Reflections

We met a lifetime ago and no we didn't get along. I was but young and foolish, I should have known better. Today I saw images of the past, of you and how you are today. You've done so many beautiful things, you have such a big heart, yearning for a simple life and in a different time, under different circumstances, I would have been honoured to know you. I know you meant no malice, and I hope you realised that neither did I. I am aware that I did hurt you, and everytime I think of that night and all your tears, though all I did was stand firm for what I believed in, I hang my head in shame, only because I made you cry over and over again. You didn't deserve his lies and I'm sorry I didn't know before.

A weekend to remember

Larenjeras Santos in Lisbon

A White christmas indeed!!

A fantabulous gastronomic journey

L'atelier de Joel Robuchon = WOW!

I think I died and went to food heaven last night, it was the most sublime dinner I've EVER had!!!

Note to Jas: they had the foie in the whole piece and not butchered up!!

LE JAMBON ‘IBERICO DE BELLOTA’
escorté de pain toasté à la tomate
‘Iberian’ ham served with toasted tomato bread

LE FOIE GRAS
de canard poêlé au chou rouge confit à la bière et sa figue de Solies rôtie
Hot foie gras, beer confit red cabbage with roast “Solies” figs

L'ONGLET

en tartare et ses frites à l'ancienne
Steak tartar with hand made chips

LE CHOCOLAT TENDANCE
au chocolat Araguani, sorbet au cacao amer, biscuit Oréo
Creamy Araguani chocolate, bitter chocolate sorbet and Oreo cookie crumbs

Little anya

At Morgan m.

Petite Jas -

Bonne anniversaire mon amie...j'espere que t'aies passe une bonne jour avec nous...c'etait une tres bonne idee :D ...c'est pas le meme sans PY et YC, mais il est aussi magnifique que l'annee derniere.

The hunchback of..

Winter windows

Blow, blow, thou winter wind,
Thou art not so unkind
As man's ingratitude;
Thy tooth is not so keen,
Because thou art not seen,
Although thy breath be rude.
Heigh ho, sing heigh ho, unto the green holly;
most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly:
Then, heigh ho, the holly!
This life is most jolly.

Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky,
That dost not bite so nigh
As benefits forgot:
Though thou the waters warp,
Thy sting is not so sharp
As friend remember'd not.
Heigh ho, sing heigh ho, unto the green holly:
most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly:
Then, heigh ho, the holly!
This life is most jolly.

William Shakespeare

Oh my God! You're pregnant!

It's the first time I've asked the question, and received a jubilant affirmation.

Congratulations!!! I'm most excited and am fighting to keep mum about it until you officially announce the news!

I was just musing in the meeting before I rang her back..maybe she's preggers, that's why she kept ringing - CAN'T BELIEVE IT!

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas

je te manque....et..

Les paroles....your father was a duck!!!

je sais, tu aimes charlie winston, oui, et a cause de toi, je l'aime aussie..

ouai mais nous avons juste commencer notre vie...

et nous avons beaucoup les choses d'apprendre

nous prenons notre temps d'entendre les mots,

prends soin de faire de la carasse entre nous,

j'as pas envie d'etre une autre place

mais j'ai envie de faire une histoire avec toi,

fermes les yeux et je me les ferme,

et j'apprends de tomber amoureux avec toi

La quiche aux courgettes

Just my favourite day ever!

It just wasn't today. Stormy and wild, I think Mr Mo may want to rethink the drought comment he made two weeks back. That is, if the crops don't drown first in this weather.

A bridge broke in Cumbria today and a police officer has gone missing in the flood. I think fondly of Mr D whenever we talk about the North. Cumbria is home to a very dear friend who opened his doors to me when I visited over Easter this year. His wife and him were such kind hosts, they took me to the Carlisle races, to see his horses, to play dominoes with old men in a village pub, and to the lake district, oh the lakes. Throughout the journey, they had all sorts of little banters, and affectionately called each other 'mye lov', he called her 'wifey', 'petal', they were a little happy couple. I saw him three days ago, a man lost, quite broken - he tells me that she's left him, and he doesn't know why.

Watching the torrential downpour pelt down and water pour through the broken troughs, I can't help but wish that the rain would wash away his pain and sorrow, that life would one day be better, where the autumn sun will warm his milkbottle tan, and I'd hear his jolly laughter once again.

