A Journey of Tastes

Ah yes..now tis time to do some travel tasting across the countries. It's all about the teeny tiny things that makes a difference. Now if I just had the time to do so..where would I go?

First of all, on the start of my travel, something that I would probably take along with me though this may sound crazy, is this Mypressi Twist, the world's first portable espresso machine. Just add the coffee and hot water, with no external power needed, there's espresso ready anytime..The reason being is that sometimes you don't come across a good shot of espresso (thankfully I've come across many good ones ;) ), and that's why you can have your own portable machine, with your own choice of espresso beans, and you're done.

I'm off to Paris..now I'll have to stop by La Grande Epicerie..mmm tasty treats all around but that's not what I'm here for, I'm here for the Photography Exhibition Le Goût du Luxe (Taste of Luxury) of fashion made with food. On display until May 17, so hurry!
Next stop, the Dammann Tea House in Place des Vosges. Dammann Freres teas date back to 1692, and house rare offerings of teas such as "Pu-Erh", a fermented tea with a deep aroma produced in Yunnan. There are tea tasters and wine tasters, etc. and this is a great tea tasting trip to make.

Over to New York, the Momofuku (meaning Lucky Peach) Milk Bar, the recently opened bakery in East Village, opened by chef-entrepreneur David Chung. A mix of American cuisine with Eastern influences united together. Banana green curry bread, marshmallow cookies, luscious cakes and icecream, are a few of the creations offered by Pastry chef Christina Tosi.


to be continued..

No longer a guilty pleasure

Recently developed by the Foodlab of Le Laboratoire in Paris..A new innovative way of eating chocolate..actually not eating it, more like breathing it! Hmm.. chocolate, air, and no calories?! What is this?

Its Le Whif, shaped like a cigarette but its a chocolate inhaler that comes in four flavours: Mint Chocolate, Raspberry Chocolate, Mango Chocolate, and Plain Chocolate. A good way to curb your appetite, and enjoy alongside a shot of espresso. Lead inventor of Le Whif, Harvard Professor Mr. David Edwards says: "Over the centuries we've been eating smaller and smaller quantities at shorter and shorter intervals. It seemed to us that eating was tending toward breathing, so, with a mix of culinary art and aerosol science, we've helped move eating habits to their logical conclusion. We call it whiffing."


Available at Le LaboShop and Colette from April 29.



photocredit: le laboratoire

Dining in the Kitchen Part 3 (Final)

The last part...


1. Chic - Modern design. Colors of mocha coffee and titanium in this airy space. Wave, Allmilmö.

2. Compact - Compact dining area in your kitchen is still useful for small spaces. Done in an angle that provides functionality between the spaces of the kitchen and the living area. Kalya, Cuisinella.

3. Provincial Style Kitchen - with apricot colors and a homey feel. Origan, Solutions Cuisines.

4. Pop - Add a pop of color to make the kitchen inviting, especially if its done around an island and its designed to provide an eating area as well as a preparation area. It just makes hanging out at the kitchen more up-lifting. Acidulé, Darty

5. Pure Elegance - Mirrored by aluminum, warmed with woods, brighten up by the long windows..its pure elegance thats minimal. AlnoArt Pro, Alno.

6. Contemporary - The two modules laid out parallel to eachother while leaving an open space in between. Alno sign, Alno.




CM Février 2009

Dining in the Kitchen Part 2

Some more ideas...


1. Outdoorsy - Have your meals around elements that reminds you of the outdoors, woods, slate, real plants around, oh and big windows overlooking a gorgeous garden. Z' in, Xavier' Z.

2. Functionality - Hide them in the cupboards, pull out table, your pick. But these are fixed..just to give you an idea. Alexandra - Teisseire.

3. Uber Minimalism - Structured, fine lines, blends of glass with dark wood makes the environment not too cool not too warm. More segmento, Poggenpohl.

4. Circular Functionality - the center circular furniture is entirely equipped to cook on.. it serves a purpose and looks good next to the straight lines of the kitchen area. Flow, design Giugiaro Design - Scavolini.

5. Structural - Glass doors dividing the living area from the kitchen area, luminous finishes on the cupboards and table. Clean colors makes the space bigger. Essenza - Comprex.

6. Elegance - Traditional furniture with high-tech equipment. Mixture of materials of wood, granite and brushed stainless steel. Large dark dining table . Beautiful Arts - Siematic.



CM Février 2009

Dining in the Kitchen Part 1

There are numerous ways to dine in the kitchen these days. It all comes on how you make it a functional environment to cook and dine in the same area. Here are a few ideas that I've come across, but since there are so many, I decided to put part by part so that I won't overwhelm you with designs.

1. Continuous Flow. Harmonie Abricot Satin, Arthur Bonnet

2. Harmonious kitchen with wood. Tanaé, Pérène

3. Graphic black and white Baroque designs. Same colors around but different textures and finishes. Kamal, Mobalpa

4. Modern Lines of chrome, glossy lacquer and smooth finishes with pops of color. Hygena

5. Zen in the Kitchen. Harmonie, Arthur Bonnet

6. White Lounge. Alnogloss, Alno



CM Février 2009

Gourmet Foam ?!

