Gruyere Turnovers

I am just back from visiting

SWITZERLAND

... therefore, I think!

That it would be a good idea if I would offer you an excellent recipe that I had just made before I left on my trip made with "local cheese" from Switzerland !

It was kind of a coincidence that I had made these turnovers just before my trip and would have offered them during my trip, but I had forgotten ... the picture at home!

This is a very very easy, quick and tasty recipe. Try it.

Gruyère Turnovers

Prep: 25 min     Cooking time: 12-15min     Servings: 32 pieces

Ingredients

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper

salt

3 Tbs butter

125 g (1cup) Gruyère, grated

3/4 cup milk

Preparation

In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, pepper and salt. Add the butter and work the preparation with 2 knives or a pastry cutter until the texture is similar to fine crumbs. Add half Gruyère and blend well. Add milk in three portions, mixing in between. Shape the dough in a ball and knead as needed.

On a surface lightly floured, roll out dough to 1/4 thick in a square of about 10 inches. Brush the dough with a little milk and sprinkle with cheese, pressing into dough (with the roller.) Cut into 16 squares, then cut in half diagonally (32 triangles.) Place triangles on two lightly oiled baking sheets. Place a sheet on the top rack of preheated oven at 400*F and the other on the lower rack. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until turnovers are golden (invert the sheets halfway through cooking.)

Reference: Coup de Pouce, May 2011

The same and more of it

I read

You used to be able to tell a person's nationality by the face. Immigration ended that. Next you discerned nationality by the foot wear. Globalization ended that. Those Finnish seal puppies, those German flounders - you don't see them much anymore. Only Nikes, on Basque, on Dutch, on Siberian feet.

Middlesex, Jeffrey Eugenides

... therefore, I think!

That is exactly what I was discussing while in Europe.

It seems, as in the picture, that now Dutch Shoes are more used as decoration, a souvenir of a not so far past.

Nowadays, everyone eats, wears, listens, drives the same thing.

Listen to this one. The night I left Montreal was to be the last Stanley Cup Game between Boston and Vancouver. (I will not discuss here which team I was rooting for but let's say that I felt closer to Boston; it's that rivalry thing that makes me go for Boston when Montreal is no longer in the finals ...) So it's 6am in Zurich, I have just came out of the plane, I am walking toward the rental car office and what do I hear over the speakers (radio), German German German ... Boston ... German German German ... Stanley Cup. Unbelievable! 5 minutes after landing, I knew who had won the Stanley cup.

I arrive at the Avis desk; not Eurocar, no no I can have any major car rental companies. The young clerk answer me in English (part French) wearing RayBan reading glasses! I get in the car, a Ford! Turn on the radio Fergie, followed by Lady Gaga, etc. I enter my destination in the Garmin GPS ... I drive to Zurich passing McDonald's, Burger King, KFC, Subway, Pizza Hut ... drinking Coca-Cola, people smoking Marlboro (and DO THEY SMOKE in Europe) ...

Traveling to industrialized countries, you really have to go out of your way to get a local flavor !

Not impossible, but sometimes not that obvious.

In the next few days, weeks I will share with you my trip to Europe: Switzerland, France and Germany. Show some pictures , share great stories (I think). 

Hide and seek

I travel ... and that's what happens!!

Whenever I travel for an extended period of time, I have to make arrangements for the day-to-day life of my ... cats. I strongly believe that someone who travels as much as I do should not have animals at home sitting alone, but my little "babies" are not disposable toys ... so for the time being, I have to live with it.

I have people (most often my mom) going to my house checking the everything is OK, bring in the mail, water the plants, and of course feed the cats, and in winter empty the litter box.

I specify in winter because in summer, I leave the patio door open 24/7. I mean, I have a system where I lock the door open about 15cm wide and so Mimi and Tigger can go in and out, I is less boring for them and they can go outside.

I know, I know. You are probably thinking: if the cats can go in and out, what else can do it too?? Well, over the years my teenager cats have had wild parties at home while I was not there, inviting friends and uninvited guests showing up whenever.

I have come back to see my neighbor's cat or dog eating my cats food in the kitchen. I have found only parts of a eaten rabbit (the only thing left was a back leg ...) Tigger seems to really like rabbits, mice, blue jays, sparrows and yes even squirrels (it is so weird to see Tigger coming up the outdoor stairs with a squirrel in his mouth.) I know it is Tigger that brings meals inside because Mimi does not eat anything else but her packaged dried food.

On night, I woke uo to the sound of kitchen doors being slammed. I thought my cats decided to play hide-and-seek in the kitchen but when I saw that both of them were sleeping on my bed, I could not ignore the noise and that I had uninvited guests in the house. I arrived in the kitchen to surprise a little family, dad, mon and baby raccoons trying to find a snack! I was lucky that they found their way out easily and rapidly. Noise and light made the job.

