GENEVA WINTER BLUES

The brown waves of fog toss up to me
Twisted faces from the bottom of the street,
And tear from a passer-by with muddy skirts
An aimless smile that hovers in the air
And vanishes along the level of the roofs.
- T.S. Eliot

So dull and dark are the November days.
The lazy mist high up the evening curled,
And now the morn quite hides in smoke and haze;
The place we occupy seems all the world.
- John Clare

What a fog! Plane been buzzin' around overhead for the last half hour. Must be like trying to find your way through the inside of a cow. I never did see such a country. Even the birds are walkin'.
- Dalton Trumbo

Residing in the Geneva area or in a Swiss valley isn't always fun and can have its downside. As a matter of fact, winters in Calvin's city are mostly known for being gruesomely bland, appallingly dark and hideously characterless. So if you are a person who loves light and azure firmaments, and if winter blues are your nemesis, then you'd better not stay there during the cold season, otherwise chances are high that you’ll go loopy and depression will creep on you frequently.

You see, this small canton at the end of Lac Léman is embedded among mountains (the Jura in the north, the Salève in the south, the Vuache in the northwest, the Mont-de-Sion in the southwest, and the Voirons in the southeast) and it is literally situated in a basin ("La Cuvette Genevoise" as we call it in French), hence a dull, dense, murky and damp sea of high-altitude fog regularly covers this particular region of good old Switzerland and night tends to fall very early when sunlight is scarce.

Day after day, and sometimes week after week, we are deprived of luminosity. This situation can be outright unnerving, testing and oppressing as it feels as though we would be living in a closed box or in a kind of jail. This makes us prone to cabin fever symptoms such as mood swings, restlessness, tiredness, lack of motivation, lethargy, discontent and general discomfort.

Even for someone like me who adores Jack Frost's chilly embrace and enjoys heavy mist, it is unbearable in the long term and although I am quite an optimistic person by nature, I often suffer from low spirits. Boringly glum weather transforms me into an apathetic, grumpy, anxious and miserable lump of flesh.

In my opinion, there's nothing really comparable to bright hazy November days, radiant December afternoons, jovial January mornings and fiery February sunsets! This period of the year can be so joyful provided that our brightest star blesses us with its reddish rays, vivifying power and soothing warmth which's impact on our mental wellbeing is far superior to that of any drug and a hundred times more healing than any chemical medicine. The perfect cure for a numb and bruised soul!

But what do we do when the heavens above refuse to open up and we are stuck under a persistently funereal blanket of clouds? Well, there are many ways to fight against the negative side effects of this irritating nebula. For example, you can listen to pleasant music, have a relaxing bubble bath, read a book, cook a uplifting meal or bake a comforting treat, dance madly to your favorite song, light scented candles and meditate, meet friends, go out for a reinvigorating walk, break out of a rut, cozy up your home, wear bright colours, take up a project, host a movie night or visit museums. The options are endless.

On the condition that you keep busy and peel your limp body off the sofa, things can only get better in the little head of yours. Physical and intellectual activity will reduce your receptivity to the greyness outside and will push the gloomy thoughts out of your mind. And remember to smile (think positive) and eat lots of healthy vitamin-laden foods as both impact on your overall welfare and help you cope with melancholy. In this manner, time will pass a lot faster and the vernal equinox will be at your doorstep before you know it.

Hello March! Spring is almost here and my little heart is bursting with anticipation...

A PHOTOGRAPHIC ESSAY - END OF WINTER SCENERIES

A COLD AND SUNNY JANUARY WALK THROUGH THE OLD TOWN OF GENEVA

 - Café Terrace On The Place Du Bourg-De-Four  -

 - Bright Midday Light Illuminating Old Buildings, Place Du Bourg-De-Four-

- A Terrace With A View, Place Du Bourg-De-Four -


- Esplanade Saint-Antoine-

- Glasses In The Window Of The Brasserie De Hotel-De-Ville -

- Hôtel-De-Ville -


- Christies Salesrooms & Offices -


- Entrance Of The Saint-Pierre Cathedral -


- Shadow Play, Place Du Bourg-De-Four -

SOMETHING OF SPRING IN THE AIR

Unfortunately it hasn't snowed since weeks and I am missing it very badly now. I yearn for a white landscapes, frost and blizzard-like weather. In order for me to look forward to the forthcoming spring it is a must for me to have previously been able to enjoy a real winter with all the usual clichés...

Speaking of cold temperatures and snowstorms, well at the moment we are experiencing everything but that. A few days ago it was so warm (16° C/ 61 °F) that you could go out with a t-shirt. No need to tell you that our Saturday walk made us sweat!

What is even more crazy is that the birds have changed their way of singing and are now a lot louder than in December. They tweet in a very springy manner. Even nature has this typical bleachy brown, beige and green color that one can experience in March. Is this already the end of winter?

