Cultural Heritage: Marcolini House and Garden

Until a few years ago Marcolini House was the home of several families. Romantic and spacious, but lacking all comfort of modern life and in a state of progressing decay. Each single room had to be heated by small stoves. Against all odds (and colds) my friend Katja lived there with her family. She painted in oil and just loved the spell of the place in pure nature and in such close neighbourhood to the Pheasant Castle.

Today the new owner, Mr. Stelzer, is renovating the three-sided house with passion and an eye for details. Despite the fact that renovation is still in progress, Mr. Stelzer opened the Marcolini House to the public. In the meantime it has  become a lovely place for weddings and family celebrations, dinners after hunting, coffee parties and wintery gatherings around the fireplace.

Currently one of the halls is being restored to its original baroque elegance and shall be used for chamber music concerts. And hopefully, in 2016 the 120qm Marcolini Suite will be finished, redecorated and ready for the guests.

The atmosphere at Marcolini House is welcoming and laid back. If you are in the area of the Pheasant Castle (Fasanenschlösschen), the Game Reserve (Wildgehege) and Großteich don't forget to stop by and have a cup of coffee,  a piece of cake or a bowl of soup. You can sit in the yard or inside the historical rooms. The everyday selection of food includes: soups, stews, homemade cakes and tarts, coffee, tea and other beverages.

The surroundings of Marcolini House are breathtakingly beautiful and are a popular weekend  destination for locals and tourists alike. Therefore I recommend you visit during the week.
The Marcolini House is right beside the cute pink Pheasant Castle, and just a 20 minutes walk away from the Moritzburg Castle. You could also rent a bike and explore the beautiful lake area and the forest.

Marcolini House is open everyday from 11:00h to 18:00h throughout the whole year (with the exception of hail, snowstorm or tornado). Barbecues on the weekend.

photo by Rosa

on my running track n°1

overnight oats

In the evening I fill a jam jar with

• dried goji berries
• dried sour cherries
• water to soak

• oat flakes
• almond cuisine (= creamy almond milk)
• pestled flaxseed
• chia seeds
• chopped and roasted nuts 
• chopped dates, agave or maple syrup to sweeten

Next morning I top the mixture with fresh fruit. 

Be inventive and combine whatever you fancy. In case you need more inspiration click on  Zain's Swiss Summer Oats. Great photos and recipes!

weekend links

Hermès scarfs are just amazing and pure luxury.  What a great craftmanship! Have a glance behind the scenes.

Lately I've been researching a lot about cameras, lenses and settings.  A big Thank You to all the photographers who share their experience and advice. Here you can find a compilation of the most popular cameras and settings for Reuters' 2012 photos of the year.

"A good wife always knows her place". A time travel back to the year 1955: the good wife's guide .

Another photographer who lately caught my attention: Christian Richter from Jeßnitz/Germany.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Canihua Pudding, Yoghurt and Strawberries

 Canihua seeds look like this:

Who would have thought that this healthy grain could be metamorphosed into a rich and creamy chocolate dessert ?  And luckily, without being rich in the popular sense of the word. No fat, no cream, no excessive chocolate and sugar, just healthy little grainygrains....

Take
50g (only 50!) bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
500ml milk ( I took fresh goat milk)
100g Canihua, ground
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
100g Muscobado sugar ( a bit less is fine)
( I'm thinking about an additional cup of expresso next time...)

Combine the chocolate and 250ml milk in a saucepan. Bring the milk to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the chocolate.
Mix the remaining 250ml milk with the Canihua, the sugar and the cocoa powder. Whisk the mixture into the choco-milk.
Bring to a boil again and stir until thick and creamy. Remove from the heat and fill into a bowl or into 8 expresso cups.

Canihua Pudding matches perfectly with créme chantilly, yoghurt and strawberries. Enjoy!

Munich in springtime

 We had a great time last weekend celebrating my youngest nephew's confirmation. Thank you!!