Simple Fare

Before anyone thinks I eat at restaurants all the time, I'd better touch on some simple fare for a change. Ever made a ham sandwich? (read: slap ham on bread, cover with another piece of bread and viola! Butter/Margarine/Mayo optional)


I bought some honey baked ham instead of the usual picnic ham recently. Simple logic says the ham is larger than the bread area. (read: round peg cannot fit small square hole) I thought it looks "untidy" with the ham hanging out...


So I tore up the ham into pieces instead... guess what? It tastes better!

Why?

Because in piling up the pieces, it creates more texture to the sandwich. You also get the feeling you are biting into more layers of ham. This pychological feeling increases the satisfaction level derived. Try it! You can make 2 of the same sandwich and you'll be able to tell the difference.

However, this difference will be gone if you add lettuce or say cucumber shreds. 'Cos the lettuce or cucumber will provide the extra texture or 口感. Just a little more effort and you can enjoy your food more!

I'll touch on bread in the next post... lotsa stuff I've learned from working in a confectionery chain...

CNY Lunch (cont'd)

Steamed Cod-Fish in Soy Sauce

Cod fish is both nutritious and delicious. It is more "oily" compared to other fish as it is found in cold waters, but it is low in saturated fat and high in vitamins B6 and B12. The lack of bones makes it ideal for steaks and filets. Fresh cod has lots of flavour. I therefore prefer a light soy sauce than a teriyaki sauce (in some Japanese outlets). Unfortunately, the one I had is a little overcooked, making the flesh harder than it should be.

The best cod fish I had is found in Hong Kong's Maxim restaurant in the old Kai Tak Airport. Sadly, when the airport was closed, I'm not sure where the chefs are relocated. The dish is special because it is cod fish pan-fried with top soy sauce. As the flesh is very delicate and breaks easily, most chefs will deep fry the fish with a little corn flour to hold the flesh together. It is therefore a dish that truly test the skill and patience of the chef. In my memory, the flesh is both smooth and tender and literally melts in your mouth. The flavours of the fish is brought out fully by the top grade soy sauce with is combined with the oil that is broken down through the pan-frying. An absolute masterpiece.

If you have come across other cod fish dishes that are good, do recommend them to me!

Let's talk about FOOD, baby...

Decided that this shall be a blog on FOOD... a topic close to the hearts of many. Having learned the "art" of differentiating between "living to eat" and "eating to live", I reckon I should be able to contribute some thoughts on food in Singapore. Besides, being a food critic has always been a dream job for me, haha...

Anyway, I had a CNY business lunch at Peach Garden Novena today. CNY lunch is an absolute chore. For one, you got to do the usual PR talk. Then there is that "waste food" tradition of tossing yu-sheng all over the table. And besides, the rushed and mass-produced set menus are always sub-standard compared to the normal days. But I digress... I shall highlight a couple of dishes I had:


Wasabi prawns and Roast meat

Two of Peach Garden's popular dishes. As the apertiser, the wasabi cream on the prawn and the mustard to accompany the roast meat serve a similar purpose of waking up the taste buds and the stomach.

As with all other prawn dishes in Chinese restaurants, the prawns are "treated" with baking soda to make them cruchy. However, the process also kills off whatever taste of prawn left. In this instance, the cream was a little too heavy for my liking and makes the whole morsel a little too "jia-lat". ie., you are not likely to go for a second helping.

The roast meat is nice although I felt that the skin is not as crisp as it should (victim of the CNY mass production no doubt). I will recommend this during normal seasons though...


Venison Steak with mushroom sauce

This is without doubt a western dish although the marinade used on the venison is oriental. (I'm pretty sure oyster sauce is used instead of HP sauce). The meat is tenderised well. Venison (or deer meat) is similar to other "game" meat in that they are rather strong in flavour.

In western cuisine, red wine is often used to both add flavour, tenderise the meat as well as to mask the game taste. Here, the chef probably opted for oyster sauce and the mushroom sauce to do the trick but sadly, it makes the meat too saltish. Perhaps more ginger in the marinade would be a better option. Afterall venison with ginger and spring onions at some "zi char" stalls are quite tasty.

Ok. Will save the next couple of dishes for the next post. Do let me know your comments!

Tea anyone?

Have a cuppa tea, a steam bun...

ie., 饮杯茶，食个包… 得闲来坐坐…