Pure Bliss in Zeeland

Yesterday, we decided to go biking in Zeeland, in the Netherlands for our birthdays (yes I share a birthday with my husband, we were born 1 year and 2 days apart).  It's only a 2 hour drive from where I live.  We have rented bicycles for 12 euros and we spent 3 hours touring in Middelburg. We've been to the Zeeland numerous times, but cycling around was a great way to visit the town, we discovered some spots that we haven't seen before.  The weather was sunny and warm enough.  After that, we headed to Zoutland, at the beach for an afternoon nap in our beach tent.  We finished the day at our favorite chinese restaurant in Vlissingen.

It was market day in the city, fresh fruits and vegetables, flowers and a flea market, a brocante.

Soy Milk and tofu from scratch

Today was another holiday in France.  So I wanted to make tofu for the first the time.  My mom used to make soy milk but we never did tofu.  Couple of weeks ago, I have bought the most tasteful tofu from an organic store. They sell nagari and soy grains as well, so there was my chance to make my own tofu.  The whole process was fastidious, but the taste was worth it.

Nigari and organic soy beans

 

Soak the beans in water overnight

 

Wash the beans.  Blend the beans with water.

 

Use a cloth and a  strainer, squeak the milk.

 

Boil the soy milk

 

Pour 1 liter of soy milk in a bowl, add the nigari that was previously dissolved in water.

Waite for 15 min.

 

 You can see the tofu is forming in a cheesecloth.

 

Tofu

The remain soy milk.  I added sugar while it was boiling.

Turning points

Today is my birthday, the big 3-4.  A lot has happened since my move to France 7 years ago.

1. I got married
2. Gained 30 lbs
3. We have started a business in Environmental consulting (specialized in Biogas)
4. Closed the 1st business and started a 2nd business  in Photovoltaic power plants installations
5. Went through a lot with the solar business : French government cut a lot of encentives in Renewable energies,   especially photovoltaic energy.  Within a year, the business has grown in a rapid pace and then with all the politic choices of Sarkozy (i.e. nuclear lobby), a lot of  photovoltaic businesses went into bankrupcy.

6. We sold our solar business, but still manage it for now.
7. I've lost 10 lbs (lot of exercise)
8. Since yesterday, France has a new President (his airplane get struck by lightning on his way to Berlin, to meet Angela Merkel).
9. I have started my blog on February, and I have reached more than 1000 views.  Thank you! 

All of these experiences made us stronger, a lot of pain for little gain, but it's time to turn the page.  Hopefully a new chapter.  Happy birthday to me.

Bread Pudding

At my in laws, there was always a stack of stale bread in the kitchen cabinet.  I know that my Father in law was a "gatherer", but old stale bread?  so I asked them and they said they will make pudding with it.  That made me wonder even more.  Coming from Canada, pudding is a milk based dessert, with a texture of custard, but with bread?  They insisted it was a British recipe.  This left me perplexed.  There are similitudes with the recipes but the French version is not steamed.

From where I'm from, we never used old bread, they would turn moldy.  Our bread is full of preservatives and it won't dry.  In France, they keep their stale bread, especially the ones from the bakery, an institution here.  Their bread from the bakery is a little bit more expensive than the ones from the store.  So maybe they have more scruples to throw it away.

I have seen bread puddings recipes in Canada, but they never looked very tempting.  The chunks of breads aren't really appealing.

So here's the French bread pudding, made with left over baguettes or stale bread.
I have soaked the bread in milk for an hour or two. With a spatula, mash the bread until it has no more chunks. Don't put too much milk, or else the pudding will take forever to cook.  I added 3 mashed bananas (optional). I used 3 large eggs, sugar, chocolate, dry prunes and dry apricots.  2 table spoons of rhum or any other liquor you like.
Cook in an oven for 45 min at 200°C.  This goes well with "crème anglaise" (egg custard) or ice cream.

Another nice way to recycle.

A New Wind of Change

French people are now counting on the new President elected to change their daily life.  I will certainly not miss the arrogant government we had. From a nonpartisan point of view, I would say that Hollande had a clean campaign.  A lot of rumours are saying that Sarkozy had financed his 2007 campaign with some obscur funds.

Renewable energy industry has hold a grudge against Sarkozy, because he was pro nuclear.  Personally, what I found difficult to endure, is social and ethnical divisions France has faced when he was in power.  He was even determined to gain some votes from the extreme right wing party in order to be relected.

On May 15th, the power will be passed on to Hollande.  French People are expecting a lot from him. Let's hope he will not dissapoint.

Farewell Nicolas!

Finally! France has elected a new President, François Hollande.  The score was really tight.  52% to 48%.  In about a month, the legislation election will take place.  Hope the Socialist party will win this next election, if not there will be political cohabitation, and the country will be hard to govern.

Banana Cake with chocolate icing

Banana breads or banana muffins with walnuts are common in Canada. In France, nobody seems to make them.  Once, we had a German guy who came at our office and I served him a piece of my banana cake.  He couldn't contain his amazement.  "wow is this banana in the cake, it is good".  I don't know if it was out of politness but last time he saw me he talked again about the cake. lol  So I guess banana cakes are not so common in Europe.  Correct me if I'm wrong. 

So here's my banana cake recipe.  It never lasts more than a day.

It has been eaten before I could get a picture of the whole cake

Banana Cake Recipe

 3 ripe bananas

125g of yogourt (one portion)

375g of all purpose flour

250 g of sugar

3 eggs

11g of baking powder

half of yogourt cup (approx. 62 g ) of vegetable oil

I use my yogourt recipe 

 Icing

200g of chocolate for dessert

2 t.s. of icing sugar

100ml of cream

Usually, we bake this cake in a rectangular mold so the banana bread would look like a bread loaf, but I find that baking it in a round mold, it would cook more evenly.

For the cake, mash the bananas into puree. Mix the sugar, eggs, flour, baking soda, yogourt and oil together.

 Bake in the oven at 200 degree Celsius or 392 degree Fahrenheit ), for 40 minutes.

For the icing, break the chocolate into pieces and add the cream.  Heat in the microwaves for 40 seconds.

Add the icing sugar.  Mix until the mixture is smooth.  Cover the melted chocolate on the cake while it is still hot.  Let it cool until the icing hardens.

You can add nuts in the cake batter if you want.

So here's my favorite cake recipe, enjoy.