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Post by fumobici on Oct 13, 2019 17:46:08 GMT
I got food bombed by the farmer next door last night. It was so much food that all I've eaten today has been a few potato chips and a small pistacchio gelato.
His lovely wife did all the cooking, we were joined by his daughter and son-in-law who came from Florence where they live and work. I'm trying to remember it all, but I'm sure I'll miss things. We supped in a barn that was once an ancient sandstone house. It still has basically an apartment upstairs and the downstairs is a big tobacco drying space for his 10 hectares of cigar wrappers he grows, among many other things. The theme was definitely 0km--everything was from the farm or the little valley we are in.
We started with Sangiovese wine he made form his vines and typical Tuscan crostini with minced porcini or chicken liver pate. Then she brought out jellyroll-like little rolls of bread with either hot peppers or truffles macerated with olive oil. Then to the grilled vegatables cooked right there in the fireplace right there next to the table in a kinda of au gratin style. There were at least eggplant and zucchini, and tomatoes, and fennel. Then out came the very nice homemade beer made with barley and hops grown right here on his property, paired with fire roasted pork in some lovely sauce. Then tender veal with some sort of breading. Finally for dessert, we had ripe figs with truffled ricotta, after which he roasted chestnuts over the fire, and taught me how to eat them properly. These were washed down with a bottle of French champagne that his daughter and son-in-law had brought (blowing the 0km theme). And finally Chivas Regal and his cigars for the boys (which he sells for big Euro). By then it was midnight--we had started at around 8:00 PM.
I'm not sure I've ever been so full, and every bite was wonderful or I couldn't have done it.
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Post by lagatta on Oct 13, 2019 20:02:25 GMT
Mmmm.
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 13, 2019 23:50:26 GMT
Can you feel our hot green eyes all turned your way, Fumobici?
In the real thing of stepping down the level, I will announce that I am getting ready to enjoy bowtie pasta with fresh tomato sauce and with chayote and carrots sauteed with star anise on the side.
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Post by kerouac2 on Oct 14, 2019 3:42:59 GMT
I made some organic tagliatelli and used an industrial sauce on them for once, which is something that I almost never do. But there was a special on Barilla sauces recently (2-for-1 offer), so I gave them the benefit of the doubt. I am pleased to say that their Arrabbiata sauce was just as spicy as the photo on the label promised. I am always tempted to sprinkle Cayenne pepper into such items, but this time I'm glad I didn't.
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Post by kerouac2 on Oct 17, 2019 12:26:02 GMT
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 17, 2019 16:39:43 GMT
Ooooo ~ Last night I made red quinoa for the first time. I kind of liked it, but also kind of think it tastes like something hamsters would love to eat or perhaps make nests out of. I had just gotten some very fresh, fairly large chiles canarios and thought it would be nice to stuff them, but was afraid they'd be too picante to eat. I cut them in half, removed the seeds, heavily salted the insides, then left them to set and sweat out some of their heat. Later I par-boiled them in plain water, then stuffed them with a mixture of quinoa, queso fresco (like mild feta), plus sauteed onion, garlic, & rosemary. I had them along with mixed sauteed vegetables and some plain quinoa to further cut the heat of the chiles, which were quite good.
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Post by kerouac2 on Oct 18, 2019 18:12:46 GMT
Tonight I had fried potatoes and fried oysters (I am likely to have been the only person in France eating fried oysters tonight.). It was all unhealthy and delicious. Dipped in a mixture of sriracha and sweet-and-sour Chinese sauce.
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Post by mickthecactus on Oct 18, 2019 18:25:49 GMT
Lamb steaks, potatoes, peas and spinach with some mint jelly.
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Post by whatagain on Oct 19, 2019 8:35:15 GMT
I want to be invited by Fumobici next time.
I made an excellent gratin dauphinois helped. Y my daughter with magret de canard served with apples from a patient of my wife.
Yesterday we had a hachis Parmentier. One layer of minced pork/beef meat - from the butcher shop next door. One layer of spinach from our garden and one layer of mashed patatoes.
Hum.
