Wednesday, 16 July 2025

BAKING CLASSES & OTHER FUN STUFF


June 25 
Decided to sign up for a baking course with Catherine (who I fondly nicknamed 小猫 or Little Cat).  We've known each other since, like 1990 (or thereabouts).  Now, we'll be stuck in the same class for three consecutive Wednesdays.  We're making use of our SkillsFuture credits supported by the Singapore government so the entire course is free!

In the first class, we learnt to make two emerald-coloured cakes - Pandan Chiffon Cake, and Ondeh Ondeh Cake.

We started by working together one cake batter, then split it into two to bake and decorate invididually.




We were supposed to whip the egg whites to a medium peak.  Instead, we beat it to a stiff peak!



July 2
Learnt to make Chocolate Cupcake with Choc Buttercream, and Lychee Rose Cheesecake.  It eez very French (think Ispahan by Pierre Hermé).  I thought the cheesecake looked quite stunning.  Unfortunately, Little Cat said it looked like an Onion Cake!






July 3
Ate French-Alsatian  food with Joycelyn at the homey La Table d’Emma.  Ooooh such fine quality food.  The food is very rich so I'd probably only come back in another five months or so.  One cannot have too much of a good thing.





July 9
Exam Day in SSA Culinary Institute.  Revisited recipes for Ondeh Ondeh Cake, and Choc Cupcake with Buttercream.  




I don't get this.
**
Our neighbourhoods are now overrun with chickens.  





I had feared that sparrows might have become extinct.  I'm so pleased to still spot a number of them during my morning walks these past weeks.  






Fav pics:


 





Tuesday, 8 July 2025

放下




一念执着万般皆苦 
一念放下便是重生 
当你决定放弃一个人或一件事情时 
其实是放下了自己内心的执念 
终于放过了自己

Sunday, 29 June 2025

不求圆满



人生一定不要太追求圆满 
人旺财不旺 财旺人不旺 
人财两旺寿不长 
所以人生最好的状态就是求缺不求全 
而且求全一定要加上委屈这两个字 
因为委屈才能求全 
所以福不可享尽 留三分给子孙 
利不可占尽 舍三分给别人 
功不可贪尽 让三分给他人 
这也就是所谓的自古人生最忌满 
半贫半富半自安 
人生哪能多如意 万事只求半称心 
人生总有遗憾 不能过分强求


Friday, 13 June 2025

AN EVENING WITH JOE HISAISHI

Another super HOT day! I hid indoors until about 6:00PM, when it was time to leave for The Arts House.
Tonight I had the urge to rewatch all of Hayao Miyazaki's films after immersing myself in "The World of Joe Hisaishi".  I do love a good string quartet, don't you?
I even wore my Totoro jeans!

Thursday, 12 June 2025

BRUNCH ON A SUPER HOT DAY

Early morning. Woke up to a crimson "yolk" in the sky. It's going to be another HOT, HOT, HOT day!
Still, I dived right into the heat and blinding sunlight and made it to Chinatown Point by 10:30 to have brunch with friends. (My love of food clearly outweighs adversity.)

Four friends from secondary school went out to brunch but one decided to sleep in so we became three.  

Three friends turned up at Victor's Kitchen for the Minced Pork with Dried Veggies Congee (菜干肉碎粥) but sadly it wasn't something to write home about. Instead my favourites were the Victor's King Prawn Dumpling (超级虾饺皇)and Poached Szechuan Dumplings in Spicy Sauce (酸辣红油抄手).
Photo by Mayz
Photo by Mayz

Soph and Mayz couldn't stop raving about the "whole prawn inside the Har Gow!". I guess Victor's Kitchen will be the venue for our next secondary school gathering.


 

BAKING CLASSES & OTHER FUN STUFF

June 25  Decided to sign up for a baking course with Catherine (who I fondly nicknamed 小猫 or Little Cat).  We've known each other since,...