Thanksgiving
Nov. 30th, 2008 08:38 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tarigwaemirDurant Avenue on the Feast of St. Andrew
I started writing up a long post with reviews of the play, two operas and two movies we've seen in the last week, but unfortunately, my draft didn't save properly. Oh well, I'll have to reconstruct it later.
Anyway, I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I spent the day cooking with Steve, who wanted to attempt roasting a quail inside a guinea fowl inside a duck--our version of the turducken. The result was an unqualified success, if I do say so myself, and I took photos along the way to document the whole process.
The original plan was to cook a goose, but we decided to be more ambitious, especially since I hadn't ever eaten quail before. (Steve is a vegetarian normally but makes exceptions for anything that he hasn't tried before. That being said, he mostly ended up eating the stuffing.) Steve bought quail, guinea fowl and Muscovy duck from the Golden Gate Meat Market at the Ferry Building in San Francisco.
Here's a close-up of the quail, unwrapped from its package:
We took our inspiration from samgyetang (삼계탕), a Korean chicken soup dish that involves stuffing a Cornish hen with glutinous rice (also known as sweet rice or mochi rice), dried dates, ginseng, garlic, and chestnuts. We didn't have ginseng so we decided to add mung beans and shiitake mushrooms to the stuffing instead. (We also wanted to add pine nuts, but unfortunately, we forgot them.) We bought dried shiitake mushroom slices from Berkeley Bowl and soaked them in cold water, as well as parboiled the rice several days in advance.
First, we cooked the mung beans by washing them and simmering them in boiling water. We also boiled and peeled the chestnuts.
We also added the mushrooms to the rice:
We defrosted the birds and began the long process of deboning them. The quail was deboned already, thank goodness. I learned more about duck skeletal anatomy than I ever thought possible in the process.
Deboned duck:
Deboned guinea fowl:
We boiled the bones and other organ meats to make broth:
We then finished making the stuffing by adding the mung beans, the peeled chestnuts, and whole cloves of garlic:
Steve prepared a marinade for the duck with soy sauce, a generous amount of grated ginger, green onions, red pepper powder, minced garlic, and a little sugar and flour for thickening:
We soaked the duck in the marinade:
We also seasoned the guinea fowl and quail with sesame oil, salt, pepper and green onion:
Then came time for stuffing the birds:
We basically wrapped up the guinea fowl by twining its wings and legs together, then placed it inside the duck (removed from the marinade), which we tied up with cotton string, soaked in water.
We were too ambitious with the stuffing, so the guinea fowl ended up being partially exposed when we flipped the duck over, resulting in an inadvertently hilarious configuration:
We then poured the rest of the marinade over the duck and filled the rest of the roasting pan with sliced peppers, carrots, squash and potatoes:
We also put the rest of the stuffing in another pan and covered it with halved apples (with the core removed) and leftover squash slices:
We preheated the oven to 250° F and let bake for several hours. The stuffing finished before the birds:
When we finally took the birds out, the marinade had mixed with the copious amounts of duck fat to soak the surrounding vegetables. The combination was delicious. Our stuffing turned out delicious too, especially when mixed with the marinade. The duck skin was burnt and sweet, and the flesh inside was fatty and delicious. The guinea fowl didn't taste particularly unusual--rather like a dry and slightly more gamy turkey--and the quail tasted like a tender chicken.
All in all, a delicious meal. We basically ate leftovers for all of Friday, and I'm eating leftovers again today. I still have enough for about three more meals too.
While we were cooking, Steve and I listened to the recording of La bohème (Callas as Mimì, di Stefano as Rodolfo, orchestra and chorus of la Scala) because we had tickets to the SFO production on Saturday, and I wanted to familiarize him with the opera. I showed him the libretto for Mimì's famous aria, "Sì, mi chiamano Mimì", and he remarked that it sounded like a Craigslist personal ad.
So...we made a Craigslist listing in the Casual Encounters section:
Some of the more amusing replies:
The two emails that did get the joke were pretty amusing:
I wonder if other people have made fictional character profiles on Craigslist before. If it isn't an Internet meme yet, it should be.
