Honey
BEEingPure and Sweet? Sounds like advice for a good life. In reality, BEEingPure is the name of a small yet influential honey-making (or is it gathering?) company in Limburg in the Netherlands.
We visited the site where some hives are kept in a tranquil environment which rather resembles an allotment. Bee-attracting flowers bloom, insects inhabit a veritable hotel, veggies grow in profusion and the story of beekeeping unfolds.
Take a guided journey into this delicious substance and appreciate all its benefits. Kenny introduces you to his bees. One will learn about the life of the bees and the importance of the queen. Visitors can taste honey made in hives located to take advantage of particular blossoms. By the end of the tour everybody will be charmed and fascinated by the ancient process of honey production, and agree that they should eat more honey!
There are several visit packages available. It is possible to combine the tour with an extensive honey and / or herbal tasting. Also ideal as a workshop, company outing, education for schools or as a children’s party! If you have special requests, you can contact the company beforehand.
Email: info@BEEingPure.nl
Phone: +31 (0) 6-51376940
BEEing Pure beekeeping
Postus 1625 6201BP
Maastricht
The Netherlands
Visit BEEing Pure here: https://www.beeingpure.nl
Wine
I have long been proclaiming the virtues of restaurants and chefs in The Netherlands, after conversations which often start with ‘So, the Dutch have good food, do they?’. Yes, they do; and now comes another question: ‘The Dutch make good wine, then?’. Yes, they do and it’s well worth trying.
Limburg, a region in The Netherlands, has a host of creditable wineries and is gaining a reputation as the wine hub of that country. It is found conveniently nestled between Germany and Belgium and has a climate suitable for wine production. Its rolling hills (another surprise) and climate change seem to have created the perfect terroir for a variety of grapes.
St Martinus is the largest wine producer in The Netherlands, and a food and wine tour of Limburg wouldn’t be complete without a guided walk through their vines. The vineyard has been around since 1988 and is owned by Stan Beurskens and his wife Nienke. It was the first to make red wines in the Netherlands.
From April to October you can join their tours at 2 p.m. every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. You can register online, by email or by phone. Private tours and / or tastings are possible all year round by appointment.
Vineyard St. Martinus
Rott 21a 6294 NL Files
The Netherlands
Phone: +31 434 552027
Email: info@wijngaardmartinus.nl
Opening Hours:
April – October:
Tues to Fri 10am to 6pm
Saturday and Sunday 11am to 6pm
November – March:
Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm
Saturday 12noon to 5pm
Visit Vineyard St. Martinus here
Coffee
An average cup of coffee in The Netherlands is a strong brew compared to the English roast. Arabica coffee is most popular in The Netherlands and accounts for approximately 60% of the market. The Dutch East India Company was responsible for taking coffee from Yemen to Indonesia, and from there it was embraced by the whole world.
Maastricht is a wonderful city for both food and drink. There are the aforementioned vineyards nearby and outstanding restaurants in town, and there is coffee at the iconic Maison Blanche Dael. A coffee shop of style and grace which seems unchanged through the years. It takes one back to gentler times.
In 1878, Guiliaume Dael founded the company in Wolfstraat 28 in Maastricht. He stocked soap, oil, preserves, matches, household fuel, biscuits and other luxury goods. In 1923, Louis Boesten married Blanche, the founder’s youngest daughter, and in 1928 the company was renamed ‘Maison Blanche Dael’. That name has been maintained over the years even with change of ownership, and the shop has focused on coffee, tea and their associated paraphernalia. Every packet of coffee is wrapped by hand, in the same way as 100 years ago.
Maison Blanche Dael is an emporium of good taste. Their coffee is celebrated, but I love their signature tea. They sell butter cookies which partner perfectly, and there are also freshly roasted Blanche Dael peanuts. This is a must-visit gastronomic stop for anybody visiting Maastricht. It is a beautiful, aromatic and truly delicious spot.
Maison Blanche Dael
Wolfstraat 28
6211 GN Maastricht
The Netherlands
Phone: +31 43 321 3475
Opening Hours – Store:
Monday: 1pm – 6pm
Tuesday: 9.30 am – 6pm
Wednesday: 9.30am – 6pm
Thursday: 9.30am – 9pm
Friday: 9.30am – 6pm
Saturday: 9.30am – 5.30pm
Sunday: 12 noon to 5pm