the scent of summer's solitude

it's been awfully long

2010-12-10T02:13:00.002+08:00

work have been keeping me away. everyday seems like a battle that leaves me exhausted and looking forward to days where i simply have nothing to do. however on some days the desire to bake comes like a craving for chocolate; chocolate chip cookies that i have not baked for the longest time.

I kinda lost the touch i must say, the texture seems a little different from what i used to make although the recipe is the same. chocolate chips are as expensive as ever and i must admit that i really do not like baking things that comes in batches. since my over is smaller than usual, my baking trays needs a few more visits to the oven.

infact now, at this very moment that i am typing. i feel so sleepy that i just wanna fall into my bed and dream away. but after looking at the last post and all that's been missing for the past two months, i shall type an obligatory post to make do first.

work. it really takes the life out of you.

plum jam

2010-09-10T22:16:00.005+08:00

i remembered waking up at 6am in the morning due to jet lag and helping myself to breakfast while my aunt and uncle continue to snooze. on a wintery london morning, as my cousin and i sat in the kitchen watching the sky turn to light, homemade plum jam and thick toast never tasted so delicious with a mug of hot chocolate.

over the years my aunt always bring back jars of plum jam she made for us back here in singapore and i have always thought that making jam was pretty tedious hencei have never once thought of making jam myself. however i came across a jam recipe on "my tartelette" while reading and admiring the photos she has posted and was surprised at the ease of making jam.

making plum jam at this time seems like a coincidence as my aunt is on her flight back to singapore and when i walked into the supermarket, the shelves were stacked with plums. i guess it's a sign. slicing and removing the pits while watching television seems like a good activity and before i know it, my bowl is filled with sliced plums.

as the plums cook and bubble in the pot, they got darker in shades of red and the scent of nutmeg and sweet plums were dancing around the kitchen.

cherry clafoutis

2010-08-31T17:59:00.002+08:00

the wondrous thing about living in singapore is that we import our fruits from all over the world. hence even when the season for cherries in europe is over, our awesome supermarkets just flew in a whole batch of fresh cherries from canada. the stalks were so green and the cherries looked so luscious that i decided that another dessert won't hurt.

clafoutis clafoutis clafoutis as everyone will wonder, we've known about tarts and crumble but clafoutis seems foreign. fruits baked in a custard like batter, the aroma is awesome i tell you. the nice fragrance of the fruits is one thing, the eggs and cream baking till lightly brown is comforting.

while baking this dessert, i thought of the different serving methods and i decided to do both; in a pastry crust and in ramekins. the sugared ramekins gave a deep caramel taste to the clafoutis while the buttery crust of the tart added a light fragrance to the custard while giving it more crunch. and i couldn't have more fun photographing both presentation styles.

almonds and cherries are a matched made in kitchens all over. the light toasted scent and taste of sliced almonds really compliments the clafoutis.

light and a spacious bedroom

2010-08-30T21:16:00.000+08:00

Well i have to confess; i've turned my folks bedroom into my makeshift photography studio during the day. as a matter of fact it's due to the morning curtains that hang so calmly down, the warm morning and crisp later afternoon light that shines in. and that floorspace, with just the basic room furnishing that makes the bedroom ideal for photographing food.

I simply love tables that has shelving below, and those that can be pulled out; plus points. Well this table that i've been using was used to place a sound system initally. well i guess that makes the table almost two decades old. i love vintage.

summer's sweet crumbs

2010-08-22T10:16:00.000+08:00

Summer is coming to an end soon and with that, fruits with hearts of stone. although singapore is a tropical city that imports most of its fresh produces, we seldom get a generous variety of stone fruits all at the same time. but when the season is sweet; apricots, nectarines, and prunes are some of my favorite fruits that goes into my crumble.

the sweet light scent of nectarines in the kitchen is enough to make me feel happy and chirpy in the mornings. every bite is a moment of bliss, the honeyed sweetness and aroma reminds me the beauty of summer with her fields of green and clear blue skies. then again, the fruits usually arn't really ripe, leaving them on the kitchen counter for a couple of days and slowly picking up its sweet scent is all worth the wait.

sprinkle a little sugar and ground nutmeg. while these bake in the oven, the kitchen will be filled with its warm sweet scent. i love the scent of nectarines so much that while walking in town a few months back, i hopped into l'occitane and got myself a glass of sweet cherry scented candle; the closest to nectarines i suppose.

revisiting foret noir

2010-08-11T21:32:00.001+08:00

I was looking back at some old photos and came across a few photos of the black forest gateau that i made more then a year ago. and with my new nikon d90 sitting on my table, i simply couldn't resist the temptation of baking them again. I'm a perfectionist in some sort of way and seeing how the older photos could have been sharper and more intense in colour; my decision was final.

A few years ago when i was backpacking in taiwan, i happen to discover black forest flavoured ice cream in their seven eleven convenience stores; what a surprise. Looks, or rather the place can be deceiving, however the ice cream was delicious. a frozen dessert with a chocolate ganache shell with bits of nuts, within a smooth chocolate ice cream with chunks of sweet liquored cherries.

when it comes to desserts, I love the use of glassware in gateau presentations as it makes the dessert look simple and classy, not to mention that it's also easier and much neater to assemble the number. With the blazing weather in singapore, baking at night has become a norm for me especially when it comes to whipping up cream; i end up sitting infront of the televison watching and assembling the dessert.

And did i mention how much i love cherries? those sweet pretty red jems are simply delicious. i was chilling the afternoon away when the light seemed ideal for some photography and in a moment i took out my d90 and went snapping away at the cherry. The ones i bought from the supermarket had a hint of bitterness and it really adds to the deep flavour of the stone fruit.

There are so many other cherry desserts that i have yet to attempt.

And a chapter ends

2010-08-09T01:45:00.003+08:00

The place becomes a past of black and white
While the times we had together becomes a memory ever precious
And these friendships made are tied in the history of yesterdays and tomorrows

i'll miss you guys.

one thing leads to another

2010-08-07T14:00:00.006+08:00

Last night while i was deciding what time i should head to the wet market to get those pandan leaves and coconut milk for my kueh salat, memories of making the nonya kueh in shanghai unfolded yet again in my mind. Our attempts in the chilly apartment blending and sieving the pandan leaves and steaming the glutinous rice in the wok with a make shift cover; pathetic situation, delicious kueh.

How time really flies when you're occupied with other things in life. When i mentioned making kueh salat to my friend, she was all chirpy about our cooking attempt in shanghai. it never failed to surprise me how the little things in life can bring back memories from the past, sparking light conversations and nostalgia that feels so precious i'll never forget.

Well the main reason why i love kueh salat is perhaps the use of coconut milk and pandan leaves. the rich aroma of the coconut milk and the fragrance of the leaves is good enough to make anyone feel that committing a sin of biting into a slice absolutely forgivable. Then there's that lovely hue of green that makes the day seem just comforting.

The traditional peranakans will ting the rice with blotches of indigo for colour and aesthetics, and the dye comes from the flowers of the morning glory. The flowers are dried and pounded to extract the colour when mixed with water. However since i am unable to find any dried morning glories at the market in the morning, i'll just have to make do with a simpler kueh.

With all the bunches of pandan leaves unused, i rolled them up and tie them in small bundles and left them around the house. and when i got home the next day, there was a light sweet scent lingering about the house and with the light breeze dancing in, the moment was serene.

Hong Kong once more

2010-08-06T11:15:00.002+08:00

we talked about it, we gossip about the possibilities and we asked around. the nine of us took off for hong kong with a few sketches of hand drawn maps and it was one superb long weekend of shopping and awesome food. thank goodness for jetstar's travel light airfares, it's really a breeze traveling with no luggage.

The bowls of wanton noodles and century egg congee, those plates of roast duck and meat rice and cups after cups of milk tea, pure sinful bliss. It was practically a eat where you shop kinda experience as we were always feeling hungry. The dim sum experience at Luk Yu was unique, with decor bringing you back into the 70s. And not that any of us could have forgotten the number of egg tarts we bought.

and how could i have forgotten to write about this. we went in April/May 2010.

chocolat truffle tart

2010-07-03T18:42:00.003+08:00

i adore chocolate.
a rich dark chocolate truffle tart with a waffle crumb base.
sinful bliss

Quiche Lorraine

2010-06-27T23:30:00.000+08:00

i got my hands working on an authentic french quiche, one that's two inches in depth and left to chill overnight, allowing the flavors to mellow out. a quiche is basically a gorgeous pie, that uses custard and simple fresh ingredients. It's pretty hard to find good quiche in singapore as people here are more accustomed to the usual pies that they see everywhere else.

i guess one thing that marks the coming of autumn is the increased in butter and cream used in dishes as the dairy product somehow gives us warmth in the colder months. although quiche can be considered food for all seasons, the ingredients changes. and that's what makes quiche a welcoming comfort food.

baking is such a wonderous art of work.

a book and the kitchen

2010-06-27T09:39:00.002+08:00

I've gotten myself thomas keller's bouchon, something that i have set my eyes on for a long time but have always been contemplating due to the price tag attached. The twenty percent off sale at kinokuniya gave me the courage i needed and with a wave of my visa, i find myself lugging the book home.

There's a good many reasons as to why i bought bouchon over the french laundry. The simple and bistro styled recipes probably suited me more since i plan to cook and bake on lazy mornings when there's nothing more enjoyable than spending personal time in the kitchen alone. the aromas floating about and the sounds of chopping, stirring makes the day seems somewhat more interesting.

While france is a many hundred miles away, i'll be dreaming up of my own french kitchen in the days to come as i try out those recipes.

thoughts that drift like snow flakes

2010-03-28T20:44:00.002+08:00

i've just come to realize that accommodation in sydney is gonna cost me dearly. with the aussie dollar and living expenses to consider, it's seriously making me consider taking up the singapore tourism board's scholarship. but there are so many other "what ifs"; opportunities abound while i'm studying in sydney. life truly is full of surprises, i feel excited simply just thinking of the possibilities there.

yak yak about studies aside, the timbre rock and roots event yesterday was a blast. the organizers should plan more of such events and i'm surprised that the tourism board isn't part of the team. with the city state wanting to hype up the arts scene, jools holland and his rythmn and blues orchestra was something of an awesome surprised for people who have never heard about him before.

really well known in the united kingdoms, he really made the crowd boogied away with such joy and i had such a great time. the blues orchestra was amazing, it made me reminisce about the days when i was in band and infront of the stage, i could feel the fun playing for such an event. i wanna join a band again when i enter university, nostalgia.

all the lives that we could live, all the people that we may be. there are so many things that i wanna do and learn. i guess these are what dreams are made of. i can smell my days of freedom and it makes me excited about the things i am planning to accomplish before i leave the country.

when circles meet and collide

2010-02-20T17:44:00.003+08:00

oh how i love chillin out at timbre. our first patronage at timbre mobile east coast park, a make shift pub with designer artsy fartsy benches and tables and a stage that seems almost falling apart. and when circles collide, new friends are found however weird they may be.

