The Winter Semester at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität is just about over. This coming week is the last week of classes and essays are due in the coming weeks. This weekend is all about preparing for tests and planning the big trips coming up.
We have nine weeks off from classes, a crazy long time. I'll be traveling for a good amount of the time and a few weeks I've left open to either stay in Munich or some spontaneous trip. Who knows! I've booked a ticket to Dublin with a friend from the study abroad program, Heidi. After we watched the [horrible] movie Leap Year over the Christmas Break we have been trying to plan a trip to Ireland. The storyline of the film is really banal but the setting is gorgeous. It seems so green and the castles are beautiful, very different from the ones in Germany! AND totally by coincidence, we are going to be in Dublin on Leap Day! According to the movie, it's an Irish tradition that a man who receives a marriage proposal on Leap Day must accept it; hmmmm... ;)
We've been preparing for our trip in Munich at the Irish Pub near the Frauen Kirche in the city center. It's a really fun environment and the Snakebites/Shandy (Irish drink of equal parts helles Beer, Cider and Black Current juice) are the best.
We're planning to visit not only Dublin but also some areas on the West Coast and perhaps in the South. I'm really looking forward to it! It will be interesting to be in another English speaking country outside of the US and I am definitely looking forward to experiencing the Irish culture and nature.
The next stop: England! I'll spend about 4 or 5 days in England, probably just in London. On the 10th I'll take the Chunnel (the train under the English Channel) to Paris! I am SO EXCITED. After taking French classes for most of my life, I am so ready to go to Paris! Two friends and I rented an apartment near the Sacre Coeur church, about a 10 minute walk from the Louvre! It ended up being about the same price as a hostel and includes a full kitchen and washer/dryer- definitely worth it! Definitely more to come about these trips.
A few weeks ago I purchased a little pack of lavender buds from the Viktualienmarkt in Munich and for the longest time could not decide what to make with them. I finally decided to make a lavender syrup to mix into crème fraîche (great for the french yogurt cake!), whipped cream, make steamers, whatever. It's great! And insanely simple to make.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 T lavender buds
(a bit of vanilla extract if you want)
Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, allow it to cook a minute or two and remove from heat. Stir in the lavender buds and pour the mixture into a jar. It's that easy.
To make a steamer you'll need a frothing wand or use the steamer attachment of an espresso machine. Heat the milk and about a tablespoon (more or less, depending on your sweet tooth) of the syrup, strained or not, over medium-low heat and froth until fairly foamy. Add a bit of honey if you'd like. I only had regular milk but a friend of mine said a lavender steamer made with almond milk is the best!
To sweeten crème fraîche or cream, simply stir it in.
Guten Appetit!
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