Double Dane!

THINGS HAPPEN AT THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME SOMETIMES.  I was browsing through the pet forum on Craigslist yesterday and I came across a posting that asked if someone can temporarily take in a Great Dane because the owner is in the process of moving, starting a new job and looking for a pet-friendly place to rent.

The owner could not bear to give up the dog and was hoping that someone could just keep him for a while.  I thought how heartbroken I would be if I have to give up my Dexter (or my other dogs in the past) so I forwarded the posting to Robert to see if he was interested.

Robert, of course, all excited, wanted to host Victor - that's the dog's name.  He has been wanting to get another Dane to keep Dexter company.  Realistically, I don't think having a second Dane is a good idea.  However, how would I know?  He is the one who would take care of the dogs.  So, this is actually a pretty good arrangement.  We get to check out the idea in real life and we would be helping out another dog parent.

So, I emailed the owner.  It turned out to be a nice girl in Sacramento.  She was thrilled!  She brought Victor over this morning for the two Dane boys to meet.  Robert met them at the doggy park.  The boys like each other.  So, Victor is home now and we are now a two-Dane family, on a temporary basis.

From reading the posting to having Victor staying, it took less than 24 hours.  It was not on the agenda before yesterday but, heck, things happen and we just add a new chapter to our lives.  And, I hope we preserve a chapter for Alica and Victor as well.

Alica is moving from Scramento to SF today and starting her new job next Monday.  Victor, a beautiful blue Great Dane puppy, will call Club JoLin home and Dexter his big brother for the next couple of months.

Something is just meant to be - such as this turn of event - so, just join us for the ride!

How to Make Paella

I LOVE PAELLA! It looks impressive and tastes terrific.  It can be made in individual size pans or in an impressive gigantic pan that serves many.  It's a great rice dish that's perfect as a family meal.  It's also an exciting dish that gets Ooos and Ahhhs at a party.  A versatile dish that anyone can make.  Yes, you can!!

You can put anything in a paella and it will come out great.  Just don't forget the all important key ingredients:  a pinch of saffron and Sofrito, which is a Spanish tomato and onion sauce that's cooked with the rice.  But to be honest, I cheat.  I don't make sofrito.  I substitute with canned diced tomatoes.  I don't even dice fresh tomatoes.  Shhhhh.......

I made a seafood paella last Saturday and it came out surprisingly good.  The flavors were well infused; the rice was nicely cooked, and I even got the Socorrat - the highly prized toasted rice bottom of a paella.  Wow! How that happened??

So to share my experience:

FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU WANT TO PUT IN THE PAELLA.  Plan ahead.  Anything goes.  Create your own combo.  I like seafood paella because of the WOW factor.  I like the colors and the busy-ness of all the ingredients: shrimps, squids/baby octopus, clams, mussels, sausage, chicken meat, red and green bell peppers, peas, parsley and wedges of lemons... It is a very festive dish that keep your eyes busy.

PREPARE EVERYTHING BEFORE YOU EVEN PUT THE PAN ON THE STOVE.  This is important.  There are lots of chopping and dicing and the ingredients take different time to cook.  Best to prepare everything upfront and put them in the order in which you cook them.  This includes scrubbing and cleaning the shellfish and boiling a pot of water to blanch them.  I would do this part first.

THE SECRET IS IN THE POT.  You can keep the water that you use to blanch the shellfish or start a new pot of broth if the shellfish makes the broth too pungent.  I don't mind the clams, but sometime the mussels ruin the broth for me.  So, make sure you have a can of chicken broth handy if you don't want to use the blanching water.  Add a pinch of saffron to the broth and season with salt and pepper.  Keep the broth warm.  You will use it to cook the rice.

THE PAELLA ESSENTIAL.  Saute all the ingredients separately - I saute them with garlic - and season as you go.  Next, saute the chopped red onion and the green and red bell peppers, then add the diced tomato and juice (or the sofrito). Add salt and pepper.  Let it cook for a while before adding the uncooked rice.  Stir and add broth.  Cover, let it simmer.  Add more broth as needed.  You don't want uncooked burnt rice.  When the rice is done, start putting the ingredients on top.  Cover the pan and turn down the heat.  Add frozen peas last.  Then, garnish with parsley and lemon wedges before serving.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT.  I don't think my paella is perfect but I'm getting more comfortable making it.  I hope to ditch my cooking note one of these days when I make this dish.  The trick is to be organized and don't stress out. Cooking is just as enjoyable as eating.  Have a glass of wine while you cook.

Bon Appetit!  Or, should I say, ¡buen provecho!

Goodwill Hunting - III

Ta-Da!  See what else I have found in a Goodwill store! I found this little gadget at the Pinole Goodwill couple years ago and it was one of my best best find!!

What is it?  I was rummaging in a little corner and spotted this little odd shape box.  It was a six-sided box that contained a odd looking gadget.  It had 4 arms and a little window on the body to let you see the mechanism inside.

It had a long screw hidden in the bottom half, so I figured it must be a wine bottle opener. But, why so elaborate?  How does it work?  What the heck!  Since it was only $1.99, I figured I could buy it without feeling like a fool.

It was solidly built and made in Finland.  No instructions.  Are we supposed to just know how to use this thing?  I know, I know... don't bother to drink, if you can't figure out how to use this thing.  Well, it took me about 3 bottles to figure out.  Basically, you have to know the sequence of moving the arms.  Once you get the hang of it, it is too easy to use.  All bottles can be opened in less than 5 seconds even the most stubborn ones.  And, it spits out the cork effortlessly too!!  Wow!!

This is how it works:

1. Make sure all the arms are in upright position.
2. Secure the bottom half to the bottle by pushing it down.   You will hear a click.

3. Push the two short arms down together.

4. Then, push the two long arms down.  When the long arms are pushed down, the short ones go back up by itself.

5. Now, push the long arms back up.  And as you do that, the cork pops out!!

Voila!

Isn't it cool?  I love to show off this toy.  A great conversation piece and makes people work for their drink.  Yap, there is no such thing as an easy drink!!


This time: Suts scores one!