GLOBAL TUNA
Toasted Russian Rye Bread
Can of Tuna Guys' White Albacore
approx. 3 Tbsp Mayonnaise (full strength, Sir Gawain)
approx. 3 Tbsp Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce (gives the sandwich about three chiles on the five chile scale)
approx. 1 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce (next time I will use nuoc mam)
Blend ingredients with a fork until the mixture takes on a salmon color. Serve and feel the glow.
Thursday, December 16, 2004
Saturday, November 20, 2004
Hopkin Green Frog
Him name is ...
One of the funniest -- and most zen -- websites I have seen in a long time. The syntax will stay with you forever!
http://lostfrog.org
One of the funniest -- and most zen -- websites I have seen in a long time. The syntax will stay with you forever!
http://lostfrog.org
Tuesday, November 09, 2004
Off the Core
Off the Core
A bit of scripture for those who purport to know the will of God and impose it on others.
"If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch."
Matthew 15:14
A bit of scripture for those who purport to know the will of God and impose it on others.
"If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch."
Matthew 15:14
Wednesday, November 03, 2004
Yuck...
Four more years of bluster, bravado, bile and backstabbing.
Buckeyes...what is WRONG with you?
Buckeyes...what is WRONG with you?
Thursday, October 28, 2004
A Banner Week!
Two posts in one day...
But that's not the reason this is a banner week. No, this is the week that we have had two GREAT names in the news.
First, the ammunition dump named "al Qaqaa."
And now, the following from the Chicago Tribune:
FBI agents this week sought permission to interview Bunnatine Greenhouse, the Army Corps of Engineers' chief contracting officer who went public last weekend with allegations that her agency unfairly awarded KBR, a Halliburton subsidiary, no-bid contracts worth billions of dollars for work in Iraq, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.
Bunnatine Greenhouse. Gotta learn more about her!
But that's not the reason this is a banner week. No, this is the week that we have had two GREAT names in the news.
First, the ammunition dump named "al Qaqaa."
And now, the following from the Chicago Tribune:
FBI agents this week sought permission to interview Bunnatine Greenhouse, the Army Corps of Engineers' chief contracting officer who went public last weekend with allegations that her agency unfairly awarded KBR, a Halliburton subsidiary, no-bid contracts worth billions of dollars for work in Iraq, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.
Bunnatine Greenhouse. Gotta learn more about her!
Quote of the Day
From The New York Times, October 28, 2004, regarding al Qaqaa:
"This investigation is important and it's ongoing," [Bush] said, "and a political candidate who jumps to conclusions without knowing the facts is not a person you want as your commander in chief."
Let's see ...
Saddam's "irrefutable support of al Qaeda"
"Weapons of mass destruction" in Iraq
Promulgation of the Patriot Act "solution to terrorism"
You know, for once, I agree with George Bush: "...a political candidate who jumps to conclusions without knowing the facts" is NOT a person I want as our commander in chief.
"This investigation is important and it's ongoing," [Bush] said, "and a political candidate who jumps to conclusions without knowing the facts is not a person you want as your commander in chief."
Let's see ...
Saddam's "irrefutable support of al Qaeda"
"Weapons of mass destruction" in Iraq
Promulgation of the Patriot Act "solution to terrorism"
You know, for once, I agree with George Bush: "...a political candidate who jumps to conclusions without knowing the facts" is NOT a person I want as our commander in chief.
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
Hot Tamales -- Rio Rancho, NM
A few weeks ago, we were driving through Rio Rancho (don't ask...) before heading west to Gallup and decided to pull into Hot Tamales for an early lunch.
I'll admit that I was dubious. The name, for one thing, and the logo screamed "contrived." From the street, the restaurant looks like any number of small Tex-Mex chains in Texas, an impression that was only slightly improved once we were inside and realized that the servers were human rather than chain-trained waitrons.
But my concerns quickly vanished when the food began to arrive. Hot Tamales serves very creditable, verging on outstanding, basic New Mexican food. Their green chile stew and the green chile sauce on my combination plate were as good as any I have had. The chiles rellenos were also very good, although the restaurant uses pre-prepared chiles. The same is true (on both counts) for the tamales ... very good, even though the tamales themselves are prepared by a third party.