REMEMBERING THE SNOW

The last time it snowed was just before Christmas. Although only a thin layer covered the ground nature looked magical and dreamlike. This blanket of white transforms the landscapes and brings calm in our hearts. Suddenly you feel as if in a contemplative reverie and life seems much more enjoyable.

Unfortunately the weather has changed lately and I feel very nostalgic when I think about snow-covered sceneries and the exhalirating snowfalls we had in November and December. All this appears not to be real now that the days are depressingly grey, boringly uniform and we are experiencing warm weather as well as continuous rain...

Here are a few clicks which I took just before Xmas. The area you see is not far from my home (10 minutes). On this very day, it was bitter cold, but the sun was shining bright. A frosty and beautiful winter day, just as I like them!

THE WINTER IS SOVEREIGN

Frost Junkie

White fields
Minus
Mountain cold
The numbing fog

Arctic wind
Intense
Freezing dawn
A bitter gust

Frost junkie
Artisan
Ground sleeper
The winter sovereign

Glacial sculptures
Frozen
Nimbus form
Twelve in numbers

The north chronometer
Ageless
Aberrant art
From the creator

~ Lyrics by Sarke, Norway

This year winter has arrived much earlier than usual - at least one month in advance. Ten days ago we got our first serious blizzard-like weather and minus temperatures (-8° C/17° F during the night and -3° C/26° F during the day). Brrr, it was quite chilly and Siberian looking...

On the last Saturday of November, it snowed the whole day long. That first snowfall was quite important and nature was covered in a dreamlike powdery coat of white. What a beautiful sight!

As I find winter storms so exciting there was no way I was going to stay home looking at it through my windows. I had to go out in the freezing cold, walk in that crunchy white powder, feel the crisp air bite my cheeks and inhale the clean smell of fresh snow.

So, armed with my camera, dressed like an Inuit and eager to face the hyperborean climate outside I set a foot out of the house. It was snowing quite strong, my hair was frozen and the wind was quite strong, but I courageously shot pictures of the magificent scenery that offered itself to me. It was really a lovely walk and day!

FROZEN

In the shadow of the light from a black sun
Frigid statue standing icy blue and numb
Where are the frost giants
I've begged for protection?
I'm freezing

Cold winter winds that chill my heart with sleet and snow
Not from the north come to this glacial abode
But from your dimension, cryogenic limbo
I'm freezing
I'm frozen
It's too late

- Type O Negative "Too Late: Frozen"-

APPLE TART WITH HAZELNUT FRANGIPANI

Everybody loves apple tart! In affirming that it is the queen of winter tarts, I'm pretty sure that I'm not wrong and that none of you will argue with me. I mean, who doesn't love a good apple pie, tarte Tatin or just a simple old-fashioned apple tart? I don't know many that'd refuse a slice of that treat.

Well, as irresistible as an apple tart can be, yet for no explainable reason, this year, I have not baked any. The strangest thing is that I eat apples on a daily basis and love apple tarts. Try to figure this out...

Anyway, after having enjoyed my juicy, crunchy and fragrant daily evening Granny Smith in front of one of my favorite TV shows (Entourage for now), it struck me that there was no way I was not going to put those tasty fruits to use next time I was going to bake.

The next step was searching for a recipe that would come out a little of the ordinary. So, I roamed the internet - as I always do when looking for ideas or recipes - and I came across Jacque Pépin's fabulous "Apple Tart With Hazelnut Frangipani".

I really recommend it as it is amazing and really flavorful. It's crust is sinfully crispy, flaky and buttery, the frangipani is delightfully nutty and fragrant, the apples are fantastically tart, moist and richly perfumed and the apricot jam with Calvados adds an interestingly subtle twist to the whole.

This "Apple Tart With Hazelnut Frangipani" is decadent and has a lot of character. It is not the usual basic, dry and bland tart that you can encounter most times. This one is classy and will rock your world like no other!!!!

~ Apple Tart With Hazelnut Frangipani ~
Recipe found on Food Network, courtesy of Jacques Pepin.
Slightly adapted by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums 2010.

Serves 6.

Ingredients for the "Shortcrust Pastry":
1 1/4 Cups All-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
8 Tbs (1 stick) Unsalted butter, very cold and cut into thin slices
1 Tsp sugar
A dash of salt
2 Tbs Cold water
Ingredients for the "Filling":
1 Cup Shelled hazelnuts
1/4 Cup plus 2 Tbs Sugar, divided
1 Large egg
3 Tbs Unsalted butter, divided
A dash of vanilla
4 Large russet apples (about 2 pounds)
1 Cup Apricot preserves
3 Tbs Calvados, whiskey or water

Method for the "Shortcrust Pastry":
1. Preheat the oven to 190° C (375° F).
2. Mix the flour, butter, sugar, and salt quickly with your fingertips until the butter is in pieces about the size of dried beans. Quickly stir the water into the mixture and then gather up the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and press it into a flat dish shape. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour.
3. Line a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan with parchment or a silicon pad. Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 15-inches long by 10-inches wide (see remarks), with rough edges. Roll the dough up onto your rolling pin and then unroll it directly onto the lined pan.

