How to make Birds Nest Soup

After a short visit to the US I’m back in Kuala Lumpur. Throughout the city there are any number of Chinese pharmacies making potions and remedies, the practice goes back thousands of years. These establishments just amaze me, they are mysterious, wonderous, and one just can’t describe the shelves filled with oddities and dead dried things. If you want to get your Yin balanced with your Yang, this is the place to come.

The man behind the counter went to several jars and pulled out what looked like roots, dried mushrooms, ginseng, weighing each item as he did. After drying the items in an oven the twig collection is ground into a powder. I asked the lady next to me at the counter what she ordered as I pointed at the mix of items placed delicately on a paper square. “Energy tea” she said.

One item I see all the time on Chinese menus is Birds Nest soup and if you are going to make it, here is where you come buy them. There are varying qualities of birds nest, here my expert picks out two nests for me, he weighs them and totals up the bill, $30. Hmmm… and I got the cheap ones. Yellow and red nests harvested from caves can run hundreds of dollars just for one.

Bird in the hand …

The White-nest Swiftlet (Aerodramus fuciphagus) builds its nests out of saliva. Unlike shark fin, bird nests are a renewable resource so I have no qualms about eating it however; the manual labor to clean them and the dangerous harvesting techniques in the caves makes it one of the most expensive consumables on earth.

Traditionally believed to provide health benefits, such as aiding digestion (Could use that), raising libido (Not sure, maybe), improving the voice (Don’t need that), alleviating asthma (Don’t have asthma), and enhancing the immune system (Sure can use that) to name a few, the Birds Nest does contain calcium, iron, potassium, and magnesium, yum. I mentioned to my friend Donna, when I was in North Carolina, I’m going to make Birds Nest soup when I get back to Malaysia so here goes…

How to make Birds Nest Soup
Prep time 24 hours. The basic recipe is as follows:

Red Wine, a good red wine…
Skipping this ingredient could cause the whole thing to go to waste .

Chicken Stock
Go get some vegetables and chicken. Make ahead your own chicken stock. Simple, chicken carcass, carrots, celery, onion, salt, and pepper. TIP: Blanch the chicken carcass a few moments, this ensures a clear broth then discard the water. Start with clean water, vegetables and make the stock. Of course if you screw it up just go buy some pre-made chicken stock. Ignore the fact that I have Kraft Mac and Cheese in my pantry, not sure how that got there.

Ingredients:

• Birds Nest: Soak over night in cold water. Remove any feathers or twigs with tweezers. Nothing worse than feathers in a soup.
• Chicken Stock 6 cups
• Chicken Breast (minced)
• Cornstarch 1 tbsp. make a slurry
• Dry Sherry 1 tbsp. Take a sip if you like…
• Egg whites 2
• Take a sip of wine, 4 tbsp.
• Green onions
• Ham (Optional)
• Ginger one slice about this big around|<——>| and this wide |–|

Mix the cornstarch roux and add to the stock. Bring stock to a boil and add birds nest and Sherry.
Sip some wine and add minced chicken, ginger and salt to taste.
Sip some more wine, Beat egg whites and fold into the soup, bring to a boil and serve with chopped green onions, ham, finish off with a sip of wine …. and wallah we have →

Hmm, how did that happen, Donna’s feet in my soup. Must be the low-grade birds nest. Let me try again.

Finish off with a sip of wine and wallah !

Taste like chicken! Or egg drop soup with rubbery strings of birds nest, not bad when paired with some duck. Given the expense and time I don’t think I will make this again. However, the fun of shopping in Chinese pharmacies makes it a worthwhile experience, walk in one sometime and ask for Porcupine Bezoar or sea cucumber, it will fix that Yin and Yang problem you’ve been having…

Taliesin West

We left Kuala Lumpur about a week ago to visit the US. We spent three days in Las Vegas and now we are in Phoenix, Arizona. Today we visit Taliesin West.

