Cute Animals

Disclaimer: All of these pictures are taken from Eleanor's facebook albums. None of them are mine though I wish they were.

I was looking through my friends' facebook profile when I came upon these amazingly cute little things.

So cute!!

Not so cute but... so funny!!

He's lost it.

Once upon a time, I used to treat all dogs equally. I used to like them all regardless of size and breed. But ever since the appearance of Vicky (my faithful dog of 8 years and counting), I start to view them a little differently. Now, I categorise them into dogs that Vicky will most probably bite and dogs that Vicky might get along with. Below are examples that will most probably not survive the night if left alone with Vicky. Cute but erm.... pathetic.

End.

Bento- Beef, pork, salmon

I am nineteen now. Just one more to the big 20. But I guess it is only after you're past the 21, you can call yourself a grown-up and watch the really R-rated films without guilt.

Stella and I went to Samurai (japanese restaurant) at Balmain on my birthday night. It was a lovely meal with good ambience. To make it sweeter, I didn't have to pay for it. HAHA! I didn't have to pay for anything much this whole week! HAHA! Owell, thank you Stella for your generosity!

The mopping around and feeling downright awful moments have passed. Thanks guys for your inspiring advice. Kim and Angel and my mum especially. Merci beaucoup! I will keep this phrase in my heart always: 作一个好的 Chef 要有好的修养.

I have learnt something new in the cookbook I recently acquired- Morimoto- The New Art of Japanese Cooking. Umami, according to Morimoto-san, refers to a less tangible quality that enhances other flavours. It is felt rather than tasted. I think this is a super-cool concept, that flavours are not only restrained to your tastebuds. In Japanese cooking, dashi stock is used to create that umami taste. The Japanese add dashi stock to everything, tamago, marinates, miso soup etc. And guess what, dashi is the original MSG (Monosodium Glutamate). It is because kombu, one of the main ingredients of dashi, contains a large amount of naturally occurring free glutamates. The other part of dashi, katsuobushi (bonito), contributes sodium inosinate, which is another naturally occuring substance associated with umami. Hence, when kombu and bonito is boiled together, they become a powerful flavour enhancer called dashi.

I find this new piece of knowledge quite fascinating. In fact, I tried to recreate it in my bento, though entirely without the dashi stock. I experimented with tamago (sweetened omelette). Monday's bento has fried crumbed beef, asparagus and tamago. The beef was stewed first in a mixture of soy sauce, mirin and sugar, before frying it with bread crumbs. The stew that was used to cook the beef was then added to the eggs to make the tamago. I wanted the beef flavour to be imprinted onto the tamago, though not so overpowering that it can be tasted, just subtle enough that it can be felt. When eaten together, the tamago acts as a complement to the beef, enhancing the flavour of the beef, hypothetically speaking. The actual result is pleasing but I don't think Stella can feel the beef flavour in the tamago though she does think that the tamago taste very good. And all the frying tend to draw moisture out, hence the beef turned out to be a little dry. haha.





Tuesday's bento. I made riceballs with sprouted green beans and mince pork. Tamago was leftover from the day before and some pickled carrots and asparagus to freshen the palette.






Wednesday's bento. I experimented with tamago again. I marinated salmon fillet in soy sauce, mirin and sugar mix the night before and I used the marinate in the tamago. I think marinate works better since it gives a stronger presence in the tamago. I still didn't taste salmon in the tamago but the tamago did taste better and more complementary to the grilled salmon compared to Monday's bento. Paired with green bean rice and pickles. Roasted sesame seeds does give a pleasing visual effect doesn't it?

End.

Present

This video is a gift from Seok.

I was so touched. So so touched. Thank you!

A very birthday surprise.

