Celebrity Life

Travel bubbles may have come and gone, but the nostalgia for a taste of home remains. In anticipation of Singapore’s National Day, we’re sharing our secret spots for the best pandan desserts in the city. 

Lany Kitchen 

I may be crucified for sharing my countrymen's best kept secret. Using cold press organic coconut oil and homemade pandan extract, Lany Chew’s amazing Pandan Chiffon cakes ($130) have been growing in popularity through word of mouth among the inner Singaporean circuit. If you’re craving something with a savoury kick, she also does an incredible Pandan Cheese Roll ($95) filled with grated cheddar and cream cheese. While Lany doesn’t currently have a retail shop, you can order through WhatsApp at least three days in advance.  

Lany Kitchen, @lanykitchen, WhatsApp to order +852 9806 4199 

Shaz Confections 

Presenting the Singaporean dessert dream duo: pandan leaves, and – wait for it – coconut cream. At Shaz Confections, bliss comes in the form of fresh pandan coconut cream, sandwiched between 16 layers of crepe and topped with a light dusting of desiccated coconut and roasted pistachio. Their Pandan Coconut Crepe Cake ($480) is certainly a crowd pleaser, but if you prefer the more traditional pandan chiffon ($138), you’ll be able to snag that too. Oh, and don’t delay: cake orders must be made at least three days in advance. 

Shaz Confections, various locations, including: G/F, 21 First Street, Sai Ying Pun, +852 5596 5956 

Soho House Hong Kong 

Okay, okay – we get it. Not entirely fair that we have a private member’s club on this list... but hear me out. Your whole membership will be worth it just to be able to have a taste of Chef Chris Thompson’s incredible rendition of a pandan cheesecake ($70 a slice). Yeah, I said it.  

Painstakingly infused and lovingly assembled each day by the talented hands of the pastry chefs, this dessert has been a House favourite since the opening, and caused waves of outrage when it was briefly off the menu. Insider tip: If you’re incredibly sweet to the team, they may also agree to bake an entire 2-pound version ($500) for you – with advance notice, of course. 

Soho House Hong Kong, 33 Des Voeux Road West, Sheung Wan. 

Teakha

Teakha may be famous for being one of our city’s homegrown tea-specialist cafés, but they have slowly started gaining recognition for their baked goods in recent years as well. Their cakes often incorporate elements of tea, and are simple and rustic with an Asian fineness and touch. You’ll be able to try a slice of their Pandan Coconut Chiffon Cake ($56) in the café, or order a full-sized Pandan Chiffon Cake ($420) at least two days in advance.  

Teakha, Shop B, 18 Tai Ping Shan Street, Sheung Wan, +852 2858 9185 

Ms. B’s Cakery

If it’s a showstopper you’re after, the Eleanor ($630/$1,050) is truly a sight to behold. Picture this: A decadent pandan & coconut chiffon cream cake, topped with white chocolate and marshmallows. You can even add on a handcrafted sugar orchid as a pièce de résistance ($1,300) to show off for Singapore’s National Day. Bring this along to your Singaporean spouse’s family gathering and they’ll be gushing about you for months. You can thank me afterwards.

Ms. B’s Cakery, various locations, including: G/F, Lee Tung Street, Wan Chai, +852 2869 1331 

The post A Singaporean’s Guide to the Best Pandan Desserts in Hong Kong appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

With their heads in the clouds and their hands in the soil, a group of office workers are busy harvesting the fruits of their labour in urban farms on the roof of a Hong Kong skyscraper. Invisible to those below, a sprawling garden of radishes, carrots and rhubarb is flourishing at the top of the 150-metre tall Bank of America tower, a stark and colourful contrast to the monotone shades of concrete, steel and glass of the city's financial district.

The farm is among more than 60 that have sprouted across the space-starved city since 2015 -- on decommissioned helipads, shopping mall rooftops and public terraces -- thanks to urban farming initiatives in Hong like Rooftop Republic. Cofounder Andrew Tsui sees the rooftop farms as a way for people to reconnect with how sustainable food can be produced in what he calls the current "instant-noodle city lifestyle" that sees so much waste.

"What we are looking at is really how to identify underutilised spaces among the city and mobilise the citizens, the people, to learn about food," the 43-year-old told AFP during a blustery site inspection of the skyscraper's garden.

