Wednesday, May 23, 2007

It's gonna be a GREAT DAY!!


The sun finally arrived. It is a perfectly sunny warm day here in Leuven. I never would have guessed it from last night's weather, though. As my friend Johan and I sat at the bus stop waiting for a bus to take us back to my place so we can have some red bean buns for dessert (my first time attempting to make them), I took my mind off of the possible culinary disaster by watching cyclists - or rather two-wheeled commuters roll by.

It reminded me of my first time sitting at this same bus stop three years ago. I was living in Grote Markt (Leuven center) above what used to be Confrateur Cafe (my friend owned the bar - pictured in photo next to cathedral) and needed to visit a friend outside of town. It must have been no warmer than 0 degrees C but you couldn't tell by how the bike riders were dressed. For twenty minutes while i froze my ass off waiting for a bus, I spotted not one pair of gloves and only one hat. That is when i realized that Belgians are crazy! How could they ride without gloves? What i also vividly remember from that evening is that quite a few of them were holding a cigarette in one hand while steering with the other. Even though I am fully aware that they are using the bike as a means of transportation, it still threw me off to see someone on a bike holding a cigarette as if it were perfectly normal to mix cycling with smoking!

Today I am meeting up with Adri my neighbor to visit the bike shop where Peter's collector's item came from. I will try to remember the camera just in case there are more treasures to document.

By the way, the red bean buns were fabulous - not quite traditional taiwanese style but tasty nonetheless. After johan left, i took the rest of the buns out into the hallway of my apartment building and shared them with my neighbors. Next time i will make them with different stuffings. For stuffings, I'm thinking: spinach and pureed garlic, tofu and scallions, banana and maple syrup, and chocolate (belgian of course) and pecans. YUMMY!!!!!

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Vermont maple syrup, I hope! Everything goes with nutella, although I have switched to traders joes chocolate spread as nutella has hydrogenated fat! Arggh. Philip in Vermont

PEANUT said...

I don't know how to break this to you philip but I only have fake maple syrup - you know, the artificially flavored chemical stuff - 1/4 the calories. Gosh, i wish i were a good liar!
Yes, nutella bites. Here we have a zillion versions of nutella that are non-hydrogenated! We even have organic versions. Go ahead, gewilli, feel free to comment! haha.

Anonymous said...

I can't believe it. I look to you for culinary spiritual guidance and you are using artificial chemical maple syrup. I am crushed. Crushed I tell you. I will soothe my misery on friday eve by opening a magnum of Leffe beer I brought back from France last tour time! Cheers Philip

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the great ride today Peanut :)

PEANUT said...

Philip, I hate to kick you while you'
re down but if your leffe comes in magnum size, then it's not going to taste right. Magnum size is for tourists. No self-respecting belgian or even ME would drink a magnum sized belgian beer. sorry. Now that i broke the bad news to you I will make it a priority to find vermont maple syrup here right away!

Anonymous said...

Never ever question a mans magnum! I will let you know if you are right as soon as my hangover clears but the tourist crack really hurt! Wait a minute, in Europe, I am a tourist. I am sure after a couple of glasses it will taste great. Maybe I will chase it down with some real maple syrup! Cheers anyway. Philip le touriste

gewilli said...

what?

WHAT? ya want me to crack on Nutella?

no WAY... that stuff is GOLD...

Organic or not hydrogenated or not...

But i will say - I'm suprised... no Prunes listed in the stuffing ingredients? Wow?

Anonymous said...

The Nutella we get here in the states is not only full of crap (e.g. partially hydrogenated peanut oil and the artificial flavoring vanillin, which is a combination of several petroleum refining products) but is also most definitely not vegan-friendly (skim milk and whey). Presumably you have checked the labels your Belgian versions!
-- E.C. Chamberlain

PEANUT said...

I ONLY eat the vegan versions of nutella WITHOUT hydrogenated oils. I have never actually tasted Nutella but i cannot imagine it tastes as good as the bio (organic) one i get at the health food shop here!

gewilli said...

asking a vegan if they checked the labels is rather... um... kinda silly...

I guess unless you are a vegan with a Ho Ho fetish. Then it probably is best NOT to read the label.

PEANUT said...

gewilli: Is that with or without peanut butter??? I am soooo glad i just peed before i read that!

Anonymous said...

Hey dudes and dudette .. Nutella rocks.. I was practically brought up with the stuff - Belgian version natuurlijk. But the company shifted ownership a couple of times, getting more industry-flavored each time.
Hasta la Vista
A.

gewilli said...

nutella ain't with peanuts, peanut ;)

its hazelnuts... real nuts... not some seed pod buried in the dirt with the fungal fiends...

and i was wondering if we'd get some reference to you peeing your pants with that comment :D

*hugs*

PEANUT said...

gewilli, you missed the punchline to your own joke!