Seven

A little while ago, I was invited by three fellow food bloggers, Vanessa, Nicole and Nancy, to participate in My 7 Links Project. I was flattered that they thought of me but was a little hesitant to "play" since I don't usually take part in similar projects. I found it interesting though and actually gave me the chance to reflect on my almost two years of blogging.

In search of the posts that would best fit the categories designated by the project, I went back through my archives and read some of my earlier posts as well as some recent ones. I found myself craving a lot of the food I have been cooking over these past two years and realized that I have become a better cook because of this blog.
I also became aware of how much my writing and photography has improved and evolved, and how this creative outlet has morphed into something that I am really proud of.

What was admittedly surprising, was the realization of how much this blog has become a part of my life and how much of my life I have been sharing through it with you, my readers.
So I would like to thank each and every one of you for coming to this space of mine, for reading my words and cooking my food, for sharing your own thoughts, ideas and stories with me, and for making all this worthwhile.


Here's my list of 7:

1. My most beautiful post





It was difficult to choose this one. They are all my "babies", how can I pick one?
In the end, I had to go with the Triple Chocolate Cake that I made for my birthday last November. Yes, I know not too many people make their own birthday cakes but I did, and it was perfect.








2. My most popular post





I couldn't believe it when I looked at my blog's statistics, but the most popular post on the English page (stats on the Greek page are different) is my very own recipe for Greek Baked Giant Beans. This is a dish which I make about once a month—that's how much I love it—but the fact that people all over the world enjoy it too, is just amazing. Greek giant beans rock!








3. My most controversial post





The post on which ingredients should and shouldn't be included in a real Greek Horiatiki Salad is not a controversial one per se, but it was the post that stirred up the most conversation in the comments.








4. My most helpful post





In many of my posts, I include tutorials and comprehensive instructions on how to clean, handle or cook certain ingredients, but the one featuring my recipe for Greek Mussel Pilaf was much appreciated for its instructions on how to clean mussels.








5. The post whose success surprised me





When I posted my Greek Beef Stew from the Island of Kefalonia on top of Tubular Pasta named "Pastitsada", I never expected it to be such a hit. Surely, for many Greeks this is a classic dish that we love and cook often in our homes in one version or another, but I never expected people all over the world to embrace it. It was such a pleasant surprise.








6. The post that didn't get the attention it deserved





My post for the famous Greek dip Taramosalata, was one of my earlier posts so I wouldn't expect it to be successful since not many people followed my blog back then. I was expecting for more people to discover it though as time went by. Taramosalata is the ultimate mezes. It is a salty, rich, slightly sweet, creamy dip that's honestly one of the best dips Greek cuisine has to offer.








7. The post I am most proud of





Without a doubt, my post titled "Family ties" is very close to my heart. It is a personal post in which I describe the cuisine I grew up with, "Politiki Cuisine" (the cuisine of the Greeks from Constantinople). I talk about an important person in my life, my grandfather, who was an excellent home cook and a great inspiration to me, and I cook Greek Manti, the recipe I am most proud to have mastered and perhaps my favorite one on the blog thus far.







I would like to invite the following five bloggers to take part in this project, share their own seven links and continue the fun, and I encourage all of you to visit their wonderful sites.

David of Cocoa & Lavender
Peter of Souvlaki For The Soul
El of Fresh
Peter of Kalofagas
Maria of Organically Cooked

In Bruges (and Brussels)

Visiting the medieval town of Bruges feels like going to sleep and waking up in a fairy tale.

I fell totally and utterly in love with its narrow, cobbled streets, its imposing buildings and Gothic architecture, its unique ambiance, its warm and welcoming people, its history and awe-inspiring art and its purely satisfying food.

Bruges (Brugge in Flemish) is a Flemish city in the northwest of Belgium, whose old city center is, unsurprisingly, a World Heritage Site of UNESCO.




The city center is rather small and nearly encompassed by canals.




Right in the middle of the old town, there is the Markt (Market) where one of Bruges' most prominent symbols is situated; the Belfort (Belfry), a 13th century medieval bell tower.




The Provinciaal Hof (Provincial Court), a neo-gothic government building, is also situated in the Markt.




In Burg square, very close to the Markt, you can see the Heilig-Bloedbasiliek (Basilica of the Holy Blood); a Roman Catholic church built in the 12th century. The Basilica houses a venerated relic of Christ—his very blood on a piece of cloth, used by Joseph of Arimathea during the Descent from the Cross.




In the same square you can also see the Bruges Stadhuis (City Hall).




Another famous sight in Bruges is the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk (The Church of Our Lady), a 13th century church that houses the marble sculpture by Michelangelo, "Madonna and child".




I was captivated by the paintings from Flemish masters like Jan Van Eyck, Petrus Christus and Pieter Pourbus at the Groeninge Museum.


Besides all the fascinating scenery, architectural marvels and art, Bruges also has to offer some pretty amazing food. And chocolate. And beer.




There are innumerable chocolateries in Bruges and I have to say that the chocolate I sampled there was superb. The place to buy it? The Chocolate Line. This small shop sells top-quality chocolate that will make you swoon from the very first bite. It is not part of a chain (a very popular thing in Belgium) and they make the chocolate in-house. Try the bitter chocolate with cream that is sold in a cup and the dark and milk chocolate with almonds or praline, sold in blocks by weight.

