Mooncakes. What's the first thing that makes you go "Wow!" about them? It's the gorgeous box and packaging! That's what makes the first impression. Some hotels go to great lengths to make showstopping designs, because it really adds a differentiating factor.
And long after the mooncakes have been savoured, the treasure chest boxes remain as a lovely souvenir. They can be re-used as storage for trinkets, accessories, stationery, jewelry, cosmetics, timepieces and even small toys.
Here are some of the nicer designs I've seen this year (in no particular order); click on their links to find out more about mooncake flavours and pricing:
Osteria Mozza at Marina Bay Sands is going casual for lunch on weekends!
The fine-dining restaurant by celebrity chefs Mario Batali, Nancy Silverton and Joseph Bastianich has always been known for good food, but sometimes seems a little too serious or forbidding compared to Mozza Pizzeria next door.
Fortunately, the new weekend lunch is something you can bring the entire family for. Osteria Mozza gets a more relaxed and casual ambience with the end of the work week. Gone are the starched white tablecloths, but the food is exquisite as ever.
You can look forward to fresh salads, bruschette and Osteria Mozza’s signature mozzarella antipasti plates to start. They've also selected unique handcrafted pastas, Italian sandwiches and hearty main dishes. Go a la carte or craft your own three-course lunch menu (starter, pasta, dessert) for just S$48.
“In Italy, the dining table sets the stage for family gatherings and celebrations. This was our inspiration for creating a more laidback feel for weekend lunch, where guests can enjoy the warmth and hospitality of a satisfying Italian meal with the family. We are also very proud to welcome into our Mozza family, new General Manager David Marazzi and Executive Chef Peter Birks,” says Mario Batali.
David's here standing in the background overseeing the brisk and attentive service.
STARTERS
Butter Lettuce with hazelnuts, bacon, eggs and Gorgonzola Dolce (S$21)
This is a great salad to start with. Butter lettuce is layered between toasted hazelnuts, streaks of crisp bacon, halved hard boiled eggs and Gorgonzola Dolce, all laced with an appetising vinaigrette dressing.
The addition of Gorgonzola Dolce (also known as Dolce Latte) really makes this dish. This is a younger version of aged Gorgonzola, well-loved for its gentle, salty, spreadable texture. It's originates from Northern Italy.
Gravlax with lemon, chives, shaved eggs, croutons & avocado (S$22)
The salmon is cured in-house for 12 hours with a mixture of salt, sugar and dill. It is washed before being brushed with vodka. This whole dish is pretty intense in flavours with lemon zest, chives, croutons, shaved hard boiled eggs, avocado, sea salt and lemon olive oil. I actually thought it was quite nice eaten together with the butter lettuce salad too.
MOZZARELLA BAR
The Mozzarella is handpulled and served simply with the traditional accompaniments below:
Bufala Mozzarella, vine-ripened tomatoes & basil pesto (S$25)
Those sweet and juicy tomatoes are just amazing.
Bufala Mozzarella with Prosciutto di Parma (S$28)
This is a generous platter of pillowy soft shaved prosciutto. Sometimes all you need are a couple of good ingredients that work together, and you have a dish to die for.
PASTA
Rotolo with ricotta, spinach & tomato (S$24)
This is such gorgeous presentation. Two pasta sheets are covered with housemade ricotta, spinach, parmesan and pecorino before being rolled and tied. They are gently poached for 45 minutes before being cooled, portioned and placed into a pan to be seared on each side. They are then heated in the oven and served with a tomato sauce and grated parmesan on top.
Farfalle with wild mushrooms, asparagus & walnut (S$23)
This is my favourite of the three pasta dishes; it's one of those things you just can't stop taking another scoop of. The farfalle is made in house and cooked perfectly al dente. It's tossed with a tantalising sauce of garlic, butter, asparagus, wild mushroom, thyme and parsley. Grated walnuts add some crunch. Parmesan is served tableside as the finishing touch.
Garganelli with ragù Bolognese (S$24)
This was also excellent. Like the farfalle, the garganelli is freshly made in-house. I love this pasta shape; it picks up so much sauce, and yet remains wonderfully al dente despite its thinness.