Oh, and since Thanksgiving is past, I can do the Christmas wishlist meme:
STEP ONE
1. Make a post (public, friendslocked, filtered...whatever you're comfortable with) to your LJ. The post should contain your list of 10 unlimited holiday wishes. The wishes can be anything at all, from simple and fandom-related ("I'd love a Naruto icon that's just for me") to medium ("I wish for _____ on DVD") to really big ("All I want for Christmas is a new car/computer/house/TV.") The important thing is, make sure these wishes are things you really, truly want.
2. If you wish for real life things (not fics or icons), make sure you include some sort of contact info in your post, whether it's your address or just your email address where Santa (or one of his elves) could get in touch with you.
3. Also, make sure you post some version of these guidelines in your LJ, or link to this post (it'll be public) so that the holiday joy will spread.
STEP TWO
1. Surf around your friendslist (or friendsfriends, or just random journals) to see who has posted their list. And now here's the important part:
2. If you see a wish you can grant, and it's in your heart to do so, make someone's wish come true. Sometimes someone's trash is another's treasure, and if you have a leather jacket you don't want or a gift certificate you won't use--or even know where you could get someone's dream purebred Basset Hound for free--do it.
3. You needn't spend money on these wishes unless you want to. The point isn't to put people out, it's to provide everyone a chance to be someone else's holiday elf--to spread the joy. Gifts can be made anonymously or not--it's your call.
4. There are no rules with this project, no guarantees, and no strings attached. Just...wish, and it might come true. Give, and you might receive. And you'll have the joy of knowing you made someone's holiday special.
PLAUSIBLE
1. Donation to charity - I saw a blog post on reducing holiday consumerism, and I thought that I'd make it my primary request to anyone who wants to give me a Christmas gift this year. Causes that mean a lot to me: international relations/aid, disaster relief, environment, literacy, arts and culture. Donations don't have to be large (in the past, I've given as little as $10).
2. Signing up for a round at![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
bibliophages - Current round is "Love overcoming obstacles (or not)". You can sign up to just read or you can offer a recommendation list of three or more books fitting the theme.
3. Quick and easy recipes - I've failed at cooking for myself lately (Thanksgiving dinner aside), and a large part of the problem is that most of the dishes I know how to make require a lot of ingredient preparation. I'd like to hear some of your favorite recipes that are easy to put together (less than ten minutes, including ingredient preparation). I already follow a few food blogs, but I never get around to actually buying all the ingredients needed for the recipes...
4. Fanfiction recommendations - Any fandom, whether I know it or not, as long as it's well-written. Currently not in the mood for massively long series, but lengthy one-shots would be nice. I'm also particularly in the mood for anything funny (or with funny dialogue).
IMPLAUSIBLE BUT POSSIBLE
1. Kent Box 1991-2008 - I really, really, really want this box set. I actually don't have most of the Kent albums, so getting this set would probably be a better investment than buying each of their albums one by one, as I've been trying to do, but $74.99 is a bit steep. Also, it's out of stock at Amazon.com itself...
2. Standing lamp - My studio is fairly large and the kitchenette light doesn't quite reach the corner where my desk is. I've been meaning to get a lamp for a while but haven't gotten around to it.
3. Seeds - I want to attempt a garden again next spring. I'd like easy-to-grow flowers and vegetables that I use often in my cooking (especially perilla, Korean hot peppers and green onion).
4. Bookshelves - Books are currently lined up on the floor against the wall.
IMPOSSIBLE
1. Magically high success rate in experiments.
2. Extra time to sleep/an end to the constant fatigue.
3. Vacation time with Steve.
4. A self-cleaning apartment.
Or you know, there's always the default option of books. You can never go wrong by giving me books.
Yours &c.
I started writing up a long post with reviews of the play, two operas and two movies we've seen in the last week, but unfortunately, my draft didn't save properly. Oh well, I'll have to reconstruct it later.
Anyway, I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I spent the day cooking with Steve, who wanted to attempt roasting a quail inside a guinea fowl inside a duck--our version of the turducken. The result was an unqualified success, if I do say so myself, and I took photos along the way to document the whole process.