Recently, some strange things have occurred at home. Tigger (my boy) got into a fight. He came home with his bottom jaw/lip thorned and bleeding. At the time, I thought that he had been in a disagreement with a blue jay (that would not be a first). You see, both my cats were declawed when they were 4 years old because they were destroying the furniture, but they still don't understand 7 years later that they cannot defend themselves the way they used to. Also, the food started to disappear in the cats' bowls. I saw Symba and Marylin (cat and dog from the neighbor) coming or trying to come in the house to eat. So, I had moved the food to one of the far bedrooms.

Back to the traveling story. After being away 2 weeks, I decided to call my mom to make sure everything was ok at home. Everything is fine, she said, except that the food kept disappearing and there seems to be a lot of paw prints in the dining room and kitchen. The cats were outdoor. She went back the next day, more prints, less food in the bowls and the canister with the dry food open and food all over the floor and in the other room a raccoon hiding under my bed !!!

Today, I am coming home. The cats are indoors, the raccoons outdoor and the doors are closed!

Chives blinis

Chives Blinis

Prep: 10min     Cooking time: 10min     Serves: 48

Ingredients

• 
  130 g (1 cup) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder (baking powder)
• 1/4 c. teaspoon baking soda
• 1 pinch of salt
  
• 1 tsp teaspoon sugar
• 1 egg
• 250 ml (1 cup) buttermilk or milk
• 4 Tbsp finely chopped chives
• 1 Tbsp melted butter

Topping
Salt and pepper
375 to 500 ml (1.5 to 2 cups) sour cream
Zest of 1 lemon or lime, to taste
Wasabi paste or prepared horseradish (optional)

Preparation
In the bowl, mix the dry ingredients, then add the liquid ingredients. Beat until dough is smooth. As the preparation is rather thick, you may have to add a few teaspoon of milk.

On medium heat, heat a nonstick skillet. Lightly butter the pan. Pour dough, a few generous teaspoonfuls at a time. Cook 3 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip pancakes. Bake until lightly colored on both sides. Set aside on a plate. Continue with remaining dough.

In a bowl, add sour cream, salt and pepper. Add the zest and wasabi paste, if desired. Mix well. Spread the blinis with sour cream. Garnish chives, if desired.


Reference: Châtelaine

Difficult to be young

I read

Comment espérer devenir adulte à une époque où tout contribue à vous maintenir dans une adolescence prolongée. Nicolas Langelier, Décember 2010

I translate: 

How can we hope to become an adult in an era where everything contributes in keeping you in a prolonged teenager state.

... therefore, I think!

So who is young and who is not anymore?

The time of life we call Youth ...

The American Heritage Dictionary defines youth as:

The time of life between childhood and maturity.

So are we all in agreement with the childhood period ... we can easily define it.

But maturity ... wow, that's a different story all together.

Statistically you are "young" as in youth between the age of 18 and 34.

And when do we become mature??

I am guessing that one day a switch just turn to on and we have innate knowledge!

You go to bed one night all innocent and wake up the next morning ... an adult? A mature person? What has happened? You finished school? got your fist paycheck? bought a house? got married? What is THE thing that suddenly gives you the right to become an adult?

With your new title, you feel important for maybe 48 hours ... that's until you realize that it is not as rosy as you had expected. 

• A house = a mortgage
• A diploma = finding a job
• A job = waking up in the morning 
• A spouse = making concessions
• Children = yes, they do wake up in the middle of the night ... about the same time you were used to go to bed
• Paycheck = income tax

I can go on and on and on ... 

Reality is that some will mature faster than others, and some will never ... but who really cares? 

Reference: Revue RND

Tango in 0–60 mph (0–96 km/h): 4 seconds

I read

The Tango is an electric car no wider than a motorcycle, with a passenger or luggage space located tandem-style behind the driver. It is so narrow that four Tangos can fit in a normal-sized parking lot. Despite its precarious looks, it has a very low centre of gravity and will stop faster, accelerate quicker and corner faster than anything else on the road. It may look vulnerable but it has a carbon fibre body shell and a race-approved roll cage structure which make it a very safe, capable and environmentally responsible vehicle.

Zigmag

... therefore, I think!

There are things that you would like to see more and that does not happen ..

In February 2009, I was in Redwood City, going to Trader Joe's.

... when I saw this "weird" car !

I had never seen one and I have not seen one since ..

Here is the one that I've seen on El Camino Real ...

It  looks like it has been squeezed !

From behind

So what is it with Trader Joe's? I am not exactly sure why, but I love this store. It is one of the things that I am missing from living in the States. There are some in Mass, but none close to the borders, say in Vermont or upper state New York.

