Ten things I like about Piran, Slovenia

View of Piran from the ramparts

Winter has come and gone, and spring has emerged bright with promise!  I can think of no better place to experience the beginning of spring than in Piran, Slovenia.  Red rooftops, narrow walkways, boats on the water.  A place to think and a place to discover.

My list of the best of Piran begins here...

Narrow walkways

Piran is a labyrinth of cobble stone paths, each with it's own character.  Where will you end up?  Take the path to find out.

A Piran path

Another way to the sea?

 Windows

I love windows because they offer a mystery.  What is inside?  What is outside? The windows of Piran are especially inviting.

Spring flowers on a window sill

An iron grate

A crumbling frame

The Ramparts

A walk along the ramparts above the city offers views and a sense of scale.

The view north

The northern tower

Sailboats on the water

When a sail catches the wind it's like watching a bird fly along the sea.  It's pretty dramatic!

Catching the wind

Sunset on the water

Saint George and the dragon

Saint George is the patron saint of Piran.  You can see images of George slaying the dragon throughout the city.  This image has always appealed to me.  Not sure why...

George in the square

George in the cathedral

City gates

There are many old gates to the city.  The dolpin gate is one of my favorites.

The dolphin gate

Above the gate

Stone faces

Almost everywhere you look there is a stone face looking back at you.  

On a facade 

Upon a column

At the point

Lions

The lion is everywhere in Piran - a symbol of strength and alertness.

Above a window

On a pillar

Supporting a balcony

Salt

Salt has been harvested and traded in and around Piran since the 800's.  You can still see the old salt pans in use today, and you can buy various grades of salt from the Soline shop on the main square of Piran.

In the Soline shop

Salt pans at Strujan

Letting the sea in

Fish and fishermen

At dawn and dusk you can see the fishermen line up along the point.  They bear the cold wind and waves to bring in a meal.

Enthusiastic fishermen

The fruit of the sea

The quality of light

Every space and time has a distinct quality of light.  The light in the early spring is bright - almost white - contrasting with the grey spring clouds.

The top of the campanile 

Budding branches in the afternoon light

Okay, so I had eleven, but were you really counting?  If you have ever been to Piran, you probably have your own list to share.

Happy Spring!

Engaging with creative spirits

Chocolate chic bowl from SquareCircleWorks

I don't often write about baskets, even though baskets are always on my mind.  I dream of color combinations, patterns, textures, and shapes.  I muse on what would give a basket that little pop - a button, a bead, a bit of ribbon.  Of course, going from my dream world to reality is a challenge.  So many other things need to be done!

How do we get from the dream to the reality?
What motivates and inspires us to move from the wondering to the doing?

We engage with those creative spirits that surround us!

Etsy is the perfect place for engaging with artists and crafters.  We can browse among their shops and witness creativity unfolding.  We can build treasuries to celebrate the unique expressions we discover.  We can read blogs and learn what creative people are thinking.

Here are several basket and bag makers who motivate me.  With their permission, I am sharing some of their work.

Sally - an innovative fiber artist from Arcadia, Michigan - makes baskets and totes.  I particularly love her tote bags made from marine rope.  They are sturdy and stylish, and always have a little embellishment to give an extra zip.

Coiled marine rope tote from SallyManke

Blue coiled rope tote from SallyManke

Diane - from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - makes coiled baskets in all shapes and sizes.  She has a special gift for adding pleasing details - flat and round handles, buttons, tassels, and swirls.

Fabric coiled basket in greens/blues/red from DMcGettigan

Extra-large fabric coiled basket from DMcGettigan

Jennie is from Manassas, Virginia.  I love how she has applied the crochet technique to basket and bowl making.  She often uses upcycled materials in her work.

Upcycled sheet bowl by sosorosey

Nested cotton string utility bowls by sosorosey

Flavia is a transplanted Italian living in Mooresville, North Carolina.  Her baskets sing!  She uses recycled materials - mostly paper - to coil fantastic creations.  The process is time-consuming, but the result is spectacular.

GOING IN CIRCLES coiled paper basket from Artesa

ABI - Coiled medium size basket from Artesa

Nancy, a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, is experimenting with shapes, textures, and colors.  Her pieces are unique, and I can't wait to see how her works evolves.

City night from BluKangarooCreations

Sundried tomatoes from BluKangarooCreations

I am curious.  Where do you find your inspiration?

Beer and Swiss Cheese Bread

Beer and swiss cheese bread

It's cold in Europe this winter, and all I can think about is baking.  What is more satisfying and nurturing to the soul than baking bread?