Sometimes

2009-12-26T16:14:00.001+08:00

life surprises us with the unexpected

happy is a many bizarre feeling

2009-10-19T13:34:00.003+08:00

the past month has really been a busy one for me. quite exciting too i guess. i've at last handed in my essay to unsw and all i hope is they'll give me a reply soon. along the way came a happy story although time and circumstances seem all messed up but i guess it doesn't really matter cause all i need is a promise of words and feelings.

friends

2009-09-19T23:32:00.002+08:00

i guess the photo above is long over due. i have not had the time these past few weeks and there are still several issues that i have yet to complete. a glass of strawberry shortcake with pistachio on the side. the most challenging part about making the number above is not the different components but the presentation.

n.s has seriously reduced my personal time lately and not only have i not typed out my university application essay, i haven't caught up with my friends too. i went to a 21st birthday party just yesterday and when my friends mentioned how it's time to move on, a new phrase of his life and friends will soon part ways due to different life commitments, i felt horrible.

the feeling was all too familiar and i realized that as we get older, the friends we have that are really close to us are numbered in the single digits. so i say keep these friends close like family for people come and go but some stay with you through the times. i'm quite the solitary person, never really close to my family and on the other hand there's a side of me that my friends haven't a clue.

i've always wanted a life overseas, working in a foreign city. yet with it brings challenges, away from my old friends. distance places people apart and the bond fades. where will i be.

Through the window, the passing train

2009-08-21T00:04:00.002+08:00

Its kinda nostalgic when the train stops at a busy station and all the people from different walks of life makes their way to the escalator. Standing at the door watching through the window as the train pulls out of the station somehow makes me feel calm and i'd get that thought of looking back at the past.

Seeing the students with their uniform and bags brings back those of nectar of the peach memories, and it's funny how i'd tell myself an endless maybe. the decisions in life that affects where i am now. so many characters soon turning into a blur as the train speeds into the darkness of the underworld.

huff and puff

2009-08-02T00:18:00.003+08:00

the temptation was too much, i had to get my whisk and piping bag out. using a classic choux pastry recipe, these honey coloured balls of joy are really simple to make. whoever thought of piping durian cream into these puffs is a genius.

over time

2009-07-19T01:48:00.002+08:00

how much thought, makes up indecisiveness
sometimes we give the issue so much thought
and the simplicity of making a decision
leave us clueless as to what we want

i used to make decisions and never look back
but those were simple decisions then
now it seems there are numerous things to consider
or am i giving it too much thought

i know myself too well that at times its weird
with my eyes i observe and i know
only that i chose to turn a blind eye
at the end of the line, i am alone

what happens when time is not on my side
there's some issues that needs settling
the consequences, i am not that courageous
maybe the time has come for me to have regrets

but life goes on; i run away

mooink

2009-06-21T02:50:00.002+08:00

sometimes i feel i am better off alone.
i am gonna have to rethink some of my plans.
my further education and thereafter.

lazy sundays

2009-06-07T17:38:00.001+08:00

i miss traveling.
and i wanna skip school and go shopping.
sit at a cafe and read all day.

sometimes

2009-05-31T01:09:00.003+08:00

i seem restless these days
somehow the solitude is heart aching
my independence is a hassle
where're you?

a little touch lost

2009-05-29T13:33:00.002+08:00

how time flies when you're all caught up in the bustle of life. its been more than a month since i last wrote something and maybe its time for some mindless banter. may is coming to an end and i must say it's really a hectic month for all of my friends too. some went overseas for vacation, others are mugging for their papers and some are just occupied with work. i hope june take a turn for the better.

but anyway my hands yearned to whisk out something pretty and delicious and nothing, i mean nothing is as good and simply satisfying as a foret noire. rather then using kirsch preserved maraschino cherries, i got myself a bunch of fresh ones. a layer of light cream with a touched of baileys gives the gateau more aroma and not to mention a rich layer of valrhona chocolate cream. i used 66% caraibe.

one year older one year crazier

2009-04-20T02:05:00.002+08:00

i am twenty one. i guess the post is somewhat overdue but what the hell i'm kinda lazy to actually write on this particular issue. birthday celebrations are not my kind of thing and rather then those parties and bashes what have you, i prefer a quiet dinner with my close friends and like any other saturday night dinners, the company over gorgeous food and wine is priceless.

since i am on the issue maybe i'll take the chance to say a few words on casa verde, an italian restaurant belonging to the les amis group of restaurant which has awefully good thin crust pizzas and mains. there's nothing fancy or pomp but just simple food that is bound to bring a smile to anyone and gosh tempt you back for more.

i was busy scribbling down some information on the sights and sounds in tokyo on miss wu's notebook when suddenly someone started singing a birthday song. oh my it really caught me unexpectedly and oh how i really love my friends. we're certainly a bunch of odd balls making merry. all these years, i hope it lasts for more will come.

a temptation somewhat

2009-04-04T15:31:00.006+08:00

how does it feel to backpack a country with no plans made ,no reservations for accommodations and transport what so ever. must be pretty exciting and confusing cause you have to start looking for a place to sleep and when the reservation books are filling up fast, oh my does it get any more of a hassle.

but what the hell, a journey like that would be really interesting without all the rush and anxious heart racing feeling that you're gonna miss the damn train and have coffee spilled on your sling bag making cool patterns. oh well, of course there's one last thing that i will have to carry along; a lonely planet guide book.

i want to experience just exploring the city and the nature around it without having a schedule to keep. just flip the bloody guide book and say i wanna do these and see these things today. so what if i took a little more time sleeping or walking around getting lost, there's always the following day. and talk about moody weather, just hop into a cafe and chill with a book. life is short so just live it to the fullest and take it easy.

what amazes me the most is that in theroux's dark star safari, he literally had no plans at all and delays on the african continent meant nothing to him. he could afford the days wondering in a dilapidated town or some forsaken village in the middle of nowhere. and yet he still manages to get from place to place, crossing borders by means of all sorts of ways.

i admire his courage to even backpack across sudan and ethiopia when there's nothing around but desert and flat land of nothing but scrubs and bushes. on the other hand, the contacts he has kinda made some sectors of his journey possible; contacts, never belittle them. and the way he can bus around alone with people of different culture that may endanger his life; what a traveler.

i found myself attracted to the story and how he described the african way of life and the kind of slap in the face reality that is going on there. i mean everyone knows about the poverty and the famines and the aweful governance that exist in some african states, but in his travels he talked to people, their opinions and views and through these conversations i learnt quite a few things.

tourism shows the safari parks and the big five, but there is so much going on in the continent from political issues to cultural issues that is causing the people so much pain and despair. theroux sees the unpleasent photos of places that sometimes we as travelers will never want to see as it simply spoils the "holiday".

2009-03-29T00:02:00.003+08:00

when i walked into the airport terminal this evening, i was caught quite unexpectedly for what i felt; the feeling of missing something that has been forgotten but somehow the body remembers and when the scent of the terminal hits me, all those memories of traveling suddenly makes me yearn to grab a ticket and backpack once more.

as i rode on the sky train gazing out the window, i saw people walking towards their gate, while some stood waiting for boarding to commence. i miss that feeling, walking alone in the transit area and the excitement of what's to come. somehow it's like as what paul theroux will say, traveling is the most ideal way to simply disappear.

there's all these

2009-03-13T23:34:00.002+08:00

oh my gosh, the last time i baked something was in February and now it's already the middle of March. i've got quite a few numbers i wanna attempt but i need a long weekend to work the wonders. i am craving for the smell of vanilla, the sound of my kitchen mixer and the wamth of my oven.

just a few days ago the moon graced the night sky with her beauty and how magnificent it was to see the night sun. the clouds, like ripples across the water illuminated with a mysterious bluish grey hue that seems only to make the night more eerie. and with all her style, i saw the moonlight shattering into sparkles, twinkling pieces of diamonds on the sea as i marched by.

you know at times when you are dead bored but your friends are either working or busy studying or worst still, overseas; i feel so alone. i wanna go osaka please.

another note, i guess

2009-03-08T01:04:00.004+08:00

as the cab drove down the expressway in the early morning, the sun rose above the buildings and those warm glorious rays of light simply poured into the cab. the feeling was familiar, like those times when you are on a holiday and the sun rises just as you are reaching the destination. still a little blur from the sleep but when you look out the window the view is stunning.

last week i was in the bus on the way home on a saturday morning and i realised how much i miss those days when i was having breakfast in a coffee shop. aunties strolling to the market, kids off to school for whatever reasons and those people off to work. then there are also those scenes where neighbours catch up and gossip on their way back from the market. how singaporean.

just a note

2009-03-01T18:18:00.005+08:00

seriously these days i have no idea what to write about, i mean life is already sad enough and gosh the sky is awfully dark. where was i again? anyway i was reading this article on kate winslet on why she's the best actress in time magazine and it was really quite a piece that somehow made me a little more happy about the situation i'm in now.

lately whenever i go catch a movie with my friends, i kinda feel depress at the end of the screening cause the next evening i have to return back to camp. life really comes to a halt and it seems everything is moving on and yet i am stuck. i just look forward to that august when life gets back on track.

oh i am in need of a holiday, one to hong kong will do just great.

that aweful feeling

2009-02-22T14:20:00.003+08:00

the past week have been the most depressing ever. that feeling so hard to describe but it's as though the sun no longer shines and the wind suddenly cease to dance. and everyday life seems nothing more than just another day.

