Organ meats anyone?

I remember, as a kid, being given kidneys as part of a warm salad for dinner.  The whole notion of a warm salad was rather brave & in our part of Co. Waterford was definitely 'nouvelle cuisine', but kidneys?  Oh man, I hated them.  Even now, I'm not sure what animal they came from, but I guess it was chicken...they were really tiny.  The smell and texture made me retch and put me off all organ meats forever, or so I thought.

Thankfully, my mother had the wisdom to try other methods of getting organ meats into us.  Every now and then she would make a big batch of chicken liver pâté, freeze most of it and on special occasions present us with a ramekin of smooth creamy heaven.  Even though I knew it was called 'liver' pâté, I didn't quite make the connection with organ meats.  Even my brother loved it and still does, despite being the fussiest eater in the family.  I always thought it must be very expensive to make, as we only had it very rarely, but now I know better.  It's really inexpensive and so easy and quick to make.  If you don't mind handling organ meats and are confident that you can get them from a reputable source, then it's well worth trying.

Obviously if you're vegetarian then this recipe isn't for you.  However, if you're a meat eater as I am, using as much of the animal as possible makes me feel better about eating it in the first place, even if they look pretty unappetising in their raw state.  I'm lucky to have found a fantastic butcher in Malmö  'Vilt Specialisten' who specialises in wild game and organic pasture reared meat, which is naturally higher in all kinds of nutrients including the much talked about Omega-3.

If you're not sure about organ meats, let me try to convince you.  Organ meats like liver, kidneys and heart are rich in many nutrients, particularly fat soluble ones like Vitamin A & D, minerals selenium, zinc and iron, B vitamins and Vitamin K2.  B12 is particularly rich in liver, as that's where it's stored (unlike other B vitamins) and is hard to get if you don't eat much meat or animal products.  Deficiencies in B12 can lead to issues with cell division and blood volume, mood disorders, depression and anxiety.  Also found in organ meats is a nutrient called Co-enzyme Q10, which is essential for energy production and is often lacking when we are fatigued or suffering from conditions like chronic fatigue, adrenal fatigue or long term stress.  All of these nutrients are essential for very active people and are often lacking in our diets, even if we feel we are eating healthily.  This pâté recipe includes grass fed butter (organic if you can get it) which really helps us to absorb the fat soluble nutrients in the liver.

Convinced?  Well, I reckon that's quite enough theory, here's the recipe

Chicken Liver Pâté

Ingredients:
125g organic grass fed butter (easy to get in Ireland, not so easy here in Sweden!)

1 medium onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Small handful of thyme leaves (rosemary or tarragon work well too, I find sage a bit strong)
500g fresh, free-range organic chicken livers
Unrefined sea salt (like Maldon)
Freshly ground black pepper
40ml orange juice (ideally freshly squeezed)
60ml brandy (or just more orange juice)

Optional - 200g of butter and extra herb sprigs to seal the pâté.

What to do:

1. In a large frying pan or wide saucepan, add 2tbsp of the butter over a low heat.  Add the onion and garlic and 1/2 tsp of salt.  Let this cook slowly and gently until soft and translucent, but not brown.
2. Add the brandy, thyme and orange juice, simmer for 2 minutes to cook off the alcohol and reduce slightly.
3. Add the chicken livers.  Cook them gently, turning regularly until they are opaque on the outside but still burgundy on the inside.  Take off the heat.  
4. Transfer the liver & onion mix to a food processor (a blender may also work, but the blade is smaller so you will probably need to do it in several batches).  Add another 1/2 tsp of salt, a good pinch of pepper and blitz for 1 minute until almost smooth.  Cut up the remaining butter and add piece by piece with the processor running.  Taste and add more seasoning if you think it needs it.  Now, to get it really smooth, process for another 2 minutes.
5. Transfer the mix to a large ceramic terrine dish, or as I did, several ramekins which makes it easier to freeze some and eat the rest.  If you wish, you can seal the pâté with the additional butter, by melting it first with a few rosemary or thyme leaves then gently spooning over the pâté.  Once this butter sets, it acts as a seal and helps to prevent oxidation of the precious fats inside.
6. Put it in the fridge and leave to set for a few hours, ideally overnight.  Freeze most of it (covered with clingfilm or a lid to protect from freezer burn) and tuck into whatever you keep in the fridge.  It's lovely spread on veg sticks or on sourdough toast for breakfast or lunch. 

What do you think, will you try it?  I'd love to see photos if you do, share them on my facebook page!

A rare Lebanese treat in Malmö

I've been 'writing' this for over 2 weeks (more like not writing).  Studying for my final yoga teacher training module has rather taken over, so learning which muscles flex the hips, what the most important yoga sutras are and working on including meditation every day are at the top of my to-do list.  I do think this post is worth sharing, even if it is really late, so...here we go!

On Tuesday night, October 1st, I had a rare excuse to eat out.  In my first year here, I have learned that there are two categories of restaurant; the first is top notch and pricey enough to make it special occasion only; the second is cheap as chips pizza and kebab places.  There isn't much in between, which results in very occasional splurges, but no regular treats.  Sort of makes the special occasions even more special...

On October 1st, Mountain Man and I celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary.  It's hard to believe we've been in Sweden for just over a year!  Time flies...

