Gluten-Free Delights in the Shadow of Budapest's House of Terror

Budapest’s House of Terror sits on Andrassy utja (Budapest, Andrássy út 60, 1062 Hungary), and no matter where the sun is in the sky, it throws a long shadow. After visiting the building that has represented fear, secrecy, and pain for most of the twentieth century, do not be surprised if you hear your stomach growl and feel a gnawing hunger.

For those who are following a gluten-free diet (and for those who are not) you are in luck. Across the street at Andrassy ut 57 (Budapest, Andrássy út 57, 1062 Hungary) you will find the best gluten-free bakery in Budapest. Corso Cafe will not be found on any travel forums online, and even a Google search for it will not turn up satisfactory results. It is a small cafe, serving assorted teas and coffees along with many wheat pastries on display. However, you need only ask the man or the woman that run the bakery for “glutenmentes” and a bin will be brought out for you to peruse the selection.

The woman, who is also the baker, speaks English making it easier to ascertain which breads are best and what is in each goody. She bakes chocolate and coconut gluten-free spiral pastries, nine gluten-free baguettes, and whole loaves of both white artisan bread and a whole-grain version. All of these are divine. I would suggest making several stops back at the bakery over your visit to Budapest because it is very unlikely that one trip will satiate the thirst for freshly baked gluten-free treats. Be warned that getting there early in the day will not guarantee that gluten-free bread is available as she bakes a certain amount each day and no more. She also starts the gluten-free baking process later in the day than the regular breads, and with this in mind getting there around 2 PM (1400) is usually a good time to pick up bread. Enjoy!


Guest blog post by Kit Norton

The Fate of French Baguettes

Anyone who has traveled in France knows how ubiquitous baguettes are—tucked under arms, propped in bicycle baskets, and sold in just about every shop whether a bakery or not.  But what many may not realize is that all baguettes are not the same. Most of the baguettes sold now have evolved as a form of fast-food, with additives and a quick preparation process. Fortunately there are those that cherish the old-style, slow-fermentation technique that gives an authentic baguette its texture and taste.

According to the New York Times, "...in 1993, the government came to the rescue with a decree that created a special designation: “the bread of French tradition.” That bread has to be made exclusively with flour, salt, water and leavening — no additives. The “tradition,” as it is called, is more expensive than the ordinary baguette, which uses additives, a fast-rising process and mechanization, and accounts for about 75 percent of the country’s bread sales."

Anyone who has eaten traditional baguettes knows that the extra money is ever so worth it. According to French-bread expert, Steve Kaplan, you "need to celebrate breads that make your taste buds dance."  

Travelers to Paris who want to taste "tradition" breads can explore Good-Bread Trails in Paris—

Bon appétit!!

Green Day In NYC

PART I
The train from Vermont to New York City is neither high-speed or even regular-speed, but tragically a slow-speed, making public transit between bucolic Vermont and New York City limited and difficult. Fortunately the Dartmouth Coach has started a daily service to New York City making the trip not just easy, but luxurious.

After arriving and  relieving myself of my bags, I set off to enjoy the afternoon - a glorious September day in Manhattan - sunny, with a slight breeze and bright blue sky.

My first stop was Kitchen Arts & Letters. If you are a cook or foodie who loves books this is your spot. Floor to ceiling cookbooks, wine guides, food memoirs, books about kitchen design, nutrition and food storage cover this not very large store on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. You can find DVDs of Julia Child’s television show that I vividly remember watching as a young girl on New York’s Channel 13. I was really too young to appreciate the knowledge she was imparting, but coming from a home where no one cooked anything except frozen fish sticks and grilled-cheese sandwiches, I marveled at her kitchen prowess, her voice (which I loved) and found her comforting - like a relative I should have had but didn’t.

