Nespresso coffee

Nespresso coffee

Most Singaporeans drink coffee daily however most do not know the difference between gourmet coffee (i.e. top grade coffee) and Kopi? That was what I was to find out from the crew at Nespresso. I was told that there are just 3 simple steps to tell if the coffee was good.


First, look for the hazelnut colored froth, called 'crema'. This froth protects the aromatic richness of the coffee. This froth oxidises with time hence you should drink your coffee before that happens.


Second, smell the aroma. Check if there is a high level of aromatic sophistication. I.e. A combination of floral/fruity notes with roasted, woody or spicy notes. According to Nespresso, these coffee beans which feature high level of aromatic sophistication represent 1-2% of the world's global coffee bean production.

Third, taste it. This part is really based on your preference. But do slurp a good mouthful of coffee so that the liquid coats all the different areas of the mouth and impregnates the taste buds. A gourmet coffee should have a good balance between body, acidity, bitterness and aromatics.


After the introduction, we tasted the 3 pure origin Espressos by Nespresso. The Dulsao do Brasil, Rosabaya de Colombia and Indriya from India. As the name implies, these three blends were made with single origin coffee. Similar to single origin chocolates, you could taste the acidity in the coffee. Essentially this is a sharp sensation, such as that experienced with lemon juice.


As in all tasting, you start with the most mild, which is the Dulsao do Brasil followed by the Rosabaya de Colombia then the Indriya. In general, I think not everyone may enjoy the bitter taste with the sharp sensation, especially for the Dulsao do Brasil and Rosabaya de Colombia which has a lighter body and bitterness. The Indriya would probably be more acceptable taste as Singaporeans are more used to the heavy body and bitterness of our 'Kopi'. Hence the acidity would just supplement the bitterness rather than being overwhelm by it.


I also tried the 3 decaffeinated flavors. Decaffeinato, Decaffeinato Lungo and Decaffeinato Intenso. Essentially this are excellent substitutes for those looking to reduce your caffeine intake. These flavors tasted almost similar to the caffeinated version except that it tend to have a lighter body.

After the session, I did some comparison. I drank a cup of 'gourmet coffee' from a local cafe and I realized that aromatic sophistication is not easily achieved. The coffee which I had has the complexity in taste and acidity however it lacked the crema and aroma which the nespresso coffee possess. On the other hand, the standard coffee shop Kopi typically only possess the burnt smell rather than the aromatic sophistication. Of course, coffee is an individual preference but I hope that after reading my post, do spend some time to appreciate the effort of the coffee brewers.


Lastly we would like to thank Jeremy, Vivien and Merliza from Crowd and the folks at Nespresso for the coffee appreciation session. I personally felt that these session help us as consumers to appreciate the product better and why are we paying more for gourmet coffee.

Don't forget there is a contest hosted by channelnewsasia to win a Nespresso PIXIE machine in its latest 2012 colors. For more information, click here.

Nespresso Boutiques in Singapore
Takashimaya Department Store

Basement 1
391 Orchard Road
Singapore 238873

ION Orchard
2 Orchard Turn

#01-14
238801 Singapore

You can get more information about Nespresso from the following website,

Nespresso website hosted by Channelnewsasia

Official Nestle Nespresso's website

Contact information for Nespresso Singapore can be found here.

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Scones Recipe

Scones Recipe

After 7 attempts in making scones, this is one recipe which uses very basic ingredients but can get tricky.


Having searched through the net and youtube, some of the recipes gives very crumbly texture while some provides the cake-like, moist texture which Fen likes.

I started with a recipe that uses a lot of sugar with an additional yolk and the resulting factor was what Fen describes as a delicious rock bun. After which, I attempt with another recipe that uses sour cream and instead of mixing it, I whisk it, giving a texture that is similar to a coarse pound cake. Since Fen finds my scones too sweet to her liking, I made one without sugar and that was disastrous, it was incredibly salty. That was when I decided to look for help on youtube. After fixing the composition of flour, sugar, baking powder and butter, it seems that the variables to play with are the wet ingredients, namely the egg and in this case, I used the Meiji Low Fat Milk since I have weird tasting scones after using cream and sour cream and after 3 more attempts, I finally got it...


Here are the parameters I have changed and I have added my personal observations for reference.

• Baking powder, I started off with 1.5 tbsp baking powder (likely to be a typo in that recipe) and it has a strong aftertaste so either you use self-raising flour or 1 cup plain flour (120gm) with 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Egg, omitting this ingredient will give you a crumbly texture (that you cannot even hold the scones with your fingers, it just breaks apart). Ultimately, egg is a binder in baking
• Milk, the ingredient that makes the scones moist; however, we add this ingredient by teaspoon. If the mixture is too wet, reduce by a teaspoon, if the mixture is too dry, increase by a teaspoon. The resulting dough should be good enough to knead and not extremely sticky.

