Mai Tai

Mai Tai (with a heart-shaped ice cube)

I dumped the kids at Ferrari's centro estivo and spent the whole day shopping. Yes, with nobody dragging their feet behind, running around, getting lost or whinging. One was so much more efficient this way too, in the space of 8 hours I managed to drive to the Max Mara and Geox outlets, followed by the Outlet Village at Fidenza. Yes, I drove for hours yesterday.

I've spent so much my ATM card has passed its limits for the week. 6 pairs of shoes from Geox (none for me though), a pair of leather shoes and a dress from Max Mara, a sinfully expensive lamb-skin bag among other items from Armani, children's clothing from Ferrari, Byblos, GF Ferre and Puma...I felt like the wife of an oil sheikh with all those shopping bags, needless to say I felt great. Nothing like a spot of retail therapy for a harrassed housewife :-).

Managed to hide most of the shopping bags before Hub came home (haha). I only got him a pair of sandals from Geox and he was complaining that I was a compulsive shopper. Imagine that.

Anyway, I felt that I needed a drink. That's rare because I do not normally like alcohol. I've bought a bottle of Orzata/Orgeat syrup the other day and was wondering what I could do with it. Toyed briefly with the idea of making almond jelly since it smelt and tasted just like it. Google gave me a cocktail named Mai Tai that contained orgeat syrup and I had almost all the other ingredients that go into making one - including fresh orange juice leftover from making an orange butter cake with only the zest. So Mai Tai it was.

Legend had it that it was invented at the Trader Vic restaurant in California before the end of WW2. Polynesian friends of Victor Bergeron tasted his cocktail and exclaimed "maitai" (which means "the best") and that was how the cocktail got its name.

Mai Tai (serves 1) :

30ml Superior White Rum

30ml Golden Rum

15ml Grand Marnier

15ml Orange juice

Juice of 1 Lime (about 10ml)

15ml Orgeat syrup (tasted of almonds)

10ml Cane syrup

Fresh Mint

The above were reasonable measures after I've flunked my first batch of the cocktail. As usual I wasn't being precise and I ended up with a very very alcoholic cocktail that could antiseptise a stomach and rid it of all bacteria. I had to wisely dig out Baby Boy's avent milk bottle (couldn't find my cocktail shaker in the mess) and start measuring the different ingredients. Don't worry, I rinsed his bottle before filling it with milk again - and the cocktail was good, thank you for asking.

I've kept some mai tai in the fridge for tomorrow too. Tomorrow will be another shopping day - after coffee at CB's. Feel free to add ice or sparkling water to the drink if you find it too alcoholic.

Sangria

Sangria

I have not been cooking much in the last few days as I've either been shopping or hanging out at the pool. Either way, we hung out where there was refuge from the appalling heat. The air conditioning in the house has also stopped working (they are almost a decade old - I was told) and after a horrible Thursday night spent tossing and turning (our only electric fan was hogged by the Teenager), I drove out to Media World and bought 2 electric fans. Along the way I passed by Armani, Zara, Bershka, Extè etc and bought more clothes and shoes.

Last night we went to Ristorante Chacarero in Modena centro for tacos and Argentinian beef. And also had a litre of their Sangria. It was refreshing and quite good, though as Hub said, we've tasted better when we were living in Andalusia. My favourite was the one served in a bar in Sevilla where we used to go to to catch their flamenco performances. It's also from them that I've learnt to add spices to my Sangria.

Actually my preparation for the cocktail changes more or less each time I make it. It depends on my humeur and whatever I have available at the moment. It also depends on whether I should be part of the sangria is best prepared-fresh or left-to-macerate-beforehand school of thought. One thing for sure is that you'll need a bottle of red wine (not too fine e.g. Rioja, Beaujolais, Chianti, Bardolino...or Lambrusco if you want it fizzy) or white wine, even Cava - if you prefer a Zurra (sangria with peaches and nectarines) or Sangria Blanca.

Then you'll need the fresh fruit e.g. orange, lemon, apple, melon, peach, mandarin orange, but make sure that they are fruits that can take some maceration. I sometimes prepare the sangria a day or a few hours in advance, but would add in the sugar/syrup and strong alcohol at the last minute so that the fruit would not ferment in the sugar and alcohol (unless you're making rumtopf). Or if my bottle of wine is quite good, I would put everything together just 30 minutes to an hour before serving so that the wine wouldn't lose its qualities.

Another ingredient could also be fruit juice e.g. orange, lemon and/or apple juice or something fizzy like fanta orange. I've drunk all kinds of Sangria living and travelling in Spain and beyond, I am very sure that there is no one recipe for the cocktail.

