Lunch 2021

[liuzhou]

Britain. Baked Beans.

Pay attention!

No. 1. Only Heinz Baked Beans from a can are permitted. Violations of this law are dealt with strictly. You will be laughed at by your family, mocked in the streets and be called rude names! It should be pointed out and I'm about to do so, that British Baked Beanz (as we like to spell them - Heinz Meanz Beanz) are different from US baked beans. They are somewhat sweeter and come in day-glo tomato sauce.

No. 2. Only white bread is permitted. Preferably pre-sliced and plastic-wrapped Chorleywood process bread. Artisan bread is a big no-no. Your social standing and credibility will be ruined forever. Sourdough will get you deported!

No. 3. The toast may be toasted to your preference, so long as that is medium brown.

No. 4. The toasted bread should be lathered with butter or, if you want to really fit in, margarine. Healthy spreads are strongly discouraged. Cutting the toast into triangles attracts the death penalty!

No. 5. The beans should be heated through, but never allowed to reach 100℃ which is the boiling point of water in civilised countries.

No. 6. The beans should be liberally spread over the hot toast, then salt and pepper added even more liberally. Then add some more pepper. Always black pepper.

No. 7. Excuses such as "I can't buy British beans here" are not accepted. If I can buy them in China, you can buy them!

 

 

No. 8. Eat and repeat and smile!

 

 

Edited May 31, 2021 by liuzhou (log)

[heidih]

So are the British beans on toast considered "nursery food" ?

[Anna N]

5 hours ago, liuzhou said:

Britain. Baked Beans.

Thanks for this. I grew up on baked beans on toast. Always from a can, always Heinz. Somewhere along the way I lost the taste for beans of any sort except fresh green beans and giant butter beans (when served in a lamb casserole) — beans so lamby they stopped being beans. All things considered between beans on toast and spaghetti on toast it is a wonder that the four of us survived our childhoods. 
 

I, too, have never heard of malt vinegar on  beans. 

[liuzhou]

2 minutes ago, Anna N said:

I, too, have never heard of malt vinegar on  beans. 

 

I was thinking a bit more about this and although I haven't changed my mind about vinegar, I do remember some deviants putting Worcestershire sauce on the dish. Of course, we don't pronounce it like furrners do!

Also grated cheese is sometimes applied by heathens.

 

[liamsaunt]

The only way I have had these beans is plain as part of a big breakfast plate, and that not for years.  I suppose I would try them on toast though, if the occasion arose.  I remember them being pretty sweet.  All the local groceries sell them in the British section.  

[liuzhou]

13 minutes ago, liamsaunt said:

The only way I have had these beans is plain as part of a big breakfast plate, and that not for years.  I suppose I would try them on toast though, if the occasion arose.  I remember them being pretty sweet.  All the local groceries sell them in the British section.  

 

Yes, the same beans are normally part of a full English (or Scottish etc) breakfast. But not on toast. With toast and the rest.

Edited May 26, 2021 by liuzhou (log)

[kayb]

56 minutes ago, liuzhou said:

 

I was thinking a bit more about this and although I haven't changed my mind about vinegar, I do remember some deviants putting Worcestershire sauce on the dish. Of course, we don't pronounce it like furrners do!
 

 

 

Do you pronounced it "wooster-shire"? If not, how is it properly pronounced, please?

 

Also, in a couple of novels I've read recently set in Yorkshire, there's repeated mention of "brown sauce," mostly on bacon sandwiches. Please enlighten me as to what "brown sauce" is.

 

[liuzhou]

On 5/26/2021 at 11:17 PM, kayb said:

 

Do you pronounced it "wooster-shire"? If not, how is it properly pronounced, please?

 

Also, in a couple of novels I've read recently set in Yorkshire, there's repeated mention of "brown sauce," mostly on bacon sandwiches. Please enlighten me as to what "brown sauce" is.

 

Most people in the UK just say Wooster Sauce. If we do use the 'shire' part, it is pronounced 'shir' and unstressed. Not the 'shyer' I hear from many Americans.

There is a reasonably good article on brown sauce on Wikipedia here.  I can buy HP sauce here in China. I have a bottle in the fridge, but it easily lasts me a year. Not something I use often.

 

 

 

Edited May 31, 2021 by liuzhou (log)

[kayb]

OK. Similar to A-1, then. I have that, as well as Pickapeppa, referenced in the article, on hand all the time.

 

Glad to know I've been pronouncing Worcestershire mostly right.

 

 

[Anna N]

2 hours ago, liuzhou said:

 

I was thinking a bit more about this and although I haven't changed my mind about vinegar, I do remember some deviants putting Worcestershire sauce on the dish. Of course, we don't pronounce it like furrners do!

Also grated cheese is sometimes applied by heathens.

 

The horror! The horror!

[cteavin]

14 hours ago, liuzhou said:

 

Who told you that? It is nonsense.

If anything, British food tends to be over-seasoned.

 

 

Perhaps today, after the introduction of more Indian spices, but I grew up during a time when British food was considered bland, boring, and brown. Now, I've been to the UK several times, and I liked the food (especially the meat pies) but I understand why people say/said that, especially as across the way is France. 

[heidih]

6 minutes ago, cteavin said:

 

Perhaps today, after the introduction of more Indian spices, but I grew up during a time when British food was considered bland, boring, and brown. Now, I've been to the UK several times, and I liked the food (especially the meat pies) but I understand why people say/said that, especially as across the way is France. 

From my perspective seasoning has different meanings as does spicy. Salt is a major seasoning so UK maybe had that one nailed. The vast array of other spices including heat -well...  Seems people often equate "spicy:" with heat hot. - which confuses. 

