La Boutique Le Cordon Bleu for cakes and pastries ..... Daikanyama, Tokyo, Japan

Le Cordon Bleu has become a name that many aspiring chefs would place on a dais to worship. One who has hone culinary skills from Le Cordon Bleu would be held with high regards. As HY and I wandered through the streets of Daikanyama, we chanced upon Le Cordon Bleu, its outpost in Tokyo. We weren't here to sign up as students but only to rest our feets from all the walking. Located in the building of the culinary school was La Boutique, a patisserie and boulangerie that served delicious French pastries and bread.

We entered the La Boutique through the back street where the main entrance was located. When you walk right through, it will lead to the main road and the main entrance to Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School. The ambience of La Boutique facing the back street was relaxing. 

I knew I would have one of these Choux Cream Puff after just one look. The choux cream was smooth, mildly sweet and exuberate the obvious vanilla flavor. I liked the nuts that was coated over the puff, giving it a little uniqueness over the choux puff that we eat else where. It was indeed an epitome of the Le Cordon Bleu culinary standard.

This was the Orange Flavored Bread that was baked into a perfect cube. I had to pick this as it made me curious and wondering how it'll taste.

The bread was fluffy, light and had a nice citrus tint from the orange. It was perfect with a cup of coffee.

Roob-1 28-13 Sarugaku-cho
Daikanyama, Shibuya-ku
Tokyo, Japan

正斗粥麵專家 Zheng Dou for an award winning Wan Ton Noodle .... Central, Hong Kong

This is my second visit to Zheng Dou 正斗 for my last two visits to Hong Kong. HY and I wouldn't miss it as it's location is too convenient for us. Zheng Dou has an outlet in the IFC building and directly above the Hong Kong Airport Express station. Before we leave Hong Kong, we can fill up our stomach at the restaurant before boarding the Airport Express train. Zheng Dou 正斗 is known as a specialist for their congee and noodles, so they are a 'must-try' here.

Zheng Dou 正斗 in IFC  had been awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand for their congee and noodles for several years, so there should at least be a minimum standard for the food.

Here's their popular wan ton noodles. The noodles were tangy and the soup tasty and sweet. Soup base here has a stronger ghee flavor from the noodles as compared to the one from Mak Ngan's. Some people do like wan ton soup base with this extra flavor.

The fried eggs with shrimps 蝦仁炒蛋 was delicious. Zheng Dou left the eggs a bit runny so that the shrimps got slight coated onto some eggs before we eat it. We liked this.

HY had this giant prawn congee. The congee was mixed with prawn roe that gave it that orange tinge and very sweet prawn taste. Needless to say, the minimum standard for Hong Kong Cantonese congee is the smoothness of the congee itself.

IFC Building 3rd Storey
Unit 3016~3018
Central, Hong Kong
Tel : 2295 0505

Sweet Potato Risotto

Ok, here's another one of those posts where I don't have an actual recipe, because I didn't write it down at once. I don't do it very often (anymore) but it still happens. Does it happen to you, too? You know - "oh, this was great, but it was so easy and obvious, I'm sure I'll remember how I made it in a few days when I sit down to blog about it." And I'm sure I *did* remember, for a few days. But it's been a few months now, and frankly, I'm not sure.

I *think* I baked the sweet potatoes, diced, in the oven for about 20 minutes or until very soft. And I'm pretty sure I had some fried chorizo in there. Other than that, a standard risotto. Results = great. I'll definitely try to re-create it, and next time, I promise to write a recipe.

Classic Curry Sunshine

I was once told of life with small children that a day can seem like a year while the years seem like days.  It is so true.  Now that my kids are getting older, all those endless, boring days trying to entertain tiny babies seem a distant memory.  What time is there to be bored now with the endless merry-go-round of kinder, swimming, playdates and so on?  Stressed, perhaps, but not bored.

Time for a peaceful lunch to read the paper and take a deep breath.  Classic Curry in Sunshine got the thumbs up from Kenny a while ago.  Gotta love Sunshine - you can get a park right out the front in a free car park, which is more than I can say for Footscray at the moment.

It's surprisingly spacious inside.  I was expecting an Indi Hots style fit out but it's much more restaurant like, albeit with plastic tablecloths.  There's a full menu which you can peruse here.  Prices are pretty unreal - all veg curries are $9 and all meat $10 with free basmati rice.

I'm a sucker for a good thali - this is a traditional Indian "mini-buffet" meal where you get rice, bread and three curries for a ridiculously low price.  They always come on these silver trays which, as Matt Preston said, are reminiscent of prison riots.