The original plan was to cook a goose, but we decided to be more ambitious, especially since I hadn't ever eaten quail before. (Steve is a vegetarian normally but makes exceptions for anything that he hasn't tried before. That being said, he mostly ended up eating the stuffing.) Steve bought quail, guinea fowl and Muscovy duck from the Golden Gate Meat Market at the Ferry Building in San Francisco.
Here's a close-up of the quail, unwrapped from its package:
We took our inspiration from samgyetang (삼계탕), a Korean chicken soup dish that involves stuffing a Cornish hen with glutinous rice (also known as sweet rice or mochi rice), dried dates, ginseng, garlic, and chestnuts. We didn't have ginseng so we decided to add mung beans and shiitake mushrooms to the stuffing instead. (We also wanted to add pine nuts, but unfortunately, we forgot them.) We bought dried shiitake mushroom slices from Berkeley Bowl and soaked them in cold water, as well as parboiled the rice several days in advance.
First, we cooked the mung beans by washing them and simmering them in boiling water. We also boiled and peeled the chestnuts.
We also added the mushrooms to the rice:
We defrosted the birds and began the long process of deboning them. The quail was deboned already, thank goodness. I learned more about duck skeletal anatomy than I ever thought possible in the process.
Deboned duck:
Deboned guinea fowl:
We boiled the bones and other organ meats to make broth:
We then finished making the stuffing by adding the mung beans, the peeled chestnuts, and whole cloves of garlic:
Steve prepared a marinade for the duck with soy sauce, a generous amount of grated ginger, green onions, red pepper powder, minced garlic, and a little sugar and flour for thickening:
We soaked the duck in the marinade:
We also seasoned the guinea fowl and quail with sesame oil, salt, pepper and green onion:
Then came time for stuffing the birds:
We basically wrapped up the guinea fowl by twining its wings and legs together, then placed it inside the duck (removed from the marinade), which we tied up with cotton string, soaked in water.
We were too ambitious with the stuffing, so the guinea fowl ended up being partially exposed when we flipped the duck over, resulting in an inadvertently hilarious configuration:
We then poured the rest of the marinade over the duck and filled the rest of the roasting pan with sliced peppers, carrots, squash and potatoes:
We also put the rest of the stuffing in another pan and covered it with halved apples (with the core removed) and leftover squash slices:
We preheated the oven to 250° F and let bake for several hours. The stuffing finished before the birds:
When we finally took the birds out, the marinade had mixed with the copious amounts of duck fat to soak the surrounding vegetables. The combination was delicious. Our stuffing turned out delicious too, especially when mixed with the marinade. The duck skin was burnt and sweet, and the flesh inside was fatty and delicious. The guinea fowl didn't taste particularly unusual--rather like a dry and slightly more gamy turkey--and the quail tasted like a tender chicken.
All in all, a delicious meal. We basically ate leftovers for all of Friday, and I'm eating leftovers again today. I still have enough for about three more meals too.
While we were cooking, Steve and I listened to the recording of La bohème (Callas as Mimì, di Stefano as Rodolfo, orchestra and chorus of la Scala) because we had tickets to the SFO production on Saturday, and I wanted to familiarize him with the opera. I showed him the libretto for Mimì's famous aria, "Sì, mi chiamano Mimì", and he remarked that it sounded like a Craigslist personal ad.
So...we made a Craigslist listing in the Casual Encounters section:
Subject: I like poetsThe results: nineteen email responses, three photos of naked/near-naked bodies, one penis photo (ew!), and only two that seemed to get the joke.
They call me Mimì, but my name is Lucia. I live all by myself and I eat alone. I'm French (but I like to sing in Italian) and I'm prone to coughing.
Age: young but legal (I think)
Occupation: seamstress
Likes: things that have gentle magic, love, spring, dreams and fancies, poetry, praying (but not going to church), the sun's first rays, April's first kiss
Hobbies: embroidery, making silk flowers (that have no scent)
What I'm looking for: Someone who writes and lives in happy poverty. You don't have to have a lot of money as long as you're a millionaire in spirit.
Some of the more amusing replies:
In Search of Excellent Sex !!!I particularly like the emphasis on "SANE".
