Since this was the first weekend we've been home in a while, I decided I wanted to do some shopping (which is harder than it sounds since the stores seem to always be closed!) on Saturday and definitely cook some more labor-intensive dishes. When I say labor-intensive, usually that refers to the time in the kitchen, but over here it often means searching for that certain hard-to-find ingredient at various stores. In this case, I had to also get the the correct French name for what I was looking for. Luckily, Julie Child helped me out as she has a description of lamb shanks in Mastering the Art of French Cooking and the French translation is clearly stated at jarret de devant (de agneau), of course.

So as I waited in line at the more upscale grocery store, I confidently asked for the lamb shanks in my best French accent. The butcher understood me immediately (!) however he told me (in French), that they're rather hard to come by as they only sell the whole shoulder. Looking at the size of the shoulder, I tried to think on my feet, but basically did what any female would do in the US -- looked a bit helpless and asked if there was anything he could do. Well, he told me that 'exceptionelle', basically meaning 'just this once', he would cut off the shanks of 2 shoulders for me. Parfait! So about 50chf later I walked away with 2 400-gm lamb shanks.

I'm fairly confident with lamb, although I really only cook lamb chops or use cubes of lamb for curry. This was the first time I was using the shanks and I really didn't want to mess it up after all the time and money invested thus far. But the recipe seemed really straight-forward, so I just went for it and this was such a hit. It's one of those dishes that uses a lot of ingredients that are often found together, some of my favorites, like pesto, buffalo mozzarella and cherry tomatoes, but the addition of the melt-in-your-mouth lamb was just enough to turn it into a totally new dish.

My mom actually sent me this food magazine, Donna Hay, after my aunt in Chicago, who is a wonderful chef, recommended it. I hadn't had time to properly browse it until last week but I've already put 4 of the dishes on the menu for this week. The magazine is actually from Australia which is interesting that this current issue features a lot of fall recipes when really it's spring there. But it's great because it's really simple preparations, with generally easy to find ingredients, but just enough of a different spin that it doesn't remind you of 10 other recipes you've seen. There were several lamb dishes in this one, as lamb is so popular with the close proximity to New Zealand.

Lamb is one of my favorite things to order in restaurants and lamb shanks may top the list. The slow-cooked meat should just fall off the bone and that's basically what the idea of this was. The meat is simmered in a tomato sauce, then is scooped on top of broken lasagna noodles and finally topped with pesto and buffalo mozzarella. It was absolutely delicious and while lamb shanks are pricey and are a bit harder to find, it was totally worth it. I will add this to my autumn rotation at least once during the season.

Slow-Cooked Lamb Shank Pasta with Pesto

2Tbsp olive oil
2 lb lamb shanks
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1c dry white wine
2 cans of cherry tomatoes
4 springs thyme
1c water
8 lasagna noodles
1 ball buffalo mozzarella
pesto (homemade or jarred)

Heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over high heat. Add the lamb and cook for 1-2 minutes each side, until browned.


Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, then add the wine, tomatoes, thyme and water and stir to combine.


Add the lamb back to the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 2 hours, until the lamb is tender and falling off the bone.

Remove the lamb from the pan and shred the meat from the bones with a fork, discard the bones.

Break the lasagna noodles into rough pieces and add to a large saucepan of salted boiling water, cook until al dente. Drain and return to the pan, add the shredded lamb and several scoops of the sauce and toss to combine. Dish onto separate plates, then top with bits of cheese and dollops of pesto.

Results: I think it turned out just as it should have, the lamb was so tender. The sauce (and lamb) could have used a bit more seasoning though, so I would suggest tasting with about 30 minutes left to cook and adding salt and pepper as needed. I even added a bit of crushed red pepper for a little heat. Overall though, very easy (although does need 2 hours to cook) and Dave even commented that it looked just like the magazine pic.

From Issue 45 of Donna Hay Magazine (page 142)

Dave and I let out a deep sigh of relief today, well maybe not relief, but at least we've completed the latest leg of the race. It has been a wonderful, but very busy past 2 months. We've had so much fun entertaining guests here in Switzerland, we've continued to travel in between, and today we returned from a trip to London for work, and just a slight bit of relaxation. Despite all the fun, I think what we're most looking forward to is next Friday night as that will be the start of our first weekend at home (guest-free, and to our guests - don't get the wrong idea, we'd welcome you back again today if we could!) in 7 weeks. Phew!