• Kneading the dough makes it moist and chewy while omitting this step results in a crumbly texture (depend on individual's preference). I made this conclusion as my 6th attempt involves in splitting my dough into 2 portions, with only one portion kneaded.

• Chilling the scones prior baking at 200°C, seems to allow the butter to harden a little before "shearing" it, this step seems to keep the scones in shape rather than flattening to look like a cookie. I started chilling them after my 3rd attempt and since then, they remain in shape. It could also be due to the oven temperature as prior to my 3rd attempt, the bakings were done at 180°C.

• Cooling the scones by sandwiching with a clean cloth, seems to retain the moisture of the scones. At least, this is what we see in most youtube recipes.

So having said that, here is the recipe I settled down with and I would say it is reproducible.

Recipe (For five to six 5-cm scones)

Ingredients needed:
1 cup (120 gm) plain flour
1/8 cup (40 gm) granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
50 gm salted butter
1 beaten egg (approximately 50 gm)
25ml Low Fat Meiji Milk (approximately 5 teaspoon)

Steps
1. In a large bowl, add flour, sugar and baking powder.
2. Rub in the butter into dry ingredients until coarse crumbs is obtained.
3. Stir in beaten egg (leave some for glazing).
4. Add milk and stir to combine (see above notes).
5. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead the dough gently four to five times.
6. Using a lightly floured round pastry cutter and cut the dough into rounds.
7. Place the rounds on baking pan (either greased or lined with baking sheet).
8. Brush the tops of the scones with beaten egg (Optional: egg/milk mixture can be used).
9. Chill the scones in the refrigerator for an hour.
10. Bake for 12 minutes at 200°C.

- Ending Note –
I think the most important step is when adding the wet ingredients. I.e. Egg and milk. If we exclude eggs, it will be coarse and breaks easily. As for milk, just add enough for you to knead. if it is too wet, there is no way you can knead and the scone will not stay in shape. It will probably sink and look like a cookie.

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Scones from TWG Tea Company

Scones from TWG Tea Company

Fen seems to be determined to try every possible scone she can find and having being at Orchard the previous evening, she couldn't resist the temptation to swing by the TWG Tea Salons located at ION Orchard and Takashimaya.

True enough, her scone radar sounded and she picked up a pack of 4 raisins scones for the following day's breakfast. Priced at $14 nett, each scone costs $3.50 and is much cheaper than having them dine-in for a pair of scones served with TWG tea jelly and whipped cream cost $9++.


Having purchased scones from several places, all hotels (so far) provide complementary jam and hotels such as Regent Hotel, The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore and The Fullerton Hotel provide both clotted cream and jam. I thought this little gesture does make a difference for a tub of clotted cream sold at Cold Storage costs a whopping $9+ and can only be kept in the fridge for 4 days upon opening.


Fen warmed up the scones and having bought Regent Hotel's blackcurrent scones the previous day, we had these with the hotel's leftover clotted cream and jam.

There is a strong buttery fragrance and is comparable to the ones we had from The Fullerton Hotel. Texture-wise, it is much denser but stickier than the humongous one purchased from Raffles Hotel. Depending on individual's preference, this is ecommended for those who prefers their scones to be on the dense and coarse while for both Fen and myself, we would prefer the blackcurrent scones from The Regent Hotel for a stickier and more moist texture.

TWG Tea Salon & Boutique
Takashimaya Department Store
B2, 391 Orchard Road
Singapore 238873
Operating hours: 10am to 10pm
Website

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Win a Nespresso PIXIE machine in its latest 2012 colors

Win a Nespresso PIXIE machine in its latest 2012 colors

From now till 9 April 2012, 1 of 3 lucky persons will be able to walk away with the award-winning Nespresso PIXIE machine in its latest 2012 colors. On top of that, the first 10 people submitting correct responses to each day’s quiz stand to win a $100 Nespresso voucher each.

To participate, click on the link below

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/nespresso/contest.php

Good Luck!!!

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Raisin and plain scones from The Fullerton Hotel

Raisin and plain scones from The Fullerton Hotel

The scones from The Fullerton Hotel outshines the rest for the the entire scone is glazed hence giving a more crisp and fragrant exterior than the rest. The other feature is that the texture is a little sticky, though Fen disagrees with me on this aspect. In fact, Fen felt that setting aside the glaze, it is pretty similar to the humongous scone she had from Raffles Hotel.

For me, I would say that the overall is quite similar to Goodwood Park Hotel. These scones are available for takeaway at $2+ from The Courtyard compliments with the hotel's clotted cream and mixed berries jam.

After eating several scones from the local hotels, I gathered that Fen likes her scones to be moist and sticky texture. Among the few she has tried, the ones that left an impression were the Blueberry Scones from The Regent Singapore and the Raisin Scones from Carlton Hotel.

