Category: Belgium

My life, since the beginning of this year, has taken a turn completely unexpected. An excellent, marvellous, wonderful turn. After the finish of my book, I couldn’t even think about writing. I needed a hiatus. So I started to email a few people about opportunities – food styling, media work – just to fill the time when I wasn’t at the Deli.

And all of a sudden, I got whisked away on a tremendous, exciting adventure. Out of the blue, and very suddenly, I was put on a plane to Brooklyn, to go back to one of my favourite food businesses in the world – Mast Brothers Chocolate Makers. They were expanding to London, and wanted me to manage it. Me?? I’m still not sure this isn’t all a dream.

So off I went, to learn how to sort, roast, grind, temper and make chocolate in Brooklyn. And since my return, it’s been non-stop getting the location off the ground. We are up, up and away! But more on that later. The weekend before I left for Brooklyn, a mere few days after I was offered the job, we had a trip, one that had been booked for months. To Belgium. On a chocolate adventure. Serendipity.

Cobbled streets. Bed and breakfasts on the canal with cute little Belgian breakfasts. Underground beer bars and whipped cream meringue cakes. And the chocolate. Here is our weekend in Bruges and Brussels, in pictures.
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