Breakfast in Jakarta

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August 23, 2011

Breakfast is supposed to be the most important meal of the day, but, if it weren’t for my daughter, I’d likely miss out altogether.

In the far-away days before parenthood I woke up on time but typically lazed around in bed until I was 15 minutes late for wherever I needed to be. If I was lucky – really, really lucky – I managed to scarf down a bowl of cereal before I slammed the door.

Today is another story; I have my dear 2-year-old daughter, Ava, to contend with. There’s no more lazing around in bed. She is my very insistent alarm clock and, while we’re usually up hours ahead of my desired schedule, by the time we eat a healthy breakfast and get out the door, we almost always manage to be late for everything. It’s an irony of parenthood I will never understand.

Lately, breakfasts have become rather predictable and usually fall in the category of hot cereal, cold cereal or eggs. In the spirit of imposing a smidgen of variety into our morning routine, I researched breakfasts around the world. I struck gold when I came upon nasi goreng, an Indonesian fried rice dish often eaten in the morning.

While I don’t typically add fried food to my morning arsenal, nasi goreng is surprisingly healthy – each serving of rice is accompanied by an assortment of fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, green onions and as many “cow’s eyes” as you’d like. (Have no fear: cow’s eyes is the nickname Indonesians give fried eggs.) The kids will love the novelty and change of pace and, if you’re making this with last night’s leftover rice, you’ll be out the door lickety-split, which is a great thing. And that’s experience speaking.

Nasi Goreng

Serves 2-4

1 1/2 c. dry jasmine rice cooked and refrigerated overnight
2 tbsp. vegetable oil?
2 large shallot bulbs, minced (or 1 small onion)?
4 large cloves garlic
Minced ?chili pepper, minced to taste (optional)?
1/8 c. kecap manis (sweet soy sauce available at Asian markets)

Garnish
1 cucumber, sliced thinly?
2 tomatoes, sliced in wedges?
2 green onions, sliced thinly?
1 fried egg per person?
Extra kecap manis

Heat oil up over medium-high in a large wok or skillet. Fry shallots (or onion), garlic and chili pepper, if using, until softened and beginning to color.

Pour on kecap manis and dump in cool rice, breaking up clumps as you go. Stir continuously until the rice is evenly coated with kecap manis and beginning to brown lightly. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Top with cucumber, tomato, green onion and fried egg. Serve immediately.

Also known as Indonesian fried rice with “cow’s eyes,” this dish is Indonesia’s most beloved breakfast special, combining the ultimate in comfort food and healthy produce. The meal takes very little time to make, especially if you use day-old rice.

For those who, in the spirit of breakfast for dinner, prefer to make this dish in the evening and do not have leftover rice to work with, you may cool freshly cooked rice in a thin layer on a cookie sheet in the fridge. You should be able to use it after an hour or two. You’re basically looking for it to be dry to the touch. Moist rice will not fry up right – it will get mushy.

Sasha Martin is cooking one meal for every country in the world. Her picky husband and baby girl are along for the ride. Join the adventure for recipes, reviews and more at www.globaltableadventure.com.

Eat Indonesia

Due to its size (more than 700,000 square miles spread over 6,000 populated islands) and history as an international trade hub, Indonesian cuisine is especially diverse. However, a few dishes, including nasi goreng, are ubiquitous and have spread throughout the world.

Satay: Skewers of grilled meats served in spicey sauces. Dozens of different satays are found throughout Indonesia.

Gado gado: a hearty salad made from a variety of cooked and raw vegetables, including cabbage, cucumber and lettuces, fried tofu, boiled potatoes and boiled eggs served with a sweet and spicy peanut sauce.

Rendang: A dish of beef slow cooked in coconut milk and a mix of spices.

Sambal: A common condiment made from various hot peppers ground with spices and other indredients. There are many varieties found throughout Indonesia.

Get Lucky

By

Brian Schwartz

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August 23, 2011

In 1997, a young graduate of America’s finest cooking school served the sort of complex, carefully plated dishes you’d expect in a cutting edge restaurant in New York at a small restaurant located at 51st and Harvard. Tulsa’s top chefs and devoted foodies traveled for miles to sample Matt Kelley’s braised lamb shank and the Asian Style Pork Chop. But there were far too few top chefs and gourmets in those bygone Tulsa days, and Grille 51 closed within a year.

