Skiing in Switzerland - Europe

(Views from our hotel in Interlaken!)

As winter sets in, there's one thing that excites me as much as my Baking, and that is the prospect of going Skiing! I'm not an expert skiier, nor pursue it with great dedication; BUT, I LOVE skiing, and make it a point to indulge in this fabulous sport at least once or twice a year. So, this post is for all of you who share the love of skiing. As we are planning our next Ski Holidays trip, I thought sharing this writeup would be an interesting weekend read if you love winter sports, especially Skiing! Its a weekend post, and I'm entitled to write something other than a recipe on a Saturday, right?:) Plus, many of you asked me to post about my trip, so here's to all those requests!

Living in Northern California, we have several Ski destinations close-by accessible by car. Tahoe and Dodge Ridge remain our favorites, as they are both close by and we can plan a weekend ski trip. But I'd love to go to Colorado sometime! However, after our recent trip to Switzerland, one look at the magnificent Swiss Alps and both me and my husband have become huge fans! It is indeed the best place to vacation, if you like nature and peace! The only place, perhaps, where you can enjoy green fields, waterfalls, sunny lakes and snow-capped mountains, all in the same vacation!

There are several great Ski resorts in Europe to choose from - Austria, Switzerland, Italy and of course, I'd love to ski France too! But for this post, I'll simply share our experience in Swiss and the surrounding countryside. We had the pleasure of visiting Mount Matterhorn, which is famous as the "most photographed mountain in the Alps"; The view of its triangular peak is already breathtaking from the valley village of Zermatt, where we stayed. It is a quaint town to enjoy the country-side, and the best part is, it is Care-free Town! So you either walk, ride a horse-carriage, or use the electric tram within the village!

(can you spot the Skiiers?!)

To enjoy skiing, you'd have to head to Klein Matterhorn, Europe's highest cable station at 12,530 feet. From there, you can ski north to Zermatt (which is the easiest one!), south to Cervinia (in Italy), or just stay at the top of the peak and enjoy some spectacular peaks in the Alps, including the mighty Matterhorn. The best part, this is one place which offers Skiing all year round, so you can make the most of your skiing holidays any time you visit! There are several hotels and ski resorts to choose from, and I'm sure any online travel adviser will be able to help you find what suits your need.

( Happy Vacationers & the JungFrau Express - Me, Bhavin, my brother Arpit & his wife Preeti)

Next we headed to Jungfrau, the top-most peak of Europe, accessible by train or cable car. Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, Grindelwald and Mürren are some of the best ski and travel destinations in the world. We stayed in Interlaken, which is aptly known as the "Gateway to JungFrau" With majestic views of the surrounding countryside, glaciers and the renowned Alpine range, its like a dream-come-true for the high-adrenaline adventure sports! BUT, let me remind you that is is NOT for the faint-hearted. Skiing in the Alps is tough, and should not be attempted unless you are an Expert! For those like us who want to have the fun but are scared of the ski slopes, you can always find activities like Snowboarding, Sledging, or the more relaxed Train Ride to JungFrau, which is both, picturesque and safe! Believe me, even if you do nothing, at least take this Train - its about $150 per person, but its totally worth it!

If Skiing is not your forte, don't worry, there's loads of things to do in Switzerland, and you'll not be disappointed. But if you do get a chance, try doing some snow-activity in the Alps - there is no other experience like it!

But hey, now we are back in US, and we'll have to settle for Skiing in Tahoe, so no more lingering on the Alps!! But in a way, I'm happy I got to see those majestic views, and now we can actually enjoy some mediocre skiing in those first and second-level slopes, without breaking a bone or two! All budding Skiiers out there, be good, and be safe! Hope you enjoyed my weekend rant, and I'll be back with a recipe on Monday, I promise!:)

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Fudgy Mocha Pistachio Brownies

Baking Brownies is an uplifting process for me! And these Chewy Mocha Pistachio Brownies have become my current favorites! Unlike other baking desserts, brownies are more stress-free, and easily customizable.The texture of a brownie, whether its fudgy, moist and chewy, or light like a cake, depends on the amounts of chocolate, butter, sugar, and flour that you use in the recipe. I chose to go with the Chewy this time. And as it was for a weekend breakfast, I added some flavored coffee powder to my pistachio brownies. I also threw in some cranberries, to make them more chewy, and the result was a seriously decadent Brownie recipe that I wouldn't trade even for a store-bought one!

Coffee lovers will always find a way to enjoy more caffeine in their lives; so off this goes to Meeta's Mingle, featuring Coffee & Tea this month. And as I'm really proud of these decadent Brownies, which have a great flavor combination, I'm sending these to Aparna's Sweet Celebrations as well!

