February 23, 2009, 11:23 am
Filed under: Uncategorized
Since my mom got poisoned by an episode of Iron Chef last week where the main ingredient was Mishima marbled beef (yerp, the ones that cost US$12,000 per cattle and only 20 of them breed at one period) and had the sudden craving to eat steak hoping it would taste akin to that of Chef Sakai’s wood baked Mishima sirloin stuffed with pate of foie gras, she suggested that we go to this local car crash of a western eatery called Pine 38 to grab dinner.
Needless to say, she ordered an ordinary cut of sirloin, grilled medium though it came out rather close to well done and was terribly disappointed with it. Wonder what gives huh?
Jokes aside, I went to Isetan with the intention to grab a cut of Wagyu sirloin since it was the closest she could get to eating marbled beef at home but ended up buying an almost grey ribeye cause the remaining sirloins were either grey or from the Black Angus breed (and they were literally black!). Got out of Isetan and had enough time to yum cha with Maynard and Jon for a quick while before coming home and starting mis-en place. A slow 4 hours later when my mom was ready to chow down, I started cooking and came up with this.
Wagyu Ribeye and Seared Foie Gras, with Raisin Armagnac Sauce, Quenelle of Garlic Mash and Glazed Beans and Carrot.
Result? Quite “devasting” for the ribeye if you know what I mean. A quick 4 minutes was enough to cut loose almost all the fats that were marbled in. Oh well. It is my first time afterall. Mixed the melted liquid gold together with the remaining sauce and kept it for the next serving. Oh I didn’t mention I bought two cuts did I? Darn. Somehow I didn’t want to make myself look like an impulsive buyer. The foie was sponsored by DC27 afterall.
February 22, 2009, 1:32 pm
Filed under: Uncategorized
What can I say, it’s happening all over the blogosphere and eventually I would join the crowd as well.
On certain days during certain occasions, you find that the lyrics from a song clicks so well with your emotions at the time and you instantly fall in love with that song and listen to it over and over again just to satisfy your angry/excited/emo/pms self.
I must say, I’ve never been able to fully utilize a song to describe the situation I’m going through more than this one!
It’s pretty simple, a rather more subtle than “fuck-it-lah” but coarser than just sleeping it off solution. Every time a moron gets in my way, no matter how or from what aspect, optimism tells me to scoff these bastards off like they’re dandruff.
This AAR song just makes the scoffing off part a delight. Best part is, even if you’re my target but you didn’t manage to take the hint, then just know that..
“when you hear this song, I hope that it will give you hell!”
February 11, 2009, 11:33 am
Filed under: Uncategorized
Back in Term 5 when Chef Vincent taught us this one rather confusing subject focused toward comfort in the working environment called Ergonomics. One of the topics covered a general view of the workplace and how an employer can establish discipline in a staff via various ways of incentives or bribe as I would rather call it.
Sense of belongingness was one of the key elements in boosting consistency during work, loyalty and discipline. Apparently the key to making the workers feel like scramping around for a smoke break every time is useless is to tamper with their ego, and go in hard. Giving them a big responsibility, attention and better lunch meals would encourage the worker to prone themselves to dilligence.
With the food promo coming too soon, a co-manager that just went through his grandfather’s funeral and the most hopeless Executive Chef you’ll ever despise for a French dinner, nothing is too easy to handle. The method of approach has turned from sweet to sour to a caramel Black Jack (google it). I’ve changed from the nice guy to the bastard making decisions for everyone. I’ve been accused of not being a team player and not considering the team effort.
Sometimes, we need to open up our eyes and look at the bigger picture. Consider that no leader (except the Chef I think) would actually drive a team they lead into the ground for shits. I can’t be explaining it over and over again everytime but I request the trust of my team mates to give the best options available and make the best decisions where time needs it. However, to no avail do I get co-operation from certain people. My ego is being squeezed to nothing and soon the only thing left in me will be a bad case of Waiter-Gone-Amuk.
So, before any of that happens to either me or anyone else, I am here to announce on the recorded world wide web and may approach you personally soon that we don’t need immature people on this team, and I will appreciate your presence but if you can’t be more open, then please feel free to inform your section leaders that you will not be there during our glorious event.
No hard feelings. Like Trump said, it’s just business
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Applied Tech was under control. Nothing to scream, but surprised to see the best commis I’ve gotten so far is a 18 year old aspiring Pastry Chef cum Saxophonist cum Violinist. Chriss is a Term 1 student at that, ever willing to learn and be taught. He will probably be a great chef some day if he keeps it up, or he may just be another Term 1 student. Term 6 will see the dawn of this guy, but if he ever leaves with the same ambition, I wish him the little needed luck.
