This month's issue of Lifestyle Magazine showcases the new ice-cream outlet LICK which stands for Little Ice Cream Kafe. It is located at Basement 2 of Ang Mo Kio Hub. Some of the ice-cream flavours featured are rather unique. They cater more to local palates. Each scoop costs $2.90.
There are Cheng Tng, Kaya Toast with "bread bits", Gula Melaka, Bandung with Palm Seeds, D24 Durian and Teh Tarik. I would go for the first one as it sounds rather refreshing. The second one tastes more like Pandan though because of the Pandan-flavoured Kaya used in its making, while the "bread bits" are really sponge fingers, thus using traditional English biscuits to recreate bread. Gula Melaka is the star flavour though a tad sweet. I don't like Palm Seeds so the fourth out is out for me. I like durians but eating them give me asthma. Alas, I can't try the D24 Durian flavour. The last one was lamented as not being authentic enough.
Toppings at $0.80 are also provided. I would ask for Gummy Bears with my ice-cream while Caramel Popcorn is an unusual combination with ice-cream :)
Swensens has come up with new ice-cream flavours. They are savoury-based and some novel flavours are seaweed and pistachio, and salted cornflake. Seaweed is the more novel ingredient for the first flavour while the second one sounds really original. I have never tasted salty ice-cream, and cornflakes are usually toppings for ice-cream rather than ingredients. Each flavour is served in a mini-cup and costs $3.90.
Two parlours have been conducting ice cream-making workshops for the public. These workshops cost about $45 and last for 2 hours. Tom's Palette and Udders are the innovators. I was surprised to read that there is no need for an ice cream machine to make ice cream. Merely a stainless-steel mixing bowl, a weighing machine and ziplock bags are needed to turn the eggs, milk, cream and sugar into ice cream. It sounds tempting to try it at home :)
Some participants were so inspired that they asked for bizarre flavours like Ikan Bilis or Chilli Crab. :S The latter sounds repulsive to me. Chilli ice cream? It is not for me. I am accustomed to the traditionally sweet flavours. At the same time, Tom's Palette sells unusual flavours like Wasabi Lime, Curry Apples and Caramelized Onion, which also sound unenticing to me.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Dumplings have joined the club
Dumpling versions have also been reinvented. Besides the traditional ones like Hokkien, Cantonese and Nyonya, four dessert dumplings, courtesy of Crystal Jade, have entered the market. Chocolate with Coco Nugget, Black Pearl(Black Glutinous Rice, Mango with Nata De Coco and Lychee are the new versions. The last two sound appealing to me. The Mango version reminds me of the Thai dessert Sticky Rice with Mango which I love, and Lychee is surely an original, providing an unusual taste.
Crystal Jade has also come up with a version containing spicy chicken and the Deluxe version with Conpoy. The former sounds yummy, with the addition of bean curd, peanut and beans. The latter is definitely a luxurious item catered to the tastes of the rich.
Some other new versions are Black Garlic with Smoked Bacon from Szechuan Court and Chempedak from Peach Blossoms. The former sounds really unique but I bet the bacon will go perfectly with the glutinous rice. As for the latter, it is really jackfruit if I am not mistaken. It is a dessert dumpling and so I bet it will taste sweet :) Peach Blossoms has also come up with a wild fungus version. This is definitely one that whets up my appetite :)
Ooo, the list goes on. Cherry Garden has its waxed meat claypot rice-inspired dumpling with Chinese sausage, waxed meat and liver sausage. Pine Court marinates its pork filling with Japanese teriyaki sauce while Pearl River Palace has its Kaya dumpling as well as Herbal Chicken dumpling. Xin Cuisine increases the luxury factor with its Soft Shell Turtle and Fish Maw dumpling, which has Chinese herbs with the turtle meat. Shin Yeh has a Taiwanese-style dumpling of preserved turnip, minced pork, dried mushroom and dried shrimp, reminiscent of the Savoury Glutinous Rice pancake from Crystal Jade bakery. Last on this list is Peony Jade's Treasure of the Sea dumpling with shark's fin, abalone, golden conpoy and salted egg yolk. This is probably the most luxurious version of all that I have mentioned here.
In terms of size, Szechuan Court has revealed the 1kg dumpling. Besides its Black Garlic with Smoked Bacon and Organic Red Brown Rice Vegetarian Dumpling, Gong Bao Chicken Dumpling with Peanuts and Szechuan Spicy Peppercorns is one other giant dumpling. The third one sounds the most enticing though.
