The delicate bouquet of Vouvray gives magic to a simple poached pear custard tart....

I guess infusing my favourite beverages with desserts has given me inspirations! Although Earl Grey still tops the exclusive list, the complex yet delicate bouquet of Vouvray, and the high acidity from Chenin Blanc makes it the perfect complement for the luscious yet velvety Anjou pears.


Located in the Touraine district of France's Loire Valley, this Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) is dedicated almost exclusively to Chenin blanc, a variety known locally as Pineau de la Loire that is believed to have been originated interestingly in the Anjou wine region sometime in the 9th century. A wine pairing dinner featured 4 wines from Loire Valley has drawn my attention in the potential marriage with desserts, where the notes of honey, nuts, ginger, fig, apples and white flowers can be innocently exhibited.


~ Vouvray poached Anjou pears ~

1 bottle of your favourite Vouvray
4 Anjou pears - firm but with slight give, peeled and cored but leaving the stem intact.
6 tablespoons of organic cane sugar
1 pinch of salt
*avoid using vanilla bean for this recipe to preserve the bouquet of the Vouvray


1. In a deep stainless steel pot (should be large enough to stand all 4 pears, and deep enough that enough wine can be added to cover the pears completely), add wine, sugar and salt and bring it to a simmer.

2. Add the pears and ensure all parts are submerged in the wine, simmer very gently in the wine for 40 minutes, or until the flesh have been soften but not breaking.

3. Gently remove the pears onto a plate to cool.

4. Strain the poaching liquid; return the liquid to cleaned pot and reduce it on high heat to 1/4 of its original volume, or until it becomes a consistency between maple syrup and honey.

5. Serve the pears with the reduced syrup, or to top a luscious custard tart!


Bon Appetit~!

The Puff that Rises....

....yet when it reached Boston, Mass, it has fallen flat.


After chatting with my friend Jen, whom has recently visited Beard Papa's "ビアード・パパのパ" in SF *feeling envious*, and written an entry on her blog, here is my tribute to this amazing store....and for those whom enjoy the puff as much as I do....


I stumbled upon the late Boston location when I first visited Boston for the interview of my current job....well....I spent 2 hours for the interview, and 2 days visiting the city. As a person whom spent her high school years in Hong Kong, Beard Papa's wasn't a nouveau icon....but with the sign in sight, rushing towards the custard clouds was the natural reflex. What attracted me more was the intense aroma of fresh vanilla bean... one of the staff started extract the minuscule seeds from the second most expensive spices after saffron. My cooking instincts then attracted me to a plastic cup filled with the spent pods used for display. With a brief hesitation, I spoke with the manager, and the soon after, the cup of spent pods ended up in my bag.


As Alton Brown puts it....nothing is worth more than a cooking tool that can multi-task. I would say the same for ingredients. The spent vanilla pods would be a waste if they do not end up in your jar of castor sugar, or a good bottle of potato vodka!

It was sad to see Beard Papa's disappear from the Faneuil Hall....I always ponder from the thought of whether there is just a lack of demand for great pastisseries in Boston. It was determined not to miss out on them when I headed back to Hong Kong this past June....and I was surprised by the diversity this company has incorporated to their stores....stay tune for my new Asian experience of the "ビアード・パパのパ"!


Jen's blog: http://rhymeswithhungry.blogspot.com/