mmm-yoso – Page 327

Istanbul: The Spice Market and Pastirma

May 30, 2011 mmm-yoso Istanbul, Travel, Turkey, Turkish Food

Following our lunch in the Fish Market we walked back across the Galata Bridge. One can easily spot the (Egyptian) Spice Bazaar as you cross the street from the bridge.

Originally built in the 1660's as part of Yeni Mosque, it is commonly called the Egyptian Bazaar because during the Ottoman era, the bazaar, which support the Mosque next to it, sold many items from Egypt.

It was pretty funny, we entered the market via one of the side streets drawn in by the lack of a huge crowd……

And the enticing food stalls…….

You know I just can't resist a market……

You learn so much about the what folks eat…. and in turn the culture…..

At first I thought these were pigs feet….. but really had my doubts since Turkey is overwhelming Muslim. Turns out these were Mutton Feet.

Suddenly, about fifty feet into the market, we were caught in a crush of people……which was pretty much how it was for the rest of the time we spent in the market.

Besides the thousand or so Lokum (Turkish Delight), dried fruit, nut, and Spice (Turkish Viagra anyone? Scary thing is, it looks like candy!) stands, are other stands selling everything from kitchen wares to hardware, which was great for us since I had a voltage converter, but found that all the outlets were recessed! Lucky, one of the handy dandy stands sold an adapter…. best 3 TRY ($1.75 or so) I spent!

In need of a break, I stopped when I saw this:

I asked the very friendly (like everyone else, it seems) gentleman behind the counter if this was "pastirma" and was told "yes, yes…. you want?"

Which gave the Missus time to check out the wonderful collection of mezes……

Which led the Missus to get a sampling of meze…. Her favorite was this:

I'm not quite sure what this was, as I believe Koruk Eksisi is what they call grape vinegar…….

Still it was delicious. This shop had a dining area on the second (where there was a hot food – steam table operation) and third floors. Which is where we settled in and had our second "lunch" of the day.

The Missus just had a small variety of meze…..

I had a Pastirma sandwich. Pastirma is a cured, air dried beef. I read that Turkish Horsemen used to place slabs of spice cured meat in the sides of their saddles. The process of pressing the meat by their legs would enhance the curing process…. creating Pastirma… literally "pressed meat". If the name sounds familiar; I've read from more then one source (including an article in Savuer) that this is the origin of Pastrami.

The meat itself is highly spiced, and quite strong in flavor. It stood up well to the aged goat cheese. The flavor came through real well. It was too strong for the Missus but I enjoyed it. The tomato added a nice acid touch, which cut through the spices.

I'd later find out that this place is a well known shop called Namli…. in fact, it's right there in the Lonely Planet guide to Turkey. In fact, we'd come to find that LP's guide to Turkey would turn out to be pretty good compared to other LP guides.

After eating we headed into the Spice Bazaar proper, and made our way through the crowds….

And piles of spices and tea……

Back out into the shadows of Yemi Camii……

Where boxes of tulips were set out bringing color to the crowd.

More on Yemi Camii later on, we were tired, and the walk back to our hotel in Sulthanamet put us in dire need of a nap!

Istanbul: The Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, and a Fish called Hamsi

May 25, 2011 mmm-yoso Istanbul, Seafood, Travel, Turkey

As happens with all our trips we awoke early in the morning, this time to the 5 am call to prayer. We got up, and headed out for an early morning walk. In contrast to the hustle and bustle of the previous day; Divan Yolu Caddesi, the main street passing through this part of Istanbul was empty. There was a bit of a chill in the air, but nothing beats walking around at this time of the morning…. especially since the Missus was drawn to the Blue Mosque.

During this time of the morning the courtyard of the Blue Mosque is empty; in direct contrast to later visits when we entered the Mosque. On this morning we just walked the courtyard…..

A view of Hagia Sofia from the gates of the Blue Mosque……

Nobody around but the two of us…. and the local dogs, who were very well behaved….

This one took a liking to the Missus and followed Her everywhere.

He even managed to sneak into a couple of photos! Here he is wondering why the Missus is smiling at nothing…..

After walking around for a bit we headed back to our hotel, I showered, and we headed downstairs via the tiny lift for breakfast. The typical Turkish breakfast is jam, honey, cheese, tomatoes, olives, cucumbers, some kind of meat, yogurt, juice, and some Turkish tea…..

