How to Make Homemade Milk Buttermilk

Milk buttermilk isn't a buttermilk as we all know, it's the slightly sour liquid left over from the butter-making process. Most milk buttermilk contains bits of milk fat (or curds) and is slightly thicker than milk but not as heavy as cream. The process of making processed, or cultured, milk buttermilk is similar to that of yogurt. Lactobaccillus is added to whole milk and allowed to ferment for 12 to 14 hours at low temperature. Salt and butter flecks may be added to the final product for flavor and texture. But it is possible to make a buttermilk substitute at home.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 tbsp. white vinegar or lemon juice

Directions:

1. Pour milk into a 1-cup measuring cup
2. Add 1 tbsp. white vinegar or lemon juice
3. Let the mixture stand for five minutes
4. Use in the recipe of your choice

Note:

• Alternatives to vinegar or lemon juice include: 1¾ tsp. cream of tartar to 1 cup of milk or ¼ cup milk to ¾ cup plain yogurt

spring cleaning...

spring has sprung... flowers are starting to blossom, the sun is starting to shine more, and the days are slowly starting to last a bit longer encouraging us all to get out and soak up its goodness.

and with spring comes spring cleaning... a time to shed all that kept us warm through winter and make room for the newness and fresh start that spring brings.

i like the idea of organized closets and a life where everything has its place in the perfect martha stewart-y kinda way, but sadly, i am not the best at keeping things this way. it will be something that i probably work at for the rest of my life...

this weekend, in my attempt to spring clean, i took a tip out of lucky and brought my closet organization to the next level to see if it will help me keep things orderly for longer than just a few weeks.

i weeded out the old and then sorted and stacked my jeans according to cut...then. labeled. them...whoah! this should help me figure out what stack to put my jeans into and save me from folding and jamming them quickly into any open spot. this idea will then carry over to my drawers and if all goes according to plan, next spring my closet will still look as neat and tidy as it does right now..voila!

what are some of your tricks to keeping and organized closet?? i'm open for suggestions!

How to Make Shredded Shark Meat

Shark meat was difficult to handle without ice or refrigeration and it so often had a strong smell and taste due to improper handling that was not acceptable to consumers not accustomed to it. Shark meat was more familiar to inhabitants of fishing villages and nearby settlements in the coastal areas of Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Pacific islands. It was also eaten by the Inuit and in Europe and Japan.

The meat was consumed and preserved in these different countries according to their food traditions and the technologies available to them at that time. Apart from consuming the fish fresh, the most common preservation methods were drying, salting or smoking. One of dry processing of shark meat is to make the shark meat to be shredded. And here is how to make the shredded shark meat.

Ingredients:

• 10 kgs shark
• 1 kg onion. 750 grams fried
• 400 grams garlic
• 50 grams coriander (powder)
• 50 grams galangal
• 15 pieces "daun salam" (bay leaves)
• 7 pieces lemongrass
• 750 grams sugar
• 50 grams tamarind
• 2000 ml thick coconut milk

Equipments:

• Knife and cutting board. (these tools are used to peel and cut the shark)
• Spice grinder
• Frying Pan (this tool is used for frying shredded)
• Sieve. (this tool is used to grate coconut)
• Centrifuges dryer (this tool is used to remove oil from hot shredded after frying)
• Pressing tool (this tool is used to squeeze the oil out from very hot shredded)

Instructions:

