Birmingham’s biggest restaurant opening this year is in London. Our biggest culinary export, a two Michelin wielding chef by the name of Aktar Islam, has opened a restaurant in the big smoke called Oudh 1722. And before you think about Aktar’s cooking, get this preposition out of your head; it is nothing like Opheem. They might share the same garam masala recipe, they might use the same customer intel, but that is it. Whilst Opheem is very much a two star restaurant that uses flashes of the…
During 2020 and 2021, when I spent a LOT of time at home, I got really into making condiments. It's surprisingly easy to make condiments - for some reason, I had the idea that making sauces was harder than making "regular ass food", and I'd been avoiding it for literally decades. But it's not harder! If anything, it's often easier! And if you have an immersion blender, it's sometimes even brainlessly easy! My favorite two condiments to make were ketchup and thai peanut sauce. In particular, I…
In Saskatchewan, there’s a sandwich with many names–or at least many variants of the same name. Some menus in the area spell it Frajolaki, as I have; others spell it Frazolaki. Still other restaurants spell the name Fratzolaki, a spelling that seems to be more common in Regina than in Saskatoon. It might also be called a “Fragolaki” (I’m looking at you, Flamingo Restaurant in Melville, SK) or according to at least one report, a “Fraggle Rocky.” “Fratzolaki” may be the closest to being…
I must really be in the mood to bake this week because I am back with another recipe that I decided to give a whirl! Today we have some Blueberry Cornbread Cookies with honey butter buttercream and blueberry compote from Eat at Maude’s, who I stumbled upon during a nightly Instagram reels binge. View this post on Instagram I wasted no time making these. I saw them and knew I had to have them immediately, but I was lacking blueberries and cornmeal. Funny enough, I had cornmeal but it was…
While my weekends are often filled with a cooking or baking project, for weekdays we usually keep things simple and Kristina Felix’s Easy Chicken Tacos have earned their spot in our regular rotation! I love a dish that’s ready in under 30 minutes, but doesn’t skimp on flavor and these tacos deliver! Chicken thighs (my forever favorite cut) are coated in a mixture of garlic, lime juice, tabasco and onion powder and cooked in a skillet before getting diced. The really smart move is adding water…
Here's another one by Marukyu Koyamaen! General InfoThis is the Yugen matcha; weirdly, the shop page I ordered from said the name means "still dark", but seeking to confirm it, I found instead: Yūgen (幽玄) is a Japanese term that refers to a profound and mysterious sense of beauty that is only partially perceived, emphasizing suggestion over direct representation. It is often associated with traditional Japanese arts, particularly Noh theatre, where it evokes deeper meanings through subtlety and…
If you’ve ever enjoyed pizza in Sweden, you may already know about the simple little side dish that quietly steals the show: Swedish Pizza Salad. This light, crunchy cabbage salad is tossed in a tangy vinaigrette and infused with dried herbs, making it the perfect refreshing contrast to a hot, cheesy slice. It’s incredibly easy to make, uses everyday ingredients, and keeps beautifully in the fridge for up to a week — ideal for busy days, meal prep, or your next pizza night. Whether you’re…
These Chocolate-Tipped Cream-Puff Pocky Sticks are a fun homemade take on the favorite Japanese sweet snack. Thin lengths of piped choux pastry make the sticks, which are baked and then coated in chocolate glaze. While I did actually measure my piping tip, I clearly piped my Pocky a bit on the thick side. In fact, some wise guy asked me if they were breadsticks. I tipped them with the matcha white chocolate coating and sprinkled on some tiny sugar pears. While my chubby Pocky didn’t fully dry…
Hey look! I thought I’d do this up again as it’s truly wonderful stuff. I think it’s a wee bit different this time around but we shall see. Shall we? Vecorn Singapore Laksa Soup Noodles – Singapore Detail of the packaging (click to enlarge). Contains achovy and shrimp. To prepare, boil 360-400ml water and add in soup base sachets. Once at a boil, add in noodle block and cook 3 minutes. Finally, stir and enjoy! A single pack from the multipack. Detail of the packaging (click to enlarge). An…
