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FEBRUARY 2017<br />
$8.50<br />
epicureasia.com<br />
In thIs Issue: WMF LoFt bar set<br />
food magazine<br />
of the<br />
year 2016<br />
life’s refinements<br />
light-as-air<br />
souffle &<br />
the ulimate<br />
creme brulee<br />
A pastry<br />
chef’s guide<br />
to France<br />
Dessert<br />
la la land<br />
drop-dead gorgeous<br />
confections you’ll love
L VE<br />
D N NG<br />
B Y P L A T I N U M
in this issue<br />
FOOD<br />
50 WHEN OPPOSITES<br />
ATTRACT<br />
Couples with incompatible<br />
palates<br />
58 TOP TOQUE<br />
Eric Lanlard<br />
WINE & DRINKS<br />
62 VINE EXPECTATIONS<br />
Maxence Dulou of Ao Yun<br />
64 RAISING THE BAR<br />
Britt Ng, Asian Best<br />
Sommelier in French Wines,<br />
plus newly opened The Wall<br />
66 CELLAR CHOICE<br />
Gewürztraminer with rose<br />
notes<br />
67 TIPPLE TIPS<br />
Bar siren<br />
2 epicureasia.com
PanPacificSingapore @panpacificsingapore @panpacific<strong>SG</strong>P
in this issue<br />
ENTERTAINING<br />
72 FOREST FANTASIA<br />
Botanical-inspired desserts<br />
84 HOMETOWN HEIRLOOMS<br />
Florent Castagnos<br />
88 MASTERCLASS<br />
Mastering… light-as-air desserts<br />
92 COOKBOOK CRITIC<br />
Simple: Effortless Food, Big Flavours by<br />
Diana Henry<br />
95 RECIPE REVEAL<br />
Regent Singapore’s Upside-down<br />
Raspberry & Tahitian Vanilla Tart<br />
TRAVEL<br />
98 CHEF’S TRAVELOGUE<br />
Sae Takagi’s roundup of the top<br />
pâtisseries in France<br />
102 TRAVEL FEATURE<br />
8 after-dark escapades<br />
106 FREQUENT FLYER<br />
Kelly Hoppen, celebrity interior designer<br />
REGULARS<br />
6 EDITOR’S NOTE<br />
19 <strong>EPICURE</strong> LOVES<br />
ICEHOTEL 365<br />
20 <strong>EPICURE</strong>’S TOP 10<br />
Crème brûlée<br />
22 <strong>EPICURE</strong> NEWS<br />
Valentine’s Day indulgence and new<br />
openings<br />
28 GLOBETROTTING <strong>EPICURE</strong><br />
25th Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, and<br />
Chicago’s Bad Hunter<br />
30 BEST OF INDONESIA<br />
Cakes, glorious cakes<br />
34 <strong>EPICURE</strong> LOOKBOOK<br />
Il Sereno Lago di Como, Italy<br />
38 STYLE BUZZ<br />
Stunningly vivid jewellery pieces<br />
42 <strong>EPICURE</strong> REVIEWS<br />
FOO’D and Thirteen Duxton Hill<br />
68 FOOD HUNTING<br />
Submit a photo of your favourite restaurant<br />
dish to www.epicureasia.com. Three winners will<br />
receive a WMF Loft Bar Set worth $239 each.<br />
108 FOOD TALK<br />
All that flap over chicken rice<br />
110 STOCKISTS<br />
112 <strong>EPICURE</strong>’S CHOICE<br />
The things we crave this month<br />
4 epicureasia.com
editor’s note<br />
Sweet dreams<br />
are baked of these<br />
I<br />
don’t remember much about my toddlerhood, but if there<br />
was anything I could recall about my first birthday cake,<br />
it was a chocolate creation sheathed in pink and white<br />
buttercream, and topped with a red wafer rose. Growing up,<br />
my birthday cakes were always single-tiered, piped with cream<br />
roses and covered with chocolate rice or shavings.<br />
It goes without<br />
saying that cakemaking<br />
techniques<br />
and designs now<br />
are a lot more<br />
sophisticated and<br />
multi-dimensional<br />
compared to<br />
my childhood<br />
days. Your<br />
Instagram feeds<br />
are probably full<br />
of mouthwatering<br />
pictures of pretty creations in<br />
all their 3D glory, and your eyes<br />
are probably running over our<br />
magazine cover wondering how<br />
the super shiny Wild Orchid<br />
Cake was made. Mirror glaze is<br />
the cake decorating trend and<br />
the current obsession among the<br />
pastry world – perfecting it is just<br />
what sets a pâtissier and a home<br />
baker apart.<br />
This month’s editorial lineup<br />
is conceived for those with a<br />
serious sweet tooth and who<br />
My 1st birthday cake<br />
The gorgeous Wild Orchid<br />
Cake that’s almost too<br />
beautiful to eat<br />
know their way around the oven. epicure is all about supporting<br />
creative talent and we found that in Pulse Patisserie, a twoyear-old<br />
outfit started by Ernie Lim, Aika Reyes and Wong Pui<br />
Ling, who created the stunning cakes for our cover story. We’ve<br />
also put together a masterclass in crafting light-as-air soufflés,<br />
macarons and chiffon cakes.<br />
It’s easy to experience celebration fatigue after back-to-back<br />
Christmas and Chinese New Year parties. But February being<br />
the month of romance, we’ve whipped up some stories to get<br />
you inspired. Editor Josephine Soh chats with two couples with<br />
incompatible palates and learn how they compromise when it<br />
comes to dinner dates. Senior writer Eunice Lew meets French<br />
pâtissier Eric Lanlard a.k.a. Cake Boy to uncover the secrets of<br />
Our eight after-dark<br />
escapades to cure your<br />
wanderlust<br />
A pillowy choux<br />
Chantilly to sink<br />
your teeth into<br />
his sweet success. And if you are planning on getting something<br />
sparkly for your other half, lifestyle editor Justina Tan has just<br />
the perfect selection of precious gemstones for you.<br />
We hope you are just as excited about the February issue as<br />
we are. Love is all around.<br />
Adeline wong<br />
Group Managing Editor<br />
e We love to hear your feedback.<br />
Email me at adeline.wong@magsint.com<br />
We got the<br />
scoop on Dr.<br />
N.K. Yong’s<br />
Celebration<br />
90 party at<br />
his home on<br />
Swettenham<br />
Road. Turn<br />
to page 46<br />
for more.<br />
6 epicureasia.com
Sanctuary for the Senses<br />
CHINA INDONESIA KOREA MALDIVES MEXICO SEYCHELLES<br />
VIETNAM THAILAND<br />
banyantree.com
life’s refinements<br />
PUBLISHER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR<br />
GROUP PUBLISHER<br />
GROUP MANAGING EDITOR<br />
EDITOR<br />
WINE EDITOR<br />
LIFESTYLE EDITOR<br />
SENIOR FEATURES WRITER<br />
STAFF WRITER<br />
DIGITAL WRITER<br />
EDITORIAL INTERN<br />
ART DIRECTOR<br />
SENIOR DESIGNER<br />
DESIGN INTERN<br />
CONTRIBUTORS<br />
BUSINESS MANAGER<br />
BUSINESS EXECUTIVE<br />
MARKETING EXECUTIVE<br />
ACCOUNTS MANAGER<br />
PUBLISHING ADMIN MANAGER<br />
IT & DIGITAL MANAGER<br />
PUBLISHER, INDONESIA<br />
GENERAL MANAGER, INDONESIA<br />
ASSOCIATE BUSINESS DIRECTOR, BALI<br />
SENIOR BUSINESS MANAGER, JAKARTA<br />
SALES & MARKETING MANAGER, JAKARTA<br />
Cecilia goh (cecilia.goh@magsint.com)<br />
Ho Sum Kwong (sk.ho@magsint.com)<br />
Adeline Wong (adeline.wong@magsint.com)<br />
Josephine Soh (josephine.soh@magsint.com)<br />
June Lee (june.lee@magsint.com)<br />
Justina Tan (justina.tan@magsint.com)<br />
Eunice Lew (eunice.lew@magsint.com)<br />
Katie Boon (katie.boon@magsint.com)<br />
Victoria Lim (victoria.lim@magsint.com)<br />
Rachel Yee (rachel.yee@magsint.com)<br />
Jenn Chew (jenn.chew@magsint.com)<br />
Sharon Lee (sharon.lee@magsint.com)<br />
Clair Ong (clair.ong@magsint.com)<br />
Aika Reyes, Ching, delia goh, Eddie Teo, Ernie Lim,<br />
Kay Li Lim, Lim An-ling, Sae Takagi, Samantha Coomber,<br />
Tey Yong How, Wong Pui Ling<br />
Sam Sin (sam.sin@magsint.com)<br />
Kiara Zhong (kiara.zhong@magsint.com)<br />
Justina Liew (justina.liew@magsint.com)<br />
Linda ng (linda.ng@magsint.com)<br />
Siti Haneymah (siti.haneymah@magsint.com)<br />
Jun Evangelista (jun.evangelista@magsint.com)<br />
Robin Pho (robin.epicure@poncoss.com)<br />
daren ganesh (daren.epicure@poncoss.com)<br />
dewi Prasodjo (dewi.epicure@poncoss.com)<br />
Rama Andhika Modjo (rama.epicure@poncoss.com)<br />
Michelle Widitania Kostan (michelle.epicure@poncoss.com)<br />
epicure is published 12 times a year by Magazines Integrated Pte Ltd<br />
85 Playfair Road #04-02 Tong Yuan Building Singapore 368000<br />
Tel: +65 6848 6884 Fax: +65 6748 3453<br />
AdVERTISIng EnquIRIES: 6848 6872/74<br />
distributed by MPH distributors (S) Pte Ltd. Printed by KHL Printing<br />
Company Reg no: 200918015g ISSn 2010-1155 MCI (P) 118/12/2013<br />
epicure INDONESIA is licensed by Magazines Integrated Private Limited registered<br />
in Singapore and produced 12 times a year by:<br />
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epicure is available in print and online, epicureasia.com<br />
facebook.com/epicureasia<br />
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ON THE COVER<br />
Photo Ching<br />
Art direction & styling Jenn Chew<br />
Assisted by Sharon Lee<br />
Videography Clair Ong<br />
Shot at Pulse Patisserie<br />
epicure magazine is a publication audited by<br />
The Audit Bureau of Circulations (Singapore).<br />
Copyright by the Publisher. Reproduction in whole or in part without the written permission of the Publisher is strictly<br />
prohibited. Views and opinions expressed in epicure are not neccessarily those of the Publisher and the Editors. Although every<br />
reasonable care has been taken to ensure the accuracy and objectivity of the information provided in this publication, neither<br />
the Publisher, editors and their employees and agents can be held liable for any error and omission, nor any action taken<br />
based on the views expressed or information provided within this publication. You should always seek your own professional<br />
advice. All prices are in Singapore dollars unless otherwise stated and exclude miscellaneous taxes.<br />
8 epicureasia.com
TSUJIRI started off in 1860, established by Riemon<br />
Tsuji in Uji, Kyoto. Riemon tapped his own wealth<br />
to improve the tea industry, where his effort was well<br />
recognised by many. To attest to that, his statue was<br />
built in Byodoin, Kyoto’s world heritage temple.<br />
Since then and for more than 155 years, the brand<br />
TSUJIRI has kept Riemon’s spirits of “Continue to<br />
innovate and sustain the tradition”, and has always<br />
offered the best tea throughout Japan.<br />
Green tea is known to be rich in antioxidants which is believed to promote anti-aging.<br />
Besides, green tea is packed with Vitamin A, C, E and Beta Carotene as well as Catechin,<br />
which are essential for enhancing health and beauty.<br />
TSUJIRI serves you high quality green tea drinks and sweets which you can enjoy!<br />
O-Matcha Set<br />
TSUJIRI Parfait<br />
TSUJIRI Float<br />
TSUJIRI Shaved Ice<br />
+
contributors<br />
PULSE PATISSERIE was founded by Ernie Lim, Aika Reyes and<br />
Wong Pui Ling in February 2015. The trio, all of whom are formally trained<br />
chefs, were drawn to each other through their shared philosophy that<br />
desserts are personal and intimate creations. Apart from their core cake<br />
range, which is fashioned after women with distinctly different personas,<br />
Pulse also crafts<br />
bespoke creations.<br />
What did you learn<br />
while working on this<br />
spread? “epicure's<br />
brief for this feature<br />
really helped us push<br />
the boundaries of<br />
pastry techniques,<br />
such as achieving the cracked texture of a tree bark and creating realistic orchids<br />
and succulents,” the team says.<br />
Forest fantasia, page 72<br />
LIM AN-LING is an animator cum illustrator by profession. She enjoys throwing together<br />
all kinds of materials to create work that surprises. She draws inspirations from old buildings,<br />
unusual meals and unexpected encounters. Lim has designed and illustrated Singapore stamps<br />
and a myriad of children’s books. She has also participated in a visual communication exhibition<br />
in the Tsukuba Museum of Art, Japan.<br />
Which is your favourite spot for chicken rice?<br />
“Yet Con Restaurant on Purvis Street. The<br />
texture of the chicken, the accompanying<br />
ginger sauce, and the restaurant atmosphere<br />
all come together perfectly. It makes me<br />
hungry just thinking about it.”<br />
W.T.C. (What the cluck!), page 108<br />
TEY YONG HOW is a photographer who specialises in weddings, events and portraiture. The<br />
principal photographer of 3 Little Pics (3LittlePics.com) and Top Photography (TopPhotography.<br />
com.sg) places a strong emphasis on the background story of every assignment in order to capture<br />
images that will create an impact long after the moment has passed. His signature style portrays<br />
the spontaneity of his subjects. The self-professed sweet-toothed reaches for chocolate when he<br />
needs a dose of inspiration.<br />
What’s the trick to capturing a great candid<br />
moment during an event? “I will train<br />
my camera’s focus on a guest, with the<br />
composition I want, then wait for the moment<br />
to happen. The ability to anticipate the<br />
perfect moment to snap is very much based on<br />
intuition, and that comes with experience.”<br />
A gleaming affair, page 44<br />
10 epicureasia.com
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12 epicureasia.com
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14 epicureasia.com
Newly Open<br />
Located in the epicentre of Suntec City,<br />
KURO Izakaya is a Japanese gastrobar;<br />
firing up Robatayaki, Kushiyaki, Small<br />
plates, Sake and Whisky.<br />
A modish izakaya by night, KURO<br />
Izakaya transmutes into a laid-back<br />
Ramen Donburi shop by day offering<br />
popular go to Japanese comfort food at<br />
an affordable price.<br />
Name inspired by Kurobuta, expect a<br />
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With more than 70 dishes and a wide<br />
selection of Japanese Whiskey, one<br />
might find themselves salivating over<br />
the menu.<br />
Taking Private Bookings for:<br />
• Corporate Lunches<br />
• Networking Events<br />
• After Work Parties<br />
• Birthday Parties<br />
• Tour Groups<br />
Call 6411 4999<br />
sales@createries.com<br />
www.kuroizakaya.com.sg<br />
3 Temasek Boulevard, #01-604/605, East Wing, Suntec City Tower 3, (S) 038983, Tel: 6235 1066
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life’s refinements<br />
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InterContinental Bali Resort<br />
Kamandalu Ubud<br />
Katamama<br />
Komaneka at Bisma<br />
Komaneka at Rasa Sayang<br />
Komaneka at Tanggayuda<br />
Kayumanis Private Villas & Spa Jimbaran<br />
Kayumanis Private Villas & Spa Nusa<br />
Dua<br />
Kayumanis Private Villas & Spa Ubud<br />
L Hotel & Resort<br />
Le Jardin Boutique Villa<br />
Le Meridien Jimbaran Bali<br />
Maca Villas & Spa<br />
Mahagiri Villas<br />
Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve<br />
Mantra Sakala Resort & Beach Club<br />
Maya Sanur Resorts<br />
Maya Ubud Resort<br />
Montigo Resorts Seminyak<br />
Novotel Nusa Dua<br />
Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa<br />
Ossotel<br />
Padma Resort Legian<br />
Padma Resort Ubud<br />
Pan Pacific Nirwana Bali Resort<br />
Peppers Seminyak<br />
Pita Maha Resort & Spa<br />
Plataran Canggu Bali Resort & Spa<br />
Plataran Ubud Hotel & Spa<br />
Pullman Bali Legian Nirwana<br />
Puri Santrian<br />
Rimba Jimbaran Bali<br />
Semara Beach House<br />
Semara Luxury Villa Resort<br />
Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort<br />
The Bale<br />
The Breezes Bali Resort & Spa<br />
The Elysian<br />
The Laguna Resort & Spa Nusa Dua<br />
The Legian Bali<br />
The Mulia Bali<br />
The Oberoi Resort Bali<br />
The Ritz-Carlton, Bali (Nusa Dua)<br />
The Royal Pita Maha<br />
The Royal Santrian<br />
The Samaya Seminyak<br />
The Samaya Ubud<br />
The Seminyak Beach Resort & Spa<br />
The St. Regis Bali Resort<br />
The Stones Autograph Collection<br />
The Trans Resort Seminyak<br />
The Westin Resort<br />
Uma by COMO<br />
Vasanti<br />
Viceroy<br />
Villa De Daun<br />
W Retreat & Spa Bali-Seminyak<br />
Wapa di Ume Resort & Spa<br />
Restaurants, Discos, Bars<br />
Bambu Restaurant<br />
Barbacoa<br />
Biku<br />
Cascades<br />
Chez Gado Gado<br />
Finn’s Beach Club<br />
Grocer & Grind<br />
Happy Chappy<br />
Hu’u Bar<br />
Jemme Jewelry & Dining<br />
KU DE TA<br />
La Lucciola<br />
Mamasan<br />
Merah Putih<br />
Modiva<br />
Mozaic Beach Club<br />
Mozaic Ubud<br />
Republik 1945<br />
Sardine<br />
Sarong<br />
Sisterfields<br />
Sundara<br />
Teatro Gastroteque<br />
The Bistrot<br />
The Butcher’s Club<br />
The Holy Crab<br />
Tiger Palm Bali<br />
Vin+ Seminyak<br />
Wacko Burger<br />
epicure is available in the following digital formats: epicure app at Apple Newsstand and Google Play,<br />
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For a print copy of epicure, please contact us at +65 6848 6882/4 or email subscription@magsint.com.<br />
Details can be found at our website www.epicureasia.com/subscription-option<br />
16 epicureasia.com
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epicure loves<br />
ICEHOTEL 365<br />
Now you don’t have to wait until winter to enjoy an icy vacation. Operating year-round, the newly opened ICEHOTEL<br />
365 in Sweden is powered by solar energy and kept at -5°C during warmer days. Within are nine luxurious deluxe suites<br />
with saunas, 11 art suites, a Champagne ICEBAR, a gallery and a sculpting studio – all themed and artistically sculpted by<br />
renowned artists from around the world. For ultimate comfort, these permanent suites come furnished with an exclusive<br />
Carpe Diem bed, a thermal sleeping bag and reindeer hides.<br />
What really lures us to this sub-zero palace, however, is its unique arctic season. From March through April, guests<br />
can enjoy the gentle spring sun as they partake in ice fishing or Nordic skiing. In summer, the Torne River melts back to<br />
its fluid form, delivering pristine water for river rafting, trout fishing and stand-up paddling. Nightfall returns in August<br />
together with the dazzling Auroras, before temperatures dip in October and the landscape gets covered in layers of fluffy<br />
white snow – perfect for dog sledding and reindeer racing. Room rates from SEK5,460 (S$863)/night during low season.<br />
Marknadsvägen 63, 981 91 Jukkasjärvi. Tel: +46 980 668 00<br />
epicureasia.com 19
epicure’s<br />
Top 10<br />
Crème brûlée<br />
D<br />
elicate, yielding custard beneath a thin sheet of shatteringly crisp torched<br />
sugar topping… add to that the sweet scent of vanilla beans and toasty notes<br />
of burnt sugar crystals, and that just about sums up the definition of a sublime<br />
crème brûlée in our books. The origins of crème brûlée aren’t clear. Some reports point<br />
to Trinity College in Cambridge, England, as the birthplace of the dessert (known as<br />
burnt cream) and claims that it first came about after the college crest was burnt into<br />
sugar on top of a custard with a hot iron. Over in France, the first recorded recipes for<br />
the French version were discovered during the 17th century, while crema catalana, the<br />
Spanish variation, was found a century later. History aside, what’s important for the<br />
enjoyment of a classic crème brulée is that the texture of the custard must not bring to<br />
mind curdled eggs, the torched sugar topping not too thick that it takes effort to crack<br />
with the back of a spoon, and the ramekin should be wide and shallow (not narrow<br />
and deep) as a bigger surface area means more of that delicious caramelised topping to<br />
break into.<br />
the QuarterS<br />
In The Quarters’ novel interpretation of the classic dessert, which it dubs the<br />
Duriancanboleh, Mao Shan Wang durian is added to the custard, giving it a<br />
robust flavour and undeniable creaminess. The result is a velvety, yet not overly<br />
sweet dessert with a balanced proportion of caramelised sugar to decadent<br />
custard. Tart strawberries and blueberries on the side refresh the palate and cut<br />
through the crème brûlée’s richness. #01-09 Icon Village, 16 Enggor Street.<br />
Tel: 6834 4174<br />
BoChinChe<br />
Chef Diego Jacquet’s addition of fragrant,<br />
house-made banana ice cream studded<br />
with dark chocolate bits to Bochinche’s<br />
dulce de leche crème brûlée is the reason<br />
it’s one of our favourites. Add to that the<br />
balanced ratio of burnt sugar to delicate<br />
custard, and he’s got a winner. The portion<br />
is generous and good for two. #01-02, 115<br />
Amoy Street. Tel: 6235 4990<br />
La Ventana<br />
There’s no denying the appeal of La<br />
Ventana’s Catalan crème brûlée, which<br />
is made with mousse instead of cream<br />
(rendering the custard fluffier than the<br />
French variation) and flavoured with<br />
lemon, orange and cinnamon instead of<br />
vanilla. Within the custard, you’ll find a<br />
scoop of toffee ice cream, which pairs well<br />
with the caramel and milky notes of the<br />
crème brûlée. As is Catalan tradition, the<br />
sugar topping is caramelised with a Pala<br />
de Quemar iron from Spain instead of a<br />
blowtorch. 16A Dempsey Road.<br />
Tel: 6479 0100<br />
au Petit SaLut<br />
We can polish off the entire portion of Au<br />
Petit Salut’s Crème Brûlée even after a<br />
full meal. Served in a shallow, oval gratin<br />
dish, the version at this established French<br />
outfit is beautifully light, and boasts a<br />
perfectly cooked custard that’s flecked<br />
with Madagascan vanilla beans and<br />
crowned with a generous amount of brittle<br />
caramelised sugar topping. 40C Harding<br />
Road. Tel: 6475 1976<br />
20 epicureasia.com
naughty nuri’S<br />
We can’t find fault with Naughty<br />
Nuri’s Gula Melaka Crème Brûlée.<br />
The well-caramelised layer of sugar<br />
juxtaposed against the creamy gula<br />
melaka and vanilla custard keeps you<br />
going back for more. We especially<br />
love the addition of gula melaka to the<br />
traditional French dessert, which gives<br />
the classic dessert that extra oomph.<br />
#01-84 Capitol Piazza, 15 Stamford Road.<br />
Tel: 6384 7966<br />
roCkS urBan<br />
griLL + Bar<br />
Rock Urban Grill + Bar has got the<br />
classic crème brûlée down pat –<br />
luscious vanilla cream custard topped<br />
with an evenly torched caramelised<br />
sugar crust. The addition of pineapple,<br />
strawberries and blueberries lend<br />
a refreshing mouthfeel and just the<br />
right amount of acidity to counter the<br />
creamy richness. #02-01/02 The Sail @<br />
Marina Bay, 2 Marina Boulevard.<br />
Tel: 6438 4404<br />
CoCotte<br />
Though there’s more custard than caramelised sugar topping, Cocotte’s Pistachio<br />
Crème Brûlée wins us over with its silky smooth custard redolent with aromatic<br />
pistachios and a thin sugar crust. The dessert comes in a pretty small ramekin,<br />
which means you’ll polish it off with ease. The flavour changes monthly, so keep a<br />
lookout for what’s coming up next. 2 Dickson Road. Tel: 6298 1188<br />
awfuLLy<br />
ChoCoLate<br />
White chocolate can be cloyingly sweet,<br />
but we enjoy this dessert chain’s crème<br />
brûlée. The pleasantly sweet custard gets<br />
a rounded, lingering backnote from the<br />
inclusion of white chocolate. Served in a<br />
shallow ramekin, the portion is just right<br />
for one. #02-02 Greenwich V, 1 Seletar Road.<br />
Tel: 6556 0656<br />
otto riStorante<br />
The crème brûlée at OTTO Ristorante<br />
boasts textbook-perfect textures – a<br />
crisp and thin torched sugar layer that<br />
shatters to reveal lusciously dense<br />
and creamy, vanilla-flecked custard.<br />
But what makes this rendition unique<br />
is the addition of Del Borgo aged<br />
balsamic vinegar strawberry wedges,<br />
which enhance the fruit’s sweetness<br />
and tartness so that the dessert isn’t<br />
overwhelmingly rich. #01-02/03 Maxwell<br />
Chambers, 32 Maxwell Road. Tel: 6227 6819<br />
kraVe<br />
Infused with aromatic chempedak,<br />
Krave’s fruity, Asian riff on the<br />
crème brûlée is what draws its<br />
regulars. The brittle caramelised<br />
layer breaks open to reveal the<br />
fragrant chempedak custard beneath,<br />
which is studded with a generous<br />
amount of toothsome fruit. We also<br />
like that the torched topping isn’t<br />
overly sweet, and allows the flavour<br />
of the fruit to shine. 28 Bali Lane.<br />
Tel: 9856 4249<br />
epicure paid for its own reviews. the establishments chosen are<br />
not in order of merit.<br />
epicureasia.com 21
epicure news<br />
Table for two<br />
Whether it's dinner with a view, a candlelit affair<br />
by the pool or a sumptuous buffet spread you're<br />
after this Valentine's Day, we've got them covered.<br />
Fresh, modern, Asian-inspired Australian<br />
cuisine is the highlight at Whitegrass.<br />
For Valentine’s Day, chef Sam Aisbett<br />
serves up gastronomic delights such as<br />
freshwater marron, yuzu kosho, pomelo,<br />
citrus marmalade, nasturtium, cold tea;<br />
raw shaved Japanese yellowtail, white<br />
vereduna beetroot, land caviar, smoked<br />
organic soy (created to look like a rose<br />
by alternating picked and roasted white<br />
beetroot with thin slices of amberjack);<br />
Australian jade tiger abalone with three<br />
treasures; and roasted Mangalica pork<br />
jowl, scallop silk, white turnip cream,<br />
cabbage stem, black moss, aromatic pork<br />
broth, among other treats. $280 for the<br />
eight-course dinner. #01-26/27, Chijmes, 30<br />
Victoria Street. Tel: 6837 0402<br />
Fine cuisine, impeccable service and<br />
spectacular city views – JAAN has all the<br />
right ingredients for a romantic dinner<br />
date. Their eight-course Valentine’s<br />
JAAN<br />
menu ($830/couple)<br />
starts with a glass<br />
of Krug Rosé and<br />
includes sea urchin<br />
custard with ikura,<br />
yuzu kosho; golden<br />
beetroot with burrata;<br />
Scottish langoustine<br />
with winter leaves<br />
and Joselito jamón;<br />
Brittany sea bass with<br />
crayfish and potato;<br />
and confit of fowl leg<br />
ravioli in consommé.<br />
Level 70, Equinox Complex, Swissôtel The<br />
Stamford, 2 Stamford Road. Tel: 6837 3322<br />
For couples who prefer to be spoilt for<br />
choice, an international dinner buffet<br />
spread ($148, with unlimited selected<br />
red and white wines and non-alcoholic<br />
beverages) is offered at Pan Pacific<br />
Singapore’s Edge. Toast with Veuve<br />
Whitegrass<br />
Clicquot Champagne and savour fresh<br />
catch such as Alaskan king crab, oysters,<br />
scallops and crayfish from the Seafood on<br />
Ice display. The hot food section tempts<br />
with an inviting spread of Nyonya and<br />
Korean delights such as lemak udang and<br />
samgyetang; local eats such as salted egg<br />
yolk crab and wok-fried frog legs with<br />
dried chilli and cashew nuts; western salt<br />
22 epicureasia.com
Edge<br />
LIME Restaurant<br />
crusted whole seabass with Champagne<br />
caviar sauce and roasted Wagyu rump<br />
with black pepper sauce; and Indian methi<br />
