Fats, Vitamins and Minerals

A few days ago, I saw what is probably the most miserable film that I have ever seen in my entire life, Robert Bresson’s “Journal d’un curé de campagne (Diary of a Country Priest” (1951). (George Bernanos, author, “Journal d’un curé de campagne” (1936). And the amazing thing about it was that it actually cheered me up. (A few weeks ago, while being sick and miserable, I saw Jean Negulesco’s “Humoresque” (1946), and it made me feel even more miserable).

In the film, the atheist country doctor, Delbende, spoke to the priest of being part of a race of people who did not belong to the world. Between the atheist and the priest who both consequently depart the world (the former of alleged suicide and the latter of stomach cancer), they both did not belong to it although the priest witnessed grace in all.

Bresson said that there are no true atheists. Perhaps this is accurate - we are all simply believers of a sort. For Delbende, all that exists is that which can be seen; for the priest, even that which is unseen is grace. In perception, Delbende’s matter and the priest’s God form the basis for each one’s belief and conduct, and therefore the basis of the rules by which their actions are governed in relation to and in the creation of the society they live in.

In Karen Armstrong’s introduction to her book The Great Transformation, the Axial Age is described as that age of change wherein doctrinal questions of whether or not god exists or whether or not one believed in only one god were of little issue. Indeed, religion is everyday conduct of compassion, and not simply belief per se or detached rituals.

And in the moment of our final exit, it is highly possible that we contemplate the possibility of our redemption whether or not we believed in god: should I exit in grace or should I exit in existential angst.

Past few days have been heavily dreamy - dreamfull sleep, I mean. It is like being a child again, when everything was “imagination.”

Last Sunday, my partner and I visited Quezon Memorial Circle again, though rather late in the afternoon. We had Batangas coffee and a nice conversation with Desiree who co-runs one of the huts in the AANI Herbal Garden and Livelihood Center. It was 7PM when we finished.

I do hope that they soon finish the underpass to QMC from City Hall. Crossing Elliptical Road is always a moment to contemplate redemption!

Since feeling better, I have been able to do a bit more work on-line. In particular, I’ve updated Edward’s Crochet and Computability website with two new patterns, and several posting on medicinal plants on Fortun’s Urban Gardening. Fortun has also been posting on his blog again after nearly 2 months hibernation! My partner and I have also started a new blog called “Dialogues” which currently has an entry on intellectual property rights and academic publishing.

Hopefully, my health will continue to be better.

A few days ago, we managed a visit to my mom’s and to play ball with Alwin. We try to do this regularly so that both Alwin and my partner can get their exercise. Below is a photo of a drawing that Alwin said was for me:

I also noticed that some plants in my mom’s garden have lost their leaves - apparently eaten by a large family of grasshoppers that we saw some 3 weeks ago. Well, now most of the grasshoppers seem to have hopped away somewhere else, save for this one which was munching on the leaves of a night-blooming flower called Five-o-clock, if I’m not mistaken with the time! *

Below is another view of the grasshopper showing off its beautiful legs!

George was there, too, of course, always pleased whenever we visit. And always knowing how to pose for the camera, below is a photo of George relaxing.

I guess the next step is for me to learn to relax too!

The plant is actually called Alas Cuatro or Four O’clock! Thanks to Stuartxchange!

When my humans came back, some of the plants had died but a few had survived. Somebody did come and give the plants (and me) water but it seems that we all missed the humans too. Some time ago, I heard some people saying that they believed in the survival of the fittest…. It seems that these people believe that everybody and everything should fight against each other in order to survive, so that only the most powerful can survive. It seems to me that one must be pretty silly to believe something like that. I’m not very fit, but I am lucky enough to have kind humans to look after me -so I can just lie here in the shade, enjoy life and think about things. Outside, in the garden, there are other cats dying of starvation because they can’t find enough food. How can a cat stay fit if there isn’t enough to eat in the area? How can one think about how to solve the problems of life if one is too weak and hungry to think? Where is a starving cat to find the energy if all the birds have died from the pollution produced by unthinking humans?

