Nisei Ski Club

by Wendy and Sheldon Sam

Sheldon and I would to thank the Nisei Ski Club for a wonderful time.   Big thanks to Patt & Rick for graciously opening their home in Union City for this occasion. The house was decorated for the holidays (bathroom too). Pictures from past NSC trips were taped to the wall.

We flew in from Los Angeles for the weekend because we wanted to meet the people on the Big Sky trip. What else is there to say about a NSC Potluck Party? YUMMY! 

NSC has many good cooks and the food was served on time. We brought dessert from Peters’ Bakery from San Jose thanks to Patt, Jeannie & Nancy. Thank you, Karen Soo, for organizing the potluck and the fun games.  We played the Left, Right Center game and I won $60.00. Our trip was practically free!  

We also played a game that you have to draw a couple of things on a paper plate while it is held over your head. I can tell you most of us are not the Michelangelo’s in the group. Again we got the most points and won a Lakers hot mug , our favorite team.

Big Sky tour leader Armand, put together very informative Big Sky booklet.  It answered many questions that we needed to plan our trip.

What a fun way to kick off the season!  We look forward to meeting more members on the trip to Big Sky!

by Angela Fong

Konnichiwa NSC’ers! If you’re not already familiar with “The Joy of Soy”, San Francisco Nichi Bei is hosting their 9^th annual San Francisco Soy and Tofu Festival on June 29, 2019 at The Event Center at St. Mary’s Cathedral from 11am – 5pm. I’m this year’s Volunteer Coordinator and we need volunteers to help set up booths, assist with food prep, info sharing, clean-up, etc. I’m looking for volunteers for 2 different shifts: 8am – 1pm (includes setup/prep) OR 12:30pm – 5:30pm (includes cleanup). In addition to volunteering your time for a worthy fundraising event for the Nichi Bei Foundation, you get free attendance to check out this fun event AND you get a free VERY cute T-Shirt similar to the design on our website below!

I’ve volunteered at the festival for the past 2 years and it’s always a TON of fun!  There is LIVE music and entertainment, tofu competitions, cooking demos, children’s activities, raffle prizes and many Asian Vendors selling everything from cute Asian inspired t-shirts to art and jewelry and more. We also need more Vendors, so if you have Asian inspired Crafts, please check out our Vendor information in the URL below.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact me at: volunteer@soyandtofufest.org

Hope you can volunteer to help at a booth or just drop in and attend the event! I’ll be working at the event all day and hope to see you there!

Hello, happy skiers! You can start your new year by reading the articles below:

President’s Message, by Armand Gutierrez

Tina and Sandy Go to Thailand, by Sandy Kiyomura

Whistler Trip Tips, by Karen Soo

Recipe Corner

Statistical Swimming, by Judy Bracken

by Armand Gutierrez

Welcome to the Chinese Year of the White Rat! Yes, the Chinese New Year starts January 25^th and Rat Years are believed to be the unluckiest for people born in previous Rat years (1924, 1936, 1948…). Are you one of them?

A Bear Encounter

Just before Christmas I was skiing up in Tahoe with my friends Teresa and Warren Miller (no, not the famous Warren Miller). After dinner, Warren and I took his spirited dog, Lucy, for her usual walk around the neighborhood.  As we went around the block and up the next street, Lucy started barking and became very excited. As we proceeded up the block Lucy continued barking and we soon saw why. There in front of us, about 20 yards, was a black bear roaming the neighborhood in search of food. This was not a cub, nor was it full grown, but nevertheless we decided to turn around and walk back to the house, leaving the bear to do what he does best. A bear in the woods? Not exactly, we were only a few blocks from Spindelshanks in the heart of Kings Beach. Bear sightings in this area are not uncommon; several cars have been broken into in search of food.

