a week ago but we were out. So it took another 2 days of waiting ('cause our post office closes after lunch on Saturday) and by my calculations...let's see...if it was sent on the 27th October and got here 7th November, then I waited another...oh forget it. Let's just leave it as I got my salame and cheese (muchos gracias Jonzie and Marti) and for now, the italian postal delivery system is still doing its job, albeit not as quickly as we'd all like. I cannot complain. Being without internet for the past 2 days...now that's something to get all pissy about.

The above is a rare occasion when the dogs get to run loose, wild and free in a deserted location without us worrying that A) one will become so happy to see a stranger that she runs up and pees all over them and B) the other runs up too, but in full defense-mode. He will bark and ward the intruder/s off and failing any progress from that, will get in a good nip to the shin just in case they didn't quite comprehend that he meant business. To think that he was the runt of the litter.

¡Ay, caramba! Chivitos son muy buenos!

This may or may not be the last of my sandwich experiments for the year, but after hearing about los Chivitos from Uruguay, I knew it had to happen on my plate before the end of 2009. Chivitos translates to baby goats and there's a story behind it all, but I wasn't enamored enough to add the wikipedia link. Instead, it was Bourdain's video to start me on yet another whole-lotta-stuff-between-two-pieces-of-bread. Emphasis on the whole lotta. I think my version was probably half the size of his, but still, a 5x5-inch square bun is enough to create a friggin' sloppy mess when stuffed to the gills. A definite winner any way you look at it.

To the left is a big slab of pancetta dolce (italian sweet bacon) that we use a little at a time, cut into small dice, when making spaghetti alla carbonara. I could've bought american-style bacon (shipped in from Holland, I think) but the italian product is much better. The rest of the protein comes in the form of prosciutto cotto (cooked ham), vitello tagliato (veal cutlet), boiled egg and pizza-style mozzarella cheese. Lettuce, tomatoes, chopped olives, red bell pepper and onions round out the greens and things.

Hot peppers are quickly mentioned in the makeup of a chivito, but all I had in the fridge was a jar of salade méchouia, an addictive dish of grilled hot green peppers, tomatoes, olive oil and spices. I am madly in love with this stuff, and found it at an arabic food store not far from where my inlaws live. They even had preserved lemons which I'll use in an upcoming meal.

I made it to Abou Tarek and back

That's what I'd have written on a tshirt if I ever had the chance to visit Abou Tarek in Cairo. Just stick me in a taxi with a speedy egyptian driver so I can make like Tony Bourdain and sample one of Egypt's favorite fast foods: kushari.

Pyramid souvenirs? Toy camels? Nefertiti figurines? Thanks, but I'll pass. Please give me a bowl of kushari (also spelled koshari or koshary) — a carb-loaded, gut-busting concoction of rice, pasta, lentils and chickpeas that's seasoned with tomato sauce and garlicky vinegar. Its huge appeal among all social levels in Egypt deems it a national comfort food, but the overall appearance - not anything that would persuade me to order it off a menu - gave the impression of a pasta salad on steroids. The youtube clip of Bourdain's trek to the popular eatery was so intriguing that I had to try recreating it at home. What a meal! It's unlikely that Egypt will ever be in our travels, so a taste of this curious dish is the closest that I'll ever get to King Tut and spitting camels.

The ingredients are very straightforward, but I was still inclined to put a magnifying glass to any relevant photos on Flickr. In a couple of images the pasta looked like a mix of spaghetti and ditalini (short tube pasta), but most recipes will call for macaroni. All of the components, from what I could tell, are served at room temperature. The key parts to kushari are the caramelized onion garnish and the sauces. One was described as a savory tomato sauce (Bourdain thought it tasted of cumin) while the other is vinegar with garlic. I used plain tomato sauce and made my own flavored vinegar with a couple of smashed garlic cloves left to sit overnight in white wine vinegar. Potent smells coming from that bottle!

The special spice touch

Wanting more of a sensational experience on the tastebuds, I blended an egyptian spice mix. Baharat is a middle eastern seasoning and a recipe on Jaime Oliver's website mentioned it being good as a condiment on rice. Paprika, black pepper, cardamom, cumin, cloves, coriander, nutmeg, ginger - this is serious stuff, and I suggest sprinkling a small amount at first. The layering of kushari - rice, pasta, lentils, chickpeas, caramelized onions - is all that needs to be done just before serving. Add the desired amount of tomato sauce and garlic vinegar (don't forget the baharat!), mix & eat.

