I LOVE Pinterest!

I have fallen in love with Pinterest. It has become my new obsession. I actually spend more time on there than Facebook these days. Gasp! Shocker, I know. While Pinterest has been dubbed the place where women go to dress children they don't have, design houses they can't afford, and plan weddings they'll never have, I use the site for ideas. Ideas for our new house (keeping in mind, that my wants need to match the available funds), ideas for craft projects, ideas for gifts, and ideas for dinner (and breakfast, lunch, appetizers, parties, etc.)

I have actually made several recipes I found on Pinterest. All have been delicious, but not all have been successful. I define success as it looks just like the recipe picture. I know, I'm a bit of a perfectionist.

Here are the recipes I have made (and where you can download/print the recipe yourself.)

Breakfast

• Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins
• Pineapple Orange Smoothie (I've made these twice, the second time I added fresh strawberries.)
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal (this was DELICIOUS!)

Dinner

• Artichoke Crusted Chicken
• Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken

What I love about Pinterest as a way to find recipes is that I get to see pictures of the food, and then decide if I am interested in reading the recipe. Prior to finding Pinterest, I had to know what I was interested in finding, and search by name or ingredients. I have discovered so many recipes that I never would have even thought to look for, like Harry Potter Butterbeer Cupcakes! Can you even imagine such a thing existed? Thank you Pinterest for introducing me to such a treat!

Here are some other recipes I am looking forward to making, thanks to Pinterest.

• Oatmeal Creme Pies (like Little Debbie's!)
• Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls
• Homemade Pot Stickers
• Brownie Batter Pancakes
• Spiced Apple Sangria

Here are some pictures I took of the recipes I made.

Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins

Pineapple Orange Smoothie

Scrapbooking Tips

One thing I love as much as travel and food is taking pictures of my travels and new foods I try (and even the food I make) and putting together scrapbooks. I just wish it wasn't so expensive (embellishments and albums, cost a lot of money, not to mention the cost of printing the pictures!) and didn't take up such a huge space. I can sure sprawl out while scrapbooking!

Here are some recent pages I completed:

For each of the Walt Disney World Parks

Magic Kingdom

Disney Animal Kingdom

Epcot

Disney's Hollywood Studios

For these pages, I used the park maps to start off the section (or in my case, each album). I find that using brochures, fliers, and even magazines are a good way to beef up an album. It gives a bigger picture to add to the story you are telling.

Magic Kingdom's Move It, Shake It, Celebrate It! Parade

For the parade pictures, I used colorful paper with movement to convey fun and celebration.

Recent Trip to Europe

For my scrapbook from our trip to Europe, I added boarding passes and tickets to the pages. This is a great way to display mementos from the trip. I am also not a fan of my handwriting, so I printed my captions using the Feltpoint Font. I love that there are so many free downloadable fonts on the Internet. You can find just about anything to correspond with your pictures.

What are your favorite cost saving tips for scrapbooking?

Happy New Year!

It's funny how traditions get started. Early this morning, about 12:05AM, I got a call from my mom wondering why I hadn't called her yet. I HAD sent her a text, but I had completely forgotten about a tradition I started years ago.

The year was 1989, and while sitting in my Dad's den, something occurred to me. Although I had only just turned 8 in October, I realized that the next year (1990) I would turn 10! I turned to my mom, and said "Guess what? Next year I will be 10!" and a tradition was born. Every year since, I have called my mom at midnight wherever I was, and told her "Guess what? I will be [insert age] next year!" My little sister has been doing the same thing for years now, too.

A couple years ago, my mom asked me when I was going to be too old to keep calling her, so I asked if she wanted me to stop. I don't think she ever answered, but now I know. I think she looks forward to that call as much as I enjoy making it. So hello world, guess what? Next year I will be 33!

Happy 2012 to all! I hope it is a prosperous and wonderful year!




123Tagged.com - More New Year 2012 Comments

Favorite Foods from 2011-Part 5

For my final post of favorite foods of the year, I'm going to feature a favorite drink. For our anniversary (which ended up being the same day as my graduation from grad school) Marshall and I took an Odyssey Potomac River Lunch Cruise. The cruise had a full bar (unfortunately not included in the lunch price) and I had a very potent but delicious apple martini. Here is the recipe. Try one tonight at your New Year's Eve party!

