About & CONTACT

bretzelj

Welcome to my blog! My name is Sissi and I live in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. I am an avowed chilli addict and a very eclectic cook, with a distinct penchant for Asian cuisines (Japanese, Korean, Thai and Indian meals appear most frequently on my table). I love filling up my pantry with pickles, sauces, savoury jellies, liquors…. I have a big passion for wine and am particularly fond of Burgundy wines and German rieslings. Like most home cooks, I have always tried to keep my recipes on paper. Putting them online is a great way to share my culinary passion with you. I hope it will push me to become more disciplined and organized, improve my cooking skills, my English, not to mention learning to properly use my camera! It’s a pleasure to read your comments, but you can also write to me at withaglass at withaglass dot com.

50 Replies to “About & CONTACT”

    1. Bonjour Robert-Gilles, thank you for this kind comment. It seems we have a lot in common! I saw the other day you had a website dedicated to shochu too. You are so lucky to have access to hundreds, if not thousands, of different shochu brands and varieties!
      Looking forward to read your new posts about this wonderful alcohol!

  1. I’m wondering, how do you get shochu in Swiitzerland?
    I actually work for a big project for Shizuoka’s Agriculture promotion at http://agrigraph.jp/ (click on “English” on the right!
    The page will be renovated into a very slick one by the 10th of May!
    What are you doing in Switzerland?
    Cheers,
    Robert-Gilles

    1. Actually even though I keep on complaining I can only dream of some Japanese products (pickled cherry blossoms…), I have two Japanese grocers here. They have usually about 15 different kinds of shochu and it changes, so I still keep on discovering… They have even some fresh Japanese vegetables and I even saw once yuzu!
      Update: I have just seen the agriculture promotion website, it sounds like a dream job!!! I have thought it was what you wrote about during your free time. I really envy you!

  2. Hi Sissi! I am so glad to have found your website! It’s amazing the amount of passion I can feel through your writing, and it’s always great to “meet” a fellow Foodie, especially someone who resides in a land I wish to visit some day!

    I am definitely looking forward to more postings from you, Happy Cooking!

    1. Hi Jeno, thank you for visiting my blog and thank you for this kind comment! I am also looking forward to see more of your weeknight meals. See you soon on the web or maybe one day in Switzerland 🙂 Happy Cooking to you too!

  3. Hi, Sissi, and thank you for a wonderful treasure of recipes.

    I am just about to read through your Snacks & Finger Food category because that is something I would love to learn and master.
    Really great canapés can make an interesting party into a truly memorable one.

    Excellent site. Very well done!

    Best wishes,
    Danny

    1. Hi, Danny, welcome to my blog! Thank you so much for such a kind comment and the compliments. I am happy you like my blog. I make more and more finger food and snacks these days, especially when receiving friends. Even in a small group the atmosphere is more laid back than having a traditional dinner. On weekends, even when we don’t have guests, we often find nice cocktails or a bottle of good wine much merrier with different snacks than with just one dinner dish. I hope you’ll find here something worth trying. Do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or doubts.

    2. Hi Sissi,
      Thank you very much for your recipe, I did try to cooked it, however I can’t get the crispy effect of the garlic. I fried it separately and it’s crispy, but when I put it in the oil the crispness disappear. Any tips? This is one of my favorite condiments.

      1. Hi Mye,
        Thank you so much for testing my recipe! Do you mean the chilli oil? (Taberu rayu?) It’s my favourite condiment and the one I use most often. I have been making it for years and always make sure I have at least a jar ready to use. Unfortunately, when I do it the garlic doesn’t keep the initial crispness either, it gets soaked in the oil and becomes softer. I have no idea how to keep it crisp, but if I find a way I’ll let you know here!

  4. Hello Sissy, it was nice of you to drop a comment on my blog. Thanks for the visit and I’m really glad you did. Your blog is mighty interesting! So many great categories, I’ll need some time to browse through them all. I love how creative you are with your ingredients. I definitely will be dropping by often.