While she is craving for her scones, I am trying to look for a recipe and strangely, my first attempt in making them turn out to be sweet and Fen described to be closer to a rock bun or a sugar-crusted cookie. In addition, judging from the photos posted for the recipes I have searched, the scones look very different from the ones served in the hotel. Is there any kind souls out there to enlighten me with some tested plain scones recipes?

The Courtyard
The Fullerton Singapore
1 Fullerton Square Singapore
Singapore 049178
Tel: 6877 8129

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Scone from Raffles Hotel

Scone from Raffles Hotel

This is probably the largest scone which we tried. In terms of texture it is slightly dry. Taste wise, it does not really stand out from the series of scones which we ate. This huge scone cost $4+ and will certainly fill your tummy. Fen was kind of disappointed when the buttery scent was not strong enough and it does not come with clotted cream (for takeaways) to increase the moistness of the scones.

Ah Teng's Bakery
Raffles Hotel Singapore
1 Beach Road
Singapore 189673
Tel: 6412 1816 (Main Reservation line, request to be transferred to Ah Teng's Bakery)
Website

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Plain, Blueberry & Cranberry Scones from Goodwood Park Hotel

Plain, Blueberry & Cranberry Scones from Goodwood Park Hotel

Not only does Fen craves for scones, she was hinting me to bring her to the Taiwan Porridge @ Goodwood Park Hotel. Yup, the buffet is still as good as before but it didn't stop there. Right after lunch, she headed straight to L’Espresso, hoping to take-away some scones for her recent addiction.


We were there slightly before 2pm and the staff were setting up the high tea buffet at L’Espresso. Sold at $2.70++ per piece, there were plain, cranberry and raisin scones available for that day and we took away 4 scones for the following day's breakfast.

The staff packed the scones with jam scooped from the buffet bar, butter and whipped cream but alas, the cream melted into liquid before we can put them back in the fridge. So unlike the previous take-aways, Fen had her scones with butter instead of clotted cream.

The buttery fragrance of these scones were of no doubt and shares similar texture to the plain scones Fen has bought earlier from The Regent Singapore. Texture is on the firm and fluffy side and the winning factor of these scones lies in its rich butter content. Among the three flavours, the blueberry scone is the most outstanding one for it is more moist than the other two.

L’Espresso
Goodwood Park Hotel
22 Scotts Road
Singapore 228221
Tel: 6730 1743
Website

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Plain Scones & Raisin Scones from The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore

Plain Scones & Raisin Scones from The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore

The afternoon tea at Chihuly Lounge has received many positive reviews and the hotel's scones is said to be an all-time favourite. As what we have always described for our past experience in The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia, the service the hotel provides is top-notched. Emails are responded promptly, the staffs process the order with a smile on their faces with the orders packed nicely in hotel's paper bag.


The scones can be pre-ordered and take-away. Available in two flavours, plain and raisins, the scones are sold in a box of 4s, priced at $8+. In addition, the scones are served with Hédiard jam and clotted cream.

Compared to the other scones we had lately, these are clearly smaller in sizes. In terms of texture, it is slightly on the smooth and sweeter side. Fen finds the overall not as sticky and "cake-like" as the ones served at Carlton Hotel and Regent Hotel while I would prefer it to be more buttery.

Chihuly Lounge
The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore
7 Raffles Avenue
Singapore 039799
Tel: 6434 5288
Website

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Butter Scones & Blueberry Scones from The Regent Singapore

Butter Scones & Blueberry Scones from The Regent Singapore

Fen has been on a scones spree after trying the fabulous ones at Carlton Hotel lately and from my understanding, she used to frequent Sweet Secrets Pastry Shop for her scones fix but according to her, this pastry shop seems to be closed for good (at least the Bishan, Holland Village & Great World City outlets are no longer around).

Anyway, having tried the scones from Fosters - An English Rose Cafe, she was sorely disappointed as it lacks sticky, cake-like texture she is looking for as the former was dry and tasted closer to a rock bun. So given she has intense cravings for certain food these days, she reserved some butter and blueberry scones from SomethingToGo at The Regent Hotel to be collected after work.

Each scone costs $2 nett and a pair of scones will be packed with a serving of strawberry jam and clotted cream. While the butter scones were of a firmer texture, the blueberry scones were fabulous. The natural sweetness of the blueberries, coupled with the soft and light makes her cravings even stronger than before.

Anyway, for those who are keen, these scones as mentioned in our last year post are also served in the High Tea Buffet available at The Tea Lounge from 1:30pm to 5:30pm on weekends.

