Rain City Rock Camp for Girls

Summer tomato cucumber salad

July 26, 2016 by Edlyn

I’ve been volunteering making photos for Rain City Rock Camp all week so I have little to say other than my heart is full. I tend to feel things like a blur while I’m at summer camp but once it’s over, I miss all the good feelings. Plus do you know any other camp that has a lunchtime band? We got to listen to Mommy Long Legs, Spinster, Naomi Wachira, Skates! and Charlie and the Rays while eating/grooving. Then there was the showcase on Saturday which will take me a while to recover from. In a good way. Those songs.

Here is a recipe I made on Sunday before camp. I guess it could be classified as a (not) recipe but it’s delicious so WHO CARES. Those are the best kinds. Here is a related recipe from last year, also simple and great for summer lunches….

Shout out + Seared halibut with herbed fennel slaw

May 18, 2016 by Edlyn

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I owe someone a thank you note.

Last last weekend, I stood on a stage with 3 other women and played bass in my first rock band. It was a culmination of 2 days of meeting total strangers – with little to a lot to no musical experience, and being in a band with them, and thinking that they were the coolest people in the world, and wondering WHAT AM I DOING HERE and a mad karaoke party, and finally, belonging.

If I rewind to what are known as “the formative years”, I’ll tell you I wasn’t really Miss Outgoing. I’d clam up in front of strangers. I remember my mother telling people we were shy. There are photos of us with lowered chins and sneaky upward glances that were probably taken by strangers we were too shy to even look at. Past that phase, the awkwardness manifested into insecurity (typical teenager, right?). I wouldn’t discuss my favourite music with people I thought were too cool for me. I wouldn’t even talk to them.

Last year around this same time, I spoke in front of mostly people I didn’t really know that well except that they were by far some of the coolest women and humans on this planet. It wasn’t so much as I was speaking in front of people but that I was talking directly to women I idolise for being so revolutionary. My body turned very warm, I was shaking, and stuttering but I spoke. I didn’t even need to but when my turn came, I knew I had to get over this pre-anxiety anxiety.

This year, I played bass in an effing band. It’s something I would have never done for myself. I’m still always overthinking everything and feeling like I can never quite live up to the hype that my existence sometimes (rarely) creates. Somehow someone knew and they gave silly me a chance to leave all of that heavy shit aside and be in a band for 3 days. They gave me my favourite vocalist, my favourite drummer and guitarist. They gave me years worth of missed chances at hanging out not just talking *about* the band but actually being *in* it. Then they gave me red lipstick. They gave me Tri Bull.

This all looks very far from a thank you but trust me, gratitude has been pouring out of my skin. I got the rock camp glow. Life has been kind of rollercoaster-y for me these past few years (please take a seat and read this blog. You’ll see). But I’ve always had solid constant sources of power (my family yay!) to bring me right back up from these slumps. In 2012, I added photography and in 2013, it was Rain City Rock Camp for Girls (RCRC). Volunteering for this organisation has been nothing short of feeling like I’m walking around with a bag full of lightning bolts and wisdom to know when I need to use them or pass them around to those who might need them more. If you’re reading this and you know me even from limited interaction, you should know that I am my best self because of these women. I take that out into the world with me as much as I can and I try my best everyday to mould myself exactly on the values this organisation was founded on. It’s inclusive, it strives to be diverse (I love that!) and it gives us the tools to be positive role models to the people in our lives. When you go around trying to be under the radar, it’s like lightning to realise you’ve been noticed. It’s enough for me to volunteer but I know I’ve gotten so much more out of being a camper.

My thank you note is also encouragement for you to get involved as little of as much as you can. Right now, they have a wishlist you can view here and also a Disneyland-esque volunteer opportunities in Seattle and the South Sound the summer, which you can sign up for right here and here. World-famous musicians will play for you at lunch time and also be fellow volunteers WHAT!! This is not an exaggeration.

Thank you to all the donors and people that form the backbone of this organisation. Thank you for asking me to come to Ladies Rock Camp and then giving me a coach I’ve always admired and a band that I really want to go on tour with. Maybe? Yes? You really really really change lives in a way that can be hard to put into words (….she says after writing 1 million paragraphs). You gave this publicly quiet one the space to be heard and this is my shout out to you.

