Maison Kayser grand opening

早前有幸參加La Maison Eric Kayser的opening party，不僅能一嘗其出品，更能親睹Eric Kayser，實在開心不已。

Eric Kayser是法國著名麵包大師，得悉他要來香港開店，叫人雀躍。我亦曾自製麵包，功夫著實不少，更令我明白為何好的麵包售價可以等同一、兩碟飯的價錢。Eric Kayser用上天然酵母，講求時間、溫度和濕度的調控，當中涉及的心機和經驗已教人佩服。

早於參加此party之前，我已急不及待嘗過其出品，買了牛油蛋糕、無花果麵包和香橙麵包。兩款麵包都香氣迫人，無花果香甜，外層不會過厚過硬；香橙麵包夾雜著粒粒橙皮，清香卻不苦澀。牛油蛋糕較厚實，卻仍濕潤且充滿牛油香，用來送茶就最好不過。

是夜的opening party， 試了多款麵包和蛋糕，這自然少不了牛角包。在香港找到對辦的牛角包實在不易，我在巴黎旅行時，一天至少一個牛角包，對注重體重的我而言，簡直瘋狂。然而， 那滿腔牛油香氣，外脆內軟的質感實在叫人欲罷不能。在巴黎，隨意到一家麵包店買到的牛角包都不差。當然，得獎麵包店和老店就更令人傾心。

芝士球都不錯

食著Eric Kayser的牛角包，那熟悉的牛油香氣充斥口腔，內裡軟熟得很，氣孔充足，外層的酥皮微脆，的確不俗。於Opening party中食到的應是翻熱的，未知新鮮出爐的會否更好？

是夜雖未嘗到其牛角包漢堡，反而食到迷你漢堡。麵包烘得邊位帶脆，加上牛油和漢堡，難得漢堡扒juicy又有肉味，甚為美味。

其他多款蛋糕和批，其中含開心果味的蛋糕和批略為失色，欠缺果仁味道；檸檬撻的魚膠粉稍多，而且檸檬味不夠清新。我最喜歡的是朱古力香梨批和朱古力咖啡批。前者朱古力味濃郁帶微甘，和香梨的清甜，互為襯托，批底更不容置疑，夠結實又滿有牛油香；後者的朱古力和咖啡漿軟滑又香甜，最叫一眾食友讚賞。法國人做甜點真的勝人一籌，之後亦要來嘗試他的曲奇餅、Quiche和法包~

海港城接連開了Laduree 和 Eric Kayser，叫我這被巴黎甜點寵壞了的嘴巴得以解困，亦叫我更有動力做運動了~

Maison Eric Kayser 
尖沙咀廣東道17號海港城海運大廈地下G14-15號鋪

最好的時光 @茶。家 Teakha

週末難得逃離工作，仍然和同事於咖啡室見面，似乎有點煞風景。不過，這天小火車和我到茶家，卻是我這暑假其中一段最好的時光~

想到茶家已久，是日終於一償心願。打開門，茶香撲鼻而來，勾起我的茶癮，本來我只為著糕點而來。由黑色方格的店門到內裡的湖水綠牆身、木家具和各式小擺設，都極得我心，其中不少我更知道於何處有售，因為這裡的裝潢和我計劃佈置新居實在太相似。

興奮的心情因著看到精緻的scone和蛋糕延續，人既來，便把menu上想試的都試盡了~ 先來的是小火車的泰式冰奶茶，顏色比平素飲的奶茶紅得多，茶亦香得多。喝口冰香的奶茶，叫你暑氣全清了吧~ 我的大吉嶺紅茶很甘香，那份甘香於口腔歷久不散，配上晶瑩的茶具，讓我沉醉於歎茶的心景。

茶上桌不久，食物亦陸續送到。先來的是泰式奶茶雪糕配玉桂多士粒，雪糕味道和泰式冰奶茶一樣，香甜之餘，充滿奶香，於口腔溶化，茶的甘香亦緩緩滲出。玉桂多士粒香脆可口，玉桂味不重，面層灑上鹽粒，和雪糕的甜相映成趣，味道層次豐富，真的不能錯過~

 

Victoria Sponge的英國經典甜點，這裡的出品無論賣相還是味道都弄得蠻標準。海綿蛋糕很鬆軟濕潤，中間的鮮忌廉味道清淡，蛋糕面的糖霜不多，和英國的甜度有一大段距離，卻更合香港人的口味吧~ 如果蛋糕甜多一點，雜莓加多一點就更好了。

