Beef with Rice, housewife style

In Switzerland we have a way of cutting meat up very finely known as "geschnetzeltes". You can cut up beef, pork and veal in this way. The most famous Swiss style is veal which is served in a cream sauce. Today I decided to cook beef. I did have the recipe from a Swiss Cook book, but over the years have played with it a bit and so I can sort of now say it is my style. So if you are sitting comfortably then I will begin.

First of all I took a walk into the garden to see if there were still some herbs around as it is now December. The weather has been quite mild, no big frosts and I found what I was looking for. Top left: sage, top right: thyme, bottom left: a bay leaf (not from the garden), bottom right: rosmary. I then tie them together in a bundle to cook with the meat. That way there are no bits and pieces floating around afterwards.

So here are all the ingredients I need. Paprika, Rice, diced bacon and a bottle of red wine for cooking. I usually take a reasonable one from the supermarket and this time it was a Swiss wine called Dôle from the French speaking part of Switzerland. Otherwise there is tomato purée, some mushrooms peeled and sliced, chopped onions, chopped garlic, the meat and my bouquet of herbs.

I then melt cooking butter in a flattish pressure cooker. I usually cook this meal in a pressure cooker as beef needs a bit more cooking to get tender and of course it goes a bit quicker. You can cook it in a normal pan, but would need about and hour, this way only 20 minutes.

The diced bacon, onion and garlic is now fried in the melted butter until it takes on the right colour and the onion gets a bit transparent.

Then the meat is added and fried until the pores of the meat are closed.

Then the herb bouquet, paprika and some salt is added as well as a few squirts of tomato puree. Actually it is according to your own taste how you spice the meat, this is just my suggestion. You can leave out the paprika and use another herbe that you prefer. If using paprika I would advise the milder sort and not to hot, otherwise it could spoil the taste of the meat. Of course if you are Hungarian, that would be no problem.

Then pour the red wine into the meat. You don't have to drown the meat, just a deciliter or two is enough. It was not east to hold the camera in one hand and the bottle in the other, but I managed it eventually.

All ingredients for the meat have now been included and the lid of the pressure cooker can now be put in place.

Now the pressure cooker can be kept on the heat for about 20 minutes and we can concentrate on cooking the rice.

Now I am sure most of us know how to cook rice, but there again everyone has their own favourite method, so here is mind. I usually melt some butter in a saucepan (butter again!).

Put the rice into the hot butter - again not easy with the camera in one hand and the rice in the other

and fry the rice until it becomes transparent.

Then top up the rice with hot water covering the rice by about 2 centimeters in height. To spice the rice I usually take a beef broth cube (known as bouillon in Switzerland) and crumble it into the rice.

Put the lid on the rice and leave to cook on a very low heat for about 15-20 minutes. If the liquid dries up then just replace with a little more. Do not drown the rice, otherwise it may become a bit soggy eventually. I always use American parboiled rice for this dish. It doesn't overcook.

Now fry the sliced mushrooms. I prefer to fry them separately. I find if you cook them with the meat they become a bit soft and loose their flavour.

After 20-30 minutes the meat should be ready. Remove the lid from the pressure cooker.

The rice is also now ready to be served.

You can of course serve a side salad with the meal, but upon mutual agreement with Mr. Swiss I decided this was enough for lunch on Saturday. Good eating - en guete.

Today was 10x more points at the supermarket and we had our annual Christmas party.

Yes, today was one of those super shopping days where we were all rewarded by the supermarket chain "Migros" in Switzerland which can be compared to Sainsburys, Asda, or my dad's favourite Morrisons in England. If you are equipped with a "cumulus" card every time you buy something it is drawn through some sort of infra red light and you get points. Once a month you get vouchers for 1% of what you have paid. At the same time Mr. Migros knows what his shoppers are buying and can aim at them with more confidence. Basically I don't really care if Mr. Migros knows what I buy, as long it is on the shelf when I get there.

Now and again Migros decide to reward their faithfull shoppers and we have a special day where more percent is given - today it was 10%, and so everyone flocks to Migros on that day to spend ten times more than normal. Basically they are the days when I would like to avoid Migros and do my shopping elsewhere. However, tied down by the lunch hour, which is really only an hour and the spacious car park the Migros have, I don't have a big choice during the week. I also eat my lunch in the store's restaurant.

