To each his own.

"To each his own," said the old lady as she kissed the cow.

I heard that old saying often as a kid. I understood it to mean that each person has a right to his/her own preferences. All well and good. But, I'm not going to discuss what it means in today's society. God help us. (That's not an old saying, I mean it.)

I'm using "to each his own" today to refer to the unique (to my experience at least) foods that cultures around the world enjoy. I've done several posts in the past about my interest in expanding my own knowledge of incredible edibles. Here is another one. I'm enjoying these because I'm in a place where Asian markets are common. I'll bet that any of you who have the opportunity to visit an Asian Market where you live could find these very products. 

The sapota is quite fibrous. Have a couple and you'll have no need of metamucil. 

The rambutan are sort of crunchy. 

 This stuff surprised me as I sipped it the first time. (an understatement) Strong and smoky. Tangy. Sweet. A bit too much for me at the suggested dilution.  I add about twice the water and find it more palatable. Good hot or cold.

I can't tell you how much fun it is to wander the aisles of a market and come across things like this. Gotta try it. 

And here it is. Flaky dough. Slightly sweet dense filling. I used the microwave to heat it. The oven would have made the pastry even flakier. Thumbs up

 Do you think tofu is bland? This is dried tofu. It has the consistancy of a sponge. But cut it or break it into chunks and add it to soup and it makes a very light textured bit. (of sponge) 

I don't have the 'guts' to try this one. In learning about this though, I came across a video that was made by a Japanese guy who really 'Loves this one'. He is a bit of a character. I can identify with him to a degree. I think I like anchovies the way he likes salted squid guts.

Watch him if you care (dare) to.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYw0LGJj030

Oh, I also wanted to mention about the Shochu he talks about and drinks in his video. I tried a New Zealand version of it called Mana Shochu. It's made from kumara, a type of sweet-potato. It was good, something like a vodka, but I didn't know I should try it with hot water. Dianne, are you up for trying a hot drink with Jeanne and me soon?

http://www.manashuzou.co.nz/

I've talked before about reading about cassava as a kid. 

The cake roll is wrapped in a banana leaf much like khou tom is, but khou tom is rice and this is much denser. It's only slightly sweet and has the consistency of a very thick paste. Worth trying.It's one of those foods that is so bland that it's not very interesting except that it's ...

Steamed Cassava Wrapped in Banana Leaves!! Wow!!

The world is full of odd flavors. This was slightly medicinal, sort of.

Pine nut cookies. Very nice little flakey things that go well with tea. Or coffee. Or milk. Haven't tried them with Smoked Plum Drink yet.  -djf

Walking School Busses

Not long after we moved to Harvest Drive, we got a flyer in our mailbox that announced that a local group of parents was considering starting a 'walking schoolbus' and asked us to call or email if we were interested in being part of the planning group. We weren't. But it's a fine idea.  Walking schoolbusses follow a set route and pass by each location at a given time. They're manned by parents or caregivers of any sort and provide a safe way for little ones to get to and from school.  

Since that time, we have seen some of these walking schoolbuses in operation. Today's short post shows an example. 

They can stretch out to be quite a long bus...

Cute, huh? Many times, the kids are not on their way to school, they may be on their way to a special event taking place during school hours. Teachers only may be leading them, but parents or other volunteers may also help out. 

This one is happening in downtown Auckland. Note the tags on each kid. Lots of volunteers visible for this outing. 

Now, this group you see approaching is of another sort. They're adults.  We've noticed that there are many walking groups in the area, and of course they show a resemblence to the walking schoolbuses, except for the difference in ages. These are mostly retired folks. Well, there's safety in numbers for them too.    -djf

A new find in Newmarket.

Allie and the boys are camping on Piha Beach. She has pictures up on facebook to prove it. Meanwhile...back at the ranch...Jeanne and I are unsupervised. So what do we do?  We hop a train and go try a new cafe for lunch. Well, it's new to us anyway.  We spotted it on our last trip to Newmarket, but then had just eaten lunch at No. 1 Chicken. I'm pleased to say, after having lunch at Tasca today, that it surpassed our expectations. 

