Thursday, January 23, 2014

Birthday and Herring Under a 'Fur Coat'

There is the book "The Picture of Dorian Gray" by English writer Oscar Wilde. If someone of you my friends bloggers have read it or seen the film about the Dorian Gray's portrait you remember his story: since the day his portrait was ready Dorian wanted the portrait would grow old in his place and so Mr. Gray remained young all his strange life. Unlike him, we all get older and wiser with age! 

 

I am writing this because today is my birthday. I have been thinking about my age and I realized that I rejoice every passing year, each day in the garden. I remember all the good things happened during the years, successes and failures. Therefore, each new birthday is my "A Moveable Feast" as American writer Ernest Hemingway said.
The day before I made a new fresh salad which is called Herring under a 'fur coat'. I've bought herring fillet pieces, potatoes, beets and eggs. People usually cook this salad with mayonnaise but I prefer sour cream. A layer of potatoes, layer of herring,  layer of beet, sour cream and layer of egg. I love the special mixed taste of salt fish and sweet beet. 
Here's how I did it:   (recipe)
 





I've also bought some salmon (red) caviar (it is expensive!) and put it in my favorite old vase and beautifully adorned it with a flower of butter. Then I have decided to decorate the salad too and made a rose of kiwi. Salad and caviar are in the fridge now waiting for the evening when my family and friends come.

This morning I've received the gift of orchids, I'm pleased them very much! Can't wait for delicious cake with nuts, fruit and cream and a glass of good vine in this evening.

 

49 comments:

  1. Laura. M
    Felicidades Amiga y que sigas cumpliendo muchos más!!!! Tu menú se ve exquisito y la orquidea preciosa.

    Es largo pero es un precioso poema de Saramago.

    ¿Que cuántos años tengo? ¡Qué importa eso !
    ¡Tengo la edad que quiero y siento!
    La edad en que puedo gritar sin miedo lo que pienso.Hacer lo que deseo, sin miedo al fracaso o lo desconocido...
    Pues tengo la experiencia de los años vividos y la fuerza de la convicción de mis deseos.
    ¡Qué importa cuántos años tengo! ¡No quiero pensar en ello!
    Pues unos dicen que ya soy viejo y otros "que estoy en el apogeo".
    Pero no es la edad que tengo, ni lo que la gente dice, sino lo que mi corazón siente y mi cerebro dicte.

    Tengo los años necesarios para gritar lo que pienso, para hacer lo que quiero, para reconocer yerros viejos,
    rectificar caminos y atesorar éxitos.
    Ahora no tienen por qué decir:
    ¡Estás muy joven, no lo lograrás!.. ¡Estás muy viejo/a, ya no podrás!..

    Tengo la edad en que las cosas se miran con más calma, pero con el interés de seguir creciendo.
    Tengo los años en que los sueños, se empiezan a acariciar con los dedos y las ilusiones se convierten en esperanza.
    Tengo los años en que el amor, a veces es una loca llamarada,
    ansiosa de consumirse en el fuego de una pasión deseada,y otras... es un remanso de paz, como el atardecer en la playa..

    ¿Qué cuántos años tengo? No necesito marcarlos con un número, pues mis anhelos alcanzados,mis triunfos obtenidos,
    las lágrimas que por el camino derramé al ver mis ilusiones truncadas...
    ¡Valen mucho más que eso!

    ¡Qué importa si cumplo cincuenta, sesenta o más! Pues lo que importa: ¡es la edad que siento!
    Tengo los años que necesito para vivir libre y sin miedos. Para seguir sin temor por el sendero, pues llevo conmigo la experiencia adquirida y la fuerza de mis anhelos.

    ¿Qué cuántos años tengo? ¡Eso!... ¿A quién le importa?
    Tengo los años necesarios para perder ya el miedo y hacer lo que quiero y siento!!.
    Qué importa cuántos años tengo, o cuántos espero, si con los años que tengo,

    ¡¡Aprendí a querer lo necesario y a tomar, sólo lo bueno!!

    Buen miércoles ;)
    Un beso.

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    1. Gracias, Laura! Las palabras son muy sabias, me gustaron esas: mi edad es "que mi corazón siente y mi cerebro dicte" y de aqui: "Tengo los años necesarios para perder ya el miedo y hacer lo que quiero y siento!"

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    2. Garacias a tí Nadezda ;) Creo que las dos tenemos la edad de hacer lo que verdad queremos!!
      Un beso

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  2. Happy Birthday to you my dear ! I wish to you every day in your life would be beautiful ,happy and healthy !!
    Your salad looks yummy and your gift lovely ! Enjoy your age and I believe that every day that pass make us more better people !
    Have a nice evening !

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  3. Nadezda, You showed so wonderful flowers, Thanks :)

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  4. Happy Birthday! The orchid is just beautiful. Enjoy your birthday feast!

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  5. Welcome Nadezda!
    Happy Birthday!
    Orchids are very beautiful. Salad looks delicious.
    In Poland, on the birthday invites. Guests very happy to come without invitation.
    I also come to you with a greeting and a delicious caviar!
    Have a nice celebration.
    Lucia

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    Replies
    1. You're right Lucia this caviar is delicious, I love it with veggies. Thank you!

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  6. Надежда, наши наилучшие пожелания и поздравления! С Днем Рождения! И конечно, поздравляем с прошедшим Рождеством и желаем счастливого 2014 Года :0)

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    1. Спасибо Наталия, приятно что вы не забываете мой блог!