Crystal Jade has also come up with a version containing spicy chicken and the Deluxe version with Conpoy. The former sounds yummy, with the addition of bean curd, peanut and beans. The latter is definitely a luxurious item catered to the tastes of the rich.
Some other new versions are Black Garlic with Smoked Bacon from Szechuan Court and Chempedak from Peach Blossoms. The former sounds really unique but I bet the bacon will go perfectly with the glutinous rice. As for the latter, it is really jackfruit if I am not mistaken. It is a dessert dumpling and so I bet it will taste sweet :) Peach Blossoms has also come up with a wild fungus version. This is definitely one that whets up my appetite :)
Ooo, the list goes on. Cherry Garden has its waxed meat claypot rice-inspired dumpling with Chinese sausage, waxed meat and liver sausage. Pine Court marinates its pork filling with Japanese teriyaki sauce while Pearl River Palace has its Kaya dumpling as well as Herbal Chicken dumpling. Xin Cuisine increases the luxury factor with its Soft Shell Turtle and Fish Maw dumpling, which has Chinese herbs with the turtle meat. Shin Yeh has a Taiwanese-style dumpling of preserved turnip, minced pork, dried mushroom and dried shrimp, reminiscent of the Savoury Glutinous Rice pancake from Crystal Jade bakery. Last on this list is Peony Jade's Treasure of the Sea dumpling with shark's fin, abalone, golden conpoy and salted egg yolk. This is probably the most luxurious version of all that I have mentioned here.
In terms of size, Szechuan Court has revealed the 1kg dumpling. Besides its Black Garlic with Smoked Bacon and Organic Red Brown Rice Vegetarian Dumpling, Gong Bao Chicken Dumpling with Peanuts and Szechuan Spicy Peppercorns is one other giant dumpling. The third one sounds the most enticing though.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Eww. How gross a presentation.
I was watching the programme Come Dine With Me on BBC Lifestyle. Four aspiring cooks each hosts a dinner party that is made up of a three-course meal and optional entertainment thrown in, in order to gain points. The one with the highest score gets the prize of a thousand pounds.
A contestant actually served his Sushi on a half-naked man's torso. I would have been more turned off than turned on at the sight of it. The thought of his sweat and body odour mingling with the delicacy totally disgusts me. I wonder how his guests could have stomached themselves to eat the Sushi, even if they were doing so out of politeness. If the contestant had placed the Sushi on platters before putting the platters on the man's torso, it wouldn't have been half so bad. Eww a million times.
Another contestant cooked a pasta dish for his fellow diners. Halfway through the meal, one of the females found a strand of his hair in her pasta. That automatically lowered his ranking to the last one. He was disappointed to know that he had been relegated but it was due to the true reason being withheld from him.
A contestant actually served his Sushi on a half-naked man's torso. I would have been more turned off than turned on at the sight of it. The thought of his sweat and body odour mingling with the delicacy totally disgusts me. I wonder how his guests could have stomached themselves to eat the Sushi, even if they were doing so out of politeness. If the contestant had placed the Sushi on platters before putting the platters on the man's torso, it wouldn't have been half so bad. Eww a million times.
Another contestant cooked a pasta dish for his fellow diners. Halfway through the meal, one of the females found a strand of his hair in her pasta. That automatically lowered his ranking to the last one. He was disappointed to know that he had been relegated but it was due to the true reason being withheld from him.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
My extremely strong food cravings
This week has been one of trash eating for me. I ate cookies from Famous Amos and Fish and Chips on 2 separate but consecutive days. Then after a day's break, I ate Twister Fries. I ate the yolk when I ate eggs twice during the week. I ate Mee Siam, Sour Cream and Onion Potato Chips, Dark Chocolate and Caramel Apple Chips yesterday. :S
I did offset these with water, soups, fruits and vegetables, but they don't remove the guilt I feel inside. It is not just a matter of losing weight but a matter of not obeying my doctor's instructions :S My deadly sin is truly gluttony!! However, these things are so difficult to resist! My weakness is indeed fried food and cookies :S
I did offset these with water, soups, fruits and vegetables, but they don't remove the guilt I feel inside. It is not just a matter of losing weight but a matter of not obeying my doctor's instructions :S My deadly sin is truly gluttony!! However, these things are so difficult to resist! My weakness is indeed fried food and cookies :S
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Serangoon Gardens(updated)
Gardens was featured in last week's Today newspaper, and as a longtime resident, I do agree with some of the recommendations. I will add some others though.