It’s a different city now. Cruise down Cherry Street at noon on any Sunday, past so many fine restaurants you’ll soon lose count, and stop at Lucky’s. From the hostess’ podium you glimpse sleek yet casual gray-walled decor, ornamented with vintage Mexican film posters and other arcana. You won’t get much farther without a wait. Crowds come from all over to try the famous chicken-fried steak served in sumptuous sage gravy. Even in a city devoted to chicken-fried steaks, this one stands out. Amanda Hesser, that prolific New York Times food reporter, was so taken with it that she featured it in her blog. Kelley finally has the recognition he deserves.

“Cooking is fun!” he says, recalling his years in Napa Valley just after culinary school when he worked with legendary chef and restaurateur Cindy Pawlcyn. At the Culinary Institute of America, aging instructors had taught him classic French recipes. But at Cindy’s restaurant, farmers carrying fresh vegetables would bang on the back door. The menu was built upon fresh, local ingredients. And so it is at Lucky’s. Carrots and corn fresh from Bixby, beef raised in Oklahoma, even the pecan wood burned in the grill is local.

Matt and his wife Brooke – “She’s my partner in life and also my partner in the kitchen,” says Kelley – have designed the menu to showcase the things they love best. At lunch, there’s something for everybody, with many dishes, such as the fish tacos, showing the Southwest influences Kelley adores. At dinner, you’ll find sophisticated culinary triumphs such as Trimbach Riesling Chicken, where the fruity, floral bouquet of the wine – with a hint of lemongrass thrown in – contrasts with the earthy taste of enoki mushrooms and the rich, heady flavor of meat and stock. Sea bass is paired with a classic French bechamel.

And the highlight of Grille 51, the Asian Style Pork Chop, is still on the menu.

“My friends won’t let me take it off,” says Kelley.

There’s also an impressive wine list, and even if you’re a teetotaler, the pithy yet evocative descriptions of each vintage are worth a gander. It focuses on small, family-owned California vineyards whose vintners share a love and passion for excellence – exactly the qualities most in evidence when you visit Lucky’s.

www.luckysrestauranttulsa.com

Old School Soul

By

Meika Yates Hines

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August 23, 2011

A lot of bands nowadays prefer not to be pigeonholed into any one kind of musical genre, and as a result, new flavors of music are coming to life where genre lines are being blurred.

Branjae and the Allstars are no exception. Blending gospel, R&B, hard rock and reggae, the Tulsa group has created a unique sound of their own, but with a classy twist – they successfully maintain R&B’s original old-school glamour and soul at their core.

“There’s a lot going on with music these days – in the ‘60s you could turn on the radio and tell what kind of music you were listening to. If it was rhythm and blues, there was no doubt about it,” says singer, songwriter and music arranger, Branjae Jackson.

“R&B used to be written out of soul, with that old Motown sound. Now, like rock and country music, it’s slowly integrating more into pop music, but there are still so many people who adore the original rhythm and blues sound that I just don’t hear being made anymore.”

"Branjae, it’s almost like you’re preaching sometimes."

Drawing inspiration from stage legends such as Michael Jackson, Diana Ross and Tina Turner, Branjae and the Allstars have a broad entertainment appeal on many levels, having gained notoriety with a following throughout the Midwest to the South and, more recently, the United Kingdom.

With gigs lined up and an upcoming album of original songs in the works, the group has been building momentum over the past several years and is reaping the benefits of their labor.

Their upcoming album is sure to showcase the band’s ability to mix country music’s knack for story telling, rock’s “pivotal climax” and R&B’s rich, soul-searching depth.

In addition to paralleling human nature’s most raw emotions, the group also channels from the introspective, relating real life pain and struggles that reach beyond heartache, encouraging people on individual levels to look within themselves and outside of their emotions.

“When we do our live shows, a lot of people say things like, ‘Branjae, it’s almost like you’re preaching sometimes.’ I’ll take that. There are moments when the energy is high and people are enjoying themselves and loving the music and I do try to tell them what the songs are about,” Jackson says.

“I like to talk about things people normally don’t talk about – the real-life things. What better platform to talk about them than to write and perform songs about them?”

Charming Cartagena

By

Michael W. Sasser

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August 23, 2011

From Romancing the Stone to the iconic, drug-laden “Smuggler’s Blues” episode of Miami Vice, Cartagena, Colombia’s edgier and downright dangerous-at-times nature has been widely celebrated. But it is perhaps as a setting for several Gabriel Garcia Marquez novels that the magical realism of the charming, historic waterfront city has been best fleshed out.

Officially, the U.S. State Department still warns citizens that Colombia can be perilous, particularly outside of tourist areas and in the countryside. Unofficially, though, tourism to the country from the U.S. and elsewhere has expanded exponentially in recent years with relatively few incidents.

