Category: REVIEWS, EVENTS etc

Product reviews, restaurant reviews, property reviews, media trips and more

Chocolate-Pear Tea Bread … Love Baking for Friends

“The key to successful baking is just to enjoy it. Don’t fuss, don’t stress, and don’t try to make it ‘perfect’.”
Kathleen King

Chocolate-Pear Tea Bread A Chocolate-Pear Tea Bread from Baking for Friends by Kathleen King flooded our home with warmth and happiness yesterday! Kathleen’s baby, Tate’s Bake Shop needs little introduction. Iconic in the US, a must stop over in New York. The shop is called a ‘destination … worth putting miles on the odometer’ by the New York Times, and her books a must have on the kitchen shelf!

The creator and owner of the acclaimed Tate’s Bake Shop has an inspiring story. She began her baking career at eleven, selling her all-natural baked goods off a card table on her family’s farm.  Her award winning cookies are now sold at over 5,000 gourmet retailers throughout the US.

I got down to baking the day I received my copy for review! First Milk Chocolate Brownies, then little Chocolate Raspberry Tarts! If the feedback from the teens is anything to go by, the book is a winner!  I connected with Kathleens style of thinking and writing almost instantly. The little snippet before each recipe, the reaction to a test bake, her sons comment on his first bite of the Hurricane Irene Cookies, “Oh, don’t give these to anyone” …  all part of my everyday life as a home baker! It’s a tough {read delicious} cookbook to put down. The very idea of an Apple-Italian Plum Deep Dish Pie had me swooning. Then came  PUMPKIN recipes!!! Sometimes I wish I lived in canned pumpkin country as Kathleen offers a number of winners now that Fall is here. For those who can grab a can, the book is full of delectable options – pumpkin apple cake, pumpkin whoopie pies, two-recipe pumpkin pie, pumpkin mousse pie … and more!

Yesterday I was bitten by the Bread Baking Day bug, and though I had some itty bitty yeasty ideas, they radically changed. It was time for tea bread from my new fave baking book! {Sorry the post is a day late but I have had a plethora of internet issues with the service provider, Firefox etc. Now experimenting with Google Chrome!}   The book has something for everyone. Since I love baking with fruit and since it was Bread Baking Day yesterday, the Chocolate-Pear Tea Bread was my pick! It baked as I furiously punched away at my keyboard, the house filled with the most amazing bakery aromas. Tate’s Bake Shop must feel like home!!

Did I tell you I did everything from scratch that morning? Made a big batch of butter, then saw the recipe had applesauce listed.  Was tempted to substitute but what the heck!! Had a bowlful ready in a matter of minutes and I think that might be the secret of this moist tea bread! Chocolaty, moist and fruity …. it tasted even better the next day!

The Chocolate-Pear Tea Bread is part of the Fetish Fridays at Javelin Warrior.

The book has an interesting chapter on “health & lifestyle baked goods” which includes gluten free and vegan recipes. The book is therapeutic because it connects the baker in me to the bake shop, the beginnings of the success story, touches base with reality and makes you believe in the goodness of natural, home baked comfort food. For me, more so after the rather pathetic recent experience of Rose Cafe. I needed some sense of reaffirmation in bakeries and cafes, and this was it!

Baking for Friends is much more than a book of recipes. It’s about the sweetness of connecting with the ones you love. Kathleen welcomes you into her kitchen in the Hamptons, debuting more than 120 delectable, easy-to-bake recipes—from plump scones and muffins to mouthwatering pies and tarts to scrumptious gluten-free treats. Kathleen shares precious time-saving tips, designed to help you breathe easy in the kitchen without sacrificing taste.

I did a few other bakes which should show up here on PAB soon. The first was a batch of Milk Chocolate Brownies as I was curious to see how they fare since I am a dark chocolate person. I never buy milk chocolate {as a rule} but the hub got me a few bars from HKG and they weighed heavy on my conscience.

Kathleen convinced me to try them, and they were winners in my kids eyes. Fudgy, chocolaty and indulgent, well worth the bake. The lad even inquired if I had added melted chocolate on top {which I hadn’t}, and the continued to unwrap the little parcels like a birthday present! And then I made these absolutely sinful little Chocolate Raspberry Tartlets. The book has one large chocolate tart in a chocolate pastry base. I used another pastry recipe from the same book and made mini tarts. Absolutely divine!! The recipes also include a buttermilk pastry dough which is used extensively through the book. I’ve bookmarked it to try it next! In celebration of the highly anticipated release, Tates has partnered with KitchenAid to sponsor a Baking for Friends Bake-Off on Facebook. Join the Baking for Friends Bake-Off contest on the Tate’s Bake Shop Facebook Page.  Put your own spin on one of Kathleen’s recipes, then supply a photo/recipe for a chance to win $1,000 or a KitchenAid Artisan series stand mixer.

