Lunch 2022

[Duvel]

6 hours ago, KennethT said:

What recipe do you use for your massaman curry?

I used my „go to“ recipe from a cooking class in Koh Samui almost a decade ago. I‘ll post it in RecipeGullet if you like …

[KennethT]

31 minutes ago, Duvel said:

I used my „go to“ recipe from a cooking class in Koh Samui almost a decade ago. I‘ll post it in RecipeGullet if you like …

yes please!!!  I've never made a massaman that I've been happy with so I rarely make it.

[blue_dolphin]

Jollof rice with beans based on a recipe from JJ Johnson that appears in Black Food

 

[weinoo]

2 hours ago, Shelby said:

I like raw broccoli too 😬

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOO.  

 

Back "in the day," that is when I was a dyed in the wool Californian through the 70s into the 90s, the crudité platter was a staple at various get-togethers.  And after my experience with raw cauliflower and broccoli, I vowed never to put anyone through that nightmare.  Any subsequent crudité platters made by me included broccoli and cauliflower - but only when blanched.  Even carrots benefit from a quick dip in boiling water, but not as necessary as it is for the brassica family.

[Shelby]

1 hour ago, weinoo said:

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOO.  

 

Back "in the day," that is when I was a dyed in the wool Californian through the 70s into the 90s, the crudité platter was a staple at various get-togethers.  And after my experience with raw cauliflower and broccoli, I vowed never to put anyone through that nightmare.  Any subsequent crudité platters made by me included broccoli and cauliflower - but only when blanched.  Even carrots benefit from a quick dip in boiling water, but not as necessary as it is for the brassica family.

🤣

 

I will have to try your method, though.   I can see the benefit.  Especially the carrots.  I'm not a big raw carrot fan.

[MaryIsobel]

6 hours ago, weinoo said:

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOO.  

 

Back "in the day," that is when I was a dyed in the wool Californian through the 70s into the 90s, the crudité platter was a staple at various get-togethers.  And after my experience with raw cauliflower and broccoli, I vowed never to put anyone through that nightmare.  Any subsequent crudité platters made by me included broccoli and cauliflower - but only when blanched.  Even carrots benefit from a quick dip in boiling water, but not as necessary as it is for the brassica family.

I agree wholeheartedly. Broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, asparagus - all benefit from a quick dip in the hot tub, and then into ice water. Carrots are okay raw IMHO (depending on freshness) , as are peppers, celery, snap peas (if fesh) , but most of above mentioned cruciferous do better with a quick blanch

[weinoo]

The heat usually brings out some sweetness, even in carrots.

[MaryIsobel]

My sister and I were both born in March - 2 years and 10 days apart, so we always treat ourselves to a nice birthday lunch and yesterday was the day. We went to a local winery - Domaine de Chaberton -  that makes one of our favourite white wines. Quiche and salad and a glass of said wine (Bacchus) and then it was a nice enough day, about 12C, to sit outside and enjoy a flight. Sunny day, great company and good wine.

Edited March 5, 2022 by MaryIsobel (log)

[rotuts]

@MaryIsobel

 

nice

 

very nice

 

Soooo  how do you get the glasses out

 

of that wood thing-ey ? 

 

nice-ly routed in your direction ?

 

Edited March 5, 2022 by rotuts (log)

[MaryIsobel]

11 minutes ago, rotuts said:

@MaryIsobel

 

nice

 

very nice

 

Soooo  how do you get the glasses out

 

of that wood thing-ey ? 

 

nice-ly routed in your direction ?

 

Yes, there is a slot for the stem - it's facing me in the picture.

[BonVivant]

Back in (food) hell. 3 flights and 30 hours straight without sleep later.

 

Have made this several times now and always a success. Sicilian-style pizza. It's bready and light. in Sicily, the sauce and topping are both minimal and bready because it's more filling. I made a "border" on purpose to prevent the filling from spreading. Used Sicilian cheese primosale (that's what I had) and there's more than enough anchovies in the sauce. Anchovies are an absolute must.

 

There's a recipe in each of my books but in one of them they forgot a few things (?!). I compared a few recipes from Italian sites and just winged it, really.

 

Btw, people who want to make this pizza should search for the name "sfincione" and not "Sicilian pizza"! The latter only gives you American recipes. Also, use very fine flour.

 

 

Another one. The border is quite big.

 

 

Craft beer from St. Petersburg, Russia.

[BonVivant]

Scrambled eggs with leftover tofu and mince, in leftover tortillas. Leftover chickpeas to make it more substantial. Love my leftovers.

 

 

A green "sauce" (macadamia nuts, olive oil, some spinach and chard).