Baharat recipe: http://www.jamieoliver.com/foodwise/article-view.php?id=1512

Breakfast Chimichanga and an indian breakfast burrito

Ever since I had a sorry chimichanga-of-a-meal at a particular mexican restaurant in Lecco, making one for myself was the only way to set the world right again. The "chimi" as you may or may not know, is simply a fried burrito. It is tex-mex food in cowabunga proportions, not some piddling triangle, and I've had everything from beans, rice, lettuce and meat as a filling or just beans, rice and cheese - heavy on the beans. For this one here it seemed only natural to add a fried egg and chopped bacon. I hadn't yet eaten breakfast. Together with a salad, salsa, sour cream (greek yogurt actually) and homemade guacamole, I produced enough gigabytes of energy to mow the lawn, mop the floors, do the laundry, beat the carpets, walk the dogs and fix dinner with time left over to bath and dry the little mutts before MotH came home. What a day. Sorry, but I can no longer accept requests for domestic help or dogsitting.

Sometimes I like to repeat myself

www.spicesofindia.co.uk - Search: pawa

The following day would've been another chimi in the fryer but I didn't want to stray very far from a recipe using flattened rice. Also known as beaten rice or flake rice amongst a variety of other names, I first learned about this product from Ann in her recipe for poha. The dish sounded intriguing with the addition of onions, hot peppers, ginger, cumin, mustard seeds, peanuts, tumeric, etc, so imagine my surprise when I found pawa flake rice at Kathay food store in Milan. I can't get enough of ethnic flavors, and while indian cuisine is still very foreign to me, from what I've tasted so far, it is extremely satisfying and delicious.

The recipe is fast and easy to make since it is essentially rehydrating the rice flakes and cooking it with the rest of the components. I started digging into the bowl as a late breakfast when it dawned on me that adding an egg and rolling it all up in a piadina (italian tortilla) wasn't straying too far from its category as a breakfast/brunch item. Poha breakfast burrito?

Princi Bakery in Milan: a girl's best friend?

I'll get to the reasoning behind that title but first, how I came to learn about this chic bakery — 'twas from a world foodie guide, of course. And rightly so as that is the blog name from which Helen unknowingly (or knowingly?) had me yearning to check out this shop of beautiful baked goods the next time I had a chance to visit Milan. The locale that she writes of in delicious detail sits on her London turf, but even before the bakery opened a branch up north, I had never heard of the original Princi(s) which is less than 50km from where I live. How? Why? I don't know, other than perhaps every time the city's gigantic duomo comes into view, my stomach naturally says it's Luini's panzerotto or bust!

Via Speronari, 6 — MotH and I approached the narrow street address around 9:30am...and walked right past the entrance. This place is not your usual awnings out, business name in bold, sweet temptations-in-a-display store. And I have to say that if this is what Saturday mornings are like on the Milan bakery scene, then Lecco must be mad-crazy for bread by comparison.

A girl's best friend?

Man of the House's opinion on the interior layout: "It looks like a jewelry store." And it did. First you have the understated storefront, and then you have this long stretch of flat glass display cases (as opposed to slanted ones), one full-sized baking sheet deep, with everything spread out like edible jewels - JEWELS I tell you! Who needs diamonds when you can choose among both savory and sweet pastries, artisan breads and even that ubiquitous macaron! I was more fascinated by the length of the floor plan with the baking area - and baker - located in the clear open at the far end. It's for certain that they do much of the baking at a main production center...this shop was way too clean to be pumping out everything by themselves.

It's stand up service along and opposite of the pastry case, which was fine by us since we were on the go. The cream-filled and chocolate brioche were good, and not overpriced like I thought they'd be. This is Milan, right? The rest of the stash (assorted focaccia and a green olive-tomato flatbread) were great the next day after being warmed on a cast iron skillet. The loaf shown below is wholewheat - thick and chewy - and when toasted, turns plain ol' peanut butter and banana slices into the crowning jewels over a piece of bread. Bling! Bling!

Related link: www.dailyicon.net/2008/09/new-princi-bakery-in-milan

Banana leaves in Milan

My big score of the day: a package of fresh banana leaves and a vegetable gourd that was labeled as balsam pear. Growing up in the islands, I've always known this as pariya or bitter melon, but the name goya is also common among local folks in Hawaii. The tiny grocery store is just a few steps away from the De Angeli metro stop and I was surprised at how well-lit and clean it was compared to other minuscle spaces just like it. As usual, shelves are stocked from top to bottom with an astounding variety of ingredients to satisfy that ethnic food craving, speaking of which, now I can try a recipe for Stuffed Bitter Melon that Nate shared on his blog. I also picked up a packet of powdered ube but really have no clue on what to do with it. I adore the purple hue that it gives. Suggestions from experienced ube cooks?

