The Off Topic Topic

[Josquius]

The battle against car centricity has new allies- footballers who tried out the Saudi super league.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/aymeric-laporte-cristiano-ronaldo-saudi-31927009

Laporte, formerly of Manchester City, has painted a fairly damning picture of day-to-day life in the Middle East.

The Spain defender is quoted by AS as saying: "It's a big change compared to Europe, but in the end it's all adaptation. They haven't made it easy for us. In fact, there are many players who are dissatisfied, but hey; We are working on it every day, negotiating so to speak, and seeing if it improves a little because this is something new for them too, having European players who already have a long career. Maybe they are not used to this and have to adapt to a little more seriousness."

He continued: "In every sense, but also on a day-to-day basis. Life for them... they take everything lightly. The ultimatum you can give them doesn't matter to them. I mean, they're really going about their business. You negotiate something and then they don't accept it after you have signed it. They fight you."

When the defender was asked if issues were spoken about by players behind closed doors, he replied: " To be honest, many of us have also come here not only for football. Many of us are happy with that, but I am also looking for something beyond that is not the economic part and such.

" In terms of quality of life, I expected something different because in the end here you spend three hours a day in the car. Riyadh is a waste of traffic, of time wasted in the car."

 


I recall seeing something the other week about Jordan Henderson in Amsterdam taking his kids around on a cargo bike too....
Its encouraging that even these folks at the other end of the wealth scale see the issue.

[Duque de Bragança]

I know, I'm calling you specifically a tripeiro/portuan because it seems to annoy you hehe

To annoy me you would have to call me Lisboete Alfacinha or Saloio. 
Not that it would make sense, but then it's you. 

I am Portista after all.  That's the word you were looking for, Moor.

[Barrister]

I thought all Canadians loved soup. 

I mean - *I* like soup, but that's not a stereotype I've ever heard before.



There was a funny quote about Ukrainian soldiers being trained in the US.  They were very quick studies, but they had one request at meal time - add more soup.

"They like soup. They're very, you know, soup-centric. So we added some soup to the meals that they received," the senior Fort Sill official said.

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/03/21/ukrainian-soliders-patriot-missile-training-oklahoma-00088166

That appears to be the source of the quote, but now "soup-centric" has become something of a Ukrainian meme.

[Syt]

Today I learned about "Kapsalon":
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kapsalon

Kapsalon ([ˈkɑpsaːlɔn]) is a fast food dish created in 2003 in the Dutch city of Rotterdam, consisting of a layer of french fries placed into a disposable metal take-away tray, topped with döner or gyro meat, covered with slices of Gouda cheese, and heated in an oven until the cheese melts. Then a layer of shredded iceberg lettuce is added, dressed with garlic sauce and sambal, a hot sauce from Indonesia, a former Dutch colony.[1] The term kapsalon is Dutch for "hairdressing salon" or barber shop, alluding to the inventor's place of work.[2] The dish is a product of Dutch multiculturalism, combining elements of dishes from multiple cultures. The dish has spread internationally in a relatively short time.[1]

The dish was conceived in 2003 by Nathaniël Gomes, who was a Cape Verdean hairdresser in the Rotterdam district of Delfshaven, who one day at the neighboring shawarma store "El Aviva" asked to combine all his favorite ingredients into one dish. He began to regularly request what the restaurant called "the usual order for the kapsalon". Other customers noticed and started to order the kapsalon too, and it became a hit, soon being demanded in nearby snack bars.[1][3] Gomes reached a measure of international popularity; he died in 2023, aged 47.[4] The dish has since spread around the Netherlands and into Belgium,[5] and several other countries in at least three continents.[6] In some places the shawarma meat may be replaced with chicken, or doner kebab meat. The kapsalon has been described as "a typical example of contemporary cultural heritage", and "representative of the transnational nature of the city".[1][7] It has also been described as a "calorie bomb" and "culinary lethal weapon", with high fat content and up to 1,800 kilocalories (7,500 kJ) in a large serving.[3][1]

Kapsalon is a standard menu item in Belgian döner restaurants, both in Flanders and Wallonia. Various Turkish restaurants throughout Germany serve the dish, especially in larger cities.[6] The dish can be found in other cities throughout Europe as well, most Polish towns and cities (including Warsaw, Poznan and Kraków), in Prague, Czech Republic,[6] cities in Latvia (including Riga, Jelgava, Jūrmala, Sigulda)[8][9] in Oulu, Finland.[10] It has been found in Morocco and Cardiff in the United Kingdom as well.[6][11]

The kapsalon reached the Nepalese capital city of Kathmandu in 2017, when a chef returning from a visit to the Netherlands was asked to prepare a "typically Dutch" meal. Now chicken or fish replace the shawarma meat, and a porcelain plate substitutes for the metal tray, but the kapsalon has become fashionable, with many people posting photos and a prominent food blogger describing the dish as "a party in her mouth with her favorite tastes".[12] In Vientiane, Laos, similar adaptations of the kapsalon have emerged, featuring alternatives such as tuna and beef to accommodate local culinary preferences.[13]

[Barrister]

Was this where the topic of japanese curry came up?

