Chan's Personal Blog - Food

Thanksgiving Dinner

nospam@example.com (CHaN) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:59:00 -0800

Well, today was my first attempt at cooking a full-blown Thanksgiving with most things made from scratch. With the help of my sous-chef Todd, we roasted off a full bird, and made a pan gravy with turkey drippings. This year we did stuffing from scratch, and lets just say, once you make it and taste it, you'll never go back to the Stove Top stuffing.

I started cooking at 10:30am, and finished at 4:00pm. I skipped lunch, so I was pretty hungry by the end of the kitchen battle. Lets just say, everything tastes a lot better when you're hungry.

Here's the full menu:

Roast Turkey

Sweet Potatoes topped with Marshmallows

Green Bean Casserole topped with French Onions

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Fresh Bread Rolls (*)

Cranberry Sauce (*)

Celery, Onion, and Mushroom Stuffing

Pan Gravy

Pecan Pie (*)

Pumpkin Pie (*)

(*) Store bought items.

The secret ingredient was butter .

PETA Thinks Canada's Governor General Indulges In Bloodlust

nospam@example.com (CHaN) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 22:52:51 -0700

Last month, Canada's Governor General, Michaëlle Jean was visiting Nunavut (a northern territory of Canada) to celebrate its 10th anniversary. The native Inuit people did a traditional seal hunt while the Governor General was there. As part of the community feast, the Inuit offered a piece of the seal's heart, and it has apparently sparked outrage amongst PETA and other animal rights groups. The article today is from CBC entitled, "Governor General's seal snack sparks controversy."

Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean snacking on a slain seal's raw heart has sparked criticism from the European Union and animal rights groups.

Barbara Slee, an anti-seal hunt campaigner at the International Fund for Animal Welfare in Brussels, said she was disgusted by Jean's actions.

"The fact that the Governor General in public is slashing and eating a seal, I don't think that really helps the cause, and I'm convinced that this will not change the mind of European citizens and politicians," Slee told The Associated Press.

"It amazes us that a Canadian official would indulge in such bloodlust," Dan Mathews, senior vice-president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, told the Toronto Star.

"It sounds like she's trying to give Canadians an even more Neanderthal image around the world than they already have." [...]

Canadian Inuit leaders praised Jean's gesture, saying it sends a strong message to the world about the traditional "country food" that Inuit rely on.

"Not everybody would do that, especially when they know that the seal hunt ... is a controversial issue because of the animal rights people," Mary Simon, head of the national Inuit organization Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, told CBC News on Tuesday.

"I just want to thank her for her support of our people and our culture."

Both Simon and Paul Kaludjak, president of the land claims group Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., said the seal hunt is not a controversial issue among Inuit.

"We don't really care about how the outside world thinks about how we eat our country food," Kaludjak said.

"Let them be disgusted, whatever they want to pursue, and that's their choice."

I think it's kind of insane for the groups who claim to embrace diversity to be condemning the Inuit culture for hunting and eating seal. These native peoples live in the arctic which is one of the harshest environments to survive in, and they have to live off the land and the land happens to have delicious seals. In my mind, it's kind of insane that people are trying to get the European Union to impose bans on the seal trade because seals are adorable. Meat is meat! Could you imagine if another country started boycotting your country because your country hunts fish and, *gasp*, eats them?

I think PETA is definitely out of touch with reality here if they think these are the actions of neanderthals. From where I come from, it's not cool to be putting down the culture and tradition of these native peoples.

The CBC's Rex Murphy has an awesome piece ripping on PETA (wmv). The transcript can be found here. (Thanks for the link Myron).

It's "disgusting," cried some - including the PETA brigade, who enroll such luminaries as Pamela Anderson among their house philosophers, and who have made such "tasteful" comparisons as animal farming to the Holocaust. They actually ran a "Holocaust on your Plate" campaign. Disgusting is a word PETA and Pamela have lost the right to use.

