Happy & Healthy
SO YOU SHINE WITH THE PERFECT FRIDAY DRINK
It's Friday again and that means that, around five o'clock, the cork comes off the bottle again. At least here in Pilotenstraat. We move our small but oh so cozy terrace for the weekend drink to the bench at May's cozy desk during these dark months. We find toast, cubes of cheese, a sausage, and a bowl of chips here at the editorial office, but that's a bit lacking. On Fridays, we have a small competition to see who makes the best snack. I dare say that we are champions
in snack boards.
Do you want to impress your friend group with your hosting skills? I'll tell you how.
1. Bellinis. Super simple to make and it looks really fancy as a welcome drink. In the summer, I like to make it with fresh ripe peach. In the winter, I swap the peach for pear and ginger. Make sure your fruit is almost overripe, because no one is happy with hard pieces of fruit. Put the fresh ginger and pear in the blender and puree until you get a smooth mixture. Scoop a spoonful into a champagne glass and fill the glass with prosecco.
2. I already told you about the favorite cheesy snack at the editorial office. And it would really be a shame if it’s missing tonight. The all-time favorite, melting Mont d'Or.
3. With warm fresh French bread of course. The best? You get it in Amsterdam at Le Fournil and in Maastricht at Le Salonard.
4. Grissinis surrounded by fresh Parma ham
“Don't forget that bag of chocolate-covered ginger nuts.”
5. This dip always does the absolute best at birthdays in our family.
Ingredients:
- A bowl of Philadelphia cream cheese
- Two cloves of garlic finely chopped (if you want to take the sharpness off, sauté them briefly)
- Half a jar of sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
- Fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
- A bunch of spring onions in small rings
- A splash of ginger syrup
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Delicious with point 4. Bet you'll score points?
6. Crumbled goat cheese, drizzled with Crema di Balsamico and chopped walnuts.
7. Thin slices of truffle salami, because yes, truffle...
8. Salmon carpaccio, and you can easily make it yourself:
- Cut a piece of salmon fillet into cubes
- Put the cubes in a bowl and mix them with the juice of half a lemon.
- Finely chop a few sprigs of dill, parsley, and spring onion and add them to the salmon.
- Season with a bit of pepper and salt and for those who like, a spoonful of capers.
- In a separate bowl, mix two heaping tablespoons of mayonnaise with two teaspoons of horseradish.
- Season with a bit of lemon juice. Done!
9. And yes, that huge bowl of nachos of course. Make that portion a bit bigger.
10. Women = chocolate. Don't forget that bag of chocolate-covered ginger nuts.
