CORONA, QUARANTINE, PUPPIES AND PIEROGIES
Hi guys! I am so happy that i can finally make a posting - it seems like forever ago I had the time to. So much has been going on the last month, especially with the quarantine and Covid-19 (Bert and I are now in isolation for a week because we both have the flu), our wedding in Italy (not sure if we have to reschedule it for next year or not), the cancellation of shows and exhibitions and making sure that our friends and family are ok, along with helping support independent businesses affected by the lockdown (I am going to provide a list of our friend's online stores if anyone is interested in supporting them).
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Le Mandri di San Paolo, our wedding venue in Assisi (absolutely lovely place, kind people and incredible food - we consider the owners and staff our good friends).
But with all that we also have some good news - WE ADOPTED A PUPPY FROM SPAIN! What we originally told through the asiel was that he was a 3 month old pitbull puppy named Huck, but actually turned out to be a 3 month old Pressa Canario puppy named Hulk... so there will be a little bit of size difference (hes going to be massive!!!!). But he is happy, healthy and here to stay... along with the name Huck. He was found in a dumpster in Madrid and was relocated temporarily to an asiel that works with abroad adoptions, mainly to Belgium and the Netherlands. We had to do a house visit from the organisation to make sure it was a good fit, and also because of the power breed aura, that we did not have insidious intent in adopting Huck (dog fighting, breeding for profit). After the interview and paperwork was finished we had to wait a month (vaccinations etc) for him to arrive here... it was a very slow period but we were incredibly lucky that we got him before the virus broke out.
Walking Jacky and Huck together for the first time in Geraardsbergen.
So the last 3 weeks with Huck have been filled with food training, house training, socialisation and trust gaining (we think he was badly abused). Jacky at first hated Huck and was mad at us for bringing him into our house, but now they are getting along great.
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Huck is obsessed with Jacky and refuses to leave his side... we need to invest in a larger dog bed
And now after 3 weeks of puppy chaos, all of Belgium is in lockdown and Bert and I are in quarantine - we cannot leave our house under any circumstances (unless there is an emergency). We have lovely neighbours and friends who have offered to do our grocery shopping for us during this period.
First day of quarantine.
Second day of quarantine, do you see a pattern? ;)
So now with all this time on my hands I can paint, read, do some gardening, blog and COOK! Although excited as I am to finally try out some new recipes, I have to be aware of my health and not eat too much out of boredom (and no this is not a fat shaming post, i have a compromised immune system due to my thyroid so I have to be aware of my food and drink intake. Also we have enough problems in our world without adding something as stupid as shitting on the way people look/how much they weigh).
It's finally starting to get warm in Belgium! Bees are coming back, along with other little guys and I cannot wait to bbq and cook outside this summer!
SPRING IS FINALLY HERE AND WE CANNOT GO OUTSIDE!!!
So i think I will try a new recipe from a book everyday and post it the Sharma Farm Foodie blog alongside video tutorials if anyone is interested in trying them out themselves. I am going to try and make as much healthy food as I can (people can always substitute what they want in their own cooking endeavours).
So step 1: Choose a cookbook!
The Thug Kitchen cookbook series (i think there's 4?) is amazing - all plant based healthy(ish) recipes and some great terminology:
Step 2: Choose a recipe!
Step 3: Read the recipe and start cracking!!!
Note: I rarely if ever follow a recipe exactly unless its baking (can't freestyle that shit) so i'm going to give the version i made along with a video of classic pierogies.
You start with 1 and half or 2 cups flour, along with a quarter teaspoon of salt and powdered garlic, I also added pepper and italian herbs (that's just me). After whisking your flower and spices together, add 1 and a half or 2 cups of warm water and start mixing. And when it's all mixed, place some fresh flour on a flat surface and knead the dough into a ball. You can they lightly drizzle some olive oil around it, place it in a bowl, cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap (choose the towel, don't use plastic!) and let sit for 30 minutes.
