Melissa Barrett

Blog Hi Hi

2010-06-25T06:02:00.000-07:00

After a few weeks of deliberation/hibernation/stagnation... I've decided to combine my personal blog with the family blog.

The Barrett Banter blog was started on a whim, and then became an important link to family while we were away in DK. Then I started up my own blog because I wanted to rant about things and people, experiences I was having specific to being an expat, food, politics (and I knew some of the family really only cared to see 'what was up with Pete'. Those people don't know who they are - because they don't read this blog).

Two blogs worked fine before. I was unemployed.

Now its just too much. I'm working, Pete is in school. Rich started a new job (yep, we won't be on another expat assignment anytime soon, bummer).

So off I go to Barrett Banter. If you don't mind more of my son Peter, come along with me.

Link to Barrett Banter

Ahhh, remember when...

Now that I'm gone from Denmark I am free to fantasize that it is the most idyllic place on earth. I listened to a show yesterday on how people can only survive (mentally) by their memories. And those memories are not non-fallible. We change them (whether we realize this or not) to be what we want them to be.

Survival is not based on intelligence - but adaptability (and that might mean selective memory modification).

Back Online @ Home

2010-05-31T06:13:00.000-07:00

About three weeks ago I dumped a nice, full, steaming cup of coffee all across my laptop. Nice. That laptop was less than 10 months old. Tears ($$ tears).

I promptly went out and bought a new one. We don't have TV, so internet is our small connection to the greater world. I got the same one I had before (minus the fancy graphics card). However, the guy had to give me a returned one, since there were no un-opened ones. He said it had been checked out, and was ok to go.

I took it home, and left it to sit for a few days. I just had bad computer vibes. Well, it turned out that that one was a dud. The fan ran constantly. So I took it back.

They gave me a brand-spanking-new one. I took that one home and sat on it for a few days. If I don't turn it on, then I won't have any problems see.

So maybe, little by little, I'll feel more comfortable with tapping away on this thing, downloading pix...only time will tell.

Good Music

2010-05-14T08:15:00.000-07:00

A MN artist let's any-one stream any-of his three albums, whenever you want. Just click the first play button after 'Share' and it will happily play you the whole album.

Jeremy Messersmith - The Reluctant Graveyard

Now I'm bugging out of work early to go have lunch and recess with Pete.

Yeah!

Time Time Ticking

2010-05-08T06:16:00.000-07:00

Lately, I've been busy trying to get some jobs out of the way - so that I have more time to just to what I want to do. One that been hanging out there in process for a couple of months are the hearts.

My soon to be sister-in-law (marrying my husband's brother) asked me to make 180 Danish paper hearts to be used as party favors at their wedding this June. Two years ago I made Danish woven hearts as gift tags for Christmas presents; that's how she 'found' out about these things. The plan was to do them in the dead of winter, when I had nothing else to do. Well, I don't know what I did last winter, but it wasn't this little project.

I've made good progress on them this week with the help of the new Margaret Atwood book - After the Flood. I was able to download the audio book for FREE from from my library. Sooooo awesome! (I love free.) The interesting thing will be how long it sticks around in the download program - a program on my computer, not online). I think I read some sort of message about how I have 21 days to listen to it. Maybe it self-destructs? ??

I'm also trying to get a bunch of work done at work so that I can take some days off. I want to be home all alone, with nothing to do. No Danish hearts, no cleaning, no cooking...this may all be a fantasy that I've worked up in my mind, but its my goal right now.

Oh yeah - and just to make you people in DK feel better. It snowed here last night. And later this morning - in freezing temps - I have to sit outside and watch my son play t-ball.

Mutant Asparagus

2010-04-27T12:46:00.000-07:00

Can you see the tip of this thing?

I was out looking for wetlands on a hazardous waste site yesterday and I found this guy growing out of the base of a concrete block. There was only him though, and I won't be eating it.

Consumed

2010-04-23T07:30:00.000-07:00

For the past three weeks I have been obsessed with garlic mustard. Any chance I get I'm out in my backyard, my neighbor's backyard, or the neighboring empty lot - pulling this thing with a vengeance. In certain areas its 100% percent of the total cover. Just a crazy carpet of this crap, that will eventually go to seed and produce an even denser and larger diameter carpet next year.

This is an edible plant, brought over from Europe long ago. Since its non-native it has no nature enemies to keep it under check. No animals browse it, no bugs eat it. You get the first one in your yard and think - look how pretty, its shiny and bushy and it has that nice white flower. Then it goes to seed, which is scattered by animals and kids all over the place, and before you know it you've been successfully invaded.

Removing it all from my yard took time. But I did it. Now I want it out of my neighbor's yard - for obvious reasons. However, convincing some people that this thing should be at the least managed is challenging. But I have hope that - with a smile and a free flyer, I will prevail.

Link - Garlic Mustard flyer from WDNR. Know your enemy!

Motherload

2010-03-30T06:49:00.000-07:00

For the last few months, Rich and I have been contemplating what we were going to fill our plant boxes with. They are nice and tall - to make gardening easy. But that's also a lot of volume.

Well the other day, driving to get my hair cut, I spotted through the leaf-less trees a giant pile of black. It turned out to be a HUGE compost pile from yard waste for the city next to us. They put it outside their gate, so we figure its free for the taking. So far Rich has made about 7 or so trips, about 8 pails each trip. And I think we finally have filled the boxes.

This is a pic of my buckthorn removal progress. Our back lot line used to be a solid wall of the stuff. I saved the native bushes (those are the little stumpy trees that are left) and we'll see how they do now that they have been "released" - released from their confinement trying to grow in the buckthorn.

Bedtime Stories 2

2010-03-27T20:42:00.001-07:00

Bedtime Stories 2

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The Baby Grinder

2010-03-27T20:34:00.001-07:00

The Baby Grinder

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Out & About

2010-03-21T09:22:00.000-07:00

These are sights from my field day last Friday.

For my afternoon meeting, I parked at the 'no parking' sign.
And everyone else did the same.

Rosehips.

Trash as art.

Trash as trash. The rivers here are flooding, and with the water comes lots and lots of junk.

Lovely mushrooms.

Finale - I was told by the landowner that this here rock is the biggest in Wright County, MN. Or it was at one time-until it was mined to build the foundation of the original farmhouse.

2010-03-18T08:02:00.000-07:00

Yeah, OK, I've been AWOL lately. Melting snow causes us to have a jittery and slightly crazed feeling at work. Its a spring rush to go and look at wetlands that might not have water in them at any other time during the year.

This picture was taken with my not-very-fancy-phone. At one of my sites there is an experimental carp barrier. Well, I didn't see any carp behind the fence, but I did see some pretty nice northern and muskie. All over a foot long. Lent is fish fry time you know. These guys weren't even scared of me, I could have just reached down and grabbed one.

Can you smell spring?

2010-03-08T12:10:00.001-08:00

Wait! Oops, I mean don't breathe.

The MN Pollution Control Agency has been issuing air quality warnings for the past few days. We have had very little wind lately, so the polluted air is just hanging around. But the point is WE HAVE polluted air.

This used to be the problem of *other* Cities, not Minneapolis. We're supposed to be all about woods and wilderness, not cars and smog.

But on the up side - we had a few days of warm weather last week and the driveway is finally clear of its former 6 inch sheet of ice. I attended a winter hike/winter plant ID class last weekend and didn't even need my hat (although I did have on long underwear).

I can't remember craving an end to winter as much as I have this year. Is it the child climbing the walls, is it lack of fulfilling work? Am I just getting old and can't tough it out anymore? I can't put my finger on it. I just need it to be over. I am unmotivated to do anything until I can do it with the windows open.

Pinwheel Appetizer Recipe

2010-02-28T06:02:00.000-08:00

I haven't shared any food stuff in long time - mostly because its been pretty much the same old thing. But I did have a girls night this weekend, so I was motivated to make something different.

I've been sitting on this pinwheel recipe ever since I tried it months ago at Lakewinds. Its oh-so-yummy and vegetarian, but it needs the right crowd (that is to say - not someone like my father-in-law). Here it is:

Pear, Blue Cheese, and Onion Pinwheels

Ingredients:
2 pears cubed (any kind)
1 cup blue cheese crumbles
1 vidalia onion (or other sweet onion, or even jarred onion relish)
1 cup spinach leaves
1 package wraps (I used tortilla shells)

Heat oven to 425. Clean pear and cube. Spread onion mix on wrap (I very thinly sliced my onion and sauteed it before putting it on wrap). Add pears, spinach, and blue cheese. bake in oven, open-faced for 10 minutes. When done, roll and chop into appetizer size. Serve hot or chilled.

I have no pictures. Girls night was Friday night. I stayed later than I wanted to at work, then had to hit the grocery store, rush home, make this appetizer, and then rush downtown. The kitchen was not a pretty site.

32 Seconds of Divine-ness

2010-02-24T11:05:00.000-08:00

Ya gotta check this out!

2010-02-23T07:59:00.000-08:00

Link - 89.3 debuts new Prince song this Friday.

I'm from Minneapolis, and Prince IS Mr. Minnneapolis.

*You can live stream this radio station in Europe - I did while I was there. You can also listen to their live studio performances and interviews anytime you like.

Some of my favorites...

Link - Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

Link - Brother Ali

Link - They Might Be Giants

2010-02-13T05:33:00.000-08:00

Can I get myself a normal week please?

The week before last started out with a popped ear drum (in the boy), that I neglected for two days due to ignorance, that then turned into a trip to urgent care followed by a few days at home with a double ear infection and 10 days of antibiotics. His sickness was then passed on to me where it still lingers.

The following weekend we had the pleasure of going to the children's ER on Saturday night. We have now used the dreaded epipen. The food culprit - split peas. No peas for Pete thank you.

On Monday this week I got my Toyota gas pedal fixed (I have a 2010 Corolla). This is my second recall (the first was for something to do with the brakes and cold weather). Oddly, I'm not the least bit upset about the whole thing. When the news comes out, I get an email from them on the same day. Then THEY promptly call ME to set up an appointment to fix it. This last time I even got oil change gift certificates. I know they are a bit concerned about heir reputation, but really, that stupid Volvo we used to have was more trouble.

Peter had a Chinese new year performance and party this week, plus a valentine's party plus Friday night sledding. Although it was an exciting week for him - he also needs to get back on a normal schedule. Normal health, normal eating, normal homework, normal bedtime.

Last night I started reading 'Unconditional Parenting' by Alfie Kohn. He had me hooked in the first chapter, when he explained how Timeout (originally the whole term was timeout FROM positive reinforcement) was used in animal studies to 'control animal behaviours' and then he further explains how this is perceived by the kids as love withdrawal.

But we use timeouts. Super nanny uses timeout! Who doesn't?

But, then you read a little more. And I have to admit, as he starts to give examples of things parents do to withdraw love - I can say that I've done some of them. Even as recent as yesterday.

Peter told me he didn't like cucumbers, only carrots. This is absurd and untrue. I told him so, and then I proceeded to ignore him (that's the love withdrawal part) as I unloaded the dishwasher. I withheld love simply because I had a crappy day at work coupled with the fact that my kid told me he only wanted carrots for dinner. How stupid is that?

Go Figure...

2010-02-01T10:17:00.000-08:00

That's my boy, out on the middle of a frozen lake in Plymouth, MN. There was a Scandinavian themed fish house (Medicine Lake Art Shanties), and people speaking Danish. You know, you can actually go to Danish camp in MN.

Concordia Language Villages.

I don't know why, but the other day the grunginess of my bath curtain caught my eye. All the sudden it was just unbearable, and I promptly got a new curtain, rod, and hangers. Ahhh.

Wait. Did you see the pink? That's right. I have a circa 1959 salmon pink bathroom (our main bathroom). I actually don't mind the color, plus the tile is in good shape. Its kind of fun to hear people's reactions when they first go in there. Of course, not all comments are good. Men in general, and especially my husband, tend to extremely dislike the pink. So what to do. Keep it retro, or overhaul the whole thing?

And this weekend we made one of the most comforting of comfort foods - roast chicken. We always use the recipe from America's Test Kitchen for a high roast chicken (you can watch it on You Tube). Making this in DK, we could never seem to get the potatoes to come out just right. It was probably caused by operator error - my oven had 8 or so options, but I only knew how to use one of them.

But this time, in my gigantoid american oven that spurts out a dry heat, the potatoes were spot on. And for the underskin butter/garlic/mustard marinade we used Coleman's mustard (my grocery store has suddenly started carrying popular British food items). That stuff has a kick as stong as wasabi. Num.

Pre Party Mini Saga

2010-01-23T13:59:00.001-08:00

Today was birthday party day for my son - 6 years old. I had booked a party at the nearest bowling alley, an easy 5 minute drive. Before leaving I just happened to look out the window. Uu Oh, the neighbor guy is salting the road...just to get BACK to his driveway. The neighbor boy is out in the road with his hockey stick and puck. Crap!

A light drizzle in just freezing temps was creating quite a nice ice rink of the roads. On top of that, we live on an end moraine (a glacial dumping ground) making our neighborhood a series of hills and pockets and turns. My only hope was to get to the top of the hill right outside our house (a 6 house stretch), then it would level off to to the highway entrance, and we would be on our merry way.

Well - I'm not shy about asking and off to the neighbors I went. First to the one with the hockey boy (they usually have something, the dad was a fireman), then to the one with salt. Half a bag of grit, and a bag of salt later I was ready to make my attempt.

Get in the car, Now, NOW! I screamed at Peter.

We made it to the top of the hill, we made it out to the highway. We started on our way and I laughed out loud - Hope we didn't forget anything!

Shit - I forgot Yoda's ears!!!!

Boy starts crying.

Without the ears, the cake is just a weird looking green head. We must go back.

I go around the freeway loop-de-loop. I drive just into our neighborhood, park the car in the road, put the boy on the top of the nearest snowbank (in case another car hits my car), and start running home. I'm not a runner, but I don't want to chance the hill with my car again. Plus I don't know where I'd turn around. My driveway (which is also a hill) is a sheet of ice too.

I get home, get the ears, and start running back to the car. The boy meets me halfway, crying. He's forgotten his birthday crown from school.

I do not turn back.

Disclaimer: My husband is the cake-baker in our house.

Time to feed the worms

2010-01-21T11:35:00.000-08:00

I got a new camera, so this time around I actually got some non-blurry, zoomed in shots of our nematodes.

Get the food.

Dump it in.

Crush those eggshells.

This is what happens when you mix worms, newspaper, and food.

AaHhHhHh! (not really a worm)

Ooze.

Back into the closet.

Piggy Under Pressure

2010-01-07T08:28:00.000-08:00

A few weeks back while out Christmas shopping, I ran across a small pressure cooker. My other one is very nice, but its soooooo huge I don't ever use it for cooking. Just canning. This one was the right size, had the safety features that I MUST have, and was on sale. Ok, you're coming home with me.

Last night I used it for the first time. I made a happy pig pork roast in 45 minutes, with another 5 additional minutes to cook the potatoes/parsnips/carrots. Parsnip puree is THE puree that we constantly see underneath food on those cooking shows. I don't know why a 'gourmet' scallop or piece of beef is always served on top of this sort of baby mush, but I thought those parsnips must be pretty tasty to be served repeatedly to such distinguished pallets.

Well, I tried them yet again, and in my opinion, they are what they are (not potatoes), and those chefs must add some magical butter or something to make them so delectable.

I still have a couple of parsnips. I'm going to try them in a pie with cheese and see if I can change my opinion of them.

The cooked meat.

Then add the veggies.

Cook another 5 minutes.

Done. The meat was tasty and tender. And the veggies were fully cooked - in 5 minutes!