chicken curry. End the meal with rosethemed<br />
desserts or a sampling of artisanal<br />
cheeses. Level 3 Pan Pacific Singapore, 7<br />
Raffles Boulevard. Tel: 6826 8240<br />
strawberry Earl Grey crémeux, and rose<br />
panna cotta with goji berries to tempt<br />
the sweet-toothed. Besides a GIF booth<br />
decked out with props and fun backdrops,<br />
there’s also a pastry corner where you<br />
can personalise a special message on the<br />
restaurant’s red velvet cake for your date.<br />
PARKROYAL on Pickering, 3 Upper Pickering<br />
Street. Tel: 6809 8899<br />
To get away from the downtown dining<br />
crowd, escape to Capella Singapore’s<br />
The Knolls for its five-course dinner<br />
($148) featuring dishes such as Foie Gras<br />
d’amour with Beetroot, and Slow-cooked<br />
Sustainable Barramundi paired with<br />
Tomato Compote, Basil on Buckwheat<br />
Sable and Spinach Cream. For a more<br />
private affair, opt for a romantic candlelit<br />
poolside dining experience ($700/couple,<br />
with wine pairing) that’s available to<br />
a limited few. As an added surprise, a<br />
staycation prize (a one-night stay at<br />
Capella Singapore’s One-Bedroom<br />
Garden Villa) hidden in one of the<br />
desserts served, awaits a lucky couple.<br />
1 The Knolls, Sentosa Island. Tel: 6591 5046<br />
The Knolls<br />
Fancy good old-fashioned steak? Then<br />
make it to Lawry’s The Prime Rib<br />
Singapore for its five-course Dinner of<br />
Love menu ($148/person) that features<br />
its signature roasted prime rib of beef,<br />
Yorkshire pudding baked in an individual<br />
copper skillet, tableside spinning bowl<br />
salad, mashed Idaho potatoes and<br />
scrumptious sides such as rich creamed<br />
corn, subtly spiced creamed spinach<br />
and lightly buttered peas. Two seatings<br />
available: 5pm and 8pm. #04-01/31 Mandarin<br />
Gallery, 333A Orchard Road. Tel: 6836 3333<br />
InterContinental Singapore’s Ash & Elm<br />
serves three- and five-course set dinner<br />
menus that offer a choice of duck foie<br />
gras terrine with pomme d’Amour and<br />
toasted brioche or Aquerello risotto with<br />
black truffle, natural jus and parsley oil<br />
for appetisers and roasted Boston lobster<br />
or Manuka char-grilled beef tenderloin<br />
for mains. For dessert, try the Earl Grey<br />
dark chocolate mousse, soft citrus gelée,<br />
passion fruit curd and pink grapefruitvanilla<br />
sherbet. 80 Middle Road.<br />
Tel: 6338 7600<br />
PARKROYAL on Pickering’s Valentine’s<br />
Day buffet dinner ($178/couple) at its<br />
LIME Restaurant promises decadent<br />
eats interspersed with doses of fun. Look<br />
forward to an amuse bouche of French<br />
oyster served with Champagne jelly<br />
and Beluga caviar, as well as vanillapoached<br />
lobster and foie gras torchon<br />
with rhubarb and truffle powder. There<br />
will be live stations proferring squid ink<br />
pasta with sea urchin, shaved Iberico ham<br />
with melon carpaccio, Wagyu tenderloin<br />
rossini; Baileys nitrogen ice cream with<br />
salted caramel and red velvet clusters;<br />
and an all-berry dessert spread featuring<br />
dulce strawberry mousse with Gianduja<br />
chocolate, caramel mousseline with<br />
epicureasia.com 23
epicure news<br />
atop Dempsey Hill. Chef Benjamin Tan<br />
serves up a four- ($108) and five-course<br />
($118/person) dinner menu that includes<br />
Cured Tuna Loin, Young Cauliflower and<br />
Sunchoke Velouté, Paupiette of Dover<br />
Sole and Veal Cheek Blanquette, and<br />
a Moscato Snow Globe encased with<br />
fresh seasonal berries. Wine pairings<br />
are available at $48. 39C Harding Road<br />
Singapore. Tel: 6473 9965. For reservations, visit<br />
thewhiterabbit.com.sg<br />
The White Rabbit<br />
The only restaurant in town to offer three<br />
distinct cuisines and menus (French,<br />
Japanese and Chinese) under one roof,<br />
Me@OUE Restaurant and Lounge<br />
serves up a four- ($150) and six-course<br />
($220) dinner menu this Valentine’s.<br />
Expect dishes such as Double Boiled<br />
Bamboo Fungus soup jazzed up with<br />
black truffle shavings; Seafood Paradise<br />
featuring lobster, octopus, Hokkaido<br />
scallop, unagi, tiger prawn and baby<br />
sardine; Castaing Duck Breast with panseared<br />
foie gras; and Lychee Raspberry<br />
Rose Bavarois. OUE Bayfront Rooftop, 50<br />
Collyer Quay. Tel: 6634 4555<br />
Me@OUE<br />
OSO Ristorante<br />
Senso Ristorante & Bar<br />
OSO Ristorante will indulge lovebirds<br />
with live saxophone music as they<br />
partake in the five-course spread ($98 per<br />
person, available for lunch and dinner).<br />
The delectables include a starter of<br />
Champagne jelly and fines herbs salad<br />
with prawns, caviar, scallops, oyster and<br />
crab meat; black truffle served with cold<br />
angel hair pasta, and with soup in egg;<br />
roasted smoked sea bass in cherry wood<br />
with cold spicy tomato water; and beef<br />
tenderloin cooked over open fire with<br />
black pepper foie gras ice cream and<br />
pear. For dessert, enjoy the chocolate<br />
bruschetta, caramelised pink pepper and<br />
ginger. 46 Bukit Pasoh Road Singapore.<br />
Tel: 6327 8378<br />
Kick off Senso Ristorante & Bar’s<br />
six-course Love menu ($148/person,<br />
dinner only) with a glass of Prosecco,<br />
a prelude to chef Sebastien Donati’s<br />
tuna ceviche with Italian baeri caviar<br />
and avocado. Then tuck into a cream of<br />
Jerusalem artichoke with winter black<br />
truffles; gnocchi with lobster medallion,<br />
tarragon butter and green asparagus; sea<br />
bream fillet with Sicilian lemon confit<br />
and purple cauliflower; organic poultry,<br />
morel mushrooms, pumpkin mousse,<br />
heirloom vegetables and foie gras sauce;<br />
and strawberry and pistachio tartlet with<br />
meringue and strawberry sorbet. 21 Club<br />
Street. Tel: 6224 3534<br />
Regarded as one of the city’s most<br />
romantic restaurants, The White<br />
Rabbit draws couples with its charming<br />
ambience: restored stained glass windows,<br />
grand high ceilings and idyllic, lush setting<br />
24 epicureasia.com
FIre aWay<br />
The latest dining concept rolled out by Creative Eateries, KURO<br />
Izakaya takes on Japanese cuisine in a chic contemporary<br />
gastrobar setting. Go easy on the Kirin Krush ($8) topped with<br />
frozen Kirin as over 38 whiskies, sake and shochu are in the mix.<br />
Food-wise, there are plenty of small plates from the grill to pair<br />
with your drinks. The Smoked Ajitsuke Tamago ($8) – smoked<br />
‘ramen egg’ on a bed of Hokkaido potato salad; tender Kurobuta<br />
Pork Jowl ($16); and Kuro Kushiyaki Platter ($36) – assorted<br />
skewers of skilfully char-grilled chicken, oyster mushrooms,<br />
bacon wrapped enoki and scallops come highly recommended.<br />
There are also donburi and ramen sets available during the day.<br />
#01-604/605 Suntec City Tower 3, East Wing, 3 Temasek Boulevard.<br />
Tel: 6235 1066<br />
PHOTOS OF BACCHAnALIA EddiE tEo<br />
preTTy<br />
a-maze-D<br />
Following Ivan Brehm’s<br />
departure as executive head chef,<br />
one Michelin-starred restaurant<br />
The Kitchen at Bacchanalia<br />
welcomes new chef Luke<br />
Armstrong, who has trained in<br />
several reputable restaurants<br />
in London, including Gordon<br />
Ramsay’s Maze. For the full<br />
works, try the eight-course<br />
dinner tasting menu ($188),<br />
which uses mainly seasonal<br />
produce such as artichoke,<br />
Scottish monkfish, white<br />
beetroot, and hamachi. While<br />
each dish was simply presented,<br />
we were blown away by the<br />
complexity and flavours. The<br />
artichoke dish alone featured<br />
baby purple, Japanese and<br />
Jerusalem artichokes, which<br />
were well-paired with foie gras<br />
snow and artichoke chips. 39<br />
Hong Kong Street. Tel: 9179 4552<br />
epicureasia.com 25
epicure news<br />
10 MInUTES WITH…<br />
marIlyn lum,<br />
director of lum Wen Kay<br />
Holdings and co-founder of<br />
CrIB<br />
You are a co-founder of social<br />
enterprise CRiB, director of<br />
Lum Wen Kay Holdings, an<br />
adjunct lecturer in several<br />
hospitality management<br />
schools, mum to a baby boy<br />
(with number two on the<br />
way), while also pursuing your<br />
doctorate studies. How do you<br />
achieve work-life balance?<br />
I do my best to manage my<br />
time efficiently, be it through<br />
proper scheduling or identifying<br />
the list of things that I need to<br />
accomplish for the day. After<br />
work, I make it a point to spend<br />
some quality time with my son<br />
before I embark on my doctoral<br />
research.<br />
What’s your idea of a perfect<br />
foodie holiday?<br />
Discovering China and to savour<br />
and learn about its different<br />
cuisines — Sichuan, Cantonese,<br />
Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian,<br />
Hunan, Anhui and Shandong.<br />
What’s an under-rated eatery<br />
that you love going to in<br />
Singapore?<br />
Blu Kouzina. I love the Kalamaki<br />
Souvlaki and the fresh whole<br />
baked fish.<br />
Where do you go to for<br />
occasion cakes?<br />
When I have a craving for<br />
something sweet, I head down<br />
to Tarte by Cheryl Koh for The<br />
Cherry Tart and Mixed Berries<br />
Tart.<br />
How will you celebrate<br />
Valentine’s day this year?<br />
My husband and I plan to visit<br />
Akira Back at JW Marriott Hotel<br />
Singapore South Beach.<br />
READInG LIST<br />
J Tea: A Miscellany Steeped with<br />
Trivia, History and Recipes brings<br />
you the story of tea, from its beginnings<br />
in Asia to its rise as a global beverage.<br />
Alongside interesting trivia, there<br />
are recipes ranging from spicy chai<br />
to traditional tea loaf. Published by<br />
Summersdale. Available at kinokuniya.com.<br />
S$24.95<br />
J Share – Delicious and Surprising<br />
Recipes to Pass Around Your Table<br />
features over 100 different recipes that are<br />
great for communal dining. Chris Santos<br />
of Chopped fame shares big platter recipes<br />
the likes of Korean Short Rib Tacos with<br />
Classic Kimchi and Spicy Lamb Souvlaki<br />
with Tzatziki, as well as moreish desserts<br />
such as Black-Bottomed Butterscotch Pots<br />
de Crème. Published by Grand Central Life &<br />
Style. Available at amazon.com. US$40(S$57)<br />
J Cooking for Friends: Bring People<br />
Together, Enjoy Good Food, and Make<br />
Happy Memories contains 100 Britishinspired<br />
recipes such as Shell Fish &<br />
Chips, Spineless Chicken and Truffle<br />
Chips, and A Pudding of Eggs and<br />
Soldiers. Bonus: recommended music<br />
playlists to set the mood. Published by Harper<br />
Design. Available at amazon.com. US$35(S$50)<br />
26 epicureasia.com
eleVaTeD<br />
loCal<br />
ClassICs<br />
The Lo & Behold Group has<br />
turned what was once a godown<br />
(and then a disco) into a quaint<br />
37-room boutique hotel. The<br />
Warehouse Hotel, nestled on<br />
the bank of Robertson Quay,<br />
features Po, a Singapore-inspired<br />
restaurant spearheaded by Willin<br />
Low, chef-owner of mod-Sin<br />
outfit Wild Rocket (ranked 38<br />
on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants<br />
list). The dishes at Po pay tribute<br />
to Singapore’s food heritage.<br />
“Po is a place that reminds you<br />
of your friend’s home, where<br />
the mum or popo (grandmother)<br />
spares no expense to ensure<br />
that you have the best meal,”<br />
says Low. The star of the menu<br />
is the wrap-it-yourself popiah<br />
platter (from $28), which features premium ingredients<br />
such as flower crab or tiger prawns, as well as a filling<br />
that’s braised for four hours. Try other crowd-pleasers such<br />
as the 12-hour-marinated Charcoal-Grilled Iberico Satay<br />
($20); a tangy Barramundi Salad ($19) that’s inspired by<br />
yu sheng; Carabinero Prawns & Konbu Mee ($32) – a<br />
modern interpretation of Hokkien mee with charcoal-grilled<br />
prawns, pork belly, fish sauce, lardons and sakura ebi; and<br />
the Cantonese classic, Paper Spring Chicken ($49) stuffed<br />
with glutinous rice, dried scallops, Chinese sausages and<br />
mushrooms. 320 Havelock Road. Tel: 6828 000<br />
oDe To CHoColaTe<br />
Fans of two Michelin-starred Odette would already be familiar<br />
with chef Julian Royer’s signature dishes like hay roasted pigeon<br />
and 55-degree smoked organic egg, but the true romance in his<br />
menu lies in the Tout Chocolat. The dessert, comprising 70 percent<br />
dark chocolate coulant, cocoa nibs sorbet and chocolate opaline,<br />
is dedicated to his wife Agnes. Royer says: “I wanted to create a<br />
dish that was easy to understand and enjoy. Chocolate is Agnes’s<br />
favourite ingredient – she is constantly scouring the dessert menu in<br />
search of something chocolaty and if there isn’t any, she skips dessert<br />
altogether (she’s picky like that). There are only two things she cooks<br />
for me – crêpes and chocolate cake.”<br />
#01-04 national Gallery Singapore, 1 St. Andrew’s Road. Tel: 6385 0498<br />
epicureasia.com 27
globetrotting epicure<br />
Your foodie news around the world<br />
World-class<br />
gourmet experience<br />
Foodies. Get yourselves<br />
ready for one of<br />
Australia’s finest<br />
gourmet fêtes. Come end<br />
March, the world’s leading<br />
chefs, restaurateurs and<br />
critics descend on Victoria<br />
for the annual Melbourne<br />
Food & Wine Festival. Now<br />
in its 25th year, the hallmark<br />
10-day state-wide festival<br />
is where you will get to rub<br />
shoulders with eight of the<br />
world’s leading chefs: Grant<br />
Achatz (Alinea, U.S.), Carlo<br />
Cracco (Ristorante Cracco, Italy), Gaston Acurio (Astrid<br />
& Gaston, Peru), Wylie DuFresne (wd~50, U.S.), Zaiyu<br />
Hasegawa (Den, Japan), Ashley Palmer-Watts (Dinner by<br />
Heston Blumenthal, U.K.), Jorge Vallejo (Quintonil, Mexico)<br />
and David Thompson<br />
(Nahm, Australia), who<br />
will be helming the popular<br />
MasterClass series. No<br />
time for all the gastronomic<br />
activities lined up? Then<br />
score a seat at the 600-metrelong<br />
table in Little Italy<br />
and indulge in the world’s<br />
longest lunch with Antonio<br />
Carluccio, godfather of<br />
Italian cooking; or sit down<br />
with Australia’s wine legends<br />
over a five-course feast as the<br />
country’s respected vintners<br />
and sommeliers dig deep into their private stores and share<br />
their favourite vintages, offering each table a unique, bespoke<br />
wine pairing experience. 31 March to 9 April. Tickets on sale via<br />
MFWF.com.au<br />
28 epicureasia.com
Hot neW eats<br />
We love the sound of Bad hunter, a veggie-forward<br />
restaurant and bar that’s just opened in Chicago’s<br />
Meatpacking district. shifting the focus away from<br />
meats and training his spotlight on the humble<br />
vegetable, executive chef dan snowden dishes up<br />
delectable eats such as maitake mushrooms a la<br />
plancha, butternut squash and ricotta salata; tempura<br />
fried lemons and Japanese sweet potato with balsamic<br />
and hazelnuts; and wood-grilled carrots and fennel<br />
with pistachio-green-chile pesto, avocado crema and<br />
queso fresco. Carnivores aren’t left out though: the<br />
braised lamb grilled cheese, seeded rye, mahon cheese<br />
and harissa aioli; and bacon and radish cake Benedict,<br />
poached eggs, miso hollandaise and tatsoi are just<br />
two of many on snowden’s all-day offerings, brunch<br />
and daily rotating lunch and dinner menus. save space<br />
for dessert and its craft cocktails. 802 West randolph<br />
street, Chicago, Illinois 60607. Tel: +1 312 265 1745<br />
PHOTOS BY anThony TahLieR<br />
24 hours in<br />
paris<br />
yvonne Chee,<br />
dePuTy dIreCTor,<br />
CIVIL serVICe<br />
» La RégaLade, 14Th<br />
aRRondissemenT<br />
An authentic French dining<br />
institution that’s off the tourist<br />
track. Whoever said that French<br />
cuisine means tiny portions hasn’t eaten here.<br />
Bring an appetite. 49 rue Jean Moulin, 75014<br />
Paris. Tel: +33 1 4545 6858<br />
» musée maRmoTTan moneT<br />
This museum houses one of the city’s largest<br />
Impressionist collections and is where you can<br />
get your fix of Claude Monet’s masterpieces.<br />
2 rue Louis Boilly, 75016 Paris.<br />
Tel: +33 1 4496 5033<br />
» deyRoLLe<br />
A must-visit for fans of taxidermy. seeing the lifelike<br />
animals up close at this legendary institution<br />
promises to be an intriguing experience.<br />
46 rue du Bac, 75007 Paris. Tel: +33 1 4222 3007<br />
» PiCniC on The ÎLe de La CiTé<br />
Come evening, drop by this island on the seine to<br />
catch the sunset while enjoying a simple picnic of<br />
baguette, French cheeses and Champagne.<br />
» sainT James PaRis<br />
The only château hotel in Paris. If you decide not<br />
to stay here, drinks at The Library-Bar will also<br />
be a memorable experience. 43 Avenue Bugeaud,<br />
75116 Paris. Tel: +33 1 4405 8181<br />
TokyoLima<br />
With the recent opening of TokyoLima in Hong Kong, the<br />
cosmopolitan city now has an additional cuisine to boast about.<br />
Perched on Lyndhurst Terrace in the heart of Central, the latenight<br />
dining spot helmed by Peruvian chef Arturo Melendez<br />
serves up creative plates of Nikkei (Japanese-inspired Peruvian<br />
cuisine) eats featuring plentiful fresh seafood, interesting<br />
textures and native ingredients such as aji amarillo chilli,<br />
passion fruit Tiger’s Milk, pickled kiuri and citrus shoyu. The<br />
drinks menu, curated by mixologist Isabella Vannoni, is centred<br />
around an approachable sake list and inventive cocktails.<br />
18 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, Hong Kong. Tel: +852 2811 1152<br />
epicureasia.com 29
BEST OF INDONESIA<br />
Cakes,<br />
glorious<br />
cakes<br />
Samantha Coomber rounds<br />
up 10 of Indonesia’s finest<br />
speciality cake purveyors.<br />
Butter Bali<br />
Bali’s CeleBrated Cake Makers<br />
As one of the world’s favourite holiday islands and wedding<br />
destinations, celebratory cakes are big business in Bali. As a<br />
reflection of the relaxed island lifestyle, where nuptials and<br />
special occasions are predominantly hosted at outdoor and<br />
beachfront venues, sought-after trends include ‘naked’ (meaning<br />
sans fondant or minimally frosted) and ‘semi-naked’ confections,<br />
with organic and rustic cake designs that complement the casual<br />
vibe of the bucolic surrounds.<br />
Given Bali’s multitude of upscale hotels, there are<br />
surprisingly only a handful of professional cake-making outfits.<br />
A prime example is Butter Bali, an online cake shop set up by<br />
Polish ex-corporate warrior, Gita Aryafara. Despite Aryafara<br />
having no prior professional baking experience or training,<br />
Butter is thriving. “It’s simply about passion, hard work, good<br />
baking genes and my grandma’s magic red pan,” she muses.<br />
Butter Bali specialises in gorgeous bespoke cakes and desserts<br />
for special milestones, weddings and birthdays. “We bake our<br />
cakes on-site using various home-style recipes and high quality<br />
ingredients such as dairy products from France and chocolate<br />
from South America. Our repertoire includes vegan and glutenfree<br />
options,” she says. Butter’s signature wedding cakes are<br />
mainly of the naked variety but exquisitely decorated with floral<br />
sugar art and salted caramel drizzle, and its celebrity clients<br />
30 epicureasia.com
include Indonesian singer and<br />
beauty queen Vania Larissa<br />
and TV personality Max<br />
Loong.<br />
Another home-grown<br />
cake-making enterprise, ixora<br />
Cakes has since expanded to<br />
include customised baking<br />
facilities, a bistro and a<br />
gelateria at Ixora’s Kerobokan<br />
premises. Besides Europeanstyle<br />
breads, pastries and<br />
gelato, Ixora’s speciality<br />
is lavishly decorated,<br />
personalised cakes and the<br />
offerings range from rustic<br />
creations to cupcake towers<br />
and intricate, ultra-elegant<br />
varieties. Most of Ixora Cakes’<br />
creations consist of westernstyle<br />
sponge bases and the<br />
use of local ingredients, and<br />
its stand-out touches feature<br />
sugar-craft confections and<br />
printable icing paper. It<br />
counts Indonesian actor and<br />
presenter Raffi Ahmad and<br />
Hong Kong singer and actor<br />
Kenny Bee among its celebrity<br />
customers.<br />
Several years ago, David<br />
Horovitz, the Australian<br />
owner of bakery and coffee<br />
house Buzz Bakehouse,<br />
joined forces with celebrity<br />
cake specialist Satira Diana<br />
of Malaysia’s Pearl Cake<br />
Couture & Event to create<br />
Pearl Cakes Bali. Diana takes<br />
on a consultancy and cheftrainer<br />
role at the cosy bakery<br />
and cake-making premises<br />
in Seminyak, which sees<br />
online bespoke wedding cake<br />
orders rolling in from Russia,<br />
Australia, Switzerland and<br />
India, for nuptials taking place<br />
at properties such as AYANA,<br />
W Retreat, The Mulia<br />
and other upscale resorts.<br />
Besides wedding confections,<br />
Pearl Cakes Bali is also known for its playful birthday and<br />
special occasion cakes with themes that run the gamut from<br />
Transformers to fairies. Other<br />
than fresh, organic Bedugul<br />
fruits, their ingredients<br />
are all imported, including<br />
natural flavourings, French<br />
fruit coulis and European<br />
chocolate.<br />
Gourmand Deli Bali’s five-star hotel pastry<br />
chefs are invariably also<br />
The Grand Hyatt Bali<br />
busy baking, especially in the<br />
upscale beach resort enclave<br />
of Nusa Dua. Among this<br />
exclusive group, the Grand<br />
Hyatt Bali takes in cake<br />
orders from in-house guests<br />
for special occasions and<br />
weddings. Pastry chef Imam<br />
Mugni’s trademark flavours<br />
are his twist on pandan cake,<br />
which substitutes corn starch<br />
for gelatine and condensed<br />
milk for a fluffier and more<br />
moist version; and his mango<br />
tiramisu cake, which features<br />
a concoction of mango, coffee<br />
and mascarpone.<br />
Also in Nusa Dua, within<br />
the sumptuously elegant St.<br />
Regis Bali Resort, French<br />
maître-pâtissier Vincent<br />
Stopin (formerly of Dublin’s<br />
one Michelin-starred<br />
restaurant, Chapter One)<br />
helms the five-star resort’s<br />
renowned pastry kitchen and<br />
its Gourmand deli, where<br />
the signature confection is<br />
its Bourbon Cake, a luscious<br />
homage to Bourbon Island<br />
(now Réunion Island) and<br />
its world-leading vanilla bean<br />
heritage. The aforementioned<br />
cake incorporates the finest<br />
vanilla crémeux, French<br />
Valrhona chocolate and<br />
comes smothered with crispy<br />
pralines, soft pain de gênes and<br />
chocolate glaze. Seasonal<br />
cake flavours include their<br />
raspberry rose lychee,<br />
Ixora Cakes<br />
while the property’s famous<br />
wedding cake delights the palate with sacher torte, a light ganache<br />
and griottines.<br />
epicureasia.com 31
BEST OF INDONESIA<br />
Jakarta’s renowned PÂtisseries<br />
Over in the Indonesian capital, the pastry and baking industry<br />
is booming, as evidenced by the countless pâtisseries that have<br />
popped up. They offer luscious confections featuring native<br />
ingredients and distinctly nostalgic, local flavours – a recent<br />
growing trend.<br />
Though the croissants filled with durian or salted egg yolk<br />
at nomz kitchen & Pastry, an upscale, Australian-inspired café<br />
and restaurant, are its bestsellers (fans include singer-actress<br />
Chelsea Olivia and TV personality Dave Hendrik), its cakes and<br />
pastries, such as its French-style entremet and croquembouche,<br />
and old-fashioned mocha cake, are popular too.<br />
Head pastry chef Kim Pangestu – the force behind Jakarta’s<br />
Kimmy Patisserie and who has worked with famed pastry chef<br />
Adriano Zumbo – oversees the daily production of the handmade<br />
cakes and pastries<br />
to ensure that<br />
everything from tart<br />
bases to chocolate<br />
decorations are<br />
made from scratch<br />
using the finest<br />
ingredients.<br />
A hot new<br />
haunt of Jakarta’s<br />
top-tier socialites,<br />
entrepreneurs and<br />
foodies, gourmet<br />
eatery and artisanal<br />
pastry shop aMkC<br />
atelier stands<br />
for the names<br />
of chef-owners<br />
Adhika Maxi and<br />
Karen Carlotta –<br />
culinary trendsetter<br />
and star pâtissier<br />
respectively, and<br />
creators of Union Brasserie, Union Bakery and Union Deli<br />
Central. Formerly the executive pastry chef for Singapore’s One<br />
Rochester and One Twenty-Six, Jakartan pastry chef Carlotta<br />
helped evolve the capital’s pastry scene with her progressive<br />
creations (her original Union red velvet cake topped with crush<br />
caramelised peanuts boasts cult status) and chic dessert-in-a-cup<br />
concept, Carlotta Sweets. At AMKC Atelier, Carlotta transforms<br />
nostalgic Indonesian desserts using gourmet ingredients and<br />
well-honed techniques. For her traditional Indonesian Es Teler<br />
cake, Carlotta sources the best nangka (jackfruit) from Bogor,<br />
Indonesia, in keeping with the city’s current craze for native<br />
flavours.<br />
the Mandarin Cake shop at The Mandarin Oriental<br />
attracts a steady stream of loyal patrons for its exceptional<br />
fresh artisanal treats. While traditional recipes are adhered to,<br />
The Mandarin<br />
Cake Shop<br />
Nomz Kitchen & Pastry<br />
French executive<br />
pastry chef Remi<br />
Martinazzo and his<br />
team continually<br />
strive to innovate<br />
and incorporate<br />
local flavours. Its<br />
Indonesian layered<br />
cake, Lapis Legit, gets<br />
a modern makeover<br />
while its signature<br />
Exotic Coconut<br />
Cake incorporates<br />
jackfruit and<br />
coconut mousse<br />
AMKC Atelier<br />
infused with pandan<br />
leaves – which is widely used in traditional local desserts – and<br />
pineapple and mango compote for a scrumptious new take on the<br />
beloved jajanan pasar.<br />
32 epicureasia.com
At luxurious boutique hotel, The Dharmawangsa Jakarta,<br />
the Cake shop tempts with a mouthwatering array of<br />
homemade cakes and bakes. The property’s exceptional pastry<br />
team is led by award-winning chef, Yuri Komalasari, who trained<br />
under Eric Perez at his celebrated Macaron Pastry Training<br />
Centre in Bangkok. “Although the baking techniques employed<br />
