Enjoy - Food & Travel

Gourmet dinner at Statholderens Krostue

2012-01-26T20:00:00.074+01:00

I am thrilled to have another gourmet meal at Statholderens Krostue coming weekend. The last time it was the best meal I have had for years. When seeing this years menu, I am convinced that it will be another feast. Here is what is offered there this season.

Dill marinated ceviche of anglerfish on celery mayonnaise with salmon roe

****

Luke warm potato tortilla with smoked halibut, fried calamaris and romanesco

****

Trout tartare in avocado roll with herb crust and yellow sweet peppercoulis

****

Ballantine of Guniea fowl with quail’s eggs, pumpkinpuré and parmesan foam

****

Grilled scallops on saffron pasta with brandade, pickled tomatoes and frothy mussel sauce

****

Lightly grilled codfish with petit pois royale, lightly grilled porks jaw, sauteed cabbage and gastrix of crusteacas

****

Champagne and vanilla sorbet with apple marinated in creme de cassis

****

Duck a l’Orange served with baked red beets, black salsify, and cipolle Borretan, onion cream and orange sauce

****

Norwegian trilogy of cheese with goat’s cheese from Haukeli in lefse bread with honey, Munkeby cheese, and Kraftkar cheese med date-bacon muffin and quince puré

****

Dark chocolate-espressomousse on hazelnut crust with pickled cherries with Tia Maria espuma, home made ice cream with browned Kviteteseid butter and barley-malt crunch

Stay tuned for the account of a delicious culinary treat from Statholderens Krostue here on Enjoy Food & Travel. It will be intriguing to once again experience the culinary wizzardry of proprietor Bent Stiansen.

See account of the last visit to Statholderens Krostue

Statholderens Krostue, Oslo (July 30th 2010)

Rating Fiskeriet Youngstorget - Oslo Norway

2012-01-26T08:00:00.109+01:00

Vis UPDATED: Oslo on Enjoy Food & Travel November 2011 i et større kart

Many of us grieved when Erling Moe fish and fine meats at Youngstorget in downtown Oslo closed in 2009. It was one place to buy products hard to get elsewhere in the Norwegian capital. To our joy another specialty shop, Fiskeriet, opened selling seafood, and takeaway. There is also a bar serving a small selection of fish, mussels and crustaceas.

Rating Fiskeriet Youngstorget: BBBB (3,80 points)

Location: BBBB+
Service: BBBBB-
Interior & Atmosphere: BBB-
Food: BBB+

Fiskeriet is located at Youngstorget by Storgata, Oslos second shopping street, just a few minutes away from Oslo Central Station. Just opposite is Oslos old police station and the government area heavily damaged during the terror attack July 22nd 2011.

Fiskeriet Youngstorget is an extremely busy place, packed with people buying fish or take away. Quite a few choose to sit by the bar ordering an open sandwich, fish'n chips or a fish soup. The bar area is small and cramped with people.

This is certainly not a comfortable place to eat, but the atmosphere is informal and nice. You are seated on high bar stools around the bar area or by the window, not my favourite eating position. During summer there is additional seating outside.

The staff is extremely nice but busy, busy. They take orders for take away or serving hot food with a smile, and you do not have to wait long to be served.

I definitely recommend the fish'n chips at Fiskeriet Youngstorget, but I was tempted to choose the lobster ravioli, a delicacy I've been served in New England, and definitely one of my favourites. I immediately saw that something was wrong, when served. The pasta used for the raviolis was definitely to thin, as it had burst releasing all the filling into the sauce.

In spite of this, the taste was exceptionally good, well seasoned with a sweetness complemented with a little chili that tickled your taste buds. It would have been sensational if the lobster meat had been concealed in the small pasta pouches.

I had a cold glass of beer to the ravioli, but ideally I should have chosen a dry white wine, a riesling or a chablis, but the beer worked as well. Full marks for Fiskeriet Youngstorget for service, location and taste, but it is not a place offering comfort and marks would have been higher if texture and presentation of the lobster ravioli had been better.

Address:
Fiskeriet Youngstorget
Youngstorget 2b, 0181 Oslo
Phone: +47 22 42 45 40
youngstorget@fiskeriet.com
Website: http://fiskeriet.com/

More lobster stories on Enjoy Food & Travel

Baked lobster with scallops (October 19th 2011)
The New England Lobster Roll (October 18th 2011)
Baked lobster in Mornay Sauce (October 24th 2010)
Luscious Lobster Club at Rustic Kitchen (October 3rd 2009)
Lobster raviolis at Assaggio (November 19th 2008)

Make your own medister

2012-01-25T20:00:00.009+01:00

Ready made Norwegian medister

Medister is not available outside Scandinavia, but it is easy to make your own. Here are a few recipes to try.

Trond Wuellner from Mountain View in California has a great recipe. He use most of the traditional ingredients with one exception. He substitute the traditional potato starch with corn flour, and this should work equally well.

See Trond Wuellners recipe here

Recipe Pascal recommends 1/3 fat and 2/3 lean pork, but no milk. He recommends ginger nutmeg, as well as mace as seasoning.

See Recipe Pascal recipe here

STORY NUMBER 2000 ON ENJOY FOOD & TRAVEL: Poulet farci

2012-01-25T08:00:00.069+01:00

Chicken filled with medister - yum, yum!!

- or chicken stuffed with "medister" farse, onions and apples

I have rediscovered medister, a Norwegian ground meat mixture made from pork. Seasoned with salt pepper, ground ginger and nutmeg it is very popular during Christmas, but can be used all year around. My friends Øyvind and Stian stuffed their turkey with medister, and that inspired this recipe.

