Bangkok Night Market or how to make a special Cappuccino

Getting everything together for the Cappuccino

Today I like to tell you a bit from my travels on the ships. I have seen many corners of the world and tasted many foods, but sometimes one has experiences that are extra ordinary. I spent a lot of time on the different markets in the individual ports we went, for one of course to get some fresh goods, but then of course as well to educate myself more on local fruit and vegetables and often I saw new fruit, bought it and then we tried in the kitchen new dishes.

Having a smile at work

One of the funny experiences happened when we sailed to Thailand. We were actually docked in Patthaya, not too much I want to tell you about that port.........but our supplier suggested that we maybe should pay a visit to one of the big night markets up in Bangkok, one of the markets that is there for the restaurants, so not really open to the public, even so it is not closed so everybody can just walk in. Of course I said yes, I would love to go and then was able to invite some of my fellow chefs to come with.

Adding loads of coffee, sugar and powdered milk

He collected us at 1.30 in the morning, we needed a good hour to drive up to Bangkok and arrived just in time when the market was hustling and bustling. It is an amazing place to be, I had no idea where to start so we just followed our supplier. He was a great guide, coming from Denmark and married with a Thai lady, so she was there too and helped with translations.

The system is actually quite amazing. One goes through the market and if one wants to buy something, everything is of course only sold by box or crate, one negotiates the price. Then one has to pay and give the car registration number and the more or less direction where the car is parked. Then the food will be brought to the car.....at least that is how it was explained to me and amazingly it worked. When we were back at the car every single box of fruit and vegetables we bought that night was safely stored.

Pouring the coffee in the ice bag

Being on the market made me absolutely happy, we learned the finer things that make a difference, we tried Rambutan from the North and the South of Thailand and tasted the difference in sweetness, yes the one from the South is superior. We even tried Durian......one really has to love the taste... When the Durian is young it very much tastes like raw onions, but has a lovely yellow look. When the Durian gets ripe....ooohhhhh boy, then the flesh looks lovely like vanilla pudding, it smells and tastes like rotten eggs, caramba, what an experience and no, I am no fan of Durian.

Our take away "Cappuccino"

After all the walking and tasting the idea came up of having a cup of coffee, it was nearly 5 AM and we would be heading home soon. So there was a stand selling coffee and we ordered 5 Coffees. The question then was if we like it hot or as ice coffee. Ah yes, a ice cold coffee would be great, so the ladies started to work. One went away to get crushed ice in bags, the other one put 5 spoons full of Nescafe instant coffee...in each cup, then 5 spoons of sugar and the same amount of milk powder. Wow, I could not imagine drinking this coffee, it will be so strong that it must be nearly thick. But of course this was not the end, she added the hot water and then just after a little stirring simply poured the piping hot coffee into the ice filled bags. Then she looked at us, smiled and asked if we like Cappuccino? Yes, why not? So she took a tin of condense milk and poured a swirl onto each bag of coffee. A straw in bag and voila the Cappuccino was finish and believe me, it tasted just great.

Having coffee with the chefs and supplier, next to me Chef Tai, Chef Raf and Pastry Chef Wolfgang

We had an amazing night on the market, after having all worked a good 12 hour shift, having a couple of beers in the crew bar, then driving to Bangkok, seeing all these amazing fruit and vegetables, having a super coffee, we walked around a little longer and then at around 6 am went back to the ship in Pattaya. We had one more stop for a great breakfast consisting of Tom Yum and more, and then around 9 AM we were back, quick shower and starting another days work.........having an experience we all will never forget

Happy Easter

Happy Easter everybody

I hope you all have a fantastic time and get this super maximum chocolate load we all don't really need but so much like. There is nothing nicer that eating all the chocolate bunnies, sugar coated eggs, marshmallow eggs and all the other sweets, then feel sick and guilty......but having enjoyed every bite!

Here at the hotel it is not all about the chocolate eating, no, it is actually a super busy day and everybody is running around like....Easter Bunnies, trying to get everything ready on time.

We are serving a big Easter Brunch and we are fully booked since weeks. You know how it is, everything is  fully booked, the waiting list goes on and on......and everybody comes, never mind if they have booked or not. We are ready for the big storm of guest, the battle Royal at the buffet, the trying to re-fill faster than the guest eat....yes it doesn't work all the times.

The array is actually quite big, you come in and get given a glass of Champagne....and there are Oysters as well, of course Champagne and Oysters belong together......and then it starts, there are lovely salads, cold meat platters with Parma ham, poached lobster and Norwegian Salmon, there is a Sushi station for the lovers of raw fish and then we have all the main courses from the buffet, the action station with fresh mussels, a carving station with lamb, chicken and rib eye.......going out side for the BBQ, grilled a la minute for our guests and then of course there is the desserts........the center piece of our Easter buffet.