1. Peeling and cutting
• remove viscera, gills and head. 
• Peel shark skin and remove bones. 
• Cut shark meat into small pieces (1x1x1 cm), then wash and drain
2. Soaking
• Soak shark meat pieces in 4% salt solution (40 grams salt for 1 liter water), then stored in the refrigerator overnight. 
• During the storage, stir shark frequently. 
• Once shark meat is cool, then wash and drain
3. Steaming
• After drained, steam shark meat for 1 hour.
4. Pressing. 
• In hot conditions, press shark meat until the oil is out.
5. Shredding
• Shred shark meat pieces, then ground slowly to form fine fibers.
6. Preparation of spices and coconut milk
• Mash galangal and lemongrass until bruised. Ground onion (250 grams), garlic and coriander finely, then pan-fried. When fragrant, add thick coconut milk, galangal, tamarind, sugar, bay leaves and lemongrass.
• Heating continued until boiling and half of coconut milk volume is left
7. Cooking
• Put raw shredded gradually into the boiling coconut milk.
• Turn the fire a quite diminished just to keep coconut milk boiling. 
• While cooking, keep stir until the shredded to be a half dried. The result is a moist shredded shark meat. 
• Remove moist shredded shark meat, then fry in hot cooking oil (170 ° C) until crisp.
8. Draining
• Hot shredded that already removed from the oil must be immediately drained. Draining recommended using centrifugal dryer, pressing screw, or hydraulic presses.
9. Mixing with fried onion
• The shredded that has been drained then mixed with fried onions. The result is called with shredded shark meat.
10. Packaging
• Shredded shark meat should be packaged in a sealed packaging. Plastic bags is one of a good packaging that can be used for it.

Source: Bulletin Agroindustri Indonesia

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i use to hate...but now they're great

i've never really been a fan of cheap monday jeans. every pair i've ever tried on has been too tight and wayyyyyyyyyy too much effort for me to squeeze into.

as of late, i've seen the brand popping up more and more,and as i peruse the racks i quickly breeze by them while quietly cursing them under my breath...that was until this past weekend.

i was just in one of my favorite neighborhood shops and the salesclerk suggested that i try on a pair of cheap mondays. in the nicest way possible, i told her that those jeans and i just weren't meant to be. surprisingly, she knew exactly what i meant and she proceeded to tell me about how she, "use to be the BIGGEST HATER," but that this one particular cut had changed her mind. just to appease her, i told her i'd give them a whirl but that if i came out of the dressing room frustrated and feeling in need of lipo then she was going to owe me, big time.

and go figure... out of the six things i tried on, the only thing i ended up walking with was the pair of cheap mondays.

they definitely stepped up their game... this mid-rise jean hits just below the belly button, has good stretch, and hugs ever-so-gently along your stems. they rivel my jbrands (which is saying a lot)and for a fraction of the price ($65 dolla' make you holla!!)... i just may be back for more.

MY GUN STORY :)

entertain-tip #4... it's not NOPA, but it's close

if you live in san francisco, you know and love NOPA. you love the vibe. you love the food. and you probably don't even mind the hour+ wait because you can soak in the scene, relish in the communinal chatter, and stare at the mouth watering goodness coming out of the kitchen all while sipping on a most delectable cocktail (or glass of wine).

everything is good. everything. but i have a soft spot in my heart for the warm bubbly goodness of their giant bean appetizer. it takes the edge off of my grumbling stomach in a oozey, homecooked, comfort food way... and they're beans so they're high in protein and healthy, right?

but since i can't indulge in NOPA every day, i thought i'd try to recreate at home...

it's delish. and a perfect, easy yet impressive, appetizer to share with some of your greatest friends over a bottle of wine (like i did tonight.)

recipe for: "almost NOPA's" giant beans

**you can get all ingredients from your local trader joes

- a jar of trader joe's giant white beans in tomato sauce

- goat cheese crumbles
- panko breadcrumbs
- hint of pesto

pre-heat oven to 375. layer beans into a flat oven proof ramekin. add a heavy layer of goat cheese crumbles & slightly mix in with the beans. spatter little drops of pesto on top... not too much, not too little.

pop in oven for 10 minutes. take out and sprinkle a generous dusting of panko on top. pop back in oven for another 5 minutes until panko is browned and the sauce is bubbly.

serve with pita chips, sliced bread or crostini's.

yum.

What is Agribusiness?

