I want to live my next life backwards!

You start out dead and get that out of the way.

Then you wake up in an old age home feeling better every day.

You get kicked out for being too healthy; go collect your pension,
then when you start work, you get a gold watch on your first day.

You work 40 years until you’re young enough to enjoy your retirement.

You drink alcohol, you party, you’re generally promiscuous and you get ready for High School.

You go to primary school, you become a kid, you play, you have no
responsibilities, you become a baby, and then…

You spend your last 9 months floating peacefully in luxurious spa-like
conditions with central heating, room service on tap, larger quarters
every day……and then, you finish off as an orgasm!

Since there is a better chance of hell freezing over, why not just treat yourself to a multiple orgasm…cocktail that is!

Multiple Orgasm cocktail

Ingredients:

Baileys Irish Cream
2 shots tia maria
1 shot vodka
Ice
whipped cream
1 shot white rum

Put 2/3 cubes of ice in a glass. Add to that 1 shot of vodka and 1 shot of white rum. Then add two shots of tia maria. Quickly pour this mixture over the baileys and whisk briskly to combine all the spirits together. Finally - add some whipped cream on top to finish it off.

A Sunday brunch suggestion for all you potato lovers…

Tomato, Garlic and Potato Frittata

Ingredients:

6 whole large eggs
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan (2 oz), or feta or goat cheese (or a combo of your choice)
1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 lb boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 cups grape tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes (6 oz)
Note: If you are a meat eater, you can also add crispy bacon or pancetta for additional flavour and texture.
For those vegans who want to try a different variation: try adding some sliced artichoke hearts.

Preparation:

Whisk together whole eggs, whites, 1/4 cup of cheese , basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in large bowl.
Preheat broiler.

Cook garlic over moderate heat in a generously coated skillet of olive oil so it doesn’t stick! (Of course a non-stick and ovenproof pan will also work well). Stir until golden brown, about 1 minute. Transfer garlic with a slotted spoon to a bowl.

Add potatoes to skillet and saute over moderately high heat, stirring, until just tender, about 6 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to bowl with garlic.

Add 1 tablespoon oil and tomatoes to skillet and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until tomatoes brown and skins split, about 4 minutes.

Add an additional tablespoon of olive oil and potatoes with garlic to skillet, spreading evenly, and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Pour egg over vegetables and cook over moderately high heat, lifting up cooked egg around edges to let uncooked egg flow underneath, 3 minutes. Reduce heat to moderate and cook with the cover on for an additional 5 minutes (centre will be moist).

Remove lid and broil frittata 5 to 7 inches from heat until set, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle top evenly with remaining 1/4 cup of your preferred cheese, then broil until cheese melts and frittata is golden brown, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.

Slide onto a platter and cut into wedges. Don’t hold back on garnishing with plenty of fresh basil.
*If you do not have an ovenproof skillet, then simply wrap the handle of your skillet with heavy-duty foil (or a double layer of regular foil) before broiling.

Makes 4- 6 servings, depending on how thick you slice it.

Seduce your partner in record time

And if you can’t get it right on your own, then do swing by the InterContinental Bar and get some first hand lessons from our pro - Joel!

Joel’s Seduction:

Muddle 1 fresh strawberry with 10ml of sugar water (combine 4 tablespoons of water with 2 tablespoons of sugar. Mix well until sugar is diluted).
In a shaker with fresh ice cubes, place a dash (15ml) of Grand Marnier or Brandy mixed with a splash of OJ, 10ml vodka, 20ml of passion fruit (1 passion fruit halved and scooped out is best. However if timing is an issue, store bought juice will also do the trick) and, 20ml of cranberry juice.
SHAKE everything vigorously!
Double strain (this means strain from the shaker over a tea strainer) into a sexy shaped - chilled glass of Rose Champagne(you can’t go wrong with Dom Perignon rose, however an inexpensive rose such as Jacobs Creek, which you can purchase at Tesco for a fiver, will also get the job done).
Garnish with an orange slice or zest, and if you are a real pro and want to make a lasting impression, twist that orange.
Once again, shake it baby and then let this potion work its magic!

If you are anything like me, you are in full-swing of the post-holiday blues. Your Christmas tree is sitting road-side and your packing up the last of the tree decorations, and pondering over how you are going to keep your New Year’s resolutions.Time for a break and a little comfort food to get you through this transitional month.

