Food Raconteur

Food Raconteur Food, Fusion, Tales. Fusion cuisine, Private dining, Private chef. Cooking Lessons and Workshops, Me
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A Sattvic diet consists of foods that are light and nourishing. In Ayurvedic tradition, sattvic foods are believed to en...
11/19/2024

A Sattvic diet consists of foods that are light and nourishing.

In Ayurvedic tradition, sattvic foods are believed to enhance energy, joy, tranquility, and mental clarity.

Practically, this involves consuming vegetarian, nutritious, fresh, and flavorful options.

Traditional yoga teachings categorize foods into three types:
* Sattva (balanced) food
* Rajas (stimulant) food
* Tamas (sedative) foods

Out of the 3, Sattva is food of the highest quality, symbolizing balance and harmony. It represents the ideal state for both mind and body.

Originating in  the chilly Minho region in northern Portugal, Papas de Sarrabulho, is a delicious throwback to the days ...
11/17/2024

Originating in the chilly Minho region in northern Portugal, Papas de Sarrabulho, is a delicious throwback to the days when seasonal eating was all the rage!

Think of it as a warm cozy hug on a cold winter's day —rich, hearty, and perfect for warming your insides.
This stew-like soup is a meaty fiesta featuring pig's blood, chicken, pork, ham, salami, a zing of lemon, bread or cornflour, and a sprinkle of cumin.

Lesser known fact is that the slaughter of the pigs traditionally takes place in winter, making this dish a truly seasonal

Not that this renowned dessert requires an introduction, but please indulge me for a moment.One of my absolute favorite ...
11/15/2024

Not that this renowned dessert requires an introduction, but please indulge me for a moment.

One of my absolute favorite desserts to prepare is crème brûlée. Also known as Burnt cream or Trinity cream, this delightful treat features a luscious, soft custard base topped with a layer of hard caramel.

And it is simply divine!

What I love most about this dessert is the endless potential for experimentation.

While vanilla is typically the base flavor, it opens the door to a variety of other flavors that can be just as delectable.

Additionally, you can get creative with the garnish, using seasonal fruits to elevate the taste and texture of the dish.

There’s such elegance in its simplicity… I absolutely adore it!

I will always always always have a deep appreciation and cherish clients who land up becoming our brand ambassadors. Bes...
11/13/2024

I will always always always have a deep appreciation and cherish clients who land up becoming our brand ambassadors.

Besides the fact that it is great for business ( can’t deny that ), to me personally it is a beautiful reminder that this path that i chose for myself was the perfect path to walk after all. Everytime this happens, I am humbled and joyous at the same time. What a lovely feeling that is❤️

So a big shout out to Ben Lawler for recommending us to Nicole. We absolutely appreciate you!

Nicole Conner reached out to us to celebrate a lovely birthday dinner with a few close friends. The theme of the evening was to amplify European sophistication and elegance. We knew that there would be ample wine and champagne flowing that evening, so our job was to create a menu that complimented that evening.

Now any family that is wonderful to host such a gorgeous event is a blessing and we made sure we were up to the mark in delivering the same.

We rolled out a fabulous spread made up of;
* Potato Chip with tangy creme fraiche,briny black caviar and Dill
* Golden, crispy Arancini with garlic Aioli / tomato sauce
* Caprese Salad fresh Basil, Beets, Olive oil and sea salt
* Succulent Jumbo Shrimps in shallot cream sauce or Harissa Sauce or Lobster cream sauce
*Linguine Pasta with nutty pesto sauce and shaved aged parmesan
* Slow Cooked Duck Confit with carrot puree with Asparagus/ Broccolini

The empty plates and smiles on the guest faces were indication enough that we hit bulls eye! Not an easy task when surrounded by people with exceptional palettes.
Thank you for trusting us Nicole. We had an amazing time bringing this to life.
And thank you Edina and Bree( our lil wonder kid) you guys astonish me, as always.

We are sooooooo excited to welcome you to our very 1st 'Wellness and Yoga Experience' right here in STL!Event and Sign u...
11/11/2024

We are sooooooo excited to welcome you to our very 1st 'Wellness and Yoga Experience' right here in STL!

Event and Sign up details are included in our post!

But hurry and book...we have limited seating and slots running out fast😄

This has been in the works for a while now and we can't wait to be able to share this experience with you!

See you soon!

If you know me, you know that i have a certain fondness for dishes that come with an interesting backstory😄The Alheira, ...
11/08/2024

If you know me, you know that i have a certain fondness for dishes that come with an interesting backstory😄

The Alheira, a spicy Portuguese delight, comes with a twisty tale of cunning and cleverness.

