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Authentic Cooking Class Review: Backstreet Academy Laos

Review of Backstreet Academy’s Authentic Cooking Class in Luang Prabang, Laos

Southeast Asia boasts a crazy number of sensational travel destinations but there’s something about Luang Prabang, that sets it apart from the rest. Often overlooked due to a lack of coastline, Laos is an absolute hive of culture, architecture, religion, spirituality and sensational food and Luang Prabang is the epitome embodiment of all four. I’ve been in love with the place since I first visited, back in 2014, and it’s vibrant, colorful and enticing vibe is what lured me back just a few months ago.

I’d barely landed in Luang Prabang, a UNESCO-listed treasure set in a luscious lowland valley of northern Laos, and I’d already booked a cooking class. I was determined not to miss the chance to delve deeper into the roots of the country’s delightful cuisine this time around.

The delightfully tropical local cuisine is one of the country’s best assets and although I feasted with abandon on my first visit — I was determined to learn some wicked insider secrets so I could recreate the delicious flavors at home. Choosing the right cooking class was a no brainer: a traditional vegetarian Hmong authentic cooking class with Backstreet Academy was at the very top of my -must-do list.

I’d come across Backstreet Academy in Vientiane in 2014, when I joined an authentic cooking class with a friend – and blogged about it here –  and knew that I wanted to reach out to them again. This incredible agency impressed me from the get-go. They are run by locals for locals, with activities focusing mainly on the traditional aspects of local indigenous cultures in Southeast Asia.

With Backstreet Academy in Luang Prabang, for example, you can learn the ancient art of knife making, wood carving and basket weaving. You can get a behind-the-scenes look at rice farming and learn how to make the local wine. All classes are held in local villages and (what I loved most) Backstreet Academy employs ‘facilitators’ rather than professional guides. These are local students (often from university) who use the opportunity to improve their English language skills whilst providing a much-needed translation service. My first cooking class was epic and I was confident that my Luang Prabang experience would be equally priceless.

Authentic Cooking Class in Laos

It was a steaming hot, Luang Prabang afternoon. The mercury hit the high 90s and I was seriously considering rescheduling the authentic cooking class I had booked with a local Hmong family. Who on earth wants to create a feast over open hot coals in this kind of sizzling heat?! Then again, it’s never exactly cold in Luang Prabang so there’d be no point delaying the inevitably mouthwatering experience.

Before I knew it, my ride arrived. In a traditional Laotian mode of transport.

In less than 10 minutes we arrived at the modest traditional abode of a local Hmong family, who’d guide me through the afternoon’s cooking class.

 

About the Hmong

The Hmong tribe of Southeast Asia have remained essentially stateless for centuries. They were ousted from ancient China and migrated south, settling all over the region but, primarily, in Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar and Thailand, and many remained in the southern provinces of China, namely Sichuan, Yunnan and Guangxi. Although Hmong cuisine showcases great regional diversity, having incorporated local staples into their diet, they all have one thing in common: culinary traditions are handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth. The language itself was only put to paper in the mid-1950s! Typically, Hmong meals consist of steamed white rice (not the sticky variety that is most common in Laos) and a selection of mouthwatering dishes, most of which are vegetarian dips cooked with impressive amounts of fiery chilly.

Making Jeow Mak Keua  and Tum Mark Hoong

For my afternoon soiree with my host Hmong family, I had chosen to cook jeow mak keua (a smokey aubergine dip which I seek out daily when in Laos) tum mark hoong (spicy green papaya salad) and a dip made of rattan shoots, which I honestly didn’t even know was an edible food. Don’t you make furniture out of that?!

You could definitely use it as a weapon!

I’d requested that the family choose their favorite soup as the fourth dish to prepare and was delighted to see a bowl full of mushrooms when I arrived. Kang hed is a wild mushroom soup that’s usually only found in northern Laos.

Hue Lee, the manager of Backstreet Academy at Luang Prabang, was there to greet me as I arrived and he introduced me to the family who’d graciously agreed to host me for an afternoon. The cooking ‘station’ was set up outside and I could see the coal fire was already smoking. My lovely ‘host mum’ and I didn’t need too much help with communication, actually, as she showed me the ropes.

We roasted the eggplant, cut the onions, pounded the garlic and I was encouraged to include as many chilies as I wished, in every dish. I tried to impress my hosts by including handfuls of the hot stuff, knowing that their tolerance to spiciness would be considerable. And I only mildly regretted it later!

As suspected, the rattan shoots were the most fascinating ingredient of the day. Roasted, peeled and pound to a smooth paste, it was combined with minced garlic, salt and coriander to create a gloriously yummy – and ever so bitter – dip.

What surprised me, thinking in retrospect, was the fact that we actually never used a fat of any kind. No oil, no butter…nada. Just the smoked and roasted main ingredient (eggplant and rattan shoot) or shredded fresh ingredient (green papaya), combined with healthy doses of sashed garlic and coriander and, for the papaya salad, a couple of tablespoons of fish sauce, squeezed lime and shrimp paste, which made it absolutely mouthwatering.

The whole cooking process took about 2 hours and (for the best part!) concluded with a shared meal of everything we’d prepared. Needless to say, this was the best local meal I’ve ever had in Luang Prabang and somehow made even tastier by the shared experience with this gorgeous local family.

If you’re looking for something truly unique to do on your next visit to Luang Prabang, or really, anywhere in Laos, check out the offerings of Backstreet Academy and support this conscientious company. Providing an authentic cooking class experience to discerning foreigners whilst simultaneously securing an income for a local family.

A marvelous win-win if ever there was one.

Disclosure statement: As a Backstreet Academy Ambassador, I enjoyed this cooking class as a guest although was free to review the experience as I saw it. Yes, it was really THAT good and I’m immensely proud to be associated with such a socially-conscientious enterprise. The way I see it, these peer-to-peer tours take the commercial side of tourism away, leaving you with authentic cultural experiences whereby everyone benefits. My taste buds certainly did and I sincerely hope my host family enjoyed our shared afternoon just as much!

