Chocolate Cupcakes with Caramelized Bacon

     Today's recipe is rich, decadent, and not healthy at all. Its title may sound strange at first, but the use of bacon in desserts is becoming a culinary trend. Bacon chocolate chip cookies and maple bacon milkshakes come to mind. To be honest, I'm not usually a huge fan of American bacon, but there are few things I enjoy more than coming up with ways to turn foods people hate into foods they love. And in my experience, adding sugar is a very effective way to accomplish that. In this case, the result is oddly delicious, and would make a perfect party treat. But why add more calories to an already indulgent cupcake? Because 'Merica, that's why! So in a way, it's a celebration of my homecoming.

INGREDIENTS (makes 12 cupcakes)
6-8 slices of bacon
1 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup cold black coffee
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
brown sugar for caramelizing the garnish bacon

for chocolate buttercream frosting:
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
2 sticks of butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
about 2 cups powdered sugar
a splash of milk

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 375 and line muffin tins with cupcake liners.
2. Take 4-5 slices of the bacon, thoroughly cook them in a pan, drain, and crumble them into tiny pieces. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients for the cupcake batter.

4. Once thoroughly combined, make a well in the middle, and add the egg, coffee, buttermilk, and oil. Mix just until combined. Then, stir in the bacon bits, and spoon the batter evenly into cupcake tins, about 3/4 full.

5. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes, Then cool them in the pans on a wire rack while you prepare the frosting. Lower the oven temperature to 325.
6. To caramelize the remaining slices of bacon, put them in a small bowl and coat them with brown sugar. Then lay them flat on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper. Bake them until the look caramelized and crispy. For me, this took about 20 minutes, but you have to keep an eye on it because it can burn quickly. When it's done, let it cool completely.

7. To make the frosting, beat the butter with an electric mixer for a few minutes until fluffy, then add the vanilla and melted chocolate. Continue to mix and gradually add powdered sugar until you get the desired taste and consistency.
8. Frost the cupcakes using whatever method is easiest for you. For me, that means piping it on with a pastry bag. It's an extra step, but it gives people like me who lack fine motor skills a lot more control and a pretty result.

9. Finally, carefully break or cut the slices of caramelized bacon into 2-inch sections and stick on into the frosting on top of each cupcake.

Enjoy, and come back tomorrow for this summer's first inventive ice cream flavor!

The Best German Potato Salad

     I'm back! I have been home for two weeks now, and as I expected, I completely crashed for the first one. After transitioning from the very exciting, over-stimulating experience that is life abroad, I knew I wasn't going to want to do a thing for the first few days. Plus it didn't help that I caught a cold immediately after landing. Apparently I'm allergic to America. And reverse culture shock is sort of a thing. I think it gets a little exaggerated, although there is a little Germany-shaped hole in my heart right now. However, I am enjoying all the things that I missed while I was away. And of course I'm having fun sharing all the European things that I could bring back with me with my family, most of which are recipes.
     Yesterday, I rediscovered the joy of spending the better part of my summer days in the kitchen, just like I used to, and I have some really cool things to share. But today, I'll kick it all off with something really simple that reminds me of my second home: Schwäbischer Kartoffelsalat or Swabian potato salad. Now I don't care for the typical American potato salad, mainly because I have issues with our tendency to slather various foods with mayonnaise and call it "salad." When most Americans thing of German potato salad, they expect something similar to the American version, only slathered in mustard instead of mayonnaise. The different regions of Germany are very diverse, and there really is no one type of German potato salad, but I can say that the Swabian kind that I have come to love is not like that at all. No mayonnaise, no mustard, just delicious simplicity.

INGREDIENTS:
None of this really needs to be measured, but here's a guideline for 4-6 servings

4 large potatoes, or more smaller ones
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped, in any variety you like
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
3 tablespoons olive oil
3-4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper
bacon bits (optional)
chopped chives (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Wash and peel the potatoes. Boil them whole until done (about 20 minutes), but be careful not to overcook them.
2. Drain the potatoes and rinse them in cold water.
3. Once they are safe to touch, use a pairing knife to slice them as thinly as possible.
4. In a medium bowl, gently toss the potato slices with all other ingredients. Taste test and adjust.
5. This is traditionally served hot, but it's good cold too.