The combination apples, onion and pork is great, and when I tasted the stuffing of that turkey during the New Years Celebration, I just knew I had to try it again. So I bought more medister to replicate the stuffing in a much smaller scale, inside two smaller chucks. The result was equally delicious.

To make this dish you'll need:

Two large chicken (each 1,5 kilo / 3 lb)
Your favourite chicken seasoning
500 grams (1 lb) medister
1 medium sized red onion, finely chopped
1 medium sized apple, finely chopped

Season the chicken, I used Montreal Chicken seasoning.

Mix medister, onions and apples thoroughly.

Medister mixed with apples and red onions

Use a spoon and fill the cavity of the chicken with as much as the medister mix you can - the birds should be stuffed to capacity.

The next challenge is to get the ground pork mix to stay in the cavity. If you have an upholstery needle and some thread you can try some easy surgery by doing some sewing. Or you can do as I did - I just found some wooden skewers and impaled the backside of the bird.

When all this is done, you'll find the easy part of the job left. Place in a low oven (i.e. 100 C or 215F) and bake as long as you want. I allowed it to stay in the oven for 3-4 hours. Allow to rest 10 minutes before serving.

Bon a-petit!!!

More stuffed bird and things on Enjoy Food & Travel:

Roast duck with red rice and mushroom stuffing, cranberry relish and amandine potatoes (December 27th 2011)
A Thanksgiving Dinner (December 4th 2010)

Hamburg on Enjoy Food & Travel

2012-01-24T08:00:00.002+01:00

Vis North Germany from A-Z 2007-2012 i et større kart

Hamburg is one of the largest cities in Germany and is only one hour flight away from Oslo. It has much to offer, with a hectic nightlife, good restaurants, historic sights and cultural events. Here are stories on food, hotels, restaurants, shopping, sights and travel that will come from Hamburg on this site.

Bars

Bei Heidi
Gaststätte Dreyer
Nobis Krug

Coffee bars

Speicherstadt Kaffeerösterei

Hotels:

Stella Maris Hotel

Restaurants

Casa Ricado
D. José
Fishmarkt
Gasthaus an der Alster
Pastalozzi
Zwick St. Pauli

Sights

Hamburger Rathaus
Hauptkirche St. Jacobi
Katherinekirche
Mahnmal St. Nikolai
Petri kirche
Reeperbahn
Speicherstadt

Ving Travel launch Aruba as winter destination 2012

2012-01-23T16:00:00.025+01:00

View New charter destinations 2012 in a larger map

Aruba, Jamaica ooo I wanna take ya

Bermuda, Bahama come on pretty mama
Key Largo, Montego baby why don't we go

Beach Boys

Winter 2012 you can be a Carribean beach bum, as Ving Travel open launch Aruba as their newest charter destination coming season.

Aruba is Ving Travels latest charter destination from Norway from coming winter season.

The island of Aruba belongs to the Lesser Antilles located in the southern Caribbean Sea, 27 km north of the coast of Venezuela. It forms, together, with Bonaire and Curaçao, the ABC islands of the Leeward Antilles, the southern island chain of the Lesser Antilles.

The islands has a pleasant climate with average temperature between 25-30 degrees Celsius (77-86 degrees Fahrenheit) all year around.

Ving Travels offers 11 different hotels on the west coast of the island, north of Oraanjestad, the capital city of Aruba. Many of them are all inclusive resorts. If you book 2 weeks for two people departure December 11th you will have to pay from NOK 30 790 at Amsterdam Manor, that is the cheapest alternative to NOK 44 972,- for two at Westin with departure late January 2013.

See more information on Ving Travels website (Norwegian only)

Fjord Line submit application to sail Langesund to Strömstad, Sweden

2012-01-23T08:00:00.026+01:00

Strömstad is a quaint town on the idyllic Båhuslän coast line.

Fjord Line has submitted an application to sail from Langesund, Norway to Strömstad, Sweden challenging Color Lines monopoly on this crossing.

1,2 million passengers travel from Norway to Sweden past the Oslo Fjord each year. The Norwegian Color Line has until now been the only company offering transportation from Sandefjord, Norway to Strömstad in Båhuslän county, Sweden. Now Fjord Line wants its share on this attractive route from Norway to Sweden.

Fjord Line has recently applied to sail to Strömstad, that is renovating its harbour to acommodate more ferries. This may create cheaper tickets for travelers.

Good luck Fjord Line!!!

More Fjord Line stories on Enjoy Food & Travel.

Fjord Line moves future operations from Kristiansand to Langesund (September 22nd 2011)
Fjordline started Skagerak express crossings April 30th (May 21st 2010)
Fjord Line order two new ferries (April 3rd 2010)
Fjord Line back with service Kristiansand - Hirtshals spring 2010 (April 26th 2009)

Video: Palm House - Gothenburg

2012-01-22T20:00:00.005+01:00

Here is a video from the largest of the three sections of the Palm House in Gothenburg Sweden.

Palm House, Gothenburg

2012-01-22T08:00:00.111+01:00

The Palm House in Gothenburg, Sweden is a horticultural gem

I love botanical gardens and in particular green houses with tropical flowers. In Gothenburg city centre you find a horticultural gem, a large green house filled with most exquisite tropical plants and trees.

The Water House

Palmhuset in Gothenburg was built in 1878 and was modeled after Crystal Palace in London. It was commisioned in Scotland and it was designed by Alexander Shanks & Son in Arbroath.

