Foodie Issue 79: February 2016

issue 79 | february 2016 www.afoodieworld.com

Finger on the Pulse All the offerings of the new Southside food destination

The Sweetest Spots Where to treat your sweet this month

Beautiful Bakes Recipes to create your own by Gregoire Michaud

Go ahead and sugarcoat it

CEO Lily Ng CTO Derek Kean Editor-in-Chief Alicia Walker Editor-at-Large Celia Hu Digital Editor Keshia Hannam Creative Director Helen Griffiths Designer Robert Li Foodie Club & Events Manager Hannah Chung Head of Sales & Marketing Joseph Kwok Client Engagement Manager Kathryn Riley

Is there anything that says those three sweet little February words better than a great bake? If you’re stuck for ideas on how to show your feelings, why not put your emotions in the oven, turn it on to 350 and spell it out with an aroma-filled kitchen. We’d get the message. So, being the helpful little food sprites that we are, we enlisted the assistance of what is arguably Hong Kong’s best baker, Gregoire Michaud, to prepare some delicious recipes that will have you salivating by the time you hit the first page.

If you decide to dine out on that hectic evening of the 14th, or anytime really, we have teamed up with the Hong Kong Tourism Board to compile some of Hong Kong’s sweetest spots for an amorous evening of eating adventures.

How’s that for a mouthful?

And, if you haven’t gotten yourself over to the new food hotspot of The Pulse yet, we’ve also got the lowdown on all the restos you’ll find once you get there.

Just remember the old rule that stands true: to find the way to one’s heart, it’s best to go through the stomach.

Recipes

Sales Associate Philip Wong Developer Dale Foo Junior Digital Editor Cheuk Fung Photographer Sophie Jin

Alicia Walker Editor-in-Chief editor@afoodieworld.com

Foodie Panel

Food-loving folk who’ve helped us this month:

Published by Foodie Group, Suite 1401, 14/F, Wah Hing Commercial Building, 283 Lockhart Road, Wanchai, HK www.afoodieworld.com Printed by Teams Printing Co., Ltd.

Foodie is published monthly, 12 times a year. The contents of the magazine are fully protected by copyright and nothing may be reprinted without permission. The publisher and editors accept no responsibility in respect to any products, goods or services that may be advertised or referred to in this issue or for any errors, omissions or mistakes in any such advertisements or references. Foodie and the Foodie magazine logo are trademarks of Foodie Group Limited. All rights reserved.

Jennifer Liu

Cindy Lam

This extraordinary baker reveals his methods p.40

This cool coffee founder tells us about her beanbased business p.20

Bringing her vegetarian ways into our kitchens p.48

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If you’d like us to help you to promote your brand, please contact Joseph Kwok at sales@afoodieworld.com, 3791 2565

Gregoire Michaud

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C onte nt s 18 FOOD WAR

Foodie Quote of the Month “A recipe has no soul, you as the cook must bring soul to the recipe.”

- Thomas Keller

Battle of the breads! Which supermarket loaf will serve your sandwich best?

20 CHEWIN’ THE FAT… with Jennifer Liu, founder of The Coffee Academics

22 THE SWEETEST SPOTS Dine with a difference this Valentine’s Day

26 DECIPHERING

GERMAN BAKES This helpful infographic explains the brezel from the stollen

Cover story 40 BEAUTIFUL BAKES The master baker behind Bread Elements and Pastry Elements shows off some of his handiwork

29 FINGER ON THE PULSE We hit this new foodie hotspot in Repulse Bay to report on all the dining destinations

Keshia Hannam beats the food streets of Mumbai

In his dining column, Yalun Tu suggests how to wow a foodie at NUR

48 MEATLESS MONTHLY Cindy Lam gives us her gorgeous winter vegetables pesto salad

facebook.com/foodiehk // february 2016

33 FOODIE FORAYS

38 THE EVENT

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for starters

This month’s hottest news bites BRING ON THE PO’BOYS

DEADLY DRINK

A new taste of Louisiana has hit the hungry hearts of Wanchai in the form of Moonshine & The Po’Boys. This New Orleans-inspired restaurant will be serving up seafood of all descriptions from Alaskan king crab and seafood chowder to Spanish scarlet prawns, and of course a menu of po’boys sandwiches.

If you love a beautiful bottle to decorate your liquor cabinet, Iordanov Vodka have landed their five-times filtered spirit in Hong Kong. This boutique brand is known for its high quality and purity as well as sporting this limited edition stud-encrusted skull logo that will look as cool on your shelf as it feels going down your throat.

4 Sun Street, Wanchai, 2776 2668

$399 per bottle www.bev.hk

TEA-TOTAL Start Chinese New Year with an aromatic tale of the 15 teas created by Plantation and Candied Fish.

This wooden Tea Almanac comes with 15 different glass vials of teas ranging from Jasmine Blossom and Hojicha to Pu-Erh Tuocha and Snow Peony inspired by the traditions of Chinese history and packaged together with a story for each day. $460 available from www.candiedfish.com 04

SOTE-AFTER FLAVOURS Hong Kong’s favourite gourmet popcorn company SOTE is swinging into Chinese New Year with a brand new flavour. In honour of year of the monkey they’ve created “THE CABANA” – tropical banana with a swing of caramel. It’s got us salivating and stashing a bag in our desks to get us through the work week. Contact SOTE for customized gift options, catering ideas and bulk orders.

SOTE, 21 Robinson Road, Mid-levels www.sotehk.com

TAKE A LEAP

18 Salisbury Road, Kowloon, 2721 1211 www.hongkong-ic.intercontinental.com

twitter.com/foodiehk // february 2016

This happens to be a leap year and why not celebrate by taking that extra day and spending it with your best girls.

InterContinental have devised a luxurious way to spend it with a “Who Runs the World – Girls” getaway that includes an overnight stay, spot of pampering at the spa, breakfast, afternoon champagne tea set, cosmo cocktails and a late check out. It Starts at a teeth clenching $6,029, but then leap year comes but once every four years...

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the best of the bloggers

Q. Where is the best bread basket in HK? Chris Dwyer www.finefooddude.com The best bread basket for my money comes at Épure in Harbour City. Just a sensational line up of French classics from seriously-talented patissier Matthieu Godard, while no less than three butters to accompany do no harm.

Sharon Maloney www.jasmine-ginger.com Oh god. The bread basket - my kryptonite! I love, love, LOVE good bread and will happily forgo a larger meal in order to savour the bread basket. My favourite is at Mandarin Oriental Cafe Causette.

They do a small, crusty loaf with soft and chewy insides on a slate with creamy salty butter. In the past, they used to do little rolls of all kinds with some amazing black crispbreads - I yearn for those again.

Caprice also do amazing bread baskets. On a side note, anywhere that does Gregoire Michaud’s Bread Elements bread is a winner too. He’s a great baker.

Laura Williams www.mylittlehongkongkitchen. blogspot.hk One of the best bread baskets I have had in Hong Kong was from Isola. Their beautiful selection of homemade olive bread, sundried tomato bread, soft garlic focaccia and sea salt and rosemary crisp bread!

We finished the whole thing before we even got our drinks!

Ale Wilkinson www.thedimsumdiaries.com The bread basket at L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon is incredible. I was also impressed by the bread at Vasco, mainly because you get to choose from a selection of olive oils AND a selection of butters.

Although I try to avoid filling up on bread before a meal, there’s nothing quite like a freshly-baked roll with some good quality salted butter or extra virgin olive oil.

FEATURED FOODIE A Faster (and Less Tiring) Way of Kneading Bread Mabel Lui is a student baker who is passionate about all things food.