are predominantly French, and we insist on using the finest<br />
ingredients – our signature cake-making ingredient is Valrhona<br />
chocolate – the chefs here are encouraged to keep up with the<br />
latest pastry trends and customers’ tastes,” she shares.<br />
La Patisserie<br />
The Cake Shop<br />
With the<br />
opening of Four<br />
Seasons Hotel<br />
Jakarta last July,<br />
la Patisserie is<br />
now regarded<br />
as the capital’s<br />
most glamorous<br />
chocolatier<br />
and pastry<br />
shop. Located<br />
in the hotel’s<br />
elegant lobby,<br />
the intimate<br />
salon-style<br />
outfit, tastefully<br />
decked out with<br />
daintily displayed<br />
chocolate<br />
art, signature<br />
speciality cakes<br />
and sublime<br />
pastries, almost<br />
resembles<br />
an exclusive<br />
jewellery<br />
boutique. The pastry team is led by executive pastry chef<br />
Lorenzo Sollecito, previously of The Regent Singapore, and<br />
creations are handmade in limited batches using superior<br />
ingredients. If you’re there, indulge in the signature 360-degree<br />
Chocolate Cake, a sponge layered with fluffy chocolate mousse<br />
and cremosso, sealed with a glossy dark chocolate glaze and<br />
finished with moulded milk chocolate cream. e<br />
WHERE TO GO<br />
BALI<br />
J BuTTer BALI<br />
Tel: +62 819 3621 6983<br />
butterbali.com<br />
J GourMAND DeLI<br />
The St. Regis Bali Resort<br />
Kawasan Pariwisata, Lot S6,<br />
Nusa Dua<br />
Tel: +62 361 300 6799<br />
stregisbali.com<br />
J IxorA CAKeS<br />
168 Jalan Raya Semer Kerobokan<br />
Tel: +62 851 0020 6999 /<br />
+62 851 0120 2999<br />
ixoracakes.com<br />
J PeArL CAKeS BALI<br />
90 Jalan Drupadi II, Seminyak<br />
Tel: +62 818 0200 0444<br />
pearlcakesbali.com<br />
J THe GrAND HyATT BALI<br />
Kawasan Wisata Nusa Dua<br />
BTDC, Nusa Dua<br />
Tel: +62 361 771234<br />
bali.grand.hyatt.com<br />
JAKArTA<br />
J AMKC ATeLIer<br />
Level 1, Plaza Indonesia<br />
28-30 Jalan MH Thamrin,<br />
Jakarta 10350<br />
Tel: +62 21 2992 4356<br />
amkcatelier.com<br />
J LA PATISSerIe<br />
Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta<br />
Capital Place, Jalan Jendral<br />
Gatot Subroto, Kav. 18<br />
Kuningan Barat, Jakarta 12710<br />
Tel: +62 21 2277 1888<br />
fourseasons.com/jakarta<br />
J NoMz KITCHeN &<br />
PASTry<br />
Ground Floor, #06-07 Grand<br />
Indonesia East Mall, Jakarta 10310<br />
Tel: +62 21 2358 1211 / 12<br />
nomzjakarta.com<br />
J THe CAKe SHoP<br />
The Dharmawangsa Jakarta<br />
26 Jalan Brawijaya Raya,<br />
Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta 12160<br />
Tel: +62 21 725 8181<br />
the-dharmawangsa.com<br />
J THe MANDArIN CAKe SHoP<br />
The Mandarin Oriental, Jakarta<br />
Jalan M. H. Thamrin, Jakarta 10310<br />
Tel: +62 21 2993 8820<br />
mandarinoriental.com/jakarta<br />
epicureasia.com 33
Perfect<br />
union<br />
Marrying Lake Como’s romantic<br />
ambience with the design prowess of<br />
illustrious architect-designer Patricia<br />
Urquiola, Il Sereno Lago di Como is the<br />
hotel sensation that’s gotten even the<br />
world’s most seasoned jet-setters in a<br />
tizzy. By Justina Tan<br />
Il Sereno's modern<br />
structure stands out<br />
on Lake Como next to<br />
its more antiquated<br />
neighbours.<br />
34 epicureasia.com
Notable design<br />
elements in the<br />
rooms include<br />
bronze taps and<br />
leather straps fitted<br />
around globe lights.<br />
The ’floating’ steps<br />
of the stairwell<br />
leading from<br />
the lobby to the<br />
restaurant.<br />
Booked out for the first few weeks after its launch<br />
in August last year, Il Sereno Lago di Como is<br />
the hottest new property on the sunny shores of<br />
Italy’s idyllic Lake Como. A modern marvel that stands out<br />
on a shoreline dotted with grand Renaissance palazzos and<br />
centuries-old architecture, the five-star hotel is the first to be<br />
built in the region in decades.<br />
Boasting a backdrop of quaint little villages, picturesque<br />
panoramic views, crystal waters, and snow-capped<br />
mountainous hinterland, it’s no wonder Italy’s most celebrated<br />
lake has long served as a tranquil retreat for the rich and<br />
famous. Celebrities like Sting and George Clooney own<br />
holiday homes there, with the latter spending up to four<br />
months a year at his £8 million (S$14 million) lakeside<br />
mansion in the idyllic village of Laglio.<br />
Lake Como has always been synonymous with old-world<br />
luxury, but Il Sereno injects a chic designer vibe to the region<br />
with its glass-encased structure of copper, bronze, wood and<br />
stone. Although notorious for the strict building requirements<br />
put in place to preserve its existing historical structures, local<br />
authorities finally gave in and allowed Il Sereno to take the<br />
place of a derelict restaurant atop an old stone boathouse along<br />
the lake’s eastern shore.<br />
World-class design<br />
Although there’s no way to prove that Milan-based Spanish<br />
architect-designer Patricia Urquiola was the reason Sereno<br />
Hotels eventually got the nod from local authorities to erect a<br />
modern property along Lake Como, her impressive portfolio<br />
may have influenced their decision.<br />
Owner of Sereno Hotels, Luis Contreras, practically gave<br />
Urquiola carte blanche with every aspect of the hotel’s design<br />
– from the architecture to the furnishings to the private boats,<br />
and even staff uniforms. He had just two guidelines for her:<br />
Evoke the open concept of his other property, Le Sereno Hotel<br />
& Villas in St. Barthélemy; and use as many local artisans as<br />
possible. “This project has been a true labour of love between<br />
Sereno Hotels and Patricia Urquiola, and we are excited to<br />
introduce an entirely new design concept to Lake Como,” says<br />
Contreras.<br />
This new concept he speaks of is groundbreaking,<br />
especially in a region dominated by antiquated buildings.<br />
Set on a sun-soaked cliff next to the town of Torno, Il<br />
Sereno’s minimalist structure stands in stark contrast to the<br />
Renaissance-style villas around the lake. From the lobby<br />
to the hotel’s 30 wood-panelled suites, every space in Il<br />
Sereno exudes Urquiola’s elegant aesthetic and exquisite<br />
epicureasia.com 35
The infinity pool<br />
offers views of<br />
the Italian Alps<br />
and surrounding<br />
small towns.<br />
A section of<br />
the restaurant’s<br />
outdoor terrace<br />
is built over the<br />
lake, inside a<br />
centuries-old stone<br />
boathouse.<br />
36 epicureasia.com
Many of the<br />
furniture pieces in<br />
the lobby come from<br />
premium Italian<br />
brands like Cassina<br />
and Molteni.<br />
Urquiola also customised many of the furnishings in<br />
earthy tones of grey and walnut with touches of blue and<br />
green hues to reflect the colours found in the surroundings of<br />
Lake Como. The three wooden Cantiere Ernesto Riva boats –<br />
custom-made by a family in Laglio that’s been in the business<br />
since 1771 – that ferry the hotel’s guests around the lake, also<br />
feature Urquiola’s designs.<br />
One of the stunning<br />
vertical gardens created<br />
by acclaimed French<br />
botanist Patrick Blanc.<br />
mastery of natural materials, colour and texture. Traditional<br />
Venetian terrazzo, copper, and travertine stone are ubiquitous<br />
throughout the property, while a stunning stairwell – the<br />
hotel’s centrepiece – made from walnut wood and bronze<br />
appear to be floating as they wind from the lobby lounge down<br />
to Ristorante Berton Al Lago where an abstract Venetian<br />
marble grit floor and tables made of local Ceppo stone and<br />
walnut can be found. Set above a former dockyard, the<br />
outdoor terrace area features flooring constructed of bands of<br />
wood – designed to emulate the interiors of a boat.<br />
The furnishings are no less exquisite. Filled with art and<br />
furniture crafted in the region, many of the pieces found in<br />
both the lobby and suites come from premium Italian brands<br />
like Cassina, Molteni, and B&B Italia. Other notable design<br />
elements include bronze taps in the bathrooms and leather<br />
straps fitted around globe lights.<br />
greens and gardens<br />
Despite its contemporary feel, Il Sereno seamlessly melds the<br />
building’s modernity with the region’s natural beauty. You<br />
never have to ask for a room with a view because there isn’t a<br />
bad seat in the house. The hotel boasts breathtaking panoramic<br />
views from every vantage point.<br />
The hotel’s main terrace offers a slice of paradise with an<br />
expansive view of Lake Como in front, open skies above, and a<br />
gorgeous vertical garden behind. Created by acclaimed French<br />
botanist Patrick Blanc, Le Miroir Vert du Lac is an eyecatching<br />
masterpiece inspired by the colours and movement<br />
of the water. It features over 2,000 plant types and more than<br />
130 individual species. You get to enjoy these views from the<br />
plush couches and nest chairs lining the hotel’s main terrace.<br />
Constructed from a marble called verde karzai, the outdoor<br />
freshwater infinity pool also offers views of the Italian Alps<br />
and the surrounding small towns.<br />
Blanc also collaborated with Urquiola to craft a ‘green<br />
sculpture’, Le Canyon, at the entrance to the hotel. Comprising<br />
nearly 3,000 different plants, it evokes the dramatic and<br />
vertical topography of the hotel’s rugged surroundings.<br />
Attached to Le Canyon is another vertical garden, Les Racines<br />
Echasees, which sprawls from the garden floor in front of<br />
the reception area patio and rises over 35 feet in the air to<br />
emulate aerial roots as seen in mangroves and banyan trees – it<br />
includes over 1,000 individual plants.<br />
Although Il Sereno Lago di Como breaks convention with<br />
its contemporary architecture and design, Urquiola’s sensitive<br />
approach and penchant for nature and natural materials have<br />
certainly made it a welcome new addition to Lake Como. e<br />
epicureasia.com 37
style Buzz<br />
Bulgari Serpenti<br />
Seduttori necklace<br />
Crowned with a<br />
brilliant sapphire,<br />
this necklace<br />
is a captivating<br />
masterpiece of<br />
sapphires, rubies and<br />
diamond baguettes<br />
that recall the tactile<br />
scales of a serpent.<br />
Vibrant<br />
seduction<br />
Diamonds aren’t the only expression<br />
of love. Celebrate the multifarious<br />
facets of amour with these<br />
stunningly vivid jewellery pieces.<br />
By Justina Tan<br />
CRAFTING CREATURES<br />
Jewellery designers have long sought inspiration from<br />
the animal kingdom — a world exploding with colours and<br />
textures. From birds to snakes, and even lizards, these<br />
intricate creature-inspired pieces provide the perfect<br />
showcase for the most striking gemstones.<br />
Simone Jewels ‘The<br />
Kingfisher Paradise’ ring<br />
Created in collaboration<br />
with the National Museum of<br />
Singapore for Singapore’s<br />
50th birthday, this intricate<br />
double finger ring is made<br />
with a 17-carat unheated<br />
Burmese peridot, blue<br />
sapphires, tourmalines,<br />
diamonds, watercolour<br />
enamel and 18K gold.<br />
Boucheron Masy, the<br />
Chameleon ring Set with<br />
pavé round tsavorites,<br />
blue, pink and yellow<br />
sapphires, and two<br />
rubies in blackened<br />
white gold, this piece has<br />
a harmonious quality<br />
despite its multiple hues<br />
— just like the creature it<br />
embodies.<br />
Dolce & Gabbana<br />
Primavera Farfalle<br />
rings Carved from<br />
amethysts, aquamarines,<br />
morganites, emeralds<br />
and diamonds, these<br />
delicate gemstone<br />
butterflies at rest on<br />
yellow gold bands are<br />
incredibly pretty and<br />
versatile enough for<br />
everyday use.<br />
38 epicureasia.com
Mauboussin<br />
Couleur d’Amour<br />
pendant in white<br />
gold, with blue<br />
topaz, diamonds<br />
and pavé<br />
amethysts The<br />
prettiest combo<br />
of blue topaz and<br />
amethysts make<br />
this an immensely<br />
feminine piece.<br />
SEA OF COLOUR<br />
Forget what you’ve been told<br />
about colour coordination<br />
and embrace colour anarchy<br />
with these bold, rainbow-hued<br />
jewellery pieces.<br />
BLUE AwAy<br />
Blue gemstones are a mainstay of fine and high<br />
jewellery making, and with good reason. Blue<br />
sapphires lend a regal touch to any piece, while the<br />
pastel hues of aquamarine and blue topaz exude a<br />
tranquil aura.<br />
Iroshini Jewellery<br />
Blue Sapphire<br />
earrings The stars<br />
of these chandelier<br />
earrings are the<br />
iridescent blue<br />
sapphires, but<br />
they’re made<br />
complete by the<br />
surrounding pavé<br />
diamonds.<br />
Dior Granville rose<br />
tourmaline earrings<br />
with multi-coloured<br />
gemstones Inspired<br />
by the childhood<br />
games that Christian Dior<br />
spent hours playing in<br />
the vibrant garden of his<br />
family’s Granville home,<br />
these asymmetric earrings<br />
are a playful party of pink<br />
tourmalines, rubellites, iolites,<br />
tsavorite garnets, diamonds,<br />
aquamarines, emeralds and<br />
fire opals.<br />
Tiffany & Co. Paloma<br />
Picasso 35th<br />
Anniversary necklace<br />
Expecting nothing<br />
less of Pablo Picasso’s<br />
progeny, this fabulous<br />
creation was crafted by<br />
fashion designer Paloma<br />
Picasso and first made its<br />
appearance at the 1985<br />
Costume Institute Gala<br />
held at The Metropolitan<br />
Museum of Art. To mark<br />
35 years of partnership<br />
between Tiffany and Co.<br />
and Paloma Picasso, the<br />
jewellery house acquired<br />
this masterpiece last year.<br />
It comprises 15 different<br />
gemstones, including a<br />
rare nine-carat tanzanite<br />
and a rubellite of over 67<br />
carats.<br />
Chanel Bracelet Signature<br />
Ultime Saphirs Fond Blanc<br />
A tribute to the fashion<br />
house’s signature quilted<br />
pattern that has made its<br />
bags so highly desired,<br />
this bracelet recreates the<br />
motif using 265 square-cut<br />
sapphires. The statement<br />
piece also features 221<br />
brilliant-cut diamonds and a<br />
one-carat solitaire diamond<br />
in the centre.<br />
epicureasia.com 39
style Buzz<br />
Van Cleef & Arpels<br />
Emeraudes Fée Titania<br />
clip An homage to the<br />
queen of fairies from<br />
William Shakespeare’s<br />
play A Midsummer<br />
Night’s Dream, this<br />
whimsical clip of white<br />
gold, platinum, diamonds,<br />
emeralds, sapphires, and<br />
tsavorite garnets adds a<br />
playful yet elegant touch<br />
to your outfit.<br />
Chopard Red Carpet necklace<br />
Steal the limelight with this<br />
spectacular multi-strand<br />
necklace of emerald beads.<br />
Set in 18K white gold and<br />
titanium, it’s also embellished<br />
with a 29.8-carat white opal,<br />
topazs, amethysts, rubies,<br />
Paraiba tourmalines, rubelites,<br />
emeralds and sapphires.<br />
GREEN wITH ENVy<br />
Crafted with green gemstones like emeralds<br />
and tsavorites, it’s no coincidence that these<br />
gorgeous high jewellery pieces will strike<br />
envy in those around you.<br />
Cartier Oracle necklace<br />
Almost architectural in<br />
design, this structured<br />
piece flawlessly organises<br />
emeralds, onyx and<br />
diamonds in an octagonal<br />
step cut platinum setting.<br />
Louis Vuitton Blossom<br />
bracelet Paying tribute to Louis<br />
Vuitton’s iconic four-petalled<br />
monogram flower motif, this<br />
creation marries the vivid<br />
lime green of the tsavorite<br />
garnet with the milky hue<br />
of moonstones and pristine<br />
brilliance of diamonds.<br />
40 epicureasia.com
wARM GLOw<br />
For those who want just<br />
a subtle touch of colour,<br />
yellow gemstones are an<br />
elegant option.<br />
Harry Winston Classic Winston<br />
Yellow Diamond Ring For the woman<br />
who appreciates a touch of colour, this<br />
engagement ring featuring an 8.08-carat<br />
radiant-cut fancy yellow diamond set<br />
with trilliant diamond side stones is an<br />
excellent choice.<br />
Piaget Extremely Piaget<br />
necklace in white gold set with<br />
mixed-cut white and yellow<br />
diamonds As the name of the<br />
collection suggests, there’s<br />
nothing ordinary about this<br />
piece. Set in 18K white gold, the<br />
breathtaking necklace showcases<br />
93 brilliant-cut diamonds, 23<br />
pear-shaped diamonds, five pearshaped<br />
yellow diamonds and one<br />
cushion-cut yellow diamond.<br />
Far East Gems & Jewellery A six-carat<br />
unheated yellow sapphire set on a 18K yellow<br />
gold ring adorned at the edges with pavé<br />
diamonds, this indulgent creation has a<br />
structural feel to it — no wonder since it was<br />
commissioned by an architect.<br />
Larry Jewelry<br />
Mysterious Icana<br />
Bangle I A lively mix<br />
of rose gold, white<br />
gold, and the finest<br />
sapphires and<br />
diamonds, this feminine<br />
bangle inspired by<br />
incana flowers is<br />
skilfully crafted to hug<br />
the contours of the<br />
wrist.<br />
FLORAL FANTASy<br />
Elegant and graceful, nature’s most<br />
brilliant blooms receive a deserving tribute<br />
with intricate masterpieces showcasing the<br />
finest gemstones.<br />
Caratell Van Gogh<br />
Iris necklace<br />
Iris blossoms<br />
are exquisitely<br />
interpreted through<br />
this stunning piece<br />
featuring a jawdropping,<br />
intensely<br />
hued 13.73-carat,<br />
Gübelin-certified<br />
Afghan emerald,<br />
tsavorites, coloured<br />
sapphires and<br />
diamonds.<br />
epicureasia.com 41
epicure reviews<br />
Our team goes undercover to suss out the latest and most talked about restaurants in town.<br />
FOO’D by DaviDe<br />
OlDani<br />
#01-01 victoria Theatre & Concert<br />
Hall, 11 empress Place.<br />
Tel: 6385 5588<br />
Our expectations were high.<br />
After all, the menu was<br />
conceived by one Michelinstarred<br />
Italian chef Davide<br />
Oldani of restaurant D’O<br />
in Cornaredo. Add to that<br />
its address within the iconic<br />
Victoria Theatre & Concert<br />
Hall. Sadly, both our meals<br />
there were dismal.<br />
Our request for an<br />
additional bag stool was met<br />
with irritation and the look of<br />
annoyance on our waiter’s face<br />
was hard to ignore. There was<br />
nary a flicker of interest as he<br />
handed us the menu and stood<br />
by our table nonchalantly while<br />
we perused the offerings. Though his poor attitude left a bad<br />
taste in the mouth, the service team’s saving grace came in the<br />
form of the sommelier and the elderly Hainanese waiter (the<br />
owner’s uncle, we found out, and a Harbour Grill and Gordon<br />
Grill alum), who were attentive throughout.<br />
Food-wise, there weren’t many dishes that left a deep<br />
impression. Between the starters of iced lardo with honey<br />
and roasted polenta, and the baccala mantecato with ginger and<br />
crunchy bacon, the former was more enjoyable. Silky, unctuous<br />
slivers of lardo paired beautifully with the honey, while the salt<br />
cod cakes, though fresh, didn’t excite. The broth for the lobster<br />
soup with pisarei and roasted pineapple was intense and briny<br />
but could do without the tiny bread dumplings, which didn’t<br />
soak up the flavours of the broth. The highlight of our lunch<br />
(and an apt showcase of Oldani’s culinary wit) was the risotto:<br />
the surprise addition of blueberries, coffee and sesame seeds to<br />
the perfectly cooked carnaroli grains yielded a delightful contrast<br />
of textures and flavours, and the shaved bottarga lent the<br />
necessary umami.<br />
For dessert, we enjoyed the lemon curd with meringue,<br />
lettuce ice cream and cocoa crumble. The tang of the citrus curd<br />
and the judicious amount of meringue set against the pristine<br />
flavours of the lettuce ice cream and earthy nuances of the cocoa<br />
crumble yielded a more interesting dessert than the Zuccoto<br />
FOO’D – essentially caramel mousse with feuilletine.<br />
Of the dinner dishes, the caramelised onion with 20 months<br />
aged Grana Padano was the star. Layers of tender, sweet onions,<br />
first steamed then baked, sat atop crisp puff pastry but what<br />
elevated this dish was the addition of gelato and hot cream made<br />
with Grana Padano Riserva, which gave the humble onion ‘tart’<br />
Food: 5.5/10<br />
Service: 5/10<br />
ambience: 6/10<br />
average dinner<br />
bill for two, with<br />
drinks: $350<br />
Must-tries:<br />
caramelised onion,<br />
20 months aged<br />
Grana Padano; toasted<br />
seeds, coffee powder,<br />
blueberries, bottarga,<br />
year-old aged rice;<br />
Sardinian fregola,<br />
uni, mango, roasted<br />
cashews<br />
a lush creaminess.<br />
The evening’s risotto – with homemade sourdough<br />
breadcrumbs, peppercorn, Marsala and Umbrian truffle – paled<br />
in comparison to the lunch version. What fared better was the<br />
Sardinian fregola served with uni cream, diced mango and<br />
roasted cashews, an unlikely combination that worked. Forget<br />
the sea bass with lettuce velouté, vegetable and squid ink caviar,<br />
and the beef cheek with red wine reduction and trout pearls.<br />
Though tender, the beef was surprisingly bland and we didn’t<br />
get the idea behind the trout pearls, which were added “to lend<br />
a fresh element to the dish”. By then, we were hoping that the<br />
desserts could save our dinner. Unfortunately, they couldn’t.<br />
For now, the best bit about FOO’D is its confident wine<br />
menu, with a predominantly Italian list and all wines by the glass<br />
from The Boot. Josephine soh<br />
42 epicureasia.com
THiRTeen DUXTOn Hill<br />
13 Duxton Hill. Tel: 9054 1435<br />
With so much buzz surrounding Thirteen Duxton Hill, we had<br />
to check it out. The folks behind it are chef John-Paul Fiechtner<br />
and sommelier Sally Humble (both formerly from the lauded<br />
Lûmé restaurant in Melbourne), and their Singapore partner,<br />
Victoria Yoong. But instead of the experimental plates they doled<br />
out at Lûmé, Thirteen offers 13 unassuming and comforting<br />
dishes that change daily, depending on what Fiechtner and<br />
Humble are able to source from the local markets. Opt for the<br />
chef’s menu ($66) to sample a good range. And although their<br />
wine selection is limited, there are interesting wines by the glass<br />
such as Austrian Chardonnay ($13) and South African yellow<br />
wine ($24).<br />
Once home to Shen Tan’s Wok and Barrel, Thirteen’s<br />
conservation shophouse space has a breezy, welcoming interior<br />
of white walls, cushy fabric seats and wooden stools. Out front,<br />
there’s a ‘day bar’ that offers coffee and croissants from 8am.<br />
We began our meal with the cool crunch of apple and daikon<br />
shavings on a bed of burdock custard ($10). A smattering<br />
of finely chopped laksa leaves gave the dish just the punch it<br />
needed. Similarly, the umami notes of two-month-old<br />
fermented garlic – which had a consistency and colour<br />
similar to chawanmushi – and pork fat complemented<br />
the light-flavoured asparagus and pea purée ($18).<br />
And of course, we tried the much-talked-about<br />
corn with prawn head butter ($18). What impressed<br />
wasn’t so much the cornlettes, or the burnt cocoa<br />
powder that lent just a trace of smokiness, but<br />
the corn custard it sat on. Imbued with the briny<br />
richness of the hepatopancreas (those ruddy innards<br />
that ooze out of a prawn’s head), it was a buttery,<br />
Food: 8/10<br />
Service: 7/10<br />
ambience: 7.5/10<br />
average dinner<br />
bill for two, with<br />
drinks: $180<br />
Must-tries:<br />
corn with prawn head<br />
butter, whey-poached<br />
squid, and barramundi<br />
with orange curry<br />
mouthwatering emulsion that we couldn’t resist mopping up with<br />
the cornlettes and accompanying croissant (supplied by master<br />
baker Christophe Grilo).<br />
Poached in whey to introduce a subtle milkiness, the squid<br />
was an equally winning dish ($24). Crimson tomatoes and<br />
peppers cloaked each exquisitely soft and supple squid ring<br />
with a tangy sweetness, while laksa leaves again contributed an<br />
appetising fragrance.<br />
There’s not much to choose from for mains, but what<br />
we tasted, we liked. Fiechtner served his take on a Thai sour<br />
orange curry, which was doused over fork-tender barramundi<br />
and plump, firm-fleshed mussels, both harvested around Pulau<br />
Ubin ($38). A splash of lime juice pulled the dish together into<br />
saporous mouthfuls. The juicy beef striploin with anchovy butter<br />
was interestingly garnished with chopped raw broccoli and<br />
hazelnuts, and had a satisfying crunch ($38). What will send<br />
you over the edge and into a food coma is the dessert of whisky<br />
and dark chocolate ganache with caramelised white chocolate<br />
and white chocolate oil ($16).<br />
More casual, breakfast-style items are offered during<br />
Sunday brunch. The sweetness of dehydrated sesame meringue,<br />
white peaches, figs and assorted berries brightened<br />
a bowl of bircher muesli ($13). We also polished off<br />
the lusciously creamy scrambled eggs with braised<br />
onions and corn custard over fluffy brioche ($16).<br />
The occasional inconsistent pacing and slow<br />
service aside (faults that are readily forgiven<br />
because the restaurant runs on a three-man team),<br />
I love what Fiechtner and Humble are up to.<br />
Unpretentious and genuine, Thirteen Duxton Hill<br />
has brought a much-needed slice of Melbourne<br />
hospitality to Singapore. eUniCe LeW<br />
ThirTeen duxTon hill’S diSh PhoToS mariUs ionita<br />
epicureasia.com 43
SEEn AnD SAVOURED<br />
A gleaming affair<br />
Christofle unveiled new offerings to an exclusive guest list<br />
over Champagne and a four-course dinner.<br />
photos tey yong how<br />
44 epicureasia.com
Hilton Singapore Shopping Gallery is usually the spot<br />
where fashionistas indulge in luxury retail therapy.<br />
For one evening, the atrium was transformed to host<br />
an exclusive dinner for 34 guests, where Christofle and epicure<br />
partnered together to welcome guests the likes of Gopal K. Pillay,<br />
chairman of Go-Jets; Isabelle Miaja, founder of Miaja Design<br />
Group; and Dr Richard Helfer, chairman of One Farrer Group.<br />
Flutes of Billecart-Salmon from Sarment and exquisite<br />
