The heartbeat of P@l3st!ne lies in the roots of the زيتون (zaytoun) tree. As a resilient symbol of peace, heritage, and sustenance, the olive tree is more than an icon – it's the lifeblood of families. Tales that span centuries echo the strength of a people, rooted deep in the soil.
By the time spring arrived the air thickened with the pungent aroma hanging over the park and the woods. Following the path on my bicycle my nostrils were overwhelmed with the smell of garlic that seemed to follow me. I had not been living long in Germany and spring in this magnitude was often still overwhelming to my senses. For someone who had spent most of her life in the Persian Gulf in the bi-seasonal climates of hot and hotter, the feeling of four seasons was intoxicating.
It could not have been a more perfect day for our day tour on the river Saale. Gorgeous blue skies with a warming sun promised to make the trip unforgettable. Packing the kids into the car I picked up my friend at the Weimar train station and we headed to Camburg, where we met with Mario Brömel who was going to guide us along the river in canoes for an hour-ride to the vineyards of Weingut Zahn. We set off on the Saale through unspoilt nature, enjoying the tranquility of the nature around us. This route is one of the most picturesque river routes in Thuringia where the landscape is dotted with castles, vineyards and hills, and paddlers can make stops at the various points on their journey.
Funny how one week can differ so drastically from another and the days are a constant roller coaster ride filled with barrel rolls, boomerangs and catapults. On the positive days it is often enthralling but on those dark and negative calibrated days this is emotionally draining. On these days all you really want is come home, run a hot bath to drown out the emotional and mental noise and look forward to a comforting meal, maybe even at having a good bitch with the partner!
I love buying glossy food, travel and lifestyle magazines. Usually heading straight to the section where they are neatly stacked, magazine upon magazine in rows after rows, I like to take some time to browse through my favorites, setting aside two or three that will make it home with me.
It started to snow on Monday. Big, fluffy flakes, so that now Weimar is under a slightly light white blanket. But it’s not going to stay for too long. The melt has already started, creating wet slushy roads and against a dull, grey backdrop the trees have lost the last of their colorful leaves.
Hello Winter!
One of the things I enjoy the most is creating a recipe on the spur of the moment. The ideas seem to emerge in my head and I feel the immediate urgency to capture these ideas in a creation.
When the family get together it’s usually a time for lots of laughter, storytelling and plenty of hugging. My parents have never eschewed from showing their emotions openly. They are gregarious, warm and loving people and it takes only a few moments with them and friends quickly are enamored by them and captivated by their stories.
I’ve always had the utmost respect for all the single working mums out there. It’s not easy to juggle a job, child/children, house, hobby and everything else a woman desires to do. Now, however as I too am a “single mother” for a major part of the week, all I can do is tip my chapeau in pure admiration and humble dignity.
I tend to be like a mad scientist in her laboratory mixing and concocting. There's an idea of different ingredients floating in my head and I begin writing it all down in my diary. It's a process that takes days, sometimes months, before I even begin to actually play around with the ingredients in the kitchen.
Well I am back home in Germany, experiencing crass opposites. From bright sunshine to cloudy grey, from the warmth of 25 degrees to a freezing –5 degrees, from pure relaxation to a whirlwind of chores and routines, from a houseful of family and the buzz of commotion to a serene and fairly empty home, from indulging in exquisite dishes from every part of the world to simple and comforting home cooked meals, from high heel sandals to high boots and from light cotton to thick flannels.
It’s been a busy week for me. Even though Soeren was away the whole week I had a few photo and writing assignments to complete and used up the “free” time to finish these off. At work things are busy too. As the new semester has started there are a couple of workshops and seminars I am planning for the new PHD students. After the long summer break it’s good to get things cranking again.
When the weekend rolls around I am mostly in the mood for cooking slightly more extravagant meals. During the week we usually indulge in quick and easy meals. Couscous, rice, some vegetables and of course sandwiches and salads. I do not cook every night. By the time we are home and done with chores, homework and such things there is not too much time to get into the kitchen and cook a larger meal.
Treading water has never really been my thing. I honestly dislike putting in so much effort, but not really going anywhere. It's where we are now - treading water and not going anywhere. Waiting! Waiting to see if the ultimatum presented by Tom shakes his bosses awake. They asked for time to confer and find a solution. And we comply - putting everything on hold. But deep inside we know the decision we want to take. Even though we are torn between an opportunity of a lifetime and taking a risk, we really just want to finally settle down and "come home". We are using this experience to reassess our thoughts and priorities.
Always in search of new ways to enjoy good and healthy meals in a fun an innovative way, I decided to bring back a much forgotten vegetable into my kitchen - kale. In Germany kale is eaten quite often as a side to hearty meat dishes, however, my eating experience of kale here was mostly a squishy slop of green tasteless mush. It was not until a few years ago that I decided to bring this superfood into my kitchen and experiment with it.
Never mess with a classic dish! But I can't help myself sometimes. It's difficult not to allow imagination and creativity to have a say. Let's take the classic pasta and meatballs. I love it, Soeren loves it and Tom loves it too. We are probably amongst several thousands who enjoy this simple yet delicious classic dish. There are as many different recipes for a pasta and meatballs dish as there probably are cooks that make this.
