Mussels Part 2

After discussing mussel cleaning techniques with a Belgian in the grocery store, I decided to try cleaning and steaming mussels again. I have to say it was far more successful this time. I did keep the rule that they should be closed before they are cooked and pop open when they are cooked. I have to say it is a little creepy to feel them close in your hand when you tap them. One of them kept opening up and I'd have to keep tapping it. It did shut every time. I tossed out just a few mussels this time and I didn't soak them in any water other than the water in which they were packaged. I did cook them within hours of buying them on Saturday. They were very delicious with just a little butter, white wine and shallots.

the Euro €

I've been paying in cash at shops around Leiden. I do have to say that the Euro system and their denominations of coins and bills are very user friendly. Even the different sizes fo the I do miss single dollar bills but I do love gaining €2 coins. I really do enjoy looking at the Euro coins to see the national sides. The most exotic I've encountered so far has been a €1 from Finland. Most coins in my little change purse are German or Belgian.

This site has a nice little chart with all of the national sides of the Euro coins.
http://www.fleur-de-coin.com/eurocoins/images.asp

Van Meegeren's Fake Vermeers

Wednesday I heard about an exhibit at the Museum Boijmans Von Beuningen in Rotterdam. Van Meegeran's Fake Vermeers is an exhibit of ten of Han van Meegeren's most famous forgeries, most of which were Vermeer forgeries. He had developed a very elaborate technique that managed to fool several experts. He managed to sell The Supper at Emmaus to the Boijmans for a fortune. His downfall came after World War II. Whatw was believed to be a Vermeer painting, Christ with the Adulteress was found among the art that Nazi Leader and Hitler's designated successor, Herman Göring, had looted from all over Europe. An authentic Vermeer what have been considered Dutch cultural property. The painting was traced back to Han van Meegeren and was arrested on suspicion of collaboration. He admitted to selling the painting but also confessed to having produced the forgery. His trial was worldwide news, while in custody he even produced a forgery, Young Christ. The conspiracy charges were dropped and he was sentenced to 1 year in prison for fraud and forgery. Soon after the verdict he fell ill and died so he never served his sentence. This really is a fascinating story and if you do go to the exhibit website, there is a 12 min ArtTube video that is really full of information. The exhibit is closing soon.

Life Below Sea level

I'm very excited that I finally mastered using the shower today without flooding the bathroom in water. It only took me 4 weeks! It seemed like it would take me forever to get the temperature just right and running the water until I do. I finally figured out the right water pressure and the sweet spots on the hot anc cold water knobs.

I've been making an effort to live a greener lifestyle. I've been trying to find ways to reduce water consumption as well as electricity. In Chicago, I was really washing a lot more towels and linens. Now that I am line drying all of my laundry, it's a little easier to see how much I can reduce how much laundry I do.

The Netherlands is a humid region and also quite a bit of the country is below sea level, hence the name. It's quite an engineering feat of the Dutch. As they say God created the world, but the Dutch created the Netherlands. All of the province of Flevoland was reclaimed from what used to be the Zuyder Zee. The Netherlands is constantly winning this fight against water. Ideally you want to keep your indoor air humidity level between 40% and 60%. Too much humidity promotes mold growth. My de-humidifier extracts about 3 liters of water every other day. I've been trying to come up with a good use for the water. I've been watering my plants with the water but my plants don't need that much water. I tried using the water for the clothes I handwash but it has a funny smell. It is considered grey water, meaning not to be used for consumption by humans or animals with out further treatment. Do you have any other ideas?

zeeuswe mosselen

Before I moved to Leiden, I had this fantasy of living on mussels for a few months. I've been dying to have the “zeeuswe mosselen” from Yerseke in Zeeland. They are the major exporters of farmed mussels to the rest of Europe. Zeeland is just a bit South and West of Leiden on the South side of a bay of the North Sea. New Zealand was so named for the province by Dutch cartographers.

