Food Competition Thoughts

Posted on April 10, 2022 by vanbraman

Tonight I have been watching a food competition and have been having some thoughts about some of the foods that I have been missing around the world.

I often get these thoughts when I watch food shows.

Massamum Beef Curry - Go Hun Thai Food - Turmeric Curry - Australian Thai FoodI thought of this great Massamum Beef Curry at my favorite Thai food restaurant in North Ryde, NSW.

Thuringer Rostbratchen, Roter Hirsch, Jena, Germany, Old RestaurantI thought of the oldest restaurant I have eaten at. This restaurant in Jena, Germany is over 500 years old. When I go there I almost always have the Thuringer Rostbratchen, which is a pork steak served with potatoes, roasted onions and spicy mustard. This is one of my favorite meals in Germany.

Whole Fish - Chinese Food - Food Presentation - Sweet and Sour FishI also miss sharing a whole fish in Shanghai with my students.

Nando's Quarter Chicken - Nando's Hot Peri Peri Sauce - Pourtuguese Style ChickenI also miss eating at Nando’s. I have eaten at Nando’s a few places around the world. Why can they not make it to California? They are in the Chicago and Baltimore markets, but nowhere else in the USA. However, they now sell the sauces here, so I can at least get a taste of the spices.

Restauration Stilbruch, Birnen Phane, Pear Pan, Good Food, German CuisineOne of the things I really miss is Birnen-Pfanne at Restauration Stilbruch in Jena, Germany.

This is one of my favorite dishes around the world.

Here is the description from the menu: Schweinefleischstreifen angeschwenkt mit Birnen und Kartoffeln, gewürzt mit frischem spanischen Pfeffer (scharf!!!), mit Gouda gratiniert

For those of you who do not know much German, the name of the dish in English would be Pear Pan. The ingredients are strips of pork, pears, potatoes, Spanish peppers and Gouda cheese.

I am now hungry.

Steven

 

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Palm Sunday 2022

Posted on April 9, 2022 by vanbraman

This Sunday is Palm Sunday, which means that Easter is only a week away.

Palm Tree - Palm Sunday - Triumphal Entry - Matthew 21The last week of Christ’s ministry started with his entry into Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives.

Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,

“Say to the daughter of Zion,‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”

The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”

Matthew 21: 1-11 ESV

Donkey at Nazareth - Nativity Scene - Nazareth Village - Christmas - IsraelThe traditional point of Christ’s entry into Jerusalem that day was through the Eastern or Golden Gate.

Eastern Gate - Jerusalem Model at Israel Museum - Palm Sunday - Golden Gate - Thriumphal EntryThe picture above is from the Second Temple model at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.

The gate is in the Eastern wall of the Temple Mount. The model depicts what is may have looked like at the time of Christ.

Jerusalem Golden Gate - Eastern Gate - Palm Sunday - Jerusalem - Temple MountToday the gate looks different from the Second Temple period. The current gate was built in the 520’s and was sealed off in 1541.

Golden Gate - Eastern Gate - Temple Mount - Dome of the Rock - Triumphal Entry - Palm SundayHere is a closer look at the Golden Gate. You can also see the Golden dome of the Dome of the Rock.

After Jesus entered into the temple he drove out the sellers and money-changers and then healed the sick and lame.

I am remembering my visit to the Temple Mount and can better picture the events of that day.

Steven

This is a re-post from 2014. Slight changes have been made.

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