It was totally restored 1980-1985.

There are four greenhouses, and the structure in the middle of the complex is twice as tall as the three other green houses.

The different houses are named the Tropical House, the Water House, The Camelia House and the Mediterranean house.

The tropical house is the largest structure. Here you find large palm trees. The Water house is dominated by a large pool where you can find the famous Victoria Water Lily.

The Mediterranean house contains trees and flowers from the European temperate zone. There is also a house dedicated to the famous camelia flowers.

Here are some of the plants found in the Palm House

A wonderful carpet of green plants covering the surface of the pool in the Water House

Bright red flowers of a begonia plant

A magnificent cluster of pink flowers

The fruit of the cocoa tree

The breathtaking beauty of a camelia flower

Dracaena draco - the Dragon tree endemic to the Canary Islands

The mistletoe is a parasite also found in Norwegian flora

A beautiful white camelia in bloom

The sun rays play with the beautiful flowers of a South African clivia miniata

See location of Palmhuset on this map of Gothenburg

Vis Gothenburg on Enjoy Food & Travel 2009-2010 i et større kart

More story on Botanical gardens on Enjoy Food & Travel

Jardin de Majorelle and the Yves Saint Laurent memorial (January 11th 2011)
Universeum - a garden of Eden (December 17th 2009)
Barcelona Botanical Garden (December 4th 2009)
Resisting the Norwegian winter (March 8th 2008)
Breathtaking Botanical Beauty (February 13th 2008)

Haunted hotels of Norway

2012-01-20T08:00:00.158+01:00

When somebody talk of haunted hotels, I always think of England. But even in Norway there is a considerable number of hotels said to be haunted. Here are a few hotels where something supernatural is going on.

Utstein Kloster (1164)

Utstein Kloster is a 850 year old monestary located at Klosterøya outside Stavanger. It is a conference center. Here you have 18 rooms with a total of 25 beds.

The monastery is haunted by "The White Lady" Cecilie Widding Garmann that died in childbirth in 1759, 25 years old. The story goes that her husband promised her, on her deathbed, never to remarry a promise he held for 20 years. During his wedding, he is supposed to have seen Cecilie in a vision, fell into a coma and died 8 days later.

Address:
Utstein Kloster
Mosterøyveien 801
4156 Mosterøy
Website: http://www.utstein-kloster.no/

Elingaard Manor (1749)

Elingaard is located in the municipality of Onsøy in Østfold County.

The present manor house was rebuilt after a fire in 1749, but the manor has belonged to several noble families from the Middle Ages.

Elingaard is not a regular hotel, but belongs to the Museum of Østfold county but you may stay the night here in the restored bed rooms. If you do, you may see shadows and catch the scent of old perfume, or see doors open by themselves.

Then you will have met Birgithe Christine Kaas, the woman responsible for rebuilding the house in 1749. She is supposed to guard the old manor as the eternal mistress of Elingaard Manor.

Hald Pensjonat (1795)

Hald Pensjonat is a complex made up by three houses built in the 18th century. It is located close to the village of Mandal, on the southern most tip of Norway.

It is a bed & breakfast during summer. The ghosts at Hald plays the piano, and monk like apparisions have been seen walking the first floor.

Address:
Hald Pensjonat
Halseveien 37
4517 Mandal, Norway
Phone: +47 38 26 01 00
Website: http://www.haldpensjonat.no/index.html

Bårdshaug Manor (1860)

Bårdshaug manor was the home of the financier and estate owner Christian Thams. It is located in Orkanger municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county.

There has been many reports on two ladies roaming the many rooms of Bårdshaug manor.

Address:
Bårdshaug Herregård AS
7300 Orkanger
Telephone: 72 47 99 00
Telefax: 72 48 19 23
E-mail: post@baardshaug.no
Website: http://english.baardshaug.no/index.php

Dalen Hotel (1894)

Dalen Hotel in Telemark county is a fantastic wooden building in Dragon style built in 1894.

If you are stain in room 17, be prepared to meet Miss Greenfield or "the English lady". She stayed in the room just after the hotel opened, and gave birth to a child there. Miss Greenfield abandoned her child in a box to die there, and went back to England. You can also hear the cries of the abandoned baby in room 17.

Miss Greenfield was tried for murder in England but committed suicide before the trial.

Dalen Hotel
Postboks 54
N-3886 Dalen i Telemark, Norway
Tel. +47 35 07 90 00
Fax +47 35 07 70 11
post@dalenhotel.no

Website: http://www.dalenhotel.no/

Stately dining at Dar Donab, Marrakech

2012-01-19T08:00:00.171+01:00

Elegant dining room - Palais Donab

Palais Donab is an exclusive riad in the middle of Marrakech, Morocco. The riad offers excellent dining in exclusive surroundings and we went there twice and enjoyed some of our best meals in Marrakech here.

Rating Dar Donab, Marrakech: BBBBB- (4,65 points)

Location: BBBB+
Interior and atmosphere: BBBBB
Service: BBBBB-
Food: BBBB+

Ornate carved wooden base holding up a white column

By the beautiful backyard pool

Dar Donab is located in the outer parts of the vast souq, not far from the Koutoubia Mosque and Djemaa el Fnaa.

It is one of those many secluded gems hidden behind solid wooden doors and high walls.

Dar Donab is a wonderful place to dine. You enter through a large gate, and are gently accompanied along a beautiful pool area and seated in a official dining room to die for. Comfortable chairs around beautifully set tables in an ornate interior.

My first thought when seated was on the figure found on the final bill, as Dar Donab looked like a place that would seriously affect the bank balance.