My "dough" - less than perfect but still beautiful
I am messy in the kitchen and loose with my recipes, especially now because I cannot get all the ingredients! so if you want to make perfect dough or pierogies always follow the recipe and do not be like me!
So skipped the filling because I had a ton of leftovers in the fridge from the night before that i thought I could incorporate into the recipe... also I hate wasting food.
I had a lot of Masala (my bastard version of it - i will do a blog spot on this as well) which when added to a potato mix, wouldn't be half bad. Jacky has taught Huck very well in the ways of "begging" and "puppy eyes" as you can see.
I heated up the Masala and added rucola and diced potatoes (again food waste), alongside boiling some potatoes to make the filling.
***I made my filling by mashing 2 cups of potatoes and adding some of the Masala (to taste) to it along with sriracha. That's not the Thug Kitchen recipe! Once that was done, i started on the dough and making the pierogies.
I couldn't find a rolling pin so used an empty wine bottle... it worked.
begin by putting flour down again on a flat surface and kneading the dough out. Take your "rolling pin" and flatten the dough, over and over until it's in a long strip.
First time making pierogies from scratch - so it was not effortless :)
Start cutting the dough into 2 inch pieces.
Look at this beauty queen!
Take the 2 inch pieces and roll them out and kneed them into a flat circle (sort of the same as Gyoza pot stickers). Make sure that you have enough flour down or the dough will stick to the table or surface. Once you have your circle, add a small amount (enough to fill but not too much that you cannot seal) of the potato/masala mix to the middle. Add a small amount of water to the outside seam of the pierogie and fold in. Careful not to use too much force of the mix will come out one side.
I skipped a few steps in this picture because its hard to cook and take photos at the same time!
Once you have your little pierogi, add (about 6 at a time) to a pot of hot water at medium heat. Check occasionally that they do not stick to the bottom. They usually need about 5 minutes to boil before you can start cooking them.
Bazinga!
A lot going on in this photo.
Once they are done in the boiling water, take them out and let semi dry before adding them into a pan with olive oil. I would sear them on medium heat, especially if they are still a bit wet...otherwise its painful.
Leftovers and leftovers!
Once the little guys start turning golden brown you can start plating them. Bert eventually added them to the sauce, while i dipped mine in garlic aioli.
So that wasn't the best food post i've done but I had limited ingredients and wanted to make sure i used anything and everything that could go bad in the fridge - which i think especially now is extremely important.
So during this time, I think the precautions we have to take against the Corona virus are very important and effective if everyone follows them. But as an independent worker in Belgium, my business has been affected, especially now that I cannot do private appointments until my quarantine is over. That being said, I have my health, and my friends and family are well, so I have to be grateful for that. At the same time I want to offer my time and support to those also affected financially by the lockdown and outbreak.
Our friends in Italy at Le Mandrie can no longer hosts guests or open their doors to visitors, but they do have an online site where you can order their cheese, olive oil, wine, etc. I have to say their food and products are some of the best i've tasted (we stayed last summer with them for a week). Everything is produced on location at their farm and the quality is amazing.
Link to their online site:
And their Facebook page:
If you're looking for some beauty products but cannot make an appointment at a schooninstitute my friend Nathalie at Naturelle makes deliveries. She is based in Ophasselt (Geraardsbergen) and has an online shop with various products:
When she found out I wasn't feeling well she brought over my monthly face cream.
A get well soon card!
and an extra gift!
Unfortunately our favorite restaurants have had to temporarily close their doors due to this health crisis, but have offered delivery and pickup. If you want to support your favorite place to nom, contact them and see if takeaway is an option.
For us, our favorites (that do takeaway)
are Jeera Thai in Zottegem:
and Sushi Sakana (also in Zottegem)
You can always find ways to support one another, especially when crisis hits at this level - by ordering through local businesses or even offering to pick up someone's groceries for them. this situation will only fix itself when we take care of one another and not just ourselves, that also means not bulk shopping and taking away all of the necessities that people depend on (toilet paper, diapers etc).
I hope that everyone stays safe and healthy and that you take care of one another
Sharma Farm Foodie
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