Fresh figs

I love figs! So when I today received a whole box of fresh figs from a friends tree, I jumped with joy. But there were so many, and some of them were really ripe, so I decided to take half of them and make marmelade. Fresh figs, brown sugar, some dessert wine, a little apple vinegar and a cinnamon stick.

Mmmm. A cheese tray, some crackers and homemade fig marmelade. Nothing better I say.

Gelatine

I had some blueberries left, and decided to make a jam. Before, when I did strawberry jam, I just cooked them together with sugar and a bay leef and that was it. I thought it was good, but a friend gave me a jar of jam that was, how shall I put it, a bit more together.

So this time I added a gelatine sheet. Nothing happened. Added another one. And no change. So in the end I added all of them, maybe ten sheets or so. Now I wonder if I will end up with a thick mess.

And after I googled, and found out that gelatine is a mix of animal by-products, and that it should've been soaked in water beforehand. Hmm. I still have a lot to learn cookingwise.

Just peanuts

First I went off potato chips, that I used to love, and now I seem to be off peanuts. I dunno know if it's in my head, but when Denner changed the brand of peanuts from a red bag to a blue bag (cannot remember the brands) it just didn't taste the same.

Mind you, it's probably for the best. Neither of them are very healthy anyway.

Cookie monsters

I really have learned to love to cook and bake, and I do it quite often. Problem is I cannot eat it all by myself, what with the healthy regime I have introduced in my own home. Mind you, I never was a cookie monster, my weakness was more food and chocolate.

But now I've found out where I am appreciated (other than with the neighbours, who already enjoy the sweets I make), in the stables! Jeez, I brought sixteen cookies yesterday and before the lesson started it was only two left. My thoughts were to share with my fellow students and the teacher plus the stable help, but I think the young girls who I didn't know was gonna be there had most of them.

So now I know where to "get rid of" my cookies if need be.

But only four more weeks of riding lessons, starting to miss them already. Especially my new fav, the beautiful not Italian, but Spanish stallion. Well, guess he cannot be called stallion anymore, since his nuts are no longer there, but to me he's the most gentle and delightful horse I've come across.

Jam

Yesterday evening I did something I guess not many people do on a Saturday evening, and certainly something I have never done before.

Strawberry jam! I have always thought it was really difficult, but with the recipe I used it wasn't at all.

I mixed sliced strawberries with cinnamon sticks, sugar, bay leaves and substituted the Cointreau with Cognac. I also added a tiny chili, which turned out to be the strongest chili I ever ate. Used another one for soup I did earlier in the week, one teeny-tiny one for two liters of soup made it so hot I was sweating eating it.

Recipe said to cook between 15 and 30 minutes, but I used 50 minutes. And even though it turned out totally ok, next time I will use a only one cinnamon stick and I will slice the strawberries in even smaller pieces.

But I gotta say, it is satisfying to be eating breakfast with bread I made myself topped with homemade (by me!) strawberry jam.

Focus

Today I was planning to have a friend over for lunch, but he had to cancel due to sick kid. Totally understandable, but a bit disappointing 'cause I was planning to use him as a guinea pig for a cheese soufflé, which I never made before.

In the end though, it probably was good that he postponed, since I was caught up in the nostalgic series North&South on youtube, while making a try with the soufflé, and ended up forgetting to whip the eggwhites.

But ok, a solid cheese mix is not to be sniffed at. And next week I'll be able to do it properly.

Paella!

I just love paella, and today was a good day (paella-wise). I went with a friend to a fish store, carefully looking at the origin of the fish/shellfish likes and ignored everything from other continents, but again, when something comes from "North Atlantic", how can you be sure?

And like my friend remarked when I found mussels from Greenland, "it's as far as it is from Vietnam". Ok, I haven't googled but he may be right. Thinking what if I used the mussels growing beneath my boat?

Nevertheless, the paella(s), actually made two, were absolutely delicious.

And while we were there, in the shopping heaven of Zürich, we also visited a sports shop so now I've got a thingie that measures my steps and has a watch. My friend measured the average of my steps (69 cm if I remember correctly), and configured the device, and it ended up giving me a too positive result, or so I think. After coming home this evening I have apparently walked almost 2,000 steps. Ok, so I was cooking and walking around, but still. It sounds a lot. Perhaps I have to discount the steps.