Today I went to lunch 20 minutes earlier which really was a good idea. As I was walking in the shoppers were walking out. The restaurant also had enough space and I started my shopping attack just after twelve, being able to finish it towards one. I took the photo at the till whilst I was waiting for my turn to come. My son worked in this store for 4-5 years whilst he was studying at the university to earn some money to pay his way. He used to go on Saturdays and holidays. He just loved those special days, but he did say at least the time went quickly. His favourite customers were the nice little children who had already started eating their chocolates and icecream before they got to the till. I don't blame him really. The latest hit in the supermarkets are mini trolleys for the children. If it is not bad enough to have to go shopping, the children are really encouraged to start practicing at a young age. The proud mothers give their offspring the trolleys and the shopping is put in them. Needless to say on days such as today you have to be careful that you don't fall over one - the children are not so good at steering as the adults. There are also large posters showing that the children's shopping trolleys are not fitted with brakes.

And now I am looking forward to a relaxing week-end. It seems to me there is always more stress at Christmas. Yesterday evening we had our small Christmas party at the 1st aid group of the local village, of which I am accountant and webmaster. Accountant because I am the only one that knows how to operate a computer. I didn't have a clue about bookkeeping but the girl I took it over from said I would soon get the hand of it. I have, but I am still not the bookkeeper type. The web thing was my idea and I am still not sure if it was a good one. I can only do a basic site, nothing complicated, but it does for a local "Samariterverein" (sort of St. John's Ambulance). Anyhow we all met in the club house of the local village football team which is equipped with a small kitchen. Our boss lady has a farm, and it is custom that she always makes a pumpkin soup for the evening meal. It is really good and we eat our "Griti Banz" (see photo below) with it. The Griti Banz is a bread pastry formed in the shape of a man and is custom to be eaten on 6th December (not that I want to show off, but in this country it is a childrens festival day with presents from the Father Christmas, and ..... also my birthday). So after the soup and bread, we got down to eating the chocolates, peanuts and tangerines that were also on the tables. I can't remember how many bottles of wine we got through (although I don't drink - especially when I have to drive through the Swiss countryside at 11.30 in the evening to go home). Being the accountant I had a lot of cash with me that I payed out to various people that had done service through the year. Attending local football tournaments, the local agricultural college open day and measuring blood pressure for the village population twice a month. We used to help at the local blood donation sessions, but due to less and less donators it is no longer carried out in our village.

Knowing that this was the last time we would meet this year we all said goodbye and wished each other a happy Christmas and New Year. Actually this is the time when I have a lot to do for the financial side. We invite the village population to donate by post and then the donations start coming in, meaning I have to keep up with the bookings nearly every evening, otherwise I would quickly get behind. It is nice to see how the villages respond and give their donations. The work we do is basically voluntary and if we received any payment it is more symbolic. At the beginning of January I have to do the annual balance which is also quite time-comsuming.

A Tribute to the Spree Forest Cucumber

As can be seen in the photo, which I took myself, this blog refers to a sort of pickled cucumber, known perhaps as wallys in England (a word I remember from my childhood days). Spreewalder cucumbers are not just pickled cucumbers but something special

The company where I work as an export clerk delivers to various small companies in this area of East Germany which probably in English is known as the Spree Forest , the Spree being the river that flows through Berlin. I have got to know various agents that work in this area for our company and can call them colleagues. I saw the film “Good Bye Lenin” which refers to these cucumbers, and they always bring me a glass or two when they are visiting. Today I received again two glasses. I really like them, they are not so sour as the ones usually sold. I do not think they are exported from Germany and the only way to try them is to go there. The Spree Forest is apparently a wonderful place to spend a holiday and has many small rivers and streams. I sort of based the following on Wikipedia as there is only a description in German of the actual origins of this delicacy:

Theodor Fontane in 1870 found that they were one of the best products of the Spreewald in East German Brandenburg. Apparently the secret of these cucumbers lays in the water sources which help with the growth in the damp humus rich earth of the Spree Forests. The delicate taste is also to be found in the special preparation. They were put in large barrels where they fermented for many weeks, however today the process has been shortened and the product is sold either with mustard, herbs or as sour cucumbers. The process has been shortened by putting the cucumbers in sodium bicarbonate brine and heating up to 70° Centrigrade. However each of the suppliers has their own secret contents for the final product. Perhaps it is the addition of basil, lemon balm, grape, cherry or nut leaves which give the cucumbers their special taste.

