BonVivant

Self-respecting food lovers like to (must!) visit a local market in a new place. If anyone doesn't like looking at market photos please skip this one. The capital's central market. Quite nice, like a mini version of Budapest's central market. But Budapest is on another level, however. The fresh meat section is in a separate hall next to the charcuterie and fruit in the main hall. This market is where all the tourists come but locals also shop here. There's even a "guided food tour" but I'm not into that. The meat products in this post are all cured and wonderful looking. Speck and fat slabs. They just don't have Mangalitsa pork fat like in Hungary. Lithuanians like to snack on jerky, dried meats and cured sausages. There are beef and pork jerky, and the pork comes in several shapes/thickness/cuts etc. Every type of Speck and fat has its use This type of thick, pure fat is to be sliced very thinly and then put on a slice of bread. The cured sausages are nice stuff Many types of dried meat A typical charcuterie shop. I looked at them all and decided to buy most things at this shop. The nice girl could vacuum seal all my purchases, besides, no problem with communication which speeds things up considerably. Pickles Gherkin brine Gherkins are ready Pickled garlic. Another stall also has it in a beetroot brine, looks a lot more beautiful. Most people, including me, bought strawberries. The only time I saw "white asparagus" was at the organic market the day before. Rosé tomatoes. Not super sweet but refined in flavour. I bought several types, including this. Tasty. They looked a bit dried out, didn't buy any. Potatoes still have big chunks of soil attached. We have them at home, too. Each is a different type of black or rye bread. I bought a chunk of "heritage black bread" weighing 1,3kg. These rye breads are very heavy and substantial.

Last day of whale watching and eating Tony's tacos. Had to check out a new restaurant. After Tony's this is what the restaurant served (fish and octopus tacos). We thought it was a joke, but unfortunately it was not. The aguachile was weird, too. We left quickly. But it doesn't matter, because the whales were so incredible that you forgot the unpleasant things and unkind people ever existed. We experienced a gang of aggressive whales for the first time. The guide in another boat said she ran into them 3 days in a row. They surrounded and circled our boat and waved their big flukes uncomfortably close, they tried to lift and rock the boat, literally . It was a bit scary, really. When we tried to escape, they then followed us for a long time. If we stopped they would start the whole thing again. So close to where I was sitting... Only takes one flick and in the water you go, or worse, breaks your neck. But aggressive whales are not common. Thanks for your trust and generosity, whales! So far we have done 26 or 27 whale watch trips! Each time was different and incredible. These highly intelligent creatures piercing stare gives you the chills. (My camera can be submerged in water) Love Mexico. Always looking forward to the next trip back to this amazing country. Muchas gracias, Mexico! Whale watching places I visited on this trip. Gave up on San Ignacio. Laguna is best. Will go to Laguna from now on. (And thanks for reading this far)

What it's like to be approached by friendly whales Flipper. Grown man for size. We found the town's taco truck again! Everyone was happy to see each other again. They recognised us straight away. So they had moved to a different spot, 2 streets away. They are opening a small restaurant next season. Hopefully they'll have more than tacos, like ceviche, aguachile and other seafood snacks/dishes. We ordered plate after plate of prawn and fish tacos. --- Laguna Ojo de Liebre, where up to 2 thousand grey whales gather before heading to Alaska. The water is warm and level of salinity is high, both are crucial for birthing and new born calves. 4 whales swimming near the boat. (Closest one is a white patch, about to surface) A special moment, for first-timers and repeaters alike. The tenderness of both species is heartwarming. First-timer's mistake... touching or kissing the super sharp barnacles. I've seen people got gashed. This one kept opening its mouth More tacos

Last photos in Loreto before a gruelling 10 hour bus ride north to near the north-south Baja border. We eat at this "comida corrida" place down the road from the guest house every time. The beans are soupy but we like the rest just fine. A juvenile blue-footed booby. The male version of this bird has striking blue feet. Too bad he sat down when I pulled out the camera. But he was standing up before that so I got to see the feet. An osprey directly above me. It's the season so you see them everywhere. Next day in Guerrero Negro after returning from whale watching. Went to the spot where the taco truck used to park but didn't see it there. We were sad thinking the business went belly up. This town experienced a bad hurricane last August and many businesses never recovered. Anyway, this birria truck is new this year so we decided to check it out. The partner ate the cabeza "Carnitas"

