Humor raj

Humor

Thai Chicken Wing Challenge

I’ve been enamored with chicken wings since a very young age. I blame my mother. She had a way with chicken wings that could sway even the most devout raw vegan – her cooking is magic.

Later, as I developed into an adult, I encountered cheap chicken wing nights throughout the Calgary night scene. 5¢, 10¢ and sometimes the supremely overpriced 25¢ wings.

I became an aficionado – winglets, drumettes, suicide wings, Buffalo wings, Durkee’s (now Frank’s) hot sauce, salt and pepper, breaded, naked, Thai and more. For me, the spicier, the better.

Then one day, I met my match. On a field trip to Blaine, Washington, I convinced my friend, Ray, to indulge with me in the ‘Stupid Challenge’ at a place called the Hot Spot.

100km from home, challenged to eat three measly chicken wings amped up on hot sauce rated at 10,000,000 Scoville units? Sure. Sounds like an intelligent decision.
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aside 19 Nov

Oishi!

The Yakuza gang, Samurai gang and the “Ano-ne” gang are faced off in the auction of the century. Swords are sharpened, bombs are ticking and missiles are locked.

Who will be the victor? Who will take home the coveted Onori seaweed snacks?

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(BTW – a good synopsis of the commercial is available HERE on Bulsuk’s blog…)

… and this is precisely why I think Oishi Group in Thailand rocks. When I first used to frequent Oishi Group restaurants, I thought the company was run by an insane Japanese expat with either shady underworld connections (Yakuza) or at least an irreverence not really accepted in the day-to-day business culture of Japan.

I’ve never seen a Kaiten-style Shabu Shabu, or a Yakiniku buffet in Japan, but they’ve done it all and pushed a number of boundaries when it comes to Japanese fare or flare — the above commercial is just an example, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
(… more after the jump,)
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aside 25 Jun

OMG?! You had to lie to become my facebook friend? #FAIL

I don’t think I need to remind people that what you say online will potentially stick with you forever, but it’s enjoyable to make fun of the occasional person who fails to remember this caveat.

If you can’t stand behind what you’ve been recorded as saying, chances are, you’ll be called on it. Call this one my submission for the Online Darwin Awards…

Background: I have a fairly strict facebook friends policy – if I don’t know you or I haven’t met you at least once, I’m not going to accept your friend request. I’m online mostly to learn, communicate, and share stories / information with like minded people, not to amass a list of people that I can shamelessly market to. (enter the promoter-douchebag type)…

It was in May that my assistant announced to me one of the friend requests I recently received was from a Robbie Fullhouse who said he knew me from attending events put on by Full House Entertainment.

Quite likely, I mused, and asked my assistant to accept his request only after ensuring that he was aware of my preference for NOT receiving event invitations…

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aside 24 Nov

Lesley Stowe’s Newest Flavour of Raincoast Crisps

According to the latest press on the newest flavour of Raincoast Crisps, the ‘cinnamon raisin crackers’ pair a hint of cinamon with sweet golden raisins and go well aged cheddar, manchego or asiago cheese.

So we took that, tossed it out the window and tried our own nutty* concoctions: buckwheat honey, rhubarb & vanilla artisianal preserve and a gourmet mustard.

How did they rate?

Round 1 – Buckwheat Honey – slightly bitter, this monofloral honey is more effective than over-the-counter cough syrup at treating childhood cough.

Result? Well, I don’t have that cough anymore. Crackers took well to the honey, I’d say about a 5 out of 10 on the Raj scale of yumminess.

Round 2 – Rhubarb and Vanilla Artisianal Spread – one of my friends has a theory that the addition of Vanilla to anything makes it better. He cites Vanilla Coke as one of the examples of this triumph. Considering the raging market success that Vanilla Coke has had on the market, maybe he’s talking about a different coke… the South American variety, perhaps? Either way, I ain’t buying it.

