whites

I have an ever expanding collection of white dishware. A lot of pieces are typical, but then I love the quirky everyday things made ceramic.

These are a couple pieces I picked up recently:

pillow plates - made in Ohio for eleven madison park in New York City

berry punnets - for my love of blueberries

pâtisserie plates - like those in European cafés, for cakes, cookies, and confections.

I love having guests and giving them something a little unexpected in terms of servingware. 

It's the little things.

Jet Lag

We just got back from the United States.

It's funny to notice little things after being away, even though it's only been about 6 months since our previous visit.

Some things feel foreign, sometimes I feel a little foreign, and other times I love the familiarity. It's like an old friend who you can pick up with without skipping a beat.

The variety always amazes me, too... the complexions, subcultures, styles, foods - those are things I desperately miss after all of these years away (not to mention friends, family, and my parents' dogs).

Mieka and Josh were happy to see us. Mieka was eager to celebrate my birthday in hopes of stealing a bit of cake (she was unsuccessful). Since she has Addison's disease, she is constantly hungry and will do anything for the smallest kibble. It's sad and sweet all at the same time.

Joshua was so delighted to run in the first snow of the season. I always seem to forget he is such a behemoth and looks like he belongs in a zoo. What a sweet boy he is.

We miss everyone already.

I hope to catch up a bit this week and write about our trips to San Francisco and Ohio. It was such a great visit and so nice to have some sun!

Cookies + Markets

One thing I desperately miss about the US around the holidays is how everything centers around food.

It's an excuse to gather, to enjoy, and to eat a bit more than usual with pot-luck style meals and cookie exchanges.

Here people tend to do it all on their own.

I'm always impressed when we visit Stefan's family and there are an array of different cookies all meticulously put together and perfectly bite sized. His Mom has a legendary fondue, which has become a fantastic family tradition, too.

Each year I think I should organize a cookie exchange, because I love variety, but the holiday chaos usually gets in the way. It gets a little trying to make an array of cookies on your own. This year Stefan joined me for a glühwein and evening of baking, which was a lot of fun.

I try to make new recipes, old favorites, and learn some German varieties with lebkuchen and the standard Mürbeteig base.

There seems to be a distinct difference from celebrating in Germany and the US. As with many things I wish that I could meld the two together.

Here people celebrate oftentimes outside and away from their homes. They gather with strangers, neighbors, and friends for Christmas markets and festivals.

The US is a bit commercial with a strong emphasis on gifts, family, and individual traditions.

If we ever move away from Germany I'm certain we'll have an annual Christmas market party - complete with lebkuchen, glühwein, spiced nuts, spätzle, open fires, and undoubtedly our own traditions thrown in.

Here are a few photos from the Tollwood festival, which is an enormous organic around the world style Christmas market, similar to Yellow Springs back home. It takes place on the same grounds as Oktoberfest.

We had some incredible schupfnudeln and spätzle, which came in edible dishes. Isn't that ingenious? 

...and of course our fair share of feuerzangenbowle, which a glühwein with rum over pressed sugar that is then lit on fire. 

Darkest Chocolate Ice Cream

Chocolate ice cream goes with everything, especially in the Autumn.

As with many recipes using chocolate, coffee is used as a flavor carrier. I don't drink coffee, however the flavor is not noticeable.

There are several other variations in the book, including one using zinfandel and another with mint.

I enjoy it most with a sprinkle of sea salt or crushed pretzels.

Bangkok Peanut Ice Cream

Stefan chose this flavor, which brought us back to our Thailand travels.

It's reminiscent of Pad Thai with peanut butter, coconut, lemon grass, and ginger with a bit of an unexpected finish - a cayenne kick.

My in laws were also able to visit, so we could share this with them. They seemed to enjoy this unusual flavor, too.

Goat Cheese with Roasted Red Cherries Ice Cream

With fresh cherries all over the city it was no question that our next recipe would be goat cheese with roasted red cherries. I cut the sugar back a bit, because I'm not a fan of overly saccharine things and it's a reality check seeing the exact amount being added. This ice cream still has a very decadent taste and is similar to a cheesecake.

I love ashy goat cheese, so that's what I used. Best of all we were able to share some with Stefan's parents who came up for a visit. My father-in-law preferred this to the Sweet Corn + Blackberries, although they are distinctly different.

