When I was 16 Mette came to live with us for a year…Anne-Mette to be exact, from Switzerland.  I’d always wanted a older sister, and the friendship has turned us into just that: sisters.   She asked us to call her Anne because she didn’t think Americans would be able to pronounce Mette…we took her to Islands after picking her up at the airport and convinced her to try rootbeer.  It tastes like medicine, she said, I can’t understand why you like this.  And now I feel the same way.

Nights in our shared room, twin mattresses on the floor, we listened to KOST 103.5’s Lovesongs on the KOST with Ted Ziegenbusch and Karen Sharp (yes, probably pretty pathetic that I remember their names, and yes, they still host the nighttime Lovesongs show…in fact, just for memory’s sake, I’m listening to the channel live right now).  Together, we’d laugh as we belted out the sappy silly songs, as she called them.

Mette would workout with our swim team.  It was so fun to have her there.  One of those first practices, some of the team members and I took her out for American Dunkin’ Donuts one afternoon after practice.  The two of us made ourselves sick eating a box of our chosen dozen.

Muslix and Sunday Bread were some of the better trades I received (yes, I definitely had the better end of the bargin).  Mette taught us how to make a basic muslix from whatever we had…I never saw her measure, so I don’t either.  🙂 Mette’s muslix was a combination of yogurt, rolled oats, grated apples, fruit, nuts, and milk. Through the years I’ve simply made it with whatever I had around.

After each study abroad in France and then Italy, I would then go and take a train or plane to see she and Reto and their families.  Just like going to see your favorite far-away relatives.  I completely cherish all the time we’ve had.  She and Reto came to the US in between my visits and then just after the designer and I married, they married and we were able to be there.  Again, cherished memories.

Every Summer, we receive a beautiful postcard from Denmark’s Western coast, where they summer with their now 2 beautiful children (whom I can’t wait to meet).  Emails and cards keep us in touch.  I think about Mette nearly each day.  She has brought much joy, wisdom, and love to my existence.  I am so grateful for a mother who wouldn’t give up on finding the perfect foreign-exchange student for our family.  Love you Anne.

Not too far from the cozy vineyard-covered hill-town of Weinfelden (where Mette & Reto live), our cousins, Jacob & Jessi & their, soon-to-be-4, darling children are enjoying Zurich.  We were fortunate to spend time with them in the Spring when they were visiting for a few weeks.  It’s always fun to catch up on the latest European adventure, recipe, or experience with Jessi.  This trip she left with us a recipe for bircher muslix:

Bircher Muslix (thx Jessi!)

1 cup half n half or milk or cream
1 cup oats
(let soak while chopping fruit)
use fresh or frozen berries, approx. 1/2 lb. strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, pear (grated)
Add yogurt to desired consistency (1 cup or more)
grate 1 apple
add chopped hazelnuts if desired

Stir all till combined and serve

Kefir Muslix w/ homemade raw yogurt & raw kefir (what we’ve been eating lately)

3 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups homemade raw yogurt
1 cup raw kefir
1 cup almond milk
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
3 tbs flax seeds
2-3 fresh peaches

You can soak the oats in the yogurt and kefir the night before to soften the oats and then add remaining ingredients in the morning before serving. Sometimes I forget so I make a big batch and store the leftovers till the next day…which is also good and you still get the soaking time.

serves 4-6

{We’ve got some raw hazelnuts arriving tomorrow that we’ll add as well as the grated apples once they are in season here :)…basically, we use whatever we have around}

muesli pancakes

2 cups leftover muslix
2 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup milk (more or less to your taste)
1/2-1 cup flour of choice (if batter is too runny)

Combine in blender and pour onto greased pan, cooking on medium heat.

Do you eat muslix?  How do you like it best?  Have a great week everyone! xo ~ katrina

Mette & lil’ Lynne (her youngest)…how I long to see them…maybe next year!