How to Recreate Unique Travel Food at Home

Discovering unique travel food from foreign countries you’ve never dreamed possible is half the fun of traveling. After diving into food classes and local markets, you may miss that favorite new dish when you’re back on familiar soil. What better way to take a trip down travel memory lane than recreating that dish once you’re back home?

Follow our tips outlined below for travel food and you can take your taste buds on vacation again and again —  right from the comfort of your own kitchen.

 

How to Recreate Unique Travel Food at Home

Start your research while you’re still traveling

The most important part of recreating travel flavors at home is to start your investigative journey whilst you’re still actually traveling. Take cooking classes, source authentic recipes, search for local English-written cookbooks and bring home the most essential ingredients, especially if you’ve never heard of them before. Everything back home will be a lot easier to source if you have detailed information and actual tangible ingredients to compare, as well as first-hand experience on how a dish is prepared. Locals the world over are always more than happy to enlighten you – and your taste buds – by helping you source out any travel food recipe or particular ingredient you’ve fallen in love with.

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How to find a local supplier: start local

Once you’re home and your precious supply of exotic spices is dwindling, it’s time to find a local supplier. First of all, it’s worth noting that just because an ingredient is foreign to you, it doesn’t mean you won’t find it at your local grocer’s. Our own local supermarkets can be full of surprises, especially as ethnic cuisines gain in popularity. Just a few years ago, you’d have to buy a return ticket to Jordan to restock your sumac supply but, nowadays, sumac is easily found alongside dried rosemary, thyme and basil at most supermarkets. So start with your local and most obvious choice first, before moving to dedicated exotic spice stores and specialty food stores nearby, which are only a Google search away.

Hone in on the foreign community closest to you

Your own wonderfully multi-cultural country is possibly a hub of delectable concoctions, with entire suburbs renowned for hosting specific communities, be they Italian, Vietnamese, Chinese, Mexican or Malay. Whatever dish you wish to recreate at home, start with its corresponding community that’s closest to you. Or, if one can’t be found, a restaurant which specializes in the desired cuisine. Go straight to the source and ask locals in the know (ie. restaurant owners and chefs) where they buy their supplies and the best dedicated grocery store can be found.

Find alternative travel food ingredients

Ginger is the best substitute for Cambodian galangal and, if for some reason you can’t find Moroccan ras el-hanout spice at your local store, you can easily make your own by grinding together coriander seeds, cumin, chilli, cinnamon, paprika, cardamom, ginger and turmeric. For just about every exotic ingredient you discover on your travels, you will find either a substitute back home or, better still, a recipe to make your own. So get creative with your Google search and become the resourceful chef you always knew you could be.

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Order ethnic spices and pastes online

When all else fails and you really couldn’t possibly recreate your travel flavor at home without a teaspoon of whatsitnot, then look for it online. There’s a ton of amazing online spice stores, some offering over 450 hard-to-find spices hailing from every corner of the globe. From SpiceJungle to SpicesInc and a head-spinning array of Amazon online stores, you could easily fill your pantry with all sorts of incredible spices and flavors, without ever leaving the comforts of home.

There’s no better way to relive an unforgettable journey – and to cure the post-holiday blues – than by recreating travel flavors at home. Because even if you can’t pack your bags and travel the world at a whim…it doesn’t mean your taste buds can’t! So enjoy your culinary journey and continue the feasting long after the vacation has ended with these handy recreation hacks.

7 Travel Apps to Help You Eat Like a Local and Avoid Tourist Traps

Discovering local food treasures in a new country rates as one of the best travel experiences you can have. Yet sometimes, no matter how much research you do, or how clever you think you are at spotting an authentic local eatery, falling victim to a tourist trap happens. Want to know how to eat like a local when traveling the world? Then tuck these nifty apps into your smartphone and take your taste buds on a delectable (and trap-free!) culinary adventure.

7 Travel Apps to Eat like a Local and Avoid Tourist Traps

  1. Meal Sharing Apps

Committed foodies have been rejoicing ever since virtual peer-to-peer agencies started to pop up on every corner of the globe. With these kinds of unique culinary experiences, you can hook up with a like-minded local who’ll prepare you an authentic local meal in his or her home. Think of it as a private dinner invitation where you pay a modest fee and, in return, you are guaranteed a local feast you’d be hard pressed to enjoy in a restaurant.

There are a ton of meal-sharing apps out there and although most are country or region specific, some are spreading their wings. The most comprehensive of these is EatWith, which has set up services in about 150 countries and now boasts over 500 chefs which have all been vetted. Check out TravelingSpoon to eat-off-the-beaten-path in Southeast Asia and Japan, with hosts offering home cooked meals as well as cooking classes and food tours. Download Cookapp if you’re headed to Argentina (now also includes a few cities in the US) and definitely use Home Food when visiting Italy. The brainchild of an Italian professor keen to help nurture traditional regional cuisine, Home Food encourages the preparation (and enjoyment!) of traditional dishes, the way nonna used to make.

  1. Colunching

A fantastic meet-up service that’s ideal for solo travelers, Colunching is set up in 20 countries worldwide, and lets members organize an informal group dining experience in authentic local eateries. A great way to make new friends and feast like a local when traveling, Colunching lets you tag along and even initiate a group meal out when traveling.

  1. LocalEats

An impressive directory of the best local restaurants on your phone for less than a dollar? Now that’s what we call a fantastic travel app! LocalEats prides itself on recommending only personally vetted independent restaurants that are a world away from your run-of-the-mill chain eateries. From delicious food stands to fine-dining establishments, LocalEats offers every dining experience imaginable all over the US and in over 50 cities abroad, sourcing info from local food bloggers, guides, travel writers, and restaurant critics. The handy GPS feature allows the app to notify you when an authentic dining experience is just around the corner.

  1. Field Trip

Keen to learn fun facts of your chosen destination while enjoying an authentic meal? Then Field Trip is for you. This handy app is a treasure trove of recommendations, from what to see and do, to where you can enjoy your next scrumptious local meal. The app bases its recommendations on your GPS location and sources its info from hidden-secret sites like Atlas Obscura, Zagat, EatOut and Spotted by Locals. You can set up your interest to only include eateries and the app will ping you when something utterly delicious pops up near you. Field Trip was launched by Google in 2013 and has now extended to operate in over 80 countries worldwide.