Candy Apple Martini

1 1/2 ounce Apple Vodka
1 ounce Apple Pucker
1/2 ounce Buttershots (butterscotch schnapps)
1/4 ounce Grenadine
Apple Slice or Maraschino Cherry for Garnish

Pour all ingredients into a shaker filled with ice and shake. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish.

Favorite Foods from 2011-Part 4

I was very fortunate earlier this year to travel to Europe with my sister and best friend. My sister had never been to Europe, and was about to embark on a 3-week total immersion program to learn Dutch, in Belgium. Since my sister did not speak a word of Dutch (or at least she didn't prior to picking up a Dutch dictionary before we left), French or German (the three official languages of Belgium), we started our trip in London, where they do speak English (sort of). On this trip, after London, we went to the Netherlands (Holland), before heading over to Brussels in Belgium.

Now, when most people think of Belgium, they probably think of beer, chocolate and WAFFLES! We were very excited for all three (well, two out of the three). Turns out there are two major differences in the Belgian waffles, by way of types. There are Brussels waffles and Liege waffles. I found a great blog post (and may have already posted this) on the differences.

Having tried both waffles on this trip (both covered in Belgian chocolate, of course!), it was decided that the Liege waffle is preferable. It is denser, and sweeter than the Brussels waffle. While researching recipes, it has come to my attention that making Liege waffles is time consuming, and requires special ingredients and tools. If you are able to find the Belgian Pearl sugar, and a Liege waffle iron, you are in for a treat. If you are able to find these items, here is site that offers an authentic recipe. For those of us that do not have the special equipment, I have found several sites that mention crushing sugar cubes for the pearl sugar. Here is one site that has a simple enough recipe, listed below.

1 package yeast
1/3 cup lukewarm water (about 105 degrees F- too hot will kill the yeast)
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated white sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
3 eggs
1 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup Belgian pearl sugar*

1. Mix the yeast, water, sugar and salt in a bowl and let it develop or sit for 15 minutes.
2. Place the flour in a separate large mixing bowl (we use the bowl of our kitchen aid stand mixer) and make a well in the center of the flour.
3. Pour the yeast mixture into the well and mix until blended on medium speed.
4. Add the eggs (one at a time), melted butter a bit at a time, and the vanilla and cinnamon. Be sure to mix well after each addition to the batter. Keep in mind the batter will be thick and VERY sticky (this is normal).
5. Remove the bowl from the mixer and let the dough rest until it doubles in volume inside the bowl.
6. Gently fold in the pearl sugar and let the dough rest for 15 more minutes.
7. While the dough is resting, heat the waffle iron (we use a Waring Pro Belgian Waffle Iron and I recommend Belgian waffle irons because they have the deep pockets).
8. Spoon about a 2" ball of dough into the center of the waffle iron (this should yield a waffle that is about 4" in diameter). I know that sounds small, but these rich waffles pack quite a punch. Waffles will take 3 to 5 minutes to bake (in our waffle iron, they take 3 minutes and 15 seconds on level 3).

Liege Waffle with Belgian Chocolate, Strawberries and Whipped Cream

* Recipe author note on pearl sugar:

It has been our experience that Belgian pearl sugar is difficult to find in the U.S. so we buy C&H sugar cubes (normally for coffee), place about 60 of them in a plastic Ziploc bag and 'crush' them with a meat tenderizer (you could use a rolling pin or heavy sauce pan as well). Then put the sugar through a sifter maintaining only the 'pearls' of sugar for the waffles. You need about 1 cup of pearls. The fine sugar that goes through the sifter can be put in your kitchen sugar jar or used to sweeten the strawberries if you are using them for the topping. I was able to find an online source at L'Epicerie. See the pearl sugar photo to the right so that you know what you are trying to obtain.

The addition of pearl sugar in the batter is what gives these waffles that special caramelized Liege waffle taste. However, that same sugar makes them sort of sticky so be careful not to burn yourself when removing them from the waffle iron.