This week I am sharing a recipe made with beer and cheese.  Okay.  I know what you are thinking.  Why would I waste a good bottle of beer on making bread?  I hear ya.  However, you have to think of the outcome - a delicious yeasty earthy bread!  And the cheese, well who doesn't love cheese with their beer?  You can use any semi-hard cheese for this recipe, but personally, I think swiss is the best.  (By the way, here in Europe, we call it Emmentaler cheese.)

This is a hearty bread - on the heavy side - which means it goes great with soup!

Here's the recipe...

Ingredients:

1 cup of beer plus one tbsp (flat and at room temperature)
3/4 cup swiss cheese
3 cups white flour
1/4 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup whole brown cane sugar (or regular brown sugar)
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp yeast


Preparation:

If you have an electric mixer with a paddle attachment or a bread machine, just throw your ingredients together – keeping in mind your machine’s instructions – and let the machine do the kneading.

Keep in mind that this dough will be quite crumbly at the the beginning.  You - or your machine - will have to use an extra bit of force at first.  (I notice that my machine really has to work this dough.)

If you prefer hand kneading, see my note on hand kneading in my Best Ever Polenta Pumpkin Seed Bread Recipe.

When kneading is done, let the dough rise for about 45 min. or until it has doubled in size.  (This is a slow-riser so be patient.)

Once the dough has doubled, pour it out onto a floured board or countertop.  Knead the dough by hand for about 5 minutes, and then shape into a round loaf.  Place the round loaf in a round baking pan.

I use cornmeal on my Polish baking dish.
This prevents sticking and adds crunch.

Let the dough rise again until doubled in size.  (I use a damp cloth to cover the dough while it is rising.)


Scoring the loaf:

Once the dough has doubled in size (for the second time) using a sharp knife, score the loaf.  This helps in the release of steam during baking (and it looks lovely!)  I created a tic tac toe design on my loaf.

Tic tac toe!

Baking:

Bake your loaf for about 15 minutes in an oven preheated to 390 Fahrenheit (about 200 C).  After 15 minutes, turn your oven down to 350 (about 180 C) and bake for another 15 minutes.  (That makes 30 minutes in all.)

Immediately remove from the baking pan to the cooling rack.  Let cool before slicing.

Cooling...  Oh yum!

The aroma of this bread is wonderful - cheesy and delicious!

See the little bits of cheese?

Once you discover this recipe, you will find yourself making it again and again.

What do you think?  Do you want to give it a try?

Val's Twisted Anadama Bread

So good with soup or stew!

Winter is here.  Time for soups and stews and all that warms the body and soul.  There is a place for bread in all of this!  Here is my "twisted" version of Anadama Bread, a hearty, slightly sweet New England mult-grain bread made with cornmeal, oatmeal, and molasses.  It is the perfect accompaniment to soups and stews.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups potato water (or plain tap water)
• 1.5 tbsp pumpkin seed oil (or other seed oil)
• 3 tbsp molasses
• 1.5 tbsp honey
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 3 cups white flour
• 1/3 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup oatmeal
• 2 1/4 tsp yeast (or one packet)

For the glaze:  one egg beaten with one tbsp of water
For the finishing touch: sunflower seeds


Preparation:

If you have an electric mixer with a paddle attachment or a bread machine, just throw your ingredients together – keeping in mind your machine’s instructions – and let the machine do the kneading.

When the kneading is done, let the dough rise for about 45 min. or until it has doubled in size.  I like to cover the dough with a damp dish towel.  (If you prefer hand kneading, see my note on hand kneading in my Best Ever Polenta Pumpkin Seed Bread Recipe.)

Once the dough has doubled, pour it out onto a board or countertop.  Divide the dough into two loaves.

Divide your loaf into two equal parts

Divide each of the two loaves into two parts, and roll each piece into a 12-14 inch long cylinder.  You should now have four long loaves.

Make four long loaves

Take two loaves and join them together in a twist.  Repeat for the second two loaves.

Here's the fun part!

Move the twisted loaves to a baking sheet or loaf pan.  As a precaution, I suggest lining the pan with baking paper.  This will prevent sticking (if you are planning to use the egg wash; see below).

Preheat your oven to 390 Fahrenheit (or about 200 C) and let the dough rise again.  This time it should need about 25-30 min.

Place the loaves in a baguette pan or baking sheet

Once the dough has risen, beat the egg and water together with a fork, and apply the mixture to the surface of each loaf.  Sprinkle sunflower seeds over them.

Add the egg wash and sunflower seeds

Bake the twisted loaves for 20 to 25 minutes, until they have turned a deep rich brown.  Immediately remove from the baking sheet to the cooling rack.  Let cool before slicing.

Delicious!

Here is a clean-up tip.  Use a plastic pastry cutter to scrape the flour from your work surface.  You will be surprised at how easily the bits come together.

Clean up is a breeze!

Stay warm and enjoy the winter, everyone!