[yummiechic]

After Work Yummie Sessions: Yummie Lemon Spelt Pancakes

Hey guys!!

Here is another ‘’After Work Yummie Session’’ especially for those who are willing to satify their sweettooth with some healthy snack!!

Here is our yumminess ‘‘Yummie Lemon Spelt Pancakes’’

What we need 

1 cup spelt flour • 1 cup almond milk • 1 egg •  2 tbsp lemon juice • zest of a lemon • 2 tsp baking powder • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract • 1 tbsp of agave syrup • 2 tsp sunflower oil • kiwi, raspberries and coconut flakes to serve!!

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the spelt flour, zest, baking powder and vanilla extract. 

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingridients; almond milk, lemon juice and agave syrup.

3. Add the milk mixture gradually into the flour mixture, whisk until the batter is well combined and free of lumps.

4. Brush the pan with butter, pour 1/4 cup of the batter and cook on both sides by flipping them over with a spatula until it becomes light brown and crispy, for about 2 mins.

5. Serve the pancakes with chopped kiwi, raspberries, coconut flakes and lemon zest on top!!

It seems soo beautiful at the end, like a snowy dream, you don’t even dare to eat!!

PS: Don’t forget to add your love too and enjoy the yumminess!!

[yummiechic]

After Work Yummie Sessions: Veggie Spelt Lasagne Rolls

Hi guys! I’m back with ‘’After Work Yummie Sessions’’!! By now I’ll be sharing very easy & healthy recipes with you which you can quickly prepare after having worked all day long! 

First yumminess called ‘’Veggie Spelt Lasagne Rolls’’ 

All we need is in the first place; lots of love and bunch of laughter!!

1 package bio whole spelt lasagne sheets • Bio-Tomato passata sauce (700gr) • 4 cloves of garlic • Spinach (300gr) • Mushrooms (250gr) • Cottage/Ricotta cheese (250gr)  • Cheddar cheese (100gr)  • Walnuts and basil • Rustikana spice mix (salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, roseberry, basil, tarragon, savory)

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.

2. Boil salted water in a large pot and add one tbsp of olive oil (to prevent lasagne sheets from sticking.) After adding the lasagne sheets, cook them for 8 to 10 minutes/ until al dente; drain and rinse with hot water.

3. Fry chopped garlic in a pan. Then add cooked spinach, drain.

4. In a medium bowl, combine the mixture with cottage/ricotta cheese and spice it up! Spread it over each cooked lasagna sheet and roll up firmly.

5. Spread the tomato sauce on the prepared dish, place the lasagne rolls (seam side down) .Repeat the same process on and over the roll-ups.

6. After covering tightly with foil, bake 25 to 30 minutes until the sauce bubbles.

7.  Uncover, spread cheddar cheese on top and bake until it becomes golden, about 5 minutes longer. Let it cool for awhile.

Enjoy the yummieness!!

[yummiechic]

#6 Yummie Check: Joseph Brot

Hi guys!!

Yummie Chic is back for more!! This time I was at Joseph Brot and loved it there!! From the first moment I got in, I felt like a little girl! That sour smell of crispy baked bread fresh out of the oven literally took me back to my childhood summers when I was sent to buy that most delicious bread on the world from the village bakery for the whole family so that we could enjoy our famous sunday brunch perfectly before we spent our whole day under the sun throwing ourselves into the sea and swim for hours. Believe me, even this was a reason enough for me to come back here again, at a time where unfortunately everything even bread is made chemically and doesn’t even taste good after couple of hours.

However at Joseph Brot things work out differently, first things first it’s all organic containing no preservatives!! They are pretty sure about the science behind the chemical reactions of the ingredients of hand crafted loaf of bread and know how to mix, ferment, shape and bake it right!! So you think it would be easy cheesy just putting together flour, water,salt and yeast done right?! Easy NOPE cheese YES!! Because the process of fermentation & the natural bacteria action needs patience and care just like cheese or even wine!! :D Who still thinks, it would be easy to make bread, I’m going on for you guys, it’s definitely more than that! According to a little research, when the sourdough joins the game, the yeast has to leave or when you want a brioche, then you’ve to have some milk, butter & eggs y’all heard!! Indeed It’s the oldest basic food ever, so you gotta do it right!! 

A few of the things you shouldn’t miss out there would be different kind of sandwiches and brioche-bagels!! (First pic at the very top; vegetarian mexican bagel with guacamole, quinoa, feta, chili and grapefruit. second one; warm pastrami sandwich, toasted potato-sourdough bread with creamcheese, radish, Bohemian cucumber, horseradish and parsley and the last one below is another one with smoked salmon) I just let the pictures speak for themselves!! 

Moving onto the drinks!! As a juice fan, I must say, I was in love with Josephs cereal milkshakes and superfood smoothies which you can also order as take away. Here you can see the Acai Magic Berry, i can’t do without dem berries!! <3 Honey Bee and the beauty and the beets should also be tasted!!

If smoothie would be too much for you, you can go with the cranberry basil soda!

