THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

Food for the heart

Food for the heart

Give your loved one a treat this Valentine’s Day with a hand-made chocolate delight and a sumptuous private dinner high in the sky

FIVE-STAR HOTEL The Peninsula Bangkok marks the month of love by offering sweethearts not just a dinner for two on its helipad but also creative gift-giving ideas that will leave your significant other in no doubt about your affections.
The hotel’s newly arrived executive pastry chef, Frenchman Nicolas Pelloie is behind the personalised gift-making idea and from tomorrow will be accepting bookings for his private chocolate workshops that run through the big day itself. 
A master patissier, Pelloie is a veteran of several Michelin-starred restaurants including Pierre of Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, the Lecture Room in London, Les Solistes of Waldorf Astoria in Germany and Robuchon Au Dome of Le Grand Lisboa Macao. 
A minimum of two persons is required for his 60-minute class and Pelloie will be demonstrating the art of making luxury confections from Belgian chocolate varieties, among them deZaan’s Obsession 30-per-cent white chocolate, Intense 35-per-cent milk chocolate and Sensation 72-per-cent dark chocolate.
Over the course of the workshop, you’ll learn how to create 16 heart-shaped, layered chocolates. It looks easy enough to coat a mould with pink chocolate but then you need to blend just the right quantities of fresh cream, raspberry puree, sugar, dark chocolate, mixed chocolate and butter over a low heat. 
You stir slowly to create a smooth ganache texture then wait until the chocolate cools before refrigerating it at precisely the right temperature. 
“We use chocolate from several regions that support sustainable cocoa plantations. To protect against melt, you need to keep the chocolate at an ambient room temperature of 25 degree Celsius,” Polloie explains. “Blending the ingredients slowly over a low heat is important but the real secret to success is to make it with love.”
After you’ve delighted your sweetheart with your chocolate gift, head to the holiday’s helipad where executive chef Michael Poutawa is offering a Valentine’s Day romantic dinner under the stars for one lucky couple complete with a bottle of Louis Roederer Champagne.
The impressive six-course set dinner starts with fresh Fin de Claire Oysters, topped with champagne caviar and served on a salt bed. The aphrodisiacs are followed by a cold appetiser plate of smooth Foie Gras Torchon served on chocolate soil and beautifully adorned with apricot chutney, toast bread, fresh strawberries, port wine jelly in apricot and raspberry sauce.
The chef’s delicious Pumpkin Soup is next and is said to be symbolic of a warm relationship. Topped with maple foam and hazelnut oil, it comes with pumpkinseed biscotti and cooked diced pumpkin, and is followed by two pan-seared scallops accompanied by broccoli apple horseradish puree, apple crisps, cauliflower beignets and sea salt. 
“I want to offer something sexy, fun and luxurious, hence the oysters with handmade champagne caviar and foie gras adorned with fresh strawberries,” Poutawa says. 
The main course blends surf with turf, a delicious medley of Angus Beef in truffle oil and beef jus paired with poached lobster on braised beef cheek, smooth truffle puree potato and baby carrots. 
To end the meal there’s Pelloie’s Exotic Passion – refreshing mango jelly layered with fresh mango mousse and caramel cremeux and served with mango sorbet.
“I chose the flavours that best fit Valentine’s Day. I like to use local products and of course mango and passion fruit are native to Thailand,” the patissier says.
 
ROMANCE IN THE AIR
The chocolate workshop is priced Bt4,000 per person (minimum two people per class) and runs from tomorrow through February 14. 
The Valentine’s Day Romantic Dinner under the Stars for one couple only is priced at Bt25,000 per a couple and goes for Bt190,000 with the additional Chao Phraya firework display from Japan and transport by Rolls Royce to and from the hotel.
To make a reservation, call (02) 020 2888 or email [email protected].
 
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