METRO Inspirations Summer 2014 by Salman UPPAL

Summer 2014

L GLOBA ARY S R E V ANNI TION EDI

METRO Global Kitchen

50 years of contribution Extra Tender & Light

DĂŠlicatesse de France

METRO Celebrates

veal at metro cash & carry pakistan

macarons

inspirations anniversary

Content | Editorial and content

Metro INSPIRATIONS SUMMEr 2014

We all love fries. So let’s just start with fries. Imagine the times you’ve forgotten to get them off of the pan in time and most of them turn out burnt and inedible. But then, there is always that one potato stick that, against all odds, doesn’t let down the French fry legacy and survives the toughest of circumstances. Such is the fate of businesses at the hands of crumbling world economy, which brings entities to their knees and runs the mother of all competitions; survival of the fittest. Fifty years ago, METRO Cash & Carry set foot in a similar ordeal. And look at it today! Fifty years to date. It’s the lucky potato stick that got out alive. Half past our century, this issue also marks nine years of having spread METRO Cash & Carry establishment to Pakistan, the incredible response it received here and an ode to how it helped flourishing to what it is today! Last but not least, the cherry to our celebratory cake, a very happy birthday to our very own METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan’s magazine; METRO Inspirations! With so much to be happy about, put on your party hat and browse through this edition to let our motto for the spring sink in: there’s never enough to celebrate. Your METRO INSPIRATIONS Team

CONTENT

Veal 06

Fruits

METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan recommends

Tetimonial

Meat

Special

Beverages

Pin-Up

Special

Fruits

Desserts

Fruits

Beverages

Special

Desserts

THE IMPERIAL MANGO - SINDHRI

METRecommended

CHEF SARAH SAYS

VEAL

Bubble Tea 12

Macarons 20

Pomegranate 22

you & metro

Bubble Tea

METRO TIMELINE

50 years of contribution

off-beat fruits

macarons

Pomegranate

Inspirations Anniversary 28

â&#x20AC;&#x2030;Inspirations SUMMER 2014

fine life cocktail

metro celebrates

APPLE STRUDEL

METRecommended

The Imperial Mango

sindhri

Vintage Inspired Floral Dinner Plates Decorative vintage inspired floral plates are lovely enough to add and display in any plate collection. They are great for setting a lovely table for family or guests. They are also one of the most popular choices when it involves choosing a useful housewarming gift idea.

N NOW I N SEASO

METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan has some unbreakable, retro style vintage inspired products, including plates and tea cup sets that can be mix and matched with other designs as well as solid colors. Use these beauties to decorate your dinning room and kitchen table.

There’s no other fruit in the world that delivers taste, like mangoes! There’s nothing more pleasurable and fun than savoring this yellow fruit “Royalty” with shards of sweet ecstasy pleasing your senses and appetite. Mangoes are the ultimate fruit of summer and if it’s “Sindhri Mangoes” you can automatically imagine everyone drooling.

Farhat e Jaan Sharbat Nature’s message in a bottle. It’s a long scorching summer and Ramadan ahead…. Hydration’s on your mind? Plain water? Not enough….Fizzy Drinks? A Big no for the health conscious….So what is it that you need to not let the summer drain you? This summer METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan brings you nature’s goodness and cocktail party fun all bottled up in the form of our “Farhat e Jaan” Sharbat. It not only hydrates you after a long tiring summer day but also replenishes your nutrients, the ingredients being all natural fruit essences. Whether you’re home enjoying a summer evening or you have an Aftaar party to throw, “Farhat e Jaan” Sharbat will serve you best for filling out those glasses!

WATERMELONS the quintessential summer snack Who doesn’t relish nice juicy and fleshy mangoes in summertime? Visit METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan and grasp the finest bunch of farm fresh and pleasantly aromatic Sindhri Mangoes. Throughout the summer season, you will find a vast variety of the finest mangoes at METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan. So drop in and the pleasant aroma of Sindhri will lead your way.

04 04

INSPIRATIONSS MARCH 2 013

Who can resit a slice of big, sloppy watermelon. These quintessential summer snack—sweet enough to be dessert but, as several recent studies remind us, good for our health as well. According to new study, it soothes sore muscles, helps heart health, rich in vitamins and minerals and can combat cancer. All this goodness in just 84 calories per wedge! Keeping in mind the benefits and vesatility of this fruit, we at METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan suggests you keep Watermelons at the top of your shopping list.

METRO Cash & Carry AT Chef on Board When asked about her preferred shopping spot to be METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan, Chef Sarah, owner of the Catering and Service Business ‘Chef on Board’, remarked candidly “Everything is fresh and available under one roof, what more could I want”. Having worked in highly revered Hotel Kitchens like Avari and Sunfort, Chef Sarah knows her food business very well. “I require the best quality of Vegetables, Fruits and Poultry to run my Catering Business smoothly and METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan provides me with all of these and more, all year round.” With a Professional Certification in Culinary Arts and Chef’s training, Chef Sarah has a very clear idea of what to look for in a place when shopping. She sang praises on the quality control and hygiene measures of METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan along with the large variety of spices it has to offer. According to her “With the right seasoning and freshness, anything can be made delicious”

METRO NEWBIE METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan takes pride in it's involvement with helping people flourish in the HoReCa business. It has been the pillar for setting up the foundation for many an establishment. The ones to look out for are the newcomers to the food business, it is these hubs of fresh talent that are the source of continuum and evolvement of the industry. Metro Cash & Carry Pakistan strives to provide them with the best quality of ingredients and products to express themselves with and take up permanent residence in the hearts of our food loving population.

Penguin - A Food Court' has taken the initiative of bringing to Lahore international as well as undiscovered traditional cuisine that fits our flavour palettes perfectly. If you are a big fan of the Pakhtoon cuisine, this place has it all for you.

The Bagel Bar Coffee House has done the impossible by firmly setting up the bagel business in Lahore. It is a guaranteed regular spot for people with a taste for Western flavours that are as authentic as they are delicious,

Inspirations SUMMER 2014

Red Wok gives us our very first taste of pure African cuisine. It also expands our horizons in relation to Asian Cuisine through an assortment of dishes and flavours that have seldom touched our land. This new place is on its way to conquering the tough terrain of Islamabad. 05

Meat | Veal

Veal

EXTRA-TENDER AND as LIGHT AS SUMMER

A light pink, fine veal is the perfect harbinger of summer for the food lover. This is why METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan ensures that it keeps the best and the freshest meat at your disposal for all of your days! Veal is a premium delicacy that is drawn from calves for its tender and pale texture, and refined dining experience. Its fresh, appetizing taste is indispensable from an ideal list of summer cookery. The pleasant appeal bears and invokes the constant reminder of spring.

100 g of veal fillet contain just 3.3 g of fat. In comparison to beef, veal is leaner and more thorough in delivering flavour. Its mild essence, which can be toned perfectly with fresh flavours as those of unsullied vegetables, spicy condiments and citrus sauces, coddle your menus and buds. The cut is also tenderer and mostly pink due to an all milk diet that calves are nourished with. The meat too, only requires just two to three days maturation time to be ready for your kitchen. At that point in time, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easily digestible, low in fat and soaking rich with vitamins.

With what it has to offer, it is of due concern if you are making use of it to the fullest. For your next veal venture, do you have the right cut in place? Is your treatment of it proportionate to the prerequisites required? Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s find out.

The best cuts – from haunch to shoulder Thick flank

Neck

Saddle/Cutlet piece

Haunch

Fillet Sweetbread

Topside Shoulder

Flank

Hock

Silverside

CHEF‘S

Hock

Hind quarter Cuts from the calf's hind quarter with relatively little sinew and connective tissue are much in demand for the most diverse forms of preparation. Rated the best cut is the almost fatfree topside, from which fine schnitzels – for example, the famous Wiener schnitzel – and steaks are taken. The somewhat coarsegrained silverside is suitable for, for example, thinly sliced meat in cream sauce or veal roulade with spring herb or vegetable filling. Juicy schnitzels can be cut as well from the haunch as from the small but succulent thick flank. And the hock with its large proportion of bone and sinew is best stewed, either whole or cut into shin slices as in the Italian ossobuco.

Fillet The slender, tapered veal fillet makes up just one very small part of the animal, but it is especially prized. The part that is just below the saddle is rated the best of the best. Especially tender and finely-grained, it is suitable for preparation in a single piece, as fillet steaks or as medallions.

Saddle From saddle of veal come two excellent cuts for pan-frying: the cutlet piece with its very tender muscle meat and the lean loin of veal, which is nearly as tender as

the fillet and stands out for its fine covering of fat. Both pieces can either be cooked whole or lovely large chops are cut from the cutlet piece and fine steaks from the loin.

Front quarter The front quarter of the calf supplies mainly the cuts that are suitable for longer stewing and roasting – and so tend to be popular for cooking in winter. Sliced or cut up, the more marbled cuts are also right for spring cooking. So, for example, juicy cutlets can be cut from the neck of veal for pan-frying, while fricassee and ragout can be made from the shoulder.

Sweetbread/Offals Veal sweetbread is the thymus gland from the animal's chest cavity. This easily digested part with a fine flavour has the same structure as the brain, except that it is a little firmer. Sweetbread is first scalded all over and then sliced and fried or divided into florets and used in ragouts. Other veal offals figure large in the national cooking of many countries, too. They are rated really highly as a delicacy of fine cooking. For example, calf’s liver is served fried or grilled or as a tender pie filling for gourmets. Heart and kidneys are often fried or grilled, and calf’s tongue is first boiled, skinned and then served with, for example, madeira sauce or made into brawn.

Inspirations SUMMER 2014

Veal Chops with Basil Butter approx. 30 min.

Ingredients: 1/4 cup minced fresh basil 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh breadcrumbs 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature 2 teaspoons coarse-grained mustard 2 veal loin chops (each about 8 ounce and 1 1/2 inches thick) 1 tablespoon olive oil Salt & Pepper to taste

Preparation: Preheat oven to 450°F. Mix basil, 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, Parmesan, butter and mustard in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Pat veal chops dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add veal. Cook until brown, about 1 minute per side. Remove from heat. Press basil mixture onto top of veal chops. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon remaining breadcrumbs over each. Roast in oven until cooked to desired preparedness, about 15 minutes for medium-rare.