I can also offer readers of Passionate About Baking a  $5 discount on the cookbook from the website. The discount code is BAKEOFF, which entitles you to $5 off a copy of the book .

[print_this]Recipe: Chocolate-Pear Tea Bread

 

Summary: Delicate pears, brown sugar and butter come together with dark chocolate chips to make a specially delicious  moist and flavourful quick tea bread. A delightful fall special from ‘Baking with Friends‘ by Kathleen King.Serves 10

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 210g {1 3/4 cup} plain flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 100g {1/2 cup} unsalted butter
  • 115g {3/4 cup firmly packed} brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup applesauce {recipe follows}
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 400g pears {about 2 cups diced} or 2 large {or 3 small pairs}, chopped
  • 150g {1 cup} dark chocolate chips

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Lightly butter a (9 X 5 X 3 loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper.
  2. Sift together the plain flour, baking powder and salt. Reserve.
  3. With an electric beater, whisk the butter and brown sugar until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one by one, followed by vanilla  extract and applesauce
  4. On low speed beat in the flour mix.
  5. Fold in the chopped pear and chocolate chips with a spatula, and transfer batter to prepared tin.
  6. Even out the top and bake for about an hour until tester inserted into the centre of the loaf comes out clean.
  7. Let it cool in pan for ten minutes. Then gently invert onto cooling rack and remove parchment paper. Gently turn right side up and leave to cool completely before slicing {we couldn’t resist it of course!}

Recipe: Applesauce

Summary: Basic applesauce recipe. Makes about 1 cup.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 Apples, cored, peeled and sliced
  • 1-2 tbsp water {as required}
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp lime juice

Method:

  1. Put all the ingredients in a sauce pan and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. {I cooked it for 3 minutes in the microwave and then another 2 minutes. Did not add any water}
  2. Mash the mixture using a potato masher or an electric mixer until it is smooth.
  3. You can add a dash of cinnamon if you like. I didn’t

[/print_this]

This recipe featured on Huffington Post – Dark Chocolate Recipes

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Bloggers Table | Café G, Crowne Plaza, Gurgaon – real food, great ambience!

“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.”
Virginia Woolf

Time for the Bloggers Table and this time it was a cozy little do at the beautiful Café G at the Crown Plaza Gurgaon. The moment I entered I was hit by a feeling of déjà vu. Such a familiar, almost Ottolenghi like atmosphere, quiet, open, airy. This was one culinary experience worth the visit! Live cooking, real food, authentic flavours … and ‘silently attentive’ excellent staff!The Café offers fine dining with a daily buffet that changes regularly. The interiors are aesthetically done, wood and beige neutrals, nice lighting and a wonderful ambiance. A salad bar greeted us as we walked in …So much variety, loads of colour and attention to detail. The cheese platter looked slightly bare, like someone had made  a meal out of it. Maybe they had! The cumin cheese and pickled olives beckoned loudly! We sampled 4-5 salads. Nice!Moving on, a central island of sorts tempted us with live cooking for the buffet {which is truly excellent by the way}. Le cruesets filled with worthy dishes added to the temptation. The menu for the day was Italian … Small portions cooked fresh and laid out … Lamb Osso Bucco {reminds me of my lovely friend Meeta in Germany}, Melanzane Parmigiana, Hassle-back Potatoes {I♥ those}, Fresh Lasagna, Sea Bass Baked in Parchment …. The question … what to eat and what not to! The main course set up is divided into different cuisine zones. Alngside, nested in a little corner is a popaddum stand with little earthen jars presumably full of pickles! These little personal touches make the place feel warm! The cafe appears to be particularly popular with the ex pats as they began at saunter in by 8.30pm, the stream growing steadily as the clock ticked! Since it’s a multi-cuisine restaurant, there’s something for everyone here …Back to the layout … the central island had a bread counter and once again the passion shone through. A variety of different breads, bread sticks, ‘amul’ butter, crisp thin cracker breads… And if that wasn’t enough to gladden the heart, the next step took us straight to a dessert bar – it blew us away! It was dessert heaven. I have yet to see such an extensive variety of desserts under one roof here. Each one created with a lot of thought, detailing and love. The pastry chef Chef Ayub Quereshi and his magic weaves a spell – fruit desserts aplenty, mousses, cakes, panna cottas, pies, eclairs, compotes … individual portions each!Then came the signature dishes specially prepared by the talented Chef Arup Sarkar and Chef Prashant … compliments to them! Salad of wine pickle tomato and buffalo boccancini, toasted pine nuts and basil and Stir fried shitake wonton  and baby spinach with pok choi , red pepper, tomato and Asian condiments. The latter was simply amazing. Flavours, textures, warm salad, cold dressing – such a treat! You must try it if you visit the cafe! MUST! We were also served a watermelon, feta and rocket salad … this one too pleasing, light and flavourful!By now we were kind of feeling full. Then, along came the show stopper, a main course signature dish that will be remembered for a long time – Moroccan lamb tagine with chick pea and mint couscous. We begged for small portions each … it was so good. A nibble here, then another … and soon the tangine was all gone! The lamb cooked to perfection, melting in the mouth, falling off the bone, the flavours beautiful, the tomato balancing the tangine in a delightful manner with the pine nuts, the chick peas, the couscous! Happily it was time for dessert! Baked Yogurt Mousse, Panna Cotta, A Passion Fruit Mousse, Mud cake {excellent truffle on top}. You know what I missed though – a coffee dessert! Sadly there was none. {Thanks to the sweet knowledgeable Parul, we were served some drop-dead delicious coffee ice cream on request!}

