Today, I’m continuing with my spotlight on a very special publishing project by fellow ThingsAsian writer and artist Elizabeth Briel: an illustrated travel book filled with stories and surprises from her hunt for handmade paper. It’s called Paper Pilgrimage: Bombs, Bandits, and a Vanishing Art in Southeast Asia, and will be released by ThingsAsian Press next year.
Her special project is an additional limited run of her book, made with handmade paper and bound in silk. Elizabeth explains, “It continues the obscure genre of papermaking travel literature, begun early in the 20th century by the American papermaker Dard Hunter, who wrote his books on the long ship journeys home from Asia and Latin America.
Paper Pilgrimage also contains paper samples made in various ways, from ancient techniques by hill tribes, to more novel papers (hint: there’s an elephant or two involved) from Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. The book is sure to be appreciated by travelers and artists — especially by ‘Paper People.’”
“What’s a paper person?” you may ask. According to Elizabeth, “Like food and wine connoisseurs, paper-people—and I am one of them—are true amateurs of our niche obsession, people who experience the world and cultures through direct sensation.”
In regard to the Special Edition, Elizabeth says, “The Special Edition is a collectible edition of 108 copies. Why a Hundred and Eight? I was inspired by the Buddhist 108 Agonies of Man — also known as the 108 Delusions or Repentances. 108: that’s all that will be made of this unique version. Ever.”
You can help to fund the book’s Special Edition by pre-ordering a copy, or selecting from the eclectic rewards on offer, including illustrations from the book, and artists’ quality paper notebooks and postcards.
Find out more here at PaperPilgrimage.com
Celeste Heiter / / General
This week, I’m taking a detour from my usual format to showcase a very special publishing project by fellow ThingsAsian writer and artist Elizabeth Briel: an illustrated travel book filled with stories and surprises from her hunt for handmade paper. It’s called Paper Pilgrimage: Bombs, Bandits, and a Vanishing Art in Southeast Asia, and will be released by ThingsAsian Press next year.
Her special project is an additional limited run of her book, made with handmade paper and bound in silk. Join me throughout the week as I focus on Elizabeth’s unique publishing project in more detail.
And at the end of the week, I will also be posting a film recommendation and a Southeast Asian recipe to go with it.
Celeste Heiter / / General
Indonesia is a vast South Pacific archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, with a long, complex indigenous and colonial history. Indonesia was colonized by the Dutch East India Company in the 17th century, and occupied by the Japanese during World War II while the Netherlands were under German control. However, in the two decades following the war, the Indonesian people struggled for power against the Dutch, who had retained control over the western half of New Guinea. The Year of Living Dangerously showcases a small yet pivotal segment of 20th century Indonesian history: the regime of Sukarno, Indonesia’s first president.
By the time we meet Mel Gibson as Australian newspaper reporter Guy Hamilton, Sukarno’s reign is already established. However, there is now a civil war brewing, with the division of the military into left and right wing forces, as well as growing unrest among Indonesia’s impoverished masses, who support the Communist Party of Indonesia (PKI).
Enter Billy Kwan, a Chinese-Indonesian dwarf, who works as a freelance photographer with connections in high places. A male character played by Linda Hunt, who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in this role, Billy Kwan knows a good thing when he sees it. On Guy Hamilton’s first day in Jakarta, Kwan strikes a deal to become his eyes, his lens, his window into the powder keg of Indonesian politics.
Kwan also plays a devious and self-serving cupid to Guy Hamilton and Sigourney Weaver as British Embassy liaison Jill Bryant, whose pillow talk eventually reveals crucial classified information. First and always a reporter, Hamilton cannot resist the temptation to use her indiscretions to his advantage, a duplicitous and dangerous decision that helped shape Indonesian history.
Directed by Peter Weir in 1982, The Year of Living Dangerously is a compelling political drama that holds up remarkably well after more than two decades. And amid a maelstrom of political turmoil, Billy Kwan emerges as one of cinema’s most memorable characters. A deeply-flawed yet devoted martyr, wholly and relentlessly dedicated in his mission to further the cause for humanity in his own humble way.
