An Extra Long Weekend

Unexpectedly, I was given an extra long weekend with a span of 4 days. Not that I've been overindulging on Californian wines, but rather given the boot by my chef. I came down with fever and flu and was barred from the kitchen due to my contagious status.

It was pretty sad because I was going to bake rosemary buns, cheddar onion bars and tomato buns that afternoon. Still, I spent the day sleeping in, trying to recuperate before George's 50th birthday celebration on Saturday.


We had a lovely afternoon, munching down burgers at Taylor's Refresher (an iconic St Helena upscale diner). I also met up with long-time friends, Linda Tennant and Utta Jansen :) both ladies whom I've known 5 years back!


Linda, wife of Nik Tennant from Austria, is ever vivacious and lively! She's always a joy to be with and fun! You should have seen her stopping the traffic in downtown Saint Helena with both her legs and arms, so that Gretchen could drive through!


Utta and Gebhard Jansen (Linda's parents). Gebhard is my sister's idol and she thinks that he is the most gorgeous man alive!

Charming Utta, who is Linda's mother (a dear German friend who stayed in Singapore last year), and her sister-in-law Heika also came. As I was missing home, seeing Utta reminded me of my mum :) I love her company always, with her sweet, quiet nature.


Joachim and Heika Jansen (Joachim is Gebhard's brother)

During the day, we went wine tasting but my most memorable part was not the crisp white wine but rather, BONNY and BONNE :)


2 beautiful vintage Pontiacs owned by George and taken out for a spin in the Valley. The 2 cars certainly drew more attention than the several pretty ladies inside :) Linda didn't need to do much to stop the traffic because the cars themselves were the highlight on the tiny streets of Saint Helena.


With our colourful scarves bundled over our heads, we did look like 60s American girls giggling our way through the wine country as depicted in vintage Cadillac posters.

It was a once in a lifetime opportunity to sit in one of these! Like Utta said, my brother will be so jealous!



The dinner party was at the Merryvale Cellar Room where we had a simple, yet enjoyable time. No big "Yum-seng" elaborations but rather, the elegance of intimate conversations coupled with delicious spread of Italian food. Something that I truly like, rather than typical boring Chinese wedding dinners.


Nik, Gebhard and Joachim gave a toast to George and presented a birthday present on behalf of the Dream team, which also includes my dad and my uncle. The Dream Team was formed 5 years ago in Germany, where Gebhard and Joachim's tyre company will hold a biannual international golf tournament for their business associates. Naturally, my dad has to join in, given his fanaticism for Golf.


Nik also give a hilarious short speech of a typical conservation held by the Dream Team whenever they meet to golf in Singapore, USA or Europe. I couldn't stop laughing when Nik mentioned a characteristic trait of my dad during the speech :) "$100 per stroke also don't care. Just play!"

From Singapore, I was the sole representative of my family as my dear sister couldn't make it in time for the party.


The Dream Team - with their respective ages :) I sure 10 years down the road, they will still be lugging their golf bags across the course, though my dad will be on the buggy (he's totally attached to it, which spells his expanding waistline).


Being in a winery, dinner was also accompanied by 5 different wines, though my natural favourite is the Antigua dessert wine (I really can taste the nutty flavour!)


With a budding pastry chef at the table, dessert was definitely the most scrutinized. However, I didn't really expect anything nice from Tra Vigne (Italian desserts ? ... hmmm....). The Devil's Chocolate Cake had an extremely thick and unpalatable butter frosting and couldn't be saved by the scoop of plain Vanilla ice cream.


Birthday boy, George, and Gretchen

Still, I had a wonderful night out (after being cooped in my room for days) and meeting Utta and the rest, was like meeting my family :)

I miss home and now, praying that I'll recover in time for class tomorrow. Fever's not subsiding but I'm just enjoying a good read in bed :)


Utta and Me

My Love Affair with Thomas Keller

Thomas Keller Boxed Set of Cookbooks

If your favourite read is Gourmet or other food magazines, or perhaps you are a avid cookbook collector or foodie like me, chances are that you know will Mr. Thomas Keller.

