Thank you all for your comments and emails, congratulations, kind words and best wishes! They've gone and made this very happy woman even happier still.
I've spent the entire week visiting my husband (hee) in Kassel, writing like a woman possessed (25 days until my delivery date!) and taking long walks in the improbably beautiful fields next to his apartment. Now, nothing against small German towns or anything, I'm very excited for our train back to Berlin this afternoon. Oh, to be home again! We have wedding presents to unwrap, German tax forms to complete (the anticipation is just killing me) and on Saturday evening I'm going to this mysterious pop-up restaurant with some friends. I can't wait to be back in the big city again.
Elsewhere:
I discovered the wonder that is creamy limoncello on this last trip to Italy. Not made with eggs or with cream, but with plain, old, 1% milk. Seriously, people, it's like manna in a shot glass. I'm waiting for a recipe from my friend Carla, but until then, try this one from epicurious.com.
Food52 is at it again, this time with a brand-new column that I've fallen for, hook, line and sinker. Genius Recipes, it's called. And they're, well, genius.
Have you ever heard of "drinking vinegars"? Since I'm the kind of person who could drink pickle juice straight from the jar, I'm intrigued. Here's how to make them. (Via Oh Joy!)
Two years ago, I asked my mother to buy a simple charcoal grill for the house in Italy so we could cook fish outside in the summer. But I underestimated how intimidating grilling can be to a newbie and we've only used it once since then. Once! For shame. With these fabulous tips on grilling whole fish (no baskets or special equipment required!), I feel a lot more confident.
Kassel may be a snooze, but I discovered the Hugo cocktail at our favorite restaurant here the other night and because of that, it's already gone up a few notches in my book. I'm not a cocktail girl - they make me sleepy and cranky - but the Hugo is a different story - think prosecco, mint and elderflowers. Here's Sasa's recipe.
And finally, I'm still in shock over the closing of H&H Bagels. Thank goodness we can all make our own.
Have a lovely weekend, folks.
H+H was a big part of my student days . I had a tendency to take late-night walks down from Columbia, finish with a bagel and get back on the uptown 1/9. Oh, the days.
Incidentally, how well do Reinhart's bagels freeze? There are decent bagels to be had in London, but they require a considerable trek.
Posted by: Shira | July 8, 2011 at 06:33 AM
Can you believe I live on Long Island, have been to NYC hundreds of times, and never ate at H&H?? Oh well, I guess that just means I can't miss it as much...
Shira - I've found that bagels usually freeze quite well (cut them in half first to make for easy toasting). And speakin of London bagels, have you ever had the ones on Brick Lane (I think that's where they are)? I was completely sceptical at first (native New Yorker here) but the salted beef bagel sandwich was actually really, really good! Go figure!
Posted by: The Hungry Traveler | July 8, 2011 at 08:18 AM
I just discovered the genius recipe column too and I'm with you. I'm intrigued by this limoncello link. I had a milk-derived liqueur here in Boston at Craigie on Main (one of the area's best restaurants, in my humble opinion) and I find the whole concept so interesting! Thanks for the link.
Posted by: Sara | July 8, 2011 at 10:06 AM
we have made limoncello at home and it is easy and delicious, but using milk sounds like a fantastic idea for the next batch!
Posted by: Epicurea | July 8, 2011 at 11:19 AM
I know! I walked by H&H the other day and the place was dark and empty...so sad.
Posted by: Laura | July 8, 2011 at 01:51 PM
If you're exploring drinking vinegars, you might also want to search for recipes for fruit shrubs, basically fruit and sugar and acid, more or less the same as drinking vinegars, but typically seem to be a component of a cocktail. Serious Eats recently ran a post on shrubs. They seem to be all the rage.
As for the creamy limoncello, I'm intrigued. Currently wondering if I could add milk to a bottle of homemade limoncello that's sitting in the back of my refrigerator...hmmm...
