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Norman gives his first talk on the Sandokai at the Loon Lake Sesshin 2013. This is the second talk of the Sesshin.
Sandokai 1 – Loon Lake Sesshin 2013
By Zoketsu Norman Fischer | Nov 12, 2013
Transcribed and edited by Barbara Byrum and Cynthia Schrager
Yesterday we were talking about solitude, aloneness, togetherness, belonging, and all the different combinations and permutations between them. When you talk, you realize words are so funny. They sometimes mean one thing, and sometimes they mean another thing. We could say "alone," and it could sound like something terrible, something really lonesome. Or, it could be something really wonderful and full of possibility. By aloneness we could mean "fullness, completion." Aloneness could mean "oneness, unity." It could be the same as enlightenment, fulfillment of the path. Aloneness could be the Buddha sitting under the Bodhi tree – happy.
But then we were saying yesterday that is just one side of it, one part of it, because aloneness is always togetherness. There is no way that anything or anyone could actually be alone and isolated. That's what the Buddha was trying to get at when he was talking about no self, or non-self. When he was talking about emptiness, that's what he was getting at. He was trying to say to us that nothing and no-one can ever be cut off and alone. Everything always depends on everything else. As soon as one thing appears, everything is already there. So if we want to say that aloneness is the absolute, the oneness, the complete, then we could say togetherness is the diversity, the bounty, the particularity of all the intricate parts of this immense world that supports and expresses that completeness.
This is the main point about our practice. It is the main fact of our zazen. We always say that zazen isn't exactly meditation. I am always so impressed with my friends in Vipassana groups or Tibetan groups that have meditation and all kinds of things to do. It is so wonderful and impressive. But we don't do that. We aren't practicing meditation exactly. We are not employing technique, because we aren't really trying to do something. Yes, we are encouraged to count our breath or stay with every breath. Yes, we do that. Yes, we try to sit up straight, in this noble posture, breathing evenly through the nose, quietly letting whatever comes go – every thought, every sensation, letting it come, letting it go.
So we do all that, but we don't understand that as technique. We are just trying to be alive here. Just trying to be present with this life. We're not trying to get it right. We are not trying to produce a particular, pre-ordained result. We're just doing it. That's all. To let go of thought and sensation does not mean repression or struggle. What it does mean is to allow everything; to welcome everything. To welcome something, to really welcome it freely, actually means to let it go, because that is what everything does. Everything comes and goes.
So if you really and truly say yes to something, what you are really saying is, Thank you very much, and I understand that you will soon disappear. In fact, I understand that you are disappearing even now. Thank you very much. That's what it means to really and truly say yes to something. If you are saying, Yes, I want you to be what I want you to be, that is not a real yes, is it? A real yes is recognizing, Thank you very much. I understand you are already disappearing.
When we practice zazen, we are not making an effort to control our mind. We are just welcoming everything. We are just saying yes, yes, yes to everything that comes, even if they are things that we don't like if they're there. Yes, thank you very much. And then, because we are really welcoming it, and because we really are saying yes to it, because we really are accepting it as it really is, it goes away. And then something else comes. If once in awhile it happens that there is nothing much coming or going, just a quiet and profound peace, just presence, and nothing else, that's wonderful. And we welcome that, and that means we let it go. Then something else happens.
You know, every moment of our lives, we have already been practicing this. We've been doing this all along. We've been letting go of every moment of our lives all along, so that the next moment could come. How else could we have gotten to this moment, if we had not been willing to let the last moment go? So we do this, anyway. This is life, anyway. The only difference is that when we practice zazen, then we really do it. We really, really do it. We do it fully, and we do it beautifully, even when it's hard. We don't pretend that there is any other way.
So this way of living is the secret of our practice. It is the main way of understanding of Soto Zen. It is the treasure of our house. It's what Dogen transmitted through the generations to Suzuki Roshi, and Suzuki Roshi transmitted it to my teacher, and to all of us. That is the way to appreciate everything, not just the enlightened things, but everything. And to love everything just as it is. It is an immense thing to be able to love ourselves as we are, not as we should be, not as we would like to be, but as we actually are. And to love others too, not as they should be or as we'd like them to be, but as they actually are, with all of their painful behaviors and all of their confusion and misery.
For our way of practice, enlightenment seems too one-sided. It seems too special and too limited. The one thing that is not limited is just being our own life as it truly is, and we don't even know what that is! We'll never understand that. We'll never appreciate it, because it is too unlimited for our minds, but the beauty is that when we practice zazen, we touch this unlimited reality with our whole body.
There is a text in our sutra book called Sandokai. The teaching of the Sandokai is what I am talking about here – The Harmony of Difference and Equality. I think about this teaching all the time. It is the essence of our way of practice. It is so marvelous to me, because it is so human.I will read you this translation in Shohaku Okumura's book Living by Vow:
The mind of the great sage of India
Is intimately communicated between east and west.
People's faculties may be keen or dull,
But in the path there are no "southern" or "northern" ancestors.
The spiritual source shines clearly in the light;
The branching streams flow in the darkness.
Grasping at things is basically delusion;
Merging with principle is still not enlightenment.
Each sense and every field
Interact and do not interact;
When interacting, they also merge –
Otherwise, they remain in their own states.
Forms are basically different in material and appearance,
Sounds are fundamentally different in pleasant or harsh quality.
"Darkness" is a word for merging upper and lower;
"Light" is an expression for distinguishing pure and defiled.
The four gross elements return to their own natures
Like a baby taking to its mother;
Fire heats, wind moves,
Water wets, earth is solid.
Eye and form, ear and sound;
Nose and smell, tongue and taste –
Thus in all things
The leaves spread from the root;
The whole process must return to the source;
"Noble" and "base" are only manners of speaking.
Right in light there is darkness, but don't confront it as darkness;
Right in darkness, there is light, but don't see it as light.
Light and dark are relative to one another
Like forward and backward steps.
All things have their function –
It is a matter of use in the appropriate situation.
Phenomena exist like box and cover joining;
Principle accords like arrow points meeting.
Hearing the words, you should understand the source;
Don't make up standards on your own.
If you don't understand the path as it meets your eyes,
How can you know the way as you walk?
Progress is not a matter of far or near,
But if you are confused, mountains and rivers block the way.
I humbly say to those who study the mystery,
Don't waste time.
So it begins, "The mind of the great sage of India is intimately communicated between east and west." I was thinking about that line this morning. It's so great to me. It says it all, right there. You could have this one line, and that would be enough. The great sage of India, of course, refers to the Buddha. The mind of the Buddha is intimately communicated. The mind of the Buddha, not the teaching of the Buddha, or the doctrine of the Buddha, or the way of the Buddha's practice, or the way that the Buddha saw life, or the Buddha's words, tradition, or ritual. That's not what is communicated. The Buddha's mind is communicated.
So then we think, We know what words are, what doctrines are, but what is mind? How can you communicate mind? What is that? It's hard to say what mind is. Mind is consciousness? What is consciousness? A non-physical process, non-physical experience, or non-physical reality? We understand consciousness as not physical, but is that really right? So far, no one has seen, experienced, or heard of mind without some physical grounding. In Buddhism, body and consciousness don't fundamentally differ. There is no mind body split in Buddhist thought like there typically is in Western thought.
It's pretty hard to say what mind is. To say what something is, you would have to be not that thing – outside of it: There it is over there. You can't get outside of mind to point to mind. We are mind, so we can't stand outside of mind and say what it is. And we can't even say that there is such a thing. Probably there is no such thing as a mind. Mind isn't anything. Certainly we are not talking about the Buddha's brain, which has long ago turned to dust.
Yet, this is the very beginning of the teaching. This mind – which we don't know what it is or whether there is such a thing – has been intimately communicated. So mind is already a problem and so is the phrase "intimately communicated." It is a kind of oxymoron, because intimacy, as we understand the word in Soto Zen, is exactly the opposite of communication. Intimacy means there is no communication. Literally, since communication involves at least two parties. I am communicating to you, because I have something in my mind that I want to communicate to you. That thing is not in your mind. I say something, I communicate it, and now it is in your mind too. That's what communication means: we transmit across. We convey from one party to another.
Intimacy in Soto Zen means no communication, because there are not two parties. Maybe intimacy is a synonym for what we have been calling aloneness, complete all-inclusiveness. There is really no second party to reach out to. Everything is right here in the meeting of ear and sound, eye and object of sight, presence and presence, face to face. There is just one face in this moment of full presence. No communication is needed.
So to say that "the mind of the great sage of India is intimately communicated" is really saying that we, ourselves, as human beings – conscious, sentient, existing human beings – already share the same mind the Buddha came to appreciate through his efforts in practice realization. Since we already share this mind by being human, it is communicated to us, because it already is our mind, at the deepest, inmost center of our mind, which is already buddha-mind. The mind of the great sage of India is intimately communicated. We don't have to go out to get it. We don't have to see it as something external to ourselves.
Then Shitou, who is the author of the Sandokai, says: "The mind of the great sage of Indiais intimately communicated between east and west." So he adds "east and west." Shitou is Chinese, and Buddha was from India, and Shitou understood that China was in the middle of everything – the middle kingdom. From his point of view, the mind came to the middle from the west. It travelled from the west to the center. The intimate mind that is not communicated is always moving and can't stay still. Just like everything else, it has to move. That's reality.
The mind of the Buddha is not eternal and constant. This mind that you and I are – that we can't grasp and ever know – is not eternal and constant. It isn't an identifiable and fixed something. It is always moving. To put a Buddhist label on it, we would say space and time are empty. The mind of the great sage of India is empty. It's moving. The Buddha moves east to west and west to east, from past to present, and present to past, which means that we are receiving the Buddha's mind from the Buddha, and Buddha is receiving the Buddha's mind from us. That is actually how we understand it in our lineage.
A month or two ago, here in the Mountain Rain community, there was a wonderful Jukai ceremony. I mention this because all of you in the ceremony received a lineage document that traces the path of the mind of the great sage of India, as it has been intimately communicated from India to China to Japan to North America, from the past to the present. This is indicated on the document by the red line that flows through all the buddhas and ancestors to you, from your teachers to you. I don't know if you noticed, but then it flows back from you back to the Buddha. Because you bring Buddha to life in your life, and you re-create the past in the present. The past doesn't stay the same. It changes as the present unfolds.
So we are not trying to practice an old tradition that we are struggling to understand and to get it right. We are also giving life to that tradition. We are creating it. Receiving it and creating it and transmitting it. We don't like to mention this to people who come to practice in the beginning, because it is too much to digest in the beginning, when you are struggling to figure out how to sit for a few minutes without your back killing you, and your life overwhelming you. So we try not to mention this, but the truth is, that's what we are doing here. The dharma is actually yours. It is your joy and your human heritage and also your responsibility. You receive it, because it always moves. That means that it moves in you, but also through you. You are responsible as a human being to preserve it and pass it on, because I need it for my life, and you need it for your life, and human beings need it for our human life together. We need something that is strong and solid and humane and that can honestly face the joys and sorrows of this human life.
One last thing: I haven't said anything about the Japanese title: San do Kai. "San" means difference or diversity. Every unique, phenomenal occurrence in this world – these occurrences are infinite in number. When we say "Sentient beings are numberless," we mean san. "Do" means the opposite: sameness or equality, in the sense of oneness, maybe ultimate reality, emptiness, buddha-nature. So in the way that we have been speaking this sesshin, san is our loneliness, our feeling of separation, our anguish. Do is the opposite; it is our ultimate togetherness, our ultimate belonging, and also we have been using the word like this, our aloneness, as distinguished from loneliness, our aloneness that is full and all-inclusive.
Two opposites: san and do. The kai means promise, agreement, or tally. It reminds me of a handshake. A handshake is one thing that is made up of two things. A handshake is made up of two hands, but also, when we make a contract or agreement, we often shake hands over it. One of the funny things about Chinese Chan is that the ancestors thought that it would be a really good idea to use language of the legal system and of the commercial system as a metaphor to talk about spiritual life. It must have struck them as cute or funny, but also practical and down-to-earth, to use metaphors of commerce. That is why they use the word kai, which is a contract, a business agreement – a business agreement between san and do! Unity and diversity have made a contract together, or a promise to each other.
I've lived long enough to see many, many lives in the dharma. I've seen lots of lives beginning; I've seen lots of lives ending; I've seen lots of journeys begun, progressing, and completed. I am more amazed and impressed than ever by how this life goes. Every life is absolutely unique. As the Sandokai says later on, we have these "designations": somebody is important; somebody is not important; somebody is noble; somebody is base. That's interesting and has its use in society, but a life goes way beyond that. Every life is so immense. Every life has all of life in it. Every life has intentions, known and unknown. Every life has vows, known and unknown. Every life has a destiny that is always, always realized.
Every life – I really feel this – one way or the other, goes through all the stages of a Buddha's life, starting with a miraculous birth, then a time of restlessness born of compassion, then the need to leave home, to awaken, to communicate with others, and to pass away. That's the Buddha's life, and every life lives that life. We will all do all of this. Everyone will, no matter what. We don't need to commit ourselves to spiritual practice in order to do this. We will do it anyway. The only reason why we undertake spiritual practice is to commit ourselves simply, consciously to say, Yes, yes, yes to this whole process that we will undergo anyway. We say yes to all this, and we are willing to share our life with others in love and compassion.
That is what we are doing here. That's why we are sitting here, to understand this not with our mind, not so that we can repeat some teaching or doctrine, but with our whole body and our whole life. To come to a different stance in relation to what we have been given in this lifetime.
[CS1]Here the suggested changes match the text in Shohaku's book.


