Soy Vay

Ever wanted the perfect marinade for your BBQ party? Let me introduce you Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki. It's an all natural teriyaki sauce made from the finest kosher ingredients: preservative free soy sauce, fresh ginger and garlic, onions, expeller pressed soy and sesame oils and bursting with sesame seeds. The marinade goes perfect with fish and meat ; I prefer to use it with scallops, shrimps and beef on the grill. Sometimes I add some peppers, extra sesame seeds and fresh coriander to the marinade. This marinade is hard to get in Europe, don't know if that's a good or a bad thing, but you can always scontact me for further information. On the Soy Vay website, you can also find a list a yummy recipes.

Soy Vay Hoi Sin Garlic Marinade & Veri Veri Teriyaki


Grilled scallops with veri veri teriyaki, fresh chaopped thai peppers & coriander.

Television chefs part three -Gordon Ramsay-

Next to Nigella Lawson and Rick Stein, I choose Gordon Ramsay to be the next "tv-chef" I mention on my blog.
Gordon James Ramsay (born 8 November 1966) is a chef, television personality and restaurateur. He has been awarded a total of 14 Michelin Stars and in 2007 became one of only three chefs in the United Kingdom to hold three Michelin stars at one time. Ramsay currently ranks 3rd in the world in terms of Michelin Stars behind Joel Robuchon and Alain Ducasse.
I have to admit I haven't always been a huge fan of his work, but you can't denie his dedication to the kitchen. On the other hand hand I do am a huge fan of "dim sum", and I recently found some videos on youtube where Gordon Ramsay tries to make his own in one of London Chinatown's restaurants ; he 's got bollocks!

part one

part two

Here's some more information of Gordon Ramsay on Wikipedia. I also wanna mention a restaurant of Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares television show : Momma Cherri's Soul Food Shack in Brighton. Nowadays it's called "Momma Cherri's Big House". I would love to get a food experience overthere.

Cherry Clafouti

Clafoutis or clafouti (pronounced kla-foo-TEE) is a French country dessert from the Limousin region. Traditionally it was made with the first sweet cherries of the season and the cherries were left unpitted so the kernels could release their delicate almond flavor as they baked.
Today, most people prefer this dish with pitted cherries, which makes the clafoutis much easier to eat. Of course you can use different sort of fruits but when other kinds of fruit, such as plums, prunes, apples, cranberries or blackberries are used instead of cherries, the dish is called a "flognarde" (sometimes spelled "flaugnarde").
I want to share this recipe because this cake is so easy and quick to make. Try it, you will love it.

Ingredients
400 gr cherries
4 eggs
125 gr sugar
50 gr butter
75 gr flour
250 ml milk
a few drops vanille extract (and I use coconut extract too)
nutmeg (optional)

Instructions
1. Preheat oven at 190 C (350 F).
2. Beat the eggs and sugar in a big bowl using a mixer.
3. Add the flour slowly and continue to beat the mixture.
4. Add the butter in the mixture and continue to beat.
5. Add the vanilla/coconut extract and a little of nutmeg if wanted
6. Add the milk slowly and continue to beat the mixture for a few more seconds.
6. Take an oven dish ..some people choose for butter, I choose for baking paper.
7. Spread the cherries in the oven dish (make sure the fresh ones are cleaned or they’re drained from the syrup), beat the mixture for 5 more seconds, and then spread that mixture atop the cherries.
9. Bake in the oven for about 30-40 minutes until golden
10. Best way it to eat it warm (not hot and not too cold either)… you can also use icing sugar to finish the cake (I never do)

Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clafoutis

Restaurant "Huis De Colvenier"

I would like to share an excellent address for dining in Antwerp : "Huis De Colvenier" dutch / english.

“Huis De Colvenier” in the very centre of Antwerp is a real tastemaker having class and quality as a motto. The restaurant has been located here for 17 years in a tromphant Patrician house.
The most exquisite room is certainly the winecellar (+20.000 bottles). This one is impressive and has a very special atmosphere. Especially aimed at the aperitif with owner – chef Patrick Van Herk. In his open kitchen, you smell, you see and you taste the flavours of goose liver, shellfish, fresh vegetables, cheese and all that depending on your taste, time , budget … Discover and live “Huis De Colvenier”. This will be a personal and surprising experience.
Patrick Van Herck is a top chef de cuisine. He gained inspiration at Bruneau, at Scholteshof, Belle Epoque in Leuven and even at Robuchon in Paris. His kitchen is French tinted but Patrick knows how to put a personal touch on it. Trust him only season-tied ingredients and you will be surprised about the smashing result.
A weekend ago I had the privileged to have an excellent super during a wedding party.

