Photos by MJ Klein, Hui-chen, and other people that used our camera!
UPDATE: Here is Ashish’s account of the day, on his blog. Here is Carrie’s account of the day’s events.
I have 2 videos for you from that day. I’ve embedded them at the end of this article for your convenience.
It was time for another fantastic day at the Miaoli cabin.
Like, usual, the event started out by my talking with Becky about another party. We invited a few people we knew would enjoy being there, and before you know it, we had a party on our hands!
I know this is an unusual opening shot but whenever you see charcoal being started with a torch you know you’re in for some serious cooking of some sort! Today was no exception!
Before I get too far along in the article, there is something that I wanted to say to those who weren’t invited to this party. This was not a blogger event. People were talking about it on Twitter and I didn’t want to give the impression that some people missed out hearing about an organized event. This was a private party but we bloggers tend to make much of what we do, public. This article is a good example. So please don’t take offense if you weren’t invited. Space is limited and quite frankly the ones who were invited this time were the ones who have expressed a desire to go to the cabin for the next party.
I will reveal that the next planned Bushman event will be in September: Bushman’s Blogger Beach Party! I’ll have more details on that one shortly!
I brought 2 Dutch ovens with me, a 12″ and a 10″. There was also Becky’s dad’s 12″ on hand, and I used all 3 of them. I set up the Dutch oven cooking area on the side of the cabin, as usual.
While I was setting up, the first group of people who were there began setting things up (in the background). That’s Andre’s parents on the left, talking with Hui-chen’s mother.
Some closer up shots of the Dutch oven work area.
This is my 12″ (with the cracked lip on the lid) going.
Neil fired up the grill in the front and began grilling some meat. Other fare is shown on the table.
After the first Dutch oven had been going for about 30 minutes, I set up the second one and then stacked them up.
Nothing like a stack of Dutch ovens!
Hui-chen took this shot of me checking things out.
I don’t know who took this shot but it shows the waterway that goes by the cabin. Later on people would be hunting for shrimp here.
A few more people arrived.
What a great front porch!
Sorry that I wasn’t able to hang out under the porch at the beginning. I was tending the DOs.
This is the first dish, all done. Or should I say overdone? This is chicken and stewed vegetables. The top coals had baked the dish but was just a little bit too hot and it scorched the very top of the food. I used some rosemary that grows on the property of the cabin, and the rosemary flavor permeated this dish nicely.
Carrie Marshall in the background on the left, and our friend Tiffany on the right.
This was the second dish I cooked – stuffed peppers and mushrooms. I used cilantro (coriander) for the spicing in this dish.
Here is a close up of the chicken dish. As you can see, the black part looks a lot worse than it really was. We just cut that out. But I do hate it when that happens. Managing the top coals is perhaps one of the most difficult things about Dutch oven cooking.
Everyone seemed to enjoy the food and no one complained about the burnt flavor. Thanks everyone!
HC’s mother & Tiffany.
The weather was really great. It sprinked 2 times for about 10 minutes each. The clouds rolled in a few times and the scenery was simply gorgeous.
This shot can only mean one thing – John is cooking his famous burgers again!
He used the teppanyaki pan on the grill.
John, hard at work.
Just about done!
Putting the finishing touches on the Kellen-burgers (sorry about that pun John, but I saw it here first).
The finished product.
Hui-chen’s mom enjoying one of John’s famous burgers. For those of you who have yet to experience them, one of the ingredients is bleu cheese. The combination is excellent and the flavors match very well.
Everyone was tucking in.
The last Dutch oven item was a chocolate/cherry cake. I’ve done this one before and it came out just about perfect this time.
Tiffany liked the cake.
Caleb, John’s son, was energetically playing catch with David and John. I got some of that on video (to be edited soon). Caleb is a very nice young man and everyone enjoyed having him around.
Someone used my camera and took some nice shots of flowers on the property. Whoever you are, thank you!
Just hanging out on an old log.
One of the human faced spiders that inhabit the area.
You know by now, that we just had to have some karaoke at the cabin! I brought my PA and set it up outside. Then we hijacked the TV and put it on the big table.
Carrie was in great form and she sounded excellent.
Here I am taking a turn at it.
Caleb getting in on the act. Cute!
Here he is again!
MJ @ the mic.
While Carrie and I were singing, some of the others went hunting for river shrimp in the waterway that goes by the cabin.
They caught a few shrimp but I really don’t know how many because I was too busy singing together with Carrie. We don’t get a chance to do that very often.
But soon, we had to pack up and leave. It was all too short!
I want to thank everyone for coming to our little party in Miaoli. It was a fun time and we hope to do it again soon.
Thanks for reading. We welcome your comments below, and feel free to rate this article.
July In Miaoli from MJ Klein on Vimeo.
Dutch Oven Chicken from MJ Klein on Vimeo.
One day I’ll make it to the cabin. Looks like a great time was had by all. Thanks for the report.
.-= cfimages´s last blog ..Musings on Creativity and Seeing =-.
Craig, we’ll have you down to Miaoli soon. thanks.