Frank Lloyd Wright, (1867 – 1959) was one of the greatest American Architects of the 20^th

century, eccentric and controversial, his legacy endures and inspires future architects of today. Wright established a school just outside of Scottsdale, Arizona called Taliesin West, established in 1937 it is still a working school today.

Wikipedia

Here is a rare photograph of David Elgin Dodge, registered architect and former apprentice to Frank Lloyd Wright. I took this just the other day while he sat in the dinner hall at Taliesin. Mr. Dodge is the grandson of Horace Elgin Dodge of the Dodge Motor Company.

If you don’t know who Frank Lloyd Wright is, he designed the Guggenheim Museum in NYC and the famous Falling Waters home in Pennsylvania.

Wikipedia

Wikipedia

This is a model of a house Frank Lloyd Wright designed for Marilyn Monroe. She rejected the concept.

If you admire the genius of Frank Lloyd Wright it is well worth the visit and take the one-hour tour.

Phoenix proper is really several towns combined. You have Tempe, Mesa, Scottsdale, and downtown Phoenix all one big city out in the middle of a desert. As the sun sets behind Camel Back Mountain it only means one thing, dinner time.

Hermosa Inn and Lon’s Restaurant

Listed as one of the top 500 hotels and Restaurants in the world Lon’s serves up an international cuisine that is just wonderful. The Inn was initially the home of Alonzo “Lon” Megargee a renowned cowboy artist of his time, time being 1936. The patio restaurant is comfortable with a cool desert breeze flowing in, and if it’s too cool, sit around one of the private fires situated on the property.

I asked if I could go back to the kitchen and take some pictures. Waitress was befuddled and scurried off. She came back and said sure…

This is Janet I believe she said. She is the pastry chef, beautiful, wonderful woman. This is the chef of the night. His dishes, preparation and presentation were impeccable.  This place is well worth a visit.

I sneaked down to the wine cellar … Napa Valley, California all over the place !!!

Next, a quick peek a Jerome …

My advice about the touts in Vegas, just avoid them…

Las Vegas is without a doubt our inner child gone amuck in a candy store. There is no limit to vice or depravity that can’t be satisfied or at least humored in as little time as it takes to walk the streets.

Check out “The best of Vegas” at the end of this post. This is the second post on Las Vegas and we have just arrived from Kuala Lumpur with my jet lagged travel partner in tow. We are trying to stay awake as we walk down the crowed Las Vegas Blvd and there is no limit to what you might see or encounter. One thing is very apparent and it only takes a short while to realize it, and that is that prostitution is legal in Nevada.

Touts stand on every corner handing out cards of Emily, Brook, Ashley, and an occasional George or Michael, pictured in naked poses. The touts slap the cards to get your attention taunting would be patrons for a night with any one of the beautiful people pictured on the card. Carlita’s card says $100 off which makes me wonder how much is a night with Carlita and for how long. On the crowded street I ask one of the touts, just for fun.

“How long for Windy?” I pointed at the card. “The card says $47 dollar special.”

“No speak English.” The young man said as he clapped the cards in his hand while avoiding my gaze.

“Does the $47 dollar special include the tip?” I asked.

Annoyed the young man stopped handing out cards and turned to look at me. He laughed, “You shitting me? Call number on card.” He turned and walked across the street slapping his cards.

You know, I didn’t think of it at the time but I should have called Pam’s number or Desiree’s number. According to Pam’s card she is lonely. I had to black out some of the pictures or the Malaysian government would have blacked out this post.

My advice about the touts is to just avoid them, the cards end up on the ground, children pick them up, they are an annoyance, a better alternative, if you must, is just call the number on the truck that rides up and down the boulevard or ask your concierge. Of course I had to keep these cards, for reference material, research, you know, in case I have to refer back to them or something…

Only Mom’s cooking can rival the caliber of food in Vegas, we tried as many restaurants as possible. The crab cakes at Wolfgang’s is a must. Crispy and full of crab placed on a wasabi dressing.

