Tasting Life Around The World

By Murielle Bollen

“Tasting Life Around The World” is Murielle’s first book and describes her blissful travels together with her husband and two sons. Her fascination and passion for good food and her desire to see different places, to meet new people and to be totally infused with life, spills from every page. She was always eager to share her experiences with other people, to bring them beauty and adventure. But after her cancer experience, she was inspired to share the love for this beautiful world and the joy you feel when exploring it. Tasting Life Around The World is an ode to life, a way of living in the moment every minute of every day. You will find recipes here, but even more so your own creativity will be awakened and stimulated. You will find travel suggestions in this book, but even more so you will be inspired to go and explore. You will be infused with the desire to try, see, taste, experience what Murielle is describing. This is a book for everyone who wants to live more intuitively, for everyone who wants to get a more intense taste of this beautiful life.
In “Tasting Life around the World” Murielle will take you on an inspiring trip from her roots in Belgium to her new home country Canada, from metropolitan Toronto to quaint Muskoka; from the rugged coasts of Newfoundland, across the Atlantic to the luminous island of Oléron in France; from an enchanted valley high up in the Pyrenees to a lush paradise on the Spanish coast. Be prepared to be submerged in the vibrant descriptions of the landscapes, to be left hungry after reading the recipes and to feel her emotions when describing her experiences during these trips. Be prepared to laugh and shed a tear, but most of all be prepared to love...

Let your journey begin... enjoy!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Murielle Bollen
• Release date: Jan 4, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301655489

Murielle Bollen

The name “Murielle” is derived from Celtic elements meaning “sea” and “bright”, therefore it should come as no surprise that Murielle feels at her best when she can hear the sound of the waves and taste the salt in the air. Watching the sun set the sea on fire, a gentle breeze in her hair, surrounded by her loved ones and Murielle feels on top of the world. Murielle was born forty something years ago (a lady never reveals her age!) in Belgium, Europe. An only child, she traveled all over Europe with her parents and loved discovering exotic food, speaking a foreign language, meeting people from a different culture. Her choice to become a translator/interpreter came as no surprise. She was fortunate to meet a husband who shared her passion for exploring this beautiful world and together they discovered Europe, Africa and North America... tasting, feeling, enjoying life. Their children were raised with the same appreciation for adventure and when a few years ago they were offered the opportunity to move to Canada, the whole family did not have to think twice, they packed up their house and moved to the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario. In Canada, Murielle found time to let her creative self become more present and decided to try and realize her childhood dream of being a writer. She started writing her first book about two of her greatest passions: food and travel. Right in the middle of this project, in 2011, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her passion and joy for life were buried somewhere deep and she could not bring herself to write a single word, lost in a world of fear. Through yoga and meditation, she was able to reconnect to herself and her spirituality. Her belief in the healing power of our own body and in the energetic power of our being only deepened by this experience with cancer. Her love for life, for her family, and especially for herself reached a new level of purity and intensity. A new sense of awareness was awakened. Murielle decided that nothing would hold her back from realizing her dreams anymore. She joined a jazz dance class and actually performed on stage for the first time in her life – a very liberating experience! She took a ride in a helicopter and hiked the Rocky Mountains. She committed to speak in public about her experience with cancer and the importance of emotional and spiritual support on this journey. She was inspired to continue with her book to share her love and joy for this world and to introduce people to the art of finding heaven on earth. Murielle discovered that she is a writer if she lets herself be one, that her dreams will become reality If she beliefs...

Book preview

How do we Taste Life? What does Life Taste like? How does it feel to Taste Life?

Well I guess, the answer to these questions will be different for everybody, but to me Tasting Life is all about being in the moment, being 100% present with your mind, body and soul every minute of every experience. What better way to do this than to explore this beautiful world. Explore new destinations, new food, new cultures, new activities… take a step into the unknown. For me, the Taste of Life is that exhilarating feeling when you are standing on the cliffs in Newfoundland and see an iceberg passing by – sheer beauty and you are part of it. It is that moment of pleasure when your taste buds are being tantalized by this complex, yet delicate new taste and you realize it is the most delicious dish you have ever tasted (again!). Tasting Life is standing on a dog sled, leading a team of 8 huskies, trembling with anticipation (okay, I admit, with fear too) and feeling the thrill of accomplishment. Tasting Life is about you taking on the adventure of life.

