The Cafe Expedition

We all look forward to the weekend for various reasons.

Though it might only be two days, and technically (that is, if we want to be specific) only a mere 48 hours, it feels as if time does stop. For two whole days, your time is stretched, you are a bit more calm and you naturally have more time to do the things you've been planning to do all week.

Of course that's only a given if you do not have to work overtime or rush a deadline on a Saturday or Sunday. To sum it up - weekends are a luxury of many who are working and I am well aware of that especially since I relinquished my undergraduate status about 8 months ago.

Most of the time, I spend my weekends at home, relaxing with a cup of tea and a book. Mornings are spent reading the newspapers with soothing tunes chiming out of my speakers. At times there's work to be completed so I immediately switch on my laptop and busy myself for the rest of the day.

Then there are lovely weekends where my friends and I plan outings together and those, ah those are another thing altogether. Especially when it concerns the taste buds.

For some reason, I'm totally sold on the idea of weekend brunch. I would however admit that it's only a recent occurence to me. I never understood the idea because I like having my three meals and the anticipation that builds up as I think of what to eat for those three meals. I know it does sound really stupid but brunch just shortens my choices. Or at least that was what I used to think.

I won't deny it - I can be quite the greedy girl. I enjoy my meals thoroughly (delicious and tasty ones of course). Eating to me can never be a chore simply because I not only enjoy the process of consuming food that's carefully prepared, but also the excitement that comes with each bite or each new dish that I'm trying for the first time. This then leads me to another reason why I'm so eager to explore new eating grounds and if you love food as much as I do, I'm sure I don't need to explain further.

Also, other than the quality of the food and the ambience of the place, another major factor is of course the company.

Trust me, nothing dampens a bright perky sunny-side up (complete with crisp toasty bread!) than a companion who pushes his/her food around with a fork without ever intending to let that piece of food see the insides of his/her tightly sealed mouth. It might sound harsh but I see no joy in dining with someone who cannot understand why God created food. Believe me, I will cry if I ever have to eat pellets in place of food.

On a happier note, I will say that I have no lack of friends who share the same joy as I. The joy that is instantly recognisable from the tone of voice, a gleaming pair of eyes radiating with anticipation of what is to come from the kitchen, or a ready tummy all revved up to go. I really am thankful for these friends. You hear me (or rather read) mention them once in a while in this little space on cyberworld and alot of times, I wish I could share more with you, like the smells we smelled or the savoury, sweet, salty, spicy, sour tastes that we experienced and so on. But alas a simple blog can only do so much.

I know what I can do is to continue to supply you with photos (taken with the best of my ability, hopefully meeting your expectations) and wax lyrical with descriptive language. I try my best to make you salivate as do I, when I await for the food to arrive on my table, after a torturing time lounging in the well permeated smells of deliciousness.

Today is no different. Here's a peek into one of those planned weekends I have, and one filled with tasty things.

But first, let me introduce to you someone you most probably already know (since I mention her so often) especially if you had ordered cupcakes/cookies from me last year.

This is Butterscotch:



One half of Cocoa & Butterscotch which we created last year, this perky girl is a great friend of mine. She requested to remain anonymous, so you shall not get to see who she is. But yes, she is none other than my best friend Dot. Dot's a designer, and a very talented one at that. She's cool, quirky, cheerful, and upbeat and the best thing is that she loves food about as much as I do. And oh, she also has great fashion sense (in my opinion) and I always consult her whenever I face a style dilemma.

So anyway, she called me up two weeks ago asking me if we could go explore cafes for a project she's working on. So after discussing a bit on where we were going to go, it was set. The date, time and place of what was to be the first official documented Adventures of Cocoa & Butterscotch was born.

This first adventure was to be named The Cafe Expedition.

And so on a bright sunny Saturday last weekend, we set foot into town and proceeded to roam cafes, with a hungry vengence...




Yes we completed this expedition on foot. We are quite the energetic pair and love putting our sturdy feet to good use. :)

We went to three cafes located at two different places.

There was Dempsey Hill:



It was clearly touted as a paradise of which we have no violent objections. It is quite the charmer. I've been here before so it was nice to be back.

The two places we visited there was Barracks:




and of course (unsurprisingly!) PS. Cafe:




The other location was at Tanglin Shopping Centre. You should be careful not to judge this nondescript location because trust me, it will astound you with a gem such as this:



It claims to be the first deli in Singapore and although I do not have any evidence, I might as well believe it to be true. What gives, you ask?