Television chefs part two -Rick Stein-

Rick Stein is another respected TVchef ; I love his lamb and peas dish, but couldn't find it, but the Sardinian Spaghetti alla Carbonara is a another great dish, so easy to make but what a great dish for a food party ..cheers!

Television chefs part one -Nigella Lawson-

Jamie Oliver, Nigella Lawson, Bill Granger, .. they all give me great inspirations for some good food partys. I really would like to share Nigella's Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Sundae .. try it, it's great, enjoy !! By the way, instead of the salted peanuts, I often use salted cashews and o'yes, I 've never tried condensed milk myself before too but it works great!

My favourite European wines (at a reasonable price).

The wineshop "De Heerlyckheid" (dutch website) is my top address in Antwerp for good wines at a fair price. In the weekend of 18-20 april, the new wines will be introduced.
I got many favourites, but I want to introduce the three ones I like the most :

Soave Classico di Monteforte DOC Veneto (a white wine from Italy)
Gran Feudo Viñas Viejas Reserva 2001 (a red wine from Spain, Bodegas Julian Chivite)
Rapitala rosato (a rosé wine from Sicily)

Produced in the Navarra region from carefully selected hand-picked Tempranillo and Garnacha grapes, from our own vineyards ‘Hoya de los Lobos’, planted in 1954, ‘Clavijas’, planted in 1940, and ‘El Paso’, planted in 1960, located in Cintruénigo and Corella. These are the best and oldest local grapes for quality wines and they have been complemented with a little Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from our vineyards in Aberin.
This wine has been matured in the traditional way in French (Allier) oak barrels, with a further evolution in bottle that refines and harmonises the qualities of this wine, developing its complex bouquet.

Brand Name : GRAN FEUDO VIÑAS VIEJAS
Grape variety : Tempranillo, Garnacha, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon
Style of wine : Reserva red
Alcohol volume : 12.50%
Barrel ageing : 18 months in French (Allier) oak barrels
Colour : A deep ruby, with a lighter rim, showing its age. Clear and bright.
Nose : Full ripe soft fruit nose, with hints of tobacco. Reminiscences of soft red fruits, ripe stone fruits and black fruits. Spicy with vanilla and nut notes.
Palate : The first impression is of a velvety softness, but this opens out into a full-bodied wine, filling the mouth. Complex, well-structured tannins and excellent hints of oak. Powerful finish. Alive, modern, allowing a good lay-down ageing.
Food matches : The wine's fragrance and balance make it a good partner for tender lamb roasted with rosemary.


Rapitala Rosato Sicilia IGT
http://www.rapitala.it/

Made from indigenous red grapes, nerello mascalese and perricone. Picked when they still have a good acidity and from selected parcels of vines at between 300 and 400 metres above sea level, they are vinified by the rosé method, leaving the must in contact with the skins for several hours immediately after a gentle pressing. A wine with a fresh, fruity flavour, a delicate bouquet and bright colour.

Brand Name : RAPITALA ROSATO
Grape variety : Nerello Mascalese – Perricone
Style of wine : Rosé
Alcohol volume : 12.50%
Colour : bright pink colour
Nose : a floral, fruity bouquet, and dry, full, elegant
Palate : clean flavour with a light aftertaste of fruit which lingers in the mouth
Food matches : Italian hors d’oeuvres (cured pork meats), fish, white meats, fresh cheeses


Soave Classico di Monteforte DOC Veneto

Selected parcels in the hills of Monteforte D'Alpone in the heart of the Classico zone, facing southwest. The soil is of volcanic origin and basalt-based, rich in calcium, potassium and magnesium. The vines are trained by the Pergola Veronese system , with a yield of 100 quintals of grapes per hectare.
The ripe grapes are gathered at the beginning of October, and undergo a gentle pressing. 70% is vinified by the white wine method, the rest is cold macerated for 24 hours on the skins to improve the aromas and the structure. After natural clarification, nearly all the must is fermented at a controlled temperature with selected yeasts in stainless steel tanks until the beginning of February. The wine is cold sterile bottled.

Brand Name : SOAVE CLASSICO DI MONTEFORTE
Grape variety : 85% Garganega, 15% Chardonnay
Style of wine : White
Alcohol volume : 12.50%
Colour : pale straw colour with vivid green tints
Nose : dry, savoury, balanced, very agreeable flavour, with an elegant, lingering aftertaste of white peaches and almonds
Palate : Delicate but well defined bouquet, of exceptional finesse with a fresh fragrance of elderflower and vine and cherry blossom and mellow hints of exotic fruit.
Food matches : fresh starters, fish, barbeque