Photo: facebook.com (CuliAir)Creating a high gastronomic adventure in the form of fine dining in a hot air balloon was one woman's dream that turned into reality. Dutch chef Angélique Schmeinck, after 25 years of experience in top restaurants, decided to take the plunge and take her skills to a new level in the truest sense of the word.
Angélique Schmeinck opened the first restaurant in a hot air balloon. Back in 2003, she realized that such a balloon was actually a big furnace. She decided to use the temperature needed to heat the air in the balloon to prepare food. The first dish she prepared was fish and chicken.
The flame at the base of the balloon creates a temperature of 90 degrees Celsius, which is ideally warm for slow-cooked dishes. When the balloon landed an hour and a half later, the boss tearfully realized that her experiment was a complete success. The food was perfectly prepared, reports ekapija.com.
This successful balloon test ride was the starting point of the CuliAir restaurant, the world's first restaurant in a balloon. Since her first trip almost two decades ago, Schmeinck has organized about 50 trips each year throughout the Netherlands. She basically prepared food for ten people, counting three meals per person. The preparation lasted up to two hours.
CuliAir uses 20 different take-off locations to accommodate a wide range of flying conditions. When guests arrive at the take-off site, Schmeinck serves them appetizers, melon, goat cheese and the like, followed by champagne. Meanwhile, the "grounded" crew sets up a large balloon and an attached basket that can hold up to 12 people. After it's completely in the air, Schmeinck starts cooking.
The first course in heaven is usually a seafood cocktail. The boss usually prepares lobster, fresh clams and similar seafood delicacies. Each of the specialties comes with fresh vegetables or some other appropriate side dish.
The second dish arrives 45 minutes later. King seabass is served with seasonal vegetables, such as asparagus and artichokes. Angélique notes that sea bass is "the best fish to cook in a balloon".
The third course is usually chicken, lately also lamb. The latest menu also includes duck confit with summer mushrooms and lightly fermented cauliflower salsa.
Source: ekapija.com
