liuzhou

This is odd. Today, I was planning ahead for tomorrow's lunch and decided I really would like to make Moules Mariniere, in the traditional style with Normandy cider. No chance. I've never been able to find any cider here. The nearest I can get is this imported Lindeman's Apple Lambic Beer. Not really what I want but I thought I'll give it a try. I ordered two bottles had it delivered as the only store that carries it is on the other side of the city. It arrived safely, but to my surprise, they included a 'free' promotional bottle opener - one for each bottle! Why? They don't seem to be single use! I already have several bottle openers. The writing on them is the name of the company and translates as Speedy Horse Delivery Alcohol.

I am I the only one to find this combination unappealing? 芥末章鱼味 (jiè mo zhāng yú wèi) means 'mustard (and) octopus flavour'. The first two characters are also used for fake 'wasabi'. I'm 99% sure these contain neither mustard or wasabi, but the related but much cheaper horseradish. Real wasabi is rare and expensive. It is 山葵 (shān kuí) in Chinese; セイヨウワサビ (seiyō wasabi) in Japanese. I think I'd rather eat my octopus with this. At least they admit it's fake in the smaller print, but I don't tend to treat my hair as if a type of sushi!

In my never ending quest to enhance your sartorial elegance and fashionability, I turn to accessories, specifically in the auditory area. What could be better to start with than some fried eggs? On a health kick? Maybe some fruit would suit. Dragon fruit or for a bit of a tang, citrus fruits. Or perhaps, the ever popular avocado? Feeling spicy. Some chilli. Of course, different people have different capsaicin tolerance, so take your pick. And after all that you may need this! All images from Taobao.com Shopping Portal

Chicken and matsutake. Shaoxing wine, garlic, chilli, coriander leaf, Chinese chives. Served with rice and a side of stirfried garland chrysanthemum.

This interesting looking specimen, Panopea generosa, is a giant clam native to the north-eastern Pacific, mainly from Washington State and British Columbia but also found from Alaska to California. It is also farmed in East Asia. They have a life expectancy of around 140 years, but have been known to live up to 179 years. They are sometimes referred to as Glycineris generos, an outdated appellation or as Panopea abrupta, which is now extinct. Their shells are around 15 – 20+cm / 6 to 8 inches long, but their siphons, the part we eat, are much longer and can be 1 metre / 3 ft 3 in. Its popular English name, geoduck, is derived from the native American, Lushootseed language once spoken around Puget Sound, Washington State. Today, the language is only used ceremonially and is considered critically endangered. The meaning of the word in Lushootseed is disputed, with the main contenders being ‘genitals’ or ‘dig deep’, the first relating to the phallic appearance and the second to its function, as it’s used in burrowing into sand. Geoduck is pronounced and also sometimes spelled ‘gooeyduck’. In Chinese they are 象拔蚌 (Mandarin: xiàng bá bàng; Cantonese: zoeng6 bat6 pong5). This means 'elephant trunk clam’. Mainly sliced and used in hotpots here, but eaten as sashimi in Japan, where it is called アメリカナミガ, meaning ‘American mussel’. In South Korea it is 코끼리조개 (elephant clam) and is eaten raw but also cooked in soups or stews. I’ve never seen these in any store or market, but they are available for delivery. I’m fairly sure 99% or more are eaten in restaurants rather than at home. These cost me ¥100 / $14.10 each for delivery, but up to three or even four times that in restaurants.

Hallelujah!

I'd seen these before in Thailand and Laos but never in China until today. 黄瓜花 (huáng guā huā), young cucumbers with their flowers. Used in Thailand in salads, but I suspect the locals will cook them or add to soups. I already have plans for today, but I'll probably buy some tomorrrow and make fritters of them, that being how I ate them in Thailand.

Absolutely. Have edited. Thanks.

Moules mariniere in a broth made from shallots, galangal, lemongrass, fish stock and Sauvignon Blanc. I got through a kilo of the critters, with some fresh bread. The image below is just under half of them. Happy mouth

Another toasticular lunch. This time cheese. Irish cheddar to be precise. A luxury here.