I spent quite a while debating where we should go (thankfully Mountain Man takes a step back when it comes to big decisions like where to eat)  There are a few restaurants that we have yet to try, but in the end we landed on OCCO.  It's just around the corner from our first apartment in Malmö and I have been cycling or walking past it almost every day for a year.  There is a very discreet sign and beautifully intricate panels on the windows, screening your view inside.  For quite a while I was sure it was some exclusive members club that I would never be allowed into, but I was sure it was something special.

                                     

OCCO is a Lebanese restaurant, serving a choice of 3 meze - vegetarian, lebanese or lebanese with mixed grill.  Prices range from 290-390kr per person and there has to be a minimum of two people dining.  For a Tuesday night, I was surprised to see a table of 6 people already there and soon after 2 more tables of 2 were filled and finally a table of 12!  Midweek it may have been, but this place was buzzy and cosy.

We went for the mixed grill meze and got off to an amazing start with a whole artichoke served between us.  Oh, the flavour!  Lemony, garlicy succulent artichoke leaves to suck on.  Have you ever shared an artichoke this way?  Get ready for some sensual eating, that's all I can say! I adored it, but before we could finish it an incredible selection of dishes had arrived; divinely creamy hummous, baba ghanoush, seriously herby tabbouleh, the best falafel I've ever tasted with a gorgeous garlicy dip and a multitude of filled pastries and spiced yoghuts.  Oh my lord, I found it such a challenge to know what to eat first!  I did manage to go back to the artichoke a few times, so managed not to waste any... 

   

About 15 minutes later the mixed grill arrived; swoon!  Perfectly tender fillet steak, chicken marinaded in chilli and gorgeous kebab.  Neither of us managed to clean our plates, there was so much food!  Everything was so good and with discreet and super fast service the experience was wonderful.

Having been in Sweden for over a year now, I have yet to experience food or service like we had in OCCO.  The decor was perfect, luxurious and comfortable...ideal for a romantic evening together.  Most of the other tables were filled with groups though, so clearly not just a place for romance.

We finished with dessert...Mountain Man had a selection of ice-cream made in house, for once I didn't have food envy as I ordered the 'chocolate bar' which turned out to be a dense praline coated in dark chocolate, served with pomegranate seeds.  Small but perfectly formed ;-)  When we asked for the bill, we were given a little box of chocolate covered almonds, like I've never tasted before.  Top quality chocolate, big juicy almonds and a coating of dark cocoa.  WOW.  I'm already scheming to get back there soon.

  

A change of seasons...and chocolate shops.

On Saturday Mountain Man and I made some big decisions.  We've been in Sweden for almost a year now and...well, it hasn't been easy.  Of course, as my Grandad would often remind me, if it was easy everyone would be doing it!  Despite that nugget of wisdom and truth, or perhaps because of it, we have decided to shake things up a bit and cram more fun into our lives.

Malmö is a great place to live in many ways - it's close to Copenhagen, right by the sea and has wonderful cycle tracks and parks.  It's seriously lacking on the restaurant and foodie end of things though and we both miss that.  For that and lots of other reasons, we have decided to move from our beautiful apartment in Malmö to the University city of Lund.  Mountain Man will cycle to work every day, I will meet him for lunch and every now and then,  pop into St. Jakobs Bageri for a cuppa, mosey in the Saluhallen for fresh fish, meat and cheese and maybe, once in a blue moon treat myself to some divine chocolates from Hovby No.9 Chocolaterie.

As we walked around Lund on Saturday, luxuriating in the buzz, the smells of fresh food from the Saluhallen and the joyfully autumnal flowers at countless market stalls in Mårtenstorget, we stumbled across a sign for Hovby No.9 Chocolaterie.  Mountain Man remembered someone telling him it is the best chocolate in Sweden, so what could we do but follow our noses?  The signs and smells directed us through a little courtyard and down a set of steps into a surprisingly warm, tiny chocolaterie.

An hour later, we resurfaced, having learned the story of Hovby No. 9, of the warm and funny owner Inger and her many careers and of course, with a box of very special chocolates in tow.

Inger opened the chocolaterie 13 years ago, having spent 12 years in Switzerland and some time in Paris learning the art of chocolate making.  She grew up on a farm and chose to name her chocolaterie after the place and people she loves.  She was preaching to the converted when she told us 'I would rather have nothing if I can't have good quality.  No, I just do without until I can afford the best quality'.  Over the years, in different guises, working with the best quality has been her raison d'etre and she has brought this deep respect for quality to her latest venture, which she tells us proudly, she began at the ripe old age of 55.

I loved standing at Inger's counter, she was so warm and generous, listening to our story as she weaved hers around us.  She told us, with such passion, about an ingredient she had discovered and insisted we try a chocolate she had made with it.  When she learned we wanted to move to Lund, she laughed and said '...the best thing about Malmö is that it is close to Copenhagen!'  She insisted on sharing her email with us and taking mine, in case she heard of anything becoming available.

Mountain Man and I grinned at each other as we basked in the simple act of chatting with a stranger...oh how we have missed that!  Inger may not have realised it, but her kindness & openness gave us the final nudge we needed to make the decision to move.  Lund here we come!

Village gossip and the joys of asparagus...

