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You are here: Home / Recipes / Drinks / Living a girls’ adventure tale of cocktails and tarts – and a giveaway

Living a girls’ adventure tale of cocktails and tarts – and a giveaway

by Jeanne Horak on August 12, 2010 24 Comments in Drinks, Germany, Monthly Mingle

Rassecco © J Horak-Druiff 2010

 

Defining your family used to be really simple when people were born and raised in the same place where they themselves would eventually settle and raise a family. Your family was your mom and dad; your siblings; and possibly a grandparent that came to live with you. Your extended family was the cousins and aunts and uncles that you saw on high days and holidays. That was your blood, your kin – and from there, levels of intimacy would cascade down in ever-diminishing degrees of closeness. In-laws, close friends, colleagues, casual acquaintances… all the way down to strangers that you had only met once or twice. Your family knew you inside out – your good points, your bad points; your likes and dislikes – the whole lot, probably because they shared many of them! Although you were all different shapes and sizes, you fitted together just like a jigsaw puzzle to make a complete picture

But… that was then, this is now. We are part of a generation that has more mobility and more freedom than possibly any other generation before us has had. We can travel the world, settle where we want to, and reinvent ourselves as we go along. But for the most part, we leave our family behind to strike out on this bold new adventure. We settle in new countries, we make new friends and we assimilate new cultures. But what we gain in experiences and novelty, we lose in the feeling of belonging. No matter how long I live in England, I will never be English; and no matter how I surround myself with a trusted “inner circle” of friends who function as my surrogate family here in the UK, there is no substitute for the sense of comfort and belonging that comes from the company of people related to you and who have a shared history and frame of reference.

And then one day, you find her: the sister you never knew you had.

WeimarWurst

Spot the family resemblance!!

On paper, this is a ridiculous proposition. You have met exactly twice in your life. You grew up in an Afrikaans home in Africa. She grew up in an Indian home all over America and the Middle East. Surely you can have precious little in common, and the chances that this unlikely combination will yield long lost sisters are close to nil?

However, the universe had other plans and besides, we had underestimated the unifying power of Norwegian heart-throbs a-ha 😉 A casual conversation about a-ha at Food Blogger Connect 09 in November resulted in tickets being purchased in December and culminated in my flying to Leipzig two weeks ago to be reuited with my sister-from-another-mother.

From the moment that we squealed and hugged next to her VW Golf, it seemed as if we were determined to catch up on the 30something years that the universe had conspired to keep us apart. Even listenng to a-ha took a back seat to the flow of chatter in the car as the conversation ebbed and flowed between us – from families to 80s pop to relationships to blogging to food and back to the relative merits of the members of a-ha. I owned the same car as her back in South Africa. We got the same present for our 21st birthdays. We watched were obsessed with the same 80s music videos and used to have friends send us Top of the Pops recordings on VHS from London. We were even susceptible to the same illnesses.

And from there, the weekend just got better. Within minutes of arriving in Weimar, we were in the shops, buying shoes (Nick – if you are reading this, pretend you didn’t see that!). We wandered around the cobbled streets of the city, admiring the architecture and the rows of fat, sizzling bratwurst on vendors’ grills until we were overcome with hunger.

WeimarCollage1

WeimarCollage2

WeimarCollage3

Lunch was meant to be a quick bite to eat, but segued into an idyllic afternoon of talk and wine and laughter and flammenkuche at Hibrido. We had big plans for that evening – macaron making and dinner at home, but instead we ended up pouring ourselves some cocktails and settling down to nostalgic 80s pop videos and an evening of joyous hysteria, culminating in a midnight Skype session with Sporty Spice in Zurich and hilarious webcam tours of Chez Sporty and Chez Zesty. “Surely you’re not having another cocktail at this hour?” asked Sporty, in mock horror. “Bottoms up!” said Sweary and Zesty in reply as they clinked their (full) glasses.

WeimarCollage4

WeimarCollage5

WeimarCollage6

On Sunday, we hit Dresden, a fascinating and beautiful city on the banks of the Elbe – but our eyes kept returning to the giant stage on the riverbank where a-ha would be performing that night. After an ill-advised stop in a cafe for The Worst Coffee, Service and ice-Cream in Germany, we headed for the concert venue, a mere 5 hours before a-ha would take to the stage (!), but in time for the soundcheck. And finally the gates were opened and we sprinted to the stage, feeling like we were 16 again and appearing in one of the music videos we’d watched as teenagers. By 9pm the atmosphere was electric. A beautiful summer evening, a stunning backdrop and then… Morten, Magne and Paul, just a couple of metres from us. If my 16 year-old self could have gazed into a crystal ball and seen where she’d be in 2010, I think she would have swooned with happiness. And then they launched into Butterfly Butterfly and we embarked on 2 hours of sheer musical joy and happy nostalgia. We sang, we danced, we laughed at Magne speaking a few words of German, we rolled our eyes at Morten’s constant haranguing of the sound man – but mostly we each delighted in finding a sister who knew all the words to all the old, obscure songs 🙂 On the walk back to our hotel, we encountered a group of busking opera singers singing Time to Say Goodbye in a vaulted arcade – it was one of those surreally beautiful evenings. And even later back in the hotel, hoarse from singing, we were still talking. At 00h30 I said “that’s it, I’m tired.  I’m putting my earplugs in and going to sleep”. At 02h00 we were still talking.

