Dear Coffee,

Cappuccino at Stranger's Reunion, Singapore

Dear Coffee,

I never really liked you when we first met. I thought you were bitter compared with my dear friends Apple juice and Coke. I didn't understand you at all. But then I entered University and we were introduced yet again. And now, I need you like a car needs petrol.

We've gone through so much together - sleepless nights and pre-exam panic. Sometimes I wonder where I'd be without you. You drag me out of exhaustion, you inject my day with purpose like a shot of adrenaline and you smother any impulse to procrastinate. Even the smell of you makes me swoon. You smell like a perfect concoction of sunshine, warmth and deep, unwavering happiness. Sometimes I think your aroma alone is enough to get me through the day.

Our time together is a fleeting one, however. And any commitment in this relationship would turn into a deep dependency that there is no turning back from. Every craving you satisfy is temporary and keeps me coming back for more. I can convince myself you're good for me, or that my future career needs you, but in the end, indulging in you is stepping over the line into an unhealthy addiction. 

If I want to maintain any sort of control in this relationship, we must part for the holidays. But don't despair; come April when my examinations draw near, we will be reunited once more. 

Your schooltime fling,

Mary 

LONDON: Billingsgate Market and Lemon Sole

The freshest, and most affordable, fish is the kind that takes waking up at 5am for. In Michel Roux: A Life in the Kitchen, Michel describes how his father used to drag him out of bed in the wee hours of the morning to buy produce from Billingsgate Market for their family restaurant. My housemate Michael had been trying to convince me for awhile that the visit was worth sacrificing sleep for and I finally relented after reading Michel Roux's cookbook. 

Billingsgate market at Canary Wharf is an experience. Fishmongers are brusque, curt people, probably weathered by a life of fishing in harsh conditions. Even so, Michael and I came home from Billingsgate with a hefty bounty of healthy pink salmon, fresh cod and two perfect dover soles. 

Billingsgate Market

I have an unexplainable penchant for Jamie Oliver's recipes and this time I tried his tray- baked lemon dover sole. Despite it's boney texture, the sole came out juicy, lightly flavoured and perfectly cooked through. I can see why Jamie chose to add olives to his recipe - something I chose to forgo because the only time I can eat them is when they're blended and mixed into my thai rice - as the sole came out slightly under salted.

I wouldn't visit Billingsgate market again (I need my sleep) but I now know what a good restauranteur has to go through. After all, a truly great dish would be nothing without the freshest ingredients. 

Baked and ready to eat! 

Tray-Baked Lemon Sole 

Jamie Oliver's recipe 

Ingredients 

• 4 whole lemon soles, from sustainable sources, ask your fishmonger
• 2 handfuls red and yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced
• 1 handful fresh oregano or basil, leaves picked
• 1 bunch spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• zest of halved lemons
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1 handful black olives, destoned and chopped
• 1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Method 

This is really simple. First of all give your fish a wash, then with a sharp knife score across each fish down to the bone at 2.5cm/1 inch intervals on both sides. This allows flavour to penetrate the fish and lets the fish's juices come out. 

Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6. Get yourself a bowl and add the tomatoes, garlic, oregano or basil, spring onions, balsamic vinegar, a pinch of salt and pepper and the zest and juice of 1 lemon to it. Loosen with a couple of good tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and mix well, then spread over the bottom of a large roasting tray. Use one that will fit all 4 fish quite snugly (or you can use two smaller trays). Place the fish on top – top to tail.Now add the olives, parsley, juice and zest of the second lemon to the bowl that the tomatoes were in. Loosen with a little olive oil and then divide this mixture between the fish, placing an equal amount on the centre of each. Cook in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the fish. To check whether they're done, take the tip of a knife and push it into the thickest part of the fish. When done, the flesh will easily pull away from the bone.

Once cooked, remove the fish from the oven and allow them to rest for 3 or 4 minutes while you get your guests round the table, serve them some wine and dress your salad. Then you can come back to the fish. Divide them up at the table on to 4 plates, making sure that everyone gets some tomatoes and juice spooned over the top of the fish. Lovely!