Kitchen Arts & Letters has two full shelves of books about the politics of food - not just the more well known books like Food, Inc. (which if you haven’t, you should read - or see the film), but a variety of lesser known but no less important titles.  They also have books for travelers - books highlighting food in different countries as well as right there in New York such as a guide to New York Markets (very useful). Beyond the cookbooks and wine guides, the serious cook will find out-of-print and foreign books available as well.

Next stop was the Idlewild independent bookstore, already a favorite haunt of mine, not just because they sell my Traveling Naturally Guides, but also because they are a specialized store focused on one of my favorite subjects - travel. Organized by country, Idlewild sells not only an excellent selection of guidebooks, but also literature from each country. People living in the city can take advantage of their ten-week language immersion courses concentrating on conversation.

Out of Idlewild I headed west on 19th street to 9th Avenue. I could have stopped at any number of restaurants and shops along the way. When I was a kid in New York, West 14th up through the 20s was not such a great area. Now it is a happening scene. Beautiful tree-lined residential streets are mixed with interesting, often trendy, stores and eateries.

Instead of getting distracted, I kept my focus. I was on the search for olive-oil pouring spouts for a Spanish olive oil tasting I am hosting next week and a cook-extraordinaire, cookbook-writer friend of mine had tipped me off to a kitchen supply store in the Chelsea Market on 9th and 15th St.

The Chelsea Market, a former Nabisco factory, was transformed in 1997 into foodie heaven. Specialty, gourmet and green eateries dot the refurbished factory intermixed with stores selling  books, liquor, housewares, and gifts. The Oreos may be gone but there are plenty of devilishly delicious treats to eat at almost every turn.

Chelsea Market Baskets offers an eclectic selection of baskets, gourmet treats, chocolates, housewares and baby items. I was delighted to see they carried three favorite products of mine. LA Organic olive oils from Cordoba, Spain (not Los Angeles as the name might imply); Askinosie chocolate made in small-batches with organic sugar and goat milk – it is incredible!; and Q Tonic, the best tonic water I have found made with organic agave syrup (no sugar or high fructose corn syrup) and real quinine.

I did not shop at Dickson’s Farmstand meats, but went in to survey the organic offerings. Set up as an old fashioned butcher shop, Dickson’s sells organic and local meats including beef, lamb, pork, goat and poultry, all raised without hormones, animal by-products and prophylactic antibiotics. If you want fully organic ask for which meats are certified........


continued tomorrow in Part 2...

One of the Seven MUST-Read Eco Travel books

The Green Earth Guides are listed in 7 Must-Read New Eco Travel Books - Read the full story here.

Stay tuned as I am putting the finishing touches on Traveling Naturally in Switzerland - what a country!! and I am about to enter the world of Apps! A whole new way to convey and receive information in this fast moving digital world and excellent for traveling.

I am heading to New York City next week and looking forward to visiting some of my favorite haunts like the Babycakes Bakery (I don't even like cupcakes but I dream about  theirs! Gluten-free no less), Idlewild Travel Book store - a treasure trove of good reads, and Food Liberation, a cute little health food store with an excellent gluten-free section and delicious fresh smoothies and juices.


Food Liberation, 1349 Lexington Ave (and 90th St.), NYC 10128; Tel: 212.348.2286

Local Goods and Fun on the Streets of Paris

I feel very comfortable in Paris- sort of like home -which must have something to do with my New York upbringing as it is certainly not due to the language which I barely speak and butcher shamefully. Paris is much prettier than Manhattan and more open as it lacks the tall buildings that hem in Manhattan. Good, fresh food is far more abundant, accessible and less “precious” than in Manhattan since the Parisians expect it. 
 
Littered with one darling café after the next, you could become paralyzed trying to decide what to try and where to sit in Paris. In most cases (not all) you cannot go wrong especially if you are just having a café or infusion (herbal tea). Truly one of my favorite things to do in Paris (and most cities) is walk. I love exploring and each time I am there try to take different streets.....finding new treasures all the time. Fun streets lined with local eats and other fun stores include Rue Montorgueil in the 1st, Rue Cler in the 7th, Rue des Deux Pont on the Ile Saint Louis in the 4th  and of course all the markets that dot the city on any given day. 

