Laduree- the one stop destination for the best macaroons in Paris

Show me one person who doesn't adore a macaroon and I will show you Peter Pan! There is just something about a macaron with its crispy outer crust and its deliciously moist filling that the mere thought of it is enough for a person's mouth to start watering. It is mildly moist and when you bite into it, it simply melts in the mouth.All macarons are fabulous but there is something even more special about French macarons and that is what I will try and briefly touch upon here. According to the Wikipedia, a ‘macaroon’ is a sweet meringue based confection made with eggs, icing sugar, granulated sugar, almond powder, orground almond and food colouring. It is also called Luxemburgerli. The macaron is commonly filled with ganache, buttercream or jam filling sandwiched between two bicuits. The name is derived from the Italianword macarone, maccarone or maccherone, the Italian meringue. The confection is characterised by smooth, squared top, ruffled circumference (referred to as the "foot" or "pied"), and flat base. Macarons can be found in a wide variety of flavors that range from the traditional raspberry, chocolate to the new. (foie gras, matcha) And if we are talking about French macarons, no post can be complete without mentioning Laduree, the ultimate destination for a 'foodie's Paris visit. The true story of the Laduree macaron starts with Pierre Sesfontaines, second cousin of Louis Ernest Laduree, who at the beginning of the 20th century, first thought of taking two macaron shells and joining them with a delicious ganache filling.

To read more details, you will need to visit this site and I can assure you that you will love what you read! http://www.laduree.fr/en/histoire/macaron

On the three occasions I visited this Laduree, I literally found myself spoilt for choice- did I want the macarons or did I want one or all of these decadent goodies? Believe me when I tell you that for that moment in time, all that one can think, feel and of course see, is this mouthwatering spread, that just cries out to be eaten. One box of macarons just isn't enough, and that's also when you think of friends and family who might be looking forward to goodies from Laduree and you ask the sales girl for a second and then quite possibly a third....and a fourth box as well Looking at these pieces and thinking they look better than jewels Entering Laduree in the Carousel, next to the Louvre Just before I sign off for today, I must give you the best tip that I can think of. The tradition of Laduree is one that will go on and on and one of the most important things is that of sitting down together to enjoy a delicious cake. And that's exactly why Laduree is inviting all cake lovers to join the Laduree Club.

Here's where you can sign up for the newsletter which apart from giving you all news updates about Laduree, will offer you exclusive recipes, tips and tricks from the world renowned chefs. http://www.laduree.fr/en/club/newsletter Why wait...?

A Piece of Vienna- Sacher Torte and Coffee with Mozart at the iconic Landtmann Cafe

No trip to Vienna can be complete without trying out the famed  'Sacher torte' and we certainly couldn't be the exceptions. 

The Sacher-Torte has been the most famous cake in the world since 1832 and the original recipe remains a well-kept secret. The basis of this uniquely fabulous confection is a chocolate cake, thinly coated by hand with best-quality apricot jam. The chocolate icing on top of it is the crowning glory. It tastes best with a portion of unsweetened whipped cream.

Cafe Sacher, a landmark in Vienna

There is a very interesting story about the origins of the Sacher Torte. In 1832, Prince Wenzel von Metternich charged his personal chef with creating a special dessert for several important guests. The head chef, having taken ill, let the task fall to his sixteen-year-old apprentice, Franz Sacher, then in his second year of training in Metternich's kitchen. The Prince is reported to have declared, "Let there be no shame on me tonight." 

While the torte created by Sacher on this occasion is said to have delighted Metternich's guests, the dessert received no immediate further attention. Sacher completed his training as a chef and afterward spent time in Pressburg and Budapest, ultimately settling in his hometown of Vienna where he opened a specialty delicatessen and wine shop. Sacher's eldest son Eduard carried on his father's culinary legacy, completing his own training in Vienna with the Royal and Imperial Pastry Chef at the Demel bakery and chocolatier, during which time he perfected his father's recipe and developed the torte into its current form. 

You can easily understand the relevance of this torte when I tell you that 5th December is National Sacher torte Day in Austria.

