I’m leaving for Italy today for three weeks.

I’m going to our house in the town of Rocca Montecalvo in the hills outside Ascoli Piceno in Le Marche, which is where my father was born.

The past few years I’ve been able to go back during the summer where I’ve spent my days and nights basking in the glow of a way of life that is about as different from Toronto life as you can imagine.

Don’t get me wrong. I love Toronto. I couldn’t do without Toronto.

But my goodness it’s beautiful to step back into the world that my father was born into.

I will see you in three weeks.

Ciao!

I have returned from Paris!

What a grand week we had! The return home was a bit of an adventure but we made it back safe and sound and we’re left only with memories of a fascinating, delicious city.

While we put in due time visiting all the sites, the reality is that that I spent most of the week eating my way through the city, arrondissement by arrondissement.

I can’t tell which was most delicious.

But I fell hard for Paris after dinners at Mon Vieil Ami and Les Bouqinistes. I got a little tipsy here, but don’t tell anyone.

I took the Ladurée/Pierre Hermé macaron taste-test challenge and I still can’t decide which I prefer. That was part of a tremendous Chocolate Walk that we signed up for through Context Travel. If you go to Paris, I highly recommend their tours!

I watched the Eiffel Tower sparkle and I’m not ashamed to admit I teared up a bit.

The Musée d’Orsay stole my heart. It was a reminder to me that we should all do whatever is necessary to encourage the creation and protection of art.

Speaking of art, I had to actually walk out of Gérard Mulot because I was going to cry. It is a living and bustling monument to the beauty of pastry and baking.

And on the subject of pastry and baking, I was charmed out of my mind by Coquelicot. If I could ever own a bakery, that’s exactly what it would like.

I immersed myself in butter. I ate it all up. Everywhere.

I inhaled the delicious air at Eric Kayser and I paid my respects at Poilâne. The amount of bread I ate is not even measurable.

And I spent my fair share of time gawking at the French. There should be a picture of the map of France under the definition of “elegance” in the dictionary. I don’t know if it’s the tap water or just being born there but people seem to have this innate chicness that you just can’t buy off a hanger.

I want to live in the St. German des Prés district.

I tasted chocolate that reaffirms why bad chocolate is a blasphemy.

I was presented with the most stuning millefeuille at L’Arpege. And I knew, as my fork shattered the perfect pastry, that good food is worth anything. Anything.

This post doesn’t do the week justice. Every day was a lesson in the history of Paris and the ways of the Parisians. It was a whirlwind, and at times it was overwhelming.

But it was so worth it.

Merci, Paris!

I’m back from a great trip to NYC. I had five jam-packed days there that amounted to a great start to 2010.

I loved so many things about New York.

I loved this bakery and this bakery.

I loved meeting Katie.

I loved having dinner here. In fact, I’m pretty sure I want to live in that restaurant forever and ever eating Karen DeMasco’s Maple Budino. Forever and ever.

I loved the Guggenheim. I loved Manet.

I loved brunch.

I loved Madison Avenue.

I loved watching my mom love Tiffany & Co.

I did not love the subway. Sorry.

I loved the cab drivers. Seriously. I did.

I loved the Coconut Cream Pie I had here.

Did I mention I loved Karen DeMasco’s Maple Budino?

I loved NYC.

It’s a bit belated, but I’m wishing all of you much health and happiness in this new year. I’m looking forward to lots of developments here at Cream Puffs in Venice as well. Lots of growth. Lots of moving forward. Lots of getting better. Lots of baking.

Buona fine e buon principio! (Happy ending and happy beginning!)

Ciao!

Happy August, my friends!

This is a short post to let you know that I’m heading to Italy to visit my family for three weeks! I will be gone for almost all of August.

While I am Canadian in every sense, I cannot deny the bond I feel with the country where my parents were born. As beautiful as Canada is, there is something deeply satisfying and comforting going back to Italy and knowing that it’s the place where my history lies.

I will miss you! Take care and be sure to enjoy as much cooking and baking as you can while I’m away. I expect to have tonnes of posts to catch up on.

For the Flavour of the Month, I leave you with the same cookbook that I chose last month just because I loved it so much.

And to whet your sweet tooth, I leave you with this glorious Rose and Orange-Scented Honey-Nut Tart.

Un grande bacio! A big kiss!

Ciao!

Well, I’m back! I’m glad you all enjoyed the pancakes from the previous post. Not only did I finally get to have some pancakes but I’m happy to say that with the exception of a few loose ends, work will be getting back to normal.

This means that I can return to my blog, my friends, my family and my baking. And just in time for Easter!

What this also means is that I can finally start looking ahead to the spring and summer and planning some vacation.

First on my list is a five-day trip to The Big Apple in May. I have never been to New York City before and to say that I’m excited is a mild mild mild understatement.

Because I trust my blog friends and readers so much, I was hoping you could all give me a helping hand. I have some questions about places to go and see in New York and any and all advice is welcome and appreciated.

The blog will be quiet for the next few days as I catch up on some much-needed sleep along with unopened mail, laundry, trying to find my cell phone (anyone seen it???) and catching up with my family. In the meantime, though, I can’t wait to read all of your suggestions. So here goes:

1. If you could only go to one NYC restaurant for the meal of your life and price would not be an option, what restaurant would you recommend?

10. a)Since the Cream Puff has never been to NYC before, what part of the city do you recommend she stays in? b) What is the one sight in NYC not to be missed?

Thanks for your help. I’ll be back in a few days with lots of goodies.

Ciao!

If you’ve been wondering where the Cream Puff has been for the last week, she has been in the thick of battle with Workasaurus, the beast that has reared its ugly head once again. Long days and long nights have resulted in not much time for food blogging.

The. Horror.

But Mother Nature smiled upon me today with the most unbelievably beautiful snowstorm. Well … beautiful if you didn’t have to drive in it as I did. But I made it home and I have settled down for the evening and am finally ready to talk to you about the final days of my trip to Berlin, Prague and Vienna.

It’s hard to believe that it’s already been more than two months since I returned. I tried many times to write about the last four days that I spent in Vienna, but every time I sat down to do so, the words wouldn’t come. I don’t think I was quite ready to share those memories. I think I wanted to keep them to myself for just a bit longer.

