Latest news with #cuisine
Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Times
Just One Dish: Cyril Lignac
Growing up in a rural French village nestled between Montpellier and Toulouse, the chef Cyril Lignac had not a single inkling that his path would lead him to a life of big city fame. His mother worked in a hospital and his father was a carpenter, and yet food was an abiding theme throughout his childhood. Food was the source of some of Lignac's fondest memories — particularly the family feasts where he witnessed the good cheer and camaraderie brought about by his mother's cooking. He realised that he too wanted to be the bearer of joy-inducing cuisine. 'What I love about cooking is the happiness it brings to people,' Lignac says. His first step was to qualify as a pâtissier, chocolatier and ice-cream maker. Soon after, he trained as a chef. A job followed at the three Michelin-starred restaurant L'Arpège, where Alain Passard became his mentor. But the toque blanche is just one of many hats he wears. After putting in the hours at several restaurants around France, in 2005 Lignac was scouted to present the TV programme Oui Chef! — a bit like a French version of Jamie's Kitchen. Off the back of his TV gig, Lignac was able to open his first restaurant, Le Quinzième in Paris. Seven years later came a Michelin star. In 2012 he became the host of Le Meilleur Pâtissier (a French version of The Great British Bake Off). 'I'm Paul Hollywood in France,' he jokes. Lignac now sits at the head of an empire that includes restaurants and bars throughout Paris, London and recently, Dubai. Bar des Prés was his first international affair, opening in London in 2021. Diners enjoy a cuisine that encompasses the best of France, while mixing in east Asian influences with local English produce. One of his all-time favourite dishes is Belle Langoustines with its tangy broth and Corsican Cédrat lemon. Watch the video to learn how to make it yourself. Ingredients for 4 people For the langoustine consommé • The langoustine claws• 1 peeled carrot• 1 peeled onion• 10cm piece of celery stalk• 2 litres of mineral water• Olive oil For the final sauce • 25cl langoustine consommé• 15cl full-fat single cream• 100g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes• 1 tbsp ponzu vinegar• 1 Corsican Cédrat lemon• Fine salt and freshly ground pepper For the langoustine consommé 1. In a saucepan, place the langoustine claws with a dash of olive oil, add the carrot, the celery stalk, the chopped onion, a sprig of thyme, and a bay leaf, then crush everything. Pour water up to the level of the claws. 2. Bring to a boil and skim. Reduce by half at a low boil without stirring to prevent sediment and a cloudy consommé. Strain through a fine sieve. 3. Reduce a second time if necessary. Strain through a fine cloth.4. Pour the broth into a saucepan, then pour in the cream, bring to a boil, and add the butter, emulsifying. Add the lemon zest and juice, then the ponzu. Check the seasoning and set aside. For the langoustine tartare • 4 large langoustines, shelled and gutted• 2 tbsp virgin olive oil• 2 sprigs of Thai chives• 1 pinch of espelette pepper• 1 tbsp chopped samphire in vinegar• Fleur de sel 1. Carefully cut the gutted langoustines into large cubes, season with olive oil, fleur de sel, finely chopped chives, and samphire, and finish with a squeeze of citron lemon zest. Set aside at room temperature. For the roasted langoustines • 8 large, large langoustines• Olive oil• Fleur de sel 1. Shell the langoustines. Brown them in olive oil, keeping only the back tender (do not cook the belly), and season with fleur de sel. To finish and plate 1. In soup plates, place a 5-6cm diameter cookie cutter, add the seasoned langoustine tartare, remove the cutter, and place the roasted langoustines on top. 2. Heat the sauce until frothy, then place two spoonfuls around the langoustines. 3. You can also add langoustine chips made from tapioca flour and langoustine consommé.
