More Just Living in Vienna....

Yesterday it was a cold, stormy day and we caught the tram to go babysit for one of Jean's American friends: Rebecca and her daughter Maya.
Inside of the tram. Transportation services in Vienna are a dream. Subway system, trams, and buses. Everything runs on time and every few minutes. One can get anywhere fairly quickly and it is very easy to live here and not own a car.
Rebecca and Maya, a future multi-tasker in the making.
Jean cannot go anywhere without the company of a dog.
Lucky me; someone new and interesting. Jean had the nerve to be jealous.
More fun and popularity.
Jean gets her chance...
But then she was exhausted and decided to take a therapeutic moment.
Today is a new day and it is snowing! Beautiful sight for the girl who has no where to be....
Not too bad for Shadow either.
Tomorrow morning (Friday) at 4:30 AM we leave to catch the bus for the airport. We fly to Amsterdam and then wait a few hours for Kim who will be arriving from Seattle. We have four nights in Amsterdam--a new adventure is coming! Thank you.

More Cooking....

Since arriving in Vienna, Jean has chained me to her radiator and makes me cook all her meals. (She got the idea from a movie with Samuel Jackson called, "Black Snake Moan".) Last night she had to teach swimming lessons (that wörk thing again) and upon her late return home, we had our dinner. Earlier in the day while Jean was still sleeping and recovering from her over night shift, I took the subway to the huge market (I remembered how to get there from previous visits). It's called the Naschmart and is such a wonderful place to stroll and visit. It is so very different from the wonderful Italian markets in that it carries and has booths representing food and cuisines from all over the world. I bought some of the ingredients for one of my favorite Lebanese meals: Shish taouk, hummus, baba ghanouj, Greek salad (a version of fattoush), Lebanese rice and pita bread.
I decided to cook because a girl can't even read the newspaper in peace....
She thinks she's so smart; she didn't even realize she was reading upside down....
Another very good day. Thank you.

A Street Walker....

Jean let me know that today she had something to attend to tonight called "wörk" and consequently she needed to sleep the afternoon away to prepare for the "wörk" thing. No better time to take a walk and see what I might discover....

It was clear but a bit breezy and cold. Rita will be happy to know that I was dressed warmly.
Many clever places to put down one's graffiti...

These gentlemen were preparing for some type of race but what kind I never discovered because they stood around for too long and I needed to move on.
If you stand at a certain angle, it looks paper thin.
A small Synagogue...
Wandering and snapping a picture of what happens to catch my eye...

Johannes Gutenberg 1398 - 02/03/1468. Occupation: goldsmith, engraver, inventor. Best known for a big Bible project.

Good advice.

I really like the round aspect of the building architecture.

This is the entry to a very old cloistered convent. The last time when Kim and I were here, it was closed. Today I crept in, took a peek and shot the next picture. I didn't want anyone to see me. Why? I don't know.

Perhaps I was having a premonition because when I came out I saw this sign across the courtyard.

Kärntner Srasse: Vienna's main street. It is a very old street, mentioned as early as 1257. At that time it already was established as a main route to Venice and Trieste. It now is a pedestrian zone and a favorite promenade for Viennese and tourists alike.



The window above and to the right of the of the 'U' is the window washer in the previous picture. Behind is the steeple of St. Stephen's Cathedral. Whew, that steeple is a great and necessary landmark for the person who just wanders the many curvy streets without paying too much attention...

Of course I had to go into St. Stephen's and light a couple of candles. To the right of the candles is a Madonna painting from Pötsch, Hungary. The painting became famous in the 17th century when many witnesses spread the story that real tears poured down the cheeks of the Virgin. Of course, the moisture on the painting has been examined by those who do such things and found to have the same consistency as human tears. It was brought to Vienna and now people pray to this image to request a cure for the sick. Can't hurt to ask....

And with that, it was time to make my way home.

More Friends, More Food...