The pearl sugar also makes clean-up of the waffle iron tricky. As the sugar melts, it runs in the crevices of the waffle iron. So my biggest tip is that after you finish baking your waffles, clean the waffle iron while it is still warm. If it cools completely, the caramel sugar mixture can be nearly impossible to get off the iron.
These waffles freeze extremely well so consider making a double batch. We just let the waffles cool, wrap them individually in Saran wrap, and then place them in a large Ziploc freezer bag. When we want one, we remove it from the freezer and put it in the oven on a baking sheet to heat it up.

Favorite Foods from 2011-Part 3

As you can tell from the title of this blog, I love to travel, and I love food. Continuing with my favorite foods from the last year, today I am sharing another recipe from Disney, this time from Shutters at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort, in Orlando. The Caribbean Pasta with chicken is so delicious! (You can also get the recipe with shrimp instead.) It's creamy, with just a touch of heat, which, after researching the recipe, I discovered comes from fresh jalapeno. If you cannot find orechiette pasta (which is Italian for "little ears"), medium shells would work just as well. (I found this recipe on http://www.allears.net/.) This recipe is for one serving.

1 ounce Red Peppers

1 ounce Green Peppers
1 ounce Diced onions
1/4 ounce Jalapenos
2 ounce Heavy cream
1 ounce White wine
1 ounce Tomatoes
4 ounces Chorizo Sausage
1/4 ounce Cooking oil
1/4  ounce Goat cheese
1 ounce Spinach
4 ounces Cooked Orechiette Pasta
6 pieces Shrimp OR 5 ounces Chicken breast

1. In large pan, bring water to a boil and add 4 ounces of Orechiette Pasta.
2. Cut vegetables (small diced red, green, and jalapenos peppers, and onions) (medium diced tomatoes and Chorizo sausage).
3. In hot sauté pan, add oil, onions, peppers (red, green and jalapenos) and cook until tender.
4. Add Chorizo sausage and any other add-ons you would like to have.
5. Deglaze with white wine.
6. Add heavy cream and add pasta, tomatoes, and spinach.
7. Sprinkle on the goat cheese.

While this recipe did not taste exactly like dish at Shutters (face it, do they ever?), it is a great dish if you are craving something similar. ENJOY!

Favorite Foods from 2011-Part 2

Yesterday I wrote about Blue Bayou's Monte Cristo sandwich and Au Gratin Potatoes. Today, I am going to tell you about another awesome recipe featuring potatoes.

The Pioneer Woman has become my favorite person of 2011 (easily trumping Rachael Ray). She blogs, writes cook books and wrote probably one of my (and all of my sisters, it seems) favorite books of the year (From Black Heels to Tractor Wheels). Ree Drummond is the Pioneer Woman, and I think she is awesome. Here is her recipe for Potato-Leek Pizza. It is one of the tastiest pizzas I have had in a long time. Makes me want to make it tonight for dinner. (From The Pioneer Woman Cooks copyright 2009.)

Pizza Dough (I will share my recipe for dough at the end, but any refrigerated dough will work)
Extra Vigin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
6 slices thick cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 leeks, rinsed well to remove grit, and thinly sliced
5 small red or Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced paper thin
1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced thin
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
Grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly gound black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
2. Prepare the pizza crust and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
3. Begin by placing the bacon in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the bacon until cooked, but not crisp.
4. Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside.
5. Pour off most of the grease. Do not clean the skillet. Return the skillet to the stove and turn the heat to medium-low.
6. Add the leeks to the pan and saute over medium-low heat until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
7. Using a sharp knife or mandoline, slice the potatoes very thin. You'll need to do this just before you need them, as the potatoes will brown very quickly.
8. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer all over the crust, slightly overlapping the edges.
9. Sprinkle the potatoes lightly with salt, then lay the mozzarella slices in a single layer on top of the potatoes.
10. Place the leeks on top of the cheese.
11. Sprinkle the fried bacon over the leeks.
12. Then add the crumbled goat cheese, grated Parmesan and a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper.
13. Bake for 8 to 11 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Cut into wedges or squares and serve immediately.

