How to prepare a pork kidney soup./Carlos Pueblo

How to prepare a pork kidney soup./Carlos Pueblo

Pork kidney soup is one of my favorite dishes and I know very well how

to prepare it. First, I need to get the material and clean it, secondly I

shall cook it in about 15 minutes.

Not many people eat pork kidney for various kinds of reason. I can get

The material for 99 cents a pound at a Korean Supermarket when it is

on sale. Since I am so good at it, I shall worm up the hot pan while I am

cleaning the kidney simultaneously. Usually, I have a small box of 3 kidneys

for one making of soup. I use a flat butcher’s knife, 3.25x6.75 inches

dimension and use it to split the kidney into half. It must be horizontal to

the chopping board. Once split into half, you can see the white color tissue

of kidney tube which you want to remove it in order to get rid of the urine

smell. Horizontal again, use the knife to scoop to slice and scoop it out in

one direction, then you can see blood drop cones out of the remaining

kidney. I shall put the clean kidney pieces into a clean water bawl. This process

is to clean the kidney finally. On the surface side of the kidney, I slice several

line on the surface to help the cooking efficiency of heat transfer.

The hot pan is ready. A regular Chinese cooking to put slice ginger root and

scallion, the green onion white part, into the pan with two small tea spoons

of regular cooking oil and sesame oil for flavor. I flip the kidney once and remove

it from the hot pan in 30 seconds. The kidney is bloody and is not ready of course.

I add a bawl of water to the pan and heat it up to boiling and add salt and hontashi

, a kind of Japanese glutamine.

Once the water is boiled, dump the half cooked kidney into the pan until the next

Boiling, then remove the pan out of the ranch. The pork kidney soup is ready.  I

pour the hot soup to a noodle bawl to make a pork kidney noodle.

We Taiwanese have all kinds of soup on our table, pork kidney soup is one of

them and still attracts many. 

腰仔湯/莊峻華

腰仔湯/莊峻華

台灣家庭，喜歡烹調湯食，像是夙目魚頭湯，竹筍肉骨湯，都是非常

容易準備之湯食，回虎尾時，不常遇到筍季，但確有過夙目魚頭湯，

加上白髮麵線，我大加讚賞，萬里姊迫不及待，約好再作一份招待，

我說何不準備腰仔湯？她說不熟，而且虎尾珠邀材料甚貴，我說我知

道，這就是美國幾近天堂之原因之一，最近，我注意到一磅豬腰，只

要一元美金，也就是一斤豬腰，三十元新台幣多一點。

韓國人超市，一盒豬腰，約是三只，一磅多重，我現在已經是師傅矣。

穿上肚兜，取出笨鍋，就是被淘汰之老鋼鍋，置在電爐架上溫熱，笨

鍋不平穩，所以手提架在大湯碗上，使鍋稍平穩，傳熱均勻，我把薑

絲和蔥花，放在湯碗內待用。於是開始處理豬腰，將腰盒叉破，取出

一只豬腰，放在刀俎上，人為刀俎，我為魚肉，磨快剁刀，磨刀技術，

我也是道聽塗說，就是兩面單一方向。這大片剁刀，與刀俎平行，迎

豬腰側部切入，然後順勢來回使小勁力，將豬腰剖成兩面，可以看到

腎臟內之輸尿管，處理豬腰，就是要將這些白色有尿味道之輸尿管切

割乾淨。

剃除尿管，也是同一平面剁刀，刀鋒隨腰面剖入，如順利則一氣喝成，

如一次不成，則再剖一次，腰肌細嫩，無甚纖維，切除後有細血冒出，

如尚見白色尿管，則需剔除，然後丟入清水中洗淨，我習慣用不銹鋼

大碗裝清水。將洗淨之腰片，快刀畫線，就是腰片內面，切開成花，

這有些道理存在，這就是中餐廳稱之腰花。

將電爐加熱到極點，打開抽油煙機，這時後廚房，已像戰場，一觸即發

，我將少量食油約一小匙，放在熱鍋上，同小量之麻油，笨鍋已經赤熱

不已，只見薑蔥在鍋內翻騰，一股爆香味，連忙將腰片置入熱鍋內，30

秒內取出，置於鋼碗內。熱鍋內有殘餘薑蔥，加入醬油，放入八成淨水

煮成沸騰，期間加入鹽和少許味素，就是日本之調味品。鍋內水沸騰後

，放入那30秒爆香除腥後之腰花，水再開過一次，立即將笨鍋移開，

腰仔湯於是乎大功告成。腰仔麵線，就是一很別緻之晚餐，有人放些米

酒，更是美味。

我在倫敦旅舍中，船受此道湯，給在節課讀書之蘇君，他說捷克也買得到

豬腰，不知他嘗試過此招否？

Expecting our children to be successful/ Carlos Pueblo

Expecting our children to be successful/ Carlos Pueblo

Once we become parents, we are all expecting our children to be successful.

