Brasserie Restaurant in Frankfurt, Germany

On April 8, 2020April 9, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Germany, Recipes3 Comments

During the time that we spent in Frankfurt, we enjoyed a wide variety of restaurants, especially French, Italian, and Thai restaurants. Because we went out for lunch and dinner almost every day, we looked for places to eat that were located around our apartment where the staff was friendly, the food was good, and the atmosphere was inviting. There was a restaurant near the underground train station that we used almost on a daily basis that became our go-to place to eat and have a glass of wine. The restaurant was called the Brasserie, but unfortunately it closed down shortly after we left Frankfurt.

Located next to Alte Oper (the old opera house), the Brasserie was basically a French Bistro with fresh food of the finest quality. We enjoyed many wonderful meals at the Brasserie, but probably our favorite meals would have been the plate du jour, which obviously changed daily. Like many European restaurants have a somewhat limited menu, but everything we ate there was truly delicious. The meals were not particularly expensive, despite being in the heart of the tourist area and only about a ten-minute walk from our apartment.

Hot Chocolate with Peppermint Schnapps

On February 26, 2020February 26, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Recipes2 Comments

There is something so comforting about having a nice warm drink on a cold winter day. The combination of peppermint schnapps and hot chocolate is often called a “Snuggler” because of the warm hug that it gives to your inner body. We first had this in Aspen, many years ago and it is definitely one of our favorite winter drinks. Schnapps is not a particularly strong alcohol, so it is definitely a drink that you don’t need to feel guilty about having. The pairing of hot chocolate and peppermint is obviously a delicious one and this will definitely put a smile on your face. We added some peppermint bark (dark chocolate, white chocolate, and peppermint… yum). We originally shared this recipe four years ago, but we decided it was time to share it once again. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups Whole Milk (2% or skim, your preference)
6 tbsp Cocoa Powder
4 to 6 tbsp Peppermint Schnapps
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1 tbsp Granulated Sugar
1 tbsp Confectioner Sugar
1 tbsp Vanilla Extract

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat (do not bring to a boil). Whisk in the cocoa powder until it is thoroughly mixed. In a cold bowl, combine the whipping cream, sugars, and vanilla extract. Whip until soft peaks form. Pour the hot chocolate and schnapps into a mug and top with whipped cream. Serves 2.

The Beer of Vietnam and Laos

On January 15, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Food, Laos, Recipes, Vietnam10 Comments

During our recent trip to Vietnam, we had the opportunity to try a variety of different beers. Most of them were lagers that were brewed in different cities throughout Vietnam. There were also several pubs in Hanoi that served locally brewed craft beers. While beer was readily available and relatively inexpensive every place that we visited, wine was pretty expensive. We assume that it most likely due to the fact that Vietnam doesn’t produce much of its own wine. We only spent a couple of days in Laos, but we did have the opportunity to try several of their national beers during our time there as well.

Vietnam and especially Laos are very hot countries, so after a long day of exploring the country, having a nice cold beer is a nice way to help cool off. It was so hot in Vientiane, Laos that they actually served the beer with ice to actually put into your glass of beer because it would get warm before you could finish it. Even at night, the temperatures are still very warm and beer certainly paired well with most of the meals that we ate during our trip.

Tiger Beer was Popular Throughout Vietnam

Each city in Vietnam seemed to have its own brand of beer while Laos had a national brand of beer that was offered in a variety of styles including dark, amber, and lager. Most of the beers that we tried were not particularly hoppy or malty and were relatively mild. The mild flavor adds to the refreshing nature of drinking an ice cold beer. We definitely enjoyed the variety of beers that we tried throughout our time in the region.