After the reunification of Germany in 1990 the Spree forest cucumber was one of the few East German products that could still be bought. The product was also made popular in 2003 with the price winning film Good Bye Lenin from Wolfgang Becker. In this tragic comedy Daniel Brühl had problems shortly after the reunification to find the pickled cucumbers for his mother (Katrin Sass) which he absolutely had to find to convince his ailing mother that the German Democratic Republic still existed. I have seen the film a couple of times and can only recommend it. In the meanwhile the Cucumber is available under its patent name Spreewälder Gurken which is now protected by the EU since March 1999. In 2004 50 companies of the region announced that the Spree Forest would remain free of Gen technics.

Reservoir Cats 18

Long Tail Al: Ya know Charlie, if ya didn’t only ‘ave eyes for the ladies you wouldn’t get into these situations would ya.
Charlie: Well ‘ow was I to know. Not every day you see an Oriental cat walking around these parts is it.
Tabby: Where do they come from. It surprises me that this has happened.
Long Tail Al: Well son, I fink I might ‘ave to ‘ave a few words with Big Tom. Didn’t ‘e once say that his cousin in America, Lucky Catiano, got rid of them Siamese when they were playing up.
Tabby: Yes that’s true. Do you think they are out for revenge and have come to take over here.
Long Tail Al: Could be. Listen son, d’ya fink you could take a walk down the road tomorrow to Big Tom and ask if ‘e knows anyfing.
Tabby: No problem dad. In the meanwhile it might be an idea to send a couple of cats up to the town hall.
Charlie: Now that would be a job for one of the ladies. They are always going to them receptions they ‘ave there – the ones wiv the smoked salmon and roast beef.
Long Tail Al: And what should we cats do when we get to the town hall.
Tabby: I would have a look in the archives for the blueprints of the museum. Then you might be able to see how the cats broke in without being noticed.
Long Tail Al: Tabby, I fink you must take after me. You really are a bright lad ain’t ya. But I fink for now we will all take a sleep and tomorrow we will see what we should do.
Tabby: My first night in town
Long Tail Al: Yes son, but don’t go wandering around. You ain’t used to life ‘ere yet.

Tabby: Hello Romeo
Romeo: Buon giorno Tabby, already back in the country Tabby.
Tabby: Well not really, but I should speak to Big Tom on business for Long Tail Al.
Big Tom: Do I hear a familiar miaow out there. Good morning Tabby, do come in. Life already too much for you in town.
Tabby: No I quite like it, although the noise from the traffic doesn’t exactly make sure that you have a sound sleep. But I am here on an errand from my dad. We have a small problem in town.
Big Tom: Tell me Tabby.
Tabby: Well it seems an oriental cat has got into the museum and taken it over and has got Long Tail Al’s black paw gang on his side as well. He has shut all the town cats out and seems to be planning something. I remember you said something about your cousin in America, Lucky Catiano getting rid of the Siamese, so I though you might have an idea what’s going on.
Big Tom: Now that doesn’t sound so good. The Orientals usually make a basis camp and before you know it they are everywhere. I will have to contact Lucky – just a moment.
Tabby: Romeo where’s he gone.
Romeo: Big Tom is very powerful and has gone to his vault to make contact with his cousin in America. He will soon be back.
Big Tom: Well, here I am again and have spoken to Lucky Catiano. He said to beware of the Oriental cats. They are very sly and not very kind to other cats.
Tabby: I told my dad, Al, to send a couple of cats down to the Town Hall to get the plans of the museum. There might be a way in.
Big Tom: Good idea Tabby.
Romeo: Do you think it might be an idea for me to go back to town with Tabby. After all I have had a lot of experience with the catafia and might be of help. If you can spare me gatto di tutti gatti.
Big Tom: No problem, Romeo. Gladys is now getting back on her legs again and can help me here with one eyed Fred.
Romeo: Ok, let’s go Tabby. Together we are strong.

