A pretty dessert table assembled by Sarah for a one year old birthday party. The cakes were too pretty to slice and eat.
Black Forest Cake Baking Class With Dulcet & Studio
I like Black Forest cake very much. Unfortunately, it is hard to find a good one in the local bakeries. Most places do not use enough alcohol, if they even use any in the first place, so it feels as though I am eating a dry chocolate sponge cake stuffed with cherries and cream. A cake cannot be called a Black Forest cake if it does not contain kirsch, can it? At least in Germany, I suppose.
When my friend – she goes to Dulcet & Studio every month for baking classes – told me that the studio is having a class on Black Forest cake, I decided to sign up for it. The last time I attended a class at Dulcet & Studio was a year ago. Time really flies, doesn’t it?
I enjoyed the class a little more this time, compared to my previous experience. This time, the teacher, Mayumi-san, taught two items (instead of three), so the pace was slower and there was more hands-on time. She taught us how to bake, assemble and decorate a heart-shaped (you can’t really tell from the photograph) Black Forest cake using chocolate sponge cake, chocolate cream, fresh cream, kirsch, black cherries soaked in syrup and alcohol, and chocolate shavings.
The cake was good. The kirsh-soaked sponge cake was moist and not too sweet. The alcohol-soaked black cherries were tinged with bitterness (luvre!). Mmmmm, I am eating a slice of the cake as I type out this post.
Mayumi-san also showed us how to bake creme caramel. So easy to make! Her recipe is very good but having said that, creme caramel is not a dessert that I am ordinarily fond of eating. Too sweet for my tastebuds.
The very pretty sensei. She is teaching Japanese Strawberry Shortcake and lamingtons in February.
Bangkok: Supanniga Eating Room
During our last visit to Bangkok, one of the restaurants that we visited was Supanniga Eating Room. My friends and I had never heard of the restaurant before. Then again, I don’t visit Bangkok often enough to know much about the dining scene, apart from Nahm. As the place came highly recommended by my friend’s boss, we decided to check out this place for lunch on the day we arrived.
Supanniga Eating Room is at Soi Sukhumvit 55, in the Thong Lor neighbourhood, a 10 minute walk from the Thong Lor BTS station. I have never seen the restaurant’s website before, and I was expecting it to be a Bangkok-style coffeeshop. But it turned out to be a chic place located in an old shophouse. Occupying three floors, it is tastefully designed – cosy but classy. No thanks to the Bangkok traffic, we turned up at the doorstep of the restaurant minutes before closing time, but the wait staff did not turn us away.
Supanniga Eating Room serves traditional home-style Thai dishes inspired by the owner’s grandmother from her hometown. We ordered quite a lot of food, and a jug of white sangria. The food was excellent, and we enjoyed every dish on the table. As the Thais will say:”Aroi Mak Mak!”
An appetizer known as Mieng Yong – pork floss, peanuts, roasted coconut with some kind of leaves.
Tom yum goong. One of the best that I have eaten. I like my tom yum soup lemak-style, compared to the ones that come in a clear soup. The latter is usually deceptively spicy.
‘Son-in-law’ fried eggs. Hard-boiled eggs served with a tasty sauce and fried shallots. A simple dish that tasted soooo good.
Beef stir-fried with chili and holy basil (Ka Prow Nue Lai). Good, but I prefer the minced chicken version.
We also tried the fried prawn wontons, and cabbage drizzled with fish sauce. I cannot seem to find the photos of these two dishes. Anyway, they are on the restaurant’s website. Must go back to Supanniga when I next visit Bangkok and try their other dishes. The crabmeat omelette looks droolsome.
Supanniga Eating Room
160/11 Soi Sukhumvit 55 (Thonglor)
Klongton Nuea, Watthana,
Bangkok 10110
Takayama: Shirakawago
If I had to recommend one place in Japan that one should visit, it will be Shirakawago. A UNESCO heritage site, the scenery here is stunning, with architecture that is quite unlike anything else that I have seen in Japan. Shirakawago is a village containing traditional wooden houses with sloping thatched roofs known as gassho-zukuri. The houses are surrounded by rice fields and a river runs through it. The picturesque view of these traditional farmhouses against the backdrop of these Japanese mountains is something that I couldn’t get enough of. I have been wanting to visit this place for ages, and am so glad that I finally did.
It is fairly easy to get to Shirakawago from Hida-Takayama, where we stayed for 3 nights in a ryokan called Oyado Koto No Yume. We took a bus from the Takayama bus station (right next to the train station) and arrived in Shirakawago in slightly less than an hour.