Forbes
2 days ago
- Forbes
A Spanish Twist On East And West
Directional Road Signs Pointing East and West, Vector Illustration of Guideposts in Black and White ... More for Navigation and Travel. Trendy resorts are often both timeless and cutting edge. Palma de Majorca, off the coast of southeast Spain, has winding old streets and a 14th-Century castle that can be seen for miles off shore. While the island's buzzy downtown restaurants may be more focused on local paella and seafood, the Kimpton Asyla is rolling out a menu of Asian-inspired rolls, soups and dumplings. The dining room at Saba. Saba, which means mackerel in Japanese, focuses on a dueling menu of Asian versus Spanish specialties. In some ways that culinary choice is not too surprising for a chain like Kimpton, which has long been based in San Francisco. Several of the hotel's restaurants in California also feature Asian restaurants, such as the elaborate Thai food at HED11 in the Kimpton Enso, in Japantown; and Filipino food at ABACÁ at the Kimpton Alton in Fisherman's Wharf. Spanish tomato toast pan tomaca or tostadas con tomate closeup on the wooden board on the table. ... More Horizontal top view from above Some of the Asian options at Saba include Korean Bulgogi, sushi, sashimi and nigiri. Some Spanish options include classics such as pan con tomate, Jamon Iberico and fried Calamari. Zayt, the poolside bar, is producing some of the best fish- and vegetable-forward dishes, including tuna tacos, gazpacho and some really great pizzas. So, I was curious to speak to Aysla's director of food and beverage, Damiano Curro. All responses have been edited and condensed for clarity. Liza B. Zimmerman (L.B.Z.): Why have a Western and Asian menu? Gazpacho at Zayt. Damiano Curro (D.C.): Because we want to offer two types of cuisines in order to provide different experiences for our guests in house. L.B.Z.: How are the island's primarily ingredients involved in both menus? Dim sum at Saba. D.C.: In our Asian and Mediterranean menus, primary ingredients play a key role by showcasing the freshness and quality of locally sourced produce. We focus on using seasonal vegetables, herbs and proteins that reflect our region, while still honoring the traditional flavors of both cuisines. L.B.Z.: How is local seafood wrapped up in the menus? D.C.: Local seafood plays a central role in both our Asian and Mediterranean menus, highlighting the freshness and quality of the ingredients from our nearby coasts. We feature seasonal catch such as tuna, octopus, prawns, and local white fish, which are prepared using techniques and flavor profiles from both culinary traditions. L.B.Z.: What culinary synergies are involved in preparing them both? D.C.: There are several natural synergies involved in preparing both the Asian and Mediterranean menus as they feature many of the same ingredients but with different cooking techniques applied. L.B.Z.: How is the Asian menu linked to Spain or Kimpton's other properties (many of which are located in places like SF with great Asian food)?: Raw fresh Seafood Cocktail close up with Mussels, Clams, Vongole, Prawns and Shrimps D.C.: We create the connection through the seafood found in our local Spanish waters, which serves as a perfect base for many Asian-inspired dishes. L.B.Z.: How do locals and visitors order? Do they choose more Asian or local dishes? D.C.: Both concepts are highly appreciated by our in-house guests, especially because they have the opportunity to switch things up during their stay. L.B.Z.: Is this the first Kimpton property to do an East versus West menu? D.C.: We are the first European property to have an Asian restaurant concept in our hotel.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Peruvian-Latin restaurant Riko debuts in Bengaluru, India
Riko, a restaurant specialising in Peruvian-Latin cuisine, has opened its first outlet in Bengaluru, in the Indian state of Karnataka. The restaurant is the latest venture from the Kofteci Group, founded by Aasim and Adeeb Shah and known for previous concepts such as Oz by Kebapci, and Klava. The menu at Riko features dishes from Peru in seven sections, including ceviches and grilled items. Aasim and Adeeb Shah stated: 'We wanted to honour the heritage of Peruvian and Latin food without dilution, and to reinterpret it with integrity for this context. 'There's fire, soul and story in every element of what we've created — from what's on the plate to the textures around it.' Riko's menu includes dishes such as Bomba de Choclo, a corn custard encased in a crisp shell with aged cheese, Pollo a la Brasa, a traditional marinated rotisserie chicken, and Tamal de Cordero, spiced lamb wrapped in soft corn dough. Arroz Bomba Del Mar features saffron-infused rice with seared seabass, while dessert options include Cachapa con Miel, a sweet corn pancake drizzled with honey. Complementing the food is a selection of non-alcoholic beverages, including Brazilian Lemonade, Granada y Kion with sparkling pomegranate soda and ginger, and Agua du Fresco made with cucumber and coconut. "Peruvian-Latin restaurant Riko debuts in Bengaluru, India" was originally created and published by Verdict Food Service, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
