An Allium I Haven’t Met

For making stock this past weekend, I bought a package of leeks to use instead of onions. Unfortunately, the package comes in 2 huge stalks. I used only one placing the other in the fridge for later. I needed to use it or it would go to waste.

I’ve never cooked with leeks before, so I scoured the internet for ideas. I made it as far as how to clean and prep them for cooking. I think I will wing it. So I did.

Mushroom, barley, leek salad? A side to my baked salmon. It didn’t turn out half bad, but I still have leek left over.

Using my favorite cooking method: one sheet cooking, I place a salmon filet on a bed of this mushroom, barley, leek salad and bake it in the oven for 18 minutes. I am still getting fish cooking wrong. The time is too long. It took the salmon filet to flaking which is past the “just about flaking” standard for fish. I’ll have to adjust the time down. I think I’ll try 15 minutes.

As for the salad? I cooked the barley in my rice cooker in ration of water to barley as 2-to-1. I also seasoned the water with a couple dashes of fish sauce and threw in some mushrooms to boot. I cut the leeks into half-moon pieces threw some more mushrooms and asparagus into a mixing bowl with them and seasoned with a pinch of salt, freshly ground pepper, and olive oil. When the barely was done I threw it into the bowl added a tad more olive oil and tossed the whole thing.

When it was all done, I sprinkled with lemon juice.

It was an interesting and tasty experiment. I will have to learn the ways of the leek.

Link of the Day [2.18.19]

I’m sort of in agreement with this list of best french fries. The vast middle I don’t care about, but there are several there that deserve mentioning.

First is first place, Five Guys. Agreed. Last is In-N-Out. Agreed for the same reason that putting junk on it doesn’t absolve it from being terrible.

Also agreed with curly fries from Arby’s. And also with the diss of the dumb waffle “fries” from Chik-Fil-A. If I wanted potato chips, I would’ve bought potato chips!

https://www.latimes.com/food/la-fo-french-fry-rankings-20190212-story.html

Everyone’s Superior

Misa-senpai, the sexiest of all Nogizaka46 members, has announced her graduation from the group this morning. Another First Generation leaving us soon.

Only know this, the First Generation will quickly diminish. That’s how following idols work. They graduate.

Wait for it… Misa!

I hope for happiness in her life.

Taxes Amongst Us

Taxes!

From what I’m hearing, it’s gonna be brutal. GOP voters complaining.

HA! HA!

You knew what you were voting for.

I always relied on the refund to help pay for a vacation or something. Looks like I don’t have that to look forward to.

Feels like we need another tax cut for the rich!

A Silent Voice

Koe no Kotachi or A Silent Voice is an anime from 2016. It had the unfortunate luck to be released in the same summer as the anime blockbuster, Your Name.

At that time, I was more excited to see A Silent Voice. It came from Kyoto Animation, one of my favorite anime studios — see my exuberant reviews for K-ON! or Haruhi. Also, I had read the entirety of the manga in one weekend. It is a great and very much recommended read. These things made me look forward to it.

Yet, the US distributor really mucked up the release in America. It came out for a week in LA and NY to make it eligible for the Academy Awards. It didn’t get a wide release until later, but in the short window. When I was aware that it was playing, I missed the local show by a day. I was not going to miss out. The BluRay is taking a while to be released. Maybe this spring.

A Silent Voice is about bullying and redemption. Liking yourself and hating yourself. It will make you cry. It will make you kyun. Smile. The manga made me want to know more about their future. I still want to know more.

4 of 5 stars.

The Upside

What? A new year? A new set of movie reviews to sit in my queue and not get done until three weeks have passed. Here’s the first one for 2019, for The Upside. It’s the Kevin Hart vehicle that wants to make him a serious actor. Yet, the film had been categorized as a comedy. There are laughs, but it isn’t a Kevin Hart comedy.

Actually, there were chuckles and bemused smiles. Laughs, gut-belly laughs, were hard to come by. It was about a paraplegic needing to connect with living again. Kevin Hart was supposed to be the one to do that. A tough inner city dude showing the rich how to live. Is that how it works? Maybe in film. In real life, I’m sure that’s complicated.

This film was based on a foreign film about a true to life friendship. I should seek out the original and see if it was a comedy, too. Or because of Kevin Hart’s attachment did the remake become one in the US.

3 of 5 stars.

Bandwagon Driver 2023

Did I re-up for the 2019 season? Yes. Yes, I did.

Why? No idea. What other thing is there to do?

Will I use those tickets? Eh. Maybe. Last year I went to 3 games. I let most of them lie fallow. Even when I was committed to going to a game did I not go. I couldn’t bear to watch. Plus it rained a lot last year.

Will I enjoy them? Eh. Maybe. I am a sucker for the under dog, and this organization is the under doggiest of all under dogs.

I’ve got 2. Who wants to join me?