I'm already getting anxious to try some Autumn flavors, like cinnamon ice cream with an apple crumble in my Weck jars... or lebkuchen with spiced nuts.

Any other flavor suggestions?

Sweet Corn + Blackberry Ice Cream

We made our first batch of ice cream from Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream's cook book. The book is split into four parts according to season, so I chose to began with Summer's first recipe: Sweet Corn and Blackberry.

The results were absolutely wonderful. We're already looking forward to trying the next flavor, although it takes quite a bit of time to make our way through an entire quart of ice cream.

A variety of her recipes are available online, including the following flavors:

Vanilla Bean
Pistachio
Mint Ice Cream
Cherry Pit Ice Cream
Lemon Blueberry Frozen Yogurt
Strawberry Frozen Yogurt
Melon Sorbet
Sour-Cherry Lambic Sorbet

In Munich, we are fortunate to have excellent green grocers (my favorite being Gretel's). We also have the 'egg man' that brings fresh eggs to the city from Niederbayern every Friday, but incredibly these ice cream recipes don't use eggs.

Finding many of the other ingredients took a bit of work. Rather than using cornstarch or corn syrup, I opted to use tapioca starch and glucose.

Tapioca starch or flour can be found at the Asian grocery, while glucose can be found at some pharmacies or it's possible to make with traubenzucker. The glucose helps to add elasticity, but it isn't necessary.

Ice Cream Making

Lately I can't stop thinking about gelato/icecream/sorbet. It's partly because summer with no air conditioning makes cool treats a necessity and partly because I was able to go home to Ohio for a visit and some of the requisite Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream.

My best friend Ryan and his pup Rufus joined us making our visit that much more sweet.

Since I can't get Jeni's shipped over here I'm very fortunate that she has a new cookbook so I can recreate her creations at home!

Our beautiful little red refrigerator has one fault - the freezer. It's not large enough to accommodate the section that needs frozen, so we need one that's automated and self contained.

Here are a few accessories that help to make it more fun.

[1. Jeni's Spendid Ice Creams Cookbook 2. Cuisipro Ice Cream Scoop + Stack 3. Ice Cream Bowls 4. Unold Cortina 5. ASA Ice Cream spoons 6. Edible Silver Jimmies/Sprinkles]

Here's to hoping your Summer has been delightful! I'll write about all of the fun we've been having as soon as possible.

Ohio's African Safari

A few years ago I went with my parents to visit The Wilds, a sanctuary in my home state of Ohio. This conservation center helps to educate people by giving them incredible a first hand safari experience in America's heartland. It's also partnered with the Columbus Zoo, which famed zoo keeper Jack Hanna calls home.

In addition to their safari outings they have recently introduced the opportunity to stay overnight in a yurt at Nomad Ridge. The Wilds encompass about 10,000 acres, which is ⅔ the size of Manhattan, so you might have to remind yourself that you're not in Africa.

The Balkans

We just returned from a wonderful trip to the Balkan area. Our travels took us to Croatia, Bosnia + Herzegovinia, and Montenegro.

It was very eye opening, because I vividly remember the end of the Second Yugoslavia and the Dayton agreement. Stefan kept saying, "These are the names of the cities I heard about on the news when I was young."

Each city had it's own character and charm. The dynamic between the countries was also very interesting. Border crossing was quite telling at what kinds of relationships the countries have. Signs on the streets reiterated that, too.


Along the way we visited several cities, as well as a lot of natural beauty. It's a region of contrasts, recovery, and hope. Next month we're heading East again. I'm intrigued to see the similarities.

More photos + info to come!

Zoku

My parents gave me and Stefan a Zoku ice pop maker when we were in Ohio. It's a great way to make a quick refreshing treat - especially when we are dealing with a sweltering summer and no air conditioning. We can make 9 ice pops before refreezing the unit.

The Zoku is pretty neat, but I will pass my own trial and errors along, so there aren't any frustrating experiences for anyone else.

- Don't attempt to make your own ice cream or sorbet with it. What will happen is it won't freeze properly and the stick will slide out leaving your tasty treat stuck behind until the whole thing melts.

- Don't twist the little orange lifter too tight or your stick will break entirely when you try to get it out. (Thankfully we bought extra sticks)

- Whatever you make must have a bit of sugar so it freezes properly, but fresh juices seem to work alright, so they can also be healthy.

