Birthday in the sun

Due or should I say thanks to the inefficiency of a well-known airline, which shall remain nameless at this point I recently got to spend my birthday with some wonderful friends in California. It was one of those low-key, warm and memorable celebrations that one can only long for. After a decadent lunch of fresh shucked Cherrystone clams and steamed Alaskan king crab, with nothing but warm butter and lemon juice, we set off for a long bike ride along the beach. The weather was sunny, the ocean was calm and my little heart was very happy indeed.
In the evening we were treated to a Vietnamese feast, followed by birthday macaroons, ice cream and lodsa cupcakes.
One of the best birthdays ever!
The last two days were spent driving along the Californian coast with San Francisco as the final destination. I always kinda wondered why San Fran was called the best foodie city in North America. Now I know and cannot wait to go back and further explore it.
If you're in the neighborhood don't miss:

Newport Beach: The Crab Cooker for the most delicious Alaskan king crab.
http://www.crabcooker.com

Los Angeles: Caffe Bello for the best coffee and hot chocolate this side of the pond.
http://Www.CAFFE-BELLO.COM/

San Francisco: Loving Cup, espresso and rice pud bar. Come on!!!
http://www.lovingcupsf.com/

Delfina Pizzeria, for the best pizza you'll ever have.
http://www.pizzeriadelfina.com/

South America

We've recently taken a trip to a place not so far far away. South America has been on my radar for quite some time. This trip had actually been in the making, so to speak, for several years. We started in Peru, than on to Argentina, Chile and finally Brazil. Although this has been a trip of a lot of firsts and some mishaps, all in all it was wonderful. We observed nature at its best, made a lot of new friends and had some great food. What stood out the most was the amazing ceviche in Lima (ceviche is the next sushi, according to some local gourmands, and who am I to argue?), steak and ice-cream in Argentina, beach food in Brazil and some outstanding wines in Chile.(Try Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, from Concha y Toro; soooo ready for Christmas dinner!). Flavours on the continent are generally very mild, not a lot of spices.
Most days were quite action packed with a lot of hiking, surfing (I chickened out of this one), sand boarding, swimming. And finally to end the day on a perfect note, we had something special going on almost every night. Whether it was great dinners in Buenos Aires, grill parties in Patagonia or playing guitar (and having way too many caipirinhas) till the wee hours of the morning on a Brazilian island, these memories will keep us going right through the end of winter. Or so we hope!
I'll be using a lot more quinoa, dulce de leche and raw fish in my cooking in the near future. I'm also looking for the name and recipe for the best lime and coconut pie we had in Rio de Janeiro, courtesy of some very friendly Bahian ladies. If anyone knows the name of this Bahian pie, please let me know.
And now it's back to business. I have some cookies to bake,truffles to make, a book to finish and a very stylish shrug to knit.
Have a wonderful Christmas!


Photos by: L.N. et moi.

Black currant sorbet

I'm a sorbet girl. While I would never shun a bowl of salted caramel ice-cream on my summer party dessert table, if I have a choice I almost always go for the sorbet. After having more than my fair share of gelato in Italy,in France I made a conscious effort to forgo anything in the ice cream family in favour of all time favourite baked goods like almond croissant, brioche au sucre the occasional ham and cheese quiche. Than one night in Paris, after scouring an entire neighbourhood for an Isabel Marant store, I came across a small shop that claimed to be selling only the very best Berthillon ice-cream. Well, that I had to try. I've read so much about it on the uber popular blog of David Lebovitz, skipping it would have made my trip incomplete. So I bought two scoops of cassis sorbet. Happy to say, it was amazing. So much so, that I've been wanting to replicate it ever since I've returned home. As black currants aren't so easy to find around here, I only got around it this past week.
This black currant sorbet is rich, sweet, tart and silky all at the same time. Enjoy, along with a few of our photos from all around France, one of my favourite countries in the entire world.


Black currant sorbet

Ingredients:

3 cups granulated sugar
2 3/4 cups fresh black currants
1 tbsp cassis liqueur

Bring sugar and 3 cups of water to a boil. Let sugar dissolve, remove from heat.
Place currants and 2 cups sugar syrup in a saucepan. Simmer for 12 minutes. Puree in a blender. Strain through a fine mesh sieve. Discard solids. Cool completely. Add 1/2 cup water, 3/4 cup sugar syrup and cassis to black currant mixture. Refrigerate until very cold. Freeze in an ice cream maker.




Photos: L.N.

Bella Italia and a recipe

I've already done this countless times in my head. Create this post, I mean. Create, recreate and so on...Considered the many things I should write about. The good, the great, the unexpected, the magic of it all. Just trying to share all the incredible experiences I've had, complete with the sounds, smells and yes even the soundtrack of the whole trip, as all good stories need a soundtrack. Try Gianna Nannini , Madonna's Miles Away or Open Road by Grace. I've had these tunes in my head for months now, playing over and over again...And every single time they take me back to the long, scenic drives in the south of Italy and the poppy fields of France. The lemon scent in the air in Amalfi; savouring every bite of the world's BEST pistachio gelato in Polignano-al-Mare, while the rough waves hit the rocks so hard your feet start trembling; gazing for hours at wild horses in the south of France, need I say more??
It all started in March, when we shuttered our humble abode and set off on a pilgrimage to the culinary motherlands of France and Italy. Being quite aware of the fact that not much can be done to temper the self-indulgence of this story's premise I will rely on just a few of the pictures to give you a taste of what it was like. For me.
















