Beef 101

Head Chuck Rib Short Loin Sirlion Round Tail
Shank & Bisket, Short Plate, Flank

Some favorite ones are Black Angus (from Scotland), Longhorn (from Hereford) and Kobe & Wagyu (from Japan). The four basic cuts are

1) Fillet
– Regarded as he finest (priciest) cut because of its tenderness and it’s a lean, round sliced. Most often char-grilled, roasted, minced raw with egg for steak, tartare. White fillet mignon is also small but cut from the narrower end
2) T-Bone
– Cut from the short loin (middle of the back) of the cow. It gets its name from the bone it’s served on, which separates the small tenderloin from the larger top loin
3) Sirloin
– Lean tender and boneless, Cut from the end of the sirloin, with fat running along one side. The meat is suited for all methods of quick cooking
4) Rib-eye
– Taken from the eye (the fleshy bit) of the fore rib, this is the boneless version of the rib steak. Thick, fatty & flavorsome (the marbling) on the meat adds to the taste. Good for char-grilled and served with quality chips.

Yummy Slurpy Soup-berb Soup

The Soup Spoon @#B1-11 Paragon
This place offers an extensive western soup menu with sandwiches and salads. It also prides itself on the all-natural ingredients that go into its soup – no shortcut soup stocks and MSG is taboo in the kitchen. It is famous for its Mushroom stroganoff Soup. A great choice for a fuss-free and healthy soup meal.

The Cathay Restaurant @ The Cathay
Serving authentic, yet modern Cantonese cuisine, this restaurant draws its lineage from the Cathay – hence the row of black and white portraits of Chinese actresses from the 60’s adorning the wall. They are famous for its Seafood and Pumpkin Soup. Great for some heart warming Cantonese soup at its finest.

Shashlik Restaurant @ #06-19 Far East Shopping Centre
Having been around for ages, its one of the few places offering not strictly authentic but still worthy Russian or Continental fare. They are famous for its Borsch Soup. While the range of soups isn’t that wide, it’s unique food that’s not easily found elsewhere.

Imperial Herbal and Sinchi Tcafe @ #03-8 Vivocity
Nutritious yet delicious herbal soup is the restaurant’s claim to fame. In fact, most of the soups on the menu claim to possess medicinal benefits. This place is famous for its Brazilian Mushroom Soup. A perfect stop for a nourishing tonic or a light dessert treat.

Crystal Jade Jiang Nan Cuisine @ #02-12 Ngee Ann City
Almost synonymous with delicious Chinese dining here in Singapore, it also makes tantalizing, totally yummy soup, la mian and xiao long bao. The serving size of the soup is meant for four people and above, so it will not be something you want to casually drop by for. This place is famous for its Winter melon soup with Crab. You can try other less illustrious but equally gratifying soups at $6.50-$8 per person.

Soup Restaurant @ #B1-059 Suntec City Mall
This eating house derived inspiration from the humble Samsui women from a bygone era and serves traditional, simple Cantonese dishes. This place is famous for its Puk Kay & Tong Tong Sam with Black Chicken Soup. Hit this spot for good value-for-money, tasty, double-boiled soup.

Sausages 101

They are minced meat, mixed with spices stuffed in tubular skin (made from intestines of cows, sheep and pig or collagen, cellulos or even plastic wrapping). They are also known as Bangers, Chorizo, Wurst, Sausissons. Its name is derived from the Latin world ‘salsus’ meaning salted. The Sumerians are credited with figuring out how to prepare sausages back in 3,000BC.
-Premium quality sausages are made from top-grade ingredients and could be tailored made with meaty and flavorful consistency.
-That sausages that are currently hot in Singapore are pork sausages while westerners like lamb and beef sausages.
-You can choose good sausages by buying from a trustworthy butcher because they sell fresh and healthy colored sausages.
-Simple side dishes to go with sausages are mashed potatoes, onion gravy, mustard, fried onions and tomato sauce.
-You can also wrap them up in bacon, puff pastries and many other ways, skewered, cooked in coconut based curry or baked.

Recipe

Thai Style Banana Fritter
100g Rice Flour
30g Glutinous Rice
30g mung bean flour (Hoon kuih Flour)
¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp baking powder
4 TBs freshly grated coconut
2 Tbs white or black sesame seeds
2 Tbs sugar
A pinch of salt
Slowly dribble in cold water , whisking constantly your get a very thick creamy batter. Dip & fry the banana pieces immediately until golden brown
Drain on a rack in well ventilated spot

Cheese Fondue
200g of cheddar cheese (Gruyere or Emmental)
125 ml of dry white wine (can be substituted by 1 pt apple juice and 2 pt water)
1tsp of cornstarch or potato starch
Kirsch (cherry brandy) – optional
Lemon juice & garlic
Heat the white wine in the fondue pot over low heat until just below boil
Slowly sprinkle the finely grated or diced cheese
Add lemon juice and starch, dissolve in some cold wine.
Stir constantly until the cheese is melted and smooth

