J-E-L-L-O S-H-O-T-S!

Photo credit to Get Fun Shots

I was listening to Munchcast’s Jello Episode apparently Tom Lehrer invented Jell-O shots. Now this may not sound so exciting to many, probably because you don’t know who Tom Lehrer is, but fret not, I will explain.

Do any of you remember “The Elements” song. The song where some guy rattles off all the names of known chemical elements in the periodic table? It was at the end of some boring ass science video we watched in 8th grade. Well, the guy singing is none other than Jell-O shots Tom Lehrer!! I mean how cool is that? That brings out a whole lot of weird dimensions to our science classes. I wish I would have known that fact in 1999. But that’s not all! Not only did this guy make the song that is the only thing I retained from 8th grade science class AND invent Jell-O shots but legend has it that he did so whilst working at the National Security Agency (in order to circumvent liquor restrictions).

Munchcast by the way is one of the funniest food podcasts ever! I mean if you can get past the fact that the hosts seem like they suffer from ADD and a constant surplus of crack and speed it’s a good show. It’s a podcast I can’t listen to when I’m in public unless I want people to turn and stare at me when I burst out in giggles every 2 minutes.

What is your favorite Jell-O shot recipe? How about do you remember “The Elements” song?

100 Ways to Use Strip Bacon

I love bacon. I really do. I would probably sell my brother for a packet of bacon. Seriously it is one of the most fabulous things in the whole world. And I don’t care if the whole internet community is over bacon. The truth is, bacon will never die! And here is proof 100 Ways to Use Strip Bacon. Guess I’ll be off to fry up some bacon.

What do you guys think of bacon? Love it or hate it? Obsessed or over it?

Burger Bible

I can’t believe it’s been nearly 8 months since I left to Helsinki for an awesome opportunity to intern at M4ID. Samuli helped me move all my junk back to Tampere last weekend and it has been proven again that I have a knack for accumulating junk. I left with a suitcase and a duffel bag and came back with more crap than we could fit in our trusty Audi.

Coming back home I was dreading what Postman Crap had brought me. I was delighted that in the end I only had one major bill and a bunch of mail order adverts. But what really made my day was the latest issue of Saveur magazine which was totally dedicated to burgers. You see that where they say ‘Burger Bible’? They kid you not. From the different type of burger buns to the cheese you put in they  have it all covered. Like Kersal Massive, they don’t fuck about! This is truly the most in-depth study I have read about burgers EVER!

I like my burgers plain and simple so the articles that made me happiest was the one on ‘Ultimate Fries’ and ‘Making the Perfect Patty’.

There are 4 simple things to remember when making a patty:

1. Put a pat of cold butter in the center of the burger patty. Remember to seal it completely. That way when the patty is cooking the butter will baste and flavor the meat from the inside out. Yummm…

2. Don’t over work the meat, it will become too packed, dense and mealy. What you should do is to gather the meat into a loose ball and set it on a work surface. Curl the palms of your hands around the patty and work until the sides of the patty flatten slightly. Then gently press down on the top of the patty with your palm.

3. Using an ice cream scoop to portion out a patty gives you the perfect size for a thin, old-school skillet burger.

4. Thick patties tend to puff in the middle when they’re being cooked. Use the back of a spoon or your thumb to make a depression in the middle of each patty to help the burger hold its shape.

My burger (left) and Samuli’s burger (right).

My recipe for burger patties is as simple as it can get.

Simple Patty

• Onion
• Minced meat (beef)
• Garlic
• Salt and pepper (freshly ground of course!)
• Splash of soy sauce

1. Put in bowl and mix.
2. Shape into patties.
3. Fry until desired level of cooked.
4. Eat and enjoy.

‘The Burger’

For those wondering what I’m getting up to all alone here in Tampere, it is a whole lot of mischief. Well, mischief and trying not to succumb to the damn swine flu/flu with the easy solution of trying to give the virus alcohol poisoning.

What is your favorite thing to do when you’re home alone?

Summer Summary: The Graduation of a Cook

This entry originally took place on June 6th.

