My Slow Food Movement

I have had a great summer of camping, mountain biking, hiking, swimming and long boarding. Best of all, I have been able to give my children some great experiences and memories. Life is beautiful.



What's coming to The Aimless Cook?

Slow Food. Last weekend, my friend had a farewell party before moving away to another city. I did something radical to some by giving them my microwave. I have never lived without a microwave since I was 9 years old when my parents bought this woodgrain monstrosity sporting dial controls and an analogue clock. I thought about the whole thing and realized that I really only use the microwave to reheat and defrost things. I might bake the odd potato or steam some vegetables, but other than that, it sits on the counter taking up space. Since I learned to cook real meals, I have had no real need for something that has become the one stop convenience appliance for heating up the pre-packaged crap that some test kitchen calls food.

The Slow Food movement is grabbing hold of my life as I look every day at what's happening to the way we eat as a society. We are a culture that is being indoctrinated on convenience and the perception that we just don't have enough time to enjoy the simple things in life anymore. What started for me as an observation of my effect on the environment through my buying habits has turned into something deeper. Who says I don't have time? We can be our worst enemies sometimes and unconsciously sabotage our own good intentions. All I've got to say is take a step back sometime and look at your life, and more importantly, relax.



Check out www.slowfood.com to get some information of what I'm talking about. In most cases, there is a huge amount of food being produced near you right now and readily available for you to take home and enjoy. Yet, we go to the grocery store and insist on buying apples flown in from New Zealand or buying Lunchables for our kids while the local deli has a fresher, preservative-free, more delicious assortment of locally produced meats and cheeses. Well, you get the idea. It's all about the way we're thinking, and as a result, the way we're buying.

So the show will be taking a deeper look at slow food as we take action in our lives and make more educated choices about what we eat and buy. We will be taking steps to reduce our waste by eliminating the take-out containers, buying more bulk, refilling existing containers when possible and generally being conscious of what we spend our money on.

Sorry for the long post, but I guess it's been 6 months, so I had a lot to say. Until next time, take care.

J

New media and my goals for the future...

 

This week I hit 150 subscribers for the MrJingjong (The Aimless Cook) channel! More importantly, the quality of subscriber I have been getting recently have been surprising. I am really starting to feel like a part of the J-vlogging community. Facebook has also been quite a tool in promoting my YouTube endeavors and I'm finding that a lot of YTers are doing the same.

There's something surreal about the interaction in new media. TV just doesn't have that. Mind you, I still like TV, but if I were to make a choice today...internet FTW. There's something to be said about watching your favorite YT personalities and being able to comment, rate and interact with them. When I made the decision to get serious about my channel, it was cool to be able to pick up and learn everything I needed to in order to make it all happen. I watched a lot of what the other YouTubers were doing, what tools they were using and listened to the comments to tweak my channel into what it is today. It's still a work in progress, but I'm having so much fun in the meantime

What does the future hold for MrJingjong? Well, I think it's a reasonable aspiration, but I want to hit 500 subscribers by the summer. I want to be able to reach even more viewers and get more involved in the YT community through collaborations and guest spots. I would also like to take my first trip to Japan. It's always been on my life's "to-do" list as I have been into Japanese culture for a long long time.

Of course, I also want money. Nothing wrong with wanting money. One of the first J-bloggers I seriously got into was Danny Choo. He has been a real source of inspiration to the work I do. It's true that your passion can take you anywhere, and in my case, I know that I can get what I want out of life by just applying myself and putting energy into what I love doing most, which is cooking, teaching and making engaging content for my viewers. Cookbook, DVD...yes. Definitely.

So, that being said, I want to say, "Thank you" to the YT community for the great comments, support and encouragement. My channel is steadily growing and finding its niche among the many cooking channels that are already out there. I'm glad that I can be a source of information and entertainment for the viewers and I plan to continue as long as there are people that love to cook.

What's goin' on?

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. With YouTube and the cooking blog, it's tough to play catch up with everything. Since that evening at the hockey game, things have been pretty good. I did a collaboration cooking video with my friend, Taro, aka Runnyrunny999 and also appeared in his cooking video. The vids are at the end of this post.

