◄Eat the w♥rld►

Food With Love

2011-09-15T12:59:00.001+08:00

Picnic that ended up at home,

My Dinner box from <3

It's a caterpillar!

Mr. Rabbit!

Mr. Potato head, charmed with roses =)

All of these are hand prepared by her.
Don't they look so cute and beautiful?
The effort put in is applaudable!
Thank you!

I am back after nearly a year

2011-09-15T12:48:00.004+08:00

Lemon Madelines w Lemon Marshmallows

Loin of Lamb Rack over mint puree and parnsip.

Apple granita with cinnamon churros

Pickled apple w cider twirl

I will continue to update my blog wtih my love and passion food.

My passionfruit glazed, bacon wrapped chicken breast

2010-10-11T19:45:00.013+08:00

Michelin's chef dishes, inspiring your gastronomic palate to reach beyond the stars.
Such as the famed Wellington Beef (top left) to the the authentic classical Baked Alaska (top right).

Fullerton hotel, town restaurant's dinner buffet.

It's better to get your seats reserved, the ambience pretty soothing and relaxing.
It has a sense of grandeur yet you could let your palate run at ease across the scrumptous buffet spread. Dessert platter is interesting with different custards not leave out on the killer creme brulee, when they meant brulee it means "CREME CRACKING BRULEE". They uphold their desserts reputation to their famed chocolate buffet which is available fri, sat, sun. Best to get your table reserved in advance.
The seafood spread is awesome on a seafood night which i went, they have grilled lobsters with simple yet sinfully delicious curry mayonnaise sauce. Fresh oysters that goes really well with lemon and tobasco sauce, as well as many other fresh seafood.
A well stocked salad bar and interesting variety of garde manger's food such as amus busche in shot glasses.
Delicious, wholesome, quality is there, totally worth the try and worth the money!
If you are feeling hungry, and you want something that is totally blows your mind and satisfy your cravings this is what you need to go in for the kill!

Price: $65++ per pax on seafood night(friday)

~ETOILE's ENDEAVOURS IN DISHES~

Passionfruit chix la bacon

Passionfruit glazed, chicken breast wrapped with backbacon and sage leaf.

My very own attempt,
Chicken breast, wrapped with back bacon and sage leaf and left in the fridge overnight.
Panseared till golden brown with lemon infused extra virgin olive oil, season with sea salt & crushed black peppercorns.
Then baked to perfection in the oven for around 10minutes.
Juicy when cut, meat has a gentle hint of sage and the aroma of baked chicken not to mention the orgasmic bacon.
Served with fresh tomato sauce that is reduced and is then infused with the pan gravy, that is reduced after deglaze-ing the chicken's searing pan with chardonnay to get hold of the fond from the bacon and chicken's caramelization.Then toss in basil leaves in chevonet cuts

Served with brown sugar glazed carrots on the side, garnished with a thin strand of fresh chives.

Duchess potatoes

Main's garnished with a basil leaf and basil's flower, and is llaid gently over the tomato sauce.

And i made my own passionfruit glaze, with fresh passionfruits and lemon. Glazed around the side and on the main. Smells fragrant, and it tastes tangy and sweet. Totally refreshing and exotic as it compliments the chicken.

on the whole, I LIKE It =)!

RUSTIC CREAM OF CORN

Along with the main, my rustic cream of corn soup.
Thickened using a brown roux, giving it a nice nutty and roasty flavour.
Smooth nappe consistency.

What's New?

I tried cheesecakes in bar lengths bought from a french bake shop,
cheesecakes in bar ? pretty interesting aye?

Garde manger

2010-10-01T06:16:00.007+08:00

TRIPLE 3

Recently, i had dinner @ the Meritus, the hotel located next to orchard cineleisure.
Went to the famous TRIPLE3 buffet which is now at the hotel's lobby at L5
To say i am impressed by the wide range of delicacies i must say they flaunt of.
However the quality is a little disappointing for someone paying 100 dollars per pax.
But we get to taste good food like, honey baked wagyu beef, fresh oysters from the mediterranean sea, a better cuts of sashimi such as tuna's belly but i am sure it would not be from the most expensive bluefin tuna fish.
And the beautiful dessert counter is flourished with interesting renditions of ice cream, saffron & pisatachio ice cream, avocado sorbet.