Alaskan crab meat cone and Brie cheese millefeuille canapés<br />
marked the start of a relaxed evening. Christofle’s gleaming<br />
flatware were the highlights of the luxe table setting that had<br />
been laid out for the four-course dinner curated by Hilton Hotel<br />
Singapore’s executive chef Vijayakant Shanmugam. Guests<br />
tucked into delectable savouries like Marble Foie Gras Terrine,<br />
and Lobster Bisque with caviar and Parmesan lavosh, and sipped<br />
on top shelf wines such as Saint-Joseph Domaine Laurent<br />
Habrard and Pomerol Château La Rose Figeac.<br />
While the setting was formal, the atmosphere was hardly<br />
stuffy as epicure group publisher Ho Sum Kwong brightened<br />
the mood with his anecdotes and light banter. Together with<br />
Emmy Tellier, Christofle’s regional manager, Southeast Asia, they<br />
unveiled the limited edition sterling silver horse sculpture (only 20<br />
available worldwide) and the Christofle Mood egg in gold. Guests<br />
were also encouraged to choose a wine flacon at their table to try<br />
their hand at testing the tabletop D-Vine dispenser, which serves<br />
wine by the glass at optimal temperatures in less than a minute. e<br />
epicureasia.com 45
SEEn AnD SAVOURED<br />
Celebration 90<br />
Our exclusive peek at the after-party of the region’s most<br />
talked-about wine charity gala dinner and auction, held at<br />
the residence of wine connoisseurs and legendary hosts,<br />
Dr. N. K. Yong and Melina Yong.<br />
46 epicureasia.com
“I expect to pass through this world but once. Any<br />
good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness<br />
that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it<br />
now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not<br />
pass this way again.” – Stephen Grellet<br />
photos EddiE tEo<br />
These words ring true of the kind, generous hearts of Dr. N.K.<br />
Yong and Melina Yong, whose recent wine charity gala dinner,<br />
Celebration 90 (in celebration of Dr. Yong’s 90th birth year) held<br />
on 6 January, raised a record S$1.258 million for St. Andrew’s<br />
Autism Centre, Singapore’s first adult home for autism.<br />
More than 40 vintners from the world’s iconic wineries<br />
flew down specially for a weekend of world-class wine<br />
experiences: the Celebration 90 wine charity gala dinner and<br />
auction at Capella Singapore; an appreciation party held the<br />
next day at the sprawling Yong residence; and three wine<br />
masterclass sessions moderated by Masters of Wine Lisa<br />
Perrotti-Brown and Tan Ying Hsien. The auction, led by<br />
Robert Sleigh, head of wine of Sotheby’s Hong Kong, saw<br />
generous donations of limited edition wines direct from the<br />
wineries’ cellars and impressive bids at the auction, which<br />
included the 2010 Pingus, Ribera del Duero ($44,000, one<br />
jeroboam), 1998 Egon Müller Scharzhofberger Riesling<br />
Eiswein, Mosel (S$26,000, one magnum) and 2009 Château Le<br />
Pin, Pomerol (S$21,000, one magnum).<br />
Following the hugely successful charity dinner and auction,<br />
the Yongs opened up their home on Swettenham Road for an<br />
after-party, with street food stalls lined up along their driveway<br />
and an impressive wine station manned by local sommeliers,<br />
including Tye Yee Nen and Yeo Xi Yang.<br />
epicureasia.com 47
SEEn AnD SAVOURED<br />
The home party welcomed more than 100 guests including<br />
star chef Tetsuya Wakuda, and famous vintners Egon Müller IV,<br />
Pablo Alvarez, Miguel A. Torres, Veronique Sanders, Andrea<br />
Costanti and rock star winemaker Alvaro Palacios (also a talented<br />
singer, by the way). The evening’s gourmet spread featured<br />
Melina’s signature homemade mee goreng and kueh kuehs,<br />
and other delectables such as radish cake and xiao long bao<br />
(Paradise Group), roti prata and chicken rice (One Farrer Hotel),<br />
Vietnamese eats (Nam Nam) and our favourite for the night, an<br />
out-of-this-world Hainanese satay (which shall remain a foodie’s<br />
best-kept secret). We were also given a tour of Dr. Yong’s famous<br />
cellar – converted from his Olympic-sized swimming pool – which<br />
houses a massive collection of over 10,000 bottles.<br />
Yvonne Chiong Mougin of Opus One Winery, said, “Dr. Yong’s<br />
work of generosity has an impact on society and we are delighted<br />
to be part of it. I feel that the majority of guests who bid for the<br />
bottles did so not only because of the exceptional quality of the<br />
wines but because they truly wanted to help.” Many guests we<br />
spoke to echoed similar sentiments: that there’s plenty of heart in<br />
the world of good food and great wines, and that in itself is a cause<br />
for celebration.<br />
Dr. Yong was all smiles throughout the night. “I’m very happy<br />
with how it all turned out,” he said. e<br />
48 epicureasia.com
epicureasia.com 49
50 epicureasia.com<br />
the couple:<br />
christina Liangboguszewicz<br />
and<br />
marek boguszewicz
when<br />
opposites<br />
attract<br />
photos eddie teo styling and art direction jenn chew tableware@luzerneglobal<br />
what are the odds of marrying someone<br />
with a completely different palate? and how<br />
do such couples compromise when dining out?<br />
josephine soh finds out more.<br />
“Marrying someone who is your polar opposite can be a<br />
wild ride but if you know how to leverage on each other’s<br />
interests, strengths, weaknesses and skill sets, life can be<br />
even more colourful and beautiful,” says Dr. Christina Liang-<br />
Boguszewicz, 43, a Singaporean celebrity coach and founder<br />
of enhanced finishing school Le Bon Ton, and director of<br />
consulting and advisory firm CLB Group, whose portfolio<br />
of clients includes PasarBella and Malaysia’s Pavilion Group<br />
and Sunway Berhad. Her husband Marek Boguszewicz, 50,<br />
also known as The Jet, is a 1.92m tall British regional head<br />
at Unisys Corporation. Married for six years, they are as<br />
different as chalk and cheese: she’s a former model who loves<br />
fashion, gardening and being around family, while he’s an ex-<br />
Muay Thai champion who’s into scientific research, extremely<br />
health conscious and a fitness fanatic.<br />
how different are both of you in terms of<br />
food preferences?<br />
Marek: My diet now is almost 98 percent vegetarian. I stopped<br />
consuming red meat and chicken about two years ago. While<br />
I do eat small amounts of fish and seafood, my diet consists of<br />
mainly raw, organic and non-GMO foods. I try to stay away<br />
from white flour, processed sugars and dairy, and also food<br />
that contains additives and preservatives. There is cola and<br />
chocolate in the fridge, and I only touch them once a month.<br />
At work, all I have is one to two bananas a day, and I drink<br />
three litres of lemon water daily.<br />
Christina: I can’t do that. I love extremely spicy food and I eat<br />
meat.<br />
Marek: I can eat chilli but not as much as Chrissy. When we<br />
have mala hot pot where the pot is split into the red, spicy<br />
epicureasia.com 51
soup, and the white,<br />
non-spicy one, I’ll take<br />
just a dash of the red<br />
soup and mix it up<br />
with the white one,<br />
and my mouth goes<br />
on fire.<br />
you were in<br />
professional<br />
fighting for 17<br />
years. What was<br />
your diet like<br />
then and what<br />
sparked the<br />
change?<br />
Marek: My diet then<br />
was heavy on meat<br />
and we cared mainly<br />
about how many<br />
calories we consumed<br />
and not having a highfat<br />
diet. A couple of<br />
years ago, I’d read a<br />
very good book, The<br />
Blue Zones: Lessons for<br />
Living Longer, about<br />
people who are 105<br />
and 110 years old,<br />
walking 10km a day.<br />
None of them eat meat<br />
or dairy, and they live<br />
on vegetables and<br />
fruits. I don’t read just<br />
one or two write-ups<br />
on Facebook and<br />
say that I’m going to<br />
change my eating habits. I’d researched hundreds of articles<br />
on the topic before I decided to do so. I plan to go full vegan<br />
this year.<br />
do both of you cook or entertain often?<br />
Christina: I love entertaining and cooking for friends and<br />
family. We used to host close friends more often at our other<br />
home in Thomson, which has a bigger space but is currently<br />
undergoing renovation. For now, we mainly have smaller<br />
family gatherings here.<br />
Marek: Other than preparing my breakfast of vegan<br />
buckwheat pancakes with berries, raw cocoa, raw coconut<br />
and raw honey, I’m not allowed to cook in the kitchen.<br />
Christina: He tried to surprise me once by cooking curry and<br />
he almost burnt down the kitchen! I’ve since banned him<br />
from cooking at home except for his own breakfast.<br />
tell us more<br />
about your dishes,<br />
cupid's heart and<br />
purple arrows.<br />
Marek: These two dishes<br />
bring back good memories.<br />
Chrissy knows that I love<br />
beetroot and pumpkin<br />
and that they are healthy.<br />
Beetroot is also something<br />
that my late mother used<br />
to cook for me when I was<br />
a child, and Chrissy added<br />
her own creative touches<br />
to this dish.<br />
Christina: I spent most<br />
of my early adulthood<br />
in London and the U.S.<br />
and picked up Western<br />
cooking then. I’m also a<br />
big lover of lobsters and<br />
chilli padi, and created this<br />
recipe while I was abroad.<br />
with Marek being<br />
90 percent vegan,<br />
how do you both<br />
compromise when<br />
it comes to dining<br />
together?<br />
Christina: I believe he<br />
enjoys all of my cooking,<br />
including the superb<br />
spicy mala dishes, which<br />
wipes him out. Finding<br />
a restaurant for dinner<br />
dates isn’t an issue for us as there are always vegetable dishes<br />
whether it’s a Chinese, Japanese or Western restaurant.<br />
Moreover, both of us enjoy salads. It’s just that I enjoy spicy<br />
food and I take meat. When we eat out at hawker centres,<br />
I’ll have my laksa and char kway teow, and he’ll have his<br />
economical rice with stir-fried spinach and garlic.<br />
Marek: While I try to stay away from hawker fare and meat,<br />
I do eat a little. I enjoy Indian vegetable curries and vegetable<br />
bhaji.<br />
what do you love about each other?<br />
Christina: He is a good man with a big heart, and we share and<br />
treasure family values and culture. He may not be my dream<br />
Prince Charming but a dark horse will be just fine.<br />
Marek: Chrissy is unlike other women I’ve met. She is smart,<br />
strong, witty, beautiful, a fashionista, has a big heart and is a<br />
firm believer of having good family values.
purpLe arroWs<br />
Serves 1<br />
Prep time 10 minutes<br />
cook time 10 minutes<br />
50g pumpkin, diced<br />
1 tbsp olive oil<br />
dash of garlic salt<br />
1 tbsp Japanese sesame dressing<br />
1 tsp lemon juice<br />
100g fresh organic baby spinach<br />
2 small, fresh beetroots, diced<br />
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced<br />
handful of pine nuts<br />
fresh rosemary, to garnish<br />
• lightly grill or pan-fry pumpkin for 8 to 10 minutes<br />
with olive oil and a dash of garlic salt.<br />
• Mix olive oil, sesame dressing, lemon juice and dash<br />
of garlic salt into a bowl. stir lightly.<br />
• place spinach into a salad bowl, followed by beetroot,<br />
pumpkin and onion.<br />
• pour the mixed dressing onto the salad, and sprinkle<br />
with pine nuts and some fresh rosemary.<br />
cupid's heart<br />
Serves 1<br />
Prep time 15 minutes<br />
cook time 20 minutes<br />
50g dried angel hair pasta<br />
1 tbsp olive oil<br />
5 fresh shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced<br />
1 tsp garlic<br />
1 tbsp miso paste<br />
2 lobster tails, cut into half<br />
flesh from 1 lobster<br />
4 fresh chilli padi<br />
1 tbsp pesto<br />
fresh rosemary, to garnish<br />
• place angel hair pasta into boiling water<br />
mixed with olive oil to cook for about 3<br />
minutes or until al dente.<br />
• stir-fry shiitake mushrooms and garlic<br />
with olive oil and miso paste.<br />
• when the paste comes to a boil, place<br />
lobster tail and lobster meat into the pan<br />
and cook for 10 minutes. once the lobster<br />
is cooked, remove from heat.<br />
• place the cooked angel hair pasta with<br />
chilli padi into the same frying pan, add<br />
pesto and lightly stir-fry for 1 minute.<br />
• dish out the angel hair pasta and place<br />
onto a serving plate. place lobster onto the<br />
pasta and pour some of the sauce over it.<br />
sprinkle with rosemary.<br />
epicureasia.com 53
the couple:<br />
amy lam and<br />
marcus lim<br />
Marcus Lim, 38, general manager of leading regional tyre<br />
distributor, Binter & Co, and co-founder of tyrepac.com, met his<br />
wife Amy Lam, 38, vice president, legal counsel at J.P. Morgan<br />
when they were both studying at the University of Southern<br />
California. “We were in the same Organisational Behavior<br />
module. A month into the class, I finally picked up the courage to<br />
ask Amy out. Obviously, that was my worse academic module in<br />
my university life as I was very much focused on my own ‘human<br />
resource’ development that semester,” shares Marcus. They have<br />
been married for 11 years and have three lovely kids.<br />
how do your food preferences differ?<br />
Amy: I love seafood, especially shellfish. Having grown up<br />
in L.A, which has a very rich Hispanic heritage, I also enjoy<br />
Mexican food. My other love is mango, especially harum<br />
manis, which is really succulent and extremely nectarous.<br />
Unfortunately, Marcus is allergic to shellfish and mango, and<br />
isn’t fond of Mexican food.<br />
Marcus: I like Chinese cuisine but am not a fan of Mexican<br />
food, which Amy loves. Many classic Mexican dishes contain<br />
black beans, which I don’t fancy eating. Also, the portions of<br />
Mexican food back in California are really huge, and I was just<br />
overwhelmed from the start. Until today, I still can’t eat a whole<br />
quesadilla. I guess to Amy, eating a quesadilla is like eating<br />
popiah – it’s her version of a tasty quick bite.<br />
marcus, you cooked during your dating days.<br />
which dishes won amy over?<br />
Marcus: I wasn’t exactly very competent in the kitchen during<br />
my early college days, so I had to stick to elementary western<br />
54 epicureasia.com
dishes. The first meal I cooked for Amy was actually pretty<br />
disgusting – spaghetti with Spam. It was all I had in our little<br />
studio kitchen in downtown L.A. Looking back, I recalled<br />
Amy eating most of it, so I’d like to think that it left a lasting<br />
impression on her.<br />
there was a story about how marcus ended up<br />
in hospital after dinner one night. tell us<br />
more.<br />
Amy: It was early in our dating days. He had hurt himself at<br />
the gym and I was not aware of all his allergies, so I cooked<br />
him a stew to make him feel better and I must have added some<br />
seafood stock. On top of that, I gave him some painkillers for his<br />
injury, and those also contained medical ingredients that he was<br />
allergic to. I believe the combination of the two ‘toxic’ elements<br />
took him over the top. Fortunately, he was staying close to<br />
the famous Cedars-Sinai Hospital in L.A. In fact, his ER days<br />
happened twice in our dating life, but the other incident is a story<br />
for another time.<br />
as busy working professionals and parents<br />
to three kids, do you cook or entertain at<br />
home?<br />
Amy: We don’t cook that often due to our hectic schedules.<br />
However, when we do, Marcus usually fires up the grill. I guess<br />
that comes from all the time spent in the U.S., especially during<br />
the few years we were working in Las Vegas, which has plenty of<br />
BBQ joints. He is actually pretty good with his steaks and does a<br />
mean rack of lamb.<br />
how do both of you compromise when it<br />
comes to picking what or where to eat?<br />
Amy: Both of us (and even our kids) have our own cravings at<br />
times, so we just take turns when it comes to our dining choices,<br />
although Marcus’s hot pot cravings seem to be occurring more<br />
often nowadays. For us, what’s more important is that we dine<br />
together as a family.<br />
Marcus: That is why we like Hai Di Lao. The hot pot has<br />
different compartments that allow us to customise the meal to<br />
our preference. But overall, we are so used to each other’s eating<br />
habits and most of the time, out of practically, we steer clear of<br />
shellfish dishes. I guess being married for over 10 years does<br />
translate into some sort of telepathic understanding. Just by her<br />
mood or her intrinsic body language, I know when she needs her<br />
seafood and I make sure she gets it.<br />
what do these two dishes mean to you?<br />
Marcus: The Heng Hwa mee sua was an acquired taste for Amy<br />
when she first tried it, but now, she loves it. Being a Heng Hwa,<br />
the dish represents soul food for me. The recipe has been passed<br />
down for generations and is a very strong part of my family’s<br />
identity. We have this dish on special occasions and during<br />
Chinese New Year. To outsiders, it might appear very dull, but<br />
as you dive deeper, you will realise that the unique combination<br />
of crunchy and savoury items, and the springy texture of the<br />
noodles give every bite a different taste sensation. In many<br />
ways, the dish itself anchors as a canvas for my family’s value<br />
system where we are all encouraged to explore our own diverse<br />
paths in life (the ingredients), united by a bond and foundation<br />
of humility and resolve (the mee sua). My grandfather passed<br />
away recently, and every time I have this dish, there is a flood<br />
of wonderful memories of my youth that come rushing back.<br />
That, to me, is the best part of the dish – the memories.<br />
Amy: I grew up in California but was born in Ho Chi Minh<br />
during the Vietnam War. As my dad had fought with the<br />
Americans, we had to flee the country after the war ended.<br />
Times were tough back then. We were ‘boat people’ and ended<br />
up in a refugee camp in East Malaysia for a few years. We were<br />
fortunate enough to be granted a visa to the U.S. when I was<br />
five. During my early years in California, my family hardly ate<br />
out due to the cost. So on special occasions, my mum would<br />
whip up some homemade dishes and bún riêu was one of those.<br />
Crab was a luxury back then, and I still remember the smell<br />
of the fresh blue swimmer crabs that my mum would add to<br />
the stock. The sweetness of the crab meat combined with the<br />
sourness of the tomato paste and the taste of the nuoc mam is<br />
a reminder of how far my family has come since the war. My<br />
parents did their very best for me and my siblings, and even<br />
though we were poor in our early years, we were happy. I am<br />
truly grateful for all that we have been blessed with.<br />
amy, what's your favourite mexican or<br />
vietnamese eatery in singapore?<br />
Amy: My favourite Mexican eatery is Guzman y Gomez. I<br />
usually head down to their outlet at Chevron House and grab a<br />
few soft, spicy grilled chicken tacos for a quick workday lunch.<br />
As for Vietnamese food, I don’t have a particular favourite spot<br />
here. My mum flies in from L.A. during summer, and I will get<br />
my fill of all my favourite authentic Vietnamese dishes then. In<br />
fact, I think Marcus gets to eat more authentic Vietnamese grub<br />
than I do as his business has a presence in Ho Chi Minh and<br />
Hanoi, and he travels there pretty often.<br />
what are your favourite restaurants for<br />
dinner dates?<br />
Marcus and Amy: For a night out, our go-to cuisine is<br />
Japanese omakase. Omakase suits our needs as we can<br />
customise the dishes and portions to our liking (Amy loves uni<br />
and amaebi, which are a big no-no for me as they are shellfishrelated).<br />
However, we share a common love for otoro. Our<br />
usual omakase haunts are Sushi Matsuo at Goldhill Square,<br />
Sushi Jin at Farrer Road and Maguro Donya at Suntec City.<br />
For Chinese cuisine, we usually end up at Peach Garden@<br />
OCBC Centre. We have been going there since the group first<br />
started and we like the wide variety and consistency of the<br />
dishes.<br />
epicureasia.com 55
heng hWa Mee sua<br />
Serves 10<br />
Prep time 2 hours<br />
cook time 4 hours<br />
mee sua<br />
8 bulbs of garlic, chopped<br />
300g shallots, sliced<br />
2-3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to make garlic and<br />
shallot oils<br />
water<br />
900g heng hwa mee sua (pre-dried under the<br />
sun for 2 days)<br />
• Fry garlic and shallots in hot oil separately<br />
to make garlic and shallot oils.<br />
• Fill a big pot ¾ full with water and bring to a<br />
boil. add 2 to 3 tbsp of olive oil.<br />
• put in pre-dried heng hwa mee sua. stir<br />
the mee sua lightly to loosen. when mee<br />
sua floats up, test the centre of the mee sua<br />
strands to check if they are cooked through.<br />
once cooked, remove mee sua from water.<br />
stir in garlic and shallot oils until the mee sua<br />
smells fragrant.<br />
stock<br />
4 large pork bones<br />
1 whole kampung chicken<br />
2 stalks of leeks, sliced<br />
4 stalks of celery, sliced<br />
2 carrots, sliced<br />
3 red onions, sliced<br />
water, sufficient to fill a large stock pot<br />
• boil all ingredients in a stock pot for<br />
3 hours.<br />
• reserve chicken meat and stock for<br />
later use.<br />
meat stew<br />
oil, for frying<br />
1 bulb garlic, chopped<br />
5 shallots<br />
20 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked<br />
and julienned<br />
2 big cans of button mushrooms, sliced<br />
100g dried lily bulbs, soaked and knotted<br />
500g pork fillet, cut into strips<br />
reserved chicken meat, sliced<br />
soup stock<br />
light soy sauce, to taste<br />
salt, to taste<br />
pepper, to taste<br />
• add oil into a heated pan and fry garlic until<br />
fragrant. add mushrooms and lily bulbs, and<br />
stir-fry until mushrooms start to release their<br />
moisture.<br />
• add sliced pork and reserved chicken meat,<br />
and fry to brown the meat.<br />
• add stock and bring to a boil, then let it stew<br />
at medium heat until meat is cooked.<br />
assorted vegetables<br />
300g snow peas<br />
1 bulb garlic, chopped<br />
oil, for frying<br />
salt, to taste<br />
300g chye sim, blanched<br />
shallot oil, to toss<br />
400g tianjin cabbage<br />
• stir-fry snow peas with some garlic.<br />
season to taste with salt.<br />
• blanch chye sim and toss with shallot<br />
oil.<br />
• stir-fry tianjin cabbage with remaining<br />
garlic. season to taste with salt.<br />
condiments<br />
abalone, cut into strips<br />
deep-fried seaweed shreds<br />
deep-fried peanuts<br />
sambal belachan<br />
fried shallots<br />
garlic crisps<br />
• to serve, top the mee sua with the<br />
assorted vegetables, some meat stew,<br />
abalone, deep-fried seaweed, peanuts<br />
and sambal belachan. sprinkle with fried<br />
shallots and garlic crisps.<br />
56 epicureasia.com
BÚn riÊu cua<br />
Serves 4-6<br />
Prep time 30 minutes<br />
cook time 1 hour<br />
2 onions<br />
10 tomatoes, cut into wedges<br />
olive oil, for frying<br />
5 cups chicken stock<br />
3 cups water<br />
3 eggs<br />
500-750g fresh crabmeat<br />
1 small can tomato paste<br />
½ tbsp shrimp paste<br />
fish sauce, to taste<br />
sugar, to taste<br />
salt, to taste<br />
pepper, to taste<br />
750g prawns, shell on<br />
500g surimi sticks<br />
500g fresh thick beehoon,<br />
blanched<br />
garnish<br />
lettuce, sliced<br />
mint leaves<br />
bean sprouts<br />
• cook onions and tomatoes with<br />
a little olive oil until they soften.<br />
add chicken stock and water, and<br />
bring to a boil. simmer for 30<br />
minutes.<br />
• beat eggs in a bowl and mix in<br />
fresh crabmeat. pour this mixture<br />
slowly over the boiling soup.<br />
• add tomato paste and shrimp<br />
paste, and season to taste with<br />
fish sauce, sugar, salt and pepper.<br />
• add prawns and surimi sticks<br />
into the soup mixture and cook<br />
briefly until prawns turn colour.<br />
• assemble beehoon in a bowl<br />
and ladle soup over.<br />
• garnish with lettuce, mint<br />
leaves and bean sprouts as<br />
desired. e<br />
epicureasia.com 57
Top Toque<br />
Baking star<br />
How the tables have turned. Rejected by TV networks for his<br />
baking show pitches in the early 2000s, Eric Lanlard is now<br />
an award-winning pâtissier and seasoned presenter with four<br />
popular series to his name. By Eunice Lew<br />
Known for his<br />
scrumptious<br />
pastries<br />
and stunning bespoke<br />
confections, French master<br />
pâtissier Eric Lanlard was<br />
in town recently to host a<br />
special series of afternoon<br />
tea at The St. Regis<br />
Singapore’s Brasserie Les<br />
Saveurs. Based in London,<br />
Lanlard doles out Frenchstyle<br />
afternoon tea at Cake<br />
Boy, his cake emporium<br />
and café on London’s<br />
southwest river bank that<br />
also doubles as a cookery<br />
school. “No scones – more<br />
petit fours, croissants,<br />
savouries and lots of<br />
Champagne!” he laughs.<br />
Although the 49-yearold<br />
confesses that he<br />
doesn’t have a sweet tooth,<br />
his finesse in baking is<br />
undeniable. Growing<br />
up in Brittany, he would<br />
press his nose against the<br />
glass displays of Le Grand<br />
Pâtisserie, enthralled by<br />
the wonderland of intricate<br />
confections. At 10, he<br />
dragged his mother to the<br />
pâtisserie and declared<br />
Cocoa and<br />
raspberry scones<br />
that he wanted to apprentice there. Told to return in eight years,<br />
Lanlard dutifully did and began his career in pastry. Thereafter,<br />
he became an apprentice chocolatier at Arens-Scheer in<br />
Luxembourg, and spent five years honing his craft under the<br />
illustrious Michel and Albert Roux as their head pastry chef<br />
when he was 22.<br />
A seasoned television personality, Lanlard is also author<br />
of eight cookbooks, a two-time winner of the British Baking<br />
Awards and a regular contributor and guest on popular shows<br />
including The Great British<br />
Bake Off and MasterChef:<br />
The Professionals. While<br />