The Nanny

2009-02-16T18:25:00.003+08:00

Gosh how i adore the nanny and the butler with all his snide and funny remarks, somehow it makes life so much more interesting.

something vintage something traditonal

2009-02-07T15:30:00.000+08:00

pear and walnut pound cake seems something so familiar and yet long forgotten. and in life friends come and go but they are never forgotten, with a gathering everything comes back and there will be laughter and smiles with the clinking of glasses and lotsa talking. so as a way of thanking my dear friend sheryl who is leaving for brisbane soon, i made her this number.

the morning thereafter

2009-01-31T15:48:00.001+08:00

the morning sky was painted with an array of colours from hues of pink and orange to the bluest of blue. as the sun slowly rose from behind the silhouetted skyline those wisps of clouds took on shadows, giving the picture a dramatic feel. the fading crescent moon hanging high in the sky gave the finishing touch; that was my thursday morning.

the sky was a blanket of grey and the wind was sweeping across the broadway as i walked down orchard road. it felt strangely foreign as the usually busy street was suddenly quiet with those few remaining people heading for the metro and somehow i felt really out of place too, as though i'm a traveler in another city.

i've watched bride wars and gosh i love the apartments in new york with those windows and yes i believe i have written about those windows before but nevertheless for the things we love ,it doesn't hurt to mention them several times. and never forget that the tree lined avenue with bakeries and cafes just around the corner.

you know the feeling you get while walking into the departure hall on a wintry early spring morning. the skies are cloudy with the chilly wind sweeping past and there's the scent of jet fuel lingering in the air. grab a cuppa coffee and chill as you wait for the boarding gates to be open and in the mean time, just day dream.

the lunar new year. sigh

2009-01-26T02:21:00.005+08:00

the lunar new year has finally arrived and although i have for many years wanted to attempt at making pineapple tarts, sadly enough time is not on my side this year. but nevertheless i made something that is well known and definitely acclaimed for the tedious making process; kueh lapis. layer by layer the cake is baked.

somehow i've never like the lunar new year, the visitings are such a bother i rather stay home. for a few years now i've some plan to run away and hide, catch a flight and stay out of reach or simple just leave the house early in the morning and turn my mobile phone off. chill at starbucks somewhere and read.

going from house to house visiting was really fun in the past, but i guessed as time passes these traditions just do not appeal to us anymore. there was an article in TIME magazine that wrote about traditions the article states that kids are the ones who remembers and continues the cultural traditonal celebrations. they know what is needed, what's missing and are the ones who are interested.

these days i just wanna get done with the obligatory visits to those few relative homes and get the job done and call it a day. maybe someday i will come to enjoy the lunar new year once more but in the mean time happy lunar new year and may the year be a happening one for you with many things to come.

pause and take a breather

2009-01-10T23:46:00.000+08:00

met up with some friends last weekend for dinner and although it's the usual company that comes every so now and then, the things we talk about changes with time as we move on in our lives but at the same time some things just don't change and that's all the rubbish and unsound things we can talk about.

was out with the old cow before the group of us met and she started talking about how she's gonna be thinking and talking about marriage soon. it's quite funny and unexpected when it comes to relationships because one can bitch and complain about the other but it always ends with loving the feller more.

but love is never my kind of coffee and when time is not on your side, gatherings and meet ups with friends seemed more of an important issue to me then going on dates. and oh my, did i mention that love can be troublesome at times too and that's something i don't want now with all the happenings happening now in my life.

i guess the main thing is the effort that is needed and sometimes it gets really tiring and confusing when the balance is screwed. then comes my attitude, i always do what i like and even my lifestyle seems years ahead; reading and baking and just chilling at a cafe with a good cuppa coffee while watching people go by.

you know they say that people of the different characters are attracted to one another but how true can it be i ask. there must be some similarities i supposed or things will be one hell of a roller coaster ride. but then i guess it's about understanding and going through numerous events in life that binds one to another.

i wanna hike up a hill, take a seat under the shade of a tree and look down upon the city, the streets of cobblestone and roofs of terracotta. people walking along the streets heading to who knows where and the al fresco cafes busy with the morning rush. the market in the city center buzzes with activity yet all is peaceful and serene as relax with the passing breeze.

apple pecan and honey

2009-01-04T15:24:00.003+08:00

apple pecan muffin with honey comb crunch. you see the story goes something like this, old cow wei hua brought these honey comb crunch snack back from melbourne and was demanding that i bake something with them. and so the simple thought of honey and apples came to mind with the addition of pecans and a generous dash of cinnamon.

the muffins liners or cupcake liners rather as said by tung ling were quite small, it was a challenge filling them up with the roughly chopped apples and pecans and honey comb crunch. i was afraid that the batter will overflow due to the amount of fruits and nuts but then the honey comb crunch thing melted and everything fell into place.

the recipe is a really good one as the muffin is soft yet not too light and the aroma of the eggs and sugar simply makes you smile. i used whatever apples i found in my fruit basket and surprisingly they turned out well without turning mushy and soft but still packing some crunch. as for the honey comb, it melted all over the place. delicious.

with every end comes a beginning

2008-12-31T23:58:00.002+08:00

i will miss 2008. it has been such an eventful year for me from the completion of my overseas attachment in shanghai to graduating from school and even backpacking to taiwan with my secondary school friends. well the commencement of my national service term definitely has a great impact on my life but what the hell, one step forward one step done.

the year also marks the parting of ways, walking down different paths in life. i guess what's important is that we still meet up regularly if not once in a while to catch up and reminisce the good old days we once had together and at the same time fill one another in on the miserables and happenings of our lifes now. thanks to all my friends and i miss you people.

but life is full of surprises and my oh my how true it is that when we least expect, something comes flying at as at mach two. i believe that taking it in one's stride will probably make life more meaningful and interesting, i mean you only live once so experience it all. gosh, look at my gibberish thoughts that don't even flow smoothly.

in the year 2008 i've traveled thrice and hopefully it will last me through 2009 and some of 2010 as i dont think i will be able to travel while serving. but sigh, how i miss the feeling of travel and those getting lost somewhere moments that makes your heart fly and your feet happy. and for those who get the opportunity to travel, don't even doubt for a second and just grab your passport.

i really have no idea what else to type but i know i've been mean at times and naughty but what the hell, there's times where i am good and kind too and if i've made you angry, my sincere apologies. everyone has a bad day, sometimes. but let's all be forgiving and have a peaceful time cause the year is coming to an end. so happy new year 2009.

where is my christmas

2008-12-17T23:44:00.004+08:00

as i am sipping on my tea infused with nutmeg and ginger while looking at pictures of christmas in tokyo on flickr, i thought to myself how i wished to be there now. looking back at home ground, the festive mood is sadly pathetic with the miserable christmas lightings on orchard road and how everyone is everywhere due to whatever reasons and situations.

as the classical pieces from brahm's symphony no.1 to rachmaninov piano concerto no.2 plays on, i'm feeling awefully down almost to the point of being depress. times have change and it's not as simple anymore where i can easily gather people for a christmas dinner. with my up coming posting looming like a grey cloud, i've somehow lost my christmas.

maybe tomorrow maybe friday, i will seek solitude in the lobby of a hotel with a tree all dressed up in the splendors of lights and colours. but then everything simple goes away as i walk out the door, the grey cloud is still in the distance and the lights are still miserable. and the music changes.

imagine a cold raining night along the streets where the christmas lights shine warmly like the thousands of fireflies in the night, and as everyone rushes off with umbrellas in hand with their gaze on the ground; the world suddenly becomes so lonely yet peaceful. i guess it's the cold, warming our hands with our breath but the festive lights seems to bring that calm solitude that you can stare at until the day breaks.

soup rice and sashimi

2008-12-15T16:10:00.004+08:00

Its been quite awhile since i cooked something from Izakaya and knowing myself that i dont wanna hassle myself with complicated preparations, i chose Horoyoi styled ochazuke. Our chef used dashi stock in place of freshly brewed green tea and although this variation seems like a normal rice in soup dish, it's nevertheless delicious.

The bits of nori adds flavor to the rice and the black sesame enhances the aromatics and did i mentioned that the par cook slices of maguro and hamachi are exceptionally sweet? I'm gonna play around with ochazuke more and the next time i am gonna be pouring dashi stock over mushroom and shrimp tempura. but anyway i will wanna try the original ochazuke too.

When i woke up in the morning, the heavens above are seemingly dancing to the same music as the rain was falling all afternoon and boy was it chilly in the house; ideal for ochazuke. and how I love days like this as the kitchen gets warmed up from the cooking, providing an aromatic escape from the chill creeping silently around the house.

plum and honey nectarine

2008-12-07T02:40:00.004+08:00

it's autumn and a nice warm italian plum and honey nectarine crumble seems ideal for a sunday afternoon. my oven's getting rusty after sleeping for weeks and it has also been awhile since i baked something. inspirations gather as i browse around the supermarket and as i'm a little lazy, making something with cream or even melting butter seems tedious.

the plums are sweet and the nectarines aromatic, with a cinnamon almond crumble i guess there's no way but to laze on my sofa as it bakes in the oven. i love the bubbling of the juices, shades of purple and red as you take them out of the oven. it's a pity non of it overflowed and drip down the sides of the ramekins of it would look even more tempting.

this little number over here is really one simple dessert but oh my what surprises spices bring to desserts. just a sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg made it a sinful one. when the feller's baking in the oven , the crumble fills the kitchen with a crisp buttery aroma. and when you take it out the bubbling juices awaken you with the fragrance of the stone fruits.

serve it warm and every spoon is a blissful scoop of happiness. no wonder great things come in small packages.

it was some time ago

2008-11-22T22:29:00.002+08:00

i vaguely remember the last time i stood with my eyes closed and listen to the sound of rain drops bouncing off the leaves and grasses when the world around me goes quiet. the music of nature heals as it calms my spirit and relaxes my soul. it's surprising that with the busy pace of life that we lead, small things such as this goes unnoticed.

and on my way home this evening driving pass a field of grass glittering from the rain drops, the sky was paint brushed with a shade of delicious orange that was somehow filled with feelings of a tough day coming to an end. as the light casted shadows of grey on the clouds that scattered around after a light drizzle, the building standing in the distance was slightly silhouetted.

just two weeks back i found myself enjoying a korean dinner with a few of my friends and what memories it has brought back for me. i remember well the time in shanghai i when i had my first authentic korean feast in the midst of a wintry night with my colleagues. the aroma of grilling meat and awesome bibim bap somehow makes me realised how priceless memories are.

during tough times memories of those better days pushes me on for i know that nothing lasts and soon the good old times will return once more.

nothing lasts

2008-10-27T18:01:00.004+08:00

cawfee muffins drizzled with caramel and sprinkled with chopped hazelnuts. i miss baking, i seriously do. and it's kinda sad to know that for the next one month plus or so i will not be able to bake due to my busy ns schedule. oh how depressing can life get but thank goodness it's all gonna end in two years.

on a rainy night as i was on the phone, i caught sight of a triple seven approaching the airport and suddenly i got all sad and depressed. i remembered well the feeling of home coming after a journey. and in the light of the day, i see planes flying overhead into the clear blue sky heading to some destination. in my mind i wonder where they're off too and i tell myself how i wish i was on board.

i miss my friends.
i miss the lifestyle i used to have.
i am counting my blessings.

