Quick Stockholm Memories Cinnamon rolls to celebrate the weekend!

I learned from the Swedes: Love sweet snacks withyour drink at the local cafe. The cinnamon rolls won me over. A bit smaller than the ones I had in Stockholm, but this quick and easy cinnamon roll recipe will make a great quick snack.

Ingredients

• 1 can of cresent rolls (for my first try I used the small tin).
• a good amount of softened butter (I used about 50 gramms)
• 3-4 table spoons of brown sugar
• half a table spoon of cinnamon (or maybe a bit more)
• two teaspoons of nutmeg
• For topping powdered sugar

You could add raisins to the filling too if you'd like.

Directions
Grease a muffintin with buttter.
In a small bowl, mix together the sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon.
Roll out the pastry. Cut in two if you're short on space (like me). Pinch together the seams, your not going to use them anyway.
Spread a good layer of butter on the pastry. Cover with the mix of dry ingredients. Be generous.
starting from the short side, Roll up the pastry. Make sure its nice and tight. Cut slices from yor roll. And place them ik the muffin tin. Make sure to dip the first and last slice of your roll in some left sugar mix. Or you can sprinkle over some later.

Put in the oven (175 C) for about 10 to 15 minutes. Check the directions on the pastry package.

Let cool for a moment and in the mean time, make yourself a cup of tea or coffee. Before serving to yourself (and others, for greater fun), cover with some powdered sugar. It looks even better:

Before a little snow fall...

After...

Then, the best part of all: dig in and enjoy.

Paris - Bon Appètit [Part II]

So, yesterday I shared with you day one in food. Our second day was not as much eating wonderuful food as day one. But we made up for that buying some great stuff to take home. Which looked like this.

I had to be a little picky on what to buy because I only had one small backpack (26L, Dakine) with me. Which was good for my budget, really.

We started our second day off with a big laugh. You need to know we took quite some foodies with us for the long bus ride. Most of which we ate. But the cake we took to our hotel room and turned out to be breakfast at day two. My friend told me she'd bring a cake with her, I just didn't expect a whole cake including the baking tin. It did help to transport the baby in a whole, though. And it tasted great (thanks goes to the friend of my travel friend who made the cake).

After that we went serious, heading for Rue de Bretagne to visit Marché des Enfants Rouges. At 10:30 I think we were a little too early for the real buzz. Most restaurant stalls were busy setting up tables and polishing table ware. But the food stalls were open and hell, did they look good. It was a pity not to be able to bring home the fresh sea food and vegetables available for nice prices at this small covered market. We were day dreaming about having an apartment just around the corner of this market and make amazing dishes with these fresh ingredients.

Thankfully, they also offered great food to bring along too. I settled on a small 100g jar of Moutarde de Dijon à la Provincale. I've paired it with with some different snacks by now. Chicken, crisps and a Dutch bitterbal. It tastes great. But being such a small jar results in getting at the bottom already...

But it's not just the market that rocks this streets. It's all of the small shops and cafes along this street too. Like Fromagerie Jouannault, right next to the market entrance. I didn't buy cheese here though and went with a small tastefull sliced nut bread (at 2,95 euro) for the bus ride home. But in case you do buy cheese, they pack vacuum, to make sure your cheese can blow your taste buds away at home.

We also bought a few bottles of wine and rosé at Le Repaire de Bacchus. They had a great selection of wines and also champagnes. The rosé I bought turned out to be Italian, actually. Which is proof of me, not being such a good drinker. But it did make a great gift for my parents at home.

