danish thrift shopping

So far, I've discovered 4 thrift shops in the town where I'm planning to live. The main difference I see between the US and Danish shops is that the majority of US inventory is clothes, and here, it's mostly furniture and housewares.

I'm going to have a lot of fun furnishing my flat from the secondhand shops because there's a lot of very reasonably priced tiny furniture in cool shapes and fabrics (like velvet) :)

Here are a couple recent finds from my Danish thrift shopping adventures...

I mixed and matched this set of cups and saucers. The shopkeeper decided not to charge me for the saucers (welcome to Denmark!), so I got this set of four for 40 DKK, which is roughly $8. I wanted a set of six, but the other two cups were damaged, so I'll have to make due with four. I love them!

This glazed clay casserole is awesome! I cooked a veggie tangine in it at Christmas and I anticipate using it a lot more when I finally have a kitchen here. Now I just sort of sporadically beg people to let me use their kitchens in exchange for American cooking :)

It was 30 DKK, about $6.

Thrift stores here are definitely smaller and more expensive than in the US, but they're still a far more economical way to shop than buying new. The upside is that the shops are very well kept and there's a lot less junk than I'm used to sorting through.

veggie pot pie

I adapted this recipe from the November/December 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times. I've been missing chicken pot pie for a while and this really comes close to completely filling the void...

olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup diced carrots
6 cups veggie stock
2 cups frozen corn
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
2 T dried parsley
1 T dried sage
1 T marjoram
2 bay leaves
16 oz egg noodles
2 T cornstarch
2 T flour
4 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan
2 cups frozen green beans
2 cups frozen peas
1 pie crust

Heat a bit of olive oil in a large pot. Add the onion and cook until it begins to brown. Stir in the garlic, celery, and carrots, then saute for 5 minutes.

Stir in 5 cups of the veggie stock, then add the corn, chickpeas, parsley, sage, marjoram, and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in the noodles and cook the mixture until the noodles are tender. Remove the bay leaves.

Whisk together the cornstarch, flour, and 1 cup of veggie stock and add it to the pot. Stir in the cream cheese and parmesan. Allow the mixture to cool, then stir in the green beans and peas.

Transfer the mixture to a large greased casserole and cover with a pie crust. My casserole was oblong so I made my own crust and rolled it into an oval before tucking it around the filling.

Bake the pie at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes, or until the crust is flaky and golden. Don't forget to vent your crust :)

This makes a huge casserole. Unless you're feeding a large group, I suggest halving the recipe, or making it into two pies. It should freeze well.

For company, I'd make individual pot pies with decorative crust cutouts.

getting to work

This morning, in order to make an 8:30 meeting, I caught the 6:35 bus.

I was up at 5 am, and started walking to the train station around 6:15, in the snow. I was having a good hair day when I left and normally I'd have gone back for an umbrella, but Danish busses aren't known for their punctuality in either direction, so I sacrificed my hair in order to make the meeting ontime. Someday, I will remember that I don't have a car and need to pay attention to the weather before going outside.

After 40 minutes or so of riding in the dark, I got off the bus into the freezing cold morning and hiked to my office, which was about another 10-15 minute walk. It was icy. There were no sidewalks for part of the way, and I was thinking it might be a good idea to get a blinking vest or something so I don't get rundown by a truck.

Through all of this, I was looking forward to calling it an early day at work and taking the 15:42 home, but opened my inbox to find a meeting invite for 15:00. So, I will do the reverse trip close to 5 PM and likely not get home until after 6. Exhausted.

So, this morning I got my first true glimpse of the reality of my life in Denmark, without a car. As an American, I've lived an easy and somewhat spoiled life, but that's ok, I really want to live in Europe...

bringing a car

One of the most convoluted parts of this overseas move is the question of what to do about a car.

I'd love to bring over my Audi TT Roadster, but given the fact that the Danish registration tax is 180% of car's value, that's a bit out of the question. So, it comes down to whether or not it's worth it to ship and register my Toyota Yaris.

