Tag: food

  • Photo Post

    Airport food. šŸ•šŸ»

    Airport food. šŸ•šŸ»

  • A Trip to the Supermarket

    A Trip to the Supermarket

    You all seemed to really like my cost of living post, so letā€™s dive into something equally as mundane – German groceries and supermarkets!

    If you follow me at all here or on social media, you know that the Snook and I enjoy cooking and make a lot of things from scratch. Back in Australia, we even renovated our kitchenĀ so we could get in a bigger fridge/freezer. Our normal process was that every Saturday Iā€™d plan out the menu for the week and then weā€™d both go to the store to do a single weekly shop. We also got a veggie box delivered every two weeks as well. A couple of times a year weā€™d go to Costco and stock up on bulk things, and weā€™d also hit up the Aussie Meat Emporium every now and then to stock the freezer with meat. Weā€™d generally cook probably 4 or 5 days out of 7, freezing any leftovers. Weā€™d usually alternate who cooks, though since I made the menus Iā€™d usually assign the really elaborate things to Rodd. šŸ˜‰

    Once we got to Germany, we realised pretty quickly that this system was going to have to change. The main problem is that German kitchens (at least the ones in apartments) tend to be smaller and have less storage space than we were used to. The AirBnB we were in for the first 10 days had only a bar-fridge and barely any pantry space! When we started looking for apartments, we deliberately looked a place with the biggest kitchen and fridge we could find. The one we got is great, but itā€™s still smaller than back in Sydney. Weā€™ve got two cupboards to use for dry goods, a couple small shelves over the stove for spices, and then a stacked fridge/freezer.

    Kitchen

    We tried for the first few months to stick to the once-a-week Saturday shop but weā€™d struggle to store everything. We also tried out a veggie box delivery service but had the same issue, trying to figure out how to cram most of it in the fridge. The solution, it seems, is to do smaller shops, more frequently. How very European! šŸ„–

    Our current process is to shop every 4-5 days (avoiding Sunday because everythingā€™s closed here), and we take turns making the menu and going to the supermarket. One nice thing is that there are so many options within walking distance of our place.Ā The main supermarket brands here in Munich appear to be Edeka and ReweĀ (analogous to Coles and Woolies back home), and there are like four Edekas of various sizes in the neighbourhood. For discount stuff thereā€™s also Aldi SĆ¼d (different Aldis depending on which part of Germany youā€™re in!), Lidl, and Penny. Thereā€™s also Amazon Fresh for same-day delivery, which was a life-saver when we arrived! Weā€™ve also found a couple Asian and Turkish groceries nearby for specialty items. Germans are big on organic, so there are also Alnatura organic supermarkets and a few farmersā€™ markets around too (though theyā€™re mostly shut down due to Covid). And if youā€™re curious, weā€™re still mostly under lockdown here so current rules are you have to wear an N95 mask in any shops.

    But anyway yeah, a plethora of options. Our default is the Edeka in Theriesenhƶhe, just a short walk across Bavaria Park, mostly because itā€™s the closest and weā€™ve got a good feel for whatā€™s available. (Aldi/Lidl always feels more hit and miss with whatā€™s in stock.) Itā€™s not huge, but they really pack in a lot of stuff! After seven months, we feel like weā€™ve mostly got it figured out. A lot of stuff is the same as in Australia, but there are still some wacky differences weā€™ve found. Read on for lots of pictures and details…

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  • Photo Post

    Swedish-style cinnamon rolls, homemade by the Snook! ā¤ļø

    Swedish-style cinnamon rolls, homemade by the Snook! ā¤ļø

  • Photo Post

    Spargelsaison! We decided to take @soknitsomeā€™s advice on how to serve traditionally, complete with Prosecco! ā¤ļøšŸ„‚

    Spargelsaison! We decided to take @soknitsomeā€™s advice on how to serve traditionally, complete with Prosecco! ā¤ļøšŸ„‚

  • Photo Post

    New brekkie bowl! ā¤ļø #littlemy @moominofficial @moominbyarabia

    New brekkie bowl! ā¤ļø #littlemy @moominofficial @moominbyarabia

  • Happy Birthday to Me

    Happy Birthday to Me

    My 44th birthday has come and gone. šŸŽ‚ Normally we like to go out to a fancy restaurant, but with everything still closed due to Covid, that wasnā€™t happening. Instead the Snook ordered us a four-course takeaway meal from Mural Restaurant, a local Michelin-starred place, which he then assembled according to the instructions.

    Dinner from Mural

    We also had lovely matching wines which came in cute little numbered bottles…

    Wine pairing

    The first course was spinach ravioli with cauliflower puree and tarragon oil, paired with 2019 Scheuermann Grauburgunder. Also sourdough bread with beetroot butter (which was quite sweet!).

    First course

    Second course: steak (cooked in butter, garlic, herbs) served with parsnip puree and braised onion, along with a 2017 BlaufrƤnkisch Kirchholz. The steak had been cooked sous vide, so all he had to do was brown off the exterior in some herb butter and slice it up.

    Cooking the steak

    Second course

    Then it was time for dessert! A little slice of buckwheat cake with white chocolate ganache and citrus compote, paired with a 2019 Riesling Rƶttgen Kabinett.

    Dessert

    The very final course was cheese! A spread of a fewĀ special Swiss cheeses and chutney, served with a 2012 GewĆ¼rztraminer Goldert Grand Cru. The chutney was very savoury – almost like an onion jam.

    Cheeses

    On my actual birthday, the Snook said he was going to bake me a cake. As you know, heā€™s really good at this. Iā€™ve had the epic swimming pool cake, the potato-chip beaked duck cake, an over-the-top ā€œbĆ»che de NoĆ«l,ā€ and many more. A few days before, he asked me what sort of design I wanted. ā€œSomething Moomin-ish,ā€ I said. And what flavour of cake? ā€œFunfetti. You know, sprinkles.ā€ With that as the brief, he went to the supermarket for supplies…

    Candy

    He baked the cake (from scratch, of course!) in a giant sheet, and he also made German buttercream for the icing.

    Then he cut the cake into six pieces and stacked them with layers of icing in between before starting to sculpt. ā€œThe trick,ā€ he said, ā€œis to cut away everything thatĀ isnā€™t Little My.ā€ Everything he cut off, he stuck back on to help build out the shape.

    Then it was time for more icing and decoration! Her eyes were made with ā€œOblatenā€ (edible German baking wafers that you use to make Christmas cookies), her hair was strawberry gummy strings, and her face details were done with licorice string. She had a few Smarties as buttons down her back, and a red bow to complete the look.

    HOW GREAT IS THIS? Iā€™M LITTLE MY, AND I LIKE TO BITE THINGS.

    Little My Cake

    Heā€™s very talent, and I am a very lucky girl!

    The Snook

  • Photo Post

    Pasta with Beans and Greens. šŸ˜ (Recipe from @seriouseats)

    Pasta with Beans and Greens. šŸ˜ (Recipe from @seriouseats)

  • Photo Post

    Friday night nuggz and beer… šŸ»

    Friday night nuggz and beer... šŸ»

  • Photo Post

    Spicy green prawn curry, courtesy of the Snook. ā¤ļøšŸ¦

    Spicy green prawn curry, courtesy of the Snook. ā¤ļøšŸ¦

  • Photo Post

    The Snook had another go at goose legs, this time sous vide for 24hrs followed by a grill in the oven. šŸ˜

    The Snook had another go at goose legs, this time sous vide for 24hrs followed by a grill in the oven. šŸ˜