by Krista | Sep 9, 2010 | Plucky Thursday
“Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.” — George Eliot
Paris
“I cannot endure to waste anything as precious as autumn sunshine by staying in the house. So I spend almost all the daylight hours in the open air.” — Nathaniel Hawthorne
Amsterdam garden
“Autumn is the eternal corrective. It is ripeness and color and a time of maturity; but it is also breadth, and depth, and distance. What man can stand with autumn on a hilltop and fail to see the span of his world and the meaning of the rolling hills that reach to the far horizon?” — Hal Borland
Versailles village
What is your favorite Autumn travel memory?
by Krista | Sep 8, 2010 | Compatriot Wednesday
I woke early Sunday morning and was outside reading in the precious Autumn sunshine when all of a sudden delectable wafts of bacon came dancing across the breezes. Rachel, my sis-in-law, was making breakfast. Oh. My. Goodness. 🙂
We filled our plates then found sunny spots on the deck and tucked into thick cut bacon, fried eggs, fresh strawberries, and grainy artisan bread slathered with Nutella. Delish!
We basked in the hot sun as we visited and ate leisurely, laughing at their cat Elliot as he prowled bravely through the long grass, pouncing on invisible prey.
At last we mopped up the last of our eggs, crunched through that last bit of bacon, and dashed inside as thick, black clouds obliterated the sun and Autumn rains began.
It was a perfect breakfast.
What is one of your “perfect breakfast” memories? 🙂
by Krista | Sep 7, 2010 | Gulliver Tuesday
I’ve been infatuated with Germany since I was a little girl listening wide-eyed to Dad reading us stories of courage and sacrifice from World War II. I was horrified by the Nazi’s but deeply impacted and inspired by those brave few who resisted their own government, risking their lives and fortunes to protect those the Nazi’s wished to destroy.
I became a German history buff, scouring library bookshelves for biographies, histories, and novels that would bring this country to life for me.
I shivered as I learned of the fearsome, wild Germanic tribes from the old days. One sight of those chaps would’ve terrified me! I looked with interest at the strange little helmets of Otto von Bismarck and his military leaders, and read with fascination the tales of escape and evasion from East Germany to West after the Berlin Wall was raised.
Although I read voraciously, it wasn’t until my first visit to Germany that I transitioned from fascination to love of this amazing country.
Its beauty is undeniable. Even on dark, cold, rainy days, the tidy villages, expansive fields and dense forests always delight me. I never tire of wandering the streets of Germany, whether it be the city pavements of Berlin and Munich, or the cobbled squares of small towns, there is much scope for the imagination.
Yet my favorite aspect of Germany is not the history, or the architecture, or even the food. It’s the people.
I had heard stories of the coldness, rudeness and arrogance of the Germans, and while I suppose there are some like that, I haven’t encountered many. The Germans I know are fantastic people, warm-hearted, hilarious, and some of the best cooks I have ever met.
Like my friend Rita. The two of us met while we were nannies in Portugal, and have been like sisters ever since. Her parents are my adopted parents and vice-versa. I got to be at her wedding and I can’t wait to visit her again so I can meet her scrumptious baby girl. 🙂 Their family history still grips my heart. Whenever I start to feel sorry for myself all I have to do is think of what they’ve gone through, what they’ve survived, and I am filled with gratitude and renewed courage to press on.
I learned to cook real German/Russian food from Rita and her Mom – boy can those girls cook!! – and I can’t wait to share some of those recipes with you in the months to come.
In the meantime here is an easy recipe that never fails to make me think of Germany.
Simply fill your crockpot with layers of sauerkraut, thinly sliced onions, sausages of your choice, celery seed and lavish amounts of pepper, cover and cook for 4-5 hours. Twenty minutes before you’re ready to serve, boil up some potatoes. Once drained, drizzle them with melted butter, sprinkle with parsley and serve alongside the sausages with a bit of grainy mustard.
This is my contribution to Wanderfood Wednesday at Wanderlust and Lipstick. Stop by for more great recipes from around the world.
Easy Crockpot Sausage and Sauerkraut
(Serves 4)
Ingredients:
1 pound pre-cooked sausage (Kielbasa, bratwurst, etc), cut in 3-inch pieces
1-2 cans sauerkraut
1 onion, sliced thinly
1 tsp celery seed
ground pepper
Directions:
- In bottom of crockpot spread half the sauerkraut and top with 1/2 onion slices, 1/2 pound sausage, 1/2 tsp celery seed, and pepper.
