I may be slow, but I'll get there

In previous posts I promised to add some pictures, and I have finally gotten around to just that. I've almost finished the bike repair stand, and if you go down to the original article you will find links to a couple of pictures. Also the beans and greens article has a finished product picture.

Lateley I've been inspired to try some recipes with beer. So I've been thinking about beer and garlic marinated shrimp cooked on grill or under the broiler, perahaps served on pasta or rice. Anyway lots of "cooking with beer" ideas have been evolving.

From the archives

No high tech carbon fiber or titanium here. Just a lot of hard work and helments made of leather, bikes and parts all from Italy and having the time of my life.

Caption Contest

I just happened to see this arrangement in the kitchen, and thought someone smarter than I would have a witty caption.

Bike Repair Stand

Those who know me will say I am a tinkerer. Not many things make it out of the Laboratory (read basement or kitchen counter) to the real world though. But thats not the point, making stuff is a lot like making sand castles, the process of making thing is the source of enjoyment, not so much the finished product. This is going to be one of the many things that will turn out to be a productive member of the inanimate world in which I live.
I was fortunate enough to visit the Tour De Georgia in 2004 and had the opportunity to watch all the pro cycling teams clean and tune up the bikes the day before the race. I was particularly impressed how they cleaned the bikes. Basically they put them up on a stand and washed the heck out of them with a hose and big brushes. Followed by a good cleaning of the chain and cassettes. Each team had a slightly different procedure but generally they all did it fairly fast and there was a lot of scrubbing. What fascinated me most was the type of bike stand they ALL used. Not your normal pinch the down tube or seat post kind, but rather ... well here is a picture, and you will get the idea. I see Park tool sells something similar. Anyway I liked the simplicity of the idea, and thought I could make my own. I'm working on it now and its built out of 3/4" copper tubing and some spare (read visit to the dump) parts. It will be less then $10 when I am done, but do what I need it to do.

I'm at a prototype stage, and here is one picture of the general idea, and here is closeup of the front quick release mechanism. I don't have something structural to hold it but I'm thinking about a cement pad, hey thats cheap. I will probably just keep it outside anyway 'cause thats where I wash my bike, but I'll have to have something for inside this winter when working on my bike. I'll keep updates posted. Right now I would give the project a C+. Eat was easy and cheap, but a bit awkward to put the bike on.

I need a better idea to "cup" the bottom bracket. Right now the apex of the bottom bracket rests on duct tape padding around the tube. It works, but I need something a bit more sophisticated. I'm also thinking about a few hooks to hold my tools while working.

Apple Chutney Chicken Salad

Here is a great recipe that oddly enough is a healthy alternative to the normally fat laden chicken salad. I had something like this at a little restaurant called Sip Sips on the small Island of Eleuthera some years ago. This makes a lot of chutney, more than you will need for a chicken salad sandwich, but keep in an airtight jar in the fridge and it makes a nice topping for any meat.

Saute
1 Medium Yellow Onion -- diced
1 Whole Red Bell Pepper -- diced


In
2 Tbl Olive oil

until onion is clear. To this add

6 Tart apples -- diced ( a few pears may be substituted)
1 Cup Golden Raisins -- soaked in warm water to plump
1/4 Cup Ginger Root -- julienned

Cook on low until apples become soft (20 minutes or so)

To this add all the following
1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest
1 Tablespoon Orange Zest
1 Tablespoon Lime Zest
1/2 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
3/4 Teaspoon Turmeric
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Coriander
1/2 Teaspoon Cumin
1 Tablespoon Curry Powder

Cook on low until it becomes a bit dry and well looks like store bought chutney, about 30 minutes.

Add
1 Cup cooked chicken diced
to about 1/2 cup of the chutney. More or less to suit your taste.

Paradise Revisited

Ok I am seduced by the islands. One last reference to why. Here is a link to a short low res video looking outside our condo at sunset. If you have Windows Media Player installed you should just be able to click here.

Mahalo

Iced Frappuccino

Here is an easy Foundation recipe, guaranteed to save you money.
4 Tbl Hammer Gel Espresso Flavor
20 oz Water

Squirt Hammer Gel into water bottle. Top off with water and shake. Put in water bottle cage and ride for 30 minutes in 19 degree temperatures. For those who like a smaller granules of ice, then chose roads with Pave' or lots of bumps. Enjoy!

