Rotterdam had not been on our radar screen despite the fact that we had heard great things about the city. But when we read and wrote about the new Rotterdam food market opened in October last year we knew that a visit was a must. This Dutch city is often overlooked as visitors head to Amsterdam, the Hague and Delft instead. That may be set to change in future with the food market that could become a destination for foodies around the world. We will feature the city in our Perfect day series so do stay tuned but in the meantime here are our observations about the food market. For lovers of architecture, Rotterdam has a lot going for it. The recently opened food market, designed by architects MVRDV is the latest architectural gem to emerge in this city. Located in the city centre of Rotterdam the food market is designed in the shape of a horse shoe and has a steel cable facade which is the largest of its kind in Europe. A colourful mural depicts a composition of produce on the … [Read more...]
Food memories and nostalgia – what has happened to that juicy Maltese tomato?
Nostalgia has a way of playing tricks with us. Many times we crave for the things we really enjoyed in our past only to be disappointed when we experience the real thing. It could be a city we visited and loved, a restaurant that is revisited or even a product we used to crave many years ago but which if you are objective is really disappointing. Food memories play a very important role in building our identity. What we eat ends up shaping who we are and who we really want to be with. Food is about sharing moments and experiences. It is also about our past memories. If there is one thing I crave for whenever I am away from Malta, it is the glorious and ripe Maltese tomato. Grown in abundance under the Mediterranean sun, its taste is unbelievably good. And if there was one thing that I could not get used to when I arrived in Belgium, nearly 10 years ago, it was the fact that I could not really find tomatoes that could compare to what I had experienced in the past. Things … [Read more...]
Recipe (Atsushi Tanaka): Tuna with pickled kohlrabi
Japanese chef Atsushi Tanaka of Restaurant A.T. in Paris prepared a really tasty dish at Flemish Food bash mixing partly cooked and smoked tuna with kohlrabi. It was a perfect summer dish and one which was really enjoyable. The Japanese chef (see interview here) has been called the Picasso of the kitchen by his former master Pierre Gagnaire and has a very contemporary style though his base for his cuisine is French. He has been influenced by his trips and work in countries like Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium and Scandinavia. Method and Ingredients Kohlrabi Pickles 1 litre water 50 grammes sugar 20 grammes salt 1 kilogramme Kohlrabi 250 (white) balsamic vinegar Put all the ingredients in a pan and bring to the boil. Once it starts to boil, take away from the stove and let it cool down. Kohlrabi puree Remove the cooked kohlrabi and chop it. Heat some olive oil in a pan and sweat the kohlrabi. Add a little bit of water, cover and let it simmer until cooked. … [Read more...]
Brussels: an underestimated culinary destination
Millions of people enter Brussels, the capital of Europe, each week. Most come for business or work meetings, some come en route to visit other places in Belgium like Bruges, Gent or Antwerp, others to work and still some to visit what is the administrative capital of Europe. No one comes for its food. That is a mistake, because the food scene in Brussels is incredibly varied and surprisingly good. The same can be said of Belgium, an underestimated culinary country, if ever there was one. Tourists visiting Brussels will normally head to the Grand-Place area and to what has now become one of the largest pedestrian zones in Europe, near the Bourse (Stock Exchange), which will soon be turned into a beer museum and the Place St Catherine area. They will be lured into one of the many restaurants serving mussels and 'French fries'. They will know that Brussels and Belgium is well known for its beers and chocolate, but few are aware of the culinary diversity or richness of the … [Read more...]
Recipe: Spaghetti with fresh bottarga (fish roe)
Fishing is part and parcel of Mediterranean life despite the fact that overfishing has made it much less enjoyable for everyone over the years. I remember as a young boy going to fish with my father and losing patience because we would catch just a handful of fish. This must have been more than 20 years ago. Now with the benefit of hindsight, the actual joy of fishing is not necessarily in the act of fishing itself but rather in the preparation, the early wake up call, rushing out of bed trying not to wake anyone, dressing up quickly and bracing the cooler early morning air which is a respite from the hot stifling summer heat. It is the beauty of watching nature at its best with some stunning land and seascapes, an amazing sunrise, good company and maybe catching fish in the process. Moreover, in this day when we are constantly communicating, it is good to be out at sea without a phone connection. If ever there was a good way to wind down, this was one. At this time of … [Read more...]
