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Garden foods

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Garden foods

Postby Gillthepainter » Sun May 20, 2018 8:39 am

Yes, the weather is great for it.
I've hoiked the Waitrose relaxing chairs and table into the garden.

What do you prepare to take out into the garden to relax.

I make lemonade. 2 apples : 1 lemon. Plus sparkling water and ice.
I make biscotti to go with our Lavazza coffee. From No Place Like Home, Lushers.
And I'd better clean the bbq and change the bricks. For occasional outdoor cooking over the fake coals. Have still not quite embraced the bbq as much as I might, even after 5yrs of possessing the gadget.

I think I'll walk to the local shop and get a couple of croissants and oranges for breakfast today.

What do you enjoy so much more outdoors in the garden or on the patio?

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Re: Garden foods

Postby Alexandria » Sun May 20, 2018 11:32 am

We do not have a proper garden as such, however, we have a stunning terrace where we have put a tiny table for 2 with 2 Wicker Rattan Chairs amongst our numerous herbs growing and flowering ..

Drinks for terrace: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Chilled sparkling White wines: Prosecco, Cava or Champagne ..

Chilled White Wines: Sherry Fino, Galician Albariño and Godello ..

Cocktails: Mare ( Menorca Blue Gin ) & Blue Fever Tree Tonic or Campari with Club Soda & a drizzle of lime .. :D :D :D :D :D :D

Refreshments non Alcoholic: Sparkling Water and for breakfast & after lunch: Iced Espresso .. Occasionally, Iced Earl Grey or Moroccan Spearmint Tea..

Traditional: Chilled Sangria coupled with Fried Boquerones ( fresh anchovies fried in chick pea flour ) and Tapas ..

Eats: International Salads, Crudities, Fried Boquerones, Fresh Shellfish such as Oysters on Half shell and Grilled Prawns or Fried Calamari or Grilled Seppia ( Squid ) with Ali oli ..


Have a lovely day .. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :wave :wave :wave :wave :wave
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Re: Garden foods

Postby Badger's Mate » Sun May 20, 2018 12:39 pm

Thanks to the enthusiasm of Dr Sweetsmoke, I replaced our clapped out ex-hire Hibatchi barbeque (which we then used frequently for a further 15 summers until I knocked it over on the patio and it broke) with a bullet one. This broadly coincided with Mrs B going on immunosuppressants and being advised to avoid barbeques! She's on a lower dose now and it wouldn't be a problem but the Pro Q is a bit big just for us. I keep thinking of getting a Cobb but haven't got a round tuit.

Apart from grilled meats, fish and shellfish, we like salads, dips, ceviches and other Mexican style food. Also Mediterranean stuff like Youvetsi or chicken Basque. Summer veg such as asparagus, new potatoes, peas, broad beans and so on. This evening we've got veal steaks, I must pick some herbs to make a green sauce for it.

Drinks, much as Alexandria, chilled fizz, whites, rosés, dry sherry. Beers or ciders - I'm a real ale man (as opposed to a 'real man' :D ) rather than a lager drinker though, not keen on ice cold beer. Ware being in England, we also have Pimm's. I once had an evening experimenting with Gin, vermouth and orange liqueur to replicate Pimm's. Trouble was by the time we got the recipe right we forgot what it was. :wino

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Re: Garden foods

Postby Gillthepainter » Sun May 20, 2018 2:31 pm

Good afternoon,
bbq cleaned as best I can, it's getting on a bit, but still doing rather well. That's John Lewis purchases for you.
And smelling nicely of bay - I've dried it off on full whack with a branch of bay from our small tree inside.

Boquerones are my favourite tapa, Alexandria.
I used to order them after sitting long enough on the beach at Pedregalejo in Malaga.
Where I also "discovered" tinto de verano.

Badgers, my husband would agree with you re. the real ale.
He had a lovely pint of bitter at our local ale house yesterday. I wished I'd ordered it too when I had a sip.

