Festive Friday- Happy Halloween from BVF!

Happy Halloween from Bon Voyage Friends! 

Roasted pumpkin seeds 

1. Preheat oven 180C 

2. Save seeds from pumpkins carved for Halloween, Thanksgiving or just when cooking with whole pumpkins. 

3. Drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil over seeds & use hands to make sure seeds are fully coated

4. Sprinkle sea salt over & mix again. Optional: sprinkle with tsp smoked paprika 

5. Roast in oven for 40 minutes mixing occasionally, or until crispy. 

Allow to cool & store or enjoy immediately. 

Treat Thursday- Restaurant Review Brugge

Hotel du singe d'or 

My husband and I stumbled across this place in the centre of Bruges. We set out to dine in a recommended restaurant that was a few doors down from the 
Hotel du Singe d'or, but that restaurant was dead and this one was full of people even though the food festival was buzzing across the road, every table was full and continuously refilled when each patron left.  As it transpires the locals flock here on a Monday for the mussels & frites for €10 special. The staff were friendly and we were greeted and seated immediately.  When our drinks arrived they were served with nibbles- coated peanuts (bottom left) 

Advertised as a local favourite were cheese croquettes (pictured above right) which are a delicious warm gruyere and potato mixture coated in breadcrumbs and served with a fresh green salad. 

On the left is the Monday night special- mussels natural with celery and onion broth served with frites and lemon mayo,  which my husband thoroughly enjoyed.  On the right is a salad singe d'or a filling house salad full of vegetables and crispy bacon.  The meal was so filling we didn't have room for dessert! 

Travel Tuesday- BVFTT 5 things to do in Brugge in October

BVF's top 5 things to do during October in Bruges, Belgium 

1. Brewery tour- check out our Feature Friday blog De Halve Maan Brewery

2. Visit the Food Festival- an annual event hosted on the first weekend of October that showcases all of the Michelin star chefs in the area. There are over 100 Michelin Star restaurants in Belgium and this event highlights individual dishes presented by over 10 different chefs. 

3. Freely Stroll around the city- this is a lovely city to walk aimlessly around as there are several quaint side streets and boutique shops that you come across as you weave in and out of the canal alleyways and over bridges. 

The 'lake of love' is an area which is full of swans and ducks nesting.   The area is also surrounded by boutique shops and restaurants where you can sit and soak up the atmosphere and watch the horses and carts congregate. 

4. Try different beers- there are over 800 Belgian beers to sample, so each time you order a drink try a different beer...you won't be disappointed! 

5. Take a Canal Tour- these can be taken from several points throughout the city.  For a quick guide to the tour, check our our Sunny Sunday Blog

Savoury Saturday Sun-Dried Tomato Risotto Serves 4

From the Kitchen of Diana 

 

Sun-Dried Tomato Risotto 
Serves 4 

1 tbsp rapeseed oil 
100g pack cream cheese
300g jar sun-dried tomatoes, chopped 
250g risotto rice 
1 large onion, diced 
2 cloves garlic, diced 
800ml bullion vegetable stock
Crack black pepper to taste 
4 tsp Parmesan to garnish 
Optional- add 2 chicken breast, diced 

1. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. 
2. Add onion and sautée for 2 minutes. Add risotto rice and sautée 1 minute, then add garlic and sautée for another minute. 
3. Add 200ml of bouillon and stir into risotto, repeat this step  until all vegetable stock is added. 
Optional step 4. In a separate frying pan cook diced chicken breast until slightly browned & cooked through. 
5. Add cream cheese to risotto, and stir until blended. If using chicken add to risotto and stir though. 
6. Serve immediately, sprinkle with Parmesan and serve with green salad. 
Bon appetite! 

Treat Thursday: S'mores Crumble

Yummy! We have a simple and delicious treat to share with you. With less than five ingredients you can make a dessert that will satisfy kids and adults alike. It can be made in advance and popped in the oven or microwave so it can be served warm and gooey. 

