Innsbruck - March 2010

I LOVE this place. Love it. My heart beats faster just saying the word, Innsbruck. So, maybe I'm a dork, but it really does. I have such a special place in my heart for this beautiful Austrian town. It's surrounding by mountains, and set up along the Inn river. The people are beyond welcoming, the scenery is miraculous, and there is a cultural aspect to this place that forces you into an "i love everything" attitude. If there were a way to get to this place without spending about a paycheck on a plane ticket, I'd go every year.

I went to college in Innsbruck in the summer of 2002. I attended The University of Innsbruck and took Philosophy and German. Okay, so maybe I was registered for Finance, too, and dropped it....there was just TOO much cool stuff to do other than look at #'s...that's very fitting because while I was there I made the decision to change my major from business to English when I got home. And I did. Sounds harmless, but it was a big deal since I always got the "what are you going to do with an English major" speech? Aaaannnnd, so maybe I got a master's of business later on, but still. I totally felt liberated by getting my English major and attribute it to the "clarity" while hanging out away from the norm. Anyway. I'm rambling.

While we were there we skied, which I'd never done there while I went to school since it was too hot, so that was a really cool thing for me this time! It was thcary. I wussed out after an hour and sat at the ski lodge and drank a beer and took pictures. Sorry, but falling all over myself on black ski slopes, and then getting a bloody nose from the altitude didn't make me want to ski. But the view was all I needed. Okay, Amanda stop talking, get over it, and get to the food. Here's to the food. yum tum tum.

Dumpling. Dumplings are very popular over there. A traditional Bavarian dish. I liked it! I thought it'd be like a meatball because of its look, but it's doughy. Like a dumpling. Go figure. 

This was my side of potatoes. It was funny because I'm pretty sure Europeans think Americans live off of Cheeseburgers, hot dogs, and french fries. At a restaurant in Italy, the waiter was like, "oh, I have a side you like..." and out he comes with 'fried potatoes'...french fries. And, a huge smile on his face, so proud. Of course we ate it. He then swiftly brings out ketchup, and we reluctantly smile:) I guess we bring that on ourselves. Another restaurant had a sign that read, "We have Cheeseburgers! Hamburgers! Hot Dogs!" It was sweet I guess. Nice hospitality to the American tourists, but of course, I wanted THEIR food! not our stuff. So, I added a twist and at my fries with mayonnaise. What? I saw Pulp Fiction.

Wiener schnitzel. And, potato salad. It was so yummy! I loved the potato salad. The wiener schnitzel was just like fried steak tasting, but still cool.

Such a cool liquor store. We thought we were such rebels for buying some absinthe. 

The key to life. Arugula. Why is it so good? They seemed to add it to everything, and I was totally cool with that. This was a snack. We took many snack/beverage breaks. We'd tour for a few hours, then decide it was time for some food/drink culture. It was obviously a favorite cultural aspect:)

Their salads were so awesome. I'm guessing it was the season, but everything was so fresh! I didn't even know what some of the stuff was on this, but I loved it all. And the dressing was a yogurt dressing. Usually, I'd think that sounded like a bad idea, but it was really good!

Guess who's plate this is? The meat deluxe. I can't even try to name what these are. I recognize a dumpling.

Goulash. For some reason I imagined something different, and have to admit, this was a little Dinty Moore beef stew-ish. But, hey, I like Dinty Moore.

I love wheat beer. Maybe I just like the way they pronounce it. I wish I had the "B" looking German symbol, so I could write weiBbeir correctly. Vicebier. There.

I bought this bottle of wine at the train station in Innsbruck before heading to Italy, thinking we'd drink it maybe on the train, or somewhere for sure. Plus, it was like 3.99 euros. It became the infamous bottle of wine, and traveled the rest of the trip with us. Matt insisted we leave it at every hotel we left with it still in tow, as we only had backpacks and this took up space and weight, but I was determined to drink it. It was left at our last stop. Never saw our stomachs, or America. I have to think it'd have been nice.

Always water. And, check out the wine glass. Oh, and a matching WATER glass to the water type? These guys are over achievers. very cool.

McDonald's late night. 

That was my dumpling platter. I forgot to take a picture until I was finished. I still remember there was an onion one, a spinach one, and a cheese one.

I look like a troll in every ski picture. Never remove the ski cap for pictures. Matt got it right:)

Munich - March 2010

It's been a while since I've been in a good cooking habit. Tonight, I decided to start back with my food diaries, and to get it going, I wanted to share the food we had in Europe, since that's where I left off...and since, it's way better than anything I could cook:)

Our first stop was Munich. The food was a favorite for Matt because it was mostly meats and cheeses. I preferred cheeses and pasta, so Italy was my favorite. But, I have to admit, their meats, bread, and cheeses were so good in Germany...along with the beer

Well, this was our airplane meal. I was super pumped. There's something about everything having its own little cute package and compartment that excites me. My favorite part was the cheese over there to the left. How cute it that? Also, there was butter and a single serving of ranch in that thing. Then, cannelloni, salad, a roll, and a little cookie thing. I loved the baby water thing, too. I'm obviously too easily entertained.

Deutsche Bier, Spaten. Yummm. 

This was our first meal. We just stopped in the middle of a busy shopping area so we could people watch, and sat outside. I had a traditional ham and eggs pasta dish, and Matt got some kind of sausage thing with sauerkraut. We also got a big pretzel with mustard.

This was a beautiful market in the middle of a big market/beer garden area.

CHEESE!!!!

We stopped in the 'bier garten' at a Paulaner spot. They only served Paulaner, so I got a wheat beer, and Matt got a pilsner ( i think that's the type it was). I really love how in Europe they serve you the type of beer in it's corresponding glass. They must have a huge stash of glasses. I was impressed. We actually started keeping up with it and there was NOWHERE we went that they didn't serve the beer in a glass that matched its type.

This was at the Hofbrauhaus. One of Munich's oldest breweries. We joined some Germans at a huge table, and sang along with their little chant they sing before hitting the bottom of the beer glass on the table and then clanging your beer glasses together. Beer spilling is totally normal in this routine. All I remember was, "Eins, zwei, gesoffen!" Which is something like, One, two, 'drunk'...also there was a lot of "Prost!!"

McDonald's photo op? Why not?!?!