FUERTEVENTURA

Club Magic Life Imperial

The most wondrous place I have ever been to is Fuerteventura. I spent one week in Esquinzo at the Club Magic Life Imperial with my family. The hotel is situated on a cliff with a breathtaking view over the turquoise ocean. For me, it looked like the Caribbean. When I was standing on the edge of the cliff, the salty wind blowing through my hair, looking at the uncontrollable ocean in front of me, I felt pure freedom and contentedness. Throughout my stay in Esquinzo, I spent the majority of the time lying on the beach, enjoying the warm sun on my skin and listening to the waves. Frequently I took walks and fed squirrels on the beach. When I held a bag of peanuts in my hand, I quickly found myself surrounded by an army of squirrels begging me to feed them. Feeding squirrels was one of the most fascinating experiences ever. One day I went surfing with a group of beginners. At first it was very difficult to swim  out into  the wavy ocean on the surfboard. But I felt full of excitement and energy while I was waiting for the perfect wave to ride. Then - finally - the moment came. I started paddling towards the shore, jumped on the surfboard as the wave came closer and rode the wave. It was unbelievable. I have never felt so much joy and freedom in my life before.

AUSTRIAN APRICOT DUMPLINGS

In the following text I would like to introduce you my version of the well-known Austrian apricot dumplings. I’m sure that this traditional dish will satisfy your sweet tooth. I know, it is not apricot season in Europe, but it is always good to have some recipes in stock. Provided that you want to prepare dumplings in winter, you can fill curd dumplings with lots of different types of fruits or chocolate. Only, make sure that you do not use soft fruits. 

Ingredients for the dough

250g low-fat curd
1        egg
50g   whole grain flour (Optional: spelt flour)
50g   semolina
Hint of salt

10-15 small apricots

Prepare step by step

Step 1: Mix everything until smooth afterwards let the dough rest for 15 mins. 

Step 2: Bring a pan with enough water to boil.

Step 3: Make sure your hands are wet! 

Step 4: Portion the dough with a spoon, put it in your palm and flatten it. 

Step 5: Place the apricot in the middle of the dough and cover the apricot with the dough. 

Step 6: Put the apricot covered dumpling in the boiling water and continue with the rest of the dough. 

Step 7: Leave the dumplings in the water for approx. 15 mins. on low-level. 

Ingredients for the breadcrumbs

80g   breadcrumbs (Optional: whole wheat breadcrumbs)

50g   vegetable margarine

3 tsp raw brown sugar

Prepare step by step

Step 1: Melt the margarine in the pan. 
Step 2: Reduce the heat of the hot plate.
Step 3: Add breadcrumbs and sugar and stir constantly. 
Step 4: Add dumplings when golden and serve with stevia sweetener or powdered sugar.

Bon appetit! :-) 

TIP

Provided that you have lots of fruits in summer and do not know what to do with them, I recommend to prepare curd dumplings for the fall/winter season. Like I mentioned above, you can fill these dumplings with almost every hard fruit. (e.g. damson, plum, strawberries, mirabelle) Just cook the dumplings for approx. five minutes, then leave them to cool and lastly freeze. 

BALATONFÜRED

Balatonfüred is an important town in Hungary situated on the northern shore of Lake Balaton. At the moment there are about 13,000 people living in Balatonfüred. The town is a well-known health resort and yachting destination with lots of tourists every summer. Moreover Füred – how residents call Baltonfüred – is also a popular location for fishing with the carp being the most common catch.

The town center consists of buildings from the 18th and 19th century. Due to numerous tourists every summer the town's infrastructure changed noticeably. Nowadays you can find many hotels, restaurants and leisure time activities. The bathing beach lies on the very end of the promenade. In Balatonfüred there are two public outdoor swimming pools with access to the lake, the Kisfaludi Strand and the Esterházy Strand. Provided that you desire to go somewhere remote, there is a gratis beach in Tihany – a small town next to Balatonfüred – called Gödrös. The newest type of outdoor swimming pool in Füred is the Annagora Aquapark next to the Sun City and the campground.

Every year a traditional festival takes place in July in Balatonfüred, the Anna-Ball. The ball is a very important event for Füred's economy and tourism. People are coming from every corner of Hungary to take part in this famous event. Another famous event is the 21st of August – the national holiday of Hungary – with fireworks and live performances on the promenade. The last major event in summer is the wine week which lasts from the end of August till the end of September. At this time of year there are a number of wine stalls on the promenade which offer tourists and residents wine, snacks, drinks etc.

Insider tips 

In my childhood I spent nearly every summer at my grandparent's in Balatonfüred. Therefore, I know the town pretty well. In my opinion Balatonfüred is the most beautiful town on the northern shore of Lake Balaton. Moreover, there are much more leisure time activities. In the following text I want to give you some Insider tips you should definitely consider when you are staying in Balatonfüred. 

Accommodation: If you are searching for an accommodation in Balatonfüred I recommend you to rent an apartment or go camping. Needless to say these options are much cheaper than a hotel. My family has a house in Füred and rents self-catering apartments throughout the year. The house – Landhaus Forrás – is situated on a hilly area of the town, but within walking distance of the lake. Provided that you are interested in our apartments, click on this link which will lead you to our website. 

