Manor Ink March 2021

20 | MAR. 2021 | MANOR INK
INK WELL OF HAPPINESS
WORD SEARCH
By Zachary Dertinger | Manor Ink
Find this month’s hidden words, selected just for St. Patrick’s Day.
Clover
Good Luck
Irish
St. Patrick
Green
Leprechaun
Ireland
Emerald Isle
Green Beer
Tam o’ Shanter
Irish Eyes
Erin Go Bragh
Jig
Parade
Shamrock
Cabbage
Corn Beef
Step Dancing
Everybody’s still karate
I think most people have at least heard
of the film “The Karate Kid,” but what
you may not know is that there are three
sequels, a cartoon series, a reboot and a
spin-off, and today I am here to discuss
that spin-off: “Cobra Kai.”
“Cobra Kai” recently
got picked up by Netflix
and rolled out the third
season after two seasons
as a YouTube Original. I
Osie Helper
will try my best to stay
light on the spoilers, but
there are no promises, so a warning:
there will be spoilers for all the “Karate
Kid” products, including the original,
Parts II and III, “The Next Karate Kid”
and, most importantly, “Cobra Kai.”
Now, without further delay, the review!
The two strongest aspects of “Cobra
Kai” are characterization and nostalgia.
Starting off with characterization, while
there is eventually a clear-cut villain of
the story, every character feels human.
Their actions are all understandable and
somewhat realistic,
given their history and
experiences. Our main
villain, John Kreese, is
a good example. While
Kreese is a typical
baddie in the original
Cobra Kai
Netflix 2020
Rated TV-14
HHHHH
HHHHH
trilogy, a purely evil villain, in the third
season of “Cobra Kai” he gets some depth
added to his character.
We already know that Kreese was in
the Vietnam War, but flashbacks of his
time as a soldier give us a more complete
understanding of his motives. In Kreese’s
mind, he’s never left the war, which is
why he continues to train his students to
be ruthless fighters.
All the important characters are like
this. Good or not, we understand them,
especially if you’ve seen the previous
movies, which segways nicely into the
next part of this review.
You do not have to watch the original
“Karate Kid” series in order to enjoy
“Cobra Kai,” but I’d be lying if I said see-
A cultural ‘snapshot’ in downtown Liberty
SWEET BASIL
This is the fifth in Manor Ink's series of
restaurant and recipe reviews.
Located on John Street in Liberty,
Sweet Basil is a small but vibrantly
authentic Thai restaurant. When walking
in, you can get a sense of something
new to come. Tucked away downtown in
the village, just off Main
Street, there’s plenty of
free parking. The restaurant’s
atmosphere offers a
pleasant family feel, and
the wait staff are friendly
Michelle
Adams-
Thomas
while the owners Ed and
Goy Williams are genuinely
welcoming.
Being so far from where
Sweet Basil’s cuisine originates doesn’t
mean guests can’t experience the vibrant
flavors of northern Thailand and ponder
how American cultural tastes differ. Serving
original dishes to satisfied customers
obviously gives the Williams a sense of
pride and accomplishment.
“Our goal is to bring cultural diversity,
a sort of snapshot of Goy’s homeland to
the community,” said Ed Williams.
Each of the selections was so alluring
in its own way. The spring rolls were
sweet and flavorful. They have just the
right amount of crunch and their aroma
RECIPE
is heavenly. The classic Thai
noodle soup really hits the
spot. The broth is savory with just a bit of
salt and the noodles have a nice texture,
while the vegetables give a colorful presentation
and freshness.
Begin with Tom Kha, or coconut
milk-laced soup, for a taste of traditional
SOUP TO
SAVOR
Tom Kha, a
traditional Thai
coconut milkbased
soup,
is one of the
authentic dishes
on the menu at
Sweet Basil in
Liberty.
Audrey Garro
photo
homestyle cooking. Then try the Drunken
Noodles, an example of Thai street food
or, when it’s offered as a special, the spicy
papaya salad, another delicious example
of inspired creativity by Sweet Basil’s
exceptional chef.
Sweet Basil is open for dining-in with
socially distanced seating and precautions,
and for take-out (which was very
brisk when this reviewer was there).
Hours are Thursday through Saturday,
11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. To learn more, go to
sweetbasilliberty.com or call 747-9823.
HOMEMADE ICE CREAM
This is Goy William’s special recipe, served
at Sweet Basil.
Ingredients
3 cups coconut milk
1 cup sugar
1 cup half & half
1 cup whipping cream
yummly.com photo
Directions
1. Combine all ingredients and place in an
ice cream maker, chilled in advance.
2. Run maker until mixture begins to
thicken.
3. Pour thickened mixture into an 10-inch
square metal baking dish. Freeze for a few
hours, stirring occasionally. Enjoy!