A Dainty English Affair-Tea the English Way

A perfect Sunday afternoon with the girls to spend a relaxing afternoon over delicious English Tea-Time treats elegantly presented and complemented by aromatic and exclusive teas. One of my favorite things to do wind up is to have the classic English afternoon tea.

English afternoon Tea has always been an elegant tradition from England that dates back to the 1800s and it is perfected by this charming cozy ambiance with a touch of English flair. I enjoy a lovely afternoon sipping on a hot cuppa traditional English Breakfast Tea and delicious finger sandwiches, scones and strawberry jam served on a silver platter fit for the Queen and the ravishing Red Velvet Cake accompanied with two lovely girls.

Almost for the past one month, I had a busy life both on the social and work perspective. Then I thought I need a self indulgence and a girl’s day out. At last we gave it a thought to go for English Afternoon Tea which will be the perfect way to catch up with old times and at the same time indulge ourselves with the scrumptious servings of sweet treats – seemingly escape from the world. Just what we were looking for!

Delicious cozy ambiance and charming flair made me so relaxed all the way through till we called it off the day. I must concede that this experience is truly worthwhile. We girls got to choose from an assortment of afternoon tea and also the fluffy, varieties of cakes to top it off the set. When the 3 tier afternoon set arrived, we were thinking on how to finish up the whole thing as it seem to be quite a lot for three of us. Besides we order side dishes like calamari fries and fish burger.

Let’s savor the 3 tier set one at a time. Our first tier had 6 assortments of finger sandwiches and 2 Duck Confit in Filo Pastry. We had no trouble nibbling on the savory miniature sandwiches with smoked salmon as everything was very delicious and we enjoyed it wholeheartedly. The we moved on to the middle level where we were dined on the traditional English favorite of fresh home baked scones served with strawberry jam and a choice of clotted cream to sweeten our afternoon. The scones were buttery and light but not my choice as I would have preferred a pancake instead. However, the hand rolled chocolate truffles was marvelous. I could go for more of it although it was quite rich in chocolate taste. The rosemary and cheese cookies nothing much to shout about. The choice of treats could have been better with fruit tarts or so.

By the time we reach out for the top and last tier, three of us were already brimming with calorie treats! Oh gosh how much do I need to work out to get rid of of the extra calories? What’s on the top was ravishing Red Velvet Cake with macaroon and strawberry chocolate dip which was irresistible yet we allowed ourselves to digest before we munched on this. The red velvet was filled with sweet surprise. We spent hours chilling out and chatting accompanied by sweet treats and sipping on luxury afternoon tea, we just loved the heavenly moments shared and a great boost for the tired soul.

A dainty English affair indeed, ladies! Looking for more of it.

Zouk Gastronomical Delights

Few weeks back, I gave a sweet surprise treat for my close friend, Kavitha for her 27th birthday at Zouk Cafe Bar @ The Gardens. Not only was I excited for it but also really felt this was a way for me show appreciation of our friendship. A sheer coincidence that Zouk Cafe is lovely place to spend leisure time with best buds. I remembered the last time I had snippets with my dear friend before she set off to States with her hubby.  

Zouk Cafe Bar is on the ground level, prominently located right next to the main entrance to the Gardens opposite of Midvalley. The café looks chic with contemporary finesse that makes its ambiance cozy for a relaxing dining. The concept is fresh and oozing with zing. The café bar comes with two dining hall; indoor and outdoor which is closer to the fountain. 

Both of us were seated in the lounge with a cozy ambiance where we get to feel serene in the midst of nice selection of music tracks being played. As we made ourselves comfortable in the cushiony chair, the waiter furnished us with the menu. With conversation still on the go, we ogled through the menu card to find something that can satisfy our appetite. The choice of food looks tantalizing fit for my taste. 

Kavi ravished on the pan fried salmon with a tropical juice while I went for chicken parmigiana with a splash of lemonade. Kavi’s portion of dish is just nice while mine was a bit huge for me (knowing me I am not a great-eater). But it was good for a lunch meal. I must say the scrap of fries was too generous for a person. The food was delicious and absolutely divine. Fresh coleslaw, crispy fries, tender chicken breast with a topping of lemonade was zesty to end the day with. 

The juicy Chicken Parmigiana

 

Savoury Pan Fried Salmon

 I enjoyed every bite of it and so do Kavi. A beautiful treat for my bestie. Happy Birthday dear! It was a fond memory of simple yet sweet celebration of birthday. I guess as we grow older, we prefer a quiet, warm and pleasant birthday celebration.

P.s. Can’t wait for our hi-tea in few weeks time!

Does an apple a day really keep the doctor away?