This quiche is very delicate and elusive in flavour, and is perfect to serve for a Sunday brunch or luncheon. Served with a fresh fruit salad of strawberries, papaya and pineapple and a few slices of banana bread would make this menu complete.

This recipe comes from one of my favourite cookbooks called: A Private Collection, written by the Junior League of Palo Alto (northern California). It is a compilation of special recipes, not readily found in other cookbooks, that have been lovingly shared by aunts, mothers, grandmothers and dear friends over the years.

QUICHE with WHITE WINE and SHALLOTS:

Ingredients:
1/2 cup minced shallots
1/2 cup dry white wine
6 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
3 cups heavy cream
Dash of freshly grated nutmet
12 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
1 10×2″ pastry shell, baked*

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Place shallots and wine in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Sprinkle salt and pepper over eggs. Beat lightly, then beat in cream, nutmet, and wine-shallot mixture, respectively.

Sprinkle grated cheese evenly over the pastry shell. Pour in custard mixture.

Bake for 25-35 minutes or until golden brown and firm in center. Let rest 5-10 minutes before cutting.

*Note: This recipe will fill 2 8-inch shells, but reduce baking time.

Serves 6 as entree, 12 as a 1st course.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes

Dear friends and associates of the CBC, we wish you all the best and a Happy New Year!
Back in Switzerland there we used to have a legendary barman at the Badrutt’s Palace in St.Moritz, Mario DaComo. An institution in itself he made some of the best drinks in the world, and he would anytime day or night, for ladies or gentlemen, young or old, know the perfect tailored drink for the spirit and make the right comment in the circumstances. St.Moritz New Years eves were always long and powerful, and the day after spirits demanded for similar powerful cures, we would eat cases of oysters, lobsters and langoustines in the the middle of the snow crowned Swiss Alps. And Mario always setup his bar with some of the best cures I have ever come along. The last year I realized that his theories need to be shared with the world and this seems to be the right space to do so. Mario’s pharmacy bar consisted of Bull Shot’s, Bloody Marie, Prairie Oysters and Blood Transfusions, and the Corpse Reviver which was created at the Ritz Bar, Paris, in the 1920’s. The drink was immortalized in The Savoy Cocktail Book with: “To be taken before 11am, or whenever steam and energy is needed.”

For the Corpse Reviver use 3cl Brandy, 2cl Sweet Vermouth (I like to use Lillet) and 2cl Calvados: Pour the brandy, Calvados and Lillet into a mixing glass, Stir and strain into a glass.

For the gentler souls I suggest one of my personal favorites, the Bull Shot. Here it is said that if you don’t want to start lunch with soup, then starts with a Bullshot - a drink, full of strong flavor, finishing with the sharpness of lemon. Use 5cl Vodka, 15cl strong beef bouillon, dash of fresh lemon juice, few dashes of Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, celery salt, black pepper: Shake all ingredients sharply. This drink can be consumed hot, or cold shaken on ice.

A slightly more bizarre drink is the Prairie Oyster where it is said that this cures the worst headache and the most upset stomach: Rinse a glass with olive oil (a small wine glass or Cognac sniffer), add a tablespoon full of tomato ketchup, one fresh egg yolk (don’t brake it) and season with Worcestershire, Tabasco, salt and pepper and a dash of white wine vinegar. Close your eyes and drink in one gulp while thinking about the pleasures you had the night before, serve with a large glass of ice water.

Fruit juices are also a good cure as the body is dehydrated and needs lots of liquid! Happy New Year and let me know your tricks.

This is a quite classic dish which used to be served in every hotel dining room across the continent as Shrimp Cocktail. A few decades ago everybody served the shrimps mixed with the cocktail sauce (Marie Rose) on a fine chiffonade of lettuce leaves, and the whole spectacle was served in ice cream or Coupe Bowl. The coupe bowls are now kind of cool and retro again, you can even buy beautifull colored ones in one of my favorite shops, Scandium on Marylebone High Street. You can also use them for floating candles or coupe Denmark (vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, drizzled with loads of hot chocolate sauce, so yummy) In whichever dish this is served, it is a all time favorite. Check out Simon Hopkinson’s and Lindsey Bareham’s book The Prawn Cocktail Years…)

Anyway, “Our shrimp cocktail” is a version from Chef Michel with kind of a new twist, quite interesting I also find that it reflects some of his travels. i.e. he was in Mexico before = with avocado and some lime juice. It’s a fabulous simple starter dish and so many people asked for the recipe that I thought to post it now.