Exploring does not necessarily have to be about exotic and far away destinations, it can just as well be within your own country or province or even town. The only thing you need is a curious and open mind. Go and take a hike in a stretch of woods where you have not been before, look through the eyes of a child, with wonder and imagination and you will feel exhilarated. You are exploring…

Go to an undiscovered restaurant in your city, try something different, be a tourist in your own town. You will discover things you did not even realize were there, you might meet new and interesting people. You are exploring…

Travel to new destinations, open your heart and mind to different cultures, leave behind what feels safe and familiar. Get to know this magnificent world, bit by bit. You are exploring…

Before I can take you on a journey through my book, it is important that you get to know who I am, what I believe in and what moves me. This will make you appreciate Tasting Life around the World for what it really is, not just a book, but an ode to life itself.

My life began 46 years ago in Belgium, as an only child and adored little princess, always travelling in my mind to enchanted kingdoms, surrounded by a bunch of imaginary friends, brothers and sisters. A skinny child with a non-existing appetite, my parents desperately wanted me to eat. Soon they discovered that the chef at their favorite Italian restaurant could entice me with his pasta. The seed of love for anything Italian was planted. Over the years this was expanded into French, Spanish and Chinese cuisine. We went on vacation all over Europe and I loved it. Even as a 4-year old I enjoyed sitting on a patio on the island of Mallorca and when I was 8, my adventurous side was stimulated by the mountain hikes I took with my dad during our summer vacations in Austria.

Foreign languages, exotic food, exciting adventures… I loved all of it. My choice to become a translator/interpreter came as no surprise. My diploma only stimulated my desire to explore this amazing world. I met my husband and luckily he shared my passion, so together we discovered Europe, Africa and North America. Our oldest son made his first transatlantic flight at 12 months, surprising waiters in Chicago with his appreciation for food (a true son of his mother!). When our second son arrived, air travel became somewhat too expensive and so we decided to continue our European adventure by car. Our favorite CD with Indian Mantras would make our sons happily sleep their way into Italy, France, Spain or wherever the travel bug would take us.

Truly experiencing another culture from the inside had always been our dream and when I reached the magical age of 40, it finally became true: we moved to Canada. Many blissful travels and the most important journey of my life mark this phase. At the age of 44 and right in the middle of writing this book, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. The world turned dark and my passion for food and travel became a challenge. I ate to survive and travelled no further than the hospital and my backyard. I read the pages that I had already written over and over again and wondered if my passion and joy for life would ever return, I wondered who this woman had been and did no longer understand who I was now. I could not bring myself to write a single word, lost in a world of fear. My spirituality and my deep belief in the healing power of our own body and mind helped me climb out of this dark hole of despair. Yoga and meditation made me reconnect to my soul and my true self and I discovered the feeling of real freedom and happiness. My world was filled again with light, energy and joy. The love for my family, the love for life, the love for who I am became even deeper and more pure.

I was inspired to continue with Tasting Life around the World, feeling an even greater appreciation for this amazing world, feeling an even greater need to share the love and joy, enticing people to take a good taste of this amazing life.

Don’t expect a traditional travel guide or cook book, Tasting Life around the World is written from my heart, recounting my experiences on the various trips I made. The beauty of every destination and recipe described lies in the feelings I experienced when making these discoveries.

I can only hope that with this book I will be able to bring places and recipes to life for you. I hope that I will stimulate your sense of discovery, your sense of spirituality and your sense of love for this amazing world. Although many of us have to deal with the various challenges that life will present us with, never forget that love and beauty will always surround us and will always be there. Choose happiness and faith above fear and sorrow, step outside and explore… discover the Taste of Life.

