Yes, I'm finally updating. The photos took a hell of a time uploading, about a week. ^_^ We went down to Highlander Coffee(49 kampong bahru road) for a coffee appreciation workshop, where we learnt of the delights and various details of coffee. Here we are on the bus, unable to contain our excitement.

except for dolly, old people tend to nap alot. the men of the evening. Um, I kind of forgot their names. oops! But they're brothers and they own/run the store. Very engaging! Thats why we give them our fullest attention.
master at work here.. and TADA, a beautiful cup of latte with raspberry syrup. Its so pretty you don't feel like stirring it.

more coffee foam designs....Coffee beans from various parts of the world. Abarabica: good quality, low in caffeine. Robusta: not so good quality, high in caffeine.
The espresso machine, it takes alot of practice to get the perfect brew. We didn't get to make our own coffee though.
This is what the coffee powder looks like after the coffee is brewed.

Happy culinarians after the coffee workshop. Who wouldn't be with such great presenters? (of course, the free flow of coffee did play a part...) There're alot more pictures with me. Thanks to suyi and her camwhoring. I'll upload them..somewhere...eventually.. toodles!

xinru

Katong Food Trip Part 1

WoohooOoo! 

I'm BACK. Again.

Ok, i admit that hvnt been studying in between, but RATHER, was editing e photos and putting them in e CORRECT orientation, and basically, making the ugly pict

ures (guess who took it?) nicer. yeah, check out e before editing pics

SO, here's our first stop for that evening- 

Kim Choo Peranakan Restaurant

Founded over 40 years ago, Kim Choo Kueh Chang is famous for its Nonya d

umplings, bak zhang and other Peranakan kuehs. It conducts demonstration on the art of making Nonya zhang too, but we didnt catch that.

Their dumplings are nice, but the place is even nicer, with peranakan antiques, porcelain, embroidery and stuff like that decorating the place. Which gives it a nice homey feel, dining amidst a mini "museum" showcasing e many unique aspects of the peranak

an culture. We even got a guided tour around the place by the owner, raymond.

Shiling! Upload the rest of the pics in ur phone!

some spices commonly used in peranankan cooking

The dumpling making workstation. check out the huge and heavy mortar at the bottom left corner. To think that the perankan girls actually used them!

Our friendly guide Raymond

Some facts we've learnt about Peranakan cooking and their distinct culture:

(from http://www.kimchoo.com/ourculture.html)

The Roots of Local-born Chinese

The Peranakans have long been part of Singapore’s complex cultural landscape, with their colorful heritage and acculturation of Chinese and Malay traditions. This marriage of traditions gave birth to new customs and beliefs, unique practices and diverse cuisines.

The term Peranakan in Malay literally translates as ”descendants”, and was used to describe offspring of local Malay women and Chinese businessmen who had settled in the Straits Settlement and Malay Archipelagos during the 19^th century.

More specifically, male descendants were called Babas and female descendants Nonyas while senior females were recognized as Bibiks.

Most of these descendants, although retaining their Chinese beliefs, also adopted local indigenous lifestyle. Thus, giving birth to the unique practices of the Peranakans and even their own variation of the Malay language called Baba Malay.

Customs

A large part of peranakan customs comes from traditional beliefs inherited from their Chinese ancestors. Their strict observance to these beliefs sometimes supplants even the Chinese themselves.

The family unit is an important facet of the Peranakans, and family members within the same tree can usually be found living under one roof much like their Chinese counterparts.

Nevertheless, the true feature that defines the Peranakans is their ability to embrace modern thinking. For instance, unlike the traditional Chinese who in the past, favored male offspring, Peranakans deemed both sons and daughters equal rights to the family fortune.

Thrills for the Taste Buds

Peranakan food is probably the most diverse and distinctive of all local cuisines. A marriage of cooking styles, Nonya cuisines combine the preparation techniques of both traditional Chinese and Malay cooking.

This unusual marriage gives Nonya cuisine its distinctive taste, filled with exciting flavors from the use of local herbs and spices, and more often than not spicier and hotter than Chinese food.