I'm back from a glorious week in the Cotswolds in England.  First time there and I am already planning a return trip.  What a stunning part of the world!  Beauty in every direction, immensely friendly locals and some of the loveliest local cheese I've ever come across.  It helped that the owner Henry, of Woefuldane Dairy shop shared some village gossip with us, it really made us feel included...  I had my first ever English cream tea in the village of Minchinhampton and visited the local WI (Women's Institute) market.  It was like being part of the cast of Calendar Girls!

To cheer me up even more, the farmers market on Drottningtorget was back last weekend.  It's been a long winter without any fresh, local, 'straight from the farm' produce so I literally jumped out of bed on Saturday morning to have a wander and soak up the smells and atmosphere.  I also bought my first bunch of Swedish asparagus, from Lund!  Dreamy, fresh, crunchy asparagus...I really couldn't have been happier as I cycled home with a basket filled with local goodies.

I've managed to get a few spears into most dishes so far this week, but my favourite was probably today's lunchtime salad.  Rocket, lemon balm, coriander leaves, lightly toasted sunflower seeds, creamy avocado, cherry tomatoes, panfried asparagus and some shredded chicken from an organic bird I boiled up to make stock.  Oh sweet divine...it was so good.

I had been listening to music while I sowed seeds to germinate on my windowsills and while I prepared lunch, sporadically checking emails as I went...  There was so much stimulation and sound that as I sat down to eat, it struck me that in order to appreciate what I was eating I had to turn everything off and 'log out' for 20 minutes.  I turned everything off and took my bowl of goodness into the kitchen.  I held it in my hands and gave thanks for such incredible food before savouring each bite. Hooray for Summer and local farmers!

Tomorrow, I am planning to check out the Malmö Garden Show which looks like it should be lots of fun.  I'm a little bit sad that I am missing Bloom in the Park this weekend, but a mini local version will be a treat with no guilty air miles attached.  Happy weekend everyone, I promise I won't leave it so long next time!

My signs of spring

Spring has sprung!  I think...it's hard to tell when this is my first spring in Sweden, but here's hoping.

Yesterday I walked in the sunshine, through our nearby park (ignoring the last signs of winter lurking under some trees & park benches).  I dawdled outside florists, their steps littered with pots of narcissus and primula.  I nearly fell over when I spotted the very first new buds on a tree in the very beautiful city graveyard.  Last week I was filled with grouchiness and misery, feeling that winter would never end and just a few days later I can see some
real signs of Spring.  I'm so relieved!

This morning I sat in the dining room, bathed in light, tucking into a bowl of home made granola, natural yoghurt, baked rhubarb and that delicious Super Life breakfast topping I mentioned on facebook recently.  Rhubarb is another sign of spring for me.  OK, it's been forced, but when it appears for sale I always feel happy that spring has arrived.  I discovered baked rhubarb in a lovely B&B in Wexford a few years ago.  It was part of the breakfast buffet and I almost died with pleasure when I tried it.  It's the easiest thing to reproduce too.  

First, turn on your oven to 180°C, then put the juice and zest of an orange in a saucepan with 2 teaspoons of honey, 1 or 2 pieces of star anise, a cinnamon stick and some grated nutmeg.  Heat it gently for a few minutes, until the honey has completely dissolved into the juice.  Chop up 4 or 5 washed stalks of rhubarb into 3cm lengths (you don't need to be precise) put the rhubarb pieces into a large, shallow ovenproof dish and cover with the fragrant juice.  Put the whole lot in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes, until the rhubarb is still holding it's shape but is beginning to brown a tiny bit.  The juices will have thickened up too, providing luscious, tasty goo for drizzling.  

This rhubarb is wonderful with breakfast, but you can use it in a crumble or with ice-cream or yoghurt as dessert too.  I don't know why I don't make it more often!  It'll keep in a jar or bowl in the fridge for a week, easy...except it won't, because you'll eat it all within a few days!

When grouchy...cook.

Yesterday, I was having one of 'those' days.  For no good reason, I was in a big fat grouch.  Maybe it's the unending winter, that keeps pushing it's way into my world, in between teasing moments of Spring. Maybe it's the lack of conversation about the weather that is part of every day in Ireland?  Maybe it was just an off day.

I'm one of those annoying people who is almost always in good form.  I don't know what to do when I am grouchy for no good reason.

Except cook.  Cooking always helps, even if it's just the joy of kneading dough until is succumbs to my will.  It's cathartic.

Last night, I decided to make pizza dough and sauce from scratch.  Mountain man inspired me, with two punnets of cherry tomatoes, which were bought for a party he had while I was away.  I'm not sure what exactly the tomatoes were for, but they were still in the fridge when I got back, so they spent 45 minutes in a hot (200°C) oven with 3 cloves of garlic, two sprigs of rosemary and a few sprigs of fresh thyme, along with a glug (technical term) of gooey balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper and a drizzle of cold pressed, organic sunflower oil.  It's a failsafe way to turn somewhat tasteless out of season food into something worthy of your belly.

The smell was intoxicating.  It's hard to be grouchy with smells that good, but I was determined to cling on nonetheless.

While the pizza dough rose slowly in a clingfilm covered bowl atop the radiator, I chopped pizza toppings, burned some shallots that were supposed to be caramelising and dropped a carton of feta on the floor.  Mountain Man wisely handed me a drink and cleaned up my mess, even washing the burned saucepan and chopping fresh shallots for me.  Did I mention I love my husband?

