Lunch 2023

[johnnyd]

11 hours ago, MaryIsobel said:

63 years in and I still learn something every day. Thank you for that clear and succinct information. If I had a fainting couch, that's where I would be right now, thinking of your corn chowder with a "plop" of fresh lobster. I have had too much disappointing lobster (although I have had some good ones) that I am leary of buying or ordering it. I had great lobster in Nova Scotia and PEI but they are clear across the country so we don't get there often.

 

MaryIsobel - You might like a look at my Dining Downeast II eG foodblog in which I go out lobstering on my pal Jeff's boat. It's a more detailed look (and pictures) at the fishery and the people who do it. Starts halfway down the first page. Enjoy!

[MaryIsobel]

53 minutes ago, johnnyd said:

 

MaryIsobel - You might like a look at my Dining Downeast II eG Foodblog from 2007 in which I spend a day out lobstering on my pal Jeff's boat.  Lots more detail about the fishery and those who do it, and cool pictures too. Enjoy!

Thanks - will check it out.

[blue_dolphin]

Two fish lunches.  

This week's fish share was black cod so I followed a recipe from Kenji for miso-marinated broiled black cod:

with scallions, steamed rice, cucumbers and pickled ginger. 

 

Last week, I got fresh halibut and subbed it into a recipe from NOPI for Lemon Sole with burnt butter, nori and fried capers:

with brown rice and sugar snap peas. Kind of a murky looking sauce but it tasted good!

 

[MaryIsobel]

2 hours ago, blue_dolphin said:

Two fish lunches.  

This week's fish share was black cod so I followed a recipe from Kenji for miso-marinated broiled black cod:

with scallions, steamed rice, cucumbers and pickled ginger. 

 

Last week, I got fresh halibut and subbed it into a recipe from NOPI for Lemon Sole with burnt butter, nori and fried capers:

with brown rice and sugar snap peas. Kind of a murky looking sauce but it tasted good!

 

Black cod is  in my top three types of fish: halibut, sablefish, black cod. Had not thought to try burnt butter (or brown butter) with fish, but I can taste the combo in my mind. Will have to scout out some decent fish. Thanks!

[Katie Meadow]

17 hours ago, MaryIsobel said:

Black cod is  in my top three types of fish: halibut, sablefish, black cod. Had not thought to try burnt butter (or brown butter) with fish, but I can taste the combo in my mind. Will have to scout out some decent fish. Thanks!

Sablefish is another name for black cod. Sometimes it is labeled as butterfish. No matter what you call it, brown butter is a really yummy way to eat it. Both halibut and black cod are the two fish I eat the most, as they are Pacific fish, sustainably fished, good for you and can be found fresh and wild here in northern CA. And they are both mind-numbingly expensive. But that's what happens when you overfish the planet. I used to include salmon in my top three, but King salmon is now in big trouble.

[C. sapidus]

 

Chorizo and Poblano chile with a sauce of dried pasilla and ancho chiles, sauteed white onion, roasted garlic, Mexican oregano, cilantro, and a little honey. Topped with diced white onion.

[MaryIsobel]

1 hour ago, Katie Meadow said:

Sablefish is another name for black cod. Sometimes it is labeled as butterfish. No matter what you call it, brown butter is a really yummy way to eat it. Both halibut and black cod are the two fish I eat the most, as they are Pacific fish, sustainably fished, good for you and can be found fresh and wild here in northern CA. And they are both mind-numbingly expensive. But that's what happens when you overfish the planet. I used to include salmon in my top three, but King salmon is now in big trouble.

Of course - I was thinking one thing and typing another. I meant sea bass, not sablefish.

[KennethT]

 

Southern Vietnamese summer rolls with a bush of 5 different herbs (2 from the garden, but soon to have 4 more) - garlic chives, Thai basil, mint, rau ram and sawtooth coriander.

[liuzhou]

14 minutes ago, KennethT said:

 

 

Southern Vietnamese summer rolls with a bush of 5 different herbs (2 from the garden, but soon to have 4 more) - garlic chives, Thai basil, mint, rau ram and sawtooth coriander.

 

I'd manage to force that down! 🤣

[heidih]

10 minutes ago, KennethT said:

 

Southern Vietnamese summer rolls with a bush of 5 different herbs (2 from the garden, but soon to have 4 more) - garlic chives, Thai basil, mint, rau ram and sawtooth coriander.

Lovely herbs and so cool you have your own "garden". You are an inspiration to would be hydroponicers

[lindag]

I'm doing my herbs in my little hydroponic Aerogarden these days.