On Saturday we were invited to go to Samuli’s second cousin’s graduation party. I was bribed to go with the promises of good food, he graduated from cooking school. At first I was a little skeptical because Samuli told me not to have such high expectations because he suspected that Saku had graduated as a catering chef and in Finland that equals the usual meatballs, Karelian pasties, potatoes and odd tasting sandwich cake… or alternatively soup. However to my advantage this was not the case. If someone had told me that he had been interning at Holvi I would have been at their door at 9 am, drooling. I mean for someone studying at Mikkeli Holvi is hardcore.

Lauantaina lähettiin Samulin pikkuserkun valmistujaisiin. Mulle luvattiin hyvää ruokaa koska Saku valmistui kokiksi. Olin kuitenkin hieman epäileväinen, koska Samuli sanoi ettei ollut varma oliko Saku suurtalous kokki vai ravintola kokki. Tuntuu usein siltä, että Savossa suurtalous kokki = lihapullia, perunaa, keittoa, karjalan piirakoita ja oudon makuista voileipäkakkua… Minun onneksi näin ei ollut ja tiesin sen heti kun kuulin, että Saku on ollut harjoittelijana Mikkelin Holvissa.

The food at the party was tasty and really laid back. First there was a rhubarb welcome drink which just may be the solution to our yearly rhubarb infestation. After a while we got the OK to attack the buffet table.

Juhlat olivat tosi rennot, ruoka myös. Ensin saimme raparperi mehua jossa oli pikkuisen jotain alkoholia. Meidän mökillä on raparperi pelto ja emme todellakaan tiedä mitä medän pitäisi tehdä sillä. Äiti sanoo joka kevät tuhoavansa pellon, mutta siellä se rehottaa taas seuraavana vuonna. Alku maljan jälkeen pääsimme käsiksi buffet pöytään

Even as a 98% carnivore I had to admit that the salads were delicious.

98% lihansyöjänä olin yllättynyt kun huomasin kovasti pitäväni buffetin salaateista.

Grilled meat on a stick, what more could you ask for?

Lihaa tikussa, mikä olisi sen parempaa?

Photo credit to Lari.

And of course sahti. And for once it didn’t taste of ditch water and mashed old bananas! To be honest it was actually really quite good which is probably why I drank so much of it. Not good. But seriously who ever made that, if you’re reading this you have got to hook me up

Ja sahti virtasi tottakai! Ja kerrankin siinä ei maistunut lietevesi ja muuskattu mätäbanaani. Ja voi olla että tämä hyvä maku johti sahdin ylijuontiin… ei hyvä. Kuitenkin jos sahdin tekijä lukee tätä niin voin vaan sanoa, että meidän on pakko tavata

Did you know that black truffles were once really quite abundant and relatively inexpensive? During WW1 so many oak trees were destroyed that it affected the ecosystem and truffles never recovered.

Tiesitkö että yhteen aikaan mustia tryffeleitä oli runsaasti? Ensimmäisen Maailman Sodan ympäristölliset tuhot olivat niin laajat, että tryffeli kanta ei koskaan toipunut.

Summer Summary: Kallio Asian Market

Image credit riwid

This entry originally took place on June 4th.

My brother had a long weekend off from the army so I decided it would be a great opportunity to show him around one of the most controversial areas of my part-time-hometown, Kallio. Kallio was originally the working class neighborhood of Helsinki and remnants of that are still present today. Somewhat bohemian and very liberal compared to other Helsinki districts it is known for ‘cheap’ (by Helsinki standards) beer, sex shops and ethnic shops. Although it does have a reputation for being a little rough, so much so that many still fear to venture into the urban jungle, I have to admit that I really quite like Kallio. Did you know that Tarja, you know president of Finland Tarja, not ex-singer of Nightwish Tarja, is a Kallio native

In any case this time our excursion was not motivated by cheap beer but the promise of delicious Asian food.

Veljellä oli pitkä viikonloppu vapaa, joten päätimme lähteä tutkimaan Kallion Aasialaisia ruokakauppoja. Vietettyä 6kk Helsingissä olen huomannut, että kaikilla tuntuu olevan voimakas mielipide Kalliosta. Mun mielipide on, että Kallio on cool Tiesitkö muuten, että Halosen Tarja on Kalliolainen?

Strawberry Fanta 1€ a can. Really good! Better than normal Fanta.

