The case of the elusive muffin...
Living in a foreign country has its advantages and disadvantages. One particularly fun aspect is hunting for foods that remind me of home. Somehow they just taste that much sweeter for being so elusive. Here in Graz we have bakeries everywhere, and all of the pastries offered are delicious. Croissants, chocolate filled and whole wheat variations, Topfentasche which are filled with a fluffier version of cream cheese, and Nuss Schnecke which is the Austrian version of a cinnamon roll. But we like what we like, and the beauty in the details of life are the scents and sounds and tastes that are linked to our favorite memories of our youth or certain places we've lived and people we have known.
You might be wondering how I can write about pastries with all the unrest in the states with the upcoming elections. I am doing my part to vote from abroad and live well one day at a time, because that is what we are all fighting for the chance to do; live our lives to the fullest. With a baby on the way in a couple of months, it is my responsibility to create a home environment where he can be nurtured and loved, with parents who take enough time in each day for the little things that enrich a child's life. I tend to focus on the big goals and often miss the small moments that make a life, so for me this shift in focus is vital.
Back to the topic at hand: blueberry muffins. One day a couple of months back I went with my husband to one of the multiple bakeries on my street, and we sat in to enjoy coffee and a Nuss Schnecke to fulfill some of my pregnancy cravings. There in the display cabinet sat a beautiful blueberry muffin. I had a feeling I would not easily forget what I saw, and sure enough, a few days later I was craving a blueberry muffin. I waited a few weeks before I decided to go and try one, but when I arrived at the bakery they were all sold out. This was my fault for going too late in the morning, after most of the bakery-goers had finished buying their breakfast pastries. Long story short, the next few times I went to buy a muffin, they were not there, and I eventually ordered two for the following morning, which was today! There are a couple of other places with blueberry muffins in town, though not many. The muffin is fairly new to Austria. Each attempt at a replacement was unsatisfactory. Finally I realized why this was so important to me; trying this particular blueberry muffin, and of course, it is because it reminds me of my mom's homemade version, with a little whole wheat and crumbles on the top!
Now my belly is full, and my heart is warm, thinking of my mom and our cozy kitchen in the house in Montana overlooking the lake and the Rocky Mountains... and I am encouraged about memories I will make with my own budding family in the future.
You might be wondering how I can write about pastries with all the unrest in the states with the upcoming elections. I am doing my part to vote from abroad and live well one day at a time, because that is what we are all fighting for the chance to do; live our lives to the fullest. With a baby on the way in a couple of months, it is my responsibility to create a home environment where he can be nurtured and loved, with parents who take enough time in each day for the little things that enrich a child's life. I tend to focus on the big goals and often miss the small moments that make a life, so for me this shift in focus is vital.
Back to the topic at hand: blueberry muffins. One day a couple of months back I went with my husband to one of the multiple bakeries on my street, and we sat in to enjoy coffee and a Nuss Schnecke to fulfill some of my pregnancy cravings. There in the display cabinet sat a beautiful blueberry muffin. I had a feeling I would not easily forget what I saw, and sure enough, a few days later I was craving a blueberry muffin. I waited a few weeks before I decided to go and try one, but when I arrived at the bakery they were all sold out. This was my fault for going too late in the morning, after most of the bakery-goers had finished buying their breakfast pastries. Long story short, the next few times I went to buy a muffin, they were not there, and I eventually ordered two for the following morning, which was today! There are a couple of other places with blueberry muffins in town, though not many. The muffin is fairly new to Austria. Each attempt at a replacement was unsatisfactory. Finally I realized why this was so important to me; trying this particular blueberry muffin, and of course, it is because it reminds me of my mom's homemade version, with a little whole wheat and crumbles on the top!
Now my belly is full, and my heart is warm, thinking of my mom and our cozy kitchen in the house in Montana overlooking the lake and the Rocky Mountains... and I am encouraged about memories I will make with my own budding family in the future.
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