Thank you Mr Oswal and your team for having us over. Café G is an absolute treat! The food excellent, the staff are impeccable and the ambiance wonderful!

Others on the table that night
Himanshu @ The White Ramekins
Parul @ The Shirazine
Ruchira @ Cookaroo

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Chocolate Creme Brulee … The Le Cordon Bleu Chocolate Bible

“Chocolate arouses as much passion among pastry chefs as it does fondness among chocolate lovers.”
Patrick Martin, Chocolate Bible

If there is one Bible you need this holiday season, it’s got to be the Le Cordon Bleu Chocolate Bible. A book that I first saw when I went to attend the LCB pastry workshop last month, amongst their other 2 publications – The LCB Cook’s Bible,  and LCB Desserts. I have had the LCB Cook’s Bible for a while now, a book which is in effect a culinary bible of how to cook. It is my ready reckoner from basics like eggs, milk, cream, dairy, to more involved stuff like spatchcocking a chicken, to making the perfect omelet etc. It includes also garnishes, presentation, serving suggestions … if there is a culinary question, the answers most likely in there!

Calling all chocoholics!

Le Cordon Bleu’s Chocolate Bible has arrived, showcasing over 160 recipes of chocolate heaven. Released October 2010, the Chocolate Bible is an English translation of the highly successful Petit Larousse du Chocolat, now offering Anglophones the chance to try their hand at Le Cordon Bleu’s decadent delights. From tarts to truffles, cakes to creams, this step by step guide is a must-have for chocolate lovers.

When I saw the Chocolate Bible at the Le Cordon Blue Pastry Workshop I was invited to attend, I was enamored by it, and am delighted to review it. It’s a book that every chocolate lover must have. The English edition is published by Carroll and Brown.

A lot of my readers write in to me asking for cookbook suggestions, especially here in India, as home baking is breaking new ground. This one book is a chocolate lovers dream, a book with recipes you can recreate, and easily so. The instructions are clear and simple. It’s not an overwhelmingly overdose of chocolate in any way. It is a sweet reaffirmation of the quote “9 out of 10 people like chocolate. The 10th person always lies“. I have seen self proclaimed chocolate haters, cross over and enjoy a good chocolate dessert, testimony to the charm and temptation this quintessential ingredient holds.The Le Cordon Bleu Chocolate Bible is a simple book without complicated techniques and exotic ingredients. It works on a basic premise that good quality basic ingredients, using basic equipment can turn out a delicious and creative recipe. In the book, the LCB chefs share their knowledge and techniques through a variety of recipes which are easy to reproduce by anyone, no matter what her or his level of skill might be.  It allows you to experience the charm of chocolate in all possible ways, offering something suitable for every occasion.