Times
6 days ago
- Times
23 of the best things to do in Marseilles
Did you know that Marseilles is France's oldest city? Founded by the Greek-speaking Phocaeans some 2,600 years ago, its fortunes have risen, fallen and, more recently, risen afresh. Since the 1960s — when a dwindling ocean travel industry left paint peeling on the Vieux Port neighbourhood's shuttered houses and gulls roosting in the battlements of Château d'If —this Côte d'Azur getaway has been rejuvenated. A big-name museum and a spate of high-end hotels help, as does the thriving underground arts scene and excellent flight connections. Factor in urban beaches, the nearby calanque inlets and mountain trails, and you have a recipe for a wonderfully varied break — all aided by the one thing which never changes: that glorious, sun-kissed Mediterranean climate. Here are Marseilles's must-dos and must-sees. This article contains affiliate links, which may earn us revenue The cuisine of Marseilles is Mediterranean par excellence: the sea has brought not just the obvious fishy influence to local tables, but also culinary currents from further afield that have shaped this melting-pot port. A three-and-a-half-hour walking and tasting tour typically introduces Provençal staples such as tapenade and aioli, the produce of the small fish market on the quayside of the Vieux Port, North African sweets and tea, panisse (a chickpea flour fritter of Genoese origin), and baked camembert given an authentically Marseillais twist with a shot of pastis. When ancient Greek colonists found the fine natural harbour of Massalia, the hill to its north became their first place of settlement. Nowadays, Le Panier is a small, warren-like enclave reached by steep steps from the Vieux Port. It's a colourful place, thanks sometimes to the work of spray cans, but also because of its multitude of potted plants and painted shopfronts. Its unusual name ('The Basket') first referred to the sign of a local inn, which was later applied to the main street and eventually the whole neighbourhood. • Discover our full guide to France Marseilles' often unpolished look won't appeal to everyone, but to even passing fans of street art, there are rich pickings here. The backstreets around Cours Julien are prime territory for redecorating walls, doorways and shop shutters with colourful creations; taking a themed walking tour can be a way to discover more about the artists behind the enigmatic names and ensure you have the up-to-date information on this outdoor gallery, where works can change from one week to the next. The Corniche Président John Fitzgerald Kennedy is the southern half of the city's winding and supremely scenic seaside drive, though traffic often makes it less pleasant to stroll along. Inland from the Corniche, however, you'll find some of Marseilles' most ravishing and quietest neighbourhoods. A three-and-a-half-hour walking tour with local resident Jean-Marc departs from the picture-book fishing port of Vallon des Auffes and gives your calves a full workout on stairways that lead up past hidden gardens and faded villas, before returning to the craggy coast once more. Blue horizons are a constant in the city — and a beautiful reference point when it comes to finding and keeping your equilibrium on a stand-up paddleboard. Discover the Calanques coastline from the water: while your core muscles are fully engaged, you can contemplate rocky coves as you paddle along and ponder the accuracy of the Mediterranean's occasional nickname: the tideless sea. Closer to the city than the Calanques and starker in vegetation terms, the Îles du Frioul is a miniature archipelago that's home to the Château d'If — the fortress-prison made famous by Alexandre Dumas' 1844 novel, The Count of Monte Cristo. Forbidding history aside, the islands are a great location for the kinds of water-based and motorised fun not permitted within the national park, including waterskiing, knee-boarding and