The one thing that kids remember about their birthdays -is the fantastic cake! Birthday cake ideas for kid’s parties are getting more imaginative than ever before. Gone are days that a simple round or square cake was made, iced with roses or even a doll. Birthday cakes are today shaped far more ingeniously and could even have a near perfect image of the newest Hollywood blockbuster!

The birthday cake has to be the center of attraction for any birthday party.

, certainly after the birthday kid. There is no harm in not spending money over the cake, party cake decoration can easily cover that.

Party supplies and balloons can really add to the magic of the birthday party. The birthday cake should not look inferior against other things, instead, all the party supplies should correspond with the birthday cake.

If you too are keen on having a cake with a particular design or flavours for your birthday, try creating a theme round it. If you don’t want anything as elaborate as a pool or Hawaiian party, use the color or flavor of your cake as the party theme.

The ideas that you can get from your cake are exciting and plenty.
It won’t be wrong to say here that it’s the cake that actually makes the party!

A wedding cake is one of the highlights of the wedding reception, not just the cutting but also the display. Your wedding cake is going to be the center of attention at the reception and thus needs to be displayed properly.Thus, you should take some time to choose the perfect wedding cake.

Nowadays, there are hundreds of cakes that you can choose from, which vary in design, look, as well as taste. When you are ready to start looking for the perfect wedding cake, these are the factors that you have to take into consideration in choosing the wedding cake:

The first and most important thing to decide when choosing a cake is how much of your budget you are going to allot for this edible, sometimes extravagant decoration. The average wedding cake costs about 500 dollars and is generally priced by the slice. The final cost of the cake is determined by time and labor, design, number of tiers, icing and filling choice, decorations and method of delivery.

Go through the cake sample pictures from different confectioners and bakers. Looking through wedding magazines is also a good way to find a wedding cake design. If you do not find something that you like, you can always design your own cake.

The size of the wedding cake will depend on the number of guests that you are expecting. If you are planning to save some cake for guests who could not accept your invitation and will be unable to attend, then you should keep this in mind while determining the exact number of people.

Finally, be sure to arrange a cake tasting with your baker, as they will be able to help you decide on flavours based on your preferences. Not only is this fun, it’s a tasty way to spend an afternoon

At l’ortolan we’re often asked how we can get such wonderful flavours from our food – in this blog l’ortolan chef Elliott Lidstone talks you through a technique that will leave your food with a deep smoky flavour.

Admiring Elliott's apron? Visit the l'ortolan online shop and buy one as a gift!

Smoked Garlic – the l’ortolan way

The Garlic is left with a deep smoky flavour, which we use in dishes such as our pearl barley which we use to compliment some of our poultry dishes, and in the restaurant we also use similar techniques to smoke fish and duck.  This is a technique you can do in a domestic kitchen, but keep an eye on the smoking chips, and it is also advisable to use an old pan!

1. Firstly we cut the top off whole bulbs of garlic, wrap them in foil and roast in medium oven for 1 half hour until very soft.
2. Next we line a heavy bottomed pan with foil and cover with chippings.
3. Carefully burn the chippings with blow torch and then cover the saucepan with a lid. 
4. The first smoke will be too strong and will leave a heavy bitter taste, by treating it this way you allow the first smoke to burn off. 
5. Repeat this 3 times.
6. Burn the chippings for the last time, place the garlic above the smoke, cover and leave to one side allowing the smoke to penetrate the roasted bulbs. Leave for 45 minutes.
7. Pop the garlic out of the skin and use as required.

The garlic is left with a deep smoky flavour, which we use in dishes such as our pearl barley which we use to compliment some of our poultry dishes.

In the restaurant we also use simular techniques to smoke fish and duck.

Experiment with the flavours and enjoy!

When it comes to arts & crafts, India has always captured the world’s imagination. We owe our global reputation to our rich heritage – one that´s lived on in our villages for centuries.India has many cultural events that set the stage for traditional artists to showcase their creations. The most vibrant of them all is the Surajkund Handicrafts Mela.The Surajkund Mela was orgaised to promote the culture and traditions of Haryana. The first Mela was put together by the Haryana Government in 1981. Artisans from all over the state came together for the first time ever. Ideas were exchanged, and a thriving art culture was born. Year after year, people took notice and the Mela spread its wings further. Today, it is one of the biggest art events in India. Skilled artisans now converge, not just from around India, but neighbouring countries as well.

Surajkund becomes alive with the rhythm and beats of folk dances and riot of colors. Rajasthan- The magic of vibrant Rajasthan is the theme state  for this year Mela.Surajkund is the annual fair that showcases the finest handlooms, handicrafts, authentic fragrances & flavours of rich Indian cuisines. As winter turns briefly into spring, a caravan of 400 National and State awardee craftpersons from every corner of India wind their way to Surajkund. This year craftpersons from SAARC Nations are participating in the Surajkund Crafts Mela. At Surajkund Mela, the artisans’ delicate hands create the most beautiful pieces which have fascinated many through ages !24th Surajkund Crafts Mela offers a lot of Fun, Frolic,Entertainment and exclusive shopping. In the rural ambience, 400 craftperson will display and Demonstrate their finest crafts work that is set to capture your hearts. The authentic fragrances & flavours of rich Indian cuisines will kindle your taste buds. Tap your feet with the beats of enthralling folk dancers from the various parts of the country.

Welcome to Surajkund Mela 2010
The Surajkund Fair is going to be held from 1st to 15th February 2010. Artisans, craftsmen and performers will be arriving at this cultural hotspot to showcase their talents. Whether it´s from across the country or beyond. Step in to find a wealth of exquisite handicraft items including paintings, jewelry, showpieces, upholstery, furniture and more.  You´ll also find mehendi design artists, musicians, dancers, painters, weavers, sculptures, craftsmen from all around. The idea is to exhibit the splendid variety of Indian culture.