Chef’s top tip! The right cut For tender cuts, use dry techniques like broiling, grilling, pan frying, roasting and sautéing Keep in mind that when cooking less tender pieces of meat, you should use long, slow and moist heat cooking methods such as braising and stewing. 07

Special | You & METRO

A journey of 50 global years in 29 countries hasn’t been easy. Pivoting its flagship in Germany in 1964, METRO Cash & Carry has travelled and spread its trust in the wholesale market worldwide.

“As a wholesaler, we can only be sustainably successful if your customers are successful. We admire our customers for their passion and entrepreneurial spirit- we strive to support them in their goals as best as possible with excellent service and best products, with our long standing expertise with new ideas.” – Olaf Koch, chairman of Management Board of METRO Group and CEO of METRO Cash& Carry.

All that Vintage Swag!

Café Pink Cadillac

n a city of vintage lovers “Café Pink Cadillac” was bang on attention with its unique vintage-old Hollywood theme and amazing coffee. Café Pink Cadillac is the ultimate hangout place, when you’re searching for a classic well themed ambience and taste together. The place is so profoundly set in the old Hollywood/Clint Eastwood movie era that it will totally take you in that time and place! The well designed menu ensures that your visit becomes a “well savored” one!

“Quality, taste and exceptional service may perhaps appear like vintage ideals to several, but we make those ideals our driving principles.”

“Our place is constantly loaded with young enthusiastic crowd. To keep the business running in such a competitive market and a city like Karachi, has been very challenging. METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan has always provided us with quality products and adequate variety to support creative changes and upgrades in our menu. Packaged or fresh we always get what we want under that blue and yellow METRO sign.” - Café Pink Cadillac Management

METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan takes pride in serving to young and ambitious entrepreneurs, as our customer’s success is our success. This synergy between the provider and the consumer is something that we cherish and concentrate on. 08

Fruit for Thought

PRIME EDIBLES METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan collided with the dynamic trio behind the company “Prime Edibles” whose aim wasn’t just business but a noble thought to save the fruit legacy.

rime Edibles make customized fruit baskets from fresh fruits handpicked to perfection. The young trio Amir, Moniba and Khadeeja came up with the unique concept of serving fresh fruits with delicious coatings in beautiful presentations and baskets. It was not just a business but an entire new concept and campaign to bring the basic “fruit” back into demand and consumption in a time when everything was being converted to pulps & juices and tainted with artificial flavours and preservatives. “METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan is our ultimate choice for our bulk buying as we find everything under one roof and all the varieties of fresh and canned fruits on and off season without any ado. METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan has been our most helpful source and support since we started out our business, it's one place we can actually count on and we haven’t been disappointed.”- says Amir Javaid Randhawa, CEO Prime Edibles.

“METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan has provided us with widest quality fruit range. When we started out our business back in 2012, the biggest concern was quality maintenance. Since our product was short lived and based on fresh fruits, in a country where the weather was mostly extreme finding, the freshest variety of fruits was a priority.” - Prime Edibles Team

"It's one place we can actually count on and we haven’t been disappointed." METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan has always been appreciative of young passionate entrepreneurs like Prime Edibles and has served them with their finest fruit varieties and baking ingredients.

Inspirations SUMMER 2014

A taste of Sportsmanship

Splice by Shahid Afridi Inaugurated on 20th February, 2013 by the charismatic National Hero Imran Khan, “Splice” restaurant has been the highlight for cricket stars! Important cricket dinners and parties are hosted at this venue that is dressed up in an ambience that speaks of its sporty spirit! A place that is as special to him as his game.

“We aim to promote our cultural cuisine and favorite food items preferred by youngsters. Quality is not to be compromised as it is a question of our image as well, so our obvious choice is METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan for our bulk buying. And to quote it precisely, METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan has never failed to satisfy our needs when it comes to variety and quality!” - Mr. Paul, Manager, Splice

“METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan has supported us with the wide variety of meat cuts-fresh and delivered on time since we started our Afghani Cuisine. “Dumpukht” the famous Afghani delicacy became our specialty and the experts can tell how hard it is to find quality meat for Afghani cuisine.”- Says Muazzam Hans, Director Operations at Splice. “I believe in discipline of time and customer care, I see these principals being applied by METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan when it comes to customer care. My complaints and queries are always taken seriously and special considerations are made if I need suggestive support for creating something new.” -Says Paul with a satisfied smile on his face. 10

“METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan is like our perfect coach when it comes to training for the food world cup!”- Says team Splice with a smile on their faces.

CURLY FRIES

Get ready to dress up your super food platters with crunchy, golden twists that are ready to cook and heavenly in taste. At METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan, you will find exclusive range of frozen curly fries made from the finest tasting potatoes.

Available at all METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan outlets

â&#x20AC;&#x2030;Inspirations SUMMER 2014

Beverages | Bubble Tea

Bubble Tea

drink up the summer

Essentially, bubble tea is tea base mixed with fruit flavour or milk. Ice blended versions are usually mixed with more ice, resulting in slushy consistency. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s non carbonated, sweet in flavour and generally offered in three distinct ways; a fruit flavoured cream drink, a sweetened fruit drink, or fruit flavoured tea.

Bubble tea is the increasingly popular drink making its way onto menus across the world! People with affection for good taste can no longer walk by this ice cold beverage dotted with chewy Boba Tapioca pearls, without petting their summer quenches. METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan doesn’t see why you should lose out on this opportunity to up your variety! Question is, how much do you need to know to get started? Here is our guide! MILK

Flavour

Just as it is with tea, milk is also your own decision. You can use a non dairy creamer instead since fresh or carton milk is perishable. Soy milk is also a steady alternative that adds to the consistency as well.

TEA To begin with, using tea at all is optional. Decaffeinated versions are just as good and are largely consumed, like the Asian Falooda. But should you add tea, the common choices are black tea, jasmine infused green tea and Earl Grey. Since these have stronger flavours than options such as peach, lime etc, they provide a more stable tea base. The brand you pick can also make a difference as some tend to be drained of aroma. So, just to be safe, go with what you can always count on; Such as METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan’s Fine Food , Premium Blend Tea.

The status quo goes with honeydew as its favorite but there otherwise round 250 available kinds. This means, there is a lot of room to add your own touch and personalize your drink. We say, get creative! Use fruit flavourings like mango, strawberry, peach apple etc. or non fruit flavours like mocha, honey, caramel, chocolate etc. or mix them up and try variants. The possibilities are endless. Keep an exotic flavour everyday and make it your specialty. The palette is as vast as using herbs and spices to vanilla cherries. Exactly how smoothies can take literally everything a desperate pantry can, bubble tea is your guy.

PEARLS The fun part is bubble tea being the only tea you can eat! It’s saturated with tapioca pearls, also called Boba. If you cannot find them, you can simply get OK Food Sabudana, which are easily available at METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan.

You make your Boba and store it in simple syrup, you brew some strong tea and then you add your choice of milk and flavouring. You blend it up or shake it in a cocktail shaker for a cold, frothy beverage. It’s like a caffeinated milkshake that will make you forget your usual coffee.

Choose from our wide range of products

fine food tea range

ok - sago

plastic glasses

Available at all METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan outlets

Inspirations SUMMER 2014

Pin-Up

throughout the years

1964-69

1970-79

1980-89

1990-96

1964: The beginning of greatness

1971

1980:

1990-92:

Opening of ‘MAKRO’ store in Belgium.

METRO Cash & Carry acquired shares of "Kaufhof".

1972: Expansion in Europe

1981-9:

Took a strong hold of Mediterranean as well as European market and moved towards Africa. METRO Cash & Carry opened up stores in Portugal, Turkey, Greece and initiated its first wholesale store in Morocco.

The first full scale METRO Cash & Carry wholesale store opened up in Mülheim an der Ruhr. The MCC Company was established by Wilhelm Schmidt-Ruthenbeck, Erwin Schmidt and the Schell family.

1967-9: International expansion Wholesale stores were opened up in Berlin (1966), Cologne-Godorf, Hamburg, Munich and Düsseldorf (1967). METRO Cash & Carry through an alliance with the Dutch company, introduced its’ first store in Netherlands under the brand name MAKRO. 14

METRO Cash & Carry established stores in France, Austria, Denmark and Great Britain. In some cases the stores were opened under the brand name of ‘MAKRO’.

1979: Mediterranean expansion METRO Cash & Carry opened up stores in Spain and Italy.

METRO Cash & Carry strengthened its grip on changing electronic trends. Establishment of computerized inventory management system while state of the art office equipment was set to be sold.

1994: Opening of new wholesale stores in Poland and Hungary.

1996: METRO Cash & Carry became the first international wholesaler in China and thus expanded itself throughout the country.

METRO Cash & Carry is unarguably the most prominent international self-service wholesaler. With annual sales of €31.6 billion and 743 locations in 29 countries, METRO Cash & Carry has completed 50 years of sustained growth, success and innovation. It is the employer of around 265,000 people all over the world. It is due to the dedication and competency of its employees, that METRO cash & Carry has been able to achieve such soaring heights in retail and trade. Here is a peak into the 50 glorious years spent into the making of METRO Cash & Carry as you know it.

1996-2003

2004-2009

2010-2013

2014

1996-2000:

2004:

2010:

2014:

Continued expansion in Eastern Europe. METRO Cash & Carry opened its first store in Bulgaria, Romania (1996), the Czech Republic (1997) and Slovakia. Around the same time, it bought out the European MAKRO operations from Dutch SHV (1997).

40 prosperous years of METRO Cash & Carry.

Initiation of a new format which involved aiming towards HoReCa customers.

Celebrating 50 years of continued local and global success.

METRO Cash & Carry opened its first wholesale store in Egypt.

Following the trend of the past 50 years, METRO Cash & Carry intends to revolutionize HoReCa by introducing new market trends in it. The first step towards achieving this goal is to wholly globalize the food industry and help the professionals associated with it. METRO Cash & Carry will pump a whole lot of innovation and new talent into the system, like it has done in the past.

2005: METRO Cash & Carry reached Serbia.

2007:

2001:

METRO Cash & Carry opened its first store in Pakistan.

Opening of new stores in Russia.

2009:

2002-03: Steady Expansion in Asia. New stores opened up in Japan, Vietnam, India (2003) and Ukraine.

Entered Central Asia market. Opened first store in Kazakhstan. METRO Cash & Carry launched ‘Right to the front door’ delivery service.

Inspirations SUMMER 2014

2013: 750th location! METRO Cash & Carry opened up its 750th store in the Chinese city of Chongqing.

Special | METRO Global Kitchen

METRO Global Kitchen

50 years of contribution

METRO Cash & Carry has inspired and altered the lives of millions of people globally. It has not only improved the living standards of everyone but also brought about innovation in even the most mundane of human activities. Through its expansion into new countries and new territories, METRO Cash & Carry has had the chance to be a part of many distinctive cultures and identities. So how did METRO Cash & Carry manage to connect to such culturally diverse backgrounds? The answer is simple, through Food.

he first whiff of old spices comes seeping out as the lid of pot full of delicious Sindhi biryani is lifted, adding flavour to air around it and getting pleased smiles from the small crowd working on it. The same kind of joy appears on the face of a beautiful couple, getting their first look of steaming pasta in the midst of a homely Italian restaurant. The joggers in Germany halt to see beautiful Doner Kebabs sizzle to perfection, while people in the line fidget anxiously to get their own taste clutching the money in their hands. Almost half of the globe away, a family celebrates the graduation of their daughter by indulging themselves in delectable flavours of caramel custard, their jubilant smiles almost as sweet as the vanilla scented air around them.

bought vanilla pods. Veal cuts for Wiener Schnitzel’ are bought just hour before from METRO Cash & Carry Austria whereas METRO Cash & Carry Turkey gets finished with another batch of lamb meat famous for the special kebab in the country. Bags of sugar and flour are taken by a sweets maker in METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan parallel to a lonesome pastry chef shopping in METRO Cash & Carry Italy for his next big creation. People are inspired to create dishes dissimilar to their flavour palettes and also get to master the ones they are already familiar with. Chefs all around the world prefer to buy their ingredients form METRO

The chef busy with biryani, closes up his METRO Cash & Carry biryani masala mix, saving it up for another day and the chef in France takes out another stash of aromatic METRO Cash & Carry

In Bulagria we see that Dimo Dimov, who has been a customer of METRO Cash & Carry for more than 10 years, shares the same views as Dejan. "Both in France and Bulgaria: I have always been able to count on the quality and service of METRO Cash & Carry – and it has paid off." Erasing any demarcation between cultures, countries and continents METRO Cash & Carry has played its part

As the focal point of so many locations, METRO Cash & Carry has started the trend of ‘Global Kitchen’.

Two hands work diligently on making a perfect dough while sugary syrup is spiraled onto a large pan full of hot oil to make Jalebi on the other side of the globe. A restaurant in Vienna puts up ‘Wiener Schnitzel’ as their special dish for the day and at the same time Chocolate flavoured gelato is ordered by

the group of young girls with rosy red cheeks and shining eyes.

since 2006. When prompted about his loyalty to METRO METRO Cash & Carry he had this to say; "METRO Cash & Carry is one of my most important helpers every day"

Cash & Carry outlets. They believe that the ingredients bought, retain the authenticity required for their food. At the same time though, they get to see food stuff so wholly unlike their own but fascinating in every regard. Dejan Veljić, who is the owner of a small establishment in Belgarde (Serbia), has been a METRO Cash & Carry customer

Inspirations SUMMER 2014

as the middle man fully. The intermixing cultures of East and West and the tasteful fusion of so many distinctive cuisines is reflected in every single of its outlet. When you step into the store, you don’t just step into a building standing on your land but into a whole new take on bringing the kitchens of the globe together in one place. It’s one step for you but a million steps for METRO Cash & Carry all over the world! 17

Fruits | Off-beat Fruits

Cherries How many times have you used the phrase “cherry on the top”? well here’s our own little demonstration. As gorgeous as these succulent bits of nature are, they taste fantastic. You can have them sweet, sour or as hybrids. Are you making a pie for dinner tonight? Or just your classic chicken? Either way, don’t let your meals fall short of these shots of summer.

Lokat For the good mood you’ve been saving up for, pitch in a loquat! They’re small, rich in vitamins and they make you happy. However small, They make a rather generous contribution in terms of taste to you nutrition packs! Try one today?

Avocados

off-beat fruits

An apple hit Einstein and for that apple’s contributions, we have half of science in place today. Coincidence? We think not. The thing is, fruits purposefully, with all their fruity devotion to the human race, inspire. Be it nutrition, detoxification, beautification, medication, you name it! And with this particular edge that they have, it’s for them to inspire you into utilize more of them more often.