Tsui believes Hong Kongers need to re-establish a relationship with what they eat that has been broken "since we started outsourcing our food and relying so much on industrialised production."

Piles of food waste

According to government statistics, Hong Kong throws out some 3,500 tonnes of food waste a day -- the equivalent weight of 250 double-decker buses. Less than a quarter is recycled.

Around 90 percent of the food eaten by the city's 7.5 million inhabitants is imported, mostly from mainland China. And while Hong Kong is one of the most densely packed places on earth, there is still considerable space to grow food locally. Tsui said some seven million square metres of farmable area is currently cultivated. But more than six million square metres on the city's rooftops remain unused.

"So we could have the potential of doubling the supply of land for growing food," he said. "The challenge for us is to design urban farming as a lifestyle to integrate into our daily life," he added. "And the first step for that, of course, is to be accessible."

To incorporate urban farms into the blueprints for office buildings, Rooftop Republic closely collaborates with architects, developers and property managers. Major companies are signing up.

As well as the Bank of America garden, financed by property consultancy giant JLL, Singaporean banking giant DBS has partnered with Rooftop Republic to set up an academy that runs workshops for beginners as well as professional courses.

"In Hong Kong, most of the people focus on the commercial value of the properties. But we want to promote the concept of sustainability," said Eric Lau, the group's senior director of property management.

New skills

People working in urban farms say the projects also help build community spirit among those who cultivate the crops. After retiring from the public service, Lai Yee-man said she turned to farming to connect with nature and her neighbours. The 60-year-old initially learned techniques and tricks from professionals to develop her farming plot in the New Territories region of Hong Kong -- a rural area close to the border with mainland China.

But now she is passing on her knowledge to fellow residents working the Sky Garden, a 1,200 square-metre facility on top of a mall. There, residents cultivate edible flowers and fruit trees and can attend lifestyle classes like mindful gardening.

"People attach greater importance to their health now, they will buy organic food," said Lai. "Here, we teach them not to waste... and to cherish their food," she explained, adding that the majority of what the mall farm grows goes to local food banks.

Tsui recognises that few young Hong Kongers currently have an interest in learning how to grow food. But younger people are often concerned about the environment and climate change, so the opportunity to generate enthusiasm is there for the taking.

"If coding is the skill set to learn for the 21st century, growing your own food is a necessary new skill that we all need to learn to ensure a regenerative and green planet," he said.

(Main image credit: Anthony Wallace / AFP)

This article was published via AFP Relaxnews. 

The post Gardens in the Sky: Hong Kong’s Urban Farms Are on the Rise appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Asia welcomes two new catamarans into its waters: The Lagoon 55 and Sixty 5, which will be sold through Simpson Marine.

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Now available for delivery through Asia-based dealer Farfalla Marine.

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Imbibed amidst an immersive patchwork of sounds, scents, and flavours, the latest edition of Krug's much-loved multi-vintage Champagne strikes a chord that is as joyful as it is delicious.

I'll be the first to concede that there's nothing quite like "the intangible quality...of taking in the terroir" but insofar as virtual tastings are concerned -- essentially the status quo for drinks industry pundits in 2021 -- the recent unveiling of Krug's latest Grande Cuvée proved to be oddly visceral and thrilling (in some ways, even touching). Every year since 1843, the eponymous makers of prestige Champagne have released a new assemblage of reserve wines, always consisting of the classic Champenois trio of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Meunier; and always left to age sur lie for 7 years.

Dispensing first with the formalities, the 169th Edition is a "generous expression" of 146 wines made in 11 different years (Krug bottle single vintages relatively infrequently), the oldest of which harkens back to the turn of the millennium. It is, however, the 2013 vintage that -- to butcher a musical analogy -- really sets the bassline: with intensely "luminous and pure" Chardonnays; racy Meunier; and Pinot Noir that extrudes a long, treacle finish. It is in a word, unsurprisingly, 'scrumptious': at its best harmonising alongside sharp aged cheese; aromatic seafood dishes; maybe even a cheeky slice of tarte tatin.

