Einbeck

Entre os anos 2000 e 2001, passei uns meses na Alemanha e tive oportunidade de conhecer algumas das principais cidades do país e também de viajar pelo vilarejos na região de Hanover (centro-norte).

Uma das cidadezinhas que eu costumava visitar freqüentemente era Einbeck (pronúncia: aimbec). Uma colega do trabalho morava lá e, às vezes, saímos juntas.

É uma cidade pequena. Não sei na época, mas hoje em dia, quinze mil pessoas moram em Einbeck e mais o mesmo tanto vive nos vilarejos vizinhos.

Apesar de pequena, Einbeck é famosa pela cerveja: Einbecker Bier! Fabricada pela cervejaria local.

Mas, mesmo antes de provar a cerveja, já tinha decidido que Einbeck era um dos meus lugares favoritos na Alemanha: a cidade é bem antiga (século 11-12), cercada de muros de pedra, arquitetura enscheimel e esculturas de madeira nas façadas das casas.

Eu olhava ao redor e me sentia num cenário de filme. As construções antigas, já inclinando pros lados, têm as paredes, na maioria das vezes, pintadas de branco, com as molduras de madeira aparentes, todas esculpidas e pintadas com cores vibrantes. Parecia de mentira! Muito bonito.

O prato da foto foi o primeiro presente que me comprei quando cheguei na Alemanha. A primeira vez que fui a Einbeck era um domingo e a loja de louças e artigos de cozinha estava fechada, mas acho que me encantei com esse prato que estava na vitrine porque a loja é do lado da prefeitura (Rathaus). Então, voltei lá uns dias mais tarde pra comprar o dito!

Ontem, meu marido finalmente o pendurou na parede da sala de jantar e eu decidi fazer essa pequena homenagem à uma cidade (mais uma) que mora no meu coração! :-)
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Between 2000 and 2001, I spent a few months in Germany and had the opportunity to visit some of the major cities of the country and also to travel around the villages in the region of Hanover (north-central).

One of the towns I used to visit frequently was Einbeck. A work colleague lived there and we used to go out together.

It's a small town. I don't know at that time, but nowadays, fifteen thousand people live in Einbeck and about the same number live in neighboring villages.

Although small, Einbeck is famous for its beer: Einbecker Bier! Manufactured by a local brewery.

But, even before trying the beer, I had already decided that Einbeck was one of my favorite places in Germany: the town is very old (11-12 century), surrounded by stone walls, filled with enscheimel architecture and wood carvings on the façades.

I used to look around and feel like I was on a movie set. The old buildings leaning to one side, have their walls, most of the time, painted white, with apparent wood frames, all carved and painted with vibrant colors. It all looked surreal to me! Very beautiful.

The dish in the photo was the first gift I bought myself when I arrived in Germany. The first time I went to Einbeck it was a Sunday and the crockery and cookware store was closed, but I think I was charmed by that dish that was on display because the store is next-door to the city hall (Rathaus). So I went back there a few days later to buy it!

Yesterday, my husband finally hung it on our dining room wall and I decided to pay this humble tribute to a city (one more) that has a special place in my heart! :-)

Curau / Corn pudding

Tenho lindas lembranças de, quando criança, participar da preparação de curau com minha família. Tios, tias, primos e primas, vó, mãe, pai, irmão, todos com tarefas específicas: debulhar e limpar o milho, triturar - com moedor de carne!, cozinhar - meu tio só delegava essa tarefa quando precisava ir ao banheiro!, colocar em vasilhas - que costumavam encher todos os cômodos da casa!

Meu tio tinha um sítio onde plantava milho e, na época da colheita, preparávamos quilos e quilos de curau com as sacas de milho empilhadas do lado de fora! Eu achava tudo aquilo maravilhoso! Ficava encantada com a enorme quantidade de comida: pilhas the espigas de milho, travessas com o delicioso creme amarelo espalhadas pela casa toda: cozinha, sala, quartos e até na varanda e na área de serviço. E, no fim do dia, todos iam pra casa com duas ou três delas!

Ontem, fui à feira e comprei umas espigas de milho. O cheiro do milho fresco me levou direto pra casa do meu tio e eu pude ouvir meu pai rindo das piadas sem-graça do primo dele e a minha tia instruindo minha mãe a colocar aquelas tigelas em cima da televisão - aparentemente, única superfície horizontal disponível, além do chão!