But do not worry, it is pricey compared to the cheap meals elsewhere but reasonably priced compared to restaurants on the other side of the Mediterranean.

Delicious vegetable soup

The service is exquisite at Dar Donab. There were just a few dinner guests there, oddly enough, and we were seated far apart in the large dining area.

We had live entertainment during our meal in the form of belly dancers and a duo playing berber music. The live entertainment was a little irritating as the belly dancer danced uncomfortably close to our table and the berber music was annoyingly monotonous.

The Dar Donab specialize in more traditional European dishes as well as a few Moroccan specialties. We were there two nights and I chose European cuisine the first time and Moroccan the second.

First night I was not very hungry and wanted a few smaller and easily digested dishes. I chose vegetable soup as a starter and Croque Monsieur as main dish. The second time I ordered a selection of Moroccan savoury meat filled pastries.

Continental at Dar Donab - Croque Monsieur

The vegetable soup was beautifully presented in a pure white soup plate. Stripes of cream had been skilfully drawn on the surface of the brightly yellow liquid.

It was smooth, well balanced - pure comfort food. The vegetable soup at Dar Donab is a dish perfect for a cold winter day, served peeping hot.

The Croque Monsieur was good, but I have tasted better in France. Delicious "halal" ham, white cheese and mustard, and topped with What lacked was a generous topping of bechamel sauce turning this good sandwich into a fabulous succulent experience.

Said that it was a perfectly sized afternoon snack. The fries were good, but I usually eat a sandwich without indulging in neither fries, nor salad. Incidentally, I avoid salads as they are high risk foods when visiting warmer climates where you are subjected to another microbiological flora.

Savoury fillings wrapped in warqa served on lettuce

The second evening I ordered one dish, Moroccan pastries. Pastries are popular in northern Africa. Different fillings, both sweet and savoury are wrapped in warqa, as the famous pastilla pies and briouats, and mine belonged to the latter.

They were delicious, crispy thin pastry, aromatic beef filling seasoned with spices from the nearby souq.

We experienced two exquisite meals at Dar Donab, and they were among the best I've had in Marrakech.

Address:
Palais Donab
53 Dar El Basha Bab Doukkala,
Marrakech 00345, Morocco
Website: http://www.dardonab.com/en/

More on Palais Donab Hotel see this story on Enjoy Food & Travel

Vis Marrakech on Enjoy Food & Travel 2010-2011 i et større kart

The annual open sandwich buffet

2012-01-18T08:00:00.039+01:00

Open sandwich with liverpaté as served at Amadeus in Copenhagen

I usually make a open sandwich brunch the first day of the year. As I was away for thid years New Year celebration, I decided to invite a few select friends for a late Christmas Open Sandwich Buffet.

I usually buy enough food to feed an army. This was absolutely the case this wear as well. Sadly, a mysterious illness seemed to decimate the number of guests, and what was supposed to be five became an intimate party for three.

Here is a few of the sandwiches served.

Traditional Christmas Sandwich

To make three sandwiches you'll need:
3 thick slices of pork rib with crispy crackling, baked
3 3-inch long piece of Christmas sausage, halved and baked
3 Norwegian Medisterkaker (pork patties), baked
6 tbsp of surkål (pickled cabbage) heated
Butter
Mustard
Tree slices Danish Rye bread

They had run out of fresh pork rib in my supermarked, and had to settle for the ready made rib. I packed the meat in tin foil, and placed in a low oven in order for the meat to stay moist.

Crisp the cracklings on higher temperature and with the fan on. Baked Norwegian Christmas sausage (Julepølse) and Meatballs made from fat ground pork (Medisterkake) in the oven.

Assemble the pork rib, sausage and medisterkake on a buttered slice of Danish rye bread. Top with Norwegian style sauerkraut made from red cabbage.

Rødkål - Danish style red cabbage, see recipe here

See recipe for Medisrekaker (pork patties) here

Sandwich with liverpaté with fried mushrooms and honey roasted bacon with tabasco

To assemble three sandwiches you'll need:

Three thin slices of German rye bread
200 grams / 8 oz of Danish liver paté, sliced
100 grams / 4oz of bacon, diced
25 grams / 1 oz butter
1 tsp honey
Tabasco sauce

Every good cook should make their own their own liverpaté, at least my mum did. I didn't. I bought Danish liverpaté in my local supermarket, because it's very good.

Danes usually serve their paté slightly warm with crispy sliced bacon, pickled cucumber and fried mushrooms. I have found that you get a great result by serving bacon fried with honey and tabasco sauce.

I settled for cold paté, but fried diced bacon. Arrange the 5-6 slices liver paté on a serving tray. Fry bacon in butter, add honey and tabasco until crisp. Pour bacon over

Toque du Chef Couscous Royal - Royal junk!

2012-01-17T08:00:00.154+01:00

Opening another can of Moroccan food is opening another can of culinary disaster. Avoid the Couscous Royal offered by the brand Toque du Chef. It was terrible!

This is how a Couscous Royal is supposed to look like

This can of Couscous Royal and a can of Tajine de Poulet were bought at Lidl in Hagfors back in October.

I was curious whether the Couscous Royal could match the poor experience provided by the Tajine. I was not disappointed. The Royal experience was even worse.

The original Couscous Royal is based on a rich stew made from different vegetables. lamb shoulder, chicken and fiery merguez sausages. It is one of the most famous couscous dishes, and is a delicious culinary feast. I loved it, as it was served in Marrakech where all the ingredients rested upon the couscous forming a mountain of food.

