Hi,

My ice cream melts too quickly... When making ice cream like this basil one from the BBC recipe site: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/dat... but also with another recipe the ice cream never fully freezes (becomes ice cream but easily scoopable) which is not a problem, but then, when I serve it, it starts melting right away and you have to eat it far too quickly. I was wondering whether this could be due to wrong proportions or maybe because I haven't mixed the ingredients properly. It's not the vodka in the recipe above (I have the same problem with another recipe without alcohol). Or do I just need a better freezer? I only have the problem with 3 recipes.

Your help would be very much appreciated.

Chris

Firstly I'd like to thank you for all your replies.

I was thinking of Lingonberries like Candy suggested but didn't know the english word for them. Grand Marnier sounds like an interesting mix. I'll think I'll prepare a batch with Grand Marnier, I also have some Sliwowica which I wanted to try but I don't think it combines well with the other flavours.

It's the texture I love about the cookie, and you're right it's a risk so I'll try and find something storebought in case my prim baking skills fail me. meanwhile I am still looking for a decent cookie recipe to change.

With regards to colors.. hmmm.. something green makes it brilliant for the season, maybe some mint, flat leaf parsley or a single green asparagus.

Thank you a lot for all your other suggestions which sound amazing and I will try them in future I promise, I can just be a little stubborn when I get an idea in my head.

Hi,

We're doing a post christmas dinner with friends where everyone gets to make one course. Mine is between de entree and the main course. If this has an official name I'd be most interested. I'm thinking of calling it an interlude.

My idea was to serve slices of fried tame duck breast on a pear cookie with a small dash of a sauce of red berries and maybe some kind of alcohol on top. Maybe the red berries are a bit cliché but it's christmas so my imagination stopped there.

Well firstly I'm interested in what you think of this suggestion but what I'd really like is some help as to what I should do with the pear cookie. Do you have a suggestion or a recipe how I can make this in such a way that it is moist and not too brittle so you can still cut it with your knife, yet keeps it having the consistency and texture of a cookie. Or should I try a slice of a pear cake of some kind? I am a very unexperienced cooky/cake baker

Your advice is very much appreciated.

Maxime on the Denneweg is really one of my recent favourites, although try to go with a group of four so you don't need to sit at the cramped 2 person tables (unless you want to meet people, being new in town). One of the reasons I like Maxime so much is that you can order all wine by the glass. The wine comes from the Gouden Ton also on the Denneweg, my favourite place to buy wine and olive oil. 4 courses are 28 Euro and you can choose between two menu's.

My other favourite is Pastis in the Ouwe Mol. It's a little more expensive but the only place for proper Moules et Frites in the Hague. Appaerently it's a rip off of a french bistro in Soho NY. Just sitting there, sipping a glass of Pastis of course, brings back good memories of France, even though it's a duplicate twice removed from the original.

Finally, Casa da Toni in the Prinsestraat. Don't go here if you have a problem with being hugged by the stuff or being made to play the bongo at the end of the meal. It's great italian food. You come in, you sit down and food gets served, there's no menu (except for a choice of mains). It's a lovely cosy place. Menu doesn't seem to change much so I go there once or twice a year.

Enjoy! I'd like to know what you think of these places.

Chris

hmm that's odd. I see customer reviews there, Maybe you're looking at a restaurant without any opinions?

here's an example of a less than positive review: http://www.specialbite.nl/en/WebSiteN...

Special bite still has customer reviews. Just select "Your Opinion" at the bottom of the review.

regards,
Chris

It rains fishes is good, a lot of people love it, including my girlfriend, I just wasn't that impressed. If you are in the Hague I'd strongly recommend other restaurants.

My favourite site reviewing Dutch restaurants is www.specialbite.nl If you go to the site you can click on the english flag at the bottom to view it in English. I love their casual reviewing style which also takes atmosphere into account.