As if the all the yummieness wouldn’t be yummie enough to say ‘’Alright, i’m done!’’ They also offer a wide range of sweets, which you can’t get away from!! So keep calm and have a cup of coffee too!! :) 

‘’Life is short, eat dessert first!’’

If you have no time to stop by, you can just take the ingridients with you and make yourself a culinary festival at home too. 

Apart from great taste and high quality ingredients, Joseph Brot has a sleek, modern design. 

However don’t expect to sit there for hours, it’s definitely great for a lunch break or to have breakfast but for to study/learn or work it’s quite a bit noisy, there are many people come and go, it’s very popular indeed!! :)

Overall Joseph Brot gets you mesmerized within a great savory journey. The prices are a little bit high though for Viennese standards; for example 2 course-menu during the week costs €13,80 or the favourite Joseph’s special breakfast  €10,70 and these without any drinks.However Joseph Brot’s friendly service team will meet your high expectations with kindness and yumminess.

Joseph Brot in yummie words:

organic, sleek, rustical 

Yummie Chic orders:

Goats on toast & Mexican lemonade

Yummie Chic Advice:

It’s always full on weekends, you should definitely wake up early, if you’re willing to find a seat for a sunday breakfast, However it lasts till 15:00 so don’t hurry!!  

Keep in mind:

Choose the seasonal menu options!

Photo Credits: Georg Hörmann

BTW HELLO TO A GREAT YUMMIE YEAR!!

[yummiechic]

#5 Yummie Check: Le Bol

Hi guys!!

This time I wanted to make a little tribute to my sweet sweet Vienna as I love this charming city with lots to offer!! The ones who are living here will understand me; it is hard to make a living here especially when you are a foreigner, lots of strict rules to follow or sometimes streets may seem empty on Sundays or even the people a little bit grumpy lol However, no matter how challenging this city is, it takes control over you the second you start to get around and it doesn´t let you go, never ever, you become addicted to this city especially when you are also into music like me!!

Vienna is a mix of everything!! Let me put it like this; one minute you can find yourself going to the Opera to see ''La Bohème'' the other minute you can find yourself on stage in the middle of a jam session or even shaking it like a saltshaker at a hiphop party!! 

Anyways, we stay on the posh side of Viennese life today and head over to Kärtnerstraße; the main street of the city surrounded by historical monuments.

You can check out some bling bling and...

... shop till you drop!!

Keep in mind, diamonds are a girl´s best friend.. no?! Probably not, if you´ve got a cute dog! :D

If you already regret to have spent too much, then don´t worry, you can even cheer up yourself with some roses around the corner, eventually come on we only live once!! :D

If you´re an adventurous soul and have enough courage to leave the main street hoping to find something more interesting, then kaboom!! You´re at Neuer Markt, which lies parallel to Kärtnersträsse, a hidden gem middle of the historic city!! You´ll definitely realize, how quiet it gets all of a sudden; away from tourist chaos, where you can find peace wandering around coffeehouses, gourmet shops and bars.

Also The Capuchin Church, which is well known to keep the imperial tomb of the Habsburg Empire is located on the Neuer Markt as well as the Donnerbrunnen below.

Time to strike a pose

Oh, i guess someone is a bit late

Le Bol is a little french café which gives you the chance to have a rest and make a nice quick break with lots of fresh croissants, creatively made salads, tartines (dark rye bread with different add-ons), baguettes or pastries with a great coffee after a sightseeing marathon; also breakfast all day long!!

Love the lights hanging above the long wooden communal table in the middle of the dining room creating a cosy atmosphere

Be ready to act like a ''Parisienne'', because the menu is in french with a little german explanation and the waitresses are all francophone!!

Since they have a wide variety of french cuisine including soupe à l'oignon (onion soup), it´s not easy to make  a fast decision!

Et, voilà!!

Le bol´s regular guests definitely know what I´m talking about; it is legen..wait..dary ''Monsieur Seguin''!!

To be honest the main reason I come here is this salad; a great combination of grilled goat cheese, raisins, pear, figs, kiwi, tomatoes with fresh garden salad served with a glass of Côte du Rhône .

''Heaven!!''

The Monsieur Seguin was gone within a minute!!

''Quiche de jour'' translated as quiche of the day was with salmon and spinach served with a nice salad portion accompanied by a glass of Rosé. 

The dressing of the salad was too salty so just exchanged weird looks with it.

Only french wine is offered

Generous portions

The quiche tasted good but served lukewarm

Last but not least ''Tarte au citron'' with café au lait served in a bowl typical for Le Bol. 

In rush hours Le Bol is supercrowded with locals but also with tourists so don´t expect to find a seat without reservation. Speaking of reservation, you can't make any by calling, you have to go there personally to make a reservation.

. 

The waitresses are nice.. if you´re lucky. :D

Accessoires for your kitchen, tea, bonbons or jam

The prices are reasonable (appr.13 Euro p.P.) and the location is amazing. Therefore Le Bol is definitely worth a visit!