Roadside food Minced prawn filling Prawn pozole. A little spicy. You'll often see whale wall murals in towns or villages where there's whale tourism. A bbq rig It's an old Suzuki Samurai classic jeep One of the few hand-painted signs left. They used to be hand-painted like this, just like adverts and film posters. The promenade in Loreto. Not used to seeing Loreto so cloudy, cold and windy. We had to put on a light jacket the whole time and it was also most cold in the evening/early morning. Loreto is full of palm trees. It does feel like a classic Mexican holiday. My favourite whole pig spit-roast man on a street corner is no longer in business in Loreto, but by chance I found a carnitas shop where locals queue from opening time. Guest house owners and us joined the queue on a Sunday morning and we all ate the meal together. This chicharon is so good. I'm sure the Michoacanos would approve (they are a, rightly, difficult bunch when it comes to chicharon and carnitas). We snacked on the leftover chicharon during the long bus ride to the north, drawing longing looks from Mexican passengers. Guest house owners also thought the carnitas was good. $10 for all of this. Lasted 2 meals. And later, beer from a craft beer bar on the next street.

Finally I could get round to finishing this (trip). My new laptop arrived shortly after I got home from Lithuania and the last couple of days have been nothing but frustration and headaches trying to set it up and running. Windows 11 is utter rubbish. Staggering ineffiicency, it wastes you time and insults your intelligence, not to mention a new level of keeping tabs on you. Hold on to your previous Windows version for as long as possible. Back to Mexico... After Loreto there's not much to photograph, it's just getting up early getting ready for whale tours and going to bed early. It's the last week of this trip and it's only whale watching every day. We always visit El Rey del Taco down the road from the lodging, at least once. A very simple restaurant run by El Rey and his partner, both English speaking and friendly (like nearly all Mexicans, really). The taco shop is always busy and sometimes first-timers who don't have patience get up and leave, or keep trying to get the wife's attention to order. She'll come to you when she's ready. She'll ask the tourists what type of tortilla they prefer, and if they would like the spicy peppers and onions. This is to prevent wasting food. Some tourists don't touch the peppers and onions. My taco as brought to me, before I piled on all the other bits. One taco comes with 2 tortillas and big pieces of fish. You make 2 tacos with 1. We also ordered "Cabeza" but it usually runs out fast. I have tried cabeza several times but couln't get into it. Couldn't get past the strong smell of some part(s). Eat this every day in Mexico. Fresh and warm corn tortillas to be filled with buttery avocados. That's a 1kg stack of corn tortillas, still steamy. Found pure frozen passion fruit pulp and soursop to snack on. Only in the course of a year we noticed a few things had changed. Some homes and businesses are gone, some new restaurants and businesses appeared. This corner former house is still around and well kept. It's so cold and windy this year it's so unlike Loreto. No beach weather. Funky snowy egret (I think). He eats the big black critters on the rocks. Windy day (actually all the days we were in Loreto this year). Deemed a pest in some cities/countries. They land on the boat as soon as it approaches the harbour. They are huge (but still smaller than other species of pelicans). We like observing them, they are comical.

Visited a weekly organic market to have a look. There are about a dozen stalls selling breads, fruits, vegs, dairy, snacks etc. Also plants. Prices are as high as at home, but quality is higher and there are some interesting things we don't have (at home). I bought lots of fruits but the most anticipated were these lovely and delicious blue honeysuckle berries. Strawberries are piled high everywhere at the moment. Also got concentrated blueberry juice. Every morning I eat a little mount of fresh fruits. Took a short bus ride to a "gourmet market" outside the centre. They say that all this "gourmet" food and craft beer scene was unthinkable 10 years ago. Then ideas from abroad and money arrived. Nothing is cheap here, for Lithuanian standards. Lots of imported high-end foodstuffs, as well as domestic products.. I like smoked pig's ears. Smoked snouts on right. Snack bar makes pie from scratch Took the photo on the way out. It's a new building. Lunch at the oldest brewery again. They have a special day menu on this day. Many locals come to eat the special dishes of the day, but most popular are the zeppelins (potato dumplings). Small knuckle with horseradish cream sauce, and Sauerkraut. Got 2 dumplings. The shape indicates which filling it contains. Left is pork mince, right is cottage cheese. Some fried Speck and lard and a big dollop of (soured) cream. Lithuanians eat a lot of cream. Apparently, it's soured cream but I don't taste it. To me it's mild, full fat thick cream. Very nice! There's a good craft beer bottle shop inside the gourmet market. They have 6 taps for drinking standing or sitting down upstairs in the "food court". I tried the IPA. but bought 2 cold bottles to drink upstairs. A small space with shelves of some international and domestic craft beers, plus 4 fridges of more beer. Young and knowledegable staff told me this brewery is highly regarded at the moment. I got a NEIPA and hazy pale ale. Crisps in the flavour of Lithuania's most popular soup (cold beetroot with kefir) Didn't get this one Found these in the supermarket. Of course they make one with potato dumpling flavour for this country. Other photos: I see delivery men riding this thing a hundred times a day. Delivery of food is so popular here. Don't people cook any more? As far as I know, only one country has banned the E-step bikes. Many buildings have inner courtyards, you see it after passing under a(n arched) entrance or doorway like this. There's a bunch of "Italian" restaurants in town, some of them claim theirs are "true". Timeless classy I see crumbling buildings like this every day. Shame that nothing is being done about it. He took a photo of them, she decided which filter to apply. Nice craft beer bar "Pink soup fest" is going on this week. A pamphlet lists restaurants serving the cold beetroot soup.