There is one simple way to define success which means a kid becomes useful  

to the society. To reach this goal, we can take one principle, stable home

economics, and three directions, healthy kid, good school education, and

a good philosophy towards life.

Home economics is a family’s finance, money, a family cannot live without it.

I was better off than my parents when I had had my first child. I thought of her

very much and was determined to give her my best. My first child is a regular

normal healthy baby while two years later, I had a special need baby son. We had

been struggled to keep him healthy for the first 6 years of his life. We do however

still maintain a strategy for him to become useful in his life and closely monitoring.

Baby food is influential to the future eating favorite because the herbs ingredient.

I found out that my daughter preferred American diet than regular home cooking.

This eating habit made us wonder if she had taken enough food every day. We

Noticed and made a correction to our son and he turned out alright with our regular

table food. A good eating intake can help to determine a healthy child.

After the child’s birth, I applied a social security number for her and as soon as she

received her numbers, I made a deposit of $500 to open a Uniform Gift to Minor

Texas account for her. I planned ahead of 18 years for her college education fees.

We eventually didn’t use that fund for her college instead of my early withdraw of

my rover IRA for both of my children’s college fees. One year after her graduation

from college and intended to make a loan to law school, she transferred her UGMT

account to her brother and later became his personal asset. It is always nice to plan

ahead which is a good home economics.

We are a Taiwanese language family, a bi-lingual family. I myself am a multi-lingual.

In order to prepare our children to meet the pre-school requirement, we sent her

to a Baptist nursery two years before regular kindergarten, while my son went to

a special education school and directly entered a regular elementary school with

a help of public law for special needs kids, a resource room.

We trust the public school and followed the system until college. It is a free school

education for almost 13 years. Both of our children followed the school’s curriculum

, step by step to graduation, of course I should admit that problem did exist for both

of them. We did our best to help them to resolve the problem. Her extra-curriculum

activities included piano, cello, tennis, and basketball etc. were very interesting and left

so much good memory. These activities, especially tennis, helps her to build her leadership

ability in the future with her carrier. On the other hand, my son’s school education was

a lot of struggle for most of it. We took him for drawing lessons and tennis without anything

stick. We are not giving up because he may require more time.

After I read a book of Buddhism from a Vietnamese monk, I suddenly realize that it is very

simple to become successful. He says to live everyday meaningful and that is it. We can be

very rich in finance, or we can be very healthy, or we can be no stress in our life and so on.

We must live in a meaningful way of our life. We must help our children to establish their

philosophy for life and keep it very simple, to live in a meaningful way without any stress

or hardship.  

