Thursday already....

I can't believe it's thursday already, time flies when you're having fun (or working 11 hour days). Last weekend we were meant to go skiing with my work but this trip got cancled as there has been so little snow in the mountains although this week made up for it. Instead fridaynight we enjoyed a great fondue at a very nice restaurant. It is a traditional place where a lot of quilds and studentassociations still meet. I like fondues as they are a very social and simple kind of meal. But the real surprise was dessert, I chose a lackerli mousse. These are traditional Basel biscuits that are normally quite hard and chewy so this could go either be lovely or go horribly wrong.....but it tasted great. It still had that lackerli chewiness but was nice and airy....I'll definitly go back for that again.

The next day we went to see the Vogelgryff, this is an old Basel tradition (started in the 13th century) based on the rivalry between the north and south part of the city. A raft carries a wild man, a lion and a griffin down the river, which come to the bridge and then dance around with their back towards south Basel. It was very nice, but very busy, with lots of kids so I recommend coming early to get a spot at the middle of the bridge.

Then I went to pick up my brand new ski's (early birthday present) which we went to test out on sunday. Barry, Simone and I went to Engelberg for a bit of skiing. Two hours by train later, we were on the slopes and had a fab day in the sun, although we could have done with a bit more snow. The days was also filled with hazards as you can read in this post. What Barry failed to mention is that coming off our first lift in the morning, he made it impossible for me to get out which meant I fell down the side of the lift (±3m)!!! Luckily I landed in a big pile of fluffy powder. In addition, I had to spend the whole afternoon skiing with his one bent pole. But it's worth it if he comes skiing more often!

Once back in Basel, we treated ourselves to a tropical dessert using Barry's latest Christmas present. He got a blowtorch for cooking so we made a lovely mango creme brulee based on recipe in a Malaysian dessert book I received with a blogging by post package a while ago. I liked the idea of using fruitpuree in stead of cream as still trying to be sensible with eating to much fat. The creme turned out really rich, which was nice and had a lovely crispy topping. We'll definitly be making this one again, specially as everything I cook at the moment Barry wants to blowtorch!! fire extinguisher anyone?!

Mango creme brulee (serves 6)
2 eggs
30g sugar (plus extra on top)
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla essence
250 ml mango puree

Beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla essence until creamy. Add the mango puree and stir thoroughly. Pour this into molds, bake 30 min at 170C until golden on top. Remove from the oven and allow to cool (they will sink quite a bit so make sure your molds are nice and full). Sprinkle some sugar on top and melt/caramalize this with the blowtorch (or place under the grill).

Museums, bread and chocolate

So many things to write about and already it's Friday....so I'll just do a quick recap of the last weekend. Fridaynight was Museumnight in Basel. From 18:00 to 2:00 you can access any museum in Basel and travel between them for 20chf. So we decided to make the most of it and visited a whole array of places. It was a great opportunity to have a quick glance in a lot of places. First we went to the Tingely museum, had dinner there, then visited the Kunstmuseum, Culture museum, Pharmacy museum, Botanical gardens and more....but the most impressive was a Hydan concert in the Munster where you could listen from the gallery.

The next morning, I got up early to meet a friend across town where we spent the morning at a breadbacking course. We had a great time abd even though I've baked a lot of bread before I picked up some interresting tricks. For example, you can accelerate the rising process by putting the dough in a sink filled with luke warm water or a 50 degrees Celsius ove which you then turn off. Also, to get a nice crust, it't the tension in the surface of dought that's important. The format was very nice where everyone (12 people total) made a different bread with 500g flour which we devided in half. One half we had for lunch and one we got to take home. Then we all learned to make zopf and took that home as well.