Cartagena is a Caribbean beach resort on Colombia’s north coast and for centuries a trading and economic powerhouse. Several walls and fortresses in the city that stand to this day led to it being dubbed, “The Walled City.”

The sea is a prime attraction here for many visitors, and beautiful beaches, warm clear Caribbean water, fishing and countless watersports abound, as do eco-walks and tours.

Those who can tear themselves away from the natural splendor can explore the city’s rich history and architecture and capture the city’s essence on foot, strolling the old city (generally the most interesting area for visitors and within ancient walls), and enjoying public squares and cafes. Among the most popular sites is the Palace of the Inquisition, an historic park with a statue of Simon Bolivar, popular plaza and the nearby 16th century Cathedral of Cartagena. The Santo Domingo Church is home to the sculpture Mujer Reclinada (“Reclining Woman”), by the renowned Colombian artist Fernando Botero. Other architectural and social highlights include the Clock Tower, Castle of San Felipe de Barajas and the Plaza of Santa Teresa. History buffs can’t miss Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas, considered the strongest fortress ever constructed by the Spaniards in any of their colonies.

The fascinating Cartagena Gold Museum displays gold and pottery of the Sinu people who inhabited the region centuries ago. The worthy Museum of Modern Art is located in part of the 17th century former Royal Customs House.

Nightlife and dining in Cartagena abound, with some hot spots being the see-and-be-seen Café del Mar, clubby Mister Babilla and the extremely well regarded restaurant, La Vitriola. Still, many things change fast in Cartagena and new dining, nightlife and shopping sites can quickly spring to life – an accomplishment for a romantic city with such a colorful past.

Stay In Style

Accommodations range the spectrum in Cartagena, including many exquisite hotels.

Sofitel Santa Clara has a long history but really took off after conversion to a luxurious hotel featuring 162 rooms, 18 suites, a bar worth visiting even if you’re staying elsewhere and outstanding service. www.sofitel.com

Santa Teresa Cartagena, a Charleston hotel, pairs luxury with convenience. Located near many of Cartagena’s significant sites, the luxurious hotel integrates traditional elements of Cartagena with contemporary luxuries including a well-regarded spa, gym and fine concierge service in a stunning environment. www.hotelcharlestonsantateresa.com

Casa Pestagua Hotel Boutique Spa was originally a home to a powerful aristocrat and its colonial architecture bears witness to that today. Eleven exquisite rooms are accentuated with personalized service, beautiful pool, grounds and courtyard that all reflect historic charm. Spa services and modern amenities add to the experience. www.casapestagua.com

At a Glance

Cartagena sits on Colombia’s northern coast and is more aligned as part of the Caribbean than other Colombian cities.

Access: Rafael Nunez International Airport is easily accessible from most international airports with most flights connecting in-country through Bogota.

Population: Approx. 950,000

Climate: Tropical with frequent high humidity with rainy seasons typically in April – May and October – November.

Main Attractions: Beaches and watersports, historical sites and architecture driven by a long, storied past, a handful of well regarded museums.

Hot Picks

Eat: Opting for set menus for lunch or dinner can cost as little as $2-$3 and offers a chance to sample the many influences in Colombian cuisine.

Negotiate: Taxis are plentiful in Cartagena, but listed fares are more akin to minimums or suggestions. Always negotiate a price before getting into a Cartagena cab.

Explore: The truly adventurous and brave can explore the colorful and eclectic Mercado Bazurto, Cartagena’s labyrinthine central market to experience a day in the life of a local. It’s essential to take precautions because of the press of humanity carrying currency.

Visit Online

www.colombia.travel/en/

Taste Gallery September 2011

By

Staff

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August 23, 2011

Wine Notes

By

Staff

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August 22, 2011

When nothing but the taste of a crisp, chilled white wine will do, we often reach for Chardonnay. Or Pinot Grigio. Or, in a pinch, a Riesling. But what about Chablis? For years, this lesser known white wine has been an outcast, the butt of jokes, more recognizable as the namesake of a colorful character in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil than as a drinkable wine.

But perhaps the less-than-stellar reputation of Chablis in the U.S. comes not from the product, but rather from the lack of knowledge about the wine. Chablis is a wine made from chardonnay grapes that are grown in the northern region of France. The wine takes on different tones than chardonnay, however, because they are not traditionally aged in oak barrels, but rather in stainless steel vats. Chablis should taste clean and crisp – a bit more tart than Chardonnay – and it pairs particularly well with seafood, such as oysters, lobster and fish.

The recommendation: Steve Kennett of Old Village Wine & Spirits says the shop carries only one true Chablis, Domaine Savary, at $29 per bottle.