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  7. Happy Birthday to you. Hope your day is special. The very good thing about growing older is that only as one grows older can one really grow better in "wisdom". Wisdom comes with age - hopefully! That should help make your birthday better. Jack

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    Replies
    1. I do hope Jack that wisdom comes with age. Thank you very much!

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  8. С Днем Рождения! You have a lovely treat prepared for your birthday. Enjoy your very special day.

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  9. Hi Nadezda, how wonderful to see your birthday menu, it is one of my favourite things to eat and one of the things I miss since I no longer live in Norway! We make it with cured herring, do you too?
    And we don’t layer it, but use a large serving plate and put everything out like in cake slices, or like a wheel, so dark and light colours go together, it is usually served in the summer, with flatbread and is often called ‘sunshine food’. We usually use cured herring in small pieces, (not so often pickled), hard boiled eggs, finely chopped onions, sliced pickled beetroot, sliced pickled gherkins and grated carrots. All served in a ‘wheel of sunshine’. And in addition, boiled small potatoes, soured cream, butter and flat bread. Mmmm….I haven’t eaten that for more than 15 years – can’t find cured herring here in London.

    Hope you had a great birthday yesterday, love your orchid :-)

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    Replies
    1. I make this salad with salted herring but one loves to make it with cured herring as well. You describe the Norwegian salad so yummy and I want to make it the same way next time! Thank you, Helene!

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  10. Happy Birthday, Nadezda! My husband is a huge herring fan (not me though). I will attempt your recipe - I am sure he will enjoy it.

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  11. Happy birthday dear Nadezda!!!I hope you enjoyed your day! The orchid is very beautiful. And your salad and all the others goodies you had,are so yammy!!!Wish you a lovely weekend!
    Dimi...

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  12. Dear Nadezda, Many Happy Returns! Hope you have had a wonderful day with your family. You have made some lovely looking dishes. Very artistically prepared. I have not tasted herring or red caviar, but it seems like they are a special treat.
    May you have many more happy days in your lovely garden!
    Warm regards.
    Betty

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    1. I love my garden and it's a place I would like to be constantly. I think when you can taste red caviar with pan cakes you will like it! Thank you Betty!

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  13. Happy Birthday, Nadezda! You have a wonderful attitude toward life, one that we should all adopt. I used to worry about my age, but I've come to realize, too, that each year is a gift and am thankful to be able to celebrate another birthday.
    I used to eat herring in college (the school had a rich Norwegian heritage), but I'm no longer very fond of it; but your salad looks lovely. The orchids are beautiful! Hope you have had a wonderful day.

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    1. The orchids are beautiful I look at them often and like to care them. Thank you for your so kind words, Rose!

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  14. What beautiful Orchids!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY Nadezda! You share a birthday with my sister :)

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  15. Happy Birthday to you! What a delightful and colorful dinner. Orchids are my favorite. Stay warm dear friend.

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    1. Thank you, Carolyn! Hope you have no frost today.

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  16. A day too late, but Congratulations Nadezda with your birthday. You got some beautiful orchids and made a delicious salad, the kiwi flower looks so nice on it. I hope you had a lovely time with your family.

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  17. Happy birthday! The salad looks great, but I definitely agree - replace the mayo with sour cream.

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  18. Hi Nadezda, Happy, happy birthday to you! It's a little bit late, but I wish you health, happiness and satisfaction!
    What a nice orchid! And I hope all enjoyed your birthday meal. I would have tried it, but I think, it's not good for my hips ;-)
    Better to take a toast with caviar
    I think, you have much snow and frost. Today we have -10,5 ° without snow. Oh, oh.
    Have a nice weekend!

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    Replies
    1. A toast or pan cake with caviar --it's delicious, Meggie. We had snow finally as I worried of my plants. Thank you!

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  19. Happy birthday, Nadezda! I'm sorry, I'm late with my congratulations... You got a lovely orchid and you made certainly delicious and beautiful meal for the evening. I hope you enjoyed your birthday. Happy weekend!

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  20. Belated Happy Birthday! Beautiful orchid no wonder you were so pleased.

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  21. Dear Nadezda,
    Happy Birthday to you, my friend. I hope you had a wonderful day. A vase of red salmon caviar - how wonderful! Was there pancakes and sour cream as well? I love that combination but as you say, it is expensive and so what better day on which to have some luxury!
    Kirk

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    1. It was a lovely day, Kirk. I had pancakes with red caviar and the next morning --the toasts with the last caviar too!
      Thank you!

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  22. Happy belated Birthday Nadezda!! Hope you had a lovely day.
    New Blog Address: http://lonadawn7.blogspot.com/

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  23. Happy belated birthday, Nadezda,

    I love the herring salad. In Germany, the herring fillets are pickled but I don’t think they are put in oil. When do you put the sour cream on? Over the whole dish? Are the potatoes marinaded first or just plain boiled? I want to try this dish.

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    1. I put sour cream on a layer of beet, then a layer of eggs. The herring fillet was salted, you may put pickled as well. No in oil! The potatoes are only boiled. Thank you and I hope your salad is very tasty!

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  24. I hope you had a lovely birthday. The orchid is so pretty.

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  25. How wonderful your birthday menu looks and how gorgeous your orchid! I hope your birthday was the happiest ever and I wish you many happy returns of the day!

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