mojito on the loveliest balcony

Back at home! You haven't heard a word from me for 3 months, but here I am again. I was tired and exhausted, not of baking, of course not.

The pastry course is over, the early wake-ups too. No more heat and sweat into the pastry kitchen. But you know what? I miss it. There are many new things I've learned about myself. Like, I do love to be in the kitchen! Way more than being in front of the PC, way more than writing. Not good news for the writer but extremely clarifying for the pastry maker and dreamer in me.

As for the course – it wasn't what I expected it to be. Nothing like the chocolate making course we attended two years ago – training and practice, learning new skills. This one was more like real work in real kitchen. Not very inspiring but a kind of experience.

Conifers and moss from the wood.

I learned that my temper isn't so bad as I've always thought it is and I do work well with other people. You know, I work at home, alone, so this was a great challenge for me – to work in a team – and I was ok with that.

All the furniture on the balcony is found on the street but it looks so good after Plami's renovations.

Also, working in a kitchen isn't so exhausting as I've thought it would be. I mean the physical part. Sitting ten minutes in a comfortable chair after work(= course) and I was on my feet fresh as a spring sprig, ready for a long walk and the best part – mojito on the balcony with Plami (Ivan's sister). Maybe I should have started with this.

These are forest strawberries and they had an enchanting aroma.

The balcony, I'm in love with it. It's so cosy and snug, and relaxing, and full of flowers but not crammed, and it's blue – what's not to be loved. If the bench was bigger I should have moved to sleep there at night.

Actually the bench is a refurbished baby bed.

Almost every night, together with Plami, we were sitting on that bench having a glass of mojito and sweet talks over a hearty jazz on the background. I was responsible for picking the finest mint sprigs from the big pot, then Plami was crushing them in the glasses along with some limes and sugar using the end of a rolling pin. Then it was time for the ice. We had an improvised technology for that one too – the ice used to be packed in a clean kitchen towel then smashed on a stone with a metal hammer. I have no idea why there was a stone but it was a very worthy thing when there is no ice crusher. Of course, at the end of my one month stay there were a couple of torn kitchen towers but we had a great fun. If you see the mint now when I'm no longer there to graze it – it's huge.

The big pot with mint, oregano, geranium, forget me nots and lobelia.

In two words, I had a wonderful stay in Sofia, although the pastry course wasn't very inspiring. But I got home with two great recipes from the course – one is for choux pastry for eclairs and the other one is for cheese cake. In the past we had some problems with the choux pastry so I'm happy I've broken the neck of this task. Stay tuned for future posts about it.

Basil sprouts.

There is no recipe today. I just wanted to say you hi, I'm back.