It’s kind of a mind-boggle to think that after years of stable Houston living with my feet growing more and more firmly entrenched in this city, I will soon be traipsing through London, Paris, Portland, Wisconsin and northern California over the course of a few short months.
I stayed up late booking tickets last night and suddenly everything is so real. In the matter of one click, trips in theory became real money slipping out of my bank account, blooming thoughts of sunscreen, wedding cakes, bug spray, and how on earth I’m going to make room in my carry-on to bring back ALL the French salt and cocoa powder. Speaking of which, tips on any/all of the following are most welcome:
- comfortable but not ugly walking shoes (what do I walk around Europe in, peeps?)
- does the U.S. have rules against bringing European butter into the country?
- how to dress for a Midwest wedding
- what to do in Portland (and London and Paris for that matter. Get us off the beaten track pretty plz.)
- how to ward off mosquitoes for good
I’m beyond excited. (Like this beyond: !!!!!(@*#&(*!!!) Every year, I get excited for what is to come, but so far 2014 has been knocking it out of the park. It’s blowing winds that seem especially laced with promise and potential—and most importantly, action.
While I dream about high tea, apple tarts from Poilane and wandering Europe with my cousin, exploring farmer’s markets in Portland, watching Erik’s sister get married (and meeting his entire extended family) in Wisconsin and wandering back home for an annual family + friends camping trip that I’ve skipped too many years in a row…I’m busy eating toast.
Yep, toast. A special toast made mostly out of flax seeds and not much else. This “focaccia” impersonator rose to much fame and notoriety among the low-carb crowd at least a few years ago, but since I haven’t heard about it in awhile, I thought it was time to bring it back.
Typical recipes for this call for about 2 cups of ground flax and 5 eggs which is a LOT of flax and eggs and creates too much bread for me to feasibly eat while it’s still fresh. So this is my new go-to recipe: a scaled-down version that is easy to double, triple, quadruple, etc. It yields the perfect amount for several breakfasts—about 5 small muffins worth. A double batch is great baked in a standard loaf pan, cut into 8 squares.
On my toast (from top left, clockwise):
- avocado + lime + salt + egg
- PBJ
- plain yogurt + salted candied bananas + cinnamon
- kale + cheese + red pepper flakes
- banana + peanut butter + honey
- in crouton form
- jelly + egg (my new fav!)
- mango + tahini
The chief distinctive quality of this bread is the rich nuttiness–when toasted, it’s pretty much toast nirvana. It earns its focaccia title from its airy, bump-riddled open crumb–it leans towards being a slightly drier and crumblier bread, which is why I like to slather it with yogurt/nut butters/melted cheese/runny egg–they just fill in those nutty crevices so nicely. It sort of reminds me of the world’s biggest, softest cracker, in a good way. AND after a few slices, you won’t have to eat for another 5 years. But seriously, this stuff is like pure fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. It’s so filling and expands in your stomach like nobody’s business.
After eschewing bread for most of my college years, every time a bite of toast (especially delicious, healthy toast) goes into my mouth feels like cause for a celebration. And I like my celebrations to be cheesy, chocolate-y, zesty, buttery and yogurt-filled, don’t you?
I love these brilliant toast ideas, but here are some others if you run out of ideas:
- goat cheese + chocolate shavings + orange zest
- butter + garlic powder + onion powder + parmesan
- salsa + melted cheddar
- sweet potato + almond butter + cinnamon
- jam + brie + almond meal
- greek yogurt + balsamic strawberries + lime zest
Toast, traveling…I think we’ve got most of the bases covered. All that’s left is this guy.
Gluten-free Flax Focaccia
Ingredients
- 6.5 tablespoons flax seed meal
- ½ teaspoon baking powder slightly heaped
- scant ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar slightly heaped
- 1 egg
- 1.5 tablespoons olive oil
- 1.5 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a bowl, whisk together the flax, baking powder, salt and sugar. Stir in the egg, oil and water until thoroughly combined. Immediately pour into greased muffin tins or onto a greased baking sheet. (If using a baking sheet, just spread the mixture as thinly or thickly as you like--it doesn't need to stretch across the entire sheet.)
- Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the bread looks browned and the top feels firm to the touch.
- To turn into croutons, chop up the bread into chunks and toast in a skillet with some olive oil and a sprinkle of salt, pepper and rosemary over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, or until crispy.