Le Marché des Enfants Rouges, 39 Rue de Bretagne, 75003 Paris

Metro: Arts et Métiers (line 3 and 11), Temple (line 3), Fillets du Calvaire (line8)

Open: Tue-Thur: 08:30-13:00 and 16:00-19:30, Fr-Sat: 8:30-13:00 and 16:00-20:00 Sunday: 08:00-14:00

Fromagerie Jouannault, 39 Rue de Bretagne 75003 Paris

Le Repaire de Bacchus, 40 Rue de Bretagne 75003 Paris

After a dissapointed look through the vintage (on the high-end price) shop Kiliwatch, we had lunch at Bistro Burger. The food wasn't anything special, but it's a family friendly place, judging on the number of families with (young) children having lunch there at that moment.

Not to mention there is a great natural food shop opposite. 

Bistro Burger 26 Rue Montorgueil, 75001 Paris
Metro: Les Halles or Étienne Marcel (line 4), Sentier (line 3)
Open every day from 12:00-22:00

On our way home from La defense, we made a stop at Ladurée at the Le Printemps warehouse to buy our batch of macarons. But before I tell you all about it. I have to make a confession. I didn't know about Ladurée until I searched on Pinterest for 'Paris'. Laugh at me, but I'm a relative newbie to food-love. Which means that a few years ago, I wouldn't mind food so much. It has grown on me only in recent years. I guess the train trip from Amsterdam to Rome I mentioned yesterday opened my eyes on how great, truely great food can be. That was only two years ago. So, bear with me as I go crazy on icons that are established centuries ago. 

On day one we had a look at the small (and much more stylish) shop at Rue Bonaparte, but we wanted to bring these expensive babies home as fresh as possible. Which meant that we had to wait one more day with our buy. After an Asian tourist before us, commanded the staff to fill his 80-something box with more and more coffee taste macarons. As Dutchies with an asian look, felt like we had to make up on the rude impression the man before us, left the helpfull staff with. Ordering a humble six-piece box and try to make a choice out of their wonderfull tastes. 

To be honest, I couldn't believe I spent 15,80 euro on just six of these sweet treats. But I have to admit after tasting them, I'd happily go and buy again. In order of heavenlyness (is that even a word?): Lemon, Pistachio, Salted caramel, Chocolat, Rose and vanilla. I now have a very good reason to come back to Paris some at some time. And then, I will buy, in a more fitting style at the small Rue Bonaparte location. 

We hit a big tourist trap miss at our diner restaurant, but it was raining (again) and we were hungry. We concluded that we had to miss at some point during this food filled trip, anyway.
We closed the day, relaxing at our hotel room. Watching the only English chanel we had, BBC News, snacking supermaket snacks (cheese and chips).

At Sunday morning there were no café's open near our hotel, so we took one more metro trip to République. Just before heading home we catched our first and last real sun rays at the terrace of bistrot POP. It was a wonderfull goodbye to Paris.

Bistrot POP, 3 Avenue de la Republique, 75011 Paris, France
Metro: République (line 3, 5, 8, 9, 11)
Open every day 08:00-02:00

Take care and have a wonderfull start of your weekend!

Paris - bon appétit! [part I]

It's already a month ago that I went to Paris. The 7 to 8 hour bus ride (thanks to a mid-city stop at Brussels during rush hour) from Utrecht to Paris gave me a last fling of an evening, two full days and a morning to spend in the capital city of France. For that short amount of time, I'd say I spent most of my time and money on food (same goes for my friend). I could split my travel in Paris in two parts, the eating food part and the buying food part. Sharing with you our fist day of Paris in food.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do, they say. Same thing goes for French. This saying went out of the window as we went Asian, for the first meal in Paris up until lunch the next day (with an exeption for the pain au chocolat as a breakfast). 

We stopped at Toma Sushi, a short walk from the Ibis Budget hotel we stayed at. It didn't look so convincing and warm welcoming, but we went in anyway the menu looked promising.

We were in for a surprise. Ignore the neon lights and big menu's on the outside windows and inside you'll find a nice, asian decorated seating place. We had a little trouble making a choice from the diverse menu. In the end I settled with a sushi plate and my friend went with some kind of lunch or diner box and a small salad and miso soup as an entrance. The salad was the star, fresh and crisp. The main dishes were great too. We also got introduced to Japanese late night business meetings, as a group of business walked in and started out their banquet at, what, ten in the evening. Talking loud and with visible food in their mouth. Make sure you face the other side of the restaurant, which I did, thankfully.

