Competing Apflestudels

"Annie, this last piece is for you."
"No, no, I can't. I am SO stuffed! I already had three servings." -I say in desperation
"Ah, but you could use a little more..." In a very convincing tone.
"Okay, fine. I suppose I can... Good thing I play frisbee sometimes..." I agree with a guilty succumbed look on my face, but still pleased I get to enjoy another delicious slice of Apflestrudel!

Food is a form of love all over the world. You make food to show your love, you eat food to show your love, you even make love to show your appreciation of food. Here, I do a lot of the eating of food--delicious, scrumptious food. Back in Bolivia, I also ate a lot of food, but not of the scrumptious kind, mostly just a bowl of potatoes with some form of animal meat and rice. In Austria, people eat relatively healthy, with the most common food groups of bread, cheese, meat, beer and pastries. Yet everyone is very active and skinny. I eat this diet, while still exercising regularly, and have already gained 5-10 pounds since being here. At home, these food groups I try to stay away from and I am usually pretty successful--but here, with the kids and family, it is impossible to escape. However, the  food is so good, I give up my fight for skinniness and give in to the temptation.

We had a BBQ yesterday with some of the extended family, and both sets of grandmothers made two separate apple strudels. Oh my, I knew I was in trouble when the powdered sugar and whipped cream were dumped on top of the strudel on my plate. I also couldn't have just one slice because that would offend the other grandmother. After two plates of apflestrudel, with a full belly of BBQ too, I could not even judge which strudel was better because I am sure the excess food filled all the voids in my body, including my brain.

Everyday is a emotional and physical struggle with the food here; I love and hate what it does to me at the same time. When I return to Seattle, I will only eat lettuce and salmon (yes, salmon--cause it's my favorite), and run everyday! Or, this new Austrian diet of mine will stick, and I will just have to learn about proportioning my meal, which is so hard to do here!

Now, excuse me, I have to go take care of some Apfelstrudel left overs...

Here are a few of my self made contributions to this new diet, then tonight, I will make Zuccini Carrot Cake-all fruits and veggies pictured are from our own garden.

Caramelized Upside-down Pear Cake

Blackberry Pie

Blackberry Apricot Pie