But the very next recipe I'm trying with the pressure cooker is Oxtail Ragout.

Why?

Because I have an oxtail in my freezer that's why. It came along with my happy cow meat from the farm. As did a tongue and a heart. I gave those tantalizing chunks away. I kept the tail because I once saw Anthony Bourdain eat one, and he seemed to be in heaven.

They're (still) Alive!

2010-01-03T19:05:00.001-08:00

Upon specific request, I'm providing a vermicomposting update.

So let's see. About 2 months ago a box of approximately 1000 red wriggler worms was delivered to our doorstep. We stuck them in a dark green plastic storage bin drilled with holes in the top and sides, and shredded newspaper (just the soybean print paper part, no glossy adds, no bleached paper).

Then we started adding our food scraps - about an oatmeal canister full of chopped up vegetable and fruit waste per week. No meats, no dairy. Eggshells yes. The box ended up in my hall closet, near the bath and bedrooms. This closet is above the furnace, so its a fairly warm place, and its also pretty quiet and vibration free. Oh yeah - this is also my linen closet. Its pretty remarkable how these things just don't smell.

Except for that one time.

While researching this worm thing in the past I read about one girl whose worms died in a soupy sloppy mess of their own making. I think its caused by a combination of too much food, not enough paper, and lots of moisture being produced from the respiring worms.

So, just to make sure this wasn't happening to us I had Rich dig down a little deeper than normal. Well, we had some *soup* on the bottom and MAN did it smell.

The remedy was to drill a few holes in the bottom of the bin as well. Since the paper forms a smell and slight moisture barrier, the excess water just can't evaporate fast enough. Plus if it was that dry in the box the worms would die. They need to stay a bit wet.

With the latest modification I think we have everything under control. And every time Rich digs around in there, there seems to be more of them. I think we may need to find a home for their kids. For sure we won't be releasing them into the wild. These little guys are actually non-native and are one of the problem species eating up too much of our forest litter.

The black dots on the side are worm poo. I think when they crawl to the surface of the paper at night to feed, they must also crawl up the side of the box. We always leave the cover on. Our guys will not be skeaking out at night.

That little pool of water in the corner was the producer of an extremely pungent and stinky smell once uncovered.

Ris a' la mande - Check!

2010-01-01T19:47:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I stirred up my first pot of rice pudding. I've pasted the recipe below right from the email because I love how Lone gives me metric units...and gallons. So thoughtful.

I was a bit concerned at first...I weighed out the 150 g of rice and was then supposed to add to that tiny pile OVER 4 cups of milk! But I put faith in my friend's holiday recipe and it turned out just fine. You know how at Danish Christmas parties the porridge comes out and all the grown men get goofy boy grins on their faces and start shoveling it in? Well, Rich even did that. And other people at the New Year's Eve party also went for seconds, so I'm considering it a success.

I heated up some canned cherry pie filling for the cherry "gravy". Because the color of the canned gelatinous ooze was a bright and un-natural pink, I added some red wine and grated nutmeg to it. Much more appealing.

Oh Yeah - and I got the whole almond. Happy Birthday to me!

Lone's ris a' la mande - serves 4-6 people:

Cook risengrød (rice porridge) of 1 liter milk and 150 gram (5.3 ounces) grødris (the special rice for this kind of porridge - hope you have this in the US?). I used arborio rice and basically stirred it constantly while slowly adding milk. This step took about 1 hour.

Empty 1 vanilla pod into 2-3 spoon (not teaspoon) sugar and put the emptied vanilla pod down in the porridge while this boils. After the porridge is finished and lukewarm put in the sugar/vanilla and put it in the fridge or a cool place. (remember to take out the vanilla pod).

100 gram (3.5 ounces) of almonds are chopped into small pieces (remember to save one or more whole almonds for the mandelgaver (presents)). The chopped almonds are putted into whipped cream (made out of 0,5 liter cream (0.13 gallons).

Before serving you mix the cream/almonds and the rice porridge and still keep it cool if you make it a few hours before serving. This is served with the hot cherry gravy.

Although it turned out just like it was supposed to, next time I make it I'll probably added the whipped cream when its still a bit warm and runny, and serve it at that temperature too. I know its not "the right way" but I think that's when it had the stronger vanilla flavor (because I was of course taste testing along the way).

I purposfully did not bring along any french pâté or foie gras to the party. They just look too much like cat food. Blah.

Christmas Synopsis

2009-12-28T11:23:00.000-08:00

Even with dire weather warnings we were able to have Christmas eve and day as originally planned. And we are a 99% drama-free group, so I have no sparkling stories to share. And unfortunately, my big food plans never came to fruition.

Aebleskivers - didn't get to that.
Rice pudding - didn't have the vanilla bean, plus forgot to bring the ingredients.
Glühwein with special Glühwein cups from Germany - forgotten.
Wine from France - forgotten.
Port and blue cheese for food gift exchange - yep, left at home.

I did remember to bring the pork pate and Foie Gras we got in France, but they weren't really that good anyway.

We have one chance to redeem ourselves by bringing all the above to the new years party. TBD.

What did I do?

2009-12-23T07:32:00.001-08:00

All I said is that I Like listening to I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas. I didn't mean we had to have one.

This is the current weather forecast. All-in-all there may be around 20 inches stacking up over then next few days.

Tonight - Snow. Snow accumulation around 4 inches. Lows around 25. East winds 15 to 20 mph.
Thursday - Snow. Snow accumulation of 5 to 6 inches. Highs around 30. Northeast winds 15 to 20 mph.
Thursday Night - Snow. Snow accumulation of 4 to 5 inches. Lows 25 to 30. Northeast winds 15 to 20 mph.
Christmas Day - Snow. Snow accumulation of 3 to 4 inches. Highs around 30. Northeast winds 10 to 20 mph.
Friday Night - Colder. Cloudy with snow likely. Light snow accumulations. Lows around 15. Chance of snow 60 percent.
Saturday - Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of snow. Highs 15 to 20.
Saturday Night - Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of snow. Lows around 5 above.
Sunday - Partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of snow. Highs around 20.

However, being snowed in won't be so bad. Pete will have some new toys, and we'll have our new fireplace to keep us toasty.

This used to be our basement fireplace.

And we turned it into this fireplace with a wood burning insert. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT! I'd have it going right now except Rich is finishing up the new tile along the hearth's edge.

You taught me well

2009-12-19T04:54:00.000-08:00

Oh Denmark (said longingly). I know all is not euphoria over there. But I've taken with me the good stuff. I no longer just leave the clementines in their box. They are in a cute green, Søster Grøn bowl and I'm planning on poking a few with cloves this coming week. I've dug out my Jul stuff - including nissen and straw reindeer. And I've shown the daycare girl how to make woven hearts for their HC Anderson Day next week. Ho Ho Ho.

I also have a bootleg bottles of Glogg and Viking Blood that I'll be breaking out this Christmas Eve to serve with my first attempt at rice pudding and aebleskivers, served alongside some Den Gamle Fabrik (the real stuff).

Even so - Its been hard for me to get into the holiday spirit this year. So few cards have arrived to our home, or to my office. Its depressing. The holiday parties have been scaled back or are non-existent.

We did finally get snow - but not as much as some places (Holy crap! You guys must just be basking in the snow.) Last night we put on our comfy cloths, made up some popcorn, and drove around listening to Christmas music and looking at neighborhood lights. Mmmmm, a little more in the mood from that.

But finally - my last day of work for a bit was yesterday. I'll be spending the first part of next week getting the house ready since we are hosting Christmas Eve. I've been pretty lax on the decorations up until now. Just a few favorites so far. We'll see if I can get into it when I have a good block of time by myself. Put on some music...make some tea...no kid or hubby to get in the way...

2009-11-24T13:47:00.001-08:00

Work the other day. This tree fell over (and its still growing), and the roots had grown around the rocks.

Work today. This is the office cat wanting a little love. She thinks if she lays on my papers I'll pay attention to her. But I have a 5 year old, so I'm pretty good at spacing her off.

Oh yeah, and I miraculously healed my neck Thanksgiving evening. I went home from the family dinner in non-stop pain. So I took two muscle relaxers and two pain killers. I made myself a little sleepytime tea, and I listened to my meditation podcast. Why not try everything all at once, no? I woke up the next morning feeling about 95% better. Sitting here at work today though has made me regress. It is tension, or just my chair?

Healing

2009-11-20T16:00:00.000-08:00

Where to begin. Last week Tuesday while sitting in my cube I turned to my boss and said - I think I'm getting sick. It got worse from there. It was a flu-ish head cold sort of thing, that morphed into a deep goober-cough.

And just when I was feeling better...except for the lingering cough...my neck kinked - probably from a funcky cough posture. And this kink was not just a little bit 'o discomfort kink - it was a paralyzing crying on the floor kind of kink. The doctor set me up with some really hefty meds and I spend Tuesday and Wednesday in bed, sleeping, the entire time.

Now that the kill-me-now pain is gone (super praying that it is) I tried to work a bit yesterday, and then tried the chiropractor today. I'm never totally comfortable with the neck cracking thing, but I think it helped. If there was something stuck, I didn't want to wait until next week's physical therapy appointment. Set me straight so I can heal! And always make sure to cough facing forward.

Other than that, so far this season we've been fairly heathly. But, I've heard from the blogvine that the whole of DK has swine flu. I hope you're doing better Joy. Now when I get sick, I compare what its like to be sick here, vs if I was in DK. I'm not so sure they would have given me the good drugs.

So, I think the worms are still alive. Rich and Pete fed them and gave them a little more newspaper bedding the other day. My only job is to check the closet to see if they've tried to mass escape. I've heard they might do that, and its a creepy thought, to come home to a floor full or squirming red worms.

Chop up some food scraps.

Toss them on in. The worms come to the top at night to feed.

Stick them back in the closet. So far, there's no smell.

** That's Peter's arm proudly displaying the worms.

The Latest Experiment

2009-11-13T10:21:00.000-08:00

On the doorstep Friday afternoon I found a small, half smashed box labeled "Please hold at post office for customer pick-up".

It was our red wigglers order (1200 worms per pound). These little guys are going to process our food waste through the winter (hopefully). I think this way of composting - vermicomposting - may take a little more practice and than the outdoor compost bin. But there's no better way to learn than to just go for it I guess.

These guys live off of food scraps and newspaper. They also live in your home, usually in the kitchen. There is supposed to be no smell at all. I guess we'll find out. Right now my main concern is keeping them warm enough through the winter. Our kitchen is usually our coldest room in the house.

Peter had a really hard time keeping his hands of the things.

Rejected

2009-11-08T13:59:00.000-08:00

In this Saturday morning's email I found my rejection letter for the MN Master Gardener program. The story goes like this.

I'd heard of this group way back when I was in living in Iowa. The master gardeners that I knew had nice yards, and that's about all really. So having lots of other club and volunteer activities to keep me busy I really never considered it as a group for me.

But then last winter I was listening to one of my favorite shows - Good Food with Evan Kleiman, and she was interviewing a woman who was a master gardener. This woman's take on the program is that its all about volunteering in your community - farmer's markets, urban gardening, nutrition education. And I thought - Now that's a group for me.

Here in MN, the program is run out of County extension offices. I'm in the county that includes Minneapolis, so I thought they could use someone like me who is into urban gardening etc, is an environmental specialist, and whose had lots of volunteer experience.

Turns out I was wrong, and here's probably why.

I made it clear (in a nice way) that I'm into vegetable gardening, composting...things like that, and that advising people on why their roses have black spots was really not my interest.

I kinda let on that I was not totally 100% on board with advising on only U of MN research proven techniques (which can include the use of pesticides, herbicides, that sort of thing).

But the kicker may have been telling them that I wanted to have the master gardener title so that when I do these things (like my no mow lawn), my neighbors might think...well, she's a master gardener, she must know what she's doing. Instead of looking at me like I'm a bit batty.

So a little part of me is bummed - everyone likes to get the job they interviewed for. But, on the other hand I am a bit relieved. It was two nights per week plus full day Saturday classes for two months, in the dead of winter down on the U of MN campus, plus I'd have to PAY THEM $500, so that they would let me volunteer. The outcome may have been for the best in the end.

Maybe I'll take a sewing class or something instead. I cannot find pants that fit me, I'm just shrinking away. I want to try to make some simple euro-fashioned skirts.

On ignoring the neighbors

2009-11-02T19:05:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I've noticed that ignoring the neighbors in the US will make them mad at you. Whereas the opposite is true in DK. There, NOT ignoring the neighbors will make them mad at you.

I'm so used to keeping my head down, don't look at that car passing by, and FOR SURE don't try to wave at them.

But now my neighbors are all irked at me. Then if I try to tell them why, they're all like - OHHHHH, Danmark again, blah blah blah.

????

Oh well, whach-ya gonna do.

Grow No Mow

2009-11-02T11:47:00.000-08:00

I super carefully raked my newly seeded no-mow lawn yesterday. We had lots of cold, wet weather right after it was planted, so its only grown about an inch at most. But I think it'll make it to next season.

Here's my *new* front step. Rich re-did the concrete surround, painted the steps, and added a new post and trim. It looks a million times better than it did before.

EVERYONE was out raking up their yards yesterday. The average number of big-black-plastic-bags at the end of everyone's driveway was 10. 10! And they had the same amount last week as well. I have 10 small bags (saved from my garden mulch). And those are going to be taken to the neighborhood compost area. All the rest was mulched with the mower, and select already-composting leaves were saved in pile in the back yard. Hey - that's the good stuff. I need to generate some soil for this...

Garden boxes. The only place in my yard that gets enough sun is on the side of our garage. But the soil there is compacted and not that fertile. Instead of fighting what is there, we are just going to build up. The wood is cedar from my Dad's old deck. I think he's going to be jealous when he sees how pretty they look as planter boxes.

And what's more appropriate for a Halloween night dinner than miso soup with tofu. I suppose just about anything is more appropriate. But it was cold, and this sounded yummy. (I had a few miso paste packets left from the Bazaar in Odense. If you can, you should get yourself a few. Good luck on the tofu though.)

And here's my focaccia from the bread machine. I love that darn thing!

Things I See

2009-10-29T13:31:00.000-07:00

Things that catch my during a regular day out in the field.

I love mushrooms.

This sign says Visitor Parking. I don't know who the visitors would be, and I definitely don't know why they'd want to be at this site.

That'd be a long dead deer. Its always frightening to come upon animals dead or alive, big or little. Make sure its not a body...and move on.

This one is alive. Except she never moves, she maintains this position. I know she's alive because she snores and farts all day long in the office.

I see lots of nests now that the leaves are gone.

Hummock sedge. Don't break an ankle! Its a long crawl back to the car.

Rudolph - head only.

Ahhh, now if every view was like this one.

I'm just your everyday idiota

2009-10-23T14:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday - having run out of coffee at the house, and having to drive a good half hour to my first work site, I decided to go to my neighborhood coffee shop. Drive along, listen to a little NPR, have a little coffee. Yeah, dreamy.

Seriously, this is exactly what I dreamed about when living in DK. Funny how, when actually back in the States its taken me 3 moths to fulfill said dream.

I remember upon first arrival in DK, taking the hubby to work in the morning, and NOT being able to pull in anywhere for a cup of coffee. Not even the Mc-you-know-who-place. This was highly stressful and bizarre at first. Now the bizarre is reversed.

So - When's the last time I got a cup of coffee to-go from an actual store? I have no idea, must be going on two years at least. I walked in, remembered that I forgot my travel cup, tried to decipher the menu, then just ordered a small light roast...then questioned myself on the size thing - should I have said tall? Regular? Wait, where am I? I know the girl is thinking - Dork, you can't even order a coffee.

