Berry picking in Uppsala

28 July 2021

For the past 2 years, we plucked strawberries in this farm - Ulva Kvarn. This year, we decided to pluck raspberries and blackberries which are more expensive than strawberries. We got to eat some as we plucked them to taste them. This year, the strawberries cost SEK115/kg. Increased from SEK100/kg in 2019 which was the first year we plucked the strawberries.

Raspberries - SEK180/kg and blackberries - SEK140/kg. Entrance fees for adults is SEK100 per person. We paid the entrance fees and the cardboard box (SEK20 for a box). One can bring their own container. I checked a local grocery store's website and found out that store-bought raspberries are from Spain and cost SEK181/kg whereas store-bought blackberries are from Mexico and cost SEK255/kg. 

The berries are so huge! Way larger than the wild berries that we plucked two weeks ago. We plucked wild raspberries in the countryside and the size of the wild berries are 1/3 of these berries. The plants are under a roof which protect the plants against the sun and rain. I think that helps with the growth. We got 2.75kg of raspberries and 1.75kg of blackberries. Also, there are no worms and insects in these berries. The staff weighs the weight of the box (with the berries) and deduct the box's weight to get the net weight. In total, we paid SEK800 for the berries. 

Tastebud : Bonn Sushi

26 July 2021

Japanese food at Bonn Sushi. This is not located in town. It is located opposite a huge grocery store (ICA Maxi) and I thought that it was strategic as workers can cross the road and buy sushi for lunch.

I had a small plate of 9 pieces of lyxsushi (which means luxurious sushi) for SEK120. Different kinds of fish which are not usually found in a normal plate.

Garden to kitchen : Tomato 'Indigo Rose'

Harvested my next vegetable - tomatoes! Orange-purple tomatoes known as Indigo Rose.

I don't usually eat colourful tomatoes. I am familiar with red tomatoes only. So, it was fun and exciting to plant other colours. These tomatoes took longer than my red cherry tomatoes to mature and be soft enough to be plucked. This plant grew very tall and because of that, it took longer for the tomatoes to mature as the energy and nutriets goes to the leaves at the bottom of the plants and the shoots. So, I had to pluck some of the bottom leaves and the shoots.

We got a tomato support as the plant grew longer. According to the seed packet, the plant can grow to a height of 2meter. The plant was not stable and it swayed easily when there is a strong wind. The tomatoes grew oddly when we placed the plant indoors as we were away for the weekend and did not want the plant to dry out and wither. I think the tomatoes turned out odd due to the lack of sunlight indoors. I read too that a plant grows gangly or leggy due to lack of light as the plant tries to stretch out as much as possible for light. So, that is another reason why the plant grew longer.

The part of the tomatoes that were exposed to the sun turned purple but the hidden parts were still green. It was funny when I saw that there were green streaks as I checked the tomato. I adjusted the tomato and the green streaks eventually turn purple after a week. It was still not soft. Then, the tomato turned orange for some of the small green spots. Now, the tomato is soft as it turned orange. Amazing, huh!

Tastebud : Nam Kang

23 July 2021

Lunch in town today. Lots of people in town for the summer. Many tourists too. I feel stressed seeing all these people.

Today, a Korean friend wanted to eat in a Korean restaurant and I decided to join her. We ate at Nam Kang and I had the day's special i.e. kkanpoongi that are lightly-fried chicken bits in sweet and hot sauce. It came with rice and one could take miso soup, kimchi, salad, tea and coffee. I did not take the tea, coffee or water because I was unsure whether I could find a public toilet to pee as I was taking the 1.5 hour bus ride back to the countryside.

Meal costs SEK125 and I am pleased with my meal. I took a small plate of kimchi and I enjoyed the kimchi a lot! Such a good meal!

Wild raspberry plucking

17 July 2021

Today, we plucked some wild raspberries that grows amongst nettles in the countryside. So, I wore long pants and shirt so that I don't get pricked by the sharp nettles. Also, I wanted to avoid a suntan. We got 1 liter of raspberries. They were small and we had to check the berries to ensure that there are no worms or insects. Otherwise, it will be extra protein. :)

Garden to kitchen : Tomato 'Black Cherry'

The tomato journey continues - this time, the harvest is 'Black Cherry' tomato. The tomatoes are not black in colour. According to my sister, the colour is burgundy. This tomato is sweeter than the usual cherry tomato.

The seeds were sowed in the beginning of April and the plant can grow to a height of 2 metres, similar to my Indigo Rose tomato. We got a plant support for this plant too as it swayed easily when it is windy. The plant has a pretty foliage but this is a disadvantage as nutrients flow to the leaves instead of the flowers. So, I snipped off the leaves at the bottom of the plant and nipped the shoots as these grow to produce flowers. Flowers are good because they bear the fruits but this will not allow the existing tomatoes to mature.

The first tomatoes were harvested on 17 July. 

Garden to Kitchen : Zucchini (in the countryside)

Do you know where plants thrive best? In the countryside. Every being feels better when they are surrounded by nature. I transferred my potted plants gradually to the countryside. 

Zucchini is my first potted plant to move to countryside. Pollination was perfect there with so many bees buzzing around. Look what I got for my zucchini! 1cm growth each day after pollination. It reached to a length of 22cm and I decided to harvest it. I was so happy! It was almost as big as the one in the store. 

