{Giveaway} Savour Singapore 2014

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Good afternoon dear readers. So sorry for the lack of posts! I’m still trying to get back into the pace of blogging after the long rest I had when I went back to Singapore. Plus, if you haven’t already heard, we are expecting our first bub and thus I’ve been a little more tired of late. So please forgive me! I will come back with more posts soon, I promise!

Savour 2014 Giveaway Logo

There is something exciting I want to share with you, and this is exclusively for those readers in Singapore! I’ve got a giveaway that would definitely get you foodies on your feet! Savour is back and I’m sure many of you would love to go! Fortunately for you, and thanks to Nespresso Singapore, I have been give 2 tickets to giveaway to a lucky winner to attend the largest gourmet festival in Singapore, SAVOUR!

Once again there are a plethora of chefs to meet and a spread of different cuisines to try, so it’s one event food lovers wouldn’t want to miss! Foodies who are also coffee lovers will no doubt, not want to miss the brand new custom-built NESPRESSO MAISON, located right in the heart of the new SAVOUR event space in the lush greenery of The Promontory @ Marina Bay. So what can you expect at the Nespresso Maison? Escape to the extraordinary and experience ‘Your Perfect Pleasure’ through the art of bespoke coffee crafting with our very own Nespresso Barista. How exciting does that sound? 

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 Besides the Nespresso Maison, Nespresso will once again be bringing back their ever popular Coffee Atelier classes, where fans can discover and learn the subtleties, nuances and origins of coffee. Coffee experts will be sharing with fans how to create the perfect cup of coffee. I’ve attended one of these classes before, and even though I won’t categorise myself as a coffee lover, I really enjoyed learning more about the art of making coffee!
This year’s SAVOUR is held at The Promontory @ Marina Bay! It’s a 5 day event, however, the tickets I was given were for Thursday, the 6th of March 2014, between 5-11pm. The tickets will also come with 30 Savour $ each! So if you love your food, and would love to also experience some coffee magic, this is an event you definitely don’t want to miss!
So how do you win these tickets? Just leave a comment telling me who you would like to attend this event with and why! This giveaway will end on Wednesday 5th of March 2012 at 5pm, and the winner will be announced and notified at 7pm (Singapore time). I do apologise for this short period of time to enter the giveaway, but I assure you, it’s an event you food lovers wouldn’t want to miss!

Watch the video to see the highlights of Savour 2013!

So don’t wait any longer, leave me a comment and best of luck! Definitely looking forward to award the lucky winner!

PS: The giveaway is for the residents of Singapore only. Unfortunately, due to the short period of time, we won’t be able to give the tickets to readers overseas, as you won’t be able to attend the event on time. I do apologise! I’m sure there would be other events in the future!

Disclaimer : This is a collaboration with Nespresso Singapore and Crowd SG, tickets were given in compliments of the organisers and I wasn’t paid to run this giveaway. 

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And the winner is….. ALENA!! Congrats babe! Hope you’ll enjoy the event with your girlfriend! Time to take that break you deserve!! (: x
Winner of SAVOUR 2014 tickets
Winner's comment
Will be emailing you to let you know how to collect your tickets!

Sugee Cookies : Easy and A Great Gift !

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Chinese New Year is no doubt a season of sharing food and every year, there is just one thing I love to make for my colleagues and close friends here in Melbourne. Sugee cookies! These melt-in-your-mouth cookies are so addictive, you will never be able to stop at one!

Sugee cookies

The best thing about these cookies are that they are so easy to make, and you don’t even need a mixer. All you need is a large bowl, a weighing scale and a wooden spoon! The you’re good to go! So if you’re thinking of making something that is a sure winner, try and make these! I am almost certain that your friends and family will love these!

Sugee Cookies (makes about 24-30 cookies)

80g almond meal

150g plain flour

100g sunflower oil

50g icing sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda

1 egg yolk + a splash of water (for egg wash)

Steps :

1) Preheat oven to 170 degrees celcius. In a large metal bowl, aft all the ingredients except for the egg wash.

Ingredients for the sugee cookies

2) Take teaspoons full of dough and roll them into round balls. Place them on a lined baking tray and brush the top with egg wash.

all ready to be baked

3) Bake for 7 mins and rotate the tray to bake for a further 7 minutes until cookies are golden brown.

packed and ready to be gifted

4) Allow it to cool on a cooling rack before you start popping them into your mouth or pack them in a bottle! Enjoy! (:

Just 4 easy steps to get this delicious bite, so don’t wait any longer! Go go go!

Remember to cook and bake with love! 

Galloping into the Year of Horse with Homemade Bak Kwa

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photo 3-1-1

Happy Lunar New Year my dear readers! (: So sorry for the lack of posts! I’ve been back in Singapore and spending as much time as I could with my family. But I’m back and ready to share lots with you, so please hang in there with me. I promise to make your time worthwhile!

I’m not sure what your traditions are for Chinese New Year, but for me, it’s about coming together as a family and feast on delicious food! Of course it’s not always about food, it’s also about spending time with your loved ones and just reminescing on the good things from the past year, setting goals for the new one!

