Stuttgart

A few scenes from an evening in Stuttgart, where I'm spending the next few days on a work trip. After a morning of traveling and an afternoon of final preparations, I went for an evening walk in search of a bite to eat. It is properly summery here (ahem, Amsterdam) and everyone was outside to enjoy it. I landed in Weinstube Fröhlich for a dinner of Schwäbische Käsespätzle, which is basically delicious and cheesy. And not at all photogenic. More to come!

de krat 5 november

In this week's crate: Komatsuna leaves, purple grapes, rapini, Jerusalem artichoke, salad, carrots, Savoy cabbage (the last of the season), red onions, pears, Belle de Boskoop apples, mushrooms, bread, and venison. Looking forward to a week of eating well.

late October harvest

A Saturday morning delivery from de krat. With a busy work week ahead, I am looking forward to eating well with parsnip fries, baked apples, a romanesco pasta, and a pumpkin soup. The crate also came with a bottle of vlierbes azijn (elderberry vinegar), pictured below.

While Marcus is much more experimental when it comes to cooking, I have been expanding my collection of recipes with inspiration from these food blogs: 101 cookbooks, roost, what katie ate, bella eats, spoon fork bacon, sweet paul, and my new roots. What are some of your favorite places to find new food inspiration?

spoon fork bacon

The new food blog Spoon Fork Bacon is a delicious feast in itself. The photography is top notch, the styling inspired, and each post sprinkled with complementary design elements.

First on my list to try out are the grilled zucchini tacos, the spinach and ricotta stuffed shells, and the simple blackberry jam. Served up with a kiwi capiroska or sweet cherry gin and tonic.

Images courtesy of Spoon Fork Bacon. Photography by Teri Lyn Fisher and styling by Jenny Park.

proef

Last weekend found me once again in Proef, a restaurant in Amsterdam's Westerpark that serves local, organic food that is in season and creatively prepared. The atmosphere is cozy and inviting and the meals are satisfying and delicious.

The concept of the restaurant, created by Marije Vogelzang, is perfectly executed. Small details fill the space, from a guest book at each table and the proud pitcher of Amsterdam tap water to the presentation of food and the bathroom decorations.

A salad almost too pretty to eat.

Inside Proef.

The Proefplank, a selection of vegetables served on a board.

Why not roast a marshmallow by the fire?

Chickens wander the gardens outside.

the weekly krat

Being away the last two weekends, one of the things I was looking forward to was receiving a crate from de krat Saturday morning. Once again, this week's offering didn't fail to delight with apple berry juice, fresh bread, an assortment of cherry tomatoes, fresh spinach, a head of lettuce, fava beans, chicory, peppers, red currant berries, Romanesco broccoli, flat-leaf parsley, a Thai chicken pot pie, and lamb sausage (I'm not a meat eater, so the last two items are for ze German).

Below is an afternoon snack that Marcus prepared of fava bean and pea puree with lemon, garlic, and olive oil in a chicory leaf. Yes, it was delicious.

de krat

On Saturday morning, we received the first box full of locally-produced, organic goods from De krat (The crate), which was stuffed full with leek, Chinese cabbage, paprika, chili peppers, tomatoes, squash, lettuce, beets, fresh baked bread, cherries, oregano- and chili-spiced sausage (not for me), and lemon-flavored mayonnaise from The Bio Bandits.

I had been thinking about signing up for a box from Odin, which has a pick up point around the corner from my apartment, but when I heard about de krat I was instantly sold. The boxes are filled with eight different types of fruits and vegetables (although I wish there had been more fruit in this one), as well as other products of the week like bread, milk, eggs, jam, nuts, or cheese. They also deliver free in Amsterdam and include recipes using the products of that week's crate.

a taste of turnip

This unassuming vegetable has become an object of my fascination in the past weeks. About a month ago I tried a turnip for my first (!) time. Fresh and crisp with a hint of spice, I was sold. Not unlike my discovery of figs last year, I can't quite explain how I had lived so long without having tasted this vegetable. At the end of the growing season here in Holland, I'll enjoy it fully until the next time around (first image via, second image via).

Weekend Links #17

Weekend Links is a collection of the interesting bits and pieces that I’ve come across on the streets and online. The weekly post is my chance to share with you a few things from the week, in a list compiled during the weekend. I hope you enjoy them as well.

A few things I enjoyed this week: 1. Seeing the winners of the annual World Press Photo contest http://bit.ly/gYoXnh 2. Listening to an NPR interview with Over the Rhine (pictured above), a band whose music brings back memories of a Boston winter and a corner room 3. Tasting Afghan food for the first time at Mantoe 4. Watching the Chinese New Year celebrations in this short video (via wearethedigitalkids) 5. Browsing the collection at La Rosa Curiosa, a little vintage clothing store that is quickly becoming a favorite in Amsterdam (pictured below, image via bheart) 6. Watching this video of the celebrations in Egypt

smorrebrod

Last week a potential collaborator flew from Denmark for an all-day meeting at our office in Amsterdam. Lunchtime raised the topic of the Dutch tradition of broodjes, simple sandwiches, and how they compared with Danish smorrebrod. A Scandinavian colleague informed me that he believed smorrebrod would be the next global delicacy, along the lines of sushi.

Following this conversation, I was delighted to see an article about 'butter bread' on NPR. It reminds me a lot of the German tradition of bread with toppings that Marcus introduced me to, which we have dubbed 'cheese bread'. We start with a hearty bread, toasted then buttered, and apply a mixture of ingredients, some favorites being goat cheese, mushroom and dill; brie and jam or sliced avocado and red pesto.

Photo by Lynda Balslev