I made this S'mores crumble while at Di's in Lymington, it was a small piece of the States! I brought over Honey Maid graham crackers and Hershey's milk chocolate. Being international traveling sorority sisters, we enjoying bringing tastes from home to share. Yummy! 

1/2 cup butter, melted 

2 cups Honey Maid graham cracker crumbs 

2 bars Hershey's 7 oz milk chocolate bars,coarsely chopped 

2 cups miniature marshmallows 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a circular or square  baking dish, approximately a pie size for the circular dish or 9x13 square baking dish. 

In a medium bowl, combine butter and graham cracker crumbs until well coated. If the mixture is dry, add 1/4 cup more melted butter.  Press half of crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Top with the half of the coarsely cut chocolate and then half of the marshmallows. Sprinkle the remaining graham cracker mixture, then add the remaining chocolate and marshmallows. It's now oven ready!! 

Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, until marshmallows are melted and the chocolate is nearly melted. 

Dish up and enjoy! If you make this in advance, before serving place in the microwave for 45 seconds on high heat to melt the marshmallows and chocolate. More time might be needed depending on your microwave. Or, if you prefer the oven-place in preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 7 minutes. 

Bon Appétit!! 

Travel Tuesday: Tlyney Hall in Rotherwick Hampshire, England

Tlyney Hall is an elegant resort nestled in the beautiful Hampshire countryside on 66 breathtaking acres of greenery and gardens. The property is one of four hotels owned by Elite Hotels. 

I visited this gorgeous property with my friend Anna, earlier this month. Anna and I first met in Madrid, Spain in 2005 while at a tourism conference. She's been to Las Vegas a few times and it's become a tradition to have a visit when I'm in England. She was so kind and hospitable during my visit! 

Monica (left) and Anna (right). 

We stopped by Tlyney Hall in the daytime, Anna knew our visit later in the evening wouldn't showcase the true beauty of the outdoor areas. 

      The Main Entrance to Tlyney Hall 

        A Gorgeous View of Tlyney Hall. 

    The Gardens and Trees Seem to be Endless. 

Of course it would only be fitting for this luxurious property to offer amazing culinary delights. We began our fine dining experience in the elegant lounge. 

Such a Classy Ambiance, the Ceiling is Stunning!! 

We Enjoyed Champagne and an Array of Canapés. 

The canapés were delicious and the olives were incredible! A nice pairing with the nuts and champagne. As an extra nice touch, our dinner selections were given to the staff while we sipped on our champagne. 

We then headed to the Oak Room for dinner service. 

The Scallops were Perfectly Seasoned, Cooked, and Presented. 

Roast of the Evening from the Carving Trolley. 

The roast was served with Yorkshire pudding and delicious horseradish. 

The food and service were outstanding! The last course of the evening was delicious, a chocolate torte. 

A perfect way to end an amazing meal!! 

Visiting Tlyney Hall was an incredible experience and time well spent. Thank you to Anna for a wonderful evening!!

I highly recommend a visit to Tlyney Hall. The hotel is beyond elegant, the staff are attentive, and the gardens are exquisite!  

Motivation Monday! Autumn at The Osborne House

It's Autumn Season! Thinking of our visit to the  beautiful Osborne House Gardens. Walking around the grounds was so peaceful! The English Heritage sites are a must to visit, they are wonderful treasures!! Prices and schedule are listed below. 

 Osborne House: 

Savoury Saturday- Crustless Quiche Recipe

Makes 12
Preheat oven 180 C

Ingredients: 
6 eggs, whisked
130g feta cheese, crumbled
130g cherry tomatoes, quartered
130g broccoli, finely chopped
1 tsp garlic granules 
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2tsp paprika 

To Make: 
- Brush 12 cups of a muffin tin with olive oil. 
- Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and divide evenly into muffin tin, filling each cup 2/3 full.
- Bake 15 minutes, and allow to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes before turning out. 

Enjoy: 
- As part of a picnic
- With a green salad
- As part of a buffet
- As part of a brunch 
- Add to a packed lunch 

Bon Appetite! 

