mycc

, by cy

[SG] Maison Kayser (Paris) - Singapore

'Bread made with commercial yeast is like a sonata played on just the piano. Bread produced by natural fermentation is like a symphony played by 3,000 musical instruments' - Shu Kimura

With an immense passion for good food, especially confections, it is hard to miss out on the headline on Page E6 of 'life!' in Saturday's (10 Dec 2011) copy of the Straits Times - 'Sniffing out a good loaf of bread'. Always in the appetite for french gourmet, we headed to the newly opened Scotts Square located in the shopping district of Singapore's Orchard Road, graced with shopfront boutiques such as Anne Fontaine (tmcy's favourite brand!), Hermes and the likes.

With reference to the article published in 'life!', Maison Kayser uses traditional method of natural fermentation, relying on the action of up to 3,000 varieties of friendly lactic acid bactic and wild yeast to make the dough rise. Such a procedure might take up to 20 hours (compared to usual bakeries' 1-2 hours), which allows enzyme activity to occur in the meantime, splitting starches and creating sugar. This helped to provide the tinge of natural sweetness in the bread without the need of added sugar.

With sheer luck, I saw Mr Shu Kimura, who runs Maison Kayser bakeries in the Japan. Responsible for bringing the Paris-based French boulangerie into Singapore, he was seated at a corner in the cafe enjoying his own pastries and holding a conversation with a partner. Nothing convinced me better than to see a chef indulge on his own patisserie. Exchanging glances and smiles with Mr Kimura, we proceeded to find ourselves a corner in this open concept cafe.

Seigle Cranberry (S$2.70)

(+) A definite 'MUST' for all cranberry lovers.

(+) Richly packed with dried cranberry pieces, each bursting with natural sweetness.

(+) Complemented by rye bread, certainly a guilt free nutrients rich indulgence.

(+) The crisp crust, soft bread and chewy dried cranberries gave a very complete mouthfeel.

(-) Due to the generous amount of cranberries, might not taste the bread as much.

Verdict: 9.0/10

Signature Croissant (S$2.60)

(+) Very crispy crust, in fact the crispiest croissant I had ever tasted.
(+) Was so crispy that it did not just flake, but shattered crusts with 1st knife cut.
(+) Rich buttery flavour, but not overly done to overwhelm one's tastes.
(+) Despite the rich butter fragrance and taste, does not leave you with greasy lips.
(+) The crispy crust coupled with the soft interior was a delight to the palette.
(+) Probably due to fermentation process, feels very airy inside giving the focus to the crust.

(-) Not recommended for people who prefer a fuller richer interior.

P.S: Not trying to sound ridiculous but the croissants were such a hit that when a new bakery opened up in Japan, customers were only limited to 2 croissants each!

Verdict: 9.0/10

Delice Banc (S$3.70)

(+) Baked with white chocolate, the initial taste was subtly sweet and very fragrant.

(+) With increased bites, the sweetness built to a naturally prime white chocolate taste.

(+) Very chewy and soft inside.

(+) Able to taste small pieces of crystalline sugar inside the bread*

(-) Would prefer a harder crust to complement the chewy inside of the bread.

(-) Might need some tea or coffee to balance off the sweetness thereafter.

*On hindsight (since we had some experience with baking our own bread), we are still trying to figure out how the crystalline sugar pieces hid amongst the inside of the bread did not melt during the baking process.

Verdict: 8.0/10

Bichon Poires Caramel (S$3.70)

(+) Rich buttery pastry baked and coated with thick caramel.

(+) Well defined streak-layers of the crisp crust.

(+) Rich caramel cream was densely packed between the streak layers, very satisfying.

(+) Interesting blend of sweetness from natural fruit and caramel on the inside.

(+) The pear cubes were very juicy and had a tinge of natural sweetness in them.

(+) Moist, slightly damp inside went very well with the crisp buttery crust.

(-) Obviously intended for those with a sweet-tooth, otherwise avoid.

Verdict: 8.0/10

Financier (S$2.10 for pack of 5)

(+) Very rich butter fragrance, enhanced by faint almond flavour.

(+) Thin crisp surface with soft inside.

(+) Commendable considering the arduousness in packing the flavors in this bite-sized treat.

(+) Convenient bite-size, about as big as a Singapore 50 cents coin.

