That certain something – Petal pouches in japanese blue

September 8, 2016 by nadel&gabel

For me Anna von from Noodlehead is the goddess of pouches and bags! One reason perhaps is that I learned the basics of sewing mostly with her pictured tutorials. Thanks to her I can sew any kind of zipper … and I am still more familiar to English sewing terms than German ones 😉 It is also, because non (really NON) of her tutorials and patterns (free or for purchase) has led me down at any time. I would say they’re foolproof. […]

Categories: At the sewing machine, wallets & pouches • Tags: anna graham, Asanoha, blue, clam, easy, fabric, graphic, indigo, japanese, noodlehead, pattern, petal, pouch, rounded, traditional, zipper

Hole-and-corner – Meandering between Brecon Beacons and Wye Valley

August 18, 2016 by nadel&gabel

“The term ‘hole-and-corner’ derives from an old English phrase meaning a secret place or a life lived away from the mainstream: somewhere you go to contemplate, create and be inspired.” (Hole&Corner Magazine) If you’re interested in stargazing, the Brecon Beacons in Wales, since 2012 accredited as “International Dark Sky Reserve” with only little light pollution, are one of the best places on earth. However, our this year’s summer holiday seemed to be ill-starred and – starting with the end – due to […]

Categories: Behind the camera, black & white, Great Britain, nature, objects & places, On the road, travel • Tags: abbey, artisan, boat, books, Brecon Beacons, canoe, Cymru, drink, escape, Fan, food, glasbury, green, hay-on-wye, heath, hiking, historic, lake, magazine, meadow, mill, moorland, mountains, national park, nature, pasture, railway, retreat, river, river cafe, rural, sheep, traditional, travel, valley, vintage, Wales, Wye valley

Modern tradition – Seigaiha tote and pouch

October 25, 2015 by nadel&gabel

When I first came across “kiseki” on DaWanda I was looking for masking tape and this shop had an overwhelming selection… I had a hard time to decide. And then I realized that Juliane, the shop owner, also sells fabrics! Imported from Japan “kiseki” offers a great choice of stunning traditionally patterned Japanese fabrics. Asanoha, Samekomon, Kanoko, Seigaiha … each of them so gorgeous! Some of the patterns are even available as oil cloth. I ordered a stack … and as always they […]

Categories: At the sewing machine, bags & totes, supplies, wallets & pouches • Tags: anna graham, Asanoha, blue, clutch, denim, fabric, gingham, handle, Handmade Style, Japan, japanese, Kanoko, noodlehead, pattern, pouch, rivet, Samekomon, Seigaiha, sewing, tote, traditional, zipper

We call it a Klassiker – German Cherry Cheesecake

July 19, 2015 by nadel&gabel

Phew! The heat waves that reached Germany throughout the last weeks really turned me into a phlegmatic sloth! The days got a new rhythm, I tried to move as little as possible,  and fed mainly on melon and salads. No way to put on the oven in our top floor apartment! But then for a few days, temperatures sank to a – kind of – normal level. And I had to quickly bake a cake. The cherries on the market […]

Categories: cake, cookie & dessert, German/Swabian, In the kitchen, snacks & small dishes, summer, vegetarian • Tags: baking, cake, cheesecake, cherries, classic, cookie & dessert, crust, curd, fresh, fruit, german, lemon, pastry, quark, recipe, summer, traditional

Chatelain for a weekend – A very special accomodation

June 18, 2015 by nadel&gabel

I was browsing already too long through pages of tasteless hotels, guesthouses and holiday homes: Either they were of the category “frumpy and slightly tacky – stuck in the 70s” or of the category “tried to be modern – reached characterless”… … And then I found this place: Schloss Hofstetten. And it was clear from the very first moment that I’ve found IT! Although I don’t know anymore on which winding paths of search I discovered. But if you can only […]

Categories: Behind the camera, Germany, nature, objects & places, On the road, travel • Tags: accomodation, Altmühltal, antique, apartment, baroque, Bavaria, building, castle, franconia, garden, Hofstetten, holiday, home, peaceful, quiet, remote, renovated, restore, search, simple, stay, time-out, traditional, travel, vacation, village

Natural forces – In the Altmühl and Danube Valley

June 8, 2015 by nadel&gabel

When we planned our weekend off, we hoped for good weather. What we didn’t expect were what we got: Summer showed its full power for the first time this year – with tropical temperatures in the middle of Bavaria, or to be precise and not offend anyone: Franconia. Already when we came closer to Eichstätt, one of the bigger cities in the otherwise rural area of the Altmühltal (Altmühl Valley), we could see houses decorated with birch twigs, flags and […]

Categories: Behind the camera, Germany, nature, objects & places, On the road, travel • Tags: Altmühl, baroque, Bavaria, Bayern, canoe, castle, catholic, cliff, Danube, food, fossils, franconia, Franken, Fronleichnam, gorge, heath, hiking, holiday, ice age, lamb, limes, narrows, nature, park, photography, primeval, reserve, river, roman, sausage, scenic, schnitzel, town, traditional, travel, valley, village

Sweet simplicity – Dutch hangop

April 18, 2015 by nadel&gabel

Of course – like it is good tradition on this blog – my report from our short trip to Amsterdam is only complete with a corresponding recipe. After our dinner at Moeders, where we ate ourself through a menu of traditional Dutch dishes, it was soon clear that I was tending towards the sweet side, but would it be waffles, poffertjes,…? … I finally made my mind – and hangop. Probably the most easiest, but non the less delicious and […]

Categories: around the world, cake, cookie & dessert, gluten-free, In the kitchen, spring, summer, vegetarian • Tags: berries, buttermilk, cream, dairy, dessert, drain, dutch, easy, fresh, hangop, Holland, Netherlands, raspberries, recipe, spring, summer, traditional, yoghurt

Swabian sweet tooth – Schupfnudeln with apple compote and cinnamon sugar

November 29, 2014 by nadel&gabel

It’s getting colder outside slowly around here and as winter and Christmas is getting closer my cravings for the flavours of my childhood  – long known dishes, linked with memories – are growing. Schupfnudeln are one of those meals. They are a swabian kind of noodles or dumplings, sometimes translates with ‘finger noodles’ – referring to their shape. The dough itself is similar to the italian gnocci dough – although there exist versions that are only made with flour and […]

Categories: autumn, cake, cookie & dessert, dairy-free, German/Swabian, In the kitchen, pasta, vegetarian, winter • Tags: apple, autumn, cinnamon, compote, dough, dumpling, german, gnocci, noodle, potato, preserve, recipe, rustic, Sauerkraut, savoury, Schupfnudeln, South, sugar, swabian, sweet, traditional, warm, winter

The joy of Fika – Swedish Kardemummabullar

September 3, 2014 by nadel&gabel

If you would ask me about three things that are omnipresent in Sweden, I would say: trees, IKEA “Färgrik” mugs and kanelbullar. These famous swedish cinnamon buns – full of spice and not too sweet – can be found in each and every bakery and café … and each of them serves them in a slightly different way: Different sizes, different ways of twisting, rolling or knotting, different toppings (shaved almonds, pearl sugar…). Indeed, the kanelbulle is so important for […]

Categories: around the world, autumn, breakfast, cake, cookie & dessert, In the kitchen, vegetarian, winter • Tags: autumn, bake, bullar, bulle, bun, cafe, cardamom, cinnamom, coffee, culture, pastry, recipe, roll, sweden, swedish, sweet, traditional