As a matter of fact, its been a busy weekend for videos. In addition to Runny's vid, I did a Spam Musubi video that will be released on Friday. My friend, Kaori also asked me to make a video of her koto performance this past Sunday for the anniversary of the Evergreen Church. That was her first public performance since she was in Japan. Way to go, Kaori! That video will also be at the end of the post.

Speaking of that church anniversary, the food was phenomenal. Since most of the congregation is Korean, so was the food. I had Japche, ribs, rice cakes...man, you had to be there.

Just one last thing; I want to thank everyone who watches my channel for your continued support. Thanks to Runnyrunny999 for the collabo, I'm getting more and more subscribers everyday and I hope to get 100 soon. I have big visions for my humble channel so keep watching and tell your friends!

Until next time...

A Trip to Calgary: The Good Old Hockey Game

I had the pleasure last week of spending some time with a couple co-workers from Saskatchewan. They had been in town for the past 3 weeks to help us with a special project. Since I had been out of commission recently, it was refreshing to get back into the swing of things by hanging out with these two crazy chicks on an adventure in the big city.

As you can see, it was also a week full of finger food. Rest assured, I did get my share of the 4 basic food groups: wings, fingers, nachos and riblets. All of this nutritious food washed down with refreshing beer. (Beer is essentially liquid bread, you know)

After a few days of this wonderful fare, it was time to go experience our national pastime. It was time to go to the hockey game. I picked up the girls at their hotel after they had done a little shopping to 'prepare'. A couple Calgary Flames T-shirts and some temorary tattoos and we were ready to roll. We picked up some free burritos in the hotel lobby, jumped in the car and we were off.

Here are the highlights of this epic evening. Hope you enjoy, and when you come to Calgary, don't forget to go to the hockey game. Until next time...

Happy New Year from MrJingjong!

My friend, Steve was back in town for the holidays and he invited me to spend New Years Eve with him watching the Calgary Flames play the Edmonton Oilers. Of course, that was after we stopped for some fresh sushi at Globefish. After being in the hospital for Christmas and hanging out on my couch as I recovered, I was feeling a little cabin fever so Steve's invitation to get off my ass sounded refreshing.

So here's the video. Enjoy and don't forget to rate, comment and subscribe to MrJingjong!

The Day I Joined the Cult of Mac.

Throughout my many years of being a PC user, I have always been "Mac Curious". After my crappy Christmas in the hospital, I thought it would be a good excuse as any to treat myself to a nice gift. So, I went to the Apple Store on December 30th, 2009 and officially became the proud owner of a MacBook Pro.

It's been 4 days since I made my purchase and all I can say is that I am in love. Can you love a computer? If they are sexy, you can... I guess, and they are sexy. There is love in every aspect of this product. Even the box is incredibly beautiful with its molded black, plastic tray and foam-lined lid. As I opened the box for the first time, I was greeted by the signature logo on the Aluminum unibody case. Lovingly wrapped in plastic by angels just for me, it was pure pleasure unwrapping this beauty.

I have never had an OOB experience like this since I was 9 years old, opening up my Millenium Falcon toy, complete with Han Solo and Chewbacca figures.

The refreshing thing about Macs is that, unlike PC notebooks, Macs are not overloaded with crapware that's supposed to make your computing experience easier. When ever I buy a notebook PC, I usually expect to spend the first couple hours uninstalling the wares that the manufacturer installs. After that, I am endlessly adjusting and tweaking Windows to my preferences, getting rid of the dashboard, taking out toolbars, deleting unnecessary shortcuts, etc... Oh yeah, they actually include the recovery dvds. You don't have to spend additional hours making your own.

I was pleased to be able to use my new MacBook Pro right out of the box with a touch of the power button. After entering my name and registering, I was greeted by a nice welcome video and I was on my way. The learning curve for this new frontier is gentle. There are a few things different about working on a Mac, but once you get the hang of it, you're good to go.

Right away, I wanted to learn how to edit video with iMovie 09 and after a couple practice sessions with some test clips, I was making some great looking video. Just in case you want to see my first iMovie edited video, check out the Happy New Year post. The graphics card and processor handle my video wonderfully, rendering my transitions and previewing my clips with ease. It's truly great to have this new tool.

A Weekend in Calgary: The Blizzard and the Birthday

Stuck inside after a blizzard.