Damn it, why are there Euros mixed in with my money. Oops, there is a tip jar. Should I tip the pregnant barista for a regular cup? Crappy lids! I totally dripped all over my clean fleece.

Later I continued downhill. I needed to get some field supplies. It just so happened that the store had nice big movie-theatre boxes of Dots - for a dollar! Yeah, I told myself. I need those. And some hot and spice potato chips.

By the end of the afternoon, I felt just crazed. Angry, anxious, and unhappy. I was down on caffeine and up on corn syrup and whatever the hell was in that chip spice (I think it was corn syrup).

I've been so good about just not buying this crap. I will prevail (next time).

I must be Polish at heart

2009-10-20T06:51:00.000-07:00

My grandpa was Russian/Polish, and I can't ever ever pull myself away from the TV when Dr. Zhivago comes on. The old country must linger in your DNA because I love fall food which seems to be chock full of potatoes, onions, turnips...things like that.

With my farmer's market fair this week I made potato & leek soup. I threw in a smoked ham hock from the happy Barrett pig, and I served it with yummy rye bread. Its a recipe from Joanna in DK. Now that I have a bread machine, its a breeze to make, and it turned out scrumptious. Rich commented on it at least twice during dinner. That's a lot for him.

Here is the recipe:

360ml water
350g brown flour (I used 300 g rye flour)
150g white flour (I used 200 g whole wheat flour)
3 oz sunflower seeds
1.5 tsp salt
1.5 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon marge (butter is better for you)
(1.5 tablespoon milk powder optional) (I don't keep this stuff around, I think its from China)

I also added the standard 1 3/4 tsp of active dry yeast.

Bake in the bread machine - follow your machine instructions.

Wait for it to beep that its done. Easy peasy.

Other than that I've spent the last two weekends in the backyard. I'm on a mission to eradicate common buckthorn along our back lot line. Its been left to proliferate for far too long, and the only way to get rid of it is by pulling it out - roots and all, or cutting it down spraying it with brush killer. Not liking the chemicals so much, I'm pulling and digging out the smaller bushes. I've left the larger trees and will be cutting them down in the spring and then painting a little brush killer on the stump.

That's me..back in the brush. I think about 18 mulch bags made their way to the community compost pile. And I could even make more.

Fall Food

2009-10-06T10:20:00.000-07:00

Squash galore at the farmer's market! I decided to buy a small pie pumpkin and substitute it for carrots in my favorite carrot soup recipe (which started out as a red lentil soup recipe). It looked just as pretty, and tasted respectable. But it just didn't have that somepthin somepthin that other versions seem to have. I added celery to it this time around too - and I don't think it pureed enough, so the soup was a bit hard chunky, which was mildly unpleasant.

I added a jar of my whole canned tomatoes. :-)

Then next day, leftover soup with grilled cheese.

Peter won't eat the soup; he's partial to the roasted seeds. I boil them in salt water before baking them. They seem to need less salt sprinkled on top later.

The other day I dug out my bread machine. I probably hadn't used it in - oh - a good five years. I dusted it off, got out the book, and made some garlic herbed wheat bread. Other than the spices - the ingredients were water, butter, four, sugar, salt, and yeast. No identifiably named chemical elements. No nuts. No eggs. The boy loved it with butter, and as grilled cheese last night. My second loaf was garlic-onion wheat. Just as yummy. Kneading and rising never seem to work for me. I am simply not a baker, so this dump-in-and-turn-on-machine is fantastisk.

But my number one comfort food might be stroganoff. It was the meal I requested of my mom for my birthday dinner (my Birthday falls in cold cold January). This time around, I made mine with a venison roast vs beef, and green and red peppers vs mushrooms. I also added a heaping scoop of ground coriander, and a cup of white wine.

2009-10-01T18:21:00.001-07:00

While out in the field yesterday day I saw this and it reminded me of who else but Joy. The sun was shining upon thee :-)

And this reminded me of - you get what you get....

And while out in the field today I was able to swing by the meat locker where our happy pig met his probably somewhat unhappy end. I was pleased to see that this same locker also supplies meat to our higher end grocery stores that like to sell grass fed and organic, local meats.

But on our dinner plates lately has been ground venison. I've made it into spaghetti. I've served it with rice for a Chinese type thing. One night it was a quinoa goulash. Its really really good venison. The 5-yr-old eats it plain with no complaints.

As of yet (and there have been temptations) I've held on to my Danish lifestyle of make-whatever-is-in-the-fridge. Tonight it was ground venison, kale, broccoli, and red pepper with a pesto sauce. Served along side some cheesy potatoes. The spuds are from my mom - they are HUGE, and yummy, and I wanted to use the oven tonight since the house was FREEZING.

Look! Little cukes that we loved in DK. These are from Canada. MN is next door to Canada, but I'm not sure they are "local" since Canada is giant. But if they can grow cukes right now - why can't we Oh Canada?

This past weekend I made some rolls. I had to. The bread at the store - even the *healthy* kind was so sweet I couldn't eat it. I can eat the white baguette stuff easy - but that's like mainlining pure white sugar.

Tomorrow is Friday and I am working - boo hoo. And now to my husband's dismay, I'm off to heat the water bottle.

My first time

2009-09-29T06:33:00.001-07:00

Last night was my first time in bed - get your mind out the gutters! - with my knitted cozy hot water bottle. And it was sooooo nice. I filled it up at about 9 pm with steaming hot water from the teapot. It was still warm this morning at 7 am. Amazing, and even better than the electric blanket.

This whole thing is completely new to me. And I now feel it is my mission to spread the water bottle Word.

One Way

2009-09-25T09:18:00.000-07:00

I was out driving around MN for work yesterday. They have started to put round-a-bouts in newer developments in the outer suburbs. But since these things don't come naturally to us Americans, they always have signage to help us out.

So I think that sometimes my eco-freak side comes out in my posts. This post however is going to highlight my freak-ish-ness. I do know that I'm not as freaky as some others, but I can aspire to be, little by little.

Lately I've:

Given away all my moving boxes and paper via Freecycle. I thought it was kind of stupid to recycle perfectly good, only-used-once material.

Changed my garbage can from the biggest (like 3 times the size in DK), to the smallest. Probably the size of the ones in DK. The lady on the phone informed me that it only holds two kitchen bags of trash. I told her that that's OK, I only have one per week. My new home composting program has cut down my trash production considerably.

Which brings me to my next point. I'm composting kitchen stuff - mainly fruit and vegetable waste but also some cardboard items that can't go in the regular recycle (like ice cream containers, which I seem to have LOTS of lately). Rich made me a plastic bin that can be rotated (by him). And its working out great. The neighbor boy doesn't get it, and I'm wondering what he told his mom. She gave me an "are you crazy?" look when I asked her one day - why don't you mulch your lawn instead of bagging all that grass up. Her husband's back is bad, and she was wondering who was going to put the bagger on their mower, I thought it was a fair enough question...but whatever.

And on mowing. I'm converting our yard to as little maintenance area as possible. There is a large portion of our front yard that is NEVER EVER used. We just have to mow it, fertilize it, kills weeds there, and water it. Which seems dumb. So we've recently planted no-mow seed there. Once established it doesn't need to be mowed, watered, or fertilized. Sounds good to me.

And this past week I went to a sustainability talk. On top of the usual stuff, I learned about solar energy in MN - mainly how it works, and that it is a very good option for MN homeowners. Rich is on board, but we are not yet ready to make the $10,000-$12,000 plunge (although with refunds and tax credits the cost could be reduced to around $7000). We are going to start with measuring where we use the energy the most, and then conservation/efficiency where possible. So that will be a fun little home science experiment...finding our phantom loads.

One interesting solar fact - Germany has had like a 55% increase in residential solar installations due to government incentives...due to the fact that they get their energy from the east, and the east is not always so stable. So, the refunds starting in the US are also based on the same thinking. Less energy dependence on others is worth the cost of the rebate.

My edamame is blanched and frozen, along with some winter squash and eggplant. The tomatoes are canned. I have inherited frozen pheasant from my brother-in-law and venison from my boss. All I need is my happy pig and beef filling up the freezer downstairs and we are ready for winter.

Thems are my edamame, and below are the store bought ones for $6.50. Oh yeah - and at the same store - Tak on my bag, and giant heirloom tomatoes; which had an aggressive effect on my child.

And now I'm off to the library to get some books on raising chickens. Its allowed in our City code to have 5 chickens per half acre. I have just under half and acre, so I can have almost 5 chickens. I'm going to shoot for three. But that's not happening until the spring. I have to figure out how to take care of them first. Oh yeah - and I'm not appraising the neighbors to this activity. Not yet.

Things I did this week...(pretty boring, maybe you should move on to more interesting stuff).

2009-09-24T17:48:00.001-07:00

Monday, can't remember, although I know I went to work.

Tuesday, can't remember, although I know I went to work.

Wednesday, even though it was yesterday...drawing a blank there too, worked for sure.

Today, worked, went to pick up kid's prescription at pharmacy - stupid insurance thinks we are not here (in the US), although they considered us here here last month. To make up for just being grumpy bought uncured, no nitrates, vegetarian fed bacon and Ohhhhhh, the house STILL smells like bacon, yummy, yummy, yummy.

Not working tomorrow.

See - I'm back to working, but not full time. This is supposed to give me lots of free time, make me feel freer, above the constraints that *other* people have. But instead it just makes me all stressed out on the days that I do work.

I didn't work last Friday, and before not working I confirmed it with my boss...

Me: (slightly unsure) So I wasn't going to work tomorrow?

Him: (slightly slight on his part too) That was the plan.

Me: OK then. (still unsure in general)

Him: No further response so...one of my favortie quotes (Jody Foster: Contact)..."I'm OK to go." I said that in my head, not out loud. I'm not THAT crazy.

It still feels like I'm playing hookie. And I'm not a break the rules kind of person, so this is NOT a liberating feeling.

Pilfered

2009-09-12T08:17:00.000-07:00

These were pilfered from my boss's garden this past week while he was out of town. I work in an office connected to his home; that's how I was able to do this.

The itty bitty carrots were then fed to my kid on the way home from school. And coincidentally - they made rabbit hats that day.

This is what my desk at works looks like. Papers and food.

So kind of a landscape moment occurred this past week - I bought lettuce. I have not bought lettuce since moving back. I recently learned about lettuce production in "In Defence of Food" and now knowing ALL the effort and energy and band aids that go into getting it from California to MN...even the organic kind...I no longer could put it in my cart. Even last weekend, when we were having guests over, and I said to myself 'serving a salad would be nice'...I could not physically put the stuff in my cart.

BUT, this past week I found local lettuce. I bought it because I thought some greens would be nice, and to show my support for this local business. It came with its own root ball. That was a first for me.

And that same day that I bought the lettuce and other things (like mushrooms, meat, and deli bread - generally fresh things located on the periphery of the store) I got this coupon with my receipt.

Seems that their computer noticed how I neglected to shop from the inside of the store which contains the boxed (processed) food items (from which they make the majority of money). So they will give me $2 off of ANY "packaged cookie or cracker item" of my choice if I would just please venture in there.

And adding to the list...I miss those DK disposable dish cloths.

Babs Asks

2009-09-08T06:14:00.000-07:00

(That sounds like a column from a newspaper.) What Danish products do I miss the most?

Amy knows the answer to the first response.

1. carrots!!!!!
2. runny yogurt
3. creme fraiche (our sour cream is too damn thick).
4. that estrella spice pack I used to mix with the creme fraiche.
5. lurpack butter
6. lots of flour choices (like the grahamsmel)
7. øko oatmeal, øko peanut better (basically the Kvickly øko section). We have organic here, but that doesn't mean its your *best* choice.
8. saftevand for my boy. Again, I'm trying to find some sort of juice that's not full of sugar, and that's not from China or Argentina. I've settled on Old Orchard brand pure red grape juice - I dilute it, and call it saftevand.
9. ice cream. The stuff here is too fluffy.
10. the frozen salmon I bought at Lidl. Good, sustainable seafood is not so easy to find in the middle of North America.

Bummer

2009-09-07T06:50:00.001-07:00

I decided to unpack another moving box yesterday and found this.

These were some of my favorite pottery bowls made by a guy named Art Thomas who lives in Nevada, Iowa. He was pretty old when I bought them years ago, who knows if he's still working, so I consider these to be irreplaceable. Total bummer.

And that 10L box of wine from France? Squished and empty. Luckily the wine was soaked up by the towels it was packed in, and the overall mess was contained by the plastic box.

Other important foods have made it through unbroken - my wine-in-a-juice-box-thing, jam from DK, and pate from France.

So, I have a pottery pitcher and casserole dish in another box somewhere, and since I'm home for today (a holiday here) I think I might go looking for them. I've decided that given the choice I'll take my disappointment all at the same time instead of spacing it out.

2009-09-04T05:31:00.000-07:00

So this is what I was thinking the other week. I was in our neighborhood Target store, getting Pete's prescription filled. The boy (he's probably a younger man) that helped me was the same guy that used to help me before our time in Denmark. And it struck me...all this time, while I've been gone, you've been here filling prescriptions at this Target store in MN.

While you've been doing that, I've been searching the beach for fossils with my kid, I've been driving through the Alps, and jumping out of my car to yell at a Danish woman in the hospital parking lot. But you've been here. Doing this. And now I'm back - doing the same.

My husband needs another overseas opportunity offered to him. I'd be out the door in no time. (But sadly there is no chance that's happening anytime soon).

On another note...

This is my new car.

Link Here

Well, not this one exactly...I have a white, 2010 Corolla S. There were a lot of cars out there with good gas mileage estimates. But I've been a Toyota owner before (Camry, Sienna, and Corolla), so it was destined to be Toyota again.

I will say that we briefly looked at available hatchbacks, and none of them can really compete with the trunk space of a Corolla. I couldn't even fit my son's bike in the back of a Versa. What good is that? I fit my son's bike, plus stuff for a weekend up at the lake, plus a rain barrel, plus three passengers in my Corolla.

I also advocate the "Drive 55" concept. I've noticed that people have slowed down their driving considerably in the last couple of years. But the average seems to still hover around 65 mph.

Why not try 55?

2009-09-01T16:31:00.001-07:00

(OK, I wrote this up last night, and I wanted to add more, but I'm afraid that if I don't just post it now I never will...)

I've been putting off blogging lately in lieu of romance novels and ice cream once the boy is in bed. I've just been so tired and stressed out with getting Peter ready to start school, re-moving into my home, and misc projects (like more edamame harvesting & freezing). All of these things alone are fine and fun, but put them all on me at the same time and I'm a mess.

Well, after sending my son off on the bus this morning for his first day of kindergarten, and before I started back to my old job as an environmental consultant (first day for me too), I pulled some pictures off the camera.

Last Friday was the day we visited the MN State Fair. It used to be one of the top 5 fairs in the nation - size wise. I have no idea if it still is, but its quite huge and well attended. Hands down my favorite *thing* to visit is the crop art in the Horticulture building. There is always some tribute to someone just deceased (this year Farah Faucet), or to a notable figure (this year Obama of course).

But this is also always the one spot in the fair where you can really get a glimpse into political feelings. In the past is was Cheney, Al Franken. This year it was MN Representative Michelle Bachman. I think Michelle might best be known for her outward declaration that much of congress is/was anti-American. Then there was that big old schmoocharoo that she gave G.W. Bush. Yikes lady! And now the most recent acclimation that she will not fill out the 2010 census because its some communist plot thing (or something like that).

***Big disclaimer here - I'm sure I'm a bit wrong on my Bachman details, but the gist is the same, she's A LOT out there, and unfortunately she is from MN.