If you’re visiting this space for the first time, hello! I know it’s strange that I write about fish and thank people for changing lives in the same post but it’s impossible for me to separate food from real life stuff. These two things go together and my blog does not ignore that. It would mean the world to me if you share posts if you like them but I’m just as happy with awkward sideways glances, a comment in person or on the post. I accept them all.

Now for the food.

Notes:

The way I’ve made the fish is inspired by how my family in Goa makes it. It’s the most basic marination most people use for seafood in my state. We even leave out the garlic. The only difference here is that I used paprika instead of chilli powder and lemon juice instead of lime. There is still some spice in this dish thanks to the slaw dressing.

Ingredients

For the fennel slaw

1 medium shallot, halved and thinly sliced
1 tbsp sugar
Big pinch of kosher salt
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 heads of fennel, quartered and shaved to 1/8 inch thickness
1/2 heaping cup of fresh dill, thyme and mint, roughly chopped
1/4 cup golden raisins
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp honey
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (add more if you want more heat)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Toss the shallot, sugar and salt in a small mason jar and let it sit for 5 minutes. Add the apple cider vinegar, cover the jar and swirl around to mix well. In about 10 minutes, scoop out the shallots with a fork.

Add the fennel, shallots, herbs and raisins to a salad bowl.

Whisk the lemon juice, honey and pepper pepper flakes in a jar. Pour in the olive oil in a thin stream whisking until combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Refrigerate all the food until the halibut is cooked.

For the fish

1 lb halibut, skinned and cut into 2-inch chunks
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 lemon, juiced
Cooking oil, to coat the bottom of a pan

Toss all the ingredients in a bowl and let it sit in the fridge for an hour (minimum).

Place a pan on medium-high heat and coat the bottom with cooking oil. Once the pan is sufficiently hot, add the halibut to it. The fish should sizzle as soon as it touches the surface. Cook on one side for about 4 minutes without disturbing it. Peek to see if it has darker sear marks and then flip over and cook for 2-3 more minutes on the other side.

To assemble:

Plate up some fennel slaw and toss with the dressing. Serve the just-cooked halibut with the cool slaw on flat bread or over brown rice.

Sunchoke mango soup with a side of self-discovery

May 21, 2015 by Edlyn

This Friday after work I went right to my next job – volunteering as a photographer for Ladies Rock Camp here in Seattle. While the rest of my co-workers were talking about how tired they were, I was bragging and doing leaps of joy that I was going to be on my feet for the rest of the day. I love Rain City Rock Camp for Girls. It’s my therapy. I love the work that we do and the environment we’re creating for girls and women to go through these amazing life-altering transformations. I’ve witnessed it and it’s magical. The part that brings me the most joy is that every woman and girl is encouraged to be 100% themselves without any fear of judgement. There are no expectations to be perfect and you are given the tools to tackle almost any real-world problem by other badass-at-life women. How often do you see that?! All you need to do is say “YES” and you can be one of us. If you’re in Seattle and you want to Power Up! and Activate! with RCRC, this is your chance. There are opportunities for volunteers for 2 week-long summer camps available right now. Here’s where you can sign up. Oh and in case you were wondering: You don’t need to have music experience.

Now for some things I’d love to discuss more in the comments/or in real life if you’re up for it.

– I can be an introvert and still make an impact: I’ve seen a lot of people put away their ability to interact with others in some of the most important situations only because they feel that it’s just their personality and “what could I possibly do to affect change!?” I was one of those people. I took the label and went with it because it gave me comfort. I was happy to let others talk. I didn’t think I had much to add, knowing that deep down it wasn’t even the truth. I have so many gifts and I want to share them all. Sometimes it’s overwhelming because I’m required to turn whatever I thought about myself as true, on its head. But I do it because I want to be a better person. I am more than just an introvert. Life isn’t about doing what makes you comfortable. That job is reserved for mac and cheese.

– Self-care/love is a radical act: This.

– And speaking of self, here’s a little bit about Anita Hill, a lady I’m glad I now know about: “Testifying has helped me understand that one individual’s behaviour and actions make a difference. That my actions are important to people other than myself.” You can watch a documentary about/named after her on Netflix.

