Garlic

I reek of garlic. My dinner tonight: seafood pizza loaded with Knoblauch… I will be avoiding the general public unless absolutely necessary.

Yesturday after work I tagged along on another trip to Lindau. On the drive there we stopped for a leber käse sandwich. Untill now I had only had the leber käse from the Bavarino at Sonnenalp. I discovered that they make it wrong. It is a beef, pork and speck (baconish lard) farce (puree) that has been molded into a bread pan… like a large “bologna” just waaaaaay better. When its time to eat, the deli / road stand / whatever takes this farce and warms it up again later in a really hot oven giving this a brown and lovely crust. A centimeter thick slice and “mehr Senf, bitte….” More mustard please… Let me tell you this sandwich was savory and the mustard perfectly spicy. And the smell: automatic salivation. It didn’t look like much but it was hefty once devoured… and devour I did!

The sun was out and Fall in full display. Absolutely gorgeous! Each time on this drive I have noticed a certain sign saying, “Gute Fahrt.” Yup... I know what you were thinking… same thing I thought  every time I saw it. This time I couldn’t help but attempt to say it out loud and ask my friend what it meant. It gave us a good laugh and she finally translated it to, “Good drive…” Basically wishing us a safe trip. I’m happy to say my friend is a great “fahrter” and we arrived safely to Lindau. After running a few errands we walked the island of Lindau. The area is beautiful with many old houses along Lake Constance. It was sunset when we started. I attempted to take pictures almost giving up, but thanks to my friend’s better technical knowledge and better eye for perspective I have some really good ones. I’ll put some of those up :) There is an old church there from around 1100… that is pre-Columbus, pre Magna Carta… Things like that are just too special to ignore. It isn’t just a building… it has been through a lot, and who knows what “who’s” of history have looked at that same building.

We stopped for hot chocolate and a slice of sour cherry nut cake… sitting outside with blankets wrapped around our legs. (For the colder times the restaurant hands out blankets so the guest can still sit outside…. Something this FL girl finds a bit funny... but that’s just me). It hit the spot enough to walk a little bit more and then drive home.

Pastry world is just as fantastic as usual. I must say the last few starts to the morning have been rough, but once I walk through the door and start the general prep I start to forget the warmth of the bed I left behind and get a bit consumed in fruits, cake, and chocolate. After breakfast break and coffee the world is much brighter and the work moves from routine to getting whatever is on the day’s / week’s menu done. Once in a while there is a task that is just overly repetitive, but in the end the sight of all the pralines lined up or the pipe work I’ve done makes up for the sore hands, neck, and back. I’m really trying to work on the consistency of my pipe-work. I’ve always struggled with keeping a good flow in my chocolate letters, decorations, and shapes. Yesterday I made the “Happy Birthday” for the newly 8 year old Felix… I must say it looked pretty good on the strawberry cake :) The chef doesn’t make me feel stupid for my mistakes… just tells me to keep going again and again. He always gives me a few exampled then stands over me as I do a few on my own… He’ll tell me to make it smaller (kline) or bigger (grosse) and waits till I finally get it. But even if I don’t get it, he is constantly teaching and showing... giving random helpful advice. I asked a random question on how croquant is made and within minutes was given a live demonstration. My little notebook is running out of room and that in itself is pretty exciting.

I’m full and tired and in need of sleep… Hmmm garlic… Muahahaha… I’m probably going to smell like it in the morning, but it was sooo worth it.

The pictures are taking too long to load... Sorry but don't feel like waiting