Trader Joe's started in 1967, It's 356 stores and counting, half of them in California with the majority in Southern California. Trader Joe's promises that anything with a "Trader Joe's" logo contains no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives, contains no MSG or trans fats, and is sourced from non-genetically modified ingredients.

It is a grocery store but not a mega store. Instead of gazillion of items (a regular grocery store may have 50 000 items), TJ has about 4 000 of them and about 80% being TJ brand. They cut the middle man making it possible to lower prices.

Things that I like at TJ, the Olive Tapenade, the Ginger Spread (great for cooking or spreading), nuts, cheeses, some wines (from California or New world) ...

... and to stay in the "weird" mood ... the crew wearing ... Hawaiian shirts !!! That's bold!

Butter Dish

I see ...

Traveling in Switzerland, I have seen so many wonderland scenes.
The dairy products are great! Passed by Gruyère (I have a recipe for you bu that will be upon my return as I have forgotten the picture at home ...
Other things I have seen? Cows, Mountains, chickens ...

That reminded me of my little butter dish at home!
So I thought of presenting you that easy to make recipe for Onion Buns ... these would be sooooo good with butter from Switzerland !!!

... therefore I think!

Onion Buns
Prep: 25 min + 1hr 40min rising     Cooking Time: 35 min     Serves: 12 buns

Ingredients:

• 7g dried yeast
• 5 ml sugar
• 15 ml olive oil
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 500g plain flour
• 10 ml salt
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 15 ml sesame seeds

Preparation:
In the bread machine, mix the yeast, sugar, and warm water. Start the dough program. Wait 10 min.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onion until golden.

Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Cover the yeast mixture. When the program beeps, add the onion. After the kneading segment is over, remove the dough and place it in an oiled bowl, cover with greased plastic wrap and leave for 1 hour, or until doubled. Grease 12 muffin tins.

Punch down the dough, turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 1 minute. Divide the dough into 12 portions. Place in the tine, cover with a damp tea towel and set aside in a warm place for 30 min, or until well risen.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Brush the buns with the egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Make for 30 min, or until crusty.

Source: Inspired by Soups and Breads Steps-by-Steps Cookbook

Spring is over

I read

Spring is one of the four temperate seasons, the transition period between winter and summer. Spring and "springtime" refer to the season, and broadly to ideas of rebirth, renewal and regrowth. The specific definition of the exact timing of "spring" varies according to local climate, cultures and customs. At the spring equinox, days are close to 12 hours long with day length increasing as the season progresses.

Wikipedia

... therefore, I think!

I was wondering which recipe I would offer you this week, but with  a with a name with the word Spring in it ... today was my last change this year as tomorrow is the Beginning of Summer !!!

Spring Quinoa Salad

Prep: 15 min     Cooking time: 15 min     Servings: 6-8

Ingredients

• 250 ml quinoa, rinsed
• 500 ml water
• 30 ml maple syrup
• 60 ml lemon juice
• 2 ml salt
• 2 ml turmeric
• 45 ml olive oil
• 250 ml celery, finely chopped
• 75 ml raisins
• 75 ml cranberries, dried
• 125 ml almonds, slivered
• salt and pepper

Preparation

In a medium-size sauce pan, combine the quinoa and water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender and the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl, stir and let cool down completely.

In a small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, lemon juice and salt. Gradually whisk in the oil until completely blended.

Add the celery, raisins, cranberries and almond to the quinoa and toss the ingredients well.  Add the dressing and toss once more to coat evenly. Season with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.

Reference: Nautilus Plus

Parked? Where?

 I read

A care home nurse stuffed a plastic apron into a 99-year-old woman's mouth as punishment for being noisy at lunch time, a hearing was told.

Anne Fisk ordered the vulnerable pensioner to 'shut up' after screwing up the disposable apron into a ball and forcing it into her mouth, it is claimed.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council heard that Fisk force-fed another 91-year-old patient who had trouble swallowing her food.

Fisk allegedly left the frail pensioner sobbing when she forced several mouthfuls of meat into her mouth.

... 

But Fisk still gave her several spoons of food, which she then regurgitated before being admonished by the nurse, the hearing was told. The resident has since died.

Care hoe policy was that nurses and care staff were not allowed to make residents eat against their own wishes.

Fisk was suspended after the allegations came to light and later sacked, the committee was told.

Daily Mail UK

... therefore, I think!

One day, I came to realize that I was not afraid of heights, but in fact I was afraid of falling ... I can climb, climb, climb ... and suddenly I choke and cannot move. It can happen anytime without any warning. 