Result? Not bad at all. The Artisianal Spread is actually part of Vista d’Oro’s Spring Line. So we’re mixing a fall flavour from Lesley Stowe with a spring flavour from Vista d’Oro and whaddya get? Pure summer! 7 outta 10 on my made up scale of culinary greatness aka the Raj scale of yumminess.

Round 3 – Extra Hot Gourmet Mustard – there ain’t nothing like gourmet mustard. When one old boy points at another old boy and says “he’s got the mustard,” usually giving a slight nod of approval, it isn’t something to be taken lightly. SO here we have it, now Lesley Stowe, or rather, Lesley Stowe’s cracker has the mustard.

Result? POW! I nearly burnt my freaking face off with that extra hot mustard. Note to self, use less! I think I need some sparkling spring water… or buckwheat honey… hhhhoott. I can’t say this one even makes my scale – the mustard totally overtook the cracker and then burnt a hole in my desk and the floor below it, so we put that in the unrated category and then called the local hazmat team at the fire department.

I spose the sane should stick to aged cheddar, manchego cheese or asiago cheese. Lesley Stowe’s Cinnamon Raisin Crisps – now available in stores but beware!, highly addictive.

Find out more on her website, HERE.

* no nuts were harmed nor were any used in the creation of this blog post (yet)

For background on the delicious little crisps, keep reading, after the jump.
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aside 7 Nov

Bacon Quest – Episode 5 – Drink your Bacon

Wow! That week went so fast that I forgot to post up the latest Bacon Quest episode! What’s that, you ask? Well, it’s the search for Vancouver’s undiscovered bacon! You can download the published version (that appeared in 24hrs) in PDF format HERE (or grab the full newspaper HERE,) or just keep reading (the unrated version) below.

Bacon Quest – the search for Vancouver’s undiscovered bacon.

Episode 5 – Drink your Bacon

The thought of drinking one’s meal is a foreign concept – I remember years ago when then Captain of the Canucks, Messier, anted up to the table at the Ken Bogas’ Yaletown hotspot Mangiamo (now Goldfish), jug of green liquid in hand, singing the praises of such a beverage.

I thought he was nuts.

In hindsight, regular consumption of this green beverage is probably the reason why Bogas, the Alpha-male I once looked up to, is sporting a new set of tits and goes by the name of ‘kaitlyn.’

Back to Messier, what type of crazy person drinks a jug of green stuff and calls it their breakfast?

Isn’t the consumption of food more than just the process of mastication?

It’s about sitting down at a table and sharing , isn’t it? Sharing with friends, family, felines and even foes.

Well, a couple of days ago, the talented mixologist and self proclaimed bacon aficionado David Wolowidnyk from West restaurant demonstrated to me that breakfast could be both sipped and shared.

Upon hearing of his bacon-infused bourbon creations, I immediately challenged him to change my mindset, and in response what he created was the ‘All-day Breakfast;’ a bacon and egg flip comprised of Bulleit Bourbon infused with bacon, a whole egg, Cointreau, Angostura Orange bitters, orange juice and garnished with spiced-pear jelly on toast.

Everyone at the bar got a sip that day and we agreed, bacon, eggs, toast, OJ and bourbon is a great start to anyone’s day.

—

Raj Taneja is part technologist, part entrepreneur, part social media thought leader and part foodie. He runs urbanmixer.com, publishes a miscellany of his musings at raj.jp.

aside 10 May

The Raj Ribeye hits Capones in Yaletown

After years of research, a steak that I can call my own is finally a reality. It’s no secret that I photograph my steak and describe the sights, the sounds, the smells and the subsequent mastication in a manner that would make the editor of Penthouse Letters blush. In the past, I’ve embarked on various journeys, enjoying a threesome (two 16oz steaks and I) at Italian Kitchen (see ‘Steak vs. Steak‘), moderating the ‘WE Love STEAK‘ flickr group for the voyeuristic folks out there, and even proclaiming Shore Club and Pinkys Steakhouse as having the the best ribeyes I’ve ever set my eyes on in Vancouver.