Hot Tamales is co-owned by Stephen Gallegos, who is also the chef. His partner, a woman whose name I didn't write down, was the house manager the day we were there. She was charming, helpful and eager to please.
If you are in the area, I highly recommend you check this relatively new place out.
Hot Tamales
1520 Rio Rancho Blvd.
Rio Rancho, NM
505/962-0123
I'll admit that I was dubious. The name, for one thing, and the logo screamed "contrived." From the street, the restaurant looks like any number of small Tex-Mex chains in Texas, an impression that was only slightly improved once we were inside and realized that the servers were human rather than chain-trained waitrons.
But my concerns quickly vanished when the food began to arrive. Hot Tamales serves very creditable, verging on outstanding, basic New Mexican food. Their green chile stew and the green chile sauce on my combination plate were as good as any I have had. The chiles rellenos were also very good, although the restaurant uses pre-prepared chiles. The same is true (on both counts) for the tamales ... very good, even though the tamales themselves are prepared by a third party.
Hot Tamales is co-owned by Stephen Gallegos, who is also the chef. His partner, a woman whose name I didn't write down, was the house manager the day we were there. She was charming, helpful and eager to please.
If you are in the area, I highly recommend you check this relatively new place out.
Hot Tamales
1520 Rio Rancho Blvd.
Rio Rancho, NM
505/962-0123
Saturday, October 09, 2004
New Indian Favorite in Plano, TX -- Chettinaad Palace
A post of mine from Chowhound.com...
A few weeks ago, I was waiting in the check-out line (which consisted of two of us) at my local Indian grocery (India Gate) when I struck up a conversation with a gentleman about which Indian restaurant in Plano was his favorite. He mentioned several, but he said that his favorite is Chettinaad Palace, located on the west side of Central Expressway (75), between Parker and Park in Plano.
This week, I finally got a chance to try the place -- twice -- both times for the lunch buffet ($7.95 weekdays and $9.95 weekends). Yes, I know that buffets are not the best way to judge a restaurant's food, but this buffet was so good that I decided I would post about it before trying their a la carte dinners and thalis.
Chettinaad (according to the restaurant's website www.chettinaadpalace.com) is a region in the Tamil-Nadu state in Southeast India. The food is not the run-of-the-mill "generic" North Indian food found in many of the Indian restaurants in the DFW area. To be sure, many of the "usual suspects" -- tandooris, chicken tikka masala, vindaloo -- are listed on the menu, and I am sure they are all competent preparations. But the food here includes regional specialties that really shine...13 varieties of dosas, for example, and vegetable curries like Chettinaad Kara Kulambu made with okra or eggplant. The Chettinaad preparations seem to highlight a different set of spices from those commonly found in North Indian dishes: curry leaves and bay leaves, for example, along with star anise, and coconut in varied forms. While the flavors are assertive -- you can definitely pick out the flavors of individual spices -- the seasonings aren't as pervasive as in many North Indian dishes. Also, the use of chilis and cayenne pepper seems to be very restrained. Even the dishes described as "spicy" are not in the same range as, say, an average rogan josh at North Indian restaurants
On both of my visits this week, there was a very large assortment of dishes on the buffet. The offerings start with sambar; proceed through steamed rice patties and (today, Sunday) lentil donuts for dipping; followed by at least six different vegetable dishes; then, naan, white rice and a vegetable biryani; and finishing with four meat/chicken/fish dishes. Today's meat dishes included curried goat liver, which I think must be one of the prime reasons Chettinaad is a heavily vegetarian region of the country. : ) (To be fair, I didn't try it. To be candid, I don't think I ever will!) There is a good assortment of chutneys, pickles and raita on the buffet, as well, and there were two desserts today -- mango ice cream and a whipped cream with citrus flavors. In addition to the food on the steam table, each diner is offered a freshly prepared dosa -- a thin, crispy crepe folded over a potato and onion filling. In my opinion, the dosa alone is worth the price of the buffet.
