Hotpots

Hotpots

On average, a typical Kent four-year Korean gets a minimum of six working hours from hotpots and water heaters that teachers take away. All that we desire is to be able to cook a stew or noodles, or even getting boiling water for a cup noodle, or even hot cocoa, but it gets hindered by constant teachers who barrage in and take the appliances away for “being against safety codes”. Once in a while, where the dining hall food is unbearable (by the way, which is far too many times a week) and they decide to offer Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry or something that takes way too much effort to force down one’s throat, we decide to go back to our rooms and eat the spicy noodles as a remembrance of home, or cook up a stew. However, we always have to make sure the windows are open so we can ventilate the entire room, and that the door is locked, in order to keep teachers out. Every time we hear someone walk past the room outside, we have to hold our breathes and hope that it is not a teacher who smelled something that was not the “chicken with Harold’s secret sauce” and decided that they wanted to give us hours to work on the various labor-like chores the school provides for us.

There are many things we can cook in our hotpots if they are not taken away. We can cook kimchi stew and eat a nice meal with hot rice and some side dishes like vegetables. We can cook jjapagetti, shin ramen, nuguree, and all kinds of different noodles and dishes. We can even grill meat and make stir-fried vegetables. Why the policies are that it has to be regarded as a potential fire hazard and has to be taken away is beyond my understanding.

The matter all “boils” down to the question of if the hotpots are such a dangerous fire hazard that have such a high tendency to burn down the entire dorm and has to be taken away immediately. Out of my 4 years at Kent, there was not a single report I heard of a hotpot causing even the smallest fire, but Kent always seems to be preoccupied in taking away the single pleasurable meals out of the week we eat to bear with the food in the dining hall. As a result, we have to constantly order and buy more hotpots when we get ours taken away, in order to eat the meals that allow us to divulge in the unique, spicy taste of Korea.

dessert

This past Christmas my family and I continued our tradition of eating dinner at Doubles the day after our Christmas party. Doubles is a restaurant on fifty ninth and fifth. Unlike most restaurants, Doubles i located underground, with no windows, only mirrors. The highlight of the Christmas dinner at Doubles is the desert table. A the center of the dinning room, which is normally a dance floor, is a table piled high with all kinds of fancy christmas dessert. There is christmas Yule Log, blows of chocolate and vanilla moose, Lemon meringue over a foot high, different cakes, ice creams, and just about everything else. The menu, on the other hand, had two options for starters, salads, and main courses. Why the focus on desert?
After that dinner I started to think about how much focus is placed in the sweeter side of dinner. Whenever I eat out with my family my mother always looks at the desert menu first. When my sisters look up a restaurant for us to go to, the desert menu must be approved for us to go there. It might just be my family, but Mrs. Pigglewiggle seemed to have it right going desert first.
What is it about sweet frosting covered greatness that drives my family's dinner conversation as soon as the main courses are cleared? Personally, I feel that desert is the center of my family's food universe because we have to order one thing for every person at the table, regardless of if you "Can't eat another bite." Even after the most savage meal that leaves you noxious at the thought of another bite, at my family's table, you MUST eat. Our typical desert forces feeding frenzy starts with everyone looking at the menus and waiting for my mom to tell us what were going to have. Once the orders are put we all talk about the food we are about to get, trying to anticipate which plate will be the best. When the food arrives everyone plasters on a smile and dives in. You take your plate, eat your fill, then pass it on. Even though no one can fit anything more, we keep at it. No one leaves until the plates are clean.
Though this food stuffing session sounds awful, it has some how made dessert the most important part of any meal. By making our belts grow apart, we, as a family, grow closer.

Anyone Can Cook

I saw Ratatouille this weekend. Yes, Ratatouille. It was probably about the millionth time I’ve seen it since I came out. I come from a family in which the mother owns a desert shop, the father owns a restaurant, and one of the two younger brothers can create any dish to perfection his first time trying, so to say that Ratatouille is a family favorite would be an understatement. It’s more like THE family movie in our household. Oh, and out little Chihuahua dog looks like Remy too. I, however, am not here to review this movie nor go too much into detail about it. The reason I bring it up is because of the message this movie represents. Gusteau, a famous chef with a 5-star restaurant has a motto that constantly plays back throughout the entire film. “Anyone can cook,” says Gusteau, and he is right. I myself have never been one to spend much time creating in the kitchen (I prefer the consumption aspect to food) but as time has passed this has changed. Cooking should not be a chore. Much like painting a portrait or writing a novel it should not be forced. If you do not enjoy it then that is that, it is not for everyone but I do encourage you to try it. Cooking, I have found, is so much more than following recipes in a cookbook.