  1. Vayable

Vayable brings together a host of unique travel experiences and the most popular, by far, are its food-themed tours. From pizza-crawls in Rome to winery tours in Austria and cooking classes in Slovenia, Vayable connects you with local guides running personalized food tours and experiences, all over the world.

  1. Foodict

While Google Translate may come in handy when perusing menus in restaurants abroad, Foodict Gourmet Food Dictionary goes a lot further and includes thousands of food-specific translations of dishes and what they’re all about. The great thing about Foodict is that you can download the content and use it offline no matter where you are.

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  1. Foodspotting

What so many apps and sites offering recommendations for the best restaurants, it’s refreshing to find a service that hones in on specific dishes and where to find the best in town. With Foodspotting, you get personal recommendations, descriptions, and even photos of amazing dishes local foodies enjoy. Time Magazine has rated this one of the 50 best apps to download, and we couldn’t agree more. Foodspotting lets you see the best-rated dish in specific restaurants or entice you to travel far and wide to satisfy a unique craving. Currently, the app works extensively in the US, as well as several destinations in Europe and Asia.

Off the Beaten Path: The World’s Most Unique Coffee Experiences

To any coffee obsessed traveler, there’s nothing more rewarding than sitting at a local café — in some far-flung corner of the globe, off the beaten path — and enjoying a cup of coffee whilst people watching. There are some coffee experiences, all over the world, that are bona fide travel highlights in their own right. Keen to take your taste buds along for an unforgettable ride? Then you’d be well advised to add the following to your must-drink list.

From the smooth taste of an Italian ice cream coffee to the long and laborious Ethiopian coffee ceremony and some seriously questionable drops in Vietnam, Indonesia and Senegal, the world’s most unique coffee experiences are guaranteed to make you, and your taste buds, stand up to attention.

 

Off the Beaten Path: The World’s Most Unique Coffee Experiences

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Affogato, Italy

Italy is one of those countries where it’s literally impossible to have a bad coffee. You can order the wrong coffee, mind you (ordering a cappuccino after 11am is a cultural faux-pas bar none) but never a bad one. Long considered the world’s original and best coffee mecca, Italy boasts an extensive list of coffee options, including the ubiquitous short black (espresso), with a dash of liquor (caffé corretto) or with a splash of hot milk (macchiato). Our favorite coffee of all, however, would have to be the affogato, which is a shot of espresso poured over a scoop of vanilla gelato. On a hot summer’s day, and after spending hours on end wandering among millennia-old ruins, a sublimely creamy affogato is like a drink sent from the heavens.

Ethiopian

In Ethiopia, drinking coffee it isn’t something you do in an absentminded hurry. This gorgeous African country — the birthplace of coffee —  may indeed boast the most elaborate coffee ceremony in the world. Recognized as an intangible treasure of the local culture, the renowned Ethiopian coffee ceremony is a very social event, one that requires an audience and a lot of patience. The event can take hours from beginning to end and is preceded by a young woman dressed in traditional costume, who’ll wash the raw green coffee beans and roast them in a pan over an open fire, right in front of you. Once blackened, the beans are crushed by hand using a mortar and pestle, and the powder boiled with water in a heavy-based clay pot called a jebena. The resulting liquid is passed through a sieve several times before being finally served to expecting guests. Coffee is poured in small intricately hand-painted cups, and each participant is expected to drink three cups. Interestingly enough, coffee in Ethiopia is usually served alongside crunchy popcorn.

 

Cà Phê Trứng – Vietnam

Firmly in the ‘What the…?’ category of unique coffee experiences, the Vietnamese egg-coffee rates as one of the most unusual blends you could try in all of Southeast Asia. Cà Phê Trứng is a traditional coffee prepared with condensed milk, sugar, and beaten egg yolks, and although this may sound odd at first, you’ll be surprised just how deliciously smooth and rich the taste really is.

In the preparation of this coffee, the egg yolks are beaten vigorously with the condensed milk and sugar, creating a fluffy cream that’s not unlike custard. The cream is then dolloped in a glass and a shot of unsweetened coffee poured over it. Due to the density of the cream, the coffee tends to settle at the bottom, so every sip delivers a mouthful of silky cream mixed with strong coffee. As an after-meal drink, Cà Phê Trứng is simply superb, especially if you’re craving a sweet treat. Cà Phê Trứng was invented in Hanoi in the 1940s and although this variant is nowadays found all over Vietnam, it is still best enjoyed in the country’s capital where you’ll find quite a number of dedicated egg-coffee shops.

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Mazagran – Portugal

Originally from northern Africa, Mazagran is a cold coffee and lemon drink that seems to be taking over most of Western Europe. Legend has it that members of the French Foreign Legion stationed at the Mazagran Fortress in Algeria in the 1840s brought home an impromptu coffee concoction they created, using lemon juice, sugar, ice cubes and rum. Not long after, a few Parisian cafés started serving the refreshingly unique beverage, minus the alcohol. Fast forward a century and a half and it’s next door, in Portugal, where you’ll find Mazagran served and marketed as an iced coffee lemonade, sometimes with the addition of sparkling iced water for added bubbles.

 

Café Touba – Senegal

Need a serious coffee hit to wake up in the morning? Then a shot of Senegalese café touba may be just the morning drink you need. Prepared with a generous serving of freshly ground Guinea black pepper, which is roasted alongside the coffee beans, café touba is swiftly becoming the drink of choice throughout all of Western Africa. It’s become  so popular that Nestle reacted to a drastic decrease in the amount of Nescafe sold there by creating and marketing a ‘spiced coffee’ instant blend in the region.

To prepare a café touba, the coffee beans are roasted alongside a specific type of African black pepper (called djar). The powder mix is then boiled, sweetened, and filtered. In Dakar, you’ll come across a multitude of touba stands and although we urge you to try a cup of the intense, sweet and spicy brew, we also urge you to have a bottle of water at the ready. That first sip can be quite breathtaking! Said to have wonderful medicinal properties, touba is part and parcel of Senegalese culture nowadays and you just can’t visit without trying it at least once.

