The Food Traveller

Traveling around West Vlaanderen

2008-05-15T20:39:00.002+02:00

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!!!

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

Courgette filled with smoked salmon

2008-05-08T21:05:00.003+02:00

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 !!!

(Leggi la ricetta --- Read the recipe)

Tomates crevettes

2008-05-05T21:33:00.002+02:00

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.

(Leggi la ricetta --- Read the recipe)

Fun from YouTube ... Lost 3 & 4

2008-04-30T07:22:00.000+02:00

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 !!!

Banana muffin bread

2008-04-24T21:33:00.002+02:00

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

;-)

(Leggi la ricetta --- Read the recipe)

Stoofvlees or Belgian Beer Stew

2008-04-20T13:28:00.002+02:00

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)???

(Leggi la ricetta --- Read the recipe)

Tagliatelle with roasted bell peppers

2008-04-12T15:33:00.002+02:00

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 ;-) ).

(Leggi la ricetta --- Read the recipe)

Again from youtube ... this I can't believe

2008-04-10T07:18:00.001+02:00

A quick .... sure this is a CNN parody, but it seems so real!!!

Chicken with mustard and greek yogurt on couscous

2008-04-06T12:03:00.003+02:00

Yes, I survived ... well. It wasn't hard to get back to work after a two long (and at the end boring) weeks of a break. How come? Honestly, the atmosphere in the new job is nice. Besides, as it is still the beginning, this is normally more psychologically tiring than anything else. Overall happy and looking forward to be overload with work again ... and posting in the strangest time of the day :-) or on sundays like this time.

>Back to food. The recipe I am sharing today is part of Elke's repertoire ... she found it on a Belgian magazine called Flair. The first time we had it ... well, we were rather negative at first for its dry and brick-like look. But the look is deceiving (and surely not easy to treat for photos so you get the ugly look this time!!) as the chicken is juicy and tender and the couscous goes very well with it. We have even served it to guests ... which once passed look, they enjoyed asking for a second serving (that we did not have).

Now, back to the sunday! Ciao

(Leggi la ricetta --- Read the recipe)

Risotto with black salsify and gorgonzola cheese

2008-03-31T10:10:00.001+02:00

It was bound to happen ... today is y last empty workless day as tomorrow I (and I need to add here finally) start my new job! Quite a change as I have left a company where I was for about 8 years in order to do something which merges my experience and my latest done MBA with my enthusiasm for innovation. Sure I am thrilled ... but also sort of worried. I guess it is normal. But this is only change number one (new house, new town, first baby on the way ;-))

Anyway, here is yet a winter dish! Yes winter as here in Belgium is still bloody winter (but getting better). If you do not fancy salsify try to replace it with some asparagus, potatoes and/or artichokes ... since this is their taste. Sure is if you use salsify you get the right balance (and less things to buy).This dish can also be made vegetarian very easily by using a vegetable stock instead of the chicken stock. Just use a very neutral one.

Ciao and I wish everybody a nice week ... if not as exciting as mine (and yes I start on April's fool!).

(Leggi la ricetta --- Read the recipe)

Pears and Chocolate cheesecake

2008-03-27T12:17:00.005+01:00

Now that the snow is gone and rain has replaced it, I kind of miss all that white around. Bah! Such is life sometimes. I guess we appreciate things more once their are gone. Jut like for this cheesecake ... I wish we still has a bit left to eat in these gray days.

I believe it was about two weeks ago, when I saw Sciopina posting about her wanting to do a Pastiera (traditional Easter cheesecake from Napoli) but ending up making a pear and chocolate tart. I really wanted to do it ... but I am no so great fun of cakes with pastry on top.

And so this cheesecake came to be. It is a fairly lighter cheesecake in the sense that it has less calories, much less eggs and it tastes less fatty. We enjoyed a lot the way the bitter chocolate (with caramelized bean chips in it) goes with the light ricotta cheesecake, the (still) crunchy pear pieces and the spicy cookies. Much better than the other recipe I posted sometime ago. Sure that one is different, but we both preferred this one (despite I still used a very dark chocolate Elke does not fancy too much).

For the italians (or who else can find it), consider using the 85% chocolate Venchi here since it is dry and has a bit the taste cocoa beans (I did not use it since I had little left and wanted no to use it up).

(Leggi la ricetta --- Read the recipe)

We had a ...white white Easter!

2008-03-25T23:10:00.001+01:00

We are back from the Easter break ... and what an unusual Eater.

Spring? Well ... here we had more than 15cm of snow this morning! Tonite ... well, there is only water left! Better this way!

I hope you all spent a nice Easter ... ciao!!

Spaghetti, spices and lamb

2008-03-20T20:41:00.004+01:00

It is Easter time ... or better Easter break like for most bloggers. Therefore, this is my last post for a few days as we will tomorrow morning drive towards the Belgian coast (somewhere near Ooostende or Ostend in English) where to spend a lazy (and alone) Easter. Nothing special also given that the pregnancy does not allow much (including no flying!).

