Food for thought (or more accurately, food thoughts and inspirations)

[andana]

Filipino

I went there. My tastebuds have never forgiven me. Pan de sal and ice cream ok

 

[Ligma]

I went there. My tastebuds have never forgiven me. Pan de sal and ice cream ok

I wish I could react with the eye roll

 

[Lomas]

Filo?

Pastry?

 

[andana]

I wish I could react with the eye roll

Feel free. I'm not easily upset.

We had a meeting in uptown Cebu City. Afterwards they wanted to go to a Jolibee downtown. Their burgers were white bread buns and some kind of mystery meat. No salad or anything. Somehow we paid and for their taxi home also.

 

[andana]

BEIJING (The Straits Times/Asia News Network): Most people would throw away the mango pit after eating the fruit. But not some youngsters in China who have decided to keep the mango pits as “pets” to “groom” them.

This recent trend has started gaining popularity in the country, with many showing off their new “pets” on various Chinese social media platforms.

They also share why they have picked up the unusual hobby, with some saying it gives them the same joy as raising dogs and cats.

Some “owners” also vouch for its therapeutic effect. They said they are able to relieve stress when they touch the washed mango pits, reported local media.
The process of “raising” mango pits is not easy. First, the “owner” has to rub and wash off the excess pulp from the pit.

A toothbrush is later used to brush off the remaining pulp until the yellow colour of the mango pit is completely removed. The mango pit is later dried with a hair dryer and will be repeatedly exposed to the sun to avoid mildew.

 

[Samsquanch]

BEIJING (The Straits Times/Asia News Network): Most people would throw away the mango pit after eating the fruit. But not some youngsters in China who have decided to keep the mango pits as “pets” to “groom” them.

This recent trend has started gaining popularity in the country, with many showing off their new “pets” on various Chinese social media platforms.

They also share why they have picked up the unusual hobby, with some saying it gives them the same joy as raising dogs and cats.

Some “owners” also vouch for its therapeutic effect. They said they are able to relieve stress when they touch the washed mango pits, reported local media.
The process of “raising” mango pits is not easy. First, the “owner” has to rub and wash off the excess pulp from the pit.

A toothbrush is later used to brush off the remaining pulp until the yellow colour of the mango pit is completely removed. The mango pit is later dried with a hair dryer and will be repeatedly exposed to the sun to avoid mildew.

On my trips to Indo I have often flown or taken ferry rides to various islands (they have a few). I have mostly started in Bali, and I would go to local village markets as a way of learning what I liked to eat and to get a guage on price. Mostly the sellers will speak English and they will tell you what is good.

Mangos are popular and although cheaper than Australia, they were never as cheap as I anticipated they would be. Anyway that is that and I noted the price for reference.

A few places we stayed at had mango trees in their yard and the hosts were quite protective of the ripening fruit. One old man taught me how to use the bamboo pole with a basket fashioned on to one end to pick the high up fruit without needing to climb the tree.

Anyway, at a market in a village we stayed at in Sumba, I spotted some nice mangos and I fronted up to the lady to buy a few. I offered a bit under the price in Bali for the four mangos I wanted but the lady was very unimpressed and she even seemed to be a bit angry.

She nor anyone else spoke English and I wasn't making any progress with my Indo.

Fair enough I thought, so I offered more but she seemed to be more frustrated. I offered a bit more.

She took my money, grabbed a bag and shoved my selection of mangos into it, along with about a dozen more.

She was now happy.

It turned out I was offering more than she'd asked and she had no intention of ripping me off

All of the people and family at the guest house had mango for supper that night

 

[Samsquanch]

Tomorrow night is curry night. I'm giving my Philips pressure cooker one final chance to work with no lid locking issues or it will be binned.

This thing has cogs and gears inside the lid to lock it when it's under pressure but the cogs are plastic and can jump a few teeth which has made it impossible to open a few times now.

In the past I had to dismantle the lid to get it opened so we could eat dinner.

Since then I have added some screws and glued it up a bit in an attempt to fix it but it is on its final warning.

Right now the curry smells pretty good.

 

[Samsquanch]

Passionfruit Froyo...
View attachment VID20230803125817.mp4

 

[Samsquanch]

The Froyo turned out ok but today is the day that the series ice-cream making is happening. There are two batches in progress and we will freeze one in a Breville and the other in a cuisineart machine.

Both are vanilla bean but the comparison will not be exact as we're also using different recipes.

 

[koshari]

Went to the local bali babi guling last night, yummee but the sambol was very hot...
Warung Babi Guling Men Gede
0822-3660-6374

Warung Babi Guling Men Gede - Google Search

 

[koshari]

Tomorrow night is curry night. I'm giving my Philips pressure cooker one final chance to work with no lid locking issues or it will be binned.

This thing has cogs and gears inside the lid to lock it when it's under pressure but the cogs are plastic and can jump a few teeth which has made it impossible to open a few times now.

In the past I had to dismantle the lid to get it opened so we could eat dinner.

Since then I have added some screws and glued it up a bit in an attempt to fix it but it is on its final warning.

Right now the curry smells pretty good.