Kopi Luwak – Indonesia

Widely reputed to be the most expensive (and questionable) coffee in the world, kopi Luwak is made using coffee beans which have been eaten, digested and secreted by Asian civet cats, known as Luwaks in Indonesia.

The production of the world-renowned Luwak coffee started in Indonesia in the colonial 1800s when local Indonesians were forbidden from consuming the coffee beans they farmed because all had to be exported to Europe. In their coffee-withdrawal desperation (OK, we all get that!) local farmers resorted to collecting partially-digested coffee seeds which had been eaten and secreted by civets. Soon enough, the Dutch farmers came to taste and enjoy this special brew and the rest, as they say, is coffee history.

Civets love the pulpy flesh inside coffee beans and the seeds pass through their digestive system untouched. Proponents say the digestion process adds a unique taste to the coffee, yet critics say any roasting would surely rid the seeds of that. Instead, it is claimed that the smooth taste of a good cup of Luwak coffee is simply due to the civet’s propensity for only picking the best and juiciest coffee berries in the first place. In Asia, and indeed the rest of the world, Luwak coffee has a dubious reputation. The novelty factor alone would certainly make it worth a try, yet nowadays unscrupulous farming practices in the region – which see civets kept in deplorable caging conditions and force-fed coffee beans – make it difficult to pinpoint an authentic coffee made from beans collected in the wild. Still, as far as crazy coffee experiences go, a cup made from beans pooped out by a wild cat rates right up there among the most unique coffee experiences in the world.  

Cooking on the Trail: Tips from a Veteran Backpacker

Planning to backpack the world or hitting the road in your camper? There are a few things you should know about cooking good meals while camping. 

With a little time and a lot of imagination, you can create some truly amazing meals while camping. Combine a few basic dry ingredients with fresh produce you can buy on the road, and you can create a surprising array of tasty epicurean treats. Because cans of baked beans are fine occasionally, but your taste buds will demand variety when you’re out exploring the world.

I’ll give you a couple of camping cooking tips which I’ve learned along the way. For some easy-on-the-trail recipes, see my post with camping recipes.

Dehydrated meals have their time and place – There’s a very good reason dehydrated meals are popular with backpackers, campers, and hikers. They weigh next to nothing, need only a two-minute soak in boiling water to cook and are relatively filling. If you’re off on a multi-day hike in remote wilderness, dehydrated meals can be a (literal) lifesaver. However, unless you are that desperate for food and out in the wilderness on foot for many days on end, then forget dehydrated meals. There are plenty of healthier camping recipe options out there, which only require a few extra minutes to prepare.

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Keep it simple. 

My daily staple camper recipe includes one vegetable, be it an aubergine, a zucchini or a bunch of fresh spinach, one protein source (fresh meat, one piece of fish or a can of lentils or tuna) and one carbohydrate, which is usually one potato, a serve of pasta, half a cup of rice or one bread roll.

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Go fresh as often as possible.

Shopping at wet markets for daily fresh ingredients is one of the things I love most about traveling the world. I discover weird and wonderful new produce, mingle with locals and ensure I load up on my daily dose of vitamins. Although you can carry a few days’ worth of fresh veggies, it is best if you can buy one a day, as it saves you space in your backpack and any squishing problems. When buying meat or fish, I prefer to buy them frozen in the morning (pack in 2 plastic bags) and by the time dinner comes around they’re perfectly defrosted and ready to be cooked.

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Spice up your life. 

My entire camping recipe repertoire would cease to exist without my extensive array of exotic spices. From Moroccan to Italian, Indian, Mexican and Chinese All Spice, my ‘mobile spice rack’ is my ultimate cooking savior and creator. There’s not a dish in the world that can’t be improved with garlic salt, dried onion flakes and one exotic spice of sorts. Rotate daily and you can seriously eat the same meal everyday (chicken, vegetable, and couscous, for example) and feel like you’re enjoying a varied and exotic culinary itinerary.

Love thy cheese. 

Tasty, filling and a great source of both calcium and protein, cheese has become a staple in my backpack over the last few years. This is especially true of stinky cheeses, which keep well outside of the fridge and actually get better as the days pass. A good sprinkle of pecorino cheese or chunk of gruyere in your dinner stew and your taste buds will be jumping for joy.

 

Ready to fire up the camp stove? Here are a few fantastic camping recipes to try next time you hit the road.

Delicious Camping & Backpacking Recipes

Planning to backpack the world or hitting the road in your camper? Here are a few staple backpacking recipes you’ll love to make when you’re out enjoying the wilderness.

Beef Stroganoff

There are a few one-pot wonder meals I make on a regular basis and this beef stroganoff is one of them. Double the mushrooms and skip the beef for a scrumptious and filling vegetarian camping recipe option. I prefer to use dehydrated mushrooms because they keep so well in my backpack and cook a full pot which feeds two of us. If traveling alone, make sure you always have an empty Tupperware container for leftovers. This stroganoff makes for a wicked next-day lunch on the run.

Beef Stroganoff
 
Ingredients
  • 200gms (1/2 lb.) beef strips
  • 1 cup dehydrated mushrooms
  • 1 brown onion, finely diced
  • 8 oz sour cream (1 tub)
  • 2 tbsp grated cheese
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 mushroom stock cube
  • 200gms (1/2 lb.) pasta spirals
  • 2 tbsp cooking oil
Instructions
  1. Heat up the oil in your camping skillet and brown the onions and beef together, until onions have softened
  2. Add the mushrooms and fry for 2 minutes
  3. Add the water and stock cube and stir until cube has dissolved
  4. Bring the mix to a boil, stirring frequently to prevent sticking
  5. Add the pasta and cook for 7-8 minutes until it is al dente. Stir often to ensure that all noodles cook evenly
  6. Add the sour cream and simmer for an additional 2 minutes, stirring well. Salt and pepper to taste
  7. Turn your camp stove off and serve immediately!
 

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Smokey bacon & eggs

One of the best things about camping out in nature is waking up to a smokin’ hot serve of this scrumptious bacon and eggs. Make sure you have a pack of aluminum foil in your backpack – it’s a genius multitasking tool that acts as a pot lid, leftover container, and cooking pot – and your breakfast will cook splendidly over a roaring campfire.

