If you are a foodie, you’ve probably traveled across cities for a great meal or a special ingredient. I totally get it, and do I have news for you: there is a new foodie hotspot in town, called Familie Van Rijk, located on the multicultural Amsterdamsestraatweg.
When I visited this shop, I felt like a kid in a candy store! Beautiful bottles of wines, bubbles and craft beers, from chocolates to merlot flavored wine gums, special cheeses, cured ham and sausages, delicious olive oil and sauces, and cookbooks, too! If you are organizing a party for your Best Foodie Friends, just call and ask them to prepare a special platter of goodies for you.
There’s more: Familie Van Rijk also serve breakfast and lunch at their café corner. Try their smoked steak sandwich with truffle mayonnaise…delicious! The bread is freshly baked by the bakery that used to occupy the building. And they serve great coffee, with special blends from Mexico, Ethiopia and Uganda.
Culinary bliss
After finishing my lunch, I had a chance to talk to Simone, who took care of the shop that day. She told me the story behind this foodie haven. The owners, Ray and Ijk, have been friends for a very long time and they share the same passions for good food, made of high quality ingredients.
“Our philosophy is to create moments of culinary bliss for everyone who visits our shop,”said Simone. “We are very passionate in what we do and we stand by the quality of our products.” It was music to my ear. I’d rather eat less, but really great food. And when I am celebrating with family and friends, I’d like to offer them the great stuff!
On one of their shelves, I found my must have ingredient: organic artisanal aged balsamic vinegar from Modena. This particular one was produced by Villa Manodori, the personal label of Massimo Bottura, the chef patron of Osteria Francescana. The three-Michelin-star restaurant is currently the ‘numero uno’ of the World’s Best 50 restaurants list! Yep, you’ve guessed it: in the bag! And a bottle of lemon infused olive oil from elBulli head chef Ferran Adrià! Carpediem!
Three meters of craft beers
Fans of craft beers can find a new favorite at the beer corner in Familie Van Rijk, called Drie Meter Beer. The owner, Fred, showed me his wide selections of craft beers from around the world, such as a red IPA by White Hag, the Best New Brewery in Ireland. Special from Utrecht are the dark and caramely brew by Kromme Haring, which Fred bottled for me using his special tapping equipment, and a wheat pale ale by CEAUX. Find out more about Drie Meter Beer on their Facebook page.
I cycled home with a bag full of goodies for the entire family. I thought, it’s a great excuse to celebrate the first days of 2017. Life is full of surprises, good and bad ones. But we always have our family and friends. That alone is worth celebrating!
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Pictures by Susanne Sterkenburg