Risotto with Asparagus

Our favorite asparagus stand is still going strong on the Kollwitzstrasse. As long as they are there, we’ll be eating asparagus. Second time this week. Tonight we had green asparagus with a saffron risotto. 

Here is the (very simple) recipe for about three persons. Put 750 ml vegetable stock on, so it’s hot when you’re going to use it. Bake 1 chopped shallot and 1 chopped green pepper (deseeded) a minute in a tablespoon of butter. When the shallots look glassy, add a wisp of saffron. Add about 200 grams risotto rice and cook for a few until the rice looks a little glassy. Deglaze with 1 dl water with ½ squeezed lemon. If the water is absorbed, add the stock a ladle at a time and stir till the rice has absorbed it before adding another one. Test after about 2/3 of the broth if the risotto is done. I myself add stock until the rice is soft because it really is easier for the little ones to eat - one of the ladies only has six teeth- but I can imagine that you'd rather have it a little more al dente.

When the rice is done, remove it from the heat and add a tablespoon of butter, a teaspoon of honey and 50 grams of grated parmesan cheese. Add pepper and salt if needed: done!

Meanwhile, I cooked a bunch green asparagus in a pan of boiling water for about 10 minutes. Again, I cook them a little longer than I would do for myself; softer is easier for the girls. A few pieces of asparagus on top of the risotto and the rest with olive oil and coarse sea salt on a separate plate.

I must admit that I’ve cheated a little with the girls. They are not as fond as their mum of asparagus. They like it a little more each time, but I added green peas to their risotto so they will both try to learn to like asparagus and had enough veg tonight.

Geschichtspark Moabit

When we the move to Berlin was certain I bought a whole lot of books about the city and what to do. We’re here for over half a year now and I’m still making all these separate lists of what to do and with whom. One of my favorite books is 111 things in Berlin you shouldn’t miss, because they have really searched for fantastic places just outside the normal touristic spots. We actually did visit a few of the places in this book and they all where great.

Today we decided to do the touristic thing again and visit one of the places on my list: Wolfram Liebchen – Antike Bauelemente on the Lehrterstrasse. This is supposed to be a place where they sell old stuff that comes from buildings that will be torn down. From fireplace to doors to window sills to old iron gates. Because I always prefer the old over the new I was very curious to see this place and see if we could find some beautiful stuff. Unfortunately I didn’t remember the address very good and we never really found the place. Better luck next time.

Because it is quite a walk from our house to the lehrterstrasse we of course were a bit tired. So we were very lucky to stumble upon this hidden old park called “geschichtspark Moabit” which means as much as Historical Park Moabit. It indeed is one of the very many places in Berlin where you can almost feel the history of the things that have taken place. But besides being historical grounds it nowadays also is a very beautiful and serene place to relax a bit -and of course commemorate what has happened here, like we do a lot in Berlin - in the middle of the business of the city. There are big walls all around it and besides us there only were two other people. For us and our very active brood a perfect place to relax/run around. Next time we’ll make an attempt to find Liebchen we definitely will perch in this memorial garden again.

Summer days

After a few days of rain and a really, really cold day summer has arrives in Berlin again. First thing to do? Go and eat ice creams on our favorite bench in the whole of Berlin: third one on the Knaackstrasse coming from Kollwitsstrasse. Wonderful.

Mogg & Melzer

Pastrami! Best ever! I’m not a big pastrami fan per se, but I guess I never ate a real pastrami sandwich. After seeing this movie that Imre send us I couldn’t not go to Mogg & Melzer and have one of their pastrami sandwiches. We waited till Imre was visiting to go there and I kind of regret it because their sandwiches are really, really good. All of it, the mustard, the meat, the pickle and definitely also the coal slaw.

It’s located in an old Jewish girl school on the auguststrasse and easy to miss because it’s hidden behind big wooden doors. It’s a cozy little place and we were in luck to find a place immediately when we walked in, but otherwise it would definitely have been worth the wait. The only thing I was sorry about was to have taken the small sandwich and not the big one.

