It's Raining Chefs!

It's time to eat, drink and be merry again in October which heralds the return of Malaysia International Gourmet Festival 2011.

If you fancy a sampling of the four seasons in Lebanon, Al-Amar's culinary team has conjured up a special menu to showcase the seasonal delights that will give gourmands a tasty insight into what's available.

Here's a peek into the droolworthy menu...too bad yours truly can't make it for the outlet's special preview tomorrow. I'm sure it'd be a notable culinary adventure to savour!

Chewy Chocolate Meringues

I want to show you this new book from Williams-Sonoma.

Its filled with delicious photographs and tons of recipes including

Pretzels.

Pop Tarts.

And pies to name a few.

Are your taste buds warming up yet? Mine sure are. I could hardly stand to flip through the pages of this book without wanting to make everything in it.

Home. Baked. Comfort. Yes, please.

And guess what, else.

This book also includes recipes from several bakeries and bloggers across the country.

Like Smitten Kitchen, Tartine, Cannelle et Vanille, Flour, Baked

And more.

Maybe even one from someone you know.

Wit! h all th is yumminess, it was really hard to decide what to bake first. I flipped through the book several times before I finally decided.

When I saw that one of the featured bakeries was from Minneapolis, I knew right away that was the one to try since Ill be in Minnesota and at Williams-Sonoma in about two weeks for a book signing. (Details here.)

And now, I may just have to stop by this bakery, too.

Salty Tart. Cute name.

And her recipe for Chewy Chocolate Meringues is delish.

And easy.

And better yet, only needs four ingredients.

Finely chopped bittersweet chocolate.

Five tablespoons cocoa powder.

Sugar and egg whites.

This photo kinda makes them look like egg yellows though.

Whisk together the egg whites and sugar over but not touching simmering water until dissolved.

Remove from heat and beat the egg whites until stiff and glossy.

Then fold in the chocolate and cocoa.

Scoop out the batter on parchment lined baking sheets and bake away.

You want to see cracks. Thats part of what I love about this recipe. No need to try and make anything look perfect.These are already perfectly imperfect.

And oh so good.

They are highly addictive, too. I dont want to tell you how many I ate before I even finished taking photos

but lets just say that this photo is missing quite a few.

Im so glad I tried this recipe. Ive never made meringues before because they never really looked all that appealing to me. But wow! These chocolate ones will be made again. And again.

Thanks Salty Tart.

Chewy Chocolate Meringues (adapted from Home Baked Comfort)

1 cup (8 fl oz / 250 ml) large egg whites about 7
2 cups (1 lb / 500 g) sugar
5 tbsp (1 oz / 30 g) natural cocoa powder
4 oz (125 g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
4 oz (125 g) cocoa nibs*

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a clean, dry heatproof bowl, whisk together egg whites and sugar. Set over, but not touching, simmering water in a saucepan.
• Whisk constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved and remove from heat. (I tested to make sure I didnt feel any sugar granules.)
• Beat the eggs on high using your mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat until stiff and glossy.
• Sift cocoa over the meringue. Sprinkle chopped chocolate (and cocoa nibs if youre using) on top.
• Then, fold together gently with a spatula until combined.
• Use a scoop to drop even amounts of batter onto prepared baking sheets about two inches apart.
• Bake for about 8-9 minutes. Rotate the pans and bake for another 8-9 minutes until the cookies are fluffy and full of cracks.
• Transfer the cookies, leaving them on the parchment paper, to wire racks to cool.

* I omitted the cocoa nibs because I didnt have any on hand and the cookies still came out beautifully.

The recipe says it makes about 2 dozen meringues, but I ended up with about 60 using a 1.5 inch scoop.
I also used a scale to measure my ingredients exactly.

Home Baked Comfort by Kim Laidlaw
Photographed by Eric Wolfinger

Featured BakeriesBaked, Brooklyn, NY
Floriole Cafe & Bakery, Chicago, IL
Flour Bakery + Cafe, Boston, MA
Huckleberry Cafe & Bakery, Santa Monica, CA
Pearl Bakery, Portland, OR
Salty Tart Bakery, Minneapolis, MN
Sugar Mamas Bakeshop, Austin, TX
Tartine Bakery, San Francisco, CA

Featured Bloggers
Cannelle et Vanille
La Tartine Gourmande
Smitten Kitchen
and me : )

The book is available at Williams-Sonoma until February 2012. Then youll also be able to find it on Amazon.

Until then, want to win a copy?

You do. I promise.

Leave a comment on this post answering the following random question.

• What is your favorite Halloween candy?
• Deadline to enter is Tuesday evening, September 27th at 6:00 pm ET.
• One winner will be picked at random and announced sometime Tuesday evening.

