Green Caviar and other stories

(non-moving Mozart impersonator, a clown who doesn't smile...his heart must be really achin')

In Vienna, Saturday is when you'll meet faces from different places. Well, for me at least. Saturdays and Sundays are hubby's days off from work so we get the time to play or take a walk, eat out and take photos. Since the kids still have colds, hubby decided to opt out of our trip to Kahlenberg, a mountain (not so much of a real mountain) at Vienna's 19th district. It is reachable via bus that would take about 20 minutes  of travel time. There were a lot of locals alight because the weather has gone up a bit. Kuya O, Tito C, Tita S and I didn't pass up this trip.

Visiting Kahlenberg is like being at home...standing there on top of the mountain viewing the foggy skyline is reminiscent of Tagaytay City (Philippines) were all four of us have lived closely. (More photos soon!)

After our trip to the "mountains" we went down to civilization (lol) and walked about taking more pictures. There were still demonstrations going on with regard to Libya's situation. There are locals and tourists up and about doing their shopping, sightseeing and of course employees tasked to promote their stuff. One of those that we were so happy about is the Jaguar on display in front of the casino. We can't help but have a snapshot by it. :D (Errmmm, I'm not in the photo once again.)

All the walking didn't make me hungry, why? I had a dürum kebap earlier and Tita S brought some homemade empanada that we munched while we were on the mountains. Then again, having dinner with my kababayans is inevitable. May Lee was where our feet took us. It wasn't our first time there so I'd be posting photos of the place when I get to write about our first experience. It is a little restaurant serving Japanese, Asian and other asian dishes (no pinoy food though :( bummer!). I still got some GCs from Groupon so we made use of three. Two GCs of chicken noodles for two and one with two large orders of sushi.

I was surprised to see green  caviar for the first time. I'm used to having Ikura (salmon roe) when eating Japanese. I asked Kuya O being familiar with authentic Japanese food but I never got a clear answer. So I googled and found about Wasabi Tobiko (flying fish roe) flavored with wasabi (japanese horseradish). You put them over sushi meshi (rice) and wrapped in toasted seaweed (nori) just like ikura sushi. A different kick from the usual sushi fare that I love. The noodles were good, served in large portions too and separate heaters!  We were full not just from the food but the stories that came with it. It's nice to have people you know who know people you know around. :)

Will write about May Lee (staff and ambiance) on Thursday. Have to eat for now (it's not a good idea to blog about food, you really wanna eat what you write about).

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May Lee Asia

Wiedner Hauptstraße 37 | 1040 Wien

4. Bezirk - Wieden

Küche: Asiatisch, Japanisch

Lokaltyp: Restaurant

Tel: 01 505 14 82

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Enjoy!

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The awesomeness that is macaron

It was sick week! All three kids caught some virus making them cough uncomfortably, enough for them to be excused from school and kindergarten. We were just at home except on Tuesday when we *visited* the doctor. They were given cough syrup and fever meds and nothing more...I fervently hoped that they would feel better soon especially since forecasts said the weather will be nice!

Friday afternoon the cough subsided a bit, we were able to get out and walk around the city with Kuya O (in photo with dawty). We visited Mozarthaus, the apartment where world-renowned musician Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart lived. The building has been turned into a museum housing Mozart and his family's belongings. Tidbits about Mozart and his students could be read and you can literally follow his footsteps to his own bedroom, kitchen and music room.

Dawty likes Mozart a lot and has learned some of his piano pieces. I've onced featured the Mozarthaus at my other blog, when we visited it during the long nights at the museum. You can view the write-up here. We bought some souvenirs at the shop and met a friendly Japanese student.  I practiced a bit of my Nihonggo  tinee-nihonggo with her while Kuya O conversed with her in ease being fluent in the language and having lived in Osaka for sometime now.

Despite the cold, street performers are still there freaking out...I mean entertaining locals and tourist. The one  below is a headless goldman, the kids dared not come near or pose for a photo. :D

Kuya O commented that Dr. Jose Rizal (Philippine hero) must have been really impressed about Vienna that he often wrote of his trips here and to other European cities in his memoirs. He now understood what Rizal saw and felt...even if it was more than a hundred years ago. (Rizal visited Vienna in 1887 with his friend, Dr. Maximo Viola.) I wrote about their trail sometime last year for a Feature magazine and published a few paragraphs on my other blog (will have to search first).

