FOODIE Part 2

Now that I ate 700 miles worth of New York, it's time to continue my gastronomic tour of Europe.  This weekend, I made sure to taste the best of Vienna.  Coming soon...Germany!

Awesome dinner near Mozarthaus - goulash, beef stew, salad

The apple studel cooking class at Schonbrunn Palace.  Martin, our chef, did the entire presentation in German and English.  He was wonderful.  While I couldn't video the presentation, I did get the recipe for you:

Dough:

250g superfine flour

2g salt

50g egg

100g lukewarm water

20g sunflower oil

Mix all ingredients to a soft dough and knewad it until it looses from hands and table.

Tip: Form it to a ball and let it rest in vegetable oil for 30 minutes.  

Put the dough on a flour-covered linen cloth and roll it in a rectangular shape.

Extend it on the back of your hands to a wafer thin layer.  

Rox's note: He twirled it like pizza dough.  It should be thin enough to read through.

Butter Breadcrumbs:

100g butter breadcrumbs, 50g butter

Heat the butter in the pan, add the breadcrumbs and roast them until they take on a gold-brown shine.

Cinnamon Sugar:

140g sugar, 10g cinnamon.  Mix together

Filling:

150g butter breadcrumbs

150g cinnamon sugar

170g raisins

10g lemon juice

1100g peeled sour apples (like granny smith) cored and sliced

a shot of rum

Mix all ingredients well.

Assembly:

Put the filling in the extended layer of dough, cut off the thick ends nad roll it carefully with the cloth.  Put onto a buttered baking tray and bake at 190C  till it takes on a gold-brown shine.  Tip: Put butter on the strudel as soon as it comes out of the oven.

Classic Vienna street food (you know I love street meat!)  

Bratwurst - spicy and cheese-filled

Dinner at Augustinerkeller:

Dessert first - french toast-like bread served with roasted plum sauce

and apricots surrounded by fresh cream and vanilla ice cream on a crust

Dinner: wiener schnitzel, mixed salad plate, and herb-filled ricotta cheese in fried pastry

Cafe Demel - classic Sacher Torte and coffee ice cream, as Demel was an ice creamery before it began making pastries.

Guidebooks will suggest you eat Sacher Torte at the Hotel Sacher, where it was invented, but my sources told me it was too dry there and that local Viennese enjoy their native dessert at Cafe Demel.  They are right - moist and delicious.  For a little history on the competition, check out this info from Wikipedia:

The cake consists of two layers of dense, not overly sweet chocolate cake (traditionally a sponge cake) with a thin layer of apricot jam in the middle and dark chocolate icing on the top and sides. It is traditionally served with whipped cream without any sugar in it (Standard German:Schlagsahne, Austrian Standard German: Schlagobers), as most Viennese consider the Sachertorte too "dry" to be eaten on its own.

The trademark for the "Original Sachertorte" was registered by the Hotel Sacher, which was built in 1876 by the son of Franz Sacher. The recipe is a well-kept secret.^{[citation needed]}

Until 1965, Hotel Sacher was involved in a long legal battle with the pastry shop Demel, who had also produced a cake called the "Original Sachertorte." Numerous tales have circulated to explain how Demel came by the recipe. The cake at Demel is now called "Demels Sachertorte" and differs from the "Original" in that there is no layer of apricot jam in the middle of the cake, but directly underneath the chocolate cover, covering the entire cake.

Welcome back to Bulgaria

I took this picture from my balcony yesterday: 

Yup, that's a toilet in the rubbish. 

Frankfurt, Germany

As they pass the bright green budding trees on this warm, sun-filled, spring day, he leans in so she can hear him over the hum of the train riding along the tracks.  "You have such beautiful eyebrows," he whispers in her ear, "try not to furrow your brow."

Sound crazy?  I've had some pretty crazy experiences in my travels this year including the accidental trip to Asia from Istanbul, the mad hunt for the unnamed Hungarian marzipan candies in Budapest, and the Bulgarian man who got punched in the face repeatedly while standing shoulder to shoulder with me on the bus coming home from Sofia University.  This one ranks right up there.

When I announced that a 9 hour layover in Frankfurt on Easter Sunday was part of my itinerary, everyone told me Frankfurt is awful.  So I loaded up my ipod with episodes of Dirty Sexy Money (I know it's been cut from the lineup, but I still wanted to see the last 9), grabbed some short stories, and prepared to dig in at the airport for a while.  I figured I could at least learn where to buy my train tickets to Baden Baden, my destination on April 30 - yay!  Imagine my surprise when Henry approached me as I was talking to the information agent.