There are many different kinds of Chinese New Year goodies that we love to eat. Lucky for me, I got to eat my fair share before I flew back to Melbourne. But there is one that I didn’t quite get to have and also sadly, we aren’t allowed to bring it back cause it’s meat. BAK KWA! It’s like a chinese pork jerky that is sweet and salty and just delicious!

homemade bak kwa

Singaporeans really do love their bak kwa, and many would actually queue for hours to get some! So instead of queueing (plus I don’t think I can get any that are similar to those back home), I decided to try making them this year!

The best thing about this is that you can freeze it and just grill it when you feel like having some! Trust me. Once you have a bite, you would definitely want to keep some in your freezer. These are so addictive! So give them a go, you won’t regret it!

Homemade Bak Kwa (adapted from Nasi Lemak Lover)

Ingredients :

900g mince pork

130g caster sugar

2 tbs light soy sauce

1 tbs shaoxing wine

2 tbs oyster sauce

1 1/2 tsp thick dark soy

1/4 tsp five spice powder

Ground white pepper

1 tbs honey

Steps :

1) Marinade the mince pork a day before you intend to make it. In a large bowl, add all the ingredients and mix with a pair of chopsticks.

Marinating the mince pork

Stirring the mixture in one direction

2) Make sure you stir it in one direction and until the mixture becomes gluey. Do make sure it’s gluey as it will allow the meat to stay as one piece after being baked. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and place it in the fridge overnight or for at least 3 hours.

Gluey mixture

3) Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celcius. Spread the marinated pork mince thinly onto the baking tray using a spatula.

pork mince mixture spread onto baking tray

4) Bake the pork mince for 15 mins and remove it from the oven. Allow it to cool slightly before cutting it into desired shape and size using scissors or a pizza cutter. If you intend to freeze it, allow them to cool completely before placing them in a zip lock bag and freeze it up to 2 weeks.

baked and cut

5) Turn the grill on at 240 degrees Celcius and grill one side for 5 mins before flipping and grilling the other side for a further 5 mins, until the meat is golden brown or slightly charred on the sides. Let is cool down (it actually tastes better the day after it’s grilled!) and enjoy! (:

homemade bak kwa

So you ready to make some bak kwa? You’ll love it for sure! Have a prosperous year of the horse everyone!!

Remember to always cook and bake with love.

I Scream, You Scream, We Scream for Harry’s Ice Cream!

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Harry's Ice Cream

As the weather gets warmer, isn’t there just one thing that is always on your mind? It definitely is for me! Ice cream!! I was so excited when I was invited to the exclusive factory tour of Harry’s Ice Cream!

A beautiful setting of table of goodies

Upon arrival at the factory, we were greeted by a beautiful table with canapés, macarons and a blueberry-lemonade-vodka cocktail! Mmmm! Delish! And how pretty is the bunting?? Gosh, I am obsessed with them! hehe

mini smoked salmon bagels and pea tarts

The mini treats were so delicious! Never seen such small bagels before! They were stuffed with smoked salmon, cream cheese and capers! I couldn’t stop at one. haha The pea tarts were surprisingly yum! I am never one for peas, but these were soft and sweet (in a savoury kind of way haha)!

mini chicken sandwiches and blue cheese and fig tarts

How cute are these mini chicken sandwiches? Never seen such small loafs before!!! Next to them drew my attention immediately! Do you know why? hehe Because of the dried figs!!! and they go so well with the blue cheese on the puff pastry base! Mmmmm!

Cocktails in mason jars

Cocktails in mason jars

We were so spoilt that day and were even given cocktails served in mason jars and with a polka dotted paper straw! It had a really good tang to it cause of the 40 lemons that were hand squeezed into the large jar dispenser! hehe Loved the tinge of pink it had too! Such a girlie drink! I have to admit, I almost wanted to take one of the jars home! haha

Lawrence - Owner

While we were enjoying the little nibbles, we were introduced to the brains behind Harry’s Ice Cream – Lawrence! He shared with us the history and how Harry’s Ice Cream came about. So here are some fun facts : They first started making ice cream in 1994 and sold them in stores. The first one is at Chadstone and this carried on till 1999. By then, they had 12 stores and they decided to open the Harry and Larry’s factory! They do supply to supermarkets under different brand names, but decided to come up with Harry’s that did exclusive flavours!

Lawrence and Tony

We were then introduced to the head of the ice cream maker, Tony, who would be bringing us for the factory tour as well as explaining to us the whole magical process!

Group photo at Harry's

(Photo credits : Harry’s Ice Cream)

But before we could enter the factory, we had to gear up and sanitise our hands so that we keep the area as clean as possible! haha Don’t we look good in our hair nets? haha We were ready to roll!

The inside of the factory

It was pavlova day at the factory that afternoon! So the team was high in production! Just tubs and tubs of ice cream being filled and capped, then stored in the freezer!

Making ice cream

Then the fun part started! We were brought to a smaller scale ice cream machine to make the flavour that Ling came up with : White chocolate and mixed berries ! It was such a phenomenal process, from the pasteurised custard to the adding of the mixed berries, and viola! Ice cream!!

