liuzhou

100% of each!

Sugar and vomit. I am Scottish, but loathe the stuff.

That is only true in some places, yet restaurants seem to have become louder almost everywhere.

Some more recent history. Here is a selection of sandwiches in an unknown London sandwich bar in 1972. First thing I notice is the prices - from 10 pence to 15 pence! Then the obvious shortfall in the hygiene department. Sandwiches piled on top of each other with no coverings. Then the ingredients. Some standards - unidentified cheese (probably mousetrap!), egg, chicken, ham. I remember liver sausage with great affection. Pressed veal surprised me. The bread looks like supermarket, sliced, Chorleywood processed blotting paper. Moving on, I searched out a random menu (part of it above*) from a similar sandwich bar in London today. Prices have obviously risen astronomically. from around 10 pence to between £1.90 and £3.60. Hygiene regulations have improved and all sandwiches are now individually wrappped - unfortunately, usually in plastic. But the biggest difference is in the ingredients. No longer anonymous 'bread' but a choice of focaccia, baps, baguettes or ciabatta. The cheese is no longer anonymous or singular; we have Emmental, cream cheese, brie, mozzarella beside the cheddar. Other fillings unknown in the 1970s appear: Thai chicken, chicken tikka, tuna, prawns, smoked salmon, and of course, avocado. I won't be here in another 50 years but I'd bet that the changes by then will be even more astounding. * The full modern menu is here.

A short history of the pressure cooker.

Fried hand-pulled noodles with pork, 黑皮鸡枞菌 (hēi pí jī cōng jūn), 'black skin chicken fir mushroom', carrot, daikon radish, scallions, green chilli, chayote shoots, garlic, ginger, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, oyster sauce.

The Ancient Mesopotamian Tablet as Cookbook

I didn't say they were related. Merely that the way they are hung is similar. Being impaled on a hook is far from unique. As I also said, I've seen carp being treated in the same way here in China.

Pig kidney with white wine, garlic, red and green chilli. Baked potato. Asparagus.

It seems that the legendary traditional appearance and accoutrements of witches may have actually risen because they were conjuring up beer rather than malign entities from beyond. The full article is here.

Fancy a copy of a hand-written and illustrated cookbook, “a funny cookbook for people who don’t cook”, one of only 34 copies in existence? Only $30,000-$50,000 (£21,600-£36,100) estimated auction price. I'd buy it myself but I like to buy things in pairs - you know like shoes and gloves - but there is only one for sale!

Other than that the do have a black skin and grow in fir plantations, no. I can't explain the 'chicken' part.

Tagliatelle with chicken and 黑皮鸡枞菌 (hēi pí jī cōng jūn), 'black skin chicken fir mushroom', Oudemansiella raphanipes and 龙须菜 （lóng xū cài), chayote vine shoots.

Chinese style scrambled egg and tomato (番茄炒鸡蛋 - fān qié chǎo jī dàn）on flat bread with 龙须菜 - lóng shū cài; literally 'dragon's beard vegetable'.

It has been running for months - a different foodstuff each week.

The whole series is fun.

Pork marinated in olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, coriander seed, Sichuan peppercorn, chilli. Stir fried and served with a tomato and white onion salad and orzo.

I'm not in Canada, nor am I ever likely to be, but if I were I'd be visiting this exhibition of food photography. Open now, the exhibition runs until May 30th. The Polygon 101 Carrie Cates Court North Vancouver, BC V7M 3J4

I'm still toast and jam OR toast and butter - never both!

My main microwave task is short bursts at lemons before squeezing for juice. Oh! And recrisping duck or chicken fat.

There is a good summary of how to cook them here. The important thing, I feel, is to tenderise them. Either by pounding them or by long slow cooking. Or just eat them raw!

Mine is a mere 400W, so it matters more to me, not that I use it much. All Barbara Kafka's books are good.

You just beat me to it!

I can buy regular abalone here - fresh and frozen, but I'm intrigued as to what the difference might be. Might have to wait till I can get to the Channel Islands. Fresh Abalone