You can obsess over going to Michelin star restaurants to get gourmet food..but there's something new in the market. Its Airspuma! A new innovative range of foam sauces, with five flavours: Black truffle, Porcini Mushroom, Mango and Passion Fruit, Raspberry, and Vanilla. All of which contain natural ingredients and flavours, lowfat, vegetarian, and easy to use.

You can have the gastronomic experience of El Bulli or the Fat Duck at home at the press of a button. Afterall, the molecular gastronomic trend has already been popular at many trendy restaurants.
Airspuma has won the Judge's Grand Prix Trends and Innovation Award at the 2008 SIAL awards in Paris, and is a popular part of the Balsamico range.



Available at Harvey Nichols Foodmarket, UK.

Not your regular dining experience

Your dining experience need not to be boring anymore..with a twist Rósa Björk, Katharina Moebus, and Julia Maltry, the young design trio behind Hùn Design, created a uniquely designed dining experience that gives a new way of dining. These students of Italy's Libera Universita di Bolzano, came up with the Forrestisch and Romantisch dining tables. They speak for themselves once seen.
The Romantisch is a table made from wax acting like a giant four-legged candle, where the theme makes it a perfect setting for a romantic candle-lit dinner, or an affectionate passage of time as the table melts with its use.
The Forrestisch is designed to reconnect diners with the source of all food (mostly) - nature. To eat, diners must "hunt" their camoflauged plate and cutlery from the lush forest print tablecloth background.


via Interior Design, hun-design

Glamourous Gastronomic Decadence

This is Jun Tanaka's Pearl Restaurant & Bar in Holborn, London. This is one of the most glamorous dining rooms around London, it oozes opulence with a flirtatious flair with its trails of hand-strung pearls, pearl chandeliers, polished walnut and marble interior, and leather upholstery. The theme of pearls surrounds this restaurant, drinks at the bar are served on beautiful tables inlaid with mother of pearl..the design is amazing, but also the food is great.

A mixture of contemporary and traditional French cuisine, Tanaka uses the best seasonal ingredients in each dish. He believes in bringing out the best of the ingredients natural flavours, producing a clean taste, not over complicated or a mix of heavy ingredients to cover. Dishes such as the Beetroot salad and cox apples, Crotin de Chavignol and walnut pesto for starters, then the Denham Estate venison cooked in a salt crust, beetroot tart tatin, venison and foie gras burger as a main, to dessert with the Apricot bakewell tart and almond ice cream..This is restaurant is a melange of French cuisine with a Modern European touch..

Trotting around and missing London :(

For more, Click Pearl Restaurant & Bar.

I miss ..

High tea & High fashion in London..

Prét-â-Portea afternoon tea at The Berkeley..

bliss (sigh..)

crEATe: Food & Design

New coffee table book of the week: crEATe. Eating, Design and Future Food.

Food today is served with utmost creativity, uniqueness, attention to detail, etc. than ever before. With the change in the standards of presentation and perceptions of the food itself, comes the change in the standards of the environment eaten in. crEATe is based upon research by trend analysts from London firm The Future Laboratory, where they have investigated the recent trends and visual developments in and around food.

Attention to detail has now become the true standard on how we base our overall judgment on anything, in this case: food. Everything from the way we eat, how the food is presented, the interior environment, the ambiance, the new innovative restaurants and shops experimenting with "new" things, to the marketing, packaging and impact on the consumer world, this book shows it all. With stunning photography and clever profiles, this book shows how food has given to us new meanings in design, and we keep learning more and more everytime something new and sometimes "experimental" comes out.

I tend to get bored easily from routines, so this kind of environment is great not just for food, although I'm not one who follows trends.. I love being on the hunt for the unusual but beautiful ;)

Fun ways to drink your cuppa

Someone once told me how there are so many fun ways of drinking your morning cuppa, one part of this experience comes from the mug or teacup that we drink from..She has shown me some interesting ways for making your coffee drinking or tea drinking more pleasurable :) Thanks t! :)

Pic 1: Kill time BANG BANG! Link
Pic 2: Heat-sensitive pigment on the mug..Pour the hot drink, it turns ON..when cold its OFF Link
Pic 3: A dunk mug..A mug with a hidden compartment to store some cookies with your hot coco Link
Pic 4: Handespresso, your portable no-electricity needed, espresso machine in your hand..no need to be a barista for this. Link
Pic 5: Attach your tea bag with this button, and there's no need for any handles because of the double-layered cup. Link

Attention to handcrafted detailing

The restaurant La Terraza del Casino in Madrid, Spain is one that brings a special blend of art and design to - Restaurant Design. The interiors has been designed by Spanish Designer Jaime Hayon, in which he explores the balance of aesthetic design by bringing the imaginative innovative kitchen of chef Paco Roncero, and connecting it with his personal style in harmony. The design boasts handcrafted detailing, and a sense of peculiar calm in the environment that encourages you to look around, and pay attention to the details that makes it unique.

Link