Recently, I met with the new owners of Capones in Yaletown – Rick Momsen the experienced restaurateur who most recently departed from Flite and Jeff Wiegel who I’ve known for some time and have shared many a steak with. Both expressed interest in expanding their menu and wanted to do ‘ole daddy Raj proud by naming a steak after me – after all, who knows steak better? So given their interest, I treated them to my very fave in the city and said, “match this, if you dare…”

… and they really delivered. For the main event, I brought along two accomplices, Mr. Z and Mr. M, who both previously expressed to me, a deep, dark desire to sample in earthly, exotic delights.

Well, then let them indulge their pleasure and their own standard of values let them make love and drink; let them pass their old age as they have spent their youth, in banquets, in a state of unconditional surrender to their bellies and the most unseemly part of their bodies… – Sallust – The Jugurthine War

What was delivered was astonishing – a petite 20oz ribeye with a beautiful complexion, cooked medium rare, moist and pink through and through, and garnished with garlic, rosemary and lots of love. What happened after laying eyes on such a beautiful steak is a bit of a mystery – perhaps we’ll never tell, but safe to say, the three of us left the room without saying a single word but nonetheless, very satisfied.

Capones in Yaletown
1141 Hamilton Street (MAP)
Vancouver, BC V6B 5P6

TEL: 604-684-7900

WEB: www.caponesrestaurant.net

HOURS: Brunch: 10:00m – 3:00pm – Saturdays & Sundays, Dinner: 5:00pm – late – Monday – Sunday

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On the note of good steak talk, check out Kate Zimmerman’s ‘The Old Man and the Beef,’ HERE.

aside 1 Apr

Twitter Inspires K’NAAN Song

This could be an April Fools joke.. but on the other hand, it could be a successful campaign. I’ve been on Twitter for some time and have seen the emergence of hashtags (or inserting the hash (#) in front of a subject keyword) as a powerful way to find stuff on a specific topic.

Now, K’NAAN has taken the idea of the hashtag to a whole new level with the idea of his new song (as publicised by the lovely Emmylou Benson at Universal Music):

K’NAAN TO RELEASE ‘TWITTER SINGLE’

ASSEMBLED FROM FANS’ TWEETS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(TORONTO, April 1, 2009) – Somali-Canadian musical trailblazer K’NAAN is about to collaborate with his fans in an unprecedented way –assembling a new version of his song “People Like Me” from their tweets on Twitter. On April 1, K’NAAN will invite his Twitter followers to download the special instrumental version of the song, created specially for this promotion, and submit their own lyrics for the story via his Twitter. All fan tweets tagged with #knaansong will be considered for inclusion in the final song. Deadline for submissions is May 1. Following that, K’NAAN will assemble the best tweets and record the results. The final track will be made available to fans via free download on K’NAAN’s Twitter page at http://twitter.com/thedustyfoot and his official site at http://knaanmusic.com. This will mark the first time Twitter will be officially used for the creation of a song.

K’NAAN’s latest album, Troubadour, was released on Feb 24 and debuted at #1 and #3 on the digital album charts in Canada and the United States, respectively: sure evidence of the electronically-oriented nature of many of his fans. This Twitter song collaboration is a logical extension of the new relationships being forged by artists and their audiences in an increasingly interconnected world.

More information can be found at http://www.amoctone.com/knaan/plmtweet/

knaanmusic.com
myspace.com/knaanmusic
getmusic.ca

For those not familiar with hashtags, Sudha Krishna recently pushed out some details via Twitter, HERE. You can read the Ultimate Guide to Twitter Hashtags, HERE.

aside 10 Feb

Umbster – the coolest Umbrella ever!

It’s been a while since I’ve had a decent umbrella. For those long time readers, you’ll recall that I have a track record of treating umbrellae poorly. After trashing my last LV Monogram umbrella, I took it back to the LV store for repairs and they insisted I present a receipt in order for them to look at it.