Click here for the recipe: Shrimp Cocktail

December 25th

On Christmas Day there is a festive Lunch with various Market Tables with Carving Stations and Pastry Workshop @ £ 45.00 per guest, click here to see the menu: Christmas Day Lunch Menu , from noon until 3 pm. Santa Claus will be visiting the youngsters and we have a cookie tin decorating workshop for the kids.

December 26th

Boxing Day Brunch, from 11.30 am until 4 pm with wood fired breakfast pizza, beef fillet with bubble and squeak, many starters and main dishes, breakfast and sweets @ £ 35.00 per guest, click here for the menu: Boxing day brunch

December 31st

New Years Eve Dinner and after dinner party in the lounge. Dinner at Cookbook Cafe with Wild food from Sea and Heaven served from 7 pm until 10.30 pm @ £ 75.00 per guest, click here to see the menu: New Years Eve Dinner

After dinner party in the Lobby Lounge with Live Music entertainment, Disco and DJ. (no entry fee) The band Three at last is a modern and original music combination with DJ, Sax and Flute player and one parcussionist. Based in Paris and South of France, the three musicians used to perfom festive house mixes together since almost 8 years. In 1999 while at the Badrutt’s Palace Hotel in St. Moritz, they decided to adapt their punchy electronic mix with live performance over the DJ’s mix towards a smoother chill out and loungy mix, matching the different Palaces and Five Star Hotels they have performed at.

One of my favourite meals that I try to serve every year is Fondue Chinoise! What makes this meal so special is that everyone takes their time eating it, leaving more time for conversation. (Depending on your guests, I guess this could be a good or a bad thing!) Although very popular in Switzerland as a Christmas dinner, this fondue extraordinaire actually originated I am quite certain in the Far East. I have many a memory of sitting along the sea in Kota Kinabalu on the island of Borneo, in one of my favourite local restaurants, perspiring like a madwoman as I consumed the local catch-of-the-day. The perspiration was due partly to the high temperature and humidity, but mostly because the soup stock I chose was Thom yum (one of my all-time favourites). Thom yum is a spicy lemon grass/lime-leaf based soup, which is a staple food consumed in Southeast Asia, especially in Thailand.

Getting back to the Swiss version: the stock should be either chicken or beef. You’ll need one or more fondue pots, depending on the number of guests. I suggest one pot for 4 to 5 people. I prepare platters of thinly sliced chicken, beef, veal, and if you so desire fish (cod works well; you can also use prawns). Just as in an ordinary fondue, skewers are used to cook the meat in the broth.

But the brilliance is actually all in the sauce (and of course, the quality of the produce you purchase). The following are my suggested sauce recipes for dipping your meat into…. Read the rest of this entry

Ricotta pancakes with blackberry butter sauce

I love Sunday brunch! Of all the countries I’ve lived in and places
I’ve travelled to, my favourite Sunday brunch was close to home a
joint less that a mile from where I grew up. What made this outing
such an event was its home-style approach big omlettes, filled with
all your heart’s desires, with a pile of the best home-made fried
potatoes with onions that you have ever tasted, served sizzling and
piping hot in the very pan it was cooked in.
Their pancakes were equally spectacular and also served from the
frying pan. There was a choice of a delicious blackberry or
blueberry butter, although I liked them plain with maple syrup and
whipped cream. So what was the secret ingredient that drew in the
locals and forced them to queue up for what seemed like an
eternity? Ricotta cheese! And to add a twist, served with
blackberry butter! Read the rest of this entry

This salad goes great with just about any meat you choose to serve over the holidays. Easy to prepare, healthy - and sure to please the most discriminating palate…

Cider walnut dressing:
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
4 tablespoons walnut oil
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Salad:
1 radicchio, trimmed and cut into strips
1 endive, trimmed and cut into strips
1 bunch watercress
Few baby beetroot or red silverbeet leaves (optional)
2 firm ripe pears, peeled
1/4 cup walnut halves
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

In a large bowl, whisk together the cider vinegar, walnut and olive oils and mustard. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

Wash and dry the radicchio and endive and remove the outer leaves and cut into strips. Wash and dry the watercress and remove any tough stems. Peel, core and slice the pears.

Toss the radicchio, endive, watercress and pears with the cider dressing. In a small frying pan, toast the walnut halves over a high heat for a minute. Divide the salad among 4-6 chilled salad plates. Top each with walnut halves before serving.