If you find yourself in the Latin Quarter on a Tuesday morning there is a small but excellent mixed market around the Maubert Metro stop in the 5th down the street from the organic Phyto Bar restaurant. Here you will find organic produce, some beautiful shawls and clothing (different from the common cheap pashminas and arab-style, keffiyeh scarves sold elsewhere) as well as cheeses, fish and other local products. 

And keep your eyes open for the truly delicious Kayser breads that are not to be missed! The baguettes are usually warm having come right out of the oven. Eric Kayser, a third-generation Parisian baker, is the brains behind the Mayson Kaiser bakeries, making bread from natural leavening using a special machine designed by Kayser to keep the leavening in a perfect state. In addition to amazing breads, you can also buy quiches, tarts and sandwiches at the fourteen stores in Paris (with other stores in Japan, Russia and the Ukraine). You can find Maison Kayser bakeries in most arrondissements. To avoid disappointment, check store location and hours on the website as some are closed on Mondays and others on Sundays. 

If you are visiting Paris in the winter you can ice skate outdoors in front of the Hôtel de Ville (4th arrondissement)- which many confuse for an actual hotel but is how the French refer to their City Hall. For 5 euros you can rent skates and enjoy the rink for free on Monday to Friday from 12pm-10pm, Saturday-Sunday 9am -10pm. This year the rink is open until March 6, 2010. Arrive at least one hour before closing otherwise you won’t get in. Outdoor skating is also available at Place Raoul Dautry near the rail station Gare Montparnasse in the 14th – this rink is only open until 8:00pm during the weekdays but has the same hours as the Hôtel de Ville rink on the weekends. 

Afterwards you can make your way to one of the many delightful cafes and have something delicious to warm you!

Always on the Hunt for Good Bread - Success in Valencia Spain!

While I have found some wonderful bakeries making traditional and artisanal breads in Paris, Barcelona, Barcelona again and Madrid (see posts), I had yet to find any such bread makers in Valencia.

While Valencia is dotted with bakeries, it suffers as does the rest of Spain from a shortage of what I would categorize as really good bread. Happily I discovered serendipitously a bakery just off the Plaza de la Reina that makes a large variety of artesano breads and pastries. Among their offerings are a Pan de Gallego made from wheat (trigo in Spanish) grown in Galicia, the region in northwestern Spain, and Espelta Ecologico made from organic spelt.

One friend of mine who is a bit of a bread connoisseur said after sampling the PanPan Gallego baguette, “Wow I haven’t had bread like that since……well, since I was in Paris.” Tall praise for PanPan. The counters overflowing with breads can be accessed all day during the week and on Saturday mornings, and PanPan could not be more convenient as it is right around the corner from the Plaza. PanPan Atelier, La Paz 1, 46003 Valencia; www.panpan.es; open Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm, Saturday from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.

Green and Delicious in Granada Spain

Granada seems to be always full of good surprises. This trip I found an incredible morisca bakery with other-worldly pistachio mini pastry rolls chock full of ground pistachios. They also sell dried teas, organic olive oil, and local honey. Natura Morisca Bakery -- pastelería árabe, Calderería Vieja, 12; Tel: 657 528 883; between Plaza Nueva and the heart of the Albayzin neighborhood.
 

A few storefronts down is the delightful Teteria Al-Andalus where you can choose from a huge selection of teas- both caffeinated and herbal. My party voted the Chai the best we have tasted. You can also partake of the tobacoo hookahs (we did not), and choose from morisca pastries and sweet crepes. Teteria Al-Andalus is small but has great ambience with indoor and outdoor seating, and cheery proprietor Khalil is most accommodating and friendly. Teteria Al-Andalus,  c/ Caldederia Vieja 4, Granada (2nd location Carrera del Darro 49).