College Educated, Witty, Humorous, Handsome, Confident Professional Gen Contractor with "equipment". Recently completed a very long and Successful Naval Career. Socially linked to my Community with various non-profits. 5'11", 185, blue/blond. This discreet and private Professional is CLEAN, SANE and physically fit.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Prone to coughing? Are you ill?Heh...random, much.
You sound interesting.
Hi, I saw your profile in Craiglist and it was very well written.I am 28/male/indian living in san rafael.I am a fun loving guy and single.Height = 5'9" , weight = 160 lbs..My hobbies includesI think the email and the "peom" speaks for itself.
dancing,Swimming,Tennis,Basketball,Volleyball,Bowling,Movies,Cooking and Poetry.
I can speak french and even I had written poem in French.
I have written lots of peoms in English. Will share with you soon.
Here is one of the poem.
Dream:
Me and her,
In a lovely garden,
Flowers which resembles her face,
Roses showering praises,
Out bursting happiness,
Smile flowing like Nile,
Green grass,
Colorful rainbow,
Chanting cuckoo,
Flying pigeons,
Blushing sun set,
Cold breeze,
Those tiny eyes saying,
Will you be there,
Forever for Me.
The two emails that did get the joke were pretty amusing:
Subject: O Mimì, tu più non torni
Poetry is easy
you just break the line
in
random places
Subject: O soave fanciulla!!!I'm just sad that no one signed their email Rodolfo.
Chi son'?? Son poeta.
Che cosa faccio?? Scrivo!
E come vivo?? Vivo!!
What am I?? I'm a poet.
What do I do?? I write.
How do I live?? I live.
Shall we go check out the SF Opera production??? Or shall we simply listen to on a CD or DVD???
I wonder if other people have made fictional character profiles on Craigslist before. If it isn't an Internet meme yet, it should be.
Oh, and since Thanksgiving is past, I can do the Christmas wishlist meme:
STEP ONE
1. Make a post (public, friendslocked, filtered...whatever you're comfortable with) to your LJ. The post should contain your list of 10 unlimited holiday wishes. The wishes can be anything at all, from simple and fandom-related ("I'd love a Naruto icon that's just for me") to medium ("I wish for _____ on DVD") to really big ("All I want for Christmas is a new car/computer/house/TV.") The important thing is, make sure these wishes are things you really, truly want.
2. If you wish for real life things (not fics or icons), make sure you include some sort of contact info in your post, whether it's your address or just your email address where Santa (or one of his elves) could get in touch with you.
3. Also, make sure you post some version of these guidelines in your LJ, or link to this post (it'll be public) so that the holiday joy will spread.
STEP TWO
1. Surf around your friendslist (or friendsfriends, or just random journals) to see who has posted their list. And now here's the important part:
2. If you see a wish you can grant, and it's in your heart to do so, make someone's wish come true. Sometimes someone's trash is another's treasure, and if you have a leather jacket you don't want or a gift certificate you won't use--or even know where you could get someone's dream purebred Basset Hound for free--do it.
3. You needn't spend money on these wishes unless you want to. The point isn't to put people out, it's to provide everyone a chance to be someone else's holiday elf--to spread the joy. Gifts can be made anonymously or not--it's your call.
4. There are no rules with this project, no guarantees, and no strings attached. Just...wish, and it might come true. Give, and you might receive. And you'll have the joy of knowing you made someone's holiday special.
PLAUSIBLE
1. Donation to charity - I saw a blog post on reducing holiday consumerism, and I thought that I'd make it my primary request to anyone who wants to give me a Christmas gift this year. Causes that mean a lot to me: international relations/aid, disaster relief, environment, literacy, arts and culture. Donations don't have to be large (in the past, I've given as little as $10).
2. Signing up for a round at
bibliophages - Current round is "Love overcoming obstacles (or not)". You can sign up to just read or you can offer a recommendation list of three or more books fitting the theme. 3. Quick and easy recipes - I've failed at cooking for myself lately (Thanksgiving dinner aside), and a large part of the problem is that most of the dishes I know how to make require a lot of ingredient preparation. I'd like to hear some of your favorite recipes that are easy to put together (less than ten minutes, including ingredient preparation). I already follow a few food blogs, but I never get around to actually buying all the ingredients needed for the recipes...