Dough refuses to rise any faster than it feels like, forcing me to wait and take a breath.  Cooking teaches patience, who knew?!

Finally, 2 hours after I started, dinner was ready.  Mountain Man had a

movie lined up and ready to watch and I sank gratefully onto the couch.  Biting into the first slice of pizza made me feel even better.  In spite of my weird mood and determination to burn everything, the pizza tasted like a little piece of heaven and with the blinds down and a blanket to snuggle into, I didn't even notice that it was snowing again.

It always works.  No matter what my mood is, cooking always cheers me up.  Am I the only one who finds cooking restorative, cathartic, meditative?

Saturday Night at Belle Epoque

I think it's time to buy a swanky new phone.  Preferably one with a high resolution camera built in.  That way, wherever I go, I can take photos of the food I eat, so that I can share it with you.  Makes sense, right?  Sometimes I forget to bring my little Canon Ixus with me and get home from a lovely meal or impromptu fika, without a single photo.  I never forget to bring my phone with me, ergo I need a new phone.

Last weekend Mountain Man and I had visitors.  My cousin and his wife spent a few days with us.  We cycled around Malmö, showed them the sights, had delicious coffee in Cafe Number 6 and on Saturday evening went for dinner in a restaurant called Belle Epoque.  Situated in the pretty, hip area between Triangeln and Möllevången, Belle Epoque is a mix of cocktail bar and restaurant.  They only do evening meals and are closed on Mondays.

Of course, I forgot my camera (the pic above is from the BE facebook page).  Thankfully my cousin had brought his swanky new smart phone with him, so in the dim light of the restaurant, he snapped a few pics as each course arrived.

At Belle Epoque, the menu changes weekly and consists of 3 main courses and 2 desserts.  That's it.  I love the confidence.  One main course is meat, another fish, another veggie.  Since our first visit here in June, they have introduced a tasting menu, where you get a small portion of each main course, plus one of the desserts, of the chef's choosing, for 390kr.  It might seem like a limited menu, but every detail is so well attended to, they do not need to offer anything else, in my humble opinion.

We started with an incredible pasta dish, delicately flavoured with a light creamy tarragon sauce (which can often be overpowering) and topped with a runny poached egg.  Amazing, all on it's own.  I was swooning and we were only one course in.  If I had a photo I would share the beauty of this with you, but on emailing my cousin yesterday to get the prized photos, he replied, in consternation, that I wouldn't be very happy to hear that he had deleted all the photos he had taken.  Apparently the quality wasn't good enough for his high standards.  See?  I really do need my own smart phone...

The second course was a fish dish.  The waiter didn't know the English word, but it was white and firm - haddock like in consistency.  This was perfectly pan fried and served on a bed of celeriac mash.  Yumsky.  I wish I had the photo to double check the details, as I realise this description doesn't really tell you much, but honestly, it was better than we ever expected it could be and our visitors were hugely impressed.  Score.

The final course was slow cooked wild boar, served with a local forest mushroom and bean ragu.  The portion was so generous I couldn't finish, but thankfully Mountain Man was on hand to help me out.  The boar was incredible; gamey but not too strongly flavoured, with little chewy, caramelised pieces to savour.  Utterly delicious.

We were all served the chocolate brownie for dessert, which was the lightest, more flavourful brownie I think I have ever had, and I've had a lot of brownies.  The entire meal was just incredible and luckily, the least expensive bottle of wine on the price list was also fantastic, so we felt we did incredibly well.

At around 10pm the DJ kicked things off and the atmosphere changed.  The lights dimmed and the bar started to get busy.  This is a great spot to come to for food and hang out in before moving onto a club, as they are open until 1.30, later than most bars.  If you want a quiet drink without the crowd and some really good food cooked with love and panache, then come early.  A lovely spot, one I will have to go back to once I get that smart phone...

Coming out of Hibernation

Have you ever wondered why the beginning of the year is, for us northern hemisphere dwellers, still in the middle of winter?  It doesn't always feel very 'new-year-ish' to me.  Making resolutions and sticking to them is kinda hard when it's still dark and cold outside.

Mountain Man and I returned to Malmö 4 days ago and after 2 weeks in the Emerald Isle, I realised how much warmer it is there!  Daffodils are shooting up, cherry is already in blossom and there is a definite feeling of Spring in the air.

As we hiked up Scarr in the Wicklow Mountains on new year's day, it struck me how much I missed the hills and the outdoors.  The incredible view, the easy chat that was carried away by the wind, the feeling of being away from distraction - it's unbeatable.  Living in a city is wonderful, but being without our car means we're a little bit stuck in urbania.  One of my resolutions for this year, which should help me get out of the city, is to do 30 minutes of exercise every day.  On Sunday we cycled out to Lomma, a pretty coastal village about 10km away, ticking the box for daily exercise, as well as getting into the countryside.

As I cycled past fields in fallow and a nature reserve by the sea, it struck me that Mother Nature is still hibernating.  While we may have cleared away all signs of Christmas by now, ready to kick off another new year, the natural world is preparing for Spring.  There is still plenty of time to bounce forward into the new year and for me, this is a time for reflection and contemplation...on the year that has been and how I want 2013 to be.  Picking some bare twigs, withered berries and grasses may have looked a bit crazy to passers by, but they are a reminder to me that there is no rush.  I'm still in hibernation.

