Happy Birthday Aung San Suu Kyi

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Today is the Nobel Peace Prize winning, democratically elected leader of Burma's (Myanmar) birthday. She will be spending it in Insein prison.

Other then signing petitions, going to actions and giving money there seems to be very little more I can do. Any of us can do.

It's so frustrating and heart breaking to sit here in my Manhattan apartment so helpless to affect change. So angry at our own leaders for their inaction.

The reality is that China wields tremendous power over Burma and works hand in hand with he military Junta that rules the country. And China doesn't care.

It's interesting to note that when you look at the history of SE Asia, a region that has come to mean a great deal to me over the years having traveled their so extensively, that it was China that supplied the Khmer Rouge with guns.

The Khmer Rouge enlsaved it's own people and forced them to work day and night, literally starving them to death to grow rice, so they could in turn use it to sell to China in exchange for weapons. Which in turn were used by the Khmer Rouge to enable them to control and kill 1.7 million Cambodians. Of course not all of them were shot, bullets were expensive, so other means, like starvation, where utilized.

When the Vietnamese liberated Phenom Penh Cambodia was in the midst of one of the worst famines of our time. They say the city was without bird song because even the smallest sparrow had been eaten.

Funny how all these years later we see a similar situation in Burma: a cruel and insane military leadership selling it's soul to China for weapons, while stealing children away from their families to fill the ranks of a military of child solders who are brainwashed to do what ever the despots require; like killing monks. Causing harm to a monk is something so unheard of in this part of the world as to seem absurd by its very suggestion. Yet, tragically that is what is happening as is so incredibly documented in Burma VJ. A country sunk deep into isolated despair and madness.

I ask you to spend a moment today to raise a glass and think about Aung San Suu Kyi, the plight of the people of Burma, to wish her a happy birthday and let her know the world has not forgotten her.

Burma VJ part two

My friend Debbie and I saw this last week at Film Forum, I posted the trailer here a while back and made mention of it in passing in my no bake strawberry rhubarb post, but felt the need to mention it one more time before Friday when it closes.

Even if you aren't so interested in the politics of Burma and it's history, it's just so fascinating to watch a movie made up of footage taken on cheap video cams stuck in someones arm pit so that the authorities won't see them doing it.

It's a tremendous testament to the resourcefulness of the Burmese people that after all these years of living in one of the most evil and repressive regimes on the planet, a people who have uniformly rejected the idea of an armed resistance, that they choose to fight this battle with the truth, as videoed by a band of brave freedom fighters.

Take lots of recycled tissues and a friend, don't miss this important and gripping documentary.

No Bake Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

Rhubarb and strawberries have been sitting in my fridge since Friday so when I got home last night from seeing Burma VJ (run don't walk to see this devastating documentary on life in Burma) I knew I had to motivate and do something with them.

When I was a little boy spending summers at my grandparent's house, there was a big empty, overgrown lot at the end of the street where Rhubarb grew wild. I'd harvest a bunch, bring it home and sit at the stainless steel trimmed Arborite dining table with a bowl of sugar, lick the end of a stalk, stick it into the sugar and then bite it off. My other favorite item was stewed rhubarb. My grandfather was British and I was so happy to see when I went to my first Pret in London that they sold stewed rhubarb and yogurt cups.

So last night in thinking about what to make with my wilted, refrigerated, tarnished strawberries and rhubarb I came up with this idea.

No Bake Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

Trim 2 pounds of rhubarb and roughly cut into 2" chunks, place in a sieve and rinse. Place in a heavy bottomed pan.

Add 1 cup of sugar to the rhubarb, mix to incorporate. Place on medium heat. Stirring occasional as the rhubarb mixture starts to give off water and the rhubarb breaks down.

Stem, clean then halve or quarter about 2 cups of strawberries.

When the rhubarb mixture has softened and the chunks of rhubarb can be mashed easily add the strawberries and cook for another 5 minutes or less. It depends on how "sweet" you want you strawberries, I like them cooked but still with some shape.

This will give you a sore sweet "stew" that can be served in any number of ways.

You can top it with your favorite granola, or make an easy crumble topping, using 4 T melted butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup rolled oats and and maybe some cinnamon and a pinch of salt.

It can be placed over top vanilla ice cream, or topped with sweetened (or not) whipped cream. You can pour it over strained or Greek yogurt and drizzled with additional honey.

Or you can just keep it in a container in the fridge and eat it directly from the container in the middle of the night with a spoon!

Knock yourself out and let me know what you come up with.

BURMA VJ Trailer

Dolphin Steak Anyone?

It's rare there are three documentary films that I have seen that are all nominated for an Oscar, my personal favorite was Burma VJ, but Food Inc and the winner The Cove were equally as compelling and all three have important stories to tell that we all need to hear.

I've posted all of these trailers on here before, but here they are again. The makers of The Cove are using their win last night to help heighten the pressure on the Japanese government to stop the horrific practices of killing dolphins for mercury tainted meat or to sell them to marine amusement parks. Check out their site for more details on how you can help.






And the winner is: