my lil oyster

See Ya at 3bittersweetlemon.blogspot.com

2011-12-31T07:38:00.000+08:00

Right guys...hope over to www.missyblurkit.com where I update my stuff. I realised its easier than maintaining this mirror site. Thanx for dropping by al this while and the comments. So for 2012...let's meet up at:

www.missyblurkit.com

Since its technically the end of 2011 and the eve of 2012...its not too early to say Happy New Year folks! Cheers to a fab and blessed 2012. I wish all and everyone of you "Good health, happiness & prosperity".

Simple 粽子 Dumplings in Quaint Kuala Kubu Baru

2011-11-03T23:47:00.000+08:00

粽子(zongzi) or dumplings isn't just reserve for festivities. A good satisfying dumpling is good for any time especially breakfast with some good chinese tea to wash it down.

One of our random drives brought us to Kuala Kubu Baru. And we discovered some awesome dumplings there. Sold exclusively at the morning market, we now resort to a special order and will pick it up for our lunch after a satisfying touge. Check out our happy faces with the dumplings!

Like it sweet? Then opt for the sweet red bean alkaline dumpling at RM1.30 also known as keechang. Smooth and sweet red bean sits in the middle of each dumpling. In this little quaint town of Kuala Kubu Baru, this is a very popular dumpling amongst the locals.

And the savoury ones that this Aunty makes is simply awesome old fashion dumplings with simple yet flavourful ingredients that includes yellow pea, pork, salted egg, mushrooms and dried shrimps. At only RM3, this is quite a power packed bundle with its simple stuffings and fluffy glutinous rice

At only RM3 this is a good buy and I am not surprised that many people actually call her up for a special order! A special order means you can opt for other treasures such as scallops or abalone.

If you're in Kuala Kubu Baru, head down to the market and buy some for breakfast. Or like us, make your orders with this friendly Aunty 017 327 2092. Remember to speak to Aunty in Cantonese or Mandarin!

~.~

Confession...we don't just order to eat after our drive. We order extras to bring back home. Record...I think we ordered 70 to be eaten at home. Hehehe

Laughing Through Tears

2011-11-03T14:31:00.000+08:00

COVINGTON — As a tear trickled down Katie Collier's cheek, she started to laugh.

The touted basketball recruit sat tucked into a leather chair with her long legs pulled up at an angle, her feet resting on an ottoman. She wore a black sweatsuit and her long, blond hair flowed down her right side.

She blinked back tears, but never stopped smiling.

During a time when most 18-year-olds with Division I college scholarship offers are making final decisions, the Seattle Christian senior tried to explain what it's like to have a dream diverted, a decision delayed.

Instead of selecting a school, Collier is dealing with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). She takes a chemotherapy pill at 9 a.m. and another at 9 p.m. and, until this week, made daily trips to Seattle Cancer Care Alliance for an arsenic drip.

The 18-year-old Collier faces each round of treatment for acute promyelocytic leukemia with a smile. After she finishes six months of treatment, doctors believe there is a good chance she will be cured.

But she isn't upset. She doesn't seem scared. Tears come with the territory, but she leans on laughter.

"It's more important to bring more smiles than tears," Collier said. "Who wants to be there soaking in tears? Not me."

When Collier woke up Sept. 24, she knew something was wrong. She was on her official visit to the University of Washington, and there was blood on her pillow. Her gums were bleeding.

She called her mom. Her parents were already tailgating before the Huskies' game against California.

"I don't feel good," Katie thought at the time. "I don't think I can make it through this football game."

When she met up with her parents, her mouth was still bleeding, so they went home. There is an urgent care center near her house, but she thought she just needed to rest.

"I do not want to go there," she told her parents. "I don't like doctors. No. No. No. It will all just wear off."

It didn't. She took a long nap and woke up about 7 p.m. Because she still didn't feel well, her mother, Ann, a registered nurse, decided Katie needed to see a doctor.

The urgent care center was just five minutes away. It was closed.

"Score! Just wait till morning," Collier thought at the time, even though there was so much blood coming from her gums she stuffed napkins in her mouth to staunch the bleeding.

Ann insisted they go to Valley Medical Center.

Collier had blood drawn in the emergency room. About an hour and a half after they arrived, doctors told Collier she had one of three things: mononucleosis, a rare virus or a blood disease.

She picked a positive perspective.

"OK, I have mono, no big deal," she thought. "I can deal with this."

When the doctor left, Collier noticed her mother was crying.

"Mom, what's wrong?" she asked.

"You know there's the possibility that you could have leukemia," said Ann, a breast-cancer survivor.

As they hugged in the hospital, Collier tried to soothe her mother. "It's no big deal. This is not leukemia."

With her father Mark, sister Megan, and brother Adam — Katie is the youngest of five children — at the hospital, two doctors delivered the preliminary diagnosis about midnight.

"Crap, two doctors, can't be a good sign," Collier thought.

They told her she had leukemia. Her family surrounded her. They held her hands. But it didn't seem real.

"When somebody tells you that, it's like, 'No, I don't. You got it wrong. Go check it again,' " said Collier, still smiling.

The preliminary diagnosis was acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The family had an iPad in the emergency room and checked the survival rate.

"The initial results that we were looking at, the survival rate for five years was 40 percent," Mark said. "That's what we all saw."

As the tablet computer was passed around the room — Katie didn't look at it — family members exchanged looks that said, "You've got to be kidding."

Collier was then taken by ambulance to the UW Medical Center. She arrived at 2 a.m. and had more blood drawn. She didn't get much sleep, and she hadn't eaten for almost 24 hours.

"That was hard, because I like to eat," said Collier, prompting Ann, Mark and Megan to start laughing.

While all this was going on, one thought kept running through the back of her mind: "Am I going to be able to play basketball again?" She didn't want to ask. One potential answer scared her more than the diagnosis.

When doctors thought she had AML, Ann said they told Collier in a roundabout way she was probably never going to play basketball again. However, APL carries a much different prognosis. After she finishes six months of treatment, there is a good chance she will be cured.

"They say there's like a 95 percent success rate to cure it," Mark said. "Not to put it into remission, but to cure it."

Once she finishes treatment, she can begin building her strength, working her way back to the court.

Her doctor "said it's mostly going to be me, what I can handle," Collier said. "Obviously I'm going to have to work harder and just kind of watch my nutrition, just kind of watch myself, because I get really tired."

Before her diagnosis, Collier was weighing scholarship offers from Washington, UCLA and Gonzaga. All of those programs have told the 6-foot-3 post player those scholarships are still on the table.

During her stay at the UW Medical Center, Collier had plenty of visitors — Mark estimates about 200. She was in isolation, so everyone who came to see her had to put on a gown, mask and gloves.

Most people walked into the room expecting somber silence. They were greeted by laughter.

There was so much noise coming out of the room, a man visiting his father stopped by. He didn't ask them to be quiet. He thanked them.

"I just wanted to tell you we love all that laughter," the man said. "Not many times do we get laughter coming down the hallway instead of crying."

Once Collier returned home, she started making daily trips from Covington to Seattle for treatment. Collier's first visit to the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance was surreal for Ann, who tucked her daughter into the same bed — in room No. 37 — she had been treated in during her battle with breast cancer.

"It felt very wrong to be tucking her in," said Ann, who had her last treatment in July 2009.

Days before the diagnosis, Collier shared a school paper with her mother. It was a personal missive on Ann's struggle with breast cancer.

"My mom is one of the strongest people you will ever meet, she is so strong and will not allow those she loves to see her in a weak moment," Collier wrote.

Like mother, like daughter.

"I can't imagine ... I would be horrible in this situation, and from the very beginning, when Katie first found out, she didn't even cry. She was like, 'OK, I'll deal with this,' " said Megan, who is almost like a nurse for her sister, bringing her damp washcloths, a heating pad, SunChips, anything that could comfort her younger sibling.

As Collier endures the treatment, there are bad days. For weeks, she got most of her sleep during treatments, curled up with her sister in a hospital bed, arsenic flowing into her left arm.

Basketball player Katie Collier, right, receives chemotherapy for her leukemia while sister Megan curls up next to her. Mother Ann, left, is a breast cancer survivor.

After a recent treatment, Collier got out of the hospital bed, pulled on a black University of Hawaii sweatshirt and slipped on a pair of furry boots. She wanted to visit her horse, Harley, a black thoroughbred.

"Like the motorcycle?" someone asked.

"Exactly," she said.

Then she smiled.

Katie Collier, right, can take comfort from her mother Ann's successful cancer fight. "My mom is one of the strongest people you will ever meet."

~.~

This was published in the Seattle Times by staff reporter Mason Kelley. Thanx Mason for allowing me to publish this on my blog. Cancer is a subject that is very close to my heart with the demise of a few of my friends and as I watch my favourite aunty battle it the third time round.

The link for the above post can be found:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/highschoolsports/2016532751_mason18.html

Lizard by E House

2011-11-01T18:13:00.000+08:00

A theatre show about control, manipulation and hidden camera.

Presented by E House Theatre & Production (E House) that brought us Malaysia’s first award-winning Nyonya thriller performed in Chinese, “Lizard” is a 90-minute theatre performance that examines the relationship between family members, the manipulation of feelings and trust, and men’s obsession to control.

The story revolves around a conventional Chinese family with a paralysed mother who can only communicate through her eyes; The father who had faithfully remained at the side of his wife; The eldest son who owns a café at the age of 24; A conservative and bashful elder daughter who writes for a living; And the youngest daughter who is abrasive and unafraid to challenge the authority.

Despite the differences in characters, the parents and siblings have been living in harmony and every members of the family understands and respect the rule of coming home for dinner together regardless of work or social activities.

Unknowing to them, a dark secret is lurking amongst the family, as it was perfectly disguised and as cold-blooded as a lizard. Disorder will soon hit the family, while the secret will be unravelled by a surprise visit of the aunt who had stayed overseas for the last 20 years.