If “Survival of the Fittest” means the survival of the strongest and most powerful it must surely mean that those big ugly (almost cat sized) rats will soon inherit the earth…. Urgh!….

I think my little garden is a good demonstration of the way things work. Neither I nor the humans know much about plants. We just give them some water, a little shelter and a kind word now and again. So I suppose it’s pretty much up to the plants how they grow. They have to do the best they can (as we all have to) under the circumstances available. However, look at the photos of the two windows in my garden…..

It seems that even the strongest plants have difficulty growing if they don’t get enough water and sun. In fact, in some cases, it is even the big and powerful plants that die first -through lack of a suffient supply of energy and nutrients. Apparently it’s not the plants themselves -but the environment which is the most important influence on how well everything grows……

So surely “Survival of the Fittest” must really mean survival of the things that fit best into their current environment. I’ve recently seen a book lying around here about growing things -it seems that even plants can be choosy. Some like lots of sun (like my silly old friend George), while others prefer the shade (like me)…. some plants like nice wet rich and acidic soil full of nutritious rotting things (yuck) while others prefer a well drained soil with very few nutrients…. (personally, I like a nice well drained bowl full of delicious nutrients)….

If only the most powerful can survive -then surely only the big, ugly, greedy and most useless rats and weeds will be the only things to survive. All that is beautiful, delicate and perhaps of value to others will either be destroyed or have to hide in places where the big powerful bullies of the world cannot find them. I don’t think I’d like to live in a world like that.

Of course the danger is that, when the nice things start dying and the big and stupid things take over, then there aren’t enough clever or beautiful creatures left to understand the depth of the disaster. Then it will be too late to stop -but who will be left to care?…… Maybe nature is kind, after all.

Finally! The photos and instructions for the pink scalloped skirt that my caregiver finished ages ago are here! Below is a photo of the skirt.

Actually, my caregiver placed this on her blog some time ago, but now I’ve taken hold of it and it’s here! I wanted to put this pattern here specially because it is so easy to do - a great project for beginners. So if you’re new to crochet and would like to make a wearable project, then this skirt is for you.

Enjoy!

Pink scalloped skirt
by Fatima Lasay
An improvisation of Easy Scalloped Skirt by Monica Welle Brown

After hundreds of years, I finally finished (I think) the white crocheted skirt that I started working on nearly two months ago. I have been working very slow so as not to stress my hands. Below is a photo of Maria peeking under the white crocheted skirt and a photo of myself (looking awfully nerdy!) wearing the pink and beige skirt which I crocheted 4 months ago. This last photo was taken by my partner few days ago when we visited the rooftop parking again at SM North EDSA. With me in the photo, of course, is Edward.

It has been quite a while since I posted anything on this blog under the “Needleworks” category. Even Edward hasn’t been able to update his Crochet and Computability Blog! Anyway, the pattern for this pink and beige skirt is based on the Easy Scalloped Skirt by Monica Welle Brown at Crochet Today. The pattern is so easy to do, it is most suitable for beginners. All I did was make the skirt shorter and use thicker yarn (so the openwork in the pattern is not too obvious and so one need not use a lining for the skirt).

The waistband part of the skirt consists of rows of double crochet and the top is lined with scallops. The body of the skirt consists of a pattern made up of three rounds of stacked shells joined together with chain stitches in the third round. Each shell consists of “2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc” in the same stitch or space.

