(re: real estate values) it's hard to do as things change so
rapidly.

That why people like me are valuable.

We have to rely on those whose crystal balls are a
bit clearer than our own.

Subj: 189 Indian food

the snow castle wedding's redneck reception.

the occasion was fun.

For sure. They're good people, just a bit rough around the edges.

Rough around the edges never bothered me - the
ability to enjoy life and encourage others to do
so, that's what's important.

the best alcohol selection in the territory.

The credit for that part goes to you!

In part perhaps. There was a decent DFS in Calgary
I think it was.

We didn't actually do anything this year. We were close
friends for a while with four South Asian families of various persuasions and origins but they have all retired and moved away.

retirement should not be a hindrance.

I was always a guest, never a host.

Keeping in touch doesn't seem to require such
distinctions. I'm almost never the host, but that
doesn't prevent me from initiating contact once
in a while. It's my natural sense of inertia that
causes that.

Speaking of which, is there a decent hospital in
YK? Lilli is thinking of a far north trip in the
heat of the summer, but decent urgent health care
is a must.

Recipe from: Peachee Naib, Ex-Yellowknife

Friend of yours?

Yes, she and Ravi were one of the four couples I mentioned. She and
Roslind became close friends and they exchanged recipes while Ravi
and I drank his scotch.

What was their line of business?

Red Snapper Bloody Mary

Very much like mine although I generally use Clamatto and I have one additional secret ingredient.

A drop of bitters, perhaps. If a shaken one, I'd add
a splash of olive oil.

Subj: 190 Hemingway

Hardy and Eliot were ponderously boring in that 19th century
English way

I had to suffer through Heart of Darkness and various works of
Dickens. Tale of Two Cities was the only non-boring one.

So you know what I'm talking about. Conrad and Faulkner
were the most overrated writers ever to torture young
students. Dickens, at least he had an eye for characters
and a sense of humor.

Subj: 192 Original Joe's

"Original Joe's" came after, not before (all the others)

Are you referring to the Alberta situation?

I was.

Same mess in a lot of places. The reverse is just as
troublesome, though. There is a Boston pizzeria called
Regina's that sold the use of the name to someone that
simply was too corporate to know how to bake, and we
ended up with fistfuls of Regina's, in addition to the
real one at its original location. The neo-Regina'ses
were so wretched that the brand was soon in the toilet,
and the original managed just to struggle by because of
stubborn old clientele. Soon enough the new ones withered
on the vine and died, and the old one is said to be doing
better, though I still don't bother to go back.

Gulab Jamun

tooth-achingly sweet

Indeed. But nice very occasionally and in small amounts.

There was this obnoxious lout but good storyteller
called Isaac Asimov who told one tale against himself.
He was at a party and was annoyed that people were
flocking to this Indian guy, who was telling family
anecdotes, with people hooting with laughter, so
Asimov decided to see what the big deal was and went
over to listen. Eventually not being able to resist
butting in, he interjected "funny, you don't look
Jewisn." The Indian looked him in the eye and replied
"Sir, all mothers are Jewish."

I suspect that in even the most Jewish-motherly of
Indian households the portions of such desserts would
be at most half of those served in restaurants.

Red snapper with tomato sauce, olives, and onions
categories: Italian, fish, Livorno, main
serves: 4

1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil
1 md yellow onion, peeled and slivered
4 (8 oz ea) center-cut skinless red snapper filets
1/4 c dry white wine
14 oz canned diced tomatoes
1/4 c black olives, pitted and halved
1/2 bn parsley, chopped
1 pn red pepper flakes
salt

Wilt onions in oil about 2 min. Add snapper, skinned
side up, and cook until lightly golden, about 2 min.
Turn fish and cook other side another 2 min.

Add wine, tomatoes, olives, half the parsley, and
pepper flakes to the pan with the fish. Season to
taste with salt and bring to a simmer over medium
heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially
covered, until fish is just cooked through, 10 to
15 min, spooning sauce over fish as it cooks.
Uncover and simmer until sauce has thickened
slightly, about 3 min. Adjust seasonings and
sprinkle with remaining parsley.

Saveur magazine 2007
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