Saturday, February 21, 2015

七転び八起き


I get knocked down. But I get up again.


After visiting Japan and eating at one of Kyoto’s most famous, we’ve been finding it hard to compete with this guy.



We’re still trying.


An eggbath dredged in flour returned an Italian-type result: heavy and bready but I wanted the airy, crisp tempura I remembered.

So a quick trip to the Katagiri Japanese Grocery Store
 was in order.

Katagiri

It’s been on east 59th street just behind the tram since 1907.


One of their staffers suggest tempura flour and corn starch 50/50.


I also found a tip online to use seltzer instead of water, and that made a lighter batter.


This attempt was better.
jj

And the jumbo shrimp deepfried in panko really rocked.

smar

“You’re never gonna keep me down!”



Friday, February 20, 2015

vested interest





Thursday, February 19, 2015

hold the phone



Pierre-Auguste Renoir - 1880-1881




Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Ash Wednesday



Lagavulin, since 1742, is a Gaelic word meaning the hollow where the mill is, “intense, ashy-sweet single malt with seaweed flavours and a huge woodfire finish.”


Laphroig, 1815, pronounced “La-froyg” means the beautiful hollow by the broad bay; you can “taste the salty bay in this peaty scotch, redolent of fireplace ash.”


Ardbeg, from 1815 means small headland, a “long and glorious; sea salted caramel and beach bonfire ash with woodsmoke.”





Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Monday, February 16, 2015

zero tolerance


nationalvanguard.org

Nixon used an executive order to establish the Uniform Monday Holiday Act in 1968, passed by Congress and officially taking effect in 1971.


It was a way for the federal government to create three day weekends for our nation’s workforce.


In 1885, one year before our ClockTower, “Washington’s Birthday” was moved from his actual February 22nd to the “third Monday in February,” then Nixon ganged him up with Abraham Lincoln.

boktowergardens.org

Some believe this diminishes their legacy while others just appreciate the longer, three day weekend.


I prefer to think of it as the wisdom of our Presidents making it okay for us to stay home in this intolerable weather.

Sunday, February 15, 2015