Created by Jews in the late 15th century, they found a sneaky way to dodge the Inquisition's watchful eye by pretending to be chowing down pork sausages!

With a hefty dose of garlic (“alho” hence the name “alheira” ), they masked the absence of pork with a mix of poultry, game, and a fluffy bread blend. This dish became popular almost instantly, and these days, you can find Alheiras in all sorts of meaty styles across Portugal, even pork!

But stories aside, every version of this sausage is mind blowing!

Ingredients are gorgeous by themselves but the beautiful symphony that is created when the right ingredients are bought ...
11/06/2024

Ingredients are gorgeous by themselves but the beautiful symphony that is created when the right ingredients are bought together sometimes feels like downright sorcery.

This dish exemplifies that perfectly!

* Shrimp brings this delicate sweetness and a salty undertone, with a savory umami flavor.
* Wasabi brings this pungent, aromatic, and slightly sweet flavor with a clean, white heat.
* Sesame brings this mild, sweet, and nutty flavor with a satisfying crunch.

The combination of these ingredients, that are special by themselves, is the closest you will get to heaven in a single bite.

But then again that’s just my opinion😄😄😄

Have you tried this lovely dish yet? DM us if you would like to have a little taste of heaven.

We take absolute pride in planning our menus. So when we see patterns emerging when people ask us to customise, it is al...
11/04/2024

We take absolute pride in planning our menus. So when we see patterns emerging when people ask us to customise, it is always intriguing and quite amusing.

Turns out our popular menu this season is our Duck dishes! Who would have thought and I understand why cooking duck can be a little intimidating but don’t worry about it.

All you need to remember is;
- If you want really crispy skin, don’t forget to score the skin.
- Duck fat is the best to baste the duck you are cooking
- Soaking it in a little Coca-cola makes it more tender and adds a bit of sweetness.

We had the opportunity to create a lovely duck dish for Michelle, quite recently.

Michelle Paige and her friends reached out to us quite recently to celebrate a birthday as well as a friend’s anniversary. They were in the mood for something exotic and the duck was apparently a ‘must have’!

So of course we put on our thinking hats and tried to combine flavours that compliments each other in the menu.

The outcome of which was a scrumptious menu made up of;
* Arancini with truffle cream sauce
* Beef Carpaccio , cheese, arugula, truffle vinaigrette
* Lobster Thermidor oven gratinated
* Duck confit, ragout of three beans
* Pistachio crusted Lamb Loin
* Scallops with Sicilian Spice, white wine, mushroom, tomato, basil
* Crème brulee with Berries

Their excitement and feedback after the meal on the different preparations and flavours we plated up left us absolutely thrilled!

It was an absolute pleasure, Michelle!
And of course thank you Bree and , you were wonderful, as always.

Chanfana is the ultimate stew party starring an old goat, and it’s a central Portugal classic!But why the old goat, you ...
11/02/2024

Chanfana is the ultimate stew party starring an old goat, and it’s a central Portugal classic!

But why the old goat, you ask? Well,there are different versions to the story!

One legend claims that during the French invasion of 1810, they snatched up all the fancy food, leaving behind only the tough old goats as their leftovers. Others say these old-timers were put to the culinary test after retiring from their milking days.
Either way, the magic happens when you slow-cook that tough meat in a bath of red wine, herbs, and spices, transforming it into a melt-in-your-mouth masterpiece! Traditionally simmered in black earthenware pots in a cozy wood-fired oven, Chanfana is still the life of the dinner table today and rightly so!

This Diwali, may your home be filled with love, laughter, endless blessings and extremely yummy food! Happy Diwali!Shine...
10/31/2024

This Diwali, may your home be filled with love, laughter, endless blessings and extremely yummy food!

Happy Diwali!

Shine bright each and everyone of you!

Get ready to dive into Portugal's seafood wonderland with a dish that’s as fabulous as its cooking pot,Cataplana de mari...
10/30/2024

Get ready to dive into Portugal's seafood wonderland with a dish that’s as fabulous as its cooking pot,Cataplana de marisco (seafood stew) !

Meet the cataplana—a clam-shaped copper marvel that’s basically the great-grandparent of your pressure cooker, with a flair for steam-cooking all the deliciousness together in a cozy hug of flavors. This magical utensil can be stuffed with a seafood love fest, featuring fish, shrimp, and a party of crustaceans, all mingling with white wine, spices, and a veggie crew that might include cilantro, tomatoes, onions, and bell peppers.

