Fruit Salad

Image by jcoterhals via Flickr

Fruit salad (also called Macedonia) is a dish consisting of various kinds of fruit, served in a liquid, either in their own juices or a syrup. In different forms fruit salad can be served as an appetizer, a side-salad, or a dessert. When served as an appetizer or as a dessert, a fruit salad is also known as a fruit cocktail. It must have a minimum of three fruits to make it a fruit salad.

Small cups of fruit salad are commonly served for dessert in American public schools. In many cases it is the only dessert offered.

Ingredients:

Peaches

Nectarines

Pluots

Cherries

Strawberries

Blueberries

1 cup crème fraiche

Procedure:

1. Wash the fruits thoroughly. Remove the pits from the cherries and cut them in half. 

2. Cut all the other fruits in small pieces.

3. In the bowl of a standard mixer fitted with the whisk, beat the crème fraiche with one to two tablespoons of sugar. 

4. In a large bowl, mix the fruits with the whipped crème fraiche or place alternating layers of fruits and crème fraiche in short glasses or bowls.

You can use other available fruits at your place depending on the season. Enjoy!

Lenten Season Choices

Its almost the end of lent once again. More than forty days past Ash Wednesday. Have you declared what you will sacrifice? I tried shunning meat for the entire Lenten season. Alas! To no avail. I miserably failed on this because I can't control to what is being served to me most days.  I told you before about my weekly Wednesday lunches with the Koziols. They make delicious lunches for me every Wednesday and I don't have the heart to tell them I won't be eating meat. So as part of being brought up properly by my parents to say thanks to all things given to you, I thanked them and ate my portion. And all was sinfully good!

Have a nice Lenten brunch out this coming weekend at Spitz. Photo by SDeluz

Part also of our weekly rendezvous is to check out hang outs in and around Bonn. We tried this restaurant at the corner of Oxfordstraße and Strntorbrücke. Just a 3 minute walking distance from Friedensplatz. They have a very nice set up with umbrellas and seat along the cobbled stones walk plus a nice view of the main street leading to Stadthaus. We ate inside the restaurant coz being Filipinos, we prefer sitting under the shade with air conditioning minus the dust from the traffic. There was only two tables occupied inside the restaurant, not because of no patronage but due to most patrons opting to eat outside. Very European. This was not the first time I tried this place. I was impressed the first time for all waiters and waitresses speaks fluent English. They also give out a menu in English if you request for it. Had only coffee and appetizers before but I liked it. I was with an American friend that time so all was not that bad. This time though, I was with a Filipino. And I think we Filipinos are very picky. 

Insalata Spitz: Gemischter salat mit Gebratenen Putenbruststreifen & Gemischter Pilzen

The ambience got a good rating but the food this time was at par. Maybe I didn't order a full meal the first time thats why I didn't notice this. Or maybe because Filipinos tend to criticize more. I'm not sure. I ordered their salad specialty: Mixed salad with fried Turkey breasts strips and mixed mushrooms. This amounted to 8.90€. My partner ordered Baked Potato in Foil with Turkey breast strips, mushroom, Parsley Joghurt and salad which cost 7.90€. It was coincidence with the food. I didn't know that we basically ordered the same thing. I was in the toilet when he ordered. Mine was under the Salad menu and his, under the potato menu. Almost the same but mine was more expensive. Hmmm. I wonder why? Too much greens? I love food and I am on a diet. The salad clicked for me. The other one didn't like his though. So I guess we won't be returning to this one. They do give out Cocktail Happy Hours. Any cocktails from 9pm to 11pm costs only 4.80€. Pizza Happy Hour also follows from same time, 9pm to 11pm, any big Pizza costs only 4.80€. They have Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday brunch. That will be from 11am to 3pm for only 11.90€. Not sure of drinks are included in the price though. 

Folienkartoffel mit Putenbruststreifen & Gemischten Pilzen

5 Kinds of Salads

Salad with Mango and minze Dressing. Photos by SDeluz 

Salad is any of a wide variety of dishes including: vegetable salads; salads of pasta, legumes, eggs, or grains; mixed salads incorporating meat, poultry, or seafood; and fruit salads. They may include a mixture of cold and hot, often including raw vegetables or fruits.

Green salads include leaf lettuce and leafy vegetables with a sauce or dressing. Other salads are based on pasta,noodles, or gelatin. Most salads are traditionally served cold, although some, such as south German potato salad, are served warm.

Green salads including leaf lettuces are generally served with a dressing, as well as various garnishes such as nuts orcroutons, and sometimes with the addition of meat, fish, pasta, cheese, eggs, or whole grains.

Salads may be served at any point during a meal. They may be:

1. Appetizer salads, light salads to stimulate the appetite as the first course of the meal.

2. Side salads, to accompany the main course as a side dish.

3. Main course salads, usually containing a portion of protein, such as chicken breast or slices of beef.

4. Palate-cleansing salads, to settle the stomach after the main course.

5. Dessert salads, sweet versions usually containing gelatin or whipped cream.

Ensaladang Talong

Photos by SDeluz

Similar to atchara this "salad" made of eggplant mixed with vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, and maybe other ingredients often serves as an accompaniment to other dishes. Other versions are eggplant replaced by cucumbers or raw mangoes. A nice salad (ensalada) partnered with fried dishes.

Ingredients:

3 big eggplants (talong or aubergine)

2 cloves garlic (chopped)

1/2 big onion (chopped small)

1/8 cup soy sauce

1/16 cup vinegar*

3 tbsp sugar

pinch of salt and pepper

Procedure:

1. Bake eggplants at 250 degrees C for 30-35 minutes or until soft. (Time will vary base on type of oven).

2. Once cook, peel and chop into bite size pieces.

3. Add all ingredients and serve with the main dish.

A simple side dish for everyone to enjoy. 

Proud to say that photo was picked for the article in mycitycuisine.