IMG_1594 - edited

Dresden1Collage

DresdenOpera

DresdenCollage

Monday morning was a bit sad – after 7 months of planning this trip the concert was over – but soon the lavish Hilton breakfast cheered us up. After this we wandered around the city taking photographs and went up to the top of the recently restored Frauenkirche which is well worth a visit, both for the beautiful building and the gorgeous view from the top of the dome. We bought some tickets for a cruise on the Elbe and decided to kill the hour until our trip by relaxing in a sunny beer garden by the river with icy mugs of Radler (beer shandy). Within minutes we were so lost in conversation that we did not notice the minutes slipping by and soon we had less than 10 minutes to make it back across the river to the boat. As we got to the bridge, though, our way was barred: there was a film crew filming on the bridge and no pedestrians were being allowed to cross. “But we’ve already paid for tickets for THAT boat and we’re NOT missing it!” called Meeta as the two of streaked past the startled police officer. So if you are ever watching a German TV drama with a man pointing a gun at a car on an old bridge, and you see two women in red SPRINTING past in the background of the shot, feel free to say: “Hey – I know them!”.

DresdenPanoramaH

 

DresdenBeer

DresdenMeeta

DresdenBoat

Back in Weimar, we finally got to cook our meal together (although, to be fair, I did more Tweeting than cooking!). Meeta had devised a savoury tart in honour of my visit and it was this that she made for our last dinner together – you will have to read Meeta’s post to see what was in the tart!  But the question was what to drink with it?  Cocktails are usually thought of as something to drink before a meal rather than to accompany it, but I can see no logical reason why this should be so.  In fact, I would suggest that this cocktail is the perfect accompaniment to the tart – the bubbles of the prossecco and the tart berry flavour of the vodka cuts through the tart’s richness and cleanses your palate for another bite.  Just like me and my sister-from-another-mother, they fit together just like a jigsaw puzzle to make a beautiful complete picture.

WeimarCocktailCOllage1

WeimarCocktailCOllage2

WeimarCocktailCOllage3

(Of course, Meeta could not drink our last round of cocktails for the photoshoot as she still had to drive me to the airport, and so the first time I met her husband and son I was standing there with a sheepish grin and a vodka cocktail in each hand at 3pm on a weekday afternoon.  I wonder if he thinks I’m a bad influence…?!)

The drive to the airport was bittersweet.  It meant we got another hour of listening to a-ha and laughing together, and I got to eat my very first Magnum Gold (verdict:  Oooooh, gold chocolate! Great caramel flavour.  Salt?  What salt?).  But it also meant that each passing mile brought me closer to the plane that would take be back to London and away from my sister.  It’s probably a good thing that Meeta had to dash back to her double-parked car and our goodbye was rushed, because a long goodbye could only have ended in floods of tears from both of us.  Family goodbyes are always wrenching, especially when you have no idea when you will see your sister-from-another-mother again.  But we’ll always have the memories of our crazy a-ha weekend, and all I have to do to re-live them is pour myself one of these cocktails and whip up Meeta’s tart.

WeimarCocktailFinal

Of course, as sisters do, Meeta and I could not agree on a name for our cocktail.  She favours a Rassecco (after the main ingredients), and I favour a Time Machine (because you feel 20 years younger when you drink it).  So this is where the giveaway comes in! We’re each giving away a copy of The Vodka Bible by Paul Knorr to two lucky people who come up with an original, unique and fitting name for this cocktail – and we will ship worldwide. The rules are simple: just leave a comment on either this post or on Meeta’s post with your suggested name for the cocktail. You have till Monday 16 Aug 12:00 AM CEST after which we’ll go through the suggestions and choose a lucky winner from each blog.

RASPBERRI & PROSECCO COCKTAIL

Ingredients per serving

3 fresh raspberries
15 ml (or more!) raspberry-flavoured vodka (we used Absolut Raspberri)
Prosecco

Method

You will need large martini glasses, but if you don’t have those, champagne flutes are also good.

Place three raspberries in the base of each glass.  Pour the vodka over, then top up with the prosecco.