Millie// addalittle
This looks amazing Erika! Do you think it would work with milled chia seeds? X
erika
Hi Millie! I hesitate to say yes because I haven’t tried it, but that is such an intriguing idea! I worry that it might not work out the same but now I’m very curious to try it…I’ll let you know if I do and you should do the same! Genius! 🙂
ohshineon
super curious about these. and that jelly and egg combo… like WHAT
erika
Oh my gosh. I first read about that combo on pbfingers and thought it was so weird but it’s actually AMAZING!! TRY IT!!!!
marlies
WIsconsin?! I hope you get the chance to stop in Madison! The farmers market here is out of control amazing! I think you’d totally love it. 🙂 All the rest of your adventures sound fantastic, too! And speaking of fantastic, this bread…omg. My mom is gluten-intolerant and I’m always looking for breads to try for her. Mother’s day treat, anyone?! 🙂
erika
Ohh my gosh I wish I could make it to the farmer’s market! I LOVE FARMERS MARKETS!!! I flew into Milwaukee and out of Madison last last summer while visiting my boyfriend in Appleton (his fam took me on their annual trip to Door County) and I went to one in Appleton, which I’m sure doesn’t compare at all. I got to try cheese curds though! (Not a big fan.)
Speaking of Madison, have you ever been to Crema Cafe?? We went for brunch and I still remember the cherry pancakes there being SO amazing!!
And aww let me know how your mom likes this if you try it out! It makes a fantastic base for avocado + egg toast!! (And….all the other toast combos here, heh.) Thanks for the comment <33
marlies
YES!! I love Crema! My friends and I like to bike there, since it’s about half way around Lake Monona, so it’s the perfect midway brunch spot. 🙂
erika
OH MY GOSH I AM SO JEALOUS!!! If you can get the owner to divulge any tips on his pancakes, I will be FOREVER grateful to you! 😉 😉
ATasteOfMadness
First of all: so jealous. I am counting the days until the end of June when I will finally get to travel somewhere.
Second: Yum! I am always looking for toast ideas 🙂
erika
Ooh where are you traveling?? Hope you have tons of fun!
Nancy @ gottagetbaked
How’d I miss this post?! What’s wrong with me?! I’m so excited for your upcoming trips, Erika. You are going to have such an amazing time. I haven’t traveled much (not because I don’t want to but more because of finances and timing) so I can’t give you too many tips. All my friends who have gone to Paris say that all the locals are always dressed up. I wouldn’t be willing to walk around in high heels as a tourist so I would recommend cute sneaks like converse or cute flats. Also, there’s apparently dog poo everywhere in Paris so always watch where you’re walking! They don’t pick up after your dogs. Make sure to eat a pain au chocolat every day so that I can live vicariously through you. Portland has an amazing food scene but I haven’t been there in so long that I can give you any recommendations. I can’t wait to see all of your photos and hear about everything you eat and do. As for this toast – whaaaaaat?! You can make amazing bread with primarily flax seeds and eggs?! That’s amazing! Your photos are gorgeous – I want to eat all the bread with every topping you used here.
erika
Awww thanks Nancy. You are literally the best reader I could ever hope to have! I just ordered some cute (hopefully comfy) flats online and I will definitely eat pastries every day and think of you!!! 🙂 So much love–thanks for your kind words, lady 🙂
Sara @ Cake Over Steak
First of all, this toast sounds awesome. I’ve been doing bread/egg thingies for breakfast these days, and this sounds perfect to top with an egg and then fill me up better throughout the rest of the morning. But ALSO – hello whoa you are traveling a lot this summer! I am also headed to Paris (and St. Malo, France) this summer for my honeymoon, so I’m hoarding all of your Paris tips. I saw above that you went before for 3 weeks, so do you have any advice for me!?!? I am a little worried about looking like a total weirdo-American over there. :-/ OH and the main thing I’m trying to do while in Paris is an 8-hour bike tour of Versailles through the Fat Tire Bike Tours. They also do some in London, so that might be something for you to check out.
erika
Yes! All the flax makes these craaazy filling.
OH MY GOSH HONEYMOON IN PARIS?!? HOW TOTALLY AWESOME!!! Okay you are my hero. And an 8-hour bike tour of Versailles actually sounds super awesome! I might try to convince my cousin to do that with me 🙂 Or at least a London version. Thanks for the tip!!