Originally from the sunny Algarve, this dish is a must-try along Portugal’s southern coast! Just stroll through any beach town, and you’ll find a place where cataplana is the star of the show!

To be able to see the bright light of humanity break through in these dark times is truly a gift not to be taken for gra...
10/28/2024

To be able to see the bright light of humanity break through in these dark times is truly a gift not to be taken for granted. Sometimes I see that chaos around us and feel so dejected but then there will be a truly wonderful story and hope springs back.

Brian, an absolutely amazing guy who wanted to host a dinner for his friends, had just the story to tell.

Brian had been unwell for a while and instead of letting him go through it alone, his friend decided to step up and collaborated together to raise funds to cover his medical expenses. You can only imagine the support and dedication that it requires. We were in awe of these special people who we hadn’t even met yet.

But one thing we know that beautiful humans like these needed to be told they were extra special and we decided that we would do that through our food.

So to celebrate them we came up with an extra special menu made up of;

* Arincini balls
* Lobster Bisque
* French Country Salad with Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette
* Seared Jumbo Shrimps with crème déchalote
* Beef Filet Mignon, potato mousseline, mushroom ragout, Bordelaise sauce
* Sea-bass Herb encrusted, asparagus risotto, aged balsamic
* Warm Apple Tart with passion fruit Sorbet

To be in their presence and actually feel the love they had for each other was something I can't completely describe.

But i will say this, it was a day that will forever be imprinted in my mind and to be able to watch Brian and these wonderful people enjoy what we had to offer made us feel like a tiny part of this amazing journey.

Thank you Brian, your spirit amazes me and we wish you a speedy recovery.

Thank you Bree & Lydia for being such strong pillars that day.

DISH SPOTLIGHT: Avacado Crab CupsAvocado and crab—two of my absolute favorite delights. When you combine them, it create...
10/24/2024

DISH SPOTLIGHT: Avacado Crab Cups

Avocado and crab—two of my absolute favorite delights. When you combine them, it creates pure magic! This dish harmoniously mixes the sweet and spicy notes of a delightful crab salad with the creamy richness of buttery avocado. A splash of lemon juice and a hint of spicy peppers, and voilà—you have an incredibly tasty appetizer that you won't be able to resist.

It's incredibly simple to prepare at home if you're in the mood to impress. However, if you’d rather skip the cooking and simply indulge in this scrumptious treat, feel free to reach out to us via DMs!

Pork, step aside! Duck rice aka Arroz De Pato  tops it as one of Portugal's meaty masterpieces, showcasing a delicious l...
10/22/2024

Pork, step aside! Duck rice aka Arroz De Pato tops it as one of Portugal's meaty masterpieces, showcasing a delicious love affair between juicy duck and Carolino rice.

This absolutely scrumptious dish is made up of tender, shredded duck snuggled on a cozy bed of rice cooked in rich duck stock, zesty onions, and garlicky goodness.

Then, it gets a little oven love, topped with zesty chouriço sausage and served with a splash of fresh orange slices.

And just like many of Portugal's hearty delights, this gem hails straight from the charming Alentejo region!

Not hard to believe why this is an absolute fav!😄

You know, no matter how many years i have spent cooking or will be spending cooking…for some reason whenever i find out ...
10/19/2024

You know, no matter how many years i have spent cooking or will be spending cooking…for some reason whenever i find out that a client is a great cook themselves, my heart does a lil ‘ badam boom bam’ just for a second.😁

The anticipation of being able to share my dishes with someone who understands is always a source of excitement for me. My fervent hope is that this feeling never fades.

Victoria Lenhart reached out to us to plan a lovely meal for her husband’s birthday. We were ‘warned’ that her husband himself was a pretty good cook so our menu would have to be the same!😄

So we put on our thinking caps and tried to fu=igure what would appeal to a man who understands ingredients, flavour and spice?

And that my friends is how we landed up creating a ‘Louisiana themed birthday menu’!
On the table for that special day, we had;

* Cajun Shrimp Remoulade: Succulent shrimp seasoned with Cajun spices, served with a tangy remoulade sauce.

* Shrimp and Andouille Sausage Gumbo: A rich and hearty gumbo featuring shrimp, andouille sausage, okra, and traditional Creole spices.

* Jamaican Pepper Pot Soup: A spicy and flavorful soup made with callaloo, okra, peppered beef, and Caribbean spices, offering a taste of Jamaican cuisine.

