Chubby Bunny

The Knife Guard Story

So, during my short trip back home, I went on a mini-adventure of sorts. I instinctively got on the 6 Train, though I wasn’t sure why. And I instinctively got off at Bleecker Street. Again, I wasn’t sure why.

And I just walked. I was going to head over to Broadway, but I saw the kitchen supply store when I was waiting for the light to cross Lafayette.

It occurred to me that I still didn’t open my santoku knife, because I never got a knife guard for it.

While I like to believe I speak decent Chinese, sometimes I’m intimidated, because certain words aren’t in my vocabulary. Like knife guard. And the necessary words for explaining what it actually does.

• Keep a blade sharp.
• Keep me safe when I transport it in my bookbag. (Don’t ask.)
• Keep me safe when I toss it into a drawer for storage until use.

Basically, a knife guard comes in two know varieties. There’s the plastic clamshell case that encases the entire forged blade. Then there’s a thin strip that you slice into every time you’re ready to put your dry, clean knife away covers only the sharp cutting edge and leaves the rest of the blade exposed.

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How I Almost Had A Heart Attack

So it was circa lunch time and I had plans to be diligent today with my cooking, since it is Saturday after all, and actually whip out the pan to make a grilled cheese sandwich.

I had my bread ready and went to the kitchen to get my beloved pan that Dad fixed up and it has survived many years of cooking with my brother.

I was really confused. This was my pan, wasn’t it? I looked through all the cabinets and thought hard. Really hard. Trying to remember where I put the pan Mom told me to bring.

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The Cafe du Monde Mechanism: coffee –???–> math

A week ago I had a little something called a coffee craving. My best excuse to drink coffee is when I need to focus on a good amount of math or difficult problems (namely…proofs.)

But sometimes I’ll have a little coffee for “wrong” reasons like the assurance that I can stay awake as well as be hyperactive or really enthusiastic (even when there isn’t much to be enthusiastic about.) Or drink coffee simply to kick back and enjoy coffee as the bittersweet concoction that it is.

Speaking of math and coffee, Lindsay has added me to her blog roll. I must do the same later today.

Back to the coffee episode. So I’m dancing around my room, celebrating that I want coffee and I can has it. And I find my coffee filter, my Putnam mug and the ever important coffee grounds.

Before leaving, I asked Mom if she could pick up a can of Cafe du Monde coffee and chicory. This preference is many-fold: Cafe du Monde is pretty reputable (especially in New Orleans!), Vietnamese-style coffee is made with it and the Chinese bakery that I frequented for iced coffee also uses it.

Unfortunately, I’m not exactly a coffee expert. But the chicory adds an interesting depth to the coffee. Like a smokiness of sorts. It’s coarsely ground, so most of it is held nicely by the coffee filter I used. This is what four dollars can buy me.

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Posted in Comfort, Drinks | 1 Comment »

Trinkets!

My brother’s flight came in this morning from Narita.

And on our ride home, he showed me his many, many photos for Japan: people, culture, food, etc.

He got these for me from a temple in Kyoto. Ushi-chan and usagi-chan.

They’re currently attached to my North Face backpack, but I might transfer one over to my laptop bag since that one is kinda boring otherwise.

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The Number 50 Disher

Our adventures in Boston this summer as a family involved three critical things:

1. My Uncle’s family (and the discovery of Katamari on PS2);
2. Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, CT (though I prefer Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, CT, because they don’t have sea turtles at Mystic.)
3. Wrentham Outlets…where we kinda raided the kitchen supply stores, among others.

While my Santoku knife is still sitting pretty in its original packaging, I finally unleashed the #50 disher that I bought somewhat on a whim. It was about half the price I would have to pay if I got it from my usual hot spots for kitchen supplies in NYC.

If memory serves, the disher number indicates the volume relative to a liter. For instance, let n be an integer on the disher; then the total volume is 1/n. Easy, right? Then try converting it into customary units.

Since it is a disher, I decided to give it a test run with ice cream. There’s no photo of my latest gadget, but it’s from Farberware. The design is very ergonomic– it’s easy to hold, scoop and release. The spring handle is non-discriminating. Someone who is a lefty could use it as easily as a righty. It’s great. Most importantly, it’s very easy to clean. Just a quick wipe with some soapy water, rinse and let it dry. It’s made of stainless steel, so I’m not concerned about rusting, though it’s best to let things dry as completely as possible.

Posted in Dessert, Ranting, Snackage, Sweet | No Comments »

Junky Food Spree

As a rather last minute decision, I bummed a ride home with Susan yesterday and will be home for another 24 hours or so. Life at home after a week at school is pretty sweet. It definite felt different from coming home to this place every night, but it’s a good feeling nonetheless.

Tragically, since my brother was away in Japan last week, my parents were the only one home.

And there’s nothing to eat at home. :o) Not even fruit, except for the Asian pears that my parents grow in the backyard. How many times did I open the fridge, hoping to find something rich in carbohydrates last night?

In recent days, I’ve had salt cravings– resulting in a bowl of instant ramen noodles the other night.

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Posted in Comfort, Junkfood, Lunch, Ranting, Savory, Snackage, Weekends | No Comments »

CSHL Feeds Me; I Can Feed Myself

CSHL.

So, lucky me, I got to wake up at 6:07 (it’s a prime number) on Thursday and stroll on over to the LIRR station. It was a quiet walk, but the icy dew on the grass soaked through my Nikes and eventually stained my socks. Time to bring them home for bleaching.

After a few talks on genetics– I only care for the plant ones– we had a coffee break. Since I only had half a PB sandwich on WW bread and there was coffee to be had, I needed carbohydrates to offset any craziness that may occur due to the caffeine.

Yes, the sexy CSH cocktail napkin was intentionally put there in the background.

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Posted in Breakfast, Comfort, Dining Out, Ranting, Snackage, Special Occasion | No Comments »

SBU Catering

Cookies.

So far, between the Orientation for my Department and the one meant for PhD students, I’ve sampled what SBU catering can do. They’re not quite NYU’s Aramark people, but they know how to bake a righteous cookie.

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Posted in Comfort, Dessert, Dining Out, Healthful, Junkfood, Lunch, Ranting, Savory, Special Occasion, Sweet | No Comments »