They have many fruit-based custards too served in shot-glasses,
and i tasted an interesting dessert, avocado squash served in a shot glass topped with avocado pulps. I would say it is a daring and bold approach for the patissiere to use an ingredient like avocado that it is mild in it's original flavour. Generally it was pretty dish, but it failed to appease me as it is generally not to my palate's liking. I expected more from the dessert, but i was a mere disappointment to taste like a squashed fruit splattered on a shot glass.

But i am pretty impressed by the service of the chefs, when my dad is one of those diners that don't like rare beef he asked the chef for a slice of wagyu that is more done. But look at the whole roast of wagyu, the only colour i would use is 'red'. So if i were to slice a portion of beef, i would probably take the outer part of the roast, which would be the seared parts or to known simply as "the outside/ skin" of the roast. Well, the chef pondered for a second or two, at last he sliced the outside of the roast giving a more cooked slice. It's small details like this, that make restaurants stands out among the rest.

If you were to get the god damn chance to go to a michelin-star rated restaurant, i believe not only you will feel like you are being alleviated to the heavens of food but when you finish that divine plate of chef's masterpiece and turn the plate upside down, you will find that the base of the plate is shining clean with no fingerprints or spillage at all. That is what we expect from the the top of the TOP.

Garde Manger- apperitifs, salads, appetizers, starters

It's not how beautiful it looks on the platter, but it is about how amazing in turns our palate beautifully as a starter that prepares us for the forth meal's enjoyment.

Been a long time, and a long way to go...

2010-09-30T00:48:00.004+08:00

Guess our hardwork has paid off, weekly meetings, and many many practices of perfecting our recipes over and over again. We blasted off, LETS GO TEAM SPIRIT!
we ARE GOLD TEAM!

Gold medal, winning team for Temasek Culinary Acadaemy's 19th August,
2010 COMMIS CHALLENGE
Team (Spirit)

Our table presentation,

Spirit's MENU,
The Journey to Mediterranean

19th August 2010

APPETIZER:
Savoury Roquefort Cheesecake with
Caramelized Red Apple Slices

MAIN COURSE:
Paella Valenciana with Sofrito Sauce
Served with Hot Cabbage and Bacon Salad

DESSERT:
Profiteroles with Vanilla Ice Cream,
Dark Chocolate Sauce and Strawberry Balsamic Vinegar

It's been a hell of a time, in Culinary Practicum.
But it's definitely a hell that many of us, young aspiring chefs, are willing and will be more than delight to go through it over again and again.
It has moulded and shaped us through the tight discipline and hardship we are put to test to. With no shortcuts or easy routes, we learn from the very basics to grasp our very first blunt cut of onion, to slicing it so finely that the wind can blow it off our chopping board.
With the burning passion for cooking, we blow our mind off with how our body sway with the rhythm of the cook's stance and we become fluent gastronomically.
We taste food, we disect food, we talk food, we know food. And most importantly, we cook food.

There is no boundaries for cooking, the world out there is your oyster.
I am ready to learn more, ride on this passion and i would run through the world, brushing my knees through saffrons and spices, splashing the richest purest olive oil, dipping my fingers into pure couverture, and watch me explore the horizons of ingredients
And i will pipe the night sky with beautiful rosettes, and Flambé my pan creating fireworks in the culinary world.

-My profiteroles, made with cake flour and filled with pastry cream.

2010-07-19T21:02:00.004+08:00

Titanic relived.

2010-07-18T20:46:00.005+08:00

@Redang island, marine park

It was indeed an underwater paradise,
one will get lost in it and yet be gleeful

I chanced upon a shipwreck as i was combing the outer reefs of the marine park,
i was fascinating. Jack & Rose came to my mind. And to think of how a tragedy would actually become a life platform for corals & the marine life.