And bread….. lots of bread, sometimes several varieties of bread; often including the standard "simit", sesame bread. They don't fool around….. we often got what amounted to almost a whole loaf! Eggs are always offered, but come on; after eating six slices of bread…. there ain't much room left!

Compared to what we had later on in the trip; this was mostly packaged stuff….. but it sure filled me up. Later on, the Missus would often whisper to me, "just because they give you twenty slices of bread doesn't mean you have to eat it!"

Then it was off to Topkapi Palace, one of the must see places in Istanbul.

Constructed by Mehmet the Conquerer who conquered Constantinople after a 57 day siege in 1453, the palace was home to a Ottoman Sultans for almost 400 years.

The complex is designed around four courtyards, and of course there is much to see……

Not the least of which are the views of the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus……

Here's the Asian side of Istanbul, right across the Bosphorus.

Of all the rooms, structures, and displays at Topkapi Palace; there were two that really caught our interest. Unfortunately, both rooms, the Treasury, and the Sacred Trusts don't allow photos. In the Treasury you'll find the Sword of Suleyman, and the even more impressive Topkapi Dagger with the three gigantic emeralds in its hilt. There's even a watch set into it! Even more interesting for us was the Room of the Sacred Relics, which include the Holy Mantle of Prophet Muhammad, along with several other holy relics. There is also the Sword of David, the Staff of Moses, and the Skull of John the Baptist. It is said that when Sultan Selim I conquered the Middle East and North Africa he started bringing the relics back to the city.

One of the areas where you can take photos is within the fourth courtyard which features some beautiful tile panels…..

The wonderful tiles decorate the exterior of the circumcision room…….

The chamber is also beautifully decorated.

All told we spent a good three hours at Topkapi Palace…. and could have possibly spent a few more, but we didn't want to burn ourselves out.

Deciding to grab something to eat, we walked the couple of kilometers to the Galata Bridge which spans the Bosphorus. Starting on the European side we crossed the Golden Horn to Asia in less then 15 minutes! How's that for pretty cool? The current location for the bridge has been used since 1845 and bridge further up the waterway was built in 1836. But plans for a bridge at the current had been in the works for many centuries before the actual construction. Back in 1502, Sultan Bayezid II solicited none other than Leonardo da Vinci who came up with a revolutionary design that was not approved by the Sultan. Another design was requested from some Italian "Dude" who turned down the offer. Today's bridge was built in 1992, and is a lively spot; not only for 2 and 4 wheeled vehicles, but for foot traffic. On a sunny day, the bridge is lined with vendors and tons of men trying their luck fishing….. and socializing.

And of course there's food……. like the folks selling the very popular "Balik – Ekmek" (fish sandwiches – more about that in a future post).

I had read that there was a fish market on the Asian side of the Galata bridge so we went in search of it. Because if there's a fish market, there's bound to be at least one place serving it!

The market itself is fairly small; a couple of stands selling fish, and one or two produce stands.

There happened to be more restaurants then fish vendors on this particular day. One was doing some good business; and his customers seemed to be all older gentleman, who tend to be more picky eaters. So this was the place for us……

But before taking a seat, I inquired about some of the fishes available, and the cook actually let me look at the fishes.

Of course being Turkey; everything started with a huge hunk of bread!

And a plate of veggies…..

I'd heard about a specific fish that is very popular, and after reading posts about it on Istanbul Eats and Eating Asia, it was all Hamsi (European Anchovy) for me.

These were nicely fried. If you love the oil-ruch Anchovy you'll like these. A bit stronger than Shishamo (smelt) in flavor, these were too much for the Missus. I considered it a bargain at 5 TRY (about 3 bucks).

The fish I selected for the Missus, was Cinekop, baby bluefish 15TRY, which She loved:

With water the entire meal came out to 22 TRY (about $13.75)…. cheaper then the previous night's lousy dinner, and tons better.

The funny thing was, even though we were satisfied, we weren't done yet…. the Missus spied the Egyptian Spice Market while crossing back….. and there would be a second lunch today!

Stay tuned……..