P.S: Molded rather uniquely compared to the rectangular financiers, this version did not have as great a surface area to have a crisp crust. Henceforth you taste more of the rich and smooth buttery inside rather than a good balance with the crust. However being bite-sized, this was definitely a luxurious treat.

Verdict: 8.5/10

Tarte Brazilia (S$4.70)

(+) Perfect for chocolate and coffee lovers, pure indulgence.

(+) Smooth, thick rich dark chocolate with base layer of mocha, drizzled with chocolate chips.

(+) Solid crust tart, not overly stiff nor soft, and carried a subtle buttery taste on its own.

(+) The crust tart supplemented the outstanding rich chocolate and coffee cream.

(+) Slightly fluid chocolate complemented the much denser mocha cream very well.

(+) Overall mouthfeel was very complete and satisfying.

Verdict: 9.0/10

Maison Kayser (Paris) -Singapore

6 Scott Road, #B1-09, Scott Square

Singapore 228209

With reference to Maison Kayser's website, in order to fully appreciate the quality of the bread and pastries offered, you should 'start by appreciating its color, gently press a slice to your nose to experience its crispy touch and crust, the smoothness and perfume of the bread itself. Only then take a bite, and feel its texture and flavors develop in your mouth.'

In particular, what fascinated me much about this french bakery was not simply the lure and appeal of international laurels in Singapore but the passion and vision the founder, Mr Eric Kayser holds. 'Good bread doesn't lie: it says everything about the quality of its ingredients and the know-how of its creator. Being a good baker means making a little miracle every day: transforming simple foods, water, leaven salt and flour into complex and varying flavors'. Of course, with my personal preference for bread and pastries, I share a very strong conviction 'I want to give bread a place of honor on our tables'. With limited stomach space, I will definitely return to try their other signature pastries and tarts and not forgetting their savoury sandwiches on the menu.

Service: There is only the GST of 7% being imposed and no service charge was administered onto the bill. In addition, the servers were passionate in greeting everyone that entered. The staffs were also patient with me and when faced with a question about the ingredients that they did not know for certain and found someone who knew better to answer my queries. I was truly impressed with such professionalism.

Ambiance: Due to the cafe being open concept, it did not put us off from the start as being a very posh cafe. With some research, it seemed that Maison Kayser planned the layout of their bakeries to reflect the neighbourhood, city and country. It is more than 'a mere link in a chain'.

We had a follow-up food tasting session at Maison Kayser, please visit here!

Song of the moment: 'Just a dream' by Christina Grimmie and Sam Tsui

2 comments

, by cy

Detox

[SG] Detox I

'If something tastes too good, it is probably harming your body'.

Depending on how you wish to term your perspectives, cooking does not have to be a mundane chore, nor does detoxification. Yes, it might not give you that savoury ooomph sensation that many label to be an awesome meal, but are there not times where you wish you could have a light meal, shed a few pounds to fit into that pair of jeans in the closet? Treat it as an opportunity for you to invoke your inner creativity self and better still at the same time do some dieting. On a rather obscure note, I like to vision cooking as a comparable option to fashion. Ultimately, it comes down to what you decide to put into the pot or pan and what condiments to spice it up a notch or ruin it. Similarly for fashion, you decide the outlook with the apparels and accessories you have, mix and match and hey you might have your own dose of 'Gok's Fashion Fix' or maybe become the new icon for fashion disaster. I follow one simple rule when it comes to detoxification - Listen to your body.

With some spare time over the weekend, we decided to visit the local grocer and bought ourselves some fresh organic ingredients to prepare ourselves a 'detox feast'! Apart from spending lots of close bonding time in the kitchen preparing food together, the best part had got to be the shopping of ingredients on a busy Sunday morning. Light-hearted jokes about the silly combinations of vegetable broth we might have for dinner just brought back a smile as I pen this entry. Personally, I felt that my detox session was not just a plain affair of improving one's physical health but an invigoration of my physiological being altogether.

Korean apple - approximately 95 kcal/each medium sized apple

Rich source of flavonoid and polyphenois, which are powerful antioxidants. Contains minerals and vitamins that can strengthen the blood. Also contains malic acid and tartaric acid, that can help prevent disturbances of the liver and digestion. The skin of the apple contains pectin that can remove toxins from the system and more importantly prevent protein decay in the intestine. 'An apple a day keeps the doctor away' - it does makes sense afterall considering it is also effective in lowering cholesterol and reducing skin diseases.

