Tag Archives: champagne

Elegant amuse-bouche recipe for Christmas

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Our Franco-Finnish Christmas meal begun with an amuse-bouche of quail eggs. These eggs make an elegant alternative to normal eggs and are pretty easy to find everywhere. We had tarama and black caviar as a topping but only your imagination is limit! Here you go with my recipe:

1. Boil the eggs for 5 minutes. I was under the impression that I should put the eggs into boiling water but when I did this, they cracked. Thankfully I had bought a dozen of eggs, so I boiled new eggs but this time in cold water and in lower temperature. The second time no egg cracked.quail eggs amuse-bouche2. Peel the eggs. Keep the eggs in cold water for a good 10-15 minutes before you start peeling the shells off. Change the water to keep it cool, if necessary. Once you start peeling, be careful. This is the trickiest part as you can see in the photo above….

3. Cut and place the eggs on a serving platter or a cocktail plate. A tip: have you ever wondered how to make an egg stand still? By cutting a tiny slice off of its bottom!

4. Be a Michelin-starred chef! Think of the presentation and colors. Green always looks great with yellow and white, so I added slices of leek and cucumber.quail eggs with cucumber

5. Topping: I added scallop tarama and black Russian caviar on both eggs, with a sprinkle of dill, but I am sure that herring, salmon, dried and smoked meats, cream soft cheese etc. would all marry well with quail eggs! And if you want to make the amuse-bouche a bit more heavier, place the egg slices on a blini….quail eggs with caviar and tarama

Voila, the easiest and classiest amuse-bouches are ready to be served with French champagne! Happy Boxing Day everyone.

White Finnish Christmas

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I do like celebrating Christmas in Finland, especially during those years when there is a lot of snow, but I do not need to go back there every year. I am not one of those people who follows all Christmas traditions. I do not even like most of the traditional Finnish Christmas dishes. I have spent many Christmases abroad and to be honest, one of my most memorable Christmases was in Mamallapuram, India (eating lamb chops!). Quite a traitor, some of you are thinking now…

This year we are going to celebrate Christmas with my parents in Paris. The preparations are yet to be completed, but on the 24th we are invited to a birthday party/Russian Christmas Eve buffet at a friend’s place. After smoked salmon and champagne, our night will probably continue to the midnight mass at Notre Dame. Sounds like an other excellent way to start the celebrations to me!

However, to pay respect to the Finnish Christmas and to show you how it looks like, I thought to share some old photos from where my parents live. In this first photo, you can see my father preparing a path for ice skating (yes, he is walking on a frozen river!).Finland at Christmas time

This next photo shows you the house from the river. There is a very little of light around the Christmas period, but often a nice blue light appears just before the sun sets.. frozen lake in Finland

In this last photo you can see a huge pile of snow that we accumulated by keeping the ice path free of snow. We thought of constructing an igloo of it but the time run out! snow in Finland

If I get a permission from the people involved, I will post more photos of Christmas in Finland and especially of what jumping half-naked to the frozen river or lake means…! Meanwhile, what does your Christmas usually look like? Which has been your most memorable Christmas?

A special day!

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Once in a while my lifestyle/food/wine blog gets more egocentric and personal, and today is one of those days –it is my birthday!

This is what it looked like in the morning when I woke up: Parisian apartment

The first thing I received in the morning was this beautiful bouquet my husband got me. It is on the fire place in the living room next to some Finnish design objects. Parisian bouquet of flowers

Then we paid a visit to Edouard Nahoum who sells excellent and elegant jewellery with friendly service…. and I got to visit his atelier!

Then, as I arrived at home a while ago, this box full of oysters from Cancale was waiting for me in front of our apartment’s door. Merci beaucoup dear Parisian friends!! What a lovely gesture!!Cancale oysters

Indeed, une belle journée and it is not even finished yet. We are now heading to a restaurant but I have no idea which one. I have been trying to guess but my husband’s lips are sealed. I guess I will find out soon enough, and you dear followers will know some time next week, too. Until then, have a lovely evening and preferably with some champagne! 

 

Wine Fair ticket to give away!

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It is the return of Le salon des vins des Vignerons Indépendants in Paris next weekend. The wine fair begins on Thursday morning and ends on Sunday evening. Independent winemakers from all over France gather together to present their products and the buyers happily stroll from one stand to another. A fantastic, joyful wine event not to be missed I say!!champagneI will be going to the event most probably on Thursday evening, but I have an extra ticket to give away. As I have no idea how many of you would be interested in acquiring the ticket, I suggest the following:

  • Like Pearlspotting on Facebook and write on the wall what your favorite wine (French or foreign) is
  • Respond before the midnight on Monday (Paris time)
  • If I only one person responds, this person will naturally have the ticket
  • Should there be several interested ones, I will organize a raffle on internet
  • When the winner is identified, I will announce his/her name on Facebook and send the ticket to the winner (in France or abroad, does not matter!)