Everything seems to come alive beneath the rusting steel scaffolding of the shipwreck.
It gives one inspiration, and tremble down one's adrenaline nerve.
one word, "COOL"

A gigantic clam growing out of the shipwreck,
as gastronomist or a food fanatic, we would be thinking about
the delicacies we could derive from it.
Fresh oyster with dash or lemon?
Authentic singapore local Oyster Omelette?
Flame grilled Shell-on oyster with coarse sea salt and cheese?

I swear i was hungry when i saw it! IT WAS SUCCULENT and BIG!
Had a light lunch before going off board the cruise to snorkel,
as I would not want to share my digested lunch with the fishes.

Marine life ought to be protected, as we hope to preserve the beautiful underwater world so that many can appreciate it too.

So in the end, i decided to leave it alone and keep my tummy growling. Aww.
But it was a fascinating thing to see, i hope the next person who sees it would not be a hungry man or someone trying to harvest it. Or THE CLAM WILL CHOMP CHOW CHOW him or her.
=D

This trip has definitely been better than Tioman,
as the marine life and corals are very well protected unlike Tioman, the reefs were mostly destroyed and corals were dead.

There was a man that caught a fish with a plastic bag using bread as a bait,
the locals threatened to give him a fine of $20,000.
But he explained that he wants to show the fish to his little son who doesn't knows how to swim.
And gladly the son was at the shore and not on board the cruise. I will forgive him for being such a nice daddy =)
And i can't forget my dad actually did something like this before.
He caught a big parrot fish with plastic bag? And the reason was to touch it, before releasing it back to the wild. haha. FML
guess we all have our curiosity to wonder off.

From the sea,
what brings to my mind about food is the freshness and liveliness of the seafood.

In simple,
Japanese cuisine.
Where their ingredients are often of superior grade as they believe what they eat make them what they are.
Despite their simplicity, the japanese emphasizes on the freshness and rarity of the catch, as well as the seasonality of seafood.
Often with the grandiose touch of sharp japanese chef's knives that allows
the fresh seafood to melt in our mouth tasting it's sweetness and wonders, while the smell of the sea lingers on to it's freshness. And the food are often placed very beautifully on the plate, making it food to the eye too.

So in short,
Japanese cuisine carries the spirit of
The Seasonality of the food, quality of ingredients and presentation.

Japonais son.

chocolate, i will have dark chocolate

2010-07-10T23:33:00.005+08:00

Chocolates gives us a taste of life, when we are in love we taste white chocolate, when we are feeling crazy we will crave for milk and chocolate so we taste milk chocolate, when we are feeling down we would want to taste the bitterness in life so we taste dark chocolate. But one thing we know, good chocolates do not leave a greasy aftertaste but will melt down your throat. Things are better explained than unsaid

I thought this will be meaning full.. chocolates and life

chocolatey

2010-07-10T23:13:00.003+08:00

Quite some time ago i had an attempt of my very own improvised.
TAZANIA cake.

for pohe's 19th birthday =)

it's chocolatey
and is glazed with top grade chocolate couverture
garnished with strawberry pureed whip cream
and chopped almonds as well as dark chocolate

the filling is basically, devil's food cake a heavy sponge cake that's chocolatey too!
and layers with chocolate and hazelnut ganache
and a authentic swedish raspberry jam!

PATISSIERE CHAO!

cooking with a heavy heart

2010-07-10T22:34:00.005+08:00

My very own creations for a Saturday dinner @ grandma's place.

Honey infused cream cheese over butter roasted baguettes. Topped with cilantro and chopped pistachio nuts.

Pan seared streaky bacon with cilantro tossed in Asahi reduction sauce

Bon Appetit! introdúzcame como commis chef etoile

Etoile's mezze food

2010-07-09T21:48:00.009+08:00

Food is sharing
I want to discover the world of flavours

So what has food gotta do with Love?

Love Foods

History is rife with the human pursuit of aphrodisiacs in many forms. Scientific tests have proven that some aromas can cause a greater effect on the body than the actual ingestion of foods. Here are some common foods of love used through the ages.

• Alcohol: lowers inhibitions and increases confidence; however, over-indulgence has a sedative effect not conducive to a romantic tryst.

• Banana: due not only to its shape, but also its creamy, lush texture, some studies show its enzyme bromelain enhances male performance.

