KennethT

Someone put this link on one of the gardening forums I belong to on FB... I don't know if it's BS or not, but worth a look: http://theplantguide.net/2017/06/08/7-important-reasons-use-cinnamon-garden/

Loving this... those were really nice sized mantis shrimp! I think the ones I had were little toddlers or something... and were so overcooked, the meat stuck to the shell and you could barely get anything to eat once "peeled".. unlike yours which look like they came out cleanly.

That's got to be the fanciest plate of conch fritters ever.

The mystery stuff looks almost like tripe... I don't want to distract from the new photos... I'm loving them... but I did want to say that I agree with you - I've seen lots of rare/medium beef in pho bo in Vietnam, now that you mention it.

@gfweb I've seen this same thing in wet markets all across SE Asia - even recently in Hoi An where it was 100degF in the shade. It doesn't seem like people there are dropping like flies.... but, at one time, I was told that the reason why it's ok that the meat sits out like that with norefrigeration is that it was just recently slaughtered - probably just a few hours before, and will probably be cooked shortly after it is purchased - so it's very different than in the West where the meat has to survive long transit times, and sitting around days in the case before being purchased. Also, most preparations I've seen THROROUGHLY cook the meat - even beef... I don't think I've ever seen rare beef (or any other meat) anywhere in Asia.

In Western cultures, as far as I am aware, only the legs are eaten... but in China, I can't imagine them wasting the rest of the frog like that. Do you know if they eat the whole thing, or just the legs? And if the whole thing, what does the body taste like?

Have you been to Motorino in HK?

@Duvel Awesome! I'm loving this!

No, I was talking about the yellowing leaves and the black spots.

@HungryChris I just noticed, what's going on with your tomato plant... is that a fungus I see?

@Anna N There are - they are indeterminate tomatoes! Most heirloom varieties are indeterminate. I grew one hydroponically in the corner of my apartment for almost a year until its roots finally clogged my system and caused a major flood - I had about 20 gallons of nutrient in a pond in the middle of my living room floor! It was the best tomato plant ever, for the two of us that is... it just kept giving... maybe 4-5 tomatoes per week... the caveat is that while the plant keeps producing, the vine keeps growing also - so you wind up with a vine about 30 feet long. In fact, most greenhouse tomatoes are indeterminate as well, as they provide steady production for a long time. Those are usually hybrids though, typically bred more for fungus/disease resistance than for flavor. Most greenhouses train the vine up a string tied to a truss of the greenhouse's ceiling. Then, as the plant grows towards the ceiling, they let some string out and lean the plants over to take up the space. @DiggingDogFarm - I have never seen those... I wish I could try one before trying to grow it... I've got pretty limited space (I'm on the 21st floor in about an 800 sq. ft. apartment) - so unless I want a pepper plant in the bathroom or bedroom (which would be an issue because of lighting), I need to be selective as to what I want to grow in the limited space my living room provides...

That's the problem with habaneros... I love their fruit flavor, but the heat is just way too intense. I wish I could grow the red, long hot peppers I've seen in SE Asia - they're usually about 4-5 inches long and about 3/4" wide at the widest point, tapering to a point. They've got great chili flavor, but aren't very hot. I think I've seen seeds for them from time to time, but I don't know what I'd do with a flush of peppers all at once... there's only two of us, and once frozen or pickled, it's not the same as if you were using them raw and sliced thinly. I wish there was a such thing as an indeterminate pepper plant that would keep growing for a year putting out a few peppers per week.... that would be awesome...

@ShelbyI think that's the point!

Was that lunch for 1 person? It's a feast!

I imagine that that supermarket is a very upscale version catering to expats, no? I'd be curious as to what supermarkets in more local areas might look like...

I loved the octopus card... so convenient. I wish we had something like that in NYC.

can someone translate what the word after "cumin" is on the second line?

Don't forget to share! :>

Were the lobster ravioli made from Caribbean (spiny) lobster (with no claws) or "Maine" lobster (with claws)? I loved the caribbean lobster when I had it down there especially when they were just pulled out of the water!

Would you say that the kitchen of yours is of typical size in HK? I've always heard that HK apartments are very small, but your kitchen is huge! Do you live on Lantau all the time, or is it a weekend place? If there all the time, what is your commute like - I assume you work in Central?

@Beebs I don't know what @Duvel has in store for us, but there was a big discussion of dim sum and cantonese restaurants that really helped me plan my trip in 2011 here:

I would have removed it also, assuming that the bones didn't break through the bag during sealing.

Love the conch fritter battle!

If nothing else did, that last teaser certainly would have!

As a small business owner, I would also add that when looking for people to hire, attitude (cleanliness, timeliness, organization) is very important, but if you will be working side by side with this person, it is also good to find someone who is a good personality fit otherwise that relationship will not last long!