Green Olive Tree Musings of a permanent tourist on food and life. Postings feature eating finds, recipes, and world flavors adorned with original photography. Statistics Unique Visitors: Total Unique Visitors: Outgoing: Total Outgoing: 1 0 131 3813

Articles from Green Olive Tree

Garden-fresh runner beans 2007-08-30 10:05:00 [Freshly picked purple runner beans]Look at these beans, oozing with dizzying delectability! From the garden of T’s aunt in Sevenoaks right outside London. I was given a bagful to bring home to Amsterdam two weekends ago. Not sure about how long the beans will stay peak in my refrigerator, I “googled” and found these storing tips from a UK site advocating seasonal foods.“Runner beans will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days but, as with all legumes, the beans' sugars start turning to starch after picking and they are best eaten as soon as possible.”So to savor these freshly picked beans and optimizing the vitamin C and fibre it has to offer, I sautéed them in olive oil with garlic the very next day, and served them with some organic ravioli I picked up from the health store near Rijksmuseum on my way home from work. Real easy and simply healthy. Except the lustrous purple hues didn’t stay mauve when cooked. Yup, you guessed it, they all turned into the color what beans are no ...

Bling H20 2007-08-27 10:30:00 [glitzy designer water for sale]Would you pay 49€ for a bottle of water? I suppose someone crazy about displaying an empty bottle studded with real Swarovski Crystals might...The owners of De Waterwinkel (translated simply as the water shop) in Amsterdam certainly knows people who would pay beaucoup money for designer water, as their entire store is a retail space for beautifully packaged water from around the globe. (Though they don't carry my favorite water on earth - the Vichy Catalan.)We were wondering if their main business is largely based on corporate water supply accounts cos we just can't seem to make out the revenue equation one can get out of a pretty shop selling pretty water. We absolutely love the Ty Nant still water's bottle design, conceived by Ross Lovegrove who used to work for Frog as a consultant to Apple. I have asked my visiting mum to double as special delivery service to bring this bottle back to my little brother as a little gift from Amsterdam. With all t ...

Foodie’s weekend trip to London 2007-08-23 07:57:00 [Food stalls at London's Borough Market] Back from my weekend trip in London and all I can say is that it revolved around food. Surely, what else can it be since I write a food blog and am obsessed about taking photographs of edible items? These images can only attest to the decadent sights and smells (not to mention cheese sample tastings) that were to offer from my Saturday morning window-marketing, if there is such a thing.It was not really just a short get-away. More like a get-orientated-n-meet-the-family trip, T carefully thought out that the most fun thing to do would be a morning foray at Borough Market, which he deemed “a very Kelly thing to do”. The background information carefully relayed to me in amused detail by family members D + F were that ages ago the market used to be this truly original organic farmer’s market where Londoners, high on taste, style and health, could expect to pay a reasonable price for a basketful of wholesome ingredients for an at home gourmet ...

Sleek Restaurants of Amsterdam: Envy 2007-08-14 10:40:00 [Envy of Amsterdam]Close to the shopping streets of Negen Straatjes (9 Streets) and not too far from the Anne Frank Museum is the strategically located Envy, the talk of the town when it first opened a few years ago. One can never fail to notice the bar-restaurant's chicness as you walk past its glass-paned premises with immediate views of its busy open kitchen and Tom Dixon's installation of mirror ball pendants. The narrow and dark space concept was developed by the creative team at Concrete, known for their astounding designs in the city for places like the funky Supperclub, the renowned caterer AMAISON's concept store and De Lairesse pharmacy.[Intimate dining at Envy's bar] With a changing menu based on the fresh ingredients like Italian cheeses and prosciutto di Parma air-flown daily, the food is served a-la-delicatessen in small portions with very refined ingredients. The last time we were there for lunch, I had a lobster bisque and a veal salad and they were wonderful. It's ...

Aubergine lemon linguini with chicken 2007-08-10 09:36:00 [A healthy fusion pasta dish]Entertaining is a form of art, albeit a tad challenging. You ought to present something completely innovative (from the guest's point of view) yet at the same time quite effortless to put together (from the host's point of view). Friends who have been invited over for dinner might know that one of my star dish repertoire is this aubergine lemon linguini with chicken.This pasta dish combines a few distinctive spices like lemon zest and ginger, yet blends them so well into a flavorsome meal, completely balanced on the healthy diet scale. If you eyeball the ingredients and cooking directions below, you might notice a Mediterranean-Asian fusion thread. Happy entertaining!Aubergine lemon linguini with chicken1 aubergine/eggplant cut into 4 or 8 parts length-wise and subsequently into quarter-inch thick 'triangle' wedges.Half a chicken breast thinly sliced across the grain into stripsKikkoman soy sauce2 tablespoon lemon zest2 teaspoon grated ginger2 tablespoo ...