I shall do some marinading tomorrow, and Tony has requested sausages.
He always requests sausages, yawn.

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Re: Garden foods

Postby Lusciouslush » Sun May 20, 2018 3:22 pm

I well remember when you bought that Q Gilly............!!

Mine must be rusting under its cover too - haven't used it much in the last 2 yrs, mostly because it's been like living in a middle of a building site with the noise of all the 'grand designs' going on all around - blokes drilling & grinding with the radio up at full volume is not relaxing!
The Cameron stove top smoker still gets used tho' :thumbsup

We're not much for eating meals in the garden these days preferring the conservatory ( less flies!) but what's nicer than sitting in the sun with a glass of whatever takes your fancy & a platter of cheese/charcuterie or just some stuffed olives....? That we still do given the chance of peace & quiet!!

I miss Dr Sweeties posts - he was always so inspirational - the last I heard he was cooking out in a restaurant in Singapore!

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Re: Garden foods

Postby Alexandria » Sun May 20, 2018 3:31 pm

Gil, :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup

Yes, we love fried Boquerones too !

We have a lovely tiny tavern bar on the corner, just a few metres away and we order them quite frequently ..

Have a lovely day and this was surely an exemplary forum topic .. :clap :clap :clap :clap
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Re: Garden foods

Postby Alexandria » Sun May 20, 2018 3:37 pm

Badger,

Topic: UK Room Temperature Beer Verses Frothy Ice Cold, in the rest of the world ..

UK room temperature beer from colleagues and clients of mine, ( I am not a beer imbider ), a tourist or Expatriate must ask for ice cold ..

However, each to his own views and preferences ..

Since, I have never had a room temperature beer and doubt that I shall, it does not hit the spot in my view, and we very infrequently, have an ice cold Corona or Saint Paulie´s Black Beer, I could not tell you a true opinion ..


Have a lovely day .. :wave :wave :wave
Barcelona, soulful & spirited, filled with fine art, amazing architecture, profoundly steeped in culture & history, and it engages all your senses, and food fancies.

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Re: Garden foods

Postby Lusciouslush » Sun May 20, 2018 5:18 pm

And Yet Again.......... why reply to a post whose topic you know nothing about, yet disparage....?

FYI - the word is imbibe not imbide!

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Re: Garden foods

Postby Alexandria » Sun May 20, 2018 5:47 pm

The Gilt Painter,

I am a firm believer, in the old adage: " If you have nothing nice to say, do not say it " .. :thumbsup :thumbsup


Thank you for the lovely thread .. :wave :wave
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Re: Garden foods

Postby Lusciouslush » Sun May 20, 2018 5:54 pm

Then I strongly suggest you abide by it - or risk making a fool of yourself.

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Re: Garden foods

Postby Sakkarin » Sun May 20, 2018 10:46 pm

Lush, we understand that you do not appreciate Alexandria's input, but the personal attacks have to stop. I suggest you re-read Alexandria's last post, I think you may have misread it.

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Re: Garden foods

Postby Alexandria » Mon May 21, 2018 10:44 am

Sakkarin, :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup

Thank you very much for all your kindness and support with this matter.

Truly appreciate your support ..

Have a lovely day .. :wave :wave
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Re: Garden foods

Postby Joanbunting » Mon May 21, 2018 11:30 am

To get back to garden food. A yet it hasn't been warm enough to light the Webber or even to sit outside for more than a quick drink on the balcony.

We tend to wait unitl we have guests when some of our favourite things are a marinated pave of beef served with grilled veg and potatoes.

Moroccan quails, which I spatchcock and rub with spices. I usually serve that with either a tabbouleh or steamed couscou with dried fruits and almonds and lots of fresh coriander and perhaps a tomato salad/fish and vegetabless to thread as you wish.

