I know it has already been almost 2 weeks, but I just had to write something small about Konfijt the food and music festival organized by Wouter Keersmaekers’ (you might remember from a previous blogpost). Combining food and music has always been a hit, but combining great food and great music got even my interest :-). Although the fact Wouter himself cooking was already  enough reason for me to go, but when finding out he had people like his mom, Ingrid Neven (Pazzo), Olivier De Vinck (Kommilfoo), Wouter van Steenwinkel (Ardent), Dennis Broeckx (épicerie du cirque) and the list goes on and on (entire list) cooking at this event made me want  to be part of it more and experience it at the fullest! It is through that I initially was a bit afraid it would become a mass event, but luckily Wouter wanted to keep it relatively small and most importantly cozy.

I know the music was also a big part of the festival and that I’ve only been talking about the food…but I just like food that much… nevertheless I discovered some nice bands (so Wouter, I’d say mission accomplished).  At some point they even had a rabbit kind of thing (or whatever it had to represent) on the stage playing a snare drum (and I’m sure I didn’t have too much to drink yet)

The problem with some food festivals is that you only get to taste the dishes (which isn’t necessarily bad), but what made Konfijt the better festival for me was that you actually got to see the chefs prepare the dishes and hear them talk about their dish with some help from Cathérine Vandoorne (who FYI has a very nice voice to listen to) who was the host on the stage.  Anyhow it was nice to see local (young) chefs prepare ‘simple’ but very tasteful dishes (ok, the best part was still the tasting).

The frosting on the cake on the whole festival for me was the little market where there were local craftsmen like the  miller of the stone mill in Boechout (Den Steenen Molen) from which I didn’t know it existed and even still gets used today to make flour.  Or the owner from Migino that makes oil from all different kinds of nuts that happens to be one of Wouter Keersmaekers’ preferred oil makers. Although the one that caught my eye immediately when I walked in was Alhies  naturally also because of the very tasty cider they made, the first of all they some of my preferred (homemade) sweets on their counter… Canelé de bordeaux!! That is a real soft spot of mine (guilty as charged!!). It was nice to meet the people behind all those good ingredients.

I could keep finding ways to convince you all to get hold of some tickets for the next edition of Konfijt in 2 years, but I have to stop somewhere. I know I’ll definitely be back for more next time. I think maybe Jürgen Aerts’ pictures might also help 🙂 I have to admit that pictures taking by a pro a sooo much better… his pics on following link . And you don’t have to stay home  for its price as it might cost as much as a small concert, but at Konfijt you get dinner and a show!