Sounds fair? I hope so!

PS The ticket is for two people and valid any day during the wine fair.

To read more about this wine fair, see Wine tasting at Salon des Vins des Vignerons Indépendants or http://www.vigneron-independant.com/auxsalons/

Mielcke & Hurtigkarl: Danish gourmet at its best

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A sunny, rather hot Saturday in August. It could have been like any other Scandinavian summer night when the sun never seems to set, except that it was not. It was special, because it was the wedding day of my brother.

The wedding dinner was organized at the Mielcke & Hurtigkarl restaurant, which is highly praised by critics from all over the world. For example, Condé Nast Traveller reckons this restaurant is one of the 25 reasons to visit Copenhagen. Others say Mielcke & Hurtigkarl has earned its place in the league of emerging creative and contemporary chefs of Denmark –a country whose food scene was until recently mainly known by Noma. Mielcke & Hurtigkarl

As I am sure you can imagine, living in Paris can make one obnoxious about food. I confess that at times I fall into that category and therefore I admit my expectations were very high regarding the dinner. And now, please listen to me. For your next weekend trip, book tickets to Copenhagen and reserve a table at Mielcke & Hurtigkarl. Yes, it is THAT outstanding, and the following photos will prove my statement.

Shrimp amuse-bouche: starter with shrimps

Cucumber amuse-bouche: cucumber amuse-bouche

The amuse-bouche were served with an excellent crémant from Bourgogne (France), which proved that a high-quality crémant can be as good as champagne (or even better!).

After the garden we moved inside and begun with the first starter: a terrine of hake, rolled in A.O. Nori seaweed and served with compressed cucumber, pea crumble, green vinaigrette, herb oil and pea sprouts, accompanied with Portuguese white Regueiro Alvarinho Minho from 2011.hake terrine

For the second starter we had a smoked mackerel with small new potatoes braised with summer truffle, radish and herbs from the garden, and wild garlic sauce. As each dish had its own wine, we were now served an excellent French white Saint Veran Bourgogne from 2011. _MKJ8548

For the main course we were spoiled by a braised veal breast rolled in fried onions
and ash, served with garlic-flavored celery fondant and red wine sauce of smoked marrow and cranberries. The accompanying red wine was Spanish Oliver Conti Catalunya from 1999. veal tenderloin

Instead of a traditional wedding cake we had a very creative and delicious yogurt sponge cake with cocoa crumble, fresh berries and berry preserve, which was served with French sweet wine Chartreuse de Coutet Sauternes (2007).Yogurt sponge cake,

I could not have imagined a more fantastic restaurant choice. Everything was simply perfect, beautiful and delicious. Just as the dream wedding dinner is supposed to be! If you have a chance, make a stop here the next time you are in Copenhagen:

Mielcke & Hurtigkarl:
Frederiksberg Runddel 1, 2000 Frederiksberg
Reservation: +45 3834 8436 or booking@mhcph.com
http://www.mhcph.com/

PS These wonderful photos were taken by the official wedding photographer Lina Ahnoff. Talking about talent! In addition she is a well-humored, kind woman who loves people and glimpses of life. Highly recommended! http://linaahnoff.com/

Atelier Maître Albert: classy and playful

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If you have been following my blog, you know that we are very happy eating out at bistros, and that we quite rarely spend extravagant amounts of money at restaurants (we also think that Paris has so many excellent, affordable bistros that hurting your wallet isn’t necessary!). However, this summer we did a bit of splurging and enjoyed a dinner with an other couple at Atelier Maître Albert.

It was a beautiful summer evening and the sun was shining at our table. A family sitting next to us was leaving and suggested we finish their half-full bottle of rosé wine. What a nice gesture we thought!

We had king prawns with orange salad and poached egg with asparagus as starters. There was one thing we all agreed on: coupe de champagne rosé everyone!king prawnsPresentation of the starters was so beautiful that we almost did not dare to eat them… Both starters received ten points. poached egg

Our friend, who is a regular at Atelier Maître Albert, ordered his favorite bottle of red: Chambolle Musigny from Burgundy (fyi: if you have 130€ extra euros to spend, your money will be well spent on this one!).