I hate blizzards. I hate the cold, the blowing wind, the snow, the zero visibility and the white-knuckle driving. On the other hand, it's Mother Nature's way of bringing your life to a standstill so you can catch up on whatever things you've fallen behind on. It's also an opportunity to invite your neighbors over for food and drink. And afterwards, you can make your front yard into a mini ski hill. Whatever you did during and after the blizzard, I hope you spent your time safely and had fun.

Cooked up some Laksa on Friday night as the storm raged outside.

I have been a winter driver here in Calgary for over 20 years, in all sorts of vehicles. I've had my share of scary moments where I've seen my life stand still, where seconds turn into eternity as my nails dig into my steering wheel and I wonder, "When am I gonna stop?" Driving in situations like this have become a part of life. You just have to remember to have common sense, leave a lot of extra space between the car ahead of you and drive slow.

Friday evening, I picked up the kids and stopped at T&T Supermarket to get some food for the weekend. During that time, I made another "Trip to the Asian Supermarket" video for the YouTube channel and picked up ingredients for the Laksa cooking video. I felt very productive. Earlier that day, I took advantage of the approaching storm to record a nice video greeting for BusanKevin's Xmas collaboration video.

Once dinner was sorted out, all we had to do was sit around and chill out. I drank wine and surfed the internet as the wind blew.

By Saturday morning, the wind had stopped blowing and I was already bored of being stuck inside. The street outside was alive with neighbors shovelling away the snow from the previous night, carving out paths in the huge drifts so they could get to their vehicles, also buried in the white stuff. I had to get out. My friend, Sue had invited some neighbors over for food and wine so I knew what I had to do.

Poutine: Canada's single most glorious contribution to food.

After a little lunch, I picked up some wine and made my way to Sue's place. Upon my arrival, I saw the neighborhood kids having a great time sledding in the front yard. Sue made two huge mounds at the top of the front yard for the kids to drop in from, sliding all the way down to the street. Tried my hand dropping in strapped to a snowboard. Results were not so good.

Sue's improvised 'Ski Hill'

Drinking lots of wine is a great way to warm up

Had a great time with Sue's neighbors. Drank wine and rum and cokes, using ice we made out on the deck. The kids played all evening upstairs, then came down later to watch a dvd. At the end, they were asleep on the couches til morning. A wonderful evening.

Sunday was my birthday. It was of course, cold. The kids bundled up and hit the 'ski hill' again before we went for a trip to Value Village for some shopping. After picking up a retro track jacket, we said our goodbyes to Sue. Went home later and took a nap as the kids played games. I was awoken by a phone call at about 5:30 pm. It was Kim reminding me of the dinner she had cooked.

I  dropped off the kids, and made my way to Bridgeland. I had forgot about Kim's dinner, seeing as we had only talked about it briefly on Friday on the phone. I thought it would be a nice way to wind down a nice weekend. So I get to her place, take off my jacket and walk into the kitchen, like I always do. I notice that in the livingroom, there are appetizers on the coffee table. Hmm. I'm thinking that it was nice of her to make a special dinner on my birthday, so I walk into the livingroom.

Surprise...

A smile comes across my face as I come around the corner and see my closest friends sitting on the couch. With Kim starting to laugh, Kaori, Sue and Miyuki start to laugh at the look on my face. Food, good conversation and more wine follow.

Happy Birthday to ME!

As much as I hate the thought of getting closer and closer to 40, I still think that the best years of my life are ahead of me. I have great friends, I am independent, creative and I love my kids. What more do I need in my life?

A Trip to Texas

Imagine my delight when my mother asked me to come visit her in Texas for Thanksgiving. Its been 7 years since my last visit to her place, so of course I wanted to go! As a bonus, my aunt and uncle from Toronto were also visiting, so it was a family reunion of sorts.

Tommy Bahama's, The Woodlands

 

I got off the plane, realizing that I hadn't eaten anything since the morning so we ended up going to the Woodlands for some dinner at Tommy Bahama's. The restaurant sits in a beautiful town square-esque part of Market Street. I could write about the delicious Tuna poke with fresh avocado, or the southern crab cakes, the roast chicken with asian vegetables or the fish tacos, but I'll just show you the pics.

