Chicha Peruvian Restaurant (Hong Kong)

Photos of recommended dishes.  Big thanks to Alexandre for introducing me to ChiCha.

ChiCha Peruvian Restaurant
26 Peel Street
Central, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 9637-7701

Hong Kong June 2013

Cruise in Style (Armoire Apparel)

Victoria Cheng (Gastronommy) and Evon Tan (Armoire)

Events come and go, but it's always particularly exciting when the event features one (or a few) of your friends.  This weekend, I had the pleasure of attending the FashionTV Beach Festival in support of Evon Tan, the beautiful designer of clothing brand Armoire Apparel.  Best yet, I got to wear a customized outfit from her latest Cruise Collection 2014 that was on show that day! Location: Tanjong Beach Club Singapore

Fiona (representing theFashionHeadlines) and me

Armoire's Cruise Collection 2014, "Invitation to the Ultimate Happiness" headlined the evening show.

 

Armoire's "Invitation to the Ultimate Happiness" Cruise Collection 2014 was inspired by the endless horizon skyline with houses carved into the cliffs at Oia, Santorini, Greece. The distinctive element of Armoire is projected via her collection with bodysuit, structured crop top, day dresses, jumpsuit and flirty dresses.

Evon Tan of Armoire, most known for her "engineered" dresses using high quality fabrics.

I was approached by at least a half a dozen strangers and friends alike upon arrival, inquiring about the pieces (this never happens to me, folks -- usually the questions are about food).  And even more so after photos started popping up on social media spaces.  So, take a look online at Armoire's site or purchase her pieces through TheFashionHeadlines, an online shopping site that features Armoire along with other wonderful designers around the region.

Side video: Evon and I strolled out to the other areas during the show and got caught by Razor TV in our heels.

Evon (Armoire), Victoria (Gastronommy), Fay Hokulani (WithLoveFay), Lynn Yang Wolf

Evon, Victoria, Caryn (Barkode)

Victoria, Evon, Dawn Yang (LexiLyla)

Thanks Evon!

Event Info: Xperia™ by SONY presents Fashion TV Beach Festival

THE BIGGEST AND MOST LUXURIOUS BEACH PARTY IN SINGAPORE – THE FASHION TV BEACH FESTIVAL.

Previously held in the palm islands of Dubai - the festival is renowned for being a glamorous affair that attracts the city's jet set. Swimwear that costs more than S$6,000. Thirty models from over five countries ‘walking’ on water and over 15,000 glasses of champagne expected to be sipped by this city's most stylish party-goers - all of these elements come together at Xperia™ by SONY presents Fashion TV Beach Festival. 

Combining Monte Carlo chic with Dubai cool and adding a dose of Singapore style - the Fashion TV Beach Festival is a celebration of beach culture. Along with the luxury show line-up, festival-goers will be entertained from 11am till late – with world-class DJs, champagne on ice and razor sharp beauty. The Fashion TV Beach Festival presented by Xperia™ is designed for the cosmopolitan urbanite.

Aug/Sept Events

Upcoming Events in Singapore (Aug-Sept 2013)

Upcoming events and new promotions in Singapore for August & September.

Find me at Serious Eats and Esquire Magazine

Firstly, Gastronommy/Victoria Cheng was listed on "Top 100 Tech Bloggers Who Influence Hong Kong 2013 (That You Should Advertise With)" by Robert Kim, writer for Sparkah and Forbes. Thank you for including me!

Whoops, I forgot to link you folks to my Serious Eats write up about Singapore's first World Streetfood Congress.  Here it is!

http://www.seriouseats.com/2013/07/world-streetfood-congress-singapore.html

Also, if you're in Southeast Asia, grab a copy of the past few months' Esquire Singapore to see my recent columns.  Sorry I've been MIA this July!  Updates soon.

Getting in shape as a food writer

. SPONSORED POST .
Fitness and Losing Weight in Singapore

Let's cut to the chase.  I'm not exactly the smallest girl in Asia, but I've always used the excuse as a food writer to justify my jiggly puff.

I'm not opposed to exercise.  I love sports and highly encourage people to stay active.  Diets are a completely different story.  The very idea of restricting myself from any major food group is only suited for times I'm feeling experimental and a touch masochistic.  To illustrate my stubbornness with a story: a few years ago, I developed an allergic reaction to something unknown.  At the allergist, I agreed to any allergy tests, except food tests.  "I'd rather not know unless it's going to kill me," I told her. Ignorance is bliss, folks. (PS. The allergist I saw in NYC, Dr. Deborah Weichenberg agreed--she also finds "food allergies" an overreaction by the American public, except in extreme cases)

Fitness trainer and entrepreneur, Alvin of Lifestyle Fitness has challenged me.  I asked him, how fit do you think a food critic can be fit after a month or two of training?
His response, "Give me two weeks."
Right.  Seriously, Alvin, let's be realistic.
"Give me two weeks," he continued, "and I guarantee you'll be 40% less of the size you are now."

40% smaller?  Fitter?  TWO WEEKS?

How is that possible without certain death?  How is that possible with the multiple food tastings or events that happen every week?  How about my aversion to diets?  I'm not so sure if this is a bigger challenge for me, or for him.  Even my dog has more will-power than me.

