Here’s what you will need:
3.5 cups of flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon yeast
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 egg, beaten
Seasoning (bakers choice, see below)

Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl, slowly add water whole mixing. Once the dough is smooth take out and form 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 30-35 inch long snake about the thickness of a nickel. Now if you’re crafty you can make all kinds of cool shapes with these. Take whatever shapes you make and put them on a cookie tray that has some kind of non stick surface. This can be achieved by using canola spray or cornmeal. Allow the pretzels to rise for about 30 min.

At this stage, make sure your oven is preheated to 400. Deciding what flavor you want your pretzels to have is a big part of the fun for me. For the traditional pretzel flavor, use a brush to coat each pretzel with the beaten egg. Add water if it’s too thick. You can also add other things to the egg for flavor. You can add butter, hot sauce, Italian salad dressing- it’s up to you. Then or course don’t forget to add a sprinkle of something, be it salt, pepper, garlic, or Parmesan cheese or even skittles. There has to be something. This is also another part where being creative can really be fun!

Bake pretzels for 12-15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. I prefer to eat them fresh, warm and soft, however you may wish to leave them out for a crunchier experience. Either way, they are sure to be a hit at the next family gathering. My personal favorite pretzel is the one eaten while on vacation in Germany, but I don’t get those too often! Enjoy!

Bookmark to

Sehr Gut Bruschetta! Serves 2-4

1 baguette
1 large tomato, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 scallion, diced
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese shredded
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
provolone or mozzarella cheese, sliced uber thin
paprika shaker

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix the vinegar and oil into a nice dressing.
Add tomato, garlic, Parmesan cheese, scallion and basil.
Mix creating a relish.
Cut your baguette into whatever shape you want to eat it. I like to make kind of an open face sandwich with it. Most people do rounds about 3/4 inch thick.
Spread your tomato relish onto bread, cover with cheese slices (one of each on every piece of bread).
Place on cookie sheet – Place cookie sheet into oven for 8-12 minutes, or until the cheese has melted into a gooey delicious delight.

Take out of oven, garnish with freshly cut basil leaves, pretend you are on vacation in Italy and enjoy with a pint of heffeweissen.

Making this for someone not only gives off the impression that you actually know what you’re doing in the kitchen, but that you’re well versed with international cuisine! Feel free to mix it the ingredients, too! I have successfully made this using onion, corn, beets and pepperoni!

Bookmark to

Chocolate culture in Europe pretty much trumps anything we have here in America, with a few small exceptions. While most of America is okay consuming mass produced, prepackaged treats from corporations that also sell pharmaceutical products, Europeans have quite a different standard. Sure you can still buy gas station candy, but a walk into any of the many chocolate shops in France, Italy, or Germany will have you asking yourself how you ever lived without these hand crafted delights. Many shops are family owned and have secrets that are taught with patience and time, and not written down anywhere. One bite and you will be taken away to a world of chocolaty bliss. It remains a mystery how Europeans stay so fit with shops like these all over the place. It’s not like they don’t celebrate their love of the sweet treats. Take a look at the Eurochocolate Festival in Perugia, Italy. This year it runs from the 16-25th of October, and will feature conferences, exhibitions, hands on activities for adults and children, as well as a special chocolate show, which features more chocolate than most people can handle. It might be a good idea to skip Halloween this year and head go on the Italian vacation you have always wanted!

Generally, the wineries in La Rioja, Spain produce two kinds of wine. One is a distinct regional variety that is served on tables and with meals throughout the region. The other is essentially the “schwill” of wines, that serves one purpose: to be dumped onto as many people as it can at the annual Batalla del Vino, or Wine Battle! No one is really sure how the it started, but one thing is for sure, it has evolved into one of the most unique events in Europe. A week of celebration and festivities lead up to the main event, where a crowd of horsemen parade through the town and place a flag on top of a big hill. As the crowds ascend the slopes, some good natured chaos ensues, as the streets and spectators are covered with wine. This is of course followed by more eating, drinking and merriment. Sounds like an excellent Spanish vacation!

When searching for events online, remember that many festivals don’t give as much information on the internet as you would expect, simply because the purpose of their sites is only to inform dates, times and events, not necessarily to attract newcomers. Don’t let that stop you though, you wouldn’t want to miss out!

Bookmark to

The current leader, Alberto Contador of Spain, is looking very strong according to Armstrong, who currently trails Contador by just under 2 minutes. With more mountain stages, most people say it’s still anyone’s race. Tour de France ends on Sunday, July 26th- who do you think will take this years top spot on the podium? Leave a comment with your prediction!

Bookmark to

I’m used to delicious drink, and the finest meals in all the land. What really gets me every time is the desserts. I pass on them 43 times out of 47, but in Europe this is my ultimate weakness.  From English pastries, to fine French chocolate covered bon-bon’s, to stuffed Italian Cannoli’s, I can not say no. Those are my favorites, what are your most sought after post dinner treats?