Bon Vivant blogged about her Summer Sangria and that was like a sign from above for me. Move your butt and make a Sangria now! I've not made one since we started living in Modena. Over here we have a Moscato d'Asti or a sweet Lambrusco when we wanted something light, fizzy and sweet before we start a meal. And when you've lost the habit to nurse a glass and eat a few tapas at the same time, you may forget your Sangria.

I've revisited my Sangria for lunch and Hub was delighted. The Teenager managed to taste some of it too and said that he couldn't wait to be 18 to start drinking it by the litre. Yeah...

The apples have not been macerated - yet

Sangria :

The Syrup :

4 Tbsp Sugar

1 cup hot Water

1 Cinnamon bark

1 whole Clove

1 small piece of fresh Ginger (julienned)

The Fruit :

1 Apple (sliced)

1 Lemon (sliced into rounds)

1 Orange (sliced into rounds or cubes)

The Wine :

1 bottle of Red Wine

The Liqueur and/or Spirit :

1/3 cup white Rum

1/3 cup Porto

1/3 cup Grand Marnier

1/3 cup Cognac

The Fruit Juice :

Juice of 1 large Lemon

Juice of 2 large Oranges

1-2 cups Apple juice

Final Touch :

Fresh Mint leaves (optional)

1-2 cups Fanta Orange (optional)

Prepare the spiced syrup and set it aside.

Add the sliced fruit to the red wine. Pour in the fruit juices. Chill for an hour or much more (e.g. overnight).

At least 30 minutes before serving, add the spiced syrup and liqueurs. Add in the mint leaves if using them. Stir to mix well. Continue to chill.

Just before serving, mix in the cold soda for extra fizz (if using it). I usually serve my sangria in large salad bowls and use a ladle to scoop the cocktail out into individual glasses.

Maracuja Cocktail

Maracuja Cocktail

I had leftover Maracuja juice and felt like having a cocktail. This doesn't happen to me very often as I'm not into alcohol, unless I've already paid for it like when we were at Club Med. There, you would find me downing glasses and glasses of Mojitos and Tequila Sunrises throughout the day.

This morning, the 3 boys left to play golf. Baby Boy was so motivated he woke up, brushed his teeth and dressed up on his own first thing in the morning. Then he asked for a packet of Oreo biscuits and a Ribena drink to put in his golf bag. Isn't he just so perfect.

We girls are left at home and we decided to make ourselves Maracuja Cocktails and play the piano.

Maracuja Cocktail (the alcoholic version) :

1 shot White wine, Rum or Tequila

2 shots Maracuja juice

2/3 shot Grenadine syrup

1 shot Sparkling water

1/2 shot Lemon or Lime juice

Mint leaves

Mix everything together, crush the mint leaves (then remove them if you wish) and serve in cocktail glasses.

Strawberry, Kiwi and Banana Smoothie

Strawberry, Kiwi and Banana Smoothie

Difficult to get those kids to eat vegetables though they are open to certain fruits when they are good. Thank God the Season doesn't last all year as the fruits that we buy from our neighouring farms tend to cost a small fortune. But they are usually worth the money.

The strawberries I bought from the supermarket because I couldn't wait for the ones from the farm were so average that nobody wanted to eat them. I decided to add them to the few ripe organic kiwis and bananas that were hanging around, add crème fraîche, sugar, lemon juice, ice and yoghurt and mix everything into a smoothie. The older kids loved them. Baby Boy doesn't like bananas. Though he likes tree climbing.

This morning I drove past the strawberry farm and was delighted to see that they have started selling their strawberries! They were more costly than the supermarket ones, but also so much better. I ate up half a packet (of about 500g) of nice big, juicy strawberries on my own in just an afternoon. Had to remind myself that I love those kids and that I must leave them most of the fruit.

Lemongrass Infusion

Lemongrass Infusion

My 3rd Aunt gave me a lemongrass root to plant a few months back. But it wouldn't multiply, only grow leaves. And one uses the stalks for cooking most things, not the leaves. So I have been cutting off the leaves and cursing each time for the waste. Until I remember that the leaves would make great lemongrass infusions.

Clean the leaves, add sugar and hot water and there you have a lovely lemongrass-scented tea! And it's supposed to be good for our health, so one can drink it to one's heart's content.

We found out more about the Unicef gala dinner today. Dress code is "scuro" (does it mean black tie?) and apparently it will be broadcasted on Italian TV.