Lithuanian savoury pies. One of the traditional things to eat here. Black bread. Another must do. Apparently, Lithuanians are the world's biggest rye eaters. We are big bread eaters so we try to eat black bread from a different shop every day. First slice with avocado The partner had to eat most of these as I preferred the black bread. Some tourists ride these bikes. We bike every single day at home so we just want to walk here. Besides, it's easier for me to make photos all the time. So many locals use this thing. They are left behind everywhere you turn. 600 year old bell tower. I have heard the views are fabulous up there. The plan is to walk up tomorrow. Wanted to check out some Soviet-era canteens in town. The menu is short, food is simple and looks are not important. They are popular again now that cost of living is soaring. The tables are not cleaned after someone leaves, you bring the dirty dishes to a certain spot near the kitchen door, you don't linger when you are done eating. 5 tables with chairs and 5 standing tables. Locals are done eating in 5 minutes or less. The men usually eat standing. People of all ages and walks of life eat at these canteens. The food is cheap and brings one feelings of childhood nostalgia. National dish of Lithuania, "zeppelins", or potato dumplings filled with pork mince. One of the theories is they got the idea from German potato dumplings (Bavarian style), changed the form (zeppelin) and used pork mince as a filling. Cabbage rolls Everyone ordered a cup of salty broth with the food It's very hot and it's not officially summer yet. Have to rest in the shade often. Pubs don't open in early afternoon, this one opens from 3pm is the earliest. One of the highly rated pubs in town. I thought it was just OK. They have 4 fridges of craft beer New deliveries kept arriving. Still not enough to make me stay. Will probably come back one more time before slagging it off. And at the next pub near my lodging. Must have changed owners. Not really a true craft beer bar. We tried a honey ale anyway. Not too sweet, faint taste of honey. Btw, Lithuanians like their beer sweet(ish), I was told today by an employee in a craft beer bottle shop. No wonder most of the beer I've tried so far are smooth, sweetish and not too bitter. Lay's crisps we have at home are almost worthless. Here they have novelties such as barbecue rib flavour and chanterelles. Supermarkets are wonderful to explore. The herring section is BIG, it puts us to shame. In most supermarkets we have matjes and the kind in brine, that's it. Smoked salmon carcasses! There's also smoked salmon trimmings. I love walking round in a new place with my cameras. Quiet street Female camera operator Fill your bottle for free. I see Lithuanians drink directly from the tap. I'm not adventurous when it comes to drinking tap water in most countries. As far as I know, you eat the potatoes alongside the soup, as in not putting them in the soup. But the eggs can be pureed together with the beetroot and kefir. Btw, I posted this not that long ago (in the lunch thread). HeidiH, Some people carry 2 phones, I carry 2 cameras (and no phone). This camera is for B&W photos. Come back to my lodging, jump in the sauna, eat, drink and go to bed. Not tired from the walking, but I think from the high temperatures (outside).

This is the airport in the Lithuanian capital. It's tiny and looks more like a train station. Nothing that indicates it's an airport. Just got here today. Hit the supermarket straight away to pick up a few things. Californian pistachio packages have security locks on them. "Super bakery". Didn't see any bread from outside, mostly pastries. Catbus stop (?) Tactile pavings are even next to the river so the visually impaired can enjoy walking along the river, too! Went to the oldest brewery for the first and only meal today. It's a rustic building, the restaurant serves some Lithuanian traditional dishes and some newer ones. We went after lunch time to avoid the crowd. Locals started to come in soon after, for beer and snacks. Black beer, lager, and IPA. Guess which is most popular Cold beetroot soup, always comes with potatoes and usually a hard boiled egg, but no egg here. Charcuterie. My favourites are the smoked pig's ear and dried sausage. Matjes with potatoes. Crispy potatoes with mushrooms, Speck and cream. For the cookware enthusiasts It's a porky and potato paradise here. We never pass up an opportunity to indulge in potatoes. Went for a walk during golden hour. So many of these annoying "E-steps" everywhere. Even middle-aged women zip past cars riding these electric bikes standing. It's very warm today, very summery. Many men with fishing rods along the river.

