Anecdotes

 
on the way home after a wonderful tasting menu of food and wines in a great gastro cafe
 

geweldig
 
the next morning at the market where we had lunch in a simple cafe behind the market
we did not even have to reserve , the fish and shellfish was onflow from the market

to feast our eyes on the views, the local products and the wines

The lusten en niet de lasten
I translate to
The pleasure without the work
There is something special about dining with friends and often we do not do it enough as it is too much work
It need not be!
I last dined with my Proffesional Culinary Network in Asch with Emily van Woerd from Koken op Hout
www.kokenophout.nl

She had obviously gone to a lot of work setting it up and laying the table and preparing the barbecues.

To start she had invited a friend an “Oyster man “ who I had previously met at Taste of Amsterdam.
A glass of rhubarb prosecco in the sun and then to work tasting a selection of oysters.

Which you know I love
It was amazing the difference in the 6 sorts we tasted very interesting. One Geay I had never tasted before, infact several where new to me.
A fun idea for a special occasion.
Then it was barbecuing on the cedar wood planks, giving it a very special flavour and stopping especially fish, falling apart. Look at her web site for more ideas.



Last week I entertained 6 guest from abroad who had been on a cycling trip, one was a professional gardener so a diner in the garden it must be.
Herring with drinks, then salmon marinaded in beetroot, and a fennel salad, then a slow roasted belly of pork “porchetta, my favourite roasted aubergines from Otto Lenghi and baked potatoes, then strawberries and hang-op.
Simple food but delicious and easy to serve with no deadlines.
Fortunately two of the guests know my house well so after doing the preparation during the day, whilst they where out, I sat down at my garden table and they took over and served the food, even the guests helped make the plates for the salmon.
Next week I leave for 6 weeks in Finland and like last year and the year before we cook together most evenings.. Saves washing up too.
Tonight in the warm weather after returning from a 5 day camper trip I made Panzanella, lovey food for hot summer days, the recipes are to be found on my blog under recipes
My broad beans are now growing well and I treated myself to 4 precious pods tonight, giving a total of 12 beans ..
now I am harvesting the gooseberries before the birds or Jolly get them
Last week I had diner in the garden but this time the food came from Foodware on the Looiersracht, my friend Willehmijn collected it and I laid the table, not quite take away !! and delicious .

 
Op  het  ␣Amsterdam  History  of  food␣  symposium  ontmoette  ik  je  en  ik  beloofde  je  mijn  verhaal  te   sturen.  Ik  heb  grote  bewondering  voor  wat  je  bereikt  hebt  met  ␣la  cuisine  française␣  en  ik  hoop  dat  je   aan  me  denkt  als  je  eens  hulp  nodig  hebt  bij  Pats  Pantry.  met  vriendelijke  groetjes,    
  Harriët  Arnolds   Tudor␣s  exclusieve  catering  op  locatie   06  22322860        
Ik  heb    samen  met  mijn  moeder  Mathilde  in  1984  meegedaan  met  een  kookwedstrijd  waarbij  we  een   recept  van  jou  hebben  gebruikt  als  basis  voor  onze  inzending.  De  wedstrijd  was  uitgeschreven  voor   de  Sunmaid  raisin  company.    
 