Campfire Bacon & Eggs
 
Ingredients
  • Large square of aluminum foil
  • 2 fresh eggs
  • 3 bacon rashers
  • Garlic Salt and Pepper
Instructions
  1. Lay out three rashers of bacon on a generous square of aluminum foil, bending the sides in to create a pocket
  2. Crack 2 eggs on top of the bacon
  3. Wrap up the foil pocket up at the top, around a long wooden stick
  4. Hold your parcel of yumminess over a campfire and cook for approximately 5 minutes. It really doesn’t take long for this to cook over an open flame as foil is an excellent conductor
  5. Devour on its own or in a bread roll
 

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Orange Blueberry Muffins

I came across this recipe on ApronStringsBlog a couple of years ago and although skeptical at first, thinking the muffins would turn out to be a hellish mess, they actually turned out stupendously well.

For those lazy camping days when a preparing a sweet treat over the campfire becomes the day’s main event, this camping recipe really hits the sweet spot.

Orange Blueberry Muffins
 
Ingredients
  • 1 pack blueberry muffin mix
  • 6 oranges
  • 18 Aluminum foil squares
Instructions
  1. Prepare the muffin mix as per packet instructions
  2. Cut up the oranges, scooping out the flesh and preserving in a container for straining and drinking later on
  3. Fill one half of every orange with one tablespoon of muffin mix, top with half an empty orange
  4. Wrap each orange in three aluminum squares
  5. Place directly on campfire and cook for 10 minutes, turning them over and moving them every minute or so
  6. Remove from fire, unwrap carefully and savor them up with a spoon
 

Tortilla Pizza

Along with eggs, whole-wheat flour tortillas are a staple which I carry all the time. They take up little space and are about as versatile a food item as you will find. Filled with savory or sweet treats, the trusted tortilla wrap works great at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Plus, they make for ideal pizza bases! If there’s one camping recipe that’s guarantee to top off a brilliant camping day, then pizza would definitely be it.

Tortilla Pizza
 
Ingredients
  • 4 tortillas
  • 1 small can tomato puree
  • ½ cup water
  • Italian mixed herbs
  • Grated cheese
  • Your toppings of choice (shredded ham, black olives, salami, diced peppers etc)
  • Aluminum foil
Instructions
  1. Prepare your pizza sauce by adding ½ cup of water to the tomato puree in a bowl, and sprinkle a good dose of Italian herbs
  2. Cut the aluminum foil into squares about twice the size of the tortillas
  3. Place one tortilla in the center of a foil square, spread one tablespoon of pizza sauce and sprinkle with your favorite toppings, finishing off with some grated cheese
  4. Wrap the foil around the tortilla, ensuring the top of the foil does not touch the pizza toppings at all
  5. Place the parcel on the edge of the campfire and allow to cook for about 7-8 minutes
  6. Carefully remove from fire, unwrap…and devour!
 

 

 

The Empanada: A Twist on Fast Food

Skip the takeout, skip the drive-thru, with just a little bit of a prep (and some freezer space) you can have a satisfying fast food with exotic flavors — the empanada. Prep some of these empanadas (it’s easy, we’ll show you), freeze, and then reheat anytime you want a snack or meal that’s great tasting, great for you, but just as easy as pizza rolls.

 There’s probably not a country in the world that doesn’t boast a version of the empanada, a Latin American dough-pocket which can be baked or fried and comes filled with a kaleidoscope of savory or sweet ingredients. So ubiquitous is this delicious treat the world over that its origins are still ambiguous. Some claim it was a Galician specialty imported to Latin America by the Spanish, others firmly attest to it being an Arabic treat and a few believe the humble empanada is nothing more than a Latino version of the Indian samosa. Whatever the case may be, or may have been, the modern empanada is a bona fide part of South American culture and one of the most revered treats by all who travel through the continent. Argentina, Chile and Peru claim top honors for the ‘best of the best’ empanadas and you’d be wise to agree – depending on whichever country you find yourself in, naturally – lest you start a cultural confrontation. Rest assured that wars in South America have started from far less.

The great thing about empanadas is that they are easy to replicate back home, especially when you adopt a couple of shortcuts. Sealing them with a creative twist of the dough is an art form, something which South Americans take much pride in. At home, of course, you can simply curl the edges together or even use a dessert fork to squeeze the dough. The only thing that matters is that the empanadas are sealed well, so as to prevent a filling lava flow in your oven or frying pan.  

If you’ve traveled extensively through Latin America, you will no doubt have tried different variations of empanadas. To help you bring the flavors of your journey home, here we offer a variety of filling options for you to try.

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Empanada Dough

Empanada Dough
 
Ingredients
  • 500gm plain flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. sea salt
  • 150gms butter, chilled
  • 2 beaten eggs
  • Cold, filtered water
Instructions
  1. Combine the flour, baking powder and sea salt in a bowl
  2. Grate the butter and rub it into the flour mix using your hands, until mix resembles breadcrumbs
  3. Add enough cold water – a little at a time- until the dough comes together to form a smooth dough
  4. Wrap it in cling film and store in the fridge
  5. When ready to use, roll the dough on a floured surface and divide into 12-14 equal portions
  6. Thin each portion with rolling pin (but not too thin), and trim the edges to make even discs
  7. Place one tablespoon of your desired filling into the center of each disc, brush the edges with beaten egg and fold to close, pinching the edges to seal
 

Empanada Filling

As far as I’m concerned, there should be very few rules which pertain to empanada fillings. In South America, the argument over raisins (to include or not to include?) is a matter of extreme importance. In my mouth, however, it is not! Include what you have, what you love, or whatever is in your fridge or in season. When it comes to delectable empanadas…anything goes!

The following traditional beef empanada filling recipe is the ‘mother ship’ recipe, if you will. This is the most traditional version of the mouthwatering treat, from whence all other versions spawn. You will find these empanadas, baked rather than fried, served all over Argentina.