Craft exhibitions

Chikri woodcraft of Kashmir

Lace and crochet items of Goa

Banjara and Bunni embroidery of Gujarat

Sandalwood and rosewood carving handicrafts of South India

Kantha work of West Bengal and North–East India

Chikan work of Lucknow
The Surajkund Food Festival
No Indian celebration is complete without Indian spices. Savour traditional recipes from all over the country, on a platter!While you shop, soak in the aroma of delicious cuisines being prepared at the many stalls. Savour delicacies from around the country.

A fair to cherish and remember…..

HIGHLIGHTS

1. The Craftspersons from all over India, SAARC and other neighbouring countries would be selling the best of Handlooms and Handicrafts items.

2. The State of Rajasthan is the Theme State of the Mela Rajasthan known for its Fort Places, Textiles,Handicrafts,Cuisines and Fairand Festivals. Replica of Choki-Dhani can be seen at Haveli in Mela Ground.

3. Tajikistan,Egypt and Thailand are the three Partner Countries. They will bring their craftsmen,cultural teams and cuisines.

4. Best of Cultural programmes organized jointly by Ministry of Culture,ICCR,New Delhi, Theme State Rajasthan and Cultural Affairs Department, Haryana & Haryana Kala Parishad.

5. Exporters meet and Buyers meet to be held at Surajkund Design Galleries with assistance of the DC Handlooms and DC Handicrafts.

6. Food Court with variety of Indian, Thau & Egyptain Food.

7. Amusement Zone with playful rides and swings.

8. Folk Dances by Schools/Colleges at Chaupal daily from 11 a.m. onwards

9. Participate in special games and in competitions like Rangoli (2nd Feb.), Face painting(3rd Feb.), Essay Writing (4th Feb.) , Mehandi (5th Feb.) drawing (9th feb.), kite Flying for adults (10th Feb.) and Photography for amateurs only(11th Feb.)

It’s Saturday morning and I’m craving for macarons. My devotion to this French pastry is so severe (yes, I’m using the word ’severe’ on macaroons) that I’m starting to find it a little odd.

Colleague JL was sweet to get me Canelé macarons for Christmas last year. I was so thrilled when I retrieved the box from the pantry’s refrigerator, I was fighting to hold in a little girlish squeal. Not that I hardly get to eat these celestial drops from heaven (because trust me, I think I ingest more macarons than rice in my regular diet) but amazingly, this is what a macaron does to me. It turns me into this sugar-crazy sweet-toothed monster.

Canelé Pâtisserie macarons, box of 6

Just the fact that it looks like a mini hamburger gets me all woozy. And they come in so many different colours; you get what I call  “The Macaron Colour-Therapy Dilemma” when you stand in front of the glass case trying to decide which colour you should have to match the Mood of the Day. Say… a raspberry pink when you’re feeling feminine and romantic, a pistachio green for a little spiritual boost, or maybe a sunny lemon yellow for feeling happy and gay (pun unintended).

And the flavours that come with those colours, oh god. Now I’ve heard many people argue that all macarons seem to taste the same (simply sweet and extremely sugary) and if these confections were all made in one single colour, they can never decipher a raspberry dark chocolate from a lemon lavender.

Let me just take this chance to contest that claim – which, to me, is terribly unfair to the French pastry and its creators. Macarons are definitely not merely sugar.  It is a brilliant invention of fresh ganache cream sandwiched between two moist, airy cookie shells. If you could take a moment to bite into one (just a small delicate bite please) and allow it to rest on your taste buds, a well-made macaron very slowly melts on the tongue and the flavour infuses into the soul. And then, you see words popping up in your head: Ahh, that’s what a ROSE petal must taste like. Ooh, and the cream is PRALINE. Oh, and if you get sugar-high easily, there’s a chance you might start seeing some stars too.

And so, 5 minutes after retrieving that box of 6 macarons from the refrigerator, I looked up guiltily at colleague JL and whispered, Hey, guess what? I finished them  all.

JL whipped her chair around and screamed, What?? You finished 6 macarons in 5 minutes? You are terrible, it’s not even Christmas Day yet!

I just can’t resist those damn macarons.

PS. If you are convinced by my obsession, feel free to visit my favourite macaron store in Singapore. My all-time favourites are Rose and Pistache – the most simple and straight-forward flavours.

PPS. Macarons are notoriously difficult to make. So, as much as I enjoy baking, I don’t even dare to think of trying on Macarons. Maybe I’m just too lazy. Unless of course, someone out there has made them before and wouldn’t mind teaching me a skill or two. Recipes and instructions can be found here.

PPPS. Macarons are not macaroons. Or rather, Macarons are French macaroons. Confusing? While macarons are pretty to look at, macaroons are… well, not as fancy and do not come in the form of mini burgers. Click here to learn more about macarons and macaroons.

Who can say they hate jelly beans.. Especially gourmet jelly beans!!! Mmm! Those who have tried is swear by them and those who haven’t, have yet to live! Well recently I was inspired write this because I was given a pack of these beans from my girlfriend!

Perhaps not a pack.. More like a small container! I opened the lid and looked at the amazing array of colours of these glossy flavoursome beans! There are so many different flavours to try that it would be impossible to name them all! But.. Just to get your mouths watering, I’ll list a few below!

• Coconut
• Watermelon
• Chocolate
• Bubble Gum

You can buy these pretty much everywhere! Theme parks and places like Hamleys Toy Store or Selfridges are the best for being able to choose the quantities of the beans and also the flavours! In Selfridges there were flavours I’ve never even thought possible like jalapeno!! Can you believe it?!