Mansikka Fantaa 1€ Oli tosi namia toisin kuin normi Fanta.

We ended up at Aseanic Trading Oy Asian Store, one of the biggest of the ethnic stores in Kallio and ended up getting about 2-3 shopping bags full of awesome stuff. They shop has a nice selection of dry goods (spices, noodles), sauces/condiments, a fairly big frozen foods section and some fresh produce.

Päädyttiin Aseanic Trading Oy Aasialaiseen Kauppaan, yksi Kallion suurimmista etnisistä. Puolessa tunnissa oltiin saatu kasaan noin 2-3 kauppakassin ostokset. Huh huh.

Prepping the squid.

Calmarin puhdistus.

One of the things we bought was this huge ass bag of frozen squid. We played around with them not really knowing what would taste the best. First we pan fried some with different spices and sauces but in the end lightly breading them and then deep frying them worked the best.

Ostettiin hiton iso pussi pakaste kalmaria calmaria. Loppu ilta meni calmarin kanssa leikkimiseen kun ei oikein tiedetty mitä sen kanssa pitäis tehdän. Ensin kokeiltiin pannulla paistamista eri mausteiden ja kastikkeiden kera, mutta lopulta päädyttiin friteeraamiseen.

Calamari and fries with coconut juice.

Friteerattua calmaria ranskisten ja kookos maidon kera.

I was intrigued by the fresh produce section and bought a kilo of bok choi. I’d seen a really good looking Yau Choy Suen Tau (Asian Greens with Garlic Sauce) recipe in the #117 issue of Saveur and was dying to try it out.

Saveur lehteä selaillessa löysin herkullisen reseptin johon käytettiin Aasialaisia vihanneksia ja siks mun oli ihan pakko ostaa noin kilon pussi bok choita!

Asian Greens with Garlic Sauce

1 1/2 lbs. choy sum
1 tbsp. peanut oil
2 tbsp. coarsely
chopped garlic
2 tbsp. soy sauce

1. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, trim ends from choy sum. Blanch greens in the water until just tender, about 1 minute. Drain greens and set aside on a plate.

2. Heat oil in a wok or a skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until lightly browned, 1–2 minutes. Add soy sauce and 1 tbsp. water; cook for 1 minute. Pour garlic sauce over greens.

SERVES 4

This article was first published in Saveur in Issue #117

One of the main reasons for going to the Asian store was to get this incredible prawn dumplings. At 12€/kilo they are so worth it

3 linjan asialaisen kaupan parasta antia ovat pakasteet. Ja oli taas ihan pakko ostaa kilon pussi (12€) katkarapu nyyttejä

Heaven in a steamer. Nom nom nom

By the way did you know that France is McDonald’s second most proffitable market?

Tiesitkö, että Mäkkärin toiseksi suurin markkina on Ranskassa?

Aseanic Trading Oy Aasialainen Kauppa

Kolmas linja 3.

00530 Helsinki

I know I know. A blog is not just for christmas.

Fortnightly Food Card for 23.07.2009

I know. It’s been ages since I last updated this blog. I feel especially bad that I haven’t even managed to keep the Fortnightly Food Card going. My excuse? I was too busy enjoying summer over at our summer cottage. I took loads of food pictures and have just started to move them onto my computer and sort them out. So, more blog posts are coming. I promise!

Aside from enjoying the great outdoors, grilling and having loads of summer fun I’ve also managed to get myself a place at Pirkanmaa University of Applied Sciences (PIRAMK) to study Hotel and Restaurant management!! School starts on the 24th and I am getting super nervouse and excited by the day. The whole study business had me at odds with my dad for a while since he thought I should go ahead and get my masters degree in sociology. To maximize my chance of being accepted somewhere I applied to Helsinki to various masters programmes in social sciences. I got reserve places to two of them but once I’d gone to PIRAMK for my interview and exam I realized that that is where I’d like to go the most. So, when my acceptance letter to PIRAMk dropped into my mail box I was really excited, unlike my dad.

