Eric Lanlard | cheriecity.co.uk

Cooking Demonstration with Eric Lanlard

January 14, 2015 by cheriecity

Last weekend, I headed to the Telegraph Cruise Show at ExCel, to check out the latest in the world of cruising.

If you have your eye on a cruise, the Telegraph Cruise Show is the place to come and get inspired by the destinations and talk to a real person about life on board and the different routes.

You can also book a cruise at the show and take advantage of some exclusive discounts and deals.

The big players in the cruise industry such as Celebrity Cruises, Silversea and Viking were all present, but there were also some smaller boutique cruise liners for those looking for something a little different.

The highlight of the show was a cooking demonstration by master pâtissier Eric Lanlard in the Kitchen Theatre. He joined celebrity chefs James Martin and Atul Kochhar and wine expert Olly Smith as part of the cruise liner’s new Food Heroes programme.

Guests sailing on the P&O Britannia will be able to book daily cooking classes with the chefs onboard. There’s even the chance to dine with the chefs and ask them all of those burning cookery questions.

Eric Lanlard brings his expertise to the Market Cafe and gives Britannia’s afternoon tea experience a little je ne sais quoi. At the live cookery demo, Eric showed us how to make Brittany-style Chocolate Salted Caramel Truffles. Not only was it an informative and fun session, but we also got to taste the truffles at the end.

Here are some of Eric Lanlard’s top tips for superior chocolate-making:

– Never cook with ‘baking chocolate’, as it’s simply the factory off-cuts of average quality chocolate. Instead, head to the confectionery aisle and pick up a bar that you would usually eat.

– Bake with chocolate that has a maximum cocoa content of 70% – anything higher will be too bitter.

– Baking with margarine? Just don’t even go there! Your cakes will rise and become fluffy but won’t taste good.

– Try using proper salted butter with flakes of sea salt in baking to get that unique Brittany taste.

– Use chocolate truffle cases and pipe in the filling for a more professional look.

– Don’t be too snobby about chocolate – even Eric Lanlard often has a bar of Cadbury Fruit & Nut and a Lindt Bunny in his fridge.

Are you planning a cruise? Where would your dream cruise destinations be?

Chérie City was invited by Telegraph Cruise Show

Photos by Chérie City and Telegraph Cruise Show

Afternoon tea, Cafes, London, Paris, Restaurants

A Very Foodie 2010…

January 3, 2011 by cheriecity

2010 has been a thoroughly foodie year for Chérie City and over the past year, I’ve unearthed some incredible discoveries – in fact, I’ve never eaten so well!

A mixture of new openings and long-time institutions, here are the top new finds of the year. If you’re feeling tempted, click to read Chérie City’s review…

10 favourite restaurants in London:

Cafe Luc – Marylebone’s neighbourhood Belgian bistro that outshines the rest!

Empress of India – Victoria Park gastro pub with seriously good seasonal dishes.

The Fish Place – Michelin-standard seasonal dishes…and not just fish!

Fox & Anchor – Mighty, hearty pub food with gourmet touches served up in the snug.

Camino Puerto Del Canario – Authentic Spanish produce and the best tapas I’ve ever tasted!

Belle Vue – Scrumptious Sunday Roast with well-seasoned meat and huge portions.

Mestizo – Traditional Mexican mole dishes with a huge selection of tequila.

Old Queen’s Head – Perfect Sunday Lunch with homemade Yorkshires and duck fat roast potatoes.

Dishoom – A Bombay Cafe in London with atmosphere and delectable dishes.

Moti Mahal – Grand Trunk road cuisine at its best with exceptional service.

Delectable cakes and afternoon tea:

Winter Tea at The Goring – The quintessential afternoon tea at London’s oldest family-run hotel.

Cox Cookies and Cakes – Cheeky fashion cupcakes from Soho’s suitably camp cupcake store.

De-Light Afternoon Tea at The Met Bar – Low-fat concept, haute cakes!

Ruinart Afternoon Tea at Miller Harris – The most refined and understated afternoon tea in Mayfair.

The Bridge, Shoreditch – The cakes aren’t the best in London, but it’s worth it for the weird and wonderful decor.

Albion at The Boundary – Forget the queue, grab a latte and slice of Victoria Sponge and take-out, cheaper too!

New Paris hangouts…

Hotel du Nord – Intimate, bobo and full of character with great food and nutty waiters.

Pink Flamingo – Punk rock pizza joints in Paris’ hip neighbourhoods – try the chicken tagine pizza!

Chez L’Ami Jean – Baskets of charcuterie, taster menus and chef Stéphane Jégo yelling from the kitchen.

Le Comptoir – 6 months wait for a table, but they Yves Camdeborde also does a cracking breakfast!

Le Chateaubriand – The place to see and be seen and the heart of the neo-bistro revolution – food with feeling!

Hotel Amour – André’s hotel lives up to the reputation with a buzzing atmosphere and pretty decent food.

