Memoirs of a Lysha: 2009

Zürich!!!

This last long-weekend (Thank you Austria, for letting us have Tuesday off for Mary's Immaculate Conception!) I was in Switzerland visiting my very good friend Susanne. After a hurried trip to the Vienna Airport and an hour long flight (whch included a complementary sandwich!) Susanne and her sister Elena picked me up from the airport and drove me back to Susanne's (in Winterthur... north of Zürich) where we had some tea and chatted. Susanne has the most amazing apartment- A 3-bedroom loft with a great view and great balcony which makes the hike up the stairs completely worth it. It has a light and open feel, and the large stove fireplace and advent lights made it feel a touch scandanavian, which I loved. And, since Phillipp is still away in Shanghai, I got his room, which really made me feel like I was living there instead of just visiting. :o)

Saturday I went to school with Susanne (she teaches german and philosphy at a high school) - the kids about to graduate had to hold presentations and students, teachers and family were all invited. We saw 3 presentations: Econcomy of China, London's Great Plague, and my favorite, American Culture: Is It Really That Bad? :o) The american culture presentation basically constisted of a student recounting his exchange year in Arizona. It was amazing how I could tell right away that he had lived in the south - even his swiss accent couldn't hide that twang. He did a good job defending american stereotypes about fast food and big cars. My only real problem was the tendenancy to over-generalize... just because people in the south don't tend to recycle, that doesn't mean that people in the north or west don't! Anyway, we're all guilty of generalizing at times, and I have to admit, it's hard not to with a country of that size.

Later Saturday we walked around the old industrial section of Winterthur called the Sulzer which the city has turned into apartments and public art. The architecture is amazing! I really fell in love with the modern and miniminal feel.

In the evening Elena, her boyfriend Mick and Susanne's friend Isabell came over for some Squash Soup (yum!) and we also made Gritti-Bänz - a bread dough shaped into little men. I made a duck (for colin), a christmas tree, a wreath and a little man. :o)

"Grittibänz"

Makes 10.

Ingredients:

500g Plain white flour

2 Tsp Dried yeast

2 Tsp Castor sugar

250ml Milk, tepid

80g Unsalted butter, at room temperature, softened and creamed

1 1/3 Tsp Salt

1 Egg (~50g), beaten

1 Egg yolk + 1 Tsp Water (for the egg wash)

raisins and almonds for the face/body decorations

Method: 1. Sprinkle the sugar and yeast into 1 cup of the milk in a bowl.

2. Leave for 5 minutes and then stir to dissolve.

3. Sieve the flour into a big bowl.

4. Make a well and pour in the yeasted milk.

5. With a wooden spoon, draw enough of the flour into the yeasted milk to form a soft paste. 6. Cover with a tea towl and leave to "sponge" until frothy and risen, about 20 minutes.

7. Add the leftover milk, the beaten egg, salt and the creamed butter. Mix in the flour to form a soft dough.

8. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic for about 10 minutes.

9. Put the dough into a buttered bowl and cover with a tea towl.

10. Leave to rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

11. Knock back the dough and leave to rest for 10 minutes.

12. Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces.

13. Roll each piece into a thick sausage.

14. To shape the head, use your index and thumb to pinch both sides of the sausage (first quarter of the sausage).

15. With a pair of scissors, cut both sides (middle) in order to create the arms and then, cut both legs (down).

16. Create a mouth, nose and eyes with the raisins and almonds.

17. Place the "Grittibänz" on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and cover with a tea towl.

18. Prove until doubled in size, about 30-40 minutes.

19. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).

20. Brush the "Grittibänz" twice with the egg wash.

21. Bake for about 20-25 minutes until golden and sounding hollow when tapped on the underside.

The next day we got up and ate our Grittibänz for breakfast. Sunday (Dec. 6) is a holiday - Nikolaustag! On St. Nikolaus Day, St. Nik comes to visit all of the children, leaving chocolates, nuts and oranges (we were also visited by St. Nik!). But the catch is, he's accompanied by Schmutzli in Switzerland, Knecht Ruprecht in Germany and Krampus in Austria. Anyway, whatever he's called, this bad guy scares children into behaving well by beating them with sticks (here in Austria) or threating to drown them (in Swizterland).

Anyway, that same day Elena, Susanne and I drove to Lake Constance and took the ferry over to Meersburg, Germany. We took a little self-guided tour through the castle there, where one of my favorite german authors, Annette von Droste-Hülshoff, lived. We also trekked up to the graveyard where she is buried.

After a long lunch, we toured the rest of Meersburg and then went back across the lake to Constance, where we visited the local Christmas Market. Punsch, yum!

The next day, I met up with my friend Christian, who was kind enough to show me around Zürich. Unfortunately it rained the WHOLE time we were there :o(

But I didn't let that damper my impression of the place, especially after finding these specialty hot chocolates... on a stick! All you do is stir them into a cup of hot milk. My favorites are the ones that come with a shot of alcohol!

We also visited the Christmas Market in Zürich (with a christmas tree covered in Swarovski crystals!) and then the Christmas Market in Winterthur... which was outdoors and wet but very charming.

For dinner Susanne met us back at Christian's place for the best fondue I've ever had in my life. Christian is a master cook! Tuesday I went to school with Susanne and visited her friend Melanie's English class and then Susanne's german class. After lunch in the cafeteria (yum!) Elena picked me up for a little drive through where they grew up and for some shopping in Winterthur. After hitting up an awesome little tea shop for some yummy tea and great conversation, we went back to meet Susanne, who cooked me a DELICIOUS dinner! I was really really sad when she dropped me off at the airport. Susanne is one of the best people I've ever met (a kindred spirit, as Anne would say) and I love her very much! We'll be friends for the rest of our lives, I believe. She was such a great hostess and I had an amazing weekend :o)