STEPPING OUT OF 'MY' COMFORT ZONE...

A few days ago the hub decided to shake the kids out of their secure bubble, & announced it was time to take a trip into town using public transport. The call was for a trip into the old city here in Delhi, 'Old Delhi, Purani Dilli or the Walled City' as it is also called, and by the Delhi Metro. The Metro has been around for a couple of years yet we hadn’t experienced it. 'Oh NO'… a huge cry rose across the room, both kids looking at me in despair. The hub always feels that the two of them have got too used to being driven around from point A to B, or using the school bus. They have no idea how the transport system works, & how we used to hop on and off buses when we were young. We’ve been on the Monorail in Sydney, MRT in Singapore, Metro in HKG, Tube in London, even the Moscow Metro…but every country is different, and ours is no exception. Hopped onto the train, stumbling around the system initially, but we soon got a hang of things. Though the journey into town was an hour long, it was stress free, in air conditioned comfort, with no crowds etc. Being a really hot and humid day, once out of the train, the heat, humidity & chaos soon hit us. We had stepped into a different world, & the kids just gaped! The walled city has a certain charm of it’s own. Lots of old dilapidated buildings, delicious roadside food (which we didn’t heat because of jaundice, typhoid fears), hundreds of people, cattle, rickshaws ... all sharing space on the road. A happy balance of complete chaos. We had fun sauntering around streets with no names, reaching dead ends, then piling into rickshaws and racing each other, passing the Jama Masjid en route, India’s largest and most picturesque mosque. Screeched to a halt to crowd into a tiny shop dealing with brass ware etc. Was fun to see the kids’ eyes light up… so much to sift through. A shop packed with fascinating bric-a-brac. They wanted everything, the daughter especially who went ballistic and almost needed to be tranquilized. I wanted everything, but then I’m ‘grown-up’, so that’s my perk!! We shopped till the hub dropped, & then set off again. The bait was the food of course! Here the kids were game. Let’s go to Karim’s was the call…a place that found its way into top Asian foodie joint listings, including the Times and BBC guides. To quote from the Time Magazine, 'Travelers in Delhi have a lot on their plate. Mughal monuments like the hulking Red Fort and the elegant Jama Masjid, India's largest mosque, loom above the city's myriad bazaars and the dusty homes of forgotten poets. But no matter how much there is to explore, locals and visitors alike always return to Delhi's most beloved haunt: Karim's. A cycle-rickshaw ride from the Chandni Chowk Metro stop, Karim's is neither soaring fortress nor ancient temple, yet it is an unmissable landmark nonetheless, often filled to capacity with the faithful. This drab roadside dhaba (or eatery) serves up the most authentic Mughlai fare in the city—which is what you might expect considering who runs the place.'The hype had been created before. We conveniently forgot to tell them that it was a glorified road-side dhaba that is famous for its food, not interiors. They were shocked & refused to eat. Hub and me exchanged looks, & told them to wait while we ate, and they could eat at home. To Karim’s credit, the minute the food was served, the kids devoured it like there was no tomorrow, enjoying each morsel.Long day done, early supper enjoyed, and we set off into the setting sun to catch the Metro back home. This time the journey wasn’t easy. We got caught in the holiday rush & were squished like sardines in a can. Crowds like we’ve never seen before, jostling for every square inch. Quite alarming actually, but surprise surprise; the kids didn’t complain. Not once. They just took to it and were quite fancy-free. Not a whine the entire hour of standing with teeming millions, not a whine when there was a power cut for a minute & my heart stopped beating, not a whine till we got back home…WOW!!Lesson learnt - It's me who has to step out of my comfort zone. I confess I was VERY skeptical and doubted this idea would work. Rolled my eyes at the hub when the kids weren't looking. Experience is a great teacher! Kids are so much more adaptable. They just need the opportunity.

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This post was written by Deeba

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Supermarkets have made our lives better?

