You guys might remember that pesky Annual Cold Snap during February I mentioned 2 weeks ago. Well, this year it brought a friend and the two of them really went to town. The usually relatively short cold front freezing the dress choices for Valentine’s Day into non-existence recently teamed up with a Siberian cold front nosing around our neighborhood.
Continue reading “Steamed Duck & Plum Dumplings with Szechuan Duck Broth”
Mid-February, Valentine’s Day to be precise, somewhere in south-western Germany. Just like every year, your’s truly is peering out of the window, briefly considering using the day’s dinner plans as an excuse to throw on The LBD… but no. There’s not much fun in wearing a dress when you need to cover it up in at least 4 more layers of fabric in order to survive a 20-minute-walk without frostbite~!
Continue reading “Roasted Parsnip Soup & Caramelized Apples”
Alright folks, I think it’s time I made good on the promise I made in my loosely Crystal Dessert-related Spicy Chicken Wrap & Tomato Hummus post and get down to business with the whole Crystal Desert Cuisine shabang. After being reminded of the existence of Red Lentils by the vendors and food stalls keeping us well fed and happy on our adventures through the Crystal Desert, I rolled up my sleeves and tackled the topic of “Red Lentils” on this side of the screen~!
Up until a few years ago, jerusalem artichokes were something only to be found in natural remedy- and health product stores, disguised as or processed into diabetes supplements or diet products supposed to curb hunger by filling your tummy prior to a meal. Or, in the case of the region a bit south of our corner of the world, turned into a seriously strong booze.
Continue reading “Jerusalem Artichoke Soup, Crunchy Chorizo Topping & Chimichurri”
As you might have noticed, I’m a bit early on hitting the “Publish” button today. The reason for that is as simple as it is delightful~ Right now, I’m on my way out of the house, headed towards Frankfurt Airport where a plane is waiting to take me on a long-weekend trip to Dublin, Ireland. I thought I’d grab this opportunity to share one of our all-time-favorite stews with you guys.
Continue reading “GW2 Guinness Stew & Guinness-Buttermilk Soda Bread”
Maybe you guys are familiar with a certain awkward situation I’ve found myself stuck in a short time ago: a situation that usually begins with a train of thought the displays at the farmers market might inspire, somewhere in the neighborhood of “Oh this looks pretty! There’s always something delicious to be made with this, can’t hurt to take one along… right?”.
Oh yes~! Summer’s here and not willing to take prisoners. Getting anything down at 35°C during lunchtime is starting to be just as unappealing as skipping lunch altogether. There’s one thing though, that always works in situations like these. Quickly made, easily carried around and, in most cases, very healthy and satisfying: Cold soups.
My tastebuds have a penchant for demanding several things at once every once in a while, not caring whether whatever cravings they impose on me match eachother or not. This time, however, the “fresh and lively”, “lamb”, “very veggie” and “Spring appropriate” bones they tossed me, very conveniently lined up into a delicious soup perfectly fitting into this time of the year~!
Continue reading “Minted Pea Soup with Spicy Lamb & Apricot Meatballs”
Right now, I’m sitting at a small coffee-table in a cute little house peeking out from under a comfy reed-cap, listening to the crashing storm-chased waves of the North Sea rolling in just behind the dam. The time for our traditional winter-vacay on Germany’s northernmost island, Sylt, has arrived. When my parents started heading out this way in the dead of winter on a regular basis, I honestly thought something else was going on – secret trips to the Caribbean came to mind – because… who in their right mind would travel to the main land’s icy-sea-storm-barrier at that time of the year? Right…?
It took me a while, but I finally managed to twist and tweak another classic dish to my liking! You might wonder how a menace to the world’s tomato population like me can sidestep the issue of a simple tomato soup for years… well, after quite a number of… not bad, but unsatisfying bowls and recipes, I had almost given up on the idea. Basically, one half would have worked better as a tomato sauce and the other half needed a stomach-turning amount of cream or butter to loose the air of a sauce and turn “creamy”.
Continue reading “GW2 Roasted Tomato Soup & Crispy Tomato Balls”
Nahdala's Kitchen 