Organic ingredients were being used for the soup: bittergourd (17 kcal/100gm), sweetcorn (86 kcal/100gm), tomatoes (20 kcal/100gm), enoki mushroom (42 kcal/100gm), celery (7cal/100gm), carrot (41 kcal/100gm), onion (32 kcal/100gm) and ginger (94 kcal/100gm) slices.

(+) Low in calories, rich in anti-oxidants, dietary fibre and of course vitamins.

Bittergourd: Rich in vitamins A, B-3, B-5, B-6, C, iron, zinc, potassium, manganese, magnesium and excellent source for folates which help reduce incidence of neural tube defects in pregnant mums. Protect against free-radicals responsible for aging and cancer. It also stimulates digestion and peristalsis, effective in relieving indigestion and constipation.

Sweetcorn: Rich in vitamins B1, B3, C, folate, magnesium, potassium and antioxidants. Helps reduce chance of heart diseases and cancer. High levels of ferulic acid are being released which are effective in combating cancer. Regrettably, do note that canned sweetcorn and popcorn do not apply here.

Tomato: Rich in Vitamins A, C, potassium and folic acid. Helps prevent scurvy (bleeding gums and joints soreness). Might be beneficial for people who suffer from easy bruising and combats common cold. Ideal for young children with asthma as they experience less wheezing. Lycopene gives tomatoes the distinct red color and is itself a strong antioxidant combating lung, breast, cervix digestive tract cancer and prevent macular degenerative disease that leads to blindness for the elderly.

Enoki Mushroom: Rich in Niacin, iron and potassium. Protective effect against degenerative diseases like Alzheimers' and age-related decline in cognitive function. Also reduce inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases.

Celery: Low calorie, rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C, calcium, potassium, folic acid, magnesium, iron, phosphorous, essential amino acids and dietary fibre. 'Negative calories' - one burns more calories digesting celery than from the consumption. Lowers blood pressure and contains at least 8 families of anti-cancer compounds to combat cancer.

Carrot: Rich in carotenes, vitamins A, C, B-complex, copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous and calcium. Protection from skin, lung and oral cavity cancers. Beta carotene especially helps protect body from free radicals, improves vision, sperm production, maintenance of epithelial integrity, growth and development. Helps control heart rate and blood pressure by countering effects of sodium.

Onion: Rich source of vitamins B1, B6, C, K, biotin, chromium, calcium, quercitin, flavonoids. Effective in combating tumours and have immune-enhancing properties. Helps thin the blood, lowers cholesterol, raises good type HDL cholesterol, wards off blood-clots, fight asthma, chronic bronchitis, hay fever, diabetes, atherosclerosis and infections. Believed to have antiviral and antibiotic effects. In addition, they are great detox tools and they latch on to mercury, cadmium and lead and helps flush them out of the body system.

Ginger: Rich with antioxidants, and a powerful treatment of ovarian and colon cancer. There are reviews that it may also treat morning and motion sickness. Apart from therapeutic properties, it has an ability to inhibit formation of inflammatory compounds and is also a natural painkiller. With emphasis on its effectiveness in alleviating gastrointestinal distress, it has the ability to relax and soothe intestinal tract.

Kabocha - Japanese pumpkin.

Rich in beta carotene, iron, vitamin A, C, potassium, calcium and folic acid. It boosts the body's immune system, and its source of alpha-carotene has ability to slow aging process and reducing risks of cataract formation. In addition to reducing risks of eye problems, it is also full of potassium which helps lower risk of hypertension. The abundance of amino acids aid in maintaining brain functions and are beneficial to persons with health conditions like kidney diseases, parasite infections, colon and prostate cancer.

Contrary to popular belief and assumptions, detox meals do not have to be bland and boring. Depending on individual, the 'vege-taste' might be too overwhelming for some if you were to make juice out of the above ingredients. We decided on a very simple, no frills meal, by slicing and dicing up the plate of organic vegetables and make soup out of it. The apple was consumed on its own with the skin. Likewise for the kabocha, it tasted pretty much like sweet potato after being in the steamer for about 15 mins. We felt cleaner and fresher, not sure we were just being self-delusional, but with the research we made, I believe we are on the right track!

