Taiwan 2012: 花莲 (Hualian)

My second trip this year (in April) was to Taiwan. I've been to Taiwan before, once, like I think, when I was 18? That's perhaps about six years ago, when I had just graduated from junior college and was waiting to go to university. It was my first ever overseas trip with my girl friends and I was super excited about it. Thinking about Taiwan does brings back fond memories (of how young I was...*sigh*).

This time round, I went Taiwan with my cousin. It's our second overseas trip together! Not counting the one and half years of our university days in Aussie. Ever since she's been back, she's been swamped with work (she works at KPMG - I think that's pretty self-explanatory) and I don't meet her as much as I would like to. So, our week long vacation together was thoroughly awesome. ;)

Ello Taiwan! 

Red wine poached pears entremet

Hi. Does anyone even drop by anymore? :)

I know I'm not an expert in many things, but I'm certainly a master in procrastinating. These days, I have simply no urge to blog, nor even, *gasp* bake. It seems my lackadaisical plateau has hit an even lower bottom than I had possibly imagined.

Oh well. I'm not going to question it, but go with the flow. Perhaps I've spent too much time overanalysing this, but I'll try to post some photos today to make up for the absence for the past two weeks. I had a baking session some time back with Evan, and we had decided to make another entremet together (yes, it's so hard to find like minded people who love to bake entremets - or rather, I'm just a very shy person to begin with so I don't reach out my hand first to know more people hee).

Red wine poached pears entremet

Katsudon (カツ丼)

I was going to blog more this month. Alas, I was busy with work, and also, I've actually been sick for the past week or so. First, with a bout of acid reflux where I was coughing non-stop for days. Then after an ah-may-zing night catching Jason Mraz live in concert at the newly opened Gardens at the Bay yesterday night, I caught a flu bug. I know. Lucky me.

Let me take a mo' here to stop and gush about how awesome the concert (Tour is a Four Letter Word) was. I almost couldn't even go cos I couldn't find a friend who was keen on him or who haven't already bought tickets. Then I managed to persuade a girlfriend to go with me, but the tickets were sold out. :( Fortunately, said girlfriend managed to caught wind that extra tickets will be released, so we did managed to buy tickets in the end. Phew to that. Cos I loved every single minute of the 2 and a half hours standing concert (legs were aching like crazy).

He started the concert with my favourite song from his latest album "Love is a Four Letter Word" - "The World As I See It", followed up closely with a few more songs from his new album. I admit it's a little hard to get high on his songs cos they are more mellow than hard rock thumping rhythms. Nevertheless, the crowds favourites would definitely be "You and I Both", "I'm Yours" and "Lucky" (where Corrine May was a guest to sing a duet with him) where everyone sang along word for word verbatim (and where the most people whipped out their phones to record him - I recorded when he sang "You and I Both"). I liked that his band was really good too, and he gave them time to shine individually with their solos. I can't stop stressing how great the performance was. *end fan girl rant*

You're here for the food aren't you? Sorry I took a while to get to it.

Katsudon (カツ丼)

꼬꼬나라 (Kko Kko Nara)

I tried out a few new Korean restaurants these two months. Here's one I visited with my friends for a birthday gathering last month near Tanjong Pagar.

꼬꼬나라 (Kko Kko Nara)

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day!

I decided to make a little something for the Dad. I do love my Dad and all (hey, we're family!), but I'm not one for words of affirmation when it comes to such things. I'm not that kinda girl who'll go "I love you, Dad!". But. I'm still rather a Daddy's little girl nevertheless. So, here's a cake combining a few of his favourite elements for this Father's Day!

This is one cake that will be enjoyed by the men in your life. I mean, I'd risk a bet to say that 90% of men likes rum and raisin as their choice of poison favourite ice cream flavour. So, make this for the special men in your life (fathers, husbands, boyfriends) and I'm sure it'll bring a smile to their faces.

 Caramel coffee rum raisin entremet