Whistler Ski Week 2020

The Whistler trip is almost here and hopefully you’ve been able to get some ski days in before the trip. If not, there are still a few more weeks available. The Whistler Orientation meeting will be held on Saturday, January 18^th (a change from the 11^th, see Karen’s article below.). This will be an opportunity to meet other members on the trip, socialize a bit, and pick-up the souvenir gift. The Whistler pamphlet will be distributed by email since the Orientation meeting and our trip departure are very close. An Evite has been sent out that provides all the details. If you didn’t receive an Evite then let me know at president@niseiskiclub.org. Also, Karen Soo is coordinating the potluck dinner and has sent out an email listing your condo mates so you can get a head start on putting together your potluck menu.

by Sandy Kiyomura

In December, Tina Woo and I spent two and a half weeks touring Thailand. Sandy’s cousin, Randy Chinn, met us in Bangkok and provided a “local” tour of shopping centers, Chinatown  and introduction to Thai massage parlors. The Terminal 21 shopping center had a “San Francisco” themed floor which included a cable car and Golden Gate bridge. We toured Chinatown and had Dim Sum “Thai style.”  We then spent the next 16 days touring Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Sukothai and Ayuttaya and Phuket. Here are some of the photo highlights:

At the Elephant Sanctuary, we fed and bathed the elephants. As big as they were, they were loving and affectionate.  We found the Thai people to be friendly and humble, perhaps due to their Buddhist beliefs. One morning we rose early and accompanied our tour guide to present some food to the monks.  When you donate food they chant and pray for you. 

Although it was a long trip, it provided a wonderful introduction to the country and history of Thailand, its people, culture, and delicious cuisine. It was great to spend time with a local, Sandy’s cousin Randy, who has lived in Phuket for the past 20 years. 

Note: This was a GATE 1 tour. If anyone would like to travel by GATE 1, please say that Tina or Sandy referred you and you will get $50 credit towards travel. 

by Karen Soo

We have another month before we leave for our trip to Whistler and I am helping out Armand with coordinating our potluck dinner that will take place on Tuesday, February 4th, 2020. Delta Whistler Marriott does not have a big room for our pot luck party so we will having a potluck crawl. Four to five condos on the same floor will be hosting this event. I will assign rooms after we know where the rooms are located.

The theme of this year’s potluck is International Cuisine. This is an opportunity for you to show off your culinary skills with American, Mexican, Persian, Hawaiian, Chinese, or Alien. It’s all up to you.   (Main Entree, Veggies or Appetizer and/or Dessert for 6 to 8 people). We have 48 people on this trip. Each condo leader should let me know what’s on the menu so we do not end up with five different fried rice dishes. Do plan ahead and bring spices with you for your recipes.

There are 2 markets  5 – 10 minute walking distance from our condos. 
The northern Marketplace + Liquor store is larger with more grocery choices and variety. The southern Marketplace + Liquor store is smaller with limited items. Bring your shopping sacks for easy carrying.
If you are driving to the north market, parking is free for the 1st hour. 
There is a great bakery on your walk to the North Market place called Purebread; make sure to check it out.

February 2, the first day of skiing, is Superbowl Sunday. Kick off is 3:30 pm. We will have our Welcome Party and Superbowl Party in two NSC condos TBA. NSC will provide wine, beer and snacks. We will also have a superbowl pool. Please stop by to say hello to your fellow members.

One more tip: bring hand warmers and toe warmers. It will be cold in February at Whistler. Stay tune for more information.

It’s live and ready to read. Articles include:

President’s Message, by Armand Gutierrez

NSC 60th Anniversary Celebration, by Karen Soo

Some Like it Hot, by Hoyt Nelson

…And a few more tidbits you will see as you scroll down the page. Thanks for reading!

by Armand Gutierrez

The New Year typically starts with people making New Year’s Resolutions. And what is the purpose of the New Year’s Resolution? Well, for most it’s a commitment to do something that will be an improvement over last year. Typical resolutions include the ever-popular “I’m going to lose ten pounds”, or “time to hit the gym and get in shape”. Sadly, most resolutions go unfulfilled, but perhaps it’s the thought that counts. I don’t make resolutions for the New Year, but rather subscribe to one ski-related mantra – and that is to improve some aspect of my skiing over last year. It doesn’t have to be a big improvement, but at least some sort of improvement. If you strive for an improvement every year then you will become a better skier. One other hint, if you want to see improvement and become a better skier then you need to ski at least 10 days a season. 

