The Malaysian Insider :: Food

Macaron creator opens first chocolate boutique in Paris

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 06:35 PM PST

The 18th century-inspired Les Marquis de Ladurée.©Ladurée

PARIS, Jan 25 — Luxury tea house and creator of the airy French meringue cookie the macaron, Ladurée, has expanded its sweets repertoire with the opening of an opulent chocolate boutique in Paris.

Les Marquis de Ladurée opened the doors to its 18th-century-inspired chocolate boutique at 14, rue de Castiglione near the famous Tuileries Gardens in the city's stony first arrondissement.

Here, instead of macarons and classic French desserts such as millefeuilles and éclairs, the display window reveals rows of ganache-covered bonbons, pralines and truffles.

Gourmands will find both classic and unexpected flavours such as rum, violet, rose, black tea and fruit or sesame.

Truffles are flavoured with raspberries or wine spices. Macaron lovers can still get their fix with chocolate-covered cookies or chocolate-flavoured macarons such as white chocolate and passion fruit and chocolate yuzu.

In the tradition of Ladurée's tea houses, the chocolate boutique in the affluent area of Paris near the Tuileries Gardens and Place de la Concorde is a den of opulent but elegant extravagance.

The colour palette alternates between ivoury and grey, embellished stucco ceilings, Italian white marble counters and a Murano crystal chandelier centrepiece of the boutique.

Ladurée in Tuileries Gardens adds to an already rich and spoiled city for fine, premium chocolates and master chocolatiers.

Bonbons from Jean-Paul Hévin, Jacques Génin and Michel Cluizel, for example, inspire pilgrimages by chocoholics from all over the world. — AFP/Relaxnews

A box-set of chocolate bonbons.©Ladurée (left), the silhouette of a marquise graces the chocolate bonbons.©Ladurée (right)

Where garlic takes centrestage

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 05:19 PM PST

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 25 — My favourite order at any Japanese restaurant would have to be Garlic Fried Rice. Eat it on its own or accompany it with the delectable Japanese dishes such as Teriyaki beef or Teppanyaki chicken.

Of course the main ingredient for this dish is garlic, the breath-stinking ingredient that every chef can't live without! It's almost like a love/hate relationship with this plant. This species of the onion family has gained immense popularity.

From being a regular ingredient for seasoning during cooking, the garlic is now having its useful oils being extracted and encased by small capsules to be consumed by health-conscious people.

The "stinking rose" has been known to be a natural antibiotic with antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties. They are said to be able to lower down high blood pressures and reduce the buildup of harmful plaque in our arteries, thus reducing the chances of a heart attack.

Besides that, garlic has the ability to help manage high cholesterol levels and they contain antioxidants too. Stronger tasting garlic are said to have more medicinal value compared to those with a milder taste.

The strength of the garlic taste depends on the sulphur content in them; the higher the sulphur content, the stronger the garlic tastes, and thus the medicinal value is higher.

To prepare this dish, or any fried rice dish in fact, there is one rule you have to follow — use old rice. It doesn't really matter if it is a day old or has been stored in the refrigerator for a few days. They should not be freshly cooked rice.

Old rice would have lost some of its moisture, so the rice would not stick together much, allowing the ingredients added to it to coat each and every grain of rice evenly. Of course it isn't garlic fried rice without heaps of garlic, so be generous with them.

The initial spiciness of the raw garlic will mellow and slightly sweeten when cooked, giving the rice a pungent, irresistible aroma and an addictive, garlicky taste. You could also add other ingredients, like scrambled eggs to top it off before serving. Quick, easy and tasty; just what a plate of home-cooked food should be.

Garlic fried rice
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Serves 2

2 cups overnight cooked rice
2 garlic bulbs, skin peeled and finely chopped
2 teaspoon teriyaki sauce
1 chicken egg
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
pepper and salt to taste
spring onions, finely chopped for garnish

1. Heat oil over high heat.
2. Add chopped garlic and stir fry for approximately 5 minutes over medium heat until golden brown.
3. Remove garlic from the oil and put aside.
4. Using the same oil the garlic was cooked in, add cooked rice, teriyaki sauce and stir fry over high heat for 5 minutes.
5. Add eggs and continue stir frying.
6. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Garnish with spring onions.

* For more recipes, go to www.chopstickdiner.com

Kredit: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com

Khamis, 24 Januari 2013

The Malaysian Insider :: Food

The Malaysian Insider :: Food

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