The book is divided into mouthwatering sections beginning with Temptingly Rich cakes, Tarts to Die For, Mouth-Watering Mousses & Creams, Iced Desserts & Sweet Drinks, Teatime Treats to Share…and ends with Delightful Mouthfuls! Each section begins with ‘The best way to – make a basic ganaché…, prepare pastry dough…, prepare a chocolate meringue…,fill éclairs…, temper chocolate etc. It’s a book worth owning and diving in to!  All along, it offers valuable tips and suggestions, picture tutorials for pastry making, working with chocolate, making garnishes, chocolate shavings, praline paste …. I could go on and on.I chose to try 3 recipes from the book on Boxing Day and I managed all 3 that afternoon. Was as simple as that. It might have taken even lesser time had i not stopped to run back & forth taking pictures. Ah well…that’s part of my culinary adventures, and another reason why I love the book so. The pictures are amazing, each say a 1000 words. The recipes I tried … first the Chocolate Creme Brulee because I needed a really quick and simple dessert that night. This was just the thing, and was soon in the oven. I began to ponder about ways to use up the egg whites I had on hand. The brulee needed 4 egg yolks, and I knew the whites would find their way home one way or the other. A quick look at the index and I knew Chocolate Meringues {with a chocolate Chantilly cream & strawberries} were a great choice. We had folk coming over for dinner in a few days, and these beauties could be made and stored in an air tight box for weeks in advance! Luxury for someone like me who loves advance planning. Brulee done and cooling, in went my little nests, to be baked for an hour.  I still had time on hand, so was egged on to turn more pages. Teatime was here and there was something charming about these Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Biscuits. Going by the picture, they were like cookies I had never baked before. The dough needed to be rolled and chilled for an hour, the perfect time frame for me, while the meringues baked in a low oven. Such fun juggling time slots! I was out of powdered sugar, so I took the Bibles suggestion and rolled the cookie dough cylinders in cocoa. Am glad I did because it provided great contrast and visual appeal. For me, food which looks good is very pleasing to the eye and palette; a pleasure to serve. A  little note: I found that the suggested baking times for all 3 recipes fell slightly short of the actual time taken. The creme brulee was nowhere set in 20 minutes, and a quick reference to the brulee recipe in ‘INDULGE – 100 Perfect Desserts’ by Claire Clark had me cranking the oven temperature to 150C and baking the brulees for a further 15 minutes. The meringues also baked for 30 minutes longer to get them crisp dry. The cookies took 17 minutes as against the suggested 10 minutes.

I would probably put this discrepancy down to calibrated vs non calibrated ovens. Professional ovens in test kitchens and the resultant timings are often different from home ovens. Also, the oven I recently bought is one imported from the UK and its baking function works just on the lower element. As with most baking books, I always take the suggested time as a rough guideline, so all was well.On the whole, the results were delicious. The brulee was rich, chocolaty and creamy … indulgent in every way. The meringues were crisp and delicious, chocolate flavours flooding the mouth with every bite, Chantilly cream & all. My teen tester was won over. She got to taste a few little meringues that were baked independently … just perfect she said. Maybe they’ll make wonderful kisses I thought. The cookies too were wonderful, and ‘The best I’ve had in a while’ declared the lad who was soon queuing up to play tester. I liked that the cookies were different from the regular chocolate chip cookies we make all the time; a great addition to the teatime cookie platter.I’m going to share the Chocolate Creme Brulee recipe with you today. Other temptations that I have bookmarked to try in the future are Chocolate Hazelnut Square, Chocolate Cherry Cake, Darjeeling Infused Chocolate Mousse & Columbian Coffee Cream, Iced Chocolate Parfait with Orange-Basil Cream, Old Fashioned Cream Souffle, Chocolate Coffee Dessert … to name just a few!

Thank you Surit Mitra for sending me the book. The distributor for CHOCOLATE BIBLE in India is Book World Enterprises of Mumbai. The book is available for Rs 1495.
Ctc 09820034530 (Mr Satish Shah)

Chocolate Creme Brulee
From Le Cordon Bleu Chocolate Bible, pg 138 {Printed with permission}
Serves 4
4 egg yolks
50g castor sugar
100ml milk {original recipe said 125ml}
150ml low fat cream {original recipe said 125ml whipping cream}
100g dark chocolate, chopped
Decoration
Caster Sugar
Method:
Preheat the oven to 95C/205F. Prepare 4 small baking dishes or low sided ramekins.
Combine the egg yolks and 40g of the sugar in a large bowl, beat until the mixture is cream and pale.
Heat the milk, cream and remaining castor sugar { I added a scraped vanilla bean too} until simmering. Add the chopped chocolate and stir until well cobined and smooth. Slowly stir the chocolate mixture into the egg yolks and sugar mixture. Pour the chocolate mixture into the dishes to come 3/4 up the sides.
Bake for 25 minutes, or until firm. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven grill to its maximum temperature. Sprinkle the creams evenly with the castor sugar and place under the grill until the sugar has become a dark brown topping. Let cool and serve once the topping had hardened.
Chefs Tip: To correctly caramelise or gratinee the creams, put the oven rack as close to the heat source as possible.