La Tete Dans Les Olives – Tiny olive shop and dining table run by former slack rope walker, Cédric Casanova.

Rino – Quietly pushing the boundaries with a Nordic influence – a new favourite of Le Fooding.

New openings for 2011:

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal – modern British dishes with a bit of ‘Heston’ alchemy at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, opening January.

Pollen Street Social – Ex-Maze chef Jason Atherton’s first informal restaurant with a separate all-day tapas bar and dessert bar.

The Gilbert Scott – Marcus Wareing opens a British bistro at the spectacular St Pancras Renaissance Hotel in February.

Spice Market – NYC chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten opens Asian street food restaurant at the W Hotel on Valentine’s Day.

Chérie Wish List for 2011: Les Deux Salons / Tierra Brindisa / Koffmann’s / Bistro Bruno Loubert / Hotel Thoumieux / Chez Jeanette / La Cantine du Troquet.

Have you visited any of these restaurants? Which places are you dying to try out in the New Year?

Afternoon tea, London, Stores

Perfume Diaries Afternoon Tea at Harrods

August 16, 2010 by cheriecity

Master pâtissier Eric Lanlard has collaborated with Harrods pastry chefs to create a limited edition afternoon tea inspired by key perfume notes and ingredients.

The afternoon tea features as a celebration of the department store’s first major fragrance exhibition, ‘The Perfume Diaries’ and will be served in the iconic Georgian Restaurant during the month of September.

Taking inspiration from the wonderful world of scent, Eric distils the spirit of the exhibition with a range of six beautifully-crafted pastries, cakes and miniature puddings. Exclusive to Harrods, each delicacy is infused with prominent perfume notes from the classic rose, violet and spice to the more specialised bergamot and lemongrass.

The selection of pâtisserie includes:

Grace – a loaf cake celebrating the flavours of Provence; sweet oranges, almond and lavender; and is inspired by the French town, Grasse, known as ‘the perfume capital of the world’.

Shot St. Honoré – a stylish shot glass dessert filled with vanilla cream, crunchy meringue, fresh raspberries and lychees and a rose petal mousse. It also comes with a pipette of lemongrass and coconut.

Dessert Tagine – a Middle Eastern rice pudding infused with musk, cinnamon, ginger and rose, topped with honey roast apricot and pistachio.

Little Violet – a mini tart filled with red berry mousse, scented with violet essence and topped with seasonal red berries and glitter.

Vendome – Named after the famous jeweller, the chocolate slice is infused with bergamot, packed with raspberries and is finished with edible 10carat sugar diamond and jewels.

Larme de Jasmine – a delicate dark chocolate tear covering a rich dark chocolate mousse and Italian amarena cherries, scented with jasmine.

The ‘Perfume Diaries Afternoon Tea’ at Harrods looks set to become a London Fashion Week fixture, so book early not to miss Eric Lanlard’s exquisite creations.

Perfume Diaries Exhibition and Perfume Diaries Afternoon Tea will take place on Harrods fourth floor from 2nd September – 2nd October.

Designers, Fashion, London

Patrick Cox launches Soho fashion bakery

August 13, 2010 by cheriecity

King of shoes Patrick Cox has teamed up with renowned pâtissier Eric Lanlard (aka Cake Boy) to launch Soho’s first fashion bakery, Cox Cookies & Cake.

Realising a 10-year dream that pre-dates the cupcake explosion, Patrick’s sexy, chic bakery is equal parts corner cake shop and Soho hangout, with glossy black interiors and neon aplenty.

The inspiration behind Cox Cookies & Cake is Patrick’s formidable mother Maureen and childhood memories growing up in Canada. Patrick and Maureen used to bake every Saturday and she continues to send him large care parcels of baked goodies from Canada even today.

Many of Maureen’s secret family recipes will be shared with the Soho masses, including her signature Nanaimo Bars – a coconut chocolate biscuit with a layer of custard vanilla butter cream coated in milk chocolate.

Bonding over fashion and their love of indulgent artisan treats, Patrick and Eric met through their mutual friend Liz Hurley, better known for her punishing beach body diets than love of cake. Perhaps as a thank you, the pair could create a wheat, dairy and sugar-free cupcake called ‘The Liz’, topped with gold marzipan Versace safety pins…just a thought.

The antithesis of girly, pastel cupcakes, Cox and Lanlard’s creations are glamorous, inventive and very Soho with a unique fashion edge. The cakes are covered with sugar icing lips, images of Marilyn Monroe on rice paper, elegant white chocolate curls and sugared rose petals. There’s even an amazing all-black cupcake complete with skull and cross bones that may or may not turn your tongue black.

Best of all, Cox Cookies & Cake is open from 11am to 11pm at night, so you can get dessert after dinner or pick up a scrumptious treat after a night out at Soho’s illustrious members clubs.

Cox Cookies & Cake will open on 1 September at 13 Brewer Street, London W1