The Land of Milk Tea (and Honey?)

Quickly Treats

Here in Manila, pearl shakes have come back with a vengeance. A few years ago, the market leaders here were brands like Quickly, Easy Way, Zagu, and Ersao that sold ice cold shakes with chewy pearls and an assortment of other drink 'accessories' (like puddings, nata de coco strips, jams, etc.). Prices ranged from an estimate of P45 (plain shake) -P70 (with all the bells and whistles).

Ersao Shakes

I'm not sure how trendy these brands still are. But these days, pearls are still one of the famous go-tos for refreshments. However, they seem to have reincarnated in the form of teas and milk teas instead. Pretty much every mall you go to, there will probably be a kiosk or full-blown store selling a plethora of flavors and drink add-ons to choose from. So here are my comments on the milk tea craze that has blown us away:

1. These brands often have flavor staples.

I've had Oolong or Jasmine or Original (Nai Cha) milk tea with pearls at Serenitea, Cobo Bubble Tea & Snow Ice, and Simple Line/Simple Life. What I can say is that, overall, the Oolong in store A tastes similar to the Oolong in store B and store C. The same can be said for the Jasmine and Default/Original flavors. In terms of making each brand's version distinct, I would have to say that it relies on the 'milkiness' (the use of milk to dilute), the essence (the strength of the tea they used), and the pearls (chewiness and size).

2. Perhaps there is a flavor for every occasion.

After a heavy meal, I find that taking Oolong milk tea has the equivalent of taking coffee when it comes to cleansing the palate. There is a certain strength in the taste of Oolong itself (even if you drink the tea without the milk in a Chinese restaurant): a roasted flavor that seems to have the ability to cut away any greasy taste you may still have in your mouth.

But when I am looking for a dessert flavor, I go for Jasmine milk tea. When you taste it, it has a pleasant floral aroma to the tongue. It's milder than Oolong, less floral than Rose (which can sometimes feel like I'm drowning in a pool of roses), and is harmonious with the flavor of milk.

Bubble Tea "tokyo milk tea place"

3. Still, there are some differences worth knowing.

Notably, Cobo Bubble Tea has many variations of the Oolong milk tea. They have a roasted version (which isn't so sweet and tastes similar to roasted seaweed), another version that I haven't had the opportunity to try, and the original version (which I really like!). The drinks come with pearls, but you can choose from add-ons like the popping bobba and yummy brown sugar han tien jelly

Bubble Tea "tokyo milk tea place" has big pearls and small pearls which is fun and exciting for those who love to their sago. They also have authentic Asian flavors like azuki red bean and black sesame. You even have the option of ordering the drinks as milk shakes, but do order a smaller size as the shakes are so heavy on the stomach.

Zen Tea has one of the most affordable milk teas of the lot (around P50-P70), but there tends to be some milk tea powder sediments at the bottom of the drink.

At Simple Line/Simple Life, you can get some Oolong with pearls for about P55 (small) to P60 or P65 (big). No powder sediments. That's a sweet deal.

The other brands tend to verge on presyong Starbucks (price range of Starbucks) with drinks starting at P80 and reaching P130 (depending on flavor and number of add-ons).

Serenitea offerings

The quality of the milk tea in these establishments are, across the board, good. The only ways you can ruin this drink are if you burn the pearls (I've experienced this at Quickly in Megamall) and if the concoction comes out too sweet (which is solved by the availability of 'less sugar' options).

Do try out this new trend and, preferably, find each brand's unique specialty for an enhanced milk tea experience.

Kota Kinabalu Part I

On a recent trip to Malaysia, I unexpectedly re-discovered how eclectic my taste buds are, and it reminded me of why I love going to Singapore and Malaysia and knocking myself out with the amazing food there.

My love for Singaporean/Malaysian (SG/M) food is a product of several trips to both countries in the last couple of years that were filled with fond memories. I had then just become a foodie and I was blindingly conscious of each meal I had. Very quickly, the food of SG/M became a fast favourite. It also has something to do with the dynamics of the cuisine. I adore the melting pot concept. To this day, I still feel that SG/M cuisine embodies “sugar, spice, and everything nice”. –even going as far as to apply it literally to some dishes that dance on the palate with salty-sweet goodness.

