The Milky Way

Colour and contrast, but the pattern is still not right

Colour and contrast, but the pattern is still not right

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Silky and structured. Keep the bubbles small and concentrate without actually trying to concentrate.

How do they make it look easy ? I think I am getting there, but I still have a way to go  !

 

 

Cakery

Just plain food porn !

 

It’s a crazy town. Let’s face it a person can get really really fat here with very little effort.

Sadly or maybe happily I am not really eating any cake-like food. Maybe that is why I am getting so obsessed by all these beautiful offerings.

 

My day in four Pictures

What did I do today

Carnitas.

Slow cooked with orange, cinnamon and cumin. Then back into the pan for a final crisp fry.

AM1 USA. Fresh off the boat from London.

After months without, I can finally start wearing some of my treasures. These are so classic and still holding up very well despite their age.

Starting to sort and Label the collection

A lazy hour or so in the sun, just opening up boxes, checking that everything survived the trip. Still waiting on some racks for the rest of the kids.

Tropical Pirate Grog

A quiet nightcap at The Library, with the exotic name of Tropical Pirate Grog, served in a Tiki mug for effect.

Something fishy going on

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The ocean is so clean and cold here, the seafood is amazing. They are practically giving away live green-lip mussels. All this leads me to thinking that better put bouillabaisse on the menu for dinner.

A bottle of cheap wine and some very expensive saffron. Leeks, carrots onions, tomatoes and a few spices combined with mussels, Australian prawns and some local butterfish.

Even had the time to make my own spiced mayonnaise for dipping !

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Sticky Spicy Heaven

Singapore Chilli Crab. Roland Restaurant, Singapore.

Few things in life are as gratifying as getting really really messy in search of a good time. In a country famed for its obsession with food there is one thing that stands above the rest. A national symbol of food culture that is proud, brash and fiery. Although most Singaporeans will tell you that they prefer the Pepper or even the Butter Crab, everyone and I mean EVERYONE has a favorite place for the classic Singapore Chilli Crab. This fine example comes from Roland Restaurant, the original crab palace and some say still the best.

Many of the best crabs available in Singapore are actually Sri Lankan and they are only worth eating from a place that has live tanks and also allows the customer to select their specific crab in person. Like those at the incredibly popular No Signboard in Geylang:

Black Pepper Crab. No-Signboard, Gaylang. Singapore

 

Milk and Passion

Macchiato with an 8 bit twist. Milk Bar, London.

Coffee is an obsession for many, one I can easily understand. How many things in life are we allowed that are actually luxurious, sophisticated and energizing at the same time ? Like a lot of people I love coffee and like a few I am snob. That means that those massive milky mass produced sugary drinks that you see on American TV belong to some other category of beverage. I have news for anyone who wants more than 8 fluid ounces in a cup or wants to add some kind of syrup…. you don’t like coffee !

There are so many ways to enjoy it but in my opinion the Flat White is the perfect expression of the Barrista’s art. Strong enough to retain the true flavor of the bean, but with the added challenge of creating sublime milk. Taste, texture, temperature and presentation all rolled in to one.

Flat White. Workshop Coffee, London.

Hot chocolate shots

A fine snack for a rainy afternoon. Espresso style super rich hot chocolates.

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Espresso-style Hot Chocolate. Scopa, Wellington.

Imagine something small rich warm and delightfully decadent. Then imagine covering that with a bit of cool cream and grated chocolate and eating it with a teaspoon. Beautiful Italian style hot chocolate in the heart of Wellington !

Cards

After Dinner Entertainment. Hawthorn Lounge, Wellington.

 

A quiet night out with some friends at a local lounge. Cards, wine and some very fine local cheese. It’s not all shoes you know !