Cavalock and The Mooncake Festival

It's the Mooncake Festival again! This year, no Raffles Hotel mooncakes for me. Why? Their mooncakes were alright, but all these years and a dozen (attractive) tin boxes later, it's time for change!

This year it's these mini snowskin lychee-tini and ganache mooncakes from Peony Jade. You got your liquor white choc in the middle and very, very soft snowskin to all that sweet goodness together. Yah, you do taste a teeny weeny bit of lychee flavour in there but it's only there for a second or two.

Cavalock Goes to The Kyushu Fair

With the long holiday weekend here, it sure felt like Saturday when it's actually Sunday now. Hmph, anyway was at Isetan's Kyushu Fair this morning, and here's the loot. Ahhh, my favourite sweet potato snack, can't get enough of it since that first taste in Japan. Also got a bottle of yuzu citrus drink.

More bottles of pure Japanese apple juice. I got a feeling I'll be back next weekend for more bottles before the fair ends.

Oooh, I had kurobuta (black pig) again last nite (Saturday nite). This time, it's kurobuta sukiyaki from Tonkichi at Suntec. Now, I dunno where the kurobuta I had at Tompopo was from but the one I had last nite was from Japan. Very sweet and tender but only like, six or seven slices I think. Portion was a little too small for me, was in desperate need of dessert a couple of hours later! <^;^>

Cavalock Goes Back On A Budget

Found this book at the library. Now I have no idea if I'll pop down to any of the restaurants next month but still, it was an interesting read. I definitely don't see myself eating any Japanese food there! Indian curry, fish and chips ... most probably.

Anyway, was in town this morning and early afternoon, running some errands. What used to be Pepper Lunch is now the new Tompopo joint at Takashimaya. The kurobuta (black pig) shoulder loin was pretty good. They are having an opening offer till the end of the month, that's half price off all drinks including booze.

Now at $S32.15, that wasn't exactly the cheapest solo lunch but I just felt like treating myself. Arrgggh! Feeling guilty now, I really need to keep to a budget again.

Cavalock Journeys To The East

Took a ride to the east side of the island today for lunch. Now here are two things I have absolutely no knowledge of, nor have I ever even heard of them until now.

Folks who know me, will know that I have almost zero interest in Korean stuff. Nothing personal, just never cared bout their food (tried it, didn't like it), music, drama serials or culture, even their chicks, more than half of them have had face jobs done on them, what does that tell you?

Water belly-dancing?!? Is that even possible? I'm tempted to google for images but ....nah.... I like my own mental image of it. <^;^>

Got this soon kueh, Fatt Soon Kueh, at the Bedok interchange food centre for S$2 only, it'll be tomorrow's breakfast. Tried it before and it's pretty good.

The bus ride back on Bus 32 was quite an eye-opener. Bus was real close. Normally I would be like, really pissed off. But I wasn't in a rush and it's like a scenic route for me cos I all those food and bakeries along Siglap and East Coast, they all looked new to me. Was fun, made me wanna try some of them.

Cavalock and The Indiana Jones Moment

Don't laugh now but I felt like Indy when I found this little potato masher at Meidi-Ya for only $2.70. I been looking for one for ages and all I could find were big ones costing $20 or more at those big department stores.

Solo breakfast and lunch weren't very healthy, 2 eggs a day? That can't be good.

Was supposed to meet a friend for lunch but he couldn't make it at the last minute so I dined solo at Pepper Lunch.

And what is lunch without dessert?

Cavalock and The Long-Overdue Little Indulgences

My first 'free' and 'relaxing' weekend in a looong time. Got myself the revised Space Hulk boardgame. This is the new long-awaited edition. I remember playing this game when I was a kid, I had a blast! The latest edition is now S$150 a piece and it was worth it. Managed to get in a couple of games out of it on Saturday afternoon, right after picking it up at the shop.

And a couple of little culinary indulgences over the weekend...

Spizza home delivery. Nah, too lazy to go out for dinner.

A little moscato, while catching up on all those episodes of C.S.I. Vegas.

Cavalock is Alone With G.I. Joe

Scanned the papers first thing in the morning to see if the cinemas are still screening G.I. Joe. Found a 1pm show at Great World City. Not my usual stomping ground but I'll manage. Ticket for one!

Got back home at around 4pm and started making my long-awaited French Roast Chicken bout an hour later. Here's the chicken defrosting since this morning.

Some of the ingredients, always important to get them nice and ready before you start. Didn't do that when I first started cooking/baking and made a bit of a mess of the kitchen! <^;^>

Follow the recipe and you'll get to this stage after stuffing the chicken with all those spices. The frozen chicken came without the head and feet/claws as well as a pretty clean and empty cavity (is that the right word?). So remember to get the frozen one if you are not into gutting and cleaning it yourself.

A peek into the oven. So far so good. Smells yummy too.

An hour later, and I have to admit, sometimes I even amaze myself. The chicken actually tastes great! I was afraid that if it sucked, I'll have to throw away the whole thing.

I followed the recipe pretty close, I got the grapeseed oil, the herbs, French butter etc. It's sooo easy, anyone can do it. Everything turned out alright, you got the juices from the chicken flowing all through the caramelized potatoes and the meat being so tender.