Olympic Dinner: Greek Nectarine Tart

Olympic fever is everywhere, and our house is no exception.  We' always enjoyed taking in the Olympic games - and we've tried to make it a learning experience for our kids at the same time.

One of my personal favorites was 2004, when the games were in Athens.  Our Sunday dinner on that first weekend celebrated Greece.  We had traditional Greek food, and created one of my favorite pieces of art in our home:

Can you see the Olympic rings?  And can you tell what it is made of?

How about now?

Plates!  We purchased special plates with Olympic colors on them, and at the end of our dinner, we threw them into the fireplace!  Opa!   (or Oplah! according to The Boy, who was 3 at the time)  Afterwards, The Mr and I created the mosaic art above and we've had it hanging since.

We've toned down our dinners since then, as The Children are less inclined to enjoy them.  For 2008's Beijing games, we had a fabulous Chinese dinner and these cupcakes.  We didn't break any plates though.

We themed this year's Olympics dinner with dishes from each of the areas represented in the games.

Our dessert was a Greek-inspired Nectarine Tart.  Made with a phyllo-dough crust, and just a bit of honey to enhance the sweetness of the nectarines, this was quite healthy as well.  Here's how we made it:

Greek Nectarine Tart

Ingredients:

• 10 sheets phyllo dough
• cooking spray
• 4 larges nectarines, pitted and thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

Directions:

Spray a nine-inch tart pan with cooking spray (you could also use a pie pan).  

Carefully unfold the phyllo dough and place one sheet into the tart pan.  Press the dough down along the sides and bottom, and spray with cooking spray.  The edges of the dough will hang over the edge of the pan.   Turn the pan 45 degrees.  Place a second sheet over the first sheet, press the dough into the pan and spray with cooking oil.  Turn the pan 45 degrees and repeat the dough layer.  (Turning the pan ensures that the edges of the dough hang over all side evenly) Repeat the dough layering until all of the phyllo is in the pan.

Starting at the outer edge of the pan, layer the nectarine slices around the pan in a circular fan shape.  Once all of the fruit is in the pan, mix the honey, water and almond extract.  Pour this mixture over the tart evenly.

Trim the overhanging edge of the phyllo dough with a pair of scissors.  You can leave as much or as little as you like, depending on your artistic taste.  If you leave some, be sure it is well sprayed with cooking spray so that it browns properly into a crust.

Bake at 375 for about 35 minutes, or until crust is browned and tart is bubbly.  

Cool and serve.

We enjoyed our homage to Greece for our Olympic dessert a lot!

Have you made any Olympic-themed foods?

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Olympic Dinner: Africa - Tibs Wat

We enjoy the Olympics and have been really enjoying the London games.  We are about a day behind, so no spoilers please.  

We had a really fun Olympic themed dinner over the weekend.  For our Olympic dinners, we will usually have food from the host country.  This time, we decided on something a bit different as we have had quite a few British theme dinners over the past six months.  This time, we chose a dish from each of the areas represented in the Olympics.

From Africa, we chose Ethiopian Tibs Wat, which is essentially a spicy beef stew.  This was my favorite dish when we visited there.  Here's how we made it:

Tibs Wat

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of beef (I used a cut ready for stir-fry as I wanted it to be tender without hours of cooking)
• 4 jalapenos
• 1 - 2 tablespoons Berbere (traditional Ethiopian spice, if you can't find it, you can make your own)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 cup red wine

Directions:

Begin to brown the beef over medium heat.

Chop the jalapenos.

Add the jalapenos and berbere to the beef mixture and continue to cook.

Stir in the tomato paste...

... and the red wine.

Cook over medium heat for another 30 minutes or until the beef is tender.  Adjust the seasoning as needed, and if it begins to look dry, add water or additional wine.

When it is done, serve it with injera (Ethiopian flat bread that is something like a sourdough pancake) or even on its own. Delicious!!

Have you ever had Ethiopian food?

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Visiting London - For Less!

Are the Olympics inspiring you to take a London vacation?  We love visiting London, but it is quite expensive (the Brits might say "quite dear").  Today we would like to share our best tips on vacationing for less, and getting the most out of your stay.

1.  Timing is important (Saving time and money)

Best (cheapest) times to go are late fall and early spring.  While the weather mostly likely won't be ideal (cold and wet) the flights/accommodations will be at their least expensive.  And you aren't going to London for a beach vacation anyway.  If you think you are, you have mixed up your travel books.

Late fall/early spring are also when the fewest tourists are in town.  (hence the lower prices)  This means fewer (or at least shorter) queues.  "Queues" is British for lines.  ;-)

One important thing to note in this strategy:   not everything is open all year long, particularly some of the royal-related spots.  For example, Buckingham Palace is only open to the public July - early October.  If you really want to see something particular, you want to make certain that it will be open when you get there.

