Viva la tempura
Written by: adekun on 30 July, 2007 4:45 pm - Filed under: blog — No Comments »
The Japanese and French do hold a few things in common. I could be mistaken on this, but one seems glaring. It’s the c’est la vie approach or let’s go for the dangerous option.
Take yesterday’s dinner. There are seven of us huddled around an open top deep fat fryer set upon the dinning table. It is a free for all; people are leaning over with their impaled prawn or panko covered chicken and dipping it into tempura batter, before sinking it into the oil.
Now I love tempura, but decided to sit this one out – or rather sit a few feet back. Asked what was wrong, I explained it seemed a tad iffy, although I only managed to say I was scared in Japanese. Reassured, and it was safer than the stool mounted fryer at last years BBQ, I joined in.
The bowls narrowed to a small base making them top heavy. The father-in-law knocked one over sending batter across the table and onto the sister-in-laws fiancés face (they get married in September). At the same time the mother-in-law immersed some rather moist squid, sending boiling oil far and wide.
Tonight we are having Fugu (puffer fish).
Seven random garden facts
Written by: adekun on 24 July, 2007 10:11 pm - Filed under: blog — 8 Comments »
Sara over at Farming Friends has tagged me with a Seven Random Things Meme, so here goes:
- Until recently I detested garden centres. The idea of jammed up, miserable looking plants sold exorbitant prices hasn’t really changed. They’re not all like that. Now if passing, I’m eager to want to see what’s available and imagine.
- The plan is to try to grow more from seed, to distance reliance from the above. We don’t have a lot of space, but it has produced a good return without chemical intervention.
- I’ve always be interested in plants and biology. The teacher who gave up his lunch hour to run Greenhouse Club left an impression with his interest. Sadly the Coleuses left their mark on the floor of the bus home.
- Some years I get incurable hay fever.
- Flowers are nice, but in the main I’m in this for the food. That still leaves scope for inter sowing etc. As hinted previously, organic cultivation is the purpose.
- Aside from being a bountiful hobby, for me the project is edification. It is a place where new methods can be applied, where menial jobs seem less of a chore. It is interesting. I’ve not thought about ‘work’ like that for a long time.
- I haven’t been able to find a garden fork anywhere in Japan.
Successive Seven
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Breezy Break Blog
Compost Bin
Daughter of the Soil
MyUrbFarm
Skippy’s vegetable garden
Spade Work
This Garden Is Illegal
The Rules
Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to then report this on their own blog with their 7 random facts as well as these rules. They then need to tag 7 other garden blogs and list their names on their blog. They are also asked to leave a comment for each of the tagged, letting them know they have been tagged and to read the blog.
Things that go munch in the night
Written by: adekun on 19 July, 2007 10:01 pm - Filed under: blog — 5 Comments »
From a distance it looked like tiny metallic baubles stuck to the underside of a sweet potato leaf. Uncertain what laid them or what they are going to develop into, the shadow offers a hint? I guess whatever grows isn’t going to restrict it’s feeding to wee hours. My elderly neighbour has spent the past week, dancing around his peas with his butterfly net. Hopefully I can find these again, amongst the sea of leaves and vines and check up on their progress.
Yesterday the potatoes got harvested. The area they occupied along with the onions and garlic was dug over.
When I was putting away the tools I spotted a Kamikirimushi that had expired, the ants already at it.
Although the spuds didn’t get earthed up, I am content with the crop. Really pleased with the Danshaku, considering the lack of attention.
My wife did slap some sun lotion on my back, the finger marks can still be seen against the sunburn. As a result, I didn’t spend too much time outside today. A load of weeds were turned in, along with the mother-in-law’s tulip bulbs. Two consecutive days of sunshine and it’s nearly August.
I haven’t got the power
Written by: adekun on 18 July, 2007 7:02 pm - Filed under: blog — No Comments »
What has made me angry is that yet again greed has taken precedence over safety. The operator of the damaged plant TEPCO took seven hours to report that water containing radioactive material had leaked into the sea. These figures were undervalued and it is now reported that the levels are 50% higher than first stated. At first there was a denial of any problems.
A transformer, part of the grid connection caught fire. Transformers are cooled by oil which is the likely cause of the fire. It took almost two hours to extinguish, which begs the question were they prepared. Although the units had automatically shutdown, the fuel in the reactor core needs cooling. Had the onsite generation failed, meltdown becomes a credible outcome.
News of a small emission of radioactive cobalt-60 and chromium-51 into the atmosphere, has since been released as well has fifty malfunctions at the plant.
It seems the operator was keen to restart some of units, but as reports mounted the local mayor ordered the plant be closed indefinitely until its safety can be confirmed.
Although built to withstand strong earthquakes, frequently the tremors are beyond these limits. Some are even built on fault lines as maybe the case with Kashiwazaki-Kawara. It all seems a bit slapdash to me but expect there are more pressing concerns.
Niigata jishin
Written by: adekun on 16 July, 2007 12:14 pm - Filed under: blog — 4 Comments »
A little after ten this morning a strong (between 6 and 7 Richter Magnitudes) earthquake, struck Niigata. Aerial shots show a fire at the nuclear plant at Kashiwazaki and many of the heavy clay roofs to have collapsed.
The traditional construction of homes comprises of a light structure with little or no bracing. Lath makes up the walling. Usually raised to allow airflow underneath, the buildings tend to lack continuous foundations. Therefore they offer little resistance to the lateral forces of an earthquake.
Today is also a public holiday, to celebrate the opening of the beaches. Unfortunately, I expect many people opted to stay indoors.
27th Kaike Triathlon
Written by: adekun on 15 July, 2007 10:04 pm - Filed under: blog — No Comments »
Due to safety concerns roused by the passing typhoon, the triathlon took place today with a few course changes. The swell was so great, the swim section was cancelled. It started with part of the run, followed by the bike section and finishing with the rest of the run. Usually the race comprises of a 3 km swim, 145 km bike ride and a 42.195 km run, the latter being equivalent to a marathon. My wife keeps mentioning that I should enter, not bloody likely.
First sweetcorn
Written by: adekun on 8:06 pm - Filed under: blog — 2 Comments »
We were spared the typhoon, although it was another gloomy and wet day. After dinner, I popped out to the garden to check the corn and ended up taking a few cobs. The test of a few raw kernels was promising, with a bit of luck they will be as sweet for tomorrow lunchtime.
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