Ling's white chocolate and mixed berries ice cream

How pretty is the colour? It was velvety smooth too! All contained and ready to be frozen so that we could taste a little later on!

The filling machine

On a larger scale, these filling machines fill up to 51 tubs per minute! It was so amazing to see it at work!

Ice cream tubs getting sealed

All filled and ready to be frozen

The pavlova flavour had an amazing passionfruit curd swirled into the custard and we could smell it from a mile away! They make up to 3600 litres of ice cream per hour and 68000 tubs of ice cream in 2 hours!!! WOWZER!

After the tour, I definitely couldn’t wait to get some tasting done! hehe

tasting and judging

We were also going to do some judging! Before the event, we were asked to come up with an ice cream flavour so that Harry’s could make it and we could taste and judge which flavour we loved! Before this, I never knew how ice cream was judged in a professional setting! There were three criteria for judging : flavour & aroma, texture & body, and presentation!

Jenny

Jenny is the official taster at Harry’s! She has the best job in the world of making sure all the ice cream is of the right taste, consistency and appearance! She explained to us the process of judging at an ice cream competition and then the tasting began!

Harry's ice cream

First up, the three Harry’s ice cream flavours! My favourite of the day is the Pavlova! It had bits of crushed meringue in it and every bite had lots of it! Gave it a really good texture and of course the flavours were spot on! Mmmmm

Our creations

Then it was time to taste the flavour we each come up with! I was super excited!!! Everyone had such great flavours and totally different too!

Pistachio, rose water and honey

The flavour I came up with was inspired by one of my favourite desserts of all time : the baklava! And if you don’t already know, I love pistachio! So when I was given the chance to come up with an ice cream flavour, I just had to give this combination a go! Pistachio, rose water and honey! I was so glad they added more crushed pistachio on the top of the ice cream, not just for presentation but also for texture! It was SO GOOD! The people working at Harry’s are just amazing!

Winner!

And guess what?? My flavour won!! Everyone liked it so much and it scored the highest! Whoopeedoo! hehe I was so surprised but was so happy! hehe Everyone did so well though! All the flavours were delicious!

Take home box!

The best thing was : take home tubs for everyone!! We had 6 each to bring home! 3 of their signature flavours and 3 of ours! hehe I was so excited that I gave one to Peggy on my way home! hehe The mr couldn’t wait to dig in to all the tubs too!

testing table

I had such a great time learning about the process of making ice cream and of course being able to taste not just the unique flavours that they have and also the flavour everyone came up with! (:

Thank you so much Harry’s Ice Cream and Keep Left PR for this amazing opportunity! It was such a fun event and I definitely recommend you to go try the Harry’s Ice Cream if you haven’t already tried it!

UPDATE :

Harry’s Ice Cream likes the flavour combination so much they are sharing the recipe to make it! Here’s the link and hopefully you’ll give it a try!!!

http://thenewdaily.com.au/life/2014/07/01/homemade-rosewater-pistachio-and-honey-ice-cream-recipe-harrys/

Disclaimer : I was invited to tour the Harry’s Ice Cream factory as a guest of Harry’s Ice Cream and Keep Left PR. Thank you once again or this wonderful experience! 

Tagine Magic : Moroccan Meatballs & Baba Ganoush

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IMG_8881-1-1

I haven’t had much Moroccan food, but I can distinctly remember the first time I had it while we were still living in Brunswick many years back. On Sydney Road sits a small little Spanish/Moroccan restaurant, LaPaella, that sells really delicious Moroccan food and it was from this experience where I drew my inspiration from! I was really lucky to receive an Emile Henry tagine from Kitchenware Superstore, so it was perfect for me to make something Moroccan for dinner!

emile_henry_red_tagine

(photo credits : The Kitchenware Superstore)

The 32cm tagine came in a beautiful dark red and the best thing was it was made using the new flame top tecnologyan innovation in ceramics, with the development of a new glazed clay, exceptionally resistant to heat. So it didn’t even need a flame diffuser if you’re using the stovetop! How good and convenient is that?

Moroccan meatballs with baba ganoush

It also keeps the food warm for a longer time! So you’ll still get hot food after all the photo taking! haha (: Definitely perfect for me! hehe

Moroccan meatballs with baba ganoush and turkish bread

I am all for having a balanced meal, so besides the Moroccan meatball, I charred some vegetables, added some okra and also made baba ganoush to go with as a side! This combination, I have to admit, is addictive! hehe You can’t stop having it. I assure you!

So here is the recipe and if you don’t have a tagine, I encourage u to get one, if not, you could always make it in a shallow frying pan. But a tagine is recommended! hehe

Moroccan Meatballs with Baba Ganoush (Recipes adapted from Baltic Maid & David Lebovitz)

For the meatballs :

300g mince pork

300g mince beef

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 tbs of olive oil, for frying

For the spicy tomato sauce : 

1 can of chopped tinned tomatoes

1/2 cup passata

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp chilli flakes

1/2 cup of beef stock

1 packet of okra (about 200g)

1 red capsicum

1 yellow capsicum

1 green capsicum

1 tsp salt

For the baba ganoush :

2 medium size eggplant

2 heap tbs tahini

Juice of 1 lemon

2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

1/4 tsp chilli power

1 tbs olive oil, and extra to serve

1 tsp salt, or more to season

chopped parsley & chilli flakes, to garnish

Steps :

1) Under a hot grill, grill the capsicums and egg plant till they are tender and charred. Place them in a metal bowl and cover with cling wrap for about 10 mins. The charred skin would peel off easily. Slice the capsicum lengthwise and place in a bowl. Put the grilled eggplants (let whole) aside.

