Back after a break…
It feels like years since I last posted. In reality, it’s only been a little more than a week. But it feels much longer. The past couple weeks have been really busy. My team at work has been involved in a huge project that’s taken up days, nights and even our weekends. But it’s now over, so it’s time to start eating and cooking again.
S and I did manage to squeeze one great meal in recently, on Sunday night. A friend of ours, food writer Kevin Gould (author of Dishy and Loving And Cooking With Reckless Abandon), was in town for the Singapore Writers Festival. We had him and a couple of other friends over for a home cooked meal. Because I’ve been so busy, S did most of the work. I made only the first course, Scallops with Herb Dressing, from a recipe from Jane Lawson’s Yoshoku. S made the rest of the delicious dinner: Roasted Duck Ravioli in a Sage and Butter Sauce; Oolong Tea Steeped Quail Egg and Pork Belly; and Sago Gula Melaka with Coconut Ice Cream. Unfortunately, I was too busy enjoying both the food and the company of good friends and I forgot to take any photographs until after dinner was over, which explains the picture above. (Actually, S claims that since I was seated next to and opposite two gorgeous young women I forgot myself entirely.)
S and I are slightly obsessive cookbook buyers. A good chunk of my monthly paycheck goes towards supporting both Border’s and Kinokuniya. One of our favorite recently acquired books has to be Jane Lawson’s Yoshoku. When S and I first saw it, I have to admit that we weren’t inclined to buy it. After all, it was “Japanese food western style” written by an Aussie whose work we weren’t too familiar with. But once we took a look inside, we knew we had to pick up this easy-to-use and gorgeous collection. Ms Lawson’s recipes looked both easy and delicious while Mikkel Vang’s pictures were both mouth-watering and clean.
Since picking up this book, we’ve made Ms Lawson’s Scallops with Herb Dressing and Shichimi Schnitzel. Tonight, we made her Pan-fried Pork Cutlets and Nashi. It was, as the other two dishes were, delicious. I’ve posted a rather large picture of it above. I’ve also flagged Ms Lawson’s Japanese Hambaagaa with Mushroom Sauce, Lamb Racks in Miso, Slow Roasted Duck with Yuzu Peaches, Soba with Sauteed Pork, Eggplant and Chillli, and Oysters with Japanese Flavours. I’m hoping that over the next few months we’ll have time to make all of these. And I’m sure that they’ll all be equally yummy.
On another, and slightly random, note, a number of wonderful fellow food bloggers kindly mentioned me and linked to me on Blogday (which was on 31 August). I just wanted to thank all of them and very, very belatedly do my own little part by mentioning three blogs that I only discovered a while ago and have been enjoying. Cupcake Bakeshop by Chockylit is a fun site by a very talented baker who specializes in, no surprise, cupcakes… which I love. Sweet Oven is a fun site by a fellow Singaporean who has decided to spend one night a week in one of Singapore’s fanciest French restaurants. I really enjoy reading Nosheteria. She knows her food and writes passionately and eloquently about it. Her site not only makes me hungry but always provides something to think about.
About Aun Koh
Aun has always loved food and travel, passions passed down to him from his parents. This foundation, plus a background in media, pushed him to start Chubby Hubby in 2005. He loves that this site allows him to write about the things he adores--food, style, travel, his wife and his three kids!
Glad to have you back! The dinner you and S made sounds mindblowingly good – and what a treat to have Kevin Gould at the table. I’m a big fan of his, he’s exceptionally talented both with pen and camera! Did you manage to convince him that he needs a blog too? 😉
Wow! You have Dinner with Kevin Gould ( http://www.dishy.net )
Great photos and writings he got!
Yoshoku, that sounds very Japanese fusion? May i know what type of cuisine it belongs to?
Thanks so much for the nice mention! Dinner sounds lovely, glad you’re back.
Adrienne
U’re bck! Yes been checking out yr blog whenever possible cux wondering what kind of storm U’ve been cooking up. Yr dinner menu sounds even more attractive than some restaurants.
Thks for de blog link recommendation. I’ve checked it out. Darn cool indeed.
Ooh! Btw, your new blog headings & makes me less hungry now.Phew! Ya de pics in yr previous looks darn tempting. Not gd esp when I’m hungry! haha!
Melissa: Thanks. I don’t think Kevin’s about to start a blog. After all, he gets paid the big bucks to write about his culinary travels. He’s a super nice guy. If you go to London, I’ll arrange an intro.
Slurp: It’s Japanese food with a western–and very Aussie-touch. It may sound odd at start, but the recipes work and the food’s yummy.
Adrienne: My pleasure. I’m a big fan of your blog.
Cindy: Thanks. We like to think we make food on par with some local restaurants, but that’s only because we’re cooking for usually only 6 or 8 people at a time. I have no idea how a restaurant churns out 40 or 50 covers. On the header, I decided it was time for a change. The last heading was a tad “in your face”. I’ll probably keep this one up for a month or so.
more good food, every time… 😉
by the way, thanks for the cupcake recommendation…!
hey, thanks so much for the mention. i was wondering why the traffic to my site had jumped! i myself have been sustaining Borders and Kinokuniya with my cook book purchases, so we are not alone in this department!
p.s. i’m also a huge fan of chockylit.blogspot.com.
Hey CH – thanks so much for promoting my book, Yoshoku! Very cool to see my recipes shot in someone’s home!! and to read such excellent feedback. Cheers!! If I might add some info for Slurp – Yoshoku is very popular throughout Japan and is what the Japanese refer to as “Western food” – but it is indeed their own interpretation of the way people outside Japan like to eat – ie it is based on western foods but has a particularly Japanese slant, making them uniquely Japanese and perhaps unrecognisable to Westerners in some instances! My recipes are inspired by the food I have enjoyed during many trips to Japan over the past 20 years and I have also added a few of my own “Western Style” meals utlising the wonderful Japanese ingredients available to demonstrate how simple it is to incorporate them into everyday dishes – giving us a whole new range of flavours to play with – not to mention the added health benefits of ingredients like soy based products, seaweeds and some unusual but bloody good vegetable matter etc. Hope that helps to give you some background. Cheers and happy cooking! Itadakimasu!
Lil: My pleasure. Thanks for stopping by.
Chin Ru: Actually, I discovered Cupcake Bakeshop through your links. 😉
Ms Lawson: Wow. Great to have you as a reader. I’m flattered. And as mentioned, I’m determined to work my way through a whole host of other recipes from your book. Thanks for giving all of us such a great book.
So excited that you’re back. I look forward to your photos and lovely, calm writing. Those are only some of the reasons I linked to your blog on Blog Day.
And I love Nosheteria too!