by Krista | Nov 2, 2010 | Gulliver Tuesday
Every time I’ve visited my brother Ryan in Amsterdam he’s taken me to breakfast at Hiene for the best French toast I’ve ever had in my life. It’s the sort of French toast you dream of on chilly, Fall days or cool, Spring mornings: thick, fluffy, crisp on the outside, tender-but-not-mushy on the inside. Slicked with butter and drizzled with keukenstroop (a molasses/treacle syrup), it is the perfect accompaniment to a tiny cup of espresso.
I always looked forward to dressing warmly and walking down the Prinsengracht, admiring the canal boats with their rooftop gardens, wondering what it would be like to live in one.
We’d check both ways for bicycles whizzing past, then cross the bridge and find a table for two on the red brick sidewalk where we could people-watch while we ate.
If we were especially ravenous we might try their Eggs With Everything – scrambled eggs piled with anything they felt like: salad, leftover ham, a bit of sauce – or a big bowl of steaming Dutch pea soup. But no matter what else we ordered, we inevitably got French toast.
The same older woman always waited on us: whisper thin, platinum blond hair, dressed all in black with a voice steeped in cigarette smoke. She was lovely and adored my brother, her lined face creasing in a smile at his approach, knowing exactly what he would order.
When Ryan sent me a ticket to join him and my family in Europe for Christmas this year, one of the many things I was looking forward to was our traditional breakfast at Hiene. I was heartbroken when he told me Hiene had closed.
I know it’s a very little thing, hardly worth mentioning, but Hiene was such a special place to me. A spot of delicious food and hours of great conversation with my brother and assorted friends who joined us over the years. I shall miss it.
Ryan assures me he has found a few new places that are really good. As long as he’s there to tease me dreadfully, make me laugh, and regale me with outlandish tales, I know they will be.
This is my contribution to Wanderfood Wednesday.
by Krista | Nov 1, 2010 | Bootstrap Monday
The rain is thundering down outside my window this morning making me want to stay inside, warm and cozy. Instead I shall brave the weather with a bright pink scarf tossed jauntily around my neck, and start my day with Christmas music and a hot cup of cinnamon apple tea.
How was your weekend? 🙂
Saturday was gloriously lazy and restful. I slept in, read a good book, then got this urge to bake and whipped up a roasted pork pie and an apple-cranberry galette. Mmm. My apartment smelled SO good, I tell you!
Sunday afternoon I spent with dear friends carving pumpkins – I hadn’t done my own pumpkin since I was little! That’s mine on the bottom step above, and my pal Jenny and me carving below. 🙂 It was also my first day as a brunette – thanks to a friends wig! Friends who’ve known me for years didn’t recognize me. It was grand fun. 🙂
We carved, scooped out mounds of pumpkin seeds for roasting, then visited for ages whilst nibbling on chips with homemade guacamole and salsas, crackers dunked in hot artichoke dip, and smoked leg of lamb and smoked pork loin. Mmm. Good eatin!! Folks costumes were so fun ranging from pirates and the 3 of Spades to Napoleon Dynamite and Malcolm Reynolds from Firefly. We even had a cat with whiskers and a tail!
The apple-cranberry galette turned out so cute. A mere 8-inches across filled with an almost candied tartly sweet filling. The tiny slices are perfect little bites for satisfying a craving for something sweet mid-morning.
Do you get the urge to bake on rainy days? What is your favorite thing to make this Fall?
This is my contribution to Chaya’s Meatless Mondays.
Apple-Cranberry Galette
Ingredients:
1 apple, cored, peeled and thinly sliced (I used Honey Crisp)
1 cup whole fresh or frozen cranberries
3-4-1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
pinch of sea salt
Pie Dough:
(makes enough for 3 galettes or 1 galette and a double-crust pie)
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose white flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter-flavored shortening, chilled
1 stick butter, chilled and grated
1/2 cup ice water
Directions:
- In medium bowl stir together flours and salt.
- Pour flour mixture into food processor, add shortening and butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Dump back into bowl. (If you don’t have a food processor, using pastry blender to cut in shortening and butter.)
- Drizzle with ice water, a Tbsp at a time, and toss lightly with fork until mixture is damp and holds together when pinched lightly.
- Press dough together gently and divide into three. Form each third into a disk, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- While dough chills, melt butter in bottom of saucepan.
- Add apples and cranberries and saute over medium high heat for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger and salt, and cook until juices reduce and sauce caramelizes and coats the fruit. Set aside.
- Remove one disk of dough from fridge. Place between two pieces of plastic wrap and roll out to a circle about 8-10 inches in diameter.
- Remove top layer of plastic wrap and invert dough onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Remove second layer of plastic wrap.
- Chill in freezer for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove dough from freezer. Pour fruit mixture in center of dough and spread evenly to within 1/2-inch of edges. Gently fold edges of dough over fruit, pleating as needed to make it fit. Brush with beaten egg.
- Bake 35-45 minutes until pastry is golden brown.
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