望子成龍/莊峻華

望子成龍/莊峻華

家長都希望子女，長大後有輝煌成就，所以說望子成龍，我回想過去，

真不曾有過如此念頭，但在照顧培養子女，成長過程中，確是有些經驗

，無需津津樂道，其中包括當父親之哲學觀，當父親之責任，對子女之

期待。琳兒出生時，我已經35歲，收入穩定，兩年後，元兒出生，因為

他是早產，而且有病發症，所以需要特殊照顧，一直到六年後，身體才稍

微穩定，所以我家有兩小孩，一是普通小孩，一是有特殊需要照顧之小孩。

小孩一出世，我就申請社會福利卡，馬上存五百美元，設立幼兒福利專戶，

我的職業範圍內常識，當年父母親每年可以贈送子女一萬美金，而不需要交

贈與稅，基金專戶是在子女社會福利卡號上，每年收入，由子女各別申報，

一般家長所得稅率，不受影響，到子女大學時，可以領出使用。

我們家是台語家庭，所以我們毫無忌諱，使用台語，因為英語為強勢語言，

我們送琳兒，到一浸信會托兒所，每天約是三小時，七歲時，就順利進入學

前幼稚園，每天有巴士，接送一次，據說美國小孩，識字率在小一時，高達

兩千字，我們家琳兒，受台語家庭干擾，無法達到該境界，所以無法進入才

藝班；元兒之學校系統，一直受聯邦公法保障，一直有專職教師考核，很有

趣者，高中畢業時，高中特殊教育顧問，甚至提到休士頓大學，也可提供服

務，只是元兒不相信，有此需要。我們送元兒到手語學校，而且一直有專職

手語教師，都是保險公司服務範圍內，連我都上學手語，這一直持續到1990

年。

我們小孩，都是就讀公立學校，就是春枝學區，小學是隆美爾溪，老校長曾

任全國小學校長聯席會長；初中世紀念區初中；高中應該是紀念區高中，但

女兒受初中好友影響，選擇另外一史翠佛特高中，這紀念區高中，目前享譽

休市，直接影響到住屋房價。我們相信公立學校教育，所以一切都以學校要

求為準，一切都是順從學校之教學，琳兒較為順利，而且交遊較廣，元兒則

否，從小就養成慎獨之功夫。

課外活動，琳兒比較精彩，學過鋼琴，會彈兩曲暢銷音樂，午夜和日舞小孩，

然後就中斷，也學過豎琴，初中時參加過管弦樂隊，彈中提琴；打初中高一

藍球隊，十歲就打少女網球，一直打到現在。課外活動和領導能力，有直接之

關係，她上班後第二年，公司就專任新生訓練之活動，所以我有很多活動剩下

之道具，墨鏡，乒乓球，和自拍影架等。慎獨之元兒，從小喜歡繪畫，我們送

他學畫，也隨其姊打網球，但效果不佳，只靠高中教練庇護，擔任球隊經理，免

上體育課，美國高中體育課很結實，有點像出操。

學校功課跟不上，就連琳兒也曾有過，很多原因，主要是分心，她之初中理化

要求不甚複雜，高一生物一開始，就是生化，就是基因結構，我自己都有困難，

高二之化學更難，一開始就是量子化學，琳兒宣佈投降，於是我的望子成龍美夢

，開始面對現實，大學選系，她就專攻會計，畢業後，順利上班，而且一切順利。

元兒之學校教育，雖言不順利，但也順利學校畢業，而且大學畢業，順利在一超

市上班，而且聽從我建議，節約儲蓄，認真工作，我已經非常滿意。

Watching old movies on Youtube/ Carlos Pueblo

Watching old movies on Youtube/ Carlos Pueblo

I have watched a lot of old movies on Youtube lately because I am

recuperating from two cataract procedures on my left eye, one

un-successful and the other a cleanup one.  It covers the old films

of Japan, European War, Pacific Wars, and many western movies.

The majority of the old Japanese samurai, a kind of waged warrior,

are during the Tokugawa Shogunate, 1603 to 1868, in some history

called Tokugawa Bakufu or Edo Bakufu which is very easy for me to

understand. Of course, movies included those tales before Japanese

unification, the war state era. I can feel the advance of Japanese

movies making industry, the verification of classical language, costume

, and model human character etc. We like to admire what we called

A Japanese Spirit nowadays. I must admit that my Japanese language

is not quite reach to the level of understanding the movie; however,

the English screen certainly helps very much.

Only after coming back from my second Europe trip. I started looking

into the internet for the information to satisfy my curiosity of Spain.

I found the Moors Dynasty, 711-1491. I did not find very many movies

on Youtube; however, Google search helps me extending my mind to

Islam, the relation between Chinese Muslim and the Middle East, the

Silk Road. Most of the European movies on file are the war movies

which is dramatically interesting especially for the two nations, Germany

and England, before and after World War II. This is why I like to go back

to visit Europe two more times.

In the Pacific War, the Hollywood has presented many naval battle movies.

I prefer movies to documentary which is in contract with my reading habit

that I like non-fiction books. There were several naval battles between Japan

and U.S. during WWII and therefore, many sea battle movies which helps me

to understand the current warfare and national defense buildup.

Finally, I get out of war movies and enter western movies. Most of the western

movies were about the tales of less than 200 years ago of the American West.

I have been to some of the western States and I feel that the west is still keeping

very well of the past. Western movies always have gun fight; however, they are

very simple life, the way of survival, how the ancestor build this nation.  