    1. Hello Ping! Thank you for your visit and such a kind and flattering message! You are always welcome here! It’s such a pleasure to read your posts and discover your recipes that I think I’ll invite myself to your blog quite often too 😉

  5. Hi Sissi

    I’m not sure if it’s a coincidence but I love the German style rieslings which thankfully we get lots of from Clare Valley in South Australia. Dry white wines are beautiful with some of the great Asian food here. I love a good Burgundy pinot noir especially with chinese roast duck which again we are fortunate there are really good ones in Sydney. Look forward to reading more of your blog!

    1. Thank you for your kind comment! Frankly, we don’t get very good Australian wines here (at least I haven’t tasted any), only the very basic ones, so I cannot even imagine how they taste. I totally agree some white wines are great with Asian food. I only have problems with the very hot dishes, but some wines can stand those too. A good Chinese roast duck is still something I haven’t tasted yet…

      1. I would ditch Asian food if I was living in your beautiful part of the world and I’m sure you are drinking some beautiful French reds. I find that gewurztraminer with its flowery spicy bouquet is great for spicy Asian dishes if one had to pair a white with it.

        1. One gets bored with the European cuisine… As for the wines, you are absolutely right. The proximity of the France is very convenient 😉 I’m not a big fan of gewürztraminer, but it’s true it usually doesn’t fear the spices.

    1. Hi, Sue. Thank you so much for the visit and the kind comment. I am a Korean cuisine enthusiast indeed, but I am still a beginner.

  6. Hi Sissi,

    I started a blog very recently, basically as an online food travelogue. While doing some extra research for my post about Cafe Gerbeaud in Budapest, I came across your lovely recipe for a traditional Zserbó . I hope you don’t mind me linking your Zserbó recipe to my post here, http://ravenousscientist.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/a-perfect-evening-in-budapest-cafe.html.
    Your blog is excellent! Love your openness to all sorts of cuisines. I have bookmarked the recipe for Burmese-Style Pork Curry with Ginger to try later this week (drools). Looking forward to more recipes from your site!

    1. Hi, Eliza. Thank you very much for the compliments. I’m very flattered to have a link from your blog to my humble zserbo (I am not very proud of the way it looks and even less by the photo, but I will improve one day! It’s one of the most difficult cakes I have ever made, but so good…)
      Thank you for your visit and your kind comment!
      PS Burmese-style pork is one of the most unusual and sophisticated Asian dishes I have ever found! I hope you will like it too.

  7. Hello Sissi,
    I stumbled upon your blog twice in one day from two different directions! One was through Hiroyuki-san’s wonderful blog and the other was while I was looking for a recipe for “matsukaze-yaki”. I love your passionate but realistic approach to cooking and the fact that you’re not afraid to try your own variations. I also admire greatly your photographic skills and your consistency in pursuing your blog since 2010. Keep up the great work! I look forward to trying out more of your recipes and staying in touch.

    1. Dear Cate, I have discovered your kind comment while checking emails with a cup of my morning coffee. Excellent mood for the rest of the day (or rather week) guaranteed! Thank you so much for so many warm words and compliments. I’m extremely flattered and happy to have a new visitor. Welcome to my blog!

  8. OMG! There’s a picture of you!!!!! I just happen to hit your “about” button and there you were! I don’t remember it being there before. FINALLY!!! I love being able to put a face to one of my favorite foodie friends!! Love, love, love the picture! It’s so you. 🙂

    1. Haha! Thank you so much for kind words, MJ. It’s a tiny photograph really… It’s been here for several years now. Not very representative for what I eat (it’s a pretzel sandwich I really love, but especially popular in the German speaking part of Switzerland).

      1. Really? It’s been there for several years? How did I miss it? I thought I had been all through your blog. Guess I never got to the About page. Shame on me!!!! 🙂

        1. Hey, MJ don’t feel bad because I am seven months after you discovering her photo in the “About” page. Hahaha! Glad to see the person behind one of my favorite blogs. 🙂

  9. Hi Sissi,
    I am visiting your blog from Nami’s blog (Just One Cook Book). Wow, you have nice blog here.
    I am exploring your blog right know and I am interesting with your rendang recipe, since I am Indonesian and love to cook. I have posted the rendang recipe on my blog, Padang version and using potato too.
    (But my blog written in Bahasa Indonesia with google translate inside, if you interesting come visit someday)
    If you like to try another Indonesian recipe, I would love to give you the recipe.