Unsurprisingly, the hallmarks of this Grande Cuvée (namely quality, consistency, and complexity) remain present year in, year out; but it's Krug's highly intuitive method of presentation that helps to immerse drinkers in the art of crafting prestige Champagne. With the jubilant voice of Olivier Krug pouring into their ears -- livestreaming in from the Maison's ancestral holdfast in Reims -- participants in these 'Encounters' were able to hear the story of the 169th Edition in a style that takes you beyond the spoken word. An "audio pairing" composed by Belgian musician Ozark Henry (and fed through to listeners using 8D technology) chronicles, in sonic form, the entire journey of the latest Krug edition: from plot to tasting, and finally harmonious blending together at the hands of Cellar Master Julie Cavil.

As ever, these 'Encounters' ended with a culinary presentation (in Hong Kong, presided over by Island Shangri-La's Uwe Opocensky) inspired by the tasting notes for the current edition -- langoustine and freshly jetted oysters seem to be much-favoured accompaniments this time round -- followed by a round of questions for the Maison's patriarch, Mr. Olivier Krug. On whether he was excited for a resumption of global travel -- to better present this 169th annual bottling -- he expressed optimism. Until then, you could do a lot worse than sipping to a soundtrack.

The 169th Edition of Krug Grande Cuvée is now available at various retail partners throughout Hong Kong, including Watson's, The Fine Wine Experience, CitySuper and Avize Wine Cellar. To learn more, visit Krug online.

The post Kiln me Softly: 5 Pottery Classes in Hong Kong appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Imbibed amidst an immersive patchwork of sounds, scents, and flavours, the latest edition of Krug's much-loved multi-vintage Champagne strikes a chord that is as joyful as it is delicious.

I'll be the first to concede that there's nothing quite like "the intangible quality...of taking in the terroir" but insofar as virtual tastings are concerned -- essentially the status quo for drinks industry pundits in 2021 -- the recent unveiling of Krug's latest Grande Cuvée proved to be oddly visceral and thrilling (in some ways, even touching). Every year since 1843, the eponymous makers of prestige Champagne have released a new assemblage of reserve wines, always consisting of the classic Champenois trio of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Meunier; and always left to age sur lie for 7 years.

Dispensing first with the formalities, the 169th Edition is a "generous expression" of 146 wines made in 11 different years (Krug bottle single vintages relatively infrequently), the oldest of which harkens back to the turn of the millennium. It is, however, the 2013 vintage that -- to butcher a musical analogy -- really sets the bassline: with intensely "luminous and pure" Chardonnays; racy Meunier; and Pinot Noir that extrudes a long, treacle finish. It is in a word, unsurprisingly, 'scrumptious': at its best harmonising alongside sharp aged cheese; aromatic seafood dishes; maybe even a cheeky slice of tarte tatin.

Unsurprisingly, the hallmarks of this Grande Cuvée (namely quality, consistency, and complexity) remain present year in, year out; but it's Krug's highly intuitive method of presentation that helps to immerse drinkers in the art of crafting prestige Champagne. With the jubilant voice of Olivier Krug pouring into their ears -- livestreaming in from the Maison's ancestral holdfast in Reims -- participants in these 'Encounters' were able to hear the story of the 169th Edition in a style that takes you beyond the spoken word. An "audio pairing" composed by Belgian musician Ozark Henry (and fed through to listeners using 8D technology) chronicles, in sonic form, the entire journey of the latest Krug edition: from plot to tasting, and finally harmonious blending together at the hands of Cellar Master Julie Cavil.

As ever, these 'Encounters' ended with a culinary presentation (in Hong Kong, presided over by Island Shangri-La's Uwe Opocensky) inspired by the tasting notes for the current edition -- langoustine and freshly jetted oysters seem to be much-favoured accompaniments this time round -- followed by a round of questions for the Maison's patriarch, Mr. Olivier Krug. On whether he was excited for a resumption of global travel -- to better present this 169th annual bottling -- he expressed optimism. Until then, you could do a lot worse than sipping to a soundtrack.

The 169th Edition of Krug Grande Cuvée is now available at various retail partners throughout Hong Kong, including Watson's, The Fine Wine Experience, CitySuper and Avize Wine Cellar. To learn more, visit Krug online.

The post Local Artists Tony Lai and Maggie Chan Revive Hong Kong’s Bygone Era in Detailed Miniatures appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Whether you’re in Hong Kong for business or pleasure, one thing’s for sure: you’re in for an amazing dining experience. Some say Hong Kong is worth visiting for its food scene alone, and with a whopping 69 Michelin-starred restaurants, the choices are limitless. From traditional dim sum to creative concepts in which East meets West,... View Article

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