Chomps's fried wanton mee is definitely good. You can also ask for spinach noodles instead of egg noodles. Chomps's Fried Carrot Cake at the front and Kueh Pie Tee opposite that, are also good finds. Borsch's Seafood Bee Hoon and Tome Laksa at Ban Heng coffeeshop are other recommendations. Pow Sing's Ngoh Hiang and Crispy Nonya Sotong are also on the list. If you go to the Market, you should try Burbur Ayam from the corner stall on the right, as you enter from Chartwell Drive. The Japanese food stall with its friendly owners, a few stalls away, is also a good choice. Ah Seng's Braised Duck Rice, the Teochew Porridge stall opposite it, Unity western food's spaghetti and the stall selling Aussie Fish and Chips complete my list.
There are some other places not mentioned in the feature. Bangawan Solo's Chendol is a crowd-pleaser. The Thai restaurant next to Guardian Pharmacy is a famous one. Aston's western food at the coffeeshop next to Borsch is always roaring with business. Liquid Kitchen's food is also not too bad.
Chomps's fried wanton mee is definitely good. You can also ask for spinach noodles instead of egg noodles. Chomps's Fried Carrot Cake at the front and Kueh Pie Tee opposite that, are also good finds. Borsch's Seafood Bee Hoon and Tome Laksa at Ban Heng coffeeshop are other recommendations. Pow Sing's Ngoh Hiang and Crispy Nonya Sotong are also on the list. If you go to the Market, you should try Burbur Ayam from the corner stall on the right, as you enter from Chartwell Drive. The Japanese food stall with its friendly owners, a few stalls away, is also a good choice. Ah Seng's Braised Duck Rice, the Teochew Porridge stall opposite it, Unity western food's spaghetti and the stall selling Aussie Fish and Chips complete my list.
There are some other places not mentioned in the feature. Bangawan Solo's Chendol is a crowd-pleaser. The Thai restaurant next to Guardian Pharmacy is a famous one. Aston's western food at the coffeeshop next to Borsch is always roaring with business. Liquid Kitchen's food is also not too bad.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Cupcakes crazes everywhere!
New York's craze exploded with the Sex and the City episode where Sarah Jessica Parker ate a pink-frosted cupcake outside Magnolia Bakery. People flocked to the bakery for that same cupcake. Now, there are classes, tours, a tea and a truck with 6000 followers on Twitter, based on cupcakes.
Cupcake Cafe's cakes are a part of this craze. They have been sold since 1988. They are culinary and visual works of art, so pretty to behold. Alas, they are too pretty to put into my mouth! Babycakes NYC have "vegan versions" where real vanilla is used. Baked by Melissa has cookie dough flavoured cupcakes, which has caught my eye. Billy's has "a classic chocolate cupcake with sugary frosting that will remind you of the ones mum made in the past". It is a very poignant description for me. Crumbs Bake Shop has cupcakes which are "a blast from a American sweet-filled past". I love food that has been resurrected from decades gone by.
This brings me back to the original cupcakes that came from England: Queen Cakes. I used to make them for my Home Economic lesson in the late 1980s. They can still be found, with glaced cherry chunks added into them, at Chin Mei Chin Bakery located near Holy Family Church in Katong.
Then I learnt to make Butterfly Cakes, which are really cakes with the two halves of the top portions placed on cream. in the cutout holes of the Queen Cakes.
Time has evolved these classic cakes into what we now know as Cupcakes, with all their trimmings, toppings, designs and decorations.
To me, they are life's little luxuries. I took pictures of those in Harrods' food hall in Knightsbridge, London. I also drooled over those sold at Sweet Secret bakeries during Christmas. I did buy its Christmas selection for a few friends a couple of years back. The thing is that they are more appealing to females. If only my male friends could see the beauty they possess.
Then again, the frosting used is fattening, with butter as its primary ingredient. Even marzipan uses a lot of sugar when it is made. Thus, I shall limit my enjoyment to mainly visual in nature, with occasional indulgences in terms of physical and gourmet.
Cupcake Cafe's cakes are a part of this craze. They have been sold since 1988. They are culinary and visual works of art, so pretty to behold. Alas, they are too pretty to put into my mouth! Babycakes NYC have "vegan versions" where real vanilla is used. Baked by Melissa has cookie dough flavoured cupcakes, which has caught my eye. Billy's has "a classic chocolate cupcake with sugary frosting that will remind you of the ones mum made in the past". It is a very poignant description for me. Crumbs Bake Shop has cupcakes which are "a blast from a American sweet-filled past". I love food that has been resurrected from decades gone by.
