When the weather in Amsterdam is as beautiful as it has been throughout April and May, there is no stopping the usually sun deprived Dutch from crowding the canals with boats and covering the parks with picnic blankets.
A very convenient way to join in the fun is to pick up a ready-made picnic basket at Casa e Cucina, an organic lunchroom with friendly service and free wifi. Casa e Cucina is located on Koninginneweg, less than 5 minutes walking distance from Vondelpark. The picnic baskets are € 14,95 if you order in advance and contain a tuna salad wrap, pasta salad, a piece of carrot cake, water and orange juice.
And I’m sure you’ll be able to organize the missing beer or prosecco from one of the convenience stores on your way!
Back in March I landed an incredibly fragrant and fresh white truffle on one of my frequent trips to Italian traiteur Feduzzi. This weekend I got lucky again. Feduzzi was offering black summer truffles from a fresh delivery from Italy. And like last time, dinner plans were quickly adjusted to Tagliatelle with a sherry and Parmesan sauce and raw shaved truffles.
The black truffles were not as intense as the white ones and pricey at € 40,= for 10 grams. We still enjoyed them a lot!
summer truffle, tagliatelle, parmesan and sherryraw shaved summer truffle on tagliatelle
Amsterdam is promoting itself as the “City of 1001 Flavors” in 2009. As part of the year long program, two large food events are taking place in June.
Festival Sustainable Amsterdam, Saturday 6 June 2009, Westergasfabriek
This festival promotes sustainability initiatives in Amsterdam – solar cars, electric scooters, eco neighborhoods and more. Several food events will be part of the festival.
Slowfood Netherlands is organizing the Holland Food Festival, a taste market where you can buy from local producers. Then there is a cooking competition on stage, pitting chefs from top Amsterdam restaurants De Kersentuin, Ron Blaauw, Krasnapolsky, and Oud Zuid against each other. At the fitness snackbar you will have to generate the energy needed to mix your smoothie on a rowing machine.
It’s all happening on the Westergasfabriek, a former gas factory consisting of several beautiful brick buildings. The weekend of the rolling kitchens will take place at the same time and place. Dozens of mobile food stalls unite for a giant open air restaurant.
Taste of Amsterdam, 25 – 28 June in the Amstelpark
The Amstelpark will see a much more high-end culinary event as London based “Brand Events” organizes Taste of Amsterdam during four days from June 25 to 28. Taste of Amsterdam is part of a world-wide series of food festivals originating in London and now taking place in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Sydney, Melbourne, Dublin, Cork, Dubai and Amsterdam.
For EUR 12,50 you buy tickets up front for either lunch or dinner on one of the four days. For an additional EUR 4 to 9 each you can then sample up to 3 starter-size signature dishes from 15 of Amsterdam’s top restaurants including Sophia, Vis aan de Schelde, Ron Blaauw, elusive hot spot Momo, Jamie Oliver run Fifteen, Restaurant As and Le Garage.
There also are wine tastings, live cooking demonstrations, and a fine food market.
The weather in Amsterdam has been great throughout April and May. And Sunday was one of those perfect, lazy afternoons at Brouwerij ‘t IJ: Sitting on their terrace in the sun, enjoying home-brewed beer, spending time with friends amidst the friendly and laid-back crowd, right under a typical historic Dutch windmill. What else can you ask for?
Brouwerij ‘t IJ – or The Brewery by the IJ River – is different. It’s a Dutch microbrewery making Belgian style beer. It’s located close to the city center, just a few tram stops to the east, but will make you feel as if you were out in the countryside. The brewery and pub are located in a historic bath house and wind mill with a large terrace. The decoration is minimal, mostly a collection of beer bottles from all over the world. Guests sit on simple beer benches and happily stand in line to get their own beer.
Its simplicity and quirkiness has made the brewery very popular. On sunny weekend afternoons the terrace literally spills over as the thirsty crowd claims each and every inch of the brewery’s pub, the terrace and the pavement of the nearby streets. There is an interesting mix of regulars, locals, families, beer enthusiasts and tourists. Most of the staff have worked at the brewery for many years. And somehow, what must look like utter chaos from the outside, gels to an incredibly friendly and welcoming atmosphere.
Brouwerij 't IJ Amsterdam - Terrace
The secret behind Brouwerij ‘t IJ is its beer. Owner and brew master Kaspar Peterson started the brewery in the 80s and has managed to give the beer a very distinct and individual character. All beer types are yeasty – drinking them is almost like eating a loaf of bread. In general, they also are strong flavored with a very present hopsy bitterness.