[cteavin]

9 minutes ago, heidih said:

From my perspective seasoning has different meanings as does spicy. Salt is a major seasoning so UK maybe had that one nailed. The vast array of other spices including heat -well...  Seems people often equate "spicy:" with heat hot. - which confuses. 

 

Just to be clear, the prejudice I'm speaking of is that British food lacks herbs and spices which results in bland, boring, brown. With the Introduction of more Indians and Pakistanis, more flavors came to the British table. I don't mean to refer to "heat" and salt levels in food are, in my experience, pretty standard globally. 

Edited May 26, 2021 by cteavin (log)

[Bernie]

Try a spread of VEGEMITE (or Marmite which is the British poor cousin) on the toast then a single cheese slice then the beans on top. It may not be traditional but it takes it to a new level

 

(and yes I do know I am  philistine !!)

 

For those that don't know, Vegemite is made from the "dregs" of beer production. being derived from BEER it must be good! 😁

[cteavin]

18 minutes ago, Bernie said:

Try a spread of VEGEMITE (or Marmite which is the British poor cousin) on the toast then a single cheese slice then the beans on top. It may not be traditional but it takes it to a new level

 

(and yes I do know I am  philistine !!)

 

For those that don't know, Vegemite is made from the "dregs" of beer production. being derived from BEER it must be good! 😁

 

I LOVE Vegemite and Marmite (I can't tell the difference). Buttered toast with Vegemite is the dream...

[liuzhou]

 I was invited to lunch today in a friend's home and accepted on condition that I could bring one dish. This she knew I would do. It's a kind of game we play. I checked with her what she was serving, to avoid any clash and ended up making this starter with Sichuan notes.

 

 

It is hand torn rabbit. The bunny was rubbed with ground Sichuan peppercorns and ground litsea seeds, then pan roasted.

Served cold with litsea oil and a chilli dip. There were no leftovers, so I suppose it  was a success.

 

 

Edited May 31, 2021 by liuzhou (log)

[Duvel]

Light lunch: Kare udon, topped with a slighly overcooked egg, tenkasu & garlic chives ...

[Kim Shook]

As far as British food being unseasoned, what I was referring to here was specifically the beans.  Those Heinz vegetarian beans are tomatoey and sweet and, to me, need the little bit of acidity that the vinegar provides.  I think the use of it may vary by family in Britain.  I did a little poll on FB and, while the majority hadn’t heard of it, lots had.  Oddly enough, many seemed to have missed the point of my poll – I was asking whether they did it or not and they seemed to think I was asking permission 😉. 

 

The mispronunciation of Worcestershire is a daily occurrence for folks who watch the Food Network.  So many people seem to think it is adorable to NOT be able to properly pronounce the word. 

 

Yesterday:  

Bologna and cheese and BBQ chips.  It looks like I used multiple slices of cheese, but it is only 2 thin slices.  I guess the car was too hot coming home from the grocery store and the slices all merged.  I was pulling off little strips of cheese to build my sandwich. 

[Raamo]

We had non-family member guests over for the first time in well over a year, to celebrate I made a full sized Chicken Bastilla, the first time we made this we were skeptical and made 1/2.

 

Of course it was good this time too.

[blue_dolphin]

On 5/29/2021 at 6:38 AM, Kim Shook said:

The mispronunciation of Worcestershire is a daily occurrence for folks who watch the Food Network.  So many people seem to think it is adorable to NOT be able to properly pronounce the word. 

I believe I properly pronounce the word but if I were presented with a teleprompter, especially of the sort that barely shows a full word at a time, I might get messed up, as I often do when trying to spell it!

 

Today's lunch was Pasta alla Gricia with Slivered Sugar Snap Peas from Six Seasons, one of my favorites from that book. 

 

[KennethT]

Hope you don't have an aversion to alliums - Sichuan shrimp with Korean leeks, shallot, garlic and garlic chives!

 

Edited May 30, 2021 by KennethT (log)

[BonVivant]

My favourite Moroccan sardine brand ("Dura"). Fat fillets without scales.

 

Cod's liver on left. I don't really care for cod but love the liver and roe.

 

Marrowfat peas and other bits

 

Crispy Tyrolean Speck

 

 

On 5/26/2021 at 2:43 AM, cteavin said:

 

Beautiful photography -- everything looks amazingly delicious. And I am so with you on the 99%. mmmmmmm.  

Thank you.

(I think you'll like this. And this.)

 

On 5/25/2021 at 10:17 PM, Kim Shook said:

@BonVivant – those rhubarb/chocolate rolled up thingies are so gorgeous that I’m sure they must also be delicious!

 

Thanks again.

Fresh croissant dough, brush with melted butter, cover with chocolate, chopped nuts, seeds or anything nice. Fold several times, slice right through the length of the dough a few times (the more strands the prettier the pastry). Hold the dough strands at both ends and twist towards the centre. Form a shape you like, brush with egg wash and bake till done (temp and time on the back of your package).

[chefmd]

Ground pork, shiitake, some Chinese hot sauce (cooking while visiting my son and Chinese DIL who keeps an array of condiments) over Wild pink sweet rice.

 

[chefmd]

Costco purchased noodles cooked in small amount of beef stock, baby bok choy, a little bit of beef on the bottom.

[Constantin Peters]

Currently Cooking a Lamb Braise which I might post later, but Last night I made Chashu entirely from a ham hock. Did not debone or bind it beforehand, as it was more a test run of the priciple, but it came out amazing. Unlike the pork belly version I also kept the skin, which turned lovely gelatinous without being overbearing or unpleasant. Used it to make a little pre-lunch sandwich with a bok choi, mustard, gochujang and some french cheese in between the slices. Toast go a bit too dark.