"Thomas who?" you may ask. Well, simply Thomas Keller who owns The French Laundry, USA's best restaurant located in Yountville, Napa Valley. He is America's Michelin man which 7 stars under his belt of restaurants, and the first and only American chef
to claim two 3-star restaurants.


Under the renowned classic culinary guide produced by French tyre company - Michelin (which is a direct competitor of Yokohama, ahh hmmm....), 3 stars is the highest glory any chef can achieve. In fact, the stars are so prestigious that a French chef committed suicide 2 years back because he lost 1 of his 3. To find out more, you can go to www.michelinguide.com

In simple terms, Thomas Keller is THE BIG THING in USA and one of the BIGGEST THINGS in the WORLD! And since 4 weeks back, I've been quite intimately connected with him (heehee no worries, nothing scandalous and YH knows my daily happenings).


It started with a simple box of 2 macarons, a gift from my friend Suzanne from Section 49. If you recall my addiction to macarons, any sweet treats will be great. But these were no ordinary macarons. Rather, they came from Bouchon Bakery (Bouchon is Thomas Keller's 1-star French bistro)!

Ok! I know I need to intentionally calm myself down because seeing my beloved macarons can even cause me hyperventilation. Knowing that these macarons were from Thomas Keller certainly didn't help :)


2 large macarons, each with a diameter of 8 cm, in the flavours of vanilla and chocolate.

I remembered receiving them at about 10pm and though I've brushed and flossed my teeth, I couldn't resist a bite! Well, one bite lead to another and soon, I finished both .... 500 g extra weight on my hips.


Tell me! How can I resist these darlings? Haha! I know, excuses and more excuses.


To me, macarons are almost magically in nature. You never know what to expect with each bite, because each pastry chef has his or her own style. Still, a true blue macaron must be FRENCH!!!

Never, never waste your calories on silly American macaroons with the overdose amount of sugar and coconut!

So after that one night of indulgence, I was infatuated! Well, I knew and have always admired Thomas Keller (almost 2 years) and been contemplating about getting his cookbooks. The macarons got me hooked and I was waiting impatiently to visit his restaurants.


Finally, 3 weeks back, the opportunity came! T and I popped by Bouchon Bakery (the only place we could afford) and it felt like I was being transported back in time to the French petite boulangeries that I have always loved in Paris.


Pretty pastries lined in rows, competing with the rustic breads for your attention! I wish I can stay there forever and just admire at each beautiful creation.


However, the shop is so small (walk-in space with the size of my toilet) so I couldn't take many good shots. Besides, it wasn't possible to stay in the shop for long as too many people were trying to squeeze into the tiny shop space.


So T and I packed some delectable treats and heading home :) 2 happy aspiring pastry chefs



Now, let me tell you about my love affair with Thomas Keller, "piece by piece" :)


Piece 1: Chocolate Bouchon (Thomas Keller's take on the classic chocolate brownie). "Bouchon" is a french word for wine "cork" and also the name of Thomas Keller's French bistro in Yountville.


Dangerously moist and chocolatey, 1 Bouchon certainly satisfied my day's chocolate intake

Pieces 2, 3 and 4 - what else! Haha Macarons! This time round, in Chocolate, Caramel and Hazelnut



Oh my goodness, I really am totally head over heels with macarons!!!! Because they were so terribly expensive (US$3 each), I need to ration them to last me a week. Sigh... I only manage to stretch them to 3 days.

3 and 7 are the perfect numbers! 3 - the Holy Trinity and :) Though I can't have 7, 3 macarons were just perfect for me!

Sometimes, I wonder if YH thinks that I love macarons more than him, haha :)

Piece 5: Pear Tart with Mascarpone Cream

Usually, I'm not a tart person because my experiences with Delifrance's tarts weren't pleasant. Too much gelatine, soggy tart crust and overly sweetened pastry cream. So it was a risk to buy a tart, even though it was from Bouchon.



