Test-Taste Groningen

Hurray!

This blog post marks another milestone in my blogging career. With this post, I've finally caught up on all the culinary events I had to write about. Would this mean I'll keep this blog updated in the future, no matter on how an irregular basis? We'll see.

As I promised a few blog posts ago, I'd tell you something about the culinary weekend of Test-Taste in Groningen ("Proeven in Groningen", or Tasting in Groningen).

Like its big sister in Enschede, this culinary event took place in the weekend of 4-6 september. This year was its second edition. Since we already had to go to Enschede on the 5th, we went to Groningen on the 6th. Yup, that's a busy life when you have to be culinarily curious.

Apart from it being a far younger event, its also scaled down as compared to the one in Enschede. In Groningen, it's situated on two small squares, with a lot less visitors. There are 18 restaurants, both from the city and the surrounding region. You do also pay with special coins, which cost 1,50, so a little more expensive.

Whereas the Test-Taste in Enschede is visited by the general public, this event seems to be visited more by a somewhat upper class public. The little dishes also seem to be more exclusive.

On the picture shown above, there's a skinned cherry tomato filled with mackerel, served on some chopped pepper and with a scoop of tomato and pepper sorbet ice, with a basil leaf (dried or deep fried?).

Here we have several preparations of beef: some roast beef with wakame, an oxtail stock and beef rillettes with a cranberry compote.

Tapas which we didn't sample

Croquettes which we also didn't sample

Then, there had been a contest for 'Culinary Talent of the Year': every contestant had to make some terrine or pate. Mirko Karim from Holland Casino's restaurant won it this year: his entry are the three terrines shown on the first picture. Below are the other entries:

Below wasn't an entry, it was one of my bites: a salmon fish cookie on some aubergine puree, served with a cheese croquant. Very yummy!


All in all, it was nice, but not as nice as the one in Enschede. I think that in order for it to become a better event, it should be situated on a bigger square, have its coin prices lowered and its dishes be a little more common.