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)
The Italian guide Gambero Rosso awards one, two, or three gamberi to rate trattorie in Italy. In the 2026 guide, only 49 trattorie were honored with the highest rating of tre gamberi. Due to the rich food culture, a large … Continue reading Dining in Italy: Antica Osteria del Mirasole
Many Italian recipes for chard only use the leaves, which are called bietole. This can be confusing, as the word literally translates to beets. The stalks are known as coste, or coste di bietola in full. When preparing dishes like … Continue reading Italian Gratin of Chard Stalks Recipe
It is the season for white asparagus in the Netherlands. The classic way to serve them is with boiled ham, eggs, and Hollandaise sauce. Three years ago at Michelin starred restaurant De Juwelier they served asparagus with prosciutto and a … Continue reading White Asparagus with Prosciutto & Sage Beurre Blanc Recipe
As a holder of a Dutch level 4 diploma in wine (vinoloog in Dutch), one of the questions I get asked most often is what my favorite wine is. Although I’m generally a lover of Italian wine, my favorite white wine is French: white Burgundy from Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet, and preferably Montrachet Grand Cru. However, my favorite red wine is Italian: Barolo. This love affair started about 20 years ago. I had just begun to enjoy drinking wine, and we were having a company retreat at a conference hotel with a pretty good wine list. The waiter was about to … Continue reading How to Enjoy Barolo, King of Italian Wines: Aging, Pairing, Serving
Last Friday I took my friend Martijn out to dinner for his birthday. For me, the ultimate fine dining experience is a parade of exquisite dishes and wines that lasts a full evening. Where each dish delights, every wine is … Continue reading Dining in Amsterdam: The White Room* (2026)
One dish that features most commonly on restaurant menus on Tenerife is papas arrugadas con mojos, wrinkled potatoes with sauces. The potatoes are cooked in their skins in heavily salted water. After draining, they are shaken in the same pot … Continue reading Papas Arrugadas con Mojos Recipe (Canarian Potatoes)
Conejo en Salmorejo is the first dish I have prepared following my trip to Tenerife. Rabbits were introduced to the island by Spanish settlers and thrived in the volcanic landscape, providing an affordable source of protein. The recipe likely evolved … Continue reading Conejo en Salmorejo Sous Vide
As the winner of the 2025 Lafite Laureate wine tasting competition, I was invited to Château Lafite for a tour, lunch, and tasting. Domaines Barons de Rothschild (DBR) Lafite, the competition’s main sponsor, arranged for Tiphaine de Rességuier, Commercial Director … Continue reading Visiting Château Lafite Rotschild
Another favorite dish at Bucha Gallery and Restaurant was the lemongrass and duck salad. You read that correctly: lemongrass is not just an ingredient for curry paste or flavoring broth, but can be enjoyed as a crunchy, fragrant salad. The … Continue reading Yum Ped Takhrai Recipe: Thai Lemongrass & Sous Vide Duck Salad
At Bucha Gallery and Restaurant, we enjoyed a wonderful bowl of Kaeng Poo, a Southern Thai yellow crab curry served with crispy Khao Tang rice crackers for dipping. The savory crab curry was warm and creamy, offering a rich and … Continue reading Authentic Kaeng Poo Recipe: Southern Thai Yellow Crab Curry