Strawberry Mozzarella salad with Prosciutto di Parma






After having mozzarella and prosciutto for lunch almost every day while in Italy, I felt (at the time) that I needed a break from both. Clearly this so called break did not last long. I found some gorgeous local strawberries at the market and just couldn't resist. On my way home I dropped by my local Salumeria for some fresh mozzarella and a few slices of prosciutto and hey presto lunch!

For the dressing mix some extravirgin olive oil with grainy mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Toss some sliced strawberries and mixed Italian greens with the dressing. Serve with torn mozzarella pieces and a few slices of prosciutto.Enjoy!
More on Italy and France coming soon...

Craving some Indian food?

Well, so am I. Pretty much all the time. The smokiness, the spices, those deep layered flavours just can't be beat. The best meal I ever had (at a restaurant) was without a doubt at a restaurant called Bukhara in New Delhi. I remember we went shopping for spices in Old Delhi after lunch and by the time we got home it was almost 8pm. I was so hungry I could scream. Suddenly I remembered a midnight conversation I had (accidentally) overheard the night before. Our host and one of his guests were talking about this great restaurant they always go to when in town. I didn't pay much attention then, but I did remember the name Bukhara. And boy am I glad I did! We immediately asked our host to give us directions to this place. He said he'd be glad to, but he didn't think we could get in there without a reservation. We just pretended not to hear what he had just said. We jumped into a tuk-tuk (kinda dangerous, noisy, dusty, but loads of fun) and went straight to the restaurant. The funny thing was that this is an expensive restaurant. Nobody goes there by tuk-tuk. But hey, when you gotta eat you gotta eat! So after making a grand entrance, we had to wait for a while, but managed to get a table. The food was unbelievable. The chicken, lamb, char grilled veggies were smoky, spicy and utterly delicious. There was no rice on the side, but we had some dhal, cucumber-tomato raita and the most most satisfying piece (or several pieces rather) of naan bread ever!
I can't wait to return. It's hard to describe what it's like in India to someone who has never experienced it. It is definitely a land of contrasts, so vast, colourful, loud and sometimes surprising that it would take a lifetime to get to know it corner to corner.
The sounds, the people, the scenery and the great food will definitely make you want to go back. Most people who have been there say that while you're there you can't wait to leave and once you left all you think about is going back. I know I would be ready to go right now!

This recipe I chose to deal with my cravings is in no shape or form authentic. I know that. But it is Indian spiced, easy, fast fresh and super delicious. For the chicken I used homemade mango pickle (I always have lots of different pickles and spice mixtures in the fridge), but store bought will do just fine.


Baked mango chicken with Indian spiced chickpea salad





Ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
3 tbsp mango chutney or pickle of your choice

Preheat oven to 400F. Place mango chutney or pickle in a bowl. Add the chicken and coat well. Arrange chicken breasts on an aluminum foil lined baking tray. Bake for about 30 to 35 min.


For the salad:

30 oz cooked chickpeas, drained
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp each fennel, cumin, coriander seeds
pinch of crushed red pepper
1 cup yogurt
lime juice to taste
4 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
pinch of sea salt

Heat the oil over medium heat. Add fennel, cumin and coriander and cook until fragrant. Remove from heat and crush spices a little using a mortar and pestle. Put chickpeas in a bowl, add spice mixture and rest of the ingredients. Serve with the baked mango chicken.




India photos by L. N.

Memories of Japan

It's only been a few months since we're back from Japan. But boy, do I ever miss it! This strange country with its complicated customs is definitely different from anything I've ever seen before. It's so much more than cherry blossoms and world famous gardens. The food is the best you'll ever find no matter what cuisine you prefer. The Japanese have elaborate ways of presenting food. Everything looks perfect. Always. You could go to a department store, go to the food court(usually in the basement) and spend hours just looking at the display . Impeccably presented salads, fresh seafood, Italian baked goods and not to mention the individually packaged, sealed french macaroons, (the current rage in Tokyo) and other goodies. My favourites were Takasimaya and Isetan.( Too bad we were not allowed to take photos).






While Tokyo is a modern shopping mecca, Kyoto is a more traditional city with lots of beautiful temples and shrines. Real Geisha still exist in Kyoto. They can be seen on the narrow streets of the city walking to school or maybe to one of their appointments.





A must see in Tokyo for any food lover is Tsukiji market. It's the largest fish market in the world, selling 400 different kinds of seafood on any given day. It may sound unbelievable but you can't even smell the fish, it's so fresh. Really.
I had the best and certainly freshest sushi at the market at 9 am!!! after lining up for 2 hours. It was all worth it.





My favourite Japanese desert? Mochi ice cream, a confection made of pulverized sticky rice and ice cream filling. Favours like honey lemon, mocha, blueberry cheese cake,azuki bean, green tea and my favourite: double caramel made me go back to Shinjuku district again and again.


All this reminiscing made me want to eat something very Japanese, very fast and even more delicious.
So here it is: wild salmon sashimi. It takes 10 minutes to make. If it takes longer, you're doing something wrong.



Salmon sashimi with sesame oil flavoured dipping sauce






Ingredients


1 bunch green onions, cut into 3-inch long pieces, halved
1/4 cup tamari soy sauce
1 tsp lime juice
2 tsp fresh orange juice
1 tsp Asian sesame oil
1 1/2 tsp roasted sesame seeds
twelve 1/8 inch thick slices of salmon cut into 2 inch squares


For sauce mix tamari, lime juice orange juice and sesame oil.
Arrange green onions on 4 plates. Next arrange salmon pieces on top. Drizzles with some of the sesame oil mix.
Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Serve with remaining sauce.