It seems, like me, Henry, whose South Korean name is unpronouncable by native English speakers, so we can just call him Henry, had an extended layover on Sunday.  He figured out how to buy a subway ticket to go to the Rhine River and enjoy the afternoon outside, even though nothing much would be open on the holiday.  He overheard me talking and was apparently excited that my English is so good.  When I explained that I'm American and an English teacher (one would hope I speak good English, though it is sometimes debatable), he was thrilled.  He offered to pay for my ticket and lunch if I would accompany him downtown.  A little unusual, but I figured why not...no harm in making a new acquaintance.  After all, my travel experts keep telling me I should embrace traveling alone because it's such a great opportunity to meet new people.  So, off we went...

We stopped at a cafe for lunch...I had a salad with turkey and fruit.  It was pretty good.  Things got a little weird when Henry asked me to choose something for him.  I couldn't do that...food choices are way too personal.  Then it got worse.  Now, I'm trying to embrace a new, less OCD misanthropic attitude here, but when he asked if he could taste some food off of my plate, I was weirded out.  I didn't really know what to say, and I was done eating,  so I went with it.  

After lunch we went down to the river where tons of people where biking, rollerblading, laying out, and enjoying the beautiful day.  He told me all about how rich he is - apparently he's a successful author.  He talked all about his "humanistic approach to business managment" and how for the price of his apartment in South Korea (he owns two) he could buy 5 HUGE houses in America.  I also heard how South Korea pays English teachers per student and how popular teachers can make $250,000/year, how it's completely democratic, women are respected and treated equally, and how foreigners are adored.  I kept waiting for him to try to sell me into a pyramid scheme or something.  It was weird.  He also mentioned that he is only 33, "very young" after inquiring about my age and making sure to guess that I was only 23.  (I know I look a little younger than my age, but even my ego didn't buy 23!)  To top it all off, he kept touching me.  You know how I feel about that.  After guiding me to a bench in the shade so I could rest (evidently he thought I was tired after my red-eye flight even though I insisted I wanted to stay up and move around so I could adjust to the jetlag), guiding me across the street, and guiding me out of the way of other pedestrians on the bridge, I had to explain that as an American I value my personal space.  I thought he'd gotten it till that train ride back to the airport - eyebrows?  Yikes.

Needless to say, once we arrived, even though I still had another 4 hours till my flight, I politely excused myself and got the heck out of there.  Luckily FRA is a huge airport.  I think I am now completely justified in my misanthropy and refusal to travel alone.  Of course, I found out later that my friends Geoffrey and Cora were in town that day.  Even though I'll be seeing them in Baden Baden soon, obviously, I would have liked to hang with them in Frankfurt.  If only I had a global cell phone!  At least I got a good story and you guys get a good laugh out of it all.  Nonetheless, Frankfurt is a lovely, clean city.  Should you find yourself stranded there during a long layover, it's well worth the 7.40 euro roundtrip downtown to walk along the river. 

Arissa

One of the many pleasures of going home for the holiday - puppy love!

Family Talent

Musical talent runs in the family.  Clearly it bypassed me.  I play the piano, but only because I love it and took lessons since I was 4.  I have no ear.  Where other women want to be taller, thinner, blonder...I just wish I could sing.  And perhaps to the chagrin of anyone in my vicinity as I walk down the street with headphones on, the fact that I can't carry a tune doesn't stop me!  It is with great pride that I now get to sing along to my cousin Danny on my ipod.  How cool is that?

I seem to have gotten a bit of the cooking talent.  As anyone in our family, or who has been a guest at a family holiday knows, we're all great cooks and bakers.  Macaroni and meatballs, cheesecake, bread, rice pudding, chocolate mousse cake...okay, so we lean a little toward carbs and sweets...whatever...we like it.  Alanna and I both take great joy in experimenting, collecting recipes, and feeding people.  Don't worry, we eat what we cook too!  Our best recipes have been passed down from Grandma and Aunt Geri, and I recently discovered that Uncle Richard has mastered bread and pizza dough...can't wait to learn those!

It seems there is some visual art talent in the family too.  I've been lucky to enjoy my favorite visual art form through Alanna's photos for years.  Now I get the pleasure of sharing Chris, Alex, and Veronica's photographs.   Enjoy them!

