Showing posts with label sydney. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sydney. Show all posts
The Best of Year 2012
Labels:
australia,
cookies,
family,
Le Cordon Bleu,
pastry,
sydney,
thoughts,
travelling
·
I had this depressing notion that new years day was nothing but an overrated day celebrated by fools around the world despite it being a mere continuation of life's mundane-ties. Then it came to pass that even story books should have chapters, the purpose of it's existence very much applicable to the essence of the new years day celebration. (view here). This time around, the change of location and point of view being predominant. No kidding, but its time to pick up the pace and focus on new goals and resolutions in the coming years. Entering a new phase of life.
My resolutions these year are a mash up of so many things that it almost appears like a disarray of false hope. But more importantly, for the new year, I pray that God grant me strength to manifest my big dreams and reward me with the courage to face new experiences.
What follows is a recap of the previous year. I hope that they inspire you to reflect on the richness of your year.
Single best thing that happened this past year?
Attending Pastry school @ Le Cordon Bleu (Sydney) with a follow up of a 7 month internship at Cheeky Chocolate where I worked with the most fantastic team in the world. Thanks Elicia, Yumi, Adele, Mia, Edwin and Andy for the many good experiences. Chef life just wouldn't have been the same with all those wild nights of drinking games. Tsk. (Read more about my experiences here)
single most challenging thing that happened?
Participating in the Callebaut Hunter Valley Entremet competition. Many weeks of trial and work finally led to a silver medal worthy piece. Never did saw it coming, but with the encouragement of my dearest Chef Andre, I pulled through.
What was an unexpected joy this past year?
My nga nga, who stuck with me relentlessly through my overwhelming negativity.
Pick three words to describe 2012
surreal, restorative, tough
Best dining experience in 2012
That would be dining in the Qantas first class lounge in Sydney terminal. A big thank you going out to Darryl who pulled a fast one to grant us access. Who would have thought we would be dining on lavish fare in slippers...
In what way(s) did you grow in your relationships with others?
catching up with many relationships that I have neglected over the past years and most importantly reuniting with the girls (you know who you are!)
What was biggest thing you learned this past year?
Once you decide on your occupation... you must immerse yourself in your work. You have to fall in love with your work. Never complain about your job. You must dedicate your life to mastering your skill. That's the secret of success... and is the key to being regarded honorably -- taken off "Jiro dreams of Sushi"
Lastly, Happy new year to all my readers. In this new year, eat sweet and stay sweet always!
I'll leave you with some shots of my works over at BakersWorld through the festive season... Stay tuned for my next post on the season of festive gorgings!
Log cakes designed by yours truly for the Xmas sales. Chocolate Banana logcake versus Mango, White Chocolate and Coconut log.
Chinese New Year cookies already up for grabs and available for corporate orders as well.
Everything has changed
Labels:
australia,
cakes,
desserts,
family,
Le Cordon Bleu,
love,
sydney,
travelling
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Something happened today that rattled a nostalgic bone of mine.
Most of you would not know this, but I regret not writing a post/diary entry or any form of written recount of the stories that occurred back during my 8 month stint in the army. Yes I know it might have been years ago, but still, the experience, the hardships, the friendships fostered, these were beautiful and worth remembering in every right. So with the passing of my very first overseas study experience, I shall enumerate it's unfolding. Burn the candle on both ends till its done, lest my procrastination habits kick in.
I'm bringing in the coffee on this one. it's going to be a long night.
So it started off with a very innocent request to the parents to study patisserie in Le Cordon Bleu whilst in my third year of university. Back then, it was a struggle, we're not even talking about keeping the grades up but my hopes were sinking like a dead weight to the bottom of the sea. Working thru the dark period and the other middle eastern drama that ensued afterwards, I finally earned my keeps to an entirely new experience.
Flashing back to the first moment i stepped out of Sydney airport, the cold winter air slapping me across the face. I never felt so alive before, the past few years of self inflicted pain, like a load, shoved off my shoulders. I took my a breath of liberty. My first.
