Cultural – Simple Single Lifestyle

6 January 20257 January 2025

Steamed Fish: A Delightful Oven-Baked Twist

No steamer at home? No problem! You can steam a fish in the oven and enjoy a delicious Thai-style savory dish in no time. I was skeptical at first, but to my surprise, it tasted almost the same as the traditional method.

Growing up, my mum always made Chinese steamed fish for us to get our vitamins. Since she has been gone, I hadn’t eaten this homemade dish for a very long time until I tried it at my sister’s place. She made this delicious steamed fish in the oven. The Chinese savory sauce is slightly different, and with this recipe, you can try out both sauces.

I chose the Thai style because I love coriander and the tangy lime taste, but the Chinese sauce is very easy to apply as well. I’ll list the sauce ingredients separately so you can choose your favorite.

Cooking time for 1 fish: ~35 minutes

Ingredients for a Thai Style Steamed Fish & Tools

1x whole seabass cleaned of internals or any white meat fish (such as snapper) – would taste delicious
1x Tbsp light soy sauce – bringing a savory depth
1x Tbsp fish sauce – bringing a briny flavor
1x Tbsp fresh lime juice – bringing brightness
1x Tbsp sesame oil or sunflower oil – for a touch of richness
1 small piece of fresh ginger, julienned – infuses the fish
1/2 red chili, sliced – for a spicy punch
1.5 stalks of spring onion – slice the white part thinly; use the green part as garnish
Coriander leaves – for aroma and/or garnish (if unavailable, use spring onion)
Salt & pepper
Baking paper
Stapler
Oven tray
Big oven bowl
Small bow

Ingredients for a Chinese Style Steamed Fish & Tool

1x whole fish cleaned of internals (such as sea bass or snapper)
1x Tbsp light soy sauce
1x Tbsp sesame oil or sunflower oil – for a touch of richness
1x Tbsp rice wine
1 small piece of fresh ginger, julienned
1/2 red chili, sliced
1.5 stalks of spring onion – slice the white part thinly; use the green part as garnish
Optional ingredient: slice few shitake mushrooms
Salt & Pepper
Baking paper
Stapler
Oven tray
Big oven bowl
Small bowl

What to do?

Preheat your oven to 195°C.
Fill the big oven bowl halfway with boiled water and place it at the bottom of the oven. Use a bowl that is the same length as the fish or larger.
————- Prepare the Fish ————-
Rinse the fish and pat it dry with kitchen paper.
Sprinkle salt and pepper inside and out..
————- Prepare the Aroma Ingredients ————
Slice the ginger into thin julienne strips.
Slice the spring onion thinly. Use the white part during the steaming of the fish, and the green part as garnish.
Slice half of a spicy chili thinly. If you like a spicy punch, you can include the seeds.
Optional: Slice shiitake mushrooms thinly.
————- Prepare the Marination Sauce ————-
Mix in a small bowl for Thai Style: 1Tbsp light soy sauce + 1Tbsp fish sauce + 1Tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice + 1Tbsp sesame oil
For a Chinese Style, mix in a small bowl: 1Tbsp light soy sauce + 1Tbsp sesame oil + 1Tbsp rice wine
————- Wrap & Season the Fish ————-
On the oven tray, lay the fish diagonally on a sheet of baking paper.
Place some ginger, the white part of the spring onion, and some coriander inside the cavity of the fish.
Top the fish with the remaining ginger and the white part of the spring onion. For a Chinese-style touch, you can optionally add shiitake mushrooms on top of the fish as well..
Spread the chili slices over the fish.
Fold the sides of the baking paper together and staple them.
Pour the sauce over the fish inside the wrapping paper.
Staple the wrapping paper at the top to fully enclose the fish.
————- Steam the Fish ————-
Steam the fish for 25min in 195°C.
When it’s ready, be careful when you open the oven door as steam will escape.
————- Serve the Fish ————-
You can cut the top part of the wrapping paper and place the fish, still in the paper, on a plate. Alternatively, you can slide the fish and all the sauce onto a heated plate.
Garnish the fish with coriander leaves or the green part of the spring onion before serving.

The best side to serve with steamed fish is steamed white rice. Enjoy your flavorful and healthy steamed fish, whether you choose the Thai or Chinese style. This dish is a wonderful way to bring a taste of home to your table, even without a traditional steamer.

Happy cooking and Bon appétit! 🌟

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12 October 20247 January 2025

It’s delicious at cold days in having a Dutch Pea Soup

It’s delicious at cold days in having a Dutch Pea soup. We call it in Dutch “Hollandse erwtensoup”. This thick and hearty soup is a beloved staple in Dutch cuisine, traditionally enjoyed during the chilly winter months. Made with tender peas, smoky Gelderse rookworst, and an array of fresh vegetables, it’s a dish that warms both the heart and soul.

Each spoonful offers a perfect blend of textures and flavors, making it a cozy comfort food that’s perfect for those days. Whether you’re savoring it by the fireplace or sharing it with friend and family, Hollandse erwtensoup is sure to bring warmth and cheer to any occasion🍲✨

Cooking time 4 portions: ~60 minutes

Ingredients & Tools

300gr green split peas
1x leek – we only need the white stalk
1x onion
1x big carrot
3x potatoes or use ¼ celeriac. In Dutch it is knolselderij
2-3 stalks celery
3x laurel/bay leaves
200gr small cube bacon pieces
1x Dutch Gelderse rookworst, a Dutch type of smoked sausage e.g. from the brand Unox
1x chicken stock block
1x big soup pan
Optional: bread

What to do?

