Duvel

Sunday night = pizza & movie night ! This time with pizza snails (because little one wanted some) … And the funky & funny Oni series by Netflix … No complaints 🤗

Oops … I read that as “in a bacon mess” and was thinking: “wow - that looks pretty good … he’s so humble”.

A looot … tableware, some gadgets, a noren for my mancave, grill grates, chopstick stands …

Prologue: last Monday, after visiting (and spending altogether too much money at) Kappabashi dori, I headed back to the subway through Asakusa and passed by Asamen, which had (as always) a substantial queue. Needless to say, I queued as well to sample their 2$ menchikatsu, which was all it was famed for: just cooked through, super sweet due to the abundance of onions and juicy to boot because of - well - fat. Oishii !!! Fast forward to today: pretty hot outside, still being somewhat lazy from a short, yet jetlagged week at work - let’s do some simple menchikatsu, with all the onions the meat dough can hold. Thanks to some recently imported industrial strength panko with a great crust, too. And thanks to the German food law presiding over the minced meat in this country with zero fear to go right to the edge of undercooking the interior. The result: super crunchy, super juicy menchikatsu that the family demolished. Served with some acidic tonkatsu sauce for balance. Happy Duvel 🤗

Because the other 50% were men ?!

She really butters my bacon - just finished episode 5 and I really, really get annoyed by her. She’s always playing the emotional card … aaaargh ! On the other side, both Logan and Thyron I’d invite over for a beer in an instant. Lovely guys …

Nice one, @weinoo! Soccarat ?

Please don’t be discouraged 🤗 This forum is full of good, sometimes great advice. It just doesn’t come in the form of easily digestible, „friendly“ packages, though. As often, the knowledge provided by renowned experts comes at a price. Rest assured that your intentions of asking your questions are clear, and any semantic dissections of your question and linguistic teaching moments are just part of establishing the groundwork to increase your appreciation of the actual answer to your questions (should it finally arrive, and should you not have given up, as many newcomers have, should they have been unlucky enough asking questions combining food & language of the middle kingdom). In case you have not the patience for waiting for the ultimate and - needless to say - only true answer: you are looking at a basic pan fried bread (Chinese or not): flour/water 50:50-45:55. Salt 1-2% of flour weight (Chine will be on the lower side). Oil 3% of flour weight (this will produce a softer dough than traditional Chinese flatbreads, but is more pleasant to Western palates). Yeast as per type of yeast; sugar about 1% of flour weight will not produce an noticeable sweet taste, but will support the yeast and harmonize the taste. Mix all together, bulk ferment for 30 min, roll up into sausages and thin thel out. Roll up into coils, flatten them, ferment for 30 min more, flatten out more and dry fry in a hot pan until slightly puffed up. Chinese flat breads in mainland Chine have always been a bit stale to my taste. Taiwan versions have been a bit more „fresh“ and fluffy, so that’s what above instructions will give you. Enjoy 👍

The filling was basically a very delicate bechamel sauce, made from a light seafood bisque. I assume they use the same technique as the Spanish and cool/partially freeze the filling before coating and frying. My drinking companions (all Japanese) tried to pick up the korokke with chopsticks - and made a huge mess, as it was an almost liquid filling in a fragile shell. I just used my fingers 🤗

Yes, it’s a sign of generosity to „overpour“. One cup sake is one go or 180 mL. When you are casually drinking it’s ok to utilize the overpour In many Izakayas they use a wooden square box to but the glass in. I find drinking the overpour (is that a word ?!) from that wooden box pleasant …

Last evening in Tokyo - went out for a nice Izakaya … The otoshi: a „free“ starter (included in you cover charge). Seafood bisque korokke. Very light, very delicate … Plus the „usual“ Hibiki highball … Mixed sashimi … Followed by a dry sake … Very seasonal: grilled young fava beans in their pods. Think edamame on steroids … Equally seasonal: Aji (horse mackarel), sliced finely and mixed with a chunky white miso. You make little packets with the nori … The suggested accompanying sake was from Niigata and very fruity … Advertised as buri (yellowtail) collar, but from my table I could see the broiler and that they give you the whole head … According to Japanese, the sweetest meat is around the eyes and who I am to argue … Nice conclusion to a busy, yet rewarding trip 🤗

A visit to Tokyo Ramen Street, in the shopping center below Tokyo station … Of course I headed for Rokurinsha and prepared for a 40 min wait … And quite crowded ! They have thicker and quite chewy tsukemen, and a fish based dipping stock. You add more dried mackarel powder and yuzu powder as you go … It was very, very good.