4. Fanfiction recommendations - Any fandom, whether I know it or not, as long as it's well-written. Currently not in the mood for massively long series, but lengthy one-shots would be nice. I'm also particularly in the mood for anything funny (or with funny dialogue).
IMPLAUSIBLE BUT POSSIBLE
1. Kent Box 1991-2008 - I really, really, really want this box set. I actually don't have most of the Kent albums, so getting this set would probably be a better investment than buying each of their albums one by one, as I've been trying to do, but $74.99 is a bit steep. Also, it's out of stock at Amazon.com itself...
2. Standing lamp - My studio is fairly large and the kitchenette light doesn't quite reach the corner where my desk is. I've been meaning to get a lamp for a while but haven't gotten around to it.
3. Seeds - I want to attempt a garden again next spring. I'd like easy-to-grow flowers and vegetables that I use often in my cooking (especially perilla, Korean hot peppers and green onion).
4. Bookshelves - Books are currently lined up on the floor against the wall.
IMPOSSIBLE
1. Magically high success rate in experiments.
2. Extra time to sleep/an end to the constant fatigue.
3. Vacation time with Steve.
4. A self-cleaning apartment.
Or you know, there's always the default option of books. You can never go wrong by giving me books.
Yours &c.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-01 06:29 am (UTC)(And, ugh, magically high success rate in experiments ... if you figure out the secret, share share ...)
(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-01 06:43 am (UTC)Heh, unlikely I'll ever figure it out in my lifetime but if so, I'll be sure to let you know before I patent it and make a fortune selling it to grad student researchers everywhere...
(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-01 06:33 am (UTC)But congratulations! A success! And it sounds so difficult! Me? I like eating other people's food. I think I lost that 'feed people' gene somewhere...
And that craigslist thing should never be a meme because you get some disturbing photos you probably really never want to see ever.
And I like that meme. It's cute. But you have more than 10. I think I'm going with the unnumbered one though.
When are we going Karaoke!?
And Plausible #2 : Twilight! Look at that. One recommendation already. (Haha, don't eat me. I never even read the book!)
(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-01 06:48 am (UTC)True, the photos were gross. But some of the clueless responses were really hilarious.
Oh, I didn't realize that it had a numbered limit. I'm pretty sure I've listed more than ten in the past before...
Re: Twilight, don't even go there.
Well, since I already signed up for bibliophages.
Date: 2008-12-01 06:43 am (UTC)Omlettes are always pretty good. Curried is especially good. Shrimp works well, and it cooks fast.
Fried rice, if you have left over rice.
Buy a lot of herbs and spices, sauces, and make various stir fries.
Polenta, if you like polenta.
Bruschetta, if you make the toasts ahead of time.
I can't recall where I found it, but there's this thai recipe where you basically cook eggplant for ten min w/ water, after frying some garlic, and then add fish sauce, and then I add some shrimp.
Egg lemon soup is also excellent, although it may be troublesome to squeeze the lemons.
In the Joy of Cooking, the recipe for pasta puttanesca is fairly good, and really, really easy.
I think in my memories I also have a recipe for microwave-steamed salmon with asian herbs, but you need preserved turnip for it.
For some reason, we always had a lot of trouble growing shiso from seed, but maybe that's because of the climate.
Re: Well, since I already signed up for bibliophages.
Date: 2008-12-01 06:46 am (UTC)Thanks for the ideas! I do indulge in omelettes and stir fry, but I haven't thought about bruschetta, and the eggplant dish sounds good. So does the egg lemon soup...is that just an egg drop soup with lemon?
Re: Well, since I already signed up for bibliophages.
Date: 2008-12-01 07:17 am (UTC)THis thread about salads might also be helpful.
http://ask.metafilter.com/62868/2-hours-now-5-minute-salads-later
Here is the basil eggplant recipe
http://www.thaitable.com/Thai/recipes/Basil_Eggplant.htm
Re: Well, since I already signed up for bibliophages.