Just down the street from the Vegas strip is the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop featured on the History Channel as a reality show known as Pawn Stars. Chumlee has become quite famous. If Goofy’s dog Pluto had a pet it would be Chumlee.

The place is small and we did not see the stars of the show but it’s worth a stop to see some of the merchandise on the walls you see in the show. Rick the owner loves Hendrix.

The best of Vegas: After visiting Las Vegas a number of times this is what I find helpful and informative.

Best shopping:

• Venetian, Grand Canal Shops.
• Caesars Palace, Forum Shops.
• Aladdin, Desert Passage.
• Las Vegas Outlet Center, 7400 S Las Vegas Blvd.

Best Buffets:

1. Caesar’s Palace, Bacchanal $32
2. The Wynn $40
3. Bellagio buffet $20-$32
4. The Cosmopolitan, next to the Bellagio, Wicked Spoon buffet $35
5. For as little as $5 you can find meals along the strip.

Best shows:

• Any Cirque du Soleil show. Mystere at Treasure Island, KA at MGM, Love at the Mirage, O at the  Bellagio Costs – $80(Look for offers) to $300.
• Blue Man Group – Monte Carlo $100
• Penn and Teller – Rio $60
• Headliners change monthly.  Check hotels.

Tips and useful information:

• Bring comfortable shoes. You will walk for miles.
• Do not rent a car. Use the bus, monorail, or taxi.
• The MGM Grand is where we stayed. You can get a room for $80 a night. Search other sites and you can find rooms as cheap as $40.
• Avoid the dates during the conventions, as rooms will be more expensive. Lasvegas.net will list dates.
• The best games with the best odds for gamblers are Craps and Blackjack. Learn the basics and I guarantee a fun time.
• Don’t expect to come back from Vegas wining a lot of money.
•  Free drinks for anyone who gambles or looks like they are gambling, just ask the waitress who walks around the casino.
• Tip. A dollar chip to the bellman, waitress, and dealers goes a long way.

Free or near free things to do:

• Pawn Stars pawn shop. 713 S Las Vegas Blvd,
• Fremont Street, the old Vegas. Stay off the side streets.
• Shops at Caesars Palace
•  Harrah’s Piano Bar
• Bellagio fountain show, view at night on the hour.
• Miraje: Volcano erupts ever hour on the hour.
• Most Unusual Bar: Minus 5, use to be called the Red Square, has a bar made of ice and serves Vodka in a refrigerated room. Mandalay Bay Hotel.

Next stop Phoenix, Arizona …

Return to home and Las Vegas …

Being in Kuala Lumpur for over a year without seeing friends and family I decided to go back to the US for a short visit. The next few posts are sights from Las Vegas, Phoenix, and North Carolina. The first stop is Las Vegas, Nevada, what better way to get rid of jet lag than to spend a few days in a town that never sleeps. As you approach the desert city your plane circles the Grand Canyon.

Next, A walk on the strip, a little bit about Vegas prostitution and a visit to the History Channel Pawn Stars…

KL Reggae Bar…

Went to China Town in Kuala Lumpur last weekend to buy some souvenirs before heading to the US. Although Crowded and sanitation is questionable, you have to notice the little things to really appreciate China Towns beauty. The old buildings, residents airing their birds, and a funky little bar called the Reggae Bar were we had lunch, makes China Town a must see and a great place to take pictures.

For more on China Town in Kuala Lumpur check here my first visit, and here looking for tea.

Chinese New Year and the beautiful woman…

It’s Chinese New Year around the world and with half the population in Malaysia made up of Chinese it’s an exciting time in Kuala Lumpur.

The whole week is nothing but red lanterns, fireworks, lion dance competitions, and a special time to visit families. During one of these family gatherings I met one of the most beautiful women I think I have laid my eyes on. She is vibrant, young at heart, a chain smoker, and 86 years has not stopped this woman, she is on my top list of interesting people for 2013.