Finally, as part of being back from limbo, I figuered I should take part in some of the blogger events again and what better way to start then with SHF#27 hosted by David. However, I got my deadlines mixed and thought it was today instead of last friday. Doh! But it was a great opportunity to finally make some macarons....having read about them for the last few years and am ashamed to admit that I've never had a real one. I followed this recipe and even though it took a lot more work then I thought but they turned out really great. I tweaked the filling slightly to include goji berries, an inspiration that came from here. I soaked the berries while the biscuits were drying. For the chocolate, I used Droste cacao (I'm a dutch girl after all....plus I think this chocolate is highly underrated) and Lindt Excellence 85% Dark Chocolate. The result was amazing, really dark chocolat, not to sweet, a but chewy in the middle and the occasional berry for altered texture. My only dissapointment were the tops that were all cracked instead of being round and glossy....prehaps I should have left to dry them longer? Anyway, this is definitly a keeper but I'll have to go and try the real thing soon!

Snow!!!

It's finally started snowing!! When I moved to switzerland in autumn I had visions of a nice cold winter with lots of snow skiiing and fondue. S ofar, it has been the warmes winter ever, then only snow I've seen was in France and even though it was great, there wasn't nearly enough of it!. But now it has finally start, just as my workskitrip this weekend got cancelled due to lack of snow and I pick up my new ski's on friday....perhaps we'll just have to do a daytrip to Engelberg on sunday....keep the white stuff coming!!!

Breaking the silence....

Okay….after about 3 months of hibernation I’m back! With the unnatural warm weather there is no way to have a winter-sleep and there is much to write about. Last Monday I resubmitted the revised version of my paper (Yippie!) that has kept me from blogging about my 1 year blog anniversary, Christmas markets both in Basel and Strassbourgh, a food-filled festive holiday and a skiing trip to Tignes. But what finally got me out of limbo was last Sunday’s bloggers meeting organized by TBF where I met lots of nice people and this made me feel I should perhaps contribute again to internet space ☺


So that evening, I set out to make a dish for the golden shrimp….it was inspired by two things: a great Christmas present of a stainless steel grater and part of a lump of Italian Parmasan cheese my colleague received as a late Christmas present and couldn’t finish. I figured the best way to combine both, would be to make a simple pasta with pesto which was made very quickly. For the pasta I used this recipe and for the pesto I used the recipe in my favourite Italian cookbook. Both were very easy to assemble and tasted great.

For dessert, we stuck to the green theme and made this sorbet. I modified the recipe slightly but adding half the lemon grass to the syrup for a stronger flavour and I pushed the apples through a sieve after blending them as I don’t have a juicer. Also, I forgot about it whilst at the bloggers meeting so it didn’t get stirred and turned into a granita in stead of a sorbet but still tasted great and looked the part in my new Japanese tea cups (another persent). So that’s it for now, but I’ll post again soon!

Pesto (serves 4)
25 fresh basil leaves
100ml extra virgin olive oil
40g pine nuts
50g Parmesan cheese, finely grated
salt

Blend the basil leaves with the olive oil, pine nuts and a pinch of salt in a blender. Add the grated cheese and process again.

Bits of Basel

I thought life would quieten down slightly when moving to Basel but it seems to be the opposite! Whilst trying to settle into a new flat, the project at work has taken full flight and the Christmas deadline is approaching (far to) rapidly. Apart from that there are trips to Ikea, second hand shops and more to get the flat sorted and work left over from Dundee as the comments for my paper have come back (luckily they were fairly positive but I do need to go back to Dundee briefly for more work).


However, I thought I’d share some more impressions and food with you. Last weekend we had a celebratory dinner in our new flat to christen the kitchen. Along with a batch of appeljam, chilli ginger and lemongrass jam and quince jelly I also produced two lovely dishes that I’ve wanted to make. I saw the scallop with chanterelle risotto and pumpkin recipe recently and it seemed very suitable as there are lots of these mushrooms around at the moment. The fig rosemary tarts with lemon mascarpone I noticed ages ago and have been keeping the recipe for a special occasion which this definitely was. Both were surprisingly easy to assemble as lot could be done beforehand and it really turned into a feast. I will definitely be making these again


Then yesterday the Basel hebst messe has started. On several spots in the city there are fairgrounds, food stalls and markets. The one closest to us on the Peterplatz is mainly filled with stalls. I had to keep myself from buying lots of jummy food, pottery and wool but got lots of things I’ve got an eye on and will be returning often in the next few weeks to purchase them. They are also a great place for picking up Christmas presents at there are only 8 weeks left (yikes!).

