Your new favorite corner to recharge your batteries at any time of the day
aesthetics and lifestyle Kinfolk They have left a mark. And the Maple Sisters , are the two Spanish women who have managed to bring to their territory, that is, the kitchen of the recently opened restaurant/cafeteria Hermanas Arce , the benefits and philosophy of a movement that focuses on pure beauty.
Elena and Ana. Ana and Elena. Both make up an alliance that, beyond the family, has taken its close ties to the kitchen.
“ It all started when I decided to make desserts at home. Our mother cooks wonderfully but she stays in the salty section. So ever since I was little I started to have an interest in confectionery and I dedicated myself to making desserts at home . When I was older and when we became independent, I started a recipe blog to share my nonsense and first steps in the kitchen”, says Ana.
Maple Sisters
It all started five years ago, when the Nordic magazine Kinfolk set his sights on Spain. “We found out that they were going to hold events in Madrid and we decided to write to them . It was there when the two of us got together, going to the workshops they taught and having dinners with them. From then on, people asked us if we did catering or if we could make food for their events”, Ana says about how her name began to be heard in the culinary scene of Madrid.
"But since each of us had our jobs, we couldn't leave everything to dedicate ourselves to the project," she concludes. Because the cook in this house is an engineer , while her sister is a lawyer , and they both love what they do.
“We like what we do in the office and we like to cook, so we always machined and dreamed of doing something but we never took the step”, summarizes Elena. Until now.
A breakfast of always like never
The place of the Calle Marques de Monasterio, 6 he is sober and entertaining, capable of showing that here things go little by little and take shape slowly but steadily.
“We decided to settle in this neighborhood (Salesas) because it is beautiful and our street is very quiet. We started the work last August with Christian de la Sotilla from the Architecture studio , which is based in Barcelona. In fact, Christian had a son... right when we started! So it was a curious process, sending us photos and updates of the work all the time via Skype and Whatsapp”.
Toast with homemade jam
Its facade goes a bit unnoticed by those who do not know it, but word of mouth has been taking care that its clientele is increasing.
With several tables distributed throughout the premises and a beautiful communal one, the entrance area has the most demanded corner, with a small table next to the enormous window that overlooks the street, decorated by a shelf on which they are exhibiting ( and replenishing regularly), natural wines, homemade jams (right now orange or quince, and shortly, strawberries or, as soon as Ana sails to Hamburg, rhubarb), the artisan granola that changes its recipe with respect to the season (such as that of coconut with walnuts and maple syrup) or a wonderful Galician honey.
“In the end, the grace of all this is in what the season brings us to create new recipes and look forward to what is coming… right now, for example I can't stop thinking about everything I'm going to cook when strawberry season comes ' exclaims Anne.
The fact is that everything is homemade and that it touches the hearts of the sisters, otherwise, they would not be able to put so much love and effort into the place that they now consider their second home and in which, as such, they only want their guests are part of it.
Her menu is Mediterranean and homemade, without seeking to surprise with exoticism, just being honestly delicious with breakfasts like her sourdough toast made here (also let yourself fall into the clutches of their brioche), with butter, honey, jam or oil and tomato; soft-boiled egg and comté cheese and that mixed sandwich that Elena loves so much.
“Look, it's one of the simplest things on the planet (in the pan and with sourdough bread, good ham and Comté cheese) but, honestly, it's very good. It's something very easy for us to do, we always made it at home but you go to other places and they don't put the real care into each of the ingredients," Ana tells us.
Weekends, French toast, scrambled eggs with bacon, pancakes with caramelized fruit and, coming soon, homemade donuts.
At noon the offer is adapted to the meal time with a menu that, although short, is perfect to fit in with the schedules (and stomachs) of the surrounding office workers and the residents of the neighbourhood.
“It changes daily so that share order a single plate , is a short letter so you can mix it however you want. During the week we lean for more vegetables (in creams, ratatouille, salads) and legumes to end the week with more forcefulness with recipes such as beef bourguignon or lamb stew with feta and oregano".
Homemade and healthy cooking
However, here, it is a sin to skip the desserts. After all, Ana has been preparing since she was very young for you to try them: some highly addictive chocolate cookies; the hit of the house, the tarte tatin or the olive oil, apple and walnut sponge cake.
Although tomorrow will be another day and, here, the new dawn is always accompanied by new flavors, ingredients and aromas. So the surprise is guaranteed.
Its confectionery, its great strength
Address: Calle Marques de Monasterio, 6 See map
Schedule: From Tuesday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.