liuzhou

I grew a bay laurel in London years ago. It may stil be there but it's almost 30 years since I left. If I can grow one, anyone can. Whatever colour of the colour wheel is opposite green, that's how fingered I am. I notice the article says the word bay has a long, interesting history but never expains what it is. Typical. It comes from the Latin bāca meaning berry. It originally referred to all berries but later mostly to those of the laurel tree. That was picked up and adopted by the Provencal language as baga but was transferred from the berry to the whole tree. Old French picked that up as baie or baye. English took it from the French. I knew you wouldn't sleep tonight worrying about that!

What is a bay leaf? Interesting Gastro Obscura article.

Went off-piste tonight. Thai. 黄咖喱鸡 (huáng gā lí jī ), Yellow Curry Chicken 泰式牛肉 (tài shì niú ròu), Thai Style Beef 冬阴功汤 (dōng yīn gōng tāng), Tom Yum Soup 泰式包菜 (tài shì bāo cài), Thai Style Cabbage 米饭 (mǐ fàn), Rice Not by any means the best Thai food I've ever had, but tasty enough.

Posted on Facebook. A Fish and Chip Shop in Scotland.

If they can't afford an apprentice cook, they are unlikely to be able to afford a dedicated onion cutting machine, if such a thing even exists. but the OP appears to want such a thing in a home kitchen.

I once watched a young apprentice cook in a large restaurant being taught to slice green onions here in China. She was given sacks of the things, and the head chef demonstrated exactly the size of slice and angle of cut he wanted. She then sliced those tons of onions to his satisfaction. Chinese restaurants use more green onions a day than most people can imagine. Guess what the chef and apprentice both used (and still use). Standard practice. Why anyone would use a dedicated machine in a restaurant, never mind a domestic situation beats me.

I've been growing my own peppers (not bell) for almost 50 years. I didn't miss anything. I merey repeated that they all start out small and green.

Here, for clarification and as evidence in the great c∅rn libel case, are 黄豆芽 (huáng dòu yá), literally 'yellow bean sprouts' although 黄豆 (huáng dòu) without its 芽 (yá) means soy beans unless, of course, they are black soy beans). Image from Meituan food delivery portal

😱 See your optician urgently! What you are seeing is the beans which have sprouted to make the bean sprouts. 😎

I decided my chopsticks needed an upgrade. Bought ten pairs of Japanese sticks; much prefer them to Chinese.

无骨老干妈香辣手撕鸡 (wú gǔ lǎo gān mā shǒu sī xiāng là jī) – Boneless Laoganma Spicy Hand Torn Chicken. 农鸡汤白灼油麦菜 (nóng jī tāng bái zhuó yóu mài cài) – Indian Lettuce with Thick Stewed Chicken Soup 营浓老鸡汤 (yíng nóng lǎo jī tāng) – Camp Thick Old Chicken Soup* (not pictured) 豆芽 (dòu yá) – Bean Sprouts (hidden under the chicken) 米饭 (mǐ fàn) – Rice * Camp here is not suggesting the soup is affected, theatrical, or effeminate. It was the soup served as rations in army camps and barracks. The chicken was an old layer; the soup is not old.

As do all peppers.

There is little Asian about General Tso's other than the name. But I am impressed by the fusion of fake Chinese and Italian food. No desire to eat it, though.

Oh please!

No one said that. It is well known that the pressurized cabins and low humidity affects our taste and smell. Also, the limited space means you aren't going to be served top grade grub. It's all made on land and reheated.

No way! The whole point is freshness.

This is a simple, but highly popular dish. There is hardly a restaurant that doesn't offer it and none that couldn't make it if they were willing. In healthier times, I often made it myself. 农家小炒肉 (nóng jiā xiǎo chǎo ròu) or 青椒肉片 (qīng jiāo ròu piàn). The first means 'Farmhouse Stir-Fried Pork; the second, more descriptively means 'Green Chilli Pork Slices'. The dish originated in Hunan, our northern neighbouring province where I first tried it. Being Hunanese it is fiery hot. There are red chillies in there, too.

To appease the 'strange food' tourist idiots turning up to sample and film themselves eating 螺蛳粉 (luó sī fěn) in the hope of it being disgusting, some restaurants are taking the ingredients for the dish, ditching the 16 hour preparation time broth which is the soul of the dish and instead serving 炒螺蛳粉 (chǎo luó sī fěn), fried luosifen. This they are selling at around twice the price of the real thing. Whether it contains snails, I don't know, but if not and I suspect not, it sure ain't luosifen. 螺蛳 (luó sī) means snails, specifically spiral shell river snails. (粉 (fěn) means rice noodles.) Yet, it appears the YouTube generation think they are eating the real thing giving Liuzhou's fine citizens a good laugh and enriching the economy. The people selling it are taking their money and enjoying their 16 hours rest. 炒螺蛳粉 - Fried Luosifen (image from Meituan delivery app)

This last year, due to my medical issues, I've been using delivery services extensively. I've never had anything arrive the worse for wear. These XLB are from a small place nearby and were at my door within 7 minutes of me placing the order. I've ordered them several times - always perfect. Don't like their congee so much, though.

小笼包 (xiǎo lóng bāo) with chilli dipping sauce.

Here you go. The inside.

That or something similar.