FFwD: Compôte de Pommes two ways - the old-fashioned way

Today´s recipe for the French Fridays with Dorie group is "Compôte de Pommes two ways" also called apple compote. This classic accompaniment to roast pork, is also a good way of preserving a glut of apples in the freezer. Use some slightly sweetened apple sauce for delicious flaky apple turnovers, or on the base of a French tart, or together with wonderful "Rösti", our favorite way to enjoy an autumnal apple compôte.

Dorie´s recipe calls for two different ways to prepare your apple compôte. One involves the cooking of the apples on the stove top – the other way requires baking the apple compôte in the oven. I chose the stove-top method as this is the way I always prepare my apple compôte. Not much needed except for some wonderfully fragrant autumn apples, water (I always use unrefined apple cider for this), a bit of brown sugar (omitted that), some vanilla extract (used a vanilla bean instead, always do), and as a thickener some salted butter.

Not only did I take the old-fashioned route and prepared my apple compôte on the stove-top and chose a wonderful heritage apple for making it but I also got to use my lovely vintage “Flotte Lotte" (foodmill) again. Overall, I took my inspiration from an apple fair at a wonderful outdoor museum where we once again marveled at many heritage apples and at many wonderful old-fashioned ways of cooking and preparing apples.

Some of my favorite apple varieties have such wonderful names as “Roter September” (red September), “Kaiser Wilhelm” (Emperor Wilhelm), or “Roter Augustiner” (red August apple)….

…or “Signe Tillish” (a yellow redish autumn apple - first discovered 1866 in Jutland) and “Charlamowski” (first discovered in Russia in 1770).

For this recipe I used a heritage variety called „Goldparmäne“, also called „Wintergoldparmäne“ in German, or „Reine des Reinettes“ (queen of the princesses) in French. The British gave this lovely apple the name “King of the Pippins” – but whichever name you give this apple, it is counted among one of the oldest varieties of apples – experts guess that is was discovered round about 1510 in Normandy. What other apple would one choose for apple compôte…truth is, I tasted it in Northern Germany before and fell in love, first with the taste and then with the name “Goldparmäne”. I had been looking for it ever since. It is rarely cultivated anymore and to my great delight, I found a few bags at a farmers´store the other day – brought my treasure home and waited for the perfect recipe to use them in – Dorie´s apple compôte, of course.

Sadely, no more of these wonderful heritage "Golparmäne apples" left (these are in fact the apples in the bowl in the pictures) but lots of wonderful tasting apple compôte! It needed next to no sugar after it was cooked according to the recipe – the apples have a delicious natural sweetness. But I am also left with a good feeling of having used a somewhat forgotten variety of apples that we really enjoy eating and that has such a lovely and well-sounding name. And I do know where to get some more next year (already reserved part of the harvest).

To see how much the other members of the French Fridays with Dorie group enjoyed today´s recipe, please click here.

If you happen to own Dorie Greenspan´s book “Around my French Table”, you will find the recipe for the “Compôte de pommes two ways” on page 392.

Cheese Bites - Käsegebäckwürfel

A savory biscuit is just the thing for a drinks and nibbles party, or as a delicious starter for when friends visit and these are really easy to whip up. Who needs more of an excuse to bake up a batch of these wonderful Cheese Bites.

Herzhaftes Käsegebäck ist genau das Richtige als Knabberei für nebenbei, für Partys oder als kleine Vorspeise. Sie sind wirklich einfach zuzubereiten. Da braucht man eigentlich gar keinen besonderen Grund, um schnell ein paar von diesen Käsegebäckwürfeln zu backen.

Cheese Bites Ingredients for the dough 100 grams of cheese (I used aged Gouda, but mature Cheddar would also be a good alternative) 100 grams white spelt flour ½  tsp baking powder 100 grams Greek yogurt a good pinch of sea salt 20 grams unsalted butter Ingredients for the topping 1 tsp poppy seeds 1 tsp sesame seeds 1 tsp paprika powder (sweet and not smoked) 1 egg yolk 1 tbsp water Additionally a baking sheet a piece of baking paper ruler a soft bristled brush

