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Tastecelebration, What's cooking?
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A reflection on three months with Tastecelebration Residence

We sit on our porch in the lukewarm summer night. I have a blanket over my knees and hot, fresh mint tea in my teacup. The stars are twinkling above our heads and it feels like a good moment for a reflection of the past three months with Tastecelebration Residence.

In 2016 I returned after 28 years to the house I grew up in, Jägmästarbostaden in Andrarum in the south of Sweden. I came back to give some cooking courses, one thing lead to another and then the rest is history…
Just over a year ago, we started the plans for real. Tastecelebration Residence would become the offline meeting point for my blog. A place for foodies where everything circles around food, bubbling and teeming just as it is inside my head.

Now we are here, the plans are starting to find its place, the furnitures their corners and we our routines.
We opened, or maybe I should say thet we tried to open in Easter 2018. It was a crazy snowstorm that lasted almost four days without interruption and the annual seasonal start of the area Österlen was heavily delayed. Instead of opening the Residence with a party we got stucked with the car in the snow and had to send the staff home earlier. It was an adventures start! Our Dutch friends immediately had a Sweden experience late to be forgotten.

Now it’s the beginning of July and we have had sun for weeks in Sweden. Not a drip of rain and the land is asking for water. Strange, I cant recall ever thinking of that when I was living in the city. Water is always there and grass is almost always green right? Nope…

Me and my husband experience the nature from the first row in the theater (aka office) and follow the pear trees traveling from the smallest buds to leaf and in august hopefully some pears.

One of our hotel rooms: Saffron (one of my favorite spices…)

In our restaurant we have had weed menu and for some weeks my daily routine included picking dandelion leaves, the tiniest nettles and intense green ground elder. These past days I have changed my focus to fresh rhubarb growing in the vegetable patch and the elder flowers.
The chocolate- and lemon mint are spreading their wonderful scents from their pots where I have planted them. The luxury of having a cup of fresh tea with them is amazing!

Weed that I picked for the menu.

Yes. It is a good moment to gather my thoughts and impressions. I admit, the first weeks and months was rather a mess and not as much food on my mind as I’m used to.
It was more about finding the right staff, getting the beds and permits, plates and chairs. Menues had to be thought over and ingredients and wines purchased. Walls needed to be painted and moving boxes unpacked. Guests should get their love and breakfasts should be served.

But finally everything is starting to fall at its place. Our original concept gives us directions and every decision takes us to the next level. What should we do with our time? And what is our real focus?

A starter from the spring menu: variation of asparagus and Jerusalem artichokes.

Seaweed stock with needle mushrooms and dried miso from the menu.

A detail from our dining room

Our beautiful restaurant and cafe has become a green fine dining place to be. We serve gluten-free and fantastic vegan food that suits any curios foodie. Simon, the chef that we hired adds some extra chef magic to my blog recipes and the results are more then we ever could have wished for.

Photos from our exhibition Hungrig (Hungry in Swedish). These photos are made by Magnus Holm.

Our small hotel is going well and my homemade granola has found its way to the breakfast-table.
The next to set are the dates for the cooking courses. Themes and recipes are to be determined and participants invited.
Our latest translated book Bullar by Johan Lindeberg is due in June in the Netherlands and we already have a new book project going.

Perhaps you are wondering if there ever are coming any more recipes on the blog? Yes of course! How about sunflower cake with fresh strawberries, my Scandinavian dukkah or cheesecake with elderflowers? Recipes just asking for a nice photo and publication… I promise, they are on their way!

When everything begins to fall into place, there is room for creativity again. It started with the blog already in 2015, continued in 2016 with more cooking courses and has now 2018 found a new turn and a start of something new with Tastecelebration Residence.

I feel excited and happy with the new adventure awaiting and look forward to share it with you here in the blog and of course in real life if you like visit me here in Andrarum (read more on Tastecelebrationresidence.com )
Isabel

My very own rhubarb when they arrived in the beginning of may. So pretty!

Looking for more recipes in season? These goodies I prepared in earlier years on the blog. Try one!

Lovely rhubarb chutney with curry

Vegan rhubarb and elderberry pannacotta with strawberries

Roasted new potatoes with a cherry relish and pickled mustard seeds

Delicious strawberry cake with Limoncello cream

Filed under: Tastecelebration, What's cooking?

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Sharing the passion for food!

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