A delectable brunch at Nathalie's

May 21, 2013

I love brunches especially when I'm not cooking. Catching a few more hours of sleep and tucking into a great meal over hearty conversation is a treat on a Saturday when the weekend is nearly over. I probably enjoy brunches more because of eggs. I was a dream come true compered to the children who screamed, spat, revolted and/or gagged when eggs are on the plate. Then there could be stacks of waffles doused in maple syrup and dollops of freshly whipped cream and strawberries. And bread, lots and lots of it. Toasted and smeared with softened butter and raspberry preserves. Possibly all of this washed down with fresh smoothie or a carrot juice. That's because I don't drink coffee. You can see why brunch can be be quite a heavy meal leaving no space for hunger till dinner. You can also see why it's not a ritual that can be repeated every weekend unless your'e training for a triathlon. I was invited Nathalie's Cafe who were hosting food bloggers to sample their brunch menu focusing on freshly cooked, healthy and wholesome food. I was hooked to find out how they interpreted a meal that can be calorie-heavy to be otherwise.

"In Naples, we don't slice Pizza" - Pantry Cafe

May 7, 2013

Say Pizza and you have my attenzione. If you grew up watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, you knew the names of the four pizza-loving characters named after Renaissance artists even before you could spell. When we travelled to Rome, the tastiest Margherita slices I have had were from tiny cafes that could barely seat 10 people. For a couple of euros, the taste of freshly made sauce on a crisp base with bubbling Mozzarella stretching into miles of cheese with every bite is a memory I relish. When I was invited by Pantry Cafe for a pizza baking demonstration by their in-house Neapolitan chef, I couldn't help but think Cowabunga.

The Warmth Of Generations

April 29, 2013

I feel blessed life has given me yet another reason to cherish. It was a Friday Family lunch but not with the usual members. The gathering was the same, family trickling in after the Friday prayers, Umma's fabulous Biriyani wafting through home and the little ones running amuck in the lawn under cloudy skies. It was my mothers family, her siblings and their children all gathered to welcome my maternal grandmother. Veramma has finally joined her family in the UAE.

Baking a Memory

March 18, 2013

Baking has become an addiction. The slightest indication of a family gathering, armed with my iPad, I'm ready to crank up the oven. It's a routine I love setting myself into. I do wish I had more occasions to bake bookmarked bread, turnover, quiches, and flat bread pizza, but it's cakes, brownies and puddings that are made often. I would attribute this to my native cuisine. The aforementioned savoury recipes would be best served for tea, never as a meal. The trinity that would complete a Keralite Muslim meal would be meat, either lamb or beef, rice and rice-based breads. The dessert course is my playground and the trend has been that I bake more than cook dessert. Last October for Eid, it was not different.

Chef Violet Oon.

Image Courtesy International Enterprise Singapore.

"If you are sneezing, you've got it right" - Violet Oon

January 31, 2013

It was the first week of the New Year when I got this email. Dubai based Mojo PR was inviting me for a food festival that would take place in a leading chain of supermarkets in the month of February, celebrating the cuisine of Singapore. It was being organised by Singapore's external trade promotion agency, International Enterprise (IE) Singapore. The invitation was to create signature Singaporean dishes alongside a celebrity chef followed by lunch for the media. By experience I know that such events are rarely held in Abu Dhabi in comparison to Dubai. However, I was specifically asked in which Emirate would it be easier to attend, which was a first! Soraya replied on the same day that the event would be held in Abu Dhabi at Parti Perfect. A live demonstration of Singapore's finest dishes, Chilli Crab possibly. My Mouth is Full was not going to miss this event.

An Apple Streusel a Day

January 15, 2013

Pick up the English alphabet book and the chances you won't see a bright red gleaming fruit are unlikely. I steer away from Green Apple being too tart for my taste. A variety I love having is the Fiji Apple. Its skin has faded tints of red and yellow and look quite large for an apple. The flesh crumbles in your mouth like shortbread and it's mildly sweet.

Repeat after me, Clafoutis!

November 25, 2012

A few months earlier this year, I received an email from Reem Falaknaz, an Executive Producer from Noor Dubai TV. To date, it is the most exciting email I have received from a visitor of my blog. She was planning on producing a series of cooking videos under 3 minutes, featuring desserts. These series were to be aired during the Holy month of Ramadan and the theme was desserts with a Middle Eastern take. I was boiling with excitement and called my husband at work right away. With his green signal, I promptly replied saying I would be thrilled to be a part of her project. I started devising ways to spin classic desserts the Middle Eastern way focusing on ingredients integral to Arab cooking. Walnut, tahini, rosewater, honey, figs - the list was endless. I proposed three desserts and Reem had the final say. She chose the dessert I had hoped she would - a dessert with dates. Read More

Triumphant Two with Brownie Points

November 12, 2012

A very warm welcome to you. Do you like my new blog? My husband and I have been working (more him than me) on the new incarnation of my blog. My Mouth is Full is now self-hosted . We are celebrating this milestone with these brownies. Why don't you cut yourself a slice too?

Serving A Humble Farni

August 11, 2012

Ramadan is in its last few days. This month has been testing with the scorching summer and long daylight hours. It also meant that there was more time for contemplation, building faith stronger and prayer. Thirst and hunger makes us grateful that with the luxury of food that satisfies both our appetite and fancy cravings while living in a world where hunger and malnutrition exist. What is heartbreaking is the wastage of food not only during Ramadan but throughout the year. Earlier this year, a women from Bihar, India sold her four-month child in hopes of feeding her family. A physically challenged husband meant that there was no income for this family of five. Having deep attachment and affection for my nieces, I cannot imagine the depths of despair that would have surged this mother that would force her to sell her child to satisfy hunger. A thought that multiplied gratitude in my heart infinitely.

Pastel De Tres Leches closer to home

August 6, 2012

It's been much quieter than I want it to, here. Let's delve in straight away, shall we? This cake was on my bake wish-list before I had started blogging. I discovered this delight of a dessert in an episode of Ultimate Recipe Showdown: Cakes one of the many afternoon I would spend watching Food Network. The recipe I saw was A Tres Leche Coconut Cupcake with Dulche de Leche Buttercream. I looked up this cake online and sifted through quite a few recipes. There were too many versions to choose from and I ended up bookmarking perhaps an entire folder of recipes.