Events - Travels for Taste

Bake Your Dreams Come True with Tate and Lyle

May 18, 2014 by manjirichitnis 4 Comments

When I was invited to the campaign launch for the Bake Your Dreams Come True in East London , I had no idea I would walking into an installation of an edible bank! This art installation is the result of research which reveals that 40% of Brits dream of ditching their day jobs to start out on their own ,of which 20% of the dream of starting their own Baking Business!

While I ate the fabulous decadent cake that made the ATM , I also admired the sugar art world map and meringue art frame and a desk complete with edible paper bank slips and pens filled with sherbet powder.

But of course the Bank of Baking Vault with edible gold coin biscotti,edible bank notes in flavours of green tea, orange zest and cherry, chocolate cake ingots was most tempting, alas we couldn’t eat the vault or it notes and ingots but were free to munch on the shortbread gold coins 🙂

All these beautiful edible art creations were made by artists Bompas & Parr.

This beautiful desk with its rustic look and feel ,with the Tate and Lyle sugar filled money bags ,for one slight moment made me feel like I was in a Harry Potter movie at Gringotts bank…. sighh..if only daydreaming could materialize into sensible dreams….well this event was certainly about an opportunity that should be seized!

I spent almost an hour speaking to financial advisors who were at the event and they explained patiently the nitty-gritty associated with venturing out on your own, how to ensure your business idea is viable to financiers and why it’s never too late to take the plunge! It was a fruitful afternoon and I left feeling very inspired to formulate my own business idea , a money spinner I hope!

The Details

Launched to inspire budding bakers to fulfill their baking dreams this wonderful initiative by Tate and Lyle offers prizes in cash rewards up to £5000 for 5 lucky baking entrepreneurs .This initial financial support will go towards set up of dream baking ventures. In addition there are prizes worth £1 million to be won too.Bakers who have been dreaming of their own cafe, a cupcake or meringue supply business or simply any budding baker with baking dreams are eligible to apply by submitting the pack code of their ‘Bake Your Dreams Come True Tate and Lyle Baking Sugar’ or ‘Lyle’s Golden Syrup Baking Bottles’

So call you budding bakers what are you waiting for ?Pull out your aprons , put on your baking hats and head here to participate! Good Luck!

*With thanks to Tate and Lyle for inviting me to this fun and informative event.No monetary compensation was provided for this post.All views expressed are my own.

Parma Ham Event at the Underground Cookery School

May 7, 2014 by manjirichitnis Leave a Comment

Returning to the Underground Cookery School this time for an event to showcase Parma Ham, I felt very much at home in the school and saw some familiar faces amongst the other invitees too. As was expected I was greeted with a glass of Prosecco that never ran dry as the evening progressed.

While Head Chef, Carlos, freshly sliced Parma Ham we tucked into starters all made using Parma Ham.Parma Ham is 100% natural and the drying process it goes through gives Parma Ham a very low fat content, with many mineral salts, vitamins, antioxidants and easily digestible proteins.Prosciutto di Parma meaning Parma Ham in literal translation is produced in hills surrounding the Parma region of Italy where the dry gentle hilly air gives this meat its unmistakable sweetness and flavour.

Amongst the many delicious apretizers ,I most enjoyed the starter with thin slices of parma ham curled around sweet pan roasted juicy pears.

To cook along with the chefs at the Underground Cookery School we were divided in two groups. Our group started of with preparing the main course for the evening :Breast of Free Range Chicken wrapped with Parma Ham, stuffed with Tarragon and Cream Cheese on top of a bed of New Potatoes, Purple Sprouting Broccoli and Spring Onion

After we all got some serious knife skill into play to cut a 1/2 ” deep pocket into the chicken breast , off they went into the oven to cook after a stuffing was added and generous layer of parma ham was wrapped around it.We then made our dessert for the evening : Meringue Roulade with Candid Parma Ham slices

The unique taste of Parma Ham is dependent on the traditional production process passed down from Roman times, carefully controlled by the Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma. Only hams that have passed stringent curing regulations approved by the EU can be awarded the stamp of the Ducal crown – a five pointed coronet logo with PARMA in the centre which is branded onto the ham’s skin. The Ducal Crown is now a certification trademark.

No wonder then that this versatile meat can be used even in desserts to create such varied flavours!Then up my favourite bit – the pasta machine! This time around I made Tagliatelle for our starter which was : Fresh Home-made Tagliatelle with White Truffle Dressing, topped with twirls of freshly sliced Parma Ham and Parmigiano Reggiano

The dark yellow colour is attributed to the use of eggs specially coming all the way from Italy with a dark yellow yolk attributed to the chickens been fed on carrots, the beta carotene doing their thing there.Working the pasta machine and watching the Tagliatelle come out so perfect was a very satisfying experience 🙂 After all the hard work 😉 we sat down and bonded over some wine while out Tagliatelle was being served and the chicken was being plated.First up the starter looked so heavenly! Parma Ham in this delicious recipe is such a perfect combination.