Sunday was another day of entertainment; Jean's friend Renate and her son Florian came for dinner. I made a pot of beans (frijoles), some Spanish rice and fresh salsa. This with other fixings brought together a Mexican dinner of traditional burritos--something not very common here in Vienna. Earlier in the week Florian celebrated his 15th birthday so while I was making the Spanish rice, Jean was baking up a beautiful chocolate layer cake. Her kitchen is quite small so between Jean, Shadow, and myself, we danced through our preparations.
Jean's very beautiful and yummy cake! (Note: the plate is from a set that Kim and I gave Jean as a thank you for having us these many times gift. They came from the Alessandria chocolate festival this past October. This is what we had in mind when we bought them!)
After our meal, time for a little siesta....
New friends; what a great world...

Later that evening, I decided to do my little "upkeep" workout. Since I don't have gym access, I've tried to do a bit of stretching, sit ups, push ups, etc. Jean has given me a sheet that in my mind is supposed to be a dog free zone. (The cans are my weights--hey! I am serious here.)
It finally did occur to me that it doesn't hurt to have a trainer for some direction and feedback.
Another very good day. Thank you.

Easy Living...Vienna

I arrived in Vienna on a rainy Wednesday night and since then have eased comfortably into Jean's life. We talk past mid-night every night, both missing Kim and making her ears burn, I am sure.

Jean and I share a love for cooking and grocery shopping and many of our activities have been centered around food shopping, preparation, hints, and recipes. Friday night her good friend Martina and daughter, Leonie came for dinner. I cooked and we had an evening of laughter, poignancy (Kim is in Seattle now keeping vigil as our friend Ken is dying) and hope. After all, there was sweet little Leonie with her life in front of her.
Each day we walk 3 blocks to the Danube canal where Shadow gets to romp and run. It's a major jogging, walking, bike riding path full of activity and a great place to people watch. In the distance, the tall phallic looking item is an incinerator for garbage which then somehow becomes a major heating source for many buildings and apartments in the area. It has hardly any emission and represents smart European technology.

On our first morning, these beautiful swans were floating along the canal. Jean was totally surprised because she said they usually are not here until March..."hmmmmmm, what's up with that we wonder"?

MSN Encarta tells us:

Swans usually form pairs for life, although in some species swans are known to change mates occasionally, especially if the pairs fail to breed. Swans choose mates when they are two or three years old, although they usually do not breed until they are at least four. Breeding pairs build nests of grasses, rushes, and reeds, usually near water and sometimes on the top of muskrat lodges. The female usually lays four to six eggs, sometimes more. She incubates them until they hatch about 35 days later. The male guards the nest from predators and may take over incubation so that the female can feed.

Both parents tend the cygnets, which are sometimes seen riding on the back of a swimming parent. The cygnets learn to fly after a few months, but they usually stay with their parents through the winter. Young swans are pale gray or grayish-brown in color and do not grow their white feathers until the next summer. Swans may live as long as 35 years.

These swans are, we believe, "mute" swans and Encarta continues to inform us that:

"The mute swan also has pure white feathers. Its orange bill has a black knob at the base. The swan is native to Asia but today is commonly found in lakes in urban parks. It is the tamest of the swans and the least fearful near human habitation. According to long tradition the mute swans on England’s River Thames and its tributaries belong to the monarch. Each summer a census of the royal swans is taken during a ceremony called Swan Upping".

And, not to be outdone by the swans....

The Coat Update

Well, I did make it down to the little corner store with the jackets that Rita had mentioned. I bought one--it's a down jacket and a bit too large (small is too tight, medium a bit too large--sigh). I look like a purple Micheline Tire Man! I don't have a camera right now but once in Vienna, I'm sure I'll be able to post pictures. I head to the train station in two hours, off for a new adventure. Stay tuned...

Our 44th President....

I can only say how totally wonderful it is to have the Internet during this sojourn. Today I was able to watch (mostly) the inauguration of our 44th President. I cried and cheered. May he have an opportunity to set a few things right; it's going to be a very difficult and challenging journey. I only hope that we as Americans can let go our our "fast food" mentality, and not expect things to change overnight. I keep seeing that image of trying to turn around a huge ship at sea; it doesn't quite turn on a dime.

The Coat...