Her recent post makes baking a breeze, here’s an excerpt: Any bread baker knows the standard way of kneading bread: plop the dough on your (no doubt heavily floured) countertop, push out one side of the dough, fold it over itself, repeat. Personally, though, I find some problems with this method: 1.

It’s time consuming! When I first started baking bread at home, I found myself spending five minutes just getting my dough to a workable state, and at least another twenty to knead it.

2.

It’s tiring. Twenty minutes! Who wouldn’t be tired? Sure, it’s nice to pride yourself in “working out” your muscles, but personally I’d rather get my dough in a shorter period of time.

Wanna know the secret? Read the rest here: www.afoodieworld.com/mabellui/5525-a-fasterand-less-tiring-way-of-kneading-bread 06

the social foodie

Tempting Foodie-grams and funny food tweets we giggled over this month

@CelebrityChez

-Does it have apples in it?

-No. -What about pine?

-No pine either -Perfect, we’ll call it a pineapple.

@LouisPeitzman The dinner I was cooking for my family was going to be a surprise @Funnyoneliners

but the fire trucks ruined it..

50% of shopping carts have E.coli bacteria on them according to a recent study, and the other 50% have a wobbly wheel.

Waffle Affogato

@GarrettCake @instagramandrex

Get Involved! Join the Foodie community

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afoodieworld

www.afoodieworld.com // february 2016

I may not be able to walk the walk or talk the talk, but if you need somebody to drink the drink, then I’m your man.

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foodie club

Bazaar at Al Pasha We threaded our way through authentic Northern Chinese cuisine last month at Al Pasha and enjoyed a variety of special cocktails, shisha, belly dancing and even fortune telling, all in a single night, leaving us genuinely feeling like we were transported to the exotic delicacies of the XinJiang region.

Among the traditional dishes we sampled, we particularly loved the deep fried lamb spare ribs, which were fall-off-the-bone tender, smoky and not overwhelmingly gamey. The stir-fried green beans with ganbajun zang mushroom, almond and garlic were incredibly fresh and easily snapped in half upon biting and paired well with the punchy stir-fried chicken with chilli and bell pepper. If you were able to get past the initial heat, the meat was juicy and extremely flavourful, the sort of dish that goes amazingly well with a bottle of full-bodied stout like the SinKiang black beer offered at Al

Pasha, which is another item that you’ll have difficulty locating elsewhere. A selection of sweets ended the evening and we particularly enjoyed the ultra chewy red date puddings that left us feeling light and satisfied.

As the night went on, the more adventurous of our foodies joined in the belly dancers and shook their hips flawlessly, while others bravely faced their destinies as they had their fortunes told through tarot cards. We didn’t let their spacious canopied outdoor terrace go to waste either as we shared a shisha pipe with fellow foodies while surrounded by their charming Silk Road lanterns and lounged around their cosy couches.

If you’re looking for a fun and quirky night out, we highly recommend paying a visit to Al Pasha where you will be blown away by their incredibly alluring Middle Eastern vibe, beautiful terrace and perfectly satisfying exotic flavours.

Al Pasha Silk Road Cuisine Shop 401, Level 4, K11, 18 Hanoi Road, TST, Kowloon, 3122 4444

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foodie foodie club club

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tried & tasted

Fried egg with chorizo

Alma Shop OT 310, Level 3, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, TST, 3188 3668 尖沙咀廣東道17號海港城海運大廈3樓OT310 號舖 What is it? Meaning soul in Portuguese, Alma offers the kind of food Grandma would make, with authentic techniques and rich flavours.

The place: In Harbour City, this large restaurant has a nice spot overlooking the harbour with magnificent views and comfy chairs. All you need for a pleasant post-shopping meal.

The food: A selection of appetisers that make it tricky to settle on just one with piri piri chicken wings, fried egg with chorizo (that we could have eaten two of) a grilled pork ear salad, as well as the regular soup and salad of the day options.

Mains come in the form of lots of claypot dishes like the shrimp acorda (a tasty sort of bread soup with seafood), piri piri chicken (of course), Bacalhau fish cakes with tomato and red bean rice and dobrada fish with chorizo and chickpeas.

The set lunch is $108 for appetiser and main with unlimited house iced tea. They are serving a tea menu for tired afternoon shoppers to rest their feet over cakes and small bites, and a la 10

carte as well. Some signature dishes include a baked duck rice with chorizo, as well as an octopus rice, and a host of other fish options.

The dessert: Take-away Portuguese egg tarts are served up from a counter at the front. These baked lava-like ripples over an undercurrent of creamy custard and flaky filo pastry are heaven in a pleated paper wrapper and reason enough to drop by.

The verdict: If you’re craving Portuguese, this is an easy place to pop in and get your fix.

Afternoon tea

tried & tasted

Seafood paella

Verde Mar 24 Tai Wong Street East, Wanchai, 2810 0888 灣仔大王東街24號地下 What is it? Verde Mar means green sea in Spanish and is indicative of the plethora of seafood dishes in this new Mexican eatery making proper Mexican eats.

The place: Much more understated than the typical garish colours and celebratory feel adopted by most Mexican restaurants, Verde

The food: The chef imports all his goods, from the cactus and the hot sauce to the tomatoes and the cheese, directly from Mexico to ensure the authenticity of his flavours. They make their own tortillas, tacos and ice cream daily and you won’t find the Tex Mex style of covering everything in sour cream and cheese (although some dishes certainly exhibit a pleasant cheesy element). The tortilla chips comes with three salsas of varying levels of mildness and a good creamy gaucamole topped with fresh tomatoes and red onion. You can choose between the corn or flour soft taco wrap and we sampled both to find they were excellent. The tacos were our favourite dish of the night and came with pork, steak and vegetarian fillings. Uniquely, 80 per cent of the dishes can be made vegetarian, to the joy of my colleague, with us sampling the Mexican oaxaca string cheese dish topped with flavoursome mushrooms as opposed to the

www.afoodieworld.com // february 2016

Seven sea soup

Mar wears a more mellow, back garden feel with strung up star lanterns, subtle mustard yellows and a few obligatory sombreros dotted around the walls. Traditional Mexican music sets the tone for the properly authentic food prepared by the passionate chef and owner Eligio Escobedo from the former Mr. Taco Truck in Lan Kwai Fong.

11

tried & tasted

homemade chorizo. We also sampled a stuffed poblano that was teeming with vegetables, mozzarella cheese and had a consistent spice to it while the paella takes some getting used to. Mexico favours a very dry version compared to its saucier sister from Spain and despite the huge variety of seafood on top with squid, mussels, scallops and prawns and us piling on the hot sauce, we found ourselves wishing it was a bit wetter and more flavoursome. The prawn ceviche is served peppered with chilli seeds and cucumber, and you eat the cucumber either side of the seafood, like a sandwich, which is a cool and hot little number all in one. We loved the grilled cactus that was served with a squeeze of lime and had a deliciously meaty texture to it and was rather like a vegetarian steak with a firm exterior and soft fleshy inside tasting like a mixture of aloe and okra that really grew on us with each bite. The health benefits of eating cactus are renowned and we found ourselves wishing we could find it in the wet markets, such is the excitement of a change of veggie from the usual suspects. We were a bit blasé about the crispy halibut with button mushrooms and were happy to move on to the sweets at that point.

There are burritos and enchiladas for us to feast on another time, perhaps for lunch with their well-priced sets that start from $98. As they make their ice cream daily, we tried out the corn flavour of the day (last week was cactus) and it

New!

Verde Mar: Mexican oaxaca string cheese

was a strangely savoury experience for ice cream but blended well with the Mexican baked banana and could easily have passed for a starter rather than an ender. For anyone who isn’t a fan of a too sweet sweets, this dessert is for you.

The drinks: After indulging in a splash of our favourite Horchata and a delightfully sour yet sweet Hibiscus drink, we were stuffed like a Mexican pepper.