• Caviar: is high in zinc, which stimulates the formation of testosterone, maintaining male functionality.

• Champagne: viewed as the "drink of love," moderate quantities lower inhibitions and cause a warm glow in the body.

• Chocolate: contains both a sedative which relaxes and lowers inhibitions and a stimulant to increase activity and the desire for physical contact. It was actually banned from some monasteries centuries ago.

• Figs: seasonal crops were celebrated by ancient Greeks in a frenzied copulation ritual.

• Ginseng: increases desire for physical contact.

• Puffer fish: considered both a delicacy and an aphrodisiac in Japan. If the poisonous gland is not properly removed, the tiniest taste is deadly. The flirt with death is said to give a sexual thrill. Not recommended.

•Oysters: Some oysters repeatedly change their sex from male to female and back, giving rise to claims that the oyster lets one experience the the masculine and feminine sides of love.

• Radish: considered a divine aphrodisiac by Egyptian pharoahs, most likely because its spicy taste stimulated the palate.

• Truffles: probably due to its rarity and musky aroma, it has long been considered to arouse the palate and the body. To sustain his masculinity, an ancient lover in lore was said to have gorged himself to death on Alba truffles during the wedding feast.

Opening my fridge,

Vino macerado
-fermented fruits soaked in wine.

I made champagne pears
with rosa wine and european pear
Score the pear on the skin, giving a few shallow slices on it's skin
Fill a glass with the pear in it with wine, make sure it is completely submerged in the richness. Leave some airspace.
Then put a slice or two of lime or lemon. Make sure the slices are very thin so it could give a light hint of zest.

it has been fermented for a week now.
i took it out, cut into battonet slices.
and it tastes the richness of the rosa wine which indulge in the sweetness of the ripen pear.
And light tingly zest dances on your taste buds.
It's refreshing and smooth!
i would recommend it for a starter. Like a scrutiny of your appetite, it opens your palate's delirous joy.

It's my hop & twist in the kitchen. my own recipe =)
give it a try!
meanwhile i have my wine grapes fermenting.

And i am going to get my yogurt sorbet finished! anyone wants??
gourmet macarons and daring new dangerous flavours to experiment on new dishes!

Mean while,
nothing beats Paul the octopus
who is going to be the most delicious meal for WORLD CUP!

SPAIN or HOLLAND?

meanwhile what's up for the party?

takyo yaki OCTOPUS BALLS?

PAN FRIED octopus with roasted potatoes

KOREAN LIVE OCTOPUS?

Barbequed?

SO HOW WILL U LIKE YOUR PAUL THE OCTOPUS served =)!

"HEY! SPAIN GONNA WIN HEH! OHH SHITT!"

Chef

2010-07-07T21:22:00.011+08:00

My first meal i whipped up, it's been a long time since.
From i first started welding my knife hazardously
to now slicing chopping fabricating.. out a future!

sometimes the memories are worth the pain,
so save an egg now
and crack a smile =)

never regret the things that once made you smile,

Cooking has taught me many things in life.
learning how to appreciate everything around us and be grateful to them.
We become sensitive to our tastes, smell, sight, hearing, everything around us.
Even we are being stressed and hailed at, we will present delicate work out of the harsh environment. Our passion, our heart, our flavors, our seas of imaginations is brought out to the taste buds of our dear hungry friends.

When preparing and cooking a dish, we are often serious & look deadly murderous not because we ain't friendly, cause we hope to put our heart & soul, you will understand our finishing touch isn't the beautifully drizzled olive oil or elevated garnish
But
the smile we hope to put on your face
when you have tasted and enjoyed our food to your comfort.
warm the food might be, thousands of flavours engulfs and dissipates at that split of second in your mouth.
Our tensed soul and flaring passion would then heave a sigh of accomplishment when you smile

and i ..... will always smile =)

Etoile's food diary june

2010-07-04T13:41:00.008+08:00

Helping out @jeremy han's dinner party.

jeremy's starter,
mix fresh garden vegetables salad tossed in orange vinegarette
with avocado, orange and cured salmon
garnished with a strip of fried crispy salmon skin

First home attempt of macarons, Macarons & profiteroles
my desserts that turned out appealing.
Macarons are sandwiched with vanilla cream, the nutty almond taste blend wells with the sweetness of the pastry cream that hints a vanilla aroma.