Tastebud : BanYan

12 July 2021

Today, I had lunch with a friend in BanYan, an Indian restaurant. It had been a long time since I had Indian food as I began to realise all Indian curries are similar despite the different names. As I cook more, I am aware of the ingredients in an Indian curry. The restaurant has several additions that comes with the price of a meal, so I thought it was worth the price.

I had Malay Lamm (lamb curry) för SEK105 and garlic naan for SEK20. My friend took chicken tandoori rezalla (sizzing chicken) for SEK99. The additions that we had were mango lassi (a drink that originated in the Punjab region which is a blend of yogurt, water, spices and sometimes fruit which is mango in this case), salad, pappadam (a flatbread that is made from dried lentils) or and rasam (a soup that is made of spicy-sweet-sour stock traditionally prepared using kokum, tamarind, or dried green mango juice as a base). There is even coffee, tea and water. I took mango lassi because this drink do not come cheap and I miss drinking that. 

Tastebud : Hanoi Pho

10 July 2021

Weekend and we are in town today. After a cycle, we stopped for lunch at Hanoi Pho. I cannot remember the last time I had Vietnamese food. I had a chicken bowl for SEK129. Chicken strips, rice noodles, salad, and chilli in soya sauce (not spicy at all), among the ingredients that I remembered. The amount of food was sufficient for me to continue cycling.

Garden to Kitchen : Zucchini

My next vegetable harvest - zucchini!

On hindsight, I should not have planted zucchini because it is cheap during summers. About SEK33 per kg which is about RM16. Instead, I should have planted bell peppers because they are expensive! SEK49.90 per kg which is about RM25. I am happy, regardless because it is my first time with a zucchini and it is so stressful ensuring sufficient pollination and sunlight. I did not realise that pollination can be a challenge when one stays in an apartment and bees are rare. Plus, zucchini flowers bloom in the mornings only and close by 4pm. Short time frame. 

Tastebud : Lux (2nd time)

9 July 2021

My first lunch outing (in 2021!) in a restaurant today! I did not buy any food for the first half of the year due to Corona. I have gotten my first dose of vaccination and I am 92% protected after the first dose. I got Moderna. So, I feel confident enough to eat in a restaurant. My colleagues and I had lunch at Lux which is near the workplace. I was there in October 2019 and I had Wallenbergare. I did not see it in the menu today. I suppose it is not a summer food or they have changed the menu.

Today, I had stewed fish and shrimp with potatoes that is garnished with dill and surrounded by 2 pieces of roasted sourdough bread for SEK140. It was good and the cheapest on the lunch menu. But I have to admit that I could cook the same dish at home too. I cooked stewed fish with potatoes this week but without the shrimps as shrimps are expensive. 

I was very full after the meal and I think it is due to the starters that I had - sourdough bread with butter. Bread and butter are usually served to guests upon arrival in restaurants. Swedes love their bread. That is a fact.

Wellness Allowance : Footcare (again)

8 July 2021

Today, I utilised my wellness allowance for footcare again. I did footcare for the first time last year in October 2020 due to Corona as I believe it is much safer if my foot gets cared for. I went back to the same foot therapist. Foot therapist here has to go through a course and be certified. This time, I did not get any tea and cookies. I wonder if it is because I visited in the summer while I visited this place last year in autumn and it was colder so I got cookies and tea, maybe?

Anyway, I have decided that I will try another foot therapist next time which is much nearer to my place. I think it is great to vary service providers when there is such an option. 

The photos are not very clear because I minimised the size of the photos. My toes are pink and clean again. For now. The first session took 30 minutes and I utilised SEK810 and this time, it took 45 minutes and cost more - SEK890. I did not realise there was a difference in the price until I checked my last year wellness allowance. Odd.

The feet get a bath first. I soaked my feet for about 10 minutes to soften the toenails which will make the nails easier to treat.

Then, the soles get filed to remove any hardened skin.

Followed by shaping, grinding and polishing the sharp edges and rough nails.

I did not take further pictures. The therapist removed the dirt from under the nails but it was not very thorough. There was a little dirt left so I went home and removed them. After the dirt removal, the therapist massaged my feet and put my socks back on for me. 

Garden to kitchen : Tomato 'Tiny Tim'

My first tomato harvest - Tiny Tim tomatoes. The common red cherry tomato. Well, I think this is the common sort as they look like the ones I see in the grocery store. This plant is short and produces lots of small red tomatoes.

I started sowing the seeds on 13 March and in 2 weeks' time, the seedlings appeared. The first fruit appeared 2 months after I sowed the seeds. Tomatoes are easy to plant as the plant does not require any help to pollinate. The flowers contain both female and male so a shake of the flower or a small gust of wind assist in the pollination. Unlike the zucchini who has separate female and male flowers and require bees to pollinate the female flowers to ensure the fruit for harvest, tomatoes are a guaranteed harvest. 

My first red tomato burst in the middle due to the heat and uneven watering. It was a pretty red tomato before it burst and I waited 2-3 days before harvesting it but it burst before I could pluck it. It was very hot on the balcony and according to Google, the plant is unable to absorb the water evenly to distribute to its fruit. So, I learnt from my mistake and as soon as the tomato turned red, I did not wait and I harvested the fruit.

The tomatoes were very warm from the sun and they tasted extra sweet. Sweeter than the store bought ones. I am a happy urban farmer. :)