When I was dreaming about what 2-do in London - top of the list - Ottolenghi
It took me a few days to search out their shop in Kensington on 1 Holland street...
Once I found it I was committed. Recipe for chermoula baked aubergine with bulgar and Greek yogurt here.
Lock, stock and smoking barrel!
YUM! More on their food philosophy.
I took my box of goodies out to Kensington Gardens just like you all told me...
Time for dessert I swooned...
I must have an inner geiger counter to top desserts. This Passion fruit meringue tart IS THE BEST DESSERT I'VE EVER EATEN!!!
In their window I spotted it...
And managed to pass up...
Many other gorgeous beauties, including this strawberry-lemon cupcake...
Raspberry-Lemon cupcake in London, 9" x 11" Though I managed to paint it today...
A pre-painting exercise of washes of colors I'm playing with... 
Regarde: I passed up these heavenly-looking lemon tarts
And ate a grand total of... 
FOUR passion fruit meringue tarts in 10 days!Plus sharing another with Sue Snell...does that count?
Please search out Ottolenghi's in London and report back what you think about the Passion Fruit tart. One day I arrived and there were none out. I nearly fainted. They immediatement rushed downstairs to fetch a big tray - it's their most popular tart. This tart merits a trip to London alone, it's that fab. Listen up all you Parisien patissiers.
Ottolenghi has a new cookbook so you can make these luscious goodies at home.BONJOUR OTTOLENGHI!
You can find more recipes from Ottolenghi in the Guardian.
Oh my goodness, what a looker!
ReplyDeleteWhen are they opening in Vienna?
I need them here.
The tart looks so good, I would eat it even if it tasted half as good as you say. *swooooon*
P.S.:
ReplyDeleteHow in the world are they caramelizing the meringue so beautifully without burning it? Looks like a painting, doesn't it?
this place was right around the corner from my office at king's college london. it's a brilliant place. i used to get something special for the 2.5 hour train journey back to cardiff at the weekends.
ReplyDeleteMeg
That does it! We were definitely separated at birth! Not only is lemon tart number one on my list, but only for passionfruit would I deviate! Or maybe on a cold winter day, chocolate. Cupcakes? Non! Seulement for painting. Which reminds me: How come YOU got all the painting genes???
ReplyDeleteTHANKS Meg
ReplyDeleteI've heard of konditor and cook
but I'm committed to that tart and no other can replace it in my heart!
Carolg :)
Hi Carol,
ReplyDeleteI love your blog, your paintings and photography, NYC, Paris, and London. It is so much fun to look at what you've selected for the day. I lived in England for over 20 years, my children were born there, so have loved seeing this piece in particular, (although I love them all). We now live in New Hope, PA, but come up to NYC when we can. Actually, we are off tomorrow, to see South Pacific before it closes. We will have lots of lovely food and shopping to do, as well.
Please keep blogging - you have a great talent !!!
oh carol you've done it. after enjoying your lovely art for so long and seeing your class up in Maine. i had to go sign up for a drawing class, you have totally inspired me.THANK YOU for all you work!
ReplyDeleteBoy those opening shots make me hungry!
ReplyDeleteI don't know what that is, but I think I could eat a couple of plates of it.
Congrats on the perfect tart :)
Wow, wow, WOW!! I've heard so much about this place, but haven't seen pictures until now. AMAZING! :-)
ReplyDeleteAAACKKK! Such gorgeous color, freshness and I am sure deliciousness and I am now finding out about it a year after I was so close! Such is my lot. YOu are most certainly making me keep a wish list of "must visit" spots if, Lord willing, I ever find myself in Paris or London again. Keep it coming Carol.
ReplyDelete... and who says you can't get GREAT food in England ... I hate it when people say that !!! GREAT POST
ReplyDeleteI really need a Passion Fruit meringue tart. God only knows where I might find one... not here. My Grandmother made beautiful, yummy, desserts, laced with passion fruit. You have inspired me to try my hand at creating one that looks like your pictures:-)
ReplyDeleteOMG....my mouth is watering!!!
ReplyDeleteI just love your daily Posts...besides beautiful, they make me LAUGH....."inner geiger counter for top desserts"....too much!!!
thank you!!
suzanne
this one is a test comment...
ReplyDeleteThanks for the news about Ottolenghi. I did hear good things about it and stopped outside the one in Islington. I didn't try it however. It will be a must-visit next time! I didn't realize they had other shops in London.