Tasca is a beautiful place. It's located half way down the shady side of a block of other restaurants and shops. Maybe it was just shady because of the big tree in front of it. At any rate, It looks comfortable and it is.  Let me show you...

Jeanne and I love the memories of our trips to Madrid, so we are suckers when it comes to any place that claims to be 'Spanish.'  We've tried several...

...and we've usually been disappointed when it turns out that the claim of 'Spanish Cuisine' is spanish in name only.  

 This place feels authentic. And we met the owner, a woman from Uruguay.

I had a Spanish omelet and Jeanne had a tapas tray for lunch. Both could have been served to us in Madrid.  I'm kicking myself that I forgot to take pictures of the food. I guess we just wanted to dig in...

Yeah, anyone can hang a bull on the wall and a poster. But look at these tiles too. Nicely done.

Looking toward the counter/bar. Sorry about the quality of this one. 

I don't know quite what it is, it's more than just the decor. This place has a feeling of friendliness to it. We were instantly comfortable here.  

 Whether you come in with a group for a meal, or you just want to sit around on a sofa with a glass of vino tinto in your hand, this place can accommodate you. 

I love the cushion-covered bench against the wall.  

 And here's another one. What fun it would be to sit around this table with a bunch of friends. 

And just in case you can't possibly find a table inside, here's a cozy little spot under that big shady tree just outside that will work.  

Dianne, we may have to make two trips into Newmarket while you're here to show you all the cool places. We'll definitely have lunch at Tasca...

...about half an hour after leaving Tasca, a shop owner told us about a tiny French cafe that was located off the main street (Khyber Pass Road). Although we didn't want to eat anything, I had to find it. What a gem it turned out to be. A cafe yes, but a deli and wine cellar too. We would so like to take you there too Dianne.  Dozens of cheeses, pates, olive tapenades, even snails. All kinds of French goodies. And the wine cellar is unique, it's upstairs here. Lots to browse through.

Uh, make that three trips into Newmarket. btw, we have your rail card all loaded for travel. 

I couldn't help notice the shop across the street, Stolen Girlfriends Club. Odd name I thought. They sell clothes apparently. I looked them up on-line and found that they sell t-shirts for $99.00 and a men's leather biker jacket...for $1,099.00. Yipes.   -djf

Strawberries

When Allie and the boys visited us in Michigan during the summer of 2015, I was hoping to take them out to Pelegrini's Strawberry Farm and let them have the fun of riding out to the fields in the wagon and picking (and sampling) to their heart's content. Unfortunately, we were unable to follow that plan. 

Then, recently, we thought we'd get another chance to pick. This time, right here in New Zealand. 

We were having dinner at some friends one Sunday afternoon not long ago and the conversation turned to some friends of their's who own a strawberry farm. Our hosts assured us that we could pick whatever we wanted (smiles all around) and off we went to do so. Allie followed their car for about 10 miles out toward Kumeu. 

The pictures below show us arriving at one of the fields and the kids starting to pick. Unfortunately, one of the owners of the field saw us beginning and immediately came out and asked us to stop. It seems that the berries had just been sprayed and therefore should not be eaten for 48 hours.

Well, at least we were able to see how strawberries are raised here. Quite different than Pelegrini's. And these are ever-bearing plants. Maybe we'll get a chance later on.    -djf

The fusion of fiction and fact. (this post was suggested by Fred)

Every now and then I post something here other than a glimpse into life in Aotearoa. This post is one of those. I hope you don't mind. 

"The world is so full of a number of things, I'm sure we should all be as happy as kings."  
This quote by Robert Louis Stevenson comes to mind sometimes when I discover an interesting new food or drink, hear a new piece of great music, learn a fascinating fact, understand something that had until then been a mystery to me, or, when I read a book I like.  

