Today's menu:

[Balifrog]

Dinner at our regular French place yesterday.
Both the Miss and me had the same dishes today.

"Paté de campagne" (Countryside pork terrine) as starter. Picture taken from the menu...

Slow cooked pork in beer, with potatoes and spaghetti.

With a few glasses of wine of course !

 

[Balifrog]

So yesterday evening dinner, sirloin steak with Gratin Dauphinois (thin sliced potato preboiled in a mix of milk and cream, and then baked in the oven).
Result was a bit disapointing because of the ingredients... I didn't want to buy some very expensive imported steak, selected a lower price and ended up with shoe leather meat. Potatoes same, I should have gone for some imported ones.
We'll do this dish again but with more "noble" ingredients.

To make thin slices of potato we use a vegetable slicer, faster and easier than by knife.

It comes with a set of different knifes, to cut chips and other fancy stuff.

 

[Dharma Police]

Butter chicken, diwani handi (mixed veggie curry), garlic naan, and basmati rice.

 

[Balifrog]

East does not meet West this evening.

Each his own variation.

My mashed potatoes is a sachet preparation, a bit liquid (too much water), but still tasted ok as I added cream and butter.

 

[macvert]

Brocolli in white sauce, on top of the pasta of course, photo before the cheese & ample black pepper ..... anything with white sauce I refer to as "depression food", (not the mental type) & not bad at all.

 

[macvert]

My usual start to the day, oats, milk, fruit of the day & palm sugar. Sometimes if I'm feeling indulgent I'll add a dash or two of coconut cream.

 

[Balifrog]

Pancakes for lunch. Topping : ice sugar, honey or home made pineapple jam.

This is the 2nd time we make jam and the taste, sweetness and texture are spot on this time (to our taste..)
Note that I like jam to have nice chunks of fruit in it, not the jelly type.

I plan to make strawberry, cherry and apricots jam but it is not easy to find good fruits of these, and at reasonable price.

 

[HappyMan]

Spaghetti with a tomato sauce and courgettes/zucchini. Fried turmeric chicken on the side.

 

[Balifrog]

Yesterday's dinner. Escalope Milanaise with spaghetti in oil and garlic.

I made a separate lemon and butter sauce, the lemon taste was a hit too strong when alone but was great on the breaded meat.

 

[Balifrog]

Dinner at our usual French place yesterday.

Chicken liver paté as starter

Steak for the Miss

And "Soupe de Poissons" for me. Fish soup, blended, served with croutons, garlic rouille and emmental cheese.

All great !

 

[HappyMan]

Dinner at our usual French place yesterday.

Chicken liver paté as starter

View attachment 2169

Steak for the Miss
View attachment 2170


And "Soupe de Poissons" for me. Fish soup, blended, served with croutons, garlic rouille and emmental cheese.

View attachment 2171

All great !

What else is in the fish soup? Thick or thin? I've never had anything like that before, but it sounds tasty.

 

[Balifrog]

What else is in the fish soup? Thick or thin? I've never had anything like that before, but it sounds tasty.

Semi thick. Is is a mix of fish and vegetables, slowly cooked and then blended.

Easiest to understand is this video. It's in French, the guy puts on a bit of a show, but he is doing real traditional French cuisine.


In supermarkets in France you can find the "ready mix base" but of course it won't taste like the real thing.


NOTE : Not to be confound with Bouillabaisse, which is typical of Marseille (South of France, equivalent of Chicago gangster wise...) . The Bouillabaisse is served with pieces of fish, very specific ones from that region.

 

[HappyMan]

Semi thick. Is is a mix of fish and vegetables, slowly cooked and then blended.

Easiest to understand is this video. It's in French, the guy puts on a bit of a show, but he is doing real traditional French cuisine.


In supermarkets in France you can find the "ready mix base" but of course it won't taste like the real thing.


NOTE : Not to be confound with Bouillabaisse, which is typical of Marseille (South of France, equivalent of Chicago gangster wise...) . The Bouillabaisse is served with pieces of fish, very specific ones from that region.

Wow. That looks to be packed with flavor. If only I had half of the ingredients, I could improvise the rest and then taunt you with my failure... Seriously though, I have some respect for the effort that went into that soup. He made soup so he could make another, specific, soup with it!

 

[Balifrog]

Y

Wow. That looks to be packed with flavor. If only I had half of the ingredients, I could improvise the rest and then taunt you with my failure... Seriously though, I have some respect for the effort that went into that soup. He made soup so he could make another, specific, soup with it!

Yes,.sure not something you make at home for 2 persons

My Miss sometimes complains a bit about French cuisine being complicated and long. But usually she agrees that the result is worth the effort. And is always ready for some trying something new.
Only thing is she says I am a bit a pain, as I am strict with the ingredients, quantities and process. But she is doing very well now. And has picked up a few kgs ...

 

[Bad_azz]

A very simple meal here tonight - husband cooked whilst I worked.
he is no chef but does the simple meals well.
So gurame goreng served with rice, sweet chilli sauce & sliced tomato. ... oh & a glass of rose.
& to be honest it is perfectly enough.

 

[Wisnu]

Y

Yes,.sure not something you make at home for 2 persons

My Miss sometimes complains a bit about French cuisine being complicated and long. But usually she agrees that the result is worth the effort. And is always ready for some trying something new.
Only thing is she says I am a bit a pain, as I am strict with the ingredients, quantities and process. But she is doing very well now. And has picked up a few kgs ...

French are very picky and fussy when it comes to F&B. We live in company compound next door to a France company compound. Our compound is much bigger, greener; equipped with two convenience stores, while they only have one small store - smaller than typical Indomart or Alfamart in Indonesia. However, they have more selection and much better quality F&B, such as frozen croissant dough, imported beers, cheese and frozen steaks. I believe, much easier to get Dom Perignon and Mimolette extra-vieille (my fav cheese) here than in Bali or Jakarta,
Not cheap, 1 kg of frozen T-bone steaks costs almost 1 million rupiah, but worth the money.

 

[fastpitch17]

As one of those Americans who gets US Dollars that someone thinks makes you rich here, I stay within budget.

Last night was Chicken nuggets, peas imported from France in a can, and nasi. Works for me.

 

[Vulgarian]

Peas imported from France? 'Ark at little Lord Fauntleroy 'ere. I foraged in the neighbour's bin for scraps, washed down with water from the birdbath.

And I was grateful!

 

[HappyMan]

Peas imported from France? 'Ark at little Lord Fauntleroy 'ere. I foraged in the neighbour's bin for scraps, washed down with water from the birdbath.

And I was grateful!

You didn't say what you found in the bin. Scraps of LV? I also didn't take you for a Belle Delphine fan...

 

[Balifrog]

As one of those Americans who gets US Dollars that someone thinks makes you rich here, I stay within budget.

Last night was Chicken nuggets, peas imported from France in a can, and nasi. Works for me.

My revenue is in Euros... not much better.
And budget wise "home food" and "restaurant" represent 26% of my budget shared 50/50 between the two items. Not included whisky and beer in the bars....
Usually lunch is very "budget consciencious", dinner much less.
Eating for me is not only about "feeding the animal" but has to be enjoyable and dinner time a social family moment. Even when there are only 2 of us.
Example of today's "budget" lunch :
Salami sandwich. Bread and salami from Grand Lucky.

Baguette 21,000 + salami (local made but decent) 34,000 = 55,000
Can make 2 sandwiches out of it, so it puts the U.P. at 27,500. Add some proper butter, and we say 30,000 per sandwich. Not bad.