This dish is a bit on the Easter theme as it features lamb seasoned with two mains spices. A curry mixture that everybody knows ... and dried wild fennel flowers, which not many know. I was lucky enough to receive some of it from a friend (Minouche of La Tomaterie) who (hopefully) will start importing it in Belgium. Before this dish I did not know how well these two ingredients go together. A perfect match with lamb and the pine-nuts as well.

Well, enough talking. I wish everybody a Happy Easter and hopefully with better weather than here!

(Leggi la ricetta --- Read the recipe)

Casatiello

2008-03-18T16:25:00.004+01:00

This is the quintessential Easter Recipe from Napoli. I did it only once before at my mum's house (4 years ago I think), when I actually acted as a kneading machine more that anything else. Since my mum & pap came to Belgium for a few days last week-end, she was so nice to bring along some homemade strutto and italian cheeses ... yes, you read well: homemade strutto! It took them 5 hours to make this spreadable lard derived from pork fat, but it was worth is as it is much more delicate than the industrial one.

Back the casatiello, it is something done in Napoli (and surroundings) for Easter to be eaten on the Saturday before Easter. This time we followed the traditional recipe from my Aunt Pina (sister of my Dad) adjusted with the the kneading technique of my mum's Aunt Olga ... and the result is a stunningly light (but extremely caloric) rolled bread with cheese, ham and salami. Very delicious on it own and even better with some more italian charcuterie.

I am so sad it is finished!!! Why why why only on Easter!

(Leggi la ricetta --- Read the recipe)

Pollo ai peperoni - Chicken with bell peppers

2008-03-16T11:25:00.003+01:00

After so many personal posts which are probably boring to most (but luckily not all) ... here at TFT (as Francesco likes it call this blog) we are back on food! And back in style or better with a different cook for once: Francesco's Mum!

This time Elke and myself only helped my mum (visiting us with my dad for the MBA award ceremony) cooking a traditional and tasty dish which requires some butcher skills and good ingredients. It was the first time for Elke to eat it ... and she actually clened up her plate with some bread better than a dishwasher (a super scarpetta!!).

(Leggi la ricetta --- Read the recipe)

And yesterday I closed a 2-year (only) chapter!

2008-03-14T15:09:00.003+01:00

What does this mean? Yesterday with other 84 people I was awarded an MBA ... or better defined as a 2-year suffering-sweating-not_sleeping-studying-having_fun chapter of my life

I guess with all these closing chapters ... you might expect a post on an opening one. Yes it will come in a couple of weeks :-) And in between (finally) some more recipes!!

In the meantime ... se what effect a certificate has on people? I was looking weird! My mum was happy holding my diploma. My dad was taking photos. And my wife was observing smiling.

Ciao ciao!

Today I am closing an 8-year chapter

2008-03-12T13:39:00.006+01:00

Today is a very special day, so allow me not to post a recipe (once again).

On the 1st of August 2000 I joined Philips Research ... today is my last day at NXP Semiconductors, which was previously known as Philips Semiconductors. Almost 8 years I have been working in Eindhoven ... surrounded by the same (but changing) buildings. And surely, I am much less of a scientist I was then.

Today I am closing this chapter. Another one will be opened soon (and not only professionally) ... still, it is strange to do a change which implies not seeing the same people, place, city, etc etc.

So allow me a moment of though about it.

In the meantime, let me know what you think this photo is about. Of course, ex-colleagues, please say nothing.

A week-end in Luxembourg

2008-03-11T07:34:00.007+01:00

Last week-end we went to Luxembourg, which is not too far from home but far enough to feel a bit like a small holiday. The place is rather small but with many historical and beautiful restored buildings, like the ducal palace or the government one (see the photos). Lot of shops .... from body shops - which looks like selling icecream (see the photo) but sell soaps - to luxury goods - I mean the Gucci, LuisVitton, etc, etc.

It is not a bargain city/state, since everything is more expensive despite having lower VAT. I mean ... I looked at Nikon lenses and they were constantly 20% more expensive that average-Joe shop in Belgium.

But the best shop must be a new chocolaterie (Oberweis) we found. You know .. Belgians are proud about their chocolate, but even Elke was impressed. I took away a bar of their New Guinea dark chocolate ... mmm ... so smooth, powdery, full of flavor including roasted moka and spices. Really a treat! I should have bought more! I now declare Luxembourg a chocolate-lover dream-land!

Eating there is something tricky, or better somewhat disappointing considering it sits near France and Belgium. Long ago we enjoyed a very nice meal in a restaurant now no longer in existence .... lately we only got rising bills with lowering taste. This time I even got served (for a considerable price) frozen fish which appeared to me as microwaved. Kind of ridiculous considering the posh-ness of the place (le jardin du president) we were!