Actually the Governor General was a model of deep courtesy in her actions and visit. How much we talk the talk of "diversity," "respect for traditions," and regard for aboriginal peoples. Yet here we have the head of state of Canada - not just flitting by, but staying over, participating, mixing in depth with the people of the far north. The response? We have all sorts of superior people calling her "too bizarre," citing her actions as "bloodlust," "Neanderthal," "offensive" and insulting her as stupid and immoral.

I enjoyed how Rex took pot shots at Hollywood as well.

Italian Cities Ban Foreign Food

nospam@example.com (CHaN) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 23:40:00 -0800

I cam across this article in the Times Online entitled, "Italy bans kebabs and foreign food from cities."

The tomato comes from Peru and spaghetti was probably a gift from China.

It is, though, the foreign kebab that is being kicked out of Italian cities as it becomes the target of a campaign against ethnic food, backed by the centre-right Government of Silvio Berlusconi.

The drive to make Italians eat Italian, which was described by the Left and leading chefs as gastronomic racism, began in the town of Lucca this week, where the council banned any new ethnic food outlets from opening within the ancient city walls.

Yesterday it spread to Lombardy and its regional capital, Milan, which is also run by the centre Right. The antiimmigrant Northern League party brought in the restrictions to protect local specialties from the growing popularity of ethnic cuisines.

Luca Zaia, the Minister of Agriculture and a member of the Northern League from the Veneto region, applauded the authorities in Lucca and Milan for cracking down on non-Italian food. We stand for tradition and the safeguarding of our culture, he said.

Mr Zaia said that those ethnic restaurants allowed to operate whether they serve kebabs, sushi or Chinese food should stop importing container loads of meat and fish from who knows where and use only Italian ingredients.

Asked if he had ever eaten a kebab, Mr Zaia said: No and I defy anyone to prove the contrary. I prefer the dishes of my native Veneto. I even refuse to eat pineapple.

Mehmet Karatut, who owns one of four kebab shops in Lucca, said that he used Italian meat only.

Davide Boni, a councillor in Milan for the Northern League, which also opposes the building of mosques in Italian cities, said that kebab shop owners were prepared to work long hours, which was unfair competition.

If this move is intended as a move against immigrants, then that's kind of sad. In my opinion, one of the best ways to build bridges between ethnic communities is by sharing each other's culture through food. There's just something very unifying about sharing a meal, and discovering new ethnic dishes.

And yes, my plan for world peace would probably involve some sort of delicious international all-you-can-eat buffet.

Dinner Impossible: Yahoo! Editon

nospam@example.com (CHaN) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:01:43 -0800

Yesterday was the five year anniversary for Yahoo! Search. To celebrate, the Food Network came by to film an episode of Dinner Impossible with Chef Robert Irvine. Unfortunately I wasn't able to attend because I'm in Victoria, but I have plenty of information and pictures from co-workers.

As usual, I believe the chef shows up, and gets 6 hours to whip up a menu to feed a lot of hungry people. In this case, he had to feed 450+ hungry Yahoos. My divisional manager was in charge of buying food. Two of the search executives (Tuoc and Raj) got to work as sous chefs, as seen here.

The official Yahoo Corporate flickr account has a bunch of photos of the event as well.

In attendance were also the Yahoo founders, Jerry Yang and David Filo, as well as Yahoo's new CEO, Carol Bartz.

This Yahoo Edition of Dinner Impossible will be aired in March sometime, so keep your eyes peeled for it. You'll see a lot of the people that I work with, and all the awesome people that work at Yahoo Search.

Chairman Nam's Potluck Of Deliciousness

nospam@example.com (CHaN) — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 23:54:00 -0800

So one of my final "projects" for Q4 at Yahoo was to organize a potluck. My initial reaction was to cringe because potlucks at my last job was usually a venue for petty bickering and politics. Myron also foretold of bad work potlucks because most people just ended up buying stuff instead of making stuff. Thankfully, my worst nightmares were never realized, and we managed to pull it off. Our team has a lot of good cooks, and the majority of people cooked. Here's the photos of it, you can try to guess what I cooked. Although, you can't assume I cooked asian food because the majority of the team is asian.