Great Grandma is the patriarch of several generations of Chinese families in Malaysia, revered, feared, and respected, I asked her son if I could take her picture. I introduced myself and she smiled a big toothless grin. We talked awhile and in her broken English she revealed to me all the gossip stories about the family.

Grandma points into the crowd, “That grandson has a child, not married. That granddaughter divorced.” She stopped a moment and took a big puff of her cigarette. “That son has two wives.”

“How is that possible?” I asked.

“One wife not registered as married.” She laughed out loud. Some heads turned towards us, me being the only Caucasian in the crowd will attract some attention, especially when the Gweilo (white guy) is getting on with Grandma. She continued, “Somehow they make it work. Been that way for years.” She whispers and points with her thumb. “That’s her.” A big laugh followed with more heads turning our way. She didn’t care and with the confidence of a regal queen she said, “Take your picture.”

Later on, other family members told me how Grandma made it through WWII scrounging for root vegetables to keep the family from starving. It was 1941 and the British just left Malaysia to fend for themselves during the Japanese invasion.  The next four years were brutal for the Chinese in Malaysia, and by the end of the war 100,000 people were either missing, murdered, or starved to death.

I told Grandma I would send her a copy of the picture. She smiled that one-tooth grin and blew me a kiss that melted my heart. What a wonderful woman.

A Fortune Teller Once Told Me …

“You mean to tell me you went to a fortune-teller?” I almost laughed in her face.

Scoobydoo syndicate

“No, he is not a fortune-teller.” My friend Ms. E. explains. “Master You helps you understand when to make decisions in your life.”

“Oh come on!” My eyes rolled back so far in my head I could see the hairs on my neck. “You paid good money to have someone tell you what you should be doing according to your birthday?” Hands on hips, tapping one foot.

“Yes.”

Ms. E. and a few of her friends went to see a Shifu, a Master of the ancient Chinese art known as BaZi. The idea or concept is to receive further understanding into their personal events for the coming year.

In China and throughout Asia BaZi is big business, storekeepers to CEO’s make no decision until they have met with their Feng Shui Master and had a BaZi (pronounced bah-dzee) reading.

Ms. E. looks at me with discontent. “Would you like to go see him?” One hand on hip the other tapping on my forehead.

“Who me?” I scoffed at the idea. “Of, of course not, what could I possibly gain? It’s ridiculous. No way, not in this lifetime, wouldn’t be caught dead in the place, nope, nadda, not me…”

It’s Sunday morning and I stand at the foot of the stairs to Master You’s office, mailboxes from the 1940’s still in use cling to the 21^st century. My palms are clammy as we slowly climb the stairs to a mufti-purpose shop locked behind glass doors.

This is Master You, modern-day “forecaster”, he invites us into his small office, I hand him my birth date and time of day I was born and he begins. Master You pulls out a paper template and starts to scribble Chinese characters, all the while flipping through a big book with 2013 inked on the binding. The master stops for a second, counts a few digits with his thumb then starts to scribble some more. While he determines my fate I ask if I could take some pictures.

People wait in the next office to spend time with the Master. Rates seem reasonable, 50 Ringgit ($15) for a reading, additional costs for other services. Not sure about the big flower painting on the wall maybe he painted, don’t know but it was nice.

This doesn’t look good…

Okay! We are ready. Ms. E. translates as Master You explains his calculations. And a calculation is what it is determining my “possible” fate based on how my birth date interacts with the five basic elements Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth and their relationships with time and the seasons.

Ms. E. suggested I block out portions of the Reading that show my 4 pillars, personal information, and personality, for privacy reasons. In business people pay large sums of money to know this information about their competitors.

So according to Master You I have a strong religious sense, I work hard but people do not notice, he goes on to explain my strength and weakness within the 5 elements. On the back Master You draws the months that are good and months that are not in my best interest. For example, I should not make any financial decisions in the months of April and May.

