Yearly Archives: 2013

Lanterns

It’s that September-moving-into-slightly-cooler-October feeling in Hong Kong and you don’t have to look too far to see Mid-Autumn Festival beauty. It’s everywhere. During this festival the lanterns in Victoria Park make dusk even more spectacular. If you don’t like crowds too much arrive earlier to secure a place. The organisers plan the event around a different theme every year. 
 

When it comes to lanterns, which make great gifts for friends, take a stroll to Kweilin Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon and check out Loong Kee Stationary & Paper Store and while you are there pop over to Fuk Wing Street. It’s a lot of looking up up up, but the mild neck strain is worth it. I like to buy a new lantern every year and doing this has given me a much-admired collection. We have used them on shoots for magazines, too. Staying around Central? Check out the collection at 9 Peel Street. There’s quite a range – oversized bright pink, orange goldfish-shaped, elegant red and gold coloured silk ones, and dusty pink paper ones, just to name a few of our favourites. 

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Mooncakes

The cake shop at the Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong has been providing people with delightful desserts since the 1970s. During the time of the Mid-Autumn Festival the store is on a constant buzz with customers continually arriving at the door when a team of dedicated pastry experts bake an elegant delicacy called ‘Mooncake’. The festival is for lunar worship and moon watching; the cake is typically round or rectangular pastry with a rich filling made from lotus or red bean seed paste and often with one or two salted duck egg yolks. My first experience of the Mooncake was when my boss at Hong Kong Tatler gave all the staff their very own Mooncake; it seems to be a tradition here in Hong Kong. Although you never could eat a whole one by yourself – a small wedge with Chinese tea was just enough. 

If you are looking for Mooncake moulds make your way to Shanghai Street, Kowloon. Our two favourite shops for cooking moulds are Kwong Fai Steam-Case & Kitchen Ware, G/F 275 Shanghai Street, Tel: +852 2780 9980 and Man Kee Chopping Board, 340 -342 Shanghai Street, Tel: + 852 2332 2784.

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Fire Dragon Dance

This week we are focusing on all things Mid-Autumn Lantern Festival. If you are in Hong Kong or about to visit don’t miss the famous Fire Dragon Dance. This is a visual spectacle you won’t want to miss. About 300 performers with over 72,000 incense sticks do some serious styling to a 67-metre straw dragon which is then paraded through the colourful streets of Tai Hang. The Fire Dragon Dance is only on for three days from September 18-20 beginning at 7:30 pm in Tai Hang. Check out our Tai Hang post which features places to eat or drink before the dance. 

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Tai Tai Pie Pies

Nothing says love like a home-made pie but not all of us have the luxury of time to bake for our friends and family. Luckily Tai Tai Pies Pies has come to the rescue and made pies so delicious everyone will think it’s fresh from your oven. Chef and pie specialist RJ Asher has put his heart and soul into this artisanal pie baking business. Everything, right down to the pastry, crumble, and fillings – all imported meats, proves that RJ lives and breathes his specialist business. Fresh and wholesome – their apple pie is a definite favourite. 

When it came to planning the styling for the photographs we took our inspiration from the natural flavours and spices RJ uses in his culinary creations. I used turmeric and tea together, which turned the linen napkins to a beautiful soft yellow hue. For all my spices (a whole other story we will get onto another time) I always go to this tiny little shop in Wan Chai. 

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Chocolate and Cinnamon Mousse Cake

Chocolate and Cinnamon Mousse Cake
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Ingredients
  1. 360g butter
  2. 400g dark chocolate
  3. 150g bitter chocolate (85 percent cocoa minimum)
  4. 430g light brown sugar
  5. 90ml water
  6. 1 tbsp cinnamon (you can also use ginger or cardamom)
  7. 7 eggs
  8. salt (pinch)
Instructions
  1. Preheat over to 170 degrees celcius.
  2. Line base and sides of 25cm springform pan with baking parchment.
  3. Place butter and both chocolates in a large mixing bowl over a pan of gently boiling water (bottom of the bowl should not touch the water).
  4. Meanwhile, put sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil.
  5. Pour the sugar syrup over the chocolate/butter and stir until smooth. Remove from heat.
  6. Separate eggs, placing whites in a mixing bowl. Add yolks to the chocolate mixture. Stir in ground spice.
  7. Add a pinch of salt to the egg whites and whisk them until they hold firm peaks.
  8. Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mix and pour about 75 percent of the mixture into the spring-form pan and place in the oven for about 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.
  9. Flatten the top of the cake with a spoon or palette knife and then pour the remaining batter on top and put back in the oven for 25-30 minutes. The top layer should be set but still a bit 'wet'.
  10. Leave to cool completely before removing from the tin.
Notes
  1. Serve with fresh cream and fruit.
stylebriefHongKong http://www.stylebriefhongkong.com/

Pork Dumplings with Water Chestnuts

Pork Dumplings with Water Chestnuts
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Dumplings Ingredients
  1. 1/2 cup of fresh coriander
  2. 2 spring onions finely chopped
  3. 6 fresh water chestnuts peeled and finely chopped
  4. 300g minced pork
  5. 1 tbsp Black Bean sauce
  6. 1 baby cabbage finely chopped
  7. 8cm fresh dumpling wraps (white in colour)
Dipping Sauce Ingredients
  1. 3 tbsp seasoned red vinegar
  2. 4 tsp chilli oil
For the Dumplings
  1. Mix all ingredients in a ceramic bowl.
  2. Place one teaspoon of mixture in the centre of each wrap. Fold over and seal with a little dab of water.
  3. Steam in bamboo steamer for about 10 minutes or until firm to touch.
For the Dipping Sauce
  1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and serve with dumplings.
stylebriefHongKong http://www.stylebriefhongkong.com/

