http://www.cerebralsoup.net/index.php en mjd-s@souzouzone.jp Copyright 2009 2009-07-01T11:27:22+00:00 http://www.cerebralsoup.net/index.php/cerebralsoup/pages/gyo/ http://www.cerebralsoup.net/index.php/cerebralsoup/pages/gyo/#When:11:27:22Z basilTaken on June 30, 2009 in Hiratsuka, Japan.flickr / flickr set© All rights reserved I’ve always claimed to have arather a black thumb - I tend to be one of those people who does great at keeping pets (and of late babies) healthy and happy - but my plants usually die painful black twisted deaths. Either I over or under water them. The concept of fertilizer eludes me. Soil types?? It’s all dirt to me. Last year though I challenged myself to grow some useful plants though, hoping the temptation of lovely fresh almost free herbs would spark some previously (well) hidden gardening talent. And it did! I love being able to pluck and chuck fresh herbs into my dishes.  The effort has been pretty minimal too much to my surprise - even with the Big Coriander Harvest and Freezing. Basically I just sprinkled some seeds on dirt and tried to remember to water every couple of days. I definitely recommend trying it. So far not destroyed or killed anyone with poisonous plants….. Food & Drink 2009-07-01T11:27:22+00:00 http://www.cerebralsoup.net/index.php/cerebralsoup/pages/riding_with_fishes/ http://www.cerebralsoup.net/index.php/cerebralsoup/pages/riding_with_fishes/#When:01:00:04Z Riding with FishesTaken on June 7, 2009 in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa.flickr / flickr setAvailable on redbubble© All rights reserved Found this insane fish scene by accident - the fish had just swarmed to an abandoned cycle.   Photography 2009-06-22T01:00:04+00:00 http://www.cerebralsoup.net/index.php/cerebralsoup/pages/amazing_carrot_soup_recipe/ http://www.cerebralsoup.net/index.php/cerebralsoup/pages/amazing_carrot_soup_recipe/#When:02:07:30Z I have had a lifelong love/hate relationship with carrots. As a kid I would only eat them raw - and that’s actually how I still prefer them. I think the issue is that they are often overcooked and well soggy. They are also part of that hated cubed carrot, corn and pea trio that is the frozen food combo standard. Yoshi and EM aren’t so keen on them either it has turned out. However I’d picked up a bag of them for a really good bargain and realized that they weren’t so tasty as carrot sticks (I’d found a store nearby which sometimes stocks Tasmanian carrots which are really tasty), and we wouldn’t eat them in time just with dinner. So the obvious came to me - soup! I never expected that this would turn out as delicious as it did! So I’m going to share the vague recipe I threw together from a few different sources, with what I had available. Please excuse the lack of measurements - I rarely measure things. I started off with about 8 carrots which I peeled and sliced thinly with a slicer. Then did the same with an onion. Warmed up some vegetable oil in a large pot then chucked them both in. I swirled them around a bit until they started to get soft and the onions translucent. I always have tubes of minced garlic and ginger so I squirted those in - I guess there was at least a teaspoon full of each. Then a few shakes of powdered stock and some water and more mixing. Of course to be really fancy you could use real stock (~_^). Most of the recipes suggested using potato as a thickening agent - but I didn’t have any. I saw a foot note about substituting uncooked rice - so I threw in about a cup and swirled it all around. When everything was pretty soft (but not totally mush) I whipped it through the blender and then returned it to the pot and tasted adding garlic, ginger, salt to I thought it was yummy. I made this version fairly thick as it was the main dish - but I think with water/stock you can make it as thin or thick as you like. Also some white wine would be yum too. The steamed carrot stars were just for decoration and a bit of fun (^_^). Food & Drink 2009-06-20T02:07:30+00:00 http://www.cerebralsoup.net/index.php/cerebralsoup/pages/heartful_tamago/ http://www.cerebralsoup.net/index.php/cerebralsoup/pages/heartful_tamago/#When:22:57:36Z heartful tamagoTaken on June 1, 2009 in Kanagawa, Japan.flickr / flickr setAlso available for purchase on redbubble.© All rights reserved Molded boiled egg for brekkie! Food & Drink 2009-06-04T22:57:36+00:00 http://www.cerebralsoup.net/index.php/cerebralsoup/pages/sakura_over_stream/ http://www.cerebralsoup.net/index.php/cerebralsoup/pages/sakura_over_stream/#When:23:46:21Z sakura over streamTaken on April 7, 2009 in Hiratsuka, Japan.flickr© All rights reserved Stream is kinda generous - it’s more like an open storm drain.   Photography 2009-05-25T23:46:21+00:00 http://www.cerebralsoup.net/index.php/cerebralsoup/pages/illustration_flower_arrangement/ http://www.cerebralsoup.net/index.php/cerebralsoup/pages/illustration_flower_arrangement/#When:09:44:51Z Illustration: flower arrangementflickr / flickr set© All rights reserved This is the feature illustration for Ashley and Tracey’s Wedding site: ashleyandtracey2009.com/ I was so pleased that they liked it so much to include it on their wedding programme and the wine labels (^_^). Personal Projects 2009-05-25T09:44:51+00:00 http://www.cerebralsoup.net/index.php/cerebralsoup/pages/quake_826pm/ http://www.cerebralsoup.net/index.php/cerebralsoup/pages/quake_826pm/#When:19:30:10Z Level 3 on Shindo scale, mainly felt in Shizuoka. Epicentre was in Shizuoka. Also felt in Kanagawa. No tsunami warning has been issued. Earthquake Reports 2009-05-24T19:30:10+00:00 http://www.cerebralsoup.net/index.php/cerebralsoup/pages/little_jelly_fish/ http://www.cerebralsoup.net/index.php/cerebralsoup/pages/little_jelly_fish/#When:14:31:05Z Little Jelly FishTaken on September 13, 2008 in Enoshima, Japan.flickr / flickr setAvailable on redbubble© All rights reserved Photography 2009-05-13T14:31:05+00:00 http://www.cerebralsoup.net/index.php/cerebralsoup/pages/tubbs_on_oiso_beach/ http://www.cerebralsoup.net/index.php/cerebralsoup/pages/tubbs_on_oiso_beach/#When:22:38:52Z Tubbs on Oiso BeachTaken on April 11, 2009 in Oiso, Kanagawa.flickr / flickr set© All rights reservedWe liked barking at all of the surfers. Photography 2009-05-11T22:38:52+00:00 http://www.cerebralsoup.net/index.php/cerebralsoup/pages/high_tension/ http://www.cerebralsoup.net/index.php/cerebralsoup/pages/high_tension/#When:19:58:05Z high tension wiresTaken on 12th May, 2009 in -place-.flickr / flickr set© All rights reserved Photography 2009-05-10T19:58:05+00:00