SomethingToGo
The Regent Singapore - A Four Seasons Hotel
One Cuscaden Road
Singapore 249715
Tel: 6725 3243

Operating hours - 9am to 9pm (daily)
Website

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Durian Fiesta 2012 at Goodwood Park Hotel

Durian Fiesta 2012 at Goodwood Park Hotel

The hotel's ever-popular Durian Fiesta is back and this year's new highlight is the Durian Banana Chocolate Mousse Cake, containing caramelized banana chunks with thick D24 durian mousse, chocolate sponge and chocolate mousse. Priced at $10.80+ per slice or $58+ for a 1.3kg whole cake.

What I liked about this newcomer is the generous portion of thick D24 durian mousse. However I feel that chocolate and banana are both strong flavours and do not really go well with durian. Perhaps, it may have been better with just chocolate mousse. Having said that, I must say that the chocolate banana cake is nice on its own: Rich chocolate mousse and caramelised banana.

Another newcomer for this year is the Durian Macadamia Nut Crumble Tartlet, which is said to boast an addictive nutty crunch on top of the luxurious durian mousse. Priced at $10.80+ for 2 pieces or $28.80+ for 6 pieces. This is a must try for the Macadamia nut fans, generous topping of Macadamia nuts ensures that your every bite will feel a nut. Macadamia nut complements with durian as it is not a strong flavor and adds a crunchy texture to the durian purée.

We were very honored to receive a complementary box of Durian Combo, allowing us to try the Durian Banana Chocolate Mousse Cake, Durian Macadamia Nut Crumble Tartlet and also last year's newcomer, the Durian Cappuccino Cake. Of course, this combo also includes the hotel's signature Durian Mousse Cake and Durian Puffs.

Among the 5 durian variants, Durian Cappuccino Cake, a combination of vanilla sponge crumbs with layers of rich cappuccino mousse, D24 mousse and chocolate sponge, caught my attention. The slightly bitter cappuccino mousse is moist and already good on its own. The taste is enhanced when mixed with durian. Those who loved the bitter sweet durians would love this.


Durian Mousse Cake and Durian Puff have been the hotel's signature and it has won the hearts of any durian fan for the velvety mousse filled with pulp. Think there is no need to further elaborate on these all time favorite.


Apart from the durian pastries available at the Deli, a range of durian pastries can be savored at the dessert buffet at Coffee Lounge from 26 May 2012 to 31 July 2012 @ $32.80++ per person (Dessert Buffet with Durian Pastries only), @ $26.80++ per person (Top-up with any a la carte main course order) or $48.80++ (Taiwan Porridge a la carte buffet with Dessert Buffet).

Selection includes the Durian puff, Durian Mousse Cake, Durian Cappuccino Cake and the all-new homemade Durian Pengat with Glutinous Rice and Gula Melaka. Special live station highlighting the Durian pancake and Mini Chocolate or Vanilla Waffle Cones filled with Durian Mousse are also available to satisfy the durian lovers.

Last but not least, do not missed out the "Mao Shan" Power Puff (@ $16.80+ per piece) which is only available from 1 to 30 June 2012 from noon to 7pm.

For take-aways, all durian pastries are available from 1st March 2010 to 31st July 2012 at the Deli.

For more details, refer the promotion page of Goodwood Park Hotel.

Goodwood Park Hotel
22 Scotts Road
Singapore 228221
Tel: 6730 1867 / 1868

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Cupcakes from Plain Vanilla

Cupcakes from Plain Vanilla

Having tasted twelve cupcakes recently, we decided to try the cupcakes from Plain Vanilla Bakery just for comparasion. We tried the following flavours:

Red velvet - crimson coloured light valrhona cocoa cake with vanilla cream cheese frosting

I found the cream cheese frosting too sweet otherwise it is a nice light cake.

Cinnamon brown sugar - Cinnamon brown sugar cake with cinnamon frosting, dusted with cinnamon sugar.

Normally only the frosting would contain cinnamon, for this cake, cinnamon was in both the cake and the frosting. I really liked it on the first bite but it is a little too sweet for me to finish one on my own.

Dark chocolate ganache - dark chocolate cake smoothered in bittersweet chocolate ganache and dipped in valrhona cocoa nibs

Personally, this is Fen's favourite among the 4. The moist chocolate cake coupled with the crunchy cocoa nibs provides a nice contrast of texture. At the same time, cocoa nibs being slightly bitterish makes the overall not very sweet. The chocolate ganache used in the topping further moistens the cake, providing a smooth aftertaste on the palate.

Strawberry white chocolate - vanilla cake with a centre of fresh strawberries topped with white chocolate frosting.

The vanilla cake reminds me of the finer variant of the Sara Lee pound cake. With slices of strawberries in the centre of the cupcake, the overall taste is a mixture of sweet and tang. However, like the cinnamon brown sugar and red velvet, the frosting is way too sweet to Fen's liking.