The cast:

Claudia who plays the role as the aunt

Cynthia who plays the role as the youngest daughter

Emily who plays the role of as the elder daughter

Eldest Son's best friend - Eugene

Youngest daughter's boy friend - Kent

Swei who plays the role as the eldest son

Tammy who plays the role as the mother
The team:

E House, the team behind the production of “Lizard” is the same folks who brought us “Casa”, their first production which had won three awards during the ADA Drama Award 2010, namely Best Supporting Actor, Best Stage Design and Best Graphic Design. E House producer and founder, Emiko Ten founded the team at the young age of 24 in 2010, and had since made her name as one of the youngest and most successful stage producer.

Producer - Emiko Ten

Milo Low, the director of “Lizard” and playing the role of the father was the winner of ADA Drama Award Best Supporting Actor for 2010 and 2011. On top of that, he is also a theatre educator with 12 years of experience, and is a trained performer in body rhythm, directing, acting, and script-writing.

Milo Low, director of Lizard, and plays the role as the father

Art direction is by Suzuki Cheng, who is a Macanese and formally joined E House as a partner after her first collaboration with the team in “Casa”.

Art Director - Suzuki Cheng

Assistant Director - Azo

Stage Director - Eagle

How to catch this play:

“Lizard” will be performed in Chinese with English subtitles at PJ Live Arts (PJLA), Jaya One, Petaling Jaya from 4th until 6th November 2011. Ticket is priced at RM30.

For more information or ticket purchase, kindly contact:
+6017 696 6003

+6016 715 4345

Show schedule

4 November 2011 8:30p.m

5 November 2011 11:30a.m / 3:30p.m / 8:30p.m

6 November 2011 8:30p.m

Cya there!

My Heart Sweated Bullets

2011-10-31T18:27:00.000+08:00

My heart sweated bullets. Not kidding and Benjamin certainly described it aptly.

I was in a housekeeping frenzy. I see too many draft posts sitting around ~ blogger keeps a new draft of the same title each time when I quit halfway through a post. And in my moment of blurness (the nick missyblurkit obviously comes with a reason), I clicked "ALL" and happily deleted all my 50 blog posts. That was at 11:25p.m.

OOOOOPSSSSSSS

Oh My God

Panic attack. Heart stops many beats.

Dang...what am I going to do?

I googled. I yahooed. I was frantic. There does not seem to be a solution for deleted blog post under Blogger unless I was on a content management system or something.

Walked around my house...what do I do? Look at my plants, my 2 terrapins and my furkid Shalom. Hoping very much to find a solution from them. And saviour (I'll like to think so) Shalom started walking between her toy baskets. She was doing her usual habit of transferring toys or shifting her treats (which she sometimes forgets where she keeps them so hubby and I have to go around the house with her to look for them for her).

this is Shalom

Voila! It hit me that surely Blogger will still have it around somewhere. All I should need to do is to look through my browser history to see if I can find the link of my last edits. Luck was semi with me. I found 1! The only one that I edited right before my revisit to Central Market toilet and to have my hokkien mee fix. That was at 7:03p.m. 3 hours before I did the unthinkable.

I clicked on the link in my browser history. Fingers, eyes and toes crossed...I hoped it will work. Yes it worked!

My draft post was alive. I click "save now". Opened another browser...and yes the draft post was resurrected. Unfortunately, only 1 was resurrected as I was working on another browser previously which I did not save my browsing history. Aaaargh! Consolation...one is better than none!

So which was the lucky post? Ol Skool Dim Sum at Pudu Cafe which I posted this morning.

Meanwhile...thanx to Pummkin I discovered MacJournal and LiewCF I discovered MarsEdit. I am going to play with this 2 and decide which is better for me. Thanx folks!

Ol Skool Dim Sum at Pudu Cafe

2011-10-30T11:34:00.000+08:00

And with my monochrome adventure in Pudu, I am treated to dim sum ol skool style. Hidden at Pudu market is Pudu Cafe. A no frills shop, I am greeted at 6:00a.m. by a packed shop. Yeah its seriously packed at this hour. Its also non stop steaming of dim sum to cater to the clients.

Every table, I see people enjoying their dim sum. It can be an uncle slurping his porridge with his wife for company. On another table, someone else is enjoying his pow and cup of chinese tea while browsing the newspapers.

Needless to say, I am ravenous after my morning walk with my camera and bag. I have a peep at what's steaming and quickly return to my table to start picking the dim sums.

Here's a glimpse of some of the items we ate.

Not overly sweet egg tarts

Yummy radish cake

Creamy woo kok with a generous stuffing of melt in your mouth char siew

what's inside?

lo mai kai with a generous portion of chicken, pork, sausage and mushroom

fried lobak. basically its fu chuk (beancurd skin) with meat stuffing

stuffed chilly

chicken soup for breakfast. super yum yum for the soul and tummy

satisfying & bouncy fishball (yee wak)

siu mai

rather strange shaped lai yao bao

its not the oozy drip all over type of filling but it has a very nice corn custard taste to it

braised fu chuk with stuffing. the sauce is yummy.

braised chicken feet

My faves? Porridge. Char Siew Pow. Pork ribs. Chee Cheong Fun. Lotus Leaf Rice. Stuffed Bittergourd.

We ordered 3 servings of the pork ribs and the confession is that I ate one on my own. The meat is tender and is well marinated. You can taste the awesome taste of the flavourful black dace in every bite without even biting into the black dace.

The char siew pow is fluffy. The filling is not too sweet and the meat is juicy with a light hint of sesame seed. Lean meat is used but its not dry.

I admit that I wasn't too keen on the idea of chee cheong fun initially. This I reckon is because of the amount of fried onions that I saw on it. However I took a bite (after pushing aside the fried onions) and was wowed. Silky and smooth chee cheong fun with fragrant soya sauce. Take it with the sambal on the side. This is awesome! Yes it was good...we ordered another plate!

What is dim sum without porridge? Pudu Cafe serves wholesome thick porridge with a generous amount of minced pork and century egg. Of course there is salted egg. Just that you don't see it. Proper way of cooking is to mash the salted egg with the porridge so you taste it but don't see it with your naked eye.

an old uncle with his bowl of porridge

thick hot porridge

yummy...

The lotus leaf rice is a must order. The glutionous rice is aromatic because of the lotus leaf. It is also aromatic because of the generous fillings including salted, lean meat (healthy shop!) and chinese sausages.

a dainty parcel wrapped with lotus leaf

fluffy fragrant glutinous rice

I love stuffed bittergourds and Pudu Cafe serves them the way I like. Huge generous amount of fish paste stuffed into a ring of bittergourd. The bittergourd is soft and coupled with the firm fish paste. The fish paste is as original as you can get. Its pure fish meat that is minced together sans any flour whatsoever.

And if you're around that part of town, hop over to this ol skool shop:

45 Jalan Pasar Baru

Off Jalan Pudu

Kuala Lumpur

~.~

I am glad "This Fella" invited me to check out the market at such an unearthly hour (well 5:30a.m. is seriously unearthly for me) and resulted in my play with monochrome pictures and a gastronomic experience. Thanx buddy!

Monochrome (Almost) Tale in Pudu Market

2011-10-30T10:23:00.000+08:00

A good friend asked me yesterday if I wanted dim sum at 5am. He promised me that it would be good. But more so, he promised me that I will enjoy an adventure which I'll love at that hour. Mind you...I am not much of an early riser especially during weekends unless there's a drive or a trip somewhere.

So here I am waking up at 430am so that I am at Pudu for my morning adventure at 5:30a.m. I must admit that I wasn't too keen with the smell:P However, when you see the hustle and bustle at that hour, you forget the smell. Its amazing.

For a change, I opted to shoot in monochrome. Something I've not done for ages. Here's some pics taken:

this boss is perched up on a high chair and folks will come to him for a quote or place their order

not sure why he gave the stunned deer look

uncle making his selection

someone's peeping while working

smiley lady cutting chicken

aunty sorting out the "xiao bai chai" that arrived

uncle slurpping very yummy porridge

aunty making fish paste "yee wak"

slicing up a huge stingray

this was at 5:30a.m. this guy made many trip delivering the seafood that just arrived

Since I wasn't all too confident shooting in monochrome, here's some coloured pics.

sundry shop

the jalan yew entrance to the market. awesome selection of fresh spices

fresh coconut milk

no idea why he was "firing" the chicken

bunga kantan that you can smell from a few feet away

6o sen for an apple

awesome ripe pumpkin

crab anyone?

siu yok and char siew galore

crispy siu yok

packing the fish paste that is freshly made on the spot using only fish meat and nothing else

fishmonger

entertainment and comfort when the weather turns hotter during mid morning

all sweaty after moving the stocks around

fresh meat

very calourful lady. i love her hat

chicken!

This has been a fun Sunday morning. Will I do it again? Of course...but I must ensure that I have a good night's sleep firstlah:P

Hangover...

2011-10-29T22:57:00.000+08:00

Hangover...ain't exactly what I fancy after a drinking session. However if it does happen...I'll just down lots of watermelon juice, grab some milk thistle and head to bed.

However what I have in mind now is not the hangover after drinks. This new track by Taio Cruz featuring Flo Rida is playing in my head almost non stop. Addictive! And for my pals who are nursing a hangover...enjoy this MTV and then go grab your rest. Yeah...rest your liver!

Turkish Culinary and Cultural Week 2011

2011-10-29T17:59:00.000+08:00

I've never been to Turkey but have read of its beautiful sceneries and awesome rich food. 2 days back I was invited to experience a little of Turkey at the launch of the Turkish Culinary & Cultural Week 2011 at the Royale Chulan Hotel.

