Getting back to Utrecht; a story about sweet goodbyes

2022 02 05

Starting block three in Utrecht feels like coming home. After having all my lectures and seminars online (all but a few…) since march 2020 getting back to Utrecht feels like starting a new study. I feel very motivated to get started with this ‘new start’. After realizing that I am really getting back to Utrecht, I noticed how I was really looking forward to this moment. 

I am going to miss a couple of aspects of working at home, such as making different lunches instead of the basic ‘bammetje kaas’ I usually take with me. I made the viral TikTok custard toast, which was nice but not the greatest thing I have ever tried. Trying to make poached eggs was challenging at first, but when I got the hang of it I made poached eggs with garlicky Greek/Turkish yogurt and topped it off with toasted chili flakes and a drizzle of olive oil. If you like a spicy lunch this is really one you should try! It’s called Turkish eggs and it is usually eaten for breakfast. I’d rather have oats for breakfast, because waking up with so much spice is a bit too much for me. 

To make Turkish eggs:

Ingredients for one serving:

  • 3 eggs
  • vinegar
  • 2 garlic cloves (or garlic powder, both work just fine)
  • yogurt (as much as you like)
  • chili flakes to taste
  • olive oil

How:

  1. Bring the water to a boil. While you wait, mince the garlic cloves and mix together with the yogurt. 
  2. Poach the eggs. If you do not know how to do this you can look it up. There are different ways that lead to Rome (and poached eggs), try to find yours! (If you don’t feel like poaching you can cook the eggs anyway you like 😉 ). Dry the eggs on a piece of paper towel.
  3. Heat up the olive oil (not too much!!!!) and add the chili flakes. Bake this until crispy, but before it burns. Tip: I found out that if you toast the chili flakes in a bit of butter and then add the olive oil, it is less likely to burn. 
  4. Put your eggs on the garlicky yogurt and drizzle the chili flake oil over the eggs.
  5. Enjoy! You can use toast to eat your eggs. 

Not being able to spontaneously try new recipes is not the only thing I will be missing now I’m getting back to Utrecht. I am also going to miss going for a long walk between or before having to be somewhere. I really love being able to just walk out the door in the middle of the day and walk for an hour or two before getting back to work. Of course I am able to go on a walk in Utrecht, but carrying a big backpack with a laptop and books with me is not very ideal. I did see lockers in the library, so I might be able to go for a walk anyway. 

Most of all I am going to miss my cats around me while being in class. They were really nice company during lectures and seminars via Teams. But being able to miss my cats, the new recipes and the long walks makes me happy, because getting to miss those things again means that I am, in fact, really getting back to Utrecht. 

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