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It was time for the official Taalcentrum "adieu" to Elizabeth Manton and Karin de Wit. So we all travelled from the not-so-far flung corners of the Netherlands, to bid them a tearful (and cordon bleu) farewell. The venue? The "Goeie Louisa" brasserie of the Karel V hotel.

 

Brasserie Goeie Louisa is situated in the Brasserie room and the Brasserie kitchen, which is one of the oldest kitchens in the Netherlands. Since 1345 AD priests of the German Knights Order have cooked meals for the numerous guests who stayed in the German House. Our Brasserie is named after the latest camp follower in the Dutch army, to honour the history of the German house as Military Hospital. In the last decade of the 19th century The Good Louisa provided the troops with “Oude Klare”.

Nigel's personal selection was:

Chicken: With orange salsa, poppy seeds and fettucini salad

Pasta! Papillot filled with tortellinis, truffle and Parmesan cheese

Plaice: Grilled with tamarind bouillon and couscous

Chocolate: With PX Sherry, mascarpone cream and raspberries

The brasserie and courtyard, at the back of the hotel.

Karin was one of the first to arrive, she clearly has a healthy appetite.

Elizabeth too is keen for the goodies to arrive.

Fedde looks cheerful - he's heard that the food is on its way.

Maud has had all the water she needs ... she wants some booze .... NOW !!!!

She attempts a conversational gambit, to distract her attention from the appalling lack of alcohol at our table.

Marijn leafs through the menu ... while her salivary glands gear up for action.

Karin bravely masks her disappointment at hearing that the lark's tongues are off.

David and Fedde focus on matters gastronomical.

View from the window, of the courtyard and the Springhaver theatre.

Unsuspecting diners snapped by Table Cam.

Diana listens while Fedde explains that "uncopyrightable" is the only 15 letter English word in which no letter is repeated ... fascinating stuff indeed. The kid looks spellbound.

Elizabeth says that she has eaten so much bread that she is not sure that she has any space left for the meal.

David's salmon arrives. By a supreme act of will he waits for the dish to be photographed before sinking his gnashers into this gourmet nosebag.

The sight and smell of food bring a smile to Marijn's face.

But then she gets camera shy .... Babette gives her a sympathetic smile.

Plastic wrapped papillot filled with tortellinis, truffle and Parmesan cheese (the waitress explained that the wrapping was to preserve the flavour of the truffle).

A bunch of chatty diners and one middle-aged poser caught by Cupboard Cam.

Karin explains to Maud that "I am." is the shortest complete sentence in the English language.

Table Cam snaps a food's-eye view of David, and a passing chandelier.

During a lull in the conversation, Table Cam snaps a classic fireplace.

...followed by a light fitting

Table Cam snaps away through a cluster of empty wine glasses.

Chair-back Cam checks out the diners in the adjoining room.

Fedde tells Diana that the phrase "rule of thumb" is derived from and old English law which stated that you couldn't beat your wife with anything wider than your thumb.

And this is the chocolate with PX Sherry, mascarpone cream and raspberries ... yummy!

Diana tries very hard not to laugh as Fedde informs Annelies that the longest recorded flight of a chicken is thirteen seconds.

Not to be outdone, Annelies smilingly replies that a duck's quack doesn't echo, and no one knows why.

Another wide-mouthed frog caught in the glare of the headlights.

Maud grabs the camera, but now it is Elizabeth's turn to get all camera shy.

Full tummies all round, we sit back and enjoy our coffee and bonbons.