I have a friend who is very well-read. She reads literature with an occasional foray into pop-fiction (I still can't believe that she read and enjoyed The DaVinci Code.) I will say in all honesty that our book tastes are not similar. For example, I read almost exclusively pop-fiction but wouldn't be caught dead reading The DaVinci Code. OK, I read the beginning, but how many times does the author have to explain that the curator is renowned. Clearly he has nothing but contempt for the unwashed masses that he believes will buy his novel. Enough about that. So, on my friend's recommendation I picked up Case Histories by Kate Atkinson.
I love a novel where you really don't like anyone. I think it's fun to have a novel where everyone is a stereo-type. However, it is novel. I, for the most part, did enjoy this novel. I would recommend it for those who enjoy literature and want something a bit different. I think for mystery fans it might be a tougher sell.
The non-formulaic format was both refreshing and confounding. It's nice that Atkinson writes in a different style. I have no idea if she regularly begins chapters in the middle of a thought. The desire to surprise her reader can be befuddling and annoying at times. I like a good surprise. I like a good mystery. In general I don't want to try to have to figure out where, when, and why I am in a novel. Atkinson consistently works to surprise and really, she doesn't.
As I said I did enjoy the novel over-all. I did think that it got bogged down in too many stories and the attempt to bring them all together. And yet, leaving us hanging with some. I like my mysteries wrapped up and with an ending. I don't mind one story trailing into another. But there were a lot of stories that had, really, nothing to do with each other trailing around randomly, working to find each other. Seriously. And, yes, we can all guess who we're supposed to think that Lily Ann is. And we can guess what happens to Michelle. The rest of the stories were wrapped up with a bow. Why not those?
So, here's the kicker. I am SURE that I've read this before. Yet, I can't lay my hands on it, nor did I remember it prior to opening the book. But it was so familiar. How stupid is that?! Seriously. So through the entirety of the book my tiny brain worked hard to remember where and when I had read this. Yet, I had no recollection of specific parts. Namely, our hero and his daughter. Except the scene where he (OOOOOHHHH, SPOILER) finds out that his ex-wife is taking the brat to Australia with her new husband. Wow, could the ex-wife have been much more of a caricature? Gee, she left him for no reason, forced him to give up his child, took all the money and the good stuff and left nothing but his one treasure from his murdered sister...
Ooops. Yes, I did like it. Did it drag in places, most definitely. Would I read it again? I'd say no, except clearly I've read it twice already so who knows how many more times that I can forget it. Oddly, I would say that it is unique enough in premise that it should be unforgettable. Oh well. Never say never.
Happy Reading.
Now, if only I had a lovely Copenhagen pastry...yum.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 21
Well, it's been a while since I covered baking. So, just for fun I'm trying a new recipe that I found on Allrecipes.com. I also filled out a profile and joined. It's free. I just hope that I don't get a bunch of stupid emails (yes, I used the word stupid. It's not a four-letter word. Count.)
So, in honor of October (OktoberFest) I'm going to make soft pretzels for our Mommies & Mojitos drop in for drinks on Friday. Usually I'm a cookie woman, so it will be interesting to see how this recipe turns out. So far, I'm a little skeptical because you don't boil the bread prior to baking (a traditional method for bagels and pretzels.)
So the pretzels are made. Ruth and I spent a short period of time putting them together. I found the recipe on allrecipes.com. Interesting site.
The recipe itself was very quick and easy to put together. Flour, sugar, yeast, water, and salt. Let it rise and cut it into pieces. Shaping was fun. Ruth decided that she wanted to help. She also decided she wanted to eat the dough. She really liked it. So we worked together to create "snakes" and then fold them into pretzels. Then we dipped them into hot water with baking soda dissolved in it (please, someone explain this to me--or maybe I'll look it up on the Internet) and sprinkled them with kosher salt.
The recipe called for baking at 450 for 8 minutes. WAY too long in my oven (which is kind of a small, not so reliable oven.)