Well I can’t wait to eat these sweets so if your feeling like having a few beans which are not of the ‘healthy’ nature lol.. As in fruit and veg lol.. then don’t hesitate to try some of these sweet flavoursome jelly beans! I do not work for any companies mentioned above, I just enjoy the taste of these lovely beans!

Cochindurbar

436 Bridge Rd, Richmond

9421 6776

Named after the largest coastal city in the region of Kerala, this mini eatery focuses on the fresh flavours of ginger, coconuts reminiscent of the km of coconut lagoons in southern India and stirs clear of the sometimes, overwhelming Indian spices. In some ways, this is great Indian food for beginners. Setting the pakoras, naan, masala and dosa aside, here is what Kerala food has to offer;

Samudre Rasam- shellfish soup cooked in a red rice essence with tomatoes, onion an black pepper

Karumuru- stirfry seafoodwith green chillis, shallots and curry leaves

Uzhunnuvada- gooey lentil doughnuts dipped in cococunut/tomato chutney

Cochin Chicken- fried pieces of chicken with mint raita

Fish Moilee- fish curry accompanied by coconut pancakes is a not to be missed dish

Kerala Fish curry- very similar to Goan fish curry

Lamb Ularthiyathu- diced lamb in several spices, black pepper and onion

Arachu Vacha Avoli- Promfret mixed with curry leaves, toasted coconut and lemon

Varatharacha Meen Curry- not mean in any way, it really is a fab fish curry with tamarind, red chillis, coconut and tomato

Paayasam- regional dessert with semiya/palada is a perfect way to finish off the exploration into Southern Indian cuisine!

Have you really looked at the packaging from Bread?

Next time you shop for bread, stop for a moment and look on the back. Have a really good look…..

You will be surprised how much is added to bread to keep it fresher for longer. Not every day ingredients that are really needed in bread.

Are you raising Boys? Then you should be really worried about your loaf of bread. We as a family of Five Woody Boys have noticed whenever they have bread that has 282, it is so very noticeable within hours

There is one ingredient that we always have to stay away from no matter what. I won’t actually buy the bread (even if its the last one left in the shop). Beside all the other ingredients, like additive, colours and flavours….282 is our number one priority. If the bread has Preservative 282 then I will put it back onto the shelf. Not familiar with the Preservative 282 and what to know more? Here is a detailed fact sheet 282 for you to decide.

Take Fruit Bread for example…..

There are many different brands out there and some are about as natural as you can get, beside the fruit being preserved so its not natural….while there are so many added different ingredients that it is just plain scary. WHY do they have to add so many nasty numbers to bread? To make it last longer, or to make it taste better? Who knows….I just know that I am always on the look out for what our family is eating.

ARE YOU AWARE of the dangerous of food?

If so let me know your thoughts….or am I the only one concerned about my families health? I like to shop from the bread shop where the bread is made daily, or go to major shop that states “No added Preservative 282″ on the label.

Here’s to staying healthier and happier longer.

Lisa Wood.

PS:- I am not a doctor, nor a scientist or studied at university. BUT I am a concerned Mother of five boys and I can read. I have read many books on the subject, and have used Google as my search engine. Please accept this blog as my personal thoughts and beliefs. You have a right to make up your own mind!!

Cheers

Lisa

So you love cake too, eh? Welcome to the fold! We here are Sweet Lady Cakes live and breathe cakes. Not sure where to begin? Try remembering the tastiest cake indulgence you’ve ever had – got it? No have a look at some of the examples we’ve got to knock your socks off … don’t see what you’re looking for? No problemo – the below list is just a guideline of our most popular. We can totally customize to you and your needs. We use only the BEST and most fresh ingredients and always always always want to know of any food allergies or intolerances that need to be taken into consideration.
.
THE LIST:
*Chocolate
*Coconut
*Lemon Poppyseed
*Pound Cake
*Vanilla

*Jakarta Globe, 16 December 2009

To enter a new country without anything but your Lonely Planet guidebook is akin to snorkeling: you only skim the surface of the sights, the food and the culture.

To enjoy a new country with a local who knows it well is a more like deep-sea diving into its very soul. You become part of welcoming homes instead of cheap, seedy hostel rooms. You get to eat home-cooked meals and share jokes with your newly adopted families and friends. Most importantly, you become privy to a deeper understanding of a land that isn’t yours, for you’re seeing the country through its locals’ eyes.

The country of my choice: Venezuela, the land of numerous Miss Universe title holders, the infamously outspoken Hugo Chavez and the thoroughly inconvenient one-sided currency exchange (buying dollars is illegal here). My local connection: Maikel, a documentary filmmaker and an old friend. In Maikel, I found a trusted guide, an inside man who knows which back alleys to take during rush hour, the times of night to avoid wandering the streets, and where to find the best rum and cacao chocolates.

Though only in his mid-20s, Maikel’s knowledge of Venezuela’s socio-economics, politics, history and gastronomy was abundant. From the moment I stepped off the plane to the time he brought me back to the airport, I was regaled with the tales and tradition of Venezuela, from the popular business endeavors tackled by the Spanish (restaurants) and Portuguese (bakeries) immigrants residing in the capital of Caracas, to the architect behind the mosaic floor design at the Simon Bolivar International Airport. But what stuck with me the most was the food Maikel introduced me to.

He showed me Venezuela first-hand through my eyes and my stomach. Every activity we undertook included a local meal, a snack, a drink or a dessert.

In Caracas, the high undulations of the country’s verdant mountain ranges greeted me. I soon deduced the reason why Venezuelan women were as curvaceous as they are. It does not involve the giving breast enlargements on Sweet 16 birthdays, but it is because of the food.