This is the whole content of the can above!!!

The Toque du Chef Couscous Royal could not be further removed from its source of inspiration.

The amount of meat and vegetables in the can was tiny. If this is supposed to serve 2, as stated on the can it is ridiculous. I suppose they mean that you are going to fill your stomach entirely with the content of the small couscous container attached to the can (which I did not use)

The whole content of the can of Toque du Chef Couscous Royal was, by any standard, disappointing. There were no sausages, a few small chunks of stringy chicken meat and beef with bones(!), and a few cubes of over cooked vegetables and a vast amount of thin - nay, very thin sauce.

One of the one and one half plates of couscous royal soup

The result was one dinner plate of Couscous Royal and one and one half plate of couscous royal soup.

The content had a overpowering taste of cubes of cheap stock, salt and slightly metallic in taste. The Chef du Toque Couscous Royal just cried out to be adjusted.

I added some runny honey to add balance to the cheap stock taste, tabasco for peppery heat and creme fraiche to thicken the watery sauce.

The end result tasted better but not good, and I managed to eat it all. Without my adjustments, however, I would have had to throw the content in the bin.

Other and better couscous products or dishes

Al Fez couscous - instant Moroccan flavours (April 12th 2010)
Couscous as served at Chez Chegrouni, Marrakech (March 30th 2010)
Couscous at Un Escale à Marrakech (December 3rd 2006)

For your information: I was not paid to kill this product!

This blog post contains information on products or specific brands. Our staff will ensure our readers that we have no commercial interests in, or are paid to promote these or other products, brands, or labels.

New direct flights from Oslo Airport from 2012

2012-01-16T20:00:00.007+01:00

View All non-stop flights from Oslo Airport 2012 in a larger map

On this map you find current non-stop flights from Oslo Airport updated per January 2012. Following new flights will start from Oslo Airport in 2012:

Oslo - Ajaccio, France (Norwegian Air Shuttle)
Oslo - Alanya, Turkey (Scandinavian Airlines)
Oslo - Antalya, Turkey (Scandinavian Airlines)
Oslo - Bratislava, Slovakia (Norwegian Air Shuttle)
Oslo - Faro, Portugal (Scandinavian Airlines)
Oslo - Geneve- Cointrin, Switzerland (Scandinavian Airlines)
Oslo - Kefalonia, Greece (Norwegian Air Shuttle)
Oslo - Kiev, Ukraine (Norwegian Air Shuttle)
Oslo - Köln/Bonn, Germany (Norwegian Air Shuttle)
Oslo - Lefkas, Greece (Norwegian Air Shuttle)
Oslo - Menorca, Spain (Norwegian Air Shuttle)
Oslo - Palanga, Lithuania (Scandinavian Airlines)
Oslo - Reykjavik, Iceland (Norwegian Air Shuttle)
Oslo - Skiathos, Greece (Norwegian Air Shuttle)

Turkish: 13 weekly flights Oslo-Istanbul from June 2012

2012-01-16T08:00:00.043+01:00

Photo: Yazar mertborak

Turkish Airlines will increase to 13 weekly flights from Oslo to Istanbul, Turkey from June 25th 2012.

Turkish Airlines has had daily flights from Oslo to Atatúrk Airport in Istanbul since 2009. The airline is also flying from Helsinki, Stockholm, Copenhagen and Gothenburg. Turkish will expand its activity from Scandinavian airports by doubling the number of flights from Oslo Airport from midsummer.

Christmas 2009 was my first and only experience with Turkish Airlines, as I traveled to spend the festive season in Istanbul. Read my Turkish Airlines experience here.

Latest stories from Istanbul on Enjoy Food & Travel

Istanbul: Ancient columns of the old Hippodrome (November 7th 2011)
Galata Tower, Istanbul (September 25th 2011)
The Cisterns of Istanbul (April 4th 2011)
New Galata Restaurant - Istanbul (March 4th 2011)
The Column of Constantine, Istanbul (February 9th 2011)

See bars, hotels, restaurants, and sights of Istanbul on this map

Vis Istanbul A-Z 2009 Updated January 12th 2012 i et større kart

UPDATED: New England and New York State on Enjoy Food & Travel 2006-2011

2012-01-15T20:00:00.005+01:00

View Larger Map

I visited New England September in October/November 2010, and I will revisit this charming region in October 2011. This will be my 30th trip to Northern New England since 1988. I stayed, as ever, with my family in the small cities of Salisbury MA on Boston’s north shore and Scituate MA located on Boston’s south shore. It has been a great trip and I have much to share here on Enjoy Food & Travel. Here is a complete list of stories from New England from my three journeys in the years 2006 to 2010.

Food stories

Hotels

Helmsley Park Hotel, New York, N.Y.
Hotel Colonnade Summit, Boston MA
Hotel Royal Sonesta, Boston MA
Hotels in New York City: The New York Hilton
Inn at Harvard, Cambridge MA
Irving House, Cambridge MA
The Thayer Hotel, West Point N.Y.