Bookmark to

Another way watch your intake is to prepare your own meals. While this is not really optimal for big dinners, it can be perfect for breakfast, or better yet, lunch. In France for example, you can buy a baguette and some cheese for under 5 euros. Grab a blanket and a bottle of wine for a romantic afternoon picnic. Not only will you be able to monitor what kind of food you’re eating, but you will be saving money so that when you do splurge, it won’t seem all that bad.

Another suggestion I’ve heard is to ask locals where the good deals are. They can often point you to places that would have gone otherwise unnoticed. Many times, these hints will lead you to the best deals in the city. Mention, you’re looking for healthy alternatives and you will be surprised at what you can find, and you may even make some new friends on your next European vacation.

Bookmark to

In Berlin, Germany, you would expect sausage (wurst) and pretzels on every corner. While that is partly true, currywurst is not your fathers beer soaked brats. It’s basically a plate of ketchup, wurst, curry powder, and paprika. Legend says it was made by mistake, like many culinary classics.

Once you have been to Brussels, Belgium, you may no longer be able to enjoy what we consider French fries. There are stands everywhere selling delicious, fresh fries that have something most fries are lacking. First off, they use local potatoes, never frozen. Secondly, most of the stands do not use canola oil. Instead they opt for more flavorful oils, like peanut. Dip that in your favorite sauce and it’s a win-win situation. By the way, there are typically no less than 10 blended sauces, ranging from curry to strawberry, so make sure to try them all on your next vacation in Belgium.

While in the Czech Republic, you are going to come across a street food called smazeny syr. Don’t let the name stop you, it’s fantastic. Imagine a soft piece of deep fried cheese served on a hamburger bun. Sounds good right? Most locals eat this treat with tartar sauce, but ketchup is always available.

In Italy, besides pizza, vendors sell watermelons during the summer months. While it’s not a unique culinary blend of any kind, I figured that the idea of watermelon on a hot summer day was too good to leave out of this post.

In some cities in the UK, “Brit-Indie” food sells more on the streets than fish and chips. It typically consists of curry and yogurt sauces poured over potatoes, rice and beans. It’s delicious and is actually becoming a popular food in America as well. I know because I had some last night, and it was delicious.

Don’t be afraid of what’s being served on the street, you may end up discovering some of the best food that Europe has to offer.

Bookmark to

The Louvre located in Paris, France originally opened in 1793 and contains over 400,000 works of art. On average, 15,000 people visit the museum every day. The most popular works there are the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo. While it would be easy to dedicate an entire years worth of blog posts to the Louvre, let’s take a look at some lesser known museums that may spark your interest!

The Tate Modern Museum in London, housed in a former power station is Britain’s national museum of international modern art. Opened in 2000, it enjoys visitors from all over the world who wish to see modern art styles such as abstraction, expressionism, constructivism, cubism, and pop art. This museum contains works by such artists as Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, and Claude Monet.

The Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) in Brussels, Belgium is a unique look at musical instruments throughout the ages. For a five euro admission fee, you get a head set, which automatically plays the instrument you are looking at when you walk close to it. Hundreds of instruments that you’ve probably never heard of fill these halls. There is also a restaurant on the roof that offers fantastic views of the entire city! A must see for fans of all kinds of music.

If you’re like me and get distracted by shiny things, a visit Swarovski Crystal Worlds in Wattens, Austria will take all day! Set in a “cave” format, you can wander through the rooms set up to provide you with beautiful displays, light shows, and information about crystals. People from all walks of life enjoy this breathtaking museum. The gift shop allows you to take home a wide variety of beautiful crystal ornaments, jewelry, and other pieces of art.

For those who are young at heart, the Nuremberg Toy Museum in Germany will be just what you are looking for. This high quality collection covers hundreds of years of toys, focusing mainly on the past two centuries. Different floors offer various themes such as wooden toys, dolls and doll houses, tin toys, vehicles, toy train sets, steam engines, technical toys and the high-tech toys of today. The museum also host collectors meetings, as well as seminars and puppet shows.

Of course there are many more clever fun museums, but we can’t list them all. Whatever museums you decide to see, a rental car in Europe is a great way to tour the country!

Do you know of any fun museums we could add to this list? If so leave a comment and tell us about it!

Bookmark to

My favorite place to drink beer is in Germany. For centuries, people have been enjoying the delicious beer of Bavaria. Beer in Germany is part of the culture, and all beer is subjected to strict purity guidelines. These guidelines, called the Reinheitsgebot, have been in place since 1516 and are the oldest form of food quality regulation in the entire world. It basically states that the only ingredients allowed to make beer are water, barley, and hops. It was slightly reformed in 1987, but many brewers have stuck to their original recipes. There are over 1,300 breweries in Germany, which is second only to the 1,500 of America!

As you may know, there are many styles of German beer. What I like about German beer is that in most cases you won’t find “non-beer” flavors, like fruit and spice, which is very common here in America. As far as variety goes, you won’t find more of it anywhere else, and it’s nearly all delicious. Light, dark, wheat, pilsner, kolsch, top fermented, bottom fermented, whatever you can think of, Germany will have what you are looking for.