Last weekend I read an interesting article by Jay Rayner, a food critic and commentator, about how, in his opinion, “supermarkets have made our lives better.”

This is an unfashionable viewpoint with many people who consider themselves committed foodies - they will refuse to step into a supermarket and if they do it’s always with a hint of shame and despair at having been caught out by the system.

However, for many people supermarkets are the best (and occasionally only) option. The range of products is broad and tailored to the local community, prices are affordable and the time that needs to be spent on shopping can be managed better with a single location/online ordering.


Having said that, there are many concerns about the power that supermarkets wield. As Jay says, “We know that massive supermarkets have been squeezing producers for years, slicing margins which, in turn, has had a knock-on effect on the quality of produce. The excesses of industrial food production in the country are a direct result of the buying policies of the supermarkets.”

These are important issues which need addressing. Here in the UK there was some hope that the Competition Commission which has just reported after a two-year investigation into whether supermarkets abuse their market position, drive small rivals out of business or abuse their suppliers. The recommendations seem to lack teeth and significant change is unlikely.

This means, as ever, it’s important that we all take the time to think about the issues associated with the industry which puts food in front of us. We need to make informed choices and take responsibility for the system, whether it’s small-scale and homespun or national and industrial, that we support.

What are the key issues for you and what choices do you make?

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This Post was written by abby from eat the right stuff.

Love Food, Hate Waste

The recently launched Love Food, Hate Waste website reminded me that here in the UK, a third of the food we buy ends up being thrown away. Most of this is food that can be eaten, not just banana skins and tea bags.

For every three bags of food we carry home, we are effectively dropping one straight into the bin. As well as being a waste of money this is also a huge waste of resources.

As we approach Christmas, a time when many of us are buying more food than usual, it is particularly important that we think about how to ensure that we are not wasting food


Plan your meals and shop accordingly
Normally, keeping your cupboard and fridge stocked with the basics, and knowing what is in them and your freezer, is the best way to ensure that you can pull a meal together. Keeping an eye on best before dates and checking how your fruit and vegetables are every few days so you can use them up when they are at their freshest and ripest is also critical. For many of us there is no need for strict menu-planning.

However, during the festive season, when we often want to eat particular foods on particular days, planning meals becomes really important, both to ensure we shop for what we need but also to avoid waste.

Make a timetable and mark in the special meals that you want to cook and eat. Think about which of these are likely to result in leftovers and then work out how you can use these leftovers to make other dishes, not forgetting smaller meals when a sandwich or bowl of soup will be more than enough.

If you have gaps in your menu planner slot some of these in. If there aren’t enough gaps, think about which leftovers can be frozen for use another day. For example, if you are having turkey on Christmas Day you can freeze the carcass to make stock or, if you have the time, make and freeze the stock itself.

When you are shopping, obviously you’ll want to have some treats to hand for snacking on but don’t go over the top. So many festive meals are large and rich and those extra cakes, chocolates or nuts that you buy really aren’t going to get eaten. Or if they are it is just because they were there which is always a waste of calories!

Get your portion sizes right
When planning special meals it is so easy to get carried away. If you are anything like me, you write a list of everything that you traditionally have, add on a few of your new favourites and then an extra something, “just in case.”

Try and restrain yourself! If there are only two of you, that festive roast really doesn’t need six different vegetable accompaniments plus two types of potato dish as well as the usual trimmings of pigs in blankets, stuffing, bread sauce and Yorkshire puddings! Or if you can’t bear to cut back on the number of dishes, make smaller portions, particularly of those things that won’t freeze/work well as leftovers.

Think about eating your meals over an extended period of time. A mid-morning Christmas glass of something celebratory would be lovely with smoked salmon blinis, taking away the need to do a more formal starter. Similarly, your choice of pudding can easily be eaten an hour of two after your main course. This approach also helps your body digest the larger-than-usual amounts of food that many of us will be eating.

