Category Archives: Belgian Cuisine

My Parents Visit Antwerp

Posted on by

0

Enjoying fresh fries in Antwerp with my parents!

Enjoying fresh fries in Antwerp with my parents!

My parents made their annual visit this May! We had an eventful start – I fractured my elbow when I fell off my bike on the way to pick them up in Brussels. But who better to have around than your parents? The first week I had to wear a cast to let my bone begin healing, and for the remaining 5 weeks I have to wear a compression sock – otherwise I won’t have any range of motion. So we were in and out of the hospital and doctor’s office a lot! For the rest of the trip we took it easy, taking walks around the city, eating fries, and enjoying Belgian beers.

Continue reading →

Tomate aux crevettes

Posted on by

0

Tomate aux crevettes with baguette and garlic butter

Tomate aux crevettes with baguette and garlic butter

Tomate aux crevettes is one of my favorite Belgian dishes! It is not difficult to make and the simplicity of the flavors is what makes it so great. Hollowed tomatoes are filled with a mixture of North Sea shrimp, mayonnaise, Worstershire sauce, lemon juice, and tabasco – or at least that’s how Koen and I make it. You can use store bought mayonnaise, but for last night’s dinner, Koen made it fresh from scratch and you can taste the difference! Traditionally tomate aux crevettes is paired with french fries, but we were in the mood for bread. To top the bread, I made a garlic butter made of butter, garlic, shallots, and parsley. Perfect combo!

Continue reading →

White Gold aka White Asparagus

Posted on by

1

White asparagus ready to be peeled

White asparagus ready to be peeled

In Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and France, late April to late June is white asparagus season. During this period I always try to eat as much white asparagus as possible – we’ve already had them 4 times! Compared to green asparagus, the white ones are more tender and less bitter. Normally Koen and I always eat them the Dutch way, with Hollandais sauce, ham, smoked salmon and a boiled egg. This season we’ve been experimenting. A few tips from Jeroen Meus to keep in mind when preparing asparagus:

  • Poke the bottom of the asparagus with your thumbnail; if moisture comes, they’re fresh
  • Rub the asparagus together; if they make a squeaky sound, they’re fresh
  • Rather than cutting the end off, break it off with your hands; that way you don’t accidentally cut off any of the tender asparagus

Continue reading →

Easter 2014 in Antwerp, Belgium

Posted on by

0

Brunch at our place!

Brunch at our place!

This year Koen and I volunteered to host Easter brunch at our apartment in Antwerp. It was a lot of fun coming up with a menu and plan for the afternoon. We knew we wanted to buy lots of different breads and spreads as well as pastries, both savory and sweet. Of course we placed our order at Lints, our favorite bakery. Because the weather was nice and sunny, we also were in the mood for fruit! So we served watermelon, mango, pineapple, raspberries, and passion fruit alongside homemade kiwi juice (we used the leftovers to make a delicious smoothie the next day). After our huge brunch we went for a walk around the city, walking along the Scheldt River and through the historic district, stopping for a drink in front of City Hall and the famous Brabo fountain.

Continue reading →

Burgerij / Sunday Walk

Posted on by

0

Heading toward the Burgerij/MAS Museum

Heading toward the Burgerij/MAS Museum

Last Sunday Koen’s parents came to Antwerp for a visit. We had wonderful, sunny weather and took a nice stroll through the city. After a delicious lunch at Burgerij, we checked out an exhibit about royal luggage and then walked a different route back to our apartment. It’s always fun playing the tour guide!

Continue reading →

Verloren Maandag (Lost Monday)

Posted on by

0

Appelbol en curryworst

An appelbol and a worstebroodje (a curryworst to be exact)

I’ve lived in Antwerp for over 3 years and never really understood Verloren Maandag. All I knew is that the Monday after Driekoningen, or Epiphany (Koen’s birthday) bakeries were open on Monday and closed on Tuesday (usually the opposite) and in every bakery there are mountains of appelbollen (apples wrapped in pastry dough and baked in the oven) and worstenbroodjes (sausage wrapped in pastry dough and baked in the oven). This year I decided to partake and learn more about the tradition.

Continue reading →

Sinterklaas 2013

Posted on by

0

My surprise for Dook!

My surprise for Dook!

In case you don’t remember from last year, the “surprises” are homemade gifts tailored to the likes and hobbies of the person whose name you’ve drawn. This year I drew Dook, Koen’s dad. Because Dook is the biggest wine lover I know, my surprise had to do with wine. I fingerpainted a map of the world, then created a pathway through the major wine countries. Starting in California, Dook had to answer questions about wine to move forward. After successfully completing the game Dook was able to open his gift!

Continue reading →

New York Day: Banh Mi, Nike, Chelsea Market, Markt, and the Guggenheim

Posted on by

5

Koen and Christina in front of the best Vietnamese sandwich restaurant in Chinatown!

Koen and Christina in front of the best Vietnamese sandwich restaurant in Chinatown!

On Saturday, we planned our day around visiting the Guggenheim Museum. Because we were trying to save money, we visited the MOMA on Friday, because entrance is free between 4 – 8PM and the Guggenheim on Saturday between 5:45 – 7:45PM, because you are able to pay what you want. Christina was also off from work, so she took us to her favorite Banh Mi restaurant for lunch, then to a Nike exhibit she worked on in the Meatpacking District, followed by a tour of the Chelsea Market, and then to a Belgian restaurant for biertjes and frietjes.

Continue reading →

New York City: Bryant Park, New York Public Library, Lombardi Pizzeria, Greenwich Village

Posted on by

8

Breakfast in Bryant Park

Breakfast in Bryant Park

This was my parents’ last day in New York. We had to part after breakfast, because they had tickets for the afternoon matches at the US Open. So we grabbed breakfast sandwiches from a street vendor to eat in Bryant Park. Afterwards we visited the New York Public Library, then met up with Christine and had lunch at the first pizzeria in America. Day 4 is also the day we transitioned from staying in Midtown with my parents to Chinatown with Christina!

Continue reading →

Bourla

Posted on by

3

Bourla

Bourla, the building with the orange awning and outdoor seating

My colleagues and I finally celebrated Christmas dinner! Although the late dinner is attributed to scheduling conflicts, we wound up really enjoying the sunny weather by eating outside. The Bourla is located in the Graanmarkt, alongside many other cafés and restaurants – it’s nice area to relax for a drink, lunch, or dinner. Because the weather was warm outside, my menu consisted mostly of North Sea Shrimp!

Continue reading →