Being inspired by The Great British Bake-Off, I’ve been looking at baking inspiration overseas! The contestants like using unusual ingredients from all over the world – Mediterranean and Moroccan ingredients seem to be the most common ‘foreign’ additions so far. Is food important to you on holiday? Of course, it is. But do you like to explore the local cuisine and find out more about the local specialities? If so, here are a few ideas. But there’s lots more…….
(in no particular order, all opinions are mine!)
- A seventies favourite enjoying a revival in some quarters – Black Forest Gateau. According to Wikipedia – the cake is named not directly after the Black Forest (Schwarzwald) mountain range in southwestern Germany but rather from the specialty liquor of that region, known as Schwarzwälder Kirsch (wasser) and distilled from tart cherries. Typically, Black Forest cake consists of several layers of chocolate cake, with whipped cream and cherries between each layer. Then the cake is decorated with additional whipped cream, maraschino cherries, and chocolate shavings. The Black Forest can be reached by plane easily from the UK. Fly into Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg airport – on the borders of 3 countries. Then hire a car and explore this lovely area. Freiburg is an old university town, still with many original features around the Cathedral, great market daily. I went there last year in the autumn, good time to visit.
- Pavlova – claimed by both Australia and New Zealand as their own creation, but who cares when it is so delicious. The argument seems to be leaning towards the Kiwis as the home of the cake – so best eaten there, I think! http://www.newzealand.com/travel/media/features/food-&-wine/food&wine_real-kiwi-pavlova-trail_feature.cfm
- The French are well-known for their patisserie – on Sundays, its very much a tradition to buy an elaborate cake to take with you when visiting friends or relatives. Patisseries are always busy at weekends, with yummy crème patissiere creations tempting you through the windows!
- Another delicious French cake is Gateau des Rois – eaten on Twelfth Night. Sticky with almond paste and if you’re lucky enough to find one of the ‘gifts’ therein, you’ll be King (or Queen) for the night. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/recipes/9780514/Baking-club-French-Epiphany-cake-recipe.html If you’re spending the early part of January in France ski-ing, then these cakes will be easy to find in the patisseries.
To book a holiday to any of these destinations (breakfast included, but no cakes), just ask Olein for some more inspiration.
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