The Great Shore Road Bake Off

As a Dutch person I am spoiled. In what way you ask. Well we have so many great variates in bread only the Germans beat us in bread baking.

My second year anniversary is coming up next month, living in Belfast and a person can only stand so much toast in a lifetime before losing her sanity. The Ulster fry is great but the be honest your bread tastes like shit. I tried buying at the local bakeries and the problem with that bread that it needs to be consumed the day it was baked, the next day it is a dry piece of brick with no flavour and can be used to commit the perfect homicide. 

So I decided to make my own bread, because eating cereal, porridge and toast will drive me nuts if I want to live here longer.

Asda offers a wholemeal bread mix that only has you add warm water. First time baking so it is a trial and error process. 

One bag of mix needs 350ml of warm water, which was too much in my opinion making the dough extremely sticky. Next time I will try 320ml.

By lack of a loaf tin I used a oiled cookie tray and tried to shape it in a bloomer. 

After covering it with a damp cloth for over 45 minutes, the package suggested 30 but I ended up finishing my mission on Destiny. ;) It became twice the size and it was ready for the oven. As my oven is the oven from the hellmouth it is hard to get the temperature right. I turned it down a few degrees to make sure it didn't burn the loaf.

After 30 minutes this UFO was the result. The crust is nice and crusty and the smell is not bad, a tangy sour like wholemeal needs to be.

As the dough was a little too wet, the structure of the bread is a bit sticky, not as dry like store bought. I do not have a bread oven so I am not complaining.

Just a smudge of butter and good old Gouda cheese from Lidl (not that cheddar shit, that stuff is like plastic). And I am quite satisfied with my first loaf of wholemeal bread. The mix was good, just don't follow the instructions to the letter or you will end up with a slightly wet dough. 

Taste I give it a 3 out of 5 because it is too wet. Crust is awesome though. Overall waaaaaay better than toast. 

I am going to attempt to use different types of flour to find the one I like the best. Next up will be Tesco or Marks & Spencer.

'A good baker will rise to the occasion, it's the yeast he can do.'

Adventures of Moof: Divis and the Black Mountain

I needed some fresh air after a stuffy week inside so I decided to take Moof out for a hike to Divis and the Black Mountain near Hannahtown, Northern Ireland. It was a rare lovely day after a week of rain and grey sky so it was a real treat. It was very windy, which helped me clear my mind. 

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/divis-and-black-mountain/

Moof up a Fairy Tree

We decided to take the Lough and Heath trails.

 Free roaming horsies & cows, awesome!

 Beauty!

 Baby cows!

 Took a break and enjoyed the sunshine. :)

After the hike we deserved some tea and scones.

It has been a year already - MH17

I recall myself saying five years after 9/11 why Americans are still able to weep for the lives lost that day.

Now I feel myself in the same situation. It's been exactly a year after a passenger plane had been shot down about the Ukraine, 298 lives lost in one split second. I had no personal bond with the victims, just a woman that worked at the University I had attended and talked to the past, others people lost loved ones and coworkers. People they shared a closer bond with.

But seeing all the flags fly half-staff in the Netherlands has giving me a gut wrenching feeling again. It's been a year but for some the pain is still fresh. It's been a year and no one has taken responsibility of it.

The official inquiry is out and it was the Pro-Russian fighters who have shot down the plane. Putin does not believe in an International Court, and with this sentiment I feel that he has spat in the faces of the people left behind.

I fear we will never see justice over this. As long as the Netherlands has dependence on Russia or as long as that maniac is in power.

All we can do now is mourn the lives lost and try to give it a place in our lives.

But now I understand what the Americans felt.

Why celebrating the 12th of July is bad for cultural integration in Belfast

I've been living here for almost two years now, so I am entitled to have an opinion about this. You may also disagree with my on my views because I respect your opinion too.

Ik woon hier nu al lang genoeg, bijna twee jaar, dus mag ik er wat over schrijven. Je kunt het niet met me eens zijn en daar respecteer ik je voor.

Each year, on the 12th of July, the loyalists celebrate the victory of the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 between William of Orange and the catholic King James II, which was about who will get the English throne but fought on Irish soil. Which is always nice, fighting out your fights in your neighbours backyard. 

Elk jaar, op 12 juli, vieren de loyalisten de overwinning van Willem van Oranje tegen de katholieke Koning James II tijdens de Battle of the Boyne in 1690, met als doel eigendom van de Engelse troon. Het gekke eraan is dat dit gevecht gevoerd was op Iers grondgebied, want dat doe je toch altijd, je ruzies uitvechten in de tuin van je buren?

