September 2007
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Month September 2007

Entries 5 Total

Biking from Ballycastle to Portballintrae (2004 Archives)

Sep 13, ’07 12:24 AM

We spent our first night in Ballycastle. During dinner, Ian from Irish Cycle Tours stopped by to introduce himself. The next morning, after my first Irish “brekkie” of bacon, eggs, grilled tomatoes, and black and white pudding, we biked from Ballycastle to Portballintrae and made our first stop at the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge off Ballintoy.

For my first bike tour ever, I was pretty surprised (and pleased) that all I had to do was ride—I was free to follow the map that was given to me and pedal at my own pace. Everything was provided for, including a helmet and a small bag for our cameras and water bottles. The map mentioned a mile of uphill biking, but it failed to say that the next four miles had more than a dozen smaller hills! I was forced to walk my bike most of the time because I was not prepared for a full workout. My big Irish breakfast just went through me. The weather did not make it any easier; rain pelted my face, my raincoat was soaking wet against my back, and I was fighting 65-mile per hour winds. We were all pedaling downhill to make it to Carrick-a-Rede, which became the trip’s joke for the next seven days. I was disappointed with myself for not being strong enough to bike the entire way. I felt better, though, when I realized that no one in their right mind would push on with that weather, but I did!

From the parking lot, I had to walk about a mile downhill to catch a glimpse of the rope bridge, only to be stopped by one of the National Trust guards because of the strong winds. I saw how high and angry the surf was thousands of feet below, and it was probably best that they’d closed the gates. I walked back uphill to meet the rest of the group for tea instead. During tea, we all rested our butts off and read about Carrick-a-Rede. The rope bridge is eighty feet above the sea, and it provides access to the tiny island across the chasm for salmon fishermen. Carrick-a-Rede translates to “rock in the road,” the road being the sea migration route of the salmon. Across is Puffin Island, which supported a colony of puffin birds but has since been renamed Sheep Island because it was used to graze sheep after the birds moved on. We also saw from afar Rathlin Island, which is still inhabited by less than a hundred people whose ancestors have resided on Rathlin for hundreds of years.

The weather was not getting any better, so we all decided to give up our bikes and end our bike tour. We stored them in Ian’s van and instead drove by what is left of Dunseverick Castle, a castle from the 1500s said to have been visited by St. Patrick. We could have seen other small ruins on the island, but the call of a pint of Guinness was louder than any other tourist stop around us.

Related post/s:
Ballycastle to Portballintrae photos on Flickr
Book your own bike tour via DiscoverIreland.com

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Baby Back Ribs Adobo

Sep 12, ’07 12:01 AM

In Memories of Philippine Kitchens, Amy Besa and Romy Dorotan say that if you have to master a Filipino recipe, it has to be adobo. Adobo in Spanish-speaking countries refers to the oil, garlic and vinegar flavor. Each country has added its own touch to it, whether they be black peppercorns, marjoram or bay leaves, but if you ask a non-Filipino about a Filipino food they’ve tried and liked, adobo is most likely their answer.

It’s hard to get my father to teach me how he cooks his own version, since he cooks by tasting the dish until it’s just right. When Dexter and Jaime gave me a copy of the new book from the Cendrillon founders, I tried their baby back ribs recipe. I’ve cooked adobo before, but I have to say that they got it right in terms of measurements–all I had to do was double everything to feed four people a couple of servings apiece. I’m going to use this recipe as my own from now on.

Ingredients:
3 racks of baby back ribs, about 4 pounds
2 cups white vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
8 garlic cloves, minced
6 bay leaves
2 tsps black peppercorns
1 tsp red chili flakes
2 tsps rock salt

1. Using a mortar and pestle, crush the garlic and the peppercorns until they are coarsely grounded. Rub the ribs with salt, and then with the garlic and peppercorns mixture.
2. In a Dutch oven, mix vinegar, soy sauce, chili flakes and bay leaves using a wooden spoon. Add the ribs and marinate overnight, turning the ribs at least once so that the other side also gets some of the flavor.
3. When ready to cook, put Dutch oven over medium fire, uncovered, and let boil. Then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour to cook the ribs. Remove ribs to a baking dish when done. Reduce the sauce by increasing the heat and cooking it, uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until the sauce has somewhat thickened.
4. Broil the ribs for about 8 minutes, enough to give the top part a crust. Transfer to a plate and pour over the reduced sauce. Serve with steaming white rice.

Related post/s:
The baby back ribs at Bayard Meat Market cost me $16 for 4 pounds

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Hiking the Mourne Mountains (2004 Archives)

Sep 11, ’07 12:13 AM

After a couple of hours of sleep in a hotel in Dublin, we set off for the Mourne Mountains in Newcastle. Martin McGuigan met us for tea and sandwiches to talk to us about Walk on the Wild Side and to tell us about the day’s itinerary. He has been running his company for about three years, but he has been involved in outdoor activities all his life. Who better to take you to walk up the Mourne than an active Northerner?

