[TAIWAN] Sadaharu Aoki: Love Letter

Dear Sadaharu Aoki,

I’ve had a crush on you for over five years. I admit, at first, it was your looks that attracted me – everything about you is beautiful. I fell for your clean, minimalistic white packaging, your rows of chocolate blocks dyed in the Pantone spectrum. But it didn’t take long for me to fall in love with everything else about you too – your substance. The perfect crunch-to-chew ratio of your delicate macarons never cease to wow me. And your creativity (matcha/earl gray jam, anyone?) impresses me to no end.

When I see you, I can’t help but spend all my money on you. It’s not that I think you are exchangeable for mere currency, but I just have an urge to splurge and spoil you. Don’t blame me. It’s only because I love you too much.

Best,
Eat Love Write

(Chocolate-encased macarons)

(Chocolates: in all the Pantone shades)

(Macarons: love)

FOOD: 4.75/5
SERVICE: 4/5
ATMOSPHERE: N/A (it’s a counter)

PÂTISSERIE SADAHARU AOKI ($$)
Shop 11073, B2/F, Bellavita
No.28, Song Ren Road
Taipei City, Taiwan
(886) 2 8729-2759
www.sadaharuaoki.com

La Maison du Chocolat: The Gift of Receiving

I’m convinced that Nelson was born with a gift – a gift of knowing exactly what… well, gift (sorry, pun seriously not intended) to get me. Every single birthday, Christmas, just-because-you’re-awesome (because I am) present Nelson has gotten me over the past many many years has been – simply put – perfect.


Take the last present he got me for example. A small box of… wait for it… La Maison du Chocolat macarons. Half a dozen sitting so prettifully in a clear box, tied with the classic deep brown ribbon, waiting to be eaten. Perfectly crunchy shells with a bit of chewiness and the perfect ratio of ganache – not toothachingly sweet but just enough to put a giant smile on your face for the rest of the day. In my personal opinion – the best macarons so far in the city (yes, even beating out JPH).

Thank you hun. You’re the bestest!

LA MAISON DU CHOCOLAT ($$)
Shop 109, 2/F, Prince's Building
10 Chater Road
Central
2801-4122

Brownie Roll-Out, Matcha Cookies: Thank You

“No one’s more important than people!”

That’s the one phrase that’s stuck the most with me when I was reading Julia Child’s “My Life in France” a year ago in a dingy little room in New York. This has rung true my whole life – it’s always the people. So now, I’d just like the chance to say “Thank You.” Thank you to everyone who’s taken the time to become part of my life and those who, in turn, let me become part of theirs.

And please, let's all stay in touch.

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“Brownie” Roll-Out Cookies

3 cups plain flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
225g butter, plus a pinch of salt
1.5 cups sugar
2 large eggs, at room temp
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

Preheat oven to 350°F. Thoroughly mix flour, salt and baking powder. In separate bowl, mix butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and cocoa until well combined. Add flour mixture slowly. Mix until smooth. Shape into a flattened disc and wrap in cling wrap and chill for at least one hour.

Roll the disc out on a floured counter (remember also to flour the surface of the dough lightly, as well as the rolling pin). Roll out to about ¼” thickness. Cut out shapes and place on baking tray lined with grease-proof paper. Bake in the middle shelf of oven for 11 minutes. Cookies should be slightly puffed but firm around the edges. Leave until cool to move and then transfer to cooling rack.


Matcha Cookies

¾ cup icing sugar
140g unsalted butter, cubed
1.75 cups plain flour
3 large egg yolks
1.5 Tbsp matcha powder
Granulated sugar for finish

Preheat over to 350°F. Thoroughly mix icing sugar with matcha powder. Add butter and mix until smooth and uniformly green.

Add flour and mix until fully combined. Add the yolks one at a time and mix after each addition until fully combined. Shape into a disc and wrap in cling wrap. Chill fro at least 30 minutes.

In between two pieces of grease-proof paper, roll out the cookie dough to around ½” thickness. Cut with cookie cutters and place on tray lined with grease-proof paper. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden-browned. Remove from oven and dust lightly with granulated sugar. Leave to cool slightly before moving to cooling racks.

(Thank You)