Note: This photo feed comes from ptr, the team's official photographer.

As an added bonus, we voted on what the best dishes were. First prize got a $50 Starbucks gift certificate. Second prize got $25 for Starbucks, and a hug from our chairman Nam. Third place got $25 for Starbucks.

The winners were

Dolly and her home-made spring rolls.
Yimin and his shanghai ribs.
Weilin and her chicken green curry.

Thanks to all the cooks who participated. You saved my job! Thankfully, none of these wonderful people in the photos were laid off either. I think we ended up with a total of 25 different dishes.

A Cheap Way To Boost The World's I.Q.

nospam@example.com (CHaN) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 22:37:01 -0800

Sorry for the lack of posts so far this week. I've been pre-occupied with organizing a potluck at work, and I've been doing a lot of cooking. In either case, today's article comes from the New York Times entitled, "Raising the Worlds I.Q."

Travelers to Africa and Asia all have their favorite forms of foreign aid to make a difference. One of mine is a miracle substance that is cheap and actually makes people smarter.

Unfortunately, it has one appalling side effect. No, it doesnt make you sterile, but it is just about the least sexy substance in the world. Indeed, because its so numbingly boring, few people pay attention to it or invest in it. (Or dare write about it!)

Its iodized salt.

Almost one-third of the worlds people dont get enough iodine from food and water. The result in extreme cases is large goiters that swell their necks, or other obvious impairments such as dwarfism or cretinism. But far more common is mental slowness.

When a pregnant woman doesnt have enough iodine in her body, her child may suffer irreversible brain damage and could have an I.Q. that is 10 to 15 points lower than it would otherwise be. An educated guess is that iodine deficiency results in a needless loss of more than 1 billion I.Q. points around the world.

Development geeks rave about the benefits of adding iodine and other micronutrients (such as vitamin A, iron, zinc and folic acid) to diets. The Copenhagen Consensus, which brings together a panel of top global economists to find the most cost-effective solutions to the worlds problems, puts micronutrients at the top of the list of foreign aid spending priorities.

Probably no other technology, the World Bank said of micronutrients, offers as large an opportunity to improve lives ... at such low cost and in such a short time.

Yet the strategy hasnt been fully put in place, partly because micronutrients have zero glamour. There are no starlets embracing iodine. And guess which country has taken the lead in this area by sponsoring the Micronutrient Initiative? Hint: Its earnest and dull, just like micronutrients themselves.

Ta-da Canada!

The article goes on to say that it only costs two to three cents a year per person to give them enough iodized salt. Seems like an extremely cost efficient way to boost brain power across the globe.

One Shots: Wagyu Beef

nospam@example.com (CHaN) — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 23:38:00 -0800

A while back, I was explaining a Japanese supermarket, and I came across Wagyu Beef which sells for $78.99 a pound. This is likely the most expensive beef I have ever seen in my life. This beef is crazy expensive because of the incredible marbling that the meat has (ie meat to fat ratio), and marbling == flavour.

The Wikipedia has an article on Wagyu Beef:

Wagyu refers to several breeds of cattle genetically predisposed to intense marbling and to producing a high percentage of oleaginous unsaturated fat. The meat from wagyu cattle is known worldwide for its marbling characteristics, increased eating quality through a naturally enhanced flavor, tenderness and juiciness, and thus a high market value. Several areas in Japan are famous for the quality of their Wagyu cattle, and ship beef bearing their areas' names. Some examples are Kobe, Mishima and Ohmi beef.

The wagyu cattle's genetic predisposition yields a beef that contains a higher percentage of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids than typical beef. The increased marbling also improves the ratio of monounsaturated fats to saturated fats.