 

Mexico should copy-right "tortillas". The cardboard rubbish we have here is also called "tortillas". Real Mexican flour tortillas have lard in them, the texture is different. It's simply 2 different things and 1 should not be called "tortillas".

 

There are tortillas for tacos, and then there are tortillas for quesadillas etc. Flour tortillas cost twice as much as corn tortillas. The latter must be stored in the fridge and only for a limited time. I ate them fresh and warm. In Baja you are almost always asked which type you want when ordering some food, but most Mexicans go for corn tortillas. Corn is what really runs through the veins of every Mexican.

 

 

Thanks for your many culinary gifts to the world, Mexico!

 

Chile pasilla Oaxaqueño comes in 3 sizes. I got all 3. Still have chipotle from last trip but I got some more anyway because I wanted to support the seller. The last 2 years have been a real struggle for many Mexicans so I'm glad his shop is still around. (I bought some chipotle morita and chipotle meco from him last time.)

3+ kilos of pasilla Oaxaqueño

 

On 3/3/2022 at 9:13 PM, MaryIsobel said:

The ceviche looks fantastic. I eat my body weight of cheviche when in Mexico. How do you get so close to the whales? Kayak?

 

I used to like ceviche until I ate aguachile.

 

Re whales and boat. A panga is pretty small, probably the size of a mini van. Some whales are curious and will approach your panga. Some go from boat to boat, but not everyone has their permission to give tactile affection. On a tour a few days ago there was this loud, obnoxious clown from hell next to me, who leaned way into my space trying to reach the whale. But, the whale didn't want him to touch it so it jerked away every time he tried. When a whale "chooses" you it will make a beeline. Like this (a fellow whale watcher took this photo of me kissing a whale). In this position the whale can only be reached by me, so everyone else just have to wait until it moves to their side (if they are lucky).

Check out this short video clips from my previous trip. There are photos of boats and approaching whales.

 

[KennethT]

I've been jonesing for this forever, but have finally made it today.... Javanese Soto Ayam - chicken soup with mung bean noodles, cabbage, chicken, fried shallots.  The broth is homemade chicken stock scented with lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves (both from the garden) and then a rempah of galangal, ginger, garlic, shallots, candlenuts and turmeric.  I could have used more broth!!

 

[KennethT]

21 minutes ago, BonVivant said:

Thanks for your many culinary gifts to the world, Mexico!

 

Chile pasilla Oaxaqueño comes in 3 sizes. I got all 3. Still have chipotle from last trip but I got some more anyway because I wanted to support the seller. The last 2 years have been a real struggle for many Mexicans so I'm glad his shop is still around. (I bought some chipotle morita and chipotle meco from him last time.)

3+ kilos of pasilla Oaxaqueño

 

 

Your luggage must have smelled really smoky once you got home!

[Duvel]

Cold weather + fridge/freezer raid = Minestrone. 
 

[weinoo]

 

Crab cakes, barely held together with little filler. Two of them were dredged in panko, and two were not.  And for all the kindergarteners...

 

 

With baked potato and peas (frozen) and carrots (fresh) - the peas & carrots braised in butter and olive oil, as per my new usual method.

I tried to use a little caviar butter on the potato, but it got lost in the mix. 

[weinoo]

The above post would've been better in the Dinner topic, but what the heck.

[Kerala]

We had a seafood vermicelli at the weekend. The sauce was based on something like a bisque, from prawn shells with a touch of saffron. There was enough left over for me to have it like a bowl of soup for lunch today, with toasted ciabatta. Satisfying.

[Kerala]

And Sunday lunch was a slow roasted leg of lamb.

[Kim Shook]

@MaryIsobel – Happy birthday!🧁🎈

 

I do not want my broccoli or cauliflower blanched.  Broccoli especially, I want either totally crisp or completely tender – nothing in between.  And dipped in something creamy, please. 😁

 

We’ve given up eating at/from restaurants for Lent.  But Sundays during Lent are considered “little Easters”, so we get to eat at a restaurant.  Mr. Kim surprised us with Merroir in Topping VA, right on the Rappahannock river.  It’s a wine/beer tasting room and restaurant, but oddly enough not one of us was in the mood for alcohol. We had a Stuffin Muffin:

A cake of oyster stuffing with bacon and a peppercorn cream sauce.

 

Roasted oysters:

 

With garlic herb butter.

 

Jessica’s raw oysters (I’m not a raw seafood or raw meat lover), which Mr. Kim tried, but wasn’t crazy about.  This dozen was half sweet and half salty:

The next dozen were all sweet.  She said that they were perfect.

 

Asiago sourdough with olive oil and pesto:

 

 

Steamed Carolina shrimp:

 

Huge, tender, and perfectly cooked. 