Of course, that doesn't mean I want to continue eating Christmas cake and mince pies for the next month.  Along with my daily exercise resolution, I am also determined to get more greens into my belly.  Yesterday I made the easiest soup on the planet (more anon) and have begun to take 'Synergy Natural Super Greens' a green powder mix of spirulina, chlorella, barley grass and wheat grass.  It's definitely an acquired taste and capsules are always an option if you can't hack the particularly dark, earthy flavour, but this stuff actually tastes ok.  I'm not sure how they've managed it, but I had a teaspoon in water earlier and didn't gag.  The whole point of all the green foods is to get the PH of my body back into balance.  Sugar, dairy, stress, life...all contribute to acidity in the body but green foods (among others) push us back towards alkalinity, which the body prefers and discourages disease of all kinds. If I take two teaspoons a day the tub will last me about 20 days.  I expect to have more energy, lose a few pounds, sleep better and eliminate some niggling joint pain I've been having.

I'll keep you posted.  Happy New Year.

I Love Coffee, But it Doesn't Love Me

I really like coffee.  It's a relatively new addiction.  I blame an old boyfriend of mine, who made a delicious creamy latte for me once when I was horribly hungover.  I didn't know coffee could taste the way it smells.  I had only ever experienced nasty instant or flat, dull filter coffee and I just didn't see the point.  I became hooked on one lovely, creamy, devilishly good coffee a day about 4 years ago.  I can go without.  I don't turn into an antichrist.  I have convinced myself I don't get raging headaches.  I certainly do miss it if I don't have it.  I miss the ceremony, the time it takes to make it, the luscious texture, the smell as the coffee brews.  Ahhhh....coffee...

I've decided to give it up though.  Why?  Surely one cup a day is ok.  It is, yes...I suppose, but I have noticed that I can get a bit mental if I don't have my one cup a day.  Not the usual coffee 'cold turkey', but definitely a bit touched.  I've noticed too that my energy levels are not what they used to be and my very strong and sturdy digestive system is struggling a bit.  For a mid morning snack, I used to have a herbal tea and some nuts, or maybe an oatcake with some almond butter.  Coffee has completely displaced that, so the healthy snacks have diminished and coffee has taken over.  Not good.

There is a lot of mixed press about coffee.  In a nutshell, my opinion on it is that one coffee a day, made with organic beans is probably no big deal.  However, coffee does interfere with the absorption of various nutrients, so it's probably better to drink coffee away from food for that reason.  It also suppresses stomach acid, which might sound good if you suffer from reflux, but stomach acid is really important for digestion and protection from weird bacteria and parasites.  Hmmmm....  Infuriatingly, coffee also dramatically raises adrenaline and blood sugar levels.  So, if you drink coffee on an empty stomach, it can really make any problems you might have with low energy, weight gain & insulin resistance much worse.  That's all before you get into the kind of milk in the latte.  Dairy linked with cancer and bone problems (yes, really) Soya connected with hormone problems and cancer (again) Other milks just don't cut it for me...  For these reasons, and more, there doesn't seem to be a good time or way to drink coffee.  Being a nutritional therapist, I know all of this in rather a lot of detail.

Sometimes knowledge is an annoying thing.

When we moved into our new apartment in Malmö, I realised the kitchen hob was induction, which meant my aluminium espresso pot wouldn't work (there's another problem - aluminium!).  I've been using a camping stove since then, to make the espresso I need for my daily latte.  Seem desperate?  I could have bought a special espresso pot that would work on the hob, but I didn't, because I keep toying with the idea of giving up and it would be a bit daft to buy a new kitchen gadget that I won't use, right?

To further slow down the removal of coffee from my world, I've discovered that coffee in Sweden is bloody gorgeous and meeting for 'fika' here is the social equivalent of a quick pint in the local pub.  Opting out of coffee could have dastardly effects on my brand new social life here!

I've made the decision though.  I'm giving it up.  I started my new coffee free life on Saturday the 1st of December and yesterday put away the espresso pot and camping stove.  Right now I am sipping on a cup of 'Relax' tea from Pukka and nibbling on some home made raw chocolate treats.  Gorgeous calming, soothing herbs in the tea and nourishing goodness in the raw choc treats.  No real cravings for coffee, though I have had some rotten headaches...  I do miss the ceremony, but I'll just have to find ceremony elsewhere.  Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Where's the craic in Malmö?

Having spent almost 3 months living in Malmö I am beginning to understand why the Irish pub scene is so famous.  I've never been a big drinker, nor a huge fan of pubs, so I have never understood what the big deal was.  Now I do.

Pubs in Sweden are very different to those in Ireland.  I'm still figuring out the reasoning, but I think it has a lot to do with controlling alcohol consumption.  In Sweden, it seems that any establishment that sells alcohol must also sell food.  Bars are designed to allow patrons to eat, so seating is dining rather than lounge style.  Everyone has a seat, so they can drink and eat at the same time if they choose to.  The result is (in my limited experience) a fairly relaxed bistro style dining experience, seating is laid out in very distinct groups, which does little to encourage an exchange between strangers.  The very high price of alcohol in bars & restaurants ensures that most socialising is done at home, with only an occasional drink shared in pubs (usually on the weekend of pay day!) 

