Canada - sane and more free... · Saturday February 24, 2007 by colin newell
The top court in Canada has ruled against the constitutionality of security certificates. article
Basically, the certificates allowed the Federal government of Canada to detain, without charge, non-citizens of Canada pretty much… forever.
Not only that, the detainees have no access to their accusors, legal representation, the evidence or… well… anything.
Nice. No. Not nice.
It’s not Canadian to treat people this way – Canadians or not.
We don’t do it. When we see 15-century style laws like this, we challenge them.
This kind of nonsense might fly in 21st century America but it doesn’t here.
And the last time I checked, we were a separate country.
Meantime, the U.S.A, which has gone totally insane in their economy-draining quest to find the perfect spook is slowly introducing a new form of X-Ray technology to gaze beneath the clothing of its law abiding citizens. link
In our daily (monday-friday) coffee roundtable at my place of employ, we have some pretty lively debate.
One misguided drinking companion (a loudly acknowledged ultra-rightwing christian neo-con) said: “If ya got nothing to hide… ya won’t mind showing us what ya got…”
My feeling is: A steady erosion of personal freedoms in the name of protecting us from some imaginary threat is bad for society.
That is my opinion and I welcome your comments.
Lamb Bhuna Gost · Monday February 19, 2007 by colin newell
Hot Indian curries rate very highly in our home cooking endeavors. As much as I love coffee, I really love hot food. Whether it’s Thai, Hunan, Tex-Mex or East African – if it doesn’t have that zing then it doesn’t have my full attention! Here is a great example of a curry that anyone can whip up. And if you don’t like it hot, you can tone down the heat. It is that simple and I will show you how.
400g lamb steaks cubed
2 Green pepper, de-seeded
2 Tablespoons tomato puree
1 onion finely chopped.
2 Teaspoon Curry Powder
1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
1 Finely Chopped Seranno Chili (for the heat! — optional)
2 tomatoes, quartered
4-6 Cloves Crushed Garlic
2 inches Root Ginger grated
5 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1 teaspoon Garam Masala
Garnish with Cilantro, raw whole/diced seranno or thai chili.
Make a paste of the curry powder and chili powder with a little water. Chop the pepper into 1 inch square pieces. Fry the onion until translucent in the veg oil then add the garlic, ginger, pepper and seranno and stir fry on medium for a further 2 minutes. Add the curry and chili powder paste and stir in and fry for a further 30 secs. Add the lamb pieces and sear well on all sides. Add the tomato puree and water and cook on high heat for 15 minutes to reduce the sauce, stirring constantly. Add the garam masala and stir in well. Reduce the heat and add the tomatoes, stir in and cover the pan, cook for 3 minutes without stirring. Serve on a bed of Thai jasmine rice. Garnish with whatever is available.
Serve with Nan bread, white bread, french bread or Italian bread and plenty of beer!
Thanks to the CurryFrenzy.com website for the inspiration for this improved take on an Indian classic!
Comment [4]
Mussels with Chorizo sausage · Sunday February 18, 2007 by colin newell
This was the sunday meal served with a loaf of Italian bread and 3/4 of a bottle of Pinot Grigio. The mussels were from Thrifty Foods Victoria (via Prince Edward Island…)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 Chorizo sausage, finely chopped
1 to 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3/4 teaspoon chili flakes
1 cup white wine
2 lbs. fresh mussels, rinsed (see Note)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 chopped roma tomato
Heat the oil in wide-bottomed pot set over medium-high heat. Add the onions and chorizo and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add the wine and bring to a simmer. Add the mussels, cover, and cook just until they open. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, the chopped tomato and the fresh basil. Divide the mussels and cooking liquid among bowls and serve.
Note: Discard any mussels that do not close when tapped before cooking, or do not open after cooking. Both are signs the mussel was dead prior to cooking and should not be eaten.
When life gives you lemons... start baking · Sunday February 18, 2007 by colin newell
True confession. I have been lusting after this one kitchen item for years, for over a decade in fact. My first real kitchen appliance was a Champion Juicer that I bought in 1988 or 1989. It is still running like a top. Just not in my kitchen. In my Mom’s kitchen – she pinched it from me just before I got married and never gave it back. Of course, she says, I can have it back whenever I want it.
Right.
Anyway. I digress.
The KitchenAid Artisan mixer is going to make life a little easier for me. I do 100% of the baking around the house and 50% of the chef work. I am the Chef’s assistant in fact. More of a sous chef. A great stir-person. A dicer. A whisker. That’s me.
Anyway. I make all my own muffins, bars, cookies, biscotti, cakes and (lastly) breads. The breads are most definitely at the end of the list because they are the most labor intensive.
Not anymore. Now that I have the KitchenAid Arnold SchwarzenMixer life is going to be that much easier. The 7 watt hand blender will be relegated to omelette duty and my uber-cool Paderno hand-blender will just keep on doing what its doing.
Anyway. I have my mixer. Yipee. Stay tuned for recipes.
Who wants dinner?
