liuzhou

I think he is the funniest man on the planet. And also a great actor.His role in Mrs Brown was stunningly good. I have met him twice (but seen him in performance more often). Once before he was famous outside Glasgow. I was a student and had a part-time weekend job in a Glasgow record shop. He bought a Kinks album from me. Several years later, I met him again, in a London restaurant. His act isn't an act. He is really like that. And his very long shows are totally unscripted or rehearsed.

No. it doesn't need to be peeled. The thing to do is halve it lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and surrounding pith, then slice into crescents. I've never soaked them. That may reduce the bitterness, but if you don't like bitter, then why eat them in the first place? The level of bitterness does vary between samples apparently at random, but I've never come across one that was too bitter to be edible. But then I like bitter.

I found this beauty in the market this morning and that decided dinner. 苦瓜肉片 (kǔ guā ròu piàn), bitter melon with pork. The pork was marinated with garlic, ginger, chilli, potato starch, Shaoxing wine and soy sauce, then stir fried with the de-seeded, sliced bitter melon. Sliced scallions and sesame oil to to finish. Served with rice.

Potatoes Of The Night - Billy Connolly See warning last post.

Warning: Unbridled profanity ahead (What the %^&* did you expect? It's Billy Connolly.)

Beihai (北海) is a smallish city in the south of Guangxi, by the sea, near the border with Vietnam. It's about two hours away from me and is seafood central. Nearly all the seafood and sea fish I can buy is caught there. Like most cities here, it has it's own 'iconic' noodle dish. Rice noodles with clams. The correct way to eat them is to put them into your mouth over and over until your bowl looks like this. (Do not eat the clam shells. Throw them on the floor.)

Your non-egg based breakfast seems to have eight eggs in it!

Summer food. 38ºC. In the shade. 1-10-10 chicken. Pre-brined for 4 hours. Not a drop of sous or vide. Left to rest for about 30 minutes. Tender and juicy. Home made potato salad. No I didn't make the potatoes, but I did cook them. Made the mayonnaise, though. Egg, mustard, a splash of rice vinegar and rice bran oil. A winner. Tomato and balcony basil with black pepper and lemon dressing. Seconds were had. (Don't mention the thirds!)

Exactly.

I haven't seen straight since January 1963. Have never wanted to. But still manage to comment. Sometimes.

What a novel idea!

What tiny percentage of the population use sous vide? The topic has every relevance to today and tomorrow.

Squid boiled for one minute in acidulated water. Srirarcha. Edamame. Couscous with scallions. There was a small and simple side salad.

Freshly made rice noodles* with pork tenderloin slices, garlic, baby bok choy, green and red chilli, rice wine and rice vinegar. Boiled duck egg. Before adding broth to the bowl: and after: * by my neighbour.

Next time you are passing drop in! Much as I like beef, I'm with you on most pasta pairings. Although, I have to say, a few years back, I did have one hare and pasta dish which was literally awesome.

Penne rigata with a pork ragu. Onions, fresh tomato, red chilli, red wine. S&P. Finished with balcony basil and grana padano.

Yeah. Apparently when Kissinger visited Mao to set up the Nixon-Mao meeting, he presented the Chairman with a John Denver cassette as a gift from the then President and so, Denver became the only approved western singer.

Another fine tribute here from Matthew Fort. THE FINEST MEAL OF MY LIFE

Now you mentiuon it, I have heard that in China, too.

The packet of fresh ramen noodles I was 100% sure I had in the fridge has evaporated into thin air, so this is not quite what was intended. A deft noodle substitution was called for. Linguine with clams. Clams done with garlic, ginger, shallots , coriander leaf (cilantro), Shaoxing wine and oyster sauce.

You remind me. A few months back my dear friend J invited me to lunch at her place and her husband cooked what I was told was chicken in aged vinegar. That is what the Chinese call matured Zhenjiang vinegar (镇江香醋 zhèn jiāng xiāng cù) and what America calls Chinkiang, or some such nonsense. Anyway, what ever you call it, the dish was delicious. I must ask them for the recipe. It will not be withheld.

Interesting read. Grocery shopping developments in China.

Restaurant lunch yesterday. August. 40ºC "Jingle Bells" and "Auld Lang Syne" Astonishingly common in China. Makes a change from "Edelweiss" and "Yesterday Once More", the only songs ever to have been written outside China.

It's been a while since I did this. Duck egg with flatbread.

454g Not that i know of. The vast majority of Chinese never use butter All the butter I have access to is imported. The Chinese is 黄油 (huáng yóu) which literally means 'yellow oil' but also just means 'grease'.