Random Thoughts On Cooking, Bike Riding, and The Sacred Journey of Everyday Life
Just one photo. That is all. I rode to the waterfront this evening. It was cool, windy, and sort of blustery. Almost autumnal. I really enjoyed it. I ordered a beer and snapped a few photos while I watched the evening clouds roll in. This photo is my favorite. Buffalo Harbor. Click it for a larger view. And thank you, by the way, for your continued support in visiting and commenting. Peace.
This post refers specifically to UrbanSimplicity.com (the mother site of the two), opposed to this site you are currently reading, UrbanSimplicity.net. Please visit the other sight (and I hope you sign up), but thanks, as always, for visiting this one.
Peace,
Joe
Okay. So we’ve been hovering/fluctuating around the 98/99 mark for a few months now. But you could be the one to bring it to 100 (or more). I’m not sure why this is important to me, but it is…I’ve wanted to break 100 followers for a while now (I enjoy goals and milestones, I guess)…this humble site gets between 500-1000 hits a day, so I know you are there. And know that when you press the “Join this site” button, which is on the left sidebar below the links, a bell will go off at my house. Okay, not really, but we can pretend (imagine it in your head when you press the button). Never miss a post…I’m just sayin’…
“If you end up with a boring miserable life because you listened to your mom, your dad, your teacher, your priest, or some guy on television telling you how to do your shit, then you deserve it.”
“A mind is like a parachute. It doesn’t work if it is not open.”
“I never set out to be weird. It was always other people who called me weird.”
“Anybody who wants religion is welcome to it, as far as I’m concerned–I support your right to enjoy it. However, I would appreciate it if you exhibited more respect for the rights of those people who do not wish to share your dogma, rapture, or necrodestination.”
“The most important thing to do in your life is to not interfere with somebody else’s life.”
“I think it’s really tragic when people get serious about stuff. It’s such an absurdity to take anything really seriously … I make an honest attempt not to take anything seriously: I worked that attitude out about the time I was eighteen, I mean, what does it all mean when you get right down to it, what’s the story here? Being alive is so weird.”
“Republicans stand for raw, unbridled evil and greed and ignorance smothered in balloons and ribbons.”
“So many books, so little time.”
More Five Quotes.
Urban Simplicity.
That’s Howard pictured above (or is it Harold…sorry I am not that great with remembering names). He is one of a number of silent peaceful protesters that I see standing at the intersection of Elmwood and Bidwell each and every Saturday…rain or shine, snow or cold. They’ve been doing this for years. The women not pictured, who are standing to his left, are part of the Women in Black movement. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve ridden past them. So today as I did so I decided to stop and say hi and thank you. I really believe that peaceful measures are our only hope if we, as a species, choose to survive (yes, it is our choice). We really need to give peace a chance. Anyhow, this post is to them…the peaceniks on the corner who are stand up for what the believe…
It was such a beautiful day today I was out on my bike most of the day. And one of the places I made a rather brief stop was the Buffalo Zoo, which is in fact the third oldest zoo in the country. I hadn’t been there since my son was young–so at least 10 years–and I was really glad I went. I likely would not have gone but I was offered a free day pass (thanks Heather!) so I thought I’d go and take a few photos. My favorite is the one above. As I approached the lion’s den (or whatever it is called) I took out my camera and began replacing it’s standard lens with the zoom lens (no I was not as close to that lion as it may appear). Anyhow, the place was packed; there were people everywhere. But as I exchanged lenses the lion, which was sleeping at the time, sat up and looked directly at me, sort of striking a pose. I’m not so sure about the look she’s giving me…I wonder if she thought I looked tasty.
Spices really are amazing aren’t they? Not only are some used for food preservation and medicinal purposes (not to mention preventative medicine) they also make even the blandest foods taste really incredible; these recipes are two examples of this. And both of these recipes, while delicious hot from the oven or skillet, are equally delicious at room temperature or even cold from the fridge. The tofu, for example, when chilled makes a great meat alternative on sandwiches.