Anyways, on the weekend we were extremely pressed for time on Saturday.  I remembered this thread - and I remembered we had some bricks of Japanese curry in the pantry.  So I made the curry.  It always looks kind of gross when the instructions are to simmer everything for 15 minutes - in water.  But sure enough when you had the curry paste it turns out pretty good.

And since I'm on the topic - let me tell you about my Zojirushi rice cooker that I got for Christmas.  That thing is the bomb.  I don't know that everyone needs to spend $180 on a rice cooker when a $20 one will make a passable pot of rice - but it makes very nice rice.  And it has that almost typical japanese over-engineering that makes you appreciate it.

[Maladict]

Today I learned about "Kapsalon":
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kapsalon

First time I ordered it there were quite a few hairs and what looked like a tooth in it. Put me off it ever since.

[Sheilbh]

And since I'm on the topic - let me tell you about my Zojirushi rice cooker that I got for Christmas.  That thing is the bomb.  I don't know that everyone needs to spend $180 on a rice cooker when a $20 one will make a passable pot of rice - but it makes very nice rice.  And it has that almost typical japanese over-engineering that makes you appreciate it.

So I have a cheaper one - somehwere between $20 and $200 - but my rice cooker is probably my favourite, most used, desert island appliance

Needless to say in the favourite starch conversation rice would win for me

[Barrister]

And since I'm on the topic - let me tell you about my Zojirushi rice cooker that I got for Christmas.  That thing is the bomb.  I don't know that everyone needs to spend $180 on a rice cooker when a $20 one will make a passable pot of rice - but it makes very nice rice.  And it has that almost typical japanese over-engineering that makes you appreciate it.

So I have a cheaper one - somehwere between $20 and $200 - but my rice cooker is probably my favourite, most used, desert island appliance

Needless to say in the favourite starch conversation rice would win for me

When you say a cheaper one - do you mean a cheaper rice cooker, or a cheaper zojirushi?

(and yes - I was inspired to get a fancy rice cooker by internet comedian/cooking reviewer Uncle Roger  )

[Barrister]

On a different note - McDonalds Canada brought back the McRib.  Apparently the first time in 10 years.

I think myself - self, you've never had a McRib, you should try one.

It was awful.  The only thing you could taste was barbecue sauce.

[Sheilbh]

When you say a cheaper one - do you mean a cheaper rice cooker, or a cheaper zojirushi?

(and yes - I was inspired to get a fancy rice cooker by internet comedian/cooking reviewer Uncle Roger  )

Cheaper rice cooker - I think I went for Lakeland but it might have been John Lewis.

But I got deep into research on mini rice cookers (for me). No doubt I will one day end up upgrading and have bookmarked Zojirushi

[Josquius]

I really want to get a rice cooker again. Used one a  lot in Japan and cooking rice is such a faff.
Space though

[

(and yes - I was inspired to get a fancy rice cooker by internet comedian/cooking reviewer Uncle Roger  )

/Beijing schill

[Barrister]

I really want to get a rice cooker again. Used one a  lot in Japan and cooking rice is such a faff.
Space though

[

(and yes - I was inspired to get a fancy rice cooker by internet comedian/cooking reviewer Uncle Roger  )

/Beijing schill

Zojirushi is a Japanese company.  And Uncle Roger is a UK-based comedian of Chinese-Malaysian decent who makes lots of jokes about the CCP.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zojirushi

Like I said it's cool.  Just the little details - from different settings for different styles of rice, to heating elements on all sides (top, sides and bottoms), to the retractable power cord, to the adjustable handle to move the damn thing - to having a little handle to put your rice fluffing spoon.

My only regret is the only one they had at Canadian Tire was a fairly small one (3 cup max).  I wish I had one that made more rice.

Also - and this is perhaps unfair for a Japanese rice cooker - is I wish it had a setting for Indian Basmati rice.

[/quote]

So yes - Sheilbh, I wouldn't say this to all people, but for you you should absolutely get a fancy Japanese rice cooker - whether a Zojirushi or some other brand.

[Josquius]

For some reason this struck me as what Sheilbh listens to.

https://www.matteason.co.uk/scotbeats/

[Sheilbh]

I actually love it

[Barrister]

The one thing I'll say about my Zojirushi - it takes about an hour to make the rice.

It's not the end of the world.  Typically that just means I should put the rice on first, then make everything else (I'm a slow cook - there's no 15 minute meals in my house), but a regular rice cooker will be faster.

But will it be better?  I think not.