Cream Puffs

The Sunday of December 18^th was filled with intermittent rain and wind. We stayed home the whole day and witnessed from our many windows overlooking the streets the changeable weather.

When we left the house, it took me a few minutes to get used to the cold outside despite my coat and gloves. I made a mental note never to underestimate the pleasures of having a heater at home. Now I understood why hubby found it amusing when I opened the windows in the dead of winter. I would wear a sweater in the house because the temperature would drop to 18’C, which is quite cold. The heater would be lowered to about 15’C so that electricity is not wasted.

The average temperature which was comfortable for both of us is around 22-23’C. I always told hubby I opened the windows to air the house so that fresh air could come in. But he asked, “Why would you want to freeze yourself?”

When I open the windows, naturally cold air blows in. It is indeed refreshing. The air is sharp and chilly. It feels like it cleanses the whole place and kills bacteria. I like blowing air as opposed to stale, unmoving air too.

My friend gave us a Christmas basket that day. It was quite a creative present. It was in the form of a woven potato basket (that's according to hubby who said his grandmother used to keep potatoes in a basket like that). Inside it were goodies. Among the goodies were a packet of “slagroom soesjes”, literally translated from Dutch as cream puffs.  

We had been to the grocery store a few times and I had always gazed longingly at cream puffs on display. I wanted to buy the cream puffs there and then but hubby said they were not fresh. It would be better to buy cream puffs at the bakery. Yet on my own I never went to the bakery to buy cream puffs as I felt it was almost a sin to do so when I’m supposed to be losing weight! But with hubby, I would ask him if he would like to buy them so that we can share them and his answer was always “Buy them at the bakery” which I never did.

When we reached home, we had the cream puffs as dessert. It was creamy and airy inside, very light as well. I guess it was fattening to top it up! However waste not, want not…we had quite a few bites as the puffs could only be kept refrigerated for one night according to the instructions on the box. If they were frozen, then it could be kept for one month.

There was more than enough for the both of us, so the next day and the next…the cream puffs were still in the fridge. We had ceased to eat them after the expiry date. In the end, after a good look at it one last time, we threw the expired cream puffs away. Moral of the story – too much of a good thing is also not good for you!

 Cream puffs arranged prettily to form a heart shape.

 We had 400 grams worth of cream puff to enjoy. 

Our goodies basket; a present from my friend which also included healthy food - two kiwis!