K.u.K Hofzuckerbäcker Demel

Posted on October 23, 2011 by goodfoodhunt

It wasn’t until we’ve visited Vienna that I’ve had a full grasp on how filthy rich the Habsburgs were. Albeit if a family has been in power for 640 years in a number of countries, one could just imagine the wealth they have amassed over the years.

This post however will not be about them yet. But rather about K.u.K Hofzuckerbäcker Demel; K.u.K Hofzuckerbäcker aka Imperial and Royal Court Confectionary Bakery. There’s this famous Habsburg Empress, Sisi , who was quite well known for being a Demel fanatic. There was even a receipt of a Demel purchase (and it was quite a long list at that!) in her museum. Now you may wonder why a confectionery receipt ended up in her museum – one would think there aren’t any other interesting stuff to display that’s why they even displayed receipts of her purchases. But no. It really makes sense. Because even with the proof of how addicted Sisi was with Demel confectionery, her waistline was still at a whooping 20″! Albeit she keeps to a strict exercise regimen (the props of which were also displayed in her museum) and that she is quite well known as well for her eating disorders. (Let’s have more of Sisi in another post).

Anyways, having had learned that Demel existed since 1786 and has been the Habsburg Imperial confectionary, you can just imagine how I so WANTED to eat here.

We planned to have our coffee break in Demel at mid-afternoon after scouring the Hofburg Palace. Our map told us we still need to round a corner after the last of the Hofburg buildings but I gave an excited cry when I spotted Demel in Kholmarkt just a few steps after we left Hofburg.

This building is the very same building that stood back in 1786, with the interior in Rococo style.

I love this coat hanger!

Now, I’m not one for cakes. I’m more of an ice cream person. But looking at their display made me want to taste one and all!

We deemed it was best to taste the traditional apfelstrudel in Demel. Of course it was a great decision! Gawdness it was good!

Had trüffletorte as well. Yuuuum!

I am most excited to try Sisi’s favorite ice cream though – Demel’s violet ice cream. My regret? I only had one scoop of it. I should have had four!!!!

I already had melange (the Vienesse coffee which comes close to cappuccino) in another cafè hence we decided to have Demel’s house coffee. It came with a generous serving of unsweetened cream. Wow.

The bill. If you’re living in Japan, after having had ordered all the above, this is definitely cheap.

We were lucky enough to be seated at a table where we can see how the apfelstrudel is made.

Of course, we didn’t pass up the chance to buy chocolates and biscuits with art nouveau packaging for omiyage.

When you pass by Kholmarkt, look for the sign and do drop by.

K.U. K HOFZUCKERBÄCKER
CH. DEMEL’ S SÖHNE GmbH
Kohlmarkt 14
A-1010 Vienna
phone +43/1/535 17 17-0
Fax +43/1/535 17 17-26
wien@demel.com
OPENING HOURS
daily from 09.00 am – 7.00 pm

KitKat – Kanto Region Edition

Posted on October 22, 2011 by Marjorie

Love these special KitKat editions. Perfect for pasalubong / omiyage / presents.

Yokohama edition, Strawberry Cheesecake flavor.

Yokohama edition, Annin dofu or almond jelly flavor.

Tokyo-Nihonbashi edition, Kuromitsu or Japanese sugar syrup flavor. Kuromitsu literally means “black honey”; kuro (黒, くろ) for black and mitsu (みつ) for honey.

Buy now, for your loved ones!

Singaw

Posted on October 20, 2011 by Marjorie

We have a project party tomorrow and I wanted to bail out of it. Partly because I want to walk home together with hubs. And equally because I have singaw. And it hurts like crazy so much so that I haven’t eaten properly the last two days and I haven’t been talking too much neither. So imagine going to a party where there’s lots of eating and talking to happen. Torture.

Singaw is the Filipino term for those blisters inside your mouth or tongue. Bisaya call it kainit.

Earlier in the evening, when I still didn’t know what is the English term for singaw, I was telling hubs that I’d tell my boss my reason on not joining the party by sticking out my tongue and showing him the blister. Hubby doubled over and went red laughing. I just love making him laugh.

As I looked over the Internet though on the English for singaw, I found THIS article. It was my turn to double over with laughter.

With THAT article though, I learned that the official English term is cold sore or canker sore. Or better yet I’ll just say kounaien which is the Japanese term for this bothersome affliction.

Just came across THIS article. And am thankful we live in Japan. They do have a medicine for it. Hurray!

Am still not decided though whether to go to the party. Oh singaw, please be away.

and we have the voucher

Posted on October 17, 2011 by Marjorie

A week ago, I talked about the email we received from the staff of Hotel Gold, our favorite hotel during our recent Eastern Europe trip. Click here for our feature on the hotel.