The verdict: Good, casual digs, authentic, reasonable eats, a well-priced lunch set and a new favourite edible plant equals the possibility of us returning to the green sea.

Sushi Tokami Shop 216A, Level 2, Ocean Centre, Harbour City, TST, 2771 3938 尖沙咀廣東道17號海港城海洋中心2樓216A號舖 Feast for the gods: The aptly named restaurant, in Japanese means “ten gods” and speaks of the great respect the purveyor pays to his customers. A relative newcomer in the prestigious Edomae sushi scene in Tokyo, the original Sushi Tokami in glitzy Ginza opened its doors in 2013, and was promptly awarded a Michelin star within its first year. The recent opening of Sushi Tokami in Harbour City is the brand’s first foray outside of Japan.

Sushi Tokami: Sea urchin (uni)

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The best cuts: A gracious offering of Tokami’s

tried & tasted

more. A selection of tiger prawn, blackthroat seaperch and anago (sea eel) sushi followed, concluding with the crowd-pleaser sea urchin.

The cake-like sweet tamago ended our meal on a sweet note, although Tokami’s version is more dense and wet than those of other high-end sushiyas. With the consistency of cheesecake rather than cake, and different from our expectations, was nevertheless delicious.

Verdict: A treat for the senses, serving exclusively omakase meals ranging from $600 to $2000. The quality ingredients and meticulous attention to detail reminds us of the great sushiyas of Kyoto and Tokyo. Despite its location in chaotic Harbour City, the venue is tucked away in a secluded corner, making it the ideal decadent culinary escape for any sushi lover worth his salt or shoyu.

Maguro nigiri

www.afoodieworld.com // february 2016

signature maguro tossaki temaki, a buttery, robust tuna sashimi wrapped in rice and rolled in a crispy sheet of nori, welcomed us to our omakase meal. Although chu-toro and o-toro (fatty tuna belly) are often the stars of a sushi meal, it is the “maguro� or lean cut of tuna that truly showcases the quality of the fish. The tossaki, a prized cut near the head of the tuna, is powerfully flavourful, and was the perfect accompaniment to the signature tanada-mai rice, seasoned with red vinegar. This particular type of rice hails from the mountains of Niigata, and is rich in minerals. This minerality was further emphasised by the red vinegar, which is fermented using natural sake yeast, and adds depth and savouriness to the rice. Following this epic start, we moved on to tender sweet tako (octopus), stewed with turnip. The abalone, steamed for hours until almost fork tender, yet still retaining enough bounce, came dipped in abalone liver sauce brimming with umami notes.

However, the liver sauce was not as smooth and creamy as the iconic version from revered Sushi Shikon. We meandered through delicious morsels of amberjack, cuttlefish, mackerel sushi before arriving at the three grades of tuna, starting at the leanest maguro and escalating to the o-toro. Each cut was sublime, with our favourite being the chu-toro (medium fatty tuna), which had just the right balance of fat and protein. The savoury depth of the red vinegared rice helped cut through the richness of the fish, leaving a clean aftertaste that left us craving for

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tried & tasted

New! Tartine 2-3/F, 38 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, 2808 0752 中環擺花街38號2-3樓 Whimsically French: With an interior fashioned around the whimsical style of the Belle Époque era, a “golden age” of relative peace, innovation and prosperity in France, Tartine is a recent addition to the casual French dining scene in Hong Kong. The first food and beverage venture by lifestyle group Art de Vivre, Tartine focuses on the humble, classic French open-faced sandwich. Michelin-starred Philippe Orrico of On Dining and Upper Modern Bistro adds a dash of star quality to the menu, which is packed with delicious combinations to layer over thick slices of crusty sourdough. The two-storied restaurant hosts a dining room with a bar and terrace upstairs, making it an ideal venue for the office crowd during happy hour.

Small bites: Our tasting commenced with classic French staples, ranging from pork rillettes du Mans ($68), to warmed buttered toasts sprinkled with fragrant black truffles ($138). Le Mans is renowned for its pork rillettes, and as a frequent visitor to the city, thanks to it being the hometown of the in-laws, I was pleased by the authenticity of the creamy spread. Each buttery 14

Tuna carpaccio

dollop had just the right ratio of tender strands of meat to creamy fat, making it dangerously addictive and devastatingly flavourful. If I just closed my eyes, I can almost imagine myself back at the family table in Le Mans sipping a sweet noble rot while indulging in thick smears of rillettes before the official start of dinner. The tuna carpaccio ($98) with crispy crostini, ponzu cream and white truffle oil was a refreshing palate cleanser following the rich, overly greasy truffled toast. Moving on to the main event, we sampled a trio of signature tartines, starting Crab and lemon aioli with artichoke

tried & tasted

Pork rillettes

from the decadent lobster and béchamel with lobster bisque ($138). The bisque was served on the side in order to preserve the crunchiness of the bread, although I felt that adding the soup to the tartine infused it with even more umami flavours. On its own, the lobster tartine was a bit too sweet, and the savoury bisque acted as a counterbalance. The goat cheese with roasted figs and Parma ham, drizzled in balsamic and honey ($98) was a delicious blend of sweet and savoury elements, with a bit of earthiness thrown in thanks to the cheese. Lastly, the crab and lemon aioli with artichoke, sundried tomatoes, and quail eggs ($108) had just the

right amount of tartness against the sweetness of the crab, with the welcome addition of creaminess from the eggs. By this point, we were pretty stuffed on bread. However, each of the desserts also arrived on slices of bread!

Although beautiful and delicious, the berries and mascarpone ($68) was too delicate to serve over crusty sourdough. The result was a lot of hard chewing that detracted from the lightness of the toppings. We had to scrape most of the topping off to enjoy on its own, as the bread was just too dense for the pairing to work. The Nutella over brioche with sprinkles and marshmallows ($58) sounded scrumptious, but was rather disappointing. It’s hard to fault anything smeared in Nutella, but the dessert arrived looking like an amateur attempt by a child to cook dessert at a kids’ cooking class. The brioche was on the dry side, and the whole dessert was heaped with processed sugar and food colouring.

We would suggest giving this one a miss. twitter.com/foodiehk // february 2016

Verdict: Four words - a lot of bread. The concept of casual small bites over bread is alluring, and this would work well for either breakfast, lunch or happy hour. However, this may not be substantial enough for the dinner crowd. We enjoyed the overall flavour pairings, but felt that the meal consisted too much of chewy sourdough. After all that chewing, we left with pretty sore jaws!

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tried & tasted

New! Bindaas 33 Aberdeen Street, Central, 2447 9998 中環鴨巴甸街33號地舖 What is it? Hindi slang for “chilled out”, Bindaas aims to blend beloved Indian street food dishes with traditional recipes and spices for a heated encounter between every diner and their shared small plates.

The place: Chic décor, high tables, and comfy long booths sitting just below the hype of Hollywood Road.

The drinks: We fell in love with the Sheikh. This chilli, coriander, fresh mango and vodka cocktail had such a powerful kick but still expertly meshed the flavours that all work famously well together. We moved on to the waters of the Indian Ocean afterwards and this gin, lemongrass and cucumber concoction was refreshing and helped offset some of the heat from the flavourful dishes.