LongTail Al: Who you got there Tabby, Romeo.
Romeo: Buon giorno Al. Big Tom reckoned I could help out with your problem, me being consigliere.
Long Tail Al: Well we can do wiv all the ‘elp we can get at the moment. Before you know where you are the Orientals have taken over the town.
Tabby: Did you get the plans of the museum?
Long Tail Al: Well as a matter of fact we did and I fink I know ‘ow they got in. There was a boat in the docks last week, came in from ‘ong Kong and the funny fing was, they found about 100 dead mice in the boat, but no cats.
Romeo: That’s typical. One joins a ship as ship’s cat and before you know where you are there are at least 20 orientals on board. They all look alike, so the humans think there is only one cat.
Long Tail Al: And after studying the plan of the museum, it looks like down in the basement there’s a door leading to the sewers and the sewers lead to the sea. Looks like they found their way into the museum that way.
Slimy: See boss we should ‘ave stayed ‘ere and not wandered off to the country.
Romeo: I don’t think that would have made a lot of difference. They would have sleeked their way in anyhow, but I wonder what they want. And how comes the black paw gang are on their side.

Pablo: Well my wonderful Siamese cats, at last we have found a nice place to live. Even a bit of culture on the walls looking at the paintings and those suits of armour make a nice hiding place when the humans come.
Madame Butterfly: My dearest Pablo it was really a good idea. After Lucky Catiano drove our family away from Chicago we have now found a new home. There are even some restaurants here where you can get Chop Suey.
Pablo: My dearest, can you think of other things than food. You were called Butterfly because of your slim figure, but if you carry on eating the way you do you will soon be Madame Elefant.
Madame Butterfly: Hisssss you stupid cat. If it wasn’t for me you wouldn’t be where you are now. Who was it that pushed the official ships cats into the sea, so that we could replace them. We would still be in China town if it wasn’t for me.
Pablo: Yes, my dear it was your idea.
Madame Butterfly: It was also my idea to promise the black paw gang a never ending supply of cat nip if they would come on our side, as well as a choice of our beautiful Oriental Ladies.
Pablo: Yes you certainly brought them to us, but how are you going to keep them here when they realise that our oriental ladies have no interest in common street cats.
Madame Butterfly: Let that be my problem. I am growing some special LSD catnip down in the cellar. They will be in our power if they sniff enough of that. They will fulfil all our wishes. And don’t forget, I brought Mr. Wang with us
Pablo: Not the Mr. Wang, but he is so powerful.
Madame Butterfly: Yes, he is the best cat hypnotist that I know. He has the power to bend a cat’s will to do what he (or we) want it to do. The proof can be seen by the black paw gang. He only had five minutes with their leader and now they are already protecting us from any attacks from the town cats.
Pablo: What do you think my dear. It is now time that we use our powerful tools of persuasion on these town cats. I think that the one they call Slimy will be the easiest to manipulate. He is often together with the cat they call Long Tail Al.
Madame Butterfly: Yes for once you have a good idea in that small brain that you are equipped with. Tonight when the town cats are on their prowl, we will take Slimy. He is often on his own as he does not smell so well and the cats tend to avoid him.
Pablo: My dear, don’t you think he might smell a little to strong for our delicate noses.
Madame Butterfly: When I am finished with him, he will no longer smell. Meowwwwww.

The Camera

My dad always has a surprise somewhere. He lives in London and I live in Switzerland so we mostly communicate by phone - Skype actually because it's cheaper for me. A year ago he asked me if I was interested in some old books his father had bought, so I arranged a transport of forty kilo of books from England to Switzerland. See blog.