So the result is mixed. They tasted pretty good, although my husband pointed out that they a little sweet. I have to agree, but once you were into it, it wasn't so sweet as the initial bite. I would prefer a traditional texture. I like the, hmmmmm, how do you describe the traditional outside of a soft pretzel--leathery? outside. Oh, for heaven's sake. You know what I mean. And the inside wasn't as moist and chewy. The trade off is that these were REALLY fast and easy and you don't stand over a pot of boiling water.
Here was the bonus: My husband, not liking my water boiling skills, bought me a hot water maker. Maybe that's not what it's called. I actually thought that it was a bit silly. However, today, for the water and baking soda wash I needed hot water and had the 4 cups right at my fingertips! YIPPEEEEEEE!!!!!! Thank you technology. I really should be more open to new technology than I am...:)
I'm going to make another batch of these for Mommies & Mojitos. It should go well with the beer.
Happy Baking.
AND for those who are more interested in books: I just started Case Histories (an awesome friend highly recommended it to me about 2 years ago.) So far it's making me cringe BUT it is somewhat riveting. I just wonder how someone who can't watch Pieces could read this book. A bit gruesome. S
So bon appetite and happy reading.
So, in honor of October (OktoberFest) I'm going to make soft pretzels for our Mommies & Mojitos drop in for drinks on Friday. Usually I'm a cookie woman, so it will be interesting to see how this recipe turns out. So far, I'm a little skeptical because you don't boil the bread prior to baking (a traditional method for bagels and pretzels.)
So the pretzels are made. Ruth and I spent a short period of time putting them together. I found the recipe on allrecipes.com. Interesting site.
The recipe itself was very quick and easy to put together. Flour, sugar, yeast, water, and salt. Let it rise and cut it into pieces. Shaping was fun. Ruth decided that she wanted to help. She also decided she wanted to eat the dough. She really liked it. So we worked together to create "snakes" and then fold them into pretzels. Then we dipped them into hot water with baking soda dissolved in it (please, someone explain this to me--or maybe I'll look it up on the Internet) and sprinkled them with kosher salt.
The recipe called for baking at 450 for 8 minutes. WAY too long in my oven (which is kind of a small, not so reliable oven.)
So the result is mixed. They tasted pretty good, although my husband pointed out that they a little sweet. I have to agree, but once you were into it, it wasn't so sweet as the initial bite. I would prefer a traditional texture. I like the, hmmmmm, how do you describe the traditional outside of a soft pretzel--leathery? outside. Oh, for heaven's sake. You know what I mean. And the inside wasn't as moist and chewy. The trade off is that these were REALLY fast and easy and you don't stand over a pot of boiling water.
Here was the bonus: My husband, not liking my water boiling skills, bought me a hot water maker. Maybe that's not what it's called. I actually thought that it was a bit silly. However, today, for the water and baking soda wash I needed hot water and had the 4 cups right at my fingertips! YIPPEEEEEEE!!!!!! Thank you technology. I really should be more open to new technology than I am...:)
I'm going to make another batch of these for Mommies & Mojitos. It should go well with the beer.
Happy Baking.
AND for those who are more interested in books: I just started Case Histories (an awesome friend highly recommended it to me about 2 years ago.) So far it's making me cringe BUT it is somewhat riveting. I just wonder how someone who can't watch Pieces could read this book. A bit gruesome. S
So bon appetite and happy reading.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 20
BIG SPOILER ALERT on GHOST SHADOW.
Well, you never know what you're going to like and what you're not going to like. That's abundantly clear when sifting through the books on my iPod and kindle. The beauty of the kindle, as noted again and again, is that Amazon does offer books for free. You can try authors, usually not good, for free and then they hope that you'll purchase more.
Audible is a great service. I've had it for at least 5 years and I love it. I love having audio books when driving, riding my bike, and doing housework (really if anything can make housework better...) My difficulty is that, since I have a subscription I will purchase books that I may or may not like. Sometimes it's a little like roulette (Russian style.) Sometimes it's the narrator--authors, by the way, should NEVER narrate their own books. Sometimes it's the story. And sometimes it's both.
