For my friend Robert’s birthday, we dined at restaurant Bougainville, located inside hotel TwentySeven within a historic building on Dam Square in Amsterdam. Under Executive Chef Tim Golsteijn, the restaurant has held a Michelin star since 2019. Maître and sommelier … Continue reading Dining in Amsterdam: Bougainville*
One of the most classic Italian desserts is Torta della Nonna, or grandmother’s cake. It is a simple pie made from sweet shortcrust pastry filled with pastry cream, with lemon zest infusing both the pastry and the cream, and topped … Continue reading Torta della Nonna
Massimo Bottura’s Osteria Francescana in Modena is widely considered one of the most famous restaurants in the world, holding three Michelin stars. During our meal there, we were served Tagliatelle 3.0, a elevated rendition of classic tagliatelle al ragù. The … Continue reading Modernist Tagliatelle al Ragù
Khana Moo Krop (คะน้าหมูกรอบ) is a staple Thai stir-fry featuring gai lan (Chinese broccoli) and crispy pork belly. I ordered it frequently during our trip to Thailand, as I like it and it was a great way to get my … Continue reading Sous Vide Khana Moo Krop: Thai Crispy Pork & Gai Lan
Garbanzas Compuestas is a hearty chickpea and pork stew from the Canary Islands, inspired by versions sampled across Tenerife. A deep, aromatic stock is built from pork trotters, tomato, onion, and garlic, seasoned with smoked paprika, cumin, saffron, and bay … Continue reading Garbanzas Compuestas: Canarian Chickpea Stew
Restaurant Mario in Neck was founded in 1967 by Italian chef Mario Uva. Every week, he drove to Italy to source authentic ingredients for the kitchen. Neck is a tiny village just north of Purmerend and half an hour from … Continue reading Dining in the Netherlands: Mario
Hor Mok (ห่อหมก) is a traditional Thai steamed red curry custard. It is traditionally steamed inside folded banana leaf packages, but I have also enjoyed it served inside a young coconut on Koh Samui. Because banana leaves do not impart … Continue reading Hor Mok: Thai Steamed Seafood Curry Custard
Kaagman & Kortekaas is the restaurant of chef Giel Kaagman and host Bram Kortekaas, tucked away in a narrow street right in the very touristy downtown area of Amsterdam, near Dam Square. The restaurant’s motto is “Courageous cuisine. Natural craftsmanship. Celebrated hospitality.” They serve a set 4, 5, or 6-course chef’s menu for 69.50, 79.50, or 89.50 euros. The menu is inspired by nature, featuring plenty of vegetables along with meat and fish, though vegetarian options are also possible. True to their ethos, they like to use everything “from snout to tail”. There is an extensive wine list with bottles … Continue reading Dining in Amsterdam: Kaagman & Kortekaas
Thung Thong (ถุงทอง) are a classic Thai appetizer of deep-fried, crispy pastry pouches packed with a savory filling. The name translates literally to “golden bags” or “money bags,” symbolizing prosperity and good fortune, which is why they are traditionally served … Continue reading Crispy Thai Shrimp Golden Bags (Thung Thong)
Alkmaar is a provincial town in North-Holland famous for its cheese market and canals, located just over half an hour north of Amsterdam. Living roughly halfway between the two, we usually head to Amsterdam because it has so much more … Continue reading Dining in the Netherlands: Granville
Green beans are in season here right now, which means they are both cheap and at their peak flavor. The local season lasts only a few weeks, with most of the harvest ending up frozen, jarred, or canned. Blanching and … Continue reading Pasta Fagiolini e Pomodorini: Pugliese Pasta with Green Beans
We were invited aboard our friends’ sailing yacht WindBreker for a weekend of sailing in the province of Zeeland. The province is aptly named, as nearly 40% of its surface is water. It used to be mostly sea (zee is … Continue reading Dining in the Netherlands: Barres
Ravioli are my signature dish, and they never fail to delight my guests. Once you have some practice, making them does not take as much time as you might think. Limiting the portion size to about six per person naturally … Continue reading Shrimp Ravioli with Fresh Tomato Sauce
Sai Ua (ไส้อั่ว) is a highly popular street food in Chiang Mai, consisting of a flavorful pork sausage grilled over charcoal. It is seasoned with red curry paste and fresh herbs. While the name literally translates to “stuffed intestine”, you … Continue reading Northern Thai Pork Sausage (Sai Ua)
During our time in Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand, I tried a wonderful new dish called ซุปมะเขือ, or sup ma khuea. In Northern Thai cuisine, sup is a culinary term for a dip made by boiling a vegetable and then … Continue reading Northern Thai Eggplant Dip (Sup Ma Khuea)
