Books & Signings

Ill begin with the signings.

King of Prussia, PA.Short Hills, NJ as good as New York City, NY.

Three cities in three days

as good as full of fun.

as good as assembly lots of good people.

This is Esther. we adore putting faces with the people which Ive emailed with. She makes the cutest small handle whisk necklaces.

You contingency check them out.

King of Prussia had lots of small cutie pies in the store.

Lots of them.

Lots.

Including these charmers. So cute in their matching tees.

Even the Williams-Sonoma folks assimilated in upon the fun. This is Brian as good as Mandy. Loved them.

Then in Short Hills, we met some-more wonderful people. These folks welcomed me with smiling faces.

And cute cupcakes. The lo! vely imm ature woman in the pink scarf upon top of done these. We may or may not have shared the cry.

This is Melanie. Shes the Pop Star of the Star Wars variety. Check em out.

Look during these two. Stylish. Both of them.

And these two. Smiling as good as carrying the good time, notwithstanding getting in the small automobile collision upon the approach to the signing.

So glad no the single was hurt.

I adore these photos. Trying to get everybody to look during the same camera during the same time is easier than it sounds.

Side wave.

Bye New Jersey.

Hello New York.

Again everybody was so fun.

Including their sweetly painted fingernails.

Families came out together.

And immature bakers did, too. This is Kaira. Another Pop Star.

An d heres Nora. If we recollect saying the Cupcake Kabobs all over the web well, she proposed that.

Laughter all around.

And look its Rachel from Cupcakes Take The Cake. we was so glad to eventually meet her. If we adore cupcakes as good as we dont know about this site, or youve been under the rock, let me introduce you.

New York was the fantastic approach to finish the Book debate or so we thought.

There will be the single some-more summation as good as afterwards thats it.

I hear the garland of we entertaining because which eventually equates to some-more baking right?! YAY! YAY! YAY!

Anyway Toronto is entrance up this weekend. And it turns out Ill be during two locations.

If youre in Toronto, as good as cant have the Williams-Sonoma signing upon Saturday, Ill also be during Teatro Verde during 4:30 pm upon Friday. Hope to meet we guys.

And as usual if we attended the signing as good as see your print in the single of the slideshows below, feel giveaway to use it. Thanks again for making the debate so much fun.

Okay, okay which was the signings.

Now for the books.

Im giving away ten of them. Ten Cake Pop! s books. And signed if we like.

• To come in for the possibility to win one, only leave the criticism upon this blog post as good as tell me what legal holiday provide we cant wait for to eat.
• Deadline to come in is Wednesday, Dec 1st during 5:00 pm ET.
• Ten (10) winners will be selected during random as good as announced by the finish of the week.

Good luck guys!

Book Review & Writing Tips

Kale and Sweet Potato Soup

Good grief.

Im freezing cold. I want Taco Bell. I want to eat vanilla ice thickk cream with chocolate salsa in the prohibited tub.

I can feel myself being the vital brat.

Ill solve for the giant scarf. A large play of this full of health soup. Hot chocolate as well as the bath as well as Ill stop being the dang brat.

I similar to kale as most as I similar to brownies.

Wait could Kale Brownies be the thing? My conduct competence explode.

Let me tell you because this soup makes everything better.

Big, gnarly kale leaves are shredded as well as baked down with tasty honeyed potatoes (yams), swimming in the somewhat spicy coconut broth. With the flavors of turmeric, ginger as well as coconut this soup is super comforting as well as tasty served over the large bed of brownish-red rice.

Healthy. Warm. Comforting.

Follow with the warm bath as well as the brownie just cause which seems dreamy.