Roasted Oyster Mushrooms with Balsamic Glaze

May 24, 2011 mmm-yoso Cooking, Recipes

The Missus has been on a over roasted vegetable tear since we've returned from vacation…. we've been roasting vegetables almost daily so She can get Her fix. Bless Her heart, when the Missus is obsessed with something, She can eat it every day for weeks, sometimes months. There's a broccoli dish that I'm almost embarrassed to mention that She eats several times a week!

I on the other hand, need to have a bit of variety. Sitting staring at a pound of oyster mushrooms, having a bit of time on my hands, I decided to make a balsamic glaze……. one of the easiest things in the world. There's really no reason for buying the stuff from the supermarket. In this case. all it took was 1 cup of Balsamic Vinegar, and since this wasn't great quality, even though it was from Modena, I added 2 teaspoons of white sugar and reduced. Depending on the Balsamic, you may not need any sugar at all since Balsamic has its share of sugar. This one took about 45 minutes to reduce to the consistency I desired; a bit thinner than corn syrup.

I first mixed 3/4 cup of Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil with some Turkish Oregano, the last of my stash from Penzy's, 7 cloves of garlic finely minced, and some sea salt (use more then you think you'll need if you use good sea salt). I used this as sort of the marinade as I mixed it with the mushrooms and let sit for 20 minutes while I preheated my oven at 425 degrees.

I rubbed (don't use a paper towel, most of the oil will be soaked up) about 3 tablespoons of canola oil on a sheet pan a set it in the oven for a couple minutes to heat up. Placed the mushrooms in a single layer, slightly spaced, and let her rip for about 20-25 minutes. I opened and turned once so the mushrooms wouldn't brown too much or stick.

I removed the mushrooms from the oven, placed in a bowl, drizzled on some of the glaze, and gently mixed everything together………

Yes, another easy recipe. I still have some glaze left in the fridge. It's gotten a bit thick so I'll either microwave it or add a touch of water and warm it before using it again. Tightly covered and stored, this stuff can last for weeks……. I'm thinking, maybe a filet or some chicken perhaps?

Thanks for reading!

Cali Baguette Express – Convoy

May 23, 2011 mmm-yoso Banh Mi, Sandwiches, Vietnamese Restaurants

**** This location has become Cali Banh Mi

I'd been waiting a while for Cali Baguette Express to open on Convoy. I figured that by the time we returned from vacation CBE would be open…. and we were kinda close; they opened the Saturday after we returned.

Banh Mi has been conspicuously absent from this part of Kearny Mesa for years. I know we have Sau Voi Deli in the 99 Ranch Market shopping area…. but I've never been a fan. The Missus enjoys the Banh Mi from Cali Baguette, and the Mira Mesa location tied for first on our MM Banh Mi sampling. The Missus was happy that we wouldn't need to drive down to the El Cajon Boulevard location when She craved a Banh Mi. The shop is bright and sunny; stack of canned Pate stacked up nicely, Cha Gio and Banh Pate Chaud in bright metal pans under the heat lamps.

On my first visit I went with, well good ol' #1, the Dac Biet (special – $3).

The bread didn't hold up well on my trip home, but otherwise this was pretty much the same as I've always had on my visits to the other locations, save one thing. There was muc more pate on it then usual, which was a mixed blessing….good for flavor, bad for bread.

I'm not sure what time this location opens, and keep on forgetting to ask. I do know when I pass on my way to work they aren't open yet. Too bad, because I enjoy the Banh Mi Trung (Egg – $2.75), which seriously beats out any other "Mc-whatevers" in my book.

At the ECB location, I've actually watch the women there crack the egg into the deep fryer! I don't think they do it that way at this location, but the combination of crunchy pickled daikon and carrots, the Maggi (which tastes good on everything), light a flakey Banh Mi really does it for me. This time the bread was very good!

I've never been a big fan of the Banh Mi Xiu Mai (meatball) at Cali Express…. I prefer the version at Saigon Sandwiches and Deli, but I thought I'd give it another shot.

And though the bread was perfect, I really didn't care for the crumbled very wet meatball…… the texture was too wet, almost like snot, not great mouthfeel.

Overall, I'm happy to see Cali Baguette Express….. when the weather gets a bit warmer, I'll probably be stopping by quite often on the way home. All I can really say is….. it's about time!