LONDON: Maze by Gordon Ramsay

Pressed duck and foie gras,
Black pepper poached pear, sauternes gel 

From Heston Blumenthal to Nigella Lawson, Britain's food scene has erupted with michelin starred chefs and celebrity home cooks. Gordon Ramsay resides amongst the best of these and with this in mind, expectations were reasonably high when I visited Maze.

Unfortunately, the service was so drastically mediocre that it eclipsed the entire experience. The maitre'd was too distracted to bring us to our table; the waiters and waitresses had to be called at least twice before we got any attention for order taking or menus and our waitress shot us dirty looks when we mentioned this. Our only reprieve was the apologetic words of the hostess at the end of our meal.

Objectively speaking, service aside, the chefs at least seemed unfazed by the Saturday crowds and the savoury food was a pleasure to eat after weaving through the Bond Street Christmas crowd. The braised beef feather blade was the highlight of the menu - drizzled over with a sweet pomme puree, the soft, flaky meat gave way easily under my fork and melted into a blissful beefiness on my tongue.

On the other hand, the desserts belied the astute sense of taste - emphasized by his draconian demeanour -  that Gordon portrays in his television shows. The yuzu tea cake lacked an intensity of flavor and had a frosty texture that didn't slide easily onto my fork. All in all, Maze puts Gordon Ramsay's name to shame. Is there too much hype built up over Gordon Ramsay? With high celebrity status comes great expectation. When it comes to Maze, Gordon's myriad of television shows and michelin stars may well be his downfall.

Quail, confit leg, girolles, smoked sweet corn veloute    

Pork belly, clams, wasabi, lobster and sake dressing    

Braised beef feather blade, pomme purée, shimeji mushroom, togarashi spice 

Yuzu ‘tea cake’, mango & lime jam, lemongrass ice cream    

Clementine parfait, orange polenta cake, cointreau gel, clove ice cream 

Maze  10-13 Grosvenor Square  Mayfair London W1K 6JP United Kingdom Reservations +44 20 7107 0000

LONDON: Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

soda bread with wild organic butter

When Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Heston being chef behind three michelin starred restaurant The Fat Duck, first opened last year, it received 6000 calls a day for reservations. Significantly more substantial and down-to-earth than its quirky counterpart The Fat Duck, lunching at Dinner is a revelation in itself. Securing a lunch reservation on a monday afternoon meant two things: first, we had the opportunity to take advantage of the set menu of 3 courses for £36 and second, giving up a 2 hour lecture. Needless to say, I did not regret the latter.

Lemon Salad: smoked artichoke, goats curd & candy beetroot

The delicately crunchy salad leaves, the sweet tang of beetroot and velvety smoothness of goats curd melded seamlessly with zesty lemon dressing in my Lemon Salad starter. One forkful of this dish and the concert of flavours that played on my tongue cured all doubt that Heston's new restaurant would be a disappointment.

Dressed Snails: Beetroot, salty fingers, sea fennel & red wine juice

Snails are chewy, slimy things. I've always been impartial to escargot but the ones in the Dressed Snails starter were deliciously warm, smooth and soft all the way to the centre, releasing a burst of unadulterated flavour of something I can't quite describe but loved nonetheless.

Roast Ray Wing: Parsnip & butter milk puree, sea aster, brown butter & capers

Ray wing is a seemingly exotic but actually rather popular British dish. The depth of flavour of this succulent, flaky fish was brought out by the brown butter sauce. Unfortunately, the accompanying capers had a sharp flavour almost too sour to complement the texture of the ray wing. Capers aside however, ray wing seems like a light yet satisfying dish that I would love to attempt to make at home.

Sambocade: Goats milk cheese cake, elderflower & fig

Prune & Tamarind Tart

There is an optimum temperature at which food should be served to ensure pristine flavour and texture. This is a crucial, yet often overlooked, merit that distinguishes the good restaurants from the exceptional ones and a point not lost on the chefs and service staff at Dinner. The prune & tamarind tart was neither oven hot nor pre-refridgeration cold, but lukewarm, enriching the subtlety of a custard intensified by a daringly tangy prune layer. 

