Door: Daniël Meis Op 9 november aanstaande gaat Händels ‘Jephtha’ bij de Nationale Opera in première. Wat ons betreft een niet te missen duister stuk vol prachtige koorpartijen en duetten dat bovendien één van de mooiste aria’s bevat die Händel ooit heeft geschreven. Händel componeerde ‘Jephtha’, zijn laatste oratorium, in de eerste maanden van 1751. Het jaa… Read more
On October 28th a truly one of a kind pop-up bar will open its doors for only five days. The prestigious Pulitzer Hotel will be the backdrop for the “100 Martini Bar”, the ultimate tribute to the Martini, the most iconic cocktail of all. The concept has been developed by Sipsmith, a London-based distiller who started the craft movement of gins in London. They were the first to distil a gi… Read more
The history of Gin starts with the Dutch spirit Genever, which is now a pretty well-known fact. But what caused this transition? Was the idea stolen? Were they just inspired? Did soldiers bring the “Dutch Courage” back home? None of that, as it had a political reason. In 1688, the Dutch cityholder William III invaded England, to take the throne together with Mary Stuart. Thi… Read more
One of the positive side-effects of the current gin trend in The Netherlands is that many local distilleries, as well as the larger ones of course, have developed a gin of their own. It may be an unknown fact, but The Netherlands used to be the leading nation in distilling spirits. Genever was the single best sold spirit in the world at the turn of the 19th century. Many classic cocktail r… Read more
Tess Posthumus has been on the rise for quite some time now, but with the launch of her first book, the 28-year old has hit a new peak in her carreer. The bartender from Door 74 has won several large competitions, including winner of the global Mixing Star finals and becoming the 1st ranked female bartender in Diageo’s World Class in 2015 (8th overall). The book covers a whole range of d… Read more
For many years, Dutch chef Sergio Herman has lead the way in innovation in hospitality and especially in food. I had the chance to interview him a while ago in his restaurant Pure C (he still had Oud Sluis*** at that time) and I already noticed his big interest for spirits and cocktails. In fact, we spoke longer on this subject than on the actual interview and it came to no surprise that in his… Read more
For 2 weeks only, this ultra-small pop-up bar will be at a secret location in Amsterdam. To give you a hint: look for this door with the Tanqueray logo at the Amstel. Behind the door is a long alley that leads to a small old chapel that normally functions as a b&b, but now, for just 2 weeks, as a pop-up bar by Tanqueray Gin. It’s the perfect way to start your evening with frien… Read more
Taste of Amsterdam has firmly established itself in the ever-expanding list of festivals as the leading event for food and lifestyle. In the last years the number of alcohol brands has expanded enormously and, as you can understand, this is what makes it all the more interesting to me. This year the presence was even greater, with wine, whisky and wodka and everything in between to enjoy f… Read more
This Sunday is the start of the 9th edition of Cocktails & Spirits, the barshow in Paris and it is one of the most defining shows for Europe, maybe even for the world. Paris has seen a complete turn-around from lagging lightyears behind, to being one of the leading cities for cocktails in a very short matter of time. Thierry Daniel (pictured below), founder of Cocktails & Spirits ha… Read more
Foodpairing with spirits is becoming an increasingly relevant topic in top gastronomy. We all know the strong link between wine and food, but spirits are working their way to the chef’s table as well. A few years ago I helped set up the bar in &Samhoud Places, a 2* restaurant in Amsterdam. More than a few times I acted as spirit sommelier for the guests in the restaurant to advice t… Read more