Somethin' to say? Was zu sagen? Des choses a dire?

Follow mrlemarquis on Twitter If you want to make a comment but can't find the "make a comment" box, which keeps on disappearing, just send it either to twitter, facebook or to me at: iwmpop@gmail.com , and I'll maybe publish it for you....Only said maybe....! Here's the latest one: (Who IS this guy called Keith.....) "I just wanted to leave a comment to say that (from personal experience), although you get a bit stinky for the first few weeks, after that you don't get any stinkier! And those olives do look nice, don't they? All the best" Keith

hungry?Thanks to Tina Concetta Marzocca.

Actuelle informations...New....Neu....

Due to illhealth I have decided to post my articles here:Just click on the link....


Depuis peu vous pouvez suivre des liens par voie du "Twitter" vers des articles amusantes et/ou intéressantes.......... Allez-y.... essayez. C'est en haut...
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For some time, you can follow links chosen by mr le marquis and presented on "Twitter". These links are intended to inform and amuse you - every day, or nearly, new ones ....Try it out! It's just above...
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Zeit einige Wochen Können Sie interessantes oder amüsantes Verfolgen durch "Twitter"... Fast jeden Tag was neues von mr le marquis ... Versuchen Sie es...Zu finden oben...

here it is....you wanted it....!

somebody (!) wanted to know so here it is...

simple local vegetables

Sunday 27 February 2011

Ara...Arab....Arabesque.....(1)

Everybody knows it, at least - everybody has heard of it.......There is a lot of confusion about what is Arab cooking.
Actually, if the truth be told, there is a lot of confusion about what is "ARAB"! ArabStrangely this image resembles "Lawrence of Arabia" - (T.E. Lawrence - "7 Pillars of Wisdom") who was fond of using the word Arab in a general sense, meaning practically anything that had to do with the Desert or sand (outside Blackpool beach)!
He was often thrown out of stride by the inhabitants asking him who he meant when he said "Arabs" - they asked frequently who they were - "This tribe they'd never heard of"!
Maybe this link will help you to figure out who should be what.......
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_people
I'm not here to even try to explain "Arab", I'm just going to try to explain a few things about the cookery of these strange mysterious peoples, and maybe some of the common "mis-conceptions":
Often thought of as alternatively sharp, dirty, disgusting, unhygienic, vegetarian, oversweet, under nourishing, exotic,  the general Arabic vein seems to be a mixture of all these things and more, but there is no doubt - it is different, and if only for this reason should be attractive to the Western ideas, or at least those Westerners with open minds.
Just to get a few ideas in place, here are a couple of links to "educate" you, and me in the mysteries of 1001 days and nights, in Ali Baba ways and means (Ali Baba being something rather mildly insulting) and generally doing away with rumours whilst confirming certain "hospitality practices" of the Arab world.
http://www.araboo.com/dir/arabic-cooking - Here you can find, apart from beautiful Arabic ladies a wealth of recipes and hints on all things Arabic...and here:
http://www.al-bab.com/arab/food.htm you will be taken on a total tour of everything remotely considered to "Arabic".
On that subject, I feel it only reasonable to suggest certain countries, closely placed geographically to Arab countries, which use many similar preparations to the Arab world.
Turkey, Albania, and even Greece spring to mind, although the link between them is often unclear, possibly of religious nature - but they have famous preparations in the kitchen which resemble each other a great deal.
I suppose that the one word which must be mentioned when dealing with "Arab" foods, and often in conjunction with other similar nations is in fact a word with religious connotations:
.....Without "Halal" nothing would really exist in this mysterious world, so it is only reasonable to know what it is........http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halal
Not only used in relation to foodstuffs, but very, very often, and represents the basic laws given in the Arab world.
If you think this may be one way of avoiding your favourites like "Spam-similar" preparations - well - don't............They are present as well. Just mainly not made from PORK....!
This subject is best dealt with here, with a little study of the unfortunate pig in religion and dietary senses: It's very interesting to note that there are even "Religious or other restrictions regarding pork" in what one would otherwise call relatively "civilised" countries (disputed doubtlessly by the English) such as Scotland: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_pork_taboo   The generally accepted theoretically arranged "taboos" can be found here:
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_restrictions_on_the_consumption_of_pork

I have little or no choice in the matter, the subject is so immense that a series of articles would be necessary, and my interest is mainly in those dishes we are most likely to be confronted with in what we call our "Western World". For that reason, and to enable those of you who are interested in finding out about the mysteries from the other world, my researches will start in part 2 - "Arabian Nights in the West" which will be coming shortly - right here at the same address...don't miss it....
For the moment, and to allow the juices to accumulate in your mouths, here should be  one of the real specialities, often offered as an honour to Western guests, and considered bad taste indeed considered as an insult to refuse, the eye of the sheep, but out of respect for your sensible Western stomachs, ...have a "Tanjine" from Marocco instead.........
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iwmpop(mrlemarquis)             -              Vauvert, France            -            Février 2011



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Wednesday 23 February 2011

Seasons greetings......Salut les Saisons.......