 

Dessert was a maple and coconut panna cotta with candied walnuts:

 

I loved this.  Both Mr. Kim and Jessica thought that the maple flavor was too strong.  My only criticism was the nuts.  Instead of being crust, they were a little soft with a ice cream parlor wet nut quality that wasn’t great. 

 

Yesterday’s lunch was egg salad from my favorite little local market:

[MaryIsobel]

1 hour ago, Kim Shook said:

@MaryIsobel – Happy birthday!🧁🎈

 

I do not want my broccoli or cauliflower blanched.  Broccoli especially, I want either totally crisp or completely tender – nothing in between.  And dipped in something creamy, please. 😁

 

We’ve given up eating at/from restaurants for Lent.  But Sundays during Lent are considered “little Easters”, so we get to eat at a restaurant.  Mr. Kim surprised us with Merroir in Topping VA, right on the Rappahannock river.  It’s a wine/beer tasting room and restaurant, but oddly enough not one of us was in the mood for alcohol. We had a Stuffin Muffin:

A cake of oyster stuffing with bacon and a peppercorn cream sauce.

 

Roasted oysters:

 

With garlic herb butter.

 

Jessica’s raw oysters (I’m not a raw seafood or raw meat lover), which Mr. Kim tried, but wasn’t crazy about.  This dozen was half sweet and half salty:

The next dozen were all sweet.  She said that they were perfect.

 

Asiago sourdough with olive oil and pesto:

 

 

Steamed Carolina shrimp:

 

Huge, tender, and perfectly cooked. 

 

Dessert was a maple and coconut panna cotta with candied walnuts:

 

I loved this.  Both Mr. Kim and Jessica thought that the maple flavor was too strong.  My only criticism was the nuts.  Instead of being crust, they were a little soft with a ice cream parlor wet nut quality that wasn’t great. 

 

Yesterday’s lunch was egg salad from my favorite little local market:

Your dinner looks great. My husband and I are going downtown (Vancouver) later this week for a concert and will visit the Fanny Bay Oyster Bar for appies, before heading to Frankies Italian Kitchen for dinner. I am insanely excited as we haven't been into Vancouver for almost 2 years even though we are less than an hour away. The town we live near and the next nearest one are kind of food deserts, other than fast food and chains.

[Kim Shook]

3 hours ago, MaryIsobel said:

Your dinner looks great. My husband and I are going downtown (Vancouver) later this week for a concert and will visit the Fanny Bay Oyster Bar for appies, before heading to Frankies Italian Kitchen for dinner. I am insanely excited as we haven't been into Vancouver for almost 2 years even though we are less than an hour away. The town we live near and the next nearest one are kind of food deserts, other than fast food and chains.

I went and looked at both restaurant menus and showed them to Mr. Kim and now we want to come to Vancouver!!!  Enjoy and report back, please!!!

[MaryIsobel]

39 minutes ago, Kim Shook said:

I went and looked at both restaurant menus and showed them to Mr. Kim and now we want to come to Vancouver!!!  Enjoy and report back, please!!!

I 

 

39 minutes ago, Kim Shook said:

I went and looked at both restaurant menus and showed them to Mr. Kim and now we want to come to Vancouver!!!  Enjoy and report back, please!!!

I shall indeed report. I'm a bit shy taking photos in restaurants, but I'll do my best. The two places mentioned were chosen as they are both walking distance from our hotel and the venue where the concert (Colin James) is. One of the only ways I can convince my husband to venture into the city is if we can drive to one point and walk from there. I am planning on breakfast the next day at Breka Bakery and Cafe on Denman. My daughters and I have breakfasted there numerous times when (pre Covid) we stayed downtown for a musical theatre production or Cirque de Soliel. It is incedibly good food at an unbelievable price. https://www.breka.ca/

[Kim Shook]

37 minutes ago, MaryIsobel said:

I 

 

I shall indeed report. I'm a bit shy taking photos in restaurants, but I'll do my best. The two places mentioned were chosen as they are both walking distance from our hotel and the venue where the concert (Colin James) is. One of the only ways I can convince my husband to venture into the city is if we can drive to one point and walk from there. I am planning on breakfast the next day at Breka Bakery and Cafe on Denman. My daughters and I have breakfasted there numerous times when (pre Covid) we stayed downtown for a musical theatre production or Cirque de Soliel. It is incedibly good food at an unbelievable price. https://www.breka.ca/

Good LORD.  And open 24/7.  

[MaryIsobel]

27 minutes ago, Kim Shook said:

Good LORD.  And open 24/7.  

It is definitely a favourite for us. Just asked my husband to remind me when we're there to pick up a couple of gift cards for our daughters for next Christmas. I guess it may be volume based, but their prices are unheard of in Vancouver. It is cheaper than a McDonald's breakfast (at 100 times the quality) for heavens sake!