Bar Mundial in El Born, Barcelona 2007-08-07 09:43:00 [Bar Mundial en Barcelona]Resuming my tapas run in Barcelona: for the same reasons you’ve got to be at Cerveceria Catalana to soak in the typical bar scene, Bar Mundial offers you yet another kind of down-to-earth neighborhood tapas bar tableau. Fresh seafood is the name of the game in this antiquated establishment, run by the same family for many many years.That weekend I was in Barcelona, Nico and Ivan offered me the honor of choosing a dinner venue. And for T’s benefit, since I’m showing him MY Barcelona, Bar Mundial was my top choice, namely for the fresh-seafood-to-order tapas genre I want to orientate him through. We got lucky since Nico has an “enchufa” (literal translation for both plug and socket; Spanish slang for connections or network.) The “enchufa” is the co-owner -- the female counterpart of the husband and wife team, who went to school with the guy Nico was dating.Okay, so we arrived, and we get (drum roll…) reserved seats at the bar – absolute prime r ...

Herbed Risotto with Portobello Mushrooms 2007-08-03 09:55:00 [First attempt at Risotto]Okay, so the story was that I went completely berserked with risotto. Alright it was my first time making it, but rarely would I be completely satisfied with my own cooking (read perfectionist) let alone being so happy with it that I made it again and again for THREE consecutive days.What is this?? Just rice in a creamy sauce? Well, surely not! This concoction has all the wholesome goodness of raw organic herbs and vegetables, namely rosemary, basil, tomatoes, portobello mushrooms, and red onions. And of course, imported Italian Arborio rice and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.The combination of fragrant herbs and tomatoes gives this dish a very light and airy taste. Completely flavorsome and fresh. With a recipe this uncomplicated; you will learn it by heart once you make it the first time. And maybe you’ll be remaking it again and again with your own variations for three consecutive days! Without further ado, here’s the easy recipe.Herbed Risotto with Portobe ...

Best brown cafe food in Amsterdam 2007-08-01 14:00:00 [High Dutch Cuisine] Amsterdam’s a great place to be, what with all the delightful culinary offerings I’ve been discovering. Thanks to fellow foodie Talia who sent some delectable brownies to my door in Barcelona some time ago, I was able to be in the know for some of the sure-fire finds in town.Fluent in Dutch and blissful with her newfound role as mom, Talia has lived in Mokum (what locals call Amsterdam) for five years now. We met in person for the first time last month in a traditional brown café here in the Jordaan, De Reiger, which Talia chose for the “track record of good food” the couple of times she’s been there.We both ordered the rack of lamb with fried gnocchis -- done to perfection, paired with a glass of red. So busy were we talking about life in Amsterdam, food, and one’s life passions that we realized that we kept missing the busy servers to place our dessert orders that we finally left without sweetening a tooth.My second visit to De Reiger was with T cos ...

La Cerveceria Catalana in Barcelona 2007-07-26 15:30:00 [Taking orders] If you mention the name “Cerveceria Catalana” to someone who lives in Barcelona, the notion of clamoring for standing space at the bar at lunchtime amidst office workers and informed tourists comes to mind. With a name that literally means "the Catalan brewery", it's no wonder the place just exudes an air of heritage and prestige in terms of bona fide good traditional food.Whenever someone visits me in Barcelona, this would be one of the must-do to expose them to authentic tapas and the whole chaotic and boisterous bar scene. There are three items I can’t miss ordering each time I’m there. The brocheta de langostinos (skewered grilled shrimps), montadito caliente de solomillo (the most perfect slice of sirloin on a piece of baguette), and patatas bravas (potatoes with a spicy mayo-based sauce). [Cerveceria Catalana in Barcelona]The best time to go is a good half hour before the official start of lunch time in Spain – 2 p.m. or right around 4 p.m. after the lu ...

Funky flavors of Cacao Sampaka 2007-07-20 09:17:00 [Tasting Menu: flavored cold cocoa] Food gifts are my favorite kinds of gifts to give. In lieu of touristy souvenirs knick-knacks I would rather get some uniquely packaged honey, chocolate, tapanade that is characteristic of the city. In Barcelona, I have found that my chocolate gifts from Cacao Sampaka are a sure winner.I introduced T to this warmly lit shop with an array of cocoa products smacked in the middle of Rambla Catalunya, the street parallel to Passeig de Gracia – the 5th Avenue of Barcelona. We happily stuffed our baskets with hostess gifts for the next couple of trips we’re making visiting friends. What took us a hard time deciding was which series of funky flavors we should pick for the chocolate gift boxes. There were eight of them all, very innovative selections including “Truffles-coated in bitter chocolate” and “Gastronomic innovations”. It’s a very common thing for the locals to present these “bombones” when they’re invited over for Sunday dinner, ...