I'm normally not a fan of Ragu Bolognese but this version won me over. It's made with carrot, celery, onions, pork, veal, nutmeg, white wine, chicken stock, milk, tomato paste, pancetta and garlic - who could argue with all that?
MAINS
Tuscan Roast Pork with arugula & salsa verde (S$30)
That crackling. Yes. They've got it perfectly crispy and brittle, instead of ridiculously chewy like some European roast pork tends to be. The deboned pork belly is seasoned with garlic, rosemary, sage and fennel pollen. It is then rolled and roasted. The meat was so tender I thought they might have sous vide'd the thing, but no.
The salsa verde is a delicious sauce of garlic, parsley, oregano, capers, anchovy, extra virgin olive oil and Dijon mustard. Rosemary potatoes complete the ensemble. Hands down, my favourite main.
Soft Scrambled Eggs with shaved winter truffles & cream cheese (S$48)
I was surprised to see this as a main, but I suppose this breakfast-like dish can be a hearty one too because the eggs are scrambled with butter, cream cheese and heavy cream. It's almost completely covered with shaved winter truffle. Truffle galore for truffle fans.
Eggs and Polpette with fresh ricotta and meatballs (S$24)
If you love Italian meatballs, this is the dish for you. The meatballs are made with minced pork shoulder, breadcrumbs, milk, garlic, onion, parsley, fennel seed, pecorino, salt and pepper.
They are hand rolled, pan seared and baked before being served with a tomato sauce on a bed of house made ricotta. Finally they are topped with poached eggs, shaved parmesan, basil, and extra virgin olive oil.
DOLCI
Torta della Nonna
The name means ‘Grandma’s Pie’ in Italian. Osteria Mozza’s version is a tart baked with three kinds of cheese – mascarpone, cream cheese and goat's cheese.
A crisp pine nut biscuit on top adds nutty crunch to the soft tart, and the three types of honey (honeycomb, chestnut honey and acacia honey) transform the tart with their different flavour profiles.
In addition to ala carte and set menu options, Osteria Mozza also gets kid-friendly with a dedicated children’s menu, showcasing a selection of pastas, fresh juices and gelato at $29++ per child.
WMF has launched NATURamic®, a premium high-tech range of ceramic cookware that cuts cooking time and helps retain the natural taste of ingredients. Made with technologically advanced ceramic with a steel core, the WMF NATURamic enables uniform and fast heat conduction, and optimal heat retention.
These are also nickel-free, making it safe for preparing baby food and for people allergic to nickel. The smooth, non-porous closed surface ensures that there are no residual flavours from previous cooking sessions. It's cut- and scratch-resistant (yes, bring out your metal utensils without fear!), so that minimises the risks of it becoming a bacteria breeding ground. Less oil is also required, so you can enjoy more healthy dishes. On top of that, the beautiful colours are the perfect pop of colour for the kitchen.
I saw the range during the launch event and totally love the solidly built cookware. They are so durable, WMF is giving a 30-year warranty. Man, looks like these are the only pots and pans you'll ever need to buy for life.
By now you would have heard of Majestic Peking Duck that's surfaced at Makansutra Gluttons Bay - possibly the world's first Peking Duck hawker stall. Yes, you can now indulge in Peking Duck without breaking the bank, or having to go to a fancy restaurant. This platter of Peking Duck is only S$24 for ten pieces, less than half the price of a duck (usually S$68) in the restaurant.
We have Chef Yong Bing Ngen and Chef Yang Lai Fatt from the Majestic Group of restaurants under the Unlisted Collection Group to thank for bringing five-star restaurant fare to hawker levels. They felt Makansutra Gluttons Bay was a suitable launching pad given its happening crowd.
The Peking Duck is prepared pretty much the same way as it is in the restaurant, although the working space here is much smaller. The ducks are inflated to separate the meat from the skin to ensure crisping. They even brought in an Apollo oven to roast the duck.
I do find that the Peking duck slices are much thicker here than those served in restaurants. Each bite is meaty and substantial. The skin may not be as crispy or warm as a duck roasted upon order but you get it served fairly quickly.