My 2009 State Fair pics here.

So tonight I tried something new. Beans in the pressure cooker.

I'd been wanting to buy a pressure cooker for a while, and I finally did this year since I was planning on canning tomatoes - the one I got is a pressure cooker & canner. So in DK I could cook chick peas for a good 2-3 hours AFTER an overnight soak. Today I soaked the beans from about 11 am to 8 pm. Then I pressure cooked them for 10 minutes (8 minutes would have probably been enough). Then I made some hummus out of them. Simply amazing.

Flashback - rugbrød.

2009-08-18T19:30:00.000-07:00

Double-take...I saw this very Danish looking bread at the grocery store the other day. It was located in the Kosher section. :-)

Although I'm not missing the dark bread, I am missing DK carrots. Today I bought two cartons of farmer's market carrots from two different stalls. Although better than store-bought... they still just don't compare. Plus I love the blunt ended shape of a Danish carrot. They always sliced up so nice. Ho hum.

And the little IQ sign below the bread means its a healthy food choice. See, we Americans are so dense we need people to tell us what IS healthy (even though they neglect to tell what IS NOT). They should have a dunce cap sign by the *foods* that aren't really food. Maybe I'll make a few up and see how that goes over.

Love Hate

2009-08-06T06:59:00.000-07:00

When people in Denmark asked me how I liked it there, I often told them I had a love-hate relationship with the country. And now I'm having the same thoughts about being back home.

I love love love the farmer's markets. Last night's dinner was almost exclusively farmer's market fare (until my dad threw some steaks from Cub on the grill- it was supposed to be vegetarian night - arrrgg).

I've got to go back next week and talk to the woman that I bought the tomatoes from. They were big, firm, and totally beautiful. And that baby bock choy was killer.

Here is a squash that people are starting to become more familiar with. I first had it when we lived in Iowa (about 5+ years ago). Its called patty pan zucchini (or squash). Oh So Yummy.

And I hate hate hate the grocery stores. Just buying milk confuses the heck out of me. In Denmark it was either økologisk, or it wasn't. Here I have hormone free, OR all natural, OR USDA Organic, with Omega 3, OR without. Marketing ploys through and through. And it really takes patience to sort through it all.

And then I catch myself being super critical of everyone. If they could hear my thoughts, they would not not not be pleased. I might be hemming and hawing over milk for my son, but other people are doing the same in the pop isle. Which brand is the cheapest this week, and how much can I fit in my cart. Really? Do you really need 4 cases of orange crush? Maybe you should get a bottle of water and go for a walk.

Then I see my neighbors, and how they have changed over the time we've been gone. I'm scared for America people. We are not the healthiest looking bunch. I could really go off on a tangent here and get myself into trouble...health care is problem?...our health is a problem. At this point, I'd fix the second one first.

But I'm not perfect either. Since being back I've eaten oreos and fried chicken. Just not bucket fulls.

I'll stop now while I'm ahead.

Oh Yeah!

2009-07-31T15:07:00.000-07:00

Salad bar from Lunds. My favorite out-in-the-field lunch. I'm not working yet, but I was in the area.

Your standard roadside produce stand. My mom was buying corn - and also in season were zucchinis, melons, potatoes, cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes.

American style sandwich (although I do prefer thinly sliced cucumber to lettuce).

Totally local and homegrown meal...green beans from the Ed Barrett yard, corn from Cottage Grove, fish caught in MN by my uncle, and potatoes from my parent's garden.

Also in the works...Happy Pig, Happy Cow, edamame, & tomatoes for canning. All courtesy of Barrett Farm.

Water Water Everywhere

2009-07-28T05:55:00.001-07:00

Ahhh, we're home (kind of - living at my mom's place until we can get back into our home - waiting for the house sitters to move out and the container to arrive)...limbo continues.

But culture shock? That box can be checked off. Since I needed to...had to, must have... a new computer we stopped by a big old blue and white box store - you know THE one - to see what they had to offer. We did this on day 2 of being back and all I could think of was - man the people here are BIG.

After that we headed on over to the grocery store. We started in produce - as all stores do - no problem. Although my organic peeled baby carrots turned out to be slimy and not so appealing. I'm going to need to find a yummy and consistent carrot source.

Then it was on to the dairy area where everything began to fall apart. I asked my son, would you like some pudding? He of course said yes. I walked on over to the 20 or so choices and stared at artificial this, sugar free that...what the hell? Finally, down on the bottom, in a little tub, it called out to me...all natural. I had some that night and it was GOOD.

And that cereal isle...because my son has nut and egg allergies and is also a picky eater (because of the food allergies) and because I didn't want sugar to be the number 2 ingredient it came down to 2 choices. Cheerios or Life. We (I) chose Life...Peter was still whining about the Lucky Charms and Froot Loops.

When I was first in Denmark, I dreamed about already peeled carrots and canned soup. These things no longer have a hold on me. Do you see me looking right through you pre-made-chopped-and-convinietly-frozen-veg table-with-shrimp-and-pasta-make-in-10-minutes-dinner.

And just as my frustration with the grocery store builds, yesterday I began reading The Omnivore's Dilemma. Why not add a little flame to the fire right?

Fried

2009-07-15T11:41:00.000-07:00

My computer is fried. I turned it on last night. It seemed fine, so I went off to continue unpacking (we've been on vacation).

I returned later to find a black screen and that nasty melted smell...she's a gonner.

On top of that, our internet was mysteriously disconnected during our abscence. ???

My friend and neighbor has kindly allowed me to check email. But for all the reasons above, this will be the last blog for quite some time I'm guessing.

Until we meet again...

Just taking note

2009-07-05T23:49:00.000-07:00

Posted around the zoo right now is a survey called - What kind of dog owner are you? Its a nice a idea, with little dioramas of owners and their dogs. This one is of a high class gal and her (of course) high class poodle.

What sticks out to me though is the cigarette in her hand. In the U.S. we just wouldn't add that feature to the picture. Just like we wouldn't let kids sip the last of the beer out of the can.

I know we are considered uptight Americans when we express these feelings (any comments expressing such are not necessary). But when you are not used to seeing these things, you take notice, and you can go either way.

A. Sure, no harm done.
B. Nah, not such a good idea.

Having been here for a little while, I still have not changed my mind from option B.

Spidskål Season

2009-07-02T01:01:00.000-07:00

Its back - fresh and delicate, cone-shaped Danish cabbage. Its not quite as delicate as Nappa, but its much thinner than regular. It is what it is. Yummy.

Here's my latest going-out-outfit (I plan on going out next week - big thing here, it doesn't happen that often). I got the skirt for a bargain 100 kroner at the Bazaar in Odense. Its from a shop that I never really go in because I feel too much like an awkward foreigner. But when I brought it up to the counter and said - in English - I'd like to buy this, the fully scarfed (except for face) lady said to me - Yes, its very nice, very pretty, such a good price. And she was genuinely friendly about it. Nice to have a nice experience like that.

And since I'm no longer picking up the house (expect for the bathrooms and laundry), I've been knitting. This is going to be a 74 inch long sparkly scarf - if I actually finish it. Because I can't even count how many scarves I've ever started to knit, and I've never finished a-one of them.

The last can

2009-06-29T02:51:00.000-07:00

of tuna has been consumed. The cupboards and the freezer are almost empty. This is at the same time both good and bad. Although I know we are leaving in less then a month, I still can't shake that slightly manic feeling I have when the shelves are bare, and I have no car to get to the store....or maybe its late Saturday or Sunday, and even if I could go, the stores would be cleaned out of merchandise or closed.

I wonder how long it will take me to re-adjust to U.S. store hours/ availability/ convenience when I return. I know it will probably take longer than two weeks, because during our visits back I still had bouts of "DK grocery store panicking".

And if you're a bit eco-nuts like me, check out this link that has a calculation for converting energy used to CO2 amounts.

As I walk around here, it seems the majority of people line dry their clothing. Energy is expensive, space is sometimes too tight for a dryer, plus an average model will run you at least $1000. I have a dryer here, but I use it to fluff. I'm planning on continuing to do this when I get home.

But I have to wonder - what will the neighbors think. A while back a facebook "friend" of mine commented on how quaint it was to see his neighbor's laundry out on the line (in MN, on a nice sunny day). His friend's responded with remarks about hillbillies and such. Why such a negative reaction to something that isn't *bad*?

Doesn't 80% of the world line dry their cloths? I was listening to The Gestalt Gardner on Mississippi public radio last night, and he said that if people are not forced to do the right thing they just won't. Like this new composting law in San Francisco. Its doable - so why not do it.

We were the second neighborhood in the City of Minneapolis to be able to get these same sort of composting bins that they would haul away weekly. I could put just about anything in these - food, bones, milk cartons, frozen food cartons, pizza boxes. At first my husband protested about having to decide which garbage can to throw things into. But he soon caught on - and then it was no problem. When we left and the house sitters moved in, they quickly abandoned the compost bin. Too much effort to separate out the compostables from the non. Really? So I guess I have to agree with the Gestalt Gardner.

I guess the thing that always sticks in my mind is a t-shirt I saw on a young girl here. It said - Think About My Future.

And I do.

Lucky

2009-06-21T23:10:00.001-07:00

(Now with author comments!)

You can get lucky in love, or maybe better yet - lucky in publishing.

First off I'll admit that I read romance from time to time. (But I also want to point out that they've got to have some sort of plot and reasoning. I dislike the obscure ripping off of cloths in each chapter.)

Anyway here is a plug for a romance writer who happens to be friends with my aunt. She used to be a copywriter/marketing person, and as she moved into middle age (50 or so) she got laid off from her job.

With this major turn of events she decided that what she really wanted to do was to write a soap opera. Her husband (who thought differently) kept getting mad that she was locking herself into the bedroom studio all day and night to write.

Coincidentally, she had a roofer coming in to do some needed repairs. Being friendly they got to talking, and he said that he had a friend working in publishing - and he gave her the contact info.

Well, she sent it in and they liked it, but wanted it to be a novel, not a soap opera. She did the rewrites and WALLA! And now she's just completed the sequel to the first novel called Awakening Allaire.

Good for her!

www.classactbooks.com
Website: http://site.romancewithsass.com
Blog: http://blog.romancewithsass.com

2009-06-17T09:38:00.000-07:00

Well, since the moving companies are coming to asses our junk this week, I decided I should start to do a little work myself.

One item they want for insurance purposes is a list of everything plus its value. The list with values is no problem for me. I can remember almost to the dollar how much I paid for everything that I have. What is a bit distressing is the amount of junk we’ve picked up over the last year and a half.

I mean, it doesn’t feel like I’m out there shopping all the time, but I walked through the downstairs rooms this morning noting all the new things that have appeared in our lives and I ended up scribbling out over 4 pages! And I still haven't gotten to the dreaded *room* upstairs that’s full of all the miscellaneous junk that we rarely use.

Oh, yeah. I also have an entire corner piled high with shoe boxes, wine boxes, and zip lock bags full of rocks, shells, and other things stolen from nature - some of them still very stinky. (The movers will hate me. But I will offer them coffee during their cigarette break to try and make up for it.)

When I get back home I’m going to take that pledge to not buy any new stuff for a year (except school cloths, paint…things like that). Craig’s list – here I come.

This last statement is sure to give my husband a slight heart attack. Which is odd, you'd think the 4 pages of new junk would do it, but no, I think it'll be the latter. He's got *big plans* for our return to the land of plenty.

Like the song...

2009-06-15T05:45:00.000-07:00

All I want is a proper cup of coffee, made in a proper copper coffee pot. I've been drinking instant since my parents left last week, and its just soooo bad. And although I have been to the store since then, I just can't seem to remember to grab a bag when I'm there.

Life continues on even though my brain is in 4 different places at once - here, there, thinking of what to get done in between, and not moving too fast since we aren't leaving for a bit. I can never get too far into any one thing due to being distracted by the 5 year old, the wash, that weird gardener guy who has been loafing around in the empty back yards all day. I have yet to see him yank out one weed. I still have a hard time with people being directly outside my windows.

I've been cooking lots of stuff that looks like this lately. Trying to use up my stores of rice, quinoa, cous cous, and pasta. Tonight I'm planning on more of the same - poor hubby. The big question though is when to break open the two frozen hummers (lobsters) in the freezer. Decisions.

So yeah, that's where I'm at right now. No good consistent train of thought on anything. Flitting here and there all day. It going to be a long 6 or so weeks, until the end, when I'll wonder where all my time went.

How to schedule an appointment to take the car in.

2009-05-28T03:21:00.000-07:00

Last time:
Drive there; walk inside; find someone who can pretty much understand what’s needed; and then pick a date off of my marked up calendar brought with specifically for that purpose. Duration: 20 minutes.

This time:
Try to get a hold of hubby to get license plate number (the car is with him somewhere on Zealand). Find fix-it place’s name using google maps since I can’t remember their name. Call them. Having no idea what number to choose for the service people, just start picking some. Finding no one able to understand my request, stop blindly trying numbers. Call friend with Danish husband. Yeah! He’s home (and nearby), and he’ll come on over to help. He comes, I explain the situation. He calls. He has a nice chat with the service guy, even some belly laughs. When he hangs up he says, just take it in whenever you want and they will look at it. Duration: 2.0 hours

In the U.S. this would take me all of 5 minutes because I’d know who to call, and we’d speak the same language. But, I’m not complaining about the language barrier – honestly - since I’m the one who gave up on learning Danish less than 3 months after moving here. And anyway, I don’t think this conversation with the mechanic was included in my language books.

Oh - to be back home and completely independent again.

The last of our visitors arrive tommorrow and we are planning on showing them the countryside - hence the need to get the car fixed. Soon after that, I think we'll be picking our return date to the U.S.

I NEED this date, and the moving men date. I don't funtion well in this sort of extended limbo.

Refrigerator Rolls (the Danish recipe)

2009-05-20T23:20:00.000-07:00

Here is another easy bead recipe. They were served to me at a friend's house as part of lunch for sandwiches. She told me how easy the recipe was, so then I of course I had to have it.

I made it last weekend for our guests. Fresh baked bread for breakfast with Den Gamle Fabrik jam (this time rose hips flavor). Yummy...and so Danish. They (this being my MIL and her friend) said that the recipe sounded like what they'd call refrigerator rolls. Isn't it funny, everything I want to do - line dry cloths, have chickens in my backyard, bake my own bread - are the things my MIL used to do almost as necessity way back when.

Refrigerator Rolls

3 deciliter oats
7 deciliter warm water
5 grams yeast (just a tiny bit of the yeast cube)
650 grams flour (she likes to use half white and half grahamsmel)
2 teaspoons salt
2 dessert spoons unrefined sugar (or brown sugar)

Mix all the ingredients together and place bowl in fridge (or outside) overnight. In the morning mix again, and then let the dough warm up. Place blobs onto papered pan, sprinkle blobs with water and add desired topping (sesame is my favorite). Bake at 240 degrees for 18 minutes with the fan on.

Now that I've made these twice, I've learned that letting the dough warm a bit is important, and having the fan on is also important.

I got my grocery shopping done bright and early yesterday morning - I knew the holiday rush would be crazy later on in the day. The country will only be shut down for one day - but by the way people shop, you'd think it was shutting down for two weeks. The only thing I can compare it to is when a BIG BIG Minnesota snowstorm is anticipated - that kind of grocery store shopping. Like the snow will *actually* keep you stranded in the house for more than a day (or two).

I don't know why this makes me so happy, but it does. Maybe its just one less thing to worry about over the weekend.

