BonVivant

Say no more. Spain is probably my favourite country in Europe. I have to "force" myself to visit a new country every year as it's too tempting to keep going back to the same countries or places. Austria ticks most of the boxes as well.

Based on Turkish breakfast food called Çilbir (poached eggs with yogurt). Made mine with silken tofu, home-made Laoganma and confit yolks.

First time making Belgian shrimp croquettes. The next day. Have made it a couple of times now. Enough. Too much work. I usually eat the shrimp as a snack (or with scrambled eggs and bread) and save the shell for a broth. Sichuan peppercorns for kicks. In Belgium you pay about 6 euros for a croquette. No week goes by without eating ma(a)jes.

I always make this with French chicken, with or without morels. Another meal from leftovers of the above. I added potatoes and SV goat's leg meat.

Another dinner.

Spanish-esque.

There are several, with varying intensities of redness. Have a look at Wiki's long list of cultivars. It is said that the red kinds are even sweeter. And I think Turkish Datça is already super duper sweet!

I always get them from Turkish supermarkets. After some searching I've learnt this variety is the most common in Turkey, called Datça. Taste is super sweet, like honey. Very crunchy. Flesh is white (same for all varieties). The first shipment is most expensive, I paid 10 euros for a kilo (that's exactly 1 kilo in the photo posted above). After that the price drops. They are in season right now. Gonna hit the Turk supermarket again this weekend. Look up the red variety. It's stunning, like the colour of beetroots. I would travel to eat the red varieties, unfortunately they are only found in countries which are on my black list, or not safe for most tourists.

New herring with quark and SV rhubarb My kind of date.

SV lamb. Another day. Soft tofu from a tube and confit yolks.

^^ Gonna steal this idea. Danke! I also had this view, with light show, at Quarterdeck (only went there for oysters, bubbly and lobsters).

Natto, Münster, St. Albray.

Mussels are in season right now. Meals are 2 weeks apart.

Chilled noodle salads in parched northern Europe.

Chickpea mush. Clams (Panopea generosa).

I like fermented foods. A new batch of rhubarb kimchi (in photo above).

Pork and beef stew, both contain beer, in Brussels.

Brought back a couple of things from Chisinau. A kilo of smoked sprats costs 2 euros! For that amount of money here at home I get a small tin. I ate them all the way home. In the pub and on the train. Forgot to make a photo of the roe mixed in cream (in small dish on right). Austrian dumplings, before being drowned in maple syrup.

Back in food hell after a week in the Moldovan capital. A few dinners since then. Skate. Linguine with anchovies, capers, garlic, parsley etc. SV duck legs. My new favourite kimchi. Austria meets France meets Korea.

Just 2 things. Wine is made "Méthode Traditionnelle". I'm not interested in sparkling wines with just added fizz. Caviar fridges, under lock and key. Bought mine from here. I've been struggling with the heat here. Cold strawberry with ice is extremely nice after walking round in this heat. Like most eastern Europeans Moldovans are huge soup eaters. Fortunately I like soups and beetroots. Garlic rolls in the background. You will quickly notice sour cream is served with nearly everything. Moldovan version of polenta. The dent is for pouring butter over. Fried Speck, scrambled eggs, grated brined cheese, sour cream, dill-garlic in oil.

Some recent lunches in Moldova where I am visiting at the moment. Where I bought the fruits. --- Cabbage. --- At Asconi winery, 37km from the capital. Sparkling wine. Grilled vegs are popular. Moldovan cabbage rolls are tiny. I thought they were delicious, just like my imaginary grand mum used to make. Rabbit stew. Yellow dome is maize meal mush. It always goes together with sour cream, grated/crumbled brined cheese, and scrambled eggs. Under a big mulberry tree. Costs 75 euro cents to get here in a cramped van. Takes almost an hour.

I'm in the Moldovan capital and eating typical Moldovan food. Moldova doesn't really have much "traditional food" to call its own. They got ideas from their neighbours and former occupiers. Moldovan flatbread filled with cabbage. Cottage cheese dumplings. Pork This is a wine drinking and wine producing country. The quality of wines is quite good so far, not to mention cheap. These are wine taps in the restaurant. Red, chardonay, rosé and Traminer. A very pleasant restaurant serving typical national dishes at very reasonable prices and in a nice atmosphere. Extremely popular with locals and now the tourists are checking it out, too. As soon as I got back to my lodging... Corkscrew borrowed from the lodging's owner. It worked after several tries.