Because a couple of you asked, Odd & David, I’ll try and recreate the recipe for last night’s pork stew. So, here goes nothing … Ingredients: 8oz pork pieces (mine were lean loin) 1 large yellow onion cut in chunks 6 carrots cut in chunks 3 large potatoes cut in chunks 2 bay leaves large pinch of oregano a good splash of Worcestershire sauce (about 1 tsp) 1 ½ cup of Aurora mushroom broth 1 tbsp tomato puree sunflower oil salt & pepper flour Method: Heat the oven to gas mark 5 or 350F dredge the…
Have you heard of the Croquembouche [CROCK-you-EAM-butchy]? It's a French thing.Well, if not, here's what it's supposed to look like: So kinda like old, cobweb-wrapped monkey bread. But in a yummy way. Well, a certain anonymous person - who shall remain unnamed to protect her anonymity - found this gem at a wedding which she may or may not have anonymously attended: I believe her exact words were, "it looks like some kind of primitive jungle cake being attacked by a swarm of lactating…
There’s the more modern Shanghai, beautiful lanes full of expensive yoga studios or artisan coffee shops, lined with the London Plane Tree (法国梧桐) and the Wukang Mansion (武康大楼), and renovated parks like the North Bund (北外滩) and West Bund (西岸). There’s also the Shanghai as the international metropolis and a symbol of China’s rising economic […] The post Cake and Timepieces appeared first on Jaap Grolleman.
Most wine writing tells us three things: whether the critic liked the wine, what the wine smells and tastes like, and how good it is presumed to be. These are important to know, but they do not exhaust the task of criticism. What wine writing too rarely explains is how a wine produces its effects. We get the verdict, the descriptor list, and perhaps a score. What we less often get is an account of how the wine moves, how it creates tension, how it resolves that tension, where it changes…
Other than watermelon, I’ve never been a huge melon fan – as Eric Kim notes in Korean American the honeydew melon is usually the most unloved morsel in American fruit cups. My aversion was why it took me so long to try his Honeydew Semifreddo … but if anyone can turn me into a convert, it’s Eric. I love the simplicity of a semifreddo. For this one, honeydew is puréed and sieved, then the juice is combined with egg yolks and sugar that have been gently warmed and whisked into a thick sauce. That…
This one was exciting for me, because I think it is the first matcha I have ever pre-ordered! General InfoAs you can already see with the packaging and name, this one is spring-themed! Harukasumi means "Spring Cloud". It was very limited and is only available for a month (probably each year?), and I got it in May. It's from Uji, and works for both usucha and koicha. I paid 57,50 Euro for it (I know...). Seems that right now, my usual supplier only has the 20g version left. Color and Smell The…
There’s nothing quite as comforting as a bowl of homemade White Chicken Chili as a quick supper on a busy weeknight. This creamy, hearty dish is a delicious twist on traditional chili, made without tomatoes and instead built on tender chicken, mild jalapeños, soft white beans, and a warming blend of herbs and spices. A swirl of sour cream and a splash of cream at the end give it that velvety finish that keeps everyone coming back for seconds.It’s simple to make, wonderfully satisfying, and…
After visiting the Yanesen area a month ago while walking between Ueno and Nippori, we made a re-visit, this time checking out the recommendations of some friends who live in the area. First stop on the list was armadillo bakes&coffee, a little cafe near Sendagi station. They made a good first impression with their armadillo mascot (look at that cute guy on the front of the store!) and we were excited to see that they had some pour over on the menu - and there were quite a few beans to choose…
Shipwrecked Paradise Island Tiki Bar is the Sacramento location and sister property of the original Shipwrecked in nearby Davis. Located in Midtown near Capitol Park, the bar is basically an adult version of Rainforest Cafe thanks to elaborate set pieces, animatronic snakes, and a jungle theme. They call themselves a tiki bar and while there aren’t tiki idols there are plenty of skulls and stone idols that fall enough into a “big tent” categorization of such things. We arrived before 5:00 for…