Goodbye Dundee and hello Basel!

About 5 weeks ago I got a phone call from my new boss telling me that he finally had funding for me to work for him in Basel. I was taken totally by surprise but accepted quickly as I’ve wanted to work for him for the last two years. So after weeks of frantic packing, cleaning and saying goodbyes I’ve left Dundee after 5 great years here! I just want to thank the many people who have made my stay there so amazing and showed me the country, mountains, pubs, sessions, took me climbing, walking and sailing, knitting and weaving and are such good friend! We’ll meet again soon!

And now I’m in Basel where I’ve been thrown in at the deep end, being put straight to work but that’s ok, cause I like working that way. I’ve been very lucky to be able to stay with a colleague who is very nice and we’ve discovered a common love for cooking and mountains. Barry and I have also found a flat (!), which we will move into this weekend, and I’ve bought myself a bicycle with a pannier for all my food shopping.

I’ve already had some lovely food in the 1.5 week that I’ve been here including a real Swiss fondue (thanks to Simone and Raphaela), the most simple but delicious fettucini with Chantrelle and Steinpilz and finally Vermicelles. This is seasonal dessert made of a mountain of slightly sweetened chestnut puree, shaped like spaghetti, served with wiped cream topped with a piece of marron glace and in our case with a hidden light meringue inside. I’d had a variation of this dessert in Japan last year where it is known as Mont Blanc. The Swiss version appears less sweet, which I like, although the portions are a lot bigger, which is not so good as it’s heavy stuff. Last Saturday we enjoyed a very nice one in Schliesser, a gorgeous old patisserie with tearoom upstairs. I can foresee spending many a rainy day in there (if I’m not to busy cooking in my nice new kitchen with pull-out, floor to ceiling, pharmacy-like cupboard!! only slightly excited about this).

Malaysian moon cake and more

Another post long overdue…Stephanie organized Blogging By Mail recently and I’ve still not posted about this. Friday the 15th I came back from an exhausting conference to find a package on my desk. At first I didn’t twig but then realized that it was my BBM package, and so early! So I managed to keep myself from opening it right there and then and after posting my own package on the way home I opened it when I came home.

I was sooo lucky that I was assigned Viviene! She sent me the most amazing package full of Malaysian goodies. I’ve never had the chance to go to Malaysia, but did stop over in Singapore once for 14 hours and spent a month travelling in Thailand so I’ve had some of the food and absolutely loved it! this package was a lovely reminders of the flavours I’d tasted before and it contained:

Lobster snacks beautiful little snacks which I expected to be fishy but tasted of peanuts and kept me going during the weekend I spent packing my belongings for the removal people

Peanut brittle one of my favourites! It didn’t last very long I’m afraid to say as it was just too delicious!

Durian sweet I’d seen and smelt the durian fruit when I was in Thailand and it was pretty foul but when you taste it, its really nice. So these sweets were a real treat.

Moon cake a beautiful round cake filled with real lotus paste in honour of the moon festival, which was eaten with my parents whilst cleaning the flat on my last weekend here (they were stars!). I’ve had these types of pastries filled with bean paste but never lotus paste which was very yummie, she also sent me some information about the history and legend behind the Chinese Moon Festival.

Curry paste and sticky rib sauce both looked lovely, but haven’t had time to make them so they are in a box travelling to Basel at the moment as I decided to share them with Barry as he loves sticky ribs.

Ginger honey coffee I’m normally not a big fan of flavoured coffee but these were really nice! Not to sweet and overpowering and kept me going on my late evenings cleaning up the office and finishing all the work I had to do.

Finally last but not least, a letter explaining the contents and a cookbook on Malaysian desserts, which I’m sure will be very well used as soon as we’ve found a kitchen (and flat to go with it).

So all in all, a wonderful package that has made the last whirlwind weeks a lot easier to deal with….thank you very much Viviene!

