Sanctuary from The Mad World
Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what's for lunch. - Orson Welles

Otoro, the fattiest tuna belly is an entirely different animal from the sour, muscular, and dry tuna pieces sold in fish stores here.  The pale pink slices quiver on the plate and melt in the mouth.  It is fatty and very rich so you don’t need much to be satisfied.  It doesn’t taste like fish at all.  With the Swiss aversion to anything fatty - their meat cuts are notoriously dry - I doubt I can find this in the sprouting sushi restaurants here.

So I was really surprised when I found it in Nishi, the Japanese shop in Zurich.  Although it was frozen, I bought it as I wanted to sate my longing for otoro.  It wasn’t bad although I’d much prefer a fresh piece. 

The shop, by the way, is amazing.  They carry proper Japanese rice, produced in Japan and North-America, as well as various condiments from soy-sauce of unreadable labels to shaved bonito flakes.  They also have utensils such as bento boxes and shabu-shabu pots.  They have rare items such as konyaku and natto.  But they’re not cheap.  Their Zojirushi (elephant) brand of rice cookers cost more than CHF 400!

But I do wish I could cart those items away.  

It’s Spargelzeit or Asparagus time here in Europe, particularly in the German-speaking Europe.  Restaurants frenziedly put the signs Spargelkarte offering menus based on the vegetable.  Soldiers of them, bunched with a thick piece of rubber band, stand in attention in farmers’ markets.  Some are spread in green plastic baskets marked with their origin - the ones from Baden is the most favoured here- and different grades - grade I being the largest, the longest, and most expensive .  It’s a sign of spring.  

The white asparagus is the same as its green twin just grown differently.  The emerging shoots are constantly covered with earth, depriving the plant of light which is responsible for creating chlorophyll, the green matter in plants and leaves.  Taste-wise, white asparagus is more delicate, sweeter, and milder. 

Written in Dec 05.

Artichoke is a purple/green, thorny, flower-like vegetable.  I think its shape is more flower than a vegetable (but then again, grain and nuts are fruits.  Whadayaknow?).

Not a native Asian vegetable, I fell in love with artichoke in Canada.  I had always wondered what that strange thingy was until my roommate brought one home and taught me how to eat it.  Since then, I’m hooked to its sweet, cleansing flavour and aftertaste.

Whether steamed in microwave, boiled, grilled, or pickled, I eat them all.  However, to me, the best way to enjoy artichoke is to:
a.  steam it, wrapped in cling-wrap in the microwave, with butter, lemon, salt, and pepper for a leisurely, luxurious experience; or
b.  eat it as antipasti for quantity.

Eating whole artichoke is an experience akin to a good love-making:  (continue…)

from Aux Petit Gourmands
168, rue Paccard
74400 Chamonix Mont-Blanc
Tel : +33(0)450530159

I used to like Nutella and I still do when it is spread over crepes.  However, I think I’m spoilt after discovering this wonderful homemade concotion from the pattiserie in Chamonix.  I was enchanted by their eclair and as I proceeded to pay several more to go, I spotted jars of hazelnut spread near the counter.  Judging from the good chocolate from the eclair, I took a bet and purchased a jar.

Unlike Nutella, it’s more nutty than chocolaty.  It still has a respectable, in fact, delicious, dark chocolate flavour which is not cloyingly sweet.  And the jar screams of home-made quality:  no split layer of oil on top of the gooey chocolate mass and no rancid smell.

It’s best savoured with a fresh baquette and a cup of foaming cappucinno on a slow Saturday morning.  

In our recent trip to Chamonix, we were introduced to Pate.  I’ve had Pate before.  While some can be delicious, when not well executed, they can be rather rank and disgusting.  The texture doesn’t help either.  I generally avoid them. 

Until this particular one.  Found in a store selling local goods in Chamonix, there are various types:  one with mushroom, berries (blueberries!) and others I can’t remember.  We chose one with mushroom and now regretting eternally that we didn’t get the one with blueberries. 

The pate is smooth and rich without the rank, meaty smell.  It was great with fresh bread and green salad. I wish we had more in stock.