Amsterdam Flower Market (w/ pics)!

As promised, a report of my recent travels!

Despite having lived over here in Europe for over 9 years now and having visited many parts of the continent, there are still a few important cities/areas that I haven't been to yet and are long overdue! Amsterdam being one of them, despite its proximity to where I live! So the idea for a mini-vacation and city-tour was conceived a while ago and finally born last month!

Amsterdam is not only an obvious choice destination for especially young travelers (thanks to its vivid cityscape, red light district, and pot-smoking cafés) but also appeals to the more general traveler thanks to its rich history, famous museums (Van Gogh Museum, Rembrandt House, recently-reopened Rijksmuseum, Anne Frank House, etc.), and world-renowned culture scene (Concertgebouw).

Another highlight, famous to all but a mecca for the gardener, is the Bloemenmarkt! This "floating" flower market is named so due to its location - hover over the canals with some supports on houseboats, totally Amsterdam-style!

As you may assume based on the name, flowers and bulbs are the main focus of this market, but it is a paradise for all gardeners alike - many, many different types of seeds, including exotic seeds, full plants, and even marijuana "starter kits", can be purchased and even packaged for international travel.

Enjoy my pics of the Bloemenmarkt!

a typical flower stand - look at how deep it is, and PACKED with seeds!

seeds, bulbs, more seeds and bulbs

cut flowers for sale, great selection...

...even cabbage blooms sold as cut flowers! pretty!

flowers, palms, and cannabis starter kits

the obvious pick: Dutch tulips...what which to choose?

more bulbs: amaryllis

more bulbs: zantedeschia

and some monster-esque bulbs!

live plants (here bonsai)

the ceiling of this shop at the end of the market was to die for, like heaven - a ceiling of pink (dried) flowers!!!

Mystery Vegetable: Savoy Cabbage

First off, thanks to you all for checking back! I have been really busy starting a new phase at work and doing a little traveling (check again soon for relevant posts about that! :) but will try to post more often now if I can!

Now winter is starting to (very slowly) peek its toes out from underneath the warm covers of mid-fall, the assortment of vegetables that I am getting in my weekly CSA box is definitely adjusting to suit the season. This week I got a very typical German vegetable that I know we have in the States, but I at least never would have purchased! What would you do with a...

Savoy Cabbage

savoy cabbage

The Brassica oleracea var. sabauda L. or Savoy Cabbage Group is a fall and winter vegetable that is quite popular over here in Germany especially around the Christmas season - "wirsing" is mostly cooked with scallions and garlic and is either served with sausages or as a side to duck, deer, or any wild game for the holidays (along with potatoes, of course!). It is a variety of the same species as kale, or "grünkohl" in German, but unlike kale, does form a head. The texture is the same, and I think they also taste the same. 

These heavy heads of green are not only a nice side dish for the winter season but are also very good for you for several reasons! Leafy greens are thought to help prevent cancer, probably due to their high fiber content, which also helps you stay full for longer and aids in digestion. Savoy cabbage as well as kale are also high in Vitamin C (wow!) and Vitamin K.

Another increasingly popular way to prepare kale and thus savoy cabbage is to make chips! I have done this once, but I used too much oil so the chips gotta kinda soppy quickly. The preparation is pretty simple, though, and something different to try. Have fun with this recipe from Food Network and invent your own ways to eat savoy cabbage!

Kale Chips

Ingredients
- 1 head kale, washed and thoroughly dried (important! otherwise the chips will not be crispy!)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Sea salt, for sprinkling

Directions
Preheat the oven to 275°F.
Remove the ribs from the kale and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Lay on a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil and salt. Bake until crisp, turning the leaves halfway through, about 20 minutes.