Memorable Meals: Episode 6, Connecting with Thy Inner Self

Mountains, hills, nature and sunshine are all in my blood.  I never realized it when I was living in the big city, but when I moved to Europe I reconnected with my roots.  The ones in Spain, the ones in Colombia and maybe even the ones in France.  

I grew up with the view of the New York Skyline and rarely did we venture into the country.  I remember when my uncle once took me and my cousins on a trip to upstate New York and I actually got to see cows from close up for the very first time.  Believe it or not, I was fourteen. Until I arrived in the Netherlands (the land of green fields and grazing cows),the only animals I'd seen were dogs, cats and squirrels.
I slowly started to connect with nature by taking long walks in the forest with our dog Meiki.  Nothing could beat that feeling of sunshine and wind through my hair.  The quietness and the smell of the earth gave me so much energy that I actually started to crave nature. Visiting the French countryside reinforced that feeling even more.  Especially the hills and mountains.  A part of me that had been very hidden, suddenly emerged and I became a country girl.
For some reason, eating outdoors also has the same effect on me.  I feel instantly liberated and more in touch with who I really am.  It could be a wonderful meal with excellent wine enjoyed on our picnic table in the garden or it could be an impromptu lunch eaten on a little bench by the side of the road; a meal like the one we enjoyed yesterday.
After our long drive through the rolling hillside in the south, we stopped at a shop to buy some bread, a little sliced ham and cheese, a big salad and a bottle of fruit juice.  Then it was just a matter of driving a bit further until we found the perfect spot, overlooking the hills and next to a very proverbial long and winding road.
I used the red army knife I always use to cut the bread and made the sandwiches on my lap. And because charm knows no materials, we shared the salad, straight out of its plastic bowl and with two plastic white forks.  This was a meal that no fancy six-course restaurant affair could ever compare to.  Its beautiful simplicity signfied a connection with my inner self.  It was a symbol of our zest and love for life and it was relished with utter gusto!

Unseasonably Warm

According to the weather experts, this past Easter weekend was the warmest since 1901.  On Saturday, my thermometer read 28C! Even better (though not for the plants and farmers), the days were blue and cloudless with no chance of rain!  It wasn't even May yet and no, I wasn't in France!

Thanks to my Spanish roots, I am totally in my element when there's sunshine and warmth, so I was definitely not complaining.  Life suddenly moved outdoors and I loved that.  We ate breakast in the garden, our plants suddenly exploded and everything was green and lush.  Late afternoons were rounded off with a good Pastis and I started to feel the slight tingle on my skin which told me I was getting a little color.

Our meals got a lot lighter.  Salads took the main role, grilling was the cooking method of choice, I started to turn to warmer countries like Spain and Morocco for culinary inspiration and desserts were composed of fresh fruit. Out came the chilled Chardonnays and Sancerres. The heavier Bordeauxs somehow didn't seem just as interesting.

At the moment, it's looking a little Dutch again.  Less mediterranean. It poured and thundered yesterday evening and I was totally ok with that.  Not bad for the poor plants, and I can't say we didn't enjoy it! 

Memorable Meals: Episode 5, The Taste of a Time Gone By

Unfortunately, cooking wasn’t really my mother’s thing. It’s not that her food wasn’t good; she just wasn’t all that creative. Almost every meal was based around rice: rice and beans, rice, chicken and vegetables, rice and soup. On Sundays, she served rice with a Spanish pork and potato stew, which to me was absolute torture. I hated the saffron-y seasoning and even more, I hated the way the soupy stew turned the rice into a soggy, orange mush.
There were some dishes I eagerly looked forward to though; her magical dishes. My mother's tuna salad, for example, was one-of-a-kind. I have endlessly tried to copy it, but always fail. Maybe it was the way she cut her onions and tomatoes (never on a chopping board, always in the palm of her hand), or maybe it was her mayonnaise. My tuna salad has never come close. I recently tried some tuna salad from my local butcher and miraculously enough, that one came very close. I am getting hungry just thinking about it and at the same time I am reminding myself to serve it over hot rice, just the way she used to.
Lentil soup must have been my mother’s most wonderful culinary creation. She used good beef stock, green lentils, a mix of Colombian spices, onions and diced bits of potato. I remember those days when I came home from school and smelled it cooking. The soup had depth, it tasted of South American flair and it was the biggest treat. Her magical lentil soup is also something I’ve unsuccessfully tried to recreate. I have a recipe that comes close, but unfortunately, no cigar.
When I first went back home, shortly after I moved to the Netherlands, I remember thinking about the soup while I was on the airplane. That same afternoon, I especially requested that my mother make it. Words fail me when I try to describe what that very first spoonful was like. How I missed that flavor! This time, however, it wasn’t so much the warmth that came from its heat and spices; it was my mother’s touch. It was the taste of good memories and the taste of a time gone by.