A traditional Indian meal always has one wet and one dry element.  Here was dal makhani which was satisfying and earthy - slow-cooked whole lentils, quite thick and with a good helping of chilli.  Traditionally this dal would be left in the dying heat of the tandoor oven overnight to emerge thick and rich.  Complementing this was a dry sabzi-style dish of perfectly-cooked potato and cauliflower, deliciously chilli-hot and spiced with turmeric, cumin seeds and dried fenugreek leaves.

The chicken was so flat, though.  The meat was tender and of good quality - three slices of breast meat - but the gravy was, I hate to say it, reminiscent of condensed tomato soup mixed with cream.  This is perhaps not inauthentic in a sense - Lizzie Collingham writes in "Curry:  An Autobiography" that Chicken Tikka Masala, Britain's national dish, was created when a customer complained that his chicken tikka was too dry so the chef whipped up a gravy of tinned soup, cream and a few mild spices.  Still, its lack of spice and personality was so incongruent with the other two quality vegetarian dishes.

In Indian restaurants, you will often see next to the till a little glass bowl of coloured things and seeds with a spoon in it.  This is a traditional breath freshener and often incorporates fennel.  Here at Classic Curry, there were sugar-coated fennel seeds on offer which are quite delicious, tasting a lot like liquorice.

I reckon Classic Curry deserve another chance.  They have a few good meal deals like $35 for a "family pack" with mountains of food.  A good stress reliever for a mid-week dinner, perhaps!



Classic Curry
Shop 3, Clarke Street, Sunshine (map)
Phone:  9312 6766
Hours:  7 days, 11 am til late

 
Can you help?

Oscar went missing on Saturday 21/5/11 from Adelaide Street in Footscray. He is 5 years old. He has black fur with white nose, paws, chest and belly. He was last seen wearing a purple collar with a bell, but no tags. He is desexed and microchipped. Any information greatly appreciated! We are offering a reward for his safe return.

Alice 0466 303 177 / 0466 408 032

Cookbook giveaway

It's giveaway week at Anne's Food! (No, not really - it's just a coincidence.) The winner of Pascal Le Chef is Sol. And keep your eyes open, I have a really, really cool giveaway coming in a few days!

And today, I have a cookbook for you. With one of my recipes in it! (And recipes from 50 food bloggers - all with healthy ingredients that are really good for you.) I told you about this collaboration about a year ago, and it's finally time for the actual book giveaway. In order to win, just leave a comment on this post, telling me what's your current favorite cookbook!

Open to all readers, world-wide. Giveaway will close Friday, May 27, at midnight.

Simple Yogurt Parfaits

I worry a lot about what I feed my kids. Living in a world where exercise is limited for kids, and junk food is widely available, I like to do as much as possible to keep them healthy and active. One of my hardest times is when my daughter comes home from school absolutely starving. I'm always on the lookout for healthy snacks that won't fill her up too much before dinner.


This particular snack was a total hit, and super easy. Just any flavor of yogurt, layered with any type of fruit and granola. And since my daughter is quite fancy, the pretty cup didn't hurt either. It's such a simple idea that I'm almost embarrassed to post it, but if you're in the same boat as me, you're up for any snack ideas. So I'll ask you guys...

What kinds of healthy snacks and meals do you feed your kids, grandkids, nieces or nephews? Any tips to get them to eat healthier foods?

Wednesday Bookmarks, May 25

I've done a LOT of bookmarking in the past few days, so I won't post all of them. I keep all of my bookmarks here. For non-food-stuff, I've just started using Pinterest!

Now - let's get to it. I hope you'll discover some new blogs!

I don't just bookmark new stuff, but also some old. I've been looking for suitable picnic recipes, because of the food blogger's picnic this Sunday. (Are you coming? I hope to see you!) There's a great round-up of "Waiter, there's something in my... picnic basket", which is highly recommended reading! I'm eyeing Chicken Wraps with Apple, Bacon and Pine Nuts from Spittoon Extra, and a Quinoa, Prawn and Asparagus Salad from The Passionate Cook, my friend Johanna.

Summer is coming, so I'm collecting ice cream (or popsicle) ideas. Minted watermelon pops perhaps, or Strawberry Lemonade Popsicles from Pass the Sushi? Both sound very cooling.

Also cooling, but less kid-friendly: Fruity Frozen Vodka Slush. I'd love to have a container of this in the freezer. (But probably won't, I'm too afraid Titus will eat it.)