Agribusiness is the human activities that use natural resources to fullfill their needs of their life. Agribusiness is a broad concept used to describe corporate agricultural enterprises individually and collectively. Agribusinesses are companies involved in one or more stages of the production of crops and livestock. In other words agribusiness is an economic perspective for agricultural activities.

In agriculture, agribusiness is a generic term for the various businesses involved in food production, including farming and contract farming, seed supply, agrichemicals, farm machinery, wholesale and distribution, processing, marketing, and retail sales. The term has two distinctly different connotations depending on context.

Within the agriculture industry, agribusiness is widely used simply as a convenient portmanteau of agriculture and business, referring to the range of activities and disciplines encompassed by modern food production. There are academic degrees in and departments of agribusiness, agribusiness trade associations, agribusiness publications, and so forth, worldwide. Here, the term is only descriptive, and is synonymous in the broadest sense with food industry. The UN's Food and Agriculture Organization, for example, operates a section devoted to Agribusiness Development, which seeks to promote food industry growth in the Third World.

Among critics of large-scale, industrialized, vertically integrated food production, the term agribusiness is used negatively, synonymous with corporate farming. As such, it is often contrasted with smaller family-owned farms. Negative connotations are also derived from the negative associations of "business" and "corporations" by critics of capitalism or corporate excess. As concern over global warming intensifies, biofuels derived from food crops quickly emerged as a practical answer to the energy crisis. Adding corn ethanol to gasoline or using palm oil for biodiesel makes the fuel burn more cleanly, stretches oil supplies, and perhaps most attractive to some politicians, provides a nice boost to big agribusiness. In Europe and in the US, increasing biofuels was mandated by law. Rising fuel costs are increasingly adding financial burdens on the day-to-day running of agricultural companies.

Examples of agribusinesses activities include :

• research and development of new agricultural resources and methods
• ownership or management of agricultural production facilities such as farmlands and livestock facilities
• manufacture or distribution of agricultural supplies and equipment such as machinery, feed, and fertilizers
• processing or distribution of agricultural products

Providing food or fibers is the ultimate product of all agribusiness operations. As such, the economic impact of agribusiness is significant; agribusiness is almost two times as large as the sum of all manufacturing enterprises (measured in total assets); it represents 40 percent of all consumer spending; and it employs 37 percent of the labor force.

The term "agribusiness" was coined in the 1950s by John Herbert Davis and Ray A. Goldberg to reflect the two-way interdependence between businesspeople and farmers in the dual roles of suppliers and purchasers. Business firms that serve agriculture rely on farmers for their markets and for some of their supplies. By the same token, farms could not operate without businesses that manufacture farm supplies and those that store, process, and merchandise farm commodities.

References:

• Bulletin Agroindustri Indonesia
• Reference for Business
• Wikipedia

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that's b-a-n-a-n-a-s...

i love bananas.
i eat bananas quite often.
and, i just found out that i've spent my entire life opening them the. wrong. way.

i didn't even KNOW there was a wrong way until my husband (who doesn't even like bananas) showed me the difference.

most of us grab a banana from the bunch & peel from the stem down...

but the correct, most efficient, easy and fail proof way to open one is to pinch the other end and gently pull apart.

it's easy.
it's how monkey's do it.
AND...you don't get those stringy things this way!

try it. it'll make you want to open the whole bunch.

big & flowy...

i know i just posted about flared jeans, but i can't help but reinforce my love for all things big and flowy in the legs.

maybe it's because giselle is wearing it, but i can't stop obsessing over this jumpsuit from h&m's bohemian deluxe collection... and for $20 bucks, i'm pretty sure you'll find me wearing it & waltzing my way around town in it this spring.

and i promise, the next post will have nothing to do with flared anything.

a little or a lotta flare...

in my opinion... the bigger the better. i've got a few pairs in my jean repertoire, but i want bigger.

go...
a) pick up a pair
b) slip on your favorite tall shoe for added height and a streamlined, legs-for-miles, look
c) accessorize

...then hit the town and watch heads turn.


