u m a m i

Not a drop of Bordeaux I'm afraid..

                     

My Singaporean friends were very excited for us when they heard we'll be moving to France. Especially the wine loving fraternity, we can see how their eyes go soft at the fond memories of all the chateaux and wineyards they visited, someone even said in jest that omg, we could be washing our faces and bathing in the glorious stuff. And emails will inevitably ask if we've had any good wines lately.

Truth be told, we haven't been drinking that much. I don't know if it applies to every neighbourhood, but ours is particularly bereft of good wine shops. Good in the sense that the range is varied, prices are pocketbook-friendly and the staff forthcoming if we need their advice and suggestions. Nada, we have the ubiquitious chain store Nicolas and the shelves of the supermarkets and convenience stores, which all seem to be stocked full of blended and table wines at one range, and very expensive vintages on the other end. First and second growth bordeaux seems to be more affordable in Singapore.

But of course, all is not lost. There are plenty of other options beyond Bordeaux. For instance, Burgundy wines. In Singapore I don't remember liking them very much, seemed to always bring to mind earthy, barn-yardy smells and overwhelming tannins and whatnots in the mouths. But I was having dinner with Pim at Astier in the 11th arrondisement, and she ordered a bottle of Givry 1er Cru 2005, Domaine Joblot (Pinot Noir) for us to drink with our meal.  And in the course of it I learnt that Burgundy wines are good when they are young, then they should be rested for a few years before they can be drunk again. 2005 was a particularly good year, and very drinkable now. The wine was fruity and elegant with substantial, but not domineering, body and a pleasing finish. It retails for about 17-18.50 EUD, not inexpensive, but is great with medium to heavy dishes that is typical for the cold weather.

                     

It was particularly outstanding paired with cheese. Maybe by that time I had overcome my initial anxiety about meeting the famous Pim (she is very, very nice) or the wine had sozzled me, but come cheese time, I was in a mellow buzzy mood. Was probably talking a little too loud too, shhh. Husband walked me home from the metro station, I told him what a great time I had, then I passed out.

                   

Husband on the other hand was introduced by a friend to Sancerre, which he now likes rather a lot. Again, it is not as 'powderful' as the wines we were drinking back home, a lighter style but not so insipid that it cannot be paired with robust foods such as the leftover cottage pie we had for dinner one evening- by leftovers we also include gamey nuggets of duck livers and pate which made it more adult than the usual nursery version- but also crisp and clear enough that we can taste its inherent fruity and delicately spiced flavours.

So, not a single drop of Bordeaux, but we're slowly discovering the other regions and all the other possibilities out there, including of course, my favourite Sauternes. There is now about 3 bottles of the stuff at home, compared to the usual which is a big fat zero. Well, one is for a party this week, one is for a nice private dinner when we find the time, and one, maybe that one we'll keep for as long as we can hold out.

Cheers!

                      

As I was saying in the last post, husband included in his purchase two bottles of dessert and liquor when we were at Palitalia.

"There was a demi-bottle of ratafia with its lower half replaced by a jar of ratafia-soaked cherries, and another similarly packaged bottle this time of limoncello and babas shaped like toadstools.Jo thinks we should organise a ladies tea with these, and other old-worldly refreshments, I quite agree"

                 

Only thing is, I don't see how I can hold out until I get around to organising a tea party. There is a makan session tonight, and we are definitely opening one of these bottles.

Update: We tried the ratafia and boozy cherries. The bottle and jar were both beautifully designed, the bottle looks like a laboratory flask while the jar has a thick centred neck- this last feature meant we had to tip it slightly to get that last bit of firm fleshed tiny cherries soaked through with the ratafia, all cherry cherry and whiffing extravagantly of almonds. Good on its own, even better with vanilla ice cream or layered in a black forest cake I imagine.

Liquid diet

                               

Two days ago I was enjoying a lunch with my colleague in a coffee shop, we ate bamboo pot rice, very nice it was too. Today the only solid food I can swallow is watery congee. 

It started with husband. Over the weekend he developed a high fever, sore throat and body aches. When most of the symptoms receded on Monday rashes appeared on his hand. The doctors (I did not want to believe the first one) said it was Hand Food Mouth Disease.