@Temasek culinary academy,
Moroccan cuisine by me & riane

Moroccan Baked Fish,
Fatimah's salad
( It's named fatimah because morroco is an Islamic country thereby it is named after it's origin)
& Moroccan Lamb soup
they are amazingly delicious, both the baked fish & lamb soup are being seasoned with saffron.

@New york pizza B1 Cathay.

$6.90 a meal for a big slice of pizza that comes along with a fried drumlet and drink.
sinful but delightful!

@ Temasek Culinary Academy
Baked Penne pasta,
Greece stuffed squid & MUDSLIDE!

The delicious looking cookie is MUDSLIDE!
from temasek culinary academy's sugarloaf!
deliciously made with top grade chocolate couverture, and it costs at a cheaply price of $2 for such authentic cookie! the chocolate melts in your mouth down your throat, no greasy feeling!

@Bakerzinz suntec's fountain of wealth

Etoile's chocolate cake,
and macarons' flavoured
(cherry, pistachio, dark chocolate, coffee, passionfruit, coconut)

NEEDA EXERCISE MORE TO EAT MORE!!!

Tenderloin grilled with deglazed rose wine

2010-06-27T00:02:00.005+08:00

Extra virgin olive oil organic, Red wine vinegar organic, Carbernet sauvgnion from Chile

I grilled
beef tenderloin,
medium well rareness
how ya like the olive oil i glazed on the side?

How is cooking like without out our sense of taste?
how would it be losing your taste bud?
we savour and appreciate the food with
taste, smell, hear, see, and feel with our heart.

is there a food for the heart?
one for when you're happy, joyous occasion at a wedding
one for when you're sad, solemn grieving at a funeral

cooking with heart of giving and sharing.

Ethnic Cuisine

2010-06-26T00:45:00.007+08:00

Mediterranean cuisine- Turkey & Greece

Tomato Cucumber Salad with Feta Cheese

Walnut baklava, Stifado Beef Stew with Onions & Cheese

Squid Stuffed with Eggplants, Feta & Garlic

Spanakopita, Greece's spinach pie

Crowned Rack of Lamb's Kebab (the best cut of a lamb)

Red Lentils & Vegetable soup, Whole wheat Pita bread

Famous Bak Chor Mee (only available in soup)
@Bedok Blk 539 Hawker Centre

Cheese Baked Rice with Pork Chop
@ Kim's Gary Restaurant

Bulgur Pilaf with Fresh Tomatoes, Thick Yogurt & Caramelized Onion Strings

Commis challenge

2010-06-22T00:34:00.006+08:00

(peach margarita @ resort's world sentosa hard rock hotel)

19th august, commis challenge

Appetizer

Savory Roquefort Cheesecake

Main Course

Paella Valenciana with Sofrito Sauce

Served with Hot Cabbage and Bacon Salad

Dessert

Profiteroles with Vanilla Ice Cream,

Dark Chocolate Sauce with Strawberry Balsamic Vinegar

lets go team! time to sharpen our skills more!

Chef's etoile notebook:

So you have seen the peach magarita above?
So what actually is magarita?
The margarita is a cocktail drink which consists of tequila mixed with triple sec and lime or lemon juice, often served with salt on the glass rim.
if you are wondering,
Triple sec is actually an orange-flavored liquer made from the dried peels of bitter oranges from the Caribbean
Margarita is the most common tequila-based cocktail in US
The drink is usually served shaken with ice, on the rocks, blended with ice (frozen margarita) or without ice (straight up).
All three methods are frequently served with salt or sugar on the rim of the glass which is optional. Served with salt is usually for the classic margarita which consists of lime or lemon juice, the coarse sea salt rimmed helps to enhance the taste giving it a little breather of the sea.

The drink i had above is frozen peach margarita, blended with ice the drink has an addition of peach schnapps to the classic recipe of lime or lemon juice with the inevitable triple sec and tequila. So many might be wondering, WT Food? is schnapps? It is a distilled alcoholic beverage which is clear, colorless, and has a light fruit flavor. And it is distilled from fermented fruit.
In this case, the peach schnapps we used for peach margarita is made from distillation of fermented peaches.