看舊電影/莊峻華

看舊電影/莊峻華

最近養病，在網路上，觀看舊電影，範圍廣泛，包括日本武士影片，

戰爭故事，西部電影等，每天都是日以繼夜。許多舊電影，都是重複

多次，現在看來，更加了解其意，英文較為進步故，日語電影，則需

要有英文翻譯，蓋我自修日文，程度無法了解其意，就是演歌辭，也

不達意。我自幼年起，就喜歡看電影，新舊不拘，只要便宜，免費最

佳。

日本舊影片中，最普遍者，為江戶時代之故事，當然，故事包括一些

戰國時代之歷史，稗官野史，經過戲劇之形容，更加逸趣橫生，這些

電影，在今日日本，仍舊有市場，大部分是電視上連續劇，有小說根據

，有編劇，有服裝語言風俗之考證，儼然是一大工業。江戶時代，約有

250年，日本已經有許多規模，許多文藝作品出名後，被拍成電影，所

以後人，容易了解舊日歷史，舊日文化等，反而明治維新後，網路上收

集之影片，比較稀罕，明治後，日本急速近代化，舊電影中，有許多戰

爭片，這些影片，留下者多半是，好來塢產品。

我因為旅行西班牙，回家後，很想多了解歐洲歷史，所以我就開始看電

影，查摩爾王朝，舊電影並非完整，但一定根據市場原理，始能留傳後

世，因為摩爾，結果看到奧圖曼遠征奧地利之故事，奧圖曼兵臨維也納

城下，有一影片，我猜測這奧匈帝國，日後之第一次歐戰爆發原因，和

此故事有關連，也有一電影，講到匈奴之阿替拉，造成中古歐洲之大遷

徙。許多第二次歐戰電影，講到戰前和戰後之德國和英國，令我更加珍

惜我即將成行之第三次歐洲行，歐洲難得有七十年和平。

好萊塢留下一些，太平洋戰爭之影片，聽說日本版也有，但不若江戶故

事之流行，所以還不曾見識過，倒是看到許多西部影片，有西部武打，也

有一些開拓史，西部電影中，許多鏡頭，都是美國最迷人之處，西部原野

，就是今日美國，仍舊維護甚佳，像是國家公園，國家森林等。西部電影，

強調樸實，勤奮，和狹義，和近代電影之複雜性，有顯著之差異。

After a failed cataract surgery/ Carlos Pueblo

After a failed cataract surgery/ Carlos Pueblo

Two weeks ago, I went to a failed cataract procedure, the eye surgeon

recommended me visit another eye surgeon in the medical center area

for another procedure. The second procedure was done four days later

and was a better one. The surgeon cleaned the remaining fragment  and

the artificial lens placed after the first procedure. The doctor is very pleased

that my left eye is recovering well after a second visit in a week after the

procedure. What is wrong with my first procedure?

When the first surgeon attempted to remove the cataract, the original lens,

He ran into a liquid portion of the cataract and it could not be cleaned by his

Equipment; therefore, he placed a new artificial lens and closed the procedure.

I could see a thin layer of cataract on my lens, like put a semi clear grocery bag

on my head and look through the bag. I also felt  a small piece on my upper

part of left eye, which was a piece of that liquid cataract. The first doctor indicated

that fragment might slip to the bottom of the eye; therefore, a second procedure

should be done within a week. Actually, the second surgeon got it done in four

days.

In addition to clean up the fragment, he put bubbles into the eye to stabilize the

retina. Each time of my visit, he and his nurse always ask me where is the bubble line.

The said that the line would gradually come down and disappear. At present, I see

That line is in the middle of my eye, when I look down the line changed to be a circle

about my lens size. I shall recover my vision only after the bubble line come down and

disappear.

Because of these two cataract procedures, I go on to check on what is cataract removal.

Actually, the cataract is the natural lens in our eye, it may grow cloudy when we get in

years. I have had my right eye cataract removed in my late 40’s or early 50’s. It was a

very simple procedure without any complication. My home medical guide points out

the procedure existed in India more than three thousand years ago. Cataract is one of

the reason caused a man’s blindness. In that old guide book, there were about 50,000

procedures done annually in the U.S. The procedure is very simple, the eye surgeon

would shake off the old cataract and replace a new lens. This surgery reminds me my

old dog friends, some of them, I can see their cataract cloud clearly by my bare eyes.

The only problem is the dog has no Medicare or any sort of health insurance. I did see

one procedure done to a female wolf in the Yellowstone National Park.