City of your dreams?

To some it must have palm trees and open waters reaching for the infinite, to other it's just memories sedimented, coming and going like the sea. The city of your dreams is where you want it to be, at your doorstep or on the other side of the world - the exact spot where your brain becomes your heart, and as they say keeps passions forever.

[Pictured above is the work of John Baldessari in the exhibition Pure Beauty presented by MACBA - Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona. All Barcelona photos by Mr. Taster, aka the husband.]



It was in another century that Mr. Taster and I fell in love with Barcelona. Still living fame and fortune of having held the Olympics a couple of years before, the city was full of interest and life. We were twenty years old and an entire life to be back. In our bag we packed Frank Gehry's fish, the narrow streets of Gothic Quarter, the atrium at the Textile Museum and the sea view from the Olympic Port [all above]. We also took the hot chocolate aroma and some spoonfuls of crema catalana with the promise to taste it again and again. Fifteen years went by whilst we (re)arranged memories to make them perfect. Last week we arrived to a very different Barcelona - one we didn't quite remember. Strange, long lost memory. No city survives the expectations built over a decade and a half of wait. Our only hope was for the passion to happen once more...



And it did one morning when visiting the German National Pavilion for the 1929 Barcelona International Exhibition. Considered an example of Modern architecture, it was designed by Mies van der Rohe and reconstructed on its original site on Montjuïc in the 80's. It started here the story of an unknown city that won our heart. For the second time.

Lunchtime in New York City

One of the reasons why photography is so compelling is the human need to capture the moment. To lock and keep in order to call it "ours" hoping for the days and years to come not to take away the colours and the brightness. But photos won't keep smells, tastes or sounds - those we have to save in a special part of the memory, like some sort of essential reserve. Simone De Beauvoir used to say there's something in New York's air that makes sleep useless. It's, nevertheless, not the buzz or the lights of the city that never sleeps that I'll keep in the special airtight room of the memory but my last lunch in NY. Sitting outside on the terrace facing the Time Warner building with wonderful tree shades, just next to Central Park and Columbus Circle. Most memorable. Can't wait to come again.



We left early in the morning. The day was sunny and the luggage was waiting for us at the hotel to be back home - it was our last day in NY. A visit to Cooper-Hewitt and a quick look at Guggenheim and there goes the morning. Nothing is ever quite in New York. Not even the mornings! So we ran through Central Park not knowing what was reserved for us at the table. Following a little bird's advice, we had lunch at Nougatine owned by Chef Jean-Georges (Obrigada, Constance!). The restaurant shares the same kitchen with Jean-Georges's formal dining room at Trump Plaza hotel. The fix price lunch (25$) was excellent and the service attentive without being pretentious or intrusive. I had a honeydew melon salad with clumps of goat cheese, bits of lardons, endive, and a drizzle of passion fruit dressing that was perfect, whilst Mr. Taster had a tasty artichoke with lemon mustard mayonnaise. We ordered fish: for me a red snapper with tomato confit and the husband, pink codfish with peas and carrot vinaigrette - both very good in terms of taste, quality, and presentation. For dessert, I picked the vanilla cake with strawberries and meringue (it was nice) and Mr.Taster decided for Jean-Georges' signature cake - warm chocolate and vanilla ice cream - that lead him to heaven. If there's a best chocolate cake in the whole world, this is it. Taster's word.

Nougatine at Jean Georges
1 Central Park West,
New York, NY 10023

10 food related things to love in NY

What can I write about New York that hasn't been written yet... Nothing, really. New York is huge and frenetic -- bigger and faster than any other place I've been before. Without precious advice from adorable dear friends, I would have been lost but thanks to them manage to get a little taste of the city. Many thanks guys, you saved our... stomachs!! ;-) 'Cause I really wouldn't want to bother you with the same old about NY, I've decided to enumerate 10 food related things to love about Madame Vertigo. I'm fully aware the sky is not eatable, at least not literally. New York skies just seemed the perfect way to start, and in between chewing the sky was the 11th thing on the list.

So here we go! 10 photos, 10 things, no special order.



Bread - Whole Wheat, Sourdough, French bread. Organic. Just ask.

