SALONE DEL MOBILE 2014 - MILAN FOOD EXPERIENCE

During the design week in Milan (Salone del mobile)i combine my design inspiration agenda with, what i now call: The Milan food experience. I consider finding new food inspiration equally important and it's no punishment, believe me! Some of these places have great hidden gardens and with a bit of luck one can dine outside in the afternoon in april. So it happened this time, with 25C almost every day. Thank you sun!  Enjoy some of my 'picks' for this trip.

Luogo di incontro con cucina 'Al fresco'

'Angelo's bistrot'

Da Claudio, pescheria dei Milanesi

'Pavé' pasticceria e luogo di incontro 

'Erba brusca' orto con cucina

EASTER INSPIRATION

ICE SCREAM!!

This weekend was absolutely phenomenal for we could all feel the first warm sunbeams in our faces...Yesss! spring has come to greet us. All ice cream shops were packed with people and i was one of them!

porcelain art by Anna Barlow

photo from pinterest

FOODLINGO BIBLE

Foodtrendanalist Marjan Ippel came to the luminous idea to gather all 'lingo' she comes across in her job and write a book called: Foodlingo bible.
Food = trend and fashion, a real revolution one might say. Trends are signals in our society that indicate development and change. She wanted to make her own pure statement and chose to have no commercial interference on the book by a publisher. She believes quality is not always quantity and possible short term success would not contribute to a sustainable economic system.
It's interesting to read how many food lingo has mixed into our language, coming from the trends in the market. 

* MERRY X-MAS TO YOU *

QIYUN DENG

Biodegradable tableware (made of bioplastic PLA) by Qiyun Deng

NEW CRAZE BURGERS

salmon burger on rice bun

beef burger on noodle bun

SPICE UP YOUR DINNER TABLE

you can order these beauties here at Mo man tai

LENNEKE WISPELWEY-DUTCH DESIGN WEEK 2013

see more @ Lenneke Wispelwey

COPPER MUG COCKTAIL

RECIPE

BLACKBERRY MOSCOW MULE

1 ounce vodka

2 tablespoons blackberry lime sauce

1/2 cup ginger beer

1 sprig of fresh mint

1 slice of lime

BLACKBERRY LIME SAUCE

12 ounces of fresh blackberries

1/4 cup water

4 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

*use a foodprocessor and sif to make a very smooth puree.

PRESERVING THE HARVEST

It was a fun summer growing the vegetables and fruit. Even building a greenhouse! Still harvesting the last vegetables but my freezer door is just about closing so one way to go about this

is to pickle them! Sweet Paul has come up with some tasty ideas. Find the recipes here @ Sweet paul Fall magazine #14 page 79.

MENU DU CHEF-SEPTIME PARIS

Feel like challenging myself with a few dishes of Paris based restaurant Septime. It will be my next guests dinner! Le Septime, 80 rue de Charonne, 75011 Paris, 01 43 67 38 29.

Champignons crus-cuits/Oignon doux/Jambon italien

Polinarorron/mozzarella/Marjolaine

Truite de Banka/Choux-fleurs/huitre

Chocolat/Mures fraiches/Menthe-romarin

GREEN CABBAGE

Pictures of green savoy cabbage growing in my vegetable garden.

CABBAGE AND AVOCADO SALAD

100 gr puy lentils

1 bay leaf

1 garlic clove, bashed

a few parsley stalks

1 tbsp olive oil

100 gr unsmoked bacon, chopped

1/2 small cabbage

2 avocados

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

DRESSING

juice of 1/2 lemon

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 heaped tsp English mustard

1/2 tps sugar

serves 4

Put the lentils into a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, boil for one minute only, then drain. Return the lentils to the pan and pour on enough water to cover them by 1cm or so. Add the bay leaf, garlic and parsley stalks. Bring back to a very gentle simmer and cook slowly for 25 minutes, topping up with boiling water if need be, until tender but not mushy.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and fry the bacon for a few minutes, until crisp. Leave to cool completely.

Whisk together the dressing ingredients, season and set aside.

Drain the lentils and discard the herbs and garlic. Toss with two tablespoons of the dressing, add a little more salt and pepper, and set aside to cool completely.

Bring a pan of salted water to a boil. Throw in the cabbage and cook for just 30 seconds or so, and no more than a minute, then drain in a colander and immediately refresh either by dunking it in a bowl of iced water or by holding the colander under a running cold tap. This will stop the cooking process and helps keep that brilliant green colour. Drain the cabbage again, then give it a whirl in a salad spinner to remove all the water.

When the cabbage and lentils are ready, peel and destone the avocados and cut the flesh into 2-3cm pieces. (Don't prepare the avocado ahead of time because it will discolour.) Gently toss the cabbage with the lentils, avocado and bacon. Divide between four plates, trickle over the remaining dressing and serve.

ENJOY !

HOTEL V

A cosy place TO BE! and to have a drink, eat or stay the night is definitely The Lobby in urban design boutique HOTEL V /in Amsterdam. Be sure to share the 'flammkuchen' for a starter! (super thin pizza with all kinds of yammie toppings) They are soooo good!