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Right now we are in the middle of asparagus season and I have certainly been taking advantage of it, picking up several bundles of it each week. Not too long ago I came across the idea of topping a popover with things and I was thinking that an asparagus popover would be a great way to try out the new idea. A popover is a light hollow roll, similar to a yorkshire pudding , that is made with an egg batter that is baked at a high temperature and when it bakes the batter puffs up "popping over" the top of the baking dish. Popovers are normally made in a muffin pan but you can also make them as single large one as I have done here and this allows you to get more toppings on. Since the asparagus seemed kind of lonely on the popover all by itself, I invited double smoked bacon, leeks and cheese as well and turned it into a party!
It turns out that popovers are super easy to make! You pretty much just mix the simple batter, pour it into the hot pan, top it with the toppings and bake it. In under 20 minutes your popover is done and ready to eat! My first attempt at a topped popover, the asparagus and double smoked bacon popover, turned out amazingly well! I really like the light and fluffy texture of the popover and this particular flavour combination of toppings was spectacular! I imagine that this popover would also work well with wild leeks if they were available.
I am definitely taken by the idea of popovers right now! You could top them with pretty much anything and I could easily see them working with sweet toppings as well as savoury and they would work as a breakfast, lunch, dinner or even a snack. I can't wait to experiment with some more popover ideas!
Top the popover with a fried egg to turn it into more of a light meal.
The gratuitous runny yolk shot:
Asparagus and Double Smoked Bacon Popover
Asparagus, double smoked bacon and leeks baked on a puffy popover topped with melted cheese!
- 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 4 slices bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 leek, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 cup milk, warm
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup flour
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup gruyere, shredded
- Bring a pan with 1 inch of water to a boil, add the asparagus and cook until it turns bright green.
- Rinse the asparagus under cold water and pat dry.
- Cook the bacon in a cast iron skillet over medium heat, and set aside on paper towels to drain reserving the grease in the pan.
- Add the leeks to the pan, saute until tender, about 2-4 minutes, set aside and turn off the heat.
- Add the butter to the skillet and let it melt.
- Mix the milk, eggs, flour, salt and pepper and pour it into the pan.
- Sprinkle the asparagus, bacon, leeks and the cheese over the batter in the pan.
- Transfer the pan to a preheated 425F/220C oven and bake until puffed and golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.