 
Op  een  dag  in  februari  mochten  we  mijn  moeder  en  ik  met  een  stuk  of  twaalf  andere  finalisten   komen  koken  in  de  keuken  van  de  Hoefslag  in  Bosch  en  Duin.  Alle  deelnemers  had  enorm  uitgepakt   en  je  zag  enorme  hoeveelheden  ingrediënten  die  meegenomen  waren  om  indruk  te  maken  op  de   jury.  Wij  hadden  een  klein  mandje  met  een  paar  ingrediënten  bij  ons  voor  een  rozijnensoufflé.  Na  het   maken  van  ons  gerecht  kregen  we  een  heerlijke  lunch  terwijl  de  jury  zich  beraadde.  Na  de  lunch  was   de  prijsuitreiking  en  de  ober  die  ons  gerecht  naar  de  jury  gebracht  had  gaf  ons  een  vette  knipoog  vlak   voordat  we  hoorden  dat  we  de  winnaar  waren.    
Die  zomer  zijn  we  met  mijn  vader,  moeder  en  broer  naar  Californië  afgereisd  waar   we  vier  weken  rondgetrokken  hebben.  Tijdens  een  van  onze  stops  in  Petaluma  ␣   een  voorstad  van  San  Francisco-­‐  volgden  we  een  groep  baseballers  die  een  trap
opgingen.  Er  bleek  een  hele  leuke  pizzeria  te  zitten  en  we  genoten  van  het  eten.   Tijdens  de  wandeling  door  het  dorp  kwamen  we  Susan  Newberry  tegen  met   haar  toenmalige  vriend.  Ze  bleek  ons  al  gespot  te  hebben  in  het  restaurant  en   nodigde  ons  spontaan  uit  om  in  San  Fransisco  haar  advocatenkantoor  te   bezoeken  en  samen  te  eten.  Dat  hebben  we  natuurlijk  gedaan  en  tijdens  het   bezoek  aan  het  advocatenkantoor  in  een  imposant  kantoorgebouw  in  San   Fransisco  ontmoetten  we  David  Allswang,  die  ons  uitnodigde  voor  een  diner  bij   hem  thuis.    
De  basis  voor  een  levenslange  vriendschap  is  gelegd.  Ik  heb  in  mogen  werken  bij  McLynn  McLorg  Mc   Dowell,  het  kantoor  van  David.  Zowel  Susan  als  David  en  hun  respectievelijke  partners  hebben  ons   meerdere  malen  in  Nederland  opgezocht  en  David  woont  inmiddels  met  zijn  nieuwe  vrouw  in   Engeland.    
Ik  vond  het  zó  bijzonder  om  je  afgelopen  vrijdag  tijdens  het  symposium  te  kunnen  vertellen  dat  jouw   recept  voor  een  levenslange  vriendschap  gezorgd  heeft.  Dank  daarvoor!  Ik  vond  het  erg  leuk  om  jou   en  Jean  te  ontmoeten  en  misschien␣  tot  ziens?  
 
 
https://nl.pinterest.com/harnolds/catering-­‐door-­‐tudors/   https://www.facebook.com/Tudors-­‐catering-­‐op-­‐locatie-­‐140990622616872/  