Kale as well as Sweet Potato Soup

inspired by Food as well as Wine

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, chopped fine

2 teaspoons uninformed ginger, chopped fine

3/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon dejected red peppers

3/4 pound kale, tough stems removed as well as roughly chopped

1 1/2 pounds honeyed potatoes (yams), peeled as well as dic! ed in to 3/4-inch cubes

1 1/2 quart duck or unfeeling broth

1 teaspoon salt

fresh belligerent pepper, to taste

1 crater canned unsweetened coconut milk

2 cups baked brownish-red rice

In the large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions as well as prepare down until proposal as well as translucent, about five minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric as well as dejected red peppers flakes. Cook, stirring, for about 1 minutes.

Add the honeyed potato chunks as well as stir.

Add the duck or unfeeling gas as well as move to the simmer.

Add the kale once the gas is simmering as well as submerge all of the leaves, helping them to prepare down.

Cook for about 20 minutes, or until the honeyed potatoes have become tender.

Add salt as well as peppers to taste.

Lastly, stir in coconut milk, heat through as well as offer over the bed of brownish-red rice.

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Fusion or Confusion? Fusion Cuisine in Perspective.

from Paranoid Android by Paranoid Android

First of all, apologies for not being totally forthright with my previous post. Being a food blogger is rather perilous nowadays. Not only do we have to be careful of the sensitivities of the Restaurant owner and the Chef. We also have a responsibility to our fellow bloggers, giving everybody a bad rap may bring a wave of repercussions which includes banning of photography in restaurants or just simply being bad mouthed. That is why in most food blogs, the comments on the food tend to be a little bit restrained. Maybe years of living under the benevolence if an Omnipotent and Omniscient Government has subjugated us into docility. I practice rigorous self censorship, of which I am never proud of.

Well, here goes. To me, the Wagyu Beef Carpaccio doused in mayo, was a complete disaster. I am unable to comprehend why a perfectly good cut of meat, beautifully seared and succulent must have it's beautifully natural taste obscured by some cheap MSG tinged mayonnaise? Can you ever imagine having Foie with Chilli Sauce? It just does not make sense to me. It's like getting to boink Angelina Jolie and insist that she remains clothed all the time in some Sungai Wang Trollop's attire. Reeks of some cheap obsession with polyester.

One of the passages from Thomas Keller's French Laundry Cookbook states: "Another source of pleasure in cooking is respect for food. To under-cook a lobster, and send it to a customer, and have him send it back, is not only a waste of the lobster and all those involved in it's life, it is a waste of the potential of pleasing that customer. Respect for food is a respect for life, for who we are and what we do." What a beautiful passage. To think of food as a funeral rite for the animal, an elaborate ceremony that ends up satisfying our lust for delicious food. It does put things into perspective.

I know it is hard to imagine an altruistic Wagyu Cattle which chose to sacrifice it's own life for the sake of nourishing humans after a relatively short existence in luxury compared to it's more plebeian cousins. What ever it is, a life was still sacrificed and in this case, in vain. Ditto with the Yellowtail Carpaccio. The natural taste of the fish had been obscured by the over powering garlic and they have just discovered a new way of desecrating dead oysters.

Capraccio of Hiramasa with Smoked Ikura Roe and Herbs, Sage.

At the risk of sounding like a pompous prick, this worked. Simple reason. No mayonnaise, the white stuff is light sour cream foam with lime, lightly drizzled with Oba Vinaigrette. All complementing faultlessly to the beautiful cut of Hiramasa, and never overpowering it.

I am not a purist. Two of my favourite restaurants serve French-Japanese Fusion. So, am I being a hypocritical, two faced elitist when I lambasted the food at the previous eatery? Some things have no reason to be together. Like Ibrahim Ali and Nobel Prize winners for instance. Or Expensive, beautiful cuts with ingredients that overwhelm rather than to enhance the enjoyment. The resulting gustatory nightmare can never be pleasant.

Good Fusion Cooking is the masterful and propitious blending of different ingredients and cooking techniques from different parts of the world. It is not throwing together ingredients like confetti at a wedding and hoping for the best.

