Ode to smaller things

For some reason I tend to write about the smaller things in life on quite a regular basis. So why not continue a bit on that path of littleness? But with a bit of variation.

So first out - the nutty little things in the bowl to the right. On front row to the left, there we have those amazing little candied almonds you can buy on street corners everywhere, especially around Christmas, in Sweden. They're delicious and it's easy to overindulge. Best eaten fresh and still warm from the pot.

Second row left we have amazingly, melt-on-your-tongue peanuts in milkchocolate which I got from Lidl. Yes, they do have some surprisingly fresh and nice little things there now and then. Basini is the brand.

Third row left, ah, a classic when it comes to nature's candy, banana crisps. Quite nice now and then, but not too often. Perhaps it's possible to make them yourself? I haven't tried. Yet.

Fourth row left, dried cranberries. I got them at a food-fair and they ended up in some rather tasty crusts with white chocolate. Any other suggestions for using cranberries?

Front row right, well, here we have pickled ginger. I have absolutely no idea what to make with it! I'm not a fan of eating it as candy, so any nice recipes and suggestions are much welcome!

Second row right, siblings of the Basini chocolate-covered peanuts to its left, chocolate covered almond dragées in cocoapowder - yum!

Third row right, these are the best of the bunch. It brings back childhood memories - remember those days when icecream was chocolate, vanilla or strawberry? And melon flavour was rather a sensation to find in your local food-store... - peanut dragées. Unbelievably tasty, crunchy and so just RIGHT for a small thing.

Fourth row right, the black sheep of them alla. So dry, so boring, salty broad beans. They just grow in your mouth when having them as a snack. Bought them once, never again.

So, that's the food part of the smaller things of today. Now we come to the second part, which I'm rather curious about. The visitors as shown on the ClustrMap. I'm not a map-wiz, and trying to pinpoint every tiny red dot and translate it to a place, a city, yes even a country is pretty difficult. Even if it's fun trying.

I like seeing that little red dot 1500 kilometres out in the Atlantic, it must be the Azores. A very scenic part of the world. Perhaps one of these days I ought to translate my Swedish article about my trip there into English and post it here?

It's also rather educating to try and figure out the places also known as small red dots. For example I had actually - sorry, geography isn't my strong point - no idea that Hawaii was that far out in the Pacific Ocean. Talking about Hawaii, the very first song that got transported to my red iPod was Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's Somewhere Over The Rainbow - such a beautiful song that always brings tears to my eyes.

And I see New Zealand. Definately one of the countries on my top 5 list to visit one day! I admit, I have some records with Crowded House. And I still enjoy the music! I wonder what happened to that penfriend of mine that I was corresponding with for many years in NZ, with a cat named Sabrina...

And can it be Japan too? Fascinating country. Have never been there, yet. But I'm sure it's well worth a visit. It must be so complete and utterly different to Sweden... And with many wonders to experience. I'm not and will never be a sushi-eater though, not even if it's vegetarian sushi. My tastebuds just don't agree with that. Japan is also the home of a long lost penfriend...

Perhaps I see Moscow? If so - Privjet, menja zavot Pija, ja gavarjo njemnoschka parusskij! Sorry, probably more than a bit of sloppy translation and grammar there... But really, it was a few years ago since I used it regulary.

So many wonderful places all in the shape of a little red dot. I could go on forever trying to figure out each little red dot. But you know what, the easiest way to let a curious Pia know the place of all those little red dots - and the best way of stopping me tearing any more hair in a frustrating curious way - is to actually leave a comment below. A few words, hallo will do just fine, push a button and then the little red dot will be named. And I'll be a much happier ode-singer of smaller things in life!

Music I listen to right now: Homelands with Nitin Sawhney from Best of Buddha Bar