Never had any luck with growing them outdoors.

The parsley, dill, basil and thyme are doing great and I can only imagine how nice it will be in the dead of winter to have them all in a pretty decent quantity.

The lettuce has been surprising....I can't keep up with it, I may have to 'zucchini'

it to my neighbors.

I have two of these gardens now because I still want to grow cilantro, chives, rosemary and maybe a colorful flower or two to brighten up the cold and dark days that will come.

[C. sapidus]

 

Chorizo and roasted Poblano chiles in tomato-cream sauce. Sauteed onions, garlic, and a Serrano chile for flavor, and then finished with a goodly amount of cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

 

Last of the chorizo for a while . . .

[johnnyd]

Leftover Keema Matar (ground lamb, spices in ghee, peas)

 

 

[Kim Shook]

I said this in the breakfast thread, and I might as well just cut and paste it to here as well: “I guess most everyone knows that I was in the hospital for a week back at the end of June.  I’ve spent most of the time since recovering and trying to regain my energy and strength.  I’ve perused the posts here but haven’t really commented or done much more than offering “likes” and giving updates in the “How are you doing” thread.  I apologize for the plethora of meals, but I’ll do a big drop off and then I’ll be all caught up (wait ‘til you see the dinner post!).”

 

So many of these are restaurant meals, but that’s what’s been practical lately. 

 

This was actually a pre-hospital meal.  I had some of Shelby’s seafood enchiladas leftover and they reheat beautifully.  Seafood enchiladas, slaw, and rice:

Pretty elegant lunch! 

 

Jessica found a fun new pharmacy/café to take me to – Colonial Pharmacy in Mechanicsville.  This is one of my favorite styles of restaurants – lunch counter food.  So few left anywhere and we are so lucky in this area to still have a few that are doing it RIGHT and making their own dishes instead of relying on Sysco.  We both had burgers.  I had what they said was their version of a Big Mac:

It was delicious and HUGE and the onion rings were very good.  Jessica had a regular burger, fries and deviled eggs (gotta love an old school place that has deviled eggs as a side):

Everything was delicious and we’ll be back.  They also have a few different kinds of house made cobbler, but we were too full. 

 

Mr. Kim and I had lunch at one of the two very nearby pizza places that we frequent.  We shared a slice and an Italian sub:

 

Both were very good, which was nice since the quality has been uneven lately.  Unfortunately, our next trip wasn’t good at all and I think we’re done with them – for pizza, at least. 

 

Last month Mr. Kim and I went down to NC to take some silver to Replacements, LTD for repair.  Stopped at Stamey’s BBQ for lunch.  I’d grown up hearing really good things about their BBQ but had never been.  I think things have gone downhill since I was young because everything was just ok.  Hushpuppies and “Brunswick Stew”:

The hushpuppies were obviously housemade and very good.  I probably ate more of them than anything else.  The stew was basically vegetable soup.  It didn’t have a strong pork element and was not at all the texture it should have been.  Lots of people actually grind up their stew.  Others mash up half the stew (this is what I do).  The pork sandwich was generous, and the slaw was the right kind (not super creamy), but it was SO dry and missing a good, smoky punch:

 

Mr. Kim got the pork sandwich (same as above) and the chicken and some collards:

The chicken was also a bit dry and not very smoky.  And the collards were very bland. 

 

Jessica and I had to run an errand across the river and stopped at Pepe’s Mexican Café.  My first time.  Jessica got the mushroom quesadillas with corn salad and salsa:

 

I got a combo with an enchilada, a taco, and rice:

A pretty run of the mill order, but I was surprised at how good it was – especially the enchilada sauce.

 

A post church brunch at our favorite deli, Boychiks.  Mr. Kim had the salad plate:

Potato, slaw, and chicken.

 

I had a tossed salad and their wonderful shrimp salad sandwich:

 

Another day lunch was my potassium for the day and an old favorite:

v

 

A tomato, cheese, and mayo sandwich on white bread.  Unless my granddaddy took me out to eat, this was my go-to lunch when I spent summers on the farm in NC.

 

Another post church brunch at Eggs Up Grill.  I had the Eggs Benedict:

I have a hard time resisting this if it is on the menu.  The potatoes would have been perfect with some onions, but I forgot to ask.  Mr. Kim had the breakfast burger:

This was good enough that we agreed this place should be included in our preferred burger joints when we are looking for that. 

