Duck Confit Anyone?

I love food but not all food.  Duck for one not my favorite.  Actually, I don't think I like chicken, ducks, geese, quails (animals with feathers and two skinny legs I guess) as much as I like animals with thick muscles and walk on fours.  But food is food.  They all taste good if you cook them right.

Oh sorry, I digress...

What's duck confit?  Confit is an ancient cooking method by which meat is marinated and cooked in low temperature.   It's then preserve in fat.  Fat will keep the bacteria out and the meat can be kept - without refrigeration - for a long period of time and still maintain its moisture.  NOT like jerky.

Duck is a perfect confit ingredient because it is meaty, tender and it can be perfectly preserved in its own fat.

The French got it right and they made duck confit the signature French dish.    

But duck fat?  Hmmmm...

I saw this duck leg confit recipe in SF Chronicle few weekends ago.  In the true California way, of course the duck confit got a twist.  Instead of being cooked in duck or other animal fat, the recipe called for extra-virgin olive oil.  Now we are talking!

It takes a week from start to finish to make duck confit but that is the intriguing part.  More intriguing is that the confit can be stored up to 6 months. Wow!

Boy, I'm so glad I tried!!  The preparation part was not hard at all.  The frying part required some patience - at least 90 minutes to two hours in 200 degrees (F) oil.  When done, store the confit in the same oil.  That's it.

Judging Time: I pan-fried the confit until the skin was brown and crispy.  I thought the meat was going to be tough and dry since it was fried for 2 hours!  What a pleasant surprise to discover that I actually made really good duck confit!  Dad asked why I only made two.  I told him that it was my first try and I didn't want to waste food if I goofed.  Well, I'm now ready to make duck confit in batches!!

What I've learned:  Always give food a try.  Learn to appreciate and enjoy the making part along with the eating part.  We human has a nice big mouth with multi-functional teeth, a complex sensory tongue and acute olfactory perception.  Use it!

Bon Appetit!

Angels Among Us

Mom and Dad met a very old couple at the park today.  They were walking slowly and the grandma using a walker.  Dad got up and offered them the bench so they could rest.  They sat down and chatted with mom and dad.  Then the grandpa reached into his pocket and took out this little angel.  He handed to mom and told her to keep it for good luck.

You know what?  I think mom and dad were blessed by angels today. 

A Mug Shot

I love searching for nice mugs at the thrift shops.  Finding one that I really love is like winning the lotto.

Somehow, using a mug I like makes the drink tastes better.  Really.

There are tons of mugs at the thrift shops.  Big, small, tall, short, ugly ones, cute ones... For some reasons, people love to get rid of mugs.  OK, I can understand the ones with logos or writings, but I can't figure out why nice ones too.

Maybe nice is subjective.  What's nice to me may not be nice to other people.  But fine quality should be universal.  Why would people throw away fine quality mugs?  Some of them are so new and no chips nor scratches too.

No complaints though.  My gain.  Over the years, I have found mugs that makes me happy.  Best of all, these mugs cost less than a cup of coffee each.  See the blue heart mug on the right?  It's a Japanese fine bone porcelain and I got it for 49 cents.  The tall tumbler in the back was either 99 cents or $1.99.  It gets me 10 cents off per cup of coffee for using my own mug.  I got my money back already.  It used to be purple.  The purple layer of film peeled off over time.  I ended up stripping it off and it's now a silver tumbler.  The Starbucks mugs cost a bundle at the stores.  Not at the thrift stores though.  They are all priced the same and wait for people to rediscover them again.

Go mug hunting next time, peeps.  You never know what you will find.

Happy 2013!!

So on January 1 2012, I set off to start my project 365.  One picture a day.  Now, how hard could that be?  Well, it was harder than anticipated.  I only had taken 208 photos for the project.  Oh, and 2012 was a leap year so there were actually 366 days.

So, I didn't do well.  I had excuses but ultimately it was my own doing.  It took determination, dedication and discipline.  I didn't own it.  Oh well, what happened happened.  I just have to make sure that I don't repeat myself going forward.

Nothing is easy even if it's the simplest task if you are not determined to keep it up.

Though an incomplete project, I've learned something.  Spotting beauty around us.  Beauty is everywhere.

No, I will not try this Project 365 thing again.  Once is enough but it was a learning experience.

Happy New Year Everyone.  Make everyday count!!

A Somber December

This year, Christmas lights are less bright.  Caroling less joyful.  Cheers are less loud.  Too many unexpected sad events have happened this December.

Jenny is gone.  Can't believe the vibrant Jenny left us abruptly.   It was supposed to be a very happy month for the Keng sisters.  They were getting together, girls only, to celebrate Jean's birthday.  Sheila arrived SF on the 7th.  We had dinner.  We talked to Jenny on the phone.  She said she was so looking forward to Sheila's visit to Santa Fe the next day and the birthday bash in Las Vegas the week after. Then, on the 8th, Jean got the call.  Jenny was gone. She left behind her husband, son, brothers and sisters.  Her passing was so sudden and everyone was left shocked and speechless.

Jenny was buried yesterday, December 19, 2012, in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Grieving in Newton, CT.  A week before the Christmas weekend.  Kids and adults were getting ready for the holidays.  So much planning, so much joy, so looking forward to the celebrations. Then, on December 14, 2012, a gunman opened fire in an elementary school taking away lives of 20 innocent kids and 6 adults.  In matter of minutes, joy, hope, future and life were robbed by the most unthinkable.  So sad.  So hurt.  So senseless.

20 kid beds are now empty.  26 families will have a heartbroken Christmas.

Sadness in Oregon.  The Newton shooting dominated the news.  However, a few days before on December 11, 2012, innocent Christmas shoppers were killed by a gunman in cold blood in a Oregon mall.  They did not do anything wrong.  They were simply there at the wrong time.   These people had no idea that they would never return home again.  My heart ached for the loved ones who survived.  Now, there will be empty seats at Christmas dinner tables, and Christmas presents that will not be exchanged and opened.

世事無常.   Yes, things can happen any time any day but somehow these recent sad happenings hit me more than usual.  Perhaps it was because these people did not have a chance to say goodbyes.  They were just going about doing their business.  We are not supposed to leave this world in the middle of cooking, shopping, teaching and learning.  No.  It's not supposed to be like this especially during a month when all people look forward to is peace, joy, warm thoughts and happy plans.

Hard to say Merry Christmas to all but I guess life has to go on until the day we are gone.