Duvel

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 🥳

Just perfect ! I know what’s definitely on my menu for this long weekend 🤗

A bit of (utterly needed) comfort food: pop (octopus), calamares a la romana (fried squid rings) and navalles (razor clams) with garlic & parsley. Plus some sides … And a nice & reasonable blanc de noir from the company …

I stand corrected 😱 Probably I frequent @blue_dolphin’s posts in the breakfast thread too often that I automatically assume everything has at least one egg in it …

I would be astonished to learn that @Smithy couldn’t identify an egg … and the slice of bacon below said egg does look like a dehydrated slice of persimmon (on an older Dell laptop screen at least).

Fully agree and despite the fancy name that is probably what it is: McD Hong Kong ran one or two “campaigns” with a lye-treated brioche type bun per year. Think “Spotted Pig” burger …

I know. I'm European. I will argue though that is isn't cheese Same stuff as you’ll find in Europe under the same name.

Below that …

It is quite popular in Taiwan, so maybe south-eastern Chinese 😉 ...

Thanks 😌 Would you say this article is still apt in the US after 34 years ?

I have never really understood the “upside” of veal, that elevates it over - let’s say pork. It is a rather neutral tasting protein, pretty much like the lean pork is nowadays. It has a lot of collagen, which makes long cooked cuts juicy and tender. But then there is the significantly cheaper suckling pig, which amplifies that trait. Don’t get me wrong: I do like veal, especially in its medium-rare state, like a SV veal Tafelspitz. But I only buy it on offer, when the premium it usually fetches is gone …

But does this imply that there is a real bias towards eating veal, or is it simply lack of customer demand ?

Staff note: This post and the repsonses to it were split from the Dinner 2023 topic, to maintain focus. When did that happen ?

For the “homogeneous” part you’ll need to treat the meat mixture like a dough. Kneading it for a prolonged time (10 min+) while keeping it cold (below 12 oC) will emulgate the fat and create that homogeneous & “springy” mouthfeel. You’ll see that the color of the mixture will turn from reddish to a more mellow pink - that’s what you are looking for.

You could try this recipe from the RecipeGullet, which I find quite tasty* … —- *though I might be biased 😜

Seems German flour is different 😜

It sure is green 💚

And a bit of dolled up leftovers: Cold SV tri-tip, sliced thinly and dressed with anchovynaise, capers, parmesan shavings and parsley. According to my wife this dish is perfectly camouflaging on our tablecloth …

There is no way one can make this look good, but it sure is tasty: Pork neck, braised with onions, cream and peaches, served with Schupfnudeln, broccoli and hazelnuts.

That’s correct. These are vines and will produce leaves in 6 weeks and some more shadow, and later in the year grapes.

Spring has finally sprung, and I took an outing with some long-time friends from my research time … Heading out to the Palatinate and hiking through the (still austere looking) vineyards, we finally arrived at a Hütte (lit. “hut”). An inexpensive place for local wines and local food, we were happy enough to get two tables, as the sun was coming out and the place filled with day trip seekers like us … The terrace … My first Riesling-Schorle of the year. An unsuspecting guest would assume 50% wine and 50% sparkling water, but in the Palatinate the mixture is usually 85% to 15%. Smallest serving is 0.5L. Food was basic and nice. Schnitzel with forest mushrooms … This one was new to me: Bratkartoffeln, fried with blood sausage, liver sausage and brawn. It was hearty and delicious (and veeeery filling). Weisser Käse (lit. “white cheese”): quark, mixed with buttermilk and some sparkling water, which makes it very smooth. Served with herbs and boiled potatoes … Flammkuchen (probably the most popular item with the younger folk). Wurstsalat, my choice 🤗 Kids had a blast with UNO (while munching Flammkuchen, except little one in the middle, who prefers Wurstsalat).