Lunch 2021

I usually have about 10 small ones around. Buy 2 nets of 5 every week. It takes a week to ripen (sometimes half of them remain hard and then die).

I also buy big ones from a Turkish greengrocer. 3-4 times bigger and more success.

If we only have to throw out one of every two that we buy, we feel lucky. There’s an expression in German, Fremdwörter sind Glückssache, meaning that it’s a matter of luck if you use a foreign word correctly. For us, Avocados sind Glückssache.

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Hah! I have my own saying which is very much the same: “Avocados are like viewing wildlife (or a safari*), it’s a matter of luck.”

So nice in avocado eating countries like Mexico and Chile. They are huuuuge and piled high, and always ready to eat. I bought 2 daily but never had a bad one. A kilo costs 1 or 2 euros there, it’s insane. Can’t remember exact how much but it’s so little.

*Nature owns me nothing.

Mapo tofu and rice

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Zhajiangmian

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My sister inspired me with this recipe

to make this with my leftover roasted “bass” and red snapper . Sister said chives and not “thinly sliced scallion greens”, so I’ll adjust.

The roasted fish was good in it’s original offer, but not quite “brought together”, as they say.

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Great post!

Roe Heaven! I must try with buttered bread. Yum!

Thanks.

Russians and people in the former Soviet Union eat roe on buttered bread or with cream (and blini). I love dairy so with either butter or cream is the way I prefer. And maaannn, they do eat a lot of salmon roe over there. Haven’t been to Russia yet (would like to) but saw in Tallinn, Estonia how roe is sold in supermarkets… they scoop from a big pail! A fancy supermarket piles it high in a big bowl surrounded by sturgeon and such. Even in Moldova (next to Ukraine) I could get real caviar at the supermarket!

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Pretending I’m in Greece… Greek-style meze at home.

Cooked beetroot. Rich, full fat, raw milk quark. Olive oil. Sicilian pistachios.

Mild and creamy feta.

Not quite “village salad” (aka “Greek salad” everywhere else). Proper “village salad” next time.

Sous vide lamb’s liver in red wine. This meze dish is very Greek. My book “The olive and the caper” (Susanna Hoffmann) also has the recipe.

Giant beans. A firm meze favourite, also a Turkish mez(z)e dish.

I made this for another meal, I used it here too. Broad beans soaked in beetroot liquid (obtained after cooking the beetroot).

Pickled peppers and more feta. Can’t get enough of feta.

Got 2 bottles of Greek Riesling when Lidle had the Greek themed foods a few weeks back.

There were kalamata and things with honey and yogurt but couldn’t fit them all in the photo. Next time.

I stopped reading/watching/listening to the news in February. So frustrated with this virus shtshow and incompetent government.

Hate airports but have to endure it. Always exciting to arrive there and where I can’t wait to leave at the end of a trip.

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Heaven!

Great spread!

Do you travel for a living?

No! But travelling is my top priority in life.

Hope to resume later this year. Can’t wait to see these* again and make more (childhood) dreams come true.

(*) “Approach light system” is the term. Single light on my side of the fence is a beacon.

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Lemonbalm from the garden.

Coarsely processed together with store-bought garden peas.


Burrata with honey and pistachios

One of my favourite Swiss cheeses. Kaltbach is cave-aged and pretty “epic”. Problem is, it’s not as popular and readily available like Gruyère.

Some of the pastries I made recently. Small log has rhubarb, chocolate and poppy seeds, big one in foreground has lots of rhubarb and even more custard.

Another spring elixir is here again. I watch the fishmonger clean it and then I biked real fast home. Even brought 2 ice packs with me to keep it cold. As soon as it’s gutted the quality deteriorates so fast so you have to eat it all up straight away.

Butter from the sea. High quality new catch ma(a)tjes should look like this. Marzipan-like flesh and pink along the backbone (even a bit red. Never grey!). High fat content, melts on the tongue and umami-rich. Onions just ruin this exquisite, expensive spring delight.

My last stash of dried ramp flakes

A batch of rhubarb. I sous vide it for using in stir-fries and savoury applications more so it needs portioning.

A batch of whole grain mustard in Riesling. I don’t like creamy mustard so I make my own and use any beer or wine I like.

It’s therapeutic work

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Hard to follow that :point_up_2:t4:

Open-faced Chili Dog

Split open chicken hot dog, topped w/chicken chili, american & cheddar cheese melted under broiler then topped w/mustard, relish & white onions (mine had ketchup, no relish :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:). I forgot to buy buns so I did them open-faced on milk bread.

Chicken Salad w/Preserved Lemons on Toast Points

Rotisserie chicken, preserved lemons, rosemary, chives, dressing of olive oil, dijon, white wine vinegar, sweet white balsamic, vegenaise, salt & pepper on toasted milk bread.

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^^ I like preserved lemons but don’t use them often enough. Thanks for the reminder.

__

Last of the marrowfat peas.

In the glass is passion fruit pulp with some sparkling water added.


Glorious new herring again

Swedish-style “meze”. Summer solstice is a big celebration in Sweden with songs and dance and many other activities. A traditional summer solstice “Midsummar” lunch consists of herring and potatoes, boiled eggs and all the other bits. This is my version.

Speaking of summer solstice, I was on a small island (no traffic) in the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wadden_Sea around that time a couple of years back. One of the islands has a craft beer brewery so it’s on my list for next time.

A typical north German island holiday postcard perfect photo.

The iconic beach chair. The fence panel thing is removed when rented.

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I didn’t know you had a book! Impressive!

:rofl: The book that I own.

Did you use up all the milk?

Oh! It was late.

I still have a gallon and plan to start a ricotta project shortly, but I will also try freezing some. I believe folks are saying it will be okay for baking.

Didn’t mention ricotta 'cuz I thought you had done it before and wanted something different. But yes, making ricotta or yogurt/quark will use up your excess milk fast. I remember making a post:










As you can see, I make it quite often. :point_up:

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