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(BOOM. I know. It's huge. Even my doctor said so after she pulled out a measuring tape and got to measuring my belly with what seemed like unabashed relish. The baby, however, is totally normal-sized, average, even, and yes, there is only one in there, but don't think I haven't been asked about a hundred times if I'm sure I'm not having twins. Yes. Sure. STOPITNOW.)

Hello, friends! I haven't done a linky post in a while and I've found a few things I think you should know about (if you don't already), plus I am feeling kind of skittish, or strange, or something, I don't really know, and so I thought I'd busy myself here instead of sitting in my office and staring blankly at my lap, wondering about what comes next and feeling sort of weirdly empty. Because, you see, about six hours ago, I sent the copy-edited manuscript back to my publisher for it to be transmitted to the design department and what this means is that I've finished testing every single last recipe, I've written my acknowledgments (which made me weep!), and I am now perilously, treacherously close to having the book out of my control entirely, when it's time for it to go to the printer. Which, honestly, is a bloody relief.

So, without further ado, let's get started:

You can now pre-order My Berlin Kitchen on amazon.com! (Pam, a reader, alerted me to this fact on Sunday and to say that you could have knocked me over with a feather after reading her email would be the understatement of the century.)

Testing recipes for the book while living alone during the week has meant a lot of strange meals for me lately (carrot sticks and yeasted plum cake, anyone?). So I'm craving lots of well-balanced, healthy meals now. These tips for making perfect quinoa come just at the right time.

This post about a father's food memories surrounding the birth of his first child killed me in the best way. Though I'm happy that our little guy still has three months to go before he gets here (my urge to nest just appeared the other day and hoo boy, do we have a lot ahead of us), reading Andy's post has me even more excited (also, craving chicken salad sandwiches).

Speaking of cooking and newborns, while I have the privilege of living in a country in which pre- and postnatal care, in all senses of the word, is amazing, what I do not have is a large freezer. In fact, I don't think more than two pairs of my ballet flats would fit into it. So much for cooking ahead for the time to come. Instead, this video is serving as inspiration for how to prepare staple foods on one day for the rest of the week. If it doesn't get your cooking juices flowing, I don't know what will.

And while I'm singing Tamar Adler's praises, since I think broccoli stems are the most delicious part of a broccolo, this piece on cabbage cores warms my cruciferous-vegetable-loving heart.

I've found "my" sushi joint, a favorite Korean spot, and even a Chinese restaurant that will feed my craving for gai lan and roast pork. But really good banh mi are still hard to find in Berlin. So these hoisin-glazed meatloaf sandwiches made my eyes grow wide when Jenny mentioned them the other day.

One of my favorite ways to dress pasta was featured on Joanna Goddard's brilliant blog, Cup of Jo, the other day – and it really is so easy. All you need is good canned tomatoes, a bit of basil, and some fresh ricotta… (Victoria, this one's for you!)

Next week, big belly and all, I fly to New York for a week to see my friends and meet with my publicist (!). Truth be told, I've been a little nervous about leaving my little nest here where I can collapse for a rest on the couch whenever I need to and where my hospital is just ten minutes away (you never know, just in case, etc, and so forth). But then I think about seeing my girls and the beautiful city and that crazy blue New York City sky and I get, as my girlfriend Betsy put it, total butterflies.

I'll be back with a recipe before I go.

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40 responses to “Wednesday Evening Link Love”

  1. Donalda Bint Avatar
    Donalda Bint

    Oooooh, roasting a whole load of veg at once and using throughout the week…? Oh THAT could be useful! I hear what you are saying about the freezer, although if I had Tamar Adler’s fridge, oven or kitchen generally, I don’t think I’d be complaining.

    Like

  2. olga Avatar

    you look AMAZING!

    Like

  3. Annie Avatar
    Annie

    You look beautiful – and not particularly huge. The smaller your frame, I think, the bigger the baby looks in comparison. I got all sorts of are-you-sure-it’s-not-twins comments with my first and she was a totally healthy, right on time, 5 pounds and 4 ounces! With just shy of two months to go for my second I’m getting random strangers making jokes about the nearest hospital. People just love to get excited about a baby!

    Like

  4. Cinzia Avatar

    Luisaaaaaaa congratulations! You are so beautiful. Please call me if you come back in italy this summer!

    Like

  5. Charlotte Avatar

    I love the baby belly! (mine took forever to “pop” so I just felt fat most of my pregnancy) Have a wonderful trip to NY and aren’t you insanely excited about the amazon thing – I’m insanely excited and I don’t know you in person, only through this lovely blog.