Overall, Luxembourg is worth a short stop but not a dedicated trip ... except when you live (like us) nearby. If you are in its neighborhood, maybe consider to stop there for a night. Beware ... it might be cold in winter!

Fun from YouTube ... Kruger battle

2008-03-10T15:23:00.003+01:00

Since our honeymoon in Africa, I feel in love with Safari's. I know that since our first baby is coming in a few months ... there won't be any chance for one for a very very long time.
Still I dream about going back to Africa or doing one in India.
We were talking about it at lunch, when one of my colleagues (well almost ex- .... two days to go) mentioned an amazing video taken in Krueger Park (South Africa) with a battle between buffaloes, lions and crocodiles. And here it is .... if you have not seen it, this is simply amazing footage. I wish I were there to experience it!

Pear and chocolate tart

2008-03-06T18:40:00.003+01:00

Am I on a kitchen-blog-roll (gosh this sounds like a weird sentence)? No, simply so many recipe I wanted to share ... but it was so painfully slow with the old mac. Or better sort of boring, now I can enjoy listening to music (Midnight by Joe Satriani right now) while downloading something and writing my blog. A luxury ... but a nice one.

(now music moves to Patience by George Michael ... reminiscence of my youth)

I wanted to share this recipe for a while now. I found it in an old number of Cucina Moderna, an Italian magazine we used to be subscribed to. I liked more than Elke ... but I honestly love the pear and bitter chocolate combination. Elke prefers less bitter chocolate. Next time I will use a sweeter 55% chocolate instead of the 80% one ... and she will love this tart too.

Do not be fooled by its appearance .... it is, like all other desserts, rather caloric and not very filling!

(Me. & Mrs. Jones by Ami Winehouse playing .. gosh like a step back in time)

PS: I think I forgot to follow up on some meme ... if so, please remind me and my apologies.

(Leggi la ricetta --- Read the recipe)

Traditional Belgian Meatballs

2008-03-04T19:56:00.003+01:00

It is done! What is done? The migration of all my files to the new mac. I now enjoy my new super fast machine, rather silent (when I turn off the noisy external drive) and leopard ... which seems to have less bugs than windows as usual (but a few more than Tiger :-( ). I love its back-up solution. So easy!

Anyway, what a better way to restart posting food (finally food) than using a traditional Belgian recipe. It is simple and it looks similar to the italian meatballs recipe ... but the taste is rather different. Of course it is! There is absolutely no cheese in it, but boiled eggs. They cook a longer time! Etc etc!

And of course ... this is and was done by my sweet wife! Ciao !!!

(Leggi la ricetta --- Read the recipe)

Fun from youtube .... Lost

2008-02-27T11:37:00.003+01:00

This is for all you Lost fanatics (english only) ... maybe a new Lost Series to follow??

Ecco la Focaccia - Here it is, the focaccia!!!

2008-02-25T07:07:00.003+01:00

While working on migrating everything to my new mac, or should I say playing with my new mac, I decided to give a try at making focaccia. I have followed the recipe of Reinhart, who is (in my opinion) the master baker! He wrote a book on pizza that is both funny to read and perfect in the recipes.

I won't be posting the recipe, since my mac is not ready yet for it and because you can find a very similar approach here (in italian) and here (in english). It is credited to another baker, well ... as we say, things tend to circulate under various names!

When you look closely, you will notice that ... mine has toppings! And how does it work with toppings? Very easy. Put things that can sustain long cooking times (e.g. tomatoes) from the beginning an things which cook fast (e.g. mozzarella and grated pamesan cheese) 10 minutes from the end.

A note on the linked recipes, you can easily skip one folding when you feel that dough is elastic and you can reduce the cooking time to 20 minutes (instead of 30) when using the convection (ventilated) option of the oven. Ah! And I always suggest to use instant yeast.

Gosh this one was really nice, I hope it will be still good today (one day after) at lunch. It will make my working day more bearable ;-)

Technical interruption

2008-02-23T07:56:00.004+01:00

Yes yes ... I am being lazy with the blog these days, but actually not. I am forced to a technical pause since I am switching mac. A couple of days ago my new amazing Mac Pro arrived and I am still moving files around an playing with the new machine!

So, bear with me for a few days .... I guess in few days I will be less focused on my new toy, a new real post will appear here ;-) Which also means I will have found files and installed Photoshop again.

The 20 worst foods in US

2008-02-20T11:47:00.005+01:00

Since I am on lunch break and I saw this on an Italian web-paper ... well, I re-propose it here but limited to only the photos for the top 5. Maybe it will stop you form eating all your lunch!!!
If you want to read more go to the Men's Health article here.

Now from worst (2900 calories, 182g fats) to 5th worst (2310 calories, 162gfats).