     It's so simple, but that's what makes it perfect! Enjoy, and come back tomorrow for something very different and very American!

Saying (a Temporary) Goodbye

     Today I have to find a way to summarize what the last four months have meant to me, and honestly, I have no idea where to start. I feel like everything I could possibly say has been said a million times before, and yet I feel compelled to say it again because I really wish that more people would take that leap of faith and go study abroad. No words can completely describe how amazing an experience it is or how profoundly it changes you.  It really would be a shame to miss out on this opportunity, so here is my final attempt to convince the masses.
    First there are the tangible things--all the travel, events, and adventures you get to have. In addition to the two 10-day class trips that are jam-packed with activities, we had over 25 other events, including many free meals, concerts, and excursions. During the semester, they keep you busy. And of course that doesn't even count the long weekends and spring break, when you can just go anywhere and everywhere.
Like Prague:

and Paris:

     What's arguably even more important are the intangible things you gain from this experience. You can meet people from all over the world. You'll get completely comfortable hearing multiple languages, often spoken in the same room. You'll learn that there is more than one good way to do pretty much anything. You'll become a better problem-solver.  You'll get over all of your dumb little fears.  You'll learn how to do laundry, shop for groceries, and cook. (But hopefully you already do those things.)  

     But what has by far meant the most to me is getting to wake up every single day and be really excited about life. I've become much more independent and confident. After you successfully navigate Europe pretty much on your own, you'll feel like you can do anything. Because you can. If you think about it, there aren't a whole lot of things that are harder than packing up your life and moving to another country, so once you've done that, suddenly, the things that used to scare you just don't anymore. And more importantly, you come to the realization that it's the scary things in life that end up being most worthwhile.

     Tomorrow, I have to say goodbye to Reutlingen, but I'm in a different position than most of my classmates.  This goodbye will be easier for me because it is only a temporary one. Because I get to come back in three months, I'm mostly just excited to go home right now. But come August, it'll be time to put everything I learned to good use again. I guess more than anything else, today I feel grateful, for the transformative experience this semester has been, for the relaxing summer ahead, and for the opportunity to spend another year right here where I belong.

Birthday Post: German Quiche

     No, it's not my birthday. That already happened, but this is even more exciting! Exactly one year ago, this blog was born. On that day, I posted what is still one of my favorite recipes, fresh triple berry pie. Despite the bad newbie photography, I'll always be proud of that post and of the fact that I actually had the guts to start this and then commit to it. I remember how I waited months before even telling my family I was doing this, for fear they wouldn't take it seriously. And I waited even longer to make a Facebook like page because I was afraid no one would "like" it.  I knew that I couldn't compete with the famous food bloggers, and I still can't, but when I started, I decided that as long as 5 people read it, it'd be worth it. Luckily this community has grown bigger than that, and I feel that I'm at least starting to accomplish my greater goal of teaching people not to fear learning to cook.
     And now for the actual recipe portion of this post, the Schwäbischer Zwiebelkuchen. Don't let the name scare you, it's basically quiche Lorraine, which was actually most likely invented by Germans.  Everybody wants to take the credit. Swabia, the region of Germany that I now call home, is really close to France, so there's probably a little cultural overlap in this case. But no matter what you call it, this quiche/cake/pie is extremely delicious. I made one big one just for myself, ate it for literally every meal for 3 days, and didn't get sick of it. In fact, I'll probably make another one soon. (I think we established long ago that I have no shame when it comes to food. And also very little in most other areas of my life.) But anyway, this recipe is good. Really good. I didn't even plan to make it my anniversary post, but it deserves the honor.

