Every new menu created needs to be tested first. Hmm, why not “test-drive it” during an event organized for some secretaries invited for a Circle of Success event?

In June I will feature Mangoes in our Lobby Lounge as mentioned in one of my previous posts. However this time I used the occasion to present roughly 80% of the menu in order to get instant feedback! Basically this is the time to show off the hotel and its services; Housekeeping, usually always behind the scene but by every guest noticed for its cleanliness demonstrated how to “strip” and “dress” a bed (and we got a few!). K called for a selected volunteer and after everybody realized what science this task is all about. It was my turn to explain the already half eaten Mango spread, Thai, Indian, Pakistani, Brazilian and Ivory Coast Mangoes where on display in form of Brulees, Trifle, Tartlets and Pandan crepes.

The full menu with pictures I will poste at later stage once the promotion has kicked off. So, watch out for the Mango!!

Working in hotels has some great moments, and these can happen at any time and day. 10am and I was preparing Mango Cheese Cake Spuma in shooter glasses for our visiting CEO. Listening to his great wisdom was a good start for a busy day; right after that M, my chief baker prepared the dough for a very traditional Austrian “Mehl Speise” namely Buchteln. Those light sweet dough, butter crusted dumplings I served with orange marmalade and vanilla foam in our Presidential suite.

 

Then, right into preparing the amenities for a major rock band who are staying with us; Chocolate Tapas, a combination of four different chocolate desserts. Late afternoon I had the Souffle promotion presentation in Amwaj. We will feature there eight kind of souffles for whole month of June, therefore one souffle after the other we prepared and tasted among us, the chefs. Hope the timing is going to be alright…?

What business has Vanilla to do in a shirt, moreover in a business shirt like above? Then again, the other way around; how on earth you are going to explain the layman what vanilla is all about, in a picture? That very question was literally on our table while L, S, J and myself where staring at those 750 gram of the finest Vanilla Beans in front of us trying to make the best out of this challenge. Point and shoot was out of the question as it would take some explanation to those black sticks. Vanilla, a native of Mexico, a pricey and fragrant spice, exotic and widely used, is difficult to explain unless you got one pod in front of you. Our task was to take a picture which will (hopefully) catches our guests in July for our Vanilla promotion in our Lobby Lounge. One idea was to have some of those beans in a business shirt pocket; ” we mean business with Vanilla” or so like. Another idea is in the making but that takes a bit more work from some of us. (will post the result at a later stage)

To me Vanilla is one of the most wonderful ingredient after chocolate. Period! Vanilla Shortbread with Heirloom citrus curd; a perfect match (picture above).

More to Vanilla go here.