Hi From KL

I am in Kuala Lumpur with Hub. Our interview at the American Embassy took less than 3 minutes.We took a 2 1/2 hours flight here.

"You two are husband and wife?"
"Yes"
"What do you do Sir?"
"I'm a (blahblah)."
"What firm?"
"My own firm"
"And you?"
"I'm a homemaker...but I was...a banker.." (waste of words for he already started on the next questions)
"How many kids? Where are they?"
(blahblah"), I replied.
"You are going to the States for ONE month? One month? That's a long time. What will you do there for a month"
("Er, work as a maid, a fruit picker, dish washer? nanny? pole dancer?" Wild thoughts) "Travel, travel with my daughter." (Grinned, tried to look humble, ignorant and innocent)
"Any friends, relatives in the US?"
And so on. Anyway, he told us that our visas were approved but can only be picked up the next afternoon. Please, I said, can we have it same day? Sorry, NO. (All US Embassy staff and Immigration people--the Americans, not the locals--have that same polite standoffish no-nonsense attitude, have you noticed.) Aiya, how come the Americans are working like Malaysians? So slow one. My daughter got her visa approved on the spot right after her interview in Shanghai.

Anyway, getting a visa to visit the States is not that hard. They don't ask for proof of financial competence or other documents but it's best to bring, just in case. Also, make sure to bring an extra photo. For those of us who have to travel to KL for the interview, it is inconvenient and costly. For once, I wished I was Bruneian or Singaporean. They are exempted from visas to most countries.

We received a few calls from friends about reports of our daughter's latest art installation in several local newspapers. We will be back tonight but here's a clip from Shanghai's English TV channel. ICS. Notice that they made several mistakes. My daughter's Malaysian, not Indonesian and she's been in SH nearly 11 months, not 1 1/2 years. Finally, she's going to a conference in the! States, not a workshop. And yes, that's Doo Ma in the video. 89 years old and very cool.

Food Escapade: Singapore (part 2)

Continuing the Part 1 of our food indulging trip to SG

Day 2 seems uber ridiculously filled with desserts! Not kidding.

In the morning, we had Ya Kuns half boiled egg and toasts. The egg, ,so perfectly boiled. If only it wasnt so colestrol laden, I would eat so many of it. I am a big big big big fan of half boiled eggs (and any runny yolks)

Then we kinda walked around the quay area and just walked..

And moved our way to IMM near Clementi to meet up with some fellow bloggers. (Kokken69, pigpigscorner, pickyin, maameemoomoo and mrsergul) I had wanted to spend more time getting to know and chatting with them but time didnt permit me much that day as I had to rush over to Mandarin Gallery on Orchard as my friend is meeting another of her friend. Phew, talk about cramping everything in ONE day!

We had so much food!! One of the most interesting one was Tauhu Telur (bottom right pic), it actually was tofu, deep fried in an egg batter served with kicap manis and peanut crumbs, simple but yum! These are just some of the food we had. There were 3 times more dishes that what u see in the picture above. hehe

So after Bali Thai (which was lunch) we headed to Orchard Rd. to begin our dessert adventure (which Ive kinda planned, Maison Kayse! r, Antoi nette and Pauls) and do some shopping. But oh dear, time passed tooo fast!! I missed out on Pauls. I have probably ate (and spent) my 3 weeks worth of desserts.

We hurried our way to Scotts Square for Maison Kayser. I was in between the eclair and tarte citron, went for the tart instead. The citron filling was tart indeed! But it wasnt that smooth as I would want it to be. Ive made Pierre Hermes recipe for lemon curd, for tarte citron, that was silky and smooth!