2.  Do your research (Making the most of your time)

This is an important one if you want to make the most of your time.  Know the things that you want to see and the places you want to go.  Find out where they are, when they are open and how much they cost.  We made a website for our trip - http://london.zentmyer.us/ - with our itinerary, map, and all the places we planned to see.  This helped us make sure that we got to see everything that we wanted to see, and kept us on schedule when we needed to be.

3.  Take the non-stop flight if you can. (Making the most of your time)

We live in San Diego.  When we went to London last year, we didn't have the option of a non-stop and took a flight that stopped in Minneapolis.  That made about a 4 hour flight to MSP and then another 8 or so to get to Heathrow.  This year, British Air started a non-stop flight out of San Diego to Heathrow, and it takes about 10 hours.  A single 10 hour overnight flight gives you a much better opportunity to sleep, which will definitely help with jet-lag.

And once you get there - if coming from most of the United States, sometime in the afternoon - you are best off staying awake until after dinner.  Plan something for after you've checked into your flat or hotel.  The London Eye is a great place to start your London vacation.... and it works if you are tired.  Or take a walk around a nearby park.  Have dinner at the Hard Rock.  Then, head back home and enjoy an early night.  You should be able to head off quite a bit of the jet-lag.

4.  Stay at a vacation rental flat instead of a hotel  (Saving money)

You can find a number of different websites that will help you find a flat to rent.  We've used findaflatinlondon.com and homeaway.com, but there are others out there.  

Advantages of a flat over a hotel:

• If you would have more than one hotel room, a flat will be cheaper 

•  You will have kitchen facilities

• You can get laundry facilities 

•  You will have more space

• You will probably have free internet

• You will have a more authentic "London" experience

• If you have a large group, houses are available and will save even more 

Disadvantage of a flat over a hotel:

• You don't know exactly what you are going to get

• May be louder

• No room service 

We had a great experience with our first flat.  The owners were very friendly, easy to deal with from the US and easy to contact.  The flat itself was clean, modern and well-furnished.  And we had a great location.  We loved having laundry - we just put the load in the washer/dryer unit when we left in the morning and it was done when we came back later in the day.  Having the kitchen allowed us to have breakfast and occasionally dinner at the flat, which saved a lot.

I'll let you know about the next flat when we return from our trip in October.

5.  London Pass (Saving time and money)

The London Pass is a city sightseeing card which allows you free access to more than 55 attractions, and allows you to go the front of the queue in a number of different attractions.  The London Pass can be purchased for 1, 2, 3 or 6 day periods.  And here's where your research comes in to play.  Take a look at the list of things you want to see and compare it to the list of attractions on the London Pass.  You can figure out your savings to determine which of the alternatives is best for you.

If you do get one, spend some time reviewing the list of attractions.  We found some really interesting things on that list that we never would have done if we didn't have the Pass. 

6.  Make the most of the free things (Saving money)

Many London museums and attractions are free.  Free!  

The British Museum is one of the best museums in the world.  Free.  If you go (and you definitely should go), take some of the short guided tours.  They are given by Blue Badge Guides (certified tour guides) and really add a lot to your experience.

 The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) is another amazing museum.  Also free.  As is the Imperial War Museum, the National Gallery, the Bank of England Museum, The Museum of London and the National Maritime Museum.  Even Tate Modern.  (though I am not sure that Tate Modern is worth the cost....)

Did you know that you can visit the Houses of Parliament?   And that it is free?

Certainly one of the most popular tourist spots in London is Westminster Abbey.  And rightly so.  The Abbey is incredibly rich in history, and a sight not to be missed.  St. Paul's Cathedral is also right up there in terms of history and architectural beauty.  And the views from the top are breathtaking!  If you happen to be visiting on a Sunday, get up early and go to the 8:00 AM services at Westminster or St. Paul's.  In fact, stay for two Sundays and go to both.  Free (which is nice as both the Abbey and St. Paul's charge an entry fee when not attending services)!

And don't forget to take in the many parks in the city.  Walk along the River Thames and cross the famous bridges.  This is a great way to enjoy London!

7.  London Evenings (Making the most of your time)

One thing you will notice is that attractions tend to close between 5:30 and 6:00.  To make the most of your trip, you will want to find the things that are open late and save them for the evenings.  Some attractions that are open late:

• The British Museum (some nights)

• The National Gallery (some nights)

• Houses of Parliament - viewing debate in the House of Commons and House of Lords from the public gallery

• Tate Modern and Tate Britain

• Harrods

• Ceremony of the Keys

Another great evening activity is the London Walks.  London Walks puts on reasonably inexpensive walking tours of London, with many different themes.  And many are held in the evening!  We did a Harry Potter tour, Westminster by Gaslight, Jack the Ripper's London, and the Ancient City at Night.  Wonderful way to see the city!  And, London Walks gives a discount to folks with the London Pass. 