    It is nice to know you Sissi. I will continue exploring your blog now..
    Monica

    1. Hi Monica! Thank you so much for your kind comment and welcome to my blog! I’ll visit yours with pleasure: I don’t know much about Indonesian cuisine, but all I have tasted until now was fabulous.

  10. What an awesome blog! I found you thru our mutual friend Katerina from Culinary Flavors! I am looking forward to exploring your blog! Mine is Dishin with Didi

    1. Hi Didi, Thank you so much for the compliments and your visit! I’m looking forward to discovering your blog too.

  11. Hello Sissi. I’m your new fan from Bangkok, Thailand. I found you after exhaustively searching for the “japanese-style chili paste” that I fell in love with at a Japanese restaurant in Bangkok. I didn’t know what it but was but able to find some at a local japanese supermarket at exorbitant prices!! So I went on the web to search for it until I found the taburu ruyu recipe you posted! I haven’t had time to make it since I’m yet to finish the last jar I got. But soon! So I want to thank you for posting that recipe. I’m a recent subscriber have already fell in love with your blog. All your recipes seem so divine and I will try to follow your instruction with one very soon. The pictures you take are also so luscious! Thank you so much again. And I wish you good luck and urge you to keep on creating!

    1. Hi, David. Very nice to meet you! You must live surrounded by fantastic food… Thank you so much for such a kind comment and so many compliments! If I ever have doubts about blogging, I’ll read your message again to cheer me up 🙂
      I’m glad you have found taberu rayu recipe you were looking for. I still remember how thrilled I was to learn how to do it, all thanks to a kind blogger from Japan. I have posted two versions : a “standard” (http://www.withaglass.com/?p=9494) and a simplified one. I’ve been making the simple one (http://www.withaglass.com/?p=15924) for years now because we eat it quite often and I find it so quick and easy (it takes me now ten minutes), but it’s up to you which one you try. I love both. You can adjust the amounts according to your preferences (more or less garlic, sesame seeds, more chilli if you want it thicker, etc..). And do not hesitate to write to me if you have questions!
      Thank you again for such a kind message and for subscribing. I’m always happy to meet new visitors! Especially those who are so kind…

  12. HI Sissy, nice blog. I found it when looking for inspiration what to do from matjes herrings 🙂 I usually eat them in a salad (mixed cucumber, tomato, onion, green parsley). I’m also a sushi lover and was thinking about rolling maki with herring. I’ll give it a try, inspired by your recipe but I have one comment to the recipe. The best matjes herring (and only original) comes exclusively from Netherlands. If it’s produced outside Netherlands it’s not matjes. So all herrings that comes from Poland, Norway, etc. are not matjes. The difference is that original matjes is more fatty and creamy. It barely melts when you put it in your mouth. It’s worth a try. Much better than other matjes-like herrings from outside Netherlands. Cheers, Kris

    1. Hi Kris, thanks a lot for the kind words and for the matjes info! I wish I could taste the original matjes one day… It sounds fantastic. I’ll remember it if I visit Netherlands one day. I hope you will try matjes in maki sushi and like it as much as I do. Thanks for visiting my blog!

  13. Hi Sissi,
    You have so many Asian recipes that I thought you were Asian yourself. You must have been Asian in your past life! Love your blog.

    1. Hi June, thank you so much for such a kind comment and for visiting my blog! I’m also sometimes wondering where my love for Asian food comes from… reincarnation would be the perfect explanation 😉

  14. Hallo!

    Your recipes are very easy to follow and taste great. Recently tried your Coconut cookies. Tasted fantasic and it was easy making them.

    Please keep the amazing work!

    1. Hello K! Thank you so much for this kind comment! It’s always a great pleasure to learn my recipes are useful and the results enjoyed! I’m glad you like my coconut cookies, they’re one of the most frequent sweet treats I prepare.

