Sunset Time (in Texel)!

After dinner, we drove to the beach to watch the sunset. 21h, and the sun is still quite high!

Pretty lighthouse! 

 

Roger, time for a selfie! The sun is nice, we are too dark. Let's try again.

 

Cheers😀

 

Yes, we do have fun with our selfies😀

 

So beautiful!

 

We decided to walk to the lighthouse.

 

Roger saying hi and showing off his stitched hand.

 

Almost there.

 

Cheese again!

 

Just a bit windy but...

 

...it is so beautiful! 

 

In between the bushes, we saw some partridges.

 

Going down again...

 

...to the beach.

 

  

We couldn't have asked for a more romantic scenery. Happy (Brazilian) Valentines, Roger!💗

 

Is it a bird? Is it a superman? Nop, only a plane. 

 

Time to go back to our hotel. Bye-bye, beautiful sunset!

 

Almost arriving to our hotel, the sky is still on fire!

 

Jun 12th, 2023.

Restaurant Session (in Texel, Netherlands): Restaurant Gusta

As it was a warm Summer evening, we started with an aperitif. Non-alcoholic cocktail for Roger and...

 

...gin tonic for me. Cheers! 

 

As starter, I had the shrimp cocktail with Granny Smith apple, lime, beetroot breadcrisp and slightly warmed cocktail sauce.

 

With the main dish, Roger had a Texels beer. He liked it.

 

As main dish, tournedos Rossini from Texel Piemontese cattle with foie gras, truffle and Madeira gravy. Very nice!

 

Jun 12th, 2023.

Sleeping in Texel (Netherlands): Boutique Hotel Texel

We stayed at the Boutique Hotel Texel. 

 

Our room (Junior Polder Suite), with view...

 

...to the garden.

 

It was a nice room, with good space. But in one of the evenings, there was a wedding reception and it was right at our window. It was quite noisy, and went until late in the evening. This was very annoying, and I don't think we would go back to this hotel again. 

 

The bathroom. I like the combination of wood shelves with the tiles.

 

Jun 12th, 2023. 

Restaurant Session (in Texel, Netherlands): Restaurant Gusta

We arrived at lunch time in our hotel - Boutique Hotel Texel. As the room was not ready yet for check-in, we went straight to the restaurant Gusta. Inside and... 

 

...outside. As it was quite hot, we decided to stay indoors. 

 

Cocktail time! 

 

Roger had a Black Angus Aberdeen with home-grown onion, Texel mushrooms, tomato, fried egg, Wezenparel cheese and smokey bbq sauce. Delicious!

 

With a side of thick fries from their own farm Nieuw Breda with homemade mayonnaise.

 

I had 3 shrimp croquettes on carrot rolls with bisque mayonnaise. 

 

And a Field Salad Beef with little gem, chicken, bacon, egg, Rustiek cheese, croutons, anchovies and caesar dressing.

 

Jun 12th, 2023.

On Our Way to Texel

After breakfast, we headed to Texel. A road over the sea: water on both sides. A bit scary 😊

 

On the final leg of the journey to Texel, a ferry from Den Helder to 't Horntje in Texel - approximately 20 minutes. It was a bit windy 😀

 

Jun 12th, 2023.

Breakfast at Hotel Landgoed Het Roode Koper (in Ermelo, Netherlands)

Passing the tables from the winter garden...

...we got to sit outside on the terrace. Fresh squeezed orange juice, fried eggs and bacon, and a nice buffet choice. 

 

 Enjoying this beautiful view!

 

It reminds me of the book "The Seven Sisters"😃

 

Jun 12th, 2023.

Restaurant Session (in Ermelo, Netherlands): Het Roode Koper

Going down for dinner, beautiful lighting at the stairs.

For dinner, we stayed in the restaurant from our hotel: Het Roode Koper✨ from chef Dennis van den Beld. Such a beautiful place!

 

As we were a bit early, we went for a little walk in the garden before... 

 

...heading to our table.

 

As aperitif, a glass of champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut from Legras & Haas.

 

As Roger was taking antibiotics... 

 

...only non-alcoholic beverages for him. He got a glass of Blanc Pur from Strauch Sektmanufaktur. 

 

The first bites. 

Olive oil, butter and salt.

 

The amuse bouche.

 

Dinner was weird (not sure how to described it otherwise). When we booked the room, we opted for the Culinary Package (that included a menu for dinner). We were the only table that was having this menu, and also the only table kind of ignored by the chef. He went to all other tables, had a chat with the guests, described the dishes. Our table got kind of ignored and, actually, it felt like we were a second class guests. Also the wines came very late, and I had to keep reminding the waiter.

As a whole, it was not a nice gastronomic experience and, as I mentioned, just weird. The restaurant is so beautiful, but I would not go back. Very disappointing! 

 

As first starter, marinated mackerel fillet, sweet and sour cucumber, wasabi cream, red meat radish,  furikake crumble, various seaweed varieties, cucumber and seaweed sorbet. 

[Makrele. Mariniertes Makrelenfilet | süß-saure Gurke | Crème von Wasabi | Red Meat-Radieschen | Crumble von Furikake | verschiedene Sorten Seetang - Sorbet von Gurken und Seetang] 

 

 Cute guests arriving...

 

 ...for dinner😊 

  

The second dish: poached lobstr with pistachio, basil, broccoli and  sereh sauce.

[Hummer | pochierte Hummer | Pistazie | Basilikum | Brokkoli | Sereh-Soße]

 

With the second starter, I had a glass of Beaujolais Blanc Classic Chardonnay from Domaine Terre Dorées - Jean-Paul Brun. 

 

The main dish - Gasconne veal with rosé roasted veal cheeks, sweet potato, aubergine and pomegranate. Confit shallots, pickled mustard seeds and black garlic jus. 

[Gasconne Kalf | rosé gebratene Kalbsrücken | geschmorte Kalbsbäckchen | Süßkartoffel - Aubergine - Granatapfel | konfierte Schalotte | eingelegter Senfkernern | Jus mit schwarzem Knoblauch]

 

Pairing with the veal, I had a glass of Pinot Noir from Johanneshof Reinisch. 

 

Sweet time!

Blackberries with basil, salted caramel cream, blackberries and Timiz-pepper mousse, basil and chocolate crumble, marinated blackberries and blackberry and basil sorbet.

[Brombeeren / Basilikum. Crème von gesalzenem Karamell | Mousse von Brombeeren und Timiz-Pfeffer |Basilikum Schokoladen-Crumble - marinierte Brombeeren | Sorbet von Brombeeren und Basilikum]

 

After dinner, we went for another walk... 

 

...at the property before going back to our room.

 

Jun 11th, 2023.