2009-05-19T10:42:00.000-07:00

One thing Denmark is full of - at every turn - is brochures. They have them at rest stops, obscure parks, and the entrances of main (and not so main) attractions. Outside the library in downtown Odense is another place for my favorite freebies. Yesterday I picked up Odenses skove. Is gives maps to and details for 7 forest areas in Odense.

I had the car for the day and the weather was decent so I thought - why not. Peter and I drove on over to Kratholmskoven - et væld af kilder (The Kratholm forest - a flood of sources) with a GPS address of Brogårdsvej 90.

It was lovely, right up my alley. Floodplain along the Odense Å, bordered on one side by steep sloping forest. Lots of little drainageways flowing down to the river. The vegetation was great - goldenrod, rununculus, bulrush, and jewelweed...all similar to the kind we have in the U.S. but also just different enough for me to question myself as to what I think it really might be. Even my high energy 5 yr old was quite happy to just sit near a steam, listen to the water, and poke around at the bugs for a good long time.

Also in my book was Næsbyhoved Skov, which I had been meaning to check out and is located in pretty much north downtown Odense. The *big* thing there is an old castle mound. It was just OK. We were the only two people there except for that stray young guy who popped out of the trees at one point. I know people park their babies on the street to sleep here, but still, I don't always feel 100% completely safe.

I also saw this dying mushroom which somewhat resembled a morel. But I don't know if they have those here.

You're getting sleepy...

2009-05-13T23:00:00.001-07:00

I've been listening to these meditation podcasts for the past two nights - and I've been sleeping like a baby. I also haven't had a cup of coffee for two days - but I like the podcasts, so I'm crediting the meditation.

The first night I fell asleep before the 24 minute Basic Meditation was even over. Last night I again fell asleep to the Basic Meditation, but was then awakened by my husband...grrrr. So then I switched over to the Falling Asleep meditation, and was again asleep before it was over. And when I say asleep - its the twitching and guttural snore/chokes of relaxation. This is not the kind of sleep I usually have, and I'm *loving* it (I hope McDonald's doesn't come after me for saying that).

The podcasts have the people talking in soothing voices, and they have you concentrate on your breathing...but they also have this background sound that is supposed to be good for both hemispheres of your brain, and at this point I have to agree that I think it works.

I downloaded these two podcasts (and a few more) for free at The Meditation Podcast.

And I did a quit knit this week for another girl birthday. This mom saw the sea princess necklace that I made for the last girl birthday, and said that she'd like something like that too for one of her daughters. I did a beach bag instead, and filled it with beach toys. I was in a rush so its not my best work, but I'm hoping it will suffice for a 4 yr old.

Sounds like "mellamskort"

2009-05-10T23:06:00.000-07:00

How can I be tired after a long weekend? Maybe its because I HAVE to get up, because maybe the painters will show up bright and early at 8 am, like I thought they were going to last Monday. Well, if today IS the day, then they are 10+ minutes late, and as each minute passes by I'm thinking they aren't-a-coming...90% chance that they show up on the day I'm still in my pj's, or when we have a play date with Peter's best boy buddy.

So, "mellamskort"...

I was at our neighborhood grocery on late Friday afternoon I think, just picking up something for dinner. They were running a real good deal on 6 bottles of decent wine, and since we will be having two more sets of guests yet this spring/summer I thought it would be good to have some wine on hand.

But when the guy rung them up, I didn't get the discount - and it was like a $30 discount that I was expecting to get. So I left the line to go and get the sign, to show him what I was thinking. This grocery is a smaller unit of the Kvickly chain, and they have a member card (a.k.a. the illusive mellamskort), which you need to get the advertised discount.

Well, I don't have this card, but some people do, like the lady that was in back of me in line. She said I could use hers! I said - Oh, Thanks! And still she could not look me in the face and just say you're welcome. She wasn't mad or anything, I think she was just a bit embarrassed and didn't know how to respond to my thank you, so she just timidly looked at the floor instead.

For mother's day we explored a bit more of Funen (we would have done that anyway, but we'll call it a mother's day excursion to make it sound extra special). We hit a few dolmens, an old castle, and a holy spring that wasn't flowing quite enough to try a sip. Maybe when there's been a bit more rain to recharge that water table?

You can click on the picture below to see Sunday's photos.

Lykkesholm and Regissekilde

Tomater Mitigation

2009-05-04T23:25:00.000-07:00

We've had to made a few changes to the tomatoes. One of the hanging ones was accidentally crushed by my 5 yr old while he was carrying it outside. It was replaced on Sunday with a giant cherry tomato plant. But both plants are now living in our entry since the weather is going downhill.

And Rich constructed a small little plastic greenhouse for the tomatoes in the grow box. It was so breezy, and the weather was getting colder, I didn't think they were going to last out there on their own. I have the *house* barricaded against the window on the deck so the wind won't take it away.

But those fresh Danmark cherry tomatoes I picked up at the store are soooo tasty...I wonder why we're bothering with this.

We made yet another high roast chicken this weekend. We ate the legs and thighs 'as cooked' on Saturday. On Sunday I used one half of the leftover bird and made spinach spatzel with chicken, veggies, and a white cream sauce. And last night the remaining part of the bird was added to a brown rice and spinach bake. The rice bake recipe was modified from my Better Homes and Gardens Vegetarian Recipes Cooking for Today cookbook. I have a good number of 'nice' vegetarian cookbooks (like Beyond the Moon), but I end up making the recipes from the home and garden book the most. Probably because it has good pictures, and the recipes use the ingredients that I usually have on hand.

One of may favorite meals to make however is salad with warms toppers. I don't know why, but doing it this way is quite filling, and still fresh. I start with the cold stuff - lettuce, carrot, cucumber, tomato, hard boiled egg, cheese, sunflower seeds - and then I top it with broiled cauliflower or sauteed leeks and mushrooms. I've even tried warm brown rice (and got a thumbs-up from the hub). This weeks warm ingredients were baked salmon and sauteed leeks & mushrooms. Oh yeah - and cheesy bread since the oven was on, and the bread needed to be eaten.

Last week was also a good week for reading. So good in fact, that the selected books didn't even make it to may sidebar list. And funny enough all three were from my *stash*. My stash books are wild cards. When it was a sure thing that we were moving to DK, I started going bi-weekly to the book store in our library. They circulate books monthly, selling hardcovers for $1, and paperbacks for $0.50. I bought anything that got good reviews, was written by a recognizable author or had a reading group guide, or just felt right. I picked out some duds, but the three listed below were good reading.

The Lightkeeper's Daughter by Iain Lawrence. Teen fiction and very nice.

The Alphonse Courrier Affair by Marta Morazzoni. Although I liked this book a lot, I didn't care for the ending. I get the reason for the ending, but I wish it could have been different (how exactly - I don't know).

Ain't She Sweet? by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Romantic comedy. Cheesy but entertaining. This book is perfect for reading on the beach.

Los Tomates

2009-04-28T01:35:00.000-07:00

I'm a bit sad speaking Spanish this morning. I get weirded out when these sorts of things happen...I've read lots of Margaret Atwood, Oryx & Crake being the one I'm thinking of today.

Well - this is how were are going to try to grow tomatoes this year. We tossed around the idea of getting a greenhouse, but in the end decided on - No. If we got one, we'd want a big one, one that you can move around in easily. And then I don't think the greenhouses here would make it physically through a hefty dumping of Minnesota snow.

We've got a couple hanging upside down; tomatoes on the bottom, basil on the top. And then we've also got a few in the grow boxes that we brought with us. Rich planted them down into the soil so that the weak stems wouldn't blow around so much. We'll see how it all goes I guess.

These are our third planting of the upside down version. Rich planted two and they rapidly perished. We thought it was the way he squished them through the tiny opening that did them in. So then I took another two plants and very gently inserted them root first through the hole opening. But again they quickly died. But I also happend to touch the water running out after my first watering and it was quite hot. I think too much fertilizer was added to the first batch of potting soil. And since the excess runs right out and drips off the plant's leaves and stems, they basically got chemically burned.

And my find of the weekend - a fossilized sea urchin. The bottom of this thing is flat, and then the top is domed. Along with the star and side imprints, I can't think of what else it might be.

I found this little treasure on the main swimming beach in Kerteminde. While at the harbor, there were some guys scuba diving, along with a pile of stuff found under the water there.

I've heard that there is a spinning vortex of plastic trash somewhere out in the pacific ocean. Satellites can pick up the image from space. Amazing. If that isn't enough to convince us hold up on the plastic, I don't know what could.

But then how would I grow my tomatoes?

Beans and Buns

2009-04-21T23:20:00.000-07:00

So this week I've managed to make a pot of beans, and a batch of buns. Finally, I've felt like putting a bit of effort into cooking.

(Last weekend, I tried to make what I thought would be black beans, but they weren't. They were black on the outside, white on the inside, and had a funky flavor. These were the *black* beans bought at the Chinese grocery a couple of weeks ago - I have since re-assigned them to the art box.)

But the black-eyed peas I bought were labeled in English *black-eyed peas* and they turned out looking and tasting like black-eyed peas. To the cooked beans I added sauteed onion, red pepper, and celery as well as S&P, cumin, Sazon, and a bit of chipotle. The husband is busy with work all week, and has not and will not be able to eat any. They tasted really good on Monday, OK yesterday, and today I don't want to even look at them.

Then yesterday I finally tried out a bun recipe from the same friend that gave me the eggless cake recipe. I was having trouble taking my American recipes with American yeast measures, and making them work with the active Danish yeast. So I requested a Danish bun recipe from said friend. Here is it...

Never-Fails Roll Recipe

50 g gær (the cube yeast)
1 tsk salt
2 dl mælk, fingerlunt (I have used mini, let, and sød - all depending on what I happen to have on hand)
500 g hvedemel (flour)
50 g sukker (sugar)
100 g smør/butter (room temperature)

Optional ingredients I have tried alone or in combination:
3 carrots grated, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, 400 g squash (I noticed that with the added squash I had to knead in a lot more flour.)

Crumble the yeast, sprinkle with salt and let the salt dissolve the yeast. Warm the milk so it is still comfortable to the touch. Stir into the yeast/salt mixture.

In a separate bowl, stir the flour and sugar together. I crumble the butter in by hand (because that's the way my grandmother taught me). (And I always use real butter.) Add any optional ingredients now.

Mix the yeast mixture with the flour mixture.

Knead, adding flour as needed.

Let the dough rise ½hr in a warm place. (I often let it rise 45 minutes to an hr because I get involved in something else.)

Form rolls, and let rise ½ hr on the baking sheet. (Again, I often let the rolls rise longer.)

Bake at 225 C for 10 minutes, with a fan if your oven has one.

Makes roughly 2 dozen rolls.

I have a big old bag of rugmel, so in place of all white flour, I used some of that. However, I have now learned that rye flour does not contain any gluten...therefore it doesn't rise (that explains that botched loaf a few months ago), so my buns only turned out half-fluffy. But they are soft and moist on the inside, and the boy is just eating them up, so I'll call it a success.

Røjleskov Area

2009-04-19T23:33:00.000-07:00

Recently, another friend loaned me a Funen book - this one is Exploring the Funen Countryside (the other one was titled Fyn on Foot). Both books are a few years old (like maybe 10) and both had a limited number produced...so if you go looking for them - Good Luck! And I mean that, I'm not being sarcastic here.

This past weekend, I chose the NW Fyn route which begins in Strib, circles around Røjleskov, down to Gamborg, and then over to Middelfart (although we did the route in the reverse). Here are my pics from that day sans Peter for the most part. I'm a soil scientist by schooling - so I really like seeing things like the slumping clay cliffs.

Being from MN, and having camped out LOTS on family vacations in the western U.S., I get a kick out of Danish campgrounds. Here they pack everyone in like sardines, and the people stay for months like this. It has its good points though - everyone gets access to lots of beach and woodsy areas.

Seeing the cut reeds down in Gamborg was interesting. These stacks could have easily filled two -maybe three- large barns. Is this what the thatched roofs are made from? I've read more than once that when grazing on these wet areas is stopped, the giant reed grass moves in, choking out all other vegetation. The tall grass also affects wildlife use of the area.

The beaches in Middlefart were pretty much 'swimming' beaches. Clean, wide, lots of sand up to the water, marina areas, playgrounds. Nice, but not the kind of place we like to poke around so much.

And the beaches we visited near Strib and Røjleskov had lots of live clams, the dark ones and the white ones. Rich wants to try to eat some of these. I'm not so sure. I saw one woman on the beach looking over the rocks and carrying a small hammer, and another guy carrying a small shovel. What are these people looking for? I'm guessing geodes and clams.

My latest chunk of amber found this weekend. Nice.

Mi casa es...

2009-04-15T23:50:00.000-07:00

hopefully not su casa. This is my entryway:

About three weeks ago, the fake wood floor in the entry was warping up at the seams and oozing a fairly clear and odorless liquid. I was hoping that it was just the cruddy design of our *new* home - when the wind blows against that side of our building streams of air come through the light switches. If its wet and cold outside, the light switches even perspire. So anyway, I was hoping to just ignore the problem.

But the oozing just wouldn't stop. Then I discovered black mold on the wall behind the washer and knew I had to call for help. I have an extremely keen nose, especially with mold. That this stuff had no smell at all, even with my face pretty near it was kinda strange. Turns out the toilet tank inside the wall has been drip drip dripping, for I don't know how long.

For all my bitching about the slowness of Danish workers, I have to say, the guy that's the leader handyman for this complex is good and fast. Now when it comes to the contractors that need to be hired say - to fix the broken tile, so that the leaky toilet can be fixed, so that the floor can be put back into place...that's another story. Really its just the tile guy holding us up now, and its simply one cracked tile in the bathroom. My husband could fix this in an hour...but he didn't go to college for that, so he's not *allowed* to.

And I just can't seem to eat enough pasta lately. I think because its quick, easy, and my kid will eat it too - making life a lot easier in general. Last night I just added red pesto, garlic, and cooked spinach.

The husband requested black beans for tomorrow. Although I'd been buying my black beans at the Bazaar, I recently found lots of bean variety at the Chinese grocery located across from the train station downtown. Plus, they looked fresher - as fresh as a dry bean can look. So we'll see if they cook up any better than the last batch, which took forever to cook, and even then were not completely soft.

Something Pretty

2009-04-13T10:34:00.000-07:00

A pretty picture since my blog has been blah lately. I look back at the photos from this time of year last year - and I'm just in-a-rut.

This is Easter dinner at my mom's in the US. The ham was the last of the happy pig from the Barrett Farm. There may be sheep on the farm this year - so maybe lamb for Easter next year?? To be continued...

For the sweet potatoes - instead of garlic these had maple syrup and sage (plus bacon and onions). She said they turned out great. And my grandma's deviled eggs are always attractive. Makes eating them even better.

This is how we do sweet potatoes. My mom has been doing it this way since I was a kid, so Wolfgang et al has nothing on her here.

1. Peel and cut up sweet potatoes and cook/boil until just soft, then smash them up with butter and sour cream. Don't boil them too long or they'll get soggy with water.

2. In another pan crisp up some bacon and then break into small pieces. Save for later. Drain most of the bacon fat from the pan, but not all. Saute chopped onion and garlic in this oil. The fat can get very hot so watch your temperature and make sure that the garlic and onions don't burn.

3. Add bacon, garlic, and onions to the smashed potatoes and bake covered in the oven at about 275 F for maybe 45 minutes to have the flavors melt through. Since the bacon can be salty, I let people add their own salt while eating.

Eggless Cupcakes

2009-04-11T03:45:00.000-07:00

Last week's food had some good and bad points. The high point may have been the eggless cupcakes baked by a friend specifically for my son (including the as-requested green frosting). Have I said before that I don't bake? I had one (or two) of these, and they were goo-ood, so I'm going to share her recipe.