 

We had some hummus from Publix and Jessica had made tzatziki, so I scrounged a half a sesame bagel from the freezer improvised a very good lunch:

 

I found a Lidl gingerbread pancake/waffle mix in the pantry that expires next month, so I made waffles for the freezer:

I also cooked some sausage to have for the week, so Mr. Kim and I shared a waffle and some sage sausage for lunch:

 

Mr. Kim did a BBQ judging last weekend and was able to bring home some goodies.  Yesterday was some brisket with Montgomery Inn BBQ sauce and applesauce:

 

Today was more of the judging leftovers:

Brisket, a couple of bones, Montgomery Inn sauce, and Ritz crackers. 

[Smithy]

@Kim Shook, I'm trying and failing to remember the last time I saw, much less ate, at a lunch counter! Nice that you can still find such a place!

[MaryIsobel]

53 minutes ago, Kim Shook said:

I said this in the breakfast thread, and I might as well just cut and paste it to here as well: “I guess most everyone knows that I was in the hospital for a week back at the end of June.  I’ve spent most of the time since recovering and trying to regain my energy and strength.  I’ve perused the posts here but haven’t really commented or done much more than offering “likes” and giving updates in the “How are you doing” thread.  I apologize for the plethora of meals, but I’ll do a big drop off and then I’ll be all caught up (wait ‘til you see the dinner post!).”

 

So many of these are restaurant meals, but that’s what’s been practical lately. 

 

This was actually a pre-hospital meal.  I had some of Shelby’s seafood enchiladas leftover and they reheat beautifully.  Seafood enchiladas, slaw, and rice:

Pretty elegant lunch! 

 

Jessica found a fun new pharmacy/café to take me to – Colonial Pharmacy in Mechanicsville.  This is one of my favorite styles of restaurants – lunch counter food.  So few left anywhere and we are so lucky in this area to still have a few that are doing it RIGHT and making their own dishes instead of relying on Sysco.  We both had burgers.  I had what they said was their version of a Big Mac:

It was delicious and HUGE and the onion rings were very good.  Jessica had a regular burger, fries and deviled eggs (gotta love an old school place that has deviled eggs as a side):

Everything was delicious and we’ll be back.  They also have a few different kinds of house made cobbler, but we were too full. 

 

Mr. Kim and I had lunch at one of the two very nearby pizza places that we frequent.  We shared a slice and an Italian sub:

 

Both were very good, which was nice since the quality has been uneven lately.  Unfortunately, our next trip wasn’t good at all and I think we’re done with them – for pizza, at least. 

 

Last month Mr. Kim and I went down to NC to take some silver to Replacements, LTD for repair.  Stopped at Stamey’s BBQ for lunch.  I’d grown up hearing really good things about their BBQ but had never been.  I think things have gone downhill since I was young because everything was just ok.  Hushpuppies and “Brunswick Stew”:

The hushpuppies were obviously housemade and very good.  I probably ate more of them than anything else.  The stew was basically vegetable soup.  It didn’t have a strong pork element and was not at all the texture it should have been.  Lots of people actually grind up their stew.  Others mash up half the stew (this is what I do).  The pork sandwich was generous, and the slaw was the right kind (not super creamy), but it was SO dry and missing a good, smoky punch:

 

Mr. Kim got the pork sandwich (same as above) and the chicken and some collards:

The chicken was also a bit dry and not very smoky.  And the collards were very bland. 

 

Jessica and I had to run an errand across the river and stopped at Pepe’s Mexican Café.  My first time.  Jessica got the mushroom quesadillas with corn salad and salsa:

 

I got a combo with an enchilada, a taco, and rice:

A pretty run of the mill order, but I was surprised at how good it was – especially the enchilada sauce.

 

A post church brunch at our favorite deli, Boychiks.  Mr. Kim had the salad plate:

Potato, slaw, and chicken.

 

I had a tossed salad and their wonderful shrimp salad sandwich:

 

Another day lunch was my potassium for the day and an old favorite:

v

 

A tomato, cheese, and mayo sandwich on white bread.  Unless my granddaddy took me out to eat, this was my go-to lunch when I spent summers on the farm in NC.

 

Another post church brunch at Eggs Up Grill.  I had the Eggs Benedict:

I have a hard time resisting this if it is on the menu.  The potatoes would have been perfect with some onions, but I forgot to ask.  Mr. Kim had the breakfast burger:

This was good enough that we agreed this place should be included in our preferred burger joints when we are looking for that. 