A typical Nonya kitchen would not be without condiments like tumeric, ginger, galangal, shallots, chives and shrimp paste. Lemon, limes, tamarinds, green mangoes, citrus leaves and coconut milk are also used to up the epicurean experience.

Blend it like the peranakans

Rempah, an exciting blend of ingredients pounded together in a mortar and cooked in oil to release its flavor is used for a variety of dished. It’s this special combination that sets Peranakan food apart from the rest.

And because of their ingenuity to improvise traditional dishes with spices and herbs, Peranakans have produced tasty local treats like achar, curry fish in banana leaves, satay babi goring, buah keluak, chendol, nonya kuehs and many other delights.

Why Nonya Dumplings are Different from Other Dumplings?

Traditionally, Nonya cuisine is a fusion of Chinese and Malay influences and quite often draws inspiration from both its techniques and use of key ingredients and spices. The Nonya Dumpling is no exception to this rule and is one of many unique culinary delights interpreted from a time- honored Chinese cuisine.

Here are a few distinctive ways to tell the two apart. For instance, the Nonya-interpretation uses fragrant pandan leaves to wrap the dumpling instead of bamboo sections.

And while Chinese dumplings are filled with fatty pork fillings, Nonya dumplings usually contain seasoned minced pork and sliced winter melon cubes.

But what truly sets them apart is the unique taste found within each nonya dumpling, which employs a complete range of local condiments to give a fulfilling taste experience.

Blue coloring is sometimes added to give the dumpling a sweetened tang and a distinct look, courtesy of the essence found in blue pea flower or bunga telang.

SUSHI SUSHI SUSHI

I'm baccck!!! Here's e sushi pics as promised! As for e receipe, pls go bug keith&kenny for it! i've asked them to put it up but apparently they are busy people like me too!

Yummy!

erm, that sad looking stuff on top of e rice is jellyfish.

Remember to wet your knife before cutting the sushi!

It gives a cleaner and neater cut.

thankew aunties from e chicken rice & western food stalls for lending us their rice-cooker!

Update: Yeshhhhaaaaaaa! We finally got our own (2nd hand) rice cooker from... who elsse? my grandma! lol. So, if your parents hv just gotten a new pan/wok/steamer/oven/stove/baking equipments etc., PLS DONT THROW THE OLD ONES AWAY!!! DONATE TO CC! We're currently trying to build up on logistics with whatever miserly amt of funds e sch gave us! REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE! THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!

ODAC D.A.R.E Tea Reception (15 mar)

hellou!

sorry for not updating on the past activities, some 

of us are still hibernating though it's wayyy past winter. like there's winter in spore. lol.

anyway, e point is... the tea reception was GREAT!!! A Gazillion thanks to those who came to help, and special thanks to Deborah for lending us her kitchen! Couldnt hv done it without you guys! i thought it was a quite breakthrough for cc, hopefully we can do more of such stuff for e school in future. :) 

well, back to the FOOD. the menu for the day was:

1) Smoked Salmon & Dill Bruschetta

2) Mushroom Frittata Bites

3) Tomato & Pesto Mini Galettes

4) Assorted Sushi

5) Oreo Cheesecake

6) Cream Puffs

7) Fruit Punch

We provide high quality GREEN napkin too!

Notice to interested passer-bys: 

We are pleased to provide such catering services, though on a case by case basis. For such a package, it cost from $100 for 20 pax. 

Smoked Salmon & Dill Bruschetta

by the 3 Ks

Assorted Sushi

by the Assorted Members Lead by Ren Zhi

mushroom frittata bites (behind e sushi platter)

by me

Smoked Salmon & Dill No.2

Cream Puffs

by the Deborah Who Bakes Alot

My Humble Cheesecake

Close up of e mushroom frittata

(yeah right)

(This was supposed to be) 

The stunning simplicity of the

 Tomato & Pesto Mini Galettes 

(which didnt turn out as pretty:( )

Due to my extremely hectic schedule, which says i'm supposed to be studying right now, i shant post e recipes of e above dishes. go get from those who made it if u want.

That's all for now! will update on e Katong food trip, Sushi session, and coffee appreciation workshop and mentaiko pasta session and the egg-ilicious one later!

dolly :D

pics