40 years

j'adore ca

Snuffaluffagus, ou est-il?

varied ages of Sheep

Flipping through the channels and came across Jamie at Home, I've found out today that lamb is comes from a 10 month old sheep, hoggart, one that is 1-2 years old, and mutton after that.

Nous vous manqué monsieur bob!

Le Grand Palais

Les gens me disent que l'automne est une saison tres triste. L'ete a passe, les vacances ont fini, il faut que nous travaillions. Pour moi, c'est une saison un avec un peu du nostalgie, les petites animaux vont preparer d'hiver, les feuilles mortes se ramassent a la pelle, les arbes presque nus. mais il ya les colouers tres riche - d'or, des rouges, des jaunes, ce n'est pas les colours naturelle a mes yeux. La transformation magnifique, et La Paris a cette saison, c'est mon monde special, ma petite saison d'amour .

:)

V&A museum

Sundried tomato bread

So Mr Mo attempted to make some baguettes a couple of months ago and left the entire bag of flour and yeast at my place. That's been festering for abit and it was more than a little squeal of glee to find a sundried tomato and onion bread recipe in J's book.

First attempt at bread making (naans not counted!), it came out just a little too dense and probably needs more kneading but overall, a delightful surprise!!

Autumn days should be always like this

Borough Market

A lovely afternoon in autumn's sun, a light hearted stroll through London Bridge, a happy sampling of cheese in Neal's Dairy and yummy scotch eggs.

we contemplated buying a pumpkin to carve for Halloween but decided it'd be sight for us to trot back to the office carrying a pumpkin between us. We turned our attention to the platter of wild mushrooms instead.

Felicitations les deux!

Home

Sometimes it feels really good to be back home, in my old bedroom. The familiar smells, anecdotes of my childhood, the single bed and duvet from hall, the 'sleepwell' pillow from mom, and countless faded photos and trinkets of love's past, and my mom's incessand badgering...

Toute seule ce soir

Happy mid autumn festival!

So we had a pretty atypical mid-autumn festival last night. It was a windy evening in London and we gathered at Siong's place in Clapham for a night in and X Factor on TV.

It was a Chez Jas gastronomical delight - French onion soup with little morsels of toasted baguettes smothered in baked camembert. The baked camembert constituted some lovely minced garlic, a big glug of olive oil, maldon sea salt, pepper, rosemary and a generous sprinkle of parmasen cheese. Popped in the even for 20 minutes and out came some very lovely molton cheese spread.

The second course required some kitchen gymnastics as we tried to line up the fatty side of the pork chops along the pan for a little crackling before searing the main bits. Some onions, thyme, sage, apples and a bottle of cider later, it was bubbling merrily away in the oven. Not without setting off the smoke alarm about 10 times though!! The chops were served up with a lovely braised red cabbage which I absolutely adored!

The last course was courtesy of the blowtorch as I tried my hand at the creme brulee again. There was a little accident along the way when I set Siong's oven on grill by mistake, but no panicky.....saved by the nose. It's great to have a bunch of people who are happy sampling your wares, it gets a little boring cooking for one sometimes.

I didn't forget the mooncakes though, J kindly offered two little moonies that C brought back from HK this morning. Thanks muchness, the salted egg yolk in the lianrong invokes memories of certain very familiar flavours that makes me think fondly of home.

c'est bonne, la vie.

Photos of home

There is no better way to spend saturday mornings with Saturday Kitchen Live blaring away in the background, fresh laundry flapping lazily in the breeze, scrambled eggs with streaky bacon, strawberry yoghurt, and fresh coffee. Oh wait, there is a better way...! with Tauhway, softboiled eggs and kaya toast and kopi-si. hiyah. One makes do with what one has.

The Classic Creme Brulee - Second time Lucky!!

Classic Creme Brulee (recipe courtesy of cookinfrance.com with some modifications)

This is without a doubt my favourite dessert of all time. Trouble is, it's difficult to find good creme brulee in London, and even in France, it's a hit or miss, too creamy, too cooked, sugar over bruleed (read: burnt), or still in its crystal form. A gorgeous creme brulee will have a nice tappy tap sound when you knock your spoon on the sugar before before you scope into thick, semi-molton-semi-solid egg custard. Your tastebuds areblown away with the beautiful burst of vanilla, the lovely rich custard and the sweet crunchy pieces of caramalised sugar. My idea of heaven.

