apple pie and whiskey

As every year, we celebrated my father-in-law's birthday last weekend. And after the Hawaiian luau last year and the 60s revival buffet the year before, he wished for a 'Wild West'-themed dinner.

Of course we didn't really try and make it a historically correct pioneer / cowboy re-enactment evening, which probably would have been not entirely entertaining. But we tried to come up with a menu that all the guests could instantly relate to - which ended up being steak & onions, bacon & beans, grilled corn on the hob and ever so slightly charred jacked potatoes with herbed sour cream.

It was a much simpler thing to prepare than the years before, but very much to my surprise it turned out pretty damn near perfect. The individual dishes worked perfectly together, and with a nice mug of beer, it was simply a great dinner.

Speaking of beer in mugs - naturally we've had to have enameled tin plates and mugs. In out eyes, they felt at least as important as the cowboy hats (we've had one for each guest) and the red-chequered table cloth.

As for desert, there was little other option than apple pie. And considering that this was the first I've ever made (and eaten, for that matter) it was pretty great.



Apple pie and whiskey go surprisingly well together, especially when said whiskey comes in pretty huge tin mugs. Repeatedly.

Add a Dutch uncle who brought his ukulele and actually knew how to play it like a serious pro, you can imagine what a hilarious evening that was.

this time of the year - part six

As the year turns, once again it is time to prepare for the upcoming holiday season. It is a little scary to think of Christmas before the leaves have even turned yellow here, but it's October already and some things you just can't speed up.

Like the resting time of this year's Pfefferkuchen dough.



I've added a lot more cocoa powder this year, so I added another egg for more liquid. Hence the dough looks even less savoury than ever before. But it definitely smelled nice, so I am pretty positive it'll turn out lovely.

Also, last weekend I set up a new jar of spice-infused rum for mulled wine.



A lovely scent, the hint of peeled oranges and lemons drifting through our whole place for days. If it turned out well, I'll see the coming weekend.

where we've been

Guess where we've been for two lovely weeks lately.