At times, having retired each of your casual ingredients, you can’t manage to give your recipe dynamics or texture. The flavour lies bare and sort of flat, along with the chef aspirant hopes of yours. Let avocados then rescue the damsel your dish seems to be and reboot the recipe with their unctuous flesh. Officially one of the world’s healthiest fruits, don’t forget to enlist them on your grocery plans at METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan.

Kiwi The library to which these extend their services is vast. These Chinese gooseberries add exotic aesthetics to your salads, cocktails, tarts and dips. So the next time you’re up

for making something beautiful, don’t forget to ‘kiwi’ it up.

Papaya

And if you are to talk about Kiwifruit, you simply can’t leave out papaya that go great with them. As Christopher Columbus puts it, it’s the fruit of the angels. With that divine repute, they’re foreseeable of their sweet and creamy consistency with musky orientation.

taste a lot like grapefruit and blackberries at the same time. Ideal for fixing tarts tinted with icing sugar and a nice plump evening, mulberries can be your next dinner table star.

Jamun

Persimmon

The flavour jamun carries is multidimensional. With layers progressively sour merging into the juicy zest of the fruit, and the sweetness apt at sedating the aggregate sharpness they carry, jamun is a great way to entertain your buds.

Commonly known as Japanese Fruit in our region, Persimmons are high in betacarotene and an excellent source of iron, so suitable for preventing anaemia. Just 100 grams of the fruit every day improves cardio-vascular health and lowers the risk of lung cancer in smokers. Persimmons also contain ascorbic acid, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and calcium and have a high carbohydrate and protein content. Persimmons are perfect late bloomers as they come in the market in the end of the summer season.

Lychee

Sapodilla

Pineapple It’s essentially okay to drift off to tropical day dreams in this weather. But it’s better that you bring those tropical, shore lined dreams home, put them in the blender and get yourself the retreat you’ve been looking for. Lush in texture, pineapples are consistently tangy and appetizing.

Green Apples Its juiciness, sweetness, and crunch, along with the sour qualities that provide a more stronger tang than regular apples, is what makes it so popular. The core features of all apples of all colors may be the same, but the spongy flesh in these is harder and the flavour is more intense.

The best way to have these is to dip them in syrup, refrigerate them till they’re chilled and then enjoy their fleshy, layered skin in the juicy embrace of your syrup, which should be adding volumes to the natural sweetness lychees possess.

Grape Fruit You will have to try one to know what it tastes like, but for a rough idea, they’re a refreshing combination of lemon, oranges and sugar. The sweetness however doesn’t last very long once you’ve cut open the fruit, for which you must consume it fresh. And if you’ve got an eye on your figure, let yourself lose on these diet packages from Mother Nature.

Mulberry

A combination of peach, pear, cinnamon, and honey best describe the alluring flavour of the sapodilla. Sapodilla fruit are soft and sweet, with a delicate aroma hinting of the beauty to come. The sapodilla is native to Central America, but its unique appeal carried it centuries ago to Southeast Asia, where it has undergone a wonderful transformation. Sapodilla contains vitamin A, vitamin C vitamin B complex, and high fiber which is good for digestion and treatment of kidney stone.

These are sweet, delicious and mushy berries that can Inspirations SUMMER 2014

Dessert | Macarons

Macarons

DĂŠlicatesse de France

French in origin, macrons are absolutely delicious delicacies that only the best can master and hardly anyone in the world can resist. Most importantly, macrons are not only loved for their appearance but also for an array of different flavours they come in.

e all have our opinions about the perfect cookie, yet when it comes to macrons, all bets are off. The variety is astounding and the combinations formed, delectable. Notoriously known to be very hard to bake, these cookies need just a little bit of guidance. In fact with some well invested practice, the world will be eating out of your hand in no time. The trick to making a nice solid batch of macrons is the delightful filling. It is this filling which differentiates a macron that will be devoured from a macron that is a miss. They come in many combinations of flavours but in this feature you will see six types that we believe to be the best. You will find all the ingredients and more, only at METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan.

filling in the middle and shells composed of almonds on the outside. One taste of this macron and you will never want for another cookie again. Best of all, you will be able to find all of these ingredients and more at Metro Cash & Carry Pakistan.

Crispy outer shell and rich filling in the middle surprise with their intense flavours. Samoa Macrons

Classic French Macrons Made from simple flavours such as vanilla, these macrons are still nothing less than their more creative colleagues because they have classic flavours working in their favor. One of the only ‘simplistic’ recipe to survive in the macron kingdom, we find that their saving grace is the ever reliable buttercream filling. On a lazy Sunday, there is nothing better than these cookies with some warm tea.

Can the combination of chocolate and caramel ever go wrong? Better yet, these macrons have coconuts added to the mix to make them completely worthy of being devoured. The heady and heavy taste of chocolate is accompanied by the chewy texture of caramel and coconut filling. This wacky combination is the work of creativity at its best.

Clementine Macrons Lemon Macrons with White Chocolate Ganache Chocolate with lemons does not usually sit well with people but when it comes to macrons there is nothing better than this combination. The light and sweet white chocolate gives a somber tone to the otherwise extremely tangy lemon. The two contradicting flavours complement another and make for one tough pair.

