Burpple Tastemakers Eat Ups

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Do you dukkah? I do, or to be accurate, I did 😜
At last month's event organised by Burpple held in the elegant, spacious Brettschneider's Baking & Cooking School (@brettschneiders - which is part of @bakerandcooksg), the lovely chef Terri-Anne Leske (@carrotsticksandcravings) imparted her knowledge to a group of Burpple Tastemakers on how to create dukkah from scratch, as well as two main courses using fresh (never frozen), premium quality steak and lamb from @themeatclubsg. Terri-Anne made everything look effortless but it was the simple steps behind the delicious dukkah that surprised me the most. It tasted equally good served as a starter with bread and olive oil, or used as a crusted coating on the lamb. To learn how to make it, you can sign up for her class or buy her book "Carrotsticks & Cravings - My Creative Kitchen".
I think it is one of those things that requires only a little investment but reaps plenty of appreciative "oohs and aahs" from those you feed it to 😄
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Thanks again @Burpple for the invitation.
If you are interested to take up a cooking or baking class, visit www.bakingandcookingschool.com
To have Australian fresh-never-frozen meats delivered right to your home, check out themeatclub.com.sg

So the impossible just happened: I actually had a hand in the making of my dinner tonight. Admittedly, it was fellow Tastemaker Fabian Poon who did most of the work. Yes, I count myself extremely lucky to have partnered him 😜
Anyway, this "historic moment" took place at a cooking class event organised by Burpple. It was held at the lovely culinary studio space of Brettschneiders Baking & Cooking School (which is part of Baker & Cook). Under the tutelage of the very charming Terri-Anne Leske (@carrotsticksandcravings), a group of us Burpple Tastemakers had the opportunity to learn how to prepare two sumptuous dishes using fresh (never frozen) lamb and "eye fillet" ribeye supplied by The Meat Club.
Combining clear instructions with "live" demonstration, Terri-Anne made the whole process a cinch to follow, even for a cooking ignoramous like me. Moreover, when there's such good quality meat to work with, the end result's pretty much a foregone conclusion anyway. The first dish we learned to cook was the "Dukkah-crusted Lamb Cutlet served with Feta Tzatziki and Pomegranate", followed by the "Spicy Grilled Beef with Salsa". I don't really eat lamb so a small piece was what I had. It was surprisingly good and didn't have an obvious gamey smell because of the way it was prepared. The second dish of the night was the one I adored. Not only was my medium-rare steak juicy and tender, but incredibly flavourful too. The accompanying salsa (we were taught how to make it as well) and crisp rocket leaves livened things up further.
To wash all of that down, we were very fortunate to be served glasses brimming with the fabulous Aldridge Rams Head Shiraz Cabernet courtesy of the Wine Family.
Dessert came in the form of tarts, brownies and cookies from Baker & Cook which we happily gobbled down.
Many thanks again to Burpple for inviting me to join in the fun-filled and enriching experience.
If you are interested to take up a cooking or baking class, visit www.bakingandcookingschool.com for more info.
To have Australian fresh-never-frozen meats delivered right to your home, do check out www.themeatclub.com.sg
For some all-important alcohol, head over to www.wine-family.com

There is something intrinsically comforting about a big communal pot of dual simmering soups where you cook your choice of quality ingredients. And if the soups are made from scratch and MSG-free, even better! My recommended picks would be the fragrant wild mushroom ($14) and the very drinkable "ma la" ($14) that was much more broth than slick chilli oil.

Because I am a sucker for meats, the wide array offered at Long Qing made me a very happy person. Love the tender ribeye ($18), U.S. short rib ($22) and clean-tasting Hungarian pork belly ($12). The owner James told us that the kitchen crew only slices the frozen meats upon customers' order which is why they look so neat and presentable.

We were fanatic about their uber addictive luncheon meat and crisp beancurd skin rolls as well ($6.80 each), and had to keep those coming throughout the night!

Another plus is their selection of appetisers which I suggest ordering a few to share before you embark on the steamboat. If you have the same exotic taste as me, you'll not want to miss out on the spicy chilled pig's ears.

Long Qing also offer three options for set meals for 2 pax priced at $55, $60 and $65.

* All prices stated are before tax.

Thanks @burpple for the invitation to the tasting hosted by @longqingsingapore

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You wanna know how good these Crispy Taro Balls were? Well, despite feeling stuffed from the steamboat dinner tasting, most of us felt like we could do with a few more of these each! 😜
Made in small batches using sweet potato and flour, these golf ball-sized spheres were crunchy on the outside and ever so slightly chewy all over. Surprisingly, they weren't greasy at all and the smooth yam paste filling wasn't too sweet either.
My advice: Do allocate space in your belly for these.

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If you like your duck confit very much on the crispy side, this will be right up your alley. I found the slightly cushiony charcoal waffle with its lightly crunchy finish a good fit for it. Expanding the flavour profile of this dish was a savoury element from the foie gras butter and a rich sweetness courtesy of a sauce made from Pedro Ximenaz, a type of dark dessert sherry.
In my opinion, one of the most memorable dishes among the numerous memorable dishes at the tasting.

