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Antwerp, Belgium
Welcome to the new, and improved version of Heaven in Belgium. I am Jientje. "Jientje", like the boys name Gene, followed by "chu"? "Gene-chu", that's how you pronounce my name. Yes!!!!That's it!! So now you know huh? I am an addicted blogger. I was born and raised and am still living in Belgium. Yeah, the "this-is- Tuesday-so-this-must-be-Brussels" kind of Belgium .. There, you see? Maybe you couldn't find it on the map, but at least I'm trying to change that a little by sharing lots of pictures. I really love to cook and create new things, like this blog for instance. I am a mother,a grandmothe and a wife too! They say I'm a traveler, and a photographer. Well that's just what they say, I love to make pictures, but I am far from professional ... If my English is not perfect, that would be because it's my second language. I do hope you'll forgive me any possible misspellings or strange vocabulary ... Now, as a result of all of the above, I get way too little sleep and my days are always much too short!

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Heaven is in Belgium

Monday, July 20, 2009

Forgive Me If I Make You Drool All Over Your Keyboard.

 

 

mm

WARNING: The following post might make you hungry.
You may even need to take some precautions to protect your keyboard.
Okay. Ready? Here we go, here is what you do.


Invite your friend who is as passionate about cooking as you are, and spend a couple of hours browsing through recipes together.
Shop for all the necessary ingredients …

Decorate the table with some mini flower arrangements and seashells.


Cook …


and chop and cut and mix ingredients for a couple of hours.

Invite both husbands, and take your time to enjoy a lovely meal together. 
Two small dishes as an appetizer …
Cooked shrimps on a little spinach and alfalfa salad.

and cucumber with crab in a ginger and chili dressing.

And then, as a first course, serve three refined little dishes with smoked salmon, tuna and scallops together on one plate.


Smoked salmon with apple and sour cream.



Tuna tartar, with lime and shallots and a parsley dressing
  
And a marinated scallop with walnut oil and oak lettuce . Plate up nicely and add a little pansy flower from your herb garden as a finishing touch .

There … enjoy.


Light some candles …
and serve the main dish.


A good piece of beef, caviar d’aubergines and potato confit served with a sun dried tomato mayonnaise.

A bavarois with lemon grass, red fruit of the season and a raspberry sauce for dessert. All of that home made of course.


Finish with coffee and an old Calvados as a nightcap …
Oh and don’t forget to take pictures!

This is my recipe for a successful gastronomic dinner party at home.
That’s what kept us busy all day yesterday.

35 comments:

Loree said...

Yummy yummy. I just ate but you still managed to make me feel hungry.

Robin said...

That looks AMAZING - especially the crab and cucumber dish!

Kristi @ Mi Vida Ocupada said...

I am one of the drooling ones! Fantastic photos!

moneythoughts said...

OK, I am moving to the house next door. It all looks so wonderful. I will not miss the "fast junk" we call food in America. The pictures are lovely too.

Korie said...

Any time you want to cook for me, feel free!

Cherie said...

How beautiful and inspiring! And the plate dressing, magnifique, works of art all by themselves!

United Studies said...

I wish I had someone around here that loves cooking as much as I do! Everyone loves to eat what I cook...but no one wants to help cook! :-)

Gattina said...

That looks wonderful and probably tasted wonderful too ! I loved to cook in the past it was a real hobby, but now I like only to eat and I became very lazy. We also don't invite each other anymore, because our friends are as lazy as I am, so we rather go in a restaurant together and just meet for an appero at home.
But we have garden parties with our neighbors and that's nice, but then everybody brings something along.

Gattina said...

Forgot to say I love the cup !!!
Looking forward to thursday ! Hope no elephant escapes from the zoo this day and waits for me besides you !

Avril said...

Oh yumm yumm yumm!! Connor is on my lap and looked at all your food! He likes the salmon one and the berries !! I scrolled down to show him your grandmothers village - where's a tractor, he asked? :)

Libby's Library said...

It's amazing how beautiful food can be!
Another fantastic Macro Monday!

MrsLittleJeans said...

You did this at home! OMG, you are a most talented chef! Love the cup and love the glasses and the shirt! And the table setting....

xo

quilly said...

Oh dear. You are going to find American meals very bland and boring! While you're here, YOU can cook! ;)

And now I'm hungry!

Unknown said...

I'm not much for seafood - there's not a whole lot of fish I like - but I DO like shrimp, scallops and sea bass - anyway - all of that looked absolutely delicious - but then, maybe it was just the excellent photography.

Wanda..... said...

Jientje...you just made more work for yourself...when visiting blogger friends on your trip...they are going to make you cook for them...That could be a magazine spread...You are one lovely talented person!

Pollyanna said...

That's gorgeous food.

Are you available for my next party? I'm only in the middle of the USA, a short jaunt from Belgium ;)

I do my best with store bought brownies and break-n-bake chocolate chip cookies. My friends are used to it by now *sigh*

Anonymous said...

OMG that is just fabulous. As I told you I thought about this all day yesterday and now to see what you told me you were going to do it's just spectacular. Hell with blogging...you should open your own restaurant. Well maybe not...you gotta do both. When you come over here and have hot dogs and potato chips...I'll use my finest paper plates...You'll so love it :)

Andrea said...