Käsegebäckwürfel Zutaten für den Teig 100 Gramm Käse (ich habe einen sogenannten „überjährigen“ Gouda genommen, reifer Cheddar wäre auch eine gute Alternative) 100 Gramm Dinkelmehl (Typ 630) 1/2  TL Backpulver 100 Gramm griechischer Jogurt eine gute Prise Meersalz 20 Gramm ungesalzene Butter Zutaten für den Belag 1 TL Mohn 1 TL Sesamsaat 1 TL Paprikapulver (süß nicht geräuchert) 1 Eigelb 1 EL Wasser Zusätzlich ein Backblech ein Stück Backpapier Lineal ein weicher Backpinsel

Preparation of the Cheese Bites Coarsely grate the cheese. Mix together the grated cheese, flour, baking powder, yogurt, salt and butter in a mixing bowl. Using the dough hook of your mixer, knead everything into a smooth dough. Then knead again with floured hands and wrap in plastic wrap. Place the dough in the fridge for an hour. Pre-heat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius (convection 150 degrees Celsius). On the floured work surface roll out the dough. Straighten the sides with a knife (about 15 cm x 15 cm) and then cut out squares. Transfer the dough cubes to the parchment lined baking sheet Whisk egg yolk together with 1 tablespoon water. Brush the cubes. Sprinkle the cubes with sesame seeds and poppy seeds and sprinkle with some paprika powder. Bake for about 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Take out and place on a wire rack.

Zubereitung der Käsewürfel Käse grob reiben. Geriebenen Käse, Mehl, Backpulver, Jogurt, Salz und Butter in eine Rührschüssel geben. Mit den Knethaken des Handrührgerätes alles zu einem glatten Teig verkneten. Dann mit bemehlten Händen nochmals gut durchkneten und in Frischhaltefolie wickeln. Den Teig für eine Stunde in den Kühlschrank legen. Den Backofen auf 175 Grad Celsius (Umluft 150 Grad Celsius) vorheizen. Auf der bemehlten Arbeitsfläche ausrollen. Die Seiten mit einem Messer begradigen (zirka 15 cm x 15 cm) und dann Quadrate ausschneiden. Auf das mit Backpapier ausgelegtes Backblech legen. Eigelb und 1 EL Wasser verquirlen. Würfel damit einpinseln. Würfel mit Sesam, Mohn und Paprikapulver bestreuen. Im vorgeheizten Backofen ca. 15 Minuten backen. Herausnehmen, auf ein Kuchengitter setzen, auskühlen lassen.

The Cheese Bites are definitely best eaten the same day. However, they will keep for a day or two in a cookie tin. If you plan on making them a day in advance, you should re-heat them on the baking sheet in a pre-heated oven for 5 to 10 minutes until they are warm and fragrant. As far as the cheese is concerned, I like using a well adged Gouda ("Noord-Hollandse Gouda - 48+") from the Netherlands - it lends a wonderful strong flavor to the Cheese Bites and a nice, rich color as well. You could also substitue a mature Cheddar cheese. Just make sure to adjust the amount of salt according to which cheese you choose. Enjoy!

Das Käsegebäck schmeckt natürlich am besten am selben Tag. Aber es hält sich auch für ein oder zwei Tage in einer Keksdose. Wenn man das Gebäck einen Tage vorher backt, sollte man es auf einem Backblech in dem vorgeheizten Ofen für 5 bis 10 Minuten im Ofen solange aufbacken, bis es warm und duftend ist. Was die Wahl des Käses angeht, so nehme ich gerne einen überjährigen Gouda aus den Niederlanden ("Noord-Hollandse Gouda - 48+") - seine Würze und natürliche Farbe kommt ganz besonders gut in diesem Gebäck zur Geltung. Man kann den Gouda aber auch mit Cheddar ersetzen. Man sollte aber auf jeden Fall daran denken, die Salzmenge abhängig von der Käsesorte zu machen. Viel Spaß beim Nachbacken!

Nigel Slater´s Walnut, Chocolate and Honey Tart - Nigel Slater´s Walnuss, Schokoladen und Honig Tarte

Lots of vegetable and savory recipes lately, so it is time for a little indulgent sweet treat today. What better place to look for an interesting dessert tart than in one of Nigel Slater´s cookbooks. I have somewhat of an obsession with everything Nigel Slater cooks and bakes. I find his writing and his recipes very inspiring  and I never tire of reading through his books and trying out his recipes. Never ever. His recipes are unpretentious, simple and delicious. Good quality ingredients, combined simply and very well executed. You just cannot ask for more than that.