What are your views about “self” and the whole being an introvert pride? If I’m with one person, I tend to put them first. If I’m around many, I hide in the background and am happy to let others lead me around. BUT deep in my heart, I know that I want to be known for more than just being quiet. I’ve always been told by Matt, my friends and family that I need to share my creative talents, yet this “self” (whom I have a love-hate relationship with) that dictates my interactions has been holding me back. I have things I want to do! Being shy isn’t going to help that. I love taking downtime, don’t get me wrong. But once I’ve recharged, I would like to take on the world with more gusto. Hey new me! Happy almost birthday.

Which brings me to mango season (not sure how) – a season that’s non-existent in Washington. But it is in Goa and maybe Mexico. I’m lucky that we get mangoes for sale at grocery stores here. I don’t buy them often but when I do, I feel extra super-Goan. I know how to cut them, how to eat them around the seed and make a whole mess of my clothes doing so. Every time I do, I feel like I never left home. Sometimes it’s okay not to buy local, I think. You just have to trust yourself.

Sunchoke mango soup

Notes

My way of picking the best mango for this soup is to look for one that almost yellow but that still has some green on the skin. If you press it, it should be hard but not so hard that you can’t cut through it. Almost ripe mangoes have that sweetness but are still somewhat sour, giving your food that perfect sweet-sour balance.
This was my first time cooking with sunchokes, also known as Jerusalem artichokes. They are hard to peel but all the best foods are! If you aren’t using them immediately once you peel and prep them, place them in a bowl of cold water to prevent discoloration. If you aren’t planning on peeling them, scrub the mud off them and use the same way. The peel might make your soup look a little different but it shouldn’t affect the taste.
My food processor is teeny tiny so I needed to puree the soup in 2 batches. This meant nothing except I had to divide the cream into 1/4 amounts while blending.
My 2-part ingredients list has a part just for something we call “tadka” or tempering. Here is NPR’s explanation of it. You will need to use oils that can withstand high temperatures. I used bacon fat because it was just sitting there in a pan across from me all morning. I’m crazy. You do you.
This soup can be served warm or cold. If you’re going to eat it as a cold soup, make the tadka just before you serve it up. It cannot be made in advance. The best part is, it takes less than a minute once you have all your ingredients in front of you.

Ingredients

2 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced
3 stalks spring garlic, cut in rounds (or you can use 2 cloves garlic)
2 cups sunchokes, peeled and chopped evenly in 1/4 inch pieces
1 cup almost-ripe mango, skin removed and diced
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream or coconut milk (optional)
Pea sprouts, to garnish

For the tadka

2 tbsp bacon fat or coconut oil or ghee
2 tsp black mustard seeds
4-5 dried red chillies (I used chile de arbol)

Place a soup pot on medium-high heat. Once the pot heats up evenly, add 2 tbsp of oil to it. Wait for a minute and add the onion and spring garlic to the oil. Give them a light stir every now and then until they soften a bit. Next add the sunchokes and give it a big stir so that it’s well coated with the oil and onion-garlic flavours. Let it cook for just a minute and then add the diced mango. Stir to combine and let it all cook for 2 minutes. Add the chilli powder and ground turmeric, mix it all together and breathe. It’s going to taste amazing. Add the vegetable or chicken stock into the soup pot and bring to a simmer on the same medium-high heat. Once the stock starts to simmer, turn down the heat to a slow simmer. Place a lid on top of the pot, leaving a slit open for steam to escape. Let the soup cook for about 20 minutes, until the sunchokes are just tender. Once that happens, take the pot off the stove and let it cool slightly before blending.

Pour half the contents of the soup pot into a high speed blender or food processor. Add the cream or coconut milk if using (it tastes good with either or neither) and blend until it turns to a smooth puree. Once you’ve pureed all the soup, add it back to the and add salt to taste. Let the soup warm up.

While the soup is doing its thing, place a pan on medium high heat. Have all your other ingredients for the tadka ready because you’ll be adding them in quick succession. To the pan, add 2 tbsp of bacon fat or coconut oil or ghee depending on what you’re using and let it heat until it starts to almost smoke. Quickly add the mustard seeds. They should start to pop immediately. Wait 5 seconds and then add the dried red chillies. Stir constantly and fast, being very careful (hot oil/popping mustard…all fun stuff) for about 10 seconds more and then take the pan off the heat. Spoon the tadka – oil and everything – on top of the soup. Mix it all into the soup, garnish with pea sprouts.

