Wonderful Copehagen

Not a lot going on today, and there won't be for a while. I'm even out of phone calls. The phone didn't sound like it was switched from Verizon to Comcast like it should have been. If it isn't fixed by tomorrow, I'll call them and see what the hold up is about.

I spent the morning messing around online. Ran the second Rick Steves disc during breakfast and lunch. This time, Steves took us into the fairy tale world of Germany and the Scandinavian countries. I made Cornmeal Mini-Baguettes during the Scandinavia episodes. Though I loved the German castles and those massive pretzels, my favorite Germany episode covered Berlin. I remember watching the Berlin Wall coming down as a child in 1989. It's interesting to see all the progress that's been made since then, including turning the remains of the wall into one long outdoor art exhibit.

The Danes were my favorites in Scandinavia. Coming from a small fishing town background myself, I can appreciate their sweet little island villages and laid-back way of life. I wish the US would adopt the awesome, efficient train and bike lines I keep seeing in these European shows. It would make things so much easier and greener.

I worked on inventories for a little while as the Baguettes rose. When they were done, I started Cornmeal-Battered Chicken Fingers, Cream of Spinach Soup, and boiled vegetables for dinner while watching Hans Christian Anderson. Danny Kaye is the title character in this fanciful version of the life of the famous Danish storyteller. This was the film debut of ballerina Jeanmarie, and there are four ballets that show off her talents. Kaye gets one of Frank Loesser's best film scores, including "Thumbelina," "Inchworm," "Anywhere I Wander," and "Wonderful Copenhagen."

Oh, and the Baguettes - the first bread I've made in months - came out amazing. It's perfectly soft and chewy. I baked them into four mini-loaves, which are much easier to handle than one big loaf.