The peach margarita is can be served, shaken, on the rocks, frozen or straight up.

For me i like my peach margarita served frozen, and with a beautiful slice of peach rimmed as a garnish.

I still love the old classic margarita which just lime or lemon juice, rimmed with salt best.

So how would you like your margarita?

Walking in between two railings

2010-06-21T22:15:00.005+08:00

Spiritually our hands are stained with the blood of our greatest ingredients, they were made to scarifice.
We don't do killing, we do the best in honour-ing our greatest and deepest gratitude to our food. We treat them with respect.
Every ingredient is precious, we are grateful of what we have. And through our sharp knives and skills we will present our last tribute to our sacrificed ingredients. It's a life for a life. They gave their life to keep us alive.

It's a sad fact, that many animals and sea living things have to be slaughtered or caught alive to satisfy human's hunger.

When a cow walks in between two railings, it will drop a tear.
knowing it's life has come to an end.
And walking ahead knowing that it would be slaughtered.

(credit to Paturia, Bangladesh, 2008.)

Drink my sorrow, o flies....
Which comes out as tears.

Share my pain of silence...
Which comes out as tears.
Captured from Paturia, Manikganj.

It's painful, but we should then learn to better appreciate our food. Treat them with respect like how they deserved for they sacrificed to keep us alive and keep our human stomach from growling.

A good chef always cherish every bit of ingredient from mother nature, and it's our duty to fufill it's potential so to know every ingredient would not be sacrificed for nothing.

A chef should not only have a heart to be skillful at cooking, but to be grateful at heart of what they are cooking. -Etoile Chao

Etoile's food diary

2010-06-20T14:33:00.011+08:00

What would you do if you have not much time left in life? what would you want to do? what would you like to eat last?

@Changing Appetites, Marina SQ basement

Chicken mushroom baked pasta,
and Grilled seabass with baked rice

(left to right) BBQ Shanghai chicken slices, with black&white sesame.
BBQ pork belly in sauce served with garlic toasts.
and the awesome house's ultimate chocolate cheesecake!

@Joo Chiat Place, FEI FEI YUN TON MIAN, wanton noodle

i don't eat spicy food, eccentric bit that i don't even like a stain of chilli.
So i ordered dry wanton mee with soya sauce, and a big bowl of wanton!

@Sentosa resorts world, PLAY Ramen

Santouka ramen i suppose? costs net @$17.90
serves with slices of pork belly, sweet braised egg.
With an enriching sweet pork broth..
it is so aromatic, and the pork is braised to soft peak and melts in your mouth with a sweet aftertaste.
Delicious! It could be almost on par with my fav ramen stall which is up next in my month's food list.

@Sentosa resorts world, just outside Universal Studios. Garret gourmet popcorn shop

they sell gourmet popcorns!
interesting shop though, they have our traditional all time favourites of butter popcorns with sweet or salt. And they have interesting bites such as savoury flavoured popcorns, like cheese.
As well as sweet popcorns like chocolate, caramel.etc. If you happen to be at resorts world or on your way to Universal Studios Singapore. Pop by, and you will smell the aroma of the pipping hot popcorns. Who knows you might not be able to resist the aroma and be coming out chomping on one bag! I came out with one bag though =P, butter popcorns.
Gourmet popcorn, an interesting rendition of popcorns.

@Clark Quay, The Central, Marutama Ramen at Level 3

This is the famed Ramen in Singapore for it's enriching and heartwarming broth.
And the deliciously grilled cha-shu that will make your face quench up with the most exaggerated joy expression as the aroma soaks your soul.
I ordered the 7nuts ramen. an enriching soup ramen. and not to mention, the braised egg they have here is heavenly!
It cost's @ $15.90 for the 7nuts ramen for it's superb richness.
You can try their chicken stock boiled broth ramen @ $12.90
And don't ever ever forget, the nicely barbequed ramen, that i am sure every drip of the meat juices were retained by the careful grilling skills of the japanese chef.
around @$5.90 for four pieces of cha-shu, it might seem over priced. but it's totally worth the try!
It's a pity they didn't have pork broth. I would be eager to try if they have!