It was truly a risk well-taken! The tart was filled with a light pastry cream (totally unlike the typical sweet American version), filled with poached pears and best of all, the tart crust (pecan nut) was crispy!

I thought the mascarpone and pear pairing was totally brilliant :)

Piece 6: Biscotti

Chocolate Hazelnuts and Citrus Biscottis. Perfect for breakfast and I dunk mine in cold Soya Milk :)


Pieces 7 & 8: Passionfruit Tart and White Chocolate Cheesecake


Tangy Passionfruit curd and raspberry-laced sponge cake, all in 1 tart! And check out the lattice topping (didn't taste good but certainly looks pretty)

Unlike the pear tart, which was filled with poached pears, this passionfruit tart has a thin layer of cake sponge (given that passionfruit isn't easily available and expensive). Besides, they used passionfruit puree to make the curd.
Minus point - The crust was too thick and unsatisfying.


For an American cheesecake, this was pretty disappointing. I couldn't really taste any distinct flavour or make out the white chocolate portion. Too sweet but very smooth.

Pieces 9, 10, 11, 12 - TKO, Almond Financier, Corn Financier and Madeline


Affectionately known as "TKO" or Thomas Keller Oreo, this is a sandwiched cookie

Rich White Chocolate Ganache between 2 chocolate fluted shortbreads. Oversize, overpriced and over hyped. 'Nuff said


Classic French Mignardises (Petite Fours Sec)
(L - R) Corn Financier with 1 Blueberry, Madeline, Almond Financier

Now that you have more insider information on my current fantasy about Thomas Keller, here's more!

God has indeed been very kind with the opening of doors while I'm here. I'm so blessed with new friends and through Suzanne, I was granted an opportunity to do a stage (french word for internship) at Bouchon Bakery!

Indeed, praise God!!!! I was so excited when the head pastry chef agreed and though unpaid (due to visa restrictions), I was keen to learn!

Besides, through Bouchon Bakery, I was definitely "closer" to Thomas Keller, haha! Well, we are now connected through Thomas Keller Group of Restaurants!

So far, I've spent 2 days (8 hours each) over 2 weekends in Bouchon Bakery, assisting with the pastry side. It was quite humbling (peeling apples and pears for 3 hours) but enriching as the chef asked me to make chocolate sauce and creme caramel!

Most importantly, I had the most invaluable chance to observe a super efficient bakery operation and best of all, taste the food!!! hahaha.


My free sandwich :) It's so easy for Bouchon to please me.

After 2 days at Bouchon Bakery, I finally placed my orders for the long anticipated copies of Thomas Keller's award winning cookbooks. They are now indispensable as many of the things made at Bouchon Bakery are found in the book!


Bouchon


The French Laundry

Hopefully, I'll be able to continue my stage at Bouchon Bakery (they usually do not have long term stages so they are still considering. Keep me in prayer that doors will open) and one day, able to meet Thomas Keller, himself!


Till then, his macarons will keep me distracted for the moment :)

Hearth Breads and Rolls - Laminated Dough

Famous Pain au Chocolate - Chocolate filled Croissants

If you are a fan of croissants, danishes and puff pastries, you will enjoy this post as I bring you through my hectic week of laminating dough.

As mentioned in my previous writing, laminated dough derives its flakiness from the numerous layers of fat and dough that creates a melt-in-your-mouth pastry.

At the CIA, we do croissants and danishes with 72 layers of dough and fat each, and puff pastry with 512 layers! You can simply imagine how flaky these delights were!

Hopefully, after a full week of European butter (higher butter fat content) and sheeting of the dough through the sheeter machine, I've taken a step closer to be the Queen of Laminating!

Cheese Pockets and Raisin Snails
I have never been a fan of croissants or danishes, because they were often soft, greasy and tastes like "plastic" when I get them from Delifrance (where else?)

This week has changed my perception and when YH asked me, "Why?", I started thinking hard of how a well-made croissant or danish or puff pastry should be.