In letzter Zeit haben wir jede Menge Gemüse und herzhafte Rezepte ausprobiert, da war es mal wieder an der Zeit nach einem etwas besonderem, süßem Rezept Ausschau zu halten. Für mich gibt es wohl kaum eine bessere Quelle für eine interessante Dessert-Tarte als Nigel Slater´s Rezepte. Ich schätze die Rezepte von Nigel Slater sehr. Seine Art zu schreiben und seine Rezepte sind sehr inspirierend und ich werde niemals überdrüssig seine Bücher zu lesen und seine Rezepte auszuprobieren. Niemals. Seine Rezepte sind schlicht, einfach und lecker. Gute Qualität der Zutaten, wundervoll kombiniert, einfach, aber sehr gut ausgeführt. Mehr kann man von Rezepten wohl nicht wollen.

There are so many wonderful recipes in his book  “Tender: A Cook´s Guide to the Fruit Garden” that I have earmarked. It is always pretty difficult for me to settle on just one. As usual when I cannot decide on which one recipe to make, I look for seasonal fare to make the most of seasonal and local produce. It is walnut season around here and I consider the fresh new walnuts a delicacy. New-season walnuts are delicious eaten with cheese, especially soft goats’ cheese or cream cheese. Very young walnuts that are still green and in their shells can be salted and pickled to serve with a cheeseboard or with cold meats. Walnuts are one of the most popular and versatile of all nuts. When picked young, they are known as “wet” and their milky white kernels are mainly used for pickling. They are a short seasonal treat, so grab some while you can. Far more common is the dried nut, either shelled or unshelled. The brown-skinned kernel has a ridged surface, which looks like two halves of the brain and is perfect for baking.

Es gibt so viele wunderbare Rezepte in seinem Buch mit dem wohlklingenden Titel "Tender: A Cook´s Guide to the Fruit Garden", die ich mir vorgenommen habe zu kochen oder zu backen. Es fällt mir immer schwer, mich für nur ein Rezept zu entscheiden. Wie üblich, wenn ich mich nicht entscheiden kann, welches Rezept ich zuerst machen soll, richte ich mich nach dem regionalen Angebot der Saison. Es ist Walnuss Saison hier, und die frischen Walnüsse sind meiner Meinung nach eine wahre Delikatesse. Junge geschälte Walnüsse sind köstlich mit Käse, besonders weichem Ziegen-Käse oder auch Frischkäse. Sehr junge Walnüsse, die noch grün sind werden in der Schale gesalzen und gebeizt und schmecken auch köstlich zu einer Käseplatte. Walnüsse sind eine der beliebtesten und vielseitigen aller Nusssorten. Weitaus häufiger ist die getrocknete Nuss, geschält oder ungeschält. Die Walnusskerne sehen ein bisschen aus wie zwei Hälften eines Gehirns und eignen sich wunderbar zum Backen.

Slightly bitter in flavor, walnuts can be eaten raw, as they are, or toasted to bring out even more of their wonderful walnut flavor. To toast them, place the nuts on a parchment lined baking sheet in a single layer and bake on a medium heat (175 degrees Celsius or 350 degrees Fahrenheit) depending on their size, this will take between 10 to 15 minutes.. They are ready when the kernels turn golden. You can achieve the same effect by dry frying them. To dry fry them, put in a dry frying pan over a medium heat, and keep the pan moving to make sure they color evenly and do not burn. Leave whole, halve or chop, as required in your  recipe.

Walnüsse haben einen leicht bitteren Geschmack. Sie können roh gegessen werden, oder man röstet sie kurz, dann entwickeln sie einen noch intensivieren Walnussgeschmack. Dazu gibt man die grob gehackten Kerne ohne Zugabe von Fett in eine Pfanne und röstet die Nüsse etwa zwei Minuten lang bei mittlerer Hitze an. Dabei die Pfanne etwa rütteln, damit sie auch gleichmäßig bräunen. Sobald die Walnüsse anfangen zu duften und sich mittelbraun verfärben, nimmt man sie aus der Pfanne. Man kann die Walnüsse auch auf einem mit Backpapier ausgelegten Blech bei 175 Grad im Backofen rösten. Je nach Größe der Nüsse dauert dies etwa 10 bis 15 Minuten. Dann kann man die Nüsse auch ganz lassen, oder eben halbieren oder hacken, je nach Bedarf oder Rezept.

