It is fun to cook good food and to eat that which you have cooked. Here the daunting part comes afterwards: the piles of dishes and utensils to be washed.  To avoid the chore of washing up, one could go eat out. Here the challenge starts before the meal, the question is where to eat, because we are not going out to eat just any meal, we want a good tasty meal with nice service. This little obstacle can be removed by trusting the recommendations of your friends, those whom you know would be able to differentiate between good food and "gobble-stuff". We did just precisely that and made our way on Saturday night to Osteria Centrale near to Wipkingen Railway Station. Our troop consisted of 4 omnivores and 2 ardent vegetarians who would neither eat meat nor fish and are not keen on risotto. All 6 of us came away with very broad smiles on our faces because the dinner was sumptuous! We got served with 10 different starters which comprises food for both factions, served in saucers and little jars. That was waiter's idea! Then we had grilled lamb chops and Angus beef steak done to perfection.  If ever this cook should have a laziness attack, she will be off to this Osteria. You don't need a link for this restaurant, it is easily found in internet with its name OSTERIA CENTRALE and there are enough photos too on the internet to make my attempt at uploading my photos obsolete.

Hallo Ronsters This quartet started in 2006. Have you come across it? We were at their performance on last Saturday night. Click the link given and you will get a portrait and a taste of their music - which is witty and naughty.

Christmas is just about a fortnight away. The days are longer dark than bright and we keep ourselves busy baking Christmas cookies. The time spent in the kitchen is clearly more than the rest of the year.
It is a nice time to be philosophical about what is happening in our world today. We hear disturbing reports in the news media. Our newspapers, radio and television reported recurringly on the plight of the refugees, Syrians, Afghans, Eritrean... and the efforts of the various EU members confronted with this issue. My nenek would have asked me as we rolled out the wanton dough or attended to whatever kitchen work: "What is the root of this problem? Why do these people have to flee? Why do they put their own lives and those of their children to such risks? Why would they rather face the unknown devil than the devil they know at home?" 
She would named the Syrian refugees as an example and we would examine these questions closely together. We would conclude that no one would leave a nice and cosy home. No one would run with their family and leave everything behind them if there was a shimmer of hope that the sun will shine (figuratively speaking) the next day. So why is there war in Syria, Ukraine and Afghanistan...which forces human beings like you and me to flee?
My economics teacher would answer the last question, "it is unfortunate but it is the reality. If there was no war, there would be no destruction; no destroyed houses, no bombed infrastructure like roads, railway lines and airports, power stations and masts and cables or factories which needed to be built, re-built or to be mended. At least not in such large numbers and at such a rate!"
 
My nenek/granny would think out loud: "Perhaps that is what the warring parties want? Perhaps they could get richer more quickly and be more powerful simultaneously? Perhaps they pressurize their statesmen to ignore the suffering of the people under missile or air attacks with the following arguments?
We have to defend ourselves against intruders with armaments: war planes, -ships, cannons, rockets and missiles. If we produce these items, we create jobs for our folk."
These parties are probably staunch believers. The christians will follow the Gospel of Mark 12:31 or Matthew 22:39, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" by providing the job opportunities. The buddhists would say: "Live and let live". They are providing each and everyone of them for the livelihood of their folk...

Hallo this is Nenek in Zurich, the heiress to a huge and priceless collection of recipes to be shared with you here from time to time. Her maternal grandmother taught her to cook these in the form of informal practical daily meal preparations together. Nenek imbibed her grandmother's cooking theory   that delicious food could be made when one would take the time to make a little effort in the process.
When the grandmother came visiting which she did at least once a year for a month if not two, she took over the kitchen. She made this finger licking good chicken dish which we could not have enough of. The recipe is below. Instead of whole chicken 8 - 10 chicken wings are used because a Malaysian kampong chicken/free range chicken is definitely smaller and leaner and therefore as heavy as  this amount of local chicken wings:
Nenek's Hot and Prickling Chicken Wings
8 - 10 chicken wingswash, dry with kitchen crepe and toss in 1 level teaspoon salt mix with 2 pinches baking powderput in a baking tray, ensure the pieces are not touching each other Leave overnight in the fridge uncovered. Turn over the pieces the next morning and return to the fridge until baking time.
Meanwhile prepare the following below:
1 level tablespoon Szechuan peppercornswash, dry with kitchen crepe 1 level teaspoon fennel seedswash, dry with kitchen crepe 1 level tablespoon cumin seedswash, dry with kitchen crepe 1 level tablespoon red paprika flakes*(*could be substituted by red hot chilli flakes for those who like it HOT)
Toast Szechuan pepper, fennel seeds and cumin in this order in a pan on low to medium heat until aromatic, then add in red paprika flakes. Mix in thoroughly, scoop out and grind to a fine powder.
Toast Szechuan pepper, fennel seeds and cumin in this order in a pan on low to medium heat until aromatic, then add in red paprika flakes. Mix in thoroughly, scoop out and grind to a fine powder.
About an hour before serving, heat the oven to 220°C. Take the chicken wings out of the fridge, dredge it in  1 - 2 tablespoon of flour and replace on baking tray with spaces between the pieces. Put in the 220°C oven and bake each side for 15 - 20 mins. Serve the done chicken wings on a plate. Garnish with chopped coriander or parsley. The ground spices are served in a separate little saucer. The chicken wings are dipped into the grounded spice before being put into the mouth.
En Guete! Enjoy your meal! Bon appétit! Makan-lah! Seg lah!