The Best Kind of Ginger

Dear friends- this post is not about cooking but about hope- There is something very special about having a companion. We had one of the best. Ginger was our Golden Retriever. We had trained her to be a Therapy Dog but maybe she had trained us. It has just been a week since she found her way to doggie heaven. She had a heart condition we were hoping she would grow out of. On Tuesday I was away filming a cooking spot, the kids were at school and Sherwood was at work. When we got home that evening we found that she had somehow gotten into the pantry and had eaten, among other things, a 24oz bag of dark chocolate. She certainly had good taste. After a call to the vet we realized that it was too late to get it out of her system but were advised to watch and see- that she would probably be fine. As it turns out she had a peaceful night's sleep. The following day she had crazy behavior and her heart was racing a mile a minute. She was restless and dramatically unsettled- behavior like this I had never seen in her. Later that afternoon she ran down the stairs, turned around and collapsed. I tried to revive her, called Sherwood and raced her to the vet. When we arrived she was already gone. They confirmed that her little heart just couldn't take the toxins of the chocolate.
I have never in my life felt such a loss.
The reason I write about this here is to offer a caution to all the dog lovers out there. Ginger was a constant presence in our lives. Amazingly expressive with her ears and eyebrows she always had a tail wag to offer and a hug to share. I hope that by telling this story we will help others to avoid the pain we have been through. Chocolate is poison to dogs.
Our sweet Ginger had an extraordinary affect on everyone she met. People were drawn to her to both give and receive a little love. She was pure of heart and wanted to please whomever was near. When we found this little golden ball of fur she would ride in my arms like a baby, falling asleep on my shoulder. She knew when you were sad and made every effort to love you through it. Our Ginger went everywhere with us. As a service dog she would come out to dinner, lay under the table and only move when we told her it was time to go. It was great to have other restaurant patrons exclaim that they didn't know a dog was there. She was the perfect combination of mischief and patience, playfulness and calm. We could bring her with us anywhere. When she was in her "uniform" she was working. When she was home or on a fun walk she would romp and explore. Whenever you got home- even if you'd only been gone for five minutes- she jumped to her feet and ran to the door as if to say- YAY!! You're Here! I missed you! You're Here! Let's Play!
What a Blessing it was to have her in our lives. If you have your own dog, please give them an extra pat and snuggle. They are so important to our well being. Someday we'll get another puppy. A Golden Retriever probably. Let us know if you find one. There's such an empty space here. We miss her so.
In Memory of Ginger
7/22/04-1/16/08

Chicken Teriyaki and San Tung Dreams

Our family loves Asian food. We go to San Tung in San Francisco whenever we're there. It's our absolute favorite restaurant on the west coast. I programmed their phone number into my cel phone the last time we visited my brother. Some nights I just want to have them deliver to my doorstep- on the coast of Maine- someone, please invent a teleporter!! They make the most delicious dry-fried chicken. It is a combination of Korean and Chinese crispy chicken with a thick, spicy sauce. It's sooo good!
Elizabeth's favorite is teriyaki anything. Since she has been under the weather (her fever actually reached 106.7 about 10 minutes ago- The doc just started her on antibiotics tonight. We're hoping it's not appendicitis!) I wanted to make something special for her. I cooked up some chicken teriyaki, and broccoli. Sherwood made brown rice. Usually a dinner she will gobble up! Unfortunately, she didn't eat a thing. The rest of us enjoyed this healthy dinner. If you'd like to try Elizabeth's favorite teriyaki marinade for yourself this is how you make it.
Teriyaki Marinade for Chicken
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 Tablespoons Hoisin sauce
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons pickled ginger, minced- I like the pink kind
2 Tablespoons fresh grated ginger
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sambal oelek (chili paste)-optional, or more if you like it spicy
2 Tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon thick sweet soy -(you can find this in most asian grocery stores- It is a wonderful ingredient for lomein as well)
Whisk all of the ingredients together. Pour over chicken. One of the best ways I've found to marinate meats is to place the meat in a large ziploc bag, pour the marinade over the meat, press all of the air out of the bag and zip it up. Massage the marinade into the meat and place the bag in a bowl. Place the bowl in the refrigerator. Let the meat sit at least 30 minutes. I love to get this step done the day before and let the meat soak up all of the flavor overnight. I've even been known to freeze the meat in the marinade. All you have to do is thaw out the meat and cook as you like. This teriyaki is great on steak, pork, chicken and shrimp. It is also a good mix to toss with lo mein noodles and veggies. Use just enough for your taste.

Fresh Bread and Garlic Oil Post Blizzard

The snow stopped falling sometime before midnight after it's evoluton to freezing rain. When Ginger went out this morning she had to crunch through a good 2 inches of ice on the surface of about 8 inches of snow. I was in the mood for some fresh baked bread with garlic oil and pasta with sauce for dinner. I absolutely love the smell of baking bread. Sherwood made some fettucini and red sauce with mushrooms. We had some fresh broccoli and carrots as well. I popped a loaf of wholegrain bread in the oven and as it filled the house with aroma, Sherwood readied a bowl of garlic oil. The recipe for garlic oil is quite simple. for every 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil, mash up or mince or press 2 good sized cloves of fresh garlic. Pour the oil into a bowl, add the garlic and stir. If you are making this for friends and want them to be impressed and curious about how you got that much flavor into olive oil- heat it gently on the stove with a few peppercorns. This will infuse the oil with a peppery garlic flavor. Let it cool and remove the solids by pouring through a fine mesh strainer. Use the oil within a day or two. Another way to make it is just to stir the garlic and oil together. Let it sit for 15 minutes or so. Either way you make it- when you're ready to serve, pour a glistening puddle onto a bread plate or shallow bowl. Grind a few twists of black pepper on the top and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Dip the edge of a crusty piece of bread into the oil and delight in its flavor. Delicious! I could eat only fresh (wholegrain) bread and garlic oil for an entire meal.
To top the meal off we all shared some dark chocolate m&m's. The little things in life sure make it great!