When I look outside, it is quite obvious that it is definitely late autumn, and my thoughts turn to mellow fruits and fresh nuts and to squirrelling away a stash of fabulous recipes.

Wenn ich so nach draußen blicke, ist es ziemlich offensichtlich, dass es auf jeden Fall Spätherbst ist. Meine Gedanken drehen sich um süßes, herbstliches Obst, knackige Nüsse und darum, in einem Versteck ein paar wundervolle Rezepte zu "hamstern", die ich später auszuprobieren möchte. (Hhmm, leider wird im Deutschen das "Eichhörnchen" durch den "Hamster" ersetzt, schade...)

Walnut, Chocolate and Honey Tart (this recipe is taken from the UK edition "Tender Volume II: A Cook´s Guide to a Fruit Garden" by Nigel Slater, the US edition is called "Ripe: A Cook in the Orchard") Ingredients for the Crust 150 grams (10 tbsps) unsalted butter 200 grams (a generous 1 ½ cups) plain wheat (AP) flour  one egg, (L), free range or organic,beaten slightly with a fork Ingredients for the Filling 150 grams (10 tbsp) unsalted butter  180 grams (6 ounces) set (crystallized) honey – I use a mild tasting honey from my favorite regional beekeeper  180 grams (a generous 2/3 cup) light muscovado sugar 80 ml (1/3 cup) double (heavy) cream  a drop or two of natural vanilla extract 140 grams (5 ounces) dark chocolate, roughly chopped – I used Lindt Excellence 70 % 220 grams (7 ½ ounces) walnuts, roughly chopped  crème fraîche, to serve (optional)

Walnuss, Schokoladen und Honig Tarte (da ich nur die englische Ausgabe besitze, nicht die deutsche, wurde das Rezept von mir übersetzt aus “Tender Volume II: A Cook´s Guide to a Fruit Garden” , Nigel Slater, Titel der UK Ausgabe, auch “Ripe: A Cook in the Orchard”, Titel der US Ausgabe) Zutaten für den Mürbeteig 150 Gramm ungesalzene Butter 200 Gramm einfaches Weizenmehl 1 Ei (L), Bio oder Freiland, mit einer Gabel leicht verrührt Zutaten für die Füllung 150 Gramm ungesalzene Butter 180 Gramm fester Honig - ich nehme gerne einene milden Honig von meinem Lieblings-Imker aus der Region 180 Gramm heller Muscovado Zucker 80 ml Sahne ein oder zwei Tropfen Vanille Extrakt, nicht Aroma 140 Gramm gute dunkle Schokolade, grob gehackt – ich nehme gerne Lindt Excellence 70 % 220 Gramm Walnüsse, grob gehackt Crème Fraîche, (optional)

Preparation of the Crust and the Filling For the crust, cut the butter into pieces and rub into the flour with your fingertips, then mix in the egg to give a firm dough.  Roll out and use to line a 22 cm – 24 cm (9 – 9 1/2 inches) shallow tart pan, ideally with a removable bottom. Leave to rest in the fridge for a good 20 minutes.  Set the oven at 200 degrees Celsius (180 degrees Celsius if using convection oven or 400 degrees Fahrenheit). Cover the pastry case with baking paper and fill with dried or ceramic baking beans.  Cook in the preheated oven for about ten minutes, till the pastry is lightly biscuit colored.  Carefully remove the paper and beans and return the pastry case to the oven for 5 minutes, until dry to the touch. For the filling, melt the butter in a small pan, add the honey and sugar and then pour in the cream and a couple of drops of vanilla extract.  Boil hard for two minutes, then remove from the heat and lightly fold in the roughly chopped chocolate and walnuts. Pour the filling into the tart case. Turn the oven down to 190 degrees Celsius (or 170 degrees Celsius if using convection oven or 375 degrees Fahrenheit) and bake for 20 minutes or until golden and somewhat firm to the touch. Remove and leave to cool on a rack for a good half hour before serving with crème fraîche.