The food: We started things off with the Saag Gosht that was a spinach and goat keema with peas served with sweet buns that was such a hit, we fought over the last morsels. The Naanza is their version of pizza (naan + pizza) and I tell ya, it’s better than regular pizza. We sampled the chicken and the beef, smothered with cheese and Makhani tomato gravy and both were gooey slices of Hindi heaven. Sevpuri is a popular street food and they do a delightful version of it with a strong, spicy zest while the slowcooked pork Vindaloo was tasty and everything you would want from a great curry dish. The 16

broccoli and cauliflower dish was served with a yoghurt chutney that made it more delicious than we thought possible of vegetables flying solo. We sampled the Varaak dessert, which was delivered with an edible silver foil encasing rose pannacotta that tasted much like an edible perfume. Depending on your taste buds, this may or may not appeal. We preferred the creamy Kulfi ice cubes made with saffron milk and the Bombay-style chai that is made by cooking the tea leaves, sugar and milk all together very slowly and results in a texture like hot chocolate that we savoured at great length.

The verdict: Our favourite Indian restaurant in Hong Kong. With dishes you’ll recognise, but presented with clever touches and wonderful flavours, and just the right amount of spice that coats the mouth with hot chilli but leaves the taste buds in tact for tasting. And the surprising discovery that their cocktails are as tasty as their dishes, make this an excellent after work meeting place. We will be frequent visitors.

Keema

tried and tipsy

Ham & Sherry - Back Bar 1-7 Ship Street, Wanchai, 2555 0628 灣仔船街1-7號地下 What’s new? The Back Bar at Ham & Sherry has a unique list of bootleg movie-inspired cocktails that cater to film buffs and people who like to drink.

twitter.com/foodiehk // february 2016

The drinks: An extensive list of libations includes a coffee cocktail, as well as a grapefruit ice cube, and all are spiced up with hints of cinematic cult classic references. The creative menu initiates a guessing game of trying to decipher the cryptic references that combine different spirits with retro films. Choose from cocktails such as There’s Something About Sherry, Pineapple Expresso, Sake Kid, and Ron Burgundy, and enjoy the play on words as the films come to life in the form of delicious alcoholic drinks.

Perfect for prepping for the Oscars a little early (and a little blurry), the new cocktails at Ham & Sherry’s Back Bar are quite simply some of the coolest we’ve seen in Hong Kong. The concoctions by award-winning Ryan Nightingale are fresh, fun, imaginative and very easy to imbibe. Our favourites are the Cocchi Horror Picture Sloe (#wouldorderforthename) and the Sex Panther (obvs).

17

food war

ROMAN MEAL

LIFE

Price: $17.20

Price: $12.30

Looks: The lightest in colour, this loaf looked

Looks: Retro orange checked packaging with

like white bread with some token grains thrown

a deep caramel colour to the smaller, rounded

into it. Made with vegetable fat and containing

slices sporting a shapley crust that make this an

a whopping 8 grams of sugar, the ingredients

all round inviting looking loaf.

listed both honey and brown sugar though neither were advertised on the packaging.

Flavour: An appealingly yeasty, farm-like smell with a bouncy texture that reforms when finger

Flavour: Obviously this one tasted very sweet

poked. Boasting no lard but instead soybean

with a dense consistency that one of our tasters

oil and 4.5 grams of sugar, this was a sweeter

referred to as “the most like cardboard�.

tasting, wheatier and smoother bread. More

This one would hold up under the weight of a

substantial than the others, this 14 slice bake

mountainous filling.

was a decent contender in the overall bread

Verdict: Spread with butter or jam, this would be fine as a slice of toast.

Foodie rating:

game.

Verdict: Likely to hold up under considerable sandwich filling pressure.

Foodie rating:

18

Which everyday supermarket loaf has what it takes to bring home the bacon?

GARDEN

M&S Price: $25

Price: $11

Looks: Pretty standard transparent packaging

Looks: This whole wheat contender is packaged

for this 11 slice loaf with the darkest hue of the

up in a clear no nonsense bag but strangely

bunch and the only one imported from the UK.

minus the bread ends which, although no one

Flavour: The nice solid crust on this one led into the strongest wheat flavour of all the supermarket loaves. 3.3 grams of sugar seemed

actually wants to eat the bread ends, still feel eerily absent in this manufactured loaf. Where do all the bread ends go?

pretty average but the use of palm oil just

Flavour: Like eating a pillow of air. Flavourless,

reminds us that orangutans are dying and an

odourless, and uniform, without much of a

alternative should be found.

chew to this eight slice pack. Thin slices, with a

Verdict: Despite housing the best flavour and all of our top choice in the blind tasting, you shouldn’t really need to fly bread across the globe. So even though it tasted best, we just couldn’t give it top marks.

Foodie rating:

moister consistency that doesn’t bounce back if you pinch it, suggest it may mould quicker than a dryer variety. Made with soybean oil and only 1.5 grams of sugar per slice, this bread doesn’t have a lot to it.

Verdict: If there are no other breads on the shelf, this’ll do.

Foodie rating:

www.afoodieworld.com // february 2016

19

chewin’ the fat

Chewin’ the fat with...

JENNIFER LIU She is the founder of The Coffee Academics, a brand that promises a full blown coffee experience. We discover her take on Hong Kong’s bursting java culture

How did The Coffee Academics come to be?

My father was very supportive of allowing me to explore the world and uncover my passions at an early age. So since I was a young girl, I travelled to Europe and immersed myself into its rich coffee and wine culture. This unearthed my love for cafés and the third space; and eventually led me to the establishment of Caffe Habitu in 2003. In time, I observed a mounting ardour in specialty coffee and I wanted to pioneer this concept in Hong Kong with a brand that exclusively purveys quality specialty coffee and offers a proper education to connoisseurs and practicing professionals alike. This was how The Coffee Academics was born.

Why do you think coffee has become so popular, and almost like a hobby, in Asia?

As our world becomes increasingly connected, so follows the spread of laudable ideas, concepts, cultural practices and importantly, food and drinks. Asia’s rising enthusiasm in coffee stems 20

from its fascination in coffee’s rich history, complex production processes and definitely its aromatic taste – a journey that can never end as long as one continues and is willing to explore. And I would add that Asia is not just progressively keen in coffee, but they’re also diving into the realm of specialty coffee.

Coffee satisfies human curiosity in too many ways - whether it’s learning about the technical aspects of growing and production, to being

What’s involved in a coffee cupping class?

Our coffee cupping class is a teaser into the exciting world of experiencing coffee in a whole new way. Our dedicated coffee trainer will take you through the history and origins of a selection of coffee beans and help you smell, taste and conduct your own profiling of each blend and form your own unique justification, judgment and preference for each blend.

...Asia’s rising enthusiasm in coffee stems from its fascination in coffee’s rich history... mindful of the geographical and social issues in coffee growing regions; to finally, one almost becomes an epicure through coffee appreciation and tastings – such abundance of senses are provoked and enjoyed. There’s also such a human touch that comes from coffee too - relationships forged from having shared a cup together - and that’s indispensable to its formation as a popular hobby to many.

What are your coffee-related plans for the future? We are excited to be expanding to Singapore’s esteemed Orchard Road precinct at the end of this month with a 3,000 square foot flagship. It encompasses seven innovative sensory stations. These include an espresso bar, a slow brew kiosk, a custom blend concierge, a roasting station and more. And in March, we’re planting our first China outlet in Shanghai’s French Concession precinct. I am thankful that I have coffee to help me get through it all!

www.afoodieworld.com // february 2016

In your view, is it for the best for coffee to be taken the way the coffee shop intends or more important to adhere to your own personal preferences? At The Coffee Academics, we pride ourselves on working really hard to provide a unique and differentiated coffee experience for our guests. Not only do we have strong recommendations on how to drink coffee in a certain manner, we educate our guests on how we arrive at our particular conclusions. We offer a rich selection so that every palate is indulged. And because we are such advocates of personal preferences, our exclusive custom blend service helps us connect with our customers to create a unique blend and style that suits everyone’s personal preferences. I would think one should try the recommendations set by individual specialty coffeehouses to see what flavours and experience each tries to communicate through its coffee. Honestly, one may like it or hate it but ultimately each person’s palate is different and we are the best to know who we are and what we like.