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And then, there was this:
wow, you don't understand what your post really did for me today... I am right now in the middle of an adoption plan gone wrong... i have so many emotions going through my mind... Its hard for me to look at her sometimes because I know what I should do, but why can't I do it?! ...just got word the adoptive couple just wants to back out completely... is this a sign? do I keep my baby girl even though if I do I will be sacrificing the lives of all my children... this baby is #3... I would love to have your opinion... please...
Her name is Marie. When I saw her comment, the other day, I stood up from my chair, closed my computer and walked away. I walked into the room where my baby was sleeping, and sat down on the floor with my knees curled up against my chest, my arms wrapped around my legs, my heart pounding. I didn't cry. I was cried out already, from having written that post, from having taken that story that I've been carrying for days and bringing it to life, from having made public my pledge to do this remarkable, difficult thing. To find my brother.
If I wanted to make this story more poetic, I would say this: that I stood up and looked at my baby - my precious baby boy, this boy that I could no more give up than carve out my own heart - and, overwhelmed by my love for him, made my mind up to help Marie at once. But that's not what happened. I stood up, and took extra care to not look at my boy - for fear that I would be reduced to a sodden mess of tears - and went back to my computer. I opened it up and logged on to Twitter and prattled something about could anyone, anyone please go respond to this comment please please I just can't and then I went and ate some cake.
Then I went back to my computer and posted a response to Marie: Please, Marie. E-mail me.
And she did.
I found your blog one day just browsing and you are amazing... It was so ironic to find your story and here I am going through this... I haven't made a decision yet... I haven't even named my baby yet, she's been with me since monday and all I can call her is Beaner, what I called her when she was in my belly... I'm really confused, I don't know what to do..... She's not my only child, this is kinda a big mess...
I started my adoption plan 2 months ago, I told my family... they are not happy.. I live in a shithole little town that sucks the people in and i don't want to be one of them... My family threatened to take my 2 older kids 2&4 away if I placed this baby... I went into labor early, I had her on July 23 and she wasn't due until Sept 3. After my mom drove me to the hospital where I gave birth alone, I got a summons that afternoon stating my parents were granted temp custody of my 2 other kids because I abandoned them...
I picked a family and because of all this drama, they backed out and now I'm left with deciding do I try to get to know another family as fast as I can? Or do I take it as a sign and keep my baby... I'm just afraid of the life I'm destined to have w/ my kids in this shit hole town if I do... If I place her in an open adoption, I can still see her grow and be happy...And then I can move out of shitville with my kids and away from my family....
I don't know...
I'm not the best person to turn to on matters concerning the heart, right now.
I said this:
Oh, Marie.
I wish I knew what to tell you. All I can think is, you haven't said what you *want* - what do you want most? It's so hard to predict or know what the best path is - but what one do you *want* to take? Do you want to keep your beaner? Can you get out of your town with all three kids? Or do you really think - and this might be true - that beaner's best shot at a good life is with another family? SO HARD.
I wish that I could do more to help, other than say things like 'follow your heart'...
It's not necessarily true that her heart will guide her to the best decision. I know that. Maybe the heart should be left out of decisions like this. I know that my mom tried to put her heart aside, or part of it. It was why she didn't hold her own beaner. She was afraid that she would never let him go, and that that would be the wrong thing for him. That it would not be the best thing, that she would get carried away by her own selfishness, that she would give in to the selfish thrum of her heart and keep her boy. Her heart was divided against itself: do what was best for her heart - keep her child - and do what she believed was best for his heart - give him to a family that could give him everything she couldn't.
She did what she believed was best for him. But it broke her heart. The cracks have never gone away. And now here I am, her daughter, her love, suffering for knowing that those cracks existed, that I could never fill them, for the fact that I never knew they were there.
But this isn't about me.
I don't know what to tell you, I told Marie. Can we ask some others for help?
Yes, she said. Please.
my heart wants to keep my beaner but my mind says i cant... i don't think i have asked my self what my heart wants... i need all the advice i can get. this just hurts so much i love all my kids so much and i just want the best for them.
I can't, we can't, tell Marie what to do. We can't know what the best thing is to do, anymore than I can know what the best thing would have been for my mom and for my brother. All we can do is hope and pray that they find - that they have found - some path to happiness.
And we can hold her hand while she finds her way. Please, any words of support you can offer... so many moms never get to have this kind of support. My mom didn't. Offer it to Marie, and to all the moms that do and ever did need it.
To all of you who have been sending links and tips and stories: thank you. I love you. I just do.
And? That thing that I said we were going to do? We're still doing it. Next week, if I can stay on top of everything. Info here.
Labels: adoption, lost boy, william frederick hunter


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President's Planning and Coordinating Committee fonds
- 123
- Fundo
- 1971 - 1976
The fonds consists of minutes, correspondence, contracts, and reports relating to the Planning of the Museum of Man (later Museum of Anthropology). The fonds includes information pertaining to the planning for the new museum, building needs, museum function, and the Functional Program which outlines the results of decisions the committee made.
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Finally, you can paint your first masterpiece with no previous painting skills, our paint by numbers kits provide you with everything you need to start painting, it features real canvases with detailed line art to fill in, you just have to paint the areas on the canvas with it the correspondent number on the paint containers and without knowing it you will create a meaningful present Spiacy Stas Wyspianski Paint By Numbers to offer to your loved ones.
What Does Our Spiacy Stas Wyspianski Paint By Numbers Contain:
- 1x Numbered acrylic paint set (About 24 different colors, depending on the painting).
- 1x Numbered high-quality linen canvas.
- Reference paper and a copy paper of the canvas.
- 1x set of 3 paint brushes (1x small, 1x medium, 1x large).
Why You Should Start Paint By Numbers:
- Perfect Gift: Might be a mother's day or the birthday of a best friend, these adult paint by number are an awesome gift idea.
- For All Ages: This interesting paint by numbers is suitable for anyone who wishes to try their hand at art! They can be kids, teens, adults, and the elderly.
- Relaxing and Joyful: Drawing with Paint By Numbers could be very amusing and joyful. The pleasure of creating a stunning work of art is beyond description. It will help you to relax and decrease stress in your leisure time.
How Paint By Numbers Work:
- Step 1:
Prepare your canvas Paint By Numbers by Laying your acrylic canvas out on a flat surface. Organize your paint and apply base layers.
- Step 2:
- Match the numbers on the reference paper with their corresponding number on the pre-printed canvas, so you can mark the number on the paint container.
- start painting your first masterpiece.
- Step 3: Stand Back and stare proudly at your creation. Feel free to share your masterpiece on social media with your friends.