Restaurants

A1 Deli, Haverhill MA
Assaggio, Boston MA
Barker Tavern, Scituate MA
Bec Rouge, Hampton Beach NH
Bell in Hand, Boston MA
Bertucci’s, Derby Mall, Hingham, MA
Blue Moon, Norwell, MA
Cafe Graziani, Salem MA
Cafe Madison, Albany N.Y.
COMING: Chili'es, Braintree, MA
China buffet, Salisbury MA
China Pearl, Boston MA
D`Angelo Grilled Sandwiches, Boston MA
Darwin's Ltd, Cambridge MA
COMING: Dimmick Inn, Milford PA
Dunkin Doughnut, Seabrook NH
Eastmans Docks, Seabrook NH
COMING: Erie Hotel Bar, Port Jervis, NY
Feng Shui, Cohasset MA
Green Dragon Tavern, Boston MA
Greenhouse Coffee Shop & Restaurant, Cambridge, MA
Gretas Great Grains Bakery and Cafe, Newburyport MA
Jake's Seafood, Hull MA
NEW: Jasmine's Roast Beef and Seafood, Seabrook NH
John Harvard Brew House, Cambridge MA
CLOSED: Kate O'Shea's Irish Pub, Seabrook N.H.
COMING: Las Olas Taqueria, Hampton N.H.
COMING: Legal Sea Foods, Braintree MA
COMING: Lobster Pier, Chester N.Y.
Luigi & Roscoe's, Boston, MA
Massimino's Cucina Italiana, Boston MA
Master Wok, Boston MA
Mill Wharf, Scituate MA
COMING: (2) Mill Wharf, Scituate MA
Olive Garden, Newington N.H.
Park Lunch, Newburyport MA
Piccola Venezia, Boston MA
PJ's Country House, Scituate, MA
Polcari's Bridgewaye Inn, Scituate MA
COMING: Positano Grill, Woodbury N.Y.
Ristorante Fiore, Boston MA
Risotteria, New York, N.Y.
Riva, Scituate MA
Rustic Kitchen, Hingham MA
Salisbury House of Pizza, Salisbury MA
Sammy’s, New York N.Y.
Spud's, Rowley MA
NEW: Thirsty Whale, Newburyport MA
COMING: TK O'Malley, Scituate MA
Uno Chicago Grill, Cambridge MA
COMING: Waterwheel Cafe, Milford PA
Yenching, Cambridge M
Z Square, Cambridge MA

Sights:

Acorn Street, Boston MA
Barker Tavern, Scituate MA
Beaches of New England, Salisbury, Nantasket, and Scituate MA
Boston Common, Boston MA
Bunker Hill Monument, Boston MA
Captain Wilson House, Cohasset MA
Charter Street Burying Ground, Salem MA
Chinese Masonic Lodge, Boston MA
Clough House, Boston MA
Cohasset - an old town on Boston's South Shore
Copp's Hill Burying Ground, Boston MA
Deacon Larkin House, Boston MA
Decker Fort, Port Jervis N.Y
Ebenezer Hancock House, Boston MA
Eighty-Seven Mount Vernon Street, Boston MA
Faneuil Hall, Boston MA
COMING: First Burying Ground, Salisbury MA
First Church, Salem MA
COMING: First Meeting House, Salem MA
First Parish Meeting House, Cohasset MA
COMING: Fort Tyler, Greenville N.Y.
Founders Stone, Scituate MA
Freedom Trail, Boston MA
COMING: Gideon Tucker Mansion, Salem MA
COMING: Hamilton Hall, Salem MA
Granary Buriel Ground, Boston MA
Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, Boston MA
Harry Elkins Widener Memorial Library, Cambridge MA
COMING: Hawkes Nest, Orange County N.Y.
Hollis Hall, Cambridge MA
Holworthy Hall, Cambridge MA
House of Seven Gables, Salem MA
John Hancock Residence, Boston MA
COMING: Jonathan Archer House, Salem MA
Kings Chapel, Boston MA
Kings Chapel Burial Ground, Boston MA
Location of house of Nathanel Eaton and house of Edward Coffe, Cambridge MA
London Coffee House, Salem MA
Maritime Museum, Cohasset MA
Massachusetts Hall, Cambridge MA
Memorial plaques for wrecked ships, Scituate MA
Merrimack Masonic Lodge Building, Haverhill MA
New Town anno 1638, Cambridge MA
Old North Church, Boston MA
Old South Meeting House, Boston MA
Old State House, Boston MA
Old Townhouses of Charlestown, Boston MA
Paul Revere House, Boston MA
Paul Revere Statue, Boston MA
COMING: Peabody Essex Museum, Salem MA
Pickering House, Salem MA
Pickman House, Salem MA
Pierce-Hichborne Building, Boston MA
Quarterdeck, Scituate MA
Rebecca and Abigael Bates House, Scituate MA
COMING: Rings Island Historic District, Salisbury MA
COMING: Saint Francis of Assisi Garden, Boston MA
Saint Stephen's Church, Boston MA
Saint Stephen's Episcopal Church, Cohasset MA
COMING: Salem City Hall, Salem MA
Satuit Brook, Scituate MA
Scituate lighthouse, Scituate MA
COMING: 66 Banks Street, Cambridge MA
COMING: 66 Mount Vernon Street, Boston MA
Skinny House, Boston MA
COMING: State Capitol, Boston MA
Stoughton Hall, Cambridge MA
COMING: Trophy Point, West Point Military Academy, N.Y.
COMING: West Point Military Academy, N.Y.
COMING: West Point Museum, West Point Military Academy N.Y.
Witch House, Salem MA
Ye Olde Union Oyster House, Boston MA

The 17th Century Houses of Salem MA

2012-01-15T08:00:00.146+01:00

The Pickman House was built 1664

Salem, MA is known as the city of witches. It is also home to some of the oldest buildings in the United States. Here is a few of the buildings dating back to the age when the pilgrim fathers set foot on Plymouth Rock in 1620.

Pickering House (1651)

The Pickering House is the oldest house in Salem, dating back 350 years. It is also the home of 10 generations of the Pickering family, making it the oldest house in the United States continuously occupied by one family.

