Paulchens FoodBlog?!

I cannot for the life of me remember how I “met” Angelika in this big world of foodbloggers but I remember it was way back in 2006 or even 2005. I found her blog “The flying Apple” (which sadly is offline by now) and was smitten by her writing. When I discovered she lived in Vienna, the town that has become my home over the past 20 years, I was even more smitten.

We stayed somehow updated through commenting and such. Then one day Angelika blogged about the dream of her life: Cooking in her own kitchen for a selected number of people a few days a week… What a dream!

Being the stunning woman she is her plans evolved and she shared many a detail of all her plannings through her blog with us! Oh boy! I tell ya that was an exciting time and I remember like it was yesterday how excited I was to see her very on big dream come to life.

9 months of planning and hard work later her dream nearly had become reality … I can tell because I was there when it happened! Angelika, this kind soul, invited me to the grand opening of what has now become known as “the Dining Room“.

The Grand Opening took place on a wonderful summer day in June 2007. We were left speechless when Sweetheart and I first saw the location, the kitchen and this wonderful old garden behind her house in real life!

She showed us every detail and we were happy and excited like children under the Christmas tree to share her happiness.

During an evening with heavenly fingerfood from which you could feel her love for cooking with every bite, paired with extraordinary wine, much laughter and chitter chatter where we enjoyed sitting in this lovely garden and we celebrated a woman and her dream. We cheered her, I still remember that everyone who was there this evening wished from the bottom of their hearts that this dream would soon become a success story!

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Meanwhile she has also written her first cookbook (published September 2010) where she also tells the story of “the Dining Room” and other tidbits of her life – not to forget there are also some very very delicious recipes in the book – so I highly recommend that you get it, if you haven’t already done so (like me).

You can get it for yourself or even as a gift for someone you love (hey it’s Christmas soon anyway!) and you’ll be gifted with 12 3 course menu ideas!

There is a German and an English version available!

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This Wednesday  - 4 years later - I was a guest at Angelika’s again.  Honestly we had planned to be there way earlier, but life happens and you can’t always decide where it is making you go… So 4 years had to go by ’till we were able to enjoy her great food again!

How come? you might think…

Well, you know Sweetheart a bit by now, don’t you? I think I told you before that it is not so easy to find agift for his Birthdays etc. for him so last year my genius mastermind and  I thought an evening at Angelika’s – just the two of us – would be a nice gift, since he really loved it there the first time. I emailed her about a gift coupon and a few days later she had sent me desired gift coupon. This was in July 2010.

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You see, it took us yet another year to settle on a date to finally go there. *sigh* 

We arrived a little early (usually the Dining Room opens at 7 pm) but Angelika welcomed us with open arms and a warm welcoming smile!

Since we were the first guests this evening we got to chose the table where we would be placed and I happily occupied the best one: where Sweetheart could overlook the entire room and I had the best view into the kitchen ;o))

Seconds after we had put our bottoms on those cosy big chairs we were served with the first goodie: Angelika’s famous rosemary bread served in a lovely oriental inspired tin bowl that (embarrassingly like Sweetheart noted) was refilled several times during this evening – and I felt at home! I could feel how the stress and the tautness that had haunted me the past few weeks simply vanished.

The theme of the  menu Angelika had chosen for this evening was: VENEZIA INVERNALE – wintery Venezia

She provided us with 6 courses of Venetian inspired goods that left us oooh-ing and aaah-ing with every plate she served. If you’d been there with us you’d have heard more than one time ” Jeez, this is sooo good”

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Il Preludio - Appetizer

Goat's cheese roll with Quince Purree

We especially loved the quince purree. It had a very smooth and velvety mouth feeling and a very subtle taste. I liked the spicy roll as well.

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Antipasti Platter Venetian Style

Venison Carpacio, carrots and peas after Ottolenghi, Pollp Tonnato ala Angelika

Oh this one was a surprise. Tho I liked the venison, the veggies were a big surprise and especially Sweetheart loved them, him not being the veggie lover at all. Pollo tonnato – well nothing else to say about it, it is just heavenly!

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Red Wine-Radicchio-Risotto “Salty & Sweet” Topped With Ricotta and Caramelized Walnuts

Red Wine-Radicchio-Risotto "Salty & Sweet" Topped With Ricotta and Caramelized Walnuts

All those different flavours in one risotto: heavenly! First I was a little worried about the bitterness of the radicchio but in this risotto it was not bitter at all! the crunchy walnuts were another nice addition through their sweetness. Lovely!

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Stuffed Sea Bass Rolls Served In Tomato-Prawn-Broth And Polenta With Spinach

Stuffed Sea Bass Rolls Served In Tomato-Prawn-Broth And Polenta With Spinach

Sweetheart said: Wow, this is the best polenta I’ve ever had! so I guess he really liked it. I especially liked the homemade pickled veggie jullienne and the broth was a hit too. Not to forget the perfect steamed fish!

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Cheeses Served With Mustard-Infused Sweet & Spicy Sauces

Truffle Pecorino & Chilli Pecorino Served With Mustard-Infused Sweet & Spicy Sauces

May I say purrfection, again? If not for the cheeses we loved it for this tiny little blob of mostarda! While driving home this evening Sweetheart requested that we make mostarda at home soon. (We looked it up, there is a recipe in her book, so we may make it soon)

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Chocolate Heaven Cake

Angelika's signature cake - Schokoladewolkentorte

Actually there is nothing you an say about this cake! That’s because you constantly have your mouth full ’till it is entirely gone… The taste is something between a brownie and a souffle… very soft, a bit fluffy, melting in your mouth and full of chocolaty flavors!

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While Sweeetheart decided on a beer for an aperitif I relied on the chef’s recommendation and had a glass of MOSCATOLINO which I learned is a sparkling wine of the Muskat-Ottonel grape and tho I do not fancy sparkling wine, this one was anything less than delicious and went very well with the first two courses.

Somewhere between the risotto and the fish course I switched to a lovely Chardonnay – again not my favorite kind of wine but a perfect pairing to Angelika’s menu.  Which Sweetheart also enjoyed.

The cheeses and the dessert were accompanied by a glass of GRANDE CUVÉE BARRIQUE 2008 and this was a wine I loved!

I skipped the dessert wine and Sweetheart had Latte Macciato with his cake!

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What a nice surprise!

As if this evening hadn’t been great enough Angelika surprised us with a small version of her “Schokoladenwolkentorte” that even had a sparkling “candle” on it to celebrate our anniversary (we had back in September).

I think it is those little “extras” that make a wonderful evening a remarkable one!

You bet we would have snarfed down the entire cake this very evening if, oh if, only there was enough place left in our bellies! At last we were gifted with a nice doggy bag with this lovely cake inside and we enjoyed it the following evening!

Thank you Angelika for a lovely evening we really really enjoyed to be your guests!

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I love this coffee cups!

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If you want to go there yourself - and I highly recommend you to do so if you ever happen to be in Vienna - here are the details:

Angelika Apfelthaler’s theDiningRoom
A-1130 Vienna
Maygasse 31
www.theDiningRoom.at

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