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Anticoagulants/Corticosteroids Interactions
This information is generalized and not intended as specific medical advice. Consult your healthcare professional before taking or discontinuing any drug or commencing any course of treatment.
Medical warning:
Moderate. These medicines may cause some risk when taken together. Contact your healthcare professional (e.g. doctor or pharmacist) for more information.
How the interaction occurs:
When these medicines are taken together, corticosteroids may change the way your blood clots.
What might happen:
You may experience an increased chance of bleeding, including bleeding from your gums, nosebleeds, unusual bruising, or dark stools. The effect of your anticoagulant may also be decreased, which could increase your chance forming a blood clot.
What you should do about this interaction:
Contact your doctor right away if you have any signs of bleeding, such as bleeding from your gums, nosebleeds, unusual bruising, or dark stools. If your doctor prescribes these medicines together, you may need to have your bleeding times checked more often. If you have any signs of bleeding, such as bleeding from your gums, nosebleeds, unusual bruising, or dark stools, contact your doctor right away.Your healthcare professionals may already be aware of this interaction and may be monitoring you for it. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with them first.
- 1.Cosgriff SW, Diefenbach AF, Vogt W Jr. Hypercoagulability of the blood associated with ACTH and cortisone therapy. American Journal of Medicine 1950 Dec;752-56.
- 2.Ozsoylu S, Strauss HS, Diamond LK. Effects of corticosteroids on coagulation of the blood. Nature 1962 Sept 22;195:1214-15.
- 3.Van Cauwenberge H, Jaques LB. Hemorrhagic effect of ACTH with anticoagulants. Can Med Assoc J 1958 Oct 1;79:536-40.
- 4.Hamblin TJ. Interaction between warfarin and phenformin. Lancet 1971 Dec 11;2(7737):1323.
- 5.O'Connell TX, Aston SJ. Acute adrenal hemorrhage complicating anticoagulant therapy. Surg Gynecol Obstet 1974 Sep;139(3):355-7.
- 6.Hellem AJ, Solem JH. The influence of ACTH on prothrombin-proconvertin values in blood during treatment with dicumarol and phenylindanedione. Acta Medica Scandinavica 1954;150:389-93.
- 7.Sievers J, Johansson BW, Nilsson SE. The corticosteroid treatment of acute myocardial infarction. Cardiologia 1964;45(2):65-76.
- 8.Brozovic M, Gurd LJ. Prothrombin during warfarin treatment. Br J Haematol 1973 May;24(5):579-88.
- 9.Costedoat-Chalumeau N, Amoura Z, Aymard G, Sevin O, Wechsler B, Cacoub P, Du LT, Diquet B, Ankri A, Piette JC. Potentiation of vitamin K antagonists by high-dose intravenous methylprednisolone. Ann Intern Med 2000 Apr 18; 132(8):631-5.
- 10.Stading JA. Effects of prednisone on the International Normalized Ratio. Am J Health Syst Pharm 2006 Dec 1;63(23):2354-6.
- 11.Kaufman M. Treatment of multiple sclerosis with high-dose corticosteroids may prolong the prothrombin time to dangerous levels in patients taking warfarin. Mult Scler 1997 Aug;3(4):248-9.
- 12.Chatterjea JB, Salomon L. Antagonistic effect of ACTH and cortisone on the anticoagulant activity of ethyl biscoumacetate. Br Med J 1954 Oct 2; 2:790-92.
- 13.Menczel J, Dreyfuss F, . Effect of prednisone on blood coagulation time in patients on dicumarol therapy. J Lab & Clin Med 1960 Jul;56(1):14-20.
- 14.Phansalkar S, van der Sijs H, Tucker AD, Desai AA, Bell DS, Teich JM, Middleton B, Bates DW. Drug-drug interactions that should be non-interruptive in order to reduce alert fatigue in electronic health records. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2012 Sep 25.
Selected from data included with permission and copyrighted by First Databank, Inc. This copyrighted material has been downloaded from a licensed data provider and is not for distribution, except as may be authorized by the applicable terms of use.
CONDITIONS OF USE: The information in this database is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgment of healthcare professionals. The information is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, drug interactions or adverse effects, nor should it be construed to indicate that use of a particular drug is safe, appropriate or effective for you or anyone else. A healthcare professional should be consulted before taking any drug, changing any diet or commencing or discontinuing any course of treatment.


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We offer a Free quote and UK design service, get in touch today.
There are many products we can supply to improve literacy development in Early Years for your organisation. Between birth and age 5, children can start learning basic English language skills such as the alphabet and simple phonics. Our company supplies a variety of outdoor equipment and features to encourage this stage of literacy development. Different products including letter floor markings, alphabet play panels and many other games are available for EYFS organisations.
Please contact our team today to discuss prices of these items and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. If you need to stick closest to a specific budget please tell us so we can put together some equipment which will be affordable for you.
Through practise and development with EYFS reading and writing, children should be able to pick up a number of skills. They will typically be able to read and understand simple words and sentences, as well as using phonics to read them aloud. An understanding of about what they have read could be shown in discussions with other people. Literacy is part of the prime areas of learning http://www.eyfsplay.co.uk/learning/prime-areas/ which gives a range of necessary skills that should be taught from a young age.
With regards to writing, children at this level should pick up the skills to write words phonetically to match their sounds. Often they can write basic sentences which others can understand, with some words spelt correctly and others with phonetic spellings. A simple grasp of English language and the ability to understand spoken and written words is key.
Children can take part in a variety of Early Years literacy activities to further their learning of reading and writing skills. Listening to teachers or parents read stories helps young kids to get an understanding of how written words translate into spoken sounds. Story time chairs are commonly used in nursery gardens where a teacher will read a story and the pupils sit around and listen.
Other playground features which promote literacy development in nearby Early Years include alphabet floor markings. These can be used as part of fun games but also help kids to learn all the letters of the alphabet and begin putting them together as simple words. Things like this may be added to improve OFSTED ratings when it comes to outdoor learning facilities.
Get in touch with us today if you'd like some more information on the variety of EYFS playground equipment we could supply. You can select from a number of diverse products which enable active learning outside the classroom. You can also look here - http://www.eyfsplay.co.uk/ to see how educational activities can improve a youngsters learning.
Educational literacy games are great for young children who are developing their education. There are a range of ways in which kids can begin to learn new skills which can include interactive language games http://www.eyfsplay.co.uk/outcomes/language/ and creative activities. As local Early Years specialists we are able to provide you with a number of tools and equipment that can improve your EYFS facility in your surrounding area. Get in touch with us today if you are interested in finding out more information and details regarding the literacy games we have available. Just fill in the enquiry form procided and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Phonics are a key part of literacy, particularly for smaller children who are just beginning to develop these skills. We have a number of products available for EYFS phonics games at nurseries and other facilities. These activities focus on the different sounds made by putting specific letters together. When children get an understanding of this, it makes reading, writing and understanding language much simpler.
Outdoor features which can be used for these activities include colourful markings on the play surface, wall panels, activity boards and many more options. Each of these can be installed in a number of colours and fun designs to grab the kids' attention. By enjoying a variety of games it makes learning much more effective and EYFS children can remember the information that they have learnt.
We would be happy to provide more information on all of the products we can supply for your nursery. Simple complete the enquiry box on this page to let us know what you're looking for and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. There are plenty of options to choose from when improving literacy development in Early Years so be sure to ask if you need anything in particular.


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Mr. Speaker, I am introducing today the Belarus Democracy Act of 2002, which is intended to help promote democratic development, human rights and the rule of law in the Republic of Belarus, as well as encourage the consolidation and strengthening of Belarus' sovereignty and independence. When measured against other European countries, the state of human rights in Belarus is abysmal – it has the worst record of any European state.
Through an illegitimate 1996 referendum, Alexander Lukashenka usurped power, while suppressing the duly-elected legislature and the judiciary. His regime has blatantly and repeatedly violated basic freedoms of speech, expression, assembly, association and religion. The fledgling democratic opposition, non-governmental organizations and independent media have all faced harassment. There are credible allegations of Lukashenka regime involvement in the disappearances – in 1999 and 2000 – of opposition members and a journalist. There is growing evidence that Belarus is a leading supplier of lethal military equipment to rogue states. A draft bill is making its way in the Belarusian legislature that would restrict non-traditional religious groups. Several days ago, on June 24, two leading journalists were sentenced to two and 2 ½ years, respectively, of "restricted freedom" for allegedly slandering the Belarusian President.
Despite efforts by Members of Congress, the Helsinki Commission which I co-chair, the State Department, various American NGOs, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and other European organizations, the regime of Alexander Lukashenka continues its hold onto power with impunity and to the detriment of the Belarusian people.
One of the primary purposes of this bill is to demonstrate U.S. support for those struggling to promote democracy and respect for human rights in Belarus despite the formidable pressures they face from the anti-democratic regime. The bill authorizes increases in assistance for democracy-building activities such as support for non-governmental organizations, independent media – including radio and television broadcasting to Belarus, and international exchanges. The bill also encourages free and fair parliamentary elections, conducted in a manner consistent with international standards – in sharp contrast to recent parliamentary and presidential elections in Belarus which most assuredly did not meet democratic standards. As a result of these elections, Belarus has the distinction of lacking legitimate presidential and parliamentary leadership, which contributes to that country's self-imposed isolation.
In addition, this bill would impose sanctions against the Lukashenka regime, and deny high-ranking officials of the regime entry into the United States. Strategic exports to the Belarusian Government would be prohibited, as well as U.S. Government financing, except for humanitarian goods and agricultural or medical products. The U.S. Executive Directors of the international financial institutions would be encouraged to vote against financial assistance to the Government of Belarus except for loans and assistance that serve humanitarian needs.
The bill would require reports from the President concerning the sale or delivery of weapons or weapons-related technologies from Belarus to rogue states.
Mr. Speaker, finally, it is my hope that this bill will help put an end to the pattern of clear, gross and uncorrected violations of OSCE commitments by the Lukashenka regime and will serve as a catalyst to facilitate Belarus' integration into democratic Europe in which democratic principles and human rights are respected and the rule of law prevails.


