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a year of bakes-july

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a little over halfway through the year now, and the july bake definitely “takes the cake” in terms of fun. as you may have seen, phillip, mom, clark, and i visited london last month. as the plans started coming together (and knowing we were would be there on my birthday), i did a little looking and uncovered a little thing known as the big bakes. likely inspired by the great british bake off (but of course with no official affiliation), the big bakes makes baking classes accessible all over london and just happened to have some classes available while we were there. well, we knew what our plans would be that evening!

i won’t spoil for you what else we got to do that day, but after a lot of walking and a pint and a quick dinner, we took the tube to their east location off haggerston and stepped into our baking adventure. are you surprised to know i was squealing with excitement as we stepped through the refrigerator entrance? if you know me, you’re not surprised at all.

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we had arrived a little early so “oohed” and “aahed” as we entered their charming pantry bar. it’s like they know exactly what their clientele will like! with eats and drinks galore, there’s something for everyone, us included. we plopped in the corner booth and enjoyed coffees and champagne and bubbled over with anticipation. i think we were all still stunned that we were actually there, and it warms my heart immensely knowing that we can have such a blast just about anywhere we go. 🙂

oh, and in between sparkling sips, i squeezed in a little selfie session, too!

suddenly remembering we were there to bake and not just drink (which you can actually do), we were summoned to the tent! now, it was a typical rainy london day, so we hurried across the platform and to our stations. if you’ve ever watched the show, the format here is like the technical challenge. you don’t know what you’re making ahead of time, you’re given a recipe, and you have a time limit. it was exciting and terrifying all at once! now, to ensure these classes feel welcoming (and to ensure you tell all your friends about it and come back for more), the recipe is extremely detailed, the ingredients are premeasured, and all your equipment is already laid out for you. talk about being spoiled! oh, and to make it even better, you can bring your beverages from the bar with you and even order more throughout. this is my kind of baking!

following a brief explanation from the instructor, we suited up (i had purchased the birthday package so that we could don our hats and aprons, of course), and got to work. the theme that month was safari cakes, so we were tasked with baking our sponges, cooling them, and decorating them. oh, and then they would be judged in front of the entire class! although that tracks with the show, i definitely was intimidated. worry not; there were lots of home bakers and amateurs there, so we were in great company.

with only two hours on the clock, we dove on in and got to work. we mixed, we scraped, we filled, we baked. i’ve made countless cakes (excuse me, sponges) before, so that came naturally.

the part that stressed me out (and i sensed this in clark, too) were the choices we had to make. everyone got to pick their own flavors and decorations and finishing touches, and when you’re in a flurry of flour, sugar, and butter, it’s hard to focus! talk about being spontaneous. thankfully our partners were the calming force we needed, and soon enough our creations came together and were placed on the front table.

one by one, the instructor used an overwhelming large knife to cut an overwhelmingly large slice out of each of our cakes. each pair shared what kind of animal they chose, the flavors of their sponges and frostings, and (why not) the animal’s name. the instructor then provided a cursory judgment on our sponge textures, and a supporting applause was given to all. with so many creative and unique designs, it truly was such a cheery atmosphere!

now, are you dying to know what we made? mom and clark went for an almond sponge with orange zest and almond slices baked in and an orange frosting to create a tiger affectionately named aubie. phillip and i added some pink to our sponge to support the strawberry flavor we chose for everything on our zebra named woody. they make a dashing pair, don’t you think?

now, this whole “a year of bakes” blog series is focused on things i’ve not ever baked. the element new to me during this experience was the fondant we used on our zebra. i definitely don’t keep fondant stocked in our pantry so knew i wanted to include it. the eyes and nose and ears came about easy enough, although the proportions may have been a little off. where i struggled mightily, though, was with the stripes. i think my mistake was rolling the brown fondant too thinly, which caused it to tear tremendously as i tried to cut out each piece and lift if off the counter. i’ve a feeling it takes a lot of practice to really get the hang of working with fondant and don’t know if i’ll be trying my hand at it again any time soon. regardless, though, we got to use new ingredients and new tools and definitely make something i’ve never made before!