Soak the peas overnight to soften them. Some brands may require soaking for 2 days to soften them. How to know if they are soft enough? You can give them a gentle squeeze. If they yield easily without feeling hard or grainy, they are ready to go. It’s like checking avocados for ripeness, but less hipster and more practical.
————- Next Day ————-
Do not discard the pea water.
Put the peas, bacon, laurel leaves and a splash of pea water into the pan, and bring it to boil. The water level should be 2 cm above the top of the ingredients. Add boiled water if needed.
Remove the foam and let it simmer for about 30 minutes until the peas are soft.
Stir the soup regularly to prevent it from burning at the bottom.
If they are not soft yet or easy to smash, then simmer the peas longer until they are. Add a bit of boiled water if needed to keep the liquid level right.
————- Vegetables ————-
Once the peas have transformed into a cloudy creamy soup consistency, we are ready for the vegetables.
Cut up all the vegetables into small bite sizes and add them to the pan.
Add the bouillon block as well.
Cook for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
You can add boiled water to achieve the soup consistency you prefer. However, the Dutch pea soup should be thicker than fluid.
————- At the end ————-
Slice the Dutch Gelderse sausage thin, into nice bite-size pieces.
Once the soup consistency is right and the vegetables are tender, add the sausage and simmer for about 10min.
Your soup is ready to serve.

A hearty slice of bread pairs deliciously with Dutch pea soup, like a trusty companion ready to soak up every drop of the velvety goodness.

Bon appétit! Enjoy your traditiona Hollandse erwtensoep 🙂

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6 January 20247 January 2024

Hong Kong Pineapple Bun Bo Lo Bao

Hong Kong pineapple bun, also known in Cantonese as Bo Lo Bao is a very classic bread pastry. This bun is very popular and iconic in Hong Kong bakeries and is a perfect delight for a Fika time. Fika is a Swedish tradition for a coffee moment accompanied with cake or cookies that can serve upto seven kinds of cookies on a tray. However, Fika is not really relevant in my recipe but since my partner is Swedish, I’m using the terminology Fika all the time for every Coffee & Pastry moment 😊.

Bo Lo Bao is soft and lightly sweet and it’s topped with a golden-brown sweet crumbly crust. The softness of the bread is created by the Chinese Tangzhong (water roux) technique of heating flour and water into a gel paste that is then added to the bread dough. This will improve the texture of bread in making the dough softer and fluffier.

Despite the name, Bo Lo Bao does not contain any pineapple nor flavours. The name rather refers to the look of the characteristic topping crust which resembles the skin texture of a pineapple. It may sound unlogic if you can’t see the image resemblance….. me neither but just take that as historic food story.

Let me know how your Bol Lo Bao baking turned out and enjoy your Fika moment!

Baking time: ~3 hours, time includes about 2 hrs in rising the dough. Serving ~16 buns

Ingredients & Tools

Kitchen scale
Saucepan
Whisk
Small bowl for cooling down Tangzhong
Plastic wrap
Kitchen towel
Big bowl for mixing the bread dough
Big bowl for mixing the topping
Small bowl for egg wash
Mixer for dough and topping
Baking paper
Baking brush

Tangzhong roux

25gr patent flour
125gr water

Dough

360gr patent flour
70gr sugar
½ tsp salt
25gr fresh yeast or 7gr instant yeast – I used fresh yeast
120gr milk on room temperature
1 large egg on room temperature
Tangzhong roux
30gr softened unsalted butter

Topping

125gr patent flour
90gr sugar powder
50gr softened unsalted butter
15gr custard powder
1 egg yolk on room temperature
1 Tbsp milk
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp baking powder

Egg wash

1 egg yolk to brush the topping for a golden-brown crust topping

What to do?

————- Prepare Tangzhong ————-
Add 25gr patent flour in saucepan and slowly add 125gr water while stirring.
Heat over medium-high and constantly keep stirring until mixture turns into a thick gel paste
Transfer the gel paste into a small bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. This is to prevent the paste getting dry.
Let the Tangzhong cool down to room temperature.
————- Prepare Bread Dough ————-
In a big bowl, put 350gr patent flour + 70gr sugar + ½ tsp salt.
Dissolve the fresh yeast block by crumbling in the saucepan with 120gr milk and stir on low temperature until lukewarm. If you use instant yeast, you can just pour it into the big bowl mixture.
Then, add the egg and Tangzhou into the big bowl
Mix the mixture on low speed for ~5min until everything is combined.
Add 30gr butter into the mixture and mix on medium speed for ~5min until a soft dough forms. If the dough is too sticky, then add a bit more flour at a time.
Finish the dough off by kneading the dough by hand, then shape it into a smooth big ball.
Re-use the big bowl or take a clean one. Sprinkle some flour in the bowl and place the dough ball in and cover the bowl with a kitchen towel. Let the dough rest and rise on a warm spot, in a sunny or room temperature spot for 1 hour.
————- Prepare Bun Topping ————-
In another big bowl, put 50gr butter and mix it until the butter turns into a creamy consistency
Then, add 90gr sugar powder and mix until it turns into a creamy consistency.
Then, add 1 egg yolk + 15gr custard powder + 1 Tbsp milk and mix all together.
Then add ¼ tsp baking powder + ¼ tsp baking soda + 125gr patent flour and mix until it turns into a thick paste
Put the paste in a plastic wrap and shape it into a small log, like a sausage
Let the topping rest until the dough is ready after 1 hour rise.
————- Start making the buns ————-
The dough should have risen. Punch a finger into the dough and it should slowly bounce back
Take the dough out of the bowl and divide in equal pieces. Personally, I like smaller buns especially mini sizes. The smaller it is, the tastier it gets with an equal balance of the crunchy sweet topping 😊
Gentle shape every piece into a ball and cover with a kitchen towel and let it rest for 15min.
After 15 minutes, softly knead each piece and shape it into a smooth ball. See short video on the technique used in shaping the dough into a ball
Put each ball on a baking sheet with space in between to let it rise for another 40 minutes.
During the last 10min, pre-heat the oven on 175°C fan function. I use fan function as I have two trays I want to bake in the oven at the same time. If you only have one tray, pre-heat the oven on 190°C on upper & lower heat function.
Then, cut the topping in equal pieces as the number of buns. Don’t throw away the plastic, I prefer to re-use it rather taking a new sheet of plastic.
Shape each piece into a ball.
Wrap each ball, piece by piece in the plastic and flatten into a round shape and cover it on top of each bun
In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk and brush the top of the bun. This will bring a gold brown crust in the baking process
Bake the buns for ~15min but do check a bit before as you don’t want them to be burnt or bake it a bit longer if you like to have your buns more gold brown.
For next day consumption, heat the bun short on low heat in the oven or microwave.

