This year we decided to skip the traditional Chinese fare and went for something more exciting and palate buzzing for Papa Lee's Birthday. I have always been rather intrigued about molecular gastronomy and how a common dish could actually taste completely different with unusual pairings of ingredients and how a dish would turn out by adopting a whole new cooking method for the once upon a time common dish. I sat through the 3 hour long dinner and thoroughly enjoyed the mechanisms of aroma slowly dispersing into my mouth as I inhaled and filled me with such appreciation for every exquisite gastronomic creation. The presentation and the initial perception of taste and flavor melted into tastes of surprises in my mouth. Almost like a personal gastronomic honeymoon if you ask me.

We had the pleasure to enjoy Chef Han's intricate creations at his restaurant, FiftyThree. A modern European restaurant serving innovative gastronomic delights to challenge every bit of your senses. I loved the yogurt and potato bread which came in a cute sack with hot stones to keep the muffin looking bread warm and delicious. Same flavor but the charcoal black one had charcoal in it! Cool! You eat the cute bread with specially air flown butter from London, no less! Water is served with a huge charcoal stick in the jug and the purpose of this is to make the water safe to drink and tasty too. Something the Japanese discovered and a cost effective way to enjoy purified drinking water. I really like the furnitures used because it created a home feel to my dning experience and made the setting less serious and more enjoyable since I am not one who enjoys the high life too much.

Okay, this is totally out of context here but it sure put a smile on my face when I went to the restroom and saw Aesop products! It really sucks when you have to go to the restroom and you wonder if the handsoap you are using is actually dishwasher detergent because it smells and feels like it. The smell of mandarin rind and rosemary lotion which I used after drying my hands with a clean towel impressed just anyone.

Alrighty, nuff said. I can't wait to show you what we had at FiftyThree!

Here was the evening menu we had yesterday:

Fennel and Douglas Fir
Aloe Vera and Coconut
 
Amela Rubins and Basil
Burrata and Horseradish
 
Lobster and Tongue
Textures of Apple

Japanese Striped Shrimp and Swiss Chard
Jauk's Pumpkinseed Oil and Turnip

Carroll's Heritage Potatoes and Duckweed (sayur bermis)
Coffee and Parmesan

Chargrilled Iberian Pig and Black Garlic
Stems of Vegetables and Elderberries
 
Mara des Bois Strawberries and Green Peppercorn
 
Chocolate and Jerusalem Artichokes
Mango and Mangosteens

The friendly and warm setting at FiftyThree. Enjoy the beauty of candle lights which adorned the staircase as an invitation to the home of FiftyThree.

Without the serious white table cloth, the whole dining experience was a lot more casual and relaxed for me.

Unfortunately, I don't drink booze, so choice of drink for me was Luscombe Organic Apple & Pear juice.William’s pears with apple. Good balance of flavours, reminiscent of childhood juices of France and Italy. It even won a Gold award great taste 2007. I sure have good taste for yummies.

Everybody else had Château Figeac 1998, St. Emilion.

Crispy chicken skin and paper thin potato sheets to kick off

The tasty and freshly baked yogurt and potato muffin looking bread. Loved the charcoal one for its color and amazing minerals which are good for you.

The very precious butter from London.

Crusty on the outside. Moist, steamy hot and fluffy when you pull the bread apart. Just the way you and I like it.

 

Fennel and Douglas Fir
Aloe Vera and Coconut
Very refreshing. Wasabi ice. Bits of aloe vera and fresh coconut prepared you for the sweet honeymoon ahead.

Amela Rubins and Basil
Burrata and Horseradish
Sweet tomatoes from Japan. Basil water. A different take on Insalata Caprese. Taste the melding of cultures at the dining table.

Lobster and Tongue
Textures of Apple
I'm turning Japanese here. I did not even know I happily swallowed duck tongue and actually enjoyed it. The creaminess of the carefully seared lobster were perfect with the sweetness of apple.