Before traveling to Germany for the first time, I used to ask Germans what they thought of our beer and beer culture. From what I gathered, it appeared that some of our microbreweries produce good beer, but our beer culture is nothing when compared to Bavaria. It only took one visit to a beer garden in Munich to understand why. Visiting a beer garden is some of the most fun you can have while on vacation in Germany. They are large, open areas, usually outdoors, sometimes tented, that serve beer. A beer hall is basically the same thing, just indoors. It’s a great place to make friends, and experience delicious beer.

You will want something in your belly before consuming large amounts of beer, and in Germany, it is widely agreed that nothing goes better with a beer than a fresh pretzel or a bratwurst. Bratwurst is seasoned sausage, which can be soaked in beer for hours before cooking. Brat’s can be pan-fried, roasted, grilled or boiled. They are eaten with sauerkraut and/or potatoes, or in a roll with spicy mustard. Pretzels are generally large, fresh, and chewy, a nice break from the hard crunchy ones we are so used to. Most beer halls/gardens will have these available, or you may bring your own food.

There are some important things to remember when drinking at a beer garden in Germany. Make sure you have time to spend there to truly enjoy it. You don’t want to feel rushed. The beers are huge there, so know your limits and pace yourself. The smallest beer you will be able to get is a half liter, although full liter beers are very popular. There can be close to 5,000 people in some of the larger gardens/halls. It’s going to be loud, so while you won’t need ear plugs, you will need to speak loudly to communicate. You will most likely be sharing the table you are at with strangers, and that makes for part of the fun. People are generally in good spirits and will let you know if the seat is taken. When in doubt just ask someone, and they usually will help you out.

By being social and acting friendly, you will be sure to have a great time at a beer garden on your next German vacation. Prost!

Hans

Have a beer garden story? Tell us about it by leaving a comment!

Bookmark to

The Alsace Region mainly produces white wine, and borders Germany. It has changed hands between the two countries numerous times, and the German influence is clearly seen when touring the region.
Bordeaux, located on the Atlantic coast exports and produces mostly red wines that bear the same name as the region. There are over 9,000 chateaus producing wine annually, and the area is filled with beautiful architecture.
In Burgundy, red and white wines are equally produced. Beaujolais, in the south produces mostly reds while Chablis in the north grows mainly white. Burgundy produces some of the world’s most expensive wine, due to the rarity of certain grapes.
Champagne is the coldest region located about 100 miles east of Paris. The in order for sparkling wine to bear its name, it must come from this region. There are other wines produced in this region, but Champagne remains the most popular export.
Jura, located close to Switzerland is famous for dark red wines. This region attracts many visitors each year due to its location in the Alps.
Languedoc-Roussillon, produces more wine than any other region, and is known for selling in bulk. It is said that the grapes that grow in this area have been around longer than the existence of humans!
The Loire Valley is a primarily white-wine region and produces a lot of Savigon Blanc. Many of the chateaus here are giant castles, built hundreds of years ago, by owners who felt the need to protect their wine stashes with fortresses.
Provence, in southeast France rests on the Mediterranean produces reds and whites, however is known for its famous rose wine.
The Rhone Valley is primarily a red wine region. Syrah, or Shiraz comes from this region is very popular.  This region has over 6,000 registered wine growing properties.
The South West Region produces white and reds alike, and rests on over 40,000 acres of vineyards!

As you can see despite its size, France offers more than most can handle in a single vacation when it comes to touring the chateaus.  When on tours, you will want to stop by the nearest farm, to grab one of the local cheeses. As you know, cheese and wine go hand in hand. French cheese is known as being some of the finest in the world, and the cheese of each region usually compliments the wine being produced there.

Beaufort is named after a small town in the French Alps. This cheese commonly comes in large wheels, and goes great with some smoked salmon and a nice glass of Chablis.
Brie de Meaux is one of the best cheeses in the world, and is extremely smooth. It matches perfectly with a glass Champagne.
Made famous by an approval from Napoleon, Camembert is matured to the core, and has a delicate salty taste. Enjoy with a baguette and a glass of Red Bordeaux.
The Munster in France is not what we are used to in the US. Alsace Munster has a strong and powerful smell, and goes great with potatoes Pinot Noir. Munster can also be enjoyed with beer.
Pont l’Eveque is a very rich, soft cheese. It has a decadent creamy, full-bodied flavor, and is best enjoyed at room temperature with a glass of Pinot Noir.
Reblochon has a softer texture than Brie, with a nutty after taste. Melt some of this on a baked potato and enjoy with a glass of Savoie white wine.
Saint Marcellin takes a while to mature but you will find that it is well worth the wait. This complex flavor is best enjoyed with a Red wine from Rhone Valley.

Enjoying a plate of cheese with a bottle of wine is a great way to spend afternoons in the country. You could say that cheese and wine in France are like apple pie in America:  delicious tradition worth looking into.

Bookmark to