Pre New Years Party

Pre New Years Eve Party of hubbies office. Wonderful located in a gallery on the Nieuwezijdsvoorburgwal, completely decorated for the occasion. Chapeau for hostess Afke for arranging everything on short notice for the 40 people attending. Although the fish soup as a started didn't have much taste, the rest of the meal (wonderful salad, loved the roasted onion, turkey was good and the nuts on the desert delicious) as well as the evening were great. 

Also much appreciation for the burlesque dancer. Had a fantastic evening with really great people. Good end of a great year.

Salad with figs and Parma

What you need for the salad: 

Bunch of Mint

Bunch of Watercress

2 spoons of Hazelnuts

6 dried figs

150 gr of Parma Ham

1 apple into cubes

Dressing: 100 yoghurt, juice + zest of 1 lime, 1 bag of vanilla sugar, peper&salt, mix everything then slowly stir 3 spoons of hazelnut oil through

How to make it:

Mix all the ingredients together and poor over the dressing: bon apetit

Mackerel with Mustard Sauce

I've eaten a lot of smoked mackerels, but never had a fresh piece in my hands. Until De Krat brought me one, or actually two fillets. Including a recipe, which I tried immediately as fish should be eaten as fresh as possible. What I particularly like about the dish is the crispy skin and the nice solid texture of the fish.

Preheat the oven at 250ْ  C, season 2 mackerel fillets, with skin, with some salt and black pepper. Create, in the middle of a baking dish, a mound of 1 chopped red onion, 1 bay leaf and a handful of fresh parsley (keep a bit aside for the garnish). Put the fillets on top with the skin side up, pour 100 ml of white wine over it and put in the oven. Cook for 7-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets. Put the fillets aside on a warm serving dish as soon as they're done, cover with some aluminum foil to keep warm.

Strain the cooking liquid from the baking dish in a small saucepan and boil for a couple of minutes to concentrate. Add 2 tbsp. of mustard and stir, whisk 30 gr of chopped cold butter through and let it simmer for about 3 minutes. Pour the sauce over the fish and garnish with some parsley.

Very nice with some skin cooked potatoes and a green salad. Very light, the fish is oily enough by itself.

IJ

The view I've been looking at for over five years. The office had a lot of windows looking over the West part of the 'IJ'. An amazing view over the water and a part of Amsterdam. Miss working there and my colleagues, but maybe missing this view even more.

This day the light was amazing, dark clouds with the sun coming through giving the world an orange glow 

Bakkerswinkel

At the wonderful Westergasterrein you can find the Bakkerswinkel in a little house on the other side of the bridge near van Limburg Stirumplein. Decorated beautifully, a lot of space and a great environment. One of our favorite places on the Sunday morning, they open at 10 which is the best time to enter, just before the families with their children arrive around eleven and it gets really crowded. First a stroll with the dog and then a big breakfast at this place. The westergasfabrieksontbijt with eggs and ham is when you're really, really hungry, but I would recommend sharing a bakkersontbijt and then order some additional scones (with cranberries for example) If only so you can try all the different jams that are in jars on the tables, like the lemon curd, pineapple and basil or just raspberry.