I nearly forgot a question I had….. has anyone ever tried the soup or rice dishes at CBE? There's a menu of stuff like Bun Bo Hue, Bun Rieu, and even Bo Kho, but I've never seen anyone (other then the owner, or the owner's kids) eating the stuff.

Cali Baguette Express
4425 Convoy Street
San Diego, CA 92111

Nanjing: Jianbing, Linggu Temple, and Sun Yat-Sen Mausoleum

May 22, 2011 mmm-yoso China, Chinese Restaurants, Nanjing, Travel

I got a good night's sleep after a hectic day, anf the next morning my foot felt better. We had made plans for the day, and I just couldn't see letting my foot get in the way. After waking the first plan was to grab some breakfast we walked a couple of blocks and saw a couple of food stands on a side street. Of course it was the Jianbing (rolled pancake/crepe) that really caught our attention. Actually, this stand tried to pawn off some pre-made Jianbing on us, but the Missus "persuaded" the woman to make me a fresh one.

Meanwhile the Missus went for some porridge being sold at a neighboring stand.

Pretty much what the working person in Nanjing might grab for breakfast. Nothing exotic. I thought the Jianbing was okay, but the Missus said that it wasn't made very well; the texture was too chewy and "dead", and the youtiao was very greasy and soggy.

Still, it was nourishment. After this quick breakfast we set out looking for the bus to take us to the Zijin (Purple-Gold) Mountain area. We tracked down the bus route on a map we had, but couldn't find the bus stops. After walking all the way to the Fuzi Miao area we were stumped. After asking around, we found that due to road work the bus route had been temporarily changed. We were given instructions on the new bus route and finally found the bus stop…… which turned out to be two blocks from our hotel! Oh well…….. it's kind of funny now.

We finally made it to our destination. The bus was fairly empty, and I was able to elevate my foot, which brought some relief.

We first visted the Linggu Temple area.

The most fascinating place here was Wúliáng Diàn, the Beamless Hall, built in 1381.

The building is made entirely of stone and brick without any beams for support.

It is the only building in the Linggu Temple area that survives from the Ming Dynasty.

All that was interesting for me, but I really wanted to visit the Sun Yat-Sen Mausoleum. Growing up in Hawaii, one could not help but learn of Dr Sun Yat Sen's time in Hawaii. If you ever go to the Chinese Cultural Plaza in Honolulu's Chinatown, you'll see a statue of Sun Yat-Sen. There's so much about Sun Yet-Sen's time in Hawaii, and you can read about his time in Hawaii here. Man, he went to both Iolani and what is now known as Punahou School (then known as O'ahu College). What really makes Sun Yat-Sen unique in my mind is that he is revered by both China and Taiwan as both a founding father of the PRC and the Republic of China.

The Missus and I had not seen any photos of the mausoleum, and I was a bit worried that it would be some gaudy, over-the-top monument. But I was pleased at the tasteful design.

Passing through the front gateway, you climb 392 steps to the vault……..

It is indeed quite a monument…….

Though having been taught that he was a very humble man, I could not help but wonder what he would have thought about this……

After spending a bit of time here, we caught the bus back to the main shopping area where a couple of T-shirts caught our eye. We don't usually buy much for us, but we saw these t-shirts and just had to get them.

Those who can read this will probably get a kick out of it. We even found one for my MIL which was very appropriate!

On the way back to the hotel, the Missus noticed…….

And after hitting up 85 C in Suzhou the Missus just had to stop here.

For some strong unsweetened tea and milk bread……. which seemed to be just the thing we needed.

More to come, thanks for reading!

Saturday Stuffs

May 21, 2011 mmm-yoso Blog

Just a couple of things I noticed……..

Koon Thai Kitchen:

Is opening in the old Curry House spot:

Insert joke about yet another Thai restaurant here…… Seriously, San Diego can always use another "good" Thai Restaurant. I don't think we need another Americanized, dumbed down, Thai restaurant. I'm wondering what this will be?

Imperial Mandarin moves…. sort of:

Right before leaving for Turkey and Greece, I noticed the sign for Imperial Mandarin was taken down. I thought that perhaps the long time Convoy restaurant had closed down. After returning from vacation, I took a drive down Convoy and noticed that Imperial Mandarin had simply given up the space for the larger half of the restaurant and is still around.