Best Resorts for Snow Making?

Any resort that wants to draw early birds for the ski season under less-than-ideal snow conditions must invest heavily into snow making equipment. We’ve all seen the big, noisy fans on the beginner runs at the Tahoe resorts spewing into the air that crystalline mist that provides an early snow cover for our enjoyment.  But what resort does the best job? Here’s your challenge: name the top five North American resorts that offer the most snowmaking acreage. As a bonus, name them in order. There will be a prize for correct entries. 

Big Sky Ski Week 2019

The Big Sky trip is in a few weeks and there is still time to get in some skiing up at Tahoe before the trip. Big Sky has all 36 lifts open and over 265 trails for you to explore. The Big Sky Orientation  was held on Saturday, January 5^th.    This was an opportunity to meet other members on the trip, socialize a bit, and pick-up the souvenir gift. If you missed it, contact Armand to pick up your souvenir gift. Also, for those who purchased ski passes through Sports America, refunds were issued by our treasurer, Frank Chang. The Big Sky pamphlet was distributed by email since the Orientation meeting and our trip departure are very close. Big Sky has received quite a bit of snowfall and the expected temps are in the teens and low 20’s, so start packing your warm ski outfits. For ski trip packing tips, you might want to check out this article!

by Karen Soo

With the blink of an eye, Nisei Ski Club celebrated 60 years as a ski club. A dinner celebrating this milestone took place on September 8, 2018. 

The celebration event was held in a private room at China Stix in Santa Clara. Eighty people arrived promptly for cocktails and found their seats at one of the eight beautifully decorated tables. There was even a table for the younger generation of future NSC members. The evening started with wine, beer and soda. Curtis Otaguro, the MC for the evening, welcomed everyone to the celebration dinner.

The delicious and plentiful meal included a barbeque platter, seafood bean soup, Kabocha squash with spicy pork spareribs, fried rice wrapped in lotus leaf, Peking duck, honey pecan prawns, braised beef short ribs, seafood combo with vegetables, mixed mushrooms with Chinese greens and Hong Kong style chow mein. As the dishes were coming out of the kitchen, we had a raffle drawing and gave away about 30 prizes. Thanks to Corona and David Muira for providing the gifts. 

We welcomed 11 past presidents at the dinner: Jim and April Shiro, Jeanne Katsuro, Curtis Otaguro, Randy Hirai, David Tom, Ida Koo, Doug Higashi, Judy Hom, Joel Hayashida and our long reigning current president, Armand Gutierrez. Armand gave a nice speech after the dinner.

Ex-members came as far from Auburn and Roseville. We also had members representing Monterey Ski Club that joined us in the festivities. 

The party ended around 9:30 pm and many people didn’t want to leave! Seeing new and old faces gave everyone a big lift. Thanks to all the board members that helped with the planning, and to Bill Lee for taking photos. I guess we better start planning our 70^thAnniversary Dinner. Before you know, it will be here!

by Hoyt Nelson

“Heat” is an acquired taste. The more you eat, the more you increase your tolerance, and eventual love for it.  “Spicy” is a relative term so it’s difficult to tell a restaurant your “personal” comfort level since there is such a wide range of heat available in restaurants and such a wide range of tolerances between people.   If your server can give you a choice you probably should ask for “mild” (unless you know different) and request their house hot sauce on the side.  Sometimes, they will offer one of the Crystal or McIlhenny variants (which I find too sour for my taste), various small Mexican bottles or none at all.  Such is the case at the otherwise great restaurant “Habana Cuba” on S. First St.  in San Jose.  In this case, I bring my own small bottle of Sambal (I always have a bottle in the fridge).   