We alighted from the bus and saw this breathtaking scenery in front of us (okay, ignore the orange cone). The place was a little misty and foggy, which added to the magical feel of the surroundings. It was good to breathe good, crisp, clean air.
We crossed this long bridge to get to the village, stopping frequently to take photos of the mountains in the background.
Wet and gloomy skies. Empty roads. Loved it.
I can read the words – “Hida Beef Croquettes”. Oooh, I love Japanese croquettes.
Even though I was still stuffed from the huge breakfast that I ate at the ryokan, I could not resist buying a Hida pork bun in addition to the beef croquette. I was curious to see how different it was from our local pork buns. I know that Hida-Takayama is famous for Hida beef (which is damn good, a close second to Kobe beef), but I have not heard of Hida pork.
I thought the Hida pork bun was good, but it was fairly similar to our local pork buns. The beef croquettes were insanely good (forgive me for the hyperbole). Crispy on the outside, and the filling was moist and packed with so much flavor. We finished eating the croquette that I bought, and immediately dashed off to buy another. It was too good to share! If I hadn’t eaten the pork bun, I would have ordered a third croquette. I was tempted to stuff my mouth with as many as possible, but I did not want to run the risk of throwing up at some point in time.
Beautiful Japanese Alps in the background. If we had arrived in Shirakawago one week earlier, it would still be snowing and the entire place would have been blanketed in a a sheet of white snow. As it is, all we saw were dirty blocks of snow on the ground.
Couldn’t resist processing the photo and turn it into a black-and-white piece.
This is my favorite photograph of Shirakawago. After snapping what could possibly be a hundred photos on the camera, in and around this spot. I am surprised at how clear this photo turned out given the foggy weather when it was taken.
I think this is the main street in Shirakawago, with a number of shops lining the road.
Took a little hike up a windy road to get a panoramic view of the village. Beautiful, beautiful view from the top.
I would like to see this view during winter, when the rooftops are enveloped in a fleet of snow. But I doubt I can brave the cold.
As we hiked back down to the village, the sun appeared and the skies cleared. We got to see what the village and farmhouses would look like in spring, against a clear blue sky and fluffy white clouds. Just as picturesque.
What an adorable dog owned by the people behind this cafe. We did not linger on for a drink, as we wanted to catch the next bus back to Takayama. I needed a good, long soak in the onsen.
Good & Cheap Yong Tau Fu At Hui Ji In Tiong Bahru Market
One thing that I miss very much after going back to work is eating the Yong Tau Foo noodles at this stall in Tiong Bahru Market.
For S$3 a bowl, it is great value for money. Generous portions of Yong Tau Foo heaped on top of noodles tossed in a yummy concoction of chili, sesame oil, crunchy fried lard, soy sauce and sweet sauce, it is my favorite thing to eat at Tiong Bahru Market. Run by an elderly couple, the queue during weekends is crazy-long.
I used to eat it only during weekday mornings to avoid having to wait. Now, I just have to queue…with an iPad in my hand.
Hui Ji Fishball Noodles and Yong Tau Foo
#02-44 Tiong Bahru Market & Food Centre
Tokyo: Hanami At Nakameguro
Cherry blossoms at Nakameguro-kawa. It is an excellent place to view the beautiful cherry blossoms. We walked along both sides of the river, filled with quaint and charming boutiques and cafes.
What lucky residents to be living in those apartments overlooking the Nakameguro Kawa.
Like many cherry blossom viewing spots throughout Tokyo, Nakameguro-kawa was jam-packed with groups of merry-making locals and tourists soaking in the atmosphere of early spring. I was quite tipsy in broad daylight, having indulged in rose champagne purchased from the little pushcarts, as I slowly made my way through the crowds.
We just bought air-tickets to Tokyo over the Chinese New Year period next year. Even thought it would be too early to catch the cherry blossoms, but we would like to make another visit to Nakameguro-kawa, just to enjoy the place without endless throng of human beings.
Crocheting: Vintage Purse In Dual Tones
I am hooked to making these cute little purses. I have been learning how to crochet different types of flowers every weekend.
Made this two-toned purse last weekend, sewed on flowers with two layers of petals in the centre to hide the hole from the magic ring.
What shall I crochet this weekend? First, watch Hobbit at the cinemas.
Making Jewelry With Woon Hung
I like Woon Hung’s jewelry. They are handmade, using mostly natural materials sourced from various places in Asia, such as Korea, Indonesia and the Philippines. Her pieces are unique, and go quite easily with most of my work clothes.
When I heard that she was conducting classes at Soon Lee over a weekend, I signed up for it. Not that I have any serious interest in making jewelry, but I was quite happy to spend a couple of hours learning something new, and having fun while doing so. Also, I get to bring home the two pairs of earrings that I make during class!