Just some interesting Italian words and a few recipes
With autumn coming I think Italian… And am going yo the Food a Expo in Milan at the end of the month–Cannot wait..
Tasting the oysters in Bergen
A
Aceto: Azijn, witte of rode wijnazijn.
Vinegar, white or red
Aceto Balsamico: Een specialiteit uit Modena en Reggio Emilia, deze azijn wordt niet van wijn maar van ingekookt druivensap gemaakt en minstens 12 jaar bewaard op houten vaten.
A speciality from Modena and Reggio Emilia, this vinegar is not made from wine but from reduced (cooke down)grape juice and is kept for at least 12 years in wooden casks.
Alla Parmigiana: Met gesmolten boter en geraspte parmezaanse kaas verfijnen van gekookte groenten. De term wordt ook voor in boter gesauteerde en met parmezaanse kaas bestrooide kalfskoteletten gebruikt.
A dish with melted butter and grated parmesan cheese mainly referring to a dish with cooked vegetables. This term is also used for calves cutlets fired in butter and sprinkled with parmesan cheese.
Arborio riso: Een dikke, ovaal gevormde rijstkorrel die korter en ronder is dan de Amerikaanse korte rijst korrel. De beste Arborio rijst groeit in de Po-valei in de Piemonte- streek. Hij wordt zowel voor zoete als pittige gerechten gebruikt, maar komt in risotto het beste tot zijn recht.
A fat oval formed rice grain that is shorter and rounder than the American rice grain. The best Arborio rice grows in Po-valei in the de Piemonte- area .It is used for sweet as well as savoury dishes , but is at its best in a risotto.
Arrosto: betekent letterlijk “gebraden”. Een bereidingswijze die veel voor vlees toegepast wordt.
Means literally “roasted”. A cooking method used for the preparation many meat dishes.
B
Bollito: Letterlijk “gekookt”; een bereidingswijze die veel voor vlees toegepast wordt. Een bolitto bestaat meestal uit verschillende soorten vlees: rund, kalf, tong, kip, en een pittige varkensworst, die cotechino heet. Dit gerecht wordt met een groene peterseliesaus opgediend. Voor een goede bollito dient het water aan de kook gebracht te worden voor het vlees de pan ingaat.
Literally translated as “cooked “ a method of preparation widely used for meat. A bolitto is mainly composed of different sorts of meat: beef , calf, tongue, chicken and a very spicy pork sausage called cotechino . This dish is often served with a green parsley sauce.
For a good result boil the water in the pan before the meat is added.
Brasato: Letterlijk “gesmoord”; een gerecht met heel weinig vocht gaar stoven. Vroeger werd dit door middel van gloeiende sintels, die op de deksel van de pan werden gelegd, gedaan (houtskool of sintels = brace, vandaar brasare, smoren).
Literally “simmered”: a dish with very little liquid which is softly cooked until done. This used to be prepared by putting hot wooden coals on the lid of the pan. Translated as Brace thus the name brasare, simmer.
Brodetto: De naam van een vissoep uit het Adriatische gebied. In Livorno heet deze soep caciucco en in andere streken eenvoudigweg zuppa di pesce ( vissoep).
The name of a fish soup out of the Adriatic area. In Livorno this soup is called caciucco and in other ares Zuppa di pesce (fish soup)
Bruschetta: Meestal voor een maaltijd opgediend, een heel populair gerecht, bestaand uit een boven een open vuur geroosterd en daarna royaal met extra vierge olijfolie bestreken snee grof brood.
Mainly the name of a served dish; a very popular dish, it is a piece of coarse bread, cut in thick slices and roasted above an open fire before being liberally served dripping with extra virgin olive oil
C
Carne: vlees(gerechten)
Meat (dish )
Caciocavallo: Een harde, goed houdbare witte kaas met een lichte korst. Het is een veel geproduceerde kaas met een uitgesproken smaak, die van koeienmelk gemaakt wordt.
A hard white cheese with a white crust .It is widely produced cheese made from cows milk and has a very outspoken taste
Crostini: Een van de meest voorkomende antipasti in de Italiaanse keuken. De Toscaanse crostini di milza (croutons met milt) behoren tot de meest bekende.
One of the most well known antipasti in the italian kitchen . The crostini di milza (croutons made from malt)from Tuscany belong to the most well known.
F
Farina: meel, bloem.
Wheat, flour
Farina di grano duro: meel van harde tarwe/graan, type ‘00’ is een essentieel ingrediënt voor pasta
Flour from hard wheat type”00” is an essential ingredient for pasta
Farro: Spelt, een harde tarwesoort, die in water moet worden voorgeweekt wegens de vlezige bast. De oude Romeinen kookte dit om bij vooral bladgroenten te eten. Behalve in het Midden-Oosten nu ook in Umbrië en Lazio gegeten, en dan voornamelijk in dunne en dikke soepen.
Spelt is a hard wheat that has to be soaked in water before use to soften the hard fibres of the outer husk
The old romans cooked this to eat with green leaf vegetables. As well as being eten in the middle east this is also widely used in Umbria and Lazio and mainly then in thick and thin soups.
Finocchio: Venkelknollen zijn in twee typen te onderscheiden; de Bolognese ronde knol met korte bladstelen, die rauw wordt verwerkt en de kleinere, plattere Florentijnse knol met lange bladstelen om te koken.
Fennel bulb are in two types : that from Bologna with a round bulb and short leafy stalks, this is eten raw and the smaller Florentines fennel with long leafy stalks.
Finocchietto: Keukenkruid met een uitgesproken anijssmaak.
De zoete venkel (var. dolce) levert het zaad waarmee ook worsten worden gekruid.
A kitchen herb with an outpoken anise taste herb
The sweet fennel (var dolce) are the seeds which are used for sausages
Fiori di zucchini: Courgettebloemen ; te kust en te keur in Italië in het voorjaar, als de courgette bloeit, te vinden.
Courgette flowers; found flowering in Italy in spring
Fontina: stevige makkelijk te smelten koemelkkaas met een neutrale smaak.