Zubereitung des Mürbeteigs und der Füllung Für den Teig, die Butter in Stücke schneiden und mit den Fingerspitzen in das Mehl reiben, dann das Ei hinzugeben und zu einem Teig mischen. Den Mürbeteig auf bemehlter Arbeitsfläche zu einem Kreis ausrollen und eine Tarteform (Ø 22 – 24 cm) damit auskleiden. Die Tarteform sollte idealerweise einen herausnehmbaren Boden haben.  Den Teig in der Form mindestens 20 Minuten im Kühlschrank ruhen lassen.   Den Backofen auf 200 Grad Celsius (180 Grad Celsius Heißluft-Ofen oder 400 Grad Fahrenheit) vorheizen. Den Teigboden mit Backpapier belegen, mit Hülsenfrüchten auffüllen. Teig im vorgeheizten Ofen auf der unteren Schiene ca. 10 Minuten vorbacken.  Teigboden herausnehmen, Hülsenfrüchte samt Papier vorsichtig entfernen und nochmals 5  Minuten weiter backen, bis der Boden goldbraun ist. Für die Füllung die Butter in einem kleinen Topf zerlassen, Honig und Zucker hinzufügen, dann die Sahne und ein oder zwei Tropfen Vanille-Extrakt.   Zwei Minuten sprudelnd kochen, dann vom Herd nehmen und die grob gehackte Schokolade und Nüsse unterheben.   Die Füllung auf den vorgebackenen Mürbeteig gießen. Den Ofen auf 190 Grad Celsius (oder 170 Grad Celsius Heißluft-Ofen oder 375 Grad Fahrenheit) herunter schalten und die Tarte für weitere 20 Minuten backen oder bis sie golden ist und die Füllung leicht „fest“ ist. Aus den Ofen nehmen und für eine gute halbe Stunde auf einem Kuchenrost abkühlen lassen bevor man sie zum Beispiel mit Crème Fraîche serviert.

Nigel Slater comments this tart as “dense, sweet, and crumbly. A tart for serving with coffee. Also good cold in a lunch box.” We certainly agree that this tart definitely calls for some coffee (or tea) and it is indeed sweet and dense – not so sure about the lunch box though, might be a bit too sticky for that.

In seinem Buch kommentiert Nigel Slater diese Tarte als "etwas klebrig und süß mit einem mürbem Boden“. Er beschriebt sie als „eine Tarte, die ebenso gut zu einer Tasse Kaffee wie als auch in eine Brotdose passt." Wir sind derselben Meinung was den wunderbar süßen Geschmack der Füllung und den wunderbar mürben Tarteboden und die Tasse Kaffee (oder Tee) angeht. Aber die Tarte ist in der Tat auch ein wenig klebrig von dem Honig und dem Zucker, daher ist sie möglicherweise nicht allzu sehr für die Brotdose geeignet.

But this tart is certainly worth making as the combination of walnuts, chocolate and honey is delicious. But you should make sure that the walnuts are fresh, that you use a mild variety of your favorite honey and the best quality dark chocolate that you can afford. It is also noteworthy that the tart dough does not contain any sugar - just perfect with the sweet filling. It will fill your home with wonderful aromas as it bakes too. This wonderful smell is hard to beat. Sweet and sticky, it is sure to make the ultimate Sunday or special occasion dessert. This is such as simply recipe with very few ingredients, but it still has the wow factor that will impress your family or dinner party guests alike. This chocolate tart is especially delicious when served with either some crème fraîche, softly whipped cream or even a small scoop of good quality vanilla ice cream.

Die Kombination von Walnüssen, Schokolade und Honig in dieser Tarte ist wunderbar lecker. Man sollte aber auf jeden Fall darauf achten, dass die Walnüsse frisch sind, der Honig mild und die Schokolade von bester Qualität ist.  Es ist noch bemerkenswert, dass der Teig keinen Zucker enthält - was gut zu der eher süßen Füllung passt. Während des Backens riecht die Tarte unglaublich gut. Kaum zu überbieten. Eine elegante und süße Dessert Tarte für eine besondere Gelegenheit. Dies ist ein wirklich einfaches Rezept mit wenigen, überschaubaren Zutaten, das es geschmacklich allerdings in sich hat. Wir fanden diese schokoladige Tarte besonders lecker mit etwas Crème Fraîche oder etwas gut gekühlter geschlagener Sahne. Man könnte sie aber auch mit einer kleinen Kugel Vanille-Eis von guter Qualität servieren.