CHEESE 101

Cooking Tips for Cheese
Tip 1: Avoid melting cheese under a toaster drill or direct heat to prevent it from toughening.
Tip2: Cook over a low heat, stirring in one direction for proper melting
Tip3: Add flour or cornstarch to shredded cheese for smoother blending into sauces

TYPE OF CHEESE
Soft Cheese
E.g.: Brie, Mozzarella and ricotta
-serve with a variety of fruit or place thin slices on sandwich. Can also be used for baking - melt easily, good for cooking too.
Cream cheese
- delightful spread on bagels and toast as it is quite bland and milder in flavor, softer texture and contains less milk fat . Can be used for cheesecake too

Semi Hard Cheese
Cheddar Cheese (Gruyere or Emmental)
– ideal for soups and sauces as they are pressed cheeses more dense and are usually pale yellow in color
Gouda
– serve with fruit and ideal for melting and best used on toast for quick snack

Hard cheese
Parmesan
– it has a rich and sharp flavour with low moisture content and packed into molds under more pressure and aged for a longer time. It is usually used for grating and pizza toppings. Does not melt well and not suitable for baking
Good for garnishing and snacking with
Blue Cheese
-Can be eaten on its own & very pungent tasting with blue healthy mold on it

Hot Spots to Chill Out in SIngapore

• Tanglin Place
  -(Dempsey Road - Off Holland Road)
  -Former British Barracks gone hip
  British Barrack during the colonial days. Used by central Manpower Base as the site where young men went to enlist between 1972 and 1989. Later became home to Samy’s Curry Restaurant and several furniture shops. Things took off in 2003 when 2 wine bars – Wine Network and The Wine Company opened there. Now there is a whole new slew of eateries bars and rustic hangout spots. Attract English-speaking and trendy crowd of executives, expatriates and young folks. Check out:
  - Angels Share
  - Hacienda
  - House
  
  Holland Village
  -(Holland Road)
• -Mish mash of old and new
  It was a military village between the late 1930s and 1945. In the 1950s, farmers set up makeshift road side stalls to serve locals staying nearby in the wooded areas. Today it is a bustling mix of banks places where you can get traditional Chinese therapy, specialist ice cream or were you can wine and dine at sleek, modern eateries. Attract Japanese housewives with kids in tow to local universities students to students form nearby foreign schools to folks from nearby HDB estates. It has a trendy and relax ambience. It has Cold Storage for groceries, health and beauty stores, hair salons and etc. Check out:
  - 211 Roof Terrace
  - Eski Bar
  - Fosters – An English Rose Café
  
  Wessex Estate
  -(Portsdown & Whitchurch Road)
  -Havens for arts lovers
  A quaint, tranquil neighborhood nestled among trees off Ports down Road. The walk-up apartment blocks and black-and-white houses are home to painters, photographers, designers and writers. There is also a cooking school and a yoga studio. It could be the next art village hot spot and Singapore’s answer to New York’s Soho. Attract Expatriates, artists and art lovers.
  - Cicada
  - Colbar
  
  Gillman Village
  -(Lock Road - Off Alexander Road)
  -Out of this World
  A sleepy cluster of bars, restaurants and furniture shops, tucked away near St Andrew’s JC. Turn left into Malan Road from Alexandra Road then take another left at Lock Road and you will be transported into a nostalgic corner consisting of former army barracks. Has an old-world charm of Singapore’s colonial past without the makeover mold of revamped enclave like Rochester Park and Tanglin Village. Attract Nearby office workers, expatriates, businessmen and young couples. Check out:
  - Villa Bali
  - Handle Bar
  - The Turquoise Room
  
  
  Greenwood Ave.
  -(Off Bukit Timah Road)
  -Familial feel to the place
  A stretch of shop houses tucked into a quiet suburb of terraced houses in Hillcrest Park. Has a distinct neighborhood vibe, the kind like everybody knows your name from the pub owner to the butcher. It has a diverse mix of shops and eateries offering everything from seafood to Japanese cuisine to gelato. Attract diverse crowd from casually dressed residents to families to couples to executives. Check out:
  - Lana Cake Shop
  - Swiss Butcher
  - Greenwood Fish Market
  
  
  Rochester Park
  -(Off North Bouna Vista Road)
  -Lush exclusivity is the draw
  A colonial place with fine dining places. Wine bar One Rochester was the first to open in December 2005. It exudes an air of elegance and exclusivity from its lush leafy surrounding to the restaurants themselves housed in handsome black-and-white colonial bungalows. The music wafting through the cool evening air adds to the sense of anticipation as its mingle with the delicious smell of culinary concoctions. Has a classy chic of the locale paired with the promise of fine dining either indoors or in a relaxed outdoor setting. Private events are also popular because of the spacious grounds.
  Attract yuppies and expatriated. Check out:
  - One Rochester
  - Min Jiang at One-North

Myth and Origin of Mid Autumn Festival

Mid- autumn festival is a popular Chinese celebration of abundance and togetherness, dating back over 3,000 years to China’s Zhou Dynasty. The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month of the Chinese calendar and at this point of time, the moon is the fullest and roundest as seen on earth. The custom of celebrating this festival can be traced as far back as the ancient Xia Dynasty (2000BC) of China. The people celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival to worship the moon as they believed that the there is a god watching over them from the moon.