Drink with girlfriends and sisters while listening to a-ha 🙂

Meeta & I are entering both the cocktail and tart to this month’s Monthly Mingle. Sara over at Sara’s Corner has been the gracious hostess all this month and has invited us all to come over with Party Treats.  She’s doing a great job and we hope you will all join her at the party. The deadline is on August 17th. Hope to see you there!

And in other news… nominations are now open for the 2010 South African Blog Awards.  I would REALLY appreciate it if you would take a few moments to click on the link below and nominate me in the categories Best Food & Wine blog and Best Overseas Blog.  Only the blogs with the most nominations go through to be finalists, so every nomination counts!! Pretty please with chocolate sprinkles? When you click the link below, CookSister has already been selected as nominee in the abovementioned categories, so all you have to do is enter the security code displayed and a VALID e-mail address, then click on the link in the confirmation e-mail they send you. NB – you have to click the link in the e-mail that you will be sent, otherwise your nomination will not count!  Thanks ever so much 🙂 

nominate this blog

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  1. nina says

    August 13, 2010 at 4:27 am

    I have to admit, that you had me al teary eyed though. What an amazing story!!

    Reply
  2. Meeta says

    August 13, 2010 at 6:18 am

    you’ve got me crying! oh god! i love this post and i love the pictures, i loved the weekend and i love you! i’ll be coming back here again and again. i miss you!

    Reply
  3. Firefly says

    August 13, 2010 at 7:30 am

    You are such an awesome photogrphare with a stunning eye. I always love your posts.

    Reply
  4. Aussie Foodie says

    August 13, 2010 at 9:18 am

    Wow – after following the tweets from the trip, this brings it all together. The photos are brilliant and the fun is so obvious!
    As to naming the cocktail…Berry Sparkling Trashy Tarts?

    Reply
  5. Jamie says

    August 13, 2010 at 9:40 am

    OMG I missed the weekend AND the skype session? Oh no! Remind me of this next time I say I am planning a vacation with my family in Florida! I will not go!!! And you better believe that I’ll be in London in November! Watch out Nick!!! Hysterical write up, stunning bratwurst picks although that pic of Meeta and the huge one is rather scary! Your photographs are beautiful and your story wonderful especially about the bridge. I’m glad you had a fab time, so fab in fact that I am convinced that I cannot miss the next one. The two of you are the best sisters a girl could ever have and I feel blessed! I love my Spice Sisters. Oh, and Prosecco and raspberries? Heaven! Pink Heaven!

    Reply
  6. Slagella says

    August 13, 2010 at 10:30 am

    For the cocktail: ‘Dastardly Daze’ (from a-ha’s second album).
    Great post!

    Reply
  7. Debugcooking says

    August 13, 2010 at 11:56 am

    I think I would call it Pink Déjà vu…becoz every time you make this drink I’m sure you will be accompanied by a compelling sense of familiarity…the time you spent with your twin sistah 😉

    Reply
  8. bellini valli says

    August 13, 2010 at 1:04 pm

    What a fabulous time you girls had!!! It reminds me of Bohemian Rapsody since you were at a concert(are you girls old enough to remember Queen?) so instead your cocktail should be called Rasp-sody:D

    Reply
  9. Marisa says

    August 13, 2010 at 2:20 pm

    Such a teary-eye inducing post! In the very best sense of the phrase. Loved reading both your & Meeta’s accounts of the a-ha weekend – sounds like you had a fabulous time. Here’s to many more spectacular weekends with your sister from another mother! *clink*

    Reply
  10. norma says

    August 13, 2010 at 2:52 pm

    Yep, you brought tears to my eyes…..I can’t wait for my buddy, FoodAlogue who will be coming to visit for my 60th birthday… How lucky are we….

    Reply
  11. Ash says

    August 13, 2010 at 4:58 pm

    Lovely! 🙂

    Reply
  12. SPICE magazine says

    August 14, 2010 at 3:54 am

    hello, we’ve come for the competition.
    The Ra!Ra!Raspberryputin
    [Russia’ greatest prosecco machine!]

    Reply
  13. Julia says

    August 14, 2010 at 12:33 pm

    Ag my hart… I’m yearning for a sister-from-another-mother on a day like this. You’re an amazing blogger and photographer. What a place to go to. Anyway, I’ll call your cocktail a-ha-berrybliss. Have to try it some time. Mooi bly…

    Reply
  14. Pam Forester says

    August 14, 2010 at 6:01 pm

    How about…..RazzleDazzle? Love your post!
    Feast
    http://foreterfeasts.blogspot.com

    Reply
  15. Joan Nova says

    August 15, 2010 at 12:28 am

    What a wonderful post and experience for the both of you. I thoroughly enjoyed the peek.