And we were talking about my riding lesson on Friday. My friend figured that "the horse will do the walking/trotting/galloping", where I was thinking that I might do the most "steps" then. We shall see.

50% off

I had forgotten how favourable it can be to shop in the evening. Normally I'd go during the day when it's less people, but today I needed something for this evening so went to Coop. At the same time I was shopping for Wednesday, and for less than 15 francs I got 15 chicken wings - bio mind you! And I don't mind bio when it's 50% off. And it's good to know these chickens were roaming in the free while they were living. Guess they are less happy now though.

Gotta do this more often, especially since I cook lunch boxes for my friend, and we have now settled on a fixed price. Maybe I can even make 50 rappen per portion :) ?

But good thing something was cheap, the other ingredients for our upcoming paella on Wednesday weren't. When asking the young male shop assistant for which rice was best suited for the Spanish delicacy it turned out he didn't even know what paella was. But after consulting with a colleague he came back with a smile and pointed to the most expensive rice package there was. Of course.

Then I tell you, saffron is the equivalent of gold. 5 francs for 650 mg.

But there you go, if you want eat a delicious Spanish paella, it's gonna cost.

PS. Never made it before, better not screw up!

From turd to delish

This makes me remember a time when I was living in Utrecht, and was working on a project. We worked our asses off, and were really tired. We ended up having dinner in the restaurant in the hotel where we were staying and ordered a dessert with chocolate mousse.

We were presented with two turds, one white and one brown, on a plate and I couldn't stop laughing. I laughed so much I got cramp in my stomach. A combo of being tired and easily amused by something so simple. But it did really look like two turds placed next to each other.

So yesterday when I was baking I had a flashback when looking to what I was about to produce.

Still, it turned out delish even though the dough was not exactly appetizing. And by adding a hint of cognac, I think I enhanced the flavour.

Well done Denner

Some time ago there was a robbery in the shop where I go several times a week. However, I am impressed the way Denner is dealing with the issue. They have now placed a security guard there every evening as a precaution.

I think this is a good idea, at least for a period of time, in order to make the personnel feel more secure and to prevent this from happening again.

I know, in the end us customers have to pay for the service, but rather that, than having people getting stressed and be sick from fear.

Fish

When I grew up we used to eat fish a lot, fresh fish from either lakes or more commonly from the sea. Several times a week fish was on the menu, and I loved it.

Still do. However, it is difficult to get fresh fish from Switzerland, which is landlocked. As far as I know it's only "Egli" - a small fish - which is local.

So I always try to see where the fish is imported from, when I do buy fish, which is maybe once a month, and I ignore those from other continents. However, fish comes from the sea and who knows where they originate from. It often says North Atlantic, which is not exactly close but what is the alternative? Never to eat fish?

I also think about fresh vs frozen. Today I tried a dish with frozen fish for the first time, and I honestly couldn't tell the difference from fresh. Talking to a friend about it, we thought that maybe frozen are even more fresh since they probably freeze it directly on the ship. However, one cannot be sure that "fresh" fish from the counter in the shop hasn't been frozen before.

Nevertheless, fish has to be transported a long way, either with trucks filled with ice or in a freezer. Not good for the environment.

But I still like fish, and hope that I make up for my lack of environmental care by being careful with other polluting stuff.

Shrimp and alco

I may be fond of alcohol, but sometimes, even for me, it can be a bit much. Today I had a visitor for lunch and after enjoying a shrimp mix on toast, I remember her visit last time when she enjoyed an Irish coffee, and sure enough when asked, she'd like one.

So I joined her. Brown sugar, cognac (I know, not very "Irish" but who cares), coffee and whipped cream.

Then later in the afternoon I got an unexpected visit from another friend, and whaddayaknow, he also enjoyed a toast and when asked what he'd like to drink...he responded "I don't suppose you have an Irish coffee". So I joined him with another one.

After he left I slept for like an hour, am so not used to drink that strong alcohol in the middle of the day. And I do expect to have gained a whole kilogram. All these sweets and rich creamy shrimp mix. Not a day where health took a first seat.

Nutcake

I love it when ze Swiss assume I know everything about Switzerland. Like today. I have been picking up mail for the neighbours over the weekend, and as a thank you they brought me a nutcake.

"It's not the traditional from Engadin, this one is from Bergün". Hahahahaha, like I would know the difference. I've never been to any of these places, much less tasted their cakes.

But it's appreciated. Any sweets are welcome in my house.