underwater scooters. Full disclosure: Marseilles is a city with a 2,600-year history in a superb natural setting, but parts of it look distinctly shabby. This is the starting point of an 'ugly city' walking tour that aims to give visitors a nuanced view of Marseillais life. It's not really about aesthetics. Le Panier and Noailles are neighbourhoods with historic charm, even if run-down in parts. The boulevard between them is emblematic: La Canebière was once the city's answer to the Champs-Élysées, hit a 20th-century rough patch, and is now tentatively on the rise again. The sound of steel thudding onto sand — or clashing into rival steel — is part of the soundtrack of Provence. Where else but Marseilles would you find a shop dedicated solely to boules, and its most famous game variant? Start your tour there, then head off for some friendly competition, followed by pastis and snacks. You'll soon learn that pétanque, which developed in nearby La Ciotat before 1910, is more strategic than the game's simple concept might suggest. The light in Marseilles is a photographer's dream, especially as it melts into evening. If, however, you're finding it hard to capture the city's best profile (see 'ugliness' above), a two-hour tour with a local can help you to focus. Beginning with photogenic nooks in Le Panier, the most village-like part of Marseilles, the walk continues past the Vieux Port, where Norman Foster's mirror-ceilinged Ombrière structure is an Instagrammer favourite. After an ascent to Notre-Dame de la Garde, the tour reaches the seaside at Vallon des Auffes, a quintessential sunset spot. Few walks illustrate such a cross-section of Marseilles and its contradictions as the route down Rue d'Aubagne. This street in the Noailles quarter is lined with historic yet often graffiti-covered and dilapidated houses (two tragically collapsed in 2018), and — for its city-centre location — is an unusual symbol of resistance against gentrification. Restaurants and shops offer traditional dishes from Ivory Coast, syrupy sweets from Tunisia, woven baskets and more. At the foot of the street, almost touching La Canebière, is Maison Empereur: a treasure cave of a homewares store, open since 1827. Savon de Marseille could be considered a niche interest — unless you are among the many to have already discovered quite how satisfyingly chunky, rustic and good at getting out stains it is. Initially made using soda from the ashes of glasswort mixed with olive oil and seawater, the ultimate soapy gift is now enjoying a revival. At the Musée du Savon in the Vieux Port, you (and your kids) can watch a demonstration, personalise your own bar, and find out how much of a 'nose' you are in the sensory area. Then stock up next door at the Savonnerie Marseillaise de la Licorne, one of four Marseilles shops run by Serge and Laurence Bruna, who also offer free guided tours of their workshop on the Cours Julien. Nothing symbolised Marseilles' turnaround in the 2010s quite like Mucem — the Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations. The main building on the quayside is clad in a lattice that suggests a rippled sea surface, and from there a walkway reaches over a dock to the stone ramparts of Fort Saint-Jean, one of a pair built in the 1660s to guard the main harbour entrance. The museum's permanent collection is still relatively small, but the spread-out site hosts exhibitions covering historic themes and present-day Mediterranean life in all its variety. Beyond the southern outskirts of the city lie the dazzling Calanques, a series of steep-sided inlets cutting into pale limestone cliffs, which (thanks to the ruggedness of the area) are most easily admired from the sea. One of France's smaller national parks, it's an afternoon's sailing from the Vieux Port. Eco Calanques' 12-seater hybrid electric boats make the round trip in four and a half hours, passing quietly through the narrow channel between the mainland and offshore Île Maïre to enter the park, and including time for a swim in an azure inlet. The Orange Vélodrome, home ground of the Marseilles football team, is also the largest club football ground in France and is rammed when OM play arch-rivals Paris Saint-Germain. Outside Ligue 1, the stadium has hosted matches in two Fifa World Cups and three Euro championships, as well as concerts by megastars such as Beyoncé, who sang in the rain here in June 2023. In 2020, it was a setting for the massive hit track Bande organisée, featuring eight Marseille rappers and the line 'C'est pas la capital, c'est Marseille, bébé' — since adopted by OM