  

ginger banana bread有別於平素食的香蕉蛋糕，香蕉味不重，清甜之餘，夾雜的薑粒刺激著味蕾，令其顯得不再平凡。蛋糕烘焙得剛剛好，小火車和我都喜愛食香蕉蛋糕的邊，這件的邊位很香口，更加討好。蛋糕本身已夠濕潤，沾點鮮忌廉，更為清新軟滑~

  
 scone原來有4款口味，可惜我只見到3款，miss了最想試的fig scone。不過，食完另外兩款，都食不下其他了。我們試的兩款是ginger and cheese和Roselle，店員替我們翻熱，上桌時香氣四溢。前者的芝士味很香，食起來卻沒想像中味濃，反而襯托出牛油香，ginger味亦不突出，卻帶點甜，是糖漬薑嗎？感覺有點奇怪，質感是對辦的，夠light和crumbly卻不會鬆散。後者卻有些許鬆散了，加了很多Roselle，為scone增加點層次，不過Roselle味道偏淡，弄成scone後，香味不算很突出，如果換成raspberry效果可能更好。

 

綠茶芝士蛋糕留待最後才試，雖然已不是流心的版本，但食起來依然不賴。芝士蛋糕很軟滑，綠茶味頗濃，甘甜中帶鹹，很特別，未知是否用上帶鹽的芝士製？餅底厚度適中，帶鹽味的牛油香和消化餅，是我最愛的味道~ 和小火車邊談邊分享，一點都不膩滯。

數件糕點就足夠讓我倆花了個中午，避開最猛烈的陽光。店雖小，店主的誠意卻大，每件蛋糕茶點都是用心製作。在店內的用饍期間，開放式廚房讓我們看到店員不斷地製作茶點，更能體會homemade 的感覺。很喜歡如此悠閒的週末，看著穿便服的你，這感覺更強烈 : D倒數著別離的日子，希望最好的時光仍能延續下去~ 

 

茶。家 Teakha

上環太平山街18號B鋪



Food: wwwwww1/2w
Service:wwwww
Environment: wwwwwww
 

The taste of homemade @Saffron

Before I entered the café, the vintage arcade had already grasped my attention. For those who have been to the UK, they must find the decor rather familiar, as the posters and postcards can be found everywhere in flea markets or some little boutique out there. Still, the collection in this shop is not really large compared to mine at home :P. Anyway, I do fancy the decor.

The counter of Saffron was filled with various pastries, cakes and bread. I wish I had a bigger stomach to try them all. After some ruthless screening, I picked my all-time favourite apple tart, which coincidentally was the signature dish of Saffron, and the equally irresistible caramel slice.

The apple tart had a rather “humble” look; it was like the homemade one you see in TV programmes. But I suppose we should judge by its inner beauty instead of appearance. If you are a butter-lover, you will like it. For me, I indulged in every golden-baked and buttery pastry. However, the mashed apple fillings of this tart were a bit too sweet and not generous enough. I also prefer to have some cinnamon favour with a bit apple dices mixed in the fillings.

Caramel slices usually have three layers: chocolate, caramel and shortbread. This one was a bit different as the shortbread layer replaced by a chewy and hard layer which I was not sure what it was. The chocolate and caramel layers were smooth and tasty. Their thinness could not satisfy me, though. Apparently, I have conformed to the British insistence of having as much chocolate and caramel in their caramel slices without considering the obvious side effects of taking too much sugar. It is always joyful to indulge in the delicious yet evil food. Calories concern? We will come to this later... Let me satisfy my appetite first!

CM’s raspberry slice was also rich in butter smell. Raspberry filling was a bit sticky with a note of sour. Its texture was like thick raspberry paste. Saffron’s homepage said it offers homemade jam for sale, but unfortunately I did not see them that day. What a pity!

Coffee was Saffron’s weakest link. The over-extracted espresso was way too bitter and the milk foam was a failure. The bubbles were too large and not enduring. That’s the kind of foam I dislike most.

There were still a lot that I would like to try, but Stanley is a bit far away for me. Saffron’s branches, situated at the Peak and Repulse Bay, are equally inconvenient. :( Next time, perhaps I will reserve the stomach for the appealing salad and pies!

Saffron

Shop 102, 1/F, Stanley Plaza, Cape Road, Stanley
 

Food: wwww
Service:wwwww
Environment: wwwwww