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Currently 2.88/512345 Rating: 2.9/5 (Total votes: 572)
Rating: 2.9/5 (Total votes: 572)
See who's online 24/7, send pics, music, voice messages and videos for free.
What's New in This Release: · Friends search · Twitter Improvements · User interface improvements · Certification Error issue resolved
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What's New in 3.0.2: · Introducing Push Notifications for Nokia smartphones via Nimbuzz Ping! Nokia users can finally enjoy a feature that up until now was reserved exclusively to iPhone users. Nimbuzz Ping lets you receive free SMS notifications when Nimbuzz friends are trying to connect with you. With Nimbuzz Ping you will appear online to your friends even if you have Nimbuzz turned off on your mobile phone. We are launching this feature with Telkomsel in Indonesia. · In addition to Push Notifications, the new update comes with a highly requested feature: Ignore Users in Chat-Rooms and a redesigned main menu
What's New in 3.0.1: · Get ready to consume up to 70% less data with the new Nimbuzz 3.0.1 for Nokia Symbian phones. With the new update we have enabled a new way to compress the data packages using zlib encoding. We expect that on average you will consume 50% less data, and depending on how you use Nimbuzz, this could get save you an amazing 70% in data used. Also your login speed will be faster.
New features: · Invisible mode – so you can appear invisible to your Nimbuzz contacts. · Allow chats only from friends – so you won't be bothered by people that are not on your list. · Updated status icons – for Online, Away, Busy and Offline modes.
What's New in 3.0.0: · Customizable tabs: select which tabs you want to see and in what order. · NimbuzzOut call rates are displayed in real time below the number before placing the call. · Recent calls tab: see all your received, missed and outgoing calls. · 2 new chat styles: with avatars and without. · 3 options to view the Contact List. · Sort contacts by status. · My info tab: gives you quick access to your profile, NimbuzzOut credits, accounts, suggested friends and friend invites. · Facebook Connect: removes the 400 contacts limit and connectivity issues
» show more


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LEADER magazine embodies the philosophy and commitment of Life Care Centers of America.
Each issue focuses on several residents and patients at our facilities and the contributions they have made, as well as the contributions they continue to make.
With vintage photographs, emotional stories of historic times and award-winning design, LEADER chronicles the very best stories of those we care for.
Download Leader 2019Published quarterly, Life Matters magazine provides Life Care facility and corporate associates, as well as residents, patients and community members, with regular communication regarding news within the company.
Life Matters includes ideas and features from our centers around the country, health related articles and resident responses
Download Winter 2020Life Care Centers of America believes there is a hero inside of everyone, just waiting to be inspired and revealed. The book, Everyday Heroes: True Stories of Faith, Hope and Compassion, tells the stories of each of Life Care's divisional Whatever It Takes And Then Some Award winners from 1992, the year of the customer service program's conception, to 2002. In addition, it includes many of the favorite monthly and yearly winners stories. This easy-to-read, hardcover book makes a great gift for any occasion, and is available for purchase for just $15, plus $2 shipping and handling. For more information or to order your copy, e-mail email@example.com.


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The way we record music today is drastically different than the way things were done 20 years ago. For bands to record demos, they once needed to invest in a 4-track or 8-track tape machine. And to record in a real studio? Usually bands needed to get signed before that happened. But not anymore. You'll find more than enough recording equipment options to choose from on today's market. In fact, top notch brands such as Presonus, Tascam, Akai, Focusrite and many others are all dedicated to providing immaculately crafted studio gear for both industry veterans and amateurs alike.
You're probably already aware of the basic things needed to make a recording studio. For example, you'll require software, interfaces, a mixer, microphones, and of course studio monitors headphones and headphone amplifiers (optional). These are all essential ingredients, and ensuring that the equipment you're using is manufactured by experienced professionals will also give you peace of knowing that your recording projects will turn out as crisp and pristine as you imagined.
For studio monitors, the JBL LSR305 5" powered studio monitors are extremely powerful. Ideal for both home and project studios, these monitors deliver a highly professional performance at a superbly affordable price. For a fantastic studio package, the Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 MXL 990 package contains an audio interface, a pair of monitors and headphones, a condenser mic, and all the accessories and cables you'll need to set up. Another incredible option is the Tascam DP-32 Digital 32-Track Portastudio. Versatile, compact and easy-to-use, this unit is recommended for any home studio recording project.
With so many leaps and bounds made in digital technology, it has never been easier for budding audio engineers to make their very own recording studio. Today, anyone with an iPad or a iPhone can make radio ready recordings. We have a large selection of iPad and iPhone Microphones as well as iOS interfaces in our store.
Despite the leaps and bounds made in recording technology, there are still many factors to consider. From soundproofing the studio, to where the studio will be located, these are crucial thoughts to ponder in the process. Of course, you'll also need to be sure that the equipment you're using is not only high in sound quality, but ruggedly built to last through considerable amounts of usage, and for that, you can find everything you need and more, right here.