FFwD: Hurry-up-and-wait Roast Chicken

This week´s designated recipe for the French Fridays with Dorie group is a “Hurry-up-and-wait Roast Chicken”. This whole roast chicken is so easy and it will give you that perfect juicy meat and crispy skin

There are so many recipes for roast chicken out there and we have tried so many of them that it is a bit difficult to get excited about yet another roast chicken recipe. But Dorie´s method is interesting, to say the least. Her method for roasting a chicken is simple. At high heat, roast the chicken on one side for about 25 minutes, turn the chicken on its other side, roast for another 25 minutes, then roast the chicken breast side up for another 10 minutes (the “hurry-up” part of this recipe). The last step is letting the chicken rest headstand for another 15 minutes (the “wait” part of this recipe).

When roasting a chicken, the issue is not so much one of flavor – after all you get what you get what you pay for in that department – but texture and juiciness of the meat. And if you follow this method of roasting your chicken, you will certainly not be disappointed, the meat will be juicy and moist. I must admit though at having tried this very method of roasting a chicken before, there is is one very famous German cook who praises this method as "the one and only method of perfectly roasting a chicken".

But the point of a roast chicken is not only the meat and the golden skin but also the roasted vegetables that surround it and also what collects in the pan while it cooks. The sticky bits and morsels that adhere to the roasting pan will inspire you to make a little pan gravy alongside, maybe thickened with flour or simply dissolved in wine or stock to make a thin but deeply flavored juice.

Whether you serve your lovely moist Hurry-up-and-wait Roast Chicken with a green salad and some crusty bread in summer or with roasted sweet potatoes, new potatoes, celeriac, apples, orange carrots and violet carrots (like I did), this roast chicken is certainly a dish for all seasons.

To see how much the other members of the French Fridays with Dorie group enjoyed today´s recipe, please click here.

If you happen to own Dorie Greenspan´s book “Around my French Table”, you will find the recipe for the “Hurry-up-and-wait Roast Chicken” on pages 202 - 203.

"River Cottage Veg Everyday" - Caramelised carrots with gremolata

For today´s recipe in my River Cottage Veg Everyday series, I chose the "Caramelised carrots with gremolata". This lovely side dish is the thirteenth post in my series. The carrot is a member of the parsley family and is related to the parsnip, celery and fennel. All fabulous vegetables but today the carrot is the star.

Carrots are extremely versatile. They are good for you if you enjoy them raw in a salad for example and they are also good for you when cooked and blended into in a carrot soup or roasted like they are in this recipe today. They are also easy to produce, easy to store and easy to find at your local farmers´ market. And they happen to be my favorite vegetable and the kids favorite vegetable too.

This recipe is extremely easy to make as Hugh Fearnley-Whittigstall so aptly points out “the contrasts of sweet, caramelized carrots and easy gremolata is brilliant – and it looks great too”. The steps to a delicious side dish are but a few. You simply put the carrots in a large roasting dish. Pour over the olive oil, season well with freshly ground pepper and sea salt and stir to coat. Roast for about 30 minutes while covered, than again for about 20 minutes uncovered until the are tender and golden brown in places. Meanwhile, you prepare the gremolata. Roughly chop a bit of garlic (I used one clove of a tender, fresh garlic), add the Italian parsley and lemon zest (organic, of course) to the board, and chop and mix until very fine. As soon as the carrots are roasted, toss with the gremolata with the carrots, so the heat ever-so-slightly takes the edge off the garlic. Add more salt and pepper, if needed, and serve straight away.

What´s not to like about this stunning side-dish – I have used the “first roast, then immediately toss with the gremolata method”, as I have taken to call this way of preparing and serving roasted vegetables, many times since I first saw it in the book. It is a simply fabulous method to add extra taste to your already delicious, naturally sweet roasted vegetables. Believe me, there will be no sharp taste from the garlic.

If you own the English edition of this family friendly vegetable cookbook, you will find the recipe for the “Caramelised carrots with gremolata” on page 355 in the chapter on "Roast, Grill & Barbecue".

Please take a look at the other posts from my "River Cottage Veg Everyday" series.