This time he asked me if I was interested in an old camera he found at home. I asked what camera and he told me mum got it sometime before the war. I was naturally wide awake with visions of a rare object in the family. He said he would send it over, but never did get around to it and I forgot our conversation. About 2 weeks ago I was on my annual visit to the old country and my dad said he still has the camera if I am still interested. I was of course and the photo shows the camera that is now in my possession. Before going any further - no, I am not a millionaire and do not have a camera that is the only one in the world. However, I am now the proud owner of a Brownie box camera which goes under the name of Hawkeye star and probably came out in the 1930's.

I do actually remember my mum taking photos with this camera as well as myself when I was a kid. It doesn't have a glass window to look through but a small square lined with glass to catch the reflection of what you take, or something like that. My knowledge of cameras is now completely digital so I don't know how the old ones worked. There is a lever on the lefthand side top at the front which covers the lense with glass when pushed down, and a lever on the righthand side of the camera which is either in an upward or downward position. This seems to move something in the lense. I am sure anyone reading this might be trying to tell me what it is all for. At the side there seems to be a wheel for turning the film.

I have quite a large collection of old black and white photos from my mum and dad before and after the war which were definitely taken with this camera. I was surprised at the perfect condition the camera is in, although the case now looks like it has seen better days.

I just wonder what he will find the next time I am on a visit.

Reservoir Cats 17

Tabby: Well that was an exciting day, wasn’t it Nera
Nera: I should say so, but it seems that everyone is now just one big happy family again.
Tabby: Well yes, I suppose we are there is just one small thing.
Nera: What’s that Tabby, what do you have on your whiskers.
Tabby: Long Tail Al asked me if I would like to spend a few weeks in the town with him and his cats. Sort of getting to know each other, after all he is my dad.
Nera: What does Big Tom say about it.
Tabby: I havn’t asked him.
Nera: Well I would ask him to see what he thinks.
Big Tom: Did I hear my name being mentioned. Actually it’s about time that you ladies returned to your home places.
Tabby: Well, that is the problem. I feel a bit in between.
Big Tom: You mean Long Tail Al being your dad?
Tabby: How did you guess that one?
Big Tom: Well I am not gatto di tutti gatti for nothing, and who am I to stand in the way between a father and his son. Would you like to spend a few weeks in town Tabby.
Tabby: Long Tail Al did invite me, and I wouldn’t mind going. It seems that everyone else is going back to their own business, and now that Gladys and One eyed Fred have moved into the country there would be some space for me in town.
Big Tom: Go with my permission Tabby, but you know there is always a place for you here when you return.
Bobinette: Yes, if I may say so, it would give the catnip a chance to grow back again.
Tabby: Now that wasn’t so nice Bobinette hissss.
Romeo: Tabby I just don’t know what you have against Bobinette. She is such a nice lady.
Nera: Don’t bother Romeo, it is just mutual. Bobinette does not like Tabby and Tabby does not like Bobinette.
Romeo: Well I like Bobinette.
Nera: Yes, well it has been noticed. When are you coming to the country to take over Grey’s job?
Big Tom: There has been a change of plan. Romeo is staying as my consigliere. I have decided that you ladies have mastered the situation so well, you will not need a new boss to replace my son Grey. As time comes, Gladys kittens will grow up and become wiser and it might be an idea for one of them to become a successor to Grey.
Long Tail Al: ‘allo everyone. Just wanted to say goodbye before returning to me den in town. Did someone say somfing about one of Gladys kittens taking over ‘ere. Now I would ‘ave a good suggestion.
Big Tom: I bet you would. Are you thinking about little Al taking over.
Long Tail Al: Well it might be a good idea, sort of like sealing our friendship.
Big Tom: There is plenty of time. I have a few years before me and so do you Al.
Tabby: Long Tail Al, it looks like I can come with you back to town.
Long Tail Al: First of all Tabby, just call me dad. Now that would be nice to ‘ave you with me for a time. I could show you all the tricks of town life, I’m sure you would luv it Tabby. Wouldn’t ‘e Slimy.
Slimy: Yes boss, definitely. We could take ‘im for walks down the sewers and in the town gardens where the sparrows and mice are.
Long Tail Al: Yea, well I don’t know about down the sewers, it smells a bit down there.
Slimy: Well I don’t fink so
Long Tail Al: No, you wouldn’t would ya
Tabby: I can’t wait to go down to town. Let’s go.
Long Tail Al: Ok, lets be on our way. Big Tom, I might just look in now and again to see ‘ow little Al is doing, D’ya mind? After all ‘e is anovver son of mine ain’t ‘e.
Big Tom: Yes of course Al, but I just wonder how many sons you actually have? I am gradually getting suspicious of every ginger cat with a long tail that lives around here.
Long Tail Al: Ya never know do ya Tom. So come’on Tabby.
Tabby: Bye Nera, Big Tom, Romeo and a nice big hissss for you Bobinette. See you all in a few weeks.