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Eleanor McCullen clutches a baby's hat knit in pink and blue as she patrols a yellow semicircle painted on the sidewalk outside a Planned Parenthood health clinic on a frigid December morning with snow in the forecast.
The painted line marks 35 feet from the clinic's entrance and that's where the 77-year-old McCullen and all other abortion protesters and supporters must stay under a Massachusetts law that is being challenged at the U.S. Supreme Court as an unconstitutional infringement on free speech. Arguments are set for Wednesday.
Outside the line, McCullen and others are free to approach anyone with any message they wish. They risk arrest if they get closer to the door.
With her pleasant demeanor and grandmotherly mien, McCullen has become the new face of a decades-old fight between abortion opponents asserting their right to try to change the minds of women seeking abortions and abortion providers claiming that patients should be able to enter their facilities without being impeded or harassed.
In 2000, the Supreme Court upheld a different buffer zone in Colorado in a decision that some free speech advocates, who also support abortion rights, heavily criticized. Noted First Amendment lawyer Floyd Abrams recently called the decision in Hill v. Colorado "what may well be the most indefensible First Amendment ruling so far this century."
The three dissenters in that case — Justices Anthony Kennedy, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas — remain on the court. They have been joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito, who may be willing to provide the two additional votes in support of the protesters.
McCullen and other abortion opponents sued over the limits on their activities at Planned Parenthood health centers in Boston, Springfield and Worcester. At the latter two sites, the protesters say they have little chance of reaching patients arriving by car because they must stay 35 feet from the entrance to those buildings' parking lots.
Planned Parenthood provides health exams for women, cancer screenings, tests for sexually transmitted diseases, birth control and abortions at the clinic, although on this day Boston clinic employees said no abortions were performed.
McCullen doesn't know which services arriving patients are seeking, but she said that women arriving with someone else usually are about to have an abortion because they need a ride home.
Sometimes McCullen is able to start a conversation before a woman reaches the yellow line. Protesters can usually be close by when people emerge from taxicabs.
But when a couple approached from the opposite way, McCullen could only call out to them. "There's so much help available. Can we just talk for five minutes?" she said.
The man and woman showed no reaction and entered the clinic unimpeded.
"This is what we have to deal with," McCullen said, on the first of two days in mid-December on which she spoke with an Associated Press reporter outside the Planned Parenthood facility.
Planned Parenthood workers and state officials said that the buffer zone has reduced significantly the harassment of patients and clinic employees. Before the 35-foot zone went into effect in 2007, protesters could stand next to the entrance and force patients to squeeze by, said Marty Walz, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts. While in the state House, Walz was the lead sponsor of the law.
Walz said safety is paramount for patients and her staff. Other than Walz, people at the clinic refused to have their faces photographed because they fear anti-abortion activists would post the pictures online. Clinic director Cheryl Sacks said she is granted a special registration status for her car to keep the information private.
The concern about safety is not theoretical. In 1994, a gunman killed two receptionists and wounded five employees and volunteers at a Planned Parenthood facility and another abortion clinic in nearby Brookline. The most recent killing was in 2009, when Dr. George Tiller, who performed abortions, was shot in a church in Wichita, Kan.
"We're concerned for patient and staff safety if the current law is overturned," Walz said.
Mark Rienzi, the Catholic University law professor who represents the protesters, said there has not been a documented case of violence at a Massachusetts clinic since the 1994 killings.
"The idea that someone like that will be deterred by a painted line on the ground is nonsensical," he said. "In the meantime, you shouldn't be able to use that to stop women from being offered these other options. As a practical matter, that's what happens."
Other state and federal laws already protect health center workers and patients, as well as access to clinics, Rienzi said.
Before 2007, a floating buffer zone kept protesters from approaching unwilling listeners any closer than 6 feet if they were within 18 feet of the clinic. The floating zone was modeled after the Colorado law that the Supreme Court upheld.
Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley said the old law was confusing to both sides, and essentially unenforceable. "It was not as easy to effect the calm, orderly" entrance to the facility for patients, or their exit.
Walz said opponents can make their case to arriving patients. "It's the last 7 seconds of your walk into the doorway," she said, explaining that it takes her that long to walk from the perimeter to the entrance.
But the protesters said the new law limits their ability to be on a public sidewalk with a message — though disagreeable, even distasteful, to some — that they have a right to express.
"The public sidewalk has effectively been made private property," said Bill Cotter of the anti-abortion group Operation Rescue. "Unless I'm quick enough to make it around the perimeter of the buffer zone, I don't have the opportunity to talk to people face to face or put a leaflet in their hand."
One cold morning, after 6 inches of snow had fallen overnight, McCullen and a few other protesters were back, handing out roses.
"Every child deserves a birthday. Save a child today," one man said whenever people entered the clinic.
McCullen said she sometimes goes weeks without deterring a woman from having an abortion. "Then I'll have two in one week," she said.
She said she'll drive a willing listener for an ultrasound exam and support her for the duration of the pregnancy.
"I'll go to the hospital and then have the baby christened, if they want," she said.
There is steady foot traffic along Commonwealth Avenue in front of Planned Parenthood, including many students from nearby Boston University. People who are just passing through may cross the buffer zone.
Among the pedestrians were two young women who accepted roses and talked to McCullen for several minutes before they entered the clinic.
When the women emerged 45 minutes later, they went with McCullen into the nearby market, came out with diapers and groceries and drove off with her in her blue Mercedes-Benz.
The women had declined to talk to a reporter, but Operation Rescue: Boston later described the encounter on its website as the 58th baby spared from abortion in the Boston area as a result of the work of McCullen and others who regularly show up at the clinics.
Follow Mark Sherman on Twitter @shermancourt
Copyright © 2013 Capitol Hill Blue
Copyright © 2013 The Associated Press All Rights Reserved.


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3 items
Bacon! Need we say more? Get your meaty, greasy, crunchy fix here. Whether it's straight up bacon or the more demure Italian pancetta, we've got you covered. Try it on your next burger, pasta, or heck—crumbling it on top of ice cream really does the trick for that ultimate sweet and salty bite. For whatever occasion you need (or just for living, really), we've got the bacon for you.


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Final Four Weekend: Say what you want about the lack of a Cinderella factor in the Final Four (and I have), but these are some tremendous games and tremendous teams.
How weird is it that both are rematches from last year's Tournament? This
I'm sticking with my original bracket picks:
Be sure to leave your predictions for Saturday's semifinals in the Comments section (if you enjoy that sort of thing), perhaps with a pithy bit of analysis as to why.
Florida over UCLA: Yes, "revenge factor" scares me, but even if this UCLA team is slightly better than last year's team (a dubious claim, given that in the title game, now-NBA PG Jordan Farmar was the only player who did any damage offensively), this Gators team is better than last year's team, too. And if the Bruins had so many match-up problems then that they lost by 20, how have those mismatches improved? (And have they improved by 20 points' worth?)
The X-Factor: I am intrigued by
The X-Factor: The reason I picked
More hot topics on the sports radar today:
NCAA Tournament expansion: While they will never expand it to include all teams – as I've been advocating for a decade – but I think that expanding it to 68 teams, with four play-in games, will pass.
It's a great idea. It adds three teams to the 11/12/13 at-large pool, while ending the current play-in situation where a single team gets bounced before Thursday. Now four will!
Women's Final Four: You cannot possess any sense of irony and not be rooting for LSU.
MLB: Ria Cortesio handles her ump duties just fine, thank you very much. It's back to the minors for her, but – hey – Mark Prior is there, too.
(I know, I know: I didn't do an MLB preview this week. But we'll blow it out all next week.)Michael Phelps does it again: Ridiculous. This makes
NBA: If the Grizzlies' late-season surge (two wins in a row!) costs them Greg Oden and/or Kevin Durant, they should fire everyone.
NBA Tonight: Who had tonight's Raptors-Wizards game as the East's most intriguing game of the season?
NIT: Congrats to
College Hoops Coaching Carousel: So who will be the next
Marbury's new shoes come out Sunday: How amazing is it that the release of the next edition of a $14.98 pair of shoes will have people lined up around the block on Sunday morning? This remains one of the most intriguing sports consumer-product concepts of the last 20 years.
I think yesterday's Comments discussion about the different levels of expectations among fans of winning vs. losing teams was one of the best we've ever had here. I highly recommend you check it out.
Speaking of sports movies, it's always good to note new ones coming out. Will Ferrell's new one (does he do ANYTHING except sports movies anymore?) about the pairs ice skating is going to make a mint. He's currently working on a movie about the ABA, but maybe he'll have some interest in mine. (Though, to debunk several of the theories on yesterday's comments about the post, it isn't a Dodgeball-style comedy. There is some humor in it -- as with any good sports movie -- but having to choose between silly and not silly, I went with not silly. Of course, that could change as the demands of commercialism are satisfied.)
Fun day yesterday: Between the Ben Maller/Boston Herald mention for the Peyton Manning SNL thing and the Deadspin mention of my small business deal, it was a true "Everything's Coming Up Milhouse" type of day. Whee!