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In the middle of our walk, C requested for a stopover to have a drink. So off we go to the nearest joint, bought iced tea and had some free hot milk (lol). He was starting to get grumpy, annoying his siblings by repeating everything they say. It's getting on my nerves too. It was a relief that he saw the French macarons on display and insisted he'd buy one, just one. He said he'd buy it using his own money, so I let him. He came back with a lemon macaron and happily munched it with gusto! He was so happy with it that he stopped bugging us afterwards...whatever the macaron had that calmed him down, I'm just thankful. This little piece of yummy treat is something I am aiming to learn how to make...surely, if I can make macarons at home, the house would be a little quieter. Macarons are awesome sweets, C also nodded in agreement.

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Cuteness dognified!

It's a plushie...was my first guess. Until now, I'm not convinced that such a cutie could be real, but he is. Boo, perhaps the cutest pomeranian there is, certainly captured our hearts and 883,682 (as of Feb. 27, 2011, 22:05 GMT+1) more people on his facebook page.

Boo loves to dress up (below photo) but he would sometimes show himself naked especially on Wednesdays (above photo). Nonetheless, he's still cute on both!

(Boo pawing a sign to help Free the Children in trying to raise $1,000,000 for their programs that empower young people (human versions of dogs like Boo) to help children and communities in the developing world. Their sponsors donate $1 for each “like” on their WeDay page.)

(Seriously thought they're stuffed toys.)

Boo has a brother named Buds who wears his hair like other pomeranians do...long and flowing.You'd see that they are charming in different ways and how one would look like with the hair of the other. ;D

Perhaps the reason that I can relate so much to Boo and his cuteness is I see a resemblance of his antics at home....only not of a dog but my own little boy. lol! 

To both I'll scream: "So fluffy, I'm gonna die!"
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Boo's photos lifted from Boo's facebook page.

Where's the meat?

When the kids and I got free time, that is when we finished doing homework and household chores, we sit half an hour to read a bible-based book or a good whole hour to watch a film. Thanks to hubby we do not need to borrow or buy DVDs. He copied our most favorite movies and animes in one hard drive and set it up with the TV, a sort of entertainment system sans DVD player.

Aside from Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli, we also enjoy superhero movies. :) Batman, X-men, Iron man, the Avengers and the chibi versions.  True, these films are on the violent side and in the past I've often expressed my dislike for watching movies and playing games of this genre. Maybe I've overcomed this animosity over the years...I just see to it that my kids knew that these movies shouldn't be something to imitate. :) Well, less the explosives and death-defying stunts all that's left are harsh words and loud sound effects.

One of the films that I limit them to watch is Hancock (2008) with Will Smith playing the title role of John Hancock, a homeless superhero. I watch this often alone. Here's a trailer where you'd see him holding a bottle of vodka as he flies, where he tosses a kid who calls him jackass...(sorry, that's all I can get)...

Anyway, spaghetti with meatballs was often seen in the movie, that's because the dish is Ray Embrey's (Jason Bateman) favorite. He happened to be a public relations spokesperson that Hancock saved as he almost died, trapped in his car on a railroad track with an incoming freight train. This is where Hancock's story of redemption began but along came Mary (Charlize Theron), Embrey's wife...who was cold and distant to Hancock. She cooked those meatballs of course! I was surprised at the turnout of this film...perhaps it is the twist that others find messy that makes me watch this film...The approach was original and disparate from the usual heroic movies I've seen.

True, Will Smith has had his share of awesome movies and many think that this movie isn't for him...well, no. The guy is one very good actor. (He follows Johnny Depp in our list of most loved Hollywood actors.) He did a great job portraying the useless hero whom the citizens see as a liability instead of a helper. And that is why the movie seems off. Casting one of the most charming movie stars to play a charmless, unloved lout is totally sardonic.Well, who would need much meat when Will Smith is in it? ;) You can  have the bowl up there!

Ingredients:

Meatballs:
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
3 slices bread, crumbled
2 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 clove garlic, smashed, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
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Sauce:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried leaf oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried leaf basil
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 large can (28 to 36 ounces total) crushed Italian tomatoes
2 cans (6 ounces each) tomato paste
16 ounces thin spaghetti
Parmesan cheese
Preparation:

Recipe for spaghetti and meatballs

Make meatballs. In a medium bowl, beat eggs lightly; add milk and bread and let stand for about 5 minutes. Add ground beef, onion, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper; mix gently until well blended. Shape into about 24 meatballs, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Place meatballs in a generously greased large shallow baking pan. Bake meatballs at 450° for 25 minutes.