My Notes: I decreased the milk and increased the cream as we do not get whipping cream locally in India. Also, whenever I do egg based desserts, I like to add a scraped vanilla bean. Feel free to omit this as it is not part of the original recipe. My creams took about 40 minutes to appear firm. I served mine with some preserved burgundy cherries.

♥ Thank you for stopping by ♥

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A French Pastry Festival with Le Cordon Bleu. Also, Thermomix comes to India

“I hope that every time Indian consumers taste one our delicacies, they will feel an attachment to French culture and culinary arts, and more importantly our love for food”
Chef Christian Faure M.O.F.

It’s been a busy week of sorts and the words seem like an understatement. There seems to be a buzz in culinary activity here recently and suddenly so much more to do as the year wraps up. The French Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries through Sopexa, in partnership with the Oberoi Hotels & Resorts and Le Cordon Bleu launched a 3-week promotion dedicated to French pastry. I had the pleasure of attending a media event  for the French Pastry Festival as a part of the ongoing festival of bringing French delicacies to India.  It coincides with the four-day visit of the French President Nicolas Sarkozy and first lady Carla Bruni, and celebrates France’s rich cultural and gastronomic tradition, bringing it to the Indian subcontinent.

Renowned Chef Christian Faure, M.O.F, Pastry Instructor & Director of Operations, Le Cordon Bleu, is conducting master classes on the art of French pastry techniques to perfect the skills of the chefs from the Oberoi Hotels in Mumbai, Bengaluru & Delhi.  The festival also offers the Indian audience a chance to taste authentic French pastries.

Le Cordon Bleu is considered to be the guardian of French culinary technique through its culinary programs that continue to preserve and pass on the mastery and appreciation of the culinary arts that have been the cornerstone of French gastronomy for over 500 years.

About his India visit, Chef Christian Faure said “I am delighted to be part of this training. Le Cordon Bleu, with 35 schools in 20 countries, is dedicated to the transmission of the culinary arts. It is a pleasure to see the enthusiasm and motivation of the Indian public to learn more about French cuisine and pastries.”The chef demonstrated his pull sugar artistry, blown sugar work and talked us through making his signature dish “Pomme Rouge soufflé / Sugar soufflé red apple”. He shared thoughts and emotions that should go into creating a dessert for special occasions, keeping us regaled with his engaging style and humorous banter. Mainly conversing in English with a deep throat-ed French accent, stepping in with quick bursts in French as easily and beautifully as he displayed his art, he had his audience captivated!

Some thoughts he left me with …  ‘THINK; think with your heart!’, ‘Create an emotion through the dish, create an element of surprise, an expectation…’, ‘Spirit dominates matter, and that is what makes a Master Chef’, ‘20% of the dish goes on visual appeal, 80% on taste’.

It was a treat to be able to attend his coveted workshop, and a dream come true to get the opportunity to meet such a celebrated chef from LCB who creates dishes for Heads of States and for events like G20 summits.He introduced a special sugar now available in India from French brand DGF {marketed in India by Inducia}, a sugar for use in the culinary industry, one that doesn’t caramelize on being exposed to heat. DGF specializes in the supply of pastry and bakery products for professionals.There was a dazzling array of desserts prepared by Chef Faure on display; his passion for fruit and light desserts outwardly visible. I expected to find ‘feet‘ here, and those were the first delights my eyes focused on. We had the pleasure of  sampling the spread as dessert after a really nice lunch of Tomato Soup, Sumac Chicken, Fish in  a Lemon & Dill Sauce, Spinach & Garlic Roasted Baby Potatoes, Saffron Risotto, Pasta in a Mushroom Sauce. I tried two of the desserts, in addition to the macaron of course; the crème bavaroise with  strawberry coulis, and the chocolate mousse cake. Both desserts spoke volumes of the chefs signature line. LIGHT, airy, mousse like and with a perfect balance of flavours! The toppings and garnishes caught my eye. Was indeed a celebration of French pastry complete with variety, colour, texture – something for everyone.

