Rosemaling

Finished dala horse

It's interesting how tastes change over a lifetime. I never used to like sauerkraut, but I just ordered a Rueben sandwich last night and the sauerkraut and rye bread were SO GOOD. I was never interested in rosemaling. Actually at one point I remember thinking it was overwrought, but here we are years later and I'm suddenly and inexplicably interested. Who can possibly predict these things? 

I have no experience in painting and find the idea intimidating. I found an artist, Lise Lorentzen, who has published a number of instructional videos on YouTube and sells some pattern packets on Etsy. One of her consistent sayings is "don't worry, it's just paint" so I decided to give it a go. Since I had a quiet Saturday and it takes time for paint to dry between coats, before I knew it, I was rotating between painting 4 different projects- the dala horse, an old wooden fish I'd bought a while back on eBay and wasn't sure what to do with, a wooden birdhouse that I was making into another license plate birdhouse, and the base coats on a 12" wood plate for which I'd purchased another pattern packet and paints.

Rotating between 4 projects

12" Dala Horse

Supplies:

• XXL Dala horse, Lusk Scandia Woodworks, $42 with shipping
• Digital pattern packet on Etsy, $9.75
• Acrylic paints, mediums and 3 brushes, Jo Sonja, $79 (includes paint colors for a plate project, as well)
• Transfer paper, $6 at Michael's

I started by lightly sanding the horse and getting a couple of base coats on. Then I used transfer paper to transfer the design onto the horse and started painting. It turned out better than I thought it might, mostly because I'm following an experienced artist's painting suggestions with the transfer.

Unpainted dala

2 basecoats and glaze applied

Held the pattern up to a window to trace a mirror image for the other side

Transfer lines traced, starting to paint

2 coats of scrolls, will add some white in areas then detailing

Birdhouse

Supplies:

• Acrylic paint, polyacrylic protective finish, old license plate, wire, old silver spoon (all from stash)
• Wood birdhouse- on sale for $5.40

One of Lise's tricks is to use a hairdryer to get the sticky label off of purchased wooden items- worked like a charm. After a couple of base coats (which take longer to apply because you have to rotate and paint different sides so it can dry properly) I decided to use a couple of the dala horse motifs on the bird house for fun.

Wood fish

I bought this old fish on eBay inspired by some of the painted fish I'd seen in Portugal, but I didn't really have an idea of how to paint it and it sat around for a couple of months. I decided on blue and yellow and gave a go at free-handing it. My c-strokes are a little paltry, but it came out alright.

As purchased

Finished

Finished for the weekend

12" Hallingdal-style plate

Supplies: 

Wood plate $5.99 on sale. Pattern packet $7.75 on Etsy.

I got the base coats and glaze on. Painting the red rim was finicky and took several touch ups. I tried to do a burled finish on the outer rim using a folded up plastic bag, but after all it's not really visible. This pattern is ambitious and I'll have to get more courage to continue.

Swedish Almond Cake Pan

This Swedish almond cake pan can also be used for 1/2 recipes of bundt cake recipes- more experiments forthcoming.

This almond cake recipe for Christmas got rave reviews:

Beat well:

• 1 1/4 c sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 2/3 c milk

Add: 

• 1 1/4 c flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

Add and beat well:

• 1 stick (1/2 c) melted butter

Grease pan well with shortening and flour it. Place pan on a cookie sheet to catch leaks and bake at 350F for 40-50 min until inserted toothpick comes out clean. (Note: I had to bake for a bit longer, and it was still just a bit under baked in the center- next time try convection bake). I made a glaze of cream mixed with powdered sugar and some almond extract and then topped with sliced almonds.

Triple Chocolate Cake with Chocolate-Peppermint Filling

This is dad's favorite Christmas dessert. One season I made it three times. You can slice leftovers in portions and freeze them. 

From Bon Appetite, Dec 2001

Filling

• 8 ounces imported milk chocolate (such as Lindt), finely chopped 

• 1/2 cup whipping cream 

• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup 

• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract 

Cake

• 1 cup sifted all purpose flour 

• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 

• 1/2 teaspoon salt 

• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 

• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 

• 1 cup sugar 

• 1/3 cup (packed) dark brown sugar 

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

• 3 large eggs 

• 1/2 cup buttermilk 

• 1 1/2 cups miniature semisweet chocolate chips 

Chocolate Glaze

• 8 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped 

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces 

• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup 

• 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract 

• 12 whole red-and-white-striped hard peppermint candies, chopped 

• Fresh mint leaves (I omit these)

Preparation

Filling

• Place chocolate in medium bowl. Bring cream and corn syrup to simmer in small saucepan. Pour hot mixture over chocolate; add extract and let stand 1 minute. Whisk until mixture is smooth. Let filling stand at room temperature while cake is baking and cooling.