In a Dutch oven, in hot oil over medium heat, sauté onion until tender and just begins to turn golden. Add remaining sauce ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt, if necessary. Add meatballs; cover and simmer 50 to 60 minutes longer, stirring from time to time.

Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain.

Serve spaghetti topped with meatballs in sauce; sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

(recipe lifted fom about.com)

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Karampot/Kaunti (Mite/Little)

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Back in the days when I was still using my Canon SLR (a 1990 T60) I would play with the background focus by blurring it or make small dots of light just like what can be seen on this photo. Bokeh (japanese), as it is most popularly known, is how the camera lens render the light that is seen within the blurred parts of the image. This can be soft or harsh circular shapes, or it could take the shape of hexagons, depending on your lens design and aperture settings. Filters can also be used to shape your bokeh, like a star or a heart :) or if you're too lazy for it...online editing tools.

Bokeh and DOF are two things that are important to consider for photographs when you need the main subject to stand out on its own and not be lost in background distractions.

Depth of field (DOF),  refers to the  image that is in focus. Some newbies would ask: isn't Bokeh and DOF the same thing?

Well no, bokeh and depth of field are different as explained above but they work together.

Here is the setting for this photo:

Camera Canon EOS 400D Digital
Exposure 0.003 sec (1/350)
Aperture f/1.8
Focal Length 50 mm
ISO Speed 100

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How to achieve bokeh:

Start with a low aperture or f number.

When using a telephoto lens, zoom it out to the longest length.

Move in so you are as close to the subject as your lens will allow but make sure you focus properly.

Choose subjects with background objects that are farther behind.

Make sure there is a light of some sort  (sunlight streaming through branches or street lights when doing a night portrait, will be helpful when shooting bokeh)

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Noong araw na lumang Canon SLR T60 pa ang gamit ko sa pagkuha ng litrato ay nakahiligan ko ng laruin ang likuran ng mga paksang kinukuhanan ng litrato. Nariyan ang maging malabo, magkaron ng mga hugis bilog na maliliit na ilaw. Bokeh kung siyang tawagin sa lenggwahe ng mga potograpo.  Ito ay kung paanong ang mga camera lens ay gumagawa ng hugis sa mga liwanag na nakikita sa malabong likuran ng imahe. Ito ay maaaring maging pabilog, maligasgas  o di kaya ay hugis hexagon, depende sa disenyo ng iyong lente at pagkakaayos ng siwang (aperture daw ito). May mga filter din na maaaring gamitin sa hugis ng iyong bokeh, tulad ng isang bituin o isang puso:) o kung ikaw ay masyadong tamad para sa mga ito ... online na kasangkapan sa pag-edit.

Ang Bokeh at DOF ay dalawang bagay na mahalaga sa isaalang-alang para sa mga litrato kapag kailangan mo ang mga pangunahing paksa upang tumayo out sa kanyang sariling at hindi mawawala sa background distractions.

Ang Depth of Field (DOF) ay tumutukoy sa mga imahen na naka-pokus. Ang ilang mga baguhan sa potograpiya ay nagtatanong: hindi ba ang Bokeh at DOF ay pareho lamang?

Hindi, ang bokeh at dof ay magkaiba tulad ng ipinaliwanag sa itaas ngunit pareho silang ginagamit sa potograpiya...at may kinalaman sa isa't isa.

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Paano makamit ang bokeh:

Magsimula sa isang mababa o karampot na siwang/aperture o f number.

Kapag gumagamit ng isang telephoto lens, i-zoom out ito sa pinakamahaba.

Lumapit sa paksa hanggang kaya ng iyong lente pero  siguraduhin na ang focus mo ay maayos.

Pumili ng paksa na may mga bagay na higit na malayo sa likod.

Siguraduhin na may isang ilaw ng anumang uri (sikat ng araw na lumulusot sa sanga ng puno o ilaw sa kalye kapag kumukuha ng portrait sa gabi, ang mga ito ay nakakatulong na makamit ang bokeh)
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Happy LP!

Night out

It's winter, school still going on and we were doing what we're supposed to on lazy Saturdays at home. That would be any of the following: watching Miyazaki films, finishing a PS3 game, tickling each other to laughter, baking goodies and most of all: sleeping like logs.