Came back with a certificate of attendance, which I am clearly very proud to own.

The view from The Oberoi rooftop...beautiful, lush, green Delhi!

Thank you Khyati from Sopexa for organising this, and thank you ‘The Oberoi‘ for hosting the event at your gorgeous property!

The other exciting event last week was a demo for T H E R M O M I X … a word that spells magic.  I‘ve been bitten, I’m smitten, and I’m in love again! Good heavens…what a dream machine.  The BMW of the culinary world is what it’s been referred to as. It has a heart of gold, almost a miniature aircraft engine in there, with even the proverbial black box! I crawled out from under a rock obviously because when I was contacted by Christina, the Thermomix lady in India, as I had no clue what Thermomix was. It was the Kitchen Aid that was on my wish-list, and this came as a bolt out of the blue; now it has me fascinated.

Take a look at what it can do…Mills, Grinds, Pulverises & Grates coffee beans, chocolate, all grains, pulses, sugar into icing sugar, all nuts, all spices, breadcrumbs; Kneads all breads, pizzas, pasta dough, pastries; Minces; Prepares drinks, salads, dressings, ice creams, cakes, pavlovas, jams,  cappuccino, caffè latte & ice coffee, yogurt; Cooks soups, sauces, curries,pasta,risotto,custard,baby food; Whips egg whites, cake batter, frostings, cream, butter;  Crushes ice {this sharpens the blades too}; Steams fish, vegetables, dumplings…

All that in one appliance that will even wash itself! You might find that hard to digest, and quite unbelievable, which I did too … until I went for the demo. It does amaze with it’s ability to tirelessly and quickly carry out the above. It certainly lives up to it’s earned title of the world’s smallest, smartest kitchen.

In under 2 hours, we made ‘from scratch’ papaya sorbet {in 3 minutes!}, tomato soup {we ground dried lentils to act as a thickener}, Salad, Hollandaise sauce {including first flavouring the vinegar with spices}, roasting garam masala, making curry powder, a basic curry paste {cooking included}, and a vanilla custard. Did I forget kneading bread dough in a few minutes too? Yes, we did that too, and I came home and baked delicious bread with the dough which rose in the hours drive back home!

Now comes the hard part… wanting this magical machine, and counting my pennies because it does cost a packet!! It costs Rs 79,000/= in the Indian market, but then is a replacement for all kitchen appliances {which seem to fall lamely redundant in front of this mean machine}.  I think it’s an investment, a lifestyle change just waiting to happen! I’m seriously thinking of getting one, and am glad Mr PAB got me my DSLR some time back, else given a choice, I might have possibly gone for the Thermomix!I’ve been cooking up some yummies in my kitchen of late and with some stroke of luck, they seem to share some French origins! The first are these absolutely delicious Chicken, Mushroom and Roasted Pepper Julienes {said to be of French & Russian descent}. The second one is this ‘light as cloud and not to be missed‘ Marie-Helene’s Apple Cake from Dorie Greenspans new book Around My French Table. Those posts should follow soon, to keep in tune with the French food festival!

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The French Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries through Sopexa, in partnership with the Oberoi Hotels & Resorts and Le Cordon Bleu will be launching a 3-week promotion dedicated to French pastry.

A Traditional Cake Mixing Ceremony…can you hear the bells ringing?

“Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love!”
Hamilton Wright Mabie

Time flies and how. Seems like the year is on a gallop. I missed the walk, the trot and the canter completely. Every day is whizzing by; it’s October already! That winter is almost here struck me when some of my girlfriends like Barbara began the ’12 weeks to Christmas Cookies’ countdown.Then a few days ago I got an invite to a ‘traditional cake mixing ceremony‘, and I was like “Whoa? Is it the time of the year already?“

Traditional Cake Mixing Ceremony

The age old ceremony of cake mixing starts a few months before Christmas and the winter festivities and is considered to be an usher for good tidings and happiness. Executive Chef of Hilton Garden Inn, Rajat Tuli will be present. This will be followed by High Tea of select guests and food bloggers and critics at India Grill.

The ceremony was hosted by the Hilton Garden Inn, the first of this brand of hotels to open in the Asia-Pacific region. The warm, friendly hostess Monisha Dewan, the General Manager of the hotel, led everyone to the ceremony. As she said, it is a tradition at the hotel to welcome the holiday season with a fruit soaking ceremony ahead of Christmas. There were massive steel basins with candied ginger strips lining the bottom, and huge trays filled with fruit – raisins, black currants, candied peel, candied cherries, tutti frutti etc. And of course the all important ‘spirit of the season‘ in bottles – wine, rum and whiskey etc to soak the fruit with.

