Yesterday we met friends in Venice for afternoon tea at Jin Patisserie, an Asian teahouse and speciality chocolatier recently touted in the food section of the L.A. Times. The whole gestalt of Jin Patisserie — from the walk-up to the display cases to the food design to the take-out containers to the tastes and smells and sights — is carefully crafted aesthetic experience in perfect pitch.
We had Pu Er Imperial tea, a tobacco flavor reminiscent of Yerba Mate. The lychee-flavored hand-crafted marshmallows, tuna tart, real Devonshire clotted cream, the dark chocolate squares coated with Earl Grey tea leaves — each flavor matches and challenges the others in concert. Take off the afternoon and treat yourself to another world.
Additional photos of Jin Patisserie at Protosheigh.
Stop now, your making me hungry and I can’t go there to eat!!!
“lychee-flavored hand-crafted marshmallows…”
!!!
Although I lived in Singapore and got plenty of chances to try them, I never liked lychees much (or rambutans, for that matter). Something tells me the combination with marshmallows (hand-crafted, at that!) would be extremely interesting, though. Only at Venice Beach, I gather. 🙂
Okay, I’m way curious, so please elaborate: what is a “hand-crafted marshmallow”??
Sorry, Sis. Next time you’re in town : )
Hey Micah, I think lychee is tasty, but only in the right combos. I’ve had this lychee yogurt-y fruit drink that I liked a lot, and these marshmallows were great.
Okay, let’s see if I can explain these marshmallows. Basically, a marshmallow is just candy and can be made in a regular kitchen (see here for instructions how). These had different flavors added to the recipe, including lychee. They were small cubes, about the size of a sugar cube, and had a light pink dusting of lychee flavored powder. They were very tasty : )