Today had to send Vincent back home after we went to Summit with Hadi in a wild goose chase of RM4 plates (which were nowhere to be found anyway) Nice to spend some time out with just these two since I can’t seem to find peace with anyone else for the time being. Go or die, Vincent! (internal serious case)
That reminds me, drama is all over the college now. We’ve got power couples, shitty ones and of course the neutrals ones that will just be cruising through college together looking like everything’s dandy. Love is in the air for Valemtime’s (internal joke), but emotional turmoil is definitely plastered all over the walls and ceiling. A bit more on the next post.
IF you were one of the unluckily ones who studies in the PJ campus of Taylor’s College, you’ll already know by now that within just over the past 6 months there has already been 2 fires occuring in the office complex. I should probably tell you, my mom manages an office complex herself and at one time a small trash bin at the complex caught fire, and the management was on the brink of being sued. There’s not even a college there, just offices and chap fan cafes!
Having one Myvi roasted to perfection, and now the latest one a centralized air conditioning condenser exploding and releasing a thick (but quite subtle compared to forest fires) black fog, I wonder what the building managers at LCS are facing. TCHT didn’t earn the PETA Award for nothing I tell you, we’re a culinary institute and the only 2 fires that recently happened didn’t come from anywhere near the student operated kitchens! Like I’ve said before, no wonder Bala is so proud of us!
Well anyways, I wasn’t around for the Rotie Au Le Myvi Blanc but I was for the condenser fire. Jimmy claims he was “randomly overlooking the complex, with his phone miraculously in his hands and in camera mode” when the fire happened. Right Jimmy, and next thing you’re gonna tell me you’re a fortune teller. Geez! It was a real eye opener for me from the aspect of number of people here. There were boots, high heels, pumps, sneakers, court shoes, sandals, slippers, Crocs clicking and clacking all over the place and they’re all students! 3/4 of the complex must be infested with us cocky Taylorians. (Internal joke)
Sad to say not even 2/4 are smart enough to comprehend with simple orders like “GO DOWN!!!” or “RUN!!!”. I’m almost sold on this strange fact that Malaysians worship reverse psychology. When you prohibit smoking, it’s the first thing that will happen. When you ban littering, there will be a pile of trash around the area. When you put up a signboard saying DILARANG MENJAJA DI JALAN RAYA, there’ll be somebody using it as a shade while selling lemang.
Take that, DBKL!
So yeah, exiting the premises. We were interrupted during a quite peaceful class, not one of those very agitating or very boring classes, it was just ok. Human Resources isn’t that bad I guess. The bell didn’t ring first, it was this thug-like student council rep that told us about the evacuation. I can’t help but laugh at some people who were more concerned about figuring out the source of the fire first rather than saving their own lives. Well let’s be honest, the building won’t collapse or anything, but at least be ready yea? It’s not like they won’t be able to see it later, but if anybody ahead of the pack just as well as points to some random direction in the sky, the whole crowd would stop the evacuation and look at that direction like they will win a prize for being the first to spot it.
When I arrive downstairs I see people with cameraphones, videocameras, DSLRs, webcams ALL OVER the path to the evacuation site. I mean, we’re doing an evacuation here, not a photography session. I’ll let you in on a secret, I even spotted some Elmo (yea, the SESAME STREET ONE!) (but damn cute wei, got vibrating nose) camwhoring action on the way out of the building. Ahem. Anyways, the paparazzi should least give courtesy to those who are genuinely worried. The results are quite evident too. A friend from a Teknik school in JB told me he heard about a fire in Taylor’s College. I shrugged while I lied claiming I don’t know about it. A simple Google query found me 7 minute videos on people walking slowly in random directions the evacuation, and at least 10 blogs reporting it.
Perhaps Chef Frederic was right. If I was really interested in promoting the Food Promotion, I probably should set a fire at one of the level 10 offices and hang a banner right underneath it. People will stare, take pictures, videos and the promo will get free publicity. Man, French people can be so sarcastic ingenious sometimes.
Reminds me of somebody.
P/S: Head to Google to view the pics, you’ll find it. Claiming it’s stupid to photograph fires in an emergency and then posting up a picture of that very scenario would make me look like an idiot.
P/S/S: For those who were in my way during the evacuation busy taking footage of the smoke, then you sirs are a BUNCH OF GEEKS!!
Wagyu Ribeye and Seared Foie Gras, with Raisin Armagnac Sauce, Quenelle of Garlic Mash and Glazed Beans and Carrot.