Alvin of Lifestyle Fitness

Lifestyle Fitness Singapore is located at Sheraton Towers

Alvin Tan is one of the leading trainers in vibration training in Asia, specializing in specific weight loss programs and injury rehabilitation.  The professionally certified fitness coach, therapist and nutritionist comes from 17 years of experience in the fitness industry.  He uses science and medical research to craft his training programs, unlike many typical meathead type training.  Some of his clients include the directors of Singapore's biggest restaurant groups, people who are constantly surrounded by food.  ...and they're looking pretty fit.

Here goes nothing.

Look out for Part II in this Challenge

How High Quality Chocolate is Actually Produced

Part I of the Bali Experience: Organic Cocoa Farms and a Chocolate Factory
Special thanks to Conrad Bali for hosting.

photos by Gastronommy

Just after a beautiful Balinese sunrise, we're transported away from the sandy coast of Nusa Dua to Carang Sari, where hilly, lush tropical forest is spread and wild animals roam.  We're here to visit a chocolate factory, my hosts from Conrad tell us.  I'm not particularly thrilled given the early hour after a night of wedding guest festivities (another post on that later) and my general indifference towards chocolate.

Upon arrival, the other journalists and I tumble out of the vehicle, still drowsy after the one hour journey.  We snap out of lethargy soon after when a team of elephants casually stroll past us.  The chocolate factory owner, Toby Garritt, explains his wife oversees a guided elephant trek around the surrounding area.  In fact, these elephant tours are what led to the founding of POD Chocolate Factory.

Along his elephant trek three years ago, he discovered cocoa trees grew naturally in the area, but weren't being harvested for socioeconomic reasons.  Toby developed a system to make the harvesting process more efficient and sought to teach farmers how to produce high-quality coca beans.  The farms now yield double the produce and the local farmers earn much more per batch, and Toby now has beans to create Bali-original chocolates.

It all begins with a seed.

The origins of chocolate first begin with a plant... a flower to be exact.  The blossoms on a cocoa tree are small and fragile.  A singular raindrop could break it from the plant, forever being robbed of its chances to become so much more. *cue tiny violin*

This cocoa flower has made it to stage two.

The cocoa flowers that manage to make it to stage two begin its growth into a pod.  Using clever natural methods to deter pests, many of the pods make it to full ripeness.  Not unlike opening a coconut, the local farmer breaks the pod open with a machete to display its innards--layers of seeds bedded in muculent coating.  The texture reminds me of soursop fruit.  The seeds are edible, Toby says, so what is a food writer to do other than taste it?

Around the farm, bottles filled with natural substances lures and traps male pests, so they can't reproduce.

No two cocoa pods are the same.

Edible, but the flavors lack any resemblance to chocolate as we know it.

Inside the cocoa seed.

It turns out, the raw seed bears zero flavors that resemble chocolate.  I actually find the seeds quite palatable, with a likeness to mangosteen notes.  I would have been content to end my trek here with the colorful pods and sweet cocoa seeds, but alas the journey continues!

The raw seeds are then fermented naturally in the shade of wooden crates, covered by banana leaves.  I was apprehensive when Toby asked us to take a whiff into the box.  Fermented anything isn't known to be too kind on the senses, but with similar scents to plum wine, it seems cocoa seeds are an exception.

After the fermentation process, the seeds are laid out to dry under the equatorial sun.  Though edible, Toby doesn't recommend tasting them during this stage.  Once dry, the seeds are now beans and are transported to the POD Chocolate Factory, where most might say the real fun begins.

How High Quality Chocolate is Actually Produced.

The beans are then roasted, a process much like coffee bean roasting.  This is the stage where the cocoa flavors everyone knows and loves finally emerges.  At this point, we're encouraged to crack the beans open and try the chocolate nibs (yep, don't mind if I do).

When coffee beans are grounded, they become dry grinds.  Cocoa beans, however, have much higher fat content.  When ground up, the cocoa nibs become paste.  The paste is then put through a finer grinder, followed by the melanger.

The melanger

At this point, a good chocolatier wants an experienced pastry chef to step in.  The chocolate is poured over a marble surface, then tempered.  The movement, speed, and temperature is crucial in this process, as the crystal structure is being molded into a chocolate's most ideal state.

Toby demonstrates chocolate tempering

Conrad's Pastry Chef Semawan demonstrates part of the tempering process.

Tempering chocolate is crucial to producing high quality chocolate.  You might find that mass market chocolate crumbles rather than snaps, and when left out for long periods, the chocolate will 'bloom'--unpleasant white patches that form over its surface.

After this point, chocolate can be poured into molds for simply chocolate, or chefs like Conrad's Pastry Chef Semawan can craft cocoa-magic for dessert (more on these desserts later).

By the time we reached lunch hour, I had tasted each of POD Chocolate's various chocolate bars (white chocolate, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, darker chocolate, peppermint chocolate, orange chocolate) and still wanted more.  I ended up purchasing a couple more bars to take home and share the chocolate love with friends in Singapore.  So much for being indifferent to chocolate.

Follow POD Chocolate Factory & Cafe on Facebook or visit www.pod-chocolate.com for more information.  Chocolate tours, elephant treks, spa retreats, and white water rafting is available.  Oh, and did I mention that they house two honey bears and various species of local wildlife for rehabilitation?  You can see these animals in their open air enclosures while you have a bite to eat at POD's cafe.

POD Chocolate Factory & Cafe
Jalan Tukad Ayung, Carang Sari
Bali, Indonesia 80353
Tel: +62 361 8370888

Honey Bear is camera shy.

Part I How High Quality Chocolate is Actually Produced (current page)
Part II Conrad Bali: Weddings and Eight Degrees South 
Part III Conrad Bali: Things To Do