Very selfish, I know.

We left Prague on a rainy Friday morning, bound for the city that I’d dreamed of visiting for so long. Our little group was uncharacteristically quiet on the bus as people caught up on some much-needed rest. I spent a lot of time just watching the Czech landscape as it went by, wondering when I would have the next opportunity to visit that beautiful country.

By early evening, we found ourselves pulling up to a hotel just outside of Vienna’s city centre. After a short rest, we hopped back on the bus for the drive downtown for our very first glimpse of the heart of Vienna.

In all my days, I don’t think I could have ever imagined a more breathtaking site.

Imagine a city by night, lit by millions of tiny lights, filled with people strolling from one bustling Christmas market to another. Imagine a pianist at a grand piano, in the middle of a wide boulevard, surrounded by Christmas decorations and people. Imagine more pastry shops than you’ve ever seen in your life, all decked out to the nines, with some of the most elaborate Christmas displays anywhere.

If you can imagine this, you can begin to understand what we experienced that first night.

We took an unbelievable ride around the Ringstrasse, the track that runs all the way around Vienna’s city centre, enclosing it the way a ring encloses a precious jewel. It was almost impossible to focus as to our right and left there were so many incredible sights to see:  the Christmas markets, the twin museums, the statues, the Parliament building, the Royal Palace … I could go on and on and on.

Returning to the hotel that evening, I found it difficult to sleep as I tried to let it all sink in. I was actually in Vienna! I had finally had my first glimpse of the city’s treasures. And very soon, Vienna’s pastries would be mine!

The following morning, we began our first full day in Vienna by visiting the Stephansdom (St. Stephen’s Cathedral). Interestingly, I never imagined that Vienna was graced with so many beautiful churches but it is. St. Stephen’s Cathedral is truly a majestic site. It is the most recognized church in Austria and to walk inside is to be immediately surrounded my a deep sense of history and importance. It is not to be missed if you are ever in Vienna.

From St. Stephen’s we walked by a number of the city’s greatest landmarks. The Viennese are a people of music and it shows in their opera house, the Wiener Staatsoper. As with so many European landmarks, it sustained damage during the second world war, but it has been beautifully restored. The opera company is one of the most famous in the world and tickets are hard to come by. I didn’t have the time (nor did I plan in advance) to see an opera, but should I ever return to Vienna, that will be high on my list of things to do!

We walked by what became one of my favourite sites in Vienna, the twin museums, both of which opened in 1889. The Naturhistorisches Museum (Museum of Natural History) and the Kunsthistoriches Museum (Museum of Art History) are mirrors of each other. On the outside, the buildings are stunning, especially when you realize that they are exact copies of each other. Think of the work that such a feat would require! Would we ever see anything like that today in our "modern" cities? I can’t imagine that we would.

And however incredible they are on the outside, they are even more so on the inside. Both museums are world-renowned. While I did not have the chance to visit both of them, I did visit the Kunsthistoriches Museum. I spent several hours marveling at the stunning collections! Unbelievably, a large part of the museum’s pieces came from the personal collection of the Habsburgs, Austria’s royal family.

In between the two museums sits what was perhaps my favourite landmark in all of Austria, a majestic statue of Maria Theresa, Austria’s grand empress. Mother of 16 children, she is a beloved figure in Austrian history and the statue dedicated to her in the Maria-Theresien-Platz is incredible. Completed in 1888, the monument features Maria Theresa atop a throne, flanked on all sides by her children. The monument became my favourite landmark and whenever I felt myself a bit lost, I always looked for Maria Theresa and immediately knew where I was.

After Maria Theresa, there’s no question that the monument most people wanted to see was the statue of Mozart. Vienna celebrated Mozart’s 250th birthday in 2006 in grand fashion. The Viennese organized a year of festivities to mark the occasion. While I’d obviously heard of Mozart and was familiar with his music, I was surprised to learn that he was not truly embraced as a brilliant talent until after his death in 1791. The statue of Mozart is hard to miss. There’s an enormous treble clef designed in the lawn in front of the statue, not to mention constant crowds of people!

Our free time was spent shopping and trying to cram in as many sites as possible. If you’ve got the Euros to spend, Vienna is the place to spend them. The shopping is incredible and I was particularly impressed by the number of shops that sold local items. My favourite store had to be Babette’s, a charming little cafe/bookstore named after the title character of the movie Babette’s Feast. While I only had an hour or so to spend in there, I could have stayed there for days looking at all the lovely volumes of cookbooks and sipping some glorious Viennese coffee.

Very close to Babette’s is perhaps Vienna’s greatest shopping attraction (if you’re a food blogger), the Naschmarkt. It’s like being in foodie heaven! You can find everything from the most beautiful fresh vegetables and produce, herbs, spices, alcohol, specialty food products … the list goes on. Walking through the Naschmarkt, I couldn’t help but think that if I were one of the people that lived nearby, I’d be there all the time!

As you might have suspected, though, the sites that I was most interested in were those of the pastry variety. Is there any place on earth with more pastry shops? It seemed like every street corner had another cozy little place just calling out to me. I was especially impressed by the quality of pastries available at all of them. I made sure to stop into several locations of the popular chain, Aida. This "chain" of pastry shops put what we refer to as chain shops or franchises here in North America to absolute shame. The quality of the  pastries and coffee available were beyond belief!

I had it on good authority that the pastry shop currently favoured by the Viennese is Kurkonditorei Oberlaa Wein. Also a chain of pastry shops with at least five or six locations, this was my favourite place to breakfast. The coffee was incredible and the pastries made me weep. Literally. Plus it was such a pleasure to see all of the lovely Christmas treats for sale.

Of course, I also had to visit what are likely the two most famous pastry destinations in Vienna:  the Hotel Sacher and Demel. While I didn’t try the pastries at the Hotel Sacher, I did stop in to buy some of the famous Sachertorte (to bring home as a treat) as well as the cookbook, The New Sacher Cookbook. I almost fainted when I saw the bill for these two items. The hotel is very expensive, but still worth a visit.

I also made sure to take time to visit the beautiful Demel. Like the Hotel Sacher, it was very expensive and I didn’t really feel that the sweets that I bought there were any superior to those at Oberlaa. But there’s no question that Demel is a place of beauty. And the glassed in kitchen where you can watch the pastry chefs working their magic is a definite treat!

