Duvel

That was two years ago, when I took little one on his first bicycle tour up the “romantic Rhine”. This picture is taken after his first day, just 25 km of cycling - he was done. But then: buying the can in the campings snack shop, opening the can with a Swiss Army knife (that didn’t really had a proper can opener 🙄), heating it up over a propane cooker and finally eating the raviolis, sitting in front of the tent and watching the Rhine river flowing by, just a few meters from the tent - one of the tastiest meals he had 🤗 And truth to be told: I enjoyed it as much as him. Beer wasn’t necessary …

Today is Mothers Day here in Germany - so after some “romantic” minigolf (little one still has to work on his concept of Mothers Day treats) … The resident mother requested a seafood paella … Made some allioli - olive oil, garlic & salt. More liquid than mayonnaise, but damn tasty … Cook also got a little treat 🤗 No complaints 🥳

Without knowing exactly and based on the picture I’d say probably quite similar … If your product also requires a bit of extra spice and some molten cheese and tastes best when the consumer is slightly inebriated, it’s likely exactly the same 🤗

An article worth running through the Google translator: the iconic Maggi Dosenravioli turns 65 today ! Not haute cuisine, some argue not even cuisine at all, but it’ll do when needed … This ad from the 70’s reads “travel, rest and Ravioli” … … and me and the little one agree ! Happy Birthday, Dosenravioli !

Can’t forget da Bepzi …

Doesn’t matter what it is … if they serve Jever with it, it’ll be aaaaall fine 👍

Pretty much all of them are. In Japan 30 sec varieties are the norm. But “no cook” typically excludes cooking 🤗 …

I know you meant instant ramen noodles, but just in case kindly hide the next few days from plain sight, so that no ramen god can smite you with his wrath …

Not per se, @rotuts. But we have plenty of beef collar cuts, just boneless, so from the look of it that’s what I’d use instead …

I think tri-tip SV plus sear is hard to beat in the cost-time/convenience-result triangle 🥳

Then the blowtorch is your best friend with this …

Getting finally warm enough to sit on the terrace in the evening aaaaand … BBQ 🤗 Pork collar - of course … Plus lamb for Mrs. Duvel and a sausage for little one … The fixings & garlic-herb bread (to be grilled) … Healthy sides: tomato & mozzarella … Couscous with nuts, raisins & herbs Some foil-grilled goat feta … And a small club steak (remained untouched, for breakfast 😜 Summer, here we come !

Modernist mac & cheese …

Cloves, my friends, cloves. And a bay leaf …

Nah ... when it's fresh, raw and properly spiced, they'll eat it even it's just a regular German porker 😁

Today I got a comment you’ll never hear in a 100% German household: “I think we eat too much pork”. As a good husband and patriarch of a mere 50% German household I immediately reacted, went to the butcher and got some boneless chicken thighs*. So tonight: Gong Bao Ji Ding (宮保雞丁) … always a win. It’s the wuzz version with almost no chilies, which were added to my portion in the form of chili crisp. No complaints 🤗 —- * plus a beautiful piece of pork collar that was on offer. I’ll bury it under onions, peaches and cream and noone will notice tomorrow 😏

So, this nights Spargel dinner - “whole family” edition … Fresh from the field - excellent price at 12 €/kg … Cleaned & ready to blanch … Something more sweet today (happy wife, happy life) … Ready ! 1.3 kg of Spargel … Tirolean Speck, Lachsschinken with herb crust, Jamon Serrano, Kochschinken and hard boiled eggs … And my secret weapon to get the family into Spargel dinner - Schnitzel 😝 Happy family & very happy Duvel 🥳

Tradionally Spargel season ends on June 24th (in Germany), so you should be able to enjoy it - if you are close to Germany. If you are visiting the Algarve or so, it might be different 🤗

Laugh if you must, but recently my 9 yo had a sleepover and when the mom of the kid he was visiting asked, what he wanted for breakfast he said “Eggs Benedict, because that’s what we eat at home”*. The mom had to google EB and he got a toast with a fried egg, which he declared “also tasty” … —- *Disclaimer: once or twice a quarter, no more …

… and said blanching water / stock gets used the next day for Spargelsuppe (together with two reserved spears of asparagus and some sausage mince, made into small meatballs). Yummy ! And a nice bridge towards tomorrows Spargel dinner 🤗 Accompanied with a nice Sauvignon Blanc from the company …

In Germany during Spargel season the white phenotype reigns supreme. The green one is available year round (imported), typically smaller and predominantly used as a side veggie, while the white seasonal one is the main. The green phenotype is much cheaper to produce, because you don’t need all that extra work to keep the sunlight away (grown in covered earthwalls until ready, dug out and cut manually, …). Green asparagus can be grown in a regular field and machine-harvested.

Well … if it is fresh (like cut in the morning fresh) it is very delicate with a milder flavor than the green phenotype (which is basically the same plant, just grown under / above the earth). You need to peel it (with a special peeler that cuts just a very thin outer layer away, which is reserved for stock). Then blanch in water with some sugar/salt/lemon slice for 5-8 min - very tender. I also usually eat a spear or two raw while I am at it, cooks treat 😋

No, it’s actually the entire top floor. Took the picture from the stairs, as I was so happy the new cleaning thingie found the dead corner on its own 🥳

I'll come up and eat her share. You guys can call me insignificant eater. Even better … come straight to the source. Just had the guest room* cleaned today 🤗 —- * just to be clear - that’s not the whole guest room 😜

Damn enablers here. Especially @weinoo. But we know that already 😏 So, just headed out to get some fresh local asparagus. Fields start right behind the next two streets; the next booth to sell the produce - however - is almost 2 km away … Classic setup: Spargel, new potatoes (boiled with caraway), boiled egg, Speck, Schinken, Lachsschinken. Oh … and Hollandaise 🤗 Plus an “everyday” white from the next vineyard to my home, also about 2 km from here … quite good. Rest of the family does not share my enthusiasm for Spargel and got Macarons - tubular pasta with a meat-tomato sauce, gratinated with cheese. Catalan comfort food. Little do they know we’ll all have Spargel again on this long weekend 🥳