The mains looked too good to eat and too delicious to resist !The purple broccoli and potatoes in perfect balance with the cooked ham and the stuffing just envelopes your tongue as it gushes out from the folds of the chicken.

The candied ham in the dessert is a lovely crunchy companion to the eggy Meringue.

Inspite of the dreaded Tube strike the turnout was very good and since the Underground Cookery School is conveniently located a short walk from Old street tube station it makes life so much easier.Underground Cookery School offers a space fun events to conduct cookery events in a easy environment making team building corporate exercises something to look forward to. You can also book the venue for parties and small gatherings.

*With thanks to The Consorzio del Proscuito di Parma for the invite.No monetary compensation was provided for this post.All views expressed are my own.

All Image are Credit: The Consorzio del Proscuito di Parma except the ones with ”sliceoffme” watermark.

Greek Easter Feast with Tonia Buxton and Total Greek Yoghurt

May 1, 2014 by manjirichitnis 10 Comments

One of the things I enjoy most about being a food and travel writer is that I am able to experience various traditions from various cultures. Also, I think it is a privilege and also an incredible opportunity to to celebrate various festivals from across the world. As an added benefit I have had the good fortune of meeting the wonderful people on my journey into exploring various beautiful cuisines and destinations.

I have cooked alongside some very talented trained Michelin-starred Chefs, home cooks, and cookbook authors too.

I am so glad that I had a chance to cook with someone as passionate as Tonia Buxton who taught us how to make a 3-course Greek feast and took us through a journey of how Easter is celebrated back in Greece, relating in a very animated manner the rituals, prayer, and festivity surrounding the occasion. Total Yogurt the makers of the deliciously thick and creamy yogurt put together this cooking fest at a Cookery School called La Cucina Caldesi located in the heart of Central London.

Tonia Buxton a Greek Cypriot is the Total Greek Yogurt Brand Ambassador and a presenter of the award-winning T.V series on Discovery Channel called ‘My Greek Kitchen’ and has also authored a book titled ‘Tonia’s Greek Kitchen’. Soon to star in a new T.V series called ‘Pauls Family Feast’ a TV show by well, Paul Hollywood 🙂

After a quick ice breaker session, we got into groups and started preparing the main dish of the meal – Greek Lamb Pattie Tray Bake. I love cooking lamb and am delighted with the similarities in Greek and Indian cuisines. We too love our spices and cumin does add a very deep flavour to lamb. If I was to make it at home though I would tweak it and amp up the spices especially the cumin and just because I love heat crushed or paper-thin slices of green chillies with seeds ummm!

Here is the recipe:

Greek Lamb Pattie Tray Bake

Serves: 4

Ingredients

100g TOTAL Greek Yoghurt
100g fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs
400g lamb mince
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp ground cumin
4 red onions (2 finely chopped, 2 cut into wedges)
Large handful mint, chopped
4 waxy new potatoes, i.e. the Charlottes cut into wedges
4 courgettes, halved & quartered lengthways
250g pack juicy cherry tomatoes on the vine
2 unwaxed lemons cut into 6 wedges each
4 tbsp olive oil
100g feta cheese, crumbled

Method

Heat the oven to 200°C / 180°C Fan / Gas Mark 6.
Put the breadcrumbs, the lamb mince, egg, plenty of seasoning, and cumin in a bowl.
Add the chopped onion and sprinkle in half the chopped mint. Give everything a good mix and shape into 8 patties.
Lightly oil a large, shallow roasting tray and add the patties.
Place the onion wedges on the tray around the lamb patties with the potatoes, courgettes, and tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and season. Bake for around 40 minutes, turning & basting everything once halfway until the lamb is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the feta and remaining mint. (We used up most of the mint and our minty lamb patties were very juicy and yum)
Serve with a large dollop of Total Greek yoghurt and tahini sauce.

While our lamb patties were cooking we played a fun Greek easter egg game with eggs painted a cheerful bright red. We had to go about smashing our egg onto everyone else and in the end, I was up against Tonia- of course, she won! Years of experience laster she has mastered the technique 🙂

We then made a Greek dessert called Anarocrema using Anari Cheese, which I flavoured with orange blossom extract, fresh fruits, and generous bits of freshly made filo pastry crispy bits. This creamy dessert is made using goats cheese and marries well with fruits, pistachios, almonds, and honey too is very filling and moreish dessert.

While our desserts were sent for chilling we got cracking on with the starter a light and superbly flavoured starter – Greek Sea Bream fillets with olives, capers, lemon, and yoghurt Tahini Sauce.

Thanks to @satureyes for the brilliant photos.

It was a very well organised event and I got an opportunity to meet so many more bloggers.Cooking up in a team with Fiona (London Unattached) and Heidi was good fun and it great to be working with familiar faces. Many thanks to @TotalGreek yogurt for the lovely event & @ToniaBuxton for her lively, warm, and friendly way of conducting the cookery workshop and sharing so many beautiful experiences.

