Thursday, May 15, 2008

Traveling around West Vlaanderen

Bottle of Pannepeut beer

They are over, but we had two nice long week-ends. One from thursday to sunday and one from saturday to monday. All thanks to the fact that in Belgium every Catholic  festivity is celebrated. The first long week-end as well as the second we stayed on the Belgian coast, in a place called Sint Idesbald (a fraction of Koksijde) ... they say Belgium, but it is only few kilometers from France.

We took the occasion to drive around the area, which happens to be where Elke comes form (!!!), visiting breweries, World War (one) memorial cemeteries, little villages, etc etc. I will post more photos and details as I manage to find time to actually do something with the few hundreds I took. And this is a start .... and what better way to start if not by introducing a rather unknown (at least to the general public, but not to the lovers) beer, which now sits calmly in my stomach: the Pannepeut . A quadruple (read 10%) dark ale brewed with spices.

This beer comes form a non-professional brewery in the sense that it is run by amateurs (De Struise Brouwers or DSB). They have been voted the best brewery in the world for 2008 (see here) on top of the legendary Sint Sixtus Abdij (of the legendary Westevleteren 12 beer). So I was curios ... I bought a few and tonight gave a try at this one (which is not among their best). Well, what a nice beer. Not in the league of the legendary Westvleteren 8 and 12, but definitively a beer with a complex aroma and taste, just lacking in texture and aftertaste. I am looking forward to taste their better Pannepot and Black Albert!!! 

An angry cow

Among other things I saw in the area were cows .... and I discovered that cows are definitively not friendly. At least not to me. Why? Well, I saw one stuck in mud and ... yes what a photo. But as soon as I got out of my car ... I felt observed ... by 40 cows, then they all grouped together and with angry faces (just check the photo above)  they started getting close ... time to go away!!! Better run !!!

And now let's end with a different note .... the 28th of April was our 1st anniversary .... of marriage. As it was a monday we took advantage of the first long week-end to celebrate it sligthly later. And we did it in style. We went to one of our favorite restaurants: Hostellerie St Nicolas. We know this place from before he got to two Michelin stars and I say it since they mean nothing to us (except the danger of high price). 

The meal was almost perfect (just like the time before 2 years earlier), relatively reasonable prices, great food dominated by a desire to explore a combination of asian-belgian fusion, perfectly matched wines, fresh ingredients, good bread, nice decor and ambiance, very nice service and tempo .... but .. too much food and (only for me, since Elke is pregnant) wine. We had 7 amuse, a first started composed by 3 dishes for me and 4 for Elke (she got changes due to the pregnancy), two other starters, a good sized main course, cheese, dessert, coffee with lot of little sweet things .... and my wine glass was always full. Simply incredible.

Despite the price this is the best price/quality we have ever had (and we have been there 3 times in 5 years) .... if you are around Ieper, definitively give it a try .... but maybe avoid the degustation menu ... simply too much food!!!

And now time to go back to the wifey ... and the little one. Ciaoooo


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Thursday, May 08, 2008

Courgette filled with smoked salmon

Courgette filled with smoked salmon

Gosh I am really exhausted today. I arrive home, get immediately into cooking, then cut the plants, then call around, then post on the blog ... and then still 300 photos waiting for me to be fixed. Plus one tasty Chimay Bleu in me .... well. Let's post now.

Yes another fish recipe that I made last long week-end on the Belgian coast. When we saw homemade smoked salmon, I could not resist ... plus I love courgette, and here it is yet another version of stuffed courgette. Very light yet tasty. Elke declared this a dish to be repeated next time we go to the seaside (which is in two days!!!).

Sorry for the short text ... but I am almost sleeping and it is just 9pm. I can't imagine once the little one will show up ... I will need a red bull every day, no every hour !!!

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Monday, May 05, 2008

Tomates crevettes

Tomates crevettes

It is sad when a very long week-end ... almost a  week ends and the normal rhythm needs to be re-started. Luckily we will have a slightly longer week end coming up next as next monday is holidays!!!

What we did was spending time on the belgian coast, enjoying the nice meat and fish that can be bough there, visiting (for one first year anniversary) a lovely restaurant (Hostellerie St. Nicolas) and just going around taking photos or visiting farms for some artisanal cheese. All in all very relaxing and very much like an holiday.

We are now sadly back ... and forced to work with almost 25 degrees and a fantastic weather (especially for Belgium) but our memory goes back to the last week .... and surely to this dish, which comes straight out of the Belgian tradition and does requires the legendary gray shrimps I already introduced sometime ago. I love this dish .... I could eat it as it were chips!!!

A nice week to everyone, ciao.

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Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Fun from YouTube ... Lost 3 & 4


Following up on an old post ... see the 3rd installement of the WebLost above and the 4th below ...


As the original got me bored, I find this one much more amusing !!!

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Thursday, April 24, 2008

Banana muffin bread

Banana muffin bread
Since the weather is getting better and a few long week-ends are coming (like next week thursday and friday are national holidays), we start our season of spending sometime on the belgian coast. It is not like being at the beach in Italy, but it is still relaxing and far from the everyday things.

Therefore, here I am . Posting quickly a new recipe while I wait for the program "My Restaurant" Belgian edition .... which is fun!! Gosh, it makes me feel like too many people try to open a restaurant without having a clue!!

The bread you see posted here is based on a cake I have already shared. Here the low sugar quantity is balanced by the banana and the chocolate mix. The result is something which is not only ice to taste ... but it fills the house with a wonderful banana aroma. As the one before ... also this one did not last much

;-)

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Sunday, April 20, 2008

Stoofvlees or Belgian Beer Stew

Stoofvlees or Belgian Beer Stew
This is probably my favorite Belgian dish and, as far as I know, one of the most famous. I never make it as it is Elke's culinary territory and she can make is so fantastically well. The recipe is easy but it requires still quite some time and some work at the beginning.

It was a while I wanted to share this recipe .... but lately I kind of got the inspiration from one of my new colleagues (yes, Jan .... I am talking about you). Why? Well, he seems not to be able to spend a week in the office without eating it at least once for lunch! Surely he is the Stoofvlees man!! I will be curious to see if he is going to try and skip it next week once he reads this ;-)

Anyway, Jan ... as promised this is my wife version (west-flenders). Care to point out the differences from yours (oost-flanders)??? 

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Saturday, April 12, 2008

Tagliatelle with roasted bell peppers

Tagliatelle with roasted bell peppers
I am slowly getting used ... yes, getting used to work in a very different environment (few but nice people instead of thousands but rushing). To putting up a tie every day (well, almost I shall admit). To go back and learn new things for a new job (gosh, only a russian could have dreamed up Triz). I guess I will find a rhythm among jobs, coming baby and driving around which will make me post and cook more. For the moment I can say I feel much better and looking forward to be super busy (and thus post at night and week-end :- )).

And here I am ... finally some time after baby-shopping for a new recipe. BAck to something rather traditional and italian, a pasta based on what italians call roasted paprika salad. Perfect for the spring days that are finally coming ... even if tricky in terms of feeling light but being rather caloric.

Wish everybody a great week-end ... I am going to rest. Busy weeks ahead (I hope ;-) ).

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