Plain Vanilla Bakery
34A Lorong Mambong, Holland Village
Singapore 277691
Tel: 6465 5942
Website

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Gravity Bar Afternoon English High Tea

Gravity Bar Afternoon English High Tea

Starting 27 February 2012, Carlton Hotel launches English High Tea at Gravity Bar. The elegant three-tier English High Tea features sandwiches, tart, madeleine, cheese cake and scones made specially by the hotel's new Executive Pastry Chef Alex Chou Tze Jen.
*Do note that the above picture shows 2 servings of the three-tier English High Tea set.


The highlight of the high tea is the warm and delicious scones. Slightly crisp on the top and soft on the inside. It has a rich buttery smell and cake like texture as oppose to some others which crumbles easily. The scones are best eaten with Carlton's homemade strawberry jam and clotted cream.


Pastries include the Pistachio Cherry Madeleine - moist pistachio cake with a dollop of sweet, fresh cream in the middle along with a cherry. This is my first time eating Madeleine this manner and the combination of pistachio, cream and cherry was really good. The cheese cake has a very smooth texture and a crumbly base. The blueberry fruit tart is not too be missed. Its crust is so thin and crisp and compliments well with vanilla custard cream and sweet, juicy blueberries.


The third layer contains 4 different varieties of sandwiches made with fluffy white and whole meal bread. The 4 flavors are chicken, smoked salmon, tomato basil and egg mayo.


Gravity Bar is a nice place for a laid back afternoon. The carpeted flooring and sofa seats gives it an additional homely feeling.

Last but not least, special thanks to Ms Leung Yi Wen, Marketing Communications Manager for the invite and warm hospitality.

Gravity Bar English Afternoon High Tea
Daily, 2.30pm to 5.30pm
$35++ per set
For a limit time only, each guest will receive a pair of complimentary mini scones to take home

Exclusive for Citibank and UOB Cardmembers
15% off English High Tea Set till 31 May 2012

Gravity Bar
76 Bras Brasah Road
Singapore 189558
Tel: 6311 8839
Website

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Twelve Cupcakes

Twelve Cupcakes

Cupcakes seems to be in trend recently, be it wedding favors, baby shower or as gifts. Helm by celebrity couple, Jamie Teo and Daniel Ong, Twelve Cupcakes have opened 3 outlets since starting business last year.

We bought 3 cupcakes to try for ourselves why Singaporeans are so crazy about these cupcakes. The flavors which we chose were:
(1) Red Velvet - Vanilla Cream Cheese on a Classic Red Velvet Cupcake
(2) Chocolate Chocolate - Chocolate Cream Cheese on a Moist Chocolate Cupcake
(3) Salted Caramel

Overall, these 3 cupcakes were as described in their website: soft and moist. What I like about these cupcakes is the use of cream cheese as opposed to icing sugar. The taste was also not overly rich or sweet. One complain which I have is that these cute little cakes are relatively expensive for their size.

Twelve Cupcakes
101 Thomson Road
United Square
#B1-60
Singapore 307591
Tel 6256 8130
Website

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Le Royale by Canele

Le Royale by Canele

Readers may have noticed a distinct change in Canele's selection of cakes after Chef Christophe took over. Specifically, you would have noticed that there are more focus on the texture of the mousse. Comparing the photo of the previous Le Royale made by Chef Pang, the difference is obvious. Thin chocolate sheet, the nicely piped dark chocolate mousse and the shiny glaze are pretty much the highlights of the new Le Royale.

Well, having passed my visual inspection, I first tasted the dark chocolate mousse and I personally felt it was excellent, so rich and yet so smooth. The caramelized hazelnut praline and the chocolate sponge beneath were also softer compared to the previous version. My personal take is that this is definitely an improved version of the Le Royale.

Canele Pâtisserie Chocolaterie
Shaw Centre
1 Scotts Road
#01-01A, Shaw Centre
Singapore 228208
Tel: 6738 9020
Website

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Bountiful Flavours of Kochi & Kagawa @ Triple 3

Bountiful Flavours of Kochi & Kagawa @ Triple 3

Triple 3 has been our most frequent and also one of our recommended buffet restaurant in Singapore. It may be pricey to most but the selection and variety of food offers by the restaurant has always been a positive surprise in all our visits.

From now till 4 March 2012, Triple 3 presents the best of the Kochi and Kagawa prefectures, with dishes made from specially sourced ingredients, flown in fresh from the island of Shikoku. On top of the regular buffet suspects such as seafood on ice, sashimi, Indian's specialities by Chef Suraj Kumar Negi and roasted Barbequed meats by Chef Liew Tian Heong, one can expect an interesting selection of dishes infused with Yuzu, to provide a fragrant citrus, fresh and refreshing taste.