And then four things that I can't wait to make. Skirt Steak Tacos from Steamy Kitchen (hello dinner Saturday night!), Cinnamon Roll Muffins (there's a smart idea!) from The Baker Chick, Choquettes from Like a Strawberry Milk and an awesome-looking Lemon Scented Pull-Apart Coffee Cake from 17 and Baking.

麥奀雲吞麵世家 Mak Ngan Wan Ton Noodle House for superb wan ton noodles..... Central, Hong Kong

I just couldn't forget the morning when we had 3 breakfast meals during the recent trip to Hong Kong. We were supposed to have breakfast at 麥奀雲吞麵世家 Mak Ngan Wan Ton Noodle House. As we were there too early, at 9am, and the noodle shop only opened at 11am, we had time to kill for a 'light' fried noodle and congee at Stanley street. Still too early. We visited Lin Heung Restaurant for Dim Sum, toured the SOHO escalator to work off the food before Mak Ngan's shutters lifted. Even though we had two breakfasts, we were still urged to a third.  Mak Ngan is more like a no frills traditional eating house where locals would visit. So don't expect a restaurant style service.

We were glad that Mak Ngan's wan ton noodles came in small portions 小蓉. Thumbs up for the superb bowl of wan ton noodles. It also shows how big's the portion. The noodles from Mak Ngan was tangy and the soup tasted of sweet fresh shrimp without the overpowering flavor of ghee from the noodles. It seemed that Mak Ngan prefers to wash off more ghee from their noodles during the cooking. I liked it this way as it wouldn't mask off the flavors in the soup.

The wan tons were quite big as the whole shrimps wrapped into the wan ton skin weren't too small. The wan ton skin was thin, delicate and shrimps were fresh and tender.

While we were eating our noodles, we can't help but amazed at the speed that these guys were preparing the wan tons.

77 Wellington Street

Central, Hong Kong

Grandma Hulda's Sweet Dills

GRANDMA HULDA'S SWEET DILL PICKLES

these are a year 'round staple in our fridge...

always has been, always will be a big barrel jar of Grandma's sweet pickles in the back of the fridge.  sometimes i swear at them as i maneuver around that big glass jar to squeeze something new in, but i wouldn't remove them if my life counted on it...or rather if i counted on staying alive through the night.

Grandma Hulda wasn't what you would call a gourmet cook by any means, but she knew how to throw down a few special things...

these pickles are one of those special things 

and i have yet to meet their match in the pickle world.

i must admit, the idea for this post came about quite a few weeks ago.  it originally was to be all about the last surviving chunk of Easter ham and my fabulous low fat Ham Salad...BUT then...out came the pickles from the back of the fridge for the photo shoot.  as i was shooting a big light bulb went on and i  said...

"ham salad = boring"...

"Grandma's Pickles?...everybody loves pickles AND everybody loves something from Grandma."

hence the recipe for the easiest bestest crunchy sweet pickle ever!

they need to be in the back of your fridge on the ever-ready just for that extra little crunch for your salad, sandwich or burger.

pack a cute little jar of your favorite spreadable salad like ham, tuna or chicken and serve with your pickles.  put them along with your cheese platter, hors d'oeuvres or condiments...or...top off with a layer of chopped sweet pickles for a tasty on the go treat.  great for picnics  or just your everyday brown bag lunch.

GRANDMA HULDA'S SWEET PICKLES

what you'll need...

1 46 ounce store bought jar of Hamburger Dill pickles...crinkle cut

3 cups of white sugar

2 Tblsp pickling spice

2 Tblsp apple cider vinegar

drain the juice from the pickles and put them in a large bowl...save the jar, toss the store bought juice.

add the sugar, spices and vinegar to the pickles and stir to combine.

let this sit on the counter for at least an hour, maybe 2, so the pickles can weep out their juices and the sugar dissolves.  you can stir them a few times during the weeping.

put the pickles and all the new juices back in the jar and in the fridge...let set at least 3 days before using.

i must add that these pickles are best over time...and i mean time because after the first batch is gone, you need to save about a cup of the old juice and add it to the new batch.  after the pickles have done their weeping add a little of the juice from the previous batch to cover the pickles.  you might not need the full cup, but it's kinda fun to keep the juice as an on going flavor addition...

not a totally necessary step, but it's how Grandma Hulda did it and i wouldn't change a thing about these pickles.

they're just perfect as is...Grandma Hulda's way.