If you had to choose: the taste or the smell of a freshly brewed cup of joe? Oh! That’s a tough one to decide! I do not think that coffee is complete without either one.

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The Sweetest Spots

Seek out some of this city’s more unique dining spots to set the mood for a romantic and memorable meal

brought to you by

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Here are a collection of some of Hong Kong’s most unique dining sites in which to stage a romantic restaurant rendezvous. Whether you can engineer a movie-like montage of cutesy moments like the shriek of delight that will ensue after revealing a hidden bar behind an unassuming umbrella shop, the surprise embrace you might win after scoring a strike on your last bowl, or simply an arm around the shoulder while snuggling into a bamboo eating pod overlooking the sea, these choices veer from the obvious for a satisfying session of amourous eating.

Dine in the dark Alchemy, 16 Arbuthnot Road, Central, 6821 2801 Take away one of your senses so you can concentrate on the sound of each other’s voices in this pitch-black sensory eating experience.

Your sight is literally removed, heightening all your other senses (especially your taste buds and sense of smell) as you are guided through this mouth-watering menu. Throughout the evening, they tell you when they serve a dish, but they don’t reveal what you’re actually eating! So, you get the added fun of trying to guess what’s in front of you but can also rest assured that even though you might not know what it is, it will be deliciously prepared by French chef Pascal Breant.

Must eat dish: Venison carpaccio Average price: $1,000 for two Get the white glove treatment Amigo Mansion, 79A Wong Nai Chong Road, Happy Valley, 2577 8993

Must eat dish: Filet of beef Average price: $1,800 for two

facebook.com/foodiehk // february 2016

Where good old manners and tuxedoed waiters will do all the wooing work for you, Amigo is one of Hong Kong’s most long-standing eateries.

And there’s a reason it has endured; dating back to 1967, this gourmet French restaurant has continued to excel in beautiful food, gorgeous surroundings and exceptional service that will impress any lucky companion you bring to dine here. Located in Happy Valley near the racecourse, you can always try your luck at the races after your meal.

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Strike it lucky Beach Bums and Cannibals, 4/F Centro, 1A Chui Tong Road, Sai Kung, New Territories, 2657 8488 Have you ever thought to yourself, tonight I would love to go bowling but I also want to enjoy a spot of fine dining? Well, the clever minds at Beach Bums and Cannibals had the exact same thought and decided to combine the two into a one-stop-shop for bowling and elegant eating.

Celebrate your date’s first strike, and the elated cuddle that follows, at this ten pin Tiki Tiki bowling alley and fine dining restaurant for a bite of steak and lobster after you lay down those pins. Located in Sai Kung, you’ll be right on the water if you want to take in the sunset or skinny dip.

Must eat dish: Flaming Boston lobster Average price: $1,600 for two

Engage in a little role play Popsy Modern Kitchen, 5/F, The Wellington, 184 -198 Wellington Street, Central, 2907 8188 This “art-meets-all-day-dining” restaurant engages customers with different experiences while they eat. The newest experience on offer at Popsy Modern Kitchen is a decadent eightcourse dinner and a new identity given to each diner with a set of hilariously naughty questions to ask your dining partner. You may find yourself playing a pilot on a stopover or a nurse on break from the late shift; who knows? And that’s part of the fun. Every month this interactive eatery does something different to engage its patrons and make every meal here a memorable occasion.

Must eat dish: Slow cooked egg Average price: $2,700 for two 24

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Discover a hidden gem Foxglove, 2/F Printing House, 6 Duddell Street, 2116 8949 Show your love somewhere secret with a brand new speakeasy that only those in the know can find. Stroll through the opulent corridor of glass cases that at first appears to simply be the faรงade of an upmarket umbrella store, but then with the pull of one particular umbrella, a sliding wall reveals Foxglove; a classic cocktail bar designed to look like an airline hangar. Decked out with leather booths and live jazz for easy conversation if the coolest place to try putting the moves on your date.

Must eat dish: Kimchi beef tartare Average price: $1,200 for two

Let the scenery do the talking TRi Restaurant, Shop 302, 3/F, Lobby C, The Pulse, Repulse Bay, 2515 0577

Must eat dish: Beef short ribs Average price: $2,000 for two

facebook.com/foodiehk // february 2016

Relax with the sounds of the sea while you dine in a lotus-shaped bamboo pod at TRi in Repulse Bay. This new Balinese restaurant is visually stunning and outfitted with various different woods throughout for a calming and wowing aesthetic. They also serve up a menu of Indonesian delights to tempt the taste buds and are located directly on the beach if you fancy a seaside stroll before or after your meal.

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Finger on the Pulse facebook.com/foodiehk // february 2016

We’ve got the skinny on all the new eateries in the reawakening of Repulse Bay

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finger on the pulse

Since Limewood burst onto Hong Kong’s food scene in a blaze of glory, we have perked our ears and readied our stomachs for the goings-on of the south side of Hong Kong Island. The Pulse has become a lifestyle hub of food, leisure and exercise-centric activities that cater to the surrounding residents as well as attracting those from further afield.

Limewood, Shop 103-104, 2866 8668 Starting with Limewood, Maximal Concepts parade their expertise once again, through effective utilisation of the network of skilled chefs and cleverly executed concepts. The panAsian, South American, Hawaiian vibes with befitting décor have meant high praise for the group’s newest venture, and we personally pine for their Vietnamese tacos and charred pina colada on a regular basis.

Classified, Shop 107, 2351 3454 Slotted close by is Classified, who with this addition to their location list, now have a total of ten stores in Hong Kong. Known for their cheese, breakfasts and array of healthy smoothies,this staple is one for the wellness conscious as well as the breakfast-lovers.

The Coffee Academics, Shop 108, 2511 1902 The Coffee Academics have upped their game significantly in the past three months, with two new stores opening across HK Island, one on Wan Chai Road and the other in the Pulse. This California outcrop is a little more café style than the normal ‘start a book club’ vibe their other stores reverberate with, but still with the same high quality coffee and expert baristas. We are yet to find a match for their piccolo latte.

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finger on the pulse

Chicken on the Run, Shop 112B, 2537 1655 Chicken on the Run is a Mid Levels import that touts Australian style dishes. Whether they’re to be as popular as the other chicken-focused restaurants around the city is to be seen, but their offers of Australian style beers and wine might fit very nicely on the beach.

Meen & Rice, Shop 113, 2566 8886 JIA can do little wrong we’ve discovered, and after scorchers like Chachawan, Aberdeen Street Social, Ham & Sherry and Duddells, it would seem like the group are ready to dominate the Southside too. Meen & Rice is a venture that focuses on the local home-style food that many grew up with. Think congees, cheung fun, roast goose and claypot chicken.

Hotshot, Shop 114-115, 2515 1661

twitter.com/foodiehk // february 2016

Hotshot is part of the group that brought us Bibo.

The restaurant concept is New American cuisine with a cool vibe and grunge walls peppered with skateboards to match the steel cafeteria-style chairs. The head chef hails from a fine dining background and although you’ll find boozy milkshakes and a cheeseburger on the menu, the dishes are more on the gourmet side than its casual moniker and décor would have you believe.

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finger on the pulse

Shoku, Shop 109, 2808 2333 Also beach-side is this elegant Japanese robatayaki that utilises only high quality ingredients to make its beautifully presented dishes. The sister restaurant of refined Kishoku in Causeway Bay, it’s relaxed yet sophisticated and the focal point of the restaurant centres around the massive open grill and kitchen, complete with wrap-around counter seating. Shoku is effortlessly chic and would make for a great intermission or finale to a day on the beach.