To set the ceremony off, we were each handed gloves, aprons and chefs hats. We set to work with handfuls of fruit ceremoniously dumped into the steel basins, the menfolk mixing the fruit. Once all the fruit was in, and well mixed, the bottle were emptied in one by one, with warnings on ‘no swigs allowed‘. That done, Chef Deepak got his merry band of men in to complete the mixing as it was now all down to muscle power! A load of fun and a load of work, all amidst great cheer and fervour. The holiday season was rung in under the watchful eye of Executive Chef Rajat Tuli, who was summoned in by the GM each time before any culinary move was made!

The fruit is now going to placed in a secure place to soak in all liquid and mature beautifully in time for Christmas, and will then be used by the in-house bakery to make plum cakes, puddings etc. I loved the tradition and thought it was a novel way to  ring  in the festive season. The great thing was the camaraderie all around, and the whole-hearted manner in which the GM involved everyone in the ceremony, including her chefs. We had a lobby full of guests at the hotel from across the world and each one was invited to join in, which they did happily! There was lots of cheer, loads of mixing and loads of cameras clicking!!

The ceremony was followed by High Tea which has recently been launched by the hotel, again a novel concept. The Hilton Garden Inn is located in the heart of a commercial district in Delhi, and is attached to a popular mall,’The Select City Mall’. Visitors from the mall can walk in and enjoy the luxury of a beautiful array of teas from India and across the globe … Darjeeling, Earl Grey, Jasmine amongst pots of others. You can choose the one you want, and sit and enjoy a spread of delectable finger foods. {I had a wonderful Cafe Latte as I am much the coffee person.}The menu for High Tea that evening included Mushroom and Asparagus Vol-au-vent, Smoked Salmon Vol-au-vent, Ginger & Raisin Scone with Chantilly Cream, Mocha & Cinnamon with Quark Cheese {that certainly caught my attention}, Grilled Chicken and Prune Open Sandwich, Roasted Pepper and Feta Open Sandwich, Bitter Chocolate Chunk Soft Bake Cookie, Raspberry Cream Cake, Passion Fruit Cupcake, Blueberry and White Oat Brittle Cookie, Fruit and Nut Cake, Chocolate & Banana Torte, Cucumber & Tuna, Melon and Apricot Canape. Quite a spread, and beautifully presented along a charming framework of wood, the evening sunlight lighting the place up. It was warm and inviting, an atmosphere so relaxed, an ambiance that was perfect to soak in.The Executive Chef and the General Manager made the place very homey. They were wonderful to talk to. The banter went on endlessly – bread, macarons, quark, cheesemaking, menus, baking, kids, food … all discussed in absolutely no hurry, till the cows came home. We then shifted back to the tables where the gracious GM asked for thin crust pizzas as she was very proud of the ones they make in-house. We were served Spinach and Four Cheese Pizza, followed by Pepperoni. I had the former, the Spinach and Four Cheese one, and it was the best I’ve had in a long long time. Perfect crust, and a great balance of flavours.

It was a wonderful evening! Do check out the High Tea at the Hilton Garden Inn Saket, New Delhi if you happen to be on that side of town.
{A4 DLF Place Saket District Centre, New Delhi, India 110017 .
Tel: 91-11-39191919 Fax: 91-11-39191920}
Thank you Rajat and Monisha for hosting us.
Thank you Baani & Tinky from the Perfect Relations Digital Team for making this happen!

Don’t miss a post
Also find me on The Rabid Baker, The Times of India

Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24: Eat Like a King, a Feast for a Maharaja

“Cuisine is the tactile connection we have to breathing history.History and culture offer us a vibrant living society that we taste through cuisine.All cuisine is a reflection of the society from which it emanates … in the end cuisine is the result of culture”
Clifford Wright“24 Meals, 24 Hours, 24 Blogs.”
Foodbuzz 24
Foodbuzz is launching it’s Foodbuzz Publisher Community; an event which goes to demonstrate the power and quality of the Foodbuzz community through real-time, real-people food blog journalism!
The “24, 24, 24” captures the cultural diversity and unique local perspective of the Foodbuzz Featured Publishers: it’s real food, experienced by 24 real people, shared real-time. A global “live blogging” effort showcasing a multi-contributor feature article created by Foodbuzz Featured Publishers demonstrating the scope, diversity and quality of the community! I’m proud to be one of the 24. Indian food has gained tremendous popularity over the years, has earned a place for itself across the globe. My post is a celebration of North Indian cuisine, which is a culinary adventure in itself.
Welcome to my table, offering some of the best in North Indian cuisine, steeped in culture, enticing the palate. Feast your eyes on traditional yet innovative fare; colourful & uncomplicated! Let yourself in on kitchen secrets! Join me as I embark on an adventure to recreate, at home, the joy of food eaten out at Indian eateries.

