U. S. of A. and Travel

It's been a while hasn't it? This summer has flown by at around 150 mph. For those of you checking out my blog from my cards I have been handing out, welcome!! I hope you enjoy laughing with me at my life and maybe find a good recipe along the way. :) (By the way, if you don't have one of my business card-like thingys let me know if you want one!)

I have been here in America for a few weeks now, but before I illustrate this picture, let me paint the scene of a historic town called Mainz, in the middle of Germany. On the way to the US this year, we decided to stay over in Germany for a few nights. Having never been to Europe, I didn't know exactly what to expect, but I was extremely excited.  I have always been fascinated with Germany and its culture, but I never was quite sure why. To describe the town we stayed in is impossible. But I can try. Close your eyes. In your mind, picture cobbled streets and quaint, softly lit houses and shops on each side of the street. Hear a fountain in the town square, listen to children playing tag around the square, and smell pretzels coming out of the stalls at fantastic rates. Open your eyes. This is Germany. It was the best trip I have ever been on.

Now, America. I have really enjoyed seeing my family and friends and hanging out with everyone. :) The southern cooking has been even more amazing than you could imagine. The green grass, huge trees, and wide, open roads are awesome. (Speaking of roads, I got my learner's permit!) Yeah, it would be fun to live here.

When I think of opening a cafe or something somewhere in the world, first I think to myself, "Can I see myself living here?" And the answer to most countries, well, all countries, is yes. I guess I'm a culture addict.

Defintion:
Culture addict- noun. the feeling or desire of a human to live in or inhabit many countries in the world. Symptoms include but are not limited to; indecision in where to attend college, longing for global citizenship, and in extreme cases, forgetting the current country of residence.

There is so much to write about and I tend to ramble so I'll finish with this. To all of my friends and family who made my trip special: It has been great and I am so blessed to have you guys. Right now, I feel called to cook, and so I'll cook. If God calls me to preach, I'll preach, and if God calls me to do anything else, I'll do it.

Andy

The Intern

This Monday I will be meeting with the executive chef at the Westin, an international five star hotel chain with a location here in Pune, to discuss my internship. This is a huge step in the direction of a career in the culinary arts. During this internship I will be gaining experience in restaurant and hotel management as well as the culinary aspect of the industry. I will be working in multiple restaurants in the Westin; there is a total of four restaurants in the hotel itself. I will be assisting with the lunch prep and service twice a week, and occasionally preparing for large events such as weddings for one to two thousand people. (Service is the actual cooking and serving of the dishes.) This will hopefully be the launch pad for a degree in business and the culinary arts after high school. My dream would be to start my own restaurant in Thailand, with upscale Thai-Oriental infused food, or a French restaurant in Germany with an attached French bakery and chocolatier. I know, this is all pretty specific, but I'm still deciding and I have some more time. :) My menu would be sleek, simple, and affordable. Good quality and good price is something I look for in a restaurant, so I feel that's what I should offer. I am probably getting ahead of myself, but who said you couldn't dream? :)

German Soft Pretzels

A couple of weeks ago, my mom told me that we would need to prepare a report on a country for our homeschool co-op. Immediately I knew that I would do Germany. I've always wanted to visit Germany and I have thought of their culture as fresh, upcoming, and exciting. So as I was preparing my report, I came across this recipe for German soft pretzels. It's originally Alton Brown's recipe, with a few tweaks. I made these and took them to the co-op and everyone loved them. Hope you like them too!

German Soft Pretzels
Yield: 8 large pretzels

1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons butter, melted
Oil, for bowl

10 cups water
2/3 cup baking powder

1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon water
Pretzel salt or Sea Salt

Combine warm water (1 1/2 cups) with sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast on top and stir gently. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes, or until it begins to foam. Using a mixer with the dough hooks, mix in the flour 1/2 cup at a time. Mix on low speed for 2 minutes and then on medium speed for 4 minutes until dough pulls away from the side of the bowl and is sticky. Take another bowl and oil it well. Place the dough in it and put the bowl in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size. In the meantime, pour the water (10 cups) into a large pot and add the baking soda, and bring to a rolling boil once the pretzels have been shaped. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit or 230 degrees Celsius. Dump the dough out onto a greased workspace and cut it into 8 equal pieces. Take each piece and roll it into a thin log that is 24 inches long. Make a U shape, then cross the ends over and twist the dough. Press the dough down at the bottom of the pretzel. Place each pretzel, one at a time, in the boiling water for 15 seconds on each side. Then place on a baking paper-lined pan, or a very well greased pan. Beat together the egg yolk and water (1 tablespoon) and brush it on each pretzel to ensure golden color. Then sprinkle each pretzel with salt. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool for at least 5 minutes.

I really like to enjoy them with a little honey mustard. You could also put cinnamon sugar on top instead of salt before baking, just be careful not to let the sugar burn. These are really nice and chewy, and they make a great snack, breakfast, or lunch.