Category Archives: Wine

The Glorious

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Outside The Glorious

My mother-in-law, outside The Glorious

To celebrate Koen’s first paycheck from his new job, we invited Koen’s parents out for dinner at The Glorious. The Glorious’s sommelier, Jurgen Lijcops, who is often on Flemish TV speaking about wine, has created a winelist for the restaurant that is always evolving, depending on the month and season. For any wine lover,  a trip to The Glorious is a must! I had been there once before for Christmas dinner with my colleagues and really enjoyed the food. Because of the wine and food, Koen and I thought this would be a great restaurant for celebrating his first paycheck! It was a bit more eventful than we expected (we were brought the wrong wine, the waiter spilled soup on my father-in-law, and a glass broke), but we still enjoyed the wine, food, and company!

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Maison Clic’Eau

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Maison Clic’Eau

Yesterday was a holiday in Belgium, Dag van de Arbeid (Labor Day), and Koen and I enjoyed the sunny 65 degree weather by taking a long walk around Antwerp. We walked first through the Groenplaats and the Grote Markt, then to ‘t Eijlandje. Not quite ready to return home, we decided to try out a new restaurant, Maison Clic’Eau, to enjoy a few drinks on the terrace.

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Tipies Wijncafé from Grand-Vin at Het Hooihuis

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Tipies Wijncafé set up and ready to go!

Last weekend Koen and I helped out with his father’s wine tasting event – the Tipies Wijncafé (Teepee Wine Café). It was a join venture with my father-in-law’s Grand Vin and one of the Brörmann’s favorite restaurants Het Hooihuis. This is the second time Grand Vin has hosted a wine tasting at Het Hooihuis and we had beautiful sunny weather and a great turnout! Special for the warm weather, Grand Vin debuted its new Rosé and Rosé Spumante. I especially enjoyed the spumante all afternoon! To pair with the wine, Het Hooihuis created a special menu including oysters, burgers, and white asparagus soup. Yum!

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Christmas Post!

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I know it’s a bit late for a Christmas post, but I can be a bit lazy when there are a lot of photos involved!

Because we exchange gifts with Sinterklaas, we celebrate Christmas with a big dinner and everyone prepares a course!

Koen and me in our Christmas clothes!

Koen and me in our Christmas clothes!

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Decadent Mini-Burgers!

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For Sinterklaas, I must have been very good because I received a lot of delicious goodies from Koen – foie gras, truffle oil, various cheeses, and wine! I am not very patient when it comes to delicious food (I must get that from my father, who always says ironically that patience is his middle name). With that in mind I wanted try to incorporate everything into one decadent dinner!

Decadent Mini-Burgers! My plate is featured below. I created 2 foie gras burgers and 1 Stilton burger! All 3 were drizzled in truffle oil and topped off with raspberry-onion confiture!

Decadent Mini-Burgers

Decadent Mini-Burgers

A “Boar”ing Weekend

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A few weekends ago, Koen and I happily accepted a large amount of wild boar from a friend of Koen’s father. I had only had boar once before in a kroket form, so I was excited to try it in other ways.

First night:

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Slowly roasted wild boar marinated in Norton Privada wrapped in prosciutto, served with green cabbage/potato mash and roasted chestnuts

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Sinterklaas!

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Sinterklaas in the Netherlands is celebrated the 5th of December (and the 6th in Belgium) but because my sister-in-law Nikki was in Pakistan, we celebrated a bit later.  There are a few differences between the Dutch Sinterklaas and the American Santa Clause. Although the Sint brings gifts to the “braaf” or good children, he is much more strict than my dear Santa. If you are bad, not only do you receive a “roe”, or a cane to be whipped with, but also you will be taken from your parents and home in Sinterklaas’ bag and brought back to Spain, where the Sint lives!

Also, Sinterklaas does not have elves to help him with the days up to Christmas, instead he has Zwarte Pieten, black companions that arrive with him on his steamboat from Spain to help distribute treats. Although originally black to represent the Moorish people who once occupied the Netherlands, they are now black because they are covered in soot from the chimneys!  But as an American here, I don’t think I will ever get used to seeing so many people in black face with huge red lips, afros, and golden hoop earrings!

Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet

Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet

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The Antwerp Christmas Market

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The Antwerp Christmas Market has begun! The Christmas market is spread out around Antwerp, and you’ll find cute wooden stalls with a variety of vendors. A trip to the Kerstmarkt isn’t complete without first sampling spekpatatjes met looksaus (bacon potatoes with garlic sauce) and Glühwein (“glow wine”, mulled wine). Koen and I ventured into the huge crowd the opening night, Saturday the 8th of December. Unfortunately I didn’t check my battery level and could only take 2 photos! But I went back Monday to take more photos!

Me enjoying spekpatatjes met looksaus and Glühwein the first night of the Kerstmarkt!

Me enjoying spekpatatjes met looksaus and Glühwein the first night of the Kerstmarkt!

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Weekend in Roosendaal

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The 21st of July is the Nationale Feestdag van België. The south of the Netherlands proclaimed independence to form the Kingdom of Belgium (the official name) on the 25th of August 1830. This was the start of the Belgian Revolution, which ended on the 14th of July 1831. Leopold I became the first king of Belgium the 21st of July 1831, and every year on this day everyone celebrates in Belgium.

But because the 21st was on a Saturday this year, I went to the Netherlands to spend the weekend (it’s rare that I have 2 days off in a row!). Koen and I had a relaxing time in Roosendaal, enjoying good wine (from Grand Vin, of course), food, and weather.

Friday the 20th

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2011 Minuty Rosé, AOC Côtes de Provence

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