Le Bol in yummie words:

Monsieur. Seguin. 

Yummie Chic orders:

  Monaco (panaché-grenadine mix) 

  Yummie Chic Advice

Try not to go there during rush hours

  Keep in mind:

-In summer it feels great to sit outside and enjoy the view. 

- All food are take away.

- Only cash

Model: Ozlem Ayaslioglu

Photo Credits: Mustafa Ertugral

Santé!!

[yummiechic]

#4 yummie check: deli bluem

Hi guys!!

I´ve been gone for a while, my last few months went by so fast and crazy, been to Poland, Greece,Turkey and lately visited an amazing thermal resort in Austria which I´ll also soon write about!! Well I wanted to make a great comeback and thought ''What else can be better than a good vegan delicatessen?! Nothing!!'';D So let´s take a look!!

As a person who is struggling to live in  better conditions not just for myself but also for the sake of animals and environment, I have been trying to ease off my intake of animal products for some time now and believe me or not, it works! I think, we shouldn´t let ourselves dragged by the twisted society where the consumption is mostly focused on animal products and especially meat because of its financial gain. It seems to me that consuming meat or dairy products is definitely not a necessity but a choice and we shouldn´t forget the fact that if you won´t buy it, they won´t be selling it. This thought was exactly the reason why i have been searching for a good vegan or let´s say better ''plant based'' restaurants for a long time, some of them are usually very overpriced, out of town or they use substitution products which are produced industrially. Simply not like this dish below!! :)

                  (Flatbread filled with chickpeas, spinach, coriander flavoured with georgian spices & tabouleh; a refreshing parsley salad with bulgur (buck)wheat, tomatoes, shallots and fresh peppermint)

So after some research, I came across this nice bistro called ''Deli Bluem'', one of the newest places with Slow Food concept, opened its doors early this year at the heart of Vienna; Josefstadt.

                   (Red lentils & millet with apple, spinach and radicchio)          

Born in Chile; grew up in Vienna, the owner Andrea Vaz-König is definitely an interesting , easy going person whom you would like to get to know more after some chit chat. She really takes her time to inform you more about plant based nutrition, which I find amazing!! We talked about how her life changed in a positive way when she decided to follow a vegan lifestyle after reading ''The China Study'' and after her kids were born. However what fascinated me the most about her was when I heard that she quit her successful banking career in able to pursue her dreams and to make a change in people´s lives, thumbs up!! 

                           (Quinoa with red cabbage, dates and fresh mint served with lavender lemonade)

First off, what I like most about Deli Bluem is, you go there without having bad conscience, you can be sure that whatever you´re gonna eat won´t harm your body at all but only empower it. Because all the meals are homemade and prepared with fresh, organic and regional plant-based high quality ingridients, which are mostly wholegrain. 

                       (Grilled aubergine with saffrane yoghurt, pomegranate seeds, pine nuts and basil served with braised carrots with chickpeas,parsley and 7 secret spices; a mix of vanilla, Szechuan & white kampot pepper cardamom, aniseed and curcuma)

Portions are well prepared however not for the ones who have large appetite. 

Depending on your taste and size of your plate, you can choose 3 to 4 different meals to combine, large plate costs 10,50 Euro, the smaller one 6,50 Euro. It´s also self-service, that´s why a bit pricey.

The staff are all friendly,you´re allowed to watch the open kitchen anytime.

As I mentioned before, the owner is usually present and ready to inform you more about the meals.

The meals are served neither cold nor warm, as they´re prepared fresh. As for the taste, everything was fine except tabouleh. I thought it needed more salt. Also good range of menu but would like to see more varieties!:) My favourite was this cute rosy icecream!!

Rosemary chocolate chip cookies 

Vegan Brownie

Matcha Shake

The place has a nice atmosphere and not to forget the great location !!

Time passing till Lunch and main meals: appr. 5 mins

Deli Bluem in yummie words:

friendly, quiet, vegan

Yummie Chic orders:

Vegan matcha cheesecake

Yummie Chic Advice

- If you are a big eater, rather go there to have a snack!

Keep in mind:

- Opening hours are from 11:30 to 19:00. 

- Brunch on weekend from 09:30 to 16:00. 

- They have a great playing space for the kids!

- Only cash is accepted.

Photo Credits: Georg Hörmann

Stay yummie y´all!! 

[yummiechic]

THE FRIENDS OF DISTINCTION- GOING IN CIRCLES

Don´t forget to feed ur soul too! Here is some superfood for y´all!!

[yummiechic]

All about keeping the balance!!

Hi guys!!

As some of you may already know, I got a little surgery going on last week, nothing special, just had to stay for a few days at the hospital which I can rather call a boutique hotel because oh man look at this, could you ever call this a hospital if you wouldn't know?!

