Curried Lamb

I love West Indian food and thought I would try a new recipe that I found online.

With so many variations of Curried Lamb, of which I believe is a great dish, it was difficult to narrow down which one I should use. Mind you, I have never been one to stick to recipes - always adding my own or extra spices to everything I create.

Here is one of the recipes I found and have followed... somewhat.

Hope you enjoy!

Curry Lamb

5 pounds lamb meat, cut into bite sized pieces
1 bunch of scallions, chopped
3 large onions, chopped
3 Scotch bonnet peppers, minced. (For less heat, seed the peppers and remove the veins.)
1 teaspoon allspice
salt to taste
black pepper to taste
About 6 tablespoons curry powder (more or less to taste)
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup frying oil of your choice
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup coconut milk
Juice of 2 limes


In a large bowl, combine the goat meat, scallions, half of the onions, 1-3 Scotch bonnet peppers, allspice, salt and pepper, and 4 tablespoons of curry powder. Mix the ingredients together, coating the pieces of goat well with the mixture. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator to marinate overnight.

The following day, remove the goat meat from the refrigerator and set aside. Place a large soup pot over medium high heat. Add 1/4 cup frying oil. When the oil is hot, add two tablespoons of curry powder to the pot and stir it into the oil. Cook the curry powder for a few minutes, stirring it constantly and taking care that it does not burn.
Add the remaining onions and cook them until they are translucent. Add the garlic and the seasoned goat meat to the soup pot and mix well to combine all of the ingredients.

Add the stock, the coconut milk and the lime juice.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn down the heat, cover the pot and simmer the goat meat for 2 or3 hours (or until the meat is very tender), adding water as needed.

Curry Powder

5 teaspoons ground turmeric
4 teaspoons coriander seeds
3 teaspoons cayenne
3 teaspoons fenugreek seeds
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons whole black pepper
2 teaspoons star anise or aniseed
2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
1 whole clove, minced
1 teaspoons ginger
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon whole allspice.

Combine all ingredients and mix them together well. ( A mortar and pestle are great for blending the ingredients.) Store the curry powder in a tightly sealed jar away from heat and light.




My VIP Companion

Arianne St. Claire

La Cravate

“La cravate, c, est l’homme.”
Honore de Balzac

Being a connoisseur of all things fashionable, the Cravat now more commonly known as the Tie has always been a men’s style accessory that I appreciate; a symbol of male elegance. A well fitted suit paired with a great tie provides a way for a man to show his individuality and good taste.

The Cravat has a long distinguished and stylish past, with a story as colorful as the Cravat itself.

According to history, Croatians popularized the fashion of wearing a scarf tied around ones neck. After the Turkish attacks, a Croatian cavalry was formed under the name Royal- Cravate and became an inexhaustible source for other European battlefields. They were easily recognizable due to the scarves worn around their necks. – a predecessor of the Cravat.

It has been suggested that French King Louis XIV, after seeing them worn on the Croatian mercenaries, switched from the starched high lace collar the French used to wear and started wearing the Cravat, due to its style and practicality. Thereafter, the Cravat’s popularity quickly rose as the style spread across Europe.

The common Cravat was designed in white until the 19^th century when the English introduced color to them giving the Cravat wearer a more individualized style. Soon after, American textile manufacturer Jesse Langsdorf made a revolutionary step by cutting the fabric into three parts and sewing it back together in such a way that it enabled more simple tying techniques and easier development of the product. In 1924, Langsdorf patented his creation, known today as the Tie.

Apparently there are 85 ways to knot a Cravat; however, only a dozen of them suit the usual notions of symmetry and balance when wearing it. The most recognized being the Single or Double Windsor, introduced by the Duke of Windsor, and the most popular shapes of Cravats being the elongated ones, bow ties and the ascot-tie.

My VIP Companion

Arianne St. Claire

The Buddha Bar Sound

Buddha Bar Paris






Raymond Visan, initially a worker in his family's duty free perfume business found his true calling was in the restaurant and entertainment industry. His culinary career began in the kitchens of some of Paris's finest restaurants, before leaving for Los Angeles to open a franchise of American style diners in 1985. Visan established himself quickly and before too long, opened the popular Barfly in Los Angeles, named after one of his favorite films. Inspired by his travels through Asia and a desire to bring the Asian Pacific Rim dining experience to Paris, Visan opened Buddha Bar in 1996.



