Tingdong. At the stroke of 7pm, a man wearing a mouth guard hands us a cardboard box. "Here you go, your four-course @Home Diner from Hofstede Meerzigt. Enjoy your meal." We thank him, walk into the kitchen and see what's inside.

Topinambur with mustard and dill.

Under the elaborate instruction forms are vacuum-packed bags of contents. "Oh look," says my husband, "the starters and desserts are already prepared. Easy." He opens his tray and reads, "Topinambur with mustard and dill. I have to slide the gold-coloured coaster onto the plate." We look at each other. Well, we don't do that, so tricky cutting too. We deftly slide the rectangular work of art onto the plate. Looks fine.

Meanwhile, we put on a pan of water for the entremets. Let it simmer on low heat for twenty minutes, the instructions say. OK, time enough to quietly devour the first dish. 

Immune system

At the table, we try the salmon and vegetarian versions. The nutty, slightly sweet Jerusalem artichoke - good for your immune system, I read everywhere - combines excellently with mustard and the marinated salmon. "How do you like your dish?", I check with my table-mate. Thumb up. So far so good.

Fregola

Back in the kitchen, we take out the bag containing the plaice fillet and press it briefly to see if it is cooked. Yes, it can be taken out. Then the big slicing begins. From the bags admittedly: truffle sauce, fregola, candied mushrooms, poached egg. Oven wall on, because those bags are boiling hot. And then make sure everything is presentable on the plate. It works quite well.

Hofstede Meerzigt

We should talk about the truffle sauce first. Which is great. And thank goodness the chefs at Hofstede Meerzigt have figured out that it is allowed to be given away especially. So agree! At home, we love fregola, the special pasta balls originating from the Italian island of Sardinia. It resembles pearl couscous but is made of coarse semolina. Once cooked, it has a soft texture, and is ideal with a rich sauce (of which act).

Not one but two grilled silt tongues. Comfort food.

Not one but two grilled silt tongues. Comfort food. The veg version includes the same as above, but instead of fish and gravy, two perfectly poached eggs and truffle aceto.

Brasserie 1640

The main courses, then. Some time ago I spoke to Bert de Boer, owner of Hofstede Meerzigt and the online wine store The Wine List. Opposite this rural restaurant in Zoetermeer, he had just opened a new establishment: Brasserie 1640. "Just like in our restaurant, you don't have to worry about going home with an empty stomach," he then stressed. Well Bert, with your home dinners you won't be short of anything either.

Brasserie 1640 used to be a farmhouse.

A gigantic puffer steak - already neatly pre-cut into slices - is on the plate. Over and around it are cracklings, smoked sausage gravy and braised green cabbage with pancetta. Meat lovers should now be rattling with hunger. The meat is quality, nicely browned on the outside and pink inside. On top of all this also a creamy parsnip cream and crispy crisps.

Two yucky chocolate acorns that you have to tap to pieces if you want to reach the contents.

At the end of the evening, hubby arrives with two jumbo chocolate acorns that you have to tap to pieces if you want to get to the contents. The egg white: whipped cream mousse. The egg yolk: passion fruit jelly. Topped with some nut crumble, mulberries and wafer-thin pineapple slices. Fair is fair: this is surely tonight's most surprising dish.

@Home Dinner Menu

You don't just make this at home. In any case, Hofstede Meerzigt's @Home Dinner Menu is not something for between meals. Rather something for when you have something to celebrate. Or when you want to look your partner deep in the eye with a good glass of wine. And that the person then says: "The timer is ringing, we have to get back into the kitchen." Also fun.

More information: www.hofstedemeerzigt.nl