As a Nonya, I feel it is pertinent to want to learn to cook. I was not interested in cooking as a young girl. I was also hopeless at cooking during Home Economics lessons. I blotched my attempts at preparing the dishes. I remember making Kueh Ko Swee for one of my tests. I tried it at home and it was perfect, obviously due to my mum's guidance. When I did it on my own, it looked perfect but the inside was not cooked. :S The result of my Home Economics classes was that I became very good at washing dishes. Lol.
Watching the Little Nonya has made me go back to my roots and my desire to learn how to cook is now very strong. Another reason is that it helps me to feel close to my mum. It makes her feel proud of my successful attempts. I feel as if she is guiding me as I cook. I've managed to somewhat reproduce her Potato and Carrot Soup, and her Chicken Wings in Soya Sauce. :) Eating them makes me feel so nostalgic and poignant.
I was cooking Yaki Udon and my neighbour who is a wife and mother, but too lazy to cook, closed her windows to indicate that she did not want the food smells to get into her house. How can she not want to cook?! The only household chore she does is to wash clothes. She does not even clean her garden. The dirt and grime stuck in the grooves of her mosaic ground is repulsive! No matter how sick and weak my mum was, she would still clean and cook for us, till she became dependent on us for the smallest tasks. I'm so proud of her! My neighbour's husband is equally lazy at cleaning the house. Their house is so messy and cluttered. He cleans only his car. They go out all day long, to watch movies, lounge at their country club or go on trips. She is certainly lucky to be such a tai-tai! Oh, she does not have a maid, in case you are wondering.
There is a new term coined for men who can cook: gastrosexuals but being a woman requires you to know how to cook, or at least desire to learn how to cook.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Evolving mooncakes
New mooncake flavours never fail to appear every year. They become the topic on everyone's lips when they are revealed in the market.
Marina Mandarin hotel's new flavours are exciting and innovative. The filling of red-wine cranberry paste brings an intoxicating and exotic taste to something originally Chinese.
Another unusual filling is kumquat. It is a Chinese fruit but using it in mooncakes is a first. It will be interesting to eat a mooncake with orange filling.
In terms of the skin, peppermint snowskin is a unique outer layer. It will certainly complement the red bean paste filling in it, somewhat like an Yinyang combination.
Cova Pasticceria - Confetteria's mooncakes have a sponge layer inside. Its accompanying picture makes the mooncakes more tempting to eat. It has brought the normal definition of mooncakes into a new dimension. Its mooncake flavours are unusual as well. There are rose and vanilla sponge, and peanut and chocolate sponge!
Centre Ps's mooncake fillings are also a first: yuzu and cream cheese, and Oreo biscuit. I wonder what they will taste like!
There are also more fillings like lavender, wheatgrass and melon seeds, and hazelnut with nata de coco from Wah Lok, Carlton Hotel Singapore, and cranberry and raspberry, and peanut caramel from Hilton Singapore.
They get more exciting through the years!
Marina Mandarin hotel's new flavours are exciting and innovative. The filling of red-wine cranberry paste brings an intoxicating and exotic taste to something originally Chinese.
Another unusual filling is kumquat. It is a Chinese fruit but using it in mooncakes is a first. It will be interesting to eat a mooncake with orange filling.
In terms of the skin, peppermint snowskin is a unique outer layer. It will certainly complement the red bean paste filling in it, somewhat like an Yinyang combination.
Cova Pasticceria - Confetteria's mooncakes have a sponge layer inside. Its accompanying picture makes the mooncakes more tempting to eat. It has brought the normal definition of mooncakes into a new dimension. Its mooncake flavours are unusual as well. There are rose and vanilla sponge, and peanut and chocolate sponge!
Centre Ps's mooncake fillings are also a first: yuzu and cream cheese, and Oreo biscuit. I wonder what they will taste like!
There are also more fillings like lavender, wheatgrass and melon seeds, and hazelnut with nata de coco from Wah Lok, Carlton Hotel Singapore, and cranberry and raspberry, and peanut caramel from Hilton Singapore.
