MARIETTE'S BACK TO BASICS

Thursday, September 6, 2012

{Our Indonesian House Gecko & Green Crested Lizard}

Back again to Indonesia... where we always enjoyed living and working. When we came home from work in the afternoon, we settled down on our patio with a coffee. As soon as we sat there, the Indonesian House Gecko did hurry down from the roof area, under the gable where they hid. We treated Our Indonesian House Gecko on some coffee as well! Not the Green Crested Lizard, he/she only enjoyed being there with us together. Friendly and not scared at all. Catching mosquitoes and flies and that was very much appreciated by both of us.

Green Crested Lizard on our patio. We loved this creature for its brilliant colors!

The door opening goes into our kitchen dining area.

Oh, they came hurrying down the rainwater pipe to the saucer where we poured some coffee with cream. This was sweet condensed milk, as that was the only one available locally.

Wish we had a photo from its tongue in action!

The Indonesian name is 'Cicak', pronounced Chichak. That's exactly the sound they make, calling their own name. They can be rather loud.

Oh, this is yummy!

There is an even larger Gecko variety, the Tokay, in Indonesian called Tokek. Sadly this is being hunted down and becoming extinct. They are being exported to China, Japan and other Southeast Asian countries where their dried skin is being used in medicine and skincare products.

Let's hope the best for this typical Gecko!

See the video below for hearing its call, it too calls its own name Tokek...

At least we did enjoy nature in Indonesia and respect it too, but the Indonesian people have very little respect for wildlife habitats. Just read the article below about where all the Geckos have gone... SAD!

What is your opinion about his?...

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

{Olympia's Greek Moussaka Vegan Style}

On May 27, I did read a post from Olympia's blog: Oldthings, where she gave the Greek Moussaka recipe. Since both of us LOVE Aubergines, or Eggplants as you call them, I've adapted this recipe and made it Vegan Style. Since I'm not Greek, I certainly do not qualify for making a Moussaka as well as Olympia did. Also I had to keep in consideration that it should be low sodium and low cholesterol. So I did not salt the aubergine for that reason, in order to drain the water out. Does anyone have a TIP on how to go about this, following a low sodium diet? Any hint is welcome.

I also did not fry them the way Olympia did but instead I did bake them with some olive oil in the oven, using a Demarle Silpat.

Not too bad... with some mixed greens and olive oil with Balsamico dressing.

Above is Olympia's Recipe Mussaka, just click the link for going to her post with very clear step-by-step instructions and great photos.

For the Vegan Style I will give you my version:

3 lb or 1500 g of aubergines - eggplants

3 lb or 1500 g potatoes

3 packages of 340 g each Trader Joe's Beefless Groundbeef (soy product)

3 large fresh tomatoes diced

2 big onions chopped

salt, pepper

For the Bechamel:

1 liter milk

6 tablespoons of soft butter

6 tablespoons of whole wheat flour

1 cup of egg beaters

salt, pepper

Serves 12

Bake at 200°C or 400°F for 50 minutes.

No cholesterol - no fat...

These are the 340 g packages of Beef-less ground beef from Trader Joe's.

Olive oil is what I used for the onions and the ground beef...

Aubergines - eggplants sliced and with some olive oil I had them for 10 minutes on the Silpat in the oven on 475°F or 250°C.

Any tips here are welcome!

Potatoes I did bake for half an hour in the oven on 400°F or 200°C also using olive oil.

Now layering the potatoes, aubergines - eggplants, minced beef and then topping them off with the Bechamel.

This beef-less ground beef is already pre-cooked so with the onions and tomatoes it only needs to be heated through.

The way Olympia did show how to make the Bechamel with softened, not melted butter I liked very much.

I used whole wheat as a healthy substitute for white flour.

Instead of real eggs I did blend in the 1 cup egg beaters after I'd cooked the Bechamel.

See Olympia's excellent photos of step-by-step instructions.

Bechamel all poured over the layers and ready for the oven...

50 minutes on 200°C or 400°F.

Maybe next time a tad longer in the oven...?

What do you think?

But we both enjoyed it very much!

Thanks again Olympia for sharing this with us.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

{1910s French Roubleff - Precursor of Lampe Berger}

Have you ever seen this type of 1910s French Hygienic Ozonator Lamp by Roubleff? It is the precursor of the French Lampe Berger as we probably all know by now. This one is still complete, with its original stone and wick and it is in beautiful pressed glass. On the bottom it shows the Roubleff mark. A very rare piece of antique for the collector, in perfect condition. Available at my Zen Cart powered on line Boutique: 1910s French Roubleff Precursor of Lampe Berger ←click link. Worldwide Shipping!