Good Luck!

Disclosure: Giveaway sponsored by me. : )

Favorites List (September 2011)

I'm sitting here eating the best apple I've ever tasted. At a glance, it's not much of a looker. The skin is a queasy shade of yellow-green, and overall its shape seems awkward and (quite frankly) out of balance. But a single bite reveals an electric pink flesh, patterned like one of my grade school tie-dye projects. It's bracingly tart, and effusively fragrant. Are we really on October's doorstep? This apple says yes. Unbelievable. I'm not complaining, I actually love this time of year - the markets, the weather, the apples, all of it. But, this year has gone by so fast. Anyway, I wanted to sneak this favorites list in before we lose September entirely. Hope all of you are looking forward to fall as much as I am.

- Hope to stay here someday.

- This article about strandbeests.

- We heart Pia

- Jo Gordon

- Super cute sketch series - Musicians on Tour

- Just ordered this.

- Love having Dorie in my kitchen - watched every video in this.

- Love this illustration.

- Enjoying cooking from this classic.

- Baker's Notes!

- Great idea :)

- Wrapping supplies :) these too!

- ballet pink

- Striped washcloths

- Ten Amazing Public Pools (via A Cup of Jo)

- This cracked me up.

Promise to be back a bit later in the week with a proper recipe. -h

Lead photo: poppies from the Saturday market.

Continue reading Favorites List (September 2011)...

Restaurant Two @ Edward Street, Brisbane

Last year, I celebrated my birthday in Melbourne, jobless. Not exactly the best of conditions to call and make a reservation at a hatted restaurant and splurge on a degustation menu. However that being said, I had a quiet night with a few cousins and a home made birthday cake too.


This year, with a job, with a Wife that has a job, I was given liberty to choose a restaurant with no expenses spared (even though the menu and prices had to be pre-approved, to avoid any heart attack on the table).


Always one up for a bargain, I took to the Entertainment Book and Restaurant II (or Two) popped up. Being a two hatted restaurant (however unlike Sydney and Melbourne, I couldn't find an official list online except for the Australian Good Food Guide which gave it a score of 16/20, meaning two hats), expectations were huge and the wallet was filled up enough to go for a 9 course meal.


Walking into the restaurant on a weekday night, the first impression you get is the place is very serious. With the wooden flooring and a safe ambience, it is a place for a formal meal. I woudn't say I hated the layout but felt with all the space they had, they could have either space out the tables really far away from each other to give everyone alot of privacy vs. a dining space that was at one area, with the front housing the rather long bar.


Formal or not, we sat down and got right into it.


Before you start to ask why the pictures are not up to scratch, I resorted to the iPhone after deciding I wouldn't want to be taking pictures with a big camera at such a formal restaurant.

Sourdough bread with good old butter and an amuse bouche in the form of a tuna tartare. Observe how uneven the portions were, a point that should be picked up before leaving the kitchen.

The Celeriac Soup, Pheasant, Wood Mushrooms and Chestnuts, Walnut Cream was poured table side which allowed you to have a glimpse of the treasures before a thick creamy soup covers it. The Wife not being the biggest fan of celery immediately found the familiar note and didn't exactly like it after that. For me, it was a good old creamy soup with the right accompaniments.

I must have missed out the picture for the salad of baby beetroot, fennel, goats curd, pistachio, toasted grains, orange, pomegranate, hone and chardonnay vinegar. It was alright but beautifully plate but otherwise the only flavour you get is from the goats curd. With two dishes that were slightly above average at best, the Wife and I were waiting to be wowed.

The Game Terrine of Pheasant, Guinea Fowl, Venison, Rabbit, Duck and Gooralie Pork, Truffle, Foie Gras and condiments being the third dish didn't do it . With so many animals and ingredients in the terrine, my palate seriously couldn't identify the elements. However as a whole, I wouldn't mind the dish, just not a dish that I would order.

!

The Moussaka of Seared XL Hervey Bay Scallops and Eggplant, Taramasalata, Smoked Tomato Butter, Crisp Onion Salad, I believe is a classic signature dish of Restaurant Two and I can identify with that. Every component worked except my scallop was seared on one side and to be honest, it was too rare for me. I contemplated probably twice to return it back before I let it go and polished off everything.

Sauteed Gnocchi, Roasted Rannoch Farm Quail, Tombe of Sweetbreads and Mushrooms, Thyme Cream again was not the best we had. The quail could have done with more colour and the gnocchi wasn't as light as it could be. By this point, the Wife asked if she could take back her offer on paying for the meal and bring me to somewhere else instead. This was not heading in the right direction.