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NY marks 20th anniversary of World Trade bombing
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, February 26, 2013
NEW YORK (AP) A ceremony honoring six people who died 20 years ago in the first terrorist attack on the World Trade Center was being held Tuesday at the 9/11 memorial, where the twin towers were destroyed eight years later.
More than 1,000 people were injured in the 1993 blast in an underground garage below one of the towers. It was the first dramatic demonstration that "terrorism is theater and New York is the biggest stage," Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said last week.
Six Islamic extremists were convicted of carrying out the bombing, including mastermind Ramzi Yousef. The 2001 attack brought down the World Trade Center, where more than 2,700 people died.
The ceremony was being held at the memorial, and a moment of silence will be observed at 12:18 p.m., the time when a truck bomb was detonated below the north tower.
At first, officials assumed the explosion on a chilly day was an accident. The initial report to police that day called it an apparent transformer explosion at the trade center.
Kelly raced to the scene, where the bomb planted in a parked Ryder van had left a crater half the size of a football field in the trade center garage, causing more than a half-billion dollars in damage.
"I remember seeing this tremendous sea of first-responder vehicles … and smoke was coming out," said Kelly, who was on his first stint as police commissioner.
The trade center stood in the darkness that night for the first time since it opened in 1973.
It was only the next day, after a utility mishap was ruled out, that authorities "started to come to the conclusion it was bomb," Kelly said.
Investigators then found a vehicle identification number on a piece of the blown-up van that they traced to Mohammed Salameh, who had rented the van.