Let me know if there are any improvements can be made. Thank you & bon appetite 😊

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4 May 20235 May 2023

Fascinating and Intense Marrakech

Fascinating and intense Marrakech can be love at first sight or a one-time experience. This is my first visit in Marocco and to be honest I have a mixed bag of feelings going there. However, I feel very excited to explore this city and get my impression on how the vibe is in Marrakesh.

On our arrival, our trip already started with a bumpy adventure around midnight. We booked a taxi service via booking.com, all went good with a bit of chaotic coordination regarding which driver will drive whom, as there were other passengers than us with transfer bookings. The driver dropped us at a taxi point and called our Riad for pickup by foot. Once arrived in the Riad, we realised we are dropped at the wrong place. Adventurely, we arrived at the right place with good people helping us as well as uninvited pedestrians from the streets who strongly urge themselves in leading you the way while you use your gps to get there. Of course, no surprise at all they rudely ask for money for their ‘genuine help’ services. Luckily, tired and all, this first taste of cultural experiences didn’t scare us off yet.

Staying for 3 full days in Marrakech, we decided to take things easy and explore on the go as we didn’t have must do’s. There are excursions in the rural of Marrakech and in my opinion, those would be nice to book if you stay here for more than 3 days and maybe to getaway from this busy city.

Practical tips before planning or during your trip

Ensure you don’t book your holiday during Ramadan. There might be limited shops or restaurants open.
Stay over in a traditional Moroccan house with an inner courtyard (Riad) instead of a hotel. It’s like B&B.
Pre-book airport hotel pickup to avoid distress of ‘pushy’ taxi drivers and negotiation hazards. Especially when you stay in the maze of Medina, book your transfer directly via your Riad. They charge about MAD220 per car. Riad’s can be hidden in small alleys where a taxi cannot reach, and some drivers have no idea where to find it. You can also call your Riad to pick you up at a taxi point closeby. I heard a taxi ride cost about MAD70-100.
Ignore locals who approach you initiatively offering help to guide you to your destination. Sometimes, they even call you out if you turn into a street, they inform that the road is closed (in French ‘ferme’) and ask where you want to go. It’s hard to know if the person is genuine or not and often it ends up in a game they play to get money at the end. Just say ‘la choukran sīdī’, means ‘no thank you sir’ and keep walking.
If you need help with directions, suggest you to ask cafe/restaurant staff or shop owners. You can also try ask locals for help who you may think are genuine but bear in mind they may not speak English.
Start with sightseeing around 9-10am until you have lunch to avoid the afternoon heat. Post-lunch, take a rest in your hotel and restart your wander after 19pm.
For nicer and popular restaurants, I highly recommend making table reservations.
Traffic is insane. Be alert and cautious all the time when you walk-on and cross over the streets. Scooters drive crazy, even in the small alleys of the souk. You can easily be hit if you don’t watch out. Seems, a lot of drivers don’t care as they are in a rush.
We did Marrakech by foot to explore the city and cannot share much on how much a taxi ride cost. For sure you have to haggle, and I heard from other travellers that a short ride cost approx. MAD30-50.
If you fly back home from Marrakech airport, make sure you read the airline check-in procedure when you receive an email. For example, Ryan Air does not accept mobile boarding pass and will fine you on the airport if you cannot present an old school paper boarding pass. Also, make sure you go to the check-in counter first to get your paper boarding pass stamped before you go to the departure immigration hall. You must do this, even if you do not have any check-in luggage: at least for Ryan Air flights.
At the airport, there is a sign that cash is not accepted at the tax-free or only in Euro bills. Fortunate, they do accept cash in euros or dirham at the kiosks and cafés behind the customs.

Adhan – call to public prayer over city speakers

What to Wear as a Woman?

Marrakech is a busy and touristic city but it’s still a Muslim country. There are no specific rules here. Suggestion is to dress with modesty out of respect. As a female traveler or travelling together with my partner, I like to avoid any kind of uncomfortable catcalling or ‘street harassments’. Those beautiful Instagram pictures with short skirts (above knee), booty pants and strap tops are deceiving as they paint an inaccurate picture on what is appropriate women wear in Marrakech. To avoid unpleasant pervy male gaze, it’s better to cover up your shoulders, legs until knee and cleavage. This may not stop catcalling necessarily but it will minimise unwanted attention. For male, short pants and t-shirt or polo shirts are fine. However, in rural Morocco you better wear long pants. It is disrespectful to be showing off too much skin.

Money Exchange

Avoid exchanging money at the airport. Withdraw money from a bank ATM or exchange in town. There are a few reliable exchange booths that take 0% commission. We changed at ‘Bureau de Change‘, I’ve seen a few in Medina and I heard ‘Hotel Ali‘ at the Jemaa El-Fna square is also a good place.