A firm easy melting cheese form cows milk with a quite neutral taste
Frittata: De meest voorkomende frittata in Italië is een platte eierkoek, waarin eventueel andere ingrediënten, zoals groenten, kaas of vis kunnen worden verwerkt. De dubbel geklapte soort zoals ze die in Frankrijk kennen, wordt omeletta genoemd.
The most popular frittata in Italy is a flat egg omelette, whereby eventually other ingredients, such as vegetables, cheese, or fish may be added The folded version as known in France is then called omeletta.
Funghi porcini: Hiermee wordt altijd gedroogde Boletus edulis, ook bekend onder de naam bedoeld. In Nederland bekend onder de naam Eekhoorntjesbrood.
This is the name for the Boletus edulis, also know as the cèpes,
G
Gnocchi: aardappelgriesballetjes, in Italie eten ze dit als primo piatto meestal met een Ragù.
Potatoflour balls in italy served as a first course after the antipasti served mainly with a ragu
Grana Padano: Harde kaassoort van koemelk. Kwalitatief minder
hoog aangeschreven dan Parmigiano reggiano, maar erg lekker. Geschikt voor raspen en om los te eten.
A hard cows milk cheese , from slightly lower quality than ParmiganoReggiano.
Used for grating and eating as a pure cheese
M
Marsala: Zoete dessertwijn uit het zuidwesten van Sicilië, verhandeld in de havenstad Marsala. In de Italiaanse keuken vrij algemeen gebruikt bij de bereiding van vlees, groenten en desserts.
Sweet dessert wine from the south west of Sicily, shipped from the harbour city of Marsala . used in the Italian kitchen for the preparation of meat, vegetables and desserts.
Mostarda di Cremona: Conserven uit Cremona, bestaande uit gekonfijt fruit in licht met mosterdzaad gekruide zoete siroop. Smaakt bijzonder lekker bij gekookt vlees en schapenkaas.
Conserve from Cremona, made from confit from fruit in a light syrup flavoured with mustard seed . is delicious with boiled meat and goat cheese.
Mozzarella: Korstloze witte kaas van buffelmelk, die ondanks de populariteit steeds moeilijker verkrijgbaar is. Salerno en Caserto zijn de enige plaatsen waar deze kaas nog wordt gemaakt. Er bestaat wel een fabriekskaas van dit type, maar daarvoor wordt koemelk gebruikt, waardoor het aroma wel erg achteruit gaat.
Cheese without a rind made from buffalo milk, which despite its popularity is more difficult to buy. It is now only made in Salerno and Caserto. There is a mozzarella made in factories from cows milk but the aroma and flavour is much less.
Pancetta: Gekruid en gezouten mager buikspek. Wordt ook opgerold.
Spiced and salted bacon is rolled up
Pane: brood, door een Italiaan bij elke maaltijd geserveerd. In Italië vind je per streek ander soort brood.
Bread is served with every Italian meal Each region has its own specialities
Panettone: Milanees zoet brood dat lijkt op de Franse brioche. Is gevuld met gekonfijt fruit en rozijnen. Heeft meestal een hoge ronde vorm. Is een gewild exportartikel over de hele wereld.
A sweet bread from Milan. High and round from form it resembles the French brioche bread
It is filled with confit fruit and is popular over the whole world
Panforte: Specialiteit uit Siena. Is een grote platte ronde koek bestaande uit ondermeer honing, walnoten, amandelen, hazelnoten, gekonfijt fruit en alle mogelijke kruiderijen. Naar verluidt hadden de kruisvaarders pan forte bij zich op hun tochten als “ krachtvoer”.
A speciality from Siena a large flat cake made from honey, hazelnuts, walnuts confit fruit and flavoured with many spices.
Parmigiano: parmezaanse kaas, een harde koemelk kaas, van een jaar of twee oud met een dikke korst. Specialiteit uit Parma en Reggio-Emilia. Staat er “Parmigiano-Reggiano” op de korst gestempeld dan is de kaas gegarandeerd van prima kwaliteit. Parmezaanse kaas wordt altijd vlak voor gebruik “vers” geraspt.
Parmesan cheese made from cows milk, it is one or two years old . A speciality from Parma and Reggio-Emilia , if there is a stamp on the crust Parmigiano-Reggiano it means that t is of top quality
Pecorino: Schapenkaas. Heet in Midden- en Zuid Italië “pecorino romano”, op Sardinië “pecorino sardo”. De Siciliaanse “pecorino pepe” bevat peper. Op Sardinië wordt ook “Fiore” gemaakt: een verse pecorino van rauwe melk.
This is a goat cheese Called in the middle of Italy pecorino-romano or in Sardinia pecorino-sardo. The sariniain has pepper added , also there they make a “Fiore” from raw milk.
Pesce: vis(gerechten)
Fish
Pesto: Er bestaan verschillende soorten pesto’s maar de meest bekende en oudste is een pasta van in een vijzel fijngewreven basilicum, knoflook, pijnboompitten, olijfolie en pecorino. Deze specialiteit komt uit Genua.
There are different sorts of pesto but the most well known is a paste made in a pestle from basil, garlic pine nuts, olive oil and pecorino. This originates in Genoa.
Polenta: Specialiteit uit Veneto. Meestal van grofgemalen geel maismeel gemaakt dat wordt gekookt met water en een beetje olijfolie tot een dikke brei. In deze vorm gegeten met gebakken salieblaadjes, gesmolten boter en parmezaanse kaas. Bij vlees- of vissaus, worstjes, paddestoelen en dergelijke snijdt men de polenta in plakken. Polenta wordt ook gefrituurd als antipasto gegeten. In sommige Venetiaanse gerechten wordt fijn wit maismeel gebruikt.
A speciality from Venice. Made usually from roughly ground corn which is cooked with water and a little olive oil to a thick porridge. It is then eaten with fried sage leaves, melted butter and parmesan cheese. With meat, fish, sausages and mushrooms it is often poured off into a mould and allowed to set then cut into pieces , it can also be deep fried and served as antipasti. Some special venetian dishes use a finer corn.
Prosciutto: Achterham in rauwe Crudo en gekookte Cotto vorm. Wordt in tegenstelling tot andere delen in Italie, in Alot-Adige en Trentino niet gerookt. Zeer veel gebruikt in de Italiaanse keuken.