For step by step picture instructions, pick up Ree's book, The Pioneer Woman Cooks.

I have tried many recipes for pizza dough, and I have finally found my favorite. It is a tweaked version of the one listed in Food Network Magazine. This makes 2, 1 pound dough balls.

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/3 cups warm water

1 tablespoon honey

1 packet yeast

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1. Whisk flour and salt in a bowl. Make a well and add water, honey and yeast. When foamy, add olive oil and knead for 5 minutes. (I do this in a stand mixer with the bread hook attachment.)
2. Add dough to an oiled bowl, and cover with a cloth. Let rise until double in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
3. Divide into 2, 1 pound balls of dough.

Here are my tips for making any kind of pizza:

1. Stretch dough to desired size. Drizzle with olive oil and lightly sprinkle with kosher salt.
2. Parbake in a 500 degree F oven for 2-3 minutes, to start the crust baking (a pizza stone is an invaluable tool for a crisp, yet chewy, crust).
3. Top with desired toppings, and bake for an additional 8-11 minutes, until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly.

Favorite Foods from 2011-Part 1

When I started this blog, it was supposed to be about travel and food (and everything in between); however, it has been a while since I have posted about food. During the last month alone, I have taken some great trips, and experienced some GREAT food. For the next several days, until New Year's Day, I will share pictures and recipes of some of my favorites from the past year.

Today, I will start with a classic from Blue Bayou at Disneyland: The Monte Cristo Sandwich. (Recipe courtesy of Cooking with Mickey and the Disney Chefs copyright 2004.)

1 egg
1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons water
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
8 slices egg bread (challah works well), sliced 1/2 inch thick
2/3 pound ham, cut into 4 slices
2/3 pound turkey, cut into 4 slices
1/4 pound Swiss cheese, cut into 4 slices
3 cups canola oil
Confectioner's sugar
Blackberry preserves

1. Line a cookie sheet with paper towels; set aside.
2. Whisk the egg and water together in a mixing bowl. Add flour, salt, and baking powder and whisk thoroughly, scraping the side of the bowl. Continue to whisk, for 20 minutes, until smooth.
3. On one slice of bread arrange a slice each of ham, turkey and cheese, covering the bread evenly. Place another slice of bread on top and slice sandwich in half diagonally.
4. Heat oil to between 365 and 375 degrees F in a 10-inch pan. Do not let the oil reach a higher temperature than this; if the oil starts to smoke, turn the heat down. Dip half of the sandwich into the batter, allowing excess to drain, and very carefully place into the oil. Repeat with the other sandwich half. Cook 3 minutes on each side. Place the cooked sandwich on the prepared cookie sheet in a warm oven until ready to serve. Repeat for the other 3 sandwiches. Cook the sandwiches one at a time, and allow the oil to reach the desired temperature in between each batch.
5. Sprinkle sandwiches with confectioner's sugar and serve with blackberry preserves on the side.

The potatoes served with the Monte Cristo Sandwich (and all of the Blue Bayou entrees) are to die for! I found this recipe on http://www.talkdisney.com/.

Blue Bayou Au Gratin Potatoes

3 lbs baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons fresh garlic, chopped
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon butter
4 oz Parmesan cheese, grated

1. Mix onions and potatoes and put into a buttered baking dish. Mix cream, garlic, salt, pepper, and thyme leaves.
2. Pour mixture over potatoes and onions, and cover with aluminum foil.
3. Put in a 350 degree F oven, and bake for about 1 hour.
4. When the potatoes are tender, remove from oven and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
5. Return to oven, uncovered, and bake until brown, about 10 minutes more.

I hope you enjoy both of these recipes as much as I did!

2011, The Best Yet

As 2011 slowly winds to a close, I am thinking back on a pretty good year. Here are a few highlights from the past year, and a photo retrospective, month-by-month.

• Several trips including Florida, Europe, Washington DC, New Mexico, Texas, California and Louisiana
• Experiencing Europe with my sister and best friend
• Finishing graduate school and receiving my Master's degree
• Meeting my nephew and spending time with our ever-growing family
• Spending time with old friends and new
• Planning the next chapter of our life with Marshall

I hope this past year was wonderful for each of you as well! Here's to an even more eventful, fun and prosperous 2012!

