At the table in the blue city of Morocco

We left for Chefchouen last saturday. We admired the relaxed ambiance in the Riad. We became more or less the chef in the kitchen in the lovely Riad where we rented for the weekend. We were imagining, the apron, the pots and pans, the tables and the tablecloths. We had a great time! We suggested a salad, we wanted the oils at the table. At the table, where we were discussing and negotiating. It is a serious matter Solange's allergies, it is about the life of a kid. You can make this very dramatic. You could write a play. If you play the game by our rules, take the poison out of the story by simply being alert, serious and intelligent. By building a knowledge about food, following your own intuition and reminding yourself and the allergy girl, that one can survive on water, plain bread and fresh fruit. The plot turns then into a happy ending, the secret for this, lays in build up experience. We can reduce the stress and become more relaxed by: I am what I eat. We are having fun during voyages we make, about the images and the situations we face. We see ourselves as part of a slapstick: the labels rapped of from oil bottles in the kitchen,  founded back in the trash bin, delivered at our table, studied word by word. People coming up from the kitchen with stories: different episodes, a variety of actors,
"No, it is only olive oil we use in the dishes"... second one... "No, it is table oil"...
What can we do..... shall we take the risk? For us this may be a routine food research, for these owners of the Riad it is strange, maybe annoying...  We are making a trip, we will be still alright even if we can't have the dish the cook propose. But let's change roles. We will give them a recipe for free, we'll ask what they have in the cuisine, we study the card, we make up our minds, and we come up with a fine salad. "Olive oil at the table please"! The cook and his servants are releaved, they want to treat us, we are the guests, they don't want to feel uncomfortable. We'll not cause that feeling. We'll go for what we can eat. Let's stay positive! These situations seem often almost common for us.
The allergy issue is our problem. We come somewhere, we visit, we want to be free, we don't want to feel limited in moving around because of Solange's allergies. This is what we like. So we come with ideas, we come all the time with explanations in a positive way. And we like the strategy of the proposal for a dish. The table is where we eat, where we negotiate and where we talk about my book. It is the best spot to be. This evening in Chefchaouen, Solange had a great meal. Fresh chopped tomatoes, onions, goat cheese and pure olive oil accompanied with a loaf of bread. We had a nice glass of wine, secretly, in our room.

Storyteller of allergies

Strange things can happen everyday. The allergies stay and although we forget the years that we were worried several times a day, many moments a week and we deal now with a handful moments of trouble, insecurity, anxiousness now and then, we should stay alert. Like a mother wakes during the nights for the child to wake up from a nightmare, or waits for the adolescent to come home late in the evening after a party. Living with allergies,  is a worry and it remains a source of attention in daily life. For me the moments of feeling not save about Solange's life are less then in the past ten years. I can count the stress moments today. And then suddenly, out of the blue something happens, surprise! And alertness is needed. Peanut allergy is what I feel today not so well known as I thought it would be. I recognize the look, the voice of those people who just don't know how to handle the allergy issue about peanuts. And that is fine. Sometimes I feel like a storyteller who is telling the same story all the time. But the thing is that for all those people who aren't aware about the possible risks of peanuts and nuts, both groups cause reactions for my allergy girl, the story I tell, is a brand new story. It is a learning process. I became a very hands on learner, I was forced to react immediately, the situation we encountered, once we were diagnosed with an allergy girl. It takes a moment, a time to realize what's happening. The fairy tale about the girl which was bewitched with these allergies right after she was born. The curse was to stay allergic her hole life until she would be kissed by the prince ... This could be the context of the story in which Solange plays the main colorful and cosmopolitan peanut girl. The play could be about poisoned food, about making choices along the road, about curiosity for food and the knowledge about your own health and body. The metaphore could be the balance, the good and the wrong, the bad and the good food. The good diet is the diet that she will choose because it makes her feeling happier and safer. And the learning for these allergic kids, is the battle, to understand that their body heels, and the witch's curse disappear. When you can easily say yes for the food you can eat without the eternal temptation of the moment, the impulse. That's so true. Children like Solange, limited in some ways by their allergies are at a young age able to say no. Their limitation becomes a challenge. It is a yes for a no!