Plenty it seems. From the chocolate peanut butter milkshake to their hearty sandwiches that come with a tame mound of coleslaw - everything here at Steeple's is authentic; authentically quaint and worthy of its 'first deli in Singapore' status.

A quick scan of their interiors send me back into the time machine. I would dare say that if I were to assume what a deli in the 80's would look like, this would be it. Afterall, they supposedly opened in 1981. Again, though I might not be able to prove that, I have photos to show:








Check out the chalkboard menu design and the ceiling-hung lamps. What about the wood furnishing and counter seats.



I loved every nook and cranny of this deli. I would describe it as a mild establishment with good food worthy of praise that need not be trumpeted out loud in order to lure steady customers. I do believe this place has a reputation for its sandwiches, burgers and milkshakes (yes I did google).

We had the BLT:




We chose rye bread and ordered a serving of sauerkraut to go with it:



It was memorable. Not so much 'knock your socks off' kind of memorable but more so in a home-style warm and fuzzy way. It's the place you would go to if you just want to down a sandwich with a good milkshake to go. In any case, the seating here will not allow you to lounge or chill-out long, unless you want to be the bane of other customers waiting for their turn at a delectable Steeple's Deli burger.

Of course it will not be fair to compare Steeple's Deli to PS. cafe, so I shall not. Instead, I will ramble on about the merits of the latter, on its own, as a gorgeous place to spend your entire Saturday afternoon at:



Don't ask me why but this area was closed when we were there. I forgot to take photos of the other section where we sat, but well, you can imagine yes :) Although you would forget that I even mentioned the decor when you see this baby:



The PS. burger is a sin worth commiting. It might very well be that apple in the garden of Eden that ever dieter craves they could chow on without having it affect their waistlines.

Indeed it is huge and it does look like it contains 5000 calories (or maybe more!). But you see, the cool thing about dining with someone who's game enough to eat bacon (fats and all) is that they are up for anything you offer, including a humongous burger that comes with crazy-good fries.

So the burger is a combination of juicy wagyu beef, crisp and smoky bacon, cheese, egg, spinach and tomato all packed in a big sesame seed bun. The buns are spread with a garlicky butter of sorts (if I remember correctly!) and act sas a neutral foil to the chockful of fillings.

The burger was shared among us and I was so excited that I happily announced to Dot that the burger was arriving as soon as I spotted the waitress carrying it and walking in our direction. Such is the extent of my greed - I have to spot my food because I cannot wait to have it.

That burger lived up to every ounce of our expectations. The meat was perfect, the bacon oh-so-good (i think it speaks for itself, really. bacon is bacon is bacon is divine) and the whole marriage of spinach with the rest of the ingredients is worthy of a silent W-O-W, mouthed with great effect.

Before I move on to the next eating venue, let me fawn over this elegant piece of china:



I had the digestive tea in this pretty little tea cup. I really like it. Then again, I love everything English don't I? I looked at the bottom of the cup and it said Queen Anne, Made in England. So hey, it's legit. Perfect prim and proper teacup ideal of those English afternoon teas. Hmmm..

Okay, you would think that after that burger, there was no way we could fit dessert into our satisfied tummies eh?

We did indeed feel full and therefore skip dessert at PS. Cafe, we couldn't help but order a strawberry shortcake when we sat down at Barracks after roaming round Dempsey for an hour or two. In that short time, I bought myself a bottle of Tetsuya Truffle Salt from Culina, while Dot bought some pistachio fairy floss from Jones the Grocer. Pretty efficient girls we are, aren't we? I do think we managed to squeeze out alot out of that Saturday last week.

Here's the strawberry shortcake with a shot of vanilla bean cream at the side for us to eat with the cake:




It was a relatively nice cake. No fireworks there although we did like that they presented it in a mess tin, which coincided with the Barracks theme. The two plump strawberries on top were appealing too.

We hung out at Barracks for quite a while because it started to pour, very heavily. We explored the place, we sat down a the sofa and looked out at the rain, patiently waiting for it to lighten up. When it finally did, it was about 5pm and we headed back to Orchard for some window shopping before going to Changi Village for somemore sinful food:



Fried oysters. Gosh, this oil-laden dish is heart-stopping (both sense of the word I'm afraid and happy to report). It is true how the tastiest foods are the most unhealthiest but when it comes to me and Dot, I don't think we care too much about it. Remember, moderation is the magic word. Don't worry, we don't have this everyday.

After dinner at Changi Village, we headed home with a big smile and a satiated tummy coupled with that occasional satisfying burp of course :)

P.S. We hope to have more food expeditions and will share them with you as we go along. For more photos, see our Cocoa & Butterscotch site. Have a great week!

