Lamb!

I had lamb today. I hadn’t had it in a long time so I was very welcomed to the idea of having it when my brother invited me over to his place.

Lightly seasoned with sea salt, thyme, pepper, garlic, and other fine ingredients, it was a simple, yet satisfying meal. Complete with roasted vegetables a la Calphalon cooking workshop, it was more filling than I had imagined it to be.

Claiming to be over-cooked, my brother was a little disappointed with the results. I didn’t think it was that bad at all. With the accompanying sauce that he made, it was a perfect match.

By the end, I was stuffed silly with delicious roasted vegetables, and oven roasted lamb.

One day when I get my own convection oven… so I tell myself.

Lamb isn’t something I would normally cook myself, but is something that I definitely don’t mind eating at all; I don’t mind the gaminess of it all.

Tonight, I will likely count lamb… not sheep.

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Published:
January 13, 2010 – 12:21 am
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By Taku Kumabe
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Chili

So I made some chlii tonight. I guess you can call it fitting, as it is quite cold outside with the windchill. In any case, tonight’s chili was a combination of my mother’s world-famous chili and the Joy of Cooking chili recipe, thrown in with a little bit of improvisation. Did I mention I used my crockpot for this recipe too?

It was my first time using the Rival Crock Pot, and I have to say, it was very convenient. My stoneware is one of those Versaware types where I can use it on the stovetop, and then directly transfer it to the crock pot. It was great as I lightly browned the onions and meat in it first, then mixed in the rest of the ingredients, and then transferred it to the crock pot. With no mess, no fuss, and no cleaning of extra pots, I found it to be quite the handy item.

Now for the chili. My mother’s recipe called for using a quick and dirty method of spicing up the dish. I opted to spice it up myself without using any canned chili mixes. I managed to get part of the chili factor in the dish, but I’m still missing that umph factor. You know, that moment when you taste the chili and realize that that is what chili is all about.

It’s not too late to add more ingredients to the dish, but I’m not quite sure what else to put in there that would increase my chili umph factor. With already plenty of cumin, oregano, and cayenne peppers in there, I’m at a standstill right now.

Do you know the ingredients that make a chili world-class? Have you ever experienced an out-of-this-world chili sensation? Do tell me what you put in to make it that much better tasting.

With high hopes that my chili will taste better in the morning, I rest my tired eyes for this evening… mmm… chili…

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Published:
January 11, 2010 – 12:15 am
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By Taku Kumabe
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In transit

It’s a brand new decade and things are pretty much back to the way things were in November of 2009, before the Christmas spirit. The winter season has definitely come with full force causing havoc to the local commute.
Within the first week of the new year, there were already two or three consecutive days when there were technical or mechanical issues with the system, causing chaos to erupt right in the middle of rush hour.

What better time for a subway system to crumble than when everybody needs it the most. Just the other day, for example, we were forced to exit the train before my intended destination. Needless to say everybody on the entire train grumbled with disappointment as they exited the train, only to be confronted with angrier people who had been waiting on the platform for some time for a train that they could get on to.

And to think they can justify raising the prices again. Remind me again, why are we paying so much for public transit?

I have to admit though. I do find interest within the TTC transit system. Torontonians are so very eclectic in their ways that it’s very interesting to simply people watch. Back in the good old days, I used to love just watching people stroll by and observe their behaviour in public.

Seeing as I commute every day, I get to do just this, every single day. It’s also interesting to see those familiar faces on the system. You know, those people that you never really talk to, but see every day because they take the same bus or train as you do at that very same time. It happens to all of us at one point in time I’m sure.

You can almost get a sense of who they are by how they act, what they do, and what they’re wearing every day. A little invasive? Not really. I call it observant.

Right now, a sudden recollection of Amelie just passed by me.

You have to wonder if they think the same way. But then there are those awkward moments when you happen to make eye contact. You quickly look away hoping the other didn’t see you looking at them. Or you simply brush your glance away as if you were merely in transition of doing something else. It happens. It’s strange, yet unavoidable. Afterall, you have to look somewhere; I’m not the one to sleep standing up.

Perhaps I should find a book to read.

Nah. People reading is much more interesting.

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Published:
January 7, 2010 – 12:50 am
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By Taku Kumabe
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