Welcome to A Gourmet Food Blog

Hi, I’m Marinka and I am so glad you found me. 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 an enemy that makes us gain weight and feel bad. At the same time, 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?  The 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.

As a trained dietitian/nutritionist, I have gathered, ‘digested’ and produced and disseminated a lot of nutritional information over the years. Staying up to date with new nutrition developments is a continuous effort, but an interesting one. Unfortunately, there is so much nonsense out there, people trying to convince us to eat or swallow things because of some health benefits. Many stories can be categorized as total fabrications or simply trendy in our celebrity focused world. Do you really think that one piece of fruit or vegetable a day can cure you of whatever illness you have?

If it were only that simple; we would not have all the problems we have all over the world, where kids starve, or people and adults die because of over-eating. I will do my best to separate facts from fiction and will talk about health, well-being and nutrition issues; all in the context of this food blog.

I have no intention of changing the world, instead merely trying to inspire you to create wonderful meals, that you can share with friends and family. My wish is to empower you, to make the right decision, to see two sides of a nutrition debate and then for you to draw your own conclusion. I would like to take you on a journey of creation, happiness and realism, while maintaining a healthy and fit lifestyle.

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 am here to help you cook creatively, enjoy your food, sitting at the dining room table with friends or family. I will give you tools to make healthy choices and live well.

What is this blog about?

It is about food 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 of them (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. How to make the right food choices, how do we fit everything into our daily routine etc. There is no rule that fits us all the same way; we all respond differently to food, to exercise, to influences from outside. I will do my best to carve a path through the overload of information.

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 e-newsletter to receive new posts.

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