Always,
Lonnie

This free scrapbook design customized with Smilebox

Always Remember, Lest We Forget

It's ironic, for a 20 year-old female, I thought September 10, 2001 was one of the worst nights of my life. I spent that evening on the phone with my, at the time, on-again-off-again boyfriend, learning about his time during the off-again. It was devastating, but it was a conversation we needed to have. Especially since I was set to move to England on September 15th. We talked on the phone until after 2AM. Since I was getting ready to study abroad, I had spent the summer at my parent's house in New Mexico. The morning of September 11th, my mom came in, said something to me, and turned on the TV. It was only 7AM, and I had gone to bed only about 5 hours earlier. I shut the TV off, and buried my head under the covers. A few minutes later, mom came back in, turned the TV back on, and said the words I will never forget: "NO AMERICAN SHOULD SLEEP THROUGH THIS!"

That made no sense to me in my groggy state, but I sat up and looked at the TV, just in time to see the footage of the second plane fly into the World Trade Center. You want to talk about a wake up call. The next few hours were a blur of phone calls to Monique, who was also headed to England, just a few weeks later than me, and the travel agency that booked my tickets. We had no idea when the airports would reopen, but I was certain I would not be flying to London that Saturday.

My flight did actually take off on Saturday, however, I was not on it. I rescheduled my flight for the following Tuesday, one week after this horrifying event. It's weird for me to look back at these events, because I wasn't here, but for a week. I moved to England, and put studying (well, if I'm completely honest, traveling) at the top of my list, and I really did not look back. Ten years later, I remember that instant vividly, and I will never forget.

God bless America, the troops who give me the right to say that, and all the families who will never be the same again.

I Graduated! Now what?

I can't believe what I have been working towards for almost two years is now finished. I have a Master's degree. And while I don't have to work on school work anymore, things seem like business as usual. I guess once I receive the actual diploma I will feel like a graduate.

It's funny, once we finished our final presentation, several of my classmates said that it felt anti-climactic, and I would have to agree. Even though I put on the gown (a gown with funny sleeves, that made Marshall say I looked like a dementor from Harry Potter), marched in to Pomp and Circumstance, and bought all the obligatory GW Alumni items, I still don't quite feel it.

I have started looking and applying for jobs. Maybe that will give me the feeling I am looking for. While I do feel relieved and proud of myself, there is just something missing.

Has anyone else felt this way after completing something to which you set your mind? Oh well, I guess time will tell.

European Food-Is there anything better?

While it has been a while now since we returned from our European trip, the food still lives on in my head. While Britain is not known for their culinary offerings, we had some great food while in London. Funny side story, while studying abroad in Reading, England, Monique and I actually escaped to Calais, France on a trip to Dover, in order to get good food. We had a stash of spices we carried to every meal in the dining hall (season salt and lemon pepper were a mainstay at our table).

Back to our most recent trip, our first meal was a traditional English Tea at the National Portrait Gallery. The scones and tea sandwiches were delicious, but we added on a cheese tray and charcuterie (cured meats) plate to make it into a meal. The entire meal ended up being a little more than the three of us could eat, but it was a great way to start off our trip.

The next day we met up with some of Monique's friends for authentic dim sum in China Town. I had never had dim sum, so I was excited to try something new. I think Traci was a bit leary, but ended up enjoying the food.

That night, after a day of siteseeing, we hit a pub over near Earl's Court and our hotel. I was thrilled to get my favorite British drink, a Snake Bite. This is made with cider and ale, and I asked for a shot of currant syrup (which I thought was called a Snakey B, as that is what I always ordered in the pub in our dorm, but I learned, after the bar tender laughed at me, that this is also a Snake Bite). Traditional pub food was on the menu and our minds. I ordered Bangers and Mash (which is sausage and potatoes with an onion sauce). I had never risked ordering this before, as I am not a fan of onions; however, this onion sauce was cooked down so much that there were no chunks or pieces, just the perfect essence of the onion. It was delicious! Traci and Monique each got the fish and chips.