I've learned to listen to samples so that I don't get the narrator from hell any longer. The stories are a bit more difficult to predict. I j ust finished Ghost Shadow by Heather Graham. Now Graham is known for trite romances, at lea st that's how I know her. She has had a few (and far between) mysteries. And so I spent my monthly credit on Ghost Shadow.
Ghost Shadow was not the worst book that I ever read/listened to. There are books that I have just given up on. This had a basic plot where the heroine is gorgeous, brilliant, and incredible business woman, and the friendliest little chikadee in Key West. She sees ghosts. She never mentions this to anyone because her brother warned her, when she was 6, that people would think that she was crazy. We hear this story at least 3 times in the course of the story. So, of course, she never mentioned it again and just went on with her life. OK. It sounds a little incredible to me. If she can see ghosts can't someone else? Anyone else? PUHLEEZE.
The killer killed 10 years prior to our current story and completely and ineffectually tried to frame the trampy dead girl's ex-fiancee. Well, now, the ex-fiancee has returned and he and our heroine fall in love (lust, have sex--but we're supposed to believe love.) So the killer decides he has to kill the heroine. But first, a couple of practices this time.
Oh, and the MacGuffin is that, initially our heroine, our karaoke business woman, wants to purchase the hero's family's museum where the ex-fiance had been posed after her murder.
The entire plot is so contrived that the mystery is why bother with the faux attempt at original prose.
REALLY SUPER SPOILER ALERT
Why did they start with a focus on reopening the museum?
Why really did the killer kill the extra people?
Frankly, why would a killer really try to murdera bunch of people to frame a guy just because the guy's great great great great great grandfather made certain that the killer's great great great great grandfather was hanged for a crime that he committed? Seriously, this was our denoument!
THIS was why this guy randomly decides to kill. And why choose that ONE guy out of all the huge number of family that our hero purportedly has. Why not kill our hero directly.
And you'd think that the chief of police could provide a better frame.
Oh yeah.
Despite the flaws, I listened to the entire book. And as I've said before, it's probably better than anything that I could write.
Happy Reading!
Well, you never know what you're going to like and what you're not going to like. That's abundantly clear when sifting through the books on my iPod and kindle. The beauty of the kindle, as noted again and again, is that Amazon does offer books for free. You can try authors, usually not good, for free and then they hope that you'll purchase more.
Audible is a great service. I've had it for at least 5 years and I love it. I love having audio books when driving, riding my bike, and doing housework (really if anything can make housework better...) My difficulty is that, since I have a subscription I will purchase books that I may or may not like. Sometimes it's a little like roulette (Russian style.) Sometimes it's the narrator--authors, by the way, should NEVER narrate their own books. Sometimes it's the story. And sometimes it's both.
I've learned to listen to samples so that I don't get the narrator from hell any longer. The stories are a bit more difficult to predict. I j ust finished Ghost Shadow by Heather Graham. Now Graham is known for trite romances, at lea st that's how I know her. She has had a few (and far between) mysteries. And so I spent my monthly credit on Ghost Shadow.
Ghost Shadow was not the worst book that I ever read/listened to. There are books that I have just given up on. This had a basic plot where the heroine is gorgeous, brilliant, and incredible business woman, and the friendliest little chikadee in Key West. She sees ghosts. She never mentions this to anyone because her brother warned her, when she was 6, that people would think that she was crazy. We hear this story at least 3 times in the course of the story. So, of course, she never mentioned it again and just went on with her life. OK. It sounds a little incredible to me. If she can see ghosts can't someone else? Anyone else? PUHLEEZE.
The killer killed 10 years prior to our current story and completely and ineffectually tried to frame the trampy dead girl's ex-fiancee. Well, now, the ex-fiancee has returned and he and our heroine fall in love (lust, have sex--but we're supposed to believe love.) So the killer decides he has to kill the heroine. But first, a couple of practices this time.
Oh, and the MacGuffin is that, initially our heroine, our karaoke business woman, wants to purchase the hero's family's museum where the ex-fiance had been posed after her murder.