supporters. Buy tickets or book a stadium tour via the club website. Marseilles's best beaches are to the south of the city, in the direction of the Calanques; all are accessible by bus (or you could hire a bike). First up is Les Catalans, a popular swimming spot with a marine-friendly underwater sculpture trail, 15 minutes' walk from the Vieux Port. For families, Prophète, below the Corniche, is a good bet, with a gentle drop-off protected by a seawall; it also has a volleyball area and a party atmosphere in the evening. From there, it's another 20 minutes to the Prado beaches, a mile-and-a-quarter pebbly strand backed by a vast park that is home to a skatepark. Further south still, Pointe-Rouge offers water sports and sunset dining opposite the Frioul archipelago. La Major, to the north of the Vieux Port, may be Marseilles' official cathedral, but it's the hilltop basilica to the south of the harbour that has the city's heart. Notre-Dame de la Garde is decorated inside with splendid Byzantine-style mosaics (and model boats offered by the fishing community), while its belfry is topped by a gilded statue of the Madonna and Child. The wraparound terrace has astounding views of the city and nearby islands. Reach it as pilgrims do with a sloping climb, or take a steep ride on bus 60. The most eccentric component of Marseilles' public transport network is Le Ferry Boat, which conveys passengers the 283m across the Vieux Port in under five minutes. It's arguable how much time this shortcut actually saves, but it's a much-loved city icon, running since 1880. At a half-euro fare, it's also the cheapest way to get out — however briefly — among the yachts in a harbour that has sheltered ships since 600BC. As to the strangely Anglophone name, the 'boat' part is often pronounced 'boîte' (box) in French. Marseilles must surely be Europe's best big city for climbers, given the limestone cliffs that rear up all around it. Whatever your experience level, with a climbing guide you'll gain vertical feet and panoramic views unavailable to others, in and around the Calanques National Park south of the city. Excursions (outside the hottest summer months) range from half-hiking itineraries using ropes anchored to fixed points, to multi-pitch routes where climbers progress along ridge lines, and winch their way up cliff faces with Mediterranean waves breaking on the rocks far below. Though blessed with its coast, Marseilles as a city is short on green space. One of the largest parks lies to the east of the grand, 19th-century Saint-Charles station, at the even more splendiferous Palais Longchamp. Fountains and cascades descend from a colonnade that links the two wings, one housing the city's main collection of fine arts, the other an old-school natural history museum. The zoological gardens behind them are long-gone, but you can still see their eccentric pavilions and more recent colourful fibreglass models of animals in the former enclosures. Bouillabaisse is a dish that doesn't travel well outside its home city, so if you have a taste for seafood, try to reserve one of your meals in Marseilles for this aromatic fish stew. Much debate goes into evaluating different restaurants' versions, but most agree you won't find the best at tables along the Vieux Port, however scenic. Instead, traditionalists go for addresses on or near the Corniche Kennedy, such as Chez Michel, Chez Fonfon, L'Épuisette and Le Rhul — or a more fancified take on bouillabaisse at three-Michelin-star Le Petit Nice. The most spread-out world heritage site includes buildings in countries as far apart as Argentina and Japan, and has a major representative in Marseilles, too. Le Corbusier more or less defined modern architecture, and his concrete housing complex La Cité Radieuse, completed in 1952, was hugely influential. One of 17 of his works given Unesco protection, it's known in local dialect as La Maison du Fada (The Madman's House). Booked tours allow visitors inside the building, 2.5 miles south of the centre, and it also houses an offbeat hotel. It isn't just the Palais Longchamp that manages to fit two of the top museums in Marseilles into a historic building. La Vieille Charité is a 17th-century former almshouse in pinkish stone on the edge of Le Panier, which is worth a visit for the architecture alone. But it also houses two museums that echo Marseilles' historic role as France's southern gateway. The MAM covers Mediterranean archaeology, from Egyptian statues to Etruscan vases, while the MAAOA is dedicated to African, Oceanian and Amerindian art, including masks and bronzes. One of the city's newest museums may also be its most unusual. The Musée Subaquatique de Marseille is a sculpture park lying 5m deep, off the beach at Plage des Catalans. It's still in its early stages, with more works to be added, but the experience of gliding serenely among the statues will only get more Atlantean as they gain a patina of sea life. While the museum is free to visit at one's own responsibility, local underwater archaeology group GRASM also runs group scuba dives to the site. • Best hotels in Marseilles Additional reporting by Imogen Lepere and Richard Mellor