Third edition of Flemish food bash to be held in Gent in November
Less than a month after the successful second Flemish Food Bash event and the charcoal has to still turn completely to ashes, Belgian and Dutch foodies are in for yet another treat this November. A third, albeit, smaller event has been announced. The event takes place on 15 November in Gent. The location has not yet been revealed but organiser Vincent Florizoone of Grand Cabaret restaurant and host of the event said on Facebook that the third edition will be similar in size to the one held at Café d'Anvers last year. Unlike the recent event which attracted a huge number of international chefs and mixologists, the next event will mainly have Belgian and Dutch chef and mixologists. No further details have been announced but the organisers have promised lots of fun as they get the 'fire started again'. The event will be held indoors. The second Flemish Food Bash turned out to be a huge celebration of gastronomy and fun. It was billed as the most starred restaurant … [Read more...]
Recipe (Anthony Genovese): Rigatoni with smoked aubergine, cardamon powder and chocolate
Anthony Genovese, chef of the Il Pagliaccio in Rome, Italy cooked his version of a pasta all norma giving it a very modern twist with the addition of smoked aubergine, cardamon powder and chocolate at Flemish Food Bash last month. The end result was delicious and a combination worth trying. The Italian chef who spent his childhood in France has been influenced by some of the great French chefs but still has a sound Italian base and believes in the quality of Italian produce which gives Italian cuisine an edge. He enjoyed his time at Flemish Food Bash on the Belgian coast and said it was a good break for the daily routine. "It is a way to relax, joke, meet new people. You need to come with a different kind of philosophy and not take it too seriously like in the restaurant." The following is the recipe. Method Burn the aubergine (300 grammes) on the fire. Remove the flesh from the sin and blend together with olive oil, lemon juice and parsley. Pass through a chinoise … [Read more...]
Recipe (Stéphane Diffels): Trout with herbs, granita and dill mayonnaise
Here is a perfect summer recipe by Stéphane Diffels, chef of L'Air de Rien which was prepared by him for Flemish Food Bash. Although it might require some time to prepare, it is easy to assemble once you have prepared the different components of the dish. This is a perfect summer recipe and one which works very well. Diffels is the chef of L'Air de Rien, in the pretty village of Fontin, around 20 kilometres away from Liege takes inspiration from the regional produce. He was at Flemish Food Bash with all his team told me “we were coming all together to experience the festival and we only got to know at the last minute that we would participate." This is a restaurant worth discovering. Taking his inspiration from chefs like Sang-Hoon Degeimbre, René Redzepi and Kobe Desramaults, he has also been referred to as Wallonia's answer to the latter Flemish chef. The restaurant has no a la carte menu and the chef has created a 19 course menu (L’Air de Rien menu). The discovery … [Read more...]
Recipe (Riccardo Di Giacinto): Fregola with anchovies, butter and orange zest
Some of the best food memories come from simplicity - eating the crunchy part of baked pasta, mopping fresh bread with exceptional extra-virgin olive oil. The recipe prepared by Riccardo Di Giacinto at Flemish Food Bash had all the ingredients of simplicity. A certain type of pasta (or couscous) with butter and anchovies topped with grated orange zest cannot get much simpler. But the explosion of flavours in the mouth is something I will remember. It is not a combination I have tried before (anchovies go extremely well with olive oil but I had never before attempted them in a pasta dish with butter) and maybe it was for this reason that I was surprised. Food and Wine Gazette asked this Michelin star chef why he opted to bring a simple dish to Flemish Food Bash. "I wanted to bring a bit of Rome with me. In Rome, when you are feeling good and someone asks you how you are, you normally use an expression 'come burro e alici' whicih is like butter and anchovies. It means you are feeling … [Read more...]
Recipe (Heinz Beck): Gnocchetti with smoked potato, peas and marinated shrimps
Purists in Italy will tell you that cheese and fish or seafood do not work together and they will probably be right. But like in everything in life, there are always exceptions to the rule. The further South in Italy you go, the least the rule becomes rigid and there are examples of Sicilian dishes for example which break this rule. I have also come across stuffed squid with smoked provolone from the Campania region in Italy which proved exquisite. When a three Michelin star chef of the calibre of Heinz Beck (see interview here) proposes a pasta dish which has as one of its main elements Grana Padano and then combined it with shrimps you need to stop and think. It is a dish that in a way challenges you. The German chef of La Pergola served this dish at Flemish Food Bash. The cheese was not added at the end but was rather integrated into the pasta with the potatoes which was probably the reason why it worked so well. Here is the recipe: Serves 4 Ingredients Pea … [Read more...]