Btw yeah my mom looks like my sister:D

Lol but let's get back to our main subject; yumminess!!  Well everyone knows the food which is given at the hospitals just sucks!! Lol and this one here also :D However you even start to crave a single apple after you had to drink a watery soup nearly for two days, (and the dinner is at 17:00 pm, oh god that was really devastating) and praying for breakfast time to come the next day! And when someone talks about breakfast, I automatically imagine some really tasty stuff in my breakfast loving mind, after all it should be the richest meal right and my favourite meal?! Well, after some thoughts of having a fruit plate, musli, honey, some veggies and cheese, maybe some scrambled egg if I'm lucky lol, all I got was a semmel, a slice of wheat bread, blueberry jam, butter, a cup of coffee and tea, I mean not bad at all for an average person, but for a breakfast junkie like me, it was a little bit schocking first I was thinking like "Alright, is it the starter now or what?!" :D

However, to be honest it was one of the best meals I've ever had, as I was literally starving and definitely one of the best deserved meals ever!!:D When you have to experience such diet conditions, you start to realize how great it is, being able to eat and enjoy all the tasty stuff out there, what a great gift it is that the mother nature daily offers us and how important it is to take good care of your body. especially when you´re also reading a book about how to live and eat the alkaline way:) Classic for all "after getting over illness situations"; I was highly motivated to nourish on nothing but only healthy food and the goal was set; juicy smoothies and lots of veggies!! So I started to make some crazy smoothies like this one below mixing a cucumber and a pear together with flax seeds on top combining it with a avocado-lentil bruschetta, mmhmm!!

Believe me, pear has some serious magical taste and fits with anything!

On the other hand, pure concentration on super healty food is always not that easy and sometimes you are allowed to cheat as long as you don´t exaggerate... right?! I hope so!! lol So that´s how I thought as I made this badass mexican tacos with lots of cheddar cheese and nachos!!!:D

Till this point, everything was tolerable except the nachos and cheddar cheese!! However when you make a little mistake, the others just follow!! Things started to get nastier as I was at Cafe Menta´s one year celebration party and wanted something sweet!! :D Here it´s; hot chocolate cake with wild berry sauce!! 

All in all, life and everything that comes with it, every moment is just priceless, we should all enjoy this great phenomenon, always live NOW and keep our balance!! <3

[yummiechic]

As time goes by...

Hi guys!!

It´s SMOOTH SATURDAY TIME, wohoooo!!

Today´s smoothie; Crazy Cereal Smooch is a great replacement for a rich breakfast, let´s see what we got here; 

- A cup of strawberries

- Half of a mango

- A fig 

- A bar of dark chocolate or 1 tbsp. cacao

Topped with soy milk (half glass), cripsy cereal and 1 tsp. of honey 

I know it sounds like a winter smoothie and I assume that you´re asking yourself, a fig, wtf?! Lol I know it sounds a little bit weird in the middle of summer however you never know how fast the weather can turn cold and wet in Vienna, so I felt mysellf in November as I was preparin´ this one :D And believe me it really felt like we were in winter this morning, I even had my coat on as I went to Naschmarkt (the biggest local fruit bazaar here)

A little advice; If you´re living in Austria, I recommend you to get your cereal from Hofer; the best of its kind; "Gourmet Knuspermüsli mit Honig und Nüssen" and it looks like this; 

So what´s neext!

I know I´ve neglected writing a little bit this week as I was pretty lazy to be honest and it´s hard to realize how time passes by!! :D But I promise to make it good for you guys! So if you´re longing for a super fresh smoothie instead of a wintery one, I give you the Tropic Smooch!!

You know a real foodie never minds how late it is when it comes to real yummieness or should I say early?! Because it was about  05:00 am as   I´ve prepared this one before I went to Graz last saturday! 

Here are the ingridients: 

- Half of a pitahaya 

- Half of a papaya

- Half of a mango

(Each of them was frozen)

Topped with coconut flakes and it was a perfect breakfast and better than any icecream!!:D

Speaking of Graz, I found a very cute place there in shabby chic style, which I really love as you can remember from my compliments to Cafe der Provinz!!:) It´s yet an insider place and that´s why it wasn´t overcrowded and very price worthy! It´s called Blendend (dazzling in english),  very cute and a quite place, just opened up its doors for about only one year ago, seeming much more interesting than any other place in town; 

"Good that you´re here" welcomes you when you step in!!

The main dining area

See how the tea is poured into the mug?! :D

Chill corner!!

There were also many small side rooms, where you can feel yourself at home, literally :)

The bar area

Winter garden was very cosy and I loved the umbrellas hanging down from the ceiling.. In front of the cafe there were also tables and chairs set up on the sidewalk.

One of the most beautiful details about the place were the wild flowers on every table

Also Blendend offers an amazing brunch with; 

lots of homemade jams, plenty of spicy/ hazelnut (nocciolata) spread, different kind of cereals, fruit salad..

..herb dips, hummus, bulgur salad..

..different kind of cheese & salami... You can also take a smoothie..

..spring veggies..

.. various types of bread..

and last but not least..

an amazing chocolate-vanilla cake :)

I also got some special Graz impressions for you guys! 

The island on the River Mur, which is a bridge and a cafe at the same time, where special events take place.

