Effretikon...

The last time I visited my fiance, now husband, lived in Zurich proper in the district of Oerlikon, which is located in the northern part of Zurich. He lived directed on the tram line and very near the local shopping and train station. I went downtown quite often to window shop, or actually shop, and to see all the tourist sights along the way.

Now we are living in Effretikon, roughly 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) outside of Zurich. This puts us at about a 30 minute train ride or 15 minute drive from the center of the city. Effretikon itself is a small village, but it has a lovely market square with all you really need to get by: a Migros, a Coop, an Apotheke, various shoe and clothing stores and some restaurants and pubs. A block or so away is a Metzgerei (butcher) and a Bäckerei (bakery).  Right behind the bakery is the train station. From our house I can literally walk to anything within 10 minutes. I mean, what more could a girl ask for?

Well, I guess that depends on the girl. In my previous life, which I lovingly shared with you, I was a baker, and a tinkerer in the kitchen, and this would have been enough. I would have popped into the Mirgos and come home to whip up a Swiss favorite or an American classic. Back then, the entire culinary world was my playground, and my biggest concern was where to find vanilla extract. That life, my friends, is long gone.

Now, I worry about gluten, dairy and what soap I use to wash my dishes. Where can I get kale? Organic, free-range chicken? Unscented, detergent free soap? Dairy-free ice cream? Quinoa? So, my wonderland of Zopf and Tartare cheese has turned on me. Where this blog will go, I'm not sure... but I hope you'll come along for the ride. If nothing else, it should be healthy... and maybe even enlightening.