Culinary heritage – Vegetarian Soljanka

September 23, 2017 by nadel&gabel

Soljanka – a hearty dish that was omnipresent on our trip through Saxony, Brandenburg and Thuringia. It probably is the best known Russian soup besides Borschtsch. It’s popular all around Eastern Europe and exists in uncountable variations. In Germany the popularity basically is limited to the eastern part of the country. 40 years of separation into two different states left its traces – by far not only, but as well in terms of culinary traditions. Due to ‘socialist brotherhood’ a […]

Categories: around the world, autumn, diets, German/Swabian, gluten-free, In the kitchen, seasons, soup & stew, vegetable, vegetarian, winter • Tags: cooking, cuisine, DDR, Eastern Europe, easy, Germany, gherkin, hearty, paprika, recipe, russian, smoked, soljanka, sour, stew, tart, tofu, weeknight

Eastward II – Spreewald and Weimar

September 16, 2017 by nadel&gabel

There it is: an isolated wooden house painted red, in the garden chard, tomatoes and thyme are growing besides flowers, happy sheep are jumping around in their enclosure while the chicken doesn’t let disturb herself in her picking routine. The evening sun brings the adjoining field to glow  .. and bsssh … a mosquito’s bite again. And in the sun room of the little, cozy furnished cabin lightened by a chain of lights  we sit in this Bullerbü-like scene, sip […]

Categories: Behind the camera, Germany, nature, objects & places, On the road, travel • Tags: architecture, Bauhaus, boat, Brandenburg, cafe, canoe, classic, culture, design, dragonfly, Germany, gherkins, Goethe, hideaway, history, literature, nature, park, remote, reserve, river, rural, sorbs, Spreewald, travel, weimar

Eastward I – Leipzig and Saxon-Bohemian Switzerland

September 3, 2017 by nadel&gabel

After our last holiday trip took us to a foreign far away island, we decided that we would like to discover in our summer holiday … other foreign far away places – but this time in Germany! Truth is that even in this small country for us there are still so many ‘blind spots’ that we only have vage ideas of or not even that. „Willst du immer weiter schweifen? Sieh, das Gute liegt so nah.” (J.W. Goethe, Erinnerung) Time […]

Categories: Behind the camera, Germany, nature, objects & places, On the road, travel • Tags: Bastei, Bohemia, bridge, city, Czech Republic, ecotourism, Elbe, Elbsandsteingebirge, forest, gauge, Germany, hideaway, hiking, industrial, Leipzig, monument, mountains, national park, organic, photography, retreat, river, sandstone, Saxon Swizerland, Saxony, Sächsische Schweiz, Schmilka, Spinnerei, travel, Tyssa

Lost in knitting – Lace shawl Whiteout

August 28, 2017 by nadel&gabel

The shawl designs of Melanie Berg aka Mairlynd caught my eye sometime at the beginning of the year. I hadn’t knitted for a while. Sewing just seemed to be more my needle craft: quicker, easier to adjust, more experience. Knitted socks were my entry into knitting again and I started to appreciate the advantages of this craft again, the flexibility, the relaxing pleasure to knit a few rows each evening. The patterns and yarns I discovered in this knitting community were thrilling. […]

Categories: craft & DIY, knitting, Uncategorized • Tags: garter stich, knitting, lace, mairlynd, melanie berg, merino, mustard, pattern, portland lace, purple, shawl, wool, yarn, yarncollective, yellow, yoga

At its peak – Summer chicken salad

August 13, 2017 by nadel&gabel

This summer somehow is an up and down. Grey, rainy and rather cold were the last days. It seemed like autumn already was entering the field. But like so often this summer the warming sun broke through the clouds, fought her way back. And her light pushed aside all the grey. I always feel that this time of summer is a double-edged sword. It’s on its peak, the plenty of ripe fruits and vegetables is overwhelming. Now they’re best, juicy […]

Categories: gluten-free, In the kitchen, meat, salad, seasons, snacks & small dishes, summer • Tags: celery, chicken, cold, fresh, fruit, harvest, party food, peaches, picnic, salad, spring onions, summer, walnut

My ‘Summer of Basics’

August 3, 2017 by nadel&gabel

During the last summer weeks – although (or because?) they were packed with a lot of work – I found some time in between for some sewing and lately as well knitting. The “Summer of Basics” proclaimed by Karen from Fringe Supply Co. together with (among others) Jen from Grainline Studio – two of my favourite resources and sources of inspiration – gave me the last push to sew not only small pouches, bags etc. but also again some clothes for me […]

Categories: At the sewing machine, craft & DIY, garment, knitting • Tags: basics, closet, comfy, grainline studio, handmade, knitting, linen, minimal, pants, sewing, shirt, signature, stripes, summer, T-Shirt, tee, top, trousers, wardrobe, yarn

Neat – Knitting needle book

July 16, 2017 by nadel&gabel

You may have recognized on Instagram that there has been a lot of knitting going around here lately. I was taught knitting by my grandmother, actually both of my grandmothers were knitters. They especially perfectionated sock knitting. When they died some years ago I inherited – among some other things like a recipe note book – some of their knitting needles. They build the base of my collection of needles that keeps growing. Growing step by step, cause as much […]

Categories: At the sewing machine, craft & DIY, crocheting, knitting, wallets & pouches • Tags: book, canvas, case, community, crochet hook, designers, interchangeables, knitpro, knitting, magazine, maker, needle, roll, sewing, storage, store, supplies, tools, tutorial, yarn

Hydration – Watermelon cucumber granita

July 7, 2017 by nadel&gabel

Ok, it probably doesn’t go much easier than this “recipe”. But the summer heat is on again after a little break and what you definitely want to avoid is turning on the oven and spending too much time in a small kitchen. So watermelon in any way is the choice of the day. This granita basically multiplies the hydrating and refreshing effect of watermelon – turned into frozen crystals and upgraded by a splash of lime juice and some cucumber. […]

Categories: cake, cookie & dessert, dairy-free, diets, gluten-free, In the kitchen, seasons, summer, Uncategorized, vegan, vegetarian • Tags: cold, cucumber, easy, fresh, frozen, granita, ice, lime, no fuss, recipe, refreshing, summer, watermelon

Sao Miguel IV: Vulcanic energy – The West

July 1, 2017 by nadel&gabel

Life along the coast in the west of São Miguel goes a rather slow way. But a look on the rugged coastline already gives an idea of the forces that lie underneath this surface. At the beach of Ferraria this gets obvious: A sparse moonscape of black lava stone and hot pools in the water right at the coast remind you of the geothermic activity that is so formative for the Azores – in the truest sense of the word! […]

Categories: Uncategorized