THANKSGIVING TREATS AND A NEW RESTAURANT OPENS IN SOHO

by Katie Forster

IT’S NEARLY THANKSGIVING. Now, I myself am not a Yankidoodle, but I love any excuse to get all of your lovely pals together to be generally lovely to each other and share fantastic scoff. Now everyone has their own turkey recipe, and as it's not my holiday, I won’t force mine upon you... But I will give you a couple of tips - it you trim the wing tips you are less likely to experience burning which can ruin the flavour of the whole turkey. Just snip off the ends - there's no need to sacrifice too much of what, in my opinion, is the best part of the turkey. Also, don’t forget to tie the legs and wings as close to the body as possible - it’s nearly impossible to get the breast cooked without drying out these parts a little, but tying them in is certainly going to help. Covering them with foil can also help to hold in moisture whilst a chicken oxo cube rubbed over the breast about 15 minutes before you take the bird out gives you deliciously crispy skin... go easy on the salt if you’re going to do this though. 
When it comes to roasting potatoes, use duck fat. It is hands down the best way to get a fluffy inside and a crispy, golden crust. Vegetable oil, in my mind, is a flavourless crime when it comes to potatoes.

For your pumpkin pie you could make your own... but I will be ordering my pie from the lovely Claire who is essentially FAMOUS for this culinary delight. You can't beat her home made filling (no tinned stuff here!) and short crust pastry... and she’s not even American! Thumbs up Claire. Give her a call on 9665 6889. Pies are $390 a piece, and about a kilo in weight.

And last, but most certainly not least, check out the beautiful pumpkin floral arrangements (photo above) crafted with my lovely friend Lexi’s magical arty hands. If you’re doing the cooking this year, give yourself a break and leave the decorations to her. Or if you’re spending the evening at someone else’s house they are also a unique alternative to bringing a bottle of wine for your host. Contact her at AlexandraLauren@me.com for more information on arrangements, pricing etc. You can also visit her website - www.AlexandraLauren.com

Moving on from American festivities... Do you know what’s really hard to find in Hong Kong? REAL Thai food. Every ‘Thai’ restaurant can flog a green chicken curry and an overly sugared phad Thai but those dishes barely scratch the surface of the country's gastronomy. Well I have good news - Lime @ Soho 38 has their grand opening today so from now on you can all go there to learn about what us Thais really chow down on. Check out the Laab - it’s insanely spicy but so good... expect lots of refreshing lime, shallots and fresh mint flavours. When we have this at home I wake up in the morning and eat the leftovers for breakfast. Just delicious! I like the pork but there are plenty of options for you to choose from. Also check out the Gai Yang (Thai barbecued chicken) - so simple but unbelievably good. The smell really reminds me of Thailand whether it be Chiang Mai or Phuket - they cook it on every street in the country... surely a very good sign that this is truly yummy stuff. And for pudding they have sticky rice with mango! I personally feel that my mama makes this better than anyone on the planet but Lime give it a pretty good nudge too.

Lime @ Soho 38’s menu doesn’t rely solely on traditional Thai dishes but also several ‘fusion’ dishes. They also have a great cocktail menu featuring tipples mixed with Thai liquors like Mekhong and Sangsom (watch out!). Head up the escalator to Shelley Street to check it out. Lime @ Soho 38 - 38 Shelley Street. 2179 5779

• ‹ previous
• 20 of 44
• next ›