The view from the Park Schlossberg / Uhrturm (watch tower)

The bridge with love padlocks affixed

Suburban gardens with containers and seats full of different kind of vegetables, herbs and flowers which you can also harvest

and last but not least the sweetest supporters in the world!! <3

[yummiechic]

Cherry Nana Smooch

Hi guys!! 

After a great dinner with family and friends, I finally made it home!! 

I skipped the lunch though you know why?! Because of Cherry Nana Smooch!!

It was super nourishing and really easy-peasy to make! Let´s take a look what´s inside!!

Green Layer

- Half of a pear

- Handful of mint leaves

- Handful of baby spinach 

- 1 kiwi

Pink Layer

- Handful of cherries

- 1 cup of strawberries

- 1 banana

Topped with flax seeds and ground hazelnuts!

Blend each layer separately and it´s ready to go!!

I´m really blown away, there is really nothing like what nature has to offer!!I haven´t thought that spinach, which I´ve tried to like but found very boring since my childhood, could give such a delicate taste to a smoothie when combined with kiwi, pear and mint. We should be really more appreciative of the natural beauties around us! If you don´t like a certain vegetable, than try to make different combinations with your fav fruits, believe me you will love it more than ever, and with every try you are going to discover a unique taste, which you haven´t experienced before!!  

And one thing is clear, a great start to a new day guaranteed!!

Have a lovely weekend y´all!! xx

[yummiechic]

Berry Bomb Smooch!

Hi guys!! It´s been a very busy week and I really couldn´t wait for saturday to come to enjoy this week´s Berry Bomb Smooch!! You wanna know how it´s made?! Then let´s get started!!

Since Berry Bomb Smooch consists of two layers, I prepared each layer with different ingridients.

Top Layer:

- a frozen banana

- 1 ripe mango

- 1 cup of fresh pineapple chunks

Bottom Layer:

- 2 cups of frozen blueberries 

- Handful of blackberries

- 1/2 cup of yofu (soy yogurt)

It´s a great combination giving you a positive energy boost!! While my most favourite fruits; berries are taking care of antioxidants, mango and pineapple which are one of the most alkalizing fruits, will keep your pH in balance!! 

You can top Berry Bomb Smooch with any kind of berries!

Don´t forget to improvise your own way and stay fresh!! <3

Have a great week!!

[yummiechic]

Want some dolma?!

Have you ever heard of dolma?! It´s one of the most popular dishes in the turkish cuisine. You can make almost with every vegetable a different dolma variety. This one is sun dried zucchini stuffed with a mixture of rice, onion, pine nuts, blackcurrant, herbs and spices, soo yummilicious!!

Soon I will reveal the big secret; how it´s made step by step, so stay tuned!!

[yummiechic]

White Bean & Mint Salad!

Since the weather is soo muggy, I decided to make a refreshing salad and it was really easy-peasy; White bean and mint salad with feta cheese, blackcurrants and walnut! Pure freshness!!

[yummiechic]

Pinky Smooch!

Hi guys!! Guess what?! It’s time for SMOOTH SATURDAY!! The best way to get away from a rainy day is definitely a Pinky Smooch and I bet, it will be sunny afterwards even if you’re living in Alaska!!:D So let’s get it on! What you’ll need is; - a lonely banana - 2 handful of raspberries - Strawberries, blackcurrants, blackberries as much as you like! - 1/2 cup vanilla soy milk - 2 Tbsp. whole flaxseeds - 1 Tsp. lime juice - Cranberry white chocolate cookies as yummie side dish!!:D

Just mix them up, u’re almost finished, the only thing u need to do is to enjoy it!!:) If you like, you can put some pomegranate seeds or white chocolate chunks!! Don’t forget to feel free to improvise and go for it!! Have a great weekend!!

Before aand…

…After!:D

[yummiechic]

#3 Yummie Check: Cafe Menta

Have you ever tasted something, that you could ever never forget?

I´m hearing some "Yeeahs!!" over there, so I´m sure you do! 

Ok, the next question is, have you ever travelled the whole world to get to that unique, one of a kind meal, which you couldn´t get out of your mind for a few years or maybe even more?! If you do, then gosh you´re a real foodie! And if you haven´t, then read on because you´re on the right track to be one :)

Well, in this regard my challenge wasn´t about travelling the whole world to get to that one dish (..not yet, but hopefully one day lol) All I had to do was to move around the city to go to Cafe Menta! 

Although Cafe Menta was built only less than one year ago, it attracted a lot of attention in a short period of time. Let´s hear from Selda Gürsesli; the owner of Cafe Menta, how she came up with the idea:

"I always had a keen interest in gastronomy first of all because of the lifestyle that is represented in these places; the atmosphere, the living area it provides and secondly because of the culinary art, the pleasure of food, the joy of eating and its emerging emotions as a consequence. It´s not just about getting satiated. As a business graduate from the Vienna University of Economics and Business, I´ve spent many years working at the human resources department of big austrian companies. After one more year as a consulter, I decided to go my own way. In the meantime, I talked to a very good friend of mine about my future plans in gastronomy who is a very famous and a successful gastronome in Vienna; Ilhan Dogan, who was also searching for a new project so we decided to make it happen. He is the investor in the background, I´m both investor and restaurateur. I live just around the corner so I noticed that there weren´t any interesting cafes or restaurants nearby which was especially thought for young people and everytime when I had an appointment with someone, I always had to go somewhere far away. One day I told myself why not here!"