Let's rewind a little: England used to be Catholic, same as Ireland until Henry the VIII decided to found the Church of England because the pope didn't approve what Henry was demanding about the annulment of his marriage. So yea, Henry changed religion because it didn't fit his own demands, very selfish off him. Luther demanded reformation because he thought the values of religion had deteriorated with the get-out-of-hell-cards you could buy. ;)

Laten we even teruggaan in de geschiedenis: England was katholiek, hetzelfde als Ierland totdat Henry de VIII met het briljant idee kwam om de Church of England te stichten. En de reden was om dat de paus het afkeurde dat Henry zomaar van vrouw wilde veranderen. Dus Henry heeft de hele religie van zijn land omgegooid voor zijn eigen voordeel...Luther heeft ten minste tot reformatie opgeroepen voor het volk omdat hij het niet eens was met het afkopen van je helse schuld. ;)

At one point the catholic James II came into power, which was fine until he produced an heir and then the English had to get rid off him, which meant that they offered the throne to the Protestant William of Orange...say what?! But that is how it goes when it comes to royalty.

Op een gegeven moment kreeg de katholieke James de II de macht en dat werd gedoogt totdat hij een nakomeling kreeg en dat kon niet, dus gaven de Engelsen de kroon aan Willem van Oranje....groot WTF moment voor mij. Maar zo gaat het nu eenmaal bij het koningshuis. 

Back to the Battle of the Boyne: so William of Orange is fighting on Irish soil King James II and wins the battle in 1690. This battle is key for the folklore of the Orange Order.

En weer terug naar de Battle of the Boyne: dus Willem van Oranje vecht tegen koning James de II op Iers grondgebied en wint de veldslag in 1690. Deze veldslag is dus belangrijk voor de Oranje Orde.

I am completely pro-culture as long as it doesn't hurt others. And while the Orangemen think they are in their legal standing, marching through Catholic areas is a big no-no in my book. You are just spewing hate. 

And this year they became even more horrible in sectarian hate, they condemn the actions that have been going around in Belfast and Northern Ireland lately but do not educate their followers enough to see the difference between culture and sectarian division.

I'd like to point out two incidents that left me more disgusted and ashamed. After I moved to Belfast I can no longer wear the colour orange with pride because even though it for me it is only to celebrate Former Queen Beatrix's and King Willem-Alexanders birthdays or that we won the Euro or World Cup, which will never happen unless they replace the German National Team with cripples. 

Ik ben helemaal voor behoud van cultuur, mits het niet anderen schaadt. En terwijl de Oranjemannen denken dat ze in hun recht staan, marcheren door een katholieke wijk is not-done in mijn mening. Ze willen hiermee alleen maar haatzaaien.

En dit jaar lijkt het alleen maar erger dan vorig jaar, gepaard met veel sektrarisch geweld. Ze veroordelen de incidenten in Belfast en Noord-Ierland maar ik vind dat ze deel aan zijn aan dit geweld omdat ze hun volgelingen niet goed onderwijzen op het verschil tussen cultuur en sektarische scheiding. 

Ik zou graag twee incidenten aanwijzen die mij doen walgen en schamen. Sinds dat ik in Belfast woon kan ik de kleur oranje niet meer dragen zonder een bittere nasmaak, terwijl het voor mij alleen symbool voor de viering van onze voormalige koningin Beatrix en huidige koning Willem-Alexander verjaardag of wanneer wij ooit de wereldcup zullen winnen als ze het Duiste team vervangen door kreupelen. 

The Nazi flags in Carrickfergus and Belfast 'Crucify Catholics' graffiti

When you read those two articles, I hope you will feel the same disgust as I did and see how far this sectarian hate has sunk. A lot of loyalists will be surprised when they talk to the Dutch and find out they side with the nationalists and want Northern-Ireland to be returned to the Republic. But after the signing of the Good Friday agreement that will never happen and brought finally a form of peace in Northern-Ireland. Fortunately only a small percentage is for refueling the battle. 

Wanneer je deze twee artikelen leest, hoop ik dat je hetzelfde misselijke gevoel als ik had en eindelijk snapt hoe ver de sektarische haat gezonken is. Veel loyalisten zullen verrast zijn als je horen dat veel Nederlanders vinden dat Noord-Ierland terug moet naar de Republiek. Dit gaat gelukkig niet gebeuren want met het sluiten van het Goede Vrijdag akkoord is er eindelijk een vorm van vrede voor de Noord-Ieren. Gelukkig is maar een klein percentage bereid om de strijdbijl weer op te graven.

Made in Hong Kong - Hong Kong-style milk tea

This sweet drink originated from Hong Kong and it's made of black tea with condensed milk and often consumed during lunch. A popular drink in Hong Kong but it was brought to the West together with the Hong Kong cuisine.

It has its roots in the British colonial rule over Hong Kong, where the British practised afternoon tea by drinking black tea with milk and sugar. When this type of drink became popular there, they adapted their own flavour by replacing the regular milk with condensed milk.