My favorite kind at this time of the year is the IJwit, a very smooth and drinkable wheat beer that is slightly cloudy and deceivingly strong for a wheat beer at 7% alcohol. The name is a pun. The name of the river IJ sounds like ei, Dutch for egg. And eiwit – or egg white – is Dutch for protein.
The most popular beer is the Plzen, a light and bitter blond with 5% alcohol. Then there are the two Trappist beers – a bittersweet Trappist dubbel called Natte (wet one) at 6.5% and the 8% strong fruity brownish triple Trappist Zatte (full one). Completing the lineup are two 9% strong, take no prisoners ales – the Struis (ostrich) with dark color and winter flavors and the amber and bitter Columbus (the one with the egg – you get it…).
Brouwerij ‘t IJ only serves the simplest of snacks – cheese (single kind), salami, egg, and peanuts. So be warned. The excellent beer, quirky vibe, friendly crowd and sunshine on a bright day can get to your head!
The weather in Amsterdam has been great throughout April and May. And Sunday was one of those perfect, lazy afternoons at Brouwerij ‘t IJ: Sitting on their terrace in the sun, enjoying home-brewed beer, spending time with friends amidst the friendly and laid-back crowd, right under a typical historic Dutch windmill. What else can you ask for?
Brouwerij ‘t IJ – or The Brewery by the IJ River – is different. It’s a Dutch microbrewery making Belgian style beer. It’s located close to the city center, just a few tram stops to the east, but will make you feel as if you were out in the countryside. The brewery and pub are located in a historic bath house and wind mill with a large terrace. The decoration is minimal, mostly a collection of beer bottles from all over the world. Guests sit on simple beer benches and happily stand in line to get their own beer.
Its simplicity and quirkiness has made the brewery very popular. On sunny weekend afternoons the terrace literally spills over as the thirsty crowd claims each and every inch of the brewery’s pub, the terrace and the pavement of the nearby streets. There is an interesting mix of regulars, locals, families, beer enthusiasts and tourists. Most of the staff have worked at the brewery for many years. And somehow, what must look like utter chaos from the outside, gels to an incredibly friendly and welcoming atmosphere.
Brouwerij 't IJ Amsterdam - Terrace
The secret behind Brouwerij ‘t IJ is its beer. Owner and brew master Kaspar Peterson started the brewery in the 80s and has managed to give the beer a very distinct and individual character. All beer types are yeasty – drinking them is almost like eating a loaf of bread. In general, they also are strong flavored with a very present hopsy bitterness.
My favorite kind at this time of the year is the IJwit, a very smooth and drinkable wheat beer that is slightly cloudy and deceivingly strong for a wheat beer at 7% alcohol. The name is a pun. The name of the river IJ sounds like ei, Dutch for egg. And eiwit – or egg white – is Dutch for protein.
The most popular beer is the Plzen, a light and bitter blond with 5% alcohol. Then there are the two Trappist beers – a bittersweet Trappist dubbel called Natte (wet one) at 6.5% and the 8% strong fruity brownish triple Trappist Zatte (full one). Completing the lineup are two 9% strong, take no prisoners ales – the Struis (ostrich) with dark color and winter flavors and the amber and bitter Columbus (the one with the egg – you get it…).
Brouwerij ‘t IJ only serves the simplest of snacks – cheese (single kind), salami, egg, and peanuts. So be warned. The excellent beer, quirky vibe, friendly crowd and sunshine on a bright day can get to your head!
The article goes into Marius’ history. Chef and owner Kees Elfring used to cook at Berkeley institution Chez Panisse, which provided both training and inspiration for the name of the restaurant. Marius is the title of a movie that’s part of a trilogy in which the main character is called Panisse. The article also goes into details of the daily market menu that the author thoroughly enjoyed! With pictures.
It’s nice to see that Marius is getting well-deserved praise. And since it’s such a small and genuine place, I am not worried that too much coverage would ruin the magic.
This 
It’s all happening on the Westergasfabriek, a former gas factory consisting of several beautiful brick buildings. The 
For EUR 12,50 you buy tickets up front for either lunch or dinner on one of the four days. For an additional EUR 4 to 9 each you can then sample up to 3 starter-size signature dishes from 15 of Amsterdam’s top restaurants including Sophia, Vis aan de Schelde, Ron Blaauw, 