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Steeple Deli
#02-25, Tanglin Shopping Centre
19 Tanglin Road
Tel: +65 6737 0701

PS. Cafe
28B Harding Road
Tel: +65 6479 3343

Barracks
8D Dempsey Road
Tanglin Village
Tel: +65 6475 7787

Frozen Delights

A few weeks ago I wrote briefly about my attempts at making chocolate sorbet and matcha ice cream. I promised to post up recipes and I have not forgotten. It's just that I have been really busy at work. It is during these times when I wish I actually owned one of those fantastic Musso ice-cream machines.

With a Musso, I can simply dump the entire ice-cream mixture into the machine, press a button and within 30 minutes I can have a perfect quart of heaven.

Since I don't have a Musso, I have to contend with my old-school ice and salt ice-cream churner, which doesn't really make the best ice-cream but does allow me to come up with something quite decent. And by decent, I do mean something that kind of resembles ice-cream but nowhere near perfect. First of all, you got to understand that it's rather humid where I live and the ice-salt combination can only reduce the temperature down to a certain point.

However, today, I'm going to rave about two good recipes that I know would be 10 times better if I had a professional ice-cream maker. But until I have enough cash to actually buy one of my own, I will appreciate my beloved ice-cream churner.

Dessert-lovers like me always crave for ice-cream and there is never a wrong time to have a scoop or two. So I crave for ice-cream pretty often and will usually bookmark ice-cream recipes with the intention of making it. Sometimes I forget about it and sometimes I do end up actually making some. It really depends if I have enough ice in the fridge and if I have the time.

A couple of weekends ago, I set out to make two ice-cold treats and boy was it a delicious affair.

The chocolate sorbet was a shoo-in because I've been wanting to make something with a rich dark chocolate taste. I was sceptical of most chocolate ice-cream recipes because well, I wasn't too sure if it was going to be chocolatey enough. Yes I'm quite particular about my chocolate, I love it dark.

I first chanced upon the chocolate sorbet recipe at Su Good Sweets. I literally held my breath the moment I saw that scoop of decadent deep brown in a glass cup. You can't really blame me for being so easily enticed. It really did look irresistable.

With Su's recipe, I made a lovely chocolate sorbet which wasn't quite perfect (ice crystals weren't fine enough) but it did taste super. It also had that intense dark brown appearance which I adore.

As soon as I had finished making my sorbet, I made plans for another ice-cream escapade - this time involving my favourite matcha powder.

You might remember my previous attempt at matcha ice-cream. It was a success but I thought there has got to be a better recipe out there.

I was right. I did find another recipe and it was recommended to me by a reader who had tried it before. Though it did involve raw egg yolks, I thought I'd just give it a shot. I had great faith in the eggs - was dead sure I wouldn't fall ill and I was right.

The end result was a creamy textured matcha ice-cream with the right amount of matcha flavour made possible by the matcha powder of course.

It was a very lovely milky green too:



The recipe is apparently Harumi Kurihara’s. She's a well-known Japanese cookbook author. Her recipes have received rave reviews so I was absolutely sure her green tea ice-cream recipe won't fail. Thank god it didn't.

These days I don't buy green tea ice cream anymore. I'd rather make my own.

I await the day I can own my very own Musso and be totally bowled over. Then I will never have to settle for ice-cream that's second-best, ever again.

______________________________________________

Chocolate Sorbet
Paraphrased from Pure Dessert by Alice Medrich

1 cup (3.25 oz) cocoa
Scant 1 cup sugar
2 tiny pinches salt
2 cups boiling water
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tbsp rum or vodka (optional)
Combine cocoa, sugar, salt in saucepan and whisk in 1/2 cup boiling water to make a thick paste. Add the remaining water. Stir over medium heat just until tiny bubbles form at the edges of the pan. Don’t cook any longer, as the heat can damage the flavor of the cocoa.
Take the mixture off the heat and add the vanilla. Refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours. Add the rum or vodka, if using. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Harden the sorbet in the freezer for at least 3 to 4 hours.
Note: The flavor is so rich that you can substitute half of the water with milk.