Very sadly my favorite restaurant for dinner from my last visit, Canela y Clavo, is no longer there – such a shame as it had delicious fresh food.

However my other favorite restaurant, Hicuri, on Calle Santa Escolastica in the Realjo neighborhood, is alive and well. They serve natural foods with vegetarian and non-vegetarian options from morning until night so no worries about arriving at siesta time. I had lunch two days in a row there - good prices and good food - yum!

Dinner in Paris, Breakfast in Barcelona

I have very fond memories of traveling by train as a child, especially overnight trains. White linen tablecloths with china and glassware in the dining cars, and “club cars” where I invariably met other children to play cards with or I-Spy as we stared out of the windows. My memories do not include gross bathrooms splattered with urine, nor miniscule compartments too small for luggage. Since I was smaller then it may be that indeed the compartments were tiny and I just didn’t notice, but I do believe the bathrooms were much cleaner. 

Train travel is still my preferred form of transport, although I will admit to being disappointed on many trains since I hold a high standard from my youth. Certainly a pet peeve of mine is the condition and lack of toilets, especially on overnight trains. Why are they gross now and not forty years ago? People frequented them just as much I am sure.

That said I am happy to report that the overnight train between Paris and Barcelona (and Madrid) is still alive and busy even with dirt-cheap flights available on low-cost airlines. I suspect that if you can afford to travel in Grand Class or First class that the compartment size and toilet facilities are better than those in tourist class.

A word of warning, if you are traveling in tourist class you will be four people to a “room”, which is the size of a large closet. Whoever designed these train cars forgot that people traveling twelve hours or more between major cities might be accompanied with large luggage. There is no luggage storage in the “rooms” or on the train car, so the four people must navigate around the luggage that takes up what limited space there is between the fold-down beds. The toilets are abysmal and inevitably at least one ends up unusable - flooded or plugged.

You might think that these complaints would make it so that I would never travel by overnight train. Not so. I still love the train the best, but simply pine for a slightly more comfortable experience. 

The Paris Barcelona route (there is a separate Paris-Madrid route) runs every night, and the timing of it is such that you can have dinner in Paris, albeit a not too late dinner, and breakfast in Barcelona. I did just that, having gone to Paris for the weekend. I had an early dinner at a favorite organic foods restaurant in the St. Germain area of Paris consisting of a wonderful salad, and then rosemary roasted organic chicken leg with vegetables. Fortunately the Phtyo-Bar is open every day from noon to 11:30 pm so it doesn’t matter what day you are traveling. My meal was followed by a lovely stroll along the Seine and by Notre Dame, then onto the Metro to take me to Gare Paris-Austerlitz for the 8:30 pm (20:30) train to Barcelona. Gare Austerlitz is not far from the Paris Grand Mosque and that is a wonderful place to have tea.

For novices to overnight train travel, you may be surprised when the steward asks you to hand over not only your ticket but also your passport or residence card - this is to avoid having to wake everyone up at 5 am for the border check. As unnerving as it is to hand over your most significant form of identification, everyone does it and there never seems to be a problem.

The train arrives at Barcelona Estacio de Franca at 8:24 am - or close to then. If Barcelona is merely a layover you will likely have to make your way to the other train station in Barcelona, Estacio Sants -- this can be done by train or metro (metro stop is the yellow line Barceloneta around the corner from the train station -take one stop to Jaume 1 for the old part).

In any case, if you are eager for breakfast you can walk or take the metro to the old part of Barcelona - El Raval and Barri Gotic areas. Stroll through La Boqueria market and pick up some delicious fresh pressed fruit juice - there is a wide variety to choose from: Kiwi, Coconut, Mango (my favorite), orange, strawberry, and more.

