Duvel

They really charge 6 Euro for the tomato ?!

Well noted. My point is that even there are Buddhists that would consume meat at points, Buddhist restaurants do not offer a meat choice. The latter they need to seek out separately ...

I have visited many Buddhist restaurants all over Asia and have never encountered any meat on the menu. The Dalai Lama not being strictly vegetarian is a popular argument, but I can only partly agree: while some buddhists do consume meat when offered (just as the Dalai Lama), certainly none would specifically order or eat it at a "free to choose" restaurant with vegetarian options, as it would implicate a deliberate choice for another being to be killed for one`s own consumption ...

I am pretty sure that if you‘ll ever find a buddhist restaurant that served meat, it ain‘t buddhist ...

Pizza al taglio ... three distinct segments: Margarita (buffalo mozzarella, basil, olive oil), Fennel sausage & olives and coppa & rucola. Dough a bit Bonci-esk (sorry, bo crumb shot). My son was so delighted to see me cutting the pizza with scissors ...

Snacking in Heidelberg, inbetween shopping for clothes and other necessities ... “Vetter’s brewery” Märzen beer (yes, it’s Oktoberfest time ...) Cordon bleu - a Schnitzel filled with ham & cheese Bridge and panorama of Heidelberg Castle ...

Saturday night, comfort food. My son was allowed to choose; he found this pasta in the supermarket and requested “ragu” with it. So, ragù alla bolognese (pretty much Marcella Hazans version, with added anchovies) and this pasta. What can I say ... comfort food at its best ☺️

Mettbrötchen - the breakfast for champions ...

This young lady ...

Request !

Even lazier today, but luckily the supermarket next to us has a great cheese section ...

That looks fantastic. The dough rises overnight on the (oiled) baking tray ?

Back in Germany - lazy dinner after unpacking boxes and assembling cupboards: braised rabbit, jus, tomato & mozzarella salad, zaziki, bread. Enjoyed with some decent cava ...

It’s fatty pork, cooked low & slow in its own rendered fat until crispy. Perfect hangover breakfast ...

Indeed ... the green tarragon mustard is great. The honey & fig one might work for this idea as well ! Enjoy (and post pictures 😉)

Rillons would come to mind, maybe with some sort of “unusual” mustard. A raw meat preparation - beef with spices, tuna with spring onion, ... - to be eaten with the bread as you proposed. Fresh fatty goat milk cream cheese with some green allium; also with the bread.

Tonight I took the liberty to revisit the “Beyond Meat” burger at the Cathay First Class lounge at Hong Kong, prior to my flight to Germany. The other choices were tempting, but I felt I needed to give the product one chance to convince, with some modifications to counteract the shortcomings of last time ... So, this time I ordered it with Grueyere and extra pickles (and double fries). Well - it makes a decent burger! I was contemplating about the texture and actually it it close to a burger made from lean beef and cooked medium-rare. Tastewise it is lacking; but with the extra pickles and the sharp cheese it works out. Extra ketchup to counteract the slight “dryness” (as opposed to a full-fat beef patty and two larger whiskey highballs completed a quite pleasant meal.

100~200g of red meat ?! Not sure if that defines a “big eater” ... YMMV.

I think I’d go with a “porchetta” Style stuffing, then SV and do a last minute pan sear before serving (assuming that at ~1 kg that’s without skin). You can prep the sauce to your liking. Leftovers are good on bread as well, though 1 kg for 4 adults is a little on the skimpy side, if I may say so. Kids won’t get full, either. If you do the above suggestion you can easily double the amount and then you should be comfortable. I’d do roast potatoes and creamed spinach/savoy cabbage on the side ...

Hahaha, thanks! I will miss it as well ... and hope to post some entertaining meals as well from Europe 😉

After four years in Hong Kong, I will be transferring back to Germany next month. So, this is my last meal on my last business trip (for now at least) here in Asia. Korean barbecue - pork edition - in Yeosu, Korea ... The usual setup with banchan (all for free with the meat purchased) ... Spicy salad with gochujang and bean sprouts... Extra fatty pork belly ... First grilled on both sides, then snipped into bite-size pieces with scissors... Ready ! Second round - my pick: pork cheek and “secreto”, a cut from the neck ... Assembled ... Enjoyed with LOTS of somek... Spicy fish soup... My request as well: spicy fermented fish intestines (as dip for the grilled rice cakes). You can imagine from the portion size that was meant for our whole table how powerful that stuff is. I had three refills. The shop owner said he neither saw anyone eating that much, norbe ever any foreigner eating it at all ... Afternthe damage done came “the main course”, as my colleagues refer to it. Carbs, here in noodle form ... Good times 🥳

To show compliance, you need to take them out and drink them in front of the security officer ...

Nibbling through Chiang Mai continues ... this time on Wua Lai Street night market: Sausages are always a good start ... this time one with rice (middle left) and one “sour” sausage, made from fermented pork (middle right). The latter was excellent ... Together with a shrimp-based rice roll ... Had to try the fried cheese balls. Came with sweet mayo and parsley flakes. Probably better after some more beers ... The crispy seafood pancake shop. I took the oyster version - it did not disappoint ! At nightfall the market was swamped ... I had my dose of sausage for the day, but this one looked soooo tempting ! From my last visit almost two years ago I still have dreams of this place ... The shop only makes a herbal soup with blood and Khao Soi, the curried egg noodle soup of northern Thailand. It is divine here. A thick coconut-based curry broth, boiled egg noodles, fried noodles on top. All the fixings come separate - pickles, shallots, chili, lime ... Simply divine. For 90 cents ! Getting crowded ... A serene smile on my way back ... And to conclude the night a Speyside highball (or two or so ...)

Yup ... the upper one. So fragrant !

It’s a recipe for marinated “five flower meat” aka the expensive version of pork belly. In goes honey, garlic, gochujiang and “cooking wine”. Marinate and massage for 30 min. Grill for 4 min, then brush with the remaining marinade and grill until done. Serve on a large salad leaf ...