In conjunction with the 88th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey, the Turkey Tourism and Information Office in Malaysia will be celebrating the occasion by hosting the Turkish Culinary and Cultural Week. Head over to the Royale Chulan Hotel from now till Friday 4th November to experience Turkey. Throughout this Turkish Culinary and Cultural Week from 6:30p.m. till 9:00p.m. feast to Turkish delights at The Warisan Cafe prepared by chefs flown in from Turkey. Enjoy the buffet dinner at RM78++ per person.

Be entertained by energetic dancers and musicians also flown in from Turkey and be mesmerized by the Turkish craftsmen.

these ladies played and sang like angels

The musicians are awesome. My regret...I didn't record the performance. But you could check them out at the Lanai Lounge at the Royale Chulan Hotel. The very charming and energetic dancers will also be performing there.

I was rather mesmerized by the ancient art of ebru or paper marbling. Watch how paper marbling expert Mustafa Ekran draws on water using special paints that is made from animal and vegetable fats. Equally beautiful is Turkish caligraphy.

ebru master at work

put a paper over the tray

gently lift it up

art is transferred to the paper

Pretty picture done the traditional way "ebru"

special colours made with vegetable and animal fats

Some pretty crafts that I came across...and I learnt that the blue eye is in almost every house in Turkey because it is believed to ward off evil.

This year I actually started liking coffee. And if you love coffee like I do, the Turkish coffee is absolutely brilliant and is an art itself.

pretty Turkish lady who prepared our coffee

brewing a good Turkish coffee

Here's Aida of The Star enjoying her cuppa.

What's a press conference for the Turkish Culinary and Cultural Week without any food teasers? Here's some yummies...and I must say I love the Baklava. Its seriously sweet but its awesomely flavourful. Mind you this is quite laborious to make.

Some canapes made of ingredients that's found in many Turkish dishes.

This very rich cookies are awesome. They simple melt in your mouth and was really great with the Turkish coffee. Lost count of the number pieces I ate.

Yes ice cream. I become a lil girl when I see ice cream. See how the ice cream is being carved. Turkish ice cream is made from goats milk. It has a very interesting creamy texture and consistency, so much so our friend from Turkey entertained us with playing with the ice cream and it did not melt nor drip onto the floor.

playing with ice cream:P

Jess loved the ice cream so much. How many did we eat together ah?

X the happy child

love this with bits of pistachio. awesome maximus

Courtesy of the Turkish Tourism and Information Office and Etihad Airways, Cheah Ying from the Oriental Daily and writer Kee Hua Chee were the 2 lucky winners whose names were drawn to enjoy a 4 days 3 nights trip to Instanbul. Congras folks!

Meanwhile since I missed being the lucky draw winner...I shall now have to plan for my own trip to Turkey. 2012 perhaps? Fingers crossed...I should be there in 2012! Enjoy the following videos of magnificent Turkey.

And I'm heading in to the Royale Chulan Hotel to enjoy the yummy food at their Warisan Cafe to satisfy my curiosity till I make my way to Turkey.

Buddha Fruit Tongsui for General Wellbeing

2011-10-26T16:25:00.000+08:00

This is a Goon family favourite (well at least Peter Goon's 3rd wife ~ my granny). She would make this pleasant sweet drink whenever the weather turns hot and cold like the current weird weather spell or whenever one of us shows symptoms of a flu bug.

This drink is believed to expel dry heat from one's body. What is dry heat? One of the symptoms would be a dry mouth and dry eyes. And its also present when you have dry cough. Lo Han Kuo assist in loosening the phelgm.

Albeit this drink is sweet, the sweetness comes from the fruit Lo Han Kuo which is naturally sweet. Its commonly used in many traditional soups.

The bitter sweet almond is also an excellent ingredient that is used to treat coughs.

Ingredients:

• 2 litres of water

• 2 lo han kuo (Buddha Fruit)

• 2 dried sweet dates (mat chou)

• 80g bitter sweet almonds (known as lam hang pak hang)

Instructions:

• Rinse all ingredients with water.

• Break the lo han kuo into half. Break the ball of seeds. Use the shell and the seeds inside.

• Place all in pot with water.

• Bring to boil.

• Then reduce fire to slow boil for an hour.

Serve warm although its equally delightful cold. The almonds are lightly crunchy and goes well with the soup.

And if one prefers savoury soup then you may add pork or chicken and boil following the above steps.

You may put in hard boiled eggs if you like. Granny used to put chicken eggs for the adults and quail eggs

for the kids. I opted not to put in eggs today as my tummy is still not keen on certain flavours ever since the viral fever.

Well there you go...an easy dessert good for the body and the soul.

MIGF: Lai Ching Yuen @ Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur

2011-10-25T16:24:00.000+08:00

I scratched my head (not a case of dandrufflah) because I couldn't figure out which restaurant Lai Ching Yuen was at Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur. And when I arrived, it turned out to be what was previously known as Zing 晶苑. Blur me...the name change has been for some months and I didn't realise it. I supposed i have the nick missyblurkit for a good reason. LOL.

Back to MIGF 2011 at Lai Ching Yuen under the hands of Chef Leong Weng Heng. Traffic was massive on that Friday night and I was hungrier than normal. I was glad when Amanda and Chef Leong offered us some yummy Salt and Pepper Soft Shell Crabs. This savoury snack was light and the buttery soft flesh pretty much melted in our mouth.

Chef Leong Weng Heng

And it went amazingly with the fresh mint soda cocktail that we were served as soon as we arrived. This refreshing cocktail pretty much refreshed us and prepared us for our dinner to come.

The brilliant thing about Lai Ching Yuen is we get to see the chefs at work. Its the whole anticipation of seeing food being put together. A very appetising process and this MIGF review at Lai Ching Yuen, my stomach was churning extra juices just at the sight of chefs at work over the following 6 course meal.

~.~

Special Duo Seafood Combination

Crispy Seafood Spring Roll  Scallop Salad with Assorted Fruit Served in Golden Cup  

~.~

This is a pretty dish. And it certainly tasted food. I love the golden cup which was light and thin. Inside lay juicy tender scallop. The fruit salad complimented this cold dish superbly and this was made a tad savoury with the use of the roe.

The crispy seafood spring roll was light. It wasn't oily despite being fried and held together some minced seafood.

~.~

Double-boiled Sea Treasures in Whole Coconut  

~.~

I loved soups and when they are double boiled, I believe that the soups taste even better as it goes on a gentle boiling process to bring out the juices of the ingredients. And when soup is cooked in coconut, it has an added "nutty" taste to it making it even more wholesome. The Double-boiled Sea Treasures in Whole Coconut is a clear soup. It is sweet from the natural goodness of the carefully chosen ingredients that includes mushroom, fish maw (the none fried ones are called fa kau), sea cucumber, scallops and chicken. It was such a brilliant tummy and soul warmer. *Thumbs up*

a generous portion of treasures from the sea

clear soup witteh goodness of the sea treasure and subtle coconut flavour

~.~

Baked Fillet of Seaperch with Wild Mushrooms Wrapped with Crispy Filo

~.~

This is a good take at being fusion by Chef Leong. The filo was crispy and light. It was beautifully rich. Cut open the fluffy parcel to reveal the succulent seaperch that was baked inside the filo pastry from scratch. The fish is baked to perfection and was scrumptious with the pastry was buttery and by now absolutely delightful with the juices of the seaperch. Every bite was just a mouthwatering experience. The sauteed mushrooms was sauteed lightly and had a rich earthy taste to it that complimented the parcel of seaperch.

simple looking

yummilicious baked seaperch

~.~

Steamed Home-made Spinach Bean Curd with Chinese Wine Topped with Fresh Crab Meat 

~.~

I love beancurd in most preparations. The beancurd was arranged delicately. And if the green looks odd, rest assured this is what you get when you mix spinach into your food. This is such a light and perfect dish after the heavy tasting baked speaperch in filo pastry. The crab meat added some natural sea sweetness into the dense and flavourful spinach tofu. The gravy was not to be wasted and I pretty much slurped my plate clean. The gravy is rich with the goodness of seafood and egg with a light dash of chinese wine.

~.~

Fried Rice with Minced Goose Liver and Pine Nuts 

~.~

Fried rice to some sounds almost unimaginative. But at Lai Ching Yuen, the Fried Rice with Minced Goose Liver and Pine Nuts  is not just another plain dish. the minced goose liver gives the rice a rich flavour. Every mouthful of rice has generous melt in your mouth savoury goose liver and eggs wrapping the fluffy rice grains. The added pine nuts gives this rice dish extra crunch and of course the deep nutty pine flavour.

~.~

Combination of Avocado Purée with Durian Custard Rabbit Dumpling

~.~

Avocado is one of my fave fruits and I delight each time I see it on any menu. The chilled avocado puree was light on our palate as it was not overly sweet. The main star of the dessert was the cute bunny with a lovely rich durian custard filling. This was was real durian not flavouring. A definite hit with the durian lovers that night. I must admit I was in a playful mood that night and brought my bunny swimming. The bunny was so cute...I had a hard time trying to eat that little fella.

should i go swimming?

bunny went swimming in a pool of avocado puree

Menu:

Full Festival Menu RM268++ per person with wine

RM158++ per person without wine

Wine

De Martino Estate Selection Sauvignon Blanc

Longo Sincini Nero D’avola

Stanley Estate Pinot Noir

De Martino Estate Selection Cabernet Sauvignon

Lyrebird Colombard Chardonnay

Lai Ching Yuen

Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur

Level 1

160 Jalan Bukit Bintang

55100 Kuala Lumpur

T: +603 2117 4180

F: +603 2145 7876

www.grandmillenniumkl.com

www.millenniumhotels.com

~.~

Certainly another delightful night of nom nom. And this time t was even more delightful as we celebrated Jen's birthday with a company of fello kaki makan. Happy birthday Jen. Cheers to more burp adventures!

happy burpday Jen

THANX!