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Traditional Beef Empanadas

Traditional Beef Empanada
 
Ingredients
  • 250grm lean beef mince
  • 2 onions, finely diced
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • Chopped black olives (only a few pieces to be used in each empanada)
  • Hard-boiled eggs cut into quarters (1 quarter per empanada)
  • ¼ cup vegetable broth
  • Olive oil for cooking
  • 1 tbsp flour
  • Salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, paprika to desired taste
Instructions
  1. Brown the mince and set aside, draining the fat
  2. In a pan, brown the onions until translucent, add the spices and broth and cook for 2 minutes. Add the flour to thicken the sauce and cook on low heat for a further 3-4 minutes
  3. Allow mince mix to cool completely before using
  4. When ready to bake, spoon 1 tablespoon of beef mince mix in the center of each empanada discs, top with a quarter egg and black olive pieces
  5. Close and seal the empanadas, brush the top of each empanada with beaten egg and bake for 25-30 minutes if using real dough (20 mins for puff pastry), in an oven pre-heated to 375°F
 

Empanada Variations:

Chilean Empanadas: the delightful sweetness of Chilean empanadas comes from the addition of raisins, only 2 of which you should add right at the end, along with the olives.

Bolivian Empanadas: small yellow chillies are added to the beef, making Bolivian empanadas the spiciest of the lot. In Bolivia, empanadas are called salteñas and are usually fried rather than baked. They also usually include boiled potatoes and peas. Yes, it’s astonishing just how much food can fit into a dough-pocket the size of your palm! For this reason alone, salteñas are my go-to snack of choice when traveling through Bolivia on arduous long-haul bus rides. One can fill me up for hours.

Colombian Empanadas: Colombians take a little from both above mentioned recipes, mixing potatoes with onions.

Venezuelan Empanadas: For a true Venezuelan empanada, add black beans and fried plantains. Black beans and fresh cheese varieties are also very popular.

Ecuadorian Empanadas: Ecuador boasts perhaps the most varied collection of regional empanadas. Given that the country has such contrasting geographical attributes (from the high Andes to the coast and all the way to the Amazon) the filling options abound, depending on where you travel. My favorite Ecuadorian empanada is one filled with a generous chunk of pecorino cheese, fried, and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.

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Sweet Empanadas

Sweet empanadas are the perfect dessert and can be eaten on the fly or enjoyed leisurely along with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. My favorite sweet empanada recipe comes from my dear friend Peggy Bright, exceptional cook and author of CookingOnPage32. I’ve borrowed this recipe from one of the many cookbooks which adorn her living room. I can’t wait to try and make these myself!

Peruvian Mini Apple Empanadas

Peruvian Mini Apple Empanadas
 
Ingredients
  • 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • 4 tart apples, such as Granny Smith
  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • ¼ tsp. ground cloves
  • ¼ tsp. grated nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • Zest and juice of 1 lime
  • 1 package puff pastry
  • 1 tsp. flour
  • Confectioner’s sugar for dusting
Instructions
  1. Heat a saucepan and add butter and brown sugar, cooking until the sugar has melted.
  2. Add apples, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt, the lime zest and juice, stirring every few minutes.
  3. Close and seal the empanadas and bake for 25-30 minutes if using real dough (20 mins for puff pastry), in an oven pre-heated to 375°F. Don’t forget to sprinkle with sugar before baking, for a most deliciously glazed result.
 

Bonus Empanadas Tip

Empanadas freeze exceptionally well, although only if you freeze them uncooked and cook them straight from the freezer. Don’t thaw out to room temperature or you’ll end up with a soggy mess. Same can be said for empanadas which are cooked and then frozen. To freeze, simply lay unbaked empanadas on a tray lined with baking-paper and place in freezer until they’re solid. Once frozen, you can transfer them to a freezer bag and they won’t stick together.

Best 5 Travel Destinations to Find Yourself

The Best Travel Destinations to Find Yourself – your guide to push you out of your comfort zone, disconnect from the world, and gain a new perspective on life.

Nowadays, heading off to explore the world in order to ‘find yourself’ has become a hot trend. Whilst some experienced travelers roll their eyes at the phrase, it’s undeniable that travels to far-off destinations have the potential to revolutionize the way one thinks and feels.

A life changing journey is usually taken to a part of the world that is drastically different to home. Experiencing different cultures, languages, and lives, in general, has a wonderful way of making you question and analyze everything about you. Traveling alone is also a must. When you are forced to rely only on your resourcefulness — you can really find yourself, take control of your life, and realize what it is that makes you happy.

If a life-changing journey appeals to you, here are some destinations to look.

  1. Sumatra, Indonesia

    Bali has become synonymous with inspirational and esoteric travels, the kind of place where you go to yoga, namaste and find yourself, with the help of a few exotic cocktails. The only problem with Bali is that it’s become so mainstream that, no matter where you go, you’ll undoubtedly come across approximately 3.1 million foreign tourists looking to do the same. This kind of crowd and popularity defeats the whole purpose, as far as I’m concerned. So go to Sumatra instead. This spectacular Indonesian island offers everything you need for an adventure that’ll blow your mind. The nature is resplendent, English is not widely spoken, tourists are few and far between and the internet connection, the rare times you find it, is simply woeful. This makes it the ideal destination if you want to disconnect from the world and have an introspective travel experience. Hike in search of elusive orangutans, climb the peak of stunning volcanoes and cast your eyes on startling sandy beaches with nary another surfer in sight. And when you need to regroup, head to Lake Toba for good wholesome food and a chat with just a few like-minded adventurous travelers. Perfection.

  2. Patagonia, South AmericaPatagonia, South America, travel, TropicsGourmet

    The southern tip of South America is usually referred to as ‘the end of the world’ and when you’re there it will certainly feel like it. The utterly mesmerizing nature is soul-reviving. In places like the Tierra del Fuego National Park, the colors of the landscape will have you rubbing your eyes in disbelief. Mother Nature boasts a color palette down here that’s simply incredible. Patagonia also happens to be one of the more remote and hard to reach destinations in the southern American continent, and a place where the rest of the world feels nonexistent. Hike the vertiginous peaks of Torres del Paine, explore every nook of the Lakes Region of Argentina and, as you stand on the harbor of Ushuaia, consider hopping on an expedition ship to Antarctica, the last truly unspoilt continent on earth. This is the best destination if you want to get off the grid, test yourself physically and feel like an old-world explorer.