Things To Do

Get lost in the maze of narrow streets and alleys of Marrakech historic old town Medina. You will find colourful souks (open from about 10am-22pm), artisan shops and historic buildings. I was surprised, that the overly persistent vendors were not that aggressive as I had in mind. Probably, time and experience has changed their sales method.
‌To get different impressions of Marrakesh other than Medina (old town), take a stroll at neighbourhoods of Kasbah (Jewish quarter, popular for spices) and the new town Gueliz. All can be done by foot within 30 minutes.
‌Stroll at the big square Jeema El-Fna. Life starts here from 19pm with lots of food & juice stalls and market shopping.
‌Pre-book a comfortable (touristic spa) hammam experience with a massage. Nice Spa houses may be fully booked. A traditional authentic hammam may not meet your expectations in relaxation. Often, there is zero aesthetic in bath houses and the service and amenities (bathrobe, towels, shampoo, shower gel, hairdryer, locker) may be less. Personally, I experienced an authentic Moroccan hammam & scrub in The Netherlands, and I must say I quite liked the adventure. After having a Hammam Scrub in a Spa house of Marrakech, I prefer the authentic style. In the Spa, they don’t really speak English either and don’t inform you on the HOWs beforehand and you pay much much more (approx. MAD350 pp). When you book for two persons, they even put you together in a treatment room with one resource instead of one each. Certainly, it may be cleaner and seeing a star sky ceiling would bring you a nicer feeling, but it all depends on what you personally prefer.
‌House of Photography, (historical) photos and portraits of people living in Marrakesh. End your museum visit at the roof terrace cafe, where you can have a nice chill out or have a delicious lunch menu for €15 pp including a drink. This building has the highest roof terrace in the area and gives a clear view over Marrakesh.
Bahia Palace, showcases Moroccan architecture and beautiful gardens.
‌Le Jardin Secret, situated in Medina with beautiful gardens and historical architecture. It’s a place that has kept ancient structures intact.
‌Jardin Majorelle, exotic gardens designed by Jacques Majorelle and later restored by haute couture fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent.
‌Some 4-5 star hotels offer non-guests a day pass to make use of their swimming pool area. The price often includes a lunch and a towel for use.

Where to Eat

There are plenty of eateries, restaurants and cafes in Medina, Kasbah and Gueliz. You can find local places and lots of places adjusted to ‘tourist/expats’ service, hygiene & exterior acceptance resulting in a higher price range. Places where I visited:

Le Jardin Restaurant Marrakech (Medina): nice trendy atmosphere and getaway from the heat in the garden area. They have a roof terrace but we hided in de garden to cool off. From the garden, there is a staircase up to a little local women boutique shop ‘Noria Ayron’ where they sell beautiful dresses and jump suits.
‌L’Mida Marrakesh (Medina): trendy cafe restaurant serving fusion Moroccan food. Make sure you book a roof terrace table for dinner. Service is excellent but the food can take a while if the place is too crowded.
‌Cuisine de Terroir (Medina): nice ‘local’ place with its charms. Good service, great value and yummy food. A proud place recommended by TripAdvisor & Guide du Routard. They have a roof terrace but if you prefer a bit ‘cooler’ temperature, I think a table downstairs on the ground floor is better. However, it may be noisier from the street.
‌La Famille (Medina): a lushy cosy inner courtyard place serving vegetarian lunch. Booking is highly recommended.
‌El Fenn Hotel (Medina): have a sunset cocktail at this amazing hotel roof terrace bar restaurant. Cocktails cost about MAD130-160 but definitely a nice place to enjoy design & a trendy vibe with good service.
‌Le Kilim (Gueliz): great service & delicious food. Really liked the tajine chicken and vegetable plate with full flavours in each veggie.
‌Le Palace (Hivernage): recommended as an absolute must go by a friend, especially booking a table at ground floor with art-deco design. Downstairs is a clubbing scene but also have dining tables. However, food is not authentic French as they also serve pizza and pasta. If you like to have a chic dinner in an ‘expat’ scenery in a cramped space with volumed up clubbing music and don’t mind bad acoustic, this may be your place to be.
‌Absolute must drink are the fruit juices. They are full of flavour and taste natural. At the evening market stands at Jeema el-Fna square, a small fresh orange juice cost MAD5 and another type of fruit from MAD10.

El Fenn Hotel Roof Terrace Bar & Restaurant

My Impressions of Marrakech

I love Moroccan food but the variations on the menu are limited. It’s always the same dishes on the menu. Tajine, pastille chicken and fresh fruit juices or smoothies are our favorites.
Beautiful Moroccan architecture.
Too much commotion in traffic, even in small ‘pedestrian’ alleys. Heavy pollution with smog and noise everywhere, except for when people sleep at night.
Be respectful and people will act the same.

Medina – authentic local hammam bath house

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14 April 202315 April 2023

Simple Grated Zucchini Spicy Mint Pasta

Simple grated zucchini spicy mint pasta within 30 minutes. It’s a quick & easy recipe with refreshing mint and spicy flavours. This recipe goes perfect with spaghetti, linguine, fettucine or fusilli. In general, any kind of pasta goes well but these are my favourites to cook in a ‘semi-dry sauce’.

My first time eating this zucchini pasta was at my friend’s home and I loved it! Her friend from Greece was on visit and cooked for us a quick meal as it was quite late for dinner 😊. She learnt cooking this simple pasta from a family in Sardinia while she explored the island. A typical home-made pasta that feeds people’s soul with happiness.

For the refreshing taste, I use Greek dried spearmint (dyosmos). I got this from my friend after having this superlicous pasta experience, supplied directly from the farmers and no chemicals. The flavours are close to fresh peppermint but it packs a more potent punch with spicy notes and is milder than peppermint.

In addition, I will use shallots, oyster mushroom and lemon juice in my recipe for the extra texture and flavours. In the original home-made ‘Sardinian’ recipe, it contains only garlic, chili, zucchini and parmigiano topping. You can omit all additional ingredients and keep to the original flavours. The cooking method and steps are the same.

You can also make this pasta vegan and gluten-free, it all depends on what ingredients you like to cook with.