2011-10-24T18:56:00.000+08:00

I spent 4 days in the hospital. I was miserable. My fever hit 39.6C. I had the company of aches in my knees, ankles, toes and fingers. My muscles felt like I ran a full marathon. My eyes teared. Walking to the toilet every 1 hour to pee into an egg carton like toilet bowl while dragging my IV line with me wasn't fun. It certainly wasn't my idea of adventure.

But I took comfort knowing that I had friends and loved ones who cared for me. THANX folks for the calls, text messages, FB & Twitter messages, emails, visits, flowers, fruits and kind thoughts.

To the kind nurses at Assunta....thanx for entertaining me, measuring my pee almost every hour and administering all the medications & drips etc like clockwork. You girls were excellent caregivers.

THANX!!!

MIGF: Samplings on the Fourteen, Berjaya Times Square Hotel

2011-10-23T22:19:00.000+08:00

MIGF 2011 brings me to Samplings on the Fourteen on a wet rainy Saturday. A little cold and a little upset as I was almost late for dinner (let's blame the traffic on the road and also the crowd that I had to walk pass at mall), I settled in at Samplings on the Fourteen quickly. The cozy and warm ambience with a rather pretty scene of lights from below made me relaxed. Of course the friendly crew and bubbly Chef Valmurugan Subramaniam immediately put a smile back to my face within minutes.

I love this open kitchen.

Its exciting seeing the a chef at work.

While waiting for our MIGF menu to be served, we were treated to a rather interesting appetizer. Do not be deceived by the somewhat plain looking parcel. Inside this ravioli is a brilliant mix of the humble button mushroom with juicy crayfish with Parmesan and Emmental cheese. Equally interesting is the mustard sauce with a tinge of whiskey and wine.

Equally delightful was the bread and butter served. Every bread is freshly made. Bread and butter...the simple pleasures of life.

~.~

Appetiser

Combination of Seared Foie Gras, Tomato and Onion Tart

US Scallops with Yellow Mushrooms, Chive Salad

Cloudy Bay, Chardonnay

~.~

Appetiser soon arrives. 2 gorgeous dishes separated by a garden of chive salad.

There is something about seared scallops. Its sweet and juicy yet natural saltiness of this sea treasure is truly refreshing. The trout caviar enhances the Washington scallop further and compliments the shitake mushrooms.

Seared Foie Gras, Tomato and Onion Tart is an orgasmic piece of dish sitting on a puff pastry. Memorable and still is, even as I write this blog. Lightly seared foie gras with just some sea salt, the foie gras literally melted in my mouth.

Buttery melt in your mouth foie gras

The Cloudy Bay Chardonay was light and easy. Fruity and smooth, it complimented both appetisers thoroughly although I personally preferred it wit the scallop as the caramelised shallot with the foie gras felt a tad too sweet for my personal preference.

~.~

Soup

Light Smoked Duck Essence with Ginseng Root and Raviolini

Cloudy Bay, Chardonnay

~.~

Interestingly, Chef Valmurugan Subramaniam marries the East and West for an aromatic soup with Light Smoked Duck Essence with Ginseng Root and Raviolini. The ginseng is light and flavourful and surprisingly went well with the smoked duck soup. The consommé was warm, light and comforting. Perfect for that rainy Saturday night.

The soup is not oily. the golden droplets are actually smoked duck essence.

Petite raviolini

~.~

Sorbet

Celery Mint Sorbet

~.~

The celery sorbet is absolutely refreshing and did a great job to clear our palates. A dazzling play of mint, black pepper and celery. And if one wonders why is the celery mint sorbet more stimulating compared to another celery mint sorbet that you've probably tasted before, the secret lies in the usage of both the celery root and its leave.

~.~

Main

Roasted Australian Pistachio Crusted Baby Veal Rackserved with Greens, Potato Comfit and Truffle Jus

Nicolas Catena Zapata, Malbec

Cajun Spiced Black Cod, Seared Prawns, Vanilla Oil and Escarole Risotto

Puligny Montrachet

~.~

I opted for the Roasted Australian Pistachio Crusted Baby Veal Rackserved with Greens, Potato Comfit and Truffle Jus. This is a luscious piece of baby veal is coated with pistachios, rosemary, pepper and salt. Cooked to perfection, the meat is succulent and tender. The truffle jus was mild so as not to overpower the natural sweetness of veal.

The baby veal was paired with the Nicolas Catena Zapata, Malbec. This full bodied red and slightly sweet wine definitely was definite a good match with the baby veal and it also complimented the slightly nutty taste on the veal as a result of the pistachios.

Buddies Esther and Xiang both opted for the Cajun Spiced Black Cod, Seared Prawns, Vanilla Oil and Escarole Risotto (which I happily took a bite from). Both the cod and the prawns were fresh and it was a good match making this a must have for seafood lovers. However what impressed me most on their choice dish was the escarole risotto. Despite the slightly bitter nature of escarole, Chef Valmurugan Subramaniam cooked it well the escarole remained freshly crisp and added bite into the creamy risotto.

And because it tasted so good, I could not resist asking Chef Valmurugan Subramaniam for an extra serving of the escarole risotto. Yummeh...this was certainly one of the best risottos I have had.

The Puligny Montrachet would be a dry white wine on its own. However it went well with the cod and prawn...or in my case, it was a perfect pairing with the escarole risotto.

~.~

Dessert

Ricotta Cheese Cake, Chestnut Mousse with Raspberry Coulis and Almond Crisp

Peter Lehmann Barossa Art, Late Harvest Frontignac

Coffee or Tea

~.~

Dessert was an awesome play of textures and flavours. Nothing intensely sweet, it was superbly flavourful. The almond crisp was sweet but it went well with the very creamy ricotta cheese cake. The raspberry coulis gave this whole dessert character. The chestnut mousse was surprisingly not as sweet as I thought it would be and was really good with the berries.

Peter Lehmann Barossa Art, Late Harvest Frontignac is provided a sweet ending to this meal. Albeit a sweet (dessert) wine, its fresh fruity finish goes well with the ricotta cheese cake.

And so my wet cold rainy Saturday MIGF dinner was certainly fun and interesting play of flavours by an equally fun Chef Valmurugan Subramaniam whom I remember was happily dancing during the MIGF Gala Launch. A yummy meal by a cheerful chef and yes even his team was equally cheerful like him. When we requested to take his picture, I was certainly very impressed that Chef Valmurugan Subramaniam said "Please take a picture of my team too. It is team work and not me alone". He's such a brilliant and humble chef. *Niceeeeee*

chef and his team

Menu

• Full Festival Menu RM350++ per person with wine;

• RM180++ per person without wine

Samplings on the Fourteen

14th Floor Berjaya Times Square

55100 Kuala Lumpur

T: +603 2117 8000 ext 8131

http://www.berjayahotel.com/kualalumpur/dining.asp

~.~

Here's us chilling over our wines after dinner while admiring the beautiful scenery

Be seated by the window to enjoy this view throughout your dinner

Esther

Xiang

Yours truly missyblurkit

MIGF: Tatsu Japanese Restaurant, Intercontinental Kuala Lumpur

2011-10-22T17:02:00.000+08:00

If you love Japanese food, one place that you must try this MIGF or even beyond MIGF would be Tatsu Japanese Restaurant at Intercontinental Kuala Lumpur. This MIGF experience Chef Yanagida Tetsuya's creative play of colours and ingredients making every course a luxurious experience.

~.~

Appetisers

A Combination of Japanese Yam and Fried Anchovy Bruschetta,

Tuna and Trifoliate Citrus Leaves with Wasabi sauce,

Avocado and Sweet Shrimp with Spiced Cod Roe and

Sushi Roll with Eel, Avocado and Deep Fried Soft Shell Crab served with Almond Sauce

~.~

The appetiser arrives looking truly appetising. An artistic colourful display I was at a lost as to which direction or which dish should I start with? And since I've decided to be a right hander for that night, I started from my right.

A Combination of Japanese Yam and Fried Anchovy Bruschetta will win the hearts of yam lovers. Lightly fried, it was crispy outside. Bite into it to reveal creamy purple Japanese yam which is lightly sweet. Combined with the baby anchovies for its additional crisp and saltiness and slightly tangy cherry tomatoes, this is not just a mere play of flavour but a brilliant play of textures.

I'll have to conclude that the Avocado and Sweet Shrimp with Spiced Cod Roe is my favourite of the four dishes in the first course. The avocado is used not merely as a "bowl" in this case buts it naturally creamy and nutty character serves to enhance the spiced cod roe and sweet shrimp. As the avocado used was nice and ripe, it wasn't a surprise that we all scraped our avocado clean that night. Yummy!

Moving to the left is the Tuna and Trifoliate Citrus Leaves with Wasabi sauce. This is a refreshing preparation as the tuna is juicy and went well with the citrus infused wasabi sauce.

The Sushi Roll with Eel, Avocado and Deep Fried Soft Shell Crab served with Almond Sauce was a rather fun dish for me. With so many ingredients, I wanted to experience everything in one mouthful as it was intended to. This dish in one word would be creamy from the use of eel, avocado and crab but it wasn't an overkill as the roe gave it a light salty taste while the slightly sweet almond sauce made it slightly moist. It was a gastronomic explosion of flavours in my mouth.

~.~

Starters

Seafood Duo

Sautéed Tiger Prawns and Eryngii Mushrooms topped with Japanese Soba Sauce

Foie Gras Steak in Cod Fish Teriyaki

~.~

Sautéed Tiger Prawns and Eryngii Mushrooms topped with Japanese Soba Sauce looked luxuriously rich with the gold dust sprinkled over it. Eryngii mushroom and the sweet juicy prawns were just perfect with the mild soba sauce.

Foie Gras Steak in Cod Fish Teriyaki is such a delightful idea. Both the seared foie gras and cod fish are naturally creamy in texture. Yet each exude its own flavour that is enhanced by the sweet teriyaki sauce that is lightly caramelised on the cod.