Parmesan Coated Asparagus with Egg Mollet, Sage.
An obvious play on Tempura. Imagine a thin, light coat of Tempura flour, slightly seasoned with cheese. Beautifully fried till crispy and not oil sogged. A side of Truffle Sauce, thickened with semi cooked egg white with a wobbly half cooked yolk. Genius.

I love Thomas Keller's philosophy of cooking and food. The opening passage of his "French Laundry Cookbook" begins with, "When you acknowledge, as you must, that there is no such thing as perfect food, only the the idea of it, then the real purpose of striving toward perfection becomes clear: To make people happy. That's what cooking is all about."

I know it is impossible to satisfy everybody, and most restaurants will take the shortcut to success by jumping into the fray and serving the same kind of crowd pleasing food (probably pleases the prepubescent teen hooked on J-pop and Manga more than their parents), "fusion" and soulless food. That is exactly the problem with Japanese food in KL. Try to name me a good Omakase joint? If my schedule allows, I will hopefully be able to make it to Sushi Dokoro Maeshima's reincarnation, Kapoh Muneharu at Federal Hotel soon. I hope I will be able spin a happier post from the experience.

Carrot and Fennel Soup

Before we share a recipe for a soup we enjoyed for lunch today, we feel constrained to tell we something about myself. Here goes. I'm a sort of chairman who owns a single umbrella. One umbrella we unequivocally like, instead of 4 umbrellas we sort-of like. It's a bent that carries over in to alternative areas of my life (books as well as magazines aside) as well as it functions out nicely given a apartment isn't particularly large. But it's raining today, as well as I'm sitting here next to a window, lovely play of soup in front of me, thinking about my favorite umbrella. Midnight blue adorned with tiny, pin-point white dots, it has scalloped edges as well as folds down to a distance that can usually be accommodated by my bag. It braves a clever breeze with confidence, as well as guides rivulets of H2O out past my shoulders prior to vouchsafing them drop - keeping me dry in a process. we bought it during a Muji store in Tokyo, as well as entirely enjoyed carrying it as my stormy day partner. It went with me to France. It went with me to Spain. And then, a couple of months back, it went with me to Tartine - a object pennyless through, we sat outside, visited with a couple of friends, had a couple of treats, as well as when we walked divided from a list we must have left it bending to a behind of my chair. My goal is that someone found it, took it home, as well as right away likes it as much as we did. we consider about it upon days similar to today, we someway can't help it. I've tried three umbrellas given we lost a Muji, as well as utterly frankly, stormy days aren't utterly a same.

The soup? we riffed upon a recipe from The Essential New York Times Cookbook. we often crave clean, elementary dishes in between all a legal holiday decadence, as well a! s there was a carrot & fennel soup in Amanda's book that sounded only right. It's simple, brothy, as well as a undiluted approach to make use of up a garland of bushy-topped farmers' marketplace carrots. we added furious rice, though we could make use of an additional pellet if we like. Or omit he furious rice exactly - it isn't in a original recipe. we also had a vibrant blood orange olive oil upon hand, so we used that to add a citrusy accent to this soup, we can positively make use of fresh orange extract instead. And, as we mention below, we can tip with a poached egg as well as have a one-dish dish upon your hands. we goal all of we here in a U.S. enjoyed a long weekend as well as were means to spend it with friends as well as family. -h

Continue celebration of the mass Carrot as well as Fennel Soup...