Oh gosh so the first Paris tip that came to mind was DON’T WEAR SHORTS! I made the mistake of doing that once and felt like a leper. You probably aren’t as dumb as I was, but just in case…stick to pants or capris 😉 Here are some other random tips that come to mind…
– Buy metro tickets by the carnet (which means pack of 10, or get a longer pass–I don’t know how long you’re there for). I LOVED the metro while I was there–so convenient and not having to buy an individual ticket each time was even more convenient. And cheaper.
– Food: Go to Poilane and get an apple tart. Get baguettes from Eric Kayser (one of the best meals I had was a fresh baguette, a hunk of Comte cheese and a cote de boeuf tomato from a farmer’s market). And the best croissant I had in Paris was from Veronique Mauclerc, which was kind of a trek out to the 19th arr. or something, but worth it. And all of these tips are stolen from David Lebovitz, so I’m going to stop now and let you draw up your own fun-packed food itinerary.
– I visited the Louvre and the d’Orsay while I was there, but the much smaller Musee l’Orangerie was my favorite!
Okay I just re-read your comment and maybe you were just looking for tips on how to dress to not look like an American, which is also what I freaked out over before Paris and am freaking out about regarding London (my friend says a T-shirt and jeans will never blend in?!) so I am not one to really give tips 🙁 I just recommend finding a pair of comfy but stylish walking shoes (I totally just bought the pair of the flats that Nora recommended above) and not showing too much skin, leg-wise, no matter what this article (http://www.parisescapes.com/paris_wear_winter06.html) says! I am looking forward to hearing ALL about your trip!!
Sara @ Cake Over Steak
oh man, this is great. Thank you!!! So what’s the deal with the shorts thing? I’m going in August, and I hate being hot … like being outside in jeans in the summer makes me want to kill myself. Do I need to wear long skirts or something? And don’t they frown on sneakers, too? Ugh. I went to Rome in college and the cobblestone streets killed my feet/shoes at the time .. is that an issue? And ps I’ll be in Paris for 5 nights and St. Malo for 4. Thanks again! And I’ll def look more into David’s tips. I’m planning on buying his Paris pastries iphone app thingy. Do you have that?
erika
Ugh I hear you–jeans during summer Houston = SO GROSS. I think long skirts sound like a great plan! Maybe check around with some other people on the shorts thing–now I’m hesitating to say ABSOLUTELY DO NOT WEAR SHORTS because I did only do it once after all and maybe I was imagining the derisive huffs and dirty looks. Maybe.
Anyway my shoes did get semi torn up while I was there, but that’s because I did a LOT of walking–I can’t recall if the streets were especially cobblestone-y or uneven. I think I generally stuck to places that had pretty standard sidewalks. I think you’re right that they do frown upon sneakers, but as my friend told me…feel free to look like a tourist, just be aware that you do look like one (as in guard your bags extra closely).
Ooh! I do not have his iphone app, but that sounds awesome! I’m still working out what I’m going to do with my phone once I’m in Europe but if I do have a working cell plan, I’ll def look into that. Swapping tips has been so fun! Hopefully I’ll have more once I come back (I just realized my trip is in TWO WEEKS EEK!!)
Sara @ Cake Over Steak
ah two weeks!!! yikes!!!! I expect a full report when you return. I would love to hear what you end up doing about your cell plan, and if you have any tips about transferring money for spending money while you’re there, etc. Why does travel have to be so complicated?? haha
erika
Full report is my middle name 😉 No seriously. I’m practically breaking out in hives just thinking about all the planning I still have left to do!!!
laurasmess
Oh yay! SO happy for you Erika! Hm, I think I’m going to be entirely useless in giving you advice about Portland, Midwest weddings and everything else in that category but… shoes? Gotta be Converse chucks. They’re my favourite 🙂 I also happen to attract mosquitoes wherever I go so I’ve got no advice for you in terms of mosquito avoidance… other than to use Bushman’s repellent http://www.bushman-repellent.com/ It’s tried and tested over here! Works like a dream!