The next day after the awesome Opèra visit, we walked down Rue St. Anne. We were told that this is kind of like asian town of Paris. To be honest we were a little dissapointed. There were plenty of restaurants, but we expected a little more atmosphere maybe. Like our Amsterdam China town. But, we did find a great supermarket, K-mart Kafeteria. I think it's a great place to stock up on Korean and Japanese ingredients and snack at this big place. At the back they sell very fresh cut sashimi for 4 to 5 euro. That was a nice snack along the way. Also we took a stroll through the Passage de Choiseul. A nice and lively passage filled with all sorts of small restaurants, cafes and boutiques. We took a seat at Steam &Soup. A Dim Sum concept presented all in french. So we pointed at the menu and  I guess we ordered a mix of Dim Sums. Vegetable, fish and meat. Taking three small Steaming bowls up the steep small stairs to enjoy our treats.

Toma Sushi 20 avenue de la République, 93170 Bagnolet.

Metro Gallieni (line 3).
I couldn't find their opening hours, but they were open relatively late.

K-mart Kafeteria 8 Rue Sainte-Anne, 75001 Paris.
Metro Pyramides (line 7, 14) or Quatre-Septembre or Bourse (line 3)

Mon-Sat 10:00-21:00

Steam&Soup 58 Passage de Choiseul, 75002 Paris.

Metro: Quatre-Septembre (line 3) or Opéra (line 3, 7,8) 

After the dim sum we banned the Asian theme and went French, as much a possible. Starting at one of my favorite neightbourhoods in Paris (even with the tourists), Montmartre. We stumbled up on a Kusmi Tea Shop just outside the Metro station Abbesses. Thanks to the shop attendant, we had a great time smelling and tasting teas. There were literally walls of flavours to chose from. Little overwelming, in a most beautiful way. Loved the 1kg tins, I'll have to bring a car next time, really. But don't worry they sell smaller sized tins and boxes too.

 

This lovely tin of 125gr black tea with apple scent went home with me. It smells and tastes great (telling you that, as I'm taking a sip of my cuppa!). In case you cannot make a choise, they sell combination packs with smaller tins in different flavours.

Kusmi Tea has different shops all over Paris (and is sold world wide), but thanks to the great service I give you the address we enjoyed so much. Kusmi Tea 15 Rue des Abbesses, 75018 Paris (metro: Abbesses, line 12)

When I was travelling through Europe by train (Amsterdam to Rome), I fell in love with this tiny place, Chéri Bibi. I have never forgotten the Salmon plate I had here. It's pretty local, not in the most warm and buzzing street in Paris at all, but still pretty much next to the butte Montmartre. We watched couples out on diner or a (first) date and a group of friends gathering and people chill and chat at the bar and at the sofa area. It's tiny and all squeezed in though. Almost sitting at-your neightbours-table-tight. They work with three course choice menu for a set price (eighter 25 or 28 euro, excluding drinks). Although, we skipped on dessert (you do still pay for the three course menu, though). The salmon was as good as I remembered, just plated slightly differently this time. And the starter salmon salad was a good one too, quite filling. The best end of our fist day in Paris we could have wished for.

Chéri Bibi 15 Rue André del Sarte, 75018 Paris.

Metro: Anvers or Barbès Rochechouart (line 2), Château Rouge (line 4).

Open: Mon-Sat 18:00-02:00

See you tomorrow for part two!

How rain turned into a sunny day filled with yummy food

Summer stays strong. Last week we had some thunder and rain comming over. Which was very welcome. Although, it almost ruined my day with friends in Zeeland. The place where I spent many many years of family vacations aat the beach and the little towns. After a rainy start we were off for a sunny kind of food tour. And a pretty good one if I may say so myself.