The entire plot is so contrived that the mystery is why bother with the faux attempt at original prose.
REALLY SUPER SPOILER ALERT
Why did they start with a focus on reopening the museum?
Why really did the killer kill the extra people?
Frankly, why would a killer really try to murdera bunch of people to frame a guy just because the guy's great great great great great grandfather made certain that the killer's great great great great grandfather was hanged for a crime that he committed? Seriously, this was our denoument!
THIS was why this guy randomly decides to kill. And why choose that ONE guy out of all the huge number of family that our hero purportedly has. Why not kill our hero directly.
And you'd think that the chief of police could provide a better frame.
Oh yeah.
Despite the flaws, I listened to the entire book. And as I've said before, it's probably better than anything that I could write.
Happy Reading!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 19
Wow, I should really tell a little bit more about my recent baking experiences, but other than some cookies for a bake sale the pastries have been few and far between. I think I'm putting on weight. Gosh, I really love cookies.
So, it's back to books.
As I like to go on about, ad nauseum, the kindle has some great benefits including free books. The free books do tend to be either "you get what you pay for" or "beyond copyright" books. I wrote about A Woman Named Smith. This was a classic, Gothic novel. It was fun and seemed a bit out of the ordinary for the genre.
This week I read a modern mystery that was free (hmmmm....or was it 0.99?) Divorced, Desperate and Dating is truly a book that I got what I paid for. I did manage to read the entire book, which puts it above a number of other books that I have received from Amazon.
The plot of the book was pretty basic: Wildly successful woman has thing for cop that she kissed once and he (normally a promiscuous jerk) is of course really in love with her. Someone is trying to kill her and comedy ensues. Only, I don't think it's supposed to be comedy. And it's not comedy in any sense that Christie Craig (the author) intended.
At least it was entertaining and I didn't feel that I had to delete it or to have a hot shower to wipe the smut off of me.
Criticism 1: I would say that referring to a penis as a Jimmy Dean is, at best, sophomoric and at worst, crude and kind of gross. Especially when following it up with a meat grinder comment. There were a lot of junior high moments comparable to this one.
Criticism 2: The sex scenes were more gross than erotic as well. In fairness, I do not like to read sex scenes. I think that if I want to know about the gymnastics that happen in ANYONE else's bedroom, real or fiction, I'll pick up some soft-core porn magazine and really focus on it. I don't need to know all of the body fluids swapped by our main characters.
Criticism 3: In a mystery, once it's solved please head for the exit. Do not dally amongst more sex, counting condoms, and crappy emotional scenes that the heroine has alone and/or with her "best" friends.
While not horrific, I don't think that I'd pay for this one. You can get better sex and better mysteries elsewhere.
In fairness, Craig writes better than I do, and she's a published author. There are worse books.
Happy Reading!
So, it's back to books.
As I like to go on about, ad nauseum, the kindle has some great benefits including free books. The free books do tend to be either "you get what you pay for" or "beyond copyright" books. I wrote about A Woman Named Smith. This was a classic, Gothic novel. It was fun and seemed a bit out of the ordinary for the genre.
This week I read a modern mystery that was free (hmmmm....or was it 0.99?) Divorced, Desperate and Dating is truly a book that I got what I paid for. I did manage to read the entire book, which puts it above a number of other books that I have received from Amazon.
The plot of the book was pretty basic: Wildly successful woman has thing for cop that she kissed once and he (normally a promiscuous jerk) is of course really in love with her. Someone is trying to kill her and comedy ensues. Only, I don't think it's supposed to be comedy. And it's not comedy in any sense that Christie Craig (the author) intended.
At least it was entertaining and I didn't feel that I had to delete it or to have a hot shower to wipe the smut off of me.
Criticism 1: I would say that referring to a penis as a Jimmy Dean is, at best, sophomoric and at worst, crude and kind of gross. Especially when following it up with a meat grinder comment. There were a lot of junior high moments comparable to this one.