“French wines in general don’t sell much in Oklahoma,” Kennett says.

Ranch Acres Wine & Spirits offers a variety of Chablis, ranging in price from $20.99 to the $70 range.

Beat the Heat

By

Patrick Nelson

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August 22, 2011

Summer in Oklahoma can be described with one word: hot. Of course, there are many adjectives and phrases you can use to help modify and support it. A few that come to mind are “sweltering,” “awfully” and “Why exactly do I live here?”

Since Oklahoma is such a hot place, I’ve come up with a list of summertime activities to help beat the heat and get your mind off the temperature gauge.

Try noodling. Maybe this was a bad idea. I think I’d rather dive off the Catoosa bridge than stick my arm deep inside a murky hole on a riverbank in hopes that a mean giant catfish will bite it off.

Hook up the hose to an old Wham-O! Fun Fountain and try not to let the clown hat hit the ground. Remember this toy? It was a water fountain that looked like the head of circus clown. You’d connect your hose to the clown, put a silly cone-shaped hat on it and then turn on the faucet. When you did that, a 10-foot tall stream of water would shoot out from the top of the clown, and the hat would dance beautifully atop the stream like it was floating on air.

Yeah, I don’t remember that either. That’s because it never worked. The hat would only stay in the air for a few seconds before it fell and hit some neighbor kid on the head. After the neighbor kid ran off crying, you and your friends would then take turns jumping over a giant clown head that shoots out a stream of high pressure water. Nothing weird about that, right?

Go to Big Splash or White Water by yourself and try not to look too creepy. To make this one even more challenging, drive a white van with tinted windows and call yourself Mr. Charlie. Or maybe bring along the clown head fountain thing and ask for a water hose.

Serve as an indentured servant for someone at Grand Lake. I can’t afford a house at Grand Lake, so I thought about entering the community’s Indentured Servant Program. It’s pretty cool. You work as a maid or butler for some rich family on Monkey Island and after seven years, they give you a canoe…with a dock. The dock is totally worth it.

Listen to Sports Talk Radio. On the International List of Boring Things to Do, listening to Oklahoma sports talk radio in the summer ranks right between watching the old lady across the street check her mail and listening to audio cassettes of Charles Ely reciting slam poetry. There’s literally nothing going on sports-wise in Oklahoma during the summer, and the sports conversation is either about some University of Oklahoma practice report or how the Cardinals are going to choke away the National League Central.

So why would you do this during the summer doldrums? It will put you to sleep. And when it’s 105 degrees outside and kids are making western omelets on the sidewalk, that’s not a bad thing.

Find out how Patrick is faring in this heat wave at www.thelostogle.com

Top Judge

By

Jami Mattox

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August 18, 2011

Steven W. Taylor was appointed to the post of Chief Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court in 2004 by Gov. Brad Henry. In 2007, Oklahoma Magazine named Taylor one of “100 Who Shaped Us,” a list of Oklahomans who influenced the first 100 years of the state. In 2009, he was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame.

I never set out to become Chief Justice of the Supreme Court – that is not something you can plan for. After law school, I served four years active duty in the US Marine Corps. I was trained as an infantry platoon commander and later served as a prosecutor, defense counsel and then became a trial judge. That experience taught me that one day I wanted to serve on the Oklahoma bench. I came home to McAlester, practiced law, served as mayor, and in 1984, Gov. George Nigh appointed me to the District Court. I loved being a trial judge and wanted to do it the rest of my life. In 2004, the Supreme Court seat in my part of the state came open for the first time in more than 40 years. Gov. Brad Henry appointed me to the vacancy, and in 2010, I was elected Chief Justice.

I was the trial judge for the Oklahoma City bombing case against Terry Nichols for the state trial concerning the 160 civilians killed in the bombing. This was the largest first-degree murder case in the history of the United States. It focused the attention of the nation on the Oklahoma justice system, and I felt the huge responsibility of assuring a fair trial and a final verdict that would guarantee confidence in the Rule of Law and the fundamental fairness of our system of justice. That goal was accomplished.

The Supreme Court hears civil appeals and is the Constitutional head of the judicial branch of government and has supervisory control of all the state courts. We study every case that is sought to be heard by our Court and accept those that are first impression, major legal questions or involve Constitutional issues. We write opinions on every case we take after all nine Justices have fully reviewed every point of law and after the Justices have deliberated and discussed every opinion in our twice-a-week conferences. It is a very vigorous and detailed process, and I enjoy every minute of it. We have some very interesting debates among the Justices, and that assures the quality of our final work.