Tap water - Yes, no mistake. New York's tap water is something to cheer and love. Actually, it's something to drink to! Super.

Bakeries - I could live from bread alone. If a latte, a macchiato or a cappuccino can be added then I'm in heaven. And, of course, I won't say no to something on the sweet side. New York bakeries are awesome, and mind me I know a little about bakeries.

Muffins - I'm not the cupcake kind of girl, I'm more a muffin chick. Not that I can have a NY full-sized one by myself -- that's what makes Mr. Taster (aka The Husband) so handy, besides other things!! This is a Zucchini, Carrot, Walnut muffin. Perfect.



Pancakes - Any pancake dish that comes with fruit is a winner. How to be in New York City, and not have a stack of fluffy buttermilk pancakes? No way.

French Toast - With blueberries. And maple syrup. I had mine with a Beet and Apple fresh juice I won't forget soon. Or the Illy espresso that came after. Yum.



Burgers - OK, I didn't have this burger but Mr. Taster says it was pretty good. It's a burger with ratatouille and gruyere -- he actually recommends that if you're at L'École for brunch, you should try this.

Iced Tea - Not the sugary packed thing we have across Europe. Real tea 'on the rocks'. Very good.

Pizza - NY pizza. With fresh mushrooms and kalamata olives. Not disappointed.

Brunch - Breakfast was my favourite meal of the day. WAS. I'm about to change that to brunch.

Mr. Taster and I had a couple of wonderful meals, plus a gorgeous birthday lunch that I'll share later. Stay tuned.

On chasing dragons & waterfalls

For those you know me, I'm on the rational side kind of person. I like to be in control of the situation, I love to plan, and I adore when everything comes together the way I've meant it to be. But reason will take you only until a certain point. After that is all about feeling... Emotion, reason and belief play a very important and meaningful role in our lives. Fear not, I will leave it at that! It's funny how we choose things, and how sometimes things seem to choose you. My personal bond with Slovenia was totally unplanned, and yet so special. One of the few souvenirs I've brought from Ljubljana was a cookbook (surprising, I know!) with slovenian recipes. I bought the book mainly because I wanted to bake a cake called Gibanica (aka 'moving cake'). Although Gibanica is a traditional dessert in the Balkan region - many different variations can be found in Serbia, Macedonia and Bulgaria -,Prekmurje gibanica is the slovenian national dessert.

We're off to Slovenia again - can't wait to chase Ljubljana dragon and waterfalls like this! In the meanwhile, grab a cup of your favourite coffee. I leave you with a slice of Gibanica. :)



Gibanica

Adapted from Heike Milhench's Flavors of Slovenia

8-10 sheets phyllo dough
3/4 cup poppy seeds
1 cup (250 ml) milk
2-3 small apples, peeled, cored and sliced thinly
1/2 cup raisins, soaked in warm water or rum, drained
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract (or 1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped)
1 tsp cinnamon
Juice and zest of 1 small lemon (unwaxed, preferably organic)
680 grs ricotta or cottage cheese
2 large eggs
1 cup (250 ml) sour cream
1 cup walnuts, chopped
4 Tbsp butter, melted
Icing (confectioner's sugar) for sprinkling

Boil the poppy seeds in the milk until softened, about 20-25 minutes. Remove, drain, and set aside.

For the first filling, combine apples, raisins, sugar, vanilla (seeds or extract), cinnamon, lemon juice and zest in a medium bowl. Prepare the second filling separately mixing the cheese with the eggs and the cream, until smooth.

Preheat the oven to 150ºC (300ºF). Grease a rectangular baking pan. Place a phyllo sheet in the bottom, and brush with melted butter. Make sure the rest of the phyllo sheets are covered to prevent them to dry out. Spread a layer of cheese mixture over the dough. Cover with another sheet of phyllo, brush with butter, and spread a layer of raisin and apple mixture. Sprinkle with walnuts and poppy seeds. Repeat until you run out of fillings. Be sure to cover everything with 2 phyllo sheets. Brush the top with butter. Bake for 65-75 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven, and sprinkle with icing sugar.

Paris, encore une fois.

Every time I look down on this timeless town,
Whether blue or gray be her skies,
Whether loud be her cheers, or whether soft be her tears,
More and more do I realize that...