So Siong bought me a blow torch for my birthday this year (thanks for the very thoughtful gift) so I did promise to let her do the honours when I made my first creme brulee. Last Sunday saw me pottering down to Clapham with my pyrex bowl of creme brulee, blowtorch and gas in hand.
Everyone loved it, and even if I do have to say so myself, it was fabby!!

Ingredients (original measurements):

• 500ml (18fl oz) double cream
• 1 vanilla pod
• 100g (4oz) caster sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 whole eggs

In England, nothing is metric so I had to buy 3/4 pints of cream. For this portion I used also 1 vanialla pod and 85g caster sugar, 3 yolks and 1 whole egg.

Pre-heat the oven to gas 140C°

Pour the cream into a saucepan. Split the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape the seeds into the cream. Chop the empty pod into bits, and add these too. Bring to boil, then turn off the heat and put a lid on. Leave the pod to infuse in the cream for five to ten minutes.

While waiting, beat the sugar and eggs together in a large bowl until pale and creamy. Heat cream to boiling point and pour over the egg mixture, whisking all the time until the mixture thickens - this indicates that the eggs have begun to cook a little. You should have a smooth custard the consistency of thick double cream. If it comes out lumpy or grainy or have a broken tau hway texture - it's been over-cooked. Chuck out and start again.

Strain through a fine sieve into a jug and fill each ramekins about two thirds way up. If there is froth / bubbles in the jug, spoon it off.

Place the ramekins in bain marie - use a large roasting tray and pour hot water to come halfway up the sides. Put on the centre shelf and bake for 50 minutes to one hour. You must make sure that the custards are set and wobbles in the centre (just like agar agar) or you'll end up having creme anglais!!!

Remove from the bain marie and cool to room temperature. Once cooled, pop them in the fridge (cling wrapped) until you're ready to serve.

For a finishing touch, sprinkle sugar and use blowtorch to caramalise evenly. :)

Chingford on Saturday

Now tell me, don't you think this is just marvellous???

Beating the midweek blues

Childhood Fulfilment

1. the complete series of the Faerie Tale Theatre by Shelley Duvall
2. the complete set of Story Teller (all 26 tapes plus story books)

If anyone knows where I can get them, I will be, eternally grateful.

:)

J Hayward, mr purple smurf

Thank you...for always calling me miss singapore, I will never forget your WW2 changi beach soirees! :)
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Fruits of the season :)

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Strawberry and blackberries!

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Restaurant Gastronomique

So Mr Mo took me to Rive Gauche, la restaurante gastronomique a Tours on Saturday. It was a lovely thought and I was super moved after being bummed about not being able to try Kursaal when we were in San Sebastian.

The food was exquisite, beautiful flavours and the sommeliar definitely knew what he was doing and recommended a very young but flavourful Gamay 2007 from the Loire.

The experience was interesting and my taste buds were delightfully tickled by the artichoke puree on a parmesan biscuit, spiced choux and rock melon sorbet. The aperitif and pre dinner munch definitely amused my bouche.

The slow cooked poitrine de porc fermiere laquee aux epices douces cuite 16 heurs a basse temperature was divine, and the pork was well flavoured and it melted on my tongue. The jeunes pousses de salades a lhuile de pepins de courge was a little disappointing as it tasted a little less than a sad little tawgay salad. Mr Mo had a fantastic presse de foie gras de canard a la poire tapee confite au vouvray that was very well complemented by pain grille a la noisette et au raisin :). the wine jelly on the foie gras, ahhh..heaven

I've forgotten the name of the main course but it was a lovely grilled canard with skewered vegetables (courgettes, tomatoes) on a bed of shitake risotto. This was absolutely sublime. Mr Mo had a fish of the day which was a very flavourful wild salmon on a bed of summer veges with a shrimp sauce.

We wrapped up the night with a nougat de tours servi tiède, lait glacé au kirsch
Médaille d´or 2009 and a tendre macaron parfumé au poivre de Tasmanie,
and a fantabulous Marmelade de mangue et son sorbet aérien. I don't quite understand why desserts in a restaurant such as this has to have such sweet and heavy desserts though. It was a little bit of a rain in the final touch on an otherwise perfect parade. We had the same issue when we were in L'Hedoniste the last time.