Mint Iced Tea

For Gürsesli who describes the 5 golden rules leading to success as being original, working more than the personnel in order to earn their respect, observing what people really need, actualizing the concept in mind as much as possible and taking responsibility, it wasn´t a big challenge anymore to create a nice place:

"What I´ve experienced at human resources, helped me a lot in gastronomy, which is actually very human-oriented. In gastronomy if you neglect this fact, I think you can´t stay any longer in this business. There is a saying "For us the focus is on people."  It may sound cliche but I really believe that it is extremely important to see what people need. It is not just about taste and appearance but also what kind of ambience you want to set up and to what type of customer you want to appeal with this ambience in your restaurant. The experience which I´ve gained as I was working at human resources department, encouraged me a lot so I can´t describe myself as a classic gastronome."

What makes this place different then the others except its great cuisine is definitely its look. Gürsesli told me how she created this industrial look;

"For me the architecture plays a big role in creating a good image so I got in touch with the person who designed the bar area of my most favourite place in Vienna; Cafe Espresso. Before the construction of the place started, I also traveled to Cuba and Mexico. As in Turkey, most of the buildings have their own character also the inner decoration; old and untouched which remained from 40s, 50s, 60s; there is an interieur and architectural wealth in such countries as a cause of financial drought. You can´t find that in Europe.

For example I find Budapest much more original than Vienna although they´re very similar. Because in Vienna nearly everything is renovated, rebuilt, very clean. Of course there is a life quality which comes within.

However in Budapest you can find the traces of the past not only by the architectural characteristics but also by the shabbiness of a wall. In Vienna for example you can guess which century a building belongs to and it´s still very clean, but in Cuba a building from 50s still has the same exact original colour.

This really amazed me and that was the main reason why I especially chose those countries to make my research. Me and my interior designer made a deal; he told me to make photos of everything I liked the most which can be anything; an ambience, a colour, an ashtray... So I tried to express my wishes with pictures; wall colour, decoration, street lightnings and I told him I want chaos and order at the same time, I gave him contrasts which are hard to combine. I think only tidiness would be completely boring, and just chaos would be complicated and would make people feel tired. Secondly I want him to combine vintage and contemporary and lastly style and cosiness."

Being cosy and stylish Cafe Menta doesn´t only charm with its image but also with its great cuisine!

My most favourite one was the Branzino-Risotto: Broiled sea bass and green asparagus served with wild garlic pesto (vegetarian option available)

Here is another main meal; Broiled swordfish steak with chick peas and tomato mint pesto.

Gürsesli thinks that central european people rather know the northern italian cuisine than the south so she was very excited when she heard that the italian chef de cuisine; Roberto is from Sardinia; "On the one hand he brings out italian recipes which are unknown here because growing up in an island always has a complete different impact on a person which is a big plus I think. On the other hand he is very simple always using local and seasonal ingridients in food."

Curried leek soup with some chilli & coriander as lunch starter

Born and grown up in Istanbul, Gürsesli continues: "Normally Roberto; our chef de cuisine was more into italian cuisine. However opening an italian restaurant wasn´t my aim, I also wanted to present my own culture. That´s why we agreed on cross-over cuisine. Moreover living several years in Barcelona gave me the opportunity to become an expert in spanish specialities especially from Catalunia. Except the fact that we have an italian chef de cuisine who lived in France and Belgium, our kitchen personnel is also very international; from Turkey, Bangladesh, Hungary, Czech Republic, Iran. All in all I´m convinced that we are a great team and our cuisine will get better and better with their ideas and of our customers."

First lunch option for vegetarians; Crêpes with radicchio, dolcelatte cheese and walnuts

Second lunch option; Bio Burger with BBQ Sauce

Last but not least; Pinky brown! Strawberry chocolate mousse with fresh strawberries and of course some mint!

Speaking of mint, Gürsesli also explained me why she chose this name for her place: "Menta comes from spanish which means mint in english. I just love mint, it plays a big role in our cuisine and it makes me very sad too see that it ís not so popular in Central Europe. Because I think it has a rich, pleasant flavour which can be added almost to every kind of meal or drink. Furthermore it has great effects like being curative and relaxing as well as beautiful phonetics."

And.. Get ready I´m revealing the big secret!! That great dish, which I yearned for at the beginning was... LINGUINE AL LIMONE with zucchini and porcini mushrooms!! Because of the reason that they´re always using seasonal ingridients, they don´t serve it yet but I´ll give it a try later on by coming here again!!

Sippin´ some lillet spritz y´all!