Back ham raw is Crudo and cooked is Cotto . it is not smoked as most ham in Italy in b.v Alot-Adige en Trentino. Used widely in the Italian cuisine.
Puntarella: Vooral in Rome gegeten wintersalade van wilde chicory stelen (witlof of krulandijvie) die bij het uitsnijden omkrullen en slipvormig uitgesneden bladeren. Het aanmaken gebeurt met een slasaus van olijfolie, azijn, zout, een ansjovisfilet uit de olie en knoflook uit de knijper.
Eaten mainly in Rome a sort of winter salad resembling wild chicory , which when cut curl up. It is dressed with olive oil, vinegar, and anchovies and pressed garlic
R
Radicchio: Verzamelnaam voor diverse soorten roodlof. Het meest in trek is de langwerpige
The name for all sorts of red chicory . Most popular is the longer leaves
Radicchio di Treviso (uit Treviso), waar de struikjes worden gebleekt. Bekender is het ronde roodlof uit Castelfranco-Veneto met nogal bitter smakende gerimpelde bladeren en de iets lichter rood gekleurde, rozetvormige, eveneens bittere Chioggio.
The chicory is bleached , the most well know is Castelfranco-Veneto with a bitter taste and rimpled leaves or the slightly lighter red coloured Chioggio which is formed as a rosette
Ragù: zonder nadere aanduiding wordt een stevige gehaktsaus met ui, selderij en wortel bedoeld.
Without further explanation a mince meat sauce with onion, celery and carrot
Ricotta: “Dubbelgekookte” kaas uit de wei van schapen- en koemelk. In Toscane, Lazio en op Sardinië is het de wei van schapenmelk. De tipo dolce is kersverse ongezouten ricotta, wel gezouten
en een paar dagen gerijpt wordt aangegeven met tipo moliterno en alleen in de zuidhoek van Puglia bestaat er nog een tipo forte.
Double cooked cheese from the whey of goat and cow milk. In Tuscany and Lazio . in Sardinia is the whey fro goats milk only. The tipo dolce is very freshly made and unsalted ricotta, when salted and ripened for a few days it is called tipo moliterno and only in the south corner of Puglia is there a tipo forte
Risotto: In bouillon gekookte rijst. Tijdens het koken blijven de korrels krap onder de bouillon staan, die er al roerend geleidelijk wordt bijgegoten. Wanneer de rijst na een minuut of zestien al dente is kan de risotto van het vuur. Risotto kan niet in etappes gekookt worden. Het meest geschikt voor dit gerecht is Arboriorijst of Vialonerijst.
A rice cooked in stoc. During the cooking the grains are under a thin layer of stock which is stirred in from time to time. When the risotto is cooked “Al Dente “ this takes about 16 minutes , remove it from the heat. Risotto may not be cooked in stages. The most suitable rice is Arborio or Vialone rice
S
Scamorza: Witte, van volle melk gemaakte peervormige kaas met gladde korst. Deze kaas is ook gerookt verkrijgbaar.
White cheese made in a pear form from ful milk with a shiny crust. This cheese is also smoked
Schiacciata: Toscaanse naam voor zo dun als pizza uitgerold gistdeeg dat uitsluitend met wat olijfolie en zout, eventueel nog met wat rozemarijn of salie, wordt gebakken. Soms gaan er in plaats van de kruiden uienringen of stukjes olijf op. In Ligurie heet ditzelfde brood focaccia (haardkoek).
The tuscan name for a rolled out yeast dough , like a pizza finished off with olive oil, salt and rosemary or sage and baked in the oven.sometimes onions or olives may be placed on the top
In Liguria the same bread is called focaccia
Soffritto: In olie of boter gebakken mengsel van gehakte groenten en kruiden waarmee soepen, sauzen en vleesgerechten op smaak worden gebracht. De samenstelling hiervan verschilt per streek maar bestaat meestal uit wortel, ui, selderij en peterselie.
A mixture of chopped vegetables and herbs which are fried in oil or butter and used to flavour soups, sauces and meat dishes. The combinations vary per region but is mostly carrot, onion, celery and parsley.
Stracotto: Keukenterm voor smoren, stoven en sudderen net als brasato en stufato maar dan langduriger. A kitchen term for simmering, and long cooking like brasato and stufato but even longer.
V
Vin Santo: Heilige wijn, waarschijnlijk zo genoemd omdat het een miswijn is. De druiven worden eerst half gedroogd en de wijn rijpt jarenlang in verzegelde eikenhouten vaatjes (caratelli) en kan op de fles lang worden bewaard. Vin santo is amberkleurig en nogal koppig. Er zijn drie smaken; zoet (dolce), halfzoet (semi dolce) of tamelijk droog (secco).
A holy wine , possibly called this name as it is used for religious ceremonies . The grapes are first, half dried and the wine ripens for years in sealed wooden caskets(caratelli) and can be kept for a long time in the bottle. It is an amber colour and quite a heady wine. There are three tastes sweet(dolce) half sweet(semi dolce) of quite dry (secco)
Z
Zafferano: Saffraan, de gedroogde stempel uit de bloemen van de saffraankrokus die in het wild voorkomt rondom Aquila in de Abruzzen en in deze omgeving eveneens om de saffraan wordt verbouwd. De planten hebben strenge winters en hete zomers nodig. De beste saffraan bestaat uit draadjes ( de gedroogde stempels) die in plukjes van circa 1 gram worden verpakt. Saffraanpoeder is van minder kwaliteit. Bij te lang bewaren wordt het aroma van saffraan onaangenaam.
Saffron the dried stamens of the flower of the saffron crocus found growing wild in Aquila and in the Abruzzen. It is also cultivated in these areas . The plants need hard winters and hot summers. The best saffron is the stems which are sold in portions of 1 gram. Saffron powder is of less quality.
When kept too long it looses its flavour and aroma.
Zuppa: Behalve bij het dessert zuppa inglese is dit meestal een soep die wordt uitgeschept over sneden gebakken of in de oven geroosterd brood.
Except for dessert zuppa inglese this is mainly a sauce poured over cut pieces of cake or bread which has been roasted in the oven

