The Six Friends Theory by Mercure
16-1-2015
The six-degrees-of-separation theory claims that everyone on this planet is connected with each other by a maximum of six people. Mercure hotels introduced a worldwide digital campaign: ‘The Six Friends Theory’ and is looking for the perfect candidate to test the theory. From 20 January till 20 February the perfect candidate can apply through a worldwide selection process.
Purpose
The purpose of the campaign is to select a candidate from somewhere over the world, then let him/her meet an Aboriginal of the Bundjalung tribe and prove that they are only six links away from each other. They don’t know each other but they will get together via friends and friends of friends whom connect them.
Participation
From 20 January adventurers are invited to post a video of themselves on the Facebook page of Mercure. In the video they have to tell who they are, what talents they have, what their motivations and passions are and why they are the best friend of the world in just one minute. A video can be posted till 20 February.
The 50 videos with the most likes are directly going to the finals. A jury that consists out of six people including Jean-François Julian (a Movie Director) and Isabelle Musnik (Editor-in-Chief of INfluencia) will select the winner in a final interview. The selection takes place between 20 January and 10 February 2015 and the results will be announced between 17 and 24 February.
The Six Friends Theory
The first prize of the campaign is a trip around the world with stays at several Mercure hotels. The winner will be on his way for seven weeks from the beginning of March. ‘The Six Friends Theory’ exists out of six meetings, six destinations and six Mercure hotels worldwide. At each destination the winner will hear where he is going to find the next friend. These friends will give him a local experience and guide him to the next assignment towards the Aboriginal.
The winner will be on his way together with a film crew, directed by Jean-François Julian. It is his job to capture all the meetings and experiences of the winner.
There are also different rewards for the other 49 candidates from the finals like overnight stays at Mercure hotels and Samsung tablets.
Nuna popsicle is art!
15-1-2015
Will Nuna be the next big thing in popsicle trends? Nuna is a popsicle created by a team of specialists in the disciplines of culinary art, architecture, design and science.
The Nuna Design, ‘Form follows taste’
Nuna popsicles are unique in the unwillingness to compromise while realizing a simple idea. The crystal/pyramid shape is just the starting element in the design language of Nuna. It’s supposed to reflect the sensation of ice crystals bursting on the tongue while causing a unique and intense tingling in the mouth. The visual experience of the crystal/pyramid shape thus continues as a sensory experience on the tongue. The crystal taste must be an adventure for the tongue. This is made possible with the help of the molecular cuisine. The internal product development theme was „Form follows taste“. The popsicle has a bamboo stick which provides a sturdier grip than the typical narrow wood one.
The Nuna taste experience, The flavours
The team that developed Nuna wants to offer an unlimited variety of flavours: seasonal, regional and depending on the kind of occasion and event. The popsicle is made with organic fresh fruits, fruit juices and selected spices completing each flavor. Some of the flavours contain alcohol – turning the frozen popsicle into a frozen cocktail on a stick.
The flavours that might go in production are at the moment; Framboise, Strawberry Mint, Pear Ginger, Muro (Blood Orange) Honey, Mango Lemon, Peach Lime, Matcha (Green Tea) Lemongrass, Red Starrenette (Apple) Cardamom, Cosmopolitan, Campari & Ginger Orange, Mojito and Vodka Lime.
Where can we taste Nuna?
This year Nina will have a slow launch and will be part of selected art openings (Nuna was exhibited as a design object at MART, Italy, Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Trento and Rovere), fashion shows, music festivals and in selected clubs, (rooftop) bars etc. The possible cities where Nuna will be launched are Berlin, New York, Miami as well as London and Tokio.
This popsicle is art!
Cocktail presentation in a creative way
14-1-2015
Be creative and serve your cocktails in a flask or create your own merchandise. A great way of cocktail presentation!
Years ago I regularly went to eat at a Japanese Steakhouse in Houston that served cocktails in white Geisha or Buddha sculptures. In a bowl behind the sculpture, they put the cocktail in a plastic glass. The straw was placed through one of the nostrils (if I remember correctly). By paying a few more dollars, you could take your Geisha of Buddha sculpture home. A popular collector’s item amongst colleague stewardesses at the time.
Cocktail presentation in a flask
Recently I saw an article at Thrillist about cocktails served in a flask. They’ve posted eight different examples of cocktail presentation at their website. If you own a cocktail bar you can serve cocktails from these flasks, with the name of your bar on it. I suppose that a lot of people are willing to pay a bit extra to keep the bottle! And if more people are coming to your bar because of the delicious cocktails that you serve in these trendy flasks, you create your own merchandise!