The pattern for the stacked shells is:

Rnd 1 Skip beginning ch-3, *(2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next dc, ch 2, skip next 2 dc; repeat from * 26 (28, 30, 33, 36) more times, end (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next dc, sk 1 dc, ch 2, join with sc in first dc – 28 (30, 32, 35, 38) shells.
Rnds 2 and 3 Skip next dc, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 space of first shell, *ch 2, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 space of next shell; repeat from * 26 (28, 30, 33, 36) more times, end ch 2; join with sc in first dc - 28 (30, 32, 35, 38) shells.
Rnd 4 Skip next dc, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 space of first shell, *ch 3, sc in ch-2 space between 2 shells two rounds below, ch 3, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 space of next shell; repeat from * 26 (28, 30, 33, 36) more times, end ch 3, sc in last ch-2 space two rounds below, ch 3; join with sc in first dc.
Rnds 5-7 Repeat Rounds 2-4.

By using a larger hook for the next rounds, the shape of the skirt is created. And the colors are made by dropping the main color (pink) and then picking up the alternate color (beige). Improvising is really quite easy, and one can use more colors if desired. Also, perhaps I can do this pattern again using a thinner thread since this is quite thick and can be uncomfortable in warm climate.

Although I like the pink and beige skirt, I really like more the new crocheted white skirt I finished today - the bottom part is patterned after a corset-cover yoke design and the upper part is my own pattern in filet crochet. I will place the pattern on-line soon.

In the meantime, I am starting a new project - an openwork layer for a very sheer blue dress that my partner and I bought from the ukay-ukay few months ago. If I finish this on time I might even be able to wear it to my auntie’s 75th birthday celebration.

Below are interview questions and my replies on the subject matter of “online publishing” sent to me a few days ago by a staff member of an academic community newsletter. While I am no longer a member of the academia, I was approached more as a member of the editorial board of the Leonardo Electronic Almanac.

I have kept my replies to the interview brief and concise, intending to touch on issues that I consider important. If you are interested in expanding the dialogues, you are most welcome to do so.

Fatima Lasay

1. What to you is online publishing? What areas does it cover? How is it different from traditional print (not just in terms of medium, but in terms of methodology)? What are its advantages over the other (print)?

The implementation of the online system dates back to hypertext technology research at Stanford Labs in 1965, with the “NLS Journal” as probably the first online journal. In this context, “online publishing” today could simply be an industry term for one of the numerous commercial and non-commercial exploitations of hypertext technology and the online system.

“fineArt Forum”, for example, started in 1988 as an experiment by the Leonardo Art Science and Technology journal on the potentials of hypertext (and later “hypermedia”) technology. In 1992, Leonardo inaugurated the “Leonardo Electronic Almanac” as the electronic arm of the print journal. Evidently, sending and receiving information through the electronic networks presented new advantages to the print publishing world, especially when the electronic network expanded from local network emails to the World Wide Web.

2. What specific materials can be published online? Are you free to publish just about anything? Who makes the distinction? Who filters?

The “Leonardo Electronic Almanac” (LEA) publishes writing by artists and scholars about their work in art, science and technology. LEA especially gives opportunities for young artists and scholars in the field. As with any academic publishing system, we have an editorial team and external consultants who work together with readers and authors in determining the content and direction of LEA.

3. What are the potentials of online publishing in an academic community? What is your view regarding moves to widen scholarship through online media? Is it even possible?

It was the academic and research community that pioneered the online system and online publishing over 40 years ago. So any active academic community involved in dynamic debates whether through face to face dialogues, academic papers and journals, field and laboratory research or exhibitions, should know that online systems have the significant
potential of expanding the debates within and outside the community.

The technology has been there and has been used for decades; the most powerful obstacle to widening scholarship in the academic community is not technical but political.

4. Do we follow the same rules of strict scholarship standards in online journals? How is this made possible?

It is not really very difficult to map the print paradigm to the online. At LEA, we follow the same standards established by the Leonardo print journal, a pioneer in the field of art, science and technology when it started publishing nearly 40 years ago. However, I think the real challenge is how the online system re-defines not only the print paradigm but also the very basis and standards of scholarship as they have been shaped for centuries by the “Gutenberg revolution.”

