I am always surprised at how few people know about or have been to Lac du Genval, just 20 minutes away from Brussels. In a way this is better since this scenic lake is not too crowded. The lake is part of the Rixensart and Overijse villages in Wallon Brabant and Flemish Brabant and is surrounded by beautiful turn-of-the century homes. There is also a hotel by the lake, the … [Read more...]
Belgium day trips 2: Gaasbeek and the Waterhof farm shop
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...]
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...]
Beat your fear – how I overcame my phobia of cheese
Phobias are irrational and unexplainable. Cheese until a few years ago was my achilles heel. Few people could understand how someone who could be so obsessed with food and wine had a 'fear of cheese'. This was not an allergy but rather real fear. I recall a day when I was still at school and a friend had placed a piece of cheese in my school bag as a joke. I never used that … [Read more...]