Posted by: mary | July 8, 2011 at 04:52 PM
Congratulations on your wedding! May you have many wonderful years together!!
I can't grill to save my life - everything is burned on the outside and raw inside. One day I'll overcome my grill phobia.
Love your blog and am very happy to have found you.
Posted by: Lynne @ 365 Days of Baking | July 8, 2011 at 06:50 PM
So happy for you! Can you tell us what kind of work your husband does, or do we have to wait for the book?! I would pre-order your book now if I could. Can't wait!
Posted by: Pam | July 8, 2011 at 07:00 PM
Belated congratulations on your marriage! May your lives be filled with love, happiness and of course, wonderful food! Tanti, tanti auguri!
Posted by: Jill | July 8, 2011 at 07:16 PM
Congratulations to you! All wishes for great happiness! and good luck with the book. when you catch your breath, how about a recipe for that beautiful frittata -- so Italian, so summery, just like the evening light in your last photo!
Posted by: Patty | July 8, 2011 at 07:42 PM
Congratulations!!! I am so happy for you!!!! And the links are wonderful. I'd never visited Food52 before and now I love it!!!
Posted by: Alison | July 8, 2011 at 09:24 PM
Congratulation ! and good luck
Posted by: umer | July 8, 2011 at 10:57 PM
Shira - I would make a batch of 6 not 8, so you have plumper bagels, and those freeze just fine.
Mary - thanks for the tip.
Lynne - courage! And thank you, on all counts... :)
Pam - he works in the market research department of Volkswagen. Unfortunately for us, the office is in Kassel not Berlin! But it's a good job, so...
Jill - grazie mille!
Patty - it's so easy, there's hardly a recipe: you just make beat together enough eggs to serve the number of people eating (I think for three people I used five eggs) with a splash of milk, some grated Parmesan cheese, a bunch of minced parsley and salt and pepper, if you like it. Pour this into an oiled pan and when it has set slightly, just slightly, around the edges, place the clean zucchini flowers on top. Cover the pan and cook about 7 minutes? 8? 10? over medium-low heat. If you have a frittata pan, you can just flip it around and then cook the other side. If not, do a little maneuvering to get the frittata to cook on the top (now bottom, does that make sense?) for just a few minutes longer. If you want to gild the lily, you could pop a few bits of feta or ricotta around the zucchini flowers when you first lay them down. Enjoy!
Alison - thank you and I'm so excited to have introduced Food52 to you! Have fun.
Umer - thanks!
Posted by: Luisa | July 9, 2011 at 01:49 AM
Cover the pan -- who'd have thunk? Thanks for the tip. So happy to have you be so happy.
Posted by: Patty | July 9, 2011 at 02:33 PM
just discovered you through Cup of Jo...nice blog!
Posted by: Jackie | July 10, 2011 at 03:24 AM
Following your links I've found a gorgeous strawberry tiramisù. Nice surprise too.
Posted by: Lucia | July 10, 2011 at 08:08 AM
Hi, thanks for the link love! :) Drinking vinegars are the perfect pregnancy cocktail :)
Posted by: Farmer Jo | July 10, 2011 at 12:51 PM
Ahhh, vinegar drinks are quite popular here in Korea. You can buy bottles of the stuff from the grocery store...my favorite is the blueberry vinegar!
Posted by: Hanna | July 10, 2011 at 09:03 PM
I was at a restaurant in Portland, OR last summer called "Pok Pok" when I was introduced to drinking vinegars. I had a grapfuit and my husband had a pomegranite they were delicious! I've looked for them in stores ever since with no luck, being able to make my own though is something I've thought about I will have to try this recipe out :)
Posted by: sarah | July 11, 2011 at 01:56 PM
I went to the one in the winter (Pop a Diner). I thought it was theatrical and fun, a bit expensive but original and good to go as a large group and linger. The food was very pretty but not great tasting. Wonder what this one is like. Looking forward to reading about it.