The right-hand side of was built for John Pickering, Sr before he died in 1657 on land granted to him in 1637. It was a house on two floors, with a single room on each floor, and an entry bay.

The left side was then added circa 1671 by his son, John Pickering II. In 1751, Deacon Timothy Pickering raised a rear lean-to up to a full two stories, which is how the house exists today.

The Jonathan Corwin House (Witch House) (1660)

The home of Judge Jonathan Corwin is built around 1660 and is a beautiful example of 17th century architecture. It is also the only structure still standing in Salem with direct ties to the famous Witchcraft Trials that took place in Salem in 1692.

The planned demolition of this house in 1944 prompted the restoration of this and other buildings in this historic city.

Pickman House (1664)

The Pickman House is located by the Old Burying Ground, the second oldest cemetery in the United States. It is a prime example of American Colonial style architecture, and dates back to 1664.

House of Seven Gables (1668)

The oldest part of the House of the Seven Gables was built in 1668 for Capt. John Turner, and it remained in his family for three generations, descending from John Turner II to John Turner III.

Facing Salem Harbor, it was originally a two-room, 2 1/2 story house with cross-gables and a massive central chimney. It now forms the middle of the house. Four windows of the original ground-floor room (which became a dining room) remain in the house's side wall. The house has been extended several times, but retains it unmistakable colonial style architecture

London Coffee House (1698)

The London Coffee House, located at 15 Central Street and now location of Red's Sandwich Shop. This late 17th century building was the gathering place of the Patriots before the American Revolution. Heated discussions took place adjacent to the huge fireplace in regard to the oppressive British taxes

Vis New England, New York State and Washington DC on Enjoy Food & Travel 2006 - 2010 i et større kart

Other 17th century sights in Northern New England on Enjoy Food & Travel

Grocery shopping in Marrakech II - Acima Supermarket

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Acima Supermarket is a fully modern food store with domestic and imported products

The Acima Supermarket is a proof of changing times in Marrakech. Guëliz, the modern part of the city, is home to many secularized Moroccans as well as French nationals and other tourists.

Buy what you need of couscous and other wheat products

I love visiting grocery shops wherever I go. The Acima was no exception, and when entering you might as well be in Europe or America.

Many of the products were either produced in Europe or on licence in Morocco.

The products are partly standard European products, or Moroccan specialties produced by well known brands. You could, for example, get a mix for the famous Harira soup made by Knorr.

Other products were clearly Moroccan, as couscous and other wheat products that are staple foods of Morocco. Many of the vegetables were also clearly local grown.

There is also a small section for wine, beer and liquor, products illegal according to Muslim law, and clearly there for the tourists using the supermarket. There is, interestingly enough, a considerable domestic wine production in Morocco, and many Moroccans drink wine, beer and other alcoholic drinks.

What to buy at Acima

Buitoni does not only produce pasta, but also light toast for your breakfast

The Smiling Cow is a well known dairy brand, here with an Arab variety - processed cheese made from red cheese

Another cream cheese - Coeur du Lait, most probably a domestic dairy product

Small balls of sardines in tomato sauce

Hotel Les Jardins de la Koutoubia, Marrakech

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Tall washingtonia palm trees in the enclosed courtyard.

Hotel Les Jardins de la Koutoubia is a five star hotel located just a stone's throw away from the Koutoubia Mosque and Djemaa el Fna Square. We entered through the lobby and discovered an enclosed courtyard separating guests from the commotion on the streets outside.

Hotel Les Jardins de la Koutoubia is a seriously expensive place to stay in Marrakech. You will have to pay up to €400 per night for a regular double room, compared to the € 55 we paid for our very comfortable room at Riad Libitibitho. Here are a few snapshots from our visit to the hotel courtyard.

The swimming pool where you may relax far away from the commotion outside, just a few yards away.

You can hide away from the scorching sun or even rain in one of the open seating areas by the swimming pool.

Hotel Les Jardins de la Koutoubia - interior design: Delicately decorated Moroccan style tiles

Hotel Les Jardins de la Koutoubia - interior design: An impressive Moroccan lantern

One pink rose bud on our lunch-time table

Lunch: Mexican style food served the Moroccan way at Hotel Les Jardins de la Koutoubia

Address:
Hotel Les Jardins de la Koutoubia

, Morocco
Visit the Hotels official website

Vis Marrakech on Enjoy Food & Travel 2010-2011 i et større kart

Explore the city of Sitges, Catalonia, Spain

2012-01-12T20:00:00.001+01:00

Vis Barcelona and Catalonia on Enjoy Food & Travel i et større kart
Explore bars, hotels, restaurants, and sights of Sitges, a famous holiday resort south of Barcelona on this map. By zooming out you will also see stories from Barcelona and Montserrat. Enjoy!

Here is a clip from one of the fiestas of Sitges I attended in June 2009

Rating Taberna de la Puerto, Sitges Spain

2012-01-12T08:00:00.114+01:00

Less is more - here is the proof: White bread with garlic, tomatoes and olive oil

If you care to take a 15-20 minute walk out of Sitges city centre you will find yourself at the Marina de Aiguadolc. Here you are far removed from the hectic life in the summer resort. Still this tranquil area has a great deal to offer as nice hotels, a beach and a few decent restaurants. Taberna del Puerto is definitely one of the best in the area.

