East Meets West Mini High Tea Workshop

My aunt and I had a great opportunity to attend East Meets West Mini High Tea Workshop with Chef Allan Teoh and Chef Forest Leong, which was held at Pek Kio Community Club (CC) and it cost SGD$115.

For Passion Card member, they only need to pay SGD$98! I am glad that both of us are Passion Card member!

For the first time, People's Association collaboration with famous Chef Allan and Chef Forest to conduct this exclusive workshop and held at the brand new air- conditional cooking studio (Pek Kio CC used to located at Cambridge Road for 50th Years before shifted to current location at Gloucester Road in year 2013).

Many participants are excited and all dressed well to attend East Meets West Mini High Tea Workshop. Chef Allan was standing outside to welcome us, while the friendly staff, Jennifer issued us a folders which included 6 recipes that both Chef will be demonstrated to us.

These 6 recipes that we going to learn are:

1) Almond Cocktail Jelly
2) Nutty Banana Brownie
3) Green Curry Prawn Quiche
4) Warmed Yam Dumpling with Gingko Nut in Coconut Soup
5) Thai Wrap with Herbs, Palm Sugar Dressing
6) Sweet Glutinous Rice with 2 Toppings
(Sweet Dried Shrimp & Salted Coconut Prawns)

Let me give you a short introduction for Chef Allan Teoh and Chef Forest Leong in case you cannot remembered who are they.

Chef Allan Teoh is famous for his cheesecakes and for those who have been to AllanBakes, a popular Pastry Shop that was once located at Apollo Centre. He is the one who is behind the kitchen to bake a delicious and yummy pastry! 

Chef Allan Teoh also a author of AllanBakes- Really Good Cakes, AllanBakes- Really Good Treats and AllanBakes- Really Good Cheesecakes.

Chef Forest Leong is famous for her Thailand food cuisine. She is also a wife of local celebrity Chef Sam Leong. Chef Forest Leong started her traditional Thai culinary when she was 5 years old and grew up in Thailand with her dad who is a chef.

Chef Forest Leong also a author of Home Cooking with Sam & Forest, Cooking Classics Thailand A Step by Step Cookbook and The Best of Thai Home Cooking.

The workshop commenced at 1345 hours with a short introduction by Jennifer. Everyone gave her a round of applause.

Firstly, Chef Allan Teoh will conducted his demo first followed by Chef Forest Leong. We also got the chance to ask questions if we have any doubt or how to improve on making a good pastry.

As some of the cooking demo/workshop are unable to ask any questions and some chef do not have such patient to entertain the participants.

For this East Meets West Mini High Tea Workshop, Chef Allan and Chef Forest had so much patient to answer the participants questions.

They even let the participants to smell and to see the dishes that they had created. They also spent some time to decorate the dining area which really makes us feel like we are having High Tea.

It was a great experience and exposes with the famous chefs. In this workshop, I learnt to know how to make delicious western pantry with bit of Asian taste and even Asian Kueh (snack/dessert) can also displayed for High Tea.

Many people thought that attend such cooking/bakery class at community clubs are for aunties, uncles or elderly, but you are wrong. It is open to all ages.

Bakery and cooking is fun if you have this passionate to learn. Any age groups and genders can learn and master it well if you are willing to learn.

For all youngsters and Man out there, do not be shy to attend this kind of workshop at community club! No one will mock at you to join this workshop.

Follow your heart and passion to learn and get some tips from the chef. You will definitely make some friends and you will not be regret it. You also get to learn some tips from adults as they also have such experiences in cooking and bakery.

What's more, if you are Passion Card member, you will get to enjoy discount and privilege or exclusive deals! If you are not a member yet, you can visit to any of your nearest community club to get the application form.

To know more on People's Association events or workshop, you can logon to PA website by clicking here, or you may visit to any of your nearest community club to get the latest information.

Thank you Chef Allan and Chef Forest for sharing with us in this East Meets West Mini High Tea Workshop.

If you would like to find out on Chef Allan Baking class or you would like to invite him to your private function, you may wish to click here for more information.

