Discover Benelux | Special Theme | A Taste of Flanders
The best of bread Bakkerij Van Hoorick is a true family business where bread and pastries are made with love and a lot of knowledge. Yet, it could also serve as a bright look into the future. With its delicious classic pastries – some filled with the famous Belgium chocolate – and tasty, crispy bread made from scratch, Bakkerij Van Hoorick offers up the perfect mix of craftsmanship and experience. “Our strength lies in the fact that we work with only the best of ingredients. Our aim is to make each pastry a delicious and goodlooking treasure,” co-owner Jade Strobbe explains. Known for its long heritage, the bakery was originally founded in 1855 and has been run by the family since then. And with time comes knowledge and, of course, craftsmanship. “The place of production lays in the back of the store, where we work day and night to create a product of quality. This makes a big difference and is how we differentiate ourselves,” Strobbe explains. Just a stone’s throw away from the bustling city of Antwerp, customers with a sweet tooth
TEXT: ELLA PUT | PHOTOS: BAKERY VAN HOORICK
or a love for bread can find the cute little bakery in the town of Melsele. The mouth-watering pastries in the shop’s window, the authentic history and their sophisticated way of working creates a unique atmosphere in the bakery situated in the Belgium countryside. The bakery is run by Jade Strobbe and her partner Thomas Van Hoorick, alongside a team of passionate employees. “We have a clear vision for the future; to create different services and products where even the smallest details are made with the greatest love for the profession. And we want to reunite different skills under one roof, for example working with a butcher.”
Follow Bakkerij Van Hoorick on instagram @bakkerijvanhoorick
Leftover fruits turned into high-quality flavoured spirits TEXT: XANDRA BOERSMA | PHOTOS: ACKER & GO DISTILLERY
Inspired by Italian grappa and using fruits that are either strangely shaped or leftover for another reason, Acker & Go Distillery creates a colourful collection of uniquely flavoured spirits. In October 2016, Alfred van Acker and Hilde Goosses started their own distillery. Their first product was a gin called Gybergh 42. Their recipe includes elderberry, lavender and hyssop, certainly not your everyday gin, with a flowery, fruity taste and a spicy aftertaste. “It’s ideal as a digestive or aperitif and, of course, as part of the classic gin and tonic,” Van Acker explains. “But the Gybergh is also perfect for food pairing. Have you ever tasted an oyster with a few drops of gin? The combination of the salty oyster and fruity gin is amazing.” Combining food and spirits is not new for Van Acker; it originated in his youth. “My father had a vineyard and this is where the idea arose
for our new product, an Eau de Vie made out of locally produced fruit and press remnants. We wanted to make our own version of the Italian grappa.” The goal is to have the collection of Eau de Vie ready this autumn. “We use leftover fruits, like pears in rare shapes or apples with spots on them. But also leftovers from people with fruit trees in their gardens. The most important thing for us is that the fruit is organically obtained, we don’t want to add pesticides in our bottles.” Does this sound enticing to you? Well then Van Acker has some good news: “Soon, we’ll be hosting tours and tastings at the distillery, and food pairings will play a big part in this.
We want people to get to know the unique taste of our products.” Web: www.agdistillery.be
Issue 56 | August 2018 | 21