Posted: January 27th, 2002 | Filed under: Food | | Comments Off
It is time to introduce you to ‘bitterballen’, a Dutch delicacy. Snacks in this country, unfortunately, don’t come much better than this. Most of our native fast food is deep fried and deeply disgusting, yet pleasantly filling. (I am relieved to say we haven’t picked up the British habit to deep fry pies and mars bars. Yet.)
Bitterballen (bitter = alcoholic drink, ballen = balls) are the smaller cousins of the popular kroketten (more ‘lunch’ than ‘snack’, often consumed in a ‘broodje’, a bun). Both require dollops of mustard to make them edible. Both consist of portions of meat ragout, which are breaded and then deep fried.
Bitterballen are served in pubs, often as part of a ‘bitter garnituur’, platters of finger food to serve with alcohol. These include tiny, spicy eggrolls called ‘vlammetjes’ (= little flames), chunks of liverwurst and cheese.
Beware. Bitterballen are heat seeking fiends. Prepare to encounter a core of molten lava. In case of emergency, quench with liberal amounts of beer. Tip: Bitterballen are usually served with little wooden sticks. They are absolutely useless. Use your fingers for total control. Bite off part of the crust first, then let cool before finishing off the rest of your small friend.
Mmmm! bitterballen, gezellig. Here’s a recipe.
Posted: January 22nd, 2002 | Filed under: Food | | Comments Off
God bless home delivery grocers, they’re a godsend for the sick. Sometimes though, you end up with something you didn’t really want, like processed cheese.
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Posted: August 12th, 2001 | Filed under: Food | | 1 Comment »
My houseguest brought me vegemite on my insistance. I’d never had it before. It tastes like a wet Oxo cube, but does lift the blandness of a cheese like Wensleydale nicely – if used sparingly (on buttered toast). I think I tried Marmite once as a kid and hated it. So what’s the difference between Marmite and Vegemite? All is revealed.
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Posted: August 5th, 2001 | Filed under: Food | | Comments Off
Noodles are our friends.
Posted: July 26th, 2001 | Filed under: Food | | Comments Off
In the supermarket this evening as I was checking out my sushi and cheese and crackers, there were two students in line in front of me.
I took a look at their shopping basket. I was surprised to find non-standard-student ingredients. You’d expect spaghetti, or pizza, which they’d overcook or burn. Instead I found a bottle of balsamico vinegar, olive oil, red leaf lettuce, loads of bags of mozzarella, a couple of trays of prosciutto, several portions of herb leaves (basil, mint?) and a box of fresh peaches.
Wow, I thought, we HAVE progressed. Students who know how to cook? Who are willing to spend the extra penny to have a decent meal?
I went over the ingredients again and it dawned on me. They were going to make Jamie Oliver’s “Mozzarella and mixed leaf salad with mint, peach and prosciutto“.
I don’t know whether I was shocked recognising the recipe, or because I wouldn’t expect these lads to even watch the show.
Pukka!