2) Place the tagine on the stove over medium heat. Add the tinned chopped tomatoes, passata, garlic, beef stock and allow it to come to a simmer for 10 mins. Add the okra and cover, allowing the okra to soften (about 10 mins). Add the chilli flakes.

making the spicy tomato sauce

3) Add the sliced roasted capsicum into the sauce and allow it to simmer for another 10 mins. Stirring to make sure the bottom is not sticking. Then switch it off, leaving the cover on.

Add the roasted capsicum into the sauce

4) For the meatballs : Add all the ingredients into a large meta bowl and mix till well combined.

Ingredients for the meatballs

5) Form the meatballs according to the size you fancy and place them on a plate. Heat a heavy based frying pan on medium heat then add the olive oil. Brown the meatballs on both sides then add them into the spicy tomato sauce (in the tagine). Cover and allow it to simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.

Frying the meatballs

6) While the meatballs are simmering away, slice the roasted eggplant into half, lengthwise, and scrape all the flesh into a food processor. Add the garlic, tahini, chilli powder and blend till quite smooth. Add the lemon juice, salt and olive oil. Blend till well combined. Place in a bowl, drizzle with more olive oil and garnish with chilli flakes and chopped parsley.

Moroccan meatballs

7) Garnish the meatballs with fresh parsley and serve with baba ganoush and warm turkish bread!

Moroccan meatballs with baba ganoush and turkish bread

Enjoy! (:

Hope you all had a great weekend and here’s to an awesome week ahead! Remember to always cook and bake with love! Till the next post, xx!

Disclaimer : I was given the tagine by Kitchenware Superstore to test and write a review, but all opinions and experience are based on my time of use! Thanks so much for this amazing tagine! 

Third Wave Cafe

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Third Wave Cafe

Iron Chef. I always loved and glued myself to the TV when it was on. Seeing how the chefs are able to transform one simple ingredient into an array of 4-5 dishes is just purely amazing, to say the least. I recently learnt that the protégé of Iron Chef Sakai, Ryo Kitahara, was the chef of the newly opened Third Wave Cafe, located just opposite Prahan Market! So you can imagine how excited I was when I was invited to try their food.

5 senses coffee

Coffee was very important to the owner, Inga, and she was adamant that coffee has to take centre stage in her cafe. Through months of research, she chose 5 Sense coffee to be served in her cafes.

Coffee Facts

Love the little things they add around the cafe. This was one of my favourites! (:

5 Senses Coffee

I decided to be brave (was a bit adventurous haha) and ordered a magic (piccolo latte made with double es
presso) and the mr ordered his usual latte. But after a sip, I knew if I finished that cup of magic, I definitely would lay in bed wide awake that night. So thankfully, the Mr switched with me! haha

Our coffees

With over 70 options on the menu, we got down to two. Trust me, it wasn’t easy! I wanted to try everything on the breakfast menu! haha But we were both drawn to the American BBQ options (who wouldn’t be right?) and decided to go for them!

Texas Fry Up

I decided on the Texas Fry Up with slow smoked brisket, pan fried with Kiefler potatoes and butter mushrooms & in-house made spicy BBQ sauce topped with a poached egg. The brisket was so tender and practically melted in my mouth! And the in-house made BBQ sauce was seriously delicious! Just the right balance of sweet & salty and a kick of spice! YUMMO!

Perfectly poached eggs

Let me present you with the perfectly poached egg with all it’s golden yolk glory! When I slid my knife through, it revealed a molten flow of egg yolk. My best way of having eggs in my opinion! Mmm.. went to well with the buttery Kiefler potatoes! Just couldn’t stop eating!

American BBQ Pork Ribs

The Mr ordered the American BBQ Pork Ribs and it definitely didn’t disappoint! The meat just fell off the bone and melted in our mouths the moment we bit into it! It was smoked for 5 hours using maple wood and definitely had the subtle sweetness of maple and marinated in dry spices. So darn good! Can’t get any better!! Or can it? Served with super crispy beer battered chips and a side of homemade slaw!

American BBQ Pork Ribs

The generous portion was definitely enough to fill the Mr’s tummy and you can bet on your buck that I had some too! Was too good not to!

Pastries & Muffins

It’s a pity we were too full to squeeze something sweet in after, as I was eyeing for some almond croissants since I walked through those doors and spotted them! hehe Just have to return next time and when I do, I’m definitely gonna try the Russian inspired dishes!!!

So the next time you’re around Prahan, do head to Third Wave Cafe to have brunch or lunch! Those ribs are definitely not to be missed!

Disclaimer : I was invited to dine at Third Wave Cafe as a guest. All thoughts and opinions are based on my experience at the time of the visit. Thank you so much for this wonderful yummy experience!

