Sg Foodies: April 2008

Apr 30, 2008

CREAM OF THE CROP

They are many ways to chill or down during long hot summer seasons. You can turn on the AC or fan, wear less clothing, put on your sunglasses/shades or use sun block lotion and etc. Hot seasons, can help you to loose weight too by eating less or just salad.

And finally you can cool down by drinking more ice cold drinks or make your own yoghurt, sorbet or ice-cream. Well here are some links to get you moving in the right direction(i.e. making your own ice cream)

http://www.cuisinart.com/catalog/category.php?cat_id=10
http://www.deni.com/
http://www.icecreamrevolution.com/
http://www.realsimple.com/realsimple/content/0,21770,1626889,00.html?rid=icecream
http://www.carnival-popcorn.com/online%20shop_funz%20machine.html

History of Ice Cream
The History of Ice Cream - The origins of ice cream can be traced back to at least the 4th century B.C. (from About.com)
Thomas Jefferson’s “easy” recipe for vanilla ice cream - Some things HAVE gotten easier over time!
All About Ice Cream - History, Pictures and Short Stories - Did you know that July 16th is National Ice Cream Day?
National Geographic weighs in on Ice Cream - Cool timeline of interesting milestones in the history of Ice Cream
The History of Ice Cream in Iran - Truly an international treat
Food TimeLine – Facts, history and notes - Ice Cream and beyond, including hisoric recipes

Ice Cream Science
The Physical Chemistry of Ice Cream -The finer points of physical chemistry and flavor release make this favorite treat so sweet
Finding Science in Ice Cream - from the Dept. of Food Science at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Trivia, Humor & Fun
123 Greetings - Free greeting e-cards for June 8th, Ice Cream Day!
Ice Cream Trivia Tests - Test your "IceQ" with these tough quizzes
Ice Cream Trivia - Lots of fun facts here
Weirdest Ice Cream Flavors and 5 most popular flavors in America - Garlic Ice Cream???
The Ice Screamers – People with a Passion for Ice Cream - A club for collectors of Ice Cream-related things
Ice Cream trucks for sale - Start your own Ice Cream business...
KidsConnect - Ice Cream Facts and Trivia. Ice Cream History and Folklore. Ice CreamRecipes and Links - Lot's of good stuff here, including an Ice Cream unit for school teachers

Recipes! (see our recipes here)
Ice Cream Recipes, facts, pictures, toppings and links - This is a big site with lot's of recipes, tips and more
Ice cream recipes - Ice Creams, Sorbets, Toppings, Sauces and more

Apr 24, 2008

Food review has never been so much fun. Just throw in a lifestyle reporter like Yeo Wee Teck from TNP & a few international chefs from Royal Plaza on Scotts Rd. And also not forgetting some foodies like me : )

You not only have a potpurri of people from all over the world but also a group of people from all walk of life. We a have a lady yoga instructor, a lady engineer, me a piano teacher and a few management staff from RP with their external PR agent too. We have such much fun tossing and sampling their specially prepared Yu Shang ala Thai Style beside getting to sample a sumptious and huge variety of food from their buffet spread. Hmm... Yummy Yummy what a gastronomic and unforgettable experience for me and my fellow foodies

“Yu Sheng”?
ASK! about Cookery
Blogger , Johanna or thruhereyes, posed on her blog post, http://thruhereyes.wordpress.com/2008/01/18/chinese-new-year-february-6th-2008/.
Well, Johanna, here’s what Singapore Infopedia had to say about the various ingredients of “Yu Sheng” and the special sayings said during “Lo Hei”.

“Step 1: All at the table offers New Year greetings. Words: Gong xi fa cai meaning “Congratulations for your wealth” or Wan shi ru yi meaning “May all your wishes be fulfilled”.

Step 2: Fish, symbolising abundance or excess through the year, is added. Words: Nian nian you yu and You yu you sheng.

Step 3: The pomelo is added over the fish, adding both luck and auspicious value. Words: Da ji da li. Pepper is then dashed over the ingredients in the hope of attracting more money and valuables. Words: Zhao cai jin bao.Then oil is poured out, circling the ingredients to increase all profits 10,000 times and encouraging money to flow in from all directions. Words: Yi ben wan li and Cai yuan guang jin.