If you do it alone it can be a time to be with yourself. The kitchen is a place where you are in total control. It’s a place of innovation and creativity. Follow a recipe and create something delicious or be bold and create something that you feel will work. Turn on Food Channel and go along with Emeril (does he still have a show?) or embrace your poetic side and let taste, smell, touch, sight, instinct, and hunger guide you. You have nothing to lose and much to gain. All I’m saying is next time you’re craving a certain dish don’t just settle for whatever processed food is in your pantry. It’s hard to actually tell you what it feels like when you get going in the kitchen. It’s just something you need to do. Don’t be afraid of burning down the house. Don’t be afraid to create the most disgusting thing you’ve ever tasted. If you let fear hold you back you’ll end up eating Twinkies your whole life, and I don’t think it’s worth it. So go and put on your apron, grab your knives, turn on some music, and step in the kitchen. If a mouse can do it, so can you.

Demico Quick Serve

Why is fast food so idealized? When you think of tasty treats, fast food is usually one of the first things that pop up in your head. When I was younger, my mom stuffed me full of fresh produce and homemade meals. It was rare that I ever ate processed foods or fast foods because we owned a farm and the fresh produce was cheaper than the processed “American Yankee” food. You would think that this is a great opportunity to eat fresh, unprocessed foods for almost every meal -- which it is-- but being eight at the time, I didn’t think so. I lived for the rare trips to the store where I would be able to buy “Yankee” food and eat like an American; I was going to buy all the bologna, cans of Vienna sausages, corned beef, and corn my mother would allow.

Of all the times I had been overjoyed from purchasing and consuming some imported, processed food, my most valued memory of fast food as a child was of my trips to Demico Quick Serve. The trip was like a red carpet event; everyone wore their “going-out” clothes and got “dolled up” to go “out-front”, twenty minutes away from my house and eat at the only fast food joint in Linden. It was like being in America. Demico Quick Serve, unlike everywhere else, was air conditioned and you weren’t drenched in sweat and engulfed in the sticky humidity with everyone else’s sweaty smells. No, Demico was so cool it became cold very quickly seeing as I was not accustomed to the cool air. It had metal spinning chairs with blue bars for the backrest and was ice cold to the touch. Sitting and twirling around while I waited for my food was the best past time ever, especially because I worked vigorously to twist and twirl but I never became sweaty because there was AC. I felt like I was a “big-shot”.

At Demico I would always order a “cone-cup” (ice cream cone) with the beige cake cone because there was not waffle cone. I waited eagerly in my capris, flip flops, and tank top for my mother or whoever was ordering to deliver my treat. It was a fatiguing wait. When I finally receive my cone, it was like the heavens opened up. I lick to my heart’s delight; molding the ice cream into different humps, lumps and spikes. The infamous spike my sister and I did was the pointy ice cream tip that we made by licking the ice cream to a point with our lips formed in an “O” shape. Our newly designed cones were up in the air as we became the Statue of Liberty and our cones were our torches. After licking away the pointy top, the ice cream went from a semi-circle hump to a leveled surface with the rim of the cone. The fun was just beginning. The first bite of the ice cream with the wafer of the cone was amazing. After enjoying the several bites of ice cream and wafer, I ate my way to the tube base of the cone that I carefully bit to form what I thought was a cup of milk. My sister and I would then pretend to sip from the miniature glasses of milk. It was pure fun and I proceed to shove the rest of the cone into my mouth. After a bunch of loud “crunch-crunches”, the delectable cone was gone and so was a bit of my joy.

