triggering Action Potential

French cuisine? Oui!

Had my first encounter with French flair of culinary delights, with dishes mostly from the Alsace region. Some German influence, some Italian influence, a lot of French consolidation. Food cooked with wine sauce on top of a bottle of Rosé to pair the dinner. Very impressed, I was. The Alsace gnocchi, slightly pan fried, was rich in flavor, but light in texture. The chicken Riesling was absolutely delicious, in a cream wine sauce with mushroom and bacon, served with a side of pan fried kanefella (or spetzle). Surprisingly, it was very filling and I was more than full at the end of the meal. Well, probably won't be as full if I didn't try the foie gras, which is just like butter.

I will, of course, have to return to the same restaurant for a second opinion--just to make sure they are consistent in their mastery of food.

Repertoire

No, not piano. But culinary repertoire. In the process of honing my skills at certain dishes and cocktail drinks for future dinner parties. Developing a nice menu of mixed world fares... could be over my head here since I don't really have the kitchen space or equipments for it, but it's would be the challenge....

well, not to mention, the availability to buy fresh grocery without taking my back out at the same time.

So far, I got some Italian and Japanese dishes in the works. The plan is to get your guests drunk before dinner so they won't be able to tell too much what they will be consuming...

Chef de cuisine

After one failed attempt at making a potato gnocchi from the Spiaggia cookbook, I tried again. This time, it was very good. A fairly simple pasta dish to make. So now, I'll have to work on the accompanying sauce to go with it.

What's the one question you would ask if you can ask about anything in this world and get an answer to your question? And you can't ask for more questions to ask.

Critical Mass

Went to the Chicago fireworks last night, for the first time since living in Chicago. Headed to the planetarium and sat for 4 hours for a 20 minutes show.

I'll never do it again!

The fireworks was good, brilliant display of colors and flashes.

But the crowd wasn't. People screaming, gnats flying, and after the show, it was a zoo! No wait, it was like a peaceful riot, with critical mass filling the city streets, police barricades at certain intersections and cops patrolling the corners. All public transit were jammed, and it was certainly hard to get to where we wanted to go.

For all that effort just trying to get to the fireworks and to get home from the fireworks, it wasn't even worth it. I think I'll resort myself to finer activities that involve a more sophisticated crowds and less rowdy public crowds.

Chemical Imbalance

I just had to. Our love-puppy Tom Cruise, as I was reading an article in CNN.com, says that there is no such thing as chemical imbalance [ in the human body/brain]. And he says the psychiatry is a pseudo-science.

Strange, for a Scientologist, I would think that thet cult-religion is the pseudo-science, especially to have named itself as a form of learning/knowledge.

I find it hypocritical and ironic that a lot of folks out there still lack the "faith" in modern science, especially modern medicine. Does gravity not exist? Does blood testing not work to find out which blood type you have for transfusion/donation? Yet, when these same folks are in dire need of modern medicine's help and expertise, they readily accept them. Sure, modern medicine is about to save their life. It's a mean to prolong their dogmatic, yet ironic, views of the world. Granted, I bias my opinions as a research scientist. But I don't use it to justify outrageous claims. I like to see it as it is proven to me.

But no chemical imbalance in the human body? Hmmmm, I wonder why Mr. Cruise is feeling all those loving feelings? Maybe his brain doesn't respond to or have dopamine or serontonin, or other neurochemicals. He can't. Because he's a Scientologist. Heck, only a Scientologist would say that there's no chemical imbalance and go on to suggest others to take vitamins instead.

What do you think vitamins are???