Third Wave on Urbanspoon

{Preview Event} Is Fine Dining Finished ?

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Is Fine Dining Finished?

The Good Food Month by The Age is happening now and I was lucky enough to be invited to the preview event of Is Fine Dining Finished at The Point Albert Park. I was very excited as it was my first time dining at The Point and the weather we had that night was just glorious!

The view from The Point Albert Park

I couldn’t help but snap a few panoramic shots when we were invited to have some cocktails at the balcony. It was just breath-taking!

Karpouzi Kup

In the midst of catching up with every one, we were served with the prettiest drink I’ve had in a long time – The Karpouzi Kup by Gazi Restaurant. It was a cocktail of aperol, gin, lemon juice, soda water and fresh mint! I’m a sucker for gin, so give me anything with gin in it and I would be happy girl! And I definitely was smiling, while sipping on those cute candy cane straws!

Karpouzi Kup by Gazi

So refreshing and perfect for the sunny hot day! Soon after, we were led into the wine cellar that had a large communal table where we would be dining for the night. It was beautiful and I couldn’t wait till I get to try the food!

Recently, casual, shared, street food is taking over the food scene, so the purpose of the night was to discuss if fine dining is finished? Hosted by The Age’s Dani Valent, the dinner presented contrasting dishes from two very talented chefs : Justin Wise who is The Point’s Executive Chef, and Luke Croston of Gazi, who has travelled the road from fine dining to street food. The food was matched with wine and cocktails and the table was open to all opinions about the future of dining in Melbourne. All views shared, none judged!

Street food is definitely gaining popularity and the first course of Gazi has proven why. For me, I love casual dining as food could be conveniently consumed, and sometimes we could even eat standing up!! With a more relaxed atmosphere, I feel less concerned about being prim and proper when enjoying my food.

Soft shell crab souvlakakia

The soft shell crab souvlakakia was AMAZEBALLS. My first time having soft shell crab in pita bread. It was delicious with huge pieces of crispy soft shell crab, and the flesh was so fresh and sweet! The sauce had subtle flavours of honey and fish sauce! George Calombaris told us that Greek food use to utilise lots of fish sauce, but it is use less now. Definitely learnt something new that night! hehe The freshly made pita bread was also light and fluffy!

Beef brisket souvlakakia

The beef brisket souvlakakia was also really amazing. Melt-in-your-mouth pieces of beef brisket with chips (yes, chips!), red onion and fresh coriander. This was matched with another glass of Karpouzi Kup! Yum!

Then comes the fine dining courses by Justin Wise.

pan seared foie gras

Pan-seared foie gras with poached pear. This was luxury brought to another level! It’s probably my second having such a huge piece of foie gras, but this is truly the best one I’ve had! Crispy exterior, with a rich and creamy texture. This is definitely a dish that I would come back to dine for.

Foie gras paired with 2007 Max Ferd Richter Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Auslese, Mosel Germany

This was paired with a 2007 Max Ferd Richter Braunerberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Auslese, from Mosel Germany, which was a sweet white wine which cuts the richness of the foie gras. Definitely a great match and I loved the wine, which was no surprise, cause I cannot say no to a glass of sweet wine! hehe

Mackeay Valley rabbit, guanciale, pithier and broad beans

The next dish was the Macleay Valley rabbit, guanciale, pithier and broad beans. How amazing does it look? Plated exquisitely, the rabbit dish was nothing short of perfection and the epitome of what fine dining is about. Beautifully plated, with the finishing touches done at table side.

Pouring the jus

There’s just something about pouring jus, to complete the dish, at table side that excites every foodie. Every component of the fish was cooked to perfection, and matched harmoniously with the 2010 Domaine Geantet Pansiot Bourgogne Rouge, Cote d’Or France.

Decanter in the shape of a snake

The wine was poured using the coolest decanter in a shape of a snake! hehe and yes, I sneaked a shot of George Calombaris cause he was sitting just opposite me!

loukoumades

These loukoumi, loukoumades are golden and crispy greek donuts coated with honey and sprinkled with sunflower seeds. Not overly sweet and soft & fluffy on the inside! The best thing is that they were served hot!

mastic musk sticks

To go with the loukoumades were these mastic musk sticks.

Dessert

petit four

The final touches that a fine dining experience won’t be complete with : a plate of petit four and a cup of tea. Green tea to be exact. Lime jelly, chocolates and shortbread. Just divine.

Green tea

So is fine dining really finished? Not in my books! Though I do love my casual street food, there will always still be a time and place for such enjoyments in my life. The Mr and I love celebrating our special occasions (birthdays & anniversaries in particular) at fine dining restaurants. It’s like a little treat for us, a few times a year.

There are a few things I do love about fine dining :

Freshly baked bread with butter

The freshly baked bread/rolls with some of the best butters I’ve had! hehe Of course, this isn’t the most important reason. To me, dining at a fine dining restaurant is a time for the mr and I to feel just that little bit more special, and being treated like royalty for that hour or two! hehe Just being in our own world and enjoying the great ambience and views the restaurants have to offer.

We do deserve such pampering once in a while, don’t we?

Is fine dining finished?