PS...as for the lower cal Ham Salad?...
try using cottage cheese instead of mayonnaise.
put the cottage cheese in the processor and blend to smooth.
then add chopped ham and just a few chopped pickles.
pulse to a spreadable texture.  don't over process.
season to taste.

you won't miss the mayonnaise if you take care in the seasoning with salt and pepper.  the pickles add just the right sweet/tart flavor...enjoy

Soft Breakfast Rolls

These are very soft and comforting rolls. Just the thing to eat in the morning, with cheese and orange marmalade. They're slightly sweet, but not over the top. I've added a hint of cinnamon to make them a bit more interesting, but you can definitely leave that out. If you do, decrease the syrup a little, and they'll be perfect to use as hamburger buns!

Soft Breakfast Rolls

500 ml milk
50 g fresh yeast
100 ml melted butter
50 ml golden syrup
1-2 tsp cinnamon
about 950 g bread flour
2 tsp salt

Crumble the yeast into a bowl. Heat the milk until tepid and mix with the yeast until it has dissolved. Add everything except for salt and flour, and stir.

Gradually add the flour, and knead well for about ten minutes. (I'm using my Kitchen-Aid.) Add salt, and knead for five more minutes. Cover with a towel and leave to rise for about 30 minutes.

Turn out the dough onto a well-floured surface and divide into 20 pieces. Roll into buns, and leave to rise until doubled in size - about 1 hour.

Bake at 250°C for 8-10 minutes.

Recipe in Swedish:
Mjuka frukostfrallor

Cheesy Stuffed Shells

Since we are (hopefully) moving in a year, I've been trying to get rid of as much stuff as possible lately. And as painful as it's been, I've even been getting rid of some of my books, including my cookbooks. Let's face it, as much as I love cookbooks, there's no point in holding on to a book that hasn't been used in years.

I feel like I gained way more then I lost by getting rid of a few cookbooks though. Since I was forced to leaf through all of my cooking books and magazines, I was able to rediscover a TON of recipes that I haven't tried yet. I almost felt like I had just gotten a whole new stack of books and magazines, just by going through them.

This was a recipe that I couldn't wait to try. I have never made stuffed shells before, but when I saw that they were full about about five different kinds of cheese, there was no hesitation. These are hearty, meaty, gooey and very family friendly. They're also made over to be lighter, so pretty much everyone wins with this one. Enjoy!


Cheesy Stuffed Shells
Adapted from Taste of Home Healthy Cooking, April/May 2008

This recipe serves 12! It makes a ton, so you may consider halving if you aren't feeding a crowd.

Ingredients

3/4 pound ground beef (I used turkey)
1 Italian turkey sausage link, casings removed
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 large onion
1 package (10 oz) frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup reduced fat ricotta cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella, divided
1 1/2 cups 1% cottage cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese
1-2 teaspoons Italian seasonings (I always like extra seasoning, so go by taste)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1-2 teaspoons garlic salt (optional)
24-32 pasta shells, cooked and drained

SAUCE:

3 8-oz cans tomato sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon pepper
salt to taste (lighter recipes always omit salt, I know it's better for you, but I just can't stand it, so salt according to taste)

Directions

1. Crumble turkey or beef and sausage into a large nonstick skillet, add fennel seeds and onion. Cook and stir over medium heat until meat is cooked through. Drain if needed.

2. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in spinach, ricotta and egg. Add 1 cup mozzarella, cottage cheese, Parmesan, cheddar, Italian seasoning, garlic salt and pepper. Mix well.

3. Stuff pasta shells with meat mixture. Arrange in two 11x7 baking dishes, coated with cooking spray (I filled one 9x13 and one 8x8 for later). Combine sauce ingredients; spoon over shells. Cover and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until bubbly and cheese is melted. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Do you need some help in the kitchen? Giveaway!

I'm sure we can all use some help in the kitchen sometimes. Pascal Le Chef to the rescue! He's a little Voodoll and according to his description:

Pascal cultivates that innovative cooking artist inside of you, and gives you the power to perform even greater deeds in the kitchen than you already posses.

Sounds good, right? Do you want Pascal to move in with you? Just leave a comment on this post, telling me about your worst kitchen disaster. I'll randomly choose a winner, and Pascal will be flying to your rescue!

Giveaway closes tomorrow, Tuesday, May 24, at midnight.

Hot dogs at Costco

People are very sensitive about grocery shopping.  Allegiances can be as fiercely defended as those to football teams.  Costco seems to inspire everything from ardour to disgust to benign curiosity.  I have been a member since it first opened and truthfully was not sure if I would keep my membership at first.  As time has gone on, the management has evidently responded to Australian buying habits and the product range keeps getting better and better.  So, trolley loaded with free range chicken, organic milk and antioxidant-rich blueberries, what better for lunch than a Costco hot dog?