Chocolate and Raspberry

2008-10-02T21:45:00.000+08:00

i simply adore this little number and the colours are just wonderful. for the base i used a genoise recipe, reducing the flour and using confectioner's suger instead of the usual castor ones. and yes, melted valrhona caraibe dark chocolate. filled with rich chocolate mousse and made sinfully beautiful with red luscious raspberries.

the genoise was enjoyable to make especially when you drizzle in the melted chocolate, the swirls of dark against the lightly browned batter. and when its baking i could have sat beside the oven taking in the aromatic scents of cocoa. but no it's to hot in the kitchen and the weather is not helping either.

the number is somewhat lacking a bite and i believe something crispy will heighten the gastronomic delight. i made two different types of chocolate snaps as i will call them, one with feuilletine and the other with cranberry almond crunch cereal from post. i love tempering chocolate as the kitchen will be perfumed lightly with its scent.

but oh my gosh, i screwed the mousse recipe. one accidental step and my mousse is a little too soft. i doubled the cream and that one sheet of gelatin lost its power to hold the mousse more firmly. i am pretty disappointed in the photos too as you can observe, the mousse is way too soft and the sides of the cake are kinda messy.

but looks can be deceiving and this little number here is a head turner.

the winner takes it all

2008-09-27T21:45:00.000+08:00

i've watched the movie mamma mia! and gosh was it absolutely fabulous. something no one should miss. the abba classics sang by an awesome cast that includes meryl streep, julie walters and pierce brosnan. filmed on a several greek islands, the breathtaking scenery and backdrop gave the show a beautiful setting.

the scene that left the greatest impression was when streep sang "the winner takes it all", with such emotions and power it was her best song in the show. the lyrics and meaning reflecting her role and situation in the show really well.

you have to catch the show cause it's super trouper wonderful, how can you resist.

coffee and a novel

2008-09-24T15:56:00.004+08:00

when the rain falls for days and the ground becomes a mirror reflecting the heavens above, the track is hidden but the train rolls on as though gliding on the water surface. and when the rain falls no more, all is still and the skies meet on the horizon like twins facing the other. on nights like this the cresent moon shines in the cloudless sky dusted with stars. magnifique.

these days the kitchen comes to a halt as i laze around listening to the crickets cry under the scorching sun. and in the midst of the comfortless heat, i came to enjoy swimming. a temporary escape in the cool of the waters with the breeze bringing moments of relief. yawns, and i am feeling sleepy already.

whats for lunch

2008-09-14T00:37:00.003+08:00

soups in the afternoon seems kinda weird but oh well, i needed the day light for the photographs. but anyway i have been yearning to make myself a pot of clam chowder since months ago and my can of pacific clams have been sitting the kitchen cabinet waiting for a good old sunday when the ingredients are gathered.

well you see i have been looking high and low for a soup bowl that is pretty enough for my clam chowder, i refused to use the normal porcelain as the soup is already creamed coloured. hence the delay in making the soup. but the delay was a good thing though, i found a recipe that can pair off with the chowder.

a shell made of grated potato baked till crisp and golden brown, a dollop of mashed egg with mayonnaise made pretty with some arugula and luxurious with a slice of smoked salmon. the recipe called for alfalfa leaves, those larger kinds but i couldnt find any in the supermarket hence the salad green.

enthrallment

2008-09-11T22:55:00.002+08:00

i've gotten my hands on a copy of izakaya and i gave in to my gastronomic desires, absorbing every photo in the book page after page. as i move from one photo to another, i made small notes in my mind which ones i am so gonna attempt first, then comes the reading of the descriptions and glancing of the recipes.

The last of which i have yet to do, is to read the interesting story of each izakaya and what differenciates them. all at the same time increasing my desire to hop on a plane and visit these izakayas, the only thing stopping me is the consequence of burning a never ending hole in my wallet.

a waltz to jason's at paragon will make my sunday scrumptiously exciting.

cuisine a la japonaise

2008-09-08T20:58:00.006+08:00

Lately i have been pretty exhilarated about the art of preparing japanese eats. And yes i wanna get my hands on Izakaya, a cookbook that features dishes from japanese pubs. imagine those red lanterns hanging outside and barrels of sake, not forgeting the alluring aroma of grilled meat that perfumes the air and draws people like me in.

ahhh but yes, the book is somewhat expensive and up till today i have never really invested in cookbooks. well there's always a first in everything so they say and it's fundamentally crucial to get your first footing right. the book is gonna make me part with forty three dollars and seventy cents, so someone buy the book for me please.

i apologise about the missing dessert entry on sunday as i was or rather i seemed to be in the mystical world of japanese cuisine. i couldnt decide what i wanna bake and i got off to a bad start on the weekends. the ingredients lacking and the thought of going out to get them kinda made me all lazy and and i guess excuses are not gonna work this time.

so i got myself two pretty bowls, japanese inspired design and i am already having a whale of a time thinking what delicious eats i can put in them and let my camera snap away. i have long wanted to make kurigohan, for those of you who's shouting "english pls" it means chestnut rice. and i have yet to find an ideal side dish to go with it. think autumn.

one thing i must say is that japanese cuisine is really something to be respected and i am gonna invest in a whole set of japanese tableware. makes the photos more kirei des ne. oh my it's only monday, i simply look forward to the weekends. no wait, i look forward to thursdays and fridays as they're shop for ingredient days too. beams.

a gathering at the crossroads

2008-09-06T22:52:00.004+08:00

as we move on in life friends naturally come and go like the flipping of the calender pages, then there's the small groups of friends that we usually hang out with. however due to my vacation module i met a whole group of people from different courses. people who if not for the event of study, i will never have known.

its like a gathering of people for a sole common purpose, people from different walks of life with different interest and surprise surprise, we've become friends after meeting at a crossroad in life. and just yesterday i met up with some friends for dinner, some of them i have not seen for over a year or since we parted ways when the module ended.

the catching up and crazy discussions about everything over dinner, i so look forward to gatherings like this. a memorable evening of laughter and happy voices made the a wonderful end for the business week. and yes we caught wall e at night and although some of them had to leave after dinner.

as friends come and go in life, it's always a delight to meet up again over a meal. and this i hold onto dearly for the many crossroads in life only happen once.

let the rain fall

2008-09-03T21:22:00.003+08:00

i love the rain when it falls for the feeling and atmosphere it brings to the city is simply unique. you know those mornings when you awake to the thundering sky and peltering drops of rain that makes everything seemed hidden by the veil of rain drops. i adore those mornings. it makes the lights spilling out into the dark so warm and welcoming.

and when you get to school, those warm lights beckon you in and then, the voices of your friends makes everything merry as the thunder and lightning continue to have it their way, outside in the grey. but now when the rain falls there's no laughter from the classroom, the warm lights have flown away and suddenly the grey outside seems inviting.

all i have is my solitude to enjoy the rainy days. everytime i hope and pray for that little attention you'll give me, the distance between us a hundred meter sprint. sometimes the simple pretense i detest, for the act is shattering. thus for now i pray, for the rain to fall and let the tatter of the rain drops on my window to give me a feeling of warmth.

of things past and present

2008-08-30T22:45:00.004+08:00

Just several days ago, i open the pages of my journal and with a flip i came to the last entry written and my goodness has it been that long already. the date was 19th november 2007 and i asked myself what have i been doing all these while; all at once the memories are back as though it happened only yesterday.

while i did make an effort to pen down the dates and along with some notes, of those days that are memorable due to some significant happening. and yes i have around 12 pretty entries to complete before the close of my internship journal episode. but as i am lazy, i've decided to write one long and winding entry covering those 12 important dates with a classy signing off.

it was quite a shock as i realised that i have a little more than halve of the journal unwritten and what am i to do with all these blank pages. when i bought this pseudo paul smith journal with a cover design so classic that it can stand the passing of time, i had planned to use all the pages. but it seems five months is a little too short for that many happenings.

unwilling to let all these pages left unwritten, i'm gonna write all my recipes in them. one a day and numerous by then. recipes attempted and tweaked. something that i can carry along on my next internship or when i am gonna live abroad. all my desserts, readily accessible with the flip of the page.

while now that august has come to an end, a beautiful one indeed with refreshing rain and warm sunshine during the past week. the tang of oranges comes to mind. claudia fleming's lemon pound cake with a twist i've decided to use those round and cheerful citrus fellows instead. then comes one of my favourite things, zesting the oranges.

at a glance the use of five eggs kinda gave me a shock as usually pound cakes only use up to four, then the jus called for in the recipe seems a little miserable and as the saying goes, do as your heart desires. i minus one egg and double the jus as i want a more flavoursome cake. and yes if there's one thing claudia should know, it's the need to be generous with the zest.

blitz the sugar and zest to bring out the tangy aroma, a generous pinch of zest for the melted butter and when everything comes together the batter is a wonderful thing of oranges. i spooned them into muffin liners and once baked, what gorgeous fellers they are, and surprisingly soft and fluffy too.

sometimes

2008-08-24T20:58:00.002+08:00

with the rain clouds above unfurling with the winds marching in alongside, the trees and grass rustle and sway while leaves and blades dry from the harsh sun sweeps and swirls as the wind passes. reflecting the weather, my mood sways too and thus the weekend come and go with no desire to bake.

sometimes the feeling of solitude is just so great it depresses. it's like watching the sunset above the clouds, a feeling that makes even the expressiveness of words falter. sometimes i hope and pray for that empty seat beside me to be taken. and that loneliness i hold on to preciously is somehow fading away.

i feel like riding on the shinkansen watching the world go pass in a blur as the rain splashes down on the window making the scene outside dreamily comforting as everything seems blanketed with a grey veil. and inside there is calmness and peace in my mind, yet alone. listening to the tatter of the rain and the hypnotising sound of the train flying down the tracks, all is well.

randomness

2008-08-18T20:08:00.003+08:00

singapore has finally gotten an olympic medal after 48 years of waiting, while although our table tennis players are born in the roc, they have decided to live in and represent singapore. i know there are numerous of us who are proud of their achievements, the glory they have brought for our little red dot, but there are also others who feel otherwise.

i have heard too many a times people saying that our win at the olympic is not really singapore's win as our players are from the roc, well come to think of it, since singaporeans want a pure blooded player to win at the games then i believe our children should start picking up the sport they love from young, but then again in the minds of parents academic achievements are sometimes a matter of life and dead.

four years ago and even eight years ago, i've heard people saying singapore will never win an olympic medal. and after all these years when we have finally gotten another silver medal, singaporeans are unsatisfied, brushing off the win as though its faux as our dear players are from the roc. this little red dot has plenty of bigoted and arrogant people, no?

i really do not care where our players come from, as long as they are representing singapore, with the hope of bring sporting glory to the city state, i believe that as singaporeans we should be cheering them on whole heartedly regardless of their birth place. that's the singapore spirit and mind set that we should have.

when i saw the singapore flag raising above the podium, i felt proud and happy, for the nation and for them. all the hard work and effort they have put in have finally paid off. so come on singaporeans, our attitude has to change. we're of world class standard in many areas but certainly not socially in thinking and action wise.

the coming of autumn

2008-08-16T20:19:00.004+08:00

the blazing days of summer has finally decided to call it a day or season rather and autumn makes her appearance without much fanfare as the pages on the calender flips and flutters through august. with apples of different kinds appearing in the market, i decided to bake something with the flavour of autumn; apple muffins with raisins.

i was hoping to get myself recipe book from kino last thursday but i ended up leaving the bookstore with nothing new in my bag. a search on yahoo and flickr also yielded nothing great of an apple muffin recipe, so i decided its time for some trial and error with luck thrown in too. looking at my blueberry and banana muffin recipes i constructed my recipe based on what i want my muffin to taste like.

with diced apples tossed with brown sugar, a generous heap of cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg, everything seemed autumny enough except that i forgot to stir in a tablespoon or two of amber coloured honey. the batter was seemingly over filling with apple and raisins that it makes spooning into individual muffin liners more tedious.