I've never been a big fan of Imperial Mandarin, but I'll admit a twinge of sadness when I believed the place had closed.

An interesting coincidence (I think):

Driving past Halmouny, I noticed that the location that was the original location and became the catering/panchan outlet when the restaurant moved next door had become something called…..

Sushi, Roll Depot. Depot? Doesn't depot mean something along the lines of a storage facility or transit station? I'm not sure about you, but I'm not really keen on eating sushi from a depot. Turns out that the folks involved with Halmouny is trying to get into the sushi business.

And just by coincidenceI drove up to Plaza del Sol to see what was going on with Nam An (it's still not open),, and noticed that Dokdo; a "Hwe", Korean sushi/sashimi restaurant (one day I'll do a post on the Hwe Dop Bop), was now advertising…..

"Convoy Tofu"…… So Grandmother's Tofu is serving sushi and Dokdo Sushi is serving Soon Doufu? Hmmmm…..

Istanbul: Our arrival and Cennet Gozleme

May 19, 2011 mmm-yoso Istanbul, Travel, Turkey, Turkish Food

I recently mentioned how we made it to Istanbul to a friend…. early in the morning we walked a couple of blocks and caught the bus, transferred to the trolley in Old Town, caught the Surfliner to Union Station in LA. At Union Station we caught the Flyaway Bus to LAX and caught the new (since March) non-stop flight to Istanbul. Twelve hours and change later we landed in Istanbul and followed the signs to the Metro, where one of the locals taught me how to use the token machine. Travelling on the metro, buses, and tram is really cheap in Istanbul. The fare across the board is 1.75 TRY (Turkish Lira – about 1.15 US). Counting stops we got off at the Zeytinburnu stop somewhat disoriented. Another really nice gentleman ("nice" is basically how we found everyone to be in Turkey), pointed to the right Tram when I asked Sulthanmet. I bought two more tokens and in a couple of minutes we caught the tram headed toward Kabatas. The tram ride took about 45 minutes; we got off at Sultanahmet Park snd stood and stared……

A few meters away stood the Blue Mosque.

A crowd of people milled around us, shoe shine boys trying to get our attention, "Konnichiwa", "Ni Hao", "Annyeonghaseyo", "where you from?" It all felt so alive, so vibrant, the tulips in bloom.

Most folks associate tulips with Holland. From what I was told, tulips were brought to Turkey from the Steppes and were cultivated in Turkey from as far back as 1,000 AD. It was Flemish Botanist Carolus Clusius who introduced the tulip to Europe in the late 16th century.

The Missus and I searched for our hotel. We could find the street on our map; but to paraphrase that little sentence on your rearview mirror: "streets appear much larger than they are." Another really nice gentleman saw us wandering around, and using his cell phone actually called the hotel and got us instructions. The street was actually a tiny alley. We walked down the cobblestone street and checked in. The gentleman manning the desk suggested that we walk up to the terrace and take a look around. I walked up the stairs, stumbling on that last uneven stair and took my first real look at Istanbul….. and the Hagia Sofia……

That's when we first heard it; beautiful and haunting, the call to prayer which occurs five times a day. We could hear a phrase, then what sounded like a prolonged echo; it was the call to prayer from another Mosque close by. It seemed that they took turns, singing a line, then giving the other Muezzin a chance. You can get a taste of it here. During our time in Turkey, I awoke to it in the morning, and set off to sleep to it late in the evening. There are still evenings when I almost expect to hear it…..

After freshening up, we headed off to explore Divan Yolu Caddesi, the main drag in the Old Town. There seemed to be a Baklava and Kebab shop on every corner. Everything seemed very touristy, as were the prices.

Much like my previous statement, things seemed quite close. It was faster to walk down to the Grand Bazaar then to catch the now packed as sardines Tram. After walking and exploring a bit, we were getting a bit hungry, but where to eat.

The Missus saw a woman rolling and making a crepe like item…….

Called Gozleme. We decided that this would be the place. We entered the restaurant and was seated. After we were seated we noticed something that we should have noticed earlier. The woman was making gozleme fresh alright. She was also stacking them in a pile, then reheating them when an order was placed. Hmmmm

We ordered a late of mezes, which was pretty low on flavor.

The lavas that came with it was really tough, almost hard, and not very good. It reminded me of a really bad tortilla.