Be creative…
This can also be done with other items, of course. If you have teenage daughters you probably know how popular the merchandising of the Hard Rock Café is. Wouldn’t you buy a cup of coffee (and the cup) if it’s served in a cup shaped like a wooden shoe? If you visited Amsterdam? Determine what you could offer to charm your guests! (And of course what brings them back more often) ^Marjolein
Second store for De Bakkerswinkel in Rotterdam
13-1-2015
De Bakkerswinkel opened the doors of their second store in Rotterdam (The Netherlands) on 9 January.
Everybody can go to the bakery for breakfast, freshly made sandwiches, a high tea, cake, coffee or a drink with snacks. Besides a big restaurant there is a takeaway shop where you can get a quick coffee and different sandwiches but also buy a cake or marmalade.
Interior
The bakery is located in a former bank office. Designer Piet Hein Eek designed the bakery. De Bakkerswinkel creates new products with respect for the traditional ingredients, Piet Hein Eek designed the restaurant/store in the same way, with respect and understanding of the materials.
De Bakkerswinkel
De Bakkerswinkel is a growing company with eight locations in Amsterdam, Utrecht, The Hague, Zoetermeer and Rotterdam (all in The Netherlands). ‘De Bakkerswinkel’ is not a chain, each location is unique and has its own atmosphere and identity tailored to the environment. Each branch contains a store, a restaurant, a traditional bakery and kitchen that can be seen by guests.
Piet Hekker is the founder and owner of De Bakkerswinkel. He wanted to create a place where people feel at home. The funding is realized through crowdfunding. With crowdfunding a lot of guests are participating in ‘De Bakkerswinkel’! We earlier wrote about De Bakkerswinkel in Amsterdam West who recently also opened in the evenings.
Dutch Stars Favorites
13-1-2015
The 4 favorite cresses from Dutch chefs who got a new Michelin star in the end of 2014.
The 2015 ‘Dutch Stars Favorites’ consists of Aclla Cress, Basil Cress, BlinQ Cress and Shiso Green. This is a balanced blend of subtle flavours according to Koppert Cress, however, each flavour has a distinctive effect on the taste experience of a dish. The ‘Dutch Stars Favorites’ includes 4 boxes of every kind, nice for smaller kitchens where a full box of one cress is too much. The selection is offered in a ‘Dutch Blue’ box.
Dutch Stars Favorites
The favorite cresses are selected by a number of chefs from Dutch restaurants who received a new Michelin star, end 2014. With the composition of the ‘Dutch Stars Favorites’, Koppert Cress starts a new tradition. Every year, after the presentation of the Michelin stars a new composition will be made by chefs. In the video François Geurts from Restaurant FG (Rotterdam, The Netherlands) indicates how he uses the cress.
The Crushi is crunchy sushi
12-1-2015
Jeroen van de Velde and Martijn Klein are the designers of Crushi. Crushi is sushi with a crunchy, tasteful layer.
Crushi
The crunchy sushi is a snack with fresh ingredients and has a low amount of calories. This makes the crunchy sushi a responsible choice. The crunchy sushi doesn’t contain artificial colours nor flavours.
Crushi is created at the kitchen of restaurant Inspired in Utrecht (The Netherlands), and is based on two different foodtrends: sushi and fingerfood. The crunchy sushi will be launched at the Horecava 2015 from 12 till 15 January. The California Crushi will be presented and consist out of: surimi, wakame and Japanese omelet. Later on there will be more varieties.
Piazza Duomo at Harrods
9-1-2015
Since September 2014 , Harrods welcomes five of Italy’s best restaurants in their pop-up concept #Stelle di Stelle. This month the three-Michelin-starred restaurant ‘Piazza Duomo’ by Enrico Crippa takes the lead
Piazza Duomo
Enrico Crippa is famous among the young generation of Italian chefs. Crippa has worked with Europe’s most famous chefs like Ferran Adrià, Michel Bras en Antoine Westermann. In 2005 Crippa opened Ristorante Piazza Duomo in Alba, Italy. Piazza Duomo serves raw ingredients selected from the restaurant’s own vegetable garden that encompasses 5 acres of land.
Piazza Duomo five-course menu at Harrods will feature:
– Veal in tuna sauce
– Alta Langa potato cream with quail egg and Lapsang Souchong
– Agnolotti del Plin stuffed with three roasts, served with roast meat juices
– Fassona beef braised with Barolo and polenta
– ‘Relanghe’ hazelnut cake and cold zabaglione with Moscato wine
There will be a lunch and a dinner round each day. The menu is priced at £ 65 for lunch (a reduced version of the menu), or £ 115 for the whole menu. You can make a reservation till 31 January.