ReplyDeleteI'm crazy about your new blush washes.
Elizabeth
Too bad Elizabeth :(
ReplyDeleteThey actually have seats in the Islington branch..
I ate my lunch in the rain in Kensington Gardens..
Didn't make a bit of difference though :)
thanks for posting this Yummy place ! after looking at Ottolenghi's website & reading about them, no wonder it's great - they are Israelis !!
ReplyDeleteyou should know that restaurants & coffe shops in Israel are really something you can't really find else where.
thanks for making us smile even more today.
Thank you for the tip on the tarts. I am going to London next month and will look them up. You gave me a tip on where to buy ballet flats in London, can you tell me the name of the shop again? Also, do you recommend an art supply store in London that you like?
ReplyDeleteAren't those tarts beautiful! I can see why you ate 4--heck, they're mostly all air, right?? Plus, I'm thinking--egg whites--protein, oui? That's my rationale: IE: they're good for you.
ReplyDeleteLove your paintings, Carol.
Great post!!! Wonderful looking food..my mouth is watering and it is 2:30 in the morning here!!!
ReplyDeleteConsidering you are thee Paris blog that I adore...maybe you should check out my blog today...Haute Couture...right off the runways of Paris......look out Project Runway....Guten Tag Heidi.
However do you stay so fit and thin with these treats and indulgences? Must be great genes or ...
ReplyDeleteA HUGE AMOUNT OF CREATIVE ENERGY, of course that is it! That is how you burn off lemon tarts and such.
Why you, Carolg! Clever lady, you.
LOVE the whites in the new watercolor, and the berry hits the spot!
been there, done that, bought the cookbook now IF ONLY i could live upstairs from them and eat there every day!!!!!!
ReplyDeletemeanwhile - four passion fruit meringue tarts! - you know how to live g/f!
My son,who loves seriously good cupcakes,certainly needs to go to Ottolenghi.Thanks for the post and I love that sweet watercolour of yours. best wishes, Therese
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love ottolenghi! I got the new cookbook a couple of months ago and am quickly making my way through....Am off to London today...might have to make a stop in Kensington!! :)
ReplyDeleteIt all looks so good! Fresh, vibrant and tasty for sure.
ReplyDeleteif you're asking if the recipe for the passion fruit meringues is in the book, it is not. they have a recipe for passion fruit jam - but made with fresh passion fruit. you can buy fresh passion fruit almost year round in england but in nyc? i'm not so sure! let me know how you get on! i can see you're hooked!
ReplyDeleteAh Ha
ReplyDeleteThey told me it wasn't in the book, but they said it was all in the curd..if the recipe is for curt that is.
Course the meringue concoction on top is not to be believed!
I would never DARE to make them in my house or much else..most of it would go uncooked into you-know-where!
I do love Passion Fruit anything..must do some research on it... Pierre Herme got me started
Before that life was very dull...
ha-ha Carol! your life was dull before P. Hermes' passion fruit! you spend half your time in Paris and the rest painting pictures about it! with lobster rolls to fill in the gaps! giving you a hard time, that's why i had to rub it in about my local passion fruit.
ReplyDeletethe recipe in the book is definitely for jam vs. curd and i couldn't agree more, the meringue is a whole other conversation. i figure it wouldn't be so special if i could have it every day. i just personally need to book another flight to paris within the next three months so i can get another one of those ispahans! tough choice - london, paris, ottolenghi or p. herme?
How on earth did I miss this!!! thats it!! I am getting on the next plane to head back to london and try out all the goodies for myself!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for this recommendation! In planning our recent London trip (my first) I was searching online for food recommendations and came across your blog-- and this entry in particular. I made a point to seek out one of these passion fruit meringues and it was indeed the BEST dessert of my entire two week stay in England. So delicious! I wish I had gone back for another!
ReplyDeleteI was in london last week and had this passion fruit tart it was soooooooooooo DELICIOUS and i was googling to find the recipe for it and came to your place.
ReplyDelete4 passion fruit meringues' in 10 days...I'l have 4 over 2 days...my absolutely favourite cake of all times - it's unbelievable...you have to buy them at the weekend, as that's when they generally made...sooo gonna miss these when I move to la belle Provence next month... ;)
ReplyDeleteGet the recipe!!!
DeleteSteal it!
Anything...
It's still as wonderful, and thanks for posting the aubergine recipe! Delighted to have found your blog and can't wait to read more. Nicole x
ReplyDelete