8.  Getting Around (Saving time and money)

London has great public transportation.  Best transportation for distances of a half mile or so?  Walking!  Walking (1) is free, (2) allows you to see things as you go from place to place, and (3) is fastest.

When walking isn't an option, consider the bus.  The bus is the cheapest form of public transport and you can get a bit of a free tour as you go.  It is probably also fastest for trips of up to about 3 miles.

The London Underground (known as the tube) is a great option for other trips.  It is quite easy to navigate, quite clean and safe.  You may find it quite crowded if you are travelling at rush hours, and people move quickly.  And the tube is more expensive than the bus.  Be sure to mind the gap between the train and the platform when you ride!

If you plan to be in the city for more than a couple of days, consider getting an Oyster card, which is a re-loadable card for use on the London public transport.  This will save you time.  Plus, you will look like one of the cool kids if you keep your card in its flap and wave it over the sensor. 

9.  Eating (Saving money)

The cheapest places to eat are generally pubs.  And they have great food!  Often free wi-fi too.  Breakfast at your flat is a quick and inexpensive option too.  Do splurge on a good English High Tea - it is worth the experience!

Hopefully this gives you a few ideas for your London vacation.  We'd be happy to answer any questions you might have.  We're planning a trip in October and we will be taking my Mom who uses a wheelchair, so we are doing our research on accessibility as well.  If you've got suggestions for me, leave a comment or send me an email.

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Strawberries and Cream Anyone?

What do these have in common?

That's right - Wimbledon! 

 Today is the Men's Singles Finals, where Andy Murray will attempt to win one for Britain and Roger Federer will attempt to tie Pete Sampras' seven Wimbledon Finals titles.

They'll have to kick the birds off the court first of course.

And fill the stands.  Which will not be difficult.

Last year the scoreboard looked like this....

And this year?  Prediction?

As for the strawberries, well, Strawberries and Cream is the traditional breakfast at Wimbledon.  Here's an easy recipe so you can have some along with the Queen.

Strawberries and Cream Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 Cups Strawberries
• 2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
• 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 2 Tablespoons Granulated White ("Table") Sugar

Directions

1. Cut the strawberries in half. 
2. Add the vanilla and sugar to the cream; stir them together; pour them over your strawberries; and serve.

Really, breakfast doesn't get much simpler than that.  Enjoy some while watching the Men's Finals from Wimbledon this morning.

Sheepy will be!

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London's Olympic Venues

London has been getting ready for 2012 for over four years, and they've done a great job of cleaning up the city for the games.  We were able to visit a number of the different venues - we're looking forward to watching the games to see where we were!

These are the sites we saw:

Hyde Park - where they will hold the triathlon and marathon swimming.  Those birds may want to take a bit of a holiday during the games!

The North Greenwich Area (commonly known as The O2) will host artistic gymnastics, trampoline, basketball and wheelchair basketball.

Bit of a funny story - when we were taking these pictures, we were confronted by the O2 security wanting to make sure that we were not professional photographers out to take publicity shots of the O2.  We explained what we were doing and finished our amateur photo shoot, but under pretty close scrutiny.

Greenwich Park will host equestrian events (dressage, jumping and eventing), paralympic equestiran and modern pentathalon.

Hampton Court Palace will host the road cycling time trials.

The Mall (recognizable for many from last year's Royal Wedding) will host athletics (marathon and race walk), paralympic athletics (marathon), and road cycling (road race).

The Horse Guards Parade Grounds will host beach volleyball.

Eton Dorney will host rowing, paralympic rowing and canoe sprint.

Wimbledon will host (can you guess?) tennis.

You may be able to tell that, for this former tennis player, our tour of Wimbledon was a real highlight!  I even got to sit in the spot where the winners (and losers) do their post-game interviews.  Our tour guide told me to think what it would be like to have just beaten Serina Williams for the championship, and I answered "She would have had to have been asleep!"

And finally, the Olympic Stadium itself - where most of the events will be held.  This is the best view we could get.  My father-in-law was very concerned about the purpose of the structure just in front of the stadium - do you have any ideas?

Looking forward to watching the games from this side of the pond - I can't imagine the traffic and crowds that will overtake London this summer.  I wouldn't want to be there for the main event, but it sure was fun seeing where it would take place!

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