Happy & Healthy
THE CULINARY SOUVENIRS YOU TAKE HOME FROM VACATION
A little swimming, a little sunbathing, a little shopping in special boutiques, a little strolling along the boulevard, and in between snacking and drinking cocktails in Instagram-worthy spots: hooray, it's vacation! Yet all those picture-perfect activities are not my favorite things to do on vacation. Me? I prefer to be in the supermarket.
Boy, the treasures that a French hypermarket holds: endless. As a child, I loved going grocery shopping in the French Mammouth (I don't think it exists anymore, so no idea how to spell it), a colossal supermarket where we bought five-liter bags of chips for dinner (magical!) and cute floral underwear from Petit Bateau – which was still quite common back then. I love to cook, and I am really looking forward to the selection of national products to drag back to the rented den and taste extensively. Sometimes something is unexpectedly delicious, other times exceptionally bad. The hits come home as souvenirs, so I can relive the nostalgia of vacation in my kitchen. Yum.
Are you going away? Then dive into the supermarket. Here’s my list of goodies:
France
Knorr Bouillon Aux Légumes Méditerranéens Just from Knorr, but not available here. Exceptionally tasty bouillon cubes with Mediterranean herbs that give sauces and soups a rich, full flavor. I stock up on this in bulk. Brilliant tip from my dear colleague Saar Langkamp from the magazine Marie Claire (who also recommended canned confit de canard, “deliciously wintery with a savory sauerkraut dish,” she says. And it is. Buy different cans, so you can taste which one you like best – some are quite salty for my taste.)
France
Justin Bridou le Bâton de Berger Noisettes I love dry sausage, especially this one, with hazelnuts in it, which gives a nice bite and a nutty flavor. This sausage is sometimes available in large Albert Heijn stores – hooray, because how many of those sausages can you carry in your suitcase?
France
Carambar Caramel Sturdy caramel sticks with a full, sweet, slightly coffee-like flavor. A guilty pleasure nowadays, as I no longer eat sugar. But I can treat myself to a vacation bag, right?
France
Danone Petit Suisse Gervais A fresh soft cheese in small tubs that works fantastically as breakfast. It’s a cross between quark, Greek yogurt, and mascarpone. Delicious like this, with some honey or fruit, or with fresh cucumber and tomato. I love it. Also available in Belgium.
Belgium
Mayonnaise Of course, I bring mayonnaise from Belgium, a totally different and much tastier thing than our overly sweet Calvé. The best are the tangy Devos & Lemmens Mayonnaise Citroen (in a tube), the fresh creamy lemon mayonnaise, and the spicy mustard mayonnaise from Delhaize (private label), and the wonderfully creamy truffle mayonnaise from Taste of Inspirations, the Delhaize luxury brand.
Italy
Riso Gallo Risotto Pronto Funghi Porcini Of course, it’s sacrilege to buy ready-made risotto in the land of risotto – because that’s not how it’s done – but I find this damn delicious. And the nice thing: it always works, which cannot be said for making it completely from scratch. Just toss the stuff in the pan, cook for twelve minutes while stirring occasionally, and you’re done. The Funghi Porcini (porcini mushrooms) is definitely the tastiest, but the Quattro Formaggi is also good. And when I’m in Rome, I’ll also choose the one with asparagus and the one with radicchio. If that’s also great, then we have a problem with the baggage limit of 23 kilos. Seriously.
Portugal
Conserveira De Lisboa Tricana, Minor en Prata Do Mar Aside from anchovies, you usually spit on canned fish as a home cook – oh no, I’m exaggerating – but for the fish preserves from Conserveira De Lisboa, I gladly make an exception. The packaging is super cute, so that might cloud the taste a bit, but even through the misty haze of instant love for the appearance, you can taste real delicacies. The mousses from Prata Do Mar are delicious one by one, you can’t go wrong with the anchovies, and whether you find squid and other adventurous fish preserves tasty depends on your taste. If you dare not open the cans at home, they look exceptionally beautiful on the kitchen shelf.
England
Marks & Spencer Earl Grey Teabags Quite different from the bland teas from home, this fragrant, strong Earl Grey tea from Marks & Spencer. A real pick-me-up. I always bought it in bulk, but now that Marks & Spencer is back in Amsterdam, that’s no longer necessary. And now I can finally also get fresh goods for home from this British department store. The Melting Middle Cod Fishcake with Parsley Sauce is delicious, just like the very tasty and juicy Lincolnshire Sausages with sage and the English Salted Butter. Also not to be missed and suitable for taking home in your suitcase: the spicy-sweet Caramelised Red Onion Chutney, the Horseradish Sauce, a solid left hook with the nose feel that wasabi gives you, and packs of Bulgur Wheat, Lentils & Barley, a tasty mix that cooks quickly and is a good base for lunch or as a side dish. Enjoy!
Written by Kalinka Hählen