So what do you think? Is fine dining finished? Book yourself in for the event and share your thoughts!

Venue : The Point Albert Park

Date & Time : 26th November, Tuesday, at 6.30pm

Cost : $145 per person for a four course menu matched with cocktails and wine. Tickets can be purchased here.

For more reads and discussions, please head to :

Never Too Sweet For Me

Iron Chef Shellie

I Eat Therefore I Am

Disclaimer : I dined at The Point Albert Park as a guest of TinkPR and The Point. Thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity!

Salmon En Papillote

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Salmon En Papillote

Cooking. Definitely something I find joy in. Something I love. No matter how tired or long the day is, I always look forward to being in the kitchen. Be it something I’ve cooked many times before, or trying out a new recipe, it always makes a sweet end to my day. Not to mention the smile on the Mr’s face after eating it. Just can’t get any better than this!

Taylors Clare Valley Gewurtztraminer 2011

It’s the time of the month again when Taylors Wines has so generously given me two bottles of wine to taste and come up with a recipe that includes it as well as be perfect to pair with! This month, I decided to choose one that I never had much experience with – The Taylors Estate 2011 Clare Valley Gewürztraminer! This wine is light and crisp, with citrusy notes so I only had one protein in mind for it. FISH!

Salmon en papillote with pan fried jerusalam artichokes

There was one way that I’ve been wanting to try out ever since I’ve had it a few years back. En papillote is a method of cooking where food is put in a folded parchment paper in a shape of a pouch or parcel, and then baked! This method is perfect for fish, cause it keeps its moisture while steaming in the pouch. hehe I was taught this method by the talented chefs from Cookyn Inc, when they came to my place to do a private dinner party for my brother’s birthday! Amazing! So big thank you to them!

perfectly cooked salmon

This method doesn’t take long for the fish to be cooked, and the only time consuming step is the preparation of the ingredients. But once that is done, you get a beautifully cooked fish on your plate within 15 minutes! Of course, that depends on the thickness of your protein. hehe So definitely give this method a try, I’m sure you will love it as much as we did!

Salmon en papillote

Salmon En Papillote (Adapted from Cookyn Inc, serves 4)

Ingredients prepped

4 fillets of salmon, cut into 2 inches in width and skin removed & reserved

1 chorizo, cut into cubes

1/2 green capsicum, cubed

1/2 yellow capsicum, cubed

1/2 lemon, thinly sliced

4 tbs of Gewürztraminer (or any white wine, you could use champagne too if you feel generous!)

Salt & pepper, to season

1 packet of brown shimeiji mushrooms, washed and separated

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 tbs olive oil

2 tbs unsalted butter

thinly sliced lemon

Steps :

1) Preheat the oven to 170 degrees celcius. Cut 4 pieces of parchment paper (about 30 cm long) and lay them on a flat surface. Then place 3 slices of lemon on the paper without any overlap.

lemon on parchment paper

My paper is fluted and it can be easily done by folding your parchment into a square and then folding it into half diagonally again and again until it gets too small to do so. Then flatten it out before placing the lemon slices.

2) Place the slice of fish on top the of lemon, then add a tbs of chorizo, yellow capsicum and green capsicum.

All ready to be folded

3) Bring the two ends of the paper together and fold it over twice and scrunch them together so they do not unfold. Do the same for one side of the pouch, leaving the other side open.

One side of the pouch left open

4) Carefully pour 1 tbs of Gewürztraminer into each pouch. Then fold the rest of the pouch to seal all the ingredients in. Place the pouches onto a baking tray and bake it in the preheated oven for 17 minutes.

5) While the fish is cooking, heat up a small frying pan and add the olive oil. Fry the garlic till it’s fragrant, careful not to burn them as it will turn bitter. Add the mushrooms and fry till tender. Add the butter and allow it to coat the mushrooms well. Keep it warm until ready to be served.

6) In another frying pan, heat it up on medium heat and place the salmon skin in the pan. Fry both sides till it’s crispy and golden, place on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil. Set aside.

crispy salmon skin

7) To serve : Open the parchment paper, and place the sautéed mushrooms on the fish and top it with a piece of crispy salmon skin. Serve it with your favourite side (I had butter sautéed Jerusalem artichokes with pine nuts) and a glass of Gewürztraminer!

Salmon en papillote - served

Enjoy! (:

Just for fun, I’ve made a short video of the steps from start to finish! Sorry about the background noise but I hope it helps in clarifying how it is done! (:

Thank you Taylors Wines once again for the beautiful Gewürztraminer! It was delicious and definitely one that I can see myself having with my seafood! hehe Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and remember to always cook and bake with love! Till then, xx !

No. 8 By John Lawson

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No. 8 By John Lawson

Respect. That’s what I have for John Lawson. The man and skills behind the newly launched No. 8 at Crown Melbourne. Why you ask? Because his beautiful creations are all driven & inspired by the fresh produce he has around him. In fact, his cooking revolves around sustainably produced ingredients that he can find around locally from Victorian farmers. BY doing that, he is proudly celebrating what Victoria has to offer. How great is that? Absolutely amazing!