Harumi Kurihara’s Matcha Ice Cream (Green Tea Ice-cream)
Ingredients:
2 tbs/10g green tea powder (macha)
120g granulated sugar
3 egg yolks
1 cup/200ml milk
1 cup/200ml double cream
Method:
1. In a small bowl, mix the green tea powder with 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar.
2. In a separate bowl, mix together the egg yolks and remaining sugar.
3. Pour the milk into a small pan and gently heat taking care not to let it boil (ideally the temperature of the milk should be 80oC). Remove from the heat and mix a few spoonfuls of the warm milk with the green tea powder and sugar in a small bowl. When you have a smooth paste, add it to the remaining milk in the pan, then gradually combine with the egg yolks and sugar mix. Leave to cool.
4. Lightly whip the cream till slightly firm and then add to the cold green tea milk mixture.
5. Transfer the mixture to a large container and put it in the frigde. Leave overnight.
6. Next day, assemble the ice cream machine, turn power on, then slowly pour mixture into it. Churn for about half an hour till mixture becomes double in volume. Then pour mixture into container and freeze for a few hours till firm

East Coast BBQ Seafood

A few weeks ago, I met up with Jiawei, an old friend of mine.

This dude is quite the character, and I mean it in a good way of course. I remembered him as being very animated and lively. He has wide hand gestures that are hard to miss. It has been more than two years since we last met up. We used to be coursemates back when I was still pursuing my Mass Communication diploma at Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

It was great to see that he was exactly the same - as cheery as always. As we caught up, I asked him what he was doing now and what he said next definitely pricked my ears and I'm sure you will be interested too.

He was helping out at his uncle's barbeque seafood stall at East Coast Lagoon Food Village. Located at East Coast Park around the Marine Parade area, this food centre is known for serving up one of the best satay beehoon in Singapore. Then there's also the famous barbecue pork noodles, beef noodles and the most delicious chicken wings. There are also many bbq seafood stalls there. I've eaten at one of the bbq stalls before but am usually rather disappointed because of the small portions and cut-throat prices. So naturally, when Jiawei told me about his uncle's stall, I had to probe further.

But what's the use of asking so many questions when I could actually taste for myself how good it actually is? You've got to taste it to believe it, yes?

So I went down last weekend with my mum and Dot. Before I say anything, perhaps you want to see the first dish we ordered:




The photo alone says plenty. Okay, maybe only if you are a big fan of seafood and perhaps clams.

Commonly known as 'la-la' here, these clams are usually stir-fried in a tasty spicy red sauce. We locals enjoy dishing the sauce on plain rice once we've fished out all the clam-meat.

I did the same here. But it was different, so different that I was very surprised.

But in a GOOD way.

The sauce that came with the clams were unlike any I had ever tasted. This is not an exaggeration on my part. Thicker and tastier, it had a fuller flavour than the other versions I've eaten. There was a slight sweet and tangy hint that made the spicy note sort of 3-dimensional.

Okay, I might be stretching it quite thin here. But bear with me. I am desperately trying to use every opportunity I can to practise my food description skills since that's what I do (my full-time job).

So of course I was curious and I asked Jiawei's uncle what made it so special. I hope I'm not leaking some trade-secret here, but he said that he added tomatoes. Oh and one thing to note, he makes most of his sauces at home before bringing it down to the stall and yes it is his own recipe.

Even the sambal he used for the lip-smacking sambal stingray is homemade:




Yes it looks fiery red and it is spicy but not until it burns your taste buds.

Now when I ordered the stingray, I assumed the only option I had was sambal. Well at least that's what most of the bbq seafood stalls offer: Sambal Stingray. Then Jiawei told me that his uncle has another option: Butter & Garlic Stingray.

The moment he uttered those two words 'butter' and 'garlic', I was sold. But I still wanted my sambal stingray so he offered to season half of my stingray with sambal and the other half, with butter and garlic.

The result was enthralling. I know it's not a common word used for food but what the heck anyway. I have never seen any other bbq seafood stall serving stingray the way his uncle does. Any foodie would know that butter and garlic is a marriage made in aromatic heavens and when done right, can create a whirl-wind romance, yes between said dish and hungry diner.

Sometimes it is true, you have to try it to believe it.



It looks like Jiawei's uncle might have something really good up his sleeves. If he can manage to pull off good clams and stingray, I'm sure the rest of his dishes would be just as good, including the sambal kangkong:



And I was right. The kangkong was just as good with a solid sambal.

I found out from Jiawei that prior to the renovations of the food centre, his uncle used to have a satay stall there. But after they moved back in to the newly furbished food centre, he decided to focus on bbq seafood and they have been there for the past 4 years.

When I went there for dinner, I did tell Jiawei I would write about this place if I liked it enough and well since I loved it, I decided I had to share it with you.

They also sell salmon, sole, seabass, squid, lobster and fried oyster among others.

