At the table with Corina

Today I am sitting at the table with my friend Corina from Amsterdam. We are getting up to speed, while enjoying an Asian lunch on a rainy (Dutch) afternoon in L.A. She is here to visit friends and to get inspired. This time it is for a DJ-course and for getting new indeas for her ‘vintage clothing & purse home sales parties.’ Her passion is travelling. “Taking the time to travel for 2 months. New experiences, ideas, discovering new restaurants, getting inspiration for my project ‘My Own Little World Magazine.’ Corina is a Jacklyn of all trades and full of ideas.

Corina is a very talented photographer, artist and author. Just recently she won a price in a digital photo competition made with a mobile phone. Her work was picked by the jury for the light and composition. Her work shows she got an exceptional eye for art and fashion, which has all to do with taste. Not surprisingly the subject turns to cooking and eating.

“I love to eat with my friends. We often cook together. That is also a big passion that I share with my friends: food and eating together! Everyone brings something small to eat with special attention to presentation! When there is time left we watch a dvd from art-house movies from Japan or Korea.” she adds and takes another bite of the delicious ice cream.

As a child of two cultures (mother from Holland and father from Indonesia; Moluccan Islands, the Spice Islands to be exact) she was raised with potatoes and rice. “I remember my grandmother from dad’s side serving yellow rice (Nasi Kuning), Sambal Goreng Ketan, Atjar. Also chicken soup with rice. I often saw my Oma eat with her hands. I also like Pisang Goreng and I know how to make Wadjik – rice cake with palmsugar (recipe is in the book Cooking With Keasberry)

“My Dutch Opa and Oma served ‘stampot zuurkool with worst and spek’ . Delicious old fashioned beans with sausage like only Oma could make. There was always something to eat and drink at home, a form of hospitality.”

“I feel that people don’t eat healthy. They seem to think that cooking at home is difficult and takes too much time. That is not true! It is good for body and mind. No time is no excuse. You can also cook for two days. I have some easy recipes (please do share Corina!) for pasta or rice dishes with ground beef and vegetables. I put it in the freezer for a third meal. I don’t like diets with powders. They don’t taste good. I think one should eat less than normal. Have a soup to start with, drink lots of water or eat some peanuts, instead of over eating. All in moderation and use fresh and healthy ingredients. Also, exercise 1/2 hour per day.”

Advice from Corina: “Dutch-Indies Cuisine can be fairly simple. Make sure you have some basic spices at home: djinten, ketoembar, ketjap, seasalt, gingerroot. Rice and some fried shalots. Fresh garlic and onions. Sometimes you can make a simple meal with rice and corned beef and raw cucumber. Oh, don’t forget the sambal! Also, if you are conscious about healthy food and living, then the quality of your life will improve. More energy and you feel better and radiate that.

OK Corina, when are you going to cook for us? Thanks for an animated conversation!

©2010 Jeff Keasberry