Tuna Poke with Avocado

 

 

Roast Chicken with Asian Vegetables

 

 

Fish Tacos

 

Southern Crab Cakes

Nighttime in Woodlands, TX

The next day started with my uncle waking me up at 7, asking me if I wanted to go play golf. Golf in November is a rare treat for someone that's used to putting away his clubs in October and not taking them out til mid-April. That is the life of the Canadian golfer.

Quick 9 at the Village Golf Course

An afternoon of shopping for the kids made for a full day. Of course, it was time to eat again. This time, we saw a brand new resto near the interstate beckoned us... Mama Juanita's. It was time for some TexMex.

The Customary Tortilla Chips and Salsa

Cheese Stuffed Poblano Pepper

Normally, I love stuffed poblanos, but this one suffered the wrath of good old American gluttony. An over-the-top, oversauced, over-cheesed monstrosity that would go better with a Big Gulp.

The Combo Fajita

I was pleasantly surprised after that poblano of what was to come next. I followed the owner's suggestion and ordered the combination Fajita platter. It was a platter of 4 kinds of meat: pork, steak, chicken and shrimp, served on a sizzling platter on a bed of caramelized onions accompanied by your choice of warm flour or corn tortillas. Fajitas are always dramatic, wherever you order them. They are preceeded by their telltale sizzling sound as the server approaches the anxious diner. A trail of steam and the charbroiled aroma of meat follow as this signature dish is delivered to the table. Mama Juanita's fajitas were sublime. I won't try to describe the taste. Fajitas do enough talking on their own.

The Cancer Survivors Plaza, Museum District, Houston

My last day in Texas was simple. I went to the Houston Museum of Natural Science. There were a couple exhibits in town that were worth checking out. I'm also a sucker for the giant dinosaur skeletons and shrunken heads.

Oooooh, dinosaurs...

My favorite parts of the museum were definitely the Rainforest exhibit and the Aztec artifacts. There were also some pieces from the Famous Jeweller to the Tsars, Faberge...not BRUT by Faberge, but the one that made all the eggs. Anyways, the rainforest exhibit was filled with tribal pieces, textiles, tools, weapons, art and photographs of daily tribal life. The pinnacle of this exhibition were the shrunken heads, which I haven't seen since a childhood trip to the Smithsonian in DC. The Aztec artifacts were also very interesting to me, since I have always wanted to see the ruins in Mexico. I think museums are the best way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon, especially when you travel to other cities. There are a few great museums in Houston and I hope to visit the others when I return.

So my weekend was relaxing and fun, filled with a bit of culture and great food. It was short-lived, but I was starting to miss my friends. As I conclude this entry, I am already thinking about my next big trip...Manila! Take care and enjoy watching the video. Thank you for your support and please don't forget to rate, comment and subscribe! Until next time...

Part 2, coming very soon!

A Sunday in Calgary: Museum of the Regiments

This past Sunday, I had the opportunity to visit Western Canada's largest military museum in Calgary. With the kids in tow, I felt it would be a great way to show them Canada's military role in history. They were excited and anxious to see the many detailed dioramas and displays in the various wings of this huge place, as was I. This was my first time at the Museum of the Regiments and I was truly surprised at it's size.

The tank display at the Museum of the Regiments

The museum is located in Calgary, accessible from Crowchild Trail across from the old Currie Barracks. It is clearly visible from the road as you can see the outdoor displays of tanks, artillery and the CF-5 fighter jet. Walking around outside on the grounds, you can check out the tanks up close and personal, but no climbing please.

The inside is even more interesting, as the museum is divided into the various Canadian Regiments of the military. Each section follows history from each Regiment's origin to the present. The displays are detailed and sometimes gritty, depicting the grim reality of the battlefield, so be warned if you have small children. The Museum of the Regiments is run by volunteers who are always on hand to help or give you any information on the various aspects of this important part of Canada's history.

If you visit on a Saturday or Sunday, it's a great way to spend an afternoon. If you are hungry afterwards, head across Crowchild Trail to Calgary Farmer's Market for a bite to eat or a cup of that Clover brewer coffee. Trust me, you won't be disappointed. Enjoy the video!

Until next time...

