LIVING AND TRAVELLING IN THE VENDÉE

Two cultures, one meal… it’s fusion to make the angels sing! I love jamming two cultures together, combining flavors and textures of meals that I love, that I know for sure my husband will love, AND that I can easily turn into a vegetarian meal without compromising anything. Shepherd’s pie – or parmentier – is such a dish. The city I was born – Ghent in Belgium – was historically a very important port in northern Europe, one where exotic spices were part of the trade. Add in the refined abbey brews and a need for cheaper cuts of meat among the working class and it should be no surprise these ingredients found their way into a stew that has kept its reputation as a delicacy throughout the centuries. Since the first published recordings in the 1800’s, the recipe has not changed indeed, it probably hasn’t since centuries before that. …