on 4 May 2003 : 11:28, Adario Strange sez:
I'm curious about something. I'm planning on attempting to live between new york and tokyo. I've been to tokyo several times and rented apts. briefly, so I know the situation. I'm in nyc now. I read your piece about getting a journalist visa (I'm a journo too). But how do you swing it moving back and forth like that??? This is really exactly what I want to do, but it's rare to find someone who can actually offer some advice on the topic via real experience. Any words you can offer would be appreciated.
on 4 May 2003 : 11:32, justin sez:
When I left Oakland, I rented out my apartment (to some nice people who were willing to live amidst my possessions).
When I lived alone in Tokyo, I generally didn't have an apartment; I stayed in a series of $30 a day rental apartments, hostels and capsules.
When Jane and I went to Tokyo, we found a very inexpensive place. We were going to try to keep it, so we could live for a few months here, and a few months there. But it was cheap for a reason - absolutely freezing in the winter, and a long walking/train trip from Tokyo. And it was a friend of a family member's place - we didn't feel we could sublet it and still honor that relationship.
In short, living between Japan and NY/SF is difficult unless you're willing to live impermanently, with few possessions surrounding you. Or unless you have a good load of cash or a corporate sponsorship for a short-term "executive" rental apartment.
on 4 May 2003 : 11:34, justin sez:
on 4 May 2003 : 17:43, Keith sez:
What does that have to do with frozen food?......If your apartment in tokyo was frezzing in the winter and the refridgerator was broke, the stew would stay frozen. (of course only if all this happened in the winter) How is that for linking the off topic post?
on 4 May 2003 : 21:07, Christine sez:
Simple recipe -- I'll have to sample it out someday -- how do you not make it turn into a pasta sauce? Or is it good as a pasta sauce (i see rotini in that bag!)
I like the idea of storing leftoers and freezing in a ziploc bag. I'm going to start doing that.
on 4 May 2003 : 22:40, Fleischman sez:
on 4 May 2003 : 23:03, justin sez:
It's very much like a pasta sauce, I think - tomatoes stewed until they have broken down and mingled their acids into other adjacent vegetables and meat. I called it stew, mostly because I was looking for something alliterative with "storage" and frankly, because I don't understand what exactly makes a casserole. What is a casserole? Do you have to bake something for it to be a casserole?
on 4 May 2003 : 23:28, Christine sez:
I think a casserole technically is cooked in a casserole dish and is a "one-shot deal" (everything together)...usually cooked in an oven at 350 degrees...and some people think it has to include one of each thing (i.e., a protein, a starch, a vegetable, a topping and a sauce).
Sorry -- I'm a food nut. Just off the top of my head. I am going to try your sauce/stew.
Good night.
on 5 May 2003 : 06:32, adario strange sez:
ah, domo! yes, I'm familiar with the perpetually freezing tokyo apartment. I can't believe I've never gotten sick, every placed I've lived was sub-zero. thanks mucho for the perspective on the matter. and just to connect it to the topic at hand...who needs frozen meat stew when essentially, "you" are frozen meat stew in the tokyo winter. :^)
(my extremely lame attempt at irony and wit...sorry)
on 5 May 2003 : 12:28, Damanda sez:
If you enjoy cooking, why don't you try this recipe that my mom used to make when I was a kid. It's a variation on an old Mexican recipe but soooo hearty and delicious. I too put soup in freezer bags and freeze it. I usually make a huge pot of it and put some in bags, freezing it and passing it out to anyone lucky enough to stop by while it lasts.
In a tablespoon or two of olive oil, on low heat, sautee a whole white onion with paprika, til the onion is translucent. Then add a clove of garlic and an entire pack of bacon sliced into 1/2 inch squares. When the bacon is crispy add a finely chopped jalapeno and let simmer for a minute or two before adding two large cans of white hominy. (you should be cooking this in a large wok until after you add the spinach.) When this mixture comes to a boil, add two bags of frozen chopped spinach. (Trader Joe's $1.09 each) Let this mix stew until the spinach is melted and it simmers. Then transport the mix into a large stock pot. Add a large can of stewed tomato (i recommend the green chile stewed tomato mix) and two large cans of chicken broth. Add hot sauce (Valentina, Cholula and Juanitas are all great) and cayenne pepper to taste. If you'd like it to taste more tomatoey (???) you can add a small can of tomato sauce. Let simmer for at least half an hour.
Serves gazillions.
on 5 May 2003 : 12:32, justin sez:
Man, Damanda, that sounds stupendous. I gotta try that. Jane and I were just noticing a "Carnaceria Mi Tierra" a short drive our house and we were thinking we should try cooking/grocery shopping Mexican. This is a perfect excuse!