We eat a lot of nice food, so it is always a challenge to come up with something out of the ordinary for Christmas dinner. When I was at Hanos (the premium Dutch catering wholesaler), I picked up a hare … Continue reading Filetto di Lepre con Salsa Dolceforte (Hare Fillet in Dolceforte Sauce)
If you haven’t yet decided what to make for Christmas dinner and are looking for an easy yet elegant fish dish that requires only about 30 minutes of prep and 10 minutes to finish, Branzino all’Acqua Pazza may be exactly … Continue reading Branzino all’Acqua Pazza (European Sea Bass with Cherry Tomatoes)
Earlier this year, while visiting the Northern Italian city of Padova, I spotted a dish on the menu I had never heard of: Lasagne ai tre carni. I always jump at the chance to discover new, authentic classics, and this … Continue reading Lasagne al Ragù Bianco (Lasagna with White Meat Ragù)
In many touristy areas of Thailand, it is surprisingly difficult to find authentic local dishes because the food scene has adapted to the tastes and expectations of international visitors. Restaurants, night markets, and even street food stalls tend to serve … Continue reading Dining in Thailand: Pak Tai
Chris, originally from the UK, moved to Thailand 29 years ago to be with his Thai wife. Together they built The Gallery Restaurant and Gold Bar on the island of Koh Tao, perched on a hill, which is also their … Continue reading Dining in Thailand: The Gallery Restaurant
Gaeng Hung Lay (แกงฮังเล) is the best-known curry from Northern Thailand. It contains more spices than other Thai curries and is sweeter, yet much less spicy in terms of chili heat, and it has no coconut milk. Most of its … Continue reading Gaeng Hung Lay (Northern Thai Pork Curry) Sous Vide
The island of Phuket in Thailand has a very international restaurant scene. I didn’t do an exact analysis, but I suspect purely Thai restaurants are a minority. Phuket is very touristy, and restaurant menus are not only in Thai and … Continue reading Dining in Thailand: Bucha Gallery and Restaurant
It was a series of coincidences that brought us to Locus Native Food Lab. First, we weren’t supposed to be in Northern Thailand at all—we had planned to visit Ko Lipe in the south. When bad weather hit there, we … Continue reading Dining in Thailand: Locus Native Food Lab
One of Northern Thailand’s most iconic dishes is Khao Soi, a rich curry noodle soup made with chicken, fresh egg noodles, coconut milk, and a mild curry paste. It’s topped with crispy deep-fried noodles for added crunch. To increase the … Continue reading Khao Soi (Northern Thai Curry Noodle Soup with Chicken)
Risotto is the ultimate comfort food—not just when you eat it, but also while you make it. The gentle, rhythmic stirring isn’t complicated and can be a relaxing ritual, especially with good company or a glass of wine in hand. … Continue reading Risotto Verza e Salsiccia (Risotto with Savoy Cabbage and Italian Sausage)
Pesto alla genovese is one of those ingredients that is much better when made at home, even if you use a blender instead of a mortar and pestle. There are two reasons for this. First, almost all store-bought pesto contains … Continue reading Lasagne alla Genovese (Lasagne with Green Beans and Basil Pesto)
To celebrate my friend Robert’s birthday, I took him to one of my favorite restaurants in Amsterdam: 212, led by chef Richard van Oostenbrugge. I’ve been a fan of his cooking ever since my first visit to Bord’Eau in 2013 … Continue reading Dining in Amsterdam: 212** (2025)
Wils is a Michelin-starred restaurant located just outside Amsterdam’s Olympic Stadium. It takes its name from Jan Wils, the architect who designed the stadium for the 1928 Olympic Games. In the photo above, showing the restaurant’s exterior window with its … Continue reading Dining in Amsterdam: Wils*
In May, we visited the Venetian coast, where one of the most common ways to serve seafood is gratinated with breadcrumbs. This preparation is especially delightful with mussels—their natural brininess is deepened by the heat of the oven, while the breadcrumbs … Continue reading Gratinated Mussels (Cozze gratinate)
As part of our wine tour through Friuli, we had dinner at La Subida Trattoria al Cacciatore. The chef’s specialty is girini—his interpretation of a traditional local dish made by letting pasta batter drip into boiling water to form fresh pasta. What … Continue reading Girini (Crumbles of Dropped Pasta) with Rabbit, Samphire, and Cherry Tomatoes