There's another ice cream shop I'm looking forward to checking out near Rosenheim and they have really funky and obscure flavors like: asparagus, roquefort, weißbeer, eel, and mustard. We had a manchego ice cream in Tokyo and it was divine. I am planning to make Radler pops (beer with lemon soda), lemon basil, and blueberry.

Jeni's

A long while back I read a list of the 10 best ice cream shops in the US. I've since visited 2 of them... Ici (in Berkeley, CA) and Jeni's (here in Columbus, Ohio). They are both incredible.

I have to be honest- I'm kind of envious of both places. How cool would it be to have an ice cream shop? Sometimes I jot down lists of potential flavors that would be a lot of fun to make.

Ici is owned by the former pastry chef of Alice Water's Chez Panisse and Jeni's is in the charming Short North area of Columbus, which has great murals featuring Grand Wood's American Gothic and the ubiquitous Mona Lisa. I bet you didn't realize Ohio is so cool!

Whenever I'm home I love to make a stop at Jeni's for her unique flavors and adorable shops. There is a lot of seasonal variety and many locally sourced products, too. Last night I went for a short visit with my friends Cat + Beth.

I ordered the 'study', which is 4 small scoops. My chosen flavors were: Pistachio + Honey, Wildberry Lavender, Goat Cheese with Cherries, and Meyer Lemon Blueberry. Believe me, it's not easy to decide.

My parents are savvy to my love of ice cream, so they surprised me with a Zoku ice pop maker. I'm looking forward to testing it out once we get back to Germany.

red, white, + blue

So I have a little secret I've been keeping... we're spending much of the World Cup representing Germany all the way over in the US.

We only told a couple friends in town that we were coming, because it gets awfully old rushing around trying to visit everyone. Somehow people easily forget we traveled roughly 4500 miles / 7200 km and expect us to travel to visit them once we get here. It's exhausting. The short trip doesn't make us feel so guilty. Our only full weekend in the US is being spent at a wedding, so we won't be here long.

The good news of being on a mini-vacation is spending ample amounts of time with family and the dogs. We're also enjoying the food, of course. Oh, how I've missed Mexican food.

This is also a great excuse to share photos of Josh + Mieka wearing their German leis and American bandanas. They are bipartisan soccer supporters.

Now that I've shared our secret I'd also like to share some of the red, white, and blue fun through M&M's. I was able to track down a few small bags of pretzel, coconut, and cherry (I didn't even know cherry existed).

Anyone can win - both the M&Ms and the World Cup, so simply leave a comment stating which team you're cheering for and check back on June 23rd when a winner will be chosen randomly.

Best of Luck!

[The giveaway has ended. Congratulations to Cliff1976!]

We're Moving!

It's been so hard not to share this, but we're moving! Things progressed much quicker than we expected, but we are thrilled.

I'd love to tell you that we are setting up home in Paris or Tokyo... but we're staying put here, in the little village that could - Munich (at least for now - who knows what the future holds).

Our beautiful new apartment is an alt-bau (old building) with tons of character, creaky wooden floors, spacious rooms with high ceilings, and a beautiful little balcony off the kitchen. It gets tons of sun light, which gives me hope that I can rival my Mom's herb garden. Not only that, it's in our same neighborhood, so parting ways with our home won't be so difficult.

While we were back in the US, I constantly saw beautiful pieces of art that I wished so desperately to have wall space for. On every shopping expedition I would say, 'we need more walls!'

I have a great collection and love for art - from my beloved Joe Sorren 'Portrait of Emily', to the piece from our wedding, prints from etsy, antique maps, and zillions of photos from our travels.

And to add to my collection, my parents gifted me the beautiful 'States United' print from etsy's Beauchamping. It's a thoughtful reminder of my home - and it's even heart shaped, just like Ohio, 'the heart of it all'.

Now all we need are more guests!

Merry Christmas!

We are on our way to Ohio... I am actually writing this on the plane! Why don't more planes have free wifi? That definitely would have allowed me to write here more often.

Our trip has taken us to so many unforgettable places. I have to admit it's going to be harder and harder to make travel plans, because there are so many places I'd love to revisit - and my list of places to see continues to grow. Life is certainly too short!

I've neglected this blog, but for good reason. Our travels have just kept us too busy to write. The end of my day usually finds me uploading photos and then falling asleep very quickly. Between visits with friends, family, and tons of holiday parties I think we will go into hibernation mode in Ohio.