Cooking time for one regular portion: less than 30 minutes

Ingredients & Tools

Pasta for 1 person
½ grated zucchini aka courgette
1 chopped garlic toe
A little bit of thin sliced spicy chili. If your chili is hot spicy, use much less as you like to have a nice balance between mint & spicy flavours.
1 overfull tsp cut dried mint leaves or extra to taste
Salt
1,5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Topping: fine grated parmigiano cheese
Pan for pasta
Colander
1 big bowl
Vegetable grater (ultra coarse grater)
1 big mug

Additional ingredients for the extra texture and flavours

½ chopped shallot
¼ fresh lemon juice
50gr or 2 handful shredded oyster mushroom

What to do?

————- Boil the pasta ————-
Pre-boil water in the water boiler for 70-80°C. If you don’t have a temperature regulating boiler, no problem. Just boil the water.
Spread the pasta in the pan and pour in the boiling water.
Put a little bit salt in the pan and cook for 10min. It’s better to check your pasta package on how long it needs to be boiled. Cooking time may differ for different brands.
Very important – do not pour oil in the pasta and stir the pasta from time to time.
————- Prepare ingredients ————-
While boiling the pasta, rinse the zucchini and cut in half for 1 person. No need to peel the skin.
Grate the zucchini in a big bowl.
Chop 1 garlic toe.
Chop ½ shallot.
Shred 50gr (2 handful) oyster mushroom or tear along the stem.
Cut ¼ of a lemon.
————- Start cooking ————-
Once the pasta is boiled for 10min, fill 1 mug full of pasta water and keep aside for later.
Drain the pasta in a colander and let it be.
Re-use the pan and heat the pan with 1,5 Tbsp olive oil.
Sizzle the garlic and add the shallots. Make sure that the garlic does not burn, avoid brown-ish colouring.
Add the zucchini in the pan and sprinkle some salt.
Stir ingredients until the zucchini gets a bit soft and add the oyster mushroom and chili.
Stir ingredients and simmer light for a few minutes. Add extra salt to taste.
Once all is soft and most liquid is evaporated. Turn the heat low.
Above the sink, swirl ½ cup pasta water in the colander to make the pasta loose as it might stick a bit.
Toss the pasta in the pan, add 1 overfull tsp dried mint or extra to taste and stir all ingredients for another 1 min.
If you find the pasta ‘sauce’ too dry, you can pour in a little bit of the remaining pasta cooking water in the pan to make it moisty.
Squeeze ¼ lemon juice into the pasta and stir quick & short. Switch off the heat.
Serve the pasta on the plate and sprinkle grated parmigiano cheese on top.

I hope you enjoy this simple meal 😊 Bon appetite.

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8 April 202314 May 2023

Indescribable experience in Sevilla during Easter week

Indescribable experience in Sevilla during Easter week, I just can’t describe it and will try to share my holy week (Semana Santa) journey by photos and videos I took. I’m not religious myself but no doubt this is an incredible experience to see this live in Andalucia! The dedication & powerful synergy in the Semana Santa processions is one thing not to be missed here in Sevilla.

Young and old people march along the paths to the church, an entire week of processions by different brotherhoods. Some give away candies during the march, often by children and some give away religious cards like Jezus or Maria. It was amazing in seeing how Spanish folk start walking the procession at a young age and keep the traditions.

I was lucky in recording a small part of the procession in Sevilla from a balcony. The pasos (wagon with large sculptures depicting scenes from the bible) even made a turn at the end of the street. Watch here the short video with powerful orchestra marching together with the brotherhood.

On this post, I will also share my favorite foodie places, roof terraces and some shopping and sightseeing spots. For shopaholics, bear in mind, most shops may be closed during festivals.

Watching various Catholic brotherhoods marching on every procession is a remarkable experience. The people marching in Catholic pointed hats (capirotes) & robes are called Nazarenos. In the old days, Nazarenos represents penance. Some historians believe that the capirote dates back to the time of the Spanish inquisition (1478–1834). Sinners had to wear a capirote and walk along the streets as a form of public humiliation to do penance and to absolve from their sins.

Today, only Catholic brotherhoods wear the capirotes. The costumes still represent penitence but those wearing these robes are not doing penance anymore and its now more a majestic representation once they were. Nowadays, the brotherhoods proudly lead the pasos to their church or cathedral holding large crosses and tall candle lights.

Each march can last for hours, some starts from 15-ish and ends around or past midnight supported by family or friends on the side to give them water & food.

When you observe the details, you will notice that carrying the wagon and the walk movement between Malaga & Sevilla are different. The brotherhoods in Malaga carry the wagon around the wagon lifting the weight on their shoulders and swing a bit while walking. With the brotherhoods in Sevilla, they lift the wagon underneath on their neck and take small steps moving forward. You may have watched the YouTube video I shared on top of this post.

To see how the brotherhood march in Malaga, watch this very short video.

I’ve seen the necks of the wagon carriers, bruised, skin damaged and they have a red glowing hump at their base of their neck. I’ve been told that the wagon weighs more than 1000kg and not to forget, the warm temperature in Sevilla adds up on the hard work they offer. During the day it can be around 27°C and marching slowly in robes and coned hoods covering their entire head is a high appreciated dedication. At least it is my impression and opinion ☺️

Their devotion for their religion is sky high. Some hard core brothers march barefoot, a devotion to be closer to Jezus and share the pain and suffer. I’m not sure if this is the correct reason as I’ve been told by a Spanish man and I think it makes sense but you never know.

Personally, the most thrilling part is the orchestra; powerful drums & trumpets making your heart pounding and witnessing a brotherhood marching slowly and leading the pasos holding large crosses, lanterns or lit candle lights🕯️

Where to eat

In Sevilla there is no lack of great tapas bars nor restaurants. Every corner you pass by, you can eat or have a drink. I share a few of my favorite places when I visit Sevilla every single time.