The time spent in this “American” place had me shivering as if I had Parkinson’s; it was very cold seeing as I had finished my ice cream. When everyone had finished scarfing down the tasty but heart clogging foods, we left. The first step out of the air conditioning into the hot air of the equator was an unexplainably comforting feeling. It felt as good as how the ice cream tasted. I thought to myself, “Can’t wait until we meet again ice cream cone”, and it was at an early age that the American fast food lifestyle had entered my life and planted its deceiving seeds. I was manipulated as a child to love the taste of sugar and fat and going to eat out at a fast food place instead of drinking cherry, guava juice or fresh cow milk.

Now that I am older, I long to have to ability to eat fresh foods every day, and the thought of eating fast food has become somewhat repulsive. It seems as though my choices and influences regarding food has changed; I wanted and loved eating and buying unhealthy, expensive processed and imported foods when I had all the access to fresh and exotic foods and now I wish I could get all of those fresh produce at their original prices that were cheaper than the fast food. Fast food definitely has the correct name; it is fast in changing your tastes and mind set as well as sneaking up on you and your lifestyle no matter where you are.

Big Tuna

One of the best parts about travelling to a foreign place is indulging in the unique cuisines that are offered. So when I went to Antigua this past December, I was just about as excited for the Caribbean foods I was for the weather. The weather didn’t disappoint, but the fish was an experience in itself.
I’ve never been a huge fan of raw sea food, although my brother and Dad have always eaten their fair share of oysters, clams, sushi, etc. But when I heard my Dad say that there was a 95 pound tuna being served, I felt like I couldn’t resist at least going to check it out. It was definitely one of the most massive fishes I’ve ever seen in person. It was being guarded by the fisherman and chef who rightfully had a noticeable smirk of accomplishment on his face about what he had reeled in. I learned this when I started talking to the chef, who was a large white man with an interesting Antiguan accent. He seemed to be always dripping with sweat because of the fire cooking the fish. I asked him where he bought the fish, and again he looked at me with great satisfaction and said “caught this sucker this mornin’.” He said he woke up at 5 am, went out on his small fishing boat with a few other guys, and stalked the tuna for two hours before spearing it. It was pretty amusing thinking about this guy, who was pretty big in stature, along with two buddies on a boat that he describes as “about as big as this table right here.” Anyway, I sat down ready to enjoy my main course.
The fish was cooked at a perfect temperature. Just raw enough that you could taste how fresh it was, but seared enough to give the outside some texture. I still can’t get over how fresh it was. I kept thinking that I was never going to be able to enjoy a spicy tuna roll again back home, just knowing that it couldn’t possibly have been caught the same day. My Mom, who hates raw fish (because she is intimidated in my opinion), kept making comments that we were all going to get sick off the tuna. This reminded me about how people like my Mom have grown to trust the grocery store more than fishermen like the one in Antigua. Despite the chemicals, pesticides, and environmental cost most people would rather pay for the name brand than a local option even if it is in their best interest. So if I ever get tired of life here in the states, I could always end up on a fishing boat in the Caribbean, stalking Tuna and serving it with a smirk on my face.

Irish Beef Stew

A few days before break every year, I talk to my parents on the phone about travel plans. One question that they always ask me is if there if anything special I would like to be waiting for me when I get home. My answer is always the same, Irish beef stew.

On cold fall and winter nights when I lived at home, my sisters and I would look forward to snuggling up in comfortable sweats and having a nice family dinner that warms us all up. My dad would always start by boiling a big pot of beef stock. In a saucepan, he would brown the stew meat so that the outsides were crispy but the inside was still raw. My sisters and I would try to help by peeling carrots and potatoes, and my mom would chop onions. When the pot was boiling, we would add the potatoes because they took the longest to cook. Next we would add the carrots, and finally the onions. The pot was left to simmer for about thirty minutes and then we would add the meat and all of the drippings from the pan. The delicious smell would fill the entire downstairs. I, being the impatient one, would steal spoonfuls of the broth as the vegetables and meat were cooking. After about an hour of mouth-watering and sip stealing, my dad would finally declare that the stew was perfection. My family and I gathered around the table with a soft loaf of French bread and our bowls full of stew. These nights were always special because working together to make our dinner had us all feeling closer.

