Monday, September 28, 2009

jrm and penn


so i will start this by hesitatingly admitting that i went to see the movie "julie and julia" last month. and it made me really hungry. but because we went to see it so late, there wasn't nothing open except red robin once we exited the theatre, so i ended up eating some burger and feeling some kinda sick (which was not the feeling i was aniticipating.)

but if you've seen the movie already, then you know what i'm talking about. (and even though the film seems to be marketed for women, i have been amazed by how many men have gone to see it and have come out just as hungry as i did.) the one complaint i will make: too many of the critics focused too much on the disparity between julie powell's depiction and the depiction of julia childs'.
(see the seattle times, the stranger) but they're just haters - talking about how amy adams was boring and meryl streep was incredible. i mean, streep is playing the part of this (kinda freakishly) eccentric woman, so obviously her part is going to be more memorable. so i say: amy, you did a great job and let me know if you got some free time to hang out on friday. i am available around 6 pm, but i am gonna be trying to go see 'capitalism: a love story' for the late show, so we can't hang out too long.

but here is the real point of this post: julie powell inspired me.

i now have access to a kitchen of suitable proportions, and i have this Lao cookbook that i have only used to make the same 3 recipes over and over again. (i will explain more about this later posts.) so i am ready to put myself out there for the challenge: ima bouts to make every recipe in the whole cookbook.

but i aint gonna do nothing like finish it in a year, but i will finish it... (i need to stop eating out so much anyway.) but don't worry, i will continue to post links to articles about vang pao and thuggin it in baton rouge, since that's why everyone (nobody) comes to my blog anyway. but now i will have a new feature called, jrm and penn (the author of the aforementioned cookbook.) you can get it on amazon, so feel free to follow... we can work our way through the green pages (all the pages in the book are inexplicably green!!!) together.

15 comments:

plainoldsarah said...

i read your blog and love to cook - but not up for joining you in the green pages. i'll watch and admire from afar. keep up the good work!
(ps after i saw the movie i ate at some italian chain thing that was so-so - all that was in the hood and open)

stephanie said...

I want you to cook something FOR me. With me would also be cool, then I would know how too. Maybe invite me and Rob over? Maybe make some at the Farrar's on a Sunday?

Please make/teach a recipe that will taste good to my western palate.

Thank you.

Janet said...

Ok, Joseph I need to see this movie, I have all the ingredient's to make 2 other dishes in this cookbook and I am still making the curry instead. For how long is lemon grass good in the freezer? Anyway I am going to try I think the movie might help inspire me!

Cindy Bean said...

I think Kim should do this with you and I should eat it.

jrm said...

well, sarah... maybe you'll be inspired to try at least one dish! hahaha. there's an asian store near you!

Stephanie, i will definitely invite yall over. i am still planning on a house warming (but in shifts like tithing settlement cause my place is so small)

Janet,i think that lemon grass (houa sing khai) is good for a long time in the freezer. (somebody correct me if i am wrong!) but i have frozen lime leaves (bai khi hout) for months in the freezer along with galanga (kha) i think that any of the herbal additions that you don't actually eat - but are for flavoring can last for a long time in there.

hahaha cindy! i will try to send some good recipes kims way (but with you in mind).

Maly and Dan said...

nice!

NOTSONUTSO said...

Nobody reads your blog? As if! Are you feeling ignored? :o(

Baby bro, you are making me look bad!
I cannot cook & don't care to learn! My eyes glaze over every time I try (TRIED) to read a recipe!
I commend you on your efforts!!

Btw, is lao food spicy-hot???

jrm said...

hex yah its spicy. hahaha! but i got my second blog post almost ready to post, so just read along for the fun of it. i know you're not about to head out to the viet store and get some lemongrass... just keep eating your lean cuisines and whatever you scavenge from donna's kitchen! hahaha!

NOTSONUTSO said...

Do they have a viet store here? I've heard that curry tastes ICKY.

jrm said...

yes they have a viet store in baton rouge. there is a nice one right by the house on sherwood forest and florida blvd. there's also one over there by where the brownings used to live... across from the old kmart that shut down years back. you can all this stuff. but wl, curry is a weird word and idea... depending on which country your "curry" is coming from, you're gonna get something completely different. like i don't care for japanese "curry" and others don't care for indian "curry." all of them offer a different flavor - with the only commonality really being that they are usually kinda "wet" and served over/with rice. hahaha

NOTSONUTSO said...

I'm not really all that into exotic foods!!!

Nang Lao said...

i love this book. my cousin wrote it. she took out some of the "lao ingredients" cuz she didn't like pa dek, i use it to make all her jeaws, pretty good. there is a book that i found online called traditional lao cooking, the recipes are collected from the royal chef, so most of the recipes are traditional luang prabang dishes. i made the ka-nap, orm bon. so good.

jrm said...

thanks dawn for the information! that makes things a little more understandable! hope you enjoy my blog.

Nang Lao said...

what dishes have you cooked? are there any good "lao style" thai restaurant in seattle? I am orginally from portland and will be in the great norhtwest during the holidays, when i am in seattle i usually eat at the khmer pho restaurant in downtown seattle.

jrm said...

i haven't cooked too many - but i am still working my way through, just slower paced than i thought. there is are two Lao restaurants in seattle - viengthong (on martin luther king jr way and mcclellan) and another one... thai palms? that is further south on mlk. definitely go to viengthong - its not far from chinatown (where you've been to phnom penh - the khmer restaurant) and its consistantly good food! you'll have to tell me what you think!