Last week, I begged one of my Danish speaking friends to go with me to the "Skattecenter" where they're supposed to give out tax estimates. Unfortunately, the center we went to could not estimate the tax, so I'll need to either drive 150 km in the car I don't have to a town called Odense, or have someone translate the forms so I can mail in my info and wait patiently for a response.

I know it's Europe, and I shouldn't need a car, but the public transportation between where I'm staying (and planning to live) and where I work isn't great. I have a hike to and from the bus stop, a choice of two busses in the morning, and two in the afternoon, none of which are at great times. And it's still about $12 round trip, which I think is quite spendy. Those issues aside, I'm American, I have two cars, and have been driving since I was 16, so I'd really like a car!

But, I'm slowly accepting the fact that I will have to sell my cars. The upside to this is that I'll be able to rationalize buying the Pashley bicycle I've long coveted, but have been unable to justify.

Who knows? Maybe I'll get a Vespa :)

starting over

I've been feeling for awhile that something is amiss in my life. It might be difficult to understand how a woman who seemingly has everything... a successful career, a handsome husband, money in the bank, pretty shoes, a dream kitchen, 7.5 carats, and no debt except an almost paid off house in the Connecticut suburbs could feel that way, but if you've read Eat, Pray Love, you might understand where I'm coming from.

I don't have children and I live below my means for philosophical and environmental reasons, but also to be free to live life on my own terms. It's a good plan, but the execution is flawed. I live in a place I don't particularly like. I go to work. I come home. I cook. I clean. I sew. I waste time on the internet. I daydream about places I'd like to visit, different places I could live, and the things I'd like to experience. I feel like life is whipping by me and I'm just hanging out, dreaming. I don't want another 10 years to go by and realize that I'm still stuck where I am, still dreaming instead of doing because I'm too lazy or afraid to make a change.

If I learned anything in Berlin, it's that the world isn't all that scary even if you're thousands of miles from home in an unfamiliar place where you don't speak the language and can't figure out the public transit system. In general, people are cool and they're usually willing to help you if you ask nicely (or smile sweetly and point on a map to where you're trying to go). My memories of Berlin will always be some of my happiest because I finally dared to experience something different, instead of just thinking about it, and despite the frigid weather and moments of uncertainty, I had an awesome time.

The point of this post is to say that I've made the complex decision to end my nine year marriage and move to Denmark. I've been in this relationship since I was 21 and suddenly not being in it is a bit jarring, but I think it's for the best, and I hope and believe that we will remain lifelong friends. Despite an amicable split, this is still the most painful decision I've ever made, and I hope every day that I've made the right choice.

I've dreamed of living in Europe since I was a little girl, and it's almost beyond my comprehension that it's happening!

I don't romanticize my situation. It's a bit unsettling to be alone again, to leave my home, and move across the Atlantic, and I've spent enough time in Denmark over the past 3+ years to have a pretty good idea of what my life will be like. I probably won't have a car, I'll pay a significant percentage of my income to taxes, it's not a particularly veg-friendly country, the cost of living is very high, and I don't speak the language. But I will bring my bike, I will use my frugal skills, I will become a more creative cook, I will learn to speak Danish, and I will accept that I'm no longer in the US, and approach my new life with an open mind and heart.

I'm leaving Friday for a marathon trip that will keep me in Denmark until early March. The details of my move are still being worked out, but I hope you'll follow me on this crazy (and I hope, wonderful) adventure...

hash browns

Hash browns are one of those simple, yet elusive foods. Most "hash browns" recipes call for frozen shredded potatoes, but if you're going that route, why you wouldn't just follow the directions on the back of the package?

After many failed attempts, I believe I've mastered homemade hash browns using fresh potatoes. This is my recipe...

I shred about 2 potatoes per person, then soak them overnight in salted ice water. The next morning, I drain them, then mix the shredded potatoes with chopped onions, salt, pepper, and chili powder.

I heat a bit of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, then add the potatoes and flatten them out as much as possible and cook covered for about 15 minutes. About halfway through cooking, I divide them with a spatula into 4 triangular sections. Once the bottom is browned, I flip each section and cook until the bottom is browned.