If you would like to find out on Chef Forest cooking classes or you would like to invite her to your private function, you may wish to click here for more information.

Downtown Line Stage 1 Open house 2013

On the 7th December 2013, Singapore's newest fifth train line, Downtown Line 1 hosted the Open house to the members of the public before the official commerce on 22nd December 2013. The new Downtown Line managed by SBS Transit.

For the first time, the Downtown Line trains will carry the Land Transport Authority (LTA) logo as the trains owned by the regulator, LTA.

Downtown line 1 consists of 6 new stations. The 6 new stations are Bugis (Connecting to East-West Line), Promenade (Connecting to Circle Line), Bayfront (Connecting to Circle Line Extension), Downtown, Telok Ayer and Chinatown (Connecting to North-East Line).

I headed down to Downtown Line 1 Bugis station for the open house. Within the far distance, you could able to spot the Rail Transport Logo. Their facade wording are big and clearer signage compared to the existing train station.

There are live performance line-up especially for the members of the public to join in the fun and celebrate the new downtown line.

If you could noticed, Downtown line used the different ticketing gate which is similar like the Korea railway.

When you step into the train platform, you will see many big and clearer signage that indicated your direction especially when you are in the interchange station. It also shown the next station that you are heading to in case you went to the wrong platform.

It also indicated 4 official languages, English, Malay, Chinese and Tamil language for the emergency signage.

When you stepped into the downtown line train, you will the seat are more wider. If you intend to sleep at the RESERVED seating, you have to think twice as the seat are more colourful and the font are huge enough to embarrass yourself if you did not give up your seat!

The train also equips  with the station indicator. This station indicator are slightly better compared to the existing East-West and North-South Line as it indicated which station direction you will be heading to.

This train also equips with LCD TV screen. Most likely for advertise use purposes in the future? If you have any idea, you are welcome to share with the viewers!

The con part for this downtown line will be the LCD screen in the middle of the train. As it blocked by the handle pole. Perhaps the authority could lower down LCD screen so that it could be more visible to the commuters.

To Celebrate Downtown Line 1 opening, commuter can travel for free all-day from 22 December 2013 to 1 January 2014.

For more information on the free ride on Downtown Line 1, you can logon here.

Drips Bakery Cafe @ Tiong Bahru

If you are tarts lover, or you are looking for some places to have high tea with your friends or families, there is one place which you should not be missed! I highly recommend you to visit to Drips Bakery Cafe which is located inside the old charm of Tiong Bahru District.

Although the premises quite limited of seating capacity but Drips Bakery Cafe offers the best and freshly baked tarts in their kitchen! They have many variety of tarts for you to choose from and also suite your mood to enjoy the delicious and tasty tarts.

If you intend to visit to Drip Bakery Cafe on weekends, please be prepare that the cafe will be full house and it will take you awhile before you could find your seat. And sometime their tarts are so popular that it will run out of tarts! But, they will replenish the tarts after freshly baked.

Irene, Linda and I Ordered Dark Chocolate Banana Tart, Cherry Brandy Tart and Cinnamon Apple Tart. 

Three of us agreed and all of us feel that Cherry Brandy Tart tasted better compared to Dark Chocolate Banana Tart and Cinnamon Apple Tart.  

1) For Dark Chocolate Banana Tart, they added a lot of dark chocolate powder and it will be kinda messy as it spilt on the dining table. You can tasted more on Dark Chocolate Powder and it makes the banana not so sweet.

2) For Cinnamon Apple Tart, The tart rather soft and looked like Trifle cake to us. It will be great if the Cinnamon taste could be stronger and the apple slices are fresh!

3) For Cherry Brandy Tart, The tart are crispy with the taste of the cherry brandy. It make you feel so excited and you wanted to ask for more! 

We also ordered Ice Apple Infused Tea, Ice Honey lemon and Ice Peppermint Tea. Those tarts makes the drink feel so refreshing!

Irene and Linda. Satisfied customer at Drips Bakery Cafe.

Drips Bakery Cafe located at 82 Tiong Poh Road (Opposite Monkey God Temple). You can visit their website here.