Since winter arrived in Alessandria, Rita has been dubious about my leather jacket and it's warmth factor. She often comments that I never look warm enough and I've tried to tell her that I dress in layers and actually have been fine. Well, when she learned that I'd be going to both Vienna and Amsterdam, that was it; she insisted that I take a warmer coat and she let me know that she had one that I could borrow.

Well, I dropped by and this beauty is what she pulled out of her closet for me. I so burst out laughing but I don't think she really understood my humor and why I thought it was so funny. She was very clear to tell me that it's a loan and that she expected to get it back. " Ah, si, capisco", I understand, of course. I told her that if I were in America I'd be afraid that someone would throw red pain at me. I dutifully brought home the coat feeling quite torn; I didn't want to insult her and not take her coat but at the same time...it's not exactly me.

The story continues. The next morning she dropped by to let me know that a store down the street is selling jackets for 15 Euro and maybe I'd like to go look at them. Hmmmm, I wondered; is she getting a bit nervous about my (HER) coat? Then yesterday, I was lucky enough to have dinner at her daughters house (Stephania) and all of a sudden Stephania appeared with 2 winter jackets for me to try on. Again, I dutifully tried them on and they let me know which one they thought I should take/borrow. Now, the thing is, the jacket they recommended is a bit too small and tight for me and only has one front button to seal it (partially) closed. It is made of down however, goes to my knees, and is warm. But now I'm thinking of that store down the street.

When lunch/dinner was over Rita marched over with me to the apartment and I grabbed the fur coat and carried it back over to her apartment where I asked her if she'd mind taking a picture before she wrapped it away. Oh, before I forget, I must add that it really was warm.

Dolci di Carnevale

If you happened to have read the previous posting, you'll see that I was left wondering what an exhaust fan had to do with my cooking lesson. Well, I found out. Rita has taught me to make an Italian dessert that, depending upon the region, has various names and presentations. It's a fried pastry that's made for Carnivale celebration (prior to the start of Lent). Here in Piedmonte, it's called "Dolci di Carnevale"; in Lombardy, "Chiacchiere", Tuscany, "Cenci", Emilia, "Frappe", Genoa, "Bugie" and in Venice, the heart of Carnivale, "Crostoli".

We began by making the pastry dough at Rita's apartment:

Two eggs with about 1 1/2 - 2 Tbs. of butter in a flour moat.

To the moat we added some brandy. Other regions might use a white wine. Rita says any nice liquor is fine. And yes, she did ask me to taste it.

Next, mix all together. This is where art comes into play. Rita uses a long knife and just keeps mixing. On the television cooking programs, they just dip their fingers in and start gently mixing. Rita's way avoids very sticky finger accumulation. Oh, in the background is grand daughter Chiara making her biscotti dough. Whenever Rita bakes, Chiara likes to join in with a project. Grasshopper learning from the Master.

Soon it will be time to knead, knead, knead.

The pasta maker is used to create long ( 2"x 24") ribbons of very thin pastry dough. Systematically Rita runs the dough through the maker at smaller and smaller widths.

With the long ribbon laid out, two inch pieces are cut down the row. An incision, about 3/4" is made in the center.

Then, one side of the dough piece is pulled through the incision leaving an almost knotted tie looking effect. Luckily, Rita says one doesn't have to worry about how it looks (whew!)

AND, here's where the exhaust fan comes into play. We moved from Rita's apartment to her daughter's (Stephania) where they have an almost commercial style stove and fan system. Otherwise, Rita says, the frying smell remains in her apartment for three days...Our little pieces of dough were dropped into hot oil two at a time.

Once fried, they are laid to rest on a paper towel. When they're all made, a hearty sprinkle of powdered sugar is added. One can also dribble with a sugar glaze as well. During this process I told Rita about how these remind me of Mexican fry pastries such as churros or sopaipillas. We had a rather long discussion about sopaipillas and the many ways they can be eaten, ie plain with honey, stuffed with ice cream (Kim's favorite) or stuffed with chili and beans. Rita commented on the "universale" of some foods.

YUM! The final product. She sent me home with a plate full and because they don't keep for a long time....

The future of traditional Piedmonte cooking cuisine is in good hands.....