Japanese Striped Shrimp and Swiss Chard
Jauk's Pumpkinseed Oil and Turnip
This was another example how different textures are used in this dish. The fresh flowers are edible and raised a notch up in awkening your senses.

Carroll's Heritage Potatoes and Duckweed (sayur bermis)
Coffee and Parmesan
This dish has been carefully crafted and every bite was a surprise. The potatoes have been slow cooked for at least 7 to 8 hours at 60 degrees. Taste the love and passion. I like that it is served on a natural stone too.

For my main, I don't eat steak so Chef Han prepared a mackeral dish for me. The fish was cooked to perfection and every bite was as blissful as it looked.

Medium done steak for some

Well done steak for my sister

Chargrilled Iberian Pig and Black Garlic
Stems of Vegetables and Elderberries

Mara des Bois Strawberries and Green Peppercorn
Oh the desserts that followed were divine! Sweet and pleasant. Really, just everything nice. I was too delirious to think. The right spiciness and the sweetness of this dish was well balanced and complemented each other.

Woo foam. Too excited to eat!

The sorbet was superbly refreshing and cleansed the palate fully for the next desset. Yum yum.

Chocolate and Jerusalem Artichokes
Mango and Mangosteens
Another perfect balance in terms of taste and textures. The mango sorbet was a hit. The chocolate mousse and chewniess of the artichokes tasted just out-of-this-world! The bits of fried garlic gave this dessert a notch up the edge too.

Oriental Beauty
We were recommended to have this tea along with the chocolate dessert and it was just the best closure to a perfect gourmet meal.

The bill came up to SG$2400 for the seven of us. It is the perfect place for first date if you do not mind spending the bucks, a gourmet destination for food lovers and really, once in a while, we need to pamper ourselves and indulge in gastronomic delights which switch on every bit of our senses. No walk in so do make a reservation if you are in for some palate buzzing delights. 

FiftyThree
53 Armenian Street
Tel 6334-5535
http://www.fiftythree.com.sg/

My godmother sent me an email this morning titled "Hot Chocolate". It was sitting nicely in my inbox all day long. I did not bother to open it because it was a forward mail. Checked and deleted all my mails earlier and it was still sitting in my inbox. For a second, I wanted to delete it because I do not like downloading stuff. However, I must admit the glut in me kept eyeing the two words - Hot Chocolate. Maybe she has a good hot chocolate recipe to share with me I thought. Without much hesitation, I proceeded to download the file. Opened it and there was no Hot Chocolate recipe, but a Hot Chocolate story that enlightened me. Have a read and hopefully everytime you enjoy a cup of this delicious beverage, you will remember happiness is contentment. Happiness is what you already have. Make full use if it. Be happy.

A group of graduates, well established in their careers,
were discussing their lives at a class reunion. They decided
to go visit their old university professor, now retired, who
was always an inspiration to them.

During their visit, the conversation turned to complaints
about stress in their work, lives and relationships.

Offering his guests hot chocolate, the professor went into the
kitchen and returned with a large pot of hot chocolate and an
assortment of cups. Some cups were porcelain, glass, crystal,
some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite. He invited
each to help themselves to the hot chocolate.

When they all had a cup of hot chocolate in hand,
the professor shared his thoughts.

“Notice that all the nice looking, expensive cups were
taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones.”

“While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves,
that is the source of your problems and stress.”

“The cup that you are drinking from adds nothing to the
quality of the hot chocolate. In most cases it is just more
expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink.”

“What each of you really wanted was hot chocolate.
You did not want the cup . . .
but you consciously went for the best cups.”

“And soon, you began to eye one another’s cups.”

“Now friends, please consider this . . .

“Life is the hot chocolate . . .
your job, money and position in society are the cups.”

“They are just tools to hold and contain life.”

“The cup you have does not define,
nor does it change, the quality of life you are living.”

“Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup,
we fail to enjoy the hot chocolate God has provided us.”

Always remember this . . . . . . . . . .
God brews the hot chocolate, He does not choose the cup.

