Sunday 22 November 2015

又是忙碌的週末



昨天(星期六)早早陪母亲买菜,过后帮父亲跑银行。Jeremy刚搬进我的社区,下午跟他在不远的Creamier Handcrafted Ice Cream and Coffee 吃好吃的waffles and ice-cream.

过去的一年多就在一波又一波的忙碌中度过。今天突然多了一个空白的上午,把家里的储物室徹底收拾一遍,扔了好几箱十年都没碰过一次的杂物。发现几样莫名其妙的items: 一个不知几时搬进来我们家的黑色行李箱;还有一台来历不详的果汁机。是谁送的? 记不起来了。下週搬到CASH CONVERTER 把它换了现金吧。

爱听藤田恵美(Emi Fujita)唱“In My Life”。母亲问:怎么一首歌播了一遍又一遍? 我说:What to do? 就是百听不厌啊!

下午,Tryphena 把我, Lai Har 和 Rhys 招到Yahava KoffeeWorks 小聚。聊着,聊着,被告知原来Hazel 明年的三月将步上红地毯,而且会搬进我家对面的组屋! 好嘢!Rhys 似乎 也正在同个社区物色房子。希望我们不久后会become 邻居咯。

Monday 16 November 2015

减肥


今早有同事告诉我:你好象瘦了哦。我说:是我昨天外出了五趟的缘故吗,哈哈!


週日,三人一起外出。The plan: 我陪父亲去理发店;母亲上市场买菜,然后一起在附近吃了午餐才回家。母亲买完东西到理发店找我:我买了一条鱼,天气热,我怕它会发臭,你先把它拿回家放进冰箱吧。


把鱼拿了回家后,我倒回市场和父母吃午餐。

饭后回到家里,母亲突然惊喊:啊!! 我有一条鱼落在鱼摊忘记拿!我说:较早时不是拿回一条吗?天啊,原来还有一条! 怕去晚了鱼贩已收摊,我又匆匆往市场跑了第三趟。

下午和母亲去了一趟 agency

傍晚,母亲投诉:唉,今天我去了市场,又去中介哪儿,累得很。晚饭就不煮了,你去买吃的吧!

一天内往外跑了五趟, 大腿上的肌肉似乎结实了不少嘛! :)

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Monday 9 November 2015

今天气温下降
连续两天的下午都下一场大雨

雨季,似乎快来临了


Friday 6 November 2015

GOODBYE IS REALLY A NEW BEGINNING

Another farewell lunch.  When greener pastures beckon, the right thing to do is to wish my soon-to-be-ex-coworker my very best.


I quite like the layout and space of Supply & Demand Orchard Gateway.



I was seated in front of a row of books.  I guess if I ate alone, I could pick one to read while waiting for the food to arrive. It could take some time for the pizza to cook. 


We ordered items to share.

Lovely thin-crusted pizzas.



If there’s one thing worth mentioning, it would be the Garlic Truffle Fries here. Chunky cut fries that have been liberally doused with truffle oil and topped with shaved parmesan.   They're GLORIOUS.


Can we order one more of everything, please!


Smoked Salmon Salad, Sweet Potato Fries, and Fried Calamari. They use fresh squids here. I’m always impressed when a restaurant cooks with real squids. I despise Chefs that try to get away with those rubbery frozen squid rings. They have no respect for food, their customers, and what they do.

Thursday 5 November 2015

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PHYLLIS!

Took a day off work to accompany my mother to the hospital for medical appointment.  She's been complaining of gastric pains and severe constipation.  Now due for gastroscopy, and colonoscopy on December 15th.

Met with Phyllis and Catherine for dinner at Kilo Kitchen Orchard.

We try to catch up three or four times a year.  Phyllis' birthday is tomorrow and she'll be spending it in Taiwan!  (Why am I feeling excited?) That's why we must celebrate tonight.

I had a hard time locating this restaurant as it was tucked inside a clothing store named PACT. I only learnt later that PACT is supposed to be the mega meeting of menswear boutique K.I.N. and hair salon PACT + LIM, a space dedicated to all things chic and tasteful. It all sounds rather pretentious, though I have to admit that I really enjoyed the food tonight.

The food at Kilo is a fusion of Italian, Japanese and Vietnamese. I was especially awed by the Crispy Soft Shell Crab, served with compressed watermelon and red Thai curry gravy (but Cat and I both said it tasted more like laksa than curry). 


I ordered the Cream of Ebiko Pasta, with smelt roe, and “a La plancha” prawns that were grilled to perfection.


Cat had Squid Ink Fettuccini, served with crispy baby squid, Ikura and poached egg.


Phyllis was actually able to finish her BBQ Pork Riblets, served with tofu puree, apple kimchi salad and spring onions.


Everything was served in large portions.  Phyllis is very happy tonight.  She still cannot believe she managed to finish the entire pork rack!

Have a great time in Taiwan, Phyllis!  Love ya!


Sunday 1 November 2015

APPRECIATION

Way overdue.  Cookies for all the wonderful neighbours who extended a helping hand to my family in one way or another when life presents its challenges.  I'm grateful for you.

Saying thanks.  My way.


I must've made David Lebovitz’s Salted Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies a zillion times. Over the years I’ve tweaked his recipe and made it mine. Everyone goes gaga over these cookies. Time and again my co-workers proclaimed them “lethal”.

Consider yourself warned.

SALTED BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES 
Adapted from this recipe by David Lebovitz 

Makes 24

115 grams salted butter, at room temperature 
85 grams light brown sugar 
100 grams granulated sugar (or 70 grams caster sugar)
1 large egg, at room temperature 
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 
180 grams all-purpose flour 
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel (or whatever flaky sea salt you have in your pantry)
200 grams coarsely chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate 
1 cup toasted nuts, coarsely chopped 

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or by hand, beat the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar just until smooth and creamy. Beat in the egg and the vanilla. 

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir the flour mixture into the beaten butter until combined, then mix in the chopped chocolate (including any chocolate dust) and the chopped nuts. 

Cover and chill the batter until firm. (I like to let it rest overnight.)

To bake the cookies, preheat your oven at 180 degrees C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Form the cookie dough into rounds about the size of a large unshelled walnut (about 30 - 32 grams). Place the mounds evenly spaced apart on the baking sheets, and press down the tops to flatten them so they are no longer domed and the dough is even. 

Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, rotating the baking sheet midway during baking, until the cookies look about set, but are not browned. Remove from the oven and quickly tap the top of each with a spatula, then return to the oven for 2 to 5 more minutes, until the tops of the cookies are light golden brown. 

Leave the cookies in the baking sheets for about 2 minutes to firm up a bit, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

AU REVOIR

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