In a galaxy far, far away, when I first arrived in Doha, believe it or not there were only a handful of five star hotels and dining options were more limited. I used to spend a lot of time at Ritz Carlton Doha. But you know how it is, as new properties opened and Doha’s traffic started to define Carmageddon, I visited less often in recent times. So when I was invited by the hotel to try an old favorite, their Italian restaurant Porcini, it was a bit like catching up with an old friend after so many years and picking up where you left off. That is not to say…
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When the Words Just Won’t Come
As many regular readers know, I generally take a little break from my blog every northern Summer. I get blog fatigue. This year’s has been longer than usual because, I just couldn’t find the words to write. Every time I opened the site to start, the words just wouldn’t come. Just a couple of weeks ago, my greatest supporter, the first reader of my blog, my Mum, passed away after brief and brutal battle with cancer. I still can’t believe those words even as I lived and wrote them. I’m not completely sure how I have been functioning the last few weeks, except for the love and support of family…
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Fine Dining Doha Style
I know I sound like a broken record/tired old expat when I say that Doha’s dining scene has really skyrocketed since I arrived eight years ago. But it has. When I arrived we had a handful of five star hotels and few independent dining options for those who like something more challenging that a drive-thru burger. That said, there has always been excellent Arabic and South Asian choices at all price points. In recent years, we have seen Alain Ducasse’s Idam open as well as a branch of Guy Savoy’s empire open (then close). We have also seen other dining options like French bistro La Varenne and its sister steak restaurant The Anvil Rooms open their doors…
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Clucking Good – How to Make a Turkey Out of Cheese
So here’s the deal. I asked my friend Alicia what I could bring to her annual “Doha Family” thanksgiving event. She said Nothing. Then I offered to bring cheese. Then the ante started to ratchet up several notches. I googled “thanksgiving + turkey+ cheese” the results were alarming. I’m talking about cheese laid out int he shape of a turkey. then I stumbled upon a cheese ball fashioned into a turkey. “Do it,” said Alicia. So the challenge was on. I don’t think anyone actually believed I could do it. About three hours in on Friday with a raging hangover and runny cheese, hell I thought I couldn’t do it.…
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Wheel of Cheese Fortune
Everyone loves a winner – especially when cheese is involved. This fabulous cheese wheel has been doing the rounds (see what I did there?) on the interwebz and I couldn’t resist sharing it. a few of my faves are missing, but it’s a great resource. Maybe one for the kitchen wall?
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Rubing it In – Eating Cheese in China
Chinese food and cheese are not necessarily happy bedfellows. Asian flavors do not lend themselves to cheesiness and for good reason. My main experience of cheese in China consisted of hotel cheese platters on their buffets. But I had heard that some regions in China, namely Yunnan, used goat cheese in their cooking. There will be a longer exposition of my recent trip to Shanghai in future posts (you have been warned) but I was determined to find this elusive fusion. Actually I didn’t have to search too far. One of the best known restaurants in Shanghai, Lost Heaven specializes in Yunnan cuisine. I found one item on the menu – a…
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Fromage Fortifications
As a cheese blogger, having a fridge full of the good stuff is an occupational hazard. As of yesterday I have leftover pieces of Manchego, Parmesan, Swiss, Cheddar, Gorgonzola and several unidentified randoms. Now you know how I hate waste as much as losing perfectly good cheese, so I dug out this recipe by the amazing David Lebovitz for Fromage Fort. Fromage fort is a French cheese spread, literally “strong cheese”. It is traditionally made by blending together pieces of different leftover cheeses, white wine (or other spirits) with garlic, herbs and whatever takes your fancy. I made mine with around seven kinds of odds and ends cheeses The recipe calls for…
- Accompaniments, American Cheese, beer, Cheese in Cooking, events, Fast Food, Food Trends, Hotels, Promotions, Qatar, Restaurant Review, Restaurants, wine
Getting in the Mood For Dude Food
So it seems, Dude Food is a thing globally. And this phenomenon has arrived in Doha at an unlikely venue. Opal by Gordon Ramsay at St Regis Doha has embraced this food fad and introduced Chilli Dog Tuesdays. Apparently Dude Food is comfort food for those with a bigger appetite. It is not for the faint-hearted. Think burgers, burritos, big meaty things and hot dogs. The trend originated in the United States, with the street food movement of food trucks. It evolved from there, think junk food classics with a gourmet twist. This is what we have at Opal. Opal is the more casual brother, sorry “bro”, to the sedate…
- Cheese, Cheese in Cooking, European Cheese, Food, Italian, Italian Cheese, Italy, Recipes, Travel, wine
The Grate Escape – Eating Pecorino in Italy
You may have heard, I recently went to Italy. To say this was a spiritual experience (bit like my visit to The ABBA Museum would be very accurate. I spent most of my time in Florence like Florence is well known for many things. some bloke called David, the setting of a million films and novels and of course, its’ food. I was there for the cheese – specifically Pecorino. Pecorino is the name of a family of hard Italian cheeses made from ewe’s milk. The word derives from Italian pecora meaning ‘sheep’, which in turn is from the Latin pecus meaning livestock. Like Parmesan we have all probably had…
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You Had Feta Believe It
Woke up this clear Saturday morning with a headache that tends to plague women of a certain age. A brisk walk and a swim failed to shift it. Lying in a darkened room likewise. After swathing my temples in Tiger Balm and taking a last chance Voltaren, I was finally able to see through the fog. My friend Kate had sent me this Gozleme recipe and having most of the ingredients, I thought this would go some way to making me feel better. The result was, as another friend dubbed it, “Hugs on a Plate”. Gözleme is a savoury traditional Turkish pastry dish, made of hand-rolled dough that is lightly…