Imagine: its night time and you step off the tram and walk through a very nondescipt part of town. You’ve heard this restaurant is a greenhouse of sorts but you don’t see how that is possible because you are walking along a very city-like street and there is no sign of nature anywhere. And then suddenly, it’s all black. You know that’s a sign of nature’s night time presence. And then, you see lights, in what seem to be in the shape of a house. You peek through the grassland and standing alone against the black of night you see the most magnificent structure: a glorious house built entirely of glass…

You find a long wooden bridge that guides you across a little canal and straight to the door of your destination, Restaurant de Kas (the glasshouse)…

There is a man at the door awaiting your presence. He takes your coats, you walk past a gorgeous herb garden into the main dining area which is housed inside this gigantic glasshouse. You walk past a beautiful lemon tree that stands by the entrance way as you are guided to your seat…

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“A kitchen surrounded by fertile soil where vegetables and herbs thrive … Where daylight shines in from all sides and where the chefs are free to express their creativity daily using the best the season has to offer.”Gert Jan Hageman owner of de kas

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Well, what more can I say! Last night’s dinner date was more than I could have hoped for. And that is saying alot, because I had bookmarked this restaurant from a tiny magazine article in Australia four years ago. That was way before I ever intended visiting Amsterdam, let alone living here. I loved the idea of the restaurant and I thought, hmm, wouldn’t it be nice to visit such a place one day. After a year of living here, I finally made it and oh, what an incredible place it is…

photos courtesy of de kas, with first three photos taken by me last night.

The five-course menu is based on what the restaurateurs have harvested that day, and consists of a selection of starters, a main course and a dessert. We started with a glass of champagne that was served with a tiny sprig of oregano picked from the garden. The meal was divine (I could go on and on about each dish so if you are interested let me know and I will tell you exactly what we had), the wine choices perfect, and I just can’t wait to go back! I would like to go for a lunch next time so I can see the garden during the day, and also to go in the different seasons. What a treat. It has made it into our top 5 list of best restaurants to go to around the world.

xx

To read more about de kas, please click here – you’ll find a comprehensive website with lots of lovely photos and information about the history of the restaurant and chefs.

…is a perfectly renovated 19th century schoolhouse, surrounded by an expansive vegetable and herb garden, orchard, and berry patch. There are two Jersey cows, Wessex saddleback pigs, Barnevelder chickens and a flock of geese. Welcome to The Agrarian Kitchen in Lachlan, Tasmania…

Run by Rodney Dunn, former food editor of Gourmet Traveller and his wife Séverine, The Agrarian Kitchen is a very unique cooking school. Their aim is “to create a place where people can rediscover the simple pleasures of gathering and cooking with produce as close to its source as possible.” Sustainable farming practices are at the core of the Agrarian Kitchen philosophy…

So how did I come to know about this hidden gem? Well a few years ago, just before I moved to Paris, I used to work with Rodney as a regular contributor to Gourmet Traveller magazine. During one of our shoots he told me about he and his wife’s dream to create a sustainable farm and cooking school in Tasmania. I was intrigued and so inspired. Since this is a bit of a dream of mine, I had a hundred and one questions every time we worked together. Each time he would tell me about his new learning experiences in sustainability, and his friend and photographer Luke, would tell me about their latest adventures in Tasmania. How fabulous I thought. If Rodney and Séverine can do this, it would one of the most inspiring cooking experiences ever…

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(these are 2 of my favourite shoots with Rodney and his delish recipes at Gourmet Traveller. Featured on the left is Rodney’s chicken, fennel and tarragon soup with poached egg and on the right is his Baby Spice and Rhubarb Butter Cakes, click here for the recipe)

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Fast forward to today: Rodney and Séverine have successfully launched their cooking school. Among their first guests was Tetsuya Wakuda who enjoyed Rodney’s afternoon tea of freshly pulled French breakfast and plum purple radishes with aioli, chicken and wild fennel tramezzini and chocolate friands with dulce de leche.

The Agrarian cooking classes are now in full swing, with such seasonal masterclasses in artisanal subjects like making cheese and butter, preserving, baking bread, making pasta, charcuterie, ice-cream and confectionery. There are a maximum of 8 guests per class, and classes can be tailored to suit individual interests.

