It's freezing in Starbucks #2

I'm almost ready to start a service, where I track Starbucks locations that are colder than shit.  I've written letters, and still nothing is getting better.

Today, I was actually in two Starbucks locations.  A nice warm and toasty one in Duarte, where I was so very comfortable (where I also picked up a nice selection of treats and drinks for my client meeting).

...and then there's this one here:  The cold one.  For those of you who left your jackets at home (as it's Spring in So Cal), don't come here.  It's in Santa Monica (2461 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90404).  It's freezing, and people are going out to their cars to get jackets, what I'm about to do after I hit "submit."

I did ask them to make it warmer, and they say the thermostat is broken, which leaves them the choices of off (too hot) or on (too cold).  "They've made their choice," he types with shivering fingers.

Before you think I'm just a complainer and not cutting them slack on a broken system, I'll share that I was here last Tuesday and it was equally cold and broken. The crew that day were happy to turn it off for a while and let us all warm up.

It's more than just a broken A/C, it's a problem systemic with Starbucks in Southern California.  I don't know about anywhere else.

What does this mean to Starbucks?  I'm no businessman, but at the very least:

• Lost sales - people come in and turn right around and leave (Yes, it's THAT cold)
• Lost sales - people don't come back
• Lost $ - A/C costs money, and keeping it 65-68 degrees and constantly blowing isn't free

What does this mean to the world?  I'm not an environmentalist, but at the very least:

• Energy Wasted - A/C uses electricity
• Wasted Fuel - Electricity uses fuel 
• Pollution - Fuel burnt causes pollution of one sort or another
• I'm sure there's more, like we're killing little animals in rainforests that soon won't exist, etc.

Beef Bulgogi Recipe

Good food is surprisingly easy to make if you don't sweat it and just make food that's tasty.  Let other people worry about authenticity and pure ingredients.  One of the best gumbos I've ever had was made with canned tomato and tomato paste, frozen okra, garlic salt, and precooked shrimp.  I'm not saying that I don't prefer to use fresh when possible, but if it tastes great, I'm going to eat it.

So, now that my"disclaimer" is out of the way, take a look at my beef bulgogi recipe, complete with no rice or noodles, and wrapped in lettuce or cabbage leaves.  I don't know how authentic this is or isn't but I loved it enough to make twice in just a few days.

Beef Bulgogi

Serves 2

Ingredients

1/2 lb top sirloin steak
3 green onions
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ginger powder
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsps coconut oil, divided
1/2 red bell pepper
4 oz button mushrooms
4 oz bean sprouts
Optional -- 2 tsp sugar or the equivalent (like 1 packet Splenda or other artificial sweetener)
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
4 large cabbage or iceberg lettuce leaves


Directions

Slice the top sirloin steak against the grain into very thin and bite sized pieces.  Trim the green onions and slice once lengthwise, then slice across into bite sized pieces. Place the meat and green onion in a bowl, and stir in the garlic powder, dried ginger powder, and soy sauce.  Stir to coat and set aside for 20-30 minutes.

Marinating Beef and Green Onions

Clean and slice the bell peppers and mushrooms into thin and bite sized pieces.

Veggies, ready to go

Heat 1 tsp coconut oil in a skillet or wok.  Add the mushrooms and cook through.  Remove to a bowl.  Add the bell peppers and cook until crisp tender.  Remove to the mushroom bowl.

Add the additional tsp oil to the skillet.  When the oil is hot, using a slotted spoon to leave most of the sauce behind, add the meat and green onions to the pan.  Cook until the meat is browned (don't overcook), then add the remaining marinade and the bean sprouts.  If using sweetener, add it now.  Stir to cook, making sure the marinade is bubbling hot.  When the bean sprouts are hot and crisp tender, add the bell pepper, mushrooms, and cilantro, tossing to mix well.

Serve in lettuce or cabbage leaves.  If using cabbage leaves, you may like to steam them briefly to soften them up a bit.  Don't tell my anti-microwave girlfriend, but 1 minute of nuking softens them up, nicely.  Not that I've tried it.

The Gallery of Unusual Fruit #3

Again with the frisky persimmon.

 The obvious mate to the last persimmon.

 Friends... 

just friends, sadly thought the lemon, realizing that he may have missed his chance.  He's all alone in the bowl now.

Green Curry Shrimp

Never having made green curry before, this was a "wing it" recipe.  I looked up a few green curry recipes, then looked through the fridge and freezer to see what I was able to cross reference.  Not authentic, in the sense that it's probably not as nuanced as one would make it for a restaurant, but I'll bet it's fairly authentic in the sense that, often, people are making curry with the ingredients "on hand."

Green Curry Shrimp

Makes 4 servings

1 lb shrimp
1 red bell pepper
1 tbsp coconut oil , divided
3 ripe, green poblano chilis (or Anaheim, New Mexico, etc.)
1 inch of ginger
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1 small lime
8 tbsp coconut cream or 1/2 cup coconut milk
1 can water chestnuts, drained
salt to taste
bean sprouts (for garnish)

If your shrimp have peels, then peel them, but don't throw away the shells.  Set the aside the shrimp.

Peel and chop the red bell pepper.

Heat a covered saucepan over medium high heat.  Add half the coconut oil, swirling to coat the bottom of the pan. Cook the bell pepper until tender, then transfer to a bowl.  Add the other half of the coconut oil and swirl.  Add the shrimp shells and stir fry them until they are pink and smelling very fragrant (2-3 minutes).  Add a cup of water, and cover the pan, allowing the shrimp to simmer for a 5-10 minutes.  Strain the broth and set aside.

Stem, seed, and roughly chop the green chilis.  Put it in a blender.

Peeled and slice the ginger into disks.  Add it to the blender.

Chop the cilantro and add it to the blender, too.

Zest the lime and then into the blender (the zest, not the lime).

Add the shrimp broth or a cup of water to the blender, and puree until smooth.  Add more water, if necessary, scraping down the sides periodically.  Strain the chili puree through a colander or wire sifter to filter out the larger pieces that are left.

Pour the chili puree into the saucepan, along with the coconut cream.  Bring to a simmer and salt to taste. Add the raw shrimp and allow to simmer until the shrimp are pink and cooked.  Add the bell pepper and water chestnuts, heating through.  Juice the lime, stirring in 2 tablespoons of the juice.  Again, salt to taste.

Serve over rice, or if you're the paleo-but-with-a-blender type, eat it like soup.  Garnish with some of those bean sprouts -- unless you're so paleo that you can't envision having found a patch of mung beans sprouting and looking delicious, and calling to you to eat your fill.  In which case, garnish with more cilantro.

Eat up, this is really healthy!