I haven't tried the Peking Duck at the actual Majestic restaurants, so I have no comparison as to how the two differ. I'd wanted to go and try the restaurant version before posting this, but I haven't had the chance yet. So maybe I'll update this later.
Besides Peking Duck, the Majestic stall also features other duck dishes.
The Organic Leafy Salad with Sliced Duck ($12) is a steal for so much crisp organic greens studded with aromatic roasted duck. It is refreshing although a little heavy on the olive oil which also clashed a little bit flavour-wise with the sweet Asian-like dressing and crushed peanuts. Personally I would have preferred a more tangy dressing.
Fried Duck Rice with Crispy Cereal (S$8)
I'm told many people love this dish. I didn't get to try much of it, because my kids simply walloped the whole thing.
It does look like the cereal is not cooked together with the rice (as in cereal prawns) but scattered on as a topping. This means it's not as greasy (have you seen how cereal flakes absorb oil?), but could be a little dry. And I don't know why I keep hoping for chye poh in this dish! Maybe it's the colours.
My favourite dish strangely proved to be the Egg Noodles with Sliced Duck ($9). Somehow the familiar comfort of good gravy coating the crispy noodles was just so satisfying.
Other dishes include Honey Glazed Roasted Duck Wings; Duck Salad with Truffle Sauce; a Salted Vegetable Duck Soup, Crispy Soft Shell Crab with Thai Mango Salad.
I do like this trend of breaking the "atas" demarcation, and bringing five-star restaurant fare to hawker levels (and prices). I think Gluttons Bay is great as a start, and maybe after this, they can move carefully into certain heartlands.
It's August and red is the colour of the month! So, let’s add a burst of RED with cranberries!
As we celebrate our national month, let’s enjoy a dose of fruity red to our daily diet (in the way that we are supposed to eat a rainbow). One of the easiest ways to do that is to eat more antioxidant-rich, ruby-red cranberries.
Here’s a nutritious yet easy-to-make Grilled Salmon with Five-Spice Cranberry Relish that is one of the ways to creatively include cranberries into your diet. It's a recipe I tried recently which has a unique combination of flavours. But most importantly - my family loved it!
My daughter even asked me to make this every day which is astounding because my kids normally dislike fish. They won't eat salmon of any kind, including the popular salmon teriyaki at Japanese restaurants. But salmon is such a superfood, so I am always trying to find ways to work it into their diet. This recipe has finally changed their perception of the fish! Now they get so excited when I say I'm making this for dinner.
Initially, I was unsure about how five-spice powder would work with dried cranberries, as both have such distinct flavour profiles, but I was pleasantly surprised by the results. The warm spice aromatics played well with the natural, bold and uplifting taste of the fruit.
Here is the original recipe is from Ocean Spray, but I have listed my modified version below (link to printable version at the end). Like most Singaporeans, I do not have a grill in my kitchen, but pan-frying works just as well. I hope this will inspire you to create more cranberry creations of your own!
Speaking of Ocean Spray, you may know them as the leading brand for cranberry products in the U.S. I do love dried cranberries. You can't let me have the whole bag of Craisins; I won't know when to stop eating. Fortunately, cranberries are a natural and nutrient-dense superfood with unique elements that rejuvenate the body from within, so they are a wise choice for a healthy snack.
A landmark global study also found that drinking one 8-ounce (240ml) glass of cranberry juice cocktail daily is a good measure to help reduce the amount of recurrent UTIs and therefore antibiotic use.
There are many easy ways to incorporate cranberries into your daily diet and enjoy one of Mother Nature’s power fruit! Apart from this salmon recipe, cranberries can also be added to your breakfast cereal bowl, or into your salad! For more cranberry infused recipes, visit Ocean Spray’s official website. I’m also running a contest for one lucky winner who will be receiving a set of Ocean Spray and cranberry infused products valued over S$100.
So, on with the recipe that has both superfoods - salmon and cranberries. Feel free to get creative with cranberries in main dishes, not just salads, bakes and desserts, and incorporate the super fruit into your daily diet!
