THE Burger

"It’s so much more than “just a burger”. I mean…that first bite—oh what heaven that first bite is! The bun like a sesame freckled breast of an angel resting gently on the ketchup and mustard below—flavors mingling in a seductive pas-de-deux And then…a pickle…the most playful little pickle! Then a slice of tomato, a leaf of lettuce and a…a patty of ground beef so exquisite; swirling in your mouth breaking apart and combining again in a fugue of sweets and savor so delightful. This is no mere sandwich of grilled meat and toasted bread, Robin: this is God…speaking to us in food."

~How I Met Your Mother, Season 4, Episode 2 " The Best Burger in New York", Marshall's Burger Speech

I cannot find a better description of the experience when savouring THE best burger I have (yet) to have!

a relaxing afternoon

Cova @ Pacific Place

Appertizer Buffet

Linguine with shrimp

I'm never a fan of their dessert buffets because there would be hordes of loud shoppers who have tea just to rest their legs and brag about their purchases. Not very good for the ambience and their best cakes are never included. 

But lunch and dinner is different. Food is not served for the sake of shooo-ing the clientele, hoping they would finish and leave soon for the next rowdy group. 

I love their pasta, simple, nothing fancy or out of the ordinary, but it's the easiest dishes that makes it more difficult to taste good. Just chewy at the center of the linguine, not over-soaked with extra virgin olive oil, topped with garlic and fresh chilli, you could toss the shimmering pasta but no oil would be dripping from it. Coupled with a refreshing sparkling wine, you'd have a delightful meal, naturally lit by the afternoon sun seaming through the glass ceiling.

I'm so doing this!

ESSENTIALS OF FINE COOKING @ The French Culinary Institute, NY
 
Transform yourself into a powerhouse in the kitchen

The place: your own dining room. The time: a Saturday evening, just a couple of months from today. The setting: Your table is filled with happy guests - and they're raving about the spectacular Lobster Fra Diavolo dinner you prepared.

Sound far-fetched? It isn't. Whether you're a confident cook or a total neophyte, Essentials of Fine Cooking will help you become a star in your own kitchen in just eight sesions. You'll learn everything from how to deftly slice an onion or gently poach a fish to creating 25 classic recipes, and you'll love the entire experience. Our Total Immersion^SM approach is the reason. You learn up close and hands-on in small classes taught by the same dynamic, passionate chefs who train our career students. Lessons are as fun as they are intense, and you'll find yourself picking up new techniques, skills, and recipes faster than you ever thought possible. Best of all, you'll leave with memories of an exciting, inspiring experience, and culinary gifts which you—and your very lucky guests—can enjoy for a lifetime.

curriculum

Students prepare twenty-five delicious recipes, great dishes designed to impress your guests and let you practice your skills. So fine cooking becomes easier and more fun. Recipes range from Trout Marinated in White Wine with Green Peppercorns to Roast Chicken with Tarragon-Mustard Cream Sauce and Roast Potatoes, to Lobster Fra Diavolo. Each one is very different and all delectable. Classes are small so reserve your place now!
Essentials of Fine Cooking
You can acquire the skills and techniques to do all this:

• Marinades, compound butters and emulsified sauces
• Poaching, roasting, and sautéing fish
• Roasting and sautéing poultry
• Braising and sautéing white meats
• Stocks, sauces, and soups
• Grilling and stewing red meats
• Preparing shellfish in sauce, steamed, and baked
• Hygiene, safety, and methodology, including safe and effective knife work

Extremely Easy Leek and Potato Soup Recipe

I love veggie, but somehow I really hate creamy mushroom, asparagus or broccoli soup. Aaack...... That earthy, complicated taste is so revolting! 
But leek is different. It has a 'simple' and crisp flavour, sometimes a tinge of spiceness, like mild flavoured onions. And so I tried different leek soup recipes : creamy; red ( with tomatoes); clear consommé and I landed with one I think is extremely easy to prepare, and brings out the essence of leek.

Make good use of your blenders!

Ingredient:

1 tbsp vegetable oil 

1 onion, sliced

225g/8oz potatoes, cubed

2 medium leeks,sliced

1.2 litres/2 pints vegetable stock 

150ml/5fl oz double cream or crème fraîche 

salt and freshly ground black pepper 

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large pan and add the onions, potatoes and leeks. Cook for 3-4 minutes until starting to soften.
   
2. Add the vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Season well and simmer until the vegetables are tender.
   
3. Whizz with a hand blender or in a blender until smooth. Reheat in a clean pan, stir in the cream or crème fraîche, heat through and serve.
   

Source:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/leekandpotatosoup_1920

party of four

venue: my place!

In my unsuccessful attempt to diet, I realised it makes me feel better if I got people around me fatter. haha!

salmon, cauliflower and wild mushroom soup

J showed off his notorious mussels in white wine sauce

fusilli rigati arrabbiata

marble ribeye steak on mixed bellpeppers salad

seared salmon on greens

XTC's Vaniglia Madagascar - Made with organic milk
&
strawberries and blueberries


thanks to P's ice wine from Canada


which goes perfectly well with simple brie, and made T so tipsy she broke something while dishwashing!!

the Girl Who Eats is back!

so happy Awfully Chocolate is still going strong in Hong Kong since the franchised shop arrived here in 2008.
yes YES yes! it originated from Singapore and I LOVE IT! I'm not just being patriotic, but you should really try it for yourself if you haven't!

Comes in 3 flavours, All Chocolate, Chocolate Banana, or Chocolate Rum & Cherry. Check out their "hei' chocolate ice-cream too!

Hysan Ave
Shop 15 G/F 2-4 Hysan Ave (Sun Wui Rd)
Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

Caine Road
Shop B & C, G/F, 39 - 41
Caine Road, Hong Kong

K11
G32-33, G/F, K11, 18 Hanoi Road
Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon

Lebanese

Manouche Grill
31 Elgin Street
Central

This is an awfully late entry. It was weeks ago when I just came back to Hong Kong from Singapore and I wanted to eat something non-South East Asian, non-Japanese and non-Western. Doesn't leave Jessica too much choice hahaha~

She recommended this new restaurant on Elgin. Manouche offers an intimate dining area, where tables are within arms reach. It definitely promises an exotic Middle Eastern experience even just by looking at its gypsy name.

We had 2 mezzas (appertizers) that went really well with pita bread, and a main course for each of us. I must say I'm especially impressed with Lebanese sauces. One of them is the one served with the grilled chicken. We asked the owner and apparently the recipe was simple - loads of fresh garlic minced and blended with olive oil. That was it! It brings out and somehow highlights the juiciness of meats. The effect was unbelieveable. I figured later on if you needed some zest to it, add lemon juice. This is a must-have with barbequed and grilled meals.

Hummus with ground lamb and pinenuts

Baba Ghanouj - grilled aubergine, grounded and mixed with olive oil and lemon juice
our favourite!!!

Grilled Spring Chicken