I love Paris in the spring time
I love Paris in the fall
I love Paris in the winter when it drizzles
I love Paris in the summer when it sizzles

I love Paris every moment
Every moment of the year
I love Paris, why oh why do I love Paris?
Because my love is here

It's the Doris Day's version, the one Cole Porter preferred (or so it has been said) that is playing in my head over and over whilst I type. I've been to Paris in February, June and September, which pretty much covers every season. Like Doris Day, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra or Patti LuPone and many others non-musicians before me, I love Paris. Even when it drizzles. And trust me, it did.

There's some sort of magic to walk the boulevards in the cold, buy some books and find a warm place to have café au lait et pain aux raisins... Or to cross the Jardin des Tuileries to visit some exhibitions at Jeu de Paume et à l'Hôtel de Sully with a shy sun trying to make it through.



Or just to return to your all favourite bistrot, only to find out that it remains the same. Taking the risk to sound like a broken old record, I love Paris. Specially if my love is there.

Streets & Pies

Walk the streets. If I had to point out a favourite thing when I'm abroad, it had to be lurk around. To have a sneak peek at non-touristic places, and somehow blend with the locals. Quite easy, if you're in a big city like London, and know your way around the language. Not so cool, when you're in Paris with my lousy French. But a closed mouth with an enigmatic smile, nice clothes and an extra colourful scarf will put you trough. Now try to blend in Cambridge or Bury St Edmunds or make an attempt to pronounce 'Kenneth' like a local... I've mentioned my flash trip to the UK last summer to meet my friend. N. lives in the Suffolk. Although I know the south of England fairly well, I had never made it to the center north of the country before. My day spent in Cambridge was lovely, and my visit to The Theatre Royal in Bury most memorable. As a good British girl, N. served me a pie for dinner. A few days ago I made a fish pie for dinner (hence the awful photos), and just couldn't stop all the memories that popped up.



Fish Pie
Slightly inspired from Jamie's Ministry of Food, original recipe here

Serves 4

4-5 large potatoes, peeled, and cut into large chunks
1 large carrot, peeled, and grated
150g Mascarpone cheese
Juice and zest of 1 small lemon
1/4 tsp red chili flakes
400g white fish fillets, cut into large chunks
8-12 king prawns, raw, peeled
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, and add the potatoes. Cook for 12 minutes or until soft. Grate the carrot into an oven dish. Place the fish an the prawns on top of the carrot, and sprinkle with chili flakes. Add the lemon zest and juice. Drizzle with the olive oil. Mix everything together.

Drain the potatoes in a colander and return them to the pan. Mash until smooth, then mix in the Mascarpone cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Spread evenly over the top of the fish and grated veg. Place in the preheated oven for around 40 minutes, or until cooked through, crispy and golden on top. Serve with steamed vegetables or a green salad. I served mine with caramelized butternut squash.

Raindrops keep fallin' on my head... in London

Last Saturday, lovely British weather was at its best: rainy, windy, and cold. Just perfect. We had plans to go to Portobello Market, have a walk around Notting Hill, and meet some good friends. And so we did, checking British antiquities, all sort of posh 'junk', stylish clothes, and rain. Lots of rain. Cursing under my breath, I've bought some spices at the Spice Shop, and decided Books for Cooks was a nice place to reheat, drooling over beautiful cookbooks whilst waiting for my friends. What a joy to meet them all!



Now a group of 7, we left to walk around a bit more. We made it to Le Maroc, for tahini and pomegranate molasses, and finally gave up to freezing weather. A large wooden table in the next deli right after the Moroccan market offered the perfect spot for our meal. The cold, grey day was very much changed by Valentina's laugh, our endless chitchat, and comfort food: celery and carrot soup, marguerita toasts, lots of tea, and memories to keep.

Leaving the deli, we walked back to Notting Hill Gate, passing by Ottolenghi's beautiful stand. I kept thinking of "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid", the old movie. One of the romantic and heart-warming scenes in the film is when "Butch" (Paul 'gorgeous' Newman) takes "Etta" (Katherine Ross) on a bicycle ride under a blue sky, with no hint of rain. The music seems both unfitting and absolutely right, at the same time. Raindrops keep fallin' on my head playing in my mind with real drops on my face but what a day - happiness, joy, and friendship. Who cares about the rain?