Easy Cinnamon Cake

120 g melted butter
400 g sugar
½ L kærnemælk (buttermilk)
400 g flour
2 tsp natron (baking soda)
4 tsp cinnamon, optional

Melt the butter and sugar in a saucepan. Pour them into the mixing bowl with the other ingredients. Mix. Bake ½ hr at 200 C.

Friend's Notes:

This is a handwritten recipe, which I was given from a Danish woman from my mother's group six years ago. I have made it with the cinnamon many years ago and it's delicious. Yesterday for the Easter party, I made it without the cinnamon, not knowing if Peter liked cinnamon or not. I also thought about adding a tsp of vanilla at the time but didn't. It would probably benefit from a bit of vanilla if you don't add the cinnamon or some other flavoring.

If you don't have kærnemælk on hand, it is very easy to make. Pour 1 tsp. vinegar in a 1 cup measuring cup. Fill with milk. Let stand 5 minutes.

This recipe calls for ½ L kærnemælk which is just a little over 2 cups, so I followed the directions above for making my own. And I just did it first in the mixing bowl, before I melted the butter and sugar. Then it was ready by the time the rest of the ingredients were ready to mix.

I have made it years ago as a cake in a spring form. Yesterday I made it as cupcakes - it yields 20-24. It took roughly 15 minutes for the cupcakes to bake in a preheated oven. It could certainly also be made as a cake which sculpts builds into some shape, the texture is fairly easy to cut through.

Then I got all sick, so sick I couldn't keep my eyelids open - even with my 5 yr old screaming into my face...so that took up rest of my week. Because of being ill, I had to miss a rare mommy lunch (no kids, no men). B-ummer. Last night, My husband ended up making the vegetarian egg rolls that I was planning on bringing to the lunch. They turned our very pretty this time around, and I'm sure they were fabulous, but my palate was just not responding.

So I've said I didn't bake. Well today I decided to. We are getting together with friends. Just a picnic at our favorite park to let the boys play together. I thought about buying something, but then we always have a problem finding cakes without eggs. So I broke out trusty old Betty Crocker and made her coffee cake recipe with flax in place of eggs. It looks nice, I hope it tastes nice too.

Why didn't I make the raved about recipe given above? I have NO idea. I sit her writing this post and wonder, where has my mind gone?

Østerskov

2009-04-05T13:09:00.000-07:00

We headed down to the southern tip of Langeland this past Saturday. We hit the north tip of the island last year, and I have to say, the south tip is completely different.

The northern area had swimming beaches and summer homes. Down south is knobby topography and lots of farmland. The klints (or cliffs) were quite a sight, as were the frolicking "wild" horses (imported from England and not really so wild - an older man said to us). But the amount of birds was just incredible. We constantly saw groups of them flying offshore just above the water, and you could also hear a giant group of them out in the water past eyesight. The weather that day was also extremely still - So still in fact that the morning fog never really went away. Odd for DK. Here is a link.

This past week I made high roast chicken by myself (last time the hubby did it). It really is THE way to cook a chicken. This time around the potatoes were a bit on the greasy side, and I over-cooked the asparagus. But that chicken was YUMMY.

And here is one of the most gorgeous rocks I've ever seen. Too bad the car gets parked a good half-mile from the beach where this thing lives. I've thought about dragging it in my big Mexican blanket, but I think that would look too much like a body. Its hard to tell from the picture but this rock is probably the size of my 5 yr old.

Just another week something in the Danish calender

2009-03-30T05:11:00.001-07:00

The Danes keep track of time by weeks. Week 12, week 36, whatever. Can't you just say July 12, or the second week in July, or something? Other wise I don't know when you're talking about. But I'll admit that it could just *be me* since I have these visual number lines and calenders in my head. And no, they're not straight.

Peter and I went out for a walk today in a partially undeveloped/un-farmed area near our house. Its rained a bit the last few days, and the depressions have water in them. There is nothing I'd like more right now that to put on some knee high rubber boots and trudge out there to see what's going on. But - I didn't bring my waterproof boots, and its private property. The wetland plants here are similar and yet different than the ones in the U.S. I wish I had someone to be my field guide for just one sunny day.

Also near our house the logging continues. Denmark has quite a lot of forested areas really, and so I'm holding out and giving everyone the benefit of the doubt that they are good managers of this sort of thing.

But my biggest job this week is going to be to finish a knitted gift for another little girl. I originally envisioned a sea princess crown, with a shell pattern border. Very delicate and lacy. But that kind of thing doesn't stretch, so I wasn't sure that a good fit could be had. After a few other failed ideas I think I've finally settled on a mermaid necklace. The idea is seaweed, mingled with fisherman's net, lots of beads, some shells, and some bling-bling embellishments. I'm working on the fisherman's net part now. I've basically taken my thinnest yarn, split it in half, and am knitting on my smallest size needles. Its going to be a bit abstract and not pink - so I hope it goes over ok.

Just Sharing

2009-03-25T08:20:00.001-07:00

So here's an email I just sent to my parents - both of who (whom?) like NPR, stuff about food, and wild game. I just liked the topic so much, I want everyone to be able to try this recipe out if they are brave enough (I highly doubt my parents will be brave enough). I love how the instructions portion of the recipe begins with *scrub trotters*, and ends with *serve with liver paste on toast*.

The email:

Squirrel Wars article in NY times link, the KCRW show link, and a recipe also provided on KCRW's page. I listen to KCRW's Good Food program every week (its even better than listening to the Splendid Table. Sorry Lynn).

Saving a Squirrel by Eating One

Cheese Myths; Umami Burger; Squirrel Wars; Growing Greens

From KCRW's page:

Squirrel Wars (11:39A)
Marlena Spieler documents the current war between gray squirrels and red squirrels in an article for the New York Times. Many Brits are putting squirrel on the menu; Fergus Henderson of St. John in London braises squirrel with bacon, porcini mushrooms and shallots.

Braised Squirrel and Watercress
(Recipe from The Independent)

4 squirrels, skinned by butcher
Duck fat
12 shallots
1oz dried porcini
Splash of eau de prune, or cognac
Approximately 1 pint chicken stock
1 Glass dry white wine
4 pigs' trotters
4oz bacon, cut into small chunks
1 carrot and 1 onion, both roughly chopped
Bay leaf
6 peppercorns
Bunch watercress, roughly chopped

Scrub trotters, cover in water. Simmer with carrot, onion, peppercorns and bayleaf for several hours until tender. Cool. Strain. Extract meat and return to liquid. Leave to jellify. Keep overnight in fridge.

Cut squirrels into five – back legs, shoulders, saddle. Remove hearts and livers, brown in duck fat, splash with eau de prune, mash into paste, reserve. Soak porcini in a little hot water for half an hour. Drain, reserve liquid. Cook squirrel gently in duck fat until lightly browned. Flame in eau de prune, add wine. Place in casserole. Fry bacon and shallots in same fat, adding porcini. Season. Add to casserole, with porcini liquor and four tablespoons trotter jelly. Cover with stock. Add lid. Braise in 325 oven for two to three hours until tender. Stir in watercress. Serve with liver paste on toast.

Relief

2009-03-23T01:03:00.000-07:00

Rolling out of bed this morning - the piercing foot pain was for the most part gone. Last week I managed to get an appointment at our assigned doctor's office. They put me in with the new guy - who had a distinctive indian/middle eastern name.

He called me in, and I asked if we could please speak English. Yes, of course he said with a nice smile. He was young, and wearing one of those sporty sweatshirts and jeans. A doctor, really? He asked what the problem was, asked me to take take off my shoe and sock! Felt around a bit. Hold on dude, I'm starting to fall in love with you.

Anyway, he told me I was taking way to much ibuprofen (which I knew, but didn't care cause it hurt so bad). But then he told me the magic secret - which included both ibuprofen & acetaminophen. So I popped no less than 100 (non-prescription) pills in the last week, and waking up this morning, I think I'll be able to slow that quantity down dramatically. Yippee.

But he also said I could call him if the pain didn't get better. It's a bit of bummer that it feels better, cause it was just such a pleasure talking to this guy. (If you - the hubby - are reading this, too bad. And thanks for the foot massage this weekend.)

Dog Dooty Update. The poo and flags are gone, and have been replaced by an actual visual sign. I hope it works for these people. Just last week, a friend pointed out this article to me in the Copenhagen Post. Flagging Faeces

Is there a revolution on the horizon?

Laying Low and Limping

2009-03-16T07:43:00.000-07:00

Our expat club had their 25th Anniversary party this weekend. One of our members gave a nice little talk (more like a stand-up comedy routine) – but overall what I remember her saying was that although she has lived here in DK for over 20 years, she's normally about 95% of her real self. Whereas, when she's with members of the club she feels 100% herself. And I agree with that. Part of it is the common language, part is cultural, and part is shared experiences.

I was able to eat my dinner, and have my coffee, but I didn’t quite make it to the midnight meal (which incidentally was scrambled eggs and bacon – the Kro was told that asparagus soup was not an option for our group)…because…

Two Friday’s ago I bruised the bottom of my foot while coming out of the water slide chute. I was trying to not go under, because Peter doesn’t like to go under. However, in this instance I wish I could just go back in time, and have us both under water for a few seconds.

For the first week I basically just ignored the pain, started walking on the side of my foot (on our hard wood floors) – you know, toughing it out. Is anyone surprised that it isn’t getting better? I’m so stupid sometimes. So Saturday I went out and bought a new pair of tennis shoes, and a gel heel insert. I’ve been downing ibuprofen and acetaminophen, and I’ve started icing it throughout the day.

As I related my story of pain to a Danish friend last week, she said I should call the doctor. I said – Maybe I will, but I just don’t want to. She thought I didn’t want to call due to my limited Danish skills. But really, I don’t want to go in, tell them my problem, and then have them say – Well what do you want me to do about it? Another expat used the word “primitive” to describe the Danish medical system, and that about sums it up.

I also didn’t feel much like cooking this week. But I did convince my husband to make me a high roast chicken via this method on Friday night. My photo isn’t so great. I was tired and extremely hungry, and I just wanted to dive right in. Soooooooo yummy.

Collapse

2009-03-11T00:09:00.000-07:00

The collapse of the US banking system explained by *nice* and entertaining people in a way anyone can understand. Its really worth a listen to.

This American Life Episode 375 February 27, 2009

Dinner (for 1) and a Movie

2009-03-07T23:28:00.000-08:00

Planning dinner is so stress-free when the husband is out of town - I only have to think about what *I* want to eat, and when I want to eat it. Me me me me me. I opted for that great broiled broccoli again, while the boy had leftover noodles - and was totally happy with them. Ahhh, easy.

Yesterday, I also picked up a couple of movies at the library - Again, shows that I wanted to watch with no worry about if the husband would be bored - and I was happily surprised with my first choice Friends With Money. What I remember from the trailer shown during commercials in the US was a comical show about people giving their poor friend (Rachael from Friends) their money, and I had no desire to see a show like that.

But the pickings are slim at the library here, and I was happy to get my hands on something I hadn't seen. And the movie turned out to actually be very good. The friends don't give her money, and its not a feel-good-funny plot, the casting was great, and I might even watch it again tonight.

The weather continues to be crappy, and so a week has passed by, but it kind of seems like one, long, gloomy day. I did manage to make a pot of black beans, which were eaten for no less than 5 meals between the two of us.

And last weekend I made a pot of chili. I prefer to make my chili with sauteed onion and celery, ground pork, and lots of chopped garlic. I've tried all brands of tomato sauce from every grocery, and they all have a funky flavor. So its øko diced tomatoes for us for everything. For this pot I also used canned red kidney beans. Mistake! They are just too sweet. Why are these and baked beans the preferred canned beans of this country? Must be the sugar. Along with the chili I made some eggfree cornbread. It was just the simple recipe from my Betty Crocker cookbook (this cookbook is essential, the recipes may not be fancy or worldly, but its got all the day to day information that you need). I substituted flax blended in water for the eggs, and topped the warm bread with butter and honey. Even the boy liked it (without the added sticky and sweet stuff of course - poor kid, if he would just try it he would like it).

I think I've been knitting a lot lately, but its hard to tell since I really don't have much to show for it. Sometime ago I mentioned that I was starting in on another attempt at a scarf with a pattern that felt right...well, I actually got to the end of that one and then decided to take it all apart. It reminded me of snake skin.

Now, with the same light colored yarn above I've started making a lace cowl. I've always been slightly frightened of lace patterns. They are usually a repeat of a number of rows (for this pattern its a 10 round repeat), and within each row its a somewhat complex sequence of stitches. Well, the stitches (and the act of knitting) are not complex, its just the paying attention part that can be hard. Since a friend of mine mentioned how much she likes this particular wool yarn I've been trying my hardest to make something nice out of it for her. This lace pattern makes a repeating heart shape, and she likes hearts...so that's the plan.

There is another girl birthday coming up. I bought a small pretty pony toy thing, but the gift list specified homemade stuff. So I made these little power bands. Some people might call them wrist warmers - but I live with a boy, and to him these are what a girl super hero would wear. It was also my frist time adding beads while knitting.

Danish humor

2009-03-01T22:28:00.000-08:00

...that I finally understand. First off, I freely admit that I still don't quite get daily Danish humor. Like the commercial with the womanly looking man, manly looking woman, cone heads, dorky nerds. I can identify that its *supposed* to be funny, but I still don't get it.

But I did get this. WARNING - this is not the most pleasant of pictures. Being a former dog owner though, I can stomach it.

Around our house, the sidewalks and their borders are currently overflowing with dog poo. Is it the season? Did some new dog just move to town? I don't know. But someone decided that the plethora of dog poo along the border of this one yard deserved a flag for each *visit*, which was no less than 10 within a span of maybe 30 feet.

Anyone who lives in DK knows that people around here just don't pick this stuff up. Is the cost of a plastic bag the problem? Is it considered *natural* and therefore ok to ignore? When I first arrived I was excited by the amount of public green space. However, I now know that that space can be filled with poo, broken glass, and garbage of all sorts.

2009-02-25T23:15:00.000-08:00

Just another week in sunless DK. I really have reached my threshold of gloominess. I think the whole family has, and we are each expressing it in our own way. The boy is whining and demanding, the husband is silent and withdrawn, and I'm cranky yet anxious, but for some reason low on energy at the same time (but I can't sleep). So it seems the only thing to look forward to is thinking about food, and then sharing that food, and listing to the greater world out there on my MP3 player, and knitting.

A super highlight of yesterday though - we learned that our son will be starting the immersion program at a public school within our school district this fall. Couldn't get any better than that. One BIG GIANT THING (that I had no control over) now off my mind.

These are a simple shortbread cookie with chai flavors - cardamon, cinnamon, clove, and black pepper - Cooking Light magazine, Christmas 2007. (Next time I want to try to put some tea in the coffee grinder, grind it up, and add that to the dough as well.) I've started to keep a log of frozen dough in the freezer to have on hand when someone pops over for a visit. Its easier than trying to find some sort of decent cookie at the grocery, plus they are egg free.

I found some very pretty øko brown (almost pink) lentils at the market a week or so ago. Even their name was pretty - Pearle de Campo.

Earlier this week I made a small batch of baba ghanoush to share with a friend's awesomely moist sunflower bread. I tried to make that same bread a while back and it was a small dense lump. I'd love to have a bread maker here, but once again, I hate spending $$$ on things that I can't bring back with me.

On the knitting front I've finished up another hot water bottle cozy.