Rich creamy seared foie gras

~.~

Mains

*Tatsu’s Volcanic Stone Grilled Wagyu Beef with Chef’s choice of Ginger Soyu and Tatsu’s Spicy Dip

Green Tea Rice Onigiri

~.~

I've always loved a good meal of wagyu. Tatsu’s Volcanic Stone Grilled Wagyu Beef with Chef’s choice of Ginger Soyu and Tatsu’s Spicy Dip is a play of our sense. Be mesmerized by the aroma of the wagyu being grilled on the hot stones and the cracking sound of the wagyu fat. Every bite of the wagyu was intriguing. The meat has a smooth velvety and succulent that I didn't have a need to dip it into any of the 2 dips provided.

the beautiful marbled wagyu

wagyu cooked on the volcanic stone right before your eyes

*salivate*

velvet soft tender medium rare wagyu

However a dip into the 2 dips that Chef Yanagida Tetsuya concocted gave the wagyu a different experience. Of the two, I preferred the Ginger Soyu for its zesty flavour.

The Green Tea Rice Onigiri was good to eat on its own with a refreshing green tea taste to it. Eat the rice on its own or with a bite of the wagyu and some golden crispy garlic flakes. I must confess that not being much of a rice fan, I ate only a little of my rice. I was just too happy with the wagyu. Too satisfied with the good cut of wagyu would be more precise and technically correct.

~.~

Desserts

Dried Fruit Tempura served with Chocolate

and Red Bean Fondue

~.~

I must confess that I cringed at the idea of Dried Fruit Tempura served with Chocolate and Red Bean Fondue. It just sounded all too sweet. I know its dessert time but surely we don't need a sugar overload. However I was so wrong. The dried fruit were carefully chosen for its flavour as they were not too sweet. Neither was the chocolate too sweet while the red bean gave the whole chocolate fondue a unique texture and beany flavour. How does one eat this?

a dollop of red bean in a pool of chocolate

dried fruits tempura

Simply dip your dried fruit tempura stick into the chocolate fondue. You can mix the red bean the chocolate or in my case, I dipped the tempura into the chocolate first followed by smearing the red bean onto the tempura. Desserts are meant to be fun so have fun while you're at it!

And here's us feeling all so happy like kids with our lollipops. And well...even Chef Yanagida Tetsuya joined us for one of our happy play with food pics.

Menu

• Full Festival Menu RM430 per person with wine

• RM330 per person without wine

• Light Festival Menu Tatsu’s Volcanic Stone Grilled Wagyu Beef with Chef’s Choice of Ginger Soyu and Tatsu’s Spicy Dip, RM150 per 100g

Wine

• Capel Vale Debut Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2010

• Capel Vale Debut Chardonnay 2010

• Capel Vale Regional Series Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Tatsu Japanese Restaurant

InterContinental Kuala Lumpur

165 Jalan Ampang

50450 Kuala Lumpur

T: +603 2782 6118

http://www.intercontinental-kl.com.my/dining/tatsu_restaurant.asp

www.myanimalcare.org: The kindness of the Thais

2011-10-20T19:31:00.000+08:00

www.myanimalcare.org: The kindness of the Thais

And here's an apt reminder that while we think we have big problems, others may have even bigger problems than us, and yet...there is always room for an act of kindness....

Shared by Chooi Bee Gan:

International Buffet @ Terazza Brasserie, Grand Dorsett

2011-10-18T01:53:00.000+08:00

Buffets aren't really my cup of tea. But a pal told me "Its international. You'll love it". So there we were on a Tuesday evening ready to go Mexican. I must confess that I have not really done much Mexican before so I was kinda excited. I felt a little like Speedy Gonzales. I was a wee disappointed none of the staff wore Mexican but I was quick to forget since food was brilliant! It wasn't just about variety (with each of thematic for the day, they will still have some local and other International delicacies to add to the variety factor. Brilliant right?) I loved the quality and I think that is what matters!

Seafood on ice. They were definitely generous and fresh. No complains of tummyaches etc from any of my buddies.

salmon is always welcomed

fresh oysters are a must:D

Cheese were quite plentiful too...

Salads of every kind and interestingly was the oyster shooters. Every glass had a few oysters in it. Interesting! Add a squeeze of lemon or more tabasco if that is your kind of tea.

Potato salad

Grilled bell peppers

Grilled tomatoes with feta cheese

Seafood salad

Oyster shooters

A not to be missed is the Roasted Rib Eye. Succulent and hot from the oven, this was a camping ground for some of us:P

The pasta here were yummy. Done just el dente, they can prepare it in various preparation as you wish. This makan buddies of ours opted for bolognese, aglio olio and cabonara. The cabonara was superbly rich! And I tell myself that I must return when they run their Italian promotion on Thursdays.

pasta station

Carbonara

Bolognese

Aglio Olio

Before I forget...the pumpkin cappuccino was yummy. Some of us went back for our second helping. And coupled with their fresh breads that was one of the better ones we have seen in buffets, this is a good reason to start carbo loading during dinner:P

A comforting pumpkin cappuccino with good bread does wonders after a crazy Tuesday

Freshly baked fluffy tomato foccacia

Sushi anyone? Yes there is Japanese for a good variety too. Awesome maximus!

Some hot food action inside the claypot and trays include:

lo hon cai

rendang

Rosemary Potato with Garlic, Rosemary and Pimento

Assorted Vegetables

So where's the Mexican? Here's some of it.

this charred prawn is yummy!

Mexican Layered Dip

Chi Chi Seafood Enchilada

Cornmeal Polo

Spanish Beef & Chicken Kebab

Smoked Salmon Quesadilas

Seafood Aji-Lio

Grilled Cajun Snapper with Almond Red Sauce

Mexican Pilaf Rice

The desserts were happening. I remember a pal who hit the dessert booth before anything else. And you'll be amazingly pampered with both local and Western desserts.

As if desserts weren't enough, we had ice cream to contend ourselves with. And also a whole selection of fresh fruits. One should always be imaginative. Why limit fresh fruits to where they are? Bring them over to the chocolate fountain:D I discovered chocolate fondue goes really well with dragon fruits and watermelon!

succulent sweet strawberries

So there you go...for some International themed buffet in Subang, head over to Terazza Brasserie at the Grand Dorsett Hotel. Thanx to makan and craft buddy Merryn, I can now share with you the different themes for each day.

Meanwhile, do take advantage of the promotions:

• [Sunday - Thursday ONLY] Enjoy 55% Off "Cuisines From Around The World" International Buffet Dinner @ Terazza Brasserie, Grand Dorsett Hotel for RM45nett

http://www.everyday.com.my/coupons/kl/missyblurkit.ec?2030

• [Friday - Saturday ONLY] Enjoy 57% Off Seadrama On Ice BBQ Buffet Dinner @ Terazza Brasserie, Grand Dorsett Hotel for RM48nett

http://www.everyday.com.my/coupons/kl/missyblurkit.ec?2033

MIGF: Lebanese Delights @ Al Amar

2011-10-13T22:03:00.000+08:00

I've looked at many of the MIGF menus and one particular participant seriously stood out with its price. An amazing RM98++ per person without wine and RM138++ per person with wine. Here's a walk through what RM98++ brings you this MIGF.

Lebanese Four Seasons

~.~

For a sunny start

Authentic Labneh Trio with Lebanese Southern Tapenade

and a Brush of Thyme

~.~

The moment this dish arrived on our table, I went "Wow". A nice mix of colours, shapes and textures. The crunchy pastry sticks and the bread sticks were great for dipping into the 3 balls of labneh. Labneh is a cheese made of yogurt. Its consistency is somewhat similar to cream cheese. Each labneh was coated with either dried mint, thyme and paprika. My personal favourite was the flavourful thyme. Of course the olive tapenade on the side was equally delightful.

Delightful breadsticks that I wouldn't mind having more

Thyme, mint and paprika

A dip with your bread or pastry stick

~.~

Summer blooms

Apricot Glazed Beetroot Tartar on Mango Leather and Rocket Coulis

~.~

Summer blooms and the world turns bright and colourful. And this dish perfectly describes summer colours and flavours. A vivid play of colours with the red diced beetroot, pretty flowers and mango leather. The flavours were equally refreshing with a subtle taste of apricot to complement the fresh juicy beetroot. Oh! The flowers are pretty and are edible. Amazing right?

Here's another look at this pretty summer dish

~.~

Autumn flavours

Spinach Bonbon, Soujouk Mille Feuille and Herb Crust Filled

with Hommos and Grass Fed Baby Lamb Fillet

~.~

Again a brilliant play of flavours and textures makes this also another enjoyable dish. Herb Crust Filled with Hommos and Grass Fed Baby Lamb Fillet was so adorable that I could not help giving it a kiss before eating it. Al Amar's signature humus made of chick pea and tahini had bits of grass fed baby lamb fillet which was an interesting play of flavour and texture with the flavoured pastry.

Shaped like an old fashion sweet, the Spinach Bonbon had a thin crisp skin with a yummy and creamy spinach feeling.

Soujouk Mille Feuille was quite a hit with my foodie pals when we tasted it. The spiced lamb sausage were arranged delicately and covered with some tomato salsa. And the arty looking lotus root tucked into this bed isn't just all about looks. A bite into this lotus root crisp after a few mouthful of the tender spiced lamb sausage is refreshing as lotus root is naturally slightly sweet.

~.~

Raining chefs

Braised Rack of Lamb with Stuffed Baby Marrow and

Vine Leaves Accompanied by a Garlic Mint Sauce

Pan seared Red Mullet Fillets with Sayadieh Rice and Drops of Fish Jus

~.~

Braised Rack of Lamb with Stuffed Baby Marrow and Vine Leaves Accompanied by a Garlic Mint Sauce is another piece of masterpiece. The dish arrives and the dried rosemary is lighted up giving us a wonderful whiff of sweet rosemary. And its yet another cheerful play of colours with a brilliant yellow squash filled with a ball of meat and basmati rice. This happy yellow squash then sits on a baby tomato. Isn't it adorable?