Cake

• Position rack in lowest third of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides. Line bottom with parchment paper. Butter parchment. Dust pan with flour. Whisk first 5 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in both sugars, then vanilla. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk in 2 additions each. Mix in chocolate chips.

• Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 5 minutes. Turn out cake onto rack. Peel off parchment. Cool completely.

• Using electric mixer, beat filling until fluffy and lightened in color, about 30 seconds. Using serrated knife, cut cake horizontally in half. Place 1 layer, cut side up, on rack set over baking sheet. Spread filling over. Top with second layer, cut side down. Chill filled cake 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare glaze

• Stir chocolate, butter, and corn syrup in heavy small saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Mix in extract. Cool glaze until just lukewarm but still pourable, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.

• Pour 1/2 cup glaze over center of cake. Spread over top and sides of cake. Chill until glaze sets, about 15 minutes. Pour remaining glaze over center of cake, then spread quickly over top and sides. Chill until glaze sets, about 1 hour. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; chill. Before continuing, let stand at room temperature until softened, about 4 hours.

• Sprinkle candies around top edge of cake. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.

Sealing and freezing slices for future enjoyment

Potica

This is the second year we made potica with our friends across the street. This recipe is from Samantha Kelly and Ashley Leonard in the Iron Range. There is a great video that goes with this recipe.

WALNUT POTICA

We doubled this recipe both times we made it.
DOUGH

• 2 envelopes dry active yeast
• ¼ cup warm water
• 1 cup milk
• ½ cup butter
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 5 cups flour (+ extra if needed)

1. Combine yeast and warm water in small bowl, let sit 5-10 minutes until bubbling and foamy.
2. Heat milk until small bubbles form around edge and is steaming. Stir in butter, sugar and salt until dissolved. Let cool.
3. Once milk mixture is cool add yeast mixture and eggs, stir until well combined.
4. In large bowl add flour and cooled milk mixture. Stir until well combined.
5. Turn out onto floured board and knead about 10 minutes to incorporate all flour until dough is smooth & elastic. Add more flour as needed if dough is too sticky to handle.
6. Grease clean, large bowl with butter, cover with damp cloth and let rise in warm place about 90 minutes or until at least doubled in size.

FILLING

• 2 pounds walnuts, ground
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup honey
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Combine walnuts, sugar, brown sugar and butter in large bowl, set aside.
2. Heat cream and honey is small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until steaming and bubbling around edges. Pour over walnut mixture and stir to combine. Add eggs and vanilla, beat well.

ASSEMBLY

1. Heat oven to 350°F.
2. Roll dough on floured cloth as thin as you can possible get it, should be basically see-through, to a large rectangle approximately 36x60 inches.
3. Warm filling if completely cooled (will be easier to spread).
4. Spread filling in thin, even layer over rolled dough, extending all the way to the edges. Use an offset spatula.
5. Tightly roll dough, starting on long edge, like a jelly roll. Pinch edge to seal. Cut into 5 loaves, approximately 12-inches in length. (Loaves do not get a second rise)
6. Melt 1 ½ tablespoons butter in 9x13 pan. Roll cut loaves in butter to coat.
7. Baked at 350°F for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F (without opening oven) and continue baking 45-1 hour until loaves are a deep golden brown. Let cool before cutting. Cooled loaves freeze extremely well

Filling

Starting to roll the dough- clamp the table cloth to the surface

Dough is rolled so thinly you can see the table cloth print

Filling spread on dough

Rolled up and cut into loaves

Delicious!

Slicing on Christmas

Deep Dish Apple Torte

We loved the taste and look of these deep dish apple tortes when we were in Europe.

When researching recipes, there are a lot of variations, so this approach is a blend of a few recipes. The crust is not the reason for us to eat this, so we went with a utilitarian purchased crust, pressed into a 9" springform pan.

5 large apples, peeled, cored and diced (I used Haralson and Newton Pippin from our trees)

1/2 c brown sugar

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp Vietnamese cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Bird's custard powder 1/2 recipe, cooked into custard with 1 c milk

3/4 c apple sauce

Preheat oven to 375. Bake on cookie sheet to catch any leaking. Bake covered for 25 min, then remove cover and bake another 35 min.

Assessment: Not a home run. Despite having baked for over an hour (I extended the time a bit) some of the apples were still hard, due both to the fresh quality of the apples and the fact that I left them in bigger chunks than was wise. The flavor the custard imparted was good, but not as thick or creamy as we wanted. For the next cycle, I think I'm going to cook the apples a bit first to soften them, and then incorporate our homemade apple sauce instead of the custard. 

