!!!Yay!!!

Well look who just received ‘The Versatile Blogger’ Award!!  Me, me, me!!!  I have to admit that it is a nice surprise…as I’ve never received an award for anything before.  I’ve actually had it for a couple hours now, and I’ve been trying to think of a nice, but short acceptance speech.

This is pretty huge after all….

But I digress.

The first action I must take is to thank Anamaris, as she is the fellow blogger that nominated me.  Her blog  Chef It Yourself has some great Latin-Caribbean dishes with pics that make your mouth water!

The second task that lies before me is to tell you 7 thing about me that you might find interesting.  Hmmm…

1)  I’m addicted to Google.  Literally.  If I’m watching TV, listening to the news, or in conversation, and there’s something that I don’t know about or understand…I Google it.  Example…I had a friend that was taking a trip to the Seychelle Islands.  I knew nothing about them….Google to the rescue!!!

2)  Before I die, I’d like to visit Greece and Hong Kong.

3) I was very addicted to ’24′, and was totally heartbroken, sad, upset, and depressed when the series came to an end.  In saying that, there’s a rumor that there will be a feature length movie made and it’s gonna be in theater’s within the next couple years.  I don’t think I can bring myself to see it because I don’t think it will do the T.V. show justice.  Kinda like ‘Sex in The City’.

4)  When I was younger I was a model and had the honor of not only meeting Ralph Lauren, but I was also able to walk in his fashion show.  Major.

5) I’m totally addicted to fashion and haute couture.  I just wish my bank account understood my need to be fabulous and completely fashion forward on a daily basis.  In saying that, I would love to switch lives for 1 day with Rachel Zoe (stylist extraordinaire), as I think making other people look fabulous would be a major kick in the ass!

6) I have a 23 year old son.

7) I have a wonderful boyfriend named Joe, that I’ve been living in sin with for the past 3 years.

Now for the fun part.  I get to nominate a few fellow bloggers that I enjoy visiting and reading on a regular basis….

I really love Tonya’s blog  What’s on My Plate.  Straight outta Toronto, this blog has some pretty cool restaurant reviews, as well as a plethora of great recipes!

One of my favorite blogs is The Winter Guest.  Hailing from a small town in NW Spain, she brings the types of recipes I personally love.  I mean, she had me at Boquerones Fritos.  Major.

Another one of my fav’s is Mangos Chili and Z.  Lea Ann is located in the Denver area (like me!) and she has some fab recipes.  Along with said recipes, she talks about her favorite wines, and has restaurant reviews from a few places around the country.

I stumbled upon Culinary Compost a couple months ago, and I have to tell you I’m hooked.  Mike has some great recipes, and his Chinese Lemon Chicken is one of my favorites!

Ok.  I just love this blog…Gimmeyummy!  It has recipes, restaurant reviews, nice food pics (especially since she got her new camera), cursing (doesn’t bother me if it doesn’t bother you), interesting experiences, super cute boyfriend pics, and as a bonus she has multiple instances of cracking open ‘twin eggs‘!   Too funny….yet, kinda creepy.  I tell ya…when she gets pregnant, she’s gonna have multiples…

Anyway.  Once again, I need to thank Anamaris for the award.

I am honored.

Cooking Measurement Conversions…Just an FYI

1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons
1/16 cup = 1 tablespoon
1/8 cup = 2 tablespoons
1/6 cup = 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons
1/4 cup = 4 tablespoons
1/3 cup = 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon
3/8 cup = 6 tablespoons
1/2 cup = 8 tablespoons
2/3 cup = 10 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons
3/4 cup = 12 tablespoons
1 cup = 48 teaspoons
1 cup= 16 tablespoons
8 fluid ounces = 1 cup
1 pint = 2 cups
1 quart = 2 pints
4 cups = 1 quart
1 gallon = 4 quarts
16 ounces = 1 pound

What is This ‘Umami’ You Speak Of?

So, everything I’ve learned about cooking is either self taught, or from my father and mother.  But my Mommy never told me anything about Umami.  Well now there’s a cookbook.

 

This cookbook has recipes that enhance your ‘Umami’ experience.  It’s available on Amazon if you’re interested.

