The Malaysian Insider :: Food
The Malaysian Insider :: Food |
| Starbucks opens pop-up shop in Japan Posted: 17 Sep 2012 06:18 PM PDT  Starbucks has opened their first and only pop-up shop in Japan. — AFP pic According to the Wall Street Journal, the temporary outpost in the city's trendy Omotesando district is the first of its kind for the chain, and is designed to encourage customers to take their time and sip on their espresso in a bright, airy space. Set up as a library café, customers place their order at Starbucks Espresso Journey by pulling a pseudo-book from the shelf that bears the coffee of their choice and presenting it to the barista. The book cover is for the customer to keep as a souvenir. Conceived by Toronto-born Japanese designer Oki Sato, who has worked with luxury brands like Hermès, Louis Vuitton and Veuve Clicquot in France among others, the minimalist shop occupies an event rental space and serves nine espresso-based drinks, like lattes and cappuccinos. The store is also stocked with limited edition tote bags and mugs and offers latte-pulling classes for wanna-be baristas. The pop-up concept is the chain's latest attempt to maintain their competitive edge in the clash of the coffee wars in Japan, points out the WSJ's Japan Real Time. While Starbucks has about 1,000 locations across Japan, domestic chains like Caffe Veloce and Doutor Coffee are also popular brands. McDonald's McCafés also offer stiff competition for the premium coffee chain, with their significantly lower price points. Starbucks Espresso Journey runs until Sept 30. — AFP-Relaxnews |
| Posted: 17 Sep 2012 05:19 PM PDT  The Potong popsicle stick. — Pictures by The Potong and Kenny Mah My friend tries the Rosy Mango (grapefruit and mango with a hint of rose water), while I go for the Nutty Choc (a coconut-based fudgesicle with cocoa and Nutella). Both are delicious and refreshing (as popsicles eaten in our sweltering weather ought to be) but also delightful in their unexpected and exciting pairing of flavours. These are but two treats by The Potting – handmade and preservatives-free popsicles using only fresh and seasonal natural ingredients with a contemporary take on the flavours. Gourmet pops, anyone?  The Potong team (from left) Victor Tee, Tee Reei Toh and Ivan Lee. Who are the people behind this fledgling enterprise? Instead of time-worn F&B industry veterans, The Potong is the brain child of Ivan Lee (a HR consultant), Victor Tee (an investment banker) and Tee Reei Toh (an interactive designer). The journey to becoming home-grown ice cream artists started many years ago when Ivan first met Victor while studying in Melbourne, Australia. The former was an apprentice chef, having worked in restaurants and catering, while the latter had recently graduated from Food Technology.  Rows of 'potongs' on display, just pick a flavour. "Then we met Tee Reei and something just clicked. "While I'm more of a wannabe chef and Victor is our resident food scientist, Tee Reei brought her foodie passion to the table." Laughing, Tee Reei agrees, "I guess I'm a 'New Age' Malaysian woman who may not know how to differentiate between a blender or a food processor but I'm definitely a long-time food lover." During one of their many food trips around Malaysia, they came across the traditional "potong" ice cream that is sadly becoming a rare sight these days. Tasting this perfect treat for a sunny day, they were inspired to create their own version of it, albeit with a twist. Victor describes a "potong" popsicle as cool like ordinary ice cream but lighter due to its lower cream proportions. "When we started mixing different ingredients together to update this classic dessert, we decided we wanted the flavours to be fruitier. "We also wanted to incorporate common flavours of the Malaysian palate that is not normally found in potong ice cream like teh tarik and gula Melaka." Making the cut Given both Ivan and Victor's formal training in food, they already had some experience working with food preparation in a commercial sense. To further strengthen this foundation, they also studied gelato/sorbet-making recently at the Carpigiani Gelato University and adopted some of the principles in their popsicle production. "It's not hard to make a popsicle. It could be as simple as freezing any liquid in a mould," explained Ivan. "However, to make an artisanal popsicle, it takes a little more finesse to come up with the perfect texture and density. "We had to dig up our old food preparation books to study the techniques as well as experimenting a lot to create our final product." Does this mean their "potong" ice cream is considered a gourmet food though? "I don't think the average Malaysian would classify a popsicle as gourmet," Tee Reei explains their approach.  Satisfied customers on a hot, sunny day. They demonstrate this by creating artisanal popsicles that have a higher content of fresh fruits (an average of 60- 70 per cent fruit content) compared to the conventional options which are made mainly from fruit juice concentrates or artificial additives like flavouring, colouring and preservatives. "As a result, our popsicles have a good proportion of flavours from different fruits, herbs, local ingredients and even spices," said Victor. "We use whole fruits – the juice, rind and pulp – to create denser, creamier and richer flavours. Even in our warm weather, our 'potongs' do not melt away too quickly." Making ice cream fun again One of the things that The Potong has brought to the local ice cream scene is a joyous sense of fun.  The infamous Licking Booth. Their witty slogan – "Why kiss us when you can lick our Pops instead?" – drew many curious bystanders. What an inventive way to convert them into customers! And flocking to grab these popsicles they certainly have been. In addition to the flavours mentioned earlier, other favourites include Strawberry Pepper in which fresh strawberry puree is paired with a light but unexpected hint of spice while watermelon is mixed with lemonade and fresh mint to produce the refreshing Waterlemon Fizz. Another intriguing bestseller is their Teh Tarik; they use Earl Grey tea to give the classic Malaysian beverage a delicate citrus-flavoured twist. Currently those eager to have a pop or two of The Potong's cool offerings may head to The Food Foundry (Section 17, PJ) and Wondermama (Bangsar Village 1) restaurants. The Potong team often operate kiosks and stalls at various food bazaars, art shows, music festivals and fundraising events. One such event will be the latest "Food Bites" food market at Jaya One on Sept 29 (11am – 6pm). The Potong team promises to have a new seasonal flavour created especially for the market so head to their Licking Booth and lick away! The Potong Available at The Food Foundry (BG-8, Happy Mansion, Jalan 17/13, Petaling Jaya) and Wondermama (G6, Ground Floor, Bangsar Village 1, No 1, Jalan Telawi Satu, Bangsar Baru, 59100 Kuala Lumpur). Website: http://www.facebook.com/ThePotong/ * Kenny remembers the good ol' days when the "ais krim potong" seller would come by on his bicycle, ringing merrily away. Read more at http://lifeforbeginners.com |
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WASHINGTON, Sept 17 – A giant panda at Washington's National Zoo has given birth to a cub, the zoo said today, ending the zoo's seven-year spell without panda offspring.