The restaurant is nicely, if simply, decorated. On the Thursday we were there, our water glasses were filled often and plates were removed promptly. At Sunday lunch, the restaurant was much more crowded (completely full around 2 p.m.) and busing was understandably slower. Service was friendly and polite at both lunches. The lunchtime crowd during the week seems to be a mix of Indians and non-Indians from offices in the area. The Sunday crowd was almost entirely Indian families or groups of friends. My wife and I were the only non-Indian diners when we ate there today.
Chettinaad Palace doesn't have a liquor license, but permits diners to bring their own beer and wine.
My favorite Indian restaurant in Plano is still Sitar, but Chettinaad Palace is a very close second. I'll be back to try the dinner menu soon.
CHETTINAAD PALACE
2205 N. Central Expressway (near the Original Pancake House and next to the unfortunate Cafe de France on the southbound service road)
Plano, TX 75075
Phone: 469.229.9100
www.chettinaadpalace.com
Note: Closed Tuesdays
A few weeks ago, I was waiting in the check-out line (which consisted of two of us) at my local Indian grocery (India Gate) when I struck up a conversation with a gentleman about which Indian restaurant in Plano was his favorite. He mentioned several, but he said that his favorite is Chettinaad Palace, located on the west side of Central Expressway (75), between Parker and Park in Plano.
This week, I finally got a chance to try the place -- twice -- both times for the lunch buffet ($7.95 weekdays and $9.95 weekends). Yes, I know that buffets are not the best way to judge a restaurant's food, but this buffet was so good that I decided I would post about it before trying their a la carte dinners and thalis.
Chettinaad (according to the restaurant's website www.chettinaadpalace.com) is a region in the Tamil-Nadu state in Southeast India. The food is not the run-of-the-mill "generic" North Indian food found in many of the Indian restaurants in the DFW area. To be sure, many of the "usual suspects" -- tandooris, chicken tikka masala, vindaloo -- are listed on the menu, and I am sure they are all competent preparations. But the food here includes regional specialties that really shine...13 varieties of dosas, for example, and vegetable curries like Chettinaad Kara Kulambu made with okra or eggplant. The Chettinaad preparations seem to highlight a different set of spices from those commonly found in North Indian dishes: curry leaves and bay leaves, for example, along with star anise, and coconut in varied forms. While the flavors are assertive -- you can definitely pick out the flavors of individual spices -- the seasonings aren't as pervasive as in many North Indian dishes. Also, the use of chilis and cayenne pepper seems to be very restrained. Even the dishes described as "spicy" are not in the same range as, say, an average rogan josh at North Indian restaurants
On both of my visits this week, there was a very large assortment of dishes on the buffet. The offerings start with sambar; proceed through steamed rice patties and (today, Sunday) lentil donuts for dipping; followed by at least six different vegetable dishes; then, naan, white rice and a vegetable biryani; and finishing with four meat/chicken/fish dishes. Today's meat dishes included curried goat liver, which I think must be one of the prime reasons Chettinaad is a heavily vegetarian region of the country. : ) (To be fair, I didn't try it. To be candid, I don't think I ever will!) There is a good assortment of chutneys, pickles and raita on the buffet, as well, and there were two desserts today -- mango ice cream and a whipped cream with citrus flavors. In addition to the food on the steam table, each diner is offered a freshly prepared dosa -- a thin, crispy crepe folded over a potato and onion filling. In my opinion, the dosa alone is worth the price of the buffet.
The restaurant is nicely, if simply, decorated. On the Thursday we were there, our water glasses were filled often and plates were removed promptly. At Sunday lunch, the restaurant was much more crowded (completely full around 2 p.m.) and busing was understandably slower. Service was friendly and polite at both lunches. The lunchtime crowd during the week seems to be a mix of Indians and non-Indians from offices in the area. The Sunday crowd was almost entirely Indian families or groups of friends. My wife and I were the only non-Indian diners when we ate there today.
Chettinaad Palace doesn't have a liquor license, but permits diners to bring their own beer and wine.
My favorite Indian restaurant in Plano is still Sitar, but Chettinaad Palace is a very close second. I'll be back to try the dinner menu soon.
CHETTINAAD PALACE
2205 N. Central Expressway (near the Original Pancake House and next to the unfortunate Cafe de France on the southbound service road)
Plano, TX 75075
Phone: 469.229.9100
www.chettinaadpalace.com
Note: Closed Tuesdays
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)