Celeste Heiter / / Film Reviews
This week, in celebration of the Thanksgiving feast, I’m featuring an Asian counterpart, the Dutch/Indonesian banquet known as Rijsttafel or Nasi Padang. This flavorful curry is both unusual and delicious and would make an excellent addition to an Indonesian curry buffet.
Tamarind Chicken
1 pound boneless chicken,cut into 1″ strips
4 cloves garlic
1 knob ginger root, peeled and finely shredded
1 teaspoon sambal ulek
1 tablespoon tamarind paste
2 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons sesame oil
6 scallions
1 jalapeno, seeded and thinly sliced
1 can diced tomatoes
3 tablespoons sweet soy sauce
In a container with atight-fitting lid, combine garlic, ginger, sambal ulek, tamarind paste, and cornstarch. Add chicken and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours, or overnight. Remove chicken from marinade and reserve marinade for the sauce.
Heat oil in a wok. Add chicken, jalapeno, an scallions and stir-fry until lightly browned. Add tomatoes and reserved marinade and reduce heat. Simmer,stirring frequently until chicken is tender and sauce is thickened. Serve with fried rice. Serves 4.
Celeste Heiter / / Recipes
This week, in celebration of the Thanksgiving feast, I’m featuring an Asian counterpart, the Dutch/Indonesian banquet known as Rijsttafel or Nasi Padang. This classic curry is one of Indonesia’s most popular dishes.
Rendang Beef Curry
2 stalks lemongrass, crushed and chopped
1 green chili, finely minced
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons ginger root, finely shredded
1 teaspoon corriander
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 pounds lean beef, cut into 1″ cubes
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1 can coconut milk
1 lime, juice only
1 tablespoon sugar
In a small bowl, combine lemongrass, green chili, garlic, ginger, coriander, turmeric, cumin, and cinnamon. Stir to thoroughly blend. Heat sesame oil in a large wok and stir fry beef until browned on all sides. Add spice mixture and stir-fry until lightly browned and fragrant. Add onion, green pepper, and carrot and continue stir frying until vegetables are just tender. Add coconut milk, lime juice and sugar. Stir to blend. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until meat is tender and sauce is thickened. Serve over steamed rice. Serves 4 to 6.
Celeste Heiter / / Recipes
This Week’s Film: The Year of Living Dangerously (Redux) Cuisine: Indonesian Curry This week, in celebration of the Thanksgiving feast, I’m featuring an Asian counterpart, the Dutch/Indonesian banquet known as Rijsttafel or Nasi Padang. Today’s dish is a popular Indonesian street food called Mee Goreng, a cross-over dish that evolved in Malaysia and Singapore, where [...]
Continue reading / Celeste Heiter / / Recipes
This Week’s Film: The Year of Living Dangerously (Redux) Cuisine: Indonesian Curry This week, in celebration of the Thanksgiving feast, I’m featuring an Asian counterpart, the Dutch/Indonesian banquet known as Rijsttafel or Nasi Padang. Dutch traders did a brisk business in Indonesia during colonial times, and in the process, they left their collective thumbprint on [...]
Continue reading / Celeste Heiter / / Recipes
This Week’s Film: The Year of Living Dangerously (Redux) Cuisine: Indonesian Curry With the Thanksgiving feast day upon us, I thought it appropriate to feature an Asian counterpart: the Dutch/Indonesian feast known as Rijsttafel. However, instead of composing a descriptive essay, I’m going to refer my readers to a comprehensive article that I wrote last [...]
Continue reading / Celeste Heiter / / Food
This Week’s Film: The Year of Living Dangerously (Redux) Cuisine: Indonesian Curry In celebration of the Thanksgiving holiday, I will be featuring a Dutch/Indonesian-style banquet known as Rijsttafel, along with a film classic The Year of Living Dangerously. Join me throughout the week on Chopstick Cinema for a closer look at the curry and the [...]
Continue reading / Celeste Heiter / / General
From the very first frame, there’s no mistaking that in this tasty truffle of a film, food is the language of love. Set in the Swiss Alps, where an Indian film crew has set up on location to make a Bollywood musical, the romance centers around the Hirschen, a chalet-style inn owned by Markus, a [...]
Continue reading / Celeste Heiter / / Film Reviews