Had we not scheduled a visit at a gallery, the day would have ended up with spaghetti and more sleep. So out we went, 5 train stations and 4 more plus a few minutes tram ride to the gallery. We chatted with the owner, a Filipina who has been in Vienna for 28 years now and who has made a name in the European art scene but has not done so unscathed. (I'd be posting more about this and the art display on my other blog.) 

We arrived around  3 but there were so many stories, many questions to answer that it was already dark when we parted (although it was nearly 5 pm only). Good! I can practice night photography (was what really in my thought bubble).

The kids expressed hunger not long after leaving the gallery. So Hubby decided we eat out. We went to the nearest fast food even if I insisted we travel the city center and use up one of my Groupon gift certificates. Well, I get his point, kids are the most impatient people in the world. ;) Not complaining though, I totally understand and despite, I love the kids just the same.

BK (Burger King) has a drive-thru branch so we went there. Not surprisingly, there weren't much people. I ordered long chicken but forgot to say I'd want it with cheese. On first bite I already realized that there's something missing so I looked and I instantly knew, it was the cheese gone that made the sandwich taste bland. At the counter, I asked for cheese slices and they were handed to me at 20cents each! :D

Hubby had a traditional charchoal-grilled burger while the kids munch on chicken nuggets (they had noodles later on at home).

Hubby joked that should there have been a Pinoy (Filipino) the cheese were given free, the fries already salted and the meat would be much tastier! lol.

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It's winter so it is but natural to dress up in layers. I got all three kids red jackets but little boy used a blue one as spare. My daughter matches hers with the red beanie I made.

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Salmon Steak with Rosemary-Orange Glaze

I looked up my Groupon account to see that some of the deals I bought were expired. ):   - (Unlike!)

I think I've been buying too much that I can't keep up. So now, I promised myself I'm going to use all that I bought before buying new deals. First stop, Fisch Gruber. It is a fresh fish shop at the Naschmarkt, quite known for its freshness and high prices. Well, given that they sell fresh instead of frozen, it's justifiable.

I got two deals worth 40€ each at the price of 19€ a deal..so that's 38€ for a catch of 80! So off I go with Kuya O and Tita S. This is actually fulfilling my promise to Tita S. She never liked buying eventually eating frozen fish. I think it has to do with her growing up eating them really-really fresh from the sea. I was a bit forgiving as frozen is ok with me...or maybe because I really miss fish too! 

Tuna, salmon, seabream, trout, octopus, calamari, sea urchin, giant lobsters, blue marlin, oysters, butterfish and a wide range of sea-fruits were there. We weren't able to decide immediately what we'll be having. The patient seller was friendly enough to let us decide...

Sidestory: seeing eel, catfish and other live fish, my C (older son) asked if we can have them as pets. lol. I don't think our koi would be happy to have them...

Were there selections of milkfish, tilapia and mackarel scad I'd definitely get those, lol. Lacking those three, Salmon was obviously the first choice...there were fillet cuts too but we settled for steaks because it's  cheaper...I asked for two 1 kilos separated but she (seller) mistakenly weighed two 2 kilos each. :) I didn't complain nor did Tita S...the deal is, one should buy not less than the 40€ worth of deal so we had to add some more to exceed 80€. We got each a Goldbrasse which I have always heard from friends...turns out this is seabream or besugo but definitely bigger than the ones I used to have. (will post about it next) 

I had opted of letting the 4€ go like give it as a thank you but they were adamant that I spend it :D so we got a piece of calamari (it was 8€ for 100g)...

At home, I made a simple dish for half of the steaks. I normally pair salmon with dill but this time rosemary won the which-herb-would-it-be battle. :)

Click here for recipe.

Ittadakimasu!
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Ito (This)

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Schönbrunn Palace

Ilang beses ko na ding naipakita ang Schönbrunn Palace...sa tag-araw at tagsibol. Ang taglamig ay puro lamang kulay abo maliban kung puro niyebe kaya hindi ko ito masyadong pinapasyalan sa  panahong ito. Ngunit dahil sa isang kapwa Pinoy na maglalagi ng 2 buwan sa Vienna, pinuntahan namin ang Schönbrunn upang ipasyal siya...buti na lamang at umaraw...maasul ang langit at hindi kalamigan sa paglalakad.

