Monthly Archives: April 2009
Morning Cooking
It’s been a productive morning, starting around 9:00am. I’ve done my laundry, cooked oatmeal for my breakfast, and embarked on the culinary journey touched on in the last post. The objective was to throw together my version of Allen Lim’s Rice Cakes, chilling them over the course of the day, so I will be able to eat them for tomorrow’s ride. This would be my first time working with sushi rice, since I usually leave that job to the pros.
I assembled three eggs (scrambled together), a cup of short grain sushi rice, my Canadian bacon, olive oil, and sea salt. First step was cooking the rice. The procedure differs from your standard rice cooking in that the rice starts by soaking in it’s water for about 30 minutes. (Usually, for long grain rice, I’ll boil water, then add the rice, then simmer.) You’ll then bring the rice to a boil before turning it to simmer for another 20 minutes. A little longer procedure, but it yielded a really beautiful, fluffy and sticky pot of rice. I removed the lid to make sure it wouldn’t over-steam and over-cook itself as I moved into the other parts of the recipe.
Next was scrambling the eggs. I broke them up into pretty small pieces, the goal being an easy to eat final product. Also on hand was my Canadian bacon, nicely chopped up into bite size pieces as well. So, once the components were prepped and ready, it was time to assemble. I had my silicone brownie pan coated with olive oil and sea salt waiting, and transferred my pot of rice here to start things off. Add the eggs and bacon, and mix well, insuring all parts are equally and evenly dispersed. I like consistency in my cycling food, getting the same thing with each bike and minimizing surprises. I rather concentrate on the road instead of my food. Once mixed well, I shaped it all into a perfect rectangle, about an inch and a half tall. It’s pretty amazing how well the sushi rice keeps it’s form, even when warm.
And that was it – quite easy. I set some wax paper over the top, and threw it into the fridge. I’m excited to see how well it all hardens up, and what will happen to the form factor after it’s been in a jersey pocket for a while. You, and I, will have to wait until tomorrow to find out.
Today will be a good day. I go to work this afternoon, from 2:00pm to 9:00pm. Afterward, I’m heading over to Steven and Emily’s place (aka my future home) to make pizza in the earthen oven and drink homebrew. That should be a blast. There’s been some ideas tossed around about starting a nonprofit, and we’re planning on talking about that too this evening. I can’t have too much homebrew though, because I need to be on the bike at 7:30am tomorrow morning. I’ve accomplished some pretty grand physical feats in a very hungover state, but I don’t really like it. I want to be nice to my body.
Arch Linux
[This might sound a little nerdy, skip ahead if you're not into it.]
A linux-based operating system can come in many, many different flavors. It can be as easy, or as difficult to install as you want it to be; but like most things in life, the more work you put into it, the more you seem to get out. I’ve been an exclusive linux user for the last five years or so – it works remarkably better than anything you can pay for, and I like the freedom of open-source software. I’ve used almost every major “easy” distribution out there – fedora, suse, and eventually stuck with k/x/ubuntu for quite a while. Recently though, I’ve wanted more from my computing environment – something more efficient and tailor made to my preferences.
I thought about installing Arch Linux for about a day – which is a good 23 hours longer than I usually think about things before I jump in. Arch is linux without training wheels – command line installation and command line base system – just streamlined essentials at the very cutting edge of the linux world. It does have the backing of great documentation, an active community, and a pretty stellar package manager, avoiding the complications of compiling your own packages. So I took the plunge. Installation took me a while, and was quite the learning experience, since I needed to do everything on wireless internet (thanks neighbor). But I can connect to anything out there with just a command line now… Before my eyes, the OS started to take form. First came a few ext4 partitions, then simple graphics, simple window management, multiple desktops arranged on a rotating cube, and my essential programs. Everything can be controlled with a few keystrokes – no uglytask-bars or icons taking up screen space.
It’s fast. The only things running are the programs I use and need – nothing else is there. It’s efficiency keeps my power usage low, making my battery last longer. I can now call myself an intermediate-level linux user – I know the config files, networking, how hardware and software interface – all of the gritty details.
[Begin non-nerdy section]
So, that occupied a good day and a half of intense learning and concentration. I was at work late on Sunday night – the idea was to move the store around while the carpets were cleaned, but the cleaners never showed, so we just readjusted things a bit. We’ve been short on man-power for quite a while, and needed the extra effort to get things back in order. Monday was an off day, and heavy on the project detailed above. I have a great neighborhood for projects like that – caffeine and tacos always in close proximity.
And that brings me to today. I woke up early this morning, feeling inspired to ride my bicycle. I was bundled up by cycling standards, because it was cold by “April in Texas” standards. (mid-40s) At least it was sunny. On the road at 8:00am, I got in a pleasant two hours – just long enough for my fingers to get cold. A shower later, I’m back at Clementine for coffee and internet. My neighbor’s connection has been a bit unstable lately… I go to work this evening. I’m working evenings all this week, actually, which should allow for some good riding, and hopefully a good week for the never ending employment search.
Favorite Recipes
I like to cook, and I like to branch out of cooking comfort zone quite a bit, trying new ingredients and such. However, I do have one pasta dish that seems to always make it’s way into my kitchen from time to time. The recipe comes from a very uninspiring “weeknight pasta” cookbook my mom has, where it’s certainly the hidden gem. I never write down the ingredients, so every time I feel the urge to prepare the dish I have to call her. It’s a nice touch too.
1 frying pan, 1 pot, and about 20 minutes – that’s all it takes. It’s a really simple smoked salmon and asparagus fettuccine. Using:
- Fresh spinach fettuccine
- Asparagus, cut into bite-size pieces
- 3 tbs. of butter
- 1 cup of cream
- 5oz of smoked salmon, cut into bite-size pieces
- Green onion, chopped
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Lemon zest to taste
- Salt n’ pepper to taste
Take your big pot, and boil a decent amount of water, for blanching the asparagus and cooking the pasta. Once boiling, throw the asparagus in and boil it for a few minutes (no more than 5). Then pull the pieces out with a slotted spoon, transfer to a strainer, and run some cold water over it to stop cooking. Now throw your pasta into the boiling green water. While the pasta is cooking, melt your butter in a second frying pan, and give your asparagus a quick pan fry, just enough to coat them with butter. Then add all your other ingredients, except for the parsley, to the pan and give it a good stir. Don’t forget about the pasta, and once it’s drained properly, toss it back into the big pot. Pour the salmon and asparagus sauce over the pasta, and give it all a good toss. Throw on some fresh parsley, season to taste, and your ready to eat.
There you go, mom. I’ll still call, but I won’t need to hastle you for your recipe anymore.
I go back to work this afternoon. I’ve had two days off, but it’s felt like two weeks. I’ve been productive during my time away. I applied to a position at the Lance Armstrong Foundation that seems tailored made to me, and I have my fingers and toes crossed that they feel the same way. I’m still actively pursuing other opportunities too, just to keep myself open every possiblity, but the LAF is definitely my priority.