Gastronomic Bib Gourmand Az-Zait restaurante. I enjoy my dinner here from my heart. The service is friendly and impeccable and quality versus price is marvelous. A-la-carte 3-course including wine, table water and high quality of brandy as digestive approx €60 per person. You can also opt for a menu.
Have a tapas in the oldest tapas bar in Seville dated from 1670, El Rinconcillo.
PETRA, a small trendy tapas restaurant with splendid service & tasty food.
Very popular tapas bar & restaurant in an apartment hotel complex, Espacio Eslava.
Cozy wine bar with small bites at Vinoteco Lama La Uva.
Small inside & outside but great classic tapas at this taverne, Los Coloniales.
A lot of locals having their tapas at Casa Manolo Tapas Bar Sevillano.
Have a Fika (coffee & sweet) at Hotel Alfonso VIII on their patio in the inner garden. Their interior design and architecture are marvelous.
Have a sunset drink at Mariatrifulca. Get a table on the rooftop on the river side as you will get an amazing view looking over the river & the old center. Drink prices are decent, approx €3,5 for wine.
Have a good coffee & pastry at Ofelia Bakery.
Take away a good & strong roasted coffee at Virgen Coffee.

Roof terrace

Abba Sevilla Hotel
Fontecruz Sevilla Seises
Hotel Casa de Indias by Intur. The time we visited was only accessible for hotel guests. It may be because of Covid period.

Nice local boutiques

Ofcourse there is the fancy Spanish El Corte Inglés shopping warehouse but how about browsing in local (artistique) boutiques? Sharing a few streets but there are more. I browse in the smaller streets of the yellow area. When you keep yourself away from the main stream shopping area you will see a lot of small nice boutiques.

Calle Cerrajeria
Calle Don Alonso el Sabio
Calle Lineros

Where I like to hang out

Plaza España & park. At the square or in the shadow of the outdoor building site, there are regular good flamenco street performance. Probably in late morning or early/ late afternoon to avoid the hot temperature.
Setas de Sevilla, the mushroom sculpture and it has a rooftop walk (ticket required). Or have a take away coffee or ice cream and sit on a bench enjoying the view from the platform (one staircase up from the streets).
Wander around in Triana center. It’s less crowded and also nice to see the other side of the river.
Walk along on the other side of the river at Triana on Calle Betis. It is an excellent viewpoint to contemplate some of the most famous landmarks of Seville, the Torre del Oro (bull fighting arena) and the splendid Giralda. There are also a lot of bars and restaurants where you can have a nice cold drink and enjoy the old town of Seville from a distance.
Mercado de Triana – covered market selling vegetables, fish and meat. There are some small tapas bars or restaurants where you can enjoy a tasty lunch. A nice one is at Cerveceria Loli. However, service can be slow and the food may be served luke warm.
Stroll in the yellow areas of the centre in “Feria and Casco Antiguo”.
Calle Alfareria – pottery workshops that have been multiplying for centuries and where some wonderful decorated patios are located.

Special

Nothing fancy, it’s more like a cultural centre where you can have a beer and watch free flamenco performances, poetry or photography exhibitions in an old coal warehouse. This place, La Carboneria is hidden behind a big wooden door with a patio in the back. Opening times from 19pm. Suggest to go much later in the evening or check their agenda.

Sevilla is a charming city where I never get bored. Nice people, plenty of gastronomy and tasty food bars, and wonderful architecture in almost every street in the old center. I hope you will enjoy Sevilla as much as I do and if you have nice places you like to share, please do ♥️

If you like to watch other short videos of the procession, you can click on the links below.

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1 April 20234 April 2023

Mjuk pepparkaka aka Swedish soft ‘pepper cookie’

Mjuk pepparkaka aka Swedish soft “pepper cookie” is a soft ginger pepper cake and is often served around Christmas period. When I first time ate it, it was during a family Christmas dinner with all other authentic Swedish delights to celebrate together. From all these delights on the table, I liked the old-fashioned home baked soft “pepper cookie” the most. At the first bite, you taste soft punchy flavours of cardamon, cloves and cinnamon. The texture is fluffy like a sponge cake with a refreshing fruity taste of berries. I just loved it, especially when it’s still warm and soft, just fresh coming out from the oven. This cake is very easy to bake. Let me know how your baking went on the Swedish Mjuk Pepparkaka 😊

Cooking time: approx. 1hr

Ingredients & Tools

100gr butter
Extra butter to grease the cake form
Breadcrumbs
2,5 tsp cinnamon powder
1,5 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp cardamon powder + ½ tsp very fine grinded cardamon seeds (personal preference). Or 1,5 tsp powder. Or 1,5 tsp grind seeds
1 tsp cloves very fine grinded (personal preference). Or 1,5 tsp cloves powder
3dl (3 cup) all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1dl (1cup) lingon berry jam, I buy them at Ikea
Hand mixer
Pestle & mortar
Baking spatula
1x small pan
2x big bowl
1x small bowl for spice mix
1x cake form ~26cm
1x thin wooden stick picker / wooden chopstick

What to do?

————- Melt the butter & pre-heat oven————-
Melt 100gr butter in a small pan and let it cool off.
Pre-heat the oven on 175°C on fan function.
Grease the cake form with butter.
Pour a little bit of breadcrumbs in the cake form and shake it well until every butter surface is covered in breadcrumbs. Throw away excessive breadcrumbs.
————- Prepare spice mix ————-
Use 1x small bowl to mix the spices and if desired grind seeds in pestle & mortar
Add 2,5 tsp cinnamon powder
Add 1,5 tsp ginger powder
Add 1 tsp cardamon powder + 0,5 grind very fine cardamon seeds. This is my personal preference.
1 tsp very fine grounded cloves. This is my personal preference.
————- Prepare flour mix ————-
Use 1 big bowl
Add 3dl all-purpose flour in the bowl.
Add 2 tsp baking powder in the bowl and stir with the flour mix.
————- Start baking ————-
Use another big bowl, a hand mixer and a baking spatula.
Break 2 eggs in the bowl and add 2 dl sugar. Use the mixer on medium speed until the it gets a light fluffy consistency.
Add 125gr Greek yoghurt in the bowl and mix with medium speed.
Then add the spice mix in the bowl and stir the batter with a spatula.
Add the +1dl lingon berry jam (a little bit more than 1 cup) and stir slowly the batter with the spatula.
Add ¼ of the flour mix in the bowl and continue stirring with the spatula. Repeat the process until the flour mix is all used. Make sure that there are no flour clumps in the batter.
Finally, add the melted butter bit by bit and stir the batter with spatula.
Pour the batter in the cake form and bake in the oven for 35min.
Once done, push a thin wooden stick into the cake to check if it comes out dry. If the stick comes out wet, then the cake is not ready yet and require longer time in the oven.

