An afternoon walk for cakes

My friend Steph came over today and took me out for a birthday treat at Cafe Icon Nature to try their Hokkaido rolls. Do not let it’s looks deceive you, it’s not a normal Swiss roll, it’s way so much better. There were four flavors available just now, strawberry, blueberry, mocha and Belgium chocolate. We tried the chocolate and strawberry, it was divine! Like a pillow, the cake was so soft, the strawberry filling was not overly sweet or creamy, perfect balance. The chocolate was to die for and I ordered 5 to go for the family. Their Tiramisu contained no alcohol or coffee, what I found interesting was that they used their own almond cookies instead of ladyfingers in it. The mascarpone was so delightfully creamy that you wished the cup was bottomless. The owner recommended that we try their Australian Flat White, I love the coffee art that he did. It was a darn good cup of coffee. We tried the guava tea, such a lovely sweet aroma and a pleasant aftertaste.

Afterwards we walked along Neil Rd, stopping ever so often to take pictures of the Peranakan Heritage houses. These houses are beautiful, one could just stare at the intricate and colourful facades.

Our walk led us to Everton Park, where we came upon Grin Affair. Grin Affair specializes in desserts in a jar. We were able to try only the Honey Lavender and the Matcha Adzuki. I quite like the Honey Lavender with the bursts of fresh blueberry makes it fun to eat. Whilst the Matcha Adzuki was pretty good, green tea and red beans one can never go wrong. I’m dying to try their Strawberry and Banofee in a jar.

I am loved

This past month, I haven’t been writing much here. Sometimes the words that one wants to express just refuses to come out. Emotions was translated to tears, pints of Chunky Monkey, dozens of macarons and endless whatsapp messages to best mates that try their hardest to bring you back to an almost sane emotional state. Eating just salads and protein every night probably didnt help either. These past weeks have been difficult but having my friends “close” electronically have helped heaps.

Today, I turn another year older and I am overwhelmed by the love my friends and family have shown me. Mommy surprised me with mac & cheese with mushrooms for lunch and a strawberry shortcake. Mommy hasnt been well lately but she spent the morning cooking and preparing for tonight’s dinner. She made glutinous rice with coconut milk or basically pulut(Yums), Indonesian roast chicken thats basted in a coconut, candlenut and other spices sauce and roasted in the oven or simply known as Ayam Panggang, dried cuttlefish sambal with eggs and a huge bowl of salad. Quite a different spread from what I’ve been having for dinner everyday for the past month. I was really surprised and so touched by what mommy had made with love. My second birthday cake was from @pinknina who had customized a chocolate cake for me. I was really touched and so happy by this amazing birthday present. The cake was light, fluffy and damn chocolatey good with cold milk. But best of all we got to spend time with Nina after a very long time. Thanks for spending your time with us @pinknina on my birthday My phone has been ringing non-stop and I appreciate all my mates that took the time to call or leave messages for me.

It’s the friends and family that make such a day like this utterly special.

Overcoming the bitter taste of sadness

From the young age of 13, when I started secondary school, I was introduced to the fine arts of pastry, eating them and not making them. I thank Delifrance to the afternoons doing homework with a cup of cappuccino and a flaky, buttery and rich chocolate croissant. Essential elements that combat the stresses of life, my comfort food.

Decades have past, and yet my love affair for pastries and desserts have never gone away, perhaps it’s because they are the only constant bites of sweetness I could ever manage. I guess my post today sounds rather depressing, perhaps because I am. But nothing that sweet silky spoonful of vanilla bean panna cota that Meatworks serves could help overcome. In minutes, a serving is gone. But the lingering taste remains on your tastebuds just like a memory of what something beautiful was. Another dessert I ordered was the tiramisu, a pick me up, that’s what it means in Italian. Just simple ingredients, mascarpone cheese, cocoa, coffee and cake. A melange of sweetness and bitterness balanced to bring a delicate sensation to you. Just like life is, it can be both bitter and sweet, although right now I just really need the sweetness to overwhelm the bitterness. The last dessert I tried was the chocolate trilogy, simply perfect, layers of mouse, cake and dark chocolate ganache served with raspberries. Sounds simple, but in it’s simplicity one tastes the complexity it took to assemble it. And like the complexities of life, things just turn out right sometimes and sometimes they do not, and so we should just have our cake and indulge in that temporary bites of sweetness that comes to us.