Can you read my mind?

Can you read my mind?
Can you read my mind?

The teenage queen, the loaded gun
The drop dead dream, the Chosen One
A southern drawl, a world unseen
A city wall and a trampoline

I know London all too well to be easy to write about how mixed my feelings are every time I go back. There's this song by The Killers, Can you read my mind? (Check the cover by Portuguese musician David Fonseca - scroll down to the end of this post) that sums it up for me. London can always read my mind. I'm fifteen again when I walk by Trafalgar Square, and remember the first time I've seen punks and a Velásquez live - both on the same day, just a few meters away from each other. The big city's vertigo - the ultimate melting pot. Everyone fits. Even me, with my stubborn look wearing a flowered jacket, pink skirt and ballerinas... climbing the steps of The National Gallery. I'm back in Trafalgar Square, just a few years ago when London won the right to host the 2012 Olympic Games - shortly before the terrorist attacks that spread terror across the city. No, no, no, not again! My mind slides to my first crumble, a bread pudding or baked beans, and moves to the large bookstores where every book on Earth can be found.



But not everything about London is dreamy. Visiting is always great, living there is quite a different matter. What feels organized when you visit becomes narrow minded after a while, the competitive struggle for little things is exhausting, the misty weather gets to your bones, and to your brain. Still. London is the city I'd want to live in if I was to leave my country. 'Cause nothing compares to this ability to find something new whilst walking the streets that lead to Convent Garden or Notting Hill. Wherever you go, there's a corner, a shop or a place steeped in the vibes of its area that grabs your soul. Unbelievable, this. It is exciting, shocking - even scary - to be in a city that reads your mind...

Oh well I don't mind, you don't mind
Cause I don't shine if you don't shine
Before you go
Tell me what you find when you read my mind

Lunch in the Mountains

My most memorable meal in Slovenia was minestrone, a plate of mushroom gnocchi and a slice of apricot apple strudel. Does it sound like too 'normal' food? Perhaps it sounds plain ordinary to you... Well, simple things never cease to amaze me, specially when quality ingredients are used by a talented cook. Don't get me wrong, this heavenly meal didn't take place in a posh restaurant by the hand of a well-known Chef. When my colleague kindly offered to drive us out of Ljubljana in her day off (the national holiday - Slovenia's Day), I chose Lake Bled almost immediately. Very well - she said - we can make it to the mountains, and have lunch there. You won't be served truffles or caviar but the food couldn't be better. So true!

This lovely restaurant in the mountain close to the Italian border is run by an adorable couple. The view is breathtaking. I just couldn't stop staring, not even when a crowd of Italian cyclists arrived laughing and talking loudly - typical Italian Style - and my thoughts were cut off.



Why don't you stay outside? It's so much nicer - the lady asked. And so we did. I felt at home when we were asked to set the table! The food was top class: first of all, minestrone - actually the best minestrone I've ever had. When I told her that, the lady offered to teach me how to make it, and gave me the recipe straightaway! My hubby was thrilled until he heard the soup had barley in it... Barley! How interesting, I thought. Like if he could read my mind, my husband almost jumped on his seat. You will not take barley from Slovenia. No way! Hehehe, how well does he know me?



This minestrone is on my to-do-list, as soon as I have the time to go look for the barley someone didn't let me buy in Ljubljana!

My second plate was a tasteful mushroom gnocchi [above, top right]. Perfect in every aspect, flavour, texture, colour, everything in the right place. My husband had goulash with polenta [above, bottom right], another traditional dish, that smelled heavenly. Our meal was finished with a local strudel, again very simple with a special note of apricot to spice up. Yummy!

Beloved Ljubljana

Small is beautiful. After a hectic week-end in Paris - where everybody seemed to be in the street to celebrate the June solstice, Ljubljana was a relaxing and very interesting place to stay afterwards with its rich culture and historical legacy. Ljubljana is a beautiful mixture of Renaissance, Art Nouveau and modern Baroque architecture, built up across the Ljubljanica River and its surroundings. The main responsible person for the beauty of Ljubljana's architecture is Jože Plečnik, also known as the master of Prague.