Bravo! Your appetizers are beautiful. They always my favorite to make and eat.

Carletta said...

I love to watch cooking competitions on TV and that leads me to say this meal was 'well plated.'!
Very attractive! Cool macros.

My macro is here: Carletta’s Captures.

Momisodes said...

My goodness woman! Why don't you have your own restaurant?

Your plating and courses look AMAZING!

Unknown said...

UMMMM, can I be your friend?

If someone invited me over and prepared such a lovely meal like the one you showed us, I'd do the dishes...I'd even bring some nice wine...

You are an artist, inspired chef...photographer...lovely shots, well done!

Sarah Sullivan said...

Yup am hungry now...wonderful shots and a very fun post!!! Sarah

Melli said...

Oh goooooooood LORD woman! How many main courses was that??? It ALL looks lovely -- however I don't eat ANYthing "tartar"... nope! You HAVE managed to make me hungry though - but I'm leaving for Bible study now -- so I'll just have a hamburger when I get home... NOBODY cooks like that for ME around here! Not even ME!

Heidi said...

Okay, so the secret is out. You are actually a famous Belgian chef (is a lady one a cheffette?), as well as, a famous, billionaire photographer, right? We'll be seeing your foodie magazine in the check-out line at the grocery very soon, won't we? "Jientje!" Well, can we followers get a discount?

I know. Your U.S. tour is for marketing your new magazine, isn't it? I will look for you on Good Morning America, Jientje.
Heidi

Anonymous said...

You are an amazing person! I deeply respect what you do. The only thing on this pictures that I've seen is the coffee. All the rest - just in dreamland. True art! I order pizza when friends come. I feel a little ashamed, but this here is many light years from my cooking abilities!

The Retired One said...

I am afraid some of the foods don't do it for me, but they sure LOOK beautiful and are presented fantastically!

amanda said...

You've thought of it all right dwon the proper wine and good lighting.! If there is any of that beef left toss it my way Ok I'll give it to Thom he will need something to nibble on while in the dungeon!

Tammie Lee said...

This post or meal or both is amazing! Wow you are so right, I want to eat your meal! Goregous photos of it too!

Tammie Lee said...

Hello again,
I am wondering if you have a place that I could see the recipes for this meal? yum!

spacedlaw said...

Looks like you two girls had some wicked fun in the kitchen. I am so jealous.

kayerj said...

you must be a professional chef and a professional photographer. Thanks for sharing your talents!

Bill ~ {The Old Fart} said...

I did get hungry reading this. You made it look so delicious. My supper paled in comparison to this.

You realize Quilly and Thom will be waiting with Knife and Fork.

Jientje said...

@ Loree: Nice to meet you Loree, sorry I made you hungry!
@ Robin: The crab and cucumber was very tasty yes.
@ Kristi: LOL!
@ moneythoughts: I'll talk to the landlord!
@ Korie: No problem.
@ Cherie: thank you!
@ Jacki: I'd LOVE to cook together with you!I'll bet we'd make a great team!
@ Gattina: Garden parties and eating out in a restaurant is nice too! Looking forward to Thusrday also, and LOL about the elephant!
@ Avril: Connor is such a clever little guy, there were no tractors last Sunday I'm afraid!
@ Libby: Thank you!
@ MrsLittleJeans: Yes, we did that at home, and thank you for your compliment.
@ Quilly: Don't worry, I don't mind. I'll cook for you, my pleasure!
@ Lou: You have good taste. Shrimp, scallops, sea bass, that's the finest sea food there is!
Not only did the pictures look good, it tasted great as well. But I get the compliment!
@ Wanda: Oh but I would not mind to cook for my hosts!
@ The laughing Idiot: Chocolate chip cookies and brownies? Now YOU are making me drool!
@ Thom: I KNOW I'm going to love it. Just as long as you remember to use your finest plates that is! ;-)
@ Andrea: Yes, I love appetizers too, they should sharpen your appetite and make you curious about the rest.
@ Carletta: Thank you, I love to get inspired by cooking competitions too!
@ Sandy: I have thought about it in the past, when we even bought a house to open a restaurant. One of life's dreams that never came true. Maybe just as well...
@ Kim: Of course you can be my friend! Anyone who leaves such nice comments here is my friend! Thank you!
@ Sarah: I'm glad you liked it.
@ Melli: That was just one main course and one starter? Two appetizers and dessert. Make no mistake I don't cook like that everyday though!
@ Heidi: We call them Lady chefs, but alas, I am not, nor am I the billionaire photographer!
What a lovely dream! Followers get a discount, agreed. what a lovely comment!
@ ellievellie: You are too kind. Never be ashamed or humbled, I'm sure your friends love it when they visit you!
@ The retired one: Thank you!
@ amanda: In fact, there was some of that beef left. Thom can have it, but you're not going to throw him in the dungeon on his birthday, would you? You're going to have to deal with me then!
@ Tammie Lee: Thank you! Maybe I'll publish some of the recipes, stay tuned!
@ spacedlaw: Yes, we did!
@ kaye: I'm neither, only a girl having fun.
@ Bill: I'm glad you liked it. And Quilly already said I can cook, so, I guess you're right about that one!

Anonymous said...

It will be the finest paper has to offer ROFLMAO

EG CameraGirl said...

I'm soooo impressed! You are an inspiration!

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