It didn’t take me long to discover that Venezuelan cuisine, to my dismay, doesn’t stay away from cheese, that all-time fattening and cellulite-inducing ingredient.
Every single meal I stuffed myself with freshly made soft, white cheese ( de mano , manchego , guayanes , clineja ) of varying levels of buoyancy and melts, from the ham-and-cheese filled crescent croissant cachitos in the morning and the thumb-thick maize pancake cachapas for lunch, to the gooey finger food of fried tequenos and famous cornmeal cake arepas at night. The Venezuelans, in my opinion, should replace the French as the famed lovers of this dairy product.

Performing my duties as a tourist, we scaled the heights of El Avila’s national park by cable car. On the mountaintop, we found the tourist hot spot immersed in a thick rain fog and teeming with food vendors and hungry families.

Held in hands, half-eaten, were plates of arepas , cachapas , empanadas (fried cornflour patties packed with cheese and meat) and bowls of sopa de mondongo (a thick, flavorful soup brimming with chewy tripe and boiled root vegetables).

As we waited for the rain to dissipate and Caracas to become visible from the mountain, I chose an ice-cold milky sweet chichas over a hot chocolate for the sole reason that every Venezuelan had one in their hands. Like Indonesians, it seems like they are firm aficionados of all things sweet.

When not consuming food, Maikel entertained me with stories of Venezuela’s gastronomy — from the tradition that lies behind the hallaca (a meal prepared by the family during the Christmas season), to the methods of creating a perico (scrambled eggs with tomatoes and onions).

Maikel’s father Miro, a well-known local food writer in the area, prepared my last meal in Caracas. The dishes may not necessarily be Venezuelan in origin, but were prepared with the love of a Venezuelan man (though Miro is originally a Croat and was born in Chile).

Indeed, it was the most exquisite of subtle flavors that exploded in my mouth in a frenzy of sweet, peppery and sour when I sank my teeth into Miro’s fresh Chilean salmon, coupled with soft-boiled plantain, sprinkled with chopped onions and coriander, glazed with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Watching the sun over Caracas with Maikel and his family that evening, my palate recalled the days of feasting on cheese, sweet, fermented drinks, bitter buttery cacao chocolate bites and nectarous rum.

On my journey, I have consumed many delicious meals — alone. But there was a delicate difference in enjoying a country’s banquet of gastronomical delights in the company of friends. It made the flavors all the more indelible.

The ejaculate or vaginal secretions, of a man or woman respectively,  vary in their consistency, flavor and quantity depending on the person (quantity is dependent on genetic and age).

The ejaculate of the male changes almost immediately after being released, usually becoming thicker (a bonus for those who like to let it marinate for a while).  This is purposeful when having sex the normal way (no anal) so that the sperm does not drip out:  it plugs itself into the vagina before insemination (vital for those women who are looking to trap men with a love child).

Remember, ladies (and men) we were going to discuss flavors.

If the ejaculate/vaginal secretion is:

BITTER…then this person is a smoker, be it cigarettes or marijuana and they drink alcohol (so for all you secretaries trying to climb the ladder, switch your boss’ favorite brand of whiskey for some cranberry juice instead).

SHARP…this person enjoys red meats, sperm (yes, some people enjoy a glass or two…no, no, it just means that there is sperm in the ejaculate, but some people do), asparagus, broccoli, spinach (spinach is awesome!) and some vitamins.

MODERATE…this person is in between flavors, there might be one or two of the sharp ingredients, none of the bitter ones.

MILD…this person is a vegetarian, they eat lots of celery and have no sperm in their cum (for many women, this flavor or moderate would probably be ideal).

SWEET…this person is a borderline diabetic or diabetic and might be on dialysis.

If a man has ejaculated several times within a couple of days then he will have an increasingly mild ejaculate (so ladies there is no need to worry…if you are doing your job, your man’s cum will taste great over time).

For those who have problems swallowing the cum, you can separate it into parts and swallow a little at a time.  For those who are curious about it (especially you men) you can dip your finger into it and try a little on your tongue (it is not however the least bit cute to see a man do this on camera, it is actually quite depressing).

For the couples out there, you can also enjoy cum together while french kissing (romantic, isn’t it?).

Now the odor of genitals can play a huge role in the flavor factor.  The male and female both have an area around the base of the penis (for the man) and clitoris (for the woman) which can produce a cheesy substance called smegma (nasty).  If you cannot get a man or woman to go down on you or if a person will only have sex with you through your underwear, you might suffer from this problem.  It can be easily solved, with taking a shower and thoroughly cleaning yourself everyday and not just when you are about to engage in coitus (nasty).  Men you must pull back your foreskin and clean underneath and in between.  Even if you are circumcised, still indulge us all and clean around the hood of your penis.  Our vaginas and mouths would most certainly appreciate that.  Women, you must pull back the clitoris hood (yes we got one too, yay!), and clean underneath and in between.  There is nothing cute about a smelly vagina.  Nothing.

Some women can ejaculate from the Skene glands.  If you are wondering where that is it is actually located on the wall in the inner part, right outside your vagina opening .  They are very small holes and it might be hard to see with the naked eye.  It might be better to include one of your girlfriends or two to help you out.  The ejaculate is similar in consistency to urine.  You probably know this form of female ejaculation as “squirting”.  A female who can squirt will ejaculate just like a male varying from a few drops to a couple of teaspoons.

Now for the various fun activities.

Genital secretions can be used in sex games for brushing or rubbing cum onto the breasts, face, butt and stomach (remember, we talked about embracing ladies).

You can throw it at each other (hey, monkeys throw crap at each other, look how happy they are).