Today, I have realised I have really good friends. Friends who support my ups and downs. Friends who inspire me almost constantly. Friends who come to your house while you are away and set up a surprise party just so because it is your birthday. That's what friends are for. :)

I was tremendously surprised. I didn't see it coming at all. No, I didn't even dream of it happening. Yeah. When I entered the house, I saw shoes. Many pairs of shoes. Then I noticed the balloons, the streamers. Then I thought: did I enter the wrong unit? Then came the party poppers. POP! POP! POP! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Ahh, it's my birthday.. hohoho. I was still birthday-struck. Food came. KFC, nachos, fries, all the junk food imaginable. And god I was hungry. I missed breakfast this morning because of the isomalt lesson we signed up for. It had to start at 8:30am and I had to sleep at 1am. Therefore, I naturally tried to oversleep as much as possible, so much that I compromised my breakfast time. haha.

I was informed that the cake used as the birthday cake was mine. Remember the sacher? hahaha. Pretty convenient huh? Bloody using my own cake as my birthday cake... -_-

Not that I mind! I still have three more in the fridge!

Happy ninteenth! Presents! The guy from the photo frame is supposedly my boyfriend. He even got a name: Nickolas. Other than that, the rest are absolutely lovely!

Happy 19th Birthday~!

End.

Le Fraisier, Raspberry mousse, Tiramisu, Sacher torte

The last intermediate patisserie.

Intermediate is coming to an end. Which means we all go up to the more difficult and interesting territory of Superior, playing with even more chocolate and sugar. It is exhilarating but to tell the truth, I am scared. The teachers whom I am already so familiar with are not going with us. I am not sure if there is going to be a friendly voice to spur you on, I am not sure if there is going to be witty humour to tickle you when you need it the most. But I am positive that everything is going to change. Big time.

Le Fraisier, translate to The Strawberry literally in French. It is a strawberry cake made with genoise sponge and mousseline cream. I don't like the fact that the top of the cake is traditionally covered in marzipan. Who likes marzipan? It is freaking almond meal and icing sugar with lots of preservatives. Eew. Strawberry cake is good though. -By Chef Micheal.

Raspberry mousse gateau. The long thin strip is a joconde layered with tuile mix, then we bake them together on a patterned mat, you'll get this beautiful design. Cool eh. That strip is used to line the tin, and the inside is filled with raspberry mousse and topped with a raspbery glace. Tadah! -by Chef Karen

Tiramisu. We made every part of the cake. Sponge fingers included. The school's recipe is very different from the one I had. It taste so much sweeter and has a much smoother texture. See the butterfly? I piped it! Pretty? -By me.

Sacher torte, an Austrian cake. To me, it is the ultimate chocolate cake. It is like eating real couverture with cake. The flavours blend so well that you don't really know if you are having chocolate or cake. Yeah, I like. -By me.

Tiramisu. -By Chef Andre.

A class shot with our favourite teacher, who is going on to be the Head Chef! in the coming term. I am happy for him. :D

End.

To do list.

Scrap-booking to kill time.

I think I have drafted this post like at least 3 times. I have made up my mind this is going to be the last time before I change my mind completely and shut up. Well, basically, I am not exactly satisfied with myself lately. I have been feeling lousy about my performance at school. It just seemed that everyone in class is improving so rapidly, that being good at what I am doing to simply inadequate. I have to be excellent. Or at least the pressure is there.

In addition, my birthday is just round the corner. I acutely feel the need to re-evaluate myself. To account for what I have accomplished and what I have yet to accomplished. Which, is another concern in itself because I have not done much so far. I am indeed feeling very lousy.

Learning French is not something I can brag about, after all, I am repeating what I have learnt in Singapore.
Loosing weight is an on-and-off affair. I am not too pro-active about it which explains why the results are slow to show.
Searching for work is not successful at all. No one called. ._. I am an unemployed, non-contributing member of the society.

I need to stop feeling so negative. Bahh.. Screw negativity. I am not the mopping kind anyway. I'll get over this mess. :D (I have decided what I wrote was crap but decided to post it anyway because it did help me to straighten out my thoughts.)

Chocolate macaroons, piped shortbread, biscotti, brasilia gateau.