This is how I spent my time in Vienna, wandering from pastry shop to pastry shop, making sure to visit as many of the historical sites as I could in between. On my final day in Vienna, I decided to visit the Schonbrunn Palace, the summer residence of Austria’s royal family. A few members of our tour group who had stayed behind in Vienna and myself made our way to the outskirts of the city to visit this stunning site. The palace has been beautifully preserved and the grounds are a sight to behold. I can only imagine how beautiful they are in summer.

As we stood on a hill in the gardens, overlooking the palace, we stayed silent as dusk slowly began to settle. It was a fitting way to look back on my time in Vienna and the fulfillment of one of my dreams.

I have so many people to thank for their advice. First among them is my dearest Angelika of The Flying Apple. On my second last night in Vienna, Angelika met me at my hotel and we had a lovely time strolling around before heading to dinner at a restaurant called Plachutta, which is famous for its Tafelspitz, a traditional Austrian dish of boiled beef served with various side dishes including potatoes. Besides the fact that I was in heaven thanks to the incredible meal Angelika treated me to, I was doubly in heaven because I finally got to meet in person someone whom I have come to know and respect immensely. I got to hear firsthand about her plans to open a cozy restaurant in her own home. In fact, I even got hired to be her special helper next time I’m in Vienna! How about that!!! I have a very special thank you coming for Angelika, which I’ll share with you in the next few weeks, but until then, I just had to take this opportunity to thank her friendship and incredible generosity.

I’d also like to thank Karen of the blog Bake My Day. Having visited Vienna, she sent me a number of useful tips including a link to Chubby Hubby’s incredible guide to Vienna. If you’re planning a trip there, I highly recommend that you print out the information in his guide. It’s invaluable.

And finally, I owe a huge thank you to a gentleman by the name of Franz. As I mentioned to him in several e-mails, he should be writing guide books to Vienna as he singlehandedly provided me with all sorts of information ranging from transportation to food to entertainment. Danke, Franz!

To everyone that left me comments about Berlin, Prague and Vienna with suggestions of places to see (and eat), I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

For those of you interested, you can take a look at the album of photos that I put together.

As a token of my appreciation and as a way to fight off the cold on this raging winter night, I’ve prepared a dish from one of the cookbooks that I purchased at Babette’s. Called Culinary Austria, it’s a book that covers many of Austria’s most famous dishes. This particular dessert is a sort of baked pudding with crepes filled with cheese. It seems that the original recipe would have called for curd cheese, but not having that at my disposal, I used ricotta. In German it’s called Topfenpalatschinken.

Like Vienna, it’s divine and delicious!

Ciao!

Baked Crepe Pudding

Adapted from Culinary Austria.

Note:  The recipe may seem long and complicated but it’s really not. The "hardest" part is making the crepes and that’s pretty easy once you get the hang of it. This is the perfect dish for a cold winter night. You can make this the day before serving and simply reheat it in a 325 degree F. oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until it’s warmed through. Leftovers should be refrigerated. 

For the crepes:

• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• pinch of salt
• 250 ml. whole milk
• melted butter for the pan

1. Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl with a whisk. Mix until you have a smooth batter with no lumps. Set the batter aside to rest for 30 minutes.
2. Brush a bit of melted butter in your crepe pan (I use a small frying pan) and place over high heat. Once the pan is very hot, pour a bit of batter into the pan and swirl it around so that it forms a crepe in the pan. Depending on the size of your pan you’ll have to adjust the amount of batter you pour in.
3. Cook the crepe for a minute or two, until golden and then with a fork or spatula, gently flip the crepe over to cook on the other side. Once cooked, transfer the crepe to a platter. I like to place a piece of wax paper in between each crepe so that they don’t stick together, but you don’t have to do that.
4. Let the crepes cool while you prepare the filling.

Crepe Filling:

• 4 tbsp. butter, at room temperature
• 2 tbsp. icing sugar
• grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs, separated
• 1/2 cup sour cream (full fat)
• 1 cup ricotta
• 1/4 cup raisins

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch baking dish or pie plate.
2. With a fork or a whisk, combine the butter and sugar in a bowl until you have a creamy mixture. Add the lemon zest and the vanilla extract and mix well.
3. Add the egg yolks and mix until the yolks have been completely incorporated.
4. With a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer (with the whisk attachment), beat the egg whites until stiff.
5. Fold the egg whites into the cheese mixture.
6. Spread two to three tablespoons of the filling onto each crepe. Roll the crepes up and then cut them in half. Place them in your prepared dish by layering them to create a fan effect.
7. Bake for 10 minutes. While the crepes are baking, prepare the final part of the pudding.

For the Pudding:

• 125 ml. whole milk
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 3 tbsp. sugar
• 3 tbsp. sour cream (full fat)
• icing sugar for dusting

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Once the crepes have baked for 10 minutes, remove from the oven and pour the pudding mixture over the crepes. Return to the oven for 15 minutes.
2. The pudding should be set and cooked through. If it still jiggly, cook for a bit longer.
3. Remove the crepe pudding from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes. Dust with icing sugar. Serve warm.
4. Enjoy!

Technorati tags:  crepes, vienna, austria, pudding

On a rainy Tuesday morning in Berlin, our tour bus pulled away from the hotel and we began the long journey to Prague, "city of one hundred spires." While the thought of hours on a bus may not normally sound appealing, I think we were all looking forward to the chance to catch up on some sleep and to just reflect, in general, on three days in Berlin.

My thoughts were filled with all the incredible sights I’d seen and I was feeling a tad overwhelmed. How in the world could my brain possibly absorb any more information? So I settled down to a few hours of organizing my thoughts about Berlin, and the place that it now occupied in my travel life.

After an oddly tense stop at the German/Czech border, and the briefest of snow flurries which delighted our Australian tour buddies to no end, we found ourselves driving into the Czech Republic. For several hours, we passed through towns and villages that all seemed uniform in appearance thanks to the fog that had descended. Occasionally a curious passerby would look up at the brightly-coloured tour bus rumbling by, but for the most part we passed through empty streets.