Many have a media-based bias towards what accounts for good scholarship and research; specifically, many in the academic community still believe that only the printed book and journal qualifies for good scholarship and a reputable venue for publication. But the fact is, many born-digital monographs are as and even more intellectually vigorous as those seen in print.

5. What about the dangers or difficulties commonly encountered? Are such issues as plagiarism, copyright concerns and intellectual dishonesty, valid concerns? Do we follow a certain rules of practice or ethic?

LEA, as with the print journal, employs the blind peer review process. But we know that peer review is a very subjective process, although it has been used over the last century in judging the quality of research. There are principles of conduct in the peer review process in research and scholarship (i.e. competency, security, effectiveness, responsiveness and responsibility, constructiveness, etc.), and in some countries, peer review may be governed by federal regulations.

But given the biases and limitations of peer review, I think that the peer review process should be re-defined, in particular, through the mechanism of instantaneous feedback, back tracking, versioning and (machine-readable) copyleft licenses, enabled by online systems. The electronic network should also allow the wider intellectual community to participate in the peer review process and not simply a selected number of “experts.”

6. Finally, what advise would you give to colleagues in the profession or students who are planning to venture into online publishing?

Let us try to work towards genuine dialogue and openness even if there are emotional and political restraints imposed upon us by the academic establishment. The mechanism of feedback is tremendously useful in the blogging community, for example, and despite the current frenzy, we should be able to use it creatively and intelligently.

Dinner tonight was soy chicken with vegetable noodles in carrot sauce. Below is a photo of the noodle dish. I used the stock from the chicken to cook the noodles and the carrots. Then I served this on a plate with lettuce under the noodles and grated cheese on top.

In addition to the noodles and chicken, I decided to make some of that Ilokano eggplant dish called “puke-puke.” The name doesn’t sound very nice in either English or Filipino, and I’ve no idea what it means in Ilokano.

Anyway, my mom used to cook this, which her older brother loves, and I’ve learned to love just as well. The original dish requires grilled eggplants but because we didn’t have a grill, I just boiled the eggplants, peeled and mashed them. Then I sauted the eggplants with fish sauce and shrimp paste. My mom actually used bagoong balayan or fermented fish paste but that wasn’t available at the moment. Then, egg and finely chopped garlic is added. The whole thing is then mixed until the eggplants are mashed and the egg is cooked. Below is a photo of “puke-puke.”

The nice thing about puke-puke is that it can keep for a few days. In fact, it tastes nicer after a day or two and when cold.

Hmmm… I seem to do nothing but cook all day! (and my partner says he does nothing but wash dishes all day!)

Been quite busy in the kitchen lately. Since I started feeling better, I’ve been doing more cooking, which is something that I can quite enjoy. Just now, I’ve finished making two bottles of pickled onions, following instructions from the BBC’s H2G2 website (and so I just learned that pickled onions are an English Pub staple!). Below, I’ve posted the H2G2’s basic recipe for making pickled onions. In my case, I used local black vinegar (sugarcane vinegar with caramel) and my own pickling spices consisting of: black peppercorns, cinnamon bark, crushed garlic, dried oregano, star anise, ginger. Apart from red onions, I included a few baby cucumbers, garlic, and red chilli peppers. I hope everything turns out okay!

Also below are some of my own meal recipes. The meal usually consists of a viand, a vegetable side dish, and a staple of either rice, noodles or potatoes, and of course, fruit juice. The liver and bacon dish is an improvisation made by by partner, something he often calls kitchen sink cooking (that it, he throws everything he can find into the pot, including the kitchen sink).

I look forward to having the pickled onions with our meals next time!

Generally, what I try to do is balance the meal - if we are having pork, then I try to include more vegetables and those things that “cut the fat” such as raw garlic.

