CHOCSTAR SECRET SUPPER CLUB: PETRA GOES ON TOUR

As you know, Dos Hermanos is usually about, well Dos Hermanos. Our hopes, our dreams and our valiant battle towards world peace or a decent Martini, which ever comes first.

Occasionally however, we do like to give a little mention to out chums in this crazy world we call “Blogdom” when there is something interesting happening or they give us free stuff.

Well, what could be more interesting that having a smokin’ hot babe with a predilection for high heeled boots trundling up to your front door, or indeed your back passage with a van full of chocolaty comestibles?

That’s right, Petra “Chocstar” Barran, DH's favourite "Queen of The Cocao" is going on the road and is looking for invitations to bring Jimmy, her ramshackle but reliable old jalopy, to all corners of the UK so she can see what you are all up to. In return you get chance to taste what those of us, in the know, in London have been raving about for the last couple of years.

Her Venezuelan hot chocolate is the best in town bar none. The thick milkshakes with a Maltezer on top are almost as good and I suspect there is a law being drawn up by lardy people everywhere against her addictive brownies.

She hopes to get out on the road in April for at lest three months. So, why not get in touch with her by e-mail (feedme@chocstar.co.uk) check out her website or join the Facebook group she has already set up for the trip?

Right. Enough of her travelling adventures, I am going back to my own little odyssey.

NORDIC BAKERY

NORDIC BAKERY: YOU’RE PULLING MY EAR
I have a Finnish friend and gym buddy called Martina. She, like so many of my female friends, can be horribly annoying. But, in between periods of sublime irritation, she has her uses.

Like today, when I wanted to go and sample London’s first Suomi-Kahvila after reading about it in Time Out.

She was a mine of information and informed me “Finns do two things well, coffee and suicide” She also told me it would not be a Kahvila of any kind without two things on the menu. Karjalanpiirakka ( Karelian pie) and Korvapuusti ( cinnamon buns) which literally means “pulling your ear”

Well, she will be pleased to know they have both.

It is, in true Finnish style, beautifully designed if unhampered by enough chairs and the small displays of open sandwiches, were appealing if few in variety.

A few years ago, it is reported that Jacques Chirac lost the Olympics for France when he said the only place in the world with worse food that the UK was in Finland. The Finnish delegate promptly changed his vote leading to pleasing pictures of Parisians soap dodgers crying and wailing openly. Tee and indeed hee.

He obviously didn’t try the Karelian Pie which is delicious. A thin pie of rye pastry with savoury rice and milk topped with the traditional (I am told by Martina) layer of egg butter. All very melt in the mouth-tastic.

Less so the Korvapuusti which was more challenging. Frighteningly solid and chewy, it needed dipping into the excellent hot chocolate before I could polish it off.

A quick visit to the tiny downstairs kitchen found baker, Sini preparing rhubarb and chocolates cakes for the rest of the day. The only thing they don’t make is the bread which is flown in from Finland. She also explained that the owner, Jali Walsten is, apparently, a well known ex professional ice hockey player who now helps small Scandinavian companies set up businesses in the UK. That may explain why the cinnamon bun was as hard as a puck.

Quite if there is the market for a place like this, I am not sure, but it is worth a visit for the pie. Perhaps they commit suicide by getting someone to drop one of those cinnamon buns on their head from a great height and, perhaps if fatty Chirac had tasted one of those lovely pies, he would have kept his gob shut and it would be Parisians facing an enormo bill for a two week sporting occasion rather than us Londoners

Afterwards and to walk off some of the calories, I wandered home via the monthly market in Whitecross St. All the usual suspects to bore you with but I was heartened to see my good chum, Petra from Chocstar and Ian Hartland, who was still talking to me after my recent visit to make Mrs King's pork pies for EAT MY GLOBE.

One welcome new addition was Luardos, run by a young chap called Simon who was selling very good looking Fajita and Quesadilla from a luminous green van.

The market is there for another couple of days. Worth checking out.