You can bake it into your favorite recipes (but contrary to the belief, do not think it will make your man or woman enamored with you for life).

If you are into S&M, then having your partner (or you depending if you are submissive or dominant) drink the cum out of a glass is always fun.  Or if you are thirsty and there is no other drink around, let your partner cum in a glass, add some ice and voila, a refreshing after sex drink to quench your thirst.

With so many uses for it, is there a reason why someone has not put this on the market as the next best thing since Gatorade?

So…after proclaiming sold-out-ed-ness last week we were doing a bit of reorganizing and uncovered 7 cases of organic cherry based products from Leberoff Farms.

So, we’re back in business until these 84 jars disappear.

Here are the flavours–write to us at thepreservery@gmail.com if you’d like to place an order and arrange for delivery or pick up:

• Organic Cherries in Light Syrup
• Moroccan Spiced Organic Cherries in a Light Syrup
• Organic Cherry Jam
• Moroccan Spiced Organic Cherry Jam

 H, it must be admitted, has not posted on this blog for some time. A casual observer might assume that the freezing temperatures of November, following the downpours of late October, meant that she stopped eating ice cream and thus it vanished from her mind.  More astute readers, however, will realise from the level of ice-cream obsession displayed in her earlier posts that this was unlikely.  Indeed, she and V remember fondly their weekend in London last February when they toured several ice cream parlours, but that is for another post.

 The absence of posts has more to do with the absence of V from H’s home; she misses her terribly, and that’s been horrible.  It’s also the case that V is a very good photographer, and H is not, and posts without any photos can be dull, so that’s been another reason for the silence.  But V is due home soon, and will bring her camera with her, so it’s about time H shared some of the ice-cream thoughts she has, of course, been having during the past few months.

 It is true that the change of season does lead to a subtle alteration in ice-cream consumption (though nothing remotely resembling a falling-away).  The flavours of summer – raspberry sorbet, strawberry and balsamic vinegar – still taste delicious, and are a welcome reminder that sunshine will come again.  Other flavours worth mentioning are Speculoos (Haagen-Dazs’ best-ever limited edition) which goes very well with autumnal apple-based hot desserts, and tickety-moo banoffee which sits as well alongside a steamed pudding as it does in a summer cone.

 But what surprised H recently was the vital necessity for the ice cream whose flavour is hard to describe, but which is variously styled “natural dairy”, “plain”, or simply “white”.  This is not – it is really not- vanilla ice cream.  The phrase “plain vanilla” should not be allowed in the lexicon of any true ice-cream lover; real vanilla comes from pods, and has seeds and bits in it, and tastes of vanilla.  It does not taste of “plain”.  Nor am I thinking of the ersatz varieties which might lurk in freezers hidden within ice-lollies, or at the nasty end of the supermarket frozen foods aisle, and which I remember from my childhood as tasting mainly of the cardboard they were wrapped in.  No, I’m thinking more of something like this:

Mackie's Luxury Dairy Ice Cream

…which does exactly what it says on the, erm, carton.  It is made with fresh milk and double cream – those two ingredients account for 80% of the ice cream, before you even get to “sugar” in the list.  And it tastes of milk, cream and sugar, with a clean flavour that has no artificial aftertaste, as well as having no hint of vanilla, or caramel, or anything else.  This means that it is the perfect ice cream to act as a foil to anything which has a strong flavour of its own, and would even be acceptable to those strange people who reply to waitresses asking “would you like cream or ice-cream with that?” with the former rather than the latter.  I venture to suggest that it might work extremely well with Christmas pudding.

It certainly worked extremely well with the recipe I found in a recent Sunday Telegraph magazine article, giving “an alphabet of recipes” and needing something for X.  To their credit they didn’t go for something like “X-rated chocolate cake” but put the research in and came up with a recipe using PX (Pedro Ximenez) sherry as the star ingredient.  I’ve halved the quantities, because I only had two old drunks alcohol connoisseurs to cater for at the time I made the recipe, and it still lasted us them two days.

Heat 100ml PX sherry in a small saucepan, until hot but not boiling.  Pour this over 50g raisins in a bowl, cover and leave to cool.  Put in fridge for about an hour to let the flavours develop and the raisins become chewy.  Then serve, poured generously over a helping of plain/ natural/ white/ BUT NOT VANILLA ice cream.

As the ice cream melts a little, you may wish to stir the sauce into it some more, to remind yourself of past experiences of rum ‘n’ raisin ice cream while feeling smug at how very much better the taste of this version is.

Autumnal Flavours by ~Tim-Photography on deviantART
Some new work of mine.
Camera: Sony a100 with 18-70mm lens.
Garlic and onions, autumn flavours.

The particle itself is a fundamental particle and is too small to be seen by any imaginable instrument of observation. So we instead represent the properties that allow the up quark to interact.

Suhail’s China blue as the name suggest is a Chinese restaurant which also serves Hukka (a first of its kind maybe?) but lo and behold there is Mughlai and Indian fare on offer as wel! Well that is not a problem really cause’ we were here to smoke some hukka! As suggested by a hukka specialist that I happen to know (what are the chances!), we ordered for a Grape Mint, a mixture of grape and mint flavours!

In the meantime while the hukka was being ready, we changed our seats to a more comfortable lounge like sitting area where one can spend hours smoking and not realise!! The hukka we ordered was for INR 250. It began all well but the small pieces of coal kept running out which got on my nerves. However, one guy, Bablu, who is  in charge of the top floor did manage to get us the big pieces of coal which lasted for like 30 minutes and was still going strong until some idiot changed the coal and again put smaller pieces in there! So here is a tip, if going to China Blue, please ask Bablu to change the coal for you. He seems to be far more experienced at making/serving hukka’s then the rest of the guys there!