Later, I will post my chicken recipes. Chicken is considerably cheaper than beef or pork; I could get chicken thigh bottoms at around 10 pesos each. Beef is very expensive and I do have a bit of difficulty cooking them because they are always so tough, so usually my partner uses them in his slow cooker meals. I like pork, it is cheaper than beef, easy to cook and tastes nice but not very healthy.

I like shellfish and seafood a lot but they are so bloody expensive! Also, my partner doesn’t like fish very much. I once cooked a malaga fish in water with onion, tomatoes and a bit of salt. The soup tasted really nice but my partner has a bit of difficulty eating fish especially since here we cook the fish whole (with the head, tail, fins). Maybe one time I’ll get fish filet instead - rather expensive, but it could be nice. I still don’t really know how to cook fish other than frying or in onion and tomato soup.

Anyway, below are some of my recipes. Very sketchy, but I never really measure anything precisely and tend to be quite spontaneous with cooking.

Enjoy!

Meal A

Pork ribs, marinate overnight in:
Crushed garlic
Cayenne powder
Chicken Soy Marinade (Lee Kum Kee)
Then cook in a wok with a enough water to cover half of meat. Let evaporate.
Then add a bit of oil and stir-fry.
Turn off heat and throw in:
Red chilli peppers (chopped finely)
Garlic (chopped finely)
Onions (chopped finely)
Leeks (chopped finely)
Garnish with parsley

Safoco Fine or Broad Vegetable Noodles (Vietnam), boil quickly in water with:
Salt
Then drain and mix with:
Sesame oil
Sage (dry)
Marjoram (dry)
Crushed black pepper
Garlic (sliced)
Sliced tomatoes
Serve on plate and while still hot, sprinkle with grated:
Cheese (Mainland Vintage mature sharp cheddar)

Meal B

Liver and Bacon, sliced into strips
Fry in a bit of vegetable oil, then add
Stock made of:
Water
Salt
Soy Sauce (Sinsin)
Cayenne powder
Java sauce
Wasabe powder
Bring to a boil, then add sliced:
Red bell peppers
Green bell peppers
Tomatoes
Celery
Leeks

Potatoes (sliced into wedges, unpeeled) boil in water with:
Salt
Drain potatoes and transfer to wok and stir-fry with:
Sesame oil
Green bell pepper (chopped finely)
Turn off heat and add:
Sage (dry)
Marjoram (dry)
Rosemary (dry)
Crushed black pepper
Garlic (sliced)
Serve on plate and while still hot, sprinkle with grated:
Cheese (Mainland Vintage mature sharp cheddar)

Serve with sliced lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes

Side vegetable dish:
Spinach, boil in water with:
Red Chilli peppers (chopped finely)
Salt
Butter

—–
Soup
Pork or beef stock, boil with:
Salt
Spinach
Celery (chopped)
Tamarind paste (Pantainorasingh, Thailand)

Pork or beef stock, boil with:
Salt
Spinach
Celery (chopped)
Hot and Sour Soup Mix (Tomyum Paste)

Or use sliced cabbage instead of spinach

—-

Instead of noodles or potatoes, serve viands with
White or brown rice, boiled
Or stir fry cooked rice with:
Vegetable oil
Garlic, crushed
Green chilli peppers, sliced
Roasted salted peanuts
Saffron or Kasuba
Garnish with parsley

Serve with fruit juice (Orange, apple, or grape)
When available/in season, best fruit juice is guyabano (soursop) or guava

Pickled onion recipe from the BBC’s H2G2.
How to Make Perfect Pickled Onions

Pickling is the name given to the technique of preserving food by the use of vinegar. Many vegetables and fruits can be pickled, but this recipe is devoted to the humble onion.

Know Your Onions

There are many onions available throughout the year including Spanish and red varieties, but the two most commonly used for pickling are shallots and pickling or ‘baby’ onions. The reason for this is simple. They need to be able to fit into a jar.