Ljubljana (loo-bli-ana) translates into English as 'beloved', which could not be more appropriate to such an appealing city. A Slovenian proverb says that A heart with no words is better than words with no heart. Perhaps that's why I can't find the right words to express how special Ljubljana is for me, and how I will keep it in my heart...

But it's not only the architecture that impresses. Food (after all this is a food blog!) also deserves a note. Let's start with the traditional Slovenian dessert.



Originally from the Prekmurje region (the eastern part of the country), Prekmurje Gibanica has become a popular dessert throughout Slovenia. It's made of several layers of Phyllo pastry alternating with cottage cheese, poppy seed, raisin, walnut and apple filling. Gibanica (ghee-bah-nee-tsa) draws great attention not only for its several layers and mixed flavours but mostly because its English translation is... “moving-cake”! This is a very funny name for a cake, and it made me laugh when I first heard it. How cool is a dessert called the moving cake?

Beautiful Slovenija!

Perhaps what makes something special are tiny little things like a smile or a good laugh. Or big things like a stunning view of a waterfall from a cliff or a quite big lake in a very hot afternoon. Once we shared one of those, a special link is created. One day, I will remember Bled's Lake [above] or the Open Theater [right, last set of 2 pictures] as lovely places but today both are just small parts of a bigger picture of a beautiful country with beautiful people.



My working trip was planned a long time ago under a strategic plan that was designed to enhance international connections. This destination was decided because it filled the criteria. It wasn't a traveling destination, my expectations had little to do with the country itself... I just wanted our meetings to be fruitful for everybody.



Maybe that's the reason why the small beautiful beloved Ljubljana, the mountains and the amazing forests had me from the first moment. Or perhaps it's because we've been spoiled by the lovely people we had the privilege to deal with, and will never forget their generosity and kindness. Hvala!



Either way, I feel moved by the experience, and hope to be back in the (near) future. I miss Slovenia!



You were all right about my destination! Brilliant! Talida and Clumbsy Cookie please email me your address so I can send you a little something from Slovenia. ;)

Stay tunned, I'll post a most memorable meal in the mountains, and a traditional "moving" cake very soon.

Where am I going?

I hate to pack and unpack my bag but I love to leave and to come back... It's my way of finding balance in my trips - I'm happy to travel and always happy to get back home. Mr. Henry Miller used to say: One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things. A working trip will take me to a country I've never been to. I'm looking forward to meet my colleagues, and anxious about how it will go. But of course I'm willing to know a new city, and taste new food!

As you will miss me terribly (won't you?), I'm starting a little game. So... here's the deal: I'll provide 5 clues about where I'm heading for, and you just have to post a comment here with the right answer. A randomly selected winner from those who guessed right gets a food related little something from my destination.

Ok? Good. Now on to the clues.

The country I'm going to:

1. Shares land borders with 4 other countries;
2. Uses the Latin alphabet in its official language;
3. Has a national cuisine that shows a strong Austro-Hungarian influence;
4. Offers braided loaves with different stuffings (such as meat or vegetables) as most popular foods;
5. Has a tiny strip of seacoast on the Adriatic.

Extra clue is the national team hasn't qualify to Euro 2008 football championships. Does it help? ;-) Portugal is playing Germany next... heck! Força Portugal!

Where am I going?

I'm off to Paris for the week-end, and to mystery country next week. You'll hear from me by the end of next week... na svidenje !

Je ne veux pas travailler

Je ne veux pas travailler
Je ne veux pas déjeuner
Je veux seulement oublier
Et puis je fume
Edith Piaf

I keep singing to myself the cover Pink Martini did of Piaf, Je ne veux pas travailler, Je ne veux pas déjeuner, Je veux seulement oublier, Et puis je fume. Everything comes to an end. Even the good things. Or specially those! And then there are the memories: after so much photographed food, it seems that we did nothing else but eat whilst in Paris... As I don't want you to think we only commited the Gula deadly sin, I'll leave you a place and a special look from our trip: the new museum Quai Branly and the work of American photographer Saul Leiter, showing at the Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson. The gorgeous photos in this post belong to Monsieur Le Official Taster (aka my hubby), possible thanks to the stunning light and the sunny weather back in Paris those days!