Mabuhay Philippine Grocery
Via Parmigianino, 11
Milano
Metro: De Angeli
Phone: 0248027071

A raw hamburger by any other name...

But please don't send it back to the kitchen - you'll only insult the chef. A traditional specialty from the Piemonte region, carne cruda battuta is made from lean, top-quality beef (I've read specifically meat from the thigh/leg) and in the old piemontese style, chopping "beating" the meat with a sharp knife is preferable to having it done by machine as it keeps the flesh from tearing up and losing its juices. Olive oil, salt, pepper and a little lemon juice is all that's used for seasoning, with thin shavings of truffles or parmigiano as a garnish. In some cases a raw quail egg is added on top but I have yet to experience this at a restaurant. Yum. I am totally fine with meat prepared like this as it's not much different than eating beef carpaccio which is also raw. Plus, with turkey soon to be coming out of our ears in a couple of weeks, I was all for slaying the cow. We had too much to be able to eat this at one sitting, so I used the rest in a filling for chimichangas (cooked, btw). Now about those banana leaves...

Have a safe trip dad!

Approaching Runway24, originally uploaded by Storm Crypt.

So he's off again. This time to the land where there is no shortage of bananas (or banana leaves for that matter), and all I can think is "I wonder if he'll want to take us girls to the Philippines after he returns?" We haven't even done Thailand yet.

Where I'd really like to go is Taiwan. I read about these beautiful sky lanterns on KennyT's blog and loved it! So it had a lot to do with the parts about wishes and good luck, but how can you resist a photo op like this? These are the sort of events that make me want to stick the dogs in a pooch hotel and hop on a hot air balloon around the world!

Photo credit: Takeaway / Attribution ShareAlike 3.0

I found banana leaves in Milan!!!

Banana Leaf, originally uploaded by markuz.

Eh....well maybe not looking exactly like this one here because the shop that I just called asked if I was looking for fresh ones, not big ones. I was bracing myself for disappointment when the girl replied, "Fresh leaves?" She caught me off guard because until today, I have never heard a filipino person speak in italian, and *I* don't count because I'm a mutt from Hawaii. I asked her if they had frozen ones too, and then sort of lost my composure because I was so deliriously happy. Seriously, I was beginning to consider sneaking onto a banana patch at a church to steal one stupid leaf. I'm so glad I didn't. Anyway, the shop sells the leaves in half kilo amounts. Hawaii people, you know what this means! I can do patele proper whenever I want! And bod-bod too!!!

So...since I'm completely wired about finding banana leaves I gotta add my source. This post (in italian) by The Chef is on the Table is what led me to Mabuhay in Milano. Look! And they have multi-color tapioca pearls too! (Does the happy dance in front of the pc).

Dove trovare foglie di banana a Milano:

Mabuhay - Philippine grocery
via Parmigianino 11, Milano - 20148
Tel. 02.48.02.70.71 - 02.48.11.02.31
Metro De Angeli
Open: 7:30 - 20:30

Dude, where's my parcel?

Grrrr...just when I had my faith restored in the italian postal system, now another package (sent from within Italy no less!) has gone m.i.a. Jonzie, I'm sorry, but looks like Robin Hood and his band of merry men may have intercepted the pony express from Marche to Lecco. Now please don't let this bad news mess up your work in the lab.

Compared to yesterday's wet, dreary and depressing Monday, today is a glorious cloak of brilliant sunshine and blue sky. Good golly, I can see all the way to Milan from here! To celebrate, I ransacked the choco-stash and just started sticking things into things. PB and chocolate works all the time. Cheesecake and gummy worms too.

The day after Halloween...

I wanted to be the first to get MY pics out before anyone else uploaded theirs. See? Italians love to party down on Halloween too. In complete style of course, with superb Sassella wine and a smorgasbord of absolutely delicious nibbles being constantly replenished at the buffet table. Unfortunately we couldn't stay until the end because my fairy scary godmother warned me to return home before the witching hour. Sound advice, I'm afraid to admit, because I've been known to jump up on tables and dance. There was quite a ghoulish bunch last night but I don't remember the names of Dracula and the sexy Witch.