Now, in fairness to the folks at the Louis Vuitton store in Vancouver, I don’t think the issue was whether the umbrella was authentic or not – just that they wanted to be sure the umbrella was purchased at their store. At $500 a pop, and considering this treatment, the immediate thought that comes to mind is that Louis Vuitton (owned by LVMH) is the K-Mart of the new Millennium – and I ain’t having it, no blue light specials for me.

Rather than go through the Spanish inquisition, I wrote LV off, walked accross the street and dropped a nickel on a Hermes brolly. Only hours later, I was convinced by a tactical genius (bedmate) that the umbrella was too feminine for me. So I gave it up (to her) and never spoke of the matter (until now.)

A few months back, I came accross Sruli Recht‘s creation, the Umbster, on the Coolbuzz site (HERE) – I was immediately taken by its aesthetic. The design of a brass knuckle, integrated into the handle? Geez – all they’re missing is a built in sword – then it would be the ultimate protective implement.

Would you rather be wet or cold (as in dead)? The Umbuster is one tough umbrella that wants to make sure that you are safe from not only rain but a host of other difficulties that await you on the mean streets. The handle of this concept umbrella is designed as a brass knuckle. It is so formidable a weapon that the Victorian Police has classified it as a Class 5 weapon, requiring a license for possession. Also the knuckle design makes it kinda easier to grip the umbrella. So if you are going on a dirty errand on a wet and windy night, Umbuster is one companion that you’d surely want by your side.

An excerpt from the product description does as much justice to the product as holding it in my hands.

Each handle is individually CNC cut in a 5 hour process by the enduring Mr Liu.
The umbrella itself is provided by the good Guy de Jean of France.
And finally packaged in the boxes designed with the good Snorri Már Snorrason here in Reykjavik Proper.

I wonder, was Mr. Recht a Mr. ‘Q’ in a previous life? It strikes me that supplying the likes of Mr. Bond would be right up his alley, but I digress. The acquisition was a no brainer. Another nickel later (about 250 Euros), and a couple weeks later, I have my Umbster, and I’m one happy camper.

Thank you, Mr. Recht!

aside 15 Oct

Copyrighted Content Identified in one of your YouTube videos

The CBC is on to me! They’ve identified my ‘Fuddle Duddle’ video as copyrighted content.

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So far, the video has reached over 20,000 views and almost 100 comments. People in this country seem to have a certain sense of nostalgia – especially when it comes to Trudeau. In this instance, the fine folks at CBC have been kind. Read more about the notice they sent, via YouTube, after the jump.
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aside 9 Jun

Peter Dragon is my hero

In 1999 – 2000, Jay Mohr played the role of Peter Dragon in Action!, a TV series that hit the FOX and then FX.

In Hollywood you’re only as good as your last flick, and Dragonfire Films exec Peter Dragon has hit bottom with his $150 million bomb “Slow Torture.” His only hope to get back to the way things were is the shoot-’em-up film “Beverly Hills Gun Club,” and the only person that will help him is ex-child star turned hooker Wendy Ward – written by Jeff Cross.

Here’s a clip of Peter Dragon letting the employee of the month know that he’s the employee of the century. The delivery is fantastic.

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The show was canceled after the first season – they didn’t get their budget from HBO, probably because the genre of dialog (witty) and the subject matter was still too highbrow for mass consumption (the American TV viewer). Check out more clips from the show after the jump.
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Humor

Thai Chicken Wing Challenge

Oishi!

OMG?! You had to lie to become my facebook friend? #FAIL

Lesley Stowe’s Newest Flavour of Raincoast Crisps

Bacon Quest – Episode 5 – Drink your Bacon

The Raj Ribeye hits Capones in Yaletown

Twitter Inspires K’NAAN Song

Umbster – the coolest Umbrella ever!

Copyrighted Content Identified in one of your YouTube videos

Peter Dragon is my hero

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