Now, as for this foccacia? I had no idea that bread could be made from flax and eggs. Wow. So impressed! xxx
erika
Thank you so much!!! Oh gosh I LOVE the look of Converse but I haven’t had much luck wearing them…they cut into my ankles weirdly and they’re a little narrow for my wide feet 🙁 But I’m trying to go shopping this weekend and maybe I’ll find a dream pair! Thanks for the tip on the mosquito repellent too! <3
Trisha
This looks so deliciously wholesome!! Flaxseed and foccacia – love them both x
erika
Thanks Trisha! I’m so glad you stopped by because I am loving exploring your amazing, beautiful blog!!
stephanie
i love me some toast and even though i have never tried flax focaccia, this sounds right up my alley, especially since you did the math (my mortal enemy) and scaled it down. 🙂
so jelly about your upcoming travel! i know you’ll have a fabulous time! you should definitely hit up nordic bakery in london. not exactly off the beaten path, but they have scandinavian cinnamon buns that haunt my dreams (especially when they’re all warm and cozy from the oven).
xoxo
erika
Bahaha math happens to be my mortal enemy too! It took a lot of effort (like, 6 batches) to make this post happen 😉
DUDE. Scandinavian cinnamon buns sound amazing right now. Definitely putting that on my list, thanks girl!! <3
Jess @ whatjessicabakednext
This looks amazing! I love all the different flavours and colours! Delicious recipe!
janet @ the taste space
I am stealing Robs phone while we are still biking.. So I don’t have your email. Anyways, 6pm tonight if you are free
[email protected]
So last year I switched out LSA for chia seeds in my green smoothies – still have a whole load of the stuff lurking in the back of the freezer – this sounds like the perfect recipe to finally put it to use!! Also feel totally same same because this summer I’m travelling the 8000 miles to the States for a wedding!! Funny huh?
ps> love the lighting in these pics 😀
erika
Wait–what is LSA?! Is that some kind of flax I don’t know about? And whatttt where are you from again? Stop by Houston during your trip!! 😉
The Vegan 8
MMMMM girl I eat toast every single day and I love it! I love this simple, easy toast idea! I always put either pecan butter or almond butter and some homemade 5 minute cherry jam on them and sprinkle with cinnamon. So good! I’m so excited for you and your travel places, how cool!! I have been to two of those places, California (which I LOVE) and Paris, which I didn’t 🙁 I know, crazy. It is a very beautiful city and I loved going to the Luvre and seeing the sites and the Eiffel tower, etc. but both my husband and I found the people to be ridiculously rude. The hotel we stayed at and everything….so rude, even the employees when we would order room service and anytime going on an elevator or something, people just in general would just push you and shove you. Maybe it was all just a really bad week, but the attitudes towards us and whispers, made it not so pleasant. We did however go to Ireland right after Paris and they were the NICEST people on the planet, lol! I hope you have a blast!!!
erika
Thanks Brandi! Your toast toppings sound wonderful 🙂 Oh Paris. I’ve been once before for three weeks and I loved it, although I can definitely see how bad experiences could be had. Luckily, I didn’t have terrible experiences with any rude people, but I did make the mistake of wearing shorts one day (they were long-ish! But still.) and I felt like I was in a FISHBOWL. You definitely cannot break the clothes mold there. So much judgment!
Ruth
I’m gonna try this! I’ve tons of flaxseed but I only consume a tablespoon a day.
Love your food photography! 🙂
And thanks for coming by my blog.
I’m gonna keep coming to your blog for healthy baked stuff that doesn’t taste too “healthy”.. heh!
erika
Yes!! This is a great way to use up flax (and I’ve desperately been looking for ways to use it up since buying a bag from Costco!)
Thank you so much, Ruth, and thank YOU for trying + linking to my avocado banana bread! You’re the best <3
Nikki Trionfo
First, Merrell shoes. Mine say vibram on the soul. Yes, they’re 100 dollars, but I wore them every second in Thailand and–a-MAZ-ing.
Second, I don’t cook much, but you can make me Flax Focaccia anytime, okay?
Third, I’m the girl who can’t figure out how to set up her blog correctly, but I wanted to come thank you for the kind comments you left about my story at http://thefoodcharlatan.com/. You may not know this, but writers get a LOT of critique. Like having mud thrown all over your words. It’s cleansing and necessary and all, but hearing something nice is . . . well, obviously it’s motivated me to track you down and praise you. LOOK, I’LL PRAISE YOU IN CAPS NOW. THANK YOU!!! YOU ROCK!
