All posts of Shaheen

Heavenly Hazelnut Chocolate Cake

This is quite simply the best chocolate dessert I have ever had. Pierre Hermé calls it Plaisir Sucré. Maison Landemaine calls it Jivara. Le Cordon Bleu calls it Douceur Chocolat. There might be many more versions of it around Paris, but at its core it’s the most delicate chocolate and hazelnut cake  built over several […]
10 years ago

Financiers

While at a vide-grenier, the French equivalent of a car boot sale/garage sale, I stumbled upon a set of shiny new financier moulds. They were still in their original packaging and had a faded price tag from when Francs were still in use and Le Bon Marché was called Au Bon Marché. On my return, […]
10 years ago

Pistachio and Pecorino Pesto

I’d forgotten just how much I love this roughly chopped up “pesto” made with fresh parsley, pungent garlic, toasted pistachios and a good, salty pecorino. All of this is brought together by a grassy extra virgin oil. It’s perfect to keep bottled up in a jar for tossing with some pasta for a weeknight dinner […]
10 years ago

Purplefoodie in ELLE Magazine

A little while ago, ELLE India got in touch with me saying that they  wanted to do “a roundup of fun, young Indians in Paris who’re doing interesting work.” I was (/am!) super thrilled to be a part of this. The lovely feature is out in September’s edition of the magazine. We were all dressed […]
10 years ago

Strasbourg, France

What to do and where to eat in Strasbourg – A city guide If you’re thinking of a trip to France, and have already visited Paris, go to Strasbourg. Arjun & I just returned from a little summer holiday in Strasbourg. Like every destination we’ve picked before, this trip was planned for the sole purpose […]
10 years ago

Apricot and Rosemary Crumble

I have found my dessert fix for the summer – an apricot and rosemary crumble that is dolloped with heaping spoonfuls of maple cream. I first made it a last week when we had friends over for dinner. Ever since, I’ve made it twice more, and am on my way to make it again right […]
10 years ago

Moules en Papillote

Many months ago, I was a stagiaire at a fantastic little restaurant in Paris. The food was classical,  and the kitchen packed with copper ware. I helped on the line with the appetizers and desserts  for lunch. Before service , I did the mise-en-place  which entailed cleaning squids, battling live scallops and chopping things into perfectly […]
10 years ago

Brioche Parisienne

I’ve been fascinated by brioche even before I really knew what it was. I think it was the unusual shape of a brioche à tête that charmed me at first. It wasn’t until I moved to France more than 2 years ago that I got a taste of the real brioche Parisienne. My first brioche was from […]
11 years ago