Ramen Restaurants - A Refuge For The Single

nospam@example.com (CHaN) — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 23:43:00 -0800

Usually when Friday evening approaches, I'm far too lazy to cook, so I decide to go out for dinner. More often than not, I go solo because I get off late. Typically, the restaurants around me involves waiting in line, which is a big time waster if I just want to eat and get out as fast as possible. Equally annoying is when you go into the restaurant and declare to the restaurant host that you're a party of one, and they rhetorically ask, "oh you're all alone tonight?" Yes, please rub it in.

From the business perspective, parties of one are inefficient for the restaurant, especially if it's a full house. Parties of one take up a table that could have served a larger party, so basically you have seats that are idle and not producing any money.

Thankfully, I have found a refuge where singles and parties of ones are treated with regard. That refuge would be Japanese ramen restaurants. Now, you're probably thinking, oh, top ramen, that's a pretty sad meal. I ask you to dispose of any preconceived notions of ramen that you might have, as these Japanese ramen restaurants make their ramen fresh every day, and it doesn't even come close to top ramen. Ramen noodles are a delicious, fulfilling, and inexpensive dinner. It comes in a flavourful and nutritious broth. See the picture below.

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Soaring Food Prices

nospam@example.com (CHaN) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 23:49:47 -0700

Today's article is entitled, "Thai Rice Hits New Record, Feeding Food Fears."

Rice prices in Thailand, the world's top exporter, surged to $1,000 a tonne on Thursday as concerns about food security first triggered by a handful of Asian export bans spread as far as the United States.

This week's five percent jump takes prices to nearly three times their level at the start of the year, intensifying fears of social unrest in Asia as millions of the region's poor find themselves struggling to pay for staple goods.

The surging price of fuel and food, which some analysts attribute to panic buying by both consumers and governments rather than a dire shortage of supply, has so far sparked riots in Africa and Haiti, but not Asia.

Having started with India's imposition of export curbs to protect domestic supplies last year, the crisis was felt in the United States this week, with major retailers saying they had started to notice signs of panic buying.

Sam's Club, a unit of retail giant Wal-Mart, said on Wednesday it was capping sales of 20-pound (9 kg) bulk bags of rice at four bags per customer per visit to prevent hoarding.

The previous day, rival Costco Wholesale Corp said it had seen increased demand for items such as rice and flour as customers, worried about global food shortages, stocked up.

This is kind of insane. I've read stories where people here are buying sacks of rice at Costco, and shipping them back home to their families in Asia because rice prices have risen so quickly. In all my years, I don't think I've seen a situation quite like this, where even in North America, we're putting restrictions of how much food we can buy.

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Why Big Macs Are Cheaper Than Salads

nospam@example.com (CHaN) — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 22:13:39 -0800

For a while, I've been pondering about North America's obesity problem. I've watched a few shows like Jamie Oliver's School Dinners that point to our diets as being a big part of the obesity problem. One of the conclusions he had come up with was that generally speaking, it's more expensive to eat healthy. Therefore, it's an economic disincentive to eat healthy, and people on the lower rungs of the economic ladder will have a harder time getting healthy food.

Case in point. You go to a McDonalds, and you can get a Big Mac Meal with fries and a drink, or a chicken salad for the same price. In terms of value, the Big Mac meal seems more appealing and filling. That got me thinking, why is it that junk food and such is cheaper than wholesome real food?

I came across a blog with an article entitled, "Why Eating a Big Mac is Cheaper than Eating a Salad"

Weve all heard the figures. We know that meat production uses significantly more land and fossil fuel resources than a vegetarian diet. But, then, why on earth is it cheaper to eat meat than fresh fruit and vegetables?

The following graph will give you an idea. On the right we have Federal Dietary Recommendations, compared with, on the left, the government subsidies that prop up the respective food groups.

Almost 75% of U.S. government subsidies go into meat and dairy production, but less than half a per cent goes into fruit and vegetable production. Talk about an upside down world!

