My brined turkey recipe arrives too late for this year, I know. I’m just quickly filing it away here while the memory of how it was made is fresh in my mind because this recipe, a variation on my friend Sujata’s, is a keeper.
Month: December 2012
Nirvana at Noma, the best restaurant in the world
When you get lucky enough to snag two seats at the world’s best restaurant at the last minute, you take a detour from wherever you may be and head straight to Copenhagen. You happily accommodate the change in plans because the experience at this restaurant more than justifies the considerable hype around it.
Happy Holidays and CH on Edamam
Merry Christmas everyone! It’s been a really exciting year for Chubby Hubby. We relaunched mid-year with a big bang and an amazing group of contributors. I have a lot to be thankful for–personally, my family of course; professionally, amazing business partners and ever-passionate, super-smart colleagues; and blogwise, the best and coolest team I could ever imagine assembling.
Zinio holiday offer + Free magazine subscriptions
First, lemme just say… this is not an advertorial. I am getting nothing from posting this. That said, I am a loyal and passionate fan of Zinio–the single best electronic way to subscribe to and read your favourite magazines. So, when they cool peeps at Zinio contacted me to ask if I’d be up for sharing some of their holiday promos, I instantly replied, “You betcha!”
Salvador Coffee Espresso Bar: true coffee culture in Sydney
About a year ago, on my walk back home from downtown Sydney, I decided to take a different route, down a set of side streets. I wasn’t in a hurry. It was one of those days when strolling down the road felt like the right thing to do. The stars had aligned, because I was about to discover Salvador. The café is almost hidden, on Kings Lane, next to a pedestrian stairway in Sydney’s Darlinghurst. Salvador Coffee is a definite treat, thus I’d encourage a pit stop for those who are in the area.
Honey and cinnamon-glazed butternut squash and spiced bar nuts
Without a doubt, Christmas is my favourite time of the year. I love the glittery lights and vintage ornaments on our tree, my son’s non-stop singing of his rendition of “Jingle Bells” at the top of his voice, mad shopping for presents followed by mad gift-wrapping, and most of all, catching up with extended family and close friends over endless days of gorging on rich, decadent food.
Warm & cosy Christmas treats – Molasses Cookies and Swedish Glogg
It’s that time of year again – the festive season. No matter whether you are in New York (where I am from), Bangkok, Singapore or Shanghai (places where I have lived), it is undoubtably Christmas. However, being from a non-tropical country, I always found it slightly odd to enjoy Christmas in 34° Celsius weather. My Christmas memories of childhood are about frosty windowpanes, hot drinks and cookies warm from the oven enjoyed in the flickering light of the Christmas tree.
Welcome back, chef: Lunch at Nicolas Le Restaurant
I first met chef Nicolas Joanny during a quietly remarkable dinner at his eponymous restaurant earlier this year. His wasn’t the ‘best’ meal I’ve had in Singapore, but it was certainly one of the most earnest – more than anything, I remember chef Nicolas hunched over a counter at his open kitchen, putting the finishing touches on the evening’s courses before personally bringing them to our table. Here was a chef who wasn’t afraid to be in the thick of the action, a chef whose cuisine I wanted to explore.
A simple indulgence: Cacio e Pepe
When I was in university, my definition of a pasta dish was to boil water, add salt, throw in the pasta, cook, drain, and pour sauce from a jar over the result. Sometimes, if I bothered, I would throw in some sausages or mushroom. It was really a bowl of noodles with red sauce (plus whatever leftovers I happened to have in my fridge).
Afuri Ramen, great chicken soup based ramen in Tokyo
A funny thing happens to you as you age. Your tastes begin to change. Preferences you once clung to and championed suddenly become less appealing. For example, for years, I was a die-hard tonkotsu ramen fan. For me, there was no better soup base for ramen than a rich, greasy, milky, ultra-umami pork bone broth. No other kind of ramen could compare. But, over the last year or so, I’ve changed my mind. Today, my preferred soup base for ramen is a chicken soup.