oh, and of course we had to see how they tasted! we lugged our cakes all the way back to stratford in their charming cake boxes and had a piece in the hotel lobby. writing about this bake makes me smile from ear to ear, and i will gladly cherish this memory for many years to come.

nrw – kurt’s euro bistro

kdavis 1 Comment

phillip and i have had a busy summer season, so you can imagine we were quite grateful for a recent weekend with nearly no plans. it was two saturdays ago, and i’d just returned from a scrapbook supply mission at our local hobby lobby. when i asked phillip what he wanted for dinner, he suggested we go out. i considered this idea for a moment and then, like a ton of bricks, the perfect place came to mind. we piled into the hyundai, made a left out of the neighborhood, took a right on the main drive, and within minutes pulled up to kurt’s euro bistro.

i’ve passed this unassuming spot countless times by now but never given it a try. we have become creatures of habit and tend to eat at the same (and very good) restaurants, so it just felt like the right thing to do to try something new. plus, my neighbor ellen had mentioned it was a good spot, so off we were!

we arrived a little after seven and lucked out that there was a high top available in the bar area. the hostess politely advised we make a reservation next time, as they get busy quickly on the weekends. so, we settled into our chairs, and our waitress brought us some waters while we took in the ambience. dark woods, low ceilings, pint glasses as far as the eye can see; and even though i have never been to europe, i definitely got those vibes.

we weren’t in a hurry so started with some beers and their pretzel and, of course, some beer cheese. my weihenstephan weiss was perfectly wheaty and chilled and paired nicely with the doughy yet light pretzel. the beer cheese was rich, and i think i liked the mustard dip most. if dinner was going to be anything like this appetizer, it was also going to be good (spoiler, it was).

so many of their dishes sounded delicious, but phillip and i both kept things simple and ordered a skillet with a bratwurst and sauerkraut. for barely ten bucks, there was a ton of food! the kraut was tender, the brat was juicy and flavorful, and that spicy ketchup just made everything sing. a bite alone or altogether, i was satisfied regardless.

wait, i almost forgot about the spatzle! i wasn’t hungry enough for an entire schnitzel entree, but that spatzle seemed irresistible. luckily, you can order a side of it, and i’m so glad we did. that pasta was buttery and perfectly finished with a little sautéed crunch. i am certain i looked very ladylike as i stuffed my face with forkfuls of it. 🙂

all in all, kurt’s is a lovely spot. they have indoor and outdoor seating, an intimate and well-stocked bar, welcoming staff, and a menu that’s not too big but not too small. i look forward to our next meal here (which will hopefully be soon).

The Adventures of Kiwi Kyle | Part 3

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One of if not the most important activities I plan for when traveling is eating!  What is <insert name of destination> best known for?  Where do the locals go?  Most of the time you can find those places via a quick online search, but sometimes you find them just by looking around and keeping your eyes open.  I’ve found a couple places like that in Christchurch, so here are my recommendations for future travelers!

First things first, breakfast, the most important meal of the day.  Unfortunately it’s not a meal I usually have while traveling for work because I’m so focused on getting to the client site.  A quick run to the local ‘bucks is usually all I have time for.  However, since this trip has me staying over weekends, I have ample opportunity to enjoy breakfast, and I found a good spot to do so at Tap N Grind.  While busy, it didn’t have the hustle and bustle, get-out-of-my-way-I-just-want-my-coffee feel to it.  Much more relaxed and casual.  My desire for my Waffle House Peachtree Road Race waffle must have been sending me subliminal messages, as I spotted the waffle and bacon and decided that was the dish for me.  As you can see, it looked awesome and it also tasted awesome.  The waffle was crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.  The citrus mascarpone acted like butter to make the waffle soft but not soggy.  The caramelized banana gave it that little something extra and the variety of nuts a little crunch.  It was so good that I made a point to tell the waitress, who sheepishly said, “We just assume everything in America is better than what we have here.”  I told her she was dead wrong on this; it was hands down the best waffle I have ever had, and even in the top three as far as breakfast dishes go!  When I went back the next week, I had the same waitress and she smiled and asked if I would be having the waffle again, which, of course, I did!