Every diner gets a complimentary chocolate ganache at the end of their meal. This was divinely creamy and bittersweet; striking a stark contrast to the crumbly caraway seed biscuit it came with. Passion and care runs through every dish right to the very end - nothing is done in haste and nothing is too pretentious. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, be it set lunch on a weekday or full-fledged a la carte dinner, is a must try for any Londoner serious about their food. 

Chocolate ganache infused with earl grey tea and a caraway seed biscuit

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park

66 Knightsbridge

London SW1X 7LA

Tel: +44(0)20 7201 3833

SINGAPORE: Basilico

rocket leaves, cherry tomatoes, artichoke, grilled mushroom, buffalo mozzarella, grilled seabass and grilled salmom

Here's my personal opinion on how to attack a buffet without feeling sick after (of course if you're one of those people with a second stomach for these things then feel free to ignore the next two paragraphs):

Go for the food you appreciate but don't get to eat on a regular basis, maybe the buffalo mozzarella or truffle oil dressing. Take only enough for at most three mouthfuls. Remember that every consecutive mouthful gives you less satisfaction than the previous one. Wouldn't you prefer the first bite of creamy, pillowy tiramisu to the tenth bite of sinfully rich chocolate cake? 

Bread, rice and pasta should be kept to a minimum; you won't savour that succulent roast duck and perfectly grilled seabass as much if you're filled up with carbohydrates. Buffets aren't about eating until your buttons burst, their selling point is the sheer variety of cuisine on offer - capitalize on this by eating a little bit of everything and only help yourself to a second portion of that grilled sea bass if you truly believe it's one of the best things in the buffet. 

scallop, roasted pumpkin, asparagus, smoked salmon, roast duck and grilled salmon

On the rare occasion that I go for buffets, I've found myself at Basilico at The Regent Hotel more often than others. While the array of food on offer seems to have decreased somewhat over the years, it has remained of unrelentingly stellar quality. Set up elegantly on a number of slenderly curved islands, Italian cuisine comprising food like nutty ravioli in silky cream sauce, subtle but creamy buffalo mozzarella and heart-stoppingly scrumptious mushrooms tempt even the most weight-conscious. Prosciutto, parma ham-wrapped rock melon, crisp salad leaves and tender, exquisitely dressed artichoke are some of the antipasti on display that make for perfect appetizers. 

Mouth-wateringly alluring savoury food aside, the desserts are not only thoughtfully prepared but exceedingly well-executed. The chef had perfected the level of citrusy sourness in his lemon meringue curd in a way that I hadn't managed to in my attempt (see previous post). I was pleasantly surprised when I sank my teeth into the crunchy biscuit of what I believed to be a miniature croissant and discovered velvety pistachio-suffused cream within. 

Basilico

Level 2, The Regent Singapore Hotel
One Cuscaden Road
Singapore 249715
Tel : +65 6725 3232

Weekday Lunch Buffet $42++ 
Saturday Lunch Buffet $46++
Sunday Brunch Buffet $69++ 
Daily Semi Buffet Dinner $69++

How To Make Lemon Meringue Pie

Lemon meringue pie is a delicate infusion of sweet and citrus; an ingenious manifestation of the ever so popular combination of lemon and sugar. A more intense version of Pierre Herme's Ligurian Lemon Cake, lemon meringue pie strikes a balance between the sweet sharpness that comes the lemon curd and the fluffy airiness that comes from the velvety meringue that is slathered on top.

Most of the baking I do involves only a few major steps - blend, soak, chop or sift the individual ingredients then dump them all into the mixer and pop it into the oven. A lemon meringue pie on the other hand, is a three part process - crust, curd and meringue. Nonetheless, when you have a friend's birthday coming up and diner en blanc to prepare for, coupled with the fact that it's one of your dad's favourite desserts, it's about time to make the pie. 

After sieving the lemon curd hot off the stove, pour it onto the freshly baked tart base

After getting my friends to separate the egg yolks from the whites (my least favourite bit), all it took was a pinch of salt and sugar to whip the pale yellow goo into a temptingly silky, cottony soft cloud of white. 

