When I had to decide on today's post, I had to write something starting with a Q and I didn't have a clue what. I probably could've written about Queens, Quests Questions or Quirks but no, trust me to write about food. Now I think it is quite apt. After day 23 in lockdown, I think more and more about the things I miss.
In previous posts, I've mentioned that I miss my family most of all and I miss having a home and long walks. going to the hairdresser and meeting friends.
Today I want to add something else: I miss going to lunch or dinner with my friends and family, not only for the social aspect but for the food as well. There, I'm honest. I love food and if I ever get to finish my travel blog, you'll notice that food features heavily in my posts. Then, of course, I start thinking about what foods do I miss. I don't talk about the ones we make at home because, to be honest, we still eat quite well. No, I'm talking about those meals I love to eat at restaurants. Some I can make at home, but somehow it tastes different in a restaurant, like steaks, for example. Now my brother makes nice steaks and we've managed to secure some before lockdown and rationed ourselves with it. We still barbeque often, and have plenty of boerewors (beef sausage for those who don't know). No, as I said, we have enough food and eat plenty of pastas and soups. We even had a proper Sunday meal yesterday with the second beef roll we ordered at Christmas and didn't have.
Now, however, I want to talk about the food I love to eat when we do go out. I didn't have to think hard about it. I love tapas-style meals where I can try out different food. Which ones are my favourite usually on the menu? Let me see:
Cheese! It could be halloumi or mozzarella sticks or cream cheese balls or... Oh, now I'm salivating!
And, of course, there always should be trinchado on the menu. You may well ask what trinchado is if you're not from South Africa. Trinchado is a traditional South African Portuguese fusion dish with every family having their own recipe. We all think it comes from Mocambique but I'm not sure. Trinchado is a spicy stew, usually beef, and contains the obligatory spices and could have olives and red wine too. And some might be quite heavy on the red wine! It is usually served with some kind of bread or if you want, milho frito's. (Milho frito is a typical Madeira side dish made of cornmeal, similar to a very firm polenta, cut into cubes and fried.)
One of my favourite restaurants in Pretoria is Culture Club in The Village, Pretoria, which is a dedicated tapas restaurant. Also, the Capital Craft Beer Company serve some lovely dishes you can add to your plate (first photo in gallery). You can add riblets, onion rings, cheeses, biltong, corn dogs, chicken strips, and so many other lovely things.
What else do I love to eat when I'm out? Fish and Chips! While we were in Scotland, my husband didn't even ask me what I want to order when we were out anymore. Well, most of the times. My starter is usually soup (if not cheese), of which Cullen Skink (which I had in Cullen), was the most amazing soup I had while there. Other times I love Scotch Broth, or any other soup of the day. Scotch Broth is the first soup in the gallery. The last photo is of Beef Noodle Soup I had in Taiwan. Of course, you can't eat it as a starter. It is a meal and sometimes it is so filling that it can be a meal and a snack.
Oh, and the fish and chips. I love my fish with vinegar or if not possible, with lemon. Add mushy peas, and it is perfect. Now, you can taste when the fish came out of the freezer and you can see it too as it's mushy and not so nice. The worst fish I had was in a five-star hotel in Aberdeen. The best? Oh, the best fish ever we got at a chip shop in Ullapool called The Chippie. I swear that fish still swam in the sea that morning. It was just perfect and I'm not saying it because I was hungry. It was! It might not look like much on the photo, but it was two thick pieces. I swear I'll go back to Ullapool just for that fish. If you ever get the chance, go there. Trust me, I ate a lot of fish in Scotland from chip shops to restaurants and that was the best ever.
Now of course, there are other food too. I love pastas, and curries like butter chicken (this first one I got at The Sanaam in Falkirk), and bacon butties for breakfast or chicken mayonnaise toasties for a snack. And of course, prego rolls!
It may not look or sound like it, but I do love salads too!
Anyway, now that I've mentioned all my favourite foods, let me go see what's for dinner.
Until next time
Francine
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