Unexpected Food Gifts

[JoNorvelleWalker]

15 minutes ago, TdeV said:

I was wondering what to do with the beans. How does one prepare them? Eat them?

 

Just drain and eat them with your favorite beverage.

 

[rotuts]

 

@TdeV

 

The fugu of the bean world ?

 

Edited July 25 by rotuts (log)

[TdeV]

What's a fugu, @rotuts?

 

[rotuts]

A toxic fish 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fugu

 

a delicacy in Japan as sashimi .

 

but the Emperor is forbidden from eating out. 

 

just in case .  

[Tropicalsenior]

3 minutes ago, TdeV said:

What's a fugu

Poisonous blowfish.

[Duvel]

16 hours ago, TdeV said:

What's a fugu, @rotuts?

 

The lupin of the sea ...

[chromedome]

18 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

Just drain and eat them with your favorite beverage.

 

Yup, that's the short version. When I lived in Vancouver in the 80s, my best friend was a first-generation Italian-Canadian and these were a frequent drinking snack. Just drained, and sprinkled very lightly with salt (if they're not already salty enough).

 

You'll see that one end of each bean has a small opening. Place that against your lips, squeeze the hull, and the bean will pop into your mouth leaving the leathery husk behind. Chew, swallow, drink, repeat.

[liuzhou]

My beer merchant continues to occasionally send me little gifts with my 6-packs. Today's offering was this

 

 

鱼尾 (yú wěi) is 'fish tail' and that is what this is. Some unidentified fish tail in a Sichuan flavour sauce.

 

 

Great taste; horrible texture. Like spicy Brillo pad.

 

 

 

 

[MaryIsobel]

Our across the street neighbour just dropped of these mushrooms. The box is the same size as a beer flat. I will pickle the small ones and slice and sauté the big ones, then freeze what's left from what we have for dinner.

[liuzhou]

This is odd.

 

Today, I was planning ahead for tomorrow's lunch and decided I really would like to make Moules Mariniere, in the traditional style with Normandy cider. No chance. I've never been able to find any cider here. The nearest I can get is this imported Lindeman's Apple Lambic Beer. Not really what I want but I thought I'll give it a try. I ordered two bottles had it delivered as the only store that carries it is on the other side of the city.

 

 

It arrived safely, but to my surprise, they included a 'free' promotional bottle opener - one for each bottle! Why? They don't seem to be single use!

 

 

I already have several bottle openers.

 

The writing on them is the name of the company and translates as Speedy Horse Delivery Alcohol.

 

 

Edited September 19 by liuzhou (log)

[Katie Meadow]

4 hours ago, liuzhou said:

This is odd.

 

Today, I was planning ahead for tomorrow's lunch and decided I really would like to make Moules Mariniere, in the traditional style with Normandy cider. No chance. I've never been able to find any cider here. The nearest I can get is this imported Lindeman's Apple Lambic Beer. Not really what I want but I thought I'll give it a try. I ordered two bottles had it delivered as the only store that carries it is on the other side of the city.

 

]

Maybe they are promotional items for a brand called Pony Express.

[liuzhou]

11 hours ago, Katie Meadow said:

Maybe they are promotional items for a brand called Pony Express.

 

Actually, they don't use ponies. They use donkeys for food and other deliveries. At least, donkeys is the local slang. e-驴 (e-lǘ) means 'electric donkeys' and is the name given to electric scooters, which 99% of them use.

 

This one is parked outside my apartment building now, alongside many others. There are millions of them in the city. Literally.

 

 

 

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

On the way home from the hospital tonight my kind friend who was driving stopped at Jersey Mike's, a sandwich shop, so that I could get a bite to eat.  The man who made the cheese steak handed the bag to me and said "On the house."

 

[liuzhou]

After a bit of a lull in the six-pack beer delivery chain,  unexpected gifts have resumed (at least for once). This turned up last night.

 

 

Braised duck tongues with soy sauce, five-spice mixture and twenty-preservative-and-fake-flavour-mixture.

 

 

[DesertTinker]

1 hour ago, liuzhou said:

After a bit of a lull in the six-pack beer delivery chain,  unexpected gifts have resumed (at least for once). This turned up last night.

 

 

Braised duck tongues with soy sauce, five-spice mixture and twenty-preservative-and-fake-flavour-mixture.

 

 

I’m guessing the last part means that you plated them, photographed them, then binned them?

[liuzhou]

19 minutes ago, DesertTinker said:

I’m guessing the last part means that you plated them, photographed them, then binned them?

 

Not yet, but probably will. The thing is I actually like them! Just not the industrial version. I may buy some at the market later.

 

However, once I've drunk the six-pack of beer, who knows what I'll do?

 

 

Edited September 24 by liuzhou (log)

[liuzhou]

This morning, I paid my annual property management fee for 2025. It covers maintenance of communal areas of the apartment building, electricity in communal areas and elevators etc. Also, my water. It wasn't a lot - just short of $150 USD equivalent. A few minutes ago someone turned up at my door with this.

 

 

A 5 kg sack of 香米 (xiāng mǐ), literally 'fragrant rice. It is locally grown. A 'thank you' for paying the above (although I bet I paid for it really. Or perhaps I shouldn't be so cynical?).

 

Also, early in the day I received a ¥100 voucher from Taobao (China's Amazon-like on line shopping site) for having spent most of my pension through them! That's $13.74 at today's exchange rate. Still.

 

 

Edited December 15 by liuzhou (log)

[Smithy]

Got home from a walk yesterday morning to find a FedEx box on my doorstep. When I opened it, I saw this!

 

 

It's from family friends -- that is, our parents were good friends, and we all traveled and camped together, and the children (that is, my generation) bought our ranch when the time came for my parents to sell. We used to see each other every year, but have missed in the past few years. This package is quite unexpected, and delightful. Look at the contents!

 

 

There are pears under the paper in the lower left corner. The aroma from the open box is wonderful!

[ElsieD]

@Smithy. What a wonderful surprise.  So very thoughtful.

[Shelby]

2 hours ago, Smithy said:

Got home from a walk yesterday morning to find a FedEx box on my doorstep. When I opened it, I saw this!

 

 

It's from family friends -- that is, our parents were good friends, and we all traveled and camped together, and the children (that is, my generation) bought our ranch when the time came for my parents to sell. We used to see each other every year, but have missed in the past few years. This package is quite unexpected, and delightful. Look at the contents!

 

 

There are pears under the paper in the lower left corner. The aroma from the open box is wonderful!

That's so nice!  You just can't beat a good pear and I bet they are delicious.

[liuzhou]

8:30 pm Christmas Eve, this arrives at my door clearly addressed to me.

 

 

 

Now I'm trying to work out who sent it!