This brings me back to the original cupcakes that came from England: Queen Cakes. I used to make them for my Home Economic lesson in the late 1980s. They can still be found, with glaced cherry chunks added into them, at Chin Mei Chin Bakery located near Holy Family Church in Katong.
Then I learnt to make Butterfly Cakes, which are really cakes with the two halves of the top portions placed on cream. in the cutout holes of the Queen Cakes.
Time has evolved these classic cakes into what we now know as Cupcakes, with all their trimmings, toppings, designs and decorations.
To me, they are life's little luxuries. I took pictures of those in Harrods' food hall in Knightsbridge, London. I also drooled over those sold at Sweet Secret bakeries during Christmas. I did buy its Christmas selection for a few friends a couple of years back. The thing is that they are more appealing to females. If only my male friends could see the beauty they possess.
Then again, the frosting used is fattening, with butter as its primary ingredient. Even marzipan uses a lot of sugar when it is made. Thus, I shall limit my enjoyment to mainly visual in nature, with occasional indulgences in terms of physical and gourmet.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Singapore's food
The Straits Times explored our local food, in celebrating National Day. Some articles triggered nostalgic thoughts which I would like to share here.
Tan Hsueh Yun gave 44 food loves she has. She mentioned wet markets which remind me of how I used to accompany my mum there to buy ingredients. She would also buy my favourite barbecued pork ribs and mee pok noodles from the adjacent hawker centre. I remember I used to hold my breath upon passing the fish stall in the wet market. This was in the 1980s before supermarkets sprouted up.
Chris Tan focused on Upper Bukit Timah Road's food offerings. He recommended Woori-Nara's Korean-style fried chicken. He describes it as "a thick, crunchy crust enveloping moist meat" with a "mild and crispy" flavour. The picture of the chicken is so alluring! The golden batter and the bright white meat makes it so mouth-watering. I wonder though how the whiteness of the meat can be so positively glaring. Is it the flash from the camera or is it due to air-brushing? He described how Chicken with Basil is made and mentioned that it can be found at Bukit Timah Food Centre. After reading his description, I have learnt how much salt it contains due to the heavy doses of soya sauce or fish sauce.
His other recommendation was Perla's Pastry Boutique. The Strawberry Tart in the picture looks scrumptious but at the same time, I now know many egg yolks are used to make the custard. It looks too yellow to be healthy. He ended his list with durian, the King of fruits. The picture of Ng Kim Lee's durian mousse cake makes me want to eat the cake. It looks so soft such that it seems to melt in the mouth.
Another article traced the popular food trends through the years. Japanese Cheesecake was popular in 1995. I remember buying the Fiesta restaurant's cheesecake which was so soft and fluffy. It did not taste of too much cheese too. I remember Thomson Plaza had this at their mini food court, which was really many different food outlets in a specific area. A similar cheesecake can now be found at Ichiban Boshi outlets. Portuguese Egg Tarts was first popular in 1998. I don't like the flaky pastry they come in. When I went to Macau and Portugal, I was not one of the number of people who queued up for them. I prefer the simple Egg Tarts, which is one of the dim sum items in Chinese restaurants.
Apple Strudel which was popular a year later, puts me off too, for its puff pastry and fattening custard filling. Breadtalk's Floss Bun, first popular in 2000, is not really one of the food items I like anymore. I like floss per se, but after realising it is sweet syrup that allows the floss to stay on the bun, I have stopped eating the bun, for health reasons. Ooo, bubble tea was next on the trail! I still love it, especially the ones with mint syrup. However again, I seldom drink it now, ever since I read that 5 spoons of sugar are used to prepare it. I remember going to those little cafes to drink it. I would order those with green tea, but then I read that red tea helps in weight loss, and switched to those with it. Yes, I remember those in the plastic cups cost at least $2.50 while those in the glasses from the cafes cost at least $4.50. I am happy to note that one cup now costs $1. The cafe at Toa Payoh is really taking a huge risk in charging close to $7 for one of its teas, now that the trend seems to be fading.