Clementine is one of the most loved fruits in our country. They come in only for one season officially, but at METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan you will find them all year around. These macrons infuse the citrusy goodness of clementine with muted flavours of almond flour. The lemon zest in the filling is the proverbial cherry on the top. The tangy and rich taste of clementine that pervades into every inch of these delicious cookies can leave anyone salivating for just a taste.

Almond Macrons with almond buttercream Almond macrons are as healthy as they are tasty. These macrons are relatively easy to make with very few ingredients but are packets of pure flavour when consumed. The filling is made with almond-butter while cream is added to enhance the subtle yet sweet taste of almonds in the shells. These cookies are healthy enough to be taken for breakfast because they will rejuvenate you to start your day at an energetic note.

Dark Chocolate and Peanut-butter Macrons These types of macrons are comically stereotypical. The dim coloured crispy outer shell and dark filling in the middle make them look like any other cookie out there. These cookies though, defy all labels by having a scrumptious peanut butter Inspirations SUMMER 2014

Chef’s top tip! 1. Almond flour can be store bought almond meal or home-made finely ground powder of almonds. Use the type required for the recipe. 2. Have fun with the food colors. Defy the conventions and recipes, experiment with combinations of different food colors. Why can’t a lemon flavoured macron be pink? 3. Using the right utensils makes a lot of difference in the final product. The folding and airing of the mixture should always be done with the spatula. Similarly, a piping bag with round tip should be used to pipe the macrons onto the tray. 4. Aging the egg whites usually tends to improve the quality of the macron shells produced. The egg whites can be separated and stored for a few days prior to use. 5. Beating the egg whites is a crucial step in making macrons. Do not stop beating them until stiff peaks form. 21

Fruits | Pomegranate

Pomegranate

A Taste of Heaven Nature’s glistening juicy and heavenly tasting seeds packed in cluster of hundreds in the form of a divine fruit the “Pomegranate”.

A Baker’s Delight Blend pomegranate seed in chocolate brownie recipe and serve with ice-cream and you’ll be in for a fresh surprise for the breezy summer nights!

Focaccia Simple to make, focaccia can steal the show. With olive oil drizzled generously along with tempting pomegranate, you can have a perfect, colorful and festive bread for snacking and dipping. Experience distinctive flavour, giving the crispy bread little refreshingly tangy pockets of sweetness.

Jam & Jelly De-seed, caramelize the juice and add gelatin and you’ll have a cup of fine tasting jelly… take it a little further and cook it up into a jam, perfect to be served at breakfast with bread. This amazingly delicious “wonder” fruit is available in the finest qualities sourced from the Northern areas of Pakistan at METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan. 22

Beverages | Fine Life Cocktail

Summer Drink

FINE LIFE COCKTAIL Ideas never come to a halt. Those who invented the classic cola thought they were geniuses, and they were right. Nothing beats a chilled bottle of Cola drink on a good summer day! But that never kept them from thinking yet ahead. With some natural flavours and our very own Fine Life Cola, we came up with a blend perfect for summers.

Ingredients: • • • • • •

500ml. Fine Life Cola 100ml. Lemonade 1slice(s) Orange 1slice(s) Cucumber 1piece(s) Strawberry 1piece(s) Mint Sprig

Directions: Fill a glass with ice. Pour Fine Life Cola and lemonade into the glass. Garnish with orange, cucumber, strawberry and mint.

Available at all METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan outlets

Inspirations SUMMER 2014

Special | Spring reception

Spring Reception

METRO CELEBRATEs

One year ago, we unveiled METRO Inspirations magazine in Pakistan. Within a short span, a small team has evolved into a big family of chefs, food stylists, creative writers and numerous contributors. To celebrate the anniversary, METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan recently held a spring recption.

s the trend of grand corporate anniversaries gains ground, every event seems to have languished on the standard necessities like stunning décor, avenue lighting, guest celebrities, delicious food and an interesting narrative to lead the course of the celebration and leave a healthy impression of their corporation. But then why is it that some events are such a success and others, a shameful flop? The trick is to run a strong theme throughout the event, keep it simple, maintain momentum throughout the night, appear busy and full, and most importantly surprise and delight attendees in some unique way that is linked strongly to the brand message. So what did we, team Inspirations pull off at our first anniversary? Here are some rules that we followed and would love to share.

Impression

At the very centre of our venue, we worked out a masterpiece with spot lights, reflectors, greenery, hand crafted decorations and a giant sized ‘Inspirations’ cut out. The assembling was such as the sun set, our work of art grew brighter and became a rather amazing backdrop for our official pictures.

Find a host

We all need someone to maintain the energy in the room. Arrange for someone that matches the image of your product and is very easy with people. He/she needs to welcome people and find them their comfort at your gathering. A bad host or no host at all will lead a party with a punch line. It is essential that your host gets the different elements working at your event on one board and lead them through like they ought to.

Get your guests busy

The key is to get your guests integrated seamlessly into the entertainment, instead of being forced to stand and watch which is awkward for everyone. Encourage to engage them in some way that will hopefully begin a story between the guest and brand. We tried the Pictionary and everyone loved it!