**photo via the sartorialist

entertain-tip #3... sgroppino

years ago i helped open a restaurant and was introduced to this lovely gem of a drink. we'd serve it to our most favorite customer's at the end of a meal as a way to say thanks (and please leave a good tip!).

sgroppino is a burst of slushy goodness in your mouth. it's perfect for cleansing your palate after a dinner.... or perfect, in my opinion, just about any time.

and on top of being perfect, it's suuuuuuuuuuper simple to make.

ingredients:

1 cup lemon sorbet

2 cups prosecco

a shot or two of vodka (optional)

stick all ingredients in a blender until perfectly slushed. whip them up in small batches or feel free to make a pitcher!

once you've perfected the basic recipe, feel free to get experimental. things that i may or may not have tried in my sgroppino's include:
raspberry sorbet, a hint of mint, blueberries, meyer lemon zest, the teeniest hint of rosemary

please let me know when you whip up a batch...and, i'll be right over.

Preparation of Raw Mannan and Mannanase from Palm Oil Cake

ABSTRACT: Mannan, that is many in farm waste and can be a source of biomass besides cellulose and xylan, are still not widely used. During this time utilization of Mannan biomass, mainly from palm oil cake and copra, were more intended for animal feed with a low efficiency of utilization rate. The advances of glico-science and glico-technology provide high benefits in the production of various oligosaccharides which  known can be utilized as a functional food.

The degradation of mannan by several types of mannanase enzymes can be obtained mannose and manno-oligosacharides that serves as a functional food which can be utilized as a prebiotic. Waste biomass from industrial of plantations, agriculture and forest products in Indonesia containing mannan polysaccharides, particularly waste from the production of palm oil, copra and coffee, can be used for the production mannosa of and manno-oligosaccharides. By the production of palm oil (crude palm oil, CPO) , it  is produced waste of sludge and palm oil cake. About 20 ~ 40% fiber composition of this palm oil cake is a beta-Mannan. 

For the fermentation process, the first step is to perform the substances analysis and preparation of Mannan from palm oil cake. The optimum condition of initial preparation by catalytic hydrolysis of palm oil cake is on the use of 150 g / L substrate in water, 2% catalyst, the temperature of 110^oC conducted over 1.0 hours . The process of hydrolysis of 250 g / L for palm oil cake in water with 2% catalyst and heating to 90^oC for 1.5 hours followed by the deposition process of 1:1 acetone produces samples with Mannan concentration 19.1% .

The result of substrate hydrolysis of palm oil cake using selective microbes, Streptomyces and Saccharoployspora (BTCC collection) showed that qualitatively oligosaccharide compounds was formed. Both isolates of the bacteria produced mannanase enzymes with the highest specific activity after 24 hours of fermentation.

Keywords: palm oil cake, mannan, mannosa, manno-oligosaccharides, functional food

Source >>

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japan.

the earthquake, tsunami, and continuing devastation in japan has left my heart feeling heavy.

i've spent the last week searching for the silver lining hiding somewhere within all the catastrophe, and praying that the universe will watch over this tiny island of a nation, help them rebuild & restore their lives and rejuvenate their spirits.

here's how the creative geniuses up at weiden are showing their support for japan... now let's do our part to help.

photo: hiroto sekiguchi (ap)

Analysis of Competitiveness of Indonesian Cacao and Processed Cacao

ABSTRACT: The exports performance of Indonesian cacao and processed cacao products increases quite rapidly. Almost 80% of the national cacao production is exported because of the low of domestic demand of cacao to processing industry. The image of low quality of Indonesian cacao products and low capacity of processing industry can depress the competitiveness of Indonesian cacao and processed cacao in the global market.

This study aims to determine the competitiveness of Indonesian cacao and processed cacao and what factors determining the competitiveness of these commodities and what strategies to enhance the competitiveness of Indonesian cacao and processed cacao in the global market.

