春雨樓頭尺八簫
何時歸看浙江潮
芒鞋破缽無人識
踏過櫻花第幾橋
Spring Drizzles Su Man Shu (1884-1918)
I stand on the terrace playing my long flute in spring drizzles
Whence could I return home to watch the Qiantong tides in loud whistles
In straw shoes and holding a begging bowl my identity here is a nullity
Amid flourishing cherry blossoms how many bridges need I cross before eternity
山抹微雲 天粘衰草 畫角聲斷譙門
暫停征棹 聊共引離尊
多少蓬萊舊事 空回首 煙靄紛紛
斜陽外 寒鴉萬點 流水繞孤村
銷魂 當此際 香囊暗解 羅帶輕分
謾赢得青樓 薄倖名存
此去何時見也 襟袖上 空惹啼痕
傷情處 高樓望斷 燈火已黃昏
Tune: Fragrant Courtyard Qin Guan (1049-1100) 江紹倫譯
Laced clouds touch the mountains high
Widely spread bristle grass reach the end of sky
The sound of a painted bugle fades from inquisitive sight
Halt the venturous boat
Let’s drink together before parting sadness take hold
How many past events come to mind
‘Tis no use to remind
Let them vanish with passing mists and sighs
As the setting sun beyond hides
Crows appear dotting the dimming sky
Girding the lonely village the rippling river quietly glides
My soul stirs
As I loosen your fragrant pouch with a frisk search
And untie your silk girdle on urge
My actions helped me to earn a name of fame
A fickle lover of brothel lane
Now a rover I know not whence we’ll meet again
On your sleeves tears leave wasted stains
Where sorrow remains
Beyond your high bower
City lights quietly mark the looming dusk
移有雖帶郭
野徑入桑麻
近種籬邊菊
秋來未著花
扣門無犬吠
欲去問西家
報道山中去
歸來每日斜
Visiting Master Lu Failing to See Him Home (Tang dynasty) Jiao Ran 江紹倫譯
I visit your dwelling in solitude away from town
Through mulberries the wild path leads me down
Your fence displays new chrysanthemums waiting to grow
They are not yet in bloom although autumn will follow
I knock at your door the dog is quiet wagging its tail
West of your cabin I ask neighbours about your trail
They say you go deep into the mountain everyday
On your return you bring the retiring sun in dim ray
重過閶門萬事非 同來何事不同歸
梧桐半死清霜後 頭白鴛鴦失伴飛
原上草 露初晞 舊棲新壟兩依依
空床臥聽南窗雨 誰複挑燈夜補衣
Tune: Partridge Sky He Zhu (1052-1125) 江紹倫譯
On revisiting the capital I feel things are no longer the same
You and I came a couple why can’t we leave together again
The plane trees nearly wilt after suffering the hoar-frost
My hair hoar now ’tis hard to endure a companion lost
On the plain grass grow anew
They thirst with drying dew
How I drag to leave our old home and your grave new
On this unshared bed I pine for you listening to the pelting rain
Who will be mending my clothes by this midnight lamp again
東城漸覺風光好
彀皺波紋迎客棹
綠楊煙外曉寒輕
紅杏枝頭春意鬧
浮生長恨歡娛少
肯愛千金輕一笑
爲君持酒勸斜陽
且向花間留晚照
Tune: Magnolia Song Qi (998-1061) 江紹倫譯
Approaching town east the scenery is renowned
Rippling waters greet visiting boats up and down
In the morning chill green willows dance delight
On apricot branches pink spring riots high
In our floating life we regret having few pleasures
But we value gold more than hearty laughter
With this wine let me on your behalf ask the setting sun to stay
To leave among the awaiting flowers its most warming ray
風急天高猿嘯哀
渚清沙白鳥飛回
無邊落木簫簫下
不盡長江滾滾来
萬里悲秋常作客
百年多病獨登台
艱難苦恨繁霜鬢
潦倒新停濁酒杯
Up the Mountain Du Fu (712-770) 江紹倫譯
High sky and swift winds send gibbons wearily cry
O’er white sand in the clear river birds recurrently fly
In the boundless wood trees shed their leaves like showers
From the long river torrents roll forgetful of the hour
Ten thousand li from home I grieve this autumn my plight
Surviving lengthy illness I alone climb up this platform high
Through hard times my hair is turning white
Battling poverty I now must give up wine
In our floating life of dashes and cold dishes we need to eat hearty meals for good health and peace of mind. This was our favourite food when the kids were hungry and the family budget lean.