PS apologies for the bad quality of the pictures but I had to make due with the camera on my laptop as my digital camera was off getting fixed by Sony. Not impressed with them at all as first my camera broke within 6 months and then they made me pay for it even though it was still under warranty. They claimed there was nothing wrong with it but the guy on the phone explained to me (kindly) that sometimes opening and closing them solves the problem when something is jammed (like the lens in this case) yet then they still made me fork out £30!! Unbelievable.

Tagged by Pamela

Sitting at Heathrow airport waiting for my flight to Basel, I am finally sorting out my backlog of things to blog about. Pamela tagged me for this meme but with all the packing and leaving parties in the last week I’ve not had a chance to get around to it so here it goes…

I am thinking about: my new job starting on Monday

I said: Achter de wolken schijnt de zon (the sun is shining behind the clouds)

I want to: never move again!

I wish: my papers are accepted and I get a grant to stay in this job longer

I regret: not spending enough time with my parents and brother .

I hear: Blackbirds and Thrushes by Niamh Parsons.

I am: going to weave lots on my new loom when it arrives (thank you for a fabulous present guys!)

I dance: not nearly enough.

I sing: all the time and still not enough.

I cry: not very often.

I am not: looking forward to running again

I am: going to enjoy my first weekend in Basel and buy myself some new trousers (three pairs is just not enough)

I write: to much science and not enough about my cooking

I confuse: my French, German, Spanish and Japanese when I speak another language than English or Dutch.

I need: to sleep lots this weekend.

I tag: Sheryll, Corri_chan and Viviene for this meme

On another note, long live BA for letting me take on 10 kg excess luggage at no charge!! How is it every time you move you have more stuff then you think?!

Favourite kitchen gadget

Darn it....I'm late! I've spent the whole weekend at a weaving workshop (I can recommend it!!!) so now my post is late....hopefully it'll still be ok.Pamela was hosting the favourite kitchen gadget event. As I’ve been packing to move I’ve seem all my kitchen paraphernalia coming past in the last few days and decided that I don’t have one, but three favourites and all for different reasons.

The first one is my most practical favourite, my tried and trusted multipurpose mixer. I love the versatility of it! Whether you are making a cake, dip, curry, soup or something else with only a few attachments you can make it all. And there is no need for lots of bulky kitchen appliances. This mixer was a present from my mum the first year I went to university. For the last 9 years it’s been happily blending, mixing, grinding and kneading away and I hope it will continue to do so for a long time.

The second one is my cutest favourite. This lovely little princess grater was given to me by a friend of mine back home when I moved to the UK. We had shared many lovely meals during our studies and seeing it reminds me of that. Plus someone is always smiling at you when you walk into the kitchen which I the best way to start the day ☺.

Finally, my odd favourite….another present….Barry gave me this for our first Sinterklaas together, so for a start it reminds me of the effort he made trying to mimic Dutch custom and the thoughtful present he got me. For those of you who are wondering, it’s an egg clacker, meant to open your eggs with in a neat way. You lift the ball to the end of the stick, let go and it should leave you with a perfect cut to remove the lid of your egg…perfect for soldiers. Living in Scotland, I then to fry my eggs here but it reminds me of the game my brother and I used to play when we were younger where you would make as small a hole as possible in your egg. Then you would eat it very neatly, turn the shell upside down and give it to my dad. Without fail, he would always pretend as if he was really surprised it wasn’t a “real” egg. In addition, I love how geeky it is (I am a science nerd after all) and wish I would use it more. I’ve recently seen some very cool pictures of little custards made in eggs so perhaps, it’ll a get a few more uses in the future?!

Sudden move!!

I'm so excited!! as you might have figured out from the blog, I've been planning to move to Basel for a while. Barry left last week and started his new job on Monday and I had resigned myself to living in Dundee until Christmas. But then I got a call from my future boss yesterday saying he finally got money organized but I need to start on the 1st October! So I'm moving on the 28th of September....I'm sooooo excited that's it's finally happening (it's been about two years in the planning) and daunted by packing up all my kitchenstuff! somehow it'll all fit, but it might be a bit quite on the blog in the next few weeks.