Color Life Cappuccino Maker - Professional Froth At S$2!

Aye TaiTai went shopping in Daiso, her favourite bargain curio store coz it's cheap and good! (Aih pih aih qih!) She found something very interesting!

The Color Life Cappuccino Maker comes in many bright colours - pink, green, blue. However, due to immense popularity, in many stores, the more "normal" colours are sold out, leaving only shocking pink stocks. *Yeeks!*
   

How It Works (The "Idiot-Proof" Aye TaiTai Version)

1. Remove the wand-like apparatus from the packaging. 
   (Careful, don't get cut by the staples or the plastic cover!)
2. Open the black battery cover at the bottom of the wand.
3. Put in two AAA-sized batteries.
4. Close the black battery cover at the bottom of the wand.
5. Take an empty cup.
6. Pour in 1/3 to 1/2 of milk into the cup.
7. Put the wand into the milk. (Don't turn it on yet ok!) Immerse the wand fully into the milk (no need touch the bottom of the cup).
8. Turn on the wand and Abracadabra -  You get froth!
9. Churn a while more until the milk "rises" to fill 2/3 to 3/4 of the cup.
10. Switch off the wand before removing it from the milk if you don't want to have spinning milk in your face.

Aye TaiTai's hard work resulted in this professional-looking cuppa:

Compare it to a real professional cuppa:

(From Wordpress & Foodspotting.com)

If you are a busy working professional or just someone who loves "local coffee" (Robusta beans fried with corn), you can use 2-in-1 or 3-in-1 packs, and lather the foamed milk on top. (2-in-1 preferred, as "non-dairy creamer" is just hydrogenated palm oil!) Heated or cold milk, it's your preference.

With the knowledge of how to make an espresso (which is just normal coffee and sugar to taste), and this new knowledge of how to make foamed milk, you can practically make lots of different types of coffee!

(From StackExchange.com)

Oh yah, just for a comparison, professional froth-making machines like the ones below, retail at close to S$100:

(From SingleServeEspresso.com)

Shiok boh?

In Town - Tokyo Sushi Academy

Aye TaiTai received news that a new Japanese culinary school has opened a branch in Singapore! 

According to their website, TSA is the only culinary school to learn how to prepare the Japanese traditional food, “Edomae Sushi”. Huh, simi?

The contemporary version, internationally known as "sushi", was created by Hanaya Yohei (1799–1858) at the end of the Edo period in Edo. Sushi invented by him was an early form of fast food that was not fermented nor refrigerated (therefore prepared quickly) and could be conveniently eaten with one's hands. Originally, this sushi was known as "Edomae Sushi" (江戸前寿司) because it used freshly caught fish in Edo (Edo Bay or Tokyo Bay). Though the fish used in modern sushi no longer usually comes from Tokyo Bay, it is still formally known as Edomae Nigiri Sushi. (From Wikipedia)

OK, Aye TaiTai understands now, so it's sushi made with very very very fresh ingredients. 

What's The Big Deal?

             
Once again, according to their website, TSA offers has a holistic curriculum to facilitate the understanding of Japanese cuisine. In addition to sushi-making classes, there are also cooking classes and other events to help bridge the cultural divide.

What Aye TaiTai especially likes is their range of short courses which goes beyond the kara-bento type of "art" to more beautifully-crafted and intricate patterns within the sushi roll. So cool to make when your friends drop by, right?

(From TSA)

Brain Juice - What On Earth Is TED?

Aye TaiTai used her vacation time to explore the various apps on her "smart" phone. One of those apps that she discovered pre-installed was TED. It is represented by this logo (Quick, go check your phone!):

So, what on earth is TED?

TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) is a global set of conferences owned by the private non-profit Sapling Foundation, under the slogan "ideas worth spreading".

TED was founded in 1984 as a one-off event. The annual conference began in 1990, in Monterey, California with an early emphasis was technology and design, consistent with its origins in the Silicon Valley. Since June 2006, the talks have been offered for free viewing online. As of May 2013, over 1,400 talks are available free online. 