I have spent my entire professional life doing my small part to uphold the right to fair trial and equal justice in the courts of our state. That has been my mission for over 27 years as a judge and is my life’s work. And I enjoy that work more today than ever.

Fresh Music – August, 2011

By

Staff

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August 15, 2011

Various artists, Muppets: The Green Album – As if the Jason Segel-penned reboot of the Muppet movie franchise, set to hit theaters in November, wasn’t gaining enough buzz, Disney is releasing a set of classic Muppets tunes performed by contemporary artists. Andrew Bird takes on “Bein’ Green,” OK Go reinterprets “The Muppet Show Theme,” The Fray sings “Mahna Mahna,” and Weezer teams up with Paramore’s Hayley Williams on “The Rainbow Connection.”

Beirut, The Rip Tide – Zach Condon and his band have done what few would even contemplate: turn Balkan, Mexican and French folk music into an acclaimed pop sensation. For their third, full-length album, Beirut eschews an encompassing World music theme, though the hallmarks and instruments are still there, in favor of a decidedly mature pop feel and sound.

Lenny Kravitz, Black and White America – Kravitz has had a remarkable 20-plus year career, despite the fact that his blend of funk, psychedelic and classic rock often confounded music critics and executives. He’s said that his music reflects his background, having a black Christian mother and a white Jewish father, and a range of influences. His latest opus takes Kravitz to a deeply personal place. Musically, the album ranges from funk to pop to rock, but his lyrics explore race, diversity and unity in modern America.

Red Hot Chili Peppers, I’m With You – It’s hard to think about a band as popular as the Chili Peppers staging a “comeback.” However, after the (second) departure of guitarist John Frusciante, the band’s future was unclear, but the band’s remaining members were soon looking for the perfect replacement to allow them to continue in the Chili Peppers’ tradition. According to a recent interview with Rolling Stone, the new album, their 10th, does just that. But if it reminds you at all of The Rolling Stones, it’s no wonder. Frontman Anthony Kiedis told the magazine classic Stones’ albums such as Exile on Main Street and Tattoo You were huge influences.

Midwest Magneto

By

Lindsay Cuomo

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August 15, 2011

For Ada resident and inventor Jeff Baird, necessity gave birth to an electromagnetic generator that he says uses magnetic energy to create electricity without fossil fuels, wind or solar power.

Years ago, a self-induced financial hardship and an angry wife motivated him to find a solution to their power problems.

“When I started this project, I didn’t know much about electricity,” explains Baird. “My first few machines looked like Frankenstein. I have been electrocuted a few times and burned a lot of stuff up working on this.”

Baird’s machine has come a long way from the first model.

“The first generator would burn four 100-watt light bulbs, then recharge itself after 10 hours,” says Baird. “The next (version) would run for a few days. The current model will run continuously and support a steady 3,000 watts.”

The simplicity of the generator surprised Baird.

“We are using electromagnets to pull a piston plate moving a generator that stores the electricity,” explains Baird.

Because patents are still pending, Baird would not provide the specific details of the electrical workings of his machine.

However, Jason Brezinski, an electrical engineer with the Federal Aviation Administration, who has spent the past eight years working on and designing low voltage systems for the FAA’s mission critical facilities, explains how such a device could conceptually work. He likened the process to a rotary engine, except the generator uses magnets to produce force rather than internal combustion.

Baird does volunteer that he uses batteries to get the whole process started.

“The generator is only as good as your worst battery,” Baird says.

For Brezinski, this poses a problem.

“Batteries are the only cost-effective means of storing electricity we have, but they’re plagued by their own problems,” cautions Brezinski. “And they’re not particularly environmentally friendly.”

Upfront cost, size, weight, reliability and maintenance are all factors that might work against the prognosis for a device like Baird’s, Brezinski speculates.

“It probably would not be cost effective in the city except when the power goes out,” says Baird. “But in the country or rural worksites, it would offer a lot.”

Baird sees many uses for the electromagnetic generator.

“I am thinking large and small. I see people using it to run small appliances or as a portable electricity source,” he says.

The Chickasaw Tribal Utility Authority apparently recognizes the generator’s potential. CTUA and Baird entered into a business relationship in 2010 that gave CTUA first right of refusal for exclusive licensing.

“I am looking for the right people to take this further than I can,” explains Baird.

Baird has been inventing for more than 20 years, but he says many people thought him crazy for quitting a lucrative business to focus on his electromagnetic generator.
“I have always found a way to get my stuff done,” offers Baird. “But, I have a room reserved in the nut house, just in case.”

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