Water, the Catalan way 2007-07-14 15:56:00 [El Vichy Catalan]El Vichy Catalan! What more can I say? This elixir of life that fizzes with a taint of refreshing saltiness; a taste so unique it can only come from those natural minerals from Catalan resources. And yes, it’s my favorite kind of sparkling water, or water, period, for that matter. Too bad, I can only get it on a daily basis if I still live in Barcelona. Unless I don’t mind paying 5 bucks a bottle from some specialty online Spanish grocery.Some people can have it at room temperature, some people insist on drinking them icy cold. I’ve been told that you either love it or you hate it. I think it can be true since water with bubbles (agua con gas in Spanish) let alone tasting a tad salty can be an all new experience for some.I must say I’ve been raving about it so much that T had it already in his mental list of “must-try’s” in Barcelona. His first reaction wasn’t what I was expecting. “Why does it taste so salty?” he said grimacing. After the second s ...

A few eating finds in el Barrio Gotico 2007-07-12 16:24:00 [ Food, I need food! ]Forgive me. This entry was drafted in May 2006 but I never got around publishing it. I thought this would be a great interim post as I work this weekend to get my pictures and writings ready from my four-day trip last weekend to good old Barcelona and the Costa Brava. So here you go a few delightful eating finds I discovered during my occasional strays from the different routes in the Barrio Gotico.Just right off the street near Metro Jaume I, you will find a quaint cheese shop that offers an interesting variety of artisan Catalan cheeses. They have a little sampling menu that you could do when you need a little break from all the walking and browsing.For a mere 2.40€, you can sample a selection of three cheeses and a taste of some wine, from noon till 8 p.m. daily. On Saturdays, from 12-3 p.m., you can get your hands on a more extensive sampler of three cheeses, bread, olives, with a beverage (wine, beer or water) for just 5.85€. Not a bad deal, eh?One of the ...

Mapping Food Incubators 2007-07-05 07:20:00 [Participants learning how to make salsa de tomate]Cities around the world are helping immigrants integrate into the economic fabric of their adopted homelands. The New York Times’ Laura Novak had an article last week about a nonprofit food incubator in San Francisco.La Cocina (which means “the kitchen” in Spanish) allows immigrant women to get out of poverty by equipping them to start their own food businesses. The shared-space concept boasts a commercial kitchen space filling the need and affordability of adequate equipment for these entrepreneurs who otherwise would be cooking illegally out of their homes.Largely funded by foundation and government grants, La Cocina works on a sustainable model in that they charge a fee to instill the concept of responsible business ownership. The incubator also provides training from high-profile mentors and participants are supported in the creation of business plans and marketing strategies.Participants churn out weekly orders of healthy fa ...

Of bagels and Internet 2007-07-02 14:25:00 [Chocolate chaude]Someone significant was recently quoted saying that “it’s easier to live without a TV these days then it is to live without Internet.” Indeed! I am currently living in this kind of ordeal until work recently got me 3G broadband access on my work laptop (on the premises, of course, that it be work-related usage). Well, just over the weekend, while walking pass a bagel place, a saw those magic words beckoning at me: free internet access.So on Sunday morning, with a laptop and power supply loaded up in a backpack, we headed to Bagels and Beans just around the corner (they’ve several outlets in the city) for a homey lox bagel and a good dose of free internet. Now what has this picture got to do with all these? Well, it’s not all irrelevant. You see, this bagel place does serve the best presented hot chocolate I’ve ever come across – a glass of hot frothy milk with a cube of pure dark chocolate on a stick.So if you’re in Amsterdam, you’ll know where to ge ... Internet

Well, well, wagamama 2007-06-27 08:18:00 [Ivan & Nicolas @ Wagamama, Amsterdam]I am so hopeless. It’s been a month and I have been making mental notes to myself about adding something new to my blog. The thing is there has been so much to do, so many friends visiting, so many new friends to meet, et cetera, et cetera…Speaking of playing host, Ivan and Nico were in from Barcelona over the weekend. Wasn’t the best time to be though considering the crappy weather there is right now. It’s been raining and raining and the temperature dipped down to a whopping 15 degrees Celsius yesterday. No kidding, everyone on the street and in the metro was decked out in outfits made for autumn – boots and coats and all.Nico has been raving about Amsterdam being great for its ethnic food offerings. Well, guess where we brought them? Yeah, ethnic, but not quite… Wagamama! Yup, there’s one in Amsterdam, and I can attest to the fact that it’s truly Asian, sans all those kitsch pseudo-antique paintings depicting dragon-chasing c ...