Swiss Oatie Bars

These are great fun for kids to make. The recipe calls for muesli, commonly eaten with yogurt for breakfast in Switzerland; it is filling, healthy and super tasty. 


Click here to watch JennyB's daughters making Swiss Oatie Bars

100 grams butter (3 and 1/2 ounces)
85 grams brown sugar (3 ounces or 1/2 cup packed)
2 tablespoons golden syrup (here in the UK) or honey
2 big tablespoons smooth or crunchy peanut butter
140 grams (1 hefty cup) unsweetened muesli with raisins
85 grams (3/4 cup) rolled oats
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1) Pre-heat the oven to 180C (350F). Melt the butter, brown sugar and golden syrup (or honey) over medium heat. Stir constantly until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the peanut butter until melted.

2) Dump the muesli and oats into a large bowl and pour over the sugary/peanut butter mixture. Mix well. Line a 9 X 13 baking tin with parchment paper and pour in the oatie mixture. Press into the corners and place in the oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes, remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before cutting into bars.

Little Big-Kids

One of the comments I heard often, when I was pregnant with the twins, had to do with the age gap between them and my two older girls. Claire and Camille were four and six when I became pregnant with Mimi and Tess.

As is the case for most pregnant women, I was offered a lot of unsolicited advice.
‘Oh, the age gap is going to be a problem,’ a mother said to me on the school playground one day.
Taken aback I responded without thinking, ‘Hmmmm. I guess it’s all in how you look at it-- I can’t imagine anything about having babies being a problem.’
And I walked away . Bitchy I know, but am I right?

I grew up with a large age space between myself and my four older brother and sisters. To be honest, I never felt part of their ‘crowd’. They were all born within six years of each other, then a space of seven years until I came along. I haven’t lived in the same house as my oldest sister since I was four.

So the space in age between our two ‘big girls’ and our two ‘little girls’ was something that I have always been aware of.

But here’s the thing; from day one, the big girls have been nothing but excited, patient and engaged with the little girls. Even when they were just blobby newborns, the big girls would want to hold them, to take naps with them-- Camille would even burp one for me, as I fed the other.

This past weekend we went down to Bellinzona. It is a UNESCO Heritage site. It’s a lovely little, walled city in the southern most section of Switzerland, the Ticino area, the Italian speaking (and eating) area. It has three medieval castles -- very cool. While we were there a Medieval festival was going on at one of the castles. Loads of people dressed in period costume were cooking, doing handicrafts, entertaining and having sword fights. It was fantastic.

The sword fights caught Claire’s eye. There was a young woman wielding a huge, heavy sword, fighting the big guys and totally holding her own. She was amazing to watch; long, auburn hair down to her waist, her body was lean and lithe beneath her simple, beige linen gown. This so inspired the big girls that they asked to spend their allowance on a handmade, wooden sword. They even had mini wooden swords for the little girls. This was the best $50 we have ever spent.

All four girls took to the field at the side of the castle and began sword fighting in earnest. Claire, especially loved it. The big girls made up a whole routine, while the little ones just batted it out. Sometimes they would switch opponents, pairing up a little girl with a big girl. They carried the swords with them the entire weekend, challenging each other to fights at every spare moment; in the piazza after dinner, in the hotel room before breakfast, up and down the steps leading to the castles.

All four were having good, old fashioned fun together. No Ipods, no Gameboys, no television, no computer games-- just a sword widdled out of wood, and their sisters.

Now, as Claire is maturing into a tween and Camille is following right along, I think they secretly find comfort in the idea that they can still be ‘kids’ when they are with their little sisters. They can sort of use the little girls as an excuse to play with a sword or cuddle up and hear Mommy read the four of them a story. It is reassuring to me too, knowing that they still secretly, want to be children.

Vevey, Switzerland

Nestled into the shores of Lake Geneva (Lac Leman as it is known to locals and French speakers) is the charming town of Vevey. Touristicly, it is lumped together with the better known Montreux , home to the world renowned annual jazz festival -- a very glitzy city indeed. Vevey is smaller, more quiet, more old-school. It is a living Swiss city; Not too many tourists, but a holiday destination all the same. It can be reached from Geneva airport in about 45-60 minutes. My friend and I could only stay for two days, but were able to take in a decent amount of local color to get a sense of the lovely, old town.
We planned our trip so that we would be in Vevey for the Saturday market. A formidable outdoor market, it covered a few acres with vendors selling regional produce, cheeses, meats, honey, soaps and candles, wines from the vineyards surrounding Vevey and a good number of antiques dealers. We spent a couple of hours just strolling the aisles and people-watching.
We then decided to treat ourselves at our hotel's spa. Hotel des Trois Couronnes was absolutely fabulous. Right in the old town, smack dab on the lake, in a century's old Belle Epoque building that has been restored expertly to retain it's historic grandeur, while adding full modernity, luxury and comfort.
I knew things would go well when at check in they served us a welcome glass of champagne (at noon) and asked us to sit in the impressive but comfortable lobby on a big, comfy couch while they checked us in-- no standing at the counter.
Our room was huge by any standards, U.S. or European. I reserved the cheapest room in the hotel, Sfr 410 (about $330) for a double. Three huge windows, two twin beds, a love-seat, two chairs and a table, a desk and chair and an entry hall. The bathroom was granite, dark woods and massive with a separate WC.
The Puressens Spa was fabulous. A beautiful steam bath, large, pristine sauna, a good size indoor pool and a 'lounging area' where one can chill-out after a massage, facial, pedicure or whatever was on the pampering schedule that day. An attendant brings cups of herbal tea or Evian water (Vevey is just across the lake from Evian).
I laid there in the squishy, lounge chair, gazing out the floor to ceiling windows at Lac Leman. My mind drained and I actually relaxed; something I hadn't been able to do in two and a half years. I was so mellow in fact, that I wasn't even phased when an elderly gentleman, plopped down in the lounge chair next to me spread eagle, wearing a far-too-revealing banana hammock. He was, clearly very relaxed, too.
The hotel restaurant is very good and very expensive. To give you some idea, a gin and tonic was Sfr 22 (about $17). But the outside dining has beautiful vistas along the lake. Breakfast was served inside and was an excellent buffet of cold meats, smoked fish, cheeses, fruits, yogurts, breads, cereals, juices coffe and tea. It was included in the cost of the room.
I left Vevey wanting to stay a few more days (but alas, could not afford it). So we set off headed for Bellagio, Italy. On the way we passed through Montreux and stopped in Chateau Chillon-- a gorgeous, popular castle that is absolutely worth a visit because of it's unique lake location and architectural beauty, as well as it's historical significance.
One could tour around Swiss Lac Leman, visiting Lusanne, Geneva, Montreaux, Vevey and then skip over to the French side for a week or two. It is lovely to drive around, or better yet, criss-cross the lake in a ferry.