Criticism 2: The sex scenes were more gross than erotic as well. In fairness, I do not like to read sex scenes. I think that if I want to know about the gymnastics that happen in ANYONE else's bedroom, real or fiction, I'll pick up some soft-core porn magazine and really focus on it. I don't need to know all of the body fluids swapped by our main characters.
Criticism 3: In a mystery, once it's solved please head for the exit. Do not dally amongst more sex, counting condoms, and crappy emotional scenes that the heroine has alone and/or with her "best" friends.
While not horrific, I don't think that I'd pay for this one. You can get better sex and better mysteries elsewhere.
In fairness, Craig writes better than I do, and she's a published author. There are worse books.
Happy Reading!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 18
So, the school year has begun. This works out OK, because it means that I still have a job and can afford to buy baking materials and buy reading materials. HURRAY!!!!
I read an interesting novel, A Woman Named Smith, by Marie Conway Oemler. It was free on my kindle. I LOVE my kindle as you all know. And free was good. I've had a number of free books that stank. Really, imagine that. Some things should not even be given away.
A Woman Named Smith was indeed about a woman named Smith. Because it's a kindle book the publication date was given as 2006 as does the hardcover edition. I will have to find the original publication date because this is no modern mystery/romance novel.
This is a novel for fans of the true Gothic. Heroines fighting the supernatural and the more native evils on earth. The mystery is not really pursued as a plot point, but merely floats in the background enjoying being brought up by our heroine, her best friend, and their bizarre southern entourage. So it's a lot of fun when the mystery's solution is handed over at the end, all tied up in a neat package.
The romance portion of this novel is also part of the background. As courting goes, it's definitely 19th century and enjoyable for it's unintentional hilarity. I enjoyed the author's belief that she was telegraphing one romance while surprising us with an entirely different couple! Perhaps in it's day it was a surprise ending, however, with 21st century sensibilities I think that most could figure this one out.
Having made fun of this novel a bit, I have to say that I really did enjoy it. Mostly FOR the reasons above. I have since looked up the original publication date (1919.) The book has charm as do the characters. The women are remarkably modern and the cast of southern characters rings true to those who have spent time in the south.
Good reading to all. Maybe I'll tell you about my friend's cake made with pudding...or I could cover more cookies. I'm baking up a storm this week. Happy reading and enjoy your pastries.
I read an interesting novel, A Woman Named Smith, by Marie Conway Oemler. It was free on my kindle. I LOVE my kindle as you all know. And free was good. I've had a number of free books that stank. Really, imagine that. Some things should not even be given away.
A Woman Named Smith was indeed about a woman named Smith. Because it's a kindle book the publication date was given as 2006 as does the hardcover edition. I will have to find the original publication date because this is no modern mystery/romance novel.
This is a novel for fans of the true Gothic. Heroines fighting the supernatural and the more native evils on earth. The mystery is not really pursued as a plot point, but merely floats in the background enjoying being brought up by our heroine, her best friend, and their bizarre southern entourage. So it's a lot of fun when the mystery's solution is handed over at the end, all tied up in a neat package.
The romance portion of this novel is also part of the background. As courting goes, it's definitely 19th century and enjoyable for it's unintentional hilarity. I enjoyed the author's belief that she was telegraphing one romance while surprising us with an entirely different couple! Perhaps in it's day it was a surprise ending, however, with 21st century sensibilities I think that most could figure this one out.
Having made fun of this novel a bit, I have to say that I really did enjoy it. Mostly FOR the reasons above. I have since looked up the original publication date (1919.) The book has charm as do the characters. The women are remarkably modern and the cast of southern characters rings true to those who have spent time in the south.
Good reading to all. Maybe I'll tell you about my friend's cake made with pudding...or I could cover more cookies. I'm baking up a storm this week. Happy reading and enjoy your pastries.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 17
Well! Back in the USA. I already miss the Danish and German pastries. I HAVE to find a good baking book and try some real Danish pastries.