Oh, if you want to comment, I did fix the problem. I think. 🙂
http://www.nikkitrionfo.com/2014/04/21/mr-agent-puzzle-for-cash/
Okay, thanks again!
erika
Nikki! I’m sorry to say that I lost track of your comment among those lingering in my unapproved folder (spam filters, how annoying) but thank YOU so much for your awesome comment! Oh my gosh I’m looking into Merrell shoes now and they look amazing. I think my mom has a pair and they are the comfiest EVER.
And I LOVED reading your blog because as I think I said on Karen’s blog, I wanted to be an author for many many years but never even got close to pursuing it as a profession. So I so admire you and I just want to live vicariously through you (and read more of that story you teased us with. I’m INTRIGUED! Bring on the Veronica Mars-ish literature!)! You and Karen are a hilarious, rockstar set of siblings! Looking forward to reading more of your work 🙂
Nikki Trionfo
haha, I know what you mean about comments getting lost. Thanks again! Have a great day!
Renee @ AFS
Love every. single. toast. here. Yum! You’ll not come to Amsterdam? Because I highly recommend you to(: Just like London and Paris (and probably Portland and the other places) you can discover so many things here: te nicest food places and markets, fields of flowers and endless meadows, biking around like you never have before and many more things! But.. your plans sound amazing. Wish I could do the same!
erika
Renee, thank you so much for your comment! Sigh, I WISH I could come to Amsterdam–how fun would that be!?! I can only imagine. Definitely putting that on my list for the future 🙂 Thanks for stopping by–I’m so excited to browse through more of your blog!
Mallory
you should try bringing back the cheese, butter, wine and whatever else you want—-don’t declare it though. and you will probably have a better chance if you put these items in your checked bag…i see a lot of people forced to dump snacks and foods from their carry on at US entries. in the end the worst thing that could happen is they take it away from you. but i doubt. i take butter from brazil to the US all the time. strange, but never had a problem. CHECK IT! Anyway; in Paris get a bicycle and just ride. Ride everywhere. Luxembourg gardens, pack a picnic and eat it on the champs de mars, and play frisby on the grass at les invalides. In Portland, get a ride to council crest, the highest point in the city where you can see all the mountain ranges. its beautiful. the biggest touristy places are Voodoo doughnuts and powell’s book store. If you are gluten free i recommend a gluten free fish n chips shop called the corbett fish house. and, to be a real portlander, rent a bicycle and just ride.
erika
OH MY GOSH. Having to dump a lot of food at customs would be an absolute nightmare. Great advice, thanks! And fabulous tips for Paris/Portland–we’re definitely on a budget, so I like this advice to ride everywhere 🙂 Thanks Mallory!!
Julia @Vikalinka
Exciting times! I live in London. 🙂 Stop by and say hello. If you are a pub goer, visit them for a pint not necessarily for a meal, unless it’s a gastropub but most of them will have rubbish food but AMAZING atmosphere. 🙂 Stylish comfortable shoes are a must. Lots of walking! Have fun!
erika
Great advice–thanks Julia!! 🙂 You must meet me at a pub someday while I’m there! 😉
Kathryn
In my carb-obsessed world, I’ve never heard of flax toast before but consider me intrigued. Anything that services as a vehicle for getting more toast-y toppings into my tummy can only be a good thing right?
Also, the best thing to do in London (and Paris) is just walk. And stick close to the river(s); that’s where all the good stuff happens.
erika
Haha I couldn’t agree more (though believe me, I am probably just as obsessed with carbs if not more!)!
That sounds so poetic–“stick close to the river(s)”–okay. I’m gonna get my walking shoes and carry out this plan! Thanks Kathryn <3
Choc Chip Uru
These little toasts are the cutest and delicious, loving looking spreads!
And your summer sounds perfect 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Selena @ thenutritiouskitchen.com
Okay when I saw the title of this post I got SO excited! I have been dying to make a homemade foccacia and your recipe is so simple and extremely healthy, how can I not try this out?! The candied bananas on top of them sound delicious too!