Continue reading "Why Big Macs Are Cheaper Than Salads"

How To Enjoy Sushi

nospam@example.com (CHaN) — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 23:52:59 -0800

I just came across this really funny instructional video entitled, "How To Enjoy Sushi." It's quite amusing.

Asking the chef about "special" items is really funny. The panda looked really tasty.

Note: This is an over-the-top parody howto manual. Although, the intended audience is Japanese people, instead of foreigners which I initially thought.

Iron Chef Feenie Ousted

nospam@example.com (CHaN) — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 23:05:00 -0800

Myron sent me this story about Iron Chef Rob Feenie being forced out of his two famous restaurants in Vancouver.

From the article:

Vancouver's own Iron Chef, Rob Feenie, quit as executive chef of Lumiere and Feenie's in Vancouver on Friday.

He told CBC News on Monday morning that he blames his business partners, David and Manjy Sidoo, for forcing him out. "It is a big decision for me to leave. It was not made by me. It was made by them," he said.

The top-rated chef became a household name when he won the Iron Chef title on the popular TV show in 2005.

His eponymous restaurant, Feenie's, was known for its casual creative cuisine, including his version of the humble hot dog known as Feenie's Weenie.

Next door, the high-end Lumiere was one of Vancouver's top-rated restaurants.

Feenie reportedly lost control of the two restaurants when he brought in the Sidoos as new investors to help pay off some debts in 2005.

I'm sad that I never got to try out those two restaurants. I remember always watching Rob Feenie's cooking show on The Food Network, where he shot the show in his restaurant's kitchen. Here's to boycotting Lumiere and Feenie's for pushing out such a great chef.

If you don't recall who Rob Feenie is, you might have seen him on some of those White Spot commercials.

Tonight's Special - Roast Pork Tenderloin

nospam@example.com (CHaN) — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 20:10:05 -0700

Every weekend, I try to spend time cooking a more elaborate meal since weekdays are usually really busy. Tonight, I tried out a new dish entitled, "Roast Pork Tenderloin with a Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms."

This is a pretty good dish to make if you're cooking for one because there's plenty of leftovers which you can use throughout the week. In addition, it doesn't take too much time to roast a tenderloin when compared to other cuts of meat like roast beef or prime rib. Read on to see how easy it is to make. Tenderloin is a very nice cut of meat as it's easy to trim and prepare, and it melts in your mouth as it's so juicy and tender.

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Mmm... Tofu

nospam@example.com (CHaN) — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 23:59:00 -0700

Well, I've been experimenting with different tofu recipes, and here's another winner to add to the list: deep fried salt & pepper tofu. This one's dedicated to all of the ladies back home. Here's another incentive to come down to California... you can try out this new dish.

The first batch of deep fried salt & pepper tofu.

It also works pretty well for garnishing dishes.

The next time I try this, I'll have to improve my knife skills. Hopefully I'll be able to cut the tofu more uniformly and consistent as the presentation will be nicer.

Fine Dining In Hooville

nospam@example.com (CHaN) — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 23:12:09 -0700

I'm a bit behind in posting stories about my time in California because work is getting crazy busy. In either case, here's a set of pictures at Parcel 104 which is a fancy restaurant at the Marriott. Our team went there for my official welcome lunch, as well as a farewell lunch for some of our international team members which were heading home to their respective Yahoo offices worldwide.

This restaurant was pretty swanky. Even though I was wearing jeans that day, I didn't feel under-dressed. I guess one of the nice things about working in Silicon Valley is a lot of us programmers insist on dressing comfortably, and it'd be unwise for businesses to look down upon us because of it.

We started off with appetizers, and we went with the seafood calamari. It was an assortment of squid, scallops, and shrimp. The batter was a bit too light for my liking. I prefer true Greek calamari. (Eugene's restaurant back in Victoria has spoiled me with their amazing calamari.)
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