 

 The Display insidethe Landtmann Cafe

One late, very cold evening after a show at the Opera House, we decided to take a chance and try out the Landtmann Cafe, which we had heard so much about. This cafe was founded in 1873 on October 1st when Franz Landtmann opened Vienna’s most elegant Café.

This legendary Café has been and continues to be one of the most popular in Vienna with regulars such as: Peter Altenberg, Sigmund Freud, Gustav Mahler, Max Reinhardt, Marlene Dietrich, Romy Schneider, Burt Lancaster, Hans Moser, the Dutch Queen Juliane, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Sir Paul Mc Cartney, among many others.

The lovely Menu

Even better from Inside   

As it happened, we were in for an initial disappointment as the waiter informed us that the Sacher torte selection for the day was over. Then looking at the very obvious dismay on our faces, added that there was a very wide selection of other cakes that we could choose from.

 Which is exactly what we did!

Late night coffee and cakes 

My order- A Mozart Torte and a Melange cappuccino

Coffee and chocolate cake for Avi 

It was absolutely delightful- sitting in that wonderful restaurant which has seen artists,musicians, and celebrities from all walks of life walking in through its doors and making a morning, or as the case might be, an evening of it. 

The Logo is unmistakable- after all we are in the city of the greatest music composer of all time, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

As to our share of the Sacher Torte, the most amazing coincidence was that we found it served up in our Breakfast Buffet at the  Hotel Maria Theresa the very next morning!

'Anar'- A Lovely Little Cafe opens up at The Wave, Muscat

Word of mouth is one of the most powerful testimonials and I'm firmly convinced that it works beautifully in the food business. Which is exactly why I found myself driving all the way to The Wave, Muscat this morning  because a lady I know had told me about this "great little place" that had just opened up there and since I love to check out new places, this had to be a 'must do' on my list.She was right- it was and I loved it! 

Located just ahead of Costa Coffee  and Shang Thai, it looks cool and pleasant and is done up in the shabby chic style.  The fabrics are primarily in  cottons and linens, with linen being particularly popular. Pure whites, as well as ecrus and worn or bleached pastel colours have been used.The overall appearance 'looks' as well as 'feels' right for a perfect morning out. There are tables as well as sofas and looking around at the customers already seated there, I could see that it's already well on the way to becoming a hot spot for all those who live on that side of town. Currently open from 0900 -1800 hours, the plan is to be able to stay open for longer once all the staff and other misc requirements are in place.

I was lucky to have an opportunity to meet and interact with the cheerful team there and learnt a lot by a little chit chat. Aberrahim Zouda ( centre in pic below) is the Operations in charge, Thomas Mocock is the Head Stand in Chef, while Roland is Pastry chef.

All Smiles- Some of the team members at Anar

My first question was- why 'Anar'? The answer was clear and simple- Anar meaning pomegranate has been chosen as the name of this cafe after a great deal of deliberation.In almost every religion the pomegranate has been used as a symbol of humanity's most fundamental beliefs and desires, life and death, birth and eternal life, fertility and marriage, abundance and prosperity. To the Jews, the pomegranate represents righteousness, to the Christians, it means life and hope of eternal life and to the Chinese, wealth and many sons.

Taking on from that Anar in the context of the restaurant means an abundance-of everything. They encourage all customers to give them feedback, their suggestions for items on the menu with Abderrahim going so far as to tell me that any recipes given by the customers  and approved after a taste test by the team would be put up on their menu with great pride. That's a real opportunity for all aspiring chefs if there ever was one!

A Super Display

On the menu at present is a range of hot and cold beverages, freshly baked breads, tarts, pastries, cookies. They have recently introduced sandwiches and will continue to add items to the menu on a regular basis. 

Just some of the freshly baked goodies

My 'Danish' with a Cappuccino- I loved both!

I hope to make another visit in the near future and have an opportunity to see the chefs at work in the kitchen, so do watch this space for more ..

Cheers!

In the meantime, do yourself and your friends a favour- head to The Wave and check out Anar for yourselves...

