Flashback: Family Woes!

The 14th day of February never really meant that much to me. With retailers’ ploys to grab at your hard-earned cash to be spent on lots of wasted paper and cheap chocolates; I never understood why a special day had to be set aside for those shenanigans. But I remember that one year I got something incredibly special as a Valentine’s Day present. Gifted to me by my awesome Father during a time when I was still a student and without the means to buy games for myself. It was presented to me unwrapped, and behind the red paper cut out heart that read “ To My Little One, Happy Valentine’s Day - Love Daddy” was a menacing, half-eaten zombie face. Indeed, my father with his amazing sense of humour had gifted me a bloody Valentine of Resident Evil 2.

Let's Recap: Pork + Birthday = Tasty Love

What better way to celebrate a Birthday than with pork? (Answers to Rhetorical question need not apply).

It's true that Momma HOchie loves us.  However, I am beginning to suspect that she may love Papa HOchie the most and why shouldn't she?

Well...I mean, he did deny her rum cake at the airport in Trinidad that one time... perhaps she forgot that little incident but who am I to remind her? Especially when I would not have wanted to deny myself a participation in the awesome time meal that she prepared for him for his Birthday on Thursday last.

When we got home, we were greeted by Chinese style West Indian food of the epic variety.

Roast belly pork? Yes, please.

Happy Birthday, Momma HOchie!

Today is Momma HOchie's birthday and she turns 06 today.  The day after Momma HOchie's birthday, is not her birthday.

If I were to go off to work today as I intend, she might not be too pleased with me.  But if Dad has his way, buying that new 55 inch 1080p LED television may just soften the blow.

She also wants flowers and wine.  One of those things I did not get.

I fear for my life, but I'm hoping the alcohol might make her forget the misstep.

Happy Birthday, Momma from all your chirrens - your miserable first three, all the miserable sons and daughter we acquired for you along the way, and your miserable five plus one grandchildren.

Thank you for everything you have given us and continue to give.

Shubh Divali!

Shubh Divali to all this day.

Are you all lighting your deyas? Laughing with friends? Praying with family? Eating the good eats?

The HOchieS could not find our deya unfortunately.  It's either broken and long been thrown out or in a closet feeling sorry for itself.  I for one feel sorry for myself.

But do not despair!

Momma HOchie made us some Divali eats today.

There was curried mango, pumpkin, curried channa and aloo, and paratha.  And pictures to mark the occasion!

yummy curried mango.  Not the right type of mango to make curried mango but still ...

Ruining Christmas

How old was I when I ruined Christmas?

I must have been pretty young when I was gifted that doll.

I crept my way to the presents lying all pretty under the Christmas tree, and tried to unsuccessfully garner a peak inside at this rectangular box that captured my eye.

Back then my secret planning and clever trickery skills were not developed, and fumbled my chance at a clean escape.

I ripped the wrapping paper - a long strip of it actually, right on the front of the box.

"What is it? So what did you get?", a stern familiar voice called.

"I don't know...?" I replied.

"You don't know and the big dolly eye watching you?" was the retort from Momma HO.

I reminded her of this story this past week and she told me that she should have slapped me for opening the present.

"Wait," I said, "you would smack me for opening the present...."
"Yes! You ruined the surprise for Christmas morning!"
"...but you wouldn't smack me for lying?"
"Oh...uh, Yes! For lying!"
"Seriously, Lady! Where are your priorities?!"

Hilarious.

Also! Happy (Yesterday) Birtday, Momma Ho! I wonder if your sons remembered your birthday...hrrm? TD5, Frass, and MC?!?!?!

"One Ha' Penny, Two Ha' Penny"

Hot Cross Buns

The days of Momma HOchie's waking at 4 a.m. on Good Friday to bake us up a fresh batch of hot cross buns were over even before we became recovering Catholics.  Rightly so, I may add.  That woman slaved enough for us when we were kids, and still does daily.

Tonight (Thursday night), she surprised me.

Even before I got into the house, I could smell something wonderful.  