Almond Croissants - Filled with Almond Cream Filling

Here's my theory and if you have any inputs, do let me know!

A well-made Laminated dough product should be:

1. Extremely flaky and a cross section that displays the well-developed flaky layers
2. When you first bite into it, you can feel the crispiness of the crust. 2 seconds later, it will simply melt in your mouth (no kidding!) and as you chew on it, you should experience the amazing buttery flavour.
3. You should not need to chew much as the layers will simply melt
4. When placed on a tissue paper, the pastry should not leave an oil stain (fruit pastries may leave a sticky stain due to the glaze applied - perfectly normal).


From my past experiences, the following factors spell a poorly made, mass produced Laminated Dough:

1. Greasy and leaves an unforgettable oil stain on your fingers and tissue paper as you eat. - like Polar Puffs or Chicken Puffs sold at chains
2. Soft and not flaky (Singapore's humidity should never be an excuse for soft croissants or danishes or puff pastry)
3. Tastes like "plastic", which has no trace of butter in it. This means that hydrogenated shortening or margarine has been used - cheaper but contains dangerous Trans Fats!

Think about it, Laminated Doughs are pretty high in fat and it's a great treat! Eat in moderation and when you have limited calories intake like me - eat one that truly deserves the calories and your money $$$.
If you can't find a good one in Singapore now (which I think is likely the case), pray hard that I'll become a Laminated Dough Queen during my time here :)
It's pretty challenging to produce a great dough but I love the challenge and haha, I was thinking of selling Asia's best croissants!

Yes, I really love making laminated doughs :) after the week of producing the below yummy pastries! Oh how I wish I can be in France to learn from the French!

Day 1 - Cream Horns, Palmiers (Palm Leaves) and Berry Turnovers
Cream Horns

I filled my cream horns with mocha pastry cream, garnished with bittersweet chocolate! The filling itself was Ooh La La!




Berry Turnover - filled with home-made cranberry filling


Palmiers - A favourite Italian pastry which can be made into a size of your face! I've seen such a large one in San Francisco (but tastes bad). Palmiers are crispy and well caramelised with sugar.


My Croissant (bend edges to signify that it is a Butter croissant)


Day 2 - Crazy Day when we had to produce 5 different pastries within 5 hours, from scratch! Bear Claws, Raisin Snails, Cheese Pockets (2 types), Pain Au Chocolate and Croissants


Pain au Chocolate - drizzled with chocolate sauce

Bear Claw - Hazelnut, Cinnamon Filling with Toes sticking out!


Cheese Pinwheel - Cream Cheese Filling


Raisin Snails - Flaky and not Soggy

Day 3 - Almond Croissants and Ham & Cheese Croissants (Chef deemed that I was the most popular gal in school, as everyone was waiting for my croissants to be ready!)


Almond Croissants that won praises :)


Ham and Cheese Croissants (Layers of Croissants interlocking with layers of Swiss Cheese and Black forest Ham)


The all important cross-section of a croissant - SEE THE LAYERS!!!!!


Because Chef Brown was so pleased with the Croissants, I have to show you the layers again!!!!! This is a well-made Croissant (from a good laminated dough)

Day 4 - The most stressful day - we made 4 different Danish Loaves and Almond Croissants, and I had to made 2 puff pastry dough

Fruit Ring :)

Roulette of Fruit


L - R: Hazelnut Braids, Almond Stollen and Fruit Ring

Cream Cheese Braids - My favourite of the 4 :) When warm, it's the only thing you want to eat!

Hazelnut Braids - nutty filling

Though the laminating doughs were a challenge, managing a good working relationship with my new parter (we change every 3 weeks through casting lots) is tougher :( My new partner and I used to be pretty good friends but since we became partners, she is ignoring me :(

Like Pin Sin said, I must pray for God to intervene in this situation as we have 2 more weeks together and possible future partnerships. I hope to be as loving and caring, patient and kind towards her despite her attitude.


Hope you like the pastries and yes, I may be selling them when I'm back!