If one thinks about it, Christianity is based on lesser knowledge. Based on stories, human accounts and events, the Bible can’t be verified although millions have faith in the religion that has nothing to do with the physical space we live in today.

People base important decisions on these readings, which I find all very interesting. I’m not sure how much scientific basis is founded in BaZi however, I gained an insight into another culture I intermingle with everyday. It was a fascinating experience although more investigation is in order to better understand why so many people participate in this practice.

Nevertheless, I have decided NOT to make any financial decisions until June.

I still bike …

Today was the annual OCBC sponsored bike ride in downtown Kuala Lumpur with over 3000 participants filling the streets. Photographing an event is difficult especially when you participate so I have to give sports photographers credit in the way they capture the atmosphere of the venue, it is a task but lets give it a try. It started at dawn in front of the Petronas Towers…

Forbes magazine

It was a grueling 24 kilometers (15 miles ;) but I was able to endure, thinking how Lance would have done it, he gave me drive and inspiration, someone who had meaning in his life, someone I admired, someone who had it all.

I made it the whole way thinking of Lance at times as the peloton pulled me through the streets, I even got a medal at the end. However, with this medal I have no doubt… it will never be recalled.

The race ended with plenty of time for lunch. My friend Ms. E. took me to a Chinese food court of sorts, the place didn’t even have a name. Five or six vendors occupy this building  each with their own cooking station and specialty. One lady did nothing but tofu, another stand just pork, we ordered from the father, daughter team. Ms. E. always orders this nasty soup filled with animal parts you normally would throw away, intestine, liver, and something that looked like an ear. I have to admit though it was good.

Rear Window

Rear Window is one of Hitchcock’s greatest suspense movies. The film was before it’s time, a provocative look of what modern Middle America did in 1954 it promoted the voyeur in all of us while revealing that young couples do have sex out of wedlock. The movie, filmed in whole from the perspective of a photographer’s (Jimmy Stewart) apartment window. Wheelchair bound from a broken leg, Stewart is cared for by his girlfriend, the beautiful Grace Kelly.  Never taken the time to become familiar with his surroundings, Stewart is now forced to wile away the days observing (spying on) his small Greenwich Village neighborhood from his window.

The suspense builds as Stewart and Grace watch unsavory events unfold, families fight, lovers love, and murder instills. The genius behind Hitchcock has a knack of portraying layer upon layer of uncanny metaphors of modern life. If you haven’t seen it, rent it now, you won’t be sorry.

♠

This is my Rear Window …

In the empty lot about ¼ mile away I can view two, maybe three families living in the tin roof shack. They bathe in the rainwater that pools up around an unfinished foundation.

Each photograph is from a particular window in my apartment. Some views are okay, some not so okay.

♠

Christmas in KL Year 2

It’s a chilly 90 degrees outside this Christmas day and I’m about to hit the two-year mark in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A few pictures of the place this past Christmas week, Merry Christmas everybody!

Last week Dylan and Jeehe came through town on their way to Australia.

Dylan wanted some night shots of the Petronas towers. “Ugh, how many times do I need to take pictures of these damn things, just kidding Dylan.” Besides, I was with a professional photographer and I always come away with something new when I talk to Dylan.

Speaking of beautiful buildings, I went to one of the malls this morning, big mistake, but near by is the Malaysia Telecom building with its helicopter pad on top. I’ve always wanted a picture of this building constructed to resemble a shoot of bamboo with garden terraces every five floors. Looks like a shark fin to me.

Every time I go downtown Kuala Lumpur it’s something different, yesterday Bagpipers.

After the mall this morning I make it home in time to take my friend Ms. E. out for Christmas lunch. The Fong Lye has become one of my favorite places to eat serving excellent duck and shrimp as big as your fist.

I wish any and all who visit this blog a merry Christmas. I sure miss being snowed in…