Anyways, the hukka session was followed by a quick dinner which I couldn’t eat that time and had to get it parceled! Ordered for a Paneer Kadai and Roti. The food was really good but if only the pricing was a tad lower. We ended up spending INR 200 each (between two people) for the Hukka and the dinner. A bit on the expensive side though if in a big group (say 4 or more) then this is a must go to place for the food and the Hukka.

Comparison with Mezban Sheesha, Carter Road – Though Sheesha’s at Sheesha’s are costlier by INR 50, they are far far better as the flavour lasts a long time and the coal doesn’t need changing as often as at China Blue! Food is more expensive at Sheesha though its a bit bland. For a more spicy affair, China Blue is a better choice!

Address: Rays Chs Shop No 8/9 New Kantawadi, Towards Perry Rd, One-way from Sherly Rajan Rd, Bandra (W), Mumbai 400050

Rating: Ambiance – 4/5 (Excellent ambiance. Made to look like a Sheesha parlour with a lounge like area downstairs and more of a restaurant feel upstairs.)

Food – 4/5 (The food isn’t hot but spicy which I liketh. It isn’t like places where putting a few chillies means your food is now ’spicy’!)

Price – 3/5 (The real downer here. Expensive for just 2 people!)

I may be about to start World War 3 in the culinary world, but here goes…..Is it just or me is anyone else out there ‘over’ coriander?  It seems to me that just about every Asian recipe now includes coriander – OK I may be exaggerating a little….but….

I was watching a lifestyle program the other night and they were making Sang Choi Bow….and included coriander.  I love this dish and have never seen it used in any of the restaurants where I have eaten it.  To my thinking, coriander would have to much flavour for such a sensitive dish.  Would you agree?

Coriander has it’s place – like every ingredient – but I am a little over it being used so much.  It has such a powerful punch to it that it can mask other subtle flavours in dishes.

Would love to hear what you think….

Also, I have just uploaded a new recipe.  Have strayed a little from the savoury and included one of my all time favourites – Boiled Fruit Cake.  This time I made them as little mini muffin sized cakes (using my Chef’s Toolbox mini muffin tray – no greasing needed) as I think they go further.  It is a lovely light recipe and the cakes freeze beautifully.  Great for cooking and storing for when unexpected guests arrive.  The smell of your kitchen when making these….ahhh….brings back very fond childhood memories.  Enjoy!!

...best served frozen

I must confess, I’m not a rebel. I have never been tempted to have my tongue pierced and I haven’t set off a fire alarm for a joke. But, recently, I discovered that there is indeed such a thing as a rule that was made to be broken. It was H that revealed it to me and we have never looked back. This rule is the misleading, if not downright cruel, one emblazoned on the side of pots of chocolate mousse reading ‘DO NOT FREEZE’. I don’t know about you, but to someone like me, that would sort of persuade me not to freeze what is a perfectly nice dessert…

And what a mistake that would be.

You might think I’m biased in favour of the frozen dessert (why I don’t know) but honestly, just try it. Pop a chocolate mousse in the freezer, close the door before you change your mind, then return after dinner and you will see it was completely worth it. Instead of the 30-second chocolate experience afforded by an unfrozen mousse, this lasts at least 67 seconds and is a delicious pot of frozen chocolatiness that you will want to repeat again.  If you have willpower, it might even last 5 minutes. A bit like a Frusi, you can always be in the mood for a frozen chocolate mousse – it’s light but chocolatey, cold but melting. Just a note: some mousses work much better than others. Sainsbury’s Be Good to Yourself Chocolate Mousse works very well; Cadbury’s Light Chocolate Mousse doesn’t quite have the smoothness you want - you may have to experiment a bit. Generally speaking, the higher the chocolate content, the greater the likelihood of success.

Sitting here far away from my cherished ice cream partner, I could just do with a cheering frozen chocolate mousse to rally my spirits. Unfortunately, my current abode does not boast a freezer (one of those experiences where you can scarcely imagine what a loss this is unless you have gone through it yourself) and I haven’t had any form of frozen dessert for two weeks. But you can, and must.

Hand it over slowly.....that's it.....

H is feeling rather lonely at the moment; V departed at the weekend to research ice-cream provision on the eastern side of the UK, and although H realises that any organisation must constantly refresh its knowledge base, she’s missing her a lot.  Luckily, H has techniques to call upon, developed and refined through the various ups and downs of her life to date, which are designed to target this sort of malaise. 

In the case of many of life’s ills, as is well known, chocolate is the answer: this is one of those clichés that happens to be true.   Insomnia, stress, anxiety, muscle pain, isolation, headache and lovesickness are just some of the conditions for which chocolate is the recommended treatment, although the word “chocolate” is perhaps so generalised in that sentence to be almost meaningless.  The pharmacopeia is extensive, and nuanced; one would not, for example, use chocolate buttons to treat a condition for which the solution was Divine Dark, nor imagine that Terry’s Chocolate Orange would be an adequate substitute for Maltesers.

In the case of missing your ice-cream partner, what’s required is chocolate ice cream, and the prescription here is equally specific.  Chocolate ice cream, in my childhood, was the brown side of a slab of Neapolitan: sweet and brown, yes, but no more chocolatey than another product of that era, chocolate cake covering.  Sadly, many restaurant outlets have evolved very little since then; if you have the choice, you’re often better to go for something like mint choc chip, which will actually taste of something, albeit occasionally toothpaste.  No, what is needed in a situation of extreme bereftness, when one’s ice-cream collaborator has headed off with a large suitcase and the expectation that she will not be back for 8 weeks, is real chocolate ice cream, tasting of real chocolate despite being in ice-cream form.