Curry B

My sisters’ hubby is visiting us for a couple of days. He’s here for work, but luckily sleeps over at our place. The girls are very excited. Our oldest is super-over-excited. She asks me every morning if he’s still there and if he will be staying for the whole day. They always play this monster game. She wants him to be the monster over and over again. If he does, she screams as if she’s terrified. If he stops she wants him to be the monster again. The twins obviously also loved their uncle visiting as Lulu wanted to cuddle all the time and little Diez teasing him by calling him Bobo for some reason.

Everybody that visits Berlin for the first time should, in our opinion, be eating some currywurst at least once. We ourselves are at a point that we only eat them when people are visiting, guess we’ve overeaten ourselves a bit in the first months. There is one place we love to take people for some nice wurst and that’s Curry B. Curry B sell their sausages from a silver trailer in a corner of the terrain of Bötzow Brewery Berlin. Once one of the first breweries of Berlin, nowadays an area in development to be a creative place. It also houses one of the best new restaurants of Berlin: Soupe Populaire by Tim Raue. We really would like to eat there, but making reservations two months ahead is a bit hard for us at this moment.

Curry B makes a perfect alternative with their laid back attitude, relaxing lounge chairs and of course one of the best Currywursts of Berlin.

Broccoli with Pomegranate

Another recipe I’m trying from my Green Kitchen cookbook. Not a very spectacular one, but really one that learned me something.

It’s just me and the little ones today, we’re keeping it simple, so I downsized the recipe a bit by leaving the red onions and pumpkin seeds out. Replaced half of the yoghurt by a mixture of mayonnaise and crème fraiche and for the rest this salad is not much more than broccoli, raisins and pomegranate mixed together with some yoghurt.We combined the salad with fresh bloater from the market and jacket potatoes.

What really surprised me in this recipe is the wonderful combination of veg and pomegranate. I have to say I’m not a big fan of the pomegranates (too, too much seeds!), but they are said to be so very healthy that I eat them every now and then. In this combination I actually couldn’t stop eating. So mixing more pomegranates with veg in the future it is!

Aubergine and Tomato with Poached Eggs

The dish the girls and I had for lunch today was from one of my Sophie Dahl cook books. In Dutch it’s called Season to Season. I bought this book because of the box of veg I got every week and I didn't always know what to make with all these seasonal veg. Also of course a bit because of her grandpa who has given me so much fun in reading in my younger years. I honestly can’t wait until my girls are big enough to read the books to them.

I have to say it’s a sweet book and I use it as an inspiration, but the recipes are not always quite elaborated and often ‘missing’ something for my taste. Also with this recipe, the combination of the fried aubergine and tomatoes with the poached egg is fantastic and I will definitely keep that in mind, but I will definitely work on the taste of the veg. The original recipe by Sophie can be found here.

About poaching the eggs, I have a great tip from my Yvette van Boven books: make sure you stir the water (with vinegar and salt), so it swirls, before putting the egg in. It was my first time poaching and didn’t fail an egg!

Krausnickpark

Hidden away behind a big gate on the Oranienburgerstrasse we found this beautiful and serene courtyard. For us it really is a little paradise. Children are playing; parents are lying down in the grass or reading their book on a bench. When it’s really hot there even are children’s paddling pools for the little ones to cool off. Even on a hot day like today it seems as if the air is a little bit fresher here. We are very, very happy to have found this magnificent place and will be found here much more often on the hot Berlin summer days. 

  

LPG Biomarkt

The LPG Bio market in Berlin is one of the largest bio supermarkets of Europe. It indeed is pretty big, what also is the reason I mainly shop at Denn’s bio market who are much smaller – LPG even has 2 floors - but easier to maneuver with my three kids. And they have small carts so I can push the stroller while my oldest takes care of the groceries.