A day in the Office Preparing for the Tuinendagen in the 1990’s
IN A NUTSHELL
I arrived in Holland with my two wire-haired dachshunds in 1974 together with my Dutch husband Frank. Within a few months we had found an old farmhouse, which had been the entrance hall and foyer of the Old Mickery theatre in Loenersloot. We spent months converting this thatched farmhouse into a beautiful home, of course with an open kitchen. This is where I started giving my cooking lessons.
After the break up of my marriage in 1977, and with the help of good friends, I found a small flat in the Kerkstraat in Amsterdam and did what I could do best, teaching cooking.
A canal house was my goal.
An apartment in Amsterdam Zuid said all my friends, my answer was “I will die there it is so somber”. I approached some estate agents whom I knew well, they where very helpful and did their utmost to find me a suitable small canal house preferably ground floor, where I could start my school, but to no avail, it was never quite what I wanted.
One of my dearest friends then and now Willemijn ten Cate suggested an advertisement in the Telegraaf.
We wrote it that night and placed it in the newspaper ads the next day. It read, “Wanted a canal house for a French cooking school with possible living quarters”
That advertisement changed my life forever.
I moved in November 1979 with my bed, two chairs, an English gate leg table and my pots and pans. All these I still have.
Then thanks to the help of many especially Peter Fuyt the architect we started creating a cooking school and private restaurant called La Cuisine Francaise