Food for thought

As part of our living motto, 'live to eat', it is important to have one of those much needed detox sessions once in a while to cleanse our body system of toxic substances and harmful radicals. The busy lives of urban-dwellers nowadays usually encompass dining out due to the lack of time to prepare a wholesome meal. Over time, the accumulation of excessive cholesterol, trans fat, sodium from those 'oh-so-yummy-MSG-laden' seemingly 'indulgences' would lead to your greatest nightmares in the form of heart diseases, diabetes etc. Let us all start to make a difference and pamper our body with some healthy food so that we can all live to eat!

remember always, make your calories count.

Song of the moment: 'Wherever you will go' by Charlene Soraia

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, by cy

Chinese Cuisine

[SG] Bao Zai | 飽仔

In simplicity, bao is a steamed bun like the traditional Chinese mantou, only that it usually has fillings such as chicken, pork, red bean and lotus seed paste. Interestingly, it seemed that the inventor of this light treat was Zhuge Liang, a famous strategist in his era (181-234 A.D) during the Three Kingdoms period in Chinese history. It is however with regret that most baos nowadays are factory made and it is hard to come by stalls that still hand-make this Chinese delicacy. With a history of more than 30 years in handmade baos, it would be a shame to give this stall a miss!

Char Siew Bao (Barbecued Pork)

dont worry this is not how it looks..

(+) Bite-sized proportion, took about 2 bites to finish off one, which made it a light snack.

(+) The skin of the bao was thin, delicate and soft. Best of all, it was slightly chewy and 'Q'.

(+) Very generous amount of char siew in each bao at S$0.60.

(+) Finely diced char siew went well with the mini-size which made chewing and swallowing an easy affair.

(+) The char siew had a good amount of fats and complemented the fine dice, giving it a juicy bite.

(-) The exterior skin of the bao was rather sticky. The paper for the absorption of water droplets after steaming, peeled off the entire bottom part of the bao.

(-) The char siew tasted too sweet for me, which seemingly masked the intended barbecued flavour.

(-) Despite eating it fresh, could only faintly smell the fragrance of the char siew.

Verdict: 7.5/10

Da Bao (Pork)

(+) The minced pork were relatively 'fatty', which made the bao very juicy. Mind the ooze!

(+) Thin delicate skin just like for the char siew bao.

(+) Very worthy at S$1.20/pc. Do note the da bao is about the size of the normal bao elsewhere.

(-) Somehow the fragrance of the pork was lacking, which just do not give you that oomph factor.

(-) Sticky skin as described above.

(-) It was somewhat tasty, but nothing too special as a da bao. Oh well, you pay what you get.

Verdict: 7.0/10

Steamed Glutinous Rice with Chicken (Lo Mai Gai)

(+) The chicken seemed to have been beaten into a pulp, making it very soft and tender.

(+) Chicken was well seasoned and marinated.

(-) After trying the baos, I expected more generous meat portions at S$1.50.

(-) Oily enough to give you shimmering lips and also to deter me from eating too much.

Verdict: 6.5/10

Bao Zai (飽仔)

ABC Brickworks Food Centre, #01-135

Singapore 150006

Song of the moment: ‘年少无知’ by 陈豪，林保怡，黄德斌

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, by cy

Indian Cuisine

[MY] Sedap Corner

新加坡隔一條橋就是馬來西亞第二大城市新山 'Johor Bahru'，就好像香港望到對面的深圳一樣近。不是不熟悉西馬，可是十分了解又不是。從小每一年都會跟着媽去探東馬的遠房親戚，而西和東是有差別的。東邊會比較落後，當然空氣與大自然亦因此而未被污染，尤其是亞比 'Kota Kinabalu' 的水是清澈到可以見底。很可惜政府正發展東邊，這幾年遊客也特別多，水開始跟着變得污濁...