 

We had some hummus from Publix and Jessica had made tzatziki, so I scrounged a half a sesame bagel from the freezer improvised a very good lunch:

 

I found a Lidl gingerbread pancake/waffle mix in the pantry that expires next month, so I made waffles for the freezer:

I also cooked some sausage to have for the week, so Mr. Kim and I shared a waffle and some sage sausage for lunch:

 

Mr. Kim did a BBQ judging last weekend and was able to bring home some goodies.  Yesterday was some brisket with Montgomery Inn BBQ sauce and applesauce:

 

Today was more of the judging leftovers:

Brisket, a couple of bones, Montgomery Inn sauce, and Ritz crackers. 

Your lunches put mine to shame - and I didn't just get out of the hospital. Lately I have "brunch" around 11 and then dinner around 7. Today's brunch was a little bit of leftover Chinese Chicken Salad. ("Chinese" I suppose as there is rice wine vinegar, soy and sesame oil in the dressing) followed by a bowl of fresh peaches and blueberries with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt sprinkled with about a tbsp of brown sugar.

[rotuts]

I had two options for today's lunch .

 

both delicious .

 

A :

 

 

or B :

 

 

I chose B , not so much because it would be difficult to get back to A

 

but because it's actually a bit tastier .

[MaryIsobel]

15 minutes ago, rotuts said:

I had two options for today's lunch .

 

both delicious .

 

A :

 

 

or B :

 

 

I chose B , not so much because it would be difficult to get back to A

 

but because it's actually a bit tastier .

What's the difference? Cut in half or not cut in half?

[rotuts]

@MaryIsobel 

 

yes .

 

that's all there is to it      nothing more to it than that.

 

of course , 

 

I didn't charge myself 5 Euro's extra , and didn't need to use and wash a second plate.

 

Cut sandwiches are just tastier .

[MaryIsobel]

Just now, rotuts said:

@MaryIsobel 

 

yes .

 

that's all there is to it      nothing more to it than that.

 

of course , 

 

I didn't charge myself 5 Euro's extra , and didn't need to use and wash a second plate.

 

Cut sandwiches are just tastier .

I agree. A local winery has a bistro where I took a friend for lunch. We both had French Onion soup and decided to share a slice of quiche. The server asked if we wanted the kitchen to split the quiche for an upcharge of 5.00. My rather outspoken friend said "oh for God's sake, we will split it ourselves unless you are going to charge us extra for the knife!"

[KennethT]

This is not our typical lunch but I haven't had that much time to cook in the evenings after I get home from work lately, so....

 

 

Singapore Nyonya chicken curry using my homemade curry powder and home grown curry leaves and kaffir lime leaves.  The smell of this dish took me back to walking around Penang, Malaysia (before we got sick, hehe).  The combination of the fermented shrimp paste (belacan) and dried spices is just so Malaysian to me.

 

And for all those Authenticity Police (not that there are any of them here that I know of) who would say, "hey, where are the pools of oil?" which is a trademark of a well made curry, I present, Exhibit B:

 

At least a quarter cup of oil, skimmed from the surface prior to plating/serving.

[rotuts]

@KennethT 

 

you saved and refrigerated that oil , right ?

[BonVivant]

(Several meals)

 

The rain lasted 2,5 weeks! Hello again, sun!
Santorinian lentils/"fava" (Lathyrus clymenum) with spicy mince.

 

Totally inauthentic "dakos" (toast with tomatoes and feta, plus summer savoury from the garden).

 

Photo of the "fava" taken on the day before leaving Santorini to return to Crete. (Down to 2 fava and 2 tomato paste now.)

 

- - -
First 10. Got another 10 yesterday. Simply boiled til done. I snack on a cob any time, also when biking to/from somewhere.

 

Another type of Lithuanian black bread

 

 

And of course, my favourite, new Matjes. Avocado-beetroot spread is for the black bread. It spreads just like butter.

 

- - -
1/3 of a kilo of razor clams. Steamed and dressed with a chopped Greek salad, and lemon juice.

 

And a beer

 

_ _ _

A common species of whelks round these parts

 

 

Edited August 22, 2023 by BonVivant (log)

[heidih]

The avocado beetroot spread and the black bread!  The Schnecken look pretty fine too.

[blue_dolphin]

If you've been having rainy weather, that beautiful sunny food your prepared must have brightened things up, @BonVivant!

 

Rainy here today but oyster fest continued with the grand finale - Thai-style oysters Rockefeller from Cook Like a Local.

These guys are topped with a mix of blanched and chopped kale, diced onion, shallot, garlic, jalapeño, ginger, coconut milk, green curry paste, cream cheese and lime juice and baked 'til the topping is bubbly. Very flavorful!

 

Edited August 20, 2023 by blue_dolphin (log)