It had been drizzling on and off, so we made sure we packed our raincoats. During our drive, Martin sang the famous Mountain of Mourne song for us by Percy French. It was very appropriate because our drive along the coast consisted of dips and uphills, allowing us to catch a glimpse of the small-town lifestyle against the Irish Sea. I had a smile on my face when he was singing—it was what I expected from the people I was to meet during this trip. I hadn’t been in the country for more than twenty-four hours, and I was already pleased.

We started our hike along the Bloody River, and Martin talked to us about the Mourne. Its highest peak is called the Slieve Donard, and it goes up to about 2,700 feet. The mountains only occupy a small part of the county of Down in Newcastle, but there are over twenty hikes to be done in the area, from short walks and strolls to longer treks. The Mourne is also known for the dry stone walls that encase the two reservoirs in the Silent Valley, which provides water for most of Northern Ireland.

I saw my first rainbow in Ireland, but we did not make it too far up because the rain would not let up. We paused to share the cake and tea that Martin packed, and we began our descent back to our car.

Related post/s:
The Mourne Mountain photos on Flickr
I walked with Marty McGuigan

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Cucumber Pickles

Sep 10, ’07 12:01 AM

I’m going to be away for two weeks, so I thought I’d pickle again so that it’s ready when I return. At Fairway, they had some fresh Israeli cucumbers for sale. They were small enough to fit an old pickling jar I kept, so I picked up nine pieces with some dill and mustard seeds. This is totally not the Filipino style of pickling and I had to combine two other recipes I found on the Web until it sounded just about right to me. We’ll see in a couple of weeks!

Ingredients:
9 pieces of Israeli cucumbers, washed
1 bunch of fresh dill, washed and ends sliced off
2 tbsps mustard seeds
1 head of garlic, peeled and minced
2 cups of white vinegar
1 1/2 cups of water
salt

1. In a large bowl, submerge cucumbers in iced cold water for at least 2 hours. Set aside.
2. In a small pot, let the vinegar and water boil with some salt.
3. When ready to pickle, put half of the garlic and half of the dill at the bottom of the jar. Add cucumbers. Pour in the salted vinegar and water mixture. There should be enough to cover the cucumbers. Add the rest of the garlic and dill with the mustard seeds. Cover the jar with its lid and seal tightly.
4. Boil some water in a pot, large enough for the jar. When water is boiling, put the sealed jar and let it sit in the boiling water for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the jar cool. When cool enough to handle, remove the jar from the water and dry with a paper towel. Store in room temperature for a couple of weeks before opening.

Related post/s:
How do Filipinos pickle?
How do island people pickle?

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Pork Sinigang, Filipino Sour Soup

Sep 5, ’07 10:23 AM

What would be your last meal on death row? It took me a while to answer that question, but the more I eat pork sinigang, the more I stick with it as the last thing I want to eat before I go. It’s my comfort food and it’s the dish I request from my father when I return from a trip. If you ask the Dr., it’s also his favorite Filipino food.

Back in the Philippines, I grew up eating it many ways. The only requirement is its sour taste, but the sourness always depended on where the cook was from. The most familiar to me is using tamarinds. We had a tree in the backyard and the tamarinds would be simmered in a pot to make the sinigang broth. Kamias, or bilimbi, was also used by squeezing them and straining the juice. Nowadays, though, Knorr makes the soup base with the concentrated flavor of the tamarind. They sell for 80 cents in Chinatown stores. I like this dish best when the sourness hits the back of my ears and my left eye uncontrollably closes, so I usually end up using the entire packet. I add a Serrano pepper towards the end to give it an extra kick.

As for the vegetables in sinigang, Filipinos use kang kong–called swamp cabbage or water spinach in Chinatown–but you can certainly use other vegetables that don’t have a bitter taste. Broccoli and long string beans, or sitaw, are easy. Okra is also good, as well as daikon radish and eggplant. I’ve tried daffodil leaves but they didn’t work.

Using a crock pot allows you to slow-cook your spareribs without paying attention to them. Leave it overnight or cook it while you’re at work. Eight hours will leave you with meat falling off the bones. My way is to slow-cook in a Dutch oven for at least an hour and a half, removing impurities that rise to the top using a ladle. Filipinos love their pressure cookers, but those things scare me. Besides, I like taking my time when I cook.

Ingredients:
6 spareribs
1 packet Knorr Tamarind soup base
1 tomato, halved
1 red onion, quartered
1 green Serrano pepper, cut in two
1 bunch kang kong
2 small eggplants
1 small daikon radish
salt

1. Use a Dutch oven with enough water to cover the spareribs and simmer for at least two hours. Remove impurities that float to the top.
2. When spareribs are ready, bring to a boil and add tomato and onion. Simmer until tomato is bruised. Add the vegetables and cook until tender. If using eggplant and okra, add them last to avoid overcooking.
3. Add tamarind soup base and salt to taste. Saltiness and sourness should be balanced. The vegetables will tone down the taste. Throw in the pepper before turning off the heat.

Related post/s:
Where to buy sinigang packets in New York City

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