There are two reasons for me to not go to Denn’s but visit LPG. That is their assortment of fresh herbs, they absolutely have everything you would like from age to tarragon. Second reason is when I need a special cheese. Also here they have everything I could think of that has to do with cheese. They even have my favorite Dutch cheese: the really, really old, crumbly salty one. So each time a recipe I’m trying needs some special herb, foreign cheese or I have a huge craving for some bread with butter and Dutch cheese you’ll find us at LPG

Rainy Day

Today the sun doesn’t show its face. It all rain, clouds and some more rain. We don’t mind. The girls certainly don’t mind. We just put on our boots & raincoats and off we go. It also is a good opportunity to jump in muddy puddles a bit more than usual and play at the fountain in Volkspark Friedichshain. Getting wet doesn’t matter today!

Grilled Fish

At the Kollwitzplatz market we visit almost every Saturday there is a stand that sells whole grilled fishes. We never tried one before because there’s mostly a long line in front of the stand, but today we were early and were in luck there was no line at all. Our chance to finally try their fish. A whole grilled trout. 

The girls really very much like fish, but we don’t eat it here that often simply because the availability of fresh fish. Especially our oldest, she loves everything from the sea very much, in particular when we eat snails, scallops or a whole trout. What is so special about a whole trout? The eyes. She loves to eat the eyes. As far as I know in a big part of the world these are considered as a delicacy, but not so much in the Netherlands. I see no reason to not let her eat them, but haven’t been brave enough yet to try them myself. Maybe one day and in the mean time I couldn’t make her happier than to give them to her.

Volkspark Humboldthain

Today we went for a bike with the girls and ended up at Volkspark Humbolthain. This park is really a contradictory place.

On one side of the park there are these huge bunkers, leftover from world war two, only seen from one side by two towers sticking out of all the green. The bunkers have been covered with rubble from WWII and then overgrown with trees and green, but the towers are still there and you can climb to the top via stairs to oversee a large part of Eastern Berlin only to be careful not be blown away by the strong wind. These bunkers were built so strong and it was so hard to destroy them that a couple of them are still intact. It is an impressive building that makes you wonder what it must have been like to be there during the war. They are also open for tours inside what we plan on doing some day, without the kids of course.

On the other hand it is the most beautifully maintained park in Berlin I have seen so far. There is this wonderful serene rose garden with a pergola holding wisteria and a water spitting turtle. The whole park feels more like a garden with all its beautiful green lawns, paths and flowers. Right on the other side of the bunkers there also is a big outdoor pool with a huge slide that wasn’t yet opened but probably will be very soon.

This park is definitely worth a visit for both the history as for the beautiful gardens.

Food Revolution Day and Instagram

Because of my challenge to cook as various as possible by trying all kinds of recipes from different cookbooks I own I thought it would be fun to start an Instagram account to post the things I make and like. For the first three days I had 2 followers: some spam account and my sister-in-law. I didn’t really know what way I would like to go with this account so wasn’t too busy with it yet.

On the second day of my new account I found out that the next day would be Jamie Olivers Food Revolution Day and I thought it would be much fun to join and involve my girls some extra in my cooking on this day. So I looked up some extra recipes and we went for fruit & veg shopping. Back at home I showed them all the veg, let them taste it, play with it and of course made some pictures to put on my new account under the hashtag #FRD2014. In the beginning there were of course some likes from people also joining the Food Revolution Day, but then suddenly my account kind of exploded. Instagram picked up on one of my pictures and credited me! I was really overwhelmed and of course proud as any mum would be if somebody likes a pic of their little ones. It also gives a bit of pressure because I do not want anyone, who started following me, down. Took me a couple of days to shake the feeling of and now I’m back to liking what I’m doing on this blog and hoping that other people like it as well.

We anyhow had a great day with all the fruits and veg and cooking. It really helped me realize that I really need to involve the girls more in the cooking process. I’m all about feeding them healthy and varied, but forgetting the part before the food is on the table. First of all I was a bit shocked by me that my oldest didn’t know the name of the eggplant, we eat it all the time but I apparently never showed her a non-processed one. Second of all, they really enjoy helping me to cook. Of course I have been baking pies and cookies with them but they also likes helping peel the rhubarb or just put the pieces of eggplant in the pan.