Seriously, I think sometimes, you don't need a table with white starched table cloths and a room in air-conditioned comfort to enjoy a good meal. This stall might be small but it serves some kick-ass seafood that would be a delight to any diner.

You can find this stall at number 38, it is relatively near the DBS atm.



_____________________________

East Coast B.B.Q. Seafood
38, East Coast Lagoon Food Village
1220 East Coast Parkway

The Perfect Sunday Grilled Veggie Sandwich

Nothing says Sunday better than a good sandwich.

It could well be because sandwiches are deemed as lazy meals. Okay, it probably depends. A lazy sandwich would be a plain picnic ham and processed Kraft cheese one. Or maybe one with peanut butter and jelly.

I'm not slighting these classic combinations, no, believe me, I love my PJs too. But these are indeed easy sandwiches that can be made within mere seconds so the accomplishment one feels can't be that substantial.

Okay, I'm saying this only because I felt like I had accomplished something this weekend. I made lunch for my family today, including dessert (that will come in another post!). Although simple, it just felt good, to feed my loved ones. It's been a while since I actually cooked a meal for my family. Usually it's just a cake or two, or something random hashed up from leftovers.

Today, ah today was something else. I was at Ngee Ann City yesterday and a lovely multigrain loaf beckoned me from the shelves of Swiss Bake. I love their breads and I couldn't resist this beautiful one. I bought the $5.90 loaf with the intention of doing something with it today.

It did not take long for me to figure out what I would use it for. It was quite a natural option. I looked at my dear sister and said, "You know what, tomorrow we shall all have grilled veggie sandwich for lunch, how does that sound?". She nodded her head and I took that as a sign of approval.

So Sunday lunch was settled. All I needed to do was to get the vegetables.

That wasn't a problem because mum offered to buy it from the supermarket after morning mass. I wrote down a list of what to buy the night before. It went something like this:

2 red capsicum, 2 yellow capsicum, 2 egg plant, 2 zucchini, and a pumpkin.

Next, I knew my grilled veggie sandwich wouldn't be complete without a caramelised onion relish.

So at midnight last night, I scooted to the kitchen and sliced up 4 onions thinly, sauteed it with olive oil and seasoned it with some sea salt. I cooked it for a further 20 minutes to caramelise and brown it so all the sweet juicy flavours will come out. After that, I added 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and viola I had a tasty relish that would make my sandwich perfect. I let it cool and then placed it in the fridge.

This is how it looked like:




When morning came, a very excited me started prepping the veggies as soon as my mum came home with the ingredients.

I sliced the eggplant, capsicum, and roasted pumpkin. There wasn't any zucchini because my mum couldn't find any at the supermarket. But it was okay.

Next was the grilling. Okay, for this, you get an aluminium pan (disposable ones are fine), grease it and place the vegetables evenly on the surface. Drizzle olive oil and season with some salt. Grill the vegetables until cooked.

I did mine in various batches:



That's my grilled eggplant. Make sure you don't burn your veggies. You should flip it over once you see the top side turning brown. You want the vegetables grilled nicely, not charred.




For the capsicum, it is best to grill the death of of it. Why? You want a nicely caramelised capsicum that's soft and sweet. Place the vegetable with the skin side facing up and grill until the skin looks black and deathly. You will notice juices oozing out - that's a good thing. Once the skins are all black, remove the pan and proceed to peel off the black charred skins. If you find it difficult, place the capsicum pieces into a paper bag and seal it for a while, after which you can open and continue to peel the skins.




You can use any pumpkin or squash for that matter. I think my mum bought the Japanese kind - the ones with dark green skins. Well I preferred these anyway. I sliced these up and grilled it in the pan as per normal. The result? Sweet soft pumpkins that tasted a bit like sweet potatoes. Lovely.

So you've got all your ingredients ready. Now it's time to assemble your perfect Sunday grilled veggie sandwich.

Oh don't forget to toast your bread before assembling. I think the toasted crunch adds to the whole experience. And please do take your caramelised onion relish out of the fridge, you will need it to make the sandwich extra delicious.

This is easy peasy stuff but I'm just showing you the steps for the heck of it, so enjoy!

Step 1: Spread the relish on the toasted bread:



Step 2: Place the grilled vegetables on top of the relish in any order you want:



Step 3: Take your other piece of toast, place it on top and press down!



And there you have it, a perfect Sunday grilled veggie sandwich that's super easy yet satisfying and of course one that tastes good and is good for you. How about that!

You can use any bread you want but for me, I love the taste of a wholesome multigrain toast with my grilled vegetables.