As dusk fell, we found ourselves pulling into our hotel and once again we ready to begin the exploration of a new city. After dinner, we headed immediately into the heart of Prague to be greeted by one of the most enchanting sights I’ve ever seen. In and around Prague’s Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí), we delighted in yet another lively and bustling Christmas market. It seemed that on this chilly Tuesday night, Czechs were out in full force to enjoy the Christmas cheer.

Perhaps the most popular feature of the Old Town Square is the Astronomical Clock (Orloj) which entertains by telling the time, giving the position of the sun and stars all while showing Saints days and the signs of the Zodiac. At 9:00 in the evening, in a square filled with people and light, we stood beneath the clock and waited for it to unveil its special workings. Magical!

From the clock, we wandered happily through the square and marveled at the monuments and churches. One church in particular, the St. Nicholas’ Church (Chrám sv. Mikuláše) in the Old Town Square, was a sight to behold. On our final day in Prague, as I spent the afternoon meandering through the Christmas market one last time, I was captivated by the sound of music and singing throughout the square. It was coming from St. Nicholas’. I very quietly made my way into the church and joined a crowd of people quietly and respectfully observing the choir and orchestra preparing for an upcoming Christmas concert. In the hushed church, I could feel goosebumps as I listened to that beautiful music ringing out.

As enticing as the charms of the Old Town Square were to me, it was hard to resist Prague’s other charms. While many tourists flocked to Wenceslas Square (Václavské náměstí) for the shopping (I’ll admit even I was enticed a few times), I found the constant crowds a bit much. I preferred exploring the secretive streets of the "New World" (Nový Svět), following each turn and twist with the faint expectation that a ghost would pop out as we turned each corner.

Memories of the last world war are also buried deeply in Prague’s history. As you walk through the Jewish Quarter (Josefov), you get a familiar feeling, one that we had many times in Berlin where we found ourselves in a modern place so deeply affected by a war-filled past.

The cafes, the stores, the women walking on cobblestone in mile-high stilettos, it’s all so Prague. Completely unique and unforgettable.

Even more amazing are the number of castles each with its own set of legends and myths. But without question the most astonishing of all these places is Prague Castle (Hradčany). Established in the 9th century, this massive place is a feast for the eyes. From the changing of the guard to the Gothic St. Vitus Cathedral, Prague Castle should not be missed. While I didn’t have the chance to visit many of the other castles, I’m so glad we visited this one.

I must admit, at times it was all a little too dazzling. And time and time again, I found myself drawn to my very favourite spot in the city:  the Charles Bridge (Karlův most). We first visited the Charles Bridge on the night we arrived when it was shrouded in a mist and dimly lit. It seemed that as you stepped onto it, you were leaving Prague and entering an older place. Spooky yet exciting, by day the bridge provides one of the most incredible views of Prague. My pictures don’t do it justice. With the Vltava River below, figures of saints and martyrs all around and the hills in the background, I could have stayed on the bridge for hours and just soaked it all in.

A number of people have asked me about the food in Prague and while I did visit a few cafes, I have to be honest, what I remember most is the beer. I am not a big beer drinker but even I could not resist the most enticing of Czech beverages. These people make good beer!

Upon returning to Toronto, I wondered what I could make as a reminder of my time in Prague. The Zimtsterne in honour of my time in Berlin were an easy choice. But Prague was more difficult. As I thought about the meals we had, I recalled that bread was present at each one. The bread was simple and wholesome. And always there.

I decided to do some research on Czech breads and came across something called Vánočka, which is a type of egg bread with citrus zest, raisins and almonds. Braided like a challah, Vánočka is more elaborate in that the bread is made by making three separate braids, each smaller in size, and then layering the braids on top of each other with the largest at the bottom and the smallest at the top. While the formation of this bread was unusual and hard work (I’ll admit), it was impressive and so enticing as it came out of the oven.

As I looked at it, I couldn’t help wondering what had made me choose this bread as a tribute to Prague. And then I realized that the bread, like the city, was so warm and golden.

Na Shledanou!

Vánočka

Adapted from this recipe.

• 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup (4 ounces) butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon (.5 ounces) fresh yeast (you can also use 2 packages of active dry yeast)
• 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk
• pinch of salt
• zest of 1 lemon
• 3 tbsp. raisins (soaked in warm water for 15 minutes)
• 3 tbsp. sliced almonds
• 1 egg and a tablespoon of water for the egg wash
• icing sugar for dusting

1. In a bowl, combine the fresh yeast and the milk or the active dry yeast and the milk. Add 1 tablespoon of the sugar and stir. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes to give the yeast a chance to activate.
2. After 10 minutes, pour the yeast mixture into the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Add the flour, the remaining sugar, the salt, the lemon zest and the egg yolk. Fit the mixer with the dough hook and mix on low speed for two minutes, until the mixture is well combined. If it looks dry, add a bit of warm water.
3. After 2 minutes, increase the mixer speed to medium and begin adding the softened butter, a bit at a time. Between adding the butter, give the mixer a minute or so to incorporate the butter you’ve just added.
4. Once the butter has been added, turn the speed to low and add the raisins and almonds and mix for another minute to incorporate the items in the dough.
5. Once incorporated, remove the dough from the mixer and place on a well-floured surface. Form the dough into a ball and place in a large, oiled bowl. Sprinkle some flour on top of the dough and cover with a cloth or with plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator and let rise overnight.
6. After the dough has risen, place the dough onto a work surface and divide into 9 equal pieces.
7. Roll each piece into a rope that’s roughly 10 to 11 inches in length.
8. Once all the pieces have been rolled out, take 4 ropes and form a braid. Twist the braid ends and fold them under to ensure the braid does not unravel.
9. Take another 3 pieces and form those into a braid. Twist the braid ends and fold them under to ensure the braid does not unravel.
10. Take the remaining two pieces and twist them together being sure to pinch the ends so that the twist does not come undone.
11. Place the three braids on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cover with a cloth. Let rise for an hour in a warm place.
12. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and place a rack in the centre of the oven.
13. When your ready to bake the braids, take the largest braid and place it in the centre of a parchment-lined baking sheet. Flatten it slightly with your hands.
14. Take the second largest braid and place it on top of the first braid. Flatten it slightly with your hands to ensure that the braids are firmly in place.
15. Top with the smallest braid and once again flatten with your hands.
16. Combine the egg and water in a dish to form an egg wash. Generously brush the Vánočka with the egg wash and sprinkle with a few more sliced almonds if you have them.
17. If you’re worried about the braids tipping over, you can insert wooden skewers in the Vánočka to keep it in place.
18. In my oven, the Vánočka took about an hour and 15 minutes to bake. It was deeply golden when I took it out of the oven. I had to use skewers part way through as I noticed that the braids were beginning to tip a bit.
19. Place the Vánočka on a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, slice into the bread and enjoy!