Typical serving of Spargel with Hollandaise sa...Image via Wikipedia
I agree completely with this little statement from Norbert, the chief Cook at:
http://www.daskochrezept.de/
(that's why I've translated it for you)


The above link will give you access to to the complete book of recipes, all in German! It'll give you a nice change in the daily routine, and it's all understandable......something different, but you'll also find World Classicals....




Norberts Anekdote vom Mittwoch
Keine 50 Tage mehr!

Obwohl ich ein Verfechter der saisonalen Küche bin, betrachte ich sie nicht als Dogma. Globalisierung ist inzwischen mehr als eine Selbstverständlichkeit, dementsprechend lag vorige Woche frischer Spargel aus Peru in unserem Supermarkt. Der Preis war eher lächerlich, 2,22 Euro für 500 Gramm. Ich kann nicht behaupten, einer Versuchung erlegen zu sein, trotzdem hat es mich gereizt. Ich wollte wissen, wie er schmeckt, zumal Optik und Frische nichts zu wünschen übrig ließen. Es gab keine Überraschung, der Spargel schmeckte auch wie 2,22 und war quasi aromafrei. Es war also keine Enttäuschung, sondern die Bestätigung, an meiner eigentlichen Überzeugung festzuhalten. Wenn man noch bedenkt, welchen Transportweg das Billigprodukt zurückgelegt hat, und alles andere was damit zusammenhängt, ist man gut beraten derartige Unsinnigkeiten zu boykottieren.

Es ist wieder soweit, der Kreislauf der Natur schließt sich. Langsam mag man keinen Rosenkohl und Grünkohl mehr sehen, die unbändige Lust auf einheimischen Spargel wächst. Noch eineinhalb Monate! Bis dahin werden uns Hähnchen mit Thymianreis, gekochte Kalbshaxe, Kartoffelgratin mit Roquefort u.a. Leckerbissen die Zeit verkürzen.

Viele Grüße & allzeit gutes Gelingen,
Ihr Norbert
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ENGLISH: That things are globalised nowadays is normal, so I wasn't surprised to find Asparagus from Peru in the local Supermarket. The price of 2,22euros was amusingly low, and the appearance was excellent and left nothing required except the tasting, to put to the test the vast transport distances and quality.
Well, I wasn't disappointed - the Asparagus tasted like asparagus worth 2,22euros, and like asparagus that had been transported around the world! It wasn't so much a disappointment, more just another proof that avoiding these offers is the best thing to do. 
Once again the idiocy of mixing seasons has been proven.
Yes - cabbage and brussel sprouts are coming out of our ears right now, but the seasons are slowly arriving at their high point, and in around another month and a half we will access all of our own local products, with their known quality and taste. Until then, we can still enjoy our local chicken with thyme sauce, and other regional products, mixed with a little Roquefort cheese as an exotic ingredient....to while away the time...! 
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Indeed - I would only add that in my little region of Southern France, I even give the first strawberries a miss. Not only is the price prohibitive, but the taste is totally absent, and is always a disappointment. Waiting just 14 days gives everything, and let's us finish off all those things still hanging over from Winter.
On top of that, we don't kill the planet with transport fumes......!
Just think about it......14 or 21 little days and it's all going to be there - available.....!

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Wednesday 16 February 2011

Clean out-Nettoyage - Zaubermachen....

When your stomach needs a clean..
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Parfois faut nettoyer ..l'estomac.......                                        
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Ab und an muss man das Bäuchlein zauber-machen....