In Ireland, a pub which is jam packed tends to be favoured over one where standing is discouraged.  Some of the best conversations take place while waiting for a pint of Guinness to settle at the bar or standing in the sunshine outside a busy pub, drink in hand, shoulder to shoulder with someone you don't know from Adam.  This approach may lead to excessive consumption, but it also leads to 'the craic' for which we are famous.  I never thought I'd say it, but I miss Irish pubs!

So, where is 'the craic 'to be found here?  I think it may be in cafés.  Of course, there are big chains here, just like home - Starbucks et al - but there are lots of independent cafés too, and they take coffee really seriously.  It's pricey, with a latté costing anything from 25-40kr (that's roughly €3-5 a cup) but boy is it good. So far I have sampled incredibly good, organic fairtrade coffee in Dolce Siciliana where they also sell gorgeous home made ice cream.  Not the most happening part of the city, but damn good coffee and a must if you are planning a trip to Malmö.

Possibly the fanciest and most aromatic coffee I have ever had was in Rosie's (mentioned in a previous post) hidden away in the posh end of Malmö.  This is clearly where the trendy types hang out, with skinny jeans, coiffed beards and thick framed glasses.   Children are welcome, which seems important here as everyone seems to have at least one.  Where we Irish might spend an afternoon supping on a few pints in a pub, the locals here choose coffee and spend hours sipping on theirs.  How a café with room for 12 people makes any money I don't know.

My favourite place so far has to be the teeny tiny Number 6, located just on the edge of central Malmö and within walking distance of my apartment (bonus).  The coffee is really really good, the atmosphere is welcoming and cosy and Steven (an Irish man, from Dunshaughlin via more countries than I can remember) is cooler than the locals.  Yep, he is.  His bicycle hangs on the wall inside and there's a bench seat outside for soaking up the sun, when we get it.   On cold wet days there are a handful of tables squeezed in the corner which are almost always full of Swedish locals, having, it seems, 'the craic'.

I don't particularly want to swap my alcohol habit for a coffee habit, but if that's where 'the craic' is at it's mightiest, then I may have to...

When in Rome...go to Rosie's

When I started writing this blog, while we were still living in Cork, I was really looking forward to trying out all of what Malmo has to offer; from bakeries and cafes to farmers markets and restaurants.  

It's taking longer than I had hoped it would.  Moving country is expensive.  We saved and saved for this adventure, knowing it would cost a pretty penny, and just about managed to make it last until Mountain Man's first paycheck came through the postbox (Yippee!).  Eating out, buying expensive coffees and gourmet treats hasn't really been an option, so I've been cooking and eating in a lot.  

On Friday night, we borrowed a friend's car (Thanks Lars!) and made our third trip to IKEA since we arrived here.  As tends to happen when you visit IKEA after work on a Friday, neither of us had eaten and realised on arrival that we might not make it to the cash desks if we didn't get some food into our bellies.  I use the word 'food' lightly here.  Maybe it's a rite of passage...I'm really not sure, but I figured 'When in Rome...' and queued up for an IKEA hotdog.  Never again.  I think it must be the most revolting piece of 'foodlike substance' I have ever put in my mouth.  Nasty nasty nasty.  I know it's IKEA and it's cheap, but this stuff shouldn't be called food.

On a happier note, a dear friend from home arrived on Saturday afternoon to visit for a few days.  Delighted to have an excuse to explore the city, yesterday we got her a rental bike and cycled around Malmö.  Before she left Ireland, her brother in law had begged her to find a little place called Rosie's Coffee & Wine, where they sell Coffee Collective beans from Copenhagen (he’s a bit of a connoisseur it seems). 

With a little help from Google we found it and cycled there after a lazy trip around Vastra Hamnen - Malmö's old harbour district which has been completely redeveloped and is well worth a visit, with views of the Oresund Bridge and Copenhagen.  

Rosie's is a hidden gem!  Canadian Jake explained to us how and why he spends, oh, at least 8 minutes making hand filtered coffee and how it is more like an aromatic cup of tea than the coffee most of us have grown up with.  I have never observed such ceremony associated with making coffee.  I was entranced. 

Jake also explained why Coffee Collective is so special - they visit coffee growers around the world, strike up a deal with the farmers and sell beans direct to cafes and retailers.  No coffee brokers, no middle men.  A fair price for the farmer and real fair trade in action, 25% more than the fair trade price in fact; we like.  Sadly, he had underestimated his coffee needs for that week and was only willing to part with one bag of beans for the brother in law (Other bags on the shelf had been roasted 2 weeks previously and were just too old to be sold as they would be sure to disappoint.  Holy moses, that’s dedication)

Along with a very tasty latte I had an incredibly good Croque Monsieur, which really wasn’t a Croque Monsieur at all, as it had tomato, leek and mustard as well as ham and cheese, but boy was it gooooood.  A beautiful side salad with fennel shavings, carrot, cherry tomatoes and salad leaves accompanied it, all for the price of 50SEK.  Not bad for a very filling lunch plus some coffee education! 