Local beer, Brugse Zot (Bruges' Fool)

S was in heaven in Belgium. There were beers everywhere. So many of them actually that it was impossible to pick one to drink. Thankfully, we had inside information and one night we went to Cambrinus, one of the best beer-brasseries in Bruges. Cambrinus offers a selection of over 400 beers and the staff there were more than eager to help us choose the ones that fit our particular tastes.




Belgium is synonymous with waffles and we couldn't leave without trying one, or two, or, ok you got me, I can't resist waffles, ok? BitterSweet serves some delicious waffles and the best cappuccino S has had outside of Italy. S is an espresso and cappuccino fiend. He knows what he's talking about.




The Flemish part of Belgium is famous for fries (Vlaamse frites) and if you want to try the real stuff then you have to go to Chez Vincent. They also serve Hollandse bitterballen (Dutch meatballs) and fries to-go paired with mayonnaise—just like here in The Netherlands—which is ideal when you'd rather go sight-seeing around town than sit at table.




While in Bruges, we went to two restaurants where the food, service and atmosphere were simply excellent.
The first, De Vlaamsche Pot, served real Flemish food. We had Zeeland steamed mussels with Belgian fries, Burgse (from Bruges) sausage that was made by a local butcher specifically for the restaurant, and Waterzooi van zeevis (fish stew).
The second, Brasserie Raymond, served Belgian-French cuisine. We had North Sea shrimp croquettes with fried parsley, bouillabaisse, Belgian beef steak with béarnaise sauce, and Vol au vent with poultry, a classic Belgian dish.

I need to go back there. I miss the food.




We then headed towards Brussels, which is only an hour drive from Bruges.

House of Dukes of Brabant

The Grand Place (Grote Markt) was magnificent.

The Guild Houses

Victor Hugo described it as "the most beautiful plaza in the world".

Brussels Stadhuis (City Hall). A Gothic building from the Middle Ages.

I liked it. In fact, I was quite impressed by it.
But, it wasn't Bruges.


Click here to see more photos from Bruges and Brussels.

We interrupt this program...

...to show you some snippets from this past week. Oh, and share some waffles with you.




I can't get enough of watching windmills. I don't know what it is with them but, especially when they're in action, I think they have the power to hypnotize me.




Rotterdam is the second largest city in The Netherlands and the largest port in Europe. It is a busy, vibrant, multicultural city but in the middle of all the hustle and bustle, you can find this. Het Park. The Park.




There's nothing more relaxing than going for a walk around this park. It's so calm, so serene.




Texel island in North Holland. The scenery of this island is breathtaking.




Dunes and fields of purple flowers.




The beach at sunset.




Sea shells creeping out of the sand.




The sky.




The seals at Ecomare.




Texel is famous for its sheep and of course, their wool.




Texel, where the strawberries are plenty and strawberry jam is perhaps the most delicious I have ever tasted.




Case in point. The breakfast of the last couple of mornings. Bread with butter and strawberry jam. See? Whole strawberries!




And waffles with strawberry jam.


S gave me a waffle iron last month as a present and I have been going crazy making waffles ever since. They're so quick to prepare and so unbelievably tasty, they're verging on sinful.






Crispy yet soft, fluffy, light and slightly sweet, they are perfect with honey, strawberry jam or fresh fruit, for breakfast. Topped with chocolate spread and/or ice cream, they make the ideal dessert.
And if you're feeling a bit adventurous, add some parmesan cheese in the batter and serve them with onion jam. They make a mean snack or appetizer.






The only limit is your imagination and trust me, you'll become addicted to these waffles in no time. Which of course can only be a good thing, right?












Classic Waffles

This recipe is quite light on eggs, butter and sugar so you can splurge on the toppings. Be generous and creative.

If you enjoy the flavor of vanilla, you can add a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract to the batter.






Yield: 14-16 standard-sized waffles

Ingredients
300 g all-purpose flour
1 heaped tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
85 g caster sugar
100 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
500 ml whole milk

Vegetable oil for oiling the waffle iron

Special equipment: waffle iron


Preparation
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Create a well in the middle and add the sugar, eggs and melted butter.
Add the milk gradually while whisking together all the ingredients.
When you have added all the milk, whisk vigorously to break up any lumps in the batter. In the end, you should have a slightly thick and smooth batter.
Let it stand for about 1 hour, covered with a clean tea towel.

Lightly oil and preheat your waffle iron.


Whisk the batter and add a portion of it in the waffle iron. (Portion depends on the size of your waffle iron). Ensure that the batter fills all grooves and close the lid. Don't open it for a couple of minutes because the waffles need time to set and create a skin. If you open the iron, the waffles might break up.
Cook them for 4 minutes or until they have taken on a golden color.
Take them out with the help of a rubber spatula and continue cooking the rest.

Serve them immediately, as they tend to go soggy fairly quickly. Top them with jam, honey, syrup, preserves, chocolate spread, fresh fruit, ice cream or anything your heart desires.

You can keep the batter in the refrigerator for a couple of days, in an airtight container.