Monday, September 13, 2021

A ZINGY TWIST TO MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL AT FOUR SEASONS HOTEL KUALA LUMPUR


“Szechuan” Ma La Mung Bean mooncake anyone? Or perhaps a summer-inspired Mango with Lotus Seed Paste variant? These inventive conversation stoppers along with baked and snowskin creations form part and parcel of Yun House’s Mid-Autumn Festival cachet this year.

Trust Chef Jimmy Wong to imbue the traditional mooncake with a core of zingy-hot ‘ma la’ filling. When you bite into a wedge of his “Szechuan” Ma La Mung Bean (RM42), your tastebuds will tingle pleasantly when the sensation of burning heat blooms on your tongue before the confection's sweetness gradually creeps in.


Since gifting and sharing mooncakes is a beloved Malaysian tradition, Chef Jimmy has taken great pains to craft a variety of inventive and timeless selection for the Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur in conjunction with the Mid-Autumn Festival.

“This year, the ritual has taken on added importance, since many of us haven’t been able to meet loved ones and close colleagues for a long time”, said Chef Jimmy Wong. “Sending and gifting mooncakes expresses our good wishes, to remind people we care about them and a gesture to value their presence in our lives.”

His Baked Mooncakes with luxurious fillings include Pu Er Tea Paste with Tangerine Skin (RM42) and the summer-inspired Mango with Lotus Seed Paste (RM42). The former is subtly sweet with the citrus peel lending it a nice ‘bite’ while the latter yields a sublime candy-sweetness, remarkably similar to the fruit itself.


 According to the chef, mooncakes with egg yolk are symbolic of the harvest moon and good luck hence his Pandan Paste with Single Yolk (RM42), and Lotus Seed Paste with Single Yolk (RM42) offerings. For purists, there’s White Lotus Seed Paste (RM42).


 

Overall, the timeless selection are on-point and should please sticklers for tradition.


The mooncakes come packed in the Four Seasons gift box. Clad in theatrical red with a magnetic gilt clasp, the oblong box is embossed with the floral outlines of lotus leaves and butterflies, evoking feelings of joy and harmony with nature.

For more information, contact Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur: https://www.fourseasons.com/kualalumpur/dining/restaurants/yun-house/

Wednesday, September 08, 2021

TAKE A COFFEE BREAK WITH HÄAGEN-DAZS

Be Your Own Barista! The clarion call from Häagen-Dazs goes out to coffee and ice cream fans to Take A Coffee Break with the brand’s NEW, limited edition Barista Collection.


Available in September and October, Häagen-Dazs Salted Caramel Cappuccino and Brownie Macchiato ice cream are the perfect pick-me-ups for an afternoon break; delicious on their own or whipped into a delightful creamy shake.

 

Don’t Hold Back when it comes to creating the Häagen-Dazs Salted Caramel Coffee Shake. I put my own twist to the recipe, adding a banana to 2 scoops of Häagen-Dazs Salted Caramel Cappuccino Ice Cream, 200ml milk, and a shot of espresso to the mix.


Suffice to say, I #LoveTheMix! Lusciously creamy and chockful of flavour, it certainly boosted my working from home mood immensely. Hardly surprising since the Häagen-Dazs Salted Caramel Cappuccino ice cream itself is infused with the finest and perfectly roasted Brazilian coffee beans.

Swirled with a ribbon of decadent salted caramel and crunchy chocolate chips, the smooth and full-bodied ice cream is a decadent treat to indulge in anytime, anywhere.


Its deliciousness is rivaled only by Häagen-Dazs Brownie Macchiato. A mild yet full-bodied coffee ice cream highlighting the finest Robusta coffee beans from Brazil, it’s swirled with coffee sauce and chocolate brownie pieces.

The Häagen-Dazs ice-cream pints are priced at RM34.50 each, available from Aeon, Jaya Grocer, Village Grocer, Family Mart and Häagen-Dazs Cafes. In addition, you can find them in GrabMart, Jayagrocer.com and Aeon Online.

Thursday, September 02, 2021

CELESTIAL TREASURES FROM EQ KUALA LUMPUR

As far as I’m concerned, old is still gold when it comes to mooncakes. While the local Mid-Autumn Festival market is fixated on packaging, the sweet-toothed glutton in me reckon the traditional speciality should taste as good, if not better than an impressive-looking box.


Hence, I was pleased as punch when the Pure Lotus Double Yolk mooncake from EQ Kuala Lumpur ticked all the right boxes at first bite. Not only did the lotus paste boast a nice ‘oily’ sheen, but the slightly sweet floral scent of lotus seed paste was discernible. The sweetness was to my personal liking too, offset by the savouriness of salted egg yolks.


It’s one of the four traditional baked mooncakes under EQ’s Celestial Treasures collection priced at RM188 per box of 4 (180g each). Crafted by EQ’s mooncake master, Chef Lai Wee Hong, the Low Sugar White Lotus Single Yolk followed a similar palate-pleasing approach.

The Traditional Cantonese Mixed Nuts is a bound to make people who are partial to nuts go nutty. Amidst the tasty mouthfuls of walnuts, almonds, sesame seeds and melon seeds, I detected hints of kaffir lime leaf, five spice powder and candied citrus peel.