However, before we go into details of these dishes, the main highlight of the buffet is the award-winning Udon Master Chef Shiochi Mori. Udon was first introduced to Japan 1,200 years ago and the Kagawa prefecture perfected this to become the originator of the Sanuki Udon 300 years ago. Known as the Udon Kingdom owing to its abundance of wheat and salt in Kagawa, and also with the skills of Master Chef Shiochi Mori, one can expect the Udon noodles to be outstanding in its texture, which is described to be slightly heavy and chewy.

The Sanuki Udon soup served with it, made from Iriko (dried small sardines) and Shoyu (soy sauce), is a very light and flavorful broth that makes me go for a second helping despite a full tummy.


If you like Maguro sashimi, you should really try the Katsuo Tataki (Seared Bonito Sashimi), particularly when this is hand-picked by Group Executive Chef Shigeru Akashi. Most of the ingredients used in this buffet are air-flown fresh from the Kochi prefecture and the slightly cooked edges of the fillet makes the fish more tasty than Maguro sashimi itself.


The Teppanyaki Live Station has always been a highlight for all the buffets served at Triple 3 but to make this even more outstanding than before, Triple 3 has introduced two types of Sole Fish into the menu. The fish is sweet, juicy and definitely of no doubt, fresh. However, being one of the more popular stations in the buffet, one may expect a queue to lay your hands on this wonderful treat.


Surprisingly bread is something that I would often avoid but these extensive display of buns makes it so irresistible. Green Tea Bun was exceptionally flavorful while the Yuzu bread is refreshing with its filling. Be warned, these tummy fillers may deprive you of the other delicious treats available at the buffet.


We usually find soba at buffets but somen is rarer. Somen is the finer version of udon and if you like mee sua, you will surely like this.


Sashimi station brings in 3 newcomers, kinmedai (Golden Eye snapper), Red Snapper and Seabass which is rarely seen in most buffets. However, regular salmon and tuna lovers may find these sashimi chewy and fishy, to a certain extent, acquired.


Chawanmushi and Steamed Potato may sound humble to most but we felt that they deserved a mention. While the Chawanmushi is flavorful and smooth, the steamed potato deserved a thumb ups when served hot with sea salt butter for its soft and sweet texture.


We have previously gave a big shout out to the pasta live station of Triple 3 and this time round, they surprised us further with the imported Olive pasta. Unlike the regular pasta that is served al dente, this type of pasta has a soft exterior and chewy interior. When served the Yuzu Khosho sauce, both its texture and taste is memorable.

Having showcased the photos of the special items introduced for this buffet, one can also expect Yuzu to be infused in some of the regular dishes served previously in Triple 3. For the Indian Station, Yuzu Paste has been ingeniously infused into the Chatny Tikka while the Yuzu Koshi Demi Glace Sauce is served with Chef William's Roast Prime Rib and Honey Baked Glazed Ham.

In addition, the Tempura station brings in Kintoki Ninjin (Red Carrot) and Nabana (Canola Flower) from Kagawa where the former is so crunchy and sweet that it can easily fake off as a sweet potato. Other things that should not be missed in this buffet are the Shiira Ika No Surimi (Pan-fried Fish Cake) and Japanese Pumpkin Cake.


Just like the other stations, there is a distinct focus on Yuzu for the desserts. The Yuzu Meringi Tart is a good variant to the conventional lemon version minus the sharp tangy taste of lemon. Other desserts that showcase the beauty of Yuzu were the Orange & Almond Cake which uses the Yuzu Zest, Yuzu Sorbet, Yuzu Cream Puff and Japanese Cheesecake with Yuzu juice.

Desserts such as Strawberry Panna Cotta is splendid for the hint of Yuzu and blends very well with the tanginess of the strawberry jelly. Matcha swiss roll is nice in its humble way for the sponge is soft and the cream is light. Matcha mousse with azuki paste steals Yuan's attention for its rich flavors and contrast in textures.

A quick glance across the buffet line may give the misconception that the food served during this period is the same as Triple 3's regular buffet dinner but having tried the food served last night for this special event, we thought it was something not to be missed as most of the items used are imported and not commonly seen. In addition, with a strong team of chefs incorporating a common ingredient, Yuzu in each of their specialities, one can expect a refreshing twist. Last but not least, an award-winning Udon Master Chef serving hand-made udon on the spot, need us to say more?

Many thanks to Ms. Janice Azupardo, Regional Vice President, Branding and Communications of Meritus Hotels & Resorts for the warm hospitality. We appreciated your time to sit through the dinner with us. Also a big thank you to the Marketing Communications team of Mandarin Orchard Singapore (Ms Ruth Soh, Ms Crystal Lim, Ms Nicole Ann Chew) for the kind invitation to be able to try this wonderful buffet and the complementary door gifts. Last but not least, Executive of Branding and Communications, Ms Grace Ho for the warm hospitality for the evening.

