One Day Only - La Brasserie Gabrielle

Envy. Its the only thing I'm feeling at this moment as I sit in my bedroom on a less than exceptional Tuesday evening. Now I'm no Chiara, but oh would I have loved to be a fashion blogger at this marvelous event! (The kind that gets a seat in the first row. I'll have none of that stand-in-the-back-on-your-tippy-toes-stuff now. Puh-leaze.) 

However, I am a food blogger, a woman, and a citizen of the world. So, ipso facto, this event would be of great interest to me. Behold the magnificence of Karl the Brilliant. He managed to top his last presentation at the Grand Palais, (rowdy though it was) with a more subdued, highly chic, if modest presentation of pure FRENCHNESS. Yes, The French Collection, for the A/W 2015-2016 season was just that, French. A quintessential brasserie is the backdrop for the young ingenues, clad in the latest Chanel, to strut, to sit, and ultimately present what is the most wearable collection yet. I say wearable as a complement, and because lately every Chanel show has been underwhelming in terms of clothing, in my opinion. I am a practical dresser. Although I do appreciate the frou frou. It's just I personally have a penchant for monochrome dressing.

But enough about me. The "brasserie" theme makes this an event worth talking about here. A well stocked bar actually supplied coffee and pastries to the attendees. Although I highly doubt a female in that room dared to introduce a simple carbohydrate viennoiseire into her mouth. Remember Anna is judging you. Always.

images {coveteur.com} 

Travel Diary // San Francisco

I absolutely LOVE San Francisco, CA. The place calls to me like no where else I've been. I'm afraid I'll be little bit excessive with the photos this time just to give you the full tour of what I've seen in 2014. We went to the typical places you'd expect like Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39, but we also explored the local recommended areas like Hayes Valley and Japantown. 

Places I'd recommend for food:



The Plant



The Ferry Building Market Place



Bi-Rite Creamery



R & G Lounge



Loving Cup



La Boulange



XOX Truffles



Tout Pâtisserie



Chipotle



Off the Grid



Tartine Bakery

 

 

Taste of Abu Dhabi 2014

I finally did it. Finally, I've posted my first YouTube video. Which by the way was something I've wanted to do since 2006! Huzzah!



Ok I'm being over dramatic with the battle cry. But seriously, this has been a long time coming. I've wanted to post video content for the longest time and I'm just so thrilled to finally get over a crutch that I've basically put for myself. Here's to a new era of video! Photos are sooooo 1826. Sorry Nicéphore Niépce.



I'll add some photos of the event for nostalgic purposes.



P.S. I highly recommend going to one of these taste events. Definitely the highlight of my culinary calendar.

How to Make One of the World's Most Decadent Desserts: An Animated Mille...

La Petit Maison - Dubai

       Burrata. Check. Lentil Salad. Check. Creme Brûlée. Check. At La Petit Maison you must come prepared. Their menu should have an asterisk right by the "must order" items. But everyone who walks through LPM's doors, whether it be in Nice, London, or Dubai; already know what they're there for. But if for some reason you don't...well then I've got you covered. 

      For the adventurous eater in your party, may I suggest the escargots. They’re buttery, they’re garlicky, and I can assure you that they went no where near my mouth. That’s right. I, curiously enough, am not the adventurous one in our group. So instead, I scarfed down a creamy burrata with no regrets. The lentil salad is so so so refreshing. And one that is featured on our home menu as well. As in, we have it every Wednesday at home. It’s that good. I’ll post a recipe below. 

       Mains were as you’d expect. Delicious. But I’d like to fast forward now to dessert. I finally finally got to try the infamous french toast and creme brûlée. Hot damn. Those were some mean sugary, crunchy, sweet, blissful morsels of delight. But permit me to suggest the cheesecake, the next time you dine at LPM. That cheesecake definitely stole the limelight. Incredibly creamy, incredibly unctuous, incredibly adipose and incredibly delicious. Leave feeling satisfied, with the strong desire to return that very evening for the dinner service. One trip to LPM is never enough. 

Recipe adapted from: FOODIEBYNATURE

Lentil salad

Serves 4

150g black/green lentils
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 red onion, peeled
1/2 apple, granny smith, cut into 1-2mm cubes
2 celery stalks, cut into 1-2mm cubes
A few cherry tomatoes halved and slightly crushed

Dressing
3 tbsp Olive oil
1 lemon, juice
salt and pepper

1. Put the lentils in a saucepan and cover with 450ml water. Add the garlic clove and 1/2 of the onion.
2. Bring to boil and cover with a lid. Let simmer for 20-25 min until the lentils are cooked but still have a slight bite to them. You do not want to end up with a lentil mush.
3. Prepare the celery and apple now. Finely chop the other half of the onion too. Once you have chopped the apple, put it in a bowl with water and lemon juice, otherwise the apple will start turning brown.
4. Drain the lentils and cool down under cold, running water.

5. Put them in a bowl, add the apples, ,tomatoes,onion, celery and chopped mint. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice to taste. Season with salt and pepper.