Chocolates, Coffee and Dessert Cravings

"There's nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with a chocolate", 

Dates Chocolate Brownie with Ice cream @ Tao's- Riyadh

Drool, dribble, salivate -now isn’t that what most people do when they see chocolates and coffee in its various avatar’s. Love for both these transcends all parameters like age and size.

Usually one falls in love first with chocolate in the childhood and then slowly with maturity the love for coffee seeps in, almost surreptitiously.

Way back when we were kids, chocolates meant Cadbury in its simple form of Dairy Milk or Eclairs. The word Cadbury was used interchangeably and synonymous for chocolates. In fact, when Amul launched its chocolates much later, I recall kids walking to the corner store and asking for an Amul Cadbury! Well that was the beginning of the love story with chocolates which slowly graduated into Cadbury’s Fruit and Nut when launched. Kit Kat, Toblerone and its imported ilk, the more elite Mackintosh Quality Street were like windfall dreams when a kind relative or friend from overseas would get it. The uber elite Godiva, Teuscher were as alien as Greek and Latin then. Off course, then the heavens opened and with liberalization the best brands started flowing into India and many of them are now manufactured in India itself. Chocolate based desserts be it in the form of cakes, brownies or other forms of culinary art have since then stormed the world of gastronomy and have many addicts like me in its club.

Whilst I walk you down my memory lane and experience across various restaurants and continents, please do grab a bar of your favorite chocolate; if not, a steaming hot cappuccino. If you still are not tempted, the pictures will hopefully make you drool. Oh, just forget the calories and indulge occasionally.

In 2007, when we were in Bangkok, I had my first tryst with Molten Lava! The steaming hot chocolate flowing out from the freshly baked cake when eaten with vanilla ice cream is something to be only experienced. Hot and cold, lethal on the taste buds! After eating the spicy Som Tam Salad, Panang Gai and Pad Thai Noodles the desserts seemed even more heavenly. Well, unfortunately I did not click the photograph of the Molten Lava in Bangkok but here is the one that I just had a few weeks back in Theobrama, Riyadh.

Molten Lava, Theobrama- Riyadh

 I also was introduced to the Sacher Torte for the first time in Bangkok although it traces its roots to Austria. It was introduced to the world by an Austrian called Franz Sacher in the 1800's and today this is a legend not just in Austria but across the world. Sacher Torte is basically a chocolate sponge cake or torte made with apricot filling/jam and a dark chocolate icing which is served with whipped cream, If you visit either Vienna or Salzburg, don't miss visiting the legendary Cafe Sacher, Their desserts and coffees are worth dying for. Their guest list includes the likes of Queen Elizabeth, John Lennon and President John F Kennedy to name a few. We did visit the Cafe Sacher in Salzburg with our dear friends from Germany -Gunthard and Meena,The experience remains indelible in my mind.

Sacher Torte@ Cafe Sacher, Salzburg, Austria.

Irresistible combination@ Cafe Sacher

There is a lot of history to the Sacher Torte saga, where there is history, there is controversy often, isn't it? Demel Bakery where Sacher's son started working, is credited with bringing the Sacher Torte to its current form and hence there is on record a long fought legal case on this between Cafe Demel & Hotel Sacher. We took a walk in the Hotel Sacher. Very luxuriously done up, with lots of history to its credit, this is certainly a 'must visit' when in Austria.To date, both these institutions exist and in my next visit, would love to go to Cafe Demel .

Cappuccino

The varieties of coffee based beverages served can sometimes be mind boggling, the presentation is so good that not only does it satisfy the taste buds but also its a sight to behold forever. From Salzburg, we drove down one day to Lake Fuschl and Sankt Gilgen which are both quaint, idyllic villages. Dotted by cafes on the lakeside, they seem to have been just clipped from paradise!

@ Lake Fuschl, Austria

@ Sankt Gilgen, Austria

While we are on Austria, let me share a few more pictures of our experiences there. We experienced a lot of love from the rain gods when we were in Vienna. Sauntering around Naschmarkt one rainy afternoon, we stopped by for a steaming hot cuppas at Segafredo. Naschmarkt is a gourmet paradise, sights and fragrances of food from across the world welcome you as you step into this area. The color, variety and displays leave you spellbound. I have lots of pictures but those are not coffee and desserts so hence not included in this one dedicated solely.

Caffee Moccha@ Segafredo, Vienna

Macchiato @ Segafredo- Vienna

If there is one fragrance that clears all my senses, it is the fragrance of coffee being freshly ground. The sight of coffee beans,the sound of the grinding is music to the ears and then followed by the aroma of coffee. Nectar and Nirvana indeed !! If you ever get a Cafe, where you can chose your beans and get them freshly ground for your favorite brew. Don't miss that opportunity. 

Cafe Le Wien @ Riyadh  

Very rarely does one get a steaming hot cappuccino or a macchiato in most places. There are two main reasons to this. First, the cups are not warmed first. The cups need to be hot before the beverage is poured into it. Secondly, the machine churns out luke warm beverages. Hence it is very important to buy a good machine. They dont come cheap but for coffee buffs I would strongly recommend the Jura. The Swiss manufacturer is the best! Perfect in every way, the blend, the temperature and if you choose the right beans, only the cup stays between you and nirvana. Some of the most amazing beverages and mind blowing desserts we had, were in France. Paris, Giverny and Versailles have their share to the wall of fame. Some photographs enclosed below. Giverny is home to the famous French impressionist Claude Monet. The Chateau of Claude Monet is famous for its lilies, gardens and inspired more than 250 paintings. In Giverny, we had one of the best chocolate brownies in a small Inn (Hotel Baudy)Cafe just en route to the Chateau. We rented some bicycles and cycled down the banks of the River Seine to reach Giverny. The desserts and coffee were more than welcome...

Chocolate Brownie @Hotel Baudy, Giverny, France.

You taste the chocolate flakes before your nose dives in!

Hotel Baud @ Giverny, France.

Irish Coffee in full glory- Near Louvre, Paris

The Charles De Gaulle Airport, Paris -much to my pleasant surprise houses a whole lot of indulgences. From the most famous Ladurée to Fauchons and some exquisite chocolates are on display to tantalize the taste buds to no end. While I love Macarons, the price one pays for a Ladurée macaroon somehow just doesn't appeal to me. Since we dont get Fauchon in Riyadh, I did buy them finally and boarded the flight with a heavy bag and a light wallet. My heart however goes to the simple cashew macarons of good old City Bakery in Mangalore. Not great to look at but great in taste.

Vox Populi but not mine!

Laduree display their goodies.

As I come close to ending this piece, I cannot not include the dessert that I had at The Glasshouse- Deli Bistro, Lavelle Road, Bangalore and a coffee at Dubai, The photographs speak for themselves. Artistry at its best...

@ The Glass House- Deli & Bistro, Bangalore

@ Bur Juman - Dubai

Life is like a chocolate box where each chocolate is like a portion of life. Some are crunchy, some nutty, some are soft. Take them as they come and enjoy.

 Au Revoir !