Verdict for the evening - wonderful food and would recommend it to anyone who visits Tours. However I am just not a nouvelle cuisine person, give me a good cut of beef or street food any day. :)

Rive Gauche
23, rue du commerce - 37000 Tours

A monstrous gaggle of english girls off to tours too..I wonder where they are going????
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

FW: Birthday Cake

Thank you for the lovely Habana Gateau from Patisserie Valerie J

Random Thought no. 13697284685597

I tend to forget that my birthday week is usually laced with the poison of past heartbreaks.

the monster courgette of Melle

十万个为什么

I just wished things were easier, like they are for other people.

累了，

不想再追究

不想再等待

La Mademoiselle Loudspeaker

Comment vas-tu? Chez nous est tres tres tranquille sans toi, J'imagine que tu es deja ensemble avec ta famille, tes amies et toutes les choses que tu as manque.

Je vais penser a toi doucement - tes mots, ta conseil, tes chansons, ton rire. bah oui, tu sais que tu me manques tellement. Tu m'as dit que tous ca change en vie...et cette separation est juste pour maintenant, seulement pour maintenant. ouai, c'est vrai, donc - a bientot mon amie, peut-etre qu'on se reverra bientot un de ces jours.

Au revoir et tout le meilleur ma mademoiselle loudspeaker...

a la prochaine fois, je t'embrasse tres fort

Green fingers, not

I've totally massacred my lavendar plant. Leaving it out for some much needed vitamin D was not a good idea, I returned home only to see it totally shrivelled up. I'm trying to revive it with some plant feed...but alas!

GAK!

Paris Metro.

Et si s'aimer ce n'était pas regarder dans la même direction, mais fermer les yeux et voir la même chose... ?

Evening on the eurostar

I've often wondered what the ill felt like when they heard voices in their head that they couldn't shake off? I now have first hand experience of what this awful unfortunate condition must feel like.

It just wouldn't go away!!!!!!

In front of me I have 6 english women in their forties guzzling champers enough to feed a wedding party, and behind me, three english nattering girls, just like the aforementioned, only twenty years younger.

The result? A harassed baby who wouldn't stop crying everytime these pack of birds burst into uncontrollable multidecibal cackles, and carriage full of harassed looking travellers looking to relax on a friday evening but look as wound up as the packed central line on a monday morning.

The french couple next door are gossiping in low tones about our loud, crass neighbours. It is no wonder sometimes why the french women are so snotty about their english neighbours...damn badly behaved lah!!!!!

God help them, they've just started singing 'do you like virgins, yeah I so like virgins'. Ack! And one lady just shouted 'do you wanna see my knickers? Ou ma bra monsieur?'
Kill me now pleasem


I think my co rider is teetering on the edge of smacking their heads with his novel.

Not a good start to the weekend.

_

La fin de printemps

Ca fait mon troisieme printemps a londre et les fleurs de la saison, ce que je l'aime.

je manque deja les fleurs du printemps, lilacs, daffodils, muguets, ahh...j'ai envie d'avoir un petit jardin a moi.

si vous aimez autant des roses que moi, il faut que vous visitiez Regent's Park pour voir l'abondance des belles fleurs! Vas-y vas-y!

Soupcon d'ete - les petites lavendes!

IMG00003-20090611-1847.jpg

Evening at the british museum, wonder what happened to the colours?
11 June 2009

Places to look forward to

Patisserie Deux Amis
63 Judd St, London, WC1H 9QT‎ - 020 73837029‎

Ran Restaurant
58-59 Great Marlborough Street
London, W1F 7JY

Tower hamlets on a friday evening

5 June 2009, on the way to Tayyebs, Whitechapel's hidden gem of indian food with Mr Mo :)

Easy Peasy Sunday Banoffee Pie

Recipe:
1 Tin Nestle Caramel
287ml Whipping Cream
260g Digestive Biscuits (smashed)
150g butter (melted)
3 huge bananas
Cocoa butter to dust

1. Mix up biscuits and butter
2. press mix into base and sides of the flan tin
3. Chill for 20 mins
4. Whip cream till it thickens slightly
5. Slice bananas and fold into cream
6. Assemble pie by layering caramel first then banana cream mixture
7. dust with cocoa powder
8. Place in fridge till pie sets (usually left in for an hour)

Slice of heaven on a little plate :D

Only cos I like to haolian my dan tats

After several failed attempts at creme brulee, I have decided to turn my attention to a local delight that I miss dearly. And I didn't even have to hike out to Leceister Square to get it! Honestly, I couldn't think of a better way to enjoy afternoon tea with a spot of milk on a stormy bank holiday, and of course, with my auntie re-run of Come Dine with me.