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Monday, February 9, 2009
Valentine's Special: Sexy Salmon Belly-Wrapped Salmon on Potato Leek Chowder (you are so going to get some…)
This really produces a fantastic piece of salmon, and when paired with a simple potato and leek chowder, would make a terrific Valentine's dinner idea. You can tell this was designed for some kind of special occasion by the green onion ties.
I normally avoid such contrivances, but when done in the context of cooking a Valentine's meal for the object of your affection (also, the object of your affectation), it seems very appropriate. The fact that you (seemingly) went through so much extra effort will convey a certain something about your other talents and abilities.
This is not a recipe for beginners. Having stated that, I will say that there's no good reason why this will not work even if you are a novice cook. The key is to watch the video 6 or 7 times, take a few notes, and secretly practice it before the main event.
It doesn't get any better than being able to do a home cooked meal for your Valentine. Think of the savings, the privacy, and what many bachelors call the "home field advantage." But, there are a few things to consider to maximize the experience.
Find out about any food allergies beforehand. A trip to the emergency room will not impress your date or her grotesquely swollen face. Also, no scented candles! This salmon recipe isn't as good when eaten in a room that smells like "Lavender Rain."
Lastly, if things seem to be going well, about halfway through dessert, lean over and say, "Would you like to put in your breakfast order now?" If she smiles shyly you know you're in business - if she gets insulted and leaves, you get to finish her dessert - it's a win, win. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 4 small or 2 large portions:
2 center cut salmon fillets, "pin bones" removed
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 tsp tarragon mustard
8 green onions
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 slice bacon, sliced
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp butter
1 leek, chopped,
1 1/2 cups diced Yukon gold potatoes
3-4 cups water, or as needed
pinch cayenne
red chile sauce to garnish, optional
Have you seen these other great salmon video recipes?
Salmon Cakes with Creamy Corn Relish
Garlic Ginger Basil Salmon
Broiled Salmon Glazed with Dijon and Rice Vinegar
"Hot Smoked" Salmon
For information on keeping your knives as sharp as mine, check out this video clip entitled, Knife Steels 101 - Let's Get Something Straight.
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37 comments:
You're soooooo funny! With the effort that's put into that difficult dish, no doubt you'll get "lots" of compliments Saturday.
- February 9, 2009 at 7:32 PM
- Vicki said...
Looks delicious & great video - your best tip is break up with her if she doesn't like garlic :)
- February 9, 2009 at 10:20 PM
- nmls said...
I actually made this tonight Chef. Instead of all water, I used half chicken stock and H2O. It was great. Thanks again for all the recipes.
- February 9, 2009 at 10:58 PM
- CollegeGourmet said...
I like getting "lots" of compliments, hopefully when I cook this dish, I'll get ample amounts of compliments.
Looks delicious and I love salmon! I'll definitely have to give this one a try. - February 10, 2009 at 3:14 AM
This is THE funniest video Chef!
"Because you want l.... ots of compliments" Great stuff, and a great dish! - February 10, 2009 at 6:36 AM
- Sam said...
Chef John,
I've been wondering, what kind of knives do you use? Do you have any recommendations for a good set of knives?
Thanks. - February 10, 2009 at 1:37 PM
- Milano Cafe said...
Without the bacon in the soup, or maybe eliminate serving the salmon with the soup altogether, and our vegetarian friends will enjoy this too.
It looks pretty! Reminds me of a little gift. It would be nice to serve for any special occasion
Any suggestions to change it up, that could be used for the tie? Would lemongrass work? What else can I use? - February 10, 2009 at 1:41 PM
- Chef John said...
sure why not leave out the leeks and potatoes also....and you'll have a nice glass of water! ;-)
You can tie with leeks also, but that all i would try with. - February 10, 2009 at 1:48 PM
- Chef John said...
i have a total mishmash of knives. check this link out, http://astore.amazon.com/lrn2cook-20/181-0121801-8531558?_encoding=UTF8&node=1
- February 10, 2009 at 1:50 PM
So... use bacon and serve it with the soup, or throw out this baby (recipe)?
Maybe I can tie up the salmon with some bacon, too!
Yummmm bacon - what doesn't it go with? What doesn't it make taste better?
Come on CJ you're always encouraging your fans to try different touches - sticking with one way or the high way is... well, you get the idea. - February 10, 2009 at 3:42 PM
- childsdish said...
Which knife did you use in this video? How do you keep your knives sharp?
- February 10, 2009 at 3:51 PM
- Chef John said...
Not sure of the brand, it was a cheap brand from a restaurant supply store, but it's called a "santoku" knife check out this link for an affordable version, or once you are in Amazon search for santoku.
I will add a knife steel link to the article in regard to keeping sharp. - February 10, 2009 at 4:43 PM
I'm not usually one for fancy presentation, but I must admit this is pretty cool (not only does it look good, it's also logical in terms of placement).
For those of us who do not care for bacon, what would you suggest as a suitable substitute? - February 10, 2009 at 11:20 PM
- Chef John said...
Prosciutto would be nice.
- February 10, 2009 at 11:27 PM
Very elegant recipe Chef John and your humor is crafty and inspiring . As an aficionado of salmon, I'd like to add a few comments about the fish itself and why I prefer Sockeye over the other species. Nothing is more important when cooking fish, than the fish itself, and quality due to handling can range over an extreme scale.
At last count there are about seven species of salmon. In your local fish store typically all 'fresh' salmon are farm raised (means not wild caught). At the 'fresh-fish' counter you will find either Coho, Chinook (indigenous to the Pacific and look the same, only an expert can tell the difference) and Atlantic salmon (easy to spot because of its thicker leathery skin) - all farm raised species (and exist in the wild too). Atlantic salmon is more commonly found at the fish counter because Atlantic salmon is a much hardier fish, and therefore easier to grow. The flesh coloring with 'all' farm raised fish is introduced thru the feed as an additive (if you really want to know more about colouring farm raised salmon wiki Canthaxanthin). Now a word about wild caught salmon.
Wild salmon's appetizing reddish orange colour (and taste) comes from their natural diet of krill and other tiny shellfish which are rich in carotenoids, organic pigments. Sockeye salmon (commonly canned) is always a wild caught product because it cannot be farm raised.
A couple of pointers on sockeye and why some might prefer it over artificially coloured fish raised in pens – for one, sockeye tastes much better being richer in oils and unlike pen raised fish, sockeye is naturally coloured by the live food it consumes in the wild.
Farm raised salmon's colour disappears through the cooking process; although entering the oven orange, the colour fades quickly to almost white when cooked. Sockeye on the other hand,(a wild fish), does not lose its colour through cooking. Sockeye owe their deeper appetizing colour to diet and also an interesting anatomical advantage: sockeye have one extra gill raker, making the species better adapted to feeding on krill. Tiny krill, containing orange coloured carotene are sucked in and caught by the salmon's gill rakers and then ingested. Sockeye have the deepest red coloured flesh of all the species, and their taste is known to be richer because of their diet and the advantage they have in filtering krill, their main food source.
Sold on wild caught Sockeye? Great, but there is a minor hurdle. Sockeye are only available fresh when they are in season ( a few weeks in Aug), and so you will likely have to buy a frozen whole sockeye, or a side of sockeye, frozen. I just bought two frozen sides today for this recipe, each one weighed a lb, cost about $10 ($8.00USD) per side, and came frozen and vacuum sealed. The side was thinner than the salmon in the video, about half the thickness. I skinned the side, and then scraped away the dark matter on the back of the side.
The dark matter next to the skin underside is dried blood, and it tells a story. Its presence is a very important tell-tale on the fish's taste, and its recent history. If you see an accumulation it's not so good. It means the fish was lying in the hold, or on the deck or processing room floor (somewhere) too long before it was processed and frozen. During that time the quality of the fish dropped by the hour, as the blood bled into the area under the skin and enzymes began to break down the delicate flesh in general. The moment it was frozen the enzyme action and bleeding stopped and the flavor and freshness was preserved. The fish with the least amount of blood found against the skin, is therefore the better fish. It was frozen quickly and handled properly from the boat on down the line; assume anywhere from a day, or even two days before it was cleaned and deep frozen. If you find a lot of dark dried blood, change the store where you buy, and or talk to the manager behind the counter about 'grade', who most likely will give you a blank stare anyway.
Back to the 'fresh' fish you are looking at behind the fish counter glass – if its 'fresh' fish (read farm raised), it was actually killed 5 to 6 days ago, maybe even seven days, if its been in the grocery freezer for half that time. Meanwhile the chain of handlers have done their best to keep it cold, on ice, or in the cooler just above freezing point. So there you have a quick way to judge a little about the salmon you are eating, and something about food processing times to market just based on species alone.
Chef John, the recipe was great, and you are so right about the thinner belly, overcooking problem solved!
The 15 min worked. One important thing for the fish novice, beware the tendency to overcook. It's the most common error people make, especially if they are not coastal dwellers. Inlanders often want to cook seafood to death and dry it out. It's a matter of thickness verses the time aspect. I normally broil salmon, and watch the colour change on the way down. (usually 7 to 8 min, 10 minutes max if thicker, placed 4" under a broiler element), so 15 min at 375 F is safe, but take care not to push it.
Lastly, the oil Chef John said to lightly coat the fish with is good for sealing in the moisture. If the fish has been frozen, it is already a bit dry, so don't forget this little detail.
I hope that wasn't too much information. I love salmon and have a lot of experience with it so it's hard to end the subject. Wild caught salmon is one of the top healthiest foods known to mankind.
James in Ontario - February 11, 2009 at 1:14 AM
- Chef John said...
wow. thanks!
- February 11, 2009 at 1:54 AM
- An Ng. said...
I just made this for dinner tonight. I mashed the chowder a little bit to have a creaminess, and pan-seared the salmon. Let's just say that I got l...ots of compliments!
- February 11, 2009 at 3:00 AM
Salmon quiz:
What species of salmon do Japanese use for sushi; and why?
Why is sushi salmon deep frozen?
At what temperature; and for how long (customarily) is sushi salmon deep frozen.
Later on in the conversation do you usually ask the sushi chef when you are dinning at the sushi bar if he is Japanese?
James in Ontario - February 11, 2009 at 3:31 AM
- childsdish said...
Vive La James, the salmon afficionado.
A free App available from the Apple Store is called Seafood Watch. You can also go to their internet site, Seafood Watch dot org where a handy print out is available for choosing fish when dining out or shopping tips when buying fish to cook. The guide is also available for your mobile phone. - February 11, 2009 at 3:37 AM
Correction to the above post 'krill as main food source' - should have read 'in coastal waters' - because pacific sockeye spend their lives swiming the Japanese current on a long journey across the pacific and back again. During this 5 to 7 year trek 80% of their diet is yummy squid. Its a short life, but a good life. :)
Although when you think of how it ends, and between the two in a mating game, maybe this is not exactly the best symbolic dish for Valentines day... lol. The male is literally beats himself to death, and she dies of exhaustion at birth. Then the river takes over.. But we can skip that part of the dinner time story. - February 11, 2009 at 3:58 AM
Hmmm. I have given this sea food Valentines day presentation some further thought. It happens that i have a second side of this sockeye experiment defrosted, laying vacuum packed in the fridge, awaiting destiny. I am thinking 'Caesar'. I am thinking 'Crusted'. I am thinking 'lemon, dill, and mustard'. After all, what three flavour accouterments chase salmon more passionately?
Wait…anchovies are of the sea too. We are onto something here. Back in 24 hrs with an outcome.
James in ON - February 11, 2009 at 6:39 AM
- Grams Pam said...
Thanks for all the useful info, James.
Just wondering if you have anything to add regarding Salmon, for those of us who are "coastal dwellers" in the Great Lakes? - February 11, 2009 at 7:07 AM
- Marion said...
I love this recipe,looks and tastes great!
Thanks so much Chef John!
Just out of curiosity, because it came up in conversation... have you ever heard of cooking fish in the dish washer? A friend of mine swears it's possible, if the fish is double bagged with ziplock bags.
What do you think, or is it just another urban myth? - March 6, 2009 at 6:07 PM
- Chef John said...
it is possible, but I don't have one to try it with.
- March 6, 2009 at 6:51 PM
CJ, you mentioned removing the clove of garlic at some point but I never noticed when?
- July 23, 2009 at 4:38 PM
- Chef John said...
You can take it out anytime before you serve the soup part.
- July 23, 2009 at 4:45 PM
Hate to be the one "correcting" a chef (I do enjoy it though) but isent the correct term for a "slice" of bacon supposed to be a "rash" of bacon? I could be wrong though. :)
- August 9, 2009 at 7:39 AM
- Chef John said...
rash of bacon? ive never seen or heard of that term before.
- August 9, 2009 at 10:54 AM
Oh maybe its just a "brittish" thing then..
- August 10, 2009 at 10:15 AM
- Constantin Moraru said...
Hi CJ.
I made this soup yesterday but result was not very satisfactory.
It has a big flavor and taste of fresh onion !
I don't like that flavor. Is that because I din't cooked well at the beginning the leek ?
Thanks - September 22, 2009 at 6:54 PM
- Chef John said...
yes, cook longer...the leek should be soft and sweet.
- September 22, 2009 at 7:34 PM
I didn't get "lots of compliments" .. I got laid ):
- January 27, 2011 at 4:22 PM
I really hate onions. Do you have any recommendations for a different soup or chowder?
- February 11, 2012 at 12:04 AM
How many ounces of fish does this call for in order to make 4 pieces? I have a Valentine's dinner party for 10 and this is perfect for my seafood course. I am trying to guage how much to buy and the recipe multiples...
- February 13, 2012 at 4:19 PM
- Chef John said...
i would buy 4-5 oz per person
- February 14, 2012 at 2:53 AM
Wonderful recipe, but i think you made the dish a synonym for an attempt to get lots of... And with so many people watching your videos, it can actually be counter productive... Thanks anyway!
- June 14, 2012 at 9:15 PM
- Unknown said...
Thanks Chef John....this is just my favorite recipe, and your video is a hoot! I made it for valentines day for my husband last year. He did the shopping and was doubtful and NOT happy about picking up "leeks" for his dinner(not to mention they were dirty looking and expensive)
Well...he almost licked his bowl clean when he was done! I got L...ots of ...never mind! Anyway, I am making this wonderful dish for Easter....beats ham any day! Thanks for sharing
PS..i took pics all along the way while making this dinner, including the empty bowls:) - March 24, 2013 at 4:03 PM


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