Lucerne, Switzerland

The third and final installment of our Switzerland trip in June was traveling from Montreux to Lucerne on the train. The Golden Pass train is a rail line in the Swiss Alps which connects Montreux to Lucerne. We had about 2 changes before we got to Lucerne. The Swiss railroad engineers have engineered all the connections to run like a Swiss watch 🙂 The scenery with the mountains and lake being viewed through the panoramic windows, was a sight to behold. The train lazily climbed the mountains, affording us many photo opportunities. Little alpine villages dotted the vast green landscape. Cowbells and wild flowers were evident throughout the journey.

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Dum Aloo (Indian Potato Curry)

After trying this popular Indian potato curry in a creamy and delicious spiced yogurt gravy, I wondered why I had never tried preparing this dish at home….well that’s not until last week. It is known to be popular in the Kashmiri region. Knowing how much my husband loves potatoes, I knew this would be a treat for his taste buds. The authentic way of cooking Dum Aloo is to cook it under pressure. The edges are sealed with a dough to ensure that no steam escapes, but naturally I took a short cut 🙂

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Fajita Salad with Creamy Cilantro lime and avocado dressing

When August rolls around, I’m almost ready to switch to Fall like meals, you know those stews, soups and curries. Don’t get me wrong, we’re still enjoying salads and lighter fare, but I can feel myself winding down and ready to switch seasons in the kitchen 🙂 But whatever you do, don’t let this summer go by without trying this salad that is sure to please all taste buds.

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Matar Paneer (Indian cottage cheese and peas)

When my lovely godchild asked me what I’d like from Goa on her most recent trip, I asked her if she could bring me back some of those gorgeous bowls that I’ve been on the hunt for. They are made of stainless steel on the inside and copper on the outside. They make such a beautiful presentation at the dinner table. I wanted to use them the way they would be used in India, so naturally it called for an Indian themed meal. We love all types of cuisines, but are partial to Indian meals. Indian meals take a lot of prep work, so needless to say I only cook it about once a week. Also, as a pretty seasoned cook and now blogger, I’ll have to say there are no limits to what I try and explore with, provided I do the photo shoot first :)Here’s my Indian themed meal featuring my copper bowls.

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Wine from Switzerland?

Wine from Switzerland I hear you ask? Well, I thought the same when I was planning the trip, but the more I read about the region, the more it piqued my curiosity. The warm sunny region of the Lavaux region is situated along the picturesque postcard shores of Lake Geneva. The region produces wonderful white wines, but only in small batches. Enjoying wine is part of the local culture, so there’s literally none to export. Now that explains why I do not see Swiss wines back home 🙂

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Our time in Montreux, Switzerland

When asked “why Switzerland” on our recent trip to that picturesque country, in a nutshell for me it would have to be nature. Switzerland is a mountainous country, home to numerous lakes, alpine villages, and the high peaks of the Alps. In addition, it is the land of watches, chocolates, Guyere cheese, scenic views and so much more. Reading and prepping for the journey was the hardest part. I am the planner, the booker and the executor of our travel. I wanted to see it all, being such a small country, but we settled on Montreux, Lucerne and Bern. I did enjoy researching it all though as it gave me an opportunity to learn a bit more about the country and its people.

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Greek chicken summer flavors

I wouldn’t tag myself as vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian or specifically belonging to a certain food group, but every so often I go through spurts of trying it all out. This gluten-free dinner was one of those times. I guess I like to challenge myself when it comes to trying a certain food group. I could easily cut out all carbs, well almost all, although there are times when I do crave rice and potatoes. My husband Bert, on the other hand, is a potato-holic, so I have him just bake a potato for himself each time.

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