Living in Australia strangely made me a very independent individual. I fed myself when I was hungry (not too difficult when you have all the leftover bakes from school), clothed myself warmly for the winter, got around to places (public transport is pretty convenient in sydney too) and found myself jobs just to earn my keeps. let's see, I started off being a waitress at a small cafe in Balmain, that stint lasted for about 7 months, Loved the wraps and the lebanese themed specials. Then I juggled the job of pastry cook at a dessert bar specialising in dessert pizzas in the form of cinnamon scroll like delights stuffed with a myriad of ingredients including brownie, streusel, bananas, chocolate sauce and apple pie mixture. Following an unanticipated closing down of the business, I moved on to become a dishwasher at a nearby cafe/restaurant near my area of residence. Needless to say, I smelt of food everyday, the stench of sweat coupled with splatters of grease on my black shirt following me into the soft sheets of my bed. From there, I was promoted to kitchen hand where I started to deal with food preparation, slicing, dicing, marination and gradually moved up to the pass where I got to take charge of the sauces and garnish stations for breakfast. That deserves an honorable mention, I feel, as I listen to the sweet rambling of my classmates going on and on about their tiresome part time work at patisseries; I on the other hand was busting it out in a proper cuisine kitchen. My fingers burnt and swollen from handling the hot cast iron pans on the grill. Battle scars as we call them... The day the chef called in a new dishwasher to handle my old job, I smiled whilst passing on words of advice as he scurried around like a headless chicken; the boiling hot pans and oily dishes piled up to dizzy heights. I had gone somewhere...
School on the other hand seemed the opposite spectrum of what the real world is like. Slow paced and extremely laidback.. i mostly took the time to absorb whatever I could while fooling around with whatever I could lay my hands on. making taiwanese meat pies out of quiches and curry chicken to go along with the fresh baguettes from our ovens; I was known to most of my chefs as 'the girl who would always does something different'; not sure whether that's a good thing or bad thing, i mostly like to believe its the former.
The terms flew by like the wind.. basic, intermediate and then superior. With the final judgement of our original gateau, it was off to the working world. Out of God's blessing, I landed myself a job in Cheeky Chocolate at North Strathfield. Lucky since I was competing with many of my graduating classmates for the job. But the serious work only ensued after my participation in the Hunter Valley Callebaut Chocolate Entremet competition. After weeks of hard work, tormenting sessions of brainstorming, trials and tears of befuddlement; the D-day had finally arrived. All the anticipation and nervousness just disappeared on the day of the event, plating up completed like a breeze. Perhaps it was the venue, the proximity of hunter valley from our work benches in Sydney that made any form of regrets or hopes for last minute adjustments almost impossible that somehow put my mind at ease. The prospect of an imminent ending bestowed in my heart. At the end of the day, I emerged a silver medalist. A huge feat considering I was a total noob in the scene and it was an open competition with many of my peers having been in the pastry scene for much longer than I have.
A million thanks goes out to my mentor and head chef Andre Sandison for his constant guidance and gentle prodding in the process of research and development. Thank you for not letting go of your expectations towards me.
Life in Cheeky Chocolate was another out of this world experience. Whilst I happily sunk myself into a comfortable pace of learning at work, a sudden turn of events left us handicapped in numbers. Yumi, I and Adele struggled to keep the place afloat. we hit rock bottom when a new head chef entered our midst and stirred up chaos in the kitchen, abolishing certain production rituals whilst creating non-sensical others. With a demonic temper to boot and a not so domineering idea of a menu in tow, it wasn't long before he was given the boot. Despite his short term of stay, the damages had been done.... we had lost another in the midst of the friction caused between the boss and our dearest apprentice. There I was left to pick up the broken pieces of the shop. It was a miracle I found a team in time to help me speed up the recuperation process. Till date, I hold this as a proudest achievement. Not that I got any recognition out of it (maybe an article in the strathfield good food guide), but still, silently I recognize my capabilities when put to the pressure test.
With all that done. you would wonder why in the world would I return to singapore given that my basic pay in Australia was at least double the amount I would receive here. That's where I left out a part of the story. The part that tugs at my heart string and releases butterflies into the cavities of my vacant heart. G. Had it not been for him, I wouldn't have had a blast in school. G rubbed my swollen ankles before bedtime, listening to my tales of braving the cockroach infested backalley while dragging the trashbags to the main bins. G kept me warm thru those cold nights. G nurtured me back to health after a bout of flu which put me through a series of vomiting spells on the way home from work, G accompanied me to the beach at sunrise just because I wanted to. I only joined the hunter valley competition because G was taking part in the chocolate showpiece event. G laughed at my lame jokes and silly antics and made me feel much less of a dork than I am. G and I went to beautiful places to enjoy spell binding moments together. G helped me pull through my experience at Cheeky, giving advice and listening to my complaints all in symphony.
And to sum it all up, G is my reason.
windows of Sydney
Labels:
photography,
sydney,
travelling
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Pictures like windows into the streets and hearts of the city. walking around with a film rangefinder. One can't help but feel excited by the notion of perhaps capturing a perfect titillating scene at the turn of a bend or in a split second. This is what I got. Sydney in its reckless moments, in periods of silent stillness, an epitome of jarring split personalities.