And guess what? It is moderately contagious, and adults can get it too, not just children. The same disease pattern happened to me, only my sore throat is definitely more severe than husband's. Right now  my throat feels like it has been slashed in a million places, it hurts to even swallow saliva.

But everyone says to drink as much fluids as possible! Is it possible? Plain water hurts. Orange juice stings. Warm water with salt is fine too but I don't really need the additional salt. Tamarind juice with salt used to work for me before, this time it is too astringent. The most bearable option is barley water, its slight mucilaginous texture slides soothingly over the inflammed tonsils. This morning, for breakfast, I blended ice, yoghurt and maple syrup together, the numbing iciness a welcome relief.

There is also good old chicken soup, but I consider that as food. On its own, or used as a base for congee, or poured over cooked rice, it slurps up good. Tomorrow is marketing day, maybe we can get some pork bones to make pork bone soup.....

Husband is becoming more and more interested in wine, and I get roped in to do the tastings and drinkings. Have to admit, sometimes the wine is more interesting than the food. And he has been very nice about it too, serving white wines even though he prefers reds because I am more partial to the whites. The very least I could do is to write some notes for my own education.

Yesterday I cooked Sunday lunch. Typical home-style menu of char-siew, quick-braise garoupa fillets, stir-fry asparagus and cabbage cooked with chilli-oil and dried shrimps, served with steamed rice. Dessert was a mellow tong-sui of fresh and dried wintermelons with lily bulbs. Everything, including dessert, served together.

To drink, he opened a bottle of Cullens blended Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc 2001. The aroma was mild and a slightly grassy. Crisp but not acidic, or like husband says, still young. Medium sweet, now the tastes are most difficult for me to describe but it tasted very much of the melons in the tong-sui. Went great with the char-siew (which was finished by the time I thought to take the picture so there is only the sauce to remind of it), and was also sturdy enough to take on the chilli-oil dried shrimps of the cabbage.

And for another weeknight dinner last week, he opened a bottle which he knew would please me very much. I love Sauternes, but this was old wine, and more complex than usual. The Rieussec 1975 is one of the most delicious sweet white wines I've ever drunk, I would say even nicer than Inneskillin icewines which are my all-time favourites. It is sweet, of course, but not syrupy, still very fruity but more textured, more layered. A little, not unwelcome, note of bitterness, husband says maybe the mould is starting to set in. Just as well we opened it then. The wine overshadowed the food, some everyday fare of fried chicken and stir-fried prawns and vegetables. No dessert that night, just another glass of golden ambrosia.

Tea Bone Zen Mind

Remember our tea dinner in January?  Good news, Carrie has finally opened her own tea house. Just opposite her shop, on the second floor accessed via a discreetly signposted stairway, is her little hideaway space. Tucked away from the hustle and bustle below, yet conveniently close by. Knowing Carrie's fine taste and attention to detail, one can expect an experience to awaken and refresh all the senses.

Over 50 types of tea served. With unusual snacks like Taiwanese dried fish and wagashi. Old-fashioned and properly made home brews like ginger tea, red date tea and her well-known ba bao cha. To be enjoyed at leisure in the double-volume space decorated in her own inimitable eclectic style. Stylish, unconventional and yet traditional, I believe that very soon the lifestyle magazines will come and coo all over it, so do visit before they do.

Where?

Purvis Seah St. Entrance by door next to Soup Restaurant.

When?

Official opening 1st June. 11.00 a.m- 7.00 p.m ( space available for private function in evenings).

My Office Mug

This post was inspired by this post.

My office mug came from the diner near our hotel in LA, when we visited the lonely city some five years ago. At my workplace, the cleaning aunties know my mug well because "it is very heavy hor." Like Tim's, it is thick all round and doesn't hold a large volume of liquids. Unlike Tim, I did not have the foresight to buy four in case I break this one piece. Four, I must remember that for next time.

The shell of the mug is smoothly moulded and the handle is reassuringly stout to grip. It feels heavy and sturdy. The red font, with its dashes and flourishes, is highlighted beautifully against the pale cream background. It is a very reassuring and comforting mug, almost like my own security blanket against uncertain office conditions.