With regards to a recent trip to Malaysia, I visited sunny Kota Kinabalu (KK) in Sabah, known as a coastal area that specializes in seafood and beach activities. This was my second trip to KK, and I enjoyed myself as much on this trip as the one before it (if not more).

My adventure started on our 1st day in KK with a walk inside Centre Point Sabah’s (image on the right) food court while on the prowl for lunch. We saw that a lot of people crowded the turo-turo (karinderya, cafeteria-style) eateries where you can get the very basic nasi lemak for RM 1.80 (Php 26.00). But more than that, they had seafood, different types of curry, roti breads, vegetables, noodles, and the like. Coconut milk being a common find in a lot of the dishes there. Prices range from RM 1-5, but you can already get a good meal at RM 1-3. The prices are very affordable, and the food is as authentic as they come.

However, we were somewhat perplexed with the way the other customers got their food, which were in chafing dishes (buffet-style). We saw that each diner would grab a tray and scoop the viands into their plates themselves, so the quantities of each dish varied. Then, a person manning the buffet at the end of the line would calculate the bill. Though there was a white board of prices, the descriptions were all in Bahasa. And so we basically chickened out and went to a KFC, promising to come back later.

What a shame! I had my eye on the Roti Prata-esque thing that seemed to be what many of the patrons were eating at this small, busy restaurant nearby. And so excited was I to let them taste the Roti Prata, I decided to leave the KFC and brave the somewhat confusing cafeteria set-up. I figure it can’t be too expensive, if it’s basically bread and dip.

So I stopped by a crowded Islam eatery where I saw so many people with Roti on their plates. I spoke to the man in charge and asked the name of the dish by indicating leftovers from a deserted table. He replied something that sounded a lot like jumble to me, so I just nodded my head and asked how much. It was worth RM1.80 (give or take a couple of centavos) for the roti with fried egg in the dough. I asked if he I could get it for takeout. He nodded impatiently and gestured for me to sit and wait.

About 5 minutes later, the man returns with a plate of the roti (with egg), dining utensils, and 2 kinds of dip for the bread. I reminded him that I wanted it for take-out. He shook his head. I repeated myself, saying, “I want this for takeout… Take-away.” Again, he shook his head.

So here I was with a plate of roti, while I had a cheesy zinger waiting for me inside KFC. And I didn’t know how else to communicate with the stern-looking proprietor, so I decided to wolf down the whole thing. I’d just take them back to eat here some other time.

The roti was warm and went deliciously with the dips (the first one was a spicy, orange curry; the second was a yellow chickpea or lentil dip that was a bit cool to the mouth). The addition of the egg reminded me of pancakes. It gave a certain thickness and chewiness to the bread, not to mention the lessening of the heat from the curry.

And so I went back to KFC, armed with RM 0.20 worth of change and an interesting story to tell.

To be continued…

Hazelnut Macarons

Just a quick one, Thought it would be good to share the photo of what I have done a few days ago. My Hazelnut macarons with Espresso buttercream filling.

Macarons

I have just finished piping a batch of hazelnut macarons. While waiting for it to crust, I thought it would be best to keep myself busy and to type up some random thoughts just to keep my impatient mind off it. I am nervous. Will I be able to fill it tomorrow? Or will this batch end up in the bin tonight. Its my first time to try using another nut instead of the traditional almond meal used. I am unsure, but hopeful.

So what is a macaron? Is it a cookie? To some perhaps. Is it a confection? Yes, it satisfies a sweet tooth craving although it has unique characteristics of its own. Is it a meringue? Yes, it is made with beaten whites and sugar then almond powder folded in(traditionally), but it is not quite just a meringue. It is hard to describe a macaron with words alone. It is just like describing the color red to a blind person. The only way to actually get to know these little gems is to have a bite of a really good macaron. A really good macaron will have a smooth and thin egg-shell like crust that will give in to a moist and soft interior. It will have a foot, which is a lace or bubble like ribbon around the shell and it will have a generous amount of filling enough to give a burst of flavour in ones mouth.