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Post by lagatta on Oct 19, 2019 9:53:42 GMT
The spinach really helps that dish, as does quality mince. Takes it from cafeteria food to good home cooking. I made a really "home-cooked" type dish as well, a stew of cannellini beans, minced turkey and various vegetables. Added homemade stock and a bit of white wine, my remaining herbs, the usual onion and garlic - I also have red shallots, but will use them in another dish. Problem is, this makes quite a bit of food for one person, but it is easy to freeze in portions. Bixa, think of the Inca empire... Errr, think you'd probably eat your cuy with quinoa after fattening it up on the pseudo-grain and kitchen scraps. And yes, I know that is a guinea pig, not a hamster. A giant one. wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/grain-month-calendar/quinoa-%E2%80%93-march-grain-month It has been successfully grown on the Canadian prairies - it can put up with harsh climates.
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Post by bjd on Oct 19, 2019 11:11:24 GMT
Lagatta, guinea pigs are not very big. There is very little to eat on them.
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Post by kerouac2 on Oct 19, 2019 11:42:54 GMT
I recommend putting three or four of them on each skewer.
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Post by lagatta on Oct 19, 2019 23:50:29 GMT
South American Cuy are many times larger. Please note that I'm not advocating eating them or anyone else. Just discussing dietary habits in different places.
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Post by bjd on Oct 20, 2019 5:51:29 GMT
I took that picture in Ecuador where they are raised as food, not as pets.
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Post by whatagain on Oct 20, 2019 12:08:27 GMT
I start having problem eating meat when I consider what I eat used to be an animal.
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Post by kerouac2 on Oct 20, 2019 13:29:09 GMT
In the series that I just watched, cats are a favourite food but most people have to eat rats instead.
I had a ceviche of tuna last night.
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Post by kerouac2 on Oct 22, 2019 11:34:25 GMT
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Post by lagatta on Oct 22, 2019 13:44:37 GMT
So those are cuy!
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 23, 2019 0:27:57 GMT
Made a sweet potato, plantain, chickpea thing with curry flavors. Made it on the sweet side with some apple, pear, & raisins and served with plain steamed basmati. It really hit the spot.
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Post by whatagain on Oct 23, 2019 17:03:55 GMT
Am cooking lobsters. First cooked then 3 min under grill with butter thyme and that's basically it. With rice. And à côte rôtie 2012. Why not. Food budget has been sent through the roof so let's have an expensive wine too.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Oct 23, 2019 17:11:53 GMT
Lasagne mmmmmmmmmmmmm....
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Post by kerouac2 on Oct 23, 2019 17:28:29 GMT
I had steak and potatoes for dinner, and it was completely unsatisfactory. That is quite rare at this residence. Luckily, I have a bit of extra wine to console me.
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Post by mickthecactus on Oct 23, 2019 17:55:25 GMT
That’s very boring by your standard.
We have beef stew, potatoes and mangetout.
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Post by lagatta on Oct 23, 2019 22:58:42 GMT
It is true that I'd want steak more with frites than boiled potato or mash, which to my mind go better with a stew. But to each their own. An Argentine friend will even have steak with a local potato salad, but she lives in Buenos Aires province, about equidistant from BsAs, La Plata (where she studied) and Mar de Plata. Her family ran an inn.
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 24, 2019 2:05:46 GMT
Supper was a little baguette with goat cheese & a mango smoothie.
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Post by kerouac2 on Oct 26, 2019 13:57:35 GMT
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Oct 26, 2019 14:04:19 GMT
Frittata, want to use up some leftover scraps of ham, baby boiled potatoes etc...
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Post by lagatta on Oct 26, 2019 21:47:07 GMT
I made some mash from celeriac and yellow potatoes, adding butter and garlic I'd sautéed in a bit of olive oil. Added some of the last of my parsley. Didn't eat a lot, but won't get tired of that. Ate it with a Hungarian sausage. The butcher/owner of the small Hungarian shop is well into his 80s and not only working but dealing with rather large pieces of pig and calf. Came here just after the War. I rarely eat mammalian meat but doubt I'll ever really become a vegan.
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Post by mich64 on Oct 27, 2019 0:50:05 GMT
I made a spaghetti sauce with pasta for dinner with the plan that I made enough to pack for a meal for my husband tomorrow while on shift. Also put some garlic buttered buns under the broiler and added some shredded cheddar and Havarti cheese.
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Post by lagatta on Oct 27, 2019 1:55:23 GMT
The caserne (fire station) closest to me has kept up the tradition of cooking on site.
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