Get creative this Easter season!

Photo of Terri by Haydn Cattach http://haydncattach.com/ It’s nearly Easter time! When we think of Easter, we inevitably think of eggs… and chocolate. In the 19th century, traditional gifts of hand painted eggs and delicious egg-y cakes were given but have since been replaced by incredibly fancy decorative Fabergé eggs, and later, the tasty shop-bought chocolate egg. Now, the supermarket shelves are stacked with chocolate Easter eggs, but have you ever thought of making your own?

This Easter, treat your friends and family to some original hand-made chocolate gifts.

Our gifted chocolatier, Terri, presents fun and hands-on Easter egg making workshops.  Originally from Australia, Terri is an artisan pastry chef and chocolatier who has worked internationally with some of the world’s best chefs. In these intimate lessons you will learn how to temper chocolate, create chocolate designs and decorate Easter eggs like a pro.  Make your very own Easter egg to give as a gift or to keep for yourself. So what are you waiting for? Contact us now to book Terri.

We got "saucy" with Samsung

Our project with Samsung Galor personal chef service At Galor personal chef service we have a great talent bank of highly skilled demonstration chefs for food festivals, outdoors and indoor cookery events, private & corporate events, PR and much more. Demonstration chefs are perfect for all types of occasions and in-home demonstrations are a delicious new kind of entertainment experience. Galor’s demonstration chefs will create a glorious meal right before your eyes that is then served to you at your table to enjoy. Hugh, one of our demonstration chefs, trained enthusiastic amateurs employed by Samsung. He describes his experience here: "It is a real treat for me as a chef to be able to travel and train other chefs.   The opportunity to train enthusiastic amatuer chefs employed by Samsung in  the public setting of Harrods is another level of teaching, but I love a challenge. Each of the students absorbed the 5 cookery lessons with gusto and are now  applying their new cookery skills to those of successful sales associates. I put together a training plan that can be adapted and expanded to be used in 2014  and beyond." The feedback was fantastic. “We were thrilled with Hugh’s performance and we will definitely will useing  Galor in the future” Robin Forsyth Head of Retail Sales and Operations at Samsung Electronics

Top Tip - Choose a heavier non-stick pan

Galor personal chef service

Lightweight pans generally heat up fastest, so invest
in heavier-weightcookware — it’s worth the extra money.

Valentine's Day is almost here!

Valentine's Day is almost here! Are you having trouble coming up with something unique and unpredictable for your Love this year? What could be more romantic than an intimate dinner for two  prepared by a personal chef in the comfort of your own home? Here are a few reasons to why hiring a personal chef for  Valentine’s is a great idea; -You can't get more personal than this  -Each plate is a delicate combination of flavors designed and tailored around your culinary requirements and dietary needs. We can meet any demand  -Baby, it’s cold outside! Stay in and keep cosy. Everyone loves going out for a meal to a beautiful restaurant but it can be a hassle. Taxis,baby sitters and the odd splash of great British weather can leave your spirits dampened Let the meal come to you instead. -Because you deserve it. Life can be stressful, sometimes we need to take a rest and let go, You deserve a nice, quiet night alone with your loved one to really enjoy each others company. You don’t need to lift a finger, your personal chef will leave your kitchen spotless. Set the Mood A romantic dinner must be had by candle light! This year we have teamed up withJennifer McNabb the founding partner of M&J Ethical Luxury. We are offering a free unique Ethical Luxury candle for the first 5 Valentines bookingwe recieve this year, so if your quick enough to book a chef we will give you one of her stunning candles as a gift.  M&J London's flagship line is a unique collection of scented candles withscents inspired by travels around the world and the bustling life in cosmopolitan London. So Think about it.... A Beautiful  romantic meal, candles, a good bottle of wine, flowers,your favourite music, the perfect receipe for a romantic dinner for two. Get in touch to book

The Perfect Christmas spuds

The Perfect Christmas spuds

Fluffy on the inside, golden brown on the outside.

The secret is two cooking methods. Cook the potatoes in water

first and then oil.

The type of potato is important, you need a floury potato,

but you have to cook them for as long as you possibly can without

them completely disintegrating.

They need to really start breaking up, so the outside's almost pureed.

And then, really delicately, lift them out of the water...

be careful, if you just tip the pan out they'll start pureeing because they're so soft.

Then get your oil, and make sure you've got enough - a lot of people

don't put enough oil in the pan.

Baste them first so they're covered in the oil,

then place them in a really hot oven and keep turning them until crusty

and golden brown on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

There you go the Perfect Christmas spuds.

Merry Christmas from all of us at Galor.

Christmas chocolate truffles

Try out these Christmas chocolate truffles

Ingredients:

150g of the best quality dark chocolate, at least 75% cocoa
150 ml double cream
2 tbs of Grand Marnier orange liquor or rum or brandy etc...
Orange zest - optional
Cocoa powder for dusting

Method:
Break the chocolate into small pieces. In a small saucepan
bring the cream to simmering point and then mix with the
chocolate until you have a smooth, blended mixture.
Add the liquor and the orange zest. Refrigerate overnight.
When the mixture has set, roll the chocolate into little balls and
dust lightly with cocoa powder.

Result: an indulgent Christmas treat.

Christmas with a Galor Personal Chef

Time flies when you're having fun and we expect they'll be plenty of fun, over the Chrismas holidays. If you're starting to wonder what to do on Christmas day or New Years eve for example, then how about a dinner party with your ownpersonal chef? Here is one of our many sample menus; Canape Oysters with champagne sauce Amuse Bouche Minted Pea soup and crispy pancetta served in espresso cups Starter Hot foie gras with confi peach and marsala sauce Main Course Crispy duck with caramlised orange sauce, beetroot puree, chesnuts & confi of shallots Dessert Chocolate mango & coconut marquise Here is the recipe for our minted pea soup Ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 brown onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 3 cups chicken stock 1/3 cup mint leaves 1kg frozen green peas Method Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until onion is soft. Add stock and bring to the boil. Add mint and peas. Cover and return to the boil.Cook for 3 minutes or until peas are tender but still bright green. Remove from heat. Set aside to cool slightly. Blend soup, in batches, until smooth. Return soup to saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until heated through. Season with salt and pepper. For the crispy pancetta Preheat grill on high. Place the pancetta on a baking tray and cook under grillfor 2-3 minutes each side or until crisp. Set aside to cool slightly. Break into pieces. BON APPETIT