Chile peppers are one of a class of foods like salt, sugar and vinegar that we add to improve flavor of our food (and in some cases, aid in its preservation).   Before the late 1800s, when canned foods were developed for the French army, there were few other ways to preserve food except for salting and drying.   We get our word “salary” from a stipend of salt given to Roman soldiers.  If he was a good soldier, he was said to be “worth his salt”.   There is also evidence that the Romans concocted a sauce nearly identical to our Asian fish sauce.

The heat sensation you feel from peppers is caused by capsaicin, which is a colorless, odorless, oily chemical found in peppers. Capsaicin also has some nice medicinal properties to it as an anti fungal and anti-microbial agent, so it can act as a preservative.  Capsaicin is able to kill prostate, lung cancer and some leukemia cells.  

A scale of hotness (as defined by the amount of sugar water required to stop your brain from thinking it is burned) was developed by chemist Wilbur Scoville.  (Plain water or tea usually won’t remove the hotness).   Some examples of hotness levels on the Scoville scale are:

§  Sweet Bell Peppers: 0 Units

§  Jalapeno: 2500-8000 units

§  “Standard” Pepper Spray: 25,000-2,000,000 units

§  Cayenne: 30,000-50,000 units

§  Red Savina Habanero: 350,000-577,000 units

§  Bear Mace: 2,000,000-2,500,000 units

§  Law Enforcement Grade Pepper Spray: 5,000,000-5,300,000 units

§  Pure Capsaicin: 15,000,000-16,000,000 units

Chili peppers were probably cultivated in South or Central America as far back as 7500 BC and at least as far back as 2000 BCin India.  By 40 AD, the Romans gobbled up peppers in 80% of their recipes, but the only pepper they knew was the black and white pepper corns we now sprinkle out of our pepper shakers. 

Back to restaurant talk. One of my favorite restaurants is Back-A-Yard Caribbean grill in San Jose on N Market (conveniently across the street from a big parking garage for which the restaurant will validate your parking). It’s Caribbean, which means they use a really hot homemade jerk sauce, but they make the basic protein fairly mild and then supply you with small container of hot sauce on the side.  The large dinners all have chicken, pork, goat, salmon or tofu, and come with delicious rice (beans and sauce mixed in) and fried plantains.  The protein and plantains have just the right amount of char.  They also serve BBQ, but for me, it’s all about the jerk.   There are interesting fresh fruit drinks, beer and great meat patties – all at quite reasonable prices.  There also locations in Menlo Park and on Capitol Ave. in San Jose, but I think the atmosphere and food is better at N Market.

We went to Thaibodia in Santa Clara a few years ago and found it OK, but not spectacular.  There is a new location at 2200 S Bascom Ave. which we recently decided to check out.  It’s a bit small, but nicely decorated.  The menu is large and we appreciated the addition of Cambodian dishes, which is just now becoming more common in San Jose area.  We usually order Thai food mediumspicy, but for some reason we ordered it mild this time.  Lucky us. It turns out that mildhere was a little hotter than mediumto our taste.   Our choices of Pan Fried Pork Dumplings, Pad Khee Mow (like Pad Thai) and Char Thuk Chhou Aim were all very tasty, but a bit intense so  we had to order some plain rice to tone it down a notch.  We wobbled out quite full and still had a heavy doggy bag, so we didn’t mind a little extra cost.

We returned to Thaibodia a few weeks after our first encounter.  This time, we found it a lot less spicy than before – perhaps because of customer complaints.  I can now recommend the place as long as you exercise some caution.  We actually added some of their available spice choices to reach our happy level.  (Most Thai and Vietnamese places put a tray of 4 or 5 spice choices on all tables.)   Indian restaurants frequently ask how hot you prefer your dish, but they don’t often supply sauces on the side (except the optional three small dishes for your samosa or pakora appetizers).  Peruvian places supply a small dish of ground pepper, which you should treat with respect and start with a very small amount.  I usually don’t care how hot the side sauces are because you can always regulate how much to put on your food.  More important to me is the flavor.