FOODIE

I think I missed my calling. I should have been a food critic...imagine...traveling around the world to taste the best foods and then write about them. Seriously...missed my calling.

This trip home was a welcome return to some of the best, if not best for you, foods from my childhood. My friends and family made sure I put a significant dent in my previous blog list of goodies. It seems my foodiness is widely known since the first question my students asked was what I ate and how much weight I gained on this trip!  

I didn't get photos of everything, and you'll notice that many of the photos I did get are of partially eaten food. Apparently, I attack my meals with such gusto that I don't remember to take the photo until I've consumed half the meal!

In any case, enjoy the pictures, which are posted publicly on flickr.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35621582@N05/sets/72157616630186083/

Missing:  

burgers and cheese fries from Shake Shack in the UWS

Carvel Carvelanche - vanilla ice cream with cake crunch and hot fudge

burgers and dogs on the grill (thanks Uncle Richard and Farina!)

bagels (thanks Dan and Colleen!)

Sicilian pizza (thanks Dad!)

Mexican food (thanks Chris!)

BLT

Italian cheesecake, macaroons, rainbow cookies, cannolis from Rocco's on Bleeker

dirty water hot dog

meatball parm sub (thanks Clarissa!)

spaghetti carbonara (thanks Niki and Steve!)

(I realize as I type this list...I missed a lot...and I ate a lot!)

NY landmarks

Guidebooks will list hundreds (thousands?) of things to do and see in NYC.  New Yorkers could add many more to the list.  And while I love the lights of Broadway, the verve of the village, and the shopping throughout the city...sometimes I need a trip to the outer boroughs.

Di Fara Pizza in Brooklyn

This Brooklyn pizza joint has a great story.  Check out the many blogposts about it:

http://slice.seriouseats.com/tags/Di%20Fara

Brooklyn has great pizza, but the Bronx has baseball.  My trip had to include a visit to see the House that Ruth Built alongside it's shiny new replacement.

There's No Place Like Home

My ruby slippers may be packed in Dan and Colleen's basement, but clicking my credit card number into my computer was as effective as clicking my heels together 3 times.  Like Dorothy, I flew over the rainbow and back home, both literally to the US, NY, Chester, and Clifton Park and metaphorically to my family, friends, and favorite foods.  

While I've never been lucky (as Grandpa Charlie used to say, "If not for bad luck, you'd have no luck at all,") the stars seemed to align on this trip.  The timing was perfect for seeing almost everyone...Geri and Sal were in town, Ballston Spa was not on spring break, and people living in various parts of the state were all able to see me on the days I was passing through.  (This trip was such a whirlwind - I put 700 miles on the car in only 8 days!).  

I have to confess, I was so busy enjoying myself that I often neglected to take photos.  Fortunately, at our family gathering on Palm Sunday, my little cousins took my camera and captured some great moments.  Veronica and Alex took most of the photos below - great job guys!  (And out of respect - and a little fear - for Aunt Geri, I am not posting the picture of her telling them that Uncle Richard said to stop running on the rocks.  Don't worry cousins...I still have a copy of it.)

Today, as we cursed the multiple inches of snow that continue to fall on this dismal second day of spring in Sofia (FYI - my students tell me: "It hasn't snowed during March in Sofia for 6 or 7 years"), John and I were discussing our upcoming trips back to the states.  We compiled a list of must eat foods.  Below is my work in progress version.  This "foodie" is excited...hope you guys have appetites because eating is priority numero uno!

In no particular order:

Cape Cod^® salt & vinegar potato chips

NY PIZZA
Mexican
Sloppy Joes

Wraps
Pulled pork

Pecan Pie
Spring rolls
Cheese scrambled egg on a hard roll
Filet mignon on the grill
Steak sandwiches
Carvel ice cream

Turkey Hill mint chip
Onion rings
Cinnamon buns and anything else at the bakery

Cannolis

Turkey sandwiches (some with cheese, lettuce, tomato, honey mustard on wheat; others with cranberry sauce and stuffing on a hard roll)
BLT on bagels
Turkey Reuben
Tuna on bagel
Burgers on the grill

Dirty water hot dogs
Sweet potato fries
Italian food
Black beans in many varieties
Chili con queso
Meatball sub
Baked beans
BBQ Ribs
Spinach-artichoke dip
Eggplant parmagiano