  3. Costa Rica

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    One of Central America’s most popular destinations is a wonderful compromise for those who wish to find somewhere close to home, safe, and offering an array of fun and adventurous travel experiences. One of the world’s most biodiverse nations, Costa Rica is an active traveler’s dream, with ziplining, whitewater rafting, mountain hiking and cycling and wildlife spotting part of everyday life. For adrenalin-pumping adventures far removed from the banality of everyday life at home, Costa Rica is a treasure. Plus, there’s no better place to find yourself than soaking up the therapeutic effects of a hot volcanic thermal pool.  There are even those who came to find themselves and stayed to help others do the same!

  4. Spitzbergen, Norway

    From the balmy climate of the tropics to the brutal colds of the Arctic: you’ll be surprised what a colossal shock to the system will do for your wellbeing. The easiest Arctic destination to reach and a polar bear’s divine playground, Spitzbergen is that final frontier you’ll need to experience, when you wish to totally explode out of your comfort zone. Go in winter to marvel at the Northern Lights, or in summer to cruise the breathtaking fjords. No matter when you go, you’re bound to enter a white wonderland that’ll offer you the peace and quiet you need to find yourself. The climate is harsh at best, the infrastructure is minimal and adventures in the world’s craziest wilderness are plentiful. The ideal combination for an out-of-this-world travel experience.

  5. Kruger National Park, South Africa

    Although South Africans do speak English and the country is exceptionally modern, the largest wildlife reserve is big enough to enjoy some salutary aloneness in an animal world that is totally spellbinding. The best way to experience Kruger? Fly in, rent a fully kitted 4WD camper, buy a weeklong Kruger pass and get lost (and found again) in the most glorious animal kingdom on our planet. Next, wake up with a lion on your bonnet. When living in a reality where you are considered lunch, you simply can’t help but gain a new perspective on life. Africa is one of those places which offers life-changing experiences, and a week spent immersed in its most revered wildlife park is your express ticket to a new and enlightened you.

 

Your Travel Guide to Spring Break Adventures Off the Beaten Path

Drinking to excess on sun-soaked beaches are wonderful — if that’s what you’re looking for. But if you’ve outgrown frat-boy parties and wet t-shirt contests, you may be searching for a more meaningful or impactful spring break (that you’ll actually remember!). Cruise our travel guide for some unique spring break adventures that are off the beaten path. 

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Get SCUBA certified on the Komodo Islands of Indonesia

The Indonesian hub of Bali is swiftly becoming popular with spring break travelers, and although we wouldn’t begrudge its appeal (from ankle-deep snow to tropical bliss in just a day!) there are certainly plenty more fish in the sea. Pardon the pun. Indonesia, in fact, has over 15,000 insanely enticing islands to explore, and the islands of the Komodo Marine National Park rate as some of the best. This superlative UNESCO-listed archipelago is home of the magnificent Komodo dragon, the largest lizard on our planet, and boasts one of the world’s richest marine biodiversity. SCUBA-certification trips to unspoilt coral reefs, meeting schools of tropical fish, the ever-elusive manta rays and reef sharks, is an out-of-this-world spring break experience. Although many people base themselves in Labuan Bajo on Flores Island and take day trips to various dive sites every day, we recommend you plan a liveaboard experience to make the most out of your spring break in Indonesia.

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Explore off the beaten path in the Amazon Jungle in Rurrenabaque, Bolivia

A multitude of nature lovers on spring break head to Costa Rica for a week of jungle experiences. Bona fide travel explorers and nature fanatics, however, choose to dive into the heart of the Amazon rainforest instead. In Bolivia’s Rurrenabaque, a remote and fascinating place about as far away from civilization as one could get, you’ll find your springboard to fantastic jungle experiences. From La Paz, the Bolivian capital, you must hop on a 6-seater plane, fly over the highest peak of the Andes Mountains, land on a strip of grass in the jungle basin and take a 4-hour SUV & canoe transfer to reach a smattering of incredible jungle lodges. These, by the way, are nothing more than simple cabanas on stilts. What a Bolivian Amazon experience lacks in comforts and luxury it more than makes up for in wilderness and wildlife perfection. Sloths, pink-bellied dolphins, caimans, howler monkeys and an infinite array of other creatures will be your daily companions, as you walk and canoe your way through impenetrable forests and ethereal waterways. This is one of the most remote – and expensive – places to visit in South America, but if you’re looking for a life-changing wilderness experience then it’s also one of the very best.

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Take a historical tour de force in Colombia

The hit Netflix show, Narcos, may have caused a resurgence in interest in Colombia, a country which was – once upon a time – plagued by crime and drugs. Yet the country has actually been one of the most rewarding off-the-beaten-path spring break destinations for a number of years now, and recognized as one of the most culturally immersive places to visit in South America. The capital, Bogota, is only a 3-hour plane ride away from Florida and is the ideal base from where to explore the rest of the country. As vibrant and interesting as Bogota is, however, Cartagena is the city you really ought to spend most of your time discovering. This is one of the most revered destinations for US families wishing to experience a spring break vacation with a little more substance.

A UNESCO-listed architectural and historical gem, Cartagena boasts one of the best-preserved colonial Old Town Centers in all of the Americas. Stay in the heart of town for an added dash of old-school romance, or stay in Getsemani – a tried and tested backpacker haunt – and even the beach hood of Bocagrande, which is only a half-hour’s walk away from Old Town. Easter celebrations in Colombia are the largest and most important of the year, with the Good Friday procession a vibrant and culturally-enriched affair. Take a week or 10- day tour of Colombia and you’ll come home with a host of incredible experiences under your belt, as well as an enviable suntan.

