Exotic Istanbul!

Although Ankara is the capital city, the coastal city, and largest city of Istanbul is what comes to mind when I think of Turkey.

We're off to virtually explore the cuisine in this interesting country!

A small portion is in Europe, and the largest portion of Turkey is in Asia. Istanbul is a transcontinental city, with it's commercial and historic centre in Europe.

The country is bordered by eight countries, and the largest seas being the Aegean, Black, and Mediterranean.

The culture is very diverse, and culinary traditions have survived for over a thousand years. The cuisine is largely influenced by the Ottoman Empire founded in 1299 and dissolved after WW1.

Turkish cuisine varies in different regions of the country, and it will be interesting to see the recipes chosen between Ross and myself. Although we have similar tastes, as I've said before, he is much more adventurous when it comes to food.

So now with my vacation behind me, I'm back to the old grind on Monday. We're both ready to see what unique recipes we will discover.

Stay tuned...

Na zdravi!

Cheers!

When I saw that the first Pilsner type brewery was in Bohemia, I immediately checked out out local bottle shop to investigate whether or not we imported Czech beer.

And the answer was...Yes...two kinds. Planning began for a beer tasting.

Now originally I was going to have them all to myself...being on vacation and all, but I am not up on my imported beers. If it's hot out and I'm off, most beer tastes fantastic!

But a little research first...

The Pilsner beer is named after the city in Bohemia, Plzen, where the style of beer was first produced.

The Pilsner type that I was able to buy was Pilsner Urquell which has been brewed in the Czech Republic since 1842. It was the world's first brewed golden beer, and the recipe has never changed.

The other beer I was able to buy was Czechvar. It has been brewed since 1895.

According to Wikipedia...the Czech republic has the highest beer consumption per capita in the world. Stands to reason that the beer would taste good.

The Pilsner Urquell I found had a bitter after taste. This was agreed upon by my other two tasters. We all agreed we would try it again.

The other, Czechvar, was somewhat sweet with no after taste. Again, we all agreed that this beer was the favoured. Goes to the top of my list for now of imported beer.

Good thing I have another can in the fridge!

The Dumpling Challenge

So Shelley challenged me to try the dumplings.  It's taken me two nights, but I've come up with something pretty good.  Is it low fat?  No.  Is it low carb?  No.  Is it yummy?  You bet your bippy it is!

My sweet tooth has been in over-drive for the last week.  Partially because last week was so hectic and I didn't eat properly, partially because I was craving something comforting.  Nothing says comfort to me like gooey, rich, and sweet.  I remember my mother making caramel dumplings once or twice when I was young, and so I thought a nice brown sugar sauce would turn this dumpling recipe into a fantastic dessert.

To make the dumplings, I followed Shelley's recipe but added about 1 tsp of Cloves and 2 tsp of Powdered Ginger to the first cup of flour.  I also divided the dough into 8 small dumplings instead of 3 larger ones -- this way, there was no need to worry about slicing them.  Other than that, I just followed the instructions. 

I did only boil two at a time so that I could vent them easily when they came out of the boiling water.

For the sauce,

• Melt 1 stick of butter or margarine in a medium sized pot over low heat.
• Add about 2 cups of Dark Brown Sugar to the melted butter and mix it into the melted butter.
• Turn up the heat to medium and bring the mixture to a boil.  
• Let it boil for two or three minutes (it will still be sugary), then add about 1 tsp of Vanilla Extract.  Mix this in.
• Also at this time, add half a cup of raisins.
• Bring this back to a boil and add 1 cup of Milk, stirring until it boils again.  Let this boil for about two minutes so that it is still syrupy but not sugary.
• Pour the warm sauce over one of the warm dumplings and serve right away.

I used vanilla flavoured soy milk instead of regular milk in the dumpling batter and found that it worked quite well.

You Poor Old Dumpling

I know...I'm slacking. Have to take a couple days of vacation to do absolutely nothing.

Another childhood memory is of my mother making dumplings.

My mother didn't often swear...but those poor dumplings heard a lot of "dammits".

I think she finally gave up making them since I don't remember any in her later years. Not sure who liked them actually. Certainly not something I would have ever thought I'd be trying. And her dumplings were small round lumps, added to the top of a pot of stew.