Since the specialty of the restaurant is roasted meat, we had to try it! Three of us had a slice of roasted beef and I had lamb chops. My husband commented that his slice of beef was “une belle piece” (a beautiful slice); juicy, tasty and copious.slice of roasted beef

The gratin potatoes that came with the beef were served in a cute Staub mini cocotte. When my husband stopped eating his potatoes, the waiter came over encouraging him to finish his mini cocotte. At the moment I thought this was a rather risky move, but in fact it suited that situation: it brought some lightness to the overall feeling, which can often be quite stiff at restaurant of this level. In fact, ten points again to the creativity and human touch! gratin potatoes

After the main course, my husband and I shared a delicious goat cheese plate: goat cheese plate

…and afterwards we shared a grapefruit terrine that I absolutely loved: grapefruit terrine

As I mention in the title of this post, two words that best describe this high-end restaurant of the famous chef Guy Savoy are “classy” and “playful”. These are also the words that describe well my first-ever visit to Atelier Maître Albert back in the early 2000: I went in alone to have just a main course and a glass of wine, and the restaurant offered me a starter and a dessert. Classy and playful, what else?

Atelier Maître Albert (http://www.ateliermaitrealbert.com/): 1 Rue Maître Albert, 75005 Paris. Tel. +33-1-56 81 30 01

PS In case you are wondering, the bill came to 571€10.

 

 

Le Train Bleu: exquisite and elegant

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When my brother told me that he would like to take his girlfriend to a romantic, old-fashioned Parisian restaurant during their visit chez nous, I shortlisted a few options for him. But as soon as he saw the photos of Le Train Bleu, he responded without hesitation “this is it, please make a reservation for us, and I would like you and your husband to join us”. Le Train Bleu from outsideIt was a beautiful summer evening. We had some Canard-Duchêne champagne at home before walking to the restaurant. All this was a surprise gift for the girlfriend, so by the time we arrived at the Gare de Lyon railway station, she was very puzzled. “Are you taking me to the Côte d’Azur”, she asked. We smiled, walked into the railway station (where the tracks are) and took the main stairs to the restaurant, following a sign Le Train Bleu. Once inside, all of us stopped breathing for a few seconds. The beauty of the paintings and the interior design was stunning.  Extraordinary. Le Train Bleu We had a table next to the train tracks (I had specifically asked for this). Our waiter came and was extremely friendly, offering a leaflet of the restaurant’s history (available in English). We learned that we were now maybe, just maybe, using the same table as so many famous people who have been regulars to Le Train Bleu: Coco Chanel, Brigitte Bardot, Jean Cocteau, Salvador Dali, etc. IMG_6075We ordered the Menu Réjane, which for the price of 56€ per person includes a half a bottle of wine. Since we were four, we ordered one bottle of white Gaillac Château Adélaïde and one bottle of red Côtes de Bourg Laroche Joubert. Bravo for both wines! ceiling at Le Train BleuFor the starters we had Gazpacho-chilled cod with lime, ovencrisp Poilâne bread and Hand-chopped beefheart tomatoes, Welsh onions and Leccino olives, Burrata and jellied basil.

Both starters impressed us by the stylish presentation, and we found that the ingredients married very well. My husband loves beefheart tomatoes, so it was his paradise! Gazpacho-chilled cod with lime, ovencrisp Poilâne bread

Hand-chopped beef-heart tomatoes, Welsh onions and L eccino olives, Burrata and jellied basil For the main course, my brother had Baked Scottish salmon, spinach shoots, coconut emulsion and red curry, and appreciated very much the curry-salmon mixture. Baked Scottish salmon, spinach shoots, coconut emulsion and red curry The rest of us had Farmhouse chicken Tournedos Rossini, vin jauce sauce, artichoke purée, and we were delighted to find out that our dish contained a large chunk of foie gras… delicious!Farmhouse chicken Tournedos Rossini, vin jauce sauce, artichoke purée For the dessert, my brother’s girlfriend had a “red-berry” tiramisu,red-berry tiramisuI chose a mixed cheese plate, and my brother and my husband chose the famous Traditional rum baba. Now, I am going to be a bit mysterious, because all I can say is that Rum Baba at Le Train Bleu is not only a dessert, but also an experience…. This is the only dish that I am not going to show you, but when you go to Le Train Bleu, you will realize why! (but if you are really curious, contact me by Pearlspotting’s Facebook page and I will tell you)

Our night was fantastic, the service impeccable, food delicious, and I sincerely recommend Le Train Bleu for any occasion you may have in life. Truly.