I have attempted to put together a meal of Indian dishes, from appetizers, to drinks, main course non-vegetarian & vegetarian…& wrapping it up with sweet somethings. Have tried to reach the magic 24! The recipes are from scratch, not overtly heavy on spices or fat, & can be played around with to suit different tastes. Mine are usually mildly spicy. When I cook, I make sure I don’t sacrifice ‘the palate to please the eye’. Welcome to India, my part of the world…

Coolers1. Anaar Sherbet – Pomegranate Cooler.2. Aam Panna – Green Mango Cooler with rock salt & mint.3. Nimbu Paani – Lime-Ginger Cooler with rock salt & mint.

Appetizers4. Potato Canapes – Home-made potato crisps topped with with blended cottage-cheese, cheddar & sage.5. Paneer Tikka – Barbequed cottage cheese cubes in 2 different marinades.6. Chicken Reshmi Kebabs – Moist & tender, bite sized kebabs, served with a tangy green chutney.

7. Assorted Fruit & Cheese Canapes – A fusion of flavours with a blend of cottage-cheese, cheddar & cream, topping ‘Apricot Relish’, ‘Mango Chutney’ & pineapple.

On the side

8. On The Side – Fresh Green Coriander-Mint Chutney, Apricot Relish, Pickled Baby Onions.

Main Course9. Gosht-do-piaza – A hearty lamb stew. “Do” is “two” and “piaz” is “onion”; so “dopiaza” is a dish which has twice the amount of onions.10. Paneer-e-dhungaar – A twist on butter paneer. Smoked cottage cheese chunks smothered in a creamy tomato gravy.11. Kadhai Gobhi – Crisp, stir fried cauliflower, with red & yellow bell peppers introduced for variety.12. Lamb Roghan Josh – A passionate red lamb curry in a thick gravy. My simple rendition of Rogan Josh…mild & tasteful. The red colour comes from the use of paprika.13. Chicken Reshmi Seekh Kebabs – Pan fried minced chicken in seekh kebabs flavoured with fresh herbs. Delectable.

14. Murgh Makhani – The original butter chicken from the owners of Moti Mahal, India. India’s signature barbequed chicken curry, popular the world over. Popularly referred to as India’s export to the West!

15. Dal Makhani – Black lentils simmered in a thick, creamy & almost rich preparation. Another hot favourite off the Indian menu. The bread basket… 16. Naan – The most loved of Indian flatbreads. Light & flavourful; brushed with melted butter & a sprinkling of nigella & sesame seeds.17. Tandoori Roti – Wholewheat flatbreads, unleavened & rustic. Delicious served hot.

18. Khameeri Roti – Another leavened wholewheat flatbread, leavened with yeast, adding variety to the basket.

…& The Rice Bowl 19. Yakhni Pulao – Long-grained basmati rice, ‘dum’ cooked / slowly simmered in lamb stock, roasted lamb & aromatic spices.

20. Zeera Pulao – Long-grained basmati rice, stir fried in aromatic cumin, garnished with fried cashew nuts.

Sweet endings…21. Mango Jelly Mousse – A fusion of flavours…mango mousse nestled in dark chocolate, topped with cream & pistachios.22. Saffron Kulfi – A frozen Indian dairy-based dessert…luxuriously flavoured with saffron, cardamom & pistachios.23. Kheer – A creamy Indian rice pudding delicately flavoured with saffron & cardamom, served chilled.

Signing off…with an interesting quote

“To eat is human; to digest, divine.”
Charles T. Copeland

24. Saunf, Mishri, Elaichi – Finishing off the Indian meal the traditional way…fennel, sugar lumps, cardamom etc.

BON APETIT!!

Thank you for being part of the great Indian gastronomical adventure. Coincidentally, this is also my 300th post! I have really enjoyed having you over. Do check out the rest of us here…“24, 24, 24” on Foodbuzz!

Posted by Deeba @ PAB
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