Step 4: Carrots are added to the fish indicating blessings of good luck. Words: Hong yun dang tou.Then the shredded green radish is placed on the fish symbolising eternal youth. Words: Qing chun chang zhu. After which the shredded white radish is added - prosperity in business and promotion at work. Words: Feng sheng shui qi and Bu bu gao sheng.

Step 5: The condiments are finally added. First, peanut crumbs are dusted on the dish symbolising a household filled with gold and silver. As an icon of longevity, peanuts also symbolise eternal youth. Words: Jin yin man wu. Sesame seeds quickly follow symbolising a flourishing business. Words: Sheng yi xing long. Deep-fried flour crisps in the shape of golden pillows is then added with wishes that literally the whole floor would be filled with gold. Words: Pian di huang jin.

Step 6: All toss the salad an auspicious 7 times with loud shouts of lo hei and other auspicious New Year wishes. Words: Lo hei which is Cantonese for “tossing luck”.
The ingredients mixed by pushing them toward the centre, an encouragement to push on the good luck of all at the table. ”

Source: Tan, B (2002). Yu Sheng. Retrieved January 31, 2008, from Singapore Infopedia Web site: http://infopedia.nlb.gov.sg/articles/SIP_177_2004-12-30.html

STARRY STARRY CRUISE

Recently I just got home from a very enjoyable trip to PENANG & PHUKET WITH STAR AQUARIOUS. Hmmm... the most interesting part of my trip is the food on board besides its interesting entertainment onboard. The shopping trips in Penang and Phuket is something affordable and should be a annual event for those who love shopping beside the sea, the sand and the sun.

Apr 18, 2008

WINE A -LIST

The Wine A-List by Karen MacNeil

Just like any other night of the year, the Academy Awards is a great time to share some wine with friends and family. What could be more fun than choosing wine based on your favorite actors and actresses? Karen MacNeil, an expert for wineanswers.com and author of The Wine Bible, has made her annual pairings for best actor/actress nominees with the grape varietals that best describe them:

Julia Roberts – Riesling
With her undeniable charisma and 100 megawatt smile, Julia Roberts is as sweetly irresistible and as unthreatening as a luscious large harvest Riesling. Like all great dessert wines, late harvest Rieslings are both elegant and forceful at the same time-just like Roberts.

Ellen Burstyn – Pinot Noir
Dramatic, earthy, and passionate, Ellen Burstyn is like a fine Pinot Noir. And like a Pinot Noir, Burstyn seems to take on more nuances, even more sensuality, the older she gets.

Juliette Binoche – Viognier
With her curvy womanly body, enigmatic smile, and almost mysterious aura of femininity, Juliette Binoche is like an elegant yet lush Viognier. Richly supple and full of intriguing flavors, Viognier can be powerful and yet refined at the same time-like Binoche.

Laura Linney – Grenache
Humble and easy going on the one hand, but full of emotional depth and determination on the other, Linney is like Grenache, the quiet unsung hero of grapes that gives so many Rhone-style wines in California and Rhone wines in France their complexity and core of richness.

Joan Allen – Sparkling Wine
Tall, sleek, complex, and sophisticated, Joan Allen is like an elegant sparkling wine. And like a great sparkling wine, she manages to be powerful and captivating while maintaining her elegance.

Russell Crowe – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc Blend
Complex to the point of moodiness, turbulent, and unrelentingly intense, Russell Crowe is like a great Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. Such wines are all about perfection and mastery - not unlike Crowe himself.

Geoffery Rush – Gewurztraminer
Eccentric, compelling, passionate, and a man whose acting roles sometimes verge on the insane, Geoffrey Rush has to be Gewurztraminer, which is zany in its own right, and irresistible because of it.

Tom Hanks – Merlot
Is it possible not to be taken in by Hanks' spell? The man can be funny or tragic, easygoing or serious, passionate or aloof. In short, Hanks is the kind of everyman with whom all of us are very comfortable. He is, in other words, like Merlot-genuine and satisfying to be around.

Javier Bardem – Syrah
With his manliness, sexiness, and lurking kind of passion, he is like Syrah, which has a primordial sexiness of its own. Dark and earthy, Syrah's intensity mirrors Bardem's own.
Ed Harris – Cabernet SauvignonStrong, driven, ambitious, complex, and charismatic, Harris exudes internal power and a kind of fierceness. He's a classic Cabernet Sauvignon, the most complex, powerful, ageworthy, and expensive of all red grapes.