Tuesday 10 January 2017

A Postcard A Day - Tuesday 10 Jan 2017 T for orzo coffee and Belarus

Good Morning T-Gang!



Everything has gone back to normal here. We have celebrated Three Kings on the 6th (see my previous blog post) and now all the children have gone back to school since yesterday and my clubs have all started up again after the Christmas break. 

Any new year's resolutions? I don't usually make any, but we did start a healthy eating regime. A bit like Paleo but we do eat beans. Anybody doing the Whole30 thing? It's similar to that. Although I'm doing this to feel better, I normally lose weight on this diet. Probably because I cut out sugar and sweet things and alcohol, which makes a lot of difference of course. I have already lost a kilo since the beginning of the year!

My postcard of today arrived yesterday from Belarus.
It shows some sort of memorial park and I was going to look up some info about it on the internet, but now I seem to have lost the card. Can't find it anywhere... Sorry.
The stamp is lovely, with the mushrooms. The date stamps shows it was posted on the 24th but I only received it yesterday.

Some of you might know that Saturday is my baking day. I love baking. I get a lot of my ideas from Fatto in casa da Benedetta, which is an Italian girl who bakes at home and she shows through videos how to do it. Just images, no talking, so very easy to follow. I made this cake, called ciambellone all'orzo. It turned out perfectly. Hurray for Benedetta.

I used caffe d'orzo (orzo coffee) to make this cake. Orzo coffee  is a type of hot drink, originating in Italy. This is what Wikipedia says about it (Just skip this bit if you're not interested): Orzo is a caffeine-free roasted grain beverage made from ground barley (orzo in Italian, from Latin hordeum). It is an espresso-style drink, and when prepared from the roasted barley directly, it can easily be made in typical espresso machines and coffeemakers. In Italy it is widely available in coffee vending machines. Although traditionally considered a coffee substitute for children, it is an increasingly common choice in Italy and other places for those who choose to eschew caffeine for health reasons.
In Italy caffè d'orzo is made in the traditional Italian espresso machines in the cafes. Italian families tend, instead, to make it using an orziera, a special moka pot adapted to barley.
During the II World War and post war times, caffè d'orzo and chicory became the most popular drink in Europe. They were both used as substitutes for coffee, which was expensive and hard to find. In European countries with a very long post war period, like for instance Spain, this image of barley as a cheap surrogate of coffee still remains in the memory of the population. Thus, from having dozens of Spanish producers in the 1950s and being a widely popular drink in the Spanish Mediterranean coast, now Spain only has two roasters of barley. In Italy, instead, there are dozens of roasters making caffè d'orzo and it is a very popular drink. Out of Italy caffè d'orzo is also increasing slowly its consumption as a healthy drink, especially in Germany.
Why didn't I put the orzo in the photograph? I drink it all the time. (I lived in Italy for many years and kept the habit) Hmm I forgot. Now I have to really look for something drink related to be able to join the T-gang today. Elizabeth and Bleubeard host this tea party at Altered Book Lover.
Oh well, I have to improvise:
Sorry I'm not very organized. (I'm writing this in the middle of the night. Perhaps I should just go to bed...)

Happy T-Day everyone,

Have a good week,

Hugs,

Lisca

25 comments:

  1. First of all-I love your banner! Thanks for sharing about the orzo coffee-I had never heard of it and would gladly try it. What a great looking cake! I too love to bake and usually bake twice a week for my dessert loving hubby-who doesn't gain a bit due to his work out regimen.Thankfully I'm not a dessert/sweets person myself:) Happy T day!

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  2. I've never heard of orzo coffee. I don't know if you can get it at all here in the US. I love learning all these new things by reading your blog. Happy T day. :) Hugs-Erika

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  3. It sounds like your eating plan is working. Good for you in your new year success! I've never had orzo, but I'll be checking to see if there are any local sources. Happy T Tuesday!

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  4. Happy T day Lisca!! i baked this week too... Oatmeal raisin/chocolate chip cookies..MMMmmm... Your cake looks scrumptious!! Thank you so much for the very interesting information! Happy happy T day! Hugs! deb

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  5. Lovely post. Love the look of what you baked, yummy. I think I found the kilo you lost - want it back?! I do prefer real coffee, but remember coffee and chicory essence in England, it was from Camp's, my auntie always used it. Happy T Day, hugs, Valerie

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    1. Yes, I know Camp 'coffee'. I think it is made with chicory and I would drink it accasionally at a friend's house (who doesn't drink coffee)

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  6. The bake looks terrific hope it fits in with your eating plan. Good Luck with that and I hope you lose weight and stay healthy in 2017

    Happy T Day

    Love Chrissie xx

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  7. It was really interesting to read about the coffee, my gran made a super cake using the bottled chicory coffee essence, but we never liked the flavour in a drink. My eye was drawn to that yummy cake you made, I hope you are able to eat it on your new diet, although a little of forbidden food always tastes better.
    Happy T Day.
    Yvonne xx

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  8. Sorry I'm late visiting. My old computer had a major meltdown, and I had to reboot it twice in order for it to run again. I was able to visit a couple of people, then it went out again. I gave up and went to bed. I'll be glad when I get my new computer back.

