Oestende and homemade potato chips

I've recently been to Brugges and Oestende with my friends. Belgian sea is most certainly very different from the Mediterranean I know. The seagulls are much more feisty for sure. I love breathing in the salt particles and being a little bit like a straw in the wind - which also happens to be my favorite element.  It was such an escape from the unhealthy environment of the capital. In addition, no peeing boy sculptures in sight! 

Oestende Harbor

My beautiful friend Fanny

Oestende Molo

Brugges is just a delightful city, which reminded me in many ways of Oxford and Cambridge. It seemed to be so safe and full of calm peaceful life at the same time. In little alleys undisturbed by tourists it seemed as if the time stopped for a while and then started unwinding again. It is certainly a place to visit and I will write more about it when I do, because I am sure I will find a way back there soon. 

Oestende Harbor

This trip inspired me to prepare some fresh potato chips since my friends couldn't resist their guilty pleasure charm when we walked by one of those seaside friteries in Oestende. They were just gleaming with that bright yellow color and I knew that they have that earthy and wonderful flavor of a humble but absolutely delicious potato. It was a plan in my mind for the comfort of my temporary home. Today!

Oestende frites

 HOMEMADE POTATO CHIPS


It is very easy to prepare chips... count how many potatoes you want to eat and chop them up into very very thick sticks - they will not change in size while frying so approximately to the same size you wish your final product to be. I don't even  peel them since I think the best qualities ( if any are left after frying) are hidden under the skin. 

 Homemade rustic chips

Then I take my lovely chips and put them to blanch in an oven for 5 minutes in oil preheated at 130 degrees C. When finished with blanching take them out and increase the oil temperature to about 170 for proper frying. The time here varies of course with size of chips and potato variety, but I think you can see by yourselves when a chip is golden, crispy and delicious. 


I like to take out my chips and dry them a little bit in a paper napkin before gobbling them up.  This simple action reduces a lot of unnecessary oil. I am not a fan of regretting and being shameful after a meal, but I don't see the reason why one should eat more fat when he or she doesn't have to -  if it doesn't change the taste of course! 


Buon appetito!

Ultime Atome - place to or not to go?

I have been to Bruxelles for almost four month now and Ultime Atome is the place I keep returning to even though there are many (shame on me) places for me to visit. Why? The ambience! 

We certainly enjoyed our salads :-)

The food is not outstanding nor the service, however every single time I walk in I feel calmer and at the same time more alive. It might be a contradiction but it is the way it is. It took me four months to write this because I was actually perplexed and confused about the effects. 

Traditional goat cheese salad and tomato mozzarella pasta

The right atmosphere...

Brownie...can't help it - mine are better :-)

The REAL DEAL - REAL HOT CHOCOLATE!

The art deco interior, music and people that came to see friends, family or just read newspaper give you a sense of reality - sense of life - belonging. In addition, crepes with jam and a mug of real hot chocolate for four euros in a place like this are hard to be found around Bruxelles. A brasserie with attractive aspects and a very nice street terrace when rain leaves for Spain. 

Being an expatriate...

I find it difficult to do something regularly. I find it difficult to write my ideas down. I find it difficult to talk about something else than food very often. Hopefully, starting a little piece of writing about food will help me with these difficulties. They are not the only weaknesses I have, but they seem to be easier to mend than any other issues. 

At present, I live in Bruxelles. I consider myself to be an always moving expatriate. I study in Spain and I am here on an internship. I have already been in a colocation with nine other very amusing interns, however recently, I moved into a tiny little room in an old building in the centre of Bruxelles. Room with a wardrobe, a bed, a lamp and a desk only. A room perfect for writing if one doesn't consider late night violin practice of their neighbor disturbing. 

I share a bathroom, kitchen and living room with a lovely woman from Argentina. I spend most of my time in my little room on the mezzanine, bur the light coming and the view from our kitchen is just amazing. I often find myself sitting in the window and sipping milk out of my mug while waiting for water to boil.  

With my limited budget I can truthfully say that I spend all money I have on food. I can't really afford to spend it on anything else, but I don't mind. Food is my one real weakness. I don't think of it as mere fuel. It can be an inspiration that lightens up one's day. 

I have not yet reached the stage when I would consider myself ready to share my ideas and recipes, but till then I can share photos of my creations and all the things that I experience in life. I know it might be a little boring, but I will try to improve :-)