'Kurtoskalacs', the famous Hungarian chimney cake at Muscat Festival 2014

I'm enjoying Muscat Festival 2014 more than ever before and for those of you who are following my posts, I'm sure you all know that my sweet tooth is the reason for that. After savouring the Omani and French delicacies  on previous visits, we had the opportunity to try out the famous Hungarian Chimney cake on this one. 

Called 'Kurtoskalacs', the chimney cake, is a traditional Hungarian pastry that is wrapped around a wooden spool and slowly turned over an open fire. It is believed to have originated from Transylvania, but is  now celebrated as the oldest pastry in Hungary, and more often than not, makes for really great street  food. 

We had the opportunity to watch closely while the  pastry chef happily obliged. Not only did she tell us exactly how its made but gave us a great photo op as well.

Its really quite simple and like most pastries, the dough is coated with oil and sugar, and when baked it creates a crunchy, sugary outside crust, not unlike a hot pretzel, with a soft doughy inside.We had a choice of coatings and chose the walnut coating based on their recommendation. 

One lady prepares the pastry while the other does the actual baking

Best eaten when they are just hot off the fire and delicious!

The Disney Parade  as we enjoyed  our tea and cake

Naseem Gardens-All lit up

Sitting outside in the gardens on a delightfully nippy evening, the strains of Arabic music somewhere in the background, the Disney parade in front of us, hot steaming tea and the Hungarian cake.....










We really couldn't have asked for more! 

Quick ' n Easy Chocolate Chip Cake

My version of a Quick ' n Easy Chocolate Chip Cake 

Its the festive season and we are all looking for an easy treat that works well with just about anything.Lets  say its the weekend and one decides to go for a drive to a beautiful spot later in the day. Coffee of course is a given but it would be really nice to have something to go with it.

That's when you can think of baking this quick and easy chocolate chip cake.Like everything else, practice makes for a better cake, so the second/third time you make it, it will taste even better!


Ingredients

3 cups all purpose flour

2 tsps baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2  tsp salt

1 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup dark brown cocoa( I use Hersheys)

1 cup( or 3/4ths) if you want to use less) brown sugar

3 eggs

1 small pot/cup  yogurt

1 small bag Hersheys chocolate chips

Icing sugar for dusting on top



Method

Put all  the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix  briskly with a fork. Ensure that it is a smooth mix without any lumps otherwise the cake wont be as good as it should.

Mix all the wet ingredients together and repeat the same process of mixing them briskly.

Finally add the wet mixture to the dry one and drop the chocolate chips in, stirring gently. Do not try to push them in- it looks more interesting if the chips are actually visible in the cake.

Gently pour the mixture into a medium sized cake greased cake tin and let it settle in.

Bake in a pre heated oven at 100 degrees c for 35-45 mins and check to see  when its ready by inserting a toothpick. If it comes out dry, it is, but if there is some liquid mixture on the toothpick, it probably needs a few more minutes.


Leave to cool on a wire rack then transfer it on to a plate. 

Dust with icing sugar and cut into pieces.

Wrap it in silver foil  or carry it out for your drive in a closed box. 

Eat it with the coffee and enjoy  the  great view!

A Diwali Special- Neha's Passion Fruit and Raspberry Tart

Neha's 'melt in the mouth" Passion Fruit and Raspberry Tart

We are now looking forward to Diwali  and while many of us are happy to make the traditional Indian sweets at home if we are actually able to, others usually head out to the sweet shops and pick up the beautifully wrapped boxes with ready made sweets and gift them to family and friends.

But if you happen to be hosting your very own Diwali 'do' and want a 'piece de resistance' for your party, there is nothing quite like this tart! I'm now  going to share the recipe for Neha Singh's special melt in the mouth Passion Fruit and Raspberry tart. While 'Commis' Pastry Chef, Neha  is currently further refining her  baking skills at the Bonnie Gordon School of Confectionary Arts in Toronto learning how to make Designer cakes, I've really had the benefit of watching her at work during her short stay at home and am happy to share it with all of you.

Believe me when I tell  you that its really easy- all you need is the right ingredients, patience and thats about all...

Getting the fruit ready to make the passion fruit cream 

Just like the Apple Tart recipe I shared some time ago, the base is made from scratch. Starting with rolling the all purpose flour mixed with some butter to make the pastry , she popped the ball into the freezer  to chill for about 15 minutes while she got the other ingredients ready.