There are any number of cafes and restaurants to eat at near or along Las Ramblas. A fun and airy restaurant with outdoor seating just one block west of Las Ramblas, north of La Boqueria is Bar Lobo. Here you can order organic coffee or tea, fresh fruit, juices and  smoothies, as well as the “Jane Fonda” breakfast (yogurt, muesli, fruit and organic tea), the “Churchill” (bacon, eggs & café con leche (coffee with milk)), or little sandwiches made on baguette bread. The restaurant has the feel of a loft and much of the food prep is done in the center so visible to all patrons. Bar Lobo, c/ Xucla 8 (on the corner of c/ Pintor Fortuny), Barcelona; open Monday to Saturday from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.

If you are not in the mood for a full on breakfast you can walk three blocks west on Pintor Fortuny and then up the street Doctor Dou to the Reykjavik Bakery - see Searching for Good Breads post. If you want non-bakery goods you can cross the street and find one of the Veritas natural food stores with produce and other groceries. Barcelona Reykjavik Bakery, Doctor Dou, 12 (Raval), open Monday to Saturday 10:00 am to 9:30 pm.

If you are indeed continuing on to Estacio Sants you can pick up the green line metro at Liceu (no switching) on Las Ramblas or the red line at Plaza Catalunya (you will need to switch at Espanya for the green line).

And enjoy being able to have dinner in Paris and breakfast in Barcelona!

Bon appetit, ¡buen apetito!

A Las Ramblas note: If you take pictures of any of the Living Statues along Las Ramblas please leave money in their containers - this is how they earn their living and some will chase you down if you don’t.

Noshing (and more) in Paris - The Jewish Neighborhood in Marais

If you are wondering what to do on a Sunday in Paris and are in the mood for food, plenty of people, and shopping (some upscale), make your way to the Jewish section of the 4th arrondissement between the metro stops St. Paul and Hotel de Ville. If you have purchased the indispensable red Paris Classique par Arrondissements at a newsstand (about 10 Euros and HIGHLY recommended) you will find the rue des Rosiers and some nearby streets marked by blue Stars of David on the maps flagging the one hundred plus year old Jewish neighborhood. For historical information about this neighborhood you can find interesting information by Toni Kamins, author of The Complete Jewish Guide to France, at the link for the Marais neighborhood in Paris.

I stumbled upon this bustling neighborhood when I took a wrong turn for the Mémorial de la Shoah, a museum and memorial dedicated to the Jewish genocide of World War II. Shoah means catastrophe in Hebrew and is the term used in France for the Holocaust. The memorial is powerful and devastating, with a remembering wall containing 76,000 names of Jews deported from France, extensive archives from the period including the yellow stars that Jews were forced to sew onto their clothes, and the crypt, a symbolic tomb for the six million Jews killed. The crypt contains the ashes of victims from eight concentration camps and ghettos mixed with soil imported from Israel. When I entered the crypt tears welled up in my eyes before I even had read what lay there. The Mémorial de la Shoah is about learning, remembering and honoring. It is a good idea to visit the Memorial with a before or after walk through the lively and flourishing Jewish neighborhood a few blocks away to see that in spite of such horrors and persecution, people, traditions and beliefs can persevere.

I have not seen so many Jewish establishments since I was a kid growing up in New York City. Rue des Rosiers is a wonderful site with long lines out of bakeries and delis filled with challah, rugelah, hamentaschen, bagels and much more “gastronomie Yiddish.” Definitely arrive hungry if you like this kind of fare as it will be a never-ending feast from one store to the next.

Bon Appetit, Es gezunterheyt! עס געזונטערהײט

Good Bread Trails in Paris

Paris and bread - well what can I say? While I struggle to search out the truly artisan and specialty breads in Spain, France, particularly Paris, is teeming with divine breads.

I surveyed some of the notable boulangeries (bakeries) on my last trip to Paris, seeking out breads made on site in local bakeries with slow leavening which enhances the enzymes, aroma, and taste of bread. Listed here are just a few of the numerous possibilities in Paris -- all are delicious. You can do a taste testing tour and decide which are your personal favorites.