TIOMAN, beautiful water, beautiful sky, starry nights

it's a pity that the corals and fishes has shown a dramatic drop in numbers,
many corals has died and less fishes are spotted compared to the last time i went which was 3 years ago.
The water is still clear, but it is obvious that the marina life has been endangered. Due to the over commercialisation of tourists. The once beautiful Tioman is no longer appealing anymore.
But the darkness of the island as compared to the hustle and bustle of the city, has brought millions of stars out at night! Dazzling and beautiful! I must say, for once i felt so happy that i am lost under the night of stars. I wish i was lost there forever.
A retreat like this, brings me more inspirations and ideas.
Like a sea of fishes, a sea of corals. A sea of imagination.
it's what beautify each dishes, what would a dish be like? if i am going to cook a dish by imagination? fuel with passion, and your greatest idea.
I do frequent snorkel, around the world.

(one of the shallow reef at Great barrier)

Thailand, Koh Kradon, Koh samui, Koh phi phi, Koh.. and more..
Austrailia Cairns, Great Barrier Reef

(taken from the plane transfer from brisbane to Cairns)
Great barrier reef ranges the size of Japan. amazing?

been to many islands in msia,
Pulau Sibu, Pulau Besar, Pulau Paya, Langkawai, Pulau Redang, Pulau Rawa, Pulau Tioman
I hope to go to Pulau Perhentian soon, it is the most rural and undisturbed.
And Pulau Redang too! It's the best i have been to yet.

when we are gazing at the wonders of the underwaterworld we should learn to appreciate it.
Like a chef, i think i am not good enough, to be a true chef i gotta learn to appreciate and be grateful to my ingredients. The animals that sacrifice their live to satisfy our hunger and what i can do is to let their sacrifice be the best masterpiece on the plate to beautify our palate. So that their sacrifice would not be nothing, i would pray deep inside and be thankful to you ingredients. I know this sounds weird or funny, but we should always be grateful. And food will taste tastier when we know how to appreciate and be grateful, so we should never rush but! EAT slowly, savour your food in your mouth. Breathe in the aroma. and taste the sweet richness of it!

I will pull through! life has to go on! haha
it was horrible,
But i guess has yet explore the world

@ Tan Tock Seng endoscopy scan,
what a contradictory for being a gastronomist.

=)!

"Life is an art of drawing without an eraser." John Gardner

Practice safe eating – always use condiments.
Anon

I AM NOT A GLUTTON, i am just an explorer of food =)!
come explore with me
For me life is uncertain. So i like to eat dessert first.

NEXT UP on le etoile menu

2010-06-18T00:10:00.003+08:00

This is the traditional famous mango rice, i had at Khao Lak, Phang Nga at Thailand which is near Phuket island

Anyone has the similar palate craving for the authentic thai dessert? that comes traditionally with the sweet glutinous rice that lets you savour in indulgence with the fresh fleshy mango?

I will be making a gourmet mango rice dessert, that will be next!
savoury or sweet? will be delectable magnifico!

Strawberry sweetheart 草莓甜心!

2010-06-13T17:09:00.005+08:00

bon appetit! ;]

there's so much more to be made, i hope my life doesnt end just here. not just yet !

strawberry glaze

2010-06-13T13:57:00.003+08:00

~strawberry sweetheart in the making~

small diced riped strawberries
sponge rosettes soaked in cabernet sauvignon wine
italian meringue( best for non-baked recipes, as the egg white will be heated to food safety temperature by the rolling boil sugar)
whisked up egg yolks, till ribbon consistency at maximum whisk level
whipped cream, remember dont over whip the cream as you might break the fats in the cream and the dessert will not be smooth*, and when folding in the italian meringue make sure italian meringue is given time to cool off while still mixing in the mixer. As the heat from meringue will break down the whipped cream and give an awful grainy texture.
strawberry glaze, bain marie method. after chilling and letting the mixture to set. coat the glaze on, then let it chill again to set.
and lastly beautiful strawberry garnishes. (will be done soon)
Bon Appetit! strawberry sweetheart!

