The Moose Factory - Virtual Bar and Grill - Version 3

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

After a lone 65F day, it has turned cold again and we've gotten some snow up here.  Just a dusting, though.  Still, this kind of weather requires hot soup, particularly clam chowder in a bowl of hand-made bread.  Yum.  Thick, hearty soups of all kinds will be kept in the warmers in case any of you get cold.

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

It's Golden Week back in Japan.  The town I used to live in was a big vacation destination.  As such, the main national road that wound along the coast was gridlocked for the entirety of this week of National Holidays, so we would stay around our home, go for walks in the neighborhood, up into the mountains, whatever.  So, some traditional Japanese spring food: takenoko gohan (baby bamboo rice), dried fish (local specialty where I once lived) and nanohana (a relative of broccoli if I remember correctly), kashiwa mochi (for Boy's Day), and I think some manju because mm, manju. 

 

Fly your koinobori high and help yourselves!

[catty-cb 4,412]

All sounds really nice ... I think I'll have a bit of everything 

[raynev1 1,886]

If that special is still going , I'll try it . I like to try different things . 

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

There will always be some fine, B-kyuu (second level) Japanese cuisine, but for Mother's Day (HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!) I'll get the grill going for a nice, spring barbecue!  Hot dogs and hamburgers, and some french fries and potato salad for good measure.

[SimCoug 5,976]

It's starting to feel like summer here... How about some grilled WI brats?

[catty-cb 4,412]

I'll have a couple thanks ... if it keeps raining here, they will be nice to have in the boat 

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

So my colleague went down to Menonimee/Marinette on Wednesday when it was 45F with thick fog up here.  I guess he got out of his car and it was 75F and sunny.  Lake Superior does not allow such shenanigans until we are well into June and the solstice approaches.  But who doesn't love a good brat?  Brats and grilled hamburgers and, heck, let's season up some kebabs and put those on the barbecue as well!

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

The weather for the Memorial Day weekend is rainy and stormy here, so we'll have our picnic inside.  Sandwiches- nay, subs for all!  Let's add some pasta salad and potato salad, but I hate coleslaw so none of that.  Also, if you want mayonnaise, you're out of luck.  I shot the mayo delivery man...

Spoiler

...a dirty look and he has never come back.

 

[SpookyZalost 39]

meanwhile here in good ol rocky mountains it's sunny and memorial day weekend had a great festival

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

Festivals!  I hope you have plans to enjoy a wonderful summer, as well.

Speaking of summer, we are having a minor heat wave.  It was 70F today!  Let's break out the ice cream bar a few days early to celebrate 80F on Saturday.  I'm having the chocolate with peanut butter ribbon, yum.

[catty-cb 4,412]

Well I've never had peanut butter "anything" in my life, so hopefully I won't regret it, but I'll have the

Quote

chocolate with peanut butter ribbon

icecream as well 

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

That stuff is super delicious.

 

Oh my, has it really been 2 weeks??  Well, I've been buried at work so my mind hasn't really had time to be right recently, but with the two new hires starting tomorrow it might begin to turn around.  Anyways, I had a nice Father's Day, and here's to a good one for you other dads out there.  Let's brush off the grill and have some barbecue, we'll put some kebabs on tonight, and wash them down with a little Oberon.

[raynev1 1,886]

Sounds great , hope I didn't miss them all .

 

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

There is always something for you here.

 

Tonight my wife made pad Thai, so let's have some of that, some coconut shrimp with peanut sauce, and some iced tea.  A good meal for a pleasant June evening.

[catty-cb 4,412]

I'll pass on the meal, but will have a glass of the iced tea as it will go nicely with the sushi I'm having for lunch

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

Aw, I missed Canada Day.  Oh well.  But I'll bust out the grill once again for some hot dogs for Independence Day.  I like mine charred and topped with chili, mustard, and onions, but since this is an outdoor thing I'll skip the chili hahahahahaha.

[catty-cb 4,412]

heads for the heater and turns it up to maximum ... wonders if there is any firewood left from last year, and goes to see what's available in the way of soup

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/94637597/in-photos-snow-hits-the-south-island-and-leaves-new-zealand-shivering

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

Oh man, I miss the cold and the snow.  Of course, it is nice driving around with the windows open...