To my great surprise, I've never listed galangal(e) (Alpinia galanga) in this topic. So now I remedy that. According to the OED, the word came into English from Old French galingal or garingal, which in turn came from the Arabic khalanjān or khaulinjān, believed to have entered that language from Chinese 高良姜 (gāo liáng jiāng), literally 'mild ginger from Ko', a historic prefecture of Guangdong Province. In modern Mandarin it is also known as S: 南姜; T: 南薑 (nán jiāng, literally 'southern ginger'), in reference to its being native to southern China and SE Asia. In Cantonese, it is naam4 goeng1. It is often called greater galangal in English to differentiate it from three other plants referred to as galangal - Alpinia officinarum (lesser galangal), Kaempferia galanga (kencur or sand ginger) or Boesenbergia rotunda (Chinese ginger, Thai: กระชาย (krachai), or fingerroot). It is more fibrous than ginger and has a more citrus and spicier taste.

Picked up some mangoes today. Those yellow samples weigh 575g / 1lb 4oz in total whereas the green giant is a weighs 916g / 2lb 3oz on its own. The green is ready to eat, but the yellows need a day or two on the counter. I intend using the green one to make my mango relish tomorrow morning, but I'll just eat the yellows.

Toasted sardines. Pimped the fish up with hot chilli powder and black pepper.

Almost certainly. There are dozens of very similar examples on the internet.

I'm much the same. Seldom eat breakfast - never have. Even if I do, it's more brunch. Occasionally, I even skip lunch, making my evening meal the sole food of the day. Since I retired dinner is now earlier, usually at 7. When working, it was nearer 8 or even 9. People always chide me for this, but I've been the same for over 70 years; it isn't likely to change now. My mother only ate one meal a day from retiring at 60 and into her nineties.

Lemon and olive oil, coriander pork with garlic. Tomato and onion salad with balcony basil. Rice.

What kind of breadcrumbs are you using? I use panko and double coat them. Never had one split or crack.

I don't have to imagine. Many of the better fish and chips places in the UK still use beef fat.

I wouldn't keep the black garlic in your panties.

Lard Beef fat

Great excitement in Liuzhou the last couple of days. Zhang Yufei, the Olympic swimmer who famously said after the last race of the Paris Olympics that she just wanted to eat Luosifen, paid a 'state visit' to Liuzhou. She has no family connection to the city, instead being from Jiangsu province, north of Shanghai. She was feted by Liuzhou as the hero she is and presented with all sort of awards and gifts. In addition she visited some ethnic minority peoples and dressed up in their costumes to dance and play games with them. She also got her Luosifen. Privately. So, if you want to sample Luosifen at source all you need to do is say so on world-wide television. Oh! And it helps if you win eighteen gold medals, eight silver medals, and seventeen bronze medals by the time you're 26 years old. And hold the record for most Olympic medals for a Chinese athlete. I've eaten my fair share of luosifen, but it has done nothing for my Olympic prowess.

Hmmm. Mr Heinz's beans are certainly not traditional, not having been invented in America until the beginnings of the 20th century then imported. The Full English has been around from the 17th. However, today beans are nearly always included. I rarely make a FEB (nor do most people) but, when I do, I usually include the beans. Talking of non-traditional, eggs were rarely included either until they becamse cheap in the 20th century, yet no none complains about them. Hash browns, however, should be shunned by any self respecting breakfast plate! For me, the essentials would be back bacon, good pork sausages, black pudding, mushrooms, egg, tomato, toast. In Scotland, where I was partly raised it would also have had Lorne sausage (aka square sausage) and 'fruit pdding'. I rarely eat FEBs now; only partly because I'm no longer in either England or Scotland. I did once approximate it here though - about 20 years ago. Despite China's love affair with pork, I couldn't source the right bacon. Everything else, I got.

They may be producing their blend. I'd still bet they aren't making the wine but importing it. The UK grows negligible amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Well, I didn't say what my view was. I was just pointing out that there are conflicting views. I only gave one reference to show that. I assumed that other members have search engines, too. There are many articles on both sides. I am British and Have never encountered salted wine in 70+ years on sale there. While England makes great white wines, reds are rare. She may be buying it in England but then most wine in the UK is imported. I very much doubt it's UK produced. Fortified wines are often used in cooking. Port, sherry are prime examples. Even here in China, fortified wines are regularly used.

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