• Salt & Pepper "tapas bar" recently opened its doors. The cozy eatery is located behind McDonald's on the Sasaki road.

• Aruba's newest addition on the nightlife scene is Havana Beach Club. Located at the old Surf Side, the Mexican theme restaurant and nightclub is surely becoming one of Aruba's most popular outings,

Back to top

Aruba's new Egg Champion is chef Frenk Graat, a tall, pony-tailed, broad-shouldered and bespectacled Dutchman, usually found cooking behind the kitchen range at the Flying Fish Bone Restaurant. His creation - representing its sister Que Pasa in town, not the Savaneta seaside eatery - was carefully prepared under the scrutiny of the press and colleagues, fellow island chefs. It was a dessert omelette after my own heart, drizzled with chocolate. The recipe? Fascinated by the process of making a masterpiece I neglected to scientifically follow the different steps. In any case, this is approximately how I think it went. By the way, Frank's omelette requires at least three pans and significant organizational skill.

Melt a handful of dark chocolate shavings in a pan, mix in a bit of heavy cream and a shot of Malibu rum. Stir the velvety, shiny smooth sauce frequently, to prevent it from turning into lumpy gook. In pan number two, sprinkle slivers of freshly grated coconut with granulated white sugar and Cointreau. Allow the combo to caramelize gently in the heat. In pan number three mishmash finely diced pineapple - Frenk's fruit was nicely ripe and juicy - with sizzling butter to brown both to an appetizing shade. Pour the egg mix on top, swish evenly around then fold in half to form a plump rich-yellow crescent. While Frenk checked the softness of his pan content with the back of his professional finger, you may just poke it around with a spatula. At the end of nine long minutes - the cooking demigod did go two minutes over time - he slipped the omelette into a plate, drizzled his chocolate sauce artistically and garnished with an irresistible mound of toasted coconut.

Unfortunately judge Johan Stoppels polished the whole thing off, thus I cannot really tell you first hand whether it was as good as it looked. The first annual Omelette Cooking Contest took place at Salt & Pepper, a neighborhood bar and tapas restaurant across Allegro on Sunday. Few outsiders showed, yet the island's chefs signed up, seriously. We recognized among competing maestros Arno ten Thij from Tierra del Sol, Brian Lampe from the Marriot - egged on by that resort's Executive Chef Bert Bloom and Tuscany's decorated Caribbean cooking maven Ferry Zievinger, also Kevin Cooper from the Hyatt Regency and just one female contender Mieke Koster from the Plaza Café.

Bartender Paul Faas organized the happening and served as event emcee. A prankster, he slipped hard boiled eggs into Frenk's basket, causing much hilarity as the chef attempted to crack the open over a bowl. The rules allowed each chef to shop at a market cart stocked with anything one could possibly stick into an omelette, then they had to complete their mission within seven minutes and leave, having cleaned their work station - with the burners set up in the restaurant, within the crowd's full view - and cleared the clutter. Three judges, the above greedy Johan Stopples, a graphic designer, Jimmy Douglas, of Jimmy's place - we're speculating from his physique that the famous bar-proprietor also likes to eat - and Chef Ronald van Hasenbroek, of Chez Mathilde, faced nine highly qualified omelette makers for a conclusive show-down.

Brian - he explains he is a breakfast cook, flipping omelettes for a living - scored very high with an Italian variety starring prosciuto and ham, green peppers, onions, tomatoes, olives, garlic plus a heaping of warm spaghetti. Incidentally, besides having elevated omelette making to a high form of acrobatics he is also a radio DJ on Contact 92.3, with his own program Wednesdays and Saturdays. Raymond - everybody loves him - a waiter at Salt & Pepper concocted a scrumptious loaded fold, bursting, literally, with shrimp, pineapple and Dutch cheese laced with chili sauce and heavy cream which the judges declared very tasty at first bite. I didn't warm up to the apple and chives omelette served with a tart banana and lettuce salad sprinkled with strawberry vinaigrette, otherwise I liked everything I managed to sample, fighting off the other vultures with my fork.

Paul says next year it's the pan-cakes, promoting their own champion . .

Back to top

Back to top

On January 29th, 1999 the Postal Services of Aruba (PSA) issued three stamps as part of the "Endangered / Protected Animals (Donkeys) 1999" set. These stamps will be available at the Postal Offices of San Nicolas, Noord, Royal Plaza and Oranjestad, starting on January 29, 1999 through January 28,2001 or while supply lasts.

Orders can be placed at the Philatelic Service Post Office Oranjestad, Aruba. Telephone (297-821900), Fax 297-8-27930). First-Day-Cover Designer Maria Latorre. Price: Afl. 2.80

Back to top

Back to Latest News

Back to top