  

We went to Saint John (Sint Jan Straat 40, 4331 KD Middelburg, mo-sa 8:30-18:00). A brown café, a cosy little home feel cafe in Middelburg for Lunch. We had a great tosti St. John special, including Dutch bacon: Zeeuws spek. Served with brown fresh (I think) baked bread and a little salad (which could have done with a little less dressing) it was a good starter. But the winner of the day was the yoghurt Ice cream. Absolute big hit. Light but oh so creamy. We went back at the end of the day for a second one, finding the café closed (of course we didn't check the time table). Which means I have a very good reason to come back there. 

Still raving about the ice cream we went walking though the city a bit. Then my friend took us on a car ride along the former island of Walcheren. It isn't an island anymore thanks to poldering and a dam connecting it to the main land. 

Driving though the small towns, that look so lively in the Summer season and passing many mini-campings, B&Bs and small hotels and vacation homes. We took a little break at Veere. It's such a pretty old city (earning city rights from 1355!). It's quite a tourist draw especially for the small harbour and a lake (Veerse meer) near by. But we didn't mind everybody was in summer mood and we took a little tour to walk in the lake water. Swimming was not an option since we didn't bring our swim wear (it looked too cloudy to be true in the moring). 

The best kind of hidden spot was a covered old tunnel that was used back in the days to defend the city. 

We enjoyed some fish snacks: kibbeling (fried crispy fish) and Zeeuwse Oysters. Both were nice fresh a little silty. The only down side was the sauce from a readymade pot. 

Most part of Zeeland is below sea level plus the province is a big river delta including the Rhine, Maas and Scheldt. The worst flooding was the North Sea Flooding of 1953. My grandmother who lives in the coastal province of Zuid-Holland, still has a small picture where the family's home is almost completely under water. Only rooftops are visible. The Delta Works were developed after the event to protect the land. We saw some of it in the distance when we took a short beach walk. 

After another little car ride we went to the beach of Dishoek for dinner. Dishoek, had the most beautiful beaches along the Dutch shore line. Or at least, that's me thinking. Childhood memories and sleeping in once of the beach cottages a few times give me a little sweet spot here. One of the best memories I have here, is walking along the shore line around midnight by full moon with my father. He pointed out the green glittering at the shore: salt lighting up in the moon light. It really is one of the most magical (but real) things I have ever seen.

Beach pavilion Kaapduin was our dinner place. It was very hot and the outside terrace was filled. So we sat inside and enjoyed the generous food portions. I had cooked Zeeuwse Mussels and my friends baked mussels and a fish trio. We had a good time feeding oursselves. 

On the almost 3 hour train ride home, I reminded myself to enjoy my own country more. Because this day was such a great, and taste full day. The best things sometimes are in your own back yard, remember.

Active and organized

Thanks to a day off today, it's been a beautiful long weekend. Using all that time to crochet, cook and picnic, writing and starting a big Pinterest clean up.

It was a great Summer day today! And I made good use of it. Going out for a long walk/bicycle ride with a friend of mine.
We walked along the Kromme Rijn between Odijk and Bunnik (although could have moved on further). Sat down to have a small but tasty picnic and went back cycling via Slot Zeist.

Besides all walking and cycling and enyoing the Summer, I've started a big declutter on a whole bunch of things trying to get organized (a little more).
At a recent phone photo clean-up I discovered that I close to 300 food pictures. Taken in a period of a year or so. Most of them involve one of the following elements: family, friends and or the making and baking proces. This Creamy Caprese Pasta by How sweet it is, is one of the recipes I tried and photographed. The first time I tried this, I served it for me and three friends in cute seperate oven pans. As a side dish, I made the beautiful sweet and fresh Pear Feta Walnut Salad by Angie McGowan via babble.com.

But yesterday I made a big pan for my family. Everyone loved it!