2010-06-12T23:59:00.005+08:00

induction cooker, for a well controlled heat.

a good mixer, above is a KMIX kenwood mixer, kitchen aid's mixer is another good alternative

stock up with equipments, spatula, pallet knife to do finishing touches at the top of the dessert.
flame torch; to caramelize sugar on baked custard like creme brulee, or flamboyant to deglaze and set alcohol on fire
Pipping bags + nozzles. to pipe down the mixture cleanly and beautifully. u always want to clean as you go.

Strawberry sweetheart in the making! ;]

Life is full of changes, cooking is too! ready for change!

2010-06-08T00:10:00.006+08:00

food has feelings too,
so if the one cooking is sad, i am sure when the person taste it, he or she will understand how the chef feels when he puts in all his heart and soul into it. it's like a masterpiece, beauty to the eye, and heartfelt tastes.
it's up to our imagination! I always believe, the potential of a chef lies in his or her imagination.

i am in the midst of concocting the blue cheese with sweet carbernt sauvignon
this savoury dessert in a glass,

may food be delectable! comida buena-GOOD MEAL!

italy's Tiramisu

2010-06-06T21:57:00.008+08:00

Chef's notebook

2010-06-03T00:17:00.001+08:00

u know?
blue cheese goes well with red wine, but
for something delectable and savoury
we often seek cutting palate flavours to go with cheese
such as sweet fresh fruits or citrus or sweet stuffs!
so how to whisper sweet nothings to cheese?

i will like to soak my sponge rosettes in white wine chardonnay.
why use white wine? so the flavour would not be overpowering as we still want the hint of
the crazy blue cheese.
these green skinned grapes riped wine. will soak my sponge.
i will layer them beautifully in a glass.
and in between will be my absolute mixture, blue cheese folded with sweet ice wine, swiss meringue, and whisked egg. and few drops of gelatinized red wine to enhance the flavour and body.
lastly i will put a sweet glaze over, raspberry glaze.
and garnish with brunoise cuts of blue cheese and small riped seedless grapes.

sounds crazy? interesting?
a savoury dessert
blue cheese with wine. cheesecake in a glass

Skills Camp. cleared
Baking & Pastry. 2 DAYS LEFT

sequel soon~

how beautiful

2010-06-03T00:11:00.003+08:00

Strawberry macaron's short cake delight

Macarons

@Sugarloaf! baking & pastry

Carrot cake, Fruit trifle, Mango mousse, Cream cheese profiterolles, pistachio pear tarts

What do you want from me~!
Baby u're beautiful!
Too much FOOD! tasting! NEVER ENOUGH!
SO WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME!

So what's happening?

2010-06-02T23:56:00.001+08:00

cup cakes with butter cream, nicely battered
and piped
play around with the flavours
this are espresso and vanilla flavoured

Poached dory paupiettes in cream sauce

deep poached salmon in court bouillon
in bearnaise sauce, served along with boiled potato rolled in parsley and butter
and boiled brocolli saute in butter

panko breaded pork cutlet in pickles demiglace sauce, with vinegar coleslaw

Pan seared dory in citrus butter sauce tossed in finely chopped parsley

A sprinkle of salt & sugar about me

2010-06-02T23:43:00.000+08:00

I am inspired to finding new flavours & my very specialties.

Good morning, had a good breakfast?

Afternoon! had you have your lunch yet?

Hey! where to head for dinner?

I was once very lost in life,
and who would know, a piece of cheesecake saved me and brought me to a sudden realisation. I know it's funny. but not to say dramatic,
my face was =O! tears rolled down.
not to say, where i eat it?
or what flavour is it?
or when i bought it?

It is the magic of food. the love and passion put into it.
I tasted how bitter it was, yet sweet it can be.

And now i am proud & happy, to be landing in this place. where i can realise my dreams. my potentials. lastly. satisfy my OHH SiT! appetite!

this is a place,
where we are groomed to be seriously handsome chefs
flavorful palatable sharp gastronomist
Wine tasters
world & michellin star potentials