Once again, the random neural firing thing

[slipjig3]

So here's all the everything that's up:

1) Welcome, faecat! *waves*

2) Last night Kristi and I went to see Rachael Ray of "30-Minute Meals" and "$40 a Day" fame give a demonstration at the local high school. She's an old Lake George native from way back, evidently (Kristi knew her in high school), and once a year the alumni association ropes her into giving a fundraiser. Let me tell you, she is born to do what she does: if she were any perkier, she'd need a steam valve in her scalp. Great fun, especially to hear her story about how, during her audition, she almost set Emeril's studio on fire.

3) So we're getting ready to leave this morning, when Nik, with impeccable timing, yaks all over the bathroom. Mind you, he's fine, but, well, there's the traditional parental declaration of, "Well, we shouldn't take ANY CHANCES." So I was forced (forced, mind you) to call in for a half day off from work. I'm trying to muster up the energy to look like I'm suffering, but it doesn't seem to be terribly effective.

4) My old and dear friend Michael has finally given in and succumbed to the clarion call of LJhood. He hasn't become totally smitten with the process yet, though, because he's still only posting once a fortnight, if that. So I'm thinking that maybe, if we all go over to vaclav2 and bug him, he'll get in line with the rest of us. You can't not like the fellow: his interests include freedom of information, andrei codrescu, and soup. (Yes, odhierre, it's our Michael. Go and say hi.)

5) Craving pad thai...

Comments

[fiddledragon]

*grin* so go get the recipe, go to your local oriental market and make it!! It's really not hard!

[slipjig.livejournal.com]

Okay, see, here's the problem: You've used the words "local" and "Oriental market" in close proximity to each other. That, I fear, doesn't apply where I am. *pouts*

That said, I do have a recipe of my own that I'm quite fond of, and I think (*crosses fingers*) I can scare up everything at my local Price Chopper. I hope.

By the way, you do know that this craving is all your fault, don't you? :)

[fiddledragon]

*laugh* I had a sneaking suspcion considering I linked to the recipe this morning.

Let me look at that, do you have a whole foods store or natural foods co-op or something nearby? They would have most everything as well...in fact, before I found Oriental Noodle, that's where I'd go to get stuff that I couldn't find in the regular grocery store - other than that you *should* be able to find most everything even at the regular store. You can get wide rice noodles anywhere - it's just significantly less expensive at the oriental market ;)

Hrm - am going through the recipe...and here are some of the thoughts on the ingredients that aren't as likely to be in a regular store....The baked tofu may be hard to find at a regular store - but most stores around here carry the marinated varieties now. Napa cabbage and bok choi are more common now than they used to be - you *could* use *very* thinly sliced cabbage if you can't find either of the other...mung bean sprouts I've only ever found at a whole foods store - so you might want to go with regular bean sprouts there - sesame or peanut oil work better at higher temperatures (which is how this dish is best prepared) and can be found in the specialty oil section (sesame) and regular oil section (peanut oil - it's a good alternative for deep frying). If you don't have fresh ginger, you can use about 1/2 tsp powdered ginger, but it works better with pressed - you can also get minced ginger in much the same way you can get minced garlic in a jar...I've tended to cheat lately and not press my own just due to time considerations.

Rice vineagar for this is a definite must, though - regular vineagar just doesn't have the same kind of quality - you can use the regular or seasoned - I use regular.

[yendi]

I've only watched one episde of 30-minute meals, but she's definitely the über-perky chef.