YEAH YEAH YEAH.

August 5, 2013 by Edlyn

I’ve been trying to think of a perfect introduction for what I’m about to write. I thought about it all morning in between cleaning the bathroom (I’m so glad we just have one) and singing “This. Girl. is on FAI-YUHHH” (this girl is on fiii-err-errr-err). I head that song a lot of times last week and that’s it. It’s stuck in my brain. Anytime I feel like I need a nudge, I turn it back on. And it plays and I can do it all.

That’s the introduction then. Without me having to try too hard, I got it. Should I sing the song again?

The whole of last week I chose to volunteer my time as one of the documentation crew at the Rain City Rock Camp for Girls (RCRC). It’s a whole week’s worth of dance parties, intensive musical teaching and learning (considering their ages, of course), sisterhood and so many girls who rock that it makes your heart explode. At the beginning of the week, I knew I was not the best photographer to do all of this justice. I couldn’t help but think how much bigger this was that me. These girls were about to shed their inhibitions, break out of their shells and all those other metaphors that mean they were going to be awesome.

I know I’m not very technical when it comes to photography. I struggle a lot to get what I see through the lens on film. It’s very difficult for my mind to process things with numbers in them. I’ve asked for help, but whenever people start talking ISO, f-stop stuff my brain turns off. “Too many numbers,” it says, “I’m going to sleep.” Okay brain. Don’t let me stop you. I made (and still use) visual cues to understand the (somewhat) important things instead. It gets me by. I remember I had a photography class in my second year of college. It was one of the classes I was most looking forward to. I didn’t know why but it seemed easier than studying and barely passing economics, which they made us all take in year 1. BLEAHH, because remember the number thing I just spoke about? The photography teacher David DeSouza spent probably 1 class in the whole semester explaining ISO and appertureshutter (as he called it, to help us understand). I remember some of my friends complaining about that. Even though I sort of agreed with them, sitting right here right now, I’m entirely grateful. He introduced us to some of the greatest photographers, the most beautifully made photographs and even helped our class (along with two other colleges he taught at) to put together our first photography exhibition. He also appreciated my photo assignment (cat photos, of course) in front of my peers. I didn’t make it to that class, but I felt special all the same. He made me love photography.

Many years later, I still don’t completely fit in with the people that geek out on photography. Long hair, don’t care, I joined a photography club in Seattle and I go to the meetings with them anyway. I have no idea what they talk about most of the time but just hanging around their brains makes me feel like a creative genius. It also introduced my to my friend Lisa Y. Mendez, a supremely talented girrrrl artist/zine queen, who moved to San Diego last year. No longer in Seattle (boo!), she introduced me to RCRC. She sent me a “request” on behalf of the camp asking if I would volunteer as much time as I could for them. Er, YES. I said YES a million times in my mind even though I replied to her saying something like “I’m an okay photographer….are you crazy?”

I did it last week and even though I hid behind the camera most of the time, it was the most rewarding experience I’ve had in a while. I got to watch the girls turn into rockstars in five short days, watch (some of) their band coaches and counsellors go from exasperated to excited to proud. I also got to see transformations happen right before my eyes. I think I transformed too. It’s hard not to when people all around are telling you that you rock. That was the safest space I’ve ever been in since I moved here. My self-esteem went bungee jumping, sky diving and did headstands all around town just by watching it happen.

All those women and girls ROCK. I got to work with the best videographer/woman Mandy, the best photographers/ women Marj and Sieglinde. I got to see the most amazing girl guitarists, drummer, vocalists and percussionists in the world. I worked the life out of me to get visual representation of the magic that was happening that week. My photographs were awesome.

AGAIN.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZw2CB_Ir_w&w=560&h=315]

“The person I am in the company of my sisters has been entirely different from the person I am in the company of other people. Fearless, powerful, surprising, moved as I otherwise am only when I write.”

Franz Kafka, Diaries of Franz Kafka