As I have mentioned in previous posts, the Qatar International Food Festival is one of my favorite events in Doha. This year Life on the Wedge has teamed with Qatar Tourism Authority (the organizers) to bring you a fabulous competition to win dinner for two on the delicious Dinner on a Dhow which is an evening cruise catered by Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels. The Dinner on a Dhow is a perfect mixture of fine dining and a touch of local and regional culture. A traditional Dhow will be fitted out with tables, seating and buffet sections as well as barbeque and cooking facilities. The Dhow cruise is one of the truly quintessential Qatar experiences.…
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Get Your Gourmet on at the Qatar International Food Festival 2015
It started very small a few years ago, but the Qatar international Food Festival has grown in stature each year.It’s now one of the best organized and most anticipated events in Doha. It’s back again for 2015 from 24 to 28 March at the Museum of Islamic Art Park again and looks set to be equally as good as last year. you can find out information about the various activities on offer here. But I’m pretty excited about the Dinner in the Sky concept this year which is offering a “Taste of Business Class” from Qatar Airways premium menu. I will be posting updates as they come, but you can keep…
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A Dosa the Action in Mumbai
Six women board a plane to go to Mumbai, India. What happened next will shock you. It’s a wonder we all actually made it to Mumbai. With visa and immigration hassles and the copious quantities of bubbles consumed in the lAl Mourjanounge at Hamad International Airport, I was pretty sure there was some kind of black notice issued by multiple authorities. I will admit, there was a moment when I thought this trip would never happen. It was when one of our crew was forced to get her visa at the very last minute. This required the speedy skills of our driver Shafi and many Hail Marys. Many dosa, samosa…
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Paneer to My Heart
There was a seminal moment on my recent girl’s weekend to Amritsar, India. When, at a famous local restaurant, the Brothers Dhaba, we ordered two more parathas. This is a flaky Indian flatbread, buttery and oily in that perfect way, served hot from the oven and irresistible. The waiter, stared at the already heaving table before our party of four, and said “but you heave two more dishes coming”. Shoveling food into our mouths, we barely breathed, in unison we said “We don’t care!”. He backed away from the table like a man who had seen something very, very alarming. There is something about India. I do love visiting –…
- Accompaniments, Cheese, Cheese in Cooking, Doha, European Cheese, events, Fondue, Food, Food Trends, Hotels, Promotions, Qatar, Swiss, wine
Damned if Fondue – Swiss Food Festival Returns to Doha
Nothing melts my heart (OK that was a cheap pun – even cheaper than the headline for this post) more than a proper Swiss fondue. The Grand Hyatt Doha is bringing back its’ popular Swiss Gastronomic Festival for another year. Running from 8 -16 May from 6:30pm until midnight. Enjoy live folk Swiss music and most importantly fondue, raclette and rösti prepared by Chef Heinz Ruifbach. Call 77982400 for bookings and more information. Melted cheese, potatoes, alcohol and sticks to stab things with. What’s not to love?
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A Room With a View – Four Days in Florence
When I stepped off the plane in Florence last month, it dawned on me that it had almost been 20 years to the day since I was last in this city. Why I left it so long, I have no idea. But 20 years later I was back – older, a bit wealthier, better dressed but in no way wiser. I had originally planned to visit Rome. But then saw that thanks to Qatar Airways joining One World, I could now book a flight straight through to Florence with a short stop in Rome. I’m relieved to say the city hasn’t changed. It just has more Chinese tourists. I have…
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Restaurant Review – Manis Gourmet Cafe Muscat Oman
It would be fair to assume that I do spend a lot of time in five star hotels – either lounging around, terrorizing their chefs or drinking heavily. The reasons for this are twofold – in the Middle East hotels are generally the only place a gal can drink in public and frankly, my handbag collection demands a stage. That said, I don’t mind a greasy spoon joint (hangover helper) or a quality cafe. Anywhere with good coffee, magazines and decent people watching/judging opportunities. On one of my most recent trips to Muscat, my regular partner in crime GF and I ventured out of the rarefied confines of five stardom…
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For Feta or For Worse
My love of the salty goodness of feta is well documented on this blog and my waistline. So I was the happiest traveler in the sky recently when I had the chance to fly from Stockholm to Doha on the Qatar Airways Dreamliner and the menu featured this tasty little morsel. A moist piece of feta cheese, rolled on sesame seeds. For once also served at the right temperature, along with a tomato salsa. I am learning that feta, in some for or another, is made in countries around the world. It is simply a farmer’s cheese and I have tried varieties in Turkey, Central Europe and of course, the…
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Southern Comfort – Eating My Way Around Melbourne in 36 hours
Australians are more than a little parochial about our cities. I’m from Sydney, and as such I am bred to have a fierce dislike of all things Melbourne – namely AFL. Think of Sydney as Los Angeles and Melbourne as New York. It’s a Sydneysider’s God given right to slag of the Melburnians. And of course we have the better coffee. A good explanation can be found here – Australia’s Greatest Rivalry But I have a secret – I quite like Melbourne. I enjoy the couple of days I spend there each year as Qatar Airways flight direct there from Doha, I use it as my jet lag buffer before…
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At Grate Heights – Cheese at 30,000 Feet
As someone who loves to travel, I have had some good and very average meals in the air. Whoever invented the Hot Pocket should be reported to the UN Human Rights Tribunal – it is an implement of torture. When I am lucky, and flush, enough to travel at the pointy end of the plane, I always opt for the cheese plate on the menu. Which had me thinking about how cheese manages to taste so good at altitude. When we fly, our taste buds simply don’t work properly. The low humidity dries out our nasal passages, and the air pressure desensitizes our taste buds, which is why airline often…
