Macarons @TWG Tea Salon & Boutique, ION Orchard Singapore

Since I've only managed to try only 2 macaron places so far during this Singapore trip, we decided to go to TWG Tea in ION Orchard just before heading back to our hotel to check-out. I was quite full after our 3rd breakfast stop at Pique Nique, so I suggested that we just take-away some macarons. However, since the ION Orchard outlet looked quite empty on a Sunday morning, we changed our mind and decided to sit in and enjoy our macarons.

Tea-infused macarons from TWG Tea Singapore

This TWG outlet has an open concept, and is located next to Miu Miu on the 1st floor. They actually have another outlet on the 2nd floor, we walked past it after we've eaten here. The tea selection that they have here is mindblowing... TWG Tea actually have the largest collection of tea in the world (over 1000), so much variety that they have a tea book to help you select your preferred tea. A pot of tea here will cost around S$11.

Tea List and a Tea Book, explaining each type of tea in detail

I skipped the tea and went straight for the macarons. TWG Tea's macarons are infused with their signature teas, and are described as a "crispy almond biscuit with a soft centre". They have 8 flavours to choose from - and I pick 6, napoleon tea and caramel, camelot tea & praline, earl grey fortune & chocolate, bain de roses tea, lemon bush tea, and grand wedding tea, passion fruit & coconut.

Of all the flavours, my favorite was the bain de roses while Hubby likes the chocolate. Texturewise, I found it a little too soft for my liking, I prefer the centre to be slightly chewier. Some of them also have ugly feet and don't look very pretty visually. But overall they are pretty decent.

Hubby also ordered a Tea Shake (S$11) - TWG tea milkshake with any tea ice cream or sorbet from the list. Hubby picked the Earl Grey Fortune ice cream (with rich notes of black tea, bergamot &chocolate). We enjoyed this very much.

!

View of the outlet from above

Just a few steps away

Verdict: Macarons are decent, flavours are quite unique. The tea shake was lovely as well. However, service here is less than desirable. Am planning to visit the TWG Tea outlet in Pavilion KL soon.

Full menu can be viewed by clicking on the links here.

Opening times: 10am to 10pm daily.

Price: Total bill S$27.05.

Location: TWG Tea Salon & Boutique, ION Orchard, #01-29, 2 Orchard Turn, Singapore 238801

Tel: +65 6463 1837

Nearest MRT: Orchard

Website:http://www.twgtea.com

Dong Po Rou.

The top choice meat in Chinese cooking is still pork-it can be cooked into many different styles.

Dongpo rou, a Hangzhou dish, named after Su Tungpo ( a poet ) is one of my favorite.

The best cut of pork to use is preferably the pork belly.

Boil the piece of pork belly in a pot of hot boiling water.

Discard water-pat dry-puncture holes in the skin with a fork.

Rub dark soy sauce on the pork belly.

Deep fried it for awhile.


Place it in a porcelain bowl with 3 spoonful of golden brown melted coarse sugar, 2/8 of a piece of star anise, fill it up with 3/4 Chinese Shao Xing wine.

Cover it and braise it under a slow medium flame for 1 hour until tender or to your liking.

Dish up with blanched broccoli.

Dongpo Rou - wholesome 3 layer pork belly with a crisp skin (puncture with a fork)-if you like it with a smooth wobbly tender skin, do not puncture ti !

Bon Apptit, Banana Republic create frocks to go with food

The magazine and US retailer have teamed up to create a Desk to Dinner fashion collection.

SAN FRANCISCO, July 5 Clothing retailer Banana Republic is teaming up with food magazine Bon Apptit to promote a new collection thats supposed to be versatile enough for both the office and an after-work dinner at a chic restaurant.

An advertising campaign for the collaboration dubbed Desk to Dinner will hit North American markets hard over the next few weeks, with local chefs from restaurants in cities like Chicago, Houston and Miami making appearances in stores and social media sites created to engage consumers, reports The New York Times.

In a Desk to Dinner section of the clothing brands website, which goes live next Monday, editors of Bon Apptit will post restaurant reviews that will be linked to online reservation site OpenTable.