Looks like a great time was had by all. And wow, those potatoes look good. I’d love to come to the September beach party if there’s room
.-= marcus´s last blog ..World Games Preview 3-Iron Balls, Flying Discs and Muscle Men =-.
Marcus, thanks! there is room for everyone because it’s going to be outside, on the “boardwalk” so to speak. hope to cu there.
Looks like a beautiful spot there in Miaoli. I hope I can make it to the September beach party. Will there be cherry chocolate cake cooked in the Dutch oven there?
.-= David on Formosa´s last blog ..Assembly Law attacks freedom of speech =-.
Hi David. i’m sure we can make arrangements for the chocolate cherry cake on the beach! that’s the great thing about the Dutch ovens – they can and do go anywhere! thanks David.
OK… to steal a line from someone we know here in Boston… “pretend that I’m stupid” and that I don’t know much about Taiwan (well… I really don’t know much about Taiwan).
The title of this is “Miaoli In July “… what is “Miaoli”??? Does it mean “party” or “cookout”??? Is it a location???
This is like that old TV commercial for the National Enquirer… enquiring minds want to know 🙂
.-= mike01905´s last blog ..2009 Phantom Gourmet BBQ Beach Party =-.
Mike, Miaoli is a county and city in Taiwan.
Ahhhhh… I looked around on your blog for stories with “Miaoli” in it… and I found one that you had written in Oct 2007… which was like 4 months before you told me about your site (I think I started to read things on here in like Feb 2008). From the looks of that article… it looks like it was your first trip to this cabin.
So… you couldn’t make it to The Phantom Gourmet BBQ Beach Party… so you’re going to have The NH Bushman BBQ Beach Party in Sept (that has a nice sound to it).
.-= mike01905´s last blog ..2009 Phantom Gourmet BBQ Beach Party =-.
Mike, i wish i could do a real BBQ here, but finding cooking wood is very difficult. we generally don’t burn wood here, it’s too valuable. now, Thailand is different….
Mhmmm – man that looks good. I’m glad I have a grill party planned too – otherwise it would be even harder to look at all this nice food. 🙂
Stefan, you’ll have to blog on your party and let us see it too!
Ok, I’ll try – it’s not until the 18th though. Not sure how much time our daughter is willing to allocate us for these frivolous non-baby related activities like eating and taking photographs. 😉
Stefan, kids are funny like that! lol i love reading about events like that so i’ll be hoping you do get some good photos and blog on it. thanks!
MJ, that chocolate cherry cake was a real treat. Thanks for having us.
.-= Ashish´s last blog ..Saturday in Miaoli =-.
Ashish, it was a pleasure having you and your family at the cabin. you got a fantastic photo of HC’s mother here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ashishlin/3697338474/ glad you could make it!
Hi MJ,
Thanks again for another great party. We always have a blast whenever we see you, and the food, as always, was divine! Caleb hasn’t stopped talking about it all week.
We’re looking forward to the next Miaoli bash. Please give Becky and her family another big thanks to Becky and her family for hosting us again! Count us in for September’s bash.
.-= Carrie´s last blog ..Singapore Airlines: There’s No Other Way To Fly =-.
hi Carrie. it was great having you and your family at the cabin once again. Caleb is a nice young man, and i’m afraid he stole some hearts cause the ladies loved him! be sure and check out the video i just added because there are some scenes with Caleb playing football and they are priceless. Becky says her father hit the rack early because he was worn out and when he woke up the next morning he was so happy because everyone had been over the evening before and he just loves it when the cabin is full of happy guests! thanks for coming to our party and take care.
That cake looks so good! Oh my gosh, I haven’t seen such chocolatey cherry goodness in a long time. Can almost taste it through the computer! Now I have to find a tissue to wipe the drool off my keyboard.
.-= Cahleen´s last blog ..My mom talks to the Wallflowers! =-.
Cahleen, i used a can of cherry pie filling and that’s 100% of the liquid in the cake. no water or eggs, just stir in the cherry pie filling with the cake mix and bake it in the Dutch oven. i hope you get to try it sometime! thanks for your comments and take care.
That food looks delicious! I have fine memories of all of you who are at the one last year.
MJ, you shouldn’t have to apologize to any of us who weren’t there, but you certainly are a gentleman for apologizing on this blog, all the same. There is only so much room on that porch (which while fairly big, isn’t huge). Anyway, I would love to come to another cook in when you have one, be it in Hukou or Miaoli. Keep up the great blogging.
Carrie, I didn’t know John had a son. Gosh, he’s a handsome young boy, isn’t he?
.-= Thoth Harris´s last blog ..We’re All Asians, and Other Items In My Taipei Times News Roundup =-.
hi Thoth. yes, you’re in the video from last year 🙂 it was much the same this year, perhaps a few more people this time, but great fun just the same. the next event will be a Beach Party down in Sinfong. i hope to see you there. take care.
so upset i couldn’t make it. haven’t been there in a while. we’ll have to go back again.
.-= andre´s last blog ..karen’s birthday 2009 =-.
we’re sorry you couldn’t make it too, Andre. next time!