Princess Party

Princess Cake : Seebenstein, AT

While we were staying with Christine and Hellmut, two of their granddaughters celebrated their birthdays. Their daughter, Sonja, is a wonderful cake decorator and made a cake for her daughter (the other grandchild was nearly 18 and they had a family get-together the next night at daughter Sabina's. I took a few pictures of the party and enjoyed meeting and getting reacquainted with this wonderful family!

Vanessa makes her grandfather, Hellmut, chuckle : Seebenstein, AT

All of the kids had a blast and even the adults got in on the fun. Below, son-in-law Jose competes in the sack race with his cousin. Jose lost. It wasn't even close. :-D

It wasn't even close! 

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 5/2012

Dear Friend

Daniella : Klagenfurt, AT

After Croatia, we headed north for Austria. I lived there more than 20 years ago as a missionary. We've been in Europe three years and this was my trip back to a country I fell in love with two decades ago. Our first stop was the home of friend Daniella. She and her husband live in the Province of Carinthia (Kärnten). I lived in the village of Villach at the end of my mission. She and her family live up the road in a subdivision of the city of Klagenfurt, the capital of the province.

Daniella and her daughter, M : Klagenfurt, AT

With an old and dear friend. Daniella and I. : Klagenfurt, AT

Daniella's husband, Franz, is an architect. They live in a house that includes three generations. Franz's parents live on the ground floor and Daniella and Franz and their two children live on the upper two floors. He designed their living space, which has a very Seussical feel in the main room. That thing we're sitting against is actually part of the heating system for the house and Daniella says, in the winter it's particularly nice to sit here and read.

We stayed for two nights and it was lovely to catch up with an old friend. I wish we could have stayed longer and I hope we'll go back sooner than another 20 years!

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 5/2012. Bottom photo taken by Maya Lucchitta.

I Get by with a Little Help from My Friends!

Making crescent rolls for Thanksgiving in France : Ferney-Voltaire, FR

Yesterday, I had to make enough mashed potatoes and crescent rolls for 20 people! They were to be consumed at the first of THREE Thanksgiving dinners I'll be attending before the end of the month. This one was local and featured people from work at the home of the fabulous Faith McLellan and her intern/guest, Carl Nelson. As I was only supposed to be here for 45 days, I didn't pack things like a rolling pin or measuring cups.

My thanks to the following people for making my baking endeavors possible: First, to Mom, for having such a fabulous roll recipe; to Phillip, for sending me the smashed potatoes recipe; to Janeen, for sending me the family cookbook with Mom's amazing rolls; to Gretchen, for compiling the family book; to Christian Fuster, for teaching me the word for "yeast" in French ("levure"); to Kim Wishard, for lending me the rolling pin, measuring cups, and electric mixer that allowed me make the rolls and the potatoes; to Maya, for doing a great job buttering the rolls (we used 2 kilos of butter in the rolls and 1 kilo in the potatoes. That's the equivalent of nearly 7 lbs of butter!); and to Faith McLellan, for hosting a fabulous Thanksgiving feast!

The finished product: Mom's crescent rolls! Yummy! Butter!!

Here's the recipe, if you're interested.

Janell's Crescent Rolls

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup milk, scalded

2 eggs, well beaten

1/4 cup hot water

1 yeast cake, dissolved

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

5 cups flour

Dissolve yeast in hot water. Mix one half of the flour, salt, and sugar together. Add eggs, milk, butter, and dissolved yeast. Mix well until smooth. Ad remaing flour. Mix and knead well until smooth and dough does not stick to hands or bowl. Add additional flour as needed to keep the dough smooth. Shape into a ball and place in a bowl; grease top of the dough with butter. Cover with a dish towel and let the dough rise until double in size; about 1 hour or a little more. Punch the dough down and let set for 10 minutes.

In a sauce pan, melt one to two sticks of butter. Divide dough into thirds and shape into balls, set aside. Take one ball at a time and roll it out to about 3/8" thickness and 9-10" in diameter, approximately. Butter the entire surface area. Cut the circle into fourths and then each fourth into thirds for a total of twelve wedges. Roll each wedge from the top (broad end) down to the point. Pinch the end. Place on a cookie sheet about 2" apart. Generously butter the tops of each roll, cover with a dish towel and let rise to double in size, approximately 1 hour.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 F / 175 C for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and brush again with melted butter while still on the cookie sheet. Remove from the sheet and cool on a wire rack.

Repeat with the other two balls of dought. One batch of dough makes 3 dozen crescent rolls.

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 11/09

Gibby

Gibby, contemplating his next move : On the Rhein : Basel, CH

My friends Scott and Diana have rat terriers. They're a little like Jack Russells, but a whole lot calmer and with longer legs. This is a picture I snapped of Gibby as we were on the ferry crossing the Rhein River from Grossbasel over to Kleinbasel. I think if Scott hadn't had a hold of him, Gibby would have taken a gleeful dive right into the drink.

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 07/09

Chez Dr Lala

Chez Lala

For the moment, I'm staying in the French countryside at the home of my friend Dr. Lala. She lives in a lovely house in Prevessin-Moën, just over the border from Switzerland and about 20 minutes (in good traffic) from work in Geneva.

Dr. Lala and her co-owner/housemate are trying to sell their house. If you know anyone who would like a six bedroom, four bathroom home with 2,500 square meters of land, give a shout. I think they're asking CHF 1.1 million.

Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 05/09