he can’t be solely credited<br />
for Britain’s ongoing<br />
obsession with baking, he<br />
was one of the movers and<br />
shakers of the revolution.<br />
“During the early 2000s,<br />
TV audiences weren’t<br />
as obsessed with baking<br />
as they regarded the<br />
techniques, ingredients<br />
and equipment as too<br />
complicated.” His<br />
and fellow baker Paul<br />
Hollywood’s pitches<br />
to television networks<br />
to introduce a baking<br />
show were turned down<br />
unceremoniously. Not<br />
one to give up, he opened<br />
Cake Boy in 2005 “to<br />
show people that baking<br />
isn’t all that intimidating”.<br />
He adds, “I was originally<br />
doing wholesale,<br />
supplying to hotels,<br />
restaurants and food halls<br />
in luxury department<br />
stores such as Fortnum<br />
& Mason and Harvey<br />
Nichols, but I decided to<br />
open Cake Boy so that I<br />
wouldn’t be restricted on my creations.”<br />
In 2008, when he was already a guest chef on television<br />
shows, and well-received for his charm and enthusiasm,<br />
he was approached by a production company to helm his<br />
own programme, Glamour Puds, which went on to become<br />
a national hit. His other claims to fame are the spectacular<br />
bespoke creations (such as a hat-shaped cake complete with<br />
tiara-wearing corgis for the Queen Mother’s birthday) that he<br />
fashions for royalty and celebrities.<br />
58 epicureasia.com
Fruit tartlets<br />
60 epicureasia.com
Porcini and Brie<br />
choux<br />
asked our diners to close their eyes, enjoy the aromas<br />
and figure out what it was. One gentleman started<br />
licking the air, which was very amusing.<br />
What kind of pastries did you grow up with in<br />
Brittany?<br />
Back then, Brittany was a more rural and agricultural<br />
area, so our pastries were very rustic, nothing flashy.<br />
The region is well-known for its butter and cream. One<br />
difference between baking in Brittany and the rest of<br />
France is that we use slightly salted butter on a daily<br />
basis, which gives our pastries a distinct character. So<br />
when salted caramel became a fad, I was so perplexed as<br />
to why it was considered a novelty.<br />
How did your mother influence you to be a baker?<br />
My mother is an Anglophile through and through.<br />
When I was young, she would subscribe to posh British<br />
magazines such as House & Garden and Country Life, and<br />
I’d try to make the recipes in them. There’s not much to<br />
do in Brittany, so we stayed home a lot. My mother loved<br />
entertaining, from setting up a beautiful table to hosting<br />
afternoon teas. When we visited the U.K. one summer, she<br />
bought a full tea set, complete with a teapot burner, and would<br />
reproduce the British afternoon tea experience. Now I look at<br />
myself and think, oh my god, I’m exactly like my mother. When<br />
I cook at home, I always over-cater and make sure everyone<br />
goes home full and is well taken care of. I’m my mother’s son.<br />
My first attempt at baking was a disaster though. I tried to<br />
make chocolate éclairs when I was seven, but it ended looking<br />
more like skinny pancakes with melted chocolate over the top.<br />
But my parents were very positive about it.<br />
What’s unique about the experience at Cake Boy café?<br />
We spray Earl Grey edible perfume to stimulate diners’ senses<br />
– it does put you in the right mood as people associate the<br />
fragrance with the experience. The first time we did this, we<br />
Passion fruit<br />
cake<br />
If you could personally host four people (past and<br />
present) for afternoon tea at home, who would you<br />
invite?<br />
People expect complicated sugar work on my cakes<br />
when they visit my house, but I always give them<br />
something comforting, rustic and simple like pear<br />
tarte tatin with crème fraîche on the side. My guests<br />
always ask for it again.<br />
It’s great to have someone who sings at parties,<br />
so I’d invite Luciano Pavarotti. I’d also love to have<br />
Catherine Deneuve as company, because she is a true<br />
French icon. And Queen Elizabeth II – I heard that<br />
she has a great sense of humour and amazing stories.<br />
And Marco Pierre White because he gets on so well<br />
with the Queen.<br />
What’s next for Eric<br />
Lanlard?<br />
At the moment we’re focusing<br />
on my YouTube channel – it’s<br />
a great medium to be closer<br />
to my fans and to share my<br />
knowledge. We have almost<br />
35,000 organic subscribers.<br />
I’m also open to publishing<br />
more books. In the U.K.,<br />
people still want hardcopy<br />
books; Kindle sales have<br />
fallen. It’s almost fashionable<br />
to be seen with hardcopies.<br />
Most people also prefer them<br />
because you can easily tag<br />
pages. I once met a lady who<br />
always bought two of each<br />
cookbook – one to be kept pristine for the shelf, and the other<br />
for the kitchen. I love it when fans present their sticky or flourdusted<br />
books to me to sign, because then you know they have<br />
really tried the recipes.<br />
I dream of producing a pastry and travel programme in<br />
which I travel to lesser-known pockets of France and share<br />
about regional specialities, because everyone’s already familiar<br />
with classic and mainstream French pastries. For example, in<br />
the Pyrenees, they make a wedding cake called gâteau à la broche<br />
that’s cooked over a spit fire. The flames mould it into its unique<br />
knobbly funnel shape. In Brittany, you’ll find the tarte Breton that<br />
uses so much butter in its recipe that it oozes out of the pastry.<br />
And of course, the kouign-amann I grew up with is so popular<br />
now – it’d be great to share the history behind it. The trickiest<br />
part is convincing a television channel to pick up on the idea. e<br />
epicureasia.com 61
vine expectations<br />
Like fine<br />
China (wine)<br />
Maxence Dulou of Ao Yun is making wine<br />
above the clouds in Shangri-la, one of the<br />
globe's highest wine regions. June Lee gets up<br />
close with the singular red that wants to be not<br />
just the best from China, but in the world.<br />
I<br />
first met Maxence Dulou at Vinexpo in Hong Kong<br />
and not in Shangri-la where he’s been based since 2013.<br />
Shangri-la is located in northwestern Yunnan province,<br />
where the populace is mainly ethnic Tibetan and time seems<br />
to have stood still since the early 1900s. In this rugged, remote<br />
and literally breathtaking corner of the world, Dulou tends to<br />
Moët Hennessy’s Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon<br />
vines on the rooftop of the world. The wine takes the poetic<br />
name of Ao Yun, which means ‘roaming above the clouds’, and<br />
the vineyards are indeed located at 2,200 to 2,600 metres above<br />
sea level, where dense, cottony cumulous-like clouds bring relief<br />
from the blazing sun.<br />
FINDING TERRoIR<br />
The great red wines of the world are synonymous with their<br />
terroir: Bordeaux, Burgundy, Tuscany, Napa, Mendoza, Rioja,<br />
McLaren Vale. Since the 1990s, the race has been on to identify<br />
and make a true luxury claret in the New World continent of<br />
China. Moët Hennessy’s chief executive officer Christopher<br />
Navarre took up the challenge in 2009 when he put together a<br />
team to scout for the ideal terroir for an iconic red wine. Several<br />
regions were dismissed: Ningxia, where Moët Hennessy built<br />
its first winery for Chandon sparkling wine in 2013; Shandong,<br />
where it rains too heavily in the ripening season; and Hebei,<br />
where access to water is difficult and wines have to be buried in<br />
the cold winters.<br />
The unlikely yet clear choice emerged after three years of<br />
searching: Shangri-la. They also found the ideal winemaker<br />
and estate manager to head the project. Dulou came from St.<br />
Emilion Grand Cru Classé Chateaux Quinault L’Enclos, but also<br />
had experience making wine across four continents. For him, Ao<br />
Yun is a “winemaker’s dream – to be involved in the discovery of<br />
new terroir and daily creativity in order to adapt to it.”<br />
Shangri-la came with a local secret – someone had planted<br />
Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc in 2000, so Moët<br />
Hennesy could begin making wine immediately from mature<br />
vineyards. The company leased 500 hectares for 50 years, and<br />
undertook further soil and climate studies for three years before<br />
planting new vines in 2015. Dulou explains, “There is no limit to<br />
our creativity because we do everything by hand and we need<br />
62 epicureasia.com
to learn as we go each day. The farmers who have been here for<br />
centuries understand agronomy, so in the vineyards we can adapt<br />
in real time with specific weeding, leaf plucking, secondary shoot<br />
plucking and topping tasks.”<br />
ovERcomING ThE uNExpEcTED<br />
The main challenges continue to be communication and logistics.<br />
The vineyards are located in the four<br />
villages of Adong – where the winery is<br />
built, Shuori, Sinong and Xidang, all a<br />
four- to five-hour drive from town. “Our<br />
local farmers, around 200 of them, speak<br />
Tibetan and a little Chinese. To function<br />
and operate here, we need a team that<br />
speaks Tibetan, Chinese and English,” says<br />
Dulou.<br />
Complicated logistical problems with<br />
machinery, dry goods, maintenance and<br />
repair are everyday occurrences for Dulou.<br />
In winter, snow can cut off access to the<br />
roads for weeks. The winery in Adong has<br />
frequent electricity shortages, resulting in<br />
the 2013 vintage being de-stemmed<br />
by hand.<br />
Also for the first vintage, the<br />
fermentation vats didn’t arrive in time –<br />
the truck driver had been in an accident<br />
and the vehicle and its contents had been<br />
impounded. So, Dulou improvised, and<br />
found another workable adaptation. “We<br />
do the malolactic fermentation in Chinese<br />
baijiu jars to have some micro oxygenation of our wine during<br />
this stage. We used these jars at first because we did not want to<br />
put our first wine in 100 percent new oak and we did not want to<br />
contaminate our wine with microorganisms from outside of our<br />
terroir. So, we created a specific floating roof to avoid too much<br />
oxygen dissolution in our wine and the result was very good in<br />
terms of fruit and tannin softening process,” he elaborates.<br />
UV rays here are powerful and<br />
unprecedented, and the air has 30<br />
Ao Yun 2013<br />
percent less oyxgen. So the company<br />
Grape variety: 90% Cabernet is blazing the trail as they go, trying<br />
Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc to answer questions such as the<br />
Taste: The terroir has created weather’s effect on yeast, evaporation<br />
an atypical Cabernet Sauvignon and aging in barrel, and seeing<br />
blend, one with ripe fruit how long the grapes can be left on<br />
softness and a silky texture that the vines (the answer: 160 days as<br />
belies the 15% alcohol content. opposed to the usual 100 to 120 days<br />
The nose is sumptuous with elsewhere).<br />
lively aromas of currants and Dulou, who now lives in Adong<br />
a tinge of olives, while deep with his Chilean wife Carla and two<br />
tannins will potentially see it children, can’t imagine leaving his<br />
age well. Minerals, spices and a Shangri-la paradise anytime soon.<br />
hint of umami make this a very “Here, we returned to the olden<br />
hard wine to place, as it should ways of winemaking but armed with<br />
be from such a new terroir. modern knowledge and precision,”<br />
Singapore allocation: 400 he muses. “For instance, we use the<br />
bottles. Price upon application. most scientific technologies (such<br />
Available from Moët Hennessy as pressure chamber measurement<br />
private sales.<br />
to manage hydric constraint) and<br />
modern technologies (drone imagery<br />
with different types of cameras to<br />
better understand our vineyard<br />
soil) to try our best to attain perfection. The objective is to best<br />
optimise our processes, and even after 10 years, the results will<br />
remain very interesting. Everyday, I ride up the mountains on<br />
my dirt bike, and enjoy the view of the Meili Sacred Mountain<br />
above the clouds. I would like to be a part of this adventure for<br />
as long as possible.”<br />
A TAsTING IN sINGApoRE<br />
Jean-Guillaume Prats, president of Estates and Wines, Moët<br />
Hennesy Wine Division, has been actively involved in Ao Yun<br />
from the start, chalking up 14 exhausting trips to Shangri-la to<br />
date. In January, he visited Singapore to officially launch Ao<br />
Yun – which was served up alongside Dom Pérignon 2006 and<br />
Château D’Yquem 2006, underscoring the label’s prestige. “We<br />
launched Ao Yun in the export market, with only 15 percent of<br />
the 24,000 bottles allocated for China, to emphasise its status as<br />
a wine on the world stage,” he says. He alludes to the company’s<br />
pioneering stance, entering Argentina in the 1950s and investing<br />
in Napa in the 1970s. “To have the will to take this substantial<br />
financial risk is in our DNA. The mandate for Moët Hennessy is<br />
not just luxury, but innovation and creativity.” e<br />
epicureasia.com 63
aising the bar<br />
How did you get started in wine?<br />
I studied engineering at National University of Singapore but<br />
didn’t want to pursue it as a career after graduation. At the<br />
time, Marina Bay Sands was opening. As I love food, I applied<br />
and was accepted for the pre-opening team at db Bistro. I<br />
started out as a glass polisher, and as I became more exposed to<br />
wine, I realised that I enjoyed it and was given the opportunity<br />
to train further as a sommelier.<br />
What’s the most difficult part of being a sommelier?<br />
Pronunciation of difficult names at first, and then learning<br />
more about grapes, regions and winemaking. But I told myself<br />
if I could memorise my engineering texts, I could do the same<br />
for wines. To further my training, I enrolled for various wine<br />
courses. Hospitality is an art, and I’m still enjoying it despite<br />
the long hours and hard work.<br />
How difficult was the Sopexa Best Sommelier challenge?<br />
Although I worked in Singapore since the beginning, I<br />
represented Malaysia for this competition as I started out<br />
taking part in the national competitions there. The regional<br />
level was intimidating, especially with the judges who were<br />
present. I knew the Singapore team was very strong – Yeo Xi<br />
Yang from Les Amis, and Vincent Tan from Odette.<br />
The practical comprised six or seven tasks, while there<br />
were two theory papers. I prepared by doing blind tastings and<br />
reading books on French wines, and<br />
talking to people who had competed<br />
before. I was surprised to find myself in<br />
the top three, and that’s when I knew<br />
I had a chance to win. I strove to be<br />
natural in front of the judges, and kept<br />
a tight watch on the clock. What really<br />
threw me off was the blind test of four<br />
French spirits – I just couldn’t place the<br />
Mirabelle plum liqueur.<br />
How do you help customers to enjoy<br />
wine?<br />
People tend to treat wine like a<br />
foreign object. I tell them not to get<br />
too technical, and remember to find<br />
enjoyment in it. When Bread Street<br />
Kitchen opened, I moved over as<br />
sommelier. We now have 180 labels in<br />
the restaurant, of which 24 are by the<br />
glass. I like to introduce fresh finds<br />
to my guests, such as a Slovenian<br />
Sauvignon Blanc that has good acidity<br />
and goes well with local dishes. We also<br />
have wines from Uruguay and Georgia.<br />
Best in show<br />
Rising from glass polisher to certified specialist of<br />
wine, and now the winner of Asian Best Sommelier in<br />
French Wines at the Grand Asia Final 2016 in Ho Chi<br />
Minh City, Britt Ng has come a long way.<br />
You’ll be heading for a wine study<br />
tour in Bordeaux as part of your<br />
prize. Which French wines excite<br />
you?<br />
I believe that people move through<br />
different stages in their wine<br />
appreciation, and right now, I really<br />
enjoy the freshness and different styles<br />
of Champagne. Previously, I was<br />
into wines from the Loire Valley and<br />
Burgundy. For my first wine trip, I’m<br />
looking forward to meeting the teams<br />
that make the wine and have been<br />
brushing up on my beginner’s French.<br />
64 epicureasia.com
Sip ANd Study<br />
The Belljar is where co-owner Andrew<br />
Pang hopes to share and advance<br />
his passion for whisky, specifically<br />
in showcasing food together with<br />
the brown spirit. The three-storey<br />
shophouse contains a restaurant on<br />
the ground floor, a whisky lounge and<br />
cocktail bar on the second, and an<br />
atelier for workshops and tastings on<br />
the third. Their Whisky x Chocolate<br />
Pairing sessions ($58) with four<br />
whiskies and handmade chocolate<br />
truffles have been sold out affairs, and<br />
they also have whisky flights to explore<br />
Japanese and Scotch tipples such<br />
as Ichiro’s Malt and Aberlour. The<br />
food menu comprises Asian-accented<br />
creations such as the Har Cheong Siew<br />
Yoke ($15, roast pork belly with prawn<br />
paste) – try it with Glenfiddich 15 Year<br />
Old, and Gochujang Pasta ($16).<br />
18 North Canal Road. Tel: 8182 2858<br />
Integrating whisky and food is also one of the highlights of newly opened<br />
The Wall, a convivial whisky and sumiyaki bar located in a two-storey<br />
conservation shophouse. Eschewing the usual country club look of<br />
whisky bars, the heavily bricked space comprises a 10-seater bar on the<br />
ground floor and two lounges on the upper floor. Purists may opt for the<br />
20 whiskies by the glass (from $14) or the whisky flights (from $37), but<br />
it’s the whisky and charcoal grilled skewers pairing (from $49) and chef’s<br />
omakase with whisky ($168) that meld the experience. Whisky typically<br />
finds favour with full-flavoured dishes, so don’t miss Ebi Shiso (grilled<br />
live prawn), Tsukune (fresh minced chicken with cartilage and yuzu peel),<br />
and Miso Nasu (grilled eggplant with miso and butter). Some of their<br />
rare liquid finds include The Macallan 1948 Select Reserve 51 years and<br />
Bowmore 1969 – 40 Years Cask 2161. 76 Tanjong Pagar. Tel: 6225 7988<br />
ONe tO WAtCH<br />
Young and talented bar manager Joseba Madina is<br />
shaking up some unusual cocktails at Italian rooftop<br />
bar Braci, part of the Il Lido Group. The G & Tea<br />
($25) for instance, comprises three gins – Marconi,<br />
Bombay Sapphire and Monkey 47, bringing the<br />
botanical count over 60 – served with Erasmus<br />
Bond Dry Tonic and lemon ginger tea. His bold<br />
approach consistently pays off, and Negroni fans<br />
should not miss the Sbagliatissimo ($18), prepared<br />
using Bombay Sapphire, Cynar and Montenegro<br />
with homemade clove bitters. Finish with a Tiramisu<br />
($21) that gets its nuttiness from Frangelico.<br />
52 Boat Quay. Tel: 6866 1933<br />
epicureasia.com 65
cellar choice<br />
This month of romance, the<br />
message is in the bottle —<br />
Gewürztraminer charms with notes<br />
of roses and a palate that ranges<br />
from medium dry to sweet.<br />
To drink<br />
now<br />
The key to<br />
Alsace’s most<br />
characteristic<br />
grape,<br />
Gewürztraminer,<br />
is terroir, and the<br />
prized Kitterlé<br />
grand cru dates<br />
to Roman times<br />
and subsequently<br />
the Schlumberger<br />
family for six<br />
generations.<br />
Domaines<br />
Schlumberger<br />
Gewürztraminer<br />
Grand Cru<br />
Kitterlé 2010<br />
comes from<br />
vines grown<br />
on steep, ‘calfbreaker’<br />
volcanicsandstone<br />
vineyards,<br />
resulting in an<br />
attractive minerality. The nose is of<br />
light floral rose, leading to elaborate<br />
candied flavours laced with a<br />
characteristic bitterness. Like most<br />
Gewürztraminer, you can easily<br />
pair this with spicy Asian dishes,<br />
cheese or wine-infused desserts. $78<br />
from Grand Vin<br />
To gift<br />
While Domaine Josmeyer’s<br />
full-bodied Grand Cru<br />
Gewürztraminer can be redolent<br />
of lychee and warm spices, their<br />
Gewürztraminer Les Folastriès<br />
2013 is a medium-bodied, offdry<br />
delight. Its name is inspired<br />
by a 16th century volume of<br />
poetry, or ‘book of follies’.<br />
Think Turkish delight with<br />
nuances of honeysuckle and rose<br />
syrup, thanks to careful natural<br />
fermentation and gentle filtering.<br />
This family-run Alsatian winery<br />
was fully converted to organic<br />
and biodynamic practices from<br />
early 2000. Try it with satay,<br />
smoked salmon or mild blue<br />
cheese. $69.50 from KOT Selections<br />
alternative<br />
pick<br />
An Italian<br />
Gewürztraminer brings<br />
a welcome change in<br />
terroir for this aromatic<br />
white variety. St. Pauls<br />
Gewürztraminer<br />
Justina 2015 from<br />
Alto-Adige in South<br />
Italy has a light<br />
sweetness and<br />
tang from the<br />
warm soils of this<br />
region. The wine<br />
slowly ferments<br />
at controlled<br />
temperatures,<br />
with no malolactic<br />
fermentation<br />
to preserve its<br />
freshness. The<br />
nose is filled with<br />
unmistakeable<br />
rose, while the<br />
palate turns up<br />
the spice with<br />
pepper, nutmeg<br />
and cloves. Drink<br />
this chilled at 8 to<br />
10°C, paired with<br />
sushi, apéritifs<br />
and crustaceans.<br />
$55 from Vintage<br />
Fine Wines (until 28<br />
February)<br />
To cellar<br />
From Germany comes this classic Spätlese style of Gewürz, elegant with restrained<br />
residual sugar levels of 38.2g/litre. Weingut Pfeffingen Ungstein Gewürztraminer<br />
Spätlese 2015 comes from hand-selected berries by means of a late harvest. The soils<br />
are situated on the German Wine Route, consisting of fertile, alluvial sands ideal<br />
for this grape. Roses and melon on the nose lead to a wine with pleasant body and a<br />
long, emotive finish. It stands up well to sweet and sour dishes, and strong cheeses<br />
like Roquefort. $43.90 from Schmidt Vinothek<br />
66 epicureasia.com
tipple tips<br />
Bar siren<br />
Vijay Mudaliar, owner-bartender<br />
of NATIVE, weaves compelling<br />
intrigue into a cocktail that's more<br />
potent than it looks<br />
Red Light distRict<br />
90ml housemade rose distillate<br />
90ml dragonfruit water kefir<br />
2ml tongkat ali distillate<br />
2 calamansi<br />
1 tbsp basil seeds (selaseh)<br />
• Stir all ingredients in a long glass. Top up<br />
with ice to the rim.<br />
How to make rose distillate<br />
200ml Sauvignon Blanc<br />
50-100ml vodka, depending on how strong<br />
you prefer it<br />
20g dried rosebuds<br />
PHOTOS eddie teo<br />
STyling and arT direcTiOn sharon lee<br />
Going local<br />
naTiVe is a locavore bar,<br />
meaning that Mudaliar sources<br />
his ingredients from the region.<br />
That explains the use of rarer<br />
ingredients such as the dragonfruit<br />
kefir, Vietnamese vodka and<br />
Japanese Sauvignon Blanc.<br />
Tongkat ali was chosen for its<br />
purported aphrodisiac qualities.<br />
• Sous vide ingredients at 55°c for two<br />
hours. alternatively, steep all ingredients in<br />
a jar overnight.<br />
How to make tongkat ali<br />
distillate<br />
100g neutral grain spirit<br />
such as vodka<br />
3g dried tongkat ali<br />
• infuse overnight. e<br />
dare to create<br />
it’s hard to<br />
characterise this<br />
cocktail as it’s<br />
something new<br />
altogether, notes<br />
Mudaliar – if<br />
anything, he was<br />
inspired by a<br />
childhood drink of<br />
sirap limau selaseh,<br />
or lime with basil<br />
seeds. it’s also<br />
lower in alcohol, a<br />
trend favoured by<br />
bar-goers who don't<br />
want to get stropped<br />
too early in the<br />
evening.<br />
epicureasia.com 67
FOOD HUNTING<br />
Win 3 WMF<br />
Loft Bar Sets<br />
worth $239 each!<br />
Simply log on to www.epicureasia.com or<br />
download the epicure Food Hunting app to upload<br />
your food picture(s). The closing date for entries is<br />
12 February. Three of the best-looking photos will<br />
be selected each month.<br />
Congratulations to our three winners in<br />
January’s Food hunting Contest who have won<br />
PeaCh Blossoms’ dim sum à la Carte BuFFet<br />
For 4 worth $192 eaCh.<br />
Dennis Lim<br />
salmon mousse appetiser<br />
Jungsik, seoul<br />
Sheila Yip<br />
Black Forest: Pandan “moss”, shimeji mushroom,<br />
chocolate cake, cherry sorbet, caramelised tomato<br />
Pollen, singapore<br />
Cecilia Joven<br />
tropical hot Cake<br />
Patissez, singapore<br />
epicure magazine reserves the right to publicise the participant’s name, picture(s) and name of the restaurant in print and online.<br />
only winners will be notified. the judges’ decision is final and no correspondence on the decision will be entertained.<br />
TERMS AND CONDITIONS<br />
• suBmissions oF homemade or hawker Food will not Be aCCePted. • entries have to Be shot on-site at the restaurant. • overseas<br />
PartiCiPants are eligiBle to take Part But they will need to aPPoint a rePresentative in singaPore For Prize ColleCtion on their<br />
BehalF iF they are unaBle to do so themselves. • management reserves the right to withdraw or rePlaCe Prize oFFers at any time.<br />
• this Contest is initiated Fully By ePiCure and indePendent oF aPPle inC.<br />
68 epicureasia.com
C<br />
M<br />
Y<br />
CM<br />
MY<br />
CY<br />
CMY<br />
K<br />
Be Your oWn<br />
BarTender<br />
Created with the aspiring bartender in mind,<br />
WMF’s Loft Bar Set features a slick six-piece bar kit<br />
comprising a shaker, jigger, bar strainer, bar spoon and<br />
tongs. Made of high-quality Cromargan stainless steel<br />
and WMF glass, and designed by Heinrich Fiedeler<br />
and Michael Raasch, this collection, which has clinched<br />
several awards including The Chicago Thenaeum’s<br />
Good Design Award, appeals with its contemporary<br />
curves that make for better grip and easier handling.<br />
For convenient and neater storage, the Loft Bar Set<br />
also comes with a stand that holds and organises<br />
the implements. available at all wmF counters in major<br />
departmental stores.
