Why not "Long Bean"?

The other day, I decided that I simply could not live another day without some Hawaiian food, and chose to make Chicken Long Rice. I was introduced to the dish at the Old Lahaina Luau on Maui. I had made it myself only once before, when I had used cellophane noodles, according to this Internet recipe. The chicken is marinated in a delicious, soy/garlic/ginger/sesame oil concoction, and combined with the softened noodles, green onions, mushrooms, and chicken broth. The dish went over fairly well, even with the kids.

I have also recently discovered Mai Fun at a new Chinese Restaurant near the YMCA where I work out (I know: it's somewhat pointless to work out and then stop at a Chinese takeout place on the way home). Mai Fun are rice vermicelli, and very delicious (especially as Singapore Noodles).

According to this Wikipedia entry, Long Rice received its name in reference to the fact that the noodles are extruded (and presumably made from rice).

So, I decided to stop at the Shop&Save, grab the ingredients, and make a quick version of Chicken Long Rice for dinner. Well, first of all, the chicken is supposed to marinade for at least an hour, and I was hoping to shop, prep, cook, and eat within the next 45 minutes. So: bad plan to begin with. I went to the reasonably extensive Asian section (extensive for Chuck City, at least), and damn if I didn't find that they did not carry Cellophane Noodles at all. This put a crimp in my plans. They did have Mai Fun, so I grabbed a pack of those, just in case I couldn't find what was specified on the 3x5 card in my shirt pocket.

I visited three other stores looking for Cellophane Noodles, and finally found them. I looked at the ingredients listed on the package, and noticed they were made from Mung Bean starch. I thought, "that can't be what I need. I need Long Rice, not Long Mung Bean." But I bought them anyway, and went home. At this point, I had been shopping ingredients for well over an hour.

When I got home, I over-thought, and subsequently overruled my recipe and decided to use the Mai Fun, which were actually made from rice. I "power-marinated" the chicken and soaked the noodles simultaneously for 30 minutes, then browned the chicken, added the veggies, noodles and broth, and finished cooking.

The result - really good, but completely wrong. The Long Rice are supposed to be flat, fat, translucent and slippery. The Mai Fun were skinny, round, white, and firm. The texture was all wrong. The taste was a bit different, but not unpleasant in any way.

So, I'm not sure what to call my dish. I will have to revisit the original recipe soon, since I still have the Cellophane Noodles in my pantry. But can someone definitively tell me: which is the "true" Long Rice - Mai Fun or Cellophane Noodles? And if I'm correct, and the answer is "Cellophane Noodles", which aren't made from rice at all, can someone tell me why it is called "Long Rice"?

Why this blog?

I've been thinking about why I set up this blog. Obviously, I'm not simply dying to share my insightful opinions and melodious writing voice with the world, since I haven't made an actual post yet. And I actually have private blogs (yes, more than one) which I am already able to utilize as an outlet for my unending creativity.

So, why this public blog? Does the world need yet another unknown self-publisher spewing his unsubstantiated opinions out upon the virtual masses? Are there people out there so desperately lifeless that they couldn't get through the day without checking out what I had for dinner the night before? (A turkey sandwich, just so you don't drive yourself nuts...)

Well, I think I've decided that, like my bedroom music performances, writing that does not seek an audience is pointless. So I'm hoping that some of you will find this blog, check out the content and the style, and provide some feedback. Constructive, hopefully, but any kind of feedback to indicate that what I've written is being read, contains content that some find interesting, and perhaps some might even find was artfully expressed, to some degree.

Secondly, I have questions, and I hope that some of them can be answered by you - the anonymous, collective Internet consciousness. As such, this blog is unlikely to find a focused topic. Sorry about that - it can't be helped. Well, that's a lie - I just honestly don't feel like providing one.

Here are some of the topics that are likely to be touched upon:

• Writing. I like to write, and I've been told on more than one occasion that I have a certain amount of talent for it. It's one of the few things that I actually exhibit any talent for. (I've also been told, in no uncertain terms, that I am too long winded, and the level of detail that I include borders on the ridiculous). I hope to some day publish an item or two, and perhaps develop some residual income with my writing. Help me out by telling me what you like, and what you hate about my writing.
• Travel. Hopefully, with my impending residual writing income, I will be able to fund a pleasure trip more than once every 15 years or so (my current rate). I have great ambitions for visiting Hawaii (my first love), the Caribbean, Europe, Australia, and the South Pacific. I hope (some day) to be able to write about my travels, providing funding for further travels (and a tax deductible vacation!).
• Food. Perhaps born of my interest in other cultures, comes an unhealthy interest in ethnic foods. Is the word "ethnic" proper in this context? Any cuisine, by definition, can not be considered ethnic by the people that eat it every day of their lives, right? So, lets call it an interest in diverse cuisines. In the past month or so, I have prepared and/or consumed Sushi, Guacamole, Pad Thai, Hummus, Mai Fun, Tapenade, Gumbo, Musubi, Pasta Fagioli, Kalbi Ribs, and Huevos Rancheros.
  
• Fitness. Born of my interest in food, comes an unhealthy waist line. I also derive from a long line of fat guys, so tradition and genes conspire to contribute to my gravitational influence. I used to be considerably bulkier, but I was able (with the help of Weight Watchers) to shed 50 pounds of Arby. I have since joined a gym, bought a bicycle, and earned a green belt in Tae Kwon Do. Unfortunately, I still have at least 35 extra pounds of Arby to divest, and these latest activities, even after two years of persistence, have failed to produce the desired Arby-limiting effect.
• Jazz/Guitar. I love to play the guitar, and as an old guy, have switched from progressive rock (Kansas, Rush, Yes, etc) to jazz. I looked in the mirror one day, and decided that someone with my hairline should NOT be still striving to play La Villa Strangiato. But I could probably get away with attempting Scofield (who has even less hair than I). My problem? I suck. But I'm getting better. I welcome comments from anyone with insights on building a vocabulary for improvisation, soloing strategies for tunes I'm working on, or ideas for overcoming technical difficulties (like sucking).
• Photography. This is another art that I practice, and I do mean "practice". I might post a picture or two. If you like it, tell me what you like about it. If you have some expertise, tell me how I could have done better.
  
• Technology. The one other thing for which I might have some talent, besides writing, is my chosen career - software development. Honestly, I get about as much of that as I can stand during the day, but I can't rule out the possibility that we might talk about Ajax, SNMP, Java, and other four-letter words at some time in the future.
• Politics. Sometimes (and there's just no other way to put it) I just get pissed off about this country. I'll probably spout off from time to time, and I apologize in advance for not being politically correct.
• Crossword Puzzles. I'm not going to try to be Rex Parker or anything, but my wife and I have been intensely interested in Crossword Puzzles ever since seeing the movie "Wordplay". I can manage the Wednesday NYT on my own, most weeks, and Friday with considerable Googling. Generally speaking, the Sunday Frank Longo puzzle is more my speed.
  

Maybe the opinions I express, or the questions I ask, or the answers I receive will help you resolve some of the issues that have been occupying your own brain-space. Or perhaps we'll just waste some time together, in a marginally enjoyable fashion.

Please leave me a comment and let me know how it went for you. Try to be kind, or at least to avoid unnecessary cruelty.

As your gift for persisting through this somewhat pointless post, I leave you with this poem, The Cinnamon Peeler, which I have only discovered today.