I hope all of you had a brilliant Easter Weekend and are looking forward to another long weekend coming up!

Disclaimer: With many thanks to Total Uk and Tonia Buxton.I was not required to write a positive review and was not compensated monetarily for this post. Like all my previous posts about events and reviews, ALL opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

French Glace Cherries – Baking Masterclass

March 14, 2014 by manjirichitnis 37 Comments

When someone says cherries all I can think of is one tempting cherry sitting majestically atop a very fancy portion of Black Forest gâteau for dessert and its only the dexterity of your hands that will guarantee you get to pop the tasty little treat, of course, cherries have very many applications in baking as I was to find out at the baking day for bloggers organised by French Glacé Cherries(FGC).

We baked delicious Valentine’s treats developed and demonstrated by French baker and blogger Cindy Robert from Petit Gâteau and Food for thoughts.

To get us settled in we had some rather innovative sweet and savoury nibbles – FGC chutney with blue cheese, FGC oatcakes, FGC & chocolate brownies, mini smoothies, mini cheesecakes and my new favorite party nibble idea – crispy bacon rolled around a cherry – it’s so so good!

Images above Courtesy French Glace Cherries

A few interesting facts about French Glacé cherries They retain their flavour, shape and texture throughout the baking process. As such, they offer unbeatable quality, and reliable results every time. Good To know that they are not just apt in a traditional fruit cake, but equally at home in savoury recipes.

A Slice of History

The love affair between French confectioners and the UK goes back as far as 1868.It was then that business man Mathieu Wood, who was travelling in Provence at the time, discovered candied fruits from the Apt region and decided to import and sell them in his shops. It didn’t take long for the quality reputation of Provence glacé fruits to spread to the UK and beyond.

Images Courtesy French Glace Cherries

Around the same time, the British love of the outdoors and the development of the picnic and camping trends encouraged a preference for food that was easy to carry around. The fruit cake became very popular as it was easier to carry than the traditional pudding and offered something a bit more original. Candied fruits and French glacé cherries in particular are fun, novel and allow for a great amount of creativity in recipes. No surprise they quickly became a perfect addition to the fruit cake, and thus an integral part of British baking culture.

We were to bake along with Cindy, who had created two exclusive treats: French Glacé Cherry (FGC) Jelly cakes (a cherry twist on the traditional Jaffa cake) and FGC and Pistachios financiers (also known over here as friands).

I must say baking in a group is really fun vis-a vis’ my usual solitary experiments and that too at the venue which was Central Street Cookery School, at St Luke’s Community Centre was an utterly enjoyable experience.The cookery school is exceptionally well equipped and is a perfect place for all sorts of lovely kitchen experiments ! That is a very happy me melting some chocolate chips -ummm

An attentive audience we were …

My French Glacé Cherry (FGC) Jelly cakes progressed quite well and we got to carry back our bakes home, such fun I say , I had a lovely tea session with my neighbour H and her 5 year old daughter she thoroughly enjoyed the taste of these Jaffa cakes !

But my heart was in the FGC and Pistachios financiers, their eggy aroma and perfect for valentines day shape ummm ,lucky us we got the cute moulds to take home in our rather generously stuffed goody bags with the most cheerful apron I’ve got so far in bright cherry red 🙂

1-French Glace Cherries Goody Bag Deconstructed on 8th Feb'14

Did you know that it takes about 10 days for a tray of fresh cherries to become glacé cherries

Image Credit: French Glace Cherries

Disclaimer: I was invited by French Glace Cherries to attend the event and bake with Cindy using recipes developed by her. I was not required to write a positive review and was not compensated monetarily for this post. Like all my previous posts about events and reviews, ALL opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Underground Cookery School,cooking a 3 course meal and a recipe for a Pear Souffle

