Amid the gently rolling hills of the Pajottenland just outside Brussels lies the beautiful village of Gaasbeek. This is one of our favourite spots just outside the Belgian capital and for a number of reasons. The first reason is a splendid medieval castle, the Gaasbeek castle which has evolved from a strategic stronghold into a spacious country house. One of its most famous … [Read more...]
Monschau – a beautiful German town on the border with Belgium
Summer has started and we have had our fair share of barbecues already. Crisis point was reached a few days ago when we ran out of our special mustards with tarragon and Riesling which we had purchased from our annual visit to Monschau, Germany during the Christmas season. We had never visited the idyllic town during spring or summer for some reason and have always … [Read more...]
Caffe al Dente – a wine lover’s den
Ask any Italian, and there are many in Belgium, what their favourite Italian restaurant would be and you are likely to get a very different answer from each and every one of them. Italians take their food very seriously but probably few as seriously as Federico of Caffe al Dente. A Roman who has settled in Brussels, he is obsessed with a simple rule "Il Pesce non si serve con … [Read more...]
Serious or not? The proof of the pudding is in the eating
Alain Passard is one of the most influential chefs in France. Thanks to my friend Eric who pointed me to this video, here you can see what it means to use top quality ingredients. Passard is a chef who is obsessed with working with quality products, he has even created his own kitchen gardens for his restaurant. Here in this video, you cannot but wonder whether he is serious … [Read more...]
Modena – a delightful city for the gourmet traveller
Eyebrows were raised when I told some Italian friends that we were travelling to Modena for a weekend trip. Although Modena is renowned in Italy for its liquid gold or Aceto Balsamico, Parmigiano Reggiano, salumi such as the culatello and freshly made pasta many would probably skip a visit to this buzzing city unless they are either Ferrari fans or else heading for a … [Read more...]