The Missus ordered a spinach gozleme, the amount of oil on it was a bit alarming, but the filling had a nice spinach flavor.

I ordered the mixed meat gozleme. The filling was sparse, but with a nice gamey flavor.

But it was just really hard and brittle, not very good eats.

For me the nest thing was the Ayran, which was a standards issue grocery store brand. Later on the trip I'd have Ayran, a mixture of strained yogurt, water, and salt, that was pretty darn good.

The prices were pretty high for this type of meal; 25 TRY. In the end, much like our first meal in Beijing, I wrote this off to being in a new place and a bit tired.

One thing was for sure…… Istanbul sure was beautiful……

The Blue Mosque at dusk…..

We’re Baaack…..

May 16, 2011 mmm-yoso Greece, Greek Food, Turkey, Turkish Food

Right after returning from China last year, the Missus had me planning our next trip. She wanted a trip to Greece. I thought that if we were going to be gone for a month, that it would be interesting to add another Country. The thought of visiting Turkey had been on my mind for a while. As soon as the year turned and we headed into February, I started making plans. It ended up being quite a full itinerary, just the main trips and hotel info alone took up over three pages. I emailed copies of that basic itinerary to FOY (Friend of Yoso) MG, who replied that after reading the first page she felt exhausted. Cathy told me that it read like an outline for the amazing race……. With all of the planning, work, and other stuff, I wasn't able to do as much research on places to eat as I would normally do; and we depended a lot on recommendations from folks, and our explorations. The main hubs for our trips were Istanbul and Athens…….

So anyway, here's a little run down. As always, you can click on the photos to enlarge.

Istanbul:

Was our main hub for Turkey was Istanbul. To say that we were enchanted with the city is an understatement. The sincerely kind and friendly folks really made us sad to leave. As for the the locale…… let's just put it this way. This was the first photo I snapped upon my arrival in Istanbul.

That's the Hagia Sofia. We managed to visit many of the main attractions during our stays. Here's a photo of the Bosphorus from Topkapi Palace.

And a required photo of the Blue Mosque.

And of course, there's the craziness of both the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Market.

We also managed a short cruise of the Bosphorus on a drizzly day, which just seemed to add even more mystery and drama to everything.

We had heard so much about Hagia Sofia, and we saved it for the tail end of our trip. By that time we wondered if it would live up to our expectations…… And let me just say, our expectations were exceeded. It's one of the few places, along with Machu Picchu that we want to revisit.

I also really enjoyed the mysterious Basilica Cistern.

Along the way, we met a fish called "Hamsi".

And a dish called Sac Tava.

Selcuk – Ephesus:

Did you know that the ancient Greek and Roman city of Ephesus is located in Turkey?

Our accommodations in Selcuk were located right across the street from the Basilica of St John.

Where the Aposotle John is believed to be buried.

There's a lot of history in this area.

Goreme – Cappadocia:

Yes, thoughts of fairy chimney's and cave houses dance in our heads when Cappadocia is mentioned.

Among the hiking, visits to the underground city, valleys, and such. The most memorable thing we did was an early morning balloon ride.

Quietly floating amongst the clouds, over exotic looking terrain, this was simply unforgettable……

I also enjoyed the visit to Selime Monastery.

Climbing up into the monastery cut into the rocks led to a view that was amazing. I also took one of my favorite photos of the trip, which almost looked like the cover of a science fiction book.

Athens:

Athens was our hub for Greece. So of course there was the required visit to the Acropolis.

And the Central Market.

Delphi – Meteora:

The Missus wanted to visit Meteora, and the only way I could figure to keep that visit within two days was to take a tour, which included a stop in Delphi.

The cloudy and drizzly morning added an air of mystery to Meteora…….

And when the sun peeked out, the views were dramatic…..

Iraklios (Heraklios):

Next up was the city of Iraklios on the island of Crete.

We had two of our favorite meals in Iraklios, thanks to the recommendations of our hotel staff. The first featured twists on Crete cuisine, which worked very well.

The second featured more straightforward Cretan specialties.

On our second day in Iraklios, instead of visiting Knossos, the Missus requested that we rent a car and drive to some of the small villages. So that's what we did……

70% of the wine in Crete comes from this area.