Our last meal in London was snacks (sausage rolls [my FAVORITE] and veggies with hummus) while we watched Wicked! That was a pretty good one too.

Our first night in Amsterdam (after I was freed from the bathroom), we experienced an authentic Dutch meal. Traci ordered smoked salmon, which was served with capers; Monique got chicken satay, which had the best satay sauce; and I ordered macaroni and cheese. My meal was not what I was expecting, but it was really good. Elbow macaroni, with a bacon/pancetta type meat in a light tomato sauce, and grated aged gouda (known as oude kaas, or old cheese).

Traci and I took a tour of cheese, windmills, and klompers (wooden shoes). On this tour we were taken to Volendam, where the South Sea was dammed to create a lake (I'm pretty sure that is what they told us). Here were found a cafe (or essentially a Dutch pub) where we had some of the best fish and chips (the BEST fish ever, in my opinion) and a glass each of Amstel beer. I am not a big fish eater, but this was just awesome. There was no fishy taste, and it was moist and flaky all at the same time. I'm not sure I will ever find fish like that again.

That night, after visiting a local grocery store (so Monique could find some of that yummy satay sauce, and buying wine and more cheese), we found a local restaurant and decided we had to try Dutch pancakes. These were very good. They were like large crepes, served flat with our choice of topping. Traci went for a sweet pancake, with currants (which are like raisins)  and whipped cream, Monique got more of a breakfast-type one, with canadian bacon and cheese, and I ordered ham and cheese.

That night, we had our very own wine and cheese spread in our hotel room.

In Delft, we ate at another cafe. The food here was also very good. We started out with beef carpaccio, which is thinly sliced uncooked beef, served with a salad of greens, pine nuts, and shaved cheese. This beef was so delicious, and it melted in my mouth like butter. The idea of raw meat never really appealed to me, but I am so glad I stepped outside of my comfort zone and tried it. Next,  I ordered the steak (which was a filet) and Traci and Monique got the special, which was pork. One thing we noticed here especially, but definitely throughout the areas we visited, there is no rush to turn over the tables. We had gotten to the restaurant around 6:30-7:00PM, and planned to catch an 8:00PM train back into Amsterdam. 8PM came and went while we were waiting for our food. Once we ate and got our servers attention that we would like our bill, I just gave her my credit card right away, so we wouldn't have to further wait. I think it was way after 9PM by the time we made it to the train station.

Another interesting fact about the restaurants in Amsterdam, apparently pets are allowed. Two of the restaurants had their very own cats. Yes, I said cats! They weren't bothering anyone, they were just hanging out. I love cats, but this was strange.

In Belgium, we got what we had patiently be waiting for: Waffles, Chocolate, and Waffles with Chocolate! We learned on this trip that there are many types of Belgian waffles, but the two most popular types and sold all over Brussels are Brussels and Liege style waffles. Brussels are the type you normally think of when you think Belgian waffles. They are rectangular, with the deep holes. Liege waffles are a little different. They too have the deep holes, but they are not exactly square. I found a great website that explains the differences well. Monique and I both agreed that we prefer the Liege style waffles to the Brussels style. They are denser and sweeter. Both styles are great topped with Belgian chocolate, strawberries and whipped cream!

Belgian chocolate is one of my favorites (although I am not that big of a fan of chocolate). Around Brussels, we found tons of chocolatiers. And some very interesting chocolate statues!

Our last meal in Brussels was actually Italian, but it was quite good (probably more of the American Italian we are accustomed to). Traci, Steven and I all had different variations of pizza, and Monique had a chicken (or it may have been pork) dish that I can't remember the name, but it was smothered in a cheese sauce, and looked delicious. Traci also got tiramisu for dessert, and was excited when it showed up with a sparkler-type pompom on top.



Another interesting fact, fries in both the Netherlands and Belgium are served with mayonaise, not ketchup. And the mayonaise tastes different (more flavorful) than American mayo. The combo actually is pretty good.

I promised myself that on this trip we would do our best to eat only local, non chain, type food. And with the exception of Starbucks (and come on, we gotta get our caffenine fix somewhere, and they are everywhere), we did a very good job of this!