Rose-flavoured Glutinous Rice Balls in Bandung

Glutinous Rice Balls

We went to watch James Cameron's Avatar yesterday at the cinema (in Italian! - couldn't understand the finer dialogue, if any). Didn't feel like doing anything as it was cold and grey (winter does this to me), but Hub wouldn't hear of it (quite the dictator). He probably needed me to bring the kids to the toilet during the movie. Though I didn't make that easy for him by sitting somewhere else in the hall. In Singapore, my mom always made us sit the furthest back possible and on the aisle (easy to come out etc). Hub likes to sit in front, smack in the middle. I hate having to crane my neck to catch everything on the screen, so I told him I would sit further back - alone.

Anyway, it was quite a grand movie, I liked the zen and ecological bits in the forest - but couldn't stomach the bombings and killings. Age does that to you. It's a bit like Matrix and Terminator put together. Very titanesque. The Italians in the screening hall clapped at the end of the movie. Like the Italians on the plane to London did. Have not seen this in a long time, people have gotten blasé about smooth plane landings and very entertaining commercial movies - but not the Italians apparently.

It has been 2 weeks since we're back and I still have 2 luggages standing. I just can't seem to gather the force to do anything about them. I don't even bother to wear different clothes nowadays. I have 2-3 stuff out of the wardrobe and I just alternate among them, washing one, drying it on the heater and then putting it on again the next day. Those mums at the school must be wondering if I don't ever wash what I'm wearing. Next house we move to, I told the Hub we must target a big walk-in wardrobe. Can always hope...

Needing some colour, I decided to make a few Rose-flavoured Glutinous Rice Balls in Bandung. It is a little late to be rolling glutinous rice balls I agree, since the Winter Solstice is well past. I used to help mom roll them for prayers and as far as I can remember, she doesn't make the sugar-filled ones, sweetening instead the soup (with white sugar or gula melaka) in which the glutinous rice balls are served in.

I have decided to serve my rose-flavoured glutinous rice balls in Bandung drink - a popular rose-flavoured sweet milk drink in Singapore and Malaysia.

Rose-flavoured glutinous rice balls in Bandung

Rose-flavoured Glutinous Rice Balls in Bandung :

The glutinous rice balls :

100g Glutinous rice flour

1-3 Tbsp Sugar

2 Tsp Rose syrup

A few drops of red food colouring

100ml Water

To be cooked in :

A few slices of Ginger

80g Sugar

500ml Water

3 Pandan leaves (knotted)

A pinch of Salt

The Bandung drink :

Rose syrup

Sweetened condensed milk

Cold fresh milk

A few mint leaves (optional)

Combine the glutinous rice flour, sugar, rose syrup, red food colouring and water and mix till you get a dough. Knead for a few minutes. Roll bits of the dough into small balls.

Boil a pot of water and cook the balls in it. When they float to the surface, scoop them out and cool in a bowl of cold water. Set aside.

                                                                           The coloured dough

Boil the water with the sugar, ginger, salt and pandan leaves.

When you are ready to serve the glutinous balls, place a few in a serving bowl and pour some of the ginger syrup over them.

If serving in Bandung, prepare the drink by combining the rose syrup, condensed milk and fresh milk. How thick or sweet you like it is personal so work out the proportions as you see fit. I used about 1:1:2. Stir well to mix the drink, it should turn a lovely milky pink.

Fish out a few cooked glutinous rice balls and add them to a bowl of Bandung drink.

                                    Pandan-flavoured Glutinous Rice Balls filled with Peanut Butter

I made another batch of dough and coloured it green, adding a few drops of Pandan essence. These balls I filled them with crushed toasted peanuts mixed with smooth creamy peanut butter. And served them in just the ginger pandan syrup. It was fun - something to relax me before I started cooking for my guests this evening.

Mango Lassi

Mango Lassi

They wanted more Tandoori Chicken so I marinated some yesterday and grilled them in the oven for lunch today. Served it with Basmati Rice and Hub made his own Raita and Vegetable Madras. Then to finish the treat, they had home-made Mango Lassi.

Tandoori Chicken (with its own yoghurt and spice roasting juices)

Mango lassi is usually made with canned sweet mangos in the restaurants giving it a deep yellow colour. I bought Brazilian mangoes from Esselunga not to be eaten fresh (usually inedible), but to have them made into Mango lassi, believe it or not. Can't find the canned Indian mangoes easily here. The colour is therefore not as intense, but according to Hub, tasted just like in the restaurants.

Mango Lassi :

300ml plain Yoghurt

400ml Milk

3 Tbsp Sugar

1-2 big Brazilian Mangoes or 3 sweet Indian Mangoes (or canned Alphonso Mango Purée)

A pinch of Salt

Cardamoms (optional)

Just put everything into a blender and blend to a smooth lassi. I don't ever drink yoghurt drinks so I don't know how it tastes, but the rest of the family love it.