Deze zoete drank vindt zijn oorsprong in Hong Kong en is gemaakt van zwarte thee en condenseerde melk en wordt genuttigd tijdens de lunch. Het is een populaire drank in Hong Kong maar samen met de keuken naar het westen verhuisd.

Milk Tea is ontstaan tijdens de Britse koloniale bezetting van Hong Kong, waarbij de Britten zwarte thee dronken met melk en suiker tijdens hun afternoon tea. Toen dit drankje in populariteit groeide daar, maakten ze hun eigen versie met gecondenseerde melk. 

Hong Kong-style tea is often made with a mix of Pu Lei and Ceylon tea, evaporated milk and sugar. The last part often added by the customers themselves. By adding the condensed milk, giving it a much firmer texture and sweetness.

Hong Kong-style tea is vaak gemaakt van een mix van Pu Lei en Ceylon thee en gecondenseerde melk. Door het toevoegen van de gecondenseerde melk krijgt de tea een dikkere structuur en zoete smaak. 

My favourite style is cooling the milk tea with ice cubes, making a refreshing drink for the hot summer afternoons. But I can drink it all year round. :P

Ik drink milk tea het liefst gekoeld met ijs voor de warme zomermiddagen maar ik lust het wel het hele jaar door. :P

Made in the Netherlands - Bossche bollen.

I am proud about this bit of local goodness and it is found in my home town of  's-Hertogenbosch. Only the ones made by the baker Jan de Groot are allowed to be called Bossche bollen, all the others are called chocolade bollen.

Ik ben echt trots op deze lokale lekkernij en het is te vinden in mijn stad 's-Hertogenbosch. Alleen degene die gemaakt zijn door de bakker Jan de Groot mogen de naam dragen van Bossche bollen, anders heet het gewoon chocolade bollen.

Sadly I am unable to acquire this here in Belfast. I could make it myself but I haven't found the right type of chocolate yet to match the great flavour of the Bossche bollen. Basically it is a cream puff covered in a special mix of chocolate. The chocolate is soft and the whipped cream firm and it is available in three sizes: mini, regular and the big one.

Helaas kan ik dit niet krijgen in Belfast en het is me nog niet gelukt om de juiste mix voor het chocolade glazuur te vinden zodat ik zelf deze bollen kan maken. Het is een slagroom soes gedoopt in heerlijke chocolade. De glazuur is zacht en de slagroom lekker rijk en stevig en het is in drie formaten te krijgen: mini, normaal en de reuze Bossche bol.

It is common to see a line of people in front of the baker Jan de Groot every day. They're most famous product is the Bossche bol but they have other great pastries and other tasty treats.

Het is niet ongewoon om een lange rij te zien bij Bakkerij Jan de Groot. Ze zijn beroemd om de Bossche bollen, maar je kunt er ook ander heerlijk gebak en bonbons vinden.

Made in: the Netherlands - Stroopwafels

One of my favourite cookies would be a stroopwafel. It's not only popular in the Netherlands, I was even able to find this cookie in Japan. ;P The best way to have it, is freshly made from the stall at farmer's market.

Een van mijn favoriete koeken is dan wel de stroopwafel. Niet alleen in Nederland is deze koek populair, ik vond hem zelfs in Japan. ;P Ik vind hem eigenlijk het lekkerst als hij versgemaakt is bij de wafelboer op de markt. 

The stroopwafel was made for the first time in the the 19th century in Gouda en is made with flour, butter, brown sugar, yeast, milk and eggs. De little lumps of dough are pressed in a waffle-iron to a thin cookie and cut in two while it is still hot. Then the syrup filling is spread between the two layers and glued back together. 

De stroopwafel werd voor het eerste gemaakt in de 19e eeuw in Gouda en word gemaakt van bloem, boter, bruine suiker, gist, melk en eieren. De deegbolletjes worden in een wafelijzer tot een dunne koek gebakken en als het nog warm is wordt het in twee helften gesneden en daarna word de stroop vulling erop gesmeerd en de twee helften weer op elkaar geplakt. 

If you can't find any fresh baked stroopwafels, you can always put yours on top of your cup of coffee or tea and the syrup will melt a little because of the heat.

Als je geen verse stroopwafels hebt kun je altijd je stroopwafel op je kopje koffie of thee te leggen en dan smelt de stroop een beetje door de hitte. 

The best thing about stroopwafels is, it can almost go with anything! You have stroopwafel cakes, cupcakes, ice cream, dipped in chocolate and many more variations.

Het beste aan stroopwafels is dat het lekker is met bijna alles. Je hebt stroopwafel taarten, vlaaien, cupcakes, ijs, pudding, gedoopt in chocolade, etc. 