I have only cooked frozen mussels in the US. I didn't realize then that they were cooked. They opened when I cooked them so I assumed they were not cooked yet but I'm guessing that they are pasturized or at least par-steamed. Mussels are never to be frozen alive and should only be cooked alive. This, of course, meant that they were thoroughly cleaned before cooking. I did a little research before I cooked them learned that the orange flesh was an indicator that they were female mussels and the paler colored mussels were male or young females. Also I knew that if they didn't close their shells with a tap, that they were likely dead. Also any that don't open up after cooking are likely dead and should also be discarded. I also learned that mussels shouldn't be soaked in tap water as they are seawater creatures, the tap water would kill them. Armed with all of this new knowledge, I was excited to prepare the 2 kilos of mussels I bought at the market. I had figured they would be fresh and especially tasty. I thought it would only take 30 minutes from opening the vacuum seal to plate. I didn't anticipate that the exterior of their shells would be full of sand and in need of a scrub. They were debearded.

I was so excited when I broke the vacuum seal of the container of mussels and could smell the sea just kilometers away from my kitchen. My mouth was already watering. I sorted out the mussels by level of cleaning necessary. I put the ones that needed a light rinse in one container and those that weren't closing in another container. This was taking longer than 30 minutes to the table. I used a brush and scrubbed the shells. I didn't realize I was doing this but I let a container of mussels fill up with tap water. I scrubbed less sandy shelled mussels, I was soaking the mussels still in the container in the sink. I got through a little over one kilo when I realized I still had the ones on top of which I was working. I didn't realize it but now most of those in the sink had opened their shells. I tapped on their shells and they wouldn't close. I drowned them. I drained the water and let them sit for a bit longer and retested them with the tapping, still didn't close. I continued with the rest that were less soiled. I started to hear this faint clicking sound. I looked at the container and I saw that a few of the mussels seemed to be slowly opening and closing. Were they trying to communicate? "No," I told myself, "they can't communicate!" I started to think about them as living organisms...then I thought about them getting steamed alive...until they just give up and open their shells as a muscle contraction...I tried to stop thinking about this but the clicking didn't stop. It's not as if they can see me, I told myself. Then I thought about the existance of a being an organism trapped in a shell without the ability to see. I had to remind myself that they only existed to be eaten. They were farmed mussels. I can't compare my existance to theirs, they are much simpler lifeforms without a central nervous system. Let's just hope I'm not reincarnated as a mussel.

I started to steam the mussels that were already ready to be steamed with shallots and garlic lightly cooked in butter and set the timer. I finished cleaning the rest and set them in another smaller pot and set them to cook just as I was shutting off the first batch. The smell was amazing as I opened the lid. It took me an additional hour beyond the anticipated 30 minutes. They really were a lot of work. I did have quite a few of them and I froze a good sized serving of them that really would be very tasty on some fresh pasta. They really were very delicious. Lekker!

Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers

I woke up early this morning ready to take on the day. I had plans for shopping, I had shopping lists in Dutch and a plan of attack. It had been drizzling out but it didn't matter, I was carrying my umbrella in my shopping tote. Whenever I carry my umbrella, it doesn't rain. I made my first stop and ended up buying more than I planned eliminating the need for one of my stops. I took out my umbrella and my back up bag from my tote and arranged everything. I lugged it all home, and put the things requiring refrigeration in the chill chest.

I stepped out the door again and just as I locked the door suddenly it was raining again. No worries, I'll pull out my umbrella. It was right... I checked inside and then it hit me, I took the umbrella out to arrange my groceries and don't remember putting it back in. I walked in the rain soaking and now by this time in tears to the store. I walked an extra block out of the way to give myself a chance to compose myself before I walked back into the store. I also went over what I'd ask them in Dutch. It was just an umbrella, why am I getting so upset. I pulled myself together and walked inside the store, I looked around a bit at the shopping carts and it wasn't there, then I asked the cashiers. They politely told me that no one had seen the umbrella. I walked back out in the rain, the other people I saw on the street seemed oblivious to the rain. It wasn't about that at all, I was upset with myself for knowing better. I also felt a little betrayed that no one turned in my umbrella. It was a very gently used automatic umbrella and I'm sure whoever found it saw what a score it was and subscribed to the "finders keepers, losers weepers" philosophy.