Housed in a bakery from 1889 with original furniture and fixtures, fashion executive turned baker, Christophe Vasseur produces original and traditional breads and pastries at Du Pain et Des Idees. From slowly prepared sourdough baguettes to more exotic orange blossom brioche and chocolate-pistaschio rolls, Du Pain et Des Idees is full of delectable treats. Du Pain et Des Idees, 34 rue Yves Toudic, 75010 Paris; Tel: 142 404 452; Web: www.dupainetdesidees.com; Metro: Jacques Bonsergent. Bikers take note: There are four Velib bike stations close by. Open Monday to Friday from 6:45 am to 8:00 pm.

La Moulin de la Vierge uses stone-ground organic flours and traditional leavening for their bread in their four stores in Paris in the 7th, 14th, 15th, and 17th arrondissements; open 7:30 am to 8:00pm, see web site www.lemoulindelavierge.com for store locations.

Boulanger de Monge makes fourteen different breads using organic flour and grains including outstanding sourdough loaves. They also make fifteen traditional French breads (not organic), as well as fine pastries. Boulanger de Monge, 123 rue Monge, 75005 Paris; Tel: 143 375 420; open Tuesday to Sunday from 7:00 am to 8:30 pm; Metro: Place Monge.

The Poilane bakeries use wood-fired ovens making breads with sourdough starter and French sea salt since 1932. There are two bakeries in Paris in the 6th and 15th arrondissements. Poilane, 8 rue du Cherche-Midi, 75006 Paris; Tel: 145 484 259; Web: www.poilane.fr; open Monday to Saturday from 7:15 am to 8:15 pm; Metro: Vaneau or Saint-Placide

Philippe Gosselin has won prestigious awards for his baguettes, and makes unusual pastries including rose and pistachio éclairs. With three stores in Paris you can find at least one open on any day of the week. Philippe Gosselin, 125 rue St-Honore, 75001 Paris; Tel: 145 080 359; open Sunday to Friday (closed Saturday) from 7:00 am to 8:00pm; Metro: Louvre-Rivoli. Also a location a few blocks from the Musee D’Orsay at 258 Blvd St. Germain, 75007 Paris; Metro: Solferino; Open: Monday to Friday from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm, Saturday from 7:30 am to 7:30 pm. And one at 28 rue Caumartin, 75009 Paris; open Monday to Friday (closed weekends) from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm; Metro: Havre-Caumartin.

In 2006 Cohier’s baguette was voted the best in Paris, and many still believe it is the best in the city. In addition to the award winning baguettes, you can find pastries and delights at this forty-year-old bakery. Jean-Pierre Cohier, 270 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 75008 Paris, Metro: Ternes.

Breakfasts at Coquelicot start at 3.90 euros up to full on brunch for almost 20 euros with fresh baked goods, freshly squeezed orange juice, Le Bol de Café Noir or au Lait, and other divine things. Indoor and outdoor seating available at this delightful bakery and restaurant. Coquelicot, 24 rue des Abbesses, 75018 Paris; Tel: 146 061 877; Web: www.coquelicot-montmartre.com/intro.htm; Metro: Absesses

Eric Kayser, a third-generation Parisian baker, is the brains behind the Mayson Kaiser bakeries, making bread from natural leavening using a special machine designed by Kayser to keep the leavening in a perfect state. In addition to amazing breads, you can also buy quiches, tarts and sandwiches at the fourteen stores in Paris (with other stores in Japan, Russia and the Ukraine). You can find Maison Kayser bakeries in most arrondissements. To avoid disappointment, check store location and hours on the website as some are closed on Mondays and others on Sundays. Mayson Kaiser Web site: www.maison-kayser.com

