Alsace: Riquewihr & Beyond

Nestled between the Vosges Mountains and the famous Alsatian vineyards of France, lies a beautifully preserved romantic medieval renaissance village. Riquewihr is officially one of the Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (one of the most beautiful villages in France) and a stroll through the charming narrow 16^th century cobblestone alleyways easily shows why. 

Plantains – Cooking Bananas

There is one thing I fell absolutely head over heels in love with during all my travels to Latin America.

Dampfnudeln

The name is rather misleading. The words Dampf (steam) and nudeln (noodles) don’t seem to do this traditional southern German dessert dish justice. I have come up with my own Dampfnudel recipe, based on the traditional sweet dish, which comes with vanilla sauce or compote. 

Dining Out around the World: the Doggy Bag

We were recently in our favorite Munich Brauhaus for lunch with a friend who was visiting from the US. Her portion of käsespätzle was far too generous for her and she simply couldn’t finish her meal. She asked me if I could ask the waiter in German for a doggy bag.

A Local’s Guide to Ecuador

I am a big fan of the website Visit Ecuador and South America. It is packed with wonderful off-the-beaten path travel ideas and stunning photographs. I was lucky enough to be able to track down Carmen Cristina Carpio Tobar and ask her a few questions about her home country and the local’s secrets to experiencing it…

White hot and passionate is the only thing to be.

Irish Inspiration with German Roots – Cluas Music

Several years ago I was sitting in a smokey Bruxelles music cafe with my best male friend, mulling over the meaning of life with some Belgian brews, and waiting patiently for a Reggae show to start. It was a routine Saturday night that often ran well into Sunday morning. The beauty of a city like Bruxelles was (and still is) the all-night music and culture scene. There is truly never a dull moment in a city which doesn’t sleep.