The season for white asparagus is almost ending here in the Netherlands, so I’m just in time to post this delicious recipe. It utilizes every bit of flavor from the key ingredients, as the head, bones, and skin of the … Continue reading Sous Vide Turbot with White Asparagus & Smoked Jus
The island of Texel was named a top 10 European destination in 2016 by Lonely Planet. Located less than two hours north of Amsterdam, including the ferry crossing, it is the largest of the Dutch Wadden islands. The only Michelin-starred … Continue reading Dining in the Netherlands: Bij Jef*
One of my favorite dishes from our recent wine study trip to Emilia-Romagna was the Mezzi rigatoni con scarola, olive taggiasche, e salsiccia we enjoyed at Osteria la Baita in Faenza. This is not necessarily a typical regional dish, as … Continue reading Mezzi Rigatoni with Escarole, Taggiasca Olives, and Sausage
When I launched this blog back in 2011, my goals were simple: I wanted to share my passion for food and wine with you. I had absolutely zero interest in photography or photo editing. However, I quickly ran into a … Continue reading Behind the Scenes: My Food Blogging, Photography, and Video Journey
Garden peas are an intriguing seasonal ingredient. They are at their best when they are still small, tender, and sweet, but this window lasts only a day or two. When they are left to mature on the vine, the sugars … Continue reading Potato Gnocchi with Garden Peas, Zucchini & Ricotta
Restaurant Merlet, located in the dune-swept coastal village of Schoorl about an hour north of Amsterdam, has held a Michelin star since 1998. Despite its reputation, I had never visited before, largely because Amsterdam’s vast culinary scene is so easily … Continue reading Dining in the Netherlands: Merlet*
As a member of the Dutch association of wine connoisseurs with a level 4 diploma (Verenigde Vinologen Nederland), I serve on the VVN travel committee. Together with Fred Nijhuis, I organize wine trips to Italy. Following our previous journeys to Campania in 2024 … Continue reading Wine Tour of Le Marche: Verdicchio, Sangiovese, and Montepulciano
As a member of the Dutch association of wine connoisseurs with a level 4 diploma (Verenigde Vinologen Nederland), I serve on the VVN travel committee. Together with Fred Nijhuis, I organize wine trips to Italy. Following our previous journeys to … Continue reading Wine Tour of Emilia-Romagna, part 3: Romagna
As a member of the Dutch association of wine connoisseurs with a level 4 diploma (Verenigde Vinologen Nederland), I serve on the VVN travel committee. Together with Fred Nijhuis, I organize wine trips to Italy. Following our previous journeys to … Continue reading Wine Tour of Emilia-Romagna, part 2: Pignoletto
As a member of the Dutch association of wine connoisseurs with a level 4 diploma (Verenigde Vinologen Nederland), I serve on the VVN travel committee. Together with Fred Nijhuis, I organize wine trips to Italy. Following our previous journeys to … Continue reading Wine Tour of Emilia-Romagna, Part 1: Lambrusco
Still blogging from Italy, I am waiting for the rain to end so I can walk to the gym without getting soaking wet before I even get there. This reminded me of our vacation to Thailand last November, where it … Continue reading Kanom Jeen Nam Ngiew (Northern Thai Pork and Tomato Noodle Soup)
As you may have noticed, I am currently on vacation in Italy and enjoying this foodie heaven. Since I do not eat in blog-worthy restaurants every day and have more time for blogging than when I am at home, I … Continue reading Langoustines in Savory Tomato and Bisque Sauce
In Italy, I prioritize visiting restaurants awarded three gamberi or three forchette by Gambero Rosso. The sweet spot is often a restaurant with three forchette but only one Michelin star, as they offer exceptional cuisine at a more approachable price … Continue reading Dining in Italy: daGorini* (2026)
When selecting restaurants in Italy, I primarily rely on the Gambero Rosso “Ristoranti d’Italia” guide. They award one, two, or three gamberi (shrimp) to trattorie and one, two, or three forchette (forks) to restaurants. Whenever I am on vacation in … Continue reading Dining in Italy: Trattoria da Amerigo*
The contrast between yesterday’s visit to Osteria del Mirasole, a temple of humble cooking and one of Italy’s finest trattorie, and today’s visit to Osteria Francescana, a temple of fine dining and one of the country’s best restaurants with three … Continue reading Dining in Italy: Osteria Francescana*** (2026)
