Bali Magic ...

My photo essay published in this month Wingspan Inflight magazine (ANA)

The many wonders of Bali ...

Appeasing the gods ...

Meat pie to begin with …

Marcaire Meal Farmer meat pie at the Auberge du Ried Luttenbach

Then comes smoked pork meat served with the traditional “roïgabrageldi” – sliced potatoes cooked in butter for 2 hours.

Smoked pork meat with potatoes cooked in butter

Another specialty is this appetizing Munster cheese dish …

Munster cheese meal at the Auberge du Ried in Luttenbach

For fine gastronomy the L’Agneau d’Or restaurant in Munster is a must try. Different ingredients that blends in with local products tastefully orchestrated by the talented Martin Fache is definitely the most unforgettable culinary journey in Munster valley. Here are some of his absolutely delicious creations…

Noques (gnocchi) de Munster rôties fresh green salad with walnut oil served with Pinot d’Alsace 2009

Noques de Munster rôties

After a refreshing sorbet comes the smoked trout garnished with caraway seeds sauerkraut and Munster cream served with Riesling Herrenreben 2006

Smoked trout with caraway at L'Agneau d'Or restaurant

Followed by raisin and Munster cheese served with Gewurztraminer Holder 2009 (my favourite Alsatian wine)

Terrine de Munster au raisins at Martin Fache L'agneau d'Or restaurant Munster

The Munster cheese macarons created by Willy in his bakery and tea room in Munster is definitely another savoury stopover. Willy also offers culinary workshop for making traditional bretzels.

Munster cheese macarons at Willy pastry shop Munster

So the next time when in Alsace travel south till Colmar, continue to Munster Valley and savour the delights of their local products…

The making of Munster cheese …

A wooden clog maker in his workshop …

A saddler making leather cow bell collars, a unique craftsmanship…

An opera of nature brought by Vincent Karche Lyric Tenor who leads his lovely walks meandering through the vineyards while trying to blend his lyrical chant and the vibrational beauty of nature. A unique way to discover some of valley’s most enchanting places.

Le Train Bleu restaurant

Paris has one of the world most interesting and fabulous historic restaurants. Sunday brunching at the reputed turn of the century restaurant “Le Train Bleu” can be quite a nice journey into the past when train journeys at its early days are popular especially among the wealthy. Opened in 1901 then “the Buffet de la Gare de Lyon”, Le Train Bleu as it is known today has one of the city most unique decor, richly adorned with frescoes and golden sculptures.

Le Train Bleu restaurant

The elaborate ornamentation can be quite overwhelming when entering the restaurant, but Le Train Bleu is one of the few restaurants today, part of France Historic Monument, that has kept its bygone charms.
Indeed eating at this fabulous place may take you on a nice imaginative train journey over the many destinations operated by the French Railway then known as Chemins de fer de Paris à Lyon et à la Méditerranée (PLM) such as the Train Bleu, the famous night train to the French Riviera serving the elite and the famous. The wall paintings depict the many destinations operated by the French Railway.

The Bar at Le Train Bleu

…And the Big Ben Bar lounge where you sit around in large comfortable chairs. Relax and enjoy the trip …

Nice comfortable bar lounge at Le Train Bleu

Pork filled steamed dumplings and freshly brewed green tea

One of my favourite treat when food walking in China is to taste these delicious steamed dumplings any time during the day. Dumpling sellers abound along Nanluoguxiang area in Beijing where I love stopping for a quick morning break at the many dumpling sellers to get one of these delectable meat filled steamed buns.

Piping hot freshly steamed dumplings

A quick shot of a dumpling seller at my early morning walk around Nanluoguxiang..

My freshly made steamed dumplings ...

These irresistible mouthwatering steamed buns cooked in jumbo size bamboo steamer baskets …

Steamed dumplings buns

My lovely dumplings ...

Gudeg local specialty from Yogyakarta Indonesia

Yogyakarta the cultural capital of Central Java is not only known for its Hindu Buddhist temples of Borobudur or Prambanan but each time when I visit this wonderful city still shrouded with its bygone charms I just cannot resist to its delightful delicacies.  I would devour the irresistible gudeg a local specialty made from young jack fruit cooked in spices (coriander, galangal, bay leaves, candle nuts …) and coconut milk. It is traditionally cooked in a clay pot (kendil) served with rice, hard boiled eggs, chicken, tofu, tempe and the typical sambal goreng krecek (spicy crispy beef skins) You can taste some of the city’s delicious gudeg in a warung ( Indonesian style coffee shop ) or lesehan (traditional food stalls with no chairs, that means sitting on rattan tikar mats around low wooden tables. You’ll probably have to get used to sitting Javanese style without getting pins and needles) either around Malioboro (usually open in the evenings) or there are several gudeg restaurants near the Kraton (Sultan’s palace) worth a try. And of course I would go and treat my self to the various local sweet snacks sold along the streets and markets specially around Beringhardjo traditional market.