We're not really sausage and burger enthusssiasts unledd there are young ones around but we do sometimes do D-I-Y kebabs with a variety to meats

Another real favourite in the summer here is an aioli garni. It is the Provencal summer fun food for crowd. Or, of course, a soupe au pistou.

As for drinks Pimms has to feature, Bahamain fruit (and rum) punch, lots of Rose wine

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Re: Garden foods

Postby Alexandria » Mon May 21, 2018 12:42 pm

Joan,

The Moroccan Quails sound amazing .. :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup

Would you be kind enough to please, give me a quick recipe on your spice rub ?

Could this be adapted to a stove type large grilling skillet or oven grill ?

Believe so ..

Thanks so much. :lol: :lol:

Have a lovely day .. :wave :wave :wave
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Re: Garden foods

Postby Gillthepainter » Mon May 21, 2018 12:47 pm

Sounds like you've got it about as warm as we do, Joan.
We've got a north facing back garden for our furniture, and a south facing front patio for flowering pots and my herbs.
Bit fresh at the moment.

I'm not a sausage and burger fan neither. They're OK I guess.

Moroccan quail sounds excellent.
What's the rub you use?
And the aioli garni please?

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Re: Garden foods

Postby Joanbunting » Mon May 21, 2018 2:34 pm

My rub depends on how I'm feeling, as does much of my cooking. But a mixture of Raz el Hanut, cumin and possibly ginger. Mixed with some olive oil and chopped preserved lemon and the juice I have very long kebab skewers which I bought in Morocco and I usually put two on each. I don't see why these couldn't e cooked on a
griddle.

An aioli garni is a basic aioli sauce - ie lots of garlic - I use 8 cloves to 2 egg yolks - then a squueeze of lemon and olive oil as for mayo. The trad garnish is portions of steamed salt cod, snails or whelks, hard boiled eggs steamed potatoes, carrots, green beans and cauliflower.
I have to admit that if we are more than 5or6 I just order the lot from our traiteur - not the eggs of course because our hen's are much better!!

As M says, why keep a dog and bark yourself.

Could I add another brilliant all-in-one dish is a version of Lyommaise potatoes. Layers of sliced potatoes , onions and whatever other veg - aubergines, courgettes, peppers etc. On a sheet of oiled foil. Topped with a chicken breast, fish or perhaps pork fillet.

Seasoned and with herbs of you choice then wrapped up and cooked for about 30 minutes until everything is cooked through. No bbq cleaning, little washing up. What could be better?

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Re: Garden foods

Postby Gillthepainter » Mon May 21, 2018 3:48 pm

Thank you, Joan.
Tony and I were talking about you the other day, and commenting what an astonishing cook you are.
You do make it all sound easy tho.

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Re: Garden foods

Postby Lusciouslush » Mon May 21, 2018 6:05 pm

Sakkarin wrote:Lush, we understand that you do not appreciate Alexandria's input, but the personal attacks have to stop. I suggest you re-read Alexandria's last post, I think you may have misread it.


Sakks - my comments are not a personal attack, this is not a witchhunt, but well founded criticism of this poster's snarky comments that appear frequently.

I do not desire a post mortem here but.......

Alexandria wrote:I have never had a room temperature beer and doubt that I shall, it does not hit the spot in my view,


I did not misread the post, hence my comments.

Please do not put this post in room 101 - it has always been a democratic & fun board, so that would be unworthy, I know many folk here agree with me.

As far as I am concerned this is an end to the matter.

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Re: Garden foods

Postby Alexandria » Mon May 21, 2018 8:42 pm

Joan, :clap :clap

Thank you very very much for the ingredients for your spice rub and all your feedback .. :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup

On the List ..

I have quite a wonderful Moroccan Spice Vendor at the Le Mercat de La Boqueria and shall go over there on Friday Morning ..

Definitely sounds wonderful ..

Have a very lovely evening .. :wave :wave
Barcelona, soulful & spirited, filled with fine art, amazing architecture, profoundly steeped in culture & history, and it engages all your senses, and food fancies.


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