This is not the first time I have felt the need of chocolate ice cream; my quest began almost a decade ago and (having first had a go with a very simple recipe) saw me turning, as so often, to Robin Weir and Caroline Liddell.  Their book Ices has a reassuringly long chocolate-related list in the index, demonstrating that they do not subscribe to the heresy that “chocolate” is an undifferentiated term.  So they have Everyday Chocolate Ice Cream (I must admit to finding the idea of Everyday equally reassuring), Chocolate and Spice Biscuit, Chocolate Malted, Chocolate Parfait, Mars Bar, Rich Chocolate, Rocky Road: 14 recipes in all, 17 if you count white chocolate, which I don’t (but V would). And finally, The Ultimate Chocolate Ice Cream.  The Ultimate.  As in: no need to try any of the others; this will put all the rest in the shade; you have arrived at your journey’s end.

Except that I hadn’t; quite the opposite, in fact.  The method was too complicated for the novice ice-cream-maker I then was.  The text, though, was interesting, revealing that the recipe was an attempt to replicate the superlative chocolate ice cream produced by superlative Parisian glaciers, Maison Berthillon.  This was very useful information, because H and V were just about to decide on the destination for their annual holiday, and Paris seemed as good a choice as any. 

So that summer, as soon as seemed decent after accomplishing things like passport control, we headed for the Ile St-Louis, just along from Notre-Dame which is, itself, apparently seen by some as a necessary stop on the tourist itinerary.  As we walked, we talked about what else we might do, in between daily (or possibly twice-daily) trips to Maison Berthillon; the Arc de Triomphe, perhaps, the Eiffel Tower less likely, given its distance from the Ile St-Louis.  Lesser-known attractions such as the Musée Cluny and the Eglise St-Severin took on a new appeal, given that they are only one stop away on the RER.  Such were our thoughts as we strolled along in the early-August sunshine, past the boulangerie, the delicatessen, the chocolaterie, the cafés, until we reached the doors of Maison Berthillon.

Great doors they were, too; unfortunately, they were closed, with a notice proclaiming the dread words “Fermeture Annuelle”.  Yes, the greatest manufacturer of chocolate ice cream, a delicacy which one might think would be in greatest demand during the warmer months, closes for five or six weeks every summer.  Just to be clear about this:  Every.  Summer.  V and I used to think it was only in August, so the next year we booked our holiday in late July, to no avail.

Luckily, though, this was Paris, so quality food does not remain tantalisingly out of reach for long.  Walking back along the Ile St-Louis we began to notice the words Maison Berthillon on various cafés and shops we passed, too many for it to be simply the result of wishful hallucination on our part; and discovered that Berthillon, before departing on their annual holiday, supply their wonderful products to many other outlets.  So we were able to sample the Chocolat and, thanks to the franchise which operates as far across Paris as the Champs-Elysées, had opportunity to try the similarly-flavoured cacao extra-amer (extra-dark chocolate) sorbet as well.  (Over the years we’ve tasted lots of other Berthillon offerings, which will be dealt with at salivating length elsewhere.).  It should also be added that the Ile St-Louis has a branch of Cacao et Chocolat, who make their own ice cream as well as their own chocolate, and this would have been a very acceptable alternative (though it turned out, in our case, to be more of an “as well as” than an “instead of”). 

So, at last, we ordered our cones, took a taste, had another lick, savoured it, and almost purred with contentment.  “This is very good,” said V, “very very good; but hang on a minute, it reminds me of something I’ve had before.  What is it, do you think?”  (Continued below….).

Which brings me to the dilemma of how to describe Berthillon chocolate ice cream. The excellent blog Syrup and Tang  http://www.syrupandtang.com/200905/spring-harvest-in-paris/ puts it well: like cold liquid chocolate.  Of course, this gets me back into the issue of precision – does it mean cold liquid Galaxy, or cold liquid Divine, or cold liquid Lindor (now there’s a thought).  It has a good balance of sweet and darkly bitter.  The texture is excellent, like that of good chocolate, flooding the palate with beautiful flavour without any hint of greasiness.  But I realise that mere words can not convey taste.  It’s been said that “writing about music” is like “dancing about architecture” – one art cannot adequately communicate another – and writing about ice cream, particularly chocolate ice cream, particularly Berthillon chocolate ice cream, is clearly hopeless. 

So the (blindingly obvious) answer is to taste it.  For this you will need to follow one of the following four methods.

1)      Visit the Ile St-Louis out of season, when Maison Berthillon will be open, and order some of their chocolate ice cream and sorbet.

2)      Visit the Ile St-Louis in the summer, when Maison Berthillon will be closed, but where many local establishments are well-supplied with the necessary chocolate ice cream and sorbet.

3)      Buy the wonderful book Ices, and either spend some time developing your ice-cream-making skills, or enrol yourself in some Boost your Self-Esteem classes, until you feel ready to tackle the recipe for The Ultimate Chocolate Ice Cream.

4)      Have a go at making the recipe below, adapted from the book that came free with my ice-cream machine before last, and which is the most simple recipe you will find for chocolate ice cream.  Unbelievably (and most unfairly for those who have followed any of the previous three steps), it also tastes identical to Berthillon’s version; the continuation of H and V’s conversation was like this: H took another taste.  “Well, it is a little bit like – no, now you come to mention it, very like – the version I made from my old book.”  V nodded. “You’re right, it’s exactly like that.  Exactly.”

 So here it is, H’s version of the ultimate chocolate ice cream.  The adaptation I made from my old book was to cook the cocoa first; crucial, I think, to eliminate any raw bitterness and to allow the full chocolate aroma to emerge.