Cafe Menta is definitely worth a visit!

Time passing till

Lunch and main meals: approx. 12 mins

Price

The price for lunch is just great; € 7,50 

Main meals are definitely worth the price.

Cafe Menta in yummie words:

urban, chic, sporty

Yummie Chic orders:

Salad caprino: Garden lettuce served with grilled goat cheese, nuts and seeds, fresh figs and honey

Yummie Chic Advice

- Don´t miss the yummie lunch!! Go there a little bit later, if you don´t like the crowd.

- Better sit inside if you are willing to go there at afternoon, guest garden is nice but it can get a little bit loud outside.

- Last but not least, don´t forget to make your reservation for a live gig which is only organized once in a month!

Keep in mind:

- Opening hours are from 8:30 to midnight. 

- The kitchen is open till 22:30 pm.

- Credit cards accepted

Thanks to lovely Ms. Gürsesli for the great interview!

And of course to Andreas and Georg for the great photos!

Here are some backstage ones :)

Stay tuned to get yummier!! :D

Photo Credits: Andreas Schödl & Georg Hörmann

*The interview is translated from turkish into english.

[yummiechic]

Coco Smooch!

After an exhausting week, I thought there should be a prize for it on weekend, but what could it be?! Shopping, buying some shoes or bags and then get broke lol or go to a club at night but then wake up with a hangover afterwards?! Well there should be something more satisfying than these ones, right?! :D 

So after some thoughts seeking for a positive sign, there it was, a smoothie!! Everybody can do it, it´s easy, fast & healthy, shortly just everything we look for!! As a passionate juice fan, I really digged the idea, and this is how it came out: SMOOTH SATURDAY!! I thought about making yummie smoothies every saturday just to let loose, have some time only for ourselves and of course to get ready for a brand new week!

The first smoothie, I´ve created was Coco Smooch not to be confused with Coconut Kiss lol  :D

Well all you need is; 

- 1 peeled banana

- 1 cup of fresh pineapple chunks

- 1 orange

- 3/4 cup coconut milk

- Mint leaves, strawberries and a chocolate muffin as a side dish

You know what we´re going to do next, right?!:) Just mix in the blender and it´s ready to serve!! If it´s not cold enough, just put in the deep freezer for a few minutes or just put some icecubes in it!!

Last but not least, always feel free to improvise by changing the intensiveness of the ingredients or by adding some other flavour like kiwi, apple or even honey, just go for it!!:)

Before aand...

... After!!:D

[yummiechic]

"Wiener Genussfestival"

Wowzers!! What a weekend!! First "Wiener Genussfestival" ( Vienna´s annual culinary festival) then Smoochie´s photo shoot for a special occasion which is to support Animal Life (an austrian animal rescue charity) followed up by a nice interview with a brand new yet already successful restaurateur of Cafe Menta and last but not least Happy Shit Shopping!!

It was such a nice but also a very busy weekend!!

So let´s get started with the yummieness!! 

For the first time this year more than 170 rural producers traveled to Vienna from different austrian provinces to present their traditional and homemade specialities, which foodies and gourmets were longing to taste!! There were anything and everything from different types of cheese, jams, chutneys, honey, oil, backery goods to wine varieties, craft beers, spirits, syrups and juices.

I picked out my most fav 5 stalls for you guys!!

The Stadtpark (city park) is Vienna´s oldest public park

 Tourists chillin´ with the king of waltz; Johann Strauss :) 

   Great street musicians

1. The Fandler 

Coming from Styria, which is known for its famous pumpkinseed oil, The Fandler is an expert in producing oil and vinegar since 1926. I just can´t tell you how many oil varieties they produce; almond, canola, grapeseed, hazelnut, poppy seed, sesame, olive, peanut even macadamianut and many more, it is just unbelievable! 

  They also offer these endless oil variations in combinations such as my favourite one "Cuvee 9" which consists of sweet macamadia nut oil & tartish grape seed oil. 

And that´s just the beginning! They also produce organic vinegars (apple, white wine, red wine and even tomato!), different types of salt (pumpkin seed, hempseed and hazelnut salt) and snacking seeds.

I should say, one of the most important things which amazed me about this company was its booklet which I read afterwards at home as I was making my research and thinking about where I should start. Seriously it isn´t just a broschure, which introduces the products to its customers, it is a serious introduction booklet to the oil production and quality. Especially the part where they show, how the oil is made with the stamping press was very interesting. You can read it also by clicking this link; http://www.fandler.at/en/production-and-quality/stamping-press-oil-mill.html

Well the second thing I really liked was what a great team they are!! In the booklet you can see almost every single employee being introduced with his/her personal quotes and pics. Lastly,  Antoine de Saint -Exupery´s quote "If you want to build a ship, don´t drum up men to divide the work, teach them instead to yearn for the open sea." Sea of ideas, enthusiasm and commitment of people, who dedicate themselves to the oil production with hard work and team spirit.