We're desperately missing lebkuchen, gluehwein, and of course our neighborhood Christmasmarkets, so if you are in Munich / Germany please enjoy some for us. We were happy to find some at the World Market, so that was a great surprise... but it's definitely not a replacement for the German christmas spirit.

I will write a more cohesive summary of the things we did and saw thus far when I get some more time. I promise that will come soon, because sadly our trip will end at the end of January. We visited cities, canyons, beaches, sand dunes, meadows, national parks, historical sites, and even an active volcano! Stefan and I keep reminding ourselves that it's not the end... it's merely a pause.

Since I last wrote we have seen so many phenomenal things and been to what feels like the ends of the earth and back. Some days it seems like forever ago and it's difficult to remember a life that's not constantly being on the road and flying from one city to the next.

Here's the laundry list of places we have visited that I will write about...
(feel free to leave a comment if there's something you're particularly interested in!)
Northern India
Nepal
Thailand
Malaysia
Singapore
Cambodia
Vietnam
Hong Kong
China
Japan
New Zealand
The Cook Islands
Hawaii
The Southwest US

...and we are still going to visit New York City and the Southeast US coast in early January.

clothing + packing

I have a pretty predictable style, at least according to my friend Cait, Stefan, and my sister. Stefan has even gone as far as coining the term 'Emil-ish' if it looks like something I would wear or not.

My friend Lauren tells me I'm not trendy and before I know it I will end up wondering why I never ventured into fashion risk territory while I could be young and adventurous. I prefer to think I will appear slightly more timeless and less dated in photos down the line. That's my theory anyway. I love theme parties and odd costumes... just not on myself. I'd rather have my life be a musical - with normal clothes. Who wouldn't love if people broke out into song in the middle of the streets?

Predictable or not I love simplicity, femininity, and dresses. One side of my closet is entirely devoted to dresses. I have something for every occasion - even down to two dirndls. I'm an over planner. Who knows if I have a friend visit that needs to borrow one, or heavens forbid I'm at Oktoberfest multiple days in a row or someone spills a beer on me.

I think I'm much like any other girl. I can always justify why I would need another dress... never mind the fact I have four that are different styles and just slightly different shades of slate gray. It's one of my favorite colors. It's neutral without being as bold as black. Sometimes I really cringe when I walk down the street and see a woman that looks as if she's dressed to go to a club - at noon.

Packing for this trip is already getting the best of me. Thankfully I am not alone. Stefan keeps reminding himself, or perhaps trying to remind me, that we aren't going to be incredibly far off the beaten track and if we need something chances are good we can find it. Even so, I like to be prepared.

Cait, who is also planning an around-the-world trip of her own (for an entire year!), told me she read it's smart to have long skirts. They are good coverage if say you are on a bus and it stops at a field for a restroom break. I can't think of too many instances where we will be on buses, but better safe than sorry.

I was delighted to find a long lightweight jersey skirt at the store every ex-pat American woman misses - Target. Not only that... it is so versatile that it can be worn as a tube dress or a long skirt. Once again I bought two, of course in different colors. When I find something that works I often purchase it in two colors. I'm sure that can be attributed to my Americanness.

Other travel clothes that I love are Columbia's World Traveler Pants. They look like normal pants, except they are moisture wicking, quick drying, and water repellant. It's amazingly difficult to find clothing that is made for outdoors without looking like you are going on a fishing expedition with massive cargo pockets. I just know I will appreciate feeling feminine and yet remaining modest during our months on the road.

While I was in the US, in June, I also was excited to find a feminine rain jacket. It has frilly shoulders and looks more like a chambray jacket as opposed to something made for rain. Every time I put it on Stefan instantly complements me on how adorable I am. That I will certainly not tire of.

We are wholeheartedly tourists - and I am OK with that. I don't expect to appear local, however I do like to respect and obey local customs. It's so much nicer to blend than to stick out. Even a slight bit of flesh in an Islamic part of the world seriously stands out in attracting unwanted attention. I don't even own one pair of shorts, so it's strictly dresses, skirts, and pants for me.

Alaska won't be included in this trip due to the weather change and not being able to pack for frigidly cold seasons, but we do have many other stops and several exciting events along the way.

I will need a nicer dress for a special surprise event with ~ 70˚F / 21˚C weather, however I can't decide which one to wear... any opinions?