    I don't think I've heard of orzo coffee before. It's one of the things I most enjoy about T day. I get to learn new things. Don't think I would care for it, since I'm addicted to caffeine, but it was fun to read about it, and see the beautiful cake you made from it.

    I am in LOVE with your Fornasetti's Lina Cavalieri. One of my favorites, I might add.

    Thanks for sharing your new diet (which I've never heard of), your beautiful coffee cake, and your Lina Cavalieri coffee image with us for T this Tuesday.

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  9. Sounds like you are having a great start to the New Year with your healthy diet, lovely postcard and mushroom postage stamp and baking! Your cake looks so delicious, I had heard of the coffee before and was very interested to read the information about it, thanks :-). I also got delayed looking at the Benedetta link which is fantastic, thanks for sharing! I really like the design on the "Welcome to Belarus" postmark that is stamped on your postcard too - beautiful! Happy T Day! J :-)

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  10. Great post card, I like that stamp. The orzo I'm familiar with is a tiny rice size pasta. Never had it as a coffee but will look for it out of curiosity. Have had chicory flavored coffee and didn't care much for it. I'm sure I'd like your cake though

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    1. The orzo pasta shape is just that: a shape. It is the shape of a grain of barley (which is called orzo in Italy)

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  11. Lovely banner with you looking happy in the garden!
    The stamp lover in my also thinks the Belarus stamp is special.
    Your cake sounds wonderful.
    My husband would Love it if I baked every week but with just two of us our waistlines might not do well with it ;-)
    Wishing you a Happy T Day oxo

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  12. Loved your explanation of orzo-found it very interesting, and wouldn't mind trying it if I could find it here in the US. Delicious looking cake too! always enjoy your post cards...quite delighted with the little mushroom stamp!

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  13. Congrats on your weight loss! Your coffee seems to be like my caro coffee.
    Good luck with Paleo!
    Your cake looks fabulous!
    Will check the Italian cooking lady - thank you for the link!
    oxo Susi
    Happy T-Day

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  14. that cake Looks yummy. i love to bake, too, but normally don´t every week, as i have to put parts of it into the freezer - one cake is too much for 2 People.
    love that mushroom and the cancellation stamp, too! awesome!
    happy belated t-day:)

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    1. I only bake when we are going somewhere. I always arrive at someone's house with a cake. Sundays we have a church group at my friends' house so I bake a cake on Saturday. My husband and I don't eat a whole cake. Anyway, we are on a diet now...

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  15. Great Banner ♥♥♥♥ The cake looks so yummy I can just taste it :) I'll have to check out the blog for some new recipes... always looking for something new. The post card is great and I LOVE the stamp... Happy Be-lated T Day!

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  16. I just checked out a bunch of paleo cookbooks from the library. I don't think its for me but I did find a recipe or tw in each that are good solid healthy foods that I want to try. Nice job on the weight loss!
    Happy T day!

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  17. Interesting facts about orzo. Since it's roasted, I wonder if it tastes anything like coffee. Not important though, since I won't be trying it. I don't like coffee or tea ;-)

    You're off to a healthy start for the new year. Good for you and good luck, Lisca. Happy T Day!

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    1. The stuff I have doesn't taste of coffee. I mix mine with aniseed so it has a mild aniseed taste.

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  18. Belated T-day wishes Lisca!
    I am trying to eliminate sugar and grains, I always feel better when I do.....and usually drop some weight too. Good for you on dropping some weight.....but just being and feeling healthier is much more important.
    Love the post card and the stamps were great.

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  19. Interesting about orzo. I only know it as a pasta used in soups. The cake looks delicious. Bet a slice would go well with the big cup the girl in your graphic is drinking. I'll have to check out the baking link. I love to bake and just baked bread today. I bake a loaf usually every other day. Congrats on your weight loss. Have a great day.

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    1. The orzo pasta shape is just that: a shape. It is the shape of a grain of barley (which is called orzo in Italy)

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  20. Very interesting post about orzo! Not eating sugar like chocolate seems very hard for me, so congrats on your weight loss! Beautiful Banner!
    Happy T Day!

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