Sometimes, the writers of novels will incorporate into their storyline a reference to a bit of real life. For example, just yesterday I finished reading Speaking From Among The Bones, by Alan Bradley. One of the musical selections performed at a funeral that takes place toward the end of that novel was Dido's Lament, from the opera, Dido and Aeneas, by Henry Purcell.  Although I know very little about opera in general, I do happen to know that particular piece.  *

I love it when things like that happen. When an author blends his fiction with real world fact.
Especially fact that I know about. I may not quite make it to the level of delight enjoyed by kings, but I do feel pretty good.  

Let me tell you about my favorite (so far) fusion of fiction and fact. 

It happened at least 25 years ago. Jeanne had discovered a writer that she really enjoyed. Dick Frances was a steeplechase jockey for many years in England and even rode one of the Queen Mother's horses. Upon retirement from racing, he began writing. All of his novels deal with crime in the horse-racing world. It wasn't long before I started buying Jeanne any of his novels that I could find or order from the bookstore. I even read a good share of them myself. One of them, Proof, written in 1984, would affect me personally. In a good way. And that effect would 'trickle down' to family members and friends. Who knows, maybe as a result of this post, you yourself may be affected. (read on at your own risk)

Way, way back when I was in my twenties, I had discovered that I enjoyed scotch. Then, as now, I loved to try new things so I experimented with as many different scotches as I could find. (and afford)

When I read Proof, the story opened up a whole new dimension of scotch 'research' for me. It's main character was a wine/spirits merchant and was commisioned in the novel to test a single-malt scotch called Laphroaig.(la - froyg')  At that time, I don't think I knew exactly what a single-malt scotch was, but my curiosity was piqued and I wondered if Laphroaig was a real scotch. I found that it was. And, eventually, I found a bottle. I soon discovered Laphroaig's website and was educated about single-malts. 

Of all the single-malts I've tasted since then, Laphroaig remains my favorite. It is the smokiest scotch imaginable. 

I like this photo. It seems to put the scotch on a pedestal, as it deserves to be.

Since then, Fred and McKenzie and Mike and Kim have become staunch believers that the only proper way to toast a special occasion is to do so  with 'a wee dram of Laphroaig.' 

Laphroaig has been produced in 10 year, 15 year, 18 year, cask, quarter cask and many other bottlings. Just recently, Fred brought to my attention two new versions. Laphroaig Lore, which is the richest of the richly flavored and Laphroaig Caideras 2016 Madeira, which is aged for 8 years in American Oak boubon barrels and 2 years in Madeira (Portugese wine) barrels. He suggested then that I do a post about these two new versions on my blog. I had to agree. 

I wish that I could 'trickle down' a taste of Laphroaig for anyone who would like to try it, but I'm limited to this way of sharing it with you. A bottle of it is fairly 'spendy,' as Fred likes to say, so maybe you'd prefer to try a sample at your favorite pub. Order it 'neat' or 'straight up' with some water on the side. You might want to add just a couple of drops of water to bring out the flavors even more.

You might find that you will want to experiment with it as we have. Believe it or not, we've used it as an ice cream topping. Fred and McKenzie use it to produce a steak sauce that also features morel mushrooms. That is unbelievably good. Check out the type of steak that Fred commonly grills and that deserves this sauce. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4RmnxmR6XI

And all of this because Jeanne likes to read. The world truly is full of wonderful, interesting, and amazing things. Thanks, Dick Frances, for all your exciting books and especially for Proof. Lives have been enriched in more ways than one because of it.  -djf

*
When I like a particular piece of music, I like to listen to how various artists perform it. They'll each put their own 'spin' on it and I like to hear the differences. Youtube makes that very easy to do. I've done it with many songs and with very different types of music. Since I mentioned Dido's Lament today, I'll attach two versions of it. If you care to, have a listen. They are not very long. The first will give you the lyrics as well so you know what is going on.

(Aeneas, Trojan hero, falls in love with Dido, the Queen of Carthage. He then abandons her. She sees him going, starts a funeral pyre that he can see as he sails away, sings this aria, and kills herself.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fraubogbQkc

The staging in this second one is very different. I dislike it.  Nothing to do with the story but the music is worth listening to. I suggest that you start the music and then toggle back to this page so you don't have to watch it. 

