My brother's cooking club

My brother has a cooking club together with some friends. They meet once a month, sometimes for an evening, sometimes for a weekend, and two people are responsible for the food. They take turns cooking. It's strictly for guys only and so far they've never invited guests. So I was particularly honored when I was allowed to join them for a weekend in Klosters. What better way to spend the weekend than as the only girl with 5 men who are into cooking?! Thank you, guys!

Kristian was responsible for the starter: salad with quail eggs and tiger prawns.

My brother made Ossobuco with polenta and vegetables. The last time I had tried bone marrow was years ago and I hated it. I tried it again and this time loved it! We mixed it with some chives, finely chopped onion and salt and ate it with toast - delicious!

I didn't want to come empty handed so I made dessert: Ottolenghi's orange polenta cake and salty caramel ice cream to go with it.

For breakfast my brother and his friends had bought some graved lachs from Lachserei Ehrat in Klosters: www.lachserei.ch

And my brother made a Spanish omelette following a recipe from Jamie Oliver's iphone app, but gave it a Grisons twist by adding Salsiz instead of chorizo. It tasted fabulous!
I hope I can join my brother's cooking club again some day!

Three beautiful Cafe Lattes!

www.restaurant-markthalle.ch

Sunday in London

I miss Sundays in London the most! In Switzerland people spend Sundays at home preparing for the working week ahead. Maybe that is a slight exaggeration, but sometimes it feels like that when I walk around the empty streets of Zurich.
In London friends meet up, wander around the markets together or go to the pub for a lovely roast lunch, a glass of wine and hung over conversation. Or people cook a roast at home for family and friends. In London Sunday is about enjoying a day off and spending time with loved ones.

Sunday lunch at the Lansdowne Pub in Primrose Hill

www.thelansdownepub.co.uk

My first visit to Whole Foods

I'm a sucker for big beautiful stores with long display cases full of gorgeous food. It was about time that I went to a Whole Foods Market. Of course I immediately got carried away and bought a big box full of salads and veggies and meats. I spent hours staring at the colourful cupcakes and fresh breads. But at the same time I felt slightly sickened by this gluttonous overload of food

I'm not convinced you can really call your produce natural and organic when you've flown it in all the way from Chile and Argentina. Who needs blueberries and strawberries in Winter?

 http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/

Salty chilli squid

Vietnamese salty chilli squid might just be my favourite dish ever! Unfortunately not to be found in Zurich. So when I'm in London I have to eat salty chilli squid at least once, preferably at Cay Tre on Old Street, my favourite Vietnamese restaurant where I had lunch every day for months on end when I was working round the corner.

http://www.vietnamesekitchen.co.uk/caytre/

My new favourite vegetable

I can't get enough of Barba di Frate / Moenchsbart at the moment. Eating it every day!

Just boil it in salted water for two minutes, dribble good olive oil over the still hot Barba di Frate (I love the smell of the olive oil becoming warm), squeeze some lemon juice over it, salt and pepper - done. Enjoy!

Another last meal

One of my favourite things to eat in Tanzania is chapati, an unleavened flat bread made from... flour. For my long trip back home to Switzerland a had a goodie bag with me filled with delicious snacks, including two chapati. I was so excited about these that I had to have the first one along with an ice cold Kilimanjaro beer at the airport while waiting for my flight. It was the best last meal in Tanzania I could dream of!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chapati

Chem Chem

I don't think I ever experienced a better end to the old year and beginning to the new year! I spent two days in Chem Chem, a small lodge close to Lake Manyara in Tansania, which friends of the family opened a few months ago. The lodge consists of 8 tents and is located outside the national park, which means that one can go on walking safari rather than sitting in a car all the time.
Due to its size the lodge feels incredibly intimate and personal. The owners Fabia and Nikolas thought of ever detail and created a magical place.

Everything was so beautiful my two travel companions and I decided straight away to spend our two days at Chem Chem at the lodge rather than walking around the area. I can honestly say that I have never felt so relaxed in my life! It was the perfect 31st December and 1st January!

In the mornings we had breakfast sitting in front of our tent and overlooking the view searching for animals grazing along the horizon.

All meals were so well cooked, delicious and accompanied by that amazing view and very attentive service!

The second evening we spent in Chem Chem we celebrated the birthday of one of my friends. We ate dinner under a tree surrounded by 'millions' of candles and lanterns. It was beautiful!

Those 48 hours I spent at Chem Chem were perhaps the most deeply relaxing and wonderful hours I've experienced in my life so far. If you are in need of a break or if not I highly recommend a visit to this place. You won't regret it!!!

www.chemchemsafari.com

Tanzania

I spent my winter break in Tanzania (close to Arusha), I was there for two weeks and it was bliss! Not just due to the warm weather, wonderful scenery and relaxed days but also the amazing food!

Unlike what one might expect the country offers an incredible diversity of produce! All kinds of fruit and vegetables, fish from the coast, beef, lamb, goat, chicken, and spices, spices, spices!

I highly recommend a visit to the market in Arusha's town center!

Good produce means good food. At least it is essential for good food. We were lucky - Nasib, who took care of our culinary needs, knew exactly what he was doing. Meals were simple but delicious!

Breakfast: a plate of fresh fruit every day and either pancakes or eggs and bacon

Lunch and dinner: salad, avocado, vegetables, curry, okra, grilled meat, curry, rice, sweet potatoes...

A Last Meal

"Besides, what good would it do him to know? He is happy, he is serving an enormous meal to two pleasant people on the eve of war. Let him be happy."

"Happy?" I am dumbfounded. "He could be at home - he could be with his family."

"We are indulging ourselves, and so indulging him," the deathless man says. "This fellow takes great pride in what he does - and he is serving a glorious and wonderful meal, a memorable one. Tonight, he will go home to his family and talk about serving the last meal of the Hotel Amovarka, and tomorrow when he is gone, those still alive will have this to talk about. They will be talking about it after the war has ended. Do you see?"

the Tiger's Wife

Tea Obreht