Steamed Ginger Puddings with Ginger and Cardamom Sauce

Steamed Ginger Puddings with Ginger and Cardamom Sauce
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Pudding Ingredients
  1. 350g jar of Chinese Stem Ginger in Syrup, drained and coarsely chopped. Keep syrup aside
  2. 2 cups of all purpose flour
  3. 1/2 tsp baking powder
  4. 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  5. 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  6. 3/4 stick (6 tbsp) butter, softened
  7. 1 cup castor sugar
  8. 3 large eggs
Sauce Ingredients
  1. 1 3/4 sticks (3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp) butter
  2. 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
  3. 1 cup heavy cream
  4. Reserved syrup from Stem Ginger
  5. 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  6. 1/2 tsp ground cardamon
For the Pudding
  1. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  2. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add sifted flour, baking powder, ginger and cardamom and beat until just combined.
  3. Mix in Chinese stem ginger with a wooden spoon until just combined.
  4. Pour batter into greased ramekin or terra-cotta bowls (make sure they will fit into your steamer).
  5. Arrange bowls in steamer and place the lid on and steam for 20 minutes or until cooked through. Make sure to keep topping up the water in your steamer.
For the Sauce
  1. In a heavy based saucepan, melt butter over a moderate heat and add brown sugar, ginger and cardamom.
  2. Bring mixture to the boil, stirring occasionally and stir in cream and reserved ginger syrup.
  3. Simmer sauce, stirring occasionally until thickened slightly, about five minutes.
Notes
  1. Serve steamed puddings with cardamom sauce and vanilla ice cream.
stylebriefHongKong http://www.stylebriefhongkong.com/

Thai Fish Cakes

Thai Fish Cakes
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Thai Fish cakes
  1. 500g orange roughy fish fillets, uncooked
  2. 250g green prawns, shelled
  3. 1 egg beaten
  4. 3 tbs cornflour
  5. 1 tbs fish sauce
  6. 3 tsp red curry paste
  7. 1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves
  8. 2 Kaffir lime leaves, thinly chopped
  9. Knob of fresh ginger grated
  10. Juice of 1 lime
  11. Coconut oil for cooking
Dipping Sauce
  1. 1 cup white wine vinegar
  2. 1/2 cup caster sugar
  3. Pinch of salt
  4. 1 chilli, chopped (optional)
  5. 2 cloves of garlic, grated
  6. Knob of ginger, grated
  7. 1/2 cup fresh pineapple finely chopped
For the Thai Fish Cakes
  1. Process the fish and prawns in a food processor.
  2. Add the egg, cornflour, fish sauce, curry paste, coriander, Kaffir lime leaves and process until combined.
  3. Form mixture into large patties using a spoon or wet hands.
  4. Heat the coconut oil in a large frying pan.
  5. Fry patties and turn when golden brown. Remove when cooked and drain.
  6. Serve with dipping sauce.
For the Dipping Sauce
  1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl, mix thoroughly. Serve with fish cakes.
stylebriefHongKong http://www.stylebriefhongkong.com/

Mango Sticky Rice

Mango Sticky Rice
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Ingredients
  1. 3 cups of sticky rice (glutinous rice)
  2. Steamed in a rice cooker (following manufacturers instructions) using half water, half coconut milk.
Coconut sauce
  1. 2 cups of coconut milk
  2. 3/4 cup palm sugar
  3. 1 Kaffir lime leaf
  4. Juice of 1 lime
  5. 4 ripe mangoes
  6. Zest of lime to garnish
Instructions
  1. In a heavy based saucepan heat the coconut milk, Kaffir lime leaf and palm sugar until sugar has dissolved. Be careful not to let it boil.
  2. Take sauce off the heat and add the lime juice. Leave to cool for 5 minutes and remove the Kaffir lime leaf.
  3. Pour the coconut sauce over the cooked rice and place freshly cut mangoes on top with a zest of lime.
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Vintage Frames

Everyone can see Hong Kong has recently become more accepting of secondhand and vintage. In the past it was not out of the question to fly over to Amsterdam, Sydney or Paris to go completely vintage crazy and shop for amazing finds. But I love how Hong Kong is changing – more and more stores are opening up with secondhand gems. And the ones I really love are the vintage eyeglasses frames. The thing about them is that they make you look unique and offer an easy way to individualise your own style. Have a look at our finds: 2007 Zhan, Shop 1 G/F Po Hing Court, 10- 18 Po Hing Fong, Sheung Wan, +852 2559 3001. www.raychanhair.com and Select 18, Shop A, G/F Grand View Gardne, 18 Bridges Street, Central, Soho, +852 2858 8803. If you don’t have the patience or don’t go for vintage in the way that I do (I just love the thrill of the chase) just remember the label can make the decision easier for you (Yves Saint Laurent for example definitely holds its value. Ray-Bans as well are more than agreeable). Transforming an old name brand pair of sunglasses into remarkable reading frames is also a clever way to go out full face with a completely new look. 

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