Honestly, I miss all that.
pub food impressions revised.
Labels:
restaurants,
sydney
·
You think you know a scene of an Australian pub on a lazy Tues afternoon when you see one. But be surprised when you step into the ultra cool vicinity of the newly refurbished Carrington. Yeh, so there aren't any hobos (shame on me) in sight nor cheaply dressed staff. Here, you are greeted with smiles and the easy going attitude of the friendly 'bar-maid' who doubles up as a professional member of the wait staff. A room full of ravenous people nursing their bubbly and hoeing down plates of freshly colored goodies. Make a quick trip to the bathroom and chance upon the chefs in the ultra professional kitchens stealing glances at you. From their mosaic tile framed pedestals, this commanded some form of respect from the unsuspecting diners. At this point of time, my ferocious appetite overwhelmed me. Which was a good thing since it made ordering off their lunch menu an extremely pleasant affair for G.
pictured over is the Spicy chicken burger ($15 with a pint of beer/wine). Not the best one I've had yet but I did love the spicy slaw in between.
This though, was an absolute winner. A deduction that was made simply by one look. The Media Noche (Cuban Midnight Sandwich) arrived at the table sans the frills and sauces that came along with the burger. Whispering details of its contents from the melting cheese dribbling off it's toasted sides. Needless to say, we polished this one of it's wooden board, got swept off our feets in the midst by it's complex flavor combination of uber stretchy cheese, triple pork and mustard. By far, the best ham and cheese toasty I've ever had. I wish I didn't have to share, but portions size wise made it berserk to consume in entirety. Pity...
I don't say this often. But you've not seen the last of me yet.
The Carrington
563 Bourke St
Surry Hills 2010
Telephone 02 9360 4714
website: http://www.the-carrington.com.au
Guacamole 101 (as promised)
Well, it could be the grinch at the end of the movie or possibly the hulk for some. But for me, it would definitely have to be guacamole. (p.s. I promised it earlier in another post, so here goes!)
Here's my end of the year post for your guys as well so I'm praying this recipe cuts it. A big bang for the end of a rather strange year.
Dismantle the avocado, de-seed it and scoop out its tender flesh. Mash it with a fork. Work it.
Add in some chopped tomato, finely chopped onions and garlic.
For the heat-seekers, toss in some chopped jalapenos. Seeds intact for the daring only.
Squeeze a lemon. Lime works wonders as well.
Round up a bunch of fresh coriander and chop it up. Look, its a party in there.
Here's a secret, a good cupful of grated Parmesan cheese in the mixture does magic.
So there you go peeps. A quick fire way to avoid paying throngs of money at a mexican joint.
It's the new year in a bit. For me, it means new beginnings. Settling into a new home, a warm nestling of the heart, adventurous placings in foreign kitchens. All a little emotional to say the least.
That's enough naggy talk from me now.
Party hard and I'll catch you on the flip side.
Tonight, we are young.
So let's set the world on fire.
We can burn brighter
than the sun.
sublimity
Labels:
restaurants,
sydney
·
That my friend, pictured above is a good enough reason for multiple drugged returns to Sinma Laksa House in Kingsford. The Malaysian fried carrot cake as my friend describes it is like a slice of home with every bite (forgive his theatrics, he's on the brink of giving up hope of ever finding a decent carrot cake after 3 years away from home). Done as they would have in Kuala Lumpur, this was a bit too overdressed in my opinion but by every means still very authentic. The rice cakes fried with garlic, chili, dark soy sauce and beansprouts. Oh did I mention prawns thrown into the mix?
My roti canai on the other hand served with a side of chicken curry was what you would describe as sublime, transcendent and divine. Shame to say that the string of vocabulary only applies to the former; with the oil laden chicken curry casting a shadow of doubt over the marriage. The Roti Canai though was close to perfection with crisp ages and fluffy circles of laminated ghee and dough. And as I tore through the dish with mesmerized eyes and a sprinkle of sugar (my guilty pleasure), fond memories of late night suppers and before dawn breakfasts shroud me; the chatter and battering of tea spoons against glass mugs filled with piping hot tea, tucking into prata as pre-preparation for the long arduous expeditions ahead in the heart of a serene Malasysian village.
The not-so-good-for-you factor slowly fading into the background.
Sinma Laksa House
3/391 Anzac Parade
Kingsford 2032
NSW
(02) 9313 7663
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