Burger Fix Part 3: Peter's Drive-In

For most Calgarians, Peter's Drive-In is an institution. Whenever I'm driving on 16th Avenue and peer over at that white and blue building, the smell of charbroiled burgers, the lineup of hungry guests and those lurking seagulls in the parking lot only mean that something delicious is close. I can't remember how many times I've paid homage to this landmark burger mecca, but I was about to once again.

A Present from Peter

The menu of Peter's has remained pretty much the same since their debut in 1962. You won't find grilled chicken sandwiches or fish here. I can also assure you that you won't see anything that resembles a salad...nothing here even rhymes with salad. Now that we're clear on that, let's move on to what Peter's does have; Burgers, hot dogs, fries, onion rings, ice cream treats and some of the best shakes you will ever attempt to drink through a straw. As a matter of fact, Peter's claims that you can mix up to 3 of their 30 milkshake flavours for a combination of more than 4500 flavours.

"Small" fries

On this day, I opted for something simple, so the double cheese it would be. I also got an order of small fries, or what Peter's calls 'small' anyway. Trust me, if you are eating alone, don't order the large fry or the seagulls will be visiting for free lunch.

Not a pretty sight

Burger nirvana...

The burgers are charboiled, dressed in a signature fashion that makes them uniquely Peter's. Each patty is made from fresh chuck, individually submerged in their BBQ sauce before being tucked into freshly baked, custom-made buns. They are then lovingly wrapped in their foil before making their way to your mouth. As you can see, we're not making pretty burgers here. Just consistently delicious.

I'll leave you with this tip: if you are coming to Peter's Drive-In, just remember: they only take CASH. Don't catch yourself making that realization when you're in the drive-through queue. Yes, it's happened before. Also, when you're making your order at the Drive-through, don't expect them to tell you how much the total is going to be. Expect an, "ok, thank you" then move on. A little 'Soup Nazi', eh?

Until next time...

A Saturday in Calgary: The Glenbow Museum & Chinatown

I don’t often stop to think about why I do this since I’m having so much fun that I just don’t care. The world is getting smaller and smaller it seems, as people I know come out of the woodwork to find me in my little piece of cyberspace. Just last night, I got a message on my Youtube channel from a person that works with me from time to time. She said her mom was looking for videos about the ‘giant baby’ at the museum and happened to click on my video from Saturday. Talk about dumb luck.

This piece is something that must be experienced in person

The giant baby I am referring to is the sculpture by Australian artist, Ron Mueck entitled, “It’s a Girl”. 15 feet long and eerily realistic, this piece is a must-see. If it’s been a while since you’ve been to the Glenbow Museum, go. This exhibition is in town until January 24, 2010. If gargantuan newborn babies aren’t your thing, perhaps Haida manga is. Yes, Haida manga. 2 things, like peanut butter and chocolate, that seem to go well together. Graphic artist and Haida storyteller, Michael Nicholl Yahgulanaas, has an amazing display of large-scale drawing and sculpture on exhibition also until January 24.

Sunset, hitting a building in downtown Calgary

What better place to go for dinner after a day at the Museum than Chinatown. Since I moved so close to downtown, I’m there practically every weekend. Its great. A friend from work told me that the best deal for Peking duck was a hole in the wall called, Gee Gong. I wanted to see if his claim was true. 3 courses of Peking duck in the heart of Chinatown for only…

Peking Duck at Gee Gong Restaurant, Chinatown

Well, if I told you how much a 3 course duck meal costs at Gee Gong or how it tasted, there wouldn’t be anything to show you on the video, would there?

A Trip to Kensington

Yesterday morning I got a call from my friend, Sue (see Dolly Parton on the Halloween post). She had some time to kill and wanted to know if I was down for breakfast. I readily accepted, as I am always ready to go somewhere new to eat. She asked me if I had ever been to Nellie’s. I told her I had never gone there, to which she responded, “Well, we have to go to Nellie’s!”


Nellie’s is in the Calgary community of Kensington. It’s a bohemian area of the city with lots of great little shops, pubs, a park and the oldest building in the community, the Plaza theatre which still showcases many indie and foreign films. It’s also walking distance to Memorial drive and the Bow River, with its well travelled pathway system.