The data in this study analyzed with analysis approach of Constant Market Share (CMS), Trade Specialization Index (ISP), and analysis of the determinants of competitiveness with the external and internal environment approaches to strategy formulation.

Source >>

the power of the written note...

we live in a world where efficiency is king and people are looking for a faster, easier, less time consuming way to get things done.
and i get it...i can't deny the ease that all these technological advances have brought to my life, but there is a lot lost in translation and something very special that i cherish and crave about the slower, more face to face less text to text days of yore...

i still love to write notes and send cards the good old fashioned way. it forces me to think more about what i'm writing and i find great joy in thinking about how my little letter will find it's way to whomever i send it off to.

and even more that writing the letter, i love the joy & happiness it brings to those on the receiving end. i know i do a happy little mail jig when i see a brightly colored, hand addressed envelope standing out in my pile of mail... i'm sure you know and love that feeling, too.

so, go ahead. pick a person. write a note and send.

i guarantee you that the $.44 you spend will be well worth the happiness you bring to that person.

Yoga

I have begun working outside my home. This has been quite an adjustment for me. During my training process, I was VERY stressed out! Other than taking walks at the park, it had been a long time since I had done any type of exercise. So, on day two of my training, before I headed to work, I got out my trusty purple yoga mat and began to unwind. It was AWESOME! I cannot explain how calming yoga can be to your nerves. As you focus on your body and the positions you are trying to get into, all your worries and frustrations just seem to melt away. By the end of my workout, I had totally forgotten about the knots in my stomach ;-)


If you are on a rather strict budget, as I am at this current time or if you are afraid to workout in front of others for various different reasons,  a great way to get started is through one of the many free yoga podcasts that you can find on itunes. They are soooooo wonderful and don't cost a penny. My favorite is Yogamazing with Chaz Rough. He is very good at explaining the positions and how to get into them properly.


I will leave you with an image of my favorite pose.... Namaste ♥

spring awakening...

this little romper from steven alan's spring lookbook makes me giddy for spring.

our clocks have sprung forward, flowers are starting to bloom, and the days are slowly starting to get warmer... now all i need is mr. alan to send me a little care package.

The Background of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Implementation

In the 1960´s, the Pillsbury Company in cooperation with the National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) first constructed HACCP to describe the systematic approach to food safety. The goal of the programme was to come as close to 100% assurance as possible that the food produced for space use would not be contaminated with bacterial or viral pathogens, toxins, chemicals or physical hazards that could cause an illness or injury (Pierson and Corlett, 1992).

In 1971, the HACCP concept was first presented at the first National Conference on Food Protection. During the 1970's and 1980's a number of the food companies requested information to help them establish their own HACCP programmes. In 1985, USA National Academy of Sciences (NAS) recommended the HACCP system in the publication Evaluation of the role of microbiological criteria for food and food ingredients (Pierson and Corlett, 1992). The Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for food developed material elaborated principles of this food safety and quality management system based on NAS recommendation and provided guidance for their application for food processing operations. HACCP was recommended in both food regulator and industry because it was the most effective and efficient means of assuring the safety of the food supply (Limpus, 1997).

In 1990 the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) on Food Hygiene started to prepare a draft guideline for the application of HACCP system (Huss, 1994). In the last ten years, HACCP has become widely used. It is now a legislative requirement in USA, Canada and EU-countries. Some countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Egypt, South Africa, and many others have also adopted or are considering food safety control systems based on HACCP.

In Canada, the Quality Management Program (QMP) was established as a mandatory programme for food inspection in February 1992. It was based on HACCP principles. The QMP uses the principles of HACCP for ensuring safe food production, to provide a high level of assurance that fish and seafood products produced in Canada are safe and wholesome to eat (CFIA 2001).

In 1995, The United State Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published final regulations that require processors of fish and fishery products to develop and implement HACCP systems for their operations including imported fish and fishery products. Those regulations became effective on December 18, 1997 (FDA 1998).