INGREDIENTS:
Shortcrust:
1/2 cup sugar
1 3/4 sticks butter, softened
1 egg
pinch of salt
pinch of baking powder
2 1/2 cups flour

2lbs. onions, finely chopped
a slab of bacon, chopped
1 1/2 cups sour cream
4 eggs
2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS:
1. It's best to prepare the crust dough a few hours early, chill it in the fridge, then take it out 30 minutes before use. To make it, beat the butter, sugar, egg, and salt until fluffy. then gradually add the dry ingredients. Mix it with a machine or by hand, but it does need a little bit of hand kneading at the end. It should come together nicely.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 and grease and flour a 12inch springform pan. Chop the onions, then the bacon. Slices of bacon work too, but the raw slab is more German and more like ham, so I prefer that.
3. Fry up the bacon in a pan, then add the onions. Cook them in butter on medium-high heat until they look clear, and then lower the heat and let them caramelize for 30 minutes. Remember there's a fine line between caramelized and burnt. 
4. In a large bowl, make the "batter." Mix together the flor, salt, pepper, eggs, and sour cream until smooth. Then stir in the onions and bacon.

5. Roll out the crust dough and fit it into the pan. Make sure it goes all the way up the sides, but leave the edge unfinished to give it that rustic look.
6. Pour the batter into the crust and bake at 400 for 45 minutes to an hour, until the middle is set. I've decided that my weird German oven is more like a broiler, so that's why I can't give good estimates on baking times anymore. 

     Just because I really want you to make this and love it as much as I do, I'll even condone substituting pre-made pie crust. That way, it's super easy. Have it for whatever meal you want. It's always a good time for quiche.

     And now for my super special announcement: I'm going back to the good old days of daily recipes! I'm not sure yet, when I'll start because I'm leaving Germany for home on Thursday. It would have been perfect to start the daily posts again exactly on the anniversary, but I will need some time to recover from my flight and settle back in at home. That could be two days or two weeks, I don't know. But I will get back into my old rhythm sometime soon. That being said, because I'm one year older and wiser now, I'm a lot more concerned with quality than quantity. I'm not going to force myself to come up with something great every day. Yes, I will cook every day, but they can't all be winners, and I could post mediocre things, but that's not really worth. So if and when that happens, maybe I'll just post some random thoughts on whatever is inspiring me at the time. I don't know if that would interest anyone, but I have been wanting to try it because I have a lot of thoughts, and sometimes I feel like I put myself in a box with the food/travel themes. So we shall see. 

     I want to thank all of my readers for your support and encouragement. Thank you for following me around the world. I really hope that you try some of these recipes and enjoy them as much as I do. Because of you, this year has been a blast. Let's continue to grow this little community. It's gonna be a fun summer, followed by another year of European adventure. I can't wait!

The Best Things I Ate: The European Tour

     It's time for the last installment of "The best things I ate."  Check out parts 1 and 2 if you haven't yet. This time, instead of dishes from Germany, I've collected all of my favorite meals from various countries I visited over spring break. Since this post required extensive research, it will be rather long, but I have to share these things because they are such an important part of why I love travel, and they are what inspire me to create new recipes of my own. Whether I'm at home or halfway around the world, I try to branch out and try new things, as well as authentic classics, and here, you'll see a good mix of both, organized by city.

Prague:

This was the first dinner I had in the first city of break, and it was a great way to kick it all off! It was roast pork with horseradish mashed potatoes and a gorgeous gravy. It was classic Czech food with a little added elegance. Another reason to love Prague is that even fancy restaurants are ridiculously cheap because of the exchange rate!

This little treat is something I grew up eating at home. Kolacky are little Bohemian cookies filled with jelly or cream cheese that come in all shapes and sizes. I saw these at a bakery stand at a local festival and just had to have a real one!

Budapest:

For even cheaper fancy food, this is the place for you! This was my birthday dinner, chicken with beetroot risotto. I'm not really a fan of beets, but I am a huge fan of risotto, so I decided to take a risk and order it. And not only does it look beautiful, it tasted perfect too!

Vienna:

A long time ago, I did an entire post about my favorite foods in Vienna, but one thing I regretted missing out on the first time was some real Wiener Schnitzel. So this time, I found a restaurant that was really popular with the locals and finally had some. Some of my friends got the giant version that was bigger than the plate, but I opted for this one to get the sides. That way, it didn't look entirely like a heart attack on a plate. At least there was some lettuce.

Venice:

Unlike Prague and Budapest, food in Venice can get pretty expensive. But one thing that's always a deal is pizza. Honestly, my favorite pizza in the world is still Chicago style deep-dish, but for authenticity's sake, this one was pretty good too. But it was a struggle to eat with a knife and fork.