Cooking Sunday

Today I am again making lunch boxes for my friend. And after making like thirty different menues, I asked him to have a wish when we were shopping earlier this week. Of course he chose something I have never cooked before.

But being me, I am rising to the challenge. So now I'm slow-cooking a large piece of beef for several hours with water, salt, pepper, bay leaves and onion plus a little garlic to add that extra touch.

Also for the first time roasting sweet potatoes (which is not a potato I learned but a root vegetable). I googled and found that you're supposed to roast it with the skin still on. Whether you can actually eat the skin when roasted I am not sure. I added salt, olive oil and fresh rosemary.

He also chose creamy spinach to go with, but here I had to buy frozen so not an issue to cook.

Am also thinking of doing a red wine sauce, since I have an open bottle and I prefer white to drink.

It's hard to believe that I actually enjoy cooking. I am still amazed, and realize I should've listened to my Mum when I was younger. She was a masterchef, and was always telling me to take cooking classes. Ok, I'm not gonna go that far, but I will continue to experiment in the kitchen. And enjoy it!

Fresh lemons

The other day I got some fresh lemons from a friend, and that triggered my brain to come up with something to cook or bake. So far I've done a lemonzested chicken and some quite delicious, if I may say so myself, and I may since it's my blog, cookies.

Now thinking what I can do with the third. Nothing to waste is my middle name.

A bottomless hole

Yesterday was really strange. I was hungry the whole day. I cannot remember when I ate as much, it was like a couple of hours after I ate, I was craving food yet again.

Apart from being away in the afternoon, meeting two good friends travelling through Zürich, I was eating, eating, eating.

And funnily enough I didn't gain one gram since the day before.

Maybe it was like my body was making up for being sick, not being able to hold down food, 'cause today I'm back to normal. What a weird experience!

Talking about food, I have now cooked lunch boxes for a good friend of mine since about ten months, and I'm running out of ideas. So far I have cooked thirty different menues including fish, pork, beef, rabbit, chicken, all different sorts of cuts served together with potatoes, rice, spaghetti in all various varieties, always with some greens like carrots, peas, peperoni, cauliflower, broccoli, onion, beans or whatever you can think of.

On the other hand, the recipient of the boxes is a very easy person. He would gladly have that I start all over again on the menues.

Still, it's a challenge, and I'm up for trying something new. Ideas welcome!

I cooked a rabbit

I guess it's me and Glenn Close. But at least I did it tastefully :). With onion, chili, and a sauce with broth, creme fraiche and spices. Yummie!

I rock in the kitchen

I have a friend, and we meet on average once a week. Normally we switch, I cook one week and he cooks the next, but since he has a limited amount of menues on his repertoire, it has turned into me cooking most of the time.

I don't mind really, since I like to experiment, and tonight I must admit, I excelled!

A fairly cheap cut of pig, "voressen" like ragout, cooked for more than two hours together with onion, garlic, soya, creme fraiche, cream and my new fav, sambal oelek. And since we're both fond of alcohol a little cognac added in the end, taking the pan off the heat before all the alco had cooked off.

Omg, it was friggin tasty! Served together with roasted potatoes and lightly cooked carrots with melted butter.

I'm just saying, I rock in the kitchen.

Sambal oelek

I was looking up a recipe yesterday, and saw an ingredient listed that I had never heard of. Sambal oelek. When googling I realized it was a Thai/Malaysian paste with chili. Excellent!

Then I forgot all about it. Until I was shopping today, and accidently saw a bottle with "Sambal oelek" on it, and remembered, yes, chili! Reading on the label it turned out to be 86% pure chili and very few other ingredients, yes I know 14%, but nothing with E numbers, and I decided to take a leap of faith and buy it.

Whoa! Tasting it, I realized it's just up my alley, stuff I love to add to dishes. Now I just have to learn to remember the name.

Christmas cake

Had another order for a cake, so decided to step away from the traditional green and go Christmas.

 

I really hope it tastes like normal, meaning great, since I realized coming home from shopping that I had no baking powder at home. Used natron instead. And did add some lemon juice, as advised from the world wide web that said "never substitute baking powder with natron without adding something acidic". Why? I have no clue, but had to trust the www.

And the actual cake looked ok, and I'm sure, together with raspberries, vanilla cream and whipped cream it'll taste delish. Tomorrow I'll decorate it.