      I'm told that "fibres" are the thing required when you're feeling a little below the weather, for whatever reason.
They clean your stomach out - they say......Well - it's true -
but sometimes RADICALLY.....!
You see - often the very products that supply us with "fibres" are considered to be edible by many people only when they've had just about every nourishing thing boiled out of them!
The whole point of "fibrous" food is that it should make the stomach do something to earn its pay!  Fibrefood could be seen as sort of "sandpaper food" for the stomach....literally grating its way down to the murky depths.........of course there are other "preparations" to clean out a "mucky" stomach, but most of them are prepared from relatively agressive materials, often doing more harm than good.
The secret is to find the good mix of "fibrous" - "acidy" - "alkaloid" all ready to seal a non-aggression pact with each other for the common good.
The fruits, the vegetables, the grains,  and all the other make ups of "digestive remedies" can in fact be thoroughly enjoyable, always allowing that they are cooked (or not) to present the maximum taste and effect.The sole reason that we often find ourselves in difficulties with our little stomachs is because we don't treat them right! We don't give them what they require to do the job - digest! Results are rapid........

Either in one sense or the other our stomachs revenge themselves and make us suffer and yet
its so easy to avoid it.....

No excesses.....!  
What a boring life......!
Some people don't see excesses quite in the same light, and it is true that excess in "healthy" things can be just as bad as excess in "unhealthy" things.
Fruits, salads, raw vegetables can all be eaten in excess, and cause harm, just as the well known "bad" foods can and are. The mix is the secret, and everyone has their own preferences and quantities. Common sense should really tell us when we've had enough of anything, but there are occasions when common sense can't be applied....

There are thousands of specialists "Dieticians" who seem to spend their lives telling us what we're doing wrong for hours, and only come up with a couple of minutes totally uninteresting and therefore generally worthless, facts or advice..

You have to find your own solution generally, but you can base your "researches" on some of the facts given by the Dieticians, and adapt or adopt your own quantities and taste. Generally, if there is something you really like, the probabilities are that ..you won't be allowed it....!
That's the nature of things...but there's always a silver lining......somewhere....just go find it.....!

Bonne Appétit et Bonne Nettoyage....

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iwmpop(mrlemarquis)                    -                Vauvert, France       -          Février 2011

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Tuesday 15 February 2011

Information....

Just to let you know why no wonderful meals are being planned right now.....
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Pour Vous expliquer pourquoi il n'a pas des repas magnifique pour l'instant...
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Warum es keine spitzen Mahlzeiten prepariert werden im Augenblick

Pas de gateau-no piece of cake-Keine kuchen...

These things happen - Les choses qui arrive - Kann passieren....

Recuperation is a good thing....


These pictures were sent with Picasa, from Google.
Try it out here: http://picasa.google.com/

Tuesday 8 February 2011

Valentine......

 Well - I hope it won't come to this.......
Valentine's day - normally a day I always worked, and not in the sense some of you are thinking either...!Funny how couples in love always seemed to want NOT to be alone on the 14th February - our restaurants were always fully booked - weeks and months in advance....
Maybe because most of them were attached to hotels...............?

"Romance Hotel"
Must be quite close to "Heartbreak Hotel............?
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14 Février - je ne suis pas l'expert....Not an expert - bin kein Experte....

Valentine postcard, circa 1900–1910Image via Wikipedia
No - I'm not the expert on the theme, sooo here they are - the Experts......
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Nein - Ich bin kein Expert - darum lasse Ich die Experten heran.......
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Non - déjà je ne suis pas du tout expert - donc voici les expertes....... 
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FRENCH/FRANÇAIS:






 
Seduction: Scandinavian-Style
A Valentine's Day feast
February 7, 2011
With Valentine’s Day looming down on us, it’s time to reconcile oneself to the fact that the time for the perfect restaurant reservation has long since passed. Truth is, I would never recommend going out for Valentine’s Day. Like any holiday, restaurants will typically be over-booked, understaffed, and hawking a special menu that is designed to separate you from as much of your hard-earned money as possible. So, what are you gonna do about it?

Well, what you should consider is cooking for your loved one! Yes, nothing says "I love you" more than a home-cooked meal, even if it’s not Top Chef quality! There are many routes to go here, from exotic to comfort food, but the truth is that unless you can ace your loved one’s favorite dishes, you might want to try to impress with something new, off the beaten path, and impressively easy to do!