Perhaps you're not sold on the idea just yet. It is okay. Maybe you could try making it yourself and then you'll change your mind. To me, this is the cheaper alternative to the grilled vegetable sandwich at Cedele. Yes, i first fell in love with the sandwich at Cedele. But it isn't cheap. So I thought I could probably make a similar, if not, better one, and I think I just did. Just ask Dot, she loves Cedele grilled vegetable sandwich as much as I do and she dropped by for lunch and had a taste of my version and thinks that it is on par.

I love Sundays, especially sandwiches on Sundays.

Right now I'm toying with the idea of making Sunday sandwiches a weekly affair.

It'll be lots of fun and I am sure my family will be very happy.

Till next Sunday then. If you have a perfect sandwich combination of your own, do feel free to share it with me!

Birthday ramblings; toast and poached eggs included.

So I turned 24 yesterday and although there wasn't much fanfare, I was happy.

I believe it was more of the serenity and calm whirr of the day's events that gave me comfort, amidst of my happiness.

I was happy not because I received pretty presents and neither was it because those who remembered my birthday sent me text messages and called me to wish me. It wasn't because my bosses bought a lovely birthday cake for me (okay maybe that did play a part. it was after all the only cake I got and it was delightful :)

The happiness I felt wasn't so much that "kick your heels in the air and whoop for joy" kind. It's just the plain knowledge that every day that comes by is a day to celebrate and live for.

I had become a person who finds joy in plain and simple things. You of all people should know that I find something as simple as food to be a huge blessing. A bare toast (and maybe some butter with that) would suffice in making me happy. So would a soft warm scone.

29 July became a day that marked my existence and also a celebratory reminder to treat everyday special. It certainly sounds really corny and cliche but the significance I take in it is fairly strong.

My birthday is special not because it was the day I was born but because of the people around me who have loved me abundantly. I am who I am today as a happy, loud, animated 24-year old female only because of my family and friends who have been there for me at the different stages of my life. Without these people, my existence would be empty and thus lacking in anything celebratory. God gave me plenty to be thankful for and I want to also thank you. It might be your first time reading this, or you might be a friend or family or some faint acquaintance. Nevertheless, I want to thank you for being a part of my life.

Lately, through new friends I've made and bumped into, I realised how well planned God has made everything out to be. People like the lovely design couple Brenda and Hanson, and Lavy, a kindred spirit who's so like me it's scarily cool (she happens to be my junior).

There are of course other beloved people like my best friend Dot, and Alvin & Clara, oh and my beloved Eden team at Amplify. I would love to mention all of my wonderful friends but well you know who you are. There are so many who I miss and wish I had time to meet often and those whom I've lost touch and of course there are some who have slowly drifted away. It's inevitable, definitely. But thank God for you and you and you.

This is the fourth time this blog has celebrated my birthday with me. Yes this blog has been with me for more than four years, it's quite unbelievable. When I started this, I didn't expect it to be read by anyone and to last that long.

My blog might have grown and aged but one thing's for sure, I will keep it going for as long as my love for food never wanes. The key word in that sentence is never. Now bold and CAPS it, yes I believe you get my drift.

Now, before you get bored of my birthday revelations and ramblings, let's talk about brunch. Sunday brunch to be precise. No, make that a pre-birthday Sunday brunch.

Yes, I had brunch.

A great one. It was memorable not only because the food and coffee was good, but also because the company was great. Put three foodies together and you get excitement amidst drools. But put three hyper foodies in Jones the Grocer and you get a bunch of madcaps chattering away in between mouthfuls, threatening to choke any time. Now I think the latter proves more accurate in this case.

One of them share the same birthday as me and the other is a precious friend who is like a little sister to me. They are none other than Alvin and Clara, my two foodie friends who never fail to make me laugh (especially Alvin!).

We wanted to celebrate mine and Alvin's birthday so I suggested Jones the Grocer since Sunday was the only day Clara could make it.

You know it was a desision all three of us did not regret when you see the following photos:















Check those out! The Jones breakfast set includes two poached eggs, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, sausages, and sourdough toast.

Clara and I couldn't resist the scones and English muffins so we ordered that as well. In the end we ordered more toast and that sealed the deal. Oh don't forget to top that off with a good strong Macchiato if you are ever there. It's that good - their espresso's phenomenal.

Note the photo of the perfect poached eggs with runny yolk? I was so excited that I had to ask Alvin to slice it open slowly so I could take a photo for you to see. Oh and in case you didn't know, I adore runny egg yolks. They are divine.