Sweet and savoury came into play again in the EQ Signature Pearl of Harmony mooncake. Cut in half, the baked mooncake with black sesame paste, mung bean paste and salted egg yolk resembled a full moon aglow against a night sky. The black sesame’s delicate nutty sweetness is balanced by the salted egg yolk’s rich savouriness.  


My set of Celestial Treasures came in a specially designed Autumn Box; drawing inspiration from the Mid-Autumn season itself. Boasting natural elements and shades of coral of the autumn season to represent the warmth of a family reunion, the Autumn Box can be repurposed into a keepsake or jewellery box.


Inspired by the Legend of the Jade Rabbit, the Longevity Box features a Jade Rabbit silhouette – a symbol of longevity – in vibrant blue, symbolising optimism, serenity, and health.

EQ also offers Snowskin Skin Mooncakes at RM228 for a set of 6 pcs (80g each).


For more information, please WhatsApp EQ Kuala Lumpur: +60 12 278 9239 or email: dineateqkl@kul.equatorial.com

Tuesday, August 24, 2021

GIFTS OF MID-AUTUMN BLOOMS AT CONCORDE HOTEL KL

Pretty Mid-Autumn Blooms adorn glass-topped jewellery boxes in baby blue and pastel pink from Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur to celebrate this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival.

Adorned with magnolia blooms, butterflies and birds, the beautifully designed gift boxes come with a choice of 4 mooncakes (180g each).

Priced at RM118 nett per set, take your pick from 3 different sets:

A.             Pure Lotus Double Yolk, White Pure Lotus, Lotus Paste Single Yolk & White Lotus Black Sesame

B.             Golden Pandan Pure Lotus Single Yolk, Japanese Red Bean, Assorted Fruit Nuts & Green Tea Lotus Paste

C.             Snowskin with Red Bean Paste, Snowskin with White Lotus, Snowskin with Pandan Lotus Single Yolk & Snowskin with Yam Lotus Paste Single Yolk

Set D priced at RM158 nett consists of 4 pcs of Snowskin Musang King Durian Mooncakes. The delicate filling is handmade with pure musang king durian flesh hence the mooncakes come in a separate cooler bag (while stocks last) to keep them chilled. Also, it’s best to refrigerate the mooncakes to maintain their freshness.


These luscious treats are strictly for durian fans as the rich, sweet filling is simply the next best thing to eating the actual king of fruits. They’re decadent but so irresistible, you’d find it hard to stop after the first mouthful. 

Hailed as the best snowskin durian mooncake in town by The Star newspaper in 2019, it’s a much s0ught-after delight during the Mid-Autumn Festival so be sure to pre-order your share in advance.

Credit cardholders of CIMB, Citibank, Hong Leong Bank, Maybank, OCBC, Public Bank, RHB, SCB and UOB are entitled to 20% discount for mooncakes under Set A-C. Delivery service is available (subject to charges and prevailing terms & conditions).

Pix courtesy of Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur

For more information, call Xin Cuisine, tel: 03-2144 8750 or WhatsApp +6 012 399 5021 or email: fbkl@concorde.net Address: Lobby Level, 2, Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur. 

Saturday, August 14, 2021

ADD SHINE TO MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL WITH LE MEI ’S MOONCAKES

New and classic mooncake variants by Chef Yau Fong Peng and his team at Le Mei Chinese Restaurant, Le Meridien Putrajaya will add shine to this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival.

 

Available now until 21 September, I received a set of four mooncakes attractively packed in a specially designed Mid-Autumn Festival gift box: a sturdy magnetic flap carryall adorned with colourful mosaic and rabbit motifs.

Nestled within were four smaller boxes replicating the same design. The Mini Snow Skin with Cheese and Cashew Nuts piqued our interest thanks to its mildly savoury accent amidst the anticipated sweetness.

Mini Snow Skin with Cheese & Cashew Nuts

Mini Snow Skin with Red Bean Paste & Walnuts

Purists and traditionalists at heart may prefer the Mini Snow Skin Red Bean Paste with Walnuts. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel with such a classic, crowd-pleasing flavour.


Baked Mooncake with White Lotus Paste & Single Egg Yolk

Likewise, the Baked White Lotus Paste with Single Egg Yolk and Pandan Paste with Melon Seeds Mooncake belong to this ‘old is gold’ school of thought. The only concession made is possibly the reduction in the amount of sugar, as the mooncakes’ subtle sweetness was noticeable on the palate.


Baked Mooncake with Pandan Paste & Melon Seeds

We also like the liberal sprinkling of melon seeds embedded within the Pandan Paste Mooncake. It was reminiscent of the mooncakes of yore when fanciful fillings were unheard of then.


Priced at RM18 upwards, Le Mei’s mooncakes can be purchased from the mooncake counter of Le Meridien Putrajaya from 12noon to 8pm daily or from Le Mei restaurant. Enjoy 20% discount for purchases made using credit card from CIMB, Maybank, Hong Leong Bank, Citibank, HSBC, UOB, Standard Chartered and Affin Bank. 

For more information, takeaway or delivery, please call Le Meridien Putrajaya, tel: 03 8689 6888 or email: dining.lmputrajaya@lemeridien.com

 

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