Bountiful Flavours of Kochi & Kagawa
24 February to 4 March

DINNER (6:30 -10pm)
Adult : $118++ ($138.90 nett)
Child : $33++ ($38.85 nett) – 5 to 12yrs old
Toddler : $9.99++ ($11.75 nett) – 2 to 4yrs old

J Plus Magazine and Mangosteen Club readers will also enjoy the 1 for 1 promotion* when they produce the cut-out coupon from those magazines. These publications are targeted at Japanese expatriates living in Singapore.

*Service charge and tax applies to complimentary diners. Maximum of 8 Adults per card.
*Children not included or entitled to discounts.
*Not valid in conjunction with other special discounts and privileges.

Bank promotions:

Standard Chartered - 1 for 1 promotion
DBS – 40% discount on total food bill + 1 soft drink
American Express – 15 % discount on total food bill
ANZ/CITIBANK/HSBC/MAYBANK/OCBCUOB and NTUC Membership card – 10% discount on total food bill

Triple Three
Mandarin Orchard Singapore
333 Orchard Road
Singapore 238867
Tel: 6831 6288/71

Operating Hours-
Noon – 2.30pm (Lunch)
6.30pm – 10.00pm (Dinner)
Noon - 3pm (Sunday Brunch)
Website

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Lunar New Year Goodies From Carlton Hotel

Lunar New Year Goodies From Carlton Hotel

-Introduction-
Caramelized walnuts aren't very common and I recall this is a favourite snack of my parents and grandparents and we used to get it from medicinal halls. It was during our 2009 trip to Hong Kong that the F&B manager of Eaton Hotel recommends this snack once more as the restaurant, Yat Tung Heen prepares them in-house.

Since then, I realized this is not only a favourite for my family but also my in-laws. I bought this last year from Peony Jade as a gift for them and it turns out that the caramelized walnuts were sticky and not crunchy, leading to a huge disappointment.

This year, I was oh-so-glad that Carlton Hotel is selling them for this Lunar New Year and since the Wah Lok Cantonese Restaurant is quite popular in Singapore. This shouldn't be disappointing.


If you are looking for an alternative snack for Lunar New Year, consider the caramelised walnut from Carlton Hotel. ($23.80+ per bottle) The walnuts are well defined and the sugary coating is thin, evenly coated and not sticky. Most importantly, the walnuts are very crunchy and has no doubt made the top of my highly recommended and addictive snack for this Chinese New Year.


Signature Pineapple Tarts, sold in a bottle of 20 pieces ($23.80+) turns out to be Yuan's favourite. With a generous serving of homemade pineapple paste, the cookie crust stands out from most of the tarts we had so far. The pastry melts delicately in the mouth and shares the same effect as eating the shortcrust pastry of the Hong Kong egg tart.



Carlton Hotel Singapore
76 Bras Basah Road
Singapore 189558
Order hotline: 6349 1292
Order hotline operating hours: 10am to 9pm

For more information, click here

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Prosperity Pineapple Tart From Hilton

Prosperity Pineapple Tart From Hilton

The Lunar New Year is round the corner and you may be wondering which goodies to buy.

Hilton Singapore's creation this year is the Prosperity Pineapple Tart ($58+). This is a western variant of the pineapple tart. Essentially this is very similar to Hilton's lemon meringue tart except that it is pineapple filling instead of lemon. Nonetheless, it still contain the sharp sour taste coupe with the sweet meringue. Each mouthful is full of flavors, from the crisp buttery tart pastry, the tangy fibrous pineapple filling to the smooth meringue. In addition, the white chocolate, shaped like a Chinese Coin, gives an oriental feel and the texture of the white chocolate is of no doubt. Further since it is the Lunar New Year, the tart is topped with a carp and mandarin oranges.

An ingenious twist to this classic pineapple goodie.


Special thanks to Yen Lin, Marketing Communications Executive for the complementary pineapple tart.


Purchases are to be collected from 3 January to 6 February 2012 only at Checkers Deli located on the lobby level of Hilton Singapore.
Advance notice of 3 working days is required for all orders.

For queries and orders, please contact
Checkers Deli
Hilton Singapore
581 Orchard Road
Singapore 238883
Tel: 6730 3392
Email: sinhi.checkers@hilton.com
Operating hours - 11:00am - 9:00pm (daily)
Website

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Blueberry Lace by Breadtalk

Blueberry Lace by Breadtalk

The blueberry lace was bought by one of our friends for Fen's birthday. This cake reminds me of a tiramisu. (i.e lady finger sponge biscuit) The blueberry lace is surrounded by lady finger sponge biscuit and vanilla mousse with hints of blueberry. The mousse is dense and refreshing but may be a little sweet for some. Of course the picky ones could comment on the thick chocolate sheets on top blah blah... But overall, I think this cake deserve a try.