I took away croissants and pan au chocolate, reheated and ate for supper the next day when Im back home. Flaky and the layers in croissant were so fine! Its good. Its good

Then we headed to Antoinette in Mandarin Gallery to meet my friends ex uni mate from Adelaide as well. They were busy yakking, I was busy eating! No joke. From top left, we have the St Honore lAmour (SGD 8.50). ITs not easy to find a good St Honore. No, rephrase. Its not easy to find any St. Honore at all! Combination of choux and puff pastry, cladded with cream chiboust. The last time I had and made it was about 5-6 years ago! I remember I still was mad at my classmate cause she so itchy handedly turned on the steam and some rust flew onto my pastry!! MAD MAD MAD why on earth would u need to turn on the steam :/

Anyway, managed to scrap all the rust off and filled it up with delicious cream. Its actually a very yummy dessert but it doesnt stay crunchy fo! r long d ue to the cream. This one here from Antoinette, wasnt that great. The choux was hard and the cream was kinda bland.

Move on to the right, Antoinette (SGD 9). Signature piece? They have so so many beautiful cakes but if this was named after Antoinette, it better be damn good! Oh please, it was SO GOOD! Milk chocolate and earl grey combination. Another to-do list! Behind that is a mogador macaron. Just one comment, not enough passionfruit But I like the mild chewiness from the shell.

Below, is canele. sweet caramelized exterior, and inside a chewey crepe like texture. Weird, I kinda like this one here. (Note to self: Its time to use the 7000 won canele moulds.)

We had all desserts with tea, like how the rich tai-tais would do. Hahaha *dreaming*

I know, you must be thinking WHAT??? all in A DAY? not kidding. We had so much sweet the whole afternoon we wanted some brothy soupy salty stuff, and cheap as well. Ramen is the best choice. 2 of our friends came to send us off and had dinner together. It seems like its so easy to find ramen in Singapore? This one was a small kopitiam-ish stall located just inside Cuppage Plaza.

No wait, if u think were done. youre WRONG!

Our friend convinced us to get the Nutella tart from Everthing with Fries in Orchard Central and make a pretend birthday cake for one of our friend. Kid you not. Our flight was due 11.30pm but got delayed till 12.50am. Thank goodness Changi Airport is open till late and we had some time to walk a tiny portion of our calorie intake for the day off. Plus, vodka was so cheap! Next time Im just going to take flight back to KL. Got myself! Malibu and Cointreau (already bought Grand Marnier during my Korea Trip, the thought of having another orange liqueur seems ever so perfect 2 bottles for only about 50+ SGD, which is equivalent to the price of ONE here in KL.

Dark rich nutella chocolate tart with oreo cookie base. Found out that they are the same umbrella group as awfully chocolate. Pfftt no wonder. I mean, how often do u go to a burgers and fries place for tart!

Ok the day after, I couldnt eat anything cause I was too full. still too full.

Ya Kun

Address : 6, Eu Tong Sen St #01-31, The Central Singapore 059817

Bali Thai

Address:2Jurong East Street 21, #01-21IMM Building,Singapore

Maison Kayser

Address:6Scotts Road, #B1-09Scotts Square,Singapore

Antoinette

Address:333AOrchard Road, #02-33/34Mandarin Gallery,Singapore

Ohsho Ramen

Address:5Koek Road, #01-10Cuppage Plaza,Singapore

Everythingwithfries

Address:181Orchard Road, #01-24/25Orchard Central,Singapore

contact

Orange fruit salad with spices Salade doranges aux pices

Case Vecchie in Sicily

I am distracted while trying to decide where I should start. Like Ximena, I think I am suffering from some type of writing block. Or is it that I am simply feeling too jet lagged to gather coherent thoughts?

On Saturday, for example, I baked a cake and I forgot to add flour to it. I dont recall the last time I did something like this.

Its been twoalmost threedays that I am back from Sicily in Italy, but I feel that I am somehow still there. A strong part of me will remain there for a while.

First there are the photos I brought back. So many of them. Then theres the vivid memory of so many friendly faces I met during our wonderful stay with Fabrizia, Mita, and Gianlucas.

We (aka Keiko, Chika, Ximena, Oliver, Nicky, Melissa, and I) were welcomed like family! I was lucky to find myself amongst a group of inspiring talents.

And oh, the foods that we sampled and ate together.