View attachment 1762601

Looks way to complicated

 

[Samsquanch]

Looks way to complicated

Yep. I would not recommend it.

My wife used to work in an environmental chemistry lab and used a pressure cooker for certain procedures, but she was always wary of the bloody things so we bought the automatic version for home. But the mechanics of the lid locking system inside the lid are weak and in my opinion are not fit for purpose. I hacked ours so it seems to be ok but that shouldn't have been necessary.

Having said that, curries cooked in the pressure cooker come out beautifully tender and the cooking method is perfect.

We also have a simpler electric pressure cooker that was given to me by a relo after she gave up on it as she had to use the book every time to reference how to use it. As yet I haven't tried it. It's sitting in the cupboard under the BBQ. I should give it a try I suppose.

The curry I made the other day was a North Indian Korma, but it was way too mild and the cashew nuts mellowed it even more. I will go with a more spicy South Indian style curry next time.

 

[Samsquanch]

Went to the local bali babi guling last night, yummee but the sambol was very hot...
Warung Babi Guling Men Gede
0822-3660-6374

Warung Babi Guling Men Gede - Google Search

Are you staying around the poppies lane area?

We love poppies but we used to stay at fat yogi's as it was cheap, clean and we usually had the pool to ourselves. It's now the Havana Club. I am unsure if I still have any Che Guevara t-shirts.

 

[Ashley B]

No

Are you staying around the poppies lane area?

We love poppies but we used to stay at fat yogi's as it was cheap, clean and we usually had the pool to ourselves. It's now the Havana Club. I am unsure if I still have any Che Guevara t-shirts.

Not sure about poppies , from why I here

 

[Samsquanch]

WTF have Coles done? I liked this stuff but the pack I am presently using is horrible. I opened another pack and I can see a difference...

I'll do a proper two cup (non-blind) comparison this afternoon.

 

[Samsquanch]

Speaking of comparisons, looking forward to the A:B Ice-cream test tonight. Both mixes have been in the freezer for 24 hours.

 

[koshari]

Are you staying around the poppies lane area?

We love poppies but we used to stay at fat yogi's as it was cheap, clean and we usually had the pool to ourselves. It's now the Havana Club. I am unsure if I still have any Che Guevara t-shirts.

Havana club has moved bourded up but fat Yogis still behind it, still afordable and popular.

Lot happening round poppies 1, the secret garden/basil leaves has effectively been leveled, agung restraunt boarded up,

The local babi guling we went to was up past bemo corner on way to denpasar. Was extremely busy but mostly locals and a couple of westerners.

 

[andana]

WTF have Coles done? I liked this stuff but the pack I am presently using is horrible. I opened another pack and I can see a difference...
View attachment 1767996
I'll do a proper two cup (non-blind) comparison this afternoon.

I was told those type of tea bag gingers have chemicals. I drink Hotta brand advertised as all natural.

 

[Samsquanch]

I was told those type of tea bag gingers have chemicals. I drink Hotta brand advertised as all natural.

Who knows. The packs are identical, including bar codes and list of ingredients (does not mention the addition of chemicals).

This is the cupping test observations...

Firt image is after 3 minutes of steeping as per instructions. Second image is after removal of the infusion bag and a stir.

To be honest, the flavour was not as different as I expected. Both were dull and boring.

The pack I recently finished was like the darker drink on the left but far more gingery, lemony and tasty.

I am thinking that after more than a year I may have to go back to drinking tea.

 

[Better Loosen Up]

If you lived in Thailand, why the hell would you be eating burgers? Thai food is king!

 

[Better Loosen Up]

Filipino

Love a good Adobo or Leche Flan!

 

[Ligma]

Love a good Adobo or Leche Flan!

I do not like adobo and we are having it for dinner

 

[gokangas]

Who knows. The packs are identical, including bar codes and list of ingredients (does not mention the addition of chemicals).

This is the cupping test observations...
View attachment 1768213View attachment 1768214
Firt image is after 3 minutes of steeping as per instructions. Second image is after removal of the infusion bag and a stir.

To be honest, the flavour was not as different as I expected. Both were dull and boring.

The pack I recently finished was like the darker drink on the left but far more gingery, lemony and tasty.

I am thinking that after more than a year I may have to go back to drinking tea.

It's a Coles brand. Bought their green tea in same brand - horrid. Foul taste and weak. Stick to Twinings.

 

[Samsquanch]

It's a Coles brand. Bought their green tea in same brand - horrid. Foul taste and weak. Stick to Twinings.

Yeah. I know it's a Coles brand (price is almost the same as twinings too). The lemon and ginger used to be ok. I might try the twinings equivalent or see what else I can find as an alternative. Some tea and coffee companies have very bad histories. I don't know if they can really be avoided though, and whether or not any of the alternatives are actually any better.

 

[disco_cowboy]

Always meant to posting this thread but never got around to it.

Cooking is probably the thing I'm most passionate about after north:


Black dhal, cucumber salsa and beetroot cury


Slow cooked pork shoulder and green tomato salsa verde tacos


Shiso ramen with home made noodles and BBQ chicken


Smoked beef short rib on polenta with Australian collard greens


Lamb shank curry with macadamia floss