Living & Leisure Buzz

Dining Out @ Plan B, Bangsar Village I

reminds us a small of Bread Shop rite?
Hold your horses everyone, ditch your devise A as well as opt instead of Plan B - a ultimate dining opening during Bangsar Village I. Taking over a lot which used to residence Theobroma Chocolate Lounge, it's a snazzy small place which has an industrial-like face with a hold of New York. Don't worry, it's not completely Americanised as it has Malaysian touches similar to aged black-and-white P Ramlee movies upon their large television screens as well as stomach favourites similar to Nonya Laksa, Nasi Dagang, Nasi Lemak in their menu.
raspberry lemon meringue cakes, muffins
We absolutely lurve this placeand you prognosticate it is going to be a new hangout place in Bangsar. I've got lustful memories about this particular space in Bangsar Village given it was originally Bakerzin, a single of my favourite joints in town prolonged long ago. You got to tumble in love with a place which has such a smashing tagline stamped upon their take-away brown bags - "When hold up gives you lemonade...make lemonade" as well as "Always have a devise b, given coffee creates you groovy". you reckon, a owners aren't just going to stop during this opening given it's a really good sign, they have labeled this as their first outlet.
fisherman's catch
Before you get into a food (so wizz down if that's all you need!), a word upon a interiors. It has an unfinished look with a unpainted cement floor as well as a unprotected ceiling with a pipes. you love a industrial touches - a garage door entrance (that slides upon tip to save space)andth! e unprot ected lights. There's additionally a small aged in a space with those turn black flip light switches as well as aged seeking clock. Now all they need is a small soil upon their transparent windows as well as they'll unequivocally look similar to an aged New York bistro.
lasagna, simple menu with a dog clip, sharp crabmeat linguine
The interior is only part of a total story as a food creates up a total story - all beautifully displayed upon a prolonged opposite in stainless steel potion domed baked sweat bread stands or wooden play as well as their huge potion display cabinet. It's not tough to suppose noses as well as hands pressed opposite which potion oohing as well as aahing over a delicious displaysincethat was what you literally went gaga over: cakes, muffins, bars as well as breads - a works!

enjoying a duck confit ciabatta

For dinner, it was a mix of sandwiches as well as pasta. you lurve my endorsed sharp crabmeat linguine (RM19) - a tomato based pasta savoury from a prawn oil, lemongrass as well as kaffir lime. PLindulges inthe wild mushroom linguine (RM18) with thyme truffle oil as well as lemon. Splashie Boy longed for to steer transparent from meat (he was eating ahuge Turkey Thanksgivinglunch a subsequent day) so it was a fisherman's catch (RM22). He raved about a divert bun studded with black as well as white sesame seeds which sandwiched his fish strap with a homemade tartare.A lurch of lemon juice seemed to supplement an additional oomph to a total ensemble. you similar to how they give unusual crisps with a sandwiches - honeyed potato as well as yam ones.
mushroom ciabatta! , enjoyi ng themselves

I got a ambience of HK's roasted mushroom ciabatta (RM23) as well as desired a silky hardness of a mushrooms. They ran out of ciabatta so instead they gave her a wholemeal bread instead. There's even a small pesto widespread upon a bread. J had a duck confit ciabatta (RM24) with caramelised onions which she wholly enjoyed.
brioches

Once mains were done, it was down to critical business....choosing out desserts. Splashie Boy as well as J took up which charge valiantly as well as returned with loads of stuff. The list was literally groaning from a honeyed choices - lemon meringue spicy (not as well spicy with a light crust), passionfruit spicy (a small similar to a custard spicy with really small passionfruit taste) andcarrot baked sweat bread (nifty in a baking paper folded cup as well as tasting similar to a homebaked one).

petit fours, yummy stuff
The winner of a show primarily was a chorizo gruyere cheese muffin - a chunky a single (fit for a brekkie!) with chopped chorizo sausage, tomatoes in a gruyere cheese fragrant muffin. Simply wonderful, you were all fighting for this. But entrance out forward similar to a dim horse, was a chocolate truffle spicy - dense but silky to a tongue chocolate with a skinny layer of biscuit crumbs to drive you turn a edge of heaven. Decadent but so good!

display of cakes

There's loads some-more to try you reckon, so we'll really revisit again as well as again. HK packaged behind an apple muffin for breakfast.She gave it her thumbs upthe subsequent day as it has a mo! ist part icle after it was exhilarated up.

chocolate truffle

Judging from a throng of familiar faces there, you reckon word is out which a good place has opened up. Hopefully they keep it up a standards as there's a total lot of inspired people out there seeking for a decent place to dine.