A simple light meal today! The period from Thanksgiving right through to New Year’s is a killer. For the past few days I have been feeling extremely satiated. It’s all those parties and get-togethers that are the norm during this time of the year. We have so many events scheduled on our calendar this month and each one with promises of luscious food.
As Thanksgiving seems to be on everybody’s minds right now (at least all those who celebrate it), it thrilled me that my menu planner was a huge help to many of you. Furthermore, I am glad that recipes for Turkey Roulade with Cranberry Mushroom Stuffing and the Roasted Thyme Jerusalem Artichoke, Kohlrabi and Butternut Squash seemed to hit the right note with several of my readers.
Quite a few emails came fluttering into my mailbox with requests for more tips and helpful ideas. A few also asked why do I celebrate Thanksgiving? A very good question considering the fact I am Indian, married to a German and living in Germany – where does Thanksgiving fit into this picture?
Well it actually is something that goes back to the time we were living in Doha. We were going to a British school but had several American friends. My parents’ social circle also consisted of several American expatriate families and each year we were invited to celebrate Thanksgiving with them. One year my mother suggested that everyone come over to our place for Thanksgiving. It was the least she could do to show her appreciation of all the lovely kind gestures these friends had shown to us.
I think at first everyone was a bit stumped. How radical - the idea of celebrating Thanksgiving at an Indian family’s home! However, my mother as many of my regular readers will know, is a unique and talented person. She was certainly not going to let a dead bird get in her way. Although she had never prepared a turkey before she was bold enough to take on the task of inviting what I remember as an army of friends.
I also do remember the slight panic attack she had as she pondered over recipes and I very well remember how she convulsed when she actually saw the size of the bird. At that time I was not any help at all! The kitchen was a waste of time for me and I was far too busy with other activities to even consider asking my mother if she needed any help. Today I know what a task it must have been for her.
But my mother pulled the dinner off successfully in her own unique way. Ever since then we made it a point to celebrate every year. My parents told us that there were several things that we should be thankful for and this day officially became a way for us to be grateful for the simple and not so simple things in life.
In Germany the American Thanksgiving is not really a concept. I sometimes got the feeling it was even ridiculed as just another "Ami" holiday! However, over the years it bugged me and I started inviting close friends to a elegant gathering every year. I made it a point that everyone said a few words about what they were thankful and soon this became a highlight for my close friends.
I have moved from city to city here in Germany, the coolest thing is it seems like I have left a trail of the Thanksgiving feeling behind. My friends call , telling me they miss the gatherings, a few even celebrate on their own. Here in Weimar I have found a very intimate circle of friends who have become as close as family to me. Celebrating with them each year is a joy and we have become a very efficient team, each knowing what to do.
I am thankful for all these friends who were a part of my life and helped me feel a little at home away from family. To my ever inspiring mother, who always injected the world around her with vitality, I am forever indebted.
And so it came to be that this Indian girl living in Germany with her German husband and son, celebrates this American holiday with all the gusto, frills, turkey and stuffing.
What caught my eye about this recipe, from one of my favorite German food magazines, for mushroom cream soup was not only the crispy thyme Parmesan chips but also that it was a perfect way to start off the meal with my turkey roulade and roasted vegetables. While mushrooms are present in the stuffing for the turkey roulade, thyme adds its aromatic flavor to the roasted vegetables. Both ingredients are also highlighted in the soup.
Mushroom Cream Soup with Thyme Parmesan Chips
Ingredients
Printable version of recipe here.400g potatoes, diced
20g dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in 1 1/4 l warm water for 30 minutes, reserving water
750g Crimini mushrooms, half thinly sliced, half coarsely chopped
2 onions, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
150g Parmesan cheese, grated
8-10 stems thyme, finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter
150g cream cheeseMethod
In a large pot heat olive oil on medium heat and sauté onions until transparent. Add the chopped mushrooms and quickly stir-fry for a further 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Add potatoes, porcini mushrooms including soaking liquid and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for approx. 20 minutes.
In the meantime line a baking tray with waxed paper. Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees C.
Mix half of the thyme with grated Parmesan cheese in a bowl. Using a tablespoon place small heaps of Parmesan-thyme mixture on he wax paper, leaving a few cms space in between each heap. Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes until parmesan has melted and look like flat discs. Set aside to cool.
Heat butter in skillet on medium heat and sauté sliced crimini mushrooms for 5-8 minutes, then add remaining thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Melt cream cheese in the soup, then using a puréeing machine, purée soup until smooth and thick. Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve soup in warm bowls, with sautéed mushrooms and Parmesan chips.
Verdict
Rich, strong and full of flavor, this soup is a perfect way to start off an elegant dinner. The parmesan chips are a great alternative to bread, which makes it not too filling for the rest of the meal. Spoon for spoon, one can literally smell the comforting earthy aromas of mushrooms and thyme. A pure joy!
Next up on WFLH the perfect dessert, fruity, creamy and spicy all in one. Stay tuned!
You might like these aromatic soups from WFLH:
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| Ginger Carrot Soup with Lemon Cream | Porcini Cream Soup with Parmesan | Red Bell Pepper Soup |
Soups from around the blogs:
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