The first thing that she taught us was wire work. Using two pairs of pliers, we practised measuring, snipping, twisting and turning the stainless steel wire into small, symmetrical hoops that connect the beads. It was very challenging trying to shape the wire to give you tiny hoops that were of the same size and shape – I get oval hoops instead of perfectly round-shaped ones. Making jewelry is not so easy.
After an hour of practice, we were ready to make our first pair of earrings. A simple pair of one-strand dangling earrings. Woon Hung provided us with quite a wide selection of beads, in various colors, sizes, shapes and materials. It took me ages before I could decide on the teal-and-coral combination shown above.
For the earrings, we used gold-plated wires which were not as strong as the stainless steel ones, so more care was required not to “over-twist’ the wires, as this will cause them to break easily. I was quite proud of how my hoops turned out. Got some help from Woon Hung along the way.
The second piece was a more complicated chandelier-style earrings. I decided on green and light purple colored beads. By then, I was quite comfortable with shaping the hoops, and Iless obsessed with getting perfectly round-shaped circles. So I finished making this pair in a shorter time than the first pair. I was really pleased with the results – not too shoddy for a first attempt. Quite pretty, I must say. Have I worn these earrings? Nope, my mom wanted both pairs, so I gave them to her. I had fun and that is what’s most important!
I follow Woon Hung on Instagram, where she shares photos of new designs, her home and travels. Besides her jewelry, we both share a love for Korea, and can yak non-stop about that country. 🙂
Making Scented Candles At Bloesem
We are always tempted to veg out at home on weekends. But still, we try to do one or two light activities such as going for brunch, grabbing a coffee or ice cream somewhere, visiting the nursery to get fresh flowers, and aim to head home after lunch.
A couple of weekends ago, I signed up for two classes over Saturday and Sunday. One class was to learn how to make scented candles, and this was held at Bloesem, a charming and cosy studio in Tiong Bahru. The other was to learn how to make jewelry at a class taught by Woon Hung at Soon Lee in Haji Lane. I love Woon Hung’s handmade jewelry, and I have purchased a number of pieces made by her.
It was clearly not great planning to schedule two classes in one weekend, because this meant that I spent most of that weekend out.
The scented candle making class, held on a Saturday, was a 3-hour session. I really liked the vibe and look of Bloesem studio – it is basically an old Tiong Bahru apartment with a kitchenette, a bedroom and a living room, that has been converted into a bright, airy, modern space. The living room became a work space for conducting classes, the kitchenette is a functioning one that is used to make coffee, warm up snacks and prepare lunch for the participants of the class.
The class was conducted by the folks behind Deckle & Hide, who supply Bloesem with their homemade scented candles out of their home studio in Brisbane. They talked us through the theory of making scented candles – their philosophy when sourcing for ingredients, the type of aromatherapy oil that is best for making candles, what to consider when selecting a combination of scents, how to mix and match them using cotton bud sticks, and the ratio of oil versus wax (we used soy wax in the class), points to think about when selecting the shape of containers for the scented candles.
Trial and error! My favorite combination – orange, lavender, cedar and lime. After a while, you can get quite overwhelmed by the aromatherapy oils that you have to keep sniffing at. Olfactory overload. Good thing is that good quality organic botanical oils were used during the class; otherwise, I may have felt quite nauseous.
I like how they serve you little tea cakes, cookies and coffee at the start of class. Tasty treats.
My scented candles – using a little peanut butter jar and a milk bottle. I was advised not to use a cylindrical type container as the flame gets too close to the mouth of the bottle which may cause an explosion.
We ended off the class with a light and tasty lunch – pomelo salad tossed with shallots, peanuts and prawns. Loved it! I have to learn how to re-create this.
Bloesem has pretty interesting classes, if you look at their past workshops. I am already thinking about signing up for the next one.
Tokyo: Tamahide Oyakodon in Ningyocho
If you are a big fan of oyakodon and you happen to be in Tokyo, you should give Tamahide a try. I read that this famous restaurant in Ningyocho, founded in 1760 (or thereabouts), is the birthplace of oyakodon. What makes them special is the chicken that they use – a type of chicken that is unique to Japan, With such a reputation, one should not be surprised to hear that this Ningyocho eatery attracts a snaking queue every day.
I love eating oyakodon, the simple combination of rice, simmered chicken buried under runny eggs and onions, is comfort food to me. So Tamahide is a place that was at the top of my Tokyo food list during this trip. Tamahide opens at 11.30am and I made sure that we arrived at 10.30am, one full hour before the eatery open for lunch, so that we would be right at the front of the queue.
