That’s right. But what for? Time for a little Q&A session… Woa, why are you moving to Paris? To learn baking and pastry arts. You know, tarts, cakes, breads, chocolates, ice-creams, all that sweet stuff. That’s kind of random. How did this decision come about? Random? Not really. I’ve always loved eating and making desserts, and…Continue Reading “Sugared & Spiced is moving…to Paris?!”
Mr. V
Add: 93-C Xiangyang Bei Lu, near Xinle Lu / 襄阳北路93-C号,近新乐路
Tel: 6417 9928
Hours: [Mon-Fri] 9:30am-8pm [Sat-Sun] 10am-8pm
Website: www.mrvbanh-mi.com
Price: [banh mi] 25~37RMB [drinks] 10~32RMB [sets] 40~52RMB
Visited: May 2012
Please note that this is an arranged tasting.
Mr. V is not much more than a tiny stall with a tiny patio, but from its kitchen out pours some authentic Vietnamese sandwiches (a.k.a. banh mi) with traditional Vietnamese drinks to match. Could this be your new favorite lunch delivery?
Sugared & Spiced 中文版上線嘍!點擊這裡查看。 新上路,請多多關照 :) S&S
Like my FACEBOOK PAGE or follow me on TWITTER / 微博! Sugared & Spiced, as featured on Shanghai Daily Secret: If you don’t already know about Shanghai Daily Secret, it is a free, daily email devoted to bringing you Shanghai’s best kept secrets in style, food, fashion, and fun. Simply sign up with your email and access some of Shanghai’s best kept…Continue Reading “Shanghai Daily Secret”
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Norman+Karen
Add: No. 36 Lane 248 Taikang Lu, near Sinan Lu / 泰康路248弄36号, 近思南路
Tel: 6467 7223
Hours: 11am~7pm
Visited: Feb 2012-02-04
If you weren’t specifically looking for Norman+Karen, you will probably miss it. Its slender storefront, tucked away in one of the small lanes in Tianzifang, is not screaming for attention. But venture inside, and you will discover an enchanting little world of stylish designs and alluring fragrances.
Norman and Karen met in San Francisco while studying architecture, and together they started Norman+Karen in Shanghai 6 years ago as an interior architecture studio. Because of their personal interest in home fragrance, they converted this little shop in Tianzifang to a retail space for a select few imported home fragrance brands, including Baobab Collection, Ladurée, MIZENSIR, LINARI, DayNa Decker, Anthousa.
Let’s start with Baobab Collection, a fragrance brand inspired by the enchanting landscapes of Tanzania. Handcrafted in Belgium since 2004, the collection captures the intense colors and bewitching fragrances of Africa. Illuminate the candle and take a plunge into the cradle of humanity. Click here for more information.
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Here’s the recipe for Dark Chocolate Cake with Walnut-Krokant-Parfait, the dessert and final dish we made at Stiller’s “Autumn Set Menu” cooking class. This delicious recipe is simple enough to be replicated at home – perfect for your next dinner party. For details on the cooking class itself, click here.
Dark Chocolate Cake with Walnut-Krokant-Parfait
Walnut-Krokant-Parfait
- 250g walnuts
- 300g sugar
- 4 eggs
- 4 egg yolks
- 150g dark chocolate
- 1l cream, strongly whipped
Let 150g sugar caramelize until golden brown and crystal clear. Add walnuts and mix with caramel. Pour on a tray with baking paper and chill. When caramelized walnuts are cold, put them into a plastic bag and crush them to small dice.
Melt the chocolate in a warm water bath. Mix in a bowl the egg yolk, egg, and sugar and whip with a whisk on a hot water bath until mixture is very creamy, bright in color and has about 60 degrees.
Add melted chocolate and walnuts to egg mix. Fold carefully whipped cream under the mix and fill into a terrine mold and freeze for at least 3 hours or overnight.
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Here’s the recipe for Venison Fillet with Juniper-Berry Sauce, Fig-Red Cabbage, and Brioche & Apple Souffle, the third dish we made at Stiller’s “Autumn Set Menu” cooking class. Juicy! Lovely with the accompanying fig-red cabbage. For details on the cooking class itself, click here.
Venison Fillet with Juniper-Berry Sauce, Fig-Red Cabbage, and Brioche & Apple Souffle
For the fig-red cabbage
- 1kg red cabbage, finely sliced
- 500ml red wine
- 50ml red wine vinegar
- 200g onions, finely sliced
- 50g butter
- 0.5l chicken stock
- juniper berries, cloves, bay leaves, black pepper
- 100g dry figs
- 200ml port wine
Soften sliced onions in butter. Add red cabbage with wine and fill up with chicken stock until almost covered.
Put spices in a “tea egg” and add to the cabbage. Cook for about one hour until the cabbage softens and liquid reduces. Season with salt and pepper.
Bring port wine to a boil and add dry figs. Let figs soak up the liquid and soften. When fits are soft, add to a blender and mix for a smooth puree. Add figs puree to red cabbage for seasoning.
For brioche & apple souffle:
- 300g brioche, diced
- 100g apple, peeled and finely diced
- 40g shallots, finely diced
- 80g bacon, finely diced
- 40g butter
- 150ml milk
- 3 eggs
- 4 egg whites, very stiff whipped
- parsley, salt, pepper
Sweat the bacon in a pan until crispy. Add butter and shallots and sweat until soft. Add to brioche and apple dice in a large bowl. Boil the milk and pour over bread. Add eggs and mix everything well. Cover with cling film and let rest for about 15~20 minutes.
Chop the parsley and add to the mix. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in stiff whipped egg white.
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Here’s the recipe for Salmon Turbot Roulade with Beet Root and Horseradish Sauce, the second dish we made at Stiller’s “Autumn Set Menu” cooking class. Beautiful in presentation and in flavor, this was my favorite dish for the day. For details on the cooking class itself, click here.
Salmon Turbot Roulade with Beet Root and Horseradish Sauce
- 200g fresh salmon fillet
- 400g turbot fillet, cut in 50g pieces
- 150ml cream
- 1 egg
- 200g spinach
- 300g beet root, cooked soft with skin
- 4cl sherry
- 1pc lime
- salt and pepper
Turbot
Chef Stiller filleting the turbot
Nice, clean fillets
Blanch spinach and layer on a sheet of cling film. Dry spinach leaves and press with a cloth.
Cut salmon in small dice; add egg and season with salt and pepper. Keep in the freezer for at least 20 minutes together with the cream in order to chill it down to almost zero degrees.
Here’s the recipe for Foie Gras Mousse & Seared Foie Gras with Apple Chutney, the first dish we made at Stiller’s “Autumn Set Menu” cooking class. For details on the cooking class itself, click here.
Foie Gras Mousse & Seared Foie Gras with Apple Chutney
For the mousse:
- 150g foie gras
- 0.2l cream
- 4cl Cognac
- 4cl Port wine
- 2 pc gelatin
- 100g whipped cream
- salt, pepper
Take the slices of foie gras and pan sear in a dry non-stick pan until golden brown from both sides.
Boil the cream. Add the liver with the excess fat to the cream and keep in the cream for about 5 to 10 minutes. Keep the temperature of the cream just below the boiling point but don’t let it cook.
Put the liver cream mix in a kitchen blender and mix until you have a smooth texture. Strain through a fine sieve. Season with alcohol, salt, and pepper.
Soak the gelatin in cold water and after the leaves are soft, press out the excess water.
Add the gelatin to the still hot liquid and stir well until it’s fully melted. Chill down and once it starts to set, add carefully the whipped cream.