liuzhou

I didn't have parsley or coriander leaf to hand. Maybe my mentioning that got transferred to wine!

I did/do have wine on hand. It was a deliberate choice to use beer this time. It's something I do from time to time for a change.

Garlicky clams with spaghetti. Not the classic recipe. I used beer instead of wine. A bit of chilli flakes, salt and black pepper and that was it. Could have used some parsley or coriander leaf, but I didn't have any. It was fine!

I've eaten camel. The hump is fine meat!

Apparantly there is no shortage. Quite the reverse! How kangaroos could be jeopardising conservation efforts across Australia

I most certainly did not suggest whiskey! I was very careful to suggest whisky! Armagnac works well, too. Had rabbit in Armagnac in France many years ago. Wonderful.

Well I didn't think it necessary to describe the taste of somethng with only four ingredients, two of which are almost tasteless. Yes, it is similar to halva, at least in texture.

I'm not sure how useful this may be, but I found it interesting.

I'm just going to throw this into the mix and let you work it out, but rabbit goes really well with whisky. I'm talking about what you quaint Americans call "Scotch" and not the unpotable substitute you use! 😀 I mentioned before mustard goes well. Mustard and whisky goes even better! Single malt, of course!

Sometimes, simplest is best. Buttery scrambled eggs on toast.

Haiyuan (海渊) is a small town in Ningming County, China right beside the border with Vietnam. One of my friends lives there and sent me this gift. (It is traditional to send a small food gift to people who have just moved house.)' The manufacturing company belongs to my friend's cousin. 海渊沙糕 (hăi yuān shā gāo) It reads 'Haiyuan Granulated Cake - Sesame (Flavour). Each package (I received 5) contains these small cakes made from Glutinous Rice, Peanut Oil, White Sugar and Sesame.

Crisp, spicy minced pork with shiitake, garlic, ginger, shallots, chilli, Sichuan peppercorns, soy sauce and hand pulled noodles.

Lobster balls in a fish stock with lettuce.

Throughout most of Asia it is considered extremely disrespectful or even sacriligious to wear shoes indoors. Not to mention unhygienic. Most homes here in China have a rack of slippers for guests to change into. This is always positioned at the front door - as is mine!

Here, more or less, is how I do the rabbit in mustard sauce I mentioned, although I was making it long before this was published. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/jan/31/mustard-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstall

Almost everyone, I know!

Chicken, morels, garlic, ginger, chilli, white pepper, soy sauce, oyster sauce, red vinegar, green onion. Served with orzo.

Near Liuzhou, where I live, is the county of Lipu, which is known for the quality of its wild hares. Several years back, my sister in law had a visit from an old classmate who brought her such a beast. Now, S-I-L was quite simply the best cook I have ever met. Totally self taught but sublime. She brought the magic out of anything she cared to prepare. Anyway, that hare was probably the best dish I've ever eaten. It tasted Sichuanese, but with Indian curry notes alongside Vietnamese freshness. But British gaminess shone through, too. I could have sworn there was some Dijon mustard in there, but know there wasn't. My descriptive powers fail me. Sadly, just short of her 40th birthday, after cooking lunch for herself and mother, she went for her usual siesta and never woke up - complications from untreated diabetes. I saw her the day before in the market and had no idea she was even ill. Even now, three years later, I look out for her in the market then remember. Of course, I never got her recipe, and she would never have given it to me anyway. She was one of those "get out of my kitchen" cooks and would never explain anything. She did, however, once do me the great honour of asking me to cook one dish because I "do it better". I haven't made it since she departed. Two great losses! A wonderful S-I-L and a hare recipe! She wouldn't find that pairing at all disrespectful. She'd be more concerned about the hare! Miss her hugely.

Flicking through Fuchsia Dunlop's Sichuan Cookery (UK) / Land of Plenty (North America), looking for something unrelated, I came across these, which I have made in the past, but had forgotten. Sorry, no pictures. 花仁拌兔丁 （huā rén bàn tù dīng) - Rabbit with peanuts in hot sauce. Basically cubed rabbit meat with black fermented beans and doubanjiang (Sichuan broadbean chili sauce). Served as a snack or appetiser. 冰糖兔子 芦 (bīng táng tù zi) - Rabbit with rock sugar. Despite having no trace of a sweet tooth, I quite like this appetizer.

Rabbit was a regular thing for me growing up. It turned up around once a week, although I'm not sure whether it was bought from a butcher or by back door avenues. Probably the latter. It was certainly inexpensive. Much later, I got wild rabbit from Norman, my butcher. Today, I buy it easily in the markets. It is reasonably priced. Here are a couple of favourite treatments. Sichuan Lazi Rabbit This is basically Fuchsia Dunlop's recipe for lazi chicken (辣子鸡 － làzi jī) but using rabbit (兔子 － tùzi). Braised rabbit with leeks and cèpes. Rabbit in a creamy mustard sauce. and finally my mother's rabbit with champ which graced the dinner table many a night.

Sad news indeed.

Love rabbit. Great with a creamy whole grain Dijon mustard sauce. Also some great Sichuan dishes including the popular street food - mala rabbit head! Also, I often make lazi rabbit instead of lazi chicken. My local supermarket sells whole roast rabbit, too. I can get behind this cook-off, but it's 1:30am. I'll be back!

Is there actually a shortage of kangaroos or is it just lockdown preventing hunting/culling? Or processing? I like me some kangaroo meat. And I'm not a cat with digestive issues!

I'm not sure. I think they must be stray bits of tomato or uncooked beef. They were quite rare. I can't check. I ate them. But definitely not spices. I would remember putting any spices in the mix.