To make matters worse the day I was mailing PIRAMK back to accept the place I got an e-mail from Helsinki University saying I’d gotten a place at their Research Masters Programme to study sociology! I believe I just cursed and walked outside to sit under the table infront of our barn, leaving my dad staring after me, no doubt confused, anticipating the argument I would be having with him. In the end I just sucked it up and told him that I’d made my choice and he should deal with it. At least I wasn’t going to be a starving artist (although knowing my dad he might actually like that). To be honest he took it quite well.

Anyway I’ll be ‘moving’ back home (to Tampere) on Saturday and like I said I’ll soon be back on track with this whole blogging business

How has your summer been?

Fortnightly Food Card 06.08.2009

‘Älä ota kesäblogia!‘ Tiedän tiedän. Myönnän, että olen pitänyt blogistani hirvittävän huonoa huolta. Tämä tulee muttumaan lupaan sen. Tekosyy tähän hiljaisuuteen on se että olen ollut mökillä Olen kutienkin ottanut lukuisia ruokakuvia, joten myöhässä tulevia kesä postauksia on luvassa

Mökkeilyn, grillailun ja kesästä nauttimisen ohella olen usuttanut itseni Pirkanmaan Ammattikorkeakouluun (PIRAMKiin) Hotelli- ja Ravintolaalan koulutusohjelmaan!! Koulu alkaa 24.08 ja mua jännittää nyt jo ihan hitosti Opiskelupaikan haku on ollut tämän kevään ja kesän ‘riidan’ aihe minun ja iskän välillä. Iskä kun olisi halunut, että jatkan sosiologian opintoja maisterin tasolla. Koska olin kuullut, että huonon työllistymis tilanteen takia on vaikea päästä minnekkään opiskelemaan hain mahdollisimman moneen paikkaan, myös Helsinkiin erilaisiin maisterin ohjelmiin. Pääsin varasijalle kahteen Helsingin Yliopiston maisterin ohjelmaan, mutta käytyäni PIRAMKin pääsykokeissa tiesin heti minne oikeasti halusin. Kun PIRAMKin paksu kirje tipahti postiluukusta hypetin, hypin ja huusin ilosta noin tunnin, toisin kuin iskä.

Viimeinen pisara isille tuli sinä päivänä kun olin aikeissa hyväksyä PIRAMKin paikan. Aamulla kilahti sähköpostiin viesti Helsingin Yliopistosta, minut oli hyväksytty opiskelemaan sosiologiaa Helsingin Yliopiston maisterin ohjelmaan (REMSiin). Kirosin, nousin ruokapöydästä, kävelin pihalle ja menin navetan edessä olevan pöydän alle piiloon ‘miettimään’. Lopulta menin ‘tyynenrauhallisesti’ *köh* ilmoittamaan iskälle, että olen tehnyt valintani. Se otti mun lopullisen päätöksen vastaan aika rauhallisesti.

Samuli tulee Vantaalle huonenna ja lauantaina me roudataan kaikki mun tavarat mutsin luota takas kotiin. Jee! Tampereelle Niin ja lupaan tästedes hoitaa blogia paremmin

Miten teidän kesäloma on mennyt?

Bonus “I’m sorry for being a slacker”-food card.

(Notice the adorable little fox that looks exactly like our Bobby)

Fortnightly Food Card: Schlauchboot

Had I not promised to take care of my aunts cats for a week I would be off to Sulkava this weekend. Samuli is taking part in the annual Sulkavan Soudut rowing competition. It is the worlds largest rowing competition and has been going on since 1968. The rowboats are traditional wooden row boats like those traditionally used to row to church, hence the Finnish word kirkkovene church boat. The route is a grueling 60 or so km and pros row it in about 4 hours. The team we were cheering on last year took 5h 30 min to complete the race, quite a feat I thought for an amateur team with a somewhat crappy boat.

According to Wikipedia about 8,000 people compete each year with 20,000 spectators taking part.

Jos en olisi luvannut hoitavani tätini kissoja koko ensi-viikon olisin lähdössä Sulkavaan tänäviikonloppuna. Samuli aikoo soutaa Sulkavan Souduissa. Sulkavan Suursoutuhan on maailman suurin jokavuotinen soututapahtuma. Tämän vuoden tapahtuma on 41 Sulkavan Soutu. Soutu maktka on noin 60 km ja se soudetaan kirkkoveneissä. Minun viimevuonna ‘huoltama’ tiimi souti matkan viidessä ja puolessa tunnissa joka on aika hieno suoritus amatööreiltä.