Então, pra matar um pouco a saudade, resolvi fazer curau:

3 espigas de milho

1 copo de leite

1/2 copo de açúcar

1 vidro de leite de coco

canela em pó

Debulhar as espigas de milho. Com uma faca grande, 'cortar' os grãos de milho da espiga. Bater o milho com o leite no liquidificador. Coar - eu prefiro 'lisinho', mas não é essencial coar. Juntar o açúcar e o leite de coco e cozinhar, mexendo sempre, até engrossar. Colocar em copos ou tijelas, polvilhar com canela em pó e resfriar.

Mais simples, impossível!

As  fibras que sobraram na peneira, eu congelei e pretendo usar no bolo que vou fazer na semana que vem.

Não usei o moedor de carne, não tinha travessa de curau em cima da televisão - ainda bem já que essa aqui é 'flat'!, mas confesso que uma lágrima feliz rolou pelo meu rosto ao sentir o gosto da infância uma vez mais! :-)

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 I have fond memories of, as a child, taking part in the preparation of corn pudding with my family. Uncles, aunts, cousins​​, grandmother, mother, father, brother, all with specific tasks: shucking and cleaning corn cobs, grinding - with a manual meat mincer, cooking - my uncle would delegate this task only to use the bathroom!, pouring it in pots, bowls and trays - which with we would fill every room in the house!

My uncle had a little farm where he grew corn and, at harvest time, we used to get together to prepare kilos and kilos of corn pudding with the cobs stacked in sacks outside their house! I was always amazed by all that! Delighted with the huge amount of food: piles of corn cobs, bowls with the delicious yellow cream scattered throughout the house: kitchen, living room, bedrooms and even on the balcony and service area. And at the end of the day, everyone went home with two or three of them!

Yesterday, I went to the fruit and veggies store and bought some corn cobs. The smell of fresh corn took me straight to my uncle's house and I could hear my father laughing at his cousin's cheesy jokes and my aunt instructing my mother to put those bowls on top of the tv as it was apparently the only horizontal surface available, except the floor!

So, with a feeling of nostalgia, I decided to make some pudding:3 corn cobs

1 cup of milk 
1/2 cup sugar
1 tin of coconut cream
ground cinnamon

Shuck the corn cobs. With a large knife, 'cut' the corn kernels off the cob. Crush the corn with the milk in a blender. Strain - I like it smooth, but it is not essential to strain. Add sugar and coconut cream and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Put it in cups or bowls, dust with cinnamon and let it cool down.

Simpler, impossible!

The fibrous cake from the kernels that remained in the sieve, I froze as I intend to use it in a cake next week.

I didn't use a manual meat mincer, there was no bowl on the tv - which is good as this one is a 'flat screen' , but I confess that a happy tear rolled down my face at the taste of childhood again! :-)

SINGAPORE NATIONAL DAY!

Today, 9 August, over 5 million people are on holiday on the little and gorgeous island of Singapore in commemoration of its independence from Malaysia in 1965.

It is a big deal for all Singaporeans who decorate the whole city, every building, with the national flag and its colors. The National Day Parade, aka NDP, is also a big event, greatly anticipated. So is the show, afterwards.

The theme this year is "Many stories... One Singapore".

Singapore, I share my story and my heart with you! Congratulations to all Singaporeans! :-D

Here, the link to my favorite song for Singapore, from 2010: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFyRf23bajg - I hope you enjoy it too!

Is it FUN or BORING?

It is a state of mind, my friend!! I think you will agree with me that something can be lots of fun for some people and, at the same time, appear sooooo boring to others. Exactly the same thing, in the same position, under the same sky!! Whatever the thing is: color, song, movie, place, pet, dish, conversation, work... whatever! To satisfy all senses of all people around, is impossible. I dare to go straight to "impossible" instead of being euphemistic by suggesting the existance of anything with the magical power of praising all beings on Earth! Hu-hu! There's no such a thing!

The best example I have to illustrate my point is Singapore! This small tropical city-state island in the South Eastern Asia. When I moved to live in Singapore, three years ago, the locals, my new friends, asked me how long I intended to stay, predicting a short stay because they "knew" I would, very soon, get bored from Singapore!! Hehehe... They couldn't be more wrong! I love Singapore!

The city itself is not too big, only around 700km2, but with over 5 millions residents, the first thing you learn about living in Singapore is that "there will be a queue"!! Sometimes, it gets to your nerves, but, if you simply accept the fact and relax, you might even have the chance to engage in a nice chat! But, when you're waiting for your turn to order a good meal for only USD 5 or don't have to worry about muggers assaulting you before you catch a cab home after great clubbing with your friends, it is not the end of the world to spend a few minutes in the queue, right?

The city is vibrant, crowded, noisy. Also, extremely clean, organized and safe. Not to mention the greenery that covers the whole city, with no exception, like a huge garden.