The only thing missing? A propper Italian dessert, like my home made tiramusu... Giving you that next time.

Then the other big(ger) project I put my hands on this weekend, the Pinterest Clean-up. Before my big blog-break I wrote about what I learned from being on Pinterest. There's been quite a built up of pins since then: over 2400 pins and 43 not so organized boards. Including descriptions that were not mine and not so charming (like google images, ouch!) or (even worse) dead links. Time for a clean up.
That means I'm going through my boards one by one, pin for pin. Yes, that is time consuming. And that's why I'm not anywhere near halfway through. I've done three boards by now. And I'm happy with the results:

• working links (or at least a note that there is no link).
• Proper credit (going back to the most original post I could find, instead of a home page or collection page (like tumblr or we heart it).
• boards I love (I only kept the pretty stuff)
• no doubles
• no (accidently) wrong board pins
• a bunch of new boards (splitting up the bigger ones).

I have no Idea when I'll be finished, but I'll give you a sign. Wouldn't it be great to do this all together? I mean, propper credit that's what all those lovely bloggers, writers, photographers, artistst out there deserve, right? So, I'd say spread the word! 

To keep myself in shape (for all the food I love to eat and away from my beloved laptop), I started running again. It's been six months since my last run, thanks to the bruised foot. So, it was a very, very modest run (1,5 - 2 - 4 - 2 - 1,5 - 0,5 mins with 1 minute walks before and in between). But it felt great after wanting and waiting to get my first after such a long time! Rewarding myself with an iced tea of my favorite flavor.

 

A Summer weekend

I feel like I've been on on a week long vacation, at least, while it was just the weekend really. Thanks to last moment actions and going with the flow. Or maybe the Summer weather is the real drive, and good food. Pretty much all week, makes me a happy person too.

Like this lunch I had with a friend of mine at Het Paradijs in Utrecht. A Chinese restaurant, serving some of the best Cantonese food to be found in the city, so far (just ignore the old school look, its about the food, remember?).

lunch last Wednesday at restaurant Het Paradijs

The weekend started Friday with a friend of mine asking me to join her to De Beschaving. A one-day Festival at the terrain of Utrecht University. To more specific, one of the best places to think of for a festival: the Botanical Gardens!

Loveley view of the rock garden at the Botanical Gardens

I thought it was beautiful! We enjoyed the sunny weather and had good talks laying in the grass feeding ourselves with great (mainly) biological foodies. Some foodies became an experience, like the tea from the Theefrabriek (Tea Factory, in the polaroid photograph below) and my friend grinded her own cup of coffee at Koffieleute.

All over the terrain we could hear nice music from artists like Goslink (who plays on instruments he has built with his own hands!), Laura Jansen (love how she's named her second album after the beautiful Italian island Elba. I have some great memories on a family holiday there!) , Andy Burrows and Sumera to name a few. Although, I have to say that the most impressive pieceof music was the classical The Armed Man by Karl Jenkins, performed by the Utrecht Students choir and orchestra. Combined with imagesa and footage of war of all ages (from the Middle ages to today's wars), it was not a happy watch, but it made clear why it's a privilige to live in peace, like we do. That did sound a little...well dramatic maybe, but I can't find another way to describe it.
The only thing we missed out on? The university talks. We were having such good conversations by ourselves on topics like 'when do you call somebody your friend?' and 'which places you want to travel to?' and family and friends talk.

Laura Jansen @ De Beschaving

Bottle post in 2013

Right, by now you might get into Summer mood too, I hope. I certainly did. But the summer feeling got in full swing when I went to the beach with my family today. It was Noordwijk, today (52.24°N 4.45°E). It was not even as busy as expected! Love swimming in the sea and reading a book (currently a book I picked up at the last Queensday market (since we went back having a king this year) on the history of Northern America).

Well, hope you had an awesome weekend too! I'm all loaded up for a fresh week at the office.