while ending off with slices of apple, i forgot to mention that the raisins are soaked in rum and vanilla flavoured vodka. the muffins came out of the oven looking surrisingly good and there's that factor of rugged beauty that suits autumn to the tee. well i guess with trial and error comes more trial and error, the muffin needs more apple taste and i have just the ingredients in mind for the next batch.

macarons, these french bitches

2008-08-10T18:10:00.001+08:00

when my macarons rose nicely in the oven, i was filled with an undescribable sense of satisfaction. afterall i did met with unsuccessful attempts that caused me much frustration and the oh i need to strangle someone now kinda feeling. however for me, the macaron journey has only began and its gonna be a really interesting one.

so i read that there are two commonly used methods of making macarons, one being macarons au blanc monte which is the usual whisked egg whites with stiff peaks while the other is macarons au sucre cuit which is italian meringue. i chose to use the latter as it's easier to work with and handle in warm and humid singapore.

italian meringue is made by pouring a hot sugar syrup at 118 °C a thin stream into whisking egg whites already giving sitff peaks, then continue whisking till it cools. one great thing i found out about italian meringue is that it produces a beautiful art known as "bec d'oiseau" which i have yet to achieve.

my italian meringues are like white clouds that when scooped and dropped on a baking tray, they retain their shape. for those who have been to canele patissier and seen their meringue clouds, you will know what i am talking about. and yes i love cooking sugar as its amazing to watch the mixture bubble and slowly turn to amber.

my macarons are flawed in several ways, they lack of that smooth shiny dome that makes it looking sexy and classy. somehow the legs are also not really frilly and are kinda small and lastly, are macarons supposed to have a dome or are they supposed to be flat on top. and one thing about macarons is that they are like sensitive little fellers, affected by the environment.

oven temperature and intensity differs between ovens and then there's humidity levels and then room temperature. that's what is so interesting about making macarons as i have to twitch plenty and have many trial and error sessions to get one set of instructions that suit my kitchen and oven.

a few days back i bought a bottle of rose brand rose syrup by t.g. kiat and co. after seeing the beautiful label on the bottle and the cap design. when i took it out of my bag and placed it on the table my mum took a glance and started telling me of how when she was young this was the only brand of rose syrup available on the market and how her sisters and her will be smiling when my grandad bought a bottle home.

so yes if you were wondering, i made a batch of rose flavoured macarons and for the chocolate ganache, i stirred in a generous amount of rose syrup. i feel classy already.

therein lies the beauty of avocados

2008-08-08T21:20:00.009+08:00

after numerous blazing hot days it finally rained a few days back, the thunder and lightning composing a melody with the splashing of water puddles on the streets and tinkerinf of rain drops on the roof and glass windows. a melody so unique and natural it takes a moment of calmness to listen and appreciate.

while the sunny tropical days are here to stay, the season is about to change in other places of the world. as i was reading the traveler's lunchbox, a wonderful blog about living in cities the author has been to while working and writing up articles, i chance upon a recipe so delightful that it will make a hot sticky day refreshingly sweet.

the sound of someone saying avocado milkshake brings back memories of studying at sentosa when my friends will be rushing to grab a takeway cup of this used in beauty product milkshake and all of them were going ohhhh ahhhh about it. paying it compliments and now that we no longer take that bus from seah im hawker center, everyone is telling me how they missed it.

this simple avocado milkshake is one beverage not to be taken lightly. well the thought of avocado in a milkshake doesnt really give a delicious impression that makes you wanna grab a glass immediately. i was sceptical initially, never wanting to try it at the hawker center. but as life is full of surprises, those who tried will be bound to crave for more.

personally i have tried avocado, the most unappetising way; mashed up with lemon juice and sugar in an almost paste like texture. but give me the fruit in milkshake context i will happily sip it on a blazing afternoon with a teaspoon of rum and coffee stirred in.

macadamia nut cookies

2008-08-05T23:24:00.000+08:00

oh look, i've finally baked cookies and thank goodness they're not chocolate chip cookies but these rugged white chocolate macadamia nut cookies. these smell damn nice while baking in the oven as the nut and white chocolate go really well hand in hand. just the sound of macadamia nut makes me dream of my traveling days back in down under.

as white chocolate is naturally sweeter than normal chocolate, i threw in a little lesser of them chips in fear that someone might choke on the sweetness. however it seems that these cookies can sure do better with a more generous bunch of white chocolate chips. these cookies go really well on a warm day with a mug of fresh milk.

you know there are times when your cookie goes a little soft and loses that fabulous crunch, well i realised that by dipping it in chilled fresh milk, tea or even your favorite cuppa chocolate, the crunch comes back all at once. little wonders of the bakers.

of peranakan desserts

2008-08-03T23:00:00.003+08:00

i remembered the last time i made onde onde was during my internship in shanghai when we started missing the local fare back home and the desserts. since i made these fellers before back in singapore, no harm making them in shanghai when we chance upon pandan leaves in the supermarket at the portman ritz carlton.

the pandan leaves were expensive mine you and we have to use every portion of them. but with the approaching winter and the low humidity levels in shanghai, the balls arn't as chewy and soft as those made here. ohhh and yes, since we couldn't fnd freshly grated coconut in shanghai, i dusted them generously with dessicated coconut.

life is full of surprises and when baking one may simple chance upon new possibilities and dessicated coconut is one of those many. fresh grated coconut has a light taste while dessicated coconut has a more developed and full bodied aroma and taste. however they make onde onde look more like coconut macarons.

i adore onde onde with pure gula malaka fillings rather then the ones filled with grated coconut cooked in the palm sugar. i always attempt to place more gula malaka into the balls as once they melt during the cooking, its will knock you off your feet when you bite into them. i make them small enough to pop them whole, so that the liquid gula malaka will make an exploding entrance.

while making the dough, i realised that it is easier to roll them into balls and later add the filling if the dough is a little drier rather then just nice. kneading and handling the dough will make it stickier and the chances of the ball tearing a hole is higher. once it's round and nice roll them no more.

gosh i think i am gonna break down from exhaustion one of these days, working during the weekdays and when the weekends arrive, its late nights and early mornings all for the sake of playing and baking.

contradiction

2008-08-01T23:07:00.003+08:00

i got all worked up while i was in the kitchen this evening as i was piping macaroons onto the baking trays. gosh i never knew such a simple recipe with a seemingly simple set of instructions can be outrageously difficult. i know these french fellers are the most difficult cookies to make, requiring skills and patience but fck fck fckerty fck. its drove me insane.

trust the french to use simple ingredients with simple step by step instructions that can challenge even the most seasoned baker. its all about the every little whisk, fold and flick that determines the outcome and then comes the piping and slamming of the tray on the table. my goodness, you will be left all ready to slam head on the table.

but nevertheless i am gonna give myself a time limit to get these macaroons out right before i get enlisted. and yes, although baking calms the soul, but when its the baking that gets you all happy to strangle someone then it's time to do the household chores and vent your frustrations on getting the house clean.

wednesdays are

2008-07-30T21:02:00.007+08:00

it's the day of the week that i love oh so dearly. it marks the middle of the work week that tells you to hang on and endure for a little while longer cause friday night's just round the corner and then the weekends. wednesday sounds beautiful too in my opinion and i just have a thing for this particular day of the week.

i have cravings for dim sum and yes i wanna order the whole basket of "nai yu huang sha bao". for myself. and gosh the ones in hong kong make me deliriously happy. and when you carefully break the bun into halves, the glorious sunshine coloured custard will great you with all its splendor; sight and smell

the custard that's smooth as silk and the buttery sweet taste that rocks everything dim sum. will make you fall heads over heels with it and i have yet to find something as good as those in hong kong over here on the red dot. well there's one dim sum place i have yet to go and they say it's one of the best in singapore. an old shop located near the red light district.

i have gotten quite used to my waking up in the mornings and what a beautiful morning it was today with the sun shining really brightly down and the skies so blue. as i was in the bus on my way to the train station. i was quite sadden to see that the hdb flats along the way have lost the tradition of flying the flag when national day is just round the corner.

i guessed its the older estates in singapore that still fly the flag proudly and when i say proudly it shows. nearly the entire block will have flags hanging from the window or along the corridor, fluttering gracefully in the wind. new estates with younger families are really losing the tradition and spirit. its damn sad to see only one or two flags flying when there can be hundreds.

banana and walnuts

2008-07-27T06:01:00.003+08:00

its 6am in the morning and a flock of wild geese are already rousing from their slumber with their calls. fresh from the oven pipping hot, my tray of banana muffins have perfumed the kitchen with the scent of honeyed bananas on this sunday morning. i am reminded of the times during my secondary school days, waking up at this hour to get ready for school .

baking so early in the morning somehow gives me a feeling hard to describe. i love the thought of walking into a bakery on the way to work in the morning and grabbing my cuppa coffee and freshly baked pastries. i saw the sky of blue with its changing hue and the chirps of the birds, telling those who are awake that the city is about rise and shine too.

the banana recipe i have used for a long time but the early morning air seems to bring out the adventurous side in me. i decided to chopped some walnuts and toss them in a bowl with lotsa diced bananas and then sprinkle them generously over the tops of the batter. the crust will give that extra bite of banana and with the walnuts, some crunch to enjoy with its nutty flavour.

well i was expecting the dome of the muffin to be covered with bits of walnuts and bananas but somehow i forgot that the batter will rise and the mixture was unevenly spread throughout. oh well it does give the plain old muffin an interesting texture though.

coconut saturdays

2008-07-25T21:45:00.002+08:00

sinful is the word. these round fellers are unbelievably sweet smelling and oh my gosh i just love the aroma of them coconuts. made using only dessicated coconut, fresh milk and eggs, these feller are all set to take you off course or make you deliriously happy. and you thought that coconuts are meant for nonya kuehs and curries; the french patissier are amazing.

adapted from pierre herme, these fellers are packing more of a punch as i decided to twitch the recipe a little by adding some coconut milk. these coconut balls are perfect tea snacks to nibble on while day dreaming on one of those lazy and warm saturday afternoons as you sit by the window enjoying the breeze and watch the clouds drift by.

tarte for lunch

2008-07-20T16:10:00.002+08:00

tomato tart with goat cheese. i love the play of colours, the white squares of cheese against the luscious red tomatoes and a little green from the parsley. since it's quite some time since i did a savory tart, a simple easy one will be ideal. while walking around orchard on friday i made a visit to marketplace at paragon and gosh, i found these gorgeous tomatoes with green stems and leaves attached.

they are really expensive mind you, i got a shock when the lady weighed them and gave me the price. but oh well since they are so gorgeous i simply cant resist getting them. a visit to borders for thomas keller's bouchon and i found the recipe for the pastry. and gosh as i browse through the book the recipes are tempting. but at a price of ninety dollars i need some funding.

something so italian just reminds me of bright sunny sundays with clear blue skies and a gentle breeze playing.

the languor of summer

2008-07-20T14:58:00.006+08:00

awfully saddening that singapore misses out on the seasons. but lying so near the equator means an eternity of summer days for us and on a languorous weekend when there's nothing much to occupy my time with, i click away browsing through the endless photos and recipes on blogs and flickr smiling dreamily as i wonder what's next on the baking list.