A Visit to Antwerp (Belgium) - Part I

One of my favorite places to visit these days is the remarkably beautiful City of Antwerp, Belgium.

Antwerp is a city and municipality in Belgium and the capital of the Province of Flanders. 

Antwerp's population is about 512,000 making it the most populous municipality in both Flanders and Belgium. 

When you visit the city, you will notice the countless restaurants and bistros - one of our personal favorites is the adorable Bistrorant called "`T Hofke". Situated in an almost secret alleyway, the 16th-century Vlaeykensgang, this romantic little Antwerp restaurant with its antique interior also has an arched cellar, a lovely summer garden and the menue consists mostly of typical delicious French-Belgian bistro cuisine. And then there is also the well-known Restaurant "Sir Anthony van Dyck". This used to be a 2 Michelin Star-rated restaurant, until fabulously famous owner and chef Marc Paesbrugghe decided to change his concept in 1992. The restaurant was reopened and is still considered one of the leading, most popular dining establishments in Antwerp. It is named after Antoon van Dyck (his Flemish name) who was born in Antwerp. Sir Anthony van Dyck was a Flemish Baroque artist who became a leading court painter in England. Peter Paul Rubens referred to him as "the best of my pupils".

A visit to Antwerp will always be worth your while.

But one of the "must see" bulidings is certainly the Vleeshuis or "Butcher´s Hall". The plaque that is mounted on the outside wall next to the entrance refers to Herman de Waghemakere as the architect. 

This is a very impressive and elegant Gothic brick-built building sited a short distance to the North-West of the Grote Markt. Its facade was made of red brick with layers of white sandstone ("bacon layers" as it is locally known). It is certainly noteworthy that a Butcher's Hall was built here as early as in 1250. The building functioned as a meat market where butchers could sell their merchandise.

Construction of the new building started in 1501 and was completed in 1504. Originally used as a home for the Butchers Guild, the Butcher's Hall lost its prime function in 1810 when the French occupying forces abolished the guilds. During the 19th century the building was used as a storage depot and a theater.

The Butcher's Hall reopened in September of 2006 as the Vleeshuis Museum, a museum about the origins of music printing and the tradition of instrument builders. Concerts and operas are also being held here on a regular basis. In 2011, part of its collection was moved to the Museum aan de Stroom, a remarkable museum dedicated to the history of Antwerp.

The magnificent 16th century Stadhuis or City Hall dominates the relatively small city square. During the Spanish Fury in 1576, the new building was set on fire, leaving only the exterior walls standing. The City Hall was rebuilt three years later, in 1579.

Throughout most of the year, the main façade of the city hall is decorated with 87 flags. The central flags on the bottom row represent Antwerp, Flanders, Belgium, Europe and the United Nations. The other flags represent countries that are member of the European Union and nations that have a consulate in Antwerp.

A memorable way to get to know the city is by horse-drawn carriage.

Of course, our girls love those calm, impressive carriage horses.

The Onze Lieve Vrouwe Kathedraal or Cathedral of our Lady is a masterpiece of lace work in stone.

Begun in 1352, it is one of the finest gothic buildings in Europe. The church, which became a cathedral in 1559 replaced a Romanesque church built in the 12th century. 

The cathedral was the tallest structure in the Low Countries for several centuries.(Note: "Low Countries" make up a coastal region in north western Europe, consisting especially of Belgium and the Netherlands). Even now, the 123 meter (405ft) tall spire reigns over the city. Partly due to height restrictions in Antwerp, it is still the tallest building in the city.

The containers that were placed in the market square in front of the Cathedral are part of a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Fashion Department of the Koninklijke Academie voor Schone Kunsten van Antwerpen or Royal Academy of Fine Arts. The Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp is one of the oldest of its kind in Europe. It was founded in 1663, thus exactly 350 years ago.

The Fashion Department offers one of the most prestigious fashion courses in the world. Its 50th anniversary plus the 350th anniversary of the Academy is an ideal occasion for an exhibition at the Mode Museum or Fashion Museum that looks at its history and at the related success story of Antwerp fashion. The theme of the current exhibition is "Happy Birthday Dear Academie".

Pier poetry. The so-called "Kaaigedicht van Peter Holvoet Janssens" is actually 3 kilometers long.

Angels watching over the visitors at one of the many outdoor Cafés.