 

So today was nice and sunny and we spent it on the beach.  You know what goes well with nice, sunny weather?  Ice cream.  We'll have the ice cream bar open all weekend so you can enjoy vanilla ice cream with your favorite toppings: chocolate syrup, Oreos, M&Ms, whipped cream, and there's even some root beer in case you want to have a float.  Enjoy!

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

It has been hot and humid back in Japan, and they're saying that they're looking at a summer of record heat all the way through the end of September.  Man, thinking about that, I am not sad I left, that weather is pure torture.  BUT!  There is a bright side to that, and it's called WATERMELON!  Break out the sticks, we will crack them open and eat them on the patio under the warm sunlight.  It's a Japanese beach tradition, and everyone should partake of it.

[Odainsaker 2,137]

It has also been scorching hot in South Texas, so out too came the watermelon, pineapple, and glasses of strawberry lemonade.  It is common here in South Texas to put chili powder on watermelon, just as it was common back in Hawaii to put li hing powder on pineapple.  Chinese li hing mui, or salty dried and sour pickled plums, from which the red Hawaiian powder is made, is supposedly not too unlike Japanese umeboshi.  I'm actually more than happy with just plain watermelon and just plain pineapple, but the family was too fast with the li hing red powder packet.

 

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

I can enjoy umeboshi, but I can feel my mouth puckering up right now just thinking about it.  It just hits the spot sometime.  I've never had the chance to try anything with li hing powder.  I've never actually heard of it.

[catty-cb 4,412]

On Tuesday, 18 July 2017 at 1:14 PM, NMUSpidey said:

.....BUT!  There is a bright side to that, and it's called WATERMELON!  Break out the sticks, we will crack them open and eat them on the patio under the warm sunlight......

...anything for watermelon ... just hope I don't get blown away while eating it ... I'll just stick to the plain watermelon no added extras 

 

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

Watermelon is so yummy!

 

Well, my wife has prepared some sweet potato rice to go with our slow-cooked barbecue ribs.  They are so good I think I should share them.  Grab an Oberon, it'll be a perfect meal on a beautiful midsummer night like this.

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

We've got some rain showers moving through tonight.  I'll get a few varieties of quiche out of the oven and we'll watch it fall.  If only there was some lightning and thunder to go with it...

[catty-cb 4,412]

Shouting a round of drinks to anyone who knew Jmouse (Joan) long-time Administrator over at SC4D for a number of years and also over at my site, we were good friends and talked most days about this and that and everything in between, she and my Mother had a lot in common as they both had chronic health conditions.

So please raise a glass (order anything you like from the bar) I know @mrbisonm will join me in biding farewell to a kind lady who was always willing to lend a helping hand.

RIP Joan Sherrouse (1944-2017)

Quote

You can shed tears that she is gone
or you can smile because she has lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that she'll come back
or you can open your eyes and see all she's left.
Your heart can be empty because you can't see her
or you can be full of the love you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.
You can remember her and only that she's gone
or you can cherish her memory and let it live on
You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back
or you can do what she'd want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on

~ David Harkins

 

[mrbisonm 1,622]

I will join you, catty-cb, in Shouting a round of drinks to anyone who knew Jmouse , who was a grest friend of mine.

 

Fred

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

I did not know her, but that does not mean that I won't join you.  A toast in her honor.

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

Oh no, it's been a week and a half since I last posted here!  I haven't gone anywhere!

 

Back in Japan it's Obon Week.  People are traveling back to their hometowns in the countryside to honor their ancestors, and where I lived they have Anjinsai, a big summer festival.  Summer festival brings with it fireworks, game booths and food stands.  And the food stands are full of delicious (if unhealthy) food!  Okonomiyaki, yakisoba, cotton candy, chocolate-covered bananas, shaved ice with fruit flavors, and of course ice cream!  Iced barley tea is available for when you're thirsty!

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

I'm ready for fall.  I already have a virtual jack o lantern in our virtual window here!  Don't worry, since it's virtual it'll never start to smell bad.