Irritated with myself, I remembered these polka dot umbrellas at a store. So I walked in the rain to just go buy the polka dot umbrella. It was well out of my way of my plan of attack, but sometimes you just need to be flexible. I now have my new polka dot umbrella, it's lighter weight, probably easier to forget.

Is that really representative of the Dutch? I can generalize based on an isolated incident. I'm really curious about this now that I've encountered this. Back in May, I was in Amsterdam with a friend and had left my wallet on a bench in an ice cream shop. I didn't realize this until I was a block away. A Spanish couple visiting noticed a young man pick up what they thought was a mobile phone and run off in my direction. I didn't see him and I went back to the ice cream shop for a while hoping he'd return. Luckily I kept my passport and some cash in my hotel room. I did have my IDs, credit cards, and around 60 Euros in the wallet. I went to the police station and filed a report. I do have to say all of the Dutch people I encountered and and had to tell about my stolen wallet were very sympathetic and urged me not to let the experience tarnish my visit to the Netherlands. My credit cards were never used and I replaced the IDs that were due to expire the following month. I do believe the guy tried to find me and gave up. He had no way to find me.

I always expect a 50/50 chance of something being turned into lost and found in the US but 90% of the time I get my things back. This isn't a better indicator either because I've left or lost things that were much easier to trace back to me. I had roots in the US but I'm only growing them now.

Ahornsiroop

I was jonesing for some maple syrup and pancakes all this week. I made Dutch pannenkoeken last weekend and they were yummy with fresh strawberries but they weren't fluffy pancakes with maple syrup. They are much closer to a crepe. I asked the Leiden Expats if they knew where I could find some maple gold. They made some great suggestions for resources well beyond just maple syrup. They suggested healthfood stores Puur and others. The most interesting suggestion was tuckerbox It's an Australian/UK products shop with some American products. I looked at the website and instantly had to see this place.

I planned on going yesterday but it rained all day it is a bit of a hike. I finally made it today. As it is by Puur the biologisch or organic store I went to Puur first, I bought the maple syrup there. As I approached the tuckerbox I noticed red velvet rope on the sides of the entrance, that was amusing. For a small place it carries a lot of products, I will definitely be back soon. I went in looking for baking soda and left with Hellman's Mayonaise made in the UK as well as plain flour that isn't 'self rising' like all of the flour I've found in supermarkets here. I also found these interesting "corn tortillas" that had an interesting texture from seeing them in the package. I really like them! They are a cross between corn and flour tortillas, I've never had anything like them but they are good. Usually they are either made of corn or wheat flour but this combines the best of both worlds. They have a tex-mex quality to them. I'll have to have my mom try them. I won't have them often but they are tasty. I already had some chicken tacos with them. Incidently they were made in Spain for distribution in the UK. It's funny because in Spain a tortilla is an omelette.

Now that I have my ahornsiroop I'm having pancakes this weekend! I imported a box of Aunt Jemina pancake mix with me, I'll make them from scratch when I run out of the mix.

Gezellig

I love Little Miss Sunshine. Of course my favorite scene is at the pagaent when little Olive is performing her dance. As she's dancing unaware of why the audience is offended, her family joins her on stage. It reminds me of how important family and friends can be when you are at the lowest point of your life. We all get through life scathed and unscathed in our own ways. We have those moments of disappointment when we have friends and family there to dance with you in those embarrassing moments. Sometimes, like little Olive you don't realize how embarassing.