Cretans also consume about 31 liters of Olive Oil per capita. We both cracked up when we requested a taste of various olive oils and the woman behind the counter almost poured us dixie cup sized portions of each! Good thing we stopped her, and told her we just wanted a taste. She replied, "this is a taste!"

This area is beautiful…….

Hania (Chania):

It's almost impossible to take a bad photo of Hania.

The Missus got an early Birthday present…..

And as a bonus; the really nice young man working at the shop gave a few recommendations, and the Missus found the octopus of Her dreams…..

Hania was the perfect place for us to take a "day off" from "activities" and just kick back and enjoy.

The next day was damp and drizzly as we took the bus up to Omalos through the fog and rain… and sheep….

For our hike down the Samaria Gorge, which, depending what you read is either 18, 16, or 14 kilometers. Regardless of the distance, the "Iron Gates", where the space between the sides of the gorge get to about 3 meters wide is quite dramatic. Looking up the almost straight sides towering at over 1,100 meters is simply awesome.

All of this ends at the ocean in the village of Agia Romelli, accessible only by sea.

You can see why we were sad to leave Hania.

Antalya:

Our last unique stop was Antalya, the largest Mediterranean city on the Southwest coast of Turkey. We stayed in the area called Kaleici, the old town. Here's a photo of the ruins that was located right out the window of our room.

Our initial plan was to use our one full day to visit Termessos, but the Missus had seen enough ruins by then, so we used the day to walk around the city.

So there you go………….

It's good to be home, and hopefully, after a few days to regroup, I'll have a couple of posts ready!

Thanks for reading!

Yes, it’s that time again………

April 16, 2011 mmm-yoso yoso-silly

And no, I don't mean it's time for Sammy and Frankie's pre-Easter haircuts and degrading Easter "gear"…… I do love Sammy's expression though. It's almost as if he knew how silly he looked. And here I thought dogs don't have a sense of "self"!

Frankie on the other hand, doesn't really care so long there's a treat to be had at the end of this silliness.

No, it's time for the Missus and I to go on vacation……..

So, as always, I'll turn things over to Cathy, and we'll see you in a couple of weeks!

Here are photos of some of our recent meals….. nothing new really, but I had to use these photos sometime, right? Somewhere in here lies a clue of where we're headed….

Thanks for dropping by! We'll see you in a short while!

Fried Chicken Friday: Annie Belle’s Famous Wings and Greens

April 15, 2011 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Chicken Wings

**** Annie Belle's has closed

While driving to Bonnie Jean's I noticed a restaurant that looked rather new, it had popped up since my last visit to the area last year.

The next afternoon I had some time on my hands so I decided to check th e place out.

The dining area looked very nice and new….. nice booths, along with at least five televisions lining the wall so those with short attention spans have something to keep themselves busy I guess.

The menu was pretty large…. with almost every single "side" known to mankind…. wow, so many choices. I was looking for fried chicken. And while you can buy it by the piece, the name of the place is "Annie Belle's Famous Wings and Greens", so I went with the Wings and Greens House Special ($8.49), They call the wings they serve here "Granny Wings" and there are two served with this special. Two wings? That seemed a bit pricey, I hope they weren't what came off a "Granny Hen"….. and they weren't.

These were actually two whole good sized wings…. pretty much what other places would call four wings. And while the batter at Bonnie Jean's was light and crisp, this was thick and crunchy, almost hard. They obviously use a lot of leavening in their batter. The wings were moist, but I found the whole thing to be on the salty side, without anything else much going for it.

Along with the wings was a large portion of collard greens.

Again, this wasn't bad, it was a portioned very generously. But I prefer my greens a bit less mushy, these were a little too over done for my taste, closer to creamed spinach than the kind of greens I got used to eating in Georgia and other places down South. There was a ton of "liquor" which was again too salty for me, and lacking in the light smokey flavor I love in greens.

This came with two very moist, but bland cornbread muffins.

You'll be needing that butter for these.

I will say that I enjoyed the woman serving me. She was very nice…. after bring food out to another table she turned to me and said, "don't worry honey, you next…. and it's going to be gooood!"

Annie Belle's Famous Wings and Greens
1746 Euclid Ave
San Diego, CA 92102

Please read Mary's post on Annie Belle's here.