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 … [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 … [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 … [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 … [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 … [Read more...]