As Buddha Bar became wildly popular in Paris, so did the music being played there. The Buddha Bar compilations have become so famous that a series of CD's (Buddha Bar I-X) are sold out of the restaurant and in a myriad of CD stores around the world.

The Buddha Bar sound was created by DJ Charles Challe and further developed by David Visan,who singularly fused deep oriental beats with contemporary rhythms, creating the exotic musical ambiance that is representative of Buddha Bar.

As you enter the warm intimate atmosphere, you will be intrigued by the giant smiling Buddha,whose height reaches just below the Mezzanine level. There you will find the dimly lit, cozy alcove areas where you can dine or enjoy drinks while observing the people gathered around illuminated tables in the open interior court restaurant below.



If you are fortunate enough to have secured a reservation, an attractive hostess will lead you down a spiral staircase to the main dining area. This is the ultimate place for people watching on the background of the open concept restaurant and the bar mezzanine blending above.

The service meets your expectation and the food is as eclectic as the environment is.

If you want to experience the uniqueness of Buddha Bar you will definitely want to explore their Japanese-California inspired menu.

Following your dinner, you can meander back up to the mezzanine level to people watch, sip on specialty martinis and dance the night away, surrounded by the exotic sounds of Buddha Bar.


Buddha Bar is definitely a place to go to enjoy the Parisienne atmosphere.


My VIP Companion

Arianne St. Claire

Rotterdam Home Design

Eckhart Interior Design Group- Rotterdam (Netherlands)

I truly appreciate quality Home Design, therefore, I must bring to your attention this creative company offering contemporary collections, and notable interior solutions for both home and office, based on professional consultations.

Eckhart has been established in this business since 1842 and is the authorized provider of novel and definitely pleasing design concepts for most of Europe's important furniture lines available on the fine taste market. Their large clientele ranges from Microsoft to architectural firms, as well as collectors.

From Marin Visser to Knoll International, they distribute leading designers. They are located in the heart of Rotterdam's business district.

My VIP Companion

Arianne St. Claire

Langoustines a la Provence

One of my favorite travel destinations is Provence and the Côte d'Azur, classically known as the Riviera. It has been the sought after playground for the socially established. It is a tapestry of world class museums, and architectural structures, that blend the traditional with the innovative.

Curious explorers from all over the world travel to the Riviera for the rich, rather exclusive shopping, diverse restaurants, exotic nightlife, history, culture and of course the beautiful Mediterranean beaches.

Two things that I thoroughly enjoy when traveling to the Riviera is the great food and great wine! As I enjoy cooking, I also like to share the recipes that I find. This one is courtesy of Les Société des Bains.

Langoustines a la Provence









Langoustines
(peeled shrimp/prawns)
olive oil
carrots mesculin
onion
celery
tomato
garlic
thyme
bay leaf
flat parsley
orange & lemon zest
salt
pepper
coca beans

Cut Langoustines into small pieces saute in a medium skillet with 1 tbsp of olive oil till light brown.

Transfer Langoustines to small platter and keep warm.

Heat garlic, orange and lemon zest in pot over medium heat for approximately. 8 minutes.

Add diced carrots, celery, onions and herbs.
Cook mixture, stirring occasionally

Remove bay leaf and sprig of thyme.
Add diced tomatoes and cocoa beans and simmer.

Spoon ragout over and around
Langoustines.

Enjoy!


My VIP Companion

Arianne St.Claire

East Meets West

Having lived around the world in various locations as well as traveled to some of the most remarkable places, I have fallen in love with the word 'culture'. It encompasses so many different things. And yet still I feel that all can strive to experience it further in our own way.

Recently, I spent a bit of time in S.E Asia, traveling through China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam. What an exquisite experience of diversity.

Karon Beach Phuket is an oasis with unspoiled white sand beaches, diverse restaurants, extensive recreational activities and statuesque resorts lining the beach road.

One particular resort in which I stayed while traveling through Thailand was the Centara Villas Resort. Situated on 22 hectares of natural jungle, high in the hills of the elegant Karon Beach, this haven is not only dazzling but is also a secluded romantic getaway.

Boasting 72 sea facing spacious, individual villas with large balconies overlooking the expansive gardens, two very inviting, terraced swimming pools, three appetizing restaurants, one of them being a casual, poolside bar and easy access to Karon beach makes this resort a perfect paradise.

I was also able to enjoy snorkeling, diving and a fishing and boat trip to some nearby islands.


A true retreat :-)

My VIP Companion

Arianne St. Claire