Ito ang palasyong sumasigasig sa monarkiyang minsan ay naghari sa bansang Austriya...bago pa man ang mga digmaang pandaigdig.

I've often featured the Schönbrunn Palace...in summer and spring but not in winter. I find winter gloomy, with all the grayness it comes with, I'm okay with snow but I wouldn't dare shoot at such extreme coldness. :D Last week was an exception. A former schoolmate is in Vienna to do some research so we brought him here. Gladly, the sky was blue and the weather warm enough...we were able to take shots of winter with a hint of blue.

Happy LP!

Red Velvet cake

Last week, the weather was as beautiful as could be...gentle winter breeze sans the gray skies. The sun was shining, coincidentally the kids were on a break from school so we enjoyed the whole week out with our friend from Japan. We visited the Schönbrunn Palace, the Naschmarkt and simply walked our way around the city sharing stories, hearty laughs and whatnots. These stories are better told through photos which I'd certainly show you one after the other.

The weekend was far different from all the hustle and bustle of the previous days. We were simply at home reading books, laughing at the sound and antics of angry birds (the game) and giggling over a Japanese mushy movie. Sometime on Saturday afternoon we visited a gallery owned by a Filipina at the farther district from our end. The place was more of eclectic than eccentric as other museums or galleries in Vienna are. They showcase not just European artists but Asians as well. 

Sunday was another different story. It was not as mild, the sounds of utensils clattering in the kitchen woke the kids up but it was a welcome one. Little boy was the willing helper...I'd accept his help as long as he gives it because I know that sooner or later he would prefer going out with friends than staying at home. :) These are some of those memories that I would surely look back to.

We made cupcakes and a cake. A request from my elder son, he always love having something different; like a cake that's red and not the usual chocolate or vanilla. I got the recipe again from Joy of baking, one with ingredients that are readily available in our area except for the distilled vinegar...I mean, learning what they are in German I was able to find them easily from the store opposite our place.

The cake was moist and had the right sweetness with the icing complementing it wholly. I had trouble piping as always...but in time I'd surely perfect this art. ;)

I thought my two other kids won't be as ecstatic as the one who requested. Surprise! They ate with much gusto just the same.

With all the excitement about the red cake, I had to omit the bigger part of letting the cake cool. The author behind Joy of Baking did said it is better to cool but the kiddos at home couldn't wait, perhaps the reason too that the frosting didn't thicken. Well, patience they say is a virtue...it is something that baking will teach me and my kids in the process. For red velvet recipe please click here. For the cream cheese frosting, please click here.

Have a lovely week.

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Nihon no tabemono

Sorry, I'm posting mochi again. :D These were the last ones  I had, paired with green tea one warm winter morning. The sun has generously shared its glory with us the past days and we really have been enjoying it in this supposedly winter season. It feels like summer...the perfect weather to enjoy mochi and tea.

Hopiang hapon, one with mung beans was something I remember from childhood. I'm sure one can usually buy it from the sari-sari store  opposite the street. The older people from our neighborhood would have them with coffee. I can't say that these are my favorite because I'd prefer hopiang baboy anytime (which I recently learned were not really pork but candied winter melon, so imagine the relief I felt, I was always guilty munching on them).

These "real" Hopiang hapon were also from Kuya O...The one embedded with leaf design is filled with red bean paste, reminiscent of munggong hopia. The other two would be green tea (what do you expect?) and I think chestnut paste, same with the white mochi above...the brown, peached-shape might be peach but I am not too sure...it was yummy though! I learned too about Kuri manju which is supposedly a recently introduced treat.

P.S. If you love Eng Bee Tin's ube hopia like I do, be advised that because of the food color content, they are banned by the US FDA. ):

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Alaala/Memory

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Isa't kalahating taon na ang nakalipas mula ng mamaalam ang aking ama. Hanggang ngayon ay pumapatak pa din ang luha ko sa lungkot. Maraming alaala ang bumabalik kapag naiisip ko siya, ganun din kapag nakikita ko si bunso...siya kasi ang talagang kamukha na aking ama...Maraming katangian at pagkakakilanlan na pareho sa kanilang dalawa. 

Sigurado akong ang litratong ito ay magiging alaala na lang din ng kabataan ng aking anak ilang taon mula ngayon. Talagang mabilis ang panahon kaya naman nagsisilbing magandang memorya ng nakaraan ang mga litrato.

Happy LP!