Ingredients
1 packed cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp natural cocoa
4 oz. unsalted butter
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp cafe mocha (flavored instant coffee powder)
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/4 cup slivered unsalted pistachios
2 tbsp craisins or dried chopped cranberries (optional)

Method
Position an oven rack on the middle rung. Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch square brownie pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, and spray it with some non-stick cooking spray.

In a double boiler, melt the butter and chocolate, stirring continuously to form a smooth ganache. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Stir in the sugar, salt, and the mocha coffee powder. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, stirring each time until blended. Finally add the flour and cocoa.

Beat well, until incorporated and the mixture is smooth, 30 to 60 seconds. Add the chopped pistachios and craisins, and give a final whisking.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the brownies are thoroughly baked, form a slightly-cracked layer on the top, and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out almost clean, about 35 to 45 mins.

Set the pan on a rack until cool enough to handle. Run a paring knife around the inside edge of the pan and then invert the pan onto a flat surface and peel off the parchment. set the baked brownie back onto the rack to cool completely.

Cut into squares with a sharp knife. Enjoy your Chewy Mocha Brownies with a cup of hot Mocha, and you'll start appreciating caffeine even better!:)

Related Recipes:
Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
Almond Mocha Iced Frappucino
Mocha Hazelnut Coffee Cake

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Vaghareli Khichdi and Gujarati Kadhhi

Its pouring this weekend, and I'm craving for some simple comfort food, something that brings back fond childhood memories, is easy to make, and is indeed warm and comforting in this gloomy cold weather! As me and B sit chatting together, we find solace in a plate of hot Mung Dal Khichdi and authentic Gujarati Kaddhi. "Khichdi", literally means "hotch-potch", where you cook rice and lentils together, and throw in a bunch of spices, and maybe some vegetables of your choice. "Kaddhi" is the perfect counterpart for Gujarati Toor Dal, and is made of buttermilk and besan (chickpea flour) Together, they create a healthy, satisfying and very comforting meal that no restaurant menu can match! Here is a recap of my original Khichdi-Kaddhi recipe.

Ingredients

For Khichdi
3 cups moong dal
2 cup basmati or plain rice
3 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
7-8 whole black pepper-corns
1 cup onions - finely chopped
1 cup potatoes - finely diced
1 cup fresh/frozen green tuvar (lilva)(optional, but you can get it in Indian stores)
3 tsp turmeric powder
2 green chillies - chopped
2 tbsp cumin seeds (jeera)
salt - to taste (about 1 1/2-2 tbsp)
lemon juice - to taste (about 2 tbsp)

For Kadddhi
3 cups sour buttermilk
1/4 to 1/2 cup besan (chickpea flour)
2 tbsp ghee
salt and lemon juice - to taste
jaggery or sugar - to taste (start with less if you like it sour!)
2 green chillies - chopped
1 tbsp cumin seeds (jeera)
2 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi)
a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
chopped corander for garnish
5-6 curry leaves (limdo)

Method - Khichdi
Take the rice and moong dal and wash them under running water for a couple of times. Then take a pressure cooker, add add 3 tbsp ghee and add the cumin seeds, black pepper-corns, onions, and green chillies. Saute for 2 mins, then add the diced potatoes and the rice and moong dal mixture. Add in the turmeric powder and saute again so everything is mixed well. Now add the required amount of water(I generally use the ratio of 1 cup rice to 1-1/2 cup water), cover with the lid and cok it for 4-5 whistles.

Alternately, you can cook the khichdi separate in a rice cooker, and saute the remaining ingredients (use boiled potatoes in this case) in a frying pan, and add the cooked khichdi to the vegetables later.

Method - Kadhhi
Take a large vessel and por the buttermilk in it. Now slowly keep adding the besan a little at a time, constantly stirring or beating the mixture (use an egg-beater) so no lumps are formed. This is very important, and you should make sure there are no lumps at all or the kadhhi will not taste nice. Taste a little to make sure you do not get a pronounced taste of besan, it should mainly be buttermilk with a hint of besan in it.

Now take a kadhai, put 2 tbsp ghee in it, add the cumin and fenugreek seeds, asafoetida, the green chillies and the curry leaves. When they start spluttering, slowly add the buttermilk mixture and stir. Add about 3 cups of water. Keep the flame on medium to medium-high. Now add the jaggery or sugar, salt and the lemon juice. Cover partially and let it boil. Once it gets a bit thick, but not too tick, check for taste and see that it does not taste like a spoonful of besan. If so, add a little more water. Garnish with chopped coriander.

This is a really simple gujarati recipe that anyone can easily make at home. Serve the Khichdi and Kadhhi hot with pickle and enjoy the taste of a traditional gujarati meal:)

Related Recipes:
Rava Dhokla
Instant Khandvi (Suralichi Wadi)
Methi Palak na Muthiya

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