Our first and most exciting visit on the way was to Ballymaloe Cooking school in Shanaggry, owned by Darina Allen and her husband Tim, it was fantastic. It is 25 years since I was last there and the way the school and grounds have expanded in the time is incredible, but then with acres of farmland at ones disposal, and a large creative family, they have four children and innumerable grand children all living within 10 minutes of Ballymaloe, that is maybe not to difficult, but it takes alot of hard work and dedication. That is also not including Rory, Darinas’ brother who started the school with her in 1983 on her husband Tim’s farm, and who has a large family too, he has his own cooking school and is involved with Ballymaloe House hotel and restaurant. I had met Darina many times in America at Conferences of the International Association of Culinary proffesionals. It was lovely to chat and exchange memories, as well as attending a slow food event in a nearby village 
Infact we both started our schools in the 1980″s. I in 1980 Darina in 1983. She beat me to writing her book 30 years at Ballymaloe, before I even started mine.Instead I now have this blog. 
The roots of their success is their passion for cooking and teaching about ingredients and food and their absolute dedication. Not only for themselves but for Ireland and the whole environment.. 
The school is famous throughout the world, as it well deserves to be.   
You must look it up to see for yourselves. www.cookingisfun.ie
Strange
My text was” cooking is fun and we live in a world that lives from entertainment”