The Braised Rack of Lamb is cooked just right. Every bite reveals a moist piece of lamb cooked just right with a delightful pink hue.

see the lighted rosemary tip?

tender lamb

The rice with some meats are wrapped nicely in vine leaves. This is a great way for me to actually indulge in rice as the savoury rice and meat was really appetizing with the slightly tangy vine leaves. The bed of potato most not be left on the plate. This potato is grilled just right and is not starchy or dry as I have tasted elsewhere.

And if one loves fish, then the Pan seared Red Mullet Fillets with Sayadieh Rice and Drops of Fish Jus is a must have. The Red Mullet is favourful and juicy. It was complemented well with the rice that has been cooked slowly in a fish broth and onions. The added pomegranate and pine nuts make this such a pretty dish from the otherwise brownish looking dish and most importantly give it a fresh juicy zing.

a very flavourful fluffy rice with sweet caramelised onions

~.~

Sunshine after the rain

Nougat Glacé Laid on a Bed of Vanilla Pineapple Confit Served

with Pineapple Sauce & Spiced Chocolate Shell

~.~

Sunshine after the rain was all bright and yellow. It was again another pretty sight that I didn't quite have the heart to eat because I didn't want to destroy the masterpiece plus I did think that it could be a possibly very sweet dessert. Nougat Glacé was a soft nougat with dried fruits in it (this sounds sweet). Cardamom ice cream in a spiced chocolate ball (still sounds sweet) Thus I was surprised that what I thought would have been a terribly sweet dessert was actually very palatable even for non sweet tooths like me. The cup of pineapple sauce gave this dish a different dimension. This was one aromatic and refreshing dessert. If I could add, I personally think that is could be awarded "The Dessert of MIGF 2011"!

Indeed this is a good value MIGF menu.

Menu

Full Festival Menu RM138++per person with wine

RM98++per person without wine

Wines

Chateau Musar Jeune White, Viognier, Corsican variety, Vermentino & Chardonnay, 2008, Lebanon

Chateau Kefraya Blanc de Blanc, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc & Chardonnay, 2008, Lebanon

Chateau Musar Jeune Red, Cinsault, Syrah & Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009, Lebanon

Chateau Musar Hochar Père & Fils, Cinsault, 2002, Lebanon OR Chateau Musar Cuvée White, Obeideh, 2004, Lebanon

Lazy and Looking Good Don't Go Hand in Hand

2011-10-12T13:23:00.000+08:00

Its not easy being a female. We need to look good. We need to look presentable. I have to admit that I do many times love to take it the easy way...no makeup, put on a cap, wear my sunnies and put on my sloppy comfy lazy clothes. Why? Comfort is one reason. Lazy is the main reason. And I reckon the sunnies and hat or cap will make me unrecognisable. Dang...how wrong I am. I still get recognised and I get recognised in an almost not lady like or not proper manner.

I was glad that I sat in for a fun 2 hours talk organised by Head & Shoulders recently who believe that everyone is beautiful and as such put together a short workshop for the media. Sharing their personal tips on how to look gorgeous (even on lazy days) were Dato' Nancy Yeoh the CEO of Stylo International, talented Chelsia Ng and stylist Shawn Cutler. The 2 hours went past really fast and certainly Head & Shoulders had chosen them for a good reason. The 3 were gorgeous. And all 3 were very fun people who shared their know hows on how to look good generously!

Some areas covered included choosing the correct outfit for our body shape, wearing the correct colours, choosing the correct accessories and my favourite one "Make the Effort to Look Good" where by we simply can't be lazy about looking good.

And when we are all dress correctly, our hair matters! Dato' Nancy, Chelsia and Shawn shared that it all boils down to basic taking care of our hair that matters. And certainly these 3 are the correct people to say it and we listen. Look at Dato' Nancy's hair. Its so gorgeous. Despite the colouring and chemical treatments, her hair looks good (I must admit I was very mesmerized with her hair swaying around during the 2 hours session). Chelsia looked equally gorgeous with her stark black hair. Even Shawn for a guy is all groomed (lesson learnt: men must be well groomed too).

Lil tips were shared and the most basic I learnt was to ensure that my scalp was clean. One must wash with the right shampoo and it really does not matter how expensive. Most importantly is to shampoo correctly and to nourish our scalp and hair follicles after the chemical, heat and chlorine abuses that we subject our hair to (I am guilty of all 3).

I must admit that despite my rather thick hair, I am losing quite a bit of hair which is very noticeable when I shampoo. So armed with the Head & Shoulders Anti Hair Fall range of shampoo, hair conditioner and scalp treatment, I made myself the guinea pig for a month. The effects were surprisingly not too bad. I no longer needed to shampoo my hair daily as my scalp was not as oily and itchy as before (unless I run or take a dip in the pool).

I absolutely love the scalp treatment. It did feel a tad oily on the fingers. But when I massaged it gently into the scalp, it rinsed off very easily. No residue whatsoever. And for the price of the products, I will say that the range of Anti Hair Fall range is a good buy with good results.

• Head & Shoulders Anti-Hair Fall Shampoo for Men 200ml --- RM 11.50

• Head & Shoulders Anti-Hair Fall Shampoo for Women 200ml --- RM 11.50

• Head & Shoulders Anti-Hair Fall Conditioner for Women 200ml --- RM 11.50

• Head & Shoulders Anti-Hair Fall Treatment for Scalp & Hair 185g --- RM 18.70

Conclusion from the 2 hours and 1 month of trial using the Head & Shoulders products that were in my goodie bag:

(1) There is no ugly women (people). Just lazy people.

(2) It takes just a lil effort to look good. And if we don't respect ourselves by simply grooming ourselves a little, how do we expect others to respect us?

(3) I love the Head & Shoulders Anti-Hairfall Treatment for Scalp & Hair. It had certainly reduced my hair fall!

(4) Wearing 4 inch heels, I am still one head shorter than many people including Chelsia Ng.

Treasure Pot for Lunch

2011-10-11T10:46:00.000+08:00

Pot of Prosperity. Well this is the name that i concocted myself for what is known as Poon Choy 盆菜. This Poon Choy dish does literally mean a pot or basin of vegetable and I think it does no justice to such a gorgeous dish.

This is quite a huge dish. So do not attempt this if you're dining with just another pal. A small sized Poon Choy can easily feed 4-6 persons. On that fine Sunday afternoon, 9 of us makan kakis got together for lunch. Poon Choy sounded brilliant and we ordered Large. Yeah...and we polished off almost every morsel of it since it was seriously yummy.

This is how it arrives. All nicely covered in a claypot. It is placed on a stove on our table and as it boils we can even smell it despite the close lid...

Now let's take a peep....

And here's the Poon Choy. Looks can be deceiving as what you see isn't everything. Beneath the top layer is another hidden layer of treasures. Now what did we have in ours?

• Fish maw

• Sea cucumber

• Roast pork - siu yok

• Dried Oyster

• Abalone slices (bao pin)

• Prawn

• Roast Duck (I loved this as it had a very thin and crispy skin!)

• Chicken

• Pork trotter

• Brocolli

• Mushroom

and I reckon quite a few more that I couldn't get my names right:P

You can quite imagine with all the yummy ingredients that has gone into the dish, the gravy will be simply flavourful. So it called for rice. Yes serious carbo loading time that means an extra bowl of rice for a none rice eater like me.

And being curious, I had always wondered what wine would go with such a magnificent dish? And of course being Chinese, I thought that Chinese wine will be brilliant. So there we went with our wine pairing idea (thanx to a brilliant person on our table). We had this Chinese Wine "Kuei Hwa Chen Chiew" which was 14% alcohol and was made from flowers. Am not too sure what flower since no one on the table could read Chinese but the folks at Hai-O where we bought it said it was flowers. The wine was easy, a tad sweet and basically complimented the Poon Choy well.

* I shall be reading up and writing on this wine soon again (I promise).

So if you're keen to experience lovely Poon Choy head down to:

Restaurant Mei Six Hin

No.G-62, Jalan Prima SG 3/1,

Prima Sri Gombak,

68100 Selangor.

+017 27 999 27 (Winnie)

MIGF: Senja @ The Saujana Hotel

2011-10-07T15:13:00.000+08:00

Dining at Senja is always a good experience. During the day, you'll be relaxing to a view of greenery and tranquil lake. Come night, enjoy the peace of the night with the company of a band that serenades you with relaxing numbers. Coupled with its warm lighting, pristine wooden flooring and attentive crew, Senja sets a diner straight into relaxed and ready to dine in first class the moment one walks into the restaurant.

I arrived rather early with my makan buddies. We sat and relaxed to the live band while waiting for our food to be prepared.

~.~

Appetisers

Tartar di Tonno e Mango

Mango Tuna Tartar

Crema di Cavolfiore con Brioche

al Tartufo Nero

Cauliflower Soup and Black Truffle Brioche

Terrina di Verdure Grigliate

e Mozzarella di Bufala

Vegetables Terrine and Buffalo Mozzarella

~.~

The appetizer Terrina di Verdure Grigliate e Mozzarella di Bufala (Vegetables Terrine and Buffalo Mozzarella) was a pretty dish with a brilliant display of colours using basil, tomatoes, carrots and zucchini. The mild but distinctive flavour of buffalo mozarella made the grilled vegetables a light yet satisfying appetizer.

~.~

Starters

Raviolo al Nero, Salmone e Caviale

Squid Ink Ravioli, Smoked Salmon and Caviar

CapesanteScottate, Pure’dirape

Rosse e Porcini

Pan-seared Scallops, Beetroot Puree

and Porcini Mushrooms

Gamberi al Pomodoro Piccante, Bruschetta

Prawns, Tomato Chili Sauce and Olive Oil Bruschetta

~.~

There is something mesmerizing about squid ink. Black yet elegant. And that is precisely how Raviolo al Nero, Salmone e Caviale (Squid Ink Ravioli, Smoked Salmon and Caviar) looked. It was a petite ravioli assembled with much thought and grace. Squid ink which is slightly salty, flavours and colours the plain ravioli. Take a bite of the ravioli and you'll get an explosion of flavours from the delicate smoked flavour of the salmon. The red and black caviar gives the ravioli a slightly salty and nutty taste.