November 14, 2013 by manjirichitnis Leave a Comment

When I was invited to spend an evening at the Underground Cookery School in London, never did I imagine that I would learn how to expertly joint a Pheasant , use a pasta making machine & make my first ever ravioli and stir up a souffle in minutes! All this in a matter to few hours and then get to taste all these creations with a bunch of very friendly food enthusiasts. It was a very rainy and cold evening and the very thought of an ”underground” kitchen was heart warming.After a brief introduction ( over canapes and wine) by Chef Matt Kemp, head chef and owner of the Underground Cookery School ,we were split into 3 teams and I was learning from Chef Matt how to joint a pheasant , I most enjoyed creating the stock with a little bit of flour and adding a large ladle of Chicken Stock to the flour ummm. Matt Kemp, who trained under Michael Guérard and has worked at the River Café, The Ivy and Pont De La Tour. Having read this before I got there I was I must say a bit apprehensive , never having worked in a professional kitchen that too with a professionally trained chef but I must say he was pretty happy with my knife skills with the bird and managed to get is through preparing a Pheasant Casserole in a matter of minutes. Somehow he made it seem so easy …. What I loved is how the remainder of the birds were safely kept together in a tray to be used later to make a thick stock, it somehow made me feel so very much at home ,just a warm feeling of how we would work in our home kitchen. Matt’s team fussed over us all through the evening ensuring the glasses never ran dry and I sorely regret not drinking that evening ..ah well, another time maybe 😉 That was how the casserole looked like before it went along with the other pretty Le Crusset pans to be cooked. Somehow the addition of fresh herbs just makes everything look prettier! I have always wanted to use a pasta making machine and this was my chance, though I did almost mange to pass my hand through the machine, only to salvage my fingers in the nick of time , I guess I have have to just practise really hard before I can hope to match the trained chefs dexterous hand movements and finesse with the super fine pasta flour. It is magical how flour and egg together can be transformed into an uber malleable pasta dough. The idea of a pumpkin ravioli was quite appetising ,it just has a very autumn and halloween like ring to it me thinks. After adding just a blog of the pumpkin into the perfectly round pasta discs just dab a little bit of water along the sides, it acts like a sort of a glue to seal of the dough into a beautiful and perfect parcel. I cannot decide what I enjoyed the most , was it learning to make the perfect pasta dough (without passing my palm through the machine) or learning how to make a souffle but I will say this, there is no joy bigger than seeing a superbly well risen souffle emerge from the oven and dust sugar onto it like a thin sheath of snow envelope the lightly browned top.Putting my spoon through the souffle was undoubtedly the high point of the evening. PEAR SOUFFLE The team at The Underground Cookery School was kind enough to share all the 3 recipes with us and here I shall share the Pear Souffle recipe with all of you , please do drop a comment here if you would like the other 2 recipes . Mind you, separating an egg white using your hands is not as bad as you think and no matter how many fancy gizmos you have at home aka egg separators , there is joy in being able to do it just right by getting your hands dirty :). A top tip from the chef, enusure that you do not leave even a tiny spot dry and smother the inside with butter well before dusting it with sugar, taking care not to leave any dry spots inside before adding the pear and egg white mix. Pear Soufflé Serves: 4 Ingredients:

6 Pears Juiced
125g sugar
1tsp corn flower
4 egg whites
Juice of one lemon
Pinch Of Salt

Method:

Butter the ramaquins and dust with 25g of sugar; put in fridge.
Make a Pear juice with 6 pears and 50g of Sugar
Add water to one tea spoon of corn flour and put mix into heated Pear stock. Now add the juice of half a lemon. Reduce down over the hob. The mix should be the consistency of wall paper paste.
Wisk egg whites to a ribbon whilst mixing in 50g of caster sugar. Add a few drops of lemon juice AND A PINCH OF SALT as you go along.
Put one spoonful per soufflé into a bowl and fold in 1/3 of of the egg white to the paste. Then fold in the balance.
Put mix into a ramaquin, smooth over and run finger round the circumference of the ramaquin.
Put in the oven for 8 mins at 160o.

I am so in love with the pear souffle that I decided to make it at home too!But unfortunately had to rush to India as mum had to undergo an operation. But I do promise to post pictures of the homemade souffle once am back.

After all that hard work ,Chef Matt’s team got busy with getting the food to us at the table and let us sit back and relax while they worked hard.Ah, a really efficient ,friendly and polite team he has there , a real pleasure to work with! So with framed photographs like the one below all round our table we tucked into our 3 course supper .Though I did not eat the pheasant I did eat the veggies in there. (I am particularly pleased with my photos taken using my Samsung Galaxy S3 phone camera, love the clarity and am so happy that the kitchen was well lit !) It was an incredible evening in many ways because of the bloggers who came together that evening , I meet some really warm,chatty,vibrant and fun ladies and the conversation flowed as smoothly as the wine. We walked away with a goody bag which amongst other things has a scrumptious chutney and a very large bottle of olive oil infused with herbs.

PUMPKIN RAVIOLI If your looking for a brilliantly different Hen Party idea or need to get some cohesiveness back into your team at work, nothing better than getting people together around a hot stove stirring, chopping ,cutting and clinking wine glasses over a meal cooked together.

PHEASANT CASSEROLE P.S: I have written this blog article out of my own free will because I thoroughly enjoyed every single moment I spent at the Underground Cookery School.

Day of the Dead celebration with Gran Luchito & Mezcal tasting

November 3, 2013 by manjirichitnis 2 Comments

el Dia de Muertos or the event Day of the Dead is a Mexican version of Halloween celebrations. It’s also when Gran Luchito was launched last year so this year on their first birthday Gran Luchito decided to throw a party in association with Amathus Drinks and Oaxaca Cheese, on 30th Oct at Amathus Soho with a great spread of Mexican eats and the amazing Mezcal!

