Sunday, February 23, 2014

Nu You Couples' Macarons Workshop

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Guess what's cooking in the kitchen?
Nu You Macaron Couple Workshop.jpg
Lately, I have been very into baking, cooking and culinary what not? Desperate attempts in honing my homemaking skills to impress the potential in-laws LOL.
Saw this workshop and sort of hankered the BF to go together. He paid for it too, LOL! Guess that's my extended V-day present. Always badgering him to give me more than I truly deserve. That's the beauty of courtship period. :P
Baking
We were coached by Lin Weixian, founder of Bonheur Patisserie. We had to share our stuff with another couple. But they were really friendly and offered to take a lot of photos for us Haha. And it was great to have extra 2 pairs of hand. :P Cos the both of us are seriously unskilled.
I think I was a pretty diligent student. I took a lot of notes. :) Really eager to impress as you may say, and I keep insisting the BF to let his family try it if ours were really good. And he must credit me. :P
Me cooking.jpg
I thought our macaroons look pretty good. There were couples whose macaroons shattered in the oven. Ours came out fine. The BF did the round ones better. I just couldn't get the commas. But my heart shaped ones were gorgeous <3 But they are so dang fattening. Will probably see me ballooning up in my future posts :(
couple shot
Yea, Couple Shot! For couples who are keen to go on culinary lessons together, I think it is a really good way to build up partnership while spending time together. It is also a good way to see a person's character. Some people are more directive and authoritative. Others are laid-back.
I think I am more on my feet type of person. I am always the first to go collect stuff or wash stuff. Definitely react faster than him. But we are both quite chillax and seems ok with errors made along the way as opposed to couples who niam each other a bit when there are minor mistakes. Overall, it is great fun and the macaroons tasted so good. 

Friday, February 14, 2014

Promotion: BF in Probation to Jnr BF Intern

Puppy Love
Dear all,
Happy V-day or Friendship Day! Whatever it is, it is a day to celebrate all forms of love not just romance. :)
GiftsI am so lucky guys don't compare V-day presents. If they do so, he would probably cry buckets of tears and can cold war with me for a good 2 months. LOL!
I suck in handicraft. Have you ever seen an ugly minion? Gosh. And I "got" him a wallet cos I burned a hole in the last one LOL! I will buy him another next year after I set a grenade and explode this one. This "materialistic guy" still complain looks "Pasar Malam". And to redeem myself, I got a power bank which I personalise for him. (So that he will always be contactable, what a scheming woman I am!)
Bread
For the special night, The French Ladle was chosen cos I read a lot of good reviews on it and it seems cosy, affordable and serves tasty French cuisine. And these seemed to be all his requirement. What a *Cheapskate* LOL!
And when he feast his heart out, all I had was a piece of tiny bread...</3
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Kidding la..We both had great, delectable food. Good things should be shared. :)
French Ladle
The place itself was really small and so were the table, tiniest I have seen so far. So so much intimacy in a good way, LOL.
The starters weren't to my taste and I did regret a little choosing this place. He, on the other had said they were good. But the onion soup just blown me away. It was so worth going there just for the soup *swoons in delight*
And the main course tasted really yummy just that it was a little cold maybe cos we drank the soup too slowly. The lobster was fresh and the fish skin was marinated in such a way that it was so frigging delicious. <3
I Like You a Lottle
We wanted to end V-day with a nice photoshoot like the pair of penguins. It was so difficult. I had a hard time finding a black hoodie. Had to settle with my blanket. Bet you can't tell when I show you guys the pic later. And the 2 strands of hair sticking up...GAH...I nearly bald my head waxing, tying wires etc on it. And in the end, you can't see it standing sobs.
Sometimes I wonder why I come up with such stupid ideas...and why doesn't he stop me :(
Photoshoot
We took 2 sets, but the other set is harder to block his face. I couldn't risk his secret identity being exposed!!! 
I know the penguins are still cuter...And I got a magic wand for V-day?!?!? lol...

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Din Tai Fung Art of Making Xiao Long Bao workshop

DTFYeahhhh, I have to say I am a true blue DTF fan so I totally deserve a slot or 2 today. I was quite bumped when I thought I didn't get the invites. I was literally dying to learn how to make those dumplings. 
I think I was really hardworking. I took a lot of notes! FYI, I made nicer looking ones than the BF. The 2 prettier ones are my product haha. His looked like the paste is exploding out. Bleh. And he told he had fine culinary skills. Dots... But I have to admit he was good at rolling a circular skin.
Tosh and Wei Liang
Another highlight of the event was Tosh and Wei Liang. They are so dang tall in person. I made a conscious effort to stick to them. The media probably has to crop me out or something in their photos. Wahaha. I really wanted to get Wei Liang's signature and a photo with him. But time didn't permit that. Sianzzz. 
The lion dance (2nd one in CNY) is so so good. They attempted so much stunts. They were really energetic and engaging. Also, they did a 360 degree spin like a ballerina. I was really in awed with them. And I am one person who is usually unimpressed by most stuff. That's how good (and probably very expensive too) they are.
Din Tai Fung
To end off the event, they even served Ding Tai Fung high-tea set (from the appetizers and the dessert menu), along with Yu Sheng. So happy, this is my first time "lao-ing" with BF haha. And the food was really good. Our usual favourites were there: 小菜, 小龙包, 酸辣汤,炒饭!
I really like the fact that we got to try other stuff. The 洛神花冰 was fantastically refreshing. Can't remember its exact name but it was really good. The BF really liked the 蒜泥白肉. *New favourite* But of cos it should be rather fattening. The 蒜炒豆苗 was a little on the salty side, otherwise I would have loved it.The prawn cakes and dates (overly sweet, and you will get sick of it after taking 3) were good but not ravingly impressive as our favourites. Haha!
DTF goodiesAnd when we left for the day, we even had a goodie bag to bring back. The BF was seemingly pleased. "Woa got serve food still let us bring home so many things" He was totally beaming all the way home.
But Ding Tai Fung is really one generous and attentive host. Throughout the whole event, their chefs and waitresses would always be hovering around to attend to our needs if any. Lucky, pampered us! Everyone is offended that I bought the BF as the tag-along and not them. HAHAHA!
real xiao long baoAnd this is how the real 24-fold Xiao Long Bao is supposed to look like. I know after seeing this, you would think the one I made is a big fat joke. :(
I will practice and be better.  Overall, this is one of the BEST event ever! And this is definitely not a bias statement cos I am initially already a fan. Thumbs up!