Although now seen in the marketplace throughout the year, autumn (in the UK) is still the prime time for purchasing the best and cheapest crop. Try to choose onions which are firm with unbroken skins; shallots should not have too much ‘growth’ shoot showing as this usually means they are past their best.

Five kilograms of onions should make about ten regular jars of pickles. Any vinegar can be used although the best flavours tend to come from malt or spiced rather than white or clear.

Pick Your Pots and Pans

Because the vinegar used is acetic acid, care should be taken when selecting the correct pan to use. Aluminium is best, followed by unchipped enamel, but never use iron, copper or brass as these will cause an unwanted metallurgic reaction with the vinegar. Some find a pressure cooker to be the ideal pan, especially when making a large batch.

Any jar can be used but should be thoroughly cleaned, dried and, if being filled warm, placed in the bottom of a very low-heat oven. If you live near a fish and chip shop and ask nicely, they are quite often pleased to give you their finished pickled egg jars. Some more unscrupulous owners may sell them. If not, it is a good way to use all those emptied mayonnaise, chutney or ready-mix sauce jars which form the basis of modern refuse.

If you have inherited granny’s Kilner jars even better, but check that the seals are intact and the glass is unbroken.

If the jars you intend to use have screw lids you have no worries - just make sure that the contents of the jar do not reach as far as the lid or protect the metal by using greaseproof or waxed paper. If the lids are missing, don’t panic. You can still buy jar covers complete with greaseproof paper and elastic bands. Though not ideal for long storage, they certainly do the trick.

Requirements

Apart from the onions you will need:

* At least half a kilogram of salt
* Two litres of malt vinegar
* 125 grams of pickling spice
* 50 grams of root ginger
* One small piece of cinnamon stick
* One bay leaf
* Assorted spiced and flavoured vinegars (optional)

Basic Method

1. Allow plenty of time! A crisp, crunchy pickled onion needs all liquid added to be cold. Spread the task over two or three days.
2. First make some brine. Take one litre of water and boil it with half a kilo of salt until the salt has dissolved. Put this aside until the mixture is completely cold.
3. Peel the onions or shallots. Use a very sharp, stainless steel knife to prevent discoloration and remove the skins underwater to save your tears. If the onions are very strong try popping a cube of bread into your mouth.
4. Submerge the peeled onions in the cold brine. Don’t worry if some of the salt has separated itself, just spoon it over the top. Weigh down the onions to make sure they are all covered - a round washing-up bowl with a frying pan lid and a few large books will do the trick.
5. Leave for at least 24 hours to allow the brine water to penetrate the onions and remove some of their moisture.
6. Meanwhile, prepare the vinegar. Take a muslin cloth or clean cotton handkerchief and place the pickling spices, ginger, cinnamon stick and bay leaf inside. Close the cloth with string and tie around a wooden spoon so that you can stop it from sinking too far.
7. Put the malt vinegar into the pan, add two small, peeled onions, a tablespoon of salt and the spice parcel. Bring the vinegar to the boil and boil for five minutes. A word of advice here - the boiling vinegar does not only smell quite strong it also removes oxygen from the air, so make sure that you open windows or doors and take care if you suffer from asthma.
8. After five minutes, turn off the heat, take out the spice bag and put the vinegar somewhere to cool (but not in the fridge!). One advantage of preparing this in the autumn is that it can safely stay outside overnight if covered.
9. Rinse the onions well and pack into the jars. Pour over the cold vinegar so that all the onions are covered but take care not to overfill the jar if using screw tops. Seal and place in a cool place. If possible leave for at least a week before eating.

Variations

If you prefer your pickled onions to be soft then pour the vinegar while still hot. Remember to warm the jars in the oven first, or they may shatter.

Experiment!

There are many wonderful specialist vinegars available. Try combining the basic brew with these and create your own flavours. Use about 50/50 for a strong flavour or 25/75 for a more subtle one. Some ideas include tarragon, cider, white, red, and, for a sweet and sour effect, raspberry.