Spain - Cava

Freixenet is one of the largest Cava producers, has locations worldwide and sells over 200 million bottles a year. From Barcelona, there is a direct train service (about 45 minutes) to Sant Sadurní d'Anoia where Freixenet is located. To visit Freixenet is a beautiful experience and gives insights into the production of her delicious cavas.

Over 150 years ago, in the small Catalan town of Sant Sadurní d´Anoia the Sala family began making and exporting quality wines. At the beginning of the 20th century Dolores Sala married Pedro Ferrer Bosch, and that union was the beginning of a successful enterprise. Shortly thereafter, Freixenet, which was Pedro Ferrer´s nickname as the youngest son of the owners of “La Freixeneda” wine-growing estate, began to export sparkling wine, later to be denominated cava

Today Freixenet is run by Pedro and Dolores´ children and grandchildren, and the company continues to keep its family character and focus on high quality despite the huge growth the company has experienced from its humble beginnings in Sant Sadurní to becoming the Number 1 Sparkling Wine in the World.

“What is the secret of good wine? There isn´t one. The land and the vines give us their best, while we contribute all of our skills of refinement, along with experience and ingenuity.”

- José Ferrer Sala, son of the founders of Freixenet and Honorary President.

The Netherlands - Delft Blue

Over 18% of the surface of Holland, my home country, consists of water and much of the country and the population is located below sea level. The country is protected against the water by means of a system of dykes and water works. The mill as a symbol of the fight against the water still attracts hundreds of thousands of foreigners to The Netherlands. 

Besides mills Holland is also known for its Delft Blue earthenware. The Royal Dutch Delftware Manufactory "De Porceleyne Fles", established in 1653, is the last remaining Delftware factory from the 17th century. The world famous original Royal Delftware is still entirely hand painted according to centuries-old traditions.

To visit "De Porceleyne Fles" in Delft is more than worth it and includes:

• A journey through the history of Blue Delft and Royal Delft and its development and production process;
• Master painter at work;
• the dining room of Vermeer and the Dutch Royal Family Chamber;
• museum with antique Delft pieces;
• ceramic rooms with building ceramics;
• historical courtyard;
• visit to the factory and
• the showroom that offers a comprehensive collection of hand painted Delft Blue by Royal Delft, as well as an extensive selection of Dutch earthenware and souvenirs.

Audio tours are available in several languages.

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Austria - Coca-Cola + Riedel glass

Riedel, the wine glass company from Austria, launched  a Coca-Cola+Riedel glass that translate the "message" of Coca-Cola to the human senses the best.

Inspired by the iconic curves of the original Coca-Cola contour bottle, the Coca-Cola + Riedel glass is made to enhance the drinking experience. Developed by a tasting panel of industry experts and Coca-Cola lovers, it was determined that this form captures the distinct spices, aroma and taste of Coca-Cola and creates a magical sensorial experience.

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Finland - Hartwall Original Long Drink

My mother, Bertha “Puck” van Duijne Brouwer (1930 – 2006) competed at the 1952 Summer Olympics  (Helsinki, Finland) in the 100 metres, 200 metres and 4×100 metres relay, and won a silver medal in the 200 metres.

Hartwall Original Long Drink was launched for the Helsinki Olympics in 1952 with an eye on lightening the workloads of restaurant staff as they served Olympic tourists. The ready-mixed Long Drink was such a big hit among Finns, that the company decided to keep it on the market.

Hartwall Original Long Drink remains by far the most popular long drink in Finland.

I was very happy to meet Adriaan Stigter of Finnish Dutch Import during Horecava 2014 last January in Amsterdam. Finnish Dutch Import introduced Hartwall’s Original Long Drink in Holland.

Any suggestions for typical Finnish products to complete the Country Specifiek gifts at my web shop for Finland are very welcome.

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Belgium - Chocolate and Praline's

Belgium is known for fries. Still there is no historical evidence that the origins of fries is Belgium. The most plausible story would attribute the origin of the fries to the Meuse region. Inhabitants of the river Meuse banks had the habit to catch small fishes and fried them in oil. Around the 1750's winters were very cold. During frost periods and at dangerous currents, however it was risky to fish. As an alternative the inhabitants cut potatoes in the form of small fish, which they then also fried in oil.

Besides fries, the Belgium chocolates and pralines are world famous. Because I'm always looking for something special my attention was drawn by chocolatier Mary in Brussels.
It was 1919 and chocolate-loving Mary Delluc was keen to spread the world about her creations. The business she created in Brussels was destined to become the Mary Chocolaterie, as a result of pursuing excellence and quality, a goal which then became a legacy. The hand-made and hand-decorated Mary chocolates are what can only be called little gems. Each praline is created to produce the most carefully balanced selection of tastes, flavours, textures and appearances. Excellence, tradition and quality are still Mary's guiding principles in the case of the selection of raw materials, paying respect to the founder's recipes, the packaging and the customer services.

By using the history and words of Mary's guiding principles "Excellence" and "Quality" in a cover letter, this is a perfect gift that express appreciation for example on Administrative Professionals Day (also known as Secretaries Day).

"It's not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving" - Mother Theresa  

Portugal - Port

One of the cities that I have visited in my search for Portuguese specific products was Porto.

Porto is best known as the origin place of Port, which in Vila Nova de Gaia, located in front of Porto on the South Bank of the Douro River, is stored and from there exported all over the world.

It is a typical sweet red, white or rosé wine, alcohol content between 18 and 20 percent and served as an aperitif or dessert wine.

The finest Port is produced from grapes grown on the steep and rocky slopes of the Upper Douro and its tributaries.

History of Port
In the 17th Century British traders, cut off from their supplies of Bordeaux by frequent wars with France, took a liking to the full-flavoured, robust wines of Portugal. But these wines did not travel well, so the traders added brandy to fortify them against the rigours of their Atlantic sea voyage. Before long, pure grape spirit was added during fermentation and Port, as we drink it today, was created.

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France - Champagne

"Champagne! In victory one deserves it; in defeat one needs it" - Napoleon Bonaparte

Champagne is a sparkling wine, which is produced in the champagne region in France. The more prominent champagne houses are located in Reims and Epernay. One of the houses I visited was Maison Eugène Mercier.

Eugène Mercier founded his own champagne house in 1858. His ambition wat to bring high-quality champagne to the masses. For the purpose of large-scale assemblage, Eugène Mercier built a giant oak vat of 1.600 hectolitres (the equivalent of 200.000 bottles). It took eight days, twelve pairs of oxen and eighteen horses to transport this twenty-ton "Cathedral of Champagne" from Epernay to Paris for the 1889 World Exhibition. A number of lights and building facades were to pay the price along the route.

It was at Mercier where I had my first Biscuits Roses de Reims. Biscuits Roses de Reims were first backed around 1690 at Reims. In between of two bake sessions a baker wanted to use the heat of his bread oven. He then got the idea to make a special dough and baked this twice (hence the name bis-cuit which means double baked). The biscuit was first just white. To flavour it a vanilla stick was added to the recipe, but that left brown traces on the biscuit. To hide this traces the baker added a natural pigment and so the delicious Biscuits de Reims was born. 

The most subtle aromas are released when the powdered and crunchy Biscuits de Reims is dipped in champagne. DELICIOUS!

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