The sound is unique to say the least. Rather than a female soprano singing the part, it is sung by a male countertenor.          -djf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGmei7AsxuU

*

A change at Muriwai...a followup to our New Year's Eve post.

Last year I did a post about the blowhole at Muriwai.

  http://fostersoe.blogspot.co.nz/2015/04/why-you-dont-want-to-fall-down-blowhole.html

This picture was used in that post and was taken in April of 2015. As you can see, the blow hole is the only opening on that expanse of rock. 

The second picture shows what has happened since then...

April 2015

12-31-16

A couple of sections of rock have caved in near the blowhole. When I took this picture at about 8 pm, New Year's Eve, the tide was all the way out and the surf was as light as I've ever seen it at Muriwai. So, no water was coming up through the blowhole at all. I am interested in seeing what the results of this cave-in will be when the tide is in and there is a strong surf. Will the blowhole spout less impressively because of the new opening, or will water come up through both? Stay tuned....you'll know soon after I do.  -djf

New Year's Eve 2016 at Muriwai

During dinner, Allie suggested that we watch the sun set on Muriwai Beach on this last day of the year, 12/31/16. Jeanne and I were immediately on board with the idea but the boys were less enthusiastic. They were then reminded of the excellent playground at the beach. And, they were informed that we were going and that was that. 

In their defence let it be said that they were looking forward to watching a movie and staying up late. Mama's plan seemed to be directly opposing theirs. They were made to understand that both plans could, and would be, fulfilled. So off we went. 

Muriwai as we arrived. The Tasman Sea seemed subdued.

Looking at the cliffs that we would climb. We would watch the sunset from the highest point we could, overlooking the gannet colonies. 

Jeanne had a phone camera and I had my Canon.  We have both contributed photos to this post. 

Here, Jeanne, Allie and the boys have started climbing from the beach rocks up the side of the cliff. 

Just a little higher than the last photo.

Higher still and the sun has become like 'butta.' 

Higher yet and facing into the glorious sun. Notice the rocks just to the left of center in the picture. There are fishermen out there.

At nearly the top. The sun is mesmerising.

While Jeanne and the others climbed, I stayed below. I wanted to walk out onto the rocks and take a shot or two of the fishermen. 

This one is my favourite of the fishermen pictures. Notice there is water in the depressions on this stretch of rock, proving that spray has been thrown up here. However, at this point in the evening, the sea is as calm as I've ever seen it at Muriwai. It feels peaceful here. 

In this shot and the next, I have turned from the fishermen and the sun and the world looks quite a bit different. 

In this one, I have turned farther around and will soon retrace my footsteps. The cliff looks like the prow and side of a ship, doesn't it?  First though, a couple of short videos, if you want to watch some waves. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBBl0g7pgaU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cTsALdsbDo

I have now made it to the top as well. Jeanne, Allie and the boys (Arram is running around) have found comfortable nests in the pillow grass. The pillow grass is aptly named. I'm sure that they are sitting on pads of grass that are at least 18 inches thick.  It's like walking on a mattress.  Some more of Jeanne's photography is below.

Below you can see some of the gannets.

I was standing a little below the others, at a fence separating the people from the birds. 

Here is a close up. Gorgeous creatures. Smelly though. 

The sun is getting pretty low. 

Lower still. This was my last photo. After this, I switched my camera to the video mode. 

I'm afraid my videos are jerky and lack finesse. Still, it's all I have. In each of them, you can hear comments from Arram who was running between the others and me. And you'll hear the wind and waves, birds, and unfortunately, other people. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkLvLMwFsOc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvtyGst0lhA

Finally, we climbed down from our perches and returned to the beach. It was suddenly hard to leave.  The tide had turned and was coming in, and as the darkness descended, the surf started getting stronger.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oC-sjLCS9iA

Driving home we agreed that being on the beach in the evening had some magic quality about it. Allie said that we have Got to do that more often. Sounds good to me.  -djf