Sicily was rich of life, of moments, places, and faces that were just waiting to be photographe! d.

< p>So I snapped. Snapped. And snapped away.

And because I felt nostalgic of the wonderful foods we ate, last night, I made gnocchi ricotta and crema bianco mangiare (blanc manger)two delicious dishes Fabrizia prepared and treated us to. You will love the recipes, I promise.

In the meantime, while I keep you waiting, I am suggesting an orange fruit salad I had prepared before I left. The oranges and lemons and vanilla oranges and citrons and blood oranges we sampled every day in Sicily were succulent.

I know theyd be amazing in this simple salade de fruits aux oranges.

Thats my welcome to spring.

Orange fruit salad with spices

Also, Id like to thank everyone for the warm welcome my book is currently receiving: from you all to the press. Here are a few of the articles written over the last few weeks.

Boston Phoenix; Boston Globe Magazine; Fine Cooking Magazine; Whole Living Magazine (April issue); Clean Eating Magazine (April issue); Huffi! ngton Po st; New York Times Diners Journal; Wall Street Journal; Bon apptit Magazine, ; Library Journal; Hello Magazine, Canada.

Merci ! It feels good to be in this spot right now.

Orange fruit salad with spices

For 4 people

You need:

• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup blond cane sugar
• 4 star anises
• 1 vanilla bean, split open and seeds scraped out
• 3 cardamon pods
• 1 cinnamon stick
• Drizzle of lemon juice
• 4 blood oranges
• 4 oranges

To serve:

• Mint
• Plain yogurt, to taste

Steps:

• In a pot, combine the water with the sugar. Bring to a simmer and stir, until the sugar is dissolved. Add the spices and simmer for 10 minutes. Stop the heat and let infuse for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool at room temperature then discard the spices. Drizzle lemon juice to taste.
• Using a sharp knife, remove the outer skin of the oranges until you reach the flesh. Remove any white membrane around the orange slices.
• To serve, divide the fruit between four bowls.
• Divide the syrup between them and add a large dollop of plain yogurt and chopped mint (non set is preferrable).

Share and Enjoy:

Proud Mary @ Collingwood, Melbourne

It's back to exploring the Melbourne breakfast scene once again. On a rather cold and raining Saturday morning, we made our way to Proud Mary after hearing how they have this bespoke Synesso coffee machine and serve a mean coffee.


Despite the dreading weather and the location being at the corner of a row of industrial warehouses, half of Melbourne town looked like they made their way here that morning. Faced with a half hour wait, not to mention, the unbearable noise level inside, we said, we will brave the drizzle and sit outside under a big umbrella. It was cold but we got seats straight away, got to chat away without any pressure and we were the only ones making noise.

Look out for this sign or the long queue outside.

After discovering "magic" at St Ali which I am told is a double ristretto shot in slightly less milk than a latte, I was excited to find that they do the same thing here. Cold morning and good coffee, works perfectly.

Much has been said about their Mocha and I guess for star! ters, it is the huge cup it comes in. The Wife finds it too sweet and I didn't try it till it almost become iced chocolate (from the cold weather) so I guess I will take her words for it.

Despite the crowd standing outside the cafe and the crowd inside the cafe, the food was surprisingly quite fast. However fast though, I thought the food was slightly rushed. The rosti was not crisp enough on the surface and I am wondering whether they have just cooked it in batches in an oven instead of pan frying it individually to get the surface crispy. Either that or it wasn't too smart putting hot spinach leaves on top of it. I got to say despite my love for bacon, I don't really like eating crunchy ones. The sauce was also slightly too salty. Despite all that complaints, I still polished it off really quickly, after all, I am not one to waste food.

The Pork Belly Sandwich was rich, hearty and heart clogging too. The Pork Belly was probably twice cooked, oven and probably flash fried, topped off with condiments I can't remember and buttered toast, this should set you right up for the whole day.