Soaking is paramount, otherwise you'll end up with a starchy mess. I could seriously eat these by the panful, but fortunately, I usually have others who are willing to fight me for them :)

Bon appetit!

$10.47

Today's thrift store haul was modest, but that's how a beloved wardrobe is built, one piece at a time...

I love maribou almost as much as leopard print, so I was totally blissed to find this maribou trimmed top for $3.99 at Salvation Army!

White tags were 50% off so I scored this Max Studio skirt for $2.49! It's hard to see here, but those are pink, green, and cream colored polka-dots, lovely for spring :)

Another Max Studio piece, this pink & brown top was only $3.99 and will be great in the summer with shorts, or cargo pants :)

tempeh reubens

Pastrami Reubens used to be one of my favorite sandwiches. The roughness of the toasted rye, the crispy sauerkraut, the melted swiss, and the warm pastrami dressed with just right amout of russian dressing was a texture lover's nirvana!

I love to adapt my omnivore favorites in to veg-friendly delights, and with the help of of the Moosewood Collective, I've been able to continue enjoying one of my favorite sandwiches by replacing the pastrami with delightfully seasoned tempeh.

2 cups chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, pressed
8 oz. cubed tempeh
2 t tamari
vegetable oil
rye bread
russian dressing
sauerkraut
swiss cheese slices

Saute the onions and garlic in a bit of oil until the onions begin to soften. Add the tempeh and continue to saute over medium-low heat until it's lightly browned and crisp. Add the tamari, and stir to coat.

Lightly toast the rye bread and spread with Russian dressing. Layer with tempeh and warm sauerkraut, top with a slice of swiss cheese and broil until the cheese melts, then top with a second slice of toasted rye.

Viola! This makes enough for several sandwiches, so I microwave the tempeh and enjoy them several times over :)

berlin: the food

Being an organized chick, I'd mapped out the best veg-friendly options in each Berlin neighborhood ahead of time. Not necessary!!! For four blissful days, I lived life on the fly, dining on falafel, pastries, and hot cocoa as the mood struck me.

It started at the Mauerpark flea market. The flea market itself was a disappointment, and not worth the cross city trek in frigid temperatures, but man, did I find the best falafel there! Not even having to eat it standing up in a crowded market with one napkin while wearing a camel colored cashmere coat could dampen my joy! After that, I declared Berlin "falafel city" and pledged to eat as much falafel as possible during the course of my stay.

Berlin is filled with fabulous "Doner Houses" which sell various versions of kebabs and falafels for insanely low prices. This giant falafel sandwich was only 2.50 EURO (about $3.60 USD)!

So for 4 divine days, I walked around the city stuffing myself on falafel.

The runner up to the flea market falafel was ArabBelly, located on Bergmann Strasse, an artsy area of the city full of cafes, bars, and overpriced secondhand shops.

The falafel was delightfully seasoned and the perfect texture, but the sandwich was a bit on the small side and had I not just eaten the worst falafel of my trip a few blocks before, I'd have ordered another one. I'm shameless.

Believe it or not, I also had a delicious falafel at the Alexa Shopping Mall food court. Unfortunately, the food court was crowded for me to do a photo shoot with it, but if you're ever offered feta, and garlic sauce instead of tzatiki, say "yes please", even if you think it's a little weird.

Another thing to love about Berlin is that you can go to a cafe and have a delicious hot chocolate with whipped cream for 1.50 EURO (about $2.15 USD)!

And pastries like this for 1 EURO (about $1.40 USD)! This was called a mandelschnittel... it was buttery, almondy, and delicious :)

More photos (and commentary) are coming, but really, what's more important than food?

happy new year

Happy New Year! I hope you had a lovely New Year's Eve :)

I rang in 2010 surrounded by new friends in Vejle, Denmark. Fireworks were going off everywhere, and they seemed to last forever! I've never seen such an impressive impromptu fireworks display. It was awesome!

A video can't really do it justice, but here's a snippet anyway...