This raspberry and almond cake is inspired by the kind of simple, flavorful baking you might get served for breakfast at an agriturismo or a cozy B&B in Italy. The tartness of fresh raspberries pairs beautifully with the soft, nutty … Continue reading Raspberry Almond Cake (Torta di Lamponi e Mandorle)
For the reunion of our wine trip to Friuli I’m preparing some dishes inspired by dished we had during the trip. At Michelin-starred Trattoria al Cacciatora we had rolled guinea fowl with “sclopit” and “urticions”. Both of the latter are … Continue reading Guinea Fowl Wrapped in Prosciutto
Italians are very proud of their culinary heritage, and rightly so. There are even some traditional Italian dishes for which an official recipe has been established. This helps to preserve the traditional dishes in their original form. The most famous … Continue reading Ragù alla Bolognese (The Official Recipe)
I needed a light dessert to conclude a tasting menu. Initially, I considered serving small bowls of strawberries macerated with honey and balsamic vinegar—an easy way to elevate even average berries. But that felt a bit too simple. Instead, I … Continue reading Almond Shells with Honey Balsamic Macerated Strawberries
Le Calandre is the restaurant of chef Max Alajmo, which has held 3 Michelin stars since 2002. The chef was only 28 years old back then, and thus became the youngest chef with three Michelin stars of all time. This … Continue reading Dining in Italy: Le Calandre*** (2025)
Spectrum is the two Michelin star restaurant in the Waldorf Astoria hotel in Amsterdam by chef Sidney Schutte and restaurant manager Cas Kratz. This dinner was planned long in advance to celebrate my friend Martijn’s birthday, so it was a … Continue reading Dining in Amsterdam: Spectrum** (2025)
When I was in Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand, I followed a private cooking lesson, and tried several local restaurants. A dish that featured on the menu of local restaurants that serve Northern Thai food was “hors d’oeuvres”, an assortment of … Continue reading Nam Phrik Kapi (น้ำพริกกะปิ, Northern Thai Spicy Shrimp Dip)
When I was in Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand, I followed a private cooking lesson, and tried several local restaurants. A dish that featured on the menu of local restaurants that serve Northern Thai food was “hors d’oeuvres”, an assortment of … Continue reading Nam Phrik Num (น้ำพริกหนุ่ม Northern Thai Green Chili Dip)
When I was in Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand, I followed a private cooking lesson, and tried several local restaurants. A dish that featured on the menu of local restaurants that serve Northern Thai food was “hors d’oeuvres”, an assortment … Continue reading Nam Phrik Ong (น้ำพริกอ่อง Northern Thai Tomato and Pork Dip)
After two years it was time to return to Ciel Bleu, the two Michelin star restaurant at the 23rd floor of the Okura hotel by chef Arjan Speelman with a wonderful view of Amsterdam. My previous visit was in 2023 … Continue reading Dining in Amsterdam: Ciel Bleu** (2025)
It’s been a while since I’ve prepared a recipe I discovered through another blog. But when I saw Frite de Cordero on Accounting for Taste, I immediately knew I wanted to prepare a sous vide version of it. Frite de … Continue reading Frite de Cordero (Spanish Lamb Stew)
Italians are very proud of their culinary heritage, and rightly so. There are even some traditional Italian dishes for which an official recipe has been established. This helps to preserve the traditional dishes in their original form. The most famous … Continue reading The New Official Recipe for Ragù alla Bolognese
Deventer is a historic town in the east of the Netherlands, on the banks of the IJssel river. This is not a part of the country that we visit often, and we had never been to Deventer before. I knew … Continue reading Dining in the Netherlands: Bouwkunde
This tasty and elegant, but simple to prepare, appetizer was inspired by a dish I really liked at Wills Domain in Western Australia. As usual, I did not try to prepare an exact copy of the dish, but merely used … Continue reading Scallops with Avocado, Daikon, and Tosazu Dressing
The very first dish we had when we arrived in Thailand was Khao Kha Mu. We got it in Chiang Mai near the north gate of the old city at a stand that is famous for a lady with a … Continue reading Thai Pork Leg Sous Vide on Rice (Kao Ka Moo / Khao Kha Mu / ข้าวขาหมู )
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