I loved the coffees here, having also tried one of their syphon coffees too but gosh at $8 a cup, I was lucky not to have ordered 2 cups of that. The food seemed a little rush, whether I forgive that in view of the! crowd, I am not too sure. Meanwhile, I am happy to come back just for a quick coffee (and if its ever quiet).

Address and contact details:

Verdict: 3.5 stars out of 5 stars. Another one of the more "famous" Melbourne breakfast / brunch places that excels in their coffees.

Morelli's @ Bangsar

Hidden in a Bangsar condo, Morelli's serves surprisingly porky Italian recipes.

The scarcity of customers here on a weeknight seems ominous, but Morelli's rustic pork sausages with couscous & spinach cooked in tomato gravy (RM22.50) deserve to be a crowd-puller, rivaling many higher-priced options in Bangsar.

Morelli's specialty pizza is heaving with hog produce _ salami, bacon, sausages & ham, partnered with olives, onions & capsicum (RM34.50). Savory but not over-salted, juicy without the slightest sogginess, it's far from a refined, truffle-oil-laced pizza, but it's still highly admirable.

Wild boar curry grilled sandwiches (RM9.50). More Indian than Italian, but why nitpick over something this well-prepared? Unexpectedly fiery, it packs a wake-me-up wallop for the taste buds.

Only beer is sold _ Hoegaarden, Foster's & the like. Corkage charge for wine? RM30.

Caveats? The setting can look a little dark & depressing, with so few customers.

High ceilings mean ventilation is sufficient, though there's no air-conditioning.

And finally: with only one waitress & possibly one cook in the kitchen, patience is a virtue here. Note that Morelli's accepts only cash.

Morelli's,

Bayu Angkasa Condominium, Jalan Medang Kapas, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2284-0700

Opens starting noon, last orders at 10:30pm. Closed Tuesdays.

Macarons @ After Ate, The Intermark Mall, Kuala Lumpur

20th March was declared as World Macaron Day by Pierre Herme. All day I was thinking of macarons but because I was too busy, I couldn't find the time to go to one of my favorite macaron spots to get my fix. That evening, we ended up meeting a friend at The Intermark. While walking past After Ate to get to Tate, I saw that they still had macarons on sale, so decided to try them out.

Macarons from After Ate

After Ate is another one of The Big Group's brainchild. It is KL's first dedicated dessert lounge and a complement to their gastropub, Estate (next door which we have tried and will blog soon). After Ate isoffering 2 bottles of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin for RM380++ (or RM32++ per glass) which is a pretty good deal if you want to sit with your girlfriends and enjoy a leisurely afternoon together. Every Wednesday, they also have a complimentary dessert buffet for ladies - will go try that sometime.

Sugar rush alert...

Since we were heading toTate, I took some photos outside where it was brighter before bringing them to Tate (those who have been to Tate will know howdimly lit it is inside). There were 5 flavours available that evening and I decided to try them all - passionfruit, chocolate, strawberry, green tea and blackcurrant.

If you look at the macarons on display, you will notice that they are not of uniform sizes. I actually requested for the ones with the thickest fillings (some had very little). The texture was a little too crunchy for my liking, but the fillings tasted nice. I especially like the passionfruit, blackcurrant and green tea. They all tasted as the flavours stated (not purely tasting of sugar) and not super sweet. If they improve on the texture of the macaron, then I would definitely be getting these much more often. The macarons are priced at RM3.90++ each.

One of my macarons had a crack in the shell already :(

Thick fillings

Ate my macarons in Tatewith a glass of wine. Usually I share my macarons with Hubby but I finished all 5 on my own as he was busy chatting with friends. Definite sugar rush!

This is the green tea macaron

Blackcurrant macaron

Just before we left our house, I had red dragonfruit... sharing this photo as I think it looks very cute: heart-shaped dragonfruit. :)

Opening times: 10am to 9pm. Closed on Sundays.

