I know there’s a furniture war on, but I also realise that Möbel Neubert won’t be trying to sell me a double commode (note: false friend). The penny only dropped a couple of hours later.
This is posted for Tony of Germersheim, at his suggestion. I don’t know if he wants to lower the tone of this weblog even further or raise it. The Chinese appears to mean something like ‘Good taste little restaurant’ – possibly some would disagree.
The yellow handle in the foreground probably explains itself. In the background is a further clue to the first picture above.
Oh, in French, the first two would go well together: un grand banc et un ‘ti banc.
The third is definitely a good idea.
Especially for the Germans who have those silly brakes in the back pedal! (Biased, me?)
Congratulations on/Apologies for raising/lowering the tone of your blog, Margaret. My contribution this time may be slightly more pertinent, however. I have it on good authority that the MiniMal/HL-Markt curries made by Noon are just about OK (will be conducting my own personal trial later this week). My research, such as it is, suggests that the best out-of-restaurant, non-homemade curries in Germany are available from BASIC, the organic supermarket chain with outlets in Frankfurt, Nuremberg and other major cities. Possibly a little dearer but also more pukka.
Thanks, Tony. I know BASIC but I haven’t been for a while. It’s at Weißer Turm. I will certainly try that out.
The MiniMAL curries – I’ve now tried both – you describe, on second-hand information, as ‘just about OK’. Well, the Chicken Tikka Masala is milder than it claims to be, and the Red Thai Curry is what I’d call medium at best. Neither has a great deal of meat in it, but they’re quite filling. And with no preservatives, I think they’re extremely high quality and taste good. Your informant is probably right that they aren’t exactly what you’d get in a good Indian restaurant, but is he or she perhaps allowing authenticity to interfere with quality?
>> … but is he or she perhaps allowing authenticity to interfere with quality?
Robin B. will like that. What are his favourite whiskies? This could be a giveaway.
My name being taken in vain again? Both the curries are OK, and as Margaret says, the Thai Red is definitely medium, while the Masala is mild. Noon’s also makes Indian food for Sainsbury’s and Waitrose (maybe M&S as well, I can’t remember), so chances are that you’ve eaten their products already.
And let’s not forget that this is a massive step forward here in Germany. Though as I told Margaret separately, we also buy pouches from our Asian supermarket in Mainz. Vegetable dishes made in India, very authentic, some of them very hot indeed. A great lunch with the frozen roti paratha the supermarket also sells. But good quality chilled meals are almost unknown in Germany, despite the fact that they’re brilliant when you simply don’t have time to cook (and much better for you than the processed frozen crap that infests German supermarkets).
Thanks for the additional info, Robin. No joy at my local MiniMal or HL-Markt, I’m afraid. When I questioned the shop staff, they looked at me as though I was from Manchester. Looks like I’ll have to mail MiniMal HQ.
A friend couldn’t get it near Stuttgart – so maybe it’s all Baden-Württemberg. Or maybe they read what you said about BASIC having the best.
Not to be picky or anything, but Germersheim is in Rheinland-Pfalz. Here’s the Landeslied I had to perform in front of the Landesobmänninausländergenehemigungsunterausschusswhen applying for permission to teach Business English to young ladies at “die Sproochschul”.
“Schunn seit Omas Zeide kennt ma dähn Brauch,
doher protzt en jeder Pälzer mit seim Bauch.
Doch sein greeschder Schdoltz des esch sei roodie Naas,
als Erkennungszeiche; isch hab widder Gas.
Wer so trinke kann der beißt so schnell net ins Gras”
Ein dreifaches “Dodefor!”, “Dodefor!”, Dodefor!”
Sorry about that. I can’t locate it on my big wall map of Germany. I thought it must be in Baden.
I found that at Pfälzer Lieder. As long as they didn’t make you spell it, I suppose.