National Post
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- National Post
Cook This: 3 recipes from Sour Cherries and Sunflowers, including a refreshing cold borscht
Article content In the TV studio, she had learned about many other food cultures. Travelling with her mother, Elena, in 2017, Zolotarev saw the cuisines of her heritage in a new light. She knew she had a story to tell. Article content Zolotarev was born in Baranavichy, western Belarus, to a Ukrainian dad and a Belarusian mom. In 1994, her family left her father's home in Kharkiv, Ukraine, after living with her paternal grandparents for five years. Whenever she returns, she typically visits both countries. Article content 'I remember being on the bus (from Ukraine to Belarus), and it was this really intense feeling and sensation. And I just felt like, 'I have to share more about this food culture,' whatever that might mean at that point. I didn't really know exactly. And then I also kind of felt like, 'OK, I want to write a book. Maybe I do have something to write about.'' Article content Zolotarev spent several years laying the groundwork for Sour Cherries and Sunflowers, talking with family, including her babushka Liana, who left Ukraine to join them in Sydney, and her late babushka Lida in Baranavichy. It was a valuable learning period. Though Zolotarev had grown up steeped in the food culture, she didn't know its intricacies. Article content 'It all came with this incredible deep knowledge and understanding and a connection for food and culture and so much meaning,' says Zolotarev. 'It was a very step-by-step, slow, intuitive process. So, every year, there was sort of a different stage and chapter, and I went back and forth trying to understand how to bring this book together. Because it was all new to me, and on the side, I was also working in food. It was all just very new territory, new waters that I was trying to get through and understand.' Article content She discovered the hows and whys of the dishes and learned more about her own history through interviews with family, friends and other members of the community. Zolotarev says that interviewing her family was especially rewarding. As they recounted stories, past experiences and people dear to them came to life. Article content As with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, circumstances can change quickly. 'So, it's up to us people to capture (traditions) in some way or another, whether it's writing, recording, documenting visually or somehow. Those things are important for our identity and our connection. And I think one of the things is when people do move away, far from their original home because of conflict, there's this trauma that's either hidden away and locked up, or it's alive and continues. And every family deals with it differently, of course, but it's there, and I think it's important to express it or process it in some way or another.' Article content Spending time with talented cooks in Belarus, Ukraine and the diaspora made her realize how much she still had to learn. '(The) research for the book has been one of the most special processes for me. I was just thinking last week how it's actually kind of sad that it's over,' says Zolotarev, laughing. 'The journey meant so much to me, and I'm going to treasure it.' Article content Article content 5 medium-large beets (stems and leaves removed, but keep the skin and the natural ends for flavour and colour), washed well 1 tsp apple cider vinegar 4 eggs 2 cucumbers Small bunch of dill A few stems of spring onions (scallions) Lemon wedges, for squeezing Sour cream, to serve Article content Step 1 Article content Put the beets in a large saucepan and cover with enough water to cover the beets and fill the pan three-quarters full, about 2.5 litres. Add the vinegar, cover with a lid and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour or until the beets are cooked through. (Check by piercing one with a fork or skewer: it should easily pass through to the centre.)
