Stroopwafel

I never knew what a Stroopwafel was until I had a freshly made one in Amsterdam.

Stroopwafels (syrup waffles in Dutch) are crisp, paper-thin, coaster-sized waffles held together with a buttery caramel syrup.

A slab of dough is pressed with a waffle iron which has a much smaller grid pattern than a traditional waffle one. Next, the waffle is taken off the iron and sliced into half with what looks like a paint scraper. Then, a thin layer of syrup (stroop) made from brown sugar, butter and cinnamon is spread on one half before they are stuck back together

When the soft, warm waffle was plopped onto a napkin and handed to me, the vendor said I had to keep it flat so the gooey caramel syrup sandwiched between the two layers wouldn't drip.

I do not have a sweet tooth and caramel isn't really my thing but that stroopwafel was an exception.
It had a lovely chew, was sweet but not too sweet with just a hint of cinnamon to keep it interesting.

I was told that there is a ritual to eating this delectable Dutch treat. First, perch a Stroopwafel on top of a steaming cup of coffee or tea for about a minute. Then, delight in the aroma of cinnamon as the waffle warms and softens just a touch and the filling melts into a warm and gooey caramel treat.This is the traditional way of enjoying a Stroopwafel to the max in Holland!

This ritual really works its magic on those store-bought ones.

So if you’ve never had a stroopwafel, you owe it to yourself to give it a try. And if you are addicted, there is always the ASA  - Association of Stroopwafel Addicts.

"Stroopwafels ruined my marriage. I was so addicted i would sneak out of the house at night and run down to the ATM to pull money out just to buy more stroopwafels. Well that was until my bank account went into the red and i couldnt afford to pay my bills. And that wasnt even the most depraved state ive been in. I love stroopwaffels"    Dylan Troop

Kolam 2019

It's that time of the year again when I make my rounds to the local malls to photograph kolams for the Deepawali/Diwali festival.

* Deepavali/Diwali also known as the Festival of Lights is celebrated by the Hindu Community to symbolize the triumph of good over evil; the victory of light over dark.

The entrances to Hindu homes are decorated with fresh mango leaves and kolams. It is believed that Lakshmi, The Goddess of Wealth, will only enter a home that is adorned with a kolam.

* Kolam is an ancient Indian art of drawing using colored rice grains or powdered rice to form symmetrical geometric patterns on the floor. The Hindus believe that a kolam at the entrance of a house will usher prosperity and harmony to the home. It is also believed that a kolam wards off evil spirits and diseases.

Another purpose of the kolam is to invite birds and small insects like ants to a home to symbolize man’s co-existence with and consideration for other living things.

Traditionally, the ritual is performed daily by the women of a household early in the morning.

Fun Kolam Facts

1. The lines in a kolam must be continuous and unbroken so that evil cannot enter the house via the gaps.

2. The patterns are traditionally passed on from mothers to their daughters.

3. Kolam in the Tamil language means form and beauty.

4. As the kolam erases during the course of the day by birds and insects feeding on the rice, people's foot steps and the natural elements, a new kolam is drawn again the next morning, thus repeating the cycle. It imparts the idea that life is renewed daily.

Happy Deepavali to all my Hindu pallies!

Missing The Big Picture

If you just focus on the smallest details, you never get the big picture right. Leroy Hood

Mt Titlis, Switzerland

Isn't that just like life?

The Sistine Chapel of Rotterdam

In Holland, there is a market hall with a stunning fruit and vegetable mural on its ceiling. So beautiful is the ceiling that the building has earned the nickname "The Sistine Chapel of Rotterdam".

The moniker was given to Markthal, a residential and office building with a food market on the ground floor.

Titled "Horn of Plenty", the dazzling mega mural measures over 36,000 square feet and is the biggest artwork in the world.

The vibrant mural depicting life-size market produce  is the largest artwork in the world.

Doesn't this extraordinary market look like something out of a futuristic sci-fi movie?

The horseshoe-shaped Markthal.

It's a market you don't want to miss!

Wine

I came across these  signs outside a restaurant in  Blaak, Rotterdam.