So tomorrow the necessary haricot / navy beans arrive. And then I cook, and shoot (over the weekend), "the Bean Dish That Saved A World." #FACOTMK 🙂
June 11, 2026 at 5:54 PM
So tomorrow the necessary haricot / navy beans arrive. And then I cook, and shoot (over the weekend), "the Bean Dish That Saved A World." #FACOTMK 🙂
Today's (early) afternoon prep for the #FACOTMK "pickled vegetable" slideshow reshoot: Oven-roasting a chunk of double-smoked Morliny pork belly. Next step: BBQ'd kielbasa. Dear weather: please send the predicted late-afternoon thunderstorm somewhere else... 😅
May 17, 2026 at 2:06 PM
Today's (early) afternoon prep for the #FACOTMK "pickled vegetable" slideshow reshoot: Oven-roasting a chunk of double-smoked Morliny pork belly. Next step: BBQ'd kielbasa. Dear weather: please send the predicted late-afternoon thunderstorm somewhere else... 😅
The Tale of the Fabulous "Roast" #Chicken, Chapter 2: Let's take another run at this, shall we? #MiddleKingdomsMeta #FACOTMK #FoodAndCookingOfTheMiddleKingdoms #recipes #meat (1/n)
September 5, 2025 at 5:16 PM
The Tale of the Fabulous "Roast" #Chicken, Chapter 2: Let's take another run at this, shall we? #MiddleKingdomsMeta #FACOTMK #FoodAndCookingOfTheMiddleKingdoms #recipes #meat (1/n)
...these pastries, a local (for certain values of "local") fast food favorite... foodandcooking.middlekingdoms.com/chicken-and-... #FACOTMK
Chicken and Honey Pastries - Food and Cooking of the Middle Kingdoms
Sweet and spicy-hot, the perfect crunchy starter for any Steldene takeaway meal
foodandcooking.middlekingdoms.com
June 12, 2026 at 1:35 PM
...these pastries, a local (for certain values of "local") fast food favorite... foodandcooking.middlekingdoms.com/chicken-and-... #FACOTMK
Status report (#FACOTMK dep't), "Reshooting The Pickled Summer Vegetables": Well, at least the veg doesn't look *pink* this time. 😅 (1/3)
May 18, 2026 at 2:14 PM
Status report (#FACOTMK dep't), "Reshooting The Pickled Summer Vegetables": Well, at least the veg doesn't look *pink* this time. 😅 (1/3)
So for those curious about how the final Raised Pie for the #FACOTMK site came out: ...well. 😀 ...It cuts tidily, and is the very thing for using up an assortment of leftover meats. So, fancy pictures and the full writeup to follow in a few days. Meanwhile: ...it's snacktime. 😋
July 23, 2026 at 5:12 PM
So for those curious about how the final Raised Pie for the #FACOTMK site came out: ...well. 😀 ...It cuts tidily, and is the very thing for using up an assortment of leftover meats. So, fancy pictures and the full writeup to follow in a few days. Meanwhile: ...it's snacktime. 😋
...Meanwhile. Stepped out to the shops and picked up (just in case) some extra goose fat for the #FACOTMK dish currently under construction. Because, hilariously, the part of it that's going to kill *another* couple of hours today is this one.
June 14, 2026 at 3:46 PM
...Meanwhile. Stepped out to the shops and picked up (just in case) some extra goose fat for the #FACOTMK dish currently under construction. Because, hilariously, the part of it that's going to kill *another* couple of hours today is this one.
BUT BY GRABTHAR'S HAMMER I SWEAR I will post the recipe for this today over at #FACOTMK, even *though* the photography's not as pretty as I wanted it to be: Smoked Silvershoal With Pickled Summer Vegetables. (2/2) (@peter.petermorwood.com made the flatbread...& *demolished* the fish, to my surprise)
August 14, 2026 at 1:04 PM
BUT BY GRABTHAR'S HAMMER I SWEAR I will post the recipe for this today over at #FACOTMK, even *though* the photography's not as pretty as I wanted it to be: Smoked Silvershoal With Pickled Summer Vegetables. (2/2) (@peter.petermorwood.com made the flatbread...& *demolished* the fish, to my surprise)
Over at the #FoodAndCookingOfTheMiddleKingdoms site: A favorite hot-smoked delicacy for river- and lake-fish lovers. foodandcooking.middlekingdoms.com/smoked-silve... #FACOTMK
Smoked Silvershoal with Pickled Summer Vegetables - Food and Cooking of the Middle Kingdoms
A beloved out-of-fishing-season staple turned into a summertime delicacy
foodandcooking.middlekingdoms.com
August 14, 2026 at 7:13 PM
Over at the #FoodAndCookingOfTheMiddleKingdoms site: A favorite hot-smoked delicacy for river- and lake-fish lovers. foodandcooking.middlekingdoms.com/smoked-silve... #FACOTMK
Status report, “ #FACOTMK and Other Shopping” dep’t: On an unusually hot day, went down to the local shopping town to pick up a pre-scheduled pork roast. Asked for one “big enough to feed four” (as its destination was to be first roasted and then turned into various rustic leftover dishes). (1/2)
June 25, 2026 at 2:11 PM
Status report, “ #FACOTMK and Other Shopping” dep’t: On an unusually hot day, went down to the local shopping town to pick up a pre-scheduled pork roast. Asked for one “big enough to feed four” (as its destination was to be first roasted and then turned into various rustic leftover dishes). (1/2)
Status report, #FACOTMK pre-photography dep't: LOOK AT THE PRETTY CABBAGE BUNDLES! (These are stuffed with ground smoked pork, wild rice, and red Camargue rice, flavored with cayenne, three colors of pepper, ground allspice...) OM NOM NOM. 😀
November 1, 2024 at 7:46 PM