Unfortunately, it takes about seven hours for me to get home from Kent, so I am unable to participate in the preparation of the stew, unless we decide to eat really late. However, the feeling of closeness remains as we exchange stories about our school and work experiences. The taste of the stew is always different, even though it is made up of most of the same ingredients every time. Sometimes we have it with plain sliced bread rather then French bread, but French bread is by far my favorite. To me, nothing tastes better than soaking up the last few drops of the broth on a piece of bread, and stuffing it in my mouth while it is still hot. I know that this is a tradition that I will pass down to my children when I’m older.

A Guide To

If you’ve never been to a Trader Joe’s before, I think it would be an understatement to say that you’ve been missing out your whole life. For those who know what I’m talking about, I’m sure your mouth is already starting to water. Trader Joe’s, a grocery store as accessible as your local supermarket, is a place where organic meets mainstream. Selling only food that is under the Trader Joe’s label, the store’s shelves are lined with healthy, fresh food you most likely wouldn’t find anywhere else – from Organic Olive Oil Popcorn to Sparkling Cranberry Juice, Trader Joe’s has everything imaginable. And they’re not lying about being health-conscious, either. When you take an item with the store’s signature label off the shelf and put it into your basket, you can be assured that it is made with “NO artificial flavors, colors or preservatives; NO genetically modified ingredients; NO MSG; and NO added Trans Fats” (Trader Joe’s). When you walk into the store, you aren’t blinded by piercing, white tile floors, ceilings and shelves. Trader Joe’s has a more natural, welcoming feeling, with cedar planked walls and brown tile floors. Hand-painted, original and colorful signs hang above each section and isle of the store. The prices are pretty welcoming, too – while most organic food today is overpriced, Trader Joe’s products do not follow suit. The company is on the same track as the customer – they’re dedicated to providing shoppers with great quality and great prices.

It was only after my Mom had been to the store a few times that I first heard about Trader Joe’s. I had never been myself, and after she started bringing home the utterly delicious frozen meals, fresh produce and mouth-watering snacks, I decided I needed to visit the store myself. My first visit was a whirlwind of excitement. I walked into the store and walked up and down the aisles in awe - I had to contain myself so I wouldn’t take everything off of the shelves and put it into our cart. I could’ve bought nearly everything. I especially remember the never-ending frozen isle and the decadent-looking chocolate cakes – I just wanted to take it all home.

My family goes to Trader Joe’s as often as we can – the store located closest to Kent is in Danbury, so we are able to make occasional trips if we are nearby or when we’re visiting my Aunt who lives in Danbury. Whenever my Mom says she’s going to Trader Joe’s and asks me what I might want her to get, I have to refrain from making a list ten pages long.

I don’t think that there’s ever been something we bought that we didn’t love, or at least like – I can almost guarantee that anything you buy from Trader Joe’s will be amazing. After having shopped for years now at Trader Joe’s, my family has tried many different types of dishes, snacks, drinks, and desserts. Here are (some) of my favorites from Trader Joe’s:

Trader Joe’s® Chocolate Croissants

One of my favorite things to have for breakfast by far – on the mornings I have one, these croissants are the reason I wake up in the morning. The warm, slightly melted chocolate center complements the soft, fluffy croissant perfectly. They come frozen, so just leave them out on a plate, cover them and let them sit overnight so they can rise. Then just pop them in the oven in the morning. Leaving them out the night before is the most important part - I’ve been through too many disappointing mornings when I would wake up and have to have a flat croissant for breakfast because I forgot to leave one out the night before.

Trader Joe’s® Pulled Pork in Smoky BBQ Sauce

This is great to have for dinner – flavorful and delicious. My brother and I absolutely love this pulled pork; we have to make sure that it’s split up evenly between us when we share it for dinner.

Trader Joe’s® Sea Salt & Turbinado Sugar Dark Chocolate Almonds

Beware: these are highly addicting. These have become my new favorite snack since my Mom discovered them. If you buy them, make sure you get the “Sea Salt & Turbinado Sugar” chocolate almonds – Trader Joe’s sells various kinds of chocolate almonds, but these are by far the most flavorful with the best quality chocolate.

Bake At Home French Rolls

I couldn’t find a picture of these, but trust me, they are delectable. They come partially baked, and all you have to do is cook them in the oven for ten minutes, and they taste like just-made rolls fresh from a bakery. They are an absolutely delicious addition to any dinner.