Date: 2008-12-01 07:20 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-01 07:04 am (UTC)#2. Will sign up for it sometimes tomorrow (or today?). *goes to find books to rec*
#4. Um, do you read Atobe/Jiroh? I'd recommend Happy Accidents (http://scoradh.livejournal.com/117364.html) by
Also, The Arc of the Pendulum (http://brummell.livejournal.com/tag/the+arc+of+the+pendulum), a Harry/Draco (Harry Potter) fic that, while not humorous, is touching and well written (~30k).
(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-01 07:18 am (UTC)Thanks for the recs! I've been reading your Merlin recs as well. ^_^
(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-01 05:32 pm (UTC)You're welcome! Yay, Merlin! There are a lot of fics in the Merlin fandom for such a new one, but the majority of them are drabbles and ficlets, with very few actual long-ish fics. But I hope there'll be more long, well written fics after a while. :)
(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-01 08:42 am (UTC)Soli! è cosa da morire!
Rodolfo
(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-02 06:38 am (UTC)any plans for Saturday evening?
Date: 2008-12-03 08:18 pm (UTC)Re: any plans for Saturday evening?
Date: 2008-12-04 09:53 am (UTC)We should hang out though. Are you free on Sunday? I was thinking about going Christmas shopping around the downtown district, and I could meet you for late lunch/early dinner afterwards?
Re: any plans for Saturday evening?
Date: 2008-12-05 08:42 am (UTC)What time on Sunday? I was planning on catching the last matinee of La Boheme, which starts at 2 P.M. and finishes around 4:30 or 5:00 (I think).
Re: any plans for Saturday evening?
Date: 2008-12-06 05:18 am (UTC)Who's performing in the matinee? We missed Gheorghiu (I didn't realize she wasn't singing for all the performances) and actually ended up listening to a rather mediocre performance last Wednesday. (Mimi had a good voice but was far too loud and had weird issues with tempo, Rodolfo had a lovely voice but was drowned out, the orchestra basically struggled to keep in sync with singers and ended up staying silent for long stretches because the singers all had inconsistent tempos. It was almost as if they hadn't rehearsed with one another. I mean, I still cried at the end but it was disappointing.)
Re: any plans for Saturday evening?
Date: 2008-12-06 09:29 pm (UTC)I'm not sure who's performing in the matinee. I saw it a few weeks ago with Gheorghiu and Beczala, and although I really liked it, I was also a little disappointed, because all the most beautiful arias belonged to men and the story seemed to revolve around them. They were gorgeous (and I liked Beczala much more as Rodolfo than as Tamino last year), but I had thought it would be more about Gheorghiu/Mimi, like La Rondine. I'm getting a standing room ticket b/c I'd like to see it again.
Re: any plans for Saturday evening?
Date: 2008-12-06 09:44 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-01 10:28 am (UTC)*laughing at the personal*
(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-02 06:38 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-01 12:44 pm (UTC)Thanksgiving sounds amazingly ambitious, my cooking experiments of the weekend pale in comparison.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-02 06:39 am (UTC)Ehhh, well, you attempted more than one dish, unlike us, so I say we're about even. ^_~ Also, it's less work when shared between two people.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-01 09:05 pm (UTC)*giggles* The craigslist thing should definitely be a meme! :D
Ooh, bibliophages..I just kind of stalk the discussion posts >>; I will try and participate next round though! SATs are this week, so I won't have time..
:D Most of my recipes are just dumping things on rice, so >> Cracking an egg in a plate and microwaving for 30 seconds makes a super easy and yummy egg though ^^
(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-02 06:41 am (UTC)Sure, sign up for whatever round suits your fancy. It's just that participation helps us keep the comm going. ^_^
You know, I've heard of the microwave egg, but I've never tried it! I should attempt it next time I'm too lazy about waiting for the pan to heat up.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-10 01:36 am (UTC)Which is kind of bad, since I just ate dinner... and am now hungry again. One day, we should a major cook-a-thon =)
Also, your craigslist prank made me very, very happy! Pure genius!
(no subject)
Date: 2008-12-18 04:42 am (UTC)Glad you liked the prank! XD