~.~

Mains

Costata di Vitello, Couscus, Salsa Chanterelle

Grilled Veal Rack, Couscous and Chanterelle

Mushroom Sauce

Involtino di Sogliola, Risotto alla Milanese,

Salsa alla Mugnai

Roulade of Dover Sole, Milanese Risotto

and Butter Lemon Sauce

Alaskan Filetto di Merluzzo, Vellutata di

Cannellini, Asparagi Bianchi

Seared Alaskan Cod Fish, Cannellini Bean

Velvet and White Asparagus

~.~

The Alaskan Filetto di Merluzzo, Vellutata di Cannellini, Asparagi Bianchi (Seared Alaskan Cod Fish, Cannellini Bean Velvet and White Asparagus) is quite a plain looking dish. However beyond its looks, this is a very exquisite dish. The cod fish is seared to allow retain its naturally mild sweetness. The base is luxurious with rich lobsters bisque mixed with Cannellini beans (a type of Italian kidney bean) chosen for its distinctive nutty and smooth textured. Potato crisp give the dish some textures. Yes the delicate yellowchips or crips that you see if actually made from potatoes!

~.~

Desserts

Tiramisu dello Chef Giovanni

Chef Giovanni’s Tiramisu

Creme Brulee al Rosmarino

Rosemary Creme Brulee

~.~

I have heard the Chef Giovanni Ricci is known to serve old fashion traditional dishes. I didn't exactly think much of it until we tasted Tiramisu dello Chef Giovanni (Chef Giovanni’s Tiramisu). Tiramisu is a traditional Italian dessert and Chef Giovanni serves us a luxuriously sweet and seductive tiramisu. The tiramisu is light yet rich in flavours. I said "seductive tiramisu" because every bite of the tiramisu just makes you want to have more.

Its almost year end and if you need a place to chill over some fine Italian food then Senja is just the brilliant place to be. This MIGF, check out the MIGF offerings:

Menu

Full Festival Menu RM360 per person with wine (any four courses);

RM280 per person with wine (any three courses); RM220 per person with wine (any two courses);

RM180 per person without wine (any four courses);RM140 per person without wine (any three courses);

RM110 per person without wine (any two courses)

Wines

Cascine 7 ProseccoNV

Placido Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie IGT 2008

Vigne Rigali “Principessa” Gavia Gavi DOCG 2007

Agricola AllegriniValpolicella DOC 2008

Placido Chianti DOCG 2008

BaroneRicasoli “Castello Di Brolio Vin Santo” 2004

The Saujana Hotel Kuala Lumpur:

Saujana Resort

Jalan Lapangan Terbang SAAS

40150 Shah Alam

+603-7840 5502

www.thesaujana-kualalumpur.com

Life Inspired: Food, Home, Wellness, Travel And Style

2011-10-06T11:38:00.000+08:00

A couple of weeks back, I had the opportunity to sit down over wine and good food with the David Yee one of the faces of Life Inspired. This father to 3 daughters (yes he is married and is father to 3 beautiful girls) is funny, quick, warm and extremely cheeky:P And if you find him familiar, then its no surprise as he has been the face for many major ad campaigns and was a model in Sydney before he moved to Singapore. Here's some pictures of him.

Rather charming right? Want to see more of him? Catch him on Life Inspired:

• Hong Kong ~ Now TV channel 516

~ Hong Kong Broadband bbTV channel 322

• Indonesia ~ Indovision channel 245

~ First Media channel 229

~ AORA channel 309

~ Telkom Vision IPTV channel 402 (SD) and channel 902 (HD)

• Malaysia ~ Astro B.yond channel 706

• Singapore ~ SingTel mio TV channel 22

• Taiwan ~ kbro channel 127

~ Chunghwa Telecom MOD channel 089

~ TFN New TV channel 204

~ DishHD's channel 242

I mentioned wine and good food...We were at Garibaldi Italian Restaurant & Bar in Bangsar Village I. It was quiet and cozy upstairs. A world of difference from the hustle and bustle of Bangsar.

The wines that we had for the day was paired with Torbreck, an Australian winery.

We started with Fegato ~ Roasted Goose Liver with Apricot Chutney and Aged Balsamico Vinegar. This was paired Torbreck, The Bothie 2010. A rather sweet wine, it wasn't exactly something that I like. The dish itself however was delightful and got my appetite running.

The Pappardelle ~ Flat Wide Homemade Egg Noodle with Braised Wagyu Beef Cheek was yummy. Pasta was el dente the way it should be. The wagyu was tender and still flavourful (this is important as I recently had some not so good braised wagyu cheek in one of the leading hotels in Kuala Lumpur). Torbreck, Cuvee Juveniles 2009 was a welcome after the rather sweet wine that we had in the first course. This wine is unoaked and is relatively easy for folks who are new to wine.

For the mains we either chose the Merluzzo ~ Roasted Atlantic Cod with Basil Crust and Roasted Vegetables or Agnello ~ Oven Roasted Lamb Rack with Salsify Pumpkin Mash and Mint Sauce. I chose both!

But seriously, I had both since I nibbled on someone else's Lamb Rack.

I chose the Merluzzo ~ Roasted Atlantic Cod with Basil Crust and Roasted Vegetables because I generally like cod fish. The basil crust was interesting and added depth into the mild flavoured cod fish. David chose Torbreck's Woodcutter's Semillon 2008 for this dish. This white wine was fruity and smooth. With a citrus note to it it was an easy white wine (I love this and I think I had quite a few glasses of it)

The Agnello ~ Oven Roasted Lamb Rack with Salsify Pumpkin Mash and Mint Sauce was mesmerizing. The lamb was not over done and I must say the chefs at Garibaldi actually did well and took into account that a camera on the table means the food could be well overcooked by the time we finish cooking. Generally lamb must be eaten within 3-5 minutes of it being served to avoid it being over cooked. The Torbreck Woodcutter's Shiraz 2009 is a deep red with some berry and spicy note is also an easy wine to drink.

juicy

Finally dessert Zabaione ~ Mixed Fresh Berries with Gratinated Marsala Wine Sabayon & Pistachio Gelato. I loved the Sabayon that was a light sweet custard like dessert and complimented the tangy berries very well. The pistachio gelato just perfected the entire dessert. This time the sweet Torbreck The Bothie 2010 certainly went well with the dessert. The light bodied floral and sweet fruity wine was a almost a perfect pairing with the dessert.

OK...filling filled and satisfied, I took the opportunities to grab some pictures with the Life Inspired people.

Joanne de Rozario

David Yee

And if you like what I ate, hop over to Garibaldi:

GARIBALDI Italian Restaurant & Bar

Lot. 10 & G22, Bangsar Village

Jalan Telawi 1

59100 Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia

T: +603 2282 3457

Simply Adele

2011-10-05T12:45:00.000+08:00

Mesmerizing powerful vocals! That's 23 year old Adele. Was watching a few MTVs over dessert last night with some pals. Somehow Adele's Rolling In The Deep played in my head over the night. Its not so much of the song itself. I love the simple MTV itself. Nothing fancy mancy but the lyrics and the whole works goes just well.

She is dubbed by some as the new Amy Winehouse. But my personal opinion is that she has a more developed set of vocals and coupled with her style of writing, I think she is simply Adele rather than the new Amy Winehouse or anyone else. A little of heart broken style and some angst in it but its very real. Have a listen to the following and note the lyrics. Written simply yet powerfully!

Rolling in the Deep:

The lyrics:

There's a fire starting in my heart

Reaching a fever pitch, and it's bringing me out the dark

Finally I can see you crystal clear

Go ahead and sell me out and I'll lay your ship bare

See how I'll leave with every piece of you

Don't underestimate the things that I will do

There's a fire starting in my heart

Reaching a fever pitch

And it's bringing me out the dark

The scars of your love remind me of us

They keep me thinking that we almost had it all

The scars of your love, they leave me breathless

I can't help feeling

We could have had it all

Rolling in the deep

(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

You had my heart inside of your hand

(You're gonna wish you never had met me)

And you played it to the beat

(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

Baby, I have no story to be told

But I've heard one of you

And I'm gonna make your head burn

Think of me in the depths of your despair

Making a home down there

As mine sure won't be shared

The scars of your love remind me of us

They keep me thinking that we almost had it all

The scars of your love, they leave me breathless

I can't help feeling

We could have had it all

Rolling in the deep

(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

You had my heart inside of your hand

(You're gonna wish you never had met me)

And you played it to the beat

(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

We could have had it all

Rolling in the deep

You had my heart inside of your hand

But you played it with a beating

Throw your soul through every open door

Count your blessings to find what you look for

Turn my sorrow into treasured gold

You pay me back in time and reap just what you sow

(You're gonna wish you never had met me)

We could have had it all

(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

We could have had it all

(You're gonna wish you never had met me)

It all, it all, it all

(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

We could have had it all

(You're gonna wish you never had met me)

Rolling in the deep

(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

You had my heart inside of your hand

(You're gonna wish you never had met me)

And you played it to the beat

(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

You could have had it all

(You're gonna wish you never had met me)

Rolling in the deep

(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

You had my heart inside of your hand

(You're gonna wish you never had met me)

But you played it

You played it

You played it to the beat

Another very enjoyable piece that showcases her talents are Someone Like You. Listen to what inspired the song and you'll see her style that being described by many as somewhat "heart broken".