People! Guess what, I passed my exams! yeeeeehaaaaaa! Not with top marks I am sure (since I messed up my anglaise) but hey, life is still good. (I am desperately in need of consolation though...)

Monday: Macaroons, piped shortbread and biscotti.

Piped shortbread dipped in chocolate. And when you bite into it, it should melt in your mouth. What heaven.

Brasillia gateau which has nothing to do with
Brasil. It consist of joconde, caramel buttercream in layers and lastly decorated with nougatine. Chef Karen's version.

My version. At the very last moment of decorating the cake, did I realise I cut my nougatine the wrong way. The nougatine pieces won't fit in together, hence the lop-sided design.

End.

Corn cake

Little corn cakes.

I love this cake! The recipe is given by Cynthia's mum. I like to think this is a very Brazilian cake since it uses primarily corn meal, which is a common Brazilian kitchen product. Anyway, Cynthia made this cake the first time Stella and I went over to her place. Then, I asked her to make it again for one of the class dinner. The third time, I thought I'd just make it myself. That just goes to show how much I like it. :D

This corn cake can be eaten for breakfast, serve in afternoon tea, or even used as a dessert after dinner. Though I have not tried it, I think whipped cream folded through with dessicated coconut (sweetened with molasses sugar) will go nicely with the corn cake. Try it!

Corn meal here refers to superfine corn that resembles flour, not cornflour, nor is it cornstarch. I don't know if Singapore have it but it is worth every effort in finding it. I substituted 1 cup of cornmeal with polenta, a coarser mill of corn for more texture. You can use all cornmeal if you like a really light cake. And I increased the baking powder by 1/4 tablespoon to give additional lift since polenta is really heavy.

Corn cake - makes 1x20cm round tin, 12 mini muffin tins and 2 ramekins. Yeah, it gives alot of corn cake. But don't worry, you'll finish them all. I did. :)
A:
2 cups cornmeal
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup oil (canola)
1 teaspoon salt
B:
5 egg yolks
1 tablespoon baking powder
C:
5 egg whites

Orange Syrup:
Juice of 2 oranges
3 tablespoons of sugar

Combine juice and sugar, bring to boil, then cool slightly before use.

Method:

Prepare tins: oiled and lined. Preheat oven to 190 degree Celcius.

1. Combine (A) in a pot. Cook it on medium heat. Stir constantly to prevent any of the cornmeal from catching on the bottom. Bubbles will start to show when the corn mixture is boiling. Boil until the bubbles have ceased, then remove from heat and cool.

2. While the corn mixture is cooling, whisk the whites to soft peaks.

3. Add (B) to cooled corn mixture, mix well. Make sure corn mixture is at least of blood temperature. Any warmer, the egg yolks may cook. You won't want scrambled eggs in your cake.

4. Go back to the egg whites, continue to whisk them to medium peaks. Immediately, fold the whisked whites through the corn mixture. Do it quickly and gently so that you don't lose much of the aeration.

5. Pour batter into tins and bake for about 45 minutes for the round tins. Smaller tins like the mini muffins, will take lesser time, about 20 minutes. Use the colour and feel of the cake as an indicator. Golden means it is ready. Cake springs back when pressed also means it is cooked.

6. Spoon orange syrup over corn cake while still warm.

Serve.

Does your corn cake look like this??

End.

Chinatown, night market.

I have been very restless of late. I am too comfortable that it is monotonous. Stifling even. I really want to work now. Work, please come in my way.

French class is fun, fun , fun, though four hours is a real drag no matter how engaging it it. I learned more naughty words than I ever did when I was studying in Alliance Francaise in Singapore. And there is this Englishman and a 25 year old lawyer whose sarcastic banter tickles me half to death. J'ai besoin de amore.

This morning, while in the toilet, I somehow twisted my neck in the wrong way. Now I have this nerve riding from my neck down to my shoulders causing pain every time I try to turn my neck. What a stupid stupid thing to happen. In the toilet, no freaking less.

I need new songs. Dear guys, if you have any recommendation, please send them this way. Better still, send the whole mp3 to me. :D Merci!

