Blog - Flying Fourchette

Maison Ladurée, New York

February 3, 2012

Upper East Siders have one more reason to see ‘la vie en rose‘ these days with the arrival of famed Parisian macarons shop Maison Ladurée on Madison Avenue. It’s the first US outpost of this iconic French patisserie and is sure to awaken a sweet tooth in everyone!

Over the past few years, macarons have gone from unknown sweets to fashionable treats found in every fancy bakeries in the US. While I’ve tasted many delicious ones across the city, nothing beats a visit to Ladurée. Walking around the shop is a luxurious and refined experience steeped in history and tradition. Walls painted with the legendary light French green wrap the scene where pastel-colored jewel boxes showcase chocolates, confections, teas and candles from their home fragrance collection, all perfect gifts for that special someone in your life.

Of course, none of this can turn your attention away for too long from the real beauties: round-shaped multicolored macarons, some of the best in the world! You’ll find the same 15 flavors than in Paris (they’re flown in) with the exception of a ‘made for New York only’ flavor of cinnamon and raisin. I got a sample of 6: Caramel With Salted Butter (the best one!), Cinnamon and Raisin (fantastic), Blackcurrant Violet (too sweet, a bit of a downer), Coconut (another favorite), Raspberry (deliciously tarty), and Coffee (pretty good).

These are definitely the best two-bite delights worth queuing in line for…

Maison Ladurée

864 Madison Avenue (between 70th and 71st streets)

New York, NY

T: 646-558-3157

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Dessert Recipes Vegetarian

Cannoli Cheesecake

January 30, 2012

Combining two of your favorite things hasn’t always yielded the desired results…[insert unpalatable mix in here]. In this particular case though, I can assure you that the coupling is an inspired and tasteful one! Cheesecake and Cannoli make for a wonderfully light and grown-up Italian dessert. I made this for a friend’s birthday and it was received with applauds – such a nice change from overly sweet buttercream concoctions, though the lightness of it made us reach for a second piece! So long the 2012 resolutions…ah!

The airy ricotta filling is flecked with small chunks of chocolate chips and candied orange peels for a perfect marriage of Italian and American. The quality of the ricotta used will make a huge difference here so make sure you pick fresh homemade variety instead of watery store bought ones. This cake is so easy to eat, you’ll end up munching on it all day as it’s the perfect companion to your tea/coffee, ideal mid-afternoon snack and strong contender for your new breakfast regimen…it didn’t last 24h! Thinking about it, I’ll have to revert back to overly sweet buttercream cakes from now on, at least I had enough after a single piece!

Cannoli Cheesecake

Makes 8 to 12 servings

Active time: 20 min

Total time: 2 3/4 hr (includes cooling)

For crust:
4 (4 3/4-by 2 1/2-inch) graham crackers, crumbled
1/3 cup slivered almonds
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted

For cheesecake:
1 3/4 cups (15 ounces) whole-milk ricotta
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1 large egg, separated
1/3 cup candied orange peel, chopped
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips, chopped
4 large egg whites
2 teaspoon confectioners sugar

Equipment: a 9-inch springform pan

Make crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Invert bottom of springform pan (to make it easier to slide cake off bottom) and lock on side.

Pulse graham crackers, almonds, and sugar in a food processor until finely ground, then transfer to a bowl. Stir in butter until combined.

Press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom and 1/2 inch up side of pan.

Bake crust 8 minutes. Cool to room temperature (still in pan), about 15 minutes. Leave oven on.

Make cheesecake:
Stir together ricotta, granulated sugar, zest, and egg yolk in a large bowl until combined, then stir in candied orange peel and chocolate chips.

Beat egg whites (all 5) and a pinch of salt in another bowl with an electric mixer until they hold soft peaks. Fold into ricotta mixture gently but thoroughly.

Pour filling into crust.

Bake until top is puffed and golden, about 55 minutes to 1 hour.

Cool in pan 15 minutes. Run a thin knife around edge to loosen cake, then remove side of pan. Cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Dust with confectioners sugar.

I added a dusting of grated semi-sweet chocolate to the powdered sugar topping…gave it that little extra oomph!

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London Restaurants

NOPI, London

January 27, 2012

I had previously mentioned my deepest appreciation of Yotam Ottolenghi and his cuisine so the news of a restaurant opening from the team behind the much-loved London chain was music to my ears. NOPI truly delivers in everything you’d expect from the upscale and grown-up version of Ottolenghi: unusual but perfectly paired flavors in a light and slightly upscale Mediterranean decor – it works!

The main dining room is bright and elegant with white tiled walls complemented by plenty of luxurious gold and brass and a gorgeous marble floor. The lighting is spot on, the acoustic lets you converse agreeably with your neighbors and the relaxed ambiance makes you want to linger there all day long…it’s that comfortable! The ‘simple and chic’ aesthetic is reflected in the cuisine too which as you would expect is a surprising marriage of Mediterranean with a Middle Eastern-Asian slant.