    Like

  6. Michelle Avatar

    Wow. That is one beautiful belly!
    Great links too. Although I would add a very important tip for cooking quinoa – toast it! Before you rinse it, dry roast it over high heat in whatever pan you’ll be cooking in. Stir it with a wooden spoon until it smells nutty, turns a few shades darker, and starts popping. Then you can run cold water over it, rinse, and cook as they suggested. This makes all of the difference in the world!

    Like

  7. amelia Avatar

    awwww, you look so great!!! and hey, thanks for the links!

    Like

  8. Stacy Avatar

    Great set of links, and good for you for scheming ways to prepare meals in advance even without a roomy freezer. And you are lookin’ lovely, indeed. Hope you have a wonderful trip to New York!

    Like

  9. dervla Avatar
    dervla

    You look gorgeous, truly. I cannot wait to see you!

    Like

  10. michelle Avatar

    you look great! Enjoy your trip and I look forward to hearing about the next pase of life – post book with baby!

    Like

  11. Suzy Avatar

    Look at those skinny legs and arms, you look great!

    Like

  12. Luisa Avatar

    Thank you, lovely ladies. You are all so, so kind.
    Annie – yes, I totally agree. I’m only 5,3! Where is all the mass supposed to go? 🙂 The Germans who tower over me don’t know how good they’ve got it (seriously, my doctor is, like, three feet taller than me).
    Cinzia – thank you! I so so hope to come to Italy in August, but I don’t know yet since the little one will still be so little. I’ll let you know! 🙂
    Charlotte – Yes! I’m insanely excited! So so so excited! I got all sweaty-palmed when I saw it for the first time. Didn’t even know what to say. 🙂 Thank you for being excited with me!!
    Michelle – thank you so much. I’m going to try it out tonight!
    Dervy – me too! 🙂
    Suzy – thank you, miss. We’ve got to hold on tight to those skinny arms and legs!! 🙂

    Like

  13. Korinthe Avatar
    Korinthe

    Yay for any Wednesdaychef Link Love!
    Hooray for the finished manuscript!!
    Can´t wait for my copy!

    Like

  14. Victoria Avatar

    Hi, Luisa,
    Thanks!
    I have pre-ordered your book – can’t wait – and I got the stuff to make the pretzels, so that’s next up on my list. Your bagels were such a success that I want to make the pretzels too.
    Stay well, be happy. I will see you at a book signing in the fall.

    Like

  15. Sylvie (A Pot of Tea) Avatar

    Thanks for sharing all those great links and can’t wait for the book to come out.

    Like

  16. Selkie Avatar
    Selkie

    Beautiful baby belly… thanks for sharing!
    Going now to order the BOOK! Safe travels…

    Like

  17. Tori (@eatori) Avatar

    Congratulations! You are such an inspiration…. maybe it is going to be possible to have a baby and promote a book at the same time….hmmm. Serious food for thought.

    Like

  18. Robin (Hippo Flambe) Avatar

    When I was pregnant with my first child I had one woman who would ask if I was carrying twins. One time she asked if I was sure that one baby was not hiding behind the other one during ultrasounds. Not helpful at all! You look beautiful and like you are only carrying one baby.
    I didn’t cook meals in advance because I am not a casserole person. However we often loving having a dinner of cheese, good bread, olive oil for dipping and a vegetable.

    Like

  19. Jennifer Avatar
    Jennifer

    Delurking to say that you’re beautiful! You carry the bump so well.

    Like

  20. Epicurea Avatar

    haha, i just moved to berlin and the fridge and freezer basically look like from a toy kitchen :-). where do people put their food?
    congrats on your book and safe travels!

    Like

  21. Anne Avatar
    Anne

    I don’t comment often, but your wish for banh mi in a place where they’re impossible to find (I was living in Cambridge, UK last year) made me do it — the NY Times ran a WONDERFUL quick banh mi recipe last year (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/23/dining/23appe.html). It’s not a replica of the real thing (since making one’s own Vietnamese pate might be, uh, quite a project), but the flavors are all there and it’s absolutely fantastic.

    Like

  22. Oana from dishchronicles Avatar

    You look fabulous! Good luck on your trip.

    Like

  23. Marissa Avatar

    You make the baby bump beautiful! I agree about broccoli stems – have you tried raw kohlrabi? Tastes just like it…

    Like

  24. Therewillbedinner.blogspot.com Avatar

    Yes, yes–the sky will be so blue for you here in New York!!