And by the way congrats on your upcoming traveling adventures! That is so exciting and I am beyond jealous of all the vacation food you will be consuming!
erika
Yay!!!!!! Of course this is a bit different from yeasty white-flour focaccia, but I still think you’ll love it, especially since you’re a healthy recipe goddess! And one batch of this is small enough for a good tester recipe 🙂
Thanks so much Selena! I will make sure to instagram tonsss of my vacation food if I don’t blog it 🙂
Ala
Wow, don’t I feel like I just stepped into a Jane Fonda video–er, but lemme explain. I’d never heard of this (awesome) flax toast before, so when you said it needed to be ‘brought back’ after a hype and lull, it reminded me of all the mat work that Jillian Michaels has brought back from the days of Jane Fonda. Never mind, it made sense in my head. This toast makes more sense. I will be making this!!
erika
Hahaha!!! I love it!!! I kind of felt like that too when I wrote that…I was like, what is this, the Atkins diet??! But no. Never. Oh Jane Fonda. So sad I was born in an era where she was already out of style…
Ala
Oh and speaking of nothing but me being DUMB, how did I not say anything in my comments about CONGRATS FOR THE AWESOME TIMES AHEAD OKAY ?!?!?! <3 that's so exciting!!
erika
Oh thank you thank you 🙂 I hope it didn’t come off as being braggy or anything…I’m just so excited! You didn’t even need to say anything but you’re so sweet for doing so! <3
Kayle (The Cooking Actress)
Ok 1-I am SOOOO EXCITED FOR YOU!!! You’re going to have soooo much fun and I’m insanely jealous!!!
2-wear to the midwest wedding whatever you would wear to any wedding? Every wedding is different really so it depends on the dress code/weather conditions. I generally feel like a dress is always safe. Obviously not in white. 😛
3. You made Flax Focaccia toast…like…WHAAAT?! It looks AWESOME!
Marika
Erika – I’ve been following your blog for a while now (it’s one of my favorites to check in on), but only now have I felt compelled to comment because you’re going to have an amazing time this summer traveling to these places (and I want you to love WI and Portland as much as I do)!
1) Midwest weddings are awesome! Having grown up in Milwaukee I have been to my fair share of Midwest weddings and as others have said, attire is very situational. The nice thing about WI summers is that it stays warm into the evening, unlike here in NorCal. So you maybe could bring a cardigan or shawl or something else to cover your shoulders, but you probably won’t use it from mid-June on.
2) I lived in Portland for about a year. Get ready to eat! My favorite taqueria is Porque No in Southeast. And if they have a mango margarita that day, get it. Or, let’s be honest, get any margarita they have. Also in Southeast: Slappycakes. Home of the built in griddle on your table so you can make pancakes right there!!! Tasty and Sons in North Portland (NoPo) has good brunch – get there early because the line is long. Hike punch bowl falls and do some cliff jumping if desired. The Sandy River is also amazing to hang on. Craft beer is everywhere!!
3) You didn’t really solicit any advice regarding NorCal, but I’m going to give it any way. If you can, go to Boonville. Enjoy Anderson Valley Brewing Co, but more importantly, the restaurant at the Boonville Hotel is AMAZING! And Hendy woods is right there to get your nature fix in.
Bon Voyage!
erika
Marika! Thank you so much for finally commenting!! :))) Your sweet comment totally made my day!
Okay, I’m so happy to get some advice from a true Wisconsinite! (My boyfriend does NOT count.) I’m actually flying into Milwaukee and then driving to Appleton, woohoo! That’s so funny that you’re in NorCal now–I’m originally from near San Francisco so it’s like we’re swapping places! (uh…very briefly).
Omg Slappycakes sounds like MY JAM. So excited. Also I <3 brunch and tacos and hiking so perfect! Thank you! And definitely putting Boonville on my list--we're actually heading to Big Trees, Calaveras for our camping trip but Boonville will happen someday! Thank so much for the great tips!!!
erika
Hahaha aww thanks Kayle!! And okay I guess I should’ve clarified about the midwest wedding thing…I’ve heard that you should dress a little more conservatively than, say, California probably. Like no low necklines, cover your shoulders. Not that I was planning to wear anything SKANKY, I’m just wondering if I should look for a dress with sleeves or plan on wearing a sweater nonstop or if I’m over-worrying. It seems I’m over-worrying 🙂 Thanks girl!
Katie (The Muffin Myth)
I totally sneak Swedish butter into Canada all the time without declaring it. It’s so damn good! I’ve declared cheese before and they never take it away (although US customs is not Canada, that’s for sure) but it’s a hassle to declare it so I just stopped. Maybe one day I’ll be on one of those customs reality tv shows as the girl who gets busted with butter, but whatever. Sounds like you’ve got some fab trips coming up! But hey, this toast! I’ve not heard of this flax focaccia but I’ve got a big bag of flax and a hankering to try it out. Now I know what my weekend project will be!
erika
Bahaha! I’ll come bail you out of jail if that happens 😉 Though wait–I hope they don’t put you in jail for smuggling butter. Anywayyy Swedish butter! I’m intrigued. Better than French butter, in your opinion? (That reminds me, we really must do our food swap! Tell me if there’s anything you can think of that you’re hankering for from Texas/the U.S.!)
