Happy Mother's Day

Dear Momma,
Thanks to you we turned out just fine

Love you,
Lain & Wee

Uncle B's Fish

Like my mom, my Uncle B. is a phenomenal cook.  I caught up with him recently and I picked his brain about a deceptively simple Chinese dish of steamed whole fish.   His recipe in classic fashion is  short in ingredients and strong in technique. As little brother likes to say, This one will make you everybody's hero.  Thanks Uncle B!

Perfect Steamed Fish
 1, 1-11/2 lbs. whole fish, cleaned and scaled (white bass, perch, cod)
1 green onion, green portion thinly sliced
1 t. fresh ginger, julienned (I forgot this and it still tasted great)
 fresh chili, thinly sliced (optional)
cilantro, few sprigs (optional)

dash of white pepper
1 T. soy sauce (For authentic eats Uncle B. recommends this kind and it's perfect.  In a pinch you can substitute regular soy sauce and add a pinch of sugar.)
1 T. vegetable oil

In a pot large enough to accommodate your fish, fill with enough water to submerge the fish and bring to a boil.  When the water reaches a boil turn off the heat and carefully add the fish.  Return the heat and bring back the barest simmer (just an occasional bubble.)  Cook 15-20 minutes depending on the size of your fish.

Carefully lift the fish from the poaching water to your serving platter.  Top fish (in this order) with white pepper, soy sauce, ginger, and green onions.  In a small saucepan heat the vegetable oil just to the smoking point and pour over the fish and toppings.  It should sizzle.  Serve with mounds of white rice.  Groan

Let's Hear It For The Boy

The mechanic's been accepted to med school! Yes, the above multi-layered-cardigan sporting kid is going to become a doctor. Huzzah! Accomplishments aside, he will remain my bundled-blanket-toting-forever-aged-5-kid brother regardless of the patients he treats.
Well Done Wee, I'm so stinkin' proud.
A song to celebrate:

My Family & Teaching an Old Dog a New Trick

Happy New Year Everyone!
I'm back from a lovely visit with my dear family where I watched marathon episodes of the Dog Whisperer with my pop, talked food with grub-enthusiastic mom, slurped noodle soup with kid bro, and drove a leg of family roadtrip while we sang along to Barry Manilow. It was awesome.

Besides spending time with the ones you love, I can't think of a better way to ring in the new year than to learn something new and today I learned a skill that's been confounding me for ages: how to sharpen a stinking knife. As one who appreciates good tools, nothing's worse that using a dull ass knife. Back in Missoula, I used to take my knives downtown to a Ray the Knife Guy. A Missoula institution, Ray could be found seasonally setting up shop twice a week at the local Army surplus store where he would charge a buck a knife. In good weather he'd be outside drumming up business inquiring passersby with a "Gotta knife that needs sharpening?" Apparently, a lot of Missoulians carry knives on their person. Rather than find my Portland version of Ray (I have no doubt one exists) I thought it was high time I taught myself how to fish.

On Youtube I found a bunch of tutorials and finally settled on a technique (I was convinced when the guy demonstrates the effectiveness of his method by sharpening a knife on a cinder block). The cast of characters: Edo's sorely neglected Arkansas stone, oil, and a bunch of dull knives.

The results? Bliss.
It was such a epiphanal pleasure to use my resharpened knives. No longer will I suffer the injustice of dull knife. I tried taking photos of the actual sharpening process without any luck as the procedure involves both hands but I hope to make a video. Stay tuned.