Feature Friday- De Halve Mann Brewery

Brewery tour De Halve Mann 

One of the best activities we took part in on our trip to Brugge as a tour of the brewery.  It was €7.50 each, but includes a beer at the end (normally at least €4.00 for a small house beer) so the tour actually is only €3.50!!

Tours are given in three languages- Dutch, French & English.  We tagged along to a private tour given in only English by a lady named Inge, she was fantastic!! The brewery has been brewing since 1856 and been run by the same family for six generations and has won several awards. 

This statue is St Arnold, who protects the drinkers & brewers, it's made of pure silver. 

In 2014, they built a new brewery which meant the brewery had to close for 9-10 weeks.  In preparation they brewed 6 days a week 3 batches a day to keep ticking over whilst they had to close. The workers were exhausted, so they had a fresh graduate to help out who did the night shift. Just one room cost €3 million. 

In 1920 there were 28 breweries in Brugge & this is the only one left! In 2010, they created an 11% quadruple distilled beer which is a perfect food match for over 400 ingredients; ginger, black chocolate, boar, etc. 

The picture on the right is of a model of a special bottle created to celebrate the brewery's 100 year anniversary.  It was delivered from the  first lorry the brewery bought from Canadian army & given out for free across the city to celebrate. 

The building is 25 metres high, and there are strict rules in Brugge to protect the city landscape and environment.  Satellites are not allowed, there are noise regulations, so the brewery can only brew during certain hours and has had to have triple glazing put in all of the windows.  The buildings can only be four floors high, so if companies need to expand they can only go horizontally, so the brewery is made up of three buildings.   

This is a view from the top of the brewery and for a buzzing city it is very peaceful up there! 

In 1910 there were 3,000 brewers in Belgium and now there are only 120, but they still produce  over 800 beers to try.  42,000 litres a day brewed. Ten years ago allergies weren't as rife and only 

1/2000 gluten free. Now the statistics have risen and 1/300 people follow a gluten free diet, so they can't drink the beer.

All of the bars, cafes, and restaurants that support the local brewery have this 'Bruges Zot' logo on their establishments. It is easily and inexpensively available in all of the grocery stores.  One bottle of this blonde beer costs about €1.20! If you have time and are visiting the city when the brewery is open, I would highly recommend a visit! Cheers from Brugge! 

WLFEO Wed- the chocolate induction

Hazing is banned and something we advocate against. Our sorority, Alpha Delta Pi was the first sorority to call new members Alphas instead of Pledges as the first step to show we believe everyone is equal and no one should ever be placed a situation where they are hazed to be part or any organization.

Unfortunately, hazing continues throughout the world in a variety of organizations. My husband and I were walking to dinner in Brugge when we came across this interesting sight... I of course wanted a picture & I think it embarrassed my husband, he puts up with most things BVF or salon related but this one he felt was an invasion of 'privacy'. But given this was done out on the open, why not take a photo to show people that even around the world the acts that Greek letter organizations have no tolerance (and sadly it does still occur) and exist in other groups.

Photo taken in Brugge, Belgium 

I've dubbed it the 'chocolate induction'- some students were dressed in white lab coats & the recipients were in normal clothes, on their knees (on cobbled streets-ouch!) with their hands behind their backs. They were being smeared with thick chocolate paste and being given cups of chocolate milk to drink- only in Belgium right?! The country known for it's delicious chocolate. I hope whatever group came up with this idea realises there are better and positive ways to bring new members into an organization. 

Thank you Adpi for showing us the importance of having zero tolerance for hazing. 

Day 3 Cooking Holiday at Le Gargantua Farmhouse in Southwest France.

It was a relaxing and wonderful experience at Le Gargantua. Marlène and Marc are very sincere and absolutely love people. The dynamics of our group with Graham have been wonderful. 

We started the day with another delicious breakfast, we vowed the night before we would pace ourselves today, so we wouldn't end up filled to the brim, again. 

It was time for our field trip to Nérac to visit the La Cigale Chocolatier and also to see Old Town Nérac. Marlène really went above and beyond with arranging time for exploring.  