Jones the Grocer is a great place for families and for friends who are looking for a spacious place to chill out. Here's a few interior shots for the uninitiated:












It's certainly very Australian and I love it. It's the second time I've been there and I am honestly hooked on their toast, scones, coffee and ambience.

In the end, I bought an orange passionfruit spread from Jones. I tried it for breakfast yesterday and thought it was refreshingly delicious.

If only I could have brunch there every Sunday. Yes, if only. Right now I have to make do with kaya toast and soft boiled eggs, not that I mind!

Jones the Grocer is now my current new fixation. See how powerful a toast can be?

Perhaps before I go, I will leave you with a quote that has been repeating in my mind. You might find it familiar, those of you who've watched Batman Begins (and yes, I love The Dark Knight by the way): "It's not who you are but what you do that defines you".

How very true indeed.

Lemon Sherbet

Nothing really says Saturday morning better than lemon sherbet. I can tell you this from personal experience.

Some would baulk at the idea of starting the weekend on an icy sweet note instead of a warm one (think egg and bacon with toast).

Don't be mistaken, I love hot breakfasts but there are days when a citrus-y kick suits me better.

I believe yesterday was one of those days.

And yes, I acted on a craving. Ah, you know what I mean. Cravings are kind of hard to ignore. It happened mid-week when I know I wanted to make or rather taste anything lemony. I was browsing Serious Eats, one of the sites I lap up religiously and chanced upon the "Required Eating" section where Robyn Lee had posted up David Lebovitz's Lemon Sherbet recipe.

You must know also that I hardly give up any chance to try out lemon recipes. I'm a huge fan of lemon cakes, lemon curd and so on. But lemon sherbet, I haven't tried making. So I was naturally curious. I had intended to make cinnamon ice cream but thought that it could wait. Lemon sherbet just seemed more appealing then.

I already had lemons at home, meant for making lemon curd (my stash had depleted and I missed having it) so all I had to do was get some milk. I did that on Friday night and started preparing the easy milk and lemon zest mixture. I left it to chill overnight for best results.

Saturday morning came and I woke up feeling excited at the prospect of having some refreshing lemon sherbet. I was a tad sceptical though because I did not have an automated ice-cream machine. Mine did have a churning attachment but it lacked a self-freezing unit; meaning I had to use salt and ice. I understand sherbets are more tricky because you got to make sure it's cold and uniform. I tried any how.

The result? It was a good lemon sherbet but not a perfect one. I loved the taste but thought the texture could be better. The recipe was great - the problem was of course my retro ice-cream churner. But you know what? I was still happy anyway. I had my lemon sherbet and that was my Saturday pick-me-up.

Yes, I like my mornings sweet.

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Lemon Sherbet
by David Lebovitz
- makes about 1 quart (1 liter) -

Ingredients
3 cups (750 ml) whole milk
3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
1 lemon, preferably unsprayed
6 tablespoons (90 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 2 to 3 lemons)

Procedure
1. In a medium, nonreactive saucepan, mix 1 cup (250 ml) of the milk with the sugar. Grate the zest of the lemon directly into the saucepan. Heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the remaining 2 cups (500 ml) milk, then chill thoroughly in the refrigerator.

2. Stir the lemon juice into the milk mixture. If it curdles a bit, whisk it vigorously to make it smooth again. Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

*Note: I used raw sugar and added only about 1/2 cup instead of the required 3/4 cup and it tasted fine

An unforgettable 'Roti Jala' lesson

I had a very enjoyable Saturday last week and it wasn't because of a scrumptious meal at a promising new restaurant or a cool shopping find. It was a simple but memorable four hours in a kitchen with an extraordinary lady and no, I didn't do the cooking.

That short amount of time was spent listening to the lady as she told us her about her culinary escapades. We could see how passionate she was about cooking and how she takes pride in involving her whole family in the kitchen. To her, cooking is more than just putting food on the table; which is obviously something I can identify with. Both of us share the same cooking philosophy and I couldn't help but be taken in by her enthusiasm. It didn't take long for the energy level in the room to shoot up.

This remarkable lady stood out because of her engaging and warm personality. She is none other than the ever so amiable Irene Jansen, someone whom I think is the equivalent of a local Jamie Oliver. She's a cook with a selfless mission. She is keen to use her cooking skill to highlight the importance of family and family time. Besides, a family that dines together stays together don't they? Entice your children with fast and delicious food she says, then they'll eat home more often and spend time with you and best yet - they'll bring home their friends for dinner and you'll get to meet the people they hang with. Yep you get the whole idea. I must say it really does make sense.