I'm liking a little egg custard that melts in your mouth and a bite of buttery soft crust. Ok I do have to work on the amateurish presentation of the crust but boy did they taste good!!!

nyumnyumnyum

3 May 2009

London, England

I <3 Singapore 25 April at Hampton Court Palace

The photo speaks for itself!
It was a fabulous day out with char kway teo, laksa, the dimsum dollies, zero point and Singapore Taboo.
'Not the angmor pancake, but the ah-neh one'

Daffodils @ Hampton Court Palace

Dancing Daffodils amidst the perfectly coiffured trees!
I could lie here forever. Spring's now almost over, and summer's round the corner.
Roses are almost in bloom :]

England, Hampton Court Palace (again!)
25 April 2009

Easter

Not a cloud in the Sky

Lake District

England, Penrith
11 April 2009

La soiree bon bons avec Kent Christensen

6 Mai 2009

Eleven

11 Eccleston Street
London SW1W 9LX

25 random notes

Abit late on the bandwagon but this is just for me to realise things about myself that I may have forgotten (9 April 2009)

1. When I see frog legs on a plate, I see 100 green frogs piled up in a tank with their faces plastered against its walls, watching me.
2. I was told in uni that everyone thought I was a lesbian in secondary school.
3. I didn't have many friends in primary school.
4. I'm awful at keeping in touch.
5. I don't eat raisins. I think it runs in the family.
6. I had short hair all my life up till I was 20 (see point 2)
7. Contrary to current popular belief, I am quite a bit of a recluse.
8. I once lost my sister in a bookshop when she was 3 and made my mother panic and cry.
9. I didn't wear a skirt (outside of school) for 4 years and hated every chinese new year when my mother forced me to wear them. (Again, see point 2).
10. I am terrible with technology.
11. Again, contrary to popular belief, I can cook :)
12. I'm looking for a writer with the 'wow' factor.
13. 80% of my female friends are gay (see point 2). I find them anywhere I go. (<---PS: this comment didn't come from me)
14. When I enjoy eating something, I can have for weeks on end, sometimes even twice a day. My latest fattening obsession is the cheese puffs from sainsburys. I have at least one bag per weeek. My last torrid obsession was courgettes. I had them everyday all through summer in 2007. My prior obsession was the orange bowl from st nicks days - I had it 98% of my recesses in my 4 years of secondary school
15. I watch F.R.I.E.N.D.S reruns over and over and over and over and over again. I'm on my 5th re-run in London. I even watch it on youtube.
16. I am a hoarder and hate throwing things away.
17. I dream of being a musician and I'd love to sing as well as I play the piano.
18. That said, I hate karaokes and have only been twice in my life.
19. I love my sisters and am so proud of them. I wished we were closer.
20. I'd like to be able to draw.
21. I have acrophobia.
22. My latest kou tou chan is 'do you know what I mean?' I think I picked it up from the locals.
23. I have never been on a cruise.
24. I am beginning to think that many English ladies look like birds. I think it's got to do with their beak like gum(?) structure. I think it's got to do with the evolution of the English language. Maybe it's the articulation. French women never look like that. Neither do Singaporean ladies. ok now purse your lips together and say 'WOT' the British way. you'll see what I mean.
25. I think everything in Tours where Mr Mo lives is very 'low'. I don't know how to explain it to you but every thing is just, 'low'. The kerbs are low, the flora is low (no big billowing sunflowers), the buildings are low, the cars are low...everything is just, very horizontal.

Sunday mornings

4-5 April 2009

As kids would say these days ...
<3

A weekend of music and lyrics

"When I get to Warwick Avenue

Meet me by the entrance of the tube
We can talk things over a little time
Promise me you won't stand by the light"
-Duffy


4 April 2009
London, England

When you're young, it's ok to be, easily ignored..

Jason Mraz Live at Hammersmith Apollo
5 April 2009

London, England

I can't even begin to describe what a powerful performance this was. I went from humming along to absolute lalalalalove. :) I tried but can't upload the video I took of the 'Love for a Child' but I'm sure many other attendees have already uploaded the same on youtube.

And Mr Mraz, as you so rightly wrote,

'And you have your own engaging style,
And you've got the knack to vivify...
and I can't recall a better day'

Thank you for the wonderful evening.

L'orange

Photoshop 1

29 March 2009
Montmartre, France

Comment tu te sens?

Je me sens bien. Tres bien.
Avec toi.


29 March 2009
Paris, France