Emergency Preparedness / Recommendations: Food & Beverages 2

 Recently I noticed that the two big discount markets here in Germany (Aldi/Lidl) provide offers on cartons of staple canned foods. I would recommend such offers to purchase sufficient long lasting vegetables & fruits.

For reference purposes I attached the two offers, both starting next week (i.e. calendar week 5 of 2022).

Aldi Süd: 

Lidl: 

UPDATE ALDI SÜD STARTING 21. OCTOBER 2022

Motatos: Shopping Experience / Unpacking

 Today I received a package from Motatos, which arrived pretty much one week after the purchase order. Motatos is selling food and beverage close to or short past expiration date. I really like the idea and when still living in Berlin sometimes visited a store with the same concept (Sirplus, they are also online).

Last week I got a 20% off voucher for Motatos, which I did not know before and tried it out. Most of their stock seemed to consist of sweet and salty snacks and although they were offering staples such as canned food, pasta, etc. I found those offers not very attractive (price wise). They did have some interesting beverages (cheap fever tree), but I do not like ordering drinks online - petty the delivery guy.

This is how it looked when opened, very well packed nothing broken.

Contents were as follows, including the months the product has expired (-) or still to go on (+):

Unpacked:

Conclusion:

Not really convinced to be honest. Even with the discount and free shipping what I got for 32EUR is alright, but considering most is past (some quite a lot past) expiration nothing sensational. 

I guess ordering makes sense if they offer some products at a very good price which you really like and cannot get enough (so you get past the free shipping).

Recipe for chewy cookies

This is a very simple, easy-to-do recipe for cookies (american style).

Yesterday my girlfriend gave me a cookie as a present. Since the cookie was very good, I decided the check for recipes.
After some search I found a simple one, and since the results were very convincing (yummy), I wanted to share it:

Time of preparation: 20 Min
Time of backing: ~10 Min

250g butter/margarine, warm
2 eggs
250g sugar
1 pack vanilla-sugar
tiny bit of salt

a)Take big bowl. Mix everything in given order and stir well.

b) Here comes the creative part: Add chocolate/cherries/nuts/whatever to a)

400g flour
1 pack backing powder

c) Mix both ingredients, then slowly blend with the other mass.

d) Use two spoons, form little balls onto a sheet. Dont forget that they will go up during backing, give them some space. Dough should be enough for at least two sheets!
Heat oven to 180°C, then back for around 10 Min, at least until they get brown on the sides.
Backing time depends on degree of wished chewiness, the longer, the more hard and less chewy.
Take out, place on grid to cool off!

e) Eat!

Update 1: Here is a picture of mine. As you can see some of the dough ran down on the sides of one sheet.

The best dough for baking rolls, bread, pizza, ...

Yes, a cooking receipt!
Weird way to start a blog, indeed, but after you tried this you know why.

This is the best receipt for dough used for all kinds of stuff. And: its very easy, as you will see!
The secret lies in its ingredient, i.e. beer. Wheat beer to be exactly.
But: step by step!

First take a bowl and add 500 gram (1 lb) wheat flour, doesnt quite matter which kind, however, more than half should be type 550 (normal white type) at least. Add other stuff, like seeds, spices, garlic, oat flakes, etc. if liked. The fantasy (and the taste) is the limit!
Then include yeast, check package for instructions (how much for 500g). Doesnt matter whether dry or "alive" yeast. To round things up, add some little tiny bit of salt and some drops of (olive-) oil!
 Now the king of all beverages, used since centuries - beer! Make sure it is not cold, it should be around room temperature! Add some beer to the bowl and stir, dont worry if it sparkles a bit, repeat until mass is smooth the handle, not too sticky on the hands, not too dry.   The dough must feel right, kitchen people will know what I mean, the others will learn that soon.
For pizza dough might be a little more dry, since you will have to roll it out later and you wouldnt want it to stick on your wood.
Cover the bowl and let rest for 1 or 2 hours. Then process as wished. Since the dough might get more watery during the rest, you might want to add a bit more flour.


This dough is basically good for all kinds of things, whether sweet or sour. It is definitively my favorite, due to its flavor and its "softness" in the sense of light.
Dont worry about the alcohol of the beer in the case of children, during the baking the alcohol will get almost totally lost! Furthermore the yeast-bacterias will reduce it before.
Nevertheless this is nothing for abstinent people.

I got the receipt originally from this German cooking site: Chefkoch.de.
Enjoy!