 Ingredients

 ½ pint (250ml) cold milk, skimmed or semiskimmed
5 tablespoons cocoa – Fairtrade is always best.
400g tin condensed milk 

Method

• In a saucepan, or a bowl over hot water, mix the cocoa into a smooth paste using some of the milk. 
• Gradually add the rest of the milk, and heat until the mixture just boils.  I use a ceramic saucepan – if you only have metal, you might be better using the bowl-over-saucepan method, so that the cocoa doesn’t catch and acquire a burnt taste.
• Remove from the heat, and stir in the condensed milk.
• Chill in the fridge.
• When really cold, pour into the ice-cream machine (or use the still-freeze method, beating every hour or so).

This one can be served straight from the freezer, which is another good thing about it.  Because when you are in physical, emotional or psychological distress, so that your whole being is crying out for chocolate, a twenty-minute defrosting delay is just not on.   When you need chocolate, including that in ice-cream form, you need it, how can I put this, Now.

Streamvale's Raspberry Sorbet

I don’t know about you, but I’ve always regarded the sorbet as a bit of a second-class citizen in the ice cream world. There’s something about it that just screams ‘virtuous’ and ‘boring’. Even now, after I have tasted some truly superb sorbets, I still have that irrational knee-jerk reaction against sorbets when I see them displayed alongside ice creams in an ice cream parlour. And there’s no denying it. Sometimes, only a 99 will do. Or indeed, some honeycomb ice cream…

But I am feeling a bit bad about my persistent, pointless and ultimately self-defeating prejudice against the sorbet and feel I should attempt to make amends. And really, there isn’t a better place to start than with raspberry sorbet – Streamvale Farm’s Raspberry Sorbet in particular. Because, before I had tasted this, I had never had the experience of preferring a flavour in ‘sorbet’ form to ‘ice cream’ form.  But raspberries, I think, are one of those fruits that are so intense that turning them into ice cream forces you to sacrifice that ‘raspberry-ness’ which sorbet, done well, completely preserves and even enhances. And Streamvale Farm does Raspberry Sorbet like no other. Shunning those impostors ‘raspberry flavouring’ and ‘raspberry sauce’, it is immediately apparent on tasting the sorbet that the flavour is down to raspberries – and nothing else. Of course, the sugar and lemon juice coax it into life – as they do with any sorbet – but there is nothing in the sorbet you wouldn’t put in yourself.

And yet…when H and I, longing to replicate that Streamvale Raspberry experience at home, turned our hands to making Raspberry Sorbet ourselves, alas we could not quite do it. Don’t get me wrong – the flavour was superb (this isn’t boasting – it’s down to the old faithfuls Caroline Liddell and Robin Weir whose recipe this is from the book Ices: The Definitive Guide ) and, if you can bear to let it sit for a while in advance, there isn’t too much of a problem. But we just couldn’t get that smoothness Streamvale achieved. Our sorbet was harder once frozen than Streamvale’s (and it isn’t just our freezer – we bought a 500ml tub of Streamvale’s Raspberry Sorbet to have at home) and thus, scooping was much more tricky. It was also just slightly less sweet than Streamvale’s version. 

[H interrupted at this point to say that we might as well be honest and admit that it was a 750ml Streamvale tub that we bought. However, it doesn’t really matter now that it’s all gone anyway.]

Nevertheless, here is a delicious recipe for raspberry sorbet and an absolute must for those who live too far away to taste Streamvale’s own. When I say too far away this means separated by sea and/or vast continental landmass. Otherwise, there is no excuse. Try some and you’ll know what I mean.

Our own raspberry sorbet

First you’ll need to make sugar syrup: on realising this V rolled her eyes and made a face which communicated something along the lines of ‘who could be bothered faffing about with sugar syrup’ (a face she often makes, as you can imagine) until she realised how mindbogglingly simple it actually is:

 For the Sugar Syrup (which will keep for 2-3 days in a covered jug in the fridge):

Use: 

1 kilo of sugar to 1 litre of water 
                        or
5 cups sugar to 4 cups water
                       or
 2lb 3 oz sugar to 32 fl oz water

This makes 1600ml / 6 and two thirds cups / 54 fl oz of syrup.

Method:

• boil water
• mix sugar and water together
• cover and allow to cool

Now for the Raspberry Sorbet recipe – it makes about 1 litre/4 cups/32 fl oz. According to the recipe you need to ‘pick over the raspberries, carefully discarding any suspect fruit’. We took ‘discarding’ to mean ‘eating’, and feel this is the sense in which the instruction was meant. Also, apparently, raspberries are so fragile they should not actually be washed. We didn’t wash them and we’re still alive, so I reckon this is probably good advice.

Ingredients:

• 450g / 1lb raspberries
• 375 ml / 1½ cups / 12 fl oz sugar syrup
• Juice of 2 strained lemons

Method :

1. Transfer berries to a food processor or blender.
2. Pour in the measured syrup and blend to a uniform pulp.
3. Have ready a plastic sieve positioned over a bowl.
4. Strain the pulp, rubbing the residue through until all that remains are the seeds.
5. Add the strained lemon juice, stir, cover and chill in the fridge
6. When ready, start the ice cream machine.
7. Pour in the chilled raspberry purée and continue to freeze until the sorbet is firm enough to serve. Or to store, quickly scrape into a plastic freezer box, cover with greaseproof paper and a lid.
8. If frozen hard, allow 20-25 minutes in the fridge to soften.

Note: we left out instructions 3 and 4 because we didn’t mind about the seeds and Streamvale’s raspberry sorbet – the benchmark – had seeds in it. This sorbet is really nice with nectarines or on its own.

Recipe comes from Ices: The Definitive Guide (Grub Street, 1995)