Think about smaller, lighter meals for the days when you’ll have already overindulged. Simple vegetable soups – using up some of those extra veggies you inevitably bought – are a lifesaver. And if you do cook too much of anything, portion it up and put it in the freezer.

Think about storage
Think about how you can store your food so that it lasts as long as possible. The Love Food, Hate Waste has some great tips about this as well as how to rescue foods that are becoming past their best.

It’s also important to be realistic about how much space you have and what space is needed for the festive food that you are planning to buy. If you have a garage think about using this for keeping drinks and vegetables cool, only bringing them in when you need them.

Fridges and freezers become particularly pressured at this time of year, so have a sort out and remove any items that are out of date or really don’t need to be in there. Using up almost empty jars can clear lots of valuable space. This weekend is a good time to go through your freezer and plan a few meals for next week that will use up large bulky items that could be cleared to make space.

And when you’ve done all of that, it’s time to think about how your saved pennies can be put to better use…

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This Post was written by abby from eat the right stuff

Healthy Eating – getting started

If you’ve decided to try and eat a bit more healthily, by boosting your fruit and vegetable intake, it’s worth thinking about how to get things kick-started.

Think about which fruit and vegetables you and your family like then stock up on these. Also, think about the meals you cook that have a good fruit and vegetable content and schedule these into a meal planner for the week - just list what you will eat on each day and check if you’re likely to get up to 5 portions.


Getting more fruit and vegetables into your house and using them as the basis for your meals is really important.

Planning your meals in advance and using this as the basis for your shopping list is one approach. To be honest I’m not good at this as I choose what to cook depending on my mood. This means that stocking up on things I know I like is a good approach for me.

Thinking about how you shop for fruit and vegetables can also make a real difference. I like going to my local market and choosing which fruit and vegetables to buy based on what is in season and looks particularly good – colour, smell etc.

There are a few regular purchases I make to ensure we have a good mix of things - carrots for snacking on in the day, fresh tomatoes for salads or easy pasta dishes, plus onions, garlic, chillies, herbs and lemons to add flavour to dishes. With fruit I always stock up on bananas and apples/pears which act as the base ingredients for our daily smoothie.

If you live somewhere more rural a trip to your local farm shop or farmers market might be a good approach.

Increasingly popular are fruit and vegetable boxes. These are boxes of fruit and/or vegetables which you are delivered to your home (or office if you prefer). They usually contain fresh produce that is locally sourced and is often organic. This reduces the environmental impact your shopping is having as well as supports local business and provides you with fresh and tasty food.

The fun bit is that, because the boxes are seasonal, you never really know what you’re going to get. This is a great way to make yourself be a more creative cook and try new things. Kohlrabi is something that a lot of vegetable boxes contain at the moment and usually prompts a look of fear and confusion – thankfully most fruit and vegetable box suppliers include a wide selection of recipes on their websites!

If cost is a driver for you then both market shopping and fruit and vegetable boxes can be comparable with supermarket shopping. In fact markets, assuming you’re not exclusively using gourmet markets that stock every product imaginable but at costs to match, can be real money savers. This is particularly true if you go towards the end of the day. But, beware if you’re a bargain hunter – you may need to pick up a book about how to make jam or chutney to help you dispose of that box of apples or giant bag of peppers!

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This Post was written by Abby from eat the right stuff.

Let Your Shopping List Work For You

I'd like to make a confession. I love grocery shopping. I like walking up and down the aisles perusing the new products. I know some of you share my love, while others find it a big chore. For those of you that need help, I thought I'd share my grocery shopping system with you.