The European Union has issued the Directive 91/493/EEC (22/7/1991) and the Directive 94/356/EC (20/5/1994), which requires all seafood processing establishments that export their products to EU market to carry out HACCP system called "Own check".

About HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point)

HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) is a systematic preventive approach to food safety and pharmaceutical safety that addresses physical, chemical, and biological hazards as a means of prevention rather than finished product inspection. HACCP is used in the food industry to identify potential food safety hazards, so that key actions can be taken to reduce or eliminate the risk of the hazards being realized.

The system is used at all stages of food production and preparation processes including packaging, distribution, etc. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) say that their mandatory HACCP programs for juice and meat are an effective approach to food safety and protecting public health. Meat HACCP systems are regulated by the USDA, while seafood and juice are regulated by the FDA. The use of HACCP is currently voluntary in other food industries.

A forerunner to HACCP was developed in the form of production process monitoring during World War II because traditional "end of the pipe" testing was not an efficient way to ferret out artillery shells that would not explode. HACCP itself was conceived in the 1960s when the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) asked Pillsbury to design and manufacture the first foods for space flights. Since then, HACCP has been recognized internationally as a logical tool for adapting traditional inspection methods to a modern, science-based, food safety system.

Based on risk-assessment, HACCP plans allow both industry and government to allocate their resources efficiently in establishing and auditing safe food production practices. In 1994, the organization of International HACCP Alliance was established initially for the US meat and poultry industries to assist them with implementing HACCP and now its membership has been spread over other professional/industrial areas.

Hence, HACCP has been increasingly applied to industries other than food, such as cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. This method, which in effect seeks to plan out unsafe practices, differs from traditional produce and test quality control methods which are less successful and inappropriate for highly perishable foods. In the US, HACCP compliance is regulated by 21 CFR part 120 and 123. Similarly, FAO/WHO published a guideline for all governments to handle the issue in small and less developed food businesses.

Pricing of Oil Palm Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) in South Sumatra through the Perspective of Bilateral Monopoly Market

ABSTRACT : This study aimed to identify where the price of fresh fruit bunches (FFB) of palm oil is set by local governments in the price range of bilateral monopoly market approach, in terms of whether they have been providing protection to farmers and close to prices that reflect a balanced bargaining power, or more lead to the monopsonist price, or even lead to monopoly pricing.

The study was done on the condition and data (1998-2002) of three Perkebunan Inti Rakyat (PIR) --- plasma nucleus system plantation. They were PIR Transmigrasi of private and state enterprises management, and PIR-KUK. The analysis methode used were single-equation econometric model of demand and supply of FFB.

The results showed that the price of FFB established by local government has protected farmers from the possibility of monopsony market prices that can occur if no policy intervention. However, the FFB price level in a bilateral monopoly market perspective, which KUD (Farmers Cooperation) represents farmers as a monopolist, still tend to be closer to the monopsonist price. It also reflects the more powerful bargaining position of the nucleus rather than farmers, and the price of FFB as a derivatives position of global CPO prices. It takes commitment and a more serious effort by both sides to enhance cooperation partnership in order to get a fairer FFB price.

Keywords : Palm Oil, FFB, CPO, PIR, price, monopsony, monopoly, bilateral monopoly market
Source >>

How to Make Home Made Potato Chips

Diversification of foods is very important in an attempt to overcome the problem of dependence on one kind of staple foods. Such as by processing cereals and root crops into various preserved products which have a distinctive flavor and having long shelf life. These processed products such as: flour, dried cassava, tapai (fermented cassava), chips and others.

Potatoes can easily be made into chips. The equipments needed are simple, and no required big investment for production.