As far as I could tell, Rosie’s also sometimes sell organic veggies on the pavement outside, but on Sunday their focus was on coffee, tea, amazing cakes and buns and gorgeous savoury sandwiches and salads.  They opened in April of this year, so they’re still a fledgling business, but I, for one, will definitely be back.  Even if I have to cycle across town for the experience!  Find them on Beridaregatan 8, Malmö, Sweden.

Homesickness and Apple Pie

Today I am feeling a wee bit homesick.  Yesterday was the beginning of it and getting out of bed this morning was a struggle, though I managed to get around that by getting up at lunchtime.

I spent most of the day in my pyjamas and finally, the thought struck me - I know, I'll make my Mum's apple pie.  That'll cheer me up.

A skype chat later, with my sister, who gave me the proportions of butter to flour (I can never remember, even though I've made it a million times...maybe that's because I want an excuse to ask Mum?) and apple pie making began in earnest.

First, find a weighing scales.  If, like me, the battery in your weighing scales has run out and you can't find the spares you bought 6 months ago, then you can use cup measurements.

For the easy peasy-est pastry, do this:
Put 150g/1 cup of plain flour (or mixed wholegrain and plain, as I did this time) into a mixing bowl.  Then add 100g butter or margarine (I prefer butter for taste and health) straight from the fridge cut into walnut size chunks.

Do not cut them too small and don't handle them with hot hands.  I am blessed with cold hands so pastry making is a tad easier.  Then, add enough water to bring the mix together.  I'd suggest putting 100ml into a measuring jug and adding slowly, until the pastry is just coming together.  Stop adding water at this point.

I could hear my Mum's voice in my head as I did this 'Don't over work it! You only need a tiny amount of water for perfectly light pastry.'  Turn the mix out onto a floured countertop.  Roll it out, then fold into 3.  Do this 3 times, and finally, roll it out and fold into 4.   I have no idea why this series of rolls and folds are important, but it's how my Mum does it, so it's how I do it.

Your pastry is complete, leave it sit for half an hour or so and then make a lovely pie or tart with it.  I'm adding gorgeously tart local organic eating apples from the farmers market on Saturday.  Plus a handful of sultanas for some sweetness and a dessert spoon of rapadura sugar (the least processed sugar you can get, which still has lots of minerals and goodness in it and has a lovely caramely taste.

Grease a pie tin, or the lid of a pyrex baking dish and lay in your pastry, rolled out to about 2-3mm thick.  Cut around the edges.  There is a knack to doing this without making a mess.  If you hold the pie dish in one hand and trim the pastry with a knife in your other hand, turning the dish as you drag the knife along the edge, the excess pastry will just fall off.  Try to leave a bit more than you think is neccessary, as when you add the apples the pastry will settle a little bit.

Once that's done, fold (don't squish!) together the excess pastry and roll out again, to the same thickness.  Lay this pastry over the filled pie and trim as before.  Press the edges together with the tip of a fork and poke a few holes in the lid with your fork.  This allows air to escape while baking.

Bake for 30-40 mins at 180C until golden brown and smelling heavenly and allow to cool while you eat dinner, or tidy the kitchen.  I added 2 apples to this pie.  I actually forgot to add the sultanas & sugar and only realised after I had added the lid.  Oops. It was delicious nonetheless, so only add sugar if you're using cooking apples.

Serve on it's own or with ice-cream or cream and a cup of tea.  I realised as I ate mine that it wasn't the eating that soothed my homesickness, but the conversation with my sister about ingredients, making the pastry, rolling it out and hearing my Mum's voice in my head.  I do miss home, but following an afternoon feeling a bit sorry for myself I definitely feel less lonely and more prepared for what tomorrow brings.

A Corsican in Malmö who speaks four languages

We moved house on Monday.  I started writing this on Tuesday and began to see double, so thought it best to wait.  We've moved house 3 times now in the the last year.  Boy am I tired of it.

I have learned a few lessons in the process though.  Probably top of the list for me is this one:
Never, ever attempt to cook the day or two before you depart House A & move into House B. It's not worth the stress of trying to find what you need, explain to your family why you need to hang onto that saucepan, that baking tray, those utensils for another day and then, more than likely, beating yourself up for abandoning ship and getting a pizza.

This time, I didn't even attempt to cook the night before we moved, or any of that day.  We found a gorgeous Thai takeaway down the road, which served us well for dinner and lunch leftovers on Monday.  At 7pm on Monday night, when we had been on the go for 10 hours, with another 4 ahead of us, we stopped for dinner.  Another wise move.  We drove our hire van into central Malmö and parked down the street from what has become our favourite pizza place, ModoMio on Stora Nygatan.

Didier owns and runs the place.  He bakes his own bread & makes the best pizza bases I've had in a while. He uses really high quality Italian ingredients, for his breads and pizza toppings and also creates what look like lovely fresh salads and pasta dishes all day (I've only ever seen them as they are whisked past my table to be served to someone else).

I'm a fussy pizza eater - I make my own, so rarely eat them elsewhere, but I make an exception for these pizzas.  I've learned from experience that, with pizza, less is more.  A light crispy base, with a selection of flavourful toppings that don't swamp the pizza and turn it into a puddle of juice and cheese is the way to go.  If that is done right, then there is very little left to say or do, except eat!  The pizzas at ModoMio are this, they are perfect.  