800px-Mexico-Day_of_the_Dead_altar (Copy)

Image Courtesy: Wiki Images

Gran Luchito’s owner, Fergus Chamberlain, explains: “I am on a mission to bring authentic and rural Mexican flavours to our kitchens, making them accessible and contemporary. Gran Luchito’s products are made to enhance the flavour of any food”.He discovered the rare pasilla Oaxaca chilli on a trip to Mexico and he now works with local farmers to create the smoky, rich Gran Luchito paste. (Oaxaca pronounced as Wahaca) There are 56 varieties in Mexico and Gran Luchito is made from artisan smoked Mexican chillies – the pasilla Oaxaca, agave (agave is the plant from which mezcal and tequila are made!) and garlic amongst other ingredients. It is a very versatile paste. I love using it as a meat marinade and with some poached eggs. Actually, the applications can be as vivid as your imagination.

The farmers who grow the Pasilla Oaxaca chilli live in the Mixes Hills that surround Oaxaca. Their existence is a really tough one, with long dry summers and heavy monsoons. The rare Pasilla Oaxaca chillies are smoked over the oak fire when perfectly ripe in handmade clay ovens, to prevent insects from eating them, or torrential rains from rotting them. The deep rich and smoky flavours are an aftertaste after the initial heat. Making a chilli paste is a traditional way of using chilli in Mexico. They make it using a stone grinder called a metate.

Listening to a presentation sitting surrounded by exotic spirits lining shelves from floor to ceiling was distracting enough and to add to that a table full of delicious Mexican snacks was at our table. There were Tostadas de frijoles or beans tostadas with sour cream blended with Gran Luchito paste, Ensalada de nopales, or a cactus salad made with cactus available at Mexgrocer, Ensalada de Pollo or a chicken salad along with some other small eats. I loved the prawns topped with marmalade made with caramelised onion with Gran Luchito Paste.

We also tried 5 different types of Mezcal which is a very tasty and sharp alcoholic drink made from plant agave. Agave is also used to make Tequila but unlike tequila Mezcal is to be sipped slowly ideally balanced by popping loads of Mexican cheese between sips. I feasted on 2 types of artisan Oaxaca Cheese ,one like a crumbly feta but much less salty and another a chewy string cheese which is absolutely amazing, very morish! Both made in Mexican cheese makers here in the U.K using milk from local farms by Oaxaca Taste.

Mezcal is made mainly in Oaxaca in Mexico and it is a long and laborious process and everything is done by the local folks by hand including harvesting , roasting,grinding and leaving to ferment using traditional artisan methods.There is a saying attributed to Oaxaca regarding the drink: “para todo mal, mezcal, y para todo bien también” (“for all bad, mezcal, for all good, as well”) I couldn’t agree more , because this fine drink didn’t get me tipsy inspite of 5 different very potent varieties of Mezcal called Vida ,Minero,San Luis del Rio Azul,C and Alipus San Anders,ranging in alcoholic content from 45% to 49% !

Mezcal is a drink that has come of age and deserves its rightfull place amongst other fine spirits.Because it has been such a closely guarded secret amongst the Mexican Hills for years and has only being sold outside of Mexico in the past decade or so , it is best introduced along with a peek into the rich Oaxacan culture that surrounds this drink.

I know one thing for sure when I plan a pre christmas dinner party I am going to make a cactus salad, use generous dollops of Gran Luchito honey on my crackers , serve some Oxacan stringy cheese( most of which I greedily plan to wolf down) and stock up on Arroqueno , the smooth and smoky taste is addictive without being overpowering.Oh yes and it made me feel so warm inside like an internal thermostat set to warm and toasty, didn’t need my coat on the way back …hummmm better than sake I say !

Image Courtesy: Gran Luchito

*With thanks to Gran Luchito for the invite. All opinions expressed and photographs used are, as always, my own, unless otherwise mentioned. No monetary compensation was provided.

An evening with Tesco’s Finest* and a recipe for a Sweet Pepper and Wild Mushroom Pie

October 28, 2013 by manjirichitnis 2 Comments

When I was on my way to the Food Evening Taste Experience at Tesco Kensington last week little did I expect a detailed and informative presentation about how the Tesco Finest* range is created by a very passionate set of people who are proud to know all about how and where the ingredients are sourced from.Everything including the stunning new packaging has been planned well down to the last-minute detail.

There was a very tempting display of Tesco Finest* goodies and it was quite a test of self-control to not start munching on the goodies. We had various types of cheese, large variety of cold cuts, many different types of cakes ,chocolates and lot of exciting new variants of tea and coffee to dig into.

This event was to celebrate Tesco finest*range being relaunched.

Says Chrish Bush ,M.D – Tesco,U.K – ”In total, we’ll have over 1500 different products in our new finest* range and there’s a story to be told about them all. What we want to do though the new packaging and the way we talk about finest* is to show the passion, care and expertise that goes on behind the scenes to create great food.”

I most enjoyed sampling the cured ham and the various types of cheese,perfect for your Christmas Cheese board.The finest* blue Wensleydale which is handcrafted in the Yorkshire Dales , has its own unique culture that creates the blue vein and it also won supreme champion at the 2012 British Cheese Awards.