Of course, Belgium without those delicious fries would not be Belgium - we believe they are the most delicious fries you can find anywhere in the world.

But there is also streetfood vans to be found in Antwerp. The vendor in this truck offered fries with mayonnaise sauce, Belgian style. 

Cupcakes and coffee were sold from this wonderful pink food truck - a refurbished French firetruck.

When we visited, there was a rather long military parade which included this vintage-style milk truck...

...with all those wonderful milk bottles that were used to collect and deliver fresh milk a long time ago.

But these trucks are still fascinating.

Antwerp is also known as the city of bikes and bicycles - this one is packed with books and on display in front of a local bookstore, the "Othello Boekhandel"...

...and this pretty colorful one was parked right under a sign that states "Verboden Fietsen te plaatsen" - meaning that is "forbidden to park your bicycles here"...

...and you could also "rent-a-bicycle-for-a-day" - these bright red bicycles with a high recognizability factor, can be found parked and for rent throughout the city. At this particular bike rental there was a wonderful modern mural in the background.

There is also a bicycle stand in front of my all time favorite kitchenware store called "DILLE & KAMILLE". These stores can only be found in The Netherlands and Belgium. If you are a regular reader of my blog, you might have noticed that I did a blog post a while back on the Dille&Kamille store in Middleburg, The Netherlands. I also visited the Dille&Kamille store in Brugge, Belgium  in August of this year.

A personal favorite of mine are the mailbox slots made of stone ...

...that you can find throughout the city. So very different from and so much more pretty than the usual mailboxes.

This lovely doorbell belongs to the "Antwerp Kookhuys", another amazing cookware store not to be missed when visiting.

Another modern mural that attracted our attention.

How about those traditional streetcars.

Very charming indeed although this one was not named "desire".

Another view of the Tower of the Cathedral. It was finished in 1518. Of the two planned towers, only this northern tower was finished

As I already mentioned, Antwerp is known for its many fabulous cafés and restaurants - if you have a moment you could visit the Brasserie "´t Ogenblik" at the Grote Markt...

...or the Restaurant "Het Vermoeide Model" where you can enjoy classic Belgian fare such as mussels in a white wine sauce.

Next to the Cathedral, you will find this very interesting "Kathedraalcafé Restaurant" called "Het Elfde Geboed", meaning "The eleventh Commandment".

It is packed with old statues of saints and angels like the ones you will find in old catholic churches in the Low Countries.

Here you can enjoy many kinds of traditional Belgian beers with many wonderful and interesting names such as "St. Bernardus". On the menue you will also find a very good choice of local dishes. 

The collection of statues took my breath away.

A nostalgic look at a "Deux Chevaux" parked in front of the city hall on a Saturday morning.

Let us nor forget about "The Adventures of Tintin" -  a series of comic albums created by Belgian cartoonist Georges Remi (1907–1983), who wrote under the pen name of Hergé. The series is one of the most popular European comics of the 20th century. This scene was taken from "The Blue Lotus".

No real surprise that I liked this lovely lionhead doorknocker.

Statues at the corner of many buildings are colorful...

...and elegant.

When you leave the city center to go down to the Scheldt river,  you will come across a statues of the goddess Minerva. Minerva is the Roman goddess of crafts, wisdom, medicine, science and trade and also war, commonly identified with the Greek goddess Athena. 

There is also a statute of a lion that seems to be guarding the city - he seems to have a nice view of the city with our Lady’s Cathedral in the background.

While we were visiting, the Amerigo Vespucci was docked at the pier.

The Amerigo Vespucci is a tall ship of the Marina Militare, named after the explorer Amerigo Vespucci. Its home port is La Spezia, Italy, and it is in use as a school ship. Very impressive.

When you leave beautiful Antwerp after a long day of visiting, do make sure to take a last look at this marvelous city at night. And start planning your next trip - even if it is only for one day.

Part II of my series focuses on the International Exotic Market in Antwerp and can be found here. Part III will focus mainly on one of the most beloved and utterly delightful cookie bakeries in Antwerp as I also continue on my "cookie crumb trail" in Belgium. My first stop back in August of 2013 revolved around those famous Speculoos cookies in Brugge. If you are interested, take a look at my blogpost here. The second stop will revolve around an Antwerp cookie specialty. So make sure to look out for Part III.