Beard Papa's Japanese Cream Puffs has another outlet at Plaza Singapura, if I am not mistaken. I remember buying Coffee Buns from Rotiboy at Ang Mo Kio. I guess they are more for fans of coffee. I'm not one. Ooo, doughnuts are also on the trail! I've loved them since I was a child. I used to buy the doughnut balls on a stick. I still love the old-skool ones which are only sugar-coated. The ones from Glacier at Serangoon Central are worth buying. Then I started to get those coated with nuts and chocolate sauce. With Doughnut Factory and Doughnut Empire entering the market, I was more excited. I love the Apple Cinnamon doughnut from the former, which blends the tart flavour of the apples with the sweetness of the soft and a little crispy doughnut. Now that Dunkin' Donuts has returned too, I can resurrect my childhood. :)
The last article is about durian again. The fruit has been used in new dishes like durian fried rice, which sounds repulsive at the mere thought. So too does this range of skincare products with durian extracts. The most expensive product actually costs $400! I would never part with my money for either of these.
Tan Hsueh Yun gave 44 food loves she has. She mentioned wet markets which remind me of how I used to accompany my mum there to buy ingredients. She would also buy my favourite barbecued pork ribs and mee pok noodles from the adjacent hawker centre. I remember I used to hold my breath upon passing the fish stall in the wet market. This was in the 1980s before supermarkets sprouted up.
Chris Tan focused on Upper Bukit Timah Road's food offerings. He recommended Woori-Nara's Korean-style fried chicken. He describes it as "a thick, crunchy crust enveloping moist meat" with a "mild and crispy" flavour. The picture of the chicken is so alluring! The golden batter and the bright white meat makes it so mouth-watering. I wonder though how the whiteness of the meat can be so positively glaring. Is it the flash from the camera or is it due to air-brushing? He described how Chicken with Basil is made and mentioned that it can be found at Bukit Timah Food Centre. After reading his description, I have learnt how much salt it contains due to the heavy doses of soya sauce or fish sauce.
His other recommendation was Perla's Pastry Boutique. The Strawberry Tart in the picture looks scrumptious but at the same time, I now know many egg yolks are used to make the custard. It looks too yellow to be healthy. He ended his list with durian, the King of fruits. The picture of Ng Kim Lee's durian mousse cake makes me want to eat the cake. It looks so soft such that it seems to melt in the mouth.
Another article traced the popular food trends through the years. Japanese Cheesecake was popular in 1995. I remember buying the Fiesta restaurant's cheesecake which was so soft and fluffy. It did not taste of too much cheese too. I remember Thomson Plaza had this at their mini food court, which was really many different food outlets in a specific area. A similar cheesecake can now be found at Ichiban Boshi outlets. Portuguese Egg Tarts was first popular in 1998. I don't like the flaky pastry they come in. When I went to Macau and Portugal, I was not one of the number of people who queued up for them. I prefer the simple Egg Tarts, which is one of the dim sum items in Chinese restaurants.
Apple Strudel which was popular a year later, puts me off too, for its puff pastry and fattening custard filling. Breadtalk's Floss Bun, first popular in 2000, is not really one of the food items I like anymore. I like floss per se, but after realising it is sweet syrup that allows the floss to stay on the bun, I have stopped eating the bun, for health reasons. Ooo, bubble tea was next on the trail! I still love it, especially the ones with mint syrup. However again, I seldom drink it now, ever since I read that 5 spoons of sugar are used to prepare it. I remember going to those little cafes to drink it. I would order those with green tea, but then I read that red tea helps in weight loss, and switched to those with it. Yes, I remember those in the plastic cups cost at least $2.50 while those in the glasses from the cafes cost at least $4.50. I am happy to note that one cup now costs $1. The cafe at Toa Payoh is really taking a huge risk in charging close to $7 for one of its teas, now that the trend seems to be fading.
Beard Papa's Japanese Cream Puffs has another outlet at Plaza Singapura, if I am not mistaken. I remember buying Coffee Buns from Rotiboy at Ang Mo Kio. I guess they are more for fans of coffee. I'm not one. Ooo, doughnuts are also on the trail! I've loved them since I was a child. I used to buy the doughnut balls on a stick. I still love the old-skool ones which are only sugar-coated. The ones from Glacier at Serangoon Central are worth buying. Then I started to get those coated with nuts and chocolate sauce. With Doughnut Factory and Doughnut Empire entering the market, I was more excited. I love the Apple Cinnamon doughnut from the former, which blends the tart flavour of the apples with the sweetness of the soft and a little crispy doughnut. Now that Dunkin' Donuts has returned too, I can resurrect my childhood. :)
The last article is about durian again. The fruit has been used in new dishes like durian fried rice, which sounds repulsive at the mere thought. So too does this range of skincare products with durian extracts. The most expensive product actually costs $400! I would never part with my money for either of these.
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