I've also started and taken apart a two tone scarf maybe 3 times. Not willing to give up on this salvaged wool yarn (I un-kinked an old hat, soaked the yarn in a warm bath with fabric softer, dried, and re-balled this stuff)...I've started in on it once again, but with a new pattern - and this time around it just feels right. So I think it (fingers crossed) will be *the one*. This is actually the first scarf I hope to complete. I've started lots of scarves it the past, I have yet to actually finish one.

Broccoli (that really is to die for)

2009-02-20T23:52:00.000-08:00

Mina had this recipe on her blog and it really was the best broccoli ever. When I asked the husband how he liked dinner. He said "good". When I followed up and asked - What did you think about the broccoli? His eyes popped, and he said - Yeah! And although that was it for his response, I will add that he was just kinda yummy stunned so he couldn't say anymore. My variation to the dish was the addition of some red onions. I love onions. In and on anything. Raw or cooked. Red, white, scallions, leeks. Love them.

All cooked up, and as a side to the requested-by-husband spaghetti.

This parchment paper is new to me since moving to DK. I think that the ovens here are a lot more steamy than the ones at home (when I open the oven door I always get a burst of steam in the face; I ALWAYS forget that its coming). If I were to cook this broccoli alone on a pan it would just fester in its own juices. The paper also makes clean-up lots easier.

I also made of another batch of vegetable broth, only this time I tried a new method. I think it was Good Food (or maybe Splendid Table) that had a guy on recently talking about making broths. For vegetable he said he liked to saute the veggies in a bit of olive oil until translucent, then cover with water, bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and let sit for one hour. He said that if the veggies were boiled to death, or if they sat in the water too long they would suck up the juice that you were actually trying to extract. Which makes sense to me.

So I did what he said, and when an hour was up my vegetables were still a bit hard, and my broth was more flavorful. This time around I also added a Parmesan rind and some mushrooms. That cheese rind really added a yummy, yet hard to place flavor.

Plugged In

2009-02-20T22:39:00.000-08:00

Remember that book you had to read in high school. I don't recall the name, but basically the wife always had on (what we would now call) an ear bud. While the husband was busy reading his banned books (physical books in that time were banned).

Well, that's what our house is like these days. Early on in the week I download a bunch of podcasts. And then every chance I get I plug myself in. I think its because I'm never alone during the day - I always have a 5 year old talking to me, yanking on my arm, yelling at me in the background. Plus he's going through this impatient phase - nothing is immediate enough for him...my head just spins. So when the husband comes home I just want to crawl into my corner and pretend like I'm just another quiet visitor to an adult conversation at a cozy coffee shop.

To keep track of these things, I've started adding (and deleting) podcasts links on my blog sidebar. Some I'm just trying out and their link will likely disappear after a bit. Some I'm hooked on - like Sticks and Strings.

Until a friend of mine suggested I listen to this *Australian bloke who likes to knit, but is also an astrophysicist*...I never knew regular people were trying their hand out at podcasting. While some are great (good essays, nice music, and actual information), others are just girls like chatting like about totally everything, and like their friend might come over, and she like likes to knit too. I'm - like - not into those. And of course, NPR shows like Good Food or In The Loop never fail.

My first Flæskesteg

2009-02-18T04:25:00.000-08:00

This weekend I was looking for some more food variety. I figured I’d try something I’d always seen but never touched - the flæskesteg. It’s a weird cut of meat – rib bones on one side, and pig skin on the other. I’m ok going at things without a recipe, but since I saw a friend’s husband eating on one of these things a few weeks ago, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to give her a call. And I'm glad I did - I would have tried to do this completely differently.

Since she is a vegetarian, her husband cooks the meat at their place. Here are the directions that I got from him.

Preheat oven to 180-200 C
Cut strips in the skin where you will later want to cut the meat if it is not done already.
Rub a serious amount of salt into the skin creases you just cut.
Flip it, so the skin part is down in a pan, and fill with water until the skin is covered .
Bake for ½ hr - 45 minutes, so the skin can suck up some water.
Take it out, flip it so the skin part is up, rub the skin part with more salt.
Bake with the skin part up for 1 hr more or less.
If it looks done, see if you can cut into the meat.
If it looks done, but the top skin is not done, turn on the broiler until the skin bubbles.
If nothing works, add more salt to the skin, so that it will bubble up and become crunchy.

The end result was moist and tender, but very fatty. Oh yeah - it was also SALTY. Either I chose a very bad cut, or I didn't cook it completely correctly. Whatever the problem, I don't think I'll attempt this again.

After an artery clogging Monday, Tuesday's dinner was a simple potato and onion soup. I creamed the potatoes with my immersion blender (the hand held kind) - I LOVE that thing.

And, as of Wednesday last week, Peter is officially done with DK daycare and legestues. We were however invited out to a Danish farm club yesterday (expat friend and farmer's wife), and I thought - what the heck. They feed some animals, have a snack, sing songs, and play a bit. Its only for two hours, and the moms are there with the kids. Since I don't speak Danish (I gave up long ago), I just sat on the sidelines and smiled. Peter played with the kids he already knows, and the Danish moms ignored me. But I'm ok with that, I was encroaching on their turf.

Happy Valentine's Day?

2009-02-14T22:22:00.001-08:00

I was looking through my son's notebook the other day and came across this. I wonder what he was feeling - its possible he had a rough day at bornhaven (and that's why he doesn't go there anymore).

Valentine's dinner was general northern European fare. Medister sausage in a brown gravy (Danish) served with knodel (German) and broccoli (is it *American* to always have some veggies on the side?). The reason behind this dinner was simply that my husband asked why I hadn't bought a medister in a while. So then feeling guilty that my old farm boy wasn't getting enough meat of late, I told him to go to the store and get himself a 2-foot long sausage, and I'd cook it for him.

After eating on it, it was déjà vu all over again...that medister tasted *ok* but what's that somewhat familiar yet still unidentifiable flavor that they put in there? And those knodel freak me out just a little every time I cook them. Plastic bags of freeze-dried ??, that become moist when boiled (in the bag). But, my husband loves the things so every once in a while...

Valentine gifts all around were plant related. I picked up some *mini greenhouses* for Rich. It just seeds in soil, in an itty bitty box, but that's all we have room for anyway. I got a daffodil bulb/plant (and some wine), and Peter got to pick out some cacti and make himself a desert. He wants a pet but we don't have room for that either.

I'm also starting my stockpile of carrot (and other) seeds. Every store has their own different selection, lots of different prices, so it will be interesting to see what produces and what doesn't.

Aren't those multi-colored carrots just beautiful? I'm a big fan of the long and skinny Danish radishes, and those really fresh, small white and red onions that come out in the springtime.

Fantastic Carrot Soup

2009-02-11T23:08:00.000-08:00

The simple carrot. One of the few things that are better (a million times better actually) here than in the US. A danish carrot is super fresh, juicy, tender, and sweet. I bought whole organic carrots while in the US over Christmas, and they were pale, tasteless, and rubbery.

My dad said it was probably the soil/climate they came from. The US carrots (although organic) were likely grown in hot and dry soil - whereas DK carrots come from - yep - DK, where the soil is cool and moist. And just in case the difference has something to do with their specific variety - I'll be smuggling vegetable seeds back to the US with me.

The reason behind making carrot soup was that I had just bought a new 2 kilo bag, and I needed to use up the rest of the old bag - about 1/4 kilo of carrots. It was probably their orange color that reminded me of Joanna's Red Lentil Soup. So I basically made the lentil soup - except I substituted the carrot for the lentils. The soup was served over baked white fish, and with a sprinkle of parsley.

My husband LOVED it, and said that if he were served this in a restaurant he would be very satisfied. That's a lot coming from him.

3 key ingredients:
1. Garam masala - At first I forgot to add this. After it was added the flavors were mouth watering.
2. Lemon - I added this last. It made the soup go from yummy, to tickle your tongue yummy.
3. Parsley - Just added one more level.

I think this would even make a nice cold or just barely warm summer soup (since it contains coconut milk). Incidentally, I was a bit worried yesterday about making another dish that required a whole can of *bad* coconut milk. So I did a little surfing and found out its GOOD for you (as long as you don't buy light or bad quality).

Tonight the plan is to served the extra soup over pasta. Maybe with a sprinkle of bacon, and a side of broccoli.

My recent thrift store find - 8 Bavarian fish plates. In a 70's style of brown; but I seem to go for that sort of thing. Like old macrame - I just love that stuff.

Leftover Night

2009-02-10T05:15:00.000-08:00

For dinner yesterday I decided to reheat the vegetable curry from a few nights ago. To it I added some forgotten kafir lime leaves that were in the freezer, and did up a side of some kind of white fish, and some cauliflower.

I shop lots of different shops here in DK (well - except Bilka) to get my groceries, and I buy my fish from Lidl. Their salmon is the best I've tasted, and they also have a big selection of other types of fish. My little guy even likes their whole breaded fillet of pollack - much better than any fish stick in this country. Have you ever tried a fish stick here? Its like eating garbage, old garbage. Nasty bad.

Anyway, our gourmet fillet of some kind of fish was nummy with the curry. Back when we used to live in Ames, Iowa I often ordered a fish/kafir lime/curry dish from Thai Kitchen...it was to die for. Ames might be a small town, but it has sooooo many great restaurants.

And I finished up my latest knitting project - a cozy for a hot water bottle. Did you just get creeped out? My husband did when he first heard the idea. But I'd been surfing for new projects, and listening to my knitting podcasts and it seems to be THE THING to do. Plus I accidentally stumbled upon some water bottles at a shop in the mall, and then that was that.

I'm making two - one for me, and one for a gift. And I won't be trying it out fully (filling the thing with hot water) until we move back to MN. It gets darn cold there in the winter, and I think this will be a more environmental option than my electric blanket.

One Winner, One Bust

2009-02-08T02:05:00.000-08:00

Last week I was trying to eat some superfoods that were new to me. I got myself some sardines, and as suggested by Babs put them on whole wheat bread with butter, and then squeezed some lemon over the top.

It was generally easy to eat, with no overall good or bad flavor. I was also not a fan of the texture of the flaky and scaly skin. But, it was the after-eating time when the fish didn't sit so well with me; just a stinky fishy taste lingering in the back of my throat. I eventually had to have a beer to try to *eat* the flavor away. Obviously, sardines will not be a regular player in my superfood dieting challenge.

Incidentally, the night I had my sardine snack I was planning on making curry. Feeling no appetite in general, the curry had to wait for the following day. But it was worth it. The ingredients:

Cook up the vegetables in a bit of vegetable broth. Then add a can of coconut milk and the spice paste. The Chinese grocery at the Bazaar sells a whole assortment of Thai/Chinese spice packets.

Served over jasmine rice, with shrimp, lime, and cilantro. The only thing missing was the fish sauce. Normally we'd have some on hand, but our fridge here is so small I just can't keep too many condiments in it at one time (milk for the growing boy trumps fish sauce).

Spouts Day 4

2009-02-04T05:29:00.001-08:00

Well, the sprouts sprouted.

Now we need to eat the rest up, and soon. I don't think that they stay good for very long. A bread with sprouts in it sounds good to me right now. Other than that, I think the husband put some on his sandwich this morning.

Is it spring yet?

2009-02-02T23:58:00.000-08:00

Rich wanted to make tamales this weekend. It was a toss up between a pork verde or a red chicken sauce. I can get a decent whole chicken almost anywhere. I can only get the rolled pork loin at one place that I know of - Bilka. On a normal day I simply hate Bilka. Thinking of walking into Bilka on a Saturday makes my mind just shut down. So chicken it was.

After a day in the kitchen (mostly for Rich) we were about tamale-ied out. When you make tamales you don't just make a few. Which in the end is ok, since now we have a few bags in the freezer for sometime later.

Lots of cabin fever going on, and you can only knit or play Uno so much. Unfortunately, my selection of books lately sucks. I've had How To Be Good by Nick Hornby following me around for two weeks now. I finally super skimmed through it last night. (For me - super skimming is reading only a few paragraphs and the end page - as opposed to just skimming - which is reading a bit on every page.) Anyway - I'm glad I super skimmed. It got good reviews, and maybe if you like this author you'll like his books (he also wrote Shakespeare Wrote for Money...and lots others), but it just wasn't working for me.

Cloth Girl didn't even get a super skim through. It might have made a good week long English TV drama. But it was reading a bit too much like a soap opera. So I quit on that one too.

Tonight Fred & Edie is either going to draw me in, or its getting a super skim too.

I don't mind giving up on a book if it doesn't make me want to read it. There are so many out there, why put forth the effort. My husband is the opposite. If he starts reading something, and finds out that its written poorly or is just plain boring, he still won't stop. Doesn't want to have *wasted* that initial time he put into it I guess.

11 SuperFoods

2009-01-31T07:29:00.000-08:00

LINK The 11 Best Foods You Aren’t Eating

I knew about the cabbage (and have been trying to get my 5 yr old eating it -unsuccessfully so far). We love it served raw on top of Mexican food, and I sometimes keep a bag of cut up cabbage in the fridge to put on sandwiches, eggs, whatever.

Netto had fresh blueberries out today - I scooped those babies up fast. Blueberries are only starting to become popular over here.

And I have turmeric in the cupboard, but rarely use it. I might have to start adding it to any vegetable stir-fry from now on.

One I didn't know about, and am a little afraid of, is sardines. I think I might try them out as a spread.

Sprouts?

2009-01-30T04:01:00.000-08:00

Bean sprouts sold at regular groceries in the US generally consist of only the stem and leaf parts. But here in DK, you can get them with the soft bean hanging off the end. I know they are healthy-good-for-you, but I've never bought them. What can I say, I'm cheap. I'd rather not spend $5 (or 25 Kr) on a little pack of fresh garbanzo beans.

But now that I've seen this video, what the heck - I think I'll try my own. Plus they shouldn't need sunlight (totally void in DK) since a seed would normally germinate in the soil.

Stationary

2009-01-28T23:04:00.000-08:00

As in stationary bicycle - not pretty paper.

We've pretty much stayed put this week. Peter is taking it easy (as much as a 5 year old can) so that his arm/shoulder can heal. Lots of TV, puzzles, and games. No drawing - he busted the arm he normally uses for that. Maybe today I'll try to get a shirt on him so that we can at least go out for a walk.

And I've been sick the last few days; which has rapidly depleted my stash of NyQuil, and made me break out a box of Kleenex (Kleenex and paper towels are only used in the specialist of circumstances here). Yesterday I mustered up the energy to make myself some chicken and dumplings. This is something I make maybe once a year, and so each year I seem to repeat the same mistakes.

1) I didn't want to overdo the amount of broth, but in the end I would have liked to have more *soup*. The dumplings sucked up a pretty good amount of my liquid really.

2) And I always add the carrots and celery too soon, so they get pretty soft. I need to cook the chicken by itself for a bit before adding the veggies. But for some reason I always forget this.

Even so, it was pretty good, and it satisfied my sick frame of mind that tells me to eat chicken soup of some sort.

And I'm totally in LOVE with my MP3 player. While Peter watches a movie, I'll listen to a podcast and knit. Favorite shows lately are In The Loop and Yarncraft. The NPR Podcast Directory has ALL their shows just waiting for me to download them - its like I've discovered a whole new library.

This is my latest knit. It will also be given as a gift.

Emergency Rooms and Egg Rolls

2009-01-26T00:48:00.000-08:00

We made our first trip to a DK emergency room this weekend. This is the one place that I did not want to visit during our time here; I have to say I've not heard very great things about it - like no doctors on staff, long long waits, broken bones not being found. My mom said, he's a boy, and it was bound to happen. It turned out to be a broken clavicle while wrestling with another boy.

I have to say, other than the front desk lady who never actually faced the entrance (she was too busy chatting with the other two front desk people who I guess could not help us - only the woman ignoring us was supposed to help us), anyway, overall the experience was fine.

