For the Love of Food

We got some salami from this salami stand at the Fürther Kirchweih, and it was really great. Continue Reading »

I’ve been playing with the madoline that I got at the Fürther Kirchweih. It’s just so awesome!

We made some homemade baked potato chips with it. We set it to the thinest possible slicing setting, placed them in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and bake in a convection oven, and bake for 15 minutes or until the chips are golden and crispy. Continue Reading »

I previously posted about how I had been waiting to buy a madoline from the Fürther Kirchweih for the past 3 years.

Well, this year I finally got one!! It’s really a great device and I am enjoying using it. I high l recommend getting one if you don’t already have one.

Check out what this baby can do: Continue Reading »

When I was at the open air market recently, I found these weird looking fruit that I’d never seen before. So, I asked the guy who usually takes care of me, and he had no idea what they were either, so he told me to try one.

Holy cow, that was delicious! Continue Reading »

Another must-have when you visit the Fürther Kirchweih is grilled ox. It’s so juicy and meaty. Last year, while I was conversing with one of the grill attendants, he told me that they generally go through 3 of these a year. I would guess that this year they need more since larger amounts of visitors are expected for the Fürth’s 1000th birthday (which is officially in November BTW).

Will get back with more recipes soon! We’ve been enjoying the Kirchweih a bit too much lately, and cooking a little less. I’m currently getting my community garden plot ready for winter, so I haven’t had much time to cook – will post some garden pictures once I’m done!

If you ever have the opportunity to make it to the Fürther Kirchweih, I highly suggest going to the Fürther Bratwurst stand across from the Fürther Freiheit. Specifically a long bratwurst rolled into a spiral, placed on a brötchen (roll) and topped off with saurkraut.

Delicious!

Each year I, along with tens of thousands of other locals, anxiously await the Fürther Kärwa (Franconian for Fürther Kirchweih). What I enjoy most about the Kirchweih is that it’s more about the food and drinks than it is about carnival rides.

So, what I wanted to share with you today is the beauty of a German beverage stand at a festival/carnival. Notice, there are no plastic or paper cups – all real glass, just like you would get in a restaurant. All beverages are still served in their traditional glasses.

How do they do it, and why? Continue Reading »

Well, this time around I got a tied runners-up in originality for  September’s DMBLGiT!  Just wanted to share with all you!

I think I make this salad once a month, at least! Just wanted to show you a great picture that my husband captured of it!

Here’s my tried and true recipe for Black Bean Stacked Salad:

Ingredients:
Salad:
15.5 oz. can of Black Beans (drained and rinsed); you can substitute with Chick Peas or Kidney beans
4 Plum Tomatoes, chopped
8 Tomatillos, tusks removed, and chopped
2 cloves Garlic, crushed
2 Cups of frozen Corn, de-thawed
1 English Cucumber (it has no seeds in it) or 1 long regular cucumber, seeds removed, diced
2 Jalapeño peppers, seeds removed and diced
1 Red Onion, diced

Dressing:
juice of 4 Limes
1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
2 teaspoons ground Cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground Coriander
1/2 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 Cup Peanut Oil

Toppings:
1/2 Cup Sunflower Seeds, roasted and salted
2 Cups crushed Tortilla Chips
1 1/2 Cups shredded Monterey-Jack Cheese (or Cheddar)

Directions:
In a large, clear, glass bowl, layer the black beans, tomatoes, tomatillos, garlic, corn, cucumber, jalapeños, and red onion.

In a small soup bowl whisk together lime juice, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and coriander. Whisk in peanut oil slowly so that it mixes in well.

Bring the layered salad to the table. At this point you can make the decision of 1. adding the cheese, chips, sunflower seeds and dressing in the large bowl, mixing it and serving it, OR 2. letting everyone add the cheese, chips, sunflower seeds, and dressing in their own bowl after you have just mixed the vegetables together. I prefer option 2 because if there are leftovers the chips will be very soggy and it will not taste as great the next day. But, if you are sure you will eat it all in the same meal, then on top of the red onion layer the cheese, sunflower seeds, and then the crushed tortilla chips.

When I came across this recipe for Tropical Rice on Jaden’s Steamy Kitchen blog, I was really really excited! A while back, on our honey moon, in Belize my husband and I ate a delicious coconut rice with beans and some seriously spicy jerk chicken. I’d tried for years to come up with a similar recipe that would bring me back to the clear blue skies, white sandy beaches, and turquoise waters of those wonderful warm winter days. I was never successful. While Jaden’s rice is not the same rice I ate in Belize, it not only tastes great, but better than what I had. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any of that super spicy jerk chicken to go with it – oh the wonder of burning delicious food! Instead, I made some General Tso’s Chicken. They go really well together!

Jaden recommends adding some “tropical” toppings. I chose to add 1/2 a cup of chopping macadamia nuts, 1 cup of chopped pineapple, 1/2 a cup of unsweetened coconut chips, and 2 chopped green onions.

Great tip: turn on some tropical music and it will taste even better!

Just to reiterate how good this is…I’m eating it right now…alone…for breakfast!