LE TRAIN BLEU: Gare de Lyon, 75012 PARIS. Tel. +33-(0)1-43 43 09 06 (http://www.le-train-bleu.com)

Moscow meets Paris

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Last week we were invited to an exhibition opening of Uzbekistan-born artist Andrei Esionov. Like art at its best, Andrei’s oil and watercolor paintings gave a lot of food for thought. Le vernissage itself was The Party of the summer: excellent champagne, sushi rolls, salmon tartines, Russian vodka, abundance of Chanel bags & Louboutins, and very interesting people from France, Russia, Georgia. Andrei Esionov

The exhibition “Moscow and Muscovites” consists of portrays of famous Russians and cityscapes of Moscow where the artist nowadays lives. I found the portrays original and the idea of mixing the old-school Soviet stories with modernity pleased me. Personalities that appear in the portrays are film directors, ballet dancers, astronauts, neurosurgeons, not forgetting the former President Mikhail Gorbachev.  The watercolor cityscapes show Moscow as I remember seeing it myself. Looking at these pieces of art open a window to the everyday life in Moscow: babushkas walking to a nearby market, Orthodox churches that compete with skyscrapers for attention, lonely women wondering where the Motherland of Russia is going, etc.exhibition Moscow and Muscovites The exhibition was organized by Chez Higgins and they did a superb job. As soon as we walked in, we were greeted by Eric and Thierry, and they immediately made us feel very comfortable. Exactly as it should be! Through them we met a large number of people from photographers to art event directors. We had a long and interesting chat with a French girl who works with silk and explained different silk-making methods and which countries produce the best silk. Then we met someone who used to live with Salvador Dali and confirmed that indeed he was not a very pleasant person. (was Dali nastier than Picasso, that we did not figure out….) In the end of the evening we enjoyed the company of a sociologist, an ex-student of famous French philosopher Gilles Deleuze. This same sociologist had visited my home country Finland, and provided me with some interesting insight to the Finnish mentality.Vernissage Moscow and Muscovites

Time went by and so did glasses of champagne. Everyone was having a lot fun and the champagne bottle delivery did not seem to end. I thought it was très chic that they had personalized the bottles: cuvée spéciale “Moscow and Muscovites”. It could not have gotten more elegant!personalized champagne

The evening was fascinating. The weather was hot and humid. No one seemed to want to go home. It was almost midnight. The waiters started serving sweets. Rounds of champagne continued. vernissage Moscow and Muscovites

It must have been past midnight when we finally caught a taxi. My handbag was full of business cards of people I need to email… This brief virtual visit to Moscow had indeed been very pleasant and inspiring.

Links:

The artist: http://www.esionov.ru (the website is only in Russian, but to see the work, click ГАЛЕРЕЯ)

The organizer (also an art publisher): http://www.chezhiggins.com/

Mandarin Oriental: when customer service goes that extra mile

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Walking into 251 rue Saint-Honoré is stepping into the world of true, ultimate luxury. This is the address where Mandarin Oriental started creating a small piece of paradise nearly two years.

It was my husband’s birthday yesterday and even if I am absolutely overwhelmed with work at the moment, I could not leave him without a surprise. So, I invited him for an apéritif at the Mandarin Oriental hotel. A fairly new 5-star hotel in the center of Paris, impeccable service, a great choice of drinks, original decoration and a lush terrace. A perfect setting for people watching, too. What else could one ask for?

IMG_3696

We ordered a glass of rosé wine called AOC Côtes de provence Alycastre «Domaine la Courtade» 2011 and a glass of champagne, Ruinart Blanc de Blancs. We were immediately offered a lovely, truffle-flavored nut mix with giant black olives. When the drinks arrived, we noticed Mandarin Oriental bar in Paristhat the quantity was bigger than usually (prices were 10€ for wine and 29€ for champagne).

Our waiter Christian noticed that I was taking photos and offered to take one of us together. I jokingly responded that we actually live in Paris and do not need touristy photos, but it would indeed be nice to have a photo of us because it is my husband’s birthday. Christian acted like a professional photographer but after a photo shoot he made a smooth transition to the waiter’s role and brought us more olives (this time green).

After about five minutes Christian was back with a small cake (un cannelé) that had a candle on it! He congratulated my husband and asked if there is anything else he can do for us. As we were heading to a restaurant afterwards, and because French people usually don’t eat sweet food before a dinner, we asked if he could kindly wrap it up to us. “Pas de problème” was the answer, and a few minutes later the cake came back in a small box. We paid the bill, put a five-euro tip on a table, and left with a smile. If this is not an example of excellent customary service, then what is…. I don’t remember ever being inside a Mandarin Oriental hotel, but I will pay extra attention to it every time I see one during my future travels. birthday cake offered by Mandarin Oriental

PS We continued to a restaurant called La Régalade Conservatoire, but a review will have to wait a little bit… All I can say now is that the food was excellent, but the service did not match the Mandarin Oriental level.

Mandarin Oriental Paris: http://www.mandarinoriental.com/paris/

La Régalade Conservatoire: http://www.hoteldenell.com/index.php?cat=14&ID=14&nom=La%20R%C3%A9galade%20Conservatoire