Text 1156, 141 rader
Skriven 2006-05-03 13:11:40 av Glen Jamieson
     Kommentar till en text av Carol Shenkenberger
Ärende: CHICKEN 472 60503
=========================
 -=> Quoting Carol Shenkenberger to Glen Jamieson <=-

 GJ> I bought a "Boiler hen" the other day.  At only $2.20 it was cheap,
 GJ> but that wasn't my reason for choosing it.  I wanted to cook an
 GJ> Indonesian dish which required long cooking before the chicken became
 GJ> tender enough to eat, so that the spicy sauce could penetrate deeply
 CS> Yes.  You want a 'free range' (or near it older hen) for that.  Thats
 CS> what i normally get although our meat eating is lower than most so
 CS> cornish hens creap in.

I think this one was an ex-layer; larger than the athletic Indonesian
free range variety, and lacking flavour, but it took the spicing well.
 
 CS> definately go for the pre-peeled garlic.  That one is a major
 GJ> That is a useful pre-prep.  I wonder how it is done...

 CS> Grin, it's done by hand here.  I see them doing it all the time.  The
 CS> 'family is all' here and older relatives are highly valued but they
 CS> also continue forever making whatever contribution they can.  If they

The ability of old relatives to continue to contribute to the family
is very important to them, to retain self-esteem.  (Just ask me!)

 CS> cant stand to tend an active store, they are sitting on a pallet or on
 CS> a padded stool, peeling things while the younger generation does the

At the local Asian grocery I sometimes see granny out the back, tieing
up garlic chives and kungkong into bundles, so I know what you see.

 CS> more active part.  So, for a 10% increase in price (nominal when
 CS> getting just 100yen worth anyways) I get much pleasure and 'face' with
 CS> the local people by the way I shop. 

Shopping for food in local markets is the most effective way of
getting to know a society.  A morning spent buying and learning how to
prepare unfamiliar vegetables and fruit is very satisfying, and you
know that next time you return you will be welcomed.

Sometimes amusing incidents occur.  One time in PNG I bought a piece
of aromatic, cinnamon-like bark, but the seller, and her friends
nearby just got giggles when I asked her how to use it. Later, my
house girl told me it was used as magic to attract someone of the
opposite sex - you chew it and spit it in the direction of the other
person, and s/he will find you irresistable!

 CS> Convience foods in the states are a 200% markup.  In Japan, it's done
 CS> by hand at the food stall in spare time and is normally 10% increase. 
 CS> I might add, I get 'same price as Japanese housewife' here.  Thats why
 CS> it can be cheaper as well as more fun to shop at Tonoo market for me.

Vendors can easily tell the difference between the tourist who just
wants to buy a souvenir ("How quaint!") and the "one of us" housewife.
 
 GJ> courses to prepare volunteers for culture differences between

 CS>   Once we get here to Sasebo, we get a 5 day
 CS> class but 3 days of it is probably what the base has to offer.  Like
 CS> most who assimulated well, I learned it on my own after they said 'dont
 CS> be scared, just go out and have a smile and expect some things to be
 CS> different'. 

It helps a lot to have your kind of willingness to learn and like.

 CS> We have nothing to help us re-acquaint back to stateside changes and
 CS> i'm slightly concerned.  All that 9/11 homesecurity stuff happened
 CS> after I moved to Japan.  (Homeside security?  Homeland Security?  One
 CS> of those names). 

Yes, you have to prepare yourself for general, but subtle changes to
USA which have occurred since then.  Having visited there before and
after 9/11 and Iraq, I have noticed changes.  Mostly not good ones.

 GJ> connections and friends to associate with when you return.  From
 GJ> reading your postings recently you appear to be preparing yourself
 GJ> well.  Hopefully your family also.
 CS> Hope so!  Charlotte is the one i am worried about.  Stateside school
 CS> system at grade 8 for the first time since grade 1 graduation.

She will probably be horrified at the way the cult of violence has
infiltrated school life there, as compared with Japanese customs.
 
 CS> Grin, I will be fine.  Don should be ok once he finds a good bar again

That would be quite important, if he could find some drinking mates to
spend time with while he learns about life in modern USA.

 CS> be too wild).  His first bar may be a hit of luck again as the
 CS> management drove out the young bikers and are anathma on drugs and the
 CS> heavey levening of retired military and active means it will probably
 CS> match his conversation needs. 

That sounds suitable.  Ex-military types who can speak his language.

 CS> I guess it sounds silly, but to me, thats a part of the process to go
 CS> back to the USA, to find a place for Don to have a beer in
 CS> comfort-level and chat with folks and make new friends.  Oh and he's

Definitely not "silly"!  That is very important.

 CS> Charotte's most recent talk is more about bullies.  She's got some
 CS> like any kid has.  Not happy at alln about that but we talked about it.

If she can continue to talk to you about whatever worries her, she
should survive even entering into that alien society at the critical
age of 12.  It won't be easy for her, though.

On a different subject, I read that Australia has ordered the building
of 2 new amphibious naval ships, as being the most effective way of
dealing with emergencies and natural disasters in our region, such as
tsunamis, volcanos, earthquakes - the sort of naval function that you
would have become familiar with.

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05
 
      Title: Earthquake Cake/a
 Categories: Cakes, Newsgroups, May.rec
      Yield: 4 Servings
 
      1 c  Coconut
      1 c  Chopped pecans
      1 pk German chocolate cake mix
      1 lb Confectioners' sugar
    1/2 c  Butter or margarine
           ;melted
      8 oz Cream cheese
           ;softened
 
  Spread coconut and pecans on bottom of greased 9x13 pan. Make cake
  batter according to package directions. Pour onto coconut and pecans.
  Mix sugar, butter and cream cheese together and pour on top of cake
  batter. Do not spread. Bake at 350 F for 40-50 minutes.
  
  From: "Johnson" <recipes@caymandesigns.
 
MMMMM
 

___ Blue Wave/DOS v2.30 [NR]

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 * Origin: Braintap BBS Adelaide Australia (3:800/449)