They get more exciting through the years!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Spice Peranakan as featured in Lifestyle
It is a fairly new Peranakan restaurant compared to the established ones like Guan Hoe Soon. It was started 2 years ago. It is definitely "posh spice", since the layout is Western in nature, and looks rather elaborate, while the food is typically spicy.
The Ayam Buah Kelauk has minced prawns added into the mixture of kernel and minced pork. This makes the mixture more luxurious and richer. Frankly, two nuts per serving is rather stingy. I know that this dish requires a lot of preparation, as I am a Nonya, but Nonya families normally do not serve so few nuts for this dish. Again, the Bakwan Kepeting is a luxurious version, with minced prawn and flower crab meat in the meatballs. If I am not mistaken, the balls usually have only minced pork and normal crab meat. Flower crabs are more expensive, I believe.
The Babi Pongteh has a milder flavour, which probably caters more to non-Peranakan customers. However, I feel that if this is supposed to be an authentic Peranakan restuarant, it should have the exact flavour. The Sotong Sambal sounds delicious and is more elaborate with fish paste stuffed into the squid. :) The fish paste is probably soft because the chef wanted to make sure it was thoroughly cooked like the squid, I think.
As for desserts, the Gula Melaka Sago sounds delicious from Wong Ah Yoke's description of it. The lack of cooked tapioca pieces in the Bubur Cha Cha is sorely appalling. Surely Bubur Cha Cha must have tapioca pieces in it! The rich coconut soup does not cover up for this deficiency. For the Chendol to have insufficient coconut milk and gula melaka is also a sorely appalling thing to note.
It is indeed surprising to know that the food is prepared by a male cook. It is usually young Nonyas who cook Peranakan dishes. My criticism of his dishes shows that I am a traditional Peranakan who wants the food to be done in the manner as it should be. I hope I was not being too harsh.
The Ayam Buah Kelauk has minced prawns added into the mixture of kernel and minced pork. This makes the mixture more luxurious and richer. Frankly, two nuts per serving is rather stingy. I know that this dish requires a lot of preparation, as I am a Nonya, but Nonya families normally do not serve so few nuts for this dish. Again, the Bakwan Kepeting is a luxurious version, with minced prawn and flower crab meat in the meatballs. If I am not mistaken, the balls usually have only minced pork and normal crab meat. Flower crabs are more expensive, I believe.
The Babi Pongteh has a milder flavour, which probably caters more to non-Peranakan customers. However, I feel that if this is supposed to be an authentic Peranakan restuarant, it should have the exact flavour. The Sotong Sambal sounds delicious and is more elaborate with fish paste stuffed into the squid. :) The fish paste is probably soft because the chef wanted to make sure it was thoroughly cooked like the squid, I think.
As for desserts, the Gula Melaka Sago sounds delicious from Wong Ah Yoke's description of it. The lack of cooked tapioca pieces in the Bubur Cha Cha is sorely appalling. Surely Bubur Cha Cha must have tapioca pieces in it! The rich coconut soup does not cover up for this deficiency. For the Chendol to have insufficient coconut milk and gula melaka is also a sorely appalling thing to note.
It is indeed surprising to know that the food is prepared by a male cook. It is usually young Nonyas who cook Peranakan dishes. My criticism of his dishes shows that I am a traditional Peranakan who wants the food to be done in the manner as it should be. I hope I was not being too harsh.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Drinking water in restaurants
Veron Ang's list of restaurants which do not serve free water is not unethical. I empathise with her sitation, as I need water to take my medication too. I've had good service when requesting for it, albeit, being politely informed by some sales staff that I've to pay for it. I am fine with that because I really do need the water. I guess my tolerance level is higher.
The reasons that some eateries on her list give for not serving free water seem ludicrous however. One of them is "our patrons...come...not to taste water. It's the customer with a budget who insists on tap water." Asking for water besides ordering food is not abnormal. Besides, tap water can be drunk, and if the food items are charged at high prices, asking for tap water will offset the bill. A further comment that outside Singapore, "nobody really asks for tap water" was made. There are tourists who do ask actually. Paying for water will incur more expenses for them, and eateries overseas are well aware of their need to budget their finances. On the contrary too, Paris eateries actually provide for free a jug of tap water and even the government is trying to convince Parisians to drink tap water instead of mineral water. Hong Kong people too, ask for free tap water. Tokyo, New York and London are on the list of countries too. London eateries even pass off tap water as mineral water. The staff member of this local eatery is certainly a frog in the well!