- Repeat.
- Cover crockpot and cook on low for 4-5 hours.
- Serve with simple boiled, buttered potatoes sprinkled with parsley.
by Krista | Sep 3, 2010 | Fabulous Friday
Good morning, dear ones! 🙂 It’s Friday at last and the sun is shining gloriously!! I do love Autumn in Washington. 🙂
The other night I had to slip out of the house to capture this pearly glowing sky framed by thousands of cedar fronds. It felt fairytale-ish, like I was looking at a portal into another world. So beautiful. 🙂
Are you excited for your Labour Day Weekend? I sure am!! I get to drive down to Seattle to hang out with my brother, sis-in-law – hooray! We’re going to go hiking and shopping then will soak our weary selves in their hot tub. Can’t wait!! Tomorrow we get to meet up with dear friends at a fabulous Argentinian restaurant for great talks and all manner of delectable food. I don’t think I’ve ever had Argentinian food, have you? Do you have any recommendations or “you-simply-MUST-try-this” ideas?
As a hostess gift for my siblings I’m bringing a Nectarine Blackberry Galette. It’s baking as I type and ohhh, it smells so good! 🙂 I love galettes – a sort of free form pie. Simply roll out the dough into a circle, pile your choice of fruit in the middle, fold over the edges, bake and there you go!! Simple, easy, and so yummy. I made mine with a mix of whole grain, all-purpose, and semolina flours, and confess it has a bit of a blue tinge because I didn’t have sour cream or yogurt, just blackberry kefir. 🙂 I mixed the fruit with real maple syrup, dotted it with butter, then brushed the dough edges with water and sprinkled them with sugar to give them a nice glittery crust.
I hope you have a beautiful weekend, dear folks!! Talk with you soon! 🙂
Nectarine Blackberry Galette
(Serves 3)
Dough Ingredients:
1.5 Tbsp kefir (or sour cream, yogurt, buttermilk)
3 Tbsp ice water
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 Tbsp semolina flour (or cornmeal)
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup cold butter, grated
Dough Directions:
- In small bowl mix kefir and ice water.
- In large bowl stir together flours, sugar and salt.
- Add grated butter and work into flour. You want a mix of small and pea-sized pieces.
- Drizzle kefir/water over dough a bit at a time, tossing with a fork after each addition.
- With hands gather dough into mound and press together into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill 2 hours.
Filling ingredients:
2 nectarines, washed, pitted and sliced
1 cup blackberries, washed
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp butter, cut into pieces
1 tsp sugar
Galette Directions:
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
- Roll dough out to about an 8-inch circle and place on parchment lined baking sheet.
- In small bowl gently toss fruit with maple syrup to coat.
- Pile fruit in center of dough, leaving a 1-2 inch border.
- Sprinkle with butter pieces.
- Fold dough border over filling, leaving center exposed. Brush pastry with water and sprinkle with sugar.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, until pastry is golden and flaky.
- Using the parchment paper, transfer galette to cooling rack and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Cut into wedges and serve at room temperature.
by Krista | Sep 2, 2010 | Plucky Thursday
With the arrival of September I’m delighting in all things autumnish. Yes, I’m still basking in gloriously hot sunshine during the day, but I confess I’m enjoying the cooler nights where I get to wear sweaters and tucked quilts around me while I read or watch movies.
I’m excited today because The Travel Belles are featuring an article I wrote on Bled Castle in Slovenia. 🙂 I’d love it if you’d pop over and take a look and leave a comment to let us know what you think. 🙂 Click here to visit this gorgeous castle.
This morning I got up bright and early so I could take my walk and still have time to pick some blackberries before work. I have grand plans for a Blackberry Nectarine Galette to feast on this weekend. 🙂
This cooler weather has really put me in a baking mood, and my favorite thing right now is Spiced Maple Shortbread. Tender, buttery, not-too-sweet with all sorts of lovely Christmasy smells wafting through the house as they bake, these simple little cookies are so divine with a cup of strong black tea or sweet orange tea.
What does Autumn put you in the mood for?
Spiced Maple Whole Grain Shortbread
Ingredients:
2 cups whole grain pastry or all purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tsp maple extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Add maple extract to melted butter and stir.
- Mix dry ingredients and stir in butter.
- Press into a square 1/2 inch thick.
- Cut into squares and bake for 20 minutes.
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