The first time I was introduced to macarons was when I was a pastry student in school. It was a brief introduction about its popularity in France and its difficulty to make. Consistency was the worst part of it. It's such a wonder how beating a meringue and folding in almond meal can actually be so difficult. We had varied recipes from italian based to french based meringue. Different instructors would show different folding methods, yet consistency has always been a problem. I have also tried a few of these macarons in some of the pastry shops in Asia. However, most of the time, it was not quite how good it was described in books. So it was for me quite a bit over rated for a time. My obsession with macarons has never actually fully set in until I went to Paris and actually had a taste of what everybody has been raving about. I stood obligingly in the long que with my sister both at Laduree and Pierre Herme's. Excitement was just building up as we waited for our turn to choose what we would bring home. With our bags of goodies, we went back to our hotel and sampled these gems. It was indeed a taste like no other. From then on, I became determined to actually learn it and be able to make little mounds of yumminess. At home I tried more conservative flavours for the first few times. So far I have made Passionfruit and milk chocolate, morello cherry, green tea, and now getting my hands on hazelnut. Also thinking of experimenting on flavors that play with herbs and flowers. Orange and basil perhaps or lavender and chocolate? The options are just endless!

Just pulled out my hazelnut macarons from the oven. They smell divine. The first tray look good, except for 2 pieces, which are a bit wonky. The 2nd batch looked the same. Although the foot on a few of them spread out a bit more compared to how my macarons normally looks like. They have a thin crust as well but the interior crumb seems to be a little bit more chewy then the almond macarons I normally make. Perhaps lesser hazelnut to almond ratio next time? Hmmm... I will fill them with espresso french buttercream once they are cooled. :) I'm happy today. I'm actually off work today, should be resting and doing other activities away from the kitchen. I just can't help it.

My Swedish escapades...

In food, the Swedish will veer from the extremely simple, and comforting meatballs, to their steak tartare comprised of minced or finely chopped raw beef. If you think that was originally French, think again. Classically steak tartare is served together with a raw egg yolk as well. 

I won't be eating it like it was my usual steak, but like the the exotic spiders from Cambodia, and the Philippines' Balut, this is obviously the European's entry to weird food category. My friend Ulrika says it's very fresh. She prepared a fork just enough for one bite. And I am really surprised. The beef melted in my mouth, there was no foul taste. the capers - yes, they were there and you could taste it. It was good. I'd say it's edible. And I'm glad I've tried it.  So just to be clear - i didn't have the Steak Tartare as a first course. No... I had instead, Ox Marrow with stuffed Snails. 

The taste was surely familiar... as the separate elements were something I recognize and have had before. It was definitely rich and quite appropriate for below zero temperatures in Stockholm. The best part was when you take the bread and you dip it into the marrow! YUM! Reminds me of my childhood!


For my main course, I had something called an isterband. This is suppose to be the representation of what is considered "poor man's food" in Sweden. While we have the garlic rice, tomato and dried fish - they have this sausage. At the restaurant, it was served with creamy dill potatoes and pickled beet root. I quite like the potatoes and beet root... although I wasn't much a fan of the sausage. I suppose, after a little research I might have had the syrliga isterband which is defined by its slightly sour taste. 

For sure, I don't think I'll try the isterband again. 


I think I've had enough weird food for one night... so tomorrow, it's back to Swedish Meatballs! 

Flour and Water

I am fascinated with bread and the wonders of how flour and water combined together can give different flavors and textures.

Just recently, I was very fortunate to have been given the chance to have a day of bread baking training with La Madre Bakery’s Owners. One of our Artisinal bread suppliers in the hotel. Working with starters would be one of the things that is taught in pastry school of course but spending a day with them actually polished off a lot of my bread baking techniques. Even gave us a couple of hundred grams of their 40 year old rye starter. I of course am still attempting to keep it alive up to this point feeding it every other day with “organic” rye flour ( a very expensive feed... costs me $6 for 750g of it!).