TRi, Shop 302, 2515 0577 TRi brings the magical and exotic cuisine from the island of Bali to the concrete jungle of Hong Kong. TRi is Hong Kong’s first Balinese restaurant, sparking a new attraction for foodies to visit. Beautifully imagined and decked out in modern interior elements, TRi faces Repulse Bay’s sea view, capturing a laid back vibe reminiscent of weekend getaways in the hidden beaches of Bali. The restaurant uses authentic recipes, drawing from Balinese festivals and day-to-day dishes of the islanders themselves.

Balinese cuisine is known for their rich, lingering flavours, which TRi highlights through the use of spices, aromatics, coconut, shrimp paste, palm sugar, tamarind, lemon basil and chilli, forming an explosion of flavours with every bite.

The Ocean, Shop 303-304, 2889 5939 An under the sea eating adventure with a carefully curated and lavish décor, fresh sustainable seafood dishes and a view over the bay that’ll attract diners day and night.

The Pulse, 28 Beach Road, Repulse Bay

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Foodie Forays

MUMBAI

www.afoodieworld.com // february 2016

cover photo by: Shekar

In this month’s Foodie Forays, Keshia Hannam explores the vibrant and ever-changing cultural capital of India

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foodie forays

DAY 1 If any city can claim to be one of contrasts, it’s Mumbai. The country of extremes culminates in this city, which hosts every type of person and experience, making it one of the most memorable places you can visit. It’s said more dreams are realised and extinguished in Bombay (which is how most locals refer to it) than any other place in India, and that is perhaps the magic which makes it both thrilling and overwhelming at the same time. The food is as varied as the people, and the street food in particular is as delicious as you’ll find in the best fine dining establishments.

Arrive 10am from Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport Allow 40 minutes to one hour to get to downtown Bombay (taxis are the best way to get from the airport and the rate is stated before leaving the airport).

Recommended accommodation: Four Seasons in Worli which is 15 minutes drive from Colaba and has an exceptional rooftop bar as well as a restaurant that serves four types of cuisines that are all outstanding.

Mumbai than a restaurant. Order anything that has the word “Leopold’s” in front of it, the chicken or paneer tikka masala, a fresh carrot juice and makai roti, which is an Indian flat bread made with corn flour, spices and chillies. Dessert should involve a cheesecake from their extensive cabinet.

Leopold Cafe S.B. Singh Road, Colaba Causeway, 022 3015 1919 www.leopoldcafe.com

12 noon Arriving in Mumbai is a confronting experience no matter how many times you may have visited. An assault on all the senses, it’s best to orient yourself by wandering around South Bombay/Colaba area, which is known for its nightlife and tourist pulls.

Ease the stomach in by starting with lunch at the famed Leopold Cafe, setting of the beloved novel Shantaram, as well as one of the locations that was attacked in the 2008 shootings (the bullet holes in the walls can still be seen today). It has also been open since 1871 and is more so an institution of 34

Makai roti

foodie forays

7:30pm Cafe Mondegar is the other stalwart of Mumbai’s downtown dining scene and still stands strong in all its legendary glory. At Cafe Mondegar you will also get a chance to try Indian Chinese, a much loved quirk Indians go crazy for. This newfangled cuisine involves taking Chinese cooking and adding Indian adaptations. The style is not regional or executed with overwhelming accuracy, but takes robust flavours like Sichuan and Manchurian and inserts Indian familiarities like paneer, gobi and mutton.

At Mondegar try the chilli chicken, Sichuan noodles and a masala omelette.

Cafe Mondegar Reality Tours

3:30pm - 5:30pm Mumbai’s wide lanes and narrow alleyways are alive with activity. In front of colonial buildings, alongside temples, and everywhere in between, vendors shout from carts selling everything from colourful birds and flowers to traditional Indian clothes and food. Take a tour of the markets for 1,000 rupees (around $100 HKD) with Reality Tours.

Reality Tours is a social business that uses a profit sharing model to fund a sister-NGO–Reality Gives.

Eighty percent of their post-tax profits go directly to Reality Gives which runs high quality education programs in Bombay, Rajistan and Delhi. They also organise a 6:30am bike tour and a street food tour, both of which are eye opening and offer a more offpiste tourist experience.

Reality Tours

5A, Metro House, Shahid Bhagat Singh Road, Colaba, 022 2202 0591 10:00pm One of the most happening places in Bombay, Colaba Social, is a fitting end to day one. Unfinished bare walls, bulbs that hang from the ceiling and an array of leather couches shout rugged chic and those who frequent the venue stick to a similar theme. The bar menu is brief (for India), which is good, as you’re here for the deconstructed Moscow Mule and Hot Shoddy; a warming combination of brandy, honey, cinnamon, cloves and slices of apple and orange.

Colaba Social 24, Ground Floor, Glen Rose Building (Behind Taj Mahal Palace), Apollo Bunder, Colaba, 022 2282 8484 www.socialoffline.in

www.realitytoursandtravel.com 6:00pm Watch the sunset on your first day in Mumbai at one of the rooftop bars. Cloud 9 and Cafe Marina in South Bombay are both highly recommended.

Hotel Godwin, 41 Garden Road, Colaba, 022 2287 2050 Marina Cafe 26, P.J. Ramchandani Marg, Apollo Bunder, Colaba, 022 2287 2050, www.seapalacehotel.net

www.afoodieworld.com // february 2016

Cloud 9

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foodie forays

DAY 2 9:30am If yesterday was for ticking off the ‘must do’s in Bombay’, today is for renegade exploring like a local. Spend a few hours this morning walking Marina Drive, watching college students flirt, and taxi drivers take a nap on the sea wall. The streets between Colaba and Marina Drive are teeming with juice stalls and sandwich makers, samosas and pani puri stands. Seek out a typical Bombay masala sandwich (a simple combination of crustless white bread stuffed with tomato, potato dusted with masala, cucumber, onion and green chutney), a samosa in pav (pav means bread in Hindi; so yes this is truly a #carbsoncarbs situation) and a fresh pomegranate juice. All this should come to a total of about 15 to 20 HKD. Grab your treats and then find a cricket game, often playing at places like the Islam Gymkhana.

mean cutting chai at the Prithvi Cafe) to the Hive; a one of a kind eco-system focused on supporting and furthering the arts and technology. Spend the afternoon engaging with and in experimental workshops, film screenings, salsa classes, experimental comedy, social activist seminars, an art gallery, boardgames and endlessly more (check their Facebook page to see the highlights on any given day).

Prithvi Theatre Janki Kutir, Juhu Church Road, 022 2614 9546, www.prithvitheatre.org

The Hive 50 - A, Huma Mansion (Opposite Ahmed Bakery), Chuim Village Road, Khar West, +91 96199 62969, www.alivehive.org

Marine Drive Jogging Track Chowpatty, Girgaon Islam Gymkhana 75-A, Netaji Subhash Road, Marine Lines 12 noon Time to head to the trendy suburb of Bandra, known as the Beverly Hills of Bollywood. Between Bandra and Juhu Beach there is a number of cultural activities to be occupied with, from the Prithvi Theatre in Juhu (founded in 1975 with the aim of promoting Hindhi theatre–they also serve a 36

Bridge to Bandra

foodie forays

AER bar

5:00pm Medal for ‘best Bombay bar to watch the sunset’ would probably have to go to AER at the top of the Four Seasons in Worli. Spend a couple of leisurely hours here sipping cocktails made by their Diageo World Class competition winning bartender. Varun says of his style: “I like spice and bitter drinks - star anise and cinnamon are favourites, so too are wild gooseberries here in India – which are less sweet than the western ones.”

about eggplant in ways you haven’t before, and the tandoori seabass chutneywali which is the epitome of modern Indian cooking. Taking the exotic fish and marinating it with distinctly Indian flavours, this dish is one of the best you might ever taste.