But let’s discuss.

Umami in Japanese cooking is described as ‘the 5th taste’.  You know the more popular tastes dont you?

Sweet

Sour

Salty

Bitter

Well, we need to make room for taste number 5. 

I’m trying to wrap my culinary mind around this taste.  And have I tasted it before and subconciously decided that the taste belonged in one of the other, better known tastes?  Do I really know my own taste buds?  And if I do…how come I needed to do some research and watch commercials to learn about ‘Umami’?  Shouldn’t I have KNOWN this taste before someone told me I had it?

Oh, the power of wanting to be in the culinary know. 

How impressed will my 70 something year old parents be when I call them and tell them that they actually have a 5th taste in their mouths.  Not very. 

Umami (literally translates to taste) is supposed to be the taste we taste when we consume foods such as soy sauce, fish sauce, beef, sweet potatoes, and parmesan cheese.  Oh…and human breast milk.

Just to name a few.

And now we now have ‘Taste no. 5′ Umami Paste.  (think Chanel No 5 of food additives)

According to the Daily Mail Online Umami was discovered in 1908 when Tokyo chemist Kikunae Ikeda identified it as a flavor that was present in foods high in glutamate.   This led him to crystallise monosodium glutamate (MSG).  Then in 2000 researchers at the University of Miami discovered the tongue had taste receptors dedicated to sensing glutamate, which signals the presence of proteins in food that the body needs.

Well, I know you’re grabbing your pedal pushers and about to run out the door to snag this ‘taste’, but unfortunately it’s only being sold in the UK right now.  Or so I’m told. 

Since we don’t go to the store to buy the other ‘tastes’, then why would we need to go to the store to buy this one?  I mean, do we go to Walmart and ask what isle the ‘sweet’ is in.  Or ‘Excuse me, where do I find the tubes of ‘sour”?  But for some reason, we should be chomping at the bit to run out and buy ‘Umami’. 

S0meone please explain this to me.

I guess I’ll have to go with my natural ‘umami’ until I’m lucky enough to be suckered into buying it.

Thanks!!

Thanks Food Buzz for honoring me in your top 9 today!! 

 

What prompted such honor you ask?  Click here to find out!!

Much appreciated!!

Tiger’s Apology Fell on My Deaf Ears. Thanks DIRECTV.

Let me start by saying that I have no vested interest in any type of cable or satellite service of any kind.   This is my own personal opinion, and I personally know people who disagree with my sentiment.  But anyway…

I’m sitting here at my computer, doing a little surfing and flipping through the news channels.  And I’m waiting.  Waiting.  Waiting for Tiger to start his news conference!!!

For some unknown reason, he owes me an apology…and I’ve decided in advance that I’m going to accept it.  I’m not sure why I’ve been hurt by his infidelities…but the media, and Tiger himself seem to think so.  And who am I to disagree, right?  If they tell me I’ve been hurt and offended, then dammit I deserve an apology!!  And I’m about to get just that. 

So I’m watching and waiting.  Oooh.  Here he comes!!  Walking to the podium!!  He starts to talk.  The apology is coming…ooohh!!  Then my directv goes out.  Ummm….  Oh yeah.  I should have expected it, because…WE HAVE CLOUD COVER!!  Are you effin’ kidding me?? 

Before I continue this story, let me give you a little history of my DirectTV experience.

This past summer, we had what started out as a very bad thunderstorm.  Hail and the whole nine….  I went out on the back porch to look up at the sky, and to smoke a cigarette.  The sky looked very cloudy…and very still.  Everything was windy, but within a few minutes…it all became still quiet and very ominous.  We live up against a golf course and thought it was very, very strange (because of the impending weather) to see a golf ball come flying by the porch as I was standing outside.  Then another.  Then another!!  That’s when I realized that it wasn’t golf balls…it was hail!! (seriously!)  And right when I saw that 4th ‘golf ball’ fly by my head, that’s when the rain started.  It came down in sheets…  I walked back in, told my boyfriend about the hail…etc., and told him that something wicked this way comes.  And just then, our wonderful Directv went out.  And now, since one must have that stupid little ‘box’ to even get local channels (thanks stupid gov. regulations), we were pretty much cut off from the outside world. 