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Tackle an African safari on an overland expedition

Spring break adventures don’t come much better than on an African safari, yet if you think that driving around in a nondescript SUV, just one of two dozen vehicles looking out for a lion, then you obviously haven’t heard of overlanding adventure tours. With unique tour companies like Overlanding West Africa, you get to experience a side of Africa not many get to and have the chance to see off the beaten path attractions and have more in-depth cultural experiences with locals. On a tour, you get a professional and expert travel guide to take care of all the logistics and your own totally cool expedition truck to take you away from the hustle of tourist-ville. The Dakar to Marrakech tour stretches for a month starting from 17th April, which would require additional holiday time, yet know that there are at least a dozen other African overland companies running shorter tours throughout all of Africa. If your heart is set on endless savannah plains and roars of wild lions, then trust your travel agent to find you an available seat on an African adventure truck.

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So take your next school vacation up a notch and follow our travel guide to a totally AWESOME and unique spring break adventure.

3 Chocolate Valentine’s Day Recipes that Aren’t Candy

As the world’s most beloved treat and fabled aphrodisiac, chocolate has been at the melting heart of Valentine’s Day celebrations since time immemorial. To help you celebrate lover’s day, we serve up a collection of our favorite Valentine’s Day chocolate recipes. Happy swooning!

Chocolate has come a long way since the days of the ancient Mesoamericans. Over 3,000 years ago in Mexico, the Aztecs and Mayas used cocoa powder to concoct frothy bitter drinks in which only the elite could afford to indulge. Nowadays, of course, chocolate is everywhere. And very good quality chocolate at that. No longer are we just gobbling sugar-laden chocolate down with abandon, or only using it to satisfy our sweet cravings. Our discerning tastes have spawned a new chocolate era where top-quality cacao, coupled with amazing and at times even unusual ingredients, is used with awe-inspiring creativity. Never more so than on Valentine’s Day, the most celebrated ‘perfect match occasion’ to decadent chocolate feasting.

Following are a few delectable chocolate recipes for a most unforgettable Valentine’s Day. From ancient Mexico all the way to your modern kitchen.

Spicy Chocolate Chicken – Pollo Mole

Traditionally, a Mexican pollo mole takes hours of painstaking cooking to prepare, but if there’s one thing which is guaranteed to kill any romantic feelings on Valentine’s Day, is having to slave over a hot stove for hours. So, to this end, we bring you a quick and easy spicy chocolate chicken dish which brings you all the flavors of this incredible tropical dish, minus all the hard work. Top it with freshly chopped coriander and a squeeze of lime and you’ll be in culinary heaven.

Spicy Chocolate Chicken - Pollo Mole
 
Ingredients
  • 1 pound diced chicken thigh fillets
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 2 minced garlic cloves
  • 1 celery stalk, finely diced
  • 1 carrot, finely diced
  • 3 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp chipotle chili powder
  • ½ jalapeno, seeded and diced (more or less depending on your personal preference)
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (the ‘balsamic’ taste dissipated and a sweet & salty twang remains)
  • 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
  • 1 cup freshly chopped coriander & 1 lime, squeezed
  • 8 flour tortillas
Spices:
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin powder
  • ½ tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp red chili pepper flakes
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • 1½ teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Season chicken with salt and pepper and brown in a little oil over a medium flame.
  2. Once browned, add all other ingredients and simmer, over a low heat, for about 45 minutes.
  3. Turn the flame off and allow to cool slightly before tasting. Only when slightly cooled will you get a feel for spiciness and saltiness. Adjust spices to taste and reheat before serving.
  4. Top with freshly chopped coriander and lime juice and serve with toasted tortillas.
 

Chocolate Marinated Pork Ribs

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A luscious marinade of bitter cocoa married with a heady concoction of warm spices like cinnamon, chilli and oregano. Perfect for mouthwatering grilled baby back ribs.

Chocolate Marinated Pork Ribs
 
Ingredients
  • 2 racks pork baby back ribs
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1⁄3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1⁄2 cup unrefined sugar
  • 2 tbsp chili powder
  • 2 tbsp rock salt
  • ½ onion, grated
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 tbsp dried mustard
  • 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
  • 2 tsp cinnamon powder
  • 1 tsp allspice powder
Instructions
  1. Combine all the ingredients except the ribs in a deep bowl and mix thoroughly.
  2. Rub the ribs with the marinade, preferably with your hands, massaging the meat with the chocolate bath for a few minutes.
  3. Wrap the marinated ribs with plastic wraps and refrigerate overnight.
  4. On Valentine’s Day, take the ribs out of the fridge a couple of hours before you want to cook them.
  5. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.
  6. Bake the ribs on baking paper for about 45 minutes. Turn once, increase temperature to 450, and finish baking for 15 more minutes.
  7. Serve ribs with your favorite potato mash & salad.
 

 

Bacon & Dark Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes

I first came across the chocolate and bacon combination at a Naughty Nuri’s in Malaysia years ago and never forgot the experience. When I first spotted the sizzling bacon chocolate cake on the menu I hesitated, of course, but curiosity won over and my taste buds were so glad it did. The love affair between crunchy salty bacon and deep dark chocolate is absolutely out of this world. Why not try it and see?

Because bacon!

 

Bacon & Dark Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes
 
Ingredients
Cupcakes
  • 1½ cups softened butter
  • 3 cups white sugar
  • 5 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup dark cocoa powder
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1¼ cup buttermilk
Ganache
  • 2 bacon rashers
  • 1 part butter, melted
  • 2 parts dark chocolate
Instructions
Cupcakes
  1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F and grease a muffin tray
  2. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
  3. In another bowl, combine the butter and sugar and cream until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well, adding the vanilla essence with the last egg.
  4. Add half the buttermilk to the egg mix and blend well, before adding half the flour mix and doing the same. Continue alternating until all is thoroughly mixed. Pour batter into the muffin form and bake for 15-20 minutes.
Ganache
  1. Cook the bacon in a little oil until crispy, remove, allow to cool and roughly dice into small pieces.
  2. In the same pan – and without cleaning it – add the butter and stir well to pick up the bacon grease.
  3. Add the dark chocolate to the pan and stir continuously until all is melted. Mix in half the bacon bits and set aside to cool completely.
  4. Once cooled, whip the ganache with a hand mixture until fluffy and aerated.
  5. Cover the top of each muffin with the ganache and sprinkle the remaining bacon bits over the top.
  6. Serve to your beloved at the end of your sumptuous Valentine’s Day dinner!