entertaining<br />
» Mastering lightas-air<br />
soufflés and<br />
macarons<br />
» Whimsical,<br />
botanical-inspired<br />
desserts<br />
» Florent Castagnos<br />
combines the best of<br />
French and Basque<br />
gâteaux<br />
photo eddie teo<br />
epicureasia.com 71
Forest<br />
Fantasia<br />
72 epicureasia.com
Enthral and enchant guests with<br />
lush, botanical-inspired desserts<br />
complete with lifelike succulents,<br />
leaves and blooms that are almost<br />
too real and beautiful to eat.<br />
Text Eunice Lew | Photos Ching | Styling and art direction Jenn Chew | Assisted by Sharon Lee<br />
Recipes by Pulse Patisserie: Ernie Lim, Aika Reyes and Wong Pui Ling | Shot at Pulse Patisserie |<br />
all plants from sing see soon floral<br />
[ SUCCULENTS AND CEMENT CAKE ]<br />
Like succulents and industrial-style home accents, herb-flavoured desserts – which are often overlooked in<br />
favour of more traditional fruit or chocolate flavours – are currently having their moment in the spotlight.<br />
Serves 10 | Prep time 1½-2 hours | Cook time 1 hour<br />
olive thyme financier<br />
280g unsalted butter<br />
5g thyme leaves<br />
50g olive oil<br />
200g all-purpose flour<br />
435g icing sugar<br />
15g salt<br />
200g almond powder<br />
10g baking powder<br />
565g egg whites<br />
U Preheat oven to 180°C. Line two<br />
6-inch by 2-inch square and two 4-inch<br />
by 2-inch round cake tins.<br />
U In a saucepan, heat butter with<br />
thyme on medium heat for 30 minutes,<br />
until the butter browns and is infused<br />
with thyme. Mix in olive oil and heat to<br />
90°C, then strain mixture.<br />
U Sift together all dry ingredients.<br />
U Using a paddle attachment, whip<br />
egg whites on high speed, then lower to<br />
slowest speed and slowly add in the dry<br />
mixture.<br />
U Add hot thyme oil to the mixture<br />
while still whipping. Mix until wellcombined.<br />
U Pour batter in cake rings and bake<br />
for 30-45 minutes.<br />
fig and strawberry compote<br />
25g sugar<br />
22g molasses<br />
330g strawberries, roughly chopped<br />
550g fresh figs, roughly chopped<br />
11g orange zest<br />
22ml rum<br />
11g pectin NH<br />
U Heat 15g sugar and molasses<br />
in a saucepan on medium heat and<br />
caramelise, or until the mixture reaches<br />
150°C.<br />
U Add chopped strawberries and figs,<br />
then simmer until tender. The fruits<br />
should become very soft.<br />
U Mix in orange zest and rum.<br />
U Combine pectin and remaining<br />
10g sugar in a bowl, then mix into the<br />
saucepan mixture and simmer for 5<br />
minutes.<br />
U Take mixture off the heat, cover with<br />
cling film, then let the mixture cool at<br />
room temperature for 2-3 hours.<br />
to assemble<br />
fondant exterior<br />
fondant succulents, as desired<br />
(see page 81 for the fondant recipe)<br />
U Cut each olive thyme financier cake<br />
horizontally into 3 layers.<br />
U In a 6-inch by 2-inch square mould,<br />
place 1 layer of the square cake at the<br />
bottom and spread 100g of compote on<br />
top.<br />
U Repeat the process until you use all<br />
the 3 layers of sponge altogether in one<br />
ring.<br />
U Repeat the previous 2 steps with a<br />
4-inch by 2-inch round mould, then stack<br />
on top of the 6-inch by 2-inch square<br />
cake.<br />
U Freeze the whole cake overnight.<br />
U Wrap cakes with fondant exterior.<br />
Create cement texture by carving ridges<br />
in the fondant layer and using edible<br />
paint to make the cracks look realistic.<br />
U Decorate cake with fondant<br />
succulents, then serve.<br />
epicureasia.com 73
[ CROQUEMBOUCHE ]<br />
This riff on the classic croquembouche, which is usually served at weddings and other celebratory<br />
occasions, features the vivid colours of wild field fungi and blooms.<br />
Makes 80-100 choux puffs<br />
Prep time 4 hours, including filling, cooling and assembling the choux puffs<br />
Cook time 2 hours<br />
choux puffs<br />
114g unsalted butter<br />
240ml water<br />
5g salt<br />
10g sugar<br />
150g all-purpose flour, sifted<br />
4 eggs<br />
U In a saucepan, bring butter, water,<br />
salt and sugar to a boil. Take off heat and<br />
immediately add flour all at one go.<br />
U Using a wooden spoon, mix<br />
vigorously. Return the saucepan to stove<br />
on medium heat and keep mixing until<br />
the mixture starts to form into a ball.<br />
U Remove from heat and allow the<br />
mixture to cool for 5 minutes before<br />
mixing in the eggs one by one.<br />
U Pipe mixture into choux puff shapes<br />
onto a parchment paper-lined baking<br />
pan. Dip your finger in water and slightly<br />
push down the pointy end on top of the<br />
choux.<br />
U Bake choux puffs at 200°C for about<br />
20 minutes, or until they’re swollen and<br />
golden brown. The cooking time varies<br />
depending on the size of the choux puffs.<br />
Allow choux puffs to cool on a wire rack.<br />
FILLINGS<br />
Cerdon mousse<br />
185g Ravifruit Ruby Peach purée<br />
(available from Phoon Huat)<br />
6 gelatine sheets, bloomed in ice water<br />
185ml Cerdon wine (French rosé<br />
sparkling wine)<br />
500g whipped cream<br />
U In a saucepan, bring 50ml Ruby<br />
Peach purée to a simmer. Take off the<br />
heat and mix in bloomed gelatine until<br />
dissolved.<br />
U Combine mixture with remaining<br />
purée in a mixing bowl.<br />
U Mix in Cerdon wine, then allow the<br />
mixture to cool in the chiller.<br />
U Once cooled, fold in whipped cream<br />
and set mixture aside for piping.<br />
bapamango mousse<br />
400g bapamango purée (banana, papaya<br />
and mango; available from Phoon Huat)<br />
150g egg yolks<br />
45g eggs<br />
97g sugar<br />
17g corn starch<br />
3 gelatine sheets, bloomed in ice water<br />
400g whipped cream<br />
U To make a crème anglaise, heat purée<br />
in a saucepan on medium heat.<br />
U In a mixing bowl, whisk egg yolks,<br />
eggs and sugar together, then mix in corn<br />
starch.<br />
U Temper hot purée mixture into the<br />
egg mixture. Put mixture back on the<br />
stove and cook until thick.<br />
U Remove mixture from heat and<br />
mix in bloomed gelatine until dissolved.<br />
Strain mixture.<br />
U Fold in whipped cream, then set<br />
mixture aside for piping.<br />
zea mays mousse<br />
160g heavy cream<br />
80g corn pulp<br />
400g white chocolate, chopped<br />
2 gelatine sheets, bloomed in ice water<br />
360g whipped cream<br />
U Boil heavy cream and corn pulp.<br />
U Stirring continuously, add mixture<br />
to chopped white chocolate to make a<br />
ganache. Make sure white chocolate is<br />
fully dissolved and well-combined.<br />
U Dissolve bloomed gelatine in the<br />
mixture. Allow the mixture to cool, then<br />
fold in whipped cream. Set mixture aside<br />
for piping.<br />
to assemble<br />
250g white chocolate, chopped<br />
liquid food colouring, as desired<br />
fruits and fondant blooms, as desired (see<br />
page 81 for the fondant recipe)<br />
U Using a chopstick or a paring knife,<br />
slit a small hole at the bottom of each<br />
choux puff.<br />
U Transfer the 3 fillings into separate<br />
piping bags and fill the cream puffs.<br />
Melt white chocolate in the microwave<br />
for 30 seconds or until melted. Divide<br />
into three bowls and colour using liquid<br />
food colouring. Mix well.<br />
U Dip the top layer of the choux<br />
puffs into the melted white chocolate<br />
and allow them to set and cool at room<br />
temperature.<br />
U Brush a styrofoam cone of 18cm<br />
base and 35cm height with melted white<br />
chocolate. Quickly stick the choux puffs<br />
starting from the base of the cone and<br />
work your way upwards.<br />
U Garnish with fruits and fondant<br />
blooms, then serve.<br />
74 epicureasia.com
Tom Dixon stone cake<br />
stand, Edit Lifestyle.<br />
epicureasia.com 75
[ TEXTURAS ]<br />
Named after Ferran Adria’s Texturas range of products, this creation also takes a leaf out of<br />
the renowned chef’s book of scientific techniques, using iSi whip charges to ‘bake’ sponges in a<br />
microwave and making edible charcoal soil by using modified starch.<br />
Serves 20 | Prep time 1½-2 hours | Cook time 1 hour<br />
cardamom spiced Victoria sponge<br />
400g caster sugar<br />
400g softened butter<br />
10g cardamom, ground<br />
8 eggs, beaten<br />
400g self-raising flour, sifted<br />
10g baking powder<br />
60ml milk<br />
U Preheat oven to 180°C. Line two<br />
4-inch by 2-inch and two 6-inch by 2-inch<br />
cake rings.<br />
U Cream caster sugar and butter until<br />
pale yellow.<br />
U Mix in ground cardamom, then<br />
gradually mix in eggs and flour, followed<br />
by baking powder and milk.<br />
U Divide mixture between cake rings<br />
and smooth the surface of the batter with<br />
a spatula. Bake for 20 minutes or until it<br />
springs back when pressed. Turn onto a<br />
cooling rack and allow to cool completely.<br />
orange blossom cream cheese frosting<br />
15g orange zest<br />
220g butter, softened<br />
220g cream cheese<br />
360g icing sugar<br />
500g orange blossom extract (available<br />
from Euraco Finefood)<br />
U Using a paddle attachment, beat<br />
orange zest, butter and cream cheese in a<br />
mixer until there are no lumps.<br />
U Mix in icing sugar and orange<br />
blossom extract. Set aside.<br />
green tea sponge<br />
10g green tea powder<br />
120g egg whites<br />
80g egg yolk<br />
80g sugar<br />
25g flour<br />
U Whisk all ingredients together in a<br />
bowl and pass through a fine sieve.<br />
Pour into a 1-litre iSi whip (available from<br />
ToTT or Phoon Huat).<br />
U Charge with 4 n20 charges and shake<br />
each time. Chill for 4 hours.<br />
U Cut a small hole at the bottom of a<br />
microwavable plastic cup and fill about<br />
of the cup with foam. Microwave for 40<br />
seconds.<br />
U Unmould sponge when cooled.<br />
charcoal soil<br />
100g white chocolate, chopped<br />
100g maltodextrin (Sosa brand, available<br />
from Euraco Finefood)<br />
5g charcoal powder (available from Phoon<br />
Huat)<br />
U Melt white chocolate in a bowl over a<br />
bain-marie.<br />
U After the white chocolate has entirely<br />
melted, slowly mix in maltodextrin and<br />
charcoal powder with a spatula until a<br />
sandy texture is achieved. Remove mixture<br />
from heat and spread on a tray to cool.<br />
to assemble<br />
white fondant exterior<br />
fondant fungi (see page 81 for the fondant<br />
recipe)<br />
U Cut the Victoria sponge horizontally<br />
into 3 layers. Layer in-between with the<br />
orange blossom cheese frosting. Freeze for<br />
8 hours or overnight.<br />
U Unmould and wrap with white<br />
fondant.<br />
U Garnish with fondant fungi, green tea<br />
sponge and charcoal soil, then serve.<br />
epicureasia.com 77
[ FRUITS OF THE FOREST TART ]<br />
Do away with the tart’s traditional fluted edges to create a free form confection that showcases scrumptious<br />
breakfast ingredients of maple syrup, yoghurt and wild forest berries.<br />
Serves 4-6 | Prep time 1-1½ hours | Cook time 1 hour<br />
tart dough<br />
15g dark brown sugar<br />
110g all-purpose flour, sifted, plus extra<br />
for dusting<br />
2g salt<br />
54g unsalted butter<br />
1 egg yolk<br />
13g ice water<br />
U Using a paddle attachment, beat all<br />
ingredients together except ice water.<br />
U Once combined, drizzle in ice water<br />
until the dough comes together. Form<br />
into a ball and wrap with plastic. Let it<br />
rest in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.<br />
U Lightly dust the work surface and<br />
rolling pin with flour. Roll your dough<br />
into an 18cm by 18cm square and bake<br />
for 15-20 minutes at 150°C.<br />
red fruits of the forest crème pâtissière<br />
140ml milk<br />
25g egg yolk<br />
15g sugar<br />
3g corn starch<br />
67g red fruit purée<br />
½ gelatine sheet, bloomed<br />
U In a saucepan, heat milk on medium<br />
heat until hot.<br />
U Whisk egg yolk, sugar and corn<br />
starch together until smooth.<br />
U Temper hot milk into the mixture<br />
and add the red fruit purée. Transfer<br />
mixture back into the saucepan and cook<br />
until thick. Strain through a fine sieve.<br />
U Mix bloomed gelatine into the hot<br />
red fruit purée mixture until dissolved.<br />
U Wrap the bottom of an 18cm by<br />
18cm square mould with cling film. Pour<br />
custard into the mould and freeze for 5-6<br />
hours, or until set.<br />
maple yoghurt mousse<br />
10g maple syrup<br />
5g cream<br />
1 gelatine sheet<br />
50g cream<br />
50g yoghurt<br />
40g whipped cream<br />
U Heat maple syrup and cream in<br />
a saucepan on medium heat. Take<br />
mixture off the heat.<br />
U Bloom gelatine sheet in ice water,<br />
then squeeze out excess water.<br />
U Put in a microwaveable bowl and<br />
add cream. Microwave on medium<br />
heat for 40 seconds until the gelatine<br />
has dissolved. Stir mixture to make<br />
sure it’s well-combined.<br />
U Mix gelatine mixture to the maple<br />
syrup and cream mixture, then fold in<br />
yoghurt.<br />
U Cool mixture to room temperature,<br />
then fold in whipped cream.<br />
Curaçao gelée<br />
85ml Curaçao<br />
2g lemon zest<br />
10g sugar<br />
1 gelatine sheet, bloomed<br />
U In a saucepan, warm Curaçao,<br />
lemon and sugar.<br />
U Mix in bloomed gelatine until<br />
dissolved.<br />
U Set in a mould or tray and freeze<br />
for at least 4 hours or overnight, then<br />
cut to desired shape.<br />
to assemble<br />
wild berries<br />
U Lay tart shell.<br />
U Unmould crème pâtissière and<br />
place on top of the tart shell.<br />
U Decorate the tart with gelée,<br />
maple yoghurt mousse and berries as<br />
desired.<br />
78 epicureasia.com
Serax coatrack mirror and ANNA by<br />
RabLab’s casca gold bowl, Edit Lifestyle.<br />
Branch teaspoon, Strange & Deranged.<br />
epicureasia.com 79
CITY dome & walnut base, Stockholm<br />
glass candleholders with bronze leather,<br />
Strange & Deranged.<br />
80 epicureasia.com
[ CRACKED TREE<br />
TRUNK CAKE ]<br />
Dried fondant is a pâtissier’s nightmare, but in this instance, it’s used to<br />
create the realistic and eye-catching ‘cracked’ bark of a redwood tree trunk.<br />
Serves 20-22 | Prep time 1½-2 hours | Cook time 1½ hours<br />
[ fondant ]<br />
Fondant is a wonderfully versatile<br />
medium that can create textured<br />
cake surfaces and decorations.<br />
Makes 700g, or enough to wrap an<br />
8-inch by 2-inch cake<br />
Earl Grey tea cake<br />
20g Earl Grey tea leaves (preferably<br />
Betjeman & Barton Teas, available from<br />
Euraco Finefood)<br />
560g sugar<br />
500g eggs<br />
2g salt<br />
300g heavy cream<br />
4g lemon zest<br />
1 vanilla pod, beans scraped<br />
500g all-purpose flour, sifted<br />
12g dry yeast<br />
200g butter, softened<br />
U Preheat oven to 180°C. Line four<br />
6-inch by 2-inch cake rings.<br />
U Combine tea leaves and 20g sugar in a<br />
spice grinder and grind until powdery.<br />
U Using a paddle attachment, whip eggs<br />
and remaining sugar together, then mix in<br />
Earl Grey powder.<br />
U While still whipping, add all remaining<br />
ingredients gradually until well-combined.<br />
U Pour mixture into cake rings and bake<br />
for 30-40 minutes.<br />
U Allow cakes to cool to room<br />
temperature, then slice each into 3<br />
horizontal layers.<br />
lemon verbena and violet ganache<br />
270g heavy cream<br />
30g trimoline (available from<br />
Euraco Finefood)<br />
30g glucose<br />
365g white chocolate, chopped<br />
700g cold heavy cream<br />
60ml violet liqueur (available from<br />
Euraco Finefood)<br />
36ml lemon verbena oil (available from<br />
Euraco Finefood)<br />
U Heat heavy cream, trimoline and<br />
glucose on medium heat, then pour<br />
into chopped white chocolate in a<br />
mixing bowl. Stir continously to make a<br />
ganache. Make sure white chocolate is<br />
fully melted.<br />
U Mix in cold heavy cream, then mix<br />
in violet liqueur and lemon verbena oil.<br />
Set aside.<br />
to assemble<br />
white fondant<br />
red fondant<br />
fondant leaves, as desired<br />
(see this page for the fondant recipe)<br />
U Lay a piece of white fondant and roll<br />
it to approximately 12-inch by 24-inch<br />
and 0.5cm thick. Let it dry for 30 minutes<br />
to 1 hour.<br />
U Lay another piece of red fondant<br />
and roll it to approximately 24-inch by<br />
36-inch. Place the dried white fondant<br />
on top, while the red fondant is still soft.<br />
Using a rolling pin, roll across the top<br />
of the fondant layers to crack the dried<br />
white fondant layer and form the cracked<br />
tree trunk.<br />
U Wrap the cake with the fondant<br />
coating and set in the chiller for 3 hours<br />
to let the fondant dry. Serve at 23°C.<br />
454g confectioner’s sugar<br />
31ml cold water<br />
15g gelatine powder<br />
125g glucose<br />
23g glycerine<br />
5ml vanilla or almond essence, or<br />
desired flavouring in essence form<br />
desired colouring<br />
corn starch, for dusting<br />
U In a large bowl, sift sugar, then<br />
make a well in the centre.<br />
U In a small saucepan, add water<br />
and sprinkle gelatine powder on top<br />
to soften for about 5 minutes. Begin<br />
to heat the gelatine and stir until the<br />
gelatin is dissolved and clear. Do not<br />
allow the mixture to boil.<br />
U Turn off the heat and add<br />
glucose and glycerine. Stir until<br />
well-blended.<br />
U To make icing, add essence<br />
or your desired flavouring to the<br />
glucose and glycerine mixture. Pour<br />
into the sugar well and mix until<br />
well-blended.<br />
U Hand-knead icing until it<br />
becomes stiff, at the same time<br />
kneading desired colouring<br />
into it. Mix in small amounts of<br />
confectioner’s sugar if the mixture<br />
is sticky.<br />
U Form into a ball and wrap<br />
tightly with plastic wrap. Place in<br />
an airtight container. This icing<br />
works best if allowed to rest at<br />
room temperature for about 8 hours<br />
before using. Do not refrigerate.<br />
U After resting, knead fondant<br />
until pliable and use a rolling pin to<br />
flatten it to 2mm thickness before<br />
using to wrap cake or to make cake<br />
decorations.<br />
epicureasia.com 81
[ WILD ORCHID CAKE ]<br />
The tart notes of raspberries marry the floral and sweet nuances of orchid nectar in this pebbleshaped<br />
cake. For a final flourish, embellish the surface with a mirror glaze effect – the pastry<br />
world’s current fad – and you’ve got yourself a feminine, sophisticated dessert.<br />
Serves 4-6 | Prep time 30-60 minutes + 1 hour chilling time | Cook time 50-60 minutes<br />
raspberry pain de gênes<br />
164g eggs<br />
168g almond paste<br />
33g all-purpose flour<br />
2g baking powder<br />
50g unsalted butter, melted<br />
70g egg whites<br />
20g sugar<br />
100g raspberries, chopped<br />
U Preheat oven to 180°C. Line<br />
one 6-inch by 2-inch cake ring with<br />
parchment paper.<br />
U Using a paddle attachment, whip<br />
eggs and almond paste until creamy.<br />
U Sift flour and baking powder<br />
together, then fold into the egg mixture.<br />
U Drizzle melted butter into the egg<br />
mixture.<br />
U Whisk egg whites and sugar to soft<br />
peaks in a mixing bowl. Fold into the egg<br />
mixture in 3 parts.<br />
U Mix chopped raspberries into the<br />
egg mixture, then pour into cake rings.<br />
Bake for 30-45 minutes.<br />
wild orchid mousse<br />
95ml milk<br />
38g egg yolk<br />
4g sugar<br />
2g salt<br />
95g white chocolate, chopped<br />
5 gold gelatine sheets, bloomed (available<br />
from Phoon Huat)<br />
25g wild orchid extract (available from<br />
Australian Fruit Juice)<br />
230g whipped cream<br />
U Heat milk at medium heat.<br />
U Separately, whisk egg yolk with<br />
sugar and salt until the mixture is a pale<br />
yellow colour.<br />
U To make custard, temper hot milk<br />
into the egg mixture, then put the<br />
mixture back into the pan on medium<br />
heat.<br />
U Cook custard until thick, then strain<br />
into a bowl with white chocolate and stir<br />
until melted.<br />
U Add bloomed gelatine and mix until<br />
well-blended.<br />
U Mix gelatine mixture and orchid<br />
extract into the custard.<br />
U Cool mixture before folding in<br />
whipped cream.<br />
lychee raspberry filling<br />
30g raspberry purée<br />
20g sugar<br />
1g pectin NH<br />
1g citric acid<br />
55g canned lychee, chopped<br />
U Heat raspberry purée to 40°C in a<br />
saucepan.<br />
U Combine sugar and pectin in a bowl.<br />
Mix into raspberry purée and simmer<br />
mixture for 5 minutes.<br />
U Mix in citric acid and chopped<br />
lychee.<br />
U Chill in the fridge for 1 hour or until<br />
set.<br />
to assemble<br />
fondant orchid (see page 81 for the<br />
fondant recipe)<br />
U Slice raspberry sponge cake<br />
horizontally into equal layers.<br />
U Start with 1 raspberry sponge layer<br />
as the base, then top with a layer of 80-<br />
100g orchid mousse.<br />
U Place the second raspberry sponge<br />
layer on top of the orchid mousse, then<br />
top with 100g lychee raspberry filling.<br />
U Top with the final raspberry sponge<br />
layer, then finish the surface of the cake<br />
with orchid mousse. Using a palette<br />
knife, scrape the top of the cake to<br />
achieve an even surface. Freeze for at<br />
least 24 hours.<br />
Check out epicure on YouTube for a behind-the-scenes<br />
look at what went on during this month’s cover shoot.<br />
82 epicureasia.com
Tom Dixon cake slicer and ANNA by<br />
RabLab’s kiva large platter, Edit Lifestyle.<br />
epicureasia.com 83
Hometown Heirlooms<br />
lifestyle in Biarritz in southwestern France<br />
is very peaceful. Everyone is neighbourly<br />
“The<br />
and friendly,” reminisces Florent Castagnos,<br />
executive pastry chef of Conrad Centennial Singapore. As<br />
the coastal city sits in the Bay of Biscay and faces the North<br />
Atlantic Ocean, there’s a strong beach and surfing culture that<br />
contributes to the area’s laidback resort vibes.<br />
As part of the French Basque Country, Biarritz has notably<br />
different culinary traditions from the rest of France. Castagnos<br />
explains: “The cuisine at home is very respectful of its Basque<br />
roots and predominantly uses local ingredients. There are also<br />
slight Spanish influences as part of the Basque Country is<br />
in northern Spain – my grandmother would sometimes cook<br />
paella.” Classic dishes from the region include poulet basquaise<br />
(Basque-style chicken), veal axoa, piperade, and beret Basque,<br />
Sweet memories<br />
of Biarritz<br />
Neither completely French nor Basque, the<br />
cuisine from Florent Castagnos’ hometown of<br />
Biarritz combines the best of both worlds. The<br />
pastry chef shares with Eunice Lew the unique<br />
desserts from the region.<br />
named for its similarity to the soft hat popular with Basque<br />
natives. “You can also find great products such as jambon<br />
de Bayonne (Bayonne<br />
ham), piment d’Espelette<br />
(Espelette pepper) and<br />
confiture de cerises noires<br />
(black cherry jam),” he<br />
raves.<br />
But Castagnos’<br />
first food memory was<br />
none of those. “It was<br />
a rabbit stew served at<br />
my grandmother’s house<br />
when I was little. I spent<br />
a lot of time at her house<br />
as it was right opposite<br />
my school,” the only child recalls.<br />
“One day, she was hosting a gathering<br />
and ended up with more guests than<br />
expected, so she added chicken wings<br />
to the stew. When the dish was served,<br />
I found a wing in my bowl and believed<br />
that it was actually a winged rabbit!”<br />
Another memorable dish from<br />
Castagnos’ childhood was the buttery,<br />
crumbly and creamy gâteau Basque,<br />
which would be filled with the traditional<br />
vanilla rum or dark cherry jam filling.<br />
He would lend his grandmother a hand<br />
in the kitchen whenever she made it for<br />
family get-togethers. “I cooked my first<br />
dish at home when I was around seven<br />
years old. It was a simple chocolate and<br />
cornflakes recipe taught in school. My<br />
family was, of course, very encouraging<br />
and said it was very nice. So I made it<br />
too often afterwards!” laughs Castagnos.<br />
Sunday family gatherings were very<br />
important to the Castagnos household.<br />
“The clan – uncles, aunties and cousins<br />
– would gather at my grandmother’s<br />
house early in the day for a communal<br />
meal that’s like the Western version of a<br />
nine-course Chinese feast. We would dig<br />
into eggs mayonnaise, charcuterie, salads<br />
and soup, followed by a main dish and<br />
vegetables, then cheeses. At this point,<br />
the adults would take a break to play<br />
belote, a popular card game in France,<br />
before finishing the meal with dessert –<br />
usually the classic choux Chantilly – and<br />
coffee. By the time we finally stopped<br />
eating, it’d be close to 4pm.” e<br />
photos EddiE TEo art direction jEnn chEw<br />
84 epicureasia.com
BERET BASQUE<br />
Serves 6-8<br />
Prep time 45 minutes + 2 hours<br />
setting time<br />
cook time 45 minutes<br />
sponge<br />
4 eggs<br />
125g fine sugar<br />
125g plain flour, sifted<br />
30g unsalted butter, melted<br />
• Whip eggs and sugar until fluffy.<br />
• slowly and carefully, add in flour<br />
and melted butter.<br />
• spread mixture to about 1cm in<br />
height on a baking tray lined with<br />
silicone paper. Bake for 9 minutes<br />
at 190°c.<br />
chocolate mousse<br />
200g dark chocolate<br />
150g unsalted butter<br />
2 eggs, yolks and whites separated<br />
100g icing sugar<br />
• Melt chocolate with butter over a<br />
bain-marie.<br />
• once melted, take mixture off<br />
the bain-marie and add egg yolks<br />
and icing sugar. Mix well, then cool<br />
mixture to room temperature.<br />
• separately, whip egg whites<br />
until very fluffy, then slowly and<br />
carefully add to the chocolate<br />
mixture.<br />
• in a container or mould of your<br />
choice, alternate layers of sponge<br />
and mousse. the mousse layer<br />
should be 2cm thick. repeat layers<br />
as many times as necessary or<br />
desired.<br />
• allow the cake to set in the<br />
fridge for about 2 hours. once set,<br />
turn the cake out onto a plate and<br />
serve.<br />
epicureasia.com 85
hometown heirlooms<br />
GÂTEAU BASQUE<br />
Serves 2<br />
Prep time 30 minutes + 6 hours resting time<br />
cook time 40 minutes<br />
Basque dough<br />
300g unsalted butter<br />
300g caster sugar<br />
pinch of salt<br />
3 eggs<br />
1 egg, yolk and white separated and set aside<br />
500g plain flour, sifted<br />
5g baking powder<br />
• Using your hands, crush butter, sugar and salt<br />
in a large mixing bowl. once well-combined,<br />
add the 3 eggs and extra egg yolk, and mix well<br />
using a paddle attachment.<br />
• add flour and baking powder into the mixing<br />
bowl and continue mixing with your hands for 2<br />
minutes, or until well-combined. scrape dough<br />
onto a floured work surface and knead to form<br />
a smooth dough. Wrap in plastic film and let<br />
the dough rest in the fridge for at least 6 hours<br />
or overnight.<br />
rum custard filling<br />
3 eggs<br />
100g caster sugar<br />
40g plain flour<br />
500ml milk<br />
20ml dark rum<br />
• Whisk eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl until<br />
sugar dissolves.<br />
• add flour into mixing bowl and whisk for<br />
another 3 minutes or until smooth and<br />
thickened.<br />
• heat milk in a saucepan over medium heat,<br />
until bubbling along the edges. remove<br />
saucepan from heat and slowly pour ⅔ of the<br />
hot milk into the egg mixture. Whisk, then pour<br />
the mixture back into the saucepan with the<br />
remaining ⅓ of milk.<br />
• Whisk milk and egg mixture over low heat<br />
until the custard is thick and coats the back<br />
of a spoon. transfer mixture to a mixing bowl,<br />
then fold in dark rum. Leave to cool.<br />
to assemble<br />
• preheat oven to 240°c. Grease a 24cm by<br />
4cm baking tin.<br />
• remove dough from the fridge and cut in<br />
half. set aside one portion. Knead the second<br />
portion on a floured work surface for 1 minute<br />
to soften.<br />
• Using a rolling pin, flatten dough to form a<br />
5mm-thick round base. Using a 24cm round<br />
cutter and a small knife, cut dough into a circle.<br />
place in prepared baking tin, then spread<br />
custard over it. Make sure that there is a 1cm<br />
border between the edge of the circle and the<br />
custard filling.<br />
• repeat rolling and cutting process with the<br />
reserved portion of dough. Gently place on top<br />
of custard filling and press lightly along the<br />
edges to seal.<br />
• Brush surface with 1 reserved egg white. Use<br />
a fork to make a criss-cross pattern over the<br />
surface of the dough. Bake for 40 minutes or<br />
until golden brown, then serve.