John Lawson

John loves using ingredients that are not widely used, and in fact, a lot of the produce are exclusively grown and bred for No. 8 by John Lawson! These are definitely highlighted by the freshness and vibrance of each dish. And oh… have I mentioned how amazing it is?

Launch of No. 8 By John Lawson

I was so lucky to be invited to the launch of No. 8 by John Lawson and you can imagine how happy my belly was by the end of the night. Not to mention the beautifully paired wines we had with each course, I was definitely a very happy girl. The moment I sat down, I was greeted by a flute of Moët & Chandon champagne. Mmmm (: Bubbly!

flute of champagne

Shortly after, the feasting began! To start off, we were served a beautiful potato, honey and rosemary bread with seaweed butter.

Potato, honey and rosemary bread with seaweed butter

This bread was made by EDS Breads exclusively for No. 8 by John Lawson and it was seriously one of the best breads I’ve had! It was the first time I’ve had a potato flour bread and when you think potato, you would think heavy and dense. But this was nothing like that at all. In fact, the total opposite! It was soft, fluffy and light! Every bite you take, you would be able to taste the honey and the rosemary. Everyone loved it and even though we knew we would be stuffed by the end of the night, we asked (politely of course! haha) for more bread in the middle of the courses! AMAZEBALLS as some would say! hehe

Flowerdale Farm spring salad

The entree arrived and it was like a plate of edible garden. The Flowerdale Farm spring salad had a bed of wheat berries, topped with baby carrots, sunflower shoots and almond mushrooms.

Wheat berries

It was the first time I’ve had eaten wheat berries, and they had a similar texture to barley, but just a tad bit chewier. The almond mushrooms were grown exclusively for No. 8 by John Lawson and had a subtle almond flavour to it. Was so intriguing! John explained to us that when cooked, the nuttier flavour is more pronounced and had tones of the truffle. Yum!

Sunflower shoots

See the micro greens? They are sunflower shoots that are once again grown exclusively for John by Flowerdale Farm and these micro greens are grown in the Yarra Valley and harvested after a short 7 days of growing. Might probably be just me, but I get excited by micro herbs on dishes. haha This dish was paired with the Seppelt Drumborg Vineyard 2013 Riesling.

Portland black and blue tuna

Next up was one of my favourite dishes of the night. The Portland black and blue tuna with black garlic, yuzu jam and fermented aged soy. This is a signature dish at No. 8 by John Lawson and I can definitely understand why!

Black and blue tuna

Black and blue was a clever play of words, where one side of the tuna is charred and the other side is left raw. So light and refreshing, with a subtle kick from the aged soy. This is one dish I would definitely come back for. With the sweetness of the baby radish and the thinly sliced daikon. Just divine! You could tell how good this dish was, cause there was a silence at the table and then an endless of “this is SO GOOD!” going around after we all tried it.

For the main, we were given a choice of duck or lamb. Which was an obvious choice for me, cause I’m not usually a big fan of lamb. So duck it was!

Milawa duck breast with shallot puree, asparagus and peas

The Milawa free range duck is once again bred exclusively for John (a cross of 5 different species of ducks, like WOW!) and are so tender, the meat just melts in your mouth! Cooked to medium rare to medium,  your teeth is first greeted by the crispy duck skin and then it sinks into the juicy, tender flesh. I was in heaven!

Pinot noir

To go with the beautiful dish is a glass of Pinot Noir (2011) from Bannockburn 1314 A.D. It was fruity and light, and definitely complimented this rich duck! When I saw this big glass, I couldn’t help but think of the Mr, cause he always wanted a glass like that! hehe And yes! He is a pinot noir fan! (:

Milawa duck breast

The duck breasts were sitting on smooth shallot puree with crunchy, fresh asparagus and peas, I could seriously eat this all night long!

Barwon River lamb shoulder

Even though I didn’t order the lamb shoulder, I was lucky enough to try it (Thanks Ash!) The lamb had no lamb-ey taste (if you know what I mean haha), which is the reason why I stay away from lamb. hehe So even for me, this was delicious! Being braised for 12 hours, it was really tender and is also one of the featured dishes at No. 8 By John Lawson! It was served with bush spice quinoa (yum!) and sheep’s yoghurt to just round it all off! Perfect!

After all the savouries, you know what’s coming yes? DESSERT! And no matter how full you are, I truly believe, there is always room for dessert! hehe And this place is definitely not a place you would want to skip the sweets. They are to-die-for!

Yoghurt and honey mousse

There were two options to choose from and I decided to go for the one I thought (and sounded) healthier. haha I mean, after all the indulgence I had for the night, it would be good to have yoghurt yes? ABSOLUTELY! It was everything I thought it would be and more!

yoghurt and honey mousse with lychee, blueberries and mango

Doesn’t it look like art on a plate? The vibrant colours of the seasonal fruits -lychees, blueberries, grapefruit and mango, contrasting the creamy yoghurt and honey mousse. Not to mention, all the fruits on the plate are my favourite! Finishing off with freeze dried raspberries! Before I got to dig in, a syrup was poured on and everything was gone within 5 minutes! haha

Yoghurt and honey mousse

The other dessert was a different take on the old school banana split!

