I'm in Lisbon! Which is why this is a day late. :-) I'm here until Wednesday evening so any recommendations would be welcome!
Here's what I enjoyed last week...
1. Most of the week I've been munching on Marou's chocolate with feuilletine that I picked up at Salon du Chocolat. It reminds me how good bean to bar chocolate actually can be.
2. On Monday I was taken along to the preview of Albert Adría’s residency at Hotel Cafe Royal - Cake & Bubbles - which then opened to the public on Thursday. He’s created the most extraordinary sweet creations. This is the man behind the sweet things at El Bulli so it is definitely worth a visit. He’s most famous for his cheesecake - a properly savoury cheese wrapped in a hazelnut white chocolate layer. It was unusual, but delicious. My favourite was probably the “cork” a chocolate, coffee and hazelnut sponge, or his take on the churros that were insanely light.
3. Wednesday's Band of Bakers' Americana theme was brilliant and there was some fantastic cornbread. In the interest of something you’ll actually be able to try, Caroline of the Free From Bakehouse came with her very impressive gluten free red velvet cake. She’s at Borough Market Monday - Friday, as well as other places.
4. I went to the launch of The Grocer by La Rana Famiglia on Thursday evening (before a very ordinary Thai meal near Piccadilly). La Rana Famiglia are a generations-old filled pasta brand from Italy. I’ve bought it from the supermarket before. It’s excellent. You can go and try the different varieties at their pop up in Marylebone but also they have an incredible selection of produce from Italy which isn’t at crazy prices. Things that are really hard to get normally.
5. Last night we went to a clandestine Chinese restaurant. They’re held in apartments in regular houses in the district of Lisbon, with no signs outside. You have to know the address. This one was famous for dumplings and they were excellent.
Jen x
See what I'm seeing tasting on Instagram @jennifer.earle (more in stories than in the squares!).
Say hi on Twitter @chocolateguide.