Status report, #FACOTMK pre-photography dep't: LOOK AT THE PRETTY CABBAGE BUNDLES! (These are stuffed with ground smoked pork, wild rice, and red Camargue rice, flavored with cayenne, three colors of pepper, ground allspice...) OM NOM NOM. 😀
...And a nice salad. foodandcooking.middlekingdoms.com/wilted-bitte... #FACOTMK
Wilted Bitterleaf with Beef Bacon and Black Barley Sausage - Food and Cooking of the Middle Kingdoms
An early-season salad with dark savory reminders of the autumn just past
foodandcooking.middlekingdoms.com
June 12, 2026 at 1:36 PM
...And a nice salad. foodandcooking.middlekingdoms.com/wilted-bitte... #FACOTMK
...Not bothering with pics or video of this, but: after about twenty minutes, fire's ready: water bath installed, next level of smoker added, lamb shanks (in aluminum broiler pan) installed on grill: top lid on. Will look at it all and take a pic in an hour and a half. (2/n) #FACOTMK #smokedlamb
June 10, 2026 at 3:57 PM
...Not bothering with pics or video of this, but: after about twenty minutes, fire's ready: water bath installed, next level of smoker added, lamb shanks (in aluminum broiler pan) installed on grill: top lid on. Will look at it all and take a pic in an hour and a half. (2/n) #FACOTMK #smokedlamb
New over at the "Food and Cooking of the Middle Kingdoms" website: Parsnip mash with cream and spiced butter. (For those keeping an eye on the #FACOTMK site— the smoked chicken recipe will be along in a day or two. This is its side dish.) #recipes foodandcooking.middlekingdoms.com/parsnip-mash...
Parsnip Mash with Cream and Spiced Butter - Food and Cooking of the Middle Kingdoms
A flavorful approach to a favorite staple vegetable of the Four Realms
foodandcooking.middlekingdoms.com
September 10, 2025 at 5:25 PM
New over at the "Food and Cooking of the Middle Kingdoms" website: Parsnip mash with cream and spiced butter. (For those keeping an eye on the #FACOTMK site— the smoked chicken recipe will be along in a day or two. This is its side dish.) #recipes foodandcooking.middlekingdoms.com/parsnip-mash...
(mutter) "Site." The FACOTMK *site.* (eyeroll)
September 8, 2024 at 4:00 PM
(mutter) "Site." The FACOTMK *site.* (eyeroll)
Status report, "Late Lunch" dep't: Pausing in the deeply drudgy work of pulling my website apart and putting it back together to take some pics of what is now in the Eating The Props stage of its existence: the second of the #FACOTMK Raised Pie bakes (w/the butter-based hot water crust this time). 🙂
July 7, 2026 at 2:05 PM
Status report, "Late Lunch" dep't: Pausing in the deeply drudgy work of pulling my website apart and putting it back together to take some pics of what is now in the Eating The Props stage of its existence: the second of the #FACOTMK Raised Pie bakes (w/the butter-based hot water crust this time). 🙂
Meanwhile, prepping the gravy for this mostly-lamb-based #FACOTMK dish: while other regional peppers are popular, this one would be a commonplace where the Arlene-based cook grew up: *Piper longum* / long pepper (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_pe...).
June 14, 2026 at 11:53 AM
Meanwhile, prepping the gravy for this mostly-lamb-based #FACOTMK dish: while other regional peppers are popular, this one would be a commonplace where the Arlene-based cook grew up: *Piper longum* / long pepper (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_pe...).
At the "Food and Cooking of the Middle Kingdoms" site: getting seasonal with Quince and Golden Plum Tart. #FACOTMK #BreadSky foodandcooking.middlekingdoms.com/quince-and-g...
Quince and Golden Plum Tart - Food and Cooking of the Middle Kingdoms
A choice autumnal sweet based on two favorite North Arlene fruits
foodandcooking.middlekingdoms.com
October 21, 2024 at 9:34 PM
At the "Food and Cooking of the Middle Kingdoms" site: getting seasonal with Quince and Golden Plum Tart. #FACOTMK #BreadSky foodandcooking.middlekingdoms.com/quince-and-g...
So meanwhile, at the #FACOTMK end of things: the last run at the "Raised Pie" recipe. Here are the three meats that'll go into this one: smoked bacon lardons, smoked chicken breasts and smoked duck breasts. Each one has had half of it put through the grinder and half of it chunked/diced. (1/n)
July 21, 2026 at 5:09 PM
So meanwhile, at the #FACOTMK end of things: the last run at the "Raised Pie" recipe. Here are the three meats that'll go into this one: smoked bacon lardons, smoked chicken breasts and smoked duck breasts. Each one has had half of it put through the grinder and half of it chunked/diced. (1/n)
Status report, #FACOTMK Recipe Development dep't: ...So, working on the Bread Loaf Stuffed With Green Cheese thing. Here's another green cheese. (meaning "fresh"...) Seasoned with black pepper, long pepper, fresh-ground allspice and chiles. (1/3)
November 8, 2024 at 8:55 PM
Status report, #FACOTMK Recipe Development dep't: ...So, working on the Bread Loaf Stuffed With Green Cheese thing. Here's another green cheese. (meaning "fresh"...) Seasoned with black pepper, long pepper, fresh-ground allspice and chiles. (1/3)
Status report, "Not Idle In The Kitchen" dep't: A recipe that should be ready to post tomorrow sometime: Quince and Golden Plum Tart. #FACOTMK
October 16, 2024 at 9:33 PM
Status report, "Not Idle In The Kitchen" dep't: A recipe that should be ready to post tomorrow sometime: Quince and Golden Plum Tart. #FACOTMK