I was greeted by those beauties and even though it's Holy Thursday today, it does not matter.

What matters is that Momma HO is funny and the best...even if I did have to hear her hateful, taunting rendition of "Hot Cross Buns" before work and periodically throughout the day.

I should have known she was up to something but I really did not expect all this.

"They're heavy," she says but I think they're just heavy on love.

Happy Birthday!!!!!!

Bad kids that we are, although in my defense, I was really busy that day, we forgot to wish Momma HO Happy Birthday on the blog on the 20th.  So, Happy Belated Birthday! You got presents so stop being ungrateful!

Today is the 26th, and there are wishes to spread around!

Birthday wishes to TD5, who is here with us again for Thanksgiving (and always should be, as I have stressed before)! We hope you really enjoyed South Pacific.

Birthday wishes to Bughie J.! What did Wimplebee get you? I'm sure it was not blubber-related.  Where would he get such a thing?

Surprises

Momma HOchie is the best.

Today, H1 and I came home and were greeted with a pot of...

salt-fish and okra rice.

O.
M.
G.

We have not seen the likes of that in the HOchie household in maybe 10 years.

How could we forget such damned greatness?!

And how could X not try to put THIS into her mouth?!





Currently listening to: "MK Ultra" by MUSE.

Midtown Monday: Part I

"A Case of the Mondays"? Hardly.

It may come as a surprise to most but I'm actually a fan of Mondays.

Due to the fact that my brain is still in weekend mode, I don't really process that I'm at work until Tuesday.

My brain's some the times amazing.

So, already having an okay Monday is always made better by a shady pale yellow truck, shady (no need to insert yellow - or golden as Beetchie would say) Asians, and Taiwanese fried chicken with SPECIAL SECRET pork sauce over rice with Chinese mustard greens.

Yeah, you read right.

A new street eats truck called NYC Cravings has been making its way around the city, delivering two things: dumplings of the pork or veggie variety, and the above mentioned yummy fried chicken goodness.

Always eager to try new truck food and have a potential misadventure (you never know until you try!), H1, Alex and I trekked over to 46th & 6th when we were alerted via the midtownlunch blog, to guinea pig some fried chicken.



Unfortunately, you can't really make out the pale yellow from this picture thanks to my camera phone but it's an unmarked van that looks irregular. You can figure out which truck it is.



Oh Lork! I ate from a guy whose hand was THAT close to his nose?! Ahahaha, oh it's only a jest. It was clean. Today is Thursday and I was no where near ill and that scratching of the face was the shyness of a cutie Asian who didn't really want me to take his picture.



See? There's the cutie Asian! The girl who was helping him did not want to be in the picture and ran away but she was a cutie too.

They were anything but shady to tell you the truth (I mean special, secret pork sauce is kind of shady in itself but damned tasty) and were in fact, quite the friendly, sweetie types. It's always refreshing to meet nice Asians. Goodness knows I don't know any of those...Right, Beetchie? Ha.

Their unshady status could all change if we find out for sure if our fears are true - and that is that they may be Bingies. For now, we're going to pretend we didn't stumble upon that potentially true information.

Next Monday we're going back and bringing friends for more good times of crispy chicken, hopefully we'll be able to sample the pork dumplings this time since they only had effin' veggie dumplings, and a little chocolate fortune cookie that did not insult me.

The picture's not going to do it any justice to the meal but I'll post it anyway.



All of this just reminds us that Momma HO used to make the most awesome of Chinese style fried chicken times that we've not eaten in years.

We're working on trying to convince her that she should do that for us soon and so far it isn't working.

Curse you, Momma HO!

Yum, Roti

A couple of weeks ago, Momma HOchie made her own dahl pourri! It was incredible and incredibly good!

From this -





To That -





To Eat With The Good Stuff -



Currently listening to: "I Wanna Be" by Stance Punks, from the Soul Eater Original Soundtrack.

Happy Birthday, Momma Ho!

Happy Birthday to the Lady, who feeds us great food and takes care of us even if now she only cares about her grandchirren. I keed.

Thanks for everything, Momma Ho!