Book Review: The Perfect Mile

A first for Island Blog, Book Reviews! I'm not a voracious reader, and my reading tends to be eclectic, more non fiction than anything. This book will be well received by any endurance athlete. Oh so much has changed in 50 years with respect to how athletes train and compete, but the inner desire has gone through little evolution in the last half century. I picked it up at my local library, you should check yours before ordering. I highly recommend it, but will let all those professional reviewers at amazon describe it to you.

Foundation South of the Border Beans & Greens

The inspiration for this recipe comes from a marathon running friend who brings it in everyday for work. The main event in this dish is the chipotle peppers. Chipotle peppers are smoked Jalepenos and whats usually available in the stores are the ones in Adobo Sauce. I can eat this everyday for lunch, so I make a weeks batch at a time and put it in individual containers, one for each day.

I've added greens to the original dish. Being from the South I am big fan of collard greens, and you can find them in the super market. If not available then you may substitute with any greens you like, But collard greens have a lot of antioxidants.

1 onion diced

1 red bell pepper diced

2 tbl vegetable oil.

3 cans (15 oz each) of beans/peas drained (black, black eyes, pigeon, kidney...)

1 can 28 oz whole tomatoes choped

1 bunch greens washed and chopped (collards, kale, turnip...)

Water or Broth

Chipotle peppers in Adobo Sauce, (1 for medium, 2 for hot, 3 for really hot)

Saute onions and red peppers in oil until onions begin to brown. Add Chipoltle peppers about 1/2 through the saute. Once onions and peppers are cooked, add in remaining ingrediants. You may need to add a cup of water or broth to smother the greens. Cook on low for about 30-45 minutes.

Here is a picture of the finished dish. It takes better than it looks.

Presentation is Everything

While dining at the a Kobe Steak house in Maui, I was introduced to a particular food presentation that I would share with all of my readers...both of you pay close attention.
The chef peeled a large sweet onion, and cut a rather thick slice from the middle section. The concentric rings were probably 1/2 in size. He then delicately separated the rings and then placed them on top of one another (but inverting them so the stack). The resulting structure looked like a volcano. He then poured brandy in the whole and ignited the fuel. The result was a jet plume coming out of the top of the onions. By the time the flame was out, the onions were carmalized on the inside. Pretty Cool. Now that I look for info on the web, well I guess I am behind the times. There were several references to Onion Volcano, here is one picture.

Cycling in paradise

There is not much difference between cycling in Maui vs. Rochester in December. If you believe that please take three steps forward in the Gullible line, and lose your turn in the Reality line.

Mid 80s, little rain, lots of cyclist and postcard venues provide enough incentive to get out every day. I like hills and there is everything from 3 minute climbs to 3 hour suffer-fests. I declined to go up Mt Haleakala this year, mainly because its a 5 hour out and back proposition, and you feel wasted the next day, or at least I do. I did manage to do a 30 minute climb up Iao. The Iao Valley is the northern mountain of the island, shadowed by the more impressive monster to the south.

Being a creature of habit I found myself content to do a 3 minute climb several times in a low gear, an attempt to build more leg strength. The heart rate is not supposed to get up there when the cadence is low, but I think my heart starts to feel sympathy for my legs and it starts pumping faster as well. I found this more enjoyable than leg presses and somehow I think that it simulates the cycling motion more than weights do, why? because it is cycling. Further proof is the following. After a hard ride I find it difficult to climb steps, and oddly enough after the sitting hill climbs, well I had a hard time climbing the steps back to the condo, QED. Each day I warmed up by doing a 40 minute out and back run along the villas in Wailea. I only wish I had taken a picture of my turn around point which is basically the end of the road, but at that point you are surrounded by lava fields.

The roads are for the most part bicycle compatible, meaning they either are lightly traveled or have a significant well marked bike lane. Not much debris either, but I did manage to flat twice. I seem to have a significant problem in that department. There is a great bike shop called South Maui Bicycles that serves the local racers and enthusiast. A tube is $5.00, I didn't look at the bikes but there seem to be several top end ones displayed. I guess mountain biking is big in Maui as well.

Oddly enough I didn't ride any harder or longer than I would have had I been home. The only real advantage is that it doesn't take much to get dressed and go out for a spin.

For those looking for more recipes I am working on a low fat, high protein shrimp cake and writing up an old standby Apple Chutney Chicken Salad.