These are my choices... or at least a few of them. I was able to get the subway dress in my size. I am super happy about that.

(images - skirts: Target, pants + jackets: Columbia, dresses: dvF, jcrew, francis, jcrew)

233rd 4th of July

Happy 4th of July!

The United States seems so incredibly young, which I guess is due to the fact that it is.

Thanksgiving and the 4th of July are two holidays that always make me homesick. I think it's the American spirit, gatherings, and the non-exclusive nature of the two. They both just seem so uniting and celebratory.

This is a photo I took a while back, at a county fair in Ohio, that my roommate took me to. I loved walking through the barn and seeing the animals. All of the farmers were very proud of their livestock and there was a great feeling of community. The glowing light just seems like a ray of hope and the flags are the sweetest little detail that give it the ultra Americana vibe.



Tomorrow I'll post more about how we spent our day.

purple flower

My Grandma has these flowers in her backyard. They seem so comical and as if they came from a Dr. Seuss book.

reunion

Being home I quickly realize how much I have changed. While it's fantastic to see friends and familiar faces, I see how different our worlds are. It's not always easy being between two cultures and not quite knowing my place in either one.

Sometimes I walk a fine line of not wanting to disappoint my parents in being too happy in Munich, despite the fact I know they want me to be happy. I like to think I have a knack for focusing on the positive and seeing the bright side of things and living in Munich is no different. The prospect that I could stay there for a longer amount of time or forever is daunting to them. At times it's daunting to me as well. I get the itch for something new and different, despite knowing the quality of life will be tough to match.

It's extremely difficult not to have the answers over something as seemingly simple as where we will live. Most people choose stability in their lives, since we're creatures of comfort and routine, however I find myself going the opposite direction and questioning if that's normal or what is wrong with me. Life abroad isn't easy or straightforward, and at times it can get lonely, but every day is a challenge. I sometimes think that's what makes me thrive and keeps me appreciative of the simple things.

This past weekend was the reunion from my University, which is really a spectacular place. Everyone wanted to talk about life and what they have been doing. They had plenty of questions for me, including where Stefan was. It would have been so much nicer if he was here - everyone missed him and every little detail reminded me of our time together on campus where we met.

These are the people that I shared some of the most wonderful years of my life with, yet things are different. Some are married, some have children, and it's reality that we'll never go back to what we had - living in a neighborhood with our closest friends or staying up all hours of the night to talk with few cares or problems. The lessons I learned are still profound. I still prefer experiences as opposed to things and think time spent with people is the most important gift to give.

I'd rather go to an intimate dinner and share a meaningful conversation than go to a house party and drink cheap beer out of plastic cups or eat cheap pizza late into the night, but for one weekend it's nice to play college again. I love to appreciate our experiences that helped to shape us into who we are.

While I'm home I have the quintessential questions about when I'd be moving back, how well I speak German, or how we can afford to travel to so much. Below the surface there's so much more. The experiences that I've been given, or chosen for that matter, have really shaped me.

Through my German classes I've had to interact with so many cultures and speak with so many people who are facing similar, yet entirely different struggles. That is something most of my American friends have never and will never encounter. I admit that I do find it difficult to talk about world issues with so many people who have no interest in traveling for whatever reason. It's difficult to explain that the world is much larger than their hometown or trying to tell people about my classmates who have come from Iraq or another asylum seeking country without sounding haughty. I love learning from others and I realize I'm often the first American some people have ever met.

It quickly makes me realize that life is full of choices and priorities. My choice has been to share my life with someone I love and to learn about the world by experiencing it first hand. I have an inner need to take life in until it makes me want to cry, but I really wouldn't want it any other way.

The emotional roller coaster of saying hello and goodbye to the people that I love the most will never get easier, but slowly I do consider the fact that's the price I have to pay to be between two cultures. While most of my friends do live in the US, they don't get the privilege to visit friends and family for weeks at a time. It's easier to take things for granted when it's never been any different. That's a luxury that I don't have, but another reason that makes me so sure of my choice in choosing the life that I do. My friends, on the other hand, get to appreciate never having to miss things or to feel slightly misplaced as if they are on the outside looking in.

Everything reiterates how incredibly happy I am and I still feel the same way as when I graduated from college. I'm excited to share my enthusiasm for life with the world and yearn to help others.