NOTE: Do NOT look up "Danish Pastries" on Amazon. It turns out that there is a pornographic movie with that title and you get some interesting hits...One of the movie posters was quite interesting...
So, while I plan on doing some baking in the near future and have ordered some almond meal so that I can try my hand at homemade marzipan I thought that I would do another post on a fantastic novel.
I found a Jane Haddam novel, Glass Houses, that I hadn't read yet. It is a Gregor Demarkian (with Bennis, of course.) I enjoyed the novel. Haddam spent a little more time on the Gregor/Bennis relationship than I cared for. It did interrupt the flow of the story, but overall a great read.
Rather than go into the finer points of Haddam's work I wanted to go back to a prior rant regarding publishers, kindle pricing, and electronic books. Haddam's publisher, Minotaur Books, sets the price for the books. This was fallout for amazon from Steve Jobs playing god again. But I digress. At least this publisher did not charge MORE for the e-book than for the paperback. However, I was appalled at the editing in the kindle edition. There were a fantastic number of words that were wrong words. Clearly they used a spell checker and not a human to detect errors. Thankfully I am able to understand words in context, but really, if I am supposed to pay as much if not more for an e-book PLEASE pay some humans to edit the copy. There were also a large number of extraneous symbols that were left in the text.
If you read my earlier post regarding this I go on at great length about understanding that there are a large number of people to be paid as part of the publishing of a book. I get it. People need jobs and have to be paid. BUT who wasn't doing his/her job in this case?
I believe that it goes back to the lack of respect that publishers have for the e-book format. If the hard copy went out with as many errors they would have to pull it and reprint. Maybe the American public is just to lazy to complain.
Well, I really enjoyed Haddam's effort but am disappointed that she, her publisher, her editor, and whoever else was involved would allow such a poor copy to be distributed.
NOTE: Do NOT look up "Danish Pastries" on Amazon. It turns out that there is a pornographic movie with that title and you get some interesting hits...One of the movie posters was quite interesting...
So, while I plan on doing some baking in the near future and have ordered some almond meal so that I can try my hand at homemade marzipan I thought that I would do another post on a fantastic novel.
I found a Jane Haddam novel, Glass Houses, that I hadn't read yet. It is a Gregor Demarkian (with Bennis, of course.) I enjoyed the novel. Haddam spent a little more time on the Gregor/Bennis relationship than I cared for. It did interrupt the flow of the story, but overall a great read.
Rather than go into the finer points of Haddam's work I wanted to go back to a prior rant regarding publishers, kindle pricing, and electronic books. Haddam's publisher, Minotaur Books, sets the price for the books. This was fallout for amazon from Steve Jobs playing god again. But I digress. At least this publisher did not charge MORE for the e-book than for the paperback. However, I was appalled at the editing in the kindle edition. There were a fantastic number of words that were wrong words. Clearly they used a spell checker and not a human to detect errors. Thankfully I am able to understand words in context, but really, if I am supposed to pay as much if not more for an e-book PLEASE pay some humans to edit the copy. There were also a large number of extraneous symbols that were left in the text.
If you read my earlier post regarding this I go on at great length about understanding that there are a large number of people to be paid as part of the publishing of a book. I get it. People need jobs and have to be paid. BUT who wasn't doing his/her job in this case?
I believe that it goes back to the lack of respect that publishers have for the e-book format. If the hard copy went out with as many errors they would have to pull it and reprint. Maybe the American public is just to lazy to complain.
Well, I really enjoyed Haddam's effort but am disappointed that she, her publisher, her editor, and whoever else was involved would allow such a poor copy to be distributed.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 16
We've had an awesome time in Denmark. As, I'm sure that you've already noticed, I have loved the pastries of Denmark. My husband's brother-in-law took him to the local bakery a few times. They bought items called Copenhagens. They also bought snails (with chocolate and plain icing.) They also bought "bread."