Grilled Salmon with Five-Spice Cranberry Relish
Prep Time
10 minutes plus marinating Cook Time
25 minutes
INGREDIENTS
Relish
1 cup Ocean Spray® Cranberry Juice
3/4 cup Ocean Spray® Craisins® Original Dried Cranberries
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon orange peel (I used actual peel slices, not powder)
3/4 teaspoon five-spice powder Marinade
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons orange juice (I just squeezed a real orange for the juice)
1 teaspoon honey
One 1.25 pound (about 566g) salmon filet, 3/4 to 1 1/4 inches thick
DIRECTIONS
Combine and mix well the soy sauce, orange juice and honey in shallow glass or plastic dish (I used my rectangular Snapware glass container for the marinade). Add salmon, skin side up. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.
While the salmon is marinating, you can make the relish. Combine all relish ingredients in medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until mixture boils, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; simmer 6 to 8 minutes or until onion is tender and mixture thickens. Set aside to cool.
Yes, you kinda want this jam-like consistency. I needed about 12 minutes to achieve this.
Heat pan. Place salmon in pan, skin-side down. Cook 5 minutes over medium heat. Turn it over and cook another 4 to 8 minutes or until flesh is opaque and flakes easily with fork.
Remove salmon with wide spatula and place on serving platter. Cut salmon into 4 pieces. Serve with relish.
Makes 4 servings.
Here's the link to the printable recipe on Yumprint! It's a convenient one-page recipe without the step-by-step photos.
Bonus idea: Cranberry Popsicles!
You can easily use the Ocean Spray products in other ways. I had some leftover Cranberry Classic juice, so I tried making popsicles. They turned out perfect! The cold treats are a godsend really these days, given the ghastly heat!
Just pour them into the moulds and freeze. You don't need to add anything else.
Contest/Giveaway
The kind folks at Ocean Spray are giving out one set of Ocean Spray products worth over S$100 to one lucky reader.
These include:
A.Ocean Spray products (Cranberry Juice and Craisins Dried Cranberries)
B.Quick and easy recipe info-cards to incorporate cranberries into Singaporeans' daily diet
C. ‘Keep calm and have some cranberries’ Tote bag
D. Cranberry-scented soap
E. Cranberry lipbalm
F. Umbrella
G. Fruit infuser
2. Comment below letting us know your favourite way to enjoy cranberries (you can also post a link to a recipe or a photo).
3. Send me an email (camemberu@gmail.com) with the subject "OCEAN SPRAY GIVEAWAY" to let me know your entry so I can have your email to contact you if you win. Extra chances to win on Facebook!
You can also comment on my FB contest post here (no need to email me; I'll contact you via FB): https://www.facebook.com/Camemberu.Blog/posts/1155805161142291
Closing date is 2pm, 2 Sept 2016. We will pick one winner and contact them to arrange prize pickup.
Canon has just announced the EOS 5D Mark IV which improves significantly on the popular EOS 5D Mark III with a higher-resolution sensor with Dual Pixel autofocus, 4K video capture, an upgraded AF system, a touchscreen, improved weather-sealing, built-in Wi-Fi/NFC and GPS. I'm excited!
The 30.4 megapixel full-frame high-sensitivity sensor and Dual Pixel CMOS AF makes for rapid focusing speed. The in-camera Digital Lens Optimizer (DLO) allows us to process and optimize JPEG files for chromatic aberration, peripheral illumination, and diffraction correction.
Support for the new Dual Pixel Raw (DPRAW) format enables changes to be made to images after a photo is taken. Users can make micro adjustments to the position of maximum sharpness and resolution based on the depth of subject, reposition the viewpoint to horizontally shift the foreground bokeh, as well as reduce ghosting and flare effects in images.
The EOS 5D Mark IV can shoot dynamic and fast moving subjects and scenes with a high speed continuous shooting at 7 frames per second (fps).
Coupled with its 61-point all points selectable reticular AF system, 41-point cross type AF, this new AF system also covers a wider focusing area and an extended vertical coverage of approximately 24 percent at the sides and approximately 8.6% at centre.