Start by making a list of all of the ingredients you need. The most important thing about this list is to arrange it in sections by thinking of the sections of a grocery store. Put all of your produce on one portion of the page, dairy on another, meats on another, pantry goods in another, and so on and so forth. If you are familiar with your grocery store lay out create your list according to the market's floor plan. At my Safeway I like to start in the produce section and make my way through the back of the store stopping to pick up chicken, bacon, frozen goods, milk, cheese, wine, and bread along the way. Having a list in your hands will also keep you from purchasing impulse foods that aren't good for your wallet or your weight. Once you get used to shopping with your list you will realize that you can be in and out of the grocery store in no time and you might just find you actually enjoy your walks down the super market aisles.

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This Post was written by Sabrina from YumSugar.com

Meet My Baker!

Allow me to introduce the man responsible for all the wonderful bread creations that are used in Soeren's lunch boxes and enjoyed by us at dinner time: Herr Becker ("Herr" being German for Mr.). Soeren and I are forever joking with him and call him "Herr Becker der Baecker!" - Mr. Becker the Baker. He takes it lightly and with humor. That's one of his many qualities - he is not just a brilliant baker but a kind hearted soul, always smiling and despite the size of him he is as gentle as a lamb. His family is equally wonderful and each one of his five ladies help out at the bakery: his daughters Katarina, Katy, Kim, Keila and his wife Kathrin.





I decided to revisit this post I had written to start a German Bread series a while back. Unfortunately, as many things so happen, I never got around to it. But thanks to Bee and Jai who reminded me about it. Both liked it and were charmed by this article so much and wanted to know more about my bakery and German bread and so they asked me to take part in their wonderful postcard series. So, I decided to re-write the article, dust it up and bring it out again. I am sending this with hugs and love to Jugalbandi's postcard series.

Visiting the Beckers at their bakery is never just an in-and-out routine, but an event. We always bring enough of time with us, because there will be a lot of chatter, a bit of gossip and a lot of tasting. Being his favorite customer, Soeren is allowed to go into the back and always taste one of his new creations that "he is currently in the middle of testing" - a new cake, cookie type, or bread. The bakery produces (mostly) organic breads and pastry and the thing I really like is that Herr Becker is always trying out new things. Kneading and mixing up concoctions, always busy and always with a huge grin on his face. In a week we visit the Beckers 3 to 4 times, buying mostly fresh bread, buns, rolls and pastry. It really is hard to choose one favorite when the variety is so huge, but we have found a few favorite breads we like to buy regularly. That is till the next time Herr Becker comes up with a new bread creation - who knows it might just become one of our new favorites.



Bakeries in Germany sell their large selection of breads in uncut loaves. They are all piled and sorted nicely on shelves behind the glass sales counters. In the glass counters you are disillusioned by the colorful selection of wonderful pastries, cakes and cookies. I think if I was ever left in there at my own risk I would dive into the counter - one of my more crazy fantasies!

The loaves of bread are sold by weight and depending on what's in them. One of the very best moments is to come home with a bread that is still warm, cutting a slice with the bread knife and the aroma of this wonderful freshly baked good spreading throughout the house, getting some fresh butter out of the fridge and spreading it on the slice. As the butter melts and trickles into the bread you take a huge bite. UMMMMMM! Heavenly!



Did you know that there are at least 300 types of bread to choose from? I think however that, that is just a rough basic number and in actual fact the number is a lot higher. "Brot" is a fundamental part of German food. You will find a "Baeckerei" (bakery) at any street corner and when we ask any of our friends and family living abroad what we should bring with us, the answer is always the same - "Some of that lovely German bread!" A typical bread mixes wheat and rye flour to form the basis of the traditional German bread. Other popular ingredients also include oats, barley and spelt, or onions, nuts, special types of grain, herbs and spices.

Something we really enjoy eating at our home is probably the darkest bread ever: Pumpernickel. It consists mainly of grainy rye flour and isn’t baked but steamed. This makes it very firm and juicy with a slightly sweetish flavor. As it stays fresh for a long time it is a handy gift for friends and relatives living outside Germany.

What I like about many bakeries here is you can often buy just half of a loaf. Which I do very often. I buy a half of one type and half of another type. This way I have a variety and it does not spoil that quickly.