– Have the rice cooked
– Marinate half a pound of minced beef with a dash of wine, generous light soy sauce, and a sprinkle of flour ( ten minutes, longer if you have time)
– Open one can of cream of mushroom soup
– Put a spoonful of olive oil on a hot pan, stir the meat over after one minute, put in the soup and stir a bit. Fill the empty can with two-third full of hot water and add to the food. Stir and cover pan. Cook for one minute, put in half a bowl of green peas. Cook for one minute, add salt and stir even. It is done.
– To serve, just put appropriate amount of cooked rice on a plate, add the cooked beef with thick sauce and you have a hearty warm meal
– The time of cooking varies dependent on how rare you like your beef. Chopped onion can be used, fried before putting in beef. Pepper can be used for individual preference. You can also add an egg or two just before serving to boost up the nourishment and flavour.
All together this meal could be cooked in half an hour. It could be done in ten minutes if you have the rice cooked beforehand. However things are, please try it, and I know you will do it again and again.
閑門向山路
深柳讀書堂
幽映每白日
清輝照衣裳。
Title Missing (Tang Dynasty) Liu Shen Xu 江紹倫譯
The road ends vanishing with white clouds
Spring with the long stream lingers proud
Fallen flowers float with the river this way
Their fragrance in the flowing water stay
Toward a lone mountain path my door looks on
Nestling amid green willows readings in my study prolong
The sun drops in through the branches on clear days
It leaves a sheen on my clothes with brilliant rays
細草微風岸
危檣獨夜舟
星捶平野闊
月湧大江流
名豈文章著
官因老病休
飄飄何所似
天地一沙鷗
Reflections In An Inn Du Fu (712-770) 江紹倫譯
Short grass thrive on riverbanks cooled by breezes
Alone a tall mass stands on a boat in darkness
A sky decorated by low stars sets the plain wide
The moon bright heaves up the river’s rolling tide
My fame is not built by my writings at will
Retirement from public office is natural when old and ill
How free it feels doing little I wonder
Like a water bird between sky and land hovers
WHERE’S THE BEEF
This was an ingenious advertising promotion invented by Wendy’s back in 84.
The words were catchy. Wendy did not receive too much success in such a campaign whereas beef became an alerting reminder.
Of course we are not talking about commercials. We came to re-examine the mechanics of making roast beef.
The choice of meat should be prime rib. The word prime has evolved to a generic term for a class of beef. What we should be looking for is prime GRADE beef.
The general observation should prevail. We should be looking for beef that is fresh, nice colour, with whitish layer of fat and with bones. The marbling in the meat is also important. Flavour does not derive from the meat but from the bones, and the fat that caps the beef. It is like BBQ pork, 100% lean tenderloin would produce a dry end product. When you visit your friendly butcher, the preference should go from the first rib down. You let him know the number of people you want to serve and he would prepare the roast for you. Depending on the appetite of your guests, it is pretty safe to estimate a ¾ pound of meat per person.
There are 2 camps of thought on cooking a roast.
Low temperature cooking is popular for the past few years. The method depends on preheating up the oven to the highest temperature. Then put the roast in to be cooked. After a certain time, (this gets a bit tricky, some say 10 minutes/pound, and some say more minutes/pound), the oven is shut off. The remaining heat would cook the meat through. When the oven is cool down, the roast is done.
Some people go to the extent of taking the meat out of the oven after a certain time and they claim the meat is also cooked.
The other method is using high heat 400 to sear the outside of the roast first. After 20 minutes, decrease the oven temperature to 325. Estimate 15 minutes per pound and you will have a lovely roast.
Personally I prefer the sear and cook method. It makes more sense. Get a meat thermometer too. The hand held job that goes for $6 at kitchen plus. Beef should be medium rare when it reaches the temperature of 140. This degree of doneness is of general acceptance.
If you are of the all in one nature, you can certainly put all your preferred root vegetables under the roast. Everything will be done at the same time.
French bread, unsalted butter, some side canapé, together with your favourite bottle of wine, light the candles, soft music, put a bouquet along the side of the plate for the lady and you will have a romantic evening.
Who knows, you might have a new addition in the family by next year.
