Yummy Chocolate

La Bonnotte potatoes

La Bonnotte potatoes are one of the world's most expensive foods, served only in the most luxurious restaurants. The price of one kilogram of La Bonnotte potatoes can reach $700, making it the most expensive potato on Earth. Its ridiculous price doesn't just have to do with its delicious salty flavor, but also with the fact that it's very rare.

This variety of potato is only cultivated on Noirmoutier, an island off the coast of western France, and just 100 tons are produced every year, mainly because they have to be picked by hand. La Bonnotte's tuber remains attached to the stem making too fragile to harvest by machine, not to mention it also needs to be fertilized with algae and seaweed to give it that distinct earthy, salty flavor. Its fragile nature simply didn't make it profitable enough for large agricultural companies, and it was only because of the love and care of a few French potato lovers that it didn't go extinct.



Also known as The King of Potatoes, La Bonnotte is planted in February and ready to be picked in the first week of May. The entire crop is usually exhausted by the first weekend of the month, because they retain all of their flavor if their picked and shipped to the restaurant the same day.

Delicious cappuccino

Ingredients

2-3 ounces brewed espresso (double shot)

1 cup milk

ground cinnamon or nutmeg, to garnish (optional)

Preparation

1. Using an espresso machine or cappuccino maker, brew 2 shots of espresso.

2. Steam 1 cup milk, generating a good amount of thick froth for crema.

3. Divide the espresso into 2 serving mugs; divide the steamed milk between the 2 as well, then top each with half of the thick foam (the ideal ratio for this would be 1/3 espresso, 1/3 milk, 1/3 crema).

4. Dust with cinnamon and/or freshly grated nutmeg, if desired; serve.

Delicious cappuccino

Ingredients
2-3 ounces brewed espresso (double shot)
1 cup milk
ground cinnamon or nutmeg, to garnish (optional)
Preparation
1. Using an espresso machine or cappuccino maker, brew 2 shots of espresso.
2. Steam 1 cup milk, generating a good amount of thick froth for crema.
3. Divide the espresso into 2 serving mugs; divide the steamed milk between the 2 as well, then top each with half of the thick foam (the ideal ratio for this would be 1/3 espresso, 1/3 milk, 1/3 crema).
4. Dust with cinnamon and/or freshly grated nutmeg, if desired; serve.

Breakfast recipe

Cheesy Chicken Triangles Breakfast recipe





ingredients:

5 bread slices

few tbsps mustard paste or chilli tomato sauce

1/2 cup cooked shredded chicken

3 tbsps grated cheese

dried herbs (optional)

few tbsps chopped tomato (remove pulp)

For sauce:

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp maida/all purpose flour

1/2 cup low fat milk

few tbsps chopped capsicums

salt to taste

pepper to taste

pinch of dried herbs of your choice

1 Wash chicken pieces, boil with a cup of water, salt and pepper till the chicken cooks. Debone and shred it.
2 Prepare the white sauce by melting butter in a heavy bottomed vessel. Add maida and stir on low to medium flame for 2-3 mts. Add the chopped capsicums and stir for half a mt. Remove from heat and add the milk slowly while stirring constantly.
3 Return to heat and cook stirring continuously till it turns thick. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat, add 2 tbsps grated cheese and combine. Add the shredded chicken to the sauce along with dried herbs and combine.
4 Spread mustard paste or chilli tomato sauce to each bread slice. Spread the cheesy chicken mixture, sprinkle grated cheese and few tomato pieces.
5 Grill in a hot oven for 8 mts or till lightly browned.

Mango Rabri

Ingredient:

1 lt Whole Milk
1 cup Sugar or to taste
1 cup chopped Mango



Method:

Boil milk till it gets thick.Keep steering during boiling.Add sugar.Keep aside and let it cool.Add mangoes.
Serve chilled.

Exotic Fruits

Living in our belov3d Malaysia is like living in a fruit haven..

Of the listed 10 must-try exotic fruits (courtesy of blog.hotelclub.com), we have 7 of these locally available. Imagine we do not have to travel far & wide or pay thru our nose to taste these exotic fruits, some of which is available from the backyard.

Exotic Fruits

1. Rambutan

Coming from an evergreen tree, the Rambutan fruit resembles the Lychees, have a leathery red skin and are covered with spines. Rambutan is a popular garden fruit tree and one of the most famous in Southeast Asia. The fruit is sweet and juicy, being commonly found in jams or available canned.

2. Jackfruit aka Nangka

Native to southwestern India, Bangladesh, Philippines and Sri LankaJackfruit is a common fruit for Asia and Australia and considered as one of the largest tree borne fruit in the world. The juicy pulp around the seeds have a taste similar to pineapple, but milder. Apart from canned jackfruit, it is also available as sweet chips. The wood of the tree is used for making various musical instruments, while the fruit is a common ingredient for many Asian dishes.

