More than a spoonful of sugar

Over the weekend, we continued flogging the pineapple tart recipe for everything that it was worth. Ste, always the perfectionist, had spotted a more sensibly-sized cookie cutter at the fancy household store across from our tram stop at Hottingerplatz, so there would be nothing standing between us and sweet, sweet confectionery glory.

We churned, glazed and baked two more batches, this time opting for a more minimalist look than last week's indiscreet dough crosses arched over irredeemably-sized jam mounds. The results were gratifying: perky pine-nipple tarts (seen here on the left) for the more liberal Chinese New Year visitor; and the more homely tarts-next-door (on the right) which -in their nakedness- were by far the least labour intensive.

In acknowledgment of our patience and stamina (mainly from running innumerable taste tests), we rewarded ourselves with a day trip to idyllic St. Gallen, barely an hour's train ride away from Zurich. St. Gallen was, for many centuries, a wealthy trading town whose inhabitants made their fortune from textiles. That history is preserved perfectly in the ornate architectural details and facades of the old quarter. Unfortunately we got into town a little late and just missed seeing the famous monastery library, renowned for its Baroque gilding and antique book collection. But there's always a next time.

In fact we've got more short trips planned in the coming months, to make the most of our remaining pre-Peanut weekends. All the little critter should be focusing on now -as its folks paint the Confederation red- is growing with gusto ... something which my bruised innards can probably attest to, is already in the works.