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds & Roasted Cubed Squash

I've previously written about baking squash halves. Often, I'm in the more in the mood for roasted squash cubes than for pureed baked squash, but peeling squash can be a pain. I wanted to roast a small pumpkin that we grew in our garden. I found an old plastic peeler in the back of the drawer that was easier to use as the peeler blade was less offset from the handle. I peeled it, then cut it into cubes, sprayed it with a little oil and salt and roasted at 400 for 35 min, stirring a couple of time during the roast. 

Ready to peel and cube

We enjoy roasted pumpkin seeds. Here is a classic recipe we've been using.

Pumpkin Pie Seeds

• 1 c pumpkin seeds, rinsed and dried
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 6 tsp sugar (I often reduce this)
• 1 Tbsp oil

Spread seeds in a single layer on a large baking sheet and roast them in a 250 oven for 45 min or until the seeds are completely dry and lightly browned (large seeds may take slightly longer). In a large bowl stir together the spice, salt and 2 tsp of the sugar. Heat oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Add the seeds and the rest of the sugar to the skillet, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the the sugar melts, about 45 seconds. Scrape the seeds into the bowl with the spice mixture and stir to coat.

Portugal and Viking Cruise on the Rhine

We flew to Amsterdam Thursday night and had a connecting flight to Lisbon. Our first flight was delayed, and because we hadn't booked the flights through the same airline/together, we had to figure out new flights to Lisbon and pay for them (there goes an extra $1,200). Oh well, we made it to Lisbon, picked up our rental car, found the AirBnB and secured groceries for breakfast. Meg and Ben landed and joined us a few hours later. Now it was 11 PM on Friday and folks were hungry, so Meg and Ben looked up the doner kebab neighborhood on Google Maps. The streets were filled with young people drinking and carousing- it almost had a Bourbon Street vibe.

Waiting for our food outside of Hunger Station. Andy ordered the "Big Daddy"

On Saturday, we started with a Rick Steves' self-guided tour, then Andy hired a tuk tuk to take us around with a driver that cracked jokes and disparaged the traditional Fado music style.

Checking out the local seafood displays

Santa Justa lift

Our tuk tuk driver

We enjoyed late afternoon coffee/happy hour at Ludo's where we first tried (and loved) vinho verde. 

Ludo's

We stumbled into a parade celebrating different kinds of ceremonial masks.

Back at the AirBnB, Andy opted to rest and the three of us walked to Manteigaria for the local pastéis de nata. We ended up standing in front of the glass bakery area watching the bakers for almost 45 min, mesmerized. During that time we had to go back for a second round of the warm and delicious custard tarts.

Our first batch

Our second batch

When we got back to the AirBnB, Andy had researched a good restaurant for dinner, and we enjoyed delicious grilled fish, as well as a pitcher of vinho verde on tap.

Two orders of "mixed grilled fish for two" at Duque

On Sunday we packed our things into the rental car and started to head north out of Lisbon, stopping at the Ancient Art Museum.

We all have a great appreciation for Hieronymus Bosch 

We drove to Belem, where we admired the Belem Tower and the Jeronimos monastery (from the outside as the lines were hours-long) and tested the quality of the pastéis de nata in Belem.

Belem tower

Jeronimos Monastery

pastéis de nata in Belem

We drove on to Ericeira, where we stayed in an AirBnB with a view of the ocean. The Vikings were playing at Noon in the US (6PM for us) so we went to the grocery store and bought hamburger patties, frozen french fries, salad and (of course) Magnum ice cream bars. I cooked and we enjoyed the game.

AirBnB balcony

Monday we drove to Sintra where we toured the National Palace and the Moorish Castle. In the afternoon we hit the beach where the three joined a couple of volleyball games. We ate a lovely dinner with a variety of small dishes.

Sintra National Palace

Moorish castle, high up on a mountain

Beach volleyball

I'm mid-bite from a delicious assortment of dishes at Caminito

Tuesday dawned gray and rainy, so Andy postponed our planned kayak tour. We drove to Obidos, letting Meg and Ben out of the car a few miles outside of town so they could run in and meet us. Obidos is charming and completely encircled by its medieval walls.

Obidos Castle, now serving as a hotel

Strolling up on the city walls

The weather on Wednesday wasn't improved, so we ultimately cancelled the kayak excursion (I booked a food tour in Porto instead). We packed up and drove to Porto, stopping in Batalha for coffee, pastéis de nata and a tour of the monastery.