Trader Joe’s® Organic Pink Lemonade

Whenever I have a glass of this tasty and very sweet lemonade, my mind is flooded with memories of family gatherings and sitting at the “kids table” with my cousins, passing a pitcher of this sweet lemonade around until it’s gone. This is hands-down my favorite lemonade.

Immaculate Baking Co. All Natural Cookie Dough

The healthier and much more tasty version of Toll House-type cookies, it’s a race to the kitchen whenever someone bakes a batch of these at my house. They are perfectly soft and slightly gooey while still having that satisfying, light crunch with every bite. I would recommend either the Triple Chocolate or the Chocolate Chunk.

Trader Joe’s® Southwest Chicken Quesadillas

Everything you could ask for in a quesadilla. The perfect mixture of vegetables, chicken and cheese in a folded, crunchy shell. Great for a quick lunch or dinner.

Trader Joe’s® 12 Mini Mint Ice Cream Mouthfuls

I haven’t had these in a long time, and now that I think about it, I’m very sad that I haven’t – these mini ice cream sandwiches are the best cookie sandwich invention yet. They taste like soft, ice cream filled mint-flavored Oreos. My brother, sister and I each used to reserve a row for ourselves (they were divided into three rows in the package), have one or two sandwiches that night, and save the rest for another night.

Works Cited

Trader Joe’s. Trader Joe’s. Trader Joe’s, n.d. Web. 22 January 2012.

Images

http://image.mapmuse.com/images/all/logo_TRADERJOES.gif

http://justinsomnia.org/images/trader-joes-chocolate-croissants-big.jpg

http://1cupawesome.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Trader-Joes-BBQ-Pulled-Pork.jpg

http://dessertguru.typepad.com/.a/6a01156e549823970c013485f60001970c-pi

http://www.joycegrace.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/DSCF9168-e1315172938352.jpg

https://www.immaculatebaking.com/uploads/productImages/7110409123845_tipnatgood.jpg

http://www.foodreview101.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/1090810105451_org-chocolatechunkcfkc.jpg

http://www.cooktj.com/files/node_images/4577/SouthwestChickenQuesadillas.JPG

http://img4.realsimple.com/images/daily-finds/food/0809/df-joes-mini-mint_300.jpg

Chipotle Review

This week I will be reviewing Chipotle Mexican Grill, a well known chain of Mexican restaurants that are especially popular in the Midwest. I have been eating Chipotle my whole life, and I proudly say that I feel that if anyone is qualified to be writing a review of Chipotle, it would be me. As a general statement, I don’t even like Mexican food, and Chipotle has still managed to become my favorite restaurant.

Let me begin this review by saying one thing: this will not be an unbiased review. In my mind, Chipotle is the best restaurant in the world. I’m sure many people would laugh at this bold statement, but I will not shy away from it. There is nothing better than eating at Chipotle, at any time of the day, and at any time of year. That’s part of the beauty of it. It is not somewhere that is immensely popular in one time of the year and subsequently fades into irrelevance as the seasons change.

I must admit one thing before I continue with this review: In the dozens, perhaps hundreds of times I have eaten at Chipotle, I have ordered exactly one meal, a pork burrito with rice, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and mild salsa. It is by far my favorite meal. While I am not particularly proud of this fact, I have not only eaten this burrito for lunch or for dinner, I have even eaten it for breakfast. Another fact I am not particularly proud of is that I have eaten so many of these burritos at several restaurants throughout Chicago that I have decided that certain restaurants make it better. There are several Chipotles within twenty minutes of my house, and even one that is only five minutes away. However, I have eaten this pork burrito so many times that I have subconsciously decided that one restaurant makes a far superior burrito of the half a dozen that are reasonably close to my house. Because of this, whenever I am at home and decide that I want Chipotle, I drive out of my way to a Chipotle that is twenty minutes away rather than one that is five minutes away because I’ve come to believe the farther restaurant makes a better burrito.