But, none of these make it boring or fun! What makes it boring is if you see not more than shopping malls and hawker centres as available attractions! Although, these places can be much fun too... but, what people use to tell me is that you get fed up of them quickly. I think it is right. If you spend years, or your whole life, going to shopping malls and coffee shops ONLY, of course you will start to want something more from life!

In that case, one should have a walk at Chinatown and visit the new Buddhist Temple and its museum that tells the story of Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) and has free entry! All around, there are good eateries and shops of all kinda stuff.

Then, you could try Little India, the Indian neighbourhood, where you meet them, the Indians residing here, shopping for groceries. You'll find colorful saris and bindis, all 'bery cheap', as they say... it feels like a flash trip all the way to India!
A lazy stroll at Marina Bay, in the dusk, accompanied by your camera, will keep you busy for, at least, a couple of hours: Merlion Park, the stunning three towers skyscraper Marina Bay Sands Resort, The Esplanade Theaters On The Bay with its peculiar 'durian' shaped structure, the floating platform, The Helix bridge, Singapore Flyer... actually, you will need quite a number of visits to see everything. Plus, the happenings round there, plus the cafés and restaurants!

The museums... ah, the museums... are great in Singapore: The National Museum, The Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore Art Museum, and a good number of others, showcasing all cultures blended in this city (Peranakan, Indian, war, philately, toys, science etc etc).
For a little fantasy, a visit to the 'dreamland' of Singapore: Sentosa island and the Universal Studios theme park and its resorts and casino. Beautiful beaches, nice eateries, great attractions for the kids. A good getaway for all ages and budgets! Five minutes away from Singapore!! Only the way there itself can be good fun: cablecar or fast monorail train or even walk along the causeway that connects both islands. But, of course, you can simply take the bus, taxi or drive there.
To hang out after work and enjoy the good dining and wining and clubbing, again, plenty of options. Saint James Power Station, Chijmes, Clarke Quay, Dempsey Hill, Emerald Hill Road offer restaurants, bars, pubs, clubs for all tastes. As well as fine dining that you find at Equinox Complex at the 70th floor of Swissotel The Stamford, Jewel Box, Sentosa island. Many celebrity chefs bear an outlet in Singapore. To name a few: Daniel Boulud, Testsuya Wakuda, Guy Savoy and local flavor Justin Quek with his Sky on 57, at the top of Marina Bay Sands Resort.
If your thing is cultural entertainment, you have it! The cultural scene in Singapore is very vibrant and big productions are, more and more, making a 'stopover' here! All year round, you can find good plays, musicals, concerts etc on, daily. This week, we had Taylor Swift, next week, Eric Clapton, then Carlos Santana and Michael Bublé. A couple of friends of mine can't wait to see The Lion King, in the first week of March. Ok, there will be also Chippendales performing soon, but, nothing is perfect... sory, ah...
Out of the touristic box, it is easy to find anything else to do. You like sports? Try shooting, football, skating, golf, rowing, water skying, swimming, tennis. There's dozens of nicely structured parks for jogging. Looking for improving your professional skills or engaging in a new hobby? Enroll now for lessons of languages, cooking, all styles dancing, all musical instruments playing, painting, yoga, photography, mahjong, art crafts, acting, feng shui, etiquette etc etc etc

But, we can't forget that Singapore is, yeah, indeed, a great place for SHOPPING! Yaay!! All big and fancy brands are present. Sometimes, with better prices than in other parts of the world. If you are looking for some splurging, head Orchard Road, the chic shopping venue.

Some shooping malls are quite an attraction themselves, such as ION Orchard and Orchard Central with their ultra-modern façades. VivoCity is a whole town of meandering alleys and a huge playground on the roof!
I love the possibility of sampling so many different cultures, straight from the natives, a sort of close encounter of the third kind!, without needing to travel. Living in Singapore, you can do a specific culture every day. Besides Chinese (Chinatown), Indian (Little India), you can try Filipino, at Lucky Plaza, specially on Sunday afternoons, Myanma, at Peninsula Plaza. The Malay community is settled all over Singapore, but you see it better highlighted at Paya Lebar, where you can also learn a bit about islamic customs.
And let's not forget the Zoo with its fun Night Safari, the Jurong Bird Park, Wild Wild Wet... also the spas and all kinds of human beings pampering businesses! And Formula 1 Grand Prix at night, e v e r y  y e a r!
It is a whole world of experiences right there, across the street, within the reach of your arm, just waiting for you! So, stand up and let Singapore mesmerize your senses! :-D

Now, tell me: is it FUN or BORING?