Rhubarb The "original" mac & cheese contains potatoes, served with apple sauce on the side (one can actually spoon it on top of the whole thing, or anywhere on the plate), and the pasta is longish. The pasta and potatoes are cooked together in cream, then the cheese is added when done. In German speaking countries it's called "Alpine mac & cheese". Many people like it best with some crispy-fried Speck. I make it seasonal with rhubarb. The tartness is refreshing and palate cleansing. --- It's finally warming up These organic strawberries are all different shapes and sizes. I just need the taste. White stuff is full-fat quark that's been drained. This Queen comes with a green crown. --- From Pakistan

Creamy black lentils Prawn shell broth - - - - Asparagus salad Hake's roe. Salted overnight, then poached in kombu broth. Slice into rounds, place on (buttered) bread, drizzle with chilli oil. Latvian smoked sprats Australian "Riesling" It's now half way into the season, I've eaten 7 kilos thus far. (My personal record is 14kg)

Looks like what we call samphire. I eat it all the time, usually with fish or shellfish, but it's also nice with eggs, boiled potatoes and rice dishes (risotto, "paella" etc). When buying something from a fishmonger I always get 100-200 grams samphire to go with my fishy meals. Salty and briny. Goes well with all things from the sea. I just toss it briefly in hot fat (of choice). Or blanch (and shock in ice water). I also like it cooked in cream or add to something creamy. Must not be exposed to heat too long or it'll turn unsightly brown. Do not add any salt to your food as the samphire is salty enough. You can also pickle samphire (not for me, common on Balearic islands). Results in a loss of colour, taste and the crunch. Love sea vegetables. There are many kinds of sea veg in Japan and a small amount is added to certain dishes on Okinawa islands. Every. meal. But none is this pretty. "Caviar seaweed", I've only seen and eaten this on Okinawa islands.

Prawns with soft eggs and with quark, eaten with bread. Vegetables on the side Meal #2. Burrata doused with chilli oil, beetroot-drained yoghurt-walnut-apple spread. Mixed herbs with drained yoghurt and nuts. Turkish flatbread Lamb chops from Turkish butcher, and first chive blossoms from the garden.

Knöpfle is rounder (and a bit firmer). Spätzle is flatter and longer. The batter is also slightly different, I think. I stayed in Ellbögen village in Tirol some years back.

Button dumplings, made with this simple Hungarian tool. Browned briefly in hot fat. Beef shank with Hungarian paprika. Today... Blinis with green sauce and (sub) Arctic prawns After pureeing beetroots I added water to the blender and that's my drink with this meal. Some vegetables were born with a silver spoon in their mouths. I'm on my 5th kilo as of this week. Pandalus borealis. Wild and sweet. One of the most common prawn species that lives in (sub) Arctic Atlantic. Before shelling Purty! I like to sprinkle these "peppercorns" on yoghurt, burrata, and foods that tend to be mild/delicate.

Hey, that's the boy's shoe 🤣 (Will check out the article later)

Bucatini tossed in Korean black bean sauce (not the same as Chinese black bean sauce, FYI). Steamed roe Ginger-garlic-chilli sauce I like Founders but this one is almost pure vinegar. --- What I ate during the pelting rain and thunderstorm earlier today. Marinated the asparagus with boiled beetroot liquid. White sausages and other bits KenT, last drop of the Syrah. Have never had "white" Syrah. Interesting. Thanks. Nice! I would rather the (thin) sauce in a separate bowl or cup to sip. But then it wouldn't be "ahogada". Hey, Francesinha. Go sit in the corner (and think about what you could learn from Mexican version).

Steamed tofu with dried shrimp --- It was cold again earlier in the week. Sauerkraut and cured-smoked pork belly. Polish smoked sausage (actually a long one, didn't fit the pan) ---- Green sauce for asparagus and bread Sweet asparagus from my favourite local farm. Finally, my fishmonger is able to get flat oysters for me again (couldn't since after lockdown). These taste 3 times better than Pacific oysters. So much umami on their own but even better with some lemon juice and a bottle of wine.The flat ones cost almost twice as much for the typical weekly market shoppers so they (the oysters) are usually sent straight to restaurants and for export. This simple meal makes me a bit emotional... Thank you, farmers. Thank you, harvesters. Thank you, fishmonger. "Nothing is worth more than this day", Goethe once wrote. Extra photos: fresh from the field. This piece of equipment is called an "asparagus spider". It goes over a row of asparagus, holds up the cover so the worker can harvest. As you can see it's back-breaking work, each and every spear is harvested by hand. This farm is small, they hire a small team of workers from Poland (I saw maybe 5 people, the same team every year, have chatted with them a couple of times). I can't peel like this machine, so thin the peel is near transparent. Pay an extra euro and you can take a bag of the peel home for soup/essence, I always do. Categorised by quality and sizes (prices do come down as the season progresses. This year the price has gone up eur.4). Every time I try asparagus from another farm I go right back to my local farm for more.