Stelle di Stelle
Stelle di Stelle works together with Identità Golose, a culinary organisation that wants to promote the traditional Italian kitchen and gastronomic delights worldwide. There has been a Stelle di Stelle at London and New York. The next edition will take place in Chicago September 2015.
Restaurant recipes from Amsterdam at Bilder & De Clercq
9-1-2015
The restaurant recipes and ingredients from well-known Amsterdam restaurants are soon available at Bilder & De Clercq shops. From 22 January onwards the dinner-shops at the Clercqstraat and Ceintuurbaan will sell a new signature dish from a restaurant in Amsterdam. The step-by-step recipes come with the necessary ingredients measured in the right quantity.
Participating restaurants
The first three participating restaurants are Envy, Par Hasard and Americano Bar & Kitchen. The following participating restaurants that share one of their restaurant recipes are revealed after the launch. The shop creates a brilliant crossover with the Amsterdam restaurant industry and vice versa.
About Bilder & De Clercq
Bilder & De Clercq was set up by Roger Leopold and Diederik van Gelder. Both live in Amsterdam and daily had to contend with the question “what will I have for dinner tonight?”. Finding the right dishes and ingredients was a frustrating quest that they want to end for everyone with their shop.
Inspire with restaurant recipes
At the dinner-store it’s easy to get inspiration for the right dinner with 14 different dishes available, there is always plenty of choice. The right quantities are exactly measured. Each week, three new dishes are introduced and now monthly restaurant recipes with ingredients will be available as well.
Espressobar
Next to dinner inspiration, Bilder & De Clercq sells hand-made bread and a wide variety for breakfast, lunch and drinks as well. With a few tables and an espresso bar shoppers can enjoy a cappuccino with carrot cake while having a break.
Wallvertising by Pieter Ceizer for Warsteiner
8-1-2015
In 2014 the premium beer brand Warsteiner had several walls decorated with a unique design in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. These authentic ‘wallvertising’ was made by artist Pieter Ceizer (from Amsterdam) and is to admire at café PIEK (Rotterdam), the Ruyschkamer (Amsterdam) and the ‘We Are Labels’ boutique in the Pijp (Amsterdam).
This project is inspired by the old New York phenomenon of ads that are painted on the sides of buildings, remnants of a lost era of urban life. Warsteiner wants to support the comeback of this traditional art form, because it brings back the craft and centers the artist.
Wallvertising – display the correct message
Pieter Ceizer plays not only with images, but also knows for each brand how to convey the right message in its own style. Expect unexpected puns that directly capture the essence such as “The biggest small family brewery” for Warsteiner. At the individual sites Pieter Ceizer knew how to subtly process the identity of cafe owners in his murals. “Brothers from other mothers” in the cafe De Ruyschkamer refers to the two young owners, who are brothers, but do not have the same mother. When entering café PIEK the intimate nature of the cafe is immediately clear by the artist interpretation: “Where everybody knows your name.”
Warsteiner + art and creative initiatives
The Warsteiner family has a special relationship with art and creative initiatives for generations . The family does not only has an impressive art collection, but also has close ties with several artists. Four years ago, Warsteiner Netherlands launched a seeding program in cooperation with BLEND \ BUREAUX. With this program the premium beer brand supports initiatives in the art- and fashion scene, such as exhibition openings and other events where a creative approach has been put central.
Bakery through crowdfunding
7-1-2015
BAQ, a bakery café in Groningen (The Netherlands) can open its doors through crowdfunding.
Patrick, Ellen and Evelien are the owners of BAQ. With already three locations in Drenthe they now want to open their fourth bakery in Groningen. This requires an investment of at least € 25.000, =. By a crowdfunding campaign via CrowdAboutNow they’ve already have raised 146% of the required € 25.000, =.
Funding
The funding will be used for the required bank guarantee to rent the property and for the purchase of an oven, pastry vitrine, a bread slicing machine, freezer, other kitchen equipment, the interior and marketing. When there will be raised more than the required amount, the additional funding will be used for the purchase of solar panels. The more successful the crowdfunding is, the more sustainable the bakery café will be.
Products
BAQ bakery café works together with local farmers and millers. The bread is made without additives, e-numbers and lactose. They are have a wide range of spelled bread and sourdough. You can go to the bakery for a cup of coffee with some cake or for a delicious lunch.
Thank you
The crowdfunding campaign takes 60 days and lasts until 12 March, 2015. Investments starts from € 100, = with a return of 4% each year for five years. BAQ bakery café is thanking their investors with different rewards per invested amount. For example they are giving a lovely high tea or offer a workshop for making bread to thank for the confidence in the company.