Note:  The bread should be stored at room temperature, tightly wrapped in plastic or sealed in a large plastic bag. The bread will stay fresh for 2 to 3 days. Stale bread can be used for French toast or in a bread pudding.

This isn’t exactly an easy bread to make and I had to do some guessing as the original recipe wasn’t the clearest. But if you want to give it a try, it’s worth it. In future, were I to bake it again, I don’t think I’d layer the braids. I’d just form 2 larger braids and bake them separately.

Technorati tags:  prague, vanocka

I’m back! I have bid adieu to the jet lag and recovered (somewhat) from 48 hours of constant eating. As I look ahead to 2007, and all the plans I have for my blog, I cannot move forward without sharing some of the wonderful experiences that I enjoyed on my 11-day trip through Berlin, Prague and Vienna.

When I left Toronto on a cold yet sunny Friday afternoon, I was filled with nervous anticipation. Having never flown by myself, I was anxious to arrive in Berlin. But more than that, I was eager to begin this trip that I’d been dreaming of for so long.

I landed in Frankfurt on Saturday morning with a little more than an hour to go before my connecting flight to Berlin. After disembarking, I literally wanted to kiss the ground as my flight across the Atlantic had been less than comfortable. For almost three hours we were confined to our seats as a result of the worst turbulence I have ever experienced. It didn’t help matters when the pilot ordered the crew to be seated for a significant amount of time due to the shaking plane.

That can’t be good.

Turbulence aside, I made it to Frankfurt with enough time to make it through all the security checks, get lost twice and window shop before my flight to Berlin. But before I knew it, I’d landed in Germany’s capital!

My initial impression of the city, or at least as much as could be impressed upon me during the cab ride to the hotel at which we travelled at warp speed, was that it looked a lot like some of the Italian cities I’d seen. Lots of low-rise apartment building with balconies, wide streets with boulevards down the middle and Smart cars.

Comfortably settled into the hotel, I began the process of meeting my fellow tour buddies. In all, our group numbered 49, most of whom were Australian. Can I just say Australians are FUN people!!! Greetings aside, we were now ready to begin this journey into the heart of Berlin.

But how to describe it?

I saw so many incredible things. The Berlin Wall served as one of the first stops on our tour and perhaps one of the most profound for me personally in that I am old enough to remember some of the brutal history that lies at the foundations of what was once an ugly barrier between so many. In 1989, when the Wall fell, I was 16 years old. I can remember very well the scenes broadcast around the world. Too young then to realize what it’s like to witness history, standing at the Wall brought a renewed sense of that moment.

People really did bring that Wall down! That horrible place where so many had lost their lives trying to escape to a better one was really taken apart, piece by piece. Today, parts of the Wall still stand as a reminder of what must never happen again. These remaining stretches of the Wall are covered in graffiti, some of truly beautiful.

Moving from the Wall, such a visible reminder of how Berlin and Germany were once divided, it was surprising to find myself walking through a city that in many ways is so elegant. I’ve often heard Berlin described as gritty and a bit faded, and it’s true there were sections of the city that looked a bit worn. But I found that appealing. It speaks to history and character, something that’s difficult to find in some of our more modern, cookie-cutter cities.

One of my favourite spots was the square right in front of the library of the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Made infamous for the book burnings that took place there after Hitler came to power, I found it inspiring that the very same spot is regularly filled with students. Called the Bebelplatz, this spot is the site of a memorial called The Empty Library. There is a glass door in the middle of the square that looks down into an empty room. At night, the room is lit from within to reveal a small room lined with empty bookshelves.

If you are ever in Berlin, I urge you to visit this spot!

Beyond the numerous and worthy memorials around Berlin, there are so many layers to this city that you can uncover. Museum-hopping, the view from the glass dome at the Reichstag, walking through the Brandenburg Tor, all of these activities reveal a city of art, music and literature.

As I explored the city, I was impressed by the amount of green space. It seemed there were small parks everywhere filled with joggers and people walking their dogs. Germans like their sport and of course I could not pass up the opportunity to photograph the Olympic stadium, site of a certain country’s World Cup victory this past summer.

Perhaps the most eye-opening and sombre part of my time in Berlin was our visit to the site of what was once the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp, located just outside the city limits. We were given the option of going to Sachsenhausen and at first I wasn’t sure if I wanted to. After some thought, I decided to act on the words of our tour guide who put it in very real terms when she said that as difficult as some of these sites may be, they are a part of the history of the place we were in.

It was a very emotional place, filled with heart-breaking stories of innocent people who lost their lives. But at the same time, I was glad that I went to honour those very people. Many people have asked me if I think it’s a good idea to visit such a place and my answer is simply this:  it’s a personal decision. For me, it was the right decision to go.

Back in the city core, we turned our attention to Berlin’s Museum Island and other important sites like Checkpoint Charlie. And of course, to my favourite part of Berlin, the Unter den Linden. The Unter den Linden is one of Berlin’s most beautiful streets. The Unter den Linden starts right by the Berliner Dome and ends at the Brandenburg Tor. At night, the trees lining the boulevard down the centre of the street were lit in honour of the holidays. It was such a beautiful sight to behold!   

A number of people asked me what my impression was of Germans after having visited the city. I found almost everyone to be friendly and outgoing. Almost everyone I met spoke English (although I did try my hand at some of the more basic German phrases). I had no difficulties whatsoever communicating with people whether it be in stores, on the subway or just walking about.

I found Berliners to be stylish and very social. Nowhere was this more evident than at the Christmas markets set up throughout the city. Beginning in the early afternoon, the markets began to fill with people who all seemed to stop by for a beer, something fried and rolled in sugar and to greet a friend. I found it heartwarming to watch as Berliners all seemed to enjoy the simple activity of raising a glass and spending a few hours walking about. Unlike a packed shopping mall, I could sense a genuine feeling of Christmas in the air.