Ingredients:

Fig 1. Potato chips

• 20 kg Large potato
• 100 grams Garlic
• 6 tbsp salt
• 100 grams whiting
• 2 kg Cooking oil

Equipments:

• Knife
• Plastic bucket
• Winnowing
• Frying pan (skillet)
• Stove or furnace
• Plastic pot or pan
• Mixer
• Filter

Directions:

Fig 2. Potato laying on top of winnowing

1. Peel the potato, immediately put in a bucket filled with water, then rinse thoroughly
2. Thinly sliced with a thickness of 2 ~ 2 ½ mm, immediately soak for 12 ~ 24 hours in water that has been given the whiting;
3. After soaking, wash and drain
4. Mash garlic and salt until fine and cook in water until boiled. This solution should be quite salty
5. Boil the potato slices for 3 ~ 5 minutes, then drain
6. Put the potato slices on top of winnowing. Arrange in alternating rows (Figure 2)
7. Dry for 2 ~ 3 days
8. Fry in cooking oil that is not too hot. When the potatoes have swelled, lift immediately.

Fig 3. Potato Chips Processing Flow Chart

Note:

• 1 kg of potatoes can yield 2 ounces of potato chips
• Raw dried potato chips should be stored in a sealed can

the "bottle-bilities" are endless...

it may not be the prettiest website, but the possibilities that lie within are truly endless.

a few things that i just might try...

bottle a six pack of homemade libations, slap on a cute little label, and surprise a thirsty friend.

give your spice rack an upgrade and a newer, fresher look. then take on your pantry. there's a jar or a bottle for just about every ingredient you've got.

whip up a batch of secret sauce, place a fabric square over the cap and tie a piece of string around it to make a sweet favor or holiday gift for family and friends.

infuse olive oil and create a fun label. bring a fresh baguette and a bottle of your oil as a hostess gift.

what will you do??

the teeny-bopper within...

oh biebs. i'm not quite sure how it happened, but you've managed to bring my 20 year crush on donnie whalberg to a screeeeeching halt AND run off with my heart... all in the matter of a few weeks.

yes, you're 17 and i'm 33 but i've got to thank you for awakening the lively little teeny-bopper inside of me and giving her reason to get giddy again. i've read your vanity fair article...i've watched you melt hearts on ellen...i've seen your movie...and each of those further confirmed just how RAD you are.

sweet, sincere, witty, confident, hardworking and real... i hope stardom never changes you.

at my age, i just wouldn't feel right decorating my bedroom walls from top to bottom with pictures of you or spend half of my day dreaming about how we'll fall madly in love and live happily ever after... but if you happen to see me running around town in an unmarked, purple, american apparel hoodie you can be damn sure that it's my grown up way of showing you how AWESOME i think you are.

oh..and justin...one more little thing.
if you do happen to see me running around town in my hoodie, can you please make sure to stop me, so you can autograph it, and maybe if i'm lucky... give me front row tixs to your next show? thanks dude.

How to Make Cassava Flour

Cassava flour is made from cassava pieces that have been dried, then crushed. For producing good cassava flour, cassava that used must be good and old enough. Cassava that harvested after 6 months cultivation have still very high water so that the flour substance is only a little. Cassava flour is commonly used as ingredient to make many kind of foods.

Raw Materials:

• Manihot (cassava)

Equipments:

• Knife
• Bowl or pan
• Chopper (cutting board)
• Winnowing
• Sieve
• Pestle (mortar and pestle)

Directions:

1. Peel the cassava, wash and dry in the sun
2. Put dried cassava into mortar, and then mashed
3. Then sifter with a fine sieve
4. Mash the rest of the sifting once again, and sifter back until smooth
5. Dry the flour in the sun. If rain, the drying is done in a room with artificial heating, such as using stoves or oven.

Flow Diagram of Cassava Flour Processing 

By: HarryS

How to Make Soy Sauce

Soy sauce (ketchup) is a liquid food seasoning, has a blackish brown color, distinctive flavor and aroma. Below I will explain how to make the soy sauce. Firstly you have to prepare the raw materials and equipments that needed, and the production process is following.