Tem um ditado que eu sempre gostei bastante, após ouvi-lo pela primeira vez há muitos anos, atribuído de forma apócrifa a Confúcio, quando na real é apenas um fruto da cultura popular. A sabedoria vem de escutar; de falar vem o arrependimento. Eu nunca vivi por essa filosofia, apesar de achá-la prudente. Sim, eu acho que eu sou um bom ouvinte (minha esposa e meus sócios podem ter outra opinião a respeito), e eu gosto de pensar que eu sempre soube escolher a hora de falar menos e escutar mais.…
The last Korean review I did involved a spicy and sweet noodle served hot I kind of think might have been better cold. Well, here’s a cold noodle. Sounds good – let’s check it out! Woobool Restaurant Cold Buckwheat Noodles – South Korea A distributor / import sticker (click to enlarge). Detail of the packaging (click to enlarge). Contains fish. To prepare, boil noodles in 500ml water for 2 minutes. Rinse with cold water. Take sachets and add to 180ml cold water and stir. Finally, combine and…
Well, it’s officially peach season, and my mom gave me a small box of fresh peaches from the famed Peach Truck. I immediately knew what to do with at least a couple of them, and got to work trying out a new Half Baked Harvest recipe I saw on her Instagram: Cinnamon Crunch Peach Muffin Bread. View this post on Instagram So let’s dive right in by taking a look at the ingredients list. Here’s everything you need: Since I had literally just been given the peaches, the only thing I didn’t have on…
Brides, have you ever had a lofty cake dream... ...fall flat? Or have you ever wished for pretty-as-a-picture polka dots... ...only to get gravity-defying cow patties? How about something that should have been simply sublime... ...that turned terrifying? Perhaps your "something blue"... ...has you seeing red? Have you ever wanted creamy lace and bows... ...only to get "AAAAUUUGGHH!!" Well, have you?Yes?Oh, good!Then send me a picture, won't you?This stuff cracks. me. up. Thanks to brides Ashley…
Frozen food company Amy’s Kitchen issued a public statement this week clarifying that the cooking instructions printed on the back of its popular bean and cheese burritos are completely accurate, putting an end to years of consumer speculation.“We get a lot of emails asking if there was a printing error on the packaging,” said Amy’s quality assurance director Beau Rito. “So let me be clear right here. It is 60 seconds in a microwave, then flip, then another 60 seconds. In a toaster oven, it…
If you’re craving something light, fresh, and full of flavour, this Crispy Chicken Salad is the perfect summer supper. It starts with tender chicken breasts sliced in half to keep them juicy and quick‑cooking then coated in a golden Parmesan‑panko crust that adds the most irresistible crunch.The salad itself is simple and vibrant — crisp greens, shaved carrot ribbons (a vegetable peeler works beautifully), cool cucumber, and de-seeded tomatoes so the dressing stays bright and punchy instead of…
What a day! Plenty of airplanes, and plenty of opportunities to chat. The highlight of the day was undoubtedly a Mooney 252 TSE (reg. F-GLEJ) that made its way to ESKN all the way from Iceland. It was great to chat with its two super-friendly pilots and hear their stories.
I did not make this recipe. I’m simply putting it here so that if Bobrov happens to see this page, he too will learn of this culinary masterpiece. It’s savory, it’s flavorful, it’s easy, the juice is so goddamn good you can slurp it out of a straw. https://www.africanbites.com/slow-cooker-jamaican-brown-stew-chicken
I love refreshing meat salads. Tuna salad is my sole exception, as I like it savory for a tuna melt. But chicken salad? It must have crunch. It must have moist crunch. Only the firmest green grapes. No purple, black or red either! Green. Grapes. It’s the shit. This goes great on bread, crackers, a […]
I’ll add an image of the finished product when I actually make it again. The title’s just a reminder to me. Recipe below. It’s just your standard potato salad, but I love dill and added a few other minor twists. No raisins, it’s okay. Ingredients Cooking Steps
I’ll add an image of the finished product when I actually make it again. The title’s just a reminder to me. Recipe below. An attempt to have a ‘healthier’ white sauce for pasta. It works well enough, but I still need to figure out how to fix the bits of grain from the yogurt (I […]