Made in: The Netherlands - Nijntje / Miffy

From the books of my childhood, I can remember this character. Miffy is much older than I am. Dick Bruna created her in the fifties after he came back with his son after a walk in the dunes at Egmond aan Zee. 

Ik kan me al jaren dit figuurtje herinneren,uit de boekjes van mijn jeugd. Maar nijntje is veel ouder dan ik ben. Dick Bruna creëerde dit konijntje in de jaren vijftig. Hij haalde waarschijnlijk zijn inspiratie uit een verhaal die hij aan zijn zoontje vertelde over een konijntje die ze gezien hadden eerder die dag in de duinen van Egmond aan Zee.  

The way miffy is drawn is quite simple, thick lines with primary colours and stories set in picture books. When you look at the earlier version of miffy she has floppy ears and looks more like a stuffed toy. 

Nijntje word op een simpele manier getekend met dikke lijnen en primaire kleuren en de verhalen worden uitgegeven in de vorm van een prentenboek. De vroegere versie van nijntje had meer weg van een pluche beest. 

The fun thing about miffy that it is translated to many languages and Dick Bruna oversaw each of these translations.

Het leuke aan nijntje is dat het in vele talen is vertaald. Dick Bruna controleerde deze vertaling streng.

In 1992 miffy made her first appearance on tv for the little ones. I had already outgrown her but I still enjoy sending postcards with her image on it. ;) And of course the plush toys are still the bomb. 

In 1992 verscheen nijntje voor het eerst op TV voor de allerkleinste. Ik was er toen te oud voor maar ik vind het nog steeds leuk om nijntje ansichtkaarten te versturen. ;) En de knuffels blijven ook nog steeds leuk. 

Review: Blade Runner - Final Cut

During my stay in the Netherlands it gave me the opportunity to see this marvelous Sci-Fi movie on the big screen. Normally I wouldn't go to the theater back home, because Belfast has spoiled me with cheap cinema tickets and perks which you do not get in the Netherlands. And the countless time they pissed me off by dubbing Disney movies and making me go to a different town to see the original version because people just don't understand English that well.

Sadly I haven't seen the original release of this timeless movie, because I was still in diapers back then. ;P But I must admit a bit of Dutch pride comes with this movie. Rutger Hauer is part of the cast and I always though he was an amazing actor who got discovered by Hollywood. I've seen a lot of Dutch films he starred in like Soldier of Orange, Turks fruit & Escape from Sobibor. And I have a bit of an old-man crush on him. He still has the most stunning blue eyes ever. ;)

Sadly trying to find people with a similar taste in movies has been a challenging part in my life. As someone once told me when I showed him the movie, that the special effects sucked and he didn't understand that for 1982 the special effects were acceptable. But then again he liked the Total Recall reboot better than the original, so what does he know. ;)

So off we went to the special viewing of the movie in the Verkadefabriek in 's-Hertogenbosch. The Verkadefabriek is a performing arts theater which occasionally shows art house movies who never get released in the normal cinemas. The room it was showed in had these large yellow couches that could have been a little more comfortable but it made due.

Blade Runner is a modified film adaption of the 1968 novel Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep by Phillip K. Dick (great book, try to read it once).

Plot (from Wikipedia):
The film depicts Los Angeles in November 2019, in which genetically engineered replicants, which are visually indistinguishable from adult humans, are manufactured by the powerful Tyrell Corporation as well as by other "mega-corporations" around the world. The use of replicants on Earth is banned and they are exclusively utilized for dangerous or menial work on off-world colonies. Replicants who defy the ban and return to Earth are hunted down and killed ("retired") by special police operatives known as "Blade Runners". The plot focuses on a desperate group of recently escaped replicants hiding in Los Angeles and the burnt-out expert Blade Runner, Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), who reluctantly agrees to take on one more assignment to hunt them down.

Roy & Pris

Blade Runner is an action movie but it has a lot of narrative levels weaved into it. Maybe that is why it original reception wasn't good. People weren't used to reading between the lines, but I think the screenwriters did a wonderful job and luckily the movie received the credit it deserved but just years later. 

The themes are about religion and moral implications of genetic engineering. And those are themes that really interest me. How far can you go with genetic engineering when you cross the ethical line?

The difference between the Final Cut and the Director's Cut aren't that large. In the Final Cut they tried to make the images and sound as good as possible and eliminate the smaller mistakes of the film. Lucky for us, spectacular new CGI was avoided. So serious changes of the movie aren't noticeable. That is how you do that George Lucas.

I really enjoyed my evening and the movie. And I managed to dig up the second hand copy of the album when I went to Nijmegen the next day. ;) Now I can listen to Vangelis when relaxing on the couch. 

Another Happy Mail Day. ;)

 Right before my holidays, the second part of my birthday presents arrived. Woohoo!

Fox Spirit Plush

Hatsune Miku Senbonzakura version

Cute! <3