Breadtalk
Various outlets across the island
WebSite

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A year of Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream

A year of Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream

Fen and myself were very fortunate to have one year of Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream and rightfully I think I should do a grand summary of the flavors which I ate this year. Here are my comments of the 12 flavors which I tried. They are ranked according to my preference. (1 being my favorite flavor)

1. Strawberry Cheesecake
Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream with Strawberry & a Thick Cookie Swirl. This one is one of the rare flavors without chocolate and nuts. What I really like about this is that it is not too sweet and it cookie swirl resembles the butter shortbread in a cheesecake. The smoothest of the ice cream also makes it a good alternative to cheesecake itself.

2. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
Vanilla Ice Cream with chunks of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. This flavor is actually very close to the other 2 flavors (Half baked and A Cookie Affair) I preferred this one over the other 2 as the Cookie is more distinct and there were generous chocolate chips. This is similar to eating cookies and cream with cookie dough.

3. Triple Caramel Chunk
Caramel Ice Cream with Swirl of Caramel & Chocolatey Covered Caramel Chunks. Ben and Jerry's is typically rich and chunky, this one is a must for Caramel lovers. It is caramel, caramel and caramel.

4. Chubby Hubby
Fudge Covered Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels in Vanilla Malt Ice Cream with Fudge & Peanut Buttery Swirls. This one is a little closer to a peanut butter flavored Ice Cream. What I liked about it is the Crunchy Fudge Covered Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels. It is liken to having cadbury crunchie in the ice cream.

5. Phish Food
Chocolate Ice Cream with Gooey Marshmallow, Caramel Swirls & Chocolatey Fish. Initially I felt that the chocolate bits which resembles a fish was too hugh but slowly I grew to like it. The combination of caramel and chocolate ice cream was good. This was topped with the crunch from the chocolate.

6. Clusterfluff
Peanut Butter Ice Cream with Peanut Buttery Swirls, Marshmallow Swirls and Caramel Cluster Pieces. This one is similar to eating peanut candy. One thing to note is that it is nicer when it is fresh as the Caramel Pieces are crunchy. After leaving in the fridge for sometime, the pieces become soft.

7. Chunky Monkey
Banana Ice Cream with Fudge Chunks & Walnuts. This is an all time favorite for many. Banana is not as rich as opposed to the other chocolatey flavors,

8. Half Baked
Chocolate and Vanilla Ice Creams Mixed with Chunks of Chocolate Chip cookie dough & Fudge Brownies. The first impression I had was that it was like eating the choco-vanilla cone at Mac with bits of cookie and brownie. I kind of preferred the more pure version of cookie dough. i.e. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

9. A Cookie Affair
Vanilla Ice Cream with a Chocolate Cookie Swirl & Chocolate chip Cookies & Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies. I kind of preferred the half bake kind of cookie rather than this version. It is a little like the ordinary cookies and cream.

10. Dublin Mudslide
Irish Cream Liqueur Ice Cream with chocolate chocolate Chop cookies & a Coffee Fudge Swirl. Used to be my favorite but this time I could not feel the liqueur and it was just too sweet for my liking.

11. New York Super Fudge Chunk
Chocolate Ice Cream with white & Dark chocolatey chunks. chocolatey-covered Almonds & Pecans, Walnuts. You must really like nuts to like this. Almost every other scoop had a nut - almond, pecan or walnut.

12. Chocolate Macadamia
Chocolate & Vanilla Ice Creams with Fudge Covered Macadamia Nuts. This one is not too sweet and generous with Macadamia Nuts.

Well that raps up my Ice Cream feast for 2011. Of course, as you can see that my preference is bias towards caramel and cookie. Hence you may not agree with my pick but hope it helps when you are considering which yummy flavor to pick when you are at the supermarket. Following a year of Ice Cream, I think my new year's resolution must be to lost weight. Happy New Year to all readers and thanks to the folks at Unilever for a fantastic year of Ice Cream tasting.

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Paris in Winter @ Canele

Paris in Winter @ Canele

The reason why we bought Canele's log cake was because of the triple chocolate cheese cake which I tried earlier this week.Since Chef Christope took over the helm at Canele, the mousse at Canele has improved. I.e. It has become very smooth.

The Paris in Winter ($72.90 for 1kg) contains a layer of chestnut cream and sponge between a thick coat of 75% dark chocolate mousse and filled with Lychee Mousse. The chocolate mousse is no doubt one of smoothest in town. The most outstanding thing about this log cake is the Lychee Mousse with a very strong flavor comparable to eating the fruit itself.


If you have not been to Canele for sometime, we urge you drop someday.

Canele Pâtisserie Chocolaterie
Shaw Centre
1 Scotts Road
#01-01A, Shaw Centre
Singapore 228208
Tel: 6738 9020
Website

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