Rome:

It was here that I first learned how to eat like an Italian. Apparently, the giant bowl of pasta is only the first course, and you're supposed to have room for a meat course after that. I usually just picked one or the other, but this pesto was my favorite pasta course, mostly because I believe you can never have too much basil.

Cinque Terre: 

As a general rule, whenever I'm lucky enough to go to a restaurant where I can see the ocean from my table, I order fish. And that's almost the only time I order fish. This was the first time that I ever got one with the head still attached, but after respectfully laying a piece of lettuce over the face, I thoroughly enjoyed this meal.
     So far, I haven't mentioned any restaurants by name, but I feel compelled to for this next one. Based on rave reviews from Rick Steves and Tripadvisor, I had to try Il Pirata in the tiny town of Vernazza. I'm sure all their food is great, but I specifically wanted to go for breakfast.

First, there's this little cup of wonderful. The owner gave us a little free sample, describing the mix of fresh strawberry slush and whipped cream as "the Italian yoghurt." That little taste was not enough. And just the fact that this is considered just like yoghurt here is just another reason why I love this country.

Finally, yes, I did order a cannoli for breakfast. I had to do it, and it was the best one I've ever had. And now I know better than to order a pre-filled one. These are filled only after you order them so that they stay delightfully fresh and crunchy.

     So that's how I ate my way across Europe. Next week, I'll write my last Reutlingen post as I prepare to go home for the summer. And by the way, this is the 150th post on Spoonful of Zucker. This blog has become exactly what I envisioned, a perfect mix of fabulous food and fabulous places. Thank you all for coming along for the ride this year. I can't wait to see where it will take us in the next one!

Spring Break Part 2: La Dolce Vita

     After the first week of break, the first three cities, I already felt like I had seen a lot, done, a lot, and walked a lot.  But the Odyssey continued. After one of the longest train rides I have ever been on, we arrived in Venice to start our full week of exploring Italy. Now, Italy was one of the specific places we were "strongly advised"not to go, mainly because of pickpocketing and other issues that past groups have dealt with there. But I've always wanted to go to Italy. I know at least a dozen people who have spent extended time there and have never had a problem. And the truth is, there are a lot of more dangerous places to go in the world, places that I actually do want to see someday. So I respectfully ignored the warnings, and guess what! I had a great time with no problems at all, and never once felt unsafe. So my advice is to go to Italy. Be a nerdy tourist and strap your valuables to your body, research good places to stay, don't talk to strangers, and just go! During the week, we went to Venice, Rome, Cinque Terre, and Florence. Once again, I'll try my best to sum up all the fun.

Venice:
     I loved Venice. In fact, it's one of my favorite cities. However, this place gets a lot of mixed reviews.  People either love it or hate it. I love it because it is exactly as beautiful as I pictured it. It's just a beautiful city that looks like it hasn't changed much in centuries. The main thing to do there is just to walk around and get lost in the narrow streets. And you will get lost. There's really not much point in looking at maps, and it will take you about four times longer to find things than you would expect. Some people don't have the patience for this, but I found it fun. Instead of rushing around to a million tourist attractions, you can just wander, take your time, and enjoy the views. The public transport system here is the water bus, which is especially fun to ride at night, to see the city light up. One thing I regret missing out on was a gondola ride. People seem to think they are a tourist trap, but in reality, they actually aren't that expensive. If you get a full group of 6 people, the cost would divide to 13 euros per person. If I had realized this sooner, I would have done it, so I'll have to come back someday.

Rome:

     I wanted to love it, I really did. I liked it, but in the end, I think it fell a little short of my expectations. Don't get me wrong, there are a ton of things in Rome that everyone should see in their lifetime, but now that I have seen them, I feel like I can just check this place off the list. Experienced travelers recommend that if Rome is "too much for you" you shouldn't go further south, implying that it is one of the more intense tourist destinations. While I do think that it was a little much for me, this wasn't because it was somehow too intensely Italian. It was because of the hoards of crazed tourists. There were just too many people in town. I'm sure it had a lot to do with the fact that we were there right after Easter, but still, I've never had a stronger urge to shove people in my life. It's a shame because the museums, the ruins, and the Vatican are beautiful. I probably would have loved it if it were February. Go to Rome, but book museum tickets in advance, and remember to bring extra patience.