Yes, I know what you are thinking - how could you??  I blame nostalgia.  Hot dogs are a huge part of the American summer experience.  Just as you wander the backstreets of suburban Melbourne in summer and the unmistakable, sinfully-delicious waft of barbecuing el-cheapo breakfast sausages fills the air, the lure of an American hot dog is just as wrong and just as strong.  The meat is highly processed and the bun that cakey, aerated McDonalds bread, but they put me straight back in Wrigley Field in Chicago, organ pipes playing between the commentator's snappy calls, the ivy rustling gently in the lakeshore breeze as a baseball game plays on.

Mmmm, $2.49 worth of memories.  They are not quite the hot dogs I recall (Chicago is famous for its 100% beef hot dogs) but they are damn close.

I am ashamed to say I have partaken of other Costco food court delights.  The pizza slices are gargantuan and I found them far too oily and (in the case of the cheese pizza) somewhat bland.  The "Korean" "beef bulgogi bake" (yes, HOW CAN I CALL MYSELF A FOODIE) is far, far too rich - a kind of greasy calzone stuffed with beef, cheese and onion.

So what's in the trolley?  Costco is really about discounting premium brands rather than beating generic prices, although in some cases it does manage to do that.  This does mean that you have to buy a lot, ie, 24 muesli bars at a time, three-packs of shampoo or 1 kg frozen berries.  It works for us but if you were a smaller household, you would need to weigh up the initial outlay, the expiry date and the boredom factor to consider if it would work for you.

Costco have always sold packs of Steggles or Baiada chicken pieces, plus whole Lilydale free range chooks.  I have regularly left feedback asking them to stock free range fillets and one day received a phone call telling me that they would indeed do that.  Unreal!  Indeed, they are stocking more and more free range and organic lines which I think is reflective of the variety of people who shop at Costco - some come for the buckets of Maltesers, others for the wild Alaskan salmon.  But everyone stays for the hot dogs.

Flourless Almond Brownies

If you make the macarons I posted about yesterday, you'll find yourself with some leftover almond praline. Not a huge problem, obviously, but I did - and these brownies are what I made with it. You can totally leave it out if you don't happen to have it, but it adds an extra touch of caramel which I found very welcome. (Just use more ground almonds.)

These are great on their own, but absolutely divine with a dollop of whipped cream. And as a bonus, they're gluten free!

Flourless Almond Brownies

225 g butter
225 g dark chocolate
200 g sugar
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
150 g ground almonds
50 g almond praline



Melt butter and chocolate, and add sugar and vanilla. Let it cool slightly, then add the egg, almonds and almond praline. Stir until smooth.

Pour in a buttered cake tin and bake at 175°C for 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven, and cool before taking them out of the pan.

Recipe in Swedish:
Mandelbrownies

Good Ol' Cobb Salad

COBB SALAD...

a classic...always great...something for everyone...can't go wrong.

invented back in 1937 at the Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant, it's still stands on it own as a fabulous main-dish salad.

especially if there's EXTRA BACON!

no real surprises here...no fabulous recipe to report.


WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET!


just an idea and a little shout out for one of the classics that won't let you down when you need something that will fit everyones taste buds.


what you'll need...
(starting from the left)

some good crumbly blue cheese
10 or more crispy bacon strips
English cucumber
2 roasted chicken breasts
3 vine ripe tomatoes
5 hard boiled eggs...separated
2 ripe Haas avocados
fresh leafy greens with herbs
 head lettuce
scallions or chives

the original Cobb Dressing served at The Brown Derby was an old-fashioned French dressing.  then it evolved somehow into a red wine vinaigrette, but i prefer...
 good old Ranch Dressing
made from Hidden Valley Ranch packet with buttermilk and mayonnaise

if you have the time it's nice to make everyones plate with all the separate components, or you can do as i did and just make one big impressive platter in all it's Cobb glory.
(in my house i think some let out a little sigh of relief that they won't have to partake or endure some fancy or out of the ordinary lunch extravaganza)
to serve, i dressed the greens in a separate bowl and made up each plate as it went to the table, serving from the main platter...drizzle a little dressing over the top with a little more crumbled blue cheese and put some dressing on the table for those who tend to over-dress. i'm an under-dresser.


serve with a fresh crusty baguette OR...some homemade bread.

might i suggest Grandma Nonnie's Zucchini Bread found here