Since then, I have tried to make a few loaves of bread from it. I made a sourdough loaf of which I shaped into a tapered batard and proofed it in a banneton. Bannetons are bentwood willow baskets that are used to shape breads.




Like making 8 kilos of puff pastry at work is not enough to satiate my baking craving, I have also decided to make croissants at home. Devoid of the comforts of a commercial pastry kitchen of course where I have a whole room of refrigerator space and a sheeter to roll my dough with a push of a button and a turn of a lever. I almost regretted the moment I even thought of making these breakfast pastries as I was doing my second turn using my small wooden rolling pin on my small kitchen countertop. Flour all over the floor and a few on the carpet as well. I used the recipe on a book a got a long time ago from an American baker. A very popular one in Los Angeles called the La Brea Bakery and one I truly admire. It says the recipe make large croissants. Indeed it was big, very big! I used my starter as part of my detrempe ( the dough in making the pastry). I was happy with the flavor, texture, crust and shape of the croissant I made. Soft crumb inside, flakey layers of pastry and blistered crust! I will however next time definitely make it twice smaller. These ones are huge really huge!

The Bagel. Of all the breads that I made, this one actually got stuck on me. Every time i feed my starter I would actually use half of it to make a small batch of bagel. It took me three tries to make the perfect bagel that well... can make me happy. I would mix the dough on day one, retard it overnight then cook it and bake it the next day. The first few tries, I followed the recipe which instructed to cook the bagel right after it has been retarded. It came out to be a very heavy bagel. The second time around, I proofed it at room temperature. Did not make that much of a difference. Winter is not a very ideal temperature to make breads I realized, not like in Asia where my bread just naturally grows just putting it on a counter top. So I made a makeshift proof box by putting a pot of boiled hot water on the oven floor, my tray of bagels on the second level then closing the door tight. That kept the environment warm and moist activating the yeast quicker than it would be on normal room temperature. The result is an evenly spaced crumb. Boiling the bagel in water gave the crust a chewy texture. Shaping is equally important as well. Too big a hole will give you donut looking bagels, to small and it will look like a navel of a baby’s tummy.



This is so far as my baking adventure has gone. Perhaps on another day, I’ll mix flour and water again.

The champagne that I like

It's funny, but since my initiation to the wonderful world of spirits, liquors, wine and the bubblies, I have not ben exactly a fan of Champagne. You see, my preference is vodka and red wine. But that's not to say I don't dabble in having a pint then and again.

I wonder if it was the reputation of Champagne... for the rich and famous, expensive (usually not within my budget range), and snobbish. It's not me at all. But there is indeed much to learn about Champagne, especially after I've read a few articles about it. The quality of the Champagne compared to artificially carbonating a wine is definitely obvious, since we are comparing the opposite ends of the scale. After a tour in a winery in France (not in Champagne though) I learned a lot about how Champagne, and similar bubblies are produced painstakingly using the traditional method. I was impressed!

Sadly, I am probably not just built to prefer champagne over a nice bottle of red. I have tasted some, like Veuve & Clicquot's Brut Yellow Label; Moet Chandon's Brut Rose, maybe the Brut NV too (but i don't pay attention much, in my earlier days and with my interest not as developed as now), and there are those that have been poured out for me and I don't know what it was - although it was a bubbly. They were ok. While typically, Champagne excites, I learned that the bubbles just get to my head faster than I could say hello and goodbye.

But that was until last week. A friend's birthday eventually introduced me to a bottle that has probably put Champagne on my preferred list of drinks too. Although more expensive than my wines, beers, or cocktails, this one was a keeper. My first sip of that Champagne awakened my senses. And I just want to keep tasting it again and again, and for every sip, seems like there's something new to discover about the drink.

It was crisp, and refreshingly light in the palate. No strong musky scent here, or the weight of the sweet that I sometimes taste in other bubblies. And surprisingly, this one was creamy. Something i wouldn't have expected in a Champagne. Flavors, of honey yes, but vanilla ice cream?  This is Ruinart Blanc de Blanc.

Yes, maybe now I can choose to drink champagne, sometimes.