Mom and Dad

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Not much to report, had a nice long phone call with Mom & Dad. I miss them very much. Any time you hear anyone say they are opposed to gay marriage, and equal rights for same-sex couples, on the ground of “family values,” do me a favor. Please tell them that you know of a man who has been expatriated from his country for the past 14 years because he is married to and madly in love with someone of the same gender. Because of this forced expatriation (due to the rights withheld him but afforded anyone who marries someone of opposite gender) he has been separated for all that time from his nation of birth; aging parents,  siblings, nieces and nephews; all of whom he also loves deeply. Then tell them this friend of yours says they should shut the fuck up.

Letter to the Editor of SCMP

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I read the article by Stuart Lau regarding a 23% price rise in Seven Eleven stores between October and December of 2011, with some interest. It seems to me that since the global economic events of 2008 the trend in both public sentiment and in the news is to be decidedly anti-business. It seems the new norm to look only for the alleged wrong doings of businesses and place them in rather unflattering light. Continue reading →

Spirits and climate.

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I am not much of a spirit drinker. Mostly I stick to wine with the occasional beer thrown in for sport. However, I really enjoy a good brandy, Cognac, Armagnac, Bourbon or Single Malt, but only when it is chilly and rainy. In winter those drinks seem so smooth and right… they go down easy, provide a gentle warmth from within and the flavors seem perfect for the weather. In warmer months I might have a Kentucky bourbon or Tennessee mash on ice as a aperitif, but I never have taken to Scotch or the brandy spirits in warm weather. They just don’t seem refreshing or suitable to the weather. I have also never taken to other spirits (Like Vodka, or Gin ) primarily because they are cocktail spirits, and if I want a fruity drink I’ll stick to wine. Continue reading →

Year of the Dragon

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Many of my non-asian friends may not know, but today is the first day of the year of the Dragon. All of my comments (mostly contempt) for the arbitrary and capriciousness of the Gregorian new year apply here as well. However as a public service message I will now cast your personal horoscope for this, the year of the Dragon. After-all, it’s not like one needs any skill to cast an accurate horoscope… Continue reading →

Pink Roasts

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One of my sisters commented (to Henry) that she wished she could make roasts that were as evenly pink as my duck breast. She didn’t know it was duck breast and  she is right, it was seared and then slow roasted. That is the secret to perfectly evenly cooked roasts. Cooking is all about time and temperature, and in this case specifically slow and low. Continue reading →