Say hello to 4K movies at a smooth frame rate of 30p, with resolutions of up to 4096 x 2160 and an aspect ratio of 17:9 that matches cinema screens.
Full HD quality at 60p, and up to 120p for high frame rate HD movie.
Footage shot in DCI 4K format can be used for various commercial purposes such as in cinema, or broadcasting.
Users will have the flexibility to shoot videos in MOV format for movie productions, or MP4 format which supports a wide range of usage scenarios, including uploading onto social media sites.
In addition, the EOS 5D Mark IV is able to transmit, play, and channel video files at uncompressed full HD quality when connected through a HDMI interface.
And the feature that I found missing most in the Mark III is now in the Mark IV: WiFi integration! Seriously useful for uploading on the go.
Here's a quick first look video from DPreview:
A couple of new lenses were also announced.
Canon Lens EF24-105mm f/4L IS II USM
The highly reputed EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens, originally released as a kit lens for the EOS 5D in 2005, has now been updated with the latest L series enhancements to match the higher rendering power of the EOS 5D line. These include improved optical performance, significant flare and ghosting suppression through the use of Air Sphere Coating (ASC), IS performance upgrades, fluorine coating for improved durability, and quieter operation to suit videography usage. The EF24-105mm f/4L IS II USM’s zoom range covers everything from wide-angle to mid-telephoto shots, to complement the versatility attainable with the EOS 5D Mark IV.
Canon Lens EF16-35mm f/2.8L III USM
The EF16-35mm f/2.8L III USM is an upgrade from the esteemed EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM which was vastly popular and highly regarded among professional photographers and photography enthusiasts. Imbued with advanced lenses, imaging technology and superior build quality, the EF16-35mm f/2.8L III USM is able to attain outstanding image quality and ensure durability for high levels of performance even in challenging environments.
The pricing for Singapore is as follows:
Model
Recommended Retail Price
EOS 5D Mark IV body
$5,199
EOS 5D Mark IV Kit (with EF24-70mm f/4L IS USM)
$6,249
EOS 5D Mark IV Kit (with EF24-105mm f/4L IS II USM)
$6,599
BG-E20 Battery Grip
$429
Please note that the EOS 5D Mark IV Kit (with EF24-105mm f/4L IS II USM) will only be available in October 2016, and the price of the lens sold separately will be advised at a later date.
Which will you have? Dry prawn noodles tossed in a delectable sambal, or prawn noodles in a rich seafood broth that is said to back memories of noodles in the 1960s? I wanted both, to be honest, because I already knew they are equally impressive. Everyone I know who has tried 545 Whampoa Prawn Noodles at Tekka Market only has good things to say.
It's wonderful to see young hawkers like Li Rui Fang continuing the legacy of great hawker food. She's the third generation owner and hard-working "head chef" at the 545 Whampoa Prawn Noodles. Many of us know her as the economics and finance graduate who found true meaning in crafting insanely delicious prawn noodles than serving corporate interests.
Click the photo to see the Makansutra story
Her grandfather began as a prawn mee hawker along Balestier Road in the 1920s. Her father continued the business from Whampoa Market, so some of you may find the taste familiar. Rui Fang opened this stall at Tekka Market and starts her day at 3am boiling, peeling, cooking ingredients and preparing the stock. She recently had a baby, so is currently away on maternity leave. But we look forward to having her back soon.
The key here is balance. While the flavours are robust, they don't overwhelm each other; it's almost like a happy co-existence. Rui Fang uses manila clams in the broth for extra depth of flavour, and wild caught prawns for their natural sweetness. The fragrant shallots are freshly fried, and so are the crispy pieces of pork lard garnishing the dish.
The little bowl of soup in the background already gives me a hint of how good the soup noodles will be. It is a little on the sweeter side (probably something that suits the newer generation's palate).
I can see why Rui Fang would not let the family recipe die. We are all grateful too. I'm certainly coming back for more prawn mee.