San-Qi 114 Four Seasons Hotel, Dr E Moses Road, Worli, 022 24818000, www.fourseasons.com/mumbai/dining/ restaurants/san_qi

AER Lounge 34/F, Dr. E. Moses Road, Worli, 022 2481 8000, www.fourseasons.com/mumbai/dining/lounges/aer 7:30pm

Saag Paneer

facebook.com/foodiehk // february 2016

Descend back to the ground floor of the Four Seasons and over to their restaurant, San-Qi, for Indian food that’s refined and crave-worthy.

The restaurant has four cuisine types on offer, which at first made us dubious, as more often than not, restaurants cannot do justice to such a variety of cuisines. This is not the case at San-Qi, where the Thai, Japanese, Indian and Chinese sections all have respective chefs to wow guests with their cooking. All the cuisines are done well and there is a vegetarian option for nearly every carnivorous listing on the menu. Must try dishes in the Indian sector include: garlic flavoured prawns from Southern India, baingan bartha (like the babaganoush of India) which will make you think

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The Event Upfoodie a foodie Yalun Tu explains how to display your fine gastronomic intelligence with an evening at NUR

My friend Mari loves to eat. I settled with italicizing the word to convey her true enjoyment of food, but I should probably bold, underline, caps, and have an announcer yell the word “LOVES!” in your face when you open this article. She reads blogs, prays to the Michelin guide, overseasons her Instagram, and dreams in duck confit. A typical conversation we have: “Mari, have you heard that Noma is clos–“ “yes and it’s heartbreaking but Redzepi is opening an urban farm in 17 so that’s good.” Well, ok then.

Suffice it to say, it’s a mission to find somewhere to eat that’s cool, different, and impressive when Mari comes to town.

Enter NUR, a Lyndhurst terrace spot who makes food with this philosophy:

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Okay, admittedly that wasn’t helpful at all.

Allow me to explain in my words: NUR makes light, European-inspired dishes that are fresh, visually stunning and oh so nom. It’s whatever the European equivalent of an oasis is here in Hong Kong – airy, savoury, with flavours to impress the foodiest of foodies. We had the tasting menu that comprised about ten dishes.

presentation though.

Hen of the Woods The staff was particularly proud of the dish and I agreed. Maitake, goji, and mushroom broth gave this both a high-end dining feeling but with the warmth of something you might eat at grandma’s house. A standout.

Sea Bream Not my fav. I found the bream a bit chewy. Check plus on the tomatoes though. I love tomatoes so I’d probably just drown my bream in tomatoes and call it a day.

Goose Ham

Here were the highlights:

NUR, 3/F, 1 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, 2871 9993

Golden Egg

www.afoodieworld.com // february 2016

Winter Appetisers These consisted of cumin cultured cream, a carrot reduced to almost a liquorice, and vegetable foam. It was great. The carrot in particular was the platonic ideal of a carrot, something I haven’t seen much of outside Copenhagen. “What’s this?”

“What’s this?” is an important rallying cry of foodies, along with tasting something and staring at everyone around and going “MMMMM”. Mari and I did both.

Goose Ham I could spill a lot of ink discussing the thick, juicy, fatty meats. But look at the pictures (above) people! That’s why you open a food magazine, right?

Golden Egg A key component or NUR is to take something simple and play with it – an “egg” with a base of a delicious oil that you could dip crunchy bits into.

It looked good, tasted good and I felt good. I said, “this is good.” It was good.

Goose Hot Pot I enjoyed the goose hot pot with daikon, radishes, on top of goose with a nice broth poured in. The knock with Chinese food is often its heaviness, so this lighter version provided a good balance of east and west, which I strongly believe in, as I’m halfAsian. Mari ate every bite.

Hamachi The Hamachi was so good that I probably didn’t need the sauces. Lightly cooked, bite sized, could eat it with a spoon. I’m with the Japanese on this – just let flavourful fish do its thang. Beautiful

Mari and I ate and marveled and chewed and laughed and drank far too much wine and enjoyed our dinner immensely. The service was good and things came on time and hot, which is important given how most people insta everything they eat these days. Besides the bream, my only other critique is that there are a lot of sauces. It can be a bit “saucy”, similar to how that Fat Duck is a bit “foamy” (shout-out to the real foodies who got that joke!) But if you want to take someone who loves food and introduce him or her to something familiar yet different, I’d hop to NUR for a tasting, loosen your belt, and have your best “I told you so” smirk ready for your foodie friend.

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recipes

Beautiful Bakes Gregoire Michaud of Bread Elements, and his new Pastry Elements, gives away some of his secrets to help us produce our own delicious kitchen aromas with the flavours to match

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recipes

APPLE SOURDOUGH CHARLOTTE Prep time: 50 mins Cooking time: 20 mins with overnight chilling Makes: 1 Charlotte

Ingredients: • 1 Honey Rye Sourdough loaf • 100g caster sugar • 15g butter • 3 apples, preferably Ariane • 1tsp yellow pectin • 60ml fresh apple juice

ROUGH COCONUT ROCHER Prep time: 10 mins Baking time: 12 mins Makes: 25 to 30 pieces

Ingredients: • 230g caster sugar • 125g desiccated coconut • 75g egg white (approx. whites of 2 eggs) • A pinch of salt • 30g cake flour Method: 1. Mix all the ingredients in a saucepan except the flour. Stir the mixture over a medium heat to get rid of some moisture. You want to only heat it to around 60°C. 2. Add the flour and mix well. Create little balls and allow them to dry for 30 minutes at room temperature. Bake at 195°C for 12 minutes.

facebook.com/foodiehk // february 2016

Method: 1. Cut the sourdough loaf into 1cm thick slices and into 5cm squares. Pan-fry the squares with butter on one side to create a dark brown colour.

2. Encase a 16cm round baking tin with aluminium foil to prevent the caramel from leaking and place the squares around the inside of the greased cake ring.

3. For the apple wedges, heat 40g of sugar in a saucepan and cook until it reaches a dark caramel colour. Add butter at this stage to stop it turning any darker.

4. Peel, core and cut one apple into eight wedges and cook in the caramel for three minutes.

Take off the heat and keep aside.

5. For the compote, caramelise 40g of sugar until it turns dark amber. Peel and dice the remaining two apples, add to the sugar and mix gently.

6. Mix the yellow pectin with the remaining 20g sugar and add to diced apples, along with apple juice and cook for five minutes.

7. Place some of the caramelised apple wedges nicely in the bottom of the mould. Fill the mould with the compote and cover the top with a few squares of bread.

8. Bake at 200°C for around 20 minutes, cool and store in the fridge overnight.

9. To serve, decorate with whipped cream flavoured with maple syrup and sliced fresh apple.

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recipes

Confit Tomatoes and Thyme Roux Brioche 42

recipes

CONFIT TOMATOES AND THYME ROUX BRIOCHE Prep time: 20 mins plus 3 hours proving time Baking time: 20 mins Makes: 1 dozen

Ingredients: • 70ml water • 175g strong white bread flour • 75g cake flour • 30g white sugar • 5g salt • 7g dry yeast • 2 eggs • 120ml full fat milk • 80g soft butter Toppings • A few sprigs of thyme • Handful of cherry tomatoes • olive oil • 2 cloves garlic • Pinch salt • 1 egg for egg wash Method: 1. Bring the water to the boil and add 15g of the flour. Cook while continuously stirring with a whisk.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients in a dough mixer, including the warm cooked flour and knead until a smooth dough is formed. Add a few sprigs of thyme leaves and allow the dough to rest for 1 hour.

3. Divide the dough into balls, roughly 45g each.

Place in brioche moulds and allow to prove for about 2 hours.