As I walked through the markets, it was hard to focus on any particular thing for a long time. Your attention is demanded by beautiful ornaments, the smell of Glühwein (mulled wine) and fried food begging to be rolled in sugar and the sounds of Christmas are everywhere from people laughing to music playing. I passed children playing on a make shift ice rink and buildings lit up so beautifully.

Even though I was not a Berliner, I somehow felt so linked to that place at that time. It felt good and right to walk through the markets. I helped myself to lots of good German beer and yes … a pretzel or two (maybe … possibly even three).

One of the sights that intrigued me, but that I could never quite get close enough to see, were stalls overflowing with beautifully decorated and packaged cookies. Upon returning home, I did some research and found out that they are in fact called Zimtsterne or Cinnamon Stars. I also found out that there was a recent scare about the effects of the cinnamon in the cookies. Scare aside, I decided to try my hand at recreating the cookies as a tribute to Berlin, and the special time that I had there.

I found a wonderful web site called Germany Info which listed a recipe for Zimtsterne. It didn’t sound all that arduous so I decided to give it a try. The original recipe posed some problems for me, namely that the cookie dough was much too sticky to be able to cut out cookies. I adapted the recipe to make a firmer dough and I did so by adding flour. It made the dough much easier to work with.

These are pretty cookies, but they do require some patience and effort. After cutting out the star shapes, some of the meringue (set aside when first making the cookies) has to be spread on the unbaked cookies. Once that step is complete, the cookies need time to dry out at room temperature. And even after baking them, it’s best to leave them for a few days to harden a bit.

In a number of the recipes that I came across for Zimtsterne I noticed that the cookies were topped with a rum glaze. I decided to add a glaze to my cookies as well even though the original recipe does not require it. The glaze adds a nice visual touch as well as flavour element to these lovely little cookies.

As I glazed them, I couldn’t help but think of the Christmas market in Berlin and all the lovely things I’d seen.

Berlin … you were beautiful!

Ciao!

Zimtsterne (Cinnamon Star Cookies)

Adapted from the original recipe at Germany Info.

• 2 cups blanched almonds
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (you may need more)
• 5 egg whites
• 2 cups icing sugar, sifted
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tbsp. Kirschwasser
• 7 oz. (200 g.) icing sugar, sifted
• 1 tbsp. dark rum
• 2 tbsp. hot water

1. In a food processor, finely grind the almonds. They should resemble fine bread crumbs.
2. Place the ground almonds in a bowl with the flour and combine.
3. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites at high speed (with a stand mixer or hand mixer) until stiff (3 to 4 minutes).
4. Gently fold in the sifted icing sugar.
5. Remove 1 cup of the egg white/sugar mixture and set aside.
6. Gently fold the almond/flour mixture, the cinnamon and the Kirschwasser into the remaining egg white mixture.
7. Once combined, you will have a very sticky dough. Refrigerate the dough for 2 hours.
8. Generously flour a work surface and turn the dough out onto the surface. With your hands, pat the dough into a circle that’s roughly half an inch thick. If the dough sticks to your hands, sprinkle generously with flour.
9. Using a 2-inch star-shaped cookie cutter, dip the cutter in a bowl of flour and then begin cutting out star shapes.
10. Transfer the stars to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Gather up the scraps, sprinkle with more flour and pat into a circle again. Cut out more stars. Continue these steps until you’ve used all the dough.
11. Once you’ve cut out all the stars, take the reserved cup of egg whites and icing sugar and carefully spread the mixture over each cookie. Leave the cookie sheets out overnight so that the cookies can dry out. There’s no need to cover the cookies.
12. When you’re ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, for 5 minutes.
13. Let the cookies cool for about 30 minutes before removing them from the cookies sheet.
14. While the cookies are cooling, prepare the rum glaze by combining the icing sugar, the rum and the hot water in a bowl. If the glaze is too thick, add a bit more hot water.
15. Once the cookies have cooled for 30 minutes, drizzle the glaze over the cookies and let sit for another 30 minutes so that the glaze can set.
16. After the glaze has set, place the cookies on a wire rack to cool completely. If you can, leave the cookies on the wire rack for several hours to give them a chance to dry out even further.
17. While these cookies will harden on the outside, they will remain soft in the centre. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
18. Enjoy!

Note:  Depending on the size of your cookie cutter, you should get anywhere from 20 to 30 cookies from this recipe.

Technorati tags: berlin, zimtsterne

I am slowly emerging from the food-induced coma I’ve been in, brought about by consuming way too much good food. What is it about the holidays that causes us to throw caution (and good sense) to the wind when it comes to eating?

Anyway, as I still do not have all of my wits and faculties about me, I thought I’d tease you with a brief glimpse of what my trip was like. Hopefully by tomorrow my motor skills will be back to normal and I will be able to fully recount the tales of my holiday in Berlin, Prague and Vienna.

Until then, enjoy this little glimpse through part of what remains of the Berlin Wall.

Auf Wiedersehen!

Technorati tags:  berlin, berlin wall

My friends, I have returned! My trip to Berlin, Prague and Vienna was unbelievable and surpassed all my expectations. Time and time again, I was amazed by the history, sights, food and people of these three great cities. Berlin opened my eyes. Prague gave me goose bumps. And Vienna …

Vienna melted my Cream Puff heart!

Perhaps the best part was my unforgettable meeting with Angelika of The Flying Apple. My tour ended on Sunday but I very wisely added a few days to my trip. For this reason I was able to meet with Angelika for a lovely dinner. However sweet and dear she may seem through her blog, she is a thousand times more sweet and dear in person. And best of all, she told me the exciting news about the realization of a life-long dream of hers!

The only bad thing I can say about my trip is that jet lag sucks. It’s after 5:00 a.m. in Toronto as I write this (11:00 a.m. in Vienna). I’ve been wide awake since 2:30 a.m. and my body is wondering why I’m not sitting in a cafe sucking back cup after cup of glorious Viennese coffee and stuffing my face with pastries?

On second thought, why aren’t we all doing that???