When cooking, feel the texture of the vegetables, crush the herbs between your fingers and smell the aroma, be guided by your intuition instead of by measurements and directions. Be amazed by your own creations. Explore…

I hope that the beauty of the pictures, all taken by my wonderful son Nicholas, will touch your heart and inspire you to discover the beauty in everything.

Let your journey begin… Enjoy!

Chapter 2

Belgium and more…

Let’s start our adventure in Belgium, my home country, my roots.

I lived in Belgium for 40 years – oh wait, do you even know where Belgium is? Belgium is the tiny, tiny country, almost tucked away under the gigantic arms of Germany and France, on the West Coast of Europe. Yes, it is the home of Belgian chocolate and Belgian beer… and of Belgian endives, of wonderful cheeses made in historic abbeys such as Maredsous and Passendaele, of cured ham from the Ardennes…

If I had to describe Belgium in colours, I would start with the golden yellow of the wide sand beaches marking Belgium’s coast from North to South. Now framed by a pale blue sky, gently caressed by the white trimmed waves of the deep blue-green North Sea, then again turned dark brown by a stormy black sky; the North Sea throwing its foamy, steel grey waves against the jetties. An invigorating experience either way.

I have always loved going to the Belgian Coast. The sea to me represents freedom, ultimate freedom, something I have been looking for all my life. I always get a little closer to it when I am surrounded by the sound of waves, when I can feel the breeze or even the stormy wind blowing in my face, bringing that invigorating scent of the ocean. As a child I would never say I was going to the coast, I was always going to the sea. Maybe a coincidence, maybe karma, but my name, Murielle, in its Celtic origin, actually means Bright as the Sea. It took me a long time, but I have finally discovered that I am carrying my freedom with me all the time, it is nowhere to be found, it was there all along and it will be there, always.

I have very fond memories of the coast, since this is where my grandparents had a cottage and where my favorite aunt used to live for a while. As a child I would go and visit with her for a couple of weeks a few times a year. She would be the aunt watching TV with me, cuddled up on the coach, suddenly getting up to make us fried potato slices with mayonnaise (so greasy, so decadent, so yummy). She had no car, so we had to walk everywhere. Going for groceries was quite an undertaking, she with the stroller (my cousin was about 6 months old and the cutest baby ever) and me by the hand, bags everywhere. To soften the experience, she would buy me one of my favorite comic books almost every time we passed the book store. I can still feel the anticipation when we would near the store, wondering whether I would get a book this time… Good times.

We leave the coast to find the pale green, flat pastures of Flanders, bordered by proud poplars, a ribbon of liquid silver flowing through historic cities like Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp, carrying the history of hundreds of years, the memories of thousands of people to the depths of the North Sea. Seeing this flat, wide open landscape as a child on my way to the sea would make me exclaim each and every single time I think I can see the sea now, we are very close!

We make our way further east to the lush, deep green forests of the Eastern region, interspersed with deep purple fields of heather and embellished by the proud bronze of the statue of Ambiorix in the Roman city of Tongres. Rolling hills gently leading us through fields of pink and white blossoming fruit trees to the majestic black green pine forests, the brown-reddish rocks and crystal clear streams of the Ardennes.

There is a story on the Ardennes, of course food related, that I really want to share with you. One year we decided with a whole group of friends to celebrate Christmas in a small village in the Ardennes. There was about ten of us and we stayed in a lovely wooden chalet that one of our friends had managed to get through a friend of his parents. The Christmas tree was beautifully decorated and there was a huge fireplace with comfortable coaches all around. Cozy and warm. We brought loads of food and ate to the point that we would get up in the middle of the night to discover that everybody was hanging on the sofas, moaning that they had too much to eat (and drink probably!). In spite of that we found that we could not celebrate Christmas without a Christmas Cake (a tradition in Belgium, called Kerststronk, a cake shaped like a log of wood, coated in crème au beurre and decorated with sugary leaves of holly and a marzipan plaque that said Merry Christmas). Nobody had remembered to bring one, so my husband and a