BonVivant

Ranz, I have absolutely no fancy lighting rig. There's a standard (neutral) light which hangs above my dinner table and that's my only artificial light source. In the summer it's easier when there's longer natural light and I often eat in the back garden. Sometimes I use the corner of my table where the light is a lot less so a couple of settings on my camera also have to be changed.

Finger (sea) food: clams (Portuguese style), razors (with pounded fresh tumeric, ginger, lemon juice, fish sauce), and brill.

I had this year's first BBQ today. Meat was lamb leg (with bone). Unfortunately, the weather turns lousy again tomorrow. Such is spring. Nothing is worth more than this day. (Goethe)

Fish with lots of fresh dill and tumeric. Some bits on the fish are pounded fresh tumeric. Had this meal 10 years ago in Ha Noi, trying to recreate it at home today. There is rice noodle underneath. I used 2 different fish

Lemon sole doesn't have a lot of taste so I gave it some with chopped smoked bacon, garlic, and chives. Actually it's typical in northern German cookery to add smoked bacon to (flat) fish.

Classic potted shrimps. I left a few shrimp unpeeled, now you know what they actually look like. They are wild and abundant in the North Sea, Baltic Sea and Scandinavia. They have a unique taste due to the very high iodine content.

Ranz, many thanks! -------------------------- From yesterday: Flammkuchen, classic version with smoked bacon and onion rings. The whole 'kuchen'. Two in total.

First seared then finished in the oven, together with fennel and tomatoes. There was also boiled salsify in place of potatoes.

In Portugal and Spain I have only eaten them as a snack/tapas/cold 'first course'. In Portugal you pay by weight and they bring it to the table straight away. You snack on them with vinho verde whilst your meal is being prepared. Cooking it is really simple. Boil it briefly and nothing more. You would probably enjoy it in a pasta dish (after boiling and extracting the flesh). Probably my most favourite thing to eat in the entire world!

Whilst a storm was raging outside. And just for fun...

Was going to make something Portuguese called Arroz de Tamboril but decided to make it a bit Spanish instead. An easy meal on this miserable and wet day.

Speaking of beaver... I drank this beer. Had minke whale (bbq'ed, smoked and steak versions) and seal. Seal was much nicer. Frozen arctic minke whale steaks

Can't believe I ate pyura chlensis in southern Chile. There it's known as piure. The closest thing to drawing blood from a stone! (some pics found on the web)

Guinea fowl in Riesling (and cream). Wine was Sancerre.

Grilled avocado with eggs and smoked bacon. This shot has the bread that was in the oven together with the avocados. I put them in shortly before the bread was done. Regrettably, I was preoccupied with something else for a moment too long and the eggs were not as soft as I would have liked. A reminder for next time.

The simplest things often bring me the greatest joy, such as my dinner today. There are actually 2 different kinds of 'farmer's breakfast' in the pan. Half has eggs and Sauerkraut, the other half not. Potatoes were thickly sliced, as well as cubed, however they were not mixed together. One can make it however one fancies. The idea is to use up leftovers. The smoked bacon provides most of the taste, the blood sausage is a nice bonus.

Finally it's sunny and warm enough to make photos in my back garden. Uruguayan beef tenderloin, minced by yours truly.

Ranz, thanks. Must be nice to have access to good meats. -------------------------------------- I have reasonably good access to northern European seafood. The prawns (Crangon crangon).

Quick midweek dinner with a big piece of salmon belly. Green stuff in jar is pounded fresh dill and olive oil.

Fish stew.

Greekness, thanks a lot. I'm having a one week Chinese cooking lark.

Easy dumplings. I made 3 different sorts with lamb, half fat pork and half fat pork with whole prawns. I also used preserved vegs in the mince. First dozen was steamed but the rest was cooked on the table hot pot style. Half of the batch Steamed I used these in the mince (minus the Sichuan chili mix)

Move over, Dunlop. Here comes Prawncrackers! Your food takes me back to Chengdu (have been there 3 times for the food and more)!

Some recent meals. Squids with green peppercorns. I like Thai food sometimes. Gutted the squid myself, this way I get to keep the tentacles and ink (if there's any of the latter). I've decided to make Chinese (style) food everyday this week in anticipation of Chinese new year. My other half likes rice more than I do so at least one of us is happy for days (me, rice once a week is enough). Took us 2 hours to eat all this food and could only finish half. - Scallops with Sichuan black bean sauce with chilies. Cleaned the scallops myself, only had to remove gut sac and digestive tract. - Steamed turbot with Shaohsing wine, light soy sauce and sesame oil. - Steamed eggs with roe and preserved turnip bits (as well as the usual wine, soy and sesame sauces.). I left the roe sac whole for this one. - Steamed eggs with roe and (Sichuan?) preserved vegs (as well as the usual wine, soy and sesame sauces.)

Got the curry flavour one for the other half who doesn't mind curries. I tried one and went to brush my teeth soon after. Can't stand curry anything. Butter flavour is too mild. Not good enough. Tomorrow I go get the beef stew one again. Let's hope it's not all gone ('limited edition')!