I remember first hearing the Dutch word "gezellig" and I was instantly fascinated. It was given as an example of a word that can't be translated ironically in a Spanish class. The fact that it means cozy, belonging, intimate but as I understood it, you would know it when you felt it. To someone like me that always felt like an outsider. I had no idea what gezellig really meant, but I had an idea of how it would feel. I was a bit of an eccentric and honestly I enjoyed it, I had a happy childhood. As I grew into adulthood I realized that was the experience many people had unless they tried hard to fit in. This feeling of "gezellig" eluded me. The fact that the Dutch had a word for this made me all the more fascinated with the Dutch. A culture that has such a word must feel it so often. It's part of the essence of the Dutch.

Years later, in 2000, I would find myself about to start a carpentry class. As I went through the course catalog I found a Dutch class listed. As luck would have it, it was after my carpentry class on Saturday morning. I ended up taking the class for the equivalent of 2 semesters. It was a small class, as you can imagine. Like many Dutch people have asked me with a laugh since I tell them this story, "Who takes Dutch classes?" There were 2 women that were married to Dutch husbands. The first semester there was one woman who was expecting a baby the following spring so she was only with us the following semester. Then there was also a journalist that was moving to the Netherlands to be with his Dutch partner. He left in the spring. Last but not least there was me, who was just there to find a sense of gezellig. After the beginning class there was a much larger advanced class comprised mostly of Dutch Americans that studied Dutch as part of their heritage. They would discuss literature and poetry in Dutch. I relied very heavily on my 4+ years of German classes. The year prior to that I was taking German classes at the Goethe Institut to refresh my German. My Dutch instructor was very understanding, and being Dutch she was fluent in German, as well as French, so she was able to help me with pronunciation.

I feel a sense of gezellig now that I feel like I'm making Leiden my home. I felt it when I was speaking to the peony vendor in Dutch. I know I'm going to feel homesick and I still haven't gone through a Dutch winter, but like the Dutch, the feeling of gezellig will get me through it.

Cooking fail

Armed with my new enthusiasm for cooking since I have my new fresh herbs. Anyone who cooks regularly and likes to experiment understands the threat that something may not turn out as planned. You know it's a constant threat when you tinker with a recipe. I never follow a recipe exactly, I have a good sense from experience about what I like and the proportions that work together. I've always had the philosophy that as long as it's edible is all that matters and I can learn from it and adjust to make it next time. I marinated some chicken and made some brown rice.

It so rare that it clearly turns out inedible. You invest the time to make the dish or dishes and not to mention what you invested in the ingredients. What is a cook to do? ...well this one is putting the chicken and rice in individual containers and freezing them.

Basilicum

So I bought the basil plant and this time it made it home with me! It turned out to be lucky because when I went to look for the basil I found cilantro next to it! So I now have basil and cilantro on my windowsill. That makes me very happy. The cilantro is a little wilted but I'll have to bring it back. It's already seeding, as I see little pods on the bottom of the pot that look like coriander seeds. I already had some beautiful local greenhouse tomatoes and some fresh basil with a little olive oil drizzled on them. I then added a little sea salt and black pepper. As the Dutch would say "Lekker!"

I have been amazed at the Dutch taste for spicy foods. It must be the legacy of the Dutch East India Company or the VOC, as it's known in Dutch. Of course it was created to bring spices and luxury goods from the East to the Netherlands and Europe. The history is fascinating and several books have been written about the 200 years of the VOC from it's founding in 1602 to 1800, so I won't write much about it. Dutch colonization reached as far as New York to Indonesia and South Africa in between.

The territories of the VOC named Batavia would become Jakarta in Indonesia. It started with the intentions of trade but as their interest in the area increased and to fight off competition, it grew to colonization. To give you a sense of how far they traveled I found this map of the basic trade routes. The Dutch even commissioned charting of the West Coast of Australia since they kept running into the coast trying to avoid their competitors on the East Coast of Africa.