Arctic Char with an Asian-Inspired Glaze and Tangy Spinach

On February 10, 2021February 10, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Iceland, Recipes2 Comments

When we were in Iceland, one of the things that we ate that hadn’t tried before was arctic char. It is a fish that is similar to salmon or trout, but it has a slightly different texture and taste. Because it is the type of fish that can stand up to bold flavors, we decided to create a soy, sesame, citrus marinade to glaze the char. Ensuring that the skin gets nice and crispy adds to the flavor as well as provides a different textural component to the fish. We served it with fresh baby spinach that we pan-seared in oil and seasoned with crushed red pepper flakes. It was a perfect accompaniment to the glazed arctic char.

INGREDIENTS

1lb Arctic Char – cut into two filets
4 tbsp Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
4 tsp Honey
1/2 tsp Sesame Oil
2 tbsp Fresh Orange Juice
1 lb Fresh Baby Spinach – stems removed
1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes – more if you’d like more heat
3 tbsp Vegetable Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, and orange juice until the honey is fully dissolved and the sauce is thoroughly mixed. Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper and place them, skin-side up, in a baking dish and pour the marinade over the fish and let sit for 20 to 30 minutes in order to let the fish absorb the flavors. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the baby spinach. Cook the spinach until fully wilted, about 5 minutes, and stir in the red pepper flakes and season generously with salt. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to a cast-iron skillet and heat to medium-high heat. Place the fish in the skillet, skin-side up, and cook for about 4 minutes and it releases easily and the flesh is slightly browned. Flip the fish to skin side down and add the marinade over the fish. Cook the fish for another 5 to 6 minutes and the skin is crisp while continuously basting with the marinade in the skillet using a spoon. To serve, plate the spinach and the place a filet of arctic char on top of the spinach.

The Plated Arctic Char with Tangy Spinach

Catherine’s Gate and St. Nicholas Church in Brasov, Romania

On February 8, 2021February 8, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Romania2 Comments

Brasov is a wonderful town in the Carpathian mountains of Transylvania in Romania. For the people of Romania it is a destination to get away and, depending on the season, either go hiking or go skiing at one of the resorts nearby. There are several interesting sites to see when visiting Brasov and among them are Catherine’s Gate and St. Nicholas Church. They are both located in the same part of the historic area of Brasov and each features some fascinating architectural details.

Turrets and the Coat of Arms on Catherine’s Gate

Walking Toward St. Nicholas Church and It’s Gated Wall

We walked from our hotel that was located on the town square into the historic area of Brasov in order to see Catherine’s Gate. The gate was built in 1559 after the original gate was destroyed by a flood. St. Catherine’s Monastery was previously on the site, which is how the gate received its name. As with most medieval towns, the gate was there to protect the town from invaders as well as to collect taxes from citizens who entered into the town. The four small corner turrets that surround the central turret symbolize the fact that they had an autonomous judicial system and self-rule. Above the gate is the town’s coat of arms, which is a crown on an oak tree with the roots exposed.

Murals on the Stone Wall Inside of the Church Gate

We continued on to see St. Nicholas Church, whose bell tower could be seen throughout the old town area. The church sits atop a small hill that is just large enough to let it rise above the other nearby buildings. To get to the church, you pass through a gated wall with murals painted on the inner wall. The church itself was originally established in 1292 and the stone church was erected in the late 1400’s. Above the main door and just below the actual bell tower, is a colorful mural of St. Nicholas, for whom the church is named. Adjacent to the church is a large cemetery with many large headstones.

We really enjoyed our time in Brasov and took the time to get into the countryside to see many interesting historic sites. The people of the town were extremely friendly and we enjoyed walking the streets and eating at some of the many restaurants located there. If you get the opportunity to visit Brasov, you should definitely take time to see Catherine’s Gate and St. Nicholas Church.

The Importance of Dragons in Vietnamese Mythology

On February 5, 2021February 5, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Photo Challenge, Vietnam10 Comments

Dragons have been an important part of Vietnam’s mythology literally going all the way back to their origin story. It was believed that all of the Vietnamese people were descendants of a dragon and a fairy. Whether it was in Hanoi, Halong Bay, or the Ninh Binh province, we came across dragon mythology everywhere we visited. Dragons are considered to bring rain, which provides agricultural wealth and prosperity. As with other Asian cultures, they are also a symbol of power and were often used by their rulers throughout history. Throughout the years, the style of the dragon changed throughout the years in a combination of being snake-like to being cat-like with the latter being the one that we saw the most.

Depiction of the Legend of Hoan Kiem Lake

Our first encounter with the legend of dragons in Vietnam was when we went to Ngoc Son Temple that is on an island in Hoan Kiem Lake. The lake gets its name from the legend of Emperor Lợi who received a magical sword from the king of the dragons in order to defeat the Chinese. After defeating the Chinese armies, a Golden Turtle God, Kim Qui, came to surface of the lake and asked Emperor Lợi to return the sword to the Dragon King, Long Vương, who had given it to him. So Emperor Lợi gave Kim Qui the sword and renamed the lake Ho Hoan Kiem, which means Lake of the Restored Sword or Lake of the Returned Sword.

Colorful Dragon Statue in Perfume Pagoda

When we visited Hoa Lu, the capital of Vietnam dating back to the 10th century before it moved to Hanoi, we learned about how the images of dragons featured twelve humps to match the twelve months of the year. We saw an ancient tablet at one of the two temples that featured an ancient dragon. We saw dragons of various styles throughout the temples, especially on the temple roofs like we saw at many temples throughout the region.

Probably one of the most well known legends is that of Halong Bay. According to the legend, shortly after becoming a country, the people of Vietnam had to fight back an army of invaders coming from the sea. Fearing that would be defeated, the Jade Emperor called upon Mother Dragon and her children to help them beat back the invaders. Mother Dragon and her children stopped the invasion and then after burning them with their firery breath, they left their teeth behind as emeralds that have become the islands that we see today in order to protect them from future invasions. Some people even say that the islands look like the humps of dragons.

There are many other Vietnamese myths, but clearly being the descendants of dragons is certainly one of the most important. We really enjoyed seeing these various images carved and painted in the various places we visited. In fact, it was such a dominant feature of our trip, we even purchased a couple of small dragon statues to bring home with us.