DVD Review - 300

300 D-

This movie failed to make me love it, or at least like it. Before I watched the dvd I asked my daughter what she thought of it and she said I might not like it because it is a 'dick flick', as opposed to chick flick which I am not a fan of either. But I have read so many rave reviews from both men and women so I went ahead and borrowed, watched and cringed. This is one inane, pointless movie. The only thing that saved it from an F grade is the photography. It's okay, I guess, since it is based on a comic book, graphic novel to others, whatever.
First, I didn't like the soundtrack, having unnecessary and misplaced 'dramatic' music. I was annoyed when whipping sounds came out of all 5 speakers of a....TORCH! What the heck was that, it's just a moving torch which should not get the viewer's attention as if it's a beast or something. Laughable. And then, lots of unnecessary female nudity, a gratuitous sex scene, yeah, yeah, yeah, the king makes love to his beautiful wife, why does he look like he's having sex with a ho? The foolhardy king led his men wearing nothing but a shield, a red cape, and a black speedo/diaper, to fight a horde of ugly Persians. The diaper reminds me of the costume Sean Connery wore in ZARDOZ but Sean's was a nicer saffron-colored diaper with a matching X bandolier and go-go like boots (see photo at the bottom). Also the whole movie is full of cliched dialog, and during the battle a lot of blood spilled that just evaporated in mid-air because you won't see them anywhere on their newly waxed and perfectly chiseled Greek manly chests, on their shields or on the ground. As I said this movie is based on a graphic novel so it's forgiven. Bad story and bad bad king, going to war without adequate planning and let his men and himself die needlessly because they're all macho warriors, (hmm, why does this sound familiar?)

doesn't it look like a diaper?

Sean Connery in ZARDOZ

Filled Chocolate Candies

The other day I was looking for a plastic container in the upper shelves of the kitchen cabinet and found my candy molds. I haven't used these molds in maybe 2 or 3 years, they have yellowed a bit. I bought them 8 years ago when I was into candy making. One Christmas I made the Santa Claus, Christmas tree and ribboned gift molds, each one painted the appropriate color. They are tedious to make and it only takes a second to eat them. ;-)

So, I put the non-holiday molds to use and the one that is very yellow and brittle cracked after unmolding, I had to throw it away, time to buy new molds. Anyway, I filled them with soft very tart lemon fondant, candied figs, pb & j, and plain crunchy peanut butter. I used extra dark chocolate and they are super delicious! My favorite is the pb & j. You can learn how to temper chocolates here. It's not really that complicated, give it a few tries until you perfect it. You can experiment with milk chocolate first (which I prefer with the candied figs), then with really dark chocolate. Next time I will fill them with other unusual flavors like cayenne pepper, burnt sugar, cacao nibs, ground espresso coffee, and hard sponge candy (Crunchies in Australia).

crunchy peanut butter filling

peanut butter & grape jelly filling

soft super lemon fondant filling
candied fig filling

I think after eating non-stop all the yummy ice cream and now chocolate candies, it's time to hit the treadmill because my skirts are getting just a little bit too tight.:D

Green Tea With Kinako Ice Cream, Gianduja-Stracciatella Gelato & Malted Milk Ice Cream

green tea with kinako

I couldn't decide which one is my latest favorite ice cream flavor from THE PERFECT SCOOP by David Lebovitz, they all are yummylicious! I have made both the Malted Milk ice cream and the oh so creamy Gianduja-Stracciatella gelato twice already but the Green Tea Topped With Kinako (roasted soy bean powder) is also becoming a real favorite. I'm thinking of making mochi and filling them with the green tea ice cream, then coat the mochi with kinako.

Green Tea Ice Cream Topped With Kinako1 cup whole milk
¾ cup sugar
pinch of salt
2 cups heavy cream
4 teaspoons matcha (green tea powder)
6 large egg yolks

• Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Pour the cream into a large bowl and whisk in the green tea powder. Set a mesh strainer on top.In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
• Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream, then whisk it vigorously until the custard is frothy to dissolve the green tea powder. Stir and cool over an ice bath.
• Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Pre-freeze scoops of ice cream and sprinkle them with kinako, available in Asian stores. This flavor is also excellent with sweet azuki beans, really delicious.

Gianduja-Stracciatella Gelato

1½ cups hazelnuts, toasted
1 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
¾ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
4 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped
5 large egg yolks

1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Rub the hazelnuts in a kitchen towel to remove as much of the papery skins as possible, then finely chop them in a food processor or blender.
• Warm the milk with 1 cup of the cream, sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Once warm, remove from the heat and add the chopped hazelnuts. Cover and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Put the chocolate milk pieces in a large bowl. Heat the remaining cup of cream in a medium saucepan until it begins to boil. Pour it over the milk chocolate pieces and stir until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Set a mesh strainer over the top.
• Pour the hazelnut-infused milk through a strainer into a medium saucepan, squeezing the nuts firmly with your hands to extract as much of the flavorful liquid as possible. Discard the hazelnuts.
• Re-warm the hazelnut-infused mixture. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm hazelnut mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
• Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the milk chocolate mixture. Add the vanilla and stir over an ice bath.
• Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Stracciatella:
5 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped (do not use chocolate chips)

• In a clean dry bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate, stirring until it's completely smooth. Drizzle a very thin stream of the warm chocolate into the ice cream during the last possible moments of churning, or by hand while you layer it into the storage container. (I used one of those plastic sauce bottles for really thin drizzles.)

Malted Milk Ice Cream

1 cup half-and-half
¾ cup sugar
pinch of salt
2 cups heavy cream
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup malt powder
6 large egg yolks
2 cups malted milk balls, coarsely chopped

• Warm the half-and-half, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. In a large bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, vanilla, and malt powder and set a mesh strainer on top.
• In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
• Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and whisk it into the malted milk mixture. Stir until cool over an ice bath.
• Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. As you remove the ice cream from the machine, fold in the chopped malted milk balls.

Tod Mun Pla

These Thai fish cakes have been one of my favorite dishes since I first tasted them over 20 years ago at Flavours & Spices in Makati (which I learned from a friend had already ceased operation for several years now). When we try new Thai restaurants here and when we were living in Hong Kong, I check them out the moment the menu card is handed to us. If they're not on the menu, or if the server has never heard of them, then I consider the restaurant NOT authentic Thai. When we first came here in the US 15 years ago there were very few Thai restaurants, most of them didn't serve tod mun pla. We later learned almost all the Thai restaurants here in the Washington D. C. area at the time were owned by Chinese and their cooks were Chinese. There are several new Thai restaurants now that are owned by Thai people and some have these in their menu. I guess they are not popular with Americans because of their chewy texture which is precisely why I love them. The cakes are served as appetizer but I have them as main course, eaten with steamed rice and cucumbers with sweet and sour chili sauce.

Tod Mun Pla
1 pound fish paste
1 tablespoon Thai red chili paste
1 tablespoon fish extract
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup sliced green beans
3 fresh kaffir lime leaves, sliced thin (optional)
½ cup oil for frying

• Combine the first 4 ingredients in a food processor for 1 minute, add egg and process for another minute. Add green beans and lime leaves, pulse 5 times or until just combined.
• Heat oil in a skillet, fry about 2 tablespoons of fish mixture, flatten with spatula while frying. Flip and fry on other side until golden brown.

Cucumber Salad
2 mini cucumbers, sliced
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup sugar
1 red chili, finely minced
½ cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

• Combine vinegar, sugar and chili. Mix in the sliced cucumbers. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle peanuts on top.