A Taste of Amsterdam

New to the Netherlands and no idea where to shop? Come and join me on a culinary tour and discover what the city has to offer! I will take you through Amsterdam’s culinary avenue and show you a few shops where you can find just about anything for that perfect meal. Find out where to get the best oil, the most delicious breads, the freshest spices, decadent pastries and fine chocolates. Walk with me through two of the city’s most famous food markets and I will tell you some history behind the markets and some of the stalls. You’ll learn about seasonal foods, good eating and who knows- you might even bump into a Dutch celebrity!
After the walk, you will go home with a wider knowledge and understanding of food. You’ll also take home a handout full of tips and recipes (according to season) and all the addresses and information covered during the walk. And if you’re hungry, we’ll even tell you about great places to stop for lunch after the walk.
Of course, the walk is not just for expats but also for tourists who want to taste a little bit of Amsterdam and discover some of its food culture. Come and join me on a Saturday morning! You’ll want to take one of those cool French shopping basket, but if you don’t have one don’t worry, you can buy one at the market!
For more information and booking, visit La Douce Vie

Goood Stuff in Almere!

I’m excited!  A GooodyFooods shop has come to Almere which means I no longer have to travel all the way to Hilversum or Amsterdam for a decent organic supermarket!  It’s great to know that there’s a nearby shop where I can run into for a loaf of good bread or clean, unsprayed vegetables.
The shop looks fantastic and smells even better.  Especially when you walk in early in the morning and are welcomed by the sweet aroma of freshly baked bread.  You’ll find everything you need for an earth-friendly, healthy meal:  from great cheeses and meats to spices and fine wines. The staff is friendly and offer good advice if necessary.  And don’t worry- organic is not as expensive as you think.  This is definitely a place we want to keep in our city, so go on, pay them a visit and check out what they have to offer.  For more information visit: http://www.gooodyfooods.nl/

Memorable Meals: Episode 4, Tasting Paradise

Memorable Meals: Episode 3, Garlic Galore and Flies in Your Wine!

Lazy Day Chicken

Here's a chicken recipe you can throw together on days when you get out of work tired, hungry and certainly not in the mood to cook.  All it takes is a trip to the butcher and another to the wine shop.  I am of course assuming that you have some herbs and a little garlic lying around. Some bread and vegetables, too.  Should that not be the case, just pop into the supermarket and whatever you do, do not consider calling for takeout.  This chicken will cook while you're taking a relaxing bath and enjoying a nice glass of wine.

Lazy Day Chicken
Serves 3
1 tsp goosefat (I do adore goosefat!)
3 handsome chicken quarters (Please, make sure you buy quality meat. It tastes so much better.)
3 fat cloves of garlic, finely sliced
1 heaping teaspooon of finely chopped rosemary
200ml dry white wine (I used a sauvignon blanc from Duras)

Preheat your oven to 180C.  Allow the goosefat to melt in a hot pan and brown the chicken quarters on all sides. Do this one by one and season each side of the chicken well.  If you crowd the chicken in the pan, you might as well forget a nice crispy crust.
Transfer each browned chicken quarter to a baking dish. Pour the wine over the chicken and sprinkle with the garlic and the rosemary.
Cook for approximately 45 minutes or until the juices of the chicken run clear.
Serve with potatoes or some crusty bread.  And please, make sure you do not throw away the heavenly pan juices.