They run a 12/13 week cooking course 3 times a year with 60 pupils at a time, as well as individual one of lessons.
 Most of the students reside there on the farm in the old farm cottages.
The students learn not only about cooking, techniques, tasting and quality products but also experience at first hand organic farming, and cheese making. I tell you if I had to start again I would go there first instead of following my Home Economics course at Harrow Technical college.
Send your sons and daughters. Or yourself !!

The Kitchen garden or potager ( the French term for a Kitchen Garden), was in days gone bye more often than not, made up of geometrically laid out, ornamental beds of vegetables, herbs and flowers. These beds where surrounded by small box hedges. Fortunately some of these gardens still remain to this day, and others are being recreated.
I was lucky enough to run a culinary and garden tour in France together with Ahrend Jan van de Horst in the 1980’s. We had two coaches with 40 garden and culinary enthusiast. It started off with a problem, on the way to Paris, whilst stopping for a pause, we found that one guest was missing. On contacting the person, no mobiles in those days, we offered for them to be driven to meet us in Paris but they declined. I could write a book about that trip. It was a fairy tale but at times a nightmare. Fortunately my dear Riquette Guepin was at my side and kept me sane.
We visited Versailles where we saw the beautiful gardens, the orangery and also an exhibition in the Palace of the beautiful laid tables of the 17 century. We had a picnic in L’ Hay Le Roses garden a beautiful rose garden on the outskirts of Paris. Then on to the Loire, to the gardens of Chateau Le Villandry . I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the geometrical lay out and all the different vegetables and herbs in the gardens. It was then that I hoped on day to have my own potager.
We then went on to the garden of Monet which I just fell in love with and even danced through the garden, too the surprise of my students. On my return to Amsterdam I even painted my Serra the yellow color of Monet’s kitchen.
Then on to the beautiful English landscape gardens near Dieppe.
Here I had a mutiny on my hands, the gardeners wanted the same menu as the culinary guests, they had paid less and had a different menu, fortunately the chef was very helpful so we all sat down to a delicious meal. However I had not got enough money with me to pay. Fortunately one of my dear culinary friends helped me by paying for the 20 extra converts. And we all returned happily to Amsterdam .
These days we have less room and less money to invest in teams of gardeners, though many country gardens are being opened to the public, by garden enthusiasts who spend most of their day recreating and tending old gardens or creating new garden landscapes.
I myself have a small garden on the Herengracht in Amsterdam, which was designed as a herb garden by Janine Ten Hoorn in the 1990.
Since my retirement from My cooking school La Cuisine Francaise last year, I have the idea to make it in too a kitchen garden or as we say in France a potager.
I followed a very informative kitchen garden course last year, run by Ellen Moekhoek, it was very interesting and in depth about soil, seeds and cultivation of vegetables. I quickly realized, that it was not as easy as I thought! a kitchen garden did not just come in a few weeks. The course was given on the most expensive ground in Amsterdam, at the Zuid As. At the same time local children and residents where encouraged to join and plant vegetables, a fantastic initiative. Now that wonderful garden plot is a building plot, flattened over by bulldozers ready for building yet another office block.
This year with the help of Hanneke van de Tuinen Van Marseille I am hoping to achieve my dream. A kitchen garden on the Herengracht 314 in Amsterdam, it is just as well I don’t work full time in my La Cuisine Francaise any more.I would not have time. I am also being helped by a young girl Rosa, she is a lovely girl and so enthusiastic, she has just completed a course in permaculture, after finishing a university training in politics. Like many young people she has chosen to follow her heart, as I did and have never regretted. She has managed to change my Serra kitchen into a glass house
So my Pats Pantry kitchen is now the home of little pots, covered in plastic, my dining table is a green house and I spend time each day looking after my seedlings or should I say looking to see if they arise.. I have a fermentation box for my food waste to make medicine for the plants, and even my camper van is suffering from neglect. This year we hope to be ready on time for the open garden days 20,21, 22 June. If not we will have to plant ready made vegetables as we expect about 4.000 visitors.
I know that kitchen gardens are a big thing now and quite understand everyone’s joy at getting their hands in the earth. School gardens, gorilla gardens are now cropping up here and there, and gardens on office or derelict buildings as I saw in Brooklyn , New York in 2012 are now reaching our shores.
The sky is the limit.
Just imagine how I felt then, in the middle of New York standing on the top of a 6 story office block holding a newly laid egg in my hand, looking at rows of neatly sown seedlings sprouting on the roof top. To later be sold at the farmers market on Union square.
Let us hope our farmers markets can survive and not be encroached upon, by sellers of secondhand clothes and paraphernalia , which it what I see on the Noordemarket in Amsterdam Excuse mooi.
There are now fantastic books, television programs and courses on kitchen gardens, some even on line as is the one from my teacher Ellen Mookhoek .
My advice is, read about it, and just begin, it is very daunting when things don’t grow but oh the pleasure in eating your first radish or runner bean make it all worthwhile.
Even a small balcony can become a small food paradise!