Delicious quiche in winter!

There were some posts which could be catalogued under food & beverage. Until now there was no sign of receipt… I thought:”If I’m really promoting a lifestyle, this has to change.” So I did… This morning I made a quiche with mediterranean ingredients: 4 tomatoes, 1 zucchini, 4 eggs, puff pastry, 1 boll of mozzarella, 2 toes of garlic, 50 g parmesan, 90 g bacon cut in small cubes, olive oil, provencal herbs, salt and pepper.

Dammann Frères: the French tea specialist

Winter…Cold…Grey…

Time for a good cup of tea. Dammann Frères is a luxury tea brand. The company has been founded by the brother Pierre and Robert Dammann, both passionated by tea, in 1925. But the Dammann legacy started much earlier, namely in 1692 under reign of king Louis XIV of France. Since 2007 this company is part of group Illy (known from the coffee). I discovered their shop in september 2007 in the center of Paris. More precisely at the Place des Vosges.

The shop is rather dark: there is not that much daylight that enters and the shelves, tables, etc… are painted glossy black. At the other side: it creates a specific atmosphere. Difficult to describe: you have to experience it…

Paris: Au Rélais

This café I found at the beginning of the summer (2011) in Paris, more precisely in the neighborhood of Montmartre. If you’re looking for a typical Parisian place to have a drink or a meal, you’re at the right spot!
I took breakfast with some friends at the terrace. That was perfect: fresh orange juice, croissants,…and delicious cappuccino! It couldn’t be better….

Real cappuccino!

Mmmm cappuccino!!! Can be so good!!!

But what is a good cappuccino? Lately I took at several places a cappuccino. Unfortunately, most of the time it tasted not as it should. One time, I paid 6 euro for it. Not cheap, but I could live with it when properly made…You can guess it already: it wasn’t…

Basically, a cappuccino is made up of: 1/3 coffee (espresso)*, 1/3 milk and 1/3 steamed milk (no cream! Otherwise it’s a Wiener coffee). Eventually topped with some cacao, cinnamon, raw sugar, or other  spices.

Enjoy it!

* Nespresso, Lavazza and Illy are my favorites

Trip to Domburg

Last Sunday. My wife asked me: “Shall we go to the sea?” “OK”, I said, but as she know it wouldn’t be the Belgian coast: too busy and too much concrete. So, it became Domburg.

Domburg is a small village, with approximately 1.500 inhabitants at the west coast in province of Zeeland.

Here is a nice address I want to share with you…

- “Mondriaanswinkel” and “Restaurant Mondriaan“: is combined concept of a delicacy shop (wines, teas, chocolates, coffee, champagnes,…) and a restaurant, with biologic cooking with regional products as their central point.

The Chocolate Square

Some weeks ago in Mechelen (city between Brussels and Antwerp), I found a chocolate shop: ‘The Chocolate Square’. They want to approach chocolate from different angels and forms. You can see this when you take a look how store has been built up. Here the following divisions: 

• Origines: there are 7 different kinds of chocolates with a high amount of pure cacao.
• Squares: handmade, square formed chocolates with several tastes: pure, milk and white; extra flavored with for example dried fruits, nuts, puffed rice, biscuit,…
• Melting and decorating: special chocolate to melt for a chocolate fondue or fountain. Besides that you find stuff to decorate your plates with a chocolate written text or drawing.
• Drinking and enjoying: all what you need for a superb chocolate milk: chocolate flakes, chocolate on a stick: to let it melt in your hot milk. 
• Surprising chocolate: chocolates with surprising tastes such as curry, lavender, ginger,…
• Chocolate gifts

Of course, there are a lot of chocolate stores, but I liked there concept. Besides that it was the kindness of the shop owner which has been the finishing touch…

Handmade chocolate squares

More info: http://www.chocolate-square.com