Wikipedian mukaan noin 8,000 ihmistä  soutaa vuosittain ja 20,000 ihmistä tulee katsomaan tapahtumaa.

Fortnightly Food Card: Colombian Woman eating an Apple

Death by Sugar

I’m in a sulky mood over my midsummer plans going totally bust on account of Samuli being sick, it being too late to get cheap tickets to any of the awesomely good midsummer festivals, it being rainy and cold and people imposing prohibition style laws. So, today’s post is a little morbid.

The Great Molasses Flood occurred in January 1919 when a large molasses tank at Purity Distilling Company (according to Wikipedia) burst and a wave of molasses moving at  over 50 km/h down the street engulfed unsuspecting people. All in all 21 people were killed and injuring 150.

Interestingly the accounts in 101 Crazy Ways to Die (Roper 2007) differ from what I found on Wikipedia. In any case regardless of whether the plant was a candy factory or a distillery it is clear that a flood of molasses flowing towards you at  a moderately high speed is not something to take lightly. For more information on the Boston Molasses Disaster go here.

Juhannus suunitelmat ovat mennen kaikki päin mäntyä. Samuli on flunsassa ja kuumeessa. RMJ Party Camp:in ja Himoksen lippujen saanti Huuto.netin kautta tässä vaiheessa oli silkkaa uhkapeliä. Säätietojen mukaan pitäisi olla kylmä ja sateinen ilma, joten metsässä tansiiminen on pois suljettu. Niin ja kaiken kukkuraksi Mänttiharjuun yllä leijuu jonkin sortin kieltolaki. Koska mieli on surkea niin tämän päivän postauskin on hieman tummasävyinen.

Vuonna 1919 bostonilaisessa makeistehtaassa puhkesi valtava allas, mikä laski liikkeelle siirappiaallon, joka virtasi katua 50 kilometriä tunnissa tappaen 21 ihmistä ja aiheuttaaen 150:n loukkaantumisen. Siirapin putsaaminen mukulakivikadusta kesti useamman vuoden, ja asukkaat väittävät yhä haistavansa siirapin makeuden kuumina kesäpäivinä.

Roper, Matt. (2007). “Trampoliinilla Virtahevon Suuhun”

Toi viimeinen kohta on aika karmiva. Kirjassa ja wikipediasta löydetyssä tiedoissa on eroja. Esim. kirjan mukaan tehdas oli makeistehdas kun taas Wikipedian mukaan tehdas oli panimo. Myös siirapin vyöryn tuntinopeus on Wikipedian mukaan 56 km/t, kirjan mukaan vain 50 km/t. Lisää informaatiota Boston Molasses Disasteristä saa täältä.

Better Than Sex

Fried up the last pice of entrecôte for lunch today. Realized that there are only a few things better than a well seasoned seared entrecôte.

I melted some cultured butter in a cast iron skillet and then fried up some garlic and spring onions with herbs. Then when the pan was hot I threw the steak on and lightly seared it on both sides. Oh it was heaven.

Söin lounaaksi viimeisen entrecôte pihvin tänään.Pihviä syödessä tajusin, että hyvin maustettu ja paistettu entrecôte on yksi elämän parhaista nautinnoista.

Sulatin ensin nokareen kirnuvoita valurautapannussa. Kuullotin kevätsipulin, valkosipulin ja yrttejä kunnes sipulit olivat kullan keltaisia. Kun pannu oli tarpeeksi kuuma heitin pihvin tirisemään pannulle pariksi minuutiksi. Oi se oli kerrassaan ihanaa.

Swedish chips are strange. It isn’t the first time I’ve had a packet of Swedish chips so it wasn’t this particular packet or brand. The chips I’ve had are always thick cut and very hard. I mean these crisps are chip your tooth hard. Not sure if this is a good thing.

Ruotsalaiset sipsit ovat outoja. Olen maistanut ruotsalaisia sipsejä pari kertaa aiemminkin ja ne on aina olleet samanlaisia. Kovia ja paksuja. En ole vielä päättänyt onko tämä hyvä vai huono asia.