545 WHAMPOA PRAWN NOODLES
#01-326 Tekka Food Centre
665 Buffalo Road
Singapore 210665
Facebook: www.facebook.com/545WhampoaPrawnNoodles
Operating hours:
6.30am-3pm (Mondays to Fridays)
6.30am-1pm (Sundays)
Closed on Wednesdays and Saturdays
Airline food is fast becoming what makes an airline stand out from others. It makes sense: Authentic flavours from the destination country helps kick off our vacations and trips, and familiar favourites from home on our journey back simply comforts us after some time away.
In its pursuit of veritable flavours, SATS Inflight Catering today announced a stable of five celebrity chefs, alongside SATS’ chefs, who showcased more than 100 new authentic-tasting dishes for airlines to choose from.
It is the first airline caterer to feature a team of international culinary consultants.
I love online shopping. That's how I get my groceries and bulky items these days.
And now New York gourmet retailer DEAN & DELUCA has launched an online shop in Singapore. You can stock up on your atas pantry favourites, artisanal gourmet food and kitchenware at www.deandeluca.com.sg.
Chinese herbal soups are akin to delicious medicine rejuvenating not only body but soul. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) uses different herbs and types of food that are categorised as ‘warm’, ‘cool’ or ‘neutral’ to help us gently calibrate our yin and yang balance for smooth flow of "qi".
The older I get, the more I believe in its efficacy. I'm at least appreciating the taste of the soups a lot more. But there aren't that many places that serve good medicinal soups. How many can you name?
Enter Souper Tang (汤师父), an established brand for nourishing Chinese soups and cuisine in Malaysia with 18 outlets. They opened recently in Singapore at Centrepoint in June 2016.
There's a nice background story about the owners. Datin Sri Dato’ Cynthia Teh and her husband – a qualified TCM doctor – started out running their own medical hall in 1991 in Johor Bahru.
Lewin Terrace is a beautiful dining destination perched amidst greenery in a colonial heritage setting.
This place is super popular for weddings, anniversaries and private events, and it's easy to see why. It's classy and romantic, and best of all, it's sheltered from the mad bustling crowd.
Epicurean Market is back for the fourth year at Marina Bay Sands. The three-day festival (12-14 August 2016) has celebrity chefs in town to give Masterclass cooking demos and workshops, an expanded Farmer's Market and even more seating. The event takes up all three Hall A, B, and C at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Level 1. There are so many food events in Singapore, but this one big advantage - air-con!
Here are some highlights (note the food are all in tasting portions, unless stated otherwise):
If you've been to the new Marine Cove McDonald's, you may have seen the Signature Collection of burgers comprising this trio: Spicy Tortilla with Angus Beef (S$8.95), Spicy Chicken with Apple Slaw (S$6.95) and Classic Cheese with Angus Beef (S$8.95).
Yeah, these are the more "atas" or fancy burgers. And as of today, they're no longer exclusive to Marine Cove but have hit all 130 outlets islandwide.
Would you think this luxurious room amidst such lush greenery is within the Singapore CBD and bustling Chinatown precinct? It's a little hard to imagine but it does exist.
PARKROYAL on Pickering, a PARKROYAL Collection Hotel, will surprise you with how green it is - both in terms of planted greenery as well as eco-friendly practices.
The 367-room hotel holds 15,000 square meters of four-storey tall sky-gardens, reflecting pools, waterfalls, planter terraces and cascading vertical greenery. The amount of planted green space is actually twice its land area! Mind-boggling!
Camemberu.com has got a new look! On this (hopefully auspicious) 8/8/16 date, I finally refreshed the blog design. Last time I did so was New Year's 2014, more than two years ago.
The new one has got a slider showing you the latest posts and a grid-like mosaic of posts. Macam buffet only!
When you click inside a post, you'll see a sidebar with archives, popular posts, and all the social media widgets. The navigation bar lets you access categories like hawker food, recipes, travel, and country posts.
This is what the old one used to look like.
I liked it (which is why I stuck with it for so long) but it was getting cluttered, tired and slow. This year is also my 9th year blogging, so it's high time to freshen up going into Year 10. Gosh, a full decade.
I'm still putting the finishing touches, so pardon me if you see any errors or missing photos. Thanks for being patient, and thanks for visiting!
