liuzhou

'Red cooking' in China is 红烧 (hóng shāo) and does not involve red rice. It simply means braised in in soy sauce - a Shanghai specialty. It certainly doesn't involve red food coloring. I wouldn't even know where to buy that. Red rice yeast is used in good quality char siu.

That is unknown although there are, as always, theories, some more idiotic than the others.

According to the OED, it is from the Dutch koolsla, a reduced form of kool-salade, in turn from kool cabbage + salade, pronounced salâ'e, s'lâ. It's 18th century and nothing to do with any old king.

It's all manufactured in England. The corn syrup story seems to be incorrect. One website claimed it and wikipedia picked up on it.

Wow! I didn't expect my Branston Pickle to attract so much attention. Growing up in Britain, Branston pickle was a daily condiment. Particularly with cheese or ham. Essential in a 'ploughman's lunch'. That was the original recipe, then the only recipe. A few days ago I came across it here in China and as I haven't had it in about 30 years, decided to buy some. I could only get the small chunks version. Would have preferred the original. It tastes just as I remembered it. I don't think it is sweeter than the original and from their website and the ingredients list on the jar, it seems to be exactly the same apart from the cut of the vegetable component. I don't know what American 'sweet pickle' is so I'll leave that aside. One thing: it appears that the version sold in the USA uses high-fructose corn syrup in place of the sugar used elsewhere. Don't know why. Scrubbed that. It appears to be false.

Sorry! Total brain fart! Anglo-Iberian!

I've gone Anglo-Iberian for a moment. Manchego with Branston Pickle edited after brain fart!

Vodka was involved and it always lives in the freezer.

It is relatively oily. Quite strongly flavoured, but in a good way. Very flaky in texture. This stuff is hot smoked and is probably my favourite smoked fish. But damned expensive!

Smoked sturgeon with caviar.

He is vegan.

Well, it amused me.

I'm not sure where else to put this. Some idiot (not from here obviously) just told me he doesn't like squid, but calamari is ok!

People here in China are meticulous about washing their rice. 'Scrubbing' is probably a better description. They put the rice in the rice cooker bowl and fill it with water, then get their hands in there and rub every grain. Then pour off the water very carefully so as not to lose a single grain. Repeat up to five or six times. Washing rice is important not only to clean it of dust and other pollutants, but to get rid of excess starch which will just give you cloggy rice. For two years, I lived right next to a large rice paddy in Hunan. I watched the farmers planting and tending the plants. It is back-breaking hard work. That is why all kids are taught that to waste a single grain is a crime. Most kids in junior school are sent to spend at least a day planting rice to teach them of its importance and the sacrifice the farmers make to feed them.

But the water isn't clean. It's fertilised with night soil*, then dried and processed in a dusty hut full of rodents. *Human excrement

I'm sure Mrs Mapo never saw an elk in her life, but I'm also sure she would approve!

Truffle oil is garbage. Most doesn't even contain truffles or, if it does, only in microscopic amounts. Avoid Chinese truffles, too. They are truffles (usually), but the lowest quality.

Not me, I think. But many fruits look similar. I have eaten zapote in Vietnam, though. It's known there as sapôchê. Fresh tamarind is a thing of great joy! I've never had it, but I'd imagine tamarind ice cream would be great.

Rice Washer, Presidential Palace Kitchen, Saigon, Vietnam. I have no idea if it Japanese or not. Probably not.

All looks great, but I"m still intrigued by the 'lemon maringue'!

Was thinking about Drummond Street again and remembered this. I hope it's interesting.

No one has been able to farm the rare, expensive fungus on a commercial scale – until now. Here

Definitely B. sprouts and roast potatoes. Usually boiled carrots, too. Burdall's gravy (similar to Bisto, but better - no longer made.