Tesco finest* blue Wensleydale supplier – Image Courtesy: Tesco

I was quite amazed to learn that the finest* Traditionally Smoked Haddock is smoked at a 100-year-old smokehouse in Lincolnshire. Joe Tummey started it up in the 1940s and has passed on all he knows to his son and grandson today. Years of using the same smokehouse makes the flavour even more intense. Boy I love-uh smoked haddock!!

The images above are courtesy Tesco

As I had earlier on in the day shopped at the mini Tesco near my place, I had given into the temptation of buying this single dark red sweet pepper from the Finest* range ,this in addition to the new pack of sweet peppers from my goody bag I decided to combine it with the mixed fresh wild mushroom pack also from my goody bag and made us a delicious pie for the weekend .

Image Courtesy: Tesco

I had some potatoes and a big pack of smoked bacon bits too and decided to make my own stock using some flour and a Knorr cube. This is a very hearty pie and you could mix in any spare veggies that you need to finish. It serves 4 ideally but it was so tasty that hubby and me almost licked the plate dry 😉

Sweet Pepper & Wild Mushroom Pie – Recipe using Tesco Finest*ingredients

Serves: 4 with sides or two hungry and greedy adults 🙂

Ingredients:

1 pack of mixed fresh WILD mushrooms from the Tesco Finest* range
1 pack of fresh sweet mini peppers from the Tesco Finest* range
200gm smoked bacon bits
2 large potatoes peeled and cut into thin discs like shapes
Butter 4 large tbsp
2 small red onion sliced lengthwise
3 heaped tbsp plain flour
1 Knorr Chicken Cube
1 Puff pastry sheet
8” pie dish

Method:

Line an 8 inch pie dish with butter and place the disc like slices of potatoes onto it to create a base. Now add the smoked bacon bits which have been sauteed in butter onto the potatoes.

Use the delicious dark brown juicy fat after you saute’ the bacon and cook the sliced onion, peppers and chopped mushrooms in the same saucepan, just add a generous squeeze of the garlic paste and sprinkle some paprika powder if you want to amp up the heat quotient.

Now when the peppers start to turn soft load this delicious mixture which I could eat on its own onto the smoked bacon layer in the pie dish, spread it all over the pie dish to create an even layer .Now in the same saucepan add a bib blob of butter and 3 heaped teaspoons of plain flour ,stir in some water and ensure all the lumps are broken and a thick smooth paste is formed ,stir on a very low flame and crush one cube of knorr chicken into this paste. This cube should ensure that the entire pie gets the exact amount of salt it needs. After 2- 3 minutes pour this thick stock onto the peppers and watch it seep down through the layers …ummm soo soo good!

Now seal of this beauty with a sheet of puff pastry and do some creative art on the top with leaves or heart shapes or whatever you like 😉

Bake in a pre-heated oven for 25- 30 minutes until the puff pastry has risen and separate crispy layers are visible and the top has browned to a beautiful golden brown.

The sweet pepper taste coupled with the chewy earthy mushroom and the rich dark mysterious flavours of the pan fried buttery smoked bacon are simply irresistible and I helped myself to a rather greedy second helping , all washed down nicely with a big bottle of Cava 🙂

This recipe is very quick and easy to prepare and if you want to do more than one pie you can just double up the ingredients and cook both pies together depending on how big an oven you have. Recommended sides are green peas , baby carrots and a generous helping of fresh and crunchy Iceberg lettuce salad leaves all smothered in a honey mustard dressing and topped off with freshly ground pepper and some sea salt . I can almost see a large table full of very happy and smiling guests over for a Saturday Pre-Christmas lunch. Just ensure you have plenty of blankets and amp up the heating at home as these happy guests are going to want a long nap after they tuck into your Sweet pepper & Wild mushroom pie!

Undoubtedly, the taste is enhanced by use of fresh ingredients !Many Thanks to the very cheerful and efficient team at Tesco Kensington and the efficient PR for a lovely evening, a generous goody bag and all the tipples 🙂

Salon du Chocolat’s first Chocolate Fashion Show in London

October 27, 2013 by manjirichitnis Leave a Comment

For any one with a sweet tooth going to a fashion show and watching models walk around in clothes made with chocolate is a pure test of resilience, thankfully I sampled almost all of the varied offering by master chocolatiers after to not feel deprived 😉

During National Chocolate Week – Salon du Chocolat’s world famous fashion show came to London for the first time.On Friday the 18th of October Chocolate Couture was its best with various world-renowned chocolatiers teaming up with designers and artists to present their creations live on the catwalk at the VIP Gala Evening.The venue was National Hall, Olympia ,at Kensington in London and before we (Nisha of My Kitchen Antics and Suchi of Kitchen Karma) went there we had quite enjoyed dressing up and doing our own hair and make up , after all ”girls just wanna have fun”, huh?