I use this mug for hot drinks, like the Milo in the picture. Milo is the default office beverage for me. There is only Lipton and an unidentifiable Chinese tea in the office pantry, both not serious consideration although in times of big stress I have resorted to making myself a cup of Lipton sweetened with at least 3 teaspoons of white sugar. Occasionally I put coffee in it; not always, as I don't know yet how to get nice coffee from the coffee maker.

umami: Eh dear, my new office hor, the pantry selection not bad. Got Milo, the original type, not the 3-in-1s.

husband: Not the 3-in-1s, wah, so they have to provide the milk and sugar lah?

umami: yar, so now I can make my own Milo. 4 heaped teaspoons Milo, 2 teaspoons sugar.

husband: (wincing) Nooo, that's way too much sugar. I make mine with 2 teaspoons Milo, 1 teaspoon instant coffee and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Try it, it is much nicer than yours.

Husband is wrong. My version is far superior. The only thing that will improve mine is to remove the water and sugar altogether. Milo granules are very tasty on their own, though just maybe my new colleagues would think me strange to see me crunching Milo.

Milo is a unique beverage in our part of the world. It is like hot chocolate but not terribly chocolatey, with a faint taste of malt and caramel. I don't think the Brits are into it, nor have I seen it in US supermarkets. Malaysian and Singaporeans get indoctrinated into the Milo habit from very young. To this day I still remember their jingle " Minum Milo anda jadi.. Sihat dan Kuat" (we're talking ancient history here) promising you that drinking the stuff will make you healthy and strong, you may even get to be a swimming champion. On sports days, the Milo van would come round and dispense tiny paper cups of Milo that none of our mums could duplicate... intensely sweet, chocolate-malty rich, and icy cold. Maybe they added Nestle condensed milk?

The other day a Filipino colleague brought these cookies to the office. It is like the butterfly pastry (or palmier, but I've always called it butterfly pastry in my head), but in a round shape. Very crispy, so crispy that when one bites into it the cookie disintegrates and sprinkle crumbs all over; It is impossible to eat in a dignified manner. Sweet but not too sweet as to need a coffee to accompany it. It is really from the Phillipines, do not be misled by the the Irish-sounding name and colour.

Another Tea Post

I once mentioned to Carrie how I love the white tea that is available from Origi*ns, where the counter staff would happily pour you a cup but they would not sell any of the tea to you. So when I met her last weekend, she told me she just received some of this rare tea.

It is called White Tea because the leaves have tiny silvery hairs. I've had some dud versions before, these usually have a strong mouldiness. Not so this time. My tea tasted slightly sweet and nutty with a clean rounded finish. The leaves were tender and green. The picture was taken just after the water (not boiling) was poured into the cup, it is ready to drink after about 3-5 minutes when the colour changes to a delicate gold.

Eat a Bowl of Tea

Carrie, tea artist and good friend, can hardly keep up with the demand for her Eight Treasure Tea. Imagine, high-mountain Oolong tea, golden raisins, dried longans, crunchy-sweet winter melon, fat Chinese wolfberries, juicy Chinese red dates, tender rose petals, and sweet pinenuts. Each ingredient sourced and prepared according to her exacting standards. All I had to do was to pour hot water, wait impatiently for 3 minutes, and enjoy a most heavenly, soothing and uplifting drink.

Just to compare, I tried the Eight Treasure Tea at a Shanghainese restaurant in Purvis Street. This so cannot make it.

Cha

Please visit my latest photo story. The brewing of a good cup of Cha. Enjoy.

Qoo

This is what I drank for teatime yesterday. It is called Qoo and it is a Coca-cola product. The cartoon character is cute, I remember the ads on telly, and there seemed to be a recall of one problem batch. I must confess to not having tried this drink until a few weeks ago, when husband bought it at the cinema snack stand. It is not like the other soft drinks peddled by Coca Cola. Comes in peach, lemon and pear flavours- all are similar in its light fizziness and not-too-sweet-but-slightly-tangy fruity flavours.

Check out the wording and graphics on the label. Something you can whip up if you have a chemistry lab at home. I like the label so much I pasted it on my study room shelf. Is Yummi Pear an actual species?