Location: After Ate, G-02, Ground Floor, The Intermark, 182 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2161 4160

GPS Coordinates: 3.161620, 101.719670

The case of the disappearing giant macaron

I was already in bed when Bald Eagle came home from work. As he reached over to kiss me, I could detect a faint smell of coffee on his breath. To be specific, it smelled like caramel latte. To be even more precise, it smelled like the caramel latte macaron I had just bought from Delectable by Su that evening which I hoped to savour the next day.

Mmmm.the macaron was good, he murmured.

Dont tell me you ate my macaron, I said.

Of course I ate it, he said, nonchalantly.

But its MY macaron, I exclaimed.

Yup, he replied.

My macaron.

Uh-huh.

********

An hour later, I nudged him, trying to call his bluff. You really ate my macaron?

Its gone now.

You ate my macaron, I sniffled.

If it wereyourmacaron, dear, you wouldnt have displayed it in full prominence in the fridge to tempt me, he explained, as he would to a child.

And with that, the matter was closed.

********

Having tasted several giant macarons from the shop prior to the case of my disappearing macaron, I can attest to the fact that Sus macarons have a lovely texture; a crisp outer shell and a fudgy centre, with flavours that are not overly cloying. The size, easily 6-7 cm in diameter, allows for more consistency in texture. I do love the lemon raspberry macaron which provides a refreshing contrast in flavours. The salt in the salted chocolate macaron, on the other hand, is a bit undetectable I would have liked it more had the flavour been more prominent. However, I am unable to comment on the caramel latte macaron thanks to a hungry husband, but Im hoping hell read this and return the favour one day. Soon.

Delectable by Su
Shops in The Garden! s Mall a nd Pavilion KL.

EARTH-SPECIALLY FOR YOU

Raise a toast to Dorsett Regency KL's pledged to support of Earth Hour on 31 March! The hotel team aims to createbetter awareness and draw hotel guests to support the worthy cause throughseveral interesting activities.

Besidesswitching off lights and reducing usage of electricity for an hour on thatevening, guests can participate in the campaign by dining in candlelight atChecker's Cafe/Cellini's with Executive Chef KK Yau and his team preparing alow-energy, more eco-friendly menu.

Aspecial cocktail concoction named Window Slide refreshes the palate, remindingyou of the fresh vitality of life through its tangy-sweet concoction of lemon,lime and orange juices blended with mint leaves.

Thechef's tasty tapas of Foie Croquette with Yuzu Marmalade got the ball rolling.We love the fried morsel of duck liver foie gras encrusted in breadcrumbs; itscrispiness is less cloying when paired with some fresh micro sprouts and a tinydollop of mildly sweet citrusy marmalade.

Thispaves way for his next starter of Australian King Fish Sashimi with PastramiSpice. The sashimi-grade fish's rich succulence is lightly tempered by apalate-tingling mixture of fennel and mustard seeds, ground black and whitepepper, chopped garlic and parsley on a bed of fresh salad.

I lovepartaking the Heirloom Tomato Consomme. Depending on whether you love or loathecooking, this clear broth is a labour of love (or pain!) that demands detailedpreparation and saintly patience to make. I thought it most befitting that thecrystal clear and intensely flavourful broth is served with a grand flourish;poured piping hot from a teapot into our soup dish bearing a single square ofhomemade mozzarella ravioli and a cherry tomato stuffed with mozzarella.

We takenby surprise by the unexpected moistness of the filling inside the Ballantine ofOrganic Chicken on Osso Bucco of Organic Carrots. Chef Yau explained thatchopped chestnuts had been added into the cheese and turkey ham stuffing togive better moisture. He also revealed that the 'osso bucco' in this! instanc e refersto the braising of baby carrots in white stock, a reduction of chicken stock andherb infusion to tenderise them. Overall, it certainly ensures the chickenrolls remain moist and juicy to the bite.

Thefinal crescendo came when I dug into the fudgy-soft Steamed Chocolate Browniewith Organic Hazelnut Ganache. Rich, nutty but spongy light, this brownie is afar cry from the usual dried crumbly versions that I had encountered. Kudos toPastry Chef Badrul Hisham for such a luscious creation...whose dulcet voice isas soulful as his dessert.