    Reply
  16. Jane Ko says

    August 15, 2010 at 4:40 am

    Such a touching story and the cocktail looks fabulous.
    I’ll be having a giveaway on my blog soon!

    Reply
  17. Kim - Liv Life says

    August 15, 2010 at 6:35 am

    What a wonderful story! I clicked on the foodgawker photo just to see the recipe and got so much more. I don’t have a name for your Bubbly Berry Bling (Well… maybe that is a name!!, but it looks fantastic! Thanks for such a wonderful story to finish my night.

    Reply
  18. Piper says

    August 15, 2010 at 9:19 pm

    A wonderful travelogue and family vacation story…..I’d call your drink a….Channel Crossing….

    Reply
  19. Saraswathi Iyer says

    August 16, 2010 at 9:16 am

    Hi, Thank you for the nice drink. Looks pretty. Nice pics.

    Reply
  20. Saraswathi Iyer says

    August 16, 2010 at 9:28 am

    My name to the cocktail would be “Clear Rasp”/ “Clear Berry”.

    Reply
  21. NasreenElm says

    August 16, 2010 at 10:00 am

    What a heart warming, (& taste teasing!) story. I would call the cocktail “Soul Sista” in honour of your family ties.

    Reply
  22. deeba says

    August 16, 2010 at 11:31 am

    A post from the bottom of your heart Jeanne … you almost had me in tears and splits! What a beautiful connect and what absolutely gorgeous pictures! The cocktail, 2 glasses, 3 pm… oooooh you girls are hilarious. So glad you got an opportunity to let your hair down, both of you! FUN!!
    Thinking of a name – hmmmm … ‘Beating Hearts’ maybe?

    Reply
  23. Katja Soehngen says

    August 16, 2010 at 8:36 pm

    An absolute gorgeous story…..
    Like the others I had tears in my eyes and goosebumps….
    Love the pics, they show just how much fun you two had 😀
    For the Cocktail……
    How about ” Two of a kind” ?!

    Reply
  24. Nic says

    August 19, 2010 at 5:50 pm

    Lovely pics from a fun filled weekend!

    Reply
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*NEW RECIPE* Roasted Brussels sprouts with feta ch *NEW RECIPE* Roasted Brussels sprouts with feta cheese, pomegranate and pine nuts

Ever noticed how you are affected by colours? 🌈

Maybe some colours make you agitated and some make you relaxed. Or maybe you find yourself inexplicably attracted to a particular colour (oh, hi teal and aqua!💙). On the basis that all colours have a wavelength, and that those outside the visible spectrum can affect us, it makes sense that the colours we see can affect our mood or even our physiology. Did you know for instance that exposure to red light can increase your blood pressure and heart rate? Are there any colours that you find yourself particularly attracted to or affected by?

The pretty colours of these roasted Brussels sprouts with feta cheese, pomegranate and pine nuts will be the first things that attract you to this dish - but it is the delicious combination of flavours and textures that will keep you coming back for more!

The recipe (and more about how colour affects us mentally and physically) is now live on my blog - click the live link in my profile and remember to like and bookmark this post to see more Cooksister in your Instagram feed ❤️
Perspective: a particular attitude towards or way Perspective: a particular attitude towards or way of regarding something.

Perspective is the one thing that the Covid-19 pandemic has given us plenty of. It has certainly made us re-evaluate what is truly important, and also what we did and didn't enjoy about our lives  before the pandemic and its associated lockdowns. It made me appreciate how much happiness my house, my job, my friends, my own company and my running bring to my life (and how fortunate I am to have all these things). But it also brought home how much I enjoy and miss travel, the theatre, and the luxury of reataurant visits at the drop of a hat. I don't think words can describe my joy at sipping the first coffee purchased from a coffee shop in summer 2020 as lockdown eased. It's the little things...

One of the things I have enjoyed and will not miss as the world creeps back to normality is the absence of crowds in what is usually a crowded city. On the occasions that I have been in central London since the start of the pandemic, streets have been blissfully empty and it has felt as if I were discovering my city anew. This glorious perspective (hah!) of St Paul's Cathedral normally requires a long wait while a queue of tourists and "influencers" ahead of you pose for photos - but on this glorious day last Spring it was almost deserted. I will miss that...

Is there anything you will miss as Covid-19 restrictions start to be lifted?
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Jeanne Horak is a freelance food and travel writer; recipe developer and photographer. South African by birth and Londoner by choice, Jeanne has been writing about food and travel on Cooksister since 2004. She is a popular speaker on food photography and writing has also contributed articles, recipes and photos to a number of online and print publications. Jeanne has also worked with a number of destination marketers to promote their city or region. Please get in touch to work with her Read More…

Latest Recipes

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Brussels sprouts with feta and pomegranate
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bowls of pistachio pomegranate bircher muesli
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