a drastic change in moods dont you think, when the sun rises. friday nights in the city are hellish with the traffic crawling through the roads. and when you get to the destination, the streets are packed like sardines in a tin can. while saturdays begin as though there's nothing in the world to worry about as you awake to the sound of the wind dancing through the country side.

here in southeast asia the traditonal european influenced architecture always includes a veranda, a place to spend the blazing afternoon reading or relaxing with some tea and cakes. while sadly enough the verandas have disappeared from out flats and high rises the enjoyment of tea and cakes must go on.

blueberry muffins are awesome for that little high tea and they are delicious with a cuppa chilled fresh milk too if you find the weather too warm for tea. lately i realised my white muffin liners are larger then the usual ones i have been using. i decided to use these brioche tins instead for my blueberry muffins and look how pretty they are. however muffins are never truely muffins without the liners; traditonal.

mornings are delicious

2008-07-16T19:40:00.005+08:00

found a job and my oh my it's a company in the insurance sector. work is boring but the good thing is that time passes pretty fast. sigh it's been sometime since i baked anything so when the weekend sets in i am gonna bake some simple pretty desserts. muffins and strawberry shortcake sounds wonderful but then again i have not baked cookies for a really long time now.

you know how i love mornings but in the past i always cant seem to get up; with work on everyday i am enjoying the mornings. its nice to see the people all going for work and the kopitiams and bakery getting busy with people grabbing their breakfast and i grab mine too. i love standing by the kitchen window sipping my hot chocolate and munching on cereal while watching the cars move out.

i bought another two novels and gosh there goes fifty dollars and yet there are like a handful more i wanna get. reading is seriously reducing the amount of disposable income i have but it is good for the mind and soul. yeah i finally had my first cup of gloria jeans coffee and it kinda taste pretty good.

visions of earth

2008-07-12T01:53:00.002+08:00

for those who didn't know, there's a place in new zealand called paradise, located in the otago region of the south island. and one can get there from queenstown. the petite town is situated along the dart river. well the place is indeed damn beautiful since the landscaped is flanked by green hills and cloud piercing mountains.

however if you were to grab a copy of national geographic's july issue and flip to the article on altiplano. when you see the three page image of the salt flats, gosh. that's what i call paradise and its so fcking beautiful, no wait its more then beautiful and no words can simple describe the scene.

no black or white

2008-07-09T21:20:00.003+08:00

its been quite some time since i baked something, therefore i was looking for something simple and easy without complicated or expensive ingredients. knowing that i have some carrots left in the kitchen, i remembered that somewhere in all my bookmarked recipes lies a really exciting carrot cake recipe that comes with a pecan cream cheese frosting.

when i say simple and easy, mark my words. its like baking a traditional butter cake but the only difference is mixing in a whole bunch of shredded carrots into the batter. the shreds of bright orange colour against the cream white batter is beautiful. after baking in the oven for around half and hour the kitchen is filled with a light aroma of baking butter, sugar eggs and flour.

one thing i am not really satisfied about is that the carroty taste and fragrance is damn light. well i know that carrots are light tasting vegetables, just like making apple and cinnamon muffins where you can hardly taste the apple. well i guess one way is to add in some carrot juice and increase the amount of flour needed.

baking aside i found myself buried in a new novel. it story tells about the babylonians seige in 586 bc that crush the judah empire and how a prophet managed to salvage the ark of the covenent and stash it in some tomb near mount sinai. and how in 1998, well although the novel is on the new arrivals shelve the original novel which was written in italian was published back then.

as i was saying the book tells of an excavation in 1998 and how it concerns the people and faith of jerusalem. i knew where that city was and besides that nothing more, curious i did a searh on flickr and gosh, such a beautiful city. seriously i wanna visit this place man, but with the region being kinda in a unstable condition i guess hopefully by the time i end my ns it would be more ideal to visit. japan can step aside for the time being.

gathering of the not so old

2008-07-06T02:54:00.003+08:00

with rennie enlisting for national service in a few days time, we students of 4g class of 2004 decided to gather. it's kinda sad that some of us are unavailable, but it was definitely nice to see familiar faces and reminisce those days where we were in class and funny things happen now and then. i absolutely adore gatherings like tonight. absolute vodka should launch an absolutely absolute man.

thinking back on those days where we will talk about everything unrelated to the lesson in class or doze off daringly right under the eye of the teacher. it's pretty hard to describe and say what we did exactly, but for me those were days that are unforgettable and priceless. the fun we had can never be found elsewhere. i guess its due to our age and some things certainly has to do with age.

after dinner a few of us went off while the remaining of us made our way to minds cafe at purvis street and had a rolling good time playing all sort of card and board games. while taking a break from all those laughing, we overheard the other table playing taboo. one of them went "give me another word for shit" and a few of his friends went "crap" all at the same time, talk about being on the same frequency/mind level man.

while i have never seen a group of people so calm and organised when playing taboo. it was as though they were having a group discussion/meeting and even my group meetings/discussion were much more happening. i mean taboo is a game of words and description but where's all the hype and excitement and scratching of heads to think of the way to describe the words.

i miss those days.

look, a distance away

2008-07-03T00:11:00.003+08:00

i seek to share all the happiness of today with everyone. and yet unexpressed, i bury all the sadness of yesterday in my heart. i endure and smile for tomorrow.

pistachios and cranberries

2008-07-01T16:28:00.000+08:00

a week after i came back and i am kinda lazy to bake anything more difficult then biscottis. well i have not went through any recipes of late and neither did i scramble and dig for something nice to bake. so there we go, the simple pistachio and cranberry biscotti. which i love, and i believe you will love them too.

i adore the colours, those specks of green and red. i love roasting nuts in the oven for a while before throwing them into the batter. brings out the aroma and the oil. and i certainly love cranberries and oh i must make a trip to the supermarket soon. i wonder whether my cranberry almond crunch is back on stock.

on another note, i wanna travel before i commence my further studies. i shall therefore title the plan the lifetime experience travel 2011. argg but then every travel is an experience. oh well, sounds glam and exciting.

where's the light

2008-06-28T00:48:00.001+08:00

i know i said that i wanna do a bachelor of commerce in service marketing, hospitality and tourim. but why does the application requires a bloody interview and you know what, since i am here in singapore i have to send in a video kinda interview. well according to the website the video must be five minutes in length answering the list of questions below.

1) Why do you want to study marketing, tourism and hospitality management?
- oh man, i dunno. seems fun and sounds exciting i guess

2) Why do you want to study at UNSW?
- well isn't it obvious, cause unsw is the only university that offers such a degree combination.

3) How keen are you about a career in the tourism and hospitality management industry?
- Lets just say i do not see myself working in an industry that is non htm.

4) What are your career goals when you graduate from this degree?
- well i wanna be a cabin crew. gosh, i can't believe a degree holder is gonna get such a simple job. well no i wanna do public relations/marketing for a hotel. *the peninsula and four seasons comes to mind*

5) What are your main leadership or other achievements to date?
- let me get back to you after my national service, i'll achieve something.

6) What experience have you had serving customers in part time jobs, or working with people in community service, and what have you learned from that experience?
- i learnt blah blah blah

7) How much do you know about the tourism hospitality industry?
- well so much five minutes isnt gonna be enough but lets just say i know enough to be on the competitive side.

8) What other relevant qualifications do you have?
- how about i flash my resume or pages of my portfolio. sounds good yeah.

alright enough of rubbish and crap. i really need to start drawing mind maps and flow charts to get the answers in a logical and organised format. nothing more comforting then a pen and fresh sheet of paper. black ink of course and with the breeze blowing, the clouds drifting by on a nice sunny afternoon. i can smell the flowers already.

help.

the addiction to travel

2008-06-25T19:29:00.002+08:00

for those who have fallen in love with traveling, it can be quite a problem as it's like a lifetime addiction. the desire to explore places, taste different kinds of food and meet the locals. traveling opens one's eyes and lifts the soul, just throw all your troubles away and kick back for an adventure that's never the same.

taiwan is really a destination that beckons one to return, and the fun only gets better when you travel with friends from those crazy rebellious secondary school days. the ten days away was hectic i tell you, with less than six hours of sleep a day, we trashed the weather and walk like crazy people.

getting together and taking a holiday trip together after not hanging out for nearly three years seems like the ideal plan to strengthen our bonds before we get enlisted. afterall friendship never fades and the time spent holidaying was indeed nothing dramatic but all the same special to me.

i felt kinda depress as the plane left hong kong for singapore, it's as though an amazing journey, a dream has come to an end. like all good things will somehow come to an ending. ahhh how depressing and what's even more depressing is that we'll be enlistning soon. my physical self is here but my heart and soul are overseas.

somehow it feels like a parting of ways, the prospect of serving the nation is certainly a really major chapter as it changes many things. i feel that even going away for further studies is less of a pain. suddenly the situation becomes one of uncertainty, some will begin working while others are preparing to leave the country for studies.

i wonder what will happen, once we were together sharing almost similar days of school and play. ahhh but the feeling of get togethers after what seems like many moons later is something heartwarming and i look forward to them.

glorious sunshine

2008-06-12T00:05:00.005+08:00

the french make creme like no one else and pierre herme's creme de citron is simple the most outrageously full of tangy bliss. i just love the cheerful colour. the creme is pretty hard to make in the sense that it requires lotsa work and steps. the critical one being stirring the lemon sugar egg concoction over simmering water to get the mixture to curdle.

zesting the sunny yellow citrus fruit is another one of my favourites, the tangy refreshing aroma of the lemon simply kisses you. but the fun only starts from there. rubbing the sugar and lemon zest over simmering water, that's when one can attain a state of high. all natural aroma therapy, the many joys of baking.

although the recipe seems somewhat doubtful in stirring up a smooth, silky and light creme, gosh you gotta make it to believe it for yourself. the pate sucree recipe that i used called for a generous amount of unsalted butter too, with the addition of confectioners sugar and ground almond.

about the dough, it's really hard to work with in singapore due to the temperature as they dough was way softer then normal short crust dough. but when the tarte shells were baking in the over, they smelled really good. ahh yes, i had to take the trouble of freezing each cut out rounds for a min or two just to get it a little more firm to lift it and line the muffin tins. but all was worth it, that i can say for sure.

i love how the tarte shells look unrefine, handmade and pressed into the muffine tins. if you're wondering why there are some lines around the inner sides, i used muffin liners instead of baking paper to weigh the tartes down while baking. saved me the trouble of having to use tarte weights since the muffin liners were rally fitting.

these glorious sunshine are really making me high just by looking at them. somehow i am beginning to take more portrait shots and they do look better then those landscape ones. i have no idea why but i guess its just the tartes and cakes and what have you.

haaah i wonder...

those clear blue skies

2008-06-10T00:36:00.005+08:00

i caught accuracy of death today, a movie by masaya kakei starring takeshi kaneshiro as chiba and my eyes found themselves teary at the last moments of the movie. it was a simple yet wonderful storyline, where one can relax and enjoy the time taking in every moment with ease although the rain that was falling continuously in the movie did make the cinema feel a little colder.