Cinque Terre:
     This area is a slice of heaven. Formerly known as "Italy's Hidden Riviera," it has now been discovered and become a top destination (Thanks, Rick Steves.) It's five tiny, quaint towns along Italy's western coast, linked together by hiking trails and trains. Unfortunately, the trials were closed when we were there, and the train system could use a lot of help. But if someday, they can fix it, so that it doesn't take 2 hours to go 5 minutes up the road, this place would be absolutely perfect. I may seriously consider learning Italian, moving here, and opening up a bed and breakfast. It would be a good life.

Florence:
     I really enjoyed Florence, the birthplace of the renaissance. Some people I know may take offense to this, but I thought of it as a more manageable, mini version of Rome. There are plenty of museums and attractions to see, but it maintains a somewhat relaxed atmosphere. And it's walkable, which is always a plus. Aside from admiring all the renaissance art, my favorite part of the day here was walking up to Piazza Michelangelo, where I took this photo:

     So that's Italy. I loved it, and am so glad I decided to go after all. I'm proud of myself for getting through over two weeks of intense travel. Each of these places challenged me. I clearly wasn't in Germany anymore, but I learned a lot. I learned how to read a map and not get lost, how to get lost and be okay with it, how to get by in places where I didn't speak the languages, and how to get up every day and look for adventure. But as much as I loved all the places we went over break, the most important thing I learned is that Germany is my home, and I can't ever take it for granted. I now have a greater appreciation for the fact that I know how things work here, that I can speak German, and that this is also a very unique and beautiful country. It's good to be home!

Spring Break Part 1: Exploring Eastern Europe

     It's been a while since my last travel post. Where have I been all April? Well, it feels to me, like almost everywhere. I just returned from two and a half weeks traveling around Europe. It was an Odyssey. It was like the Amazing Race, only without the actual race and the million dollars at the end. I feel like I just walked across half of this continent. But it was unforgettable, a true once-in-a-lifetime experience that I'll cherish forever. Since there's no way to cover the entire trip in one post, I'm going to split it into three. First, there were the eastern cities of Prague, Budapest, and Vienna. Then, there was Italy. Finally, I'm going to have one more installment of "The Best Things I Ate," a spring break edition.

Prague:
     We kicked off our break in Prague, a place I've wanted to visit for years. It was one of the cities on our itinerary that I was most excited for, and in the end, it still was one of my favorites. Everyone says it's ridiculously beautiful, and everyone is right. It's more similar to Germany than even I had expected, and that made me feel at home, despite the language barrier and confusing currency. My favorite things we did there were the very thorough free walking tour, seeing the castle (and the whole city) light up at night, and most of all, learning about my Bohemian heritage. All weekend, I just kept eating everything I could find that my grandma and mom make at home.

Budapest:

     The language barrier I had experienced in Prague was even worse in Hungary. Still, it helps that in these smaller countries, no one expects you to speak the language, and it's not too difficult to get by. This was definitely the city that felt most foreign to me. It's the farthest east, it's not super touristy, but the good side of that is that it's even cheaper than prague. Despite the challenges, I found the history of this city really fascinating, and found a bunch of fun things to do. Here, we went to the third best bar in the world, and we spent our entire second day in one of the famous bath houses, which I highly recommend.

. 

Vienna:

     This was my second time in Vienna, so I had mixed feeling about coming back. It is one of my favorite cities in the world because of its imperial elegance and long list of cultural attractions. I did really enjoy coming back because I got to do all different things than the first time. Last time, I really wanted to have Wiener Schnitzel in Wien, but I ran out of time, so I always told myself I'd come back someday just for that. Besides the Schnitzel, my favorite things were the grand tour of the Hapsburg's Schönbrunn Palace and the view at night from the oldest Ferris wheel.

     These three cities made up the first week of my break. Each has its own distinct character, and I love them all almost equally for different reasons. For the second week of break, we went south to explore some of Italy's greatest cities, but that's another story for another post.