Rating Taberna del Puerto, Sitges: BBBB (4,20 points)

Location: BBBB
Service: BBBB
Interior & atmosphere: BBBB
Food: BBBBB

Delicious sausages with green peppers

Marina de Aiguadolc is located a 15-20 minute walk north of the city. The most scenic way is to follow the coastline, ending on a cliff overlooking the marina, and from here you’ll have to climb down a steep flight of stairs until you get down.

If you are in any way in bad shape, I will recommend you to talk the slightly longer walk around the hill to get down to the marina area. (See the map below)

Neighbourhood

The area around the Marina de Aiguadolc is a charming miniature village with narrow alleys. Along the waterfront you have a number of bars, snackbars or restaurants to fit any budget.

The Taberna de Puerto is not the cheapest option by the Marina, but is by far expensive for anyone travelling on a decent budget.

Taberna de Puerto is located on both sides of the small street running along the Marina de Aiguadolc. It has a light and nice interior. You can be seated either inside, or outside but still under a roof.

We chose the table by the street. This table did not provide full comfort as there was little room around the table.

Service: No remarks at all. Nice staff, orders taken, and food served promptly.

Delicious cold Vichyssoise

Before our meal we were served fresh white bread with olive oil, garlic and tomatoes. I have no idea how to recreate that same delicious Mediterranean experience using the same ingredients at home, but you can’t.

At Taberna del Puerto the bread was so deliriously crispy, and the flavours of olive oil, garlic and sun ripened tomatoes went into a higher unity. A small and very easy starter to make at home, but that Spanish taste is completely impossible to duplicate.

Then I ordered a bowl Vichyssoise, a cold soup made from white wine, onions, leeks, potatoes, and cream topped with deliciously crispy croutons.

The Vichyssoise at Taberna del Puerto was perfect. Creamy, slightly bitterness combined with a distinct aroma of leeks.

Taberna del Puerto - exterior

Then I ordered a colourful dish made with small green peppers, fiery Spanish sausages and potatoes fried in olive oil. Much, much flavour and very pungent indeed. All ingredients were slightly brown and crispy and the olive oil had been coloured by the pimenton found in the sausages.

I highly recommend Taberna del Puerto for its food, at least if what we were served reflected the overall standard of the kitchen, and I sincerely believe so.

Taberna del Puerto is located a good walk away from the city, but dining at the Marina is a pleasant and calm experience.

Vis Bars and restaurants on Enjoy Food & Travel 2012 i et større kart

Asian style salmon tartar

2012-01-11T20:00:00.016+01:00

This little clip from YouTube demonstrates an alternative, and equally easy way to prepare Asian style salmon tartar. Ingredients as ginger, lime, chili, coriander and sesame oil reflects Thai or Vitenamese cuisine. This recipe is definitely something to try, but do adjust the amount of chili to the pallet of your guests.

Salmon tartar with capers

2012-01-11T08:00:00.065+01:00

This Salmon tartar with capers is probably one of the easiest, and by far one of the best starters I have ever made. I found the recipe on the Norwegian website www.salma.no.

To make salmon tartar for 8 you'll need:

650 grams / 1,3 lb of raw sushi quality salmon, finely chopped
2 small red onions, finely chopped
50 grams / 2 oz Parmesan cheese, grated
75 grams / 3 oz capers
5 cl / 2 fluid oz extra virgin olive oil

Garnish
8 small Russian blinis
Sour cream
100 gr / 4 oz salmon roe

Be sure you get high quality salmon, I use Norwegian sushi quality Salma salmon.

Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Shape into 8 equally sized burger shaped tartars. I placed a custom made open metal cylinder on a dinner plate and shaped the tartar by pressing the mix into the mould, then removing the cylinder.

Spread sour cream on the blinis, and then garnish with salmon roe. Place on top of the tartar.

Serve immediately.

Other salmon recipes on Enjoy Food & Travel

Salmon sashimi - a light starter (February 11th 2011)
Scrumptious smoked salmon and cream cheese spread (August 11th 2010)
Fish lovers - make love tonight (June 8th 2008)
All the goodness inside!! (October 27th 2007)
Preparing tapas - salmon nibbles with sweet chili (January 12th 2007)

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Food stories on Enjoy Food & Travel December 2012

2012-01-10T20:00:00.038+01:00

Duck in vegetable stock

Here is a list of food stories published on Enjoy Food & Travel 2012

A festive dinner menu (January 3rd 2012)
Coming Saturday I will arrange my friend Ketil's 55th birthday. I have composed a five course dinner. Here is what I am gonna serve.

More cannelloni (January 3rd 2012)
I made cannelloni the other day. It is my favourite pasta dish.
Moroccan chocolates from Pralinor (January 10th 2012)
One of the food stuffs you may bring home from an area outside the EU / EEA area is chocolate, as these pralines I brought back from Marrakech, Morocco.

Toque du Chef Couscous Royal - Royal junk! (January 17th 2012)
Opening another can of Moroccan food is opening another can of culinary disaster. Avoid the Couscous Royal offered by the brand Toque du Chef. It was terrible!

Almond Truffles - Moroccan "Zellige" cookie variation

2012-01-10T16:00:00.021+01:00

I found the site www.cookingwithalia.com. Here you get to learn how to cook real Moroccan food, and I guarantee you will be intrigued by the taste of the Maghreb!

In my quest for Moroccan sweets I found this amazing demonstration on how to make Moroccan style truffles with almond filling. The cook, Alia, used orange blossom water as flavouring, but other aromas can be used with equally good results. This recipe is certainly one to try. It looks intriguing!!!!

I will certainly use more time browsing through the site www.cookingwithalia to seek inspiration for my Moroccan cooking.