So, maybe some of you can understand why I never wish for a bread machine on my Birthdays or for Christmas. Why should I when Herr Becker the Baker is just around the corner?

With this I am starting a new series on the Daily Tiffin. I hope to show you the many varieties of breads, rolls and pastries available in a normal everyday bakery.

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This Post was written by Meeta from What's For Lunch, Honey?

Blog the Bread #1 - Bernd the Bread

Looking for Soeren's lunchbox? Sorry, none today? Soeren is off to his grandparents for the weekend.

Instead I thought I'd treat you to my first promised German bread review. Under Blog the Bread I'll be posting a few posts every now and then talking about the breads I use and what a large variety is available here in Germany. If you're interested, tune in later.

Now, I have to drive Soeren to his grandparents - see ya'll later

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Well here it is at last. My first German bread review.

I'll start by introducing my baker: His name is Herr (German for Mr.) Becker. I am always joking around with him and calling him "Becker the Baker". He has 4 wonderful daughters: Katarina, Katy, Kim, Keila and his wife Kathrin (a lot of K's). They all help out at the bakery and are such a wonderful and kind hearted family. Soeren is always getting free treats when we go and we are there 3 to 4 times a week!

The bakery produces (mostly) organic breads and pastry and the thing I like is that Herr Becker is always trying out new things. Kneading and mixing up concoctions, always busy and always with a huge grin on his face.

This bread here is our favorite. It really is hard to choose one favorite when the variety is so huge. But it is something I always buy. It is only available on Mondays and Thursdays. On one of those days I do always go and get a loaf.

Bakeries in Germany sell their large selection of breads in uncut loaves. They are all piled and sorted nicely on shelves behind the glass sales counters. In the glass counters you are disillusioned by the colorful selection of wonderful pastries, cakes and cookies. I think if I was ever left in there at my own risk I would dive into the counter - one of my more crazy fantasies!

The loaves of bread are sold by weight and depending on what's in them. One of the very best moments is to come home with a bread that is still warm, cutting a slice with the bread knife and the aroma of this wonderful freshly baked good spreading throughout the house, getting some fresh butter out of the fridge and spreading it on the slice. As the butter melts and trickles into the bread you take a huge bite. UMMMMMM! Heavenly!

Did you know that there are at least 300 German bread types to choose from! I think however that, that is just a rough basic number and in actual fact the number is a lot higher. What I like about the bakeries here is you can often buy just half of a loaf. Which I do very often. I buy a half of one type and half of another type. This way I have a variety and it does not spoil that quickly.

Anyway, back to this bread. This one has a name - Bernd the Bread! I am being serious. He is so popular he even has his own TV series for kids! No jokes!

The bread is made from rye and is packed with flax, sesame, sunflower and oats, as you can see on the crust. This is also one of the very few breads that Soeren will eat with crusts. Now surprises there, eh?

I love to eat this one spread with cream cheese and a spoonful of pesto alla genovese on top. That is so scrumptious!

We eat a lot of bread at home. There are two or three times a week when I will cut up the fresh bread slices and spread a variety of cheeses, hams, salamis and other cold cuts or fish out on the table. There are also tomatoes, carrots or salads to go along. We then sit at the table and enjoy laying our own slices with whatever we want and like. This is a very typical German way to have a light supper and is often reffered to as "kaltes abendbrot" meaning a cold supper. The word "abendbrot" is also very revealing as "abend" means evening and "brot is the German word for "bread". So the word itself says a lot about how the German eating habit in the evenings is ;-)

Of course, if any "real" Germans reading this would like to add or modify anything I have written, please do.

Hope you enjoyed this first little review. I'll be doing this type review for each type of bread that I buy and on an irregular basis but mostly on the weekends, when I have more time ;-)

I'd love to hear your comments and feedback about your bread experiences in your country or home.

Happy Weekend!