Cooking Fish

I seem to be on a food kick these past few weeks.  I never intended for this to become a food blog, and I'm sure my interest in writing about food will wan once I have other things to talk about.  Travis and I are trying not to gad about to much right now - because we are coming to Saskatoon in 11 days! 

Growing up, I always hated fish.  It had a funny texture - and just tasted, well, fishy.  I remember my best friend in elementary school and I discussing how much we hated fish, and she suggested I try dipping it in Ranch dressing.  So it came that (much to my mother's chagrin) any time she cooked fish I would either refuse to eat it, or completely cover it in Ranch dressing.  Tastes change however, as they should once you start to mature.  I've started eating mushrooms, and *SHOCK!* I've discovered that I may actually like fish!  Here's the problem though - years of avoiding anything that once had fins means that I am woefully uneducated in the ways of cooking fish.  I have no idea what a "done" piece of fish looks like.  Do I bake it? Fry it? Grill it? For how long?  Do different types of fish cook differently?

It isn't like I haven't tried looking it up - most recipes include a marinade, or a sauce, and then say something like "and then cook until done".  If I knew how to do that, I probably wouldn't need the recipe much, now would I sport?

When it comes right down to it, I guess the old adage of "practice makes perfect" will have to come into play.  Either that, or I'll just have to call and ask Mom.  Hopefully I can learn fast enough that she doesn't start answering the phone like she did when I first moved away for University.  I'd call, she would see that it was me, and instead of saying "hello" she would answer with: "350 for 45 minutes".

Wish me luck!

Food

One thing I've discovered since being in Japan is that I love to try new recipes.  Not only that, but I love to create new recipes - look in the cupboard or the fridge and throw things together that you think might work well together.  Over the past few months I've had a couple of great successes (The kabobs from the previous post point in fact), and a couple of edible-disasters.  I call them edible disasters because though we ate them (and Travis even said some of them were good, bless his heart) I would never make them again.

The stuffed peppers and the shrimp fried rice turned out rather well, if I do say so myself.  I have learned a few things though.


1) You CAN overuse Worchestershire sauce.  Small doses only
2) Saffron is extremely overrated.
3) Garlic can basically be put in everything
4) Everything is better with bell peppers
5) Celery goes bad faster than two people can eat it.

Happy Cooking! :)

Summertime is here!

summertime is upon us - and I have the proof!

 

Travis broke out the grill skills. We may have the smallest back yard on the planet (note the fence about 4 feet away) but we can do the summertime grilling with the best of them!

The Kabobs turned out really well, and I think part of it was the marinade I used on the meat.  I discovered it online, and decided to try it out.

 Beef Marinade

I didn't blend the marinade, I just stirred it together, and it turned out WONDERFULLY.  I may use it as my go to marinade any time I cook beef from now on! (Of course some of credit has to go to Travis for the excellent cooking.)  

YAY for Summer!

Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival

This past Saturday Travis and I drove across the country to Hirosaki.  We wanted to experience their Cherry Blossom festival.  It was only 120 km to Hirosaki from Misawa (75 miles), and being the Saskatchewan girl that I am I figured it would take about an hour, maybe an hour and a half to get there.  Unfortunately for me, Japan is not nearly as flat as Saskatchewan.  We decided to avoid the toll roads, and take the scenic route through the mountains.  It was a beautiful drive, and we were able to enjoy the mountains, rushing streams, and all the newly green growing things.  However, an hour long drive it wasn't!  Due to the amount of switch backs, curves, and just driving up (and down) the mountains it took us about 2.5 - 3 hours to get to Hirosaki.  It may have been faster to take the toll roads and highways, but the views we got through the mountains more than made up for the longer drive!

I'd love to say that the day was perfect, not a cloud in the sky or whisper of wind.  Of course, if I said that, I'd be a liar! It was cloudy, a bit windy, and a tad drizzly in Hirosaki by the time we got there.  We found a parking spot and got out and spent about 4 hours wandering the Hirosaki park and castle grounds. 

I'll let you be the judge, but I think it was well worth the crappy weather and drive!  I'd do it again in a heart beat.

 ~Kristen

 You can see some of the rain drops in the water, but mostly I just love how the trees canopy over the castle moat.

 I want someone to row me around on a rowboat under there.  I would eat bon bons and write poetry and drink of nothing but red wine.

 All those beautiful cherry blossoms... and all I keep noticing are the dandelions
!

 My attempt at being artistic!

 The inner castle moat. (from the outside).

 If only those blossoms were just a little bit more in bloom, I think this picture would have been about perfect.

 Overlooking the castle inner moat (from the inside) up on the hill.

 Smiling in the rain!