Banana split

OMG. How good does this look? When it was placed on the table, it was love at first sight! This was definitely nothing like the old school banana split with the napoleon ice cream. This was WAY WAY WAY better! A beautifully rum caramelised baby banana served on homemade banana bread and sprinkled with toasted hazelnuts. Ooh-la-la! This is one sexy dessert!

Banana split

I only had one bite and I was definitely in loveeee! hehe

White chocolate truffles

To top the night off, we were served some beautiful petit four of white chocolate truffles with toasted coconut and strawberry jam. These reminded me of a more delicious version of a lamington! hehe

Green tea

I also couldn’t resist ordering a pot of green tea just to make myself less guilty. haha

Everything was just amazing and it’s really hard for me to choose a favourite. But I have to say the one dish that makes me excited (even by looking at the photos) is the Milawa duck breasts! hehe It was definitely a fun-filled, delicious night and I have to say, it is very exciting to see a chef being so enthusiastic about fresh local produce! His passion is definitely inspiring!

So if you’re looking for a place to go and celebrate a special occasion or just want to treat yourself to something delicious, head to No. 8 by John Lawson and I can assure you that you would not be disappointed! In fact, there would be a Coldstream Hills wine dinner that would be held at No. 8 By John Lawson as part of the Good Food Month, so what better time than to head down there on the 14th of November? For more information, please click here.

So what are you waiting for? Head down and try the delicious food for yourself! hehe and oh, did I mention? We were lucky enough to be given a loaf of the delicious potato, honey and rosemary bread to enjoy it at home! Woohoo!

potato, honey and rosemary bread

This is one bread that John Lawson himself cannot stop talking about and it is through months of testing with baker Ed Parker. So you know, it would be delish! hehe So hurry! Make your bookings now!

Disclaimer : I was invited to the launch  by Media Moguls and No. 8 By John Lawson. All thoughts and opinions are based on my experience at the time of the visit. Thank you so much for this wonderful experience and opportunity!

No. 8 by John Lawson on Urbanspoon

Thai Fish Cakes & Red Nam Jim

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Thai fish cake with red nam jim

Thai food. I absolutely adore it. It’s just a cuisine that makes the tongue do a dance after every bite/ mouthful! Sweet, sour, salty, spicy, tangy! All rolled into one! Absolutely mouth-watering! However, I have to admit, thai is the one cuisine that I seldom cook at home. I usually head out to the restaurants and leave it to the pros! Especially with the balancing of the flavours!

thai fish cakes

But I decided to be adventurous one Friday afternoon after getting off work early. I saw Wince (The Hungry Excavator) post a photo of him making some Thai Fish Cake earlier in the week, and I knew instantly I had to make some! So I looked for a recipe during my lunch time, and off I went to Springvale to grab the ingredients after work!

Thai fish cakes close up

It actually wasn’t too difficult to make! In fact, the only time consuming thing was cutting the long snake beans thinly. Besides that, everything is whizzed in the food processor and viola! You’ve got some delicious fish cakes for dinner! hehe So give these a shot. They are perfect party food, and are also great as starters. hehe Oh yes! Let’s not forget the spicy and tangy red nam jim sauce to go with the fish cakes! SO GOOD! The mr couldn’t get enough!

Thai Fish Cakes with Red Nam Jim (adapted from SBS, a Teage Ezard recipe)

600g fish paste

70g red curry paste

1 egg

1 tbs fish sauce

1 tsp sugar

4 fresh kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded

10 snake beans (or green beans), thinly slices

Vegetable oil for shallow frying

Steps :

1) In a food processor, place the fish paste, red curry paste, egg, fish sauce and sugar and blend till mixture is smooth and well combined.

Blending the ingredients in the food processor

2) Scoop the mixture into a large mixing metal bowl and add the finely shredded kaffir lime leaves and snake beans.

Adding the snake beans and kaffir lime leaves

3) Mix them together till everything is well combined.

All well combined

4) In a non-stick pan, heat some vegetable oil on medium heat, enough for shallow frying. Roll the mixture into balls and flatten them with your palm. Mine was about 5 cm in diameter and about 1 cm in thickness. Fry them until both sides are brown and crispy.

Frying them

frying both sides till brown and crispy

5) Drain them on some paper towel and serve them with the homemade red nam jim sauce (to follow).

cross section

Red Nam Jim Sauce

2 red birdseye chilli, seeded and roughly chopped

4 long red chillies, seeded and roughly chopped

2 cloves of garlic, peeled

Handful of coriander leaves and roots

2 tbs shaved palm sugar, add more if needed to balance flavour

125ml lime juice

1 1/2 tbs fish sauce

Steps :

1) In a mortar and pestle, add the chillies, garlic and coriander and pound till it forms a paste. Do be patient, as this might take a while!

Pounding the ingredients

2) Add the palm sugar and combine. Add the lime juice, a little at a time, until the mixture is well combined then add the fish sauce to balance the taste. It should be a little like a wetter version of a salsa. Remember to taste and add more of the flavourings to balance the sweet, sour and tang!

Thai fish cakes and red nam jim

ENJOY!

Remember to always bake and cook with love! xx