So also on our behalf, thank you Jamie for starting Food Revolution Day, even for us it opened our eyes and made us have a really fun day

Taste

Having my twins really changed my view on how big (or little) you’re influence is on certain behavior of your child. With my first one for instance I really thought that her sleeping behavior was a result on how we were handling things. She didn’t need much daytime sleep and always refused to go to bed early in the evening, but then slept the whole night through. There has been a period that we felt kind of guilty for not making her go to bed on a regular bedtime (like we saw most of our friends do with their babies). Then again, we’re not the kind of parents that make their kids cry for hours just so they will sleep at an ‘appropriate’ time.

Then enter the twins. I had no idea two little people who were born in the same family on the same day could be as different as they are. Both inside and out. I know now that sleeping habits are largely dependent on the child itself. Neither we nor the lovely ladies at daycare have in the first year been able to get the twins to sleep at the same times.

Same thing with taste, you can only influence the things they like and dislike so much. Of course letting them eat different things, having them see you enjoying eating and approaching eating as something fun will, in my opinion, influence them without a doubt, but the basis also is something in the child itself.

Today that was again illustrated when I was making them falafel. When I’m cooking they always get little snacks form the food I’m making and today I gave them small pieces pickles and chickpeas. My oldest ate and like both, but with the twins it was different. One of them really likes sour flavors and only wanted the pickles, she actually spit out the chickpeas. The other one put the pickles aside and ate lots of the chickpeas. There’s no doubt in my mind they both will eat (almost) everything like my oldest does, but I definitely need them to come a bit closer together.

The one that liked the pickles also liked the tomatoes, the other one mainly liked the cauliflower. In the end they both liked the falafel very much.

Strawberry shortcakes

Asparagus and Strawberries, that’s what it’s all about these days in Berlin. First one at least once a week, second one absolutely every day!

So of course it was about time to make these Shortcakes from Yvettes Home Made Summer book. And they are delicious. Today we ate them with strawberries and whipped cream, next day they still were perfect with some mascarpone and cherry jam.

And I found the recipe online! Right here

Mother’s day

Mother’s day for me is not about getting presents and all, but I very much likes the breakfast in bed the girls and their dad made me today. Normally on this day we would have two big bouquets of flowers and go and bring both our mothers a visit, but today it’s about what I like to do the most: strolling around the city and have coffee. So that’s what we did. Coffee on the terrace of No Fire No Glory when the sun was still out, later on lunch at Das Blumencafe, hidden behind their forest of plants and finish the walk with some gries-himbeere ice cream at Susse Sunde before heading home because the rain just wouldn’t stop. Wonderful day

 

 

 

Hundeauslaufgebiet

Today we discovered a new part of the woods in the South West side of Berlin. In Grunewald there is a part where dogs can run freely. Great on one hand, on the other there really are a whole lot of very big dogs. For Jacques it’s fantastic, especially because there are all kinds of little beaches around the Grunewald See where he can swim. Luckily we later find some quieter paths so the girls have a chance to run around as well.

Olive Blinis

Today for lunch, and as part of my challenge, I made Olive Blini’s with Beets and Salmon. This seriously is one of the most delicious little bites I have ever tasted. The combination of the sour beet with the salty salmon and the sweet mascarpone is amazing. It was hard to stop eating them, luckily the girls loved them as well and most of the blini’s were served directly to the plate because it was hard to bake faster than they were eating.

Of course my picture does not look as nice as they look in the cookbook, but that was mainly because I don’t own a flapjack pan. One more reason to get one. I did manage to find the recipe on a website right here

Dirt

After grocery shopping we stop by at the water playground. For the first time in our Berlin history I was actually prepared for this. Old jeans, extra vests and trousers. It’s a pretty busy day today with children of all ages from 0 to 6. Sitting there watching all the playing happening I am wondering. Why is it that my kids somehow, by far, are the most dirty kids at this playground? They really, really are and I am wondering if this has to do with me – should I teach to not get dirty? – or with them – are they dirt loving kids? – . They just go and sit down in the middle of a muddy puddle to play and after taken them out three times, I just let them be the fourth time. They can’t get any dirtier anyhow. That’s the little ones. The oldest just goes around jumping in the puddles and since she’s is just as clumsy as her mum, there also is a lot of falling down.