Dutch delight

Wednesday, just half a day of school for the girls. And all day off for Nuria. Nuria is sick. High fever yesterday. After having received a phone call from school to get her home she felt ill but no fever. Temperature rose in the hours to come. Belle took her sister's temperature but didn't get anxious about the 39,5 Celsius that popped up. Now 24 hours later, Nuria reads about the hippies and the Woodstock Festival 40 years ago. She tells me, that the great thing about these guys was: ''that they weren't afraid to show who they were''. I admire you for this Nuria, you describe your thoughts so clearly and so true. To be who you are is not always easy. And to send this image about yourself to your peers isn't evident at all. Good for you that you handle these things natural. Kids like my 10 year old one, are innocent in the way they behave, they observe and act. Not much distracted about the second thoughts of their environment. They seem still so sure about themselves, more than their older peers facing adolescence. The faces to face, the influences to deal with, the overall thoughts in the young adult mind. I read today in the newspaper that Morocco is losing track on the worldwide list for press freedom. So the motto will be again:don't tell who you are, and don't write what you really think. The hippies in the seventies seemed better off and dreamt openly of a free world and the free word. With lots of love and flowers. That's the image Nuria loves the most I suppose. Feeling better this afternoon, Solange pushed Nuria for a recipe. As both sisters are thinking and planning their Christmas fair project, they certainly were in the mood to bake some dutch favourites. The fair will be an occasion to earn some money for charity. They are still making their mind up about the charity project. The initiative for the Christmas bazaar comes from the International American Women Association in Rabat. The idea to participate in this winter bazaar, is caused by their friend Bella in Geneva. She managed a whole handcraft project last winter in her international school in Geneva, and transferred her enthusiasm towards our girls. Good for them. The real thinking about this bazaar started last summer in the apartment in La Faustine, Cassis. The context was funny. Hot summer weather, outdoor summer season and my girls were preparing Christmas decorations. The kitchen became an atelier and Belle sat down as a laboratory assistant with plastic gloves. Little stars, small hats and tiny ornaments. The ambiance was kind of hilarious: holy season while crickets didn't sleep until sunset. Planning their small business, this bazaar forces the girls to make choices. Taking decisions about what they want to propose to the people.  Every step in the process is about making choices.They made their first choice about the size off the table, they take a small size. And they will sell Christmas decorations and home made season favourites. Everything proposed is peanut and nut free. And the sisters try to focus on four ingredients.
Nuria and Solange make this afternoon a dutch favourite: pepernoten. If one translates it: pepper nuts. In fact the mix of spices, that makes this recipe so colourful and tasty, is a fine combination of: nutmeg, cinnamon and clove. This is a traditional dutch treat by Saint Nicolas, a Saint from Spain, who comes to Holland every year in December and celebrates his birthday on the 5th of December. For his birthday he brings all these treats to children of Holland.
Our philosophy everyday: I am what I eat. Positive and focused on food an peanut and nuts girl can have. We leave the nutmeg out of the mix, the composition change, the taste is wonderful. No nuts and Solange can enjoy this traditional recipe.
Good News!!!! Solange was tested last summer for a couple of small allergies she suffered from. As there are nutmeg and coconut.
She was tested negative for both.
These pepernoten look like small brown coins. In just a short time, the dough was made, rested in the fridge, homework was done, and smells were coming out of the kitchen. You close your eyes and the scene is right there. Fire in the fireplace, hot cocoa and the taste of delicious brown coloured pepernoten. Instead of making small ones, like they do normally, the girls decided to try small cookie size pepernoten. The idea is to wrap a pile of ten of these pepernoten in nice transparent paper with a ribbon and a colourful pearl.

PEPERNOTEN (Dutch Delight)

For about 500 gr dough

185 gr flour
85 gr brown sugar
15 gr mix spices, gloves and cinnamon )
0,5 teaspoon ginger
salt
120 gr cold butter

Mix flour, sugar and mix and salt. Add butter in small pieces. Work with finger tips. Once the dough is elastic, make a ball and keep it for 30 minutes in plastic film in the fridge.
Make small little balls or choose a bigger size and bake these in the oven at 150 celsius for 20 minutes.

