A MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL REUNION AT FOUR SEASONS HOTEL KL

Paying homage to the timeless tradition of family gatherings and children playing with glowing lanterns during Mid-Autumn Festival, Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur’s Dim Sum Chef Ng Meng Loong steps up to proffer time-honoured mooncakes  with novel and classic flavour combinations.

Celebrate the joyful occasion with chef’s new creation of Bird’s Nest, Dragon Fruit and Pecan Nuts Snow Skin Mooncake (RM69). Infused with an intriguing combo of mint, dragon fruit and orchid, the delicate snow skin mooncake boasts a beguiling filling of lotus seed paste, red dates and bird’s nest finished with the satisfying crunch of pecans. It's a contemporary, cohesive combo of creamy, nutty textures exuding floral and gently fruity accents.

 
Durian devotees will enjoy the Musang King Durian Paste Mooncake (RM89); its unmistakably creamy richness puts Malaysia’s much-loved Musang King at the front and centre.

More nuanced choices such as Black Sesame Lotus Seed Paste with Almond (RM59) draws you in with deep, earthy black sesame nuttiness alongside White Lotus Seed Paste with Palm Sugar, Macadamia Nuts and Seaweed (RM59), a familiar classic bearing an unexpected twist.

Traditionalists can find comfort in the classic selection of Pandan Lotus Seed Paste with Single Egg Yolk and Melon Seeds (RM47), Red Bean Paste with Almond Flakes (RM47) and Eight-Nut Treasure (RM49) for their Mid-Autumn celebration.

The exquisitely crafted mooncakes make superb gifts, nestled in an elegant, jewellery-inspired gift box in auspicious red. Ideal for personal and corporate gifting or familial reunion, Four Seasons Hotel KL’s mooncake selection is bound to make an excellent first impression.

 
Receive 15% savings for orders placed before August 20 and 10% savings for purchases of 20 boxes or more.
 

NEW DIM SUM CREATIONS

 
Chef Ng has also introduced new dim sum creations at Yun House recently. Delicate seafood and savoury richness come together in the Mantis Prawn Dumpling with Morel Mushroom.

More oceanic sweetness surfaces in the Farmed Prawn and Flounder Fish Dumpling with Chicken, Crab Roe and Fish Roe.

 
Wrapped in chewy deep-fried mochi-like skin, the chef’s Deep-fried Sea Cucumber Dumpling with Beetroot, Fish Tendon and Lobster Broth delight us with its playful approach as we squirt the lobster broth into the dumpling prior to eating.

Zingy mustard sauce or a dash of Worchestershire sauce perks up the Crispy Beancurd Skin Roll with Prawns and Chives, enhancing the distinct textural and flavourful combination.

Be prepared to be swept away by the lush accents emanating from the Signature Crab Roe Xiao Long Bao with Chicken, Spring Onion and Ginger. Red vinegar dials up the appeal of the soup-filled dumpling.

Supple softness subsuming to crisp crunchiness makes the Steamed Red Brown Rice Rolls with Crispy Prawns and Coriander a praiseworthy offering.

Even the humble Wok-fried Carrot Cake gets a luxurious makeover with prawns, sun-dried scallops and dried shrimps joining the jumble of egg, preserved radish and dough fritters in signature spicy scallop sauce.

 
Part heritage and part imagination, Chef Ng Meng Loong’s dim sum creations is worth gathering together to enjoy.

 
For the Mid-Autumn Fest mooncake orders, contact Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur, tel: 03-2382 8602 or email: yunhouse.kualalumpur@fourseasons.com.

  

IMMERSIVE "ONE DAY IN TAIWAN" EXPERIENCE

A fun hands-on afternoon featuring DIY Xiao Long Bao (Taiwanese dumpling) making and oil-paper umbrella painting gave us media folks and some Malaysian artists, YouTubers, and travel trade attendees an immersive “One Day in Taiwan” experience.

Taiwan Visitors Association hosted the workshop together with Taiwan’s related tourism organisations, to promote the island’s diverse tourism attractions including Taiwanese cuisine, popular destinations and diverse culture activities.

Taiwan Visitors Association Kuala Lumpur Office Director, Abe Chou urged Malaysians to visit and discover Taiwan before those present dived into making chocolate-filled Xiao Long Bao.

 

 

 

A master of traditional oiled-paper umbrella painting then guided us on how to paint our own oiled-paper brolly – an interactive way to educate us on the Hakka craftsmanship from Meinong District in southern Taiwan’s Kaohsiung City.

A form of customary wedding gift, the Hakka words of “oiled paper” and “have son” are auspicious homonyms. Also, the Chinese character of “umbrella” also represents a blessing for newlyweds to have children and grandchildren.

 Refreshments include Taiwan’s famed Bubble Tea, baked mini pineapple cakes and taro pastries. Adding to the afternoon’s lively pace are informative and fast-paced online quiz and bingo games incorporating interesting facts and different attractions in Taiwan.

 

I nearly won one of the return KL-Taipei flight tickets but sadly, Lady Luck wasn’t on my side that day. A case of so near yet so far. Still, it was an afternoon well spent and credit must go to the organisers for upping the ante in making it such a memorable event.

 

Packed with a myriad of travel resources, Taiwan is listed eighth in 2019 Top 10 Travel Destinations by Globe Spots. Booking.com also ranked Taiwan as the world’s friendliest country in 2018 while Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) cited Taiwan as the 3^rd most attractive country for international Muslim travellers.