They seem to have a lot of fun so I don’t really mind, but nonetheless I somehow feel a slight bit embarrassed when I’m leaving with three sand and water soaked girls. 

Spargel

I didn’t know this upfront but Germany is even more than the Netherlands a country of Asparagus. I’m so happy about this for back home I can’t wait till the season starts again and we can eat as much of the white ones as we can. Here in Berlin there are stalls everywhere in the city selling fresh asparagus and strawberries. One of them around the corner in the Kollwitsstrasse, they really have the best, both white and green. They also sell the loveliest little tulips that make me a tiny bit homesick for our favorite flower shop in Amsterdam

Cloth

For her third birthday she got a table cloth form two of my best friends. It's a color your own and she is so extremely happy with it that not a day goes by she doesn't color a bit while talking about everything she sees on their non-stop. Sometimes I’m allowed to help, but only the stuff she points out for me to color. Today we colored while her sisters were asleep and I took the liberty of coloring a pair of cherries. This was not appreciated. At all. She has been pointing out for about a hundred times. “You colored the cherries didn’t you mum” “yes I did”. “There’s just one pair of cherries isn’t there” “yes there is baby”. “I like coloring cherries very much too” “…”

Sun

After a really cold Sunday which almost made us freeze on the terrace of Babel the warmth of this Monday is really surprising us. Because a lot of rain is expected in the coming days we do need to enjoy this day to the most and that means ice cream. On wasserturmplatz there’s one of Prenzlbergs dozens of ice creams places, bit this one’s got something special: a children’s packet. This means two small scoops of ice, crumble mixture and a Gummy Barchen on top. We do need to take some serious time on one of Knaackstrasses lovely benches to enjoy these. And to keep them sand free, because our next stop of course is the playground on Kollwitzplatz.

Frittata

Yet another cooking book was added to my challenge. For my 34^th birthday two of my lovely girls gave me a beautiful new cookbook from Sweden with vegetarian recipes: The Green Kitchen. It's written by couple who have a little girl the same age as my oldest and they wrote this book with recipes also suitable for toddlers. Because we only eat meat once or twice a week, this book is a welcome addition. Their recipes are very simple and just a little different. I’m already making frittatas every week, but what I called a frittata is just a lot of baked vegetables with egg poured over it. Mostly results in some kind of scrambled eggs with veg stirred through. Fine for the taste but doesn’t do much for the looks of the food.

 

Thanks to the green kitchen I now know this easy way to make a beautiful frittata and also found out that my girls are ok with eating cabbage, while I thought it would be too hard for them with the little teeth they have.

The trick for a good frittata is to take the veg out of the pan, then pour in the eggs, bake them for a minute and put the veg back in before shoving it all in the oven with a layer of grated cheese on top. This one is with cabbage, potatoes and homemade pesto inside and really thinly sliced green asparagus on top.

Volkspark

The weather is so lovely today that we’re not ready to go inside yet after visiting Boxhagener. So of course we go to one of our favorite spots: the Volkspark. Just running around, picking flowers, walking the dog and eat some ice creams at the kiosk

Boxhagener

Today we went back to Boxhagener platz. Loved it all over again. Girls had so much fun at the big playground in the middle while we got some good cappuccinos before strolling the market for groceries. The best smoked salmon and mackerel definitely is to be found on this very market. Besides the fish a thing that really stands out here is that every person behind the stands is so very nice and helpful. For our dog this must also be one of his favorite spots for he gets treats at several stands.

The big surprise today is the lovely little lady in the corner of the market that sells little bouquets of lilacs and lily-of-the-valley that make our house smell so nice for the next couple of days

Marchenbrunnen

The fountains are on again. Somebody is very happy. It makes this 1st of May extra special.