Welcome!

Hi, I’m Marinka Heinrich and I am so glad you found me smiling while I cook for A Gourmet Food Blog. My mantra is “those who cook happy and eat together, will stay together”. I am a strong believer in experimenting with food in the kitchen. We should enjoy preparing and eating food, rather than seeing it as a chore (I know doing all the dirty dishes is not always fun). Allow your creativity to flow and you may just find a hidden talent, a very delicious meal. Food is not the enemy that makes us gain weight and/or feel bad. Food is a pleasurable necessity and when you give yourself the chance to try you’ll live better. I know that some ingredients are healthier than others, but it is the choice and quantity of food that is important. Don’t judge ingredients in isolation.

How did I get so happy in my kitchen?

Studying nutrition and dietetics is where my interest in food began, well actually earlier; helping my mom in the kitchen. During my university time, I played with ideas of starting my own restaurant, opening a specialty food store, starting a catering business. I chose to study Nutrition and Dietetics instead; I wanted to help people to lead a healthier life, without giving up their love for food.

When I graduated, I proudly started to work as a Registered Dietitian in a small city hospital. A year later, I found a job with a manufacturer of specialized hospital nutrition as a nutritional trainer. My work brought me to many corners of the world, and I met some incredible people. During those trips I was introduced to many cuisines. Tasting ‘foreign food’ was usually one of the highlights of the day. It made me even more curious about food, and I have learned to never say ‘no’ to food I never had before. Gosh, did I eat some weird stuff, guess what, I would do it again, if or when I have the chance.

All the influences of the different cultures that I encountered on these international trips changed me and made me into the person I am today. I met my husband William, on a trip to the Caribbean and we started talking over dinner. We are still talking and have been together ever since. Together we cooked up the idea to start our own business and in 2005 we started an online gourmet store. A couple of years later, in 2008, we moved the business from The Netherlands (yes, I am Dutch) to the US and here I am. Check out our online Store.

Why this Blog?

Did I tell you already that I love food?  This blog started as an add-on to our gourmet website, sharing recipes with the products we sell, but it’s growing into more than that.

I’m a realist and a pragmatist; I have led a corporate life for 25+ years, and an entrepreneurial life for 10+ years up to and including today and I know the struggles of limited time. Most of my weeks consist of 5-6 working days and very little time off.

I hope to inspire you to create wonderful meals, that you can share with friends and family. I don’t think we all have to make our own pasta, bake our daily bread nor do we have to grow our own vegetables. It wouldn’t hurt to try it once or twice, you may just like it. If not, there are enough alternatives you can by in your local grocery store, that won’t compromise your healthy endeavors.

What is A Gourmet Food Blog about?

It is about creative cooking, eating and living well.

There is a recipe section, that’s the core of the blog. The vast majority of the recipes I share are my creations, unless otherwise indicated. Most of the recipes are designed for two, making use of everyday ingredients. They are designed for two, because it is just my husband and I who eat these creations. Yes, we eat all the recipes (most of them at least, unless they are total failures); we just don’t like to throw food away. Some recipes are for 4 or more, because they can be kept in the fridge or freezer for another time.

There is “Kitchen-Talk” that will cover the ins and outs of ingredients (What is it, where to find it, how to use it and their nutritional value) and How To’s.

The second part is about living well, living healthier lives. This part is a work in progress. In this part, I will write about health and wellness, some basic rules about healthy living. It will also be about other issue that qualify in my mind as ‘living-well’.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or inquiries or just want to say hi. You can find me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. You can also reach me directly at marinka -at- agourmetfoodblog.com. If you’d like to keep in touch, you can also subscribe to my weekly A Gourmet Food Blog e-newsletter to receive new posts.

P.S. Please don’t be surprised when you stumble upon one of my Denglish sentence constructions.