Like Ottolenghi, NOPI focuses on small sharing dishes, albeit the portion at Nopi was more generous. They’ll recommend you order 3 dishes per person, but honestly we had two each and could barely finish our plates. The menu is divided into Veggies, Fish, Meat & Sweets, and veggies are definitely the stars of the show here.

Cocktails: Saffron Chase (Chase English gin, Chase Elderflower, lemon, saffron syrup, and champagne) and a Grapefruit and Lychee Cooler (Lemon infused Ketel One vodka, lemon, grapefruit and lychee juices, mint) were fantastic.

Roasted cauliflower, ricotta, golden raisins, capers

Burrata, Pink Grapefruit, Caraway and Baby Basil

Seared barramundi, salsify, peas, broad beans, Chinese sausage

Seared scallops, fennel puree, apple salsa

Roasted beef sirloin, almonds, spinach, pecorino sardo

Slow cooked pork belly, coco bean cassoulet, salsa verde

Lime curd, meringue, tapioca, mango

A very memorable meal, my top picks were the burrata, cauliflower, and the sirloin though every dish was excellent. NOPI is most definitely going to become a destination for the food alone. The decor doesn’t hurt either, even the bathrooms are worth a little mention! A jewel box of faceted mirror wrapped room with endless reflections awaits you downstairs…if it wasn’t for the clever sign on the floor saying “exit this way” the confusion of the space could keep you away from your guests for a little longer than usual.

In short, this is one of London’s hottest new dining experiences not to be missed.

NOPI

21-22 Warwick Street

London W1B 5NE

T: 020 7494 9584

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Appetizer Recipes Vegetarian

Sweet Potato and Scallion Börek

January 23, 2012

Börek is found all over the Mediterranean but is quintessentially Turkish. A regular feature at home, the best ones have been known to be served right off the streets from stalls across Turkey and Syria. Generally speaking, böreks are all pastry layers of some type enclosing fillings as imaginative as you can think of, so the variations are endless.

Here a simple filling of sweet potatoes and scallions lends a colorful and light touch to this favorite snack. Think of it as a fun and extremely delicious vehicle to your side dish of sweet potatoes, or original finger food for your next get together. Traditionally it was said that no girl should marry until she had mastered the art of börek making…wonder if I’ve passed?

Sweet Potato and Scallion Börek

Adapted from Purple Citrus and Sweet Perfume

Serves 6 as an appetizer/mezze

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

6 scallions, finely sliced

1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika

2 1/2 teaspoons nigella seeds

4 sheets of filo, thawed

melted butter, for brushing

1 large egg yolk, beaten

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Place the sweet potatoes in a saucepan of cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for 12-15 minutes, until the potatoes are soft. Drain and coarsely mash the sweet potatoes – you don’t want them to be too smooth.

Heat the butter in a deep saucepan and sauté the scallions for 1 minute. Add the warm sweet potatoes, paprika, and 1 1/2 teaspoon of the nigella seeds. Combine well and let cool.

Place a sheet of filo pastry on your work surface and brush with melted butter, then immediately place another sheet of filo on top of the first. (Filo can dry quickly, so keep the pastry that you are not using under a damp cloth). Spoon half the potato mixture along the bottom edge of the stacked filo. Roll away from you to form a thin sausage and tuck the ends in. Repeat the process with the remaining filo and filling.

Arrange the two böreks on a baking sheet, brush with the beaten egg yolk and sprinkle with the remaining nigella seeds.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden. Cut up and serve warm. Simple and delicious!

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Montreal Restaurants

Baldwin Barmacie, Montreal

January 21, 2012

A pharmacy-turned-bar? Yup, Montreal can handle that and deliver it in a sleek and minimalist way in the form of Baldwin Barmacie. Think chic white decor, antique syrup bottles and vials lining the walls, and soft lighting creating an intimate atmosphere in which you’ll want to slowly sample the expertly mixed concoctions.

The selection of classic cocktails include Mojitos, delicious Martinis, a few bubbly and any old fashion mix you’d like with appropriately vintage names like Lionel, Le Pharmacien, RealRegate, or go for a beer on tap served in a antique milk bottle.

Bartenders wearing crisp white shirts, sometimes a mustache and thick plastic rims eyeglasses push the whole theme towards the hipster end of things and the clientele is made to match the Mile End neighborhood. Cool, well-dressed people in their 20s and 30s populate the chic lounge but it’s still laid-back enough for everyone to enjoy.

If you like a bit of food with your medication, they have deliciously greasy grilled cheese sandwiches to help things go down as you’ll want to imbibe as many of those excellent drinks. After all, alcohol IS the best medicine…

Baldwin Barmacie

115 Avenue Laurier Ouest

Montreal, QC

T: (514) 276-4282

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