As mentioned upthread it's a bar(tender's) knife. The spear tip is for garnishes, serrated/wavy edge slices tougher ingredients better. The little teeth are for zesting.

3 different meals. Steamed flounder with salted black beans. The fish rests on a bed of ginger root. You are going to see these elegant white spears in one form or another for the next 6 week or so. Today they are shaved and eaten raw. Crunchy, juicy and refreshing. Smoked herring ("bloater"? Shall ask the fishmonger if it's hot or cold-smoked. I'm under the impression that it's hot-smoked.) with its roe sac exposed. It's the best time right now to eat herring and shrimp as they are usually full of roe. 2 types of rye bread Last one... A Chinese supermarket in the big city near me had renovated their shop. Now there's a fish counter, fresh meats and roasted meats (char siu, ducks and pork bellies). @KennethT, I used to be able to get cheap Furmint. Hungarian wines are not popular here. Would love to go back! I forgot to try them. Next time if I see them again. Fresh green and red chorizo at the market in Morelia.

The wait is over! Lithuanian-inspired beetroot soup. A simple soup of pureed beetroots and kefir. This soup is always served with boiled potatoes and eggs. There's also a green sauce and asparagus peel broth (not shown in this photo). Last week the farm ran an advert in the local paper announcing the availability of their asparagus starting in April (and not mid April like it used to be). So now they start the season earlier in time for Easter. Brought back from beautiful Middle Mosel ---- Whilst waiting for KennethT to make something with his gifted paprika... This is what I'm going to make with my paprika. Fish soup (it's a simple enough recipe). The recipes calls for various fish parts to make the stock but I just use salmon. The heat and fat release the flavour and intensify the colour of the paprika. In Hungary this fish soup is served with fresh fluffy white bread. Almost impossible to find Hungarian wine here, Croatian it has to be.

I mix pulverised aromatic mushroom(s) and salt flakes. Use this as a condiment (especially nice with steak/meat and eggs). I also use seaweed powder/flakes in the same way (not meat). In Namibia I saw biltong "dust" (very fine and dry ground biltong) in the supermarket. Staff behind biltong counter told me it's a condiment for many savoury dishes. Sprinkle on potatoes, pizzas, eggs, pastas, soups, salads etc. I would also add it to a home-made spicy paste. Maybe you could use ground okra to thicken soups or sauces?

Long weekend ends today. Turkish baklava When I go to Turkey I'll eat my weight in baklava (and yoghurt, though not at the same time)! The cashier and I were chatting about Turkish baklava vs others and we agreed the best is always Turkish. She threw her head back and closed her eyes. Turkish baklava has the most ridiculous amounts of pistachios. The Mexican holidays that keep on giving. Chillies and chocolate to last me until the next trip. -- Another meal. Brawn 2 types of brawn and a smelly cheese Fresh roe scramble eggs Forgot to make another horizontal photo of the egg dish. (Maggi is for the eggs) I used 1/3 in the scrambled eggs

The first truly gorgeous and warm spring day this year. Can't believe it wasn't that long ago at this same time the streets round the globe were deserted and the whole world descended into chaos. Pets couldn't wrap their heads round their owners' constant presence. Someone was happy with these. Various fillings (just full fat drained quark with beetroot, pistachios, dill and cooked eggs.) Pastry cases and blinis are shop-bought. Toppings for everything here are North Sea shrimp (peeled the day before as this task always takes the longest), gherkins, gravadlax, crispy-fried Speck, samphire briefly tossed in the warm Speck fat, and Matjes (very tender and fatty, almost like a "virgin"/new season Matjes, though not quite). Simple yeast dough filled with almond paste and chocolate.

Love it but just too much work for me. If you want to make me eat rice then it had better be in the form of noodles, sake, or arancini. Just landed and happily missed my bus... This chain has a shop at the airport (thank you!). Waiting for my bus... Ate it every day so I could try all the fillings. Btw, the conical ones almost always have ragu filling. My last arancini. Also got a box of 6 to take home. When I return to Sicily it'll be my first and last meal/snack again!!!