Walking around Old Town Nérac. 

Beautiful view as we walked around the river. 

I first read about the La Cigale chocolatier on Marléne's blog and really wanted to visit. She tells the history of the chocolatier best, below is an excerpt from Marlène's blog: http://legargantua.wordpress.com

"It is only when I got home and googled  the chocolaterie that I found out their story. And what a nice story… This little unpretentious place was the inspiration for the book  “Chocolat”. The author, Joanne Harris, used to spend her holidays in Nerac and used to go to that very place, which enchanted her. I only saw the film myself. A love story. Around chocolate. With Johnny Depp. I mean come on! How delicious can a film get?

So I keep taking my cooking guests to “La Cigale”. And they all get charmed too. We all have a little tasting, then a more substantial take away tasting, and we use their chocolate to create desserts on the cooking course. The story might get people through the door, but their chocolate is heavenly and makes everyone come back for more! Me and myself included".

The experience there was just as Marlène described. I enjoyed the time spent not only because of its tie to one of my favorite movies, but it was a happy place AND the chocolate was divine. See below. 

The chocolate fountain Marlène mentioned, oh the aroma! 

Endless treats to select from. 

I wish I could bring home one of everything!! 

So much for trying to pace ourselves. We had a pre-lunch of chocolate and more chocolate. This reminded me of the time my friend Swati and I were looking for a place to each in Venice. It was at the odd hour between lunch service and dinner, we found a bakery and somehow 'just one small piece" to hold us over, ended up being a buffet of cookies, nougats, and pastries. One of my fav memories. 

Caramel, milk, and dark chocolates. We were also treated to hazelnut rocher. 

Such a moment of content. Good company, chocolate, and Cafe Au lait. Perfection!! 

Upon returning from our field trip, it was lunch time!! Oh, say it isn't so! We just had a chocolate lunch.  

Again, Marc prepared another wonderful lunch for us. He's learned from the best!  

Two types of jambon with baguette. 

French (of course) green bean salad with feta cheese and onions. 

Cauliflower and potato soup. 

After lunch we had some free time before starting our cooking course. I enjoyed chatting with John and hearing about the splendid safari holiday he experienced with his wife. He is a great story teller and its easy to imagine the type of teacher and mentor he was to students during his 36 years of teaching. 

Talking to John (left) and Gharam (right) was always an enjoyable time. 

What a menu we had to prepare, so many new techniques! So exciting!!! The day's cooking course included instruction on how to make: 

Purée Carottes, Tarte Tatin Aux Echalotes, Canard à l'orange Glaçage,  and Soufflé Au Chocolate. 

Time spent in the kitchen was informative and fun!! I enjoyed teaming up with Graham- as proprietor of a cafe called Vic's in Christchurch, New Zealand, creating is his forte! 

Having fun in the kitchen with Graham and Marlène

Preparing the Pâté Brisée for the Tarte Tatin Aux Echalotes

Creating the Cream for the Chocolate Soufflé. 

Marlène and Graham Plating the Tarte Tatin and Salad. 

Tarte Tatin Aux Echalotes

Canard à l'orange Glaçage with Grilled Courgette. 

Soufflé Au Chocolate, we used delicious chocolate from La Cigale. 

What a marvelous meal!!! After dinner we all enjoyed chatting, it was a great end to a fabulous holiday.  

Staying at Le Garantua is more than just an opportunity to take a cooking course. It's a well rounded priceless experience which has been one of my best holiday experiences and I left with a better understanding and ability to create a variety of French dishes. Most importantly, the memories and new friends I made will last a lifetime. 

Merci beaucoup Marlène, Marc, Elise, Rachele, John, and Graham! 

I will always cherish the time spent with all of you and look forward to keeping in touch. 

I left with fond memories, better cooking skills and new friendships. Who could ever ask or hope for more? 

For anyone thinking about a cooking holiday, look no further. Le Gargantua is the best option!!  For more information on the courses offered and timelines, visit: 

Web Site: www.legargantua.com

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/legargantua

Blog: http://legargantua.wordpress.com