  15. Hi Sissi,
    I have just made your caesar salad dressing recipe – very good. I had just watched Rick Stein’s Road to Mexico and could not find the recipe anywhere else, so thank you!

    I am an avid cook, live in Surrey in London with my husband and daughter, but one day I would like to move back to Geneva where I am from. Maybe one day we could open a bakery together or start a food-related venture – it is my dream.

    Thank you for a wonderful and inspiring blog.

    All the best,
    Isabelle

    1. Hi Isabelle, thank you so much for visiting my blog and for such a kind comment! I’m always thrilled to realise my blog sometimes makes people cook and most of all enjoy the food I write about! I cross my fingers for your food-related business adventure plans (let’s hope it’s not a mere dream!).
      If you ever come back for a quick trip to your home town, please let me know! It’d be wonderful to have a cup of coffee together!
      Thank you once more for the kind words and compliments!

  16. Hi Sissi!

    My search for a one-stop blog for recipes stopped right here. I just moved into my first apartment and want to start cooking more. I live in NYC where I’m drowning in take-out options, but there’s nothing like your own kitchen. I tend to lean towards Japanese cooking but I recently fell in love with Nordic cuisine. Your eclectic palate is perfect for me as I eat *everything* I do travel to Asia and Europe often and plan to head over to Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Austria next year.

    I just want to thank you for compiling your work and for still being active all these years!

    1. Hi Eve, thank you so much for visiting my blog and for all the kind words… I recently find it a bit difficult to post regularly, so your words give me a huge dose of motivation! I bought the famous Noma cookbook (have never dared cooking from it!), I know several old-fashioned Nordic dishes, but not much more about this region’s traditional or modern cuisine. It does sound interesting though!
      Good luck with your future cooking adventures! You are lucky to live in such an international city: probably, like me, you won’t have any problems to get Asian products! Let me know if you have any questions, doubts or remarks about any recipe! And thank you once more for such a heart-warming message…
      PS Let me know if you come to Switzerland next year!

  17. Hello again Sissi,

    I borrowed a Nordic Baking book [by Magnus Nilsson] from my library and have been going through it. It lacks a lot of visuals but the text and random notes are interesting enough. I am Asian myself so most of the ingredients are familiar to me, just haven’t gotten around to fully utilizing them haha. I generally cook out of necessity unfortunately. Love the recent tofu post and must try it for myself next week. I usually coat with cornstarch and then pan fry.

    Zurich or Geneva are the cities I’m debating on. I’m assuming you’re in/near Romandy?

    1. Hi Eve! Thank you so much for the compliments about the recent post. I am really an alien among the carnivores who all hate tofu here, haha! I have seen Magnus Nilsson I think on the British tv show Saturday Kitchen (I watch it almost every week, it’s really well made so if you have a chance to watch it, I recommend!). I don’t have problems baking cakes and tarts etc. but breads intimidate me (apart from the Indian chappati I now prepare at least once a month). Well…actually I live in Geneva, so if you ever come her, I’d love to meet!! (But Switzerland is very small…. about 3 hours between Zurich and Geneva by train). Write me an email as soon as you know your trip dates (withaglass_at_withaglass.com). I hope I will be here at the same time.

  18. Hi, I just came from reading your pickled ginger blog – the one where you thought you had galangal and got young ginger by accident. lol. I do not know if you have discovered this since then, but when ginger is veerryy young, the outer scales carry a light pink colour at the base of the pseudostem near the “root.” It is this that gives the pink colour to the pickles. If they cut too much of this off, or if the ginger was more teenager than young, then you won’t get this pink blush. I remember the first time I tried pickles I was actually in a panic when the solution turned pink,only to later discover that that was what was supposed to happen. LOL.

    1. Hi, Mady. Yes, I’ve noticed it since then, but as you say, sometimes young ginger doesn’t have these pinkish tips… it must be a teenager then, I guess!
      Have you ever pickled garlic in vinegar? It often turns blue or green (actually practically always in my case). Some people might be scared by the colour change too! Thank you so much for this message and for visiting my blog!

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