We got in quickly, the doctor showed up and seemed to know pretty much right away that something was broken. We were sent to x-ray, pretty easy to see the break, so they bandaged him up, and then sent us on our way.

I would have liked some better pain killer so that he stays in one position while sleeping (but they don't do that here), and I would like to have a better bandage than the one we got (its just a stretchy strap that keeps coming loose). We have been told to go to our regular doctor in two days to get re-tied, so during that visit I think I'll dangle our private insurance caveat in front of her and see what I can get (maybe a special doctor with nicer bandages).

I'm happy I made the decision to bring him in. In the US, I didn't hesitate to call the nurse to discuss his symptoms. But here, its like you really have to prove you're worthy; that something is really wrong. And so I was hesitant to bring him in somewhere - if it was just a pulled muscle or something.

This was my conversation with our regular doctor back in September:

Me - Hi, I need my son's epipen prescription refilled.
Doctor - Why does he have an epipen?
Me - Food allergies. Eggs, chicken, and nuts.
Doctor - Has he ever had a severe reaction requiring you to use this shot?
Me - No, but our allergist said it could happen and we should be prepared.
Doctor - Well, its just ridiculous for you to have this with you all the time, being nervous that you might have to use it. Its not necessary.
Me - (dead silence) I will not respond to that statement.

Ho Hum - On to better things...

I requested that Rich make egg rolls this weekend. They turned out fine, but even better were the cream cheese wantons he made with the left over wrappers (he put spicy stuff in them). He made them a bit thin the first time around and they exploded in the oil, but after a re-fold they turned out great.

And, I finished up my knit gift for a friend's daughter. She (the now 6 yr old daughter) requested a pink stretchy market bag a few months back but I didn't feel like making another one. I modified a pattern on the internet, and then embellished it a bit. Then to go with it, I got a cute little butterfly coin purse, and a seashell/braided belt from the Africa store. We'll see if she likes the grouping or not.

Scrambling

2009-01-22T06:17:00.000-08:00

It's Pete's birthday today. Since I don't bake, my husband does the cakes around here, and he likes to get fancy. Conservatively he spent over 6 hours yesterday making Cake #1 which was brought to daycare today. Its R2D2.

He also cooked cake # 2 yesterday, which he will be frosting tonight for the playgroup party. I've been planning and gathering things for this party for a good three weeks now. Stuff is hard to find here, plus its harder for me to find things since this "isn't really my thing" (party planning). You know all those people who you see on TV, shopping for a new home, and they need a giant kitchen cause *they like to entertain*...that's not me. I like cook and share my food, but not under such make-or-break situations.

Anyway, I chose to make these two things for tomorrow which I've just started preparing (then I decided I needed a coffee break and here I am). For the Moms Only (kids get the standard...fruit, veggies, bread, butter...) I'm making:

1. Cilantro & lime pesto, which I'll serve along side some nice wheat øko french bread. I take a good bunch of cilantro, and about a half bunch of flat leaf parsley and food processor that with olive oil, garlic, and lime juice. I taste it all along the way because the lime can become overpowering quickly. This sauce is great on white fish too.

2. Bulgar salad with chickpeas, roasted peppers, and spiced cumin dressing (from A Year in a vegetarian Kitchen by Jack Bishop). Why this recipe? I had everything I needed to make this salad except lemons and cayenne pepper - both of which were easy to get.

Soon to be pesto.

Roasting peppers.

Here is a pic of the Mexicansk chicken that I cooked up last weekend. I'd never tried one of the pre-seasoned birds before. It was fine, not really any flavors to really pull out other than maybe paprika and salt. It was very juicy, but I think that that's because it was brined or something. I put clementines under the skin - heard that one on the radio. Not bad, but overall not special enough to buy again.

The peppers seem cool enough to peel, so now its back to cooking. And after that, the night will be spent crafting party decorations. I am sick to death of Wally or pirates for boy party decorations, so I've opted to make my own. So far, they are not bad - not perfect - but hey. It seems like I've put more effort into this thing than my own wedding.

Oh yeah, one more thing.

Isn't it nice. I got it at the DanMission today for 3 kronner (60 cents)! I like the bog berry theme, and it will make a nice fruit dish.

Joanna's Red Lentil Soup

2009-01-18T00:13:00.000-08:00

This is a recipe from a friend - Joanna. She has an old (possibly English) bean cookbook - a little treasure that you probably can't get anymore.

Here is the recipe in her words (email).

2 serving spoons butter
2 garlic cloves: crushed
1 large onion; chopped

Into a saucepan and fry x3 mins, add 1/2 tsp turmeris, 1 tsp garamasala, 1/4 tsp chilli pwd, 1 tsp cumin pwd, and fry x30 secs. Add 2 tins chopped tomato, 1 tin coconut milk, 1 cup red lentils, 2 tsp. lemon juice, 2 1/2 cup veg.boullion. Bring to the boil and simmer x30 mins. Blend.

Its just fabulous. Finally having remembered to buy garam masala, I made it last night and served batsmati rice and garlic shrimp on the side. Its just as filling served with a good bread.

And, I don't know what it is, but I can't seem to let any food go to waste here. In the states our garbage was always filled with old veggies and whatever else. My biggest problem when we left for Christmas vacation was that I had a whole zucchini in the fridge that I just couldn't bear to chuck.

So the other day having the limp center part of a bunch of celery, leek tops, and the butt ends of the carrots I was peeling, I decided to make some vegetable broth. After it cooled, I put it into the plastic ice cube baggies that they have here. Next time I hope to plan ahead and use some small tupperwares or something.

Do Tha Moves

2009-01-16T11:08:00.000-08:00

This is a commercial that had me entranced (not many do, I'm a hard sell). I could only find the UK version on You Tube. I think it works better for me in Danish, since I don't understand what they are saying, and I could just bop happily along to the music.

Those green people make me think of the people that Crake (of Oryx & Crake) invented before destroying the world (well, except that these guys are green and the Crake people were blue).

What can I say. Its been a long day, and yesterday was worse (an allergy provocation for Peter). Today was playgroup and swimming. I was supposed to make a *mommy salad* which is good with me, except that the recipe I chose required cooked potatoes, which I though I would do this morning, which of course put me behind schedule, because I just can't get out of bed in this darkness.

The recipe was:
Warm, sauteed, cubed potatoes mixed with un-cooked red & yellow peppers, green olives, capers, parsley, and vinaigrette dressing and served on top of a bed of spinach. Generally it was well liked - except for those moms that dislike green olives.

Playgroup:
We lost one kid (temporarily) during outdoor time at the playground. I can see how it happened. He isn't a regular, and so far prefers bornhaven to us, and then at some point he just decided to walk home to mom (only one block away, and she was home cleaning up dishes, and luckily this is DK). But still, not a great thing to have happen.

Random Danish Stuff

2009-01-14T02:06:00.000-08:00

While out and about on Monday I noticed that one of our tires was really really low. And the last thing I want is to break down somewhere - I have no idea who to call, what to do.

I pulled into the nearest gas station and they had this nifty little air pump that filled your tire until it was full, and then beeped. We don't have these in the US - but we definitely should. And, unbelievably, it was free.

German style pretzels were baked by the guys this weekend (I don't bake). They got really nice and fluffy using the active yeast that they sell here - which is another thing they should sell in the US but don't, probably because not enough people bake bread often enough.

Blah + Soooo Good = Nummy

2009-01-11T23:22:00.000-08:00

Last night I combined the so-so leftovers of my tamale pie experiment, with the really yummy leftovers of my red braised pork, to make an overall good dinner.

The Tamale Pie
It was beans with pepper, onions, spices, and a masa corn topping. Both the bean part and the topping were on the dry side. I would add more diced tomatoes (or tomato sauce) and cheese if I were to make it again.

The Braised Pork in Red Sauce.
I had made this before for Danish dinner guests and at that time I held back on the spices. This time added hefty lumps of chipotle, cumin, paprika, and clove. The clove is the kicker for this dish. Its a surprise flavor, and it works wonderfully.

So for the leftovers I scraped of the cornmeal topping and chucked it. Then added the bean pie part to remaining red sauce. Ate it like tacos. Nummy, nummy.

I finished up with The Time traveler's Wife last night. Really, I just skimmed through the last 200 pages. I kinda wanted to know the basic what-happened, but I did not want the details. I am trying to think of the main thing that turned me off, and its probably that I don't know why they were so into each other in the first place.

Its kind of like being trapped on a deserted island, with a guy that is 40 years older than you, and, having nothing better around, you fall madly in love with him. But then luckily, you meet him again a few years later, you're off the island, and he's younger so the sex isn't so icky.

My 1st duck breast

2009-01-07T23:44:00.000-08:00

Duck is a popular holiday dish here in DK. I'd seen lots of whole duck in the freezer cases, and I know that any game (duck, pheasant, venison) can taste wonderful if cooked properly. But I had zippo experience with duck. And at around $40 per bird,I just wasn't willing to try out my luck.

But then around Thanksgiving I think, I picked up two frozen duck breasts for about $7. And then they sat in my freezer until yesterday.

I used these instructions for pan cooking the breasts.

Cooking them fatty side down first.

The fat does just melt off, see how much smaller it is. And the kitchen smelled wonderfully like turkey - roasting turkey.

After a quick cook on the no-skin side, I popped them into the oven to cook them through. I took them out when the *looked* done, and just to see I checked their internal temp which was 156. I'd read 125 degrees was done, and I'd read 160 was done. These were cooked, but still tender and juicy. Really yummy, I wish I had bought more.

I served them up along side zucchini & mushrooms, and sauteed potatoes, onions, carrot, and celery.

I think duck is considered healthy when the skin is taken off. But is was golden and crisp, so I left it on.

Random Danish Stuff

2009-01-06T11:23:00.000-08:00

Peter (my 4-yr-old) got a card in the mail today telling him that he has a dentist appointment scheduled on his birthday. You got love (and somewhat fear) the Kommune.

Less than an inch of snow fell this past weekend. But it stuck around long enough that people were sent out to plow and sweep. In our parking lot we had one guy plowing, one guy running the sweep machine, and two other guys just standing around and monitoring.

2009-01-06T05:53:00.000-08:00

Back in Dk, and already a bit disgruntled. First thing on my list for the day was renewing my bus pass. I arrived at the mall info booth at about 9:55. One other lady was already sitting and waiting on a bench *near* the booth. So I sat down too at the bench next to hers. Another lady came by and stood again *near* the booth, but not so close as to cause the other woman and I concern. (You see, we were eyeing each other up, me...and two old ladies.)

The lady behind the booth began to raise the screen, and along comes a couple...and they just saunter up to the counter like everyone else is invisible. No eye contact, no nothing. So passive aggressively Danish.

However, I won't rant any more on what I expect Danes to do. Instead I'll note that I'm pleasantly surprised by the fact that the second Danish woman, the one that arrived after me, asked me if I'd like to go ahead of her. I said "Nej, Tak* of course. Courtesy like that should be rewarded.

How about food? I managed to fit four cans of tomatillos in our baggage. Last night I decided to make Sopes with a verde sauce. The sopes are basically very thick masa pancakes. The sauce was ground beef, tomatillos, onion, carrots, yellow and green peppers, and garlic along with *salsa* seasoning. We topped them with cheddar cheese, slightly marinated yet still crunchy cabbage (olive oil, salt, and crushed pepper), and taco sauce.

The night before I was able to use one of my Christmas presents - a veggie steamer. (This is better because even though the food from the bamboo one tastes ok, the house got an odd smell from the steaming of the bamboo itself.)

With the cauliflower I decided to try out a recipe that a friend of mine uses on her kids. I steamed the cauliflower, and then mashed it with my food masher, and then mixed that with cheese, butter, and noodles - to make a sort of fake mac-n-cheese. It wasn't Peter's favorite, but he ate it.

The one thing I really want to continue when we move back to the US is our healthy diet. Lots of fruit and veggies, smaller portion sizes, eating non-processed foods, and easy on the junk...No more regular purchases of pop, pop tarts, Cheetos, or *fruit* snacks.

And although I still crave some conveniences from the US (like canned soup), the easy to make meals at the grocery didn't entice me this trip, and I was very aware of where the food was coming from. Like, did you know lots of regular apple juice comes from China??? No thanks, I'll pass on that.

Odense makes CNN

2009-01-02T05:58:00.000-08:00

...that's not necessarily a good thing here.

Link to CNN article on mall shooting in Odense, Denmark.

As far as my safety in Odense is concerned, this incident doesn't really bother me much. It seems like it was a bit specific to the people involved, and also not deadly or more violent.

However, it probably will be a bigger problem in the way "Danish" people - the Scandinavian looking ones - perceive their *darker* countrymen. They already do think of them differently, so this won't help.

Soup?

2008-12-30T06:31:00.000-08:00

There are very few options for pre-made soup in DK. They have a nice selection of frozen soups, but they are sold in family size bags. What I miss are the one-to-two size servings of canned soups. Especially when you're feeling a little under the weather, and just need a little bowl of chicken noodle to make you feel better.

This was my evening snack the other night. One of my favorite extremely easy appetizer-like recipes. Dark pumpernickel bread, topped with cream cheese, smoked salmon, red onion, and capers.

Christmas Eve day, Rich and I stopped at Chipotle and shared a carnitas burrito. So good.

And Christmas Eve dinner was prime rib, crab legs, cheesy potatoes, and salad. My mom and dad did a little recipe research and settled on the coarse-salt crusted way to cook the prime rib. The salt basically stops the juices from leaking out while its cooking. And that makes sense to me, knowing how the salt molecule hydrates. The end result was a very tender and juicy piece of meat, with a nice salt flavor on the edge.

They should have sent a poet...

2008-12-22T03:59:00.000-08:00

Its only the produce area at Cub Foods, but to my dull grocery eyes it was a sparkly solar system.

Earlier that day we had gone out to a nature learning center to visit Santa (who incidentally knew all about the pig riding Julemand and Nisse). After which Rich and I went to a ... restaurant. We had an assortment of chicken wings at Buffalo Wild Wings. I also had a lovely looking bloody Mary.

I don't quite know what the server girl thought of me when I had trouble responding to her "would you like BBQ, Ranch, or blue cheese dressing with that" question. Oh yeah - salad dressing, I'm starting to remember now...but to her, I just barely managed to mumble out "b-b-blue cheese please".

We were at the grocery gathering stuff for Rich's turkey brine and bake. Although we cooked that big-ol turkey for the Expat Thanksgiving, we restrained ourselves at home and didn't nibble on it. We also didn't get to keep any leftovers. So we still hadn't totally had our turkey fix for the season.

I've finished up a few presents that I had hanging out there. I picked up a six pack of beer to go with the cozies I knit in Gopher colors for a brother in law.

And I "finished up" some fabric fridge frames that I'm also giving out as gifts. From Denmark I brought the cut-out cardboard *frames* and online ordered the photo prints. And here I picked up the fabric, felt, glue, magnets, and photos...and assembled it all. I think they turned out pretty good, considering I rarely do crafts. But I Took the Handmade Pledge and there was no turning back.

From my earlier wish list:
I haven't taken a hot bath yet, but we went swimming yesterday and I spent some nice time in the bubbling hot tub.
I still need to (and definitely will) hit Chipotle. With the below zero weather (in F), the salad bar at Byerly's isn't calling me so much anymore.
And we've had a good snow storm along with daily doses of sun.

Melissa Barrett

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You're getting sleepy...

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Mi casa es...

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*Happy* Valentine's Day?

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Is it spring yet?

11 SuperFoods

Sprouts?

Stationary

Just another week something in the Danish calender

Happy Valentine's Day?