The weekend saw many events unfold like demonstrations, talks, interactive workshops from acclaimed chocolatiers and chefs including master patissier Eric Lanlard in action, Great British Bake Off winner John Whaite and leading pastry chefs from Hakkasan and Le Manoir aux quat’saisons.

Lindt’s strapless chocolate dress weighed a whooping 50 kg and was made with chocolate and chilli.Called the “Eternal Diamond” it was designed by Graduate Fashion Week 2013 winner Lauren Smith:

My favourite though was this elegant and beautiful creation by Mark Tilling of Squires Kitchen.

Artisan du Chocolat’s ‘Alaya’ dress made by Sabina Motasem with white, caramel and dark chocolate, embellished with chocolate pearls and sugar diamonds and accessorised with a Kelly Spence tulle veil trimmed with intricate chocolate lace.

Fruitful Blooms who specialise in bespoke artistic chocolate creations created a chocolate bikini with matching cover up with British designer swimwear brand, Bikini Fling.

French patissier and chocolatier Les Sucreries de Mélodie’s sweet creation was adorned with cupcakes, macarons and edible brooches.

The chocolate bath had tell tale signs that some one had taken a dip in it and as I found out later ,sure enough earlier on in the evening a model had done exactly that!

Hotel Chocolat’s life size chocolate cocoa tree:

Some of the best chocolate companies from the UK and abroad such as Artisan du Chocolat, Paul a Young, Rococo, Hotel Chocolat, Paul Wayne Gregory, Marc Demarquette, Divine, Prestat, Lindt, Valrhona, Pralus and Bonnat offered tastings to lucky visitors.

Iain Burnett – The Highland chocolatiers intricately decorated designs made for a very pretty mixed box, apt for a very special gift idea indeed!

ChocoMe’s brilliant combinations and ever so tempting display of goodies had me drooling.

Comptoir du Cacao’s delicious offering are very tastefully packaged in very artistic packs, I love the brunette in a red scarf cycling past the Eiffel Tower and oh yes I tried ALL the yummy flavours 🙂

Am so glad I was sent a free entry ticket for the Chocolate Week and choose to go see the spectacular Fashion Show, was so much fun!

Cocktails at The Gilbert Scott,London (Permanently Closed)

October 15, 2013 by manjirichitnis 4 Comments

During the Social Media Week I attended the Food Photography Workshop organised by Great British Chefs. The venue was the Google Local London Office which offers a stunning view of London. This was a very sought after free event and a bunch of us who were looking at tips on improving our food photography skills were amongst the bloggers who got some useful tips from David Griffen. Do pop over to his blog (click the hyperlink) to see some of his stunning work. Food and Drinks were courtesy The Gilbert Scott and Michellin starred Chef Marcus Wareing who spoke to all of us.

One of the treats in our goody bag for the evening was an invite to The Gilbert Scott for a free cocktail.So a bunch of us food bloggers teamed up and decided to go make a party of it! The Gilbert Scott kindly offered to take us girls on a guided tour of the beautiful Victorian restaurant complete with more than a peek at the private dinning hall and hold your breath ….. the Kitchen! Ah!

I cannot stop romancing old buildings and the Gothic Revival architectural style used by Scott is proof that old really is gold. Having spent the better part of my afternoon walking around St. Pancras International station I did manage to click a lot of photos of the exterior of the hotel, here’s one and to see the rest please go to my Flickr stream.

I was sitting quietly at a high stool at Cafe’ Nero just outside the hotel waiting for the gang to arrive and assemble near the huge and awe-inspiring Lovers statue at St.Pancras , I heard a tourist ask the barista where the ”Harry Potter thing” was … little did I know that while on tour a few minutes later the restaurant Manager Mark Cesareo was to reveal that some part of the movie was filmed inside the grand building. No wonder then that the staircase reminded me of the shifting staircase at Hogwarts?Agree?

Side top view of the staircase in the Hotel

To be part of a The St Pancras Renaissance Hotel London is no mean feat. Every tile and archway speak of contemporary grandeur. 138 years after the Midland Grand Hotel originally opened it doors people in May 2011 the new avatar was unveiled – painstakingly restored as part of a multi-million pound restoration project.

When architect Gilbert Scott’s dazzling architectural masterpiece finally opened it doors to people, that many years ago it also created several new benchmarks in the hospitality industry. The most stellar improvement happened in 1899 – a specially designed revolving door was fitted in the hall entrance which was supplied by the inventor of the revolving door, Theophilus Van Kannel.

Another proof of Scotts brilliant design and solid build lies in the fact that this iconic building has weathered two world wars and still stands tall, strong and proud to this day. It’s really shocking to know that during WWII it was bombed three times in one month!

Contrary to what I thought the private dining room would be, it was a very cosy and comely room. This beautiful copper kettle caught my eye.

Image Courtesy :The Gilbert Scott

Image Courtesy :The Gilbert Scott

Next on the tour – The Gilbert Scott dining room – A beautiful piano in one corner and gilded frames set the mood for a warm dinning experience. Understated opulence belie the history that seems to pour out of every detail of the high ceiling.