The disaster continued with the Roast Corn Fed Duck Breast, Sweet Potato, Steamed Broccolini, Date and Tamarind Puree, Braised Shitake and Lentils, Honey Mandarin Sauce. The duck breast was cooked well, despite the small portion but the puree was over powering against the sauce. The sweet potato and broccolini loo! ked and tasted ordinary and the lentils were just out of place. As much as I wanted to like the dish, I don't think I can.

The Best End of "Milly Hill" Lamb and Spiced Boneless Shank, Buttered Cabbage, Red Vegetable Crumble, Peas, Rosemary Garlic Jus shot himself/herself on the foot. While the cutlet was impeccable, the shank tasted gamey. What made it worse in the eyes of the Wife was the "creativeness" they put into the plate i.e. buttered cabbage and peas.

At this point, while I couldn't fault the portions because I was stuffed, I wasn't impressed at all. The Wife also revealed that she called to see if they could arrange a small birthday cake / dessert but was rejected. In the end, the compromise was we will write it somewhere on the dessert plate.

This by the way is not on the degustation menu. We requested to forgo the cheese and the dessert course for this dessert platter to share and lets just say it was probably the best moment of the night. Note the promise of the happy birthday note was missing (although to clarify, I was greeted Happy Birthday at the door).

6 different kind of desserts; if I can remember correctly, one was a sticky date pudding, a corn theme dessert, a chocolate fondant, creme brulee, a deconstructed tiramisu and a cucumber s! tripe wi th something else or rather. I could write a whole page about this but in summary, this was faultless except maybe by the time we ooh and aahed and finished the dessert one by one, the ice-cream was close to melting.

Each was beautifully constructed with different textures, modern in taste and all painted out like a masterpiece. What we failed to understand is how come the way they approach desserts is not replicated across their rather boring and mundane menu.


A closer look at their August menu (which has not been updated on their website) reveals the same protein and cooking style with slight tweaks here and there on their degustation menu. The produce used was no doubt one of the best around town but I think in our meal, it was in some cases not executed perfectly and in others it was too safe.


I can very understand the theory of don't fix anything that is not broken with Restaurant Two successfully being awarded the hats year in and out but I think it is about time they think about conceptualise their menu the same way they approach their modern dessert platter.

Address and contact details:

Verdict: 3 stars out of 5 stars. A very formal dining environment making it the perfect scene to seal a deal but the safe and rather boring menu did not do it for us. At AUD 140 per pax for the 9 course degustation menu (we got 25% off from our Entertainment Card), we can safely say though, we won't be back soon.

Imperial Rama @ Highlands Hotel.

Our day's trip to the cool 6000m Genting Highlands resort to escape the city's heat and haze.

We had lunch at Imperial Rama @ Highlands Hotel- a Top 10 restaurant with a HAPA Award 2010-2012 for Best Chinese Cuisine Restaurant.

The resort really knows how to pamper those high roller's appetite for good food from many of it's restaurants.

Ordinary people like you and me can patronize this restaurant for a quiet and sumptuous meal, too.

The restaurant is elegant, comfortable and is not too big - served a mixture of authentic Chinese and Thai cuisine.

The prices are pretty affordable with attentive service.



Simple table setting with a glass vase of fresh Orchid-thick napkins, two pairs of chopsticks for each diner (individual and open) and glistening white porcelain ware . Butter milk sea prawns with salted egg yolk-seated a bed of subtle flavor julienned leeks/fresh lettuce-lightly batter-fragrant, sweet/salty and succulent-Rm65/ Green curry with chunky chicken meat/mint leaves/ lime leaves/red chillies/local brinjal/ mini green Thai aubergines/ coconut milk-thick, creamy and spicy hot-Rm30/
Home made Bean curd (six pieces) - deep fried, eggy and silky smooth inside-seated on a combination of Enokitaki mushroom/ sugar pea-topped with well marinated minced pork with a smooth and tasty dark broth-Rm28/ Poh Choy (Spinach)- a local vegetable-stir fried with garlic-tender with some crunch-highly nutritional-Rm18/ Almond Pudding with colorful, chewy and succulent nato de coco-mum's fave- I never like the taste of almond-Rm6/



Total bill:Rm167/
Location: beside the VIP lobby of Highlands Hotel, Genting.

9 Lesson to Learn from Junior MasterChef

Junior MasterChef is a cooking game show involving kids from ages nine to twelve years old. During the show, the contestants display their cooking skills by preparing appropriate dishes based on the requirements of the challenge.

A franchise of this show is already being aired in the Philippines. They call it Junior MasterChef Pinoy Edition. Young and talented Filipino cooks from all walks of life auditioned to be part of this prestigious cooking show. After watching the first episode in TFC, I got hooked. It was really fun seeing the children prepare wonderful dishes. I see myself in them when I was about their age.