choUX chAnTiLLY<br />
Serves 6-8<br />
Prep time 45 minutes<br />
cook time 30 minutes<br />
choux buns<br />
50g unsalted butter<br />
pinch of salt<br />
125ml hot water<br />
75g plain flour, sifted<br />
½ tsp vanilla essence<br />
2 eggs<br />
• preheat oven to 200°c.<br />
• cut butter into smaller pieces. add butter,<br />
salt and water to a pan on medium heat,<br />
then bring to a boil. remove the mixture<br />
from heat and add flour.<br />
• return pan to the stove on medium heat<br />
and beat mixture with a wooden spoon<br />
until it becomes a smooth, soft paste and<br />
leaves the sides of the pan clean.<br />
• remove pan from heat and mix in vanilla<br />
essence. allow mixture to cool for 5<br />
minutes.<br />
• Meanwhile, beat eggs in a separate bowl.<br />
add to the cooled mixture a little at a time,<br />
beating thoroughly between each addition.<br />
You should end up with a thick, glossy<br />
paste.<br />
• place teaspoons of the paste on a wellgreased<br />
baking tray and bake in the oven<br />
for 10 minutes.<br />
• increase heat to 220°c, then bake for a<br />
further 15-20 minutes until the choux buns<br />
have risen and are light, crisp and golden.<br />
remove buns from the oven and pierce<br />
the side of each one to release the steam.<br />
allow the buns to cool on a wire rack.<br />
chantilly<br />
500ml whipping cream<br />
50g icing sugar<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
• combine all ingredients and whip until fluffy<br />
and firm.<br />
to assemble<br />
icing sugar, to dust<br />
• once choux buns are cool, slice into half<br />
horizontally. Use a piping bag to fill up the<br />
bottom choux generously.<br />
• place upper half of the choux buns back on<br />
top of the cream without squishing the cream.<br />
dust choux buns with icing sugar, then serve.<br />
epicureasia.com 87
masterclass<br />
Mastering...<br />
light-as-air desserts<br />
Mandarin Orchard’s executive pastry chef<br />
Winnie Goh shares four recipes that get their delicate<br />
textures from egg whites. By Josephine Soh<br />
The next time a recipe calls for only egg yolks, resist<br />
the urge to throw away the whites and save a batch<br />
to whip up some featherlight desserts. Unlike heavy<br />
butter cakes and rich puddings, chiffons and soufflés are easy to<br />
inhale even after a full meal, and their light-as-air appeal can be<br />
attributed to one key ingredient – egg whites.<br />
Mandarin Orchard’s executive pastry chef Winnie Goh<br />
spent an afternoon taking our guests through a baking demo<br />
session held at Triple Three’s open kitchen. With her lighthearted<br />
banter and easy confidence gleaned from three decades<br />
of professional baking experience, Goh had the full attention of<br />
our guests Celyn Tew, Zita Mok, Angie Tan, Wendy Choo, Ng<br />
Guat Mui, Denise Tan and Shazana Tan, who went home wellequipped<br />
with baking tips and four tried-and-tested recipes – a<br />
fluffy Raspberry and Rose Chiffon Cake, a delightfully chewy<br />
and fragrant Lychee Macaron, tangy Yuzu and Calamansi<br />
Marshmallows, and a pillowy Chocolate and Grand Marnier<br />
Orange Soufflé – suitable for a home cooked Valentine’s meal.<br />
For some of us, we think nothing of tossing the egg shells<br />
right after the egg has been cracked and the contents drained<br />
into a bowl. “It’s important to scrape the inside of the shell<br />
well as the remnant egg whites that coat the inner shell make a<br />
substantial difference to the amount you’ll end up with for your<br />
recipe,” shares Goh.<br />
While baking is therapeutic, pottering around the<br />
kitchen when you’ve a bowl of whisked egg whites sitting<br />
around is simply a baking disaster waiting to happen. As we<br />
learnt from Goh, speed is of the essence when egg whites<br />
are involved. Made up of 88 percent water, egg whites,<br />
once whisked and set aside, will deflate in no time, resulting<br />
in a sunken, seeping mixture, and a cake that’s far from<br />
fluffy. The same rule also applies for recipes that require the<br />
separate use of both yolks and whites. Get started with the<br />
yolks first, so that whisked whites aren’t left to sit and sink<br />
while you get on with other steps.<br />
And when it finally comes to actually whipping those<br />
whites, there is a rule of thumb. Don’t over-whisk the<br />
whites if a moist cake is what you’re after. Over-enthusiastic<br />
whisking introduces excess air into the batter, which when<br />
baked, results in a dry cake.<br />
During the class, our guests got to try their hand at<br />
making some of the pastries alongside Goh, learning to<br />
pipe the macarons into evenly sized discs and to create<br />
marshmallows of different shapes and designs. At the end of<br />
the session, they were treated to a tasting of the four desserts<br />
and were inspired to recreate them at home. Homemaker<br />
Zita Mok shared, “I’m going to bake the heart-shaped<br />
macarons for my husband this Valentine’s Day.”<br />
photos eddie teo<br />
88 epicureasia.com
RASPBeRRY RoSe<br />
CHiFFoN CAKe<br />
Makes a 21cm cake<br />
Prep time 30 minutes<br />
Cook time 45 minutes<br />
50ml coconut milk<br />
90ml rose & raspberry purée (available from<br />
Classic Fine Foods)<br />
50ml corn oil<br />
6 egg yolks<br />
110g cake flour, sifted<br />
1 tsp pink colouring<br />
4g salt<br />
6 egg whites<br />
110g caster sugar<br />
25g raspberry crisp (available from Classic<br />
Fine Foods)<br />
• preheat oven to 170°C for 15 minutes. Do not<br />
grease or line chiffon tube pan.<br />
• Warm up coconut milk, raspberry and rose<br />
purée and corn oil.<br />
• In a clean bowl, mix the liquid ingredients<br />
with egg yolks and cake flour. Add pink<br />
colouring and salt, and stir well.<br />
• Whisk up egg whites with sugar until it<br />
reaches a soft meringue consistency.<br />
• Fold both mixtures together before adding<br />
the raspberry crisps.<br />
• pour mixture into chiffon tube pan. Use a<br />
spoon to stir the chiffon mixture (to chase out<br />
excess air trapped in the mixture) and gently<br />
hit the baking pan on the countertop to remove<br />
large air bubbles. Bake at 150°C-170°C for 45<br />
minutes.<br />
• When cake is done, remove from oven and<br />
turn over the baking pan and allow cake to cool<br />
for 1 hour. to remove cake, run a palette knife<br />
around the inner surface of the cake pan to<br />
loosen it before unmoulding.<br />
tip:<br />
• Warming the liquids before mixing with egg<br />
yolk and flour prevents a lumpy batter.<br />
CALAMANSi ANd YUZU<br />
MARSHMALLoWS<br />
Makes about 100 2-cm round pieces<br />
Prep time 20 minutes plus 3-4 hours setting<br />
time<br />
Cook time 10 minutes<br />
240g caster sugar<br />
48g glucose<br />
100ml calamansi juice<br />
16g gelatine sheets, soaked in cold water<br />
100g egg whites (about 3 eggs)<br />
30g yuzu pearls (available from Japanese<br />
supermarkets)<br />
cornflour and icing sugar (1:1 ratio)<br />
epicureasia.com 89
masterclass<br />
• Bring sugar, glucose and calamansi juice to a<br />
boil until the temperature reaches 116°C.<br />
• When syrup reaches 106°C, start whisking<br />
egg whites in a clean mixing bowl.<br />
• As syrup reaches 116°C, add in bloomed<br />
gelatine sheets, remove from heat and stir<br />
until the gelatine melts.<br />
• When whisked whites are firm, reduce the<br />
whisking speed and pour the 116°C syrup<br />
gradually into the meringue. Increase speed<br />
and continue to whisk until the mixture cools<br />
down. stir in the yuzu pearls.<br />
• pipe the mixture quickly to your desired<br />
shapes onto a silicone paper-lined tray and<br />
allow to set overnight at room temperature.<br />
• When set, dust the marshmallows with<br />
cornflour and snow sugar mixture. Doing so<br />
prevents the marshmallows from sticking<br />
together. these will keep well for a week at<br />
room temperature.<br />
tips:<br />
• Before handling glucose with bare hands,<br />
wet fingertips so that the glucose doesn’t stick.<br />
• speed is key when it comes to piping the<br />
marshmallow mixture. If the mixture is left to<br />
sit, the finishing will appear lumpy.<br />
LYCHee MACARoNS<br />
Makes about 30 pcs<br />
Prep time 45 minutes plus 2-3 hours drying<br />
time<br />
Cook time 20 minutes<br />
macaron shells<br />
60g finely ground almonds<br />
80g icing sugar<br />
⅛ tsp pink colour powder<br />
50g egg whites<br />
50g caster sugar<br />
• sift ground almonds and icing sugar<br />
together.<br />
• Mix the pink colour powder with a bit of egg<br />
whites and the almond and icing sugar mixture<br />
to form a paste. set aside this paste.<br />
• Whisk remaining egg whites briefly before<br />
adding sugar, and continue whisking the<br />
mixture to stiff peaks (about 10 minutes or until<br />
you hear a faint popping sound as the whites<br />
are being whipped). Fold in the almond mixture<br />
along with the pink paste, until the colour is<br />
well-incorporated.<br />
• pipe mixture onto a silicone paper-lined tray,<br />
leaving space between rows to allow for air<br />
circulation. Lightly wet your index finger and<br />
gently run over each macaron peak before<br />
tapping the underside of the tray gently on the<br />
countertop. Doing so will help to flatten the<br />
pointed peaks on the unbaked shells. Dry for<br />
2-3 hours at room temperature.<br />
• Bake at 170°C for 20 minutes.<br />
• to assemble, pipe a little filling onto the flat<br />
side of 1 macaron shell, then top with another<br />
shell. Repeat until all shells and filling are used<br />
up.<br />
filling<br />
150g butter<br />
50g icing sugar<br />
1 tsp lychee flavour<br />
• Cream butter and sugar together at<br />
medium speed until light and fluffy.<br />
• Add lychee flavour and continue to beat<br />
until smooth.<br />
• set aside until ready to assemble.<br />
tips:<br />
• powdered colouring (though pricier)<br />
works better than liquid ones when it<br />
comes to making macarons as those<br />
made with the latter just don’t dry as well.<br />
• Before piping the macaron shells,<br />
trace circles onto the reverse side of<br />
the silicone paper to serve as markings.<br />
Doing so helps ensure a more consistent<br />
shape and size.<br />
• For a chewier bite, mature the macaron<br />
shells by keeping them in the freezer for<br />
a few days.<br />
90 epicureasia.com
CHoCoLAte & GRANd<br />
MARNieR oRANGe SoUFFLÉ<br />
Makes 7 portions<br />
Prep time 20 minutes<br />
Cook time 10 minutes<br />
17g butter<br />
100g caster sugar<br />
17g plain flour<br />
pinch of salt<br />
94g milk, warmed<br />
67g dark couverture chocolate (70%)<br />
1 egg yolk<br />
zest from 1 orange<br />
25g orange juice<br />
1 tsp Grand Marnier<br />
2 egg whites<br />
Method:<br />
• preheat oven to 200°C.<br />
• Brush ramekin with butter and lightly coat<br />
with sugar.<br />
• Melt butter in a sauce pan, add in flour and<br />
salt, and cook to a paste.<br />
• Add in warm milk and continue to stir, adding<br />
in dark chocolate, egg yolk, orange zest and<br />
orange juice and Grand Marnier. stir to a<br />
smooth paste. While waiting for the whites to<br />
be whisked, keep the chocolate mixture warm<br />
by placing the bowl in a warm water bath.<br />
• Whisk egg whites and add in sugar. Continue<br />
whisking until mixture is stiff.<br />
• Fold in 1 dollop of whisked whites to the<br />
chocolate mixture before folding in the rest of<br />
the egg whites. (Doing so rather than adding<br />
all at one go helps to lighten the batter and<br />
prepare the rest of the batter for the remaining<br />
whites.)<br />
• transfer the mixture into individual ramekins<br />
and bake at 200°C for 7-10 minutes.<br />
tip:<br />
• Refrain from adding excess alcohol as the<br />
extra liquid will weigh down the egg whites. e<br />
Check out epicure on Youtube for a behind-thescenes<br />
video of this masterclass.<br />
epicureasia.com 91
cookbook critic<br />
Effortless<br />
and easy<br />
A delicious home-cooked meal<br />
doesn’t have to be complicated or<br />
stressful. And when you<br />
keep things Simple, it's a breeze.<br />
By Priyanka Elhence<br />
AT A GLANCE<br />
A rustic looking cover illustrating a classic Chicken Picatta<br />
in a cast iron pan sets the tone for what to expect from<br />
Diana Henry’s latest recipe book. With a firm conviction<br />
that anyone can cook, the decorated journalist and author<br />
of 10 books including A Bird in the Hand and Salt, Sugar,<br />
Smoke, is back with Simple, a compendium of recipes that is<br />
big on flavours and executed with minimum fuss. Domestic<br />
goddess Nigella Lawson gives a ringing endorsement:<br />
‘This is everything I want from a cookbook: inspiration,<br />
intelligent company, great good-mood food, and beautiful<br />
writing’. Simple is heavy on recipes featuring whole grains,<br />
vegetable-only mains, pastas, roasts, eggs and toast.<br />
Everyday pantry staples are used, while less common<br />
ingredients such as pomegranate molasses, sumac and<br />
white balsamic vinegar are not too hard to find. I like the<br />
fact that such ingredients are used repeatedly throughout<br />
the book, so you don’t have to worry about the entire<br />
bottle of pomegranate molasses going to waste when one<br />
particular recipe requires only a few tablespoons of it.<br />
Also peppered throughout the book are helpful ideas<br />
around easy starters such as Quick-Cured Salmon &<br />
Buttermilk and Peaches with Burrata. There are recipes<br />
for simple sauces and relishes such as the Hazelnut<br />
Picada for roasted meats or the Anchovy & Rosemary<br />
Sauce for fish, which give dishes a more textured twist.<br />
However, some recipes do require a few hours or even<br />
overnight marination, so plan ahead especially when trying<br />
something out of the Roasts section.<br />
As a follow up of Cook Simple in 2004 after the<br />
birth of Henry’s first child, Simple is grounded in hasslefree<br />
cooking that works for either a mid-week dinner<br />
or a leisurely weekend meal, but with a wider range<br />
of cooking techniques this time round. I usually pick<br />
recipes depending on the prep and cook times that they<br />
require, but<br />
the cookbook<br />
provides neither.<br />
That said, it<br />
didn’t deter me<br />
from trying out a<br />
new creation as<br />
the recipes were<br />
uncomplicated<br />
and pretty<br />
straightforward.<br />
THE ROAD<br />
TEST<br />
One-dish recipes<br />
that cook largely<br />
by themselves<br />
always come in<br />
handy during<br />
weekends. I<br />
quickly settled<br />
on the Slow-<br />
Cooked Lamb<br />
with Pomegranates and Honey because it promised to be<br />
an effortless yet rich dinner treat. The crushed garlic-mint<br />
marinade for the lamb was deeply aromatic and didn’t<br />
disappoint the next day after a 12-hour rest in the fridge.<br />
photos Laura Edwards publisher MitchELL BEazLEy PuBLishErs<br />
92 epicureasia.com
There’s really little effort with this dish once<br />
you pop it in the oven, apart from basting it a<br />
few times, which then gives more than enough<br />
time to whip up the mint yoghurt and a side<br />
salad. Four and a half hours later, I had lamb<br />
that was so soft, it was literally falling off the<br />
bone.<br />
I finished the meal with the decadent<br />
Bitter Flourless Chocolate Cake with Coffee<br />
Cream. It was my first attempt at a flourless<br />
version and Henry’s rendition of it seemed too<br />
easy to pass up. I found the mixture a tad dry<br />
after folding in the egg whites as the recipe<br />
suggested, so I took the liberty of adding a<br />
few glugs of milk to moisten the batter. And<br />
fortunately so, because the cake turned out<br />
shiny and smooth, with nary a hint of dryness.<br />
And while the coffee whisky cream on the<br />
side worked well, Henry’s suggestion of a<br />
marmalade cream might work better, since the<br />
cake does require a touch of sweetness in my<br />
opinion.<br />
Searching for a simple but elegant<br />
midweek dinner, I decided to try the Orange-<br />
Oregano Roast Chicken with Olive Gremolata,<br />
based solely on how beautiful the dish looked.<br />
With only a few hours required for the fresh<br />
citrus flavours to infuse into the meat, this dish<br />
is ideal when you have an excess of oranges<br />
in your fridge. I put together the gremolata<br />
while the chicken was marinating, and paired<br />
the dish with little potatoes as Henry suggests<br />
at the start of the recipe. A quick browning<br />
of the chicken on the stove top after that, and<br />
popping it back into the oven for about half an<br />
hour is all you need to do, for the end result<br />
really does mimic the illustration.<br />
VERDICT<br />
The unexpected usually happens even when<br />
you follow recipes to the letter, therefore,<br />
Henry’s suggestions for alternative sides and<br />
tips on how to make something more special<br />
go a long way. Mix and match the recipes<br />
according to what you have on hand – I found<br />
that more than one accompanying dish works<br />
well with the main star of the meal. Whether<br />
you’re constantly short of time or just not in<br />
the mood to rustle up something complicated,<br />
this book is for you.<br />
simple by Diana henry retails for $27.82 from<br />
Kinokuniya.<br />
BittEr FLOurLEss<br />
chOcOLatE caKE with<br />
cOFFEE crEaM<br />
serves 8<br />
For the cake<br />
160g/5¾oz unsalted butter, plus more for<br />
the tin<br />
320g/11½oz good-quality dark chocolate<br />
(70% cocoa solids), broken into pieces<br />
145g/5¼oz caster sugar<br />
5 large eggs, separated<br />
40g/1½oz ground almonds<br />
icing sugar, to dust<br />
For the cream<br />
300ml/½ pint double cream<br />
½ tbsp instant espresso coffee dissolved in<br />
½ tbsp boiling water<br />
2 tbsp whiskey, or to taste<br />
3 tbsp icing sugar, or to taste<br />
• preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas<br />
mark 4.<br />
• butter a 20cm (8in) springform cake tin.<br />
• put the chocolate, butter and sugar into<br />
a heatproof bowl set over a pan of<br />
simmering water (the water shouldn’t<br />
touch the bowl). Melt the mixture,<br />
stirring a little. remove the bowl and<br />
leave it to cool for about four minutes.<br />
stir in the egg yolks, one at a time.<br />
• beat the egg whites with electric<br />
beaters until they form medium peaks<br />
(stiff but with the peaks drooping<br />
slightly).<br />
• using a big metal spoon, fold the<br />
ground almonds into the chocolate<br />
mixture along with half the egg whites,<br />
then fold in the rest of the whites.<br />
• scrape the batter into the prepared<br />
tin and bake for 35 minutes. Cool<br />
completely, carefully remove the ring<br />
and base and put the cake on a serving<br />
plate. it will deflate and crack as it cools.<br />
Whip the cream until just holding its<br />
shape, then drizzle in the coffee and<br />
whiskey, still whipping.<br />
• Add the icing sugar and taste for<br />
sweetness and booziness. sift icing<br />
sugar over the cake and serve with the<br />
cream.<br />
epicureasia.com 93
cookbook critic<br />
leaves from 1 bunch of oregano,<br />
chopped<br />
8 cloves garlic, crushed<br />
juice of 2 oranges and finely<br />
grated zest of 1<br />
2 small-medium oranges,<br />
preferably thin-skinned, thinly<br />
sliced<br />
5½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil<br />
sea salt flakes and pepper, to<br />
taste<br />
pinch of granulated sugar<br />
sLOw-cOOKEd LaMB with<br />
POMEGraNatEs aNd<br />
hONEy<br />
serves 6<br />
For the lamb<br />
2kg/4lb/8oz bone-in lamb shoulder<br />
9 cloves garlic, roughly chopped<br />
sea salt flakes and pepper, to taste<br />
leaves from a small bunch of mint, torn<br />
4 ½ tbsp pomegranate molasses<br />
4 ½ tbsp runny honey<br />
4 tbsp olive oil<br />
4 lemons, freshly squeezed juice<br />
to serve<br />
1 pomegranate or 225g/8oz pomegranate seeds<br />
leaves from a small bunch of mint, torn<br />
4 cloves garlic, crushed<br />
400g/14oz Greek yogurt<br />
flatbread or couscous, to serve<br />
salad of watercress or spinach, coarse stalks<br />
removed<br />
• pierce the lamb all over deeply.<br />
• Crush the garlic to a paste with salt – it acts<br />
as an abrasive – in a mortar. Add the other<br />
ingredients for the lamb, starting with the mint,<br />
and pound some more.<br />
• put the meat on two huge<br />
pieces of foil set at right<br />
angles in a roasting tin and<br />
pull up the sides so none<br />
of the marinade will run<br />
out. pour on the marinade,<br />
turning the lamb. Cover and put in the fridge for<br />
about 12 hours.<br />
• return the meat to room temperature and<br />
preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.<br />
pull the foil over the lamb and seal to form a<br />
tent. place in the oven and immediately reduce<br />
the oven temperature to 160°C/325°F/gas mark<br />
3. Cook for four to five hours, basting with the<br />
juices every so often. the lamb is cooked when<br />
you can pull the meat apart with a fork. Cooking<br />
times vary a lot depending on the age of the<br />
meat you are using, so start checking after four<br />
hours.<br />
• Mix the pomegranate seeds with the mint, then<br />
add the garlic to the yogurt.<br />
• shred the lamb at the table and serve with the<br />
yogurt, pomegranate and mint, plus flatbreads<br />
or couscous and a salad of watercress and<br />
spinach (a green salad tossed with walnuts or<br />
hazelnuts would be great).<br />
OraNGE-OrEGaNO<br />
rOast chicKEN, OLiVE<br />
GrEMOLata<br />
serves 6<br />
For the chicken<br />
12 chicken thighs, skin-on bone-in<br />
For the gremolata<br />
200g/7oz mixed green and<br />
black olives, pitted and finely<br />
chopped<br />
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped<br />
2 red chillies, deseeded and finely sliced<br />
1 orange, zested<br />
leaves from 2 sprigs of oregano, roughly<br />
chopped<br />
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil<br />
1 tbsp orange juice<br />
1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar<br />
squeeze of lemon juice<br />
• trim the chicken thighs of scraggy bits of skin.<br />
pierce the undersides with a sharp knife and put<br />
in a dish. Add the oregano, garlic, orange juice<br />
and zest, 4 tbsp of the oil and the pepper. Mix<br />
with your hands, cover and put in the fridge for<br />
a few hours (overnight is even better).<br />
• For the gremolata, put the olives, garlic,<br />
chillies, zest and oregano on a board and finely<br />
chop them. put in a bowl with the rest of the<br />
gremolata ingredients and set aside to let the<br />
flavours infuse.<br />
• preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5.<br />
• take the chicken out of the marinade, shaking<br />
off excess. heat the remaining 1½ tbsp of oil in a<br />
large ovenproof sauté pan or shallow casserole<br />
in which the chicken can lie in a single layer.<br />
brown the chicken, in batches, on both sides,<br />
finishing skin side up. scatter with sea salt<br />
flakes and roast for 20 minutes.<br />
• lay some of the orange slices under the<br />
chicken and the rest on top.<br />
• spoon the cooking juices over the oranges,<br />
then sprinkle a little sugar over the slices.<br />
roast for another 20 minutes; the chicken<br />
and oranges should be cooked. scatter the<br />
gremolata on top. serve in the roasting dish. e<br />
94 epicureasia.com
ecipe reveal<br />
Regent Singapore’s Upside-down<br />
Raspberry & Tahitian Vanilla Tart<br />
Pastry chef Alex Chong’s rendition of the well-loved raspberry tart<br />
builds upon layers of flavours — a tangy raspberry compote, sweet<br />
white chocolate glaze and a delightfully smooth almond cream.<br />
illustration lim An-ling (www.musingcAts.com)<br />
Makes 1 kg tart<br />
Prep time 1 day (to chill overnight)<br />
Bake time 9-10 minutes<br />
raspberry compote<br />
140g fresh raspberries<br />
200g sugar<br />
5g pectin nH<br />
♦ in a pot, heat raspberries to 70°C with 100g of<br />
sugar. add pectin with remaining sugar and bring<br />
to a boil for 5 minutes. set aside.<br />
almond cream<br />
100g unsalted butter<br />
100g icing sugar<br />
100g almond meal<br />
120g eggs<br />
20g corn starch<br />
10g dark rum<br />
90g whipping cream<br />
♦ Cream butter and icing sugar with an electric<br />
mixer fitted with a flat beater. add rest of<br />
ingredients and mix well. Do not whisk to soft<br />
peaks.<br />
sugar dough tart shell<br />
120g plain flour<br />
15g ground almonds<br />
1g salt<br />
45g icing sugar<br />
72g butter<br />
29g egg<br />
almond cream<br />
40 frozen raspberries<br />
♦ Mix flour, ground almonds, salt and icing sugar<br />
using a paddle attachment. add this mixture<br />
and butter into an electric blender and blitz at<br />
medium speed. Gradually add eggs and blend<br />
until dough forms.<br />
♦ Cling wrap dough and let it rest overnight in a<br />
chiller.<br />
♦ the next day, roll out dough and press into a<br />
greased 18cm tart ring. Fill tart shell with almond<br />
cream and frozen raspberries.<br />
♦ Bake for 25-30 minutes, with top heat at 150°C<br />
and bottom heat at 170°C.<br />
almond joconde sponge<br />
810g icing sugar<br />
810g ground almonds<br />
215g plain flour<br />
1.8kg egg yolk<br />
720g egg white<br />
110g sugar<br />
160g unsalted butter, melted to a lukewarm<br />
temperature<br />
♦ in a mixing bowl, whisk icing sugar, ground<br />
almonds, plain flour, and egg yolk together.<br />
♦ in a separate bowl, whisk egg whites with sugar,<br />
then transfer to mixing bowl. Fold in melted<br />
butter.<br />
♦ Pour into a greased 60cm by 40cm baking tray<br />
and bake at 200°C in a convection oven for 9-10<br />
minutes.<br />
red glaze<br />
2g gelatine sheet<br />
59g neutral glaze<br />
1g red food colouring<br />
89g whipping cream<br />
148g white chocolate<br />
♦ soak gelatine in a bowl of cold water for 15<br />
minutes. set aside.<br />
♦ Melt neutral glaze in a bain-marie and set aside.<br />
♦ in a pot, add red food colouring to cream. Bring<br />
to a boil.<br />
♦ Pour cream and melted glaze onto white<br />
chocolate, allowing the warm mixture to melt the<br />
chocolate.<br />
♦ Blend everything with a hand-held blender until<br />
well-combined. leave in chiller to set overnight.<br />
♦ Heat to 35°C in a microwave before use.<br />
decoration<br />
200g desiccated coconut<br />
330g mascarpone<br />
1 tahitian vanilla pod, seeds scraped<br />
500g whipping cream<br />
50g icing sugar<br />
20 fresh raspberries<br />
4 silver leaves<br />
12 white chocolate sticks<br />
♦ to assemble, spread a layer of raspberry<br />
compote on top of almond and raspberry tart<br />
shell.<br />
♦ Cover with a layer of joconde sponge. Freeze for<br />
3 hours.<br />
♦ once frozen, turn it upside down and brush with<br />
the red glaze. Coat sides with desiccated coconut.<br />
♦ Whisk mascarpone, vanilla seeds, whipping<br />
cream, and icing sugar together to soft peaks to<br />
make 4 big and 4 small quenelles.<br />
♦ Place quenelles on top of glazed tart along<br />
with fresh raspberries, silver leaves and white<br />
chocolate sticks. serve immediately. e<br />
epicureasia.com 95
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TRAVEL<br />
INSIDE<br />
» 8 after-dark escapades<br />
» Interior designer Kelly Hoppen's<br />
favourite travel destinations<br />
» The best pâtisseries in France<br />
epicureasia.com 97
Chef's Travelogue<br />
A decadent<br />
tour of France<br />
With so many stellar pâtisseries in<br />
France, it’s impossible to visit them all.<br />
Pastry chef Sae Takagi rounds up her<br />
top picks, which span from<br />
a Franco-Japanese boutique in Paris<br />
to the original macaron purveyor in<br />
Saint-Jean-de-Luz.<br />
Paris at sunset<br />
The pastry<br />
selection at<br />
Mori Yoshida<br />
Sae Takagi<br />
T<br />
o the uninitiated,<br />
Japanese and French<br />
pastries seem worlds<br />
apart. The former is known to be<br />
lighter on the palate and petite,<br />
while rustic French pastries tend<br />
to be larger, heartier and bolder in<br />
flavour. The exception is refined<br />
French desserts, which are similar<br />
to the Japanese style in size, are<br />
more detailed in their presentation,<br />
and have more depth in flavour.<br />
Take a closer look and you’ll<br />
find that both culinary cultures share an emphasis on local,<br />
seasonal produce. The terrain of the two countries is quite<br />
alike, and thus yields similar fruits each season. Some of the<br />
best peaches and cherries I’ve had are from Japan and France.<br />
PHOTO OF LAKE DREAMSTIME<br />
98 epicureasia.com
Chocolates, pâte de<br />
fruits and tarts from<br />
Des Gâteaux et du Pain<br />
The Amazon lime<br />
bonbon from<br />
Patrick Roger<br />
When the two cultures<br />
collide, pastry magic<br />
happens.<br />
PHOTO OF SUNSET IN PARIS DREAMSTIME<br />
THE CRÈME DE LA<br />
CRÈME OF PARIS<br />
Paris, of course, is the<br />
hub of the nation’s<br />
pâtisseries. There are a<br />
few in the French capital<br />
that really embody<br />
the pastry sensibilities<br />
of both France and<br />
Japan, but the first<br />
place that comes to<br />
mind is undoubtedly<br />
Morihide Yoshida’s namesake shop. It’s a tiny space in the<br />
7th arrondissement with minimalist interiors. As there’s<br />
no indoor seating, you can purchase your pastries and<br />
sit in the park outside to indulge in the view and sweets.<br />
The petit gâteaux are delicious, but don’t miss out on the<br />
viennoiseries and dry bakes too.<br />
In a male-dominated industry, it’s rare to find a female<br />
chef. One such talented toque is Claire Damon, who helms<br />
Des Gâteaux et du Pain. Her creations are very feminine<br />
– light, dainty and subtle. Although she’s not doing Franco-<br />
epicureasia.com 99
Chef's Travelogue<br />
Japanese pastries, her desserts are lighter and less<br />
sweet than the usual suspects. For chocolates, my<br />
all-time favourite is Patrick Roger in Saint-Germain.<br />
You must try his Amazon lime bonbon with caramel<br />
and coated in dark chocolate – it’s the confection that<br />
won him the Grand Prix International du Chocolat<br />
in 1994.<br />
Another interesting stop is Jacques Genin. His<br />
pastry shop is primarily known for its chocolate<br />
and pâtes de fruits, but you should also try the pâtes<br />
de légumes. I particularly love the rhubarb-flavoured<br />
version. Pierre Hermé is on everybody’s must-visit<br />
list for his inimitable macarons and Tarte Infiniment<br />
Vanille, but if you’re visiting Paris in the summer,<br />