According to a widespread folktale, the tradition of taking moon cake started when the people in China wanted to rebel against the Mongolian rulers. However, it was very difficult for them to meet up or pass messages to one. Thus, a advisor names Liu Bowen advise the leader of the rebellion party, Zhu Yuan Zhang to distribute the Moon cakes containing a piece of paper to thousands of Chinese. The message wrote "Kill the Mongolians on the 15th day of the Eighth Moon". And this proves to be a great success. After this incident, Mid-Autumn Festival was celebrated with moon cakes.

There are many interpretations to the legend of Chang E and Hou yi. The most famous one being the earth once had ten suns circling over it, each taking turn to illuminate the earth. One day, however, all ten suns appeared together, scorching the earth with their heat. Houyi, a strong and tyrannical archer, saved the earth by shooting down nine of the suns. He eventually became King, but grew to become a despot

One day, Yi stole the elixir of life from a goddess. However, his beautiful wife, Chang'e, drank it in order to save the people from her husband’s tyrannical rule. After drinking it, she found herself floating, and flew to the moon. Yi loved his divinely beautiful wife so much that he did not shoot down the moon.

WINE 101

Wine contains polyphenols which have antioxidant properties to prevent heart diseases and cancer. It also has a phytochemical called resveratrol that protects against stomach infections. A glass of wine or two daily helps to keep arteries from hardening, relief tension, prevent attacks of angina, aid digestion, stimulate appetite and offeset insomnia.

Category
1) Table or Still Wines (Burgundy, red & wine) - alcohol content: 9 - 14%
2) Fortified or Dessert Wines (Sherry , Port, Madeira) - AC - 16 - 23%
3) Apertifs or Flavoured Wines (Vermouth, Dubonnet) - AC 15-20%
4) Sparkling bubbly wines (Champagne, Moet et Candon, Dom Perignon, Monrachet, Bordeaux Asti, Spumate, Marquis de Pompadour) - AC 12-14%

How to Store
Ideal temperature for -12 to 18 degrees Celsius and 75% humidity.
All corked wines should be kept on their sides to keep the corks wet, swollen and air tight
Screwed caps may be allowed to stand up to keeep them tranquil.

Sophisticate Speak
Life is too short to drink bad wine.
White Wine - Blanc
Red Wine - Merlot, Carbenet
Pinkish Wine - Zinfandel, Rose

Very dry (not sweet wine) - Brut or Natur
Extra Dry

Fairly Sweet wine - Demi sec
Very Sweet Wine - Sec or Doux

Players from many countries:
While Australian and French wines still rule, wines from other countries are giving them a run for their money. Top contenders are Chile, South Africa and New Zealand.

Germany - Moselle(red), Sekt(sparkling), Riesling (white)
Australia - Sheery & Vermouth
Spain - Sherry-Amontillado and Amoroso & Riojas(red)
Italy - Chianti(red) Verdicchio (white) Ast, Spumante(sparkling)
Sicily - Masala(red)
Portugal - Madiera and Muscatel(red)
Portugal - Tokay(dessert wine)
India - Sula, Choantilli, Riviera (Chaeu Indage)

Pairing with Food
White Wine - light food, fish and chicken, mild curris, pasta and cheese
Red wine - with robust red meats, pizza, hard cheese, hot curries
Sparkling wines - go well with anything before & after dinner
Flavoured wines - everything except dessert.
Dessert Wine - with dessert

Food Trivia

Food that is the symbol of hospitality
The pineapple I think (from a quiz I did some time ago
Additionally (and conversely), serving shoulder of beef (especially cold) is a sign of inhospitality and is the derivation of the phrase 'Giving someone the cold shoulder'

Food that last the longest
"The ancient Egyptians loved sweets. Archeologists once found a 3,300-year-old jar of honey in a tomb.
"…the Tomb of Tutankhamun…honey that was almost liquid but still preserved it scent after thousands of years."Honey never goes bad, so the honey found in King Tutankhamen's tomb was still edible after thousands of years.

Most radioactive food
I'm not sure how it compares but I'm sure that cooking food makes a significant difference. Not sure why you would cook a brazil nut though. The reason I say this is that several years ago I remember seeing it on TV. A geiger counter scanned some potatoes, hot oil and chip pan etc.... There was either very little reading or none at all from everything it was pointed at. The potatoes were turned into chips and suddenly they were significantly more radioactive than before. The more and more they were cooked, and the browner and then blacker they became, the higher the geiger counter registered. I understood it was down to the formation of carbon ( the pure element - maybe a specific isotope ) out of the carbon compounds found in all living things. I'm sure some comments were made at the end of the programme suggesting that consuming very large quantites of very burnt toast could probably be detrimental to health because of the radiation levels. I've also seen (heard) a geiger counter click loud and frequent when pointed at a burning cigarette

World's most expensive food
Truffles and Beluga caviar are way out of most people's reach, but the most expensive food item in the world, ounce for ounce, is the spice Saffron.

Jelly, Taiwanese, Fruit shaped, Japanese, Heart shaped Mooncakes ...