If you´re also willing to get to know them better, then just go to www.fandler.at

  2. Lukashof Genussmanufaktur 

Another highlight for me were the chutneys and pesto sauces of Lukashof! You had to really get in line and wait for a few mins to able to taste some!

RTL: Chilli pesto with poppy seed, Sweet orange pesto with poppy seed and beetroot chutney (all bio!)

Besides they also got seed oil & vinegar, sparkling wine, different kind of syrups, mustard, salt, spread, snacking seeds, jam & jellies and different types of honey.

Orange dill mustard, wild garlic mustard, wild plum chilli mustard and many more...

Wide range of jam & jellies; from chocolate apple jam to mint jelly

Roasted ginger-orange, orange-mint, salted chilli & pur salted pumpkin seeds   

Roasted cinnamon, coffee-vanilla, cacao-chilli & vanilla pumpkin seeds

Lovely greetings to Mrs. Högler (on the right), who has been managing this great farm with her husband over 20 years now. The farm, which has been in existence since the 16th century, has been owned by the same family ever since.

For more information you can go to their website; www.lukashof.com

3. Wetter Fine Brandies & Fruit Juices

The family Wetter says that they´re constantly called "quality fanatics" by the press and that´s just fair! All I can say is yummie!! From the first sip, you can tell the difference between this apple juice and the one you buy from the supermarket. Fresh, pure & juicy!! I could really stay there for hours tasting these delish juices!! <3

They´ve got a selection of 12 kind of apple juices in 3 different types; the ones with slightly acidic apples, with slightly sweet apples or pears.

Juices with slightly acidic apples as Discovery or James Grieve 

Juices with slightly sweet apples such as Jonagold or Cox´s Orange Pippin; my favourite one which I just drank while I was writing this and very sad that I have to wait one year to get a new one..

Juices which are directly pressed from William Christ Pears such as Thunderstorm (70% apple, 30% pear) 

Besides they also offer a wide range of fine brandies.

You can visit www.wetter-brennerei.at to get more info!

4. Alpbachtaler Heumilchkäse

As a person, who can´t live without cheese, this stall was one of my favourite!! They offered a wide range of cheese; pepper, beer, mountain, wild garlic and many more! However the most important fact why I was so fascinated by them was their smiling faces and positive energy and they are from Tirol!! shalalala

5. Die Bäckerin Denise

My last fav stall was Denise the baker! She specializes in baking crispbread which is thought for wine in the first place; you can have it either traditional (with rosemar)y, mediterranean (combined with pepper, garlic & sage), spicy (with spicy walnut) or christmassy (vanilla with smoked vanilla salt).

She chooses her ingredients due to 5 elements; wood, fire, earth, metal and water believing that every element symbolizes another flavor and has different energetic and thermal effects which ended up being handmade culinary delicacies such as curry baguette with black sesame & galgant, beetroot baguette with sugar or wine crispbread with grapeseed flour and ghee.

What I really liked about her was her concept, a glance at her pic and you can think that she is a fashion designer, which isn´t completely wrong at all :)

Well you can go & visit www.baeckerin.at, if you would like to learn more about her work.

Of course there were more than just 5 stalls, which deserve to be shown here so I chose some pics for you also!!

       You could find everything about rose products in this stall.

Honey with spring blooms, lavender blooms, or lime blossom

cranberry & blueberry jam

All kind of spices

Different kind of brandies

You could find all kind of gingerbread!

Vegan pralines

My fav was definitely the honey mustard 

It was the hottest mustard, I´ve ever tasted!

There are many more pictures, which I would like to show you guys, but better go there next year! :D

Last but not least, 87 year old Mr. Kimko, whom I got to know as I was on my way to the festival, he was in love with Smoochie and wanted to play some songs for her with his harmonica. A great personality with lots to tell!! Despite his age, he´s making miracles with his talent by making music for the patients who are in coma...

#3 Yummie Check is comin´ soon, so stay tuned! :D

[yummiechic]

THE TRIBE BECOMES 1 @ GLOBAL LUNCH BEAT DAY

I hope you didn´t forget your dancing shoes at home because today is GLOBAL LUNCH BEAT Day, yeaay!!

Four years ago, after some thoughts of how to combine dance and work together except after work clubbings, the founder of this underground movement; Molly Ränge came up with this unique idea: LUNCH BEAT!

First hosted with only 14 people in a garage in Stockholm; this movement which was simply invented to make people get up on their feet and survive the work stress by dancing during the lunch break, soon became a globally celebrated day representing "PEACE".

Meanwhile, it´s so popular that people from all over the world started to organize lunch beat parties even monthly.

The global lunch day can be organised by anyone and all people who enjoy dancing, are welcome but still, there are some rules you have to obey! :D

"No one can do everything! We can all do something! Together we can do anything! A beat for CHANGE, a beat for HUMANITY, a beat for COMPASSION, A BEAT FOR PEACE!!"

So see you all dancing between 12-13 pm! :D

For more information just click lunchbeat.org

Ps: Because of the time difference, it is even possible to watch the lunch beat events from all over world LIVE!

http://vimeo.com/49943073