When you walk into any Chipotle, you will be greeted by friendly employees and customers. All Chipotles are decorated very similarly, with an interesting blend of southwest and modern architecture and interior design. As you wait in line to order your food, a giant, overly simplistic menu faces you. There are generally three options: tacos, salads, burritos, and burrito bowls, each of which can come with chicken, pork, or steak. Each of these options has a “build your own” component to them. You have your choice of meat, along with your choice of spiciness in your salsa, and various toppings to choose from. My honest, biased opinion is that if someone does not like Chipotle it may be their own fault. Also, given the high quality of the food, the prices are also very reasonable. It is tough to go into a Chipotle and spend more than ten dollars, which is very refreshing given the recent surge in fast food prices in the United States. Overall, Chipotle provides a quality dining experience, as is evident by its rapid growth in the last decade. It has truly become a national brand, with restaurants from coast to coast. I foresee only good things in its future, and I look forward to continuing to eat there with way too much frequency.

Some things are just too good

When I was younger, my Mum and Dad always called me the ‘marrower’, and this was solely based on the fact that I loved the marrow in a rib bone of a joint of roast beef. I’d stick my little finger as far down the opening in the bone as I could, and tried to fish out the delicious contents. They used to joke about going to a Car Boot Sale to buy me a marrow spoon, but we never did find one. Instead, I would get creative and use not only my hands and fingers, but straws, fork tines, and metal skewers to extract the marrow. Thinking back at Sunday Lunches where this would occur, it sort of makes me wonder why I enjoyed the idea of sucking out the marrow of the bones. I know I enjoyed it, but I can’t seem to come to terms with the fact that that was something that I took pleasure in doing. It’s similar to thinking about how much I love crackling, or bacon rinds and realizing that what I love the taste of so much is purely rendered fat. The thought of it is slightly repulsive, and almost gag inducing, but regardless of the fact that it is just fat, the taste of it outweighs the negative points of it. My family and I have always tried to eat more healthily, with less fast food and less eating out, but when it comes down to it, some of the food that is more likely to be bad for me is food that I am just not willing to give up. I enjoy my Mum’s English home cooking far more than I should, but it’s something that had you been brought up with, you cannot bear to bring yourself to part with it. It’s part of your upbringing, and it’s most likely going to be part of your future family’s upbringing too. Although, some of the food I grew up with is most likely on the side of too much goodness, fat, sugar, butter and cream, it’s the little things like those additions to a meal that make it that much more enjoyable and yummy. My family and I do try to aim for the more healthy options these days, but I would choose my family style cooking over any ‘rabbit food’ any day. Something’s are just too good to give up.

A Sunday Specialty

Every Sunday, I walk into town with a friend of mine. We go to church and then the Villager afterwards for breakfast. Although it is a small event, the comfort of knowing that every Sunday we will be able to enjoy a meal at that restaurant means a lot to us. For the past few months it has been cold outside, and as we hustle through the door of the crowded restaurant, we are pleasantly surprised by the warmth and delicious smelling food that fills our senses. Our preferred seat is the booth in the front on the right side, but sometimes we sit at another table in the back. Right off the bat, I order a hot chocolate. They serve it in a large mug, with the most delicious whipped cream on top. I am convinced that my Sunday morning hot chocolate makes me a happier person. My friend usually orders a black and white milkshake, which stands as a close second to my chocolate heaven in a cup. After a few minutes of contemplating, I usually order the eggs benedict with a side of bacon. If you have yet to try eggs benedict, you are missing out. The creamy hollandaise sauce that is drizzled over the eggs that are poached to perfection is phenomenal with its tangy and salty taste. The combination of the egg yolk, hollandaise sauce and the crispy, yet chewy English muffin that sits beneath it is simply delicious. The villager serves home fries as a side dish to their breakfast specials. The first time I ordered them I was unsure if I would be a fan, but now I can’t go without them. The mixture of potatoes and pieces of onion are cooked with garlic seasoning that taste out of this world, especially when eaten with ketchup. I wash it down with my creamy dreamy hot cocoa and feel completely satisfied. For obvious reasons, the entire meal electrifies my taste buds and instantly puts me in a happy mood. As we sit and enjoy our breakfast, it feels as though the restaurant is almost like a warm, cozy house at which we are eating. The tables are pushed together close enough to feel snuggled in and serves as an escape from the cold weather. The delicious food at The Villager makes every Sunday something to look forward to, and is completely worth the long, cold walk.