For dinner, I recommend you check out O.G.B. (aka Old Government Building), as it hosted various government departments from 1913 to the 1980s.  After being vacant for some time, the building was threatened to be demolished but eventually made it to a real estate developer.  Today, the bar and Heritage Hotel call this place home.  They have a traditional restaurant space with the bar being in a separate area.  Eating in the bar is the way to go with a speakeasy feel consisting of a wood bar, dark colored walls, and the staff being dressed in 1920s and 1930s attire.  I had the beef rib burger, but just to be clear, we would call this a sandwich in the States.  In New Zealand they call a burger anything where protein (beef, lamb, chicken, etc…) is served between two pieces of bread.  The protein doesn’t even necessarily have to be formed into the traditional patty shape.  To flip it the other way, what we call a pulled pork sandwich, a Kiwi would call a pork burger.  Enough on semantics and onto the food!

The “burger” was cooked very well and had this molasses-like sauce that put it over the top.  It was paired with potato wedges and a house-made ketchup that tasted much more tomato based than American ketchup and, to be honest, tasted better than American ketchup.  The final reason you should go to O.G.B.?  Well, any place that uses a sousaphone as part of its decor is well worth the trip!

the juice you chew

kdavis 2 Comments

okay, before you go running for the hills about a post called “the juice you chew”, i implore you hear me out on this one.  this past saturday i was at orangetheory with our coach alana, and after a sweaty 55-minute endurance class, we were stretching when she said she had a treat for us.  ooh, there’s nothing better than a hard-earned treat!  well, i couldn’t quite hear everything she was saying about this chuice stuff, but the bit i did hear was something along the lines of “you take a sip, you chew, take a sip, chew, so on and so forth.  it’s only 150 calories per bottle and it is healthy!  the chewing process helps you digest your food, and having something in a bottle for on-the-go lifestyles is perfect.”  out of respect and intrigue i figured i had nothing to lose, so i made my way to the front of the class to grab a bottle for myself.

now, i’d be lying if i said i wanted to chug it down right away.  the thick texture and very green color had me a little worried that i might not even be able to choke down a swallow of the stuff.  however, i’m usually down for trying something new at least once, so i went for it.

i cannot even begin to tell you how pleasantly surprised i was, but i shall try!  first, i enjoy kale, so getting to chomp on it along with some crunchy pine nuts didn’t phase me at all.  and, along with all the other fresh fruit and vegetables, it was quite a flavor explosion.  also, i don’t usually have a texture aversion when it comes to what i eat, so that was something i didn’t really have to get past.

i will say that drinking (or maybe eating?) chuice isn’t the most graceful of acts, in that sometimes you’re slurping up a piece of vegetable while also trying to sip.  just imagine that while trying to drive home.  oh, and here’s a pro-tip when enjoying chuice:  be sure to shake after each sip to make sure the thinner liquid actually mixes in with all the more solid ingredients.  the reason i say this is because if you do not you’ll end up with a big clump of vegetables and fruits at the bottom of the bottle that you cannot get out, which is a shame because all those vegetables and fruits are so tasty!

now, you might be thinking “eh, that evergreen flavor doesn’t look like my cup of tea.”  well, have i got news for you!  they also have one called heart-beet!  seriously!  i cannot make up this stuff, and you all know how much i love beets, so i am convinced it is fate.  you can purchase chuice online or, if you got to their locator page, you can find a store near you where you can indulge.  lucky for me there are plenty of nearby whole foods that carry them, so i just cannot wait to stop by.  do your body something new and good and give chuice a try!