新加坡出名乾淨，可惜對岸的馬來西亞完全是另一個世界。可是他們的美食一點也不會輸給新加坡的，的確可以相提並論。價錢還比新加坡便宜 2.5 倍，所以新加坡人喜歡週末或假期走幾步路到對岸消費。但如果治安及衛生方面能夠進一步被調整這樣會更好。假如怕在外面用餐時人身安全會受到威脅或吃到肚痛，可以跟我們一樣選擇在商場例如 City Square 內進食。吃就一定要吃他們最拿手的地道菜，那你就一定不會失望。

最普通不過的炒麵有時反而會更好吃。Mamak 是指在馬來西亞發展的說坦米爾語 'Tamil' 的印度回教徒。印度炒麵的主要材料是用蛋麵，再加些蝦及豆腐乾，和不能少的辣椒醬及蕃茄醬。

馬來炒麵 'Mee Goreng Mamak'

(+) 很喜歡它的小辣，再帶點蕃茄和 lime 的酸，酸辣常另人增加食慾

(+) 蛋麵常有一股膠黏味，而它的調味料能成功遮蓋這種味道

(+) 火候剛剛好，麵仍乾中帶點濕

(-) 份量只適合女性

Verdict: 7.5/10

馬來語 'kampung' 是鄉村的意思。這炒飯的主要材料當然少不了長穀粒的 basmati 米，炸鯖魚 'mackerel'（現時已被鯷魚 'Ikan bilis' 代替）、小辣椒 'bird's eye chili' 和蛋，配炸雞，再加些蝦片作裝飾。

甘榜炒飯 'Nasi Goreng Kampung'

(+) 炒飯用 basmati 米就最好不過，因它勝在夠乾，不會黏

(+) 小辣椒很辣，但能令飯便得更香、更辣、更有胃口

(-) 太少炸鯷魚，使飯缺乏了鹹味及香脆的口感

(-) 炸雞有點乾，骨多過肉

(-) 蝦片好像「漏風」了

Verdict: 7.0/10

這詞 'beriani' 源於波斯語的「炸或烤」，是另一種來自伊朗的炒飯。使用很多不同種類的香料及調味料例如豆蔻、肉桂、桂葉、薑、蒜頭等，去陪襯這些香料的主要原料可以是牛、羊、雞、魚或蝦，再加入用酸乳酪和其他材料製成的種種醬汁或咖哩。而這間餐廳是配咖哩雞和炸或烤的圓面包片 'pappadam'。

黃薑飯 'Nasi Beriani'

(+) 有些地方煮這菜式會把整粒香料放下去一起炒，香味當然重些，但咬到的話會影響對整碟飯的味覺，幸好他們沒有

(+) 因飯是主菜，咖哩味道不濃厚，所以不會覆蓋飯的香料味

(+) 塗些咖哩和飯在無味的 pappadam 上，兩者味道互相中和了，口感更佳

(-) 如果咖哩的作用是提高飯的滋味，很成功，然而單吃咖哩，咖哩濃度十分不足

Verdict: 7.5/10

晚餐的精髓在於這條魚，做法分成兩部分：炸或烤魚，可選擇鱸魚、真鯛、鯡魚等；還有關鍵性的甜酸辣醬汁。

泰式辣椒魚 'Thai Chilli Fish'

(+) 超值的黑鱸魚- RM25(在新加坡吃不到這個價錢，但對在馬來西亞工作的人是有點昂貴）
(+) 魚炸得很酥脆，連魚頭跟尾也能吃掉
(+) 酸辣能喚醒味蕾及胃

(-) 減低甜度會更好

Verdict: 7.5/10

P.S: 晚餐四菜、兩杯水、chendol、一杯拉茶 'teh tarik'，加商品稅和服務費只是 RM68。可是 chendol 吃不得，拉茶喝不得!

City Square

Lot J2-13

+607-221 9182

Song of the moment: 讓我照顧你 by 張芸京

No comments

, by tmcy

Chinese Cuisine

[SG] Food hunt at Toa Payoh Central

In search for good food, we decided to visit Toa Payoh, one of the heartland districts in Singapore. The name Toa Payoh suggested that it was previously a large swamp. With New Towns' development by the government, it was transformed into Singapore's Housing Development Board's 2nd satellite town. The housing estate area is pretty much self-contained, with a town centre serving the needs of the residents.

I must say I was pretty overwhelmed when I first arrived at Toa Payoh Central, which was a bustling 'hotspot' with lots of commuters. With maps located at the bus terminal, it was not too difficult to navigate our way around in search of good food! One tip though, do try and avoid walking pass the area outside the foyer of Toa Payoh Central (In front of McDonald's and Ya Kun) unless you do not mind being hassled by promoters, for Sizzler restaurant especially.