I hope you like the toast!!! It is the best for working down those big bags of flax 🙂
Pang
OMG!!! I am SO HAPPY for your travel. I am looking forward to seeing all the photos. Have a wonderful trip, Erika. Come to San Francisco sometime soon, yes?
erika
Thanks so much Pang!! <333 I'm actually from a suburb near San Francisco so YES hopefully I will be back soon!!
Nora (A Clean Bake)
Oh, a quiz, how fun!! Ok my answers are, in order:
– Shoes: http://www.zappos.com/dr-scholls-friendly-caravan-sands-patent?zlfid=191&ref=pd_sims_v_1
– Yes, although technically it should be fine to bring it back if the butter is pasteurized, but customs will most likely give you a hard time either way, so stick to bringing back chocolate.
– Dress like you usually would and be prepared to be the fanciest one there. Just own it. (where in Wisconsin?)
– Never been to Portland, but in Paris, walk around the Montparnasse neighborhood. Don’t be turned off because the train station is there; there are lots of cute side streets and local bistros.
– Stay inside 🙂
Bon voyage!!!
PS: Totally making this bread. Do you think it would be ok if I left out the sugar, though?
erika
Okay, as we’ve discussed:
(1) I FREAKING LOVE THOSE SHOES. You win the recommendation contest. A+++.
(2) Sighh. I had a feeling. Okay I guess you never lose with chocolate.
(3) Appleton, WI! Wait really? I’d heard that you should dress more conservatively than you might otherwise…ie no low necklines/short skirts/cover your shoulders since they are a modest bunch. I guess that makes sense that it would also extend to no flashy outfits. In any case, I will prepare myself to own it! 😉
(4) Okay! Monparnasse: noted.
(5) HAH! I wish! This is why I tell my family we should not go camping.
And yes, I think you could totally leave out the sugar. Or try a little honey/alternative sweetener in its place, but I think it should be fine without it 🙂
Erika
Sounds so exciting.. Can I tag along in your suitcase?.. and I must say this toast sounds amazing.. I can already think of about 1,000 things to top it with.
erika
Yes!! The Erikas take London/Portland/Wisconsin/Cali? I say YES! 🙂
susan @ the wimpy vegetarian
I am totally going to be living vicariously through you this year. What wonderful trips and life experiences you have planning for this summer!!! I’m pretty sure you don’t need shoe advice from a 50-something-year-old, but my favorite walking shoes in Europe have been Privo shoes. Stylish enough, and oh so comfortable. And I’m pinning this toast right now. I love how it sounds!
erika
HAHA Susan you made me laugh out loud…I’ve been getting pretty wise shoe advice from a 50-something year old for the past few years (my mom), so I’m definitely open to shoe advice from all ages! Thanks for the rec–they look super comfortable and I’m loving the sport flat style. Definitely going to be checking into those…and thanks! 🙂
cynthia
GIRL. Your travels sound so so exciting! I’m so thrilled for you and can’t wait to live it vicariously 😉 And this toast sounds so intriguing (plus you know “scaled-down” is music to my ears). Beautiful words and photos, lady.
erika
Thanks Cynthia! You know what I’m excited to live vicariously through? You and your future husband’s honeymoon! Um please tell me 1) that you’re treating yourselves by going somewhere fabulous and 2) that you will be sharing juicy deets (I’m talking about what you eat while you’re vacationing, of course!). Okay cool. And yes, scaled-down…no better words to those in 2-people households amirite?
Michelle @ Hummingbird High
Um… what? Are you coming to Portland? Like… Portland, OREGON? MY CITY?!
Clearly we should meet up.
But if it’s Portland, Maine, I will be very sad.
erika
Hahaha no Portland YOUR CITY!!! I’ve been meaning to email you to be like hi let’s please hang out and show me your haunts and let’s eat all the things?! So I will do that now. !!!
Jennifer
I love toast. And Dansko shoes are the bomb for all day comfort!
erika
Oooh those look like the comfiest! Thanks Jennifer!!