Sigh.

Ah, well. I shall regale you with some of the stories and pictures of my trip during the lull (if you can call it that) between Christmas and New Year. In the meantime, I shall combat my jet lag by taking care of some serious business in the form of crowning a champion in the "Name That Cupcake" contest.

You have been very good little boys and girls while I was away. I’m impressed at how well you completed your homework assignment. In fact, I think you all deserve an A+!

Choosing was a very difficult task, however, I had to do it. In the end, I chose the very first name I received: Penguin Cakes. The name was submitted by Connie of Life Love Chocolate. I couldn’t resist Penguin Cakes because I really do think the cupcakes look like penguins and also because I have a soft spot for those adorable little creatures. I’ve seen March of the Penguins about ten times and generally find myself crying through it. Penguin Cakes, it is!

Congratulations to Connie! You will be receiving a brand new copy of Tish Boyle’s The Good Cookie. I’d like to thank everyone that submitted a name for making the first food-naming contest on my blog a huge success. There will be more to come!

Ciao!

Little Penguin Cakes

Adapted from www.epicurious.com and The Cake Book by Tish Boyle.

For the cake:

I’ve been making this chocolate cake for awhile. The original recipe is from www.epicurious.com and can be found here. Feel free to try the original recipe as printed the first time to get a feel for the cake. It’s very versatile and can be baked in different sized pans including mini-cupcake pans (that’s usually how I bake this cake). The main adaptation that I’ve made is that I use very dark chocolate instead of the semisweet chocolate. It’s the cake I turn to when I want my dark chocolate fix.

• 3 ounces dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces (I will use a 75% or 80% dark chocolate)
• 1 cup brewed hot coffee (should be strong coffee)
• 3 cups sugar (sounds like a lot but the dark chocolate balances the sweetness)
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1-1/4 tsp. salt
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1-3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F and line 2 mini muffin trays with paper liners. (If you’re not using mini muffin or regular muffin trays, butter and flour whatever sized pan you’re using.) Place two racks in the oven, one in the centre and one close to the bottom of the oven. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In a cup or a bowl, combine the chocolate pieces and the hot coffee. Stir and let it sit for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, the chocolate should be melted. Stir until the mixture is smooth and set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs on medium speed until they are light in colour (3 to 4 minutes).
5. Add the vegetable oil, buttermilk and vanilla extract and mix on low speed for a minute or so until combined.
6. Add the chocolate/coffee mixture and mix on low speed for a minute or two until combined.
7. Add the dry ingredients and continue mixing on low speed until everything is just combined, but don’t over mix.
8. Spoon the batter into your paper-lined mini muffin tray. I am usually able to fill 2 24-cup capacity mini muffin trays with this recipe.
9. Place the trays in the oven and set your timer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, rotate the trays (bottom tray to centre and centre to bottom tray) and bake for another 15 minutes. After the 15 minutes are up, check the cupcakes for doneness by inserting a toothpick or cake tester into the centre of a few of the cupcakes. When the toothpick or cake tester comes out clean, the cupcakes are done. If the cupcakes are not done, continue baking, checking every 5 minutes for doneness. (In my oven, these little guys took about 35 minutes.)
10. Once done, remove the cupcakes and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Once cool, you can sprinkle them with icing sugar and serve or you can frost them.

For the White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting:

Because these mini cupcakes save me when I need a chocolate fix, I tend to eat them with just a bit of icing sugar sprinkled on. For the Name That Cupcake contest I decided to test a frosting recipe from Tish Boyle’s The Cake Book. This frosting couldn’t be easier!

• 1 pound (2 8-ounce packages) cream cheese
• 3 ounces white chocolate
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 tbsp. heavy cream
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• approximately 2 cups icing sugar

1. In a double boiler, melt the white chocolate, being careful not to let it burn. Once melted, stir the chocolate and set aside for a minute or two to cool.
2. While the chocolate is cooling, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Combine on high speed.
3. When the chocolate has cooled a bit, add to the cream cheese and butter and mix on high speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and mix for another minute.
4. Add the cream and vanilla extract and mix for a few more second.
5. With the mixer on medium speed, begin adding the icing sugar a half cup at a time. Once the frosting reaches the desired thickness, stop adding icing sugar and use the frosting immediately. The original recipe calls for 1-2/3 cups of icing sugar and I found that I used about the same amount for this frosting.
6. Either dollop the frosting onto the cupcakes or scoop it into a piping bag and pipe it on.
7. Frosted cupcakes should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator (if not eaten right away).
8. Enjoy!

Technorati tags:  chocolate, cupcakes

Well, my bags are packed, I’ve got my travel guides in hand, and I am ready to go! By this time tomorrow I will be in Berlin practicing my very poor German. Once again I want to thank all of you for your advice and encouragement. I promise to come back from Berlin, Prague and Vienna with as many pictures and stories as I can.

But before I go, I want to make something very clear. Don’t think that just because I’m gone you’re going to laze around eating chocolates and Christmas cookies! I expect all of you to keep up a steady pace of blogging so that when I return I will have hours and hours and hours worth of blog posts to catch up on.

Furthermore, I expect all of you to continue what you’ve been doing all year, which is inspiring me with your talents and abilities in the kitchen. Anyone caught slacking will have to come after school for detention, Cream Puff style!

To provide you with a bit of incentive, I’m handing out an assignment. Your homework is to come up with a name for the cupcakes pictured above. I will give you a few hints to help you. They’re made with dark chocolate. The frosting is made of white chocolate and cream cheese. The flower is not real, nor is it edible.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting is not an acceptable name.

I want originality! I want creativity! I want you to do your homework!

So send me your responses and when I get back from my trip I will post the recipe for these cupcakes along with the name that I’ve chosen (from your submissions). The student who submits the best name (as chosen by me) will win a brand new copy of Tish Boyle’s The Good Cookie, which happens to be the Flavour of the Month for December 2006.

I’m off, my friends! I’ll be back in two weeks. In the meantime, stay happy and healthy and don’t forget to do your homework.

Class dismissed.

Ciao!

Hello my friends!

I cannot believe it but I am only two days away from my trip to Berlin, Prague and Vienna! It’s incredible that this experience, which at one time was barely a possibility, is now actually going to happen.