We were so early and had nothing much to do, so we popped into a cafe just next door for coffee. Wow – this cafe is another place that came straight out of a Murakami book. It has a 1960s setting, with red vinyl chairs, a record player and filled with old Japanese men smoking pipes. I couldn’t resist ordering a plate of toast to go with my coffee – not a wise move because I should be saving stomach space for oyakodon. I am so glad that I ordered the best toast that I have eaten. I finished one plate and ordered another. It was utterly delicious. I should rave about this in another post, since this post is about oyakodon.
Back to oyakodon. Tamahide is a traditional Japanese eatery, exuding an old world charm. You remove your shoes when you enter the restaurant. You are served by gentle ladies wearing kimonos. You place your orders on the first floor and are led to a tatami room on the second floor. You sit at the table Japanese-style, i.e., on the floor and try to fold your legs as comfortably as you possibly can.
We ordered the most basic oyakodon set. They serve you a cup of tea and a cup of clear chicken (essence) soup. The chicken soup as delicious.
Next comes the oyakodon, served in a beautiful lacquer bowl.
Remove the lid from the bowl, and this is what you get. I am not sure if the crazy-good toast did something to my appetite, but I didn’t enjoy the oyakodon as much as I expected to. I am not sure what it is about the taste of the dish that didn’t whet my appetite, but I just felt let down by it. Disappointed with the taste (or lack thereof), or disappointed with the fact that I didn’t enjoy it? I don’t know. It just didn’t give me the ‘warm and wonderful comfort food’ feeling that I would usually get, eating a piping hot bowl of oyakodon.
We left the eatery, and saw this queue outside Tamahide.
Tamahide 玉ひで
1-17-10 Nihonbashi Ningyocho, Chuo-ku Tokyo, Japan
(Exit A2 Ningyocho Station)
Tel: +81 3 3668 7651
Lunch 11.30am-1pm
Dinner 5pm-10pm (4pm-9pm on weekends & PH)
Vintage Coin Purse In Christmas Colours
I love these little coin purses. They are useful for keeping not just coins, but for storing jewelry in your handbag, or when you are travelling. I decided to try making one myself using bright green cotton yarn. The shade of green makes me think of Christmas trees, and thought about added a red flower just to give the purse a pop of color. It would be even better if I had sewn on a little pearl button in the middle of the flower. Will have to hunt out some pretty pearl buttons for my next piece. I had so much fun making this!
Pacamara Boutique Coffee Roasters At Upper Thomson Road
Some weeks back, while on my way to my favorite childhood Hainanese chicken rice shop at Upper Thomson Road, I walked past this new cafe, Pacamara Boutique Coffee Roasters. The cafe now occupies the corner unit along the row of shophouses where Liquid Kitchen used to be. Pacamara caught my attention with its bright, clean and spacious layout, and I made a mental note to drop by one weekend.
Cafes are sprouting up like weeds in Singapore. Not a bad thing, but I can count with five fingers the cafes that are worth a repeat visit because I like the coffee or the ambience of the place. Assembly Coffee – great coffee, excellent salted caramel buttermilk waffles and pretty good Shibuya Toast; only negative bit is the decibel level when the cafe gets crowded. Loysel’s Toy – decent coffee in a relaxing outdoor-sy environment. Coast & Company – good coffee and I like that it is tucked deep inside the Siglap neighborhood which means I can usually find a seat most weekend mornings when I pop by. Flock Cafe – I almost always pop by for a Cortado when I am in Tiong Bahru.
This weekend, we made a trip to Far East Flora to get some freshly cut flowers and decided to have brunch at Pacamara.
That’s about $20. Like most cafes here, the food is over-priced, mediocre fare.
Red velvet pancakes with mascarpone sauce, granola and berries. This was poorly executed. The pancakes were dry and tasteless, and I stopped eating it after a few bites. Why would anyone combine granola with pancakes…? Our coffees were quite decent though.
If I happen to be in the Thomson Road neighborhood, I wouldn’t mind popping by Pacamara for a cup of coffee. Just not for the food. I would rather eat chicken rice at Nam Kee Chicken Rice several units away from Pacamara!
Pacamara Boutique Coffee Roasters
185 Upper Thomson Road
Singapore 574333
Crochet: Red, Green & White Hexagons
These days, retail therapy for me is hopping onto the Downtown Line and heading to People’s Park Centre to buy yarn at Golden Dragon. I just want to get as far away as possible from the crowds and the usual shopping malls.
Made this hexagon doily in Christmas colors with my latest haul of yarn! I like the pop of colour. Bright and cheery.