Batalha Monastery, built between 1386 and 1517

After a 3-hour drive, we arrived to our AirBnB in Porto. We explored Porto a bit and had dinner at Cafe Ceuta.

Cod- very popular in Portugal

Our food tour started at 10 on Thursday and included these stops:

1. A small family-owned restaurant where we were served cod cakes, a bifana pork sandwich and Super Bock beer
2. A coffee house where we each had a pastel da nata and a coffee
3. The restored covered market Mercado do Bolhão where we tried olive oils from both the Douro and Alentejo regions
4. An old-school shop, Casa Natal, where we were served platters of cheeses, 3 kinds of cured meats, pumpkin jam on bread, fresh figs stuffed with walnuts and a glass of vinho verde
5. Another shop, A Favorita do Bolhao, where we tried white, tawny and ruby ports

   

   Mercado do Bolhão

   
   
   

White, tawny and ruby ports

When the food tour ended, we went back to the market and bought fruit, meats and cheeses for our own "board" dinner back at the AirBnB after some time on the beach.

Enjoying the sunset

Friday we drove to the Douro Valley, stopping for coffee at Amarante. We arrived at our first winery hungry and learned most don't serve food, so we headed to the nearby town of Largo da Videira for sustenance and then stopped at two wineries. I'd booked us for a grape stomping experience at the second one, which turned out to be goofy fun.

Amarante

The views were beautiful

Quinta da Bomfim

Grape stomping at Quinta da Pacheca

Saturday we slept in a bit, then packed up and left the AirBnB at 11. We had a little time to kill before getting to the airport, so it was back to the beach where we watched a surfing competition for a bit then lucked into a few more volleyball matches. We dropped the kids at the airport for their flight to Amsterdam then returned the rental car and caught our EasyJet flight to Basel.

Andy and I enjoyed exploring Basel on Sunday, including climbing to the top of the Basel Munster, going to the art museum, and hunting down some apple strudel before getting on the Viking Hlin cruise ship at about 4 PM.

Basel Munster

Basel Town Hall

We were immediately impressed with how the Viking ship was designed. There were 188 passengers and an extremely friendly group of staff. We enjoyed our first dinner, and the food on the entire cruise was very good.

Monday we started the morning with an excursion to the Black Forest, including a short hike to some waterfalls and demonstrations for cuckoo clocks (Andy had to buy one, of course) and black forest cake.

Black Forest-Hofgut Sternen Village

In the afternoon we took a second excursion to the medieval village of Colmar.

Colmar

That evening, we joined a music trivia game on the ship. We made a team consisting of 4 couples- us, two from Australia, two from New Zealand, and a Mormon couple from Utah. We ended up winning the game, and divided the prizes of a box of chocolate, a coffee mug and some gin. The Mormons told us to take the gin. They took the mug, and indicated they would use if for hot chocolate as they don't drink coffee.

On Tuesday, we did a "Strasbourg from the top" excursion which included an overview of the complex geopolitical history of Strasbourg, a detailed explanation of the amazing astrological clock within the cathedral and a climb up the cathedral platform. Our local guide was tremendous and we learned a lot. She recommended a local restaurant (Le Tire Bouchon) to have lunch and we wondered where Alsatian food had been all of our lives. 

Strasbourg Cathedral

Astrological clock

Beyond charming

Lunch- 5 kinds of meat served on sauerkraut- Andy's dream-come-true

Wednesday we took an excursion to Heidelberg. Our guide took us through Heidelberg castle, and our group had lunch with two students from Heidelburg University. We had a lively chat with Brian from a small town in Italy, studying space engineering.

Heidelberg Castle

Lunch with fellow cruisers and Brian the student

Thursday morning we cast off at about 9 AM and started the cruise up the middle Rhine, filled with small towns, vineyards and castles. It was cold and windy, and Andy was able to get blankets from the crew so we could stay up on the sundeck for the views of castle after castle.

Map of the sites along the Middle Rhine

In the afternoon, we went on excursion to Marksburg Castle.

Friday we had an engaging tour of Cologne from a local guide, climbed to the top of the cathedral and went to the Chocolate Museum.

We climbed the tower, 533 steps, 25 years after first climbing it

Coffee break, more apple strudel

Chocolate Museum- no regrets with this stop

Viking menu- the right side changed every day

Our final cruise day, Saturday, we spent in Kinderdijk. We took an excursion to a local dairy farm that makes gouda, then toured a windmill preservation park. 

Sunday morning we disembarked in Amsterdam at 6AM, took a taxi to the airport and flew home. 

It was a magnificent trip.