Nasu Dengaku – Grilled miso eggplant
It’s been awhile since I have found some smallish eggplants to grill. The smaller eggplants appears to have less seeds and less tough than the giant variety. This popular Japanese dish is rather simple to make.
Slice the eggplant in half and score it. The sauce is made up of miso, bonito soy, sake, mirin and sugar painted on top. Baked in the oven at 160 deg C for 40mins until it is nice and soft. Served with some scallions and a spoon with some rice.
Coutume – cafe joy in Paris
Walking down Rue de Babylone a couple of weeks ago I noticed a cafe with startling resemblance to what one might find in Australia (apart from the ice cream cart at the front). It was closed that day and I took a mental note to return next time. As I entered Coutume a week later, I noticed torn paint work, light bulbs hanging naked from the ceiling, siphon apparatus with the unmistakable halogen heat source (Hario) and the tall, cold drip coffee maker. At the back of the shop was a roaster separated from the cafe with transparent plastic. I have no doubt I have found my favorite bench to sit on. Perfect to do some cooking school homework when they are not too busy.
A mini ice cream cart on the right
“Hello, how are you!?” one of the staff said to me as I waited to order. Sounded like someone who knew me. And it was. Antoine, who I met in Melbourne a few years ago, used to have a coffee roasting shop in the suburbs of Melbourne. I remember he said that he wanted to open a cafe in one of the French colonies in the tropics. He would have his own roaster and espresso bar by the beach. I didn’t remember he was going to Paris. But here we are few years down the track under the same roof. I call it coffee foot prints. He introduced me to Tom from Canberra who, together, opened this cafe. They serve single origin, blends, siphon, cold drip and milk based espresso drinks in all its glory. A piccolo latte (my favorite) was easily done. Milk well textured and served without being burnt. For purchase are beans and brewing equipment (pour over, siphon, espresso machines.
Paris as a whole is just beginning to realize coffee is far more than the swill they are used to. A ironic fact is how a city ( or nation) so obsessed with food, drinks and leisure is so late in coffee development. Their deep worship of tradition and the respect of how things are done as they used to be (thinks of chopping vegetables in triangular ‘paysanne’ shape at school) is proving to be a major contributor to their slow embrace of the coffee movement. The competition will heat up though and I really wish Coutume the best in leading this revolution.
Piccolo
75007, Paris
Tuesday – Friday 8am – 7 pm, Saturday – Sunday (10am – 7pm)
La Pâtisserie des Rêves – Paris Brest
Posted by tzuyen in Paris, Patisserie on September 10, 2011
I was settling the bill after an excellent coffee at cafe Coutume. I said “I am heading to La Pâtisserie des Rêves for their Paris Brest again.”
“That place is out of control.” That was the reply.
Paris Brest
Rêves has been awarded the best Paris Brest for three consecutive years. This mind blowing dessert was originally created to help fuel cyclists on the 1200 km Paris to Brest race. It is essentially a choux pastry filled with praline cream, shaped into a wheel shape. The idea might have came from modifying an eclair into the shape of a wheel. The version from Rêves is made of 6 connected choux pastry, filled with a hazel nut (?maybe almonds too) praline cream. Under the cream is a think liquid coulant of chocolate and hazel nut that taste quite like Nutella. What makes this one taste so good is no doubt the richness of the cream, filled with unmissable hazel nut power. The cream had a ‘bite’ to it – dense from the nuts blended through it.
I went twice because I ate the first one before I could take a photo. The shop is beautiful too. The selection of pastry is displayed under glass domes. When you have decided, the staff will go behind the counter and retrieve the individual pastry from their optimum storage condition.
Store design reflected in their website
Look only. They will retrieve your purchase from the back where each dessert is stored optimally
If one ever made it back to my apartment, I will cut it up properly
93 Rue du Bac. 75007 Paris
Tuesday to Saturday 9am – 8pm, Sunday 9am – 4pm. 111 Rue de Longchamp. 75016 Paris Tuesday to Friday 10am – 8pm, Saturday and Sunday 9am – 8pm
Du Pain et des Idées – Pain des Amis
Posted by tzuyen in Paris, Patisserie on September 4, 2011
It was 6pm and there was warm bread coming out of this 2008 best bakery in Paris – Du Pain et des Idées. Warm, yeasty and nutty aromas poured out from the shop. I got a small slab of the super crusty Pain des Amis (bread of friends) and it lasted only 4 blocks away – on the way to dinner. The special part of this bread was the thick crust that is so full of flavour, no doubt contributed by long fermentation process. A special flour piled up in the corner of the store would be another clue. It was very nutty, caramel and almost toffee like smell. Each mouthful bring up more and more layers of flavours.
Egg&Co – Paris
Egg&Co. is the cure for one’s yearning for Australia’s cafe culture. In Paris, it is unbelievably hard to find a place to sit down for breakfast (without table cloth), be automatically given a bottle of water and a cup and coffee orders taken before getting the menu. Coffee came the way I am used to for a latte – balanced, not too hot and nicely textured. Yep, the guy at the coffee machine used to work in Sydney. But make no mistake, this cafe is run by the French – really friendly and enthusiastic French. The egg-focused menu delivers an omelette with fresh tarragon that is perfect. Slightly brown on the outside, soft and airy and juicy inside. I am told next time I should try their specialty, the cocotte – or what I know as ‘baked eggs’.
I haven't worked out the names on the chairs yet
The decor is cosy. Nearly all the seating is upstairs and partly loft style. The roof is low and supported by old and large wooden beams. There are 2 windows out the back which over looks some green climber plants. I don’t have a photo that does these windows justice. The owner pointed out that they had a fake chicken farm upstairs too. Such intimate space also proved popular with a couple kissing away while waiting for their coffees. This rare place is a reminder of just how lucky we are in Australia to have so many places to chose from for a place with decent coffee and breakfast. It is obvious that our habits are different to most Parisians.