3. Passion Fruit

The passion fruit has a soft, juicy interior full of seeds, being commonly found in juices to boost their flavors. There are two types of passion fruit: the golden one (maracuyá), similar to a grapefruit and the dark purple passion fruit (gulupa), comparable in terms of size with a lemon. However, the latter ones have been reported as being mildly poisonous.

4. Lychee

Coming from an evergreen tree, the lychee or litchi are small white flesh fruits, covered in a red rind, rich in vitamin C and with a grape-like texture. The fruit has started making its appearance in markets worldwide, refrigerated or canned with its taste intact.

5. Star fruit

Native to Indonesia, India and Sri Lanka

The star fruit comes from the carambola, a species of tree with pink flowers grown even in the US. The golden-yellow fruit is crunchy, sweet, with a taste of pineapples, apples and kiwis combined. There are two kinds of star fruits – acidulate and sweet, both rich in vitamin C. The fruit is particularly juice, some even making wine out of it.

6. Mangosteen

Native to the Sunda Islands and the Moluccas.

The mangosteen is another evergreen tree that produces oddly shaped fruits. The fruits are purple, creamy, described as citrus with a hint of peach. It is rich in antioxidants, some scientists even suggesting it can lower risk against certain human diseases, such as cancer. There are even legends about Queen Victoria offering a reward to the one that brings her the fruit. In Malaysia, sometimes this fruit is also known as Queen of Fruits.

7. Kumquat

Native to China

The kumquats or cumquats are small edible fruits resembling oranges that grow in a tree related to the Citrus. As with most of the fruits in the Citrus family, the kumquats are eaten raw. They are often used in marmalade and jelly but also in alcoholic drinks such as liquor. The Taiwanese add it to their teas, while others boil it and use it as a remedy for sore throats.

8. Durian

Native to Brunei, Malaysia and Indonesia

Also known as the “King of Fruits,” Durian has a very particular odor, a unique taste and is covered by a hard husk. Having a disagreeable smell, compared to skunk spray or sewage, the fruit is forbidden in hotels and public transportations in Southeast Asia. Still, the whole experience is worth it, considering the absolutely divine taste of the Durian.

9. Dragon Fruit

Native to Mexico and Central and South America

Dragon fruit, strawberry pear or pitaya is a fruit of several cactus species with a sweet delicate taste and creamy pulp. The most common dragon fruit is the red pitaya, but other varieties include the Costa Rica pataya and the yellow pataya. Juice or wine can be obtained from the fruit, while the flowers can be eaten or used for tea.

10. African cucumber

Native to Kalahari Desert, Africa

The African cucumber, horned melon or melano is a fruit that can be best described as melon with horns. It originated in the Kalahari Desert and is now present in California and New Zealand. The dark green pulp reminds one of bananas, limes, passion fruit and cucumber. It is often used for decorating food but also in smoothies and sundaes

Treat for my fun-pak friends

Swedish Nuts

Swedish Nuts

Ingredient:

2 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 pinch salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 lb. nuts (pecans, walnuts, or a mixture of both)
1/2 cup butter



Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Beat egg whites until soft peaks begin to form. Add sugar, salt, and vanilla. Beat until stiff peaks form and turn glossy. Fold in nuts and coat well with the egg white mixture.
Melt butter in a 9x13-inch baking pan by placing it in the oven. Evenly spread coated nuts over melted butter in pan.
Bake for about 30 minutes (or until no butter remains in the pan), stirring and turning nuts every 8 minutes. Place hot nuts on foil and allow to cool.

Chicken with Rice Turkish Style

""Turkish Style Chicken with Rice""

Ingredients:

1) Chicken only Legs, breast and wings 1 lb
2) Tomatoes peeled, seeded and chopped 3 large
3) Onions finely chopped 2
4) Garlic Cloves minced 2
5) Coriander Seed ground 1 tbsp
6) Saffron 1/2 tbsp
7) Olive Oil 4 tbsp
Bay Leaf crushed 1
9) Bell Peppers finely diced 2
10) Kalamata Olives pitted and dices 1 cup
11) Chicken Broth preferably homemade 2 cups
12) White Raisins soaked in boiling water 2 tsp
13) Long Grain with Rice 1 lb
14) Salt and Pepper to taste
15) Cumin Ground 1/2 tsp



Method:
1. Remove the skin from chicken pieces.
2. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
3. Cook in oil. Remove pieces as they brown.
4. They should be almost cooked at this point.
5. If they are not, turn down heat and continue cooking.
6. Add onions to the oil left in the pan and cook until soft.
7. Add garlic, bay leaf and ground coriander.
8. Stir in rice until well coated with the oil.
9. Add bell peppers and cook a few minutes.
10. Stir in tomatoes, cumin and saffron.
11. Add raisins. Return chicken pieces to pan.
12. Pour 2 cups boiling chicken stock. Cover pan.
13. Turn down heat and simmer 10 minutes.
14. Add olives and continue simmering 10 to 15 minutes until rice is cooked.
15. Add some drops of Tabasco. Serve hot.