(how gorgeous is that wood-fired oven? It is designed by the late Alan Scott who was a world renowned oven designer and builder – his ovens are used by the world’s best artisan bakers)

A day at The Agrarian Kitchen sounds like heaven to me: first you pull on a pair of gumboots and begin foraging in the garden for the ripest fruit and vegetables. You return to the kitchen to prepare and cook a seasonal feast under Rodney’s guidance, then lunch with the other guests while enjoying premium Tasmanian wines and artisanal ales…

tea in the garden, anyone?

…pictured above is the tomato gluttony masterclass, and below is Rodney (centre) in action in the kitchen during one of the classes…

French Boy and I are super keen to participate in a class or two next time we are back in Australia. Having worked with Rodney I can attest to him being a very thorough and patient foodie (the perfect ingredients to be a teacher!), and his knowledge on food is immense. So congratulations Rod and Sev, enjoy your new life, and I look forward to seeing you both and enjoying all you have to share with us.

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All images are taken by the fabulous Luke Burgess and Amanda McLaughlin.

Thanks to Rodney and Séverine for sending the images.

For more info about the Agrarian Kitchen visit the website here. Be sure to browse it thoroughly as it is extensive and filled with great information about the surroundings and favourite Tassie places.

And to join the Agrarian Kitchen mailing list for regular updates on classes and events, please click here.

xx

I’m about to take you somewhere really special. It’s somewhere on a small island. It’s somewhere very green. And it’s somewhere that is all about good farming, good cooking, and good eating.

Intrigued?

I hope so. This will be a rather exclusive peek at a very new venture for a young couple who have spent a number of years planning their dream. And now, they’ve made it happen. And I get to be one of the first to introduce them to you!

I’ll be back soon with the goods.

xx

PS My good friend & fellow food stylist Yvette is pretty talented to say the least. She is the creator of the gorgeous cut out you see above, recently featured in Delicious magazine here in Holland. Although she has nothing to do with my next post, I just had to show off how good she is with a black pen and pair of scissors.

Hmm, is it too much to ask for a piece of your pumpkin pie?

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image of pumpkin pie deliciousness by Aran. I ate the missing piece of course.

xx

PS boys gift ideas coming up in mere moments! well first I have to head out to do an errand. And I can’t decide if I should ride my bike or take the tram. This decision could take me a while.

PPS it just started raining – decision made! see you soon.

What could be better than warm custard on a grey day?

I always like to make a few batches of luscious creamy custard throughout the winter months and this delicious tart with poached pears and raspberries is a sophisticated twist on the simple dessert of custard and berries, made by our very own (blog)house kitchen guest, Aran…

Couldn’t you just take a bite our of that beautiful tart right now? I could (by the way, i’ve already checked if Aran’s photos are edible and they are not).

So this weekend, my suggestion is that you make these golden custard tarts as I have no doubt they will send your spirits soaring. Click here for the recipe and more photos. If you must cheat you can buy custard (Aran you did not read that!) but I will tell you now – no store bought custard comes close to what it is like when you make it yourself. Therefore if you have never made custard then this weekend is the weekend to do so! says me.

Thanks for sharing your delicious tart with us Aran!

I hope you have all enjoyed this week in yellow. I know I have, and I do like the idea of hosting colour weeks so perhaps every now and then I shall incorporate this idea amongst my regular posts.

Meanwhile, a winter wind is blowing in big gusts across the canal, making le petit bateau sway and rock like it is out at sea. It’s a grey cold windy day out in Amsterdam, and I am very happy to be tucked up inside my little boat. I have put my sheepskin rug on my chair and turned the heaters up just a little extra. With ugg boots on my feet, and cup of hot tea in hand, I’m settling in for the afternoon and putting some ideas together for upcoming shoots. I’m also busy working on some special posts for next week! And I have been busy with My Heart Wanders. Oh I have so many wonderful things planned for you for the rest of this year, and even more coming for next year. It’s an exciting time here in the (blog)house!

Enjoy your weekend mes amis. Keep cosy and remember, if you need a hit of sunshine, you are always welcome back here to visit the yellow posts anytime. I’ll make sure there is one of Aran’s tarts for you straight out of the oven.

xx