Plan BGround FloorBangsar Village IBangsarKuala Lumpur

(Pork Free. Open from morning to 10pm. Located opposite Starbucks in Bangsar Village I. More cinema are in a Flickr set.)

*Disclaimer: The opinions voiced here is wholly based upon my personal tastebuds as well as might vary for others. This examination is time sensitive; changes might start to a place after upon which can start this opinion. The reviewer additionally declares which she has not received any monetary or non-monetary compensation from this place for writing a review.

Other reviews:
thenomadGourmandEat Drink KL
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On French Wine and Food

How quickly our stately Autumn has slid into Winter. Early this year have been the snows, the ice, the school closures as well as the postmen ditching their shorts for scarves, gloves as well as woolly hats, only similar to us normal people.

Tastes as well change with the seasons. Now it is all delayed baked stews, warming soups, breakfast porridge, low red wines as well as autumnal flavours. The evocatively illustrated pages of The French Country Table have helped me along - the all bistro styled foods, elementary to prepare yet full of flavour. Those with some-more of an autumnal hue embody Hachis Parmentier (Beef as well as Potato gratin), Poulet Saut l'estragon (Chicken with Tarragon) as well as Gratin de Courge et de Riz (Pumpkin as well as Rice Gratin) have all been created in my common kitchen over the last couple of weeks.

Chou Rouge Aux Marrons et Aux Pommes (Braised Red Cabbage With Chestnuts as well as Apples) was the single of the some-more successful as well as flavourful it has to be said. Basically delayed baked sliced red cabbage, baked with onion as well as bacon lardons, with the in progress apple as well as chestnuts combined too. It is recommended with an Alsatian Riesling - both in the plate as well as to splash with it. But with deep, tasty sausages as well as howling winds outward the red booze seemed some-more apt.

The cork therefore dutifully private from the bottle of Chateau Blomac 2008 [Adegga / Snooth]. It's the standard Minervois blend of 50% Syrah, 30% Carignan as well as 20% Grenache - the single of my prime grape mixes in any case of percentages. Oldish vines for the Syrah as well as Carignan, 45 years apparently, from an estate brought only two years ago. Chateau Blomac's 200 acres of vines distortion in between Narbonne as well as Carcassone producing often Vin de Pays ! varietal wines (retailing for around 6.49). This Minervois goes for 7.99 the bargain for the silky palate, fine structure as well as berry-led flavours. There is some-more to the booze than the elementary berry-fest though, the fine complexity of piquancy as well as thigh-hugging tanned hide creates the recent Gold Medal win at the little French booze competition some-more understandable. Justified too; the delight as well as beautiful with the Beef as well as Potato Gratin (basically the glorified Cottage Pie) the following night.

The Absolutely Cracking Wines From France traffic tasting seemed to manage yet my attendance at the commencement of October. Superbly yet Sopexa sent me the couple of left over samples to try yet those trouser wearing postmen managed to broach the dripping, crushed box - we goal which wasted Beaujolias made the right disaster in the behind of the Parcel Force van! What did survive yet was the bottle from Domaine Sainte Rose. Their La Nuit Blanche Roussanne 2008 [Adegga / Snooth] was sublime! I've sampled it in the past as well as was underwhelmed; this yet - due to the small bottle age maybe or only sappy vines - was stunning. The perfect match to which Tarragon Chicken.

Way, way behind in 'the early days' we visited Charles as well as his family not long after they had brought the estate only outward Pxenas. I've been the fan of their red wines since. This Roussanne was superb; coupling the smashing textural peculiarity with the abounding density as well as long durability finish. There has been the small ash aging we think with the little lees stirring to supplement to the complexity. I'm off down Waitrose to buy the bottle - 8.99 we hold - to see how it matches with Pintade aux Lentils (Guinea Fowl with Lentils), another tantalising plate from The French Country Table.

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