Thanks @burpple for the invitation and @altpizza for being such a generous host. 😄 #BurppleTastemaker #pizza #sgfoodies #robertsonquay

#burpple #burppletastemakers #burppletastemaker #BurppleEatup #Slake

Responsible for eliciting gasps of happiness from me were these three NYC delicatessen-style delights that graced our table at the recent BurppleTastemakers meet-up.
Top pic: "Sasha's Toast" is a thin slice of dark bread topped with rendered chicken fat (a.k.a. Schmaltz), fresh green herbs, translucent pink slices of baby radish and the most fabulous crispy bits of chicken skin.
Bottom left: "Chopped Liver" may not exactly excite everyone from the get-go but even if you aren't a liver fan, do give this classic deli specialty a try. The one here is exceedingly smooth and creamy with a fragrant peppery taste. Adding extra dimensions of flavour and texture are a hard-boiled egg and chopped pickles.
Bottom right: "Knishes" may be tricky to pronounce but they sure slip down my throat with the greatest of ease. Each roll of buttery puff pastry is stuffed with juicy pastrami and is awesome enough to make me grin with greed. But no, a mini jug of gravy swimming with tiny cubes of pastrami decides to tag along. It's enough to reduce grown men and this grown woman to tears (of joy).

There's no longer a need to endure leg-cramping flights to New York to get your hands on authentic NYC deli-style cuisine. You can now take a bite of the food that's synonymous with the Big Apple right here in Orchard Road. "Sasha & Sons", located on level three of the Mandarin Gallery, is where you can dig into platters piled with a variety of smoked meats and smoked fish, plus all the necessary condiments.
At the recent Burpple Tastemakers' Eat-up, meat-loving me was more than happy to chomp on thick slices of Roast Beef, Smoked Pastrami and Corned Beef. I swear there's no protein with greater depth and complexity of flavour than smoked meats. After learning how the owners spent years creating and perfecting the recipe and curing process for their meats, I was even more appreciative of every bite. With the accompanying house pickles, coleslaw, sliced onions and sweet tomatoes slapped on, tastiness level went up another couple of notches.
Proving just as delectable was the fish platter that consisted of smoked salmon slices, plus dips of smoked salmon and smoked trout. The former dip was really smooth thanks to cream cheese being in its mix but I have to admit, I gravitated towards the latter. My fondness for raw onion's lively crunch and punch knows no bounds.
Contributing the carb factor was a mini mountain of toasted sesame seed bagels. Besides being irresistible to play with (Tastemakers, you know who you are!), these were well balanced in texture and not overly chewy.

How would you like to have someone interpret your preferences into a really cool drink using only the freshest ingredients? This cosy bar along hip Haji Lane was one of the firsts in Singapore to come up with this fun concept and is still delivering the goods in style. Just let the mixologists know what you like, or don't particularly care for, then sit back and watch them translate your words into a fab drink. Guaranteed for a memorable night out. Unless you opt to have a taste of the Diesel which has a killer 95% alcohol content, then all bets are off!

Fun-packed night with folks who're passionate about Burppling. It was an enrichment session that's well lubricated with all sorts of tipple!

It's important to escape once in a while. To get away from the madding crowd and just chill with a wonderful, leisurely meal. Tucked far away from seas of people and shopping malls is the perfect antidote to today's hectic lifestyle: The Marmalade Pantry at Fairways Drive.
I was introduced to this chic dining spot amidst lush greenery as it's the venue for one of July's Burpple Tastemakers' Eat Up events. An extensive tasting menu by Executive Chef Eddie Goh awaited us but naturally, we Burpplers simply couldn't resist taking photos of the place and the displays of pretty cupcakes the moment we arrived. Only then were we ready to sit down and commence dinner.
I felt thoroughly spoilt as there were a total of seven courses and a few were almost full-sized portions despite it being a tasting menu. The standouts for me were the smoked salmon, the oxtail soup, the pork belly and the sticky date pudding.
I found the smoked salmon very fresh and beautifully complemented by the slightly bitter sprouts on top and filling of sweet orange segments, avocado and kalamata olives.
The slow-cooked oxtail soup had loads of rich beefy flavour and a few pieces of tender beef. Totally enjoyed the piece of gruyere cheese toast that came with it too.
The third item that impressed me was the pork belly. When I asked Chef Eddie how he got the pork to be so moist and juicy within, yet crispy on the outside, he was kind enough to describe the process to our group. I shan't reveal his "secret" here but you can ask him when you pay a visit to the restaurant. He's a really friendly chap :)
The last course that made me very happy was the sticky date toffee pudding. Served warm, the fluffy and soft pudding had a slightly concave top which was ideal for cupping a nice puddle of the thick and decadent toffee sauce. A twist on the usual came in the form of the ice-cream. Instead of vanilla, there were berries in theirs. It reminded me of the cherry ripple ice-cream I use to stuff my face with when I was a kid.
What an awesome evening it was... Food truly brings people together. Thank you again Burpple for organising this.