vrijdag 30 april 2010

Bitter melon…

For my birthday few years ago, I have got a nice Thai cook book. I am using it from time to time if want to try something new. Last time I have made a bitter melon omelet . Nice surprise. The fruit looks like a thick cucumber is rich in calcium, iron, carotene, vitamin C and B. The recipe is quite simple.
175g bitter melon, 4 eggs, soya sauce, sunflower oil, salt, white pepper, garlic, rice or bread.
Wash the bitter melon, cut in half and take out the seeds (white inside with the seeds actually). You can use only the hard, green side, cut in to pieces app. 2 cm and put it in to the bowl add the salt and mix. Let it for 30 min. The salt will take the bitterness out from the fruit. Mix the eggs with soya souse to get the mix with a bit of foam. Put the oil in to the pan, add garlic, bitter melon and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the prepared eggs and cook for 1-2 minutes till the omelet will be light brown.
In the meantime prepare the rice or bread.
When ready, put the omelet on the rice or bread, add a bit of white pepper and sweet chili sauce.

vrijdag 9 april 2010

Book from Dublin…

Few years ago I went to visit my friends in Dublin. Together with A. of course. We had a very good time despite the rain and the buses you have to wait for ages. We visited not only the pubs but also some historical monuments, prison, churches and … the shops. There, in one of the bookshops, I bought a book “The Pompeii Syndrome” written by Irish writer David Rice. Since I always buy more books I can ever read, I came across this book in my bookshelf two weeks ago and I have finished yesterday.

Well it is quite frightening story. I think it would have a more impact if I would read it back when I bought it, when the impact of 9/11 in 2001, London bombing in 2005 and the whole terrorism situation was more “fresh” than it is right now. However, despite the time, the story in the book makes you wonder “Would it be ever possible” . I don’t know but when I read page after page and came across the examples in the book, I thought it is quite realistic even though it is fiction. We are not aware what kind of power some people have and what they are able to do. Actually, we think we know but still for most of us some behaviors and some beliefs are “not real” , are simply unthinkable.

That’s exactly what the Pompeii syndrome is, a situation that people do not want to think about even when a lot of facts, information, predictions, signs point that something will or can happen. People still assume “It could never happen to us!” like in Pompeii, when the people ignored the erupting volcano which eventually buried the whole city under the 20 m of ash and pumice. People knew that it may happen but could not believe that it will … same in the book … but what if… read for yourself.