Airport food. šš»
Tag: food
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A Trip to the Supermarket
You all seemed to really like my cost of living post, so letās 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 Iād plan out the menu for the week and then weād 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 weād go to Costco and stock up on bulk things, and weād also hit up the Aussie Meat Emporium every now and then to stock the freezer with meat. Weād generally cook probably 4 or 5 days out of 7, freezing any leftovers. Weād usually alternate who cooks, though since I made the menus Iād usually assign the really elaborate things to Rodd. š
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 itās still smaller than back in Sydney. Weāve got two cupboards to use for dry goods, a couple small shelves over the stove for spices, and then a stacked fridge/freezer.
We tried for the first few months to stick to the once-a-week Saturday shop but weād 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! š„
Our current process is to shop every 4-5 days (avoiding Sunday because everythingās 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 thereās also Aldi SĆ¼d (different Aldis depending on which part of Germany youāre in!), Lidl, and Penny. Thereās also Amazon Fresh for same-day delivery, which was a life-saver when we arrived! Weāve 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 theyāre mostly shut down due to Covid). And if youāre curious, weāre 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 itās the closest and weāve got a good feel for whatās available. (Aldi/Lidl always feels more hit and miss with whatās in stock.) Itās not huge, but they really pack in a lot of stuff! After seven months, we feel like weāve mostly got it figured out. A lot of stuff is the same as in Australia, but there are still some wacky differences weāve found. Read on for lots of pictures and details…
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Swedish-style cinnamon rolls, homemade by the Snook! ā¤ļø
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Spargelsaison! We decided to take @soknitsomeās advice on how to serve traditionally, complete with Prosecco! ā¤ļøš„
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New brekkie bowl! ā¤ļø #littlemy @moominofficial @moominbyarabia
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Happy Birthday to Me
My 44th birthday has come and gone. š Normally we like to go out to a fancy restaurant, but with everything still closed due to Covid, that wasnāt 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.
We also had lovely matching wines which came in cute little numbered bottles…
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!).
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.
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.
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.
On my actual birthday, the Snook said he was going to bake me a cake. As you know, heās really good at this. Iāve had the epic swimming pool cake, the potato-chip beaked duck cake, an over-the-top ābĆ»che de NoĆ«l,ā and many more. A few days before, he asked me what sort of design I wanted. āSomething Moomin-ish,ā I said. And what flavour of cake? āFunfetti. You know, sprinkles.ā With that as the brief, he went to the supermarket for supplies…
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. āThe trick,ā he said, āis to cut away everything thatĀ isnāt 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 āOblatenā (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? IāM LITTLE MY, AND I LIKE TO BITE THINGS.
Heās very talent, and I am a very lucky girl!
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Pasta with Beans and Greens. š (Recipe from @seriouseats)
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Friday night nuggz and beer… š»
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Spicy green prawn curry, courtesy of the Snook. ā¤ļøš¦
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The Snook had another go at goose legs, this time sous vide for 24hrs followed by a grill in the oven. š