My secret life as a Gourmet Groupie

 salt crusted sea bass, long pepper and olive oil

one of Aurélien's favourite wines: Les Jardins des Babylones

 

marinated sardines, red cabbage jelly, orange zest and green asparagus

 turbot tartar, king crab, fennel ceviche and avocado cream

  Oysters ‘Creuses’, grapefruit, passion fruit and tapioca

 

with Executive Chef Aurélien Poirot

I have to come clean. Je suis une gourmet groupie. I became one through dear friend and business partner, culinary author and journalist, Lise Goeman Borgesius. A  few years back she started to take me behind the scenes of the culinary world. I am intriged by the high level of creativity and discipline of Les Grandes Chefs and their teams. So whenever I have the opportunity I "dive" into their kitchens.

Food inspires. I just love giving my artistic interpretation of a beautiful recipe. My latest series was commissioned by 5 star hotel Sofitel The Grand in Amsterdam.  I illustrated 5 recipes for Executive Chef Aurélien Poirot of The Grand's restaurant Bridges. The illustrations have been published in the form of culinary boxed notecards. 10 cards with enveloppes, 2x5 designs, blank inside with recipies on the back in English. The boxed note cards will be available through selected book, museum and department stores throughout the Benelux. For store locations outside the Benelux please go to store locations on my website. For online orders webstore.mariskameijers.com.

Busy Bee

Limited edition Blue bird pillows 

 Mr Smith's Blossom (Limited edition of 50 giclee)

Okura - Boxed notecards

Today I am trying to catch up with a couple of things as over the weekend I was working non stop. Yesterday I was in Leiden all day exhibiting at the Japan Market organized by Het Sieboldhuis museum and sponsored amongst others by the Japanese Embassy. Sieboldhuis is a small museum where traditional Japanese artefacts and object collections are shown as well as Japanese modern art. It was a beautiful sunny day and the stalls were perched along the historic canal "Het Rapenburg" (dating back to 1360!) where the Sieboldhuis is located.  I am sorry to say that I have no pictures of the event this time. I was simply too busy talking to the many visitors. I love the whole interaction and feedback on my work, staying close to my (potential) customers. What I can share with you is some of the top items of the day.
1. Blue Bird Pillows. Made in Holland, printed on 100% satin silk, backed by Irish Linen. Available in 3 sizes 35x50cm, 40x40cm and 50x50cm.
2. Mr Smith's Blossom. A colourful giclee, 45x45cm. Limited edition of 50, printed in The Netherlands by Waterland Art Press.
3. Okura Boxed Notecards. 10 double notecards, with envelopes, blank inside (2x5 designs). The Okura hotel commissioned me to create 5 designs for their Michelin star chef Akira Oshima. The designs on the front each correspond with a Japanese recipe on the back. Fun to give as a present when you are invited for dinner or just to write a thank you note!


ANOOK CLEONNE'S GIVE AWAY!

And I would like to anounce the winner op the beautiful gem pin handmade by Anook Cleonne, a gifted Dutch artist who's work is in the collections of many established Musea in the Netherlands. It goes to blog follower Jacqueline in Italy who dedicated the pin to an old friend that recently helped here out when she could not fly to Italy because of the ashes of the Iceland Vulcano. In stead he drove her all the way!