Think outside the box, sleep inside the box.
Every year, a huge amount of tents end up as waste after the festival season. Think poor quality polyester tents, an out of control evening or breaking a crucial tent pole.
Luckily,. start up KarTent offers a sustainable alternative! This fully recyclable and circulare cardboard tent takes 30 seconts to set up. Afterwards you can throw away the tent guilt free. Also, they are waterproof.
You’ve never had a better sleeping (re)cycle.
Never leave home without it.
Recognize this? Sticky hands, a (childs) runny nose or worse.. no toilet paper in sight.
With LastTissue, we’re bringing you the best of both worlds: on-the-go availability of a packet tissue and the environmentally-friendly handkerchief. You can order LastTissue in a box of your favourite color and machine wash at 60°C.
Power to the future.
It’s a small investment, but definitely worth it. The Anker 757 Powerhousewill be released this summer in Europa and offers a portable power bank of grand proportions. With a maximum of 1,500 W you can charge your phone 97 times or power a mini fridge for up to 22 hours.
Thanks to HyperFlash technology, you can charge the powerstation in one hour. Sunshine? The solar panels give you a full battery within 3.5 hours. Ideal for your camping trip!
Café deluxe.
Attention coffee snobs: even on your camping or roadtrip you can enjoy a quality espresso. With the Nanopresso you brew your favourite fresh coffee in no time.
Plastic fantastic.
Are you familiar with plastic fishing? This term is used for the initiative of clearing trash from beaches and letting your creativity run wild. But how does it work? Collect trash and transform it into an artpiece. Post your art picture with #plasticfishing + location and then dispose of the waste properly.
In need of inspiration?
Waste for waste.
Know the feeling? On the road and no place to throw away your trash? FlexTrash is a sustainable waste bin made from recycled plastic bottles made in different colours and sizes. With the clip you can easily attach it to your favourite spot in your car, boat, camper or tent.
chef’s special.
Interview with Rene van der Weijden.
Creative, concious, patient and eager to learn: Chef Rene van der Weijden checks all boxes. Together with his team at restaurant Hemel & Aarde in Utrecht, he creates complex dishes that simultaneously shine with simplicity. Nature is in Rene’s heart, he loves fermenting and gets creative with waste. “We try to use products from ‘head to tail’. Everything, even parts you wouldn’t even consider using.”
Your restaurant moves along with the seasons. Can you tell us about that and about the new menu?
“The seasons are the essence of H&A. Any chef that understands his craft cooks with the seasons, but we take it a step further. For example, in addition to our products, our interior also moves along with the four seasons. This is reflected in the plantation in the restaurant or the projection on the ceiling. In addition, we put a spotlight on ingredients. This summer, we put the spotlight on the tomato.”
You are crazy about all kinds of fermentation techniques, a way of preserving products to make them last longer. Where does this interest come from?
“Kitchens that I’ve worked in produced a lot of waste, which is a waste. I wanted to do something about this and so I dived in this interesting world of fermentation. It’s a big part of our daily life. Think of coffee, tea, cheese, soy sauce or bread. But fermentation is so much more than that! New flavours, textures and depths are developing in fermented products. In a nutshell, fermentation is a great tool to take your dishes to the next level.”
Wow! This sounds amazing! How do you apply this at H&A?
“We try to use products from ‘head to tail’. Everything, even parts you wouldn’t even consider using. Like the pods of peas. We use this to make shaved ice for our pea dish. Or the membranes and sinews of a cows heart, from which we make a garum (a fermented fish sauce from the Roman era). We put away whole fish in jars with lots of salt and let them ferment for months, giving you an umami-rich substance. Of course, we also use waste for more basic preperations like sauerkraut from the leaves of a cauliflower or pickling vegetable leftovers.”
To what extent do you include the guests in your vision of waste? Should I notice something as a guest?
“In our restaurant, fair products are our numner 1. We like to take guests through the philosophy behind it, as part of the storytelling of a dish. Take our tomato dish ‘Coeur de Boeuf’ for example. The name for this type of beef tomato literally means ‘beef heart’. That’s how we came up with the idea of actually combining this tomato with beef heart. We make a bottarga of beef heart which we shave over the tomato dish. From the tomato heart trimmings we make a garum, in which we marinate the tomato. We ferment the tomato butts into a nice umami rich dressing. A full dish with two basic products. Our guests love the story!”
Sustainability, transparancy about the product’s origin and plant based food are becoming increasingly important. What is your take on this?
“People are becoming more concious in their food choices, many no longer eat meat or fish daily. Reasons for this are current prices, health, sustainability and enviromental concerns. Organic products can be found all over the world, but they come at a price. They are shipped, flown in or transported by truck which causes a lot of emissions. And do the producers get a fair price? I think there are enough high quality products in ‘our’ own backyard. Which is why I work with a lot of local farmers and producers, wild plant gatherers and organic livestock. At Hemel & Aarde, vegetables are the essence, which we occasionally enrich with animal protein. We don’t shy away from a nice piece of meat or fish. But we do try to take advantage of the underappreciated types of meat and fish as much as possible and give them a chance to be in the spotlight!
What do you think the future looks like in terms of food & beverage? And what’s your vision?
“My vision of the future of food & beverage is increasing sustainability. Making more use of fair grown fruits and vegetables, an honest meat industry, and using smart ways to turn your waste product back into energy and raw materials. As far as I’m concerned, the mass meat industry could close its doors, but we are the ones who have to take the first step. Eating more conciously and not concentrating on eating meat or fish every day. Vegetables are the real star performer. Today’s way of consuming is no longer justifiable in this day and age. At Hemel & Aarde, we try to impart to our guests on how they can still eat delicious and special in a smart and creative way.”
What type of chef do you consider yourself to be?
“I am someone who takes pride, love and passion in his profession every day, and wants to convey this to the team and our guests! For me, a pleasant working atmosphere is an absolute plus. I think we are past the time of yelling and ranting in the kitchen. I try to give my chefs future perspectives, listen to their opinions and support them in their careers to develop themselves. As for my cooking style, I try to cook as purely as possible. When I’m making a beetroot dish, beetroot is the essence of the dish. No noncense, but a final product that is pure. The techniques I use are often a bit more complex but actually allow the simplicity to flourish.”
Favorite summer dish?
“My absolute favourite summer dish has to be the ‘Coeur the Boeur’. Mainly because of its simplicity yet complexity, a real summer stunner!”
Interested to know more about Rene or making a reservation for Hemel & Aarde?
Check out Rene’s Instagram or check the Hemel & Aarde website or Instagram.
What’s cooking podcast
Coeur de boeuf not only is the French word for beef heart; it’s also a juice beef tomato. René van der Weijden, chef in Hemel & Aarde, likes experimenting and puns. This combination of ingredienst make an appetizing umami bomb.
Listen now! (Dutch)
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Hot stuff from our kitchen to yours!
What’s Cooking inspireert je met trends, vrolijke quotes en lekkere recepten voor een bewuste en gezonde levensstijl.
Fotografie: Sanne Emo, Jade Teijgeman, Marieke Verdenius, Stock
Recepten: Vermaat Groep
Heb je vragen, opmerkingen of wil je om een andere reden met ons in contact komen? Mail naar: infomedia@whatscooking.media