As I mentioned in my cookbooks, I grew up with people whose happiness was centered around food. I learned at a very young age that food connects people. When I cook and savor certain comfort foods, it sometimes triggers memories of dear family members, some of whom are no longer with us. I instantly recall…
Grandma’s cookbook ‘Oma’s Indische Keukengeheimen’ (Dutch for Grandma’s Indies Kitchen Secrets) will be on display as part of Museum of the Netherlands, to be set up in the Rotterdam Kunsthal. This honor has been bestowed on her for her influence on Dutch cuisine – presented during this new weekly TV show, which premiered Wednesday 16th…
Like a blast from the past, I saw a picture of my oma Keasberry featured in a 1973 edition of Prinses, a weekly Dutch magazine. I had never seen it before and was happily surprised. My facebook friend Cindy posted a snapshot of the pages soon after she had found it in her late fathers…
Dutch people like home cooking books that contain traditional, but not too complicated recipes. They love cookbooks with familiar comfort food that enhance the homely atmosphere. Books which start with a personal story from the chef about those delicious meals from parents and grand parents. They want to read cookbooks in order to connect with…
When you Google ‘rijsttafel’ you will see from the top results that the rijsttafel is an elaborate meal adapted by the Dutch following the hidang presentation of nasi Padang, an Indonesian dining ritual from the region of West Sumatra. It’s time to debunk this newly created myth. When it comes to the history of Indo-Dutch culinary traditions there are no…
Before the times of television and 3D-viewers there was Stereoscope, a device by which two photographs of the same object taken at slightly different angles are viewed together, creating an impression of depth and solidity. My great grandfather Neville Keasberry was a well known photographer in Malang, Java. He had a subscription service you could…
Having roots in both Indonesia (motherland) and the Netherlands (fatherland) I have accumulated a nice mix of cultural elements from both countries that create a sense of belonging. My exploration is ongoing and I keep finding new things that I enjoy. For instance, when eating Indonesian food I sometimes play some Indonesian music to complete…
Yes, it’s true, book number 2 is in the making. Expected release date May 2014 in the Netherlands. I am excited to present you the cover of my new cookbook: Jeff Keasberry’s New Dutch-Indonesian Cuisine. It’s a sequel to my first cookbook, which was released in March of 2012. The focus of that book was…
Time flies when you’re having fun. Yes indeed. Last year flew by as though it was just one season. But, what a year it was, full of blessings and milestones. My first cookbook went to print in the Netherlands, which was one of the biggest pay offs of many years of preparation. To me, the…
‘Pea soup served over rice with sambal oelek? That is not ‘Indies’ cuisine! I get a similar response from people when I tell them that this Indies cuisine offers its own version of macaroni and cheese. Some frown when I explain that ‘Frikandel pan,’ (a meatloaf dish out of the oven) and Hussars salad with beets…
The sun felt warmer to the face when it hit us by the time we came out of the train station on Flatbush Ave in Brooklyn. It was a true mid-summer Wednesday in NY.