A second reason is even more ridiculous. "...manpower is needed to refill and wash the glasses" is exaggerating the mere act of what everyone does in his own kitchen. I note that the owner of an eatery is smart enough to raise the prices of his food items so as to complement the service of free water. He definitely possesses business acumen. I wholeheartedly agree with two opinions of the patrons contacted. Free water is merely part of the service of a restaurant. As it is, service charge is already included in the bill, and to pay additional costs for tap water is not to be condoned. Also, ordering mineral water should only be the last resort, if tap water is unavailable and there is an urgent need for water. Another mentioned that if the water is boiled, a nominal fee can be charged. This does sound reasonable.
Some letters on this issue have been published. Goh Mei Hui mentioned some valid points. If there is a need to have water for medication purposes, it is better to bring one's own. Also, Veron Ang's list should have been verified before being published. I agree with Chan Yiu Lin that there is nothing wrong with asking for tap water, not when we are facing an economic crisis, and also that bottled water is bad for the environment. My dad also gave his opinion on this issue. Tap water may be good per se but the pipe from which it flows out may not be clean. Hmm. I was unaware of the double standards Crystal Jade Kitchen branches practise, till Chua Shuyi mentioned it. The one at Plaza Sing charges for tap water but the one at Holland V does not. What is the logic behind this discrepancy?
A survey on whether bottled water should be banned was carried out, and I do agree with some of the views. If that should take effect, more water coolers have to be installed. Also, that will cause more people to drink bottled sweet drinks, since some people feel psychologically safer when drinking bottled liquids. This act will definitely increase the probability of people contracting diabetes.
The reasons that some eateries on her list give for not serving free water seem ludicrous however. One of them is "our patrons...come...not to taste water. It's the customer with a budget who insists on tap water." Asking for water besides ordering food is not abnormal. Besides, tap water can be drunk, and if the food items are charged at high prices, asking for tap water will offset the bill. A further comment that outside Singapore, "nobody really asks for tap water" was made. There are tourists who do ask actually. Paying for water will incur more expenses for them, and eateries overseas are well aware of their need to budget their finances. On the contrary too, Paris eateries actually provide for free a jug of tap water and even the government is trying to convince Parisians to drink tap water instead of mineral water. Hong Kong people too, ask for free tap water. Tokyo, New York and London are on the list of countries too. London eateries even pass off tap water as mineral water. The staff member of this local eatery is certainly a frog in the well!
A second reason is even more ridiculous. "...manpower is needed to refill and wash the glasses" is exaggerating the mere act of what everyone does in his own kitchen. I note that the owner of an eatery is smart enough to raise the prices of his food items so as to complement the service of free water. He definitely possesses business acumen. I wholeheartedly agree with two opinions of the patrons contacted. Free water is merely part of the service of a restaurant. As it is, service charge is already included in the bill, and to pay additional costs for tap water is not to be condoned. Also, ordering mineral water should only be the last resort, if tap water is unavailable and there is an urgent need for water. Another mentioned that if the water is boiled, a nominal fee can be charged. This does sound reasonable.
Some letters on this issue have been published. Goh Mei Hui mentioned some valid points. If there is a need to have water for medication purposes, it is better to bring one's own. Also, Veron Ang's list should have been verified before being published. I agree with Chan Yiu Lin that there is nothing wrong with asking for tap water, not when we are facing an economic crisis, and also that bottled water is bad for the environment. My dad also gave his opinion on this issue. Tap water may be good per se but the pipe from which it flows out may not be clean. Hmm. I was unaware of the double standards Crystal Jade Kitchen branches practise, till Chua Shuyi mentioned it. The one at Plaza Sing charges for tap water but the one at Holland V does not. What is the logic behind this discrepancy?
A survey on whether bottled water should be banned was carried out, and I do agree with some of the views. If that should take effect, more water coolers have to be installed. Also, that will cause more people to drink bottled sweet drinks, since some people feel psychologically safer when drinking bottled liquids. This act will definitely increase the probability of people contracting diabetes.
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