by Joe P | Oct 19, 2012 | Bangkok, Farang, Foodies, Maine, Thailand, The Weevil, Travel
PART ONE: The From Away Getaway Mainers use the expression “from away” to describe people like me. It is a mildly derisive colloquialism, applied to those who bear the misfortune of being born somewhere other than Maine. There are implied...
by Joe P | Oct 13, 2012 | cooking, Dipping Sauce, Fish & Shellfish, Garlic, Rice, Sauces, Thailand
FISH SAUCE (Nam Plah) Fish sauce is probably the most commonly used ingredient in Thai cuisine. It’s also used in Cambodian, Laotian and Vietnamese cuisine, in much the same way soy sauce is used in other Asian cultures. Soy sauce may be used as a substitute...
by Joe P | Oct 13, 2012 | cooking, Dipping Sauce, Garlic, How To, recipes, Rice, Stir-fry, Thailand, Vegetables
INGREDIENTS You can use any vegetables you like in this recipe. I shoot for either a nice color combination or, in order to clean out the fridge, I’ll use just what I have on hand. I have written “more or less” on some of the ingredients. This is to allow for...
by Joe P | Oct 10, 2012 | Chicken, cooking, Garlic, How To, recipes, Sauces, Thailand
After a week of undertaking exhaustive research of the poultry industry of Thailand, I have arrived at two conclusions. First, there are a lot of chickens and eggs in Thailand. Second, I would rather cook and eat chicken and eggs than read about them. I had...
by Joe P | Sep 28, 2012 | Chicken, cooking, How To, Politics, recipes, soup
The automobile has always been a symbol of progress, status and prosperity. That is usually the way it is with anything that is rare and expensive. It’s difficult to believe, however, that chickens were once held in a similar lofty esteem—at least as a food...
by Joe P | Sep 23, 2012 | Chicken, life, Maine, Politics, professional chefs
There ain’t nobody here but us chickens There ain’t nobody here at all You’re stompin’ around And shakin’ the ground, You’re kickin’ up an awful dust–Alex Kramer & Joan Whitney I live in Waterville, Maine, a...
by Joe P | Aug 26, 2012 | baking, cooking, Garlic, Greek, grilling, How To, pie, Puff Pastry, Spinach
As a child, I hated spinach. My mother tried every tactic of persuasion to get me to eat it—to no avail. Yes, I knew it was good for me—just like every food that seemed disgusting was “good” for me. No, I didn’t want to be like Popeye—who would want to be a...
by Joe P | Aug 19, 2012 | cooking, Cooks, cursing, Greek, life
The good don’t always win And might makes right The Sword of Damocles is hanging above your head –Lou Reed Ever since my restaurant went out of business back in April, I follow the same fruitless routine every morning. While drinking multiple cups of coffee, I...
by Plumstead | Aug 12, 2012 | cooking, How To, meat, recipes, Sauces
Not everyone has a supply of any kind of fresh broth or stock hanging around in his or her refrigerator—not even professional chefs. I simplify many of my recipes for the home chef by recommending either prepared broths or stocks or, preferably, using concentrated...
by Plumstead | Aug 12, 2012 | Garlic, Kitchen Tools, meat, recipes, Sauces
This sauce has all of the components that I look for in a recipe: It’s simple, quick-to-make, flexible and delicious…especially on grilled steak. I recommend refrigerating this sauce for an hour or so before serving it. This allows all of the fresh ingredients...