Hope you like this Swedish soft pepper cookie and don’t find it too much work 😊

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8 February 202326 February 2023

Retreat holiday in Bali, Indonesia

Retreat holiday in Bali is an absolute must do on your holiday list. My first visit on this beautiful island was back in 2010, returned in between and today with my partner for a relaxing holiday. This island has so much to offer, a lot to explore and to see, like serene nature, diverse landscape, beaches, mountains, culinary and cultural experiences and above all friendly Balinese people. For those, who like a vibrant life with music & (beach) party scenes with busy traffic, stay at Seminyak, Canggu, Kuta or Gili Trawagan.

The major income of this island is tourism and infrastructure to move yourself from A to B is by taxi or private drivers. Some also call themselves as tour guides or tour organisers and often speak basic English. To my knowledge, there is not much public transport. I heard, there is a red coloured public bus with a service route driving in the south area and may also go to Ubud but not further more. Nevertheless, Bali offers a wide range of activities that will fit to everyone’s interest. You can rent scooters or e-bikes to explore the area where you are staying in.

I will share some practical tips if you have plans to go to Bali. Normally, I stay at least 2 weeks up to a month and still have not seen everything yet. I like exploring on a slow pace and absorb the tranquillity and beauty that this island has to offer.

Climate

Dry season is from April to mid-November. It can feel very hot with the combination of sun and humidity, but you will enjoy more of rainbow colours on the underwater activities like diving and snorkelling.
Rainy season is from December until March. Rain can be for a few hours or a half day long. Bring your flip flops in case you like to be outdoor wandering in flooded streets. Get cheap ponchos at the convenient store for IDR20-25K or bring your hotel umbrella. Climate is very humid and often its cloudy sky. Bear in mind, you can still get heavy sun burns under a grey sky.

How to get around

Hire a private driver for travelling from A to B or for a full day to see more in a specific area. Do not only underestimate the distances; road quality, landscape and traffic can have a big impact on your trip too and the time that you spend on each site. A day trip (8-10hrs) including driver and fuel cost approx. IDR 600K-700K for max 2 guests. A nice gesture is to offer your driver a meal and drinks, and tip extra if you are happy with their services. Their English are often basic. In case you like to know more about facts of the places you are going to visit, suggest you to hire an official tour guide. High likely, it will cost you more but for sure it would give you a memorable tour with knowledge and professional experience.
You can also rent a scooter for approx. IDR 80K per day but bear in mind of rocky roads, pot holes or crazy traffic especially in a town. Ensure you arrange an international driver’s license and legitimate to be used in Bali. In bad luck, you can be hold off and get a ‘fine’ by the local police or urged to buy a Bali drivers license from them.
Download taxi service app e.g. Gojek or Grab. I don’t like using Grab as this app inquires a lot of privacy details. Uber does not exist here.
At Nusa Dua Benoa and the west coast around Seminyak, Kuta, Canggu, Legian – there are plenty of Bluebird taxis available that runs by the meter. Others, you will need to negotiate for a fixed price.

How do I find a private driver

Most local drivers use Facebook as their business advertisement channel and can be contacted via FB messenger or WhatsApp. Before my trip, I signed up for FB group “Bali Travel Forum”. In this private group, you can find travel tips from other fellow travellers, queries about travel itineraries or local advertisement on day tours or just post your inquiry related to your travel to Bali. During our trip in Bali, we had good experience with below private drivers.

Angga Bella: friendly male driver from Bali. He had exposure working across borders in shipping and speaks good English. In our opinion, Angga is a decent tour guide as he was able to answer our queries about local daily social life things. Find him on Facebook or contact him on WhatsApp +6281239237529.
Jhon Gus: funny male driver from Bali. Jhon speaks decent English and we had good fun with him during our drive from Nusa Dua to Ubud followed up by an unexpected daytrip in line with our itinerary. Jhon is genuine, honest and is not shy at all when you ask questions about life and tourist scenes in Bali.
Evi Rose: friendly female driver, originally from Java. Evi speaks basic English. She is so kind in helping me out to get lemongrass roots. They are here so more fragrant and delicious. I hope I can grow them in my home town. Find her on Facebook or contact her on WhatsApp +6287858866379.

Money exchange

At the airport, the money exchange booths offer a less beneficial rate. If you wish to exchange cash, suggest letting your driver to stop by a BMC money exchange shop just outside the airport area or just withdraw money from an official ATM of a local bank (BRI, BCA, BNI). Exchange rate depends on your ‘home’ bank. During your travel in Bali, be cautious for unauthorised money exchange booths. The bank does not always provide money exchange service (I have no idea why but it happened to me) for which you will have to go to a money exchange booth. Pay attention if their bill board display starts with “PT.”, I have been told that they are legally authorised money exchange brokers. Don’t go to places where they also sell clothes, souvenirs and tours etc.

