π party a la mode

Could there be anything more delicious than simple home made desserts? Especially if you have the satisfaction of using ingredients that come from your own garden or have been sustainably sourced.

In my case it's the yummy cherry pie made from free range organic eggs bought from my mum's neighbour, spelt flour from the local mill and cherries from mum's garden.

The cherry tree is called "lapin" which means rabbit in French and produces incredible crunchy full cherries. The tree yields between 20 to 30 kilos though it started modestly enough with it's very first harvest consisting of only three cherries.

Three plates for three people adding a scoop of mixed fruit ice cream. Pure indulgence.
No wonder we licked our plates clean!

Do you have a garden and grow your own fruit and veggies?

Summertime fun: Rowing on the Bohinj lake

Summer is in full swing. Long hot days which just beg for outdoor activities like hiking, mountain climbing or rowing. Mr. C and I seized the opportunity to go rowing one lazy Thursday last week when we could expect fewer people on the lake since it was the middle of the week.

But we failed to take into account the moody weather. We arrived in Bohinj just after a vicious storm that took us by surprise en route. Mr. C was considering turning round and going home but I was too stubborn to give up so we kept going and arrived at the lake to be greeted by sunshine and calm lake.
What a lucky break!

However half an hour into our rowing session the dark clouds started gathering again. By that time we had travelled quite a distance and were somewhere in the middle of the lake.

We turned around and hoped to get back to shore before the storm catches up with us. We saw a few magnificent but scary lightnings and I had to remind myself we were safe on water in a wooden boat since the Faraday cage effect applied (don't ask me how that's Mr. C's department).

We even saw a group of French kids learning to row. They were eagerly trying to get to shore as well.

heavy wind

raindrops

We were still approximately 100 m away from shore when it started raining heavily and there was nothing we could do. Mr. C who took over the ores said that the heavy wind and waves were making it extremely difficult to get the boat moving in the right direction.

By the time we reached the sohre we were completely wet and exhausted yet happy. All in all a very memorable road trip.

Bits of wisdom

There was a special Nolan idea about the coffee. It was their one great luxury. Mama made a big potful each morning and reheated it for dinner and supper and it got stronger as the day wore on. It was an awful lot of water and very little coffee but mama put a lump of chicory in it which made it taste strong and bitter. Each one was allowed three cups a day with milk. Other times you could help yourself to a cup of black coffee anytime you felt like it. Sometimes when you had nothing at all and it was raining and you were alone in the flat, it was wonderful to know that you could have something even though it was only a cup of black and bitter coffee.”

“Francie is entitled to one cup each meal like the rest. If it makes her feel better to throw it way rather than to drink it, all right. I think it’s good that people like us can waste something once in a while and get the feeling of how it would be to have lots of money and not have to worry about scrounging.

Betty Smith A tree grows in Brooklyn

Sunday afternoon treat: coffee with a scoop of vanilla ice cream

 I remember reading A tree grows in Brooklyn while I was still in highscool (seems like a lifetime ago) and this passage of the book affected me in a most profound way. Despite of the fact that we are forever scrounging and saving and whining about it, I am keenly aware that I live in a society of incredibly privileged people where certain commodities are taken for granted. Like clean running water, electricity, the ability to go on vacation, ... Imagine living in a world where your one and only luxury is to be able to afford to waste a cup of coffee