It’s another episode of “Ready, steady, cook!”. Had to order the asparagus 2 days in advance. And not only that, it’s the most I have paid. But… I’m on holiday in a village surrounded by vineyards and does not have a supermarket. Btw, Ready Stead Cook is a British cookery programme in which the chefs make a meal out of what the participants bring. They have a certain amount of time to make the meal. Used to watch it many years ago, not sure if it’s still running these days.
Hungarian spicy sausage provides the salt. Partner needs the fat and gets all of it.
Many winemakers here just operate the tasting room and wine shop at their residence. It’s rather convenient to pick up a bottle directly from them within a short walk as the village is small.
Went walkabout again today, 10km in total. Since there’s no bridge or any way to cross the river to the other side to see the ruin you would have to walk to the next village where there’s a bridge. Then you would walk all the way back on the other side of the river to reach the ruin. The sun came out from time to time, fortunately, otherwise there’s absolutely nowhere to shelter.
Allotment gardens are along the walking path between the road and the river. I saw some (shortest ever) asparagus rows, and some asparagus spears all over the place like a weed.
I don’t think in @Presunto’s photo, the asparagus were wild species, although they grow wildly. The wild asparagus look quite different. They taste different too.
Harters
(John Hartley - a culinary patriot eating & cooking in Northwest England)
25
Vegetable tagine - I have aubergine, red peppers, butternut squash, red onion, tin of chickpeas, prunes, tomatoes, thyme, cumin and harissa paste. Maftol as the carb (wheat grown around the Palestinian city of Hebron and the maftol prepared in the city).
Bookwich, someone or some people used to grow asparagus in their allotment gardens but seems they have stopped it. Now it pop up in different spots along the path like unwanted weed.
There’s no other industry here but wine growing and producing. I hear it every day that the young people don’t want to do this kind of hard work any more, and more than that they want to earn money fast. They leave for big(ger) cities. What’s more, the weather has been unpredictable in recent years which is a bit worrying. They can’t afford to have frost of too cold weather here. The vines are vulnerable to the cold.
Went wandering along the mountain track again, to the summit this time for the best views of the river bend. It was certainly not the least bit disappointing. Went directly to a winery’s tasting room after that and then it was time for dinner.
The last episode of Ready Steady Cook. I made a soup broth with a kilo of asparagus peel, added all the spicy Hungarian sausage and the rest of everything I’ve brought with me. Didn’t need to season anything, the Hungarian sausage was spicy and gave the soup all the taste. Spicy enough that I was sniffing quite a bit. Asparagus on the side because I wanted the pure taste.
I love to go a-wandering, Along the mountain track, And as I go, I love to sing, My knapsack on my back. Oh, may I go a-wandering Until the day I die! Oh, may I always laugh and sing!
Harters
(John Hartley - a culinary patriot eating & cooking in Northwest England)
29
To start - baked scallops, pea & mint puree , served on the shell (supermarket purchase)
To continue - salmon, rice mixed with almond & wild garlic pesto (pesto from the “Fruits of the Forage” people at Macclesfield’s Treacle Market), asparagus.
To finish - a sort of Eton Mess. There was a freezer discovery of a couple of handfuls of mixed fruits - raspberry, blackberry, redcurrant . To be mixed with whipped cream and crushed meringues (the latter purchased - my life being too short to make meringues)
LindaW, many thanks! The way down is steep and the trail is narrow but besides that it’s an easy hike. And of course the views are quite spectacular.
Just got home. I don’t know if others do this, surely if you have pets… I step inside my house and talk to it affectionately, such as how much I have missed it etc. It’s just so good to be back in your own house after a trip! It’s good after all to have a mortgage.
First meal at home is the braised beef with mineola peel I froze especially for my return. Only had to boil water for Spätzle and some greens. I have asparagus but thought it would clash with the beef and red wine. Besides, it’s OK to lay it off for 1 day (but after that… it’s asparagus fest again).
The braised beef last time and again today. Still tastes good.
Last photos on the way home.
We never eat tarts or cakes at home but when in Germany, yes.
And we always buy a few breads to take home. Bakeries in Germany usually sell breads, pastries and coffee etc all under 1 roof. The 3 I circled are the breads we bought. The big ones are about 1kg each.
At Cologne central station. Currywurst kiosk on platform. Unlike most countries, you can drink beer with your food, drink beer outside/on the street, on public transport, at the cinemas etc. Germany (probably) has the least restrictive public drinking law in the west (world even?). I’m sure you already know how much Germans like to go to Biergarten in fine summer weather. They also like to have a picnic with some bubbly if they fancy that. Germans are proud of the freedom of being able to enjoy a beer at any time or place. In this wine producing and beer brewing, beer loving nation it’s ingrained in the culture and drinking in public so openly is highly tolerated (although, legal drinking age is 16).
Photo taken as my train was pulling out of Cologne central station.
Am I the only one who wakes up thinking “I want a composed salad for dinner tonight”? Probably not amongst my food friends, but it’s what happened at 7:30 this morning.
So that’s WWFD: Green leaf lettuce, blanched asparagus & carrots, sliced cukes & radishes, tomatoes, and hard boiled eggs, with some crumbled goat cheese sprinkled on top.
And I took the plunge and tried Green Goddess Dressing.
Yup, never had it before - probably because of the anchovies, which I’ve never been fond of. But I decided to get some anchovy paste and try it out. I halved a recipe from Simply Recipes, and used less anchovy paste than called for, but it wasn’t overpowering (so next time, I can use a bit more). I liked it. I really really liked it!
You are not alone! I too wake dreaming of composed salads, especially during Boston’s way too short, local vegetable season. Soon, soon… we will be eating tons of composed salads.
Cream and sharp cheese to moisten the orzo. Blanched broad beans and crisp-fried Tyrolean Speck. Steamed asparagus and before eating sprinkled with more grated cheese.
A kale chicken salad with mango, radish, pineapple, green beans and peanuts with a Thai dressing using part of a jar of Pad Thai chili sauce in the dressing
Chives, rosemary, lemon thyme, coleus, Supertunia Royal Velvet petunias, buttercrunch lettuce, ruby Swiss chard, and Red Sails lettuce all repotted. I’ll probably lose the chard and lettuce, because I think it’s going to be too cold tonight. Should have known better.
Laundry, and more banana chocolate chip muffins made. Then lamb & apricot tagine on top of rice pilaf with broccoli alongside. And wine alongside as well.
Just got home from a trip to Michigan to help my father pack up my childhood home - they finally decided to downsize to a condo after 40 years! I also discovered on this trip that the woods behind their house was FULL of wild ramps. Hundreds of big, gorgeous patches. I harvested a couple of gallon ziplocs full of leaves only (digging the roots is not sustainable) and brought them home with me - luckily TSA didn’t have a problem with it. I made a big batch of ramp pesto with half of them tonight and I’ll decide tomorrow what to do with the rest. If only I had known, I never would have let them sell the place!
Of course, packing and moving means lots of takeout, so I haven’t eaten a single vegetable (unless you count lettuce on a burrito or green peppers on pizza) in a week. I remedied that with a spicy tofu and chicken stirfry tonight, chock full of red cabbage, baby bok choy, pea pods, garlic, ginger and shallots. I had one semi-shriveled habanero pepper in the fridge for heat and it nearly killed my husband. Those little suckers pack a punch!