Lovely mosquito’s

I always buy local repellent at a convenience store. The brand Deet or western stuff just don’t work and are always so expensive. I don’t mind the chemicals in the local products for a short period of usage because it’s more effective. The itchiness is unbearable, scratching continuously and getting open wounds is a no no. The product I buy is called Soffell. A small bottle cost approx. IDR12K. They sell in different fragrance and come with spray or body milk. Personally, after trying both, I like the body milk. Less sticky on your skin and nicer in smell. For after-bites, I buy Autan cream and cost approx. IDR14K. Prices differ in each store.

Pricing

All made for tourists. Don’t stress if you don’t see price displays. For local art and souvenirs, you will have to haggle to an acceptable price. Don’t pre-book your tours online. There are plenty of local suppliers with different pricing and are decent low comparing to online bookings.

Data sim card for tourists

Free WiFi is almost available everywhere in cafes or restaurants but sometimes it bring some inconvenience to ask for the password or it could be that the WiFi is not fast enough. Personally, I prefer buying a local sim to be online whenever I want without any hassle. In Bali, you can buy a tourist sim card that is only valid on sim-lock free smart phones and valid for xx days . Regular sim cards are only for residence. Registration might be required with a copy of your passport. Try to avoid unofficial sellers and buy a sim from a mobile shop. Operator Telkomsel has a good coverage in Bali as well as in remote areas. I paid via my driver’s contact for approx. IDR200K for 32GB.

Retreat areas

On arrival from a long-haul flight, I like to stay in a serene surrounding and the ability to visit local ‘tourist’ eateries in the area. When you stay at a resort for more than 3 nights, the menu gets boring at some point and it’s nice to wander around and see local places 😊

Nusa Dua ITDC, is a luxury hotel area with lushy and clean streets. Perfect for an arrival retreat for a few nights and not hearing cars honking all the time. Borrow a bike from your hotel and bike to Benoa area where its more lively.
Or stay at Sanur, it’s less serene than ITDC but excellent stay for a few nights along nice beaches that offers more cafes and restaurants in the area with easy access to Nusa Penida or Nusa Lembongan. It’s a great place to stay with family or finding peace with stores on walking distance.
In Ubud area, stay in a villa or in a lushy landscape along rice terraces. These are often located outside the town centre. Choose a stay where they offer free shuttle service to Ubud centre. Check with the reception how much a pickup will cost if you miss the shuttle. Then, at least you know an approx. price for a taxi haggle to get back to your hotel. Ubud centre itself is quite busy with traffic and offers mainly touristic (hand)craft markets, retail boutiques, massage salons, cafes and restaurants which are for sure super convenient if you like to drink & eat.
Menjangan National Park, is a lushy remote area with deer’s and monkey’s. We stayed here for 6 nights because we like diving at Menjangan island, a divine place for snorkelling and diving. Would highly recommend the beach villa’s if you are looking for a fabulous experience. Our resort, unfortunate offers only a range of paid activities and to our regret, is that we should have rent a scooter at the closest town so that we can mobilise ourselves a bit among local shops and have some variation in food choices or get local snacks and chips. Nevertheless, we enjoyed our stay at The Menjangan Resort but personally we think that 5 nights would have done good.

Tipping

Tipping is always appreciated but certainly not expected like the tipping standard as in the US. Some restaurants have a service charge which is divided between staff. I don’t tip for everything but do tip extra for good service e.g. IDR20K or a bit more. For drivers, I give between IDR 50 – 100K depending on the service duration. And hiring a driver for a day trip, a nice gesture is to offer them a meal & drinks.

Food journey’s

Try out different sambal types along your local food tastings. I like sambal matah which has fresh shallots, lemongrass and chili.
If you like snacking, try out their local chips. We really like the brand “JACKnJILL Piattos”, they have different sambal flavour chips and are yummie! There are also nice coconut ‘digestive’ bisquits.
Ubud: had an amazing dinner experience at Hujan Locale. Enjoy your coffee breaks at BitterSweet located in a retail store or at Pison.
Nusa Dua: visit a seafood restaurant at Jimbaran beach and enjoy a sunset dinner on the beach. Grilled seafood packages between IDR300-1000K for 2 persons including a beer. Just walk along the beach side and pick a place you like or where most people hang out. At the north point of Benoa, there is a hidden local gem, it’s a seafood place with nice view over the sea seeing airplanes taking off or landing or people enjoying watersport. This place calls Pinisi House Bali. Bear in mind, they have squat toilets (Feb-2023).

Not to miss out places

Uluwatu temple
Sunset grilled seafood dinner on the beach at Jimbaran. Lots of seafood places to choose from.
Tegenungan waterfall
Tegallalang rice terrace
Pura Tirta Empul temple
Mount Batur trekking
Ulun Danu temple
Try out the famous Luwak coffee at a plantation
Tanah Lot temple
Some luxury hotels offer a day pass for their (infinity) pool looking over a lushy jungle view or rice terrace. We enjoyed our swimming dip at Padma Resort Ubud a lot as the pool was comfortable heated. It’s about 1hr drive from Ubud centre. Cost IDR400K p.p. including towel and IDR 200K for food/beverage. Reservation would be recommended. The hotel has a shuttle service to Ubud center, perhaps you can check if you can hop-on for free with the day pass that you have booked with the hotel.
If you travel from south to the northern part of the island vice versa, make a stop at Belimbing Rice Terraces. These are so much more impressive than the Tegallalang rice terrace. There is a restaurant cafe where you can sit down and absorb the serene view. No entrance fee required (Feb.2023).
The Pupuan region has the largest rice field landscape. The car ride among those fields are amazing.
Other places that would be nice to go but I haven’t been there yet are: infinity pool with rice terrace view at Alas Harum Bali in Ubud (agritourism park), divine Diamond Beach at Nusa Penida, Tirta Gangga in Karangasem (former royal palace with three pools available for swimming), mountain retreat spa with spectacular views at The Monkey Bar @BellaKita in Klungkung (2022 daypass price IDR75K including towel and IDR50K credit for food consumption.

Happy travels in Bali & feel free to reach out if you have questions.

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