Why Aye TaiTai recommends TED for those seeking to increase their brain juice:

• TED is available online and on mobile platforms (i.e. You can watch TED instead of looking at your own reflection on the window in the train!).

(From Blogspot)

• TED covers a wide range of topics, e.g. Entertainment, Business, Global Issues (Phew, not just "technology"!).

(From Wordpress)

• TED has customized "playlists" for those seeking to emulate the wisdom of "the smart ones", e.g. Daryl Hannah (the mermaid), Barbra Streisand (the one that "All I Ask Of You"), Bill Gates (the Microsoft guy), Ryuichi Sakamoto (the guy who wrote the music for The Last Emperor and Little Buddha).

(From Blogspot & LayoutSparks)

• Best of all, TED is FREE! (Cheapo cheapo!)

Convinced to give up Candy Crush for TED yet?

(From Blogspot & Chud)

TED is available online at http://www.ted.com/talks.

Cooking Pot - Steamed Clams In Sake

Aye TaiTai absolutely loves clams/mussels in a pot after trying the versions at Yomenya Gomon and Ambush (Plaza Singapura). So it was by chance that she found this recipe on WA Attention (reproduced in full below so that lazy bums don't have to click here click there). 

Ingredients are very simple:

• 500g Clams  >>> Buy from NTUC
• 1 Japanese white leek  >>> Buy from Meidi-Ya
• 1 bunch of Mitsuba (Japanese parsley)  >>> Buy from your own downstairs market also can
• 100ml Japanese Sake  >>> Buy from Meidi-Ya

Method is very straightforward:

• Wash clams.
• Cut vegetables.
• Dump everything inside a pot and wait.

Something that Aye TaiTai, the Kitchen Sotong, can try out soon!

---

Steamed Clams in Sake

(From WA Attention)

[Home Treats : Japanese Recipes for Your Daily Table] Clam is a popular ingredient in Japanese home-cooking. This recipe is simple and easy, and yet is regarded as the favored way to enjoy the taste of fresh clams. You can also use other shellfish, like local lala, instead of clams. Ingredients for 4 persons: - 500g Clams -1 Japanese white leek - 1 bunch of Mitsuba (Japanese parsley) - 100ml Japanese Sake [Preparation] 1. Prepare the live clams by soaking them in thick salt water for 1 hour to draw out the sand inside, and then wash the shells. 2. Thinly slice the Japanese white leek. Pinch the leaves off the Mitsuba and chop the remaining stems to about 2-3cm long. [Cooking] 1. Put the Japanese white leek into the bottom of the pot before putting in the clams, and then pour in the Sake. 2. Cook over a strong fire, covering the pot with a lid. As soon as the Sake is boiled, turn down the heat a little and continue to cook until all the clam shells are open. It takes about 3 minutes. 3. Add in the Mitsuba stems and stir them in lightly before turning off the heat. Check the taste and add a pinch of salt if you like.  Garnish with a scattering of Mitsuba leaves over the dish. [Cooking Tips]  Instead of Mitsuba, using Mizuna or young cabbage is also recommended. **This recipe is published in Wattention Singapore, Vol. 10, Summer Issue, 2012.

In Town - Japan Food Fair At Isetan

Isetan Scotts

Central, Singapore

May 2013

Aye TaiTai visited Isetan Scotts today when she was in Orchard Road. The European Fair had just ended and the Japanese have arrived!

Tomorrow is the start of the Japan Food Fair and the vendors are already setting up this evening!

Aye TaiTai eagerly anticipates :

• Fried seafood and tempura...

• Hakata Yakitori all the way from Fukuoka in Kyushu...

• Food served on a wooden boat...
  (Pssst, the nearby seaweed stall smells absolutely fragrant!)

The poster for tomorrow's Japan Food Fair...

Yumz yumz!

(From blogspot.com)