So...what goes with goulash?












I had thought after the first attempt I would try them again...I haven't.  I'm not a fan of soggy bread...but I'm not used to failure in the kitchen.

It's also not the proper weather for a hot facial standing over a pot of boiling water...watching the timer and turning after exactly seven minutes.

That's not to say I won't try them again. I might. My idea of a carb to go with the goulash which I loved, would be a nice crusty loaf of French bread, smothered in butter, and dipped in the juices.

My success rate with the dumpling attempt was 33%. I'll blame this on the humidity as well.

Czech Style Dumplings

3 1/2 cups flour
1 cup whole milk
3 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp yeast

Mix together 1 cup flour with 1 cup milk and 1 tsp yeast. Stir and set aside for 60 minutes.

Mix in the eggs, and the remaining flour. Knead until smooth, about 5 or 6 minutes.

Set aside and let rise 30 minutes.


Meanwhile, fill a large pot 3/4 with water.  Add a tsp of water and bring to a boil.

Roll dumplings out to whatever desired size. Recipe called for two rolls. I made three small dumplings.




Drop the dumplings in the boiling water, and set timer for 7 minutes.

Roll the dumplings over, and cook another 8 minutes.











Remove and immediately pierce several times to let out steam.

Unfortunately I didn't move quick enough...










...and I baked the rest.

Next attempt will be when the weather cools or the humidity drops.

Ross's turn to try...he has A/C.

(Shelley)

Kale Slaw

It may be a holiday for Shelley, but I had to work today.  On top of that, I've over-committed to events and people in my personal life.  This week is going to be very hectic.  It's after 11 pm and I've just returned from doing volunteer work at community theatre run by some friends of mine.  This is on top of a busy day at the office. 

Luckily I made some slaw yesterday.  It's based on the Czech Cucumber Salad, but I've made some alterations.  Coleslaw dressing is usually a bit sweeter, so I added more sugar.  I have been trying to eat more kale -- it's so healthy, that it's a shame not to eat it -- but the problem with kale though is that it can be kind of tough sometimes.  I figured chopping it up in a coleslaw would make a good addition to the shredded cabbage.  I was very pleased with the results and especially happy that it will keep for a day or two in the fridge, taking at least one worry off my mind -- 'What am I going to eat?'

Kale Slaw
4 cups Shredded Cabbage
6 to 8 Leaves of Fresh Kale
1/2 Large Sweet Onion
2 large tbsp Dijon Mustard
3/4 cup White Vinegar
4 tbsp White Sugar
1/4 cup Canola Oil
Salt and Pepper to Taste

• Place the cabbage in a large bowl.
• Remove the spines from the kale leaves discard. Chop the remaining leafy part into slaw sized bits.  Add this to the cabbage.
• Slice the onion quite thinly and then all to the kale/cabbage mixture.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, vinegar, and sugar.  Taste and adjust the amounts as needed.
• Add the oil to the dressing and whisk until smooth and evenly combined.
• Pour the dressing over the veggies and toss to evenly coat the cabbage mixture.
• Store in the fridge for at least one hour before eating.

Removing the leaf from the stem.

August 3...National Watermelon Day

Stay tuned..I'm doing a little research!

August Long Weekend

Right in the middle of the summer heat and prime vacation time is the August long weekend. It's called many things across the country, but in Halifax - Dartmouth it's Natal Day!

The official name is Alexander Keith's Natal Day, in recognition of the local brewer and politician who lived in the 19th century.

Whatever the reason, and whatever the name, we look forward to this weekend, which for many of us is the start of our vacation.

I guess in honour of Alexander Keith, I should be having a brewski, but opted for something a little different.

Watermelon Rum Long Weekend Cocktail
1 1/2 oz white rum (that's an East Coast measure)
Watermelon chunks
Club soda

Whizz both rum and watermelon in a blender and add ice. Top with club soda.

For those who might like it a little sweeter, add aTbsp of honey or a Tbsp or two of simple syrup.

Sit back and enjoy your long weekend.

Check out our Facebook page for some non-alcoholic ideas.
(Shelley)