I found it quite refreshing, this outlook that Irene shared. You'll be even more surprised to know that all this was communicated through a cooking demostration at Tampines Changkat CC conducted by her, under the PA Culinary Journey series organised by the company I work at. I was there to lend a hand and I'm glad I went. The theme was Iconic Singaporean Foods and not only did she teach the class how to make Dried Pesto Laksa, Iced Cheng Tng and Roti Jala with Chicken Curry, she instilled in them a greater purpose. That is, to bring cooking back into the kitchen!

Sounds plain and simple doesn't it? But here's the reality - there are some families here in Singapore who are living on welfare and have insufficient funds and means to eat a healthy and nutritionally balanced meal. So what does Irene do? She approaches not-for-profit organisations and pitches to them a fantastic idea: teaching low-income families how to stretch their dollar and at the same time, nourish themselves with food that don't cost much but are easy to cook and healthy at the same time.

The entire idea on paper itself sounds easy. But the execution bit needs plenty of planning and organising and time. And does this deter Irene? Nope, it only spurs her on. She shared that it was crucial for someone to step up to the plate and do this. There's no point thinking about it, sitting on it and not doing anything. So that's how she started her company "Culinary Adventures".

Irene not only cooks, but gives dining tips on radio (93.8 Live and Gold 90FM). She is also a writer and food consultant.

To me, Irene is a force to be reckoned with. Her down-to-earth approach to cooking makes her accessible to normal amateur cooks like you and I.

This quote from her website only drives home that point - "My recipes use easy cooking methods, time-saving short-cuts and a few tricks - like my orange yoghurt cake made without butter to keep down the calories. But more than anything else, I cook from my heart to bring joy to family and friends. You'll be amazed how rewarding that is," says Irene.

As someone who has never had any culinary training and had to learn how to cook and bake by trial and error, I totally understand where she's coming from. When I started this blog, and began to cook and bake more, I picked out only the easy recipes because they seem less daunting. As with any new thing you learn, it does help to take baby steps before leaping into the deep-end only to find yourself lost in the whole complexity of the kitchen. It's all about the process I guess. Start small, gain confidence and then tackle the bigger recipes.

Speaking of simple recipes, here's something that fits the bill:



You are probably wondering what that is! Looks abstract, no?

It's not paint, that's for sure.

It pretty much involves something like this:



That's how you get that 'web' or 'net' on that non-stick pan.

Known as 'roti jala' (translates to 'net pancake'), it is usually eaten with curry. The ones you see at Malay stalls are really yellow and chewy. That's because they use food colouring and a relatively thick batter.

Irene's recipe calls for more water and no colouring, resulting in a roti jala with a crisp texture:



It looks like rosti yes?

You probably can't see how crispy it is, but try out the recipe and taste it yourself :)

Oh, you would also need to get that yellow udder-like contraption that I placed above. That's how you dispense the batter over the pan. Please ensure you don't lift it too high. Have it closer to the plan and circle the batter around, creating a beautiful net without coating the entire pan. You want roti jala, not crepes. The entire class had alot of fun trying their hand at it. This was quite a hands-on class, which doubled the fun! I also took part in the fun and made some of my own. By the end of the class, I had mastered the art of roti jala and Irene gamely joked that I could be her roti jala girl at her roti jala shop if she ever opens one.




I think roti jala would be perfect as a dessert too! I'm thinking of having it with ice-cream and bananas next time. Hmmm or perhaps some caramelised bananas?

Anyway, the roti jala you see in this post was made using the left-over batter from the class and I would like to thank Irene once again for imparting her invaluable knowledge and sharing her aspirations. Oh and she was so sweet - she gave me the yellow roti-jala contraption so that I could use it to make more roti jala with the batter I brought home. I was really touched.

Yes, it's the simplest gestures that hit home, well at least that's always the case for me :)

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Crispy Roti Jala
by Irene Jansen

150g flour
2 eggs
a pinch of salt
2 cups water
1 pandan leaf
2 tbsp cooking oil

1. Mix flour, eggs, salt and water together until mixture becomes smooth.

2. Tie the pandan leaf into a knot, place it in the oil and spread over frying pan.

3. Pour mixture in a tin can with holes at the base (or get the roti jala contraption) and let the mixture flow out by going over the pan in a circular motion until it forms a 'spider web'. (Remember to do this fast and consistently to form a nice pattern)

4. Fry the roti jala until crispy

Repeat steps 2 to 4 for the rest of the mixture.