    Like

  25. Jocelyn Z Avatar

    Oh, you look stunning! I just hit my third trimester, too, and am still feeling really good – and my belly just started to be obviously pregnant in the last week. It’s pretty exciting, up until last week (like one of the commenters above said) I’ve just felt kind of fat. Of course, I’m a tall germanic-stock amazon lady, and since I have a lot of room (and fluff) to hide the baby, I’m still having people say “I didn’t even know you were pregnant!”
    It cracks me up that you’re in Germany with tons of women who must look like me, and carry their babies like me, while I’m here in San Francisco with tons of petite ladies who carried their babies like you are. Adorable and thin with a perfect round baby belly. You look great! And thanks for the round-up of links – the one from “Dinner – A Love Story” made me tear up a little bit, and the others are very timely as well.

    Like

  26. Selkie Avatar
    Selkie

    WOW that chicken salad. MUST be the pickle juice….

    Like

  27. Gemma Avatar

    hooray for the book, hooray for going to New York, and, most of all, hooray for that beautiful baby bump! I miss banh mi so much, we used to get them from a great stall in Broadway Market but there is a sad lack of Vietnamese food in Edinburgh, I marked the meatloaf recipe in Bon Appetit when it arrived so thank you for reminding me, that might well be dinner this weekend…

    Like

  28. Jess Avatar

    There is so much awesome in this post. YOUR BOOK ON PRE-ORDER!! Oh, yes, and that lovely belly, too. Big congratulations on finishing up the edits. With baby number 1 out of your hands and so, so close to being in ours (these next six months will fly), it’s no wonder you’re feeling out of sorts. So, so excited for you, L.

    Like

  29. Ellen Avatar
    Ellen

    Thank you for the link on cabbage & cauliflower hearts! And congratulations on being all done with your part on the book. 🙂
    And yes, your bump looks beautiful!

    Like

  30. Dawn Avatar

    You look beautiful! I just put your book in my Amazon cart. Can’t wait to get it in my kitchen!

    Like

  31. Suzy Avatar

    Me again. Made this tonight, even without the basil and with generic Berlin ricotta it was the BOMB. Yum.

    Like

  32. Molly Avatar

    oh, how cute are YOU?!?!
    big, pshaw. not even close. you two will have a fine time in NYC, still ambling around as one. (just remember to rest up 🙂
    and yes, tamar adler. good lord, can that girl write. and cook. and make killer food with vegetable trimmings.

    Like

  33. Anna Avatar

    Congratulations on finishing the book Luisa! I cannot wait to read it.
    Have you tried the caramelised pork banh mi recipe on food 52? I made it for dinner last weekend and it was amazing and so so simple. We unanimously decided that its going into regular rotation.
    I made your ricotta pasta this week too. It’s the perfect Tuesday night dinner. Thank you! And congrats again xx

    Like

  34. Carli Avatar
    Carli

    This blog is the best thing that has ever happened to me. And you are adorable. xo

    Like

  35. Diana Avatar
    Diana

    Congratulations on your book, but much more importantly, that gorgeous bump! So happy for you and your man. Blessings from Australia!

    Like

  36. lara Avatar
    lara

    Congrats from a reader in NYC! I was just about where you are in my pregnancy last year this time, so that lovely photo of you brings back memories- It’s such an exciting and giddy time. I love you’re striped shirt too..Hope you have a great trip to NYC!

    Like

  37. Honeybee Avatar
    Honeybee

    Oh, the comments about belly-size – so annoying. Mine was relatively “small”, I felt like a cheat in the prenatal yoga class and someone once actually asked me, whether I wasn’t sorry my belly wasn’t any bigger. Well, I wasn’t going to stick a pillow under my t-shirt, was I? I think you look absolutely beautiful. Enjoy the trip to NYC!!

    Like

  38. Luisa Avatar

    Thanks, all!! For the compliments and the pre-orders! I want to hug you all.
    Epicurea – I think the trick is to shop more often and buy less each time… 🙂 Good luck!
    Marissa – grew up eating kohlrabi! It’s the best. Just had some for dinner tonight.
    Jocelyn – Funny indeed and I love that you’re at the same stage as me! Here’s to a good final trimester!
    Suzy – yay, so glad you liked it.
    Anna – thanks for the tip. Haven’t tried it!
    Carli – your comment might have been the best thing about my entire WEEK! Thank you! 🙂
    Honeybee – I mean, people are nuts! The things they say!

    Like

  39. mai lowe Avatar
    mai lowe

    Luisa – you look AMAZING! I hope I look that amazing in my third trimester! you are tiny everywhere but your belly :). I also JUST pre-ordered your book, I cannot WAIT. I wish it were there now to devour immediately. Patience, patience – oh but it will be tough. Have a fantastic time in New York and definitely remember to rest! 🙂

    Like

  40. Marta Avatar

    Dear Luisa,
    I like your blog a lot, actually I found it when you had announced that you expect a baby. I love your recepies but most of all your writing style and I am really proud of you because of the book!
    Wish you all the BEST!
    Marta

    Like

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