友记家传鸭饭 (Yu Kee Food House)

友记家传鸭饭套餐 (Yu Kee Food House Duck Rice Set)

(+) Tenderly braised duck with a very savory gravy sauce that enhanced the taste.

(+) Fragrant yam rice and it was well cooked, al-dente.

(+) Braised tau pok was chewy and was oozing with juice, giving one a saucy mouthful.

(+) The braised peanuts were soft but not overly cooked to become mashy.

(+) With 3 types of chili on offer, each was spicy and provided a good accompaniment, especially the traditional Teochew chili sauce for braised duck, that has a tinge of lime to whet one's appetite!

(-) The soup provided was too 'tasty' and overwhelming in terms of MSG unfortunately.

(-) Rather small portions of braised peanuts, thin duck slice and braised tau pok for S$3.80/-

Verdict: 7.5/10

友记家传鸭饭 located inside Koufu

Toa Payoh Central

Surrounded by shops and restaurants each with a culinary fare to boast, we turned into a 'food alley' which was what the name suggested literally. Ranging from Hong Kong roast meat to fusion burgers 'GAMAP' (when we wanted to try, they were already closed for business, next time then!), a Peranakan stall caught our attention, especially with their billboard advert of their signature 'Nonya Caviar'.

My Peranakan Spice Box

Buah Keluak Toast

An interesting fusion touch to the classic Ayam Buah Keluak dish, the above signature dish featured the black, dark brown Indonesian nut. The preparation methods were tedious and time-consuming to say the least. It required soaking the nuts to soften the shell and upon cracking it open, grinding the nut within into a paste and stuffed in the shell before being slow-cooked over fire for at least 4 hours. Being the epitome of Peranakan cuisine, it would be a shame to give this light treat a miss!

(+) Uniquely rich and strong taste and very smooth texture, no gritty bits stuck between teeth!

(+) The soft paste was perfectly complemented by the crisp thin toast served, very good 'mouth feel' overall.

(+) The plain toast helped to neutralize the bursting strong flavours the tiny paste heap cached.

(+) A tinge of braised meat flavor topped with some asam acquired aftertaste.

(+) Interesting appeal for those interested in fusion cuisine at an affordable price of S$2.50/3 pcs.

(-) You either love it or hate it I guess, due to the strong flavours. Personally both of us were put off by the smell/taste (not that it tasted horrible) but it was too strong for us.

Verdict: 7.5/10

Bakwan Kepeiting Soup (Crabmeat balls with La Mien)

(+) The la mien noodles were very bouncy and firm in texture. One of the best I had ever tasted.

(+) Clear light soup and does not taste of MSG. Great for one of those soupy-craving days.

(+) The meatballs were tangy and very juicy.

(+) Minced pork had some slight fat, and with crabmeat pieces gave the dish a natural sweetness to savour.

(-) Minced pork overwhelmed the puny crabmeat pieces and tasted more like pork meatballs.

(-) Too few crabmeat pieces and bamboo shoot.

(-) If you are after something savory, this is definitely not it for the soup is too light but easy on the stomach.

Verdict: 8.0/10

P.S: One of their signature dishes, Stewed Pork La Mien seemed like a real hit, but was sold out by the time we ordered food, will definitely return to try. A satisfying cooling drink, Red Dates with Mata Kuching was an awesome accompaniment to the dishes. Sweetened by the red dates and mata kuching (imagine a smaller sized longan), it was definitely refreshing and like the above tried dishes, uniquely Peranakan.

My Peranakan Spice Box

Blk 190, Toa Payoh Lorong 6, #01-528

(Look out for signage that directs to 'food alley' outside Toa Payoh Central, opposite McDonald's)

Soon Heng Rojak

Normally not a fan of queuing up for food, but when I was on a recce to check at this basement foodcourt, Gourmet Paradise, I cannot help but notice a zigzag queue for this stall's rojak and the billboard of gourmet awards. Not giving in (for I always thought such accreditation were just commercial advertising) , I went on the food hunt and thought I would drop by and have a look. To my dismay, the queue was still as bad even at almost 9pm! Oh well..'there must be something about this Rojak' I guess..