Line the tart case with the pastry , fill it with beans and blind bake for about 20 mins

Use only the best and freshest raspberries to make the raspberry sauce

Make a thick sauce with a little sugar and leave to cool

Make the passion fruit cream by cooking the fruit with a little butter and sugar and stirring till a thick yet fluffy consistency is achieved. 

Leave to cool.

Layer the tart- first the raspberry filling and then the passion fruit cream

Finally decorate with a few raspberries , passion fruit seeds and a dash of icing sugar.

Cut into 6-8 slices and enjoy!

Thirty minute Apple Tart

A warm slice of apple tart with coffee or better still, topped with vanilla ice cream- I couldn't think of a better way to  catch up with friends. In the past, I've tried to make a  simple version of an apple tart and succeeded reasonably well. 

But when I recently had the opportunity to watch my Le Cordon Bleu, Paris  trained daughter Neha Singh making this classic 30 minute apple tart from scratch, I knew that I was going to learn a lot. 

And I was right...

In the oven- Neha's 30 min classic apple tart

Starting with rolling the all purpose flour mixed with some butter to make the pastry from scratch, she popped the ball into the freezer  to chill for about 15 minutes while she got the other ingredients ready.

Lining the tart case and trimming off the edges 

This was then blind baked for about 20 minutes in a preheated oven after adding some beans to ensure that the case baked as close to perfection as possible.

Filled and almost ready to bake

For the filling Neha used Honey crisp apples.  This apple has exceptionally crisp, juicy, sweet-as-honey flesh with just a hint of tartness that makes it a tasty treat any time of the day.. As far as I'm concerned, its even more delicious when used to bake an apple tart.

Layered over with finely sliced apples 

The filling used brown sugar, cinnamon, water and was heated on a low heat gas stove till the mixture was tender.

Baked till golden brown for 30 mins

We had people coming over that day and Neha had yet another treat in store- a Passion fruit and raspberry pie which had been made the previous evening and left to chill in the refrigerator. 

But that's another story ...for another post.....

Memories are made of this

 

The First day of Ramadan,its true meaning and glimpses of breaking the fast

The call for prayer signals the end of the fast 

I was in Grade 8 and had just finished playing a basketball match. We won and there was a feeling of great jubilation with all the team members looking forward to the High tea that was laid out in the school hall.Like all the girls, I too wanted to tuck in but before that, I wanted to have a drink of water. Lots and lots of water!

Making a beeline for the water coolers, I found a long line of girls already there, but my turn came eventually and I drank to my fill. Walking towards the hall, I realized that our team captain Azra hadn't drunk water. When I told her to hurry or we would be the last ones in, she answered, 'You carry on, I wont be joining all of you" 

'Why?' I asked.

"I'm fasting- this is our Ramzan fast and I will keeping it for this whole month", she replied.

I was amazed- we had all just played a long and tough match and  I'm sure that  she was as hungry and thirsty as all the rest of us, but she didn't even have a sip of water! And that was how I had my first lesson of what the Holy month of 'Ramzan' or Ramadan means to a Muslim.A lesson which  surprised as well as humbled me because it taught me a lesson in willpower, restraint  and sacrifice and one which has stayed with me till this day.

Ramadan is the 9th month of the Islamic calendar. The term Ramadan literally means 'scorching' in Arabic. It was established as a Holy Month for Muslims after the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad in 610 CE on the occasion known as Laylat al-Qadr, frequently translated as "the Night of Power.