The happiest people don't have the best of everything.

They just make the best of everything that they have!!

Live simply . . .
Love generously . . .
Care deeply . . .
Speak kindly . . .

Leave the rest to God.
~ and remember ~
The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least.
Enjoy your hot chocolate!!

I first fell in love with mango lassi when my housemates in Perth ordered it as the choice of beverage during one dinner at Maya Masala. The girls ordered mango lassi and when asked, they told me mango lassi is a smoothie made with mango and yogurt. That sounds like my kinda thing so I ordered one too and well, it was love at first sip. If mango lassi is on the menu, I must have it.

According to Ayurvedic, drinking lassi daily aids in digestion and also prevents creation of digestive toxins. Lassi can be salted or sweetened. I only like mango lassi and it is very simple to make. You need really ripe mangoes, plain yogurt, water, some ice cubes, sugar to taste and if you are adventurous, you can spruce up your lassi with a pinch of cardamon powder. Saffron or rose water is good too. Whizz everything up in a blender and sift the lassi so you get a glass of smooth mango lassi. Yum!

1 ripe mango, 4 ice cubes, a few generous tbs of plain yogurt, a bit of water. Whizz everything and have a taste before you add in sugar. Whizz again and sift the lassi. Done.

I am one of the two girls and the youngest in my class. Most of my classmates are married with children, a few single and some attached. One of the perks of being single is to have the pleasure of being an outsider looking into another person's relationship without being blinded. Oh trust me, the guys love to talk about their wives and their girlfriends. Mostly about her nagging or how they don't feel for each other anymore after so many years of marriage or how possessive the girl can be and how everything has died for him. Pretty nutty stuff I hear everyday and I hate to hear things like he wants to file for a divorce or he is dying to get out of the relationship. It is sad and dear you, if you want to keep your man (no one is stealing him away), it is time you wise up! Believe me, I have been there and I understand your insecurities, but guys don't think or act the way we do. You can continue doing what you think it is right, and maybe at the end of the day when it is all done and over with, you will realize how wrong you were. Go back to page 1 when you and the better half first got to know each other. That first date, the first butterfly churning in your stomach, that passionate kiss and the first touch ... Go back to page 2 when you were happy being yourself. There was the real you and remember he fell for you because you were you! Fast forward, at your rate, you are going to be on the last page soon.

You need to get some facts right about a man. 99% guys love to check out other girls. Every guy wants space -- honey, a lot of space. When they tell you, they are thinking of nothing. Don't make a second guess, they really are not thinking of anything. The truth is most men want to behave like they are single even if they are not. Allow them a little fun and hang out with their friends. You are right that guys talk about football, sex, women and what not when they get together. Well, give it to them too because one thing I have learned is that, you can only control yourself and that, whatever you can't, don't even try to because it is not going to get you far. And if  a guy wants to cheat on you, let's just say he can be home everyday and still be able to somehow.

I sure picked up tips on understanding guys a teeny-weeny better whilst I act as the aunt agony. Many times, I take the time to listen because I know in the future, all that I have been hearing is going to come in handy and save me from my own crap, hahaha.

Easier said than done aye since women usually cannot think properly when they are blinded by love, so whilst you can, there are many ways to improve on your relationships. And only you know how to go about it.

The deal is as long as you can compromise, the nature of your relationship can steer towards being positive, and if you can't and want everything your way (let's just talk about you and leave him alone), it is not going to work for you and maybe it is time to duck it. Fighting all the time is exhausting for anyone and impossible to nurture the relationship. We have all been there right and we have seen how things ended, so whilst you are still in it .. save it for what it is worth. If he is crap (cheated on you, hurt you physically, took your money), forget it lar. Do better! You will be in one piece. You will not die. You will end up with more moolahs sitting in the bank.  How is that aye?

Here is a shot of my parents when they went to Paris few weeks ago. I hope one day there is someone to grow old with too. One day, we will find each other.  For now, back to my assignment ...