Breakfast at Nellie’s is generous and reasonably priced. The service is friendly and attentive as your coffee mug will never go empty. I ordered the Nellie’s Tostada, which featured a baked whole wheat tortilla topped with scrambled eggs, chives, peppers, black olives, tomato, avocado, hot sauce, cheese, salsa and sour cream. They also managed to fit some fruit on there. Sue chose the California omelette with cheese, avocado and chicken, topped with salsa and sour cream. Be sure to ask for the sour cream and salsa on the side, as the portions are very plentiful.

Total for the great meal came in at about $25 for 2, including the 18 cups of coffee we drank. The atmosphere for this location is laid back and makes for a great place to talk and chill out. I’ll add that Nellie’s has 7 locations throughout this great city, so if you’re not in the Kensington area, just google it and you’ll probably find one nearby.

After breakfast, we walked around Kensington, stopping at the different shops and checking out the events calendar at the Plaza Theatre. I love the kinds of areas that are great for walking. You can really spend a lot of time just discovering. In the video, you can see our visit to Chocolaterie Bernard Callebaut and Livingstone & Cavell Extraordinary Toys. If you never been to Livingstone & Cavell, you have to go. It will definitely stir up the nostalgic memories. Until next time.

Burger Fix: part 2

Boogies Burgers, Calgary

I had another craving for a burger, and this time it was daytime so I had a few more options. I have been hearing a lot of good things about this place called, Boogies Burgers, on Edmonton Trail so I had to go and check it out. Luckily, I live nearby so it was just a quick drive up the hill.

Boogies Menu. A great selection of signature burgers, or build your own.

As you can see, the place is bright and clean. Service is friendly and fast. The food is all made to order so it's delicious. Today, I opted for one of the signature burgers, "Shawn's Burger". It is a triple patty monstrosity with cheese, bacon and fried egg with Boogie's Signature Red Sauce and all the fixings. They even bring you a steak knife in case you can't fit the thing in your mouth. Good sign.

Shawn's Burger. I added the cell phone for size reference.

With a burger this size, I wasn't gonna order fries but they do have 3 kinds of fries; regular, spicy and yam. Of course, what burger joint would be complete without onion rings. They got the rings too. The sign of a good burger is one where you can appreciate the taste of the meat, rather than the fixings all over it. Though this burger had a lot of 'stuff', I could really taste the freshness of the beef. In fact, the Boogies red sauce is not overwhelming, but compliments the overall taste of the whole burger. Sorry for getting too deep.

I ate the whole thing. WOOT!

Verdict? With places like this, I can really appreciate living in Calgary. Why do I say that? When you have a hometown, you need these kind of places that are unique...places you miss when you go away. Places you tell your foreign friends about. Dining, whether it's an elegant night on the town with a hot date or a quick lunch at a great burger joint, is an experience. So go experience Boogies Burgers!

A Late Night Craving

A vlog I made last night while I was craving a burger. I cook a lot at home, so going to McD's is a rare occurrence. I really wanted to go to Peter's Drive-In, but since they only take cash, I was screwed. I kept driving down 16th Avenue 'til I found McDonalds in Motel Village.

Hamburgers are like old friends. You always love them, no matter what. Despite the bad things people say about them, you always have a place for them in your heart, or in this case, your stomach. I remember one Christmas Day in Houston, eating our dinner at Jack in the Box. Cheeseburgers for Christmas. lol...

Thanksgiving 2009

It's the middle of a short week and winter has reared its ugly head. The weekend was fun though. My friend, Sue invited me to come out to a Thanksgiving dinner party hosted by one of her friends from the recent camping adventure we had. It was a night filled with new friends, good food and karaoke.





This was the first time I had Thanksgiving without my family, yet it was one of the best Thanksgivings I've had in a longtime. What does that tell you? That I hate my family? That they hate me? No, not at all. I do think though that families get wound up in drama sometimes that blinds us from the real reason we get together in the first place. Being in a dysfunctional family, we often end up going to multiple locations for holiday dinners and such. But I guess that's not new since half of marriages end in divorce, right? At least that's the last statistic I heard.

Call me odd, but I think that I would rather get together with good friends and family for a nice dinner and drinks than get another bath set or sweater with a Hallmark greeting hastily stuck on with scotch tape.