Face the bigger audience

Apart from your privileged attendees, get people who follow up on you, on board. Unleash the social media tactics to gain more attention to your event. Our event was Wi-Fi ensured to allow check-ins on your online invite. The backdrop we just talked to you about formed a hotspot for pictures that we uploaded instantly on our Facebook page for people to tag themselves and have their friends know of what went on at the Inspirations celebration.

Good music and even better food!

The kind of music you play will decide for the mood at your party and the kind food you have to offer will decide for who goes home happy. Inspirations decided for BBQ and we’re glad that we did.

Souvenirs

This is what we all look forward to; something to take home! Stitch the memory of the event right in with a generous goodie bag.

Inspirations SUMMER 2014

the Anniversary cake

hether it be a milestone for your business, relationship or marriage, a stunning and delicious anniversary cake will be in your guestsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; memories for years to come. In our head, what frosting and celebrations can collectively conspire is a scrumptious, all encompassing anniversary cake! For METRO Inspirations first anniversary, we kept a single tier for the year old legacy that our magazine owes up to. But the trick here, to be plentiful, is that each tier carries three layers of fresh vanilla sponge beautifully enveloped. Too much fondant would make one of those cakes that are better not cut. You will lose out on the flavour as well as the excitement that pertains to the cake itself. So, we went with just the perfect choice. A White Chocolate-Cream Cheese Frosting that is simple to throw together and decadently delicious. In the end, the real flavour and celebratory sentiment originates from the people who share and cherish your little steps towards success. This is the essence of any celebrations.

the decorations

he Romance of life has long been inextricably linked with flowers. These fresh beautiful gifts of nature have been associated and used to symbolize different emotions. Each flower type is associated with a certain emotion and message. They are a fragrant signature of emotions and memories and are truly quintessential messengers of love. Our basket has a rather garden type feel, with groupings of similar flowers together as if they've grown that way. This is commonly referred to as an English garden style. A soft mixture of pinks, peach and lavender give these flowers an airy Spring feel.

top tip Referred to as a "long and low", candles can give it height and still let people make eye contact across the dinner table. METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan has a vast variety of simple and fancy candles for dinner tables.

Preview and Imprint

TEAM AT METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan

APPLE STRUDEL 6

Qurat ul ain Shahid Senior Manager Corporate Communications

approx. 45 min

Ingredients: Dough: ½ lb. flour 1/2 spoon vinegar 1 cup warm water

Rifah Qadri Senior Manager Advertising

1 spoon oil 1 egg salt

Mehwish Khan Head of Communication & Branding

Filling and Garnishing: 6 apple 1.8 oz. molten butter 1/3 lb. sugar 2/3 oz. cinnamon 1.8 oz. dry grapes 1.8 oz. breadcrumbs 0.35 oz. milk

Directions: For the dough: Mix the flour and salt, slowly add the water as well as the oil. Add vinegar and egg to this combination and mix until it forms into a sticky dough. Knead this dough and then wrap it in a plastic sheet to rest for at least 2 hours at room temperature. In a large bowl, mix the thinly diced apples, cinnamon, sugar and raisins. Allow this mixture to soften for about 1 hour. Spread the dough as thinly as you can. Over this dough, spread the molten butter, apple mixture and the bread crumbs. Roll together to make a cylinder, glaze it with brush strokes of milk and cook in a 400 degree F oven for around 40 minutes. when it comes to ingredients, no matter how extravagant the recipe of your choice is. You can easily find all these ingredients as well as the ever reliable puff pastry at Metro Cash & Carry Pakistan.

When talking about Germany and desserts in the same context, the first name that comes to our minds is Apple Strudel. DID YOU KNOW? Strudel is the German word for “whirlpool” or “eddy” because the rolled version of this pastry resembles a whirlpool. In Germany, strudels are made with both sweet and savory filling; but Apple Strudel dominates all the other types due to its popularity that dates back to 19th century. This dessert, that finds its origin in the infamous ‘Bakalava’, is one of the most widely eaten pastry in the whole area that once belonged to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Known as Altwiener Apfelstrudel in German language, this pastry is actually a traditional Viennese strudel.

DESIGN CREDITS: Agency BLACK & GOLD www.blackandgold.com.pk Waseem Ahmed Khan Management Salman Uppal Creative Direction Content Writers Eiesha Mubasher Khadija Batool Hinan Javaid

Choose from our wide range of products Thokar Niaz Baig, Multan Road, Lahore 53700 Phone: +92 (0)42 37508001 www.metro.pk Member of

eggs

apples

fine food flour

Available at all METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan outlets

Inspirations SUMMER 2014

Fine Life Mango Fruit Drink

the juicy bits METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan gives you its delicious, smooth, irresistible mango juice yet again; the coolest weapon in your arsenal to beat the heat. The rich mango flavour will take you on the journey to a world full of tasty wild mangoes.

Catch this mouthwatering drink in your nearest METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan store if you want to ward off the heat with taste!

Coming soon at all METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan outlets