cooker man

On Christmas morning, this apron and chef's hat from me was a big dud (I think Max actually screamed in digust upon opening it). But now he loves it and calls it his "cooker man." He loves helping in the kitchen and insists on wearing this gear when he does.

america part 8: in-n-out

I dedicate my last America food entry to In-N-Out Burger: fresh, fast and delicious.

But now I must say goodbye and return to bratwurst, rösti, and schoggi gipfeli (chocolate croissants) in Zurich. Thank you America - a good time was had by all.

america part 7: super size

Everything in my swiss cooking life is small. My oven doesn't fit my half sheet baking pans. Fitting anything in my fridge is a Tetris puzzle. Milk comes in liters, not gallons. Eggs come with 4 instead of a dozen. The largest bag of flour or sugar is 1 kilo (2.2 pounds). My freezer is a joke. So visiting America is like Jack climbing the beanstalk.


we seem to drink a gallon just as fast as a liter


the package says "anything goes with eggs"


kiss that garlic press goodbye


"spread the fun"

america part 6: gyros

Does this make you hungry? I want to eat another Gyros sandwich right now just looking at this pic. Back in the day, a few of us would just get a couple pounds of gyros meat and snarf it down. In Zurich, I can get a Doner sandwich on practically every corner. It's a similar idea but the meat tastes different, the yogurt sauce is thin and spicy instead of thick and tangy, and it uses flatbread instead of a fluffy pita. In short, nothing like a Gyros. I had this one near Belmont park at Mission Beach. It was a special treat.

america part 5: mexican

fish and shrimp tacos - one of my must-have foods while in San Diego

Mexican food is far and away what I've missed the most being away from CA. I've eaten Mexican almost every day since I've been here and I can't get enough: carnitas, carne asada, fresh tortillas, mexican rice, refried pinto beans, salsa bars, horchata... ok, I'm going out to lunch right now.

Even better is simply the experience of eating out. I can be anywhere in San Diego and think, "I feel like eating tacos" and within a couple minutes, I'll drive by some Albertos or Robertos or Alibertos (almost always a variation on "bertos") taco shop where I can easily park, plop down $5 and be eating fantastic, fresh tacos in 5 minutes. It makes me so happy.

Zurich has a few mexican restaurants, but
a) it's too expensive - 25sfr for a burrito?
b) they usually use bottled salsa that tastes like tomato sauce - gross. There's just no excuse. Fresh, interesting salsa is the whole point of mexican food and it's so easy to make.
c) it's more "fancy" (duck enchiladas, anyone?) and tex-mex, than good ole california taco shop style.


this is what mexican food should look like: cheap, messy and delish!


this is where mexican food should be eaten - the beach!


gotta love those taco shop prices - $.99 guacamole and $.69 salsa


carne asada torta, an old favorite - grilled flank steak and guac on bread

america part 4: donuts n' things

was $2.60 ever better spent?

Zurich might have an endless supply of pastry shops, but they don't have a Donutopia. It's wonderful to be a land full of tiny run down donut shops, named such hopeful things as Yum Yum Donuts and Donut Heaven. Excepting Krispie Kreme, why do all donut shops look exactly the same, particularlywith the same empty, nicked, bright yellow tables frequented only occasionally by the down-n-out or wasted out-past-curfew teens? But the donuts are always awesome! Glazed raised, old fashioned, sprinkled cake, chocolate twists - it doesn't matter to me. I love them all. But with donuts, it's always the case of diminishing returns. They are so cheap, you have to by at least a half dozen. And the first one is so good, you have to eat a second, which makes you sick. Then you go for a third, just in case the second was a fluke. Then you never want to have another donut. Good times.


everything & more

After all my bagel baking trials, I had to get my hands on the real thing. OK, almost the real thing, since I'm not in NYC. I had an everything bagel with onion and chive cream cheese. We also got a cinnamon sugar and a blueberry one, for comparison. They were good (and cheap!). But, I have to say that my "perfect"bagel was at least as good, if not better. Something I would have never discovered but for living out of bagel territory. Thank you Zurich.

america part 2: barbeque

this is only half of the full brisket we attempted to consume over several meals

The Swiss love to grill (hot and fast), but not barbeque (low and slow). So since we wouldn't be visiting a bbq state like Texas, Tennesee or South Carolina, my husband mail-ordered this enormous slow cooked beef brisket, an enormous pork roast, and lots of sausage (totally different than Swiss/German sausage and totally yummy) so we could eat real barbeque while in the US. It was all good, but our favorite was the pork, which we shredded and ate in sandwiches with vinegar sauce. I think he ordered from www.willyraysbbq.com as recommended by this article. If you're in San Francisco (our old home town), you can indulge by visiting Memphis Minnie's, which has excellent 18hr brisket.

(Sorry the pic isn't better - I've been relaxing this trip and not as attached to the camera as I should.)

america part 1: milkshakes

chipped mint milkshake, aka pure heaven

I'm in America for the Christmas holiday, thus the blogging break. I'm eating like a maniac. Exhibit A: diner milkshakes. We estimate about 1/2 gallon of ice cream per shake, which includes a "side car," the metal cup containing the rest of the shake that couldn't fit in the shake glass. In my book, any milkshake that doesn't come with a side car isn't a milkshake at all. Oh, it was good. Especially after downing 28 oz of vanilla coke and then periodically interrupting my slurping with crispy onion rings and dripping bites of bacon cheeseburger. I love America.

our beverages - quite disturbing all stacked together


peanut butter shake - we swapped sidecars so I could eat some of it


indoctrinating our son on the fatty ways of America


bacon cheeseburger and onion rings
you just can't get burgers this deliciously greasy in CH


sliders - kiddie burgers


my husband opts for the slightly lighter option, but it still has bacon :)