you must sample his ice cream too. If you’ve time<br />
to spare, sign up for a class by pâtissier Christophe<br />
Michalak in his Rue du Faubourg Poissonnière<br />
boutique.<br />
A trip to Paris for me is never complete without<br />
dropping by L’Éclair de Génie, where I previously<br />
worked. Try their chouchou éclair of caramel cream<br />
topped with peanuts and coated in milk chocolate –<br />
we used to call it the snickers éclair. Trop bon!<br />
The egg yolk with<br />
cumin and caramel<br />
dish at Restaurant<br />
David Toutain<br />
Pavillon Ledoyen’s<br />
coconut dessert<br />
Mignardises (petit<br />
fours) at Restaurant<br />
David Toutain<br />
L’Éclair de Génie’s<br />
boutique on Rue Sainte<br />
Croix de la Bretonnerie<br />
RESTAURANTS WITH UNFORGETTABLE DESSERTS<br />
If you’re planning to dine out in Paris, go big or go home at least once.<br />
Pavillon Ledoyen by esteemed French chef Yannick Alléno is definitely<br />
worth its price. I’ve visited the restaurant both before and after Alléno<br />
took over the kitchen in 2014. Previously, meals ended on a great note<br />
with the kouign-amann, a buttery, airy Breton cake. The kouign-amann<br />
has now been replaced with Alléno’s white chocolate and Guinness tart,<br />
which is equally amazing.<br />
Restaurant David Toutain is also worth a visit for his unique and<br />
inventive desserts. Toutain worked under culinary heavyweights such as<br />
Pierre Gagnaire, Alain Passard and Andoni Luis Aduriz. He loves to use<br />
vegetables – the most memorable course was his delicious cauliflower<br />
and white chocolate pre-dessert.<br />
Sweet-toothed travellers should definitely head to Tain-l’Hermitage<br />
in southeastern France. It’s a small commune that’s known to be the<br />
home of Valrhona. There’s plenty to do for a day – visit the Valrhona<br />
museum, Cité du Chocolat; take quiet walks along the Rhône River; and<br />
100 epicureasia.com
ook yourself a meal at three Michelin-starred Maison Pic<br />
by chef Anne-Sophie Pic in nearby Valence. You should also<br />
check out the award-winning chef’s next-door bistro or pastry<br />
shop just down the road. She’s very talented with desserts, so<br />
expect to be pleasantly surprised.<br />
WILL TRAVEL FOR SWEETS<br />
Pastries differ from region to region depending on the area’s<br />
history and proximity to neighbouring countries. For example,<br />
you can really see and taste the Spanish influence on food in<br />
the French Basque Country; while up north in Alsace, which<br />
borders Germany, you’ll find pastries like the kugelhopf, which<br />
is heavier, just like German pastries. The French take full<br />
advantage of their terrain and come up with recipes dependent<br />
on their local<br />
produce.<br />
The French<br />
Basque Country,<br />
also known as<br />
Pays Basque, holds<br />
plenty of pastry<br />
appeal. A must-try<br />
is the Véritables<br />
Macaron from<br />
Maison Adam in<br />
Saint-Jean-de-<br />
Luz – created three<br />
centuries before<br />
Ladurée’s, the macarons were served at the 1660 wedding<br />
of Louis XIV and Maria Theresa of Spain. Instead of two<br />
meringues sandwiching a filling, which is a comparatively<br />
modern invention, Maison Adam’s macarons are single almond<br />
biscuits that melt in your mouth.<br />
Many small pastry boutiques in the Basque region sell ice<br />
cream, but my shop of choice is Les Cinq Cantons in Anglet,<br />
founded by Thierry Bamas, an Un des Meilleurs Ouvriers<br />
de France (MOF) award-winning chef. The pâtisserie is<br />
currently helmed by Vincent Vallée, a personal friend. He was<br />
the winner of the World Chocolate Masters in 2015.<br />
My formative training is from France so it’s always a great<br />
pleasure to return to the country and visit the chefs I have<br />
worked with as well as suss out the newest pastries around<br />
The Éclair Vanille<br />
Pécan Noël,<br />
Barlette Vanilla<br />
Pécan, and Éclair<br />
Passion Noël<br />
flavours at L’Éclair<br />
de Génie<br />
town. Some of the<br />
flavour profiles<br />
I’ve experienced in<br />
France are unique<br />
to the Japanese.<br />
For example,<br />
in France and<br />
abroad, yuzu is<br />
now a common<br />
dessert flavour.<br />
But in Japan, it<br />
is not commonly<br />
found in desserts,<br />
and if they are, the<br />
citrus flavour is<br />
much more subtle.<br />
After my stint in France, I started exploring the use of yuzu<br />
in desserts, and I now serve a raspberry yuzu éclair in Amiral<br />
Atelier. Another one of my favourite desserts is the Tarte<br />
Infiniment Vanille from Pierre Hermé – my vanilla rum slice is<br />
an ode to that pastry. e<br />
Maison Adam’s<br />
macarons display<br />
During her childhood, Hong Kong-born Japanese chef Sae Takagi<br />
frequently shuttled between Tokyo and Singapore. After graduating from<br />
Le Cordon Bleu Paris, she cut her teeth at L’Éclair de Génie as the pastry<br />
shop’s first non-French staff. During this time, she collaborated with<br />
master pâtissiers such as Jérôme Chaucesse and Christophe Michalak.<br />
Upon leaving L’Éclair, Takagi joined Dulcet & Studio of the Tampopo<br />
Restaurant Group in Singapore as head chef. Last year, she opened<br />
Tampopo group’s newest concept, Amiral Atelier, in Paragon. On the side,<br />
Takagi also works as a translator chef to internationally acclaimed toques<br />
who visit the Chocolate Academy in Singapore.<br />
epicureasia.com 101
Twilight adventures<br />
8 unforgettable after-dark escapades to<br />
cure your wanderlust.<br />
Destination: Guatemala<br />
Where: Las Lagunas Boutique Hotel is 1.5km from San Miguel<br />
and minutes away from the magnificent Tikal, Uaxactún and<br />
Yaxhá ruins. Located within 200 acres of jungle, this boutique<br />
hotel is a marvel of nature.<br />
Stay: The property’s 19 suites that offer overlook the lagoon.<br />
Do: The “Moon & Wine” private boat tour gives guests the<br />
experience of watching the moon rise over the Quexil Lagoon<br />
as you sip on wine paired with delectable eats from the hotel’s<br />
Shultun Restaurant.<br />
Rates: From US$75 (S$107)/person.<br />
Flores, Petén, Guatemala. C.A. Tel: +502 7790 0300<br />
Destination: The Maldives<br />
Where: The Residence Maldives resort is located in the southern<br />
island of Falhunaafushi in the Gaafu Alifu atoll, accessible by<br />
Kaadedhdhoo Airport.<br />
Stay: The Residence Maldives, which has 94 beachfront and<br />
over-water villas.<br />
Do: The Maldives is known for its pristine white sand and<br />
sparkling turquoise waters that teem with wondrous marine<br />
life. The Residence Maldives’ Night Diving sessions give guests<br />
the unique experience of diving into the depths, UV lights in<br />
hand, to witness the colourful and mysterious world beneath:<br />
phosphorescent plankton lighting up the ocean, the fluorescent<br />
colours of the corals, and the nocturnal behaviours of reef<br />
animals.<br />
Rates: S$228 for night diving sessions.<br />
Falhumaafushi, Gaafu Alifu Atoll, Republic Of Maldives. Tel: +960 682 0088<br />
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Destination: Italy<br />
Where: Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco, located<br />
90km from Florence and 45km from Siena.<br />
Stay: The sprawling 5,000-acre, 800-year-old<br />
Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco’s 23 suites<br />
Do: Located on a hilltop, The Rosewood<br />
Castiglion del Bosco overlooks patchwork fields,<br />
and is situated on the Via Francigena, in the<br />
heart of the UNESCO-protected Val d’Orcia.<br />
With so much to see, the only way to do the<br />
stunning landscape justice is to journey around<br />
the area with the Moonlight Horseback Riding<br />
that the estate offers to its guests. The activity<br />
takes you through the Parc of Piana estate,<br />
15 minutes away from Castiglion del Bosco,<br />
which is set on Tuscan hills and surrounded<br />
by the Crete Senesi. The four and a half hour<br />
tour departs at 7pm and stops by Osteria Porta<br />
di Sotto in Buonconvento or Il Paradiso in<br />
Chiusure, depending on the guests’ choices,<br />
where they can partake of a traditional Tuscan<br />
dinner prepared by local ladies.<br />
Rates: From €110 (S$167)/person, dinner<br />
included.<br />
Località Castiglion del Bosco, 53024 Montalcino (Siena),<br />
Italy. Tel: +39 577 191 3001<br />
Destination:<br />
Australia<br />
Where: The Emirates One&Only<br />
Wolgan Valley, a 7,000 acre<br />
conservancy reserve that’s a 2.5-hour<br />
drive from Sydney and is located on<br />
Australia’s Great Dividing Range,<br />
within the World Heritage-listed<br />
Greater Blue Mountains.<br />
Stay: The property’s 40 Freestanding<br />
Suites, which includes one-bedroom<br />
Heritage Suites, two-bedroom Wollemi<br />
Suites and a three-bedroom Wolgan<br />
Suite.<br />
Do: Kangaroos, wallaroos, and<br />
wallabies are common wildlife in<br />
Australia, but guests of the Emirates<br />
One&Only Wolgan Valley can get up<br />
close and personal with these animals in<br />
their natural habitat with the Signature<br />
Wildlife and Sundowners Tour. Hop<br />
on a 4WD expedition vehicle that takes<br />
you through Wollemi Pine Grove and<br />
listen as the experienced guides regale<br />
stories of the country’s bush heritage<br />
and share the history of the reserve.<br />
Keep a lookout for the resident Wedge<br />
Tailed Eagles. The stunning scenery is<br />
one to remember.<br />
Rates: From AUS$50 (S$53) for one<br />
and a half hours.<br />
2600 Wolgan Rd, Wolgan Valley NSW 2790,<br />
Australia. Tel: +61 2 9308 0550<br />
epicureasia.com 103
Destination: Tanzania<br />
Where: Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti. The lodge is a<br />
45-minute drive from the Seronera Airstrip where connecting<br />
flights are offered by the Arusha Airport, Julius Nyerere<br />
International Airport and Kilimanjaro International Airport.<br />
Stay: Pick a guest room, suite or villa from the 77 room options,<br />
each decked out with contemporary African textiles and artwork.<br />
Do: Feel at one with nature by embarking on the Sunset Kopje<br />
Nature Walk and Meditation. A Maasai leads you up the nature<br />
trail to the sunset kopje, where you can drink in the awe-inspiring<br />
views of the Serengeti, drenched with the light of the setting sun.<br />
Thereafter, relax with a yogi-led meditation. The focal point of the<br />
resort is its proximity to nature, with six standalone spa pavilions<br />
that give you access to an outdoor infinity pool overlooking an<br />
active watering hole where you can watch elephants gather to<br />
drink.<br />
Rates: US$200/person<br />
Central Serengeti, Serengeti National Park. Tel: +255 768 981 981<br />
Destination: U.S. Virgin<br />
Islands<br />
Where: The Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas is<br />
accessible from the Cyril E. King Airport by<br />
taxi, private transfer or self-drive.<br />
Stay: The 30-acre resort boasts an unparalleled<br />
view of the Caribbean with neighbouring<br />
islands on the horizon. Stay in any one of the<br />
180 rooms, including 55 Club rooms, 19 suites<br />
and four Presidential suites, each with a private<br />
balcony or terrace.<br />
Do: Designed by environmentalist Jean-Michel<br />
Cousteau, the Ambassadors of the Environment<br />
is a programme that encourages guests to learn<br />
more about St. Thomas’ land and sea. Night Life<br />
on the Reef Guided Snorkel is one such activity<br />
that is sure to captivate. Between 6.30pm and<br />
9.30pm, trained naturalists with dive lights<br />
will take you on a reef excursion to discover<br />
nocturnal marine life, and experience what<br />
makes the Caribbean such a popular diving spot.<br />
Rates: US$105/person<br />
6900 Great Bay, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands 00802,<br />
United States. Tel: +1 340 775 3333<br />
104 epicureasia.com
Destination:<br />
Brazil<br />
Where: Belmond Hotel<br />
Das Cataratas is a 15km<br />
drive from Foz do Iguaçu<br />
International Airport.<br />
Stay: Take your pick of the<br />
193 rooms and suites with<br />
forest, garden and waterfall<br />
views.<br />
Do: Organised by Belmond<br />
Hotel das Cataratas and<br />
led by the hotel’s resident<br />
biologist and park rangers,<br />
the Full Moon Walking<br />
Tour brings guests to<br />
the Iguazu Falls for a<br />
view of the unique lunar<br />
rainbow, which is created<br />
when moonlight hits the<br />
fall’s rising mist. This rare<br />
occurrence happens only<br />
four nights a month and is<br />
an exclusive experience for<br />
hotel guests only.<br />
Rates: From BRL60<br />
(S$27)/person<br />
Rodovia Br 469, Km 32, Iguassu<br />
National Park, Foz do Iguassu<br />
85855-750, Brazil.<br />
Tel: +55 21 2545 8878<br />
Destination: U.S.<br />
Where: Sundance Mountain Resort. Drive from Salt<br />
Lake City Airport to this hideaway up in the mountains.<br />
Stay: Choose from the mountain resort’s rustic<br />
accommodation that includes 35 rooms, 55 suites and 10<br />
Mountain homes.<br />
Do: With a spa that offers hot stone therapy, an art<br />
studio that teaches photography, jewellery making and<br />
glassblowing, there is plenty to keep you occupied at the<br />
resort. But if it’s adrenaline that you’re after, head to the<br />
snow-covered slopes for a spot of night skiing. Feel the<br />
cold wind against your face as you ski down the same<br />
mountain that has inspired many writers, directors,<br />
actors and artists.<br />
Rates: From US$40 to US$70/person. Night Only pass<br />
from 4.30pm to 9pm, Twilight pass from 2.30pm to 9pm,<br />
Night Full Day pass from 12.30pm to 9pm.<br />
8841 N. Alpine Loop Road, Sundance, Utah 84604.<br />
Tel: +1 800 892 1600<br />
epicureasia.com 105
frequent flyer<br />
Celebrity interior designer Kelly Hoppen’s shot to<br />
success began with a simple project: putting together<br />
her family friend’s kitchen at the age of 16. From there,<br />
her business skyrocketed, with actor Martin Shaw hiring her<br />
to design his bachelor’s pad the following year. Forty years into<br />
the industry, the talented Hoppen has since dreamt up swish<br />
homes for stars including the Beckhams and Madonna, as well<br />
as luxury properties such as Hotel Murmuri Barcelona. The<br />
ambitious self-starter has also published 10 books, presented her<br />
own television show, and even received the title of Member of<br />
the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire from the Queen<br />
of England. However, despite being one of the most influential<br />
figures in the industry, Hoppen’s idea of a relaxing time is like<br />
everybody else – watching TV with her family.<br />
What inspired you to pursue this career and to write a book?<br />
Design is in my blood. I was born into an incredibly creative<br />
family and always knew that this was what I was destined to<br />
do. As a child, I was constantly shifting furniture and rejigging<br />
the décor around the home. My stronger subjects in school also<br />
leaned towards the more creative disciplines such as art and<br />
drama, and whenever I had spare time, I would look around<br />
show houses for fun. This love for<br />
design has evolved from a hobby into a Kelly Hoppen<br />
lifestyle. It is remarkable that I am able<br />
to share everything I know through my<br />
books. Whenever I publish a new title,<br />
I feel that a new chapter of my life is<br />
beginning. I am very excited and proud<br />
of my latest book, House of Hoppen,<br />
which is a retrospective of my four<br />
decades in the industry.<br />
What do you plan to do for your next<br />
holiday?<br />
I have a very busy year ahead with<br />
many projects in the pipeline (I am the<br />
newest judge on BBC Two’s The Great<br />
Interior Design Challenge) so I suspect I<br />
will not have much time off. Having<br />
said that, I make sure I take a lovely,<br />
sunny holiday with the family every<br />
year. That’s when I completely switch<br />
off and let my hair down. Last year, I<br />
LUX* Belle Mare<br />
Hotel La<br />
Scalinatella<br />
Stylish pleasures<br />
An annual dose of sun and sea is what keeps<br />
celebrity interior designer Kelly Hoppen going,<br />
as she reveals to Katie Boon.<br />
www.kellyhoppeninteriors.com<br />
106 epicureasia.com
went on a fabulous trip to Ibiza and stayed in an incredible villa<br />
for some well needed R&R. I unwind by spending time at home<br />
or in my cottage in the English countryside. It is the simple<br />
things, such as watching TV on my cosy sofa with my family<br />
that make me feel truly relaxed.<br />
Where are some of your favourite destinations for food?<br />
My daughter’s cooking is the best! The Colony Grill Room at<br />
the Beaumont Hotel in Mayfair, which is traditionally decorated<br />
and has amazing lighting, is also out-of-this-world. Don’t leave<br />
without ordering their marmalade pudding with Bourbon<br />
anglaise. In Mauritius, I adore all of LUX* Belle Mare’s<br />
restaurants. Their produce, such as the fish and vegetables, is<br />
super fresh, and the menus boast a wide variety of options. Plus,<br />
the atmosphere is great. My favourite thing about dining at<br />
LUX* Belle Mare is their Honestly Healthy options. Everything<br />
is not only nutritious, but tasty too.<br />
Which country boasts the best art scene and why?<br />
London has an exciting art scene. My brother Michael Hoppen<br />
runs his eponymous art gallery there, and I do a lot of work<br />
with him. He has an extraordinary eye when it comes to<br />
Michael Hoppen<br />
Gallery<br />
DestinAtion<br />
hits<br />
J Hotel La Scalinatella<br />
Via tragara, 8, 80076 capri<br />
tel: +39 081 8370633<br />
J LUX* Belle Mare<br />
coastal road, Belle mare<br />
742cU001 mauritius<br />
tel: +230 402 2000<br />
J Michael Hoppen Gallery<br />
3 Jubilee place<br />
london sw3 3tD<br />
tel: +44 20 7352 3649<br />
J The Colony Grill Room<br />
the Beaumont<br />
8 Balderton street<br />
Brown hart Gardens<br />
london w1k 6tF<br />
tel: +44 20 7499 9499<br />
The Colony Grill Room<br />
photography, having worked with some of the biggest names<br />
in the industry. I’ve been seeing a rise in fantasy-like art<br />
there; the genre is certainly making a comeback. This can<br />
be seen in the works of artists such as top British fashion<br />
photographer, Tim Walker.<br />
Describe the most beautiful place that you have visited.<br />
Capri. I’ve been going there with my family since I was<br />
young and have many fond memories. I usually stay at the<br />
Hotel La Scalinatella as the service is impeccable. One<br />
of my favourite dining spots is the La Canzone del Mare,<br />
which truly captures what Capri is about. Overlooking the<br />
gorgeous Mediterranean sea, you can see rock formations<br />
jutting out of the water, just off the island’s coast. The Turks<br />
and Caicos Islands are also wonderful. e<br />
epicureasia.com 107
food talk<br />
W.T.C.<br />
(What the<br />
cluck!)<br />
This year of the rooster, Singapore’s<br />
unofficial national dish of chicken<br />
rice is the hot topic. June Lee gets into<br />
the conversation.<br />
Claus Meyer, food writer and co-founder of Noma,<br />
declared in The Guardian that the best chicken he’s eaten<br />
in his life was at Wee Nam Kee.<br />
“Meet the Hainan Chicken Whisperer” screamed a headline<br />
in Eater.com. Chef Johnny Lee of Side Chick in Los Angeles<br />
serves up what appears to be the best chicken rice in the U.S.,<br />
using techniques mastered by even the most novice of hawkers<br />
in Singapore.<br />
On Vice.com, Canadian chef Matty Matheson shared a<br />
souped-up Hainanese chicken rice recipe using sesame seeds<br />
and olive oil, accompanied by a cucumber salad with anise<br />
hyssop and Sichuan buttons. Myself, along with just about<br />
every Singaporean that day, spent quite a few futile minutes<br />
googling the two latter items to not much enlightenment.<br />
In off-tangent chook news, local hawker Chan Hon Meng<br />
sent shockwaves across the world by scoring a Michelin star for<br />
his soya sauce chicken rice – causing confusion for global diners<br />
who may think it’s a variant of Hainanese chicken rice. He was<br />
then invited to serve his cuisine alongside other Michelin-starred<br />
establishments around the world.<br />
All this flap over chicken and rice!<br />
Hainanese chicken rice, as its name implies, doesn’t even<br />
belong to any country. Both Singapore and Malaysia lay claim<br />
to it, but its actual roots come from Hainan, an island where<br />
it was known as wen chang chicken, prosaically named for the<br />
area it came from. Immigrants brought the simple poached<br />
chicken dish to Southeast Asia, where it underwent a makeover<br />
– especially with a spicier garlic and ginger-laced chilli – to suit<br />
local palates.<br />
Why then, does it bring tears to Claus Meyer’s eyes? Is<br />
there something more to it than we’ve ever given credit for?<br />
Notwithstanding Chatterbox’s famous hotel iteration,<br />
which spread the dish’s fame overseas, chicken rice is our daily<br />
bread. It’s calibrated so that chicken, rice and chilli exist in<br />
perfect harmony. We may moan about rising costs, but fact is,<br />
the amount of skill that goes into it means that diners in other<br />
countries are willing to pay US$8.50 to savour something we<br />
pay small change for. Perhaps it’s about how exotic fare appeals<br />
– like how we are willing to pay S$30 for pasta and risotto.<br />
Just listen to Meyer wax lyrical (and misguidedly)<br />
about it: “It was poached for 30 minutes in a gigantic pot full<br />
of chicken stock that I suspect had been cooking for decades<br />
and had been passed on from chef to chef, just like a sourdough<br />
is passed on from one generation to another. After 30 minutes,<br />
the chicken was taken out of the stock and put straight into<br />
water with ice to seal the melted fats and juices under the skin.<br />
The chicken was then kept at room temperature. The rice itself<br />
was cooked in chicken fat and then in chicken stock, and served<br />
with a black, thick soy-like sauce and a chilli sauce made from<br />
freshly pounded chillies, ginger juice, garlic, lime juice, sesame<br />
oil and sugar. When the chicken melted in my mouth, tears came<br />
to my eyes.”<br />
Chicken rice, chilli crab, satay, fish head curry. All the local<br />
dishes we think of as “ours” are likely to fly the coop one day,<br />
and find its gourmet iteration overseas. Anthony Bourdain and<br />
Andrew Zimmern play a big part in this midwifery, with their<br />
glossy TV shows making food porn out of our street dishes.<br />
Is it any wonder, like protective mother hens, that we want to<br />
preserve what’s “authentic” about it? Should we go to the extent<br />
of Thailand with its Thai Selects programme? The campaign<br />
certifies overseas Thai restaurants to ensure they import<br />
ingredients from their motherland, chefs have to be trained<br />
in Thai cooking for a minimum number of years, and that 60<br />
percent of their restaurant’s dishes must be traditional.<br />
A recent controversy involved a white American chef in<br />
Philadelphia telling people how to ‘properly’ eat pho – and<br />
getting it all wrong, it appears. The Vietnamese were baffled<br />
and affronted. Chef Tyler Akin of Stock restaurant also<br />
helpfully suggested that “pho is the new ramen” – alluding that a<br />
centuries-old dish could be just another next hot flavour.<br />
And now this, our chicken rice. With anise hyssop and olive<br />
oil. Groan.<br />
We live in a food-obsessed global culture, where just about<br />
every cuisine is within reach. To debate authenticity is what<br />
makes us proud of our culture, as who else would know as much<br />
about something that you grew up eating? In the case of chicken<br />
rice, the special alchemy of what makes it good – fluffy oily rice,<br />
perfectly poached chicken, balanced chilli – was never in doubt<br />
on home soil, but is now undergoing a transformation overseas.<br />
Authentic or not, “correct” or fusion, those fragile concerns<br />
are out of our hands. Perhaps what really matters is how much<br />
people love our food, and that chefs around the world want to<br />
understand what makes it special. This year, we’ll see more<br />
Singaporean dishes gracing the menus of restaurants around the<br />
world. And that’s just the way the rooster crows. We’ll just wing<br />
it instead of feeling cocky, and celebrate what’s delicious, one<br />
dish at a time. e<br />
illustration lim An-ling (www.musingcAts.com)<br />
108 epicureasia.com
epicureasia.com 109
stockists<br />
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Bulgari<br />
B2-200/207/208<br />
The Shoppes at<br />
Marina Bay Sands<br />
Tel: 6634 8313<br />
Caratell<br />
#01-47/48/49<br />
United Square<br />
101 Thomson Road<br />
Tel: 6251 2292<br />
Cartier<br />
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ION Orchard<br />
Tel: 6732 0181<br />
Chanel<br />
L1-59 & B1-135<br />
The Shoppes at<br />
Marina Bay Sands<br />
Tel: 6645 1950<br />
Chopard<br />
#01-03 Ngee Ann City<br />
Tel: 6733 8111<br />
Grand Vin<br />
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18 Boon Lay Way<br />
Tel: 6465 3081<br />
Harry Winston<br />
#02-19 ION Orchard<br />
Tel: 6883 9509<br />
Iroshini Jewellery<br />
iroshini.com<br />
Tel: 8198 9579<br />
KOT Selections<br />
64 Neil Road<br />
Tel: 6635 4770<br />
Larry Jewelry<br />
#01-21 Paragon<br />
Tel: 6732 3222<br />
Louis Vuitton<br />
#01-23 ION Orchard<br />
Tel: 6788 3888<br />
Mauboussin<br />
#01-04 Mandarin<br />
Gallery<br />
Tel: 6836 9040<br />
Moët Hennessy<br />
Contact private client<br />
manager, Clementine<br />
Wee, clementine.wee@<br />
mhdsg.com or<br />
Tel: 6838 7740<br />
Piaget<br />
B2-208 The Shoppes at<br />
Marina Bay Sands<br />
Tel: 6688 7373<br />
Schmidt Vinothek<br />
#03-13 Cyberhub,<br />
20 Bendemeer Road<br />
Tel: 6275 7888<br />
Simone Jewels<br />
simonejewels.com<br />
Tel: 8568 3992<br />
Sing See Soon Floral<br />
32 Punggol East<br />
Tel: 6285 2777<br />
Strange & Deranged<br />
#01-09<br />
Palais Renaissance<br />
Tel: 6737 9289<br />
Tiffany & Co.<br />
#02-11 ION Orchard<br />
Tel: 6884 4880<br />
Van Cleef & Arpels<br />
B2-210 The Shoppes at<br />
Marina Bay Sands<br />
Tel: 6688 7858<br />
Vintage Fine Wines<br />
Pop-up store @<br />
#B1-18 Scotts Square<br />
vfwasia.com<br />
Dior<br />
#01-22/#02-13<br />
ION Orchard<br />
Tel: 6509 8828<br />
Dolce & Gabbana<br />
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Edit Lifestyle<br />
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137-139 Tanglin Road<br />
Tel: 6836 5686<br />
Far East<br />
Gems & Jewellery<br />
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#02-02<br />
222 Queen Street<br />
Tel: 6734 3172<br />
110 epicureasia.com
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epicureasia.com 111
epicure's choice<br />
Frank Marrenbach, chief executive officer of Oetker<br />
Collection, and Stephane Brunner, co-founder of<br />
Somewhere Club have joined forces to create unique<br />
travel experiences for guests of the hotels within the Oetker<br />
Collection. During your stay at Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa,<br />
Baden Baden in June, join world-class climber Dalia Ojeda,<br />
along with her climb partner, Pierre Muller, in tackling Black<br />
Forest rocks. At London’s The Lanesborough, enjoy a tasting<br />
of rare wines, spirits and cigars with Markus Del Monego.<br />
Visit oetkercollection.com<br />
The iXOOST Esavox (€19,900/S$30,165) is like no<br />
other stereo speaker. Fitted with the iconic Lamborghini<br />
exhaust, the Esavox also features carbon and wood<br />
cabinets, handmade with a hexagonal form, that house<br />
two 6.5-inch full range drivers, two 8-inch woofers and a<br />
15-inch sub-woofer for an unparalleled audio experience.<br />
Like the rest of the machine, the power control button is<br />
inspired by the supercar and crafted in the form of the<br />
Automobili Lamborghini push start button. Visit ixoost.it.<br />
Tel: +39 059 596 2120<br />
Celebrate love with Shinta Mani Club’s Romantic Siem<br />
Reap package (US$1,300/S$1,860 per couple). Spend three<br />
nights in their Deluxe Room being thoroughly pampered.<br />
Partake in a blessing ceremony with Buddhist monks at Preah<br />
Ang Chek Preah Ang Chorm, enjoy sunset drinks and canapés<br />
as you explore Siem Reap on a wooden boat, unwind with<br />
Shinta Mani Spa’s signature 190-minute spa experience and<br />
delight in the six-course chef’s degustation menu, wine included.<br />
Shinta Mani Siem Reap, junction of Oum Khun and 14th Street, Siem Reap,<br />
Cambodia. Tel: +855 63 761 999<br />
A two-Michelin starred grand petit déjeuner prepared using<br />
the most refined seasonal products from France, served with<br />
stunning views of the Victoria Harbour. That’s what you’ll get<br />
at Pierre, the first of Pierre Gagnaire’s restaurants worldwide<br />
to offer Sunday brunch. Begin with 10 sharing starters that<br />
include tartlet of caviar, Japan-style oysters, seaweed tartare<br />
and smoked mackerel, and Gagnaire’s signature egg dishes.<br />
For mains, choose from five options such as grilled ribeye with<br />
buckwheat galette and rocket, cocotte of scallops with razor<br />
clams and salsify, and salted cod brandade with cucumber.<br />
Dessert features a tempting selection of over 13 ambrosial<br />
treats such as Paris-Brest éclair, pear poached in osmanthus,<br />
and coconut milk bavarois with tapioca and redcurrant jelly,<br />
sumptuously laid out on the restaurant’s centrepiece dining<br />
table. Wash them down with Champagne and Gagnaire’s new<br />
hot beverages: a black hot chocolate with juniper, and white hot<br />
chocolate with chestnut. HK$688 (S$127)/person.<br />
5 Connaught Road Central, Hong Kong. Tel: +852 2825 4001<br />
112 epicureasia.com
CHEF DE CUISINE<br />
ASH<br />
GARVEY<br />
Taking in the sights, sounds, and unique flavors encountered during his time abroad in Europe and<br />
Asia, Ash sparked a passion for the complexities and subtleties of Asian cuisine and made his way to<br />
the islands of Bali. Combining more than a decade of expertise, now Ash brings refreshing innovations<br />
to the tables of Starfish Bloo by incorporating modern Asian flavors using the finest local ingredients.<br />
STARFISH BLOO<br />
MON-SUN<br />
6.30PM -11PM<br />
Jl. Petitenget, Seminyak Bali 80361<br />
+62 361 4738 106<br />
Whotels.bali@whotels.com<br />
EXPLORE<br />
STARFISHBLOORESTAURANT.COM
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