Unfortunately, the texture only lasted long enough to perfect the first meringue pie before I used a blow torch to caramelize the top the next morning in time for the birthday surprise. Having left the rest of the fluffy meringue overnight in the fridge, it was too flimsy to hold much of a pattern by the time I slathered it onto the second pie the next evening. 

Tips for bakers: 

For internet recipes, I usually go to Joy of Baking - they're reliably simple, don't call for exotic ingredients (like fleur de sel and orange flower water) and almost always turn out well. If I were to make this again, I'd probably use about a quarter or even half less sugar than this recipe calls for.

Tips for eaters:

Too lazy to bake? I suggest you visit Prive Bakery Cafe at Keppel Bay to satiate any lemon meringue pie cravings. 

First pie: pre-torched/caramelized. 

Second pie: post-torched/caramelized

LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Adapted from Joy of Baking

Sweet Pastry Crust:

1 1/2 cups (210 grams) all purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Lemon Curd:

3 large eggs

1/3 cup (80 ml) fresh lemon juice(2-3 lemons) 

3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar (you might want to halve this) 

4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into small pieces

1 tablespoon (4 grams) lemon zest

Meringue:

4 large egg whites

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (130 grams) white granulated sugar

1/2 tsp salt 

Sweet Pastry Crust

1. Sift together flour and salt. Place butter in mixer and beat until softened. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten egg, beating until just incorporated. Don't over mix or the butter will separate and lighten in color.  Add flour mixture all at once and mix just until it forms a ball.  Don't overwork or pastry will be hard when baked.  

2. Flatten dough into disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes or until firm.

Have ready an 8 - 9 inch (20 - 23 cm) tart pan with removable bottom.  On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry into an 11 - 12 inch (28 - 30 cm) circle that is about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick.  To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from the center of the pastry outwards to get uniform thickness). To make sure it is the right size, take your tart pan, flip it over, and place it on the rolled out pastry.  The pastry should be about an inch larger than pan.

3. When the pastry is rolled to the desired size, lightly roll pastry around your rolling pin, dusting off any excess flour as you roll.  Unroll onto top of tart pan.  Never pull pastry or you will get shrinkage (shrinkage is caused by too much pulling of the pastry when placing it in the pan).  Gently lay in pan and with a small floured piece of pastry, lightly press pastry into bottom and up sides of pan.  Prick bottom of dough (this will prevent the dough from puffing up as it bakes).  Freeze for about 20 minutes to chill the butter and to rest the gluten in the flour.

4. Preheat oven to 205 degrees C and place rack in center of oven. Bake the crust for 20 to 25 minutes or until the crust is dry and lightly golden brown.  

Lemon Curd 

1. While the crust is baking make the Lemon Curd. In a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and lemon juice until blended.  Cook, whisking constantly (to prevent it from curdling), until the mixture becomes pale in color and quite thick (like a hollandaise sauce or sour cream) (160 degrees F or 71 degrees C on a thermometer).  This will take about 10 minutes.  

2. Remove from heat and immediately pour through a fine strainer to remove any lumps.  

3. Cut the butter into small pieces and whisk into the mixture until the butter has melted.  

4. Add the lemon zest.  Immediately pour the lemon curd into the baked crust and smooth the top.

5. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).  Bake the tart for about 10 minutes or until the lemon curd is firm but still a little wobbly in the center.  Do not let it brown or burn. 

Meringue

1. In a clean bowl of your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until foamy.  Add the salt and continue beating until soft peaks form.  Gradually add the sugar and continue to whip until stiff peaks form.

2. Using a spoon, place dollops of the meringue over the entire surface of the hot lemon curd, starting at the outside edge of the tart.  (Make sure the meringue comes right up to the crust and there are no gaps between the crust and the lemon curd.) Then, with the back of your spoon, gently press down on the meringue to get rid of any air pockets and to make sure all the lemon curd is covered with the meringue.  If desired, swirl the meringue making a few decorative peaks.  Return the tart to the oven and bake for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the meringue has nicely browned.

3. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool, away from any drafts.  When cool, serve or else cover and refrigerate.

Serves 6 - 8

SINGAPORE: DB Bistro Moderne

The Yankee Burger Beef Patty, Iceberg Lettuce, Tomato, Onion Served on a Sesame Bun

For all the hype that DB conjures up with its empire reaching as far as New York and London, it was slightly underwhelming. Where it soared for simpler dishes like pasta and the wonderfully light salad dressing, it was disappointingly flat when it came to its burgers. Maybe I'm used to fattier patties that ooze lovely meaty goodness, but the Yankee burger on DB's menu lacked that extra pinch of salt and, as hard as it is for me to say it, that extra bit of fat. 

Thankfully, the unsatisfactory burger was off set by a well executed mushroom pasta. Pasta is deceptively easy to do. There is a complex interplay of factors that make up the perfect pasta. The pasta must first be al dente, the sauce it's then tossed in must be subtle enough not to overpower the other ingredients yet not bland, and every garnish - be it spinach or deep fried onions - has to complement all the other garnishes and melt together in perfect unison on your tongue. DB managed to accomplish all this exceedingly well with its orecchiette (ear-shaped) mushroom pasta. 

As important as food is to a restaurant, so is its service; and the best service is in the details. One thing I remember and appreciated was that every plate, whether a serving dish or the one in front of you, was warm. This kept the food satisfyingly warm throughout the entire meal. 

Tarte: Provençale Tomato, Eggplant Smoked Mozzarella, Arugula Sauce Vierge

DB Bistro Moderne

B1-48, Galleria Level

The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands

(Across from the Theater)

BATH, UK: Places we ate, and ate, and ate

 

Despite the tireless exploitation of the word "Bath" every time I mentioned I'd be "going to Bath with 3 friends", Bath really did feel like one long bath. When it rains in Singapore, it pours seriously for about half an hour before stopping completely. In Europe however, it trickles down endlessly like water dripping from a broken tap. 

In a way, the weather just made the promise of a warm and hearty meal with three of your equally rain-soaked friends all the more welcome. Surprisingly, it was one of the best trips I'd made while in University - not because there was a lot to see or do, but because of the company. I honestly don't think it matters where you are in the world, as long as you're with the right people. 

AQUA Italia

Lobster Ravioli

The food in Bath wasn't particularly exceptional, but it wasn't completely lackluster either. 
I didn't like how the lobster ravioli at Aqua Italia was presented, like bits of your intestine loped onto a lazy susan. The filling lacked any flavour and was decidedly bland. Either way, I was grateful for a hot meal after the the rowing in the rain all afternoon. 


Panasia Oriental Restaurant

Panasia came recommended by a few websites and we stopped here after cycling around Bath. I ordered my favourite thai dish, green curry chicken, but the curry was disappointingly un-spicy having been tailored to western tastebuds. The pad thai and grilled fish however, redeemed the restaurant a little. Apparently Panasia is award-winning, but then again there aren't many Thai restaurants in Bath to compete with it. 


OPA: Meze Restaurant & Bar 

OPA was a rose among the thorns. The portions were relatively substantial and my grilled sea bream had been cooked to just the right point - tender but not undercooked. The flavour of the herbs had permeated the meat, and with a drizzle of olive oil and squeeze of lemon, it made for a refreshingly satisfying meal. 

Some cafe in Bath Abbey near the Roman Baths

Unfortunately I no longer remember the name of this cafe, but it was around the Roman Baths Museum. For cakes that were sitting out in the open without a cover, these remained heart-stoppingly, wonderfully moist, with the citrus and nutty flavours melting on the tongue like ice cream on a hot day. Combine the cakes with teapig tea and the kind of conversation you have while it drizzles outside, and you have the perfect way to spend a late afternoon. 

Bath is one of those trips you can do in 2 days and appreciate for its Roman-esque buildings and cobblestoned pavements reminiscent of the scenes in a Jane Austen novel. London pulses with frustrated traffic and a stream of all kinds of people. Bath, on the other hand, is a step into a world where a horse-drawn carriage wouldn't look out of place.