(all rights reserved: cosmopolitan girls Solange, Nuria and Belle)

I Am What I Eat

There is so much  fruit in Rabat, we can hardly eat and taste it all with our regularly 3 - 5 portions of fruit a day. So we explore new recipes or experiment with good old ones and make fancy cakes all the time. The three girls come along with cooking ideas. Bring books with recipes. That's so nice. All the moments I shared with them in the kitchen, since they were very young, seem to result in something positive about food  for all of them. The value of the talks about food, Solange's allergies, gave us a lot to speak about. I always liked to bake and I transferred this pleasure to my girls. I think the fact, that we have a food allergy issue in our family, makes that the girls are aware and responsible about nutrition in general.We believe strongly in the philosophy 'I am what I eat'. Healthy food and positive feelings are closely related. The philosophy 'I am what I eat' is my drive in my food related projects. Ever since I discovered we had a child with severe allergies, I started observing my daughter very closely, took care of a balanced diet, studied and researched new sources and relied on my intuition and common sense. I am writing the memories of my self, Solange and her sisters about Solange's  life as an allergy girl. I believe that for me and my daughters this is a great thing to do . We should mark life by points of major impact. The years of struggling with Solange's allergies are behind us. Although she remains the same very allergic girl who walks around with her personal medication bag, life has become more peaceful and more reasonable. We came from far and yet I can honestly say this allergy girl, my child,  my colourful and cosmopolitan daughter Solange. She lives by the rules of the game that is called peanut allergy, we play the game by clear, intelligent and simple rules. When the diagnose was made by an allergist medicine in Marseille,France, we simplified our life a lot. Our diet became a rude copy of the Mediterranean diet. Vegetables, fruit, little meat, fish, bread, pasta and rice and omega 3 and 6 oils. Solange can have so many dishes, can eat a large variety of ingredients. We became the chef in our own kitchen. The diet is a mix of Mediterranean basics, home made desserts and treats from the patisserie. The memories I try to recollect and try to write down are connected with the choices we made after having been diagnosed with an allergy daughter. Choices in daily life needed to be applied, corrected, renewed, rediscussed, adapted during the years. We found out that one can easily avoid the risk of allergy reactions by making choices for the food and nutricion you can eat. This means that you can live a safe life! I'll not deny that all this was easy in the beginning. A lot one faced was flue and one felt insecure. I'll mention the stress in my book, I'll also mention the frustrations we were dealing with: an allergy girl coming back from a birthday party where she couldn't taste anything; the ignorance of people; the lack of comprehension; the lack of human interest. And the people who do care, who don't know anything about allergies and want to learn and try their best in making fun dinners where an allergy girl can eat. My drive is still intense, honest, not hysterical, intuitive and focused. I want to share the positive things about being allergic, the funny experiences of beeing allergic, the treatment you get when you happen to be the allergy girl in your class. My writing project is to learn about family, food and health. My diary is about the very strong and positive outcomes for Solange, for us, our extended family, friends and all others who may deal with similar issues. I want to do this because I think there are stories behind the allergies we are dealing with, which don't get the attention they deserve. Think of the positive input, a diet of an allergy girl can have for 'normal' kids. And to write this very optimistic and colourful story is an insight look in our life in the different places we lived facing a daughter with severe food allergies. Integration in other countries goes along with sharing food, experimenting new tastes and trying new dishes. The beautiful thing about this all, is the discovery of traditions, rituals and values through the flavours on your plate. And you know what, there in the middle of a new abroad adventure is (almost) always something an allergy girl can eat. To see the allergy as an advantage in stead of a disadvantage made us stronger. Mentioning the challenge instead of the fear makes it easier to live with. And to focus on serious thinking, intelligent choices and positive perspective is not easy but so great.