Shopping: Local residents tend to go to the market for buying fresh and local vegetables, fruits, jams, etc. The main market is next to the Red Church. In summer you can also find clothing stalls outside the building. You will realize that these clothing stalls usually sell the same clothes as on the promenade, but much cheaper. 

Food: One of my favorite Italian restaurants is the Arany Csillag (Golden star). In summer it is quite difficult to get a table. Therefore, I recommend you to book one. On the menu you can find a huge variety of Italian dishes, such as minestrone, antipasti, pizza, pasta, tiramisu, panna cotta and so on. It is pretty much our family tradition to eat there every time we come to Balatonfüred. 

The next restaurant I want to introduce you is one I recently discovered. It is called Halászkert (Fish garden). In this restaurant you can find traditional Hungarian and internationally inspired dishes on the menu. As the name says, they offer a variety of local fish as well. One traditional Hungarian fish dish is the fish soup called Halászlé. (But, this is not everyone's cup of tea.) 

Some Hungarian dishes you definitely have to try while staying in Hungary are the following:

Kürtöskalács It is a sweet snack made of yeast dough coated with a liquid sugary mixture and originally baked on a coal-burning stove. You can choose between different flavors: walnut, chocolate, cinnamon and vanilla sugar. 

Lángos Probably the most popular snack in Hungary which you can find at almost every food stall. It is also made out of yeast dough and then fried in oil. Popular toppings are garlic, sour cream and cheese.

Gulyás Is the Hungarian word for Gulasch. The traditional Gulyás is a soup. In Austria for example Gulasch is a main dish and not a soup. The main ingredients for this soup are potatoes, meat, pepper and paprika. 

Assuming that you are interested in a short virtual trip to Balatonfüred after reading this post, click on this link.

HUNGARY TRIP

First day of Christmas break started with a trip to my second home - Hungary. Thursday evening after my last course at uni I picked up my mum from the train station and afterwards we headed to Balatonfüred. On Friday we got up early and drove to Budapest to an appointment.

I really enjoy driving through the countryside, especially in Hungary. Normally, in the countryside there is nothing except the Lake Balaton and untouched nature next to you. Everything is so peaceful. I also like to watch the early morning sky in its beautiful colors and variations. It is something that never stays the same. To me it feels like escaping from our hectic and stressful world. 

Budapest bridge

After our stop in Budapest we drove to Győr to our next appointment. It may have been a stressful first day but I enjoy being back in Hungary and meeting my friends. Besides, it is unbelievably warm outside - about 15 degrees. Somebody please tell me how to bring back my Christmas mood when it feels like spring. 

I hope you have/had a great start in the Christmas break as well. Happy holidays! :-)

THANKSGIVING

I'm sure nearly everyone knows the North American Thanksgiving tradition from the television or school, but only few people - except the native Americans - know the meaning of it. Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada as a day of giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest and of the preceding year. However, this family holiday isn't comparable with the European tradition. In the United States Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. In Canada, on the other hand, it is celebrated on the second Monday of October. 

While searching through YouTube for a short summary on Thanksgiving I came across this video. It gives you general information about the background of the national holiday provided by native Americans. As you may know it is a Northern American tradition that the president pardons the turkey. If you are interested in watching how president Barack Obama pardons a turkey for this years Thanksgiving, I recommend watching this one. 

I hope you enjoy your weekend. :-)

MY CLASSMATE

Hello everyone,

Last week I interviewed my classmate Daniela, who attends the same Spanish course as I. I really enjoyed talking to her, because she is a very easy-going and kind person. Daniela was born in North America, but grew up in Lower Austria. After her high-school diploma, she moved to Mexico for half a year to work as a volunteer. When Daniela returned to Austria she started an education relating to social education. Today, Daniela is working 30 hours a week at the SOS-Kinderdorf in Graz and educating children between 12 and 18 years.

BRAIN BOOST SNACK

Studying for university is a mental challenge for most of us. When it comes to mental energy your diet plays an important part. You should not underestimate that. So, it is important to treat your body with the right nutrients and vitamins. For instance glucose, omega 3 and magnesium are three essential components for your brain. 

I found an easy recipe for nourishing bars in the Welt der Wunder magazine. You do not need a cooking talent to prepare those bars and they are not perishable if they are kept in a cold place like the fridge. You can also take them with you to university and boost your brain during a long day. 

Ingredients

200g     chopped walnuts
200g     oats 
50g        cane sugar
30g        flour
1 tbsp.  baking powder
1 tbsp.  cinnamon
50g       dark chocolate chips
50g       pumpkin seeds
125ml  honey
100g    dried apricots
135g     margarine

(Optional: 30g shredded coconuts)

Prepare step by step 

Step 1: Mix walnuts, oats, cane sugar, flour, baking powder, chocolate chips, pumpkin seeds, and shredded coconuts (if desired). 

Step 2: Chop dried apricots; add honey and margarine. Add apricot mixture to the walnut one and stir well. 

Step 3: Put the baking parchment on the cookie sheet. Then, put the mixture on the cookie sheet and spread it evenly. Preheat the oven to 160°C and cook the mixture for approximately 45 minutes. 

Step 4: Leave it to cool for 10 minutes. Cut it into bars and enjoy. 

Source: Welt der Wunder magazine