My brother and Elizabeth came at a great time. Arriving the first day of October, the weather was actually still pretty warm, mostly in the low 70s. Although there were a few days it was cloudy or slightly rainy, we had beautiful weather for Montreux and Gruyere and it sounds like it turned out pretty well for them in Zurich and Zermatt as well. Last Sunday, their last day in town, we drove about an hour away to Chamonix for a day of hiking. Although it looked sunny when we left, the clouds rolled in and it was definitely a bit cooler, especially hiking just below the glacier. Regardless, it was absolutely spectacular and I'm so glad we did it.


After taking the gondola half-way up the mountain, we hiked across, many areas with snow not far from the path, and then took a mountain train back down.


What I realized Monday morning when I woke up, was that it wasn't just the weather in Chamonix... it is officially fall. The temperature must have dropped by 20 degrees and the past week has been consistent -- cold. Not winter-cold, but noticeably colder than it's been.

So next weekend, Dave and I plan to attack some jobs that need to be done sooner rather than later. Dave will have to get the snow tires put on the car and I think the herb garden will be put down for the season. The basil is surviving surprisingly well, so to help use it up before the weekend, I created this simple salad. It could easily be served over something heartier like pasta, barley or rice.

Spinach Salad with Chicken and Pesto
2-3c spinach leaves
2 chicken breasts, chopped into bite-size pieces
1 red bell pepper, roasted
1 jar of pesto (or homemade*)
1/4c golden raisins

*homemade pesto
2c fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
1/4c pine nuts
2/3c olive oil
1/4c Parmesan cheese, shredded
salt and pepper to taste

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut a bell pepper in half, removing the stem and seeds. Crush down each half with the heel of your hand, add to a baking sheet and cook in the oven until the skin is blackened. Put the bell pepper in a plastic baggie and let sit for 10 minutes. Then remove from bag and peel off the skin, then cut into strips. (You can also use jarred red peppers).

To make the homemade pesto: If you have a blender, put the basil, garlic and pine nuts in a blender and mix into a paste. Slowly add the olive oil through the hole in the top while the blender is running. Next, add the cheese and pulse to blend. I use a mortar and pestle.

While the bell pepper is cooking, prepare the chicken. Add a bit of olive oil to a skillet over medium high heat and add the chicken. Cook until lightly browned and cooked through. Remove and let cool slightly in a bowl. Add the pesto and raisins and mix well. Divide the spinach leaves on plates, then top with red bell peppers and chicken.

Results: I love pesto and chicken together and this is a healthy, filling dinner adding it to the salad. For a bit more of a bite, substitute the red bell peppers for sun-dried tomatoes.

Based on a recipe in the Nordstrom Friends and Family cookbook.

It's no surprise that travel and food are two of my favorite things. I'm not sure which passion came first, but I have a feeling they built off of each other. While travel has shown me that I love learning about the art and architecture, the cultural nuances and about the people of that new place, it's really the food that immediately draws you in.

From the moment you exit baggage claim at the airport you get a small taste of what's in store, whether it's a McDonald's with a sign in Arabic, the smell of croissants right out of the oven or a line (or non-line) of eager Italians awaiting their morning shot of espresso.

Once in town, and venturing away from the main tourist spots, this is where you can really indulge in the local specialties. Through food you learn more about the culture; seeing what time they eat dinner, how long the meal is, it all takes you beyond the menu.

While I'd say that I'm up for trying anything once, Dave and I haven't traveled anywhere too exotic where my willingness would really be tested. But while some of my passion for food and travel is the unknown, there's something so exciting about anticipating eating all the food you know you love.

Dave and I booked a long weekend in Athens, and I couldn't wait to get the fresh gyros I ate almost 10 years ago when I visited the city before. Sure, European cities have their fair share of kebabs, sandwich Grec, whatever you want to call them, but there's nothing like a real gyro in Greece.

I really like Greek food, whether it's at a restaurant in Chicago's Greek Town, Kokkari in San Francisco, or just a fast food gyro. I had prepared Dave for the bliss of a real gyro, with the freshly baked soft, but also a little crisped bread and the flavorful meat. I didn't avoid my rule of straying from the tourist recommendation in this case though, as Monastiraki Street is the place for gyros, whether you're a tourist or a local.


We weren't disappointed. The bread was exactly as I remembered, as was the meat, but almost stealing the show were the slices of the most delicious tomato I may have ever had.

We went to dinner at 9:30 that night, knowing the Greeks ate late, and decided to go with a variety of small plates (and unfortunately for our full stomaches, a few large plates too). We tried octopus, meatballs, feta salad, hummus and pita, grilled haloumi cheese and then a huge plate of various meats.