My life... ASMAN

The first time we came to visit Germany it was for my husband's interview. As I know now they always take the visitors out to dinner the night of the interview. They told me the name of the restaurant and to meet them there at 6:30pm. The name of the restaurant was ASMAN and it was in the Luisenplatz. Franjo stayed in the University and I went for a walk in the Park and to look at the Christmas Markets. Of course I got lost in the Park and after 8 km I found the Luisenplatz and the Markets. It was beautiful! I was very excited but very tired and very cold. I do not know how Franjo found me in the Branderburguer strasse (now called with love "the street") but he found me.

Well, the restaurant... It was the best Indian food ever. We had a good time and they treated us very well. We decided that if Franjo was given the job we would return to this amazing restaurant. And believe me the first chance we got, we were there as we were for every Friday until they closed it. That day was a very sad one, I remember getting to the Platz and seeing it closed and reading the note and asking, WHY? I guess they did not have many costumers, and again, WHY? It was delicious, it was cheap, it was in a good location and the service was very good. So, the looking for a new place started... we tried two other Indian restaurants and they were ok but they were no ASMAN, we tried Italian, Greek and many more but did not find the place.

The other day I took a bus and where usually was a Greek Restaurant I saw a big golden Buddha... a very big golden Buddha, like the one ASMAN had in the entrance of the restaurant. So, I told Franjo and that same Friday we tried it, and I do not know if it is the same but it sure tastes pretty close. We are so HAPPY, we have been there twice already and every time is better. It is so good to know that whenever you like you just can go to your restaurant. The new name is INDIA VILLA or VILLA INDIA, I do not remember but that is not the point, the point is that... they're baaaack!

My life... Scarfs

I think I told you I learned to knit. Yes, I did but I only do scarfs because it is easy. I was reading "Our Tragic Universe" by Scarlet Thomas and the protagonist learns to knit in one afternoon and that gave me new hopes for learning. I know is a book and that people can do things that us "mortals" might not, but I decided to give it a second chance. Yes, a second chance because my sister in law tried to teach me one Christmas but it was a mess. She was not here for me to ask, I didn't know how to fix "bubus" or better said errors or horrors so I gave up really fast. But if Scarlet Thomas can make her protagonist learn in one afternoon I also can learn with youtube!

So, I went and bought some wool and found the knit stitch tutorial and started knitting. It was not bad and I knitted a whole scarf in 4 days. I was so happy that decided to start a new one the next day, bought 4 different colors and started my neon scarf... pretty easy. Then, when I started my third scarf I found out the I had been doing the point backwards, luckily I was consistent and it looks OK. 

I am in my sixth or seventh scarf, made one for my aunt and one for my grandmother and a the rest for me... do not know what I will do with them but is the only thing I know how to make. What I try to do is to change stitch, so I learn a new one with every scarf. Maybe some day I will try some other thing... but for now, scarfs it is.

My First Scarf (Knit stitch)

Neon Scarf (Knit stitch)

Turkis Scarf (Seed stitch)

Grandma's Scarf (Purse stitch)

Titi Rosi's Scarf (Drop stitch)

My life... Dulce de Leche!

I love "Dulce de Leche" but not that kind that is like caramel. Well, of course I like the one like caramel but until you taste puertorrican Dulce de Leche you do not know what you are missing. I can not even start to compare it, there is no comparison and to be frank the caramel like has no chance against our Dulce de Leche. In Puerto Rico this sweet is something of a Christmas sweet or something you only find in some restaurants (and very bad quality) with typical puertorrican food. For me it is like home. It is one of those things that you just can't resist, at least I can not. I remember when my mother used to make it, opening the fridge every half hour and stealing a spoonful each time hoping she would not find out but every time I got busted... it was worth it every time!

I am the luckiest person alive, just because my mother and my aunt make the best Dulce de Leche ever. The problem is that I have never learned. I always ask my mother, but the typical answer is: es muy fácil, echa la leche cortala con el limón echa el azucar y velalo que no se pegue y se que me... Well, for me it was not that easy and I have watch her doing it and you have to be in the stove for almost three hours! But the other day I was reading one blogg called Kitchen Trial and Error and all the troubles she had to make Dulce de Leche (the caramel type) and I decided that I had to try mine.

The secret and difference between both Dulces de Leche is that the puertorrican one is "bumpy", it has a granule texture or in Spanish  it has "grumos". So, I had the ingredients and decided that today was the day to try. It is delicious! For my taste a little bit on the sweet side, but for being the first time and not having a recipe it is very good. I remember that once my cousin made a chocolate cake with this Dulce de Leche in the middle and that was heaven. Maybe I will try it some time, but for now we will enjoy this one as it is.

DULCE DE LECHE (Puertorriqueño)
1 liter whole milk
juice of lemon
200 gr. sugar (this depends on how sweet do you want it, I used 300gr. and it was too sweet)
1 stick cinnamon

- put the milk in a large pot and get it to boil (beware not to burn it).
- when it starts to boil add the lemon juice (the milk will curdle), there is no exact measure for how much you have to add, so look and when the milk starts to curdle, stop. Lower the temperature to medium.
- when the milk has "broken up" add the sugar and the cinnamon stick. Some people also add a bit of the lemon skin, but just a bit.
- move every 10 or 15 minutes until most of the "juice" has evaporated and the the milk is of a brownish cream color.

My life... Welcome!

Well, welcome to me! It is my very first time with a blog, and a blog about me... Do not know how to do it and do not know what to write, but I guess it will become easier as time goes by. I don't expect anyone to read me so it is going to be an outlet and another thing to do.

I am from Puerto Rico or as it was once known, the Shining Star of the Caribbean. It is a beautiful little island with white beaches, marvelous forests and incredible people. But as anything good, it has a lot of not so good things, a permanent traffic jam, politicians that are worth less than zero and so many people that there are houses and streets all over the little island. As you might know Puerto Rico is not a state of the USA but has a special treatment, we are "Estado Libre Asociado". Our language is Spanish but legally our languages are Spanish and English. I decided to write this in English so I can practice but I will change and write in Spanish and even in German whenever I need to...

Four years ago we moved to Germany. Big change, huh? Yes, very big but very good! It was only going to be for 2 years but the gods have been very good and we are still here. My life here in Germany is pretty good, I do not have a job so I get to do whatever I want. We live near Park Sanssouci, an UNESCO world heritage site and house to the late Friedich The Great. It is the most beautiful park ever and it is 400 meters from our house. We also live in the prettiest street in Potsdam (or so they say), it is really near the center of town and I can walk to every place I need to go. If I need a car, I do not need to go... see? So, I walk a lot and when I am inside I spend most of the time at the computer or reading. Every day I cook for my husband, sometimes new things and sometimes the same pasta. Lately I started to knit, I learned over the internet and it keeps me busy, so I do not read so much anymore. Sometimes I help a friend with her twins and then and only then I practice my German... which is very bad!

So... I guess I will start posting things that I like to do or have done. I hope you like them and if you don't, well... It is My life and I do whatever I want to!