The experience of squatting by the roadside, shoving piping, hot food into your mouth, wiping dirty, oily, food-stained hands on your jeans, was all accomplished in one night, in Sydney, Chinatown. Funny how being far from home changes your perspective.

Night market at Chinatown! Selling a wide assortment of items. The best of all:is the food! Mamak: Malaysian roti chenai. I miss roti prata!

Stella's satay and my prata.

Next up was Takoyaki. Made by real Japanese. I got Stella to say: Samurai i-totsu, Shogun, i-totsu. Onegai-shimasu, to the cashier. Cashier went huh?? He was the only non-Japanese of the lot I guess.

Yeah!

Yeah, yeah! Nous sommes heureuse.

End.

Ice-creams, Sorbet and Biscuits

I am tired. I have traveled many miles to drop my resume in 7 Patisseries today. It is a mad rush to get all the papers printed and ready. Worse still, the school's printer wouldn't take my mac format. So I had to type it all out today for the second time. Such luck.

Anyway, I am getting into shape. Slowly. I can run 2km without much effort but at a crawling speed. I would fail NAPFA miserably running this slowly. 20mins per 2km. Haha, one wonders how I pass my NAPFA with a Silver, no less. Gosh, I am pathetic. Nonetheless, I am very serious about loosing enough weight and body mass to fit into my Spring clothes. Which is about now, so Aileen, watch out!

This week's lesson on ice-creams and biscuits. Ice-creams have always been something mysterious and exciting for me. Until now. Right now, ice-cream is something that melts and stain your bag like crazy sort of irritating product. We made classic vanilla ice-cream, chocolate ice-cream and raspberry sorbet. For ice-creams, first, you make the anglaise, then you churn it, then viola! You have ice-cream!

I don't quite like our school's ice-cream recipe. I expected a richer and more textured ice-cream, not the sweet, super-smooth, almost commercial-like version. I was not very happy with it. Plus I have a one year supply of them sitting in my freezer. One year supply of not very good ice-cream. ._.

With the ice-creams we made, we wrapped them in sponge layers and meringue discs, and piped Italian meringue over. Then we torch it to give some colour. This we call Norwegienne Omelette. People in Norway eat this for breakfast.

In the Vacherin (meringue) shells, we canele ice-creams to put into the shells and we decorate with whatever that goes with ice-creams.

Also using Vacherin discs, ice-creams are sandwiched in-between and whipped cream is used to mask and decorate the exterior.

Our ice-creams.

My Omelette.

The biscuit (filler) lesson.

End.

Wagaya

Another satisfying, relatively painless (on my wallet) meal. (And it's on the same day as The Little Snail! Ha!)

Later that day, we met Jaa and Sam for dinner. Jaa found this Japanese restaurant online and saw that it has good reviews. So we are here, Wagaya.

The food here is not bad, which quite surprises me. I am not used to good Japanese food in Sydney. The food here actually reminds me of those modern eateries in Japan. This restaurant is super modern. You order through this touch screen panel and your food arrives a few minutes later. It feels alien and awesome at the same time.

A grilled scallop and salmon maki. As with most of such open grilled maki, it has that melt-in-your-mouth quality. I like. The one on your right is a beef tongue stew. I have no comment because I don't usually eat beef tongue.

Unagi chazuke, is by far the best dish, in my opinion, we ordered. heehee, I miss Ochazuke! on your right, is Wagaya signature pizza dish. Which is, I believe, the worst out of all we've ordered. It has mochi on it. Freaking mochi. I have tasted mochi in chawanmushi, mochi in croquette, and they all taste bad. This one too.

Ahh, this is memorable. Salmon sushi roulette. One of this salmon sushi has lots and lots of wasabi in it. Guess what, I ate it. -_-" Right is eel and cheese spring roll. No surprise here, a pretty boring and straight-forward dish.

There, I have spent $20 bucks in all for such a nice meal. A rather good bargain, isn't it? :D

End.