First dinner with our new friends
The first dinner with “the gang,” was an Indonesian dinner called Rijstaffel. There are still many Indonesians in Holland because Indonesia was a colony of the Dutch and much of that cultural impact is still seen in Haarlem.
Gelatolicious
It was time for lunch but we weren’t very hungry, so we decided to just have some gelato for lunch.
Stroopwafels
We bought a Dutch treat called Stroopwafels, caramel-filled waffle cookies. Yum!
Oh man, what are those waffle things?
Looking at the marvelous masterpieces in the Rijksmuseum made us hungry so we walked across the street to a park and bought a warm waffle with Nutella from a street vendor. We sat on a park bench enjoying our waffle and people watching.
The Pied Piper of Pancakes
We don’t have a picture for this one, but since the Dutch are famous for their pancakes we really wanted to have some. We heard that there were some to be had at Keukenhof Gardens we visited that morning. However, we had trouble finding them. Another couple from our group wanted some too and joined us in the search. Soon five others joined us in the quest.
Mark was our intrepid leader whom we dubbed “the Pied Piper of Pancakes!” Ten people were following him around until he finally found them. Warm, little Dutch blobs of sheer heaven swimming in butter, confectioners’ sugar and whipped cream! We were all so excited about our “find” and had worked up quite an appetite that we quickly gobbled them up before remembering to take a picture!
Germany and Austria
Brats and Beer
I’m not much of a beer drinker, but I wanted to have a beer in Germany. So we found a little restaurant in St. Goar and ordered a traditional German lunch of brats, sauerkraut, fried potatoes and beer. Nobody does brats, sauerkraut or fried potatoes better than Germans.
Being sufficiently fueled up, we hiked up to see Rheinfels Castle, the ruins of a medieval castle. Then headed back down to St. Goar where we cooled off with gelato. ~Julie
Cold morning…warm bakery
One morning we skipped breakfast at the hotel and walked up the street to a bakery we had seen the day before. We had luscious pastries and cappuccino snuggled in the corner of the very small bakery, leaning on padded rails that were there instead a chairs.
Schneeballen
Rothenburg specialty called “Schneeballen.” They come in chocolate, cinnamon & hazelnut.
We’re the hungry people
Another German brat! They are so good all you need is a good roll and some mustard. Fabulous! Notice the “boy with the pig” statue above the entrance to the restaurant show hungry people this is where to buy bratwurst. They had the best wurst!
Traditionally Austrian
We had a traditional Austrian dinner. I had asparagus soup, trout, and for dessert, pancakes (crepes) with cream and slept well after a long day of rigorous hiking.
A McDonalds like no other
This is the first McDonalds we’ve ever seen with real glasses and coffee mugs and yummy things to eat such as chocolate macaroons. Amazing!
Italian Delights
Venice Visions
Dinner in Venice with the gang. I had gnocchi and Julie had seafood risotto.
Nutella
I love Nutella! As luck would have it, so do Europeans. It was served at every breakfast buffet and not wanting to offend, I indulged every morning!
Fresh taste
Everything in this neighborhood market was so bright and fresh.
Fine FastFood
While traveling through Italy we stopped at several AutoGrills, which were very nice rest stops. They included nice restaurants where everything was freshly prepared; pasta, salads, sandwiches and cappuccino and also other stores. We were so impressed with the AutoGrills. Some of the bigger AutoGrills span over the autostrada to capture the attention of drivers.
Florence Sweet Shop
Florence’s Central Market
We headed for the Central Market (Mercato Central), a giant iron-and-glass-covered building that housed an absolute wonderland of food. We had so much fun looking at everything for sale there; meats (including chickens and ducks with their head still on), fruits, vegetables, nuts, wines, oils, spices; anything and everything you would ever want to use when cooking.
Endless amounts of gorgeous produce
Butcher Shops
We found things here we don’t usually find at butcher shops at home. Rabbits, chickens with heads still attached, all kinds of seafood, and boar meat (not pictured).
Gelato madness
We had gelato so many times, we lost count. But it was pretty close to everyday!
Florentine delights
Another lovely dinner with the gang in Florence (above). Lemon chicken and the best sauteed spinach. Yum!
Pitti-Ful Pizza
The not-so-good cafeteria pizza from the Pitti Palace. I didn’t feel much like royalty when I ate it!
Masterful Chocolate
We could have stayed for hours at the Uffizi Gallery, and we did stay a bit longer than the rest of our group. I needed a break so I slipped into the Uffizi’s cafe for some yummy hot chocolate.
It was all we could have imagined
After the Uffizi Gallery we found a nice little place and enjoyed a quiet dinner. I tried to order in Italian even though the menu had an English translation. I told the manager it was delizioso! He came back and offered us both a lemoncello to finish off our dinner. He was so gracious. The lemoncello was so smooth and sweet, and a perfect ending to our day.
Cinque Terre Dining
We had dinner with the group at Ristorante Belvedere. Most of us had amfora, which was a seafood dish baked in an amfora pot for thirty minutes then brought to the table and dumped into a large bowl, from which everyone is served. Out of the amfora pot came prawns, mussels, lobster, white fish, squid and lastly an octopus plopped out, smothered in a rich savory sauce and served with garlic bread.
I figured the best place to eat this kind of seafood would be in the Cinque Terre where seafood dishes are a specialty using seafood caught fresh daily in the Mediterranean Sea. It was an extraordinary dinner as I have never had mussels, squid, octopus, or prawns (whole, with their little black eyes still looking at me)! I don’t think I will ever eat any of those little critters again but I can tell you it was a fun experience and an adventure to try it.
Switzerland Sweets
Toasty lunch with the Swiss
Lunch in Switzerland at a street-side cafe.
I can’t feel my tongue
Black Forest Cake from Hotel Stechelberg made with lots of Schnapps.
High altitude fondue
Cheese Fondue made by Otto the innkeeper at Hotel Stechelberg
Finally...France
Ahhh…Crème de Cassis
The best thing we’ve ever tasted! Crème de Cassis from Beaune, France! Next time I’m dumping all my clothes in the garbage and filling my suitcase with as many bottles of this “necter or the gods” as I can fit in my suitcase!
“Eat, eat!”
Delightful lunch in a small restaurant in Paris. Was very calm and relaxing with amazing hosts who kept telling me, “Manger, manger!” or in English, “Eat, eat!”
Ooo la la!
Our daughter, Elise, had already been to the Eiffel Tower and she told us about the scrumptious Nutella crepes sold from the street vendors next to the Eiffel Tower. So being the Nutella lover that I am, I just had to have one. Mark had to get his own because I didn’t want to share! Ooo la la!
See The Alps and the Cows in Switzerland…click here
Small Things
Food Faves
Europe By The Colors