Method for the "Filling":
1. Roast the hazelnuts on a cookie sheet for 7 or 8 minutes in the oven (180° C/350° F). Transfer the nuts to a food processor, add the 1/4 cup sugar, egg, 1 tablespoon butter, and vanilla, and process until a creamy paste forms. Spread the frangipane on the dough, stopping about 1 1/2-inches from the outer edge on all sides.
2. Peel the apples, remove the cores, and cut them into 1/2-inch thick slices. Arrange them attractively in a slightly overlapping pattern, like the tiles of a roof, on the pastry dough so that the apples cover the frangipane. Fold the edge of the dough back over the apples to make a 1 to 1 1/2-inch border of dough (I didn't do that/see remarks). Increase the oven temperature to 200° C (400° F). Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar over the apples, letting a little of the sugar fall onto the border to help crystallize the dough. Break the remaining 2 tablespoons butter into pieces and scatter them over the tart. Bake for 1 hour. The dough should be nicely crystallized all over.
3. Remove the finished tart from the oven and cool on a rack until lukewarm. Dilute the apricot preserves with the calvados or water and glaze the surface of the tart, spreading it carefully on the apples with the underside of a spoon.
4. let cool on a wire rack.

Remarks:
I baked this tart in a round 24-26cm (10-10.2 inch) pan, so I omitted the folding of the edges.
If you don't have hazelnuts at hand, then use any other nut as long as you roast them.
I used Granny Smith apples for this recipe.

Serving suggestions:

Serve at room temperature cut into little wedges, with whipped cream, sour cream or ice cream, if desired.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~ Tarte Aux Pommes Et A La Frangipane Aux Noisettes ~
Recette trouvée sur Food Network et créée par Jacques Pepin.
Légèrement adapté par Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums 2010.

Pour 6 personnes.

Ingrédients pour la "Pâte Brisée":
160g de Farine blanche
120g de Beurre non-salé, très froid et coupé en petits morceaux
1 CC de Sucre cristallisé
Une pincée de sel
2 CS d'Eau froide (ou plus si besoin)
Ingrédients pour la "Garniture":
150g de Noisettes (sans peau)
53g plus 2 CS de Sugar cristallisé
1 Gros oeuf
15g + 30g de Beurre non-salé
1 CC de d'Extrait de vanille pure
4 Grosses pommes Granny Smith (~ 1kg)
300g de Gelée d'abricots
3 CS de calvados, whisky ou eau

Méthod pour la "Pâte Brisée":
1. Préchauffer le four à 190° C.
2. Mélanger ensemble du bout des doigts la farine, le beurre, le sucre et le sel afin d'obtenir un mélange sableux assez grossier. Ajouter l'eau afin d'amalgammer le tout et former une boule de pâte. Emballer la pâte dans un filme plastique et lui donner la forme d'un disque de la grandeur d'une assiette moyenne. Mettre au frigo pendant 1 heure.
3. A l'aide d'un rouleau à pâte, étaler la pâte en un cercle et foncer un moule beurré de 24-26cm.
Méthode pour la "Garniture":
1. Torréfier les noisettes pendant 7 à 8 minutes à 180° C. Mettre les noisette dans le mixer et les réduire en poudre, puis ajouter les 53g de sucre, l'oeuf, 15g de beurre et la vanille. Mixer jusqu'à obtention d'une pâte crémeuse. Etaler la frangipane sur la pâte à tarte.
2. Peler les pommes, enlever le coeur et les couper en tranches de 1.3cm d'épaisseur. disposer joliment sur la frangipane. Augmenter la température du four à 200° C . Saupoudrer avec les 2 CS de sucre. Couper les 30g de beure en petits dés et les disposer sur le pommes. Cuire la tarte pendant 1 heure.
3. Retirer la tarte du four et la mettre sur une grille afin qu'elle refroidisse un peu. Diluer la confiture/gelée d'abricot avec le calvados et couvrir les pommes avec ce mélange, en s'aidant du dos d'une cuillère à soupe.
4. Laisser refroidir complètement avant de servir.

Remarques:
Si vous n'avez pas de noisettes, alors vour pouvez utiliser les noix de votre choix (sans oublier de les torréfier).
J'ai utilisé des pommes Granny smith, mais tout autre pomme à tarte acidulée et parfumée fera l'affaire (par ex. Boscoop).

Idées de présentation:
Servir à température ambiante avec de la crème foutée, de la crème aigre/sûre ou de la glace.

SNOW, SUN, PEACE & BIRDS