When we got home this evening, we found this squeezed inside our mailbox. Yey!! Had to cover some details for privacy purposes. 🙂

on cake toppers and kokeshi dolls

Posted on October 16, 2011 by Marjorie

Our wedding cake toppers weren’t really the type that could last a long-distance flight, much less last months after the wedding. Yet hubs was so patient in putting the pieces back together, thinking of a better glue that would last longer than the last one he used. And every time he fixes the cake dolls, something in my chest twitches, my eyes burn a bit, and I am reminded of the many reasons why I married this man.

Hence when I saw Jen’s post in w@w about her kokeshi dolls, I didn’t hesitate to contact Khristine, the kokeshi dolls designer, to have our personalized kokeshi dolls, as my anniversary gift to hubby. By personalized, we mean the dolls will be designed to look like us, wearing clothes that looked like the gown and barong we wore during the wedding.

Turned out it was a great decision. For at least two major reasons. One, I didn’t just get to know a great supplier, I also earned a new friend who’s so amazingly creative. Secondly, I made hubby emotional with the surprise I had for him; he was full of questions on how I made it possible, especially since his doll look a lot like him. Happy me.

Couldn’t count anymore the number of email exchanges Khristine and I had. Being an OC myself, I appreciated her being a stickler for detail as I sent her a number of pictures of me and atsushi and of what we wore during the wedding. Seeing her creations, you’ll understand why. Such detail! Ours were no less different.

Khristine is also one really thoughtful person. A colleague of mine has been very nice to carry the dolls from Manila to Japan. Khristine was so thoughtful in that she left my colleague a note of thanks for carrying the dolls and gave Kristine (my colleague) a cute pair of guy and girl earrings. 🙂

Since the dolls are due to travel some long distance, Khristine promised she’ll pack the dolls in such a way that they’ll still be intact even after a long flight and that Kristine,my colleague, will not have difficulty in carrying the dolls. True to her promise, the dolls were well packed indeed.

The dolls’ bed. And yes, I also have my cute boy and girl earrings. 🙂

The bride aka Marj.

The groom aka atsushi.

I giggle whenever I look at the doll. He looks so very atsushi!

Told Khristine as well about our passions – music and books. She then thoughtfully included it in her package for us. The guitar has real strings!

And the books has both front and back covers.

Khristine also added in the speaker hubs always carry with him whenever he travels.

Dolls are now happily tucked in one of the shelves in the dining room.

Khristine promised she’ll give us something extra special as well. And indeed she gave us something really special. Bookmarks. With our dolls in it. Mind you the photography was really good! We almost hesitated to use them lest we loose them. But then that would defeat the purpose of Khristine giving us the bookmark and so use them, we did.

Thank you SO MUCH Khristine! 🙂 I think you’ll be hearing more from me. 🙂

Do visit her site.

home interior inspiration board – World Porters edition

Posted on October 16, 2011 by Marjorie

We’re currently lounging under this incredibly blue early autumn sky, the landmark towering over us and the wind ruffling our hair. There’s a couple of unknown nationality near us, making out, in plain sight; enjoying just as everyone else is enjoying this perfectly great weather.

We just scoured the 4th floor of the World Porters, still visible from the hill we’re currently on, sipping our coffee, sitting on the grass.

The wife and homemaker part of me got excited as we looked around the whole floor, concocting up home furnishing preferences as we go.

I realize though that I have to at least get started with an inspiration board or at least a collection of a motley of the designs that I liked so that later on, I/we can decide on the final theme of our home. Because currently, there doesn’t seem to be a theme that’s trending when it comes to my preference on home furnishing. Some days I like it rustic. Some days I like it Asian. Some days I like it elegant. Some days I like it modern art deco.

So it’s best to gather them all first and then decide later on when it’s time to decide.

Clocks. I love these quirky ones.

Loved this corner set.

But Hubs says it’s too big for the two of us, for now. This one though is just perfect for the tatami room, for the two of us.

I’m not one for elaborate crystal chandeliers. I prefer these.

Mirrors!

So liked this pretty throw pillow.

As well as this dainty bed cover.

Wall hooks.

These fashionable pots caught hubby’s eye of course.

And and! I just love this center table.

All of these inside a house with bricks of these shades.

Utopia? We dearly hope not.

And oh let’s not forget the carpets.

Fell in love the first time I saw the second carpet above in that I was ecstatic when there was a smaller version of it, on sale at 1980yen! Just perfect by our front door.

Made another purchase as well, in Village Vanguard, located on the 3rd floor. Garbage are collected here on Japan on a certain schedule. For our area, burnables and perishables are on Monday and Friday, PET bottles and glass on Tuesday, etc etc (yes, segregation is the word). Hence we need to store the perishable garbage in a closed compartment to keep the stink from contaminating the house. Problem is, your perishables garbage bin (yes, because of segregation you end up having a number of bins) would be forever stinky and you have to wash it every now and then. But it’s difficult for me to do that. When I saw this, my problem was solved. It has a cover and yet your garbage goes directly to the garbage bag hence there’s no container that’s forever stinky.

Can’t wait to set these up when we get home!!! But first, badminton. 🙂

On Chocolate Hill

A chocolatey journey, with Yui!

Monthly Archives: October 2011