Bon Apptits interest in fashion comes as no surprise given that editor-in-chief Adam Rapoport comes from the sartorial world. Before heading the foodie publication last year, Rapoport was GQ magazines style editor.

It is not the first foodie collaboration the clothing retailer has undertaken. Last Christmas, Banana Republic teamed up with California winery Clos du Bois to create limited edition holiday bottles for women, with hand-sketched labels of cocktail dresses and sweeping frocks.

In high fashion, designers Tsumori Chisato and Christian Louboutin have lent their artistry to macaron boutique and tea salon Ladure in France. AFP/Relaxnews

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Ramadan Buffet 2012 @ Essence, Sheraton Imperial Hotel KL

During the Holy month of Ramadan (23 July - 17 August 2012), the halal-certified Essence in Sheraton Imperial KL will be featuring a delectable spread of imperial specialities from the nine royal states of Malaysia to break fast in style.

Aptly themed Santapan de Raja, the buffet spread features a variety of authentic and traditional cuisine from the Palaces. Led by the hotels three Malay specialty chefs, the buffet spread promises a culinary adventure by Chef Jamsari, Chef Kamaruddin and Chef Razak, all armed with years of experience in preparing authentic and traditional Malay dishes.

You will find palace specialities such as Lemang, Serunding, Grilled Fish with Air Assam and Kicap from Selangor, Nasi Briyani and Roasted Whole Lamb with Briyani from Johor, Traditional Assam Pedas with Vegetables & Seafood and Kuih Gandus from Malacca, Daging Masak Hitam from Kedah, Ayam Madu from Pahang, Nasi Kandar from Penang, Kuih Bengkang, Pais Ikan (baked marinated fish with coconut), Chicken and Beef Satay, Jala Emas and much more. Each of these dishes have an interesting tale behind it and why it was chosen as a royalty dish.

The Santapan de Raja experience boasts more than 100 mouth-watering Ramadan specialities as well as International dishes, including the traditional selection of kerabus, jeruk and ulam-ulam. There will also be fun-filled action stations whipping up Roti Canai, Murtabak, Roti John. Of course, there will also be the Sushi bar, Steamboat counter, Asian stand, Indian corner and much more.

No buka puasa fare is complete without tempting desserts - traditional favourites such as Seri Muka, Kuih Lapis, Kuih Talam, Bengkang Bunga, Kasui, Bingka Ubi, Pulut Tai Tai, Pulut Inti, Kuih Ketayap, Onde-Onde Buah Melaka, Putu Piring, Putu Bamboo as well Date cake, Cheese cake, Chocolate pudding, Sago Gula Melaka, Mango pudding, Panna cotta pistachio, Tapai Pulut Daun Getah, Tapai Ubi, Dodol, Cream caramel, Fruit jelly and Ais Krim Potong.

The buffet is priced at RM108.00++ per person and is available for dinner only from 23 July to 17 August 2012.

*Receive a complimentary seat for every 9 paying guests and 30% discount off for dinners from 23 to 29 July 2012 and from 13 to 17 August 2012. Additionally, each guest will receive a golden chocolate egg in an organza bag as a giveaway. For those who like to have their Ramadan at home, their famous Briyani Rice is available for takeaway at Toastina Caf & Bar from 16 July to 19 August at RM10 nett per person and is available from 4pm until 6pm.

Available during dinner (daily) 6.30 pm - 10.30 pm.

Price: RM108++ per person.

Location: Essence, Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur Hotel, Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2717 9933

GPS Coordinates: 3.158813, 101.700203

Recipe: Rum and Raisin Cake

Recipe taken from My Kitchen Snippets.I reduced the fat used to 140g butter and 60g canola oil (instead of recipe saying 226g of butter), reduced the sugar to 150g as well (instead of originally 200gm)

raisin left to drain over a bowl, so that the rum could be mixed into the cake batter in earlier stage, and the raisin be mixed in towards the end.

butter, canola oil and sugar. Decreased the butter and add in oil to make a lighter cake.

orange zest added in

raisins mixed in with some flour so that it doesnt sink to the bottom of the cake. Lastly. add the raisins into the batter.

looks nice

done, looks nice here

cross section, quite nice, with rum taste.

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