What does it say on the ingredients list ?! My Chinese colleagues are quite vocal about the chance to be served „beef“ that’s essentially pork …

You‘ve got to help me on this - which part of the meal gets celebratorily binned ..?!

Meanwhile, in a convenience store in Kyoto …

I think there are a few, but certain dishes are classically prepared by men, e.g. sushi. But to be transparent: the place yesterday had four chefs working simultaneously, only one of them was female …

Not your everyday Japanese dinner … Part of the fun is to find the restaurant, which is not advertised and hidden in an residential building … One of eight counter seats. Hakushu highball … Gazpacho with beef sirloin … Tongue sashimi with condensed natto & wasabi … One of the chefs preparing braised tongue … Beef heart in the making … Beef heart - sashimi cubes and grilled, with leek oil … Braised tongue with yuzu foam, gelled sukiyaki stock and braised daikon … The best dish of the evening: yukhe with soy sauce foam and raw egg yolk. Soooo good ! More to come … Second highball - Hibiki ! A riff on dan dan mien, with cubes of seared filet … More of that, to be featured in … Beef sando ! Roastbeef, „Hollandaise“, baby spinach … Fried eggplant, hanging tender and balsamic reduction - incredibly juicy ! Starches at the end. One out if three options: beef curry ! Milk icecream with salt … No complaints 🤗

It has a very interesting texture - a little firm to the bite, but with a „creamy“ finish. Taste is mild with a lot of umami. No iron-y taste. Was served with sesame oil and grated ginger, to which I added a bit of salt.

14h flights are just not for yours truly anymore. But, after checking in on the hotel I found this place in a sidestreet … Menu … Otoshi (the food you get for paying the obligatory 1.3 € cover charge) … Raw chicken liver … super creamy Chicken heart and skin Dried & grilled skate wings … Pork tongue and belly. By now I had realized I always ordered two … Corrected. King oyster mushroom and tomato, both wrapped in bacon. Aand some highballs ! And on the way home, passing a supermarket, getting some sushi for 7 € - just great. Someone will sleep well tonight 🤗

Just finished the second episode: she had it coming. Really. I like that Logan guy. The tsukemen looked out of this world. I envy @blue_dolphin to be able to get stuff similar to this. Here, if you find people that have heard of ramen, you‘ll consider yourself lucky. The lady from a city I will not mention out of respect to @weinoo is annoying me. Fake.

It’s been a while since I went on a business trip. Relocation to Germany some 3.5 years ago plus COVID put a screeching halt to my biweekly trips around Asia that I „enjoyed“ in my last (actually, second to last) position. But … JAL lounge in Frankfurt. Definitely better than the Cathay one. They‘ve a cook ! I had the curry (seems it‘s a must) and yes, it was good. And the pork & eggplant (with a tiiiny Highball, despite my „no alcohol on long distance trips*) … —- * but hey, isn’t Australia even further ?!

Pizza & movie night: “Mary Poppins returns” in Spanish, plus … Salami (not really as browned as on the picture) Tuna & red onions

I will. 7 more episodes to come 😝

I watched the first episode yesterday (after having my „BBQ“ ), and found it entertaining. It focused on introducing the characters and I agree: they are all quite likeable. Of course I picked my favorites, and look forward to see how they‘ll do. I was a bit surprised how the older lady presented her German heritage, especially since the place she cited in the backwaters of the Palatinate forest is not far from here and I wonder where those traditions come from. I do like the „cheffy“ guy, and also enjoy watching these „BBQ is in my DNA“ type of guys. I dislike the girl from NY, she pushes some buttons for me, but I guess that’s per design of the producers. All in all entertaining, and I am looking forward to the „forced“ challenges …

This is actually a commercial product you can buy at any butcher. No skin and always marinated or treated with a dry rub. I prefer the dry rub version, as it gets more crispy. As the belly has plenty of fat, the resulting product is usually quite crunchy on the outside and soft and juicy on the “stick-side” …