It's been a while...a week to be exact, but it seems like a month!
Those of you who follow me on Instagram know that I've spent the last weekend in Lviv. Yep...that is why I haven't updated blog. Actually I could (uh-huh...I have some recipes in reserve for a rainy day) but I wanted at first to write a post about trip to Lviv.
What can I say....You just have to see this city, be there to understand. Really. It is very difficult to portray something when you fail words to express your feelings.
All Lviv lies in its atmosphere .... long history, centenary traditions. I am in love with architecture, with stone paving, with tram tracks and trams of different colors.
People...they are the same Ukrainians but there is something special about them. More hospitable? More frank? More beautiful? More enthusiastic? More creative? ...I don't know. But there is something More. You feel homey in Lviv.
People are so friendly! They smile to you on the streets, in churches, in cafes and in trams. They are always ready to help. It makes them happy.
I have lots of examples. At least one I'll tell you. I was shooting early in the morning a shop-window of one lovely cafe. On the terrace a man of forties was having morning coffee. I didn't want to bother him, I was just going to take a few shots of this beauty...
and this...
Suddenly I heard the man talking...to me! And you know what did he say? He said he was watching me and thought that it would be nice of him to offer me his cup !!.... as the object of shooting. To say that I was punch-drunk is to say nothing.
The very cup of coffee.
Talking about cafes. Lviv enjoying full rights can be called a food capital of Ukraine, especially coffee and chocolate capital). The best coffee in Ukraine you can try only here. Make yourself comfortable on one of the countless number of terraces, drinking aromatic coffee and watching things humming and people fussing around you...what can be better?
Or to savour wine in the evening...Lviv is created for such things.
Lviv is 100% a chocolate city, thousands of chocolate manufactures and workshops with chocolate from every single part of the world! My personal fav is dark (very dark - 80% of cocoa) with salt. It can seem strange..but believe me! The flavors burst out in your mouth - bitterish chocolate together with sprinkles of sea salt can work wonders!
Exactly with this kind of chocolate I associate Lviv. So the next day after my trip I was on my kitchen making Hot Chocolate with Salted Chocolate Whipped cream.
The best part of all these is that it takes only 15 minutes to make.
...hot chocolate, cold cream...Do I need to say something more?
Notes:
- Melted Hot chocolate is very dense and rich flavored. You can add honey depending on how bitter or sweet you want your chocolate.
- The recipe makes two servings (~100ml) or one very big (I choose the second variant). If you are like me, double the ingredients.
- It is important to use sea salt!
- If it's cold outside and you need to warm up, you can add a little of alcohol) Or you can leave that out. ;))
_________________________________________________
Recipe adapted from Adventures in Cooking
INGREDIENTS
For Sea Salted Whipped Cream
200ml heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp cocoa
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
For Hot Chocolate
100 g dark chocolate ( at least 70 %)
30 g milk chocolate
1-4 teaspoon honey (depending on your taste)
1 teaspoon coffee liqueur (optional)
200 ml milk (room temperature)
_____________________________________________________
Begin with making whipped cream. Beat heavy cream and sugar until soft peaks, add cocoa and sea salt. Gently mix until incorporated. Cover and put into refrigerator while preparing hot chocolate.
Melt the chocolate in the top of double boiler, constantly stirring. Add in honey, liqueur and milk. Stir until the texture is smooth and the drink is very warm.
Pour melted chocolate into two (one big, right?) glasses, top with whipped cream and a sea salt for garnish. Serve immediately (there is just no other way!)))
My BIG glass.)
And some more pics from Lviv in the end.
Promise you not to be missing! ;)
xo xo
No comments:
Post a Comment