Tabby: Where am I going to live dad
Long Tail Al: I thought I would put you in the church cellar where I live. Nice and comfortable down there and no-one really disturbs us. We even ‘ave a few mice that wander around now and again.
Tabby: But doesn’t it get a bit cold in the cellar.
Long Tail Al: No problem, there are some humans that look after the church. Just ‘ave to be nice to them. Like friendly and purr when they stroke you. Suddenly you find they ‘ave left a nice warm cloth for you lay on and they even put down some food for ya.
Slimy: They never left anyfing for me.
Long Tail Al: Which doesn’t surprise me Slimy. Try a good lick now and again and not only once a week. It will do wonders for ya. Well ‘ere we are, see it ain’t far from the country, just a walk down the road.
Tabby: Yes, that’s true. Is this your room dad.
Long Tail Al: Yes, just curl up in the corner and ‘ave a nice sleep. It’s been a busy night what wiv the kittens, and the problems with Grey. I fink we could all do wiv a rest.
Charlie: Al, I gotta speak to ya somefings ‘appened
Long Tail Al: What’s the matter Charlie, one of your lady cats fall off the roof.
Charlie: No nuffing like that, but it looks like the black paw gang are striking. They say they fink you are getting to be a softie, what wiv not taking over in the country and coming back again. They ‘ave found a new boss who is going to take over.
Long Tail Al: And who would that be.
Charlie: Well it’s one of them Orientals. You know the skinny ones wiv the pointed ears. ‘Es already moved in at the museum and ‘as started training ‘is army. Goes by the name of Pablo. Says ‘is mum named ‘im after a painter called Picarsso or somefing like that.
Long Tail Al: The museum is my territory and I thought I told you to keep an eye on it.
Charlie: Well I did, but when I wasn’t looking ‘e shut me out and moved in wiv ‘is gang.
Long Tail Al: And ‘ow did that ‘appen?
Charlie: Now boss if a nice young bit of fluff with almond eyes walked passed, you would ‘ave to go and say ‘allo wouldn’t you, so I did.
Long Tail Al: And what ‘appened. Charlie: Now ‘ow was I to know that she was Pablo’s sister and while she was like making eyes at me outside the museum, Pablo sleeked in wiv ‘is cronies and shut the door on me.

The two furry lumps above are two Oriental cats belong to someone I know living in England. They belong to Pablo and Vermeer.

Pizza alla Mama Tabbynera

Si, Mama Tabbynera ha fatto una pizza sabbato. But now to continue in English, My Italian is not good enough and the Italians would shake their heads. First of all the photo was taken when Mr. Swiss and I were on holiday for a few days in the North of Italy. Just a stones throw from the Italian Swiss border in a place called Bellagio on the Lake of Como. It is actually one of those places that one often meets personalities from film and tv - a sort of secret tip. We didn't meet anyone as it was end of October, but the weather was still very pleasant, and in this particular restaurant you could eat very well. Papa did the cooking with Mama and their son spent most of the time accompanying various American female tourists around the village and showing them the sights. At least it seemed like it to me as we were always seeing him strolling around with a female on his arm during the day.

Now back to the actual subject of this blog. Now and again I make a pizza for Saturday evening meal. I don't like the ones you buy and since our local supermarket has been selling the ready made pizza pastry I started doing my own. Mr. Swiss bought a frozen one whilst I was on holiday in England, but decided it was a mistake and will not buy any ready made pizzas any more. The genuine italian would of course make their own pastry (with yeast naturally) and would cook the tomatoes to be put on the pizza in a sauce about one hour. My version is a bit quicker, but we like it at home, so here we go.