The Quai Branly is located in the Eiffel Tower area and has been recently open. The exhibitions there couldn't compete with the nice morning sun, so we just walked across the gardens that surround the museum's building - Jean Nouvel's project, who also designed in Paris Institut du Monde Arabe and the Fondation Cartier. Like the Louvre's pyramid some love and some hate it. I, great fan of how old and new work together in Paris architectural space, couldn't made up my mind.

Saul Leiter's work was most surprising. It was the first time I heard from him, after reading in Airfrance MAGAZINE about the exhibithion. We ended up looking for the Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson (which is not in the maps) in a late Sunday afternoon and we were most happy to use both our time and money to see Saul Leiter's photographs. A must see for those in Paris until April 13th.

Café noir?

The coffee addicted in me feels at home when the familiar smell arrives at the table, the bitterness tastes like honey and the caffeine kicks in. I don't need sugar or chocolate or two plates and a napkin - I just need coffee. But in Paris every petit noir is a little production in itself. The beautiful cup above was served after a delicious lunch at a restaurant we went to for the first time. But before I get to lovely Bergamote let me tell you that in Paris coffee is overpriced. Way overpriced! French café au lait is equally expensive. At least is very good and easy to get.



The Bergamote was a pleasant surprise - located in Boulevard Saint Germain, just a few steps away from Mabillon metro station, this small restaurant is a well kept jewel for those who love fresh herbs. Every dish comes with a symphony of flavours only available by the smart use of thyme, cilantro or basil and some light presence of spices. We had lunch and our last dinner in Paris at the Bergamote. They have several menus (also available in english), plus an extra plat du jour every evening and noon. I can fully recommend the place: food's delicious, service is very nice and the room is really cosy. And to think that before Bergamote's I didn't care a thing about Créme Brulée!



Bergamote
8, Rue Montfaucon, Paris

Constant(ly)

I have a crush on Christian Constant. A culinary crush, of course! Chef Constant is the bright mind behind haute cuisine restaurant Le Violon d'Ingres, the brand new concept of Les Cocottes and my beloved Café Constant. Though I know exactly what my meal was (saumon froid and a more than memorable fig tart), I don't remember anymore how I got to Café Constant for the first time. Christian Constant's idea of serving classic yet affordable French cuisine in a neighbourhood bistro made me know his food before I could even know his story. When I got to know more about Chef Constant brilliant career, I was thrilled at his easy, yet sophisticated cuisine. In our trip to Paris, I took "Ma cuisine au quotidien" for him to sign but never got the guts to ask. Guess I'll have to come back!

Why is Café Constant my favourite? Packed most times, Café Constant is a bistro with an eclectic ambiance - elder regulars, french habitués just passing by for a glass of wine, young couples, families or (lucky) tourists like us - Café Constant is good comforting food rather than anything fancy. We had dinner there twice: both perfect. The menu written up on blackboards was kindly explained to us by a portuguese boy who works there. We remembered his face from our first time, a couple of years ago - he was more than suspicious when we ask him if he could speak portuguese!! Merci R. and all the staff!

my perfect meal




Café Constant
139, rue Saint-Dominique, 7th

Paris, je t'aime!

Here I am, back from an awesome trip to sunny Paris!

Paris was one of the last European capitals I visited - it took me 30 years of life to get there. When I went for the first time (a little over a couple of years ago), my expectations were fairly low. And then I fell in love. It was a mature, grown up kind of love, as if it was meant to be since always. I went back a few months later, only to find out more and more things to love about Paris. Food was one of them - markets, food shops, pâtisseries, boulangeries, restaurants... Paris is heaven on Earth for any food-obsessed person! This trip was great in that department. We had wonderful meals in old and new places. Oh how I love Paris!

More to follow on my favourite bistrot parisien and a lovely finding. À toute à l'heure!

À Bientôt!

I'm leaving in a few hours for the City of Lights to spend some quality time with my adorable husband, walk by the Seine, drool on the stands of boulangeries and pâtisseries, have dinner at my favourite bistro Café Constant, get lost in the museums and watch some tennis. The photos above are two years old and bring lovely memories when I look at them! I'll be back in a week time.