the last act by sumiko fuji playing the role of an elderly women working as a hairdresser in a house along the coast made the story complete. a sad yet happy ending. my eyes were watery when she told her life in brief to chiba who seems to have forgotten that many years ago he decided to let her live on rather then taking her soul. at the end, he remembers the meeting with her so many moons ago, another heart warming moment.

there was a few things that she said that was really true; life is indeed precious and special for how we live and the way we live makes it unique to the individual as no one life is the same.

like the sun in the clear blue sky, there's nothing special about the sun but it's important for it brings about life and beauty. just like us, as an individual there's nothing special when compared to everyone, but yet everyone of us is important.

when the rain stops falling and the sky clears, its a sight to behold.

blueberry streusel scones

2008-06-08T19:07:00.005+08:00

my first attempt at making them blueberry scones and i love making dough, especially when the recipe says to rub butter into the floor until the mixture starts to resemble bread crumbs. well instead of getting my fingers tired and buttery i chose to use the convenience of technology; a blender.

lately i've been using lot of unsalted butter but thats just a side thought. anyway the blender churns out remarkable bread crumb mixture, fine and consistent. the speed of those metal blades means there is less heat transfered to the mixture as compared to using hands. and when it comes to working with unsalted butter in hot and humid singapore, rubbing in the unsalted butter by hand is not very ideal since the butter melts faster than the salted sibling.

i found this recipe which includes the streusel topping and it sure looks pretty nice, but i guess i will be making the traditional ones when i have the time and those blue fellers again. they do not come cheap here sad to say. my first time photographing the baking procedure and if you noticed, there are some photos missing as i forget at times when i move from on step to the other.

the aroma of the buttery dough and blueberries will fill your kitchen, thats what a warm summer day should smell like, the scent of baking. i love days like these. and yes baking calms the soul.

Dreams pushes us on

2008-06-01T01:58:00.003+08:00

i've got to get my act together man, i'm losing my sanity and drive. life has come to a blur and now i feel like a film being played in slow. i have started making plans for the years after national service and sigh i just hope that the ns years will move on by in a blink of an eye. its seriously a pain in the arse to know that in the hospitality and tourism industry time and experience is precious and gosh i have just lose out on two years.

now before i further my studies i am gonna go all out and backpack in japan once more, with the change of season and autumn sweeping the land when i end my national service, its gonna be a glorious travel adventure like the brush of golden sunset hues. i am afterall in love with this country that never fails to amaze whether it's culture, cuisine, nature, architecture or technology.

well enough of my indulgence in traveling. i have decided to pursue my studies in the university of new south wales. yes its the university that my friend remembered as the one that closed its door in singapore. well the bachelor of commerce, service marketing htm is really ideal. i have always been interested in marketing and boy i can never leave the htm industry. its too exciting and fasinating to ever say goodbye too.

anyway its damn dear to be studying overseas. the course will send close to ninety thousand australian dollars into the the economy down under and that does not include the cost of living. i feel faint already. what makes matters worst is that the city of sydney is the capital of tourism for australia and just imagine the accommodation cost and daily expenditure. but i love living overseas and the stint in shanghai has just confirmed that.

haaaa what happens after i get my degree. well i am planning to get a job in sydney with a hotel hopefully four seasons or the observatory hotel. somewhere in the middle i have not thought about it yet but my dream is to work with the peninsula tokyo. i wonder what it takes to get the right to working in the japanese capital. homework time.

i wonder...

a prêt-à-porter glass bottle

2008-05-29T21:03:00.007+08:00

i remember once upon a time in shanghai when i was flipping through a magazine that i chance upon an evian print advert featuring a glass bottle with intricate flowery lace patterns designed by christian lacriox. the design gives the bottle a wintery feel reminiscent french alps. the runway bottle was launched in due cause for the 2008 spring/summer collection of haute couture fashion. and just when i wanted one for myself, my friend back in singapore couldn't find it anywhere.

and yet months later i chance upon it at a wine fair.

roast pumpkins and red pepper

2008-05-26T20:29:00.002+08:00

a simple recipe of roast pumpkins and red pepper, garlic and julienne of spinach. the garlic cloves were roasted without peeling and then pulp is then pressed out and mixed into the risotto as it slowly simmers. the aroma of roast vegetables is really sweet smelling especially red peppers. for those who dont know, vegetables and fruits with colours like red, orange, purple are more nutritious and naturally sweeter than green ones.

drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, sprinkle some rosemary and thyme. give it a good toss and it will come out beautifully. i love my roast vegetables to show some signs of over roasting as it gives it a peculiar contrast. the risotto is awfully simple and normal but when eaten with the roasties its delicious. nature's vegetables at their best.

i have decided to give this plate a name and its called risotto plate. somehow that pinkish purple line works well with the risotto. on the other hand a white china bone dinner plate makes the photo less pretty. i adore my wooden chopping board, it was a surprised find at robinsons and for your information i do not use the board for culinary purposes, its solely bought for photography.

cookies from italy

2008-05-26T14:54:00.000+08:00

chocolate hazelnut biscotti from the oven. and these italian fellers are really simple and easy to make. but what really tempts me into making them is the variation that can be derived through the mix and match of ingredients from nuts to dried fruits and even herbs. perfect for coffee in the midst of summer.

the looks of these biscottis are somewhat rough and tough but hey its my first time making them and it seems that i have to improve on their looks. the nuts tend to fall out as i slice the log, maybe i should have chopped the nuts instead of throwing them whole into the dough. but anyway i will be making chocolate and hazelnut ones again once i get my hands on more hazelnuts.

since they look rough and tough i shall be easy and have an anything will do kinda presentation for the photos.

a night of prata and arts

2008-05-25T02:51:00.000+08:00

caught up with friends whom i have not seen for quite some time already. everyone was busy with final projects and exams and then work, sigh i should be feeling damn carefree and relax but oh no i am not gonna let it be this way for long. i finally took the effort to remember the name of my favourite prata shop along circular road, shah alam restaurant. they serve awesome pratas and briyani.

poor ruben, caught a flu. but anyway it seems he's the one that is always organising these meet ups with people from the shanghai cds. the plan was to attend some study fair held by idp singapore but i was like fck studies now man we still got ns to go through. and so we ended up with prata, followd by some arts performance along the river at boat quay/acm/uob building, you get the idea yeah.

the performance was really interesting although i am clueless about the meaning and all. but i really liked scene where a lady dressed in those old fashioned english dress pushing a baby pram. the scene was somewhat dark and creepy as the lady floated pass down the river. the performance was amazing in such a way that all the performers are all standing on small platoforms that kept them afloat.

there was the guy with the trash bin scooping up trash and setting up lamp posts with lights that really work all over the river. imagine those street lamp. its like the water was of real tarmac. there was a yellow taxi. some girl in a bed and gondolas with people and fire. but my favourite was a lady in red who sat untop a huge water wheel with an umbrella. her skirt covered most of the wheel but when she pulled it up there was a guy inside who actually paddles the whole thing.

but anyway it was a great sunday night out not forgetting chillin at tcc for some refreshing beverages after the performance. the weather was just humid and warm, gosh.

sometimes its difficult

2008-05-25T02:45:00.001+08:00

sometimes when i feel like penning down those thoughts of mine that has been nagging at me, i pause and think about the consequences of making it known. seriously i find myself at times truly a strange person. no one knows me thoroughly through and through, i have afterall kept a distance while donning a mask of smiles, but yet i yearn to find someone who will see through me and understand, soul mate

a conflicting feeling, i am alone at times and the sadness and lonely needs get to me sometimes but yet somehow i love being alone too. i do what needs to be done and what i love. in contrast to some of my friends who always hang out with their usual click and all i differ by having none and somehow going out with the same group of people just isnt my cuppa tea. i prefer different circles of friends who when put together can become a greater circle.

when i thought about furthering my studies and the career i wanna embark on, i pause to consider. i have always wanted to take on a job that allows me to fly, the option of being a pilot is out of the question ignoring the fact that i do not have the eyes of an owl. i just thought that those hours in the cockpit just isnt gonna be satisfying enough. a cabin crew is more ideal, i get to travel, meet people and serve people.

but then again after investing all those money getting a degree, i am sure my parents will make a fuss if i went to apply the job of a cabin crew and what happens after. an initial two years contract, then what; to continue for the rest of my life or to settle for a real job. by then i will be nearing twenty eight and that's not a very nice age to start all over again. oh well...

i have a craving for japanese cuisine, give me a pot of nabeyaki udon and maguro sashimi accompanied with a cuppa hot green tea. black seseame ice cream for the ideal ending note. i look forward to them.

however please do not stare with such piercing eyes and really, that air of nobility needs to change.

graduation time

2008-05-22T22:06:00.002+08:00

le temps is atsui

2008-05-19T23:25:00.005+08:00

oh gosh the weather is really treacherously blazing hot. i can practically melt even at home and the whole house seems like an oven. just a few days ago my friend commeted that my blog was not exceptionally interesting, and i knew what she was getting at, my blog is missing in all those daily rants on gossips, bitching about others or my different feelings over people, situation etc etc etc.

haaaah but i mean if you do not want others to know who you fell in love with or who you gonna plan a grand revenge on, then why blog it. secrets are meant to stay with you or in your personal journal, the same goes for things that you wouldn't want others to know. therefore there is no way that i will blog on those issues since it indirectly means wanting others to know.

i really miss school.