* Blackened Red Snapper with Plantain Puree: Red snapper fillets blackened with Cajun spices, served on a bed of plantain puree, capturing the essence of both cuisines.

* Bananas Foster Cheesecake Creamy cheesecake topped with caramelised bananas and a decadent rum-infused sauce : Inspired by the classic New Orleans dessert.

The fact that he loved everything we cooked up for him was a high reward.

I love days like these…makes me happy about the path I chose.

Thanks for having us Victoria! We had a blast creating this.

DISH SPOTLIGHT: Duck With Lentils.I get it! I get it ! If someone told me that they were serving up a beautiful roast du...
10/15/2024

DISH SPOTLIGHT: Duck With Lentils.

I get it! I get it !

If someone told me that they were serving up a beautiful roast duck on a bed of lentils…I would be questioning their choices too. But turns out when put together it is quite exceptional.

The exquisitely roasted duck offers delightful umami flavors enhanced by a mix of aromatic spices, crispy skin, and rich duck fat. Meanwhile, the lentils contribute a nutty yet spicy taste that harmoniously complements the dish, creating a truly delicious experience.

Serve yourself a delightful bowl of steamed rice and generously add this delicious combination on top. I assure you, you'll be craving a second helping!.

Got you curious? DM us for more details.

Ah, Polvo à Lagareiro! Legend has it that this delicious dish hails from the charming Beiras region of central Portugal....
10/13/2024

Ah, Polvo à Lagareiro! Legend has it that this delicious dish hails from the charming Beiras region of central Portugal. Its magic lies in its simplicity: a glorious chunk of octopus—tentacles and all—gets roasted to perfection, drenched in a luscious bath of olive oil and garlic, and cozies up with some slow-baked potatoes.

If you are ever in the region and want to try this dish, look no further than Páteo in Bairro do Avillez, a laid-back gem from the culinary wizard, Chef José Avillez. This guy is like a culinary superhero, giving Portugal's food scene a turbo boost with his fine-dining masterpiece, Belcanto.
It’s been said that it is what dreams are made of!

I already have this on my bucket list!✔️

Since it is the month of thanksgiving, I thought it might be lovely to see how people around the celebrate days of thank...
11/06/2023

Since it is the month of thanksgiving, I thought it might be lovely to see how people around the celebrate days of thanks with different dishes. I hope you guys enjoy this!

Kräftskiva is a traditional summer time eating and drinking party said to have originated in Sweden . kräftskiva translates to ‘Crayfish party’!

Why is it such a big deal?

Well, historically, crayfish could only be hunted for a limited amount of weeks due to overfishing, and then were only eaten by the Swedish aristocracy. Though now this dish is enjoyed by the masses.

A kräftskiva features heaps of crayfish brined with dill , as well as sides like bread, cheese and aquavit (A neutral spirit distilled from grain or potato,much like vodka or gin)

The first wednesday of August is seen as the beginning of kräftpremiär – or start of the crayfish season. This celebration usually goes on the whole month and sometimes even into September.

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Food Raconteur - It’s not about food, it’s not about a menu, it’s not about catering, it’s about the experience. It’s about everything around that which makes the experience linger in your mind/soul for ages. It’s what we crave for. People ask us to email/send the menu and we refuse with all humility. We are not selling food, there’s a relationship that s happening. This is about the relationship that happens during this experience. This is not about a set menu we offer to clients be it a couple or be it a large group. We talk about food, they talk about food, we exchange information about ingredients, the expected outcome, and what s expected out of this outcome. It can be a wonderful exchange of information resulting in a memorable dining experience. It’s about flavors , flavors makes life exciting and sharing makes life exceptional. In this age of both intense interest in cooking and hurried in overtly busy lives, we believe the need is to move slowly and deliberately to fully engage ourselves in cooking to regain the connection that we have lost over the years in our craving for short cuts, quick fixes and processed ingredients. To respect the food we believe we have to take more time and greater care in cooking. The way to keep the experience memorable and fresh is not merely by adding flavors but by focusing more on specific flavors making them intense and craved. Only then the final product or experience can be as delicious as the soul can consume. We go across the globe to for interactions with different chefs or locales in different regions to know more about ingredients or the stories behind the food and create unique menu for each experience. We have workshops and have fun narrating the food stories to the audience. To maintain the freshness, we consciously choose limited clients so as to provide a unique experience every single time. Welcome to a Unique Dining Experience. Let s talk FOOD.... Welcome to Food Raconteur... Let every ingredient tell a story...