This is a saying that has stayed on with us for many years. If I am not mistaken, it is believed to have originated from an ancient Roman proverb. The Romans truly believed that apples had magical powers to cure illnesses. It sounds cliché to me for years I grew up hearing it every now and then. Of lately my mom has been convincingly packing an apple together with my lunch as a snack to munch on daily. So this is when I started hearing the cliché again when I give her a cold stare each time I catch a glimpse of the fruit tucked in my thermos bag. 

Obviously, deep in my heart, I believe that apples are full of wellness factors for health. And knowing me well, my mom has to coerce me into eating fruits every day. I am fussy in choosing my food, fruits and whatever I consume. I pick fruits like berries, grapes, mangoes, watermelon, banana, kiwis, but tend to avoid certain gifted fruits like apple, oranges, pear, dragon fruits so on and so forth. Why? Simply because I have got bored eating these fruits since it has been there on my fruit basket every other day without fail that I became tired of it (And I am just lazy to peel the skin off partly). That’s very classic of me.

So what’s in an apple that screams out wonders compared to the rest? Since I do read a lot, I remember reading about healthy eating articles that highlighted the wonders of apples. Will you believe if I say that apples have many proven nutritional health values all in just one fruit?  Have you ever wondered how? So I guess the more conceivable reason for the saying lies in the core of what the fruit contains. Apples have properties that no other fruits have and its benefits have been proven overtime. Of course one can dispute the fact by saying that you can get all the benefits of these properties in other fruits. Why only apples? But an apple combines every nutritional value in just one fruit and makes it simpler. So you don’t need running up and down the fruit stores to get assorted fruits with different nutrients to cater your needs.

So, it rang in my mind that the next time when I am tempted to pass over the juicy apple to someone else, I will make it a point to remember the following miraculous properties it has that are worth considering for a quick bite:

1. Vitamic C - Apples are full with vitamin C which is good for our skin, gums and immune system. One apple is said to provide one-fourth of your daily requirement of vitamin C!

2. Pectin - It contains this natural chemical which has been found to help lower blood cholesterol levels and keep the digestive system healthy

3. Flavonoids – Apples are rich in these antioxidants which can prevent coronary and cardiovascular heart diseases

4. Polyphenols – It has the properties to reduce bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol

5. B-Complex vitamins - help as co-factors for enzymes in metabolism as well as in various synthetic functions inside the body

Apples are low in calories and therefore eating an apple when you have cravings for unhealthy candies, tidbits or chocolates will replace the desire for artificial sugar intake.  It is also believed to prevent cancers, contribute to a healthier lung and above all reduce risk of stroke. Another feather in its cap! No wonder that the ancient Romans were convinced that the apple had magical powers to cure illnesses.

Remember, the principle of an apple a day keeps the doctor away is something worth considering and that is why I don’t reject my apples anymore. At the end of the day, my mom knows what matters is a healthy living and balanced diet that will keep us healthy and we may kiss bye to all those unwanted illnesses. So what are you waiting for, get your daily dose of healthy food.

P.s. Besides my husband has been another encouragement. He has been eating apples for dinner and he seems to be fitter these days. Thank you honey for convincing me and to my mom for her constant effort to influence me into eating healthily, I must say I love you both. (Source: Google)

Apple gadgets can do the magic too..Ha-ha

Late Night Dessert

Last Saturday night I was out with my husband to do something we both loved to do together. It is late night dessert treat. Just the both of us only. Out of blue, my husband quizzed me to go out for a drive and catch a fruit cocktail in Rainbow City food outlets. My eyes brightened in excitement since I was craving for some late night dessert. We both changed into something casual and hop into the car for a light and easy drive around Ipoh city before we hit the famous dessert outlet.
I must confess the taste of this fancy fruit cocktail is sinfully delicious and a cool treat. It cost you about RM4 but it has many ingredients-varieties of fruits, a scoop of ice-cream, syrup and other jellybeans. It is something cheap and fulfilling treat on a hot day. I have not had any better shaved ice treats in KL that can be comparable to this one. I gave a peck on my hubby’s cheek for fulfilling my cravings for such a long time. Thank you baby!
The fruit cocktail was so icy till it kindled my rhinitis and now I am accompanied with stuffy nose and headaches. Ha-ha-ha. But no regrets. I still loved it no matter what!

Famous Amos: Ignites the taste buds

Sometimes, I just can't help having sweet cravings for my favourite chocs and cakes. It doesn't happen always but it pops out of blue!

The most irresistible cravings I get is when I walk past the Famous Amos outlet. The aroma of the cookies just fills up the atmosphere and ignites the olfactory senses. I know it can be tempting to grab a packet full of jellos, chocs or even the finest cookies but not too often. Although it's kinda pricey but it is worth the ringgit.



Each year during the festive season, I would be treated with a lovely hamper of Famous Amos. What more could I ask for? Its sinfully delicious! Tantalizing! A treat for your taste buds!

Yummylicous!