"Jajan Pasar" local cakes and sweets

Among those of my favourites are bolang baling, klepon, apem, dadar gulung, wajik … made from rice flour, palm sugar, coconut and other local ingredients.
Putu is another local sweet snacks worth mentioning because I simply love these delicious steamed buns (cooked in bamboo tubes) made of sago and rice flour filled with palm sugar (gula Jawa) … my favourite sweets yummy !

Street vendor along Malioboro at night selling local delicacies Putu, onde onde and klepon ...

Es Dawet or cendol is another of my favourite local drink made from fresh coconut milk and comes in all sort of variations.

Street food along Malioboro Jogyakarta

So, the next time you are in Jogjakarta immersed yourself in the local delicacies by trying these delicious street food …

Street food along Malioboro Yogyakarta

The House of George Sand

It was in this house that Chopin while spending many long moments with George Sand and their ups and downs created some of his most beautiful music such as the Nocturnes. A feminist and novelist way ahead of her time, George Sands spends most of her summers in this house in Nohant in the Berry region. It is also in this house inherited from her grandmother that she entertained some of the world’s most famous artists, poets and musicians of her day amongst them were Liszt, Balzac, Flaubert and Delacroix.

Lush valleys and rustic villages of the Berry region home to George Sand

George Sand loved the Berry region and many of her novels set in the lush green countryside were written in this eighteenth century house with its charming garden where she also planted two cedars tree at the births of her two children. Even today the House of George Sand still recall her days where you can walk along the many rooms and catch a glimpse of her life in the home she loved.

The House of George Sand

Another small room leads to the charming garden.

The House of George Sand

The dining room and kitchen …

The House of George Sand

The House of George Sand

And the small theater where she entertained the musical and literary elites …

The House of George Sand

Pattypan and various squashes

Autumn is finally here and so are squashes and pumpkins. I have been waiting to see these visually delightful and aesthetically delicious winter vegetables once again adorning the many markets of Paris. I particularly enjoy scouring through organic and farm markets as they have the best variety and good selection of these wonderful vegetables. Here are some shots I took during my early morning walk today around one of Paris most colourful organic market. The unique shape of the turban squash is one of my favourite and delicious too !

Red turban squash

The Butternut squashes in this basket look inviting as well…

Butternut squash

As people were busy filling their shopping baskets with fruits and vegetables, I simply could not stop shooting these charming squashes, pumpkins and friends …

Sweet dumpling squashes

Red kuri squash and friends ..

The yummy spaghetti squash is certainly a must try …

Spaghetti and red kuri squash ...

So is this fairy tale pumpkin …

Fairy tale pumpkin

A variety of Winter squashes, carnival, pattypan, spaghetti, sweet dumplings squashes

Brasserie Mollard jewel of the Art Nouveau style

Another one of Paris well preserved Belle Epoque style brasserie work of the Dutch/French architect designer Edouard Jean Niermans the Brasserie Mollard. Among his major works; The Moulin Rouge, Casino de Paris, Folies Bergère and the Negresco Nice.

Brasserie Mollard

Marble pillars and the richly decorated gold mosaic ceilings show his extravagant taste blending the Belle Epoque and Art Nouveau styles.

Brasserie Mollard

Le Zimmer

Scouring the many Parisian café on a Sunday afternoon. The former late 19th century Alsatian Brasserie, redecorated by Jacques Garcia the French interior designer is a nice place to stop by when browsing around the Chatelet area. Historic place and being just next to the theatre, Le Zimmer was once the meeting place of celebrities including Vaslav Nijinski, Serge de Diaghiliev, Sarah Bernhardt, Claude Debussy and many others.

Angelina's

Not to be missed is the café and tea room Angelina’s along the Rue Rivoli famous for its legendary hot chocolate and the mouth watering Mont Blanc cake.  Founded in 1903 by the Austrian confectioner Antoine Rumpelmeyer and decorated  by Edouard-Jean Niermans the Belle Epoque designer.

Au Père Fouettard

The popular café bistro Au Père Fouettard is where to stop over when strolling around  Les Halles are.