As usual there is a slow start on the buffet, but after about one and a half hour we were hit by the wave......just refilling as fast as possible, trying to get through the people queuing for the food. Pool is shouting that they need help, they just got swamped with short orders.....everything is full, our waiters are on roller skates, but they can hardly get all the orders in time to the guests, one of our roller skaters at the pool is actually int eh Ghana National Skating team.....so he is fast believe me. No worry, I sent another chef outside and a stewarding to keep everything clean.

It is pumping now, for good 2 hours it doesn't sop, the life music is loud, the guests have a good time, the restaurant looks like an ant hill with the ants crawling all over the buffet. Short orders in the kitchen are on the pass, room service, bar and lobby is pretty hectic.....not every one wants to sit in the Restaurant.

4 PM........it is calming down, we will still have guests till nearly 5 PM, here everybody eats late, that is why the brunch only starts at 12

 

6 PM........everything is set for dinner, all is calm again, we are ready to serve the next meal. Banqueting is ready too, we have a wedding for 200, lucky it is buffet, so it is a bit easier

 

10 PM......Quiet evening, 70 a la carte, the day was good, the banquet is on going, but the food part is finished, another exciting day here in Accra comes to an end

Swiss Rӧsti

Hello everybody

As you can see, the blogs are slowly coming in again, and there is more to come, especially about Philippines. But right now I am just burning to give you a recipe. A very, very simple recipe I made when I was now in Switzerland. It is a national dish made out of Potatoes. It is the famous Rӧsti.

There are two ways on how to make a really good Rӧsti one is with pre-cooked potatoes and the other one is with raw potatoes. Both ways give you an excellent result, but you need to take care of this dish to have really good results. I usually make the Rӧsti with raw potatoes but like both ways the same.

Just a short story about the Rӧsti. In Switzerland are two main types of Rӧsti, the one made in Zurich (where I am from) and the one in Berne. Both counties say that they are doing the original and there is a constant quarrel about whose is the original one. I don’t really care but I want to tell you the difference. The one from Zurich you have to add Onions and Bacon to the potatoes and for the one from Berne Bacon and onions........get the hint? They are actually both the same and don’t forget, we don’t have potatoes since such a long time in Switzerland. The potato came to Switzerland about the same time the rest of Europe introduced this Central American Tuber......

But now to the recipe, don’t forget, it is such an easy dish to prepare, but you need to give it time and love!

1500 G Potatoes

150 G Butter clarified Peel the potatoes and let them cool down completely

200 G Onions Grate them in a Rösti grater

100 G Bacon, smoked Cut onions in a fine julienne

Salt, pepper Cut bacon in a fine julienne

Saute onions and bacon in the butter
Add the potatoes, mix everything carefully
Season to taste
Press the potatoes slightly down
Fry the Rösti on slow heat till golden brown, about 15 minutes
Turn the Rösti and fry the other side till golden brown

Serves 10 people

Glühwein after a cold walk on Campbell Island

Campbell Island? Yes I am still somewhere out there, but coming slowly back to New Zealand. Actually I am on Dent Island which is part of Campbell Island which is still far south of New Zealand. Not many people come here. Of the 150 people on board only 2 have been here before, the captain and one of the expedition team so I expected it very much deserted, but no, there are quite a few buildings and research is going on.

Campbell is most probably best known for its Campbell Island Teal, a bird which was thought to be extinct for more than 100 years until a small group was rediscovered there in 1975. Of course for most of us it means very little, as we are not Ornithologists or bird lovers. I actually went for our hike here because I simply enjoy a good walk and I wanted to see the Albatross from close. OK, the walk ended up to be about three hours long, but it was just amazing. We walked on a narrow but well made board walk through the hills of the island till we reached the site where the Albatross breed. It is just fantastic to be amongst these beautiful and gracious birds.

On the way back to the ship we came across two very grumpy male fur seals, not something to joke with, so we took a safe way around them, hopped back into the zodiacs and then back to the ship.

After a cold day, there are not many things better than a good, hot Glühwein; and that will be the recipe for today. I love Glühwein and enjoy making it. I always feel that one needs to take special care in making a good Glühwein, it must not boil, just be heated and then at the end a little tot of rum, ohhhhhh yes, now we are getting already warmer. OK, here it is

1 L Red Wine

200 Ml Orange Juice

100 G Sugar

2 Ea Tea Bags

1 Ea Cinnamon Quills

1 Ea Cloves

1 Ea Bay Leaves

3 Ea Juniper berries

1 Ea Star Anise

Rum

Rum is optional, but I feel it just gives the kick. Add all ingredients in a pot and heat up, but don't boil. Strain and serve with the rum, drink while hot and see how you slowly warm up from the inside.