After about 15 minutes without tv, the electricity went out.  Then, a little after that, we heard ALOT of sirens.  We decided to go to the front of our apartment complex to see the other side of the skies and try to see what was going on.  We couldn’t see anything because the surrounding buildings were so high.  All we saw was the same grey sky.  We went back in, and the electricity came back on, but still no directv. 

My cell phone rang, and when I answered it, my son asked if we got hit by the tornado.  Ummm…noooo?  What the hell are you talking about?, is about how the conversation went.  Well, come to find out, about a quarter of a mile from us (if that), a tornado took out about 6 stores in the mall, and damaged the Home Depot across the street.  We didn’t hear anything because the rain and the hail was soooo freakin’ loud. 

About 2 minutes after my son called to see if I was dead or not, our Directv was back on.  And all the news channels, local and national were reporting on the incident that happened about a 5 minute walk from my house.  Now, if I would have had cable, I would have known.  I might not have had advance warning, but I would have had something.  Any type of cloud cover and Directv (as well as other satellite services) fold like a cheap suit.   

This is the reason I hate you so much Directv.  You have made me promises.  You have lured me in and sullied my thinking with your ‘lower than cable prices’ sweet talk.  You have bamboozled me with your constant bullshit. 

But I digress…

Just when I needed you most.  Just when I was going to get the apology that I’ve deserved for the last 3 months…?  This is how you repay me??  When Tiger Woods cheats on his wife, he cheats on me! I didn’t know that until he told me (via ESPN) that he was gonna hold a press conference to say sorry to ME! At 12pm et, 11am central…. Ugh.

I will be breaking up with you soon enough though.  I would much rather pay out the ass for cable, and only have to worry about someone digging in the wrong area and accidentally cutting a cable (that has happened to me once for the whole time I had cable…approx 6 years), versus having to worry about every freakin’ time I have a cloud over my house (it’s happened to me numerous times, and I’ve only had directv for about a year now). 

Later Directv!!  And you can tell you’re stupid sister Dish Network to chill also.

I Love You, Israel Kamakawiwo’Ole

Israel Kamakawiwo’Ole (May 20, 1959 – June 26, 1997)was larger than life.  He had this voice that was soothing, and he was such a gentle soul.  He had a major influence in the Hawaiian music community and with good reason.  For about 20 years, starting in his mid teens he and his brother were in the music group  Makaha Sons of Niʻihau.  They touched many with their contemporary music that spanned beyond the borders of Hawaii. 

In 1990, Israel released his first solo album which won a couple awards from the HARA.  Throughout his solo career, he released more albums and was voted ‘Favorite Entertainer of the Year’ in 1994 by the HARA. 

Below is my favorite song from him…though I believe many should be YouTubed and enjoyed.  Especially when you’re having a difficult day. 

Enjoy!!

In Case You Missed It–Dirtiest Hotels 2010

Here’s the list of the dirtiest Hotels in the U.S. for 2010.  I’m very happy to say that I haven’t had the displeasure of staying in one. 

I’ve read some of the descriptions and experiences from a few of the people who have stayed at them and I have to wonder why they stayed at all.  One person said ‘There were stains on the floor, on the sheets, and exposed wiring…and the whole room smelled of cigarettes.  We grabbed some blankets from the back of our car and slept on those on top of the sheets on the beds’.

Huh?

How about the room was not sanitary and safe so you turn around and go back to the front desk to get your money back?  It seems to me that people are very forgiving, and it takes ALOT for them to demand a company do what’s right.

Now don’t get me wrong, I am definitely not one of those people who sends food back, berates customer service reps (I used to be one), or anything close to that.  I’ve had family members tell me that I’m too nice when it comes to bad or subpar services or products that I’ve purchased. 

But to subject yourself or your loved ones to such disgusting circumstances….I don’t know.  That’s where I draw the line.

In Case You Missed It–Pink

Amazing.  This performance was crazy good.  And I’m not exactly the biggest fan.  But could you imagine 1. singing that high up in the air 2. upside down 3. and having water doused on you???

Take a look at this video of Pink performing at the Grammy’s.  And yes…she was singing live!!