h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm always perplexed by kohlrabi. I find them very puzzling.

I'm not sure I've ever eaten one, actually. I think I've seen them at the grocery store, though, so maybe I ought to try one sometime.

Jaysus, were those grilled portobellos good.

This is quite an enlightening thread, you know. I hadn't expected to have to lift the dictionary quite so often to read it as I have, but that's all the better.

Now there's a thing!

I was just talking about making elderflower champagne today, as we were walking by Loch Lomond and caught a whiff of elder. (although there's plenty in the city too).

My method:

Take a bucket of elderflowers. Empty out the elderflowers for a moment, and in the bucket make a solution of lemon juice and sugar, to taste. Now put the elderflowers back in. Leave overnight. Next day, decant the juice into fizzy drink bottles. Leave a week or so to ferment...but being sure to regularly loosen the bottle tops (carefully!) to let excess gas escape. (Some ay you have to faff around with sterilising the bucket and bottles first, but it's really not necessary)

We just boil sugar and water and citric acid into syrup, pour it over the flowers and some lemon slices, let it sit for a week, and then strain into clean bottles to store. Then dilute with fizzy water.

Looks decorative while steeping: http://images49.fotki.com/v1501/fileVf72/aa227/6/639135/2270384/holundersirup.jpg

In Denmark they do lovely elderflower iced tea, in bottles. Do you get that in Germany?

Maaan, Danish convenience stores have the bestest fridge cabinets. It's The Done Thing to buy a beer, get it opened, and drink it on the street. I chose a random beer with an interesting label:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/edwardthebonobo/2552961921/in/set-72157605450850159/
It turned out to be 10.6%. Very tasty.

What with that and the fine merchandise of Christiania... It's a wonder they manage to stay on their bikes!

Sometimes I need to look words up because certain things- veggies in particular- are called by different names from one place to another. I get a bit confused.

Never had elderflower tea or wine or anything, sounds lovely.

I think I'll write a recipe for , which is why we photographed the jar, just in case.

So then, you can try it, too!

I'd give it a try, I'm sure. I would assume I could obtain elder flowers at a German import shop?

I'm not sure - here they grow all over the place. Really, in our village every road and hedgerow is packed full with them.

I've never heard of anyone buying them, sorry We just pick them.

Ah, OK. I guess I'll have to live without tasting any, then.

Or you'll have to come visit.

You could always make dandelion wine.

I am definitely planning to come for a visit, Mala. K and I are making plans to get over to Germany and hit Sweden at the same time if at all possible, within the next couple of years.

But in the meantime, I think I may have to investigate the possibilities of dandelion wine!

Over here, elders are one of the most common trees. They'll grow on any patch of urban wasteland.

(Ooooh, Dandelion Wine is a terrible band. I was at a festival once where they were booed of the stage - even though they'd been flown in from Australia!)

I don't know the band...but PC and I both like the book:
http://www.amazon.com/Dandelion-Wine-Ray-Bradbury/dp/0380977265#reader

I was inspired by a recipe in the weekend Grauniad's vegetarian column...not inspired to follow the recipe, of course, but to make something similar - a Vietnamese salad.

O M G !!! OM*F*G! It was so good that the profundity filter will prevent me from saying how good. Trust me...we are talking *good*.

A mango, cut into chunks. (Use an underripe one, for tartess)
Chunks of fresh pineapple
Flakes of fresh coconut (I smased one open and worked on it with a potato peeler)
A few bits of julienned carrots (I'd have added mooli, if I'd had one)
A handful of beansprouts
Shredded red pepper.
A finely sliced red chilli or two.
Dress with lime juice and soy
Mix in a good hanful of slightly shredded coriander, mint and basil
Garnish with crushed, toasted its (I guess peanust would be authentic, but I had a pack of salted cashews in and just toasted them a bit in a pan)
and thinly sliced shallots, fried until crispy and drained. (I believe you can buy these pre-crisped in oriental stores)

I served it alongside a bowl of plain rice. In the original, it had a lillre red Camargue rice mixed through it.

Mmmm, that sounds fantastic!

I have GOT to make that salad sometime soon. In fact, I am adding mint, mango and pineapple to the grocery list for today. I've got everything else at home already.