Image Courtesy :The Gilbert Scott

New meets old in as non-invasive a manner and restoration efforts seem to have retained as much of the old world charm as possible.The famous stairway in the photo below featured in a Spice girl video. But I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the beautiful staircase which seems to vine around an imaginary axis, an other worldly feeling hangs heavy in the air and of you close your eyes you can even imagine women in beautiful period clothing sashaying around while somewhere in the background faint piano notes fill the invisible pockets in the air….

(If I was you I would simply imagine the photo above is perfect and Mark is not in the photo … *grins*)

Down in the kitchen next I quickly snap out of my reverie, it’s squeaky clean, professional and busy , very busy. No space is wasted here – no sir! Every inch of the walls at the back are used to store a large variety of fine wines and champagnes.I would love to savour a Glenmorangie 25 year…I had my first ever taste of Glenmorangie when my pa opened a bottle to celebrate the double wedding ….ummm good, old times 🙂

The Kitchen Table is available to hire for a private dining experience,it is something else I tell ya 🙂

Image Courtesy :The Gilbert Scott

When we settled down at our table at the Bar it felt good to clink glasses and bite into some tasty bites. It was the 1873 cocktail for all , except me …. I did have to go off alcohol during the London Cocktail Week……to compensate I had two mocktails 😉

Image Courtesy :The Gilbert Scott

Peeking out of a corner behind our table is a sigh which reads ”POST” it part of the old bits that was found during restoration and thankfully they let it be… if you look at it long enough I assure you it will take you back in time and you might even hear a horse carriage ….a flashback into the Victorian era if you will…

Image Credit here

House of Coffee – Panasonic Espresso Machine Launch event

October 14, 2013 by manjirichitnis 3 Comments

Last week Thursday I was invited to the one day launch event for Panasonic’s new bean to cup Espresso Machine. It was a very cold and rainy day and I was mighty glad that this event called the Panasonic House of Coffee was at a pop-up cafe in a place ”The Caves” – just what I needed – cradle a hot cup of coffee in a cosy corner inside a cave. Besides it was near Farringdon station which is a very quaint place.

As I entered ”The Caves”, thankful that it kept the nasty, persistent wind away, I was pleasantly greeted by a wall with the most stunning Coffee Art by artist Cosmo Sarson. His work a nod to heyday of the disco and club scene of the ’70s. Sarson has worked in many big productions including Pirates of The Caribbean.

I really would have liked to go in the evening and try some of the amazing coffee cocktails on the menu by Sam Pager – Steavenson – The Rum Runner but had to make do with cakes and coffee since I had another cocktail event to get to in the evening *grins*I’d say I choose the wrong week to abstain from alcohol, only I can pull off such a stunt during the London Cocktail week *sigh*(Would have loved to try the Mean Bean – Cardamom infused vodka with Araku Coffee liqueur, fresh raspberries, and espresso coffee – Cardamom is so Indian and I absolutely adore coffee liqueur … (also maybe the MADRUGADA – Blanco Tequila with dark chocolate, fresh mint, and espresso coffee – am a crazy fan of dark chocolate **sighh**)

There was D.J Cam Brott in the evening too, who would definitely have made this area of House of Coffee come alive with his Brazilian,Afro and Vintage tunes!

The coffee didn’t fail to impress nor did the sleek good looks of the new Espresso Machine – NC-ZA1.It’s dead easy to use and easier to clean as well, no complex function selection menu or fancy gizmo thingy happening – just good old honest coffee! This compact and smooth operator is guaranteed to satisfy self-styled baristas and coffee connoisseurs – says Panasonic.From the same extraction its possible to select a finer grind,add more or fewer shots and vary the milk ratio.

Do check out the unique features and read in detail about the Panasonic new Espresso Maker NC-ZA1 by visiting the official U.K website.

I had a latte and chatted up the lovely Poppy, a lifestyle blogger, why not err pop over to her blog at Poppy Loves.

Although, I am largely a tea person I do enjoy my occasional coffee, am going to have mine today in the lovely Limited Edition coffee cup with coffee art on it which I took home in my goody bag along with a pack of hand-roasted Union coffee beans too:)

Panasonic Coffee Maker angle GLASS (Copy)

Above Image Courtesy – Panasonic

Bake Your Dreams Come True with Tate and Lyle

Parma Ham Event at the Underground Cookery School

French Glace Cherries – Baking Masterclass

Underground Cookery School,cooking a 3 course meal and a recipe for a Pear Souffle

Day of the Dead celebration with Gran Luchito & Mezcal tasting

An evening with Tesco’s Finest* and a recipe for a Sweet Pepper and Wild Mushroom Pie

Salon du Chocolat’s first Chocolate Fashion Show in London

Cocktails at The Gilbert Scott,London (Permanently Closed)

House of Coffee – Panasonic Espresso Machine Launch event

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