Gado-gado, the spice of my life, my sole source of peanut butter in Indonesia, and one of the things that I will miss the most when I fly away from Java tomorrow afternoon. Maybe I'll have time for one more helping... probably not. Good thing I made Suroto's mom sit down with me and teach me how to make it when I was visiting his family in the kampung.
Made differently at every place, by every person, its flavor changes by region, and the name even changes as you move through the country and different ethnicities (or even neighborhood in Jakarta). Lotek in Jogyakarta, rojek for some.
Manis-pedas, sweet and spicy, is something that is not fully appreciated in Minnesota - hopefully someday we shall see the light, there in the Midwest. Perhaps I will open the restaurant that I have always dreamed of: "Nasi Gila."

One of my goals in life is to document the beauty of coffee, kopi, kaafei in this world. It bridges cultures, continents, and can be found in almost every country, yet is different in every home. Hey, who doesn't love a caffeine high?
Kopi Hitam Pait, the way I like it, thick and bitter. Indonesian coffee is unique in that the bubuk, or ground coffee, now a powder, is mixed directly in the glass with the hot water. Let it sit for a while, all the grounds settle to the bottom. I like it hitam, black, and pait, without sugar - which drives Indonesians crazy everytime I order. Often they add sugar, simply out of habit, and have to redo it. It's just, well, weird, to drink coffee that is not ultra sweet, especially out East in Jogyakarta.
And of course, once in a while I have to indulge and spend too much money on good old western style coffee.

One of my favorites. Karedok. Like Gado-gado, but different. Lalap. Pedas. Yum.

If you wanted a glass of freshly blended alvocado and melon juice at any place in Minneapolis, if you can actually find a place that serves it, you are going to double the cost of any meal, guarenteed. I love the tropical Indonesia for that reason, if the rainy season has its downsides. Nearly a meal in itself. Your options are quite expansive - mango, star fruit, banana, apples and oranges, alvocado and pineapple, passion fruit and strawberries and jambu oh my! Some places specialize in the fine art of juice making, offering a wide selection.