I am always amazed when I see young people do things that grown-ups usually does like cooking, for example. It only proves that age is not a factor to accomplish things. Through constant practice coupled by a little guidance, these kids will gain the experience necessary for them to reach for their dreams of becoming a chef, one day.

Watching this cooking show does not only make us feel excited and amazed, these kids also teaches us lessons about cooking, dreams, and life, in an implied manner.

Here are some lessons to learn from these wonderful young cooks:

1. Cooking is a form of self expression

Just like Art, you can also express yourself through cooking. The dishes that you prepare reflect your personality.

2. Becoming a Chef Starts by completing your first dish

As the saying goes A journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step, this can also be compared to your dream of being a good good cook, or even a chef. You should accept the fact that experience and constant practice is important to reach your goal.

3. Formal Culinary Education is not necessary, but it is an advantage

For most of us who want to get serious with cooking but do not want to make a career out of it, enrolling in a culinary school is not required; you can be the best cook, even without a diploma. However, there are more important things that you will learn when attending culinary classes.

4. Filipino Recipes are Awesome!

An episode of the program showcased Filipino Recipes by preparing foods that are serve in each contestants hometown during town fiestas. The dishes that the kids made were truly amazing.

5. Do not rely on recipes too much. Use them only as a guide to make your own masterpiece

Recipes especially tested ones are full proof instructions on how to cook a certain dish. Use them when in doubt, but try to add in a little twist to complete a creation that you can call your own.

6. Dare to dream and make it happen

Most of these kids has a dream to be in the culinary field someday. They are doing something to accomplish that dream even at a very young age. No matter if they win or lose the competition, these talented young cooks are determined to make their dream a reality.

7. Fancy cooking tools and equipments is nice to have, but not necessary

This is self explanatory. We can cook simple delicious dishes without using elegant kitchen tools. All we need are simple useful tools such as pans, spatula, and ladle. However, you will need tome specialty tools if you want to take your cooking to the next level.

8. Passion is the most important ingredient for success

Successful people are passionate in what they do. Being passionate lets you ignore hardships and failures. This lets you focus more on solutions and results.

9. Life is similar to cooking. You need to take things one step at a time

Like cooking, life involves a step by step procedure. We cannot do all things at a single time. Let us all be patient and optimistic by doing things one at a! time, h oping for the best at every step of the way.If You enjoyed this post, you might like:

L. Table

Visiting 1 Utama can make me nostalgic for my younger years, when I often came here to polish off plates of roast chicken & lasagna at Dave's Deli, window-shop during my varsity internship & catch fine films at TGV (Good Will Hunting, Titanic, As Good As It Gets).

The mall's expansion & its current renovation have rendered parts of it unrecognizable, but we braved its maze to check out L. Table, probably the closest thing to fine dining at 1U. Note: the restaurant occupies an unlikely venue, within the confines of Lavender Bakery.

L. Table's menu is commendably ambitious. Try the chilled cucumber soup _ this thick, refreshingly tangy puree boasts a twist at the bowl's center: alcoholic herb jelly, laced with Hendrick's gin for a sensuous floral scent.

Carb alert! Lavender & orange Japanese sweet potatoes, roasted with thyme, rosemary & Himalayan rock salt. Aromatically addictive; L. Table's prices are wallet-friendly _ both the cucumber soup & the potatoes cost RM12++ each.

!

Black truffle tagliatelle. Smells temptingly fragrant, but tastes kinda like mushroom carbonara. Maybe our palates have been too pampered by Italian outlets elsewhere; all things considered, this pasta is enjoyably creamy but unexceptional. Still, it's only RM35++, so we can't protest.

Miso black cod (RM40++), satisfyingly sweet & succulent. What's intriguing is the accompaniment of organic quinoa (two types: black & pearl), a source of nutty, toasty graininess that nicely complements the fish & makes this recipe more memorable.

Pappardelle with duck stroganoff. Another pasta that's good but not great; everything on this plate is irreproachably prepared, but it lacks something extra to elevate the experience. Nevertheless, for RM22++, this is a cost-effective alternative to a meal at il Lido.

Cocktails seldom sold elsewhere in KL: French 75 (prosecco, gin, lemon juice, sugar) & La Rosette St Germain (elderflower liquor, sparkling wine, strawberry). Both absolutely delicious, at an astonishingly divine pric! e: RM20+ +.

Batasiolo Cascine prosecco (RM25++ by the glass, RM125++ by the bottle).

Gamay Beaujolais Villages 2009. Wines by the glass cost as low as RM22++.

L.table by Lavender Bakery,

G213, Ground Floor, 1 Utama Shopping Center.

Tel: 03-7728-6933