Didier is from Corsica originally, but has lived all over the place and speaks four languages - French, Italian, Swedish & English.  We learned all this on our first visit to his lovely little restaurant, when we shared with him our own woes about trying to find somewhere new to live (our landlord sold our first home before we had even moved in) and spending a small fortune on parking our car, while we waited to be registered in the Swedish system and get a resident's permit.  Didier listened, sympathised and even made suggestions on where to find a new home.  When his English failed him, Mountain Man asked him for the word in French and kept the conversation going.

Where else can you find service, good food and empathy like that?

I'm almost ashamed to admit, we tried pizza in a place called Mira Mare one evening before viewing an apartment to rent.  We were stuck for time and so, made a decision on where to eat with a hungry belly growling at us.  Needless to say, we regretted it after the first bite.  Fake extruded ham, cheese like glue, nasty old veggie toppings...yuck.  The pizzas there cost between 8-15 Swedish Krowns less than in ModoMio, but it's a false economy as they are almost impossible to eat.  We told Didier on our last visit that we believed his to be the best pizzas in Malmo.  He glowed with pride.  We then broke it to him that we had strayed from the path of good pizza and eaten elsewhere, but it hadn't measured up.  This stocky bull of a man almost shrunk at the news.  We had hurt him with our betrayal.  I think we have been forgiven though, it certainly seemed that way on Monday night.  This man takes his food seriously and if he fails, it's definitely personal.

Malmö truly is a diverse city, with nationalities from around the world providing a rich offering when it comes to food.  Now that we are in our new and hopefully permanent (for 2 years!) home I am looking forward to trying more of what this city has to offer.

You say gula ärtor, I say gula delade ärtor?

Grocery shopping in another language, hmmmmm....

I know I've spoken about this before, but sometimes there are minor accidents in selection.  Mostly, there are ways around the error.  Sometimes it's hard to know what you've bought exactly and if will work at all.  Yesterday I did my first grocery shop without the car.  I cycled around town, bought from market stalls and health food shops as well as a good local supermarket and piled it into my basket - loved every moment!  Well...apart from the long minutes I spent in front of the legumes shelf, pocket dictionary in hand, trying to figure out what to select.  This is usually my area of expertise and I felt like a newby!  I could have asked someone, everyone here speaks beautiful English, but I was feeling stubborn and wanted to figure it out on my own.

I had a plan to make a Coconut & Lentil Soup, made with red lentils and split yellow peas among other things.  Split yellow peas...it took me a while, but eventually I found them.  Gula (yellow) ärtor (peas).  Fantastic.  When I got home and opened the packet I realised I had bought whole yellow peas, not split ones.  I guess the photo on the packet was a giveaway.  Oh.  Dammit.  Hmmm....will it work? Will they ever cook?  Will the skins come off the peas and turn to slimy gunk?  Will I end up wasting all the other lovely ingredients if it doesn't work?

An hour or so later, I was rewarded with the most delicious soup I have had in a while.  It had a dahl like consistency, but could easily be watered down a bit to make it less viscous.  The lentils went to complete mush, but the peas kept their shape and seemed to hold on to their skins too, which made it much more interesting and less like baby food (I'm not a fan of that texture)  The whole peas definitely took a bit longer to cook, maybe 20 minutes extra, but I just added a little more water to stop the soup mix burning and hey presto, perfect result while I did some light housework!  I served a few ladlefuls over some basmati rice and it was a meal in itself.  Recipe below if anyone fancies trying it out!  It will serve 4 hungry people or 6 light lunches.

What you’ll need:
1 cup / 200g yellow split peas (or whole ones for more texture!)
1 cup / 200g red split lentils (masoor dal)
7 cups / 1.6 liters water
1 medium carrot, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 tablespoons fresh peeled and minced ginger
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 tablespoons coconut oil or ghee (clarified butter)
8 scallions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup / 45g sultanas
1/3 / 80 ml cup tomato paste
1 x 400ml can coconut milk
2 teaspoons sea salt or Himalayan pink salt
Handful of fresh coriander, chopped
Cooked basmati rice for serving (optional)

• Put the split peas and lentils into a large saucepan and give them a good rinse - strain off the water and repeat a few times until the water runs clear.
• Cover with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the carrot and 1/4 of the ginger. 
• Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the split peas are soft. (Whole peas took about an hour)
  In the meantime, in a small dry frying pan or saucepan over low heat, toast the curry powder until it is fragrant. Be careful not to burn it though, just toast it gently and set aside. 
• Place the oil/ghee in a small saucepan over a medium heat, add half of the scallions, the remaining ginger, and sultanas. Saute for two minutes stirring constantly, then add the tomato paste and saute for another few minutes.
• Add the toasted curry powder to the tomato paste mixture, mix well, and then add this to the simmering soup along with the coconut milk and salt.  (The smell of this mixture alone nearly sent me to heaven...so aromatic and earthy...wow)
• Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or so. The texture should thicken up, but you can play around with the consistency if you like by adding more water, a bit at a time. Or simmer longer for a thicker consistency. 
• Serve with rice or on it's own if you prefer and sprinkle each bowl generously with coriander and the remaining green onions.  I like a bit more spice than Mountain Man, so I added a dollop of harissa to my bowl, feel free to adjust the seasoning/spice as you like.  Enjoy!