4. Toss cherry tomatoes with olive oil, garlic, salt and thyme on a roasting tray. Roast in the oven at 160°C for about 25 minutes.

5. When brioche is ready to bake, brush buns with an egg wash and carefully poke holes in the buns with your fingers. Place the roasted tomatoes in the holes and bake at 185°C for about 20 minutes. These are best enjoyed warm!

KRIEK ÉCLAIRS WITH BLACK CHERRIES Prep time: 10 mins Baking time: 12 mins Makes: 25 to 30 pieces

Ingredients: Éclairs • 200ml Kriek beer • 70g butter • 10g sugar • A pinch of salt • 140g cake flour • 3 large eggs Raspberry Cream • 200ml double cream • 20g caster sugar • 7g desiccated raspberry powder • black cherries • lemon zest • A few sprigs of fresh mint Method: 1. Bring the beer, butter, sugar and salt to the boil. Add the flour and stir until a ball forms.

2. Take the mixture off the heat and gradually beat in the eggs. Mix until smooth and pipe onto a lined baking tray. Each éclair should be 8cm in length.

3. Bake at 190°C for 15 minutes.

4. For the raspberry cream, whisk the cream with the sugar to soft peaks. Add the raspberry powder and mix.

5. Once cooled, cut the top part off the éclairs and pipe cream in the middle.

6. Decorate with cherries, lemon zest and mint.

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recipes

PEACH YUZU GALETTE DES ROIS Prep time: 20 minutes plus freezing time Cooking time: 25 mins

Ingredients: • 250g diced yellow peach • 12ml yuzu juice • 145g caster sugar • 8g yellow pectin • 110g soft butter • 2 eggs • 115g ground almonds • 1 pack of pre-made puff pastry • extra egg for egg wash Method: 1. Cook the peaches with the yuzu juice and 15g of the sugar for five minutes.

2. Mix 10g of the sugar with pectin and add to the peaches and cook until it thickens. Spread the peach mixture in an 18cm ring and freeze.

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3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

For the frangipane, beat the butter and remaining 110g of sugar together in a large bowl. Add the eggs one at a time and then mix in ground almonds to form a smooth paste.

Cut out two discs of puff pastry 25cm in diameter, brush a layer of beaten egg on top.

Pipe over the frangipane, leaving a rim of 3cm.

Place the frozen peach disk on the frangipane and cover with the other puff pastry disc.

Press the edges together, egg wash the cover and draw a design using a knife.

Bake at 185°C for about 25 minutes.

Tip: You can also caramelise the top by dusting with icing sugar and finish in a very hot oven.

Did you know...this ‘king cake’ always contains a tiny figurine, which if found in your piece of cake, makes you the king for the day.

recipes

RICOTTA PANCAKE WITH PASSION FRUIT LIME COULIS Prep time: 25 mine Cooking time: 15 mins

facebook.com/foodiehk // february 2016

Ingredients: Passion fruit and lime coulis • ½ tsp yellow pectin • 10g caster sugar • 100g fresh passion fruit pulp • 1 fresh lime juice and zest Ricotta pancake • 370g ricotta cheese • 6 eggs • zest of 1 lemon • 50g cake flour • 70g caster sugar • 110g melted butter

Method: 1. To make the coulis, stir the yellow pectin with the sugar and mix well with the passion fruit and lime juice. Cook on a low heat for five minutes until the mixture thickens. Set aside.

2. For the pancake, separate the eggs and set aside the whites. Beat the ricotta with the egg yolks, lemon zest and flour.

3. Whisk the egg whites with the sugar to a medium peak.

4. Fold the ricotta mixture into the egg whites and add the melted butter. Mix well to make the egg white collapse a little.

5. Grease a pan and fill the mixture up to ¾ of the height.

6. Bake at 200°C for 15 minutes, serve hot with the passion fruit coulis.

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recipes

APRICOT & VANILLA CHEESECAKE Prep time: 30 mins plus chilling time Cooking time: 30 mins Makes: 6

Ingredients: Cheesecake • 230g cream cheese • 65g caster sugar • 10g cake flour • 1 large egg • 1 egg yolk • 15g cream Chocolate Sable • 90g icing sugar • 150g butter, room temp.

• Pinch of salt • 30g ground almonds • 2 small eggs • 20g cocoa powder • 240g cake flour Apricot and vanilla glaze • 225g apricot purée • Seeds from 1 vanilla pod • 50g glucose • 10g lemon juice • 100g caster sugar • 6g yellow pectin 46

Method: 1. Beat the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl. Add the rest of the cheesecake ingredients and mix well.

2. Fill four round silicon moulds with the cheesecake mixture and place all moulds in a deep baking tray. Fill the tray with water twothirds the way up, making sure not to get any water in the cheesecake mixture.

3. Bake at 150°C for around 12 to 15 minutes, until the cheesecakes are just set. Allow to cool and freeze.

4. For the sable, beat the icing sugar with the butter and gradually mix in the rest of the ingredients. Let it set in the fridge for 2 to 3 hours.

5. Once chilled, roll the dough to 3mm thick, and cut the discs slightly bigger than the cheesecake. Bake at 190°C for 12 minutes.

6. Simmer the apricot purée, vanilla, glucose, lemon juice and 80g of the sugar.

7. Mix the pectin with the rest of the sugar. Add to the warm purée, mix and bring to the boil.

8. Once cooled, glaze the frozen cheesecake on a cooling rack and shake off the excess glaze.

Place the glazed cheesecake on the chocolate sable base and decorate with pistachios and fresh apricot.

Note: Don’t worry if your bakes don’t look quite like Gregoire’s, they’ll still taste great!

this month

on afoodieworld.com Check us out online Love ramen? Head to Jordan where we’ve uncovered the Ramen Champion food court that takes ramen to a whole new level. Featuring six types of ramen shops, all in one location, this is a noodle-lover’s dream eating destination.

Wanna know how to pimp your popcorn? We’ve got solid recipes for those nights in under the duvet with Netflix by your side, including cinnamon bun popcorn, pad Thai popcorn and even a tequila popcorn, for the best snack to accompany any movie night.

And if you’re not in the mood for cooking, but still want to be good, we’ve also sourced the best healthy meal delivery services in the city.

All this on www.afoodieworld.com

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facebook.com/foodiehk // february 2016

Pies, glorious pies! We’ll have recipes for both savoury and sweet varieties to continue working your baking skills to the limit.

47

meatless monthly

Cindy Lam from ms food division cooks delicious vegetarian recipes that support local farms and promote good old home cooking www.msfooddivision.com WARM PESTO WINTER VEGETABLES & QUINOA SALAD Serves: 1 Prep time: 10 mins Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

48

•

1 cup fresh basil pesto (1 bunch fresh basil + 1 small garlic clove + ¼ cup pine nuts + ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil)

•

1 cup quinoa

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½ vegetable stock block

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1 small broccoli, chopped into small florets

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1 carrot, thinly shredded

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1 bunch alfafa sprouts

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¼ cabbage, thinly shredded

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½ cup toasted pine nuts

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extra-virgin olive oil

•

¼ lemon juice

Method: 1. To make the simple basil pesto, use a blender to mix the fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, and olive oil. Season. Set aside.

2. Bring a small pot of water (about 2 cups) and quinoa to boil, add the half block of vegetable stock and broccoli florets and let the pot simmer for less than 10 minutes until water has evaporated. Take off the heat and set aside 3. Get a large mixing bowl, mix the warm quinoa, alfafa sprouts, and pesto together.

Season.

4. Serve the warm pesto salad with some fresh shredded carrots, alfalfa sprouts, and cabbage on top. Garnish with toasted pine-nuts, a dollop of pesto, and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a lemon twist before serving.