Another day doing nothing at home. OK, a few chores nonetheless. Still, this is holiday.

Home-made Soy Bean Milk

Home-made Soy Bean Milk

I couldn't find soy bean milk here. Or they do sell soy bean milk in most supermarkets, but they are not of the brand I'm used to (i.e. Yeo's) and look too healthy for my liking - so I make my own nowadays. The other day I saw tofu at Esselunga - but on reading the ingredients, it's actually tofu made partly with cow's milk which I thought sounded weird. I'm difficult with things that come in a packet in general.

Since making soy bean milk is so easy, I can't whinge about it. And with it you can also make tofu flower (a jellied soy bean curd), tofu (of course) and use the okara (what's left when you've finished squeezing out the milk) to bake bread etc (e.g. I dried roasted some and added them to the meat dumplings, Hub wondered why it tasted funny but ate them all - haha). For while the okara is tasteless, it contains most of the fibre in the soy bean so you may not want to throw all of it away. And throw away it'll have to be otherwise since I have no cow to feed it to.

I do my soy bean milk the easy way, meaning soaking the beans overnight. After which I would drain the water, microwave the beans for a few minutes, add 1.5litres of water to 500g of soy beans and then grind them in the mixer in batches.

I would then squeeze out the milk either with a cheese cloth or pass it through a metal sieve. Then boil the milk with a bit of fructose (I like my soy bean milk slightly sweet), pass it through the sieve again. Cool the milk and then pour it into plastic bottles to chill in the fridge.

Back in Singapore I love having soy bean milk first thing in the morning, followed by a warm bowl of sweetened freshly-made tofu flower. Simple luxuries that we do not have here.

Meanwhile I've been asked why I haven't been blogging much lately. Well, it has been raining alot in the past week and I get alot of wind around my house which breaks things and upsets my ADSL connection. Plus the grey weather gets me down, I'm busy with quite a number of social (mainly lunches) and other events, have to pack for our coming ski week (which is depressing as none of my 4 ski pants fit anymore) and the best one - I hurt my left arm quite badly practising golf a few days ago. Practising is a big word since it happened as I tried to hit my very first ball of the morning. Hit the ground instead and the impact sent a shock all the way up my left arm and whatever muscle I have there is now swollen.

Trattoria del Tribunale, Parma

"As a capital city it had to have a river. As a little capital it received a stream, which is often dry". - Attilio Bertolucci.

Dry stream

So it is that Parma is divided into 2 parts with the stream (dry during our visit) in between. And it's famous if you like Parma Ham and Parmesan Cheese. Though of course you may not make the connection at the beginning. Anyway I've never been there before last Sunday and though it's only an hour away from Modena, never found the courage to do so alone because of my fear of not finding parking in strange cities.

There is a Verdi Festival going on in the city when we arrived and you can hear his operas piping in the piazza Garibaldi and see his picture almost everywhere in the city. It's a lovely city (though not as beautiful as Verona) and is known for its architecture, old university and of course food.

Pzza Garibaldi

Hub reserved a table in the Trattoria del Tribunale mentioned in the Michelin Guide. We entered Winter Time on Sunday morning but of course didn't know that. So we arrived early and had to wait a little before being served. It is a simple restaurant with a simple menu though prices are not exactly low.

The rest of the family started out with a plate of Parma Ham (what else - cured for 30 months) and another one of salami. I dislike cured ham, so had potato-filled raviolis to start. Hub ordered the Tagliolini with Truffles (very strong taste) followed by Breast of Duck with (too much) crushed almonds and a Balsamic Vinegar and Honey Sauce. The Babies shared some grilled sausages and Eldest Son had a rare filet of Angus Beef to himself. We had to threaten him with NO gelato before he would share.

Grilled Sausages with Baked Potatoes

The food was good though not exceptional. Hub had a bottle of red wine almost to himself and it was a surprisingly good one at a reasonable price (12 euros).

Trattoria del Tribunale

Vicolo Politi, 5

43100 Parma

Tel : 0521 285527

http://www.trattoriadeltribunale.it

Chrysanthemum Tea

Chrysanthemum Tea

Have missed the Chrysanthemum Tea that I used to have regularly when I was living in Singapore. Brought some of the flowers back from my last trip home, so decided to have a few of the curry puffs with a nice pot of the flower tea this morning.

Shared it with my Italian teacher and she was quite won over by the lovely perfume of the flowers and the delicate taste of the tea.

Served it in my new teapot LOVE from Bormioli. Love it.