Chocolate tarts and expressions

2008-05-18T00:20:00.002+08:00

Dinner at sheryl's place today, and i had the honour to make the dessert. i have been wanting to try some chocolate tart recipe for some time now and what better dessert then a chocolate and viet coffee tart. the rich smooth satin like feel of chocolate ganache and the aroma of coffee. although i used italian roast as i didnt have viet coffee powder, the tart came out as i expected.

i was pressed for time in the afternoon as i had to get the tarts ready and i had my running to do, therefore as soon as the tarts came out of the oven it was onto the cooling rack, a quick draw of nice paper from prints and snap snap snap goes my camera. didnt have time to dress up the tarts or have pretty plate presentations.

personally i have improvements to make from the consistency of the dough's thickness each time i roll it out to the adjusting of flavours more greater harmony. this batch had a strong coffee aroma which kinda overpowers the chocolate a little, plus the crust is a sort of too thick. ut oh well at least everyone enjoyed it and i am glad for that.

a game of taboo and lotsa photo taking.

italian sounds delicious

2008-05-13T01:45:00.003+08:00

mushroom risotto with italian herbed sausages garnished with sprigs of thyme. with just the basic recipe for making risotto, one can play with the ingredients as one pleases to whipped up different kinds of this simple delicious italian dish. today it's mushroom and sausages, tomorrow it maybe pumpkin and grilled chicken and then probably scallops and prawns. delightful.

i used some swiss brown mushrooms and italian herbed sausages i bought from the supermarket but really, just mushrooms alone i have decided to attempt with shitake due to its aroma which these swiss brown's lack. i'll probably get some other kinds of sausages the next time round too.

it's amazing how the use of rice differs from countries and regions, from sushi and onigiri in japan to risotto in italy, paella in spain, fried rice from hong kong and even briyani from india. languages may be different but the soul speaks cuisine and the heart feels it.

blazing afternoons and prata

2008-05-11T23:05:00.005+08:00

my baking tools and oven worked no wonders, for these blazing afternoons and unforgiving heat practically made me lethargic. with butter and milk getting dear, baking sometimes seems a little scary. but the cry of the crikets when the sun is at her highest made the days staying home more summer like but the warm breeze the sweeps in seems to help little in easing the warmth.

staying home with no purpose, awaiting the day of enlistment is agonising especially when i am kinda particular about getting a job. well the thing is that i can certainly find a part time job easily but doing something that i have no interest in seems useless as i will simply quit before long, spare me the lecture about endurance and to bare with it. i rather stay home and bake and do things that i will soon have little time for.

it does bug me sometimes how the days go by with no significant happenings or in another word purpose but to just wake up and go about doing things as they come to mind. it does bother me that at times i am simply not making proper use of the generous amount of time that i have to do something productive.

but hey i am afterall searching for a job and with just the right amount of luck i might find a company willing to take me in just for that few months. sigh, often people find themselves in the opposite situation of others, say i would love to travel and go on a backpacking adventure for months since i have the time, but there's the issue of financing the trip. while those who have the financial capability to do so simply have no time or no interest at all.

anyway i had a great night out yesterday celebrating peilin's birthday with some of her co-curriculum activity friends. although the hour wait for out table at gyu kaku was horrendous even though we had a reservation, the atmosphere at chijmes was fortunately nice enough for we sat outside chatting away. dinner was good and i just love the barbecued beef and mushrooms, simple and delicious.

then came the drinking at timber, just along the perimeters of the parliment house, ACM grounds along the river with boat quay at the backdrop. a manhattan was surprisingly enjoyable despite it being dry as the live band played on, this is what i call chillin although the weather, arggg the weather could have been more cooperative that night.

i seriously believe that the prata at jalan kayu is overrated, there's this one shop somewhere near circular road just behind boat quay that's seriously better. prata at two in the morning with lotsa curry, i just couldn't resist. when i think of those supperless nights that i will have to exerience when i am studying overseas after my ns, i feel utterly depress.

haaah...

cheesecakes and jam

2008-05-04T17:29:00.003+08:00

new york cheesecakes sitting in cupcake liners, these fellers turned out delicious. the rich creamy texture that makes you crave for more, the light cream cheese taste that's welcoming yet sinfully delicious. well the only flaw that was unexpected was that when these are baked, the cake shy away from the cupcake liners. oh well i guess i will bake these again some other time.

i have been spending so much lately on grocery shopping, each time i drop by the supermarket i just seem to get things that i do not need but my mind just tells me that some day i will use it, maybe in a few days time i will be needing this or that for some baking/cooking, who knows. but that's not all, i love to stand looking at the biscuit section and wonder should i indulge myself in some luxurious danish butter cookies or should i just get the commoner raisin cookies by kong guan. ahhhhh dilemmas...

lychee love

2008-05-03T00:56:00.002+08:00

adapted from dessert's first, a love for lychee. i am not a lychee person and the only times where i enjoy the fruit is in my martini but this cake was an unexpected love affair. a simple butter cake with all the sweet aromas of butter and honey thanks to the lychee. not forgetting a generous cup of sliced lychee swirled into the batter for some extra texture.

however i think that i was a little too generous with the sliced lychee as the cake was too moist from the juice that got extracted during the baking. i guess something like a pound cake will be ideal with the honey sweetness of lychees just splashing gently as you enjoy the cake in simple bliss with my usual cuppa tea.

brownies for the chocolat lover

2008-04-28T21:05:00.002+08:00

for those who love brownies, these fellers from alice medrich's bittersweet will leave you in a dreamy state of mind. the aromatic play of chocolate, butter, eggs and sugar dances about the kitchen as it bakes in the oven and mind you, from my room i can smell the delicious whiffs of them. i gave in to my heart's desire and added a handful of finely chopped pur caraibe valrhona dark chocolate for that extra flavour.

compared to some other brownies where cream frosting or nuts are added, i decided to give these some simple dusting of confectioner's sugar. the paper i bought from prints add a nice backdrop for these dark brown squares and indeed the hues of blue and shades of pink brings out the colour and richness of the brownies.

enjoy

feeling like a child

2008-04-27T18:06:00.002+08:00

nostalgic is the word when i saw these zoo land biscuits at the supermarket while doing my grocery shopping and without any hesitation my hands went for a box and in it goes into my basket. these biscuits by meiji are simply delicious, a little salted and buttery. i feel like a child as i enjoyed them while looking at flickr, wondering what animal i will draw out next from the box.

i am so gonna grab another few boxes and stock them up at home in case i feel childish one day.

you you and you

2008-04-26T00:01:00.003+08:00

i got a call from meridian primary school to do relief teaching and oh my goodness, seven year old kids are really really people that are sent by the heavens to draw the energy out of you. the most vulgar word i used today was shuddap, pathetic. these kids seems to just go on and on about anything and they can bicker amongst themselves about the simplest thing, mon dieu.

then there's also the case where these kids seem to find great pleasure in disturbing one another, especially the boys. oh did i mention about the short memory and attention span where i have never repeated my words so often before. but somehow you just can't be angry and pissed at them for more then five minutes, oh my goodness some of them are just so innocent with those eyes of theirs, the eagerness to learn something new.

however seriously i find that some parents are pampering their child so much so that these kids are lacking in discipline even after they enter secondary school. alright maybe i am from a military band and discipline was damn bloody important for us, but however those with a silver spoon in their mouth clear lack the motivation to fight for what they want and the mental ability to endure and persevere is certainly not as strong as before.

i was chatting with my friend and she was saying that when i become a parent i will surely wanna pamper my kids, then came the clause; unless you start asking your kids to fall in. imagine early in the morning there's attendance taking followed by a light morning exercise. once it's done i'll be shouting you you and you, go fall in one straight line in the kitchen for breakfast, a cheer before meal then you you and you march one straight line to the car and then wait there for further instructions. sad, i hope i that day will never come.

but it was a fun experience teaching them.

there, the delicious one

2008-04-23T02:09:00.000+08:00

looks like the jam drop cookies came out of the oven really well done. i just love the redness of the raspberry confiture. these go well with tea and sometimes in the night i seem to relish them without knowing as i place my attention on whatever else i am doing.

a cookie of a mistake

2008-04-21T19:17:00.004+08:00

i have an infatuation with jam drops and i seem to be making them just for the fun of it. i had a little bit of dough left and somehow the thought of a round ball of cookie with raspberry jam within seems very delicious. haaa but the dough broke. i name this little feller a mistake.

mon dieu

2008-04-19T20:54:00.004+08:00

i love reading sometimes, brings you to different places and time. when i read i can forget about my troubles, i guess one can say that it sort of serves as a brief escape from life. sometimes when i am feeling frustrated or when that i wanna strangle someone moment arises, i escape into the realm of books and their tales. reading gives me the simple pleasure of imagination, picturing the places and things mentioned in the story the way i want them to be.

i have always travelled but i have never once brought a book along with me and enjoy the solitude bliss of reading whilst in a foreign city. on a side walk along a busy street at a cafe under the shade of a tree alfresco style with my cuppa latte and some quiche. then there's the occasional cool breeze and the rustle of the leaves. birds chirping overhead.

i found a bunch of macadamias sitting in my kitchen looking all so lonely and sad, then i remembered what and who they were meant for, but looks like these nuts will never be used for their original purpose. hmmm what shall i do with them now, bake some white chocolate macadamia cookies? haaaa i wonder.

life is always full of surprises.

the number twenty

2008-04-16T04:58:00.002+08:00

oh my, i am twenty. and gosh i really have nothing else to say.

that lovely window

2008-04-15T21:11:00.004+08:00

the classic manhattan apartment window with a silt just nice to place my cuppa tea as i gazed out into the landscape of high rises and skyscrapers, streets thronging with people and made happening with activities. i simply adore that kinda windows and gosh, after watching the movie definitely maybe i just can't help but fall in love with them more.

banana bread for breakfast

2008-04-13T21:43:00.002+08:00

Quite many months since i last baked a sweet smelling loaf of banana bread. however i was a little disappointed at this loaf as the texture and taste was not as good as i have made before. Looks like i have some improving to do, well you can't blame a person who has not baked for many months can you.

the missing one of twenty odds

2008-04-10T00:15:00.000+08:00

i made these little cups of tiramisu before i went to shanghai months ago and somehow forgot to do a short post on them. well now that i remembered about them i just had to show them to ya all. the photo is not exactly very pretty but how cares and oh, i am gonna make tiramisu again and take some prettier photos of them.

where the path leads

2008-04-09T02:16:00.000+08:00

i have gotten myself three new books to read and i have always wondered about the price tags that they carry with them. i was about to walk away with the forth book when i realised it's better that i do not exchange ninety dollars worth of good read in one purchase. i have always dreamt of my own home with a classic dark wooden bookshelve that is decorated with interesting covers of books that i have read.

when the moon is smiling and the night sky is adorned with a generous sprinkle of stars that twinkle like the shimmering of water in the moonlight when a breeze dances by, i will love to fly over the polar cap and gaze out of the window to take in the sight of the peace and tranquility. and what better way to do that then on that singapore airlines flight to new york direct.

i have seen the sky littered with stars on a clear night on my flight back to singapore and the moon that hangs above a blanket of clouds, round yet not a full circle. one day i shall see with these eyes of mine the beauty of the night sky.

i was on my way to the airport yesterday when my neighbour came home and asked me what i am doing now. waiting for enlistment. i was chatting on msn with my friend and the conversation touched about furture studies. my neighbour asked whether i was going to further my studies and my friend asked if i ever thought about taking a general business management degree. well i have decided that i will take a degree with a specialisation in the tourism industry for i know that that's what i wanna do and work for.

some will say how the fck do i know that i will love working in the tourism industry for i have yet to try other kinds of job in other sectors. there's no reason or answer for some questions, i just know, i just know that i will not love those other career paths. i know my goals well and i know what i wanna do in life, i knew and i have decided all these since the day i made up my mind that i wanna get a diploma instead of mugging my way to some british advance level cert.

sometimes i find myself really bizarre, i believe that to experience is better than otherwise even though i may get hurt at some point. i live and measure my life not by time but by experiences and the memories i have gained be it happy or sad. i do not pretend to like something and in a certain way i am a selfish brat. although it offends people i do not believe in burning incense to the dead and neither do i rely on the heavens to answer my prayers as the need to have a belief is for the purpose of having hope. and hope is something that gives strength but i know whatever may come i must be prepared.