First of all the ingredients: pizza pastry, gruyere cheese, mozarella cheese (in a plastic bag as it is a fresh cheese and preserved in liquid), fresh tomatoes, mushrooms, ham (I use Malbuner which is a Swiss dried smoked ham but if you don't have anything similar on your market, normal smoked ham would do), and a tin of artichoke hearts. Every Italian has his own favourite topping on a pizza, but this is the mama tabbynera family favourit. Sort of quattro stagioni (4 seasons).

First of all the ready rolled pizza pastry is spread onto the pizza form. This can be square or round, I am making a big round one for three persons (perhaps 4 as my son usually counts as 2).

I now spread some mustard over the pastry and sprinkle origano over the pastry for some flavour. Origano is used in almost everything Italian and is actually a wild majory plant. I do have some in the garden, but to be quite honest, the better flavour is from the bought dried herbs.

I now cut the rinds off the gruyere cheese, grate it on a raffel and cover the pizza pastry with the grated cheese evenly. I don't give any quantities on my recipes as I am a believer in making things how you like them and not according to some sort of strict recipe. For my tast just a layer of cheese is enough (say about 200 grammes).

I use fresh tomatoes, but like to get rid of the peel as I find nothing more disturbing that having bits of tomato peel stuck in between the teeth when eating. For this purpose I boil water and put the tomatoes for a minute in the boiling water. Afterwards I drain the water off and the tomatoes land in the sink,

which may not look so appetising, but it saves the mess. Now you can just pull the skins off the tomatoes with no problem.

The tomatoes can now be cut into slices and evenly put onto the layer of cheese on the pizza pastry. I used about 5-6 tomatoes and they should cover the cheese.

Now the smoked ham should be taken out of the packet and cut into thin stripes. These now make a layer over the tomatoes. Due to using this sort of ham, there is no need to salt the ingredients of the pizza as the ham gives the salt needed.

Now open the tin of artichoke hearts and drain off the liquid. Cut the hearts into pieces. I prefer to quarter them, but they can also be halved of course. This is our next pizza layer.

Now peel the mushrooms and cut into slices.

I think I may have mentioned before I am a butter cook. It might not be the most healthy, but I like it. So I take special frying butter, heat it in the pan and fry the mushroom slices.

And what do we do with the mushrooms - we distribute them over the pizza. This is where I have to be careful where I put them, my son does not eat mushrooms, so I always leave a mushroom-free area on my pizza - it does simplify things afterwards.

This is the mozarella cheese, taken out of its packet and the liquide drained off. Cut the cheese into slices.

Distribute the mozarella cheese over the pizza leaving enough space in between - don't forget this cheese melts.

Now a fair sprinkling of origano over the pizza once again. As already mentioned, it is not necessary to put salt over the pizza, but you may add pepper.

Bake the pizza towards the bottom of a pre-heated oven about 180° C. I have an oven that circulates the warm air, but I usually also switch on the heating at the base of oven to make sure the base of the pizza gets nice a brown. I just don't know the english expression for this type of oven as it was developed after I left England and only know the German expression. You might think that the meal is now finished.

Not quite. Whilst I was busy in my pizzeria, Mr. Swiss made a salad sauce and a salad. Salad sauces are very individual. I grew up in a family in England where the sauce came from a bottle known as Heinz salad creme and you just threw it over the salad. I had to revise this idea when I got married into a Swiss family - after all what would Swiss mother-in-law think of a daughter-in-law that couldn't make a salad sauce. Mr. Swiss actually showed me how to do it, although since I have developed things myself.

Finely cut up an onion and chop some chives (if you have any). Sprinkle Aromat over it (I built in a link as I am sure that outside of Switzerland no-one has ever heard of it - if I mention that Mr. Swiss will not leave the country without taking Aromat with him, then you can judge how important it is for a Swiss citizen), and put a squirt of mustard and mayonnaise on it from the tube. A spoonful of vineager (fruit vineager, not non-brewed or malt vineager - please) and mix. Of course you can spice it up with other flavours, but that is the basis. Then put the salad in the bowl and mix just before serving.

That's that.