Now…. don’t tell me you were thinking of Scandinavian food, too!
Continue Reading »

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GERMAN/DEUTSCH:
http://www.daskochrezept.de/specials/romantisches-dinner-fuer-verliebte_124.html?cmp=dkrnl070211

erregt die Sinne in einem hohen Maße und weckt das Verlangen. Der Phantasie sind (in jeder Beziehung) keine Grenzen gesetzt. In der Vielfalt liegt der Genuss, allerdings muss man bei der Menü-Planung unbedingt auf die Vorlieben und Abneigungen der/des Auserwählten eingehen. Was nutzen die frischesten, von Sylt eingeflogenen Austern, wenn sich dem Partner allein beim Gedanken daran der Magen umdreht?
Romantisches Dinner Artikelbild
Mit Herz: romantisches Dinner
(Foto/Abb.: Cogipix - Fotolia.com)

Romantisches Dinner: Rezepte

Ein romantisches Dinner will schön inszeniert sein. Ein festlich eingedeckter Tisch mit den Lieblingsblumen im Kerzenschein, gehören ebenso selbstverständlich zur Ouvertüre, wie leise Musik und ein anregender Aperitiv - was halten Sie von Sex on the Beach oder ganz klassisch Champagner?
Wir haben drei Menüs für ein romantisches Dinner für Verliebte zusammengestellt. Sie können natürlich auch immer einzelne Gänge weglassen oder die Rezepte nach Belieben kombinieren.

Menüvorschlag I


Wirkung des Menüs

Bei einem romantischen Dinner kommt es auf besagte erotisierende Substanzen an, jene, die das Liebesverlangen fördern. Nicht jedem Inhaltsstoff ist seine Wirkung wissenschaftlich nachzuweisen, aber fast allen ist ein Antrieb der erotischen Phantasie eigen. Nicht nur stimulierende Inhaltsstoffe, auch Farbe, Form und Geruch fördern die Sinnlichkeit des Essens. So ist die Feige mit Fruchtbarkeit und körperlicher Lust verbunden, in einigen Kulturen wird die weibliche Scham Feige genannt. So ist sie kombiniert mit Honig, der wegen seines hohen Vitamin- und Mineralstoffgehaltes die Produktion von Sexualhormonen beschleunigt, ein unschlagbares Paar.
Die angeblich erektionsfördernde Wirkung des Sellerie gehört zu den Volksweisheiten, bewiesen ist sie nicht. Zartes Lammfilet auf der Zunge zergehen zu lassen und den süßen Wein genüsslich aus den Cantuccini zu saugen, bedarf keinerlei Erklärungen. Das Sorbet in der Menüfolge hat weniger eine Stimulanz, vielmehr dient es dazu, die Geschmacksnerven zwischen Fisch- und Fleischgang zu neutralisieren.

Menüvorschlag II


Wirkung des Menüs

Hollywood-Diät - Austern
Austern sollen äußerst anregend wirken
(Foto/Abb.: DEUTSCHE SEE)
Meeresfrüchte - den Austern wird die höchste aphrodisierende Wirkung zugeschrieben - dürfen bei keinem romantischen Dinner für Verliebte fehlen. Wen wundert`s, ist doch die griechische Göttin der Liebe eine "Meergeborene". Kronos (Vater des Zeus), so überliefert es die Sage, entmannte seinen Vater Uranos und warf dessen Genitalien ins Meer. Diese ungewöhnliche Art der Befruchtung führte zur Geburt der Aphrodite im Schaum der Meereswellen.
Die Meinung über die Stabilität der Manneskraft nach dem Genuss von Eiern hält sich hartnäckig. Das lassen wir so stehen, nicht umsonst sagt der Volksmund: "Eier sind für Mama gut, wenn sie Papa essen tut!"
Der Spargel wiederum gilt als phallisches Symbol, anhand seiner Form scheint die These bewiesen. Unbestritten erotisierend ist es, die Spargelstangen im Mund genüsslich am Gaumen zu zerdrücken.
Das Tiramisu in der Espressotasse ist die süße Kleinigkeit, mit der man sich gegenseitig liebevoll füttern kann, ehe man den Champagner aus dem Bauchnabel schlürft.

Menüvorschlag III




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METEO chez moi-Bei mir-my zone

This is what it's doing right now....or nearly! Go with your mouse to the image and click....

Lecker...Tasty... Appétissante

Des bonnes choses - de presque partout...! Leckereien von fast Uberall...! Tasty things from almost everywhere...! *********
European Goodies...! Slideshow: Mr’s trip from France to Europe (near Dieuze, Lorraine) was created by TripAdvisor. See another Dieuze slideshow. Create your own stunning free slideshow from your travel photos.
******* iwmpop (mr le marquis)- Vauvert, France - Janvier 2011