Nuria's cake search

Nuria starts already researching recipes for her coming up 11th birthday in January. We just celebrated her sister's 9 year's birthday. Belle's cake had an inventive character last September. You know these days that nothing goes in the right direction. This Saturday, two weeks ago, was one of these partly unfortunate days. The three sisters decided to bake several cakes for the group of 18 girls, who Belle would receive the next day to her Paris Party. Belle desired a Chocolate Covered.Cake, a Cinnamon Cup Cakes and a Apple cake.
Going now again trough the cook books, I discover that we just missed a line in the recipe, the one that mention that you can bake two cakes...... seems logic while looking at the very tasty picture. The girls missed this line completely and so did I. As the one cake we baked, was so thin, the result wasn't satisfying, we baked a second one. Still not impressive. Then we asked Zineb, our bonne Marocaine, to bake one of her favourite Moroccan cakes. She is in fact just fabulous in the kitchen. She told me last week, she worked in a bakery in Rabat for years, as a seller. I think she took advance of her position and went as often as she could in the back of the store to learn from the bakers. She has a nose for good recipes and is a real good baker. We are, all the time, discovering new recipes together with Zineb. I'll learn her, my European recipes and keep her from using to much sugar and salt. We, the girls and me, her to join us in the project about our dream bakery. That Saturday two weeks ago wasn't her day neither. Her cake didn't rise as it normally does, had no sponge structure. Zineb told us it was the first time in her life that this happened. You see these days. She gave it a try for a second one like we did. Her recipe is something different than ours and is prepared with fresh pressed lemon. It makes me thinking of crepe Suzette. I ate those in Nevers, Loire, France when I had the age of my girls. Finely we get creative again, and piled up the 4 cakes and the girls covered it up with chocolate frosting, a recipe from their grand-grand dad. Between the layers the girls put the chocolate cream. Coloured decoration was done with Smarties. And Belle?  She had her chocolate covered cake decorated 9 pink candles and funny smiley faces, we founded last summer in Rome. The great thing is that the girls, Zineb and myself had a great time in the kitchen. Belle's friends loved the taste.

Chocolate covered cake:
125 g Flour                               cake tins 18 cm, pastry brush, grease proof paper
2 large eggs
125 soltened butter
125 g caster sugar

Simply beat all the ingredients together. The result is a plain sponge cake. If you make two, you can layer them up and fill them up with jam or fresh cream. You can make it ever more adventures if you add cocoa powder or fresh fruit. Bake the cake for 20 minutes in the oven (170° C/ 325° F)

Chocolate cream:
200 gr black Lindt chocolate (we only take black lindt chocolate (70%), Solange can have this brand. It is true that it costs more than the regular black dessert chocolate. We just love the taste of Lindt, remembers us of our three years living in Lausanne, Swiserland and most of all Solange never had a food intolerance reaction. )
6 tablespoons double cream

Chocolate frosting:
159 gr black Lindt chocolate (70% - 85%)
3 tbl spoons water
20 gr butter
100 gr icing sugar

If there are fresh strawberries available you could put these on top of this cake.

In the meantime Nuria sits on a cousin in the girl's library upstairs in the house. She took the big pile of cooking books we brought up there together a couple of weeks ago. Nuria dreams about having English high teas, scones, cakes and muffins and tea served in a pot with flower design. She sees herself surrounded by her sisiters having tea, inviting frinds to join her and her sisters and tasting all kinds of cakes. She went trough all the small books. Alle these are books are written by Anne Wilson. The pictures look all so very  tasty and yet also a little bit old fashioned. The ingredients very basic. Every recipe is marked for more or less difficult. Nuria flipped the corners, of all pages were she found something of her gourmand taste. When I went closely through her marked pages I was smiling by seeing all these recipes while thinking of the good moments she passed sitting her in the library on her own and searching for everything what she likes to east. None of the recipees mentioned pinda's, peanuts or nuts. She found easily, many good ones that Solange can have all.

Food is on her mind

Today the girls are having a day off from school. It is still not our biological rhythm this American school schedule. But we slowly adept. Solange likes to make a recipe today. In fact she came to me early in the morning, and this was her first request of the day. This is my daughter. She is just into food. She loves it always to anticipate for the next dish to be served, the guests to come, the friends to treat. Cookbooks are all around the place. Energy is never to less to focus for new recipes. Today she wants to prepare a dough. We looked yesterday in a cookbook with all kinds of pies. Sweet ones and salty ones. We decide to try another, lighter dough. We will change the quantity of butter. So for the 1 cup (250 gr) of flour we take now 100 butter and a bit more of cold water.We decide to work harder to make an ever better dough. To often we are to much in a hurry so the result is hardly ever as good as good be. New efforts to make. New goals to reach out for.
The dough will be filled with glazed baked onins, garlic and some cream. Topped with cheese. We will use the compté, hard french cheese to have a more explicit taste. But it could be done with cheese as emmentaler or gruyère but these are not in the fridge today. The second pie will be filled with tomates in thin slices, we leave the mustard, Solange had several allergic reactions, mozzarella, in fresh little balls and starwise we will add sradines from a can. A mélange of eggs and cream we poor on the top. Both pies will be baked in a 200 celsius heated oven. The girls will bring the left overs from these pies for a schoollunch tomorrow to school.