Observance of Ramadan is mandated in the Quran, Surah 2, Ayah 185 

Beauty with a very deep meaning

During the month of Ramadan, most Muslims fast from dawn to sunset with no food or water. Before sunrise many Muslims have the ‘Suhur’ or predawn meal. At sunset families and friends gather for ‘Iftar’ which is the meal eaten by Muslims to break the fast. Many Muslims begin the meal by eating dates as the Prophet used to do.This ritual fast is one of the five pillars of Islam, and requires that individuals abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and sexual intercourse.In general, the practices of Ramadan are meant to purify oneself from thoughts and deeds which are counter to Islam. By removing material desires, one is able to focus fully on devotion and service to God. Many Muslims go beyond the physical ritual of fasting and attempt to purge themselves of impure thoughts and motivations such as anger, cursing, and greed. Charity is an important part of Ramadan. The fast emphasizes self-sacrifice and using the experience of hunger to grow in empathy with the hungry. During Ramadan, Muslim communities work together to raise money for the poor, donate clothes and food, and hold 'Iftar' dinners for the less fortunate.

A couple of years ago one evening  I happened to be in Matrah, a very old part of Muscat, with a group of photo enthusiasts for a Photo Walk. It was the first day of Ramadan and the air was thick with a feeling of suppressed excitement.The fast was coming to a close and the roadside vendors had already started preparing the snacks that would be eaten 

by all once the fast was over.

The aroma was exquisite and looking around I could see that there was a whole range of sweet as well as savory delicacies.It was a memorable moment in time and I found myself keenly anticipating the call for prayer which would signal the end of that day's fast.

Walking around, I kept clicking and time passed. Anticipation mounted higher..    

Then higher...

Then we all heard it, the call for prayer...And all the fasting men went into the mosque to pray.

Stepping out, they settled down to their first meal in many,many  hours, dates followed by some light snacks. I'm happy I manged to click this particular shot without intruding into that very personal moment.Meal over, they dispersed, it was time to head back home and join their families.

It had been a long day for all of them. The first 'Roza' was over and tomorrow would be another day. As for me,  it was a truly beautiful moment in time...

Crepes in the Latin Quarter, St Michel Paris- Simple, quick and oh so delicious...

Entering the busy market, The Latin Quarter, Paris

The Berry version -sinfully decadent 

One late evening this June, having visited the Notre Dame Cathedral, we found ourselves in the exciting and very vibrant Latin Quarter or the 'Quartier Latin' in Paris.

That was when I spotted this little shop

The name itself evokes images of bohemian Paris at its height.In spite of the loss of its former identity, the many little streets surrounding what was the Left Banks true student and intellectual center continues to attract tourists and Parisians who hope to discover or possibly even resurrect a little of that eclectic sense of change that we read of in Camus, or Sartre.

The Latin Quarter is bisected by the Boulevard St. Germain and the Boulevard St. Michel. These are the two main arteries running through the area, with the hundreds of crooked streets leading off them. The tree lined Place St. André des Arts, which was a gathering place for many French artists, is still ringed with bistros and restaurants. 

It was in exactly one such street that we came upon this little crepe shop and I just stopped, completely fascinated by the obvious popularity of the place as well as the speed and efficiency of the crepe maker.


A crêpe or crepe is a type of very thin pancake, usually made from wheat flour (crêpes de Froment) or buckwheat flour (galettes). The word is of French origin, deriving from the Latin crispa, meaning "curled". While crêpes are often associated with Brittany, a region in the northwest of France, their consumption is widespread all over the world.. Crêpes are served with a variety of fillings, from the most simple with only sugar to flambeed crepes Suzette  or elaborate savoury versions with a range of vegetarian as well as non vegetarian fillings .

The busy crepe maker was just starting one 

He was  swift and very efficient

Ensuring that it is golden brown and crisp

Hmm, looks just about right!

The crepe maker was just starting one of the crepes and the number of people waiting for their turn was quite substantial. You see,  crepes are really an 'anytime snack' which is one of the reasons for their popularity. Add to it, the range of sweet and savory flavors as well as the fairly economical pricing and what you have is a clear winner!




He put the batter onto the hot plate and ensured that the colour was 'just so'- The end result, a crisp, delicious and golden brown crepe.  











That of course, is the secret of street food like this- it has to be something that everyone can tuck into- and walk way feeling as if it was the best meal on earth, at that moment in time!





















The only little problem as far as we were concerned was that we had already had our dinner,  a large one at that, so there was really no scope to actually eat this delicious concoction. 

OK folks- its ready now

Walking out having had a delightful experience

But then of course, there is always a next time and that's well worth waiting for....