I didn’t catch their names. But I figure I will be back soon.
Looks familiar?
Tarragon omelette
"Because if we had a real one, we would be shut down"
Sitting in a small lane way. I came across the place after wondering around without a map in hand. In retrospect, I have read about this place somewhere but I wasn't looking for it today.
Paris! Bavette (flank) steak
From the entrance to my apartment building. When I walked into my furnished apartment, it was apparent that my landlord had already been here earlier before meeting me at the bus stop. It was peaceful, away from the traffic and the room was beautifully furnished with a mix of Scandinavian furniture and older, classical styles. Two huge window/doors illuminated the room. There was classical music playing already. Ever seen the movie Before Sunset? The last scene came to my mind immediately.
Hello par-hee
Here is what I have observed in the last 2 days
- There is a boucherie (butcher) or 2 always close by. In Melbourne, most people would by their meat from the supermarket. Otherwise, butchers are concentrated in the markets and you can’t just walk to one in your neighbourhood.
- The number of pâtissieres is ridiculous. Quality vary, but generally good to very good compared to back home.
- There are very few public toilets to be found – on the streets, and because the lack of shopping malls compared to back home, there just aren’t easy to find. I wonder if I missed something as I can’t figure out where the thousands and thousands of locals and tourists go for a toilet break
- Not as much dog poo as I thought
- When dusk renders the sky a dim and dark blue, the white/cream buildings are really beautiful. Then I realize I am standing in a maze of narrow streets, filled with shops, restaurant and French people chattering away. Sweet. I am in Paris for the rest of this year.
The French also have a liking of the lesser-known steaks in Australia. Bavette (flank – lateral abdominal muscles), onglet (hanger – part of diaphragm closer to the spine) and skirt steak (part of diaphragm) are frequently seen. Not exactly cheap either at 15-30 Euros/kg compared to less than 10 AUD/kg for skirt steak in Australia (although skirt steak is the cheapest). These cuts have large and prominent muscles fibers running parallel in a flat, sheet-like muscle. Often cooked rare by searing on both sides and the cut into thin slices against the grain, these steaks are very flavourful. Overcooking will make it very tough and dry. I read that in South America, these steaks are also popular, grilled quickly on open fire.
Bavette
Chez Dre – Eclair
Posted by tzuyen in Patisserie, cafe on August 15, 2011
Every minute that goes by without you eating an eclair from Chez Dre is another minute you have wasted in your life in a dark, dull and anaesthetized world. Throw out everything you once knew about an eclair, dial up the insulin pump, and front up to the counter. If you haven’t had a macaron from here either then strongly suggest you do as a matter of urgency.
The wooden communal table next to the courtyard is a lovely piece of furniture.
A 'holy f__' moment
One of the communal tables
They do sell out, often.
Shira Nui – A photographic journey through sushi art
Posted by tzuyen in Photography, Restaurant on August 7, 2011
There are certain experiences that are just worth documenting. In my opinion, the best nigiri sushi in Melbourne comes from Shiranui. The unassuming shop front with the noren (door curtain) and the simple, lightly coloured wooden interior and shushi counter does nothing to detract from the experience. You can simply avoid the rest of the world and your neighbours. It’s all about you, chesf Hiro-san and the nigiri sushi. The chef and his gentle, yet efficient stroke of the fish. The sharp and decisive movements of the knife. The gentle rocking of the body as his hand rapidly twists and turns a thumb-sized volume of rice. The “no soy” and “with soy” orders. The quiet mumbles between him, his wife and his assistant chef.
It’s not tea that he drinks from the cup during service.
One day Hiro will no longer be there. I think he is truly forming each nigiri with passion and love for the art.
Chef Hiro-san
Clockwise from top left: starter usually with pickled vegetables and fish, dory?, pickled mackerel, salmon
An audience, chef Hiro-san and his assistant
Beef, ark shell, tuna, salmon belly
The king fish belly (below, top right) is my favorite. Never walk away from this place without eating this. You may as well not bothered to make a reservation in the first place!
? Chu-toro, king fish belly (F*@$en the best), oysters, sesame crème brûlée
"unknown fire"
Wonton noodle soup in Hong Kong
Posted by tzuyen in Restaurant, Travel on August 6, 2011
A good noodle soup is one of the most comforting one-dish meals for me. I don’t mean cheap, artificial, dilute, overcooked noodles type. There are too many of these everywhere around the world. What I mean is a hot, flavourful and not too salty broth that taste like it was made with care and attention. Noodles firm and cooked with a bite.
This is another transcendent moment in the noodle world. Hong Kong. Wonton noodle soup. This version has a broth of pork and shark bones. Clear, umani savouriness and slightly sweet. The noodles are hand-made by the traditional method of pushing dough with a large bamboo pole. Look at this video (12:20, continues in part 2 for a few more minutes) from Anthony Bourdain’s show. It is beautiful and moving to see such art still taking place in a city that could define capitalism. The noodle has such density that it almost taste crispy as it breaks in your mouth – a texture not found in most other shops. Wontons here were also great – porky parcels made right at the shop window front.
A few left in this world
Shop front
A lesson on food science – Malcolm Gladwell on Howard Moskowitz’s ideas about a perfect spaghetti sauce
Posted by tzuyen in Literature on July 17, 2011
A insightful talk from TED:
Tipping Point author Malcolm Gladwell gets inside the food industry’s pursuit of the perfect spaghetti sauce (by Howard Moskowitz) – and makes a larger argument about the nature of choice and happiness.