Raw Materials (Ingredients):

• 1 kg Soybean (white or black)
• 3 grams yeast
• 2 pieces bay leaves
• 1 stalk lemongrass cutted
• 1 piece lime leaves
• ¼ galangal
• 1 tsp Pokak (Star anise, Illicium verum)
• 6 kgs brown sugar
• 1 ½ liter water (to dissolve the brown sugar)
• 800 grams salt to 4 liters of water

Equipments:

• Pot
• Winnowing (nyiru)
• Straining cloth
• Stirrer spoon
• Bottles (have been sterilized)

Soy Sauce Production Process Flow Chart

Directions:

1. Rinse soybeans and soak in 3 liters of water during one night. Then boiled until the skin of soybean becomes soft, then drain on a winnowing tray and chill
2. Put yeast into cooled soybeans. Stir until blended and store at room temperature (25 ^o ~ 30 ° C) for 3 ~ 5 days;
3. After soybean covered by white mold evenly, add the salt solution. Place in a container and leave for 3-4 weeks at room temperature (25 ^o ~ 30 ° C). The maximum limit of salting process is two months;
4. Pour clean water immediately, cook until boiling and then filtered.
5. Put filtered soy into pot, add sugar and spices. This seasoning (except bay leaves, lime leaves and lemongrass) roasted first and then finely ground and mix until blended.

• The addition of brown sugar for:
1. Sweet Soy sauce: every 1 liter of filtrate requires 2 kg of brown sugar
2. Salty Soy sauce: every 1 liter of filtrate takes 2 ½ ounces brown sugar
6. After all the spices mixed into the filtrate, then cook, stirred constantly. Stop boiling when it boiled and no bubbles exist.
7. After the dough is cooked, filter with the straining cloth. The filtrate that obtained is the soy sauce that is ready for bottling.

Note:

• In the case to prevent the failure of fermentation, the yeast that added should match with the total weight of soy used.
• Once boiled and drained, soybeans should be fully cooled. If not, the fungi (yeast) that were scattered on it will die.

entertain-tip #2...theme

the simplest way to add some spark to any event is to give it a theme. and, i'm not talking about an elaborate costumed affair or black tie event (unless that is what you're looking for) but just little touches here & there to help set the mood and make it feel special.

the theme kicks everything up to the next level ties your event together, turning even the most simple brunch into a memorable day.

here are a few ideas:

mambo italiano

dress up your average italian dinner by decorating the table with red & white checked tablecloths... jars filled with breadsticks, parmesan cheese & red pepper...bottles and bottles of chianti...and maybe a few stick-on mustaches for added flair.

wigs & wine

throw a party where everyone has to come with a bottle of wine and wearing a wig. you provide more wine, the nibbles, the music, and a few accessories (this is where a costume closet comes in handy...bow ties, hats, boas, costume jewelry) to help your guests embrace their new look...and make sure to have a camera or polaroid on hand to document the night!

the perfect picnic

on a sunny day, make a variety of sandwiches, pack a cooler filled with your favorite mix of icy beverages, and pack some ooey-gooey treats of the most delicious kind. then pull together a stack of blankets, your bocce ball & horseshoe sets, a couple decks of cards, some dice, a few magazines, your favorite portable speakers and head to the park. your friends will flock.

...get the drift? now you try.

move over flip flop...

i'm a big fan of flip-flops and although i'll never give them up, my attention has been recently focused on the comfy, wear anywhere, traditional espadrille...and not just any espadrille..solamente SOLUDOS.

they are the perfect mix of canvas, jute and comfort.

they come in a variety of colors and fun prints.

and best of all... they hug your foot in just the perfect way.

wear them to your favorite music festival. wear them with rolled cut offs and a button down cotton shirt. wear them at a beachside bbq. wear them with a cute flowered romper. wear them with a fun pair of colored khaki's and an oversized shirt.

a more hearty shoe than your average flip-flop and less intense than their wedge heeled espadrille cousins. dress them up or dress them down. and for less than $30, you best go out and buy yourself a few pairs...

**photos via: soludos