It turns out that if you want to eat your sweet pastries it is imperative that you eat your "bread." Now, "bread" is absolultely delicious so as the "healthy" portion of the meal I highly recommend it. There are a variety of "breads," which are actually individual rolls, some sweet and some salty, and you put either nutella or some other "spread" or cheese on them respectively. The "bread" could be eaten plain it is so tastey. So, after you have gorged yourself on "bread" you then get other sweet pastries (wait isn't nutella sweet? or the other chocolate spread? or the jams etc?)
Yep, now onto the dessert. So, the copenhagen is a pastry that is many folded layers of light dough (think puff pastry but richer and less delicate) folded into a huge rectangle. It has a top covered in poppy seeds. You split it and then you are supposed to add butter and/or honey. I don't even remember if this was a "bread" or a "sweet.." There is disapproval if you do not add butter or honey. Believe me, I generally LOVE to add butter, but I could eat this all day long and not need the butter. It's amazing.
The cinnamon rolls/snails were just as tastey. I like that they felt that they had to add icing to a very rich pastry with butter and cinnamon and sugar already in it. It was great!
So after we left my sister-in-law's house we went to Copenhagen. My husband decided to try to reenact our bakery days except, to limit the calorie intake, he only bought sweet pastries (and only one for each of us--well, one plus..) WELL, clearly this is not done in Copenhagen (maybe even all of Denmark.) You must first EARN your sweet by eating your bread. Clearly we had committed a faux pas not to be ignored. Valiently my husband withstood the glare of the baker looking from my husband to the bread and back again. Bread. Husband. Sweet. Bread. Husband. Glare.
Finally my husband gave in and went to a different bakery. It turns out that all bakeries in Copenhagen have this strict belief.
Oh well, at least it tastes good.
Now we are back in Germany for a week. Will the brotchen still taste as good? Can the kuchen stand up to the fabulous almond cake that I got at the castle? It will be difficult, but I'm up for the challenge of trying to find an even better pastry in Germany. We have Hamburg, Lubeck, and Bremen on the list. Can one hold the key to the greatest pastry on earth?
Good eating.
It turns out that if you want to eat your sweet pastries it is imperative that you eat your "bread." Now, "bread" is absolultely delicious so as the "healthy" portion of the meal I highly recommend it. There are a variety of "breads," which are actually individual rolls, some sweet and some salty, and you put either nutella or some other "spread" or cheese on them respectively. The "bread" could be eaten plain it is so tastey. So, after you have gorged yourself on "bread" you then get other sweet pastries (wait isn't nutella sweet? or the other chocolate spread? or the jams etc?)
Yep, now onto the dessert. So, the copenhagen is a pastry that is many folded layers of light dough (think puff pastry but richer and less delicate) folded into a huge rectangle. It has a top covered in poppy seeds. You split it and then you are supposed to add butter and/or honey. I don't even remember if this was a "bread" or a "sweet.." There is disapproval if you do not add butter or honey. Believe me, I generally LOVE to add butter, but I could eat this all day long and not need the butter. It's amazing.
The cinnamon rolls/snails were just as tastey. I like that they felt that they had to add icing to a very rich pastry with butter and cinnamon and sugar already in it. It was great!
So after we left my sister-in-law's house we went to Copenhagen. My husband decided to try to reenact our bakery days except, to limit the calorie intake, he only bought sweet pastries (and only one for each of us--well, one plus..) WELL, clearly this is not done in Copenhagen (maybe even all of Denmark.) You must first EARN your sweet by eating your bread. Clearly we had committed a faux pas not to be ignored. Valiently my husband withstood the glare of the baker looking from my husband to the bread and back again. Bread. Husband. Sweet. Bread. Husband. Glare.
Finally my husband gave in and went to a different bakery. It turns out that all bakeries in Copenhagen have this strict belief.
Oh well, at least it tastes good.
Now we are back in Germany for a week. Will the brotchen still taste as good? Can the kuchen stand up to the fabulous almond cake that I got at the castle? It will be difficult, but I'm up for the challenge of trying to find an even better pastry in Germany. We have Hamburg, Lubeck, and Bremen on the list. Can one hold the key to the greatest pastry on earth?
Good eating.
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