chefmd

Sunset on the balcony drinking Chilcano.

Today's lunch was at Astrid y Gaston, #30 on World 50 Best Restaurants list. We opted for tasting menu. I had a kitchen view and it looked very efficient. There was one episode of loud yelling when tray with three rabbit dishes came back untouched. Cool upside down plants on the ceiling. Bread served with whipped butter, smoked tomato butter, mashed avocado. Smoked tomato butter was insanely delicious. Scallop amuse served with apple granita. Bass ceviche with leche de tigre. Egg fried in potato tempura with shellfish. And my first time eating cui. Shockingly, my husband ate it too, may be serving dish of naked mermaid helped. Tamale with beef sauce Grouper with corn fritter Rabbit with quinoa and peas Corn based pre dessert, description sounded like "corn shampoo" Rice pudding Assorted candies Cost of tasting menu about 83 US dollars.

After breakfast we went to the beach. Little crabs on the rocks Bigger crabs on the rocks Random sea urchin on side walk And now we have to go up MANY steps

Toasted baguette with Pastel Oliva for breakfast. Coffee with cream and the view!

Now I really want Blu skillet!

Our first fancy meal. We decided to make lunches the main dining event and to eat a little something at the apartment in the evenings. Malabar restaurant did not have tasting menu (not sure if it is the lunch thing) but our waiter mentioned that we can order 1/2 portions. So I ordered almost every appetizer. http://malabar.com.pe/carta/ Pisco sour was refreshingly citrusy. Corn tacos Scallops came with roe attached Bread was made with yuca and other local flours Bonito topped with quail egg Foie gras mousse sandwiched between super thin dried Apple slices. Can't wait to try making it at home, may be with chicken pate. Clam dish Pork tacos in banana shell Seared tuna Fresh hearts of palm salad, so different from canned hearts of palm! To quote my husband: "if I had to be vegetarian, I would eat this every day". Quiona and various potatoes salad Octopus Beet salad There re was no room for dessert. Cost with two drinks and two small water bottles: a little over 100 dollars US

Need to empty it before coming home from South America!

Thank you blue_dolphin. I forgot sunscreen which is very much unusual for me. I have very pale skin and burn very quickly! I have aver a feeling that my bag was thoroughly inspected. Knives were out of there bubble packing and skillet was unwrapped.

Went to grocery store to get a few things. Peruvian version of fruit loops for my husband. Six times cheaper than regular fruit loops. Coffee of coarse. Sunscreen costs more than Pisco!!!!

View from our VRBO rental and crepes for breakfast few blocks away. Two crepes, two cappuccinos about 10 US dollars.

My Suzy Homemaker assortment of things needed to cook in a rental place. High carbon skillet is much lighter than cast iron. Good but not very expensive knives. Few gadgets. Diamond crystal kosher salt. And Peru special addition: lime juicer.

We flew to Lima on Copa Airline yesterday. That allowed us acces to Turkish Airlines club. Unfortunately we only had a few minutes there but food spread was lovely. I managed to eat a lovely kabob and to have a glass of wine to calm my flying jitters. Food on the plane was really unremarkable and service was even worse. So no photos of that. Should have eaten more in the club!

Tokyo Cult Recipes by Maori Murota is 1.99 on Amazon Kindle

I usually make stock with left over stock. Bones, trimmings, left over meat/poultry pieces cooked in pressure cooker or Instant Pot using left over stock made previously and a splash of water as needed. Sometimes I run out of stock and start making it again with just water.

Tortilla press that I immediately put to use. It was 10 bucks at a thrift shop, brand spanking new and super heavy

Corn tortillas with left over guacamole, meat from making stock, pickled cauliflower stems. Fresh corn tortillas are so delish!

I don't think you can heat anything up to 2400 watts. Water, in particular, can only heat to 100 degrees centigrade or 212 degrees Fahrenheit at the sea level (sans pressure cooker).

Strip steak cooked sous vide and quickly seared with the side of pan roasted cauliflower. I got end pieces, my favorite fatty parts.

Left over pork ribs reheated in CSO with potatoes, peppers, and red onions on the side. The last of Lao Gan Ma.

And he published them on line just for ME

Here is a nice recent write up from Eater. http://seattle.eater.com/maps/best-seattle-restaurants-38 I had great meal at Altura last year! Enjoy your trip.

I am afraid to ask how everyone keeps their knives clean

Pork ribs from El Puerto in Arlington, VA. Training for my trip to Peru.

Very expensive scallops in Pentagon City Harris Teeter at 19.99 a pound. Needless to say, those scallops did not come home with me.