Standing facing Half Dome

For example, one day I was in Yosemite on top of North Dome facing Half Dome. I was looking at what was in front of me and could not believe what I was seeing; it was so beautiful. I could see down in  the valley, water falls, trees ... and I was so high. At that moment, I was really on top of the world, my world. It was such a nice day. 

I took a short walk, I the edge of a cliff of the mountain where it would be so easy to lose foot and fall, fall, fall ... but nothing happened. I was NOT afraid at all. Of course I was careful to not slip but never it came to mind that it was high and that I should be afraid. At that moment, I thought WOW! I do not have that stupid fear of height any more ! Yippie!

That's not the point ... but the view is no nice
I wanted to share.

So after 2 nights in the middle of nowhere camping on rocks, we came down in the valley. The following day, we were meeting a friend of ours and decided to go for an "easy" walk in the wood. So hop we go. 

My favorite camping spot !

We had been walking for few hours and were on our way back to the car ... about 500m walk, cross a river and 150m and we were there. So we arrive at the river and start crossing on a large tree trunk (and when I say large, it was not a little one ... almost as 45cm wide) about 30 cm above the river ... in fact, it was more a little stream, maybe 30-60cm deep. 

I am the second to go ... I arrive at mid-point, look in front of me, almost there; I look back, our friend is ready to to start crossing ... and now I look down ... MISTAKE ... I saw the the water moving (normal it is a freaking river ...) in a flash, I could no longer move. It was not rational at all. I was afraid to fall and drown ... I look ahead, my boyfriend is telling me to move, I look back at our friend, he is waiting that I move to start crossing. My feet are refusing to move.

In my head, it is so not logical but I did not know what to do anymore. By now, more people are waiting for me to move, my boyfriend is getting impatient, people are wondering what is happening, and I am still in the middle of the river, not moving but now crying. 

Eventually, someone thought of telling me to sit down ... the panic kinda diminished and I was able to cross ... sitting down, inch by inch ... but I made it.

So by now, you are wondering what's the link ??? Well, Missy, the cat of one of my friends, was dying. She was just, old. She did not seem to be suffering but she was no longer eating. She had to be fed with a syringe. My friend was trying as much as she can to make her last days as comfortable as possible ... and when that happens, we cannot but think of our family, our friends, and ourselves ... eventually us going through that phase of life ... which is dying.

But Yosemite had thought me something. As I told you last week, things are not always as they seem. 

Are you afraid of dying? I am not. In fact, I am no longer I should say because few years back I've realized that like height and falling, I was not afraid of dying but to be old in diapers, parked in a wheelchair in front of a window waiting to die and be fed with a syringe. 

Story of the Flying Bear

I read

Two people were killed Monday after a freak series of collisions sent a 300-pound bear rocketing through their SUV on a rural road in Quebec. The driver of the SUV, a 25-year-old Gatineau woman, and a passenger, a 40-year-old Ottawa man, died on impact. A second passenger, the driver’s boyfriend, was sent to hospital with minor injuries.

A young bear had shuffled onto Highway 148 about 50 kilometers northwest of Ottawa when it was hit by an eastbound car. The car, a Pontiac Sunfire, flipped the bear into the air on impact and into the path of a Nissan Pathfinder in the opposing westbound lane.

Coming down, it (the bear) hit the windshield at a certain angle and went right through, hit the driver, hit the passenger sitting behind her and went through the back window.

The Star

... therefore, I think!

What? Can you believe how unlucky you have to be ! I have heard of people dying while the car hit a moose, but a bear ??? For me it is a first.

It is not all that unusual to see bear crossing back in the country (where there is bear I mean ... but for non-Canadians, seeing a bear does not happen everyday, it's like igloos and Native Indians in traditional gear ... not everyday).

OK, stop laughing now. Believe me, I have heard the weirdest comments from Europeans ... well, I should specify by French people, it can be insulting for others to put them all in the same boat. OK OK let's say Parisian ! It is incredible but I sometimes I really wonder ...

How many heard about the big spaces, the Native Indians, the Igloos ... they have NO concepts on distance. They come to visit for a week, ok let's say 10 days, and they expect to see:

1. Rocher Percé in Gaspésie
2. Lac St-Jean
3. Québec City
4. Montréal
5. Niagara Falls
6. The Rockies, Banff AB let's say ...

... if there is still time, Vancouver would also be nice to see and maybe they will swing by Boston or New York City if they can stretch it! (yes you can click on each above link to be directed to Tourist site)

Just thinking about it, it tires me ! Just in case it still has eluded some of you, France can fit 2,8 times in the Province of Quebec ! There are 4 634 km between Percé and Banff Alberta, that's 2 days and 13 hours of driving 24 hrs a day !!! Hellooooooooooooooooooooo ... you will have to make more than one trip to see everything.

Wishing you a good time in Canada ... and careful to whatever crosses your road ! ;-)