HONG KONG, CHINA - Media OutReach - Dec 6, 2017 - There's no better way to celebrate Christmas than by gathering family and friends together, and this holiday season, Hong Kong's neighbourhood caffé, HABITŪ, is here to help. A one-stop-shop for all your festive food and drink, HABITŪ is offering a variety of seasonal specials, including a range of luxurious hampers, innovative themed menus and catering services that will turn your Christmas and New Year's Eve parties from trials into triumphs. As a special treat this Christmas, HABITŪ has also invited model and pastry chef Amanda Strang to design a collection of cakes and cookies. ^[1]

Christmas Treats

In the mid 2000s, Amanda added another string to her bow by pursuing one of her first passions: baking. Determined to learn from only the best, she trained under famed three Michelin star chef Ludovic Douteau while she was perfecting her craft at renowned Parisian culinary school Le Cordon Bleu.

"I always loved spending Christmas in France," Amanda says. "We would eat the most wonderful Christmas treats by the fire while it snowed outside and that is what inspired this Christmas collection for HABITŪ."

Themed White Christmas, Amanda's Christmas collection is made using only the finest French ingredients. The most luxurious of Amanda's desserts is the White Christmas Log Cake (HK$688), a vanilla tiramisu mousse with creamy cranberry and sour cherry jelly on a cranberry dacquoise. This delectable dessert is also available in miniature size, making the White Christmas Mini Log Cake (HK$52), the perfect gift for taking to Christmas parties.

Less decadent but no less delicious is Santa's Chestnut Pound Cake, (HK$25 per slice), which features marrons glacé and Belgium chocolate flakes folded inside the French butter pound cake. Finally, Amanda created Rudolph's Biscuits (HK$98 per box) which are buttery cookies with hazelnuts, cranberries and cocoa nibs.

Available to order in all HABITŪ outlets from November 20 to December 31, these cakes and cookies can be enjoyed in-store or taken home to share with loved ones.

Holiday Hampers

Nothing says Merry Christmas quite like a festive hamper brimming with surprises. This year, HABITŪ has created three unique hampers, offering something for everyone. All three hampers can be pre-ordered online and then picked up at all HABITŪ outlets from now until 31 December.

Brewrista di HABITŪ ($428) is the perfect gift for coffee lovers. Christmas with RABITŪ ($298) will put a smile on any child's face come Christmas day. Finally, Warm Christmas ($178) includes a giant gingerbread man, a 16oz HABITŪ coffee mug, a reindeer cup sleeve and a Classico Caffè Voucher.

Festive Food & Drink

HABITŪ's classic Christmas drinks, the White Truffle Chestnut Caffé Latte ($58) and White Truffle Chestnut Chocolate ($58),which is served with a truffle wing-shaped cookie, are eagerly awaited every winter. This year, they are available from November 8 to January 14.

On top of seasonal drinks, HABITŪ's chefs have created a variety of festive dishes for HABITŪ Table, which will be served alongside HABITŪ Table's regular menu from November 8, 2017 to January 14, 2018.

One of the highlights of HABITŪ Table's Christmas menu is Linguine Pasta with Smoked Turkey in Beetroot Cream Sauce ($128), which combines the classic Christmas ingredient of turkey with a variety of seasonal vegetables including beetroot, asparagus and mushroom. HABITŪ's chefs will also be serving up Honey Roasted Gammon Ham with Crispy Truffle Mash and Grilled Fresh Pineapple ($168). For this dish, the chefs specifically choose hams which are small enough to absorb smoky flavours but large enough that they don't taste too salty. Accompanying the ham is truffle mash, which is made from real truffles and is served in the shape of a pear, one of the most famous winter fruits. Another seasonal fruit, the fig, appears in HABITŪ Table's Israel Figs & Rocket Salad in Strawberry Balsamic ($78) and Grilled Halibut Fillet, Pistachio Crust, Zucchini noodle and Figs Balsamic Jus ($178) dishes.

Perfect Parties

HABITŪ can also bring the spirit of Christmas into your home with three delectable festive menus (three days advance booking required) available from December 4 to January 1.

Perfect for parties of eight to ten people, the seven-course HABITŪ Luxury Menu (HK$2,988) will please all palettes. Vegetarians are in for a treat with the Sweet Potato Beet Wellington, an innovative, modern take on the classic beef wellington. But carnivores needn't worry, as they'll be treated to Everyone's Favourite Baby Back Ribs and a Pistachio-Crusted Whole Halibut Fillet. The menu is completed by a Fillet of Dill-Seasoned Home Smoked Salmon, Avocado Organic Quinoa Kale Caesar, Seared Jumbo Scallops Wrapped with Crispy Bacon and the indulgent Sea Urchin and Avruga Caviar Carbonara.

Christmas wouldn't be complete without a turkey, so HABITŪ's chefs can also prepare a 5kg Roasted U.S. Ranch Raised Young Turkey (HK$980) served with rosemary, its jus and strawberry rose chutney.

HABITŪ also has a number of other menus available for catering, including many vegetarian options. Please refer to the Christmas fact sheet for the full menus.

As they do throughout the year, HABITŪ's catering teams can help you prepare for all events, no matter how big or small. HABITŪ's Catering Butlers can assist in table set-up service and, if you would like assistance with anything such as event planning or white-glove waiting, then HABITŪ's team of Catering Butlers (HK$500 per butler, per hour) are at your disposal.

Whatever food and drink you fancy this Christmas, you can find it at HABITŪ.

References

1. ^{^} Media OutReach (www.media-outreach.com)