MIGF: The Restaurant @ The Club

2011-10-04T13:46:00.000+08:00

Its Monday blues and it didn't help that it was a wet and rainy evening. Rather moody and I wasn't too sure how I was going to cheer up. Nevertheless I headed off for my dinner date. I smiled when I arrived at the cozy and serene environment of The Restaurant at The Club, Saujana Resort Kuala Lumpur. I was smiling a little more.

Having met Chef Alexander Georg Waschl before, I had prepared myself to be surprised by this boyish, young and adventurous chef.

While waiting, we started off with a white wine and had some breads to nibble on. The butter we all agreed was one of the best butters we have had. And on a personal note, I also loved the walnut bread that was served. It was definitely a good old fashion baked from scratch walnut bread rather than using lots of sugar to let the bread rise fast as that practiced by many commercial bakeries.

~.~

First Course

Home Dried Watermelon Carpaccio Parmesan,

Aged Balsamic, Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Marinated Salmon and Salmon Tartar Avocado

~.~

We kicked start with Home Dried Watermelon Carpaccio Parmesan, Aged Balsamic & Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Yes this is watermelon not meat! Thinly sliced with such a vibrant red, I was surprised that this was not beef. Not believing what I saw, I took a bite and it was sweet watermelon dried gently for many hours to result in such rich colour and flavour. The balsamic and the Parmesan takes the humble watermelon to a new dimension.

~.~

Second Course

Lobster Bisque with Lobster Grissini

Clear Oxtail Consommé with its own Ravioli

~.~

Next to come was the Lobster Bisque with Lobster Grissini. Served in a little cup, this was such a pretty dish that I didn't quite have the heart to eat (drink in this case) because it looked so beautiful. Rich, creamy and comforting soup that was brilliant as it was a rainy Monday night then. The Grissini was crisp and not oily and is actually quite addictive.

Clear Oxtail Consommé with its own Ravioli was a clear soup in a huge bowl. The clear look was deceiving as every mouth of the soup reveals a rich meaty goodness of oxtail. And in the soup was some finely chopped celery, zucchini and carrots that were still slightly crunchy. These chopped vegetables added depth into the soup. The Raviolli was delightful and was served inside the soup and on the side. I am glad they did it as I don't think I can ever have enough raviolis especially if they are as good as these ones that Chef Alex made.

~.~

Third Course

Crab Cannelloni

Lemon Grass Curry and Ginger

Cinnamon and All Spice Poached Saddle of Venison Celeriac Puree and Braised Celeriac

~.~

The Crab Cannelloni Lemongrass Curry and Ginger is a light and fresh dish. The lemongrass and ginger refreshed the palates to prepare us for the following dishes that had more flavours and textures.

~.~

Mains

Veal Assiette

Braised Veal, Fillet of Veal, Veal Wonton

Olive Oil Poached Halibut Coriander Drizzle and Spiced Cream

~.~

Olive Oil Poached Halibut Coriander Drizzle and Spiced Cream is a good choice. The halibut is a low fat fish and poaching it one of the better ways to cook this fish to bring out its fresh taste and firm texture. Adventurous Chef Alex spent only 4 months in Malaysia but he has done well playing with our local ingredients of coriander, cili padi (birds eye chilli), coriander root (this Mat Salleh actually appreciate corainder root), garam masala, fish sauce, cumin, cardamom and more. The orangey bed is not pumpkin. Instead it is actually a lovely bed of mash potatoes with tandoori cream. And mix it with the coriander drizzle, this is such a winning dish for this year's MIGF Its Raining Chefs.

If you like veal then you should opt for the Assiette Braised Veal, Fillet of Veal & Veal Wonton. 3 different preparations of veal was quite a good idea. The Braised veal was flavourful but my personal preference was the fillet of veal. It was juicy and tender and was plainly marinated with only salt and pepper to bring out the best flavours of veal. The Veal Wanton had a slightly Asian touch to it and uses veal shoulder.

just the perfect pink like the way I like it

~.~Desserts

Chocolates and Raspberries

Vacherin Ice Cream with Port Wine Plums

~.~

Vacherin Ice Cream with Port Wine Plums is yet another show of Chef Alex's sense of adventure and fun. This vacherin ice cream is slightly salty and definitely creamy. This vacherin cheese has been specially imported from France for this dish. Salt has been added into this ice cream. However the whole effect of eating it with the port wine plums is simply orgasmic. Some of us have decided to rename this to "Can Stop Eating Ice Cream".

One can never go wrong with Chocolates and Raspberries. This was an arty play of colours, flavours and textures. The white chocolate was rich and it complimented the slightly tangy raspberries, sweet ice cream and smooth raspberry mousse cake. Yummy!

I requested for a Macchiato to go with my Chocolates and Raspberries and it was a good idea. As I take my coffees without sugar, the Macchiato complimented the whole dessert perfectly. And I must admit that the Macchiato thrilled me big time - just the right amount of milk was added to my Macchiato allowing the espresso to stand out.

I went home a happy girl. The cold wet Monday wasn't gloomy. I was all warmed up by good food, lovely wines and good company of pals and the fun folks at Saujana Resort.

Here's details of the MIGF Menu:

Full Festival Menu

RM440 per person with wine (five courses)

RM380 per person with wine (four courses)

RM280 per person with wine (three courses)

*one glass of wine per course

RM220 per person without wine (five courses)

RM190 per person without wine (four courses)

RM140 per person without wine (three courses)

Wines

Ayala “Zero Dosage” NV

Shaw and Smith Sauvignon Blanc 2010

La Chablisienne Chablis “Mont de Millieu” 2006

Marchesi de Frescobaldi “Lucente” 2007

Akarua Pinot Noir 2009

De Bortoli “Black Noble” NV

Saujana Resort Kuala Lumpur

Jalan Lapangan Terbang SAAS,

40150 Shah Alam, Selangor

+603 7806 7000

www.theclubatthesaujana.com

Orange Poppy Seed Cakes

2011-10-04T04:33:00.000+08:00

It was one of those weekends that I stayed home. While hubby napped, I decided I craved Orange Poppy Seed Cake and didn't have the heart to wake him up to head out for tea and cakes. So I opted to bake (for humans this time). Yes I baked my own orange poppy seed cake from scratch. Its quite simple except that I should have just monitored my cake a wee more during the baking session:P

Ingredients:

• 125ml milk

• 1/2 cup poppyseeds (original called for 1/3 but I love poppy seeds so I added more)

• 1/4 cup sunflower seed (I added this for some added bite and flavour)

• 180g unsalted butter

• 200g caster sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 3 eggs

• 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest (optional)

• 125ml freshly squeezed orange juice

• 375g plain flour

• 2 teaspoon baking powder

Method:

• Preheat oven to 180°C (depending on oven).

• Grease baking tray / pan. And if you're using a silicone pan, skip the greasing and merely sprinkle some flour on your silicone tray.

• Stir poppyseed into milk.

• Beat butter, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer until light.

• Add eggs one at a time. Beat well before you add in the next egg.

• Fold in orange zest, orange juice, sunflower seeds and poppyseed mixture.

• Add flour and baking powder to above ingredients. Fold well.

• Bake 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

I mentioned that I should have monitored my oven during baking. This cracked cake is due to me baking at too high temperature. Nevertheless it was yummy (well my parents and hubby loved it). I shared a little with furkid Shalom as I wasn't all too sure about poppyseeds and dogs.

Serve your cake with a dollop of good vanilla ice cream and tea or even eat it on its own. Its a brilliant tea time idea!

Malaysia International Gourmet Festival (MIGF) 2011

2011-10-03T12:07:00.000+08:00

The Malaysia International Gourmet Festival (MIGF) starts 1st to 30th October 2011. A whole month of of fine dining festival that draws folks from around the world to taste and appreciate fine cuisines in Malaysia.

Featuring 28 of Malaysia's very best restaurants with an interesting theme of "Its Raining Chefs!", diners can expect the best cuisines coupled with top notch service standards and of course infused with fun too.

The participating top notch restaurants include:

• Bunga Heritage (The Royale Chulan)

• L'Heritage (The Royale Chulan)

• Chalet (Equatorial Kuala Lumpur)

• Chynna (Hilton Kuala Lumpur)

• Iketeru (Hilton Kuala Lumpur)

• Dynasty (Renaissance Kuala Lumpur)

• Sagano (Renaissance Kuala Lumpur)

• The Emperor (Grand Dorsett Subang)

• Imperial Rama (Genting Malaysia)

• The Olive (Genting Malaysia)

• Kofuku Japanese Restaurant (Seri Pacific Hotel Kuala Lumpur)

• Lafite (Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur)

• Lai Ching Yuen Chinese Restaurant (Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur)

• Mandarin Grill (Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur)

• Lai Po Heen (Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur)

• The Pomelo (Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat)

• The Restaurant (The Club Saujana Resort)

• Samplings On The Fourteenth (Berjaya Times Square Hotel Kuala Lumpur)

• Senja (The Saujana)

• Tatsu Japanese Restaurant (InterContinental Kuala Lumpur)

• West Lake Garden Chinese Restaurant (Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa)

Top "standalone" restaurants (not from hotels) are:

• Al-Amar

• Cuisine Gourmet by Natalie

• Flame

• NEO Tamarind

• Tamarind Springs

• Nerovivo

• Royal India

Do take advantage of the MIGF to check out the restaurants listed above have created specially priced MIGF Menus and Offers. Yes...MIGF is also aimed at making fine dining as accessible as possible to as many people as possible.

For more details on the restaurants that I have listed above, visit www.migf.com

Happy dining!

~.~

Some random pics from the MIGF media launch at Pavilion and the festival launch at Sunway Resort & Spa.

succulent prawn

the crew all being merry:D

utterly juicy and yummy

a really humble and funny Chef Giovanni from Senja

A toast to MIGF!

more yummy delights

catching up again with Organising Chairman Dato Steve Day on our Malaysian food scene

with darlings Esther and Yvonne and a clown joined us too.

delightfully yummy right?

quench your thirst with the official beer