Posted by: Suzy | July 12, 2011 at 02:20 AM
Hi Luisa, first of all, congratulations! Hope you are enjoying your homecoming with your new husband.
I also heard about Hugo from a colleague from southern Germany recently. I haven't tried it yet, but I think elderflower syrup is one of the nicest things about this country. I've heard it's starting to catch on in the US bar scene now.
The only reason I haven't tried Hugo is for lack of prosecco around the house, not for lack of elderflower syrup. For, although I totally failed in my urban gardening attempts at producing broccoli raab in Berlin, I had an urban foraging success, making syrup out elderflowers from the little park at Weberwiese in Friedrichshain. Here is the recipe, summarized from "Das Goldene Kochbuch":
Gather 8-10 clusters of eldeberry flowers and pick over for any stray bugs. Place in a bowl with a sliced organic lemon. Make a liter of simple syrup and while hot, pour over the flowers and lemon. Let ripen, covered, on a warm sunny countertop for 3-4 days, then pour in a clean bottle and refrigerate.
It is so darned good just mixed with sparkling water or even just iced tap water that we've used it all before we could make a single Hugo!
If you like Hugo, don't forget to make Maibowle / May wine next spring. You only need a handful of Waldmeister / woodruff sprigs from your local forest, and a bottle or two of sparkling wine. Dry the leaves for 24 hours, then infuse about a cup of wine for an afternoon or overnight. Add the rest of the wine and some ice and serve! Extremely refreshing and breathtakingly good.
Posted by: Leslie | July 12, 2011 at 10:43 AM
Sorry, I forgot the last step of the recipe - you have to add a packet of powdered citric acid right before bottling. Easy to get here in the baking aisle; don't know if it's available stateside.
Posted by: Leslie | July 12, 2011 at 10:59 AM
Hi Luisa! I'm just finally stopping by after a while of blog moratorium and I just wanted to say, a huge congratulations to you and Max! You both look so happy and comfortable, it's wonderful to see! And you have such a beautiful attitude about relationships and life that I have great faith in your happiness. And, good gracious what a stunning location (almost as stunning as you in your dress!)! It absolutely sings of fairy tales and families and ever afters. My husband and I are taking a belated honeymoon to Italy come October and it cannot come soon enough!
Posted by: Emily | July 13, 2011 at 11:43 AM
I wanted to comment on your wedding posts and was sad to find comments closed. What an extraordinary event! Your dress is perfect, and it sounds as if everything else was, too. How nice that you got to spend so much time with guests before and after the wedding. What a lucky groom. Here's wishing you many years of happiness, from everyday contentment to blissed-out joy!
I haven't gotten up the courage to grill yet but have been issuing commands from the kitchen. One of these evenings I'll get someone to teach me to make and manage the fire. xo
Posted by: Robin | July 14, 2011 at 01:12 PM
I forgot to say that I cannot get out of my head the scene of you being too nice to slap down the suggestion of sushi immediately. "But signorina..."--priceless!
Posted by: Robin | July 14, 2011 at 02:20 PM
i can't believe i haven't congratulated you on your wedding yet, luisa. my very heartfelt wishes to you and max, all the happiness in the world! -- to read your entries about the days leading up to it, the day itself and after, was very moving indeed. also seeing molly's photos was so special. may the years to come hold the magic of this day like little specks of stardust.
Posted by: kristina - no penny for them | July 14, 2011 at 02:49 PM
Love your blog Luisa! I found you through Orangette.
Congrats on your recent nuptials. You looked absolutely luminous on your wedding day :-)
Just finished reading your post on making bagels. Have you ever made bialys? I live in Richmond, VA and no one in the South has ever heard of them. I used to get them overnighted from H&H Bagels, but I'd love to make my own.
I've got you bookmarked now and looking forward to going back and reading your older posts. Mazel tov and lots of love and happiness to you!
Posted by: Bonoca | July 14, 2011 at 04:27 PM