Coffee & Cheese High in the Alps
With the cowbells hanging in the eaves of the huts, I could tell the cows were up high in the mountains. The other, more obvious clue was the cows themselves blocking the trail. Either way, lucky for me this meant fresh alpine cheese!
On a recent hike from Mürren, Switzerland, I stopped at a little hut to enjoy the view and check out the tasty signature cheese. 6,384 feet up, I had great coffee (Starbucks VIA® Ready Brew Italian Roast) paired with alpine cheese in a truly unforgettable setting.
Apples to Apples
I grew up visiting Yakima, Wash., a lot so I’ve enjoyed many apples in my day – apple pies, apple strudel, baked apples, applesauce and much more. So, while travelling through Germany, when I encountered a delightful-looking apple turnover pastry called apfeltasche, I just had to try it!
The pastry dough had a flaky crust with a moist, tender center, and it was filled with yummy fresh-baked apples. The apples were the star of the show, but for added depth there was a light dusting of cinnamon that really complemented the flavor. The pastry was folded together with a medallion of dough to seal it – and it made you feel extra special, like you were opening an invitation to a chic party. Enjoying it on the café patio with my husband on a lazy morning, watching the world go by, made it even tastier.
A Day in Seattle Foodie Paradise
Last weekend I was lucky enough to attend one of Seattle’s “foodie” highlights: The Bite of Seattle. The Bite is an annual event that takes all of the best restaurants in the city and gathers them together in one spot, making it easy to sample a little bit of everything. The location is great too. It’s held in the Seattle Center, a wide open plaza under the Space Needle, built for the 1962 World’s Fair.
There were dozens of vendors selling everything from slow-cooked BBQ to chocolate-dipped fruit kebabs. Most of the vendors are just one-off booths, but there’s also a special line where, for a small donation to a local food bank, you can get a full plate of deliciousness from a selection of the top restaurants in the city! That’s what I did.