La Boulangerie de Papa is a bakery and tea-salon offering delicious breads, sandwiches, and beverages to warm you close to Notre Dame a few blocks from the Shakespeare & Co. bookstore and near the Saint Michel metro stop. Twenty-two special breads made fresh daily on site including delicious sourdough baguette. La Boulangerie de Papa, 1 rue de la Harpe, 75005 Paris; Tel: 143 546 616; Web: http://www.groupe-bertrand.com/boulangerie.php; open every day from 6:30 am to midnight

Biodynamic Farm and Farmstand in Appenzell Switzerland

If you are in Switzerland, a visit to the Appenzell canton of Northeast Switzerland, a region known for its beautiful farm land, progressive health laws, and rural traditions, is highly recommended. There are countless farms and fabulous “Wanderweg” hiking trails throughout. A favorite farm and farm store is in Gais, but if you don't know it's there, you wouldn't be likely to find it.

From the city of St. Gallen, you take the Appenzeller Bahnen, a small, red train which, as its name implies, travels through the Appenzell canton with trains running about every 30 minutes. Take this train for about half an hour to the town of Gais. (If you are in Teufen, Gais is about half-way to Appenzell on the train.) Once off the train, you will walk about 1 mile. Cross Schulhausstrasse and walk along Zung St., then cross Stossstrasse and slightly to the right of where you have been walking will be Kehr St. Walk on Kehr for about one-quarter to one-third of a mile and take a right onto Bommes Road – looks more like a driveway - within 20 yards or so you will walk into the yard of the Biodynamic Hofladen Farm where there is a little farm store. Biodynamic Hofladen Farm, Bommes 3, Gais, Tel: 71 793 37 85; www.hof-bommes.ch

The store’s entry-way has fresh organic produce delivered on Fridays. Further inside you will find a mini-health food store with organic and free-trade food and treats, including farm fresh, biodynamic dairy products from the Hofladen Farm. There is nothing quite like farm fresh yogurt in a glass container – seems from a lost world - perfect and delicious (my apologies to non-dairy eaters.) Fresh, organic spelt bread, made from spelt grown a few towns over (a bakery that makes their own spelt pasta, pastries, and bread - directions on their Web site), is delivered Tuesday, Fridays and Saturdays. On those days the Hofladen store is open from 9:00 to 11:30 am and then again from 3:00 to 7:00pm. Every other day it is open from just 6:00 to 7:00pm.

Not much English is spoken, but everything seems to get across just fine. Two tips: In Switzerland (and many other places in Europe), when buying fresh produce you are responsible for weighing and pricing it. There is a number by the name of the item – e.g. Red Cabbage #62 – take your red cabbage over to the scale (somewhere in the produce area) and weigh it – you will need to punch in that number. A sticker will spit out with the weight and price that you apply to the bag or item. In lower-tech establishments, you may have to write it on the bag.

Also, remember to bring your own bags – many stores either do not have bags or charge for them, and often they are flimsy – so just get used to having a stash of canvas bags rolled up in your daypack.

The farm belongs to the Langenegger family. The grandmother, Lilly Langenegger, is a local famous artist who writes children’s books with beautiful illustrations of traditional Swiss rural images and Appenzeller farm life. The books are available in German, English and French. Pictures and purchasing information are available at the publisher Web site (in German, but translatable).
Enjoy.

More Bread Searching in Spain - Madrid Now

 As I mentioned in my posts about searching for really good and artisanal bread in Barcelona, finding made-from-scratch, quality bread in Spain is harder than you might think. In Madrid you can go to one of the six locations for the Cosmen and Keiless bakeries. They offer a variety of bread and pastries, priding themselves on making their bread using traditional methods and with ingredients from  “clean crops”. Find baguettes, as well as spelt, multi-seed, multi-grain and olive oil breads, with a host of pastries. To find the locations for all six of the Cosmen and Keiless bakeries in Madrid click on “Tiendas” at the Web site. The La Salesas store is between the metros Colon y Chueca and the Principe location is between the Goya and Velzquez metro stops.There are no gluten-free options at this time, but if you can tolerate spelt you are in luck.