I realize this is short notice, but I need your help! While I’ve spent some time studying which pastry shops I should visit in these cities, I’d love to hear your recommendations, if you have any. I’m especially interested in hearing any tips about cookbook stores, bookstores and kitchenware stores that I can visit. I have a particular interest in antique kitchenware.

All suggestions are welcome!

Ciao!

For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by Vienna. My fascination began at a very young age when I fell in love with The Sound of Music. Laugh if you will, but to this day all I need to hear is one note of Edelweiss and I will instantly become teary-eyed.

What can I say? I’m a sap that way.

But it’s true that I grew up in a household that appreciated the Austrian culture. Much of this had to do with the fact that for many years my father worked for a business that was owned by two very colourful Austrian men. My parents would attend social events organized by Austrian immigrants and my father would regularly stop at a wonderful Austrian deli near his work. He’d bring home all sorts of smoked meats and the most delectable little sausages.

My brother and I loved it! Until the dancing lessons, that is. I blame it all on the Viennese Waltz.

You see, my parents believed that part of being a well-rounded individual included the ability to dance. So on Sunday mornings, after one Italian League soccer game had finished and before the second one started, my brother and I were forced to submit to dancing lessons, in our basement, given by our father.

You can only imagine how thrilled we were.

Whatever love I may have felt, whatever affection I may have harboured, whatever dreams I may have had of one day visiting Austria, they disappeared as soon as my father hit play. Like the resentful adolescent that I was, I begrudgingly submitted to the lessons, making it as difficult for my father as I possibly could. Eventually, the lessons stopped and I reveled in my small victory.

If my father was disappointed, he never let me know it. Whenever we went to weddings or parties, he’d always dance with my mother and then lead me onto the dance floor to dance with me. However bratty I had been during those lessons, he always asked me to dance.

Looking back on those days, it’s hard to believe that very soon, we will mark the fifth anniversary of my father’s passing. There are still moments when I’m amazed that he’s gone. But lately, I seem to feel his loss most when we’re at weddings and I know that he will not be asking me to dance. And it never fails to make me think of those lessons.

And Vienna.

This longing for a place I’ve never been inspired me. So for twelve days in December, I will be visiting three cities that I’ve always longed to see:  Berlin, Prague and finally, my beloved Vienna. Between work and other commitments, I haven’t really had much time to think about my trip, but now that I am barely three weeks from departure, it’s time for the reality to sink in.

And to help get me in the mood, I decided to bake one of my very favourite cookies from one of my very favourite cookbooks:  Rick Rodgers’ Kaffeehaus. I usually make these at Christmas time, but I simply couldn’t resist making them now. They are buttery and rich Austrian cookies, fragrant with vanilla bean. Over the years, I’ve intensified the vanilla flavour by adding extract and also a drop of almond extract. Sometimes I’ll even add orange zest, but not always. Piled high on a beautiful dish, it’s impossible to resist these cookies.

Just as I suspect it’s impossible to resist Vienna.

When I’m there, I know I’ll think of my father. It’s funny because when we were in the midst of those dancing lessons, I used to wonder to myself if my father knew how lucky he was to have a daughter who would actually dance the Viennese Waltz with him.

But really, I was so lucky to have a father who would dance the Viennese Waltz with me.

Berlin, Prague and Vienna … I’m on my way!

Ciao!

Note: The cookies pictured above are Vanilla Crescents (Vanillen Kipferln) from Kaffeehaus by Rick Rodgers.

Technorati tags: vanilla, almonds, vienna, viennese waltz

It has taken me so very long to finally sit down and write this post. I can’t even count how many times I started it, only to delete everything and walk away. In fact, I think I’ve probably been writing this since the day I left San Francisco, a little over a year ago. To think that this little blog was barely a twinkle in my eye at that time!

San Francisco 2005 happened after I finally decided to visit my aunt, uncle and cousin. They’ve lived in San Jose for almost 10 years and I figured it was high time I paid them a visit. So early one sunny morning, my Uncle N and I departed Toronto bound for San Jose and then San Francisco.

Before ever setting foot there, I pictured San Francisco as a perpetually sunny place where everyone rode the cable car, drove across the Golden Gate Bridge, ate sour dough and drank great coffee. And while all those are certainly true (to varying degrees), San Francisco turned out to be so much more.

With Union Square as a starting point, we branched our way across the city exploring every nook and cranny. We stood by the ocean and were warmed by the sun. We climbed the hills and had our breath taken away by the incredible views. We sipped coffee and marveled at the taste of it all.

We set foot in so many of San Francisco’s unbelievably vibrant neighbourhoods and we felt the pulse of it all … beneath our feet … like an unstoppable rhythm. It carried us everywhere. We sipped beer and Prosecco with the locals and felt like we were at home. The smiles, the waves, the restaurant advice, the kind words … each person more eager than the last to share their favourite spot.

We made the pilgrimage to the Ferry Market Building and seriously contemplated never leaving. A lunch of cheese, bread and wine reminded us of how little it really does take to make a person happy. Oh yes … the Recchiuti chocolate helped.

And as we traipsed our way down every street, I loved it all. I loved the slightly faded quality of so many of the buildings which reminded me that this is a place with history. Real history. Not the fake history we like to create with our faux finishes and such. This is a city that has been through it. Seen it. Felt it. Heard it. Lived it.

I am so deeply thankful that I had the chance to visit. In so many ways, San Francisco set the wheels in motion in terms of my blogging. The deep connection to the attitude towards food and life got me thinking and after returning to Toronto, I just kept thinking and thinking. It took many more months, but that connection came fully to life last December, when Cream Puffs in Venice became more than just an idea.

Just prior to my trip, I finally bought a digital camera. I learned how to use my digital camera in San Francisco and judging by the more than 200 photos that I returned with, that fact is very clear. I wish I could share them all with you, including the bad ones which far outnumber the good ones, but instead I’m sharing a small sampling with you here. I hope you enjoy the images as much as I do (click on any image for a description).

Even before I ever set foot there, I knew instinctively that I’d like San Francisco. However, I never imagined that I’d fall head over heels in love with the place. But like the song says, it’s so easy to leave your heart there …

Ciao!

Technorati tags: san francisco, california