Serves 4
1 pound extra-firm tofu
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 slices ginger, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded
½ small onion, diced
3 tablespoons curry powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Black sesame seeds to garnish (optional)
Remove the tofu from its package and drain it. Set the tofu on a plate with 2 or 3 plates on top of it, gently squeezing out some of it’s moisture. Leave the tofu to drain for 10-15 minutes. Combing all the remaining ingredients except the sesame seeds in a food processor or blender (yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, jalapeno, onion, curry, and salt), and process until smooth. Pour the marinade into a shallow pan. Slice the tofu about ½ inch thick (and crosswise if you would like smaller pieces). Lay the tofu slices in the marinade, turning them to coat all sides. Marinate the tofu for ,30-60 minutes. Preheat and oven to 350F. Transfer the tofu to a baking sheet that is fitted with a wire rack, leaving some of the marinade on the tofu. Sprinkle the tofu with black sesame seeds and bake it in the preheated oven for about 20-30 minutes, or until the tofu begins to brown at its edges. This is delicious straight from the oven, at room temperature, or chilled as a snack or sandwich ingredient.
Serves 4
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 small onion, diced
3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 slices ginger, minced
1 tablespoon black mustard seeds
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon whole cumin seed
½ teaspoon crushed hot pepper
1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 cup water
¼ cup lemon juice
1 cup frozen peas
1 small bunch cilantro, washed and chopped
Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet and add the onion and potato. Cook these for a couple minutes, until they just begin to change color. Add the garlic and ginger and cook another minute. Stir in the black mustard seeds, salt, turmeric, cumin seed, and crushed hot pepper; cook for a minute to release it’s flavor and aroma, then stir in the cauliflower, coating it with oil and spices. Add the water, then cover the skillet and cook the potatoes and cauliflower for a couple minutes. Stir in the peas and lemon juice; cook for a minute or two. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cilantro.
Cool photo, right? I took it while on a walk this evening. It looks sort of Star Wars-esque, doesn’t it? You’d never know that I took it while in the heart of the city. Anyhow, I had gone for a long walk tonight to clear my head (walked the length of the Elmwood Village here in Buffalo, from Allen to Forest and back again) and twice (yes twice) was almost struck by a car while crossing an intersection while the driver blindly turned while chatting on a cellphone. The first time it was so close that by the time the car stopped I had instinctively put my hand out (as if that would have done anything) and my hand rested on the hood of the car while its bumper pressed against my leg (no joke). There are too many cars on the road and too many people on cellphones while driving. Does every adult American really need a car? Two adults in the house…two cars; five adults in the house…five cars. Does every trip—no matter how long or short—really require a car? There are other forms of transportation. Sorry for the rant, but I had not one but two close calls tonight while I was simply out for a walk on a beautiful summer’s eve. I’ll put down my bullhorn now.
Urban Simplicity.
A book bag containing–among other things–a cell phone, a magazine, and an electronic reader. A camera bag containing a camera and extra lens. Two cardboard boxes containing three loaves of freshly baked honey-oatmeal bread, a double order of chicken fingers (for my son) and a raw and cooked vegetable salad (for me). A dough rising bucket containing 5 pounds of whole wheat flour.
So am I the only one that cannot believe it is already the second week of August? As we enter the backside of summer I’ve been trying to appreciate it more by noticing the things right in front of me (which isn’t always an easy thing to do); but looking through a camera lens helps me do this. Anyhow, the vegetables are growing, quite literally, just outside my front door near the sidewalk, and the flowers are in my next door neighbor’s front yard.
Okay. So these are really good. These are a play on chicken fingers which of course are a knock off of chicken wings. In my continued effort to eat less meat I made these today as an alternative to the chicken fingers I cooked for staff lunch at work. And rather than tossing them in butter and hot sauce and then dipping them in creamy blue cheese dressing (as traditional Buffalo style wings are) I included the hot sauce and Gorgonzola cheese in the actual mix. The finished product was, if I do say so myself, quite addicting. To read a story with recipes regarding the history and my personal history with chicken wings (originally n Buffalo Spree Magazine), click here. And btw, in Buffalo they are simply called wings.
On the bike…approximately 150 hard-cover books in seven cardboard boxes on their way to my favorite local used book shop.
The View…was taken on my way back to work…couldn’t ask for a more beautiful day to be on a bike.
A new kitchen sink faucet, a roll of plumber’s tape, 3 types of batteries (AA, AAA, and 9v